New Picture Perfect Page

Here's this week's Nuts About Sketches sketch. 

And here's my take on it.  This was taken at night inside so I will take another one as well as some close-ups outside later this week.

I found the filmstrip image online and using Adobe Illustrator I was able to turn it into a SVG cutting file, which I cut on my Craft ROBO.  I have to admit, I was pretty proud of myself!  I then handstamped the tickets using Close To My Heart "Just the Ticket" Acrylic stamp, handcut the scallop-like border using a small part of an embellishment I had and then added a tiny bit of bling to each scallop. I distressed the edges of everything in "blush" or "black ink to make it all pop. The pink ticket and flowers are popped for added dimension.

Check out the Nuts About Sketches blog at http://nutsaboutsketches.blogspot.com/ and join the message board at http://nutsaboutsketches.ning.com/.

When I Can't Find It ...

I make it!  I think I am discovering why it sometimes takes me a while to complete a layout.  I am obsessed with perfection.  You would think it's a strength but I think it may be a curse.  I have incomplete layouts from a year ago (at least) because I can't find the perfect elements for the title or I need a specific embellishment or some other excuse.  I don't think I'm exagerating.  Well when it comes to the perfect paper, that is not an issue.  I love making my own patterned paper. 

Need paper with a particular theme and the stores are closed or what they have in the stores is the wrong color or not my style?  No problem, I pull out my acrylic stamps and inks and make it myself.   This one sample looks a little busy in this pic but it looks great IRL.  I stamped the "ZOO" background paper and journaling cover.  This is an old sample from probably 2 years ago.  My style has changed but it's one of my more detailed samples. Also,check out the pink and green cardstock in my "3 weeks" page. I wanted a tone on tone effect so I handstamped a similar color on the papers.

Need paper with stripes?  No problem, I'll score some colored with white core cardstock, sand the ridges and voila, I have stripes. 

Need to add slight dimension to plain background cardstock?  I'll distress the edges with ink.  See the "Cutie Patootie" layout in an earlier post.  Or I'll give it some texture with my rubber brayer and a little ink.  See the green cardstock in the "Everything Grows Better With Love" layout posted in February. I handstamped the blue cardstock too. 

I could go on and on and on but I'll spare you the details. 

Of course I do this with my embellies as well by adding liquid glass to boring embellies, stamping on ribbon, applying rub-ons to buttons, stamping Staz-on on just about anything, painting metal embellies, etc.  Again, I could go on and on. Here's a button I stamped a date on and another button I added a white rub-on flower to.

My point is ... when I can't find it I usually attempt to make it, which leads to longer time it takes to finish a layout.  I think I am okay with that.  Then again, I look at all the photos I have on file and wonder when I will ever get it all done.  I'm out to prove I can do it with this blog and the online challenges I have joined.

I read a great line the other day. It said "Anything worth doing is worth OVERDOING." Sounds like a good motto for me.

It's Sketchy Thursday

time!!!  It's been a 2 weeks since I've submitted a Sketchy Thursday layout but I still have the sketches and will be doing them on my weekend crop in April.  Anywho, here's this week's sketch and my take on it. 

This sketch was so fun.  I hand cut the little colored bears to match the ones in Reese's shirt and then used eyelets for eyes and brads for the nose.  I haven't used eyelets in years I think.  Can you tell that the pink nose is not a brad?  I didn't have one so I cut a circle in the right shade of pink and applied liquid glass to it to get it a slight shine.  I'll replace it if I ever get another pink brad.  I also highlighted the lemon wedge journal by outlining it with buttons.  Lastly, I sewed green felt and handcut/sewed the lemon wedges to the layout.  Oh and I found "Lemon" font that I cut out with my Craft ROBO for the title.  I really love how this one turned out.

My First Design Team sketch layout is posted on

Nuts About Sketches.  Here's the sketch and my take on it.  I'm never one to take a sketch and do an exact, literal layout of it.  Instead I consider it a recipe guide.  When I cook at home using a recipe I inevitably add a little more of this and that or substitute one thing for another, either because I don't have it or because it fits my tastebuds better.  On my layout I substituted paper strips for the torn paper effect and the flow of my photos didn't work with the way the sketch had them laid out so I flipped the sketch.  Then I added an assortment of buttons, metals, brads and clear shapes to tie it all together.  I created my title in Illustrator and cut it with my Craft ROBO, which I have a renewed love for again.  My favorite parts are the 4 clear stars I stapled to the layout, 2 of which highlight the stars that are the same color as the Astros star logo AND the clear buttons that I applied white rub-ons to.  I must say that I might change out the journal circle and make it look like a baseball.  That's the one thing that's driving me nuts.

Supplies:
Paper - from JoAnns, will get manufacturer names
CTMH Buttons
Heidi Swapp Corduroy Buttons
CTMH Clear Acrylic Shapes
CTMH Circle Metal Accents
k.i. memories baseball ribbon
CTMH Tulip Ink daubed on all paper pieces
Misc Embroidery Thread
Title - cut on my Craft ROBO

Check out the other DT layouts at the Nuts About Sketches blog AND Join the Message Board and tell them I sent ya!