Echo Park Petticoats

Hi there, I'm back with my second post using the gorgeous Echo Park Petticoats collection.  I decided to make a couple of simple cards utilising some paper and stickers from the Elements Sticker sheet.

For my first card I thought I would use my Big Shot Pro and a technique I saw online where you place the top cutting plate only up to the point where I wanted to cut half a heart and left the other half of the heart exposed with no plate on top so there is no pressure of the plates therefore it did not cut the die.  Sounds more confusing than it is!  I took a couple of photos to explain the process.

In doing this technique I cut half a heart shape that stands up at the top of my card, I then used the die to cut a full heart with co-ordinating paper to use for my design.  I used several co-ordinating papers from the Petticoats collection to create the background of the card and then used stickers from the collection raised on foam pads to create a birthday card.

For my second card I, again, used papers from the Petticoats collection and some Kachina Bazzill cardstock to create a lovely background.  I found a frame sticker in the Element Sticker sheet and used this to create a little shaker window.  I raised the sticker frame by using foam pads cut to size and then rubbed embossing powder gently round the inside rim of the foam pads to ensure the sequins didn't stick and could move freely round the frame.  I then used a Dusty Attic dress form that I had inked with Distress Inks on top of the frame to match the paper in the background.

Lastly, I often wonder what to do with the leftover scraps of cardstock that I have.  As it is half term this week, I decided to make some simple treat bags for my children.  I used the beautiful Tim Holtz Scribbles stencil and some distress inks to create a pretty background on some glassine bags that I had in my stash.  I then cut out some pennant shapes using scraps of cardstock I had left from the Petticoats range.  I also used the fabulous Papermaze little doilies, mounted the cardstock on top and added the little ice cream spoons I had in my stash.  I added some bakers twine and a pretty little pink rose to the ends of the spoons to finish the bags off.  These could be used for children's parties, baby showers even weddings.  A great way to use your stash!

Thanks for looking!

Blue Fern Studios 'Blush'.... And so the Adventure Begins.

 Hi There, it's Anita with you today.....
Having had the enjoyment of playing with papers from the 'Serendipity' Range from Blue Fern Studios earlier on in the month, I have also been lucky enough to play with some of the 'Blush' papers too. I thought they were perfect for scrapping one of our wedding photo's, taken back in Sept, 1992.

  I always find it hard to photograph layouts to capture the true colours, sparkles and shimmers on the page and this is very true for this layout, such a shame. It started off as a shabby pink, but actually ended up in varying shimmering shades of copper, rose pink and stone white.

I used a sheet of Blush 'Celebration'
for the base of the layout and then I used a Harelquin mask and some texture paste to create the dimentional background.  I gave it a few squirts with some Rose spray and then a generous squirting of Copper Shimmer mist ( you can NEVER have too much shimmer and shine!!)
I had some harlequin chipboard to work with and I coated this with white acryic paint and lots of Copper shimmer mist, then scattered the peices about across the layout in various places. I wanted the photo to stand out, but without a mat to sit it on, so i sponged all round the edge with some more white paint just for some gentle definition.

I also had some black lace that I wanted to add, but it was way to harsh in black. So I sponged it with white paint and then added some Stickles.  I laid the lace just under the edge of the photo ( which I had raised up on foam pads for a little more dimension) I also added a couple of Prima Blossoms ( also gently sponged with white paint to tone the colours down a bit) And I made a couple of rolly roses and added a pearl in the centres. ( tutorial for roses here )

The sheet of Valentine Cards is covered with some lovely bits and peices, but I only cut out a couple of sections and added to the page. The bottom quote was taken from a sheet of Serendipity Calling Cards and I just popped on another rolly rose and a vintage cabouchon.

 

To finish the layout I just needed a bit more sparkle, but didn't know quite what.

I am really enjoying using sequins on my layouts at the moment. Normally I would just gently sprinkle a few around, but I went a bit wild! I started with just a few little odd sprinkles, but then decided I wanted some large clusters.....so i pooled some glue under the quote and built up a nice thick cluster of sequins in various golds, coppers and bronzes .... and then I thought I should stop!

