Saturday 28 July 2012

"Unusual" Layout {ScrapThat! July Kit - Fabscraps Organic Collection - Mixed Media}







All of a sudden {since yesterday} I can no longer e mail my 
photos to my blog - anyone else having the same problem?? 
 I have sent them twice but they have still not arrived 24 hours
 later!  

Maybe it is an e mail problem, although my e mails have sent
 from my side, so if anyone is waiting to hear from me it could
 be that the e mail is still flying through cyber space
 (or rather - crawling through it...)


I promised to share my ScrapThat! July Reveal layouts 
here with their close ups and supplies lists (as all you've 
seen so far is the full layout photo during the reveal) &
  I haven't been able to show the rest until now because of 
my computer issues this month.


My time with ScrapThat! is now over so I want to wrap 
everything up this month.  Everything except the doily,
 the thread, staples, dark cardstock die-cut leaves & the
 mediums comes from the ScrapThat!  July kit.  


I really wanted to use these photos of my son Jack
so I needed to grunge up the papers & even the 
flowers as well.  I sewed a lot on this page, leaving
long threads at the end (deliberately pulling it out of
the sewing machine before cutting it off) to create
these messy thread flourishes which I then stapled down.


I hand-wrote the journaling that matches the title "Unusual".
My son Jack is not your standard teenager -  He is "too"
responsible, etc, very abnormally mature for a 17 year old.


I recoloured both flowers byspraying heavily with navy blue 
mist {wet flowers first to save on mist} then dipped them 
in clear glitter whilst still wet.   To speed up the drying
 process I used my tweezers to hold them so I could use my 
heat-gun - careful not to scorch and burn the nylon petals.


I dabbed the smaller white flowers from the kit with some
blue paint then dipped those into the clear glitter too.


I inked up the leaves with 4 different colours of ink
to make give them some more depth.  I dyed the
crochet lace blue (underneath the photo - see main
pic).  For a soft handle & even effect add some mist
to water in a flat bowl & submerge the lace into the
dye mix rather than spraying directly onto the lace.

Dying will only work on natural/cotton lace not
nylon/acrylic/synthetics as they have no absorbency.


I used the small piece of hessian/burlap that came with
the kit, as fibres by pulling them apart with my fingers &
using them to tie knots through the buttons, then pushed 
bits randomly into the ends of my rustic flower cluster.


I stitched half an inch in from the edge so that I could
rough up the edges of the paper a bit.  I created the 
background work with a stencil & some modelling paste 
mixed in with some blue paint then stamped with some
bubble-wrap spread with black paint.

Personally I am all for flowers on all types of layouts.
I don't think of them as exclusively feminine, providing
the colours and textures used are more manly.
What do you think?? Do you agree?

Supplies List for "Unusual" Layout


Cardstock - Bazzill
Printed Papers - Fabscraps Organic
Modeling Paste - Reeves
Gesso - Claudine Helmuth
Blue Paint - Making Memories - Daiquiri
Black Paint - Making Memories -Asphalt
Thread & bubble-wrap {for stamping} - stash
Doily, staples & clear glitter - stash
Paper, burlap, flowers, crochet lace, wooden buttons
& leaves - ScrapThat! July 2012 kit
Mists - Navy Twinkle {Smooch}
Maya Road - Jazz Blue & Hydrangea
Flowers - Zva Creative {large}
Green Tara {small}
Leaf die-cut - Cheery Lynne Olive Vine




25 comments:

Keren Tamir said...

I loved this layout from your creations last month, the details are amazing!! I love the idea of leaving long threads after sewing. gotta try it. and I agree about flowers, i used them all the time on boy LOs. this one is fantastic!! I love those leaves die-cuts Havent found them yet at cherry lynn.

Lili Sulastri said...

Lovely layout. I love the way you assemble all the embellies and the colours are great, too.

Lili

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

This is GORGEOUS!! I love love love that photo, the distressing and loving the flowers!!! And I don't email my photos for my blog... sorry love.. I'm not sure how that works.......

Desire Fourie said...

Gorgeous as always. Just love all the textures. Hope those emails start picking up speed. Hugs Desíre Doing Life Digistamps4Joy DT Member Tammys Scrapin Corner DT Member

Lynnda said...

I so love this layout of yours Helen... I love the blue!!! just stands out!!! Awesome... hugs...xoxo

Linda Eggleton said...

Wow this is stunning Helen! Gorgeous colours, beautiful design ..... And I love your background work and all the stitching with the loose threads!

gracescraps@gmail.com said...

Thanks so much for sharing all the wonderful details and close-ups of your LO. What a treat!! Thanks for the inspiration!! ~ Blessings, Tracey

http://gracescraps.blogspot.com/

Debbi Tehrani said...

Gorgeous layout, Helen! The blues are perfect with your picture. Those flowers are divine, and I just love the loose threads at the top near the title--that looks really cool!

Jasmine S said...

Oh Wow oh wow Helen. This is just beautiful and you have used so many flowers yet it is so masculine still. Love love it.

Lizzy Hill said...

Yep, I agree, flowers can go anywhere...colour & style of them is important, though ...this is perfect...you've buoyed it up so well without going overboard ....love that almost denim blue, too :):):)

sandi said...

Wow Helen this is just soooooooooo dreamy beautiful! What an awesome mix and choice of colors for this. Looks gorgeous and yet so perfect for a male lo. Well done my friend!!!

Marelize said...

Stunning layout Helen! I love your attention to detail. xx

juscrap said...

Hi Helen! This is gorgeous! I love blue and flowers. I am your follower and love your work, I'll be very happy if you visit my blog.
xoxo
http://ju-scrap.blogspot.com.br

Bellaidea said...

Flowers are cool and design looks great! He ;)looks good too:)

ANUPAMA CHOUDARY said...

This is one of my faves from your work! Love the mood you created - Very inspiring, Helen!

Alison said...

Love it Helen..the flower clusters are fab!
Alison xx

Mitralee said...

DUDE! Love your process as always. Is it weird that I have been home for just a few hours and I'm working on your project!!! Those flowers have been burning a hole in my...well not pocket...but my brain the whole week!!!

Love the blues all together and the grundge look, so fab with those little sticky black leaves poking out to give some contrast!!!!

yyam said...

Really cool Helen. I love the distressed parts and the stitching with the stapled ends. Adds such a nice grungy feel. Love the vibrant blooms too. I've been trying to use up my stash and I think misting them may be the way to go! Thanks for the inspiration! :)

P/s: Hope you get out of the PC twilight zone soon!

tania said...

the blue is stunning helen!! love the photo,it all just "gel" so well!!

Marília Lopes said...

Gorgeous as always!!!

Lynette Jacobs said...

Awesome masculine page...and the flowers works perfectly. I love all the detail.

FiKenward said...

Love the colours you pulled together on this one Helen, the navy flowers looks awesome as does the paint effects in the background. Great photo of your handsome look boy.

Marjie Kemper said...

Love your use of flowers on masculine pages. Lots of people try it but you pull it off without a flaw. He's a handsome fellow, too!

Eila Sandberg said...

Oh boy Helen this one's a real stunner! LOVE how you dyed the flowers on this one too, blue is my absolute fave colour so this page of yours definite stole my heart with its beautiful beautiful details and your gorgeous boy! Love the messy stitching and the background work. Fab job sweetie! Sneaking in some blog hopping time as boss is not around he he xoxo

Sharm Nidyanandan said...

Amazing! Super love the grunge feel! :)