Hi, I'm Torrey. Welcome to Left Field, where creativity runs amok and imagination is ALWAYS more important than knowledge. Shoes are not allowed but ties are optional. This is a repository of snippets from my life out here in Left Field. One never knows what shiny bits of creativity will be found here... cards, scrapbook layouts, photography, poetry, recipes, ponderings, rantings and musings. It could be anything! Life in Left Field is always changing, always real, always ...interesting.

November 29, 2011

Autumn Breeze Blog Hop

Hidy Ho, crafty peeps!

It's monthly Blog Hop time over at Bombshell Stamps! Yippeee!!! I don't know about you, but I'm really liking this Blog Hop stuff. If you landed here from Mary G's  AwEsOme blog, then you're in the right place!! And you did it without the aid of a GPS. Good for you!!!

If not, no worries!! Just hop back over to the Bombshell Blog and you can start at the beginning...and as Julie Andrews sings..."It's a very good place to start"!

This month's theme was a color-palette challenge set forth by Alison. The DT had lotsa fun with this challenge! The palette is from a really, REALLY cool site called Design Seeds (thank you, Alison, for sharing it). The chosen scheme is called Autumn Breeze:

As soon as I saw it, I IMMEDIATELY thought..."ASIAN". And then, I suddenly had a craving for Lemon Pepper Shrimp and Lettuce Wraps from PF Changs. But I digress...and, now, I'm drooling.

I totally ADORE Asian-themed art. What a PERFECT color combo to work with!!!! But, is it me or do the first and fourth colors look ALMOST the same? Like REALLY REALLY CLOSE? # 4 is just a SMIDGE lighter than #1. Er, um, so I kind of took "liberties" with my palette and made color #1 somewhere in-between #3 and #4. Call it...artistic license. Deal with it.

So, without further ado, here are my projects. Yes, I did more than one. Why? Why not??? The first project is a little 3-D shadowbox-framed decorative piece (6x6 inches). It is now happily living on the wall next to my Kokeshi doll collection in my library. See!!! Aren't the colors PERFECT for this??? (I'm getting better at photographing these things!!)

Project #1 - Geisha Shadow Box


This project has a LOT going on, so allow me to point out a few of its features (Torrey assumes stewardess-like stance and begins to motion with both hands, simultaneously, toward the exits).

Go Go Geisha girl. Don't you just LOVE her? I know I do! I colored the Geisha and her FaBuLoUs parasol with my trusty colored pencils. Then I "fussy cut" the whole shebang and used a black marker to color the cut edge so no white shows (nothing obsessive about me, no siree). I printed off an extra parasol, cut it out and popped it off the one underneath with foam tape.  Lastly, I mounted it to the background with MORE foam tape (what can I say...I'm a dimensional kind of gal).

Some background about the background. It's done using the Iris-folding technique. I ADORE Iris-folding (when it's done WELL). It's challenging to pick out the right combo of colors and patterns. I created the Iris-folding feature to resemble an ocean wave at sunset (Aaah!!! See it now?). I wanted to echo the waves in the Geisha's parasol. I also think that Iris-folding looks a LOT like Origami, so I knew it would blend seamlessly with my Asian theme. Plus, I've been a HUGE fan of Origami ever since I was a kidlet. 

I added a punched border across the bottom to "anchor" everything (and give the Geisha something to sit on). I couldn't resist adding just a TOUCH of bling...so there is a star-shaped rhinestone on the apex of the parasol and some frosted gemstones in the flower centers.

Shedding light on the paper lanterns. These are my own design. I figured out what shapes I wanted then cut them out of Vellum which I scored with a stylus to get the vertical lines. Then I ran each one through a crimper to get the horizontal ridges. At first I thought "Man! These look like really greasy Ruffles potato chips." The other parts of the potato-chip lanterns are made out of cardstock. The flames are hand-colored on cardstock and adhered to the back side of the lantern. The hanging loop of each one is actually a loopy corner punch that I trimmed to the right shape. After I assembled the Ruffles lanterns, I hung them from some awesome fiber on the OUTSIDE of the frame--this allows them room to dangle and move.

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Now, for my second offering. Since I had leftover strips from the Iris-folding of my first project and a few extra stamped flowers...I decided to continue down the Iris-folding path and create a coordinating card. I snagged this kimono pattern somewhere on the net. The pattern was designed for only 2 colors...but, of course, I altered it to accommodate all 5 colors for this challenge. I'm tricky like that.

