Friday, July 20, 2012

MY VERY FIRST SKETCH CHALLENGE ENTRY


This week, I was encouraged by my cyber/scrap friend  Ms Catt to enter a layout in the  local Filipino Scrapbookers Challenge Blog.  It's the main reason why I decided to create this blog.

I've always been wary of joining in scrap forums and sites because I really feel insecure about my work since I don't have fancy tools, papers and kits, embellishments or do I keep up with what's new with the scrapping industry.  Still, I checked out the blog. At the same time, I checked the Lasting Memories blog because Ms Catt posted in her facebook timeline that she was featured there.

I am currently doing an old chipboard book album (will tell you about that in another post) so I posted a comment asking if it's okay if the LO is 8x8 and not 12x12. I got impatient waiting for the reply and was itching to try the layout so off I went. I finally finished the LO around 3am past. When I checked the blog tab, there was a reply to my post:  any LO size is accepted, the first sketch challenge is unfortunately OVER but I could try the 2nd sketch! I literally laughed out loud at my stupidity in the wee hours of the morning. My fault for not really reading the rules!

Well, all I could do was let out a really big *sigh*, posted it privately in my facebook page and tag Ms Catt and my DD.  It wasn't a waste anyway as I enjoyed doing it.  Besides, there's still the Lasting Memories current challenge.

First, I would have to finish creating this new blog which is so pathetically bare (I am no techie!) so I could send in links to my entry as I do not want to post it in my facebook account publicly and the other blog I have is a multiply shop account.  So anyway, here's my take on both challenges.  I followed (or attempted to follow) the Filipino Scrapbooker's sketch:
Luckily, Lasting Memories doesn't have a specific sketch in their current challenge just that your LO have gold on it.  Yay!  I could incorporate the gold in the FS sketch and kill two challenges with one layout! LOL!

Here's my take on both challenges: 
My dear daughter Z is the subject of the LO and the title is from the Abba song "Slipping Through My Fingers".  Ever since we watched Mamma Mia!, it's been one of our favorites and if I have even a passable singing voice I would really love to sing it on her wedding day! Alas, me singing would be reason enough for anyone to do a Norman Bates on me whether I'm in the shower or not! Or maybe I could do a Milli Vanilli act? LOL!  But I digress....

Back to the title.  The hand-cut foam sheet was originally dabbed with Dew Drop Pearl Lavender ink but I remember "Gold!" so I dabbed gold acrylic paint after it was already on the page, hence the smears which I actually like ;P.
I used the song chorus as my journal which I printed using the Clementine Sketch font on a tracing paper whose edges I subjected to torture by eternal fire (though not damnation LOL).  I printed another one using the Larger Mime font on a velum sheet so I would have options.  In the end I decided to use both and layer them together (one of my crafting mottoes:  "when undecided, use both!" LOL!).
The main pic is her 6th grade graduation photo two years ago.  I used mulberry paper as frame.  The alpha is a chipboard tag and I used old fibers from my stash (hey, there's a touch of gold there in case you didn't notice. Shiny! LMAO!)
 
Still following the song theme, I cut out two of her childhood pix, the angel pic I cut into a cherub silhouette and put atop a silver metallic butterfly sticker to act as her angel wings.  The other one I cut into a leaf using the Sizzix Daisy die, distressed and adhered onto 2 overlapping fabric leaves.  The button was merely an afterthought :D

I made this daisy spray years ago using a Carla Craft punch on layered coordinating gift wrapping papers, put beads on them and strung with jewelry wires.  And the three buttons are handmade air-dry clay thingies I made from an actual vintage button painted bronze, copper and metallic purple.  I just rubbed gold paint on the embossed areas.

Instead of using PPs, I lined different ribbons and fibers and secured them with pearl brads and double-adhesive tape. 
I used two different chipboard tags for the subtitle, on one of which I journalled "our little piggy" because my husband and I endearingly call her Piggy (yes, until now! LOL!)
The gold (!) daisy was made from chipboard, covered with crumpled aluminum foil, painted black, metallic purple and gold acrylic paint for that faux forged metal look.  I punched a hole and put a small key charm.  This was originally 2 layers of black and purple but I detached the original top layer and made a different one using pure gold acrylic paint and sprinkled it with gold beads (to be on the safe side of gold! harharhar!).  Hey, they want to see gold, let's give them gold. LOL!
Finally, this bear brad is actually a last minute addition.  I was already satisfied with the LO but I really, really hate empty spaces so I got this bear brad (which I stole from my DD's old cellphone fabric case eons ago which I'm giving back in a sense because this LO is about her!).
There you have it--my VERY FIRST SKETCH CHALLENGE ENTRY.  Woohoo!  

I apologize for the much-too-wordy description ("Too much details, Mom!").  It's really a bad writing habit I know.  But I hope you enjoyed the layout as much as I enjoyed doing it.  Sorry, too, for the poor image captures as I'm not really good with all those photography lighting & artistic shots stuff, I just focus, wait for the SLR's beep-beep sound (which I still don't what signifies!) and I push the big button :D

Thanks for looking and not dying of boredom until you reach this part ;P. 

Happy scrapping!

CES 
(your friendly whatever/however scrapper)

13 comments:

  1. What a very nice LO. I love the embellishment you crafted or what we call a DIY. I have yet to learn to make use of vellum.

    I'm so glad that you shared your work. And hope to see more of your works with our other challenges. =)

    TFS!

    Kathleen
    http://creobyladykatutz.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thanks, Ms Kathleen. Yay! My very first blog post comment! Made my day already. Have already made a LO on the 2nd challenge I'll t try to post it today. Thanks for dropping by :)

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  2. So many gorgeous details on your layout. I love the smudges too on your title. Looks very cool. So glad you joined us for the Lasting Memories challenge. Please come back.

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    1. Thank you, thank you! You don't know how exhilarating this is. My friend Catt is right, this is really enjoyable! Thank you for the opportunity!

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  3. I like all the details in it! wonderful work CES!

    God Bless!
    Catt

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    1. Ms Catt! You are so right, enjoyable and ultra nice feeling! I have so much to thank you for encouraging me to make layouts again and joining in the sketch challenge fun. You are one sweet confidence booster!

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    2. Ur welcome CES! enjoy and have fun!

      All the BEST!
      catt

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  4. Love your LO! Thanks for joining us at Lasting Memories.

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  5. oh my goodness.... you work is so cute... love all the details and you should be entering into a ton of challenges and blogs... you will find them addictive - thanks for joining us at Lasting memories - good luck in the draw!! Kimberly -Dt
    http://leokc34.blogspot.ca

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    1. Thanks, Ms Kimberly! You and my friend Ms Catt is so right, I've only entered a few entries on two challenges and I'm already finding it addictive. I don't even look forward to whether I win or not -- comments like yours is reward enough. Thanks again!

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  6. What an inspiring layout! I love how your recycled so many objects to make your embellishments. (And I am glad you explained!) You are very talented. I look forward to seeing more of your work! Thanks for joining us at Lasting Memories!

    Elizabeth LMDT
    http://visionsofpaper.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thanks Ms Elizabeth. I just can't easily throw away things even very small scraps of paper, I am such a hoarder. I don't know if it's good or bad but so far it's good. LOL! Thanks for the nice words. Will be looking forward to future challenges! Have a nice day!

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I would love to hear what you think :D