Crayon Resist

No, this post isn't about an addiction to my kids art supplies- oh well maybe it really is.  The idea for this project came to me as I was playing with my embossing folders for a feature at Practical Scrappers. The boys were sitting at the table in my studio colouring at the time. All of a sudden I looked at my eldest and said "Quick! pass me a white crayon!" they both gave me an unsure look, and then their little jaws dropped as I proceeded to peel the paper from their pristine white crayon ( they recovered once I pulled out some Fiskars texture plates and let them do some crayon rubbings with other "naked" crayons).

I chose 3 animal prints folders, and some Dylusions spray inks in related shades.  The idea is to embboss the white cardstock, open the folder, and before removing the paper, slide the long side of the "naked" wax crayon over the image a few times as if you were doing a crayon rubbing. Remove the paper, and add your medium. This would work with different shades of paper, different colours of crayon, and a range of mediums such as ink, Glimmer Mist, acrylic paint, watercolour, marker (be sure you don't mind getting wax on the tips of the markers, as it could damage them).
I heated the image after I sprayed it with the Dylusions Spray Ink, mainly to help it dry quickly, but an added benefit is that the wax melts into the paper nicely, leaving a smooth finish.

 On the peacock design, I rubbed on some Viva Decor Inka-Gold (Silver) with my finger.The effect was pretty cool,  I only wished I had had a blue shade instead.

I can't wait to experiment a bit more with different colours of crayon, and different inks!

Materials:
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper, Prism Simply Smooth, Core-Dinations
letter Stickers: American Crafts, Bella Blvd.
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Stain, Dylusions Spray Ink, Viva Decor Inka-Gold
White Crayola crayon
Adhesive: Helmar Quick Fix Tape Runner, Helmar Acid Free Glue

Sketch #138 LCTS

It's time for another awesome sketch reveal at Let's Capture These Memories. This week, sketch #138 by JJ Sobey.  Lots of different approaches from the design team, so go have a look!
I chose to turn all those circles into  squares, and once I had the basic sketch idea going, added some stamping and stitching to add interest. I love sketches like these, where I can raid my scraps for some favorite bits to use all over again.

Patterned Paper: Simple Stories, Bo Bunny, Echo Park, My Mind's Eye, Graphic 45.
Ink: Staz On, Tim Holtz Distress Stain
Letters: American Crafts,  K&Co. Smash Mini Dymo
Adhesive: Helmar Acid Free, Helmar Quick Fix Tape Runner, Helmar 450 Quick Dry
Washi Tape: American Crafts

The Best Breakfasts Ever...

Well at least that's what Ethan and Parker claim Daddy makes anyway. I much prefer his salads, or maybe the desserts; like the Pavlova he makes at Christmas time with the berries and the carmelized strands of sugar...oh but I digress... It's Father's Day, and to honor their dad, the boys helped me to make this layout. They helped me to choose the papers for the hand prints, and stayed unusually still while I traced their little hands. Even Rowan was a champ. The only reason it took two tries to trace his little fingers, was because I thought I had messed up when I looked at how grown up his hand was when I cut it out. It was exactly the same in the second attempt, and now I have to admit he is no longer a baby *sniff*. Next year he'll be making cards and plotting surprises right along with Ethan and Parker. Can you believe they actually requested ( expect) me to get up *before* daddy tomorrow morning, and asked that we blow up balloons and make breakfast?! Parker changed his mind a few times on the menu before he settled on waffles. It makes me happy to know there are a few things I can make in the kitchen that rival Mark's cooking. Apparently waffles are "it".

 Materials:
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
PP: Graphic 45
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Stain, Dylusions Spray Ink. Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam
Letters: American Crafts, Cosmo Cricket, Adorn-it
Washi Tape: Omer De Serres
Adhesives:  Helmar Acid Free Glue, Helmar Decoupage and Craft Paste, Helmar Scrap Dots

 This is my featured project today on the Helmar blog.  Check it out if you'd like more detailed instructions, or close up photos of the details.

 Happy Father's Day to my incredible husband,
to my own Dad and my Step-Dad.
Hope you have a wonderful day!

In front of the Camera

As the acting photographer in my house, I rarely get into photos, let alone become the subject of a scrapbook page. As scrapbookers, that really is the biggest dilemma. Many of us are trying to record memories for our children or loved ones, and in doing so, can easily be missing from the recorded history. That is why it is crucial for me to be sure to include as much of my own voice and thoughts on each page in the form of journaling as possible. They may not see me, but at least I'm not missing completely. 

When I do have the occasion to scrapbook a photo of myself, (as was the case for my first layout as a new member of Let's Capture Our Memories Marketing Team) I always find it awkward. It just feels odd putting so much effort into making a page about me. Not only does it seem that I'm saying " I think I'm pretty special, look at these photos of me" but " I'm so awesome, I had to add all these embellishments to make this page echo how awesome I really am!"

All conceit aside, I'm really not camera shy, and even though I'm often absent from the family photos, my kids will now know why. 

Materials: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
Patterned Paper: American Crafts Amy Tangerine Sketchbook
( Carmine's Collage, Paige's Portraits, Sydney's Snapshot)
Stamp: American Crafts Dear Lizzy Jar Stamp
Ink: Staz-On , Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists( On flowers and butterflies)
Flowers: Prima Marketing-Laraine Pearl White Flowers and Leaves
Butterflies: Maya Road Mini CAnvas Butterflies
Glue: Helmar Acid Free, Liquid Scrap Dots ( to add dimension to the cameras)
Letters: American Crafts Sketchbook Black Thickers
SMASH MiniDymo

Pre-(historic)School ( with a surprise ending)

School's out for Summer! I've had a little jolt this week trying to get us all on a new schedule; thankfully, one that doesn't involve a million car trips back and forth to preschool. Both boys had end of year field trips that Daddy was lucky enough to go on. Ethan's class went to Dinosaur Land to follow their Dinosaur theme at school. Both boys are really getting into dinosaurs more now.  From what I hear, the bus ride was a bit rambunctious ( what else do you expect with a bunch of kids and some dads who are big kids themselves?) but everyone escaped with only a few minor wrestling injuries...

They saw all the sculptures, had a mock fossil dig and a picnic lunch. Ethan said his favorites were the two T-Rex sculptures. I may have to convince Mark we need to make this a little family excursion this summer.

Here's a page with just a few pics that Mark remembered to take ( yay!)

materials: 
Papers: Bazzill Basics Paper
Ink: Adirondack Alcohol Ink, Distress Stain
Felt: Fancy Pants
Letters: American Crafts
Adhesives: Helmar

I used loads of new Helmar goodies on this one; the 450 quick dry adhesive was perfect for the felt Dino, it didn't soak into the felt the way some other liquid glues do, and set very quickly.   I was able to create the footprints, and add some distressing to the papers using the Acid Free Craft Glue mixed with alcohol ink. The ink kind of coagulates, and once the glue was dry, left a sandy look.

Here it was wet. I scraped it on using the handle of the cheap paint brush I was using. I love that it still has a bit of sheen to it when dry. 

Check out the dimension you can achieve using  Scrap Dots! This stuff comes in a tube, and you just squeeze it on, and set your pieces down at any level you want!

meet my new best (glue) friends :)

you'll be seeing a lot of these guys, especially since I'll now be working with them as a full time design team member for Helmar!!

love sketches?

There are 4 current calls on at  Let’s Capture These Sketches (LCTS)!!!

• Card Sketch Designer
• Card Designer
• Sketch Designer
• Layout designer

If you love creating  or working with sketches, then this team is for you!!!

check out all the details at Let's Capture These Sketches

An Octopus' Garden

Here's my latest layout for Let's Capture These Sketches Sketch #136 by Natalie Roy. I've been waiting since National Scrapbook Day to share this one, as I was so happy with the way it turned out. As usual, I went into it not really knowing where I was headed. I had purchased the adorable sea creature stamps earlier in the day at Scrapbook Centrale, and I got really excited when I realized they were going to be the perfect embellishments for my page. I love it when new product gets to see some love right away!
I also got to use my new Distress Markers to colour them!

The sea bed at the bottom was an afterthought, as I got playing around with my Distress Stains, Washi tape and some buttons. I am in pure heaven if I can incorporate my split scrappy personas in one layout. it's fun and whimsical, but distressed and artsy too. I just think they need to make a line of more vivid Distress inks for crazies like me :)

pp: Echo Park,
Stamps: Kaisercraft
Ink: Staz On, Distress Stain, Dylusions Spray Ink,
Markers: Tim Holtz Distress Markers
Trim: Green Tara
Washi Tape: Omer De Serres
Die Cut: My Mind's Eye
Acrylic: Tim Holtz Fragments
Letters: Cosmo Cricket, Bella Blvd.