Black, White & Purple.... Another Dollies Trifecta

Well, as you can see, these are not recent photos, in fact, they are from 1992 - 18 years ago!
To say that I am not "caught up" on my scrapbooking is MORE than an understatement -
you see, I started scrapping "late" in my children's lives, so I know I will never be able to scrap
every picture I have - so I opt for my favorites - and scrap them "when the mood or inspiration"
hits me!

So - I actually had these photos cropped and ready to scrap for some time, and it took the latest
challenge from my friends at  the Design Dollies Blog to give me the inspiration that I needed!

I decided to go for the "Trifecta" challenge - which means I have to "abide by" all 3 of the challenge
rules or guidelines that they post for the week:
1. Color - Black, Purple & White
2. Mixed Medium - use elements other than paper ( paint, glimmer, canvas, cardboard etc...)
3. Follow the sketch they provide

So - here is my entry:

Can you believe I couldn't find 1 piece of purple patterned paper in my "stash!"
(When I do these challenges - I make it a rule that I will not buy anything new - I have to use "stuff" I already have, so it was time to improvise!)
Sooooo...

I sprayed a white piece of cardstock with Deep Plum Glimmer Mist and swiped the one side through what was left on the spray mat.

I painted a piece of ouchless cardboard from Gauche Alchemy with gesso -then painted the edge with Royal Velvet Glimmer Glam. ( LOVE THIS STUFF- and all their cool mixed media items - go to their facebook page QUICK leave a comment and you might be just in time to take them up on their GREAT discount offer! - HURRY!!)

I also painted all of the #3's on the black and white patterned paper with Royal Velvet Glimmer Glam - I wasnt' too neat -as I wanted the area to shine and stand out.

I painted Royal Velvet Glimmer Glam on the edges of my photo and journaling mats too.

I edged the journaling mat, playing card and the base cardstock with Oil Slick Glimmer Glaze

The MOMENTS title was painted with gesso, and then sprayed with RAVEN Glimmer Mist, and top coated with Oil Slick Glimmer Glaze

I added a black camera shaped eyelet, through which I hung a black tassel that I've had hanging around for a while!

I love the little picture of Nick with the fishing pole in the upper right corner - it fit perfectly under the acrylic square that I adhered to the layout with purple brads.



The purple net by the playing card is from a bag of onions! (love this stuff!)

 - Oh - I took one of the many boxes of playing cards that we have accumulated through the years -and it is not part of my scrap stash - cool idea - huh?! -

These pictures were taken in Myrtle Beach, SC ~ one of our favorite places to vacation. For @ 10 years we stayed in the Ocean Creek resort.  There was a bridge over the creek, where our son Nick, then 3 and his cousins Rachael and Danielle would go fishing or crabbing with their Dad's ~ Phil and Uncle Nick.  Nick is wearing a favorite pair of Batman shorts ~aren't they cool!  Look how little Nick, Rach and Nellie are!  Check out the Tattoos on Nicks arm and hand - what memories these photos bring back!!  I think this is the year -or even the day when one of the crabs that they caught got out of the bucket, and Rach or Nellie tried to climb up their Dad, and pulled his bathing suit down while trying to get away from the crab!  I love how cute they all are - such beautiful children have grown into such lovely and handsome adults!



I think that is what scrapping is all about - the joy we get when we are able to relive special times, MOMENTS or memories in our lives.  Time passes by so quickly - it is nice to look at these pictures, and be able to go back and enjoy these great family times again and again.

I hope you like it!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Sherri

Project #5 -"Old Beauties" My favorite!

I found this old printer's tray a weekend get-away for my 49th birthday with my wonderful Hubby. There was a HUGE flea market, right outside the door of the beautiful Inn in Ocean Grove, NJ.

I used it to showcase the beautiful old and abandoned trucks that greet us as we arrive in New Hampshire to visit our son at college. Their colors are so beautiful; I knew I had to do something special to “pay homage” to their aged magnificence.

First, I randomly applied gesso to the entire tray leaving it thick in some spots.  After it dried, I started to spray Glimmer Mist from the upper left corner, downward.  The colors I used were - LIME TWIST, PATINA, FROZEN LAKE, CHALKBOARD APRICOT, TIGER LILY, GOLDEN TERRACOTTA, BRICK, SANTA BABY, CHALKBOARD HOT CHOCOLATE, PINE CONE.

And below is the finished product!  I LOVE how it came out!

It looks like someone painted these trucks - but the Patina is all natural and just beautiful!

Down one side it says INSPIRE

Along the bottom it says CREATE - I can't believe how these words fit and worked so beautifully!

