December Daily Album pages with Scrap FX

As I wind down my DT term with Scrap FX I am using a lot more of their product in my pages.
February marks the end of the first design team's term.

I encourage you to apply!
The chipboard is first rate quality and the designs come in all styles- from romantic to grunge to modern.

Here is one page I "redid" for a multi page post that's up on the blog today:

Before- which I thought looked haphazard.
I kinda like it now- talk about second guessing yourself! 

After which I like better since it fits better with the other pages in the book.
I took the chipboard off and added them to another page.

I LOVE silver glitter embossing powder! Ranger Distress Inkers are amazing!
I used the Picket Fence here. It dries slowly so it took the embossing powder beautifully.

For this page I used:

Ornament pack, mini item#2007385

Please swing by the blog and check out what the team has been working on!

Scrap FX blog

Thanks!!
Michelle

December Daily Album- Hanging with Louise Nelson and talking crafts and art.

Hello happy people!

I had THE BEST SUNDAY EVER.
I got to meet my art/craft/scrap HERO.
Louise Nelson.
EEEEEEE!!!!
I can't EVEN begin to tell you how nervous I was.
First of all I made her wait at the station for EVER because I didn't plan an exact pick up location
YIKES!!
Then I talked her ear off.
It's what I tend to do when I'm nervous.
I then walked her around with no visible aim.
Thankfully she sees things and was able to take photos and do a bit of shopping all the while listening to my ever present chatter.

It was great to meet a serious artist face to face.
I'm not gonna front.
Most scrappers have a problem with the word "artist'".
Their thoughts or words:
"Give me a break! IT'S JUST PAPER.
Your work isn't original, you are using other people's designs.
You do this for FUN. You do this for a HOBBY.
Calling it art is pretentious."

Blah blah Blah. Whatever.
The first step to making life truly yours is to take yourself and what you do SERIOUSLY.
Who set the rules for what is art?
Why should there be ules fro creativity and self expression?
As Sara Bareilles so aptly puts it:

Who cares if you disagree?

You are not me

Who made you king of anything?

Rule breakers have ALL THE FUN.
They get stuff done.
They sometimes fall off cliffs and get arms stuck in collapsed caves (I saw that movie!) but mostly they are happy.
They are living life on their terms.

For many reasons this concept of positive of self definition and vision is threatening to some people.
It's been my experience that the loudest negative voice is usually the unhappiest, the most fearful and the least productive.
So who are you going to be?
The troll deciding who is or isn't an artist/good person/fill in the blank?
Or the cool chick who travels the world, gets things done and kicks life's butt?
I know who I want to be!!!!
Thank you Louise for great conversation and some major food for thought.

Onto my December Daily Album:

 I found these OLD Making Memories polka dot circle stickers
while destashing! WOO HOO!

Took a risk with Heidy Swapp mists after watching Janna Werner's
Creative Jumpstart video. You should join- it's a GREAT series and it's FREE.

Made this page after watching Louise's Creative Jumpstart video then I got
her invite via email to have coffee and PINCHED MYSELF!!!!!!
DREAM COME TRUE!!! Not EVEN joking!

OOPS! Skipped a page! WIll upload later.

Scrap FX chipboard with glitter embossing powder- LOVE!

My favorite Studio Calico Mask.

 I switched color halfway through my book. Because I can.
I really like Kraft and silver.
On December 16th I went to a Sandyhook Memorial at McCarren Park here in
Brooklyn and I really needed to reflectthis in my mini.
When my daughter asks why she has to go through metal detectors at school I will tell her.
It is reality, one she must comes to terms with now.
That very thought is a tragedy all on it's own.

As I near number 25 the pages are getting simpler.
Sorry for the fuzzy photos- something happens when Blogger compresses files
 I don't know how to fix it.

Another page inspired by a video I saw at Nat Kalbach's
Creative Jumpstart Summit- swing by and join!

I also want to wish President Obama the best of luck in his next 4 year term.

I voted for him twice because I believe in his vision and I stand by his plans for the next 4 years.

I will also keep Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. first and foremost today. 

His words. 

His call to action. 

His passion for truth and fairness for all.

He represented the best of the American dream because he helped expand that dream.

