Showing posts with label Under Inspection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Under Inspection. Show all posts

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Under Inspection: Using Black on a Layout



My grandmother loathed the color black. It was, to her, a color that represented death or darkness. It belonged with Halloween or funerals, and therefore, with the exception of a black tie affair, was not to be used. On the other hand, I like black. It's a color full of mystery and it pairs well with bright colors. It's formal nature keeps them from getting a little wild and otherwise, out of control. Use black with neon colors or bold brights for daring color palettes full of energy!

Marvel Heroes Popping Candy by Christy Strickler Supplies| Cardstock: Colorbok; Embossing folder: Lifestyle Crafts; Brads: Basic Grey;Die cuts: SEI; Other: Candy wrappers, sculpting wire, electrical tape, vellum, sequins




When I created this layout, I initially struggled with my choice of background papers. I wanted to use the red, blue and yellow from the pop rocks candy wrapper, but I found them too bright on a white background. Using black as my canvas allowed me to add in metallic elements. The black sort of counters the bright shiny surfaces while at the same time, it makes them pop out.

When choosing colors for a layout, let the colors help support your story. Being aware of the feelings and moods a color can evoke will allow your story to have a stronger statement. Color can be subtle or it can be right there in your face. Regard it as a tool in determining how the design of your page will develop.

For more inspiration using the color black, check out my Back in Black Vision board on Pinterest.



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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Under Inspection: Adding a Golden Glow



I've been seeing gold quite a bit lately in fashion and home decor. I have even seen gold glitter and foil on die cuts and thickers. It's a tricky color to work with, but one I am finding I kind of like. If you'd like to be like King Midas and add a touch of gold to your next project, you might like the article I wrote today for the Scrapbook News and Review Blog. I have a list of seven tips for adding gold to any project.

I created this layout in early 2012, before gold was quite as popular as it is now. I stamped with gold paint and a homemade triangle stamp.Sadly, sometimes when you photograph gold, it takes on a more orange tone. That's something you might want to be aware of if you are submitting projects for publication or design team work. In person, gold can provide high impact even when used in small doses. My original palette of brown and green felt a bit dull with these darker photos of my husband and son in the arcade. I had pulled the color palette from the video game machine they were playing on. Adding touches of gold perked up the color palette a bit.

I did use my own handmade mist to create splatters on the layout. Creating your own mist is very easy. You just need an empty spray bottle, some acrylic paint and water. I purchase my spray bottles from the local pharmacy. The cheap acrylic paints work best.Just squeeze a small amount of acrylic paint into the bottle and mix with water. The mixture may settle when not in use, always swirl the bottle before you use it.






If you would like more golden inspiration, then be sure to check out my Golden Glow vision board on Pinterest.


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Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Under Inspection:Bursts, Scraphappy and Scrapbook Improv


Participating in:

When I tell people I am a member of Scraphappy, they always ask me if it's worth it. My answer is always " Heck YES!" I have been a member for awhile. Most of my decision was based on joining in on the Layout-a-Day challenges that Lain Ehmann offers several times a year. As a member, you get to join in for free. I haven't gotten to participate in a lot of activities with the group this year. I had some family things come up that shifted my priorities a bit.


 I was happy to join in on one of Lain's new Scrapbook Improv sessions recently. The idea behind Scrapbook Improv is that Lain scraps from a kit. She has a little spinner thing with a list of possible prompts. She spins and the arrow points to something she must do while creating the layout. The cool thing is that you can play along as well. You can buy the suggested kit ahead of time or make your own. If you want an idea of the process, there are some recording you can watch at Scrapbook Improv. Or search for Scrapbook Imrpov on Ustream.

Did I follow the prompts during the improv. Umm, no. This was my first time and I didn't have a kit ready. I grabbed some of my JBS Mercantile product and created this layout about how our kitten got his name.

His Name is Momo by Christy Strickler Supplies| Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned Paper, Enamel dots: Crate Paper; Alphas: American Crafts; Button: Basic Grey; Other: Vellum







I do plan to join in next month for Scrapbook Imrpov. I will have a kit ready and hope to follow the prompts this time. I also plan to enjoy more time at the scraphappy website and forum. Perhaps I will see you there!


