"Always be yourself..." Mixed media layout

Hi all,

Wanted to show you this layout that is being featured on the 

Canvas Corp Brands blog.

Please go the link above if you want to see the steps by step pictures!

The picture shows a 6 month old Connor dressed in a pirate hat. So naturally, I wanted to stick with the theme! When I think of pirates I think of gold, lush green trees, skulls, ships and so on.

The quote is by Johnny Depp.

"Always be yourself. Unless you can be a pirate. Then always be a pirate."

I hope Connor will be himself through life. Whatever that may be. As long as he's happy.

So, if you want to read more about the background and chipboard treatment, please click the above link. 

Comments and questions are always welcome!

Come find me on Facebook:Less is bore!

And Instagram: mandylessisbore

Happy scrapping! 

Mixed media canvas "Lights will guide us home" May Challenge 'Words & Paintery' blog

Hi all!

Remember me winning the March Words & Paintery challenge with my altered fan? 

Because of that I was asked as a feature for their May challenge! You can check out their post here.
You'll find a little more info on me there as well, in case you're interested.

Secretly I have been working on my canvas using their brand new color scheme. You are so welcome to join them, the challenge is open until June 15!

Check it out here:
Words & Paintery May challenge

Those jummy and fresh colors spoke to me immediately! The quote however, gave me some trouble. Until I came up with the perfect idea...

Last Summer we spent our holidays in England, again. My husband and I love England. Only this time we brought our son for the first time (and my dad too) to share our love for England with them! This was even Connors first holiday/vacation ever.

The picture I used was taken on the boat on our way back, from Dover to Calais. Obviously the lights that will guide us home are the lighthouses and other coastal lights. Which is why I used a lighthouse on my canvas as well.

For starters I glued a paper to a canvas. The paper is from 13 Arts and is called 'Faces of Spring/In your eyes'. 

Then I applied Tattered Angels Glimmerglam 'Tailfin' mixed with gesso through a compass stencil to emphasise the 'way home'. Once dry I added some more of the same Glimmerglam. 

Through the Tim Holtz swirls stencil I used Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint Opal Magic 'pinkblue' mixed with 13 Arts 'Magic Powder' to thicken it.

Through a damask stencil I used modeling paste blended with Tattered Angels glimmermist 'Pink Poodle'. Love the razor sharp voluminous result!

Once dry I sprayed a little more of the Tattered Angels 'Pink Poodle' glimmermist over the damask patterns and a little on the paper here and there.

Stamped some rope with knots with black ink on the page.

On the spot I had thought my picture, I glued some bandage/gauche with gel medium and added Finnabair 'Artstones' in different sizes. I covered most of it with white gesso, mimicking sea foam. 

Around the edges, in the corners and on the sides of the canvas I added Prima Crackle Paste, allowing it to dry overnight. Colored the crackle paste with some Lindy's Stampgang 'Mad Hatter Mint' and Tattered Angels Glimmerglam 'Tailfin'. Same goes for the gesso'ed parts on the bandage.

I'll explain some more underneath the pictures of the finished result.

Sprayed some glimmermist on the ribbon, crumpled it and let it dry. The big blue rose was handmade by my sweet friend Jetty.

 The blue berries and twigs are from 13 Arts. The little bottle was filled with 13 Arts 'glass filler beads small'.

The chipboard letters and word are covered with gesso, Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint Opal Magic 'pinkblue' and 'bluegold', some Tattered Angels Glimmerglam 'Tailfin' and 13 Arts 'glass filler beads small'.
The steering wheel roughly got the same treatment after receiving a layer of Prima 'crackle paste' first.
The space in between is filled up with Prima Finnabair Art Pebbles in different sizes, 13 Arts 'glass filler beads small', Prima 'Artstones' and some glass balls. All was colored with Tattered Angels Glimmerglam 'Tailfin' after the gel medium dried.

 

The chipboard lighthouse is Scrapiniec, the wings are plaster and the ornament is done with a new Prima IOD baroque mold and clay.

  Filled the lighthouse up with mod podge I blended in two tones, one gold and the other mint.

 The wings are coated with Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint Opal magic 'bluegold' and brushed of with a bit of pink.

The ornament got a layer of gesso and some small art stones, the A whole bunch of different shades because I just didn't like the result. I tried Prima Mica Powder Opal magic blue and green first. Then some of Prima's Opal Magic paints, some glimmermist, some gesso, you get the picture ;) 

Just paint and play until you like the result!

