Save the date: UK, Sweden, France, Ireland, Spain...

Hi again friends!
I know what you are thinking - this girl, she is away all the time, running around like a headless chicken...
well - it's true - I travel  lot. This way I'm able to share my projects and classes and I'm happy to meet so many wonderful people on my way. You make this adventure so special and unforgettable - I can't even express  how rewarding, inspirational my travels are. Maybe I don't always have the time for sightseeing or enjoying the places I'm staying in - but teaching, visiting stores and events covers all that ;)
There is also a large group of you who don't attend the events but I can see you follow my projects and travels on social media - Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. You need to know how great  is to feel and see your presence there: all your comments are so heartwarming and they put a smile on my face :) Thanks to you I don't feel so lonely on the airports, train stations and in the hotel rooms - there are always some friends waiting "on the other side" :) Isn't that just amazing? :)

Travelling is about planning - so I've made a quite long list of the new coming events for the next couple of months. Check them out - maybe I'll be somewhere around? :)

First of all - this weekend is the beginning of the big show in Birmingham, UK - CraftHobby and Stitch.
I have to admit I'm very excited to attend it for the very first time - I'm sure it will be a great experience and I'm looking forward to meet you all in person... hey, who is coming? ;)
The easiest way to find me will be visiting Booth H 20 where I'll be doing  demos all days of the show:)
I can't promise I'll be there all the time, but surely this is the best place to start!

Here is a little reminder:

I hope to see you there!

The next big event I'm attending is STOCKHOLM SCRAP AND PEARL EVENT 2014  at Ericsson Globe ANNEXET. This is a huge show - Scrapbooking and Jewelry Making Convention, where we can seat 1,000 crafters each day. I really believe it is the biggest show of this kind I've ever seen!
(just have a look at this photo!)

During the event I'll be teaching 2 mini-classes focused on smaller craft forms: dimensional cards and home-decor - both of the mini-classes are fun, technique-packed events which should be enjoyable for anyone:)
Here are further details:

To attend the event simply go to the Scrap and Pearl Blog and register.  To book my class - visit this link:)
I'm sure it will be a great experience :) See you in the classroom!

The next important point in my calendar are CLASSES IN FRANCE - last 2 weekends of March 2014. 

I'm very happy to share I'm visiting 2 events - please see below:

To contact the organizators and get info about booking please visit this link! See you there!

Next weekend I'm teaching: 

I hope you like the class selection - as far as I know the spaces are already very limited so if you are planning to come read the blogpost and contact Cat as soon as possible: catherinesiwczak@wanadoo.fr


Next event is one which is close to my heart for many reasons - first of all - it is DUBLIN, IRELAND, secondly - our Mixed Media Place Store will be attending the event too!
This event is one day only (26th april 2014 - Saturday) and I'm teaching 2 classes:

To find more details please visit our Facebook Event Page or email Elaine directly at: happydaymemories@gmail.com


And finally (I know it is early, but bookings are already opened!)
I'm announcing the event in CIUDAD REAL, SPAIN:

You can find more information about the event or bookings on the FB Event Page here - or email the shop directly: talleres@escrapearte.com

I should probably warn you it  is going to be a very long post - but you know? there is more! :)
If you will have a look at my Live Classes Page - you will find more locations and new classes which will be launched soon (let me just mention Norway, UK, The Neatherlands...) - so keep your eyes open! 

Wishing you all a great, creative weekend!

Family Matters

Hello, dear Friends!
Yes, family does matter. One of my very favorite things to do is to browse through family photographs.
And isn't scrapbooking just the perfect way to honor our families and all the stories our loved ones have to tell?

Today I'd like to show you a layout I created for Sizzix. The cutest kids in the photo are my four cousins. :)



And there's some good news - you can see my creative process and step-by-step instructions of how to make this wintery layout here on Sizzix blog !



The materials I used to recreate the atmosphere of a fun winter scene are: Sizzix dies obviously (they are just perfect to add depth to the work), my Mechanicals embellishments, Primary Elements Pigments, Liquid Pearls and this very handy little spray bottle. :)



I'm also very happy to say that this work of mine was published in a fantastic Russian scrapbooking magazine "Scrap-Info". Always such a huge pleasure to see my art there!

One more announcement today.
I'm traveling to Stockholm in March (so happy to be back in Sweden!) to teach a small but very exciting classes. We are going to create some great home decor and cards and I'd love to see you there!!!
For more information go {here}.

Sending you all lots of love,

! Create !

