Technique, Reverse Matting, Layout Bliss

Project:    12 x 12 Layout "Bliss"

Designer:  Dionne Marie Smith

Blog:        DionneMarie.Blogspot.com

Photo:      Corinna Hoffman

Ingredients:

Papers:    Bazzill Basics Paper Cardstock, Black

               GCD Studios Donna Salazar Designs, Antiquities

Inks:        Ranger, Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Walnut Stain

Other:     Tim Holtz Grungeboard (used as a template for hand cut letters)

Techniques:

Using my favorite Reverse Matting technique, I placed my photo over the Donna Salazar patterned paper and traced in pencil. Then added a 3/4" trace, leaving the portions of the design out of the trace.

With an exacto knife I cut out the middle of the paper, then inked and out-lined with a second hand cut layer of cardstock.

Simple Cards - Make Keeping in Touch easy

One of my goals for 2012 is keeping in touch with my friends and loved ones more frequently. Here is a simple card design that is made up of leftover scraps and a few minutes of my spare time. 

Scrapbook Challenge @ Sketches4all - Magazine Ad Challenge

Check out the creative Jen's January Challenge over at Sketches4All.

This is so clever, take one of the old scrap magazines - you know you have a stack just sitting there crying to re-purposed - find an advertisement, tear it out of the book and actually use the magazine page to create your project. What a fun new spin!! Super Love It!

Here's my take on this challenge:



I found my ad in Scrapbooks, Etc. magazine, the ad is for Prima Marketing. Here's how it appeared in the mag:

With my trusty Fiskars micro-tip scissors in hand. Quick work was made with the cutting portion of the show:

After the snipping flurry, this is what I had to work with to design my project. 

For the base of the card I chose Paper Studio Kraft Note Cards 5 x 7.  Feeling that the background was just too plain, I use a floral mask by Prima (only fitting, since I used their ad to create this card) and applied Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink in layers. Starting with my lightest color first and applying with a Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool, I worked in the color around the screen cut outs. 

When using a screen or mask, I like to use blue painters tape to hold my work in place.

Here's the look, after one layer of distress ink.

I moved my screen slightly to create a shadow effect. This layer was done in a slightly darker color, Walnut Stain. So you end up getting three colors out of two applications. The original color you applied, plus the second color that shows up in the voids from moving the screen, and a blend of the two shades create a third color. 

For my final layer of ink, I introduced the color Black Soot Distress Ink. Because a large portion of the magazine images I was using included black, the background needed to tie the black in to the overall design. Moving the screen for each application created a look that almost looks 3-Dimensional. Cool.

The "Remember" tag in the add was so close to the background color, it just disappeared. Using black Bazzill Cardstock, I matted the image to make it stand out.  

The overall look needed a little more... Like some Fabulous Basic Grey, Little Black Dress - The New Black, pattered paper, which I found in my handy scrap pile, left over from my Fresh Face layout. I also added a strip of the magazine add layered at the bottom. 

The look was completed with the previously cut elements from the magazine ad, plus words punched out on my Label Buddy. Whalla! Great Challenge. 

 
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New Year - New Altered Design - Nook Case

With Christmas comes new gifts and gadgets. The kids all received Nooks this year, they love to read, so it's a great gift.

Those are expensive little devices and we shopped for cases and ended up with some serious sticker shock. That little adventure inspired me to create a custom Nook cover.  Check it out:

Tips: Chipboard Shortage - Solutions

Tips: Chipboard Shortage - Solutions

Not only will this technique save your bacon while at a crop away from home and the comfort of having your entire chipboard stash nearby, it will also save you some money (so you can buy more awesome products to hoard....I mean collect).

So the design dilemma, I had the perfect size and shape alpha chipboard letters to finish my layout - but not nearly enough of letters I needed. Solution: use the chipboard sheet that hold the alpha as a stencil to trace the letters I was missing. Using a black American Craft s Stamp Marker I was able to achieve a bold trace.

Christmas Cards 2011 - Lovin on some Bo Bunny

A few last minute Christmas Cards for friends and family. Here's a little peek:

Featuring:
Bo Bunny Father Christmas Patterned Paper

Glimmer Mist Altered Projects - How to

Re-post of favorite techniques from old blog...(since the cruel, cruel internet ate my previous blog....oh let's just quit crying about it and start the rebuild - insert HUGE {sigh}... >> HERE!)

This is some work that I did when I was a Glimmer Mist Design Chick. Awesome products back then and even better over the years! Several of my creations were used in the Glimmer Mist Catalog.

Here's a little sneak peek on some of the projects I have been working on.

PROJECT ONE: Acrylic hanging photo

Ingredients
Clearly Creative Acrylic Album
Fancy Pants Rub-ons
Prima Say it in crystals
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Colors: Pink Taffy, Vintage Pink, Pearl Robin’s Egg Blue
Tattered Angels Chipboard Butterfly
Tattered Angels Sheer Butterfly








Directions
Starting with the acrylic album I sprayed a generous amount of Glimmer Mist in two shades. I used a piece of cardboard to block the areas I did not want to spray. The drying time is increased because of the non-porous surface.

Next I sprayed the Sheer Butterfly in pink and blue and set aside to dry. I sanded down the chipboard butterfly so that it would absorb more Glimmer Mist for a deeper color.

Once dry I added white accents by hand.

The rub-on is applied directly to the photo.





The photo is attached to the back of the acrylic album, concealing the glue behind the butterfly and dried Glimmer Mist. The Prima crystals are layered over the top and finally the butterfly is attached with fibers and secured with glue dots.

PROJECT TWO: BUTTERFLY MASK ON ACRYLIC

Ingredients
Clearly Creative Acrylic Album
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Colors: Pink Taffy, Vintage Pink, Pearl Robin’s Egg Blue
Tattered Angels Sheer Butterfly (used as a mask)

Directions
When I created the Acrylic hanging photo I was able to sneak in this bonus project. As I sprayed my sheer butterfly for the other project, I just placed it over this acrylic piece just like a mask. The photos do not do this justice the sparkle of the Glimmer Mist look beautiful when the sunlight shines on it.







PROJECT THREE: MONOGRAM LETTER


Ingredients
Wood Monogram Letter
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Colors: Pearl, Iridescent Gold, Lemon Zest
Tattered Angels Fibers Coffee Shop
Tattered Angels Chipboard Crown
Tim Holtz Crackle Paint

Directions
Paint the monogram letter in crackle paint and allow to dry completely. Spray a generous amount of Glimmer Mist over the painted areas, allowing it to fill the cracked areas.

I sanded the chipboard piece lightly and sprayed with Iridescent Gold and Lemon Zest, then added the hand writing and accents. Finish by adding fibers and attaching crown.

PROJECT FOUR: OWL CANDLE

Ingredients:
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Colors: Pearl, Iridescent Gold and Suede
Tattered Angels Chipboard Owl
Tattered Angels Fibers Coffee Shop

Directions
Take your candle and lightly spray Glimmer Mist over the entire candle. You will need to allow plenty of drying time. Once dry you will have an amazing glimmery beaded finish. My chipboard owl is sprayed with Iridescent Gold to add a little extra shine. The owl is attached with a variety of fibers. This is a fast and easy way to add a custom look to your home décor.


PROJECT FIVE: WREATH

Ingredients
Wreath
Dried Flowers
Delish Chipboard
Raffia
Maya Road leaf ribbon
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Colors: Gold and Olive Vine, Iridescent Gold, Pearl.
Tattered Angels Chipboard Shapes
Tim Holtz Crackle Paint

Directions
Spray the entire wreath and ribbon in Gold and add accents in Olive Vine. Weave ribbon around wreath, securing between the vines.

Paint the chipboard letters in crackle paint, once dry, add Glimmer Mist. Tie on chipboard accents with raffia (spray raffia in gold before tying). Leave the ends loose on the raffia and use them to tie the letter directly to the wreath.

Lightly spray the dried flowers, allowing drying tie to see how much color has been absorbed before applying another coat. Attach the flower securely and add a final coat of Pearl Glimmer Mist.