{Art Sisters} A layout for Scrap The Girls

I'm suuuuuuuper honored anytime a company, designer, or challenge invites to me part of their team. It always helps me re-establish the idea that I should be doing exactly what I am. 

I have recently taken a BIG sidestep in the artsy world moving from the memory saving aspect to the mixed media side.. it's where my heart really belongs. :) 

Then a month or two ago, Krisy from Scrap The Girls got a hold of me and asked if I'd be interested in doing a layout for their challenge. 

Well HECK YES I WOULD! I haven't scrapped in quite a while.. and a "Just for the girls" page was something I desperately needed anyways.. mama to a 5 year old boy really makes for a ton of masculine layouts. So Krisy then provided me with the following sketch : 

And I him & hawed over it for quite some time.. trying to nail down exactly what I wanted to do... I've been a bit obsessed over my gelli prints lately.. I've been inspired by the Gelli Arts blog and by Birgit Koopsen's gelli arts work.. then my friend Tina Walker did a fabulous piece with StencilGirl stencils & gelli prints.. but repurposing them in some found work.. PLUS my own art journaling students keep asking about different ways to incorporate gelli printing into other artworks and MAN oh MAN it all snowballed into this fantastic 12x12 :

Hopefully my art sister doesn't me plastering her face allover the interwebz!! bwaahahahaha. In May we got to attend the Paint Like An Artist workshop @ Donna Downey Studios and it was AAAAAMAZING. This is one of the photos we took. I'll probably be talking about this trip for YEARS!

The base of my layout is a piece of cardstock that's been collaged with some leftover underpaper. Then there's some awesome texture with heavy gesso and some glazing happening.




There's a bit of splattering happening occasionally...

My UmWowStudio chipboard colorwheels have been filled with various gelli prints! I use an 8x10 Gelli Arts printing plate, Dina Wakley / Ranger Ink heavy body acrylics, various stencils (The Crafter's Workshop, StencilGirl, Prima Marketing, UmWowStudio, Ranger Ink mostly) and usually plain white cardstock I buy in bulk at michaels. 

I also paid a little hommage to my art sister with some fun Zen Tangle INSPIRED patterned circles around my color wheels. I always top it off with some sketchy scribbly handwriting that commemorates the occasion. 

And then I framed our faces with one of my favorite designs for VLVS! the Doodle Border. LOVE IT. Pop on over to the Scrap The Girls blog and enter their challenge! They always have prizes prizes PRIZES :D 

Newsprint Blick Artists' Acrylic Gesso Flat Wash, 1" Neutral Gray Liquitex Acrylic Glazing Medium Ranger Heat It Craft Tool Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate 8X10 Inch Dina Wakley Ranger SET OF 6 Media Heavy Body Acrylic Paints Dina Wakley 12 Colors Set Wheelie Mask Moroccan Tile Stencil Dina Wakley Media Stencils, Spinners, 6 by 9-Inch Fragrance Free Quilted Baby Wipes Colorwheel Matte Medium Carbon Black Airbrush Medium 18 Gauge FineLine Distress It Yourself Ink Pad Re-Inkers, 5 oz, Black Soot Doodle Scallop Border Stamp Tim Holtz Scissors

InLinkz.com

Be True (a 12x12)

Here's a layout I finished up recently :)

To inspire you using UmWowStudio for the Scrap Around The World challenge!

The base is a whole sheet of Prima Marketing paper from Epiphany with a tear and peek through piece of Coffee Break. The tag for the photo mat is also from Coffee Break. I've used quite a few mixed media techniques on this page.. but in minute amounts to keep the layout a bit cleaner :)

Behind the photo I've put done some splatters of a Prima bloom spray, some drywall tape, and some of Finn's german glass glitter in gel medium through an UmWowStudio Harlequin stencil. The photo is held to the mat with tape and paper clips. It's also been embellished with some leaves, metal bits and a flower from Prima AND a Be True stamp from Viva Las VegaStamps!.

I always feel like the HOLES of the tags are bare if they aren't embellished, but sometimes I want to do more than thread them with ribbon. On this one I folded over some May Arts Ribbon and adorned it with a piece of chipboard from the Leaf Stems set from UmWowStudio. The leaf stem has been covered in gesso and bloom spray. I topped it off with a prima flower.

A bit more Prima goodness finishes off the tear I put at the bottom... there's more of the Be True stamp, some paper reinforcements cut from Coffee Break, some beautiful thin white thread and some Say It In Crystals. Done, Done, and Doner! 

♥

Washington Classes - Mummy's Baby

I'll also have this Double Page Layout class in Washington.. this class is INCLUDED IN the price of the scrapbook retreat -- $250 for the weekend. Also includes food, other classes, crop space and place to sleep!