The lace found here and there was from a small piece of antique lace I found at the same flea market.

I really LOVE this piece and am so happy I made it - the colors just blend and accent the beautiful old trucks perfectly.  I hope you have enjoyed looking too!

THANKS!
Sherri

Project #4 ~ Metal Flowers

We bought this metal wall hanging at a flea market in PA a few years ago. It is about 2’ x 2’ in size and has been hanging on my wall for years –with absolutley no color – ( other than the plain cream background) I decided it was finally time to MIST, GLAM and GLAZE it up!

Here is the "BEFORE"

Close Up of "the way they were!"

 I got out my paint brushes – again – I am so in LOVE with PAINTING with GLIMMER MIST and I had a blast on this project!!!!! I used the following colors: Glimmer Mist – APPLE (my new favorite- but this changes weekly, I must admit!) BRICK, WALNUT GOLD. Glimmer GLAM – DIRTY MARTINI, BE POSITIVE, ESSPRESSO BEAN. Glimmer GLAZE – WICKED, MELLOW YELLOW, ORANGE CRUSH, INDIAN SUMMER.

The "finished" product - what do you think?  a little better?

Look at all the Glimmer!! - Just YUMMY!!

I have to say – my favorite part of this is the flower on the lower right. I was trying to get it to look like a sunflower – and I am so happy with how it turned out.

What do you think?  Do you have anything that needs a little sparkle?  So - then get out your paintbrush and "have at it!"  What are you waiting for???

Sherri

Project #3 ~ A Woman of Valor

This 12” x 16” Canvas was a gift to my wonderful boss (he calls me “Scrappy” LOL.) He recently lost his dear Mother, and I made this as a special present for his Birthday. ( Look at the bottom right of the corner – there is a shadow of his Grandfather – taking the photo with his little Brownie camera! – so cool!)

I first used a stencil on the upper and lower right corners, and applied a thick coat of gesso to the openings. I also did this on corner of the small frame too, as well as brushed it randomly on the Glimmer Chip swirl, and the corner chipboard flourish too. After it dried – I applied color spraying Glimmer Mists, and using a paint brush for the GLAM and MISTS too! ( I found out I LOVE applying GLIMMER MIST with a brush! This stuff never ceases to amaze me – there is SO MUCH you can do with it!)



Oh – check out the black edge around the old photo – I applied OIL SLICK GLIMMER GLAZE with the paint brush in the bottle. Didn’t it come out GREAT!! I love the way it cracked and really makes the photo look very old.


I used the following Glimmer Mist colors on the canvas, papers and embellishments: CHALKBOARD Cotton Candy, - OLIVE VINE, SUNFLOWER, BLACK CHERRY, CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES, COSMOS, SUNFLOWER, and GOLD. I also used DIRTY MARTINI and CHANDELIER GLIMMER GLAM too!

I was so pleased with how this came out - Let me know what you think  - won't you?

Thanks,
Sherri

Project # 2 - from my Tattered Angel's submission

I made this mini book using my Zutter Bind-it-All for the first time. I decided to use papers and manila file folders that I had on hand - and hit them all with a little - ok A LOT of GLIMMER!


The cover is a piece of Acetate film that I sprayed with CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES and a little DAZZELING DIAMONDS on the front – and some FROZEN LAKE on the back – all through a swirly mask.

* Notice the “OOPS?” I punched too many holes the first time I used the bind it all – but used it as an OPPORTUNITY to add ribbon and twine ( on the left edge of the cover!)

I painted the GLIMMER GLASS butterfly with INDIAN SUMMER and MELLOW YELLOW Glimmer GLAZE, and some MERMAID Glimmer GLAM. I used some GOLDEN GODDESS and MERMAID GLIMMER GLAM on the paper spiral flowers that I made for the cover, along with Highlights throughout the book using more GLIMMER GLAZE in INDIAN SUMMER, WICKED, and MELLOW YELLOW. The lace on the cover was sprayed with PUMPKIN PIE GLIMMER MIST TOO!

The 2nd page is a cool Tattered Angels Bingo Board card – that was sprayed with the above 3 colors, PLUS a little PINEAPPLE that was sitting on my desk too! I put a paper towel over it while it was wet and rolled my brayer over it to distribute the color. The rest of the book contains pages that have been misted - sometimes with a mask over them to create cool swirl effects. ( I added some GOLDEN TERRACOTTA GLIMMER MIST to some of the pages too!). I Love how the Tattered Angles Tile came out – I think it looks so cool to incorporated as a “page” and with the words covered in glitter too!

Now get out there and add some SPARKLE to your day  - or to someone elses!!

Sherri

Has turned my frown upside down!