I am but one.

A small ant in a giant world. 

Dr. King helped me realize I have purpose 

I am but one yet I have power 

I am but one yet I have dreams that deserve to be pursued and treated with respect and honor.

And sometimes I get to bask in the presence of greatness.
Life is good.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Project 30 bags in 30 Days and some December Daily love

Hello!

I'm making some headway into my 2013 resolution to clean up and simplify my home.

I've joined a low key project called 30 bags in 30 days where you organize and throw out at least 1 bag a day for 30 days.

Almost everything in this box got donated to Materials For The Arts.
Only the Basic Grey prints made the cut and I'm using those for a Valentine's Day
project coming soon to a blog near you.

Scrapper and Photographer Becky Novacek has many beautifully organized space photos posted on Instagram and her blog Becky Novacek Photography, head on over for inspiration.

Several friends on Facebook have already expressed interest in joining along.

If you'd like to join us- there isn't an official group or web page-
just use the hashtag #30bags30days on Instagram or Twitter or post photos on your blog and let me know through Facebook and I will swing by your blog and cheer you on.

The art wall behind my computer got a thorough dusting.
I also threw out all the computer related ephemera that had snuck onto my "inspiration shelf."
I'd like to switch out some of the objects but that is a later project- first clean the mess I've made on the floor.

I haven't taken photos of my seven bags so far.
Mostly because I'm so distraught about the mess I'm making while cleaning that I forget to shoot the bag or the room.
I think it's going to take more than 30 bags to rid me of the mess I have in this very small space.
But I'm trying anyway.

Here are my latest December Daily pages.

Red, silver and white are SO awesome! Can't help throwing in some black to ground things.
The rock star badge is From A Flair For Buttons on Etsy.

Crafter's Workshop snowflake stencil and Crate Paper vellum number. Washi tape 
and "Love" wood veneer arrow from Freckled Fawn.

I later added kraft as a color since I love how it looks when paired with silver.
Scrap FX mini chipboard shapes and new arrows are the perfect
 addition to this project. Silver glitter embossing powder from Paper Source
is now an all time favorite product.

Last year I made a page a day but I was home all day so it was easier.

This year I decided to make the album larger using 6 by 8 flat cards from Paper Source as my base.
Last year's "cute" loose ring binding failed- it exposes interior pages too much and I've had too many pages fall off.
This year I will bind the album using traditional book binding tape- a tutorial on that coming soon!!

Now get going, you! Life is awaiting!
Michelle

Merry Christmas! My first 2012 December Daily Mini Album Post

Merry Christmas everyone!
It's 4:30pm and Lola FINALLY decided to take her nap.
I had to drag her through half of Manhattan before she finally gave in.

I spent a lot of time dragging various family members through the cold streets of this city this week.
I didn't get a lot of actual crafting done but I got lots of photos so next year I'm GOLDEN.

Here are the three pages I've managed to finish for my December Daily album.
Never mind they are out of sequence- my printer ran out of ink so I used what ever photos came out with the least amount of streaks.

December Daily 2012- Day two. Thai chicken noodle soup.
6 by 8 paper from Paper Source. Crafter's Workshop stencil,
Wood letters and snowflakes from Studio Calico. Scrap FX chipboard design.

December Daily. Day 3. Visited Rockefeller Center during the day.
Crate Paper vellum numbers, Paper Source peppermint coaster, fabric tag and home flag from Ormolu.

Day 19. With Dad working 7 days a week, we treasured the moment he got home.
Fabric swatch from Ormolu, Red tag from Scrap FX, Maya Road transparency,
hello word bubble from Freckled Fawn.Date stamp from American Crafts 

I could write something deep and introspective but I lack the brainpower and energy.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful, meaningful and safe holiday.
I hope you get snow if you want and wine if you'd like and LOTS of sleep.

Never got around to painting these.
Ornament sized wood bird houses from Michael's.
30 cents each on clearance!

Thank you for your continued support and reading this year.
2013 will be AWESOME.

Newsprint wrap from Home Goods- I get the look without the negative headlines.
I finally used my triangle punch on one of the presents.
Letter stickers are fast and fun!

Cheers!!
Michelle

You're KILLIN' me smalls! December mojo blues.

Here we go again.
I don't know what it is about December that just SUCKS the energy out of the right side of my brain- is that the creative side?
Whatever, I don't have the time to research it on the interwebs.
Just imagine a big empty cavern where all creative brain cells used to reside.

For the last week I've been shuffling paper around- the scrap corner is full of messy piles as I try to find materials that will somehow form themselves into an idea.
And that's the problem.
I'm sick of everything I'm making right now!
I SEE where I'm going wrong with my work- the bland color combos, the unbalanced design, the lack of crisp technical skills.
ARGH!
In one momentary respite, I made this:

A family tradition- get the craziest patterned paper you can find and wrap the front door. I found this AWESOME triangle and snowflakes print at TJ Maxx for 3 bucks. The wreath came together in about 2 hours- I got all OCD about the ribbons and wrapped it 6 times before I was ok with the result. Everything is attached to the foam wreath form with pins- I want to use all these materials again on a future project.
Materials: Foam wreath form, cheesecloth, yarn ribbon ball from Anthropologie (I got it for free with my purchase of a couple of ornaments- it's awesome), glitter pine cones and ball picks from Michael's, silver glitter reindeer from dollar store, 2 large feathers from ??? found them while "shopping my stash", large red/white twine from target dollar bin, gold leaf and ball ribbon from Etsy.

I'm insanely proud of it.
Perhaps I need to go 3d for a while and stay off scrapping till I get percolating again.
You know what makes it SOOO much worst?
I see the kick-ass work others are making and it makes me feel even MORE dull and obvious.
Comparison truly is the enemy of happiness!

My Mom has a saying in spanish that is making sense feeling right now:
Al que no quiere caldo se le dan tres tazas.
Those who don't want broth get three servings.
Which is my life right now- everything I didn't want is happening 3 times over.
Cavity? Sorry chick you need a ROOT CANAL. Another one.
Husband working during the holidays? New job has him 7 days a week, 12 hours a day.
Working furiously to keep up with deadlines? NO NEW IDEAS FOR YOU!

I think I'm going to spring for a class at this point.
It's obvious that I've reached a creative plateau and need community and the exchange of ideas to help me spark up the thought machine.

If you have suggestions for a good class or method to get your creative juices flowing please post a comment- I am willing to try almost anything at this point.

This little guy- in my brain! Stat!

Michelle

A story well told. A Flair For Buttons Post

Happy thursday folks!
I've been running around all week trying to get good photos for my December Daily so I've been too tired to actually scrap.

I found THE PERFECT cover embellishment for my album!
I tried working with it last night- nothing doing- I just shuffled layers around for a while and then went to bed frustrated.

Flat dime store glitter deer! How lucky am I? The pin is a freebie from
JC Penney. The striped Recollections divider is perfect.
 Deciding what fabric and paper I want for layering is taking a while.

This is the starting point. I will be using the kraft chipboard I saved from a package. I put it there so you could see I will be using a transparent binder divider and realized it was awesome.

QUESTION: Can you put gesso on plastic without it sliding off when it dries? I will be experimenting with later today.

I took Lola to visit Santa at Macy's for the first time. She was not amused.
This was as close as we ever got to the dude.

I also wanted to share a quick page I made for A Flair For Buttons last week.
I had a couple of hours and Pebbles "Seen and Noted" to work with- I love the bright colors in that collection!
Here's the page:

I encourage you to swing by the Flair For Buttons blog to read the story behind the photo in this page.

It's the central story of my scrapbook life- the reason I started scrapping and one of the proudest moments of my life.

Smash Flair set from A Flair For Buttons

I used one of my favorite Scrap FX chippies on this page.

I used Prima's Brick Wall chalk ink pad to color the tree in.
It's the perfect shade of red for the darker tones of chipboard.

Sorry for the disjointed post!
I'm off to the 14th street Christmas Market before work. Gonna try to score another Amirugumi squid for my tree.

I really need to learn to knit! I love these cuties! 

Chelle's out!
Have a great week!

December Daily- A photo post

Every year I struggle with Christmas themed crafts.
I just started thinking about DYI ornaments and a family card.
It's December 4th!
Then there's the shopping or lack thereof.

