CF#96...and my CSI Design Team Debut!

I am still pinching myself over having made the Color Stories Inspiration design team...such an honor!  This week's case file is an awesome one, with bold colors that look amazing together.  Here is the case:

I chose to make the black my dominant color, using it as my background paper.  It has been a long time since I have created a layout against a black background and it was a refreshing change.  Here is my layout:

For evidence, I used paint and a frame.  For testimony, I journaled about the duals that are sure to come in the later years as my daughter grows into a teen.  It is written on the pull-out card and reads:

I'm not so naive that I believe our duals will always end with fits of giggles and hugs and kisses.  You are your mother's daughter, and that's a double-edged sword...you have my stubborn streak and my determination, both of which will likely cause us to butt heads often when you hit your teen years.  When that time comes, I will draw upon this memory an remember the love and lightheartedness; the prophecy of standoffs to come.  And we will get through it...and maybe even giggle, just a little.  

Here are a couple of close-ups:

BOAF November Kit Reveal

November's kit for Birds of a Feather Kit Co. is full of fun goodies and awesome papers...The designs are easy to use and versatile and I anticipate being able to use every bit of this kit!  For my first November reveal, I decided to showcase Mr. Handsome Beau and his love and neverending tolerance for our little lady. Yes, he is humiliated to be wearing a bunny ear headband...but he's awesome, because he will wear it anyway, until his "sister" decides she's grown bored of playing Easter bunny.  

The second layout is of one of my most favorite photos because of the way Beau is looking into my daughter's eyes.  He just loves her to pieces.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I appreciate the visits and the love you leave.  Enjoy your Sunday!

CF# 93 - Touch the Sky

I haven't been able to do a CSI case file in a few weeks, so it felt great to work with one of Debbi's lovely schemes again!  And, being that it is the 2nd week of the month, there's a fabulous Emma Stafrace sketch as well!  (Unfortunately, while I had the best intentions to follow the sketch, the layout ended up going in a bit of a different direction).  Here's the case file and sketch.

And here's my layout.

I have gone back and forth on this one and whether I love it or hate it, but as often happens when I'm working with mixed media, getting my hands dirty and playing with the different textures and mediums trumps any discipline I have to "see" a page as complete until it's so layered up and over the top that there's no coming back...nonetheless, I love the colors, I love the quote, and this was a TON of fun to create.  (P.S.  I am going to have to order more of those metal birdie clips...I love putting them on my photos like they're my little guardian angels sitting on my shoulder.) ;-)

(I forgot to put the birdie on the pic for this one!)

Thanks so much for stopping by!

CSI Case File #89 - B is for Bright...

Man, I struggled with these pastels!!  Started with some gelatos and mists over gesso, then decided I didn't like the drippy look so gesso'd over that a bit, then decided the colors were too bold, so gesso'd over that too!  Holy moly.  How's that for an opening paragraph?  LOL

Anyway, this week's CSI Case File (which, as does every 2nd week of the month, featured a fabulous sketch by Em Stafrace) featured some muted pastels that I found incredibly challenging (ahem, see above...) but that is what I love about CSI.  The challenge to step outside your comfort zone, experiment with color combinations, but still get your journaling in so you preserve your family stories.  And despite the struggle of putting this one together, I am happy with the end result.  Afterall, how could I be anything less than happy with a smile that bright beaming up at me from the page?

Here's the case file and sketch:

And here's my layout and some close-ups:

Thanks for looking and TGIF!!!!  :-)

CSI Case File #71...Guess How Much I Love You?

Another fabulous challenge this week over at CSI!  The color scheme was perfection...one of my faves!  So how did I end up with a layout that that is way overdone and has smeared stars?  No idea.  I was going with an evening moon theme, but sometimes the creative process goes awry and this happens.  No matter though...I scrapped some great pictures, and documented one of me and my daughter's favorite books.  So, all in all it's still a scrappy success.  Happy scrapping!

Here is the challenge:

And here is my take on it:

I created the gray background by mixing some white gesso with black acrylic to get a rich gray.

A couple of our favorite lines from the children's book "Guess How Much I Love You?"

Loving these Recollections wooden house embellies!  Note: Paint and Heidi Swapp masks don't mix...hence the smeared stars.  Oh well...live and learn! :-)

AAG Mini-Challenge - Sketch!

I recently had the pleasure of being selected for the Design Team for a fabulous new challenge blog, About A Girl, dedicated to all the ladies in our lives - daughters, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, etc.  It's a great place to stop in for inspiration and to play along with the challenges and get those girl photos scrapped!    This week we are bringing you a mini-challenge, to hold you over until the big reveal of the first challenge on May 1st!  Here is the sketch:

And here is my interpretation of it.  I played around with molding paste, gesso, corrugated cardboard and newspaper.  Stop by the blog, check out what the other talented DT members did with the sketch, and show us your take on it!  Be sure to link back to your layout to be considered for a great little prize!

gesso diluted a bit to be more transparent - painted it over the newspaper.

sanded down the gesso once dried to give it a distressed look

I will use anything and everything on a layout - I used the box my Citrus Twist to make a fun little banner .  After I cut the triangles, I strung some floss through the triangles to connect them all.

I layered some goodies to create a cluster in the upper corner.

Added some teal acrylic paint to molding paste to make a textured background behind the photos.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Sunday!