Ustream Tonight with Tonya Gibbs

Hi everyone,

It's the first Monday of the month and that means it is time for Tonya Gibbs live on Ustream!

Tonya is going to teach some mixed media techniques. So pull out those Gelatos and Pitt Pins,  cause we are going to do a mixed media tag using products from Faber Castell Design Memory Craft  and the new March release Dies from Die-Namites Dies.

 

Make sure you join the crowd early to chat with Tonya http://www.ustream.tv/channel/gibbst

 

Class begins at 8:30 p.m. EST.  

 

 

 

We will do our best to record the class for those who can't make it live.

 

Hope to see you there!

 

Ustream with Tonya has Moved to Tuesday

The Ustream has been rescheduled for TUESDAY, January 7, 2014.   We will begin our broadcast at 8:30 p.m. EST.   Make sure you join the crowd early: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/gibbst

This class is going to be a free spirit, grab your mediums and have some fun kind of night.   I will create a mixed media project filled with techniques using some of my Favorite products from 2013. 

I hope you guys can join us Tuesday night, but if not, we will do our best to record. 

Tonya

Suggested Supply List

• Ranger:  
• Distress Paints:  Antique Brass, Walnut Stain, and Antique Linen
• Archival Inks:  Coffee, Black (You can substitute any permanent ink in black and dark brown.
• Marion Smith Designs
• Garment District
• Nirvana
• Crafter's Workshop
• Brick Stencil
• Faber Castell Design Memory Craft
• Gelato - Gold
• Grease Pencil
• Golden
• Gesso
• Matt Medium
• Modeling Paste
• Misc.
• Stamps
• Chain
• Locket
• Vines
• Flowers

Mixed Media Gifting

Hey, Flock!  Genie here, and I'm starting to think about making Christmas gifts for my friends and family.  I probably should have started months ago, but I guess I'm just not that prepared.  ;)

If I can bear to part with it, this mixed media wood block will go to one of my aunts.  I come from a very crafty family, and we have quite a few talented sewists.  This idea has been bouncing around in my skull for a while, and the lovely colors in the Webster's Pages Spring Garden collection that came in my Flamingo Scraps Combination Warehouse Box were just what I needed to bring it to life.  A complete list of products used will follow.

 

 

I started with a 12x12 wood block and haphazardly placed a few pieces of an old pattern on it with Mod Podge (when I use a pattern up, or lose pieces, or whatever, they go into a drawer to be used in mixed media--I love the look!).  I tore a few pieces of the Webster's Pages and added those right on top, working them into the patterns for a lovely blend.

 

 

I mixed some teal Color Shine mist with some of the Mustard to make green, which I splattered on the Maya Road chipboard pieces with a paintbrush and then spritzed lightly on the surface of the patterns and papers.

 

 

It took some work to get the gorgeous, amazing, lovely, fabulous...(Oh, how I love those Webster's Trims!!) on the page, but with time and a LOT of Mod Podge, they stuck.  ;)  I wrapped some twine around my chipboard spools, stuck those down, added my text, and a Webster's fabric flower, and I was done.  I really love the simplicity and muted color palette of this one!  Thanks for looking, and I'll see you soon.  :)

 

Items used:

Warehouse Sale Box--Combination Box

From the box, I used some lovely Webster's Pages papers, trims and twine, from the Spring Market collection.

Maya Road Chipboard Sew Cute Mini

Heidi Swapp Color Shine Tropicana Teal

Heidi Swapp Color Shine Mustard

From my stash:  alphabets, wood block, pattern pieces, and art mediums.

All about the feathers!

Well, at least it seems like the scrapbooking industry is, lately. There are all kinds of different feather products out there, and I decided it was time for me to jump on that feather bandwagon, as well, using the Jenni Bowlin Cardstock Feathers available in the Flamingo Scraps store! Here's what I came up with:

I really have a love of Emily Dickenson, so when I saw this quote from one of her poems, I decided it would be a perfect way to showcase the feathers and make a wall hanging for my scrap space. 

That letter treatment is something else! To get this effect, I painted the canvas with various shades of blue acrylic paint, using my brayer. Then, I used some bubble wrap and Tim Holtz Distress Paint in Black Soot, Picket Fence, Broken China, Salty Ocean, Weathered Wood, and Chipped Sapphire (all available via special order) to stamp the bubble wrap in layers. After it all dried, I cut the text out with vinyl letters on my Silhouette (though you could do this with plain old alpha stickers, as well) and painted it all over with gesso. After letting the gesso dry, I sprayed it with Heidi Swapp Color Shine in Primrose and Tropicana Teal. Once that all dried, I peeled the vinyl letters off to reveal the original background. To make them stand out more, I simply outlined them with a black Sharpie marker.  The black border is also done with a chisel tip Sharpie marker. 

The feathers are just glued on with some glossy accents carefully ran along the spine and pressed down onto the canvas. I'm really pleased with how this project turned out!

What have you used feathers on, recently? I'd love to see your projects!

Clean or Dirty?

Good morning, Flockinistas!

Melissa, here, on what will be my tenth wedding anniversary! But, on to the real reason I'm posting about my anniversary on the Flamingo Scraps blog. Well, the answer is simple. My husband has been bugging me for just as long to make a clean and dirty sign for the dishwasher, so that we can know whether it needs to be run or if it needs to be unloaded to make room for more dishes. I figured having it on our anniversary will be a wonderful gift to him.

So, here's what I came up with:

It really looks way more simple than it went together, let me tell you! I started with a chipboard base, like what comes in a paper pack or when you receive scrapbook supplies in the mail from... well... Flamingo Scraps, of course. I cut it down to 6x6 and then painted it with gesso on both sides. At that point, I wasn't really sure what direction I was going. I didn't need to paint both sides, obviously, but I did have to wait for it to all dry. Next I took some Tim Holtz Distress Paint in Broken China, special ordered from Flamingo Scraps, and painted about an inch in on each side and let that dry. I then coated the entire thing with paper Mod Podge, and placed a 5.5x5x5 square of paper from the Pink Paislee Hope Chest collection down and then painted over it all again with Mod Podge, then left it to dry overnight.

The next morning, I did some masking with Prima masks, first the Static 12x12 over the whole thing, using Heidi Swapp Color Shine in Georgia Peach and then with the Checkers 12x12 mask in Tropicana Teal. Both masks are available via special order from Flamingo Scraps! Next, I got out some old foam stamps and used my Tim Holtz Distress Paints (available special order) in Walnut Stain and Spiced Marmalade to make the clean/dirty combo.

I lined each of the stamped letters with black ink and then distress Stickles to make them stand out a little better. 

Last, I poked holes a quarter inch off center on each side and strung some Maya Road twine through it and tied it in a bow. Then, just for some extra dirt on the dirty side, I took a distress stamp in my stash and some black distress ink and added a bit to the edges. Now all it needs is some magnets stuck to the back (I'm going to let the Mod Podge set for another night because it was all still a little tacky as I was finishing up), and it can be flipped as needed. 

So there you have it! Hope you have a wonderful day!

Until next time,
Keep scrapping!
Melissa

Springing into Summer with Hope Chest!

Good morning, Flockinistas! Melissa, here, with a layout sure to wet your springy (and summery) whistle! I made use of the Pink Paislee Hope Chest collection, found in store, along with some other goodies, to come up with a layout to celebrate our (eventual) arrival of spring! It may have taken until nearly the end of May, here in Michigan, but I can't complain about our mild temperatures thus far, and all the rain has made the gardens even better, as well!

Anyway, here is what I came up with in my journey:

Now, before you ask, I did make the background paper myself, and here is how:

First, I laid down the Prima wood grain mask (available via special order), and used some of the Prima Edger Chalk ink in two different browns (you can pre-order the entire color set at Flamingo Scraps, or buy individual inks, as well). Then, I mixed some modeling paste with Heidi Swapp Color Shine in Chartreuse and used another Prima mask (Checker - also available via special order) and spread the modeling paste mixture with it. 

Don't you just love the texture it adds to the page?

For the main focus of the page, I used some Webster's Pages Ruffled Bloomers in cream, more Prima Chalk ink to stamp the title with some old foam stamps from my stash (sadly, this is the first time I'd used them and I've had them for a while!), a crocheted flower topped by a flower-shaped paperclip (shaped paperclips have been a re-emerging trend, and you can find some in the Flamingo Scraps store, as well. I recommend the Prima Sampler pack!). I used some Maya Road trinket pins and a Studio Calico Polaroid Frame, as well as a Webster's Pages Love Birds charm and added some stitching with my sewing machine for even more texture. 