Well.... Sometimes things just don't go the way we plan or hope, and it is easy to get discouraged, and disappointed.

That is how I initially felt when I learned that I was not selected to be on the Tattered Angel's Design Team. OK OK --- I'll be REAL and admit it - I was REALLY - REALLY disappointed.

BUT – I took a deep breath, and remembered that I truly believe that all things happen in life for a reason. I guess there is something BIGGER and BETTER waiting for me out there in the “Scrapworld” SOOO... I'll just have to keep cutting & pasting & misting along until I find IT!! LOL!!


I searched back through some of my BRAVE GIRLS inspirational emails and came up with this one.
( LOVE those BRAVE GIRL messages!  - Sign up to get yours here at The Brave Girls Club Blog  )

I think it fits the feel of today very nicely:

Dear Patient Girl,

You knew when you started on this path towards your goals and your dreams...staying on the pathway that’s meant just for you, that sometimes the road was going to get rough, that things would not always be fun or easy, and that you were willing to sacrifice whatever it took to get there.


So why is it, gorgeous friend, that when things do get tough or boring, or when sacrifice is required...that we somehow forget and think that things must not be going exactly how they are supposed to be going...when we knew when we started that there would surely be days like this.

Don’t let the tough times get you down....they are part of the journey...and they are temporary. Learn what you can while you are in those times....but most of all, be patient...and let yourself remember that you knew this would happen and you knew that you could and would make it....and you will...and you are. It will be worth it.


Have a beautiful week!


NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS!!

I finally get to SHARE the 5 Projects that I made to “try out” for the Tattered Angel’s Design Team WITH YOU!! It was killing me holding back and not sharing all the GLIMMERY GOODNESS!!! ( Each one had to contain 80% Tattered Angel's product)

So – I’ll use those projects to create and share 5 new blog posts - starting with this one…..

Here you go!

I made this layout with photos of my youngest son and his friends from last Halloween. The spider web “frame” was made by taking a piece of off white printed spider web paper – wetting the back of it with water, then spraying the front with PUMPKIN PIE GLIMMER MIST. I then crumbled it all up into a ball, then gently unfolded it. I hit it with the heat gun to dry it, and then used my scissors to cut out the center in a jagged/haphazard pattern. I then brushed some PAPRIKA GLIMMER GLAM on most of the raised creases. I took one of the strips that I cut off the edge of the paper and pleated it as a highlight in the center of the page.


I applied HAUNTED SHADOWS GLIMMER MIST with a paint brush to the purple photo mats – as well as spraying it lightly on the tag and a good coat on the Grungeboard “BOO” and the flourish in the upper left corner. ( I first lightly brushed them with gesso to help the color pop a little too!) I used OIL SLICK GLIMMER GLAZE on the edges of these 2 elements to give them a grungy look and some CHANDELIER GLIMMER GLAM on the Lime Green paper behind the “B” and skulls in BOO!

I sprayed the print paper with MARSHMELLOW Glimmer Mist, and painted some DIRTY MARTINI on the edges of the lime green paper and mats. I mimicked my son’s gory costume by using BE POSITIVE GLIMMER GLAM on the one photo and the top of the tag in a dripping blood pattern. I also coated the tops of plain silver brads with BE POSITIVE GLAM – and LOVE how they turned out! ( one one each corner “holding down” the spiderweb frame and 2 more are holding down the paper “ribbon!”)

I painted a little gesso on one of the frames from Tattered Angel’s Framed Fonts ( here and there!) and sprayed it with LIME TWIST GLIMMER MIST. I lightly bushed it with some DIRTY MARTINI GLIMMER GLAM, and painted the edges with BE POSITIVE GLIMMER GLAM, for the drippy blood look!

I had this cool white packing mesh material that came from the “CONTAINER STORE.” I loved the texture of it, and decided to spray a few pieces with LIME TWIST and PUMPKIN PIE GLIMMER MIST. I also had some cool purple netting ( from a bag of onions!!) and I tucked those in the 2 corners and under one of the photos. ( The photos and embellishments were put down with 3 D foam squares –this helped to make a “pocket” for the Journaling Tag too!




There now - don't you feel lucky!!!
See – now my frown is for sure UPSIDE DOWN!!! :o)

I hope you find inspiration from these projects!
Sherri

Dollies Trifecta!

Well - I was able to get a little scrappy this weekend  - I started out on Friday night with a Hostess Club meeting with a GREAT group of ladies!  We all had a great time and they made some AWESOME layouts using a recipe out of Close to My Heart's MAGIC "How To" Design book - with lots of interactive layouts
Sherri's CTMH website   It was lots of FUN and the creative juices, along with a little sangria were flowing! LOL!

