Blog: August 2010

Photos: Snippets of Summer

What a summer! We had such an amazing summer so far and the great weather made it up for not traveling these months.

Was für ein Sommer! Wir hatten einen so unglaublich schönen Sommer bisher und das gute Wetter hat es uns leichtgemacht, in diesen Monaten nicht zu reisen.

*Our First Tomatoes*

*Lots of BBQ on the Roof*

*Flowers*

*Relaxing in the Hammock and reading the newspaper*

*Beautiful Sky*

*Carrots and Ginger*

*Home Sweet Home*

*City Stops *

Hope you had an as amazing summer as we did !

Hoffe Ihr hattet einen ebenso tollen Sommer wie wir !

  • Sasha FArina

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    i want your tomato. now. :D beautiful photos miss Nat!

    Reply

  • Karen

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    What do you mean “had a wonderful summer?” Are you trying to say that summer is over? NOOOOO! I’m not ready for summer to be over. NOOO!

    Reply

  • Deb Wisker

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    great photos!! love the rooftop sanctuary! I am totally jealous!

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  • chritiane

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    bei mir war’s auch klasse heiß, obwohl sich die temperaturen momentan gerne etwas erholen dürften!!
    ich sehe mir deine fotos soo gerne an!!
    hab’ ein schönes wochenende!! :D

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Carrots and ginger looks yummy!
    I love your amazing deck and the wonderful pics Nat. Our summer has been wonderful and we leave for a week at a lake tomorrow. I may have withdrawals from no internet (but I will catch up on your posts when I return);-)

    Reply

  • sylvia

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    love the hammock pic!! looks very cozy! and carrots and ginger= yummy!!! yes, summer was great, hoping for just a few more warm days here and there in september!

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  • Melli

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    tolle Bilder und ja es stimmt der Sommer war bisher wirklich toll. Carrots & Ginger … hmmm sieht das lecker aus *yummie*

    Reply

  • seemycrafts

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    deine bilder sind wirklich sehr sommerlich. und deine terasse ist wirklich sehr beneidenswert.
    der süden hier, war bisher eher veregnet als warm sommerlich. naja vllt wird’s ja noch was. die hoffnung stirbt zuletzt :)

    Reply

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Tattered Angels Travel Journal

It will be still a long time till vacation time -but I already started my Travel Journal. I used  the awesome Tattered Angels Fastenation Folder Album- I love that you can add pages and play around so much!

Es dauert noch ein wenig bis zum Urlaub – aber ich habe bereits mit meinem Reise-Buch angefangen. Ich habe das geniale Tattered Angels Fastenation Folder Album verwendet und ich liebe es, dass man hier noch weitere Seiten hinzufügen und soviel rumspielen kann!

Have a great day :)

  • Birgit Koopsen

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    Gorgeous Nat!! Awesome techniques and wonderful colors!

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  • Birgit

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    wow Nat, das ist sooooooooooo genial!!!

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  • Mandy Collins

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    Fun use of colour and trims in your journal.

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  • sylvia

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    all these textures, gorgeous, you’re gonna have a colourful trip! love travel journals, you’ll have a blast filling this one, i’m sure!

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  • See my Crafts

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    oh nathalie, das sieht ja großartig aus. wunderschön. das farbzusmmenspiel und die technicken. ganz großes kino :)

    LG Felicitas

    Reply

  • Vicki Chrisman

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    Gorgeous Nat!

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  • chritiane

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    as kimmy said: me toooo!! :D

    Reply

  • Kim Sonksen

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    Awesome – I love the colours and the different textures

    Reply

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Layered Backgrounds Online Workshop for CraftEdu starts now

ENGLISH Description (Deutsche Version unten)

My online Class “Layered Backgrounds” on CraftEdu starts today at noon MST (8pm for those who are living in  Germany or France/7pm for the UK).

