Graphic 45's new Artisan Style!

Graphic 45, you've done it again!  I love the rich deep hues and art deco look of this gorgeous new collection, Artisan Style.  As I thumbed through the papers I was immediately inspired and knew exactly what I wanted to do for my first layout.  I love it when it happens like that.  Too often, I spend hours pushing paper around and waiting for inspiration to hit.

I fussy cut the main design elements from the title sheet of the collection, Artisan Style.  I love how the building from the paper makes a great frame for my photo of our house in Alaska.

Journaling below the house:

When we moved into our house in Alaska, it had only one BR and bath on the top floor.  It was quite a hike from the basement where we spent alot of our spare time!  It was a really pretty  home but unique with its open floorplan.  The upstairs was the master suite with only a half wall that overlooked the LR and no doors!  Definitely built for a couple with no kids.  It had  12" walls and beautiful wood cased windows.    Dick, the best Mr. Fix-it ever, finished out the basement adding a 2nd bedroom and bath.  Then we did some remodeling on the main level adding a pantry, half bath, penisula and additional cabinets in the kitchen.

To make my title, I scanned the fussy cut piece and used Photoshop to get a perfec color match.  I used an art deco font for my title and then printed it out and placed it over the "Artisan Style" title printed on the paper.  With the perfect color match it blends in almost perfectly.

The two Iron Leaf Corner chipboard pieces are from Leaky Shed Studios.  I misted and painted them with several colors of Lindy's.

I made all the flowers from trimming scraps using Alterations Tattered Florals die and McGill punches.  The pine boughs are diecut with an Elizabeth Crafts die.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and for the comments you leave.  I appreciate it so much!

Fabscraps Beach Affair layout.

.  Here's a layout I did with Fabscraps new summer collection, Beach Affair.  You can view the entire collection here.  There are lots of fun chipboard pieces to go with this fun summer collection!

You can create a layout similar to this one by following the directions below.

For This Project You Will Need:

·    FabScraps C72 Beach Affair collection: 1 sheet 008 Fish 2, 1 sheet 001 Starfish, 1 sheet 005 Lighthouse, 1 sheet 002 Starfish 2

·    Fabscraps MC72 001A Journal Book

·    Fabscraps DC72 012 Chipboard

·    2 x 12" strip of coordinating cardstock

·    Mask and white masking paste

·    Red mist

·    Scraps of cardboard

·    Embossing powder

·    Embellishments of your choice, i.e. flowers, leaves swirls, etc.

Instructions:

1. Paint the  paper, 008, Fish 2, with clear gesso and allow to dry.  Tear a 1" strip off the right side and then distress and ink all the edges.
2. Do some masking on the paper from step 1.  Mist the page and apply some paint splatters.  Allow the page to dry.
3. Border punch a color coordinated 2 x 12"  piece of cardstock and glue about a 1/4" from the right side of 002 Starfish 2.  Then glue the masked paper from step2 to 002 Starfish 2 overlapping the punched edge as shown in the photo.
4. Tear a right angle scrap of cardboard approximately 4.5 " x 5.5".  Tear a scrap of paper and tuck under the edge of the cardboard and adhere to the right bottom corner.
5. Cut out 3 of the postcards and one of the tags  from MC72 001A Journal Book. 
6. Cut two 4 x 6" pieces of 001Starfish and  distress and ink the edges.
7. Tear a right angle piece of 005 Lighthouse about 10.5" long and wide enough to fit under your photo and adhere to the top right side of your layout.
8. Now layer the two pieces of paper from step 6, the cardboard, and the 3 postcards in a pleasing manner underneath the location of your photo.  Refer to the photo for placement guidance.
9. Add some additional misting if you wish.
10. Take the anchor from the DC72 012 chipboard and either paint or  emboss with embossing enamel.  Arrange the anchor with the tag  from step 5 and some flowers in the bottom right corner.
11. Add embellishments of your choice, i.e. flowers, flourishes, leaves, etc.

Come Away with Me Graphic 45 mini

When I was 19 my bff and I went to Europe and traveled around for 6 weeks and of course, had a blast!!   I have very few pictures from that trip as film and developing was not in my budget way back then! It helped that my Dad was stationed in Augsburg, Germany as that gave us a home base to which we returned every couple of weeks for nice showers, laundry and good food!

