Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Dream ~ April Scraps of Elegance (Lucy layout)

Hello there, scrappy friends! 
Sandi Clarkson here with you today sharing another project featuring the April "A Song of Spring" Kit from Scraps of Elegance. This Kit is built around the gorgeous 49 and Market Scents of Nature paper as well as Blue Fern Studios Spring Parade. 


For my base layers I've used the Scents of Nature Fly Away paper as my foundation and layered it with Beauty Abound where I tore the corner to reveal that gorgeous dark purple from underneath. 

My mixed media work consisted mostly of stamping with a variety of 3 different stamps and misting. No texture paste on this one! Just some clear and white gesso here and there. Of course, I had fun altering the Memory Hardware Resin Frame by Frank Garcia (found in the Elements add-on) with the Art Alchemy. paint and Artisan Powder unclouded in the Color add-on. 

My photo layers (Lucille Ball) were ephemera from the Elements add-on. And of course, lots of florals from the Flower add-on. I've been in a bit of a monochromatic mood with my flowers lately, so  on a couple of this month's projects you'll note less variety but deeper color intensity by staying with the same color familiar or neutrals. 



My frame is turned sideways and tucked under the photo and ephemera. I've been generous with flower laying and completed my composition with the addition of color using the Spectrum Noir pen in Fig from the Creativity Kit. 



A single gorgeous butterfly from the Wings and Things 3D pieces found in the Elements add-on kit. The watch piece is from my stash of goodies. 



For my title I snagged a die cut from my stash and colorized it with the Spectrum Noir pen. 



Here's a close-up of the lower right focal point created with ephemera, florals and a Flair from the Main Kit. 



I love creating dimension. This is really a gorgeous page but it was hard to capture that in my photos. 



One last dimensional shot showing how I added water to the color to create some flow. Coating your paper with clear gesso in the beginning helps the color to move with water application. 

Thanks for coming by today! 
Please visit the STORE to get your. shopping fix or to get more information on subscribing to the Kits! 

Sandi 


Monday, May 29, 2017

May Scraps of Elegance Reveal~



The May SOE kit is here, and it's a beauty!

(as seen on the Scraps of Elegance Blog) 


These are the gorgeous papers you will find in the kit, also available as our Patterned Paper Add On:


We also have the Coordinating Paper Add On (these papers are NOT in the main kit):















This month, we have two separate Creativity Add Ons!





And our OTP Add On: (imagine how pretty this would be if you combine it with the Creativity Add Ons for this month!)


Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you are having a beautiful weekend, and would like to take this opportunity to thank all our vets... all you've done for our country is appreciated, and thank you...

This month's kit and add ons are sold out, but you can always find our available kits in our store here, or you can join the club and never miss out on a kit!  You can purchase a kit subscription here.

My kits have arrived and I can't wait to dive in! 
Sandi



Monday, May 22, 2017

An Altered Journal ~ Scraps of Elegance April Kit!

 Hello, scrappy friends! 

Sandi Clarkson here with you today sharing my latest creation with the April Scraps of Elegance "A Song of Spring" Kit along with the co-ordinating add-ons. 

I love, love, love to alter journal covers.  So, when I saw the 7 Gypsies Mix & Match Book in the Creativity Add-on, I knew I would be altering it! In fact, I'm surprised it wasn't my first project. 


"The Forgotten Moments" 

After removing the cover for altering, I prepared the surface with clear gesso and then covered it with crackle paste and left it to dry overnight. Then I added some color with sepia, wine and light pink mists from my stash and did some stamping for depth and interest. To anchor the focal creation, I added a fave Creative Embellishments Viney Flourish Frame chipboard which was darkened with Walnut Ink. There is some random embossing all over the cover with some chunky, gold embossing powder. 



Next I began adding layers of flowers, paper and embellies. A tag was created using the 49 and Market Hold on Me paper from their Scents of Nature collection, distressed and adorned with some seam binding at the top. Behind it are some of the Rambling Rose die cuts from the Elements add-on as well as flowers from the Main Kit and from the Floral add-on. I also tucked in some of the sweet Flair from the Main Kit and some of the pieces from the 49 and Market 3D embellishments also included in the Elements add-on. 



Here you can see some of those 3 D pieces but this also highlights the Ice Resin German Glass Glitter Shards in Primrose ... and which has momentarily gone missing. The result of a messy desk! From the Elements add-on, I've used the Spectrum Noir Peony Sparkle glitter brush pen around the outline of my chipboard. 



I love how the crackle paste crackled on the journal cover. I promised myself that I wouldn't cover too much of it but indeed I did cover more than I intended. Because there was some great texture on the book, I darkened these higher areas ... although it's a bit hard to tell in photos. 



One of the papers from the Main Kit that I haven't used yet  is called "The Forgotten" and is by 49 and Market. Being intrigued with the title, I decided to work the tear strip into my creation as part of the title. The Flair which is partly hidden says Moments. Thus "The Forgotten Moments" journal was created! 



Just more of the fun altering and playing with mediums and emebellishements form the Kit and add-ons. It is so hard to know when to stop when you're having fun! 



This glorious purple bloom is from the Main Kit, as are most of them with the exclusion of the green one from the Floral add-on. I even tucked in some from the 49 and Market 3D embellishments. 

