"Epic Adventure" Mini Album | Scrapping Clearly

Hi everyone! Back again to share my final project that I created as a guest designer for Scrapping Clearly last month. Today I am sharing a special mini album I created to document an epic adventure I had with my sister - a surprise weekend away to celebrate her birthday that was organised by her partner (and a few sneaky scrappy gals!)

There is so much to love packed into this album - not just the memories, but some beautiful products too. I have found myself using a lot more patterned papers lately, and falling in love with paper all over again.

So, let's get started on this album. I began with a pile of photos and a small 6 ring binder-style planner I purchased at Kmart. I opened it up and removed everything from the inside, leaving me with the cover only. 

I started by making myself a "kit" of coordinating items to work from that included a variety of patterned papers; stickers; and die cut ephemera.

I chose a number of patterned papers from the Simple Stories 'Heart' and Heidi Swapp 'Emerson Lane' collections; with some odd sheets from Pink Paislee and Websters Pages added in. My main criteria when choosing the papers for my kit was colour choice - with both the A and B sides of each one needing to fit my chosen palette. 

I started by cutting the sheets of paper into smaller "pages" - trimming each one into a variety of different sizes and shapes. I then used a few different decorative border punches to punch along some of the edges. 

Now it was time to sort the pages into some sort of order. I shuffled and stacked them, making sure that the sizes were mixed up and that colours and patterns on facing pages were complimentary to one another. I then punched each page using an adjustable 6-hole punch; adding some hole reinforcer stickers as I placed them into the binder.

With all of my pages in place, it was time to start adding my photos. (I do admit that the order of the pages did get shuffled a little as I began to work my way through the book.)

I treated each page just like a tiny scrapbook layout - I had a background, photo/s and now they just needed embellishments. I didn't want to use anything bulky because I wanted to make sure the pages would lay flat, so I chose a mix of stickers and die cuts to use.

To coordinate with the papers I had chosen, I used the Simple Stories 'Heart' Cardstock Stickers; and the Heidi Swapp 'Emerson Lane' Stickers and matching Ephemera. 

Throughout the album I added extra interest to some of the pages by adding "tip-ins" (extra interactive flaps) using tags / ephemera / pieces of paper, which I fastened with washi tape. (There is even a set of coordinating 'Emerson Lane' Washi Tapes!)

I left some of the pages in the album photo-free and kept them simply decorative. You can see how having a good variety of different page sizes, colours and patterns adds plenty of visual interest.

I did choose a couple of embellishments that were slightly dimensional to use in my album - the super cute Pebbles 'Spring Fling' Puffy Stickers - Flowers; and the 1 Canoe 2 'Globe Gallery' 3D Butterflies.

I made an effort to include handwritten journalling on as many of the pages as I could - using a variety of labels, journal tags and even paper offcuts to write on.

Another way to switch things up in the album is to add the photos sidewards - just as I did with the landscape shot, which allowed it to be printed larger.

Never be afraid to punch directly through a photo to turn it into a page itself; and when dealing with small pages, sometimes it is better to embellish over part of the photo.

When working on a small scale like this, especially with papers featuring bold patterns, it is better to keep to the "less is more" rule with embellishments.

Look at the papers you have and see what can be fussy cut from them to use as embellishments, such as flowers, labels, shapes and quotes.

Design tip: to help your embellishments stretch further, cut things such as label stickers in half. The irregular shape also makes it more interesting to look at.

Another way to add extra interactive elements to your album is to include small envelopes, which can be used to hold memorabilia, journalling or even extra photos (just like I did in my special "sealed section").

This is by no means all the pages from my album - there are just too many pages to share here (and some still to be completed). Once I have them all finished I will try and film an album flip through to share with you on my YouTube channel and in the Scrapping Clearly Facebook group. 

A big thanks to the gorgeous Kylie and the team for having me as a guest - I so enjoyed creating and  sharing my projects with you.
If you would like to shop up a storm in Kylie's store, you can find it HERE
Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Traveler's Notebook Spreads | Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi everyone!
By now I am sure you already know of my love for traveler's notebooks, so today I am popping in to share two TN spreads I created recently for Cocoa Vanilla Studio.

The first one I am sharing features the oh-so-beautiful 'Unforgettable' collection. I had a couple of photos of my sister and I that I printed in black and white, as I figured that despite being two separate pages, that they would work well side by side in my book. 

I began with the 6x8" Paper Stack, as these are the perfect sizes papers for my notebook inserts. I chose the scaled down version of the stunning butterfly Lacewing 12x12" paper for the base of my pages. I trimmed down my sheet into two pieces and placed one either side of the spine.

On the left side I then added a pink and white striped piece of paper cut from the Pretty Bits 12x12" cut apart paper. I then adhered my photo and journalling on top. I then worked vertically from the top to the bottom to embellish my page.  

At the top I used the our little moments sticker from the Accessory Stickers sheet; followed by the captured word cut from the Story Teller paper; the large butterfly fussy cut from the Pretty Bits paper; and the small heart tab sticker from the Accessory Stickers sheet.

I finished along the bottom of the page with the best things in life are free sticker and stamped the date.

I knew I needed to work in a vertical style again on the right page so that the two sides of my spread had cohesion across the design. 

I started by adding the every photo has a story quote piece from the 6x8" Paper Stack; followed by the wood grain piece from the Story Teller paper with my photo and journalling on top. Below that I added the take a photo it will last longer sticker from the Accessory Stickers sheet; then finished off with the cute pink camera from the Die Cut Ephemera pack. 

For my second spread, I decided to work with the previously released 'Happiness' collection to document some photos of my boys and I on a day out together.

This time I was able to work with the spread as a whole, rather than two separate pages sharing a spread. I started with the 6x8" Paper Pad, choosing the scaled down version of the Sprinkles paper as the base for my pages. I cut the sheet into two uneven pieces and placed them either side of the spine. 

I then added my three photos and my journalling, which I stuck on top of a journal box cut from the Little Things paper. I also added the making memories quote card from the same paper. 

Next, I added some floral pieces from the Die Cut Ephemera pack - cutting the largest piece in two and placing in on either side of the spine at the bottom of the page. I also used a couple of single flowers, which I tucked under the edges of my photos. 

I then added two small phrase stickers from the Accessory Stickers sheet; and finished off with a few other elements from the ephemera pack - tickets, hearts and the title piece.

That's all from me today, I hope I have inspired you to try some traveler's notebook spreads if you haven't already - it's such a fun size to work in!
Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Journey to a Hangover | Scrap the Girls November Challenge

Hi everyone!

Today I am here to share my take on the November challenge for Scrap the Girls which is called "The Hangover". You choose your poison - books, retreat, alcohol...I am sure we have all suffered one kind of hangover or another (some of us more than one...haha)

Here's a look at the mood board...

And here is my take on it...

Lazy Friday afternoons and double vodkas...I call this "journey to a hangover".

Besides being inspired by the alcohol theme, I also drew inspiration for my colour palette and design from the arrows in the book hangover image.

I started my layout by creating a messy, watercolour style background. I used green and yellow Distress Oxides, which I swiped onto my craft mat, added a little water and swirled it through with my finger, before laying my cardstock over the top. I tried to keep the colour restricted to the centre area of my page. I also added splatters of pink and black. 

I then chose the Crate Paper 'Good Vibes' collection to begin building my layers. I used assorted pieces of patterned paper as well as pieces from the ephemera pack to create a fun, cascading design down my page.

I then added my black and white photos over the top (in descending order), using some scrap cardboard behind each one to pop them up from the page. I also added some messy black cotton thread to add some extra contrast and texture.

To finish off my layout I added some cork stars from the 'Good Vibes' ephemera pack, then a flair button and some enamel dots from my stash. A quick line of handwritten journaling and I was done!

For more details about this month's challenge, or to see what the rest of our clever team came up with for this one, visit the Scrap the Girls blog HERE

**Design Team Call**

If you would like to join the Scrap the Girls team in 2020 and help inspire others, I would encourage you to apply, it's a great team to be part of! You can find all the requirements HERE

Thanks for stopping by today so I could share this. Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Happiness & Cocktails | Scrapping Clearly

Hi everyone!

Today I am sharing another of my guest designer projects created for Scrapping Clearly last month.

For this one I wanted to go "back to basics" and create a fun 12x12" scrapbook layout that was focused on paper. (My love of paper is, after all, which first led me down the rabbit hole of scrapbooking.) I chose to document some fun photos that were taken a year ago at my retreat on the Sunshine Coast. 

The collection I chose to pair with my photos was the 'Good Vibes' collection from Crate Paper. This collection is full of bold, playful patterns - perfect for pairing with my retreat photos!

I began with a sheet of the Girls Night paper as my layout base, which I topped with a sheet of white cardstock, that I trimmed down to measure 11x11". This left me a nice, even 1/2" patterned paper border all the way around the edges.

I then turned to my other papers and was immediately drawn to the gorgeous All Good paper, with its rich colours, florals and sweet bird motifs. I cut a large rectangular piece which I placed vertically on the left side of my page. I then cut a smaller piece of the Hashtag paper and layered it horizontally over the top.

Next, I cut one of the stripey pattern strips from the Passion paper, which I added on top to provide a strong, horizontal line on which to place my photos.

I still wanted more layers behind my photos though, so I cut two tags from So Chill cut apart paper; punching a hole in each and then tying them with twine. These were then tucked in underneath where my photos were going to go. I also tucked a small white doily into my layers before sticking my photos down.

For my page title, I cut the large "happiness" piece from the Big Heart foil accent specialty paper and placed it below my photos. I then used some blue Pinkfresh Studio 'Boys Fort' Mini Alpha Stickers to complete my title. (These are such a cute size, and there is also a sheet of both tan and green alphas included in the pack.)

