You inspire me...

Hey girls :) 

This month, as soon as I saw the challenge over at Once Upon A Sketch and this beautiful sketch

I knew what I wanted to say with my layout. There are many people that inspire me every day but there is only one that is with me for more than 35 years, constantly inspiring... 

My love for books started at a very young age... anyways, the journaling which I started writing on the tags, took almost all the back of the layout to finish... I wanted to say so much... it reads: 

"My oldest friend... you keep inspiring me after so many years of being together. We met when I was so young, remember the day I opened a present and there you were? I am ashamed to remember the pout on my face when I saw you... you were not a usual gift for a little girl, especially then, especially in my family of farmers, especially in rural Greece of the 1970's.  I now know that the present  was a very wise choice, the person who gave it to me had the same need for refuge.. she might 've been much older than me but she grew up with the same difficulties. And she knew... 

Reluctantly I gave you a chance... and then the magic happened... You were my silence when the shouting around me was unbearable... You were my laughter when I wanted to cry... You were my tears when I needed to let them go... You were the only one I reached for when the pain was too much... and you were always there... never disappointed me. 

You introduced me to friends, to characters that I still love... you showed me places and other parts of the world, in the future, present and past... You were my serenity when everything was going wrong and as a child I kept looking at you for refuge, in fact I still do sometimes, although I have many people that love and support me in my life... You are a big part of myself and of what I am today... you inspired me to be stronger, to look up and hope... it didn't matter that your characters were not real, for me they were, they fought for what they believed in, for what they deserved, for the things they wanted, for the love they wanted, they were brave, they overcame obstacles, they laughed at themselves, they helped others, they fell madly in love, they loved deeply, they wanted to be happy, they lived in the moment, they always won at the end (well, most of the times... )

For all the inspiration for greatness, thank you. I may have not reached it yet, but I have come a long, long way from that frightened little girl who used to fall asleep with you in her arms.
You are still with me in this journey and you will always be my friend....
always... "

Thank you for visiting ladies

Sleeping angel

Hi ladies!

Today I made a layout for my beloved nephew and his cute little face when he sleeps. When he's awake he's a force of nature but look at him now... such an angel!

I used the sketch #126 from Sketchabilities ,

lots of paper layering and splashes of colours with mists! I used gesso and stamps and modelling paste to make a base layer for my photo. Sis, it's in the mail :)

Without you I'm nothing!

Κοριτσάκια η καινούργια πρόκληση στο Scraps N Pieces Challenge Blog ετοιμάστηκε, φόρεσε τα καλά της και έκανε την εμφάνισή της! Σας περιμένουμε όλες να παίξουμε! ΟΛΕΣ, με κοιτάτε καλά καλά κι εσείς οι πίσω που σκύβετε;;; ναι, ναι κι εσάς ;) 

Το θέμα μας αυτό το μήνα είναι 

Δημιουργήστε λοιπόν για κάτι που χωρίς αυτό δεν μπορείτε να ζήσετε ;) Ο τίτλος είναι προαιρετικός. 

Γι αυτή την πρόκληση λοιπόν, έφτιαξα μία art journal σελίδα για κάτι που όντως δεν μπορώ να ζήσω χωρίς αυτό. Χρώμα! 

Το background έχει γίνει με τα καινούργια Distress Stain Sprays 

του αγαπημένου μου Tim Holtz <3 

Κάθε φσσσστ και χαμόγελο στη μούρη μου παιδιά, μ' αρέσουν πάρα πολύ! Modelling paste με το καινούργιο μου στένσιλ της 7dots που πολύ μ' αρέσει και δεν είχα τέτοιο (ακριβώς ίδιο... καταλαβαίνετε, είχα ένα ψιλοπαρόμοιο αλλά ακριβώς ίδιο δεν είχα, οπότε δεν ΕΠΡΕΠΕ να πάρω;;;;) 

Οι κοπελιές είναι με στένσιλ του Andy Skinner (τα οποία είναι τα καλύτερα στένσιλ που έχω ποιοτικά, μακράάάν από όλα τα άλλα και έχουν και τη μάσκα μέσα! αμέ! δεν το πετάξαν το μέσα ή να το πουλήσουν ξεχωριστά! όόόχιιιι το βάλαν μαζί γιατί ξέρουν ότι υπάρχουν και φτωχές ψυχές) και βαμμένα με μαύρο γκέσο. Φυσικά δεν λείπει και το λευκό Uniball. 

