Scrapmatts DT projects April 2016

Hello there Scrappy Friends, I have three projects to share with you, each showing the versatility of Scrapmatts products.

The team was asked to use a photo of ourselves on a canvas. Gulp!
I have very few photos of myself and I had never used canvas before.

But nothing like a good challenge to get the creative juices flowing. I loved the way the canvas responded to all the mixed media, staying firm and straight.

First, I applied a coat of gesso, before using texture paste through Scrapmatts stencils, I used ST 1003 Stencil Sticks

ST 1004 Stencil Bubbles, then I used various mists, sprays and inks to achieve colour. The chipboard used is listed below.

CB 1021 Flowers 01
CB 6103 Scrap Words 21
CB 1146 Leaf Spray 01
CB Butterflies 02
CB 1188 Birds 06



The Flowers were heat embossed with Stampendous
"Aged Scarlet" embossing powder. The bird was heat embossed too.

The leaves and butterflies were painted with Twinkling H2O's.
The title needed no treatment at all.



I scattered some thread and a few beads around, as well as some Prima "Say it with crystals" for a bit of bling.
 

For the "Imagination" layout I used the alphabet flags as the title and thought they combined beautifully with the kite. The quote is from Lauren Bacall.

CB 6085 Alphabet Flags 04
CB 5036 Kites 01



A few embellishments from my stash.



I tried to achieve a weathered look on the kite with acrylic paints.



The flair is from Studio Fourteen 40



My journalling is on the back of the layout and it reads:-

You three little Grandchildren wanted to play outside. “Can we dig some dirt Granny?” “Sure, where do you want to dig?” “Somewhere with lots of room, so we can make a river and a lake” With a spot chosen under the orange tree, you formed a team. Without any discussion a foreman nominated himself, a second in charge assumed that role, which left a very willing girl to do the water carrying. You spent hours slopping around in the mud, discussing the merits of digging through to the other side of the world before dinner and other important matters. The session ended with a mud pie bake off and a taste testing for Granny.

What a delight to see you using your vivid imaginations in the great outdoors having good, dirty, fun.

Finally, a Birthday card for someone special, using Maja papers and an embossing folder to showcase the chipboard, the CB 1244 Scrap Words 30, I left raw CB 5035 Hot Air Balloons 01, was heat embossed and the CB 1109 Heart Spray 01 painted with silver.



CLICK HERE

for the full range of Scrapmatts chipboard, (Acid Free,) stencils and other products. You can order direct from the manufacturer.
 

Thanks for calling in to say hello.
I truly appreciate any comments you may care to leave.

Scrapmatts Design Team Post March 2016

Hello Scrappy friends, it’s lovely to have your company today.

Welcome to my first post as part of the 2016 Scrapmatts Design Team.

It’s exciting to be part of this talented group and I hope you find something to inspire you here.
It's a long post, so you may want to get a cuppa before you start.

My first project is, “Love the way you smile”
A page about my twin Grandsons.



I used Blue Fern paper, Sanctuary, "Meadows of time"

These two little boys are like chalk and cheese, as you may detect from the photo. One is outgoing and bubbly and the other more reserved and measured. One loves sport, the other loves practising his numbers and letters. One goes to sleep in an instant and the other one is still awake at 9 p.m. What they have in common however, is a love of board games, making a racket, swimming and general mischief. They are great fun to have around.

On the second layout,
“Happy Times”



The paper is from 7 Dot's Studio, Celestial Range, "Destination unknown"

I used one of my favourite Scrapmatts pieces, String circles to frame my three gorgeous DIL's.

They were having fun at a party.
Do you like the black wig? All the better for dancing to "Grease" music!

There may have been leg warmers on show too. We were at a party for one of our Son's important birthdays. The "Girl's night out" theme applied to the men as well.


For the final project,
“Happy Birthday”



I made a Birthday tag for someone special.

Using heavy weight card stock, I covered it with crumpled tissue before adding mists.

The cluster is formed around a vine,

CLICK HERE 

for the full range of Scrapmatts chipboard, (Acid Free,) stencils and other products.

Thanks for calling in to say hello.
I truly appreciate any comments you may care to leave.

Scrapmatts Design Team announcement

Hello again Scrappy Friends.

Some of you may have seen on Facebook,

that Scrapmatts have announced their 2016 Design Team.
I’m honoured to have been chosen to work with their beautiful Chipboard and Stencils.



SCRAPMATTS is an Australian company with a big range of Chipboard which can be ordered in different colours.
 

I especially like those treated with Chalk mist, because they so easy to use just like they are, or they can be overlaid with gesso, mists or textures.
 

They also stock a range of stencils which are great for mixed media.

Here is a list of the other Design Team members.



It's such a privilege to be on team with these talented artists.
 

Thanks for calling in to say hello.
I truly appreciate any comments you may care to leave.

Letters from home - Kraft+ Feb Challenge

Hello again Scrappy friends, lucky it's a leap year, it allows me one last day to enter the

KRAFT+ February challenge, which is all about going postal.



The postman, letters and stamps were an integral part of my childhood and younger days.

Long before most homes had a telephone on the wall, communication from our home was done by letter. I smile when I think how dependent we have become on mobile phones.

The Grandchildren can not imagine how any arrangements could be made by saying something like,

"I'll meet you at the Beehive corner at one o'clock on Friday"
"But what if they forgot Granny, or you changed your mind?"
"Well, you waited until they came and you didn't change your plans unless there was an emergency"

"Really, that's very tricky Granny, did you have to wait for hours!"



