'Wonderful Life'

How are my all my crafty ladies?

It's Saturday night and I'm here to share my next layout I created 

with the June Scraps of Elegance kit.....

'wonderful life'

I had so much fun creating this one and I love how it turned out. As soon as I saw this pretty peach paper called 'Spring Garden 03' by Craft & You, I knew what I wanted to do. My inspiration came from this vintage beach photo I found on Pinterest.

Here is the kit from June...

Please visit the Scraps of Elegance blog here to see how the other girls were inspired.

Here are a few close ups...

First I did a lot masking with heavy gesso and then used some of my favourite colors of Lindy's Samp Gang sprays in peach and bronze. Then I added the really cool Tim Holtz black rub ons that came in the kit, love how these look. 

With this layout I would like to enter a challenge on the blog Paper Fun...

The theme for this one is 'The Perfect Vacation', well my idea of a perfect holiday is always at the beach with my boys, swimming, sunbathing and relaxing by the ocean, which I was thinking of while creating this layout. Please check out their blog here....

Once my background was done I added the pretty heart chipboard piece, and then layered on my photos, some flowers, lace, and then lastly some tiny shells that I adhered with clear gel medium.

Well, we are off to the beach ourselves tomorrow! We've been counting down the days and now it's finally here, we are going to Disneyland, and then onto the coast. It's like Christmas in July for my little boy....he is beside himself he is so excited:) so is mom :)

See you soon...

Lisa xox

'Butterfly' a new layout for Scraps of Elegance

Good evening scrappy friends....

I was so happy to open up the April kit from Scraps of Elegance this month 

and find such pretty papers and flowers.....

'butterfly'

Included in the kit was the 'Butterfly' collection by Prima and also some gorgeous Bo Bunny papers.

Here is the kit for April called 'Lynne's Garden Terrace' named after our designer Lynne Joncas. 

You can find Lynne's blog here.

For more info on where to buy Scraps of Elegance kits please go here...

and to get inspired by the Scraps of Elegance designers please go here....

A few close ups....

There were some gorgeous metal pieces that I tucked into the flowers and into the torn paper.

The Tim Holtz metal frame was a perfect look for my super vintage design.

Beautiful Prima flowers from the same collection. I tucked in some Blue Fern Studios chipboard pieces that I painted white and then softened with Vintage Photo ink.

This was the first time I had ever used the Magical Pigment Powder from Lindy's Stamp Gang and I loved it. It had a beautiful shimmer to it and I loved the almost two toned color, bright purple with a teal undertone.

Thanks for looking,

Lisa xo

....goth girls....

Hello my crafty ladies....

I hope this post finds you all well..... I am dropping in today to share a layout I created for the beautiful blog called SkrapKopilka.

I won a challenge back in March and they so kindly invited me to Guest Design 

and use the following sketch...To find out more about how to enter this challenge

please go here....

Here are a few close ups....

The 7 Dots paper 'Domestic Goddess' was the perfect backdrop for my rather haunted vintage photograph. My lovely readers I'll tell you something if you promise not to laugh....you know those geeky super strange kids that are dressed all gothic? That was me in high school! Yes, I (unfortunately) went all in, listening to Siouxsie and the Banshees and wearing lots of black ( I even dyed my hair black...MUCH to my mother's chagrin...). One of my favourite pastimes was hanging out in all the vintage shops in Kensington Market picking out clothes....Scottish kilts with that cool pin was one of my favourite looks...Anyway.... the point of all of that is that when I set myself free to start a layout and just see where it takes me, I find that goth streak coming back into my art with strangely dark, mysterious centuries-old photos, lots and lots of textures and rich, deep saturated colors mixed with puddles of black ink..... I stared at this one for quite a while after it was finished wondering if I liked it...(and what had possessed me, lol)....you'll have to tell me what you think...

I used a new Tim Holtz stencil with very heavy gesso to create some pretty swirls in the background and then added lots of Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays in Passionate Plum, Bucaneer Bronze, Violaceous Violet and Midnight Rendevous Raven.

I love using Prima beads lately to add even more texture.

 My gothic girls....strange but true....
Thanks for stopping by,
Lisa xo

'Daphne'

Hello girls! 

