Unplug | Kitaholic Kits May 2021

 

Hi everyone, 

Today I am sharing another design team project I created for Kitaholic Kits using the May kit and mixed media add-on kit. The May kit is full of the beautiful Heidi Swapp 'Carefree' collection, which features a soft, muted colour palette. Whilst the mixed media add-on kit features a set of Vicki Boutin stencils and some of the new VB gel crayons, which are quite bright and vibrant. My challenge to myself was how to marry the two together on a layout whilst still achieving a cohesive design.

The first thing I did was to do some experimenting with the crayons to see how different methods of using them would achieve different looks. This is something I try to do anytime I receive a new medium to work with, because the best way to learn is to play! I tried a mix of wet & dry applications and different blending techniques until I finally settled on the method I wanted to use for this layout. 

I finally settled on a dry application, and used a mix of the pink and orange crayons to achieve the colour I wanted. To apply them to my page, I first scribbled them onto my non-stick craft mat, then used a foam blending tool to pick up the pigment and then gently blend it onto my page to give me a subtle result. 

For the next layer on my background, I used one of the new Vicki Boutin 'Color Study' stencils and some plain texture paste and just added some subtle stencilling over the top. I then used the gel crayons again, but this time with a wet application, by mixing some of the pigment with a little water and then using a paintbrush to add splatters on my page. 

 For the paper layers I used a mix of the Heidi Swapp papers, starting with a piece I had left-over from my previous project using the kit. I also used labels from the HS 'Carefree' cardstock sticker sheet to add extra interest to my layers. I had matted the main photo of the three that I had chosen for my layout, and used soft, messy cotton thread to add texture to the page.

My title came from the 'Carefree' ephemera pack, and I popped it up with some foam tape to help raise it up to the same height as my photos. I used a few other pieces from the same pack, including the cactus plant embellishment which I chose to use simply because the colours and shape worked on the page. 

A few extra stickers, a scattering of Bo Bunny Candy Dots, some stamped phrases and a final splatter and my page was complete.

You can see how it all came together in my process video here:

Thanks so much for stopping by today, I'll be back soon with another project to share.

Until then, happy scrapping! X