Hello Lovely | Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi everyone! Hope this find you well? Popping in today to share my latest layout using the fabulous new Wild at Heart collection from Cocoa Vanilla Studio. This page was designed to showcase some specific embellishments from this collection - the brand new chipboard frames and the chipboard stickers.

The photo I have used on my layout was a selfie that features myself, my sister and both our daughters on a recent girls night out together to the theatre to see the Matilda musical. (Which was amazing - if you get a chance to see it, do it!)

Here's what I came up with...

"Hello Lovely"

I also wanted to combine a variety of contrasting papers from this collection and managed to use SIX different patterns on this page! I love that there is such a huge range of patterns to choose from in this collection with the increased number of papers. (Because when it comes down to it, it's allll about the paper, right?) 

I created this cluster at the top of my layout using two chipboard stickers for the title, along with a heart that I cut from the Fussy Cuts cut apart paper, a chipboard sticker heart, and one of the Sparkles enamel dots.

I included another chipboard sticker heart and more Sparkles enamel dots in the corner of my photo. (I love embellishing in the negative space on my photos.) You can also see how I have layered several contrasting patterned papers behind my photo, along with a paper doily.

I made a feature of the chipboard frames by layering them under and around my photo, and stamped the date directly onto the date frame using Staz-On ink. I also used a couple of the small phrase arrows from the chipboard stickers pack to help draw the eye into the photo.

I added a couple of the tiny phrase stickers from the Accessory Sticker sheet directly onto one of the frames, as well as the stunning butterfly flair button which I nested on some messy thread. (And a couple more of the Sparkles enamel dots - because you can never have too much sparkle, right?)

I love how much dimension this layout has, largely due to the layering of the chipboard frames.

That's all from me today, thanks for stopping by. The Wild at Heart collection is currently available from selected retailers (who were able to get their hands on the first shipment) but the good news is that it will be more widely available soon! If you have the chance to grab some, then do - it really is stunning!
Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Dig! | Scrap the Boys March Challenge

Hi everyone!
Popping in with another design team layout to share today, this time for Scrap the Boys. Those who have been following me for some time, will know that I didn't start out the most enthusiastic of boy scrappers when I first started creating boy layouts. (But with twin boys, what can you do?) Fast forward to today and I LOVE creating boy layouts, so I am super happy Amy kept me on the team at Scrap the Boys this year.

So, the March challenge theme is...

And it turned out that I had the PERFECT pics for this challenge! My biggest problem was narrowing down which ones to use. In the end I chose four, so I ended up with a layout that is pretty busy. I do love it though - there is plenty of action!

"Dig!"

We were so lucky that when we visited my sister and brother-in-laws house shortly after Christmas, that he had his backhoe home for the holidays on their property. Let me just say that my boys (especially Hunter) are "digger mad", so they thought it was awesome to see one up close. Imagine where Uncle Wil went to in the popularity stakes when he got the boys to climb up inside with him, started it up and let them use the controls to dig in the dirt!! (I seriously thought Hunter's smile was going to split his face open! haha)

I used the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Totally Rad' collection for this layout. (I couldn't go past that yellow chevron print paper for my background!) To embellish my page I used some of the coordinating accessory stickers and die cut ephemera, many of which which I tucked in around my photos.

The rad flair was stuck directly onto the corner of one of my photos (and for once, I did not add any cotton thread under it.)

Another embellishment I used several of on this page, was woodies (wooden buttons with epoxy centres) and they are awesome on boy layouts!

The black alphabet stickers I used were actually from the Colour Me Happy collection, and I simply added some brief handwritten journaling below my title.

A few splatters of Colour Blast Colour Spray (in Road Base); a little stamping and my layouts was complete. I am really happy this challenge pushed me to get these photos scrapped. If you have any dirt-related photos of your boy waiting to be scrapped, then make sure you pull them out and get them done for this challenge! You have until the end of the month to get your entry linked up and be in the running for this months prizes.

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Be Free | Colour Blast

Hi everyone! Popping in today to share my latest design team project created for Colour Blast. Today I have a 12x12" layout that features a recent selfie I took before heading out. (Note to self: always take selfies when dressed up with make up on, you are more likely to scrap them!)

I started this layout with a sheet of Cocoa Vanilla Studio patterned paper from the 'Love Always' collection. The paper features a beautiful black and white floral print, which meant I was able to choose any colour I wanted to customise it, so I went with a punchy pink!

I started my page by colouring my background. I mixed a small amount of Lollipop Colour Shimmer Dust with some water in my palette, and then used a water brush to apply it. I then adhered my patterned paper (which I had trimmed down to 11x11") onto a sheet of black cardstock to form a frame.

I then layered some pink tissue paper and a paper doily (both from D-lish Scraps) to form a mat for my photo. I also grabbed a couple of D-lish Scraps wood veneer pieces (my be free title and a frame) and painted them using the new Colour Blast black heavy gesso. I was really happy with how smoothly it went on, and the coverage was so good they didn't even require a second coat!

The phrase stickers I added were Blackboard Sticky Quotes from Flutterby Designs. The gorgeous butterfly was one of several pieces of "paintable" Heidi Swapp ