Punky Scraps 2012 COME BACK Tour! (and Blog Hop)

HELLO! HELLO! HELLO!
Punky Scraps Challenge blog is back!

We are here to meet the design team and VERY SPECIAL GUEST STARS.
For me, the roster reads like a who's who of amazing art style scrappers.
I'm very glad to be in the mix with this talented group.
Please try to hit up all the blogs and leave love.
There are some great prizes for those who hop and leave tracks.
There is also a sketch at the end that you can use to apply to be the next Punky Rebel.
Tell me THAT'S not awesome!

Before you skip off, here are a few facts about me:

• I tend to be all over the place in style and theme. 
• I like romantic flowers and swirls as much as I like neon color and bold modern patterns. 
• I like minimalism but I tend to be a throw it all in there and see what sticks type.
• I scrap for my current whim, not for posterity.
• Much of my work uses pop dots, transparent elements and/or strips, circles and stars.
• Favorite patterns are woodgrain, graph paper and sunrays.
• Favorite "current" trends are triangles, pie charts and chevron patterns.

Here are some of my PUNKY PAGES from 2011:

Be. For a sketch challenge- I went as minimal as this girl ever gets.
This was for a "Get Picky" challenge were fellow team members each choose 1 element that
had to be added to the page- talk about RANDOM- a GREAT thinking challenge! 

FDR. I frequently glue string on a page to avoid actually sewing it on.
Also arrows. Arrows are awesome.

245 Days. My favorite photo of my Mom EVER.
Co-credit for this page goes to fellow Punky crafter Marie who designed the sketch. 

If You Believe. Kraft paper, gold mist and Crafter's Workshop stencils? YES PLEASE!

One of my all time favorite pages- water color that I messed up... is awesome!

So here's the blog hop order:

START- Punky Blog www.punkyscraps.blogspot.com

Kat www.kraftykat9.blogspot.com

Misty Russell www.myscraptherapy.com/

Leah Farqhuarson GUEST www.amusing-to-create.blogspot.co.uk/

Kerry Lambourne www.socksandscrapbooks.blogspot.com

Jaine Drake GUEST www.craftydrake.blogspot.com/

Marie Johansson www.gulavillanivallen.blogspot.com/

Lisa Saunders GUEST www.scrappyfairies.blogspot.com/

YOU ARE HERE! WOOT! Michelle Hernandez www.myanaloglife.blogspot.com/

Tammy Wade www.mumto2angels.blogspot.com/

Wendy Morris GUEST www.scrapnspire.blogspot.co.uk

Sarah Pettersson www.snorsk.blogspot.com/

Celina Matthews www.scrapvamp.blogspot.com/

Sarah Hurley GUEST www.sarahhurley.blogspot.com/

Amy Lassiter www.sparklinggnome.wordpress.com/

Emilie Chamel GUEST www.emiliesscrapbook.blogspot.com/

Ashley Van Etten  www.ashleyvanetten.blogspot.com/

Jolanda Simons www.jolandascrapsels.blogspot.com/

Louise Nelson GUEST www.louise-justloolabelle.blogspot.co.uk/

FINISH with head Punky scrapper- Natalie www.njmacs.blogspot.com

When you are done give the sketch on Natalie's blog a try and apply to be on the team!

You have until August 5th to enter!

I can't wait to see your creations!

Now off you go to Tamara's blog: www.mumto2angels.blogspot.com

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Photo Inspiration Post

Hello there!
Happy wednesday!
All my current projects are awaiting publication in other blogs so I thought I would share some photos I've been saving for "inspiration".

I'm pretty whimsical in my scrapbooking.
Not in style but as in I tend to scrap what I feel like now- this very second.
I don't do it to record particular memories or moments- that's what my photos are for.
Most of the time I'm trying to capture a specific emotion or design idea and many of my pages are literally scrap for scrap's sake.
Sometimes this method works.
Many times it doesn't.

I'm also currently working on an organizing and scheduling system so I can "create" in a more consistent fashion and get those theme pages in because I think most people scrap for the joy of it but also to keep birthdays, anniversaries and vacations alive in their photo albums.

So here are some photos I find inspiring.
I took these but that's not why I like them- it's the subject matter that makes me sit up and take notice.

For color, layering and texture ideas.

For texture and doodling ideas

For rethinking the pie chart motiff (all rights reserved to it's designer )

For color blocking and page design ideas

String art! From a book! So trying this in my next page! 

For kinetic energy and message

For color and design 

Modern fussy cutting idea- Old Navy Tshirt

For message

Most of what I like about these photos is the cropping- the information that's included and the hints at what is left out.
I feel like I need to play with more of that in my work.
Also- I think it's time to get a new camera- shooting with an iTouch is getting OLD.

Lola at 13 months! Always an inspiration.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

A lesson on teaching- A Flair For Buttons post with a story

Happy Monday!
A rare day off for this girl.
I'm such a mess.
Yesterday I showed up to work at 10am.
The store doesn't open till NOON.
I thought it was saturday.
FUN.
TIMES.
Today I will share a page I made for A Flair For Buttons and a story about my first adult crafty teaching experience using the Zutter Bind It All to make a mini book.

Materials: A Flair For Buttons pins, Scrap FX hexagon Insta frame chipboard, Echo Park Take Note papers, Studio Calico doily rub-ons, stamps from Cocoa Daisy.

I've taught unruly 3rd graders in Detroit. In July. There was no air conditioning.
I've tutored english as a second language to sleepy 6th graders in Littleton, Colorado.
NOTHING prepared me for the trouncing I would receive at the hands of an adult student with a determination to leave with a perfect project.

Here's the thing (and I've said it a MILLION times before) perfection is a false pursuit.
At least on the first try.
I'm not trying to avoid blame here.
I gave the wrong directions on making covers using the Zutter Bind It All.
You have to insert the cover board into a "notch" when punching to get that perfect 3/16ths of an inch overage.
You bet your booty I won't be forgetting THAT again.
I was so freaked out by how angry my student was, I passed up a chance to teach the GOLDEN RULE.

Michelle's golden rule is:

If you MUCK it up

EMBELLISH.

I muck up entirely too often.
When I do,  I move on to the next step.
If I let myself get caught up in mistakes I would NEVER get anything done or learn anything new.

LOVING July's Cocoa Daisy stamp sets! So GLAD I have a sub!
The ampersand is a fave from the June kit.

But this tough customer wasn't having ANY of it.
She paid for this class and it "wasn't her fault".
Never mind she was holding everyone else up and spreading some major bad mojo.

"Did Michelle put the kibosh on this situation?" you may ask.
NOPE!!!!
My brain was buzzing with all kinds of evil judgements on my failure.
I actually had a flashback to failures of the past and re-lived the range of emotions I felt then.
Isn't it awful how we savage ourselves in our heads?
It's totally counter productive.
While you are busy kicking yourself and feeling awful, life goes on.
Instead of you being the "hero" of your story, you become your own victim.

Hipster Braniac flair button- FUN!

In my case, two students figured out how to make the cover correctly and offered to help Toughie McMuffin punch out a new spine.
And Toughie says:
"They should pay YOU to run this class. You are the expert."
DOH!
I never said I was an expert.
Plus?

Later, when I was going over the disaster with a co-worker (who was there for training and wasn't allowed extra materials) we realized we could have cut a 2 inch strip of card stock in a matching color, added it to the edge and punched through that to get the correct alignment.
DOUBLE DOH!!!!

Everyone liked the the mistakes cover better- it was more "creative" and looked like an actual book.

If I had just kept calm I would have hit on that solution but you need to keep your head from getting into a self-flagellating rut in order to have the flexibility to think creatively.

Lesson learned.

Smiling. It's good.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

The first Scrap FX Facebook Challenge- Are you up for it?

If you're looking for the Die Scrapperin Magazine Blog Hop please scroll down to the next page.


Scrap FX has their first scrap challenge ever up Facebook.
Swing by and check it out: Scrap FX Australia (Facebook) 
I joined in my usual way- I barely followed direction and felt my way around the design till I had a page I liked. 
This one:

Can't even tell you where that diagonal print is from- My Mind's Eye maybe? Echo Park? Fancy Pants Halloween? Who knows?! I wish I had a few more- I LOVE diagonal stripes! Also- I obviously touched my lens at some point because I can't read the journaling.. ACK!
MATERIALS: Scrap FX title chipboard, A Flair For Buttons chevron buttons, Hambly Studios NOOO! come back!!) rub-ons, Sassafras Lass stickers, Crate Paper buttons, Studio Calico Fab-Rip, Maya Road pins, Heidi Swapp neon gel pen in pink. 

So here are the rules:

• Use the following palette:

• Background should be a neutral color like black or white (HO! I managed to break the rules without even trying!)

• Email entries to scrapfxchallenges@live.com.au by midnight 14th August EST.

Here are some detail shots:

I Love You.com chipboard #2209334. Freaking AWESOME!

A Flair For Buttons yellow chevron and black arrow chevron.
I'm thinking you may want to swing by this shop- there are styles for everyone including
Project Life folks, mixed media and ephemera specialists and anyone who loves bright color.

So perhaps the page should have looked more like this? True Xoxo Girls July Challenge 

True Xoxo Girls June Challenge page. The July challenge is easier-
you have an hour to make something- easy right?

And lastly because it's midnight and I'm supposed to go to bed now. 

A shot of my Lola- after she ate an ant. (Those are ants she's holding in her cute baby pincers- ants dying as you watch- UGH!)

That's right- I CHOMPED it. 

MuChOS SmOoChEs!

Michelle

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES! Die Scrapperin Magazine Blog Hop is HEEEERE!

Hello from downtown Brooklyn, New York happy people!!

Welcome to the  2frollein Party Hop! 

Please come celebrate 2frollein´s first year anniversary

with Felicitas and Janna, the  designers, guests designers and friends of Die Scrapperin.

Join us for our Anniversary Celebration Blog Hop!

Find a wonderfully eclectic mix of fabulous celebration projects on 35 international blogs.

One year ago, preparations for the first 2frollein creative online class began. Scrapbooking and Mixed Media classes have followed since.

In November 2011 2frollein did their Impro-Scrap and since January 2012 they have also published the magazine, Die Scrapperin.

This would not have been possible without your support so we would like to say, "Thank You!". 

Please come and celebrate with us!

This is how the Party-Hop works:

A real party needs presents! And we got lots of them for you today :)

If you hop the Design Team blogs you have a chance to win the following: 

 a bundle of Die Scrapperin back issues (issues 2,3,4,5),

 the current May issue (no. 6),  or the August 2012 magazine issue (released in mid-August).

If you hop the Guest Designer blogs,

you have a chance to win 1 of 4 spots in our upcoming online classes

(September or November 2012). Please note: classes are in German!

If you visit our creative friends' blogs, you can win 1 of 2 craft product prizes

 with items from 4heures37, 7 Dots Studio, Kaisercraft, Kars, Nath's Design and Scrapbook Werkstatt!

Do you hop through ALL the blogs or only certain segments? YOU decide!

Important: you need to leave a comment in each blog hop group you decide to visit to be eligible for that group's prize!

When you're done, please come back to the 2frollein blog and leave a comment in the Party-Post

letting us know exactly where you've been (designer, guests, friends or all 35 blogs).

We will draw the winners from all comments left at the 2frollein Blog.

The Hop ends on the 25th of July 2012, 8pm CET.

Wieners will be announced on the 28th of July 2012

Ready? Let's get hoppin'!!!

Aurélie Pennec (Frankreich): http://liliema-scrap.blogspot.de/  

Birgit Krasenbrink (Deutschland): http://scrapinfeacted.blogspot.de/

Birgit Ott-Wiedmer (Deutschland): http://scrapissima.wordpress.com/

Cathleen Kick (Deutschland): http://cathisscrapblog.blogspot.de/

Clivia Schmidt (Deutschland): http://herzskoenigincs.blogspot.de/

Imme Hansemann (Deutschland): http://made-by-imme.blogspot.de/

Janine Eulert (Deutschland): http://janinee.blogspot.de/

Magda Bolinska (Großbritannien): http://mumkaa.blogspot.de/

Marinette Lesne (Frankreich): http://www.scraptherapie.com/

Marjan Pel (Norwegen): http://diekleinemeerjungfrauscrappt.blogspot.de/

Nina Stenzel (Deutschland): http://www.meinlebeninscraps.blogspot.de/

Petra Schwarz (Deutschland): http://einfachpe.blogspot.de/

Sandra Dietrich (Deutschland): http://mojosanti.blogspot.de/

Ania-Maria Wolniak (Polen): http://annamariawolniak.wordpress.com/

Antje Müller (Deutschland): http://www.iloveschnipsel.blogspot.de/

Bérangère Denis (Frankreich): http://chiknana.canalblog.com/

Claire Donovan (Großbritannien): http://www.hearthandmade.co.uk/

Daniela Gouletsas (Deutschland): http://augenblycke.blogspot.de/

Gaelle Ly (Frankreich): http://pouponnieredesfe.canalblog.com/

Kasia Krzymińska (Polen): http://czekoczyna.blogspot.de

Michelle Hernandez (USA): http://myanaloglife.blogspot.de/

Paula Castells (Brasilien): http://paulacastells.wordpress.com/

Aki Iinuma (Japan): http://kawaiisb.blogspot.de/

Anna Wach (Polen): http://i-like-grey.blogspot.de/

Beata Krowicka (Polen): http://by-lejdi.blogspot.de/

Birgit Kunte (Deutschland): http://www.biscrapt.blogspot.de/

Emma Boissot (Frankreich): http://carnet-de-scrap.over-blog.com/

Jasmin Schramm (Deutschland): http://www.cherishtheeveryday.blogspot.de/

Jenneke Knol (Niederlande): http://jenneke-justwhoiam.blogspot.de/

Kasia Tomaszewska (Polen): http://worqshop.wordpress.com/

Leah Farquharson (USA): http://amusing-to-create.blogspot.de/

Michelle Lagler (Schweiz): http://crela.ch/

Tanya Batrak (Ukraine): http://www.tanyabatrak.com/

Yana Smakula (Ukraine): http://www.zrobysama.com.ua/

Zarah S. Peterson (Schweden): http://www.zarischka.com

My work is mostly about my family and what's zinging about in my brain.

For my celebration themed page, I wanted to introduce the person who inspires me most- Miss Lola.

Thank you so much, Janna and Felicitas, for giving me this wonderful opportunity to share some work with your readers. I am honored to be sharing hop space with many of my all time favorite designers.

Printed my photos on resume/document paper by mistake and LOVED IT!

MATERIALS:

Paper Source Luxe white cardstock

Scrap FX retro flowers chipboard

Prima flowers

K & Co Smash washi tape

Hambly Studio mini transparencies

Studio Calico Mister Huey- Gold

Krink permanent paint marker

Maya Road star pin

Dew Drops- clear

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Travelin' Fool- Mixing it up with silver and kraft paper

This page is one of those that just turns left mid process and totally surprises me with how great it turned out.
I wanted to try silver embossing powder from Paper Source and this heavy weight kraft paper I found on sale from 2 dollars for  pack of 25 at Joann's.
The combination seemed really strange to me but I love I love the contrast it provides.

Materials: Prima Travel themes masks, Studio Calico Atmosphere mist, Viva Las Vegas chicken wire stamp,   Wood Veneer stars from Studio Calico, silver glitter Thickers from American Crafts. Silver paint stick from Farber-Castell

I REALLY wish I had bought all the packs because it turns out The Paper Company brand kraft paper is AMAZING- thicker, darker and more flecked than the more refined kraft paper from Bazzill or American Crafts (which I also love but it's nice to have the variety).

Some detail shots:

Playing with semi transparency-I love common gift wrap tape in layers!
I love these water droplet embellishments from Sticko for the same reason I love vellum-
lots of  detail but not the crowding you get when using color embellishments.

The Viva Las Vegas chicken wire stamp is amazing!.
The edges aren't squared up so you can layer it more organically.
You can also order it mounted on wood, unmounted or
foam mounted  so it can be attached to an acrylic block. 

Ok I'm off to try to make a new project- this is my only day off this week so I have to make it count.
Tomorrow I teach my first class ever!!!
I'll be leading a "Girl's Night" over at the Paper Source on 75th street and Columbus. We'll be using the Zutter Bind it All to make a birthday card organization book.

