Sdmarchie: Frat friends forever Jan 2021 Guest Designer Embossing

Humbled to be a guest designer for Lasting Memories layout challenges for the Month of February. The theme this month is Techniques. Challenge #533 is all about embossing, which couldn’t have been more intimidating to me because I’ve NEVER, ever, used embossing powder or folders before!

This was truly a “challenge” for me.

When I received this assignment, I realized I would have to purchase my first jar of embossing powder, a technique I’ve been wanting to try for a while, and figured it’s about time I tried! I used a new Stencil Girl pattern I’ve been wanting to use, and inked the negative spaces with a Nuvo Clear Mark Embossing Pad, sprinkled the embossing powder on and impatiently waited while heating each location. I have to admit, the time, work, and mess involved with embossing powder will likely keep me from using it often, but I really loved the soft peeled paint color, which in turn inspired all the diverse shades of green in the layout.

I feel like I threw the kitchen sink of mixed media at this page. Inspired by the lush summer color in the photos, I took all the green shades of mixed media out of my stash, perhaps hoping scrapping a summer photo would make me feel warmer on this freezing cold, windy winter day here in the Northeast US.

I started with a Vicki Boutin preprinted mixed media foundation and printed paper from the Let’s Wander collection, and added more texture with a second Stencil Girl stencil, a Vicki Boutin Kaleidoscope stencil, and mesh drywall tape. Mixed media products included Distress crayon, Crestivefx Prism Glaze and Distress embossing glaze in Peeled Paint. Using two Distress Oxide inks, I brushed two different tones over the drywall tape. For those who don’t know what drywall tape is, you can find it in any hardware store. I often use it as a technique to create very small checkered patterns.

I also sprayed three water color paper tags with two different colors of Nuvo Mika Mist and used four different color inks with water to create a softer color effect on two of the tags. I love how the Distress crayon with stencil resist overlay looks like a piece of burlap. Finally, Powderpuff chaulking inks and two different types of Nuvo drops completed the mixed media party, and a Nuvo glitter marker and craftsmart oil based pen made the journal strips on the CTMH cardstock pop.

This layout documents the dedication of college friends, even during a pandemic. My husband’s fraternity brothers were so desperate for some time together last summer, they each drove almost 2 hours, from three different states, in order to play a simple (and socially distant) round of golf together. I’m grateful he has such good friends to lean on during difficult times.

In the end, I’m so thankful this opportunity forced the purposeful effort of exploring a new media, but with my limited craft area and storage space (that doubles as our dining room) I’m not buying more embossing powder anytime soon... what a mess!😳 Every time I sit down at the table I’m convinced I can find powder remnants.

I also submitted this to the Scrap our Stash January sketch challenge, which is where I got the geometric inspiration for the layout, and the Paper Issues January Memory challenge.

Sdm-