Then on Saturday - I created my entry into the Design Dollies "TRIFECTA" challenge!  LOTS OF FUN!!
Design Dollies Blog ~ CHECK IT OUT!
The way it works - The great and talented DOLLIES run three challenges a week each hosted by a different Dollie. Mondays are Color Challenges hosted by Leah; Tuesday's challenge is an Elements Challenge brought to you by Adina; Thursday is a Sketch Challenge hosted by Kristy.


"Each of these individually is due a week after it is issued, by midnight EST the night before (ie Color posts on Mondays, and is therefore due by Sunday at midnight, Elements by Monday at midnight and Sketch by Wednesday at midnight). You are free to do one project per challenge doing any or all three of the challenges but if you are super crafty and have the scrapitude to take it on, you can combine two or all three challenges for the week into one. This will allow you to do one project but get an entry into two or all three challenges. The "TRIFECTA", as we're currently calling it, cuts off every Sunday at midnight, and the new batch begins with Leah's Color Challenge on Monday."

So - I decided to go for the TRIFECTA - the FUN part is - I use only products that I have on hand - It gives me a chance to use up some of my "stash" and I usually find "stuff" I forgot I had - You should really try to play along!  It is a BLAST! ( Oh - did I mention I won the August color challenge ~ Thanks again Dollies!)

SO....without further ado... here are pictures of my entry:

A photo of me (Sherri) having sherry, on our balcony overlooking the Delaware, on our 28th Anniversary Weekend Get-Away!  The photo came out dark, so I edited it with a film grain effect, and it brought out some nice green colors to play with!



I used Glimmer Glam and Glaze on the once white and silver butterfly, to make it green and silver. The Prima swirl had white pearls, which I painted with Wicked Glimmer Glaze to make green. The white and green Prima flowers got hit with Chandelier Glimmer Glam, and some silver Distress Inks pewter paint too.




The Fabulous is from Hallmark (metal) and the Escape silver letters were leftovers, that I thought I couldn't use at first, as I had no S and only one E - but.... get creative with those letters ladies - the first E is an upside down and backwards 3, and the S is an upside down question mark -  Each word was painted on the top with Wicked Glimmer Glaze, and on the bottom with Chandelier Glimmer Glaze.




OK - I HAD to do something to remind me of our beautiful room at the B&B - (check out my previous post and you will see where I got the inspiration from for the SWIRLS) - I used Pewter Ranger Distress Crackle paint - Dirty Martini Glimmer Glam, Chandelier Glimmer Glam, and Lime Twist Glimmer Mist to recreate them!

 So - I hope you like it - Leave me a comment - let me know what you think! Hope to see your entry in a Trifecta one day!

INSPIRED ~ but no time to get messy!

My hubby and I had a GREAT 28th Anniversary Get-Away this weekend at the BEAUTIFUL Brigdgeton House Bed & Breakfast, in Upper Black Eddy, PA  http://www.bridgetonhouse.com/

First let me say that I can't believe that I remembered my camera - but I FORGOT to check to make sure the memory stick was in it!!  Has that ever happened to you??  Let me tell you - it will be the last time it will happen to me ( I hope!)  There was really no where around to buy a new one - and I have quite a few at home - so all the photos I took were on my camera - they came out OK - but I wish I had my camera!

The Inn was AMAZING - each room and wall was literally a WORK OF ART! - I seriously felt like I was in one big scrapbook!! I think Phil picked the PERFECT room for us - The Garret Room - we were on the TOP - or PENTHOUSE floor, with our own balcony overlooking the Delaware River. The COLORS and TEXTURES and PATTERNS in our room were just so beautiful - and just "so ME!!"

ALL of the rooms were different and had their own style and character - one just as beautiful as the other - SUCH INSPIRATION!!  Here are some pictures of our room ~



The shutters on the window were cut and painted to look like a butterfly! COOL!


Here are photos of other rooms in the Inn - We arrived right at the 3pm check in time and the Innkeeper, Mark told us we could look in any of the rooms where the doors were open, and the guests had not yet arrived.  So I "snapped away!"

Tea anyone?

The staircase to our room

Chilling on the balcony

Sherri having sherry on the balcony ;o)

I can't wait until this weekend when I will be sure to make time to CREATE!!  I've got LOTS of ideas in my head and need to get them out!!! 

Watch out Phil !! - I feel the need to "re-do" some walls in our house too!!

I hope these photos INSPIRE you to just go ahead and DO IT - CREATE - MAKE - something!!
Try something NEW - GET MESSY - HAVE A BLAST!!