Eniko's Playhouse

Upcycling Packaging from Scrapbook Supplies & Using Up Your Stash

I admit it...I am a bit of a pack-rat. When I open a package of new scrapbooking supplies, I often save the packaging as well as the embellishments inside. I can't seem to get myself to throw away that crisp cellophane envelope, which I just KNOW will make a wonderful enclosure for a future keepsake, and I simply can NOT toss that wonderful cardstock backing, which I certainly will make into a glorious tag someday! In fact, I don't stop there. I save tissue from gift bags, molded clear plastic packaging,  interesting tags from clothing purchases, bottle caps and twine, ribbon & string. But before you call Hoarders Anonymous and turn me in, hear me out.

I am actually en-point with the latest scrapbooking trend! (Purely coincidental, I assure you.) Recently, I've noticed several scrapbooking blogs and videos promote the use of packaging materials in a trend they refer to as upcycling. Prima Marketing is actually promoting their new "Green Concepts Projects" to encourage scrappers to upcycle -check out these great Valentines on Prima Marketing's blog that utilize packaging materials.

In fact, just the other day, as I ripped open a Jolee's Boutique packet of embellishments , I discovered (2) printed tags, just waiting to be cut-out and upcycled!

I caught a little video on You Tube in which an entire tutorial was devoted to making a mini-book from Prima Marketing packaging and I think I've even heard Tim Holtz mention something about utilizing the backing of scrapbooking supplies. And on Spiegel Mom Scraps lovely Jody offers a month-long challenge in honor of National Craft Month and encourages her readers to upcycle as they scrap. (She has some great examples of upcycled packaging materials, which I am absolutely lifting!)

So I took up the challenge and created a scrapbook page exclusively out of upcycled materials saved from packaging, found objects that were never originally intended for scrapbooking, and paper scraps. Even the photos were ones that I downloaded from MySpace in 2008 and tucked away, hoping to get my hands on better copies someday. -But why waste? This is a perfect time to scrap them!

So I pushed myself to the limit of upcycling...I even used the cardboard backing of scrapbook paper stacks as my background paper instead of cardstock! To make them a bit more interesting, I sprayed them (along with a couple chipboard elements that I've had hanging around for ages) with several colors of Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (mostly Brick, Creme de Cocoa & Gold) and a touch of Perfect Pearls (Evergreen):
Next, I dug out my scrap paper bin and the stash of miscellaneous upcyclables that I'd been hoarding for years:

If you look closely, you'll crack up at all the seemingly silly things I've collected through the years. Besides my scrap bin, which clearly is over-flowing with close to ten years of scrapbooking paper remnants and my button drawer (that is only one of two...I also have a tin of buttons that once belonged to Jim's mom!) ...I've saved used tags galore, lots of interesting packaging materials, coffee cup sleeves, candy wrappers, bakers' twine (from a real bakery!) and Simplicity tissue sewing patterns.

So for this scrappbooking project, I decided on the two Prima Marketing packaging tags you see here...the green one and the printed one in the lower center of the photo, the yellow tag (which I flipped over to the blank side) and the natural colored string. I also found a cardboard heart that I had cut-out for an art journaling page, but never used.

I wanted to tie-in my elements with the golden sheen of the lion's costume that my adorable grandson wore for Halloween when he was just a year-old, so I sponged some gold craft paint onto the background, the chipboard elements, and onto the cardboard heart.

(I just want to mention here that I am linking this to The Second Floor Challenge of Julie Fein-Fan Balzer and Natalie Kalbach -the idea is to encourage artists to step out of their comfort zone in their artwork. March 12th's inspiration was to use gold acrylic paint in your next layout. Well as you can see here, I didn't step...I JUMPED out of my comfort zone and right up to the second floor...gold paint and all!!!)

Instead of over-thinking and over-planning, as I often do, I just created art, following my instincts and my sense of design and whimsy. I began pulling random scraps of scrapbooking paper that matched my color scheme. I used the green Prima Marketing tag as a base for the title: "Lions & Tigers and Bears, oh my" -which was the title Rigel's mom gave the main photo on her MySpace page.
The process was very appropriately organic, and far different from my usual style of scrapbooking. Since I've been a member of Let's Scrap, I've been influenced by some the the layering that members use in their card designs and I just went at it. I had a die cut image of The Wizard of OZ that I tucked in by the title, I used the yellow tag that was once attached to a rug, I think, as my journaling tag and added some scraps from Graphic 45's Le Cirque (loved the lion image) and some animal paw prints left over from a child's craft project. I'm rather pleased at the outcome and the only thing that cost me money on this layout was the adhesive!

It's not too late to join in Jody's upcycling challenge...in fact, I'm on my way to Spiegel Mom Scraps to upload this. (I'd love comments and feedback!)

Happy Upcycling! -Enikö                                                                           

Scrapbooking Friends at Play

I love little point-and-shoot cameras that tuck away neatly in a handbag...ready to snap a photo at a moment's notice. It enables us to capture moments such as these and saves them forever in our archive of fun activities.

As we await the arrival of spring here on chilly, windy Martha's Vineyard, I am reminded, as I scrap these fun-filled photos, of the abundant opportunities for play during the summer months here. Because we are mainly a destination for summer vacations on our 30-mile island, winters can be a bit bleak once the majority of businesses lock their doors for the season, so it is wonderful to relive summer memories, helping us to "hold on" just a little bit longer.

This particular playtime was at the Opening Night of Trio in Edgartown. In a truly brilliant concept...the newly opened Black Sheep gourmet cheese shop and charcuterie, transforms every summer evening into Trio, a wine and cheese-tasting, small-bites eatery. My friends Cassie and Robin joined me for a wonderfully memorable evening where we laughed and played and ate and drank and laughed and played some more.

-Just a little reminder to keep that camera with you and that spring is surely on its way.

Hugs, Enikö

(Just a little mention that this layout was inspired by a sketch challenge on a great scrapbooking site that I encourage you to join, called Let's Scrap...loads of scrapbooking fun!)

More Art-Cards: Card-making with an Artistic Flair

So the fabulous month-long Let's Scrap Blog Hop is over and I am in card-making withdrawal. I managed to juggle a busy work schedule, Valentine's weekend, an Academy Awards Party, doctor's appointments & all the other trappings of life and somehow squeezed out enough time to complete 18 cards. -Not much to boast about considering that so many others made the maximum 50 cards that were offered up in inspirational sketches on the various stops on the Hop, but honestly, I had a ball and am very proud of the artistic flair I gave my humble 18. I thought it would be fun to share some cards, along with the sketches that inspired them. This is one of my favorites. I made this card for my dear friend, Annelle (a very talented Penny Rug designer), who cared for my children during my Newport restaurant days, and played jazz for them every night during dinner. She and I enjoyed several Newport Jazz Festivals together, and this card plays tribute to those days. So this sketch, created by Debby D. of Let's Scrap was the one that inspired the layout for the card. Just to share the thought-process with you... First, I found the fabulous image of the jazz singer and the jazz musicians in the Curtain Call collection of the wonderful scrapbooking paper company, Graphic 45 and gathered all of the other elements that I planned to use.

I'm not sure what made me think of the sentiment, but Annelle is a highly spiritual person, and her heart is abundant with love, and she surrounds herself with music, so it fit: "Love is the Music of the Soul". I cut that out of red paper with my Cricket die-cutting machine. I also knew that it would make a stunning statement if I colored the songstress's lips in bright red glitter...it would emphasize the passion in her heart and add drama to the card. It was close to Valentine's Day, so adding the heart was a no-brainer. I covered that with the same red glitter, as well as the heart-shaped pin...and voila!

I guess my initial inspiration comes from the graphic images I find in my stash of scrapbooking supplies (that, or a great sentiment I might come across). It is only after I have an image in mind that I match it with a card sketch that will lead me in the direction of the final layout...at least that's how I operated during the February Blog Hop. This next card is a great example of that. I found a unique graphic of a bird flying over a botanical image (from Graphic 45's Botanicabella collection) and it just fit a quote that I particularly liked. "Nothing is too Wonderful to be Real"...isn't that the loveliest sentiment ever?

So I matched the idea to the sketch you see here on the left. There are no strict rules when it comes to sketch inspirations...the only rule is to use the sketch design as a guideline for the layout. The design can be flipped, inverted or altered in any way that suits the user. As you can see, I only used one sentiment, instead of the suggested three, but I used the idea of the three identical shapes (though in different proportions) in my design. I also raised the three square shapes on pop-dots to add interest and dimension.
An interesting note about turning accidents into positive elements: The cool printed tissue tape on the far left was added because the card tore at the crease when I scored it a bit over-exuberantly. Also, the tear above the sentiment was originally not intentional -it was simply an accident. I decided that instead of trimming it straight, I would emphasize the tear by inking it. I then inked all my edges for balance and consitancy. -Often it's the "oops"-s of a project that will end up giving it depth and character. I really love the way this card turned out, don't you?

Cassie, if you're reading this...this card was inspired by you. Cassie has decided that she's had enough of Boston winter and has booked a flight to the Caribbean to get some "beach time". I've been dieing to make something with Graphic 45's Travelogue collection (which I won in as blog candy a couple of months ago) so it was the perfect motivation in combination with this card sketch:

The sketch is simple, which I love...it allows for creative tweaking & interpretation. (Incidentally, these were concerns when I first entered into "sketch" territory...I was afraid that using another's sketch for inspiration, or guidelines, or design, would somehow impair my own artistic sensibility or creativity. -But what I found was that it pushed me, instead, in areas of creativity that I may have otherwise not entered into and challenged me in ways that pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to see beyond my own limitations.)

So I picked my background paper and  my graphic image...the sentiment was easy...the word "BEACH" said it all. I also wanted to add the lacey element that appeared on the sketch without being too "girlie" (which Cassie is not), so I simply used a paper punch to "imitate" the lace in the sketch. The only tricky piece was the "fussy cutting" of the Bird of Paradise flower that I thought the card needed for color balance. What do you think?
I just love the colors and the textures and even the simplicity of this card.

I will end this post with my Oscar Party invitation. (I will post more cards really soon...I promise). Many of you know what an avid movie-buff I am. -Not sure why that is, but I LOVE the cinema! Every year I host an Oscar Party for my like-minded movie-loving friends. This year, my favorite movie was Hugo, by Martin Scorsese. I had a feeling that Hugo would do well at the Academy Awards, but that more than likely The Artist would win the coveted golden trophy (which is exactly what ended up happening). This following card, inspired by the sketch on the left, was a tribute to the silent era of Hollywood, as well as to these two amazing movies that honored it.

The images are, again, from Graphic 45 (it just so happens that their papers are exceptionally artistic and I find myself being highly inspired by them). The graphics I used were from the Curtain Call collection...the central image of the moon is one you might remember from Georges Mellie's movie, "La Voyage du la Lune"...and featured in Hugo. The filmstrip images of silent movie stars was a respectful nod, on my part, to the theme of The Artist. The image of the watch is also reminiscent of Hugo's theme. (It's fun to scroll back & forth between the sketch & the finished card to see what elements were adapted in what way.) -I think you'll love this:

So I think I will pause now & announce the winner of the LEAP 46 Blog Hop Candy. Here's Jim, pulling the winning name out of a hat:

And the winner is...(drum roll, please)...

CATHY!

Congratulations, Cathy! Please leave your address on the Let's Scrap website, or email it to me directly, and I will send the goodies right out to you.

More cards in my next post, stay tuned...

Hugs, Enikö

Art-Cards: Card-making with an Artistic Flair

We've become accustomed to email "Thank yous" and texted "Happy Birthdays", but we can all agree that nothing beats receiving a thoughtful, handwritten card in the mail. Greeting cards have delighted me throughout my life, marking every important occasion. As a little girl, I treasured pretty birthday cards and most of all, the yearly over-sized pink and lacey Valentines from my dad, which always made me feel so very special. I still have the love notes that my first crush slipped me in the seventh grade, and all the cards that boyfriends have sent me through the years. Engagement cards, wedding greetings, congratulations on the birth of my children, condolences after my mother's passing...I still treasure them all.

After taking up scrapbooking, I occasionally used my stash of papers and embellishments to create cards from scratch. Last year, I hosted a Valentine card-making party for some girlfriends, and this year, I even made my own Christmas cards, but it wasn't until this past month that I took card-making seriously as an art-form.

When I agreed to be a host on the Let’s Scrap Leap Around the World Blog Hop, it came with the challenge of making a possible 50 cards from 50 inspirational sketches and posted on blogs from all over the world. I doubted that I would reach the ultimate goal, but I was hoping to make at least one-a-day during the month of February. (Yikes! I'm seriously behind!) As I diligently worked towards my quota, I saw beautiful little works of art come to fruition. What a lovely thought...to actually create and send a handmade card that is worthy of being framed. I started with some Valentines. First, I made one for Jim, expressing the devotion we have for eachother. I layered lovely papers and die-cuts that I chalked around the edges for added dimension and even tied it with a gossamer ribbon. (I love ribbon on cards!)

Then I made one for my sister, Ildi, who still has on display the Valentine I made her last year: I've had this little cupid image for a while, just waiting for the perfect reason to use it. It reminded me so much of my sister at age 3 or so, with her lovely blond locks. The vintage seam binding (such a pretty, soft color) was crumpled from storage, and I just allowed the creases to fall where they may & then glued them strategically to frame the image and the sentiment.

I made this next card (one of my favorites) to honor the lovely quote by Helen Keller- a reminder to appreciate the simple gifts of life: Most of the cards were made with someone in mind, which added to the joy of creation. For example, my son, Attila, was turning 34 this month (a fact that still baffles me) and I was thinking about what an adorable little boy he was, so I captured my thoughts in this card and included a favorite photo of our first outing to Chappaquiddick after moving to Martha's Vineyard -I think he'll treasure it: In case you're wondering, the metal medallion was something I picked up from the Making Memories Bravissmo line. It came with the epoxy circle that fit perfectly over the punched-out photo. I used two other epoxy elements for balance.

I was looking for a way to thank my dear friend, Susan Branch, for the lovely tea she invited me to, so I made her a card that suits her personality as well as the occasion... My friend, Laura, was getting excited about her upcoming tropical vacation (if I could only stow-away in her leopard luggage!) so I made her a "Happy Vacation" card. I was getting more and more jazzed about card-making as an art-form, as I found myself becoming more and more creative. Here I used some great paper and tags from Graphic 45 along with burlap and silk flowers I had in my stash.

The more I saw my cards as frame-worthy art, the more inspired I became. I came across a wonderful image that spoke to my heart and found a sentiment to match. I believe I made this one just for me: Well, I'm signing off for now...I still have 11 days before the month is over (thank you leap year for that extra day!), so I better get back to my art room and make some more card art!

Thanks for stopping by, and it's still not too late to join in all the card-making fun!

(Do be my Valentine and leave me some love in the comment section below. If you're reading this via email, hop on over & say "Hi" so I know you've stopped by.)

Hugs! -Enikö

Let’s Scrap Leap Around the World Blog Hop #46!

Welcome! My name is Enikö DeLisle, and I am very excited to be one of your hosts for the Let’s Scrap Leap Around the World Blog Hop. (This post will stay on the top of my blog for the entire month. See below for new post!)

I am one of 50 hosts from all over the world...from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts to Australia and everywhere in between! Our mission is to inspire you to make as many handmade greeting cards as you can during the month of February 2012! Each of us is featuring a card sketch to inspire you and great prizes are offered to entice you to join in!

This is where I live...the island of Martha's Vineyard...I don't actually live on the beach (shucks!), but I am only minutes from some very beautiful beaches indeed!

OK! So here's my fabulous sketch 9-15-10, LEAP46 designed by Debby D. at Let's Scrap: Isn't it a wonderful idea for a card? I hope you decide to make a card inspired by this great sketch.

I was inspired to make two different cards using this sketch. I used the same background, but wanted to illustrate how slight changes can alter the look of a card. One is a Valentine, of course! How could I resist?

I hope you choose to make a card from the sketch above and post it on Let's Scrap, but you don't need to make a card to be eligible for my give-a-way! You can just leave me a comment below (which I would really appreciate!) and you will be entered in the draw...If you do both, you will have 2 chances to win my blog candy!

So my give-a-way to the lucky winner of the random draw will be these three great Martha Stewart acrylic stamp sets, Mary Engelbreit dimensional "love" stickers, Basic Grey rub-ons with a touch of bling, and some truly scrumptious gossamer ribbon by Maya Road- all perfect for card-making & papercrafting: 
This is how you can be entered into the draw to win my give-a-way:

Chance 1:

          Be or become a member of Let’s Scrap

          Become a follower of my blog, Eniko's Playhouse

          Leave a comment for me below -"What's your favorite Blog Candy"?

Chance 2:

          Create a card (or scrapbook layout) using the sketch above

          Upload your creation to the Let’s Scrap gallery, tagging it exactly like this:                                            9-15-10, LEAP46

Link your project from Let’s Scrap into a second comment on my  blog. If you need help with how to “link”, instructions can be found here:

http://letsscrap.ning.com/forum/topics/how-to-copy-and-paste-a-page...

GOOD LUCK SCRAPPERS!

If you're following the hosts by numerical order, then you just came from:

#45 -Carla De Zinger's blog from South Africa! http://sweetscrappins.blogspot.com/

Currently, you are visiting me, #46 -Eniko DeLisle, on a small island called Martha's Vineyard, off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, United States of America. http://enikodelisle.typepad.com/enikos-playhouse/

From me, you can leap to:

#47 -Tory Frail in Ontario, Canada!  http://tfraildesigns.blogspot.com/

If you get lost, just return to Mindi Brown in Montana! -She has the full list of blog hosts at: http://scrapchat-n-coffeetalk.blogspot.com/

This blog hop promises to be a lot of fun! You will get a lot of cards done and you will have 50 blogs to visit that are all giving away wonderful prizes. (Complete details are available at Let’s Scrap.)

Thanks for coming by...I hope you visit me again soon. I will be blogging about how I made these two cards in my next post.

Happy bog hopping! -Enikö

Card-making Inspiration - Handmade Valentines

Just a quick post designed to inspire you to make your own Valentine's Day cards this year...and to get you ready for tomorrow's Let's Scrap Leap Around the World Blog Hop! Don't shy away from trying...it's really quite simple to make a card. Look...
This is a simple little card I made for Jim a couple of years ago using a pearlized pre-cut card. The sentiment was cut from patterned scrapbook paper, then trimmed with a lovely border punch by Fiskars. -But look what happens when it's opened up:
Isn't that the cutest thing ever? Photos can add a real personal touch to any handmade card. I added a border sticker around the photo, a heart-shaped sentiment, then added my own message. Easy!

Here's another idea. This one was made with a pre-cut card that opens in the center:
The card as it comes is visible in the background, on top of the white envelope. The card in the foreground has been decorated with a border punch. (OOPS! I thought I had the correct punch in the photo, but I now remember that that I borrowed this one from a friend at our card-making party...it may be by Martha Stewart -not sure.) Anyway, it illustrates how much difference a simple edging can make...and without much work.

All I did to complete this card, is layered a couple of heart-shaped embellishments as a "closure", lined the inside with a pretty soft paper, and added a rub-on sentiment inside.
This is what it looks like closed:
Isn't that adorable? I just added my own message...it only took minutes!

This next one could be a birthday or a Mother's Day card, or it could be made into a Valentine. I started with a pre-made blank white card I purchased at my local stationary store and I trimmed the edge with the same pretty border punch that I used on the pink card above.
Then I glued a pretty vintage image that I found on the web onto the front, and looked for scrapbook paper with similar colors and tones that would look nice peek-a-booing out from under the lace border. After cutting it out, I adhered it to the inside of the card.
I added a slim strip above the thicker strip to balance things out, and placed a journaling block from my stash inside so I could add my own message.
Here's the finished card...just waiting for a warm sentiment to be added to the empty spot under the rose.
So I could write Happy Mother's Day or Happy Birthday or Congratulations or Thank You...this card would be lovely for almost any occasion. Now look how easily I can turn it into a Valentine's Day card, just by adding a little heart here and there and by adding a love-themed sentiment:

See...it's magic!

Well, I hope I've added a touch of inspiration to your card-making and I do hope you'll join us at Let's Scrap for the exciting Leap Around the World Blog Hop. If you'd like to join the Blog Hop, follow the directions on my previous post. When you return to my blog at 11am Eastern on Wednesday, February 1st, you will find a lovely little sketch to jump-start your creativity and I will have directions & links & examples galore to guide you and to inspire you...and a great little give-a-way to entice you!

Happy Card-Making! -Enikö

Gear-up for a Spectacular Month of Card-making!

I'm so excited! As one of the 50 international blog hostesses, I am busy gearing up for the upcoming Let's Scrap (http://letsscrap.ning.com/) "Leap Around the World" February blog hop!!  This fun-filled Card-Making Event with fabulous give-a-ways will start at 10:00am on February 1st and end on February 29th at 11:59pm (central standard time).

I sure hope you join me in this big hop!  There are several things you can do RIGHT NOW to be prepared:

1. Make sure you are signed up as a follower on my blog. Just look in the upper right-hand corner, where it says "Google Friend Connect" and click on "JOIN THIS SITE".  In addition, it's  convenient to subscribe via e-mail so that you will never miss one of my blog posts!
2. Get your scrapping area in order and locate all those paper scraps & ribbons & wonderful embellishments you have been stashing away...you will need them because the blog hop is all about making CARDS!
3. Hop on over to Let's Scrap and sign-up for a free membership. Once you sign-up, you will have the ability to upload photos or scans of the cards you make. Let's Scrap is an amazing community of supportive women from all over the world with a passion for scrapbooking, who thrive on inspiring and encouraging each other.
   

So now you're ready...

Just a few more details... Once you have joined Let's Scrap, you will receive links to all 50 host blogs. Each blog will feature a different card sketch intended to inspire your card design. In the words of my dear scrapping friend, Kay Wallace: "At each blog, you will get two chances to win some blog candy (aka: booty, prizes)!  Do the math! You will have 100 chances to win free stuff...and good stuff, too!  This is also the perfect opportunity to restock your card stash!"

Don't be overwhelmed...you are doing only one card at a time!  Our hope is that you will visit every blog, but remember, you have the whole month of February to do this and you don't have to make all 50 cards...just join in the fun!

 N.B. -Be sure you are using Google Chrome or Firefox as your search engine.  Internet Explorer (IE) does not always "play nice" with Bloggers!

Get ready, get set...let's scrap! -Enikö

Blog Candy and Random Acts of Kindness: You, too, Could be a Winner!

Are you one of those bloggers who don't enter contests and give-a-ways, because you think you "never win anything"? Well, let me tell you...you, too, could be a winner! Within the span of two weeks, a couple of months ago, I won not one, not two, but THREE different FABULOUS gifts from various blogs that I follow.
So I got an email from a lovely woman from Maya Road urging me to reply since she'd been trying to reach me so that I could claim my prize. I had completely forgotten that I had left a comment on a blog post in which Maya Road and Stampendous teamed up to generate new fans. When the package arrived a few days later, I felt like a little kid at Christmas. The ribbons and cords and twine from Maya Road are over-the-top! -In fact, the gorgeous plaid ribbon I used in the Garden Railroad Layout in my last post was from this wonderful gift package.

Best of all, the Jumbo Lily Rubber Stamp from Stampendous was one that I was desperately yearning for...I just fell in love with it on their website and was really hoping to get it one day. I couldn't believe that I had won it! -Along with an acrylic block to attach it to. Soooo happy to have these great items!

About a week later, I saw my name on Graphic 45's blog as a winner! At first, I wasn't even sure what I had won, since I leave comments on G45's blog regularly (LOVE THEM). To my delight, it turned out to be their brand new, hot-off-the-press, Tropical Travelogue line! The whole line! -Chipboard tags and the 8"x8" paper pad in addition to the 12"x12" paperpad!
Those of you who are familiar with Graphic 45 papers know what an incredible score this is. The papers are top-notch quality...gorgeous colors, fabulous images... absolutely delicious, and a MUST for an island-inhabitant as myself. Martha's Vineyard can hardly be considered a tropical island (it's been hovering between 10-30 degrees Fahrenheit these past two days of January), but much of the paper would fit any island theme...and, of course, it will be perfect for layouts of my Key West vacation I took a while back. Over-joyed!

Well, my winning streak didn't end there. After posting some of my artwork on Graphic 45's Community Gallery, to my surprise, I received an email saying that I had been chosen for a 'random act of kindness' for being a contributing supporter of the site. I nearly keeled over! Well, they sent me a lovely little package with some seriously wonderful goodies. Take a look:
I've been so wanting to try Graphic 45's new cling stamps, and the ones I received are from the beloved Curtain Call line. How fun is the Eiffel Tower stamp...or the Can-Can Dancer stamp? The chipboard flowers and buttons are from G45's Staples Collection. And then there are those versatile word ribbons and lace! I sure am a Lucky-Ducky!

Last year, I won a spot in Christy Tomlinson's She Art Workshop through the Where Women Create website by leaving a comment there. I wrote about how that experience changed my life by expanding my scrapbooking and papercrafting into mixed media artwork in this blog post: Scrapbook Techniques Enhance Mixed Media Art. It was an amazing on-line workshop that pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to spread my creative wings.

Well, my intention for posting this was certainly not to brag or to be a show-off (truly, I always thought I was one of those people that never win anything!) -I simply want to encourage all of you to take a leap of faith now and then. Bloggers LOVE IT when their readers leave messages and many businesses gage their popularity by how many messages are left after their blog posts, or how many "Likes" they accumulate on Facebook. Some pretty great prizes...often called "Blog Candy" or "Random Acts of Kindness", are offered on a regular basis to those who leave comments, in an effort to build a bigger following. So go for it!

By the way, I will be offering some nice little Blog Candy in my next post. I will be participating in a fun-filled Blog Hop through Let's Scrap. I will be one of fifty hostesses posting inspirational card sketches on our blogs and challenging you to create greeting cards based on the posted designs. So do check back in and do participate...and try to leave a comment (also called Blog-Love) whenever you can. Who knows what random acts of kindness may be waiting for you right around the corner?

Spreading some Blog Love, -Enikö

Childhood Wonder is Captured in Sketch-Inspired Layout

Have any of you ever used a a pre-designed sketch as inspiration for a scrapbook layout?  Scrapbooking off of someone else's sketch design has been a challenge for me (since I normally work so organically), but since I like to push myself out of my comfort zone occasionally, I made a commitment to give it a whirl. (I wrote about my first sketch-inspired experience in an earlier post: Sketch-Inspired Thanksgiving Layout).

I have since discovered a wonderful website called Let's Scrap, whose sole function seems to be to inspire fellow scrapbooking enthusiasts through weekly sketch challenges (with enticing prizes), group projects, blog-hops and on-line encouragement. I must say that it has been an amazing experience connecting with hundreds of women that share my scrapbooking passion. Scrappers from all over the world log-on regularly to share their traditions, familly events and life-experiences in addition to their artwork. Truly fabulous, inspiring and gracious women; I already feel like I have made some enduring friendships.

The sketch above is the one I chose when I decided to join in and rise to the sketch-inspiration challenge. I chose this sketch over others because I had recently received a stack of photos from Shutterfly of my darling grandson, Rigel, who at age four, was completely enamored by his Grandpa Jim's garden railroad during his visit last summer. I had the correct number of photos the sketch called for and I had the subject matter, so all I needed was the perfect paper to get my scrapbooking project going. Once I had the paper, I allowed the sketch, the photos and the story guide me. This is what came out of it: (click on image to see larger)
The paper and the embellishments compliment the colors in he photos...the title summarizes the story...and the photos capture the exhuberant movements of awe-struck little boy and the pleased, quietly observing grandfather in the background.

I scanned-in this layout before I added the journaling, but on the bottom strip of patterned paper I added my cherished memory of the occasion, "It was with great delight that I watched 4 year-old Rigel bond with his Grandpa Jim over Jim's Garden Railroad." On the left side I added, "July 24th, 2011, Martha's Vineyard, MA".

"So what did the pre-designed sketch contribute to this layout?," you might ask.

It's impossible to know how this layout would have looked if I hadn't worked off of a sketch (hey...great idea for another challenge...do two layouts of the same event -one designed organically, and one using a sketch), but I do know that I most likely wouldn't have added some of the embellishments where I did...the circle, for example...yet it works so well there. -And I definitely would not have thought to place the plaid ribbon near the bottom...which I think brings all the other elements together beautifully. I also may have used a shorter title and may have not spanned it along both pages.

But I did do all those things and the result is just lovely, don't you think? I love how the movement of the letters in the title reflect the movement of Rigel in the garden. I love how I matted the main photo on the left to make it the suggested 5"x7" size (since all my photos were developed 4"x6") and I love how I needed to crop the photos on the right to make them fit into the "size-equation". I also love how seven photos fit so perfectly and naturally on one layout, and tells a complete story.

I can't resist posting my favorite photo from the layout:
I simply love the captured movement of Rigel suddenly turning as he hears the approaching train engine.

But then there's this one -where his inquisitive nature is so very much on display-

On this following photo, which I shot from my bedroom window, Grandpa Jim's face says it all...
Thanks for visiting, and I hope you'll check-out Let's Scrap and their many discussion groups and inspirations. Also, keep on the look-out for Let's Scrap's Blog Hop, coming in February. I will be hosting one of fifty greeting card sketches and inviting you to join in -creating and posting your cards, making you eligible to receive a nice gift.

I'll keep you posted!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, Bloggers! Live an inspired life in 2012! -Enikö

Turning Artwork Into Christmas Cards

So I promised you a post about how I turned my mixed media angels (see previous post) into Christmas cards and tags. It's Christmas Eve day and I still have to finish wrapping presents, but a promise is a promise, so here's my Christmas gift to my scrapbooking friends...
After printing off multiple 3"x5" copies of my artwork (taken from photos), I trimmed the images and adhered them to blank cards that I purchased at Michael's craft store. I added lace or ribbon trim and embellished the angels with pearls and crystals...each one a little different, as the mood struck me.
Next, I added sparkle to the snow on the evergreens and the ground, trying several variations of Stickles by Ranger, and made some with crystal snow. Sometimes I even applied some to the angel's wings.
Don't you just love the sparkle? ...Makes me yearn for a white Christmas.
Here are the Noel Angels, which were adhered to gold cards instead of the silver:
I printed some of these in a little larger size by selecting "fit image to size"...I like both sizes for different reasons. The Noel Angels received embellishments on their halos and on the bells...some on the dresses. I stamped sentiments on the inside (I think these acrylic stamps are by Tim Holtz...love him!):
...And even cutomized a Martha Stewart stamp to personalize the cards:
I printed some of the angels in wallet sizes and turned them into tags:
So there you are...that's how i turned my mixed media artwork into Christmas cards and tags! Some of you may have already received your card in the mail (they kind of went out a little late), but I'm still sending out greetings, so if  you didn't get one and you'd like one of my cards, leave a message below and I will send one out to you.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! Enikö

Deck the Halls with Paper-Collage Angels!

I've been playing around with mixed media for a while, now...using scrapbooking papers and scrapbooking techniques, but just in a different way. I was originally inspired by Christy Tomlinson's She Art on-line workshop, and have since taken my artwork in a new direction. I designed these two pieces for Featherstone's Holiday Gift Show, but fell in love with them instantly and decided to use them to make Christmas cards with.

The paper artwork is applied to 8"x10" Gessoed canvas, layer-by-layer, then painted, inked, and altered. So the first step was to adhere pretty background scrapbooking paper. I chose a sky-blue paper with dots of "snow" and a deep purplish paper with a plethora of stars: I decided that one of my Christmas Angels would be a "Snow Angel" and the other would be simply called "Noel Angel", and I went about to find the right papers for the angels' dresses and used a punch to cut out circles for halos the word "Noel" from a very pretty Christmas-themed scrapbook paper. The heads and arms of the angels were cut out from old Dictionary pages. I knew I had some lovely dried leaves and velum leaf stickers that would make perfect wings. I used sparkly white paper to create the ground-snow on one, and a pretty Christmas-y paper for the ground of the other. After sealing everything with Mod Podge, I painted on the hair and colored in the faces and the arms, and added dimension to the dresses with acrylic paint. I happened to have the perfect Jolee's paper evergreen stickers for the Snow Angel, but of course, needed to add some snow with Snow Stickles. I also added some glittery Stickles to random flakes of snow:
In case you're not familiar with Stickles, basically, they are a line of designer glitter glue by Ranger Ink and are loved by the scrapbooking community for ease of use and consistantly superior quality.

I used some scrapbooking and mixed media techniques to apply ink with a variety of rubber stamps, painted the edges of the canvas with metallic paints, and even added  cabochons at the necklines for 3-D embellishments. I absolutely love the way they turned out!

I'm finding it impossible to pick a favorite, but I may be partial to the Snow Angel because of the trees. They are great as seasonal Home Decor pieces, but I'll be turning them into Christmas cards in my next post... So which is your favorite?

(I hope you let me know in your comment below.)

Wishing you Christmas Joy, Enikö

Sketch-inspired Thanksgiving Scrapbook Layout

In 2008, while my dad was recovering from hip surgery at my home on Martha's Vineyard, we opted have a quiet, relaxed Thanksgiving...just the three of us...my dad, Jim, and me. It turned out to be one of the more pleasurable of Holidays. -No traveling hassles, no hoopla; just a fabulous feast and an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. I wanted to capture the essence of that dinner...focusing on the feast and the three people who shared it.

There are many approaches to layout design. My method is generally very organic. I select the photographs I wish to scrapbook and I allow them to spark my creativity. Usually the colors that are most predominate in the photos determine the color scheme of my layout, other times, my paper choices might be motivated by the theme. Once my papers & pictures are laid out, an artistic spark ignites, and I scurry about, gathering embellishments that might support my layout. I am driven by story telling, and inspired by my passion to tell the story concisely and well in a double-page spread.  

I've seen scrapbook classes that teach sketch-inspired layouts, and have seen scrapbook layout sketches in magazines, but never quite understood why anyone would approach scrapbook layout design in that fashion. Certainly, I have sketched other designs...room design, for instance, jumps into mind. While working as an assistant interior designer at Island Interiors, LLC, sketching was an integral part of designing, but pre-sketching for scrapbooking? Hmmm... Then I stumbled upon a website called Sketch Inspiration, where they post a new sketch every Sunday in an attempt to inspire their followers. There's always a nice little scrapbooking gift offered by a sponsor to add enticement, so I decided to step outside of my comfort zone & give it a try for the Thanksgiving layout. This week's challenge was Sketch #247: Because I'm used to creating double-spread layouts, the idea of using only one 6"x4" photo was truely daunting. I could do it if I had the right photo, but none of the images from that day where sufficient to tell the story of our simple, but bountiful three-person feast. -So I found a way to follow the sketch, and to incorporate all of the photos of that day that I wanted to include, as well:
Well, what do you think? How'd I do?

I'd like to wish you all a Blessed Thanksgiving and a bounty of inspiration...wherever it may come from!

With Gratitude, Enikö

Girlfriends...Those Irreplacable Gems in Our Lives

Girlfriends! -I shudder to think how we would get through life without them...without their love, support, encouragement, and just plain silly laughter. You've seen some of my fabulous girlfriends on my scrapbook pages...here's a little nugget of why I think they're so very fabulous. Check out this hilarious & touching tribute on Susan Branch's blog about her friendship with the enchanting Margot Datz.

Just click here to view:

Susan Branch Blog

(hand-painted & copyrighted by Susan Branch)

If you're not already a follower of Sue's, you should be...her hand-written & illustrated cookbooks and calendars are sheer delight (she's written 14 books!) and her astounding hostessing skills have advanced her to "Domestic Goddess" status nation-wide.

Margot's amazing artwork can be viewed on her website, and her book, A Survival Guide For Landlocked Mermaids, is a must-read for all women -a beautiful gift for girlfriends. (Signed copies are available through Bunch of Grapes Bookstore on Martha's Vineyard.)

Here's how I attempted to capture Margot's spirit on a scrapbook page:
...and this is how I honored the lovely Susan Branch in our buddy Jaime's Memory Book -Sue hand-wrote the beautiful "Jaime's Recipe for a Happy Life":                  (double click to view in larger size) 
Incidentally, both layouts above feature papers from fabulous Graphic 45.

Thank you for letting me share this wonderful part of my life with you...

Hugs, Enikö

 

Scrapbooking Clean and Simple...

Sometimes I just like clean and simple... Today's scrapbooking trends lean towards lots of color, lots of embellishments, lots of dimension, lots of patterned papers, and, alas, often lots of clutter. I designed this layout, titled "Gigi Plays", a while back, but it's remained one of my favorites. -Not only because of the subject matter (my sweet friend Gigi frolicking playfully on Ogunquit Beach in Maine, on a breezy autumn day...my dad in tow), but because of its simplicity.

The color is muted...almost monotone. The embellishments are minimal: a few chipboard shells, a couple of metal brads here...a few seashell brads there. Dimension is added only to the left page, with a dictionary definition of "play", matted & raised by foam dots, and five raised chipboard seashells. There are no clashing patterned papers, only soft background photographs. Most importantly, there is no clutter. Here's a close-up of the left-hand page:
Oh, I forgot to mention journaling... I'm the queen of journaling! I am quite firm in my feeling that each scrapbook layout should tell a complete story -you remember the grade school rule: Who, What, Where, When & How. A great rule! -Always works. But there are a few instances where the story can be told with a minimum of words. You'll notice that in the background above, there is a subtle type textured over the photo of the beach sand and seashells. If you look even closer, you'll be able to make out that the text is in fact a cluster of dictionary definitions of ocean-themed words. So by playfully placing definitions of "play" and "playful" on the layout, there is a cohesive, recurring theme.

Now let's take a look at the right side of the layout:
Once again, the soft text on the image of the beach sand reveals dictionary definitions of beach-themed words, and the word "BEACH" is actually drawn in the sand in the background photo. -The perfect background paper to display photos of Gigi writing in the sand. The words on this page are simple...the word "PLAY" appears twice, both times in soft colors. Over the water on the top, it is rubber stamped, and the bottom right is anchored with a small word sticker. The words "GIGI PLAYS", repeated three times with an inked rubber stamp and fading into the breakwater, is really all that is desired for additional journaling. We get the rest of the story just fine.

In my scrapbook, these pages follow a double-page layout that has quite extensive journaling about this special day at Ogunquit Beach, and the special relationship between Gigi and my dad. It covers all the "who, what, where, when" rules, making it even less necessary to repeat the same information here. But even if these pages stood alone, the important part of the story is evident -Gigi made an elderly friend feel like a kid again on that breezy day in Maine...clean and simple.

Keeping memories alive, one page at a time, Enikö

Personal Altars Reflect Artists' Personal Expressions

Do you have a special corner of your house that you visit regularly for inspiration, meditation, prayer, reflection...or perhaps just for a moment of joy? If you do, then perhaps you already have a Personal Altar. By dictionary definition, altars are usually associated with religious rituals of some sort, but many of us have little shrines or areas of our homes or gardens that we turn to when we wish to step away from everyday routines and connect with whatever lifts us spiritually.

Currently at Featherstone Center for the Arts on Martha's Vineyard, the personal altars of 30 local artists are on display and collectively offer one of the most fascinating show I've seen in a long time. The pieces are as varied and original as their creators and illustrate the many ways in which we seek divine inspiration. One of my favorite pieces was this "Ode to Louisiana" by Suesan Stovell: I also really loved Elizabeth Tuett's "Inspirational Altar" with quotes by Buddha and Jung: This lovely niche of serenity titled "Offerings" was assembled by creative stylist Patrice Dunfro: "Tree of Life" was painted by ceramic artist and painter Washington Ledesma: -who also submitted the beautifully executed "Comeback": Valentine Estabrook and Kanta Lipsky exhibited three works made with twigs, "Lady of Guatalupe", "Tara" and "Egypt Woman": 


The variety of materials used and the vast array of objects collected in the different alters of personal expression is astounding. Many (like the twigs-based art above) were wall pieces, like Enid McEvoy's moving quilt, "Remember Me: and Marshall Pratt's whimsical, but thought-provoking "I'm With Stupid": Opening night was extremely well-attended- either a testament to the public's curiosity, or to their desire for inspiration. -There was certainly plenty of both to be had at this extraordinary exhibit.

 

 

One of the most popular pieces was the interactive "Prayer Wheel" by Paulette Hayes and Nick Mosey, which required the viewer's touch to be fully appreciated:
I entered two pieces, "Journey"
-an altered antique print tray, which I blogged about in detail last week. This mixed media artwork in which I used paint, ink and a myriad of scrapbooking and papercrafting techniques was intended as a source of inspiration for balance and creativity. There is no better reminder of what direction one should take in life than a little reflection on where one has been.

For many, many years, I have surrounded myself with numerous shrines that I scatter throughout my house. I create tableaux, dioramas and 3-dimensional displays using found objects that are centered around dolls. The joy I derive from my little shrines is unequaled by anything else. Mostly they are a nod to the joys of childhood fantasy and to the things in life I love most. Some of my friends say that they are goddesses that I turn to for inspiration, others chuckle at the notion that my artwork is just an adult excuse to play, but everyone who knows me well agrees that my little personal altars fill me  with joy. Here is my Alice in Wonderland-themed "We Thought You'd Never Arrive": Many of the personal altars on display at Featherstone's main gallery are more traditional in nature. Melissa Breeze's "Autorretrato", for instance- ...and Marsha Winsryg's beautiful "Durgha". -As well as "Light Unto Me" by Genevieve Jacobs...
The personal altars of several artists were much more than excersises in self-expression. Many were extremely personal in nature. Marsha Winsryg shared her "Altar for my Mother" - Photographer Kathy Rose included one of her greatest treasures, Mahatma Ghandhi's actual headrest, in her piece -shown here being viewed by visitor Noreen Baker: -And perhaps most touching of all, in his gorgeous sculpture, which he dedicated to his recently deceased wife, James Masek, actually nestled Maggie's ashes into the base of the petals in a ceramic crock under the candle: "The Art of the Personal Altar" is being shown daily through November 2, 2011 from 12-4pm. I do encourage everyone to see it, and if you can't attend, I hope you'll consider creating your own little personal altar. Look for a corner, tabletop, cabinet, or wall in your home where you glance often and turn it into a daily source of peace, joy, or serenity for yourself.

Thank you for taking this inspirational journey with me.

Namaste, Enikö

 

An Altered Print Tray Evolves Into a Personal Altar

I've been wanting to use a print tray in an art project for quite some time, but didn't quite know where to begin. When Featherstone Center for the Arts placed a call to all local artists to participate in their "The Art of the Personal Altar" exhibit, it was just the inspiration I needed.  I purchased an antique Hamilton print tray on Ebay, and began to reflect on my journey through life. What has made me who I am today? What moves me? What fills my heart and gives me joy? What guides me through life spiritually? 
This is what the print tray looked like when I unpacked it. I loved that the partitions were different sizes & I proceeded to make templates out of scrap cardstock that would fit into the different compartments so that my background papers would fit well.
Next, I went through my stash of scrapbooking papers & set aside images that represented me or that would serve as good backgrounds for the items that I wanted to display. Then I gathered memorabilia and objects that inspired me, told my story, or made me smile.
The rest was an organic process. I decided that my piece would be titled "Journey" and my intention was to honor the journey of my life thus far. This Personal Altar would be a creative expression that would hang on my studio wall as a reminder of who I am, what fills my soul, and what connects me with the world around me. Papers were inked and adhered with Mod Podge; items were aged with paint or ink, as needed, before gluing down, mostly with Glue Dots.
The upper right hand corner displays The Little Prince, the charmingly profound little book that my oldest brother gifted me -a book that helped shape the young woman who has grown into who I am today. The background behind the figure is from the first visual-effects movie ever made & represents the beginnings of the technology that governs our life today. The images to the left of it represent my life on Martha's Vineyard...the Flying Horses Carousel that I have enjoyed with my sons and grandson, the strength of womanhood & the everlasting friendships that I forged on the island. Below the image of the prince, you will notice an ancient map of Hungary, my birthplace. The metal tag on it reads "Family" and the miniature potted plant represents the transplanting of the Farkas family as well as my dad's love of plants...something that that he passed on to my sister and me. The image of the tight-rope walker with the parasol (by Graphic 45) represents my playfulness, my fondness of New Orleans, & the fine line I have always traversed in my adult life as I "soar" fearlessly through it all. The next compartments symbolize "The Playground of the World"...my love of daring & risky endeavors & also the amusement park that was the location of my first date with my first lover, now my ex-husband.
The upper left-hand corner of the piece is about the immergence of the adult me and the formulation of all my loves. Paris...travel...appreciation of good wine and good food. The romantic dreams of the little girl (represented by the tiny photo tucked among the star-filled sky) grew into fearlessness in love and business. The tiny bircage hanging above the tiny cluster of plants & flowers represents my first business "Plants of a Feather", in which I sold plants & birds on Providence, RI's Eastside.
The lower right hand side of the print tray shows a map of the United States emblazoned with the banner that spells "Freedom". In front of the map, I've placed significant paraphernalia of the time: the iconic Life magazine with the Beatles on the front cover, the "Kennedy for President" button & the miniature American Dictionary. Together, they depict the flight to freedom & the scramble to learn the English language and to embrace the American lifestyle. The seashells near the bottom represent the desire to be near the ocean, and the drawing of restaurant clients underneath the words "Laugh" and "Play" give a nod to the many years devoted to the hospitality industry (but with a tongue-in-cheek smile). The Newport, R.I. years are noted by a poem, "The Blessing of the Boats" by Lucille Clifton, with an image of the Newport Bridge & metal music notes representing the Newport Jazz & Folk Festivals and the countless classical concerts I attended at the mansions during those years.
The lower left of the print tray portrays my love of the cinema, the Academy Awards, Hollywood, Barbie collecting, and creative writing. The little baby with the blue diaper represents motherhood & the Budha with the flowers is a nod to Herman Hesse's Sidhartha, which had a significant influence on the evolution of my spirituality, as did my Catholic upbringing, which is evident in the tiny blessed "Virgin Mary" pendants purchased at the Vatican in Rome.
Here I am standing next to both of my pieces at the show. The Alice in Wonderland-themed tableaux, titled "We Thought You'd Never Come" is a whimsical shrine to the magic of childhood fantasy. You may see more of that piece, as well as some of my other dioramas in an earlier blog post by clicking (here).

