Reflections of 2018

I'm thrilled to still be a gust DT here with Scrap Matrix !!

For my second project I really wanted to go back to my love of art journalling.

I've grabbed my Dina Wakley art journal and Dina Wakley paints. Then smeared on an array of warm colours using a palette knife. It's a great quick way to create a unique abstract background. 

To create a bit more depth, I have used a Carabelle Studio for the love of layers stencil with the same above colours, and 7 dots star stencil with blackgesso.

I then sourced a free image from the internet to use as a template for a silhouette. I then filled it in with Black Gesso, I find this covers better than black paint. I have then finished this page off with a white gel pen, journalling my thoughts from the year. I didn't want it to be too clear as it's just for me. I've also out lined the lady and some stars !

I hope you'll give this a try !

2018 - A Year in Review by Elisa Ablett

Hi Scrap Matrix Fans, 

Happy New Year to you all.

The start of the year has been huge for our Vicki with moving the shop and house. Now we are halfway through January already! It's going super quick...

I want you all to brace yourselves... yes my design team project is a double page, I am just as shocked as you all are. 

It is based on this month's challenge of 'A Year in Review' and It features loads of products from Scrap Matrix and 13 photos and touches on all the highlights from each month from 2018.

It also features prints made from my gelli plate and I can now confess this layout was made while 'scramping' (scrapbooking and camping at the same time) with my good mate Tanya Froud and it was an almost 40 degree day under a tarp on a slope so not optimal for Gel Printing but we got there in the end.

Proof of Extreme Scramping lol.

Products from Scrap Matrix

Dina Wakely Paint and Collage Words & Collage Backgrounds

13Arts stencils

Aall and Create Stamps and Stencils

wood-polaroids-set

Pinkfresh Studio - Escape the Ordinary Die Cut Embellishments

Blue Fern Studio Chipboard

dina-wakley-media-washi-tape-set-2

Here are some close ups of the finer details :

To create the strips of colour, I gel printed on a white 12 x 12 sheet of cardstock using a variety of colours from Dina Wakely  Heavy Body Acrylic Paints, I then searched my stash for stencils from Scrap Matrix and came up with the ones below, a few from Paper Artsy, Aall and Create and 13 Arts and 7 dots Studio to add extra interest on my gel prints.

When selecting my embellishments that went with each month, I tried to select those that went with the photo, there are so many in our stashes and also in store!

Match quotes or word stickers to your photos as well to further enhance the highlight for that month.

The title was hand drawn and hand cut and I used http://scrapmatrix.com/idea-ology-cling-foam-stamps-cut-out-upper-26-pkg/ to create the months. 

That's it from me today, I hope you have enjoyed having a peek through the year that was 2018 for my family, I would love to see your take on a double layout for January's challenge!

Thanks for stopping by :-) 

Elisa x

January 2019 - The year in review with Helen

Happy New Year - I wish you good health, happiness 
and lots of creativity throughout 2019.

The Scrap Matrix mood board this month 
is eclectic, with lots of different ideas to inspire you.

The theme is a Year in review, so you can take this
pretty much any where you want.

I should warn you that this is a long post, so you might like to get a cuppa before you start.

The team has been gently coaxed into trying a double pager, multiple photos or both; something I agreed to willy nilly.

Huh!  Silly me.  Lol. 

 I seemed to have forgotten all the rules, was bereft of ideas 

and numerous pages ended up in the bin. 

Luckily one of my wise team mates advised me to just step awaaaay 

from the desk and that did the trick. 

My project is about various events in my Grand Daughter's life during December 2018.

To begin with, I chose three colours from the clothes in the photos and created some backgrounds with a Gel plate and some Paper Artsy paints. Doesn't sound too hard does it, but what a mighty mess I made until I remembered what to do.

This photo was taken before the yellow was added to the gel plate, but you can see it in the middle of the first pulled print below.

I simply placed a piece of card stock down on the rolled paint, smoothed it out firmly with my hands and pulled it off the gel plate. 

 Ta Da!   Or some times - Oh no!

I never know what the result will be and that's part of the fun.

Using a Stencil similar to this one Paper Artsy Stencil, I roughly dabbed some of the purple paint onto the green and trimmed it into a squarish shape.

I lined up the stencil so I could continue it off the background and onto the card stock, then I outlined the petals with a gold pen and doodled around the frame.

Some more stamping with Carabelle "Et rond et roads" and stencil work with a smaller Paper artsy stencil, PS111.

A gorgeous stamped butterfly, Paper Artsy ETS22, some stamped words, Paper Artsy EEA03 as well as some pops 

of red to tie in with the red on the other page. They embellishments are from Pink Fresh studio, Gold foiled die cuts.

