My Little Shoebox projects

First things first- CONGRATULATIONS fellow Paper Issues team mate Mandy Starner for making the design team over at My Little Shoebox!! YAAAY! Please go by her blog and ogle the paper eye candy!   MLS + Mandy = Fabulosity

I've been ITCHING to post my entries for the DT application. I didn't make the team but now that I see who's in and how fantastic their work is I COMPLETELY understand I need more seasoning.

For what it's worth- here they are:

Monster Box altered project. I used a baby shoebox for the base and just cut out the great details from the Imaginary Friends line:

Back view- spring garden

I was proud I made some furniture for them in their little house-
now I wish I had taken some additional shots...

 Now for the card using the "Just Add Butter" line (Thanks Gretchen)

Gave this card to a family friend- love those cupcakes!

Inside view

Page Number 1:

Uh Oh
Love the colors on this page- turquoise and fuchsia are a fave combo.

And Page Number 2:

Thrilled to the MAX!
Fiskars cloud punch and all MLS paper.
This is my first pregnancy page. Now that I look at this I think I needed a larger font for the title.

MuChoS SmOoChEs!

Michelle

Finished

Finished!
Materials: GCD Melody Ross Artsy Urban flocked butterfly paper, American Crafts grid stamp. Martha Stewart doily, and multi hydrangea punches,  Sassafras Lass Amplify paper (ticket),  Smooch spritz in Tin Foil, Fiskars star and cloud punches.

I put this page together in January using the GCD Studios Melody Ross Artsy Urban paper pad. It was supposed to be about me but I kept trying to add things to it so it morphed into a project about that very perplexing artist's dilemma- when do you know you are finished? I often struggle with that concept and as you can see here, here aaaand here-  I often keep adding things till the page is way too crowded.
So my challenge for the next couple of days is this- simple minimalist pages.
This should be fun!

Oh summer.. how I MISS YOU!!!!!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!!
M.

When faced with turkeys- SOAR.

Life's been interesting for the Martinez-Hernandez mini clan the last few days. The heat was out in our HOVEL and the air temps here in NYC have been hovering around 4 degrees since friday. Thankfully my Mom took us in for the weekend. I loved hanging with Mom but I feel completely out of sorts. This particular incident reminded me- Do NOT take basics for granted. Also DON'T let the turkeys (or turkey moments) get you down.

This is a piece I have been sitting on for 2 weeks because it's for the February challenge over at TRUEXOXOGIRLS but I have never been the patient sort so I'm posting it. I encourage you to go to the site and try lifting one of the many cool designs there for the January challenge- there is a very nice kit from Candy Shoppe Designs going to the winning entry.

Materials: Crate paper- cloudy, Sassafras Lass cloud sticker, Punch Bunch balloon punch, EK Success cloud punches L & XL, Studio Calico grey rub-on, penciled journaling, Spare Parts marquee alphas-red, Maya Road clear dragonfly "stamp" (I made it a ticket by writing in some numbers), Heidi Swapp ghost heart button (under photo), Smooch spritz in yellow and grey, Doodlebug Design fancy border stickers. Digi angel wing stamp.
PHOTO BY VIVIANA VAZQUEZ 

I love this photo- for me it totally represents the joy of childhood.  Life's got you down? Leave all that mess behind and go PLAY. Many times creative play allows your brain to recharge and you find the problem that vexed you before is now easy to tackle. Young kids know this- I tend to forget.

Can you believe this took hours of frustration? I made and destroyed this page 4 times before I found this particular arrangement. So another note to self is in order: DON'T resign yourself to frustration when faced with a problem- keep plugging away at the solution and eventually one will arise.

Hair bubbles!

Thanks for stopping by!
M.

Mexican folk art, Woodgrain and grid lines- these are a few of my faaavorite thiiings!

One of my longest obsessions (other than paper) has been Latin American folk art. I LOVE all aspects of it. Later in this column, I share my latest ATC effort- an Encouragement ATC made with Milagros- Mexican prayer charms.
But first...
Here is this week's Studio Calico challenge- post yours by Monday the 17th to win 5 bucks to their store. Here's a link: http://studiocalico.typepad.com/studio_calico
Oh and check out their 2011 collections- they are both SO GORGEOUS!!!

Me and My Shadow 1/12/2011
Materials used: SC "Basketful" paper (from Who's Who kit), Hambly Studio textures rub-ons- brown, Fiskars Cloud punches XL and L,  Jenni Bowlin buttons- yellow and chalkboard and reverse circle alphas- brown, EK heart scallop punch, SC doilies rub-ons, DCWV brown/yellow plaid paper, Making Memories butterflies- brown, Smooch spritz- yellow, Uni-ball white and black gel pens 

I changed the background paper color to brown (from the original pea green) using "replace color" under the adjustments palette in photoshop. I had to create a layer because the yellows kept changing color too. This is a HUGE step for me- I am SCARED of photoshop. When I showed this page to my husband he said "it looks empty". Perhaps I'm FINALLY learning to step away from the embellies box? Yet I fear this "original" page is really a lift. Do you recognize someone else's page here? If so please let me know- I am TRYING to be original and that's a huge struggle for me- when a page comes together quickly my memory becomes suspect....
Ok now the Milagros project....

Encouragement ATC

Materials: Brown tissue paper, Matte glue, Milagros from Alamo2003 on Etsy,  EK scallop heart punch,  Liquitex Resin Sand additive, Ranger  Glossy Accents,  Martha Stewart micro beads, Smooch pearlized accent ink- Gold Lame

A Milagro is a Mexican prayer charm/amulet used to focus your prayers. Let's say your leg hurts. You get one of these in the shape of a leg (for realz!!), go to your local Catholic church, attach it to the robe or altar of your Saint of choice and pray that your leg is healed. I don't practice this myself but I LOVE the idea of a visual interpretation of prayer. How beautiful.

You Too Herny page by MOJO DAWN

My friend Dawn sent along another box full of gorgeous papers (this time it's K and Co's Que Sera Sera line which I adore). She also designed a couple of pages using crazed images of me. PLEEEEASE got check her site and leave love- her work is a million times better than mine:
http://mojomayhem.blogspot.com/2011/01/insert-sheepish-smile-here-hi-herneeeey.html
and
http://mojomayhem.blogspot.com/2011/01/yeah-i-went-there-again-more-fun-stuff.html
See what I mean? She's so awesome....
Wait- I meant that her work in general is fabulous- not the pages featuring me- how obnoxious of me to imply that...
ANYway, I want to thank her and her wonderful generous spirit as well as let her know I got her back if she needs it. :) Also- I have a box I've been meaning to post since OCTOBER coming your way Ms Dawny- sorry I'm such a lazy mail bum....

I tried some new techniques on this card. One was using brown tissue paper which ended up looking WHACK so I covered it up with a couple of heart punches. Then I tried adding some resin sand for texture but that looked amateurish so I used the MS gold micro beads which I've had for over a year and have been too scared to use. It's ok for a first time effort. I keep saying I need art classes so I can learn to use my stash but my Mom is like- "WOMAN just USE that stuff and LEARN!"- and as always- she's right.

So ya thought you could turn yer back... did ya?
Well I am an artist too- HA HAA!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
M.