Life is about the Gypsy Moments....capture them

As far as crops go, this is one of the best I know. The whole room you are in is full of inspiration, creativity, laughter, and plenty of dry humor. The store, Scrappiness, holds an annual event in Norway filled with scrapbooking, mixed media and any other craft they might want to embark upon. It’s almost as if you become a totally different person. It’s said – “What happens at the crop stay at the crop.”

I’ve made a couple of Project Life pages to summarize the event. First I made 7 pages, but soon realized I do not need to document every step but it is hard to take some pictures away!

So here is my story as a teacher at this wonderful event. First, one of the most important things when hosting a layout class is that you have your pictures. Well guess what? I had forgotten to bring along the photos! Fortunately one of the participants brought a camera so we created photos right on the spot. One of the pictures below features two lovely ladies who will be interviewed coming up. These two helped set the tone in the class with their delightful humor. I had to laugh when I think back on some of the things they said. They were not quite sure what the class was all about and one of them hated coloring but she signed up anyway for the class which was about coloring and shading using paint and not the typical colored pencils or markers.

Along with the class I also did demos with the ladies and had so much fun. I wanted to show some of the products from Canvas Corp Brands and how different they are when using different papers and different mediums.

DEMOS AND TESTS WE DID DURING THE EVENT

Ken Oliver’s Water Media paper (ATC and Tags) with Inkssentials Tags from Ranger

Next I tested Bazzill Paper and Glimmer Mist, High Impact Paint and Brusho without using gesso first and I did the same on Water Media Paper.

Results – the Water Media paper came out best. The beauty of this paper is not only that it didn’t require gesso, but the colors do not bleed through the paper, not even BrushO which are highly pigmented. It both surprised me and pleased me. One of the major problems I have had when I do art journaling with BrushO is that it goes right through, even when I use gesso. The nice thing about this paper is that when it dries, it does not stay curled up. It comes in 12×12 and is a perfect choice for layouts when you are using wet mediums and don’t want the page to curl up.

I showed the paper from the class that we would have the next day, Tattered Angels Mixed Media ORIGINS. Most were amazed how the paper behaved and felt…we agreed that it felt like wallpaper. This paper is something I’ve never encountered before, the way it takes the medium, Mist Paint and Brusho .. I love it. It also dies flat making it a great choice for a mixed media layout.

Next I demonstrated Tattered Angels High Impact Paint. It is an absolutely stunning. You basically only need one layer of color but you can deepen the shade by adding more layers. It adheres to metal, wood, glass, yes everything without having to apply gesso or a base coat and no need for a topcoat.

MY CLASS…

I created a two page layout and here is the first page….

I used 12×12 Water-Media paper and 2 different Mixed Media Origins paper. You should have seen when I told the class they were going to cut the paper in half. They looked at me as if I were crazy. “You cannot cut such a fine paper in half!” But when I explained that we were going to put them together again to get a 3D effect, they agreed to cut the paper.

The Background – we used the BrushO on Water Media paper. You can add BrushO two ways – mist the paper then add or add then mist the paper. It’s fun to see how the two ways work and they both look great. One thing to keep in mind with BrushO is that you can not control the powder, just the water and you don’t need much of the powder.

Next we colored and cut the Mixed Media Origins Paper. When they realized how easy it was to cut it was so silent you could hear a pin drop. You can color the Origins paper with just about any wet medium including Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, High Impact Paint, sprinkle BrushO onto a mat and apply with brush, Copic Markers and more. Choose one or mix it up and color it your way.

It is so great that everyone’s turned out totally different, even though everyone got the same instructions! Seeing what everyone created inspired me a lot. The shading is part of the artwork and helps to provide dimension when you paint or color. If you use the Mist the art shows through strongly. If you want to cover up the art a few layers of High Impact will do the trick.

I had made one before class and one during class as I showed them how to do it. The best way to teach things is to show what you do.

Mona, one of my students, was not so fond of coloring but she had the world’s best comment when I explained that they would see where the shade came from depending on the direction of the sun.
She said, “When I am coloring, the sun moves itself as I put the color on!” So color it your way and you will be happy with the results.

I am also not that good at coloring, especially with markers, but paints are a different story. Mona was not convinced before she started painting and even after the Class was over she said she had to sleep on it. So I asked her the next day what she thought…

THE INTERVIEW….

Mette and Mona whom I interviewed after class are two lovely and bubbly ladies.
Mette is quite a newbie and Mona has scrapped for a while.

Q. I asked them what they thought of when I say gypsy?

A. Mette: When I hear the word Gypsies, I think a bit about cheeky color combinations, with gold and gems. When I think gypsy, I think restlessness, music, dance, colorful clothes for women, bracelets and necklaces with gold pendants. I was quite unfamiliar with 7gypsies until I saw it here at the Crop. I saw the cards and layout that were created in the vintage style and I liked what I saw but did not know what was used or where it came from.

A. Mona: Gypsies make me think of bright colors, loud voices, big beautiful women and lots of gold jewelry. We have nothing like 7gypsies, I live far away from a local shop.

Q. Are you a very impulsive scrapper or do you plan everything first?

A. Mette: If I’m on the go, I always try to plan some of what I will do, and what I need to get it done. It’s an extensive hobby we have! I am often inspired by blogs, magazines and websites like Pinterest and YouTube and that is where curiosity is aroused and leads to trying new things and buying new tools and supplies. So in the end, I’m not very impulsive scrapper.

A. Mona: I cannot call myself impulsive. I enjoy the crops I go to and although I do not create that much while I am there, I love to look at what people manage to conjure up. Planning ahead is more what I do, mostly because I have to have a babysitter before traveling on crops.

Q. How do you like to go outside your comfort zone?

A. Mette: I’m not afraid to go outside my comfort zone. I’m not afraid to try something new, but I am not always successful with what I try. I like to take techniques I learn and mix them into what I already know. I generally make cards and boxes.

A. Mona: Out of my comfort zone? Okay first I shiver a bit, but it goes away quickly and is actually very fun. I enjoy it, I mean rethinking about how to do things. I’ve been to a number of classes where I have gone beyond my comfort zone and then I go down to my scrap room where the evidence of all the new products I have bought can be found. I do not live right next to a scrap shop so I am forced into alternatives to create what I have learned and I think it’s fun. I’m in love with paper and paint and I use paint in ordinary card making and decorations, sometimes a bit of metallics. Classes are good and get me to to go out of my own zone and try something new.

Mette and Mona are good friends and Mette has not yet worked much with paint, so she took the opportunity to borrow from Mona when they were on crops this weekend.

Both ladies were happy to try both Mixed Media Origins paper and High Impact Paint, it was probably not the last time they will play with them.

Mona was quite lucky on the 10th anniversary for Scrappiness. She won the first prize from Canvas Corp Brands and after class she bought both paper and a lot of paint.

One happy Lady ♥

THE WINNER….

My last page of Project Life

Going to crops is about seeing old acquaintances, meeting new friends, exchanging ideas, inspiring each other and learning from the classes. You can be a little crazy, laugh and have fun with other wonderful ladies who have the same interest.

You can see it in these pictures that we are not afraid to be crazy.