SURPRISE!!! Scrap Fx blog hop WINNER! And fun with A Flair For Buttons badges!

Hello there!

Thank you so much for leaving all the amazing comments for the Scrap FX blog hop this weekend!

I found myself laughing out loud more than once as I read your comments.
While some of you can't get enough of dress forms, gears and butterflies, other are DEFINITELY over them.

Many of you love nature influenced designs and you REALLY love script font wordlets.

Those are my absolute favorite too (along with the mini packs- I love mini everything!)

Please swing by the official Scrap FX blog for information on who won the grand prize.

I decided to pick a winner for myself.

I will send 6 new Scrap FX designs to:

Embellishments February 24, 2013 at 6:03 PM

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Em please email your addy along with your style preferences- my address is on the upper right of this blog.

This was my birthday weekend so I spent a lot of it running around visiting friends and shopping
but I made a page for the A Flair For Buttons blog:

Materials: A Flair For Buttons 2013 button (love the spray painted look of the font!)
American Crafts Charcoal cardstock, Cosmo Cricket printed chipboard, neon pink Duck tape,
Stickers from Crate Paper, Studio Calico white mist and neon pink mist from Stencil1.com

The Crafter's Workshop Microbial Stencil by Julie Balzer is an instant fave- so fun!
I used it to suggest snow and to give movement to a page that was pretty static.
The neon pink mist from stencil1 is also a new favorite.
I use it sparingly because it really is bright.

I was a little distressed by the mist going over the stencil edge but
I actually like that now. Duct tape is NOT acid free but I loved the texture it added to the page.
 I also wanted to use it- it's been hanging around for 2 years now.
Next, I'll cover stencil borders with it so they don't bleed.
An idea from a Creative Jump Start video by Julie Balzer .

I've been reorganizing my stash.
I shop too much and have a tiny space so it's been really stressful and messy but I'm slowly getting to the point where things are grouped together in a way that makes sense and makes them easier to find.

Any suggestions?

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

It's ON! The Scrap Fx chipboard techniques Blog Hop

Hello! Hello!

I am SO EXCITED to share my chipboard techniques with you today!

You've already visited the following blogs:

Michelle Logan

Agnieszka/ Bellaidea

Kristine 

Make sure to visit these gals next:

Misty

Rachelle 

Scarlett   

Your last stop will be the Scrap FX blog- http://www.scrapfx.com.au/blog/

To be entered to the drawing for the final prize please answer the following question in the comments section:
What chipboard designs do you want to see more of and what theme or motif do you think has "jumped the shark" (been done to death, is played out, over exposed and boring- you get the idea- LOLZ!)
Personally, I am over bicycles, chevron and cameras.
I am SO in love with stars, triangles, butterflies and delicate swirly script titles.

FEAST YOUR EYES!!!
Check out the "Unforgettable" wordlet!! SWOOOON!!!
Also included the mini cogs (perfect for decorating photo edges), the wonderfully articulated
feather and clear butterflies you can use as stencils or color with alcohol inks.
You KNOW you want them!!! Just answer the question above in the comments section. 

Ok onto the show!!
Today I want to talk to you about layering.

I love to use my chippies totally naked- their neutral brown color goes so well with most of the modernist inspired designs I tend to make.

Scrap FX items: Flutterby J rose model #2013013,
Paper butterfly A model # 2013025,
Paper Butterfly c model #2013027,
Unforgettable wordlet model #2013037

The first element I chose for this page was the spray painted banner strip.
I loved the yellow color and that it made windows on the paper.

Depending on your scrap style, layering is either super easy or incredibly difficult.
It took me quite a while to figure out what I liked to do most.

This page has very few actual elements but each adds a bit of visual interest.
A special eye was kept on the proportions.
I wanted a 60/40 negative space versus embellishment ratio.
MATH MUMBO JUMBO! you say. After looking over many of my past projects,
I found I tend to take over the page and leave very little room for the eye to "rest".
I designed the page so that all "lines" led to the relatively small photo.
I then added extra emphasis with the butterfly embellishments.

MICHELLE'S LAYERING TIPS 

(or- what I've discovered while messing around with paper)

• Always throw in a couple of clear elements to make windows into your layers. Printed transparency material, vellum, frame die cuts or paper you have cut shapes into all work.
• "Layer" with your adhesives. Try using staples, tape AND stickers to attach a main element to the page. Washi tape is semi transparent so it's especially good for this treatment.
• Keep an eye to proportion and edge shape- you can start small and move up to large elements but many times the smallest edge showing between larger items has bigger impact. 
• Alternate the edge shapes. Many of my favorite scrappers rip or distress their edges. I love that look but ripping requires lots of practice- it can be unpredictable. I tend to use punches to change the shapes of my layering items.
• Keep color and texture foremost in mind when choosing items. The most interesting layers include unexpected touches of fabric, plastic or metal. Throw in some string. Experiment.
• Make your embellishments first then design a page around them. Choose your color palette and your patterns then start building your embellishments. The photos can come last.

This title is so unbelievably beautiful. I love the script font. I have ruined many a beautiful scrip wordlet with chunky embossing so I decided to leave well enough alone.  I simply painted the points of the word using Heidi Swapp Color Shine in Sweet Cherry and added some texture by stitching the wordlet to the page using American Crafts jute twine.

In case you haven't heard- there is a DESIGN TEAM CALL. (Find all details in the link)

Email submissions are due March 1st.

I really encourage you to submit your work!!!

To be entered to the drawing for the final prize please answer the following question in the comments section:

What chipboard designs do you want to see more of and what theme or motif do you think has "jumped the shark" (been done to death, is played out, over exposed and boring- you get the idea- LOLZ!)

Onto the next blog!

Misty- My Scrap Therapy (Perfectly Imperfect)

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Liquitex spray paint and Scrap FX chipboard scrapbook page

This is my annual I NEED SPRING TO COME ALREADY post.
The days are numbered for the cruelest time of year. YES!

To celebrate, I made a Michael's Crafts Store run and picked up some new toys to play with:
Liquitex acrylic spray paints in pink and yellow.

This is not a tool for the faint of heart.
For one it's HUGE!
12 ounces- compare that to the 1 or 2 ounces you get with a craft mist product.
There's enough paint in this can to cover several walls (or furniture- IDEAS popping!!!!)
Which is why it costs an arm and I leg I suppose- 11 dollars a can!

Four things I quickly found out:

1. I definitely smelled the propellants used to make it go even though it's way more subtle than the MADNESS that is Krylon oil based spray paint. Use it in well ventilated rooms only.
2. It tends to cloud up over your work area- this thing is under a lot of pressure and comes out FAST- be ready.
3. The paint will mottle up, drip and make a hot effing mess so practice pressing the button gently before you use it on an actual project. Also? It dries slowly- GREAT for layering with stencils!!!
4. Consider cleaning out your work area to give spraying upright onto the wall a try. I know- you saw someone spraying down onto the desk in a video- not recommended. Tape up some kraft paper and get ready to feel like a street bomber (graffiti artist)- TOTAL BAD ASS!

The result:

 Scrap FX laser cut chipboard products
Ruffled Feather model number 2012223
Remember The Time wordlet model number 2012359
Speech bubbles FabYOUlous model number  2012372

Some detail shots:

K & Company Handmade paper. So glad I kept this pad!
Pink feathers and doilies? Yes please! 

I'm playing it safe with this project but no apologies I freaking LOVE it.
I was reading some street artist message boards hating on the Liquitex spray paints.
I think this is intended for US- hobbyists, paper crafters, memory artists.
Whatever you want to call yourself.
Go out there and give it a go.