The very last thing I did was add the glitter glass and wow, does it ever glisten! I couldn't begin to capture the shine! 

Thanks for coming by today. 

Be sure to visit the online  STORE for shopping and to see about getting signed up for the Kits! 
We appreciate your visiting out Blog and other Social Media sites. 

~  Sandi ~ 




Wednesday, May 17, 2017

American Beauty ~ more Scraps of Elegance fun!

Hey, hey! 
Sandi Clarkson here with you today sharing my second project from the April Scraps of Elegance Kit  "A Song of Spring." 

My granddaughter MacKayla was fortunate enough to attend the Kentucky Derby for the first time this year. She is doing an equestrian internship and was beyond thrilled to actually be there for both race days. This selfie photo shows off one of the gorgeous hats she wore! 


I'm not usually one to reach for the color blue very often (I'm more of a teal girl), so this is a bit of a departure for me. I've used the 49 and Market paper (Scents of Nature "Blue Petals") from the Main Kit and did some mixed media work to create some depth and texture. For photo layers I've used tags from the Elements add-on. From there I began working my floral layers using some colorized flowers from the Main Kit as well as some from the Floral add-on and from my stash. On the right, I've tucked in the Blue Fern Studios chipboard from the Main Kit to create additional layers and texture as well as a favorite Creative Embellishments chipboard frame from my stash. 



Here you can see a branch I've tucked in from the 49 and Market 3D elements in the Elements add-on. Reaching back to previous kits, I've included some bronze mica flakes and rhinestones. Of course, I included some cheesecloth as a base layer. 



I loved the butterflies from the 3D elements in the Elements add-on but I wanted them to look more natural, so I put a slight bit of heat to them to crumple them. You might not like the look but I sure do! 



My title is computer generated and is actually a bit of a faux pax.  I meant to title this "Always Dreaming" because that's the name of the horse who won the Race. Guess I'll be changing that! LOL
(But KK is a down to earth American Beauty for sure.) I love the leaves from the 49 and Market flowers in the Floral Add-on, so I've used a few on this layout. Tucked in just a wee bit of that yellow ribbon from the Main Kit. 



Everything got a bit of bit of both blue ink and gesso splatter or dabs. I think that just blends everything nicely. 



This last photo is more or less the center focal point of the layout, so I thought I'd capture it for ya! 

Thanks for coming by today. 
I hope you'll visit the online Scraps of Darkness/Elegance Store because I think there are some remaining April Kits as of this writing!  Also, there are details about subscribing to the Kits. 

~ Sandi~ 




Monday, May 8, 2017

"Fly" - Scraps of Elegance April Kit

Hello, Scraps of Elegance fans! 

Sandi here with you today sharing my first layout with April's gorgeous "A Song of Spring Kit."

I've been waiting for an opportunity to scrap this awesome photo of my grandson Isaac taken on Easter, 2016.  He's been part of our family since 2010 and he's truly a sweetheart. Funny, highly intelligent and get this ... a paper crafting dude! Give him some paper and he can make anything! So, I'm not sure if he'll be a rocket scientist or another Tim Holtz. I guess time will tell! 


For my base layer I've used the B side of 49 and Market's Tree of Life paper from the Scents of Nature collection. This paper is part of the Co-ordinating paper add-on. It's a little more sage green than it appears. I began by doing some mixed media work on the background using a stencil and some super heavy gesso from my stash. Then I began stamping with the 49 and Market Enjoy Every Moment stamp by Valerie Ouellet (Creativity add-on) as well as finishing off the edges with the 49 and Market Line Stitch Stamp by Gabrielle Pollacco found  HERE in the Scraps of Darkness online store. I also used a Creative Embellishments Bokeh stamp from my stash. 

Additional photo layers were created with a lined paper from the Seven Gypsies journal found in the Creativity add-on as well as some Rambling Rose Die Cuts found in the Elements add-on. I've also used a Creative Embellishments chipboard panel from my stash. The sweet Flair button is found in the Main Kit. 



I loved how the Rambling Rose Die Cuts made for easy layers.  For interest, I printed my photo both in black and white and in Vintage and used each of them. Everything is stacked on of lots of cardboard cut from the shipping box. All of my florals were from the 49 and Market Vintage Shades, Sage Bouquet, found in the Floral add-on. I curled some of the wires for an extra twist. Those awesome 3D butterflies are also 49 and Market and are included in the Elements add-on. 



A close-up of the Flair button, the florals and you can also see some stamping. The Creativity add-on included some Spectrum Noir Sparkle glitter brush which I've used to add Sage green color to my layout in random places. 



You can find the scrabble tiles Right Here in the online Scraps of Darkness store.  Peeking out underneath is some of the stamping with the Enjoy Every Moment stamp. If you look carefully, you'll also find my discreet uses of the "washi" tape found in the Main Kit. 



I love the crackle found on this 49 and Market paper and also how the Die Cuts also appear to be stamped. I tried to find and use as many masculine elements as I could.  Kept my flowers, of course! 



Here's a photo from the right side. 



And here's one from the left. 



Here's a photo of the Main Kit " A Song of Spring."  The last I checked, you can still purchase the Main Kit as well as all the add-ons with the exception of the sold-out Creativity add-on. 

Thanks for coming by today! 
Happy crafting! 

~ Sandi~