The Future is as Bright as Your Faith -- Mixed Media Canvas

Hello again! Today I wanted to share my newest mixed media project, a 12x12 canvas of my own family!  I had this vision in my brain as soon as I heard this quote from the leader of my church, Thomas S. Monson: "The future is as bright as your faith."  In fact, one of the main reasons I decided to take Christy Tomlinson's SheArt Workshop was so that I could learn the techniques to bring my vision to life.  And here it is!

I added a lot of layers and stamps and craziness to this canvas, and by the time I was finished (at 2:30 a.m. the night before our church art show) I was not sure if I loved it or if I had ruined it.  You know how that feels when you've just been looking at something too long?  Yeah. I actually wasn't going to put black elements on at all, but when I meant to stamp with WHITE staz-on in the sky in the upper right, it turned out the stamp still had all sorts of BLACK ink on it, so suddenly I had a chunk of black words right in the middle of my nice bright sky.  Oops.  After that I just figured I had to roll with it.


As I said above, I created this to show in our church art show, which I was on the committee to help organize.  Here's what I wrote on my little info card for the show:


"I love this quote from our prophet.  The future’s uncertainty can seem scary sometimes, but our faith in Jesus Christ and His love makes it possible for us to move forward with our families  in joy and gratitude and hope!"


One amazing thing that happened -- a man who works as a consultant for an art publishing company came to the art show with his daughter (who lives in our stake) and loved it so much that he wants to show it to a buyer at a huge church bookstore chain to possibly sell prints of it! Holy cow. I can't imagine it would actually happen (because it is pretty rough and also because I used products from about 14 companies, so I think there are probably some copyright issues) but it was awfully flattering!


Speaking of which, here are the companies whose products I used.  I really raided my scraps drawers for the paper, and there are pieces here from Cosmo Cricket, DCWV, Sassafrass Lass, Scenic Route, Crate Paper, Making Memories, Chatterbox, Bo Bunny, Imaginisce, Daisy D's and Scrapworks.  The stamps are from Stampin Up, 7Gypsies, Hero Arts, My Mind's Eye, Sassafrass Lass, and Fancy Pants. Oh, and I also painted on one of my embossing folders from my Cuttlebug to get one texture!  


Who's in the mood to play I Spy? :)  I've never been great at mixing things from different companies and styles, so I really had fun just gathering everything I had and throwing it all together.  Other than that, this is just made with acrylic paints and a whole lotta Mod Podge.

Flower Power Blog Hop -- ScrapbookPal.com

Welcome to another fun and inspiring Blog Hop with the ScrapbookPal.com Design Team!  Our theme this time around is Flower Power, and we've teamed up to bring you a whole bouquet of beautiful ideas.  If this is your first stop, make sure you head back to the ScrapbookPal blog so you can visit all the designers and find out how to win a Cricut cartridge of your choice! ScrapbookPal.com has a fantastic selection of tools for paper-crafters, and they are adding new things all the time.  They have great customer service, and shipping is always free on orders over $25 -- raise your hand if you HATE paying for shipping like I do!  Yay for free shipping!

Today I thought I'd show you a fun technique that creates a really show-stopping flower.  The best part about it is that it uses a basic scalloped circle, which you can find on a whole bunch of different cartridges!  I used Mini-Monograms, but you can use a scalloped circle or even a flower shape from anywhere.

This flower is made from tissue paper!  It's a great project to do with a mat that is on it's last legs, because you want one that is as un-sticky as possible (so that you'll be able to get the tissue paper off again).  Cut yourself a 12x12ish square of tissue paper and adhere it to your mat.  Then cut as many scalloped circles as you can fit on the page (either using the "auto-fill" feature on your Expression or setting it up that way on your Gypsy).

Now, the tissue paper will not cut super cleanly.  Don't stress out -- the flower shapes will punch out just fine once it's done cutting, and the feathery edges just add to the full-ness of the flower.  Once you're done cutting, layer all the circles together, not quite on center.  Punch a hole in the center and insert a brad.

Now comes the fun part!  Use Glimmer Mist to add some extra color and glitz to your flower.  Your first spray will only get the top layer and few edges, so let that dry for a minute and then scrunch the flower up a little bit.  Spray just a little, until you get the desired effect.  You'll get all sorts of different tints over the surface of the flower.  Let it dry, then fluff it up til it looks fabulous.  Now it's ready to be the star of your next card or scrapbook page!

Other elements: Label shape -- Storybook; "Miss You" -- Cindy Loo; Chalk Ink -- Cat's Eye chalk ink in Creamy Brown; Brad -- American Crafts, Lace -- Fancy Pants; Patterned Paper -- My Mind's Eye


Now, off to the rest of the Blog Hop with you!