I love that the print tray piece is not only visually stimulating to look at, but that it tells the complete story of my life's journey with symbolism and humor. It is in fact, my own Personal Altar.

Thanks for visiting...as always, I welcome your comments & questions.

Hugs, Enikö

Scrapbooking History in the Making: A 9/11 Tribute

As our nation mourned the loss of so many of of her heroes on the tenth anniversary of the tragic events of September 11th, 2001 a few weeks ago, I was reminded of this scrapbook layout. My sister-in-law, Saci, sent me these touching photos after she visited New York City just days after the terrorist attacks. When I look at layouts that I designed many years ago, I often have a critical eye. Today, I would have probably inked the edges of the white lettering of the title, as well as the journaling tag and the cut-out of the truck with the American flag, and I may have used more sophisticated embellishments in place of the stickers, but I love that I preserved this moment of history in the making on my scrapbook pages.

As scrapbook artists, we are memory keepers and historians as well. Future generations will be just as interested in our tragedies as in our triumphs, so it is important that we include them in our scrapbooks.
 
These moving photographs, with the remnants of the Twin Towers still smoldering, vacant shop windows covered in heavy dust, and the posters of missing loved ones lining fences and walls, capture the sadness of the city in the aftermath of the attacks, all too well.

The strong presence of the American flag in these photos is a wonderful reminder of the patriotism that swelled in all of our hearts during those trying days. The bottom of the tag has a direct quote from Saci in Hungarian, which is how she spoke it to me -it translates: "The city was plastered with photographs of the missing."

From a design point of view, I wish I had done some things a little differently on this layout. I see now, that I accidentally switched from the singular to the plural in my journaling and my handwriting could have been a bit straighter, but even those minor flaws help tell the story of how distraught I was when I put these pages together. -And that's why we scrapbook, isn't it? To tell our authentic stories.

God bless America, and all her fallen heroes...we will never forget. -Enikö

Please visit my website at: Enikö's Scrapbooks

Comments are always appreciated!

Stamping Enhances Summer Scrapbook Layouts: Part 2

Summers on Martha's Vineyard are filled with beautiful photo opportunities and the rich memories that accompany them. This layout captured our joy as Jim and I shared lobster and a glorious sunset on the beach at Menemsha on Labor Day.

In my last post (Stamping Enhances Summer Scrapbook Layouts: Part 1) I illustrated how stamping flourish designs with acrylic stamps over pretty wave-patterned paper can enhance a summer-themed layout. Here is another example of the same technique, using the same paper, but achieving a slightly different result. On this page, the title was stamped at the top of the layout, and the waves and flourishes act as a backdrop and also set the tone for the beach-themed photos.
Blue ink was used for the title and orange ink for the flourishes, to pick-up some of the colors in the polkadots of the paper. I paired the wave paper with a solid orange paper this time to represent the sunset, and I added a whimsical blue wave pattern (cut out with a punch) to ground the bottom of the page.
I stamped some flourishes on this side of the double-page layout as well, to tie it in with the opposing page.

I love seeing these two layouts side-by-side as testament to how the same paper can be enhanced and manipulated with similar stamping techniques, yet end up with interestingly different results.

Both layouts capture special summer memories, both layouts utilize similar techniques, yet the tone of each is quite different. Each layout is defined by the placement of different emphases on the various elements of design.

 

If you've been afraid of stamping, start with baby steps. Practice on scrap paper and learn how the ink responds to your touch. I find I am more successful when I tap my inkpad onto the stamp, instead of pressing the stamp into the inkpad, which tends to cause accessive pooling of the ink on the stamp and creates messier, less sharp images.

Stamping is not meant to be overly precise. Part of its charm is its imperfection, so throw caution to the wind and give it a try -you may just find a new passion.

Preserve those precious summer memories! -Enikö

Stamping Enhances Summer Scrapbook Layouts: Part 1

I like my summer-themed layouts to reflect the joyous spirit of the great outdoors, so I was thrilled to find some blue scrapbooking paper that not only had great graphics of waves, but also had a cheerful polka-dot element that introduced the sun-dappled colors of the season. It was perfect for capturing this fun summer day spent on one of Martha's Vineyard's most spectacular beaches.

I wanted the waves to be a little more predominant, so I stamped some beautiful flourishes over the wave graphics with copper-colored ink and stamped the title and date over the waves as well, attracting the eye to the upper right-hand corner of the page.

I used acrylic stamps, which work best when they are pressed onto acrylic blocks prior to inking. The advantage over wood-block stamps is that acrylic blocks allow for more precise placement since the pattern of the paper can be seen underneath while stamping.

Here's a close-up of the stamped title page:

I love that I was able to play off of the colors in the polka-dots with my embellishments and journaling blocks. The pop of oranges, greens and blues go a long way in pulling the look of this scrapbook layout together. -But my favorite element is the stamping...such a nice touch to a wonderful summer layout!

Preserve your summer memories! -Enikö

Exploring Love Through Mixed Media Art Journaling

I'm on a personal quest to study Love. It is a pivotal year for me...the year two thousand and eleven, and I have made a conscious decision to spend it reflecting and re-evaluating my life and it's greatest motivation: Love.

This summer I turned sixty and embarked upon the third, and final, trimester of my life. I admit that the realization of this milestone birthday was a bit daunting, since I've never been one to give aging much thought and in my head, I've always been much younger than my calendar years. -But reality is reality...I only have a limited time in my life to reach my dreams and to accomplish my goals, and I had better get on with it, pronto. First, I need to reflect upon my authentic self:

Art Journaling is an amazing tool. Combining creativity with reflection and focus, it provides an outlet like no other. There are no rules - there is simply desire and expression.

In my quest to study Love, I signed up for an online workshop She Had Three Hearts by Christy Tomlinson. She based her class on an old Chinese Proverb which reads, " a woman has three hearts... one she shares with the world... one she shares with family..  and one she shares only with herself." Here is my interpretation:

Sometimes we share the best parts of ourselves with co-workers at our workplace and withhold them from those we love most -our family. Sometimes we hold the best parts of ourselves deep inside our own hearts and are fearful of sharing them with others. One of our greatest struggles is with finding the perfect partner to share our lives/loves with. This is how I expressed this challenge in my Art Journal:

Sadly, my partner, Jim, is battling stage four prostate cancer, and I am faced with the strong possibility of losing him after nearly a decade together. In the piece above, I was exploring the concept of hearts simply "resting with each-other a while." Hearts are seldom paired together for ever...and perhaps that's OK. As painful as that may be to accept, it is in fact a very real part of life and growth.

In this next piece, I expressed my frustration at how "messy" Love can be at times:

Christy's workshop has been a lot of fun -bursting with all sorts of mixed media techniques, and I'm grateful that it brought me back to the healing power of Art Journaling. I am also reading Be Love Now by Ram Dass and Rameshwar Das, which explores "the path of the heart". I will continue to share my Love-quest journey with you as I go, and I hope you will take a moment to share some of your similar journeys with me.

Fear not, scrapbooking friends...I will be posting some fun summer-themed scrapbook ideas soon.

Sharing the Love, Enikö

 

Photo-Journaling: A Quick & Easy Approach to Scrapbooking on the Fly

For those of you that feel too busy for traditional scrapbooking or feel not gifted or motivated enough to pursue artistic scrapbooking, there is another simple option for memory keeping -I call it Photo-Journaling.
I stumbled upon this interesting idea on Ali Edwards' blog, in which she describes how she challenged herself to take a photo a day of every-day life with her family and to post weekly entries in what is called "Project Life". The idea was actually hatched by Becky Higgins, who devised a unique system for preserving photos and memories, in a scrapbook kit available through Amazon.com. She offers pages of divided photo protectors that fit into a 12" x 12" binder, designed to accommodate a variety of sizes of photos and journaling blocks. The kit comes with coordinating, pre-cut paper for matting & journaling, as well as clever labels. Definitely check-out Ali's blog  (I think she's currently on week 26 of her project) to get some great tips and to follow her progress.

When I decided that it would be fun to try "Project Life," it was sold out, so I came up with an even easier & less pricey alternative. I ordered divided page protectors made by C-Line Products Inc. that are traditionally used to store baseball cards. Each archivally-safe page can accommodate nine 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" inserts, and the pages fit nicely into a standard 10" x 11 1/2" 3-ring notebook binder. My goal is to keep a "photo journal" of interesting or fun things I do every day. I am allowing a double-page spread for each month, which gives me 18 spots for photos or journaling. So I try to keep a point-and-shoot in my handbag at all times, and I try to keep my SLR Nikon charged and handy, so that when something worthy of memory-keeping pops up, I can capture it spontaneously without much effort.
I make it a point to take these shots vertically so that they'll fit into the baseball card slots that way. I try to download and sort these daily photos weekly, and move them into their own monthly folders, to make it easier to print out. I print them nine-on-a-page using the "wallet-size" option on my computer. -That way they fit nicely into the baseball-size slots. I made a cardboard template of the perfect 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" size, which enables me to cut out a quick mat if I wish, for those photos that are a little smaller, or if I've cropped an image out of a larger photo.
I've put together my own "kit" by gathering stickers & journaling blocks and tossed them in a plastic container in which I also keep the extra trading card holder sheets & photos waiting to be entered. I also keep my calendar on hand, onto which I have jotted down the major events of the day -even if it's just a simple "Grilled Pizza Dinner with Laura" to jar my memory & to keep them in order.
Several companies now offer truely fabulous products to make this type of scrapbooking even easier for those on the go with limited time for memory-keeping. Crate Paper, Inc. and Simple Stories as well as Technique Tuesday (accompany that Ali Edwards designs for) all carry wonderful scrapbooking paper, ephemera and journaling aids.The images on the upper right are from a free download available through Ormolu, a wonderful company that sells on-line graphic art for scrapbooking and card-making. Funny, I've been following Ormolu's blog for over a year and i still don't know the blogger's real name, but she is also a "Project Life" enthusiast. You can see images of her "photo-journaling" here at Ormolu's blog.

So I hope your summer is going well and that you're taking lots of pictures of all your warm-weather activities. -I've just given you a great tool for preserving those memories quickly and efficiently. As always, I'd love to hear what you think.

Happy photo-journaling! Enikö

A Scrapbook Tribute to My 90 Year-Old Dad

I wonder what it feels like to have lived nearly a century...  On June 9th, 2011, my dad Peter turned a still-handsome 90 years-old. If not for the Parkinson's Disease that restricts his mobility, I would still be running behind him, trying to keep up, amazed at his ability to charm women of all ages with his European chivalry.

To this day, he melts hearts with his gallant mannerisms, such as kissing the hand of the lady he is introduced to. He has a slightly naughty smile, as if there was some secret behind it that he is choosing not to share...his eyes still twinkle, and they squint as he smiles. I remember my mom telling me how irresistable he was to her with his dashing resemblance to movie star Errol Flynn. -He even grew a mustache for her when she mentioned that to him.

In scrapbooking this tribute to him in the Heritage Album I created as a gift for my family, I focused on his transformation from his humble beginnings as a farm-boy in rural Hungary to a college-educated engineer, specializing in metallurgy.

He bravely guided his family of six across the border to escape communism when the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 failed, and set up a new life for them here in America. Below, he is celebrated by his family, years before the passing of his loving wife, Edith, on their 50th Wedding Anniversary.

Today, he resides in New Hampshire with his daughter, Ildi, and his son-in-law, artist Erick Ingraham. He is seen below at last weekend's 90th Birthday Celebration, with his grandson Attila and his great-grandson, Rigel.

HAPPY FATHERS' DAY, APU!

Thank you for all you have done for your family, and thank you for being you.

With hugs from you daughter, Enikö

Scrapbooking a Mad Hatter Tea Party

'Tis the season to be thinking of fun-filled outdoor celebrations! I designed this scrapbook layout for a caterer's portfolio. The event was a post-wedding brunch held under open tents on a beautiful up-island property on Martha's Vineyard.
The Mad Hatter-theme of the brunch allowed for whimsical and colorful food and floral displays in a fabulous collaboration between acclaimed florist and stylist Louise Sweet and "caterer to the stars" V. Jaime Hamlin.

The event was more fun than you can imagine, and as a scrapbook designer, my job was to capture the fun through my choice of photographs, scrapbook papers, and embellishments. Perhaps I would have been a little less formal with my layout had it not been intended for a portfolio -I may have chosen a few less photos and may have placed them willy-nilly to echo the tumbling cups and saucers used in the flower arrangements, but I think I've managed to capture the essence of the affair. Here's a closer look at the individual scrapbook pages:

As you may have guessed, the title, "Mad Hatter Tea Party" was cut out with my Cricut die-cutting machine. -I used the negative portion of the green cardstock for the "Mad Hatter" and adhered the quotation marks and the "Tea Party" letters individually onto the layout after they were cut.

