Hi Everyone! Today is my last project designing for Gina's.  I have had a wonderful time with her beautiful chipboard products and working along with the rest of the talented ladies on the team.

I am sharing a "Boo" mini album I created with Gina's Boo Banner Set. 

Gina's banner sets can be used as a banner that you embellish as you choose and hang. OR you can be like me and use it for another purpose. 

I love the corrugated cardboard not only for the banner design but as a mini. I alternated that and some regular cardboard cut in a triangle shape to fill in some pages.

I used the Spiderweb Shape Set on the cover. I painted mine in black acrylic then used Rock Candy Crackle over it. I spread it really thick and the Rock Candy gives it a shimmer look as well as crackle for a truly "spark- tacular" web! 

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I love adding little tags and pull outs to my minis. I also leave lots of space for photos. I have found I like to use different Spellbinders dies to mark my spots for photos.

On the closure for my album I use a regular clasp ring. then I tore up cheese cloth and misted it in gray- alternating between cheesecloth and ribbon.

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With my banner set I also received the letters "Boo" in chipboard. I opted to spread them out and place a letter on page here and there within the album.

Here is a close up so you can see the details. I stamped and inked on the letter "O" and filled it in with a piece of clock pattern paper.

I REALLY love the bottles! I coated them with gesso and stamped with a BoBunny Stamp then covered in crackle. One dried I inked them so you would see the crackle and then added the sticker labels.

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Gina sent me that cute accordion style flower. I just had to pleat it and add it to my page! The scary cat was painted and crackled too!

Thanks so much for stopping in! Check out Gina's Designs Shop for lot's of inspiration!

Ginas Supplies

Clock Hands Shape Set

Spiderweb Shape Set - Available Soon

Spooky Shape Set - Available Soon

Boo Banner - Available Soon

Old Bottle Miniature Shape Set

Glassine Bags

Other Supplies

Gesso, Ranger Tags, Ribbon, Twine, Crackle Accents, 7 Gypsies

Cheescloth, BoBunny Stamps

Gina's Designs Spooky Tag

I've been on a tag kick lately! Here is another I created with Gina's Designs "Spooky" shape set. I also used a past Scraps of Darkness kit from last October. One of our signature Halloween Kits!

I've layered the papers and Bingo tag. The little accordion flower is one Gina sent me. I just had to pleat it!

I love ribbons and buttons. You will find them often in my small projects.

The "Spooky" shape is inked and stamped.

The back of the tag features one of Gina's Glassine bags. Perfect for sharing a treat.

Gina's Designs Fall Tags

Gina's Designs

Fall Tags

Hi Everyone! today I am sharing some tags I created for Gina's with the gorgeous fall chipboard designs!

I love the gate and pumpkin. Here I have used gesso and distress ink and stamping. Lots of layers with florals and hand dyed seam binding.

I like my tags to have a purpose beside looking beautiful. This one has one of Gina's glassine bags on the bag for a little treat!

Next up is this gorgeous Harvest chipboard. I used multiple inks and crackle to get this glassy effect! I love it!

I have a beautiful floral cluster on here and have layered in one of the little floral sprays from Tresors DeLuxe Etsy.

On the back a little envelope. This one is a die cut from CottageCutz. 

Finally I have a beautiful slightly grungy tag I created with the crow chipboard.

On this one I used gesso and stamped on the chipboard then inked the edges.

I included a bag on the back of this one too. The same CottageCutz die.

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit me today!

Don't forget to stop by Gina's and pick up some chipboard!

Scraps of Darkness & Gina's Designs

Hi Everyone!

Today I am sharing

a canvas I created featuring the Scraps of Darkness

July Kit " Gypsy Summer" and Gina's Designs 

"Filigree Frames" hearts chipboard.

I created a video to go along with this project so you can see me in action!

Forgive me this is my first video of this type and I had trouble with my imovie software so the video is a little fast! Dang imovie wouldn't save my timing changes! 

You can watch the tutorial here and below are more close ups of this project. Enjoy!

