VLVS! October Guest Designer

If you are here from Clear It Out Challenge, click HERE for Mid-Challenge Inspiration.

If you are here from Hiding In My Craft Room, click HERE for Challenge #118-Halloween Colors

Hi, all my crafty friends and family!!!  A few months ago, I was asked if I would like to be a Guest Designer in October for VLVS! (VivaLasVegas Stamps!) . . . one of my all=time favorite stamp companies.  I, of course, said, "YES!".  So today I am here wanting to share with you a mixed media layout I did for my 1st post for VLVS!.  I am so excited (and more than a little nervous) to be a Guest Designer for VLVS!.  I mean, I have seen what their designers have done . . . and they are so A-W-E-S-O-M-E and so inspirational.  I just hope I don't trip in their shoes while I am at it. lol 

Oh, one more thing before I start, at the end of this post will be instructions on how to win some AWESOME blog candy (a $20 gift certificate to VLVS!) as a celebration for my first Guest Designer post for VLVS!..  So stay turned . . . I will try to hurry thru this post. :)

For my project, I decided to do a mixed media layout.  This is one of the first times I have done a layout like this.  (Okay, to be honest, it is actually the 4th one I've done in the past week or so and I LOVE it!).   

For this layout, I got my inspiration from one of my favorite designers, Czekoczyna.  I used a few of my favorite VLVS! stamps along with one of my daughter's favorite colors . . . PINK! I also used a picture she took of herself and sent it to me . . . okay, I "borrowed" it from her Facebook page. But, hey, I need to take advantage of getting all the pictures of her I can since she does NOT like to have her picture taken. :)

I used the following VLVS! products:

Chicken Wire (Item #5757)

Pure imagination (Item #19041)

Be an ADVENTURER (Item #19173)

Miracle Tape

Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder

Other items:

UmWowStudio flair, May Arts lace and jute, black Archival Ink,

 misc. washi tape, various patterned cardstock from Basic Grey,

 Prima & Pink Paislee, gesso, Glimmer Glazes & Mists from Tattered Angels,

  masks from Prima (dots & checkerboard), assorted flowers; 

a stick pin (I made this for a swap I was in), rub-ons & a key from Tim Holtz, 

chicken wire chipboard from Dusty Attics (Oops! Sorry, DeeDee) 

and black drawing ink

Since this was a long process (as least for me since I am so slow . . . okay, I am undecided about some things so I take my time --- that's my story and I'm sticking to it. lol), I am only going to highlight the most important parts.  As with any mixed media project or layout, I taped some Super Stock or chipboard behind the cardstock I am using . . . this was to help stiffen it so it wouldn't buckle under the weight of all the embellishment. 

Using Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive, I adhered strips and squares of different papers (it is important to use a liquid adhesive for this first part so the paper doesn't wrinkle as much).  Once I had my paper down in an assortment that worked with the picture I was using, I added some washi tape.  Then I applied gesso over it and added small clusters of checkerboard throughout.

I then added my picture using foam tape. (I did cover my photo with a blank piece of cardboard as not to get ink or glue on it . . . I just wanted it there to help with placement of my flowers and such). Then I started adding clusters of flowers to the top & bottom right of my picture and to the bottom right of my layout, pieces of chicken wire chipboard, lace, and rub-ons.  Then starting with the lightest mist/glaze and working to the darkest mist/glaze, I went to work misting and dripping till I was happy with the results . . . I let some dry completely before adding the next color and some I did not.  This was to get a more "blended" look.  Also, the reason I to go from lightest to darkest is because you can still see the lightest color after applying the darkest color . . . but you can't see the lightest color if added after the darkest color.  I added some jute, a stick pin I made with a dragonfly charm on it and a key to my clusters of flowers.

Once I was finished with all the adhering and misting, I stamped my VLVS! images here and there.  I added the chicken wire stamp in various places around my photo and lower flower cluster. Stamped "Pure Imagination" below my photo and stamped "Be an ADVENTURER" to the right of my photo . . . I ended up trying to double stamp it, trying to "shadow" it, but it didn't quite work the way I wanted.  But I am happy with it anyway....as I always say, "There are NO mistakes, only creative discoveries . . . nothing is right or wrong."

Added some bling and some droplets of black drawing ink and VOILA! I was done.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope I was able to inspire at least one person today . . . if I did, my world is complete (well, at least for today it is - lol).   I can hardly wait to share my 2nd project in a couple of weeks.

Now for the other important part . . . blog candy (a $20 gift certificate to VLVS!).  To be eligible, become a follower and leave a comment stating you did so or just some lovin' . . . please keep the comments clean.  Inky is okay, but not dirty. ::) You have until 11:30pm Central Thursday, October 17th to leave your comment(s). I will announce the winner (from a random drawing) on Friday, October 18th.  If my number of followers increase by 25, I will add another blog candy (yet to be determined but will have a $20 value).  So please check back on Friday, October 18th to see if you are the one. 

Till the next time I'm up in the night. Kathy