Hope ~ eclectic Paperie challenge

Hello, everyone! It's time for another eTeam Picks Challenge at eclectic Paperie with the lovely and talented Andie (Adriana Templeton) as our hostess with the mostest. Andie has chosen the theme of Hope for this challenge...love that! As I hadn't completed the H page in my altered dictionary, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so and, of course, I had to include the lovely Hope quote from Emily Dickinson...it immediately sprang to mind and became the inspiration for the pages.

Once I had gessoed the two page spread, being careful to leave the word/definition uncovered, I adhered the two pages to the adjacent ones with Matte Medium. This strengthens the pages and allows them to better stand up to all of the media I throw at them. I began by scribbling three shades of pink and two of yellow Neocolor II watercolour crayon over the page and spread the colour with gesso with a piece of Cut n Dry foam. I did a second lighter layer over that and spread with water to intensify the colour. I then applied Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress inks through the TCW Mini Bricks stencil to create a wall effect.  Metallic Melon and Watermelon Gelatos were used to deepen the edges of the pages and Butter Cream gelato emphasized the areas where I had placed no bricks. White gesso was applied through TCW's Mini Punchinella stencil to create the dotty parts. Coffee Archival ink was used to stamp Live Inspired from Donna Dowmey's Empowered Words stamp set.

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This Mo Manning A Little Birdie Told Me digital stamp seemed ideal for my quote and was the reasoning behind the bricks. I coloured the image with Prismacolor pencils, fussy cut it, and matted it with black to give it some visual weight and greater contrast with the background.

The two quotes were printed onto kraft cardstock from the computer and the edges were distressed on both the kraft layer and the black matting. Vintage Photo Distress ink was applied to the kraft edges. The open letters on the Dickinson quote were coloured in with white Prisma pencil.

In order to bring some of the blue from the window frame onto the opposite page, two scalloped borders left from another project were adhered to the page creating that visual triangle that keeps the eye moving around the spread. I also added scuffs of metallic Blueberry gelato randomly onto the background. Feathers were glued or stapled onto the page and image as a nod to the Dickinson quote. I love the texture they add to the spread. Two lengths of offcut brown border were added to the inside edges of the page.

At this point, the pages still weren't quite doing it for me. Close...but no cigar! They needed more pops of white and black as it was all too much the same.

I added a white metal star and punched some small cardstock stars which I scattered over the pages. Black circles were punched and doodled with a white pen. White gesso was scuffed randomly across both pages and various elements using my finger as the tool. Snippets of drywall mesh were scattered across the pages. Black Ransom Alpha Parts letters were added to the page as well as a small H letter tile. The word Hope on an  Idea-ology metal tag was emphasized with white paint pen before being attached to the page with a brad. A tiny piece of jute which was sitting patiently on my desk waiting for me to notice it was knotted and adhered to the feather.

The final touches were the doodling, where I discovered that my pen didn't like the metallic gelatos, some white gesso dots, and black Big Brush Pen around the outside edges to help frame the spread. Oh yes, and I can't forget those clusters of splatter dots stamped with Coffee Archival...they end up on every piece I create :)

Thanks for hanging out (and hanging in!) with me for this lengthy post. I do appreciate your fine company. if you get a minute, pop over to the eclectic Paperie blog  to see Andie's gorgeous mixed media layout and the other DT projects which cab be found in the thumbnails of the same post. Hope you'll join us :)

Life is good; so is art.
Bonnie

Here are links to the eP store for some of the products I used:

Liquitex Acrylic Gesso	Ranger - Cut n′ Dry Foam Pads	Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo	Distress Ink Pad - Walnut Stain
Archival Ink - Coffee Ink Pad	Faber Castell - Gelatos - Metallic Colors	Faber Castell - Gelatos - Yellow Colors	Faber Castell - Gelatos - Tropical
Unity Stamp Company - Empowered Words (Donna Downey)	Uni-Ball White Gel Pen	Findings - Alpha Parts, Ransom	Faber Castell - Big Brush Pen - Black

You're Fan-tastic! ~ CYP Challenge 196

You are, you know! Fantastic, I mean. Just in case you forgot.

We have a new challenge at Craft Your Passion Challenges this week. Our theme is Cool Colours (blues, greens, purples)...colours from the cool side of the colour wheel. I found this to be a challenge indeed because I tend to gravitate toward the warm, vibrant colours. As I was colouring this fabulous Fan-tasia image from our awesome sponsor, Delicious Doodles, I kept reaching for some of the downright hot Prismacolor pencils like Process Red, Sunburst Yellow, or Orange for a jolt of heat...lol. The outside edges of the image background were inked with Broken China Distress ink and Icicle Stickles was dotted on the circle centers.

