Monday 30 April 2012

Brick Wall Tutorial

Hi everyone... I created this the other day for a layout yet to be revealed.  The true brick finish was so easy to create, and with little mess too - so I thought I'd share it with you all!!

Brick Tutorial

You will need:
Dusty Attic Brick Wall
Mix'd Media Inx {Pewter, Leather, Truffle & Patina}
Mix'd Media Inx Embossing Powder {Honey, Leather, 
Heat Gun

First pop out the bricks you will need and adhere them to a messy sheet using 2/S Tape, this makes it easier to work on them.

Randomly dab some Mix'd Media Inx {MMI} in Pewter, don't cover all the chipboard.


Next add some Leather MMI, again randomly and just a touch, like shown...



Now sprinkle some MMI Embossing {Honey & Leather} randomly.  I just sprinkle a touch on with my fingertips to achieve a blotchy speckled effect like you see in bricks.  Emboss with a heat gun...


Once the chipboard is cooled add just a touch of MMI Patina...


Lastly, sprinkle on some Truffle MMI Embossing, just a tiny amount... and emboss with a heat gun.


And you're all done... ready to go build a wall!!

Alternatives... 

I use Mix'd Media Inx because they are wonderfully thick and juicy, so they hold the embossing powder without the need of a clear embossing ink.  Mix'd Media Inx are are made by Clearsnap under the Colobox & Donna Salazar Designs names.  They stay wet for ages, making them so easy to work with and are my preferred ink now, I haven't been able to fault them!!

The colours I used are as follows to help you find alternatives if you need:

MMI Embossing - Honey {Sandy Beige}, Truffle {Dark Reddish Brown}, Leather {Dark Brown with a Metallic Copper}
MMI Ink - Pewter {Grey}, Leather {Dark Brown} Patina {Green/Blue}

Thanks for visiting, take care and
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Friday 27 April 2012

Breathe - Donna Salazar Designs

Hi lovelies... today I have a layout to share using the delicious new Botanique papers and featuring the ever so easy to play with BYOB {Build Your Own Bling}.  


I was in LOVE with the Botanique range as soon as I saw it online... it moved to lust {sure, we can lust after paper can't we?} as soon as I had it in my hands.  It's so beautiful and inspiring and I simply HAD to create something 'oh so girly' with it right away!

A flower created using the Spellbinders Rose Creations Die... with some of Want 2 Scrap's BYOB tucked in underneath...


More BYOB finishing off a little flower cluster...


The title was inked with Mix'd Media Inx and then covered with Fairy Dust Glitter...


I used the Zutter Distrezz It All to distress the paper edges, and some parts of the layout I folded back and ran through to created tears that I could ink and pop snippets of lace into...


More flower closeups...



Thanks for visiting, take care and be true to you!



Products used:

Paper:
GCD Studios - Botanique {Family Portraits, Magical, Bliss, Comfy}

Chipboard:
Dusty Attic Bookman ABC Font

Flowers:
Green Tara - Roses
Green Tara - Satin with Swarovski Crystals
Dusty in Bloom - Vintage Rose

Bling:
Want2Scrap - BYOB 1, BYOB 2

Other:
Melissa Frances Vintage Resin
DMC Thread {#840}
Carolee's Apha Stickers
Lace Trim

Stamps:
Date Stamp

Ink:
Clearnsnap - Mix'd Media Inx {Wisteria, Pewter, Chiffon}

Glitter:
Clearsnap - Fairy Dust Glitter {Mixed Berries}

Punches:
Martha Stewart - Swirling Lace, Cherish, Floral Crochet, Doily Lace

Dies:
Spellbinders - Rose Creations, Shadow Flowers, Labels One

Tools/Machines:
Spellbinders Grand Calibur
Colobox Stylus/Blenders

Adhesives:
Clearsnap - Glue Gloss
Scrapbook Adhesives - E-Z Squares
Helmar - Tiger Grip, Tacky
Allison Ellis - Hot Set Powder



Friday 20 April 2012

True - Dusty Attic

Another Dusty creation... this time using one of the new Hearts, the Heart Flourish... however I gave it a wee trim to create this stunning corner flourish to suit my photo!


This is myself and the hubby, taken at Evana's 40th last year.  It was one of those bad 'taken in the dark with a flash' photos and I struggled to get it to look half decent, but I finally got there.  Not perfect but still a rare pic of both of us on a lovely night out!


Love these ABC sets, so perfect!  I've just inked these with Pewter MMI and then glittered them, too easy!!


Mmmm look at that heart flourish!  These were painted and then parts covered with glitter {LOVE glitter}.


Dusty in Bloom... divine.


And a cute Pion butterfly!