Ελάτε να δείτε τι έφτιαξαν τα ταλαντούχα κορίτσια του DT αυτό το μήνα και ελπίζουμε να σας εμπνεύσουμε να παίξετε μαζί μας! 

Φιλάκιααααααα

Ahoy!

Hello :)

You know about the crop we organized as the ScrapsNPieces design team and the super fun time we had. It was October 19th and we used the new collection Thoughts Keeper, by 7dots. It was coming just off the press, so we were biting our nails if it would actually arrive on time for us to make the kits. But after a loooot of worrying it was here and it was fabulous. 

But since it was Thoughts Keeper we used and in the frenzy of organizing the crop I didn't even look at the this one. I have to tell you, now that I had time to play with it.... it's amazing!!!! I loved Thoughts Keeper but this one, Destination Unknown, I fell in love with! I actually have a lot of pictures of my hubbys love, sailing, that the Destination Unknown collection is perfect for!!! 

For this layout I used scraps of paper and book pages and lots of gesso (but you can't see most of it since its behind the photo. I used a sort of velum page from a maritime office (thanks Roula!) that had maps for harbours on or something like that, I actually have no idea what those symbols mean ;) 

Stencils, modelling paste, mists, stamps, twine... and voila: 

Of course I'm entering the 7dots textures October challenge with this layout :) They only asked for two different textures... well I must have more than 5 on there :) 

Thanks for visiting, see you soon! 

You make me happy!

I've been feeling creative lately... it comes and it goes but I hope it stays for a while this time... You know how it is, you get messy and you smile. 

I know it will sound strange but I find inspiration in my daughters smile. She laughs at the most trivial things and I look at her, amazed, how she finds happiness in everything. She's crazy and loud and never stops moving and I find myself trying to imitate her spirit. To find happiness in the little things. 

As a good (and wise) friend of mine said, stop trying to be perfect, stop worrying over every little thing. You can't be perfect and the sooner you accept your imperfections the better will be for you. I try... I need to try harder. 

But I'm so happy when I play with my daughter and she laughs out loud with a stupid face I make or a skit we make our dolls do... So for my daughter, I made this.. colourful and fun

How can you not smile when you see that face? 

I am participating in the Get Messy Challenge over at Frosted Designs and The Studio Challenges. I used a script stamp for the background so I enter at the Mixed Media Monthly challenge too. 

Thanks for visiting :) 

If I could turn back time...

It was my birthday yesterday and I kept thinking that... what if I could turn back time? And then I saw this photo of me and got really depressed. It's from a thousand years ago (well, okay not actually a thousand more like 20 years and 30 kgs!)

As always, it's night here so I have no chance of taking a good photo! It seems I do everything last minute and after dark... well, everything that I want to do for me anyway. I'm sorry about the photo but that's the best I can do :(


I came back and photographed the layout in the morning :) This is more like it, the yellow is more subtle than what the stupid camera, with the flash at night, portrays. For my background I used watercolors and stencils. Then I added modelling past through a stencil again to create more textures. I also used dylusions and gesso and distress inks. I really got messy so I am participating in the Get Messy and use Mixed Media challenge at Frosted designs  and in the Get Messy challenge by The Studio challenges

I am participating in more challenges with this one. One is from

Scrap around the world  where they have this beautiful mood board. I used the cogs on the butterfly as inspiration and the colors of the quote minus the purple.

Since I used a lot of stamping (with an irregular circles background stamp) in the lines to create a visual interest to the page and give it more textures, I am participating in the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge 

I also participate in the CSI Color, Stories, Inspiration challenge where they have this amazing Case File for us to solve

Next time with better photos! Thanks for visiting :) 

Πρόκληση Οκτωβρίου στο Scraps N Pieces Challenge blog

Γειά σας κοριτσάκια! 

Αυτό το μήνα στο Scraps N Pieces Challenge Blog έχουμε μία πολύ ωραία πρόκληση. 

Το θέμα είναι  

Free as a bird 

και έχει και μία υπέροχη χρωματική παλέτα αν θέλετε να χρησιμοποιήσετε. Η παλέτα και ο τίτλος είναι προαιρετικά ΑΛΛΑΑΑ θέλουμε οπωσδήποτε φτερά στη δημιουργία σας. 

Δεν είναι πολύ γλυκούλιιιι??? 