All in all, I am in love with this page, and I hope you are, too! That's all I have for today, so I hope you found some inspiration. 

Until next time, keep scrappin!

Melissa

March 4 - Ustream

Please join us on March 4, 2013 at 8:30 EST on Ustream Live as Tonya Gibbs, demonstrates some of her favorite new product releases from Winter CHA 2013.  All of the products that she will demo are currently available in the  Flamingo Scraps store. 

The base of our projects will be created using the new Tim Holtz Distress Paints. We promise some really messy fingers by the end of the show.

 

 

  

The Ustream link is http://www.ustream.tv/channel/gibbst

So get the kids settled early and plan to join us.  You don't want to miss this hour of creative play.

Blowing Kisses Layout



Last week at the high school football game, my cute little niece,  Addie, was standing in the end zone blowing kisses.  I used the picture on a layout that was inspired by Jamie Dougherty's Live with Prima last Thursday night.  I learned some new techniques and thought it would make a nice follow up to my Ustream class.

 

 

From Flamingo Scraps:   Prima: Songbird and Almanac Paper, Vine, distress tool, Flowers, Trinkets. Liquitex: Gesso, Liquitex Molding Paste.  Other: Twine, stencil, charcoal pencil, ribbon, charms, and corrugated card board.

 

I started by distressing all the edges with my new Prima Distress tool.  (LOVE THIS).  To soften the background, I brushed white gesso over the paper, and then used molding paste to add texture.  This is a great way to soften busy or bright patterned paper.  Gesso was also added to some of the layers to try and merge them back into the background.  This technique really helps the photo take center stage, and also makes the smaller photo appear larger.

 

 

I was able to incorporate a lot of scraps from the Almanac collection, and you guys know how much I love using scraps. I cut banners from scraps, and used small pieces of scrap paper to frame around the picture.   Jamie's technique of having the banners travel vertically and horizontally throughout the layout, really make the layout dramatic and serve as arrows leading your eye back to the photo. This is definitely going to be used in more of my future projects.

 

 

While I often cut my vines in half, rarely do I arrange them diagonally, usually mine are in more of  a L shape, horizontal or virticle.  I love how all the elements appear to be drawing your eye back to the center fo the layout.  I incorporated scraps of small vines and leaves from previous projects in the negative spaces of the vines.  Again - love using up those small pieces.   

 

 

Thanks for stopping in today,

Forever In My Heart

Saturday I received word that my friend Liz had passed away after a long battle with Leukemia. She was a follower of mine on YouTube and we had chatted a lot online. I had spent quite a bit of time getting to know her through the last few years. Liz  was one of those people that despite her problems, she was always positive and fun. She had an infectious spirit about her, that was a testimony of her faith.

My way of dealing with emotional things is through Art. I love to create as I talk to God and meditate on my feelings. I find that it helps me to focus my energies and clear my head. I feel like God is guiding the creativity, instead of myself.

Brittany, my daughter, saw that I was emotional, and she joined in to help me create this piece as a tribute to Liz. It was so nice to have her finger paint with me.

From Flamingo Scraps:   Prima Build A Swirl Stamps, Ranger: Distress Ink - Picked Raspberry, Claudine Helmeth Matt Medium. Other: Paint, Molding Paste, Hymnal, Sizzix Wings die Cut, Faber Castell PITT artist pens in light Cobalt Turquoise, and Black, Windser Newton Irrodescent Medium.

Liz will forever be in my heart, and written around the heart are some thoughts I had of Liz and the way she lived her life.  The clouds are made with molding paste, and the wings were cut from a sizzix die from hymnal pages I used "Beyond the Sunset" and "Sweet By and By", Then blended them into the canvas with irredescent medium.

Do you create when you are feeling emotional?  I felt at peace when this was finished, and Liz got her "Momma Tonya Original."

Thanks for stopping in today,



Prima - Fairy Belle Canvas

Please meet my beautiful niece, Emily. She is the newest addition to the Gibbs clan, born on June 15. She had her first photoshoot with Aunt Tonya last week, and now to drive everyone crazy with project after project.

