Summer ~ a monochromatic scrapbook layout | StencilGirl Monochromatic Rainbow Blog Hop

Hello! 

I hope you have found your way here as part of the StencilGirl® Products Monochromatic Rainbow blog hop, or perhaps you already follow my blog? Either way, I am so happy you are here so I can share my project with you.

For this hop, each Creative Team member was tasked with creating a monochromatic project in various colours, and if you haven't already guessed it - I got blue! (Yay!) I decided to go with the type of project that I know best, and create a scrapbook layout to document a photo of my boys swimming (seeing as blue was also the dominant colour of the photo). 

Here's a look at my page...

(Click on photos for a better view)

I began with my background, using a combination of Dina Wakley acrylic paint and a watercolour paint that I made by mixing Colour Blast by BeeArty Shimmer Dust with some water. I used a brayer to apply the acrylic paint to the lower half of the page, then a wide brush to apply the watercolour to the top half, overlapping a bit in the middle. 

Over the top of the watercolour paint I stencilled with the fabulous Circles in the Sand stencil designed by Roxanne Evans Stout, using Colour Blast 'Deep Blue' Colour Paste from BeeArty. I chose this stencil because of the flowing, organic nature of the circular shapes, which I thought lent themselves well to a water-inspired page. 

Over the acrylic paint at the bottom of the page, I used a Gelato and a stencil brush to apply spots of colour through the Organized Chaos stencil designed by Cat Kerr. This stencil is one of my absolute favourites and if you don't have it in your collection, you should! I thought the smaller sized circles balanced well against the larger, dominant pattern I had used on the upper half of the page, and added a "splashy" feel to the page.

I then added some papery layers over the top using a variety of patterned papers from Cocoa Vanilla Studio. I also added a paper doily, frayed gauze and some torn pieces of striped washi tape before sticking my photo on top.

For my embellishments, I again used items from Cocoa Vanilla Studio, including die cuts, stickers and a flair button, which I popped on top of a handmade felt star from Charms Creations. 

Next, I added a few enamel dots scattered around the page, and some small inky splatters using a Colour Blast by BeeArty Colour Artist Ink. I then finished off with my page title, which I had cut from white cardstock using a cut file from Cocoa Vanilla Studio (you can download the free summer themed set HERE). I used the same Gelato I had used for the stencilling to add an ombre effect along the lower half of the title. 

If you would like to see exactly how I put this page together, you can watch my process video below:

Now you have finished at my stop on the hop, its time to visit the next person on the list!

Check out all the wonderful artworks in our Creative Team Monochromatic Rainbow Hop:

Shel Cee – Violet

Peg Robinson – Purple

Sue Plumb – Blue (you are here)

Linda Edkins Wyatt – Green

Jennifer Gallager – Yellow

Claudia Neubacher – Orange

Carol Baxter – Red

Sunila Mahajan and Aditi Mahajan – Gold

Natalie May – White/Black

Debi Adams – Indigo

Comment on the blogs for your chance to win one of the $25 gift certificates for StencilGirlProducts.com.
Contest ends April 27, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. Central Time USA. Winners will be contacted via email the 28th.

Thanks for stopping by, and good luck! 

Hey Legends | Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi everyone!

I hope this finds you well?!

It's been busy, busy, busy here at my house over the past couple of weeks as I have been tackling some big home organisation projects, one of which is setting up a new creative space for myself. (No more kitchen table for me!) I've also been contending with three kids stuck at home - first while on two weeks of school holidays, and now this week we have returned to school via "remote learning" from home. This hasn't been too bad with my daughter as she is able to follow lesson plans provided by her school (with a bit of prodding and nagging from me), but for my two 7 year old boys, it has meant I have been hands-on with them for all of their learning. (Give me strength!) Sadly, this hasn't left me little time to do anything much creatively. 

Today I am sharing to a design team project I created recently for Cocoa Vanilla Studio that features the awesome new 'Legendary' collection.This mixed media layout documents a photo of my three kids doing what they do best - being weirdos! (And I wouldn't have them any other way.)

For my mixed media background I began with a sheet of white cardstock and used blue Distress Oxides (Tumbled Glass and Stormy Sky) to add some subtle colour to my page. I also added some stamping using black ink and one of my fave stamps featuring tiny stars from Viva Las VegaStamps. Once the background was completely dry I then moved on to adding some papery layers.

