Okay - confession time!  I love creating scrapbook pages - and have developed a total addiction to mixed media / canvas creations, but I never ever make cards.  Never.  Ever.  My kiddos create cards for friends and relatives...  but I ALWAYS buy mine to give...  So...  again - working out of my comfort zone - here's my first go at some Christmas cards.  A few other ideas crashed and burned before these came together.  I have a long way to go on learning, but all in all not too bad to start.
          First, my angel card (Figure 1) in gold and white on a tan background.  I used the beautiful Sissex angel wings die to cut the wings.  Then, I sent them thru a dry emboss press to create the swirls - plus, added some white glitter and high gloss to make them shimmer.  Next, cut out a large heart shape and do an accordion fold for the angel body.  I found a gorgeous pearl loop "button" to use as the head.  The music background is stamped with gold ink and the Joyeux Noel is from a stamp set I purchased last year...  simple and elegant card.

Figure 1

 

          Second, I created a snowflake card (Figure 2).  I started by painting a paper with Sapphire On Ice Luminarte Silk paint.  After it dried, I used a TCW snowflake stencil and mixed high gloss and glitter together and brushed it over the stencil.  AMAZING the beautiful shimmery snowflakes that it created!!!  This photo doesn't show how gorgeous this looks.  Finally, the snowflake on top is created by cutting a toilet paper roll intp 1/2 inch sections and painting it with white paint mixed with glitter.  it turned out so cute!!!  This would be an easy card to make with kids -

   

Figure 2

 

          My third card (Figure 3) was created by using a Sissex Gumball machine die.  This sissex die combined with it's embossing folder - I loved it!  I rubbed a teal blue ink over the 5 cents and gumballs to give it a bit of definition...   and added a fun red ribbon.  The sentiment says...  "Back in the old days..."  "it was the small things that made life BIG" - too fun!

 

Figure 3

 

          My final card was one of my favorite - it is light & fun - and since we live in a tropical climate - appropriate for our Christmas season (Figure 4).  I started with the Sissex Accordian Flip die - and created three sections.  Then, using white paint and high gloss acrylic, I stamped a chevron shape on the middle frame.  Next, I stamped the palm tree/Christmas tree, surfing Santa, and the "tis the season" sentiment - then painted it with Luminarte silk paints.  I have to say I have LOVED working with these gorgeous shimmery paints!!!  On the reverse side I can place three pictures before I send the card out.

 

Figure 4

 

          So I have to say my first experience making cards was a trial run.  It was exciting to try new things - I had a great time!  Hope you all create some on your own too.



HKMC | November Kit Club

          So excited to bring you a new kit for our November Kit Club at HKMC!  Check out this fantastic kit (Figure 1) from October Afternoon - Travel Girl.  We love to travel - so I couldn't wait to start crafting with this one!!! 

Figure 1

 

          The first layout I created was a single page layout (shocker - I know!).  At the HKMC Fall Retreat, we created some tags using the people outline stencils - and I wanted to use one of these tags (Figure 2) on my travel layout. I LOVE the Luminarte Silk Paint - fabulous!!!  

 

Figure 2

 

          One of my new purchases, is the awesome new world map from the digital section of Two Peas in a Bucket.  I used my Sissex eclips to cut it out of blue cardstock.  One of my friends had picked up a beautiful immigration embossing die for me - I embossed white cardstock and ran some orange ink over it...  added a few pieces of paper and stickers.  Normally, I don't use gray much - but I have to say I am loving it - especially with the blue and orange here.  I also included one of my favorite family travel photos and I intentionally let it fade in with the paper since I wanted the girl and the world map to be the focus (Figure 3).  Something else that I enjoyed using were the cling stamps "This Way" and Ali Edwards stamps "fabulous" and "TRAVEL"

Figure 3

 

          Up close shot of the Immigration embossed paper (Figure 4).  

Figure 4

 

 

          My second layout was a double page using the negative of the world map I created for the single page above over the gray street paper from the Travel Girl.  I wanted this layout to show how much fun we've had across the world together as a couple and now as a family.  Love my title that I created on the Sissex eclips machine -  "Oh, the Places You'll GO!" - (Figure 5) especially since I can create it at any size that I would like. 

 

Figure 5

           Using Luminarte Silk paints in Yellow Rose and paste, I painted it over a gorgeous stencil.  Next, I added 13 photos taken from all over the world.  I added the title and the string (Figure 6).  Last touch, I added the wood plane.



 Figure 6

     
           My final layout was a double page about travel, but it specifically focused on the summer fun the kiddos had in our front yard in the USA.  I captured some great photos while the kids played in the sprinkler (Figure 7).

Figure 7

 

          I used some of the red enamel dots and blue arrows to draw attention to the title: travel {home}.  These photos show how carefree the kiddos feel when they are splashing around in the water sprinkler. 

Figure 8

 

 I especially love the one of them dancing (Figure 8)!  Awww - to be young again...   

