Project 50 - Week 6 - Down-Low on Deco

Project 50 – Week 6

Concept: Down-Low on Deco

This week Theresa was kind enough to create five Deco books that shall soon be traveling all over the world!  I was able to snap a few shots before they jumped into the envelopes for their upcoming adventures.  The Deco’s range in themes, including: witches, tourism, “Tree of Life”, and more!  Some of them will be starting with short trip inside the US, including Oklahoma and New Jersey, while others are going International starting in Germany and Jordan! 

Both Theresa and I are already anxious to see all the places these Deco’s are going to be traveling (and a dash jealous too!).  It’s like putting a message in a bottle and just waiting by the beach waiting for the reply (and hoping a whale didn’t eat it) and imagining the trek it’s having. 

Enjoy!

 

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Photo 365 - Day 360 (Inking)

Day 360 (June 28th, 2011)
Title: Inking

I figure I had to get at least one more "scrapbook" related photo in here!  Theresa inking a card!

Enjoy!

Photo 365 - Day 303 (P's and Q's)

Day 303 (May 2nd, 2011)
Title: P's and Q's

Scrapbooking stuff again!  Don't forget to mind your P's and Q's! 

Subject: Alphabet letter stamps. 

Enjoy!

Photo 365 - Day 301 (Dnah Edam)

Day 301 (April 30th, 2011)
Title: Dnah Edam

Mixing it up with some scrappy photos with my geodesic photos!  Yeah, I'm that wild and crazy. 

Subject: The "Hand Made" stamp that Theresa uses on the back of her paper-art projects (cards, layouts, and the like).

100mm Macro Lens action!

Enjoy!

Photo 365 - Day 266 (Hole Piston)

Day 266 (March 26th, 2011)
Title: Hole Piston

In catch-up mode, so no story today.

Subject: Hole Punch, Punching Head/Piston and Spring

Techie: 100mm Macro lens (f/2.8 at 1/60th - using flash)

Enjoy!

Photo 365 - Day 224 (Film Can)

Day 224 (February 12th, 2011)
Title: Film Can

We have a lot of scrapbooking stuff.  Some of the stuff I've never seen before.  Such as this nifty little can of film.  I was just sitting, browsing through boxes of scrapbooking stuff, while general chatting was going on and lo and behold - A nifty thing!  This is a tiny little can of film (ala 8mm movie film) that I am guessing is used for 12x12 layouts or cards, but to me it was a photo just waiting to happen!  I tried a few different angles to get a good shot, but I finally settled on this one because it reminds me of an old Hollywood shot of film in a canister.  I even added a nice grain effect via post production to make it look even older. 

Enjoy!

Photo 365 - Day 223 (Green Grommet)

Day 223 (February 11th, 2011)
Title: Green Grommet

Return of the Grommet!  This is a close-up of a condolences card that Theresa recently made for a co-worker.  (For a full-sized view of the card, please see the galleries page on the anttree.org website).  This is one of those cards, while it looks cool and is well designed, I just wish we didn't have to give it out. 

Enjoy

Photo 365 - Day 222 (Pink Button)

Day 222 (February 10th, 2011)
Title: Pink Button


This is another photo of a "scrap" flower that our friend made which just sitting around chatting.  She took some scraps of ribbon, some random buttons and pink thread and added a bit of 'ninja-esq' powers - bang!  Cool pink/punk button-flowers!  I am still surprised when I see people just make things out of just random bits and pieces.  I never would have thought to do some of these things that I see when I watching folks scrap.  Cards, books, flowers, you name it - they can 'see' it in those things that to me, are just paper, buttons, and string. 


Enjoy

Photo 365 - Day 221 (Purple Yarn)

Day 221 (February 9th, 2011)
Title: Purple Yarn

Continuing with yesterday's shot of the yarn flowers that our friend made for us, today's shot is actually identifiable as both yarn and a flower!  This particular flower was about 1 to 1.5 inches wide and was very tightly woven (some of the other ones were a bit looser, giving the center a nifty hole and adding a bit of a pattern to the "petals"). 

Enjoy!

Photo 365 - Day 220 (Yarn Tunnel)

Day 220 (February 8th, 2011)
Title: Yarn Tunnel

A friend of ours came over last week and while we were all sitting around chatting, she decided that she needed to scrap (that happens a lot when folks come over to our house - its basically a scrapbook store, but with more alcohol and better snacks).  She decided to just make some cool flowers out of yarn and scrap fabric.  I was thoroughly impressed, because a) they looked really neat and b) I end up in the emergency room requiring 230 stitches and needing 6 quarts of blood after just trying to thread the needle. 

I've taken a few shots of the flowers, and this one is the first.  Of course, being that I'm taking these pictures, the first one has to be an abstract that looks nothing like a flower, nor anything else really.  I called it "Yarn Tunnel", because when I saw it, I joked:  "Hey, this is the 'Tunnel of Light' that scrappers see when they die!"

And as it says in the Book of Tim (Holtz, that is), Psalm 11:24, "And lo, when thy scrap has end, thou shall see a great scrapping light, and a tunnel of perfectly spun yarn, and thou shalt KNOW thy is in a good place.  A place of everlasting glue-pens and correctly shaped punches." 

Enjoy!

Photo 365 - Day 207 (Sparkle)

Day 207 (January 26th, 2011)
Title: Sparkle

Secrets of Scrapbooking: Sparkle!

The most dangerous of all embellishments - Sparkle!  Of course, by "dangerous", I mean is the one embellishment that you need to be careful of using, because overusing it can take away from the overall idea of your project instead of enhancing it.  A sparkle element can be used in just about any aspect of a project (you can add sparkle via ribbon, embellishments, glitter, gel inks with glitter, embossing powders, and so much more), but the real "trick" is to use just enough sparkle to enhance the theme of your project, and not look like a disco-ball (unless, of course, your theme is 'Disco Ball'). 

Sparkle elements remind me of a product they used to sell years ago called the "BeDazzler" - it was basically a stapler for rhinestones.  You could attached rhinestones to just about anything; fabric, shirts, pants, the wall, the cat, anything.  In the commercial for the BeDazzler, you would see these kids using it to add approximately 2.8 trillion rhinestones on to a pair of pants before wearing them outside and causing traffic accidents (okay, they didn't cause accidents - but the pants sure looked like an accident).  This is one of those examples, where a little sparkle would have gone a lone way.

In these project, a sparkly butterfly was attached to a birthday card.  The butterfly had glitter and two rhinestones on it to add a great sparkle element.  Even the metal antennae add a somewhat sparkly feel as well (although its more of a metallic element than a sparkly one). 

I hope you enjoyed this weeks "Secrets of Scrapbooking", and I'm sure I'll do some more scrap-focused weeks in the future! 


Enjoy

 Card by: Theresa A. of Our Results My Vary

Photo 365 - Day 206 (Ink and Stamps)

Day 206 (January 25th, 2011)
Title: Ink and Stamps

Secrets of Scrapbooking: Ink and Stamps!

Inks and Stamps are probably the most customizable element of your project.  While their might be 100's of different papers and 1000's of ribbons, how you draw, stamp and/or color something is limitless.  While you might use the same stamp as someone else, you can use a different ink, you can stamp it with different pressure (therefor having the line density be different), and you can colorize the picture.  All of these factors your control to customize it to your hearts content!  Included when defining "Ink", is of course, one of the most essential elements of any project - the words!  A "Thank You" card is a lot less thankful without those words! 

Just remember, the pen (and ink, and stamps) is your friend! 

Enjoy

 Card by: Theresa A. of Our Results My Vary

Photo 365 - Day 205 (Ribbon Bow)

Day 205 (January 24th, 2011)
Title: Ribbon Bow

Secrets of Scrapbooking: Ribbon, Part 2

Yesterday I showed an example of how ribbon can be used to add color, texture and shine to your project.  Today, I'm doing one more ribbon photo, to show how it can also add the element of depth.  In this example, a thin red ribbon has been used twice, first as a flat element (again, adding color, texture and shine) as well as a folded bow to add more depth to the project.  The bow (or any other 3D-shaped ribbon) adds even more shine than the flat ribbon, because it offers more surface area for light to reflect off it.

Who would have thought you could get so much impact out of just a small piece of ribbon!

Enjoy

 Card by: Theresa A. of Our Results My Vary

Photo 365 - Day 204 (Ribbon)

Day 204 (January 23rd, 2011)
Title: Ribbon

Secrets of Scrapbooking: Ribbon!

