ScrapFX Sneaky Peeks

I'm up on the ScrapFX blog and the new release of beach theme items made me oh so happy!  Not only are the chippies, stamps, and stencils super magnificent - it also gave me yet another reason to warm things up around here even if its only in my creative thoughts.

I had a glorious time playing with my watercolors, ScrapFX Wave Border (2007168) chippie, and Random Dot Stencil (2013172) to create a nautical background.  Then layered up some new and old beach themed chipboard to embellish the page.  I just lurve all the new coral pieces to bits!!!

During December and January we had freestyle months on the blog so the Steampunk release of chippies kind of got overlooked.  I've been smitten with this Headgear Lady (2013377) and Chickenwire Heart (2013375) since I received them so I thought why not try and mix them up with a beach item and showcase both?  I succeeded in my venture as the branch like piece on this canvas is actually meant to be coral - I love when stuff can be dual purpose don't you?

If you'd like to see the full reveal of these projects, and I'd love for you to go check them out, you can click here.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Skissedilla #232 - King of Our Jungle

A new month means a new sketch is up at Skissedilla.  #232 is cool and funky, leaving lots of room for your creative wings to stretch.

The lovely Nabon created this one and we can't wait to see what you come up with.

I decided to warm things up a bit around here and create a page about the King of our Jungle - haha!  This lil' kitty is soo furry and truly looks like a little lion as he struts his stuff about the house.  I was so glad to capture this photo of him as he was lounging on my lap.

I put my ScrapFX Hexagonal Pattern Stencil (2013167) to work on the background with some paste and blotted it with a variety of paints in both matte and metallic colors.  While that was drying I went to town stamping my leaves using the ScrapFX Leaves A Simple, Stamps (2013344) with black paint on my Amy Tangerine patterned paper - still love this line.  I then cut these all out and arranged them.

Next I began altering all my jungle animals to go along with the theme of the page because how can you have a jungle theme without some wildlife, right?  The lion was done up with metallic paint for the body and metallic paint mixed with texture paste for the mane.  The giraffe was painted with a combo of regular acrylic and metallic paints.  The gorilla - even though he is hard to see :( - was done using some black lava paste.  He has a really cool texture that is very gorilla like. The giraffe, gorilla, and rhino (not shown here) are from the ScrapFX Zoo Animals Pack (2012235) and the lion is from the Cat Family Pack (2012225).  I love that you can make these pieces look realistic with a few simple touches.

Here you can see a bit of the rhino - he was altered using some coarse texture paste mixed with a combo of metallic paints for the body and had his horns colored with a white gel pen.  You can also see the various layers, bits and bobs of sequins, jewels, buttons, and punched bits used to pull the rest of the page together.  Yes, I had a bit of fun with this one for shiggity. 

I hope you'll have some fun too and join in at Skissedilla.  Come check out what the rest of the DT created, along with our selected scrapper, Riikka!!  She even has a video to share of her process - you don't want to miss that.  Plus we have an amazing sponsor this month - Studio Tekturek - and I know you'll want to try and win some of their gorgeous papers.  I can't wait to get my hands on some. :)

Until next time, take care! 

Its February - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year??! Yikes, yes I know its been a bit but January was a wee bit rough round here, as it was for many peeps.  

The bitter, frigid weather definitely took its toll and gave us plenty of work to do keeping up with our kennel to ensure the dogs were always safe and comfy cozy.  And just in case you can't tell that temp reads -22 which was without windchill. Blah - so done with winter here!

There has been lots of this too - plenty of frozen and bursting pipes.  Nothing like hearing a waterfall letting loose in your wall in the middle of the day!  Haha - I joke - but I was freaking my beak at the time for real.  All I could think of was our well running dry.  A little over dramatic am I? Perhaps, but it was bad.  Hubs had to leave work and make the hour drive home since I couldn't get the frozen shut off valve to budge. Sigh.  

I've learned to Embrace the Moment.  I've been creating in amongst all this - but blogging and most social media has just eluded me.  A lot of times things have either been running slower than molasses or not at all due to high winds.  Its okay..... 

Embrace the Moment.  This tag is one of three I created with some inspirational sayings on them featuring ScrapFX chipboard, stamps, and stencils.  I'll share the rest soon.  The thought is to set these free with some happy mail - so glad it looks as if that can finally happen this month. 

