Showing posts with label Scrap Matrix. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scrap Matrix. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

The Point Is - Challenge at Scrap Matrix


Good morning scrappy friends, I am up on the blog this morning at Scrap Matrix,  sharing my layout for  this month's "The Point Is..." Challenge at Scrap Matrix.

This is a seriously cool, fun challenge - open to all sorts of interpretation.  Just to get the imagination ticking over, there is even a cool mood board for inspiration.


 As you can see, you can use triangles, chevrons, stars, arrows - anything at all so long as there is some "point" to it...lol.

This is what I created:
I am not sure if many of you know this, but my son was diagnosed with ASD (Asperger's Disorder) in 2011.  I really admire him  - every day he gets out of bed and heads off to school, usually without any complaint, knowing that things will be tough for him - he hates all the sensory overload of school, and because he is a little "different" in his mannerisms and his way of talking, he does get teased a lot.  As a Mum, it breaks my heart.  He usually doesn't let anything bother him though and he has a pretty good attitude and self esteem. Largely because we have always been very positive about him having ASD.  Because of ASD, he has so many good qualities - he is a great problem solver and can see patterns in so many things, he has a photographic memory, he is awesome at music, he is loyal, kind, empathic......He call it his "superpower," which I think is pretty cool.  So anyway, I really do think once school is over, he will come into his own.  I know he will find something he is passionate about and apply all that Aspie temerity and intelligence to being the best he can be.  That's what this page is about really.

So, here is a little about how I created my layout:

I decided to be a little different this time and go outside the box a little.  I used the Blue Fern Studio Ups and Downs Chipboard Panel  from Scrap Matrix to create the base of my layout.


I painted it with some Paper Artsy Fresco Finish Acrylic Chalk Paint in Terracotta with a tiny bit of Venice Blue added.  Once it was dry I used my finger to soften it with a tiny bit of Paper Artsy Fresco Finish Acrylic Chalk Paint in Glacier Ice from Seth Apter Boxed Paints (Set 4), then lightly sanded it back to add a little bit of texture.

I then fussy cut the geometric feature out of the Pink Fresh Paper - Escape the Ordinary/Explore and adhered slightly off centre of the chipboard panel.  To give it depth, I used some thick cardboard to lift it off the panel.

Next, I lightly sanded around my photo and adhered it to a piece of black cardstock.  Again, I used some thick cardboard to lift the photo up off the layout - all to give a sense of many layers. (I have to have layers - if I can't use texture paste, inks and stamps I have to do something...hehe.)

I picked some cool pointy embellishments from the Pink Fresh Escape the Ordinary Ephemera Pack and used them to create a visual triangle around my photo.

After I did that I decided it needed some more layers and some pops of black, so I used black cardstock to cover some of the chevron gaps in the chipboard panel, and then painted some of the leftover chevron pieces in black to adhere to the layout.

Finally, I used an Irresistible Pico Embellisher to trace around the black cardstock and the black chevron pieces, and some gold leaf to pick up the gold in the ephemera I used.

Here are some close ups:




Well that's it from me for now.  Don't forget if you want to participate in this Pointy challenge, complete your project by the 14 June and upload it to the "The Point Is.." folder on the Scrap Matrix Shares Facebook Page.

Thank you for popping by the blog.  All the links to the Scrap Matrix shop for the products I have used can be found below:



Saturday, September 30, 2017

Another Grungy Layout.....

Hi Scrappy Friends,

Just thought I'd pop up a blog post while I am watching the Grand Final.  The Mighty Hawks aren't a show this year, so I am really pretty neutral about the outcome - kinda leaning toward the Crows, but would like to see the Tigers win a flag after so long too.

Anyway, back to scrapping.  Today I am sharing another layout I did a while ago:


I used the gorgeous "Believe" kit from Scrappy Chat Designs.  This paper is from Bo Bunny - and the range is full of grungy deliciousness.  
I started by using a bit of texture paste and the "Subway" stencil from TCW.  Next I used some Lindy's Stamp Gang Mist in Cattail Copper Brown. This colour can be found in a set at Scrap Matrix here.  I then added some blue colour to blend in with the blue denim in my photo.  I did this by  using the fabulous Distress Oxide Ink in Broken China.  I applied the ink pad to my craft sheet, sprayed it with water then sponged on the colour.  For extra layers, I stamped my Carabelle Studios "Grunge Metre" stamp randomly on the background until I was satisfied with the result.

Once I was happy with the background, I prepared my embellishments.  I embossed the chipboard chain and chicken wire with Lindy's  Queen of Sheba Silver Embossing Powder.  With the chipboard cogs, I painted them in Dusty Attic Chocolate Brown, then added some Dusty Attic Rusting Powder.
I LOVE the rusting effect this powder has on chipboard - it makes it look so real!!

Then I put the whole thing together, layering my chipboard cogs with metal cogs and clocks, and some metal numbers as.  Finished it off with some Finnebair microbeads.  Here are some closeups:



I found a metal cog that fit perfectly over the top of this Finnebair Fob metal.  


The paint/Rust Powder effect makes the chipboard cogs look so realistic.



That's it from me for now.  I hope you enjoy Grand Final weekend, and also fit some scrapping in!

Have fun,

Monique xx


Friday, September 22, 2017

Good morning folks,

It is my turn on the fabulous Scrap Matrix Blog today - sharing what I did for this month's Moodboard Challenge.  If you haven't checked out the challenge yet, it can be found here.




Wow - when I first saw this I fell in love with the colours, and the hearts.  This is what I came up with:



I don't really have a scrap room anymore (one of the negatives of Apartment living.)  I usually create on our dining room table.  To be able to do that efficiently, I find it easy to have all my go-to bits and pieces easily accessible.  My two Raskog Trollies are the absolute bomb.  It is so easy to store all my mixed media and scrapbooking essentials on them, and then have kits of other necessities made up to grab as soon as the mood to create takes hold!

As you can see I was really inspired by the teals and the pinks in the mood board, so those colours formed a basis of my layout with the gorgeous 13 Arts Strength in Numbers Paper range, available at Scrap Matrix here.  I also loved the circular theme to one of the pictures, so I added some of those awesome Blue Fern Studio Broken Rings chipboard pieces - which I coloured yellow with a Faber Castell Gelato in Lemon.

Of course, I had to add lots of layers on my base paper with ink sprays and stamps.  I absolutely adore using 7 Dots Studio stamps on my background.  On this layout I have used the Homegrown Clear Stamp  and the Cotton Candy Dreams Clear Stamp, both available at Scrap Matrix.

Finally, I added some Feathers and Hearts from the 13 Arts Strength In Numbers Chipboard, some 13 Arts Marta Stickers Small Messages A5 which I backed with some coordinating paper, and finished the whole thing off with some well - loved paint brushes and some flowers.

Here are some close ups:






I highly recommend having a go at this challenge - the colours are yummy, the images are lovely, and who doesn't love have a sticky beak into someone else's magical creative place?
Bonus - up for grabs is a Scrap Matrix Voucher.  It is a fabulous shop, with so many wonderful brands and products - Blue Fern, 7 Dots Studio - Vicki is the only stockist of 13 Arts in Australia!!
Also, don't forget to visit the blog to get some creative inspiration from the other DT members.

Don't forget to get your layout uploaded into the relevant album on the Scrap Matrix Shares Facebook page, with your name and country.  For example, Monique Crisp (Australia)


Here are the links to all the gorgeous products I used that can be found in the Scrap Matrix store.

Scrap Matrix Swan Rose - White

Thats it from me today - hope to see all your wonderful creations in the Scrap Matrix Folder on the Shares page soon!

Monique
xx