Oh....SNAP!

It's the September Sketchy Challenge over at Canadian Scrapbooker, and here is the wonderful new sketch, designed by Sue Sykes...

On Sue's blog, she has an additional challenge going on, so you can post your Sketchy layout there too!  Click HERE to check it out.

 Here is my layout...

BabyOfTheFamily is transforming before my very eyes.  I feel like I need to capture this.  Sniff. [And she got braces this summer!]

Here's a deep dark design secret I'll share today.  I am afraid of graphic patterns.  Very very afraid.  Give me Graphic 45 flying pigs, fairies and vintage ladies and I'm ok.  But chevrons, dots, dashes....I run SCREAMING!

So I thought I'd finally face my fears and use some Studio Calico/American Crafts paper for the next Canadian Scrapbooker Sketchy Challenge.

  
EEEK!  Polka dots, grids, zigs and zags.....

I also decided to add more stamping to my layouts this year [ has not happened til now] and bought these WONDERFUL new Susan K. Weckesser stamp sets from Unity Stamp Company.  

Congrats Susan!!!  Your stamps are fantastic!

I used 4 of these sets on my layout:  A Little Bit Washi, Splatter It,  Insta-Cute, Celebration of Simple



Unity had a huge promotion last month for the release of Susan's stamps, so I went online and had a great time shopping!  When my package arrived, I was delighted to find these 2 bonus stamp sets tucked inside...

Thank you Unity [Angela!]

I used the polaroid frame stamp from "Insta-Cute"

I stamped both photo frames from the set and decided to use only the polaroid shape.

 But for the second frame, I masked off the argyle/chevron pattern across the bottom.  Here's how...

I used scotch tape across, covering the entire pattern.

I put the tape over the side edges of the stamp

Inked it up with Clearsnap Colorbox "Blackbird" Fluid Chalk Ink.  You can see the ink on the tape mask.

Then I pulled off my mask with tweezers [not that I'm afraid of dirty hands, as you well know!]

Stamped onto this Studio Calico "Executive" grid patterned paper [yep, facing my fears!]

Then used my stamp block to draw in those masked edges with my black marker.

  Love the "Smile" and "Say Cheese" stamps too!

I used the same grid paper to stamp washi tape border strips....

The "Splatter It" stamp and green ink helped me create a unique pattern...

Here's a close up look at all 3 stamped layers together...

And the perfect quote stamp also in Susan's set.

These banner stamps are actually quite large, so I cut them almost in half to create my banner.

 I stamped the banners with Clearsnap "French Blue" Fluid chalk ink onto the "Cubicle" patterned paper.

 LOVE these banner stamps....I have all kinds of design ideas in my head for these :)

American Crafts Thickers "Notarized" chipboard alphabet stickers and Maya Road twine.

I stamped the film and camera images onto transparency and cut them out...

To stamp onto transparency, use a solvent ink pad.[Is it just me or does anyone else LOVE the smell of the StazOn ink pad??]

I'm in LOVE with these itty bitty Studio Calico Wood Veneer people.

 I also have a package of Studio Calico wood veneer frames, so I cut one in half to make brackets for another stamp quote...

Some people don't clean their stamps, but I have these awesome products I bought from Stampin Up a long time ago....

This Stampin' Mist smells wonderful too.

A close up of the the scrub mat inside.

Give your stamp a quick spray

Then rub it around on one side to "clean" and then the other side to "dry".

 Every once in awhile, you can pop out these scrub mats from your case and wash them.

Honestly, I didn't know stamping could be so much fun!  And now I'm feeling a little better about grids, dots and chevrons, too :)  In fact I'm feeling REALLY good....maybe it was all the sniffing of StazOn and Stampin' up mist!

Hope to see you and your creations over at the Canadian Scrapbooker Sketchy Challenge Gallery!

A Prima Songbird Mini Album

As some of you know from a previous blog post, my older daughter [DramaQueen] finished Grade 9 and is moving on to high school.  

At the end of June, we celebrated at her school with a special Farewell party...which almost seemed to morph into a Prom event! yikes!

After saying NO to a spray tan [among other beautification requests], I gave in and bought DQ a lovely new dress, high heels, a wrap and a clutch.  

To commemorate the event [aside from paying credit card bills] I made DQ a Prima mini album, which I taught as a class at The Urban Scrapbook last month.

These album covers are originally a plain white canvas with a white resist script that stands out when you colour the canvas. 

 I sprayed the canvas album covers front, back and inside with 3 Lindy's Stamp Gang mists:  Tainted Teal, Wild Honeysuckle Coral and Cactus Gold.  Then I inked the edges with some Vintage Photo Distress Ink and misted with water so it would bleed a little away from the edges.

TIP:  A little spray and a little ink goes a LONG way.  Start with small amounts and add more if you prefer darker shades.

The flowers are also sprayed with Lindy's.

Prima crystals & pearls flourish, I am Roses flowers and leaf, die cut bird and window and cheesecloth.

The bird is from a Donna Salazar Spellbinders die, cut from patterned paper and covered with Clear Rock Candy Crackle Distress paint.  Then I inked it with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

The window is cut using a Poppystamps die "Grand Madison Window", and I cut it out from the Prima album packaging instead of chipboard.  It's dry brushed with a little gesso and inked lightly with brown chalk ink.

I used these beautiful Prima papers for the album pages inside...

Songbird "Collage"

Sunrise

Zephyr

Mosaic

Lineage

Tag-It

Here are the inside pages...

Page 1

The pull-out photo (and another pic on the back)

Pages 2 and 3

Page 2 has a little flip book with more photos...

Pages 4 and 5

I made these feathers...I'll show you how at the end of this post

I will add my private journaling offline :)

Pages 6 and 7

A little lacing adds an elegant touch...

Page 8

I plan on adding a vellum envelope to the back inside cover (thanks to Pat's suggestion) and include the rest of the photos from that day.

Here is a quick tutorial on how I made the feathers...

Supplies:  Tim Holtz Tissue Wrap, Scissors, Brown ink, Glue n Seal

Fold your strip of tissue wrap to create 3 layers

Adhere the folded sections together

Cut out your feather shape

Starting at top of feather, snip inwards towards centre at 45 degree angles.

TIP:  Try to snip as narrowly as possible, without cutting off the feathery fringes.

Ink edges with Brown chalk ink or Distress Ink.

Here is the finished feather!

Whew...that was a loooong blog post!  Thanks for dropping by :)