With so many busy patterns at play, my layout required very few embellishments (as the papers had already done most of the hard work for me). I reached for the remaining piece of the All Good paper I had used earlier and fussy cut one of the little birds from it. I the added it to my page using foam tape to give it some dimension.

Above my photos I added a gorgeous 3D butterfly embellishment from the One Canoe Two Globe Gallery range.

To finish off, I added a scattering of blue sequins from the Teresa Collins Urban Market Sequins pack. (These were the perfect match for the blue of our cocktails!)

That's all from me today, I hope I have inspired you to get back to basics too and create something featuring lots of pretty papers too. 

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Scribble That Shit Out - Art Journal Page | Viva Las VegaStamps

Hi everyone!

Today I am popping in to share an art journal page that I created for Viva Las VegaStamps to showcase one of the stamps from the recently released plate #1517, which features some fabulous arty scribble-style faces. I wanted my page to represent the creative thought process, and how therapeutic art can be.

To create my page, I started with some loose white cardstock that I had cut down to an A5 size, with the intention of punching it and putting into my art journal binder once it was complete.

I began by applying Mustard Seed Distress Oxide using a foam blending tool to the cardstock. I then took an Aboriginal inspired stencil from StencilGirl that featured a rippling wave style pattern, and applied Carved Pumpkin Distress Oxide using a sponge dauber through the stencil over the top.

For the focal image on my page, I first stamped out the Large Lightbulb using black StazOn ink onto another piece of cardstock. I then used a water brush and the Mustard Seed and Carved Pumpkin Distress Oxides to colour the light bulb image before cutting it out. 

I then repeated the process with the Tina Walker Scribble Girl with Curlers and Earrings stamp; using Barn Door; Spun Sugar; and Mowed Lawn Oxides to colour it in before cutting it out.

In keeping with the style of my chosen feature lady, I used the Scribble Circle stamp and stamped it directly onto my page background. I then took the light bulb I had already prepared and positioned it in the circle so that it was surrounded by what appeared it to be energy flowing from it.

Next, I stamped the Scribble That Shit Out phrase stamp (also from new plate #1517) along the bottom edge of my journal page. I then took my scribble lady and added some cardboard to the back of her before sticking it down slightly overlapping the light bulb in the background. (This represented her "ideas".)

I was so happy with how this page came out and I am crushing on those new scribble ladies from Tina - I expect I will be using them again very soon!

Thanks for stopping by so I could share this with you, I hope I have inspired you to get inky too! X

VLVS stamps used:

- Large Lightbulb

- Tina Walker Scribble Girl with Curlers and Earrings

- Scribble Circle

- Scribble That Shit Out

For the Boys - Traveler's Notebook Spreads | Scrapping Clearly

Hi everyone! Back again today with another of my guest designer projects created for Scrapping Clearly last month. As my first project was a pretty floral 12x12" layout, I decided to go in an entirely different direction with some boy themed traveler's notebook (TN) spreads.

My love for TNs has really grown over the past 12 months, as I approach this format quite differently to the "traditional" layouts I do. These little books are less about the process, and more about getting the memories down so I include a lot more journalling. For today's post I was working in one of my sons books and getting a couple of stories recorded for him.

I started this spread with a piece of leftover patterned paper from another project, so I thought I would take the opportunity to use it up on this. (This is a great way to use up scraps.) The paper I used was the I Love You paper from the Simple Stories 'Heart' collection, and I placed a piece on either side of my spread as my base.

The next step was to arrange my photos and my printed journalling. (I pre-print my journalling so I know exactly how much space it will need on the page.) Just like a larger layout, once I have those things in place, it's simply a case of filling in space with embellishments. For this spread I was working with the Ephemera Pack from the Pinkfresh Studio 'Boys Fort' collection. 

All the embellishments you can see on this spread are from the same Ephemera Pack; and I simply shuffled through the pack and found ones that work work to fill the spaces on my page. The final step to finish off my spread was to add some spots to the white space using a very fine grey felt pen.

For my second spread, I again began with my background. This time I used a scrap of the Treasured Memories paper (also from the Simple Stories 'Heart' collection); along with a scrap of the Happy Go Lucky paper from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Boys Rule' collection. 

This time I also matted my main photo with the same Cocoa Vanilla Studio patterned paper to help it stand out more on the page. Again, I placed my photos and journalling before turning my attention to the embellishments.

I used the same Pinkfresh Studio 'Boys Fort' Ephemera Pack to embellish this page as I did for the previous spread. This time however, I needed an extra pop of blue so I fussy cut some blue stars from the Starshine paper from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'You Rock' collection (using my awesome limited edition gold Fiskars scissors).

I finished off my spread by stamping some little banners using StazOn black ink and a roller stamp from my stash; and with some doodling using fine tip felt pens.

Thanks so much for stopping by so I could share this with you today.
Until next time, happy scrapping! X