Bo Bunny Alissa

I love the new Bo Bunny Alissa line and I was so pleased that I got to use this new line of papers

I cut a rectangle from the following papers in slightly different lengths

Spunky
Look at me

I then drew a border around each rectangle and stuck them onto black bazzill cardstock

I took my photo and matted on black cardstock and again drew around the edge in white pen and around the photo in white pen, I stuck one of the bracket shapes from the sticker sheet onto my photo

Once I had attached my photo to the LO I doodled round the bracket shape, I didnt stick the bottom edge of the photo down at this stage.

I then cut a strip of paper from the spunky sheet and attached this to the scalloped border sticker from the sticker sheet and stuck these under the bottom edge of my photo.

I then stuck some 4mm double sided tape over the join line of the paper strip and scalloped border.
I took a chipboard heart and inked lightly with a chalk ink pad, and stuck onto my LO, i lifted the edge of the double sided backing paper as I stuck my heart over the edge of the tape and wanted to be able to release the backing paper

I released the double sided tapes backing paper and sprinkled some glitter onto the tape. I rubbed the glitter into the tape with my finger and brushed the excess off with a paint brush. Ignore the flower stickers I will explain later :o)

I added some bling to my bracket shape and a rub-on to the chipboard heart. I also drew around the scalloped sticker and added some dots to the scallops

At this point I decided that I needed to add some more blue spunky paper to to the LO but I had already stuck some flower stickers to the LO so I just lifted this sticker strip off and slid a piece of paper under the stickers then reattached the stickers. I drew around the flower stickers with white pen added the first word of my title using the combo sticker alphabet and the I added some rub-ons around the title. I also added some bling to the middle of each flower.

I added the rest of my title using making memories mini alpha stickers and added more rub-ons around the photo and here is my finished LO

Stitching on Layouts - 2

And here is my second layout showing another way to use stitching on your layouts.

This layout uses the My Minds Eye range called Grow.

The first paper I used is called Little Blossom, I used the orange dotty side, firstly cutting a large circle.
Using my EK Success Large Corner Rounder punch, I cut a scalloped edge.

I then cut two rectangles from two of the other papers, Checking Out, and Lots of Dots.

After inking the edges, I stuck the scalloped circle to my base cardstock, a piece of Bazzill Kraft.
The larger of the two other pieces I also stuck down.

On this layout I used Stitching templates- the ones I used are Bazzill In Stitchz, but there are others on the market. In the Papermaze shop Vanessa sells Crafters Workshop templates. Whilst these are not sold for stitching use, many of the designs could be used to mark a pattern to use to pierce holes for stitching.
Another option is to print a design on copy paper, then to pierce through using your paper piercer.

I also pierced a circle 5mm just inside the edge of the scalloped paper, and also a circle using a circular template just inside on the background cardstock.

I wanted quite a solid stitched line.
To do this, I started underneath, and stitched up through and back down through the next hole. Instead of moving on, move backwards to the hole before the first, then up and through. To complete the stitch, go back down through the first hole you where you started. You will now have two stitches forming a more solid stitching pattern.
To continue move backwards again, stitch up and through, and back down through the same hole you have already used.

The back of the layout will look like this...

There is most likely a technical term for what I have tried to describe- but a sewer I am not... only on my layouts!

The flowers are made from the Die-Cut Accessory Sheet I simply pushed out, inked and layered, sticking them together with small 3D foam pads for extra dimension.

I added another flower and some leaves on the other side to balance the layout.

The title is made using Doodlebug Simply Sweet alphabet stickers, I doodled around them with a brown pen to define them more.
A little journalling on some small strips of card finished the layout.

When I first received these papers to use I really wasn't sure about the colours, but by using them with a sepia photo, and using a kraft coloured base, I love the way it all came together.

I hope you will have been inspired to go and dig out a needle and some thread and add a little extra something to a layout soon.

Stitching on Layouts - 1

I love stitching on my layouts... using my sewing machine is a very easy way to add extra texture and depth and it is quick and easy.
But having said that, as my sewing machine isn't out and set up to use, I don't use it as much as I would like to.

There are alot of scrapbookers out there who don't have a machine to use to stitch on their layouts- so what else can you do?

You can use a needle and thread of course!
It can take time, and sometimes a fair bit of patience, but I think the results are well worth that extra effort.

I was asked to do a couple of layouts to show how you can add something extra to your layouts through stitching.

My first layout uses some of the Bella Boulevard Swing into Spring range.
These papers are so bright and fun, and there is a matching sticker sheet to complete the range.

The stitching technique on this layout is simple, and the only tools you need are a paper piercer or strong needle, and a needle and embroidery thread.
You could use thinner thread for a finer look to your stitching, but I prefer the chunkier look.

To get the shpes for my pieces of paper I drew around some chipboard templates I have, then I cut them out with my craft knife.
The first piece was cut from the Easter Grass paper.

I used Little Buds for another,

and April Showers and May Flowers for another two.

A final piece of roughly 6 inches square was cut from Bazzill Basics Dotted Swiss cardstock.
I then inked all the edges using a Cats Eye chalk inkpad.

I stuck the largest piece to my base, a sheet of 12x12 white Bazzill cardstock.
The piercer I use is the Bazzill Basics In Stitchz one. I pierced holes about 5mm inside the edge all the way round. Remember to use a piercing mat or similar thick foam pad underneath to protect your work surface!

Using an embroidery needle and thread I then simply stitched through all the holes I had pierced using the simplest method- starting from underneath,up through the first hole, down through the next.
You'll be back underneath again, so go up through the next hole, and down through the next. Continue until you reach the end- in this case until you get back to the beginning where you started.

Stitch all the pieces in the same way, I used different coloured threads on different papers for a greater contrast.

To fix it all together I used pieces of foam tape to add to the depth of the layout. I normally use small 3D foam pads, but due to the size of the pieces being stuck down I found tape worked better.

For the title I used American Crafts Gift Box Thickers in white; and Making Memories Tiny Alpha stickers.

I kept the rest of the embellishing of the page to a minimum as I felt that the stitching and different shaped papers didn't need too much else.
I took two stickers from the matching sheet, and layered them together. A small amount of journalling written onto thin strips of card finished the page.

And here is the completed page...

Junes workshop

* PINS - i know a few of you have been asking about the pins that i use on my pages and cards. We now have some in the shop and they should be going up on the website in the next week. If you do want some in the mean time please phone the shop and one of the girls there will be pleased to help you.

The first workshop is done using the new Crate Paper line called Little Sprout. This is a 12 by 12 layout. It does involve some handcutting so bring along a good pair of scissors!!!!

This is a class for all levels. During this workshop you will be using the Cuttlebug, Cricut machine and transparency. The date for this workshop is 10th June and it starts at 7.30pm. Bring along your normal cropping tools.

The next class is done using the Bazzill Basics heart cardstock shape and the new Scenic Route called Garden Grove.

The date for this workshop is the 17th June and starts at 7.30pm. As usual bring along your cropping tools.

All our workshops are done for all levels. We keep the classes small so if you are a beginner and have not been scrapbooking long i have plenty of time to help people.

The workshops are going up on the website in the next few days.They are small and really friendly so dont worry if you have to come on your own. We put together a page, eat chocolate, drink tea and generally have a good fun time!!!! lol.

Other Uses...

Sometimes a paper line comes out that i love and i just cannot use it for just the purpose it is supposed to be. The Making Memories Love line was just that line.

Yet again making memories out did themselves with their Love Notes line. And because i loved it so much i bought extra to make some cards. Now there are only so many valentines and love cards that you can make right? so i used it to make a couple of normal cards, that can be used for any occasion.

Here they are...
Although manufacturers often bring out themed lines, with a little bit of thought the papers can be used for all sorts of things!! Why not have a go at using a line for something other than what it was designed for!!

PRIMA PAPERS

Oh I fell in love with the new prima papers when i had my parcel come so i decided to make the most out of them and do two layouts.The first layout is very simple to achieve - just start off by cutting your paper into strips! I decided I wanted to curl alot of this paper - the green strip I curled then used embroidery thread to give the effect as shown.

Making your own flower centre is a cheap way of adding that extra special embellishment and is so easy to do. I wanted to do some stamping on this layout and found using the patterned papers really complemented the black stamps.

I wanted to make my second layout a multiphoto layout. Again I just cut strips of paper to achieve the effect as shown. I used alot of 3d gel pens on this layout to give my rubons a 3d effect.

Adding extra detail to plain embellishments - part 1

I am a bit of an embellishment freak and I just love jazzing up plain embellishments

Using a paint marker i drew round the groove in the button

I stuck the button onto a prima daisy flower using glossy accents

Then i took 2 pieces of ribbon and tied them together

I pushed 2 pins through the ribbon knot

And stuck the ribbon and pins onto the centre of the button with glossy accents

I took a chipboard heart and lighty inked the edges using a Cats Eye Fluid Chalk Orchid - Pastel

I then stuck the button embellishment onto the chipboard heart


I used my heart embellishment on this LO

Fun with felt!

I'm always looking for ways to add a personal touch to my pages, and one way of doing this is to create my own embellishments. I had a stack of felt pieces in the drawer and decided to use them on my page about my other half's new glasses!

You can run felt through most diecutting machines (not the electronic ones I hasten to add!) but the easiest thing to do is to handcut your shapes with a pair of sharp scissors. I wanted to add small hearts to this layout, so I simply drew a rough guideline on the back of my felt then cut out the shape. It doesn't have to be precise - the imperfections add to the charm!

I layered my embellishments up with small paper flowers, and also used this border stamp to stamp directly on my page to create a 'base' for some of my embellishments.

To add to the homespun feel of the page, I added sewing machine stitches around some of the papers, you could also handstitch for a similar effect. Here is the finished page, very simple and quite thrifty too, as there was plenty of the felt sheet left to use for other pages too!