I've used Graphic 45's Come Away with Me for my mini.  It was perfect with its travel oriented papers and embellishments.  On the cover I've fussy cut some images, added a quote, and some Petaloo mini Botanicas.

Believe it or not, I managed the entire trip including my Eurail pass on $600 though that did not include airfare to Germany and back...and it was 1970!  As a military dependent, Uncle Sam paid my airfare.  Our travel guide was Europe on $5 a Day, what a great book!  It told us where to find cheap student lodging and meals.

In the pictures below, we're on the train and of course I'm studying our book.  My bff seems to be enjoying a bit of vino and a cigarette!

There's a little pocket on the left page and I've placed a copy of my Eurail pass into it.

 Thanks for stopping by today!

Times Nouveau - Graphic 45, 2nd release!

I think it is just wonderful that Graphic 45 is releasing some of their older collections again as collector's editions!  I was so thrilled to get my hands on Times Nouveau as I only had a few sheets from the first release and they were gone long ago!

This layout shows another treasured vintage photo of my parents that was taken shortly after the end of WW II.  The photo is in really bad condition and though I did my best to clean it up with Photoshop, it still leaves much to be desired.  However,  I think those flaws in our vintage photos sometimes adds to their charm.

The circle frame is Creative Embellishments and I painted it with Emperor's Gold Silks.

I used chipboard buttons and a clock that came in the collector's edition release.

I have a big order of G45 coming in the mail today and I can hardly  wait!!  I have Artisan Style and Home Sweet Home coming along with 2 of their fabulous new mixed media albums.  Guess what I'm going to be doing all week?  You got it, playing in my studio!

We are freezing this week in the south, single digits a couple of nights this week and that is really really cold for these parts!  Hope you are warm and toasty where ever you are.  Thanks for stopping by.

Fabulicious Fabscraps Beach Affair!

Have you seen Fabscraps newe collection Beach Affair?  Its great with its lighthouse and other beachy themes, perfect for those summer day photos.  Ohhh I know its cold in a lot of places, but trust me, summer IS coming and here's something to put you in the mood!

I used Ranger Antiquities Cement Gray to color my chipboard and I did the starfish and shell with Stampendous aged ivory.

For This Project You Will Need:

·    FabScraps C72 Beach Affair collection: 1 sheet C72 006 Lighthouse 2

·    1 sheet C72 005 Lighthouse

·    1 sheet C72 004 Under the Sea

·    1 sheet of gray/blue cardstock

·    Fabscraps Chipboard DC 72 004 Down by the Seaside

·    Fabscraps stickers ST72 001

·    Mask and masking paste

·    White gesso or paint

·    Embossing powder

·    Cheesecloth scraps

·    Flowers and embellishments

·    Blue mist

Instructions:

1. Paint the base paper, 002 Lighthouse 2 with watered down white gesso so tha the paper pattern will show somewhat through the gesso. Dry the paper.
2. Tear a right angle triangle from 005 Lighthouse to fit in the bottom right corner about 8" on the right side and about 7.5" at the bottom.  Distress the edges by lightly dabbing a bit of water along the edges and the then wrinkling the edges by pushing them it just a bit so that the edges are raised.  Dry the edges and then adhere to the base on the bottom left corner.
3. Tear four strips of paper from 004 Under the Sea 2, about 1.5" wide and just long enough to tuck under the triangle from step 1.  Distress and wrinkle the edges.  Glue the first strip about 4" from the bottom of the paper and only glue the bottom half of the strip leaving the top unglued so that you can later tuck in some cheesecloth to imitate the froth from waves.  Now glue the 2nd strip overlapping the bottom of the 1st strip and so on with all four strips.  The 4th strip should be glued at the bottom of the page.
4. Take a mask (I used Prima scales mask) and white masking paste and mask over the paper strips and up into the upper portion of your layout but not masking on the triangle adherred to the right side of your paper.
5. Before the masking paste dries, take tweezers and  pull out the edges of the torn strips from the molding paste and curl the edges out a bit. 
6. After the molding paste dries, spray blue mist (I used Moonlight Glimmer Mist) over the torn strips and up to the center of the page.  Add some blue splatters.   Then take little wisps of cheesecloth and tuck under the edges creating a foamy sea look.
7.   Tear an edge, about .25", all around the page and then glue the base to the cardstock sheet;  this will help make your layout flat.  Add your photo to the right bottom of the page.
8. Tear a small right angle triange from 004, Under the Sea 2, about 5.5" on the left side and 4" at the top and glue on the upper left corner.
9. Treat the Fabscraps Chipboard DC 72 004 Down by the Seaside with embossing powder or paint, however you wish and adhere over the triangle from Step 9.
10. Remove the banners stickers from Fabscraps stickers ST72 001, apply to white cardstock and fussy cut.  Pop up with foam tape, pop dots etc. and place on the upper right side of you layout.
11. Now you are ready to embellish your page with flowers!  I used Petallo Wild Blossoms in soft gray and Mixed Blossoms in Robins Egg Blue.  Dabble a little white paint over your flowers. 

