Happiness- Chris Sexton

My layout for ARTastic's July challenge, using black and white plus one other predominant colour, uses a photo of my niece and her gorgeous daughter.

The background paper was mostly black, with floral highlights in varying tones of pink, which was perfect for my photo. I added some white using a stencil and paint, then used some scraps of other black and white paper I had to add some layers beneath the photo.

The pink paper beneath the black perfectly matched the darker flowers so I cut a strip from the centre of it to create a banner and to punch a flower for my embellishment cluster. I punched a section from the top and bottom of the black to allow the pink to show through, then added pink rhinestones to the centre of each punched flower. I added a cute little crocheted doily, a white paper doily and a journalling tag plus a little butterfly which I fussy cut from another tag, which I added Glossy Accents and rhinestones to. I love that the black background paper had a touch of blue and green in the corners. I think the contrast creates more interest.
 Thanks for the inspiration. It was great to see the amazingly diverse interpretations people came up with.
Cheers, Chris.

Mr Fixit - Chris Sexton

 My husband Geoff is a recycling champion in our household. Almost every room in our house has pieces of restored furniture that are the result of his handiwork. His workshop is full of bits and pieces that have been salvaged from the local recycling centre that he has altered or redesigned to fit a particular purpose. Because of this I thought he was the perfect subject for my layout for the June ARTastic challenge using recycled items. It was great fun raiding the cupboards and drawers in his workshop to find the things I could use to complement the photo.

 I used an old Bristol Paints colour card and some corrugated card from a packing box for my background. The cogs were die cut from pieces of used sandpaper (which I also used as masks and stencils). I found old metal washers, screws and nails and bits of wire, a wooden hole plug, as well as a much used ruler and pencil which I used as embellishments. Even my journalling tag was cut from the colour card and covered with a scrap of left over paper.

The two things on the layout that weren't pilfered from Geoff's workshop were the piece of brown paper beneath the photo, which was cut from packaging that came with some pyjamas I bought recently and the title letters, which I cut from the local newspaper.
The only scrapbooking supplies I used were paint, ink, spray mists and brads. I've created a layout that is very different to my usual style but I'm pretty pleased with the result.

As I don't have my own blog, I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the lovely people who regularly comment on my challenge efforts. I was blown away by the comments I received for the May challenge and was amazed that I'd come up with some masking/stencilling ideas that others hadn't thought of and were inspired to try.Those comments gave me a great confidence boost.
I'd like to thank Tone-Lill for donating the prize I won and for voting for me. I'd also like to thank Julie at "Time to Create" for allowing me to use her site "Time to Create B Challenged." Without her generosity I wouldn't be able to submit my layouts.
I look forward to the next challenge.
                                                      Cheers, Chris.

Cute as a Button. -Chris Sexton.

For the ARTastic challenge this month I used a 30 year old photo of my gorgeous niece Ali, taken when she was about 3 years old. Rather than use commercially produced stencils and masks I created my own. My background started with a white sheet of cardstock. I scalloped the edge, then masked the scallops with Washi tape so they would stay white.

I then created another mask by using a lacy edge punch to make a square corner which I sprayed lightly with Glimmer Mist.

I then placed a 12x12 piece of carpet mesh over the whole sheet and sprayed with Glimmer Mist again, giving a lattice effect.

Once I'd placed the orange cardstock into position, I created a stencil with another edge punch, which I then used to ink a faux embroidered border on the white "lace".
Once the stencilling was done I removed the Washi tape from the scalloped edges, added my photo, title and embellishments and I was done.

I don't do a lot of stencilling on my pages but I've always admired layouts that have it in their backgrounds as it gives great dimension and added interest. I'm quite pleased with my efforts. I've kept things clean and simple because that's my style but I will be including more masking and stencilling  in future layouts as I really enjoyed the challenge. Thanks for the inspiration.
                                                                            Cheers, Chris.

Fangs for the Memories

Boy was I envious of other challenge entrants when I saw the photos they had used. I found it very difficult to find a suitable photo for this one. This shot was taken on a crazy trip with workmates to Melbourne in July 2006. We found ourselves at Dracular's one night and were all a bit shell-shocked after the show. We had a great time and enjoyed each other's company immensely, hence the title "FANGS for the Memories". The circle of twine represents the circle of friendship we have all shared for many years. 

My background stamping was done to reflect the diamond pattern in the paper used, with a bit of sparkle added using Viva Decor 3-D stamp paint.

The word FANGS was die-cut from the corrugated card used in the layout and then Glossy Accents was added. I used different fonts for the other words in the title to add interest and to repeat the main colours in the layout.
I really enjoy challenging myself to use the ARTastic criteria but I also get heaps of inspiration (not to mention green-eyed envy) from the many different takes on the challenge others have. Hope you enjoy my layout.Congratulations to everyone who participates. I think your work is wonderful!!
                                                                                                                Cheers, Chris.

Little Star - Chris Sexton March ARTastic

I visited my niece recently and took some candid shots of my two year old great-nephew Zavier. He was so gorgeous, a real little star.

He loved getting his photo taken (although he wouldn't smile) and I took so many it was hard to choose just one, hence my multi-photo layout.

 The layout itself is one I've used many times, although each time I use it I flip it or rotate it and use anything from 1 to 4 photos. By the time I change the colour scheme and embellishments, I manage to create a totally different layout each time.

I kept the embellishments very simple as I wanted the photos to star. I added KindyGlitz to the title to add some sparkle, which reflects Zavier's personality. I hope you like my effort for this month's challenge. I get so inspired by everyone else's layouts.There are so many talented scrappers out there.
                                                                                                                              Cheers, Chris.

Fun in the Sun - Chris Sexton

This photo of my mum and dad (taken about 1948) enjoying each other's company and the great Aussie lifestyle of sun, sand and surf felt quite iconic. I love their togetherness and their obvious happiness and love for each other. It fitted the call for February's ARTastic Challenge very well.

I had lots of beachy odds and ends in my stash, including shells, chipboard starfish, leaf skeletons, pearl beads, sequins and string which I tried to arrange artistically on the page.

The chipboard starfish were embossed with Opals then decorated with rhinestones. The little shells were Kindy Glitzed and the raffia flower was coloured with Distress Ink. The pink strip towards the bottom of the page below the photo was created by sticking some plasterers mesh to cardstock, embossing with Opals then inking the edges. It provides fabulous texture quickly and easily!

I hope you enjoy my take on the challenge.
Cheers, Chris.

Love Tag

Hi! and welcome. Today I'm showing a tag completed today as a second entry into ABAC Challenge 12: Share the Love. http://anythingbutacard.blogspot.ca/
The photo was taken during our early dating days, in one of those instant photo booths, you used to see at malls. I only rediscovered it by chance, when tidying up a stack of papers... it fell onto the floor, put aside, until my aha.. moment.

The heart was cut from cardstock and then dressed with various braids and ribbons. This was then taped to the tags, red and black.

Edges were smooched with Inca Gold, hearts on the black tag were stamped with versamark and then dusted with perfect pearls. A hinge for the 'Love' sign was made from ribbon. Glass hearts were coloured with alcohol inks. Stamping, ribbon roses, and bling hearts completed the tag.
Memories indeed!
Thank you for visiting. Your comments are truly appreciated. Cheers. Di