Spooktacular Day | Halloween double layout

          Boo to you!  Happy Halloween everyone - hope that you all enjoyed the holiday.  We had a fun couple of events to participate in for Halloween and I look forward to scrapbooking them soon...  In the meantime, I have finally gotten around to finishing my Halloween layout that I started at our HKMC Fall Retreat using last year's pictures!!!  Take a look at the SPOOKtacular Day.
          The Luminarte Silk Paints are one of my new favorite items - and this Pumpkin Spice was the PERFECT orange color for my Halloween layout (Figure 1).  Check out the title - it started out as raw chipboard, but with one coat of this beautiful silk paint... gorgeous!  I used that same paint on my tag that I layered under the Trick or Treat canvas tag that I found in my stash.  In addition, I added my journaling on white cardstock that I decorated with washi tape down the side to give it a little pizzazz.  Then I tied a small bit of black & white twine around the tag to complete this section.

Figure 1

           One final touch that I added once my layout was complete were these two googly eyes to the center of the Os in SPOOK (Figure 2).  TOO FUN!

Figure 2

          My collection of pictures were from three different events around Halloween 2012: 1) creating the haunted house, the pumpkin carving, and the shrunken apple heads; 2) the magician act at our apartment complex and how he kept picking on my two girls and their wigs!; 3) the Halloween party we attended at one of our friends' homes.  I blocked the pictures in the middle of my accents to help unify the different events.  I added one of my Reminisce papers with the green background and adorable spiders down the side of my right page...  I liked the look of the spiders but I only wanted it as an accent - and to make them even cuter - my friend, Jen, suggested I added some glossy accent to each of them!  She was right!!!   I used my exacto knife around a few of the swirls to give the page an added dimension (Figure 3).  All in all it turned out fairly well - what a fun group of memories to collect. 

Figure 3

HKMC | Fall Retreat Reveal

          So excited to share some new scrapbook products revealed at our HKMC Fall Retreat!  First let me give you an overview of the different tags that the four of us on the design team came up with using the new Luminarte silk paint.  It's AMAZING to see the different looks and designs from each of us - so fun!

Figure 1

 

          This was my favorite tag creation.  First, I mixed the Matte Medium with the Yellow Rose silk paint.  I used this mixture to freehand paint a sunshine in the upper right-hand corner.  After drying this sunshine, I painted the canvas on the right side with Key Lime green and on the left side with Yellow Rose.  The matte medium 'resists' the colors and leaves the design!  Using a Sissix die I cut out this set of beautiful butterfly wings.  Take the wings and dry emboss them with a swirl plate and a number plate...  then paint them with two different colors of blue...  Stamp the phrase on the bottom right side with archival black ink.  Use a 3D diecut to create the flowers from tissue paper.

Figure 2

 

          The next tag that I created was the house tag in Figure 2.  First, I stamped my stamp in some of the Key Lime green paint.  Next, I used this chevron stamp to stamp the image a few times on my card.  After it dried, I painted the entire tage with Teal Zircon.  I allowed this 2nd color to dry - and the lime green 'resisted' the blue and shows through.  Take a stencil (I used a number stencil) and paint on top of the blue and lime green paints with the Sapphire On Ice blue paint.  Then, I used a canvas tag that I hand-cut into the shape of a house.  Using some of my favorite background stamps, I stamped a door, some text to distress it, and the sentiment. 

          The third tag was so fun to create!  I used a beautiful Quatrefoil stencil and painted three different blue Luminarte paints to create a color wash fade - GORGEOUS!!!!  Next, I used my favorite Distress Ink - Vintage Photo to distress the tag.  Then, I added a hot air balloon - I cut three identical circles.  I painted each of them using the beautiful Luminarte silk Pink Azalea paint.  After it dried, I mixed blue glitter with gel medium and used my distressed bubble wrap stamp to create a variegated design on the balloon - the texture is fabulous!   Once it was dry, I folded each in half and glued them back-to-back.  Add two short pieces of baker's twine and a square basket to finish the hot air balloon look.  Finally, add the sentiment to finish off the tag.

         

Figure 3

 

          My fourth and final tag, is shown in Figure 3 above.  First, I painted two different blue paints around the edges of the card and lime green in the middle to highlight the center of the tag.  Second, using gel medium, I added some wonderful music and butterfly tissue paper over some random areas on the tag - I love the way you can see the colors beneath it!  Then, I used our new chalkboard tags - I embossed swirls on the circle tag and left the backing on this self-adhesive tag (otherwise it doesn't hold the embossed design as well).  I again used those gorgeous Luminarte paints to color the swirls and give the tag some texture.  I like the moon-like look of this tag!  I added some tissue flowers in the lower right corner to finish off my tag.  The other tags created by the DT are shown below:

Figure 4

 

          I hope you get the chance to play with these amazing new paints - they are beautiful and create some wonderful artistic designs!

HKMC | Fall Retreat

          Hooray!  It's almost here - that fabulous time of year for retreat!  I love to get together with some of my scrapbooking friends to share techniques and stories.  It's always a fun time with lots of food, ideas, and creating.  This year we will be focusing on Luminarte Silks Acrylic Glaze.  I have to say they are well named - they go on like SILK and the colors are amazing!!!

I had a chance to 'play' with the colors and here is a sneak peek of the tag base that I created...  let's .just say - it even gets MORE FABULOUS from here...  add these to the "have to have" list!!!

          Full reveal coming soon...  but the first people to enjoy a glimpse are the attendees at the HKMC Fall Retreat!  See you this weekend -

Dates and Times Friday, 4th October 2013 from 10am to 10pm
Saturday, 5th October 2013 from 10am to 6pm