lara

Live Out Loud is definitely my theme for 2009.
Not just Dream Out Loud - but live that dream.

Anyways, today Gutter Girlz posted our new challenge and here is my take on it:

The PROMPT: I take that LIFE back, Thanks!!
The SONG: Stronger Woman by Jewel
The PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Wire

You can't really see in the photo but I am standing in between two bulls at a rest stop in Wisconsin holding their horns :)

The material for this challenge was to use wire (um ya i love me some wire), so I made these little photo corner flowers with my wire i got from the Scrap Box last year:



The background is kind of paper mache - newspaper i wrinkled and dipped in water with Mod Podge and some blue acrylic paint mixed together than laid on cardstock. That was kind fun. :)

added quotes 11/12/09

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.”
— Louisa May Alcott

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within."
- Ramona L. Anderson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You may encounter many defeats,
but you must not be defeated.
In fact,
it may be necessary to encounter the defeats,
so you can know who you are,
what you can rise from,
how you can still come out of it.”
-- Maya Angelou

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"One isn't necessarily born with courage,
but one is born with potential."
- Maya Angelou

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"My favorite thing is to go where I have never gone."
- Diane Arbus

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence therefore is not an act, but a habit."
-Aristotle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Success is not in what you have, but who you are."
- Bo Bennett

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware."
- Martin Buber

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality."
-Dom Helder Camara

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Patience is the art of hoping."
-Luc de Clapier

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Change is inevitable, growth is intentional."
- Glenda Cloud

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas."
- Marie Curie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence."
--Frederick Douglas

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.”
- Albert Einstein

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not;
remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for."
- Epicurus

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life."
- Fredrico Fellini

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire."
- Ferdinand Foch

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"One person with passion is better than 40 people merely interested."
- E.M. Forster

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe."
- Anatole France

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence,
but it comes from within.
It is there all the time."
- Anna Freud

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable,
you disconnect yourself from what you truly want,
and all that is left is a compromise."
-- Robert Fritz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Live a balance life. Learn some and think some, and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some."
- Robert Fulghum

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory."
- Ghandi

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Be the change that you want to see in the world"

- Ghandi

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Happiness... is not a destination: it is a manner of traveling.
Happiness is not an end in itself. It is a by-product of working, playing, loving and living."
- Haim Ginott

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There's a trick to the Graceful Exit. I begins with the vision to recognize when a job, a life stage, a relationship is over -- and to let go. It means leaving what's over without denying its value."
-- Ellen Goodman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into your mind, but how to get old ones out. Every mind is a building filled with archaic furniture. Clean out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it.
-Dee Hock

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There is nothing like a dream to create the future."
- Victor Hugo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

- Steve Jobs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A man's errors are his portals of discovery."
- James Joyce

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely.
~ Carl Jung

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"True Being has to be born in us, not by demolishing what we are,
but by transforming ourselves into what we truly ARE."
- Swami Amar Jyoti

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

- Jack Kerouac

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth."
- John F. Kennedy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power,
but for the passionate sense of the potential,
for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible."
- Soren Kierkegaard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you've understood all your life, but in a new way.
- Doris Lessing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The struggle is to synchronize the potential being with the actual being, to make a fruitful liaison between the man of yesterday and the man of tomorrow."
- Henry Miller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things."
- Henry Miller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"When you see the value of continued growth, the circumstances
around you become stepping stones."
-Clyde M. Narrimore

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"All paths lead to the same goal: to convey to others what we are."
- Pablo Neruda

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Let your heart guide you. It whispers, so listen closely."

-The Land Before Time

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once you realize that the road is the goal and that you are always on the road, not to reach a goal, but to enjoy its beauty and its wisdom, life ceases to be a task and becomes natural and simple, in itself an ecstasy.

- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.
-
 Og Mandino

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The key to change...is to let go of fear.
- Paul Martinelli

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"from far away it looks perfect
but up close are the imperfections
thats where the beauty is"
-barry mcgee

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things."
- Henry Miller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Believing in yourself is not just for you; it's for every person who has touched your life in a significant way and for every person your life will touch the same way five minutes from now, or five centuries from now.
"
- Jaye Miller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Creativity is a natural extension of our enthusiasm.”
- Earl Nightingale

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.

- Earl Nightingale

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through.
Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it.
This is a kind of death."
- Anais Nin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Though your destination is not yet clear
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning
That is at one with your life's desire.

