Happiness Is | Cocoa Vanilla Studio for the CSI Challenge

 

Hi everyone, back again with another design team project to share, and this is one that I actually forgot to share here a couple of weeks ago. (Oops!) This layout was created for Cocoa Vanilla Studio as a guest designer for the CSI: Colour, Stories, Inspiration challenge. (Cocoa Vanilla Studio are one of this month's sponsors.) 

Here is the case file that I was working with...

And some more details about the challenge...

I was initially inspired by the animal element to document a photo of my cat Genghis, as he slept curled up on my daughter's book about cats. I thought the colours in the palette lent themselves very well to the Cocoa Vanilla 'Happiness' collection, so that is what I used.

My layout began with a sheet of white cardstock which I had cut down to measure 11x11" and I used a small brayer to lightly apply some pink acrylic paint, then added some stamping over the top using a ledger style stamp from Viva Las VegaStamps. 

After I created my mixed media background, I mounted it onto the blue watercolour style print on the reverse of the Good Vibes paper. This left me with a beautiful blue border for my page.

For the patterned paper layers in the focal area of my page, I used a mix that included Little Things; Sprinkles; and So Fresh papers. I added some torn edges and frayed gauze to bring texture to the page; and a small red paper doily from my stash for an extra pop of colour.

For my embellishments, I created three main floral clusters using a mix of Die Cut Ephemera and fussy cut flowers from the Little Things paper. I used a label fussy cut from the same paper as my journal spot; and as stipulated in the CSI challenge clues, I added some small flowers to my journal spot too.

I used the words happiness is from the Die Cut Titles pack as my page title, which flowed on directly into my journalling.

I finished off my layout by adding some Clear Stickers around the page – a butterfly, some brush strokes,a tiny heart and a group of crosses. I love adding clear stickers, especially over a mixed media background, as it allows some of your original layers to show through. I also added some small phrase stickers from the Accessory Sticker sheet, then some black ink splatters and I was done!

Visit the CSI blog HERE for all the details of the current challenges and to see what everyone else created for this case file. You have until April 4th to get your entries in to be in the running for one of the prizes on offer, so get busy!

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Bloom & Grow

 

Hi friends! I'm popping in today with a bit of a bonus share. I have been totally loving all of the rainbows I have been seeing everywhere lately, so I felt inspired to do some stash-busting and create a simple rainbow themed page of my own.

For my layout I decided to use a cut file from Cut to You as the basis of my background. I used the file called Sunshine Rainbows and cut the rainbow portion of the design on some white cardstock. I paired it with the 'Happiness' collection from Cocoa Vanilla Studio, using the gorgeous Good Vibes paper to back the rainbow. I then trimmed down the cardstock to measure 11x11" and mounted it on a sheet of pink cardstock to create a page border.

Once I had my background together, I used a fine tip felt pen to add some faux stitching between the arches of the rainbow. This is a quick and easy technique if you don't have a sewing machine (or if like me, you just can't be bothered pulling it out at the time).

Next, I matted my photo using pieces of the Expressive and Frame of Mind papers, and I also tucked a yellow paper doily into my layers. I then placed my photo on top of my rainbow and set about adding some embellishments to the page.

I created a cluster in the top left corner of my photo using layered pink flowers from the Die Cut Ephemera pack to coordinate with the pink / red arches of the rainbow underneath. I balanced that cluster by embellishing the bottom right corner using more die cuts, only this time in blue tones to coordinate with the blues of the rainbow. 

For my title, I used the bloom & grow stickers from the 'Midnight' Accessory Sticker sheet, and then a label from the 'Happiness' sticker sheet to add my journalling. I finished off my layout with some tiny splatters of navy mist.

Thanks so much for stopping by today so I could share this with you. I hope I have inspired you to perhaps create your own rainbow themed page. Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Good Vibes | Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi everyone!

Just popping in quickly today with a project I shared last month for Cocoa Vanilla Studio that I hadn't posted here yet. This layout was actually created quite a while ago, and I used the gorgeous 'Happiness' collection for it. I went looking for these photos of my daughter that were taken a couple of years ago, simply because I wanted to use that super cute bike that was on the cut apart sheet. 

I decided to use the fun spotty design of the Sprinkles paper as my page background – perfect for a page documenting a birthday present! I wanted a border through, so I cut the paper to measure 11×11″, distressed the edges, then mounted it on a sheet of blue cardstock.

I then took a scrap of pale blue and white striped paper I had left-over from the ‘Life is Beautiful’ collection (now available as a digital collection HERE); tore along the edge of it and added it horizontally across my page about 2/3 of the way up to act as the anchor point for my design. Underneath the torn edge I tucked some paper lace I had punched from the pink side of the Expressive paper, which I also added along the bottom edge in the right corner.

I then created some extra paper layers where I was going to place my photos using more of the Expressive paper, as well as pieces of the Good Vibes and Little Things papers. I also added a paper doily to add some extra texture. Once all my layers were in place I added my photos on top using some scrap cardboard to pop them up from the page. I then moved onto my embellishments.