This class is actually a 3 in 1 class with over 30 tutorials and techniques. Starting with techniques showing how to create backgrounds with acrylicpaints you will conitinue with techniques on how to create waterbased spraypaint (for example Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist) backgrounds.In the last and third part of the class you will learn techniques on adding texture and how to put those techniques and layers learned in part 1 and 2 together for an interesting, unique and complicated background or embellishment.

You will hear about the right adhesives, design principles, products and how to also use cheap household materials  to achieve a one of a kind piece of art!

In over 80 minutes videos, photos, narration and annotation I will lead you through the class and give you the possibilty to work in your own pace and time table. On top of that you can join my personal classroom in the CraftEdu Community to ask questions, talk to other classmates and share you outcomes of the classes with me and the other students.

The class suits best for advanced beginners and intermediates.

Once you signed up you will be able to access to the class for 365 days and you can watch each of the parts 12 times.

The class will cost 55 Dollars – those that sign up the first 24 hours will get a discount of 25%- meaning you pay 42 Dollars. For the European Folks that are paying in EUR that means you will only pay round about 32 EUR.

Watch the preview and see a list of the materials we will use throughout the workshop!

I’m looking forward to see you at my class!

Deutsche Beschreibung (English version above)

Mein Online Workshop “Layered Backgrounds” auf CraftEdu beginnt heute um 20.00 Uhr. Der Workshop ist in Englisch – aber auch gut zu verstehen mit wenig Englischkenntnissen.

Der Workshop ist eigentlich ein 3 Workshops in einem Workshop mit über 30 Anleitungen und Techniken. Es beginnt mit Techniken wie man Hintergründe mit Acrylfarben kreieren kann und geht dann weiter mit Techniken wie man Hintergründe mit wasserbasierten Sprühfarben (z.B. Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist) erstellen kann. Im letzten und dritten Teil des Workshops zeige ich Euch verschiedene Techniken um Textur aufzubringen und wie man die Techniken und Ebenen aus den ersten beiden Teilen miteinander verbindet, um einen interessanten, einzigartigen und komplizierten Hintergrund oder ein ebensolches Embellishment herzustellen.

Ihr werdet viele Details und Tipps über die richtigen Klebstoffe, Design Prinzipien und Produkte hören.  Darüber werdet Ihr auch billige Haushaltsmaterialien verwenden und damit Unikate erstellen!

In über 80 Minuten gefüllt mit Videos, Photos, Erzählungen und Beschreibungen führe ich Euch durch den Workshop und gebe Euch die Möglichkeit in Eurer eigenen Geschwindigkeit und Euch angenehmen Zeiten zu arbeiten. Darüberhinaus könnt Ihr  in meinem persönlichen Klassenzimmer in der  CraftEdu Community Platz nehmen und Fragen stellen, mit anderen Teilnehmern sprechen und auch Eure Ergebnisse zeigen. Es gibt auch einen Deutschen Teil im Klassenzimmer, so dass auch alles in Eurer Muttersprache besprochen werden kann.

Der Workshop ist am besten für den fortgeschrittenen Anfänger und für Fortgeschrittene geeignet.

Sobald Du eingeschrieben bist, kannst Du den Workshop für 365 Tage anschauen – jeden Teil jeweils 12mal. Eine tolle Erklärung auf Deutsch wie man sich einschreibt, gibt es hier (nicht wundern- hier wird noch von 120 Tagen gesprochen)

Der Workshop kostet 55 Dollar – diejenigen die sich in den ersten 24 Stunden einschreiben, erhalten einen Rabatt von 25% – das heißt der Workshop kostet dann 42 Dollar. Für Euch aus Deutschland bedeutet das, dass der Workshop nur ungeführ 32 EUR kostet.

Schaut Euch die Vorschau an und seht auch eine Liste der Materialien, die wir während des Workshops verwenden werden!

Ich freue mich sehr Euch bei meinem Workshop zu sehen!

  • Anke Humpert

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    ….super Ankündigung!!! Ich wünsch Dir viel Erfolg bei Deinem/ Deinen Kursen…die Vorschau sieht jedefalls sehr vielversprechend aus!! ;-)
    Hugs
    Anke

    Reply

  • Joyce

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    Looks like a fun class!

    Reply

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The cat is in the house

We bought Niles a little house out of recylced cardboard that you put together yourself -still need to add some details …to make it a bit more fun …but I think Niles doesn’t care how it looks…he loves it already- LOL

 

He is actually a little bit scary in his house…LOL

And with  some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist….the house got Niles-i-fied :)

Have a purr-fect day:)

  • christiane

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    he’ the cutest and his new home rocks!! :D

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  • Sue Clarke

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    Love the paw and the eye showing through the hole in the house.

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  • nathalie

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    Karen, he didn’t like to have photos taken of him…he had a bad hairday- LOL

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  • Karen

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    I don’t know, Nat. Niles doesn’t look too happy in that last picture. Maybe he wanted a more manly Glimmer Mist color on the roof.

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  • sylvia

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    haha, this is cute. maybe i should get something like that for spencer one day :-P

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  • Henriette Andresen

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    Ohh, what a cute house! I hope Niles realizes that he is one lucky cat!

    Reply

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CraftEdu – Online Craft University Faculty Member

Some of you heard the news already- I’m a Faculty member of CraftEdu now.  CraftEdu is an Online University offering a wide range of craft online classes in all fields of craft. The platform of CraftEdu makes it possible to include self generated video, text, still images, narration and even annotation into the workshop giving you the real sense of a class. On top of that students can join the CraftEdu Community where you can meet other students and join each of the Instructors Classrooms to talk about everything and the classes itself. There you can ask questions about the workshops and share you workshop-outcomes.

Einige von Euch haben die News ja schon gehört, ich bin nunmehr ein Mitglied der  CraftEdu Fakultät (also ein Workshopleiter dort). CraftEdu ist eine Online Universität, die eine große Auswahl von Kunst/Kunsthandwerk-Workshops aller Art anbietet. Die Plattform von CraftEdu macht es möglich die Workshops mit selbst gedrehten Video, Text, Bildern, Sprachaufnahmen und Anmerkungen zu erstellen und Dir damit das Gefühl eines echten Workshops zu geben. Darüberhinaus können die Studenten die CraftEdu Community besuchen, wo sie andere Teilnehmer treffen können und die einzelnen Klassenzimmer der Workshopleiter aufsuchen können, um dort über alles und auch die Workshops selbst zu sprechen. Dort können Fragen über die Workshops gestellt werden und auch die eigenen Ergebnisse des Workshops gezeigt werden.

My bio is not up yet- just my gallery can be watched- and it gives you an idea of how the workshops (think also videos etc.) will work.
Mein Lebenslauf und mein Bild sind noch nicht auf der Webseite- aber die Galerie, die ich erstellt habe kann schon mal angeschaut werden – das gibt auch eine ungefähre Idee, wie die Workshops so sein können (denk Dir noch Videos und so hinzu)

I have set up my classroom at the CraftEdu Community – and everybody – whether you join my class or not – can come by and chat with me :) I would love to have you there! In this Classroom I will later on also add different topics that are going to be classrelated – even in German.

Meinen eigenen Klassenraum gibt es bereits in der CraftEdu Community – und jeder- ob nun in meinem Workshop oder nicht – kann vorbeikommen und mit mir und den anderen plaudern.  Ich würde mich freue, Euch dort zu sehen! In diesem Klassenraum werde ich später ein paar unterschiedliche Themen – alle auch workshopbezogen hinzufügen – auch auf Deutsch.

My first Online Workshop will go life on Monday  – and can be purchased also with a special prize for the next 24 hours before turning into the normal prize. More later :)

Mein erster Workshop wird voraussichtlich am Montag live gehen – und es gibt dann auch  für 24 Stunden einen Sonderpreis :) Mehr dazu später :)

  • sylvia

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    That is COOL Nat, congrats!

    Reply

  • Karen

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    Way to go, Nat!

    Reply

  • AlexM

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    congrats Nat! Another big adventure:)

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  • Birgit

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    HerzlichenGlückwunsch Süße, das sind ja großartige Neuigkeiten!!!

