Sunday Scrapping with Guest Artist Dawn Perkins

Hi Everyone
We hope everyone in Christchurch is keeping well and that life for you is possibly returning to normal.

Louise Williams has organised a Charity Auction with all proceeds going to the Earthquake Relief fund. Retailers, artists and crafters across the country have been donating crafting goods. The auctions will be running from Saturday 5th March. Please join the Group on Facebook to have access to the auctions.

There were some wonderful posts this week from DT Members Joanne, Shirl, Tina and Lowri.

Both Joanne and Shirl have used our Sketch as inspiration for their layouts and we would love you to use it too to create a layout and enter our monthly challenge.  Your entry to the challenge can be either along our theme of "Birthdays and Blooms" OR it can be using the sketch. (OR of course it can be both!)

To enter the challenge - send a picture of your project to artfullcraftsdt@gmail.com You can send us as many entries as you like. We will be featuring entries and there will be a prize for the Challenge Winner!

SUNDAY SCRAPPING

Guest Featured Artist - Dawn Perkins

Dawn lives in Texas with her son Cade who often features on her amazing layouts. She has a gorgeous sense of style and a wicked sense of humour which comes across in much of her work. She describes her style as fun, happy and eclectic, and she very generously answered our questions and shared some of her favorite work

How were you first introduced to scrapbooking?
I discovered scrapbooking when I was pregnant with my son in 2001. I took a part time job at a craft store in Portland, Oregon. The job only last a few months, but the hobby stuck for good!

What inspires you for layouts, projects, cards?
You know, inspiration for me can come from anywhere. I become inspired from a picture, a song, an ad in a magazine, some fresh new papers, one tiny embellishment…you name it! I usually come up with an idea, latch on to it and extrapolate from there.

Be Yourself
The pic is a shot of me at Halloween with fake eyelashes on (fun!) and I wanted to scrap about that fantasy look. The chandelier I cut out and ran through a Xyron and then sprinkled with Glamour Dust (a very fine glitter). I love the Glitz papers and that little diving Swallow, and the colors paired here.

What other project types do you like to work on besides scrapbook pages?
I love doing minis! They take a long time, each page is like doing a whole 12x12, but the result has high impact. I also did one of the photo carousels that I titled “Confessions of a Mom” and I really like the way I can add to it as something else comes up that I need to confess about! Art as literal therapy! 

What scrapbooking tools/products can you not do without?
I adore sprays, spritzes and mists to death! Love the way they make a page more gritty at times and carefree at others, depending on the application and the subject of the page. In addition, I have practically given myself carpal tunnel with the use of my scissors and the fussy cutting my wrist has endured!

Super
“Super” is another page that I like. I love working with bright, bold color choices, layering beautiful papers and making graphic statements. The gorgeous lad is my son, Cade Maverick. You can’t go wrong with Sassafras Lass papers if you want to make a fun page.

What is your current favorite technique or embellishment?
I am loving punches, especially border punches and I really dig all the border strips you can find nowadays – you can put a page together pretty fast with those. As for graphics, I am currently wearing out clouds, wings and banners or pennants.

What do you hope to try to improve on this year?
I hope to improve on my wallet by using more of my stash! Alternately, I would love to get a sewing machine and add that depth and richness to my LOs. I’d like to be more free, less inhibited and try not to compare myself because there are so many amazing artists, you can paralyze yourself with judgements.

Christmas Mini Album
This Graphic 45 Envelope Mini Album was a hit at Christmas! My sis received it full of photos, gift cards, and other gifts/memorabilia that made it a wonderful/personalized treasure. I plan on keeping one or two of these envelope albums on hand, so that I can put together one of these for other friends and family as well
(Lowri here saying that I insisted Dawn chose this as one of her faves and told us about it!)

What advice can you give to people just beginning to enjoy scrapbooking?
Dive in and get your fingers dirty. Try lots of techniques and explore many blogs to learn new things. Get to know some ladies that scrap! They are very helpful, and a great group of women with unexpectedly fabulous senses of humor.

Do you have a blog?
www.mojomayhem.blogspot.com I’d love to hear from you! 


Here is some more of Dawn's wonderful work. I just love how FUN it is!!

Layouts

Domestic Bliss Mini Album

Please leave us a comment if you have enjoyed Dawn's work and we will be sure to send them onto her!

Have a great week - Lowri :-)