Two Cards, Same Five Elements

My godchild Andrei just graduated from Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School, following an intensive 8-week session. It's a good thing I make all my own cards, because good luck finding a "Congrats on Becoming a Farrier!" card at a store. I don't imagine there are a lot of general graduation cards for sale in October, let alone one with a horseshoe on it. 

Here's what I made for Andrei, using the only paper I could find with a horseshoe that didn't have a leprechaun as well. I had to hide a bunch of print that didn't make sense for my card, which is why my sentiment block is so large. 

Yea! You're a Farrier! (affiliate link)

Cards (and other small papercraft projects) are allowed during the BYSS World Series, but you have to make two to count as one project. So I made a birthday card that I'll be sending in a few weeks. 

Together, the two cards count as one grand slam (6 points). Each has 3+ stickers, a cut-apart card, a chipboard element, enamel dots, and an embossed border. It's interesting to me how the two cards share the same five elements, yet look completely different. 

Licensed Driver

This is a rare layout of mine without a title or journaling. I'm calling it Licensed Driver, but that doesn't appear anywhere on the page. The only journaling I included is the date and "Trevor passed!!" I think the embellishments and the photo itself make it clear that Trevor got his driver's license without me having to specifically state that.   

Licensed Driver (affiliate link)

This was the second page I made for Game 1 of the BYSS World Series. I used three stickers and a journaling card, but none of the other challenge items. I love the layout as it is and didn't want to add anything else just for the sake of a few points in a game that has literally no actual impact on anything. Sorry Banshees. I'll make it up with my next project. 

Brave Boy Brayden

Brayden has been a member of our household since September 30, 2023 and a member of our family since April 30, 2024. He's a delightful bun and I'm so glad he's ours. For this layout, I used photos from his 6th day with us, when he bravely ventured onto the (very scary) hardwood floor. He was clearly afraid at first and was slipping all over the place with each attempt. (Rabbits don't have paw pads - just thick fur on the bottom of their feet.) Brayden tried over and over to master it, until finally he was confident. 

 

Brave Boy Brayden (affiliate link)

I made this layout for Game 1 of the 2024 Bash Your Scrapbook Stash World Series. Once again, I'm playing for the Scrappin' Banshees. Goooo, Banshees!

For Game 1, you earn a home run (4 points) for your team by using: three stickers; a chipboard element; six enamel dots, sequins, or bling; and a Project Life, cut-apart, or journaling card. You can earn a grand slam (2 extra points, for a total of 6) by using a stencil, embossing technique, or die cut masking. 

I didn't go for the grand slam, but this layout did earn four points for the Banshees. I'm particularly pleased with the use of the journaling card. You probably can't tell from the scan, but it's travel-themed and printed with words like roam, explore, and voyage... perfect for a bunny who is bravely venturing beyond his cage in an unfamiliar place. Good job, Brayden! Such a brave boy. 

Sketchbook Revival 2024: Collage + Drawing

Here's my final project from Sketchbook Revival 2024. The mug on the left was done with collage first and then drawing, while the mug on the right was drawing first and then collage. 

This workshop was taught by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. You may remember other artwork I've made inspired by her unique style. 

This was an outstanding session, my second favorite from the entire 30+ lineup for Sketchbook Revival. (My favorite was Lucie Duclous' Modern Collage Bouquet. Out of everything, two collage classes were my favorites? Interesting!) Doing the two mug projects back-to-back, I learned that I greatly prefer to collage first and draw second. I totally would have guessed it would be the other way around. 

I watched the rest of the sessions without creating along. 

The second-to-last session was an introduction to Crayon Collection. What a wonderful organization! I love this amazing resource of crayon-based art projects for kids. 

The final session was by Karen Abend, organizer and host of Sketchbook Revival. After watching her host and create along during the 32 previous sessions, it was a lot of fun to see her teach her own. 

I had so much fun with Sketchbook Revival 2024 and learned a lot. I will definitely be on the lookout for next year's event. 

Sketchbook Revival 2024: Cut-Out Couture

The best part about a workshop like Sketchbook Revival is how far it can take you out of your comfort zone. Nothing about this project, which I made for the class called Cut-Out Couture, is typical Cindy. At all. 

I'm not sure how I feel about my finished piece, but no matter. It was really fun to make and I learned some new things along the way. 

Instructor Allison Wells started with a page in a completed gratitude journal, turned it upside down, cut out a model from a fashion magazine, and glued it to the journal. Then she added paints and scribbles and more paint and other marks before finally adding printed text on top. 

I started with a completed page that I didn't like in my sketchbook, squirted paint randomly on top, and dragged a scrap piece of cardstock through it in different directions until the page was mostly covered. Like the instructor, I left bits of the original showing through. 

She cut her image of a woman from a fashion magazine; my image of an elk came from the California Visitors Guide. When my background was dry, I glued the elk in place, then did some dry brushing to blend it in. I scribbled on the page, then colored in some of the found shapes with the same blue I used for a border. 

Time for marks! I used a Posca pen and colored pencils to add some details, then glued my text in place. It also came from the California Visitors Guide. There is indeed so much to love here in California, including our abundant wildlife. 

I was really tempted to do the next project, which was filling a page with watercolor rectangles. Instructor Wendy Solganik shared a cool tip, which is to put a little bit of the previous color you used into a well and mix it with the next color to ensure a cohesive palette. 

I watched the next 8 sessions without creating along. 

Even when I don't make the project, I learn a lot from just watching the instructors. I've been having so much fun with Sketchbook Revival!