Currently {Art Journal Swap | SOD}

The project I'm sharing today is a compilation of things...

1) It's another SoD project utilizing the July Kit : Believe.
2) It's a double page art journal spread in Jen Matott's journal from our swap.
3) It shows some cool new products from some of my favorite companies!

Let's start off with the spread in its entirety:

I started with a couple pages of watercolor paper, gave them a super squirt down and got them very wet, then applied some bright cheerful watercolor paints to the page. Before the paint dried completely I sprinkled some salt around to get a bit of texture. I glued down two giant gorgeous paper doilies and layered my watercolor paper on top.

I finished the right page first, which was a little odd, but really turned out well. The stamp is one of the newer designs @ Viva Las VegaStamps!; the Weathered Tree. I also grabbed the VLVS! Blowing Dandelion and used the extra seed to ad some whimsy. In the top left I stamped the new Happy Moon. On the right is a new SNEAK PEEK item from UmWowStudio -- some SEA BIRDS in a mask ;) -- I've used it with a thick layer of gesso.

In this photo you can really see the base of the tree well. I've adhered a Prima Keyhole that comes in the Scraps of Darkness main kit. Because this IS a journal swap, some journaling was required, and Jen's prompt is "5 things you are currently doing." Currently I am...
1) Laying to rest some demons
2) Soaring with some angels
3) Finding my inner child
4) Satisfying my soul
5) Building an empire

The left page has some of those blowing dandelion seeds, some of the Tim Holtz Rubons from the SoD kit, and an UmWowStudio Vintage Rounded Window that has been altered with thick gesso.

The girl is from Plate 1449 from VLVS!, and the moss comes from the SoD kit.  I may or may not be implying that somewhere inside this body is a sweet little girl just wanting to play in the sun all day. :D I'm really loving having all of these little ... woodsy ethereal embellishments and papers from the SoD Believe kit!

Be True To Yourself {Altered 6x12}

Hi folks! I've got a July Scraps Of Darkness piece to share with you today :) Have you stopped by to see the July Kit?

It's called BELIEVE and full of fun whimsical wooded type stuffs like moss, flowers, nests, nature rubons and more!

The first project I'm sharing is a 6x12 altered piece o' plywood.

I mentioned that the base is plywood, I picked it up from ma friend Tami! She already had it covered in gesso, so I was totally set. 

I picked up the pink/red sheet from the main kit and trimmed it down a bit. Using Gel Medium I adhered it down. Then I scraped some of my Blick Gesso over the sort of... top middle right side? You can see it in the photo :)

The resin frame comes from Prima and can be found in the Embellishment Add On Kit for Believe. I used the Shimmerz Inklingz I'm Not Limon to splatter around the gesso and dunk into the crevices on the frame. Before I put away my geso and Inklingz I also altered a couple of the floral chipboard pieces in the kit, and a couple from UmWowStudio. You can see them layered to the top right corner.

Then came what I like to refer to as "Flower Throw Up" --- but if it's used in moderation it can have a really great effect, AND I don't do it that often, so it was fun! lol. I started with the gorgeous green moss from the kit, and covered a large portion of the resin frame. Then I piled up some of the Petaloo Flowers, some Prima flowers from my stash, a handmade flower from 7 Dots Studio Nature Walk, and a Prima Nest from the kit. whew. a lot of piling! I also stuck in a Tim Holtz Ideology Pin with a 7DS Nature Walk diecut heart. 

There's one more piece of altered chipboard that trails down the board here. This one from UmWowStudio. I also added a hefty dose of glitz and glam with some clear sequins and eBeads. The sentiment is from 7DS Nature Walk's word stickers. And -- that's it! The kits are so great because they give a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and it makes it easy to add in some of my own (or YOUR) favorite little bits :)

Thanks for stopping by today!

Scraps Of Darkness {Vintage Card Duo}

I've got another set to share today for my Guest Spot @ Scraps Of Darkness -- this time a CARD duo!

These two cards were made with TONS o' goodies from the Scrap of Darkness June kit "Perfectly Stunning" main kit and embellishment add on kit. 

The base for the right card is a piece of Nature Walk layered with  a sheet of Marion Smith's Nirvana collection. I layered up some drywall tape and gesso to add to the beautiful textures already in the paper design. Then I stamped my Viva Las VegaStamps! Clockface stamp in Smoky Grey Versafine by ImagineCRAFTS. The final bit o' goodness in the background is a splash of Distress Paint in Pumice Stone.

I layered up a sticker from the BoBunny sticker sheet, a Prima Resin Frame, some Prima flowers, a piece of UmWowStudio From The Heart flair, some diecut leaves, and a piece of the Floral Collection chipboard set by UmWowStudio. PHEW. 

Here you can see all the different things mediums working together on top of the already pattern heavy paper. Such a great feeling this card has!

The left card base is a piece of sturdy watercolor paper, also layered with a lot of the same goods as the base of the right; Marion Smith's paper, drywall tape, gesso, and distress paint. Then I used a piece of the diecuts set from the Embellishment Add on in the background, and layered one on top of a Prima Resin Frame.

The diecut/frame embellishment has been topped with a vintage metal button and wrapped with May Arts Burlap twine. There are two pieces of Chevron Confetti from UmWowStudio and two enamel dots from My Mind's Eye to finish out this card. 

 One more closeup of the fabulous texture! 

I really love how these two cards turned out, and I'm having a great time broadening my range using the Scraps of Darkness kits. They are packed full of goodness, TRULY! Stop by and check them out. 

Mechanical Hearts Tag Duo {SOD Guest Spot}

I'm officially starting my Guest Design spot for Scraps of Darkness with a Mechanical Hearts tag duo using the Perfectly Stunning kit! The kit is gorgeous in turquoises, tans and browns, vintage balloons, steampunky goodness and just all around delicious! 

So.Good!

I also got to participate in the awesome Embellishment Add On Kit.

And here is my tag duo:

I started with a sheet of the BoBunny paper included in the kit, cut some tags and did a bit of layering and framing with black cardstock. The outside edge of the tags has been distressed with Prima's Comfort tool. The background layer on top of the paper consists of some stamping using Viva Las VegaStamps! rubber stamps I've designed (Clockface and Invoice/Waybill) in archival ink by Ranger Ink. The bottom borders are from the Diecuts pack included in the Embellishment Add On.

The top of the right tag has a perfect little triangle sticker from the 7 Dots Studio Dreamer collection, a bit of sewing, and some gorgeous May Arts Ribbon (Burlap String and Sheer Stitched Edge.)

The bottom of the right tag is adorned with UmWowStudio Chipboard Gears that have been covered in iZink gold, Archival Ink by Ranger, and some Glimmer Glam by Tattered Angels. I also layered up a small set of leaves cut from 9th Wave by 7 Dots Studio using a Magnolia die, and a Prima flower that's been embellished with eBeads and Glimmer Glam.

The top of the left tag is layered with another diecut from the Embellishment Add On, and one of the Prima Resin pieces and flowers from the main kit. I gave the Prima Resin heart a set of the metal wings from the Embellishment Add On. I also colored the heart with the awesome teal colored Mixed Media ink from the Main Kit. The bit of brown you see in the crevices of the heart is coffee. 

The bottom of the right tag has a diecut from the 7 Dots Studio Nature Walk collection, a bit of sewing, a paper clip, a Tim Holtz Game Spinner and a small white Prima bud. I then just finished the tag duo with some letting from the BoBunny Sticker sheet from the kit, and my Dymo Label Maker. That's all she wrote!! Stay tuned for my other Scraps of Darkness posts using the Perfectly Stunning kit :)

Scraps of Darkness Guest Designer

YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

It has officially been announced that I will be joining the SUPERB team over @ Scraps of Darkness for a Guest Design stint!

HECK YES BABY!! Such delicious kits come from Melinda -- I am so honored to get to play with them!