Seagulls

Seagulls, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

I started with an idea from the Banana Frog blog--create a grid using painters' tape and Color Wash.

I already had the photo picked out, but I noticed that the gulls were kind of on the purple-hued side. (Really old photo!!) So I threw in some purple cardstock and purple letters.

Just for fun, I added the lime green stuff. The journaling card is actually from a paper swatchbook I bought at a scrapbook store that was closing. They had tons! Cool, textured paper.

I was totally grabbing random things off my work desk by then, so the Nehi bottle cap was added for a bit of color.

I love how the flowers came out too. I just sprayed them with Denim Color Wash and they really look like denim fabric--so cool!


Supplies:
Paper: Page protector insert; Neenah (Eames swatchbook); Studio Jenn (blog candy--lime flower paper)
Inks: Ranger (Adirondack Color Wash--Denim)
ETC: Recollections (Clear Letter Alpha stickers, brad, Boutique Fleur); American Crafts (Dear Lizzy Thickers--foam letters); My Mind's Eye (die cuts); K&Co (Par Avion Borders); Cathe Holden (Vintage Cheese Label freebie); Making Memories (Metal Alpha Charm); Studio 112 (Adhesive Chipboard--Swirls); Nehi (found bottle top); Scotch Quick-dry Adhesive; Glue Glider Pro; Scotch Painters' Tape


We're getting clouds and wind from Irene--and I'm hundreds of miles away from the hurricane. I can't imagine what NYC is going to look like. Praying for the East Coast!!


~Cynthia

Sketch of the Week

Sketch of the Week, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

Here's Shimelle's latest Sketch of the Week. Today's challenge was all about the layers.

So I layered.

I just noticed I forgot to put the date somewhere in there. Hmmm...must remember to do that.

I did a lot of spraying on this one. I sprayed Glimmer Mist on the page, then dripped drops of it too. I sprayed the flowers (originally white and yellow) with Red Pepper Color Wash. I sprayed the green arrow strip (because it was too lime-y) with Color Wash in Meadow.

I inked up the chipboard pieces with Black Soot Distress Ink. I would have sprayed them too, but I don't have any black wash or mist.

**Note to self: Buy some black Color Wash.**

And I also inked the edges of everything that wasn't black with Vintage Photo Distress Ink um...because Shimelle did that in her video.

This photo is another one of my most favorite. Catching a red-winged blackbird with his gorgeous red and yellow epaulets showing in midflight is tricky. I don't think I could ever reproduce that shot no matter how hard I tried, which is what the journaling on the right is all about.


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (black cardstock); Glitz Design (Olivia Roses); Jenni Bowlin (Green Crosshatch); Studio Jenn (blog candy prize)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Vintage Photo, Black Soot); Ranger (Adirondack Color Wash--Red Pepper, Meadow)
ETC: Making Memories (Shimmer Alpha, black); The Paper Studio (Alpha Stickers, red, and brads); K&Co (Par Avion Adhesive Borders); Maya Road (chipboard shapes); Michael's Dollar Bin (paper flowers); Signo (white pen)


And on a grammatical note...please forgive my unhyphenated spelling of red-winged. I know how to spell it correctly, but I got a little excited sticking on letters and totally forgot. ;-)


~Cynthia

Blue Congrats

Blue Congrats, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

Hey, East Coast peeps! Did you feel the earthquake?? I felt it all the way down here in South Carolina. My prayers are with the people in Virginia and DC. From what I've seen on CNN, the damage doesn't look too bad. Let's hope it stays that way.


On to the card...

I felt really odd not doing a scrapbook layout. I kind of miss Shimelle's challenges! But I finally got my housework all caught up. Heh!

This is for a friend of mine that just moved to another city and started a new job.

I made clouds by using Distress Ink, a felt applicator and a circle die cut.

I stamped the flowers then colored them in using Alcohol Inks and the non-business end of a paintbrush. I kind of touched the image and pulled the brush end across until I filled up the area.

The funky border thing was not my idea, but I totally can't remember where I saw it first. As soon as I find the blog post, I'll give credit. To make said border, brush Tim Holtz's Alcohol Inks over artist's tape, then stamp sentiment using a permanent ink like Staz-on.

Yeah, so if that was your idea, please leave me a comment because I got tired of going through months of back posts looking for the tutorial. *sigh*


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (white cardstock); Recollections (white card blank)
Stamps: Stampology (Autumn Leaves: Flowers); Studio G (congrats); Hero Arts (Classic Messages set--congratulations)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Broken China, Black Soot); Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink (Cloudy Blue, Sunshine Yellow, Sailboat Blue); Staz-On (Black)
ETC: Staedtler (Removable Artist's Tape)


And a very big THANKS to everyone that stopped by during the challenge week!! I so enjoyed reading your comments!!

~Cynthia

PS: Thanks for your help, Jules! I found the flower punches here in the US! WOOT!! =D

Starting Points Challenge

Starting Point Challenge, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

SO much more happier with this page than yesterday's mojo disaster!

This one is for Shimelle's Saturday Starting Points challenge. It was a "take your pick challenge" type thing, so I choose to work with the colors of gray, yellow and black.

Then I embellished the heck out of it.

I mean, for me, right? I'm more of a clean and simple type crafter so layers are more challenging for me. ;-)

I printed a photobooth strip of pictures of my mom. Heh. She isn't happy that I'm sharing these. *snicker* I got the photo strip image from PrintMaster, then layered the pictures I had taken over that to achieve the look.

I used five different colors of inks and sprays to get those flowers deep yellow. That was kind of fun.

One of the other parts of the challenge was hidden journaling. Mine's not exactly hidden, but I like that it's not really a focal part of the page.

Oh and I guess I should explain the photos, eh? My mom was refinishing the utility sink in my dad's workshop at their house, which involved using toxic chemicals of some sort. Hence the air filter mask. I thought the whole thing was kind of funny....


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (yellow, gray, black cardstock); My Mind's Eye (Meadowlark "Dawn" Cards Paper); October Afternoon (Ducks in a Row)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (American Honey, Mustard Seed, Scattered Straw)
ETC: Studio 112 (Typewriter Alpha stickers); The Philadelphia Group (Alphabet letters); K&Co (Flora and Fauna Butterflies pack); The Paper Company (brad); Recollections (Boutique Fleur); Smooch Spray (Gold Glow); Homemade spritz; Stash (tickets); Glue Dots; Zig Two-way Glue; Glue Glider Pro



And that's it for me! I guess Shimelle's challenges for the week are finished now. Boy, that was one whirlwind of a creative week, wasn't it?? I had so much fun. Now to get back to all the household chores I neglected this week. ;-)

Thanks for stopping by!


~Cynthia

Sketch of the Week

Sketch of the Week, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

OK, I know mojo comes and mojo goes...but yesterday was ridiculous.

I was following along with Shimelle's latest challenge--a sketch.

I changed photos three times. I cut up three different sheets of paper. I agonized over this one. Nothing looked right. Nothing went together. And in the end, I kinda gave up.

I hate that.

So these are pictures I took many years ago at Freedom Weekend Aloft--a really fun celebration during the July 4th weekend, which traditionally has included hundreds of hot air balloons.


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (rust cardstock); Studio Calico (Astro); ivory paper
Stamps: Stampers Anonymous (script stamp); Recollections (Alphabet Stamp Set); Crafty Secrets (Clear Art Stamps--travel set)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Walnut Stain, Brushed Corduroy, Black Soot--for the number tag); Ranger (Adirondack Color Wash--Espresso)
ETC: Studio 112 (Saffron Tags); K&Co (Handmade Ephemera Pack, Flora and Fauna Botanical Butterflies pack); Colorbok (Slim Alpha Stickers); Sizzix (Tim Holtz--Tattered Floral Bigz die cuts); Cuttlebug (Butterflies die cut and embossing folder set); The Paper Studio (brad); EK Success (3D-Dots); Glue Glider Pro; Zig Two-way Glue

ETA: I made the number tag based on a tutorial over on Shelly Hickox's blog, Stamptramp. When I originally posted this blog, I couldn't remember where I had seen the technique. My apologies to Shelly. Check out her site for the tutorial: ShellyHickox dot blogspot dot com.


Have a great weekend, everyone!! I so, so appreciate your comments on my pages--thanks for sharing the scrapbookin' love!!! =D


~Cynthia

Hot Pink Hoopla

Hot Pink Hoopla, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

OK, just for the record...I don't do a lot of stuff with pink or even hot pink. I only had ONE sheet of hot pink cardstock. But that's Shimelle's latest challenge.

Use HOT PINK.

For once, I really tried to flat out copy Shimelle's layout as much as I could. I left a few things off and in the end, I think it came out OK.

You know...for a hot pink page and all. ;-)

This photo is one of my all time favorites. Like ALL time. It was taken on a trip to the ACE Basin, near Beaufort, SC. It's this absolutely cool place where three rivers (the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto--thus ACE) flow together to form a huge estuary. There are old rice fields there too--and this picture is of one of the old canal works along the fields.

So I went from that picture to this hot pink page. Total hoopla.

I even sprayed it with Glimmer Mist. Lotsa hoopla there, buddy.

I would also like to point out, for the record, that I've actually used one of my Precious Horded Items. See that little quarter-sized Tim Holtz Philosophy Tag? It hurt me to adhere that to this page.

Hurt.


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (HOT PINK and cream cardstock); Stampin Up (black and white paper packet); BoBunny (Olive Dot); KI Memories (Bloom); Stash (via Studio Jenn's blog candy)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo); Ranger (Adirondack Color Wash--Espresso); Tattered Angels (Glimmer Mist--Dazzling Diamonds); homemade spritz (pearl)
ETC: Pretty Little Studio (train check tickets); stash (unknown number 3 sticker); EK Success (3D-Dots); K&Co (Handmade Ephemera Pack); Tim Holtz (Idea-ology--Philosophy Tags); Scotch Quick-Dry Adhesive; Zig Two-way Glue; Glue Glider Pro; Nestabilities (Label Nine); funky handmade leather-looking thing




I like this pace better than having five challenges a day! =D But it still took me just as long to complete the page. LOL!!!

Thanks for dropping by today!!


~Cynthia

Bingo Card Challenge...without the Bingo

Bingo Card Challenge...without the Bingo, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

I am finally FINALLY caught up with all of Shimelle's challenges!!!! =D

Here's the final one...well, so far, as I'm guessing Shimelle will add more as we go through the week.

Anywho, the challenge was to create a page inspired by a lovely yellow and black layout she posted. Thus the bingo card. It had butterflies too.

But I went hard core on this one, baby.

I went for...

the...

Spider.

I took this picture several years ago on a trail I hiked almost daily. Sadly, I moved away and haven't been back there since, but I have loads of happy memories from the time I spent out on the those trails.

OK, enough sappiness.

:-)

This page is pretty simple. A bit of paint for a border around the photo and mat. A few letters. A tag or two.

The end.



Supplies:
Paper: Reminisce (Under Construction); Bazzill (yellow cardstock)
Stamp: Endless Creations (hello stamp)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Black Soot)
Paint: Adirondack Paint Dabber (Pitch Black)
ETC: Cuttlebug (Harmony die cut letters); The Office (tag); McGill (Word Tag Punch); Zig Two-way Glue; Glue Glider Pro


Aaaand now to get back to all my neglected housework! ;-) It's been fun and thank you again for stopping by!! I appreciate your comments and visits!!


~Cynthia