Follow Your Heart - a note of encouragement

I used the International Scrapbook Garden January Toolshed Kit:  Winter Adventure Bonus Fairy Garden papers to make this card.  Additionally I used the Tim Holtz Chipboard Sayings from the Toolshed: Winter Adventures Bonus Embellishments, and a heart from the Bonus Chipboard Kit.  I am in love with these hearts embellished with Stickles.  This card uses the colors "Blue Bayou" and "Mercury Glass".  I wish I could show you the sparkle in real life!

To make this card you need:

1 - 4 1/4 x 5 1/2  inch card
1 - background paper cut to 4 x 5 1/4 inches
1 - dark contrast patterned paper cut to 1 x 5 1/4 inches
1 - dark contrast circle of 2 inches
1 - light patterned paper cut to 2 1/4 x 3 1/2 inches
Chalk ink (I used Prima's Farmer's Jeans)
1 - Chipboard sentiment of your choice
1 - chipboard heart

Use the sample card to assemble the layers.  I used dry adhesive for all of the patterned papers and wet adhesive for the chipboard sentiment and the heart.

This card really lends itself to any time you need to send a note of encouragement.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you again next week.

~ Victoria

Enjoy the Journey

Happy Friday!  Almost time to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!  I'm here today using the Winter Tool Shed Kit bonus 6 x 6 papers,  from the International Scrapbook Garden, with an upbeat card entitled, enjoy the journey.

For this card I used only items from the kit, except the bright blue hearts from Queen and Company from my stash.  This card features six paper designs used in small amounts.  The background seemed best as a solid denim.  All these papers are from Maja Designs and come in the fairy garden card kit.  I just love all the blues, and notice how the floral prints blend without making the card look overly feminine!  Every layer was edged with the Prima Chalk Ink in Farmers Jeans.  I did distress the first layer with scissors, but other than that just straight edges chalked.  The sentiment is from the bonus embellishments:  Tim Holtz chipboard included in the kit.  There are so many great sayings I could just play on forever.

I hope you are all enjoying the journey today.  And I will see you next week with another card from the kit!

Enjoy!

~ Victoria

Adventure Takes Courage

Happy Thursday and welcome to a little creative departure from my usual cards.  For this mixed media journal I used elements of the Winter Adventure Toolshed Kit, the world map paper and the Tim Holtz Chipboard words.  I also used the KaiserMist in Denim mixed with pearlescent white paint for the splatters and the Lindy's Starburst Spray in Canna Lily Burnt Orange mixed with pearlescent white part for the splatters.  The prompt I used for this page was from the Mission Inspiration Facebook Page:

The steps I took were as follows:

1.  Covered my page with tan tissue, using Mod Podge to adhere

2. Covered with white gesso with a baby wipe (I made my own with a paper towel, oil, water and soap)

3. Made marks using corrugated card board to pick up on the grid theme - I used orange and black paint mixed to approximate the terra-cotta and a blue that I had on hand with black to approximate the navy (I could have added additional black). 

4.  I added texture with vanilla texture paste from Marabu Mixed Media 

5.  The focal image is the world circle punched from Maja Designs paper and the photograph of my dad, when he was 21 years old, and came to the United States.

6.  I added the Tim Holtz chipboard phrases that were cut from those in the pack (oops!  I got the order slightly wrong).

7.  I created the splatters with shimmer using the mists, as noted above and a fan brush.

8.  I added a boarder with scribbles that look like a "W" in hindsight, for Warren (my dad's last name), with a Pitt Pen.  I also added some grid lines in black and some outlines as well to bring the design all together.

I hope to make a video in the future of how I use bits and bobs from the kit to create mixed media journal pages.

The date on the page is the date my dad came to the United States.  I colored that circle with a gelato in a terra-cotta color for a highlight.

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Victoria

Waiting for Spring with International Scrapbook Garden!

Happy Thursday!  I'm back again to show you a tag that I made using components from the Tool Shed Kit:  Winter Adventure.

From the kit:

Maja Designs Denim & Friends - Fashion
Maja Designs papers from the card add on kit
Bark kiln dried Birch
Chip board
Blue Flower
Prima Resin Clock
Kaiser Mist Denim

Additions:

Adhesives
Ribbon from Webster's design
Twine Jilly Bean Soup
Shimmers Texturez Tidy Widy (from the October Kit)
Stars and Dew Drops Queen and Company
Mist in opaque white
Prima paper clay and face mold

I am pretty happy with the way the ice came out.  I sprayed the chipboard two times with the Kaiser Mists in Denim.  When that had dried thoroughly, I sprayed with an opaque white mist that reactivated the Kaiser mist and created the marbled look.  Finally, once that was dry, I painted dots and splashes of dark color to add emphasis and dimension.  

I have been trying out "new" techniques to add to my mixed media.  I used Mod Podge in Matte to adhere the wood strips to the tag.  I love the idea of using natural kiln dried wood on my projects.  I also really loved the difference between the exterior lighter color and the interior color, much more of a reddish brown.  I also made the face from Prima's paper clay.  I let it dry over night turning occasionally so it dried evenly.  I then used the Kaiser Mist in Denim for two coats, drying between each.  I love how the shimmer "drifted" down into the expression.  I adhered the face, once dry to the flower.  The title piece was completed on white card stock on my printer with one of my favorite fonts: Bookman Old Style.  Not sure why I like that one so much, but I find myself using it often.

Anyway, I am looking forward to longer days and the change of seasons.  Hope you enjoyed this tag and let me know if I can tell you anything else about the techniques I used.

Have a great week and see you again soon!

~ Victoria