A Whirlwind of Challenges

This week, splitcoast stampers has had the "Dirty Dare '08." I decided to take the dare, with an extra caviat... I wanted to do as many of the challenges with a scrapbook layout as I could. I had loads of fun. Here are the layouts I made this week!

This was a combination of a layout challenge, a color challenge to use primaries, and a challenge to use a cupcake on a layout. Whew! Nice to get these birthday pictures from 2005 done!



I accidentally cut off the right side of this layout, but it continues with the same blue. This was the combination of an inspiration challenge (to get inspiration from a blog), a layout challenge, and a "create a scene" challenge. Since I don't have any "scene" stamps, I did paper piecing. I watercolored background and added the trees and sun. For the trees, I used a glue pad to stamp on the flourish and added flocking. I love that stuff. The flourishes on the journaling block where colored in with a glazing pen. I added some pretty bling.

This is another bunch of pictures needing some attention. This pink and black challenge was perfect. I stamped the flower on the background paper. I also stamped the flower on cream paper and then watercolored them in. Then I used a glue pen to pen in the details and added black glitter.

Here's another layout with my sweet little nephew (he was here for a week with my sister and her husband from Tennessee this summer). It was a masculine challenge, a distress challenge, and a color challenge. I added the idea of using a technique from the famous and wonderful "Technique Junkies" newsletter.

This is a special layout. I always enjoy the annual family picture. This one looks relaly layered, but it's only 3 layers deep. The background blue is that great coredinations bazzil paper, masked, sanded, and stamped. I stamped on the ribbon with staz-on. I used a great template to create that corner detail. The challenge was a vellum challenge. You will see a vellum journaling block at the bottom as well as the butterfly stamped on vellum and then dry embossed to raise the image.

Not a lot of stamping here. Amazing. This was a layout challengeand a stitching layout. I handcut the flower on the right side. The 2005 numbers were made with a template and a white souffle pen and a zig painty. The only stamping is the little leaf detail under the ribbon flower.

This was a combination of an inspiration challenge and a layout challenge. That tag flower is one from my stash that I made several months ago when I made up a bunch of them. This is actually a very simple layout.

A ribbon challenge and a technique challenge here. This one is fun and represents my favorite kind of scrapping... taking stamping techniques to create a totally unique and cool layout with convensional scrapping supplies. Who needs premade embellishments when you can make cool stuff like this with stamps? This was 100 percent stash! Oh, and I used craft ink to do this... many of those "dye" ink techniques can be done with craft ink. I just prefer craft ink for it's rich intensity and opacity.

Well, thanks for coming along with me for a week of crazy scrapping my heart out. It was fun. Thanks splitcoast for all the cool challenges.

Tag Book

Here's a tag book I made to celebrate my daughter's kindergarten field trip. It includes lots of acrylic pages and alcohol inks. It's interative.


Top cover has an embossed flower filled with alcohol inks to give a stained glass look. The small plant tag is a version of the old packing tape technique. I covered the back in ultra-sticky tag then adhered a photo to it. Then, using water, I washed away the paper backing so the plant image is semi-transparent.

Here's a shot of the cover with the clear piece pulled back. Used some white pen work to highlight the word field and to write on the tags.

First inside page of tag book. There is an open up letter on the left and an interactive page flap on the right. There is paint, stamping and tags here.

Under the flap you will see the little flowers I made with yarn and punched out pattern paper. Also journaling under the flap.

Next page, on the left a circle with fibers and bling. On the right, there is a clear page with some butterfly stamps and alcohol inks. Also pictures on the page.

Turning the clear page back, there is journaling and more pictures.

This demonstrates the hidden interactive journaling tag.

Next page, on the left is a glittered butterfly. On the right, pictures and journaling.

This demonstrates the flip up hidden picture interactive part of this tag.

Next page, on the left is die cuts, tags, and bling. On the right is a clear page with alcohol inks and pictures and rub ons.

Turning only the clear page reveals more pictures, journaling, and artwork.

Next page, there is journaling, chipboard, bling and on the right, an interactive picture flap with chipboard and bling.

Under the flap, pictures and journaling with some more chipboard and bling.

And on the back, a dedication to my daughter's teacher (it's a gift for her).