Distressing with Acrylic Paint

This is a very simple technique that I've used on various of my latest projects. Distressing can some in two form. It can be a dark or light coloured distressing. Lately, I've used a lot of white acrylic paint to distress my project. Simply just use a brush and some white acrylic paint and swipe it lightly on any embellishment or even your papers and photographs. You can also use white gesso to do this. I've used numerous times of this technique in my this week's project at the Crop Spot too. Try it!

This Week at The Crop Spot!

It's the last week of September and below is the sneak peek of my project for this week at The Crop Spot.

This week's project is created using the amazing colourful pattern papers from Glitz Design. The technique featured in this project is easy distressing with some acrylic paint. Check out this project and it's tutorial here. Feel free to post your questions there.

More Details on The Giveaway!!

I've just managed to get a picture of this huge giveaway from Scrapbooking Supplies R US. See how much it's in there. Besides an amazing Clear Scraps acrylic circle album, there are also some of Prima latest releases (paintables, gorgeous pattern papers, loads of flowers, tons of crystals etc), May Arts and Bazzill gorgeous ribbons, trims and laces, Creative Imaginations full box of self adhesive paper laces, Tattered Angels glimmer glass, a whole book of rub-ons, more rhinestones, Robin Nest's dew drops. tulle, Ranger crackle paint, Ranger distress ink, bottles of Ranger Stickles, Tsukineko ink pad, glitters etc.

Isn't this giveaway amazing or what? Hurry over to this link to read more about it and try your luck! This giveaway actually consists of the products used in my next month mini album tutorials. The winner will most probably to get it in time before the tutorial starts.

I've actually received some emails telling me that some of you might have some problems registering on the site earlier to post your comment there with the link. The owners had fixed that and I'm sure you won't have any problems in registering there now. If you still have any problems, you could email me.

So, are you all ready to try to be the lucky winner?? Go there now! Good Luck everyone!!!!

A Huge New Giveaway!!

Have you all check out my blog post at The Crop Spot today? If not, go on over and check it out. There's a huge giveaway at the end of the post!!

Above is a picture of some of what would be included in the giveaway! I won't spill on the value of this giveaway but one thing I could whisper to you all is that, it's HUGE and newly released!!! Make sure you check it out here and try your luck!! If you have any problems at all in posting a comment there, do let me know. You might need to register to post a comment there. One lucky winner will be very very HAPPY!!

Poor Hiro!

Recently Hiro had a tummy infection and could not eat for days. We were so heart broken to see him in this condition. He did not improved until after 3 days from his visit to the vet. Now, he is slowly eating and getting back to his normal mischievousness. He had lost a ton of weight due to the infection. You could see his face all sad and tired from the above picture.

If you ask me how he gets his tummy infection? I have no idea. I've asked the vet and she says there are various possibilities that could result in a tummy infection. If you have any experience on this, feel free to share them here. I would love to learn more about this and hopefully would be more aware of it in future.

The symptoms are having diarrhea (watery greenish) and refuse to eat. Anything he takes in, will be out in minutes. Hope I could learn a tip or two on this disease.

August Stamp Set Winner: Minna Jacewicz

Minna is the winner of my August Stamp Set Giveaway. She is from Italy. Her prize is the "Message in A Bottle" stamp set that I've designed for Queen Kat Design June Get Inked! Kit.

She has created this beautiful card using that stamp set.
She had used some techniques by Tim Holtz to create the gorgeous base for her card. The bottle image and the sentiment is stamped and heat embossed.

She also use the vintage lamp stamp on the inside of the card.

She used the map journaling stamp on the back of the card. She had utilised the stamp set very well in creating this card. I love the colours and how she added details of the nautical theme on the card. Thank you Minna for sharing this gorgeous card with us!

I have another little news to share. This month, one the project kit that I've designed for Scrapbooks N Stickers are up for sale. This is a great project kit for anyone, even beginners or simple style scrappers. Check out this project here .

My Friend

This is my second layout using Swirlydoos September kit "Bejeweled". This is a fast and simple page using some medium and cutting.

Here are the steps:

1) Use the cardboard piece included in the kit as the base for this layout. Cut the cardboard into a huge circle and tear part of it's surface to reveal the corrugated texture within it. Paint the cardboard with some acrylic paint and crackle paint. Later, ink part of it with some dark colour distress ink.

2) Cut out a strip from the pattern paper and distress it's edges using a scissors. Ink it with distress ink and add it horizontally on the page.

3) Cut out a huge rectangular piece from another pattern paper and distress it's edges. Ink it with distress ink. Add it vertically on the right of the page.

