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

Pie charts RULE!!!! A Studio Calico challenge page

So I've always had a "thing" for graphics, pie charts and other office related graphics meant to keep you awake during snoozefest meetings.
I just never thought to use them in a layout!
TOTAL lack of imagination!!!
Must correct ASAP!!
Here ya go:

So my LOVE of neon and washi is in full effect here. I used a while bunch of techniques I have learned from other crafters- SoapHouseMama and Miae to be specific. More on that below.
 Materials: Studio Calico Classic Calico paper, washi tape from Hambly, Smash and MT, vellum title from DCWV, Awesome word bubble from A Life Handmade on Big Cartel, Smash date stamp, gel pens from Sakura Martha Stewart multi butterfly punch and pin from American Crafts.

The layout is from a sketch by Vee Jennings for Studio Calico for their latest Sunday challenge which I encourage you to try!

My idea of a good scrappy time? Throw the paint on the page and watch it spread out or drip down, SHOVE the vellum into the sewing machine and hope a general circle shape emerges from my tugging and pulling.
My husband absolutely FREAKS when he sees me work.
He gets all itchy looking at the crooked lines, paint splatters all over the work table or the sewing machine wrestling (mostly because I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SEW.)

Some detail shots:

I bought this random travel themed DCWV pack at TJ Maxx
and I really like this vellum material. Some of the phrases
are a bit cheesy but this one has a great font and size.
Love that word bubble! I really wish I could afford a Silhouette!

Silver gel pen for the journaling. The butterfly was
colored using pastels I bought at the dime store. 

Ok so here is where I credit my scrappy friends.
SoaphouseMama (Ashli Oliver) gets credit for the stacked lines. I see this motif in her
work and I just like how it adds visual interest without distracting from the main design.
Miae of  Making Scrap Up gets credit for the wheels because I see her doodle these all
over the place!!!  Using the sewing machine was time consuming but I love the effect.
The hanging ends were something I saw  a french blogger do and it just made my jaw
drop.  I don't remember who it was (it was before I learned about Pinterest)
but if you recognize who I'm talking about lemme know ok?

I encourage you to let loose today.
Just slap some paper onto other paper, dash that paint on, take your favorite stamp and go hog wild- whatever.
If you hate the final result it's ok- go back to your regular work style!
But maybe you'll discover a new technique.

NEW PHOTO SEGMENT!!
What I learned from my two year old TODAY:
A fool and her washi are soon parted or
YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH WASHI.

I used this page to get my engines ready for some design team assignments I really want to get right. So keep your eyes peeled over at Gauche And Scrap FX- you'll see iterations of things I learned making this page.

GRATUITOUS TODDLER SHOT!!!!!

Cute right? She pulled the ugliest 30 minute tantrum when it was time to go.
This is at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. GO! TODAY!
The Cherries are blooming!

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle