Skissedilla challenge #186 accepted!

Happy Saturday folks!

I'm feeling sad right now so I completed a challenge page for the art scrap website Skissedilla using my absolute favorite Scrap FX piece EVER.

(Thanks for reminding me Scarlett! I love this challenge site but constantly forget to check in!)

Here's the page:

I outlined the border and left it alone- the design itself does most of the work.

Here's the Scrap FX flourish chipboard I used: (item number 2010287)

Swing by Skissedilla and give the sketch a try!

Thanks for swinging by!
Michelle

Scrapbooking Graduations and New York City

Today I want to share some scrapbook pages I made for a client here in New York City who wanted to surprise his girlfriend.

More on that story later!

I really enjoyed making this book.

Not only was I going to tackle a whole book at once (until now I usually worked on individual pages) but I also had to make themed pages about graduation and prom- subjects I haven't scrapped before.

The actual design work was easy!
What I found difficult was trying to interpret the needs of my client into something that would please not only him but the person the book would eventually belong to, his girlfriend.

Finding colors and titles for pages were the hardest. I wanted to stick to a clean color palette that would please both men and women and I very much wanted to stay away from overly sentimental titles.

Here are two pages from the book:

Many of the photos had specific themes and were easy to group into cohesive story pages but photos for "New York Living" were by necessity, quite random in subject. I was worried this would be difficult to scrap till I realized the client knew where these were all taken and didn't need me to spell things out. I added a few journaling spots to write in particulars and got out his way. Then I thought- isn't that how our memories work anyway? We don't remember every single detail of the night we went to dinner but snippets from one memory lead to others. I used a LOT of Ormolu products on this book- their small size and modern design were perfect for pages with lots of photos. The flair badges are from a Flair For Buttons (which can be found on Etsy or 2 Peas In A Bucket).

For this page I cut into a sun-ray print from Studio Calico and added a polka dot background paper with a more subtle print. I used some of the fantastic ephemera my client has saved over the years- these were tickets from his commencement from George Washington University. I was very impressed with the variety of stuff he had saved- I wish my husband and I had the forethought to save bits and bobs from the beginning of our relationship 13 years ago!

Overall a fantastic client and experience.

I am now available to work on other projects. so if you are looking for help with your project or even for friendly advice on how to get started please don't hesitate to drop me a line.

My email: hernandm1@yahoo.com

Have a great wednesday everyone!
Michelle

Scrapping through your mistakes- a Scrap FX and Ormolu scrapbook page

Happy Monday morning folks!
Today I am sharing a page I did for Scrap FX using Ormolu products.
In case you haven't heard- Ormolu is having a DT call.
I applied.
I just love their products SO MUCH! I had to throw my hat in the ring.
Last terms' team was amazing but hope springs eternal and all that.

Page up:

Materials: Echo Park Boy's Life paper, Scrap FX  Mixed tags- kraft model# 2012042 K, Playground chipboard model#2012295, Playground alphabet- small Model# 2012306, Ormolu Bungalow Dots & Spots, Fact or Fiction Flappers, Line and Letter Storytellers and Bungalow Flappers.

My article for Scrap FX was all about mistakes made while this page as under construction.
I love the final product but even I must admit- my "mask" technique needs some work
Case in point:

A fine mist right over Lola's face. Does it bother me? Yes. Will it bother me a week from now?
We'll see. I'm already thinking it's no biggie but don't bother sending this in for publication without reprinting that photo.

Also- I need to work on my penmanship.

First draft off the page!!! This is a mistake of pure sloth.

Tonight I have some time to scrap again.
I will be using those new Studio Calico droppers and lots of gesso.
I've been making so many clean and simple pages lately I miss getting my hands dirty.

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! I sure did!

We visited the Empire State Building for the first time ever- I KNOW!

Michelle

Thankful for family- A Flair For Buttons Post

Hello there!

I feel like I've fallen into the rabbit hole.
Today is the first day in over two months where I have nothing planned.

Lola is with me- we are going shopping for winter sneakers and having lots of Mommy and me moments.

Before I'm off on my adventure I just want to wish you a happy, drama free Thanksgiving.

Here is my most recent page for A Flair For Buttons:

 The red stripe paper is from Sodalicious, The fussy cut roses from Paper Trunk, the index card from Lily Bee and the flair buttons from A Flair For Buttons. The silver doily is from a pack I got at Michael's.

My gratitudes list:

1. I am grateful for having a husband who is very much in love with his crazy wife. I often play the lottery but I know lightning doesn't strike twice. My luck came in the form of one David Martinez.

2. I am grateful for Miss Lola who is happy and healthy and freakishly intelligent- pretty soon she'll be teaching me to multiply and divide fractions which is why I had a child in the first place.
(just kidding! not really)

3. I am thankful for my Mom who is awesome and my mother in law Reina who can cook up a storm. Also I am thankful for my brothers Guarionex, Daniel, Roberto, Luis and Christian (who just got engaged to Lisa!!! WOOOT!) and my sisters Leticia, Melissa and Sandra and my nieces and nephews Noemi, Emily, Natalie, Kaine and Marcus.

4. I am thankful for you my blog readers- for sticking with me through all my drama this year- sorry I don't post more- I wish I could dictate posts while on the subway.

I think that photo of Dave and Lola dancing down the street is one of my favorite images ever- too bad it's a low rez iPod photo.

Here are some detail shots:

I tried out my American Crafts DYI Thickers with loose silver glitter.
I will not be using them again- they stuck to everything except the page.
It's easier to use Stickles on regular Thickers instead.

I'm LOVING Heidi Swapp's Color Shine mists!
The tiny stars are also from Michael's.

The A Flair For Buttons blog is full of great ideas from the DT- swing by and check it out.

Have a happy, healthy and peaceful Thanksgiving!
Michelle

Friday Five- Autumn love

Hello!

Friday Five is a photo post I see some of my favorite bloggers use every week.
This week has been koo-koo for Cocoa Puffs crazy so I will post these and you let me know if they mean anything to you at all.

First up, The Gap is KILLING me with their Fall fabulousness!

The 34th street Gap store just underwent a major renovation and it's SO visually inspiring! I didn't buy anything but I added several jackets and scarves to my Christmas List. Also- hello inspiration! Layering! Light grey, green and yellow together! Pattern combos! It's all there.

2. This font at The Gap- MUST find it online! Also- why haven't I ever tried to make a "corner" title on a page?

3. This poster in my neighborhood made me REALLY want an old fashioned screen printing machine.

4. There is a wall in Greenpoint full of these steampunk era icons. This photo doesn't do it justice.

5. My brother in law Luis took this fantastic photo in Central Park. This week has been crap but I HAVE to remind myself- everything is ok- one door closes and another one opens.

Have a great weekend!
Michelle