Thank a bunch for stopping in!!!

CSI-80- Scraps of Elegance- Gina's Designs

Hi Everyone! Today I am sharing my take on CSI-80.

I created my page with a variety of elements from former Scraps of Elegance kits. This one includes mostly Websters Papers.

I used banners, triangles, flowers and patterns for my evidence.

Around the outside edges of my page I used a distress marker to draw some overlapping lines to frame the page.

My background treatment includes misting and gelatos painted over a mask for a watercolor effect. After they dried I outlined the shapes with a distress marker.

The beautiful word phrase is from Gina's Designs. I just inked this one with Walnut Distress Ink. I also used lots of stamping in the background and for my flowers. 

These flowers are a Heartfelt Creations stamp I cut out and then colored with Gelatos.

My testimony is a journal to my daughter:

You are easy to love…

At 7… painted pink toes and sweet strawberry scented hair…

You walk in a skip and giggle on a whim…

Your hazel eyes melt my heart and your butterfly kisses melt my soul…

At 7…you still hold my hand, kiss my cheeks, call me mommy, snuggle on my lap and think I put the moon in the sky every night just for you…

Braids, sidewalk chalk, jumping waves, riding bikes, swinging high and vanilla ice cream with brownie bits are it takes to make you happy…

At 7 you are easy to love…

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I appreciate each and every visit. :)

Prima- July- BAP

Hello Everyone! Today I'm sharing my project created for the July- BAP at Prima!

I've used my Scraps of Elegance May Kit "Yesterdays"

Gina's Designs Word Phrases & Filigree Frames.

I had great fun with the sketch this month. Lot's of layers and I used the beautiful Fairy Rhymes papers by Prima.

I decided to keep my chipboard natural and just inked the edges with Walnut Distress Ink. I like the natural feel of it and dark contrast against the white background.

The beautiful frame is a die cut from Heartfelt Creations and the doilies of course are from Gina's Designs.

I sprayed some purple shimmerz on some masking tape. Once it dried I ripped the tape and then adhered it to my project in the upper and lower edges of the page.

I also did a little punching here and there and tore the edges so it would look more like it was tape holding the layers together!

Thanks for stopping by everyone! Happy Sunday!

Scraps of Darkness & CSI-79

Have any of you crafters/scrappers/artists out there ever gotten into a creative funk and thought you were going to give it all up? Ever get tired of yourself and your style and the same old inspiration?

Well, I have. Oh BTW when you visit my blog you will hear the "real" truth about me. I don't paint a perfect picture of myself so you are left wondering if you are the only one who ever feels the way you do as I have often been.

I have been in a funk for awhile. Doing the same old thing and getting bored with it and the whole style I have been in. Not to say I am abandoning it completely but it's time I grew and spread my wings. 

I have found the best way to do this is playing challenges. It just gets me to think in a different way and take on things I normally wouldn't do. CSI is one of my favorite challenge sites. I love the combo of color, journaling, embellishments and techniques that they use.

One of my creative fears has been scrapping on a white background. I have tried so many times to use white cardstock as my backdrop and have never been able to do it to my liking. I have FINALLY conquered the fear and something has clicked. I am LOVING the white cardstock and you will be seeing more of this side of me for sure. Also a little more mixed media with cleaner lines and less stuff! Hmmm...we'll see.

Ok enough of my blabbering. On with the challenge.

My inspiration for my page was the word "Freedom" 

I like to think outside the box and although I don't always... I try.

This week I interpreted the "Freedom" into a big a life changing event that is taking place in my life and my oldest daughters life. She is heading to college in the fall. **sniff sniff**

I have included my testimony (journaling at the end of the post)

I used all the items in my June Scraps of Darkness Firecracker Kit for this page. I have also used chipboard hinges, stars and flourishes from Gina's Designs.

For my evidence I used stripes, a transparency, flowers, flourish and rub ons.

I used a stencil in the background and watered down some of the blue lumiere paint that was in our kit this month. Then I outlined it in black marker.