February Savagery Tag!

We're making tags at Swirlydoos Kit Club and every month on the 15th I'll be posting a new tag with a tutorial.  This month we're making a mess with drips, drops, and splats!  Come join in my tag challenge and all the fun at the Swirlydoos forums and make tags with us.  You do not have to use the Swirlydoos kits to participate in our challenges.

I have a video tutorial on the Swirlydoo's Kit Club You Tube channel of how I made this tag.

Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you in the Swirlydoos Kit Club forums making tags with me!

Swirlydoos Kit Club February Kit Reveal

Welcome to:

Swirlydoos Kit Club 

February Scrapbook Kit Reveal!

Thank you for joining our blog hop this month! If you came here from Maja's blog, then you are on the right track. If not, go back to Swirlydoos' blog and start from there.  Make sure you leave a comment on all blogs for a chance to win a prize! And, make sure you have LIKED & FOLLOWED Swirlydoos on Facebook!!!

Swirlydoos is proud to bring you our beautiful February collection:

Artful Blues

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And check out these coordinating add ons that perfectly compliment our February scrapbook kit! 

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Are you a subscriber? If so, your kit is on it's way if you don't already have it! If not, check out the Swirlydoos store to see if there are any January kits or add ons in the store!

***All of our monthly scrapbook kits are available in our store while supplies last!***

Has it sold out? - become a subscriber and not only will you never miss a kit again, but you'll also pay less for your monthly scrapbook kits!
*Mention this blog hop and save 10% on your first kit*

We have some absolutely beautiful scrapbook projects for you to see today !!  

The first layout I'd like to share with you today is my mixed media mayhem layout as I call it.  I had lots of fun with this, I just played with wild abandon!  All those coll white drips and splotches were done with an Art Anthology mask that came in the mediums add on; I love this mask!!    I also love the chicken wire that came in the embellishments kit!  You know chicken wire is a swirlygals staple!  The small gray flowers are from the flower add on and the others are from my stash as are the metal embellies you see.  At the top you see some mesh, that is in the main kit and its a really fun thing to use on this kind of layout!

Chicken wire from the embellie kit, orange flowers and metal leaves from my stash, gray flowers from the flower add on.

Under the title is a small kraft  tag that came in the main kit!

This is the layout that I did with this month's sketch and it's also the Anatomy layout.  Be sure to check out my build a page tutorial in the Anatomy of a layout forum.

I really love Petaloo's Botanica line of flowers and these gray ones came in the main kit!  I diecut the blue roses and hand rolled them.  The die I used is from La La Land crafts.

I love this photo of my Mom and my great nephew, its such a great photo of both of them.  I painted the background paper with watered down white gesso to dull the color a bit.  The chipboard pieces came in the Embellie kit and I cut them up to better fit my layout.  I did some random stamping around the edges with stamps from my stash and the title chippy is also from my stash.  I heat embossed all the chippies with Stampendous aged white embossing enamel.

