Simple Stories - Open Road - Pit Stops & Photo Ops

Hello!

Claire here today, and I've managed to survive the heat in my craft room just long enough to get a cute travel layout made with the fabulous Open Road collection from Simple Stories!!

I started with some stencilling using a stencil from my stash. I brushed some Distress Ocude ink through onto some Premium White Cardstock and used this as the anchor from which to build my layout.

I cut 3x3" squares of patterned paper from the Roadside Memories,  You are Here and Journal Elements papers, and positioned these on the centre of the page, overlapping each square to create a large cluster.

I backed my photo with some Adventure Awaits paper and then positied this centrally on foam to help separate it from the background papers.

To add interest, I cut a tag from the Tag Elements paper and layered a small ticket and camera from the Page Pieces.

Whilst I was adhering the ephemera, my eye was immediately drawn to the big roadside saying 'Pit Stops and Photo Ops' in the Page Pieces, and this was perfect for my photo as it was taken on a road trip in America.

For an extra pop of colour, I also added the flowers, laying some flat and raising others on foam, some cacti and a butterfly from the Cardstock Stickers Icons.

As a final touch, I couldn't resit that fun car, again from the Page Pieces. Isn't that just the cutest! I love how this brings the page to life.

Thank you for joining me on the blog today. You can check out the Open Road collection in the store here - it's one you won't want to miss as its perfect for documenting your summer adventures!

See you next time.

Claire x

@scrappysoulmate

March Papermaze Kit - Part 1

Hello, Lynn here today with two layouts created using the March Papermaze Kit. Full of pretty floral and rustic papers, colour matched cardstock and embellishments. For my first two layouts I have picked the farmyard style papers from 49 and Market's Whispering Way collection.

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

Patterned Papers:
49 and Market - Whispering Way collection - Farm Fresh & Sunshine Days
Carta Bella - Pressed Floral collection - 3 x 4 Journalling Cards
Carta Bella - Feels Like Home collection - Floral Frame & Cottage Floral
Simple Stories - Simple Vintage Junk Drawer collection - Willow

The photo below shows both sides of the papers

Embellishments: Mintay Chippies Titles - 1 line, 3 Prima Cherry Sweet flowers, 6 Uniquely Creative Bohemian Escape Vellum, 2 Kaisercraft Frames, Kaisercraft Rhinestone Flower, Bo Bunny - Beautiful Things - Candy Dots, Hero Arts Clay Hearts, 12" Lace.

Bazzill Basics Cardstock - Twig, Rosewood (included in kit), Classic Smooth White, Quartz, Guacamole and  Yukon Gold.

Cobtree Museum - When the children were on their school summer holiday, we spent a Day at The Cobtree Museum of Kent Life, Maidstone. They enjoyed playing in 'The Darling Buds of May' set. Here is my daughter on Pop Larkin's Truck.

I chose the Farm Fresh paper for this layout, I has some rustic farm yard images centred around a big circular egg farm symbol. You will see from the photo below how I gutted this paper, so that I could use the brick work print from the 'B' side as a mount for my photo. I was careful to trim around the 'Fresh Farm Eggs' sign and milk churn. I cut the cut-out piece into smaller pieces and 'built' a brick wall around my photo. Then tucked the photo under the sign and churn. As with all cut edges on this layout, I inked the edges with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink.

Using a BIGZ XL alphabet die (Wonderland) and some greyboard from my stash, I cut the letters for the title. The letters were painted with two different coloured coats of Distress Paint (Ground Espresso and Brushed Corduroy). Once dry I added a layer of Cracking Medium, allowing this to dry naturally and cause the top layer of paint to crack, giving a weathered wood effect. I protected the letters with a thin layer of Glossy Accents.

The letters were arranged following the line of the circular design printed on the paper. 

I made a subtitle using Sizzix Thinlits Alphanumeric Label die set to cut letters from the Yukon Gold Bazzill in the kit. I arranged the letters inside the larger title. 

I cut more letters and numbers for the date, these were arranged of two small tags cut using the Sizzix Framelits Tag Collection Die set. Using another small tag, I added some journalling. Fine jute twine was looped through the holes in the tags. 

I purchased a pack of 49 and Market Laser Cut Elements from the Whispering Way collection, I selected a few images, and along with the tags, applied them to the layout using 3D foam pads. Small pieces of raffia were tucked under some of the pieces. 

Badsell Farm Park - A day out for the Children with Twin's Club friends, after winning tickets for the Badsell Farm Park, Paddock Wood. Andrew loved all the farm machinery he was able to climb onto and pretend to drive.  

This time I chose the Sunshine Days paper, from the Whispering Way collection. I added more chicken wire to this page using Aged Mahogany Distress Paint mixed with Texture Paste, and worked through a stencil (TCW259S). This was set aside to dry. 

The title letters were cut using another Sizzix BIGZ XL die (Block Tall Capital) and more Greyboard. I treated these with a coat of Aged Mahogany Distress paint. Brushed Corduroy Distress paint was blended with Texture Paste and this was plastered over the painted letters, leaving a rough finish, and allowing the Aged Mahogany to show through. 

Once dried, the letters were arranged around the top of the circular image on the paper. 

I selected images from two packs of 49 and Market Laser Cut elements (Krafty Garden and Whispering Way). 

I tucked in a few 49 and Market Vintage Bits Essential Tickets - Sunbeam.  

Finally, I used some old rub-ons for the date. 

That's all for today, I'll be back with more from this kit soon.
Thanks for looking.
Lynn x

Pumpkin - Simple Stories - Simple Vintage Autumn Breeze Collection

Hi everyone!

It’s Rebecca here today, and I’m excited to share my latest layout using the Simple Vintage Autumn Breeze collection, which you can find in the shop here.

With October in full swing and Halloween just around the corner, I thought it was the perfect time to scrap some pumpkin patch photos. I began by fussy-cutting a few polaroid frames from the Crisp Days patterned paper and used them to frame my photos. I arranged the frames so they overlapped slightly in the centre of a sheet of premium white cardstock.

I was immediately drawn to the Cozy Season patterned paper featuring a variety of ticket stubs. To make these tickets a focal point, I fussy-cut several in different sizes and colours, then used a circle punch to add semi-circular notches to the tops and bottoms. I arranged them in a diamond shape behind my photos for added dimension and visual interest. To finish this section, I added foam behind my photos for lift and adhered them over the ticket design.

I wanted to keep the layout fairly clean and uncluttered, so I kept embellishing to a minimum. I chose a few large leaves from the Floral Bits & Pieces, along with some pumpkin clusters and floral pieces from the same pack and also some fussy cut from patterned papers within the collection. I tucked the leaves behind the photos and placed the pumpkins on either side of the ticket cluster to extend the design and balance the composition.

For the title, I used the word Pumpkin from the Foam Stickers. I absolutely love these stickers — they come in a range of fonts and styles, and they always make a great statement title.

To finish the layout, I added a bit of mixed media. Using Distress Ink in the shade Carved Pumpkin, I applied soft stencilled leaves around the edges of the design. I then added ink splatters in the same shade, along with some metallic gold for a touch of shimmer.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope this layout inspires you to get scrapping with your own pumpkin patch memories.

Take care, 
Rebecca xx

@preciouspagespapercraft 

September Papermaze Kit - Part 2

Hello, Lynn here today - I have two layouts for you from the Papermaze September kit. The kit has six double-sided patterned papers, a selection of embellishments and 2 sheets of Bazzill Basics Cardstock. There is also an extra pack of 4 sheets of Bazzill, selected to match the colours in the kit. 

Before looking at how the layouts were made, here are the details of what you will find in the September kit. 

Patterned Papers:
49 and Market - Nature's Haven collection - Busy Bee & Happy Place
Carta Bella - On The Farm collection - Farm Life Floral 
Mintay Papers - Wildwood Secrets collection - MT-WIS-04 & MT-WIS-05
Mintay Papers - Music Garden collection - MT-MUS-04

The photo below shows both sides of the papers:

Embellishments:
Selection of Laser Cuts - 49 and Market - Nature's Haven, 3 Little Birdie Flowers, Little Birdie butterfly, 2 Doodlebug bitty berries strawberries, P13 Till We Meet Again alpha sheet, 1 acrylic phrase and 1m pink twine.

Bazzill Basics Cardstock - Touch of Pink, Lily Pond (included in kit), Hibiscus, Bark, Avocardo & Powder Blue (in extra pack). 

Minnie Mouse - Flo's uncle brought this Minnie hoodie back from Disney World for her. Here she is modelling her new outfit.

Using a sheet of Smooth White Bazzill, I stencilled some sparkles (Tim Holtz, Layering Stencil THS132) with some Distress Ink - Festive Berries. I flicked some Festive Berries and Black Soot ink over the page. Then to add sparkle, I also splattered Distress Mica Stain - Crooked Broomstick. 

I cut a 3" x 12" piece from Mintay MT-WIS-05, and placed this across the top of the page. 

With Blackberry Swirl Bazzill Basics Cardstock, I cut a strip 1" x 12" , placing this under the red dotty paper. I place a piece of the music note side of Music Garden MT-MUS-04, 2" x 6.5" and placed this centrally over the red and above the black strip. From the same paper but with the pink side up, I added a piece 2" x 10" over the others. (Please see the photos for placements.) 

I placed a strip of  Hibiscus Bazzill 2" x 6", vertically onto the page so it will be to the right of the photos. My photos were placed onto another piece of the music paper, this is 5" x 6.5", and it was place onto the centre of the layout.

Using Smooth White, Hibiscus, Blackberry Swirl and Sunshine Yellow Bazzill, and a selection of Spellbinder, Simple Stories, Say Cheese, Classic Mouse Die Sets, I set about making my own embellishments and title: Alphabet cut in twice to make a shadow, Steamboat Willie Duo to make Minnie and Flags & Banners for the pinwheels. Red buttons were added to the centre of the pinwheels. 

I attached some of the embellishments with glue and others with 3D foam pads.

My journalling was written below the title. Finally, I scattered some black gems in small clusters around the page. 

New Home Gift - So Berry Sweet - My daughter loves strawberries and anything decorated with them - so when she moved into her new home, I made her this strawberry hamper with card and gift tag.

I started this layout with the Woodland Secrets paper - MT-WIS-04. I tore an irregular piece from each side of the paper in different places. I backfilled these areas with scraps of the gingham side of the Farm Life Floral paper. 

With the remains of the Woodland Secrets MT-WIS-05 paper I cut a piece 10" x 6", and distressed the edges. This was placed in the centre of the layout.

I mounted the photos onto scraps of Music Garden MT-MUS-04 and Hibiscus Bazzill. The photos were then arranged onto the Woodlands Secrets paper. 

I cut the title from Avocardo Bazzill using a Peartree Cutfile 'So Berry Sweet'. I filled this using scraps of papers and cardstock from the kit. The title was mounted onto the layout with 3D foam pads.

The kit contains a selection of 49 and Market - Nature's Haven Wildflowers Laser Cuts, and I added to these with my own pack of the same. These were used to build up clusters, around each of the torn parts of the layout. Some of the elements were raised up with 3D foam pads.

From the kit I added a Little Birdie Flower and the Little Birdie butterfly. I added the date and subtitle with the P13 Till We Meet Again alpha sheet. I cut the pink twine into 5 pieces, rolled them up, and tucked them into various places around the page. 

That's all for the September Kit, I'll be back with the new Kit for October soon. 
Thank you for looking.
Lynn x