Bee Happy DT Project #2: Altered Mini-canvas Set

For my second DT project for Bee Happy, I wanted to use the papers from the Flower Garden Wrapping Paper Book.  I had decided on altering a set of three mini-canvases that were around 3.5" x 3.5" in size.  It was a tough choice as all the wrapping papers were beautiful, but I settled on these three because they sort of match with the shabby chic color scheme that I was trying to achieve.

I covered the canvases with the wrapping paper and painted on a thin layer of white acrylic paint over certain areas so that there would be a bit of negative space where I can stamp the words "dream", "hope", and "believe", without covering the lovely designs on the paper.  After letting the pain dry completely, I stamped the words with Distress ink and embossed them with clear embossing powder.  I could've used clear embossing ink with with colored  powder, but this type of distressed look was what I was hoping to achieve.  I added some flowers, leaves, and feathers from my stash.  And finally some sequins (also from the Bee Happy DT package) to give it sort of a dream-like feel.

You can check out Bee Happy Arts and Crafts Supply Shop on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BeeHappyCrafts?ref=ts&fref=ts

Or order directly from their website: https://www.whizorders.com/beehappycrafts

Bee Happy DT Project #1: Prima Doll Stamp Tag

When I learned that I was chosen to be one the members of the Bee Happy design team, I was so excited.  When I got my DT package, I couldn't wait to get working on my projects.  I started right away then got stuck for quite a while, but last weekend I had to finish them as my term as DT member was only for the month of September.  It's always been a challenge for me to work on a creative project on a deadline, but I'm happy with how things turned out. :)

Prima Doll Stamp Tag: Natalie / Live the life you've imagined.

So here is the first project I made using the Julie Nutting Natalie Cling Stamp and the Pressed Petals Midnight Chic 8.5" x 11" Sampler Set from Bee Happy.

I already have a few of the Prima doll stamps, but this Natalie stamp is my new favorite.  I mostly have the little girl stamps that are all cute, but this one is of a sophisticated lady in a super smart outfit.  I stamped her on water color paper and colored in her hair and skin with alcohol markers.  Then I used the sampler set to paper piece her outfit out of different patterned papers that were so much fun to mix and match.  I added the tiny pearls so that she'd have earrings and a necklace, and a black fabric rose at her waist to complete her look.

I also stamped the sentiment, "Live the life you've imagined." on the background paper, which is a map of Paris that I found in an old unused notebook.  Then I embellished the tag with flowers, feathers, buttons, bling, ribbon, and Paris-themed washi tape from my stash.  The sequins in pretty colors were also from the Bee Happy DT package.

Here are couple of close up photos showing a little more of the details in the design.

The pearls are a nice touch to her sophisticated look.

If you can't tell by now, I really am a sucker for flowers.

You can check out Bee Happy Arts and Crafts Supply Shop on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BeeHappyCrafts?ref=ts&fref=ts

Or order directly from their website: https://www.whizorders.com/beehappycrafts

Mad props

Since it is the end of March after all, I thought that a graduation card would be fitting.  I am currently on leave from work (I teach high school Biology), but for the past several years, I've been handling seniors.  So during this time of the year, I make some sort of token for my students, and this usually involves some crafting. :)  And as you can probably tell, I love these stamps from The Greeting Farm.  I've already used these Grad Ian and Anya digital stamps last school year, right before I went on leave. 

And so here is my third entry for challenge #47 at the Filipino Scrapbookers Challenge Blog.  Still using bright colors and a celebratory theme for graduation.

Smile

Here is another bright and colorful card that was based on the card sketch by Melissa Bonifacio for challenge #47 at the Filipino Scrapbookers Challenge Blog.  I wanted to make a sweet little card for my friend who is on the mend from two surgeries this past month.  I do hope this makes her smile.

Lovely Day

It's been so long since I've joined any of the challenges on the Filipino Scrapbookers Challenge Blog.  And here I am trying to make the deadline, which I eventually do.  There is some measure of comfort in old habits.  For some time, I joined each and every challenge on the FSCB.  Even when I just barely upload my one entry moments before the deadline, I pushed myself.  But later on, I just got swamped with work and other things so I just wasn't able to do the challenges anymore.  And even then, I saved all the sketches so I might be able to use them later.  I love sketches. :)

 

So here is my entry for challenge #47 using a lovely card sketch by Melissa Bonifacio.  I used bright colors and a sunburst design... just in time for summer, too!

