Donna Salazar - September Challenge Part Two - Shelling

Donna Salazer's September Challenge was to create a gift for someone using some of her products. My gifts were for my husband's office at work.  He is an engineer and his office needs something other than wires and electrical panels and technical whatnots.  

I decided to create something from our summer vacation, which also happens to be a place we visit each year and consider our happiest place on Earth.   I hope this gift transports him to our happy place each time he looks at it.  

Shelling

Recently my husband and I went on a boat tour of the Everglades.  When we reached the tour site, no one else showed up for the tour.  The guide said that he was happy to take just the two of us out since we had already paid and he was already there at the boat.  These are the sweet romantic times that I will remember with my husband well into my old age (I hope). 

So off we went - the destination was a small, very small island that had some great beachy shelling opportunities.  I found a few large shells and was thrilled.  My project has one of the shells on it.  I loved the fact that this shell was really rather imperfect.  My husband's only comment on my find..."It's missing a bit Jen.  Like most of the shell". 

hahahahahaha silly man.  That's why I  love it.   

Now for the ratty frame. My mom had a yard sale a few years back and I saw the broken frame in her garbage can.   This was a total garbage pick - yes, as in plucking from the garbage can  and storing in my basement until further notice. I did have to hide it in my basement so that husband did not also determine this to be a ratty broken frame and toss in the out in our garbage. 

So it's been hidden in our basement for a few years waiting...waiting.....waiting for these Pion papers to salvage and re-purpose it's ratty framed self.  

This first photo is the start of my project.  I sanded down the frame a little to soften up the green vines. Then I painted a wash of gesso thinned with water over the top in spots and brightened it up with some Jasmine Mixd Media Inx.

I used these Donna Salazar Products on my project:

• Clearsnap - Donna Salazar - Mix'd Media Inx - Jasmine 

• Spellbinders - Donna Salazar - Shapeabilities Collection - Die Cutting and Embossing Templates - Shadow Flowers

Thanks for looking and taking your time in my blog. 

Projects using Donna Salazar products

Donna Salazer's September Challenge was to create a gift for someone using some of her products. My gifts were for my husband's office at work.  He is an engineer and his office needs something other than wires and electrical panels and technical whatnots.  

The first is a canvas panel to replace his electrical panels on his desk.  hahahaha.  

Bike

This was a canvas that I really layered up with gesso, molding paste, clear gel medium, paper layers, masking tape, inking, stamping and mesh and some Mixd Media Inx.  

He told me that a salesman paid him a visit to his office and asked if he could have this canvas.  My husband got a bit possessive and said "absolutely not!  My wife made this for me".  Sweet man.  

I used a technique of image transfer I recently learned  from a couple of sources:  Drycha (Karolina Stopyra) and from Alda Stevens.  The bike image is from a stock image program just so you know.

These are the Donna Salazar products I used:

• Clearsnap - Donna Salazar - Mix'd Media Inx - Leather 

• Clearsnap - Donna Salazar - Mix'd Media Inx - Black 

• Stampers Anonymous - Donna Salazar - Cling Mounted Rubber Stamp Set - Bubble Wrap

Thanks for looking and taking your time in my blog. 

Prima September BAP

Precious Moments

Here is my entry for the Prima September BAP (Build a Page) Challenge and here is the Prima BAP (Build A Page) sketch designed by Hege Lundquist. (update - featured at Prima 10-12-12)

Very cool sketch....so off to my scrappy table I went.  I used the Prima Romantique Collection for this.

The photo is of my sweet little 5yr old niece.  I dressed her up and we went to high tea at a tea house.
Here are the close ups.

I used lot and lots of punched layers and inking for this.  I wanted to replicate the ruffles in her skirt without using lace.

Thanks for looking.

Here is my Prima product list:

• Prima - Pebbles Collection - Self Adhesive Pebbles with Gems - Annalee

• Prima - Stencils Mask Set - 7.5 x 7.5 - Fence 2 (brick wall)

• Prima - Almanac Collection - Chipboard Pieces 

• Prima - Velvet Rainbow Collection - Fabric Flower Embellishments - Vintage 

• Prima - Pankita Rose Collection - Flower Embellishments - Winter Mix 

• Prima - Laraine Collection - Flower Embellishments - River Rock 

• Prima - Romantique Collection - 12 x 12 Double Sided Paper - Gazette 

• Prima - Romantique Collection - 12 x 12 Double Sided Paper - Ha'Penny 

• Prima - Stencils Mask Set - 6 x 6 - Mix 7 

• Prima - Ingvild Bolme - Chalk Fluid Edger - Old Rose

September Prima PPP Layout - Scraps of Darkness

This layout is called  Winter's Simple Beauty.  (this was featured in Prima's PPP Challenge)

It's my entry for the Prima September PPP Challenge.    You must use the products shown in this image and/or the palette that is provided.

I love the woodsy fall natural colors that were picked and alas I have a photo that really accentuates these so I paired my photo with Prima's Craftsman Collection featured in the September Scraps of Darkness kit, My Guy.   Lucky me!  The kit had the perfect papers and the perfect collection.
Luckier yet, background paper I selected from the Prima line made my job super easy because it included almost all of the palette colors already, taking the stress out of the challenge.

I took this photo of my backyard after a small snow dusting in March 2012.  The trees in our woods looked like they had been sugar coated.  Truth be told, the winter had not been as snowy as usual so I was really desperate to take some photos after a snowfall.  I just love snow covered scenes.  Snow covered anything looks halfway decent.  I ended up glamorizing my husbands storage shed in our backyard.

Heck - desperate times result in desperate photos.  My husbands shed is really desperate.  Yet the trees are really pretty to me here.

I love to put the "crap" back in scrap.  I can't stand to see my co-worker, friends, family toss stuff away without first running junk past the "Jen approval process".  Is it worthy to save or can that garbage be honestly tossed.  Well well well..... the "Jen approval process" nabbed some wood bark off a dead flower arrangement that was delivered to my workplace.  My co-workers were scratching their heads asking what I was going to do with wood bark - me being a paper crafter and all.

"Oh don't worry your pretty little heads."

I hot glued a piece of heavy corrugated cardboard to the back to get it flat and voila!  usable reclaimed "junk".  hahahahahaaaaa.

Anyway, here are the close ups.
I used the Dusty Attic Twigs DA0129 to replicate my sugar coated woods.  I embossed the twigs with Stampendous  Shabby White Embossing Enamel - super cool stuff.  It's white embossing mixed with some gold and the results are fabulous.

I also used a Prima mask - one of the new gears masks.  I know you already realize this, but you don't need to use the whole mask.  You can use elements and sections of the mask to fit your needs.  I did not need gears.  I needed something to resemble snow falling so I picked the circles from this mask.

Prima Stencils Mask Set - 7x7 Gears 2

This image is here to show the dimension I used in the layout.  I added a lot of layers to help with my winter wooded scene.


Scraps of Darkness - for the Alternative Scrapper.  Please visit us and start creating all that you imagine.

This is my Prima product list.  
• Prima - Blossom Branches Collection - Branch Embellishments - Pistachio 
• Prima - Back Stage Collection - Clear Acrylic Stamps - Mix 1 
• Prima - Wood Embellishments - Decorative Clocks 
• Prima - Velvet Rainbow Collection - Fabric Flower Embellishments - Vintage 
• Prima - Genie Stones - Black Wrap 
• Prima - Laraine Collection - Flower Embellishments - River Rock 
• Prima - Stencils Mask Set - 7 x 7 - Gears 2 
• Prima - Bel Canto Collection - Flower Embellishments - Brown 
• Prima - Craftsman Collection - 12 x 12 Double Sided Paper - Tools of the Trade 
• Prima - Ingvild Bolme - Chalk Fluid Edger - Branch Bark 
• Prima - Ingvild Bolme - Chalk Fluid Edger - Dry Sand

Thanks a bunch!  What fun I had.

Scraps of Darkness - "Pin to Win" Contest

We are excited to announce we are now on PINTEREST!!!!

Want to win a September "My Guy" kit?
All you have to do is stop by our blog and click on the "Pinterest" button to follow us. Visit our Scraps of Darkness "Pin to Win" board and follow the instructions there.

You have from now until October 8th to enter!!!
So go ahead - head to the blog and get pinning.

Prima Aug BAP winner and PPP Feature

Oh gosh, oh golly. What a morning. Dark and rainy outside with a touch of fall weather.  But who cares! Inside the scrappy world, I have Rays of Sunshine. 

 Prima picked this as winner for the  Aug 2012 Prima BAP - Build A Page .

This is Rays of Sunshine,  If you click on the link, you will see the original post with the details.

This was the August Prima PPP -Prima Product Pick  (and Palette) and was Featured. 

This is Girl With Hat.  You can see the original post with details here.

Thanks a million to the Prima folks and to all those talented artists mentioned at Prima. 

Scraps Of Darkness Sept. Kit - My Guy

Welcome to the September Scraps Of Darkness -My Guy

This edgy creative kit features Prima Craftsman Collection and Kaisercraft Sears and Sons Collection.   very cool combo.

Guest Designer - Martha Richardson.  Martha is one amazing artist, designing for Helmar and Tattered Angels. 

Bike
This was a canvas that I really layered up with gesso, molding paste, clear gel medium, paper layers, masking tape, inking, stamping and mesh.

I used a technique of image transfer I recently learned  from a couple of sources:  Drycha (Karolina Stopyra) and from Alda Stevens.  The bike image is from a stock image program just so you know.

King of the Alley Cats

This is a photo I took last winter of a junk yard.   I was actually looking around for a cool place to take some photos with my son and the junk yard said "here I am, over here!".  

Some artist painted google eyes on the junk yard -very interesting  and colorful place pitted against the clean fresh snowfall.

The kitty image is also the same image transfer technique that I did above in canvas in my "Bike" piece.  I wanted to see how well it would work on paper to paper. 

I used the Dusty Attic Chicken Wire Panel DA0177 and stained it with Tim Holtz stain in Rusty Hinge.  Then I coated with Glossy Accents.  

The big Prima light bulbs are from their Junk Yard Findings collection.  Pretty funny considering my photo origins. 

I used three 3rd Eye stamps by Drycha.  You really need to check them out.  The Small Skull is stamped on the cards.  The Chic Corner is above the Kitty image and my favorite, the Kardiogram, is here and there about the page.  Love them to pieces.   More please Drycha.  Keep on designing. 

I used the "Widgets" paper from the Prima Craftsman collection and placed behind the Prima Junk Yard light bulbs to give them more dimension.  I inked with Tim Holtz Mustard Seed before adhering to the light bulbs with Glossy Accents.   Made them pop  little more with color. 

Thanks for looking
Come for a visit over to Scraps Of Darkness

Scraps of Darkness Sept Nostalgia Reveal and Blog Hop

Welcome to Nostalgia, the Sept. Scraps Of Elegance Kit.

If you have arrived from Renea Harrison's blog, then you are on the right track.  Your next stop is listed at the bottom of this page, so enjoy!

*** This month we have 3 manufacturers joining us on our hop***

PION DESIGN

FLOURISH WITH A BLING

3^RD EYE

~~ We also have a special announcement~~

Please welcome our newest designer to the Scraps of Elegance team!!!

RACHAEL FUNNELL

We are thrilled to have Rachael joining our team and are sure we will be inspired by her talent…

~~And meet our special guest designer this month~~

LYNNE WOOLGAR

We are so happy to have Lynne joining us this month and can’t wait to see her work with our kit throughout September…

The hop begins at the “Scraps of Elegance” blog

Where our September kit “Nostalgia” has just been revealed!

This kit is featuring Pion Design's “Grandmas Schoolbook”

&

Flourish with a Bling beautiful “Adhesive Pearls”

SCRAPS OF ELEGANCE

Is giving away prizes to

TWO

***LUCKY WINNERS***

**1**

WINNER

Will receive “Inkadinkadoo  Stamping Gear Deluxe Starter Set

AND

**1**

Winner

Will receive the “Inkadinkadoo Stamping Gear Intro Set

In addition to this the manufacturers participating in the hop are giving away their own prizes, as well as our designers!!!

Lot’s of chances to win!

My prize 

(Winner of this prize will be randomly selected - must comment in my blog and follow my blog)

Prize includes:   Crafters Workshop 6x6 chicken wire Template

                          3rd Eye rubber stamp - Wind Corner

                          Dusty Attic Chipboard - shells 6 pk

                          Blue Moon - metal butterfly

                          various laces, netting, trim and pearls ( my stash favs)

How to win the prizes?  

All you have to do is become a follower of the Scraps of Elegance blog AND become a become of follower of My blog and leave a comment.

When you have visited everyone's blogs, return to the Scraps of Elegance blog and leave a comment letting us know how much fun you had!

If you post about this blog hop on your own blog you will be entered into the drawing twice for and extra chance to win!

We are sure you will inspired by our talented design team to

 ~create something beautiful today~

This Blog Hop is open to both US and international entries.

You have until Sunday September 2^nd 11:00 pm PST to complete the hop

The Scraps of Elegance winners will be announced on this blog on September 4^th.  Our Designers and participating manufacturers will be making their winners on their own blogs.

Be sure to check back on that day to see if you have won…

Have Fun!

Your next stop is Mandy Harrell.

 A complete list of blog hop participants can be found on the Scraps of Elegance blog

And now for the design reveals:

My Evenings on the Beach 

We go to Florida every year in the summer.  We love the heat.  We have a routine and we rather like our boring, repetitive evenings.  I take my camera and tripod to the beach.  Husband takes his beach chair and book.  He totally lets me "do my thing" with my camera while he reads. 

This year my husband clicked a few photos of his own with his new phone. I had no idea. I did not see them till we got home.  Lo and behold husband liked watching me  "do my thing" on the beach.  He said this was his favorite photo of me in Florida.   This is how he wants to remember our evenings on vacation.   Such a man!  

But I have to say that it was interesting seeing me from his point of view.   Are those seriously sneakers on in the sand?  Yep. This is exactly how I am when I am taking my photos....purposeful.  Sand has no business between my toes when I am on a mission to capture the photo I want.  

In order to get my tripod into the suitcase, I do honestly sacrifice several pairs of shoes.  Shoes need to stay home.  What will make me happier in the long run?  Not pretty feet - but a cool photo?  oh yeah.

I am also very excited to show how I used the new 3rd Eye Kardiogram stamp all around the page. These stamps are design by Drycha, (Karolina Stopyra) and couldn't be any cooler.  They will be available soon from the Scraps of Elegance and Scraps Of Darkness Store. So keep checking back.

My background sand:

1. Wouldn't ya know...Melinda stuck the perfect colored Ingvild Bolme ink in the kit this month. I dabbed my Pion paper with the ink pad to create some water.  
2.  I cut some mesh in a strip, laid  it down, then applied molding paste over the top of it. Let dry.  
3.  I had a few pieces of blue ribbon that I laid down and covered with molding paste. Let dry.
4.  Reapplied some fresh molding paste and sprinkled some sand  that I collected on vacation.  I sprayed the sandy area with spray adhesive.   Let dry.  

I also used the Dusty Attic Scroll #2 DA0215 and simply slapped some gesso and a little molding paste on it, all sloppy like.  

Shelling

Recently my husband and I went on a boat tour of the Everglades.  When we reached the tour site, no one else showed up for the tour.  The guide said that he was happy to take just the two of us out since we had already paid and he was already there at the boat.  These are the sweet romantic times that I will remember with my husband well into my old age (I hope). 

So off we went - the destination was a small, very small island that had some great beachy shelling opportunities.  I found a few large shells and was thrilled.  My project has one of the shells on it.  I loved the fact that this shell was really rather imperfect.  My husband's only comment on my find..."It's missing a bit Jen.  Like most of the shell". 

hahahahahaha silly man.  That's why I  love it.   

Now for the ratty frame. My mom had a yard sale a few years back and I saw the broken frame in her garbage can.   This was a total garbage pick - yes, as in plucking from the garbage can  and storing in my basement until further notice. I did have to hide it in my basement so that husband did not also determine this to be a ratty broken frame and toss in the out in our garbage. 

So it's been hidden in our basement for a few years waiting...waiting.....waiting for these Pion papers to salvage and re-purpose it's ratty framed self.  

I used the Pion Design papers and various elements from the kit to recreate my secluded beach scene from our wonderful and romantic vacation.  

I also used the Dusty Attic Mini Scrolls DA0685 and covered with Stampendous Aged Aqua Embossing Enamel. 

This first photo is the start of my project.  I sanded down the frame a little to soften up the green vines. Then I painted a wash of gesso thinned with water over the top in spots and brightened it up with some Jasmine Mixd Media Inx.

Thanks so much for spending the time.  Please consider the Scraps of Elegance kit.