Graphic 45 Design Team 2014 Audition

It is with great excitement (and not a little trepidation) that I throw my hat in the ring for the Graphic 45 2014 Design Team! I adore everything Graphic 45 creates and it is a crafty dream of mine to be part of their Design Team! I've included a range of projects created with Graphic 45 products as part of my audition - their papers and embellishments are so versatile that you can create almost anything with them!

Altered Items

Magic of Oz Witch's Hat

Once Upon a Springtime Fairy House

Steampunk Spells Apothecary Cabinet

Christmas Past & Christmas Emporium Reversible Advent Calendar

Couture Necklace Rack

Scrapbook Layouts

Olde Curiosity Shoppe Layout - "Love"

Christmas Past Layout - "His Eyes How They Twinkled...."

Tropical Travelogue Layout

Tags, ATCs and Other Projects

A Ladies Diary Dressform Tag

Steampunk Debutante Bride Tag

Happy Haunting ATC

Nutcracker Sweet ATC Ornament

Couture Layered Canvas

There, I've done it! My Graphic 45  2014 Design Team Audition is complete. Wish me luck! But, no matter what happens - you'll be sure to see more Graphic 45 creations from me in the future!

You Are Every Lovely Word I Could Ever Think Of ~ Scraps of Darkness

I have been creating with the utterly FANTASTIC Scraps of Darkness February Touch of Grey Kit, which features (among many other things) Kaisercraft's gorgeous "Art of Life" collection. I created this layout, featuring my handsome little boy, based on Kaisercraft's Saturday Sketch for March 1st. Here is my layout, entitled "You Are Every Lovely Word I Could Ever Think Of" (from one of the pieces from the "Art of Life" collectibles).

And here is the Kaisercraft Sketch:

I had lots of fun creating this layout - I took my inspiration from the Always paper and wanted the layout to look like a cluttered desktop - complete with spilled tea and tea rings! (My son saw me doing the tea staining and said "Mommy, what are you doing? You're supposed to drink tea!.")

I used pieces from the "Art of Life" Collectibles (Embellishments Add-On) and from the Loved paper to create the distressed layering under the photos, as well as some Dusty Attic Chipboard from my stash - which I painted with black gesso and then embossed with a light dusting of Lindy's Stamp Gang Embossing Powder in Golden Angel Wings (Colour Add-On). Once I had completed the layering, but before adding the photos, I splattered the layout with Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst in Opal Sea Oats (CAO). I used photoshop to create the "polaroid" photos - using a polaroid frame template I found online and photos of my son, which I converted to black and white.

To embellish the layout, I wanted to make it look like someone had emptied their pockets onto the "desk", so I added a wooden domino that I distressed with sandpaper, tiny coins taken off an old necklace, a 7 Gypsies vintage safety pin, a metal key and keyhole and some wooden buttons (EAO), which I had soaked in tea to alter the colour. Finally, I added a Prima Flair button and two Prima mini-clothespins, rubbed with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Ink, to the photos.

Just a note - we are currently having a Gallery Upload Challenge for SOD/SOE Kit subscribers - check out the details here - you could win your Main Kit free!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today! Come back soon for some more inspiration with the Scraps of Darkness Touch of Grey Kit!

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!

Couture Necklace Rack ~ Scraps of Darkness

Today is the Design Team Reveal day for the gorgeous Scraps of Darkness January Style and Sophistication Kit. I am going to be sharing two projects with you today; first up, is a Necklace Rack I created using the amazing Graphic 45 "Couture" collection paper and Petaloo flowers from the kit, together with a $6 wooden plaque from the craft store and some knobs from the hardware store!

I started by drilling the five holes in the wooden plaque. (It is always fun when you get to use power tools when crafting!) I  primed the wooden plaque with black gesso and then used mod podge to adhere the Graphic 45 paper to the top. I sanded the edges to reveal some of the wood beneath the paint and to lightly distress the edges of the paper. I sealed everything with a coat of mod podge and then added the knobs.

To create the flower clusters, I fussy cut the ticket from one of the "Couture" papers and used a tag from the "Pockets and Tags" sheets - I inked the edges of these with Prima's Ingvild Bolme Chalk Ink in Rusty Bucket (Main Kit) . I used the Petaloo Darjeeling Wild Blossoms - Paprika (Flower Add-on) along with two of the Kaisercraft wooden bottles (inked with the Rusty Bucket Chalk Ink and stamped with a Kaisercraft stamp and black ink). Lastly, I added in some feathers from my stash.

I've already put this Couture Necklace Rack to good use, as I desperately needed someplace to store my necklaces!

Come back later today to see another project created with the Scraps of Darkness Style and Sophistication kit - an "Elegant" mixed media layout!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog - I appreciate your visits and comments so much!

Valentine ATC

I have a super-quick share for you tonight - a Valentine ATC that I made for Renea (aka ReneaBouquets) for the Scraps of Darkness/Scraps of Elegance Jan.-Feb. ATC Swap!

 The base is part of a Marion Smith Designs Mad Tea Party 6x6 paper. I masked the large heart using glass bead gel that I coloured with Acrylic paint. I used a section of lace from the Tresors de Luxe Etsy store and some ribbon flowers from an older SOD Kit and more flowers, a small cameo and pearls from my stash. The little girl is a die-cut by K&Company. Here is an angled shot so that you can see it without as much glare off the glittery elements!

That's it today - short and sweet! Hope you like your ATC Renea!

Alma's Sewing Room Tag - Scraps of Darkness Tag Trade

I have a quick share with you today - a Tag I created for my scrappy friend Karen (aka Lost Coast Scrapper) for this month's Tag Trade in the Scraps of Darkness/Scraps of Elegance Forum. I decided to create a very soft, pretty Tag this time around and used the beautiful Alma's Sewing Room collection by Pion Design.

I started out with a Prima Doll Tag as a base and did a little masking with some white molding paste and a Prima Doily mask (though this ended up barely visible after all the layers/embellishments). I pleated a strip of old sewing pattern paper and added it to the bottom of the tag, along with a bit of Tim Holtz measuring tape Tissue tape and some white lace. I then fussy-cut various elements from the Alma's Sewing Room papers, machine stitched some of them and then layered them on the large tag base.

As embellishments, I added some Prima flowers, wooden buttons and some cute wooden spools that I wrapped with black/white thread.

Thanks for the visit to my blog - I hope you'll stop by the SOD/SOE forum and play along with our next Tag Trade or ATC Swap - they're SO much fun!