Live a Fulfilling Life!

Hi, Everyone,

Discovering the pure joy of creating freely is a magical gift that can change anyone's life.

I want to inspire & empower others through my Altered Journey . . . helping you discover your own freedom by living a more creative life.

Your dream to live a happier life can all begin by picking up a pencil, glue stick, or paintbrush.  We are all born with endless creativity.

Make time for yourself.  Allow yourself the freedom to create & begin your Altered Journey.

A happier, more fulfilling life is waiting for you.

"One life on this earth is all that we get, whether it is enough or not enough, and the obvious conclusion would seem to be that at the very least we are fools if we do not live it as fully and bravely and beautifully as we can." - Frederik Buechner

Have fun creating!

Technique Tuesday - Mica Fragments & Encrusted Jewel Kits

Hi, Everyone,

It's Technique Tuesday!

Today we will be playing with the Mica Fragments and the Encrusted Jewel Kits put together by Stampendous. The Mica Fragments are perfect for adding a splash of colour or metallic’s to our projects. Today we will be creating a card showcasing Red Mica Fragments and the Pink Encrusted Jewel Kits.



Let’s begin.



First, we start off with brown cardstock which is our card base. On the cover and inside we glue pattern paper resembling white barn wood.



Next, we tear 2 pieces of pattern paper and glue it to the front of the card. The berry paper matches the Red Mica Fragments beautifully.



Then we gather Embossing Ink, Shabby White Embossing Enamel, and Red Mica Fragments.



Take the card and pat the edges of the torn patterned paper into the embossing ink.



Then pour Shabby White Embossing Enamel onto the embossing ink and flick off the excess powder. Next, sprinkle the Mica Fragments onto the powder. It is very important to remember to heat set from underneath not over top because we do not want our fragments to blow off our project before the embossing powder has had a chance to melt and glue the fragments to the surface.



To create embellishments for our card, I stamped 3 butterflies into Embossing Ink, poured Shabby White Embossing Enamel over them, then heat set them. This is a great way to create your own colour coordinated embellishments.



I fussy cut the butterflies and attached them to the card with foam pop-dots. Next I squeezed Glossy Accents onto the body of the butterfly and sprinkled Mica Fragments on top.



Glossy Accents dries clear and the Mica Fragments really add brilliance to the butterflies.



This is what the card looks like all put together.

Mica Fragments can be applied with any adhesive or sprinkled into Embossing Enamel. The Encrusted Jewel Kits put together by Stampendous contain a sampling of products in various colour themes (red, pink, purple, blue, teal, green, bronze).   Each Jewel Kit contains 1 jar of colour Fragments, Embossing Enamel, Mica Fragments, Embossing Powder & Embossing Tinsel.

Have fun creating!

Technique Tuesday - Alcohol Ink Agates

Hi, Everyone,

It's Technique Tuesday!

Today I would like to show you the “Alcohol Ink Agates Technique”. This Technique is featured in the book titled A Compendium of Curiosities by Tim Holtz. Every single time you use this technique the outcome will be slightly different. “Agates” can be created by experimenting with Alcohol Inks, Blending Solution & Mixative on Gloss Paper.

It’s fun working with Blending Solution, especially watching all the beautiful colours swirl to create a unique design every time. There are many different colours of Alcohol Inks and Mixatives including metallics. Today we will be creating a card stamping an image on a blue/green “Agate” background that we ourselves can create.



Let’s begin.


When working with Alcohol Inks, you need an Applicator Tool with a piece of FELT on it not foam. The Felt squares are designed to work with Alcohol Inks and are meant to be a 1 time use only, then thrown away. Do not reuse the squares. Today we are using “Lettuce”, “Denim” and “Pool” Alcohol Inks and a “Silver” Metallic Mixative.


Apply 6 drops of each colour of Alcohol Ink directly on a Felt Applicator Tool, keeping each colour separate. Stamp the ink tool onto Gloss Paper turning the tool as you stamp until the entire surface is covered with ink.


Shake the Metallic Mixative and apply 3 drops onto the Felt Applicator Tool. Again stamp the ink tool onto the Gloss Paper turning the tool as you stamp randomly over the surface.


Apply more Alcohol ink and more Mixative until you are happy with the colour.


Then apply some Blending Solution to the Felt Applicator Tool and stamp over the inked background lightening and blending the colours. To create a swirling iridescent background, pour Blending Solution directly onto the Gloss Paper, moving the paper side to side to swirl the Solution.


These are 3 different samples using the same technique. See how they all look different yet similar.


Next, using Black Archival Ink, I stamped a bird image on the background.


Using a navy zipper and two shades of cardstock, I began assembling the card.


Add a sentiment, some ribbon and metal flowers, and this is what the card looks like all put together!

This “Alcohol Ink Agates” Technique is absolutely stunning on Gloss Paper. 

Have fun creating!

Baby Album Layouts Pages 38-46

Hi, Everyone,

The Baby Album Kit is finally finished!
The layouts are beautiful.  By adding plastic inserts between the double page layouts increases the number of photos you can have in your album.  Keep this in mind the next time you create a full size album.

Most of the baby images I used in the Baby Album were purchased from nicecranedesigns.com.
There are only 3 kits available.  Each kit is pre-cut, pre-packaged, & pre-numbered.  You just need adhesive & a 3 ring binder album that holds 12x12" papers.  Everything else is provided.  The kits are now available at Treasured Memories .  That's 46 pages for $168, which works out to $3.65/page.  However, if you are a member at Treasured Memories you get 15% off of kits meaning you can get this complete album for $142.80, which works out to $3.10/page.  Value totally unheard of!  Stop by the store to see these pretty layouts in person.  Use the layouts but change the papers to create a whole new different album!

Here are the double page layouts for you to see.

Have fun creating!

Baby Album Layouts Pages 26-37

Hi, Everyone,

The Scrap-by-Number 12x12" Baby Album is coming along beautifully.  I love how the shades of turquoise, coral, pink, blue, white & ivory all flow together.  The album was designed with both boys & girls in mind.  Today I would like to share more layouts with you.  Have a peek!

These layouts are pre-cut & pre-numbered in the order they are attached to the page.  Beginner & advanced scrapbookers alike will find these kits fast & easy to put together as well as having enough white space to allow your own personallization.  I have designed them simple yet beautiful.

Have fun creating!

Baby Album Layouts Pages 11-25

Hi, Everyone,

These baby layouts have been moved from creation to the back burner then back to creation again for far too long.  I have been working diligently & would love to share more of the double page layouts with you today.  Love the dragonflies & the wool wrapped wire!

There will be 3 kits available.  Each kit is pre-cut, pre-packaged, & numbered.  You just need adhesive & a 3 ring binder album that holds 12x12" papers.  Everything else is provided.  The kits will be available at Treasured Memories in the very near future.  That's 50 pages for $168.

Stay tuned for more baby layout photos.

Have fun creating!

Paper Doll Journal Pages

Hi, Everyone.

Yes, 2 more Paper Dolls!

On the 1st page, "Vogue", our Doll is wearing a mermaid gown with a sprayed collaged background using Treasured Memories Exclusives:  Postal Ephemera & Transparancies designed by Daryl Benson.

On the 2nd page, "She was happy to just Be", our Doll is wearing a Cinderella gown with a sprayed textured background using Modeling Paste & a jagged diamond stencil.

Join Me at Treasured Memories in Edmonton, AB

Sunday, June 2

12:30 - 4:30 p.m.

$40

Please Bring:  Gel Medium (soft matt), 1/2" paint brush, pencil, heat gun, fussy cutting scissors, clear adhesive dots, Black Precision Pen for doodling, felt pens for hair (I used Distress Markers: Aged Mahogany, Barn Door, Fired Brick, & Spiced Marmalade.

Have fun creating!

Technique Tuesday - UTEE

Hi, Everyone,

It’s Technique Tuesday!

Today I would like to show you one of my favourite things . . . UTEE.

UTEE is Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel which is a large particle embossing powder made by Ranger. We will be using it with a heat tool to create textured embossing on our project. I love how it accentuates any inking you have done and looks like water droplets when sprinkled randomly over your project.

This is what we will be creating.





Let’s begin.


First, I stamped an alphabet background & ink blot stamp all over the tag using Black Archival Ink. On a separate piece of paper I stamped the word “Artist” again with Black Archival Ink. Next I inked the edges with Sepia Archival Ink then Walnut Distress Ink, to give the edges a burnt look. I added strips of Tissue Tape to the tag for decoration and glued on the word “Artist” to create the base of our tag. I then pressed all the edges of the tag into Embossing Ink (which is like a glue), sprinkled UTEE along the edges, then heat set it with a heat tool. The melted UTEE makes the inking along the edge pop.


The second part of our tag will be popped with foam pop-dots. I stamped the dragonfly blueprint stamp with Black Archival Ink 3 separate times. I inked the edges of the first image with Sepia & Walnut Inks, pressed the edges into Embossing Ink, sprinkled UTEE along the edges, then heat set it. I inked the dragonfly only in the second and third image, then fussy cut out the dragonfly, inked the edges & applied UTEE. The second and third dragonflies were each pop-dotted on top of the first dragonfly image.


These next 3 photos are close-up views of the UTEE. Look below the tip of the pen nib. The golden Sepia colour shows the amazing water droplet effect the UTEE creates. The camera angle makes the UTEE look like sugar crystals when it actually looks like water droplets.


The effect is absolutely stunning.


Look at the words “wing span varies”. The water droplets really pop.

In my books, UTEE is over-the-top WOW embossing powder. Experiment with this great product the next time you can and . . . the next time you are at the store, check out the various kinds of UTEE that they have at Treasured Memories.

Have fun creating!