I started by adding my title alongside my photo. (This is not the order I usually work in, but I knew I needed to get the title words down in the space before I filled it up with other things.) I chose the words good vibes from the Die Cut Titles pack, and also added a small heart from the Die Cut Ephemera pack. I then used a variety of floral pieces from the ephemera pack to create two  clusters in the diagonally opposing corners of my photos. I also added a few small paper flowers I had left-over from the ‘Love Always’ collection.

Next, I worked on my journalling cluster in the bottom right corner of my page. I added a torn scrap of the Good Vibes paper, more floral ephemera pieces and paper flowers, and the sweet little bicycle that I had fussy cut from the Little Things paper. I then added my journalling, a small die cut heart, and a phrase sticker from the Accessory Sticker sheet.

I finished off my page by adding a Flair Button and another heart to the left of my photo; a couple more phrase stickers placed above my title and finally, a butterfly that I fussy cut from the Bright & Beautiful paper.

Thanks so much for stopping by so I could share this with you. I hope I have inspired you to pull out some supplies and get creative today. Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Best Friends | Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi everyone!

Popping in today to share a layout that I created for Cocoa Vanilla Studio using the ever-beautiful 'Happiness' collection. This page features a photo of my daughter (that's her in the blue) and her friends that was taken the night of their primary school graduation. She has such a lovely group of friends and it was a special time for them to be able to celebrate together. 

Here is what I created...

(Click on photos for a better view)

 For my layout, I began with the blue watercolour pattern on the B-side of the Good Vibes paper as my page base. Next, I took the oh-so-pretty So Fresh paper and fussy cut the beautiful wreath design from it. I then added some foam mounting tape to the back and positioned it on my page (without yet sticking it down).

I then matted my photo with the pink B-side of the Expressive paper before adhering it to the background sheet, then added the mounted wreath over the top. I bent the edges of the wreath up slightly from the page in some places to add extra dimension.

Above the photo, I added a small tab  and some leaves from the Die Cut Ephemera pack to create a small cluster. For my title I used the words best friends from the Die Cut Titles pack, highlighting it with the row of chevrons sticker from the Clear Sticker set. 

To help frame my photo and bring some extra balance to the page, I arranged a couple of phrase stickers from the Accessory Sticker sheet and the time to shine banner piece from the Die Cut Ephemera pack to create a visual triangle. I also added some extra leaves to the outer edges of the wreath by tucking in a few from the ephemera pack.

At this point I thought that my wreath felt a little “disconnected” from the background, so I drew some inspiration from my former team member Amanda Baldwin, and doodled some extra leaves around the wreath using a fine white paint pen. I also added a little extra prettiness by using some tiny paper flowers from my stash, which I placed randomly around the wreath.

I finished up by creating another “visual triangle” – this time using butterflies fussy cut from the Bright & Beautiful paper. (You probably already know how much I LOVE butterflies!)

I am so happy with how this pretty page turned out, and am pleased to report it found a very special home. It was popped into a frame and gifted to one of the girls in the photo for her birthday.

That's all from me today, thanks for stopping by. Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Jolly as F*ck | Scrap the Girls December Challenge

Ho, ho...no!

Can you believe we are on the final countdown to Christmas?! If you are one of those people I affectionately refer to as "Christmas freaks" then you have probably been ready for the big day since mid-June and have had your tree up for at least a month already. (You are probably also the sort of person that thinks hot cross buns DO belong on the supermarket shelves at the beginning of January?!) *mumble, mumble*

If you are more like me however, then Christmas always seems to creep up waaaaay too quickly every year, you've only just put your tree up, and at some stage next week you will start preparing everything else. (Look away now Christmas freaks! hehe)

So all this Christmas talk has led me to the latest design team project that I have to share. This page was created for Scrap the Girls for the "No Traditions Here" challenge this month. This is the image inspiration we were provided with the instructions "could be colour, what you see or what you read".

I bowed to the Christmas theme, and in keeping with the challenge title, there was nothing traditional about my page...

I used the gorgeous Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Happiness' collection for this page, which I combined with my own watercolour background.

I started by fussy cutting the beautiful wreath from the So Fresh paper, which I backed with some scrap cardboard to help pop it up from the page, and then set it aside to create the background.

I used a Colour Blast 'Deep Water' Shimmer Cube (unfortunately these are no longer available, but you could substitute any watercolour paint) to create a ring on my cardstock where my wreath was going to sit. Next, I added some small splatters of gold, green and pink inks before sticking my wreath down over the top.

I then added my photos, tucking them under the edge of the wreath on the left side of the page.

For my title, I used the Jolly as Fuck Christmas ornament (with gum leaves - also available in a bottle brush version) from Kinder Kreations. These ornaments have a hole so you can add string or ribbon to hang them, but I couldn't resist giving this one a starring role on my layout instead. I painted it with a metallic gold acrylic paint to give it a festive feel and added some twine to the top of it.