Friday five!
Inkadinkaclings rubber stamps. SO AWESOME!!!
The StazOn Dove Grey is THE color for tone on tone effects.
Sharpie white paint pen- mixed results when I tried it over the spray paint but it's still super fun to work with.
American Crafts jute twine- LOVE!!! Seriously!
The Crafter's Workshop tags stencil- this was a GENIUS idea from Julie Balzer.

I hope you have a great weekend!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

A Flair For Buttons Valentine's Blog Hop!

Hello!
Welcome to the A Flair For Buttons Valentine's Day Blog Hop!
Join us as we showcase some of Shelley's FABULOUS new flair.
We hope to inspire you along the way!

As a Thank You for visiting, please feel free to use the following coupon code
IHEARTFLAIR
and receive 10% off your purchase in the A Flair For Buttons Etsy shop.

Make sure to visit the A FLAIR FOR BUTTONS blog at the end of the hop and leave a comment for a chance to win a new set of flair!

Blog Hop order:

Shelley Haganman

Danielle Walls

Erica Weinstock

Dana Howard

Diane Payne

Michelle Hernandez- <<< You Are Here. YAY!

Meghan Klauer

Jennifer Chapin

A Flair For Buttons

I've never really paid much attention to Valentine's Day.
Now that I'm a Mom I've had to change that tune.
My daughter constantly asks for the candy in the store check out aisles (nasty trick!) and likes all the red heart shaped items she's seeing so I've decided to go with the flow (for once).

I used the Love Flair Two and Arrow 1 Flair sets for this page along with some old Martha
Stewart Christmas paper along with some Crate Paper and Studio Calico prints.
The Polaroid Cameras are from Die-cuts With A View.

The second project is a card I made for my husband who is working incredibly hard and feeling a bit down about not spending more time with his family.

For this super quick card I used Dude Flair and some Basic Grey
and American Crafts leftovers that have been lying around entirely too long.

This year we are planning a family "date night" with dinner at an actual restaurant and a movie.
It will be quite fancy... if my 3 year old decides to co-operate. :)

Thanks for swinging by!

Your next stop is Meghan Klauer of Meghan Klauer Design.

Don't forget-  use the following coupon code: IHEARTFLAIR

to receive 10% off your purchase in the A Flair For Buttons Etsy shop!

Have a great (and safe) winter weather weekend!
Michelle

Heart on my sleeve- a Scrap FX page for Die Scrapperin Magazine

Hi there!

I made this page for the August 2012 issue of German art scrap magazine, Die Scrapperin.

I got creative with the  "graffiti" theme because attempts to make actual graffiti on a page failed miserably- an inability to draft letters and draw are some of the reasons I got into scrapbooking after all.

I'm really drawn to artists who add hand-made lettering and paint to their pages so I decided to cheat a little on my first try.

Here is the result:

I wish I had access to that concrete background more often- it's a bench in out favorite restaurant.
I used Scrap FX chicken wire and a Flair For Buttons triangle and Project Life badges on this page.
The clear letter stickers are from Cosmo Cricket- I love them!

For this page I tried out color dipping which was a trend at the time- not sure if people are still dipping their table and chair legs into gold or neon paint but I really liked the look.

The photos are of some stenciled posters which were everywhere in my neighborhood last summer.
Most of the empty lots where I live have now disappeared- walls that used to display colorful posters and graffiti are gone.

I'm sure most people welcome the change.
Most of what went up was scrawled names and badly rendered drawings of naked women anyway.
But occasionally something went up that made me stop and stare like I was in a museum.
I'll miss those moments.
The spotless and impersonal building lobbies that have replaced the walls have no art or style at all.

One of the last empty walls in my neighborhood.
Good thing? Maybe
I tend to think life is more fun with some color in it.

A friend posted this on her facebook the other day.
It really made me stop and think.
I berate my abilities and worry about my "next step" too much.

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Scrap FX monochrome page and some truth

Now that my DT term with Scrap FX is coming to an end,
I find myself wondering what will I do next.

