Christmas Cards Part 2

As I promised you in my previous post, I'm back today with Christmas cards featuring sequins and chevrons. I got the idea for these cards when I spotted this week's challenge at CAS-ual Fridays:

Even if I find traditional patterns and colors for seasonal cards easy for the eye , I admit I like using non traditional ones, too, like those I used for the first card today ( which is my entry for the challenge)



Patterned papers: Amy Tangerine. Sequin bow: Freckled Fawn
Twine: The Twinery. Stamp: Imagenicse. Sequins: unknown

Close up photo:

Ornament dies: LifestyleCrafts

A second card with sequins and chevrons, this time in more traditional colors:

Patterned papers: Little Yellow Bicycle. Washi (merry Christmas): Panduro
Sequins: unknown. Glitter: Sticles

Close up - a little glitter makes the card more festive!
And that washi rape is perfect for cards!

Ornament dies: LifestyleCrafts

 What do you prefer for Christmas cards: traditional or non traditional colors and patterns - or a mix?

Memory Maze's Blog Hop

Welcome to the Memory Maze's first ever blog hop!!

If you didn't come from Sharm Nidyanandan's blog or you popped upon this blog and didn't realize we were blog hopping you need to go to the Memory Maze blog and start the HOP! 

You will need to comment on ALL of the blogs to be eligible for the prize. Plus some of our awesome designers are giving away a prize on their blogs as well. 

 Here's what you could win from Memory Maze.

The Winner will be announced at the Memory Maze blog on the 26th May !

Our theme for this blog hop is Technique, each of our wonderful design team members will show you how to decorate those chipboard pieces or create new chipboard pieces.

My contribution is to show how  to make skin structure to chipboard - I'm going to do it on a dinosaur chipboard.

Start with covering your chipboard with gesso or other paint.
This will prevent your chipboard from sucking ink/paint and
will give crisper colors

Paint or ink your chipboard in desired colors. I have used both
acrylic paint and ink (Ranger Distressing ink)

When paint/ink is dry, cover areas you want a skin structure
on with crackle paint i(t's easier to see the crackles at this photo 
 angel, even if it means colors are not)

To make the crackles more visible, paint over crackle paint with
acrylic paint when crackle paint has dried. While acrylic paint is
still wet, wipe off access paint with a baby wiper. Cover other
parts of chipboard with a glossy varnish for a more even surface.

When completely dried, mount painted chipboard on project.

Memory Maze Product used 

Dinosaur2

Other products: Patterned papers: Kaiser Kraft (Background), Studio Calico. Rubons: Basic Grey.

Alphas: Crate Paper (Scrabble), Basic Grey. Washi: Unknown

-----------------------

To celebrate this blog hop, I feel like giving away a small prize, too. All you have to do to have a chance to win a card kit, is to be a follower of my blog, either by BlogLovin, NetworkedBlogs or Google Follower - see badges on the right hand, and to leave a comment on this post. Winner will be announced on the May 26th.

Our blog hop runs from today, Monday 20th May, invite your Friends to play along. You must comment on all the blogs for a chance at the Grand Prize. 

The Winner will be announced here on the 26th May, as well as on the Memory Maze blog!

The next stop on the blog hop is Victoria Freze, so pop on over and let them know what your favorite piece of Memory Maze chipboard is.

 Here is a list and order for our blog hop.

JuleneMathews
Kylie Symons
Susan Moy

AmandaLawrence

TraceyCampell

DonnaO'Leary

Lucy Ohanyan

Erin Reed

RebeccaMosher

SharmNidyanandan

Hilde Aaslund --- (You are here)

VictoriaFreze

Linda Thompson

Memory Maze Chipboard

Thank you for playing along with our first Blog Hop, we hope that you had fun and will be back to join in again.

Hush, don't tell my hubby!

• That I have spent to much on scrapping?
  No, I've been good so far this year (remember, as I have a "Shopping Free 2013" I have only allowed myself to buy four collections)
• That I have spent too much time scrapping?
  No, I haven't. And as our living room is just besides my scrap space, he knows what I'm doing
• That I have a lover?
  No, I don't have one. And I don't think I can handle one either *lol*

So what is my secret?



Flower: Petaloo. Pebble: Prima. Butterfly: Maya Road (?)
Twine: The Twinery. Trim & washi: unknown
 

I have started some secret savings. If I do what I have planned, there should be enough money in the end of the year to go on a small vacation or something else fun.

Here is the deal: you start at Week 1 by saving a dollar (or an Euro, or any other amount depending on the currency where you live.) Week2 you save two dollars, week 3 three dollars etc etc. It should give you about $1500 by the end of the year if you manage to keep up. I have been good so far in 2013 :-)

I needed a box for my secret savings, and I had a container I wanted to use. You may have seen those often used for smoothies, juices etc, the ones with a hole at the top of the bubble shaped lid? I had one which had contained berries so it was easy to clean. But how on earth do you cover such a shape with paper? Then it stroke me: Washi tape!!! And how easy was that! I don't mind that the final surface has some wrinkles, I think it adds a nice structure in fact. I added a flower and an old butterfly I have had around for ages, a ribbon, some twine and a cute pebble, and voila!

I have no idea which manufactorers these washi come from. I have gotten some here,
bought some there and they have all come without packaging indicating origin.

I don't think neither kids or husband will ever look at the inside of this container, as they are used to me having decorated (uninteresting) stuff in my scrap place. And I have made sure it is placed on a shelf the curious kitten can't reach.

Do you ever do secret savings? For indulging yourself or sharing with the rest of the family?

Playing with Washi - The Studio Challenge February 17th

Hi.

Today's the third Sunday of February, which means we have a new challenge for you at The Studio Challenges: Create a layout with no pattern paper and get creative with washi tape.


I don't have many rolls of washi tape, but here are a few ways I thought of using it:

Inspired by a sketch from PageMaps which you will find at The Sassy Scrapper's blog

Use it as patterned paper stripes for your background, cover chipboard with it, make your own paper buttons, make your own flags by attaching washi to ordinary paper clips, cover office paper clips with washi.

Chipboard: Imaginarium Designs. Paper Clip: American Craft
White Cardstock: Bazill. Washi: Unknown. Flair: Cre8tive Cre8tions
Tag: Chic Tags

How do you use washi?
Do you want to show us at The Studio Challenge`s?

Fifty Shades of Grey - CSI File Case #56

If you expect a review from me on The Book, I'm sorry I have to disapoint you *lol*

This post is about documenting for the future why I was grey long before fifty - and may be why of most of my female friends weren't....

White background cardstock: Bazill. Black overlay: Rayher. Patterned Paper: CSI Coordinates #56. Brads: MME. Flowers: Petaloo, Prima. Butterfly & Hello Bingocard: Jenni Bowlin. Chipboard Alpha: Imaginarium Designs.
Modelling Paste: Panduro. Paper clip, pins, washi & twine: Unknown

The Hello tag behind the photo reveals the true about my stunning hair color, the dark blond with awesome white slings no hair dresser can copy:

I'm too lazy to color my hair, or to be more presice: the after growth....



This layout was inpired by last weeks CSI Case File # 56:

And the CSI DT must have liked it too, as they rewarded me with this badge :

OK, ladies - confession time: do you color your hair?

I'll never be a mixed media artist :-(

Do you have materials, or tecniques, you struggle with?

Using mist and masks seems impossible to get a good grip on for me. My papers get all bulky, and I struggle with the design on my papers and cards when I I don't have paper to shuffle around. Why? Do I THINK too much, or try too hard? It's interesting that I have problems with this media, as ink pads, water colors and modelling paste works great for me...

Anyway - I have been playing, and here is the result:

Paper: 7Gypsies. Mask: The Crafters Workshop. Mist: Dylusions. Modelling Past: Panduro
Brown ink: Ranger. Pens: Signo. Chipboard: Imaginarium Designs. Washi & metal: Unknown

My mist is Chocolate brown, but for some reason it turned out more pinkish on my background paper, even if this was in brown shades. So annoying!

Paper: 7Gypsies. Mask: The Crafters Workshop + Clubscrap. Mist: Dylusions. Modelling Past: Panduro. Pens: Signo. Chipboard (used as mask): Imaginarium Designs. Button: Purple Pumpkin. Washi & ribbon: Unknown



Paper: 7Gypsies. Mask: The Crafters Workshop + Clubscrap. Mist: Dylusions. Modelling Past: Panduro. Pens: Signo. Chipboard: Imaginarium Designs. Flair: ScrapButtons. Washi & clip: Unknown


Do you have materials or teqniques you struggle with?