Thanks for visiting, take care and
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Dusty Attic Products used:
Dusty in Bloom - Celestial White, Grassy Knoll, Smokey Blue

Other Products:

Paper:
Pion Design - For Father {Borders}
Pion Design - From My Heart {Valentines Angels, Forget Me Not}
Echo Park - Melody of Life {Words}
American Crafts - POW Glitter Paper {Powder}

Other:
Paper Doily
DMC Thread {Brown #840, White}
Green Tara Lace

Paint/Mediums:
Jo Sonya - Acrylic Paint {Unbleached Titanium, Opal}
Clearsnap - Mix'd Media Inx {Pewter}


Glitter:
Clearsnap - Fairy Dusty Glitter {Pralines & Cream}
Alison Ellis - Blue Ice

Punches:
Martha Stewart - Swirling Lace, Cherish

Adhesives:
Helmar - Tiger Grip
Scrapbook Adhesives - E-Z Squares
Allison Ellis - Hot Set Powder




Thursday 19 April 2012

Sister - Dusty Attic

Lately I have been scrapping away, and getting my layout about 75% done... and then wandered off to start another, I'm not sure why I've not been able to stay on task, it's most certainly not like me!  Usually it feels all kind of wrong to start another layout before I've finished the one I'm working on.

Anyway, this week I have finished them all... I am satisfied, and even though it was odd for me to have 5 {yes 5} layouts on the go at once, I loved it!  I have really enjoyed the different creative process, some of them have taken me 3 days just to get to the 75%, but not from procrastinating... just from enjoying adding a bit and then going off to do something else {usually watch TV with the boys}... so I am feeling fulfilled!

Here is one of them... my sister, beautiful creature that she is.  This pic is a year old, I really need to get a new one of her.   She's going through one of the hardest things anyone has to go through right now, but she's holding up, she's strong... and we're all there for her.  I just wanted to scrap this happy moment again, eyes glazed with happiness after a shopping spree... I hope to see that happiness again one day.  Love this girl with all my heart...


I have used the cute new Dusty Attic Birdcage, Mini Heart Buttons and Bookman ABC Set.   How CUTE are those heart buttons.  Hearts aren't really my thing, but these are super cute!  I've also scattered some new Dusty in Bloom flowers and leaves everywhere... they are beautiful and worked so well with these soft papers!

I used one of my sketches for this one - Sketch 16 - the sketch felt so busy and full of layers, but the layout turned out so gentle and soft, love how that happens!










 
Thanks for visiting, take care and
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Dusty Attic Products:
Dusty In Bloom -Bridal Veil, Grassy Knoll, Leaves


Other Products:

Paper:
Prima - Songbird "Title-It", "Sunrise"

Flowers:
Green Tara Roses
Prima Vine

Other:
Authentique Diction Stickers
Websters Chipboard Buttons
DMC Thread #598

Paint/Ink:
Jo Sonya Acrylic Paint - Unbleached Titanium
Clearsnap Mix'd Media Inx ReInkers - Peridot, Peaches

Mediums:
Inkssentials Crackle Accents

Punches:
Martha Stewart - Cherish, Doily Lace & Double Scallop
Stampin'Up - Scallop Border

Adhesives:
Scrapbook Adhesives - E-Z Squares
Helmar - Tiger Grip, Scrap Dots
 


Sunday 15 April 2012

Seasons Calendar Album


Hi everyone! I created this calendar album for Donna Salazar Designs using her Spring in Bloom Collection Papers and Artistic Papers.


For the covers I tore up offcuts of the Spring in Bloom papers and decoupaged them to the Zutter Covers, added some lace with impasto and then once dry, dry brushed the whole cover with white Gesso so you can just see the papers showing through.    I added some butterflies cut from the papers and the rose was made using Spellbinders Rose Creations die with some thin loose weave fabric stiffened with ribbon stiff so it holds it shape.
The pages were punched with a Zutter Bind It All and then bound with tied Twill, Ribbons and Tulle.



I used the Artistic Papers Spring in Bloom and Calendar pages to create the calendar album.  All the pages were given a colour wash using Smooch Spritz, Mix'd Media Inx Reinkers and Gesso {I have a little technique tutorial to share with you at the end of the post}




The calendar was grouped into seasons and each season set treated with different colour washes.  I added chipboard months on top of some Zutter Corrugated Board for each month within the seasons.  The seasons were cut using Spellbinders Donna's Alphas.




Quotes were added throughout to match the seasons... the quotes too were treated with watercolour washes after printing out.

 


I also cut some butterflies using the Spellbinders Wonderful Wings Die, as well as cut out lots from the Spring in Bloom papers.


 


Colour Wash Technique

You will need: 
GCD Artistic Papers
Smooch Spritz {at least 2 colour tones}
Mix'd Media Inx Reinkers {at least 1 colour}
Water Spray


Distress the edges of your Artistic papers.  Spray your SmoochSpritz onto a craft sheet or glass work table, allowing the colours to overlap.


Add a drop of the Mix'd Media Inx Reinker here and there, this goes a long way so you'll only need a small amount.


