Halloween Accordion-Fold Mini Album ~ Creative Embellishments October Challenge

I can't believe its October already! As always, Creative Embellishments kicks the month off with a new challenge! Here is this month's inspiration photo - and the twist for this challenge is to use something metal on your project!

I just love Halloween – so this was a really fun challenge for me! I’ve used two of the awesome 3×4 Wood Veneer Cards (Happy Halloween and Spider Web) as the covers for my album and the tiny skull from the new Everyday Icons chipboard pack as a cover embellishment. For the cards, I created a wash of acrylic paint, pearlizing medium and water to stain the cards. I used Black Soot Distress Ink on the edges of the cards and some black ink on the front cover to highlight the drips and a black aquarelle pencil on the back cover to go over the spider web lines. I also added some glossy accents to the drips on the front cover and to the spiders on the back cover. For the tiny skull, I painted it with acrylic paint in Antique White and then inked it with Black Soot Distress Ink. For the metal element ‘twist’, I’ve added some metal brads to the hinge stickers and a metal ‘oct. 31’ typed token by Tim Holtz.

I used Bazzill Blackberry Swirl cardstock to create the pages/tags for the album and have used patterned paper and stickers from the new Authentique Mysterious Collection Kit to decorate the pages/tags. I inked the edges of all the patterned paper with Black Soot Distress Ink and added some fun yarn from my stash to the tags to finish off the decorating. This album is all ready to add pictures to now!

I hope this project inspires you to play along with the Creative Embellishments challenge this month! Be sure to follow the Challenge Rules so that you're eligible to win the $50 Gift Certificate to the Creative Embellishments store!

Challenge Rules:

• Create a NEW project layout, mini album, tag, card, canvas, etc….as of October 1st, 2016.
• Please add your entry to our InLinkz box on the Creative Embellishments blog to be eligible for the prize. You have until the last day of each month 11:55 pm eastern time to enter.
• It is required that you mention in your blog post that you are playing along at Creative Embellishments together with a link back to our blog. Please make sure to reference our challenge. Please no back linking.
• Combining with other challenges is permitted.
• We would love to see you USE AT LEAST 1 CE product on your project but it isn’t required to play along. However everyone that does will get and extra chance at winning.
• WINNERS will have 2 weeks to claim their prize. The winner will be announced on this post the day after the challenge ends. Keep an eye out to see if you are a winner.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today - and I hope you have a spooktacular October!

Scraps of Darkness February Kit Reveal!

Introducing 

" A Touch of Grey"

February Scraps of Darkness

Mark your calendars- our new reveal date for the monthly kit is the 25th of the month 

Take a look at this months beauty Melinda has put together for us- featuring Kaisercraft and Authentique!

Main Kit

Pattern Paper Add On

Coordinating Paper Add On

Cardstock Add On

Embellishment Add On

Floral Add On

Color Add On

Creativity Add On

I can't wait to get creating with this amazing kit!

Stuck On U Sketches & Scraps of Darkness Blog Hop!

Hello everyone! Welcome to a cross promo blog hop from Stuck on U Sketches

and Scraps of Darkness and Scraps of Elegance Design Teams!

February 14-16

Midnight to Midnight

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We've all created layouts based off our February 14th sketch and the Scraps of Darkness teams have created theirs with the awesome kits from their shop!

As you know Scraps of Darkness is our sponsor for this month's blog candy and we are so appreciative of them! 

So don't forget to join any challenge here at SOUS this month for a chance to win that candy!

We are offering candy for this hop as well for hop participants! A collection of Basic Grey paper and embellishments! 

Blog candy winner will be announced Friday, February 21.

(sorry, North America only)

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Rules for the Hop:

-Visit and comment on each blog

-Follow Stuck on U Sketches

-Follow Scraps of Darkness

-Return to SOUS and let us know you've completed the hop!

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Blog Hop Order:

Charlotte Brochu http://scrapsational-char.blogspot.ca/

Karen Zueger-Brownell http://lostcoastscrapper.blogspot.ca/

Mayra Duran http://mayrasdesigns.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Eaken  http://www.stephanie-eaken.blogspot.ca/

Bente Fegerberg http://paperandglueheaven.blogspot.ca/

 Annette Gearside http://annette-momentintime.blogspot.com.au/

 Patricia van Gelder http://patriciaslayout.blogspot.com/

Laura Gilhuly http://angelbearscraps.blogspot.ca/

Tracey Gregory http://lifetimeofpages.blogspot.ca/

Helen Gullett http://www.byheleng.wordpress.com/

Connie Hall http://timestocherish.blogspot.ca/

Renea Harrison http://www.myglittercoatedlife.blogspot.ca/

Nanne Harry  http://www.nannes-creations.blogspot.com/

Tracey Kelly http://trace-elementz.blogspot.com.au/

Julie Kight http://cardsbycricut.blogspot.ca/

Nicolle Kramer http://nicollelovesscrapbooking.blogspot.com/

Monica Lowrance  http://happyscrappn2.blogspot.com/

Neela Nalam http://www.memorablescraps.blogspot.ca/

Rosie Neustaedter http://rosieposieneu.blogspot.ca/

Lisa Novogrodski http://lisas-livingincolor.blogspot.ca/

Erica Ortiz http://www.mimispaperdreams.blogspot.ca/

Wendi Robinson http://scrappydayinparadise.blogspot.ca/

Sarah Routledge http://sarahs-scrapbook.blogspot.ca/     YOU ARE HERE!

Leah Schaeffer  http://leahschaeffer.blogspot.com/

Sandi Smith http://sandi-smith.blogspot.ca/

Jane Stirling  http://scossiejane.blogspot.ca/

Caroleanne Wright http://theprettypaperpatisserie.blogspot.co.uk/

Elisabetta Colavero http://scrap-colors.blogspot.it/

Scraps of Darkness http://scrapsofdarkness.blogspot.com/

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Here is my layout created with the SOUS Sketch and the Scraps of Darkness January Style & Sophistication Kit (along with some bits from previous SOD Kits)!

Let Me Count the Ways. . .

And here is a close-up!

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We thank you all so much for taking the time to join this hop and hope that you'll be provided with a ton of incredible inspiration and lots of fun!

We would also just LOVE for you to create a project using our sketch so if you do make sure to come back and share that with us!

Happy Hopping friends!

Best Friends ~ Scraps of Darkness

As promised, here is Part II of my Scraps of Darkness DT Reveal for the Style & Sophistication Kit. I created this layout using the gorgeous Authentique "Classique Elegant" collection and based it on this month's SOD sketch by Suepup.

I used the ombre paper and a Crafter's Workshop 12 x 12 mask, along with molding paste that I tinted with acrylic paint, to create the ombre Damask background. Once I had all the layers in place, but before adding the picture/embellishments, I splattered the LO with Lindy's Stamp Gang  Midnight Rendezvous Raven Starburst Mist (Colour Add-on).

The flower clusters are a combination of flowers from the January 2014 and December 2013 Flower Add-ons. The black lace "leaves" are sections of lace leftover from the October 2013 SOD kit. I have also tucked several of the beautiful Cousin Metal Charms (Embellishment Add-On) into the floral clusters. The title was made with the Authentique Letter stickers (Embellishment Add-on).

Thanks so much for your visit today! Happy Scrapping!

My Little Snowflake ~ Scraps of Darkness

I have one final layout created with the Scraps of Darkness December "Winter Wonderland" Kit to share with you today. I had this precious photo of my little guy all bundled up in his Tigger snowsuit when he was a baby and hadn't scrapped it yet - so here we have "My Little Snowflake".

I primarily used the Authentique "Glistening" collection for this layout - but have also used two pieces from the Bo Bunny Misc. Me Contents pages (Embellishment Add-On) in my layering.  I started out by creating the "divided" base by gluing a 6"x12" piece of the Authentique Glitter paper to the bottom of the Dazzle paper. I then used a Martha Stewart deep edge punch for the two punched border strips across the centre of the layout. Finally, to finish off the base, I used a Prima 12 x 12 mask and some Liquitex White Opaque Flakes medium to give it the look of a snow flurry. Here is a close-up of the masking.

I added a die-cut Misc. Me piece and fussy-cut a second Misc. Me paper to layer under the photos. I used Authentique Cardstock Stickers for the title and also for one of the banner elements - I cut additional banner pieces, using the Authentique Sticker as the template, and glued them onto pieces of wired burlap ribbon.   I raided some leftovers from older Scraps of Darkness Kits for the flowers, resin feathers and burlap bird that embellish the layout.

I was inspired to create this layout by this month's challenge, specifically the colours in the mood board, at Scrap Around the World!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today - I'll have some new projects created with the incredible Scraps of Darkness January "Style and Sophistication Kit" to post soon!

Happy Scrapping!

"We Shall Find Peace..." ~ Scraps of Darkness

Happy New Year and welcome to my first post of 2014. Today, I am sharing a layout created with the outstanding Scraps of Darkness December 2013 Winter Wonderland Kit. My layout shows a photo of my son amid some of the branches that came down during the ice storm we had just before Christmas. This layout is based on the SOD Sketch designed exclusively for this Kit by Suepup! Here is my layout:

And here is the December Kit sketch:

I used the gorgeous Authentique "Glistening" collection papers to create the layout and heavily distressed the edges of all the papers. I also added in two 5.5-in. doilies from my stash to create the layers. I had a great time experimenting with lots of different ways to create snow-effects on this layout! Here are the different ways I created the snow on the layout:

1. The sparkly snow on the larger layers is a combination of heavy gel medium and Martha Stewart Sparkle Texture Effect - I simply added this to the layering with a palette knife.
2. The snow on the window (a Tim Holtz die cut shape) is a combination of the Marvy Uchida Snow Marker and the Icicle Stickles from the Kit. 
3. The snow on the snowflakes (also Tim Holtz die cuts) is a combination of DecoArt Snow-Tex and then Icicle Stickles on top.
4. On the Kaisercraft flowers from the Main Kit, there is a combination of thick gesso, followed by Icicle Stickles.
5. Finally, the tree was first treated with Distress Ink in Vintage Photo and then with the Snow Marker. Unfortunately, the ink bled through the snow, giving it an unfortunate "yellow snow" appearance. Yuck. So, I touched it up with the white gesso and added Icicle Stickles to salvage it.

 These look so much better in real life - but here is a close-up so you can see all the different effects!

Finally, I used one of the Authentique cardstock stickers, matted on some of the black patterned paper from the Glistening collection for my title and tucked another cardstock sticker into the snowflake/flower cluster. 

This kit is so lovely to work with - I just love it and can't wait to get back to it. I'll be back soon with more projects to show you!

Happy Scrapping!