I do love my Cricut...so much nicer to have the ability to make letters out of the colors and papers I need for a particular layout, rather than having to depend on sticker letters that are often not available in the size or color needed. The Cricut Die-Cutting Machine is made by ProvoCraft, and is a great investment for avid scrapbookers -especially if you manage to snag one on sale, as I did. I use mine mainly for titles and tags, so I own a few cartridges that offer me a variety of fonts, but there are all sorts of shapes available on the cartridges that many people enjoy using for embellishments on cards or scrapbook pages. It's nice if someone in your cropping circle or your scrapbooking workshop owns one that you all can share.

Off to enjoy a few rays of sun...I hope this post made you smile

Happy Memorial Day weekend, Enikö

(Photography by Nichole Friedler Photography and Enikö DeLisle)

Scrapbooking the Promise of Spring

I'm having a really busy week...that's how it is here on Martha's Vineyard...spring, when it finally arrives, brings a flurry of activity along with it's lovely birds and flowers. I thought I would share this spring-themed scrapbook layout with you today. This image was photographed, not scanned, so it's a little off kilter, but I thought it might make you smile.

...Spring has finally arrived!

Honoring My Mom on National Scrapbook Day

How wonderful to have National Scrapbook Day and Mothers' Day fall on the same weekend! I've been wanting to design a scrapbook about my mom since she passed away several years ago. I know it would be extremely healing for me, and perhaps now the time is right for me to tackle that project.

Today I am re-posting a couple of layouts from my family's Heritage Album in which I attempted to capture the essence of my mom, Edith. I found it therapeutic just to rifle through the numerous photos of her to choose the ones that most reflected who she was at different stages of her life.
Growing up as an only child in a broken home, she dedicated herself to her marriage and her four children...determined to give her family many of the gifts and stability she lacked in her own childhood. She chose a hard-working, dependable, very handsome, country-boy-turned-engineer, Peter, to create her family with.
She was most proud of keeping a clean, well-run household and well-groomed, well-dressed children, as evident in this family portrait -taken shortly before our lives were altered forever by the political events of the time -mainly the failed Hungarian Revolution of 1956.
I still marvel at my mom's courage as she agreed to leave behind her homeland, her parents, her friends, and all her earthly possessions to seek a life of freedom for her children. Amazingly, through it all, my mom managed to lead her brood from refugee camps to a fruitful life in America, the country she fell in love with mostly through Hollywood movies.
Before, she passed away in February of 2003, she created a wonderful life for herself, active in local women's clubs and church organizations, staying in touch with a multitude of friends all over the world, and traveling to her heart's content. She had her challenges, and was far from perfect, but she raised her children well and loved her eight grand-children deeply...and undoubtedly, she was always well-meaning and did her best. 

In honor of Mothers' Day, I thank you and I salute you, Anyu!

Wishing moms, teachers, and childcare providers everywhere a happy and restful Mothers' Day, Enikö

(If you'd like to view the entire Heritage Album, just click on the link in the Catergories column on the left of this blog.)

Scrapbooking a Friendship Album: Part 4

In my last several posts, I talked about the many aspects of friendship that were explored through my latest scrapbook design project. Topics such as "Joy", "Companionship", "Passion", "Spirit", "Nurture", and "Cultivate" have already been illustrated through various scrapbook layouts in the Friendship Album created for real estate agent Carol's milestone birthday. As I share a few more with you, notice how each friend is represented, not only by the poem, personal note, or photos they contributed, but by the title of each layout. I chose these words carefully, each meant to represent the personal connection the friend had to the "birthday girl".

This scrapbook layout represents "Gratitude" -using Webster's Pages beautiful papers and journaling blocks:                                         (click on images to enlarge)

The photos used in the layout below shows friends spending the early morning hours of New Year's Day with Carol on the glorious beaches of Martha's Vineyard...watching the sun rise as it brings with it new "Hope" for the coming year:

Another friend, sent me a trove of fabulous quotes that she said all reminded her of Carol, so I included as many of them as I could on these fabulous patterned scrapbook papers from Graphic 45's Fashionista Collection, and chose the title "Sisterhood":

Lastly, using papers from Webster's Pages again (Can you tell I love this company?), and the title "Splendor," I attempted to capture the sensuality described on the pages, represented by the rich colors, the quotes about seaside dwelling, and the photos of Carol's luscious soups, which she is famous for:

I hope you've enjoyed my Friendship Album series and that it inspired you to take a closer look at your own friendships and how you might describe them. How might you be described by your friends?

As always, I appreciate comments left on my blog, below -thank you.

Passing the torch of friendship, Enikö

 Visit my website -Enikö's Scrapbooks

Scrapbooking a Friendship Album: Part 3

What I loved the most about designing and scrapbooking this Friendship Album, was discovering how differently each contributing friend perceived Carol, the birthday recipient. It prompted me to contemplate how my friends might perceive me, and led me to reflect on the importance of friendship in general.
(click to enlarge image)
Martha's double-page layout was titled "Passion." She created the lovely black & white artwork on the left and chose the gray background paper. Inspired by her work, I designed the companion page on the right, and added all the red embellishments to provoke the feeling of passion in the viewer. Here's a close-up of Martha's artwork:
I love Martha's words to her friend: "To Carol, whose diverse passions lift my spirits." Then she added verses that described the two aspects of Carol's personality that she admired most. On the dancing side of her drawing she added: "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme the honky-tonk life," and on the meditation side, she wrote, "In dwelling, live close to the ground, in thinking, keep to the simple..."

Another friend, Margot, loves the subtle, quiet way in which Carol nurtures and cultivates her friendships:
Margot's loving letter to Carol spoke about how much she admired that quality in her friend, and I added a lovely poem about the virtues of planting a tree to reinforce the message. The scrapbook layout was given a duel title: "Nurture" & "Cultivate" and the photos I used were (appropriately) of Carol's yard and garden. The background paper and flower embellishments support Margot's message and help tell the story.

What words do you think your friends would use to describe the best things about you? What qualities do you admire most about yourself?

Do leave some thoughts in the "comments" below...

Sharing the love, Enikö

Scrapbooking a Friendship Album: Part 2

Exploring the different aspects of friendship became the theme for a colorful Memory Book/ Friendship Album that a group of friends hired me to design for their girlfriend's milestone birthday. In my previous post, I shared two layouts titled "Friendship" and "Companionship" respectively.

These next two layout explore the joy and spirit of friendship and share a love-of-the-ocean theme and reflects the birthday-girl's joy of living on Martha's Vineyard Island...surrounded by water. This layout, contributed by Lowely, is titled "Joy" and her note reminisces about beach parties where Carol lead silly sing-a-longs to entertain the children:
(click on image to enlarge)
I always love using beach-themed scrapbooking paper for beach photographs, because I enjoy matching the horizon on the photos with the horizon on the background paper for a touch of whimsy.

The next layout celebrates friends sharing the joys of sailing. Louise displays a bowl in her kitchen that sports the verses of "The Owl and the Pussycat" which she says reminds her of Carol & her husband, George, so we worked that into her scrapbook pages:
(click on image to enlarge)
I titled the layout "Spirit" and made it fun and colorful. Webster's Pages makes some really beautiful patterned scrapbooking paper with different themes. These are from the "Seaside Retreat" collection and sport graphics of sea creatures and compasses among fruits and flowers...particularly appropriate since Louise owns a flower & party styling business, Flowers on the Vineyard. Louise's sentiment was slipped under a lovely printed sheet of vellum, also by Webster's Pages.

What is your favorite activity with friends? What word would you use to describe it as the title of a scrapbook layout?

Please comment below... Playing it forward, Enikö

 

Scrapbooking a Friendship Album

Scrapbooking for others has many different challenges than creating an album for ourselves. Even more challenging is when the client is not one, but a group of seven friends. After I was hired to design a Memory Book for a mile-stone birthday celebration, it was decided that it would be formatted like a photo-illustrated poetry book, with each friend contributing a song or a poem that reminded him/her of the birthday-girl, Carol. It was so interesting to discover what each friend contributed in the way of photos, memories, and verse and each contribution inspired me toward a different element of friendship.
(click on image to enlarge)
Some of Mary's favorite memories of Carol involved working together at the Agricultural Fair back-in-the-day. Her photos were colorful and reflected the joys of friendship, which I worked hard to capture on her layout. The 3-dimensional flowers mimicked the flowers that decorated their T-shirt stand, and inspired by the hand-made banner Mary is holding in the photo, I added a "Friendship" banner as a title. -It helped set the tone for the entire book. Mary's long, heartfelt letter to Carol was a little too personal for public viewing, so I tucked it into a bright envelope for Carol to read privately.

(click on image to enlarge)
Jaime has known Carol a very long time. They've worked together, traveled together and have been wonderfully supportive friends for many years. Jaime chose the Momma Rose song from "Gypsy" for her friend...you know, the one that goes, "Wherever we go, whatever we do, we're gonna go through it together." -So perfect for their relationship...so I titled her layout "Companionship" and used the colorful papers from Webster's Pages to capture the fun these great friends have shared for so many years. Jaime is quite a romantic and loves flowers, so I was sure to include plenty of floral embellishments.

You're going to have to wait a bit to see the rest of this lovely Friendship Album, but I promise to post again soon. What words describe friendship best for you? What characteristics do you cherish most in your friends?

I hope you'll leave a comment below if you enjoyed this post...thanks!

Sharing the love, Enikö  

I invite you visit my website: Enikö's Scrapbooks

Scrapbooking & Mixed Media Techniques Merge in Introspective Self-Portraits

Last week I wrote about my latest passion: applying scrapbooking techniques to mixed media art. I had abandoned painting many years ago in favor of papercrafting and paper art. As new scrapbooking products emerged and new scrapbooking techniques mastered, my passion for anything paper only grew. I had managed to cultivate a business around my love of paper by teaching scrapbooking, creating scrapbook layouts and albums for others, and facilitating cardmaking and scrapbooking workshops. Who knew that an on-line mixed media workshop would reignite my love of painting in three short weeks?

The final project in week 3 of Christy Tomlinson's She Art Workshop, the assignment was to create two self-portraits, one of us as a child, and the other as an adult. These are the images that I chose as patterns for my mixed media projects:
The photo on the left is one of me at age five...most likely taken on my birthday...at our summer cottage in Erd, Hungary. It was the summer before the failed Hungarian Revolution of 1956 would prompt my parents to uproot their family of six and risk their lives in an attempt to flee the communist regime of the time, and literally sneak across the border one night to freedom. Our lives would be changed forever, and we would never return to Erd. So you can only imagine the significance of this photo, of little Enikö holding up her pure white dress in a pose that is so endearing to me that I have embraced it as a logo of sorts for my business.

The photo on the right was taken just this past December, as I was on my way to the best party of the year here on Martha's Vineyard. I've been attending the Edgartown Yacht Club Christmas Party for over 30 years, I think. It is by far my favorite evening of the year - abundant with strong spirits, wonderful old friends, exuberant laughter, wild dancing and great joy - and especially enjoyable when I have a fabulous new outfit to wear!

Now for the most interesting, and surprisingly therapeutic, portion of the assignment. We had to hunt through our memorabilia - past and present - and copy items that were significant to us to incorporate into the backgrounds of our artwork.
Here, I'm showing the background for the adult self-portrait on the left. On the 12" x 6" Gesso-d canvas, I have applied love letters from my ex-husband as well as my current love, Jim. There are hand prints of both of my boys, and artwork made by them when they were little. There are various mementos of past history...I stuck to happy memories by choice. I also added an image of my blog banner and a badge from the Barbie Fan Club -something I joined well into my adulthood! Ha, ha, ha...

The 8" x 10" canvas of my childhood self-portrait was covered mostly with images of people I loved deeply as a little girl, moments that were significant to me, and icons I grew up with. The idea is to use these memories as a base for the mixed-media artwork more for the benefit of the artist than the viewer. It is the artist's choice to cover the images up, or not.
I decided to leave certain images visible in the background of my adult self-portrait...the ones that were still the most significant symbolically to me today. On the childhood self-portrait, I covered over the images with several layers of paint, deciding to make the memories mine alone. Many layers of paint, ink, scrapbooking paper cut-outs, die-cuts, rub-ons, pen doodling, rubber stamping were then applied as instinct, fancy, and vision dictated. I used nearly every scrapbooking technique I had mastered through the years in the process. One of my favorites is the unique acrylic stamp which I assembled myself by adhering random letters from different alphabet sets onto an adhesive-backed roller purchased from Christy Tomlinson's on-line mixed media shop, the Scarlet Lime Store.
When I'm in the midst of mad-creation, I am far too obsessed with the process to stop and remember to take photos, so I apologize for not being more thorough here, but I can tell you that after I was satisfied with the backgrounds, the layering of the figures began. I used a piece of vintage embroidery cut from an old cotton pillow case as the skirt for my little-girl Enikö. I soaked it in Mod Podge medium and manipulated it to achieve just the look I envisioned. Because I felt strongly that the dress needed to be bright white, I painted over it several times after the fabric was dry and stiff.  I was thrilled to find the perfect scrapbooking paper for my Yacht Club Party jacket & embellished it with rub-ons that mimicked the trim of the original. I also tried to express my feelings through the various additions to the backgrounds and through the words I chose to add as the final touches to the artwork.

So are you ready? Here's my little girl:

I surrounded my five-year-old self with all the colorful dreams of my pre-refugee childhood. The whimsical sun, the little bird singing in the tree, the fluttering butterflies, and the robust flowers blooming at my feet.

The adult self-portrait reflects the years after the little girl grows into a woman. Well- adjusted to her adopted homeland, having weathered several careers & businesses & love affairs, having raised two children and still playing with Barbies...reaching for the inner strength to succeed in her art.

I hope you enjoyed this journey with me...I certainly enjoyed sharing it with you. If you are interested in taking Christy's class, she just started a new cycle today. There is still plenty of time to sign-up.

Alot of you leave sweet notes on Facebook for me, but I would love to see some comments here on my blog, so please show me some blog-love & let me know what you think.

Sending hugs, Enikö

Please visit my website: Enikö's Scrapbooks

Scrapbooking Techniques Enhance Mixed Media Art

By now all my followers know how much I love Scrapbooking. What some of you may not know is that I have my BA in Fine Arts from Providence College, with a painting major. I am sharing this with you because I have discovered a new love - Mixed Media Art. It joyfully combines papercrafting with painting in a most wonderfully exciting way, and it has brought me full circle, back to my "roots".

So I was leaving a comment on one of my favorite blogs, Where Women Create and as a result, I won a spot in Christy Tomlinson's She Art Workshop. Christy has been featured in several magazines and has written a book about her mixed media artwork, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to take this course. You can see the first piece above, which I entitled, "She Saw Her Dreams Take Flight." The phrase was one that Christy had coined, and she kindly allowed her students to use. The piece is done on canvas primed with Gesso, and in this case, a piece of a vintage Simplicity dress pattern was applied as a background with Mod Podge...a very versatile glue that acts as a sealer & preservative as well. (I had used it ages ago for decoupage projects).

The background is then layered with textured paints, inks, patterned paper, and whatever else moves ones artistic fancy. The "girl" is cut out of old book paper (in this case I used a very dear paperback biography of Clarke Gable which was falling apart from age) and then "dressed" with patterned paper from my ample stash of scrapbooking supplies. After layers & layers of paint and ink and Mod Podge and paper cut-outs, the artwork is embellished with rub-ons and inked stamps (items which I normaly use for scrapbooking) and free-hand doodling.

The idea is to create lots & lots of interesting textures, while telling the story of the faceless "girl". Of course, the story is mine, and the girl reflects my desire to soar in this life with my artwork...to watch my dreams take flight (which I symbolized with the use of the empty birdcage & the image of the soaring bird).

This is my second mixed media artwork, created with my favorite scrapbooking techniques:

I love this girl! She represents the side of me that longs for never-ending summers, complete with bright sunshine, green lawns, blooming gardens and birds in trees. I used another Christy phrase: "She Felt the Sun Shine Down" to describe my love for the rays of the sun. (I'm sure all of you from New England can relate after this long harsh winter).

I wish this scan showed the lovely textures of this piece. The tree is crafted from a fine-grain corrugated cardboard, and the skirt is made by layering paper cut-outs in a way that mimics pleats. The addition of the watering can symbolizes the girl's responsibility to tend to her garden of life.

Who knew that I would discover an entirely new world by adding paint and a little creativity to my scrapbooking skills? I used paper punches, acrylic stamps, rubberstamps, and a plethora of scrapbooking supplies...all things that I used for papercrafting and scrapbooking, and learned to use them in a new and provocative way. Creating these mixed media pieces pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me to see possibilities in my art that I had not discovered before.

If you're interested in spreading your artistic wings, Christy will be starting a new workshop April 11th...and I believe she also has a journaling workshop that will begin soon. Check out this link for a sneak peak: She Art Workshop

Next week, I will share my two self-portraits that were inspired by this class.

Sharing the love, Enikö

A Whimsical Children's Summer Layout

To scrapbook the old-fashioned fun I had with my darling grandson, Rigel, when we played on the beach during last August's visit, I turned once again to Graphic 45 Papers. In their "On the Boardwalk" line, there are lots of images that remind me of beach days in Asbury Park and Coney Island during my own childhood. I was especially drawn to a printed scrapbook paper that was colorfully illustrated with vintage postcards of various beaches.

I immediately knew what I would do. I printed out my favorite photos of Rigel playing in the waves the same size as the postcards on the scrapbook paper. I used matte photo paper to mimic the look & feel of the vintage postcards and I glued my photos over several of the beach scenes -leaving some intact. This is a close-up of the right-hand scrapbook layout:

I really love the way this layout turned out. The image of the three beach-goers on the lower right just tickled my fancy, so I raised them with foam adhesive to achieve a great 3-D effect. Love, love, love the tag of the bathing beauties and by placing it where I did, it served to break up the repetition of rectangular images and added a nice touch of interest.

It was my good fortune that I also had some reproductions of old postcards of Martha's Vineyard on hand, which I incorporated into the left side of my layout. I titled my scrapbook layout "An Old-Fashioned Beach Day", which I wrote on the back of an old postcard, along with my journaling.

Graphic 45 papers have no shortage of whimsical graphics that are perfect embellishments to any scrapbook layout. This ad for men's and boy's bathing suits was a great contrast to Rigel's modern beachwear. I also added some large beach-themed grommets that picked up the color of the stamps & beach sign graphic.

Now wasn't this fun? And it really made me long for summer and the beach and playtime with Rigel.

Sharing the love, Enikö

If you enjoyed this post, please send me some blog-love by leaving a comment below. Also, please visit my website Enikö's Scrapbooks!

Scrapbooking Black & White Photos

I love black and white photos, but from a design point of view, they can be a bit challenging to scrapbook. Colorful printed paper can feel like it's competing with the photo, but sticking with a black & white palate can feel very "one note" and flat.

I simply adore this black & white image of my grandson, Rigel -he looks so serious and determined- and I was dieing to use it in a layout. I found a really great pattern in Graphic 45  's Curtain Call paper pad that used silver-gray letters to spell-out entertainment-related words. Since Rigel was named after the brightest star in the Orion constellation, I love using stars in scrapbook layouts about him. I also love thinking of him as the star of his own life's journey -I'm always wondering what choices he will make in life and who he will become- so when I spotted the giant words "Curtain Call" on this paper, it  inspired this message:

The addition of red and cream (in the  lettering and embellishments) to the page added character and made the layout more lively and interesting -enhancing the black & white photo without overwhelming it or competing with it.

On a more personal note, I love the positive message of this scrapbook page, that we are all stars in the story of our lives...and indeed we are.

Passing the love, Enikö

(Photo by CSIS Photography Portland, ME)

Scrapbook Layouts Using Graphic 45 Papers

(photograph by CSIS Photography)

Last week I wrote about my hesitation to break into the gorgeous paper pads of Graphic 45 's colorful and utterly inspiring collections. The papers were so exquisitely designed that I didn't dare to cut them up - I used them basically to drool over. In addition to that, the papers are very vibrant and so strong in character, that I was a bit intimidated by them. I thought that they would compete with the photos in a scrapbook layout. Well, as you can see, I got over my fears and have found great joy in stretching beyond my scrapbooking comfort zone and entering an entirely new realm of papercrafting.

The layout above was designed to show-off a wonderful image of my photogenic three-year-old grandson, Rigel, by CSIS Photography. Standing in front of the multi-colored-shingled shack in his cable fisherman's sweater, Rigel had the exact look that I wanted to combine with the unique "Steampunk Debutante" papers by G45. Elements on the design are very 3-dimensional...especially in the upper right-hand corner, where some very interesting woven beads hang by fibers from a large metal brad, so the background in that area didn't scan as clearly as I had hoped, but perhaps you can still appreciate the interesting juxtaposition of contrasting elements. To me, these contrasts mimicked the personality of the subject, who is simultaneously a rough-and-tumble boy and a soft, gentle, sweet spirit.

This next layout is a study in monochromatic design:

(photograph by CSIS Photography)

Here I was inspired by the color of the grass in autumn, with its hues of yellow ochre and green. I wanted the focus to be Rigel's face as it was highlighted by the rays of the sun shining through his incredible head of hair. The papers used in this layout are also mostly from the "Steampunk Debutante" papers by G45 -I believe the lettering on the left was cut-out from G45's "Renaissance-Faire" collection. The cool envelope is a rather new addition to G45's line of products -I switched-out the black yarn it came with a green cord that co-ordinated better with the other elements. The 3-D list of all the ways I love this boy was written on some cool ledger paper.

You've probably noticed the many layers of inking and chalking that were applied to give the papers this worn and aged appearance. I also want to point out the interesting technique used on the solid green paper that mats the photo. The paper is torn using a ruler, then the edges are wetted and sanded to make them soft and fuzzy and just a bit uneven, like the neglected lawn and the boy's uneven curls.

One of my favorite elements on this scrapbook layout is the metal button used as the center of the flower...these sort of contrasts add whimsy as well as interest to the artwork.

So dear readers...what have you done lately to step outside of your comfort zone? What challenges have you stepped up to that changed your perspective or allowed you to grow in an unexpected direction? (Please send love by leaving a comment below).

Playing it forward, Enikö

Scrapbooking With Graphic 45 Paper

I've been having a lot of fun working with Graphic 45 papers lately. If you're not already acquainted with this fabulous scrapbooking paper line, it's time you got introduced. In their own words:

"Graphic 45 is an award-winning scrapbook and paper crafting company. We offer vintage inspired crafting products that capture the flamboyant style of the 1920's and 30's - with vibrant color, irresistible texture and imaginative design to create products with decades-old appeal that's both fresh and familiar."

I saw my first sample of this company's papers at the Creative Keepsakes Convention last year in Manchester, NH. I kept going back to their booth until I purchased every paper collection I could get my hands on:  Renaissance Fair, Domestic Goddess, Christmas Past, Le' Romantique, Fashionista...I had to have them all. Beautiful, vibrant papers with glorious graphics on both sides. The problem was that I adored the papers so much that once I brought them home, I didn't have the heart to cut into them. I would just take them out every once in a while when I needed joy or inspiration, and then I would put them away again.

So recently I heard about a Graphic 45 Design Call, requesting scrapbook designers who love Graphic 45 paper to submit samples of their work to be considered for a position on their design team, and I threw caution to the wind and finally broke into my virgin paper pads.

This page was designed in honor of my dearest girlfriend, Margot, a local artist, author and book illustrator, here on Martha's Vineyard. She is also one of the most colorful characters on this little island and as fashionable as can be. I used paper from Graphic 45's Fashionista collection and embellished it with plenty of bling, lace, flowers, tassels, & strands of pearls to reflect her flamboyant, playful fashion style.

I did it! I broke through the fear of cutting into one of my Graphic 45 untouched paper stacks!

Do you have a scrapbooking dilemma? Or is something keeping you from conquering a scrapbooking fear of some sort? I hope you'll share your story in my comments below & I will be showing you more of my Graphic 45 scrapbook layouts in my next post.

Fearlessly scrapping, Enikö

 

 

Scrapbooking Papers Used to Alter Objects

I thought it would be fun to share this project with you. This is what is known as an "altered object" in the world of scrapbooking. It is when a found object - perhaps something picked up at a yard sale or a flea market - is transformed into something else by applying scrapbooking papers and scrapbooking techniques.

Silly me did not take a photo of this little cupboard before I altered it, but I assure you that it looked very different from the item above. I purchased it a while ago with the intention of using it in one of my Barbie dioramas. It was all white, with little purple grapes painted on the top drawer and the outside front panels. Cute, but perhaps a little too cute for my sophisticated Silkstone Barbie decked-out in her finest lingerie. So out came the Graphic 45 paper stacks -I believe I used images from the Fashionista and Steampunk Debutante lines. I cut-out the wonderful graphics of corsets and dress forms from a bygone era and Mod Podged them onto my little cupboard. Then I aged it by applying a series of inks. I just kept adding layers of brown, tea, maroon, and green until I got the look I wanted. I added a little gold to frame the trim around the artwork and gilded the knobs. Next, I lined the inside, including the drawer, with more of the fabulous scrapbooking paper from Graphic 45: 

Isn't this just the cutest little thing? -A perfect dresser for Barbie or jewelry box for me. Perhaps we'll just share.

Hugs to my readers, Enikö                                                            

 

Scrapbooking Techniques for an Oscar Party Invitation and More...

 
Everyone who knows me also knows that I have three major obsessions: Scrapbooking, Barbie Doll Collecting, and Awards Season in Hollywood. These passions are more than hobbies...they are what keep me smiling when life's challenges threaten to overwhelm... they are what keep the best things about me fresh, young and alive.

Sharing my passions with others is my joy, and that's why you are invited to my 2011 Oscar Party, where my three obsessions have joined in a particularly delightful way this year.

Every party needs a proper invitation, so I used the fabulous papers from Graphic 45's Curtain Call line. I love the Golden Age of Hollywood, so it was fun to represent it by using the face of the vintage cowboy. I covered the vintage-style movie strip image from Curtain Call with photos & titles of this year's various Oscar nominees cut from a movie magazine -I wanted to create a 3-D effect with the strip, which was a little tricky, but very effective. My favorite embellishment is the tiny "Oscar" statue that hangs from the gold-threaded ribbons.

I hope you're styled for the Red Carpet as you join us inside for the party:

The table is set in Red Carpet-crimson and actually sports a mini Red Carpet in the background -a great little table centerpiece that I won at the Barbie Collectors Convention the year it was held in Hollywood. The fabulous antique Bette Davis canvas marque was a gift from my sister, who found it at a yardsale in NH. You'll notice the "Lord of the Rings" tower on the left...various movies from the past, recreated with Barbies, decorate nearly every surface of the house: "Gone With the Wind", "My Fair Lady", "101 Dalmations", "Legally Blonde"...to name a few. The mantle sports a nod to Hollywood's glamorous Golden Age.

Grab a glass of Piper Heidsieck and some food...there is chips & salsa in honor of "127 Days", fresh veggies & herb dip for "The Kids Are Alright", Jim Bean for "True Grit", tea & tea sandwiches for "The King's Speech", poor man's (eggplant) caviar for "Winter's Bone, animal crackers for "Toy Story 3", dark chocolate truffles as a nod to "The Black Swan"...there's shrimp cocktail and a wonderful variety of English and Irish cheeses.

Meet some of my fellow Oscar lovers- This is Cassie with me, who is my right-hand Oscar party wrangler.

 

 

 

This is Laura, posed infront of my prized "Slumdog Millionaire" poster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My friend, Robin, who I attend many movie screenings with.

 

Patrie was a vision in her Oscar gold. You can see the "Alice in Wonderland" tableau behind her.

 

Here is a better view:

I felt an urge to represent all of the ten Best Picture nominees, and here they are:

This was my favorite scene from the "Toy Story 3", when Andy plays with his toys for one last time before he gives them away to the little girl...it makes me cry every time I watch it.

 

 

 

 

Here's my version of the Hailee Steinfeld character in True Grit.

Not sure if you can see the giant gun she's holding, but it's pretty funny.

 

 

"127 Days"
...ha, ha, ha...did the hunting knife give it away?

 

"The Kids Are Alright" ...all that auburn hair is apt to get a girl in trouble.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The Social Network"

 

-It was really fun recreating Mark Zuckerberg in an outfit so very similar to the one he's sporting on the poster. There is actually a mini Facebook wall on the computer screen...

 

 

 

"The King's Speech"

 

I hope you can see the old-fashioned microphone in front of the poor petrified King, and the comforting arm of his beloved and devoted wife.

 

 

 

 

Next, my personal Favorite, "Winter's Bone" -If you saw the movie, you understand the significance of the chain saw. And yes, that's a hand-rolled "cigarette" in her mouth.

"Inception" -The dream is real

And finally, "The Black Swan"
-My apologies for not including "The Fighter"...at this writing, I am contemplating bidding on some vintage Ken boxing gloves -apparently that's the only prop missing from my extensive Barbie collection.

I hope you've enjoyed attending my virtual Oscar Party...

I think it was a relatively good year for movies...certainly colorful with a wide variety.

Back to my scrapbooking...

Hugs, Enikö

 

Scrapbooking a Heritage Album: Part 9

The Final Chapter

So we've come to the final chapter of my 9-part series: Scrapbooking a Heritage Album. As I was nearing the end of the scrapbook, I was thinking about how to finish it in a way that would have the kind of impact that a journey of this magnitude deserves. It was then that I recalled a letter to the editor of the Milford Cabinet that the eldest of the Farkas siblings once wrote about the Christmas we spent sleeping on army cots in Austria, after we risked our lives to cross the dangerous communist-guarded Hungarian border as my father led his family of six to freedom. I acquired the letter and added it to my layout. It describes the brave determination of my parents to give their children a magical Christmas in the direst of situations, and was the perfect touch to my scrapbook, which would be my Christmas present to the family.

After printing the letter onto parchment paper and aging the edges with a little ink, I added an image of the Traiskirchen refugee camp where the event took place. To the opposite side of the double-page layout , I added a montage of photos of many lavish Christmases we enjoyed in America in contrast to the poverty-stricken refugee camp Christmas. (I love the little journaling block: "Gratitude is the memory of the heart.")

 

I am including the contents of the letter here, for those that are interested. The story of Christmas 1956 as seen through the eyes of the ten-year-old "older" brother is quite moving.

Christmas 1956 ~by Attila Farkas

"Four small figures crunched through the frozen ruts on the empty dirt path running between the barracks of the abandoned U.S. military base on the outskirts of Traiskirchen, Austria. On that cold gray evening of December 24, 1956 the old base was used as a concentration camp for Hungarian refugees of the October 23rd uprising ~brutally crushed by Russian tanks.

The nine year-old boy on the right was tugging at the hand of his five year-old sister, who in turn, was dragging a two year-old with her other hand. Clutching the left hand of the tiny girl, a ten year-old boy shuffled…lost in thought. A year ago Christmas was different. A year ago, the infant was asleep in her warm crib, and the older kids were bursting through the door followed by their loving grand-parents, who conveniently had taken them for a long walk, leaving ample time for the angelic messenger from the Christ Child to deliver the Christmas tree and the gifts under it. The two boys understood that on that bleak day, they were fulfilling the task of the now distant grandparents. ~But why? Certainly they could not expect presents. After all, their parents had no money in this strange land. They fled their home in Budapest with only belongings that could be carried on their backs. The ten year-old knew that this year, in conformance to the last two hellish months, there was going to be no Christmas.

The whimpering of the two year-old jarred his memory to the recent past. A month ago, her cries nearly resulted in tragedy. With a group of strangers, they were crossing the notorious iron curtain under the cover of night. A local resident cautioned them to be absolutely quiet because during the previous day, tanks were seen patrolling the field that they were about to cross. The baby, sleeping in her father’s arms, woke with a start and screamed her displeasure to the bleak country-side. The other members of the desperate group demanded that the family be left behind, so as not to jeopardize the safety of the rest. The parents ordered the older children to continue with the strangers, while they stayed behind with the screaming baby. For a desperate hour, the three children were totally alone…no country, no home, no parents. Finally, perhaps the hundredth glance back revealed familiar shadows, closing from behind.

The boy clutched the tiny hand harder.

They turned under the bare light bulb over the faded door to the barrack and hurried up the unpainted steps. He needed to be reassured that their parents were still there. They scurried by the rows of army cots and pushed through the hanging blanket that separated their home from this room of a dozen families. There, on the table between the crowded cots, stood a Christmas tree.

It wasn’t much of a tree…perhaps a dozen fir boughs wired to a broken broom handle, decorated with beads made from balls rolled from foil, and a candle cut into small segments. They stood transfixed. The adults joined them. Haltingly at first, the ancient folk song rose from the little circle. The carols grew louder with each stanza as the revelation strengthened: There will always be Christmas."

 

The journaling block on the lower right of the montage page reads:

"Of course there would be many more Christmases for the Farkas family, and many more Christmas trees... But none would compete with the memory of that special little tree of hope from the Christmas of 1956."

The final page of the Heritage Album shows the family many years later, on the 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration of Edith and Peter Farkas...we see the four siblings, now all grown-up, and we meet the grandchildren. The life that began with the chance meeting of a farmboy-turned-engineer and a pretty city-girl from Budapest, a life that endured many painful decisions and multiple hardships, has a happy ending indeed.

From a scrapbooking layout point of you, please note thet the muted colors used in the previous scrapbook pages and the sepia tones of the old photographs now give way to a burst of color, symbolizing the joy that the family now experiences.The sentiment on the upper right-hand side of the page is so appropriate: "Live the life you have imagined."

And so the Farkas family heritage goes on...as the grandchildren grow up and start families of their own. At the writing of this post, sadly Edith Farkas has left us, but Peter celebrated his 89th birthday this past June, as handsome as ever and happy to share a kiss with his three-year-old great-grandson, Rigel.

I hope I've inspired you to capture your own family's history in a scrapbook or a family Heritage Album, and thank you for allowing me to share my story with you.

Sharing the love, Enikö

Scrapbooking a Heritage Album: Part 8

COMING TO AMERICA

There are many ways to tell a story. Musicians tell stories by evoking the emotions of an experience through the melodies they compose; painters tell tales with brushstrokes and juxtaposition of colors; writers take their readers on journeys with their masterful use of language.  Scrapbook designers capture snapshots of time and combine select photographs, papers, words and elements of design to artfully take the viewer across the rich landscape of their memory-keeping.

I could literally write a novel about my family's plight as refugees of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and our adventures of adjusting to a new life in America, but as a scrapbook designer, I don't have the luxury of using hundreds of words in my storytelling. I must find the right balance of multiple disciplines to tell my story in a concise, artistic and convincing way so that my viewers feel the essence of the experiences of my family's life as they view the little snippets of it.

In the double-page layout above, I illustrate the Farkas family's first two years in their newly adopted home...not an easy accomplishment in such a limited amount of space, but it is a great example of effective storytelling. The layout opens with a photo taken by my father of the Statue of Liberty...the universal symbol of American freedom. Although the photograph was actually taken many months after we arrived in the US (we landed on American soil by plane), the image of the boat approaching the magnificent icon -full of hopeful Hungarian transplants immediately sets the tone for the story. The words across it: "A Place to Belong...Refuge in a Storm...Cozy...Safe Haven...Retreat...Home" -tell it all.

As the eye moves down the left page, it scans an old post card of the Americus Hotel, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where we stayed until a more permanent home was found. The little tag sports a photo of Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, an old abandoned army barracks that was spruced up to receive and process the Hungarian refugees as they arrived in the states. The tag points to the refugee identification photos of the exhausted, anguished parents and their four confused children. -How different this family portrait is from the one on the previous page (see Scrapbooking a Heritage Album: Part 7).

The viewer is then taken on a visual journey of the family as it heals and finds solace in their new home. We see the family's duplex in Allentown, with Peter's first car, a classic Oldsmobile, and we see early family photos taken on Sundays after church. The quote in the center of the left-hand page reminds us of what is truly important: "The Best Thing to Hold onto in Life is Each Other".

These photos were taken frequently to assure relatives back in Hungary that we were doing just fine. The clothes on our backs may have been from the Salvation Army, but they were always clean and well-pressed. The blossoms of the flower -cut out of patterned paper (a recurring theme throughout the album) -points to the family's second home in Highland Park, New Jersey, where we moved two years after arriving in the States, as my dad acquired better employment (and as you can see in the driveway, a better car).

Scrapbooking ones heritage is very different from scrapbooking a vacation, or a special event, or even daily life. There is a sense of capturing years of life in a visual time capsule. There is a sense of responsibility in presenting moments of history truthfully, but with a personal point of view. There is also a sense of pride that we feel as scrapbookers -we are family historians preserving stories that may otherwise be forgotten, and telling them in a way that will make future generations want to remember. xo -Enikö

Scrapbooking a Heritage Album: Part 7

On the following pages of my Family Heritage Scrapbook, you see my complete family as we were in the 1950's. All four children are enjoying the benefits of loving grandparents, and life in Budapest. We lived on Vaci Utca, a very elegant neighborhood and had a very nice life. Behind the scenes, politically, there was a lot going on. The Hungarian youth, tired of the oppression of the oppressive communist regime and the unfair practices of the Secret Police, decided to organize a peaceful demonstration to voice thier desire for freedom of speech among other democratic freedoms. The Hungarian Revolution broke out on October 23, 1956, practically on our doorstep. A month later, after the deaths of hundreds of revolutionaries -many of them only in their teens,  the aftermath of the failed revolution became a serious threat to the Farkas family. Peter, the handsome and inventive engineer, fearing that the occupying Russian communists would ship him to Moscow for his knowledge, packed up his wife Edith and their four children and set out on foot in the middle of the night to walk his family to freedom.

Naturally, there is a lot more to the story, but often in a scrapbook layout, we wish to tell the essence of the events in a more personal and concise way. (Historical details or personal accounts of the story may be included by slipping the "secret journaling" in an envelope or some other format on the page).The layout above shows the happy family as it was before the Hungarian Revolution of '56, then brings the viewer's eye to the bottom of the right-hand page, where we see a newspaper clipping of the Russian tanks that lined the Budapest streets after the revolution failed.

You can view details of the left-page scrapbook layout here:

 

The title "Farewell Home" hints that something is about to disrupt the harmony of this family. The journaling in the circle on the left gives us more detail. The right-hand scrapbook page below illustrates the contrast between the happy family and the war that is erupting around them:

Next to the copy of the newspaper photo (always use a copy printed on acid-free paper rather than the original, which often contains chemical residues harmful to your photographs) the journaling describes the family's plight in more detail. If you're interested, and you're having trouble reading the journaling, you can enlarge it by double-clicking on the page.

It is important to include "the good, the bad, and the ugly" when scrapbooking a family's history. Future generations will be just as interested in the difficult times...perhaps even more so...as in the happy moments of a family's heritage.

This post is particularly poignant to me at this time with all that is happening currently with the protests in the Middle East. It is easy for those that have always lived in freedom to take it for granted, but to those that live in oppression, the possible attainment of freedom is worth many sacrifices...

In celebration of Freedom everywhere, Enikö

Scrapbooking a Heritage Album: Part 6

Last week I posted pages about the boys in the Farkas family...this week is all about the girls. The layout above illustrates how eight photos can be incorporated in a single-page design without feeling crowded. Also of note: I tried something new on these pages -computer printing on ink jet transparencies. The one I used was by Avery and it is best if you print out the journaling on plain paper first to test the size and placement, then be sure to follow the package directions on which side to print on (naturally I found this out the hard way). It was a great way to include a lot of information in a limited amount of space. I also used it on the title "A Girl at Last!" for uniformity. The above layout is of yours truly and is embellished with flowers cut by hand from patterned paper from Paper Loft's Grandma's House line. Some of the flowers were enhanced with an application of Ranger's Glossy Accents, which add dimension as well as a nice shine. This is a great reminder that scrapbooking embellishments need not stress your budget. We often overlook opportunities to use images from patterned paper as fabulous and inexpensive accents to our pages. This product by Ranger is similar to glitter glue, minus the glitter. It is very easy to apply and works best when applied generously, but it is important to let it dry thoroughly (preferably overnight) before handling or slipping into a sheet protector.

As you can see below, the next page is centered around our sister, Ildi. Her page includes six photos and is designed to be compatible to the page that sits to the left of it in the Heritage Album. Many of the same elements were used on both pages to make them coherent. (She was an adorable baby, wasn't she - and a blond!)

I am particularly fond of the colors used on these pages. The Heritage Album started out in mostly brown and sepia tones to reflect the era that my parents were born in and then the couple's war-torn courtship. With the introduction of children into the mix, a little more color is added to the pages, illustrating the joy that children undoubtedly added to the family.

I hope you're enjoying this series about my family's heritage and that by now you, too, are working on your own Heritage Album. If you've enjoyed this post, please leave me a message below and do subscribe to my blog.

Sharing the Love, Enikö

Scrapbooking a Heritage Album: Part 5

First comes Love, then comes Marriage...

Yes, we know what comes next in my Scrapbooking a Heritage Album series...

It was quite the challenge to fit six photos of my brother Attila on a single-page scrapbook layout and still maintain order. Notice, once again, the use of the "power of 3's"...Three large photos carry the eye to the three smaller photos, and the three journaling blocks tell the story. There are also three areas in which the striped paper was used as matting. Using 3's will not necessarily guarantee balance in scrapbooking, but when the items are placed in a harmonious way, it can create pleasing order on a layout. In the photos, we see a happy, but contemplative boy. The outfits are precious and I'm very fond of the photo of Attila being fed by his maternal grandmother, Mami at our summer cottage in Erd, Hungary. The gnome was a beloved fixture in the garden of the cottage.

Opposite the layout of Attila, my brother Csaba makes his entrance into the Heritage Album...

Here, it is the repeated use of circular images that moves the eye effortlessly from the date of Csaba's birth to his name. I chose these photos very carefully, since they needed to illustrate the relationship between the brothers without words, since I wanted to limit my journaling. In the upper left-hand corner, we see Csaba helping his older brother button his jacket. (I thought this was a particularly sweet picture.) Below that, we see the brothers hanging out their heads from our summer cottage window with mischief on their faces. The photo of Csaba in his mother's arms shows the love she felt for her beautiful toddler. The next photo shows big brother Attila coming to the defense of his little brother in a clearly protective gesture. To the right, another photo taken at the summer cottage shows the boys frolicking in their pajamas. -All together, the closeness between them is quite apparent in this layout, hence the story is told.

Details that are noteworthy in these Heritage Album scrapbook layouts:

• The scroll on the upper right of Attila's page was continued from the patterned paper onto the matting with a similar rubber stamp.
• A simple word such as "Cherish" or "Together" is often enough of a title to give the layout meaning and direction.
• When using many photos on a layout, it is best to use embelishments sparingly, such as the copper brad which attaches the date of Csaba's birth and the ribbon that softens the look of the journaling tag, which both add interest to the layout -without distracting from the photos and the story-telling.

Stay warm my friends, and take pleasure in scrapbooking your family's heritage.

Sharing the Love, Enikö

Scrapbooking a Heritage Album: Part 4

In Part 4 of my latest scrapbooking project, my family's Heritage Album, we have come to the engagement of  my parents, Edith and Peter.Theirs was an interesting courtship, indeed. Peter literally risked his life on several occasions just to have a date with his love. There were times that the train to Budapest that he was traveling on, was stopped as World War II bombers were spotted, and my dad and the other passengers had to scurry off the train to hide in the nearby bushes. My mom told tales of their dates where the entire evening would be spent holding hands in a community bomb shelter, where even resting her head on Peter's shoulder was considered inappropriate behavior. -So kissing had to wait until they could sneak away to a secluded bench on Margaret Island in the middle of the Danube. "So romantic", I always thought as a naive young girl.

So in the scrapbook page above, I wanted to capture the little bit of intimacy they were allowed to share in that straight-laced, war-torn society. If you look closely, you'll see that Edith is showing off her engagement ring in this photo. The scrapbook layout itself was inspired by  a workshop I attended at the Creative Keepsakes Scrapbook Convention in Manchester, NH. The basic layout (sans photo, title, and the addition of the metal keyholes & the metal key -both by Tim Holtz) is the copyrighted design of the Creative Crafts Group, and the workshop was sponsored by Creating Keepsakes Magazine.

