This Is Life | Kitaholic Kits Cyber Crop challenge

Hi everyone,

I am popping in today to share another layout I created for the recent Kitaholic Kits 'Spring Fling' cyber crop. For this challenge the criteria was a sketch that looked like this...

If you have known me for a while, you will already know that following sketches is not my strong point. I always begin with good intentions, but once I start working on my page it tends to take on a life of its own. I do always try to include the key elements though, and I think I achieved that here.

Here is my layout, "This is Life"...

I decide to work with the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Daydream' collection for this layout because I just can't get enough of it! I started with the soft pink watercolour print on the reverse side of the Stepping Stones paper as my page background. Instead of using patterned paper for the large vertical block in the sketch, I decided to use paint instead. I added another layer over the top using Vicki Boutin gold glaze and one of my favourite StencilGirl stencils - 'Rembrandt's Words'.

With my photos I decided to use three, instead of just the two shown in the sketch. I still used two smaller ones, but added the third larger one as a feature in place of the title / journalling block. The photos were of my daughter with her phone (which is usually glued to her hand), and the reaction I got when I asked her to look up from the screen. 

 I used pieces of patterned paper to add some layers behind my photo, and a paper doily and a circular die cut frame to represent the round element from the sketch. For the smaller vertical blocks in the sketch I used strips of washi tape.

For my embellishments, I used a mix of coordinating products from the 'Daydream' collection - Die Cut Ephemera; Accessory Stickers; Puffy Heart; Flair Button and Die Cut Titles. I also used a handmade star from Charms Creations.

I finished off my layout with handwritten journalling, stamped phrases and splatters of black ink.

If you would like to see how I put this layout together, I've got a process video on my YouTube channel that you can watch below:

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

Everyday Ordinary Life | Scrap the Girls June challenge

Hi everyone!

I am popping in today to share my take on the June challenge at Scrap the Girls. This month the challenge is a sketch (which was designed by ME) called "Welcome to the Party", and it looks like this...

And here is my take on it...

(Click on photos for a better view)

When it came to tackling the sketch, I aimed to incorporate the main structures of the sketch which were the vertical and rectangular elements; multiple photos; and embellishments placed to the left, but I used a mixed media background to achieve a more organic overall look. 

I began with my background which was leftover from a bubble painting session I did a little while ago. It was created using a mixture of acrylic paint and dish soap and I just knew the look of all those cells would help soften the structure of the page. Not to mention they immediately make me think of science, which is perfect for a school themed layout. I added further detail by stamping with a jumbled text stamp over the top.

For the papers and embellishments I dug into my precious Vicki Boutin stash, using the Color Kaleidoscope collection. I had already printed my photos in black and white, so aside from working with the blue on the background, I knew I had free run with my colour choices. The first thing I did was look through the collection and gather a few things that I thought would work for the theme of the page.

I started by creating the vertical elements as the base for my page using a piece of paper with patterned strips on it, a small grid print paper bag, and a border sticker featuring arrows. These formed the anchor for my design and gave me a point to build on. I then layered the larger square and rectangular pieces over the top, adding a small paper doily and some frayed gauze, before placing my photos on top.

For the embellishments I used a selection of die cuts from the ephemera pack which I tucked in around my page using the sketch as a rough guide for placement. To the left of the photos I added a Charms Creations handmade star embellishment, which I topped with a cute typewriter flair button. 

For my page title I chose the everyday ordinary life sticker, which I popped up from the page using foam tape. I also added the large die cut arrow to help draw the eye into the action in the main photo - where my daughter and our cat were both using the touch pad on her laptop together (so cute!) I then added my handwritten journalling, stamped the date, and added a few black ink splatters and I was done!

If you would like to play along with us at Scrap the Girls this month and have a go at my sketch I would love to see what you create! Our Aussie sponsor this month is the lovely Paige from BeeArty, and for our international players, our new sponsor Tanya Leigh Designz. 

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

You Rock | Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi everyone!

Popping in with another design team project from last month - this one for Cocoa Vanilla Studio. Some of the team were tasked with a sketch theme on our blog, where we had to create a page using a specific PageMaps sketch. 

Here is the sketch we used...

This sketch is from the PageMaps archives from October 2018; and if you would like more sketch inspiration (including card sketches) you can find them on the PageMaps website.

Despite the floral theme of the sketch, I decided to twist it up and create a boy page instead. I used a combination of elements from two different CVS boy collections - 'Boys Rule' and 'You Rock'.

I began with the 'Boys Rule' collection - using the Star Fall paper as my page base to form a border, which I layered with a smaller square of the Entitled paper over the top.

To represent the circular element of the sketch, I cut several different sized wreaths from the free 'Happiness' cut files using a combination of white cardstock and the Happy Go Lucky paper for my feature circle. I then arranged them so they were overlapping each other.

Just like the sketch, I used two photos for my page (although I did use a different size and orientation). These photos of my son were taken the day after his birthday while he was testing out his new punchbag and boxing gloves. 

I added the die cut what the? speech bubble from the Die Cut Ephemera pack onto my main photo.

Due to the busy pattern on the paper, and the fact that I already had the overlapping wreaths on my background, I wanted to keep the embellishments fairly simple. I dug through my stash and chose the wood veneer pack from the 'You Rock' collection. I liked the fact that this was an easy way to add dimension and some natural texture to the page.

I added the large You Rock title piece just to the left of the photos - just like the title was positioned in the sketch. I then adhered a selection of wood veneer stars around the page, placing them at points where the wreaths intersected and forming a "visual triangle" around my photos. I also added a small wood veneer lightning bolt directly onto my second photo.

To finish off, I added the that's my boy rubber charm along the bottom edge of my photo; then added a small label from the Miscellany die cut pack to the bottom corner of my page and wrote my journalling with a felt pen.

Thanks for stopping by today so I could share this with you.

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Whole Lotta Lovely | Scrap the Girls September Challenge

Hi everyone!

Popping in with another design team layout to share today, this time for Scrap the Girls. The September challenge is called "Whatever You Want It To Be"; which happens to be a fun sketch designed by me. I kept the sketch pretty simple, making it easily open to interpretation; and I am looking forward to seeing what people do. The only rule you need to remember is "Girls Only", other than that, have fun with it!

Here is my take on the sketch... 

I started this one with an abstract style watercolour background, which I created using my (cheap) Micador watercolour paints. I simply applied the colours randomly around the page, layering them until I was happy.

I had two black and white photos of my daughter that I was using on this page; which is the reason I was able to use a rainbow of paints as I didn't have to worry about colour matching to the photos.

I layered a couple of pieces from a random ephemera pack (it might have been a Reject Shop one?) behind my photos, including a tag I tied with a little twine. I also used a die cut flower and butterfly from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Happiness' collection. (That Indigo coloured butterfly is my fave!)

Next to my photos I used the you're a whole lotta lovely foiled card for my title, which I cut from a Pink Paislee paper from the "Oh My Heart" collection. Behind it, and along the edge of my photos, I added more Cocoa Vanilla Studio die cut flowers and stickers; then layered a Cocoa Vanilla Studio flair button (from the 'Midnight' collection) on top. 

To finish off my page I added a scattering of enamel shapes and a little blue resin star.

Thanks so much for stopping by today so I could share this with you. I hope you will play along with our challenge this month. We've got Charms Creations sponsoring for our Australian winner, and Scrap Accent for our international winner. 

Until next time, happy scrapping! X