Chit Chat

I came across this pic of my dd and her friends on facebook this morning. I really liked the pic, and knew I was going to scrap it.  Then while surfing online I ran across a tutorial on Blending in Photoshop Elements.  I was always so afraid of that tool, for it just turned my pics to a gray and white box.  Well I learned you simply have to select New Layer Mask (the button beside the New Layer button, keeping the masking layer highlighted, then use the tool on that layer. Magically, the two layers blend together  I tried my hand at it with the pic I found this morning.  Cool stuff!

Here is a link to the tutorial on Lilypad

The object is to blend your picture into your background.  If you look closely you will see the yellow grid background peeking though the photo It actually was white brick.  This definitely softened up the photo.  I then added embellishments at 60% opacity to keep the hazy look going.  This is a handy little thing to know.

Stuck on U Sketches Project Life Challenge Reveal:Stripes

This week's Stuck on U Sketches Project Life Challenge is to use stripes on your digital life page. Every brand out there offers papers with stripes and they certainly add drama to a project.  It is surprising we don't use more of them than we do.   I looked through my inspiration points on the web and found lots of florals, lots of geometric shapes and iconic symbols, but very few stripes. I think they can really add pop if used in small doses.  That is why I chose to use one on my Easter spread.  I wanted to tell a lot of story on one page.  Each pocket had to mean something in each story.  From the amount of time I prepped for the event, to a phrase that seems to capture me at this time, to our hilarious adult Easter Hunt with water guns, where everyone made up their own rules, I had to stray from the normal fluid theme, yet keep the page together, so....Everything was different, but I used pink or blue on everything.

I incorporated painting into this projecet to counter the pop of the stripes.  I highlighted the crown on the stripes to emphasize our Lord and the true meaning of Easter. I also saved a little of the grass from my grandsons Easter baskets. Sort of mini versions of the palm branches.  I made all of the table decor and even the toys in the boys baskets so I wanted to emphasize that on the page. The Happiness is Homemade from my Studio Calico project life kit last month was perfect!  I also wrapped up my stitching class that week and stitched around the wooden tag.  I stamped and painted it as well.

Head on over to Stuck on U Sketches and grab some inspiration.  The blog is full of ideas and creative sparks for you too.  If you have been thinking about becoming a designer on a blog, then let us know.

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Yes, Life is Beautiful

Made this for my Mixed Media Class.  Great pic of our Gandson I have wanted to scrap for months now, but was waiting for something special to do with it.

I spread the entire piece of white paper with Matt Medium Gel, then used White Gesso on stencils all over the page.  I then misted it with Mr Huey's in a coral and navy color.  I used this months Camelot Cut file XO to make the matt and had the darker blue behind the cut out.I tucked a few project life cards and Snippets 6" paper behind the matt and added a few enamel dots.  I really liked doing multi-media backgrounds for you really only need a few embellishments.