Last year's DD album cover- Ormolu tag, American Crafts Thickers,
Crate Paper printed chipboard (the stocking are my favorite. I wish
 they had different versions!),  Fancy Pants coffee filter paper (LOVE!)
This year the color palette will be red, white and silver.

Every year I promise "THIS year I'll start early!" and every year I end up a wreck with 20 unfinished projects.

2012 is no different.
Except for one project I love above all.
December Daily.
I'm taking the photos.
I have the transparent dividers I will make into covers for my book. (At SOME point!)
I have an idea of an abstract and paint friendly layout which is more about emotion and craft play than actual recording of events.
I let the photos do the talking for me.
I'm waiting for my Christmas themed collections to arrive- no amount of pre planning was going to get those to me on time- the hurricane totally screwed up the postal system here in Brooklyn and deliveries are taking even longer than usual.

Day 1- We put up the tree on December 1st. Lola fell in love with the lights. Some unexpected "Bokeh" from the lights reflecting off the flat cover over my iPod camera lens. 

I'm using the "Hispstamatic" app which has both "lens" and "film" filters and allows for more variety in effects. I'll be using the "Jane" lens which is a "no effects" filter and BlackKeys B+W film" which adds that funky marker border, date and washes out all color except for the very brightest shades. I can then add saturation in Photoshop, giving the photos a painted holiday movie look.

Day 2- Chicken Soup on a cold day. I could do a smiling shot but I suspect when I look at this later, Lola hardly reaching the table, clutching that soup spoon for dear life, opening her mouth the widest possible, this shot is gonna make me laugh like a LOON!

Day 3- Lola and I went to Rockerfeller Center with NO STROLLER. !!!
The stroller was locked in my MIL's house along with my spare keys. Well Miss Thang was a TROOPER. We walked for 3 hours straight and she only tried to run into oncoming traffic 3 times. I will need a child tether (BABY LEASH!)  if I am ever to do this again- my sanity requires it.

Day 3- Legoland was a HUGE hit. She played here for an hour - never mind there were
hundreds of people walking around her private kingdom. 

Day 3- Encountering the tree- she liked it but this didn't yield the appropriate shot.
I will bring her back at night for the full effect. This year it will just be Lola and I  running about for photos since my husband is working over-time (Yay! or Booo! depending on the day of the week).  Last year's family December will be cherished. I must remember to count my blessings- paying bills is a good thing.

Day 3- This might be my favorite shot. She only sat for half a second before freaking me out by standing up and running along the fountain edge but here she looks positively introspective.

It truly is a wonderful life- sort of- I WILL IT SO.  :)
So off to the scrap desk to make this year's album cover...

How about you?
How are your plans shaping up?

Have a great holiday month!
Michelle

When your mojo goes on vacation- shoot photos!!!

The wall- I've hit it.
All my former "no mojo" fixes are out the window.
I'm supposed to be working on a page for Punky Scraps that is due by thursday- so I will TRY to eek something out tonight- it might be hideous.
I'm determined to work through this dry spell!!
Here is an attempt to stamp my way out:

Foiled AGAIN by the ipod's low resolution camera! 

THANK YOU to Adele H. for recommending I check out Nat Kalbach's Creative Jump Start. I joined up today and was rewarded with a GREAT video from fave artist Louise Nelson (YAAYYY!)
If you guys are also hitting a wall, I suggest you swing by and check it out- it's free. (best price ever!)
Today I took photos at a place I have ALWAYS wanted to visit-

Keith Haring's "Crack Is Whack" mural in East Harlem. This is a DREAM COME TRUE! I've been wanting to go for YEARS. It's right next to the FDR so it's hard to get there via public transport but we managed it.

The 80's in the Bronx were like the wild west- with zombies. Burned out apartment buildings, crack vials littering the playground, junkies with half closed eyes walking in circles on the sidewalk. Our neighborhood is actually one of the better ones in the area and my parents did their very best to shield my siblings and I but we still saw a lot. So this mural has a lot of meaning for me. And it's freaking AWESOME.  Can't you just HEAR "White Lines" by Grandmaster Flash playing softly in the distance?