ScrapbookPal Blog (http://scrapbookpal.blogspot.com/)
Amy Crockett (http://www.scrappingmommy.com/)
Tomi Ann Hill (http://tomiannie.blogspot.com/) <-- You are here!
Cheryl Walker (http://sweeetdesignsbycheryl.blogspot.com/) <-- This is your next stop!
Leah Cornelius(http://paperblossoms.blogspot.com/)
Jamie Cripps (http://jamielanedesigns.blogspot.com/)
Crystal Butler (http://crystalscraftycreations.blogspot.com/)
Tammy White (http://theeventqueen.blogspot.com/)
ScrapbookPal Blog (http://www.scrapbookpal.blogspot.com/)


Happy hopping!

Faith -- a scrapbook layout for ScrapbookPal

Hello again!  I'm back with a very fun layout, compliments of ScrapbookPal.com.  This month we design team gals are featuring the very cute stamps from Pink by Design, and today I am excited to share this scrapbook page I created with the Faith sentiment collection. It's easy to look at a sentiment stamp collection and only see possibilities for cards, so I was glad I had the challenge of using them for a scrapbook page.

Click to enlarge

In thinking about how I could use a whole bunch of the stamps on a layout, I loved the idea that faith grows over time, especially as we remember all the things these stamps say.  The tree background is patterned paper from Scenic Route, and I stamped the sentiments onto green paper and then cut around then to create the leaves.  I used a green marker to add some accents that would help tie them in with the patterned paper. I bent each leaf a little to give it some texture, then adhered them to the tree.  I used 3D foam for some of them to add to the dimension.  I cut a few more leaves from the same green polka dot paper I used for the bottom border strip. The title "faith" is cut from the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge using the Shadow function to make it nice and chunky.  (See below for a closer-up look at the different sentiments.)

So take a look at your sentiment stamp sets -- or better yet, pick up some new adorable sets from ScrapbookPal -- and see what unexpected things you can do with them!  ScrapbookPal has a lot of great new products right now, and shipping is always free on orders over $25!  Thanks for stopping by!

Materials: Patterned Paper -- Scenic Route (Tree, brown polka dot, stripe), KI Memories (green polka dot).

Another SheArt girl -- this one has a wild side!

I'd like to introduce you to my second SheArt girl!  I wanted to try something completely different from my first girl, so I thought I'd experiment with creating animal prints.  I used book paper as the base and added strips of black paper to make zebra stripes.  I also painted patches of gold and painted on markings for leopard print.  I tried to create a giraffe print with modeling paste, but that was a total disaster and I scraped it off (twice). :)  These girls are so fun to make -- I am loving just letting my creativity run wild (pun totally intended).

I found a chipboard binder in my "big bin of stuff to be altered" and I think it will be perfect to hold all my mixed media experiments while I take this class.  I can't wait to fill it up and see all the ideas in my head come to life!  The book is from Maya Road, I think.  That patterned paper and stamps used above are from Fancy Pants.  I also used my iRock to set the little rhinestones on her hairpiece and bracelet (which are made from scraps of fake leather vinyl and did not play well with the iRock -- live and learn!).  I think my favorite part of this girl is the tulle peeking out from the bottom of her skirt and at her neckline.  So fun!


Thanks for stopping by!

time to spread her wings... in honor of Carissa

If you've been around my blog for a long time, you may remember me posting about my sweet sister Carissa, who had Down's Syndrome and who was such a big part of our lives (you can read about her here and on my other blog and on Single Dad Laughing, my brother's blog).  Yesterday marked the third anniversary of her passing, a day we celebrate in her honor as "You're My Favorite" Day, because that's what she always told everyone. 

I wanted to make a special little gift for my parents, and since I just started the amazing SheArt Workshop by Christy Tomlinson, I knew I wanted to try my hand at a mixed media art piece.  This is seriously outside my comfort zone, a lot more artistic than crafty, but I loved the style and I decided to give it a go.  I'm so glad I did, because it's tapping into a whole new part of my creative spirit that I LOVE.  I'm only one week into the class and I can't get enough.

We always called Carissa "Sunshine Sissa," and I wanted the piece to reflect that.  I created a dark blue background, and then made her figure all bright and sunny, with the bright sun shining down on her.  I gave her wings (a butterfly punch cut in half) and chose the phrase "it was time for her to spread her wings" to communicate what we all feel about her passing -- that it was her time to go, and that she has been freed from the limitations of this life.  I gave her a little pearl necklace in tribute to the pearl necklace from my dad that she was buried with.  A long time ago, he got a beautiful pearl necklace to give to each of his daughters on her wedding day, so it was a special thing for Carissa to have hers on the day she returned to Heavenly Father.  It was one of those little things that I didn't think anyone else would notice, but my dad noticed it first thing!  That was so special to me.  He also noticed the sunshine, and my sister noticed the music in the background, which was another special thing because Carissa loved music so much.  I love every little detail in this piece, and every moment I spent creating it. 

I have to say, though, that this new creative outlet might not be good for my health -- I've gotten next to no sleep the past couple of nights because I've been too busy thinking up all the fabulous mixed media projects I want to create!

Thanks for stopping by!

Materials: 4x6 art canvas; Patterned paper -- Scribble Scrabble (dots in the background), Cosmo Cricket (dress); Accent stamps, rub-ons, and chipboard negative for yellow flourish -- Fancy Pants

Fun with new goodies...

While wandering the craft store the other day, completely NOT looking at stamps or paper because I have enough of both to last me until the end of days, I was mysteriously pulled as though by tractor beam over to a rack with pretty much the cutest stamps I had ever seen -- the "Fine and Dandy" set from My Mind's Eye.  A cute little pennant banner, birdie, and perfect "thanks" sentiment were enough to make me surreptitiously stash it in my cart (in case the "you already have too many stamps" police were lurking nearby), along with some adorable coordinating paper.  Ah, new goodies!  Nothing like it to get your creative juices flowing! 

Oh, except a fun sketch that seems made to use with the new goodies!  That's how I felt when I saw this sketch from CPS this week.  

So, just under the wire, here is my fun little thank you card. 

Thanks for stopping by!

With Sympathy -- ScrapbookPal.com

I've said before that sympathy cards are tough ones for me, usually because I'm so emotionally connected to the person I'm making it for.  I want to keep the card fairly simple so that the sentiment can be the star, but I also try to add a few special touches to make sure the receiver knows they are special and loved.  I probably put way more thought into the design than the receivers will ever notice, but when all you can do for someone who is suffering is send them your love in a card, you want to put your whole self into it, right?

One thing that helps me when I'm making a sympathy card is having just the right sentiment, so I was really excited to receive the Sympathy sentiment collection by Pink by Design, courtesy of ScrapbookPal.com.  Stamps are a new category, and they've already got an impressive selection!  These sentiment sets have a ton of different sentiments, and I was very impressed with how well they stamp.  (Some acrylic stamps leave a lot to be desired, but are nice and crisp and feel sturdy.)

I have two cards to share with you today, both using the Sympathy sentiment collection.

I added the sentiment on this first card to a vintage tag, then used a rolled flower to accent it. (More about those in a later post.)  I used these great Liquid Pearl Accents in Bisque to create a center for the flower, and then to add accents to the edge of the patterned paper and to the flowers in the paper.  That was the perfect "special touch" for this card.  I am a big fan of Liquid Pearls -- they are so easy to use, and they add such a nice pearly touch to projects.

Other Materials: Patterned Paper -- Daisy D's; Cat's Eye Chalk Ink in Dark Brown; Green cardstock -- DCWV

For the sentiment on this card, I stamped it onto a small strip of coordinating patterned paper.  But cutting a triangular notch out of the end and using my fingers to bend the paper into a wave shape, I easily created a pretty little banner to really accent the sentiment.  I cut a flower from the Home Decor cartridge and used the Liquid Pearls to accent that, as well.  I also added a pretty sheer ribbon, which I attached by sewing it with a single stitch at regular intervals.  Then I covered each stitch with a dab of Liquid Pearl -- so pretty!

Other Materials: Patterned Paper -- SEI; Cat's Eye Chalk Ink in Charcoal; Cardstock for flower -- DCWV

Last but not least!

And now, without further ado, the last two projects I have to show you from my weekend scrap-a-thon!

This is a quick card I made for a dear friend who has been going through some hard times.  All the paper and elements are from Crate Paper, and I hand-cut the hills.  The scallop border at the bottom is my handy-dandy SU punch and the umbrella came from the Cricut Create a Critter cartridge.




And now, the layout I was most excited to complete!  If you've been around my blog for a while, you might remember that 3 years ago my sweet sister Carissa, who had Down's Syndrome, passed away rather unexpectedly.  I was pregnant with Eliza at the time, and we gave her the middle name Carissa when she was born.  I have always felt a special connection between the two of them.  Well, we used to call Carissa "Sunshine Sissa."  And now that Eliza is finally starting to talk, she calls herself Sissa.  In fact, she's very proud of it and introduces herself to everyone (whether it's strangers at the store or her daddy when he walks in the door at night) by running up to them and announcing: "I Sissa!"  It's just a sweet little thing that I want to remember forever. And isn't that what scrapbooking is all about?  After I thoguht I had finished the layout, I decided I really wanted to reinforce that connection, so I added a tiny picture of Carissa and a little butterfly looking down from above.  Perfect.

The papers here are from Imaginisce and the printed and canvas butterflies are from Making Memories.  The little pink butterfly at the top (by the pic of Carissa) is an EK Success punch.  The letters in "Sissa" are from the Cricut Lyrical Letters cartridge.

Thanks for hanging out with me over the past few days as I shared all these fun pages!  Now I am all sorts of in the zone, and I'm sure I'll have more pages to show you soon!  Have a great weekend!