Design Teams are great for inspiration, networking and motivation.
They can also be stressful if you have an already packed schedule.

No matter how much I try,
between editing the text and struggling with my slow computer,
it usually takes 2 hours to post an article.
I can import a finished post from Word but loading photos takes up the rest of the time.
And linking all the products used on a project?
The most frustrating part of all.

I'm not complaining.
I signed on knowing exactly what the requirements for each team where.
My Scrap FX term has been the happiest and most positive team-work experience I've ever had.
But I am finally admitting a reality to myself.
Which you get to read. Yay?
This hobby takes the majority of my time. Not my "spare time".
Most of my time.
A night out on the town with a friend who was turning 40 last week required all kinds of schedule jumbling.
I was almost too tired to go when I finished all the negotiations!

I'm finally using all the Instax photos I took last year.
I hated that most were over exposed.
That white on white look is very "in" right now so I get to look like this was done on purpose.
I used Scrap FX arrows stencil and chipboard arrows on this piece.
Sorry no links- it takes too long to look them up!

My family has been sending out very clear signals that I'm not exactly present,

even though my body is in the room.

So I either develop crack scheduling skills (never my forte) or I keep the blogging, Facebooking, Pinning, Tweeting, Instagraming to 30 minutes a night. 

Because staying up till midnight 

or trying to make and shoot all my projects on sundays 

is really not sustainable anymore.

The good news for our crafty friendship is that I can see your work on Instagram or Facebook.

I can leave a comment without having to enter numbers to prove I'm not a robot. 

Just try to overlook my crazed spelling. 

I can spell. 

My fingers on the teeny iTouch screen cannot.

Enlarging this photo to "original size" keeps it clear.
Sizing it down to "medium" makes it fussy.
Blogger what's going on?

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

February already?!! A quick and experimental Flair Button scrapbook page

Hello!

Today I squeezed in some fun time with my Flair Buttons in between freaking out over my failing "organizing" efforts and taking care of Lola who is going bananas with cabin fever.

Here's the page:

This is a photo of the hubster and I in 2005. Look at my awesome short hair! I think I'm gonna do that again!
Materials: A Flair For Buttons PhotoBooth and Smash Phrases flair badges, Stencil1.com "Brooklyn" stencil, stamp from Cocoa Daisy, papers from Crate, American Crafts and Basic Grey.

This was for the A Flair For Buttons Blog hop next week- or rather it's my "first draft".
I was recently watching a bunch of videos from Nat Kalbach's "Creative Jump Start" and some of the techniques really caught my eye.
Namely scratching on photos and using stencils.

I have so many stencils but I hate how paint gets under the stencil and messes the design up most of the time so I tend to avoid them.
The great thing about the Creative Jump Start series is that it pushes you beyond your limits and preconceptions- you go from hating a mistake to figuring out how to make it lemonade.
The series is over now but the videos are still up so sign up and watch as many as you have time for- it's all free.

I gave myself permission to play and I'm so glad I did- elements from this page will make the final page for the hop.
I hope you tune in- the Flair For Buttons team is about as diverse as it gets- from clean and simple to cute and colorful to messy and experimental (me).

Ana Dabrowska or Finnabair made a fantastic Jump Start video about distressing emulsion printed photos.
(Emulsion prints are what we used to get before everyone went digital and started printing laser prints.
I can't STAND when I give my photos to Walgreen's and get back prints that look crappier
than what I print at home!) Here I used a needle to scratch the photo.

Have a GREAT friday (and Super Bowl Weekend)!!!

I'm going out with my best buds from high school tonight.
We are all turning 39/40 this year at around the same time so February is gonna be ROCKIN'!!!
Tomorrow I get to teach 9 years olds how to use stamps and heat embossing on their valentine's day cards.
Pray for me.
Large groups of giggly girls and tools that go up to 500 degrees don't really mix but I'm bringing my eagle Mommy eye- I'm READY!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle