Scrap Matrix Blog: Capture magic .. with Alz

Morning peeps!!!

I'm back with my second project for the current Scrap Matrix challenge "The Point Is". I've been scrapping my doogles so much lately I figured it was time to throw in a layout of my beautiful niece Mia ..

Capture magic

Of my many nieces and nephews, I'm probably closest to Mia. Maybe because she's as doogle crazy as I am? Anyways, this is Mia with Levy. If you're looking for Levy, just find Mia. You know how it goes .. if you're looking for Mia, just find Levy! Whilst I could wax poetic about Mia and Levy til the cows come home, I should probably give you a refresher of the current Scrap Matrix challenge ..

I had a lot of fun creating this page. A bit of work on a patterned paper background, some layering and embellishing and it was done and dusted. It only took about three weeks. Ha ha! Three weeks?!! I know right?! Life has been so extraordinarily hectic lately I've had to grab five minutes here and there to scrap. So frustrating. But for a greater purpose, so I no complain. The greater purpose? Hubby is retiring and the countdown to R Day is on. Don't worry, I know what you're thinking. For the record, I'm much, much younger than he is lol. But yeah who knew there would be so much to organise. Appointments, phone calls, meetings, paperwork, phone calls, more paperwork. Its all so very exciting though and in not too many weeks I'll have him home, home for good, and I can not wait!!!!! What's the point of sharing this I hear you say. No reason. Not really. Just chatting with you and digressing. A bit. As I do. Does there always have to be a point? Well I guess in this context maybe. So ..

My background is pretty much a recipe I follow when creating on a patterned paper background ..

start off with a piece of patterned paper (obviously duh!)

7 Dots Studio Northern Lights Board Games

apply white gesso with a brayer to tone it down a wee bit

figure out around about where my pic will go

bringing the TCW 12x12 Mums stencil into play because I love the pointy petals

and applying Paper Artsy Fresco Finish acrylic paint in Wisteria with a sponge

then outlining the pointy petals, somewhat messily, because I like messy, with a Fudeball Pen

sanding it back, all the better to absorb Lindy's Starburst Spray

in Tea Pot Purple

and finally adding some black texture paste through TCW stencil

(12x12 Sketch Grid)

and using a Jet Black Archival Ink Pad to stamp some pointy triangles

with an Aall and Create stamp (#10)

When I'm happy with my background, I usually build up some layers to go behind my photo. Not always. But usually. It depends really on whether I want my background to be an extension of my photo or to enhance it. I guess. What about you? When you create a mixed media background do you use layers behind your photos? Anyways, in this instance I felt the need, the need for layers.

I've used .. Dina Wakley Media Collage Paper, Embossed Paper Lace

and Vintage Coloured Lace

FYI .. the lace isn't tattered! I deliberately cut into it to make it a bit frayed and grungy. ;)

After fiddling with the layers a bit, it was time to actually stick the photo down, add some embellishments, a title and the journaling.

Here, I've broken down a large Curly Rose in Cream. I'm trying to create less bulky pages, but then I went and put a bulky-ish white rose from the Blue Fern Studios Heartland Roses and Blooms pack in the middle so that kinda defeated the purpose of pulling the large Curly Rose apart. Sigh. lol.

I've used various paints, including a Dina Wakley Media acrylic paint in Eggplant, for a bit of pop and contrast, on a couple of large Antique Silver Feathers. An Um Wow Studio Flair from the Teal Bloom pack almost finishes this embellishment cluster.

Except that I also added a Kinder Kreations chipboard feather which I painted with Violet 13 Arts Splash Glitter Ink. I was super inspired by Debbie Pulford's use of the Glitter Ink in her Guest Design Team post of 1st June 2018. Thanks for those tips Deb! Oh and I slotted in a couple of green wires I pulled off from the Curly Roses. In the past I used to throw them out but now I reckon they make great 'embellishment cluster fodder'.

When I was ordering my supplies for this layout, I knew I'd want to cut out some shapes (most likely, triangles for arrow heads) but I didn't want to cut into a 12x12 sheet of patterned paper for, quite literally, some triangles. Instead, I ordered the 6x12 Die-Cut Elements from the same range as my patterned paper background (7 Dots Studio Northern Lights). The 12x12 Tags would have worked equally well, especially if you like tucking tags in here and there.

Anyways, I'm probably showing my age with this next bit lol, but did you ever have a Math-O-Matt in school? I did. It was a bit of plastic with cut out geometric shapes, measurements and stuff. I never threw mine away. Heaven only knows why lol! These days I find it quite handy and in this instance, I used one of the triangles to outline which of the 6x12 Die-Cut Elements I was going to cut into.

pretty cool huh?

I sanded the edges of my triangles and added them to my layout in groups of three. You may have noticed that I sand pretty much every edge of pretty much everything. Its that 'one thing' I do. Do you have a 'one thing'?

Lastly, my title. Again, I've used the Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Chitchat Stickers Verbiage which I stuck with foam tape to one of the banners from the 6x12 Die-Cut Elements sheet. I also used foam tape to stick that onto my layout, just to give it a bit of definition. And that was that!

That's it for me today. You now only have a couple of days to get your entry done and uploaded to the appropriate album on the Scrap Matrix Shares Facebook page. Entries are due by midnight, 14th June. Please don't forget to let us know which of the products, available from Scrap Matrix, you've used. Its such a pleasure to be inspired by others' creations.

Wishing you happy scrappy days.

Cheers .. Alz :)