The background paper comes from DCWV's The Far East Stack and was matted with dark blue cardstock for contrast. The paper behind Fan-tasia is a tiny tone on tone print from my scrap box and was also matted with dark blue. The pre-cut scalloped edge was darkened with Stormy Sky Distress ink. Two layers of ribbon, one white satin and a second narrrow one with turquoise stripes, were wrapped to the back of the background paper.

 Two Heidi Swap resist butterflies were colourized, the larger with Glimmer Mist and the smaller with Stormy Sky Distress ink. Turquoise bling created their bodies and they were popped up on foam tape for dimension before being adhered to the ribbon layer.

The sentiment was computer generated, inked around with Broken China and matted with dark blue cardstock before being popped up on foam dots. Three white pearls were added to the top right corner for balance.

Thanks for stopping by today to visit with Fan-tasia, me, and all of our cool tones. I so appreciate your interest and lovely comments. If you get a chance, pop ove to the Craft Your Passion Challenges blog to see the fabulous inspiration for the Cool Colours challenge from the rest of our talented DT. I'd love to see what you come up with...hope you'll join us.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create ~ #54 Anything Goes
The Squirrel and the Fox ~ #61 Show off your new stuff (resist butterflies & digi)
A Gem of a Challenge ~ #110 Something New  (craft stash: resist butterflies & digi)
Allsorts ~ #241 Use ribbons, no bows (layered ribbon)
Left of Center ~ #22 New Beginnings  (crafty stash: resist butterflies & digi)

Life is good; so is art.
Bonnie

Bee Sneak Peek ~ eP blog post

Today it's my turn to post on the eclectic Paperie blog so here's a little peek at my first spread in my altered board book. The book is a nod to The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. If you want to see more, check it out here.
I'd love it if you did!

Life is good; so is art.
Bonnie

Ribbons and Pearls ~ Craftitude Challenge 56

Wow! It's been ages since I posted an ATC. We extended our last Craftitude challenge to four weeks long to give the DT a little time to celebrate Christmas and New years with their friends and family. Our new challenge (56) for this fortnight is Anything Goes or Ribbons and Pearls. Our wonderful sponsor is Sassy Studio Designs and I chose to create with this Cinderella Pin Up digi. I just love the folds in her dress, her pretty hair, and gorgeous face. Lots of fun to colour with my Prismacolor pencils. Cinderella was fussy cut, edged in Black Big brush pen, and popped up on foam tape for dimension. A flat pearl was added for her earring.

The two layers of background papers come from Recollections Habitat paper pad.  Narrow cream ribbon and a narrow strip of the darker rose coloured paper were woven along the top and left side of the atc. Another scrap of ribbon created a ledge on which Cinder's missing shoe could rest. Tiny hearts were cut from the same paper with a MS punch, shaded with Prisma pencil, and dotted with white. Tiny wires were doodled above them to allow them to "hang" from the bottom ribbon. To finish off the ATC, tiny flat pearls were adhered to the paper strips in the woven pattern.

Thanks for popping by to visit with Cinderella and me today. We love when you do that. If you get a chance, stop by the Craftitude Challenges blog to check out the wonderful inspiration provided by the rest of the DT. It's worth the trip :)

I am entering this ATC in the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create ~ #53 Anything Goes (2nd entry)
As You Like It  ~ Favourite Colour (fuchsia because it's in your face vibrant)
Through the Craft Room Door ~ Jan. 7-13 Anything Goes
In the Pink ~ Anything Goes With Lots of Pink
Dare to be Sassy Thursdays ~ #211 Creative techniques (ribbon weave)

Life is good; so is art.
Bonnie

Miss You ~ CYP Challenge 195

Happy Snowy Monday...at least where we live! I hope you are all safe and snug at home and have a snow day today. There's a new challenge at Craft Your Passion this week. The theme is Fancy Borders/Edges and our wonderful sponsor is Stitchy Bear's Digi Outlet. I chose to play with the adorable Ballerina Bear from Beary Dust...she's so cute! I coloured her with Prismacolor pencils using my short choppy stroke technique for her fur. BB was then fussy cut, matted with black cardstock, and fussy cut again before being popped up on foam tape.

The doily behind her was also matted in black and fussy cut to help it stand out against the background. The papers come from Graphic 45 A Ladies Diary paper pack. The borders were all cut with MFT dies from the patterned paper and from black. The black was then offset behind the patterned paper to create a shadow as well as greater contrast with the white card base. Black ribbon was used to separate the two patterned papers and two tiny white threaded buttons were adhered to the upper right corner.

The sentiment was created from white glittery stickers placed on an oval cut with a Spellbinders die. White stitching and two tiny white brads gave the oval more impact. Like the doily and BB, it was popped up on foam tape for dimension.

Thanks for joining BB and me today. We always appreciate your fine company. If you get a chance, pop over to the Craft Your Passion Challenges blog to see the wonderful creations from my DT teamies...such a talented bunch. I'm hoping you'll join us for this fun Fancy Borders/Edges challenge...see you there.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create ~ #53 Anything Goes
Glitter n Sparkle ~ #66 Anything Goes
One Stitch at a Time ~ #194 Anything Goes
Robyn's Fetish ~ #193 Use a Digi
The Squirrel and the Fox ~ #60 Anything Goes

Life is good; so is art.
Bonnie

Oh, you beautiful doll ~ eP Get Altered Challenge (Hearts)

Well, Happy New Year! I decided to get the year off to a great start by playing in my craft room most of the day. There's a new Get Altered Challenge on the eclectic Paperie blog hosted by our fabulous Sue Lelli. She has chosen the theme of Hearts and has shared a gorgeous art parts wall hanging on the blog to inspire us. I chose to incorporate hearts into my D is for...doll spread in my altered dictionary and just for fun, I included a Steampunk twist.

My focal image, Steampunk Girl with Doll, by Mitzi Sato-Wiuff, comes from her shop, AuroraWings. I have so many of her digi stamps. She creates the most beautiful faces and images filled with magic and lovely detail. I coloured Jasmine (who told me her name) and her doll, Esmeralda (who also told me her name) with Prismacolor pencils and cut the image out with a Spellbinders Curved Rectangles die. The white space was inked with Spun Sugar and then Vintage Photo Distress inks and the image was matted in brown cardstock.

The two dictionary pages were coated in white gesso, leaving the definition uncovered, and then were adhered to the pages before and after with matte medium for strength. Once dry, Spun Sugar and Victorian Velvet Distress inks were randomly applied to both pages, keeping the colours muted and soft..Vintage Photo Distress ink was applied through TCW's Mini Gears stencil over the pinks.

 Brown cardstock was embossed with Alterations Riveted Metal and Diamond Plate embossing folders and then highlighted with Treasure Gold, Silver, and Copper wax gilt.

Strips were torn from the one pattern and mini gears were cut from the other to add texture and edginess to the background and frame the image.

Crocheted lace trim was adhered to both pages. One of the things I love about Steampunk is the contrast between the soft lace and ruffles and the hard metal elements so I wanted to capture that here. Three pieces of drywall mesh were also added into the mix. The Inkadinkado hearts were embossed with Versamark and clear powder before being fussy cut. Each one was doodled  and/or stamped on to grunge up the pretty pink patterns. I added the sticker lettering "real" as a nod to the Velveteen Rabbit where "becoming real" is explained so beautifully. That's also the reason for including the "Embrace Imperfection" Idea-ology word tag. Clearly Esmeralda has been well loved...and still is, in spite or maybe because of her imperfections.

The remaining letters were also stickers, some Ransom Alpha Parts, some black glittery circles, and some scrabble tile stickers which were inked with Vintage Photo to warm them up. Idea-ology game spinners were adhered to the bottom left corner drawing the eye into the page. An Idea-ology compass coin was added to continue the Steampunk theme. Silver nailhead stickers were adhered to the inside of the gears to bring more metal touches and detail to the second page. A metal Idea-ology gear was adhered onto one of the hearts and doodled inside.

More doodling was done as a border and around various elements. Both Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain  Distress inks were applied to the page edges, as was Walnut Brown Big Brush pen. Open rings were stamped with Golden's Iridescent Gold paint and a bottle lid. A splatter stamp and Coffee Archival ink created the dotty clusters. The final touches were a fussy cut butterfly with a Glossy Accented body and the letter D to identify the page letter.

Thanks for stopping by today to see my take on the Hearts Challenge at eclectic Paperie. I always appreciate your interest, support, and comments. If you get a minute, check out Sue's lovely inspiration piece for the Get Altered Challenge. Other DT members will be adding their projects which you can see in the thumbnails below Sue's post. I'd love to see yours there, too!

Life is good; so is art.
Bonnie
I used these products from the eP store:

Distress Ink Pad - Spun Sugar	Distress Ink Pad - Victorian Velvet	Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo	Distress Ink Pad - Walnut Stain
Faber Castell - Big Brush Pens - Neutral	Liquitex Acrylic Gesso	TCW 6x6 Template - Mini Gears	VersaMark Stamp Pad
Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder - Clear	Idea-ology - Word Bands	Inkssesentials - Glossy Accents 2 oz.