Εγώ λοιπόν το Σεπτέμβρη δεν παίρνω ανάσα γενικώς και είχα και τη βάφτιση της ανηψούλας μου (να ζήσεις Κωνσταντινούλα) οπότε ξεκίνησα να φτιάχνω τη συμμετοχή μου παραμονή της τελικής προθεσμίας και μάλιστα μετά τα μεσάνυχτα, κουρασμένη από το ταξίδι μιας και η βάφτιση ήταν στην Ηπειρο... έφτιαξα λοιπόν αυτή τη σελίδα, δεν είναι πρωτότυπη σαν ιδέα, σίγουρα έχετε ξαναδεί χέρια να ελευθερώνουν πουλιά, πεταλούδες και άλλα φτερωτά πράγματα. 

Στην αρχή είχα πει ότι θα ακολουθήσω την παλέτα, μετά (κατά τις 2 το πρωί) ξέχασα και τι είχα πει, οπότε όταν τέλειωσα είπα ΟΚ και πήγα για ύπνο. 

Ελα όμως που την άλλη μέρα δεν μου άρεσε χαχαχα 

Οπότε ξεκίνησα από την αρχή, πιο φυσιολογική ώρα αυτή τη φορά. 

Χρησιμοποίσα τόσα πολλά υλικά που κι εγώ δεν ξέρω... γκέσσο, modelling paste, sand, crackle, dylusions, stewart gill acrylics, inks... για να αναφέρω κάποια. Ολα από το Scraps N Pieces Emporium που πλέον δεν το αλλάζω με τίποτα μιας και βρίσκω όλα όσα θέλω σε ένα κατάστημα. 

Το ρητό το είχα ήδη οπότε δημιούργησα γύρω από αυτό. 

Και αυτό είναι το αποτέλεσμα που τελικά μου άρεσε :) 

Αυτά για σήμερα! Τα λέμε γυναίκεςςςς! 

Summer challenges for SnP Challenge Blog!

Καλησπέρα κοριτσάκια! 

Όσες με ξέρετε προσωπικά, ξέρετε ότι εξαφανίστηκα το καλοκαίρι και γενικά κάθε καλοκαίρι με χάνετε... πολύ τρέξιμο βρε παιδί μου, πότε θα το κερδίσω εκείνο το καταραμένο το τζόκερ που δεν παίζωωωω... 

Έχω να κάνω ανάρτηση φυσικά από τον Μάιο... επειδή όμως πλησιάζει η ανάρτηση του Σεπτεμβρίου μιας και έχω πει ότι θα είμαι πιο τακτικό κορίτσι με το μπλογκοσπιτάκι μου, είπα να καλύψω λίγο από το κενό :) 

Η πρόκληση του Ιουλίου λοιπόν στο αγαπημένο μου Scraps N Pieces challenge blog ήταν 

Men like you!

δεν μπορούσα λοιπόν παρά να φτιάξω κάτι με το αγόρι μου :) 

πολύ mixed media σύνθεση, με χαρτί βάσης 7dots και γκέσο, μελάνια, ακρυλικά μελάνια, μιστς και ότι άλλο βρήκα μπροστά μου! Η χαρά του παιδιού ήμουν όταν την έφτιαχνα χαχαχαχα

****************************

και μετά ήρθε ο Αύγουστος! και το θέμα φυσικά ήταν Διακοπές / Ταξίδι... εεεεε είπα κι εγώ να δημιουργήσω με έμπνευση τον εαυτό μου μια φορά :) 

χιχιχι όλο φτιαγμένο με γραφίτες και neocolors... και πολύ αυτοσαρκασμό ;) 

Τα λέμε την επόμενη εβδομάδα με την πρόκληση του Σεπτεμβρίου! Φιλάκιαααα!!! 

Treasures.... April Challenge at ScrapsNPieces

Καλημέρα! 

Η πρόκληση του Απριλίου έφτασε κιόλας... σαν χτες μου φαίνεται που ξεκινάγαμε αυτή την καινούργια παρεούλα! 

Αυτό το μήνα το θέμα είναι Treasures. 

Να δημιουργήσουμε λοιπόν ότι θέλουμε για τους δικούς μας θησαυρούς

Ποτέ δεν ξέρω τι θα μου κατέβει στο κεφάλι (όπως κι εσείς φαντάζομαι) όταν ακούω μια πρόκληση. Αυτή τη φορά όμως περίμενα περίμενα και τίποτα δεν μου κατέβαινε... έχω κάψει φλάντζες λόγω τουρναμεντ μάλλον και δεν είχα καμία ιδέα... μέχρι την τελευταία μέρα... και μετά είδα ένα παλιό βίντεο της Μυρτώς που έφτιαξε κάτι tiles και τσουπ! αποφάσισα να φτιάξω tiles και να "θάψω" μικρούς θησαυρούς με modelling paste, crackle paste, sand texture και χρώματα.

