Dreams Fulfilled

The following is a layout that I created using my Scraps Of Darkness December Kit- Winter's Eve, and it features some photos of Sue Feher's little granddaughter Shia. As soon as I saw the large photo in Sue's gallery, my exact words were "Sue if you don't scrap this photo, I will-lol! So picture perfect and such a wonderful memory for her!". Sue then contacted me and told me that she would love for me to scrap the photo, and in fact after my offer, she received a few other offers to scrap the photo, and had decided to turn it into a fun contest for all the ladies out there who were dying to scoop that photo up. Well, I managed to get the layout done last week, but because I have been spending lots of time with my family, I am just now getting it on. I hope you love the layout Sue and Shia!! No matter who comes out on top in this contest, we are all winners, because we got the opportunity to scrap such a sweet and magical photo. Thank you Sue for sharing this photo with me, and all the other gals!!

 

I am including some close up photos of the details, but please forgive me for not going into a lot of detail about what I did. My DH is off from work this week, so we are spending some much needed, family time together this week. I know all you other busy women out there can understand that!! Thanks for the visit and I hope everyone has a very Happy New Year!!! Hugs ~Renea

Scraps Of Darkness Is Being Featured At Bo Bunny!!!

I am excited to announce that the Scraps Of Darkness Design Team is being featured this month on the Bo Bunny Blog!! You can check all the layouts and the feature at http://bobunny.blogspot.com/2011/12/check-out-scraps-of-darkness.html

All of my Dark Sisters did an phenomenal job with this kit and Melinda did a nothing less than fabulous job of putting it together!! Way to go Scraps Of Darkness!!

Create Your Own Destiny Twisted Sketches Sketch #132 Twist Glitter

Time for another fabulous sketch reveal over at TwistedSketches, and as soon as I saw this sketch # 132, I knew I wanted to scrap a photo of my DS that one of his friends took. I love the off center, focus on him and just that look he has going on. I started the layout, then realized that the Twist was glitter-lol! I thought, oh crap, how am I going to put glitter on a very masculine layout??! I went to my glitter box, and there it was the perfect glitter gold with tiny stars mixed in, so it worked out after all!!

Here is my take on the sketch, using my Scraps Of Darkness, November Kit-Purple Haze:

I really wanted to focus on the photo with this layout, so I kept it fairly simple for me. I started with a piece of Glitz pp from November's Kit and then took a 2nd piece of pp from the kit and distressed it really deep then took some chipboard stars and used them to mask the outer corners and inked the edges. I took a 3rd piece of pp and cut it to a rectangle, distressed and inked the edges. Took a 4th piece of pp and cut it to the rectangle mat to over frame the photo, distressed and stained the edges then attached it with foam tape for dimension and positioned the photo inside with foam tape.

I set eyelets into the pp and into the photo and then zig zag laced ball chain through it.

 

Next I took some Tim Holtz Chipboard and Corrugated gears from my Etsy Shop , covered the chipboard gears with some of the pp from November's paper add on and inked the edges. Took the corrugated gears and inked them, then puff painted them for lots of texture. I then attached them in the upper left hand and bottom right hand corners of the frame piece.

Next, I took some Dusty Attic Chain Link and coated it with Shimmerinz Metal Paint from a previous month's color add on, using it like embossing powder, and attached the pieces next to the gears at the top and bottom of the frame.

I then took the Quick Quote Journaling from the kit cut the words Create You Own, inked and added them in, and then, here comes the tricky part-I took the Kaisercraft Chipboard letters from the kit and covered them with the glitter that had the little stars in it and attached DESTINY. Adding yes, glittered letters to my masculine layout-lol!! Too complete the layout, I took some more small chipboard gears, covered them with pp and tucked them under the deeply distressed areas of the 2nd layer of pp.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you can come play along with the sketch! I had a fabulous time creating this layout of my son with it. I love that Anam throws in that Twist! It always makes for a fun challenge!! ~Renea

SCRAPS OF DARKNESS REVEALS IT'S DECEMBER KIT-WINTER'S EVE

Scraps of Darkness just revealed it's December Kit today. It is called Winter's Eve. Winter is my favorite season, and this kit may just have become my favorite kit of all time! Melinda has packed it full of so much gorgeous stuff! I just wish I had more time to scrap. Crazy life, what does it mean getting in between me and the stunning possibilities this kit has to offer??!!

Charlotte (aka Sue Pup) creates some of the most amazing sketches out there in the scrap world, and we at Scraps Of Darkness are lucky enough to have her design our sketches for the kit. The following is this month's sketch:

 

And the following is my take on that sketch, titled Enchanted:

I took this photo one year after it snowed, and loved how it turned out. I love cherubs and this is one that used to hang in my garden covered in new fallen snow. As I stated above, Winter is my favorite season of the year. I love the peace it brings as it puts the Earth to sleep, like a butterfly asleep in it's cocoon awaiting spring's awakening. I especially love the snow. To me it feels like magic, thus the title Enchanted.

