Happy Earth Day

Welcome to Thursday!  This Thursday is extra special because not only do I have this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch to share, but I'm also participating in an Earth Day blog hop with the Torendi team!!!   I'll start with the Sketchy Thursdays stuff so that when you get to the end of the Torendi blog hop part you can immediately hop off to your next destination!

Update - The I ~heart~ San Fran layout can be currently seen in its entirety in the July 2010 Scrapbook News and Review magazine. 

I can see myself using this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch over and over again for multi-picture layouts:

I incorporated the current These Are a Few of My Favorite Things challenge into this one:  favorite city. 

I love everything about San Fran.  The food, the weather, the food, the various cultural areas, the food, the fun attractions, did I mention the food?  Interestingly, all of these pics were taken on our trip that began August 31, 1997 - the day Princess Diana died.  Needless to say, the beginning of that trip was pretty surreal. 

With the exception of the "San Francisco" base paper, all the other embellishments and papers on here are from the Crop Suey "Gelato" kit I won a few months back.  I felt like the mist in the upper corner didn't quite stand out enough so I drew in a little flourish. 

This week's Sketchy Thursdays challenge is sponsored by Crop Chocolate.  The prize up for grabs for this week's winner is a 36" Ribbon Organizer by Simply Renee!!

Isn't that AWESOME???!!!!! 

Please check out the Sketchy Thursdays blog to see what the Design Team made for your inspiration and to play along with us!!!  Entries are due by 10pm EST next Wednesday, 4/28.

**  OH!  Don't forget!  The May Guest Design Team Challenge is still open until Saturday night!!!  You know you wanna play with us! **

OK, now on to the Torendi Earth Day Blog Hop!

If you've arrived here by any means other than BR-T's blog, please CLICK HERE to hop back to the Torendi blog to start the hop from the beginning. 

Be sure to check out each of the Torendi Design Team's blogs and COMMENT on each one for a chance to win an awesome prize.  (See the Torendi blog for official details.) 

I'm sure you'll all agree that when you get scrap kits, you invariably end up with a few extra things.  I had some solid cardstocks left over from various Torendi kits, as well as a bit of the Cosmo Cricket paper from this month's "Fresh Mix" kit.  In the spirit of Earth Day, I dove into my leftovers rather starting up on some new paper. 

I also used a couple of papers from the 6x6 Sassafrass Wee Bundles Apple Jack and Nerdy Bird from the Torendi store.

The base of the layout as well as the trunk of the tree are made from the shipping box my current kit arrived in.  I tried to give the whole thing a bit of dimensional interest so I used many different colors of Delta Texture Magic which have been sitting in my craft room for years.  Truthfully I was surprised they were still usable.  I expected them to be all dried up.  (Texture Magic is basically colored spackle.) 

I hope you enjoyed my little ode to Earth Day.  CLICK HERE to hop on off to Jenn's blog for your next bit of Torendi Earth Day goodness!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Earth Day!!!

- Heidi

Handmade Ninja

Woohoo!!!  It's Pink Ninja Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!!

The new prompt is "handmade", technique is to use cardboard, and the pink twist is lace. 

I have to admit I was flummoxed by the "handmade" prompt.  I dont' really make anything what I'd term "handmade" other than papercrafts.  I don't sew or knit or anything like that.  As Mo so nicely put it, I just wasn't getting my mojo green light.  And then ~chorus of angels, bright glowing light, bluebirds soaring~ the Sunday Target ad arrived and my mojo was greenlighted!  They had an adorable piece of "art" on sale that inspired this layout:

I obviously didn't focus on something handmade but I featured something "handmade".  The heart is "faux handmade paper".  I've used this technique before on another Pink Ninjas prompt way back when.  You use paint and toilet paper to get that fiber-y handmade paper look:

~title detail~
I have to say I absolutely LOVE painting on cardboard!  It's become my favorite base.  And I've been hoarding pieces for a while now and have some great "interesting" pieces.  This one, for instance, has several holes in it which I love.

