The Joy Of Christmas... for Creative Embellishments

Hi everyone...hope you've started on your holiday crafting because before you know it Christmas will be here... Today I'm sharing a 12 x 12 layout of my daughter and our two precious fur babies. This photo was taken a few years ago and it was about time I scrapbooked it. 

I started by layering my new background papers and distressing all the edges, then using my "Sweater Square" stamp by Stampendous I heat embossed it with white powder. I then backed my photo with two photo mats and distressed the edges there also. Now lets get crackin at our chippies. 

First up is the title and "Joy" and I painted this red and then gave it a thick coat of DecoArts Liquid Glass... much like Glossy Accents. The greenery around the photo is "Garland With A Bow" chippie and I added Golden Stucco Paste for texture and then painted it green and swiped over it with Walnut Stain DI for shadowing. For the berries I used my hot glue gun and made dots on my craft mat, then once dry I colored them with alcohol ink in Red Pepper. 

The Flourish Christmas Tree was painted white and then a coat of crystal Stickles was added to the top. The bulbs are different size dew drops that were colored with alcohol inks. The Ideology numbers were painted with black gesso then I used a sanding block to scrap away some of the paint. 

Last but not least... I harvested some pine cones from my yard, I broke away the scales then glued them back together to form flowers. Decorated the tops with Snowtex and sprinkled with Diamond Dust. Well there you have it... hope you enjoyed and were inspired. Be sure to drop by Creative Embellishment to check out their beautiful embellishments ! Warm Wishes for a beautiful Christmas season. xoxo Toni 

Love Joy Peace Word Set

Garland With A Bow

Flourish Christmas Tree

Moments With The Master

Hi all.. Toni here with another project for Unruly Paper Arts and our theme is "Noteworthy".  I picked up some of these journals awhile back for $1.

I thought they would be perfect for my friends daily devotional journals and with Christmas right around the corner they would make great gifts.

There are so many things you can do to these books. I wanted to keep them pretty simple because they will be writing in the books, so I left alot of the ribbons and such from the sides of the books. 

I cut a hole in the center of the cover to have there initial peep through. I actually saw some journals with this hole is where I got the idea, but the store was out of those journals when I went back so I made my own holes in these. 

The flowers and ribbons were colored with assorted Lindys Stamp Gang sprays and magical micas. 

The little crosses were purchased at Hobby Lobby for $1.99 a bag and then transformed using Deco Arts crackle varnish and antiquing creme. I loved how they turned out.  I have several more of these books to make and hope my friends enjoy journaling their "Moments With Their Master". 

Please feel free to enjoy my Snapguide tutoral of my creative process below: 

Check out How to Alter Inexpensive Journals by Toni Burks-Grijalva on Snapguide.

The Book of Love .. for Rhedds Creative Spirit

Hi everyone... it's my turn to inspire you with a tutorial for this months Mid-Month @ Rhedds Creative Spirit. I have chosen to create an altered book frame which is a Christmas present for my mother. The photos are of her beautiful grandparents.

This process is very easy but a bit long, so for your pleasure I have made a SNAPGUIDE tutorial below for a step x step process of the project. 

I purchased the book at a thrift store for $1.00. Here is what the book looked like at the beginning. 

And the supplies that I recommend are ...

X-acto Knife

Mod Podge ... I used handmade... 1/2 water + 1/2 regular white glue mixed well

Adhesive

Distressed Inks

Embellishments

Flowers

Inka Gold

Black gesso

Lindys Sprays... but not necessary

The photo is actually black and white but I distressed over it with Vintage Photo DI to compliment the book frame. 

Here is a closeup of the top of the book... nice and vintage. The glue mixture allowed me to mold and wrinkle the pages to achieve the look I was going for. 

Flowers were added for that bit of whimsy and give it a more delicate look. 

Since this is "The Book of Love" I thought it only fitting that I cut a little niche and place my Prima Heart all crackled and distressed in that area. Added more flowers for interest. The bookmark is velvet ribbon with charm attached. 

And there you go... easy peasy, but messy... my kind of project. I hope I have inspired you to go and re-purpose an old book. So many things you can add and change around. My next project is for a friend of mine that is a new grandma... I'm using an old children's storybook for the foundation to place her beautiful grandbaby's photo...

And now sit back and enjoy the Snapguide tutorial... for more tutorials visit my Snapguide webpage HERE. 

Check out How to Create Altered Book Frame by Toni Burks-Grijalva on Snapguide.

Fall In Love With Art ... for Creative Embellishments

It's a new month and new inspiration from Creative Embellishments to get those artsy wheels turnin....First off... check out this great pic with all those fun fall elements and the pretty color palette. The added twist for this challenge is to incorporate a flourish in your piece.

This was my design team interpretation of the photo...

I created this canvas by first using Art Basics's Graphite Texture Paste and running it through a brick stencil. Once dry I added Inka Gold in Platinum and Gold to highlight the bricks. 

I then gathered my Creative Embellishment chippies gobbed on some beautiful mixed media products. The dragon fly flourish was painted with acrylic and then aqua stickles were added for a pretty bling. 

The Falling Leaves chippies I primed them first with white gesso and then applied assorted Lindys Stamp Gang Magical Micas  that provide such a glorious iridescent glow. On the pumpkin corners I painted them first with acrylic then coated them with DecoArts Liquid Glass (much like Glossy Accents) and while still tacky I dribbled Alcohol Ink in Ginger here and there and then sprinkled some seed beads for texture. 

The mushrooms were simply covered with Art Basics Texture Paste Sand and then once dry I added Distress Ink in Walnut Stain and Vintage Photo. My frame was painted with black gesso and then using Inka Gold I rubbed the high areas for a gilded effect, then added my title which was printed on the printer and then sprayed with Lindys for a vintage look.  I hope you will come create with us this month and have an opportunity to win some free merchandise from Creative Embellishments. Happy Fall and have a creative week !

The following Creative Embellishment products were used:

Mushroom Pack #1

Falling Leaves

Dragonfly Flourish

Pumpkin Corners

Thankful

Hi everyone... I am loving this cool weather and excited that it is now fall. This month Creative Embellishments is the proud sponsor at CSI 

We are working on Case # 181 and here is the amazing color palette to inspire you. 

What I chose for my evidence was the following: Kraft background, pencil work in background, frame  & gear / cog which was accomplished with CE Gear Corners, clocks, stamps, string which I used twine at the top of the page. 

My testimony is my handwritten message to my little boy at the bottom of the layout... "Momma's litte angel" 

Here is my take on the case: 

Lots of distressing going on here with my background paper, I stamped the hot air balloons using two different inks... Espresso & Peacock Feathers in order to achieve the colors in the palette. 

Embossing glue was splattered on the background and then Lindy's embossing powder in Desert Turquoise Blue was heat set to achieve a bubbly effect. 

My title says it all.... "THANKFUL"... I truly am thankful to have my little guy in my life... he is like my shadow following me everywhere when I am home. Sometimes getting on my nerves because he often does not want me to craft because he can't sit on my lap while I paint.... lol 

The title was achieved by painting it white first then a coat of DecoArts Crackle Varnish and once dry I applied Raw Umber & Cobalt Turquoise Antiquing Creme to the title. It filled in the cracks beautifully. 

The gear corners and clock were stamped with Andy Skinner Industrial Rust stamps and then DecoArts Quinacridone Gold was applied. Once dry I heat embossed Jukikins Rusty Tin Can for that grungy look and then applied Vintaj's Patina in Verdigris for that beautiful teal. The roses were sprayed with Lindys Tawn Turquoise Moonshadow and Sassy Sapphire Starburst sprays. 

I hope you enjoyed this layout and were inspired to create.. Have a spectacular week... 

Creatively yours, Toni

Large Steampunk Clock

Distressed Text Stamp

Gear Corner Set

Thankful For You

The Journey

Hi everyone...it's another month and time to alter up something fun for Rhedds Creative Spirit challenge blog.... I saw this YOUTUBE by Tim Coffey where he recycles a cereal box to use it as a canvas and then create a piece using a glue gun for the texture on his images...well I had to try it. 

This is what I started with... 

And this is what I created 

I won't go into great detail with the piece but I do have photos to share of the process. 

First we need to prep the box by covering it in masking tape. 

Next up give your box a coat of black gesso. Using black allows a better coverage of the graphics on the box. Once dry, give it a coat of white gesso. 

 Next up gather your image and mod podge onto your canvas

Now the fun part... are you ready... I probably used 6 glue sticks. Be careful not to burn your fingers. Start tracing over the top of your image. The more detailed you get the better. Watching Tim Coffey do this was amazing... he is so good at it.

 Once your glue is dry coat with white gesso... doesn't that look neat !

Now it's time to get out your sprays, micas, Inka golds, acrylics...  you know all your mixed media wonderfulness and color away. 

 I started with acrylics... some I watered down and allowed to just drip. I then got out my Lindys MoonShadow sprays... They have that beautiful vintage iridescence to them.

I then finished off the tops with Inka Gold in Platinum and Gold. I hope you enjoyed this piece, now check out your pantry for empty canvases... I mean boxes that you can use in your art and have fun ! Be sure to drop by our mixed media & altered blog and post your photo to inspire all of us with your wonderful creations! xoxo Toni