Calvin Ball | Day Three...

Calvin Ball challenge Day 3: use a date stamp, circle, enamel dots, washi tape, a crown and/or ice cream.

"You & Me"

Lots of layers happening here. I'm not sure I am following the rules, but more so looking at colour combinations to help complement my photo. I have added a date stamp and a stamped circle. I have no idea WHY I didn't add any enamel dots... LOL!

Thanks for visiting..x

Jillibean Soup | Monochromatic layout..

Hello Friends! It has been a busy few months! But I'm back today to play catch up! LOL!

Last month over at the Jillibean Soup blog, I was challenged to create a fun monochromatic layout. Sounds fun right?! But I didn't want it to be a boring black and white/grey version. No way! My layout needed pink!

You can check out all the details over on the JSBlog. Including those easy to make clouds!

Thanks for visiting..x

Bella Blvd | Rock & Roll...

Hello Lovely Friends! I just wanted to share with you the super fun "Rock & Roll" layout created for Bella Blvd! I hope you get the chance to follow the link and discover the process behind my layout creativity! It's weird sometimes. No. Really. It is! *grin*

"This Rock & Roll"

products used: cs - American Crafts; pp - Bella Blvd; Alphas - Bella Blvd; embellishments - Bella Blvd: stickers, chipboard, enamel hearts, candid cards, transparencies; tools - paint, Bella Blvd: IF roller date stamp, ink.

Thanks for visiting..x

Bella Blvd | Just Add Color...

Hi Everyone! Today I wanted to share with you the amazing versatility of Bella Blvd's Just Add Color collection.  I have had so much fun creating this layout, fussy cutting and breaking out the watercolour paints!

 

"Star"

 

products used: cs - Bazzill, American Crafts; pp - Bella Blvd (Color Chaos, Just Add Color); alpha - Bella Blvd; other - Bella Blvd: stickers, enamel doodads, word strips (Little Bits); watercolour paint; tools - machine stitching.

 

 

You see, the new double-sided collection allows you to add a great deal more personality to your pages! One side comes with glorious colours, cute sayings and bold graphics, while the other side shares images and outlines of shapes.  This is where the fun part begins!

 

You can use these shape and theme outlines to highlight a photo/s with any colour of your choosing, simply by colouring them in yourself with your choice of medium! How easy is that!

 

 

I needed to the photo of my son (the one in yellow) to stand apart from the colours of the opposing team. This can be quite difficult sometimes, especially when documenting sporting events!  The stars were colour matched to the photo with a little premixing of watercolours directly on the palette. Before fussy cutting them out, I also added a some gentle splashes of black and teal paint to the blank stars.  I also wasn't bothered about staying in the lines. In fact it was quite a deliberate choice on my part.  I figure outdoor sports are generally messy (well at least the ones my sons play!!!) and the overall look of my layout could handle it.  *grin*

 

 

The word sticker strips, otherwise known as Bella Blvd Little Bits, were another fun addition to this page.  I love how I could convey the story of our Saturdays, with several well placed and colour coordinated sayings!

 

 

Another fun and somewhat subtle feature on my page is the layering of the Color Chaos Strandz patterned paper.  In the photo above you will be able to see miniature hockey sticks along side of my photo.  It is just a small detail, but one that helps share the story.

 

 

Thanks for joining me here today.  If you would like to see more of the Just Add Color collection, head on over to Bella Blvd and check out the talent from our other CT members...x

 

 

 



JOT Magazine | June Moodboard...

Hello Friends!  Are you excited to see the new Jot Magazine June Moodboard?  It is a stunner!  The lovely Natalie Elphinstone is this month's guest pinner and what a delightful colour scheme she has created for us to play with!

I'll always be the first to admit that I love pink!  And when it comes in shades of flamingo and watermelon, well.. I am absolutely smitten!  There was no way I was planning on sitting this challenge out!

"Happy"



products used: cs - American Crafts, Bazzill; pp - Bella Blvd (Colorchaos), Scraptastic Club (Text Me); PL Card - Becky Higgins; other - Scraptastic Club: cut aparts; Bella Blvd: Bella Bows, ColorChaos "&" sticker, enamel dots; Heidi Swapp "Happy" die; Dear Lizzy ephemera; Crate Paper Poolside ephemera; Kaisercraft: ephemera; Pebbles: gold glitter banner; Elle's Studio label; tools - machine stitching, sharpie, circle punch.

I've even created some of my own watermelon embellishments to add to the page. It was a simple matter of using a small circle punch to cut cardstock from pink cardstock and layer it on top of a slightly larger green cardstock circle. Trim the circle in half and then add small "v" shapes with a black pen.

And don't you think the Bella Bow from Bella Blvd is the perfect colour to grab your attention?

Thanks for visiting with me today.  Please head on over to the Jot blog and play along with our new Moodboard! I can't wait to see you over there!



Jillibean Soup | Life is Good...

Hello Friends! Thanks for staying with me this week as I share some of my Jillibean Soup layouts from the past few months.  The layout I am sharing today was created from the Spicy Social Soup collection.

 

"Life Is Good"

 

products used: cs - American Crafts; pp - Jillibean Soup (Spicy Social Soup); other - Jillibean Soup: pea pod parts, soup labels, clear stamps; tools - typewriter, ink.

 

Some of my favourite products from Jillibean Soup are the Pea Pod Parts.  Otherwise known as die-cuts! The ones from the Spicy Social Soup collections are especially fun and can be applied to so many different situations!

 

 

Here I've used them to enhance the story between my teen & tween! I have built them up in layers both on and around my photo.  I've even included some soup labels (stickers) and fussy cut elements from the patterned papers.

 

 

 

Another fave product that I've used on my page are the clear stamps.  

 

 

The hashtag stamps will win me over every. single. time!

 

 

 

Thanks again for visiting me here today. Please come back tomorrow for my final Jillibean Soup Lovefest instalment - cards!

 

 



Bella Blvd | Pinterest Inspired...

 

Hello Friends! As it is school holidays here at the moment, I've taken a few minutes to sneak away from the kids to post a layout created for Bella Blvd.  This challenge came from a Pinterest Inspired image that Laura found online. Isn't it gorgeous!  And perfect for March.  *ahem*... Yep. I know it's April!  EEEEEK!!  I did mention school holidays.. right? LOL!

 

 

Anyway... Here is what I took and created from the image above.

 

"Mad Skill"

 

products used: cs - American Crafts; pp - Bella Blvd (Color Chaos, Freestyle Sophisticates); alpha - Bella Blvd; other - Bella Blvd: enamel dots, whatnots chipboard, die cuts, stickers; Mr Huey's mist; tools - sewing machine, typewriter.

 

Don't you just want to add a "Z" to the title?  I certainly do. But alas, there wasn't quite the room to do it justice.

 

 

The star trail was just a fun little element I pulled from the reverse side of the Color Chaos patterned paper.  So I ran with it! But what started it all was the ombre shades of green in a block formation behind the photos.

 

 

Don't forget to head on over to Bella Blvd this week to check out the new line up of designers for 2015. Their introductions are currently being made.

 

Thanks for visiting me today..x

 



Scraptastic Club | Scrapping Siblings...

Hey Everyone! Today I am sharing my take on scrapping siblings of both genders. You know, the pigeon pair, boy/girl... *grin* It's not always easy, especially when it comes to the colour palette, but this is how I work around it.  Last month, I wrote this post for Scraptastic.  I hope you enjoy...x

 

Like most families, my children have both their good and loving moments together, equal to their total disdain for one another! I try very hard to capture all moments and with four children,  I can guarantee there are plenty of moments! But when it comes to scrapping siblings, what do you do to encapsulate them if you have both genders in the one photo? Today I am going to share a few tips on how I scrap a brother/sister combination with colour. 

 

"2+"

products used: Scraptastic Club kit - Good Day Sunshine; Add on - Good Day Sunshine; flair/badges - Good Day Sunshine; other - black paint; tools - typewriter.
 

My eldest two children have a mutual admiration for each other. Most of the time. The photo in the layout above was shot while they were having fun but in the next frame, little brother scratched big sister's new watch on the wall, and then the love disappeared in a flash.  It was a blink and you miss it moment. *grin*

 

However, trying to be a glass half full person, this is the image I wanted to share today. Using the Good Day Sunshine kit this month, the yellow hues convey their initial happiness.

 

Yellow has always been considered a neutral gender colour. This is something I keep in mind when I have a photo of both my daughter and son in it. But, I am not afraid to add a strong dose of pink or a flower to my layout, just because my son is in the photo too.

 



 

The colours in the photo often dictate the colours that are added to my page. The black t-shirt is punctuated and repeated on my layout with embellishments, to prevent it from becoming too feminine. And even though the bow is classically a girly thing to add, because of its colour I don't have an issue with it being there.

 



 

The same applies to the splashes of grey. It too is linked back to the photo because of the colour shirt my daughter is wearing.

 

But what do I do when the colours they wear in their clothing, is particularly strong? I can always convert the photo to a black and white image. Or I can embrace it.

 

 



products used: Scraptastic Club kit - Good Day Sunshine; Add on - Good Day Sunshine; flair/badges - Good Day Sunshine; other - gelatos (grape).
 

To make a connection with my photos on layouts, I will often create a cluster of layered patterned papers and embellishments with at least one colour from the photo added directly to the cardstock. I then build up the layers once again using a neutral selection.

 

A "grape" watercolour wash was added directly to the white cardstock background and the cluster stack has been added to one side of the page.  White space on a layout can also help neutralise a gender divide. It gives your eye time to rest and focus in on the photo rather than whether of not your page is boyish or girly. 

 



 

In this case, the embellishments used on the page can be singled out to being either feminine or masculine on their own. But used in a layered combination the pieces complement each other and help to tell the story.

 



 

Thanks for joining me here today. I hope I have shared a few ideas that will help you prevent a gender dispute on your layouts when scrapping photos of both boys and girls together on the one page.