Hop on over to the Pink Ninjas blog to check out what the other Ninjas made for your "handmade" inspiration.  It's a regular craft fair over there!!!  Have I mentioned how honored I feel to be included in this amazing bunch of artists??  These chicks are off the hook!

Hope you have a happy hump day!

Heidi

The Moment (Sketchy Thursdays)

I love this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch:

And you will not believe what the DT made for your inspiration!  I love seeing the versatility of the sketches with the varied styles of the DT. 

So, I was just talking with a great friend recently who was excited that she may have just made her most fave layout ever.  And then I made my layout today for this sketch and well whadaya know!  I'm pretty sure this is MY most fave layout ever.  Good scrappin mojo transcends thousands of miles across the web!!! 

Last night I came across the Tyggereye Art Love blog and was so inspired by the amazing art that I practically dreamt about making this layout today.  I really had no idea how to go about it but just grabbed some cardboard and some paint and dug in. 

~picture detail~


Once I laid down the paint I stamped a bit, masked and misted a bit, and then finished it off with some pencil (partially around the painted hearts and alond the vertical stripes) and fingerpainted some areas.  I really have to say I'm impressed with how the background came out.  It looks like some cool patterned paper to me. 

~closer picture detail~
I covered the picture with some tuille to emphasize my rantings about identity lost in my journaling.  It's twisted and tied with wire in the corner with a charm displaying the date of the pic (which, incidentally, is sanded around the edges and fingerpainted with a silver glaze and some black paint).  What?  You say you don't see any journaling?  It's because it's on the back, silly! 

See, what I had to say, what this layout represents is how my life changed at that moment, at the moment we left the hospital with our little 5lb 3oz bundle and became forever new people.  And I don't necessarily want my kids reading the journaling so this is my way of hiding it. 

"This is the moment.  Oh, we didn't realize it at the time but looking back I now know.  The moment my identity was lost.  The identity I'd known.  I would no longer be autonomous. From this moment I am and will always be mom, mommy, mama...And how I'd longed and dreamt of and planned for those days.  But I never dreamed I'd sometimes cringe to hear those words.  And at first silently but now a bit more openly rage against that identity - or rather what that identity means.  That me.  I am lost.  It's no longer acceptable (although would it ever have been?) to make art for art's sake?  To make me happy.  Sane.  But then again, without you and all the moments you've hoisted upon me, would I want to create like this?  Explore me again (or for the first time?).  Truthfully, I can't remember "me" before and actually do believe you identified me.  The autonomous me.  I've never once NOT cherished and been thankful for you and what you brought to my life...And I never will not.  You created me and I love you.  Love, Mom, Mommy, Mama, Heidi"

Yes, a bit rambling.  Stream-of-consciousness.  I guess what I'm trying to get at is I need to create because of them - it just doesn't necessarily sound that way throughout, which is why I wouldn't want the kids to read it, KWIM? 

I'd love to see what you create with the rockin sketch.  Hook up your art to Mr. Linky in the Sketchy Thursdays sidebar for your chance to win the Unity Stamp Co. October Store Kit from Sweet Scrap Deal!

Oh, I so wish I had this kit.  It is wonderful...

Thanks for letting me ramble and rage and display my sometimes yellow mommy colors. 

Have a great Thursday!

- Heidi

Details - Making Memories paint & glaze; Glimmer Mist; Heidi Swapp mask; AMM charm, Stamps - {ippity}, Delish, Autumn Leaves; Stampin' Up! ink; pink tuille from Ninja Addicts Three Little Birds kit; Zig Millennium pen; pencil; cardboard; unknown wire.

P.S.  Check out today's post on the Cosmo Cricket blog.  Not only is it chock-full of yummy sneak peeks for some of their new lines but they're holding a contest...comment on your fave LSS or online independent store.   The winning store will receive a whole line and the winning commenter will also receive it.  Let's give torendi.com an awesome shout-out!!!!!