I am dropping in to share my latest creation with the January 

Scraps of Elegance kit. I love vintage photos with a passion and I found this

beautiful photo of one of my favourite ladies...the English author Daphne du Maurier.

'Daphne'

To read more about Ms du Maurier please go here. My favourite book by her is Jamaica Inn...it's one of those stories that stays with you long after you have read it.....

The papers in this kit are so gorgeous,

this one is called 'Euphoria' from the Rustic Harmony collection by Kaisercraft.

Here is the January kit...

Fo more info on where to buy these kits please go here...

To see all the amazing design team work please go here...

Here are some close ups...

From the kit I used the papers, the pink burlap, the wire heart, the Prima white resin, and one of the butterflies. From my stash I used some Prima flowers, string, and some Lindy's Stamp Gang mists.

A long time ago I found an old string of pearls that I had been saving for just the right project, as I was creating this layout I noticed the pearl necklace in the photo and I knew I had found the perfect spot for my vintage pearl beads :)

I also want to share the brand new kit for February called 'Lisa's Love Letters' in honor of Lisa Novogrodski, the DT Coordinator for Scraps of Elegance...please check out her beautiful blog here.

I just received this kit with all the add-ons and I can't wait to start playing with it...The paper add-on with this kit comes with the complete set of the new Blue Fern Studios collection 'Love Story'...yum! 

One more thing before I go...

Scraps of Darkness and Scraps of Elegance Kit Clubs are looking for one or more Educators to join our Design Teams!

Do you enjoy working with the newest "quality" scrapbook products on the market, making your own embellishments and flowers, altered items, and/or exploring mixed media - and sharing your knowledge? If so, you don’t want to miss out on this call!

As an Educator at Scraps of Darkness or Scraps of Elegance, you will be working with our Main kit, as well as two of our kit add ons each month.  We want to offer our club members a wide variety of tutorials, perhaps a new style of flower you've created, or some fun techniques with mixed media, how you created your latest layout or off the page item, etc.

Responsibilities Include:

2 completed projects utilizing our Main Kit and/or our kit Add-Ons each month, to be uploaded to specified online galleries, as well as your blog/facebook/etc.

2 video tutorials to accompany the projects which are to be available for viewing on YouTube.

Be an active presence in our Facebook Community Group – our club members want to get to know you!

Check in daily in our design team group.

What you will receive in return for your commitment:

Our Main Monthly Kit

Our exclusive Creativity Add-On, and one other kit add on of your choosing.

A generous discount on any additional add-ons you may want, as well as items in our store.

A Design Team/Educator Badge with your photo and a link to your blog on our site.

You will work alongside our other amazing, talented designers, and be part of a design team that is appreciated and valued by management.

This call is open to US and International Applicants

How to Apply:

Please send all applications to lisa@scrapsofdarkness.com with your name and Educator Call in the subject line.

Include your full name, address, email, phone number

Include links to your blog, on line galleries, resume if you have one

Provide links to three of your video tutorials

Submit photos of 3 projects that demonstrate your style

Please list all current design team commitments that you have

Note: Our designers are exclusive to us. You are permitted to design for manufacturers, challenge sites, etc., but no other kit clubs are to be promoted or advertised please.

Applications must be received by February 24th, 2015.

You will be contacted via email if you are selected for our team. 

That's it - Good Luck!!!

That's all for now...see you soon!

Hugs, Lisa xox

'May Russell'

Hello lovelies!
Hope you are all well....I have a new challenge for you to start out the week.....

The girls at Scrap Africa were so kind to invite me to be a Guest Designer for their new challenge with a vintage theme. Well, you all know this is 'right up my alley' so I was so pleased and honoured

 to create something for them....

'May Russell'

Here is some info about the challenge today at Scrap Africa...

Welcome to Monday and I hope that you had a super, restful weekend.

Today is the start of a new challenge and it's a vintage theme!

Create a card, layout or OTP project in vintage theme!

We would love to hear your stories and journalling about your projects too, so please be sure to share that with us too! ;-)

I saw this image on Pinterest too and thought I must share it! ;-)

I found these vintage photos on line here, and I was totally fascinated. They are photos of people being booked for committing a crime.....Who are these women? What brought them to be arrested? The stories they could tell......

I chose this lady named May Russell, but there are so many photographs in this collection that are just captivating to look at. Even in their sad disheveled state, these women are beautiful.

I used some gorgeous vintage papers from Prima's Time Traveler collection together with some bits of an old magazine from my stash, love the effect that vintage ephemera gives my layouts. I love my designs to look like old tattered and worn pages from an old diary with lots of textures and paints.

I also used some Prima flowers, Prima metal trinkets and some Blue Fern Studios 

chipboard pieces (the key and keyhole) that I painted white and gold.

Thanks so much for taking a look, and I hope you have found a little inspiration 

to dig out some old family photos and join in the challenge!

Until next time, hugs, Lisa xo

stars and stripes

Hello! Happy 4th of July!

Dropping in to share my lo created for the Blue Fern Studios July sketch challenge....

'stars and stripes'

As soon as I saw these beautiful stars from Blue Fern Studios just in time for the July 

challenge I knew right away that I wanted to create a lo about July 4th.

I found this photo of Liam at our town's annual Independence Day parade a few years ago.

I just kept the chipboard simple with some white acrylic paint as I wanted it to 

stand out against the red and blue.

Here is the beautiful sketch for July...

Remember you don't have to use the exact same chipboard that is in the sketch, any

Blue Fern Studios chipboard or paper is fine, and you have until the end of the 

month to win a great prize pack!

See some of the gorgeous work by the design team using this sketch here.

I am so happy and proud to live in this amazing country....we have so very much to be thankful for ;)

There are so many places in the world where people aren't free...

feeling so fortunate to have my sweet little American boy.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful summer weekend, wherever you are in the world!

Big hugs, Lisa xoxo

you shine!

Good Morning....do you love sketches as much as I do?

I wanted to share the new June sketch challenge up on Blue Fern Studios blog today....

I got a chance to play with my new papers which are so pretty, just a gorgeous rainbow of colors....

I found these beach photos and loved the color combo and found that 'Susan's Dream' from the

new paper line called 'Ombre Dreams' matched perfectly. I loved the yellow, green and blue together.

Here is the beautiful sketch below and you can find more details about the challenge here....

I tilted the sketch by 90 degrees to fit my photos better. And remember, you

don't have to use the exact chipboard in the sketch, any BFS chipboard will do! 

Here are a few close ups...

 I used the 'Optimist Word Set' and 'Seaside Seashells' that I painted white and then misted

with yellow and blue.

Thanks so much for stopping by...

Hope you join in the fun!

Hugs, Lisa ox

'Capture the Moment'

Hello girls......it's Friday night and I am so happy it's a three day weekend!

So many ideas swirling around my head...photos, colors, papers, sketches......

I am really looking forward to some studio time this weekend....

I wanted to share some work I did for Blue Fern Studios. This one is called...

'Capture the Moment'

I'm just awful at titles....I have a lot of alphas but it never seems to work out for me. 

So I am in love with the 'Captured Word' sets from Blue Fern Studios designed by

Janene Meyerowitz of The Scrapbook Diaries! 

I LOVE a grungy vintage torn up page with lots of messy drips....

I used new Prima paper, Prima flowers and lots of gesso and inks. 

This is a vintage photo of my mother in law when she was young, so sweet.

And a little more detail....

I also created a tag with the new BFS papers called Ombre Dreams, so pretty in real life!

They are all beautiful soft pastel colors with pretty patterns on them.

Here is a little more detail.....

Thanks for dropping by and taking a look,

I appreciate each and every visit so much!

Hugs, Lisa xo

with you

Hi there! Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend so far....

I saw this beautiful sketch over at Flying Unicorn and was really inspired to create

a layout with the Blue Fern Studios Chicken wire panel.

'with you'

Here is the beautiful sketch, you can find the Flying Unicorn blog here. 

Here are a few close ups....

This is an old photo of my mother in law and her mother, brother and sister. 

I used some bits of vintage ephemera, some Prima flowers, and some Tim Holtz

tissue tape which I am sooooooo in love with. 

Thanks for looking, I appreciate each and every visit and comment so much......

Big hugs, Lisa xox