Sticking to the maritime theme and our journey on the boat, my canvas needed a little boat too of course. I thought it would be fun to have some little cherubs in the boat, whispering a little secret. The secret is that they're carrying with them one of the compasses letters: 'S' for South.

Filling up the space around the picture I added shells, bits of straws, flowers, leaves, branches, chipboard, charms, etc. I wrapped some beaded string with hearts through the embellished parts. When all was in place I painted it with Tattered Angels Glimmerglam 'Chandelier'.

That's it. I think. Took me quite some time to finish this one up because I kept missing and thus adding stuff ;)
Comments and questions are always very welcome!
Find me on Facebook too: Less is bore!
And Instagram: mandylessisbore

Happy scrapping!

Grandpa

Hiya!

I've got another layout to share. 

"Grandpa"

This precious picture of Connor being held by his grandfather (opa) begged for a cute layout. To keep things natural I chose the paper with the wood print. The text was already on it and it fit nicely. 

I started out by stenciling part of a big damask shape on the right side of the paper, using bright pink Inka Gold blended with modeling paste. Mixing it softened the shade so it would match the pink touches in the picture.

Later on I decided to add some blue with Inka Gold as well, because the pink wasn't visible enough.

Stamped some green flowery corners from Prima on the paper. 

 Layered the picture onto a piece of velvet blue damask patterned paper. Dressed up a chipboard bird in that same paper,  while coloring the leaves it sits on with green ink. Added flowers and metal leaves and embellishments. Colored a white plastic frame with Inka Gold. Added some felt leave trim and then went ahead until my composition was finished.

Hope you like it! Comments and questions are always welcome! 

Find me on Facebook too:

Less is bore

Instagram: mandylessisbore

HAPPY SCRAPPING! 

The most precious jewels you'll ever wear around your neck, are the arms of your children.

Hi there,

After having a great day over at my father in laws and his wife, this picture of Connor and me really showed our happiness! 

An instant inspiration to scrap with bright and sunny colours. I did the background myself. Once again I messed up the first attempt because the colours didn't do what they were supposed to do. Also, working neatly with stencils without having paint or gesso or modelling paste seeping through the cracks proves to be a challenge!

However, I am pleased with the outcome. The bright colours remind me of these happy, carefree days and the bits of sparkle here and there represent the precious 'jewels' around my neck. Because let's face it: there is nothing more precious in the world! :)

Take care!

Spring has finally sprung!

Hey all,

Yeah, I know I have been MIA for a while, but I'm still around, LOL. I wasn't in a scrap-mood at all lately, somehow. 

After watching "My So-Called Life", I have been losing myself into fanfic again. That GREAT show ended so abruptly and left me so thoroughly unsatisfied, I had to create my own ending. I am still not finished after writing like 11 episodes. Writing is so difficult, I had to re-write almost all of the stories. The sentence-structure was boring, and there were times I strayed from the characters too much. Ugh. But it's fun trying to think what Jordan Catalano (played by Jared Leto...) would do :P

Further more, it's march. March is the month when my mother's birthday used to be, and my dad's birthday still is. We've had a bachelorette-party and wedding from my (beautiful looking!) niece, and both were great and big fun, but I really missed having my mom around :(

Last Thursday (March 19) it has been 3 years ago already since she passed away. Time goes by fast, but my feelings have trouble keeping up with time.

I did make some Valentine's Day Cards, and I will show them to you. I made some for my DH, my dad, brother and some friends. Also, I made a card and little giftbox for my niece's wedding. It says "JA" on the card, which means "Yes", which ofcourse it the key-word on a wedding-day ;)

One tip: NEVER make stuff only a few hours before the wedding...My hands and nails were covered in BLACK maya mist...:S Not so smart, I guess.

I am beginning to get excited about scrapping again now Spring has finally sprung. We've had SO little sunshine lately and so much rain and dreariness, it was becoming really depressing. But now, I'm looking forward to the new things that are coming out, by Prima, and Maya Road for example. I NEED the new Rebellious Line by Prima, and the American Crafts Teen line is on my wishlist too. I guess you could say I'm in the mood for some scrap-shopping :) But first I have to clean up my desk, there's still clutter lying on it from my last 3 projects or so. Ugh!!! :S

But, I'm in the mood for more refreshing changes, like around the house. Yesterday we bought some wallpaper for the hallway, it's kinda creamy with a green damask print. And I washed all my windows, after a loooooong time. Washed my car too, so I feel good about being busy. Cleaned up the house and made hubby move the TV-cabinet. So, I'm gonna go and enjoy my clean house and mind in a short while.

Happy Scrapping! XOXO