Μετά πέρασα ένα μαύρο wash στα tiles μου και με dry brushing λίγο μπρουτζινο. 

Φυσικά και η φωτό δεν είναι καλή αλλά τι να κάνω που δεν το ΄χω καθόλου με τις φωτό ;) 

Τα κόλλησα σε ένα πολύ χοντρό χαρτόνι το οποίο έβαψα με burnt umber ακρυλικό και τράβηξα το πολύ χρώμα πριν στεγνώσει, ταμποναριστά, με χαρτί κουζίνας, για να κάνει αυτά τα νερά που βλέπετε στο φόντο

Φυσικά όλα τα υλικά που χρησιμοποίησα μπορείτε να τα βρείτε στο www.scrapsnpieces.gr

Buried Treasures

Ελάτε να μουτζουρωθείτε κι εσείς! Είναι πολύ χαλαρωτικό!!!!

Supreme Scrap Tournament - Scrap Diva - Grand Finale

Hellooooo ladies! 

The end of the tournament is near!  It's been super fun and I want to thank you all so so much for voting for my creations!!! 

This time the challenge had 2 parts. First we were asked to pick at least 4 patterned 30x30 papers and at least 10 items not from our stash but from the trash ;) And we had to do that without knowing what they would ask us to do in the second round!

So I started with these papers 

And these items... 

1. Old book pages

2. brown and black wire 

3. old rusted coins

4. construction tape

5. painters tape

6. brown and blue wrapping paper

7. aluminum foil

8. cork surface 

9. keys

10. pieces of a broken hand fan

11. burlap from an olive picking sack

12. corrugated chipboard from packaging

13. frozen pizza box 

14. tea bags 

15. coffee filters

16. pharmaceutical gauze

17. napkin

18. paper clips

19. packaging string

20. product tags

21. staples

22. bottle caps 

23. old newspaper

This was the most difficult challenge of the tournament... well, as it should be since it's the finale... But we had to  use every different item in the list and nothing else... No colours, no mists, no mediums... nothing! We could dry emboss an use cutting machines... and that's all we could do actually!

I had a very hard time because in the first round I made a huge list of stuff... big mistake hahaha

So, this is my layout for the "This is me" challenge...
I decided to use photos of me, from a little girl to a woman

And they also asked us to put numbers on the elements that were in the list or the elements that were made from items in the list so.... here it is...

I used the brown tissue paper on aluminum foil and embossed them together in my big shot... That way I could use it as a photo mat for a couple of the photos (number 6) without having to show too much of the aluminum foil and show more of the brown tissue paper. 

I used the black wire to make a "connector" between the photos. 

The splatter on the background is how I used my tea bags. So, that's tea and not colour. I also used the string of the tea bags for my tags. 

I'm sure there are more I need to say but I stayed up to finish this and now my brain is not working properly. Feel free to ask anything you want in a comment! 

I hope you like it!

It's been a fun tournament, I had a blast!

 Good luck to all the girls :) 

Supreme Scrap Tournament - Card Diva- Grand Finale

Goodmorning ladies! 

I still can't believe that I made it to the final round! Thank you all so so much for voting for my creations... It's been a blast and sooo interesting to see super talented creative ladies making amazing things under difficult - VERY DIFFICULT hahahah conditions

This time the challenge had 2 parts. First we were asked to pick at least two patterned 30x30 papers and at least 10 items not from our stash but from anywhere else ;) And we had to do that without having the slightest idea what the challenge would be in part 2 of the challenge. 

So I started with these papers 

And these items... 

1. Scraps of tulle 

2.  jewelry wire

3. pink embroidery thread

4. piece of chain from a broken necklace

5. coffee filter

6. pins

7. piece of pink fabric

8. piece of a Halloween black hat with feathers

9. corrugated pieces of packaging 

10. pink decorative pebbles for flowerpots

And then, they announced the challenge... Use everything and nothing else hahahaha so to make a card using 3 30x30 papers... I had to make it a bigger one and a layered one of course. 

So I made a 7" tall card and I chose a tri-fold so I can use up the papers... Actually only little scraps of papers were left in the end

So, this is the card without the explanations 

And here is the card with the explanations of where I used what from my list of items

So, I made her dress from the piece of pink fabric and then used the scraps of tulle over it and for the waist. I made her a wire bracelet, and put decorative pebbles for flowerpots in her hair. I used the piece of chain on her dress and as a necklace (you can't see it, I put the hair over it) 

I cut the heads off the pins and used them as flower centers. I used the coffee filters to cut flowers and leaves for embellishments. I used also the corrugated packaging material to cut flowers. The words you see on the right, where already on the teal 30x30 paper so I cut them out

But the most difficult part of this was her hair. I made them by using feathers from the halloween hat and I couldn't get them to stick there just right but in the end I made it! 

It was super fun! Good luck to all the girls :) 

Supreme Scrap Tournament - Card Diva - Round 4

Thank you all for helping me get to round 4! <3 

So, this time we had to make a card without any paint except pencils 

and we also had to have two hidden elements. I did make two cards, the one while I was sick and had a fever and then I changed my mind and made another one

The idea popped in my head at the doctors office! Two girls were sitting next to me in the waiting area and were talking about how one of them "caught" the virus... and bing! I thought of this card. 

It was actually really hard to transfer the idea from my head to an actually working card. 

Harder than I thought hahaha

So, the front of the card looks like this

There is a thick wire in the middle of the moving part of the card and when you turn the heart on top the card changes. You also have to pull the brad up to change the sentiment

And the card changes to this one :)

I hope you like it!!! Good luck to everyone :) 

Supreme Scrap Tournament - Scrap Diva - Round 4

Hey ladies! 

I can't believe I made it to round 4!!! 

Thank you <3

This was a tough challenge for me! I love mixed media and this time it was good old classic scrapbooking ;) 

Double layout, 8 photos, no inks at all, not even for stamping... I really had to think about this one ;) 

I never ever made a layout like this before, I actually had to do some research on how to hide elements but I did have fun! I'll admit, this tournament keeps us on our toes!

So I went all out and hid almost everything hahaha... and after a lot... A LOT of fussy cutting I'm finally done! so,  let's go! Sorry for the long post but I can't show you any other way... 

This is the layout with everything hidden... 

Let's start by pulling those little clouds down :) They are glued under the "sky" and are hanging with twine. 

 

So this is how it looks now... let's count the photos. You can see one on the blue bird house, one is my dog, and one where she is holding the little bird. That's 3 photos

4th photo is revealed by opening the door of the birdhouse! 

There's my sweetie little bird 

By pulling down the birdhouse on it's pole, you can see my 5th photo

Opening the door of the big birdhouse there she is again making faces, and that's my 6th photo 

The birdhouse door flips upward and now you can see my 7th and 8th photo

And a bonus photo, no 9, my little angry bird, to show she's not all sugar. She is actually wearing a pink birds thingie (not sure what the english word is)  on her head in this photo. I tried to make a nest (that's what this thing she's in was supposed to be) but it looks more like a pool hahaha

The journaling is written on the back of the birdhouse that swings from the branch. 

Thanks for visiting! I hope you like it :)

 

Supreme Scrap Tournament - Scrap Diva - Round 3

Good morning :)


Yayyyy!!!

I made it to round 3. Thank you ladies for your votes <3 

...and this time the challenge was DOODLING! with the exception of flowers anywhere ;) 

So, I doodled and had lots of fun!!! 

The only paper I used is the base paper 30x30 everything else is hand drawn and painted with neocolorsII. 

So let's have some fun :) I hope you like it!!! 

Supreme Scrap Tournament - Card Diva - Round 3

Hey ladies!

We are in round 3 in the Supreme Scrap Tournament and I am very happy to be amongst the ones that made it from round 2.

I want to thank all of you that voted for my card and honoured me with the 1st place in my group!


It's been so fun so far, seeing creations by girls all over the world, sharing the same love for our hobby and learning so much. It's interesting also because the challenges keep getting harder in every round as it was expected I guess ;) 

The challenge asked us to make a card (whatever size we want and use doodling in our creation, lots and lots of doodling, excluding flowers in any form :)

We can't use stamps and ready - made embellishments... all embellishments (if any) have to be hand made.

We also have to write the sentiment by hand, directly on the card. 

I went with black and white with a little touch of red.

I started with a pencil sketch.

stage 1

And then I used Faber Castell pitt artist pens and Sakura Pigma Micron Pens. I draw over the pencil

stage 2

After that, the real work started. I used 5-6 doodling patterns and filled her hair

stage 3

So after adding all the shades and little details and patterns...

This is the final result

I hope you like it! :) Thanks for visiting!