The Return

Incomplete & Cropped

Lately I've focused incorporating flowers and metals into new projects.  I've struggled with flower placement as either sprays or decorative elements from the beginning.  Inexperience with metals came down to inventory resources.  In this latest layout I've had opportunity to work with both.  The flower spray in the lower left corner still seems imbalanced somehow.  Secondly, this flower arrangement is dead flat.  Since the layout is not intended for a book where depth is an issue, it feels instinctively wrong not creating opportunity for shadowing.  Perhaps not. Overall, not a bad attempt for my first attempt.

This year's vacation is a thoroughly documented historical event, still unscrapped. Time to get serious about pulling it all together and for all that I still haven't decided which paper collection to use.  I originally bought Farm House Fair Skies collection for this purpose, but fell in love with - and purchased - Prima's Craftsman; either will work fabulously for the project. Choosing between the two collections might be the most difficult decision of the entire project. 

There's been two substantial hauls in under a week. I'm too ashamed to admit how much money changed hands; but using a spender's rationale, it can be said I saved more than paid.  The new inventory overflows with all types of goodies, covering everything from alphas to zippers.  The multiple quests involved purchasing items I've wanted to experiment with and incorporate into creations, but haven't, being unwilling to spend full price for something that may, or may not benefit future creations.

That's all for now!

Playing with Denim

My helper and I tore up a pair of smaller sized bluejeans, among many other materials, to make all sorts of clothing for Bear, a muchly loved "baby."  At the end, there was still a small basket filled with bluejeans scraps.  Since I'm in the midst of creating a little boy's mini, denim might come in right handy for the project.  Before today I'd cut strips of the material as "ribbons" for Martin's ABC Primer mini;  but that was the limit of my experimentation with denim and scrapping.


Pulling out a couple of items/tools close by I first attached a scrap onto a piece of chipboard, and brayed it tightly down to dry. Once relatively dried, I ran the chipboard/material through the Cuttlebug with very impressive results.  Finally, I used the Big Bite to punch a small hole in one corner and then set an eyelet.  Wa-la!  Instant tag.  This has huge potential!  If denim worked this nicely, there's no end to adaptation possibilities.

Denim applied to rough-cut chipboard

The question remains as to what process will best keep the material from fraying.

I haven't taken photos of a denim related experiment yet.  One would think by looking at others work, flowers are as key to scrapbooking as paper.  Flowers have their place, but not so much on more masculine pages.  I've cut circles out of the material at 1/2 to 1/4 inch decreasing increments and stacked the pile to make lollipop flowers. The stacks can be as simple as 2 layers glued upon one another or as many as the creator wants to apply. Apply a proportional button or other embellishment to the center, and wow-za! Not-so-feminine flower embellishments.  The next chance to sit down and play again, my great helper and I will cut circles out of a contrasting fabric and build the floral embellishment with layers of a daintier material sandwiched between the denim. 

Pictures forthcoming.  Also included with be Bear's new fashion wardrobe!

Colour Combo

I enjoy the challenges presented by CSI.  The entire point of the site is to encourage the scrapper to use five colour combinations normally not easily put to work together.  As so it is this week, also.  Another feature of the weekly challenges is incorporating shapes, elements or themes, often together.  And not least of all, journaling is part of the creation; this isn't a problem for me as I try to always journal about the subject or event represented.

This week they assembled a colour chart of a mustard, two tones of taupe, one green, and a sky blue.  I had no problem pulling all the colours from on-hand papers and putting them together in an attractive manner, but when I tried to use the blue as a background colour it clashed to high heavens.  The colours behind the heart photo are the actual colour combinations for this week.

Since there's no requisite size of the colours, they can be nothing more than accent pieces, or completely dominate the page... so long as it's there, it's all good.

I got very, very sneaky.  I glued sky blue gemstones to the cut out hearts I made for the project.  And though the gemstones in the second picture are not set yet, I managed to pull the blue up to the upper portion of the page.  (What a beautiful picture of Martin and me!)

There are times when I have to think outside the box.  It's very easy to slip into one style of layout, using the same materials and colours.  I don't think this would have ever come to mind had I not been challenged to fit together elements not normally used, but sure am glad that I did.

More Ways to Save

I've mildly ranted about the cost of storage; mildly, because it's part and parcel of the craft.  I'd like to share today another nifty way to save money while keeping scrapbook items organized.

Over the year I've grown quite the patch of flowers... paper and silk primarily.  Between Cricut, dies, and templates there's almost an endless assortment.  I also enjoy crafting three-dimensional paper ribbons and embellishments.   Like everything else, it didn't take long before a system had to be put in place to accommodate the collection.

I've saved six stacking plastic ice cream half-gallon buckets.  They're scatter throughout the craft closet.  Some labeled, some not.  Even still, they all look the same at a quick glance.  So I've decided to colour code the containers so that in an instant I'll know a particular bucket contains flowers, brads, etc.  Red indicates flowers.

Organizational Work in Progress

 

 

 

 

No, not exceptionally pretty in this DIY project, either; however, I'll probably attach a large flower on each side and the top of the lid to pretty it up a little bit.  The image will also assist as a visual clue to others who like to sneak into the closet and design something wonderful for me!  (This happens often, much to my great delight!)

In time, I'll have a colour coded embellishment organizational system in place.  There might be acid content concerns for hard-core scrappers, but for my purposes, it should work fine. 
 __________________________________

When meeting Martin's mother for the first time she pulled out a decades old scrapbook.  A woman ahead of her time.  I could tell she rightly held this as a prized family possession.  The amazing part of the physical scrapbook was that despite the decades, and despite a lack of concern of the obsession we have with acid and lignum today, the book had not deteriorated.  Yes, there was some fading and yellowing, (in my opinion perfect seasoning) but the overall quality remained excellent.  It's probably a good idea to construct albums with perpetuity in mind, but as I've just described, it might not be as critical an issue as some make it to be. Maybe.

__________________________________

Yet another recently finished page!

Silly Night

Christmas Eve
December 24, 2011