Happy Family Layout for Creative Embellishments

Hi everyone... I decided to do a layout with my beautiful daughter and our two fur babies using Creative Embellishments chipboard pieces. I love this chipboard because it is intricately gorgeous and takes so many different kinds of medium.

I first wanted texture on my layout so using modeling paste and my honeycomb stencil I randomly added it to the background paper. Then using my Lindy's Afternoon Delight Denim spray I dripped and splattered this on the paper.  I then distressed the edges of the photos and added them to the page. 

It was now time to alter my CE chipboard pieces. I used the chicken wire and cut it in 3 parts using Viva Paper Soft in Indigo, I colored my CE pieces including my title. Then I adhered this to my layout using Glossy Accents. 

Then I decided to add some sparkle, so I used Art Basics 3D Gel Medium and put a scoop of blue chunky glitter and then mixed some 3D Gel Medium with green chunky glitter and added it to different parts of the chicken wire. 

For the sea grass and bird, I first added Art Basics White Sand Modeling Paste for texture, I also added a little bit on the birds belly. Allowed to dry completely. Then the sea grass got two coats of different acrylic green paints. Once dry I covered it with Distressed Stickles in Pine Needles. The bird was sprayed with Lindy's Afternoon Delight Denim and then touches of green acrylic paint were added for interest. 

Last but not least, flowers and twigs were glued on using my glue gun and crystal Stickles were added to the pettals. I hope you enjoyed and please drop by the blog for some wonderful inspiration from our design team. Be sure to participate in this months challenge and link up your project for a chance to win some beautiful Creative Embellishment product. xoxo Toni

Creative Embellishment products used on this project are: 

Seagrass

Happy Word Set

Celebrate Word Set

Birds

Chicken Wire

I am entering this piece in the following challenges: 

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Love This Technique (Using Modeling Paste and Stencils) 

Frilly and Funky - Stamps Be Gone ( Used Modeling Paste and Stencils for texture) 

Say Yes To The Dress

Hi crafty friends... new month, new theme at Unruly Paper Arts. We are focused on wings, fairies, angels, birds, feathers .... just create something with wings. I was really in the mood to get messy, so I decided to create this vintage styled/steampunk mixed media canvas. 

The background had all different kinds of layers, from napkins to modeling paste, with spray mists, and stamped images. 

My birdcage was textured with Art Basics Modeling Paste Graphite and then sprayed with beautiful Lindys. Charms were created and hung from the bottom of the cage. 

The vintage style mirror is chipboard, painted and crackle added and then I used T!m Holtz's Ideology Mirrored Sheets for the main mirror. 

I then busted out my German Glass Glitter collection and gave a sprinkle here and a sprinkle there for gorgeous texture and color.  And there you go.... For a step x step tutorial sit back grab a cup of tea and enjoy my Snapguide Tutorial below... Creatively yours, Toni

This is being entered into the following wonderful challenges: 

Love To Create - Mixed Media

Eclectic Ellapu - September Purple Team (Use Stash 6 Months or Older) everything on this canvas was 6 months or older... 

Altered Eclectics - September Anything Goes 

Mixed Media World - Gorgeous Textures

Frilly & Funkie - Touch of Gold 

Simon Says -Trio of Colors .. I used shades of white, turquoise & golds.

Check out How to Create a Vintage Styled Canvas by Toni Burks-Grijalva on Snapguide.

Coffee With A Little Bit Of Cream

Hi everyone and happy September. Can you believe it... its almost fall and I can't wait for the weather to get cooler. This month's RAQ is all about "Coffee and Cream" or your take on it. I chose to be inspired by the colors of coffee and cream. The photo is of my daughter when she was in college in Philadelphia. This is about as CAS (clean and simple) as I get but I wanted to keep the photo the main focus so it works for me. 

Awhile back I took a class using a vintage pleating machine. What a challenging class but so much fun. The flowers were the perfect color to go on my layout so they were utilized. With the addition of some gorgeous mica flakes and some simple pale white mulberry flowers my layout is complete. I hope you decide to show us your take on "Coffee and Cream" ... be sure to drop by the blog for some wonderful inspiration. 

Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover

Well, I am so excited to share with you my very first design team project for Rhedd's Creative Spirit Design Team. Yes I am a new member of the team and so excited to create with these wonderful ladies. If you love mixed media and altered art then this is a great place to get inspiration and create with us. So for my first project I decided to give my art journal cover a face lift.

 This is what it looked like before, pretty sad huh ! I picked this baby up at the dollar store.

And here is the new transformation: 

I really kept it very simple using modeling paste, paints, sprays, gesso a little glue gun art and a product I have had forever and I busted it out to use it on this project "Goosebumps". Here is a photo of just the front cover. 

I had intended to put  a title in my frame but decided to make a shaker box instead. Something different and fun. That's what usually happens with my projects, they start off one way and end up another. I hope this has inspired you to get messy with us this month. Be sure to drop by Rhedds Creative Spirit and link up your project.... the theme is "Anything Goes" Below is my Snapguide tutorial for a step x step process on creating this cover. xoxo Toni

I'm entering this piece in the following wonderful challenges: 

That Craft Place Challenge - Mixed Media Anything Goes

Altered Eclectic - Anything Goes 

Eclectic Elapu - Pink Team Anything Goes 

Love To Create - Mixed Media 

Anything But Cute - Making Magic Happen Using Mood Board I used the textures, colors, and glitters 

Mixed Media World - Gorgeous Textures 

Check out How to Create Mixed Media Art Journal Cover by Toni Burks-Grijalva on Snapguide.

Dream, Hope, Laugh

Hi everyone... o.k. I'm doing the happy dance because I am now part of the Creative Embellishment design team. So excited to be creating with this amazing group of ladies and super excited about utilizing their products in my artwork. This months photo inspiration is .......with a twist, add paint somewhere on your project.

I was so inspired by this photo, first off I loved the bold colors, and the texture of the wall and surroundings really grabbed me. So here is my interpretation of it: 

I started by using modeling paste through a my brick stencil for texture and then used Lindys Stamp Gang sprays in Witches Potion Purple & Curiorseur Chartreuse. The Ivy Spray Chipboard  pieces were sprayed with Bells of Ireland Green and edged with Chipped Sapphire DI. Small rosettes were sprayed with assorted purple shades and added to the ivy sprays. 

For my title I used word sets from Creative Embellishments and painted then with Crushed Grape Dylusion paint.  

I hope you decide to create with us this month. Be sure you use our photo as inspiration and add some paint on there somewhere, then link up your project for a possibility of winning some beautiful product from Creative Embellishments.  Be sure to drop by our Creative Embellishment website for some amazing inspiration from the rest of the team...xoxo Toni

The following CE items were used on this layouts

Ivy Spray Flourish

Happy Word Set

Dream Word Set

I am entering this piece in the following challenges:
That Craft Place Challenge Blog - Mixed Media Anything Goes

"It's Bittersweet"

This month at Anything But a Card our theme is "Celebration".  It's our 50th challenge and our last!!!

For my design team contribution I created my celebration tag... "A Bittersweet Chocolate Celebration" 

My little girl is dreaming of chocolate, kind of like what I do often... I have a really bad sweet tooth. The stamped images are from the Fairy Sweets collection from Oxford Impressions. 

The tag was distressed with Spun Sugar and Aged Mahogony DI, edges were distressed with Walnut Di. Glossy Accents was applied to the frosting area on cupcake and seed beads and Diamond Dust was added for sprinkles of course... 

I hope you will come and "CELEBRATE"  our last challenge at Anything But A Card. This has been such a fun experience. And as my tag reflects... it's bittersweet...The friends I have met mean so much to me. Let me thank Susan personally for all your hard work and being the curator for Anything But A Card. I have loved every minute ! xoxo Toni  

Here are some of my favorite projects made for past challenges. Hope you enjoy:

"Celestial"

"Friendship"

"Fools Gold" 

"Out and About" - Garden 

Inspiration Using Chipboard

 Hi everyone...This month at Unruly Paper Arts our theme is "Chip off the old block". Yes... we are focused on Chipboard,  specialty papers such as corrugated cardboard and different ways to utilize them in your art. Chipboard has always been something I have loved to incorporate in my scrapbooking. And now it's more popular than ever to use it in your altered art pieces and mixed media. It provides you with a 3D effect, as well as the chunky texture to your pieces.