    Reply

  • Vicki Chrisman

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    And once again… I am SO STINKING PROUD OF YOU GIRL!!!

    Reply

  • See my Crafts

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    ha, das muss ich mir doch gleich mal anschauen :) bin gespannt
    glückwunsch dazu !

    Reply

  • lynn

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    congrats!!

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  • Kim Sonksen

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    Wicked!!!! Your classroom will be bursting at the seams

    Reply

  • Evelien

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    congratulations Nathalie, you deserve it!!!

    Reply

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Layout: Street Art *Info Crea*

Just a quick layout with only one little glimmery accent on the one cloud :)

Einfach ein schnelles Layout mit nur einem kleinen glimmernden Accent auf der einen Wolke :)

I wrote the title with a small brush and Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze on top of the Chipboard cloud, then sprayed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist on top and added some glimmery oomph with Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam. I used a black marker and  white Signo pen to highlight the title.

Wishing you an inspiring day :)

  • sylvia

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    love the cloud theme repeating itself here… was lovely meeting you today :) have a great weekend!

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  • Sue Clarke

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    I recently thought of you while taking a pic of some street art in Maine on vaca. It was one huge eye and I just fell in love with it.

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  • christiane

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    ahhh, love love love the misted cloud and your titlework!! :D

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  • Evelien

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    wow, love this layout!!!

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  • charlotte ravn

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    Beautiful layout Nat. What a clever way to do the titel!
    Hugs

    Reply

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Art in School

A couple days ago on my walk to work  I suddenly remembered one of my former art teachers. It was a weird flashback – I totally forgot the name of the teacher- all I remember is that he just finished art school and he was this bohemian guy…black jeans, black shirt, black thick framed glasses, some schal around his neck, black hair and pale. I was 15 – so it was 1988 and as far as I remember I liked art lessons in school…but it wasn’t really too thrilling. Most of the times we would look at paintings of old masters and think about what the artist wanted to tell you with this painting or we would learn other theory stuff.

Then there was this art teacher…we all were totally in Love with him. He was so fun.We were aloud to actually walk around in class and talk to each other while trying all kinds of mediums and tools and actually do stuff. One day he brought in a camera and took portrait photos of us and then a couple weeks later he came in with several projectors and we all projected our own slide onto the wall and started painting in chalk our own portrait. I remember my portrait had a big shadow on one side of the face as the lightning for the photos wasn’t that good and I was really really sad…he came and said “don’t worry…just paint something else into your face- ask your inner self what you see in that shadow” and I painted a tree growing out of my face. I loved this painting so much and I was soo proud of myself. One day he came in with big tubes of Acrylic Paint and let us paint whatever we wanted – forms over and over on big rolls of paper. I painted eyes over and over and then I picked an area which I liked the most and cut it out.  I had fun while doing them- I felt free and happy. I can’t find the chalk painting- I don’t know where I put it after moving several times- but while looking for it …I found the eye piece….I’m sure some of you think it is ugly…I don’t care…LOL – I still love it…it has memories…happy memories!

He was only there for a semester …he gave me confidence that I was talented and he had me find fun in art. When he was gone we were all sad but I looked forward to our new teacher and the lessons. The first lesson came and we were supposed to draw our eraser with a pencil – I did. The art teacher looked at my drawing and said ” you have no talent for art” ….and I was so disappointed but I belived it and I was done….I never felt free and happy with art again….until many years later….I just thought I was not the artsy type of person and I had no talent at all. I forgot that I had fun with paint the semester before. When I look at the eye painting…I see that my Love for paint has been there all the time. How fun that I found it again just now.

 

What I want you to tell with this story? Don’t get discouraged too easily by what other people say or in comparing yourself with others…the most important thing is that YOU have fun in what you do and how you do it. All the rest…is unimportant! If YOU think you are an artist… YOU are! If YOU think you are creative …YOU are! Don’t let others dictate on how you feel about your creative outlet! Just be!