The photo is of my home in the country, North of Adelaide.
I've included the journalling here, if you're interested; it's a bit difficult to read on the layout.

Feel free to scroll on my by, if it's all a bit too much!

My first memories of letters and the postman were when I was about five years old. Still at home with Mum, I waited on this front verandah for the Postie to come on his bicycle, hoping he would stop at our house, drop some letters in the box and blow his whistle. Because I was a big girl, I was allowed to bring the letters inside to Mum. We didn’t have a telephone, so mail was the only way to communicate with friends & relatives. There was great excitement when a wedding invitation came, or news of a new baby in the family. When I left home to start Nursing training, I wrote home each week and received news from home too. To see Mother’s writing on the envelope, made my heart sing; I missed them all so much and longed to hear news of the farm. Her warm, chatty letters of everyday life, eased my intense home sickness. My letters to her described the shock of working 12 hour days, witnessing births and deaths, dealing with road accidents and having to wash a man! Later, when travelling for a year overseas, I continued to write home every week. When cleaning out Mother’s home after her death, I discovered she’d kept all those letters, so I have a potted history of my life. I hardly recognise the naive girl I was, or the world traveller I became, but my experiences and memories are preserved in my letters to Mum. Journalling 2016



The corner flourish stamp is from Tim Holtz - Soulful Journey



The stamps I found in the same drawer as all the letters my Mother saved.

Thanks for calling in to say hello.
I truly appreciate any comments you may care to leave.

Wonderful You - More than Words February challenge

Hello scrappy friends, today I'm sharing a project for the More than Words February challenge.


CLICK HERE
To go to the More than words site for more details.



I used Blue Fern Ombre Dreams paper "Joyce's Dream" - love this collection.



Lots of sparkle with sequins, silver beads and a silver angel.



There is also subtle shimmer on the heart frames by Scrapmatts.
The journalling is on the back and it reads:-

We are so lucky to have your company one full day a week.
You light up our lives with your wonderful zest for life and learning.
Your agenda is always crammed full with possible activities.

"May we go to the park and the library and maybe a cafe - and oh and will we have time to bake some muffins for me to take home"? "Is it OK to have some music on, 

so you can teach me some more dancing"?

"Pleeeeasse can we do some artwork?"

"Where do you get all this stuff in your Scrap room Granny, it's nearly overflowing?"

"Your desk is very messy, have you been making something for my album?"

At four, you have clear ideas about your art and craft, with a good sense of balance, colour and design.

Your favourite colours are pink, purple and silver.

You chatter constantly, full of fun and laughter.

I hope you continue to shine brightly little one.

Don't let anyone dull your sparkle.

Thanks for calling in to say hello.
I truly appreciate any comments you may care to leave.

Cherish - More than Words Challenge

How exciting to see a new Scrap Challenge site begin at the start of the year. Super talented artists for inspiration and a cracker of a topic for January. There's still a couple of days left to get your scrap on.

You can check it out at :-
MORE THAN WORDS

The challenge is to scrap a Selfie and use the word Personality in some way.

I have tried to take a selfie, but in the interests of preventing visual pollution have refrained from using it here! I’ve never been comfortable having my photo taken; much prefer to be on the business end of the camera.

This one, with my Grand daughter I do like, possibly because my eyes were shut and I was unaware it was being taken!



As for my personality, that’s tricky too.
Introverted, but not so much when I let to know someone.

Adventurous, especially when it comes to travel.
Impetuous at times, but can over think decisions to the point of nausea.

A bit of a control freak, except with the Grandchildren,
when I adopt my Mother's mantra. She used to say.

"You catch more flies with honey, than you do with vinegar"

Glass half full kinda gal, after some harsh life lessons.

Music lover, especially classical music.

Bibliophile and sleep deprived because of it.

Bower bird of the scrap supplies variety.



The background paper is by Blue Fern, the Ombre Collection, Susan's dream. Its sturdy enough to take all the mixed media you want to throw at it.

I think every child needs a Guardian Angel to guard and guide them through life.

The one I used is from Seriously Scrapbooking.



The die is from Prima as are the stamps, the crystals & the lace flower.



Love the effect with the crackle paste on Blue Fern Chipboard.


Thanks for calling in to say hello.
I truly appreciate any comments you may care to leave.

So many books, so little time - Kraft+ January challenge

Kraft+ January challenge



Invites us to use our own handwriting on the layout.
Something I avoid, despite knowing it’s something I “should” do.



Still on my quest to bust my stash, I found an old chipboard letter and some equally old Kaisercraft patterned paper and let the page evolve from there.



A small part of the collection of alphabet books at Granny & Pa's home.
We both disappear into books, to discover, escape, travel & avoid.
 

We slurp up brand new words and sentences that roll off the tongue with cadence and rhythm.

We try to write alphabet books together with crazy examples for the letters. The sillier the better!



Texture paste through TCW time travel stencil.



Tried my hand at drawing the book stack.
A few flicks of paint and a bit of doodling, & voila!

The journalling reads:-

One of the special things we do in the school holidays is to visit Pegi Williams children’s bookshop. We never emerge with empty hands; rather it’s a struggle to narrow the choices down to just two or three. Recently at the library, I said, “This is my favourite place” and you said, “Mine too”. It gives me great joy to see you share my passion for the world of words, ideas and stories.

Love Granny Photo August 2014

Thanks for calling in to say hello.
I truly appreciate any comments you may care to leave.