The flower add on has some giant flowers from David Tutero so I wanted to do something that really showed off these gorgeous blooms!  This is a round box that I got at Hobby Lobby, it's about 9" tall and 13" in circumference.  I covered the box with paper and added a bit of masking just to give it a shabby appearance.  Then I added some of the bling around the lid and used some of the dangling beads that came in the main kit to embellish.  I added a few silk leaves from my stash, and BAM!  All done, this was a really quick fun project!

You have until midnight, eastern time, February 13th to complete the hop. Winners will be announced on the Swirlydoos Blog on 2/16.  In order to qualify to win here is what you need to do:
1: Visit all of the blogs and leave a comment on each. This way we know you were there. Take your time. There are REALLY beautiful things to see along the way.
2: Before you leave each blog, look for the “special” words and write it down. 
Once you have visited all the blogs and collected all the special words, they will create a sentence. 
3: Finally, go back to the Swirlydoos blog and leave a comment letting us know how much fun you had, tell us the sentence that was created with all of the special words you collected. Can't wait to hear from you.

My special word is : habit
The party continues over at Helena's blog. Have fun!

Blog Hop Order:

Angelica  http://angelicascrappenings.blogspot.com/

Maja http://stokk-eyovine.blogspot.se/

Maggi  http://scraptravelbark.blogspot.com/\

Helena http://willeascrappar.blogspot.com

Kim www.droopidog.typepad.com

Rae http://scrappingfancy.blogspot.com/

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A Valentines tag tutorial with G45 Sweet Sentiments

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and that means it's time to get cards and tags made!  Graphic 45's Sweet Sentiments collection from last year is the perfect collection for making tags and cards for all your special friends.

I made this tag by layering several different papers from the collection and below is a step by step tutorial showing you how I put it together.

I use a Bow-it-All to tie my ribbons, it makes a perfect bow everytime!

You can see in this view how the layers are popped up.

To make this tag you will need:

Graphic 45 Sweet Sentiments papers:

Perfect Petals

4" white doily

Heart Song

Be My Valentine

Spring Has Sprung

Tags and Pockets

Staples Large Tag

Cream Cardstock

Embossing powder

Step 1:

Assemble these pieces:

• Trace a Staples tag onto the Perfect Petals paper and cut it out.  Instead, you could also make a tag 4" x 8.5" from cream cardstock. 
• Diecut a Sizzix frame 658948 from cream cardstock and mount the frame onto a piece of 3" x 4.25" cardstock that matches the collection.  (pictured at top right below)  If you don't have this die, you can use a 4" x 5" rectangle or some similar die.
• Diecut a Spellbinders Frame that is about 3" x 4.25" in size.  I've used Spellbinders A2 Valiant Honor frame.  Again you could use a similarly sized rectangle or other die.
• Cut a small tag from Be My Valentine paper
• Select the My Valentine Wish tag from Tags and Pockets
• Cut Be Mine Valentine strip  from Spring Has Sprung. 

Step 2:

Randomly apply embossing ink to the Sizzix frame and heat emboss.  I've used Ranger California Stucco Antiquities embossing powder.  Be sure to let some of the cream cardstock show through.

Step 3:

Glue the cut out tag to the Graphic 45 Staples tag.  You will need to punch a 1/2" hole at the top to match the G45 tag.  Cut a 4" x 6" rectangle from Perfect Petals and use a deep edge Martha Stewart punch around the page to cut the edges.  I've used Wild Flowers.

Step 4:

Glue a 4" piece of white or cream lace at the bottom of the tag.   Round the bottom corners of  the Be Mine Valentine strip and adhere over the top edge of the lace using foam tape or pop dots.

Step 5:

Adhere the border punched 4" x 6" rectangle about 1" from the bottom.

Step 6:

Glue cardboard to the back of the Sizzix and Spellbinders frame  and also to the cut apart tag,  You could also use foam tape, squares or pop dots, any material to pop up the layers.

Step 7:

Glue the Sizzix frame over top the border cut layer.

Step 8:

Glue a doily over the Sizzix frame.

Step 9:

Glue the Spellbinders frame over the doily and then add the G45 Cut apart.

Attach the My Valentine Wish tag to the right side using several layers of foam tap or popdots etc to stand up the top.

That's it, just add a bow at the top and embellish with flowers and leaves.  I also fussy cut two butterflies from Heart Song and added to the left center and right top.