My first attempt at an altered canvas

The past six months just came and went.  You would think that since I am on sabbatical leave from work, I'd have plenty of time to spend on things other than work.  And I suppose that is what I have done, but unfortunately, updating this blog has been relegated to the back burner.  Which is just too bad, really, because there have been many many ATCs, cards, and assorted projects that have been made and given away in the course of the past six months.  And I would still like to post them all here, but I decided to start with my most recent crafty project and just work my way back.  I actually have a little over two months left before I go back to work again, so there's a lot of catching up to do before I actually get back on track.

So here is my very first altered canvas.  I have seen a lot of beautiful ones on google, pinterest, and youtube, of course... and I've wanted to make one myself.  But something seemed to be holding me back.  It was as if it was a bit too overwhelming to finish something like that.  Eventually, I just buckled down and started working on it.  It didn't even take me two days to finish, considering that it involved a lot of sitting around and waiting (for the adhesive, paint, and fixative to dry).  It isn't as elaborate as many of the ones I've seen online, but I'm  quite happy with it.  The picture on top was taken when I thought I was done.  But the next morning, I thought to add some white acrylic paint to shabby chic-ify it.  The change is subtle, as you see in the bottom picture, but I like it.  I plan to hang this in the craft room, which is still a work in progress, so that will be described in full in a later post when the room is all done.

I don't want to go into too much detail, but since I've been asked about how this project came about, I will just list the steps here:

1. I started with a canvas panel board.  The one I purchased has already been coated with gesso, which helps the paint (and most everything else you want) stick to the canvas.
2. I then decoupaged the entire surface with torn pieces of dictionary, music, and book pages.  I recently bought some old books from a garage sale, which I especially liked for the aged and yellowing pages (although you'll notice that I covered them up).
3. Next is a coat of white acrylic paint.  I deliberately used uneven brush strokes to give it more texture.
4. Then I inked the surface with distress ink (Broken China) but it bare near the edges, so that the white paint still shows.
5. I stamped the background using doily stamps (Martha Stewart Crafts Clear Stamps - Doilies) and some tiny text (Kaisercraft Clear Stamp - Dictionary Meanings) with distress inks (Broken China, Shabby Shutters, and Weathered Wood).
6. For the bird cages hanging from the branches, I spread some home made modeling/texture paste (white glue, white acrylic paint, talc powder) over the Birds of a Feather template by The Crafter's Workshop.
7. I also used a template for the wings (Prima), but this time, I spread some white acrylic paint on the wings and then I pressed them down on the surface (much like a stamp).
8. After the moldeling paste and the paint have dried, I added glitter glue to the little birds and the fairy wings.
9. The fairy itself was made by stamping the Prima doll stamp (Ruffle dress) on dictionary paper for the body and assorted paper scraps for the dress, shoes, and headband.  I fussy cut the images and paper pieced them to make the fairy look more dimensional.  Some glitter glue on the headband and glossy accents on the shoes also added some texture.
10. I added some lace on the bottom edge of the canvas.
11. Then I die cut the letters for the Mark Twain quote from brown cardstock (Wassau Paper) and glued them down, centered in the space between the fairy and the right edge of the canvas.
12. I glued the die cut shapes of the leaves (Sizzix Sizzlits - Flowers, branches, and leaves) along the corners and edges.  Then I glued on assorted fabric and paper flowers in the foliage.
13. To subdue the really bright colors of some of the flowers and the dark color of the leaves, I added a thin layer of white paint, just pouncing the brush and not really pulling it across in even strokes.
14. The last step is spraying on the fixative (Kuelox) on the entire surface of the canvas (make sure to do this outside, or at least in a well ventilated area).  This protects and waterproofs the finished project.

I hope I didn't miss anything here.  If you have any questions, leave a comment or send me an email (melaniecheng@gmail.com).  Thanks for dropping by.

Cutie Pie

So many baby pictures, so little time!  I have three nephews and five nieces, so there's plenty of baby pics that have yet to be scrapped.  This is one of my favorites and probably the earliest taken of any of my nieces and nephews.  Baby Danielle is barely a day old when this picture was taken and even then, she already stole our hearts.  

This digital layout is my entry to challenge #31 at the Filipino Scrapbookers Challenge Blog, as I am still not able to work in the craft room.  But I must confess, I am definitely warming up to digital scrapbooking.  I'm still very limited by my skill level though, because I still don't know how to use Photoshop.  Believe it or not, all of the digital work I've done so far has all been due to Powerpoint. :))

Here's the sketch provided as inspiration for this challenge.  It was designed by Melissa Bonifacio.

  

I used a lovely digital kit that can be downloaded for free from ShabbyPrincess.com.  It's the Spontaneous Delight kit created by Carrie Stephens.  I've been wanting to use this kit for a while now because the colors are just all of my favorites.  And then I made the title using the Messy Edge alphabet from Free Digital Scrapbooking.