MyMadkow

White Sands

If you read my last blog post, you'll remember that I mentioned I'd been re-organizing. I also said that I wasn't ready to take everything out and start over again. Well........right after I posted that, I started looking around my studio.......and........of course.....I had to figure out a way to make it work. At least make it work better, and still have some floor space! LOL It took me a full day of playing with graph paper and little furniture cut-outs, before I came up with a grand plan.

The very next morning around 6am, I started moving everything out!! It took about 8 hours, not counting breakfast & lunch, to get it all moved around. And now I just love it!! It's got a better layout, and there's floor space! I'm missing one small table that I want to use as part of my L-shaped desk. I actually ordered it from Target, got my confirmation, etc. and 3 days later, I got an email from them saying they'd cancelled my order! Ugh!!! Apparently they were out of stock. Really? They weren't out of stock when I ordered it!!!! I'm pretty bummed about it. So I'll keep looking around, and see what else I can find.

Anyways.......here's another LO that I completed right after Christmas. Yeah, I'm behind in posting!

White Sands

Paper is Prima and Webster's Pages, with lots of distressing and layering. Cardstock is from Bazzill. Doily is, of course from Wilton!

Not a great pic, but, the chippie is from Kaisercraft. It's slathered in Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Sprays (Cosmopolitan Pink & A Bit 'o Bubbly) and T!m's Distress Inks  in Antique Linen and Tattered Rose, some Halo Pink-Gold Lumiere paint, Espresso Dimensional Pearls from Ranger and Stickles in Fruit Punch. I typed up my Title and glued it behind the chippy, after spraying with LSG Sprays.

I've used a Prima Antique Mirror over a Prima Flocked Rubon, and a K&Co diecut under the mat.

 

The
The floral spray is from Recollections. The newspaper leaves are also from Recollections, misted with My Mojito Green from LSG. The large white bloom is handmade from an old curtain, a scrap and a button cover, and one Prima flower center. I love that the fabric is fraying, it just adds to the overall effect. The pink ledger paper (Prima) doily was cut with the Floral Doily Motif from Spellbinders.

Here's a closeup of the flower. You can also see a bit of the stamping I've done with a Hampton Arts stamp, and Memento ink in Rich Cocoa. Pink roses are Prima. The little red blossoms were in one of my Swirlydoos Kits. The small green leaves are I Am Roses.

One more for the road.....................Applause

The birthday card I made for my oldest, Kevin.  Pretty simple. Lots of T!m products and a pleasant surprise! The red on the clock face is not intentional......it's a by-product of painting over black chipboard!!! Love it!!!!

I think I've been challenged......by PJ, to actually make some videos. Go check out her new blog, and watch some interesting AND funny vids!!! So.......I'm going to attempt it next week when I'm off. We'll see how it works with a point-and-shoot camera! Hahahahaha

Til next time,

Lynne

What DO YOU Do?

In the last couple of months, I've spent a fair bit of time going through all of my scrappy products and stash. I've given a bunch to my daughter, who lost most of her papers in a small flood in her house. And I gave a lot to my DIL Carol. I kept the things that I really loved and wanted. I organized and re-organized until, I don't think that I can change anything in my craft room studio, without taking everything out, and starting all over again. Ugh, I'm not ready to do that.

So, what do you do? Really what DO YOU do, when you have a bunch of little diecuts and chippy flowers, and tags, and misc papers that are as old as the hills, and seemingly don't go together, but you love them and don't want to part with them? Of course you scrap with them, and so do I. But, how much of it do you really use up? Yeah me too! So........

I challenged myself to use up a bunch of little bits and pieces on one layout. Of course, it did help that most of the bits, actually matched the colors in the pic! Check it out.....

Your Smile Warms My Heart

Love this pic of Mason, taken by my oldest Kevin! Check out his shop at Artist Rising!! He has gorgeous photos, and abstract art originals and prints for sale.

Papers are Imaginisce, Basic Grey, K&Co, My Mind's Eye and Teresa Collins. Normally, I probably wouldn't have put these papers together, but it works. I used my Martha Stewart circle cutter, and punches to make all of the circles. The small scalloped circles, were cut in half (I didn't have enough paper to go around!), and then layered them under the larger circles. Then, I added a ton of black Kaisercraft rubons all over the page to give it some cohesiveness. Is that a word?

The vine diecut was made with a Quickutz die, and the little scalloped oval was made with a Spellbinders die and a Basic Grey sticker.

So here's where the bits & pieces come into play. I used some chippy flowers from K&Co, a Recollections rose, a few more flowers from SEI, and some chippies & felties from Sassafras Lass and layered them over each other in 2 seperate clusters. The ticket is T!m's and the paper whimsies are also Sassafras Lass.

I really think that this LO was more challenging than my retro romantic vintage chic, layered concoctions are!! Okay, maybe it is layered!! It took me hours to place those damned flowers on there....it wasn't easy trying to blend the colors, and not have the same shape/color flower right next to it! And getting the right layered combination of papers wasn't much easier, especially when you figure that some were just scraps!

It isn't my usual, it's not my fave, the colors are just too bright for my liking. But I like it, AND I had fun doing it. And most of all, I got rid of a ton of teeny, tiny little bits! I'll definitely have to do this again....I have a bunch of journaling tags and more odds and ends, that are just begging to be used up. 

The great thing about this, is that I'm continuing last year's scrappy resolution.......to use a least one 'old as the hills' item on each LO and project that I make! At the rate I'm going now.......my daughter and daughter-in-law, will still have plenty to choose from, when I'm gone! Hahahahaha!! Hey, I'm working on it!

So.... I challenge YOU to use up your old bits & pieces, and faves that you just can't part with!

Happy stashing!!

Lynne

Emotion For TCR #95

So it's been a long time since I joined in on the fun at The Color Room. Actually, it hasn't been all that long ago, it's just that I didn't upload my projects in time.....see post below. I love their color challenges, and they ARE challenging. Sometimes the challenge is the color combo, sometimes it's finding an appropriate pic, and sometimes, I just don't have any papers that would match. Well, I can rectify the latter......I've started Art Journaling & doing some Mixed Media projects, so I think that I can paint, mist, collage, chalk, and/or ink, my way into these weekly challenges! More on that further down this post.

So here's my LO, entitled EMOTION

The gorgeous background paper is from the new 'Engraved Garden' collection by K&Co. I saw these on their site about a month ago, and I've been stalking my local Michaels ever since! LOL I finally got a hold of them about a week ago, and I did purchase both the Designer & the Specialty paper collections. Of course I bought their diecuts too, and they are pretty much gone already....guess I'll have to make another trip to Michaels!

Back to the LO, here's what I did. First, I misted the background with some Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Sprays in Cocklebells Coral & Green With Envy Green. Next I tilted my paper to make drips, and then I took the sprayer out of the bottle, and just shook it over my paper, to make the splotches. I did use a paper towel to remove the excess paint, and I let it air dry. I think you get a more concentrated color if you do that. Heat drying seems to lighten the color a bit. Once dry, I took out my Sakura Pigma Micron (01) pen, and started doodling around the drips and splotches. I totally love this technique, and I lifted it from the very talented Milliande, go check out her You Tube channel!! So awesome, especially for someone like me, who can't draw a straight line!!

You can see the technique much better on this closeup. It's so nice to be able to doodle, and find freedom in it....even on my layouts! Okay, I'm sure most of you already do this, but for me it's new!! The lovely alphas are....Pink Paislee......surprise!!!

The doily is by Royal lace, and misted with....LSG Green With Envy Green....okay if you don't know, or haven't used LSG's products, you are slower than I am....go check them out here. Love their mists and micas, and embossing powders!!! When I do a craft room video.....you'll see how much I love their products! The wood heart is from Michaels, and is painted red (Delta Ceramcoat), and covered in Martha Stewart garnet glitter. The beautiful flowers are from I Am Roses....another fave!! Check them out here. Yes, I still LOVE my Primas, but I love these mulberry flowers too! And the great thing, is that I can mist them in any color I want!!! Which I did with the gardenias.....just a bit of Cocklebells Coral and a touch of Poincianna Red Flame in the center! And edged with Barn Door Distress Stickles.

The leaves are cut from T!m's Tattered Leaves die on watercolor paper...another fave! Next, I stamped them with Memento Jet Black in and a background stamp from All Night Media. And misted with Cocklebells Coral, Edelweiss Moss Green, and Green With Envy Green, and edged with Distress Ink in Peeled Paint. These turned out so beautiful, and they just sparkle with glimmer!! The feathers are from Michaels. One more.....

I wish you could see the glimmer on the leaves!! So Gorgeous!!

About the Art Journaling/Mixed Media projects.....well here's where I started......

I purchased this Atlas, at one of my local thrift shops, initially to use the pages inside....I might have to take some sheets out, I have a feeling that this journal is going to be very chunky by the time I'm done!! A while back I was looking in my stash to figure out what to use for my art journaling, and I decided that the papers in this book are thick enough for what I need. So......here's what my cover looks like now..................

I love, love, love how it turned out!! Yeah, I was a little OCD about what and how I was doing it, but I'm fine with that, since it's the cover. For the inside pages, I intend on being a little less compulsive, and do more 'letting go', and just see where it takes me. I can't wait to play some more......so I'm off to do it!!

Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to leave me a comment to be entered in my RAK!!! (see last post for more info)

Hugs,

Lynne

 

Ok, so I'm NOT dead!

and....I haven't fallen off the scrapwagon either!! LOL It's just that life has a way of getting your attention. I work in retail, and as you know, the holiday season is big business....so there were lots of extra hours worked during that time. Then I got very sick the week of Christmas....it took me almost 3 weeks to get better, only to get it back again about a week and a half ago!! So in all, I was feeling good for about a week or so!! Not fun! During the 'well' time, I planned on updating this blog.....but the weather would not co-operate with me, so that I could get pics done!! I really need to get a ligthbox!! If anyone knows where I can get one cheap, or how to build one (keep in mind....simple!!!), please let me know.

Anyways, I don't plan on leaving you hanging like this again, it's been way too long....so long, that I had to look up my Typepad password!! LMAO! Christmas is long gone, but my LOs aren't....so that's as good a place as any to start.......so grab a cuppa....this is going to be a long one! Oh, I almost forgot, the majority of the products used in these projects come from my Swirlydoos kit!!! Check them out!!

Santa, Define Good

A cute little pic of my Grand-son Mason, sitting on Santa's lap....and the only reason he went up there, was cause Santa was giving gifts out to the kids!!! Otherwise, he gets scared and cries!! This past year has been a rough one for Mom, Mason's made a few 'huge messes' that cost some big $$ to clean up!!! So this title is definitely apropos!

I love layering my papers, and the G45 and BoBunny papers were just perfect for this LO. I used a Martha Stewart snowflake punch to do Lisa's punched circle technique........love this technique! The Bingo card is my own design (minus the Santa sticker - Simple Stories), something I'm thinking about re-vamping, and putting on Etsy.

These Dusty Attic ornaments, started life as one piece. I cut them apart, and slathered them in Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Spray in Poinsettia Red Gold. Then accented with some gold Smooch, and Snow-tex. So if you're wondering how I remember all of that....well I do write down every product I use, for each and every project I make....I've got about 2 composition books full!

My title is American Crafts Thickers....my fave chipboard alphas, also accented with some Snow-tex. The border sticker is K&Co and I sprayed it with LSG Starburst Spray In Ponderosa Pines Olive.

I shaped a gorgeous Prima floral spray into a semi-circle, glued it down, and then added some small Prima Poinsettias in between. The large green poinsettia is from Ashland (Michael's). The I Am Roses skeleton leaves, were first misted with water, and then coated in Lindy's Stamp Gang Embossing powder in King Midas Gold and embossed. The little dropplets of water actually hold the embossing powder in that shape, and it gives more texture to the leaves.....it's a real cool technique, which my pic doesn't capture very well. I have no idea who made the swirl (I didn't write that down...ugh!), but it's covered in gold Smooch  and Snow-tex. The little Santa bag sticker is also from K&Co.

All I Want For Christmas

Another cute pic of Mason, this one was taken by my DD Ashley.....I think she's got an eye for it!!

More BoBunny and Kaisercraft papers. The sheet music is vintage....love! More Martha Stewart border punching...lots of grunging of papers in Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I matted my pic, and then placed it over 2 huge snowflakes, they are real ornaments....from Walmart. The chipboard tag is from SEI.

So simple.......vintage book paper, layered over Tim Holtz/Sizzix diecut reindeer. Bling collar was in my stash, it could be Webster's Pages.

I was totally inspired by Lisa's Poinsettias, and wanted to make one for this LO. I was kickin myself for not purchasing those Spellbinders dies....cause of course, as soon as I wanted them, they were sold out everywhere! So I improvised....I found a free template online, and used that to make my smaller version. Of course I sprayed it with LSG Creme Brulee Cream, and edged it with Ranger Liquid Pearls in Bisque. The snowflakes in the center are punched from another Martha Stewart punch and misted with LSG Gator Gumbo Olive and edged in Adirondack Dimensional Pearls in Lettuce. The little pearls in the center are beads from my stash. The under petals of the flowers got the same treatment as the snowflakes.

My golden leaves are made from alcohol inked (caramel) vellum with another T!m die, and over misted with LSG Creme Brulee Cream!! If you try this technique, be careful when you heat set them (you'll need to as the spray doesn't soak in), as the paper becomes very brittle. So you'll want to scrunch your leaves first, and then let the heat take over the shape.

I also added another small poinsettia from Prima, sprayed with LSG Poinsettia Red Gold. Metal accent is from TPC Studio. Berry spray is from Petaloo. Diecut pinecones are K&Co. Little fern leaves are punched Bazzill cardstock using a Martha Stewart punch, and then inked with Ice Spruce DI. The metallic fibers around my pic is from Webster's Pages. Here's another view....

Just love how that poinsettia turned out!! It took me a few tries to get the look I wanted, but it was well worth the effect!!

So that's the only 2 Christmas LO's I've made. I plan on making a mini album with the rest of the pics (maybe another LO or 2). I have loads more to show you, but I'll space it out over the next week or so. Meanwhile I actually took pics of some new products for my Etsy store, and when I get them uploaded, I think I'll do a RAK....so stay tuned for pics!

Thanks for dropping by.....and leave me a comment. Since it's been so long, I'll start keeping track from this post, for the RAK!!!!

Love,

Lynne

 

 

 

Sweet Moments

So, I'm still having trouble leaving comments on your blogs!! But, I've got the guru working on it!!! Yep, he's stumped.....he tried everything I did, and nothing worked. Seems like it's a re-directing thing. Which means, that if your blog re-directs me to another page to leave a comment....I can!! If it doesn't re-direct me....well, that's where the problem is. Anyways, he's checking into it!! Hopefully it'll be fixed soon!

Meanwhile, here's one of my latest projects......

 
I love this pic of my grand-son!!! And not just because of his shirt!!!! LOL

Paper is Webster's Pages....love, love, love!!! I did a bit of fussy cutting (beige paper layered on the blue), and made the blue flower from Recollections cardstock, and my fave Cricut Cartridge.... Home Decor! Leaves were die cut using a Tim's Tattered Leaves die and embossed with a Sizzix folder (can't remember which one).

I used a lot of Tim products on this one, including the heart cut out of grungeboard, clock in chipboard, an ornate plate, a lot of distress ink, distress stains and alcohol inks on the WP resin heart.

Of course I had to add some flowers from I Am Roses and Making Memories. The little wood butterfly is Kaisercraft, slathered in Faded Jeans DS.  I also added a bit of glitz on the flowers and leaves, with some Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Sprays and a touch of Ranger Stickles in Black Diamond, on the edges of the clock. WP alphas make my title.

This was definitely a 'clean & simple' layout for me!! Yeah, it's true, I love lots and lots of layers, and embellies!!

Well, that's all for tonight!! Working early in the am, so I'm off to bed!!

Happy scrapping!!

Lynne

Apple of His Eye for Scrapbudz

Ack!! I'm having PC issues again!!! This time.....it's leaving comments on other blogs!! Ugh, need Dan my computer guru to help assist, okay, so I need him to fix it!! And to make matters worse, of course it's happening on some of my fave blogs!!

Which I'm sure begs the question 'Do you (as in me) really, actually leave comments on other blogs?' Yeah, I admit it, I am awful about doing it!! But, I'm trying to change!!! Call this my 4th quarter resolution!!

And by the way, if I can't leave you a comment (see above), I'll send you an email via mine (mymadkow@live.com) so that you know I'm trying!! LOL  

On to the good stuff!!!!

So this is our October challenge at Scrapbudz

 
How yummy looking is that!!

And here is my take.....

 
I kinda got carried away with the theme, but it works! Love this papers from Prima. Cardstock is Bazzill. I felt that the pic needed some matting, so I found an old transparency (unkown) to layer on top of it, and then I layed the whole thing over some BoBunny cardstock, which I promptly punched the edges of....Martha Stewart, of course. Really, is there any other punch that compares?

 
All of that gorgeous lace (unkown) is little leftover bits that I saved from other projects. I did color the darker piece with Distress Stains in Vintage Photo!!! So love that stuff!! I can't believe that I put off buying any because I thought that it was redundant to have the inks and the stains!! The grungeboard wing is Tim Holtz, slathered in Distress Inks and Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Spray in Dark Chocolate Truffle. Oh, and my pic is definitely NOT capturing all of the shimmer from the spray!!

It's not very often that I recommend products, but if you haven't tried the LSG sprays, you are SO missing out!! Gorgeous colors, full of shimmery goodness!! And awesome prices too!!! Check them out here. I promise if you try these, you'll never look back at the others!! I actually gave all of my other mists to my DD & my DIL.

I took a Glitzer (transparent sticker) from Glitz Designs, and adhered it to a small piece of packaging. I wanted to be able to use it without having to stick it down. The My Mind's Eye alphas were painted with Lumiere paint in Halo Pink Gold and then sprayed with Ramblin' Rose Red from LSG.

Other products include a Tattered Angels alpha frame, and a BoBunny butterfly trinket. The gorgeous flower is Prima, the mini roses are Recollections, sprayed with LSG, and the tiny alphas are Cosmo Cricket.

So that's my project for Scrapbudz. Do check out the blog, and play along!!

Thanks for stopping by!! And leaving a comment!! (Really, I'll respond in kind, I Promise!!)

Lynne