I really have enjoyed creating with these Blue Fern Studios Papers and if you pop over to the shop you will find there are several designs available.
Thanks for looking, see you again soon.
Anita xx

Carta Bella - Old World Travel Part II

Hello, Lynn back with a second post using the Old World Travel papers from Carta Bella. This time I wanted to record the fact my Grandfather spent some time in India during the First World War. I recently discovered he put together an album of his travel photos. Selecting a few of these to scan I was able to add them to his portrait for this layout.

I used some Kraft Bazzill for the background together with 'Propella Plane' for the top and 'World Traveller' for the bottom. The strips across the centre were from the Element Sticker sheet and 'Border Strips'. I cut a post card from 'Dear To Me' and did some journalling on this before placing it in the centre of the page. From here the other elements were arranged around the post card.

I used half a small Tando Creative chipboard clock, three mini photos from the album, and one larger one printed and cut to fit the aperture of the Sizzix Frame die. I cut the frame from Bazzill. The frame and clock were both treated with Antique Linen Distress Paint, Glossy Accents and Gilding Wax.

A few bits from my stash were added along the way - small charms, lace, twine, pleated ribbon and an acetate doily. Then more element stickers and Ephemera from the Old World Collection finished the page off.

My title was created by cutting letters from corrugated card using the Sizzix Bigz Extra Large Die - Block Talk. I embellished the letters with Stampendous Frantage Aged Teal Embossing Enamel.

Thanks for looking
Lynn x

Bo Bunny beautiful dreamer prt2

again I am working with this beautiful collection, and I wanted to use the reverie 12x12 sheet.

This sheet you could class as instant scrapping as it already has the frame and embellishments printed  on the sheet. But I wanted to have a go and change it up a little. So I kept the frame as my focal point but cut off the fussy printed top and a small amount at the bottom. I replaced this with some of the day dream sheet from this collection  to make my cut sheet back to 12x12..

I printed off 2 black and white photos of the same image and matted them on top of each other and on the top photo paced a kaisercraft black distressed photo overlay. Around my photo and in the corners of the page I added some plasterboard tape, tissue tape, small amounts of patterned paper, staples, cotton and metal snap. The edges of the card were distressed with hickory smoke distress ink.  A wooden title added and some ink flickering with a paint brush

Close ups

Bo Bunny Believe - Part Two

Hi, it's Anna here. I'm back with my second post this month using the bright and fun collection 'Bo Bunny Believe'. 

For this layout I decided to use the 'Radiance' patterned paper. I cut out the sun and sun beams and adhered it to some white bazzill cardstock. I cut out some of the lovely clouds again and made some bunting. I mounted my photograph and used buttons, flowers and enamel dots to embellish.

Products Used: 

• Bo Bunny Believe Collection 
• Bo Bunny Buttons 
• Kaisercraft alpha stickers 
• Bazzill Cardstock 
• Carpe Diem Collection 

Thanks for looking. 

Next month I'm working with Echo Park Dino Friends! See you again soon. 

Anna 

X 

May Cropping

It's been a while since our last crop, so I hope you're all looking forward to it as much as I am!  This month's crop kit, Blooming Lovely, uses Graphic45 Gilded Lily papers and involves a bit of fussy cutting...

As always, there'll be homemade cakes, tea, coffee and 10% discount in the shop :)  Drop me a line if you'd like to join us - we're at Otley Village Hall from 10am until 5pm!

Storybook Collection by Kaisercraft

Hi Tracee with you today to share a layout I created, using the Storybook collection by Kaisercraft

I loved this photo of my Granddaughter looking at the menu about to choose her pizza, but I struggled to find suitable papers... struggle no more, the Storybook collection was a prefect fit with images of books and clocks. I wanted to keep a light feel to the page and I tore the blue script paper to leave about an 8" piece, I then backed this onto white cardstock. I then layered up my cluster over the two edges.

I added some of the stickers from the Sticker sheet to create a title. I added some lacy white doilies to my layers, they always add a little something extra to your page I think.

I wanted to make a small focal point up in the top left corner. I used some scrap pieces I had laying on my desk, this is great way to use the last little bits of your favourite papers, I hate waste lol. 

