Showing posts with label Love is in the Air. Show all posts

The Deconstructed Layout With Anita

Monday, March 24, 2014

Hi everyone, I hope spring has sprung where you are and you are having some 
fabulous weather!   
It's Anita here today to share a new technique with you. 


I love texture on my layouts,  but I don't like using several sheets of paper to get
the look I want.  So here is a way to to get the texture I like using
one piece of paper.

 I am using Lindy's Magicals and Mini Misters
for my project as well as some vintage sheet music. 
 Start by tearing the edges off the whole page, then mist lightly with water; you don't 
want to soak it completely because it is fragile! Scrunch it up so that it is a little
larger than the photo you are using, then use your heat gun to dry. 
Make sure that the surface says kinda flat, otherwise your photo will not sit level!
Mix a small amount of water and the Lindy's Magicals color of your choice in a Mini Mister
and shake well. 

Spray the mat; I sprayed mine pretty heavily because I wanted a lot of the mica
to show when it was dry. Use your heat gun again to dry.
(this is not the same mat I used on my layout, I decided this color was too dark)



 When the paper is misted, scrunched, then dried it becomes very stiff, so it will 
hold it's shape very well. It makes an amazing mat!

I hope you will give this a try- it is easy and a great way to give some dimension to your project!
I find my vintage books at second hand stores, book stores that take trade ins, and garage sales.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!


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The Joys of Journaling with Lori!

Tuesday, March 11, 2014



Hi!!  Lori here with another Telling Your Story Through Scrapbooking.  Today I am going to share with you some of the Joys of Journaling on your scrapbook pages.  I know what you are thinking - YUCK I do NOT like to journal!!!  Once upon a time I felt the very same way!!

I want to start by asking you why do we scrapbook?   Yes it is fun and relaxing, but we are also creating a memory book for our families.  All good books have pictures, but the most remembered stories also have words!!  The purpose of journaling in a scrapbook is so that someone else can pick up your scrapbook and learn about what was happening that day, who was present, where the were, etc.

There are a couple of different ways to include words (or the story) on our pages:  computer generated, handwriting, stickers, die cut words.  Many people do not like their handwriting.  Children always know their parent's handwriting:
 Please don't judge this part of my layout from several years ago!!!  My mom died when I was 20.  She was a leftie and had a very distinct handwriting that I tried to forge when I was in high school!!!  I don't have many things in her handwriting now, but she wrote "Lori 6 mos." on the back of this photo of me.  I photo copied it and included it under the photo.  I treasure this page so much because of this!!

So please write on your layouts as often as you can stand it!!!  And embrace your mistakes when writing!!!  It is authentic if you really scratched out a letter or word!!
My layout today is all about my in-home daycare.  I started my daycare in 1995 when my second son was born.  I could not find daycare for him and decided to start one myself.  I typed up a page of my story to tuck behind the photo.  I also wrote on a journal card I cut from Authentic "Enhancements" Paper that came in my Shades of Spring (March) kit.

I practiced writing on a scrap of paper so I could get the spacing correct.  You can also write very lightly in pencil first and then copy over with pen. 
Here is my journal card tucked behind the photo a bit.  I also initialed it in the lower corner.  After I took the picture I added the date.  Signing and dating makes it official!!! 
Here are the pieces of my layout - the photo, journaling card, my letter/story, my title and my paper.
I used the Picked Raspberry Distress Paint and African Jade Silks acrylic glaze to paint my paper - Flutterby by Mother Nature from the March kit....
and the chippies from the February kit. 
I added a pretty turquoise blue flower to my title! 

When I adhered the photo mat to my paper, I only put adhesive on three sides.  This created a side pocket.  You can see my letter sticking out the right side.  I wrote "the story" on the paper to draw attention to it.
I added a heart for a pop of pink!!  I just have to say that I take a ton of selfies now with my kids - isn't Keaton the cutest?!?  They love looking at pictures of themselves!
I tucked Bliss into the details of the paper so it did not compete with my title (back to Balance again).
If your story is fresh, like mine, journaling is super easy.  If you are scrapping photos from years ago it helps if you have some notes written down somewhere or a relative you can ask.

I recommend keeping a notebook with you at all times - especially if you have young children!!  If you can't write it down immediately, try to write something at the end of the day.  Even one or two words is enough.  I sometmes jot notes on post-it-notes and stick them to the back of the photos.

Write about yourself, your journey, the moment, your feelings or whatever is important to your story!!

For tips on spacing your letters, check out my friend Sandee's post HERE.  Sandee has a Video every Sunday on Frosted Designs and does miracles with Mixed Media on projects!!

I would love to see your journaling on your layouts!!!  You can post them in the Frosted Designs FaceBook page and tag me (Lori Johnson Apgar).

 photo Lori_zps2a01ac7d.jpg



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"Love Is…" Mini-Series Part 3!

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Hello again my crafty friends!!!  I hope you've had a wonderful month of "love" filled with tons of inspiration from our very talented Design Team here at Frosted Designs!!!! I cannot express how excited I am to be part of such a wonderful (and AMAZING!) team!!!

As promised, I am here today to share the last part of my "Love is..." project!!! If you missed one or some of the previous posts, don't worry!!!  I'll be sure to share it all with you today :-)

Earlier in the month, Channa hosted an amazing challenge called "Love is...".  The challenge was was to create something showing what love means to you, and use the following color combo:


Isn't it gorgeous?!?  Well I loved the challenge so much that I created several projects to showcase the colors, and what love means to me :-)

Here's a look back at the two previous projects:
First a card...

And my "hidden" pocket with a tag that quotes:
"Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own"
Robert Heinlein


Then an altered Altoid can with mini photo book:




And my last project?!?  Well I had to have something to put all this wonderfull-ness in... right?!? 
So I created an altered box using the same papers and embellies from before.  
Here's a look:



I had so much fun playing with these papers and colors!!!  I used a box about 6x6 in size so the papers were perfect!!!  
I started by coating my box with a thin layer of gesso, mixed with Lindy's Stamp Gand magicals in Cotton Candy Pink.  These pigment powder paints are fabulous for adding color to your medium, or even water!! After using mod-podge (matte) to layer on the paper, I got to work embellishing!
I started by using the heart stencil in the January kit and molding paste mixed with the same Magicals and Rock Candy distress glitter to create the design around the box.  I used some washi tape to cover half of the heart, and just used the other half, flipping it every other time.  I did this around the top of the lid and the bottom of the box as well.
Here's a close-up of the molding paste with the color and glitter:


After the design dried, I added various flowers from Kaisercraft, Prima, and others from my stash to the top of the box.  I misted some with LSG and Dylusions sprays to get my desired colors.  
I also made my own bling using liquid pearls, acetate, and a template and tucked it beneath one of the flower clusters.


I used other trim coated with LSG Cotton Candy Pink to wrap around the entire box lid.


I finished it with the sheer pink ribbon from the January kit and created a bow.  I adhered it to the front of the box, adding a small rhinestone flower to the center.


I hope you have enjoyed my little "mini-series"!!!!

Thanks so much for stopping in and have a LUCKY day :-)

Products used from Frosted Designs Store:





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