A touch of bling....

Hello creative ones.

Tam here with a couple of projects. Now these only have a smidge of bling, a spattering.

You see, although I'm a massive fan of sparkles and the magic around Christmas time, I find it hard to add bling to my pages.

As you know I love to add colour and paint - and this is usually matte.

So this challenge had me a little stumped.

Add to this the fact that I've been in a creative rut for a few weeks.

My mental health really needs me to find that damn mojo.

One of the ways I find the hiding spot of my lurking mojo is to crack OPEN something NEW!

I've been hoarding the Dina Wakley Collage Collection!!

I just love Dina's style, and I just wanna flip through the book - NOT cut it up!

But it was time.

My mojo had made sure of that.

So here's my first creation with it.....

Boom!! 

Mojo back!

Let's take a look at how it came together though, because it did take me a while to nab the sneaky bugger.

I began with that gorgeous collage collection and my Dina Wakley Art Journal.

I found myself still a bit overwhelmed at this point so I actually jumped on YouTube and watched a couple of videos. 

One was by Niamh Baly - and that was it - Bam!! I knew what I wanted to do!

Thanks Niamh for helping unearth my creativity again. xx

I think I've discussed before the way I manage you tube.

I only ever allow myself to watch 1-2 videos then it's create time.

Sometimes watching someone else creates leaves me feeling itchy to play and has me running straight for my craft room.

However it is easy to get bogged down and watch video after video.

DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN

It's a time warp.

1-2 then get OUT!!

Ok, so after flipping through the book, I decided to start with some of my fave colours.

I very randomly squeezed out some 'Peacock' Paint.

Then I took to it with an old store gift card.

I then repeated this process adding some 'Lime'.

I tore out one of the faces (as inspired by Niamh).

I love that these pages are the same size as my journal, so I can add them in as extra pages very easily. Perfect fit.

I cut around the side of the face, and then trimmed the right side off a little too.

I then added it to the right hand side using some Dina Wakley washi tape.

Make sure you add some to the inside of the flap too.

Instant extra page in my journal. 

I love these interactive elements.

Ok so now that it's there, I need to bring in that pink that's on the reverse side.

I used 'Fuschia' paint to do this.

Again, random.

From the scraps cut off the face, I cut out some circles and half circles.

I then went in with some white gesso and a baby wipe and that gorgeous leaf stencil called 'Deco Leaves' by The Crafters Workshop. Definitely my current fave.

I also added in a touch of 'Ruby' paint to go with the inner circle on the reverse of the flap, and also a touch of  'Evergreen', just to help blend the colours a little.

I then did the same with black gesso, and added some random flicks and lines.

This is when I felt it all came together.

I then stuck down my circles using matte gel medium.

I decided to add my title using Dina Wakley collage Words - 3x3" set.

I tore it up and placed the words so they were peeking out from under the flap.

Stick this down with matte gel medium.

NOW's the time to add in some bling.

I added swipes of gold to my layout. I used the PaperArtsy 'Gold' Paint.

Tracy Scott introduced me and at first I was all 'oh no I like it without', but now I'm converted. 

Pffffft!

It just adds some depth, some interest.

It kinda lifts the whole project.....

Sometimes you don't need a stack of bling....just a touch of sparkle will do!

I added some scribbles to the page and around my circles using my fudeball pen.

Finally I added some journaling in that circular shape underneath the face.

There you have it.

By the time I was half way through this creation, I knew my creative block was gone! 

Thank goodness...I can breathe again.

Let's take a look at the interactive flap now that the page is finished.

If you haven't seen the Dina Wakley Collage Collective.....it's so worth a look.

Page after page of gorgeous loose scribbly art.

There's tags, die cuts, washi tape looking strips, faces, just so much, and the great thing is they a afterre featured in both thick cardstock and a finer paper - perfect for adhering with gel medium.

I was so happy with the result, I decided to create something else.

I follow Susanne Rose and she often creates circular patterns, adding stamps, die cuts etc. They always look amazing, and when I saw the cute little bird page in the Dina Wakley Collage Collection, I thought I'd give it a try......

(thanks for the inspiration Suzanne xx)

I used Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks for this one, and I added a couple of Tracy Scott stamps from the  NEW ETS35 set

I added a few swipes of 'Gold' PaperArtsy paint and I also rubbed some through the 'The Crafters Worshop Deco Leaves Stencil'. 

After I finished and stepped back, I noticed the outer circle kinda reminded me of a bird nest, and those large circles were a bit like eggs!

That's part of the joy of art journalling - things kinda just happen. 

Once you get in the moment, the art kinda just falls onto the page.

That's it from me!!

I'll see you all again in 2020.

Thanks so much for following along with me this year, and a big hug to all of you who comment either on Instagram, Facebook, the blog or privately.