Hello, friends!
All the emotions and memories from this year's CHA still keep whirling in my head!
It was an amazing time and I'm extremely happy to have had the opportunity to be part of this experience.

Today I'd like to show you an art piece of mine that I created for Ranger Designer Challenge 2014.
This year the challenge was to use Distress Paints and apart from that all the artists were given complete creative freedom.



In my work I decided to go for a limited palette to make all the details and textures speak more loudly.
That's one. And two - well... you know me... I'm always true to myself and my style... ;)



As you can see I used lots of my beloved vintage trinkets and treasures from my countless boxes and drawers but also some Prima flowers and Mechanicals elements of my design.



For all of you who couldn't be at CHA this year, here's a little treat. :)
You can see all the amazing works submitted to Ranger Designer Challenge in this video.
I'm so thrilled to be part of this team!



I hope you enjoyed this beautiful little exhibition! :)
Hugs

Altered Wooden Horse Tutorial - It's a Kind of Magic...

I' sure you already know - I love wooden horses. (And birds. Deer. Maybe just animals in general? But certaily - horses are on the top of the list!).
Maybe it is because they bring back the best memories from childhood when I wanted to have my own pony (no matter we lived in a small apartment in downtown) or maybe because they are so great, inspiring shapes to alter? Or both?
Certainly there is some strange magic in them - I can't resist and when I see one I'm ready to get it... and change their appearance completely!
 Below you can see a small wooden horse my friend bought for me on the folk market which was turned into steampunk-like, dark Pegasus. This is the project I've created for  Luminarte blog - not so long ago! In general - it reflects everything I love about using gels, paints and found objects...

 I have to admit I'm very happy about the final effect - I just love the colors and aged look together with a bit industrial feeling of the wings and sides of the horse. Here you can see it from different angles:

Supplies for this project (links to my store - Mixed Media Place): 

- Silks - Acrylic Glaze from Luminarte: Teal Zircon, African Jade, Stargazer, Bolivian Blue, Solar Gold, Ginger Peach (or others)
- A bunch of found objects you'd like to use (buttons, pebbles, clock parts, trinkets, etc)
- A Prima Mechanicals - metal embellishments from my collection
- Black Gesso or good quality black acrylic paint
- Heavy Gel Medium - gloss or matt

- paintbrushes

And now the best part -
a Video Tutorial for you where you can see this project made step-by -step.
I hope you will enjoy and get inspired!
(you can watch it in bigger size here, on my YouTube :))

I wish you all happy creating and I'd love to know what you think about projects like that. Do you like altering and artistic recycling? What are your favorite objects to recycle/alter?
Sending warm hugs!

Let's be brave and blog hop together!

Today is a very special day as Mixed Media Place and Scrap 365 decided to join forces in a fantastic adventure!
We would like to welcome you all to the Back to Basics Blog Hop!

 
The idea behind it is to encourage all those of you who are maybe new to the world of scrapbooking and perhaps feel overwhelmed with all the products and concepts.
So we are here to help! :)

Our January Blog Hop is all about layout composition principles. Ali found this fabulous prompt on Pinterest, courtesy of SuzyQ Scraps. It really sums up the beginning of every layout.

My part is the principle #2 i.e. the Rule of Thirds. I think it's the friendliest one of all. ;)
The concept is very simple really - there is this theory that the human eye naturally gravitates to intersection points that you can imagine when you split an image into thirds.
So all you have to do is to divide your area into thirds with two imaginary lines vertically and two lines horizontally making three columns, three rows, and nine sections. A sort of a grid to put it more simply. ;)
And then you take the elements you want to use and place them on or near the imaginary lines and where the lines intersect.
This composition will surely make your layout more dynamic and interesting.
But enough talking, here's my take on the idea:



If you look closer, you will be able to decipher my writing: "Yes, I'll be brave".
And these are exactly my wishes for you! :)
It doesn't matter if you have been scrapbooking for ten years or ten days...there's always something new to learn and for me, experimenting is one of the best parts of the whole creative adventure!
So don't hesitate! Simply try, you might actually surprise yourself! :)




Now, all you need to do be in with a shot of the prize is follow Scrap365 and Mixed Media Place blogs. Like us both on Facebook and leave a message on the Scrap365 blog telling us which layout principle you are going to try!
We would love to see your take on the principles so be sure to upload them to Scrap365 fb page!

So come with is and see how our fantastic DT members solved their composition.
Get ready for a lot of breathtaking inspirations!

Here is the list of super talented ladies who share their thoughts on the rest of the principles:

Anai: http://anai.pl/blog/

Finnabair: http://www.tworzysko.blogspot.com/

Laura: http://akissonthechic.typepad.com/

Marsha: http://marshavalk.wordpress.com/

Linda: http://www.lindabrun.com/

Tusia: http://ototusia.blogspot.com/

Michelle: http://mjm-thearttart.blogspot.co.uk/

Pascale: http://pbhobby.blogspot.com/

Riikka: http://paperiliitin.blogspot.co.uk/

Lisa: http://scrappyfairies.blogspot.co.uk/

Helen: http://helentilbury.blogspot.co.uk/

RETURN to: http://scrap365.blogspot.co.uk/

And yes, of course - there are delicious mixed media prizes to either add to your stash or to get you started. :)

The blog hop runs till midnight on Monday and the winners will be announced on Wednesday the 15th.

We are so looking forward to seeing your works created with our help.
Have fun and remember - Be Brave! :)
Hugs

1964 - a sketch

Those of you who know me better, would be surprised to see me using a sketch... Indeed, I don't do it - partly because I learned to trust my intuition - and the second reason is that I simply can't follow them: at some point of my creative process I forget there was a sketch somewhere on the way...
Skissedilla Sketches are a different story though - they are simple enough to make me feel comfortable and let my creativity flow.
That's why I was happy to be invited as a Selected Scrapper for January 2014 and you can join in the fun, too! There's a delicious prize sponsored by Mixed Media Place - my favourite project kit. :) But the best part of this challenge is the creative freedom so don't hesitate and come play with us!

I used one of my family photos (this is one of my uncles) for this layout. For more details and technique you can visit Sizzix blog. I had huge fun incorporating all sorts of ephemera and metal elements like some wire for example.
I also used a lot of Archival Inks, some tea (obviously ;) ), a little bit of Primary Elements Artist Pigments, pencil, my Mechanicals embellishments and 9th Wave papers.

and some details:
 

I hope you like my uncle. :)
Don't forget to join in our fun on Skissedilla sketch challenge and wish me bon voyage - I'm off to my CHA adventure again! :)
Hugs,

Let me take you to my "Cold Country" - new 7 Dots Studio Collection

Hi again friends!
I can finally share one of the super important projects I was working on secretly... it's time for the new release at 7 Dots Studio and there are 3 new collections coming - and I can't even express how much I love them. Yesterday you could see beautiful, delicate "Illumination" by Anai and tomorrow you will see breathtaking "Nature Walk" by our new designer - talented DeeDee Catron!
Today is my day - and my new "baby". Please, let me introduce you to:

Some of you might already notice that my paper collections are my way of sharing "stories". "Cold Country" is not different. It's emotional, nostalgic, reflecting a bit darker side of our life - but there's place for warm feelings, hope and reunion. You can find there cold mornings and lonely evenings, short notes we leave on the back of the photos, long letters written to those we love. It is about remembering the good times and longing, missing the ones you love or loved and places close to our heart. There is a place for sharing your secrets, thinking about the past and expressing the deepest feelings... you can say it is hopelessly romantic - it is - in a very "Slavic" way  - so the way as I understand and cherish "vintage romantic" atmosphere.
Collection is a mixture of cold patina colors and vintage browns, books, diaries, old photos and treasures of the past... for me personally it is something more: it was inspired by stories told me by my grandma when I was a kid - her life, her family... old photos I found only triggered my creativity. I couldn't take off my eyes of then and I knew one they they will be used for something special.
I guess it is the right time. Please let me take you to my "Cold Country".

There are 6 double-sided papers of mixed-media quality

1 set of Stamps

12×12 Die-cut Elements

6×12 Die-cut Elements

6×12 Stickers

6×12 “Word” Stickers

 And if you like smaller designs – there will be also 6×6 papers pad
 – with 24 double-sided sheets of paper

Finally - the Collection Kit:

I'd like to thank from the bottom of my heart to those of people who made this project real. Without help and support of my friends and husband, I wouldn't finish this project. The biggest thank you goes to my friend (and editor) Tusia, who believed in me again, giving me all the good energy and support I needed, standing by my side when I needed motivation and support. She is the best friend you ca have, really. Huge thanks to Anai who as always - helped with graphic issues, Dee Dee for her last minute help and to Eliza and my husband who were the first to "review" the full collection. Thank you all. 

And I have great news for you!

You can win the collection going to 7 Dots Studio Blog HERE and leaving the comment telling what do you think about "Cold Country". What can be easier? 

Thank you so much for visiting!
Sending hugs