I have to keep reminding myself that there are many ways to stay creative. There's no need to panic. Creativity ebbs and flows- the ebb part sucks.
I also finished my December Daily! YAY!!!

12/24/11 My brother treated us all to the Christmas Ever performance of
The Nutcracker Suite at Lincoln Center- AWESOME!

BY this point the pages had stopped matching- I just grabbed the prints I liked best.

My FAVORITE image from this year's holiday take. I didn't have space inside
so I added it to the back cover.

There's 4 more pages but these are the best bits. Years from now I will look through it and laugh at the first pages being so beautifully detailed and the last so obviously slapped on quickly. I did make sure to take time to journal. I really enjoyed the process of making a holiday mini book. I see many more in my future- if for nothing else- to have a reason to buy KEUUTE holiday themed stash.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

December Daily- Playin' Catch Up

So you are now officially "over" Christmas. Perhaps you would rather gnaw your foot off than see one more post boasting (OOPS! I meant "sharing") innovative handmade presents, wonderfully close family moments or cooking exploits.
Can't say I blames ya!
But I am finishing my danged December Daily and posting it if it's the last scrappy thing I do!!! I didn't shoot my presents which consist of one Sizzix machine (still "enroute") and one book "Snuff" by Terry Pratchett which I have already devoured and LOVE. We ordered (note I did not say MADE- as in that way lies madness) some traditional Puerto Rican pasteles and ate till it hurt- overall a fantastic holiday if you ask me.

Oh LOOK ornaments! I didn't buy those. And see the photo taken on the 22nd?  The photo I wanted to add here was too big to fit in a 2 inch circle so off to another day it goes.

December Daily albums are a hard project- you have to fight your own bad habits to get finished. Mine are procrastination, an inability to stick to a unified theme or color scheme, tendency to get overwhelmed during family moments and forgetting to actually SHOOT A PHOTO and posing people when I miss out on a moment. My family grew very tired of me saying "STOP! Let's do that AGAIN."

Day 22- you are only as old as your parents let you feel. I was not allowed to "restage" this.

Let's be real- anything with Lola is likely posed 'cause girlfriend REFUSES to look at the camera. This is what I figure- your brain will rewrite the memory later anyway so why not provide a pretty picture and start the historical rewriting right now? But I didn't make stuff up just to have it in the album.
When Lola is older though I will revisit the 31 NYC holiday hotspots in 31 days idea and use it as a way to keep from just sitting around at home all the time.

Day 17 is an iTouch photo of a regular photo. Lola was staring at the giant Christmas tree in absolute wonder. Day 18 is about how Lola got a new pair of pants from a nice old lady who FORCED me to hand them over so she could buy them- NY style generosity- let me treat you OR ELSE. ;)

Reality check number two? I take Instagr.am pix of 35mm images I shoot with my Leica using a real flash- cheating? YOU BETCHA!!!!
Why? Because otherwise my pix would all be muddy pixelated pieces of digi crap. I really hope Apple comes out with a better camera in the next iTouch iteration- I'm NOT paying for an iPhone data plan.

Day 23- Merry Christmas from the Hernandez (and company) clan!!

Reality check number three- I also choose moments that happen in a day I have already covered for my next page- am I REALLY going to remember the pants thing happened on the 20th and not the 18th when I open this book later on? NOPE! So why worry?

I love that stupid plastic snowman. I wish I had a yard so I could light it up with one (or a 20). Day 20 is about how it's been raining cats and dogs here. December has been freakishly warm- except for the day Letty, Robby Rob (her husband) and I decided to walk to Rockerfeller Center- it was 15 degrees that night and I tasted roasted chestnuts for the first time- DOH! I didn't take a PHOTO!!!

I'm working on the final few pages- I'll probably stop at day 30 and take down the tree- or just stage it and leave the actual tree up till early February as usual. I haven't decided yet. GRIN. So there you have it- a direct order to just let go of the rules and get crafty- it's just paper after all!

December 24th- Do you know how many of these I had to shoot (and repose- ha ha) before Lola looked anything but annoyed to be "opening presents" at MIDNIGHT? That's the Latin American custom and let's just say- it doesn't mix well with the under 10 crowd. PS- I also have the annoyed shot- you'll see it in my next post.

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle