A 12x12 layout & heart frame starring My Mind's Eye Unforgettable

Hello again...I'm back with my final February Remember When design team projects! :)

This time around I have a 12x12 layout and a altered heart frame using My Mind's Eye Unforgettable collection.

As always I'm layering, painting, distressing, embossing, popping up etc...be sure to check out the video at the bottom of the post.

"Professional Me" 12x12 layout
As I looked through all the paper and embellishments I received with this paper line I realize that it would of been great if I had a family that had daily duties etc. to scrapbook which got me thinking...let's do a layout of the professional me! Thankfully since I joined Instagram I take pictures of all kinds of things including stuff at work. I dug through my Instagram album on Facebook and found several pictures that would work. I knew I wanted to use a headshot I had taken for work, as the main focus. I realized I had more photos than I though and wanted to use all the ones I pulled down from FB so I decided to do a collage of the pictures around the main picture.

I then chose the background paper and quickly decided that I wanted to use the honeycomb paper in one of the corners with some honeycombs popped up. Ok, for someone who isn't a big fan of washi tape, I've been using it a lot...hahaha...well since I was given washi tape I need to use it! Which is what I did down the left surrounding a strip of design paper.

Now to embellish the layout, my favorite part! I decide to fussy cut out the days of the week with the exception of Saturday and Sunday and run them down the left of the page with some journaling cards. I needed a title but what type of letters and how big?!?!? Well because I have to use what RW customers can buy in the store I always go to Thickers. As I grabbed all my Thickers I realize I didn't really have the color I wanted to use so I would have to paint, ink or stain some white ones. Which is what I did to the foam and canvas Thickers. Before I stained them I realized hey...what if I try to stamp them! So I did and I think they look awesome!

Something you can't see on the picture but can see on the video is the stamped honeycomb in the lower right. That is because I used clear embossing powder to get an accent in the lower right corner. I love this technique!

Supplies: 
MME Collectable Unforgettable paper: Firsts Fresh Paper, You are Charm Paper, Story Journal Paper & Story Tale Paper
MME Collectable Unforgettable embellishments: Story Journal Card, Decorative tape, Firsts Decorative Stickers
Tim Holtz: Walnut Stain Distress Ink, Broken China Distress Stain, Stampers Anonymous Mixed Media Honeycomb Stamp
Misc: Ranger clear embossing powder; Thickers Dolce Fabric Letters and Rockabye Foam Letters

Techniques distress inked, distress stained, pop up, layering, embossing, fussy cutting, journaling

"You & I" KaiserCraft altered heart frame
Part of our design team duties is to create a "gift" item such as a card, tag, frames etc. I like to do mini albums, altered items or use the dies that create a bag or something out of the ordinary. So when I saw the new KaiserCraft craft wood items I knew I had to do one of them! I chose the heart frame, although all the other ones such as the fence with a butterfly are items I plan on buying to alter. The heart frame was so much fun to alter! I painted, stenciled, covered with paper and washi tape, stamped and layered it up.

I first painted it with some Tim Holtz Broken China and Walnut Stain Distress Paint. I then used the Prima cracked pavement stencil and added some Tim Holtz Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint. Add some paper and embellishments from the line to create the below.

I decided to feature my godson (who is also my nephew) in the frame. It is something I wanted to keep for myself so who better to put in it than my godson, Hayden? The event we were at was a special one, it was a dinner at the Stinking Rose here in Los Angeles for his 18th birthday. He picked the place, that kid has some great taste buds! I can't believe he is 18!

Here is how I like to think of him...lol

Circa 1995, he's about 5 or 6 months old and I'm 19!

And now he towers over me...

He's 18 and I'm 37...sigh...I feel old...lol

And finally the final altered heart frame...

Supplies:
Tim Holtz: Distress Paint - Broken China, Walnut Stain, Rock Candy Crackle Paint; Distress Ink - Walnut Stain; Stampers Anonymous Mixed Media CMS 125
Prima Cracked Stencil
KaiserCraft craft wood heart frame
My Mind's Eye Unforgettable Paper: Today Moment Paper, today Remember Paper, You Are Chevron Paper, Today Happiness Cheerful Paper
My Mind's Eye Unforgettable Embellishments: Happiness Decorative Buttons, You Are Die Cut Chipboard, First Enamel Dots, You Are Tiny Word Stickers, Today Decorative Pins, Firsts Decorative Stickers, Happiness Decorative Brads, Decorative tape
Misc: Bakers Twine, Seam Binding

Techniques: paint, crackle paint, filing, distress ink, layering, pop up, fussy cutting, stamping, journaing

Before you leave...watch the video with more on how I created these projects!


So there you have it two more projects, crafting has definitely kept me from jumping off a cliff the last three months with me not working and looking for a job! I am thankful each time I sit down to create that I found this hobby! Until next time...be creative!

Two 12x12 layouts and a mini album starring BoBunny Isabella line

Hello My Friends!

I hope this posts finds everyone being crafty and creative! I've been trying to make good use of my time while on temporary retirement! :)

On the last post I started Operation Clean Up Projects! I am proud to say that I got two projects out of that bin before the March 12th deadline BUT I also found some more that made it bigger as I was cleaning up...lol...below is the video showing the two finished projects and a new one that I have to get done by March 18th! I will be at my LSS Remember When for the March crop and I plan on filling up a bag full of projects from the bin. I definitely will concentrate on getting the one I show in the video done!

What else have I been up to in the month of February? Well, I am about half way done in making another "Dream" wall coat hanger for a friend...I will have a tutorial video someday soon on this one! I started a "Year in Review 2012" mini album for both myself and my bestie Karla...I'm using the Simple Stories Snap line, I'll post here and a video as soon as it is done, follow the progress on Instagram by clicking on the Instagram logo along the right. And of course new Remember When design team projects!

February was full of product for us to use, check out the video I posted a few weeks ago showing all the goodies I got in my kit.

The first product line I will share with you is BoBunny's Isabella line. This line has a lot of pink and grey in the paper, I had a lot of fun creating the two 12x12 layouts and a mini album. Be sure to check out the video at the very bottom for more details!

"Friends" Mini Album
I used a Sizzix die, Album/Photo #657122 and created a "Friends" mini album. It is a mini album full of pictures of some of my closest friends. I played with some Tim Holtz Distress paints with lots of layering and distressing of paper and photos. It's a simple little mini album but has a whole lot of love in it!

Cover and Page 1 - The scalloped sides on the front of the mini are painted with Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress Paint. 

Page 2 & 3 - The Thickers foam alpha letters are painted with Tim Holtz Spun Sugar (top: Nicole) and Picked Raspberries (bottom: Shirley). The pocket in the top layout is a BoBunny Isabella ephemera. (I fixed the picture of Shirley ad I prior to dropping the mini album off to RW)

Page 4 & 5 - lots of layering and use of BoBunny's chipboard embellishments and stickers

Page 6 & 7 - some fussy cutting, popping up, layering and use of BoBunny's chipboard embellishments and bling.

Page 8 & 9 - some more fussy cutting and layering. Created a border on the picture of Peggy & I with trim. The Thickers foam alpha letters are painted with Tim Holz Black Soot Distress Paint.

Page 10  & the back cover

"Living My Story" 12x12 layout
With this layout I did many different techniques! It was a lot of fun playing with the new Prima Chevron Stencil and Tim Holtz Distress Paint.

The layout is created using two 12x12 papers, one is grey Bazil cardstock and the other is BoBunny's Isabella design paper. I fussy cut out the image you see on the left then layered the remaining pieces going to the right and ending with the grey cardstock. I poped up the image and added some BoBunny glittered chipboard embellishments.

The upper right corder I was trying to stencil in the chevron image using Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress Paint but I was applying too much and some of it started to run together! I was in a panic because I didn't know how I was going to fix this! So what I did was lined up the stencil and used Tim Holtz Spun Sugar Distress Paint over the Black soot. I then took the stencil with the Spun Sugar paint on it and stamped it down in the lower right corner...that paint shouldn't be wasted, right! :)

The flags you see are from the BoBunny embellishments packaging! I thought it was so cute I had to re-use it! Along with my picture I added in some BoBunny embellishments and here I have "Living My Story" 12x12 page!

"The Lysse Sisters" 12x12 layout
This BoBunny line had some sticker embellishments had a sister theme so I thought I would do a layout of my beautiful cousins Nicole & Shirley who I think of more as sisters than cousins! It is a pretty girly layout for me but I think it turned out very pretty...

I did a lot of fussy cutting, layering and some painting...a few noted techniques are:
1. You can't really see it on the picture because I used Tim Holtz Spun Sugar Distress Paint and it matched the background paper so well but I used the Prima Donna Downey Distress Honeycomb stencil on the background...you can slightly see a few honeycombs over the tag to the left. I did this just to add a bit of texture and design to the back ground. Watch the video to see it a little better.
2. The quote came on a sheet of stickers from the BoBunny Isabella line, it was as one until I fussy cut it into three parts. I then made three layers with the quote laying flat, the first border popped up slightly from the quote and then the second border popped up slightly from the first border.
3. Again I used the packaging from the embellishments for the banners
4. All the embellishments are from the Isabella line with the exception the honeycomb & swirl bling, those are Prima's Say It In Crystals...new! I love them!

Here is the video with more detail and explanation on the above projects!

Supplies used: Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Black Soot; Tim Holtz Distress Paints: Spun Sugar, Black Soot & Picked Raspberries,; Sizzix Album, Photo #657122; Helmar Quick Dry; glue gun; Thickers Foam Alpa letters, Prima Chevron Stencil, Grey Card stock, Prima Say It In Crystals, Prima Donna Downey Distress Honeycomb Stencil

Techniques: paint, scoring, distress inked, distressed paper, pop ups, layering, journaling, fussy cutting, stenciling, re-purpose packaging

Coming soon...a 12x12 layout and heart frame using My Mind's Eye Unforgettable line.
Until next time...be creative!

A little of this, a little of that and a finished project!

Hello My Crafty Friends!

I hope this post finds everyone in a creative, productive state of mind! I have certainly been a busy little bee! I have been reorganizing my crafty area and now I finally feel like I have it all set up after 9 months of living in my current apartment! I made things a little more accessible so that I will actually use the oodles of stuff I have such as my stamps! Here is a picture of my crafty corner in my little (and I mean little) apartment. One of these days I'll post a video showing a little closer everything that is on the shelves! :)

I live in a large studio and my crafting stuff takes up about half of my apartment! These shelves are full of supplies including paper, tools, embellishments, trims etc. I have two other shelves that hold finished projects, filled albums and stuff to alter or get filled. In the below sneak peak video for G45 project you'll see that my selves are on the other side of my desk.

As I was organizing and cleaning I realized my bin of unfinished projects was starting to over flow and I couldn't close it anymore. So I created a challenge for myself to get as many projects done in a month as I can. But I have to finish at least get the project I pull out of the bin on camera each month, anything extra is a bonus for myself...lol! The February challenge is due March 12 and I am happy to say that I am ahead of the game. I will most likely post a video soon and start on another project!

While doing all of the above I managed to take a infamous Remember When Nicole class using Authnetique's Lovely collection. It was an awesome box that holds three mini albums. It was all about love but the three mini's were called "Who I love", "What I love" and "Why I love me". I thought they were great ideas for the mini albums because it isn't completely focused on being in a relationship or having to put pictures of you and your significant other...especially if you aren't in a relationship. Here are a few pictures of the box and covers of the mini albums.

This is the box the mini albums sit in...super cute! 

Three mini album covers and box.

For January's Remember When design project I received the new Graphic45 French Country Collection with a Farm House Paper Co. mini album. Check out the video of me showing you the paper line before I started the project...


I have to admit I was a little worried about this project because although I love G45, sometimes if I am not in the right mind frame it is hard for me to get anything going. I also have to admit that I was not fond of this paper line when I saw it at CHA because I couldn't imagine using it since it had roosters on it. But then karma came around to kick me in the booty and I was assigned it for January. Our design team leader, Stephanie, had said that I'm good with G45 and mini albums. Thanks to Patty, who works at RW...she suggested a cook book, so off I went to create. The Farm House mini chipboard album is awesome but I felt like the pages were never going to end, it had 8 pages equaling 16 pages plus the covers! BUT I "survived" and I am pretty impressed and proud of myself with what I came up with...lol.  Be sure to watch the below YouTube video for a list of products used and some more description on what I did to each page.

Here are pictures of the pages...

Lots of fussy cutting when I create with G45. You can't tell on the picture but I used Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint, Rocky Candy over the sunflowers. I deco pauge the roosters down the side of the album and the journal card. 

Prima flowers to the right. The rooster and edges of the journal card are crackled painted. 

Used the Tim Holtz Glassine Paper, I used the honeycomb embossing folder and distress inked it with Walnut Stain. More Prima flowers to the right.

Created a shadow box effect using chipboard layered underneath the pattern paper. The background paper and below pocket was crated using the the technique explained in this video http://youtu.be/bzxfYHGhmdk

Lots of layering here...used a Tim Holtz stamp and Walnut Stain distress embossing powder at the bottom.

In the next several pictures I used corrugated paper which I painted on.

My desk is plenty busy with a second "Dream" wall coat hanger for a friend, two "A Year in Review...2012" project life kinda albums using Simple Stories Snap collection, RW's February DT projects using the latest from My Mind's Eye and BoBunny, Donna Downey February Canvas workshop, projects from the unfinished bin and I need to start a baby girl's first 12 months 12x12 album! To see progress of all these projects follow me on any of the social networking sites...just click on any (or all of) the buttons to the right! :)

Until next time...be creative!

Hello Friends...

Why HELLO FRIENDS! It's been awhile...more like a long while since I last posted! It was a busy summer and end of year but now we are in a new year and I'm ready to blog and post videos again!

I hope this blog post finds everyone in great spirits in the new year and being creative! Although I haven't been posting here or on YouTube I have been crafty! At the very least I have been getting my design team projects done for Remember When.

I started the year out with two awesome Donna Downey classes at Remember When. I have always been into mixed media and altered art but after taking her top 40 techniques class and the pan pastel class, I am completely hooked. Check out the below pictures from Donna's classes...

Some techniques using Gelatos, UTEE, Distress Stain, Paints and India Ink

"Follow your heart and live your dreams" Pan Pastel Canvas. Image on the right is two layers and the image on the right is the final art piece.

And here is a Pan Pastel 6x6 canvas that I did the day after buying my first set of Pan Pastel

I then altered a "Dream" wall coat hanger (there may be a video in the future as I am doing another for a friend). This was a lot of fun...I painted it from turquoise to black then used the Tim Holtz brick die as a stencil with molding paste.

I'm so proud of myself for finishing the project and getting it hung up with jackets on it :)

CHA Winter 2013 Commercial Break...lol...

I then decided to take Donna Downey's 2013 Canvas Create workshops for the year. Here is the January workshop where she showed us how to use Rigid Wrap on a canvas. Rigid Wrap is like a cheese cloth with plaster on it. It's pretty cool and makes great texture. I foresee a video in the future being posted when I create another canvas using Rigid Wrap.

And finally I made a 8x8 mini album x3 (one for me and for two of my oldest & dearest friends) using Glitz Hello Friend line. I spent 9 days in Maui for my best friend's wedding at the end of September and felt like the 8x8 Recollections page holder was a perfect way to showcase the best pictures from the trip and for a great gift for the girls. Here are pictures of all 10 pages and below the pictures my YT video.

Maui 2012 8x8 mini album YouTube Video:

All that and it's only January! 2013 looks to be starting off in a great creative way, check out the below video on what my next project is about!

Thanks for reading through this long post, until next time be creative!