Monday, July 30, 2012

Boy Near Cincinatti OH 1942- Scraps of Darkness


Created with the Scraps Of Darkness True Romance Kit. 
This month's kit is filled with warm  rich colors and interesting embellishments. 

This is a photo I used from the Library of Congress Flickr project.  The kind folks there released the copyrights on a significant collection of photos. There are thousands of photos in the Library, however this may well be my favorite.  It's riveting to me with his pure and gentle spirit. 

I love the hat and the coveralls.  Just really dig the innocence of the photo and the darling boy and the creamy colors. What are you thinking sweet 'lil man?

Someone asked me why I was scrapping someone else's photos.  Was I plumb outta my own photos to scrap?  Heck no.  BUT my darlin boys give me attitude when I try and take their photos.  This sweetie pie did not.  You can guess who I'm gonna scrap. 

Plus the photos released by the Library of Congress share a little bit of America as it was back "when".  I am enjoying a step back in time and a chance to scrap images that are beyond my scope.  I have always been fascinated with history since I was a scrawny young child.  Still am (fascinated I mean....not scrawny) hahaahaa - and what can be better than to incorporate an interest with my scrappy passion?

I also used Mistra Hoolihan's July Sketch from Dusty Attic for this page. 



I used the  Dusty Attic Pocket Watch DA0393 and Dusty Attic Chicken Wire Panel DA0177.  The pocket watch has a coating of crackle accents and inked edges.  I also added a little Stickles in platinum.

 I accidentally dribbled some white paint on the pocket watch.  Normally I'd get all weirded out over it but I had to let it all goooo.  He's a boy for cryin out loud.   He was probably messy at times as boys can be.  I'm betting he'd appreciate the little mess. 






Vachon, John,, 1914-1975,, photographer.  This was obtained at the Library Of Congress Flickr project.  The photos are historic and have all been released from any copyrights.  

Thanks for looking.   Please consider joining us at Scraps Of Darkness and see what's up.

Forsythia Branch - Scraps Of Darkness

Dusty Attic and Scraps Of Darkness and Tutorial

I took this photo of some kind of cool looking bush in the spring  as I happened to wander into my neighbors yard at, ohhhh, about 6am with camera in hand.  The interesting bush just glowed.  Now it's not a forsythia bush, but I am going to pretend it is because it's all I know.  

Back to the photo... my husband said boooooring.  Dont' like.  So I set aside until I received the 7Dots paper in my Scraps Of Darkness Kit and my little eyes lit up.  Ohhhhh goodness gracious a perfect match.


I used the Dusty Attic Bamboo #3 DA0705 and transformed them from bamboo to a forsythia branch.  You can see my mini tutorial here

This sketch was created by Mistra Hoolahan.  Thanks for continuing to inspire us with your creativity, Mistra.

Thanks for looking.  I appreciate this a great deal.




Forsythia Branch Tutorial



I created this using the Scraps Of Darkness June Kit which featured the amazing 7Dots Wonderland Collection.  I paired it with the  Dusty Attic newly released Dusty Attic Bamboo #3 DA0705 and transformed them from bamboo to a forsythia branch. 

Wanna see how I made my forsythia branch? 

Step 1.  
I grabbed some dark brown floral tape and twisted it around the Dusty Attic creating the branch part of my bush. 

Floral tape is very interesting stuff because it is inexpensive (yeah), available at just about any craft outlet, AND self sticking.  You just rip off some and start winding.  great for making your own vines too. 


Step 2. 
I used a water pen to wet my petals so that I can peel apart the layers of the chipboard.  You can use a paint brush, wet wipes or even water applied to your finger tips.  But you will need to get these wet somehow so that the chipboard layers start to peel apart. 

Do not stick them under running water because the floral tape will also peel apart. 

Step 3.
Start to work the petals apart into layers without totally separating from the Dusty Attic.  Try to keep them attached.  Then a blast with your heat gun will stiffen them right back up.


Step 4.Start applying your color.  I used some Adirondack paints in Sunshine Yellow and Lemonade.

Step 5. 
This is the glitter and glam stage.  I used some Stickles in Yellow and some yellow glitter I had in my stash.
I also used a little Stickles in Paprika on a few tips of my flowers to mimic the photo. 





Thanks a ton for looking.   Please consider stopping by Scraps of Darkness and Dusty Attic.

Girls with Sailboat -Prima BAP July 2012 and Scraps of Darkness




(as seen on the Prima blog)

I used the July Scraps Of Darkness kit to create the Build A Page sketch for Prima.  I used an image from the University of Washington's digital library.  There are no restrictions on this image.  The image is placed between 1929-1932.

The second image is the Vanite from the Library of Congress Flickr project.  The kind folks there have released several images from the early 1900's - since the copyright has expired.



Bain News Service - 1910-1915





Two young girls wading in the water at Laurelhurst Park and reaching for a toy sailboat, Seattle, Washington, ca. 1929-1932 - Photographer: Gorst, Vern C.



Here is the wonderful sketch by Jennifer Matott for Prima. 

Thanks for looking

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Brothers, Friends, Survivors -The Titanic - Scraps Of Darkness and Once Upon a Sketch


Brothers, Friends, Survivors -The Titanic



This layout was created in conjunction with Once Upon A Sketch.  I used the sketch provided by the talented Nadia Cannizzo as my inspiration. ( update - 8-8-12 as this was featured at OUAS)

Journaling is a requirement for this challenge.  This month's journal topic is "Friends".
When I saw this photo, felt it was a perfect fit for the topic.  These boys in the photo shared a special bond as brothers, friends and survivors.

I added my journaling as a backdrop to the photo.  I printed out the story of these boys onto cardstock, embossed it, inked it and set it as the background. You can see what is written if you continue down my blog.





Below, I indicated the date the ship struck the deadly iceberg.  This monet sealed their fate.  The ship actually sank on April 15. 

Loius & Lola - Library of Congress by Bain News Publishing

Here is what is written on the page:
Michel Marcel Navratil, Jr. (June 12, 1908 – January 30, 2001) was one of the last survivors of the sinking of RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. Michel, along with his brother, Edmond Navratil (1910–1953), were known as the "Titanic Orphans", having been the only children rescued without a parent or guardian. He was the last male survivor of the Titanic.
Michel Marcel Navratil was born on June 12, 1908 in Nice, France to Michel Navratil, a tailor and Slovak immigrant to France, and Marcelle Caretto, an Italian, who had married in London. Michel had a younger brother, Edmond Roger Navratil, who was born on March 5, 1910.
The marriage was troubled, and in early 1912, Michel and Marcelle separated. Marcelle was awarded full custody of their two children. Marcelle allowed her sons to stay with their father over the Easter weekend; however, when she went to collect them, they had disappeared. Michel had decided to emigrate to the United States and to take his children with him. After a brief stay in Monte Carlo, the three traveled to England where they boarded RMS Titanic.
Michel, his brother, and his father boarded RMS Titanic at Southampton, England on April 10, 1912, as second-class passengers. For the journey, the elder Navratil assumed the alias 'Louis M. Hoffman', and the boys were booked as 'Loto' and 'Louis'. On board the ship, Navratil led passengers to believe that he was a widower. 
After Titanic’s collision with an iceberg, at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912, M. Navratil placed Michel and his brother in Collapsible D, the last lifeboat successfully launched from the ship.  The elder Navratil died during the sinking, and his body was recovered by the rescue ship, CS Mackay-Bennett. In his pocket was a revolver. 
While in Collapsible D, the boys were fed biscuits by first-class passenger Hugh Woolner.[3] When the rescue ship RMS Carpathia arrived at the scene, Michel and his brother were hoisted to its deck in burlap sacks. Since the two children were toddlers and spoke no English, they could not identify themselves and were soon referred to as the Titanic Orphans. French-speaking first-class passenger Margaret Hays cared for the boys at her home until their mother could be located, which occurred as a result of newspaper articles which included their pictures. Marcelle sailed to New York City, New York and was reunited with her sons on May 16, 1912. She took her children back to France aboard the RMS Oceanic.
Michel lived the remainder of his life in Montpellier, France. He died on January 30, 2001, at the age of 92.  Michel's brother, Edmond, worked as an interior decorator and then became an architect and builder. He joined the French Army during World War II and became a prisoner-of-war. Although he escaped, his health had deteriorated, and he died in 1953 at the age of 43

This is a photo of the boys as they reunite with their mother on May 16, 1912.


Thanks for spending the time looking and reading.  I appreciate this a great deal. 

Please check out  Scraps of Darkness and the art created by the rest of the wildly talented design team.  

Scraps Of Darkness July, True Romance


True Romance - July Scraps Of Darkness

Welcome to the July reveal for Scraps of Darkness.  
The great thing about the Scraps of Darkness kit is that it is packed with versatile products that allow you the freedom to create art to fit your mood.   Or maybe you're more like me and scrap to fit your photos.  I am not am emotional scrapper.  I like to focus on the photo and make the paper do all the work.  

This magnificent kit, thoughtfully assembled features the papers from:
Prima-Almanac Collection
Websters-In Love
Glitz-French Kiss
Carta Bella-Beautiful Moments
Stick pins by Mandy Harrell

Harvesting Cabbage in Pie Town


This layout is based on the monthly sketch from Charlotte Jenkins, suepup.  Thanks to Charlotte for her creative mind and helping to set the art process in motion each month for me and countless others. 

This is is a photo taken in Oct. 1940 by Russell Lee in Pie Town, New Mexico.   It's a photo of Mrs. Norris picking her cabbage crop.    I obtained this photo from the Library of Congress Flickr site.  There are no restrictions and no copyrights.   

 As Mrs. Norris picks her crops below, I'll tell you a little history about Pie Town.

The town had been around as a settlement since at least the early 1920s, started, or so the legend goes, by a man named Norman who’d filed a mining claim and opened a general store and enjoyed baking pies, rolling his own dough, making them from scratch. He’d serve them to family and travelers. Mr. Norman’s pies were such a hit that everybody began calling the crossroads PieTown. Around 1927, the locals petitioned for a post office. The authorities were said to have wanted a more conventional name. The Pie Towners said it would be PieTown or no town.

The annual Pie Town Pie Festival is held each year on the second Sat. in Sept.  Soooooooo folks, that means we all have plenty of time to book our travel an attend this year.  I mean, who doesn't love pie?



Mrs. Norris with home grown cabbage.

I have added some Dusty Attic Corner Flourish #3 DA0623. I topped it with Stampendous Aged Green Embossing Enamel.  Love the stuff as it leaves pools of gold here and there creating a weather and rustic look.



Brothers, Friends, Survivors -The Titanic



This layout was created in conjunction with Once Upon A Sketch.  I used the sketch provided by the talented Nadia Cannizzo as my inspiration.

Journaling is a requirement for this challenge.  This month's journal topic is "Friends".
When I saw this photo, felt it was a perfect fit for the topic.  These boys in the photo shared a special bond as brothers, friends and survivors of the Titanic.

I added my journaling as a backdrop to the photo.  I printed out the story of these boys onto cardstock, embossed it, inked it and set it as the background. You can see what is written if you continue down my blog.





Below, I indicated the date of the sinking of the Titanic. 

Loius & Lola - Library of Congress by Bain News Publishing

Here is what is written on the page:
Michel Marcel Navratil, Jr. (June 12, 1908 – January 30, 2001) was one of the last survivors of the sinking of RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. Michel, along with his brother, Edmond Navratil (1910–1953), were known as the "Titanic Orphans", having been the only children rescued without a parent or guardian. He was the last male survivor of the Titanic.

Michel Marcel Navratil was born on June 12, 1908 in Nice, France to Michel Navratil, a tailor and Slovak immigrant to France, and Marcelle Caretto, an Italian, who had married in London. Michel had a younger brother, Edmond Roger Navratil, who was born on March 5, 1910.
The marriage was troubled, and in early 1912, Michel and Marcelle separated. Marcelle was awarded full custody of their two children. Marcelle allowed her sons to stay with their father over the Easter weekend; however, when she went to collect them, they had disappeared. Michel had decided to emigrate to the United States and to take his children with him. After a brief stay in Monte Carlo, the three traveled to England where they boarded RMS Titanic.

Michel, his brother, and his father boarded RMS Titanic at Southampton, England on April 10, 1912, as second-class passengers. For the journey, the elder Navratil assumed the alias 'Louis M. Hoffman', and the boys were booked as 'Loto' and 'Louis'. On board the ship, Navratil led passengers to believe that he was a widower. 

After Titanic’s collision with an iceberg, at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912, M. Navratil placed Michel and his brother in Collapsible D, the last lifeboat successfully launched from the ship.  The elder Navratil died during the sinking, and his body was recovered by the rescue ship, CS Mackay-Bennett. In his pocket was a revolver. 

While in Collapsible D, the boys were fed biscuits by first-class passenger Hugh Woolner.[3] When the rescue ship RMS Carpathia arrived at the scene, Michel and his brother were hoisted to its deck in burlap sacks. Since the two children were toddlers and spoke no English, they could not identify themselves and were soon referred to as the Titanic Orphans. French-speaking first-class passenger Margaret Hays cared for the boys at her home until their mother could be located, which occurred as a result of newspaper articles which included their pictures. Marcelle sailed to New York City, New York and was reunited with her sons on May 16, 1912. She took her children back to France aboard the RMS Oceanic.
Michel lived the remainder of his life in Montpellier, France. He died on January 30, 2001, at the age of 92.  Michel's brother, Edmond, worked as an interior decorator and then became an architect and builder. He joined the French Army during World War II and became a prisoner-of-war. Although he escaped, his health had deteriorated, and he died in 1953 at the age of 43
This is a photo of the boys as they reunite with their mother on May 16, 1912.


Thanks for spending the time looking and reading.  I appreciate this a great deal. 

Please check out  Scraps of Darkness and the art created by the rest of the wildly talented design team.  








Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Featured at 7 Dots Studio




The Scraps Of Darkness Team was featured at 7 Dots Studio! 

I am so proud to say that the Design Team at Scraps of Darkness was featured at 7 Dots.  Please check out the link for all the creations by the Design Team. 
Now that's very cool.  That 7 Dots Wonderland Collection was beyond fun to use.   It has that the versatility I always chat about - romantic, fun, dark and moody, whatever your feeling.  

Anyway, here are the layouts that I created with the 7 Dots Wonderland collection using the Scraps Of Darkness Wonderland Kit.   The  details regarding the layouts can be found here.   I even created a mini-tutorial on how to create your own cardboard embellishment to enhance your unique 7 Dots papers. 

Thanks 7 Dots!