Have a wonderful day!

  • jenxo

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    an absolutely lovely post and it doesnt what subject , they have no right to tell anyone that you no talent in anything.
    It having fun and trying thats the most important.

    Reply

  • Heather

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    Sweet story and good for you! I love all of your recent projects!

    Reply

  • seemycrafts

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    deine geschichte ist so nett erzählt, und die “moral” wenn du es so nenne willst, darin ist einfach ZU wahr.
    vielen dank!

    LG Felicitas

    Reply

  • JulieK

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    wow… I hate those kind of teacher stories… you have to wonder what’s wrong with them… I was told by an elementary music teacher to just mouth the words of the songs ’cause I couldn’t sing… it wasn’t until years later that I actually learned to sing, and am a music teacher myself now :)

    Reply

  • Kim Sonksen

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    I couldn’t agree more with you and I think that eye picture is wicked. I love the vibrant colours – it oozes fun and life!

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  • Bill

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    That’s a very important story to tell.

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  • Karen

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    Hey! Save it for SOUL ; )

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  • Sue Clarke

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    I always shake my head when I hear about teachers that tell students negative, limiting things (how wrong!). I see that you have been an artist for a long time and I’m glad that you shared this post with us.

    Reply

  • sylvia

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    oh Nat, this is lovely! I often feel that what i do (not scrapwise, necessarily, but mixed media and paintings) is inadequate and can never imagine other people actually finding it interesting or worth looking at. this is a very encouraging post! all art teachers should be like that. would have loved to see the artwork of the tree growing out of your face…. but this one is also cool! hugs xxx

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Layout: You Shine

When I saw this beautiful picture of the baby of a scrappy friend of mine- I knew I had to use this :)

Als ich dieses wunderschöne Photo des Babys einer Scrap-Freundin sah, wußte ich, dass ich dieses verwenden mußte :)

*You Shine*

I painted Cardboard with Eco Green Crafts Acrylic Paints, as well as stamped it with Eco Green Crafts Dye Ink. Then I used Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist on top. For the beautiful Vintaj Arte Metal Butterflies and the Vintaj Dragon Fly I used Versamark on top and then dipped them into several colored Embossing Powder Pots by Ranger, then heat set them. The Vintaj Fern Valley Fastenables were attached on the Prima Ferns as an extra highlight. For the Vintaj Basic Altered Blank I used Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam and then attched the Beaded Flower that was also painted with Glimmer Glam on top.

Supplies: Cardboard, Eco Green Crafts: Acrylic Paints, Paris Trunk Dy Ink, Stampin’ Up Script Stamp, Imaginesence Foam Stamp, Vintaj Butterflies, dragonfly and leaves, Altered Blank and Flower, Prima Fern Felt, Ranger Embossing Powder
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, SCRAPBOOK-ADHESIVES by 3L™ Mounting Squares, heidi Swapp chipboard Letters

Have a good one :)

  • Michelle Clement

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    Oh, this is so beautiful, Nat!! :) What a gorgeous photo, too! Love your painted background – and the felt is lovely, too!!

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  • Conibaer

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    Absolut genial geworden!!!!

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  • Em

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    Now that is just one SUPERB layout! I love this :) The colours are divine, stunning photo….it’s all total eye-candy :D x

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    I do like the ferns with that precious child. Isn’t it nice to have friends with sweet children to scrap? Since I have no daughters I’m forever “borrowing” my friends girls to scrap on LO’s. LOL

    Reply

  • sylvia

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    Oh Nat, it’s beaaaauuutiful! How well the backgroud with the Eco Green Craft goodness goes with the photo. He looks just like a little boy from the woods, like a little pixie amidst the green! LOVE it!

    Reply

  • JulieK

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    LOVE that photo, and the felt and background too!

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  • Katrina

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    Oh how artsy!!! I love it and that pic of the baby is so cute!!! Hugs, Katrina

    Reply

  • Kim Sonksen

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    That background is amazing (and that photo is adorable). I love how you used the embossing as well. FUN!

    Reply

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