I hope you enjoyed your visit with me today.

For all your scrapping needs please head over to the shop

Tracee x

Carta Bella - Old World Travel

Hello, Lynn here with you today sharing two layouts.

I love the texture and the heavier weight of the Carta Bella papers. This Old World Travel collection is no exception and has a range of colours and elements which are ideal for masculine and travel layouts and cards. I have used this collection to create a pair of heritage layouts about my great grandfather Frederick Henry Holder all about his work with the Railway Service.

Frederick (front row, centre) worked for the railway for a total of 49 years, ending his working life in December 1927 as Foreman Porter at Bickley Station, near Bromley. He came here from Cannon Street where he had previously worked for five years.

To create the layout I used 12" x 12" sheet of Bazzill in 'Lagoon' for the base, this was gutted to make a 1" frame. I covered this with a sheet of 'Globes' paper cut to 11.75" x 11.75", also gutted to make a 1" frame. In turn I layered this up with a sheet of 'Stonehenge' Bazzill 10.25" x 10.25".

As always I inked the edges of all paper, cardstock, die cuts and stickers with Distress Inks.

I cut a thin strip 1/8" of an inch wide from 'Border Strips' to result in a strip with bands of different prints on it. This was divided into two pieces about 5" and 6" long, they were added horizontally to the top right and bottom left of the page. Then I machine stitched around the outer edge of the Stonehenge cardstock with a brown thread.

My photo was mounted onto a postcard piece cut from 'Dear To Me' although you can't see the post card details on the paper, I selected it for the aged appearance as this was a ideal effect for the old photo. This was then mounted onto a piece of 'Thunder' Bazzill.

I glued the photo into position on the page and added a tab from the 'Ephemera' pack of die cut images. I used three of the banner flags from this pack and overlapped them horizontally near the top left corner of the page, they are held down with a row of machine stitches.

I used more images from the Ephemera pack and others from the 'Element Sticker' sheet. The two large tags were stickers mounted onto Thunder cardstock. I added an 'Enamel Dot' to the hole on each tag.

Under the photo I added a strip of paper cut from the Border Strips sheet, selecting the area with trains (but there are also planes, balloons, bicycles, cameras, ships and other patterns). Below this I arranged a train and the 'arrive' and 'depart' stickers along with a few small circular die cuts.

On the right of the page I used three Bo Bunny Soirée Brads left over from a previous design team project, one at the top and two off-set near the bottom. I wound some hemp cord between the brads.
I stuck some more die cut flags from the cords, cutting a few extra from the 'Border Strips' paper.

I added a few random 'Enamel Dots' in the top right and bottom left of the page.

My Title and the date were created with 'Engraver' Alphabet Stickers by Prima, which I have had in my stash for a long time!

My second page used many of the same papers and elements -

I used Bazzill in Truffel for the base, and papers from Old World Travel collection - World Traveller, Post Cards, Border Strips and Dear To Me papers, some to make large mats behind the photo and others for strips along the bottom.
The Ephemera pack, Element Sticker sheet and Enamel Dots were all used again, along with Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Inks for inking the edges.
I went back to last months project left overs again and picked some of the Bo Bunny Soirée Buttons
The title was created with more letters from the 'Engraver' Alphabet Stickers by Prima
Hemp Cord was used to tie through the larger button.

Element stickers, enamel dots and Ephemera all from Carta Bella with buttons from Bo Bunny

In addition I used Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Collection rubber stamps - Wildflowers with Versafine Black onyx pigment ink pad to stamp a row of wildflowers along the width of the page,

Not designed as a DLO, but look fine together in the album

Thanks for looking
Lynn x

Loved Always ...... Prima Tales of You and Me

Hi there, It's Anita here with my last projects using the lovely papers from Prima, Tales of You and Me range.
I have been wanting to scrap this photo of my wonderful parents and both of our lovely daughters for a long time. It was taken 4 and half years ago after having a lovely meal out to celebrate our eldest daughters 17th Birthday. Sadly we lost my Dad a few short months after this was taken. I am so grateful that being a scrapper means I probably have so many more photos of precious people than I would if I didn't do this wonderful hobby!
This layout, card and tag are all made using 1 whole sheet of paper and cardstock and then just the left overs from my previous layout and mirror which can be found HERE.

I randomly cut a wavy edge around the entire sheet of paper and gently inked it, placed it on the cardstock and also inked the edges of that too. I had a strip of leftover paper and popped that across the centre of the layout and sewed along the top and bottom edge using twine. I used a beautiful chipboard flourish from Dusty Attic, which I covered in Stickles 
I also added various blossoms, a couple of brads and also some Dew Drops sprinkled about.

I used the left over lace to frame the photograph and then decided I loved the colour of the Stickles so much that I would add sparkle to everything that didn't move!!! So the lace has raised dots, the blossoms have liberal splatterings and the bodies of the butterflies are Stickles too!

I was then left with literally just a few little scraps of paper, so not wanting to waste them I made a 6 x 6 card and also a little gift tag.   I couldn't put the Stickles away without using it again now could I??

I have really enjoyed using this range to create with this month, it's pretty and very versatile. Prima have recently released a few new collections and you can find them here at the shop.
Happy Scrapping....... Anita xx

Journal pages - part 1

Hello, Carol with you this Friday 13th!! hope no one is superstitious!

So, today I'm sharing with you a couple of pages in my large art journal that I have just started…. its strange that I see some product I just have to have and I have colour bursts does anyone else do the same?  At the moment I'm into lime green…just love it.. but, then I saw these dylusion paints and just had to have:- cherry pie (wow this is a gorgeous colour, really deep red magenta mix), dirty martini (this really is dirty - its fab with a slight touch of brown), tangerine dream (such a gorgeous orange) and calypso teal (wowser).  Colours sorted.

Then, my other must use is my texture paste, as I've mentioned before, this ranger product is great as you get three little pots, and there is loads in each pot, of three different mediums which gives you a great taster to see if you would use the product and also which one you like and would like to buy the larger tubs…. so, medium sorted. Use a spatula to add to your products.

Now I have a really obsession (what another one?) yep, stencils - I have hundreds and that isn't an exaggeration (ask Vanessa). Anyway, there are some great new stencils in the shop and these two are just must haves:- circuit board and spot on.  There are different thickness of stencil and these "that special touch" stencils are lovely and thick and ideal for using loads of different mediums and getting a lovely crisp image.  Stencils sorted.

So, here are my pages:-

So, onto my bare pages I stencilled texture paste, once dry I added the dylusion paints….these dry really quickly once dry I then replaced my stencil over the top of my painted texture paint and added some gold paint with a stencil brush…. the circuit board images I added paint using my fingers as I didn't want a defined image… some paint stamping was also added… so, this is part 1 of my journal pages…next time I will show you the finished piece…

TFL xx

Blue Fern Studios "Serendipity" ...... Uniquely You .

Hi There, it's Anita with you today and I have been playing with some fabulous papers from Blue Fern Studios. This is the first time I have worked with these papers and I just cannot get over the wonderful quality of each sheet and the stunning designs on them, what a pleasure it's been ( I can see a new obsession brewing here!)

The photo's of our youngest were taken on a sports award night that she attended and was awarded Sportswoman of the Year. The photos were taken before the ceremony and so I will now also be having to scrap the photos of her with the awards too!

I started off with a sheet of Serendipity - Chronicle as the background and took a sheet of Serendipity - Imagination which I cut a random wavy edge around and also inked up the entire edge with a dark brown ink pad.
 On the right hand side I tore a line in towards the centre of the page and then rolled the edges back.  I chopped up the sheet of  Serendipity Calling Cards, chose the ones I wanted for this page and gently inked the edges. These were then used up for layering around the photos

In my kit I had a sheet of Bazill Cardstock called Lagoon and because of the small tints of blue in the actual papers, I thought I would use the cardstock to create some flowers to adorn the page. I punched out several flowers, spray misted the die cuts with water and allowed them to soak in for a while, before then scrunching each one up and putting to one side to dry for using later.

Once they had dried out I layered them up and stuck a nice big flat backed gem in the centre ( I LOVE a bit of bling!)

I don't know about you but I really love using chipboard embellishments on my pages, they are so versatile and can be left plain as they come or can be inked, painted, glittered etc to dress them up. I took these Blue Fern Studio Berry Stems dabbed them with an Aqua Acrylic Dabber and then gently sponged some tiny patches with some gold acrylic paint. I also added some little crystal bling on some of the berries.

I quite often like to add butterflies to my pages, so I printed out some onto white card and then coated with Sprinkled Sugar Stickles. 
I also used a beautiful chipboard Romantic Page Dangle which I painted in brown and over dabbed with some gold acrylic paint. Using some jute twine I criss crossed stitched across the torn section on the right hand side of the page and layered the chipboard dangle over the top, adding crystals, a butterfly and also another handmade blossom.

 I finished the page off by adding a few crystals here and there and also using a bottle of Mercury Glass Stickles , I used various round items as a stencil and dotted the Stickles in blobs around them.

I enjoyed using these products so much and cannot wait to play with them some more, if you pop over to Papermaze you can see all the products I have used , especially the beautiful papers in the Blue Fern Studios ranges.

Thanks so much for looking at this post, I hope you have a super scrappy week.
Warmest wishes
Anita x

Echo Park Petticoats and Pinstripes

I was lucky enough to work with the most beautiful new Echo Park papers from the Petticoats and Pinstripes range.  They are a beautiful range of girly and floral papers with bright spring and summer colours.

I chose three smaller pictures of one of my daughters getting ready for her leavers party and knew I wanted to arrange them in a row almost like a film strip.  I used Yukon Gold Bazzill cardstock as my base to contrast with the pink of the Beautiful Bouquets paper.  Both sides of this paper are gorgeous, it was really hard to choose which side to use!  I ended up using the slightly more demure pink floral pattern and then created a middle strip from Blossom Bazzill cardstock and a strip of Rows of Bows paper.  I then mounted each photo onto another piece of pink cardstock.  I loved the Sweet Banners paper so much that I loosely cut out a banner and put it at the bottom of the page and added small enamel dots from the Simple Stories Lets Party range.  I used Papermaze doilies to frame a photo and to frame the central strip and added flowers from Prima Salvage District range and several stickers from the Element Stickers.  As a final little touch and as a little nod to another paper in this beautiful range I added a Dusty Attic Mini Wire Dress Form which I had covered with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Picket Fence and then painted in gold watercolour paint.

Thanks for looking

Bo Bunny Believe...

Hi all, 

It's Anna here today. This month I've been working with the new Bo Bunny 'Believe' collection. This collection is really fun - lots of bright colours - perfect for summer. 

I have created a 'title page' for my album of our holiday to Portugal last year. I used the 'faith' paper and cut two strips, adhering them to each side of the cardstock. I mounted my photo using the 'marvelous' patterned paper.I added some embellishments to both sides before adding my journalling and title. 

Take a look at the links below for the products that I used:

Collection - Bo Bunny Believe 

Buttons - Bo Bunny

Cardstock - Bazzill 

Enamel Dots - Simple Stories 

I'll be back with more from 'Believe' soon. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Anna 

Bo Bunny beatiful dreamer

I had the opportunity to work with the Bo Bunny, beautiful dreamer papers to create this layout.

I knew I wanted to use these 3 photos as it reminded me such a wonderful quirky moment, so with that in mind I decided to try and create a triptych.

Firstly with 3 sheets of plain card stock, in a light grey which was my background, deep purple and cream for my panels.

Before sewing the purple card stock to the cream,  I did a purple watercolour splash.

I used watered down watercolour pastels on to a glass mat and squished on to the cream card stock and used a paint brush to create splatters with the same watered down water colour.

I cut elements out of the patterned paper, filed down the edge of my photos to create a white border.

Added a paper flower cut from the same patterned  paper, chipboard, staples and a title in the bottom corner " father and son moments" with word stickers. 

 

here are some close ups

A simple but effective layout. I will be back soon to show more things I have created with this stunning paper