Awaken your spirit to adventure;
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease and risk;
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,
For your soul senses the world that awaits you"
- John O'Donohue

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Imagine that the key to happiness is following your own intuition instead of other people's opinions and advice."
- Alex Ostrowski

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I am the circumstance."
- Octavio Paz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“First thing every morning before you arise say out loud, 'I believe,' three times. ”
- Norman Vincent Peale

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"One lives in the hope of becoming a memory."
Antonio Porchia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"To fly
we must dance
with our longest shadows
in the brightest sunlight."
— Louise Rader

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.”
- Mary Anne Radmacher

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do not let your fire go out,
spark by irreplaceable spark in the hopeless swaps of the not-quite,
the not-yet
and the not-at-all.

Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserve and have never been able to reach.
The world you desire can be won.
It exists . . .
it is real . . .
it is possible . . .
it's yours."

- Ayn Rand

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Once you choose hope, anything's possible.”
- Christopher Reeve

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We all need time to be alone; to think, to dream, to wonder."
- Billie Roark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The pain of discipline weighs ounces whereas the pain of regret weighs tons."
- Jim Rohn

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
- Eleanor Roosevelt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."
- Carl Sagan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Be who you are and be that well."
-Saint Francis de Sales

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Though we can't always see it at the time, 
if we look upon events with some perspective, 
we see things always happen for our best interests. 
We are always being guided in a way 
better than we know ourselves.

- Swami Satchidananda

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do something wonderful, people may imitate it."
- Albert Schweitzer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.”
- Anne Sexton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul”
- George Bernard Shaw

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will."
- George Bernard Shaw

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief."
- Gerry Spence

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I embrace emerging experience.
I participate in discovery.
I am a butterfly.
I am not a butterfly collector."
- William Stafford

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do."
- Freya Madeline Stark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ideas are like rabbits.
You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen."
- John Steinbeck

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen
and thinking what nobody has thought."
-- Albert Von Szent-Gyorgyi

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
- Howard Thurman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If you want to be happy ... be."
-Leo Tolstoy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
- Harriet Tubman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Be Content with what you have;
rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you."
- Lao Tzu

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A good traveler has no fixed plan, and is not intent on arriving."
- Lao Tzu

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never be truly fulfilled."
- Lao Tzu

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading."
- Lao-tzu

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You don't stop playing because you are old; you grow old because you stop playing. "
- Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind... let it be something good.
- Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you living the life you dream or dreaming to live?"
- Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Every Cell in my body vibrates with energy and health.
Loving myself heals my life.
I nourish my mind, body and soul.
I choose love, joy and freedom, open my heart and allow wonderful things to flow into my life.
I prosper wherever I turn and I know that I deserve prosperity of all kinds.
The more grateful I am, the more reasons I find to be grateful."
- Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Instead of waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel,
sometimes you just have to go down there and light it yourself."
- Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The best way for your dreams to come true is to wake up."
- Paul Valery

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I can very well do without God both in my life and in my painting, but I cannot, suffering as I am, do without something which is greater than I am, which is my life, the power to create."
- Vincent Van Gogh

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing.
It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”
—Voltaire

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves;
otherwise we harden."
-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The point of life is not to get anywhere—it is to notice that you are, and have always been, already there. You are always and forever in the moment of pure creation. The point of life therefore is to create— who and what you are, and then to experience that.

- Neale Donald Walsch

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. 

- Thornton Wilder

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work"
- Oprah Winfrey

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Defeat is not the worst of failures.
Not to have tried is the true failure."
-George E. Woodberry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is not in life, but in art that self-fulfillment is to be found.
-George E. Woodberry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“To feel that one has a place in life solves half the problems of contentment.”
-George E. Woodberry-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out."
- John Wooden

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We can do more than imagine, we can create"
- Dan Zadra

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If you can walk, you can dance, if you can talk, you can sing"
- Zimbabawean proverb

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm not very concerned with beauty or perfection... All I care about is life, struggle, intensity."
- Emile Zola

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud."
- Emile Zola

My first layout as a Design Team member for Gutter Girlz!!!

It was a painful but very very therapeutic one!

The theme is "Still Hurts"
The product is "needles or pins"

As I've been on a U2 kick lately, the song Kite was going over and over in my head and its lyrics are both happy and sad, depending on my mood. Lately they've been very very sad and hurtful. So, that's where the lyrics come from:

"who's to say where the wind will take you,
who's to say what it is will break you,
i don't know, which way the wind will blow..."

But, OMG, who doesn't like ripping and mangling paper and throwing paint on it? The white thingie is torn placemat too.




Had to put something kinda pretty and light in here - a flower i made :)

I know it's hard to read the journaling, i kinda wanted it to be that way, but this is what it says:

"I've been singing this song over and over again the last couple of months - a tortured time in my life - all by my own doing and I still don't know which way the wind will blow.
All i know is that I am still alive and just need to be patient and give my healing more time."

Last night I did a scrapbook page for One Little Word - the word being "Start."

This page was more about the process - playing with texture and paint than the actual finished product which I know isn't as pretty as it should be :)



The quote comes from Anatole France - and I must say it is SO convenient having this list ready and waiting! :)

Won't go down in any of my "favorite" lists, but it was still something to do other than watch TV :)

The "Love Myself in 2009" class started Monday - the first assignment is to get a binder and if we so feel like it decorate it for the class. The binder will be filled with class materials over the next 5 weeks.

I think it turned out really well - i actually love it!



It's just a binder I "repurposed" from work - it's one of those with a slip cover on the front - I put the placemat in the slip with one of the ribbons and then painted/stamped and put the rest on top of the plastic. Kinda neat layered effect.

NOW TO FILL IT UP!

This is inspired by the "Favorite 4 Letter Word using the color red" Challenge at Gutter Girlz. I could've used my favorite F-bomb but I thought i'd go a little more "positive" and I've noticed this word "hope" has been really coming out of my mouth often these days!
On the back i listed out everything i've been hoping for recently. I didn't want to incorporate it into the layout cause i wanted to keep it more positive. Keep it with the forward momentum I've accomplished.

I guess you can call it a hybrid layout - the photo is pimped out in photoshop but the rest is yummy paint and chipboard letters and paper.



Here's a close-up. I did a reverse stamp for the background - put a bunch of paint down and THEN press the bubble wrap into it, keep it there for about 10 mins then removed it. Kind of a neat effect I guess.

Here's an art journal page i did a couple of weeks ago but have been too lazy to photograph until now. I went to the Indie Craft Fair and bought this little collage a woman had made using this quote and it got under my skin enough where i wanted to use it in my own collage interpretation :)



I just noticed the date - that should be 11/16/08 :)
oooops

i believe this goes in "one of my all time favorite" category :)
I don't think, as usual, photos did the texture justice!
It's for the One Word challenge at The CrEative TyPe.

I've been CRAVING to use both that quote and that picture for awhile now - I'm so thankful I finally got the inspiration to do so!



This is hybrid layout - the photo is filtered in photoshop. The background is bits of fibrous hand made paper collaged together - it feels cool! I know I over did it on the Glimmer Mist - i used 3 different colors :)



Also, those are real dried flowers! So delicate and beautiful.
I have NO idea where i got that cool key from - Tracy maybe? But, it works so well with the quote!

Another "art therapy" layout.




It's inspired by the 5th Prompt at The Creative Type. The challenge is to fill in a shape with words - i used Photoshop to fill in the dark shadows of my face with words from the journalling that I typed into wordle.net. Don't be surprised if you see alot more layouts using Wordle - HOLY CRAP that site is waaaaaayyyyy too addictive!



Background is layers of tape, scrap paper and pieces of my old screen door with tons of black and blue acrylic paint. The painting was almost more therapy than the journalling :)

The title, Stop Control, were from two words that I seem to keep repeating to myself alot lately. They mean something so different independent of each other AND put together. I seem to keep telling myself to "stop" stuff - stop being irrational, stop being depressed, stop eating like shit and i also keep telling myself to "control" myself - my emotions, my eating, my life.

But when put together, "Stop Control" - if i actually try to stop controlling my self I might be easier on myself and therefore less anxious and overwhelmed. Sometimes giving up a little control is actually good, right? Right....

I also realized when i was done that this layout is virtually entirely black and white. I didn't mean to do that, it just happened. But I think its interesting because I've been so depressed lately that most of my life has been living in black and white. Grey or color areas not only confuse and overwhelm me (i.e. details) but i just can't see them. The little bit of blue I used is the color starting to poke through - I'm definitely emerging back to life these days!

a little art therapy, if you will.
Inspired by the 4th challenge over at The Creative Type - create your own lettering

I used rolled up magazine paper to make the title :)



and of course different paints and textures to apply it with

I was wanting to do a layout with these song lyrics since they have been my soundtrack this week and then I checked out the latest challenge over at The CrEative TyPe which is to use a quote as your background and thought "PERFECT!"

Then to double it up, I visited another favorite inspirational blog, One Little Word and their word of the week is "More."
So, kinda fortuitous, right?!

The lyrics I did using my favorite font, Love Letter Typewriter. I printed them out in a couple of different sizes then painted over them with thinned acrylic paint. LOVE that technique to death! :)

Anyways, simple fast layout but i think pretty effective. I actually like it, which is saying alot!

Scrapped the new tattoo.
I've been having so many creative mojo issues lately.
I think the layout looks a little forced, but at least I did it.
Gotta dive back in and just do it, you know?

Most of my scrapbook supplies are packed, so this uses what I could find. The paper is from a pack of Basic Grey Blush the awesome ladies at Ready, Set, Scrap sent me. Of course i didn't pack any of my paint or ink or duct tape! The screen is from a porch on my house that was ripped down and I took out of the trash :) I also kept a small envelope of ribbon and embellishment scraps separate and used some of those. Also a roller stamp from the last Scarlet Lime kit I got.

Lots of layers

One of the fastest layouts I've ever done.
Art therapy really.



The paper behind the picture are some of my last private LJ entries all printed out on top of each other like how my head's been thinking. I painted over them with acrylic as well as put some Tim Holtz Distress Ink on it. Lyrics are from one of my favorite theme songs right now :)

Title letters are new the Fabric Thickers and i also used my new roller stamp for that inked grid pattern both courtesy of the September Scarlet Lime kit.

Felt good to do this.

Here's my layout for The Creative Type's first prompt ever! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the idea of this blog because i'm such a font whore.

The challenge is to create a concert poster featuring, duh, type!



I have been wanting to do a monochromatic layout for some time now since discovering the joys of duct tape and the neon colors they come in. So, this layout is very much inspired by those simple screen printed concert posters of yesterday - the white paint trying to capture the sometimes sloppy edges left by the screen and excess paint.

You can't tell to well, I think, but the photographs are halftoned just like a real screen printed photo would appear :)



OK, now the font. Its a font I discovered a couple of weeks ago called Ogive Curvature and i recreated it with chipboard circles i cut and painted. Not too shabby.

Today the new Gutter Girlz prompt is announced and it is "Blabbermouth" and in addition use the supply of duct tape. DUCT TAPE!!!! MY FAVORITE!!!!

Anyways, this is my last layout as Guest Designer which sucks but the layout was so much fun - I used hella duct tape as well as a new inspirational quote I found!!!!!



So the photo is another "hybrid" attempt - filtered and effected in photoshop. I think it turned out quite lovely actually :) I also added additional black acrylic paint on it as well as crumpled it to bring it from 2D to 3D. Cause i think the most important thing to me in my layouts is texture and dimension, I've decided!

I took the topic, and thus the journalling, on a more personal level - i frustrate myself sometimes with how much I can be a blabber mouth about other people. I found this awesome quote online somewhere and it really resonated - and i found it almost the same exact day I was given this challenge so I think it worked out well - I think everyone could benefit from exploring ideas and asking questions about why things are and what they could be, rather than reading gossip, throwing out negative emotions from jealousy or envy and thinking mindlessly and closed rather than open and focused. It's definately a goal of mind which I'm sure I'll be working on my entire life!!!



The background is a piece of cardboard i've been using as a paint palette for weeks now. I have 3 such "palettes" but this one looked especailly ready to be put in a layout - so its already got a ton of history on it! Although I did doctor it up a little with some drippy white Gesso and bubble wrap stamped paint.



By the way, this is the back side of the layout - I thought it also deserved a little attention :)
Believe me, it was hard to choose which side would make a better base!!!

OK, so obviously I covered the edges with 3 different colors of duct tape to make a frame for the whole piece then used crumpled up black duct tape to make the inside of the frame. Also nestled some lace with it - why is duct tape and lace so perfect together? Sweet and Spicy? And there are some other various scraps of Hambly overlay and ribbon and screen thrown in here and there for added surprise.



I <3 br="" brads="" company="" fabric="" k="" the="">


So my favoritist part is these duct tape flowers i learned how to make! The possibiities are endless and I can't wait to experiment even more! Thanks for the inspiration Gutter Girlz!

OMG!!!
So, i'm the guest designer for the gutter girlz this month!
And here's the layout i made for the "Bare it All" challenge which also asks to use white paint.
and let me tell you, it's very therapeutic to bare it all!
This layout was really good for me to do.