As I mentioned in earlier posts in this scrapbooking series, even though I've been designing my own scrapbook pages for many years, I thoroughly enjoyed incorporating someone else's designs into my work - and loved adding my own spin on things. I also love discovering new scrapbooking papers. The bulk of this Heritage Album was created with patterned paper from Paper Loft's Grandma's House line, and they suited the sepia tones that I chose for my Photoshop Elements-enhanced photos. This next page, in which I celebrate the wedding, is entirely of my own design: 

Here we see the happy couple as they looked at their civil ceremony as well as at their church wedding. My mom often reminisced about the sparseness of the church on her wedding day. -Flowers were scarce during the war-time wedding. Apparently the lovely caretaker at the church got her hands on a field of baby's breath and filled the church with them. Edith said it looked like heaven, but she always mentioned that she wished there were more flowers. Her story was my inspiration for adding the lovely paper flowers (mostly from Prima) that caress her photo. Here are the two pages side-by-side, as they appear in the Heritage Album:

Notice that the metal elements that embellish the layout on the left are repeated by the use of the metal brads in the center of the flowers, and the metal frame that draws the eye to the date of their union. I also like the repetition of the scalloped edge on the far left (made with a paper punch) achieved with a similar paper punch by Martha Stewart Crafts, which I used to mat two of the photographs.

Sharing the Love, Enikö

Scrapbooking a Heritage Album: Part 3

My father, Peter Farkas, celebrated his 89th birthday in June 2010. He's still handsome and quite a charmer in spite of the Parkinson's Disease that now limits his mobility. Back in the day -when he made the bold leap to leave farm-life and his family's country cottage to attend college in Budapest, I'm sure he had little idea that fate would one day land him in America. This scrapbook page is a snapshot of his rise from farm-boy to engineer.

There are no known photos of my dad as a little boy, but these pictures from his youth represent his character well. We see the house he was born in, we meet his family, we learn about the farm work he left behind, and we meet his first girlfriend. We also see his fun-loving side. When we see these two pages side-by-side, we can study the layout design a little better.

There's a playfulness to the placement of the photos and the title that reflect the playful personality of the subject. It is always a challenge to fit many photos into a layout when "storytelling" in a scrapbook without making it appear overcrowded. Here, I chose to cluster the photos by threes to create continuity. The eye travels from the profile photo on the upper left and the whimsical title in a linear fashion, glancing at the photos three-by-three, until the eye rests on the cluster of the large head shot and the journaling on the right.

Perhaps I've inspired you to start scrapbooking your own family's Heritage Album. Choose some great vintage-style paper as I did here, organize your photos (I recommend copying them first) and get started. More Heritage Album scrapbooking tips to follow soon.

ENJOY!   Enikö

Scrapbooking a Heritage Album: Part 2

When scrapbooking a Heritage Album, the intention is to capture the personalities of the ancestors and relatives being documented, in addition to their images. We don't always know much about the past history of family members, especially if they are deceased, but it is important to include what we do know, so that it may be passed on to future generations in the albums we are creating. This Heritage Album was intended to be about my parents and their four children, and the story about their flight to freedom after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 against the occupation of Communist Russia failed.

The scrapbook page above was one I put together in a workshop I attended at the Creative Keepsakes Scrapbook Convention. The layout (sans photos & title) is the copyrighted design of the Creative Crafts Group, and the workshop was sponsored by Creating Keepsakes Magazine.

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been designing my own scrapbook pages for years now, and this was the first time I incorporated someone else's design into my work. I must say that it was a lot of fun to work with some new ideas. For instance, in the layout above about my mother Edith, I was surprised how well the circle graphic worked to capture the fun-loving essence of the carefree young woman -especially since it emphasises the circular straw hat she is sporting in the photo.

The flowers in the layout were all cut-out of patterned paper (from Paper Loft's Grandma's House line)-something I had done before, but not to this extent. The following page, which sits opposite the one above in the double-page layout of the Heritage Album, is of my own design, using the same line of papers.

It's not easy to tell the story of a person in just one double-page layout, so one must choose the photos and words very carefully. In the first page, which sits on the left of the layout, the viewer sees the young woman as she looked when she met her husband, Peter. In fact, the playful straw hat photo was taken by Peter on one of their dates. The photo on the lower right of that same page was Edith's engagement photo, as indicated by the date & sentiment written in Edith's own handwriting and was given to her new fiance as a memento of the occasion.

I love that the second page takes the viewer from Edith at age 2 to age 16. We see her with both her parents and her cousin, and we see her as a budding child actress. The journaling on the right tells Edith's story in carefully selected words and brings us to the young woman who is about to meet her future husband.

Join me for Scrapbooking a Heritage Album: Part 3 to see how Peter Farkas' life was captured on my scrapbook pages. Until then, Happy Scrapbooking! Enikö

Scrapbooking a Heritage Album

I started this layout at the Creative Keepsakes Scrapbook Convention in Manchester, NH last spring. It is an amazing, very well organized convention - every scrapbooking enthusiast's dream come true. I had signed up for a workshop entitled: "Because of You" on opening day - having no idea what to expect, since it was my first event of it's kind. The first layout we put together in class was this one, above. I knew at once that it would be the first page of my Family Heritage Album. The layout is the copyrighted design of the Creative Crafts Group, and the workshop was sponsored by Creating Keepsakes Magazine.

The layout appealed to me right away, with its transparency title set off by the bold chipboard "B" and the clever juxtaposition of printed papers from Paper Loft's Grandma's House line. I added the lovely photo of my parents, Edith and Peter Farkas, on the day of their civil ceremony in Budapest (they also had a church wedding, as you will see in a later photo) and added the words "We Are" on the bottom of the page, to reflect the couple's four children, who would not exist if it wasn't for them.

While I pride myself on being a very creative scrapbook designer and layout artist, I thoroughly enjoyed following along with the class, being inspired by another's designs for a change - using them as a springboard for the rest of the album. The exercise forced me to step outside of my comfort zone and to embrace combinations of patterned papers that I may never have combined on my own.

This second page, also designed by Creative Crafts Group, was the perfect place for my maternal great-grandparents' wedding picture. I added some of my own touches, such as the rub-on filigree in the upper left corner, the brads holding up the title, and a few other minor alterations that suited my own scrabooking style a little better. Kudos to the Creative Crafts Group for the idea of the trees. I love the idea of cutting out designs from the printed paper to form the tree tops...how clever is that? Page three, which sits opposite this one in the album, continuing the "Family Tree" theme, is of my own design:

In case you're wondering, I did not use original photos in these scrapbook layouts. Many of the images I had were in sepia tones, others were in black and white; many were faded and some even damaged. I scanned them into my computer and altered them in Photoshop Elements. I wanted the album to have a uniformly soft sepia look and feel. They turned out quite beautiful against the aged-looking papers. Each photo, and just about all of the papers and embellishments used were inked on the edges with Chestnut Ink to give them an even more aged look.

So I begin the New Year by honoring my roots, my ancestors, and the sacrifices my parents made on behalf of their children. I encourage you to sign up to follow my blog - you won't want to miss the upcoming posts, which detail my family's exodus from our homeland after the failed Hungarian Revolution of 1956 in search of freedom and a new home. Many wonderful ideas to use in your own scrapbooking and Family Heritage Album will follow as well.

(If you're interested in attending a Creative Keepsakes Scrapbook Convention just click on this link for a list of upcoming locations and dates.)

Spreading the Love, Enikö

A Bright & Shiny New Year's Eve Scrapbook Layout

With New Year's Eve just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to share this 'shiny and bright' scrapbook layout with you. From photos taken as we celebrated the last day of 2005, this scrapbook page remains one of my all-time favorites.

When capturing the memory of a specific event on a scrapbook page, every element of the design should support the photos by reflecting the essence of the moment. In this case, the moment was an intimate New Year's Eve gathering filled with silly hats and noisemakers, good champagne, great food, and lots of laughter. The embellishments used on the layout were carefully chosen to compliment those components, thereby helping to better tell the story of the event.

The star-speckled ombre paper is a perfect choice for the background since it depicts the feeling of a waning evening beautifully. The metallic silver ribbon that weaves its way around the photos also embraces them with the warmth of the evening's mood. The title is simple: Happy 2006 -but because it is spelled out with shiny silver lettering, it offers joyfulness along with information. The playful sticker embellishments, namely the silver & gold streamers, champagne bottle & flutes, party hats, party horns, hourglass, crescent moon, and most importantly, the silver clock with hands nearing midnight, all add fun and whimsy.

Speaking of whimsy, I think my favorite embellishments are the silly alterations made to the photos themselves. For example, Laura and I each wore feather tiaras in the photos that said "Happy New Year" on them. I placed a sparkly "Happy New Year" sticker over my tiara to accentuate it, and I glued pink ostrich feathers on the photo of Laura's tiara to make it more pronounced and fun. Jim's hat received a giant rhinestone on its tip, as did the front of Laura's dress. And because I found it funny that Jim chose junk-food over lobster for his "last supper" of the year, I emphasized the silliness of his choice by placing an over-sized hamburger & soda sticker on his tray. Hence, I captured the humor of our "bright and shiny" little celebration perfectly!

Wishing you a healthy and prosperous 2011, and as you make your New Year's resolutions, I hope you add "scrapbooking photos and preserving memories" to your list. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Scrap Yourself a Vintage Little Christmas...

One year we all received handmade aprons from our sweet Gigi. I began a Santa collection when my kids were little and I delight in adding to it and putting my treasures out every year. Knowing this, Gigi made me a beautiful Santa apron out of a vintage-style Christmas fabric. Laura, who adores anything leopard or red, found a leopard-print apron lined with bright red in her gift box. Those of you who know Jim -a little kid at heart- knows how crazy he is about trains. For him, Gigi made an apron out of a train-conductor striped cotton and decorated it with a train-themed fabric on top. What a clever young woman... and so very thoughtful!

We loved our aprons and took photos of each other modeling our fabulous gifts. My brother and his wife were visiting for the Holidays that year. As they were helping me in the kitchen, I dressed them in the matching pink aprons with heart pockets that Gigi had made for my birthday earlier that year, and thankfully remembered to snap a photo.

As you can see, scrapbooking these photos was almost as fun as receiving the aprons. I found some lovely vintage-inspired scrapbooking paper as my background. I wrote my title with 3-dimensional red chipboard, which looked great on the page, and added some Santa-themed vintage Christmas cards that Jim had saved from his childhood. I matted the journaling on bright red cardstock and added a little extra whimsy with peppermint candy stickers.

Fun little scrapbooking ideas:

• Add interest to an edge of your journaling block with a decorative paper punch
• For fun, occasionally use stars or flowers instead of circles to dot the "i's" in a title
• Take advantage of the "power of 3's" as I did here- notice how the eye moves from Santa card to Santa card to Santa card, and how the three photos on the left direct the eye to the focal photo on the right.

Wishing my readers a joyous Holiday Season!

A Personalized Advent Calendar Using Scrapbooking Techniques: Part 2

I promised to post step-by-step directions for my Personalized Advent Calendar using scrapbooking techniques, and here it is. This calendar combines my passion for Barbie collecting with my passion for scrapbooking and was made for my own amusement.

Here's the finished product:

Don't you love the way it turned out? I started with  photo of a Christmas diorama that I made with my Barbies. After printing the image from my photo file on 81/2 x 11 matt photo paper, I trimmed off the excess.

Next, I chose 24 of my favorite photos of Barbies and Barbie dioramas and copied them into a separate folder to make it easier to print out. I then printed them out as I would a contact sheet or in Thumbnail fashion on high-quality glossy photo paper.

Then I trimmed off the excess paper on the top & bottom of the vertical print-out, so that it would fit perfectly under the large photo, which of course was printed out in landscape fashion. With a pencil, I marked exactly where the contact sheet would sit behind the larger image.

Here's where it becomes a little tricky. For the first three Advent Calendars I made, I cut out all the thumbnail photos and adhered them separately behind windows that I cut out to match. In other words, my cropped mini-photos were different sizes & some were in portrait and others were in landscape formats. As much as I loved the finished products, the process was grueling and very time-consuming. Determined to find a more user-friendly solution, I decided that using all landscape photos were the way to go. This way, I wouldn't have to cut them out separately, and I could just adhere the entire contact sheet behind the cover photo after cutting out the appropriate windows. Eureka!

It does, however, take patience and some accurate measuring. I'm not one to be overly fussy, so I just taped the contact sheet underneath the cover photo and held them over a light box (actually, I used my computer monitor...but I would have used a light box if I had one) and simply marked where the bottoms and sides of the mini-photos would be with a pencil. Engineer & mathematician-types would be a lot more careful, I'm sure. Either way, a metal ruler with an Exacto-type blade cutter is a must, and do have extra sharp blades on hand. A self-healing cutting mat or large sheet of cardboard is recommended to protect your work-surface.

I realized halfway into the project that it may have been wiser to mark the underside of the cover photo since the darker areas of the image made it difficult to see the pencil lines.

After cutting all the windows on three sides (I prefer bottom-openings for the windows), the remaining un-cut area of the window may be scored with a blunt tip to make it neater & easier to fold up.

Next, the contact sheet needs to be glued down - I used an adhesive tape runner. Be sure to line the windows up properly with the mini-photos. (Beginners should use removable adhesive - my favorite is the one that becomes permanent when it dries.)

Now for the fun part: Decide which order you would like the calendar to be opened in. Foe this project, I used an image of my "Barbie" Santa as "24" so that it would be the final window opened in the countdown to Christmas. Then I numbered all of the windows in a somewhat random fashion, begining with "1".

Next, I matted the whole thing with a pretty holly-themed paper, and then adhered that onto a larger piece of red cardstock. After punching two holes, I added a pretty gold ribbon to hang my calendar by, and embellished it with a couple of 3-D poinsettia stickers. I love how it came out!

And the countdown to a Barbie-enhanced Christmas continues...

 

 

A Personalized Advent Calendar Using Scrapbooking Techniques

The first day of December was always exciting at our house because it was the first day of the Advent Calendar, a wonderful tradition that makes the countdown to Christmas realy fun. The calendars have 25 numbered windows that are "hidden" within an image, and the idea is to open the windows chronologically -one each day of December until Christmas- to reveal surprises behind them .

I decided to design personalized Advent Calendars for some special people in my life using my scrapbooking supplies and scrapbooking techniques. This one was made for my Jim, who simply adores his kitty, Shadow.

I chose this whimsical photo of Shadow lounging in the snow of our Christmas Village as the face of my Advent Calendar, so I printed it out on 81/2 x 11 matt photo paper. Then I gathered all my favorite photos of Shadow and Martha (our sweet kitty that passed away) and printed them out in thumbnails (like a contact sheet), after placing them all in a photo file folder. I cut 25 windows with a craft knife, leaving the top flaps intact, and adhered a tiny photo behind each one.

I've opened some of the windows here to show you how it works and how much fun it is to find the surprises. After all the photos were in place, I carefully glued the edges of the face of the Advent Calendar to a Christmas-themed scrapbook paper and then adhered that onto a solid scrapbook card stock.

The edges of the cardstock were perfect for writing a personal sentiment in colored ink -just like I would add journaling to a typical scrapbook page. Then I added a pretty coordinating ribbon with some decorative brads to hang it by. What do you think? Isn't it a lovely idea and a unique, personalized gift? If you'd like to try it, I will post step-by-step directions in my next post. Until then...happy scrapbooking!