Now for some - yes - you guessed it - some more stamping!

I'm a big fan of Carabelle stamps - this one is 

"Textures: Mini Fleurettes. I added some bunches into the corners.

To obtain the patterned circle under the photo, I brayered some green and purple paint onto the gel plate, then placed a the Paper Artsy stencil into the wet paint, layered a piece of card stock on top, burnished the card stock well with my hand and then pulled the card stock off to reveal the monoprint.

The purple flowers in the corner have faded a bit here, due to me whitening the whites, but in real life they are crisp and pretty.

Did you notice the sweet butterfly stamp, Paper Artsy, ETS21 with the golden prills in the centre? and the pretty brass heart shape that matches my girl's dance trophy? 

This photo shows you what the mono print looks like before it's trimmed and dressed.  One more butterfly again from Paper Artsy, this time from ETS22. 

Phewww!  Are you still with me? Thanks for staying until the end. I hope you found something to intrigue and inspire you to get messy with your paints and stencils.

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.

2018 - Celebrating Friendships with Monique

Good morning everyone!  Monique here popping by to share my creation for this month's "A Year In Review" challenge.

For this challenge I decided to do a double layout celebrating the friendship I have with some women I have known since our children started school together.  I love the way we make sure we spend time together, and how our families all get on so well.  We have so much fun every time we meet up, and we are a great support network for each other.

Of course, that can't be all done with just one layout, so I printed off five photos and did a double layout celebrating some of our get - togethers.

To begin, I scraped some paint onto some black cardstock.   I used some Dylusions Paint in Calypso Teal, Periwinkle Blue and Fresh Lime.  I then used The Crafters Workshop Black Modeling Paste and the 6x6 Moroccan Tiles Stencil to create my patterned background.

I stamped some flower images onto some white cardstock using my favourite Art By Marlene Flower Stamp - Stamp BM27.  I kept the large flowers uncoloured, but used Dina Wakely Scribble Sticks to colour the smaller ones.

I wanted some pops of colour behind my photos to lift them off the page so I backed them with Simple Stories DIY Boutique - Chevron/Teal and Stripes/Green.

I arranged my photos across my two background pages, being careful to balance them correctly and create a visual triangle.  I then added some more embellishments where needed - a stamped border from the Carabelle Studio "Edges in My Journal" stamp set and some chipboard pieces from the MAMBI Fabulous Value Pack.  I then decided I wanted some more flowers on my layout, so I got some Petaloo Mini Paintables - Roses and sprayed them with some Dylusions Ink in Calypso Teal, Periwinkle Blue and Fresh lime.

Here are some close ups:

Here are the links to the products available in the shop:

Simple Stories Paper in Chevron/Teal and Stripes/Green

Dylusions Paint - Calypso Teal, Periwinkle Blue and Fresh Lime

Dylusions Spray Ink - Calypso Teal, Periwinkle Blue and Fresh Lime

Mambi Fabulous Value Pack

Petaloo Mini Paintables - Roses White 

The Crafters Workshop Black Modeling Paste

Thank you for popping by the blog today, I hope I have inspired you to go ahead and create your double layouts documenting the year that was 2018.

If you want to enter, simply upload your creation into the January Challenge Folder on the Scrap Matirx Shares Page.

Bye for now, and happy creating!

Double layout - A year in review ... By Lynn

Hi everyone, today I would like to share the details of my layout for this month's challenge - 

A year in Review

Here is the moodboard

We have decided this month to give the "double scrapbookers" some inspiration and have created a double layout:

I have used the paper collection - Garden Party by 7 Dots for the background.

I have inked a plain piece of water colour paper using Dylusion ink sprays - Funky Fuschia, Black Marble, Lemon Zest, Cut Grass and Crushed Grape.

I have then stamped the entire background using the flower stamp by Art By Marlene.  I have also stamped some circles and added splatters to give more texture detail.

Then the job of fussy cutting!!!!!  I did the same process with the leaves as I did with the flowers.

I have then also stamped the same images on the background paper to align with where my photos are going.

I have double backed by photos (I couldnt decide which colour to use to used both!).  I have used the Ideology alpha stamp in lower case for my title.

Here are some close ups:

Products used:

7 Dots Garden Party Collection

Dylusion Inks

Art by Marlene stamp

Ideology alpha stamps

White Paint Pen

Thanks for stopping by - and even though it is a short month with the shop moving locations, I hope that you find time to create and submit a layout, card, art journal page etc.  You only need to upload a photo in the Scrap Matrix Shares Facebook page and tell us at least one item that you have used from the Scrap Matrix store -  easy peasy !

Til next time - Happy crafting