I decided to create a canvas to hang in my  living room. There are a lot of mixed media techniques used on this canvas.  I wanted it to feel like a woodsy glen.   I used the Fairy Belle paper from Prima as my accent paper. 

The background has several layers of paint, glimmer mist, texture medium, and crackle medium.  I wanted this canvas to sparkle, but maintain a rustic feel. 

Then a cut out all the flowers from the paper collection to add as a base layer to the canvas. They wrap around the outer edge of the canvas. I added a spray of Prima Lilac Rosebuds (many of which I opened and painted the bulb gold, so that they would favor the magnolias in the paper collection.

 Suzanne shared with me some tiny purple Prima flowers that favor baby's breath. They were so delicate and spindly that I thought they made the perfect filler for the rose spray. Then  I sprinkled a few crystal flower spray around, and dusted the entire thing with golden fairy dust (a.k.a. glimmer mist).

I just love how Ms. Emily looks like she is nestled in a garden with Fairies.

I hope you have enjoyed this project. Thanks for stopping in today.

Mixed Media Layout - Start to Finish

I've been in a bit of a scrappy rut lately and wanted to try some different things to see if I could stimulate a little creativity.   As Pablo Picasso once said "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."

I pulled out some supplies that have just been sitting for a while; such as, some of my Glimmer Mists, Stamps, Stencils,and Goosbumps from Tsukineko. I even reached down deep in the hoard vault and pulled out my Strawberry Kiss - Raspberry Lemonade paper from Prima. I was inspired when I bought them, but haven't used them since. I set out to make a canvas, but decided on a layout instead.

This is my Niece Addie - running towards me during a photoshoot at Easter Time.

From Flamingo Scraps: Prima: Green Lace, Floral Stencil, Valentine Vine, Stamps: Hexagon, Build A Baubble, & Script, Paper: Script, Packageing, Strawberry Kisses - Raspberry Lemondae, Printery - Chipboard (Bird & Bird Cage), Wooden Ticket - Happy, Flowers; Tattered Angeles Glimmer Mist: Jack Frost (blue), Wheat Fields (brown), Perfect Peach, Sweet Clover (green), Cosmos (Pink); Ranger: Distress Stains - Tea Dye, and Walnut Stain. Rock Candy Distress Stickles; Other: Gesso; Tsukineko - Goosebumps; Hymnal Page: Jesus Loves the Little Children, Chipboard Letters Pink, 2012 - Party Confetti, Burlap

I ripped a page from a hymnal to use on the layout and was pleasantly surprised to read "Jesus Loves the Little Children" was the song. Devine intervention? Maybe, but regardless - I feel it was a sign that God was speaking to me.

Here is a closer look at the embellishments:

I have prepared a Step by Step video of the process for making this layout:

Thanks for stopping in today,

Happy Mother's Day Card

In honor of Pink Paislee week I thought I would create a mother's day card. For this card I used the Pink Paislee Sweetness & Parisian Anthology Lines. Both were pieces of scraps, which I love to use on cards. The background paper is the "Love Notes" paper from the Sweetness Collection, I cut the envelope from Parisian Anthology scraps, and the corrugated chipboard accents (Heart, flags, and butterfly) are Parisian Anthology as well.

I spread some Texture Crackle Paste from DecoArt over the background layers to bring forward "love notes" layer. After the crackle paste dried, I covered the entire card backing with Picket Fence Stain from Tim Holtz. This really softened up the bright colors of the paper, and gave me a chance to bring elements into the forground.

I wanted my card to open differently. I've been working on invitations for my daughter's graduation, and I noticed a card backing called a "Z- FOLD” they basically fold in the Z fashion and then either display flat or in the z shape. Well I decided to modify this a bit using a square card. This way my Mom can display the card on her dresser open so that the front of the card and the sentiment are both displayed at the same time.

Here is a view of the card opened as you can see here the inside displays with the outside of the card. Love this effect!

Don't forget about the Pink Paislee sale that is going on now through Sat., May 12! And, yes, that includes the new Declaration mini release! Winter CHA 2012 releases Spring Jubilee, She Art by Christy Tomlinson, and Sugar Chic, No Limits, and Destinations by Heidi Swapp are marked down. Additionally, Pink Paislee Mistables, Parisian Anthology Chipboard Dimensions and Bling will be deeply discounted.

