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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Quick Art Journal Page - Playing with Gelatos

Over the past 6 months or so, I've been watching YouTube videos on how to use Gelatos.  My first attempt at using them wasn't successful and so I wasn't sure that I was going to buy any keep trying them.  However, I continued to come across projects on various blogs where Gelatos had been used....so I went back to YouTube and the Faber Castell website and watched more videos...and more...and then a few more.  Finally, I purchased a small package that contained 3 Gelatos and a Pitt Big Brush Pen....and then they sat there in my supply box for a little longer. 

I had some ideas floating around in my head about what I wanted to try and this past weekend I finally picked them up, told myself to stop procrastinating and convinced myself that the worst that would happen is that I wouldn't like it and it would be a piece of paper wasted or in need of paint to cover up what I had done.



I was intrigued by using the Gelotos with stamps, so I picked one of my favourite stamps, rubbed the Gelatos across it, spritzed it with water and stamped it onto a piece of watercolour paper.  It worked!  I spritzed the stamp again and stamped onto a journal page that I had used to "clean off" some stencils.  I continued to do this until the whole page was covered with the stamp. 

Then I used some Dylusions ink sprays and sprayed the journal page.  I wanted to leave some white space (very hard for me to do sometimes) so I masked off 3 circles.  I used a Crafter's Workshop stencil and some Distress Paint to add another layer.  Then I used the Pitt Big Brush Pen and the Gelatos to highlight and define the circle areas more.  Finally, I took the initial stamped image on the watercolour paper, gave it a wash with the Gelatos, trimmed it to size and adhered it to the page. I love the repetition of the stamped image...some of them more hidden than others.

No words...not too much thinking...just playing and getting used to Gelatos.  I'm definitely going to pick up some more colours and continue playing.  I'm glad I didn't let my first experience with them deter me from trying them again! 

Monday, July 22, 2013

Gelli Fun - Long Overdue

I managed to get in some Gelli Printing fun this weekend.  It was long overdue and is such a great way to get creative juices flowing for other crafty projects.  On Friday, I picked up some new Crafter's Workshop stencils so was very excited to use them....Moroccan Tiles, Fancy Feathers, Well Rounded, Four Ferns, Mod Spirals and Microbial.  I used a limited palette of colours and only had about 8 sheets of paper that I printed on for my quick Gelli session.  In addition to the new stencils I also used some other favourites...Here are my favourite prints from the weekend.  I definitely won't go too long without having some more Gelli fun.






Scrapbooking Layouts

I spent Saturday night with a great group of ladies at The Scrapping Bug for a crop night.  I managed to complete 3 layouts with a couple of others in progress.

Last week I picked up a couple of packages of this ribbon from Michaels.  It came wrapped around this cardboard birdcage.  I removed all of the ribbon and embossed the cardboard with black and then copper embossing powder (shown in progress of black embossing below).  It turned out looking quite "rusty" looking which was very cool.




I layered this birdcage under the photo, added a wooden birdcage and a die-cut birdcage, also both embossed with black and copper.  I stamped the background with a script stamp and a bird stamp and used some modeling pasted through a stencil to add more texture.

 
 
This one is my favourite!  I used a credit care to smear some teal and white acrylic paint onto the page.  When that was dry I used the Microbial stencil from Crafter's Workshop and modeling pasted to add texture to three areas on the page.  I then layered papers under the photo and stamped the edges with a circle chain stamp.



I started this one my dipping a piece of woven mat into gesso and then onto dark brown cardstock. I then layered "vintagy" type papers onto the page, added some bling and flowers and then the "Dream" title framed with a wooden piece. 




Friday, July 12, 2013

A Spark of Inspiration to help me Focus

A few months ago I signed up to receive a monthly Spark of Inspiration from Carolyn Dube at A Colorful Journey.  I haven't used any until now...usually because I was being inspired enough just seeing what others were doing, learning new techniques, trying new mediums.  This week, however, I decided to give it a try....I felt I needed to Focus!  Take a look at how Carolyn used the spark here http://acolorfuljourney.com/?p=7021

And this is what I did with it.  Lots of sprays and stencils...then some Montana Paint Pens, gesso and acrylic paint.  It soon went from this....


 
 
to this....

I had originally thought that I might do a double journal page when I started this...but the second page soon took on a life of it's own.



I haven't decided which one I like best yet.  Which one do you like best?  I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks Carolyn for this Spark of Inspiration!



 
 
 
 
 
 


Monday, July 8, 2013

Scrapbook day with girlfriends!

Had a great day on Saturday with a couple or girlfriends, scrapbooking at Younique Country Retreat for a day crop.  Well fed, well taken care of and lots of layouts done.  My goal for the day was to use up items already in my stash, as it has been a while since I've scrapped.

For "I Love Animals" I chose a couple of pics of my DD taken at a farm.  I used paper with a radiating "sunburst" pattern on it and using modeling paste, I stenciled the centre of the sunburst, which is offset on the page.  I then added neutral and natural elements....the corrugated cardboard is my sleeve from a Starbucks coffee...the "coffee rings" are rub-ons...a chipboard heart and some twine. 



 
 
For "Beauty" I used the same stencil and modeling paste, but this time on top of the papers.  The dress form was done by one of my scrapping friends...she cut out the form on her Silhouette and then heat embossed with black (several layers)...it looks very metallic and so cool!

 
 
"Delight in Every Moment" features my DD with Aaron Pritchett, a country singer who was singing locally last year.  I used my brayer to add some acrylic paint to the white cardstock then added some black stamps over the page...some embellishments, white acrylic circles...and an embossed white frame rubbed with black ink to highlight.

 
 
This one I still need to add a title to.  I stamped the outer edge of the paper with a line of circles stamp, then layered coordinating papers and stickers over the page.  The 3 hearts in the lower right are gelli printed. 

 
 
"Where in the World Are We" features a pic of my DD and her twin cousins on a trip to Mexico.  DD had photoshopped the pic so that it was in black and white except for the ballon heart she was holding.  I spritzed Dylusions Postbox Red onto the Bazzill cardstock and let it drip.  I highlighted the edges and some of the dot pattern of the cardstock with black ink before layering it onto a coordinating red paper.  Stamping, stickers, rub-ons for the title, an embossed tag, some buttons,  metal heart embellishments, and a bit of bling finished off this page.

 
 
"My Girl" is a page I started a few weeks ago.  I wanted to do a grungy look so started with gray background cardstock.  I stamped the brickwork over the page and sprayed the doily with a Tattered Angels mist (purple and gold mix), then scrunched it up and stamped over it as well.  The bubble circles are stickers I've had forever.  Then I added more brickwork with a stencil and modeling paste and a few pieces of distressed paper and washi tape.

 
 

"Enjoy Life" is a very simple layout.  I had this black and red cardstock and added the sticker butterflies.  I added the rub-on title to a postcard and the lady on the beach tag cutout from the same line, framed the photos in a coordinating red distressed pattern and that was it. 

 
 
 I love hearing your comments and hope you enjoy these layouts.