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Sunday, December 2, 2012

Under Inspection: Photo Apps for Android and Journal Your Christmas

Edited with the BeFunky app









I have been hearing a lot about various IPhone apps from friends and fellow Journal Your Christmas participants. Many of us will be using our mobile devices to take holiday photos this year. I decided I would share my favorite Android photo apps plus  a few new ones that I hope to try out.

First of all, let me warn you. Photos apps are very addicting. I started with one and now have several. I began with Instagram. I also wanted a portable and advanced photo editing system. I chose to purchase Adobe PhotoShop Touch. In many ways, Adobe Photoshop touch is easier to use then PSE. I have edited on the go and am able to use dropbox to transfer photos between my computer and tablet with ease.

Ok, so now for my long list of photo apps. All of them do some of the same things. Many of them have a few features here or there that the other app doesn't have. That makes it worth it to have them. Most have the ability to add filters, frames,bokeh, text or other effects to your photos.

AfterFocus- add Bokeh effects to your photos. I just got this and am still on the fence about it.
BeFunky photo editor- easy to use. I just downloaded it today and found it to be fun.
ComicStripIt- make comic strips using your photos
Labelbox- simply adds fun labels to your photos
Papercamera- this was worth the $1.99 in my opinion. There are other apps that do similar things, but I personally preferred the look of this one.
Phonto-I heard about this one today. I haven't tried it yet. You cna add text to your photos with a variety of fonts.
Photoshake- create cool collages by shaking your device. It's an easy, fun way to make collages of a group of photos
PicF/X photo filters- tons of great filters here
PicsArt Photo Studio- filters and fun photo editing
Pixlr Express- I loved Pixlr-o-matic. This supposedly is a free upgrade to that app. I haven't played with it yet and hope it's as fun as Pixlr-o-matic is.
PocketBooth- this is a fun way to take pocketbooth style photos
Ransom Notes-  I haven't tried it yet. it came up as a recommendation when I download Phonto. You can type ransom notes onto your photos.
Retro camera-  fun retro style photos
Dramapic- more retro style filters
Roidizer- take polaroid style photos

Now that you have photo apps, you might be asking yourself how to print them. My personal choice is to use dropbox to get them onto my PC. I can then print them to a 4x6 piece of photo paper or use photoshop to create a larger collage. I print them with my Epson Artisan printer and am ready to scrapbook them immediately.

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Friday, October 19, 2012

Under Inspection: Flower Looms

Using time wisely can be the key to a good creative habit. Finding balance is also key. I like to spend time with my family but I also have to balance time spent for myself. On Sundays, my husband likes to watch football. He enjoys having me watch the game with him. However, I am not a football fan. I hate leaving him to go sit in my craft space, so I am in search of activities I can do that bring my crafting to the living room. I came across these flower knitting looms as I walked the aisles of my local craft store. They looked like something I could easily use to make flowers for my scrapbook layouts while I relaxed on the couch next to my husband.

The cost of the loom and the yarn was under $10. With the large ball of yarn, I could make quite a few flowers. I chose a white yarn with the intent that I could dye it with my spray ink to match my layouts. Overall, the kit was very easy to use. The packaging led me to the product website where I learned there are a variety of looms available for knitting and flower making. The size loom I purchased makes one size flower. I learned I could use a spool loom for two smaller size flowers. Looking at the product website, I decided I would do a web search to see how many different flowers I could make. After all, I don't knit, so  knew very little about this product or it's possibilities.

Flower looms have been around for quite some time. There are evidently quite a few available on the market. It's also easy to make one yourself. Knitting-and.com is a website which reviews looms and has tutorials to create your own. You can make an inexpensive loom with plastic canvas. There are tutorials for different ways to sew the flower centers as well as ideas for finishing the flower edges. You can also use ribbon or cloth strips to create flowers with the looms.

Overall, I am very happy with my loom purchase, though I do want to try making the plastic canvas looms rather than purchasing more of the ready made ones. Making a flower was easy and could be done quickly. So if I need a custom flower in a flash, this is the route I would take. I think though, that in the future, I will use less yarn than recommended. I wound the yarn through the loom 3 times. The resulting flower is a tad bit thicker than I prefer for fitting in my albums.






I probably won't spend every Sunday making these flowers. I plan to peruse Pinterest in search of more embellishment ideas. Stay tuned for more segments of Under Inspection as I find new and interesting ways to create scrapbook embellishments while I relax with my family in the living room.


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