Friday photo Inspiration- store displays and ripped posters.

Hiya!

This is going up late because I'm totally riveted by the developing news in Boston.

The Breaking News coverage by Fox News 5 is a complete mess.

They pulled a news intern (Explanation: "She's from Russia") presumably because she would be an expert on Chechniya. (???!!!)

She's from the former Solviet Republic of Georgia and refused to join in their truthiness quest.

I changed the channel when they declared the brothers were illegal immigrants (untrue and reported correctly everywhere else- OOOPS!).

AnYwAy..
Here are my inspiration photos from this week's series of aimless inspiration walks.
I found the KEUUTE Allegria Boutique here in Williamsburg.

I didn't buy a thing.
I'm not the kind of Mama who pays 45 dollars for kid sized jelly shoes (I can get them for 5 bucks in Chinatown!) but if you are, AWESOME!
Go here! Be happy!

Felt embroidery hoops at Allegria Boutique on North 3rd.
This place is a DYI children's crafts fairyland. Swing by and be inspired! 

Pudgy owls!!! I loved the wall paper, the sofas- everything in this shop!

Paper houses- wrapping paper, candy, dime store jewels, cupcake cups- adorable!

I also swung by Anthropologie- the display staff in this store deserve art awards- really.
Great stuff on sale this week.
I bought one of those a green ceramic strawberry basket for 9 dollars- half price.

Giant wall display at least 8 feet across. LOVE the wall color!

Coral, turquoise, pink and woodgrain triangles on a mustard yellow
cracked plaster background- this HAS to be my next page!

Giant water color wire and paper flowers- gorgeous!

And my last series- ripped paper.
I love the look!

Keith Haring Brooklyn Museum exhibit from last year.
This BLEW MY MIND. Someone had the forethought
 to rip this chalk drawing off a subway wall and frame it as ART!
Can you BELIEVE IT? I . LOVE. New York!!!

I believe Pterodactyl Ptarty is a band. Excuse my ignorance but I have no clue.
I love the blocking here.
With a color palette change this would make a SLAMMING scrapbook page!

Not a poster but I love the neon pink on blue color.

Have a great weekend!
Stay positive!

Michelle

Friday inspiration- Nolita Photo walk

Hello folks!

This week's photo inspiration post was brought to you by a recent walk through Soho and Nolita.

Hot little heavens for visual stimulation.

That sounds rather indecent.

If I get lucky I get to stand out front when I'm at work and make samples.
The idea is to try to capture a customer's attention and get them to see how they can
use the stamps and other products they buy while at the store.
I made both these cards in under 20 minutes using scraps I had on hand.
I rarely get to pick the colors I love most but a little orange helps both grey and teal pop.
Martha Stewart butterfly stickers, Studio Calico mist, Paper Source card stock and stamps. 

I just mean that there are so many museums and shops all close together that the streets are popping with ideas for the open minded crafter.

The ideas can sit in your brain for weeks when suddenly BOOM! an original page appears.

At least that how it works for me.

Case in point:

3 foot tall at marquee at sign.
I REALLY want to make one of these!

Big Boy gets several make overs.

This gorgeous bag hanging in a tiny shop in Nolita.
I didn't even try to go in and inquire how much it was.
The "feathers" are delicately curved sequins.

"Life isn't tragic, Love is being ignored."
Why this is fabulous: 1. They used Puffy
scrapbook stickers and brads. 2. Hello giant scrapbook layout!
3.This was a store window display.  4. It was over 6 feet wide.

Faces layered on top of each other.
This would make a great textile print.

Another mural I caught while the artists were still working.
No I didn't speak to them. Yes I regret it.

Wheat paste posters. 

Also?
I found a gif making app!
All you have to do is take a series of photos and open them in GifMill to animate- super easy to use.
The only drawback is that this is the final size of the file- it's crazy small!
Also- these won't animate of Facebook so you can't torture your friends with them (darn!)
Still...

Just imagine the tutorial possibilities!

Have a greet weekend. 

Go on and make something awesome!

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

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

On Blogger followers, Google Friends Connect and redoing cards

Ok so after some searching on the internet for this Google Friends Connect dilemma- wait-
I don't want to lose anyone...
Google Friends Connect is the little "join this site" box there (pointing to the lower right of this blog) with all the friendly faces.
The box is staying but anyone who reads you on a different blogging platform (like Wordpress or TypePad) will no longer be able to follow you using that box)

NO SOUP FOR YOU! Un-blogger blogers!!

That means you'll be limiting your reader base. Time to diversify!

Some of my favorite blogers are using:
Blog Lovin'  
Networked Blogs apps 
or asking readers to follow via email.

See that teeny tiny box up there (pointing to the upper right)?
If you like what I do, sign up and get me in your inbox at least 3 times a week.

Some of you have "upgraded" to new Blogger formats and are now looking for more info.
Blogger has a website for that.
"Blogger Buzz"
Yay! Click on me! Get taken to a totally bewildering website and read for HOURS!

So I will keep looking and linking and talking to help ya'll out.
Us scrappy peeps gotta stick together!

Here is this week's project.
This is a redo of a card I made for fellow Scrap FX DT member Scarlett who sent me some much wanted Target washi tape at the drop of a hat She's SO AWESOME!

Materials: Washi tape and punchinella from Gauche Alchemy, flair buttons from
"A Flair for Buttons"on Etsy, Ormolu arrows tag (fave ever!), Bazill white cardstock.
I added the alphas from K & Co to give the card's sentiment visual clarity. The handwritten
 "thank you" was totally lost before. I also gave up that FABULOUS red arrow button. Scarlett deserves it. 

Lola and I are "collaborating" again.
She did the splashing and stamping on this card that is still "in the works".
Buttons from A Flair for Buttons- love that place!

It's wednesday- the most effective blog posting day of the week- have YOU posted today?
Write it up and POST mi gente!
Someone wants to read it!

US, SUPER MOON AND THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.

MUCH LOVE!
Michelle