I must admit I'm a little scared- 4 students means it should be fairly easy going but I have been reviewing videos and practicing proper binding technique just in case.

GRATUITOUS TODDLER SHOT!

Check out the new "Jane" lens on the Hipstamatic.
No strange effects, just the ability to shoot square photos and mix them up with other Hipsta films.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Mama don't take no mess! A 4x6 post card exchange

So I'm loving the whole 4x6 postcard swap thing.
It started with one I made for the Brooklyn based Art House Co-Op.
I love that I bring a tiny bit of scrappy joy to someone I admire and that I get to do it with paper.

MATERIALS: Stencils and stamps from Retro Cafe Art, Viva pearl pen,
Tattered Angels Mist in gold and Glimmer Glam in Mermaid, Tim Holtz Grunge
embossing powder, Studio Calico text stamp

This project wrought all kinds of drama.
I won't bore with the details since frankly exactly NO ONE cares but let's just say right up front
THIS girl doesn't take to scolding or "humbling" of any kind.
If you need to trip all over yourself to "put me in my place" PLEASE

Check yourself

Before you wreck yourself.

Lyrics from a master of tough guy talk.
They never made more sense than now.
I'm not here to hurt anyone or ruin their day.
I just want to be happy and share my FUN times with you.
I want to listen to your personal stories and cheer you on.
I want to help you raise your circus tent and be awesome(r).
But I won't play along with power trips.
It's incredibly wasteful.
Wasteful of general goodwill.
Wasteful of time.

SURPRISE!!!! The back is in on the fun as well.
I had to send this along in an envelope. Can't wait to get mine!
Making Memories stencil foam stamp, Grunge backdrop
paper from Paper Source.

And I just don't have any time to waste.
I. don't. have. time.
Writing this sentence took 4 seconds.
Time I no longer have and needed to work on something else.
So if I can't spare time to write a six word sentence WHAT makes you think I have time to explain my schedule, methods or thinking to someone who's busy drawing lines in the sand?

BING!
This turkey is DONE.
I've been setting limits on foolishness lately and this was just one more chance to practice.
Believe it or not,
I'm happier now!
Sometimes you have to fight you own neediness, feelings of guilt and comfort in group think.
And before this becomes much more melodramatic
(Can you HEAR the sweeping music? This is the HERO of the story speaking "truth" here! Here is THE VICTIM. Feel for her story! Go along with everything said!)
NOT!

Let me assure you,
I am perfectly aware
many times the things we find most vexatious in others,
are things we see and despise about ourselves.

Funny how things work out. I now have more time to notice when this face laughs.
I was around to take the picture.
Winning!

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Truly beautiful things are wild and free- a watercolor page

Somewhere in Greenpoint, Brooklyn a storefront bears that title across it's window
I will seek out find this store.
I will stand in front of this window and take an ironically posed photo.
I love the poetry of it.

It's freaking 100 degrees out here- hold on- it's been 100 degrees across most of the US this week!  l
Let's all take a collective chill pill.
chillin,' chillin', chilliiiiiin'

I want to go to the newly opened McCarren pool but apparently there was a huge brawl between a bunch of teenagers and the entire lifeguard staff? Like ALL of the life guards.
So yeah, a pass on THAT idea.

A quick page:

Loving those Studio AE stamps. I also used Gauche Alchemy washi tape and rectangle grid punchinella here.
The polka dot border is unnecessary- I was trying to distract you from the uneven borders caused by warping.
I really need to find a way to use water color without having the page that looks like a wet rag!
Plus I love this page. A lot. One of the few I can say that with ZERO caveats.

Some detail shots:

Those Pink Paislee celebration banners are finally used.
I was having a hard time incorporating them- hello- random!
I would like 4 more of the sunburst pieces please- they are so cute!

Awesome handwriting- wish I had it. Apparently copying a page out my
favorite book over and over again will help me develop it.

GRATUITOUS TODDLER SHOT!!!

On the way to the park- new walls went up on Wythe and North 3rd- if you are into street art
I would suggest you take the L train and check it out. Lemme know so we can meet up at my
fave Thai restaurant and chat- I promise I am SO NOT an internet killer.

MuChOS SmOoChEs!
Michelle