Hello all
Thought I might use a little bit of free time today to share my entries for this year's Scrapbooking Masters competition. This was my second time entering and I absolutely love the thrill and excitement of it. I can honestly say that I loved the journey which lasted about 7 weeks from the time I decided to enter to completing everything before the deadline. I loved being challenged and stretched beyond my comfort zone.
Task One: Create a layout using a 5x7 photo
This layout was inspired by a photo of my friend’s
little boy. This photo was perfect for what I had in mind and reminded me of my husband’s occasional
hunting trips. I imagined the little guy growing up, doing the very same
things.
Product List:
Watercolour cardstock – Kaszazz; Patterned Paper – Becky Higgens; Vellum –
Kaszazz; Distress Ink Pads – Tim Holtz; Acrylic Strips – Becky Higgens; Mask – Studio
Calico; Die Tim Holtz; Paint – Silks, Viva 3D paint; Heavy Medium Gel – Chromacryl; Stamp –
Kaszazz; Embossing powder – Kaszazz; Staz On White; Metallic Melts – Tinbe Designs;
Epoxy
sticker –Prima ; Chipboard
words and embellishments– Scrap Matrix; Chipboard frames; Buttons, Rub-on words.
Task 2: Create a layout, using unconventional items
This project was certainly one of the most
challenging, but also most exciting and rewarding tasks which I undertook this
year. Not only did I it take me on a emotional rollercoaster, but was I stoked
to receive an Honrable Mention from Scrapbooking Memories.
To start off my husband and I took a trip to our local
dump shop. Believe it or not, but this was one of my biggest highlights taking
on this challenge. I went out searching for some rusted corrugated tin and
found exactly what I was looking for. To tell the truth I was almost protective
over my piece of tin and did not want to let it go in fear that someone else
might take it. (Seriously…) It was
then when I spotted an old bleached wood fence and just new I want a frame of
it. I started fiddling with it and wanted to break off some of the smaller boards.
My husband looked at me and cautioned me to leave it, as he does not want me to
get hurt. “I want this”, I said excited.
“What do you mean you want it? What are you planning to do with it?.” “ A frame
for the tin”, I said. He protested because the wood was in a terrible state and
argued that it may not hold up and even if it did, it would not look neat. So I
explained that I want it to look grungy and I don’t care if the edges are not
straight, because that was the look I wanted. Seeing that I could not be
convinced otherwise he agreed and help me break off a few pieces, but first I
had to leave my treasured roofing alone and go with him to find personnel to
assist us
The looks of the personnel’s faces were priceless when
he said: “My wife would like to purchase the rusted tin and fence” “Really” the
lady said. “Yes”, he smiled. “Okay then” she said. “Ask the guy over there, he
would be best to assist you”. In short, this person did not want any payment
but the hubby gave him a handful of coins from my wallet and I was in 7th
heaven. Surely very little people would understand, but I was childishly happy,
and the proverbial kid in a candy store. Not because I got a lolly, but a
rusted piece of corrugated tin… . (Admittedly
he later agreed that the wood was perfect for the frame and it really was trash
turned into treasure)
I chose to do my layout on Cyclone Tracy, as 2014
marks the 40th anniversary of this catastrophic event. The tin was the perfect background and my search for photos began. Obtaining the right
photos and permission to use them was more difficult than I’ve ever imagined. I
searched for weeks, on the web, messaging people in Facebook Groups, asking
friends who experience it, you name it, and I’ve tried it. I found many photos
of damaged buildings and debris, but struggled to find good quality photos of
people. But perseverance prevailed and I found what I was looking for. The main photo by Rick Stevens, was purchased
from Fairfax Syndication, whilst all the smaller ones were obtained from the
Northern Territory Library.
To include more information about the event, I created a little mini album behind the big photo to flip open from right to left, rather than the traditional left to right. For me this just emphasize the total chaos after the event.
Product List:
Rusted corrugated metal; Wood from an old fence; Scrap
paper; Vellum – Kaszazz; Lace & Ribbon – Kaszazz; Tags – Kaszazz; Ink
Sprays – Tattered Angles,
Lindy’s Stamp Gang, Ranger; Embossing Folders – Tim Holtz; Embellishments – Prima, Brads – Finnabair; Tim Holtz, craft markets; German
Scrap – Scrap Matrix; Washi Tape; Glue – Ranger, Hot glue; Cheesecloth; newspaper
clippings; soft drink can scraps from a tag I made earlier in the year
Task 3: Create a layout with the journalling as the focus
As much as I love talking and especially about
scrapbooking and travel, I don’t tend to write a lot on my layouts. As such, I
wanted to keep this layout clean and simple. I also wanted to create something
fun and funky.
I was inspired this layout by Chantalle McDaniel found
on the 2Crafty Blog.(http://2craftychipboard.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/crafty-one-more-time-with-chantalle.html). I love d the idea of doing a layout without any
photos because it allowed me to be a little bit whimsical. As such, focusing on the journaling gave me an
opportunity to tryout a style that I would never have tried before and I loved
every moment of it. With this idea in mind I also started with the idea of a
crossword puzzle. I thought about things I could say about myself, so it would
still be meaningful to me, without the photos and decided to combine the 2
things I like most which is Travel and Scrapbooking.
I decided to do a crossword by placing the letters of
the word Travel vertically on the page in red to highlight them and then create
words horizontally explaining why I love to travel. Some of the letters were partly
covered by other words to create a cohesive look. In my view, the question why
allows the viewer to search for more clues in regards of the theme, while the
arrows guide the eyes from one word to another. When you look closer you also
discover the second part of the question by reading Travel vertically, which
creates a sense of playfulness.
Task 4: Create an Art Journal cover
Front:
Back
Front Inside:
Back inside:
First Journal Page:
Wow, I absolutely loved creating this art journal
cover. I was guided by the beautiful patterns of the 9th
Wave paper range from 7 Dots Studio and inspired by the work of both Cristina Tamas
and Finnabair. You can check out Christina’s work at http://lovelycristina.deviantart.com. I
added some doilies and lace on the background paper to match and then played
with the idea for about a week, adding different elements without sticking
anything down. I fell in love with the textures and just could not get myself
to stop once I got going. It was almost like digging into a box of chocolate
and not having the control to stop eating. I ended up decorating the both the
outside and inside of the front and the back cover and included my name on a
tag in the front, because I did not wish to stick it on the journal itself. I created
my first art journal page as a way to relax after all my entries were done.
Now, guess who could not wait to start using her art journal…?
Product List
Journal – Fancy Pants; Patterned Paper – 7 Dots
Studio; Whipped Spackle – Faber Castle; Lace – Finnabair, Scrap Matrix; Ink
Sprays – Tattered Angles, Lindy’s Stamp Gang; Ink– Tim Holtz, Ranger; Perfect Pearls – Ranger;
Die- Sizzix; German Scrap – Scrap Matrix; Chipboard letters and words – Scrap
Matrix; Stencils – Crafter’s Workshop; Stamps –
Darkroom Door, Kaszazz; Embellishments – Scrap Matirx, Kaiser Craft ,
Kaszazz, Glitz; Mod Podge; Alcohol inks – Ranger; pearls; hot glue hat pin;
metal charms, organza ribbon; lace doily; organza ribbon.