Neon Love- the color dipping trend and scrapbooking

Happy Fourth of July!
Today I want to buck the trending topic and share a page I made for Scrap FX featuring a design element I have seen all over the place lately- dye color dipping.
"What is 'dye dipping', crazy lady?" You might say.

It's literally dipping the legs, arms or other part of an object in neon or metallic paint (or dye) for some added color without the blinding rays a whole neon green couch would let off.

So this woodgrain embossed paper- I must find bulk packs of it because it's my favorite stash item right now.
I found the 8 by 11 size at my LSS but SC has it 12 by 12. GET SOME- it's freaking GORG!
MATERIALS: vellum, Fiskars XL star squeeze punch, Scrap FX telegraph wire chipboard, Hambly trannys, MT washi tape, Maya Road ledger trannys, Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphas, American Crafts mini glitter brads, Staedtler water color paint

Check out Etsy to see what I mean (don't want to use photos here without permission):
Dipped neon
I thought I would give it a whirl in a scrapbook page.
Here's the thing- I'm kinda nuts about wasting my expensive magenta water color paint so I didn't just fill up a bowl and dip away.

I painted the paper and tried my best to make it look "dipped".
This was hella fun!
I suggest you run out to Benjamin Moore and get one of their 4 dollar "sample" paints and try "dipping" your own house wares- you just might LOVE IT!

lovely delicate layers- vellum is DA BOMB!

I'm coveting a set of neon pink hand thrown porcelain bowls- they are so SO pretty but Lola would use them for floor target practice so I will just stare at the photos and dream.

Scrap Fx telegraph poles- delightfully RANDOM-
who needs matchy-matchy themey pages? "Not I!" said the cat!

Have a SAFE 4th of July holiday folks!
PLEASE don't get your drink on and take to the wheel!
And PLEASE don't dare each other to hold the fireworks.
Your local ER staff would appreciate one less client and I like my readers to be happy and whole.

GRATUITOUS FLAG RELATED PHOTO!!!!

MuChOS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Talking about Instagram- AGAIN.

Mondays are reserved for Project Life posts but this week I got distracted while putting the week's main theme 6 by 12 compartment together.

The entry was going to be about last week's visit to the Museum Of Natural History and the "Beyond Earth" exhibit.
We learned all about possible missions to Mars, terraforming the Moon, commercial space flight and the consequences of a large meteor strike on earth. I would like to forget that last bit- I'm highly strung as it is.

This is the result of last night's efforts:

If you're in NYC I suggest a day spent at the Museum of Natural History- stuffed animals, dinosaur bones, giant jewels, live frogs and butterflies- it's the best 10 bucks you'll spend while here. Bring snacks- the food court is expensive!
Materials: October Afternoon- Rocket Age Incoming Transmission and alphas, Basically Bare acrylic gear, Fiskars star punch in XL and L, K & CO Smash ticket, October Afternoon journaling spots, Crate Paper exposure paper (for border), Gauche Alchemy Punchinella in silver, 

I followed my own advice, let go of self imposed deadlines and went with the flow.
It was good to FINALLY use my stash of October Afternoon Space Age papers. I love the prints but didn't know how to incorporate their specific theme to my everyday life scrap style. 

Problem solved.
Now I realize I have a MILLION ways to use this paper!

SNEAK PEEK of tomorrow's post- a Valentine's Day card.

The abrupt change in project plans came when I took my customary Instagram boast shot. I hate to admit it but I guess it IS boasting to show you are currently scraping right? Ah whatever! Look at that awesome border!

This frame from the Instagr.am "Nashville" filter is awesome.
I don't like the overall bluish tone it adds so I rarely use it.
I like the tones here more than the ones I got shooting in the park.

I am now addicted to posting my crappy out of focus process shots on Instagram because I usually get immediate feedback from friends. If I see a couple of likes on a photo or a layout in-process I know the project is on the right track. 

My apologies to my followers who put up with my 15 plus images a day. 

I know it's considered spam now.

Subway tiles at the 81st street downtown B/C station.
Instagr.am Lo-fi filter

I really do try to hold back but sometimes I forget to turn off the wi-fi connection on my ipod only to eventually exclaim- "OH NO! I'm BROADCASTING AGAIN!" which makes the Hubster give me his "Huh?? GET A LIFE WOMAN!" look. 

Ahh the pitfalls of social networking.

But really, who wants to see perfectly edited images every time? How do we learn from each other's process that way? I follow several pro photographers who obviously use Instagram to promote their business- more power to them- but for me- it's still a learning thing.

How else would I know bathroom mirror shots are de rigueur if not for
Instagram?? This shot was edited using the Halftone app.

Right now it looks like the primary thing you'll learn from my feed are:

•  Lola likes to eat veggies
•  I live in a place infested (beautified by!) graffiti artists. 

If you're into that kind of thing then you'll LOVE my Instagr.am feed. 

If you just think I need a better camera (or an actual iPhone) and some perspective leave a comment here because you just might be my new best friend.

Some detail shots:

Had to tell myself: PUT THOSE STICKERS DOWN- they're so versatile!

Basically Bare acrylic cog- can you see it?

Freaking AWESOME! I wish they had smaller ones. 

Finally used that OA Tin Pin- LOVE!

GRATUITOUS CUTE BABY SHOT!

A plate of broccoli (Instagr.am)

Gotta love it.

MuChoS SmOoChEs!

Michelle

Inspiration is for Amateurs

This Chuck Close quote by has been a favorite of mine ever since I saw him on Charlie Rose last fall. He was talking about how as an artist he works through problems posed by his paintings. He enters and leaves his studio at pretty much the same time each day. Did I mention Chuck has a cognitive disability which doesn't allow him to recognize faces? And yet he is a fantastic portrait painter- now that is inspiring.

Today's page is about being a cranky assed beotch. I don't celebrate that I am a beotch- I just recognize I am and work with it. I won't change it- I have more important things to do. This page is for punkyscraps.blogspot.com. I LOVE that site! Go on there and check out their latest transgressive prompt. I always treated my photography as something that was fueled by inspiration not by effort. That's why I am so behind on technique. This is a scan of a gel transfer I made while still in photo school. Perhaps it's time I return.

Materials: Prima Pulse collection "Crew", We R Memory Keepers Teen Angst foil paper (cut outs),
Mr. Huey- white, Hambly tranny- turquoise wood grain, EK Success Abstract Flower edge punch,
Martha Stewart Monarch Butterfly punch, Making Memories Shimmer Jigsaw alphas- brown,
MLS Black Diamond alphas, Gold gel pen, Bo Bunny clear frame, Creative Charms Pure Blossoms- Blue,
Inkessentials Glossy Accents

I wanted to share a really cool thing that happened this week- my brand new only used once Fiskars XL star punch got TOTALED by an American Crafts glitter paper a while back (UNcool!). I stewed for about a week then went back to 123stitch.com to reorder the punch and noticed Fiskars products have lifetime warranties!!!

My permanently closed punch- waaah!

I went to the customer service page on their site, uploaded a photo of my pathetic punch and literally 5 days later a BRAND NEW PUNCH arrived! How awesome is this company???? So I have upgraded my Fiskars rating to BUY ALL THE TIME- even if their punches are heavier and larger than EK ones.

WHAT I LEARNED BUILDING THIS PAGE:
1. How to punch that AC glitter paper? It's so darned thick! DUH! Rip out a layer of the backing to get it thin enough for punching.
2. You CANNOT write on Mr. Huey spritz no matter how long you wait for it to dry- you can write in random sprays but not on a layer of spritz sprayed specifically to make room for journaling- darn!
3. You CAN ink Bo Bunny acrylic bits! SO gonna get me some more!

Lola is ready for Chinese New Year.
Thanks Auntie G!!!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
M.

Nephews are AWESOME!

HOW did I make it to December 30th 2010 without doing making page about my precious, amazing, incredibly gorgeous nephews? Did I really work busily away for an entire YEAR without making one measly page on my babies?
Aaah the inhumanity... the self centered belly button gazing of it all!
I needed to right this injustice with the quickness!!!!

Unfortunately I didn't have good recent photos of them. Luckily my brother, Guarionex- AKA Pito, AKA Pete- for those who can't pronounce Pito- visited us on Thanksgiving.

Looks like they had tons of fun right?

On Black Friday they literally "did" Manhattan like tourist pros; Central Park's Children's Zoo, a Puppet show, The Apple Store, Toys R US on Times Square then the King Tut Exhibit. I didn't go- Lola would NOT have stood for it. My bro had his trusty iPhone and took these shots.

iPhone shots cropped to square size- love how grainy and
funkily colored they are!

CUTE!!!!

I'm seriously considering getting an iPhone just for the photo apps. I wouldn't bother with the phone service as I don't want to pay an 10 extra dollars for the same AWFUL AT&T service I get now. Ooooo! BURN AT&T!!!
This page is also for the Studio Calico weekly page challenge.

Materials: 

• Fiskars Star punches, medium & XL.
• Studio Calico Home Front "Odds & Ends" 
• Studio Calico Elementary "Atmosphere" 
• Basic Grey Kraft Basics "Tally"
• Cosmo Cricket "Ginger" 
• Sassafras Lass Dress Pattern Alphas
• Making Memories Sienne Reverie Alphas- Paper Reverie Collection
• Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type in yellow and clear/brown 
• American Crafts textured Foil Paper in turquoise
• New York City map (small paper strips)
• American Crafts chestnut paper
• Maya Road Banners chipboard (tiny heart)
• Brown star bling from Michael's
• Tasmanian Devil Band Aids from Lola's last doctor's office visit (I know- SICK).

This particular shot deserves it's own page- it's SO RAD!!!!

 WHAT is up with that painted seagull looking like it's about to dive bomb my bro? AWESOME!!!!
MuChOs SmOoChEs!!
M.

Post-Christmas Page

Maybe I should send this out via email instead of staring at my DIY cards all day and wondering what the heck to do with them, right? This is for a Studio Calico challenge. It's heart break AGAIN!! I was waiting for the January kit to come out so I could place 1 order- now it's sold out.
WAAAH!

Christmas 2010

Materials: 
-Plastic Merry Christmas from store bought cheese cake
-Fiskars Extra Large and Medium Star punches
-Martha Stewart Deep edge Gifts punch
-Martha Stewart white dots on red tape
-Red Magic Mesh
-Green dots paper from Studio Calico
-Scallop tag from Maya Road
-Hearts strip from Sassafras Lass
-Silhouetted Santa is from a card I cut up

It's been BANANAS here in NYC with 20 inches of snow. I thought this would be no big deal but apparently budget cuts have meant that people got stuck in unheated subway trains or buses for hours- as did the snowplows. I'm just glad we stocked up on milk and baby food. Dave did not have to work which is seriously the best Christmas present EVER as I had time to think about pages.

Lola's first walk in snow- she HATED it.
She's just like MOMMY!

Here are some tags I did for our extended family Secret Santa...

Tree tag

Snowman tag

Inside of Snowman- poem

The poems I wrote to get people to guess who the gifts belonged to did NOT go over well. So much for starting that tradition stateside- it's imported from The Netherlands.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
M.