I love knowing that I have inspired you in some way.

It makes all the late nights (with wine)! typing these up worth it.

So much love, Tam

xxx

2nd project for "teal and purple" moodboard .... Lynn

Hi Everyone, Lynn here to share another art journal page that I have created using the moodboard for March

I have taken inspiration from the second photo on the left hand side of the hexagon bed cover to create the background of my page

I have used paper artsy fresco finish paints in the teal and purple shades.  Once dry I have used the snow white paper artsy paint through a hexagon stencil.   To add some interest in the page I have adhered some torn dictionary pages around the edges.  The pink tape on the right of the photo is the washi tape down the centre of the page. I find putting washi tape down stops any ink running into other pages through the seams.

I have added white paint and a brayer to push the colour to the background.  I also wanted to take away the starkness of the dictionary paper so I have applied some scribble sticks and water.

I have used a paper artsy stencil and black ink .  Once the ink was dry I have gone over the stenciled area with a black paint pen.

Once the black was dry I have done over it with a white paint pen to get a more defined but yet a second layer background effect.

For some final touches I have added a butterfly as my feature with some smaller butterflies and words.

Here is a list of products used with links to the Scrap Matrix store:

Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks

Paper Artsy Stencil

Paper Artsy Fresco Paints

Black Archival Ink

White Paint Pen

Paper Artsy Butterfly Stamp

Mambi Sticks quote stickers

13 Arts stickers - small messages

I hope that you are inspired to enter into this months challenge - all you have to do is upload your layout, card, project, canvas, art journal page onto the Scrap Matrix Shares Facebook page and tell us at least one product that you have used that is available in the Scrap Matrix Shop.

I hope to see your projects there.

Til next time - happy crafting :)

Scrap Matrix Challenge - The Colour Wheel - 2nd project with Helen

Welcome back to the Scrap Matrix challenge this month 
where we have a vibrant and colourful mood board to inspire you.

The bright colours reminded me of the Spring flowers in our garden and that led me to thinking of my littlest Grand children blooming like flowers in another state, so the page is all about them.

  We connect on Face time and when our 22 month girl sees my face, she says, "Where's Pa?"  It's almost like she thinks we are the terrible twins; can't have one without the other!   She is  learning about colours now and she knows many of them.  I marvel at her ability to distinguish different hues of the same colour.  

I started with a piece of heavy weight white card stock.

As usual when working with mixed media, I applied a coat of Finnabair White gesso, so the mixed media has tooth to grab onto.

In an attempt to create a hillside of flowers, I mixed Dylusions paints, Periwinkle blue and a big blob of Dylusions White Linen and swiped it on with a baby wipe to create a sky. The colours looked a bit too lavender, so I added a bit of Dylusions Polished Jade. 

The hills were created the same way, but this time with Fresh Lime into a blob of white.

I like the mottled, streaky look created by using a baby wipe to apply the colour.

Next, I added an additional layer by dabbing white gesso through  a stencil from my stash.

While the background was drying, I stamped out various flower and stem images with Tim Holtz Jet Black Archival ink.   Then I  fussy cut the images before adding colour with Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks. These sticks are super creamy and smooth to work with and when water is added, their colours intensify.  Just yummy. 

I used the following stamps.

Paper Artsy ETS21

Paper Artsy ETS06

Paper Artsy EKC02

Paper Artsy EEG09

Carabelle - Textures, Mini Fleurettes

I may have bought a few stamps when I went to Tracey Scott's 

inspirational classes earlier in the year!

These two are currently out of stock, but can be ordered.

Paper Artsy ETS22

Paper Artsy ETS18

Next, I just fiddled around (yes, that's a scrapbooking term!) until I was somewhat happy with the placement.   I can never settle on the first idea that comes to mind.  

The background looked too bare, so I trialled various stems and small flower stamps on the first version of this layout.   Do you do that too?   Have a trial run, to see what works, make a big hot mess and toss it in the bin?

I won't bore you with pictures of each addition; the clouds, the butterfly, the branches and tiny flowers.

 Suffice it to say, I'm really happy with the finished result.  I'd forgotten to leave room for a quote, so I just scribbled it up the stems.

Ta Da! 

I hope you find time to play along, just add your entry to the Scrap Matrix Shares page in the corresponding folder and don't forget to let us know what Scrap Matrix products you used and what inspired you.  You could be in the running for a generous gift voucher and perhaps a Guest Design Team spot down the track.

Scrap Matrix Products used:-

Finnabair White gesso

Tim Holtz Jet Black Archival ink

 Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks

Dylusions paints

Paper Artsy ETS21

Paper Artsy ETS06

Paper Artsy EKC02

Paper Artsy EEG09

Carabelle - Textures, Mini Fleurettes