So, ya, I guess this layout is what you call "hybrid-scrapbooking"?
The photo is something i made in photoshop (it's a photo of my back i put effects on).
I also used black duct tape, white and black and green acrylic paint, bubble wrap and corrugated cardboard to stamp it, screen i got out of the trash, a butterfly that i have NO IDEA where i got (i assume SiSiversary though) and white lace i found at a thrift store for like 50¢.

A little more close up on the journaling:



Yes, I used photoshop and a font (not my own handwriting) and i, of course, grunged it up a little bit in photoshop but if you look closely i also added in black ink and black acrylic paint to add a teeny bit more texture.

Title close up:


It does get lost in the layout which I'm kinda disappointed about, but oh well - live and learn! Oh yes, and of course you can see some beautiful black duct tape on the border!

Close up on my luscious currrrvvvesss :)


Oh and i used bubble wrap and currugated cardboard with acrylic paints for the stamping patterns.



and the lace is kind of a tongue in cheek opposition to the grunginess of the layout.

(btw, this is the photo before i cut it out and married it with paper and paint)

The layout is a challenge for Ready Set Scrap. The challenge is to use tape and paint in your layout. They must've been thinking of me when they thought it up, cause that's all i use :)



It's really pretty, don't think photos captured all the color and texture
The quote i read over the weekend over at www.designformankind.com and it just really stuck with me:

If you can walk, you can dance
If you can talk, you can sing

It's a proverb from Zimbabwe. So optimistic and spiritual!



OKIE. So, for the base, i used 4 different types of tapes on this! Masking, electrical, duct, and friction tape.
Also behind the tape is crumbled up newspaper i SOAKED in water and paint.
I have gotten so into making my own backgrounds now! Screw 2 dimensional :)

The circle is a gasket painted and then there's also a picture of me striking a pose that i cut out, painted over then etched out the definition highlights. LOVE IT.



<3 and="" br="" paint="" tape="">


OH YES - and the red pebbles i found on the sidewalk - like someone had thrown a lamp out of a window by my brothers condo that had the red pebbles all over them so i picked through the broken glass for them - there is NO such thing as trash people!!!!

Here is a layout done for the Gutter Girlz challenge - the prompt is "Fight" and the material to use is "torn paper." It's kind of a personal layout, but i'm all about the journalling these days :)
Perhaps, an alternative title for the layout should be "control freak" hahahahahahaha




OK, so what the camera does NOT capture is the amount of texture on the page. I took inspiration from my successful paper whore layout and used scraps and tape to build texture which i then gesso'd over to make a more uniform color then painted over. And of course i dripped paint too :)
Also, i used the Hambly overlay - i love how it looks, but it sure doesn't photograph easily! Geez!



Also, the photo, it's the first time i used a photoshop texture filter/effect, so perhaps this layout can be called a hybrid :) But, ya, i "distressed" the photo digitally, although i did "erase" the eye holes to make those stand out a bit. The torn paper around the photo (or the frame) is a wallpaper sample all inked up.



aaaaahhhhh, there's the texture i'm obsessed with! Know it, love it.

So, here's the card for Bono I've been obsessed with since July 3.
It took hours and hours of complete meditation and love.
I think its probably the most beautiful thing I've ever made!!!
And it feels so good holding it in my hands - the size and the weight and the texture.
I wish these pictures could convey even an iota of that.
but oh well.
I hope it feels as nice to him when he holds it in his hands.
Even if for a sec.

Without further ado, pictures:




The cover.
The heart is rusted metal i bought for 50¢ at The Scrapbox in Ann Arbor. The circle is a gasket i painted and glimmer misted to be like rust. Kinda worked.... Obviously the covers show best what all the pages look like - tissue paper with tulle and acrylic paint stamped with Fancy Pants stamp and bubble wrap.





The type of binding i used, used string to hold it in place.



Back cover. In the past I haven't put my name on these cards, but I'm sorry, i threw myself into this one and i think its beautiful, so I added my name on the back cover. Hope no one minds....



Usually we include a certificate for the amount raised, this year i hand wrote it to make it more personal:



Here is a better look at the binding of the pages. I learned the technique from Sarah Bowen at a class she taught at SiSiversary last month:



The pages are hand sewn into the bind.

Over view of the pages. I'm actually kinda proud of how i did this! I wanted an old parchment look but had printed the messages on regular white paper. I then painted over the top of each sheet with a light coat of brown acrylic paint mixed with gesso, then folded the corners and inked them with Tim Holtz's Distressed Ink.


just a neat macro shot showcasing all the texture:


HOPE HE LIKES IT!!!!!