Hello Hair | August 2021 Hip Kit

 

Hi everyone,

I've got a fun mixed media layout to share today that was created just for ME! If you have been around for a while you would already know that mid last year I took the plunge and subscribed to Hip Kit Club's monthly scrapbook kit. Unfortunately, not long after that I had to pack all my craft supplies away and move house, and I haven't really had a chance to play with my kits since. So it was high time that I crack one open and get some creating done! I chose the August kit, which was a bright, fun kit full of a mix of different brands. I chose to document a series of photos of myself after a visit to the hairdresser last year.

I started my layout with a sheet of 300gsm cardstock and Mont Marte Dimension paint in Paynes Grey. I used my favourite Number 4 brush and the dry brush technique to add some background colour to the page. I then used floral stencil from StencilGirl (Rose Bouquet) and BeeArty Snow White Colour Paste to add some subtle detail over the top of the paint.

Next, I cut a large piece of one of the Hip Kit exclusive papers, choosing the B side for the beautiful orange colour and subtle pattern. (I always love a B side!) I distressed the edges of the paper using scissors (I was scrapping away from home and didn't have my distress tool with me) and then used my fingernail to ruffle it up a bit more. I used another of the Hip Kit papers featuring a black and white sketchy style floral pattern to add a piece above and below the orange paper. I tore along the edges of each strip to add texture. On top of the papers I added a dark grey paper doily and some frayed gauze and before placing my photos on top.

When it came to the embellishments I actually found myself a little challenged. Most of the embellishments were either the wrong colour for the palette I had chosen (I didn't really think it through before I started), or didn't fit with the theme of my page. In the end I chose the Floral Study paper by Vicki Boutin, and fussy cut several flowers from it to use as my main embellishments and tucked them in around my photos.

I chose the word smile from the Amy Tan Thickers in the kit which matched well with the pops of red from the roses on my jacket. I also found a few small pieces in the Simple Stories ephemera pack that matched with the warm tones I was using and added them to the page.

Luckily, the Simple Stories foam alphas in the kit were the perfect match for the main paper I had chosen, so I used them in my title. I finished off my layout with some of the Prima crystals; handwritten journalling; some stamped phrases; and tiny red splatters using Barn Door Distress Oxide.

Overall I was happy with how the layout turned out, but I would probably think more carefully about how my choice of colours / photos will work with the kit before I dive in next time. Oh well.

If you would like to watch how I put this layout together, I have a video available on my YouTube channel here:

If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section of my video, here on my blog post, or connect with me via my Facebook page. 

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

20 | Created by Gwen 1st YouTube Birthday Hop

 

Hi everyone, today I am here to share a layout that was created for a very special celebration. My dear friend Gwen Wruck's YouTube channel, "Created by Gwen" is one year old today. (Congrats Gwen!) To mark the occasion, a group of us have joined forces to put together a YouTube hop. The theme of this hop is to be inspired by Gwen's crafty style, and to try and include Gwen's top five signature scrappy elements. These are a square photo (4x4" preferred); cut files; patterned paper; layered clusters and stitching. If you aren't already familiar with Gwen's work, you can find her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/c/CreatedByGwen

Here's a look at the layout I created...

The photo I chose to document for this page is of my hubby and I last month as we were popping out for a lunch date to celebrate 20 years together. 

So for my layout, I started with a sheet of my favourite 300gsm white cardstock. I decided to add some mixed media to my page, but as Gwen isn't a huge mixed media fan, I kept it relatively subtle. I used Tattered Rose Distress Oxide applied with the packaging technique, then Rustic Wilderness Distress Oxide to add some splatters. 

I used a sheet of patterned paper from the Amy Tan Late Afternoon collection to back my cardstock, giving me a green border for my page. My intention had been to stitch around the cardstock edge to tick off the stitching element, but unfortunately when I pulled my machine out to use I found I had an empty bobbin, and being late at night it was all too hard and I just went without it. 

Now it was onto the main portion of my layout. In another move that was inspired by Gwen and her "Maggie Holmes Monday" series she runs on her channel, I decided to pull out some of my own Maggie goodies and use them too. 

