Do all things with love by Magali

Today, I am sharing a new layout featuring 7 Dots Studio Papers.
The paper I used as a background is one of my favorite from the Homegrown Collection. And as I love tags from all collections, I used them to create my layout!

I wanted to find a way to create a texture with the Um Wow Studio chipboards, so I painted them all in black (with acrylic paint). I love the fact that they appear as shadows.

 

For this layout I've used the following products:
Homegrown Mash

Iris Flower

Forget Me Not Flower

Poppy Pod Skellie

Oily Cicada {an Altered Canvas by Riikka}

Today we're welcoming back RIIKKA with this beauty:

Riikka says "When I first saw this cicada bug chipboard, I fell in love. The shape is so captivating! So when I started to think what I should create for my guest post, I immediately thought about the bug and wanted to do a canvas using it. In my mind I saw the bug having black, oil-like surface that would shimmer in the colors of the rainbow on a surface of ephemera.

I painted the cicada bug first with black Plain Jane mist and let it dry. On top of the black coat I then misted bright Glimmer Mist colors knowing that only their colorful shimmer would show in the bug because of the black. I also wanted the shape to have a glossy, slightly crackled surface, but was all out of crackle paint. So I embossed the bug twice with embossing powder and while the second coat was still hot, I pressed my crackle stamp on it creating a subtle crackle effect. The surface looks almost like crocodile skin!

For the background I used various ephemera and leftover alphas together with a few arrow shapes form UmWowStudio. I glued them to a canvas base using regular glue and then spread gesso all over. After the gesso had dried I used Glimmer Mists to color the surface in blues and greens. I also added touches of black and white mist. Lastly I added some splashes of mist and pencil doodling to the background and mounted the cicada using a decorative needle.

I'm so honored to have a chance to guest design for UmWowStudio! Thank you for the opportunity!"


RIIKKA.. thank YOU! This piece is amazing and I'M the honored one -- I get to share your beautiful work using our products! Stay tuned for one more post this month from Riikka in CARD form :). Please leave her some love and let her know how much we appreciate her work! 

Home Sweet Home {May Arts Ribbon Cutting Ceremony}

Hello Friends!! 

Welcome to my stop today on the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Hop!

Bethney has gathered all the beautiful talented Ribbonistas together to celebrate a brand new site launch! May Arts has been working so uber hard on a brand new more interactive site and you won't believe how insanely awesome the redo is!! PLUS there's a GIANT giveaway of $1000 + -- all from your favorite companies!

Yesterday these girls all shared projects:
Christina Colón
Gini Williams Cagle
Emily Lanham
Jenifer Cowles
Jessica Kephart
Courtney Lee
Latrice Murphy
Charlene Driggs
Erin Thiem

And today it's THIS half's turn:
Candy Rosenberg
Jen Shears
Karen Baker
Lalo IK
Virginia Fynes
Rhea Weigand
Shellye McDaniel
Sandy Allnock
{{DeeDee Catron}}

And now.. I Get to share!! Today I'm sharing with you a 12x12 layout. When Bethney mentioned Ribbon Cutting Ceremony I immediately thought of big red bows being cut right in half, trimmed edges and straight up strips of ribbon. So I set out to commemorate our first home as a family with these things in mind. Needless to say the work took me in a slightly different direction, but never the less RED and RIBBON are still recognizable! 

I layered up some gorgeous ribbons ( 447-1-01 | 336-38-14 | SM08 ) to embellish this layout.

I clipped and layered my ribbons, along with 7 Dots Studio (Domestic Goddess paper and alphas,) Viva Las VegaStamps! stamps (Star, Grid Background, Striped Border Arrow, Coffee Ring,) Gauche Alchemy (Washi Tape,) UmWowStudio (Layered confetti chip, Black and Blue Flair, Chevron Lines Mask,) Pink Paislee (Luxe Alphas,) Prima (flower and leaf,) Tattered Angels (Charcoal Chalkboard,) My Mind's Eye (Epoxy brads,) Archival Ink by ranger in black, Stazon ink in red, a black pen.

Leave your glorious comments everywhere for this INSANE prize!!

Midnight Spell REVEAL!!

Here is the Midnight Spell Kit!! I tried to keep this kit very fall themed with a few Halloween highlights. 

This kit includes:

One large orange and black carnation

Three medium black and orange star flowers

One 12 inch banner

One miniature "spell" book (it's unmarked for you to finish!)

One layered embellishment in black, kraft and orange

Two Halloween Labels (Poison and All Hallow's Eve) (opt for no stamping if you choose!)

Two Halloween Tags (A cockroach and Radioactive) (opt for no stamping if you choose!)

One set of paper rib bones

One black graveyard silhouette

One 3D pumpkin

Three resin leaves

One paper leaf scatter in orange, kraft and green

One floral spray with scripty kraft and black leaves

One "witch's brew"

The All Resin All The Time add on kit is a bit more Halloween themed, but I love it!! 

One Skeleton Cameo

One gothic frame

Three bats

One "Knob" or decorative circle

One giant flourish. 

RETIRED

Midnight Spell Sneak #1

Sneak Peek #1 for Midnight Spell 

I love these two flowers!! Can't wait to do them in tons o' colors for the store!

Introducing... Midnight Spell ♥

I'm very excited about this kit! It's a little Halloween, a little fall, a little dark, a little bright ♥

Midnight Spell

photo source: - | - | - | - | -

A Spoooooky floral spray!

Today I'm combining two blog hops! DUN DUN DUN!!!

So at the end be sure to pick which hop you're on and continue along the way :) My project today is a handmade floral spray. Making floral sprays is a pretty fun experience, but I'm always at a loss at the end of them on how anybody could ever make money doing it!! They're hard work and really take a toll on your hands.. all the twisting and pulling, the gripping and yada yada huh? 

Anyways! Here's my spoooooky floral spray:

Originally I sculpted the bats in Creative Paperclay®. To guarantee I'd always get the same shape I then molded them with Amazing Mold Putty and filled the molds four or five times with more Creative Paperclay®. They're painted with acrylic paint. 

The leaves are stamped with the script section of the Tree Writing Collage from VLVS! in black archival ink. They're distressed with Walnut Stain distress ink. 

Other supplies used include wire, glue and black floral tape.

Now choose your blog hop!!

If you're here for the Viva Las VegaStamps! Blog Hop use this list!: -

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If you're here for the Paperclay and AMP Blog hop use this list: 

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Day #6..

I can't believe we only have one more day after this!! Today's Tag plays off of yesterday's tag.. kraft and black and the mason jar full of... sooomething ;)

EDGAR ALLAN POE!!

I'm having fun layering stamps and figuring out different ways to put them together. I will admit.. my Raven got a little wonky, but he'll forever be with his poe :) 

Edgar Allan Poe

Faded Raven

Nevermore

New Mason jar from plate 827

P.S. your secret letter from me is.... "T"

now onto the other stops!!

Each and every team member has something amazing to offer!

Day #5!

Today is my favorite piece so far... but each day I swear they just get better :) One more Scene style stamped tag... but today's is sultry, sexy and deadly!!!

Stamped in black archival ink are stamps:

Censored Nudie

Pasteurs Death

Mason Jar

Friday the 13th

Poison

and the new Jar, Fly and Blood from plate827

I also stamped the script writing from the Tree Writing Collage Background in pumice stone as a tone on tone background!

Other products used: Black cardstock, kraft cardstock and walnut stain distress ink

Don't forget to see everyone else's stops on the hop :)

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Day #4

Welcome to the VLVS! All Hallow's Eve Blog Hop DAY NUMBER FOUR!!!

I'm keeping the ball rolling with tags, though I've switched from the bright tags before to kraft and black.

Today's tag is an outdoor scene, complete with a little crooked lettering, lol.

 I used stamps:

All Hallow's Eve

Tree background

Full Moon

Flock of Bats

Cemetery

R.I.P and Jack o' Lantern

Raven

Small Crow Right

They were all stamped in archival black on kraft paper. Throw in some walnut distress stain to age the edges, and a black pen for some faux stitching..done and done! The tag is a #8 tag from TH's tags and bookplates die. 

And here is a pile of some of my VLVS! images.... these happen to be the ones I don't use... imagine all those I do o.o

Now onto the others!!!

