Creative Chemistry 101

So now that life is starting to calm down a bit, I decided to sign up for Tim Holtz's first ever online class.  I have to be honest and say that I have never been much of a fan of his style.  I am more of a minimalist, clean cut kind of gal, and if you know Tim, his style is the farthest from minimal.  After taking a class from him at CHA-S in 2011 I have started experimenting and playing more with his products.

Similarly to Tim Holtz, I do not have an art background despite the fact, that professional artists are in my bloodline...guess it skipped my generation.  I was intrigued by the very nature of his class Creative Chemistry.  This class is the what and why of a product as well as technique.  And that is putting it mildly.  This truly is a crash course in everything colorful and inky.  I highly encourage you to check it out...and the price is extremely reasonable. Class Info.  Even though the class has already begun, you will have a lifetime access with your paid tuition.  I'll be posting our "homework" in the next days to come.

{{hugs}},

Mimi

Happy New Year!

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year and thank you for creating with me in 2011.  As many of you know, I have had some big changes and challenges in my life this past year.  I want to thank all of you for your continued love and support this past year. 

The New Year brings new opportunities.  A clean slate if you will.  I am no stranger to making (and breaking) New Year's resolutions.  This year, however, I have decided to follow through on those resolutions, not because they are "Resolutions" but because I have to follow my heart and the path that God has for me.  

That Scrappy Girl, at this time, is no longer a path I can continue to follow.  I have struggled with this decision for some time and honestly I thought I had enough energy and passion to keep things going.  It saddens me to say, that the business portion of That Scrappy Girl is just too much for me and I need to focus on  other priorities in my life. 

I have been truly blessed to have met so many wonderful people along the way.  I consider you all friends.  I want to not only thank you, but all of my wonderful vendors who generously donated prizes for my crops and workshops.  Please continue to support them.  

I will be reducing inventory with some upcoming sales, so please watch for those announcements and pass the word along.  I will continue to post on this blog, but in a different capacity.  I want to share my love of scrapbooking and want to have an avenue to express my creativity.  I will no longer have a design team, website or crops.  I have committed to some local crops as a vendor and I intend to honor those commitments. I will be officially closing the business on March 15, 2012 which signifies That Scrappy Girl's 4th birthday.

I hope 2012 brings you all the joy and peace your heart desires.

{{hugs}},

Mimi

Mixed Media on Canvas

I decided to play with a canvas and try to make a painting for my sister-in-law. It's was tough to figure out, because I wanted to use Tim Holtz inks, but they don't stick to a pre-primed canvas. So first you have to paint it with acrylic paints. I used painters tape to block off the areas, painted with acrylics and then I could ink with TH inks. I also used Rangers color wash, Maya Mist and Glimmer mist. I cut an "a" from my circut and used the negative space. I taped it down with painters tape after I had all my color done. Then I sprayed the "a" with glimmer mist. let it dry over night. In the morning I taped down the "a" itself and cleaned up any edges I need to. It was really fun and I felt like a real Artist. It turned out better then I thought.

Look to the world around you for inspiration

When I scrapbook I like to look to the world around me, and like many, I've been addicted to Pinterest lately. That addiction inspired me to create a vintage style page with a corkboard "pinned" with photos of some favorite finds taken during a few junkin' adventures. I also love the idea of "diamonds and denim" and wanted to mix textures that were blingy and fabulous, with other embellishments that had more of a simple everyday feeling. With all of that in mind I set out to create this page.

Click image to bigify

Supplies: Patterned paper - Pink Paislee; floral vine - Prima; Scalloped boarder - Sizzix Die; Tulle - Bazzill; beaded spray - craft supply; Rhinestone button - Bazzill; cork - Lifestyle Crafts/Quickutz; Chipboard Letters - Basic Grey with Sizzix Embossing folder; kraft journaling spots, pink resin flowers black ribbon flower, yellow felt flower - Maya Road; Pearl strip - Recollections; Paint, brads - Making Memories; font - Bohemian Typewriter

A little birdie tells me that there is some satin ribbon on the way to That Scrappy Girl, so you too can be making your own fabulous satin flowers!

JB Mini Summer Album

I ran across a Maya Road Chipboard mini album while cleaning my scraproom. I had some Jillibean left and so I came up with this cute little summer album.

Craft Fusion: The selling power of Mixed Media

What does Mixed Media mean to you?  Each person has their own interpretation of mixed media and the great aspect is that there are NO RULES.  Art is in the eye of the beholder and Mixed Media is no different.
Mixed Media was this year's CHA summer show theme.  CHA and acting president Tony Lee are encouraging the craft and hobby industry to "expand their vision."

By combining different materials in unique ways, crafters can be especially creative and achieve dramatic, non-traditional results" says Lee.  He continued to say that "Mixed Media is more than a fad, but represents a shift in how younger craft enthusiasts are expressing their creativity."

Exhibitors specializing in Mixed Media were present at the show and none to eager to show off all of the amazing projects that can be created with their products.  Here are some pics of a few projects I saw:

Look for a little Celebrity Spotting and giveaway next post, so stay tuned!

{{hugs}},
Mimi

Sneak Peek! Introducing the Silhouette Cameo!

As most of you know I just returned from the CHA Summer show.  We had a wonderful time and have come back more inspired, it's hard to express.

For all of your Silhouette lovers or if you have been on the fence about buying a die-cutting machine, your wait is over.  The hit of the CHAS show hands down was Silhouette America's introduction of the Cameo:

The Silhouette Cameo is "an electronic cutting tool that connects to your home computer just like a printer.  However, rather than printing images, the Silhouette cuts out designs and text"

According to the Silhouette America sales guru TJ, the new Cameo is expected to be out mid October.  Pre-Sales order will be available during the month of September.  The MSRP for the new Cameo is $299.

So, want more deets?
The Silhouette cuts a variety of media, and the new cutting blade which is expected to be released with the Cameo will cut CARDBOARD!  WooHoo!  The blade is still in production, but the team is hoping it will be included with the new machine.  Keeping our fingers crossed!

More BIG NEWS!  The new Cameo will cut designs and texts from 1/4" to 12" wide and 10' long.  AMAZING!

The Silhouette Cameo will have the same features as the Silhouette SD, but get this...it's QUIETER!  Not only that, the cut is more precise and more exact!  I was an eye-witness and just LOVE IT!

Also released at CHA:  Fabric Ink Starter Kit, Vinyl Starter Kit, Rhinestone Starter Kit and Heat Transfer Starter Kit...So fun, the ideas are just endless.

So stayed tuned for pre-sale offers available sometime in September.  I think the Silhouette America team are top notch and would make a great addition to the That Scrappy Girl store.  Keep tuned for pre-sale offers coming in September.  Here is some more eye candy:

{{hugs}},
Mimi