Friday 25 March 2016

Hello Sunshine! - Creating for All About Scrapbooks!

Good morning everyone!
 
This week, for my design work for All About Scrapbooks,  I've had a play with some Summery Papers.
It was so much fun to work with these.
I got a bit carried away, and couldn't stop creating, as you will see!
Both work really well with 'beachy' photos from a recent summer family holiday.
 
Firstly, a layout.  I kept this page fairly simple, as I just LOVE that background paper, and didn't want to cover it up too much.
I added a few strips of paper (this is one of my favourite techniques), and cut out a few sayings from the papers.  I then added some 2Crafty Chipboard and a few flicks of spritz.
 
 
I absolutely loved using the word paper from Cocoa Vanilla. 
I couldn't stop cutting out those cute little sayings.
 
 
 
For those of you who regularly look at my work, you will know I'm trying to use the leftovers from ranges to create a week in my Project Life Album.
This week I actually created two!!
I had so many great photos from our holiday that I wanted to include, so I went a little 'nuts' and kept creating.
 
Here's the left side:
 
 
And here's the right:
 
 
And because I couldn't stop, here's another spread:
 
 
The left side:
 
 
And the right:
 
 
In most of my Project Life spreads, I like to add extra photos. 
I have created the following technique to enable me to include 'more' in my weeks.
I also use this technique to include extra journaling, particularly if that journaling is about a sensitive topic.
I attach photos back to back, and then adhere these using washi tape, along the edge of the Project Life Card - on the side where the opening of the plastic sleeve is.  This creates a flap, and means the top photo sits on the outside of the plastic sleeve.  To ensure this flap is strong, add washi to both the outside, and also the inside hinge.
Here's a piccy:
 
 
It certainly makes your album more interesting and interactive to look through.
Plus I get to use some of the washi tape in my stash!!
 
Well that's finally it from me this week!
Thanks for reading this very long blog post.
I hope you get some scrappy time in over the weekend.
 
 
 

Friday 18 March 2016

Playing with Shine by Crate Paper

Happy Friday Everyone!
I'm here to share another Design for All About Scrapbooks - my absolute favourite place to get my Scrappy Supplies!
 
This week I had a play with Crate Paper's Shine Range by Maggie Holmes.
I adore Crate Paper, but often miss out on their embellishments.
So I decided to just have a play with their papers, and add other embellishments.
You may have worked out by now that I love mixing ranges!
 
I began by swiping gesso over my background striped paper. 
 I then added some spritz, and then a few strips of the various papers from the range.
I added my photos, in a cluster over these, focusing on one side of the paper, as I wanted to ensure I left enough space for my title and journaling.
 
 
I then had a blast with 2 Crafty Chipboard.  I went with a circular theme, and painted them in colours that matched the papers.  I added a few swipes of black and white as well, as I wanted them to look a bit 'arty' and not too perfect.
 
I then added some word stickers, my title, and some flicks of spritz/paint.
 
 
This was a fun page, with some selfie photos my girl took on my phone!
What can I say? She really shouldn't do that, cause she knows I'm gonna print them and scrap them! (insert evil laugh here).
 
 
I also decided to create a Project Life spread using this range.
I'm really enjoying creating a weekly spread from the leftovers. 
Plus it has the bonus of keeping me kind of up to date!  I think I've mentioned before how I got really behind last year (like 5 months), and playing catch up nearly killed me! 
So this year I'm determined to keep up.
I'm happy to say, I'm only a few weeks behind.
 
Here's the left side:
 
 
And the right:
 
 
I love the colours in this range, and I especially love the black and white stripe paper! 
 I find it really draws my eye into the design.
 
I'll be back with another share soon!
 

Friday 11 March 2016

More Happy Place!

Happy FriYay! Everyone!
 
I'm back with a few creations I created for All About Scrapbooks.  This week I again played with  Fancy Pants Happy Place Range. Sooo cool!
The colours and on-trend designs make these papers so easy to work with.
 
 
The colours are so happy and fun and perfect for some recent photos from a
family beach holiday.
This photo is one of my absolute favourites from the holiday - I love absolutely everything about it.  It pretty much captures our seven days in the one photo. 
Every time I look at it I'm right back there, at the beach.
However, all that red on the boogie boards put me off!! But I really wanted to scrap it in colour and not black and white, so what to do??
So I teamed it with a white background, added red accents, and added a touch of black.  I find black and white always 'grounds' bright colours and tone everything down.
 
 
I added some 2 Crafty Chipboard Triangles as they complemented the paper so well, and because, well, I just can't NOT use them at the moment! Lol.
The die cuts and word stickers from this range made this layout so simple
to bring together.
I love it when a range has so many extras to go with it!
 
I LOVE this range so much I thought it would look awesome in one of my Project Life Spreads. Some of you may not realise I complete a weekly spread, and have kept this up for 2 years. Yay!  Last year, I got really behind, but managed to catch up, so am determined to not let that happen this year.
 
So here's the look at our week:
 
 
I love the colour palette, and all the little embellishments suited Project Life so well.
 
The left side:
 
And the right:
 
 
Thanks for looking!
I'll be back next week!
 

Friday 4 March 2016

Celebrating YOU!

So it's Friday already???
Where did the week go?
 
I did find time in the craziness of life to create this layout for my favourite scrappy store All About Scrapbooks.
 
It's all about my son and his graduation from Primary School.   I know right!?! Graduation from Primary School! Yep he's now at High School! Year 7 at Middle School, on the Senior School Campus. Say WHAT!  Anyway, I couldn't be more prouder of him each and every day, but I really wanted to document this moment in our lives.
 
For this layout I used a 'bit' of this, and a 'bit' of that. 
Specifically, from Fancy Pants Happy Place, and Cocoa Vanilla Made of Awesome (some of you may remember I created a graduation book for my son earlier this year with this range) - I grabbed the leftovers. 
The link to the book is HERE for those of you who missed it.
 
 
I started with a piece of kraft cardstock.  The colour matches my son's pants. 
The cardstock piece  I chose has a gorgeous woodgrain pattern embossed into it.  To enhance this I swiped a few spots with gesso, and then added some spritz.  This really 'showed off' the woodgrain. 
I then added some spritz, and a few layers and strips of leftover papers.
I always enjoy adding the embellishments, and finding the 'right' pieces.  I admit, I probably spend too long on this part, but it's so much fun!  I love rummaging through stickers, flairs, chipboard, words, etc.  I'm like a kid in a candy store!
I added some 2Crafty Chipboard Stars, as they suited the theme perfectly, and finished off the layout. I played around painting them a few different colours, before deciding on embossing them in a metallic finish.
 
 
I needed an older male birthday card this week, so whipped one up with what was sitting on my desk after creating this layout........
 
 
I added a patterned base to the card, and then added a few strips of leftovers.  I tore a few edges, to prevent it from looking to 'square' and 'blocky'.  I then added a 2Crafty Chipboard Star, which I had embossed with a metallic finish, and a few random stickers, some thread and of course a few mandatory flicks of spritz!
 
I kept the cluster to the bottom right corner, as the paper I had used was drawing the eye to that focal point.  If I had put the cluster anywhere else, it would have been too overwhelming and confusing to the eye. 
 
I love how all the 'boy' colours work so well together.
 
Well that's it for now, I'll see you again soon!
Have a great weekend!!
xxx
 

Tuesday 1 March 2016

Scrap the Girls March Reveal!

 
It's March already! WHAT?!?  Well I'm totally not ready for that, but I have found time to create for Scrap the Girls.
This month we have a cool sketch.
Here it is:
 
And here's my take on it:
 
And a close up:
 
 
I hope you join in with the sketch this month.  Sketches are such a great place to start.  They often unlock creative block, and are a great jumping off point.
This month there is an amazing prize pack up for grabs from Charm's Creations
If you haven't seen her stuff check them out. 
Beautiful, handmade embellishments.  Her blog full of inspiration is HERE.
 
I can't wait to check out all your amazing layouts.
If you want more inspiration from the talented team at Scrap the Girls go HERE.