Thanks for stopping in today, and Happy Mother's Day to all!

12 years ago...

Twelve years ago we were scrapbooking with stickers, using dictionary definitions on EVERYTHING, most layouts were "blocked", No one had ever heard of layering, flowers, or even Prima! GASP! How on Earth did we survive? 

My daughter graduates this month from high school, and I've been walking down memory lane, and thought I would take you guys on the journey with me this week.

This is a layout I did of my daughter with her kindergarten graduation photos. Her Kindergarten teacher was the BEST - Mrs. Murphy, and her favorite quote was from "All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" by Robert Fulghum. 

It is so much fun to look back at the older layouts. Actually sometimes I find it refreshing when I see how clean they were.  It was a simpler time for scrapbooking. 

The 3D styled elements on this page were printed on the DaisyD stickers. The wire and "ABC" on the left of the title - printed. The buttons on the photo frame - printed. When I tell you this layout was flat - it is FLAT!  The most advanced element for the time on this page were the snaps on the definition page. I didn't know it then, but this page was actually hybrid.  The title, teacher's name, and definition were all printed on my computer. The Jolee's stickers were all the rage and the trendy thing to add to every layout.

This week I created this layout of my daugther in her senior cap & gown photos. And let me tell you some tears were shed over this one. 

From Flamingo Scraps: Prima: Printery paper, Valentine Vine - White, Printery Chipboard, Printery Canvas Resists, Resin - bridge, Wooden Clock, Wooden Banner, Say It in Lace & Pearls Boarder; Maya Road: Wooden Ruler, Melissa Frances Resin Frame; Crocheted Lace, Eyelet Lace, Tattered Angeles - Glimmer Mist - Jack Frost.  Other: Twine, Doily Dies from MFT, Golden Texture Paste.

It was fun to compare the two layouts side by side and see how much my style had changed.  I still prefer 1 photo to a layout, however, notice how this layout has more texture, and dimension.  Gone are the days of the DaisyD stickers, and yes, Prima is front and center of the current "Must Haves" list.  

I heard someone say the other day that they wanted to redo some of their older layouts.  I say "no way". When a layout is created, it is not just a reflection of the memory that you are sharing, but also of the creator (at the time) and the styles of the day.  You are creating the looks that our children will embrace as "vintage".  Only look back to remember the journey - never to recreate.

 I wonder what names and styles will be around when she graduates from college?

Thanks for joining me today,

Scrappy Mess to Master Piece

Some serious Holiday crafting has been going on in my room the last few weeks. Between Tim's 12 tags of Christmas, Cards, and some last minute gifts, I have had scraps up to my elbows. I wanted to share with you guys today a tip for turning those scraps into a work of Art.

I started with an 8x10 naked canvas (you could do any size). Then I used my Ranger Glue 'n Seal to decoupage the scarps onto the untreated canvas. Just looks like a giant mess right now. But notice the chipboard pieces - they will offer some depth later.



Next I covered the entire canvas with watered down Gesso. This will make all the elements one color and make them look as if they belong together. Be careful not to apply the Gesso too thick - you still want to be able to see the patters from the different styles of paper. I also added a thin coat of White Metallic Acrylic paint and then lightly sprayed Lindy's Stamp Gang's Creme Brulee Cream to the finished piece to give it a sparkle. So you may ask - "Why add all of those pieces if you are just going to cover them up?" - well, it's simple, I'm after texture. While it is hard to see in the photograph - the text and the music notes are still visible in places. But the Mess looks like a uniformed mess at this point.



Next I wanted some contrast for all this white. So I took an old cardstock frame from Daisy Dee that was dated 2004, and I covered it in black gesso and bead gel. When it was dried, I used my finger to rub same white metallic paint over the frame to bring out the texture of the bead gel. Then I spritz it with the Lindy's Stamp Gang Creme Brulee Cream.



Next I assembled a beautiful spray of Prima's Christmas lights Crystal Sprays, White Flowers, and butterflies around my frame. Notice that even though the flowers and frame have covered the canvas - you can still see the textures of the pieces that were adhered to the canvas backdrop. These textures give depth to the canvas and offer something new every time you admire the piece.