For today's secret of scrapbooking, we are looking at ribbon!  Ribbon is a very inexpensive embellishment (you can get a whole roll for around $1-3) that can be easily added to most projects with just a little glue.  It is very versatile, in that is can perform a lot of roles.  First, it adds a great slash of color and you can get ribbon in just about any color known.  Second, it adds texture to the project, you can get ribbon with many different textures, like silk, satin, cotton and more.  Third, ribbon can add more depth to the project, depending on how it is used (see tomorrow for an example ribbon used for depth).  Lastly, ribbon can add sparkle (or shine) to your project.  Many ribbons include metallic threads and other "ingredients" that add more sparkle and almost a "glitter-y" look. 

In this example, we see two ribbons stacked to add color, texture and a nice shine (there is a little depth added, but not too much) to this project.  Paper could have been used in a similar manner, but much of the unique texture and shine that the ribbon brings would have been lost. 

Enjoy

 Card by: Theresa A. of Our Results My Vary

Photo 365 - Day 203 (Grommet Flower)

Day 203 (January 22nd, 2011)
Title: Grommet Flower


Secrets of Scrapbooking: Grommets! 


Today's Secret of Scrapbooking is grommets!  Grommets are very similar to yesterday's secret, brads - but with some key differences.  First, a grommet is more permanent, whereas brads are removable.  A grommet is a small metal tube with one end rounded (or "curled") to be smooth and the other end left unaltered.  First, a hole is punched between one or more layers to be linked together and then the grommet is inserted into the hole of each item.  A special crimping tool is used (most notable, the Cropadile!) and the unaltered end is curled (squished) until it is rounded like the top - and in doing so the layers are permanently linked. 


As with the brads, the grommets add both a color and depth element, but at the same time they can be used as a junction for other embellishments, like ribbon, cloth, string, and brads! 


In this photo, we see that a grommet was used to connect two different flower cut-outs to a base of white cardstock (after holes were punched in them).  One thing to note is the bottom layer (not connected to the flowers), a page from a book, can be seen via the grommet holes. 


Enjoy

 Card by: Theresa A. of Our Results My Vary

Photo 365 - Day 202 (Head Brad)

Day 202 (January 21st, 2011)
Title: Head Brad

Secret's of Scrapbooking: Brads!

Brads are small metal embellishments that are great for linking two (or more) layers together or adding a nice 3D (aka: depth) aspect to your work, or both!  Brads have two thin, pointed, metal shanks that are bent at 45 degree angles after inserting into the object(s), to secure them.  No glue or tape is required, the metal shanks are stiff enough to hold the objects together.  If the brad needs to be removed, you just "un-bend" the shanks and release the items.

There are a LOT of creative (and simple) brads out there, including (really): cocktail glasses, trout, sock monkeys, and of course, rhinestones, just to name a few.  

As soon in this photo, a simple yellow brad is used to enhance the flower in the woman's hair by giving it a color element and a depth element.

Enjoy

 Card by: Theresa A. of Our Results My Vary

Random Note: Back in my school days, these were called Fasteners and were used to hold paper projects together.

Photo 365 - Day 181 (Heart Assembly)

Day 181 (December 31st, 2010)
Title: Heart Assembly

There was once a time, many moons ago, when I was unaware of scrapping and the "joys" that scrapbooking can bring.  My wife has informed me, that scrapping is in fact the way to world peace and if we could just call follow a few scrapbooking rules, the world, nay, the universe would be better place for everyone (at least, everyone who scraps). 


Now I, previously an uneducated non-scrapper (aka: heathen), did not know there were scraping rules.  I, in my insanity, would sometimes cut paper.  Using scissors.  And after cutting said paper, I would (for all you scrapbooker folks out there, I apologize profusely) throw away the piece of the paper I didn't need!!! I didn't know!  There I was, cutting a square out and throwing away the rest of a perfectly scrappable shred of paper!  I never knew that, that small, tiny, nearly microscopic particle of paper that I was going to dispose of could become an amazing card or could be the center-piece of a 20' wall hanging depicting the beauty of flying tree squirrels! 


Luckily, through long, extensive "re-education" training with my wife, I now know better.  All bits of paper, no matter the size, will be saved into one of many, many 'Scrap Paper' folders so that they may live again. 


Amen, and my the Scrap be with you.


Enjoy

Photo 365 - Day 179 (Paper Hearts)

Day 179 (December 29th, 2010)
Title: Paper Hearts

I'm not what one would call "creative" when it comes to scrapbooking.  There is a reason my preferred art is photography, mostly because I don't have to create something out of nothing.  With scrapbooking, as with arts such as painting and sculpting, the results are completely from the mind of the artist (aka, Scrapper).  But, with photography we are usually just manipulating some source material (the photo) until we create a object that we want to display.  If I want to show someone a bird, I go find a bird, take a picture of it, perhaps edit it a bit and, BAM - a picture of a bird.  But, for a Scrapper, they get pens and paper and die-cuts and punches and machines and rulers and tape and glue and stamps and, BAM - You have a 27 page journal on the entire life and history of a sparrows.  So, as you can see, slightly different.

