OVERWHELMED!!!!!

Hey there! So due to allergy meds beyond my control I have a 5 minute focus these days & am all over the place. Today I decided if I work on 8 distinct things at the same time, spending 5 minutes on each & moving on I will get something done. This is actual thing #9 so that gives you an idea of how that is working out.  Scrap pages have been my thing lately so I am going to post some more today, although I feel some art journal coming on so hopefully I will get some on my blog the next few days.

 Getting inky and using stencils on my layouts lately or rather more than usual because I always reach for them. On this page I was uncharacteristically monochrome which is kind of fun for a change. It is kind of hodge podge but I like it. I used some printed packing tape, a chip die cut that I colored and my spray is glimmer mist. Another of my favorite things to do is splatter ink which I did here also. 

For my Iowa page I used a pattern paper underneath which is something I like to do because it uses my stash and adds a layer of texture right out the door! I started by scraping some decoupage glue with a stencil to create a resist on the paper. I spritzed the background & some vintage paper with glimmer mist. The cool pattern tag is one of Heidi Swapps color magic notes. These are very cool as they have a funky pattern resist on them. A few of the Prima resist canvas leaves were spritzed as well and than the page was put together. Now that I see the 2 pages together they have a totally similar layout, but that is ok. Now I must got work on the other 8 things I am ping ponging back & forth with!!! Have a great day.

One of the things I love about my boys other than their general zaniness is they are totally willing to help me get the photos I need. We were on vacation and they were wearing the crazy tuques they got for Christmas, in the bathroom, dancing- naturally. I took a photo with my camera but it came out blurry as they were-dancing. So here is the shot I got when they froze in the middle of their break out so I could get the shot. Crazy boys. The other thing that makes me very happy about this page is I used a paper from a QVC kit about a million years old & the vellum quote is super old too! Yay stash down a few pieces today!

Feelin Sporty

I have tons of sport photos I want to make layouts from so here we go. The thing I like about this page is there are some sports embellishments and some not so traditional. It is a mix between feminine but still shows a harder edge just like lacrosse. I actually sewed on this layout too! Of course what would it be without just a touch of stenciling? Best part-another photo done, more stash used!!!

Inspired By #1

 As I continue my quest to blog more, art more, do more, another feature is created. I get a lot of my kick start on line from blogs, favorite designers... As I mentioned the other day scrap lifting is a great way to get that creative mojo flowing. I decided to showcase where my inspiration comes from, hence "Inspired By" is born. A lot of the time the inspiration just gets me going in one direction but the end result is totally different than what I was inspired by. Sometimes it is very similar, you be the judge. Today's inspiration comes from Ronda Palazzari & her blog Help Me Ronda.

Her is the art journal page she did- fairly simple but colorful-lots of stencils and a tag what is not to love?

Here is my take on it: 

                      

 Of course you can see the similarities- lots of stenciling a few colors that are all warm (Ronda's are cool) the cute tag. The differences-I added some sewn circles and my main words of my quote are stickers. The orange paint is also crackle paint, which adds some texture. My tag and the circles are cool colors to create contrast. Do you see how her page definitely inspired me but I went in a different direction. I would call this an original,  what do you think?

A Scrappin We Will Go!

As previously threatened I am going to scrapbook  more this year. My goal is lofty but do-able and I am on track. I have done 10 pages in the last 7 days!!! Part of the reason is I am focusing on getting the page done, using my stash and it doesn't need to be perfect. There is a lot of scrap sprinting, scrap lifting etc. going on. I must say I am also having fun doing it and sadly get very excited when I use up even 1 old product. The sad part is if I look around me at all the mass of product I would probably feel less accomplished- so I won't look!

The first 2 pages I am posting started as scrap lifts but ended up being so totally different I can call them originals.

 Using DCWV paper, stencil and sprays this was a fast one. The cool part of this paper line is parts of it are glossy embossed which resists the sprays. The road trip shield I just wiped off with a baby wipe and the spray came off so it has the look of an embellishment. The red arrow is a cool product from Heidi Swapp- they come white and have a resist pattern in them so when you ink or spray them- voila custom colored embellie.

Layout #2 is totally not my style especially because it is pink, but my daughter is a pink girl so what can you do? What I like about this layout (aside from using up paper and flowers from years ago) is the photo really pops. The story from that day is recorded and bam another layout goes down! Enjoy!

Follow Up Friday #1

Have you ever seen something online in a blog, or youtube or in a magazine that you really wanted to do. A new technique, tag or decor item. The only problem is you just can't find the time to do it? That happens to me all the time. Hence Follow Up Fridays. On the first Friday of the month I will do a project I have wanted to learn, copy etc. and post it. Of course I will also post the link or article of where the idea originated. I hope this will help me follow up on those cool techniques I have wanted to do but can't seem to fit in. Hopefully it will inspire you to do the same- you can follow mine or do one you have been waiting for-win/win.

My first inspired creation comes by way of Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. Just over a year ago (can't believe it has been on my mind for over a year) she made some paper earrings using the Ranger melting pot. It was a post for another of my favorites Alisa Burke. For Christmas I decided to make some for my family members. There I was on Christmas day (procrastinators unite) making earrings for family arriving the next day. It was actually a fun project and one I plan on doing again soon. Of course like an idiot I didn't take photos of the ones I gave away, I even made cards for them to hang on. First here is the link to Julie's project.Thanks for the inspiration!

Here are some of the ones I made:

 I used my THoltz dies to make the arrows- very cool!!! I did a few things differently than Julie. I made some with book paper, which turned out great with that added layer. I also stamped on some of them after I cut them out to add more interest. I used archival ink which smudged a tiny bit in the process of dipping in the Utee. Now I have some cool new earrings to wear!

NYC

Along the lines of New Years Resolutions (scrap more) here is my take on a trip I took in September to New York city. The photos were taken with my hipstamatic which I love love!!!! The best part of this layout and one of my other goals this year is to use the product I have-make it work-get the page done-it doesn't have to be perfect it just has to be done! I used product from a kit I bought at least 6 years ago-hurray for me! I also used newer ephemera from Bo Bunny, and Kaiser Kraft. Of course I had to spritz a little with a stencil but who doesn't? The letters were also chipboard letters I bought years and years ago-ran them through the embosser with Sir Holtz's folder & sprayed and inked. Doing a lot more hand writing on my pages cause it is the fastest way and bonus my hand writing gets better the more I do it. New Years is off to a grand start- did I mention one of my goals was to blog more?

New Years Resolutions

Well it is that time again to decide what needs improving and tweaking in the New Year. The list is long & illustrious but I try to mow it down to something somewhat reasonable. Fitness is one of mine this year- time to get consistent with my health. Cooking healthier is another and goes with the first. Highly convenient that most of my family have the same goal. On the scrappy front getting on a design team is one thing for the New Year. Also more scrap booking and back to making art daily. One of the challenges of teaching is your passion becomes your job and makes it tougher to create just for fun or for me. That will change in the New Year too-yay! So along the lines of more scrapping comes this page. 

 It started out with Basic Grey paper & I got it good & inky. I used lots of stencils-my favorite go to with Glimmer Mist. The Prima canvas pieces were colored with spray too. Love those!! Finally some fun ephemera & voila my first page of the New Year is done!!! So 2 of my resolutions are followed through and it is only 11 am- good start! Good luck with all your resolutions & may this year bring joy & adventure your way!!!