What exactly is it. Well it's usually recycled paper it's pressed fiber thick paper. Used on the back of notebooks and is sturdy enough to handle sanding, painting, inking, cover with paper, modeling paste.

In scrapbooking you will for the most part get packages of chipboard pieces that are letters, numbers, shapes etc. and sometimes you end up with an assortment of odds and ends and you don't know what to do with them... DON'T THROW THEM AWAY !!!

I have boxes and boxes of leftover pieces. I seperate them by letters, shapes, numbers etc. These pieces I can collage together for other projects, covering them in gesso and then painting or glittering will give them a new look. 

The letters above obviously were from different sets but can be used all together to create something fun and whimsical. The next few photos I will take each letter and apply a different technique to give ideas of different products to use on them to breath new life into those old chippies. 

Apply modeling paste with stencil to provide texture. Once dry, apply paints, inks or mists to give you a new wanted color. 

The next one I wanted to have a glossy sheen to it. Using 3 coats of UTEE provides that pretty look. 

No project is complete without a little glitter and that is just want this chipboard piece needed for a facelift. 

This piece was sprayed with Lindys and then a nice thick coat of Distress Crackle Paint was given to add that old vintage look. The last two letters I applied chalkboard paint and chalk to decorate, the next one I added sand modeling paste for texture, and the last letter I simply embossed a stamp on the top of my letter. 

Time to go dust off those old chipboard pieces and find a new home for them on a beautiful masterpiece created by you. I hope this has inspired you. For more wonderful ideas and techniques be sure to check out Unruly's blog ALL month long for designer to inspire you with their chipboard makeovers. Happy August !!! xoxo Toni

Boys Will Be Boys

Hi there everyone... Happy August and we are on to a new thene for our RAQ (Readers Art Quest) this month at Unruly Paper Arts... it is "Manly". Yes, it's time to create something for the boys. 

My design team contribution is called "Boys will be boys" and I chose to use the backside of a canvas for my project. 

First up is the outside of the canvas. I added dictionary papers and tissue paper and applied it to the canvas. Then using a stencil I used Art Basics Graphite Texture Paste and allowed to completely dry. 

The graphite texture paste has a beautiful color with bits of shimmer in it. 

 Once everything was dry I then started spraying with my Lindys  Moonshadow sprays... using Bucaneer Bay Blue, Crows Nest Copper and Tawny Turquoise. I love these moonshadow sprays because they provide such a beautiful vintage color to your projects. Here is a photo of the completed backside of the canvas... Very simple but effective. 

On to the inside of the canvas... so much fun looking for object to be placed in the inside. The outside frame was stamped with my Andy Skinner Industrial Set Stamps.. one of my most favorite and versatile stamps.  I used the peeled paint stamp and applied it with black Archival Ink. 

Once the canvas was stamped all over I applied a nice coat of DecoArt Quinacridone Gold and Transparent Red Iron Oxide randomly over the canvas. This gave it an aged to perfection look. Lots of warm texture and color. The Chipboard piece was covered with Texture Paste White Sand and once dried I applied Art Basics Mica in Copper and Gold. 

Now it's time to add my fun embellies. I found the shaving brush at a Dollar Store and covered it with SnowTex. Filled the vial jars with seed beads and applied a coat of gel medium and then Rock Candy Crackle paint to give it a broken glass look. All the other embellishments were glued down using E6000 glue and my boys... well they are T!m Holtz Ideology Found Relatives... I distressed the edges and ran Black Soot DI around it and applied it to the back of the canvas. 

For the final touch I took little metal feet and glued them in place on the bottom of the canvas and  it's done... I hope you were inspired and hope you will come and create with us this month at Unruly. Have a spectacular month.   TAA TAA for now... xoxo Toni

This piece is being entered into the following wonderful challenges: 

That Craft Place Challenge  - Anything Goes

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Goes

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes

Crafting By Design - Anything Goes