Confessions and Obsessions of a Paper Crafter

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Dylusional Calendar Challenge

 So my first New Year's RESOLUTION (using up what I have, before I buy anything more - it's the same resolution and make and break every year!) went straight out the window when I took a class involving Dylusions Ink sprays. Of course I had to buy some to try, and then I hit the 'net in an attempt to learn EXACTLY how to use them ( I swear I should have been a researcher).
During my online searches, I came across a calendar challenge by Kate Crane.  I was smitten.  So much colour!  I had to try it!  And so here is my January page.  It's only a singe page, because I'm getting started half way through the month.
The book is sketch book (8 1/2 x 11).  I had read (in my extensive online research sessions) that a layer of gesso would prevent the inks, etc. from soaking through the paper, so I put a layer on both sides.  Then I went crazy with acrylic paint.  I even tried out the credit card technique!

Next came the ink sprays, which didn't always stick on the paint.  But it gave some nice puddling effects.  I bought some light modeling paste, and with a snowflake stencil, added some flakes.  They started off white, but as they dried, they soaked up the ink (which was dry) and turned blue.  You can sort of see one under the "y" in January.  Wanting some white snowflakes (I'm rather traditional), I stamped some in white pigment ink.  But they turned blue too!  Lucky for me the ink is extremely slow drying, and I embossed them in white. 
The snowman is from Tim Holtz, and coloured with Copics.  The finished page now has the feel of wallpaper.  It's very strange, maybe it's the gesso.

The colourful squares are 1 1/2", and the idea is to write, draw or decorate one a day.  Here is where my real problem begins - WHAT do I put in that little square???  I already write in a daily journal, and the square is too small to write much anyway.  So far I have just been decorating them with a "stamp of the day", or a thought or funny thing that happened during the day. 

Next month I'll try a  double page, and I think my colour scheme is going to be RED for Valentine's day.  This will necessitate more ink sprays......

Until next time....

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Happy 2013, Yes I'm still Around!

There is supposed to be a lovely photo that I took of an owl here, but for some reason, Blogger is not giving me the option of uploading it from my computer.  I must say if I had to do it all over again..... think I might be looking at a different blog service!

Anyway, it has been a long time since I last posted to this blog, not sure what happened to the time, but I will tell you I got a lot done in the way of Christmas cards and gifts!  My darling husband was getting a little worried, wondering if I would ever come out of my scrapbooking room again!   I managed to make 2 books, a pair of slippers (those I knitted!), a framed 12x12 scrapbooked page, a tea dispenser and a mini album.  All completed, and wrapped!

And now it's 2013, and time for some RESOLUTIONS.
1) Finish my current UFO afghan
2) Finish up my travel journals (I have a few unfinished ones hanging around)
3) No impulse shopping for scrapbooking/stamping/crafting items!

Okay, that's enough.
Here's to a happy and healthy 2013!

Until next time.....