Rogue Traveller Canvas Passport to Fun challenge

Hi again,

I'm sure it wasn't just me, this winter was the longest, most drawn out test of seasonal affective disorder EVER! When we returned from Southeast Asia, I thought it would have been spring. No such luck.
To cope, I started making paper palm trees. I designed this 11x14 canvas to put on display in my living room, using the fabulous picture of a classic VW camper van as my jumping off point.

I found the picture on Pinterest. The photo credit linked back to desert-dreamer.tumbir.com  A thousand apologies if this is not correct. It's an awesome pic and it reminds me of the jungles in Indonesia that we visited in February.

to start, I made the trunk of the palm tree with some recycled paper bag, twisted it, and sprayed it with color shine.  The fronds were die cut from BoBunny paper, and more recycled packaging for the "looking glass" compass element. I fussy cut a bunch of leaves from the Graphic 45 Tropical Travelogue collection.

 I can't remember the company which the background paper is from. I found it in the sale bin at my local scrapbook  store.  I added some lightweight modelling paste around the edges and also created a stencil from the palm frond die to add more visual interest on the edges.

 here you can see the recycled plastic packaging I used to make a cool compass.  I added some remnant rubs to the canvas as well.  Those packs are awesome. You can put them on everything (like Franks Red Hot hahaha) I glued some jute twine around the plastic to give it a more finished look.

I knew I needed some more red on the canvas to visually balance it with the picture, so I stitched some great metallic thread through the one side.

I really love how it turned out. I am going to submit this piece to Simon Says Stamp and Show for their weekly challenge:  http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.ca/2013/04/challenge-passport-to-fun.html

I Love Babies!

Hi again,
My good friend and co-worker had her first baby in April. I love my art hobby so much because it lets me make heartfelt and personalized gifts.

I made the step card while she was still pregnant and didn't know the sex of the baby. General pastel colors always work well on a card for a new mom to be. However, once I colored the teddy bears, they were way too bright for the card, ARGG! Not to worry, after consuming copious amounts of coffee, I remembered the "tone down" technique. I simply cut out the images and pounced alabaster fluid chalk ink all over the colored pieces. Voila! Instant muted color that fit with the background papers. Dollar store trinkets and a chipboard rocking horse complete the card.

Welcome to the world little one.

12 Tags of 2013 - April

Hi there,
I wanted to post my April tag from Tim Holtz's blog. Is it just me? I get excited for the start of a new month and a new tag to create. I finished this one quite a while ago, but I haven't taken any photos until today.

We don't have the metallic distress paints up here yet, so I started with a shiny copper cardstock instead and used the paints over top for the patina. I did add some bronze distress stain to enhance the look after it was dry.

Next challenge, I didn't have CFA, so I improvised and used some packaging. I heated it with the heat tool CAUTIOUSLY so I could bend the wings up. Not too shabby. It worked!

I had the rest of the supplies on hand (my art room is like a mini store) to finish up.

Enjoy the Journey

Hi Everyone:

While I was on holidays, Richele Christensen had this great post using the compass embossing folder and distress paint.  I loved it so much that I wanted to make my own version of it when I got back home. check out her blog link here:
http://www.californiaartgirl.blogspot.ca/2013/02/distress-paints-journey-tag.html

here is my card that I created

I did the same technique with the distress paints (LOVE THEM!) such creamy smooth paint. I added Dark Brown fluid chalk ink to make it look a little "older". I die cut "enjoy the journey" from black card stock and added the stamped image of the airplane on clear acetate. This one is the reverse side so I could have the plane going the other way.  I made a belt with some fabric tape and cut a "buckle" from card stock.  I just love the background.  Thanks Richele for the inspiration. Your color combination was just yummy.

Tattered Floral Challenge

Hi everyone,
By now, most of us paper addicts have seen or heard about the tattered floral challenge that Tim Holtz put up on his website. I got caught up in the frenzy and decided to make a card for this challenge.

I love Frangipani and Hibiscus flowers. They are everywhere in the tropics, so I wanted to take the Tattered Floral die and make my own out of paper. Here's what I created...

Frangipani

Hibiscus

and here's the finished card

I am missing my "Siboya Sister". This card is for you girlfriend.

Birthday Blues

Hello again,
I was really excited to drive down to my local scrapbook store when we got back from our trip. Not much stamping or scrapbooking going on in Southeast Asia. I knew the new releases from winter CHA were arriving here at home, (I would find a WiFi spot and check my mail.)

I "needed" the compass and blueprints embossing folders and the birthday blueprint stamps. I wanted to make a faux blueprint so this is what I came up with...

I debossed the folder on light blue paper, added some faded denim distress inks to the surface to get the two tone blue effect. Next, I stamped the mini blueprint birthday stamps on the background, then stamped them again on specialty stamping paper ( can I rant and rave about how much I adore this paper?) and watercolored them with distress markers. I then cut the images out and mounted them onto the background with foam tape.
Of course, every card needs a sentiment, so "make a wish" was stamped on scraps and trimmed to size.

That's it, pretty simple, but I like it. Now go play with some of your new stuff, you know where I'll be...

Far and Away

Hello again,

Sorry for the lapse in posts, the sweet man and I have been in Southeast Asia for the month of February.  It was a great holiday unfortunately I brought home this nasty asian flu bug that gives you "the exorcist" side effects on a 11 hour flight from Hong Kong to Vancouver. I felt so sorry for the lady who was sitting next to me on the plane. The Westjet staff in Vancouver wouldn't let me on the plane home, but instead called the Paramedics and they transported me to the Richmond hospital. I was fed 2 big fat bags of IV fluid and gravol.  I felt like I had the worst hangover in the world without the fun of drinking to excess the night before.  BLAH!  (A big shout out thank you to Cathay Pacific, Westjet, BC EMS, and the Richmond Hospital for taking such good care of me) Anyway, we managed to get clearance to fly home the next day and I have been recovering since then. I certainly feel better now and can't wait to get back to stamping, inking, scrpabooking, and creating wonderful projects from the last few weeks.

I did bring a few supplies on my trip. My art journal, aqua crayons, and a water brush. Limited options; I kept wishing I had a stamp and some ink pads, but oh well, I didn't want to carry around a mini art room in my backpack Hahahaha. I drew some Frangipani flowers and painted them on the page. My drawing skills aren't that great which is why I use stamps, but it was good to stretch my mind a little and try something different. I will add a little more colour to it now that I'm home.

here's a few pictures of the fabulous views we enjoyed over the last month as well...

Lombok Indonesia at the swank Novotel

Ko Siboya bungalows Krabi province, Thailand

not a bad view for enjoying my morning coffee

Phuket, Thailand

I think this car needs a little work