Need ideas? Work from a sketch...

What do you do when you're stuck in a rut or have no scrapping mojo? I, personally, don't like to stay in those situations long, because it's very easy to just stop. Some things I like to do: run through my list of blogs to see if anyone has come up with some new techniques to try, filter through my scrapping magazines to try a different style of layout or I look through sketches of some of my favorite artists. Every month at Swirlydoos, there is a sketch of the month challenge. The one below is from Beggahuna made specifically for Swirlydoos. She creates many beautiful sketches which you can find here.

Here is my take on her sketch using the January Swirlydoos kit. Sketches can be followed closely, loosely, whatever it means to you. You can flip it, rotate it or just take certain elements. Sketches are used to engage your creative process and interpret it how it works for you.

We received a gorgeous die cut snowflake paper in our kit this month, which you can see in the picture below. I decided, to mask it for my background, since I wanted the paper for a different layout. I used 3 colors of blue Distress Ink (Faded Jeans, Broken China, Weathered Wood) to create my mask. The die cut paper has a glossy, embossed side and a plain side. I flipped the paper, plain side up, and used the makeup sponge to dab, dab, dab (do not rub on) the ink onto my background paper. Below you can see where I sponged on the Weathered Wood color. Do the three colors randomly over the section you are trying to mask and then lift the mask. With this type of die cut, if you rub the ink on, you have a good chance of ripping the die cut paper.

Here you can see the outcome. I did sponge on more color all the way to the edges of the background paper to give some continuity. Here's a fun little trick from Tim Holtz: before your Distress Ink dries, spritz some water onto your fingers and then flick your fingers at your background paper. It makes little water dots that look like snow falling.

I created the 3 vertical strips using the Doily Lace Trim Punch by Martha Stewart and the Double Loop punch to create the photo mat. After cutting my purple circle and inking the edges, I stamped the circle with a Manuscript stamp by Hero Arts. I like the Prima pearls along the edge of the circle too...gives it a nice romantic touch I think.

This gorgeous butterfly was included in the kit. I created a purple shadowed background for it and then used an Inkadinkadoo Snowflake flourish for the Butterfly trails.

The snowflake border below is a woodcut border included in the kit. I painted it with Pickett Fence Crackle Paint.

And finally lots and lots of flowers, along with some snowflakes. I inked a lot of my white flowers with coordinating colors of blue and purple. The centers are created with a dab of glue and micro beads. Be prepared for them to get everywhere.....

And there is my take on the sketch for this month. I've already seen the one for February and it's just as pretty. Can't wait to work with it.