4) Print the photograph onto a white cardstock and distress it's edges. Punch a row of holes on the right edges and tear part of it to further distress it. Ink all around it with distress ink. Cut out a small circle masking template from some scraps and use it to mask the circles on the photograph. Later, dress up the circles with some pearlized accent ink (included in the kit). Add the photograph to the middle of the page.

5) Ink the die cut fence included in the kit with some distress ink and add it to the bottom of the page. Detail it with a rub-on lock and doodle it with a brown pen.

6) Cut out some clocks from the pattern paper and ink it's edges with distress ink. Add it to the lower left of the page with some foam adhesives for dimensions. Dress them up with Stickles and a dew drop.

7) Add the jewel branch on the right of the paper and hand stitch it with some cross stitches to keep it in place. Add a ribbon below it and cut out some butterflies from the pattern paper and add it all around the branch. Detail them with Stickles.

8) Add some dew drops on the upper left corner of the photograph.

9) Ink the chipboard alphas included in the kit with distress ink and highlight the left of each alpha with pearlized accent ink and Stickles. Add it to the left of the photograph. Also add a strip of lace rub-on on the bottom of it and dress it up with Stickles.

Hope you all like this layout. I've not been feeling good recently as Hiro is having a tummy infection. He is not eating well and has diarrhea since Sunday. We've took him to the vet and he has been given a jab and some medication. We're praying that he recovers soon. It really hurts to see him loosing some of his weight.

I also hope that for those of you who are following my tutorials on The Crop Spot this week, do follow it till end of it because there will be a huge surprise giveaway waiting for you!! Make sure you all keep an eye for it!

The Scrapbooking Session at YWCA, Penang would be on this Friday (25th Sept) (2.30pm till 4.30pm). This would be a small crop and sharing session. Mark your calendar and come and join us. For more details, you could refer here.

Sources: Products included in the kit: Pattern Papers: Prima; Inks: Clearsnap; Embellishment: 7gypsies (chipboard alphas), Kaisercrafts (rub-ons), Swirlydoos (Die cut fence), Prima jewel branch, Robin's Nest (dew drops); Others (not in the kit): Bazzill cardstock, Ranger Stickles, Ranger Distress Ink, Ranger Crackle Paint, Making Memories Acrylic Paint, floss for stitching, ribbon, Zip Dry, Glue Dots and other adhesives.

Cool Week at the Crop Spot!!

Do you like what you see above? This week, I'll be doing a full week of tutorials on this mini album at The Crop Spot! This mini album is created using one of Clear Scraps latest album and Teresa Collins latest release during last Summer CHA.

At the end of this week long tutorial, there will also be a huge surprise for all of you! You won't want to miss it. I'll also be giving another buzz about it here when time comes. Make sure you all keep an eye for it. Check out this mini album here. Enjoy!

Hiro @ 17 Weeks!

It's time about Hiro again. He is 17 weeks now and when we took him for his third jab on Tuesday, he weighs about 7 kg. That's liked an increase of 3 kgs in a month. Isn't he growing fast? I bet any owner of a large breed dog would agree with me that this is normal.

He is such a good boy while at the vet for his jab. No grumbles and fight. He knows that something is about to happen when put on the table for the jab. I'm so glad that he is behaving so well there...lol!

Recently, we've start on some discipline measures on him. If he ever chew on stuffs that we had told him numerous times to "not to", he will get some time out in his own room. (His room is a huge balcony which had been converted into his room). So far there are some improvements and we're happy with that. After another two weeks, we'll be able to take him out on his first walk outdoor. I bet he will be very excited about it.

A Peek

This is my first layout for Swirlydoos Sept kit, "Bejeweled". The gorgeous colours of the "Indeed" line of pattern papers from Prima simply makes people fall in love with it.

Here are the steps to it.

1) Use a pattern paper as the base for this layout. Distress it's edges using a scissors and ink it with distress ink.

2) Cut out a rectangular piece with a scallop edge at it's bottom from a pattern paper and ink it with distress ink. Attach it to the bottom left of the layout.

3) Cut out another strip from a pattern paper and distress it's edges. Ink it with distress ink and attach it horizontally across the piece in step (2). Fold back some pleats or ruffles on it's right end and attach it down. Dress it up with liquid pearls.

4) Use the die-cut fence included in the kit and some distress ink to create the masked fence images on the bottom of the layout. Detail it with Stickles.

5) Distress the edges of the layout and ink it with distress ink. Add it to the layout. Stamp some branches or tree on the left of it using black solvent ink and dress it up with the "smooch" (pearlized accent ink).