Place your Artistic paper over the top, lightly press down and then remove.


Allow the colours to drip... if you want more colour in particular spots dab it back into the colour wash again.


Then just dry the sheet off, either naturally overnight or with a heat gun.  The colour intensifies on the edges, in the distressed edges.  The colours will also fade significantly during the drying time... leaving a beautiful colour washed background.


Thanks for visiting, take care and




Products used:

Papers
GCD Studios: Artistic Papers

Chipboard
Dusty Attic: Calendar Months


Flowers
Green Tara Cherry Blossoms
Green Tara Roses

Pearls
Self Adhesive Pearl Strips

Ink
Clearsnap: Mix'd Media Inx - Peridot, Truffle, Denim, Chiffon, Honey, Leather
Clearsnap: Mix'd Media Inx ReInkers - Jasmine, Denim, Chiffon, Peridot, Truffle, Honey

Embossing
Lindy's Stamp Gang: Magic Moon Pearls

Colour
Clearsnap: Smooch Spritz - Caramel Latte, Cosmic Pink, Mixed Berries, Pralines & Cream, TeaParty, IceRink, River Mossy

Medium
Claudine Hellmuth Gesso
Mont Marte Impasto
Strano Ribbon Stiff
 
Dies
Spellbinders: Rose Creations
Spellbinders: Wonderful Wings
Spellbinders: Shadow Flowers
Spellbinders: Donna's Alphas

Tools/Machines
Zutter: Bind It All

Other
Fabric: Calico, Ribbon, Twill, Tulle, Muslin, Lace
Manilla Shipping Tags

Adhesives
Helmar Tiger Grip
Helmar Scrap Dots
Scrapbook Adhesives Foam Dots
Inkssentials Glue'n'Seal

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Sketches by... Me!!

On my holidays, instead of the mountains of scrapping I had planned to do, I started sketching layout plans.  What started out as just doing a couple of rough ones for the Dusty archives from existing layouts, ended up being over 50 sketches, loads of them new!  I am having such great fun creating them!!


I am sketching them in an iPad app called Paper 53, it's sooo much fun... and instead of just keeping these for myself I thought I'd share them for anyone to use.

I have created a blog for them called Sketches by Mistra {original hey, but it's easy to remember and find that way LOL}.  

I have loaded the 1st 15 sketches and the others I will add each week, so keep checking back if they inspire you!

They are Mistra'style... so lots of layers, lots of embie placements and most certainly not perfect!  They were simply created as a kick off point for inspiration, so twisting and tweaking it certainly on the cards!   I like the rough water coloured look of them, for me they have really fuelled my imagination!


This is one of that I'm just waiting for a photo for to finish, hopefully I'll have it ready over the weekend to share with you all!

Thanks for visiting, take care and
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Friday 6 April 2012

Mum - Donna Salazar Designs

I've been having such fun with the Spring in Bloom papers that Donna sent me and have created a bright girly layout of my mum, how perfect is the Queen Bees paper for this photo!!  I loved this quick snapshot of her, I know it's not perfect but this photo just makes me happy!  It was taken at a family picnic up at the lake, on a pretty rough weekend for our family, but legendary as she is, she's positive and smiling... and that's just how she is.


A flower created with the Spellbinders Rose Creations die using Crafty Chronicle and some plain cardstock, with a cute tulle bow on the side...


The Dusty Corner Flourish #3 was painted with white paint and dabbed randomly with Mix'd Media Inx, sprayed with Smooch Spritz and then sealed with Crackle Accents...


Another flower created with the Spellbinders Rose Creations die...


Snippets of Crafty Chronicle were tucked in here and there...



and more Crafty Chronicle added in layers and gesso'd to create a place for the title and journaling...


Thanks for visiting, take care and...
Photobucket




Products used:

Patterned Paper:
GCD Studios: Spring in Bloom

Chipboard:
Dusty Attic: Corner Flourish #3

Flowers:
Dusty in Bloom: Vintage Rose

Ink:
Clearsnap: Mix'd Media Inx Reinker - Chiffon
Clearsnap: Mix'd Media Inx - Jasmine

Colour:
Clearsnap: Smooch Spritz - Mixed Berries

Mediums/Paint:
Inkssentials Crackle Accents
Jo Sonya Acrylic Paint - Titanium White
Claudine Hellmuth Gesso
Inkssentials Glue'n'Seal
Punches:
Martha Stewart: Swirling Lace, Embroidered Floral

Dies:
Spellbinders: Rose Creations

Tools/Machines:
Spellbinders: Grand Calibur Machine

Other:
Chipboard Corner Flourish
AC Thickers, Pearl Flourish & Strips
Green Tara Silver Stem
Crochet Doily, Paper Doily
Button, DMC Thread
Tulle, Green Tara Satin Flower Garland

Adhesives:
Helmar: Tiger Grip, Scrap Dots