To compliment my gold title, I grabbed a few cut file leaves I had left over from a previous project and painted them to match. I then tucked them in under the edge of the wreath, leaving some of them white as well. (This leaf design is from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Colour Me Happy' cut file set.) To help blend my title with my page I stuck a small flower and butterfly from the 'Happiness' Die Cut Ephemera pack onto it.

 To finish off the page I added two flair buttons to my wreath from the 'Happiness' flair button set and some handwritten journalling with a felt pen.

I hope you will join in with our challenge this month - you can make your layout as Christmas-sy as you like (or not), just be inspired by the image! Make sure you visit the Scrap the Girls blog for all the details of this month's Australian and International sponsors and to see what the rest of the design team created.

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

Happy Times | StencilGirl®

Hi everyone!

I can't believe I missed sharing this project created for the StencilGirl® Creative Team last month! (This year is going waaay too fast!)  For this piece I was tasked with the theme "texture it or make marks on it". Texture or mark making? Hmm...how about a bit of both?! I knew I could incorporate both of these onto a scrapbook page.

I looked through my box of photos and was immediately drawn to a photograph of some of my favourite crafty friends and I. Over the past couple of years we have all gone away for a long weekend of eating, drinking, laughing and crafting together. It is something we all look forward to, and a tradition I hope continues for many years to come.

I began my page with a sheet of 270gsm cardstock and decided to create a soft, watercolour style background. I chose Ranger Distress Oxides in two different shades of green - Mowed Lawn and Twisted Citron. I stamped each of the ink pads randomly onto my non-stick craft mat; added a few spritzes of water and then swirled my finger tip through the inks to mix them up a bit. I then placed my cardstock on top, smoothing my hand over it to allow it to soak up the inks before lifting it off and drying with a heat tool.

Once the background colour was in place; I looked through my stencils and chose the January 2019 StencilClub "Shaw-Apter Mash Up" set designed by Mary Beth Shaw and Seth Apter. This is an amazing set featuring three (9x12"; 6x6"; and 4x4") stencils; and was absolutely perfect to hit the "mark making" brief. I love that these stencils have a variety of different patterns that can be used together, or masked off and used independently of one another.

If you haven't heard about the StencilGirl® StencilClub yet, you can find out about it HERE. Each month there is an exclusive artist designed stencil release, along with several other benefits that are available only to club members.

I wanted to create an "anchor point" to begin building my page from. I chose a contrasting colour of Distress Oxide (Picked Raspberry) and the 9x12" stencil from the set. The pattern I was focused on was the long row of soft edge squares, which I added near to the central horizontal line of my page by sponging ink through the stencil. I also added a small amount of the same pattern along the top and bottom edges of my page.

Once I had the pink stencilling in place, I reached for another stencil from the "Shaw-Apter Mash Up" set - this time it was the 4x4" stencil with the rows of crossmarks. I masked off the largest set and used Faded Jeans Distress Oxide; once again applied by sponging through the stencil. I moved it repeatedly around the page, in some places layering the pattern over the top of itself.

With plenty of marks made on my background, it was now time to add some texture! As the marks I had already added were quite structured, I wanted to use a stencil over the top that had a very organic shape. I chose the 9x12" Wildflower Bouquet stencil designed by Wendy Brightbill. I applied Colour Blast Colour Paste (Apple of My Eye) through the stencil using a palette knife. I did not use the design in its entirety; instead I stencilled the top third of the design, before moving it and stencilling a section from the bottom.

After drying off the green paste with a heat tool, I then went back to add some flower details to my foliage. I used Fire Engine Colour Paste this time, in conjunction with Rose Bouquet stencil. I used washi tape to mask off the largest rose in the centre of the stencil then added three large roses to my page. I then repeated the process with one of the smaller roses from the stencil, adding two to the page before again drying with a heat tool.

With my background largely complete, it was now time to add some other layers to my page. I used patterned papers from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Happiness' collection - first creating a layered mat for my photo to sit on, and then adding a couple of small torn pieces to the top and bottom of the page. I also fussy cut some floral pieces that I tucked in around the edges of the photo mat along with some matching floral die cuts. I topped the papers with some frayed gauze to add soft texture, before sticking the photo down on top.

To add a few extra pops of interest to my page I decided to add a few circles with x's from the 6x6" stencil from the StencilClub "Shaw-Apter Mash Up" set. I masked off a few circles and used Stormy Sky Distress Oxide with a sponge.

To finish off my page I added some Cocoa Vanilla Studio stickers; a die cut title and a fussy cut butterfly.

Time and patience really does pay off - just look how much depth and vibrancy this piece has because of the care that has gone into creating layers with contrasting colours, shapes and textures.

I am so happy with this piece - bright colours, flowers, and treasured memories of special friends - what's not to love?

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