I used a lot of misting in red and green with a number mask. Then I thought it looked really cool to lay the transparency over it.

But then I had to work out how to do the photo. I actually put this page together before the photo was selected because I wasn't sure how I was going to do it. :)

These are star chippies from Gina's. I kept my chipboard raw and just used Walnut Distress Ink and mists on it.

My testimony is in the form of a letter to my daughter. I am going to keep the letter in a sleeve.

***********************************************

Education = Freedom

My Dear Daughter-

I have watched you grow from a beautiful baby, to a sweet thoughtful girl and now a young adult taking flight… Never a moment of trouble… You have been a delight to raise. I am honored to have been selected by God to be your Mom.

Time is funny. When it’s going by year after year it seems so slow and then here we are- 18 years later- and it’s over. Your need for me is less, your time with me is less, your life without me parenting you on a daily basis is less. Yet the time ahead of you is vast ----your freedom and independence stretches into the rest of your life.

At this crossroad – as you head to college- I offer you advice:

Education = Freedom

I regret that I did not further my education, that I never truly found myself and through the choices I have made I have impaired my ability to be independent. I want different for you.

DO WHAT YOU LOVE- whatever it is… Do not fear judgement…Do not let others opinions of what you should do or be interfere with your decision to do something you are passionate about.

Live with intention- Do not meander through life with no purpose or direction

Dream Big- Because if YOU don’t – you will never know what would have happened if you did

Laugh Always- Do not spend your time being angry, bitter, sad and regretful. Life is too short – WAY too short

Finally- Create Memories- In the end that is what you will leave your own children with

Love,

Mom

Scraps of Darkness Design Team Reveal

It's reveal day for the designers at Scraps of Darkness and I have ALOT to share so grab a cup of whatever you drink and take a peek.

I've got just a peek of the kit here in this photo. To see the kit in it's entirety hop on over to Scraps of Darkness and have a look at all the awesome add on's you can get to go with this!

I've already shared my sketch for Scraps of Darkness so now I'm playing along with Bo Bunny and sharing a layout I created based on their June sketch.

This photo is of our famous berry picking day and I grabbed this cool digital triangle template you can find here. It comes with different sizes so you can use it on a larger scale.

This page has lots of layers and misting.I like to cut up my die cuts and journal spots and use them in my layering process.

The vines are a Spellbinders Die and I just inked it a bit with distress ink and sprayed it with a shimmerz spray. I mixed in some flowers along with my hand made one. The stars are chipboard stars from Gina's Designs. 

I used the cool shimmerz texture on the stars. They look really beautiful in real life.

Here is a little close up - some cheesecloth tucked in.

*************************************************

My next project is a mini album so fair warning it is photo heavy!

This is a chipboard star mini album from Gina's Designs. I used this and another one of Gina's chippees called "Heidi's Stars"

On the outside cover I first painted gesso over and then used a heat tool to dry it. I then went over it with a red shade of magical micas and I then dried it again with the heat tool but only to tackiness. I went over it with a paintbrush dipped in crackle and because it wasn't fully dry it smeared the colored a bit and exposed some of the gesso. I really liked how  it came out.

My stars were sprayed with more of Lindys mists and Shimmerz. I just spray different colors until I like the effect.

The fun part comes with all the pages.

I used some of Gina's Designs glassine bags and layered the Bo Bunny die cuts.

I printed out a free vintage 4th of July image. Love little bits and bobs to add to my albums.

I created a little fold out page with a hinge on one of the stars. I used a Bo Bunny die cut that I cut in half and covered the B side too.

I have also left lots of space for photos. I like to cut a spellbinders die for the photo mat.

Little tags are tucked in the bags. The glassine bags are folded in half and you can slip a little photo or treasure of sorts in there.

Our kits come with Mandy's signature pins and I just cut the top off and adhered it to embellish my star here.

The back cover has a little Bingo card attached with a sweet little paperclip.

If you made it this far through the post I salute you! Thanks for sticking with me. 

MUCH APPRECIATED

till next time

CYA :)