April Papermaze Kit - Part 2

Hello, Lynn here today with the last pair of layouts made with the pretty April Papermaze Kit. I have made two very different layouts, one with photos taken only the day before making the page, and the other a heritage page, with a photo from approximately 100 years ago! 

Before explaining how the layouts were made, here is what you will find in the kit:

Uniquely Creative - Floral Archives collection - Pretty Pollinators
Uniquely Creative - Ultra Violet Delight collection - Layers in Lilac
Uniquely Creative - Bohemian Escape collection - Lazy Afternoon
49 and Market - Plume & Petal collection - Joy & Bliss
Mintay Papers - Man Cave collection - #5

The photo below shows both sides of the papers:

Embellishments: Laser Cut Wildflowers, Foam Stickers Dreamer, Little Birdie Butterfly, Little Birdie Flowers, Simple & Basic Dots, P13 Word Stickers & Ribbon

Bazzill Basics Cardstock - Whirlpool, Touch of Pink (included in Kit), Stonewash, Velvet, Date Swirl & Heidi.

Easter Bunny - My daughter and I set up an Easter egg hunt as a bit of fun for little 2-year-old Florence to find some colourful eggs in the garden. Catherine wore the bunny ears and got carried away with some selfies!

I started with the Velvet Bazzill, and gutted it to make a frame of about 1" deep. The Bliss paper was cut into two pieces 11.5" x 3" and 11.5" x 8.25", I placed them side by side with narrower piece flipped over to the B side. The edges were all distressed, and before sticking them down I used some left over papers from the previous layouts to make a decorative strip along the join between both pieces...

... I tore the edge of the scrap of Joy paper with the music note side up. then with A border punch I used the remainder of the Layers in Lilac paper to make a lacy trim. At this point all these pieces were stick into place.

I printed five small photos, and mounted them onto some white card, I inked the edges and arranged them across the page.

Next for the embellishments and title - I chose the Spellbinders Say Cheese Classic Mouse - Die Set to cut the title letters twice, once from scraps of Velvet Bazzill and secondly from scraps of Lazy Afternoon paper. These were inked and layered, then added to the layout. 

I used a few of the phrases from the P13 sticker sheet provided in the kit, to add some relevant words to the left of the title. From the kit, I also used a few of the Dreamer Foam Stickers and the ribbon. I tied the ribbon into a bow and attached it to the bottom of the large foam sticker with a small decorative pin.  

The Little Birdie butterfly and flowers, together with the Simple & Basic Dots, were all usde to finish off the page.

Henry Charles Edwards - I love this Mintay Papers - Man Cave collection - #5 paper, from the April kit. I wanted to use it for a masculine layout using my new Vault Watch Gears Sizzix die set. I decided to scrap this photo of my husband's grandfather.

The background for this layout is the sheet of Date Swirl Bazzill, across which I layered torn strips of the Man Cave #5 paper. Leaving the cardstock showing above and below the paper.

I cut myself some frames from card and chipboard using the Stitched Rectangles Sizzix Die Set. I covered the largest of these in more scraps of #5 paper and distressed then inked the edges. I used this to frame my photo. 

With a mix of Distress inks and water, I coloured some watercolour paper, then just before it was completely dry I ran it through the Sizzix machine in a A6 Sizzix 3-D Texture Fades Folder - Numbered. Once dry, I lightly sprayed with some Distress Mica Sprays. I also rubbed in a little gilding wax to highlight the numbers. Then I cut this piece to fit into two of my frames. 

I made the pocket watch using more of the card scraps used for the frames, some black Bazzill and a scrap of the #5 paper. Embossing enamel was used to add texture and an aged metallic effect to the outer watch case. I built up the layers including the numbers and a layer of acetate for the glass. I also used a brad to hold the hands in place in the watch centre. I attached a small chain to the handle, and anchored this to the page with another brad. I placed the finished watch next to the photo, layered up with some 3D foam. 

I made a small oval frame and backed it with a scrap of Lazy Afternoon paper. Then with more numbers cut from the same die set, I added the birth and death date.

I found some elements, left over from a 49 and Market Krafty Garden Acetate Assortment. I selected a leaf branch and film strips to add to the layout. I also had some tickets and stamps left over from a previous Papermaze kit. 

The title was cut on the Cricut, from more of the card scraps I used earlier, and this was placed to the bottom right of the page.

That's all from the April kit, although I still have papers, cardstock and embellishments left to use. 
Thanks for looking.
Lynn x

Seaside Cottage....Blue Fern Studios

Hello to you all, it's Anita here with my first offering using some items from the lush Seaside Cottage Collection by Blue Fern Studios. The soft vintage summer colours and sun bleached wood patterns make this such a pretty set....with a little extra distressing I achieved a look that I am happy with.

Our family holiday this year was based in Somerset, one day we drove down to Briport in Dorset and onto West Bay. It was such a pretty little place and we very much enjoyed seeing some of the places that were used in the making of the series Broadchurch. I took this selfie of us when we were out on the harbour wall (after we had all been crabbing) and when I saw this range of papers I just knew they would be a perfect pairing.

The layout is based on a sheet of Gala. I cut a few slices in random places on the wooden slats, rolled back gently and inked to distress the edges and make them stand out. I then cut the large ships wheel from the sheet of Mermaid and popped lots of foam pads underneath, raising it up to give some dimension to the layout.

Over the years unfortunately I seem to have acquired a rather large obsession with using blossoms.....everywhere and anywhere on my layouts, whatever the theme may be (nothing is safe!!) So I rummaged about and picked some that I liked and then layered some of them together. My photo seemed to be a bit stark against the softness of the papers so I softened the edge by gently sponging with light brown, then white acrylic paint and finishing by gently rubbing some gold gilding wax along the edges. I popped a couple of gold doilies under the photo for a partial mat.

I cut out a few elements from the Calling Cards sheet, inked the edges and added them to the page. I also had some wavy shaped die cuts to play with. I painted them white and then dragged wisps of pale turquoise across them and then finished them off with a gentle rub of more gilding wax. I also rubbed some gold wax onto the edges of the ships wheel, each of the blossoms and all around the edges of the layout, giving a soft metallic sheen which gently compliments the gold in the doilies.

Once again Blue Fern Studios have produced another beautiful collection of papers that are lovely to work with and this and several other collections from them are available in the shop...... I hope you liked my layout, I will be back early next month with another project using some more of these gorgeous papers.

TTFN, 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

Reverse Box Canvas - Bo Bunny Soirée

Hello Lynn here with you today - and another project with the Bo Bunny Soirée papers together with JOFY stamps and Sizzix dies.

I turned the box canvas around to made a three-dimensional piece. I created the setting with stencils, texture paste, acrylic paints and embossing powder. I worked the over the sides as well as the face of the box. These are the materials I used:

Papermaze Mask - reverse brickwork 

Crafters Workshop Template - Mini Chickenwire Reversed 
Ranger Texture Paste
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Acrylic Paints, I did some dry brushing with lighter colour over the brickwork.
Stampendous Frantage Embossing Enamel - Shabby White 
I rubbed some gilding wax over the chicken wire to bring out the detail.

I created the background with Bo Bunny Soirée - Charm paper covering the back and then layering up flowers which were cut from the edges of the paper. I stamped with a stamp from PaperArtsy JOFY stamp set 38 and embossed with a fine detail embossing powder. 

The Hive, bees, and flowers were stamped using PaperArtsy JOFY Stamp Sets 30, 33 & 38 and coloured with Distress Markers. I used the page from an old book for the hive. The flower stems were strengthened with some acetate to help it hang or stand from the box. 

The bunting (top left) and button tab (bottom right) were made with Bo Bunny Soirée - Buttons and some DMC stranded cotton threadg

My trellis was cut using Sizzix Frameworks die, and the tiny flowers were cut using the Sizzlets Decorative Strip - Tattered Flower Garland, and more JOFY stamped leaves. Flat-backed pearls were added to the centre of the flowers and a few paper roses were added to the frame.

Thanks for looking

Lynn x