I first cut a piece of the star print pattern from the Offbeat paper into a vertical banner shape to act as the anchor point for my layers. Next, I created a mat for my photo using a piece of the Explorer paper and placed it on top of the banner with my photo stuck on top. I then added a couple of horizontal strips that I cut from the Explorer and Total Legend papers and tucked them in behind.

Above my photo I added some extra pieces of paper tucked in behind the top of the banner which were also cut from the Total Legend paper. I also added the circular piece that I fussy cut from the centre of the mandala in the middle of the Explorer paper. 

I also added two words from the Die Cut Titles pack to form my title Hey Legends (I actually cut the "s" from another word to make the word Legends) and popped them up using some foam tape.  

To the right of my photo I created a small cluster using the geo deer from the Die Cut Ephemera pack, with a small star on top (again using foam tape for dimension). Along the bottom edge of my photo I added the stay weird stay wonderful quote from the Epic Tales paper, with the go your own way quote from the Accessory Sticker sheet below it. 

To finish off, I added some small black chevrons to the left of my photo from the Clear Sticker sheet; then a good scattering of stars from the Die Cut Ephemera pack. I am so happy with how this one came together and I absolutely love the colour combo with the black / white / grey and blue tones.

That's all from me today, until next time, happy scrapping! X
PS - send wine / beer / vodka, this "teacher" needs it! 

This is the Life | Scrap the Girls April challenge

Hi everyone! I hope this finds you all well and coping with the ever-changing world we are living in right now? Things have been a little bit quiet on the scrapping front for me the past couple of weeks, as like so many other parents, I have had my children home from school. (And unfortunately for me, it means my scrap space AKA my kitchen table, has also become their school space.) Hopefully we will get the balancing act right soon, and I will have more time for myself again.

Anyway, I am here today to share my April design team layout that I created for Scrap the Girls. This month's challenge is all about adventure and travel...

And here is what I came up with...

(Click on photos for a better view)

As soon as I found out the theme for this challenge I knew I wanted to scrap a photo that was taken at my retreat on the Sunshine Coast back in November - definitely one of my favourite trips of the year! This was a shot of my roomies and I that was taken on our private rooftop (thanks to our photographer Nat). 

I took my inspiration for my page from the colours of the quote, using Gelatos to create a simple, abstract scribbled background, which I blended out a bit using baby wipes.

I then added a torn scrap of patterned paper (that sweet heart print from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Happiness' collection) to serve as the anchor point for my design. I then added some cardboard to the back of my photo and mounted it on top. 

Next, I grabbed a pack of tropical themed die cuts (I think they might have been from the Reject Shop?) and started tucking them in around my photo. My aim was to keep the design of the piece simple, but at the same time have plenty of colour and interest to engage the viewer.

I finished off my layout with some typed journalling and a Cocoa Vanilla Studio die cut butterfly. (Let's face it, I never need a reason for butterflies, do I?)

I do hope you will play along with this challenge! We have Charms Creations as our Aussie sponsor this month. Unfortunately, Scrap Accent is no longer able to be our international sponsor, so we are on the hunt for a new one. If you know a a business or individual who may be able to fill this role please have them message Krisy via the Scrap the Girls Facebook page. In the meantime, our international winners will receive an invitation to do a monthly guest spot on our team. 

If you would like to see what else the team created for this challenge, check out their projects on our blog HERE

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

You Are Amazing ~ a mixed media layout

Hi all!

Popping in today to share a layout I created recently featuring the Vicki Boutin 'Color Kaleidoscope' collection and a fabulous background technique that was inspired by Vicki as well. I recently watched a video that Vicki hosted on the Scrapbook and Cards Today Facebook page where she used a fabulous, fun (and easy!) acrylic paint bubble technique. I fell in love with the effect immediately so I had to give it a try. (If you would like to see it in action, you can watch Vicki's video HERE)

I tested the technique out on a few different substrates, then used one of the backgrounds I created to put this page together...

(Click on photos for a better view)

I decided to document a photo of my hubby and daughter that was taken just before we went off to her primary school graduation back in December. I chose this photo because the colours of the background reminded me of the colour of her dress. 

Isn't that background effect stunning? I am very keen to explore this technique further using different types of paints, containers and substrates.

Over my background I layered some patterned paper pieces from the 'Color Kaleidoscope' collection along with a paper doily, then topped it with my photo.

I used a combination of die cuts and stickers from the same collection to embellish around my photo and then finished off by stamping a few phrases and splattering some navy and gold mists.

That's all from me today - short and sweet! Until next time, happy scrapping! X