The Golden Gate Bridge

I took this photo on a quick trip to San Francisco, CA with my dad to pick up his uncle at the airport when I was just 15. We were visiting my late Uncle Bob at the time who lived right outside of the city. This photo worked out perfectly for C.S.I.'s Case File #33!

Here's a look at it!

This is how I used the evidence:

*liquid medium-I used paint and glimmer mists.

*wood/woodgrain-The red and grey frames

*sand-like stuff-I embossed a sand like pattern onto the misted paper, and used actual sand inside the red frame.

*something shiny-I cut and embossed the silver anchor inside the frame.

*white background-My misted paper started out white.

*metal-The anchor

*create shadows-I used black soot distress ink and my blending tool around the frames, and to mask the compass.

*transparent-I used a clear plastic, which I stitched around the edges, to make a pouch for the sand and shells inside the red frame.
*triangles-I angled the red frame like a triangle.
*nautical elements-I cut the sailboat, ship wheel, and anchor with my Cricut (life's a beach cartridge).

This is how I used the testimony:
*document a landmark you've seen
*journaling strips
*I used the inspiration word light.

Thanks for looking!

Wild Fire Flower Tutorial

I finally got a chance to play at Once Upon A Sketch for the first time! Even though I love their sketches, and even have some saved, I never actually played until now. We had to journal about a season, so of course, I picked fall, my absolute favorite!

I started by making my background paper with Glimmer Mists. I made the fence using my Cricut (Songbird cartridge). It came with a bird on top, which I cut off along with all the vertical pieces. I then cut 2 strips of brown paper for the horizontal  backing of the fence. I added a strand of beads, and masked the pumpkin along the left side. I also made the tree with my Cricut (October 31st cartridge), and the leaves and flowers were made using the (Mother's Day Bouquet cartridge). Here's the beautiful sketch I had to work with!

Here's a closer look at my tree.

I have hidden journaling on a tag behind the smaller flower.

I'm also entering this into the August Monochrome challenge at Scrapbook.com to use Wild Fire Orange, which was my inspiration for these flowers. They remind me of flames. Here's a close-up.

Supplies:
White cardstock, Cricut (Mother's Day Bouquet cartridge), distress inks, blending tool, glue, and water.

Directions:
Cut your flowers out of white cardstock using your Mother's Day Bouquet cartridge. I used flower #32 and cut 2 each at 2 1/2", 2", 1 1/2", and 1".

Now use your blending tool and distress inks starting with mustard seed, since its the lightest color. Then randomly add some spiced marmalade, ripe persimmon, and fired brick.

Spray with water and crumble them up from the center. Carefully open them and let dry or use a heat gun.

Now layer and glue your flower starting with the largest ones on bottom. Thanks so much for stopping by and all your sweet comments!

A very merry unbirthday to me

Not only is it my unbirthday today, but it's also my 11th wedding anniversary to my husband! Before celebrating I wanted to share my latest page I created for C.S.I Case File # 31. Here's an old, old, photo of me at Disneyland riding the teacups.

I had so much fun with this case file, and just couldn't resist these bright colors!

This is how I used the evidence:

*liquid medium-I used glimmer mists on the doilies, distress ink and water on the teal paper, and paint, alcohol inks, and Glossy Accents on the teacups.

*repetition-I used repeating circles, flowers, lanterns, and teacups.

*Furniture accents-the lanterns and teapot.

*Circles-I based this whole design on circles which I stitched with my sewing machine. 

*Solid background-I used black and white

*parallel lines-I stitched lines on my lanterns to mimic pleats.

testimony:

*add something to the top of your journaling spot-I used the Cheshire cat on a branch. 

*Inspiration words-I used color and bright. Here's a closer look. 

And a closer look at the lantern.

Thanks for looking!Enjoy your weekend!

Clock Tower Flower Tutorial

I found these awesome photos of the Munich Glockenspiel that my late Uncle Bob took while serving in the army many years ago. They worked great for the August Monochrome Challenge at Scrapbook.com to use Cloudless Sky.

I started off with this beautiful sketch by Maggi at Flying Unicorn.

Then I took out my Gesso, brick stencil, masks, inks, stamps, embossing powders, paints. thread, and needle, to come up with this. I was inspired by seeing clock hands on someone else's flowers awhile ago, but can't credit them because I can't remember who or what blog I was visiting at the time. I tucked it away for later, and came up with these flowers.

Supplies:

White Cardstock

Cricut (Mother's Day Bouquet cartridge)

Glue

Clock hand stamps

Embossing Powder

Bling for the center

Distress Inks (Weathered wood, Stormy Sky, and Pumice Stone)

Directions:

Using your Cricut (Mother's Day Bouquet cartridge) cut flower #10 out of white cardstock at 1", 1 1/2", 2", and 2 1/2".

Use your blending tool to color your flowers using stormy sky, weathered wood, and pumice stone.

Using a spray bottle full of water, mist your flowers and scrunch them up from the center. 

Open them, respray, and scrunch. While your flower is still damp, lightly go over it with your pumice stone ink pad.

To make the clock hands I used this stamp that I bought at Michaels, but I know there's lots of different clock stamps out there. I just embossed it to give it more strength, before cutting it out. 

Now just layer and glue your flower starting with the largest flower on the bottom. Glue your clock hands on and then add a bling in the middle.

I made these in grey too, just using pumice stone and black soot. Here's a close-up of the masking, stamping, and bricks. 

Beachy Green Flower Tutorial and PMB August Reveal

I'm back with another flower tutorial to accompany my LO for the August recipe at the Paper Mixing Bowl! The flower was one of my number one sellers when I used to have my Etsy shop a few years ago. I actually have a box full of so many different colored ones, but not in this shade of green. It even looks good without ink, using plain old white cardstock, and a spray of  Pearl Glimmer Mist for some shimmer.
But first here's a look at my page.

I used these photos of my husband and I at Fisherman's Wharf  in Monterey, CA, taken by our son. They were perfect for a beachy, lime margarita page. Lol! Here's the recipe.

I used all of the utensils:
*Sanding-I started with a green piece of Core'dinations cardstock, which was literally made for sanding.  Then I used a piece of netting that I found on a walk to mask it with ink, before I started sanding.
*Cheesecloth-I dyed mine with some distress reinkers to give it a more worn look.
*Shells-I scattered them throughout the page. I also cut out the star fish with my Cricut (Life's a beach) and applied gesso, ink, and paint to them.
*Postcard/postmark-I found the postcard image on line and printed it to place under my title.
*Something transparent-I used a postage stamp punch on some light green vellum to make part of the title, which is stamped and embossed.
*Torn paper-Don't I always have torn paper?

From the directions I journaled about a day at the beach, and used the inspirational word vacation.

I had a blast making this page, and the best part was no hangover! Now onto the flowers.

Supplies:
white cardstock
Cricut (Storybook cartridge)
glue
Distress inks (frayed burlap, peeled paint, and forest moss)
blending tool
pearl

Directions:
Using your Cricut with the Storybook cartridge, cut your flowers out of white cardstock using the poppy flower, which is the letter A in shift. For the largest flower I cut one at 3", 2 1/2", 2", 1 1/2", 1 1/4", and 1".

Now crumble them making a point in the center of your flowers.

Open them up and they should look similar to this.

Time to get your hands dirty with some ink. Using your blending tool, color your flowers with peeled paint, frayed burlap, and forest moss.

Use the ink pad to lightly apply forest moss to all your flowers, going over all the lines you created when crumbling.

Now for the fun part! This never gets old for me. Spray your flowers with water and watch how the water reacts with the inks. Recrumble and dry them with your heat gun, so they look like this.

Now just layer and glue your flower, starting with the largest flower on bottom. Finish if off with a pearl. It even looks good without.