Also on the tag front is the little mini I created for a Guest Spot on the Scrapbook Creations Magazine Blog.  You can find Part 1 of my posting here and Part 2 of my posting here.  Part 3 will be featured next week Wednesday.  Super thrilled to be over there with such outstanding talent.  I'd love for you to pop on over if you feel so inclined.

Thank you so much for visiting today!  I have indeed missed blogging and look forward to sharing oodles of things over this coming year with you.

Take good care!! 

Peace Card

For those of you that frequent here often you know I'm all about the boingin' colors.  Each of my projects are usually bursting with color combos galore so when I saw the 12th Day of Christmas Challenge at Turtle Soup to create an all white card I thought to myself ruh-roh!  Funny how the brain works though because out of all the challenges I chose to take this one!

I set myself in motion by gathering a plethora of white supplies: cardstock, vellum, paste, glitter, sequins, doilies, cheesecloth, and some sprigs with sequins already attached.  Then I grabbed some other materials: dies, stencils, punches, and embossing folders that I thought perhaps might work to pull together a wintery scene fitting for an all white theme.  Once those things were all out my mind was able to function as I played with the bits - punching this, adding paste to that, die-cutting out shapes (numerous times I might add LOL).

When all my pieces were cut, punch, and dried I began to play with the arrangement and the above Peace card was my final result.  The background was stenciled with modeling paste sprinkled with glitter.  Over that is some embossed vellum, then cheesecloth, and finally I piled on my layers of dies and embellies.

 I posted this photo on Instagram (@kndr2tch) and shared I think I have a new favorite style of Christmas card - its so very different from what I would normally gravitate toward creating and I think that is why I love it so much.  I'll also be honest in sharing I think this one is staying right here with me and going in my December album - I can create some more to give away - this one is special. 

So happy I can share this card for a couple challenges out there right now too!

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Snow

Country View Challenges - Bah, Humbug!

Thanks for stopping by today, hope you're having a delightful one!

Joy Tags - Tutorial

Its hard to believe we're already on major countdown to Christmas!!  I so love this time of year and have been delighting in less hustle, bustle and more peace, comfort, and joy.  Part of the fun for me is taking time to create some beautiful things to adorn presents.  

Tags are such a quick and easy way to do this and with the right string attached who knows they may just wind up on someones tree as a keepsake.  

Here is how you can recreate these cute little Joy tags to deck out your packages in style:

Step One: Cut watercolor paper down to tag size of choice (3x3 shown).  Ink up stamp (ScrapFX Moroccan Tile - 2013351) with VersaMark, sprinkle with embossing powder, and heat set.

Step Two: Spray background generously with mist.  Allow this to dry for a couple seconds then use a baby wipe to pounce away color from embossed areas.

Step Three: Layer some stenciling (ScrapFX Random Dots 2013172 used above) over the embossed background in the upper left and bottom right corners using paste.  Set this aside to dry completely. 

Step Four: Once paste is completely dry, highlight some circles using NeoColors or whatever coloring medium you have on hand.  Sprinkle some gold splats of mist across the tag.  *My apologies for not having a picture of these materials in this step.

Add some washi tape across a strip of burlap and adhere this piece diagonally across the tag.  I used fabric glue to ensure it would stick and hold up to being jostled around.

 

Step Five: Add some modeling paste to a Mini Christmas Tree (2007384) and set aside to dry.  Diecut some letters (or use stickers/chippies/etc.) in black and outline them with a white gel pen.  Adhere the letters 'J' and 'Y' to your washi tape strip.  Brush green mist onto dry tree and adhere to the washi tape strip in place of the letter 'O'.

Step Six: Outline tag with a black pen and add some random dash lines along the edges.

Step Seven: Cut patterned paper to 3x3 (or whatever size you have made you tag).  Stamp a to/from image onto the paper. No worries if you don't have one - just doodle it.  Sprinkle some splats of gold mist across paper.  Outline paper with a black pen and add some little dash lines along the edges.  Adhere this piece to the back of your tag.

*Note I didn't add the patterned paper prior to doing the messy work in order to keep the patterned paper clean from oozes and to cover up anything that may have leaked on back.

Step Eight: Punch a hole in the upper right corner of tag.  Add twine to create a loop and tie.  Your tag is now ready for gifting!

Here is a look at the front:

The back:

And a different angle to check out the fun texture created in some quick and easy steps:

I hope this quickie tutorial inspires you to gear up for some do-it-yourself wrapping worthy of being hung on a tree after.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have great starts to the weekend and

Take care.