 

 

 



JOT Magazine | March Mood Board...

Hello Friends!! Up on the Jot Magazine blog today, the Jot Girls are sharing how the March Mood Board inspired us to create some fun projects. Check out the board here:

 

 

Here's what I created..

 

"Play" 

 

products used: cs - American Crafts, Bo Bunny; pp - Pebbles, Jillibean Soup; alpha - MFT alphabet dies; other - Dear Lizzy ephemera, Jillibean Soup soup label, studio calico wood heart veneer, enamel dots, paper clip, vellum sentiment, Heidi Grace sticker, October Afternoon mist, Kaisercraft rub-ons; tools - silhouette portrait, Scaptastic Club clear stamps, small cloud punch.

 

 

I created the 3x4 card using my Silhouette Portrait and a favourite nursery rhyme.  From there I simply layered my colour matched products and shared my story with hidden journaling.

 

 

----quick tutorial-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

To create your own nursery rhyme cut file, open a new file in Silhouette and using the rounded corner rectangle, create a shape at 3" wide x 4" high. This forms your background/base card.

 

Click on the text icon and type in your selected phrase.  I created a different text box for each line of text.  This allowed me to resize and alter the spacing between the words.  I also used the Aharoni font. Once each line of the nursery rhyme is sized to your satisfaction, hold the 'shift' key and select the entire cut file. You can now centre the phrase inside the box. 

 

Hold the 'shift' key and select the entire cut file once again and then group all the elements together by right clicking the mouse.

Now you can send the file to your silhouette to be cut out.
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Thanks for visiting today.  I hope you get to play along over at Jot for your chance to win an awesome prize from 'APOCD'.  Good luck...x

 

 

Sassy Scrapper | Project Life Tutorial...

Head on over to Sassy Scrappers to check out my latest tutorial using both layers and watercolour!

 

 

 

Thanks for visiting..x

 

 



Scraptastic Club | Pinterest Monday...

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to share  with you a layout created for Scraptastic Club Pinterest Monday.  Monique and I are up on the blog here.

 

 

 



 "Happy Heart"

products used: Scraptastic Club Kit - This Must Be The Place; Add on - This Must Be The Place; flair/badges - This Must Be The Place; tools - typewriter, silhouette portrait.

 

Once again I broke out my Silhouette Portrait to recreate the quote.  I positioned the words on the right side and justified the edge to allow the individual words to line up perfectly. Below the cut I placed the moon phase patterned paper from the This Must Be The Place January kit and then layered the Crate Paper Open Book | Chapters patterned paper and the yellow cardstock beneath that.

If you would like to see more details, please visit the new Scraptastic Club website.

 

Thanks for joining me today.

 

Scraptastic Club | Heartbeats...

Hello Everyone!  It is almost the end of the year and  today I want to share with you a little super fast inspiration, using the gorgeous December Heartbeats kit from Scraptastic Club.

 

 

December is a really busy month in my household, but it doesn't necessarily mean I stop being creative!  To keep myself from going a little nuts during the holiday season, I love to play with pretty paper and shiny things!! And the Heartbeats kit has plenty of both.  But remember that part where I said December is really busy?  To keep myself from stressing even more (by starting something I can't finish!) I often take inspiration from a layout, to also create a card.  It's a two for one deal!

 

 

I've kept my layout simple, highlighting my photo with embellishments and layers.

"Love What You Do"

products used: Scraptastic Club Kit - Heartbeats; Add On - Heartbeats; Stamp Set - Heartbeats; Cut Aparts - Heartbeats; tools - hand stitching, typewriter.

 

The patterned paper guided my placement for the photo with it's vignette.  The darker grey around the outside edges, frames the photo.  Using a black and white photo takes away all the guess work when it comes to selecting a color palette.  I have chosen a complementary teal to work with the grey and then added bright pops of yellow for fun!

 

 

Hand stitching can sometimes be time consuming, but by using the Heartbeats clear stamps as a guide, I can quickly make the stamped image a feature.

 

I've finished my layout by journaling directly onto the Heartbeats cut aparts and mounting it onto foam dots for more dimension.

 

 

The clear stickers have been placed directly onto white cardstock and then embellished with puffy stickers from the kit.

 

 

After creating this layout, I had plenty of leftover supplies already sitting on my desk.  Instead of putting them away with my kit, I quickly used them to my creative advantage.

 

products used: Scraptastic Club Kit - Heartbeats; Add On - Heartbeats.

 

I've stayed true to the layout by using the same color palette and patterned papers.  But I've also adapted similar techniques, such as hand stitching, placing the clear stickers onto white cardstock and adding a triangle to the corner of the card. 

 

To create the hand stitched flourishes, simply draw some elegant swirls with a pencil and then pre-pierce the paper.

 

Thanks for joining me here today.  I hope I have managed to share a few simple ideas to keep you creative during this busy season..x

ps - all this information has just been repeated over at Scraptastic! Ha!  Word. For. Word.  I told you it was a busy, time consuming month and at the moment, I'm all for taking short cuts! *grin*  I hope you don't mind.