6) Also use the die cut butterfly included in the kit to mask some butterfly on the right and left of the photograph. After finish masking, add the butterfly on the top left of the page. Dress up all the butterflies with dew drops, Stickles and the "smooch".

7) Hand stitch horizontally on the top and bottom of the photograph.

8) Paint the chipboard chain included in the kit with some crackle paint and ink it with distress ink. Add a strip of it on the bottom of the layout and some on the top left of it. Dress up the chipboard chain on the top right with liquid pearls and Stickles. Add some small roses on those at the bottom of the layout.

9) The word "peek" are some clear stickers attach to a white cardstock. Cut it out and distress it's edges. Ink it with distress ink and add it to the top right with some foam adhesives.

10)I've also used some circle stencil to draw and ink some circles on the layout. I've painted some of the circles with the "smooch" and detail the big circle with Stickles.

11) Lastly, add a flower on the bottom left of the photograph.

I'll be sharing more project using Swirlydoos Sept kit soon. Do check out their gorgeous upcoming kits.

Sources: Products included in the kit: Pattern Papers: Prima; Inks: Clearsnap; Chipboard: Unique Pages; Embellishment: Unique Pages (die cut butterfly), Swirlydoos (Die cut fence), ZVA flowers, Prima flowers, Robin's Nest (dew drops); Others (not in the kit): Ranger Stickles, Ranger Distress Ink, Ranger Liquid Pearls, Ranger Crackle Paint, Tsukineko Staz On, Stampers Anonymous (stamps), Zip Dry, Glue Dots and other adhesives.

Sneak Peek of My Projects for Russia's Classes!!

Layouts Class:

Mini Album Class:

Above are some sneak peeks of my projects for my classes at Moscow Russia. Both classes will be on the 17th and 18th of Oct 2009. I'm not sure if there are seats left but if you're interested, you could email the organizer at muradovae@mail.ru for further information of the classes.

For those of you who had registered, feel free to email me if you have any questions on the list of things to bring. I'll be happy to answer them for you. I really hope to finally meet with some of my readers from Russia or even their neighbouring countries. I'm so excited!!!

If you have any advices as to the weather there and what I should prepare to make myself comfortable there, feel free to drop me a line on the comment section here.

Lucky Girl

As promised, here are the details to the layout that I've created for Pencil Lines as their guest designer last week.

Here are the steps.

1) Use a Clear Scraps 12"x12" acrylic sheet as the base for this layout.

2) Cut out two scallop edge strips from the pattern paper and attach it to the left and right edge of the layout.

3) Add two strips of lace beside the strips in step (2).

4) Cut out a rectangular from a beige cardstock and ink it's edges with distress ink. Add it horizontally on the bottom of the layout.

5) Cut out a huge rectangular from a pattern paper and ink it's edges with distress ink. (I've cut out from a white pattern paper). Add it to the layout.

6) Use some die-cut round and rectangular tags to layer on the left of the page. Dress it up with rhinestones, liquid pearls and Stickles.

7) Cut out another strip from another pattern paper and ink it's edges with distress ink. Do not add it to the layout yet.

8) Distress the edges of the photograph and ink it with distress ink. Punch a row of holes on the right of the photograph and attach it to the left of the strip in step (7). Use some yarn to stitch some zig-zag stitches and add the completed piece to the layout.

9) Stamp the bottom of the layout with some circle stamps and black solvent ink. Add some rhinestones and liquid pearls to the stamped images.

10) Cut out some flowers with stem from the pattern paper and ink it's edges with distress ink. Add it to the layout with some foam adhesives. Dress it up with rhinestones and Stickles. Also attach some paper flowers all around it. Detail them with rhinestones and Stickles.

11) Cut out some butterflies from an overlay and add it to the left of the layout. Detail it with Stickles.

12) The title is actually a sticker. I've inked it's edges with distress ink and add it to the layout with some foam adhesives. Dress it up with Stickles.

Hope you all like this layout and try creating an acrylic layout. Clear Scraps acrylic sheets in 12"x12" are so versatile. You can use it for layouts, cards or even to create a one of a kind 3D project. Happy creating!

Sources: Clear products: Clear Scraps; Cardstock: Bazzill; Pattern Papers: My Minds Eye; Inks: Ranger Distress Ink, Tsukineko Staz On; Stamps: My Stamp Box; Stickers: Heidi Swapp; Overlay: Hambly Print Screen; Others: Ranger Stickles, Ranger Liquid Pearls, Creative Imaginations rhinestones, May Arts lace, Prima flowers, Zip Dry, Glue Dots and other adhesives.