A challenge from the scrapbook garden

The peeps at The Scrapbook Garden have issued their first sketchy challenge. I do like this particular garden more than my own, due to the absence of dandelions probably, so I thought I'd share it with you.

The sketch is originally from the Carta Bella blog, which I haven't looked at much but is on my list to have a proper look around. 

The sketch challenge has a few rules, including the topic of a male relative (well it is Father's Day) and a closing date of Saturday 28 June 2014, but check the blog for all the details. Hopefully I'll find the time to not only have a go but share my efforts too.

Happy crafting!

Happy Fathers Day

Wow! What happened to May and a rapidly disappearing June.

I had so many good intentions of adding a post every week, entering all sorts of challenges and I find myself cooking, gleaning, washing, ironing and looking longingly at my scrapbook supplies. Its all very rock and roll.

Well as its father's day I thought I'd share the card I made for my very understanding Dad.

I came across this amazing "Happy Fathers day" die from Joanna Sheen, I got it a couple of months ago as I anticipated come father's day it would be gone. If you haven't tried her own range of dies give them a go, I have a few and they are brilliant!

I raided my "had for an age" stash which in this case is the sets of DCVW drawers that I got from QVCUK many, many years ago.

Quite pleased with the end result as it's bright and slightly retro, I also used a few spellbinders to make the plaque and create the mats. I added a slightly offset yellow set of the words, which in the picture, may make you think your eyes have gone a little odd.

Happy Fathers Day!

Time to craft

I've had the MDF click blank in the back of the crafty cupboard for a while so I though it was time to have a play. It's one of Indigo Blu's so comes with the clockworkings. 

I decided I wanted it in creams and browns and I wanted to 'play' a little, that was about it decision wise before I started. I under coated in gesso then a coat of bark coloured paint. I gave it time to dry then over coated the dark brown with a mixture of cream paint and Kroma crackle. Once I was happy with the crackle effect I painted some 'slap it on' on. This seals the paint and stops it cracking any further. I didn't want to leave the edges raw so I painted them with a bronze colour.

Then it was stencil time....

I have, let's just say a few stencils, many of which are from The Crafters Workshop and stamps away. I like Imagination crafts, Splodge Away and some of the new Clarity additions are pretty nice too. Anyway I used a mix of bronze, gold and a couple of brown paints (the metallics and cream colours were from Reeves and the browns were from Ecogreen crafts). I added a little black to change the colour a little and tried a little modelling paste to try to add dimension, not sure it did much.

I added numbers cut from dark brown card stock using Memory Box Parker alphabet cutting dies. The clock hands were black but I didn't like the way they looked so used Tim Holtz tarnished brass paint dauber to change the colour, took a couple of coats but looks ok.

Looking forward to setting the time and getting it on the wall. 

Thanks for reading.

Last time I mentioned I'd had a go at one of Scrap365's March challenges but hadn't been brave enough to actually enter it. Well I thought I'd share. I actually had the magazine to hand when I started so I thought I'd start with by gathering my supplies.

The photo is of the cat I had in my late teens, her name was Misty because she was so fluffy she reminded me of clouds (naming animals probably shouldn't be left to me!). The kit is an old one, originally bought from QVC, from Cloud9 Design. It's amazing quality and had been left in the 'paper I love to stroke' box, but I'm trying really hard to break this behaviour! But it's REALLY hard! I added some Bazzill card stock for my neutral areas. Oh and some ribbon I had in my cat crafting draw, don't ask it's too difficult to explain. Anyway here's where I ended up. 

If I'm honest I'm not mad about the outcome, I was too fastidious about following the sketch. I still love the sketch and would use it again but maybe with a few less layers, I do seem to take them as the letter if the law a bit!

                           

First of many... Hopefully!

I decided to start blogging to try to encourage myself to take part in some of the challenges I've been coming across. I love scrap 365 magazine so started reading their blogs regularly. I completed a layout for one of the challenges they posted last month, but wimped out when it came to entering, I know a complete wuss. This month I've managed to complete the layout and have challenged myself to actually enter the sketch challenge this month! Woo me.. Thanks for the challenge Scrap365.. Here goes...

Scrap365 April sketch challenge.. The sketch

I have a very simple white space style and I'm a little, let's say, 'fussy' about colour matching so I used a My Minds Eye collection to get round this. I used the 'on the sunny side' as I thought the bright colours would work with the photo. I added a little coordinations card (the yellow) and a little stencilling. I used the clarity stamps sunshine stencil behind the photos and layers. The title is from the Cherish collection of artisan words from Pinkpaislee, they come uncoloured so I used the acrylic ink that I'd used on the stencilling to add colour. I added some words made using Spellbinder dies, the 'all about family, and some hand written journaling. This is what I ended up with. 

The layout is simple by many standards but I'm pretty happy with, hope you like it too.