Thursday, December 29, 2011

Sketchy Challenge ~ December 2011

I have been trying to improve my scrapbooking skills. A must for a paper crafter! So I have been entering sketchy challenges on Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine website. Each month they post a sketch and you create a page that is your interpretation of thier sketch. I entered one layout in November and it was exciting to have it published for others to view online. I however didn't use a Canadian Manufacturer so was unable to have an oppertunity to have my layout published in the magazine starting in 2012 :(

With this new knowledge I was armed and ready. I went on the search for canadian manufacturer products that I loved. I found Harmonie. It is a company founded in 1914 in Montreal. I loved their stamps as they too came in an acrylic version or wood mounted too. I loved that they were something that I knew I would be able to use and that some of their products were made from recycled paper or fibers. I found many items I would have loved to add to my craft room, but, I settled for just a few. I ordered a zebra stamp. It will be used as my trademark on all layouts and cards...
I also loved this beautiful koi fish stamp. I hope to practice with my copics in the new year...here's hoping I'm not too bad with Copics or it's back to watercolor pencils I go!
Now I love Zebra but also love Damask. I will buy Damask anythig any chance I get so when I found this beautiful stamp set I had to have it. My middle daughter gets so excited each time she see's anything Damask and tells whom ever she is with... Mom will love this it is damask...(I know I am raising crafty kids when...lol!)
Now I am normally pretty good at visualizing sizes but when I read 5" x 7", I somehow thought about 3" x 4"...So, when I picked this stamp set out of the box, I was surprised and my vision of using it a journalling tag was crushed...
Not really so small....oops! Beautiful though!

I also found that their paper was awesome and so I ordered some of that as well. I didn't know if it was going to be really thin or cardstock weight so I picked 5 patterns I liked and got 5 sheets each. Well it is beautiful cardstock weight paper and the colors are fabulous! Definately a great buy!!! Two of the papers were double sided and the other three were single sided but all were awesome quality!
 Front side page 1
 Back side page 1
 Front side page 2
 Back side page 2
 Page 3
 Page 4
 Page 5

Now that I had my canadian manufacturer issue fixed I went and checked out the December Sketchy challenge.



With the sketch in mind I went to work I decided on paper and then picked out all the other aspects of my page. I am not good with scalloped edge scissors being lefty and all so I tend to shy away from them so I choose to avoid them and opt for a rounded cornered look instead. I also added things that I have been working with on other projects like square mesh and added that into the design of the page. I incorporated my zebra stamp and can't wait for people to notice it...
 Planning the layout...
 Switched it up...
 Closer look at it and needed something else...
Oh yeah... some glossy letters and a trademark zebra stamp...Perfect!

Hope that this gives you a little inspiration to get out your paper and  join me in these monthly sketchy challenges!

Let's Get Crafty!