Picture Perfect

I admit it.

I am not one of those people who are current in their scrapbooks. I have photos I took a few days ago that are done and ones I took 10 years ago that are not. I have found, through trial and error, that it is best if I create what I feel like and what I am inspired by. To force myself to work in chronological order just leads to frustration and less-than-acceptable pages.

So, despite the warm temperatures, flowers and sunlight, I just finished a page about winter.

These papers are new from Bo Bunny — Doubledot Vintage. They come in many different colors and are perfect for times when you don’t want to work on plain cardstock, but do not want a busy pattern to compete with your photos, either. For that reason, I kept this page really simple. I used chipboard letters by Maya Road and Grungeboard letters for the title and painted them with the Pearl Metallic Paint Dabber. Although you can’t see it in the photo, it leaves a bumpy texture that goes perfectly.

So you see, I couldn’t have completed this page last November when I took the photos … Bo Bunny just released the perfect paper! It really is best to wait for inspiration.

And the Eagle will Fly

I’ve been doing a lot of cards lately … mostly because I have been having fun coloring with Copics!

But, I thought it was time to share some of the scrapbook pages I have been making lately.

This one features a photo that my husband took on one our trips to the Detroit Zoo. I wanted to highlight what the eagle symbolizes — America, freedom, the stars and stripes, etc.

Here’s what I came up with …

The papers are from Tim Holtz (they’re the back sides). I love them because they are solids, but with the built-in distressing, they have depth and are not boring. I edged each piece with Distress Ink and layered them. The Betsy Ross image is cut out from another sheet of paper.

Next, I added a strip of ribbon from Maya Road and attached it with a few Craft Glue Dots. I’m not sure who made the lace ribbon, but I inked it with Distress Ink to match and then attached it with the Tiny Attacher.

Then, I added a few cardstock stickers (also from Tim Holtz).

The stars are from Close To My Heart — they are corrugated kraft paper and were just released a few days ago. I painted them, unevenly, with Distress Crackle Paint. When that dried, I brushed the tops with a bit of Distress Ink. Then, I added a bit of gold Paint Dabber in spots and, finally, edged them in Black Soot Distress Ink. I love the effect. You can click on the photos for a closer look.

I wanted the page to reflect some of the hardworking, blue-collar labor that has made this country what it is today. So, I added some brads, washers and a game spinner from Ideaology and a couple of star charms from My Mind’s Eye. Then, I added some staples, using the Tiny Attacher, as additional accents.

What do you think?

Birds of a Glitter …

Lately, I seem to be on a bird kick … anything and everything that includes a bird pulls me to it.

So, when I saw this wreath kit by KaiserCraft, I was immediately drawn to it. And, when I discovered the Vintage Glass Glitter and Gala Glitz  by Art Glitter, I knew I had to make this.

I used several techniques to create the wreath. First, I cut apart and lightly sanded the wood pieces from KaiserCraft.

Some of the leaves were sprayed with Adirondack Color Wash. Others were covered in papers from the Marjolaine collection from Basic Grey and then inked in Peeled Paint Distress Ink.

After putting the basic wreath together, I added flowers from Prima and some that I made using the Tim Holtz/Sizzix Tattered Flowers die. I added 600 Indian Summer Fine Vintage Glass Glitter to the centers.

Then, came the best part … the birds!

The blue ones are sprayed with Adirondack Color Wash before applying the glitter, to make sure nothing showed underneath the chunky glitter. I used 911 Lapis Vintage Glass Glitter Shards.

I love, love, love this glitter … It is rich and full of deep blue and purple hues.

For the lighter bird, I used a Paint Dabber to color just the edge in blue and then applied Champagne Gala Glitz.

When zoomed in on the glitter, it looks like this …

Because it is a mix of Vintage Glass Glitter, beads and other glitters, I didn’t worry about any color showing through … I figured there would be enough different size pieces in the glitter to cover and it did. This photo shows it a little more pink than it is … it is more of a tan/cream/gold color, but when light hits it, it reflects in pink. The larger shards almost look like mirrors … It is AMAZING!

The Vintage Glass Glitters provide so much depth — they keep you mesmerized.

By the way, I used Designer Dries Clear adhesive from Art Glitter to adhere everything — papers, glitter, flowers and wood pieces. This is a one-adhesive project!

My Fairy House

When I found this little wooden bird house at Joann’s for only $1, I knew it would make a cute little project. I had planned to decorate it with birds, but somewhere along the way it turned into a house for fairies.

After a light sanding, I sprayed the house with Adirondack Color Wash in Butterscotch. My plan was to fill in the parts of the house that I knew wouldn’t be covered with paper and didn’t feel like trying to get a paintbrush into. But, I loved the effect so much, I ended up leaving the entire front of the house uncovered.

Next, I dry brushed a bit of silver and gold paint (Ranger’s Paint Dabbers) onto the front.

Then, I cut paper to fit (Graphic 45’s Once Upon a Springtime collection) inked the edges with Distress Ink and adhered it with Craft Glue Dots®.

The ribbon was too white for this project, so I inked it with Distress Ink and then used Mini Glue Dots® to attach it to the house.

I used Grungepaper and a QuicKutz tree die to cut the tree, inked it with Distress Ink and then adhered it with Craft Glue Dots® to the back of the house. I added a few Prima flowers with Mini Glue Dots® and then attached Robin’s Nest Dew Drops and some buttons I had in my craft room with Micro Glue Dots® to both the tree and the front of the house.

The butterfly and fairy peeking into the house were both cut from the Graphic 45 paper. I attached the fairy with a Pop Up Glue Dot® to add a little more dimension.

On each side of the house, I made little windows using an idea I got from a friend. I’m not sure how she made hers, but I used a Creative Memories’ square punch to cut first the inner portion and then the outer portion out of real wood paper by Creative Imaginations. I then attached small prints of fairies cut from the same Graphic 45 paper.  I added Prima flowers and some leaves by Jolee’s that I have had forever to create the look of a flower garden on each side.

To give you a better idea of size, the house is only about 4″ tall — perfect for little fairies!

 

I wrote this post while serving on the Glue Dots® Design Team.