Experiment {CSI Case File No. 79}

We have a new Case File open for investigation at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration:

I have to confess..the page I made wasn't originally intended for this Case File. It accidentally evolved. Or maybe it was fate or destiny.

You probably know that my friend Tracee Provis visited me last month--a dream come true to meet her in real life. We spent several of her days here in my scrap room. We had vowed to spend some time experimenting with techniques we'd been admiring on other's pages--you know, those "messy" techniques--ones that I'm too chicken to try on my own.

Here's the page I created. Clues for this page: Evidence: leaves, stripes, polka dots, rub-ons, something transparent; Testimony: Another confession: I haven't yet written journaling, but I plan to use all three inspiration words.

Here are some details. Tracee and I decided we'd experiment on some old ugly paper, and being the hoarder that I am, I have plenty. This American Crafts paper can be classified as a "What Was I Thinking?" paper or "It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time" paper. No offense, American Crafts, but this is some fugly paper--the garish turquoise on top of that brown? What were YOU thinking?

So I started out by brushing on several layers of watered-down gesso, Tracee leading the way--she's a much braver soul than I (and which is also why our pages have a similar vibe--we were also using scraps and bits leftover on my table--you can see Tracee's page here). I stuck on some bits of  leftover doily and some leafy die-cuts that were also leftover and brushed more gesso over them. I used glitter glue to glue down the doily. 

Everything on my page is just leftover bits and pieces. Some scraps I glued on, some I stapled onto the page. I added some texture paste with a Crafter's Workshop template. Those birds are a Martha Stewart punch. 

My mom has given up scrapping, so she let Tracee and me "shop" in her basement. One of the things we picked out were these rub-ons--the one with the angel and the letters. Well, Tracee picked out the good words, and I was leftover with all the dorky ones--the one I used was "bow head" (see--I told you it was dorky). Tracee gave me the idea of cutting apart the words and just using the letters. I later added some more green letters (can't remember what that said). The angel was dorky too, but I covered her with lots of gesso and tracee had the idea of plopping a piece of plastic on top of her and then when we lifted it off, it had a sort of crackly look.

I then proceeded to use some random stamps I had on my scrap desk and some dark blue ink that I wanted to use up. Some of  it got a little smeary as I kept adding gesso, but I decided it was okay. The white stitching is also a rub-on. 

By this time, we started to realize we were using the colors of the next CSI palette,  That's when I started adding some green and more red. I had this "details" stamp sitting on my table, so I just stamped it out several times. Tracee had used a Studio Calico circular grid template with some green ink, and I thought that looked cool, so I did the same thing. She also had used this harlequin diamond rub-on, and there was some left, so I added that. Tracee is so smart and creative!

I was trying to decide where to put those "details" stamps and one landed upside down and I liked the way it looked kind of random and artsy, so that's how I adhered them. 

Not sure if you can tell, but I used a striped template with texture paste on the bottom.

The black checks were made with a pen and a Prima template. The heart was just something leftover from something I cut out with my Silhouette Cameo that I didn't use.. I stamped it (accidentally upside down).  I added some navy pearls and some little arrows form an Echo Park chevron paper to add more of the dark blue to match the Case File. Finally, I added some pewter liquid pearls.

I wound up making a second page that was more true to the palette, which I will share in a couple of days. I'll also share my journaling when I have a little more brain power.

You'll have to go check out the rest of the work by our team and guest designers. And you must play. We have TWO main sponsors, plus our permanent sponsors this month. So excited to have Tina's new company, Frog Dog Studio as a sponsor, and we have Berry21Bleu, which has some really cool stuff in their shop up for grabs.