'Magical' - My entry for the 7dots Challenge using 2Crafty Chipboard

 Hi there everyone,

I've popped in today to share my latest for 2Crafty Chipboard.

I was feeling a little flat, so to find my mojo, I decided to do a challenge!

It's been so long that I entered a challenge, and it's a great way to be pushed to try something new, rather than repeating what you know.

So I headed over to my favourite company 7Dots Studio, and as soon as I saw their mood board challenge, the creativity and ideas began to flow.

I've called this one 'Magical' as it works perfectly with the chipboard, and the story!

This layout captures my daughter and her girlfriend as they headed off to a Formal.

They were hamming it up for the camera as they anticipated the magical night ahead of them!
 

Let's take a look at that amazing moodboard:

I LOVE it!! The colours, the dress the feathers - you can see why it inspired me so!

You can see details about the challenge here

I used the following 2Crafty Chipboard:

"6" Mandala No 3"

"Fine Word Set 2"

"Dreamcatchers"

"Indian Feathers"

"Soft Feather Set"

I created a Dreamcatcher using the new 6" Mandala No 3.

To achieve the effect, I added white gesso, and then rubbed some rust coloured ink over it.

I made sure this was random as I really wanted some of the white to show through.

I then added some teal coloured acrylic paint in various sections. 

I love the look I achieved!

I repeated the process with the 'Indian Feathers' and also the 'Soft Feather Set'.

On some I used more rust, and on others I used more teal.

I love that 2Crafty Chipboard is so adaptable!! 

It can become any colour I want it to be, so it ties in perfectly with the layout and the story.

Once dry, I went over the top of the feathers with a white gel pen, adding a few dots and details.

This really made them 'pop'.

I again repeated this process on the 'Dreamcatcher'.

I positioned one next to my photos, and added another to the edge of the layout, to create balance.

I also added a few beads to enhance the 'bohemian theme'.

For my title, I used the word 'Magical' from the 'Fine Word Set 2', as it just suited the layout so perfectly.

I added a rust ink to this and added it the top of my photos.

I just love all the layers, and adore those colours together!

That mix of chipboard feathers and real feathers just makes my heart so happy!

I used SO much 7Dots Studio products - they always appear on my layouts.

The background paper is from the 'Writer's Block' Range (I think that's my favourite background paper to create on).
The tags are from both 'Dreamscapes' and 'Fortune Teller', and the word stickers are a part of the 'Hazy Days' Collection.

I get all my 7Dots Studio products from my fave scrappy Australian store - Scrap Matrix.

That's it from me today......

I'll see you all again in December! (seriously December, that's CRAZY)

Luv Tam

xx

Painting petals and adding metals.....

 

Today I'm here to share my second post the very cool challenge "Metals and Petals" over at Scrap Matrix.

 

 

I got a bit painty with this one, inspired by someone I love and follow on Instagram - Lydell Quin.

 

I just love that background, and I love the contrast of the metal  flowers against the arty background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So let's take a look at how it came together.

 

I began with a background sheet of paper from 7Dots Garden Party Range.

 

 

 

I then decided to add colour using Prima Watercolours in Tropical.

 

This required a layer of gesso to protect the paper.

I swiped it on using an old store card - and really only put it where my painting was gonna go.

I decided to go with blues - I selected this colour as both my girl and I were wearing blue in the photos I wanted to use.

 

So I began - initially I just kinda blobbed it on (yep technical term).  Make sure to use plenty of water. This helps it to look blobby rather than painted on.  Not sure if that makes sense.

 

Anyway, I used the two different shades of blue to create depth.

 

I then added flicks by tapping the end of my brush.

 

Hmmmmm they don't really look like flowers at this point.....

 

I let it dry and began to look at the blobs - thinking, which of these could become flowers.

 

I then went over these, and moved the brush gently, hoping this would look like petals.

It kinda worked!!!  I also let some run down the paper a little.

 

I then added some greens in various shades, in between the flowers and around the edge.  These will be leaves. I didn't try to make leaf shapes - just more blobs.

 

Can you see the flowers yet???

 

I can!!

 

Time to get out my Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks. I added black to the centre of the flowers.

 

I also began to outline the flowers and petals using a fine pen.

I added in leaves and a few stems too.

 

I also added white gel pen to the centre of the flowers.

 

See!! There they are!!

 

Ok, time to add my photos, and a few layers behind them.