Next I decided the frame seemed empty so I cut a Tim Holtz bird cage from black chipboard and embossed it in silver with the music note stamp from Stampendous. During the 12 tags of Christmas, Tim Holtz shared a technique for using shrink plastic with UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel). So I cut the bird at 8 inches from the Home Accents Cricut Cartridge from Shrink plastic and when I dipped it into the UTEE it shrunk to about 4 inches making the perfect crystal center piece for my canvas.



To finish the piece off, I used a Dylusions stamp from Dyan Reaveley, that says "A Friend knows the song in your heart" - the rest of the phrase was removed. I stamped it onto thick packaging and embossed it with white embossing powder. Placed it in the bottom right hand corner of the frame and called this Masterpiece finished.



I have a step by step from start to finish video available on my YouTube Channel, click here to watch it.

Thanks for stopping in today,

Self-Portrait

I never show photos of myself, and I really don’t know why other than the fact that I’m always the one with camera. So for this week’s share I decided to do a little self-portrait layout.

From Flamingo Scraps: Prima: Innoscence 2 flowers, Marion Smith's Trinkets, Bling.

Other: Bo Bunny Razzi Mamma paper, Graphic 45 buttons, Lindy's Stamp Gang, Tim Holtz film strip tape, charms, Houseof3 digital file.

Yep – that is me with the big camera hanging out at a youth sports field taking action shots. I think every child in my area has been photographed by me at least once. For my self-portrait layout I included all my favs.


I used the Bo Bunny Razzi Mama paper for the layout, and then added a spray of my favs. Marion Smith’s Trinkets, Prima bling, and Prima Innoscence 2 Flowers, and of course Tim Holtz’s film strip ribbon.


The transparency at the top was melted with my heat tool to give it a little interest. I got the image from the House of 3 during the 21 day challenge. It has a lot of uplifting phrases to remind me to look at things differently and stimulate creativity.

Have you done a self-portrait? Every now and then it is healthy to let someone else take the photos.

Living a Dream

This past weekend Graphic 45 announced the short list for their design team auditions. I feel so honored to be in the top 25 of some of the most talented people in the world. They had hundreds of participants, and said it was extremely difficult to narrow the selection down to 25. On April 1st they will select their 12 new Design Team members from this short list.

Before I share my submission projects, I want to say a great big HUGE THANK YOU to Suzanne and Susan for allowing me to be a part of the guest design team. Several of the projects I created I did for their blog. Like the Halloween in Wonderland Mini Album, The Steampunk Debutant Canvas, The Steampunk Debutant Calendar, and the Steampunk Debutant Dress Form Card. They actually forced me to cut up the paper that I got from them and USE it. How dare they do that to the queen of paper hoarders? Yes, Suzanne you are the biggest enabler in the WORLD! All kidding aside, thank you so much for your support this past year.

On with the show…. I am going to only share the “New” projects with you, but for a complete submission page with videos and detailed photos, please visit my submission page.

From Flamingo Scraps: Trellis Roses and Cherry Blossom Vines from Prima

This layout was created on an embroidery hoop. It features the Domestic Goddess tags and paper collection. The fashionista in the photograph is my Grandmother. The paper, inserted into the lace pocket, is a measurement chart that I found in her sewing kit. It has her measurements and weight from different times of her life. The dress form is three dimensional. It has been decorated with vintage patterns, seam binding, and a bling collar. Blue rose trim from Maya Road softens the sides of the wooden hoop. A floral swag of Prima cherry blossom vines, and trellis roses complete the bottom. Butterflies were punched from a Martha Stewart punch and dipped in liquid ultra thick embossing enamel to give them a glass like finish.

From Flamingo Scraps: Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime patterned papers

Captured fairies are very popular with mixed media artists, and I thought the Once Upon A Springtime collection would be perfect for this project. I hand crafted the dogwoods to coordinate with the flowers in the paper's design. I made a very tiny 1 cm rose for the Fairy to hold, and she sits upon a handmade hydrangea cluster. I also scattered hydrangea flowers around the outer areas of the lantern. A rose scented coaster was added to the top of the jar so that the piece smells as enchanting as it looks. A crystal rose was the perfect touch for the top. The YouTube video below shows more detailed images of this piece.