“Study to Show Yourself Approved”

I am participating in a Faith-based Challenge at Splitcoast Stampers, for which I am creating a 6x6 minibook page with a Scripture Verse for each month of the year. For September, I still have “back to school” on my mind, so I chose one of my favorite memorized verses to showcase on this page.

I used abc Primer paper and some embellishments from Graphic 45. The grunge board letters are from Tim Holtz, inked with Barn Door Distress Stain.

Being a lifelong student, this verse has always been very meaningful to me—I have always loved to study (as long as it is not for a test or for a grade)!

I am also entering this back to school project in the Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge for this fortnight.

Kraft Resist Technique on Journey Tag

One of my very favorite techniques from Tim Holtz’s book Compendium of Curiosities Volume 2 is Resist on Kraft Paper. This technique is featured in this week’s challenge at Linda Ledbetter’s Studio L3. I already submitted a scrapbook page using this technique (see previous post), but it was so much fun that I felt compelled to make a tag as well!

Almost everyone who uses Tim’s techniques most certainly has an “Enjoy the Journey” design somewhere in their stack of Tim projects. Realizing I have never used that theme, off I went, using two of my favorite colors, Dusty Concord and Peacock Feathers.

This tag will probably be used on a scrapbook layout with some pictures of my grandson’s “new” vehicle:

Another Ford boy with his Ford

Kraft Resist Technique-Nicaragua Scrapbook Page

For this scrapbook page, I used the Kraft Resist Technique featured on page 41 of Tim Holtz’s Compendium of Curiosities Volume 2. This technique is the focus of  Linda’s Studio L3 Studio challenge this week.

Our son and his two teenagers recently returned from a mission trip to Nicaragua. I printed out a few of his photos and created a two-page layout, this page being the left side. I thought it was interesting that the basic Kraft color is the exact color of the dirt in Nicaragua!

Scrapbooking is my first crafting love, and I work on my scrapbooks continually. I rarely post pictures of those projects, as they are not as easy to photograph and are usually not “share-worthy” (that is, they are just the way I want to do them, and not exemplary of the latest trends).

I am also entering this project in Hels Sheridan’s Sunday Stamper challenge this week.

Mixed Media Canvas-Number Our Days

 

 

When this Scripture Verse came to mind recently, I began to envision ways to illustrate it on a canvas, with a myriad of calendars and clocks and watches and numbers. This is only the second canvas I have attempted, and I find I really enjoy it.

My favorite acrylic paint is by Claudine Hellmuth, and I used several of her paints on this project. After applying a coat of gesso to the 8x10 canvas, I covered it with Sky Blue paint. Then I added dabs and splotches of  Yellow Pastel and Landscape Green. I applied a light coat of Altered Orange over most all of the surface and smeared some Sable Brown (with my fingers) along some of the corners and edges. I inked the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I made the tag as a focal point for the verse, dry embossing Kraft Core and then sanding and inking with Vintage Photo. Metal charms and embellishments are from 7 Gypsies and Tim Holtz.

I incorporated the watch I created several weeks ago, adding the heart charm to the watch chain in keeping with the verse reference to “heart of wisdom.”

For texture and dimension, I used several of my favorite background stamps and stencils, using Archival Ink. I used Molding Paste with the Sky Blue paint and a Crafter’s Workshop stencil to give added dimension.

Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
              Ps 90:12 (NIV)

I love the verse because it reminds me to stop and “take stock” of my days, as they are limited on this earth. Time-and what I do with it-is a complex topic worthy of contemplation (and moreso as I get older!). And I certainly DO want to gain a heart of wisdom.

I am entering this project in the Simon Says Stamp & Show current challenge.

When “Back to School” Becomes “Off to School”

Yes, I do have “back to school” in my heart. But this year, the “circle of life” is very real for our family. The importance of the  “beginning of a new school year” began for me in 1953, when I started first grade in Blue Eye, Missouri (see my mini book for more details).

Barbara Kay - 1st Grade

Then I graduated from high school, got married and started college, all in 1965.

Barbara – Senior Picture (1965)

Then, before I knew it, my firstborn (Mark) was starting school (1975). Two years after that, my baby girl (Sharida) started school (1977).

Mark and Sharida (Feb 1976)

I turned around once, maybe twice, and we were taking our firstborn off to college (1988), closely followed by his sister’s leaving the nest (1990).

Mark – HS Senior 1988 (valedictorian)

Sharida – HS Senior 1990 (valedictorian)

Another minute or two passed, and my firstborn’s firstborn (Tory) was starting kindergarten (1999), and my daughter’s firstborn (Alyssa) started school that same year.

Tory and Alyssa – just before starting KG (1999)

I turned around again and, yesterday, August 16, 2012, our firstborn (Mark) took his firstborn (Tory) to college. Our daughter (Sharida) will take her daughter (Alyssa) to college on Sunday.

Tory – Senior Picture (2012)

Alyssa – Senior Picture (2012)

The Circle of Life. It never ceases to amaze me. Now, we celebrate three generations of “Back to School” becoming “Off to School.” And, it happened so quickly! I say “celebrate” because it really is a celebration of many years of blessings. (That does NOT mean there have not been rivers of tears these last few months!)

Compendium of Curiosities 2-Challenge 18-Back to School

This week’s challenge #18 at Studio L3 uses the technique outlined on page 47 of Tim Holtz’s Compendium of Curiosities Volume 2, “whitewash stamping.” This challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

With crafting (I have scrapbooked for 8 years but have only recently delved into the mixed media/tag/stamp/ink arena), I find I “work” to fit my mood. If you have been following any of my projects, you may recognize that I have “back to school” in my heart. This is my fourteenth year NOT to be teaching, and yet, every year at this time, I get the “back to school fever.” My husband (a retired school superintendent) and I have collected many old “readers” through the years, so I pulled out one of those books for the photo.

The Graphic 45 abc Primer stamps fit my mood perfectly. I used Distress Inks in Dusty Concord, Seedless Preserves, Shaded Lilac and Salty Ocean. Several weeks ago I created several ticket strips, and I find there are so many times when I grab those for tags!
I am also entering this tag in Really Reasonable Ribbon’s Purple Pizzazz and Ribbon Theme challenge and the Favorite Technique challenge at Simon Says Stamp & Show, as well as Bloggers Challenge, Back to School theme.

Art Journal-Abundant Life

Still hanging in there with art journal attempts, because (1) I love the “idea” of it; (2) I love the process. But I am still not pleased with my outcomes. For now, I’ll keep at it.

For this one, I used the moleskine small sketchbook that I have designated as my “inspiration journal.” I covered the two pages with gesso and then used gel medium to adhere a piece of 7 Gypsies Tissue Paper (“Life”). I used several distress stains to achieve my desired background color: Picket Fence, Spiced Marmalade, and Aged Mahogany. I used stamps from Claudine Hellmuth and Tim Holtz. The tag was inked with Spiced Marmalade, edges inked with Aged Mahogany and Black Soot Distress Inks. The crinkled seam binding on the tag was stained with Aged Mahogany Distress Stain. I sprayed the entire layout with Perfect Pearls Sunflower Sparkle.

I want to be inspired to claim the promise from Jesus of “the abundant life” that He came to give.

Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #17-Creative Core’dinations

This week’s challenge at Studio L3 uses the Creative Core’dinations techniques outlined by Tim Holtz on page 61 of his book, Compendium of Curiosities Volume 2. This week’s challenge is sponsored by Simon Says Stamp.

It seems I keep repeating myself, but this really is one of my favorite techniques. I actually used two different shades of  Kraft-Core Nostalgic Collection Cut & Emboss Series. I stamped the sentiment with Fired Brick Distress Ink and applied Perfect Pearls Gold. I inked the edges with Frayed Burlap. The ribbons were stained with Fired Brick Distress Stain and Black Soot Distress Ink.

Minibook Using Graphic 45 abc primer Paper-Our Primary School Years (1951-1956)

After falling in love with Graphic 45 abc Primer paper, I decided to create a minibook of our early grade school years (my husband’s and mine). The papers actually reminded me of those first days of school for me. My little school, in Blue Eye, a tiny town on the Missouri/Arkansas border, did not have kindergarten (most schools in our area of the country did not, at that time). By the time I began first grade, I was so ready, that school was literally a thrill for me. I absolutely LOVED learning, and actually, everything about school. That was true when I started school, and it continued to be true throughout my teaching years. So just seeing these nostalgic primer papers brought back some absolutely wonderful memories. I knew that I wanted my minibook to be an attempt to recapture and store some of those recollections.

It was a much larger project than I anticipated, and it took me several weeks to finish. I started by getting some ideas from YouTube videos, especially enjoying the work of Clare Charvill. In fact, I believe her ideas were the inspiration for my cover. I soon discovered, however, that while others’ work is very dramatic and gorgeous, I would need to settle in on my own style, keeping in mind my desired outcome (to have a minibook that my children and grandchildren would enjoy, that would give them a glimpse of that stage of our lives).

One of the painstaking, but actually fun, activities involved preparing the little black math flashcards from the papers. I wanted to make them like real miniature flashcards, and so I adhered the whole page of flashcards to black cardstock before cutting them. Then I punched a small hole in the corner of each, to thread them onto a chain, along with a ruler cut from the papers (also adhered to black cardstock).

The first step in the album creation involved scanning in the old school pictures, repairing and editing them. The basic format of my album is that each of our first three grades has a two-page layout (except for Russell’s first grade year, for which we have no school picture). Each left-hand page has a pocket that I created, and inside the pocket is a decorated tag, with journaling on one side, written on primary paper that I scanned and printed. Each right-hand page is the school picture from that year.

This is the only photo that is “hidden” beneath a flap.

The “journaling” tags: I opted NOT to photo every single tag from every single pocket, but I covered both sides of every tag, one side with papers and the other side with primary printing paper with my hand-printed journaling.

(An astute observer might note that my husband has two basic primary school memories: recess and girls, as his third grade memory is similar to this one! Hmmmm.).

Then I attached something to each tag to make it easy to pull from the pouch (button, ribbon, chipboard piece, and so forth.). Some of the pockets also contain other things, such as portions of text printed from my life story, a piece of music referenced by the journaling, etc.

Whew! I’m glad to have it done! Through the years, I have written my life story, and it was fun to use portions of what I had recorded about my elementary years for the journaling.

(For a closer view, click on each picture.)

I am entering this project in the current challenge at Simon Says Stamp and Show as well as the current challenge at My Mojo Monthly.

CC2Challenge #16-Perfect Pearls Mist-Serenity

This is my entry in the Lovely Linda Ledbetter’s challenge, using techniques outlined by Tim Holtz on page 54 of his Compendium of Curiosities, Volume 2. Tim discusses some variations on this technique, and I used several of them on this project, especially loving the Textured Layering. Again using what I had on hand, I used Sunflower Sparkle and Forever Violet sprays and placed the faux enameled metal on a #8 Kraft tag.

The stamp is La Blanche, stamped on kraft paper and heat embossed using Distress Embossing Ink and fine black embossing powder. The purple ribbon was stained with Dusty Concord Distress Stain; the other ribbon was colored with Sunflower Sparkle. The rosette trim (Tim Holtz) was stained with Forever Violet and Perfect Pearl.

I wanted some dimension around the swan, so I matted her with some card stock from the Nostalgic Collection, Cut & Emboss Series, and then popped her off the tag with black foam tape. All edges were inked with Black Soot Distress Ink, some also with Dusty Concord.

I love the feeling of calm I have when I see this beautiful swan. I chose the word “Serenity” (computer-generated) to express the emotion.

Minibook Page for Challenge-August

For my August project for the Split Coast Stampers Bible Verse Monthly Challenge, I used a tag that I made earlier. This is one of my favorite verses, and the tag was hanging from my display just asking to be put to good use! So, I made the minibook page around this tag. I used Tim Holtz’s shattered stains technique for the grunge board butterflies on the tag. The other butterfly was stamped and then colored with Ripe Persimmon Distress Stain.

My Made Up Taco Salad

Last night I just threw something together for supper that turned out so awesome that I need to write down the recipe. As long as I’m writing it, may as well share:

Mix together the following in large salad bowl:

• Romaine, chopped
• Finely chopped tomato
• Chopped avocado (Hass)
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Niblets corn, 1 can drained
• Progresso Black Beans, 1 can rinsed and drained
• Ranch Dressing

Place Fritos on plate, top with mixed salad. Top that with

• Grated Mild Cheddar Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Medium Taco Sauce

Enjoy!

Timeless Memories-12 Tags of 2012-August

When I saw Tim Holtz’s post this morning, with his August tag, I knew right away I would need to be creative. I did not have most of the supplies he used, but he is a great encourager of creativity, so I determined to make do with “what I have.” And, in all honesty, “what I have” is quite a lot. (She who dies with the most crafting supplies wins, right?—just kidding of course.)

I started with a black #8 tag as the background. On top of that, I used a sheet of Kraft-Core Nostalgic Collection (Cut & Emboss Series). I embossed it with a bookplate texture fade in the Vagabond. I sanded it lightly, cut it to fit the tag, distressed the edges, and then inked it with Vintage Photo. I made my own sentiment on the computer, printed on kraft paper and inked the edges.

I used my Cricut Heritage Cartridge for the silhouette cameo, cutting from black card stock, covering it with Distress Embossing Ink, and heat embossing with clear powder. The Prima flowers, baubles, trinkets and lace were pulled from my stash.

Loving vintage, heritage-type projects, and this tag will likely make its way onto a larger project in the near future.