Scrap Matrix DT AALL & Create - Helen's 2nd share - Memories

Welcome back to the Scrap Matrix challenge where for the whole of August we are using Stamps and Stencils from AALL & Create.

If you have some AALL & Create products in your stash; or you are in the mood for a splurge on stamps and stencils, come & join us. 


 We're a friendly lot and will make you feel very welcome.  You don't need a blog, just link your work into the album on the 
Scrap Matrix album on Facebook.

These products are super versatile, as they contain lots of images and stencil shapes in each pack,  i.e. lots of bang for your buck! 
I may have one or two of these tucked away for a rainy day.

For the base of my layout, I chose one of the new papers from 7 Dots Studio, Garden Party Collection, "Born".  It was perfect for photos of my little Grand Girl planting up a frame of Cacti. I covered the whole page with clear gesso, as I wanted to add mixed media.

I fussy cut some of the flowers from another sheet of 7 Dots Studio, Garden Party collection, "Dreamy". I added some cacti from my own photo collection of flowers and foliage which I also fussy cut.

Playing around with placement of the fussy cut elements

and allowing room to add some texture paste.

To create a soft frame, I used texture paste through a stencil, 

AALL & Create #9.

Using the same stencil and some Tim Holtz Oxide inks, I added some detail to the bottom right corner and stamped a butterfly from the AALL & Create stamp set #47. I didn't have quite the right shade of Oxides, so I blended a few different colours; Peeled paint, Twisted citron, Iced spruce, Lucky Clover and Frayed Burlap. I think it worked, although I hear there's another 12 colours to be had.  

Not that I'm looking! 

With the AALL & Create stamp set #47, I stamped, fussy cut and coloured a Bee to hover among the foliage.

The circle and dot stamps are from AALL & Create Stamp set #10.

I tried to stamp directly onto the page and managed to stamp one of the quotes upside down!  Arrgh!  Hmmm!  Why do I tell you about all of my bloopers?   Perhaps to explain, that there is often a way to rescue the page rather than toss is in the bin, which I would have done in the earlier days.   So I painted some watered down white gesso over the mess; stamped on tissue paper and added the tissue over the mistakes with Gel medium. 

A bit more stamping from AALL & Create Stamp set #10.

I have tried writing directly onto a gessoed background before and it seems to bleed into the paper, so I typed my journalling into text boxes, printed them onto card stock, cut them out and splashed some ink onto them to help them blend into the background.

Thanks for calling in today, I hope you find something to inspire your creativity. We'd love to have you play along and perhaps win a prize or a Guest Designer spot, from the uber generous 
Vicki Christensen at Scrap Matrix

Products from Scrap Matrix:-

Finnabair clear gesso

Liquitex white gesso

7 Dots Garden Party "Born"

7 Dots Garden Party "Dreamy"

AALL & Create Stamp #47

AALL & Create stamp # 10 ( similar to this one)

AALL & Create stamp # 43 (Similar to this one)

AALL & Create Stencil #9 - not currently in stock, but there's lots of others to choose from

Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks

Tim Holtz archival ink

Tim Holtz texture paste

Finnabair soft matte gel

Other products:

Chipboard title from Scrapmatts

Scrap Matrix - Just because I have a new stencil

Hello again Scrappy people, I have a new stencil from

Scrap Matrix and couldn't wait to have a play.

The stencil is from The Crafter's Workshop,

Mini Art Deco Leaves.

I used a heavy weight Watercolor paper, because I wanted to create 
a mixed media background on some cards.

I thought the stencil would work well with some 

Tim Holtz Paper Dolls which appear to be from the same Vintage.

Don't this pair look cool dressed in their best bib and tucker?  They could be off to listen to music at their local Jazz club.

I made a 6"x6" card which I thought would be perfect for an 

engagement or wedding card.

The Chartreuse green reminds me of the colours from that era.

First I smooshed some Tim Holtz Oxides (Peeled Paint, Twisted Citron and Iced Spruce) onto a craft mat before spritzing them with water.

With the watercolor paper slightly damp, I swished it through the inks, until I was happy with the blending.

I placed the stencil on top & scraped Liquitex white gesso through it

after masking off the edges.  Whoops, forgot to photograph that bit!

Before removing the stencil, I sprinkled some Gold embossing powder randomly over the leaves, then set the powder with a heat tool.

I added a title with Tim Holtz words & some Prills 

to "ground" the people.

When I'm making a mess, I always try to make several cards; 

it makes the inky hands and messy desk worthwhile!

For this card, I applied the gesso through the stencil first.

While still wet I added some Mica Fragments & dried them.

Then I sprayed with Dylusions Ink, Polished Jade & Calypso Teal.

The result is a lot looser look, as the gesso softens again.

The angels wings are from Scrap Matrix; I smooshed them with 
Tim Holtz Oxide, Antique Linen. 

I finished the card with a gold border using a die from my stash
and added a Tim Holtz word, which I also smooshed with ink.

Meanwhile back at headquarters, there is still time to play along with the July challenge "How sweet it is"

Here's a reminder of the mood board.

Thanks for your visit, I hope you found something to inspire you.