I started with a piece of the Bo Bunny pp and then cut a second piece distressing and inking the edges. next I cut the thin, open circle from black card stock and distressed it's edges. I created the layer behind the photo from this month's card stock add on, distressing and inking the edges, then popped my photo onto the top. 

 

I then took a piece of stash trim and ran it across the bottom half of the layout. Fussy cut out the title from some of the kit pp.

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I took flowers from the kit,  the Romance Add On and the Flora & Fauna add on and started building my flower layer, tearing apart one of the prima vines and tucking it into random places in the flowers. I took some mini roses and inked them to match my layout and then popped them on. I then cut out some snowflakes with my Sizzix, inked them, then popped on some of the kit snowflakes and pearl centers, and added them into the flowers.

I took a piece of the Bo Bunny Chipboard from the kit and adhered it to the photo corner and then inked another mini rose and popped it on the center. I created some more of the snowflake pieces and randomly placed them on my circle.

 

I rolled down the corner of my 2nd layer pp and decorated it with some more inked mini roses and then attached one of the pearl centers from the kit onto a Bo Bunny Trinket from the Romance A.O. and adhered it to the fold over. To top it all off I took some Lavender Ice Butterflies from my Etsy Shop and randomly placed them onto the layout.

I love the way this layout turned out! I think it captured a little bit of that Winter feel that I love so much. Thank you for stopping by for reveal day. As always I appreciate that you take the time to visit me. Winter Hugs ~Renea

Always-Scraps Of Darkness

The following layout was created for reveal day with the super gorgeous, Scraps of Darkness December Kit-Winter's Eve. It features a very touching photo of my husband's, like a brother, cousin Johnny and his daughter Ashley on her wedding day. I loved this photo as soon as I saw it. Something about it just tugs at my heartstrings. I think it is because it captures that special bond between a parent and child. When I received this kit, I knew that it would be perfect for this photo, and I actually did it on canvas, so that I can give it to him for Christmas. The journaling on the Bo Bunny Chippie was perfect, it reads, "I loved you yesterday, I love you still, I always have, and I always will."  I thought those were perfect words for how we as parents feel about our children, and I know that Johnny can definitely relate.

I chose this color scheme because I thought the black captured the elegance of a wedding day, and the pink captures the sweetness of the moment in the photo. I started with a piece of canvas that I gesso'ed. I then took a Prima stencil, and gel medium and did some of that girlie grunge stenciling that I love. I then misted it with the stencil still on with some of the Lindy's mist from this month's color add on that matched the punched pp perfectly (Melinda is so amazing at putting things that coordinate beautifully together into our kits).  Next I took a piece of kit pp and distressed it very heavily with my Zutter, actually gouging the paper in places so that it would peek a boo reveal the stenciling. I then punched a piece of the kit pp, placed the black doily from the Romance A.O. onto it and then placed the photo on top.

I then ran the large Bo Bunny Chipboard piece down the side and began building a flower cluster by first taking a stash Prima flourish laying it into place then I took a Prima Vine from the Flora & Fauna A.O. and let it hang to the bottom of the photo. I took the stunning Prima flower from the same add on and placed it at the photo's corner then popped on some smaller Prima flowers from the Romance A.O. I then took my perfectly coordinated,  Craftysprinkle's pin and tucked it behind the large flower.

I then took some of the Glitz Trim from the Romance A.O. and threaded it through one of the Bo Bunny Trinkets from the same add on and ran it down the side of the pp, over the glitter design.

I then popped on a set of Always Butterflies from my Etsy Shop. and my layout was complete.

This kit came just in time to give me the perfect papers and embellishments to create something special for a Christmas gift. Awesome timing! I just love when things work out that way! Don't you??

Thanks for the visit! ~Renea

16 **Scraps Of Darkness December Kit-Winter's Eve**

This month's Scraps Of Darkness Kit-Winter's Eve had all these amazing black and white papers and embellishments and I just couldn't resist creating a totally black and white layout with them. This layout features a photo of my son that one of his friends snapped out in the parking lot at his school. I immediately loved it, of course I did, it featured one of my favorite subjects-Draven. The black and white pps offered up the perfect opportunity to get super masculine and scrap this photo.

 

 I started with a white piece of card stock. I then cut my 2nd piece and distressed the edges and adhered it so that I could set the placement of my stenciling. I then used a Crafter's Workshop Template, gel medium and black paint to create my raised surface stenciling. I really love this technique. Misting just doesn't give me the texture, and dimension that gel medium gives me, so I prefer doing it this way.

 

 I then took multiple layers of card stock from the add on and pps from the kit and cut them to nest into one another, distressed and inked the edges and then layered them with foam tape for dimension. I then took brads and some stash Tim Holtz spinners, and set them into my photo.

I created a clock face using a die and my Sizzix and then embossed it with Shimmers Molten Metal paint from a previous month's C.A.O. I tucked it into the layers behind the photo.

I took a stash metal clock and attached a Tim Holtz metal charm with the word time on it with wire that I curled the ends on, and tucked it into the layers.

I took some Vintaj gears, some blank Vintaj keys that I embossed one of with the Molten Metal and the other with the embossing folder from last month's metal add on. I then took wire and attached the keys and gears together and then to the bottom corner of the photo.

I took some Dusty Attic bricks, coated them with Pewter crackle paint then painted the mortar using Smooch Paint. I took an Ornate piece of the  Bo Bunny Chipboard from this months kit, tucked it into the pp layers and then adhered a stash Tim Holtz metal clock with foam tape. I created another gear with some Sizzix cut chipboard and more of that Molten Metal paint, and then attached the number 16 (my son's age), and popped it onto the layout. I took a LaBlanche stamp from the October kit, Stayz On Ink and stamped on to transparency film, then fussy cut the image out and attached it with foam tape.

I love masculine work! Something about having to come up with something that doesn't include flowers and butterflies to fill all that space that just stretches my imagination and takes me to the outer corners of my mind, plus I love all the inks, paints and getting my hands dirty. I encourage you to give it a go, but be warned it is addictive!  I would give you a big internet hug, but I might leave a handprint! ~Renea

Altered Christmas Box Created With The Scraps Of Darkness December Kit And Featuring a tag from Berry Bleu Pages And Tags

The following is an Altered Christmas Box that I created using my Scraps Of Darkness December Kit-Winter's Eve, and a beautiful, Berry Bleu Tag. The box is actually a box that some Christmas cards came in that I decided to recycle.

First, I gesso'ed the whole box, then inked it with silver ink. I then took some kit paper and cut it to the size of the box top. I took a second piece of paper, cut it to the same size, then cut the middle out of it, and distressed and inked the edges, then attached it with foam tape for dimension. I then tore a big piece of corrugated board, gesso'ed it, covered it with some Shimmerz paint to sugar it up, inked it with silver and lavender ink,

 
then popped on one of those beautiful Berry Bleu Tags. I fussy cut some of the little birds out of the kit paper and Stickled them up, then tucked them in at the top and bottom of the corrugated board and added a feather for softness and to match the one behind the rose at the top of the tag.

I took some Dusty Attic Garden Gate Flourishes, and embossed them with some Shimmers Molten Metal Paint from a previous month's C.A.O. and then popped on some ZVA bling from last month's kit.

I took some of the Prima flowers from the Flora & Fauna add on and popped them at the top and bottom opposite corners. I then used some of the little snowflakes from the kit that I added some stash brads to, and added them into the flower mix and on the sides. I took 2 tiny, pewter keys from my stash and added those on for a sweet detail.

I painted the part of the lid that overlapped the bottom with Pewter Crackle paint then inked it with Lavender ink for texture. I took corrugated pieces of board and gave it the same treatment as the piece behind the tag and attached them wrapping them around the sides. I then took a stash Tim Holtz Button and attached it for my faux knob.

I love taking something that would normally just get thrown away and turning it into something beautiful and functional. I do believe this will be getting filled with some goodies, and then given to my friend and neighbor Michelle, or maybe not, it's according to if I can stand to part with it or not! Someone come pry this out of my greedy hands-lol! I hope you get a chance to create something beautiful this holiday season. Big Hugs ~Renea

Believe- Berry Bleu Pages And Tags December 1st Reveal

It is time for the December reveal over at Berry Bleu Pages And Tags and Michelle from the DT is hosting the December Challenge. The challenge is to use the sketch that she provided:

and to use a tag in the layout. I used one of the stunning Christmas Tags from Berry Bleu. If you would like to check out all of Marivic's tags for yourself you can do so at: http://www.berry71bleu.com/apps/etsystore/

I decided to create a Christmas layout to go with my Christmas themed tag. This layout features a photo of my DS, Draven when he was around 5 1/2 years old. I just love the magic of Christmas, and all of the traditions surrounding it. It is my favorite time of the year with my family, and this particular year, David, my husband had met a man who plays Santa Claus, and was just adamant that we were going to have this guy come play Santa to our son and 2 of his friends for Christmas. Santa contacted me and I described the kids to him, with their names, and a couple of things that each of them had asked for. Well, he arrived and as you can see, he looks just like you would expect Santa Claus to look. His wife hand made his suit, a friend carved his cane and yes, his beard is real. He was amazing, he called the kids by their names, knew what they wanted for Christmas, and even had a driver's license with his name on it-Santa Claus. I am telling you by the time he left there, even us grown ups were convinced that he was the real thing. That event made for the most magical Christmas I had ever experienced, and was one of the best things we ever did while our son was that sweet, innocent age. I will never forget it, and wanted to share a little piece of it with you.

I created this layout using a Bo Bunny Kit called Holy Joly Christmas, along with some handmade, and stash pieces. I flipped the sketch upside down, and the base layer is a distressed and stained piece of Tim Holtz pp. I then took some of the BB pp and punched it to make the bottom strip and then used 2 different pps from that paper line, inked and distressed the edges and layered them on.

I then added the photo of my ecstatic son on Santa's lap on top of one layer with foam tape and then layered in my stunning, Berry Bleu tag with foam tape onto the other pp layer.  I just loved the old fashioned look of the tag and it matched my subject matter perfectly. 

 

Next, I fussy cut the ornament piece out of one of the papers, painted the ornaments using glitter paints, took a piece of seam binding and hand died it to match the color of the seam binding on the tag, tied a bow and added it to the top. I cut out holly leaves and berries with my Sizzix, painted the leaves with multiple colors to match the pps, and then glittered up the holly berries and glued them all down. I then took foam tape and layered it on to attach the whole piece and add lots of dimension.

 

Next, I painted a chipboard flourish, using the same multi color, and layering technique that I used on the leaves, cut out 2 snowflakes with my Sizzix, glittered one white, and one red, layered them on top of each other and added some Prima bling to the center and to the flourish. I took a coordinating tag from the kit, and added a Kaisercraft rub on, then tied on a Tim Holtz metal charm with my title "Believe" with some of the hand died seam binding. 

I cut a flourish with my Sizzix and misted it with some TA mists then added some more of the chipboard holly and berry pieces and attathed it over the tag. I then took a chipboard piece from the BB kit and using the KaiserCraft Rub Ons added the sentiment:

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold everything is softer and more beautiful.   Norman Vincent Poole

I hope you take the time to enjoy some of Christmas's magical moments. Me and my family have created some that I never will forget-so precious. I wish you a wonderful Holiday season filled with magic, laughter and love! ~Renea

Jack -Twisted Sketch #130 Twist Flower

  Time for another sketch with a twist from Twisted Sketches! The following is my layout for Sketch #130 with the Twist Flower. I created this layout with my uber gorgeous Scraps Of Darkness November Kit-Purple Haze. It features a photo of our little Jack Russel Terrier appropriately named Jack-lol! His full name is Jumpin' Jack Flash and he is just as wild as that name!  Jack loves the fall season! He lives for his daily walk and hike around the lake and through the woods at our home. He loves to run through the leaves as fast as he can, swooshing through and delighting in the sound that the leaves make under him. He also loves to chase anything that moves, and fall is when the squirrels and chipmunks are out in full force so he is in heaven racing around after them through the leaves. I just love watching him! With his love for fall, I just had to scrap him with a fall color scheme, plus I love the way the leaves look in the photos that I shot of him.

I started with a piece of card stock from this month's add on and then took a piece of the Bo Bunny Kit pp and deeply distressed, and stained the edges, rolling some of the edges to get dimension. I then set the placement of my photos, and took a Crafter's Workshop Chicken Wire Template, and using gel medium, Tattered Angel Glam, and a heat gun created the textured, stenciled areas on the pp.

I set eyelets in the corners of the photos and then adhered them with foam tape. I braided some hemp rope together and ran it along the corners of the photos. I then used some Heartfelt Creations Stamps to create the Sunflowers, inking and scrunching them for dimension and filling in the centers with hand tinted glitter glass. I took some chipboard pieces from a past kit and sprayed them with TA mist and then layered in some of the Prima leaves from last month's kit.

I used some stash Chipboard letters that I sprayed with different colors of TA mists and then smooched the edges with the Pumpkin Smooch from a previous kit color add on to create my large title of Jack's name.

I then took one of the Bo Bunny Noteworthy pieces from this month kit and added a stash Tim Holtz spinner and then took some Vintaj blanks, and embossed them with the embossing folders from the Metal Add On. I then sanded the images with the Vintaj block from the add on and painted the images with alcohol inks and took 2 Vintaj leaves from my stash, cut them down and adhered them to the pieces. I attached some of the jump rings from the Add On and set the brad through them and then into the spinner and the die cut. For the final touch, I took burlap pieces and placed them randomly around the outer edge of the distressed layer where I had curled the edges, and then popped some Teresa Collins brads from the September Kit into the corners.

Jack is such a wonderful companion. He has so much energy, is so smart and just the perfect buddy for my active lifestyle. He adds so much enjoyment to my life, as well as a little craziness as well! He definitely keeps life interesting! ~Renea