Project # 2 - Kimono Card

Ingredients: (for both Projects #1 and #2)
Geisha stamp, flower stamp - Bombshell Stamps ("Peek-A-Boo" Geisha, Bombshell Angel)
Border punch, corner punch - EK Success for Martha Stewart
Gems and rhinestone - Darice
Prismacolor colored pencils
Decorative fiber
Designer Paper  (see, I'm learning...I didn't call it patterned paper)
Frame - EK Success
foam spacers
cardstock
vellum
Glue Glider Pro - Glue Arts
Paper crimper - Paper Adventures

Ok, so you're REALLY intrigued with this Iris-folding stuff now, aren't you? Perhaps I'll do a tutorial on it in the nearish future! Put a comment in if you'd like to see a tutorial on how to make this card or make the background of the shadowbox project. If there is enough interest, I'll do it!

Well, it's time for me to say "Sayonara" to y'all (bows, then waves fingers tootle-loo style).  Domo arigato SO MUCH for stopping by! Be sure to visit ALL the Blogs in the Hop and leave COMMENTS...'cuz we all love to get comments!! We love to hear from you! 

Your next stop will be Cheryl's FaBuLoUs blog (she's super-talented).

Here is a complete list of all the Hop's participants in case you get lost or want to revisit some!
Alison 
you're here ----> Torrey <----- that's me!
today is her birthday ---> Sparkly Mary <--- wish her a happy BD! 



16 comments:

  1. Woohoo Torrey!! You rocked it girl!And even TWO project you've made! WOW-WOW-WOW!
    I love your geisha girl and all the matching details,Fabulous!!
    Fantastic job!

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  2. STUNNING card Torrey- made my daughter go 'oooh' love, love , love this!!!

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  3. TORREY!! WOW! That shadow box is AMAZINGLY beautiful!!! Love those lanterns!! The kimino card is stunning. Great job on both projects!!! Glad you were able to hop with us this month! You really rocked the challenge!

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  4. holy guacamole- or should I say Holy Sushi? GIRL- this is beyond amazing, BOTH projects. Your creative eye ROCKS!!!! (oh and yep- still patterned paper at my house, probably always will be, I'm stubborn like that)

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  5. I love the thought you put into these cards! They both look amazing! I'm going to commit your lantern idea to memory right now!

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  6. OH WoW! Oh Wow! Oh Wow! I want them both. Now I'm going to have to learn iris folding. These are incredible.

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  7. Fabulous Shadow Box and Card Torrey!!! Wowzers... I really love them both! I am almost speechless!!! I love the Iris Folding that you did on both of them and the extra goodies are awesome!!! Have a wonderful day!!!

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  8. Hi, girly! Your projects are out of this world! That shadow box made my jaw hit the floor and just when I thought I had fully recovered, you hit me with that fabulous kimono card! STUN-NING!!!

    Not only are your projects incredible, but I LOVE reading your posts. So well put together and super funny! You're a very talented girl. Can't wait to see what you do next ;D

    Hugz, Cheryl

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  9. Totally fabulous shadow box!!! There's just so much to look at, yet the focus remains on that fabulous dimensional Geisha!

    I'm wowed by your Ruffles® lanterns and the iris folding!

    Like Cheryl, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your description. Your quotes around "fussy cutting" made me giggle.

    So glad that someone else can't abide white edges and inks 'em to camouflage them. I also was deliriously happy that you gave the Geisha somewhere to sit. All that geisha-ing can be very tiring. Or so I'd imagine.

    Oh yes. I also love the matching card and you were good and used your scraps and leftovers! Waste not, want not...

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  10. First off, your writing style kicks ass. I love reading your blog. Second...your projects! Geez...way to blow my geisha card outta the water! You knocked my socks off! I wish that shadowbox was hanging on MY wall! And your tea folding is ridonkulous. Beautiful card. You sure inspired me!!!

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  11. Wow! Incredible projects! Really gorgeous work. And I would love a tutorial!:)

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  12. What a great shadow box. The colors are beautiful.
    Christine

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  13. Oh my, Torrey, this are just the most beautiful projects I have seen by far! I LOVE the Asian theme. :) Truly, truly inspiring!

    Hopping by,
    Jenny (Wifey Cookie)
    http://cookieadventures.blogspot.com/

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  14. WOW! Torrey you really rocked the challenge! Both of your creations are amazing. The iris folding goes perfectly with the geisha girl image.

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  15. OMG JAW DROPPING!!!!! Both of these are amazing. I am just blown away by both of them.

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  16. Love both of these little master pieces, wow so much inspiration.xxx

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Thank you for taking the time to comment! It is always wonderful to get virtual pats on the back!! I truly appreciate every comment...they are little bits of love.