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Day #3

Wowza!! What amazing inspiration we've had so far!! I'm super honored to be among these gals sharing their work and I really hope you're seeing everyone's goods!!

Today I've got a 3rd scene style tag... and it's my favorite!!!

The stamps I used for this beauty are:

Oct 31

Minaret Bird Cage

Spiked Fence

Small Raven Left

and a brand spanking new Pumpkin Row stamp from plate827 STILL ON PRE-ORDER!!!

I also used Distress ink in spiced marmalade, dried marigold, walnut stain, and black soot. I stamped in archival black ink. The stars were made with distress ink through a star punchinella from Gauche Alchemy. the ribbon is May Arts webbing and the brad is a BasicGrey epoxy brad. 

Now check out what everyone else is doing!!!

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Blog Hop Day #2!!

Welcome back!! I continue the blog hop with another scene stamping styled tag... I really feel like it's a technique that is totally an art all on its own.

Today's tag utilizes stamps:

Tree Background
Faded Crow/Raven

Flock Of Bats

Full Moon

and

Spiked Fence

The background was made with Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold and Walnut Stain distress inks. The moon was colored in with Spiced Marmalade and Barn Door distress ink. All stamps were stamped in Archival Jet black. The tag is mounted on a kraft piece of paper. And I've covered the moon in diamond glaze.

Hello to all my new follows and a big thank you to each and every single follower who continues to visit me for inspiration!! ♥

Now on with the rest of the hop!!! 

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VLVS! Blog Hop Day 1!!

I'm pretty excited to get to this! We've had this little baby planned for a while.. welcome to Viva Las VegaStamps!' All Hallow's Eve party!!

We've got seven days of inspiration from each designer on the team and you're bound to find SOMETHING that inspires you to get in the mood for Halloween!! 

We're also giving your prompts each day to earn a spot in a drawing... because each day we're giving away a fabulous prize! 

For the inspiration the DT and I have the criteria of doing some Halloween based project with at least one stamp from one of the two following boards:

 or 

And here is my first project!! I've been working scene stamping, and gotta say.. I'm loving it! My tags aren't over the top with embellishments, but I think with scene stamping instead they feel more... rustic sort of. And just as cool as embellished tags!

 The stamps I used are:

Haunted House

Full Moon

Flock of Bats

and Boy and Dog Looking Up

The background was made with Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint distress ink on a white #8 tag. I also used Walnut Stain and Archival Black ink by ranger. I stamped the boy and dog on kraft paper in Archival ink as well. The burlap string is courtesy of May Arts.

Now absolutely be sure to keep hopping and follow today's prompt for a chance at the prize!!

Thank you!

Feed Your Soul

Here is the first completed set of pages for my brand new art journal!

Totally channeling Anna Debrowska for this...

...I had to use the new techniques I learned from her this past weekend along with a few of my favorite old ones including some certain supplies used.

The pages started out as cut pieces of paper from the longitude and latitude portion of a giant hard bound atlas. I used TONS of bits n bobs, some cast and some original pieces to form my wave of Magic. There are also some Prima flowers, Ideology gears and game spinner, Making Memories frame, and a clothespin spring. I used black soot distress stain to distress the edges as well as paint through the Gauche Alchemy star punchinella mask. 

I misted over the goodies with Charcoal Chalkboard glimmer mist by Tattered Angels, and dry brushes gesso over the top. The Umbrella man is Tim Holtz's sizzix die cut out of black cardstock and highlighted with gesso. 

I used Amazing Mold Putty to cast some of my favorite resin pieces.. a giant button, lots of smaller buttons, a cameo.. etc. They can easily be seen here:

Of course I used VLVS! Stamps... "Art is the last form of magic that exists"

and "feed your soul" both stamped in ranger archival jet black

well??

Something I'm working on...

First off I just noticed...... THIS: 39999 pageviews

WOW WOW WOW..

Thank you all! Thank you for your sweet comments, and encouragement, your continued reading and your support :) 

I recently had a request for some resin clouds.. and as I've been pulling them out of the mold I couldn't help but mess around with a couple... check this out:

available in the etsy shop this weekend :)

Family - Journal Page #2 - a little history

(It's totally worth it getting through this post to the journal page!!!)