This page uses Prima's Epiphany collection with Finn's Art Basics Black Gesso. There's also acrylic paints, paint markers, VLVS! stamps, fine liner, fiber tape and washi tape, office supplies, May Arts Ribbon, UmWowStudio mask and chipboard, and more. This class is being held Friday evening at 7 pm. 

Contact jenn@nanikeolascrapbooking.com to reserve your seat! 

Oh Boy! {12x12}

I love sketches! You may noticed from our monthly challenge based on Sketches over @ UmWowStudio --- well recently I got the opportunity to join the fabulously talented sketch designer Kristine Davidson of Creative Scrappers with a whole slew of other layout artists in Version III of Creating With Sketches!

I cannot show you the sketch (of course) but I do get to share with you my layout based on the awesome sketch :) 

Product list:

7 Dots Studio : Nature Walk Collection
UmWowStudio : Star Confetti | Layered Stars | Set Sail Flair

Prima Marketing Ink : Color Bloom Spray | Junkyard Findings | Heavy White Gesso
Tim Holtz : Keyhole | Tissue Tape | Tiny Attacher and Staples

May Arts Ribbon : Burlap String

Other : sewing machine and thread, watercolor paper, cheesecloth, Dymo Label Maker, paper doily

There is TONS of inspiration in this bit! 120 Sketches, 60 Designers!

You can pick up the $10 DIGITAL version of Creating With Sketches here.
or the $18 PHYSICAL version of Creating With Sketches here.

And don't forget to use a coupon code :) 

Use coupon code V3DeeDee to save 10% !! :) :)

King For A Day {12x12 7DS}

Hello Hello!!

it's been a few days since I posted, and I meant to share this one sooner, but there's no time like the present!

I'm sharing a 12x12 that I created for 7 Dots Studio. It's titled 'King For A Day' and documents Gabe's 3rd birthday :)

The base is Dreamer by Finnabair for 7 Dots Studio with a layer of watercolor paper and stitching in black. I worked on the background with some masking tape, drywall tap, coffee splatters and a tiny splattering of iZink in gold, Then I stamped in Yellow Neon by ImaginCRAFTS, Walnut Stain Distress Ink, and Archival Black by Ranger with Illumination Stamps (7 Dots Studio) and the new Periodic Table by VLVS!.

Next was a bit of clustering and laying, you can see the stamping really in this photo. I also layered up stickers from 9th wave, diecuts from Nature Walk, From The Heart Flair by UmWowStudio, thread and sequins (some from Gauche Alchemy, some from Pretty Pink Posh)

The focal point of my layout is two photos of ickle goobaloob on his Birthday. He had a crown and everything! the top has been adorned with a crown from UmWowStudio's Photo Booth Props set, painted in iZink gold. I also gave it a few little crowning gems; stars from Star Confetti and a pearl. The alphas come from Pink Paislee (gold) and Domestic Goddess (square alphas.)

And lastly... the bottom right embellishing is more stamping, a splatter of those sequins and a yellow enamel dot actually taken from the center of Dear Lizzy's wooden buttons. 

Us 3 {12x12 SATW | 7DS}

Today I've got a 12x12 to share with you as my first official project on the 7 Dots Studio team!

7 Dots Studio is a super sponsor over @ Scrap Around The World and today The 7Dots team is inspiring you on their blog using a superb mood board created by Tusia herself! 

I did a 12x12 utilizing a piece of paper from the 9th Wave Collection by Finnabair for 7 Dots Studio and a giant sheet of watercolor paper.

I trimmed off a 3inch piece of a sheet from 9th wave and adhered it down to my watercolor paper. Then I gessoed over the break in paper to help the two blend together, spreading the gesso out on the two papers. I layered up some background bits like coffee splatters and rings, mist splatters, and 2 favorites of my designs for Viva Las VegaStamps! (Invoice/waybill background and Clockface.)

This bit underneath the photo is comprised of a Nature Walk diecut tag, a big fussy cut Chevron from the Nature Walk Songbird sheet, some May Arts Webbing and Burlap string, and a tag reinforcement from UmWowStudio's Soar Tag Set. You can really see the texture of the gesso in this photo.

This little cluster at the bottom includes the Invoice stamping,  some layering of 9th wave Leaf diecuts using a Magnolia die, some Nature Walk diecut elements, and a Prima flower.

The date stamp is just from a date stamp where you can dial up the appropriate date. There's a paper doily, a piece from the Airmail Grid Pocket Chip, a piece from From The Heart flair, and the #3 tab from Round Numbered Tabs all by UmWowStudio. There's also a few more leaves from 9th wave.

I also layered up a large tag from Nature Walk, the punch label stickers from Nature Walk and some staples. You'll notice a few brushes of gesso and some more coffee splattering around to help the continuity of the page.

♥