 

I decided to use one of my NEW Clarabelle Stamps - Edges of my Journal

 

Vicki has just got these awesome stamps in.....and I may have bought quite a few.....to see the range head HERE

 

 

 

 

I selected the scalloped border.

I stamped it onto some scrap and cut it out.

 

 

 

 

I then added a few tags by 7Dots (of course!). I used my fave tags - Writer's Block, and added a few 7Dots embellishment stickers too.

 

 

 

 

Now it's time to add some metal!

 

I love these gorgeous silver metal flowers, and knew they'd be perfect against the blue flowers.

 

 

 

I adhered them with some 3D Gloss Gel.  Such an easy way to add metal - and it allows you to tuck it in between your layers.

 

I then cut out a few of the butterlies from that gorgeous 7Dots paper - .Garden Party - Born  I had left on my desk from my previous creation.

 

Now time for the journaling, and capturing the story behind the photos.

 

This one's all about my daughter being accepted into the NYSF Program for 2019, which includes a trip to Canberra to engage in all things science-y.

It's a highly sought after achievement, and is a national program, so we were so excited that she was selected. She'd worked so hard.

Isn't she amazing? Brains and beauty!

 

So proud, definitely needs documenting.

These photos were taken at an acknowledgement ceremony at Government House.

 

 

I used some 7Dots Word Stickers and an embellishment sticker, which I recorded the facts on.

Then for the title, I added some 13Arts Clear Stickers.

 

I then wrote my personal words around these.

 

I really love the way these clear words look on the page - I love that they merge into the background - fits perfectly with the hand-drawn elements amongst my flowers.

I'm really happy with how this turned out.

I love the artsy style, I definitely feel like I'm getting braver with my painting!

 

The trick - just try it!

 

 

 

 

So are you having a go at out 'Metals and Petals' Challenge?

 

 

 

 

It's a goodie....and all you need to do is upload your entry - whether it be a layout, an art journal page, some cards, a canvas, some tags....whatever!

 

Just make sure to use some products available from Scrap Matrix, and include some metals (could be actual metal - Scrap Matrix has stacks! You'll find them HERE, or it could be chippy you've altered to look like metal), and some petals (flowers, stamped, stencilled, drawn, painted......)

 

Load it into the correct album in our Facebook Scrap Matrix Shares page, and let us know in the comments what the products are.

 

I can't wait to see what you do......the possibilities are endless!

 

I hope today has inspired you to get a bit painty......

 

 

 

Scrap Matrix Products used:

 

7Dots Paper - Garden Party - Dreamy

7Dots Paper - Garden Party Born

7Dots Writer's Block Tags

White Gesso

Clarabelle Stamp - Edges of my Journal

Prima Watercolours - Prima

Metal Flowers

7Dots Embellishments

7Dots Word Stickers

3D Gloss Gel

Scribble Sticks

13Arts Clear Stickers

 

 

My latest for 2Crafty Chipboard.....

Today I've popped in to share my latest for 2Crafty Chipboard.

 

This one's titled:

"You make me Happy when Skies are Grey"

 

I had a lot of fun with this one!

I created the background paper by using a green sheet of paper, adding a funky stencil, and some spritz.

 

Easy yet so effective!

I used the following 2Crafty Chipboard:

 

"You make me Happy when Skies are Grey title"

"Foliage Set 5"

"Flowering Clusters"

"Weeping Vine"

 

All of the chipboard was clustered to one corner of the page.

 

I did this as the background was quite busy, and I wanted to focus the eye of the viewer into the photograph.

 

 

 

I went simple with colour, again because of the busy background, keeping it mostly monochromatic.

 

 

 

 

I applied white gesso to the "Flowering Clusters" and used these as my background piece.

 

 

 

 

I also applied white gesso to some of the leaves in the "Foliage Set 5".

 

Once dry, I added some black pen marks, just for a bit of fun.

 

 

 

 

I added some teal coloured ink to the "You make me Happy when Skies are Grey" title.

 

I love that pop of teal mixed with the lime and black and white!

 

 

 

 

Finally I added white emboss powder to the "Weeping Vine", and poked this in amongst the layers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see I added my favourite embellishment - some 7Dots Studio tags, available from Scrap Matrix.

 

They sure do show up on EVERY PAGE I create!

 

 

 

 

That's it from me today, I hope I've inspired you.

 

I'll be back again soon, until then I hope you get some creative time!