First of all.. I love Tim Holtz as much as the rest of the world (I think..) but I've found much more inspiration in other crafters (Sorry, Tim!!) ... two of them seriously astound me with each and every piece of work they produce. 

I've always been involved in the fine arts... then I went to school for Industrial Design.. trying to make sure I'd never be the "starving" artist my parents warned me about.. I messed around for a few months after college and then went home to mommy and daddy. Best decision ever.. a friend in college had introduced me to crafting with paper goods and adhesive.. while I learned about metals, woods, plastics, and other various materials and manufacturing processes from professors and industry professionals. 

So now under my belt I've got painting, drawing, ceramics and some graphic design from high school, a little bit of dabbling in paper goods from a very close friend whom I still hold dearly in my heart, and industrial knowledge from college. 

I arrived at home and promptly got a full time job at a local craft store.. got introduced to my father's secretary who is the DEFINITION of Crafter and then the red carpet of crafty goodness unrolled. Then crafting became a way of life for me. 

So now I've got all these experiences, wants, have to dos and haves and just IDEAS rolling around in my head. I've been collecting bits n pieces, spare parts, pop tabs, packaging, papers, embellishments, foreign coins.. you name it I've probably got a collection for it! But I couldn't necessarily make it work together FOR ME. 

Insert Finnabair (Anna Debrowska) and Louise Nelson. 

these two ladies (whether they know it or not) have helped me put all the jumbled mess in my head into a neat and organized pile. That's the best way for me to explain it. Whether it was.. being unsure of myself, or hesitant to try something new.. I can't put words to it exactly.. but whatever it was. It's over. and I'm so happy! I've yet to meet Anna or Louise, but I'll be seeing Anna in California at the end of July. and I cannot wait to say THANK YOU in person. Louise -- girl -- you're next! The two of you just taking the time to share your work and be so supportive of others.. sharing your ideas and being so giving of your knowledge - it's just AMAZING. 

and here... after the last few years of crafting and being proud of my work but always slightly unsure and not really "me" is a page... that is at its fundamental core.. "ME" 

products used include: A Clairefontaine art journal, Inchworm and Charcoal tattered angels glimmer mist, tim holtz ideology clock face and game spinner, Imaginarium Designs chipboard, Gel medium, memento ink in tuxedo black, Viva Las Vegastamps! Feather stamp and Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder, TH distress tool, diamond glaze, basic gray brad. 

I'm also really loving the no title necessary feel of these pages. =)

I'll link this bad boy up to Simon Says Stamp and Show for "distressed" - it may be minute distressing.. but it plays a huge roll in this piece. 

With a heavy heart..

I say a final farewell to the CropChocolate Chocolatiers Design Team.. 

Yesterday was my final post on TheCrop. Read my message there.

I did a project inspired by Louise Nelson.. her layouts utilize space and graphics in such a beautiful way I had to finally just quit drooling and give it a go. 

Out :) 

On @ VLVS!

Over on the Viva Las Vegastamps! blog today :

the image is a little dark, I may have to redo it before I send it out. 

MVL Link Up - Get Inked

I'm a fan of tats.. and a fan of color.. I've got 25 stars on my arm, 6 of which are bright colored with a gradient of the rainbow. The other 19 are just black outlines. 

I feel like Mary Vogel Lozinak's Images are just the perfect "stick it to the man" type of characters. 

I used 

Mary's Owl In Vest - 2x3

and I put him in the

Mason Jar - 2.25x3.75

for this bad boy!! 

be sure to link up your own project using Mary Vogel Lozinak's images from Viva Las Vegastamps! -- you have until tomorrow night, check out the VLVS! Blog for any specifics on giveaways :) LOTS up for grabs!

Honeymoon - CC Challenges

This challenge is to make a mini album around a vacation you will or have taken --- We just don't vacations (until this summer!) So I did ours on our "Staycation"

I made the base for the album out of MME's Life Stories journaling cards. Used Imaginisce punch as well. and the Precision pen. all from CC

Not CC : Cosmo cricket black chipboard, baker's twine, lace, kraft paper, dymo label maker, vintage buttons.