Scraps of Darkness & Punky Scraps ~ A{void}

 It is time to get picky over at Punky Scraps.  This is challenge #39.  Here is the list of pickys that team A gave to us, team B to use 3 or more:

Kerry: Since it is the month of fresh and shiny new starts I'll choose something shiny

Cheryl: in the same vein as kerry, since you might wish to turn over a new leaf in the new year, let's have something to do with books

Misty: stenciling or masking

Jolanda: Use some charms

Ashley: have some negative space

Celina: Use silver or gold

Marie: Use Stickles

Kat: bubble wrap

I used 5 out of the 8 pickys.  My shiny item(s) are the mirrors.  I masked part of my broken up title.  For charms, I used a lock & key, a TH tag and a black pendant.  I have quite a bit of silver items and a couple gold safety pins.  I put black Stickles on my arrow.

This page was made using the January "Escape" kit from Scraps of Darkness.  This is my example for the Skeleton's Challenge over at SOD, about friendships.  Obviously, mine aren't so great, hence the depressing page I made.  I did some heavy inking and painting to the Authentique paper to create more of a darker side.  The title can go two ways, either avoid (meaning avoid friendships) or void (for emptiness and hurt).  I did some journaling to put inside the G45 envelope, which reads: "I can make friends easily enough, but keeping them is another story.  I have been hurt too much by 'best friends'.  I decided not to allow anymore into my heart, to hurt me.  Therefore, it has been sad and lonely, but I am better off without." Photo-Nov 2011  Journal-Jan 2012

That is why I enjoy the virtual world of friendships more.  And I am grateful for those I can call friend and share the art of scrapbooking with.  Real life 'friends' have been very hurtful.

These words were cut apart from a journal strip from an Authentique tabloid cardstock.

Note: Some of the embellies came from my stash, and a couple of these pps were from older kits.

Scraps of Darkness *Jan Kit* ~ An Island Jewel

This tropical dream of my mom's late honeymoon in Hawaii was made using the "Escape" kit from Scraps of Darkness.  This design was based off of Monique's (Rubymillerand) Happy Birthday page in the RR challenge over at SOD.  And this page turned into quite a challenge for me personally, but I finally went forward with it and completed it.  These photos of my mom were taken in March 1960.

I did some fussy cutting from the G45 papers and used some of the chippies.  I tried to darken my fish net, but it didn't work out.  The tumbled glass was smashed with my hammer to make tiny pebbles.

These Kaisercraft flowers have wire behind them, so I was able to tie them to the net.

Scraps of Darkness Reveal *January Kit*

It's Reveal Day again, and there is a lot going on at Scraps of Darkness! Before I get started with the reveal of the January kit, I wanted to share some exciting news.

Scraps of Darkness is going to have a new little sister!!

On February 1st, we will reveal a new line of kits, Scraps of Elegance. These kits will be a little different from what you are used to seeing from Scraps of Darkness, and we are honored to have a very talented surprise guest designer who will be helping us to show off our first Scraps of Elegance kit. In addition to that (as if that isn't a lot!), we'll be having a blog hop to kick it all off, so set your calenders to stop back on February 1, 2012!

There is also a new challenge called  Dr Darkness' Interpretation Challenge and anyone can enter.  The winner will receive this kit!!  So head to the SOD blog for details and how to play.

Now on to the reveal.....

 "Searching for my lost shaker of salt" ~Jimmy Buffett

This is the new January kit from Scraps of Darkness called "Escape".  So yes, we are going tropical!!!  Wanna come along?  This kit holds the new Graphic 45 Tropical Travelogue Collection, some Pink Paislee Nantucket papers & products, new Prima & Petaloo, Tim Holtz tags, Authentique Gathering papers & tags and more!

 This is the monthly sketch by Suepup...it is so refreshing and cool!!

Here is what I came up with using the sketch.  I went with the bolder colors for this pool side page.  The black net I got from a ham, the shells came from the beach, the burlap, beach stickers and the floral tape all came from my stash.   This is Andrew showing off his muscles, so I called this page "Macho Man".  Aug 2009

I used all G45 papers, cutting some up, masking over another and layering it all up. 

Those blue flowers are Petaloo (Flora & Fauna add-on).  The journal tag is from Authentique Gathering (main kit).

That cute turtle and arrow are Pink Paislee chippies (Romance add-on).  The arrow was painted using Lindy's Magicals.  The turtle was inked.

I took this next page into a shabby chic look with some vintage elements to it.  The photo is my mom about age 2-3 (early 1940's) on the beach, so I call this "Beach Babe".

I used some of the Nantucket papers with the G45.

I really like the fishnet (main kit) that came with the kit.  I made the design to show it off.  I glued it down using mod podge and then used part of the title on top of it.  The fold down was scrunched up with some of the tulle (romance add-on) and tied together with twine and the TH tags.

The larger "Coconut" flowers are Kaisercraft (flora & fauna add-on).  The tag is G45 (main kit).  I painted the seahorse (romance add-on) with Lindy's magicals.  The sand dollar came in the main kit.  The other chippies are DA and are from my stash.

Scraps of Darkness & Punky Scraps ~ Disappointed

 Today is the reveal for Challenge #38 over at Punky Scraps.  This sketch was designed by Marie Johansson.  Come and play along with us!

 I used some different supplies from previous Scraps of Darkness kits to make this sketch page.  I created this lo to use as an example for the Title Challenge  over at SOD.  The word is 'Disappoint/Disappointed/Disappointment'.  I remembered this moment with Andrew on his first day of Preschool when I went to pick him up.  He was so bummed to leave.  I think this picture clearly shows the disappointment in his face.  Aug 2009

I love to use staples, and added some here to the strip, which I used a stickered ruler.  Lots of rub ons and some misting was used too.

Of course it is hard for me to leave negitive space, so here, I kept adding layers to the original design.  The cog was painted with molding paste then misted and inked over.

Scraps of Darkness & Sketches: Creatively Yours ~ Sandy Claws

 Here is sketch 2-12 from Sketches: Creatively Yours.  Ann Seleshanko, our senior designer, is the one who designed this awesome sketch.  Please come by and share your creation with us and be inspired by what the rest of the DT made. 

When I saw Ann's sketch I looked at the grid and thought of a present.  So I went in that direction.  Using my incredible Scraps of Darkness, Winter's Eve, December kit, I created a 'dark' Christmas scene.  These are the Enchanted Bo Bunny papers layered up.  The Nightmare Before Christmas scene was made from 7 different pictures I took at Disneyland on the Haunted Mansion ride, featuring Sandy Claws.

Scraps of Darkness & Punky Scraps ~ Enjoy the Magic

Here is an inspiration challenge (#37) from Punky Scraps.  You are to use this "Always Coca Cola" theme/image to help you create a page/project.  Please come by the blog to share what you make with us and to see what the rest of the DT came up with.

 This is what I came up with using the amazing "Winter's Eve" Decmeber kit from Scraps of Darkness.  When I saw the inspirational image, all I could focus on was the winter scene.  Of course living in this hot desert, is probably why I have snow envy.  But we did have a magical moment at Disneyland a few weeks ago, in Decmember 2011,  right there on Main Street.  It snowed for a couple of minutes.  It was so amazing, and the look on Jasmine's face staring at a snowflake was priceless, it reminded me of a commerical.   I added some bottle caps from an older kit, to help punk out this Coca Cola theme. 

 I used the cardboard from the box the kit was mailed in.  I first painted it with some clear molding paste, then sprayed some of Lindy's mists (color add-on) over it, for this incredible sheer bg.  Those pink and white snowflakes with the Webster's Pearl Sparklers (all main kit) looked perfect on the bottle caps.  The Prima black vine (romance add-on) worked perfectly with the white Prima flower (Floura & Fauna).  The sprigs, silver snowflakes, acorns and silver leaves came from my stash, a clearance sale after Christmas :) 

The black doily and Bo Bunny Trinket (both Romance add-on) really stand out together above the photo.

Scraps of Darkness & Sketches: Creatively Yours ~ Gateway to Love

Here is the first sketch of the new year 1-12 from Sketches: Creatively Yours.  This was hand drawn by Alison MacDonald, isn't it gorgeous?  So I wanted to keep that in mind and show off the beauty she drew in my own creation.

 Using the gorgeous, December "Winter's Eve" kit from Scraps of Darkness, I created this romantic page of my husband and I.  I like how the area of the sketch for the photo had those curved lines, so I used the Kaisercraft gates (main kit) to "hug" the photo.  The corner flourish and scalloped border is the Prima resistant canvas (color add-on) all misted up.  I managed to squeeze in some Prima packaging on the photo and under the gate.  My dh and I were at our local animal park, standing in front of a bolder in Nov 2011.

 The small Prima roses (Floura & Fauna add-on) were used within the flourish to make it pop! 

I used the Basic Grey metal flowers (main kit) as door handles on the gates.