Sketch 59 for Keeping The Best

Hello everyone!  Are you in the mood for another sketch challenge!  Keeping The Best is hosting Sketch #59 for you.  You have two weeks from Monday, April 29, 2013 to complete the sketch and maybe be considered to have your intrepretation of the sketch featured on the blog, or be a guest designer for the month. This sketch is just perfect for adding little snippits of some of your favorite related pictures.  Hope to see you post your interpreation of the sketch at Keeping The Best.

Chipboard pieces are from Blue Fern Studios:



Sketch # 58 at Keeping The Best...a sketch challenge site

Hello everyone, If you like modern graphic designs, you're sure to enjoy working with this sketch from Keeping The Best!  You have two weeks until the challenge closes to win an opportunity to be a guest designer or a be featured on the site. The sketch is perfect for finding a use of the small scraps of papers we collect and put in our stash for future use. These verticle strips of paper were created with the Authentique Collection: Peaceful. I used the canvas tutorial technique I posted earlier this month on the verticle strips of paper.  The two (2) Regal Ornaments chipboards are from Blue Fern Studios, and I will be posting a tutorial on the technique used on these chipboard medallions on April 27 at Blue Fern Studios. 

 

 

 

Regal Ornaments from Blue Fern Studios

 

Keeping The Best Sketch # 57 Challenge

Hey everyone, Keeping The Best has another sketch challenge for you.  Anytime there is negative space on a sketch, it inspires me to get out my stencils, molding paste and mists to create my own background and add some interest and textures on a page.  Lets see what you can do with your mixed media stash.  You have two weeks to complete the challenge and post it under Sketch #57 to have an opportunity to be featured as a guest designer and/or to be featured at Keeping The Best.   We're looking forward to having you join us and seeing what you can do with the sketch.

Blue Fern Studios Bird Cage Chipboard

This Blue Fern Studios Bird Cage Chipboard is one of my favorite pieces in their collection.  I adore all the pretty elements throughout the design and it comes in two pieces which makes it even more fun to decorate. The sketch came from Keeping The Best a bi-monthly sketch challenge site. I adored this sketch so much, I used it twice.  I used a two-tone color technique on the chipboard pieces and have described below how you too can achieve this really nice crackle and toned affect.

To achieve the two-toned color chipboard piece, paint chipboard with a white dauber, and then apply your favorite crackle product to the large surfaced areas of the chipboard only. When the crackle product has thoroughly dried, use a misting product and apply the mist to the small areas of the chipboard.  Some of the mist will flow onto the crackle product which is fine.

TIP: To enhance those lovely little cracks on your chipboard, use a dry and sharpened watercolor pencil.  Hold the pencil horizontally to your chipboard, and press down the sharpened end of your pencil with your index finger on top of the sharpened area and gently rub in a tiny circular motion in a parallel position. Lift the pencil up and use your index finger and blend the color in. Do not hold your pencil in a vertical position.  Do not wet the watercolor pencil because it will render a muddy looking appearance. 

 

 

 

Keeping The Best - Sketch #56

Sketch#56 Challenge at Keeping the Best will be posted on March 18, 2013.  You have two weeks to work this sketch and submit it to enter in the challenge. Here's my interpretation of the sketch working mostly with products from Cashmere Dame line from Glitz and some yummy Prima flowers....trying to use up my stash and prepare room for some new stuff.  Gotta love the color black because it grounds all those bright pretty colors in the Cashmere Dame papers.  Hope to see what you do with the sketch too.

Strike A Pose (Designed with Keeping The Best Sketch)

Another Sketch Challenge from Keeping The Best.

When you were in your late teens or early 20's with nothing to do, you probably did this:  "Strike A Pose" when you're home alone with a loaded 35MM camera.  LOL.  Yep, I did it, that's me back then.   I laugh at these pictures now, but I'm glad I have them to remind me that I was once young and thin. :)  But, on to the good stuff about this crazy good sketch at Keeping The Best.  I love, love negative space it inspires me to get out my crafty mat, lay some inks, paints down and get to creating my own background papers. The lovely soft orchid and purplish colors from the Prima Corine flower (shhh...don't tell Erin Blegen that I have this flower, she's capable of reaching her hand in from the internet cloud all the way from her quaint little cabin to take it for her very own) inpired the colors for me to work with here.  And those pretty Brigitte Butterflies from Blue Fern Studios, seem to fit right at home all dressed up to the 9's in shimmering lavendar embossing powders, glitter and silver micro beads.

The challenge for this sketch ends in two weeks.  I hope to see your picture posted at Keeping The Best and maybe, just maybe, I've inspired you to go through your old pics looking for the "home alone" pictures.  I know you have them.....

 

Sketch #55



 

 

 

 

Keeping the Best Sketch Challenge ("Remember Prom")

I found a new sketch challenge site by following Georgia Heald's blog.  "Keeping the Best" posts a sketch challenge every two Monday's and it is open to international participation. The Design Team is consisted of some very talented and inspiring ladies, and I'm hoping to become a regular participant there.

I loved this sketch by Angela because of it's archectural elements and it inspired me to create a masculine page featuring one of my brothers.

Here he waiting for the phone call from his prom date to pick her up and take her to the prom.  He looks so anxious waiting for that call. 

On this page, I used a watercolor technique by applying Kosher Salt to a pool of various colors of Glimmer Mist.  Normally in watercolor, we remove the salt after the paint has thoroughly dried and it reveals a lovely texture and effect.  In this case, I really loved how the salt added so much texture and height and I chose to preserve it by adding some spray adhesive over the salt areas.  The salt stayed in place perfectly.  If you're interested in this technique, check out the tutorial I posted prior to posting this page.  It's really quite simple.

Here is close up: