Playing "Dress Up"

If you could buy any "dream product" from a favorite manufacturer, what would you choose?  Would it be too boring to suggest a pack of graph paper and a pack of ledger paper?

Well, last month I had the opportunity to buy some OA products on clearance, and I jumped at the chance to load up on graph and ledger papers.  I bought a 25-count pack of each (this graph paper and this ledger paper), and I hope to show you in this post that these products are anything but boring.

These papers make wonderful backgrounds--they match everything, and they can be "dressed up" as much as you like.  Below you'll find a layout I made for palette #136 from the Color Room.

Supplies: graph paper & alphabet stickers by October Afternoon; dove & lattice papers by Lawn  Fawn; kraft notebook paper by Cachet; damask paper by Basic Grey; all other papers by Echo Park; penguin & snowflake stickers by Reminisce; doily & butterfly stickers by Cosmo Cricket; envelope by DMD; bow, ribbon roses, & curling ribbon by Berwick-Offray; metallic paint by Deco Art; pearlescent paints by Ranger; sewing thread by Singer; embroidery floss by DMC; buttons upcycled from old clothing.

Title/journaling: "The best gift under the tree is the gift of FAMILY."

I used lots of layering, doily images, and giftwrapping ribbon.

About all that ribbon...I know what you're thinking.  Once I put this layout in an album, all the ribbons will get smooshed.  I think, though, that the smooshed ribbons will have their own kind of charm...the same way that pressed flowers have charm, you know.

And the pièce de résistance is this Christmas tree.  I created it using all my favorite techniques of the moment.  I made the body of the tree via string printing, then added brush stroke branches for definition.  I added more string printing to create the feeling of garlands on the tree, then I made ornaments using the ghost stamping technique.  Buttons and ribbons roses further decorate the tree.

Graph and ledger papers need not be used solely as backgrounds.  Because of their lined surfaces, they are easy to make into customized journaling spots.  That's what I did for the layout below, which is called "Thru His Lens."

Supplies: ledger paper, die cuts, stickers, & badge by October Afternoon; dotted, striped & circle-patterned papers by American Crafts; dove paper by Lawn Fawn; doily paper by Studio Calico; red "cross stitch" paper by Magnolia; pearlescent paint & white pen by Ranger; red & green pens by Zig; embroidery floss by DMC; buttons by Blumenthal Lansing.

Journaling: "It may be out of focus, it may be blurry, but this photo is a treasure to us, because it was taken by our sweet son.  Christmas Eve."

These days I just cannot finish a project without adding some Liquid Pearls.  Here, I used Liquid Pearls to create a "flash" on the camera badge.

So, do you agree with me that ledger and graph papers are anything but boring?  I had a lot of fun "dressing up" my papers with these layouts, and I hope you've enjoyed looking at my creations.  Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Ghost Flowers

It's a ghostly time of year in many cultures, with Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, and All Souls Day occurring within the last few days.  But don't worry, there is nothing frightening about this layout, even though it does include "ghost flowers."  :)

Supplies: woodgrain frame paper by Fancy Pants; birdcage paper by Lily Bee Design; pink paper by Authentique; tag by My Mind's Eye; alphabet stickers by Lawn Fawn; foam stickers by Darice; ink by Stewart Superior; Distress Stain and Liquid Pearls paint by Ranger; household sandpaper.

The title of the page is "Love & Patience," and the photo is from my husband's childhood.  He is holding his grandmother's cat.  Scott is demonstrating the "love" part of the title, while the cat is demonstrating the "patience" part of the title.  :)

I'm entering this layout in the November Berry71Bleu challenge, where the theme is "Forget about moderation and go crazy."  So, how did I go crazy?  Several ways:

1. I cut the big heart freehand, instead of using a template.  I also used Distress Stain freehand to create the lattice pattern on the heart.
2. I combined many techniques, including sanding, staining, and inking.
3. While the paper was still damp from the ink and stain, I rubbed some white foam flowers over it.  The flowers picked up some black and purple from the ink and stain, and some teal from the wet paper.  I used these grunged-up flower stickers as embellishments.
4. I used a smaller foam flower sticker as a stamp to add lots of "ghost flowers" to the layout.  I achieved this "ghostly" look by coating the foam flower with Liquid Pearls paint in "white opal," wiping away excess paint, and then stamping repeatedly.

This was a fun layout to create, and I will definitely use these techniques, especially that of the "ghost flowers," again in the future...not just during "ghostly" times of the year.  :)