But, while I've got as much creativity as a gnat when it comes to scrapping, I do love using the die-cuts and punching out a zillion little things that will never in fact never be used and instead end up embedded into the floor for 20 years.  Weee! 

Enjoy

Photo 365 - Day 178 - Making Cheer

Day 178 (December 28th, 2010)
Title: Making Cheer

Three fun facts about our house:

1) Nearly everything in it is made from IKEA
2) My office has a particular "NORAD meets Dr. Who" feel to it because of all the random techno-stuff
3) Every other room is dedicated to "Scrapbooking". 

We have a lot of scrapbooking stuff.  We have folks over to scrap and they sometimes lock up (in what I call "ScrapLock".  Its a medical condition... really.)  due to the shear number of scrappy things we have.  But, they seem to enjoy it and generally leave happier than when they arrived.  Its basically "Card-stock Therapy".  So, while perusing the 1.7 billion different die-cut punches we seem to have, I saw this one that said: CHEERS.  And I realized, that, yes, this does in fact make cheer.  So, if you ever need some cheer, just let us know.  I can punch you out some and you'll be all better.

Enjoy

Weekly Hindsight and Photo 365 - Day 36 (Explore)

Day 36 (August 8th, 2010)
Title: Scrapbooker's Dazzle

This weekend we went to the Scrapbook Expo, and saw the dark and scary side of crafting!  We saw people with bandoliers of grommits and semi-automatic Crop-A-Diles.  Mace cans that said: "Now in Glitter Cherub Pink so you can not only stop an attacker, you can make them look good!"  Groups of women who said: "Hey, watch where you are walking, else we'll cut ya!... Die Cut ya that is!  I've sharpened these scalloped circles and they'll cut your head right off!  And then we'll use it as an embellishment!"  Compton gangs have nothing on scrappers.  

The picture is of a "tag" (looks like a giant price tag, ala Price Is Right), that is distressed and colored.  Afterward, an acrylic picture is glued on and it's spritzed with a gold-sparkle spray.  I honestly don't even know what most of what I just typed means, but it is what they do!  I think the photo looks a bit like a tattoo myself.  It is a close-up of a hot-air balloon that says: Explore.  Course, if it was a tat, it would more likely say Explode, but nifty either way.  

Weekly Hindsight

This week was a bit crazy for me.  A lot of "life" things were going on that really threw a wrench into many of art projects.  But, I guess that's how it is sometimes, so its best just to "roll with the punches".    I didn't really get to complete any projects that I was planning to do.  I will say, having to deal with huge corporate bureaucracies is a long and arduous task. 

I did get a chance to play a few games this week (mostly as a decompress from talking to "special" people all day) and that was fun.  For this weeks art related projects/tasks, basically its the same as last weeks.  While at the Scrapbook Expo, I did come up with a few scrap related projects that I am going to work on this week (I doubt I'll finish them but I think just starting them can be the hardest part!) 

I did want to make one small "editorial" as well, regarding scrapbooking.  I was wondering what is the overall goal in creating a scrapbook?  Normally, I would have said "scrapbooking is the act of creating customized photo albums to help a) enhance the photo, b) describe the theme of the photo(s), or c) tell a story related to photo(s).  To me, it always seemed as if the photo played a key part in the overall scrapbook experience.  Some people use more or less embellishments, some use basic techniques, while others use more advanced methods, but when you boiled it all down it was still about the photo.  This weekend, I saw a LOT of scrapbooks that were JUST embellishments.  Beads, gemstones, ink patterns, sea shells, fabric, etc.  But not one photo in the book.  I thought, perhaps they were "blank" books for photos to be inserted later, but I was told "No! The scrapbook IS the subject matter!"  I guess this is just another form of scrapbooking that I didn't know existed, but to me, is seems to be missing the point of sharing memories and stories.  Course, that might just BE the point. 

Art movements scare me. 

Till next week,

Anthony

Ps:

Here are a few additional photos from the Expo that didn't quite make it to "Daily" status.  Enjoy!

There seems to be a letter missing...

Sparkly and socially aware!

Colored pens while on pain killers.  Wee!