I had a couple of partly used sheets of paper from the Crate Paper Marigold collection that I had left-over from previous projects, which I combined with a sheet from the Crate Paper Bloom collection. I created a double layered mat for my photo, and I also added a white paper lace doily and some frayed gauze into my stack. (I know the gauze isn't Gwen's style, but I still wanted to make it my own.)

Whilst digging in my Crate Paper stash for materials for this page, I stumbled upon a pack of chipboard frames from waaay back. (The Open Book collection to be exact - remember that one?) I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to use a few up, as Gwen often includes chipboard pieces on her pages. I chose 3 frames and layered them under my photo, following my natural instinct to create a "visual triangle"...and then I had to make a left turn.

If you know anything about Gwen's style, you will know that she doesn't create her clusters in the same way I do. Instead of the visual triangle method that I usually use, she uses a technique that can best be described as "flowing clusters". That is, she creates clusters that are designed to lead the eye around the page to different points of interest. These clusters are rarely out on their own on the page, as Gwen usually keeps all her elements touching another one. So I set about adding some extra bits and pieces to my page that would be more in keeping with Gwen's method. 

I used pieces from both the Open Book ephemera and floral ephemera packs, along with several small cut files that I also tucked into my layers. All of the cut files I used were from CutToYou (of course), as that is Gwen's very own cut file store. I used the Open Leaf Stem file (one of my faves), as well as two other floral pieces from the Caite Floral Set, all of which I coloured using Stormy Sky Distress Oxide.

I finished off my layout with a few stickers from the Crate Paper Garden Party sticker book; some Doodlebug Design gold puffy hearts; gold number Thickers for my title; and two beautiful CutToYou cut file butterflies from the Mixed Butterflies set, which I left white to add a little pop of freshness back into my layers. A little handwritten journalling and I was done! 

I love how this layout finished up, and I think I did a pretty well at honouring Gwen's style whilst still making it my own.

If you would like to see how it all came together, you can watch my process video here:

You will find links to all the other hop participants in my video description on YouTube.

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

Treat Yo'self | Kitaholic Kits February 2021

 

Hi everyone! With the month just about over, I am here today to share my final February kit project for Kitaholic Kits. For this layout, I decided to scrap some photos of my daughter that I snapped when we stopped for a treat whilst out shopping one day. I started this page thinking I was going to go in one direction, but wasn't happy so I changed tack. (If you are interested, you can hear my explanation in my process video.)

The background of this layout features one of the beautiful mixed media style papers from the Heidi Swapp 'Art Walk' collection. I loved the pink and blue colour palette and decided to stick mainly with those two colours for my page. I wanted to enhance the blue in the paper, so I used one of the Vicki Boutin 'Storyteller' stencils and Ranger Faded Jeans Distress Oxide to add some stencilled detail to the page. I chose the three spots on the paper that already seemed to have the most "mixed media" printed there. 

For my papery layers, I used pieces of the Amy Tan cut apart sheet in the kit, as well as a large piece of the blue Vicki Boutin paper. I also added a pink polka dot doily from my stash (it might have been a Doodlebug one?) and some frayed gauze for texture.

The it's a good day to be happy tab and my journal card both came from the Amy Tan cut apart, and I simply typed my journalling straight onto the card. (And yes, I love a good pun!)

For my embellishments, I used a a number of subscriber exclusive floral printables that were actually a mix from December, January and February. Some of these were layered with a handmade heart embellishment from Charms Creations. 

On the opposite side of the page my embellishment cluster also featured some Pebbles Jen Hadfield die cut pieces - a sweet little grocery store and a car. I added the treat yo'self sticker from the Heidi Swapp sticker book along the side of it to form my page title. (Titles don't always have to be big!)

I finished off with some splatters of the Ranger Dylusions 'Rose Quartz' Shimmer Spray.

Yes! I have a process video available for this page so you can see how it came together and find out what my "false start" was:

I hope you have enjoyed seeing my February projects. If you have missed any of them you can simply look back through my posts here, or if you prefer, catch up on my process videos on my YouTube channel instead.

Thanks again for all your support. Happy scrapping! X