Art Journal Cover: Live, Love, Inspire, Create ~ Scraps of Darkness

The Scraps of Darkness Creativity Add-On for March Radioactive Kit includes a 5.5 in. x 8 in. Strathmore Visual Journal. I was so excited to see the journal, as I have wanted to try some more "experimental" art journalling, so I decided that I would use this journal for that purpose. But, before I could get to creating inside the journal, I had to alter the cover! The covers on the Strathmore Visual Journals look like this:

They serve their purpose - but are kind of boring for an Art Journal...so I used the March Kit and created a bright, fun altered cover!

First, I took the cover pieces off the binding and then I used a sheet of the Amy Tangerine Plus One paper and glued it to the cover pieces using Claudine Hellmuth Studio multi-medium. Then, I used a prima floral stencil with three of the colours of Shimmerz Dazzlerz included in the March Colour Add-on (Dreamscicle, Grapetastic and Lemon Drop. I love these bright, dimensional flowers - so fun! I coloured the frame using several different colours of watercolour pencils and then rubbed it with a baby wipe to blend the colours. I used some of the Prima Bloom Collection chipboard elements from the kit to complete the cover. I just love the teacup with the paintbrushes in it - so perfect for an Art Journal Cover and funny because I have a coffee cup on my craft table that I use for by brushes. The final addition to the cover was two coats of glossy mod-podge brushed over everything to protect it.

Now, I can't wait to get creating inside the journal!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Be in Love with Your Life...Every Minute of It ~ Scraps of Darkness

I have one final layout created with the Scraps of Darkness February A Touch of Grey Kit to share with you today. I used the amazing Kaisercraft Art of Life collection and stuck with a neutral palette for this layout featuring my son on his third birthday - he LOVED his cake!

For the background, I did some masking with a Crafter's Workshop template and modeling paste mixed with Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals in Gag Me with a Spoon Grey and a hint of Midnight Rendezvous. I also did some stamping (with a Tim Holtz Ticket Stamp) using watermark ink and Lindy's Stamp Gang Embossing powder in Golden Angel Wings. The final step on the background was some stitch stamping with gesso around the edge and then a whitewash of Gesso over the background page.

Next, I layered pieces of the Thankful and Love papers with some of the Kaisercraft Art of Life collectables, along with some Prima packaging and some vellum view-master reels I cut on my Silhouete Cameo. I used a collectables piece for the title and also used the #3 domino on the "Today" card to show that he was three on that day! I didn't feel the layout needed a lot of embellishing so I added a Prima metal clock-face and some Basic Grey grey pearls. I finished the layout off with splatters of Dylusions in Black Marble and Lindy's Stamp Gang Glitz Spritz in Steel Shimmer. Here are a couple more close-ups!

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I've got more projects coming soon from the new Scraps of Darkness March  "Radioactive" Kit - check out the kit reveal and my first project here!

Scraps of Darkness March 'Radioactive' Kit Reveal and 'This is a Happy Life' Layout

Welcome to the Scraps of Darkness March Kit Reveal - this month's kit is Radioactive - and it is  incredible!

Main Kit

Add-Ons

Patterned Paper

Coordinating Paper

Cardstock

Embellishments

Floral

Colour

Creativity

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This is a Happy Life

I completed my first layout with this kit - and I had SO much fun playing with the bright colours. Winter seems to be hanging on forever this year - so I decided to create a happy, summery layout to bring me out of my winter doldrums! 

This sweet picture of my son playing with his pool floaty perfectly coordinated with the colours in the Amy Tangerine Plus One papers - and I had to throw in some of the awesome Sour Apple Shimmerz Dazzelerz from the Colour Add-on.  I love the Prima stamps included in the March Kit/Add-ons - I used the chevron stamp (Main Kit) and chevron flower stamp (Embellishment Add-On) as the pops of black on this layout. I also used a Imaginarium Designs Cross-Hatch chipboard piece behind the photo - I had painted it an olive green - but then I added some of the Lemon Drop Shimmerz Dazzelerz on top. Here are some close-ups!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today - be sure to check back over the next few weeks for my other projects created with this awesome Radioactive Kit!

Altered Spool Pincushion ~ Scraps of Darkness

Good Evening Scrappy Friends! I have a quick share for you tonight - a ribbon spool I altered using goodies from the February A Touch of Grey Kit from Scraps of Darkness. I created a pincushion top for the spool from some foam and cheesecloth and used elements from the February Kit to dress it up.

I used a cardboard ribbon spool and covered it with the gorgeous Fabscraps papers included in the Coordinating Paper Add-On. I added some black ribbon/lace from the kit and Embellishment Add-on and some rhinestone trim from last month's kit. I added some gorgeous Petaloo flowers and, as a final touch, gave everything a spritz with Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Mist in Bodacious Blush.

The finished result? An elegant pincushion to replace the "tomato" (you know what I'm talking about) that has been sitting on my craft table for years.

Thanks for stopping by!

Little Treasure ~ Imaginarium Designs

My second project for Imaginarium Designs this month is a mixed-media layout that was inspired by this tutorial by the wonderfully-talented Aida Domisiewicz. I find myself using more and more mixed media on my layouts - it is so much fun - and the Imaginarium Designs Chipboard are perfect for this type of crafting since they are such good quality and stand up so well to multiple medias! I have called this layout Little Treasure - and the title piece is one of the Imaginarium Designs new release chipboards.

For the chipboard elements for this layout, I have used the title, the Tulip Flourish and one corner of the Anna Frame. I coated the chipboard with a light coat of gesso and then let it take on the colour of the media added to the layout. The pink tones on the flourish/corner are from Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals in Bodacious Blush and the darker grey on the title is from Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals in Midnight Rendezvous (both in the Totally '80s Magicals Pack). I also did some misting on the layout with Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Mist in Wild Honeysuckle Coral. The splatters are Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Mist in Cheshire Cat Cherry and diluted Distress Ink (re-inker) in Black Soot. Once I finished the misting/painting with the colours, I dry brushed some gesso on top of the chipboards and lace to help them stand out. Here are some close-ups:

I am entering this layout in the March Color Challenge at Lindy's Stamp Gang; I've used the top three colours in the palette part of this layout!

Imaginarium Designs Chipboard Used

Little Treasure - New Release Title

Anna Frame - IDFR0013 

Tulip Flourish - IDFL0007

Other Products Used: Patterned Paper -  13 Arts All is Love and Frosted Life collections; 13 Arts All is Love Stickers; Claudine Hellmuth Studio Gesso; ProArt Gesso; Lindy's Stamp Gang Starbursts - Cheshire Cat Cherry, Wild Honeysuckle Coral; Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals - Bodacious Blush, Midnight Rendezvous; Distress Ink (re-inker) - Black Soot; Lace - Tresors de Luxe Etsy; Tissue Paper; Golden Heavy Gel Medium.

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Thanks so much for visiting my blog today! Don't forget to leave a comment on my post on the Imaginarium Designs blog for a chance to win some fabulous Imaginarium Designs Chipboard!

Steampunk Altered Frame ~ Imaginarium Designs

Hello Scrappy Frineds! Today, I'm sharing the first of two projects created this month for Imaginarium Designs! It is an altered wooden frame using Graphic 45's Steampunk Spells collection, together with Imaginarium Designs Cogs (regular and tinies) and tiny Steampunk Clock. I purchased the wooden frame at a local craft store for $1 (what a deal) and was able to create something I love with it!

I did lots of fussy cutting of the Graphic 45 papers and layered the fussy-cut elements with the Imaginarium Designs Chipboard to embellish the frame. I used Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst mists to colour the chipboard elements; first, I used Red Hot Poker Orange, then I splattered the chipboards with Midnight Rendezvous Raven. I love the rusted look this gave all the chipboad elements - perfect for this Steampunk frame. Here are some close-ups:

Imaginarium Designs Chipboard Used

9 Cogs on Board - IDT0018

9 Cogs on Board - Tiny - IDT0004 

Steampunk Clock - Tiny - IDT0016

 

Other Products Used: Patterned Paper - Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells (Scraps of Darkness - Oct. 2013 Creativity Add-On); Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Mists - Red Hot Poker Orange, Midnight Rendezvous Raven; Michael's Unfinished Wooden Frame; Gesso; Distress Ink - Black Soot; Claudine Hellmuth Studio Multi-Medium (Matte).

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Thanks so much for visiting my blog today! Don't forget to leave a comment on my post on the Imaginarium Designs blog for a chance to win some fabulous Imaginarium Designs Chipboard!

true love ~ Scraps of Darkness Design Team Reveal Part II

And I'm back with a second layout as part of my Scraps of Darkness Design Team reveal for the incredible Feburary A Touch of Grey Kit! My second layout is a mixed media layout based on the wonderfully talented Riikka Kovasin's tutorial for Pop & Colours 2.

Scrap Around the World has an amazing Mood Board in shades of pink that I used as the inspiration for this layout.

I don't often use Pink, since most of my layouts are about my son - but then I thought "Who says Pink cant be for boys?!?!?" And I just love how this layout turned out! For the colour on the layout, I used Lindy's Stamp Gang Starbursts in Bodacious Blush and Cheshire Cat Cherry, along with Colorbox Chalk Inks in Chianti, Peony and Orchid. There are also some splatters of Black Ink. The papers are a combination of Authentique, Fabscraps and Kaisercraft from the SOD February Kit and I've added in some Petaloo Flowers (Flower Add-On). The large clear gems and decorative wood pieces are from Teresa Collins' Save The Date collection (Embellishment Add-On) and I added some clear bubbles and a Prima Flair button from previous SOD kits. Finally, I added some fuschia and white sequins from my stash. Here are some close-ups!

Thanks for stopping by today - I hope you enjoyed my experiment in Pink! :)

Here (and) Now ~ Scraps of Darkness Design Team Reveal Part I

Hello Scrappy Friends and welcome to Part I of my Scraps of Darkness Design Team Reveal with the incredible February 2014 A Touch of Grey Kit! My first share today is my layout based on Suepup's February SOD Sketch.
Here is my layout:

 

And here is the sketch that inspired it:

I used the gorgeous Kaisercraft Art of Life collection for this layout and kept to a monochromatic colour palette. I splattered the "Remember" grid paper with diluted Distress Re-Inker in Black Soot and did some stamping around the edge of the page in black using Kaisercraft's Sketchy clear stamp. I also added some gorgeous butterfly stamps around the page (Creativity Add-On) with some Lindy's Stamp Gang embossing powder in Stardust Candy Rose (Main Kit) - the holographic effect of this doesn't show up well in the pictures but looks really cool on the page. 

Rather than a large photo, I used the definition of "Moment" from the "Brave" paper and I staggered the two smaller photos rather than lining them up. I heavily distressed the edges of all the papers and scratched the surface of the definition paper to give it a more vintage look. I used the Art of Life Collectibles, some of the Petaloo flowers from the Main Kit and Flower Add-On and some awesome stringy yarn that I got a Michael's to embellish the layout. Once everything was glued down, I spritzed the LO with Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst in Opal Sea Oats (Colour Add-On).

As a final decorative element, I added some machine stitching to two of the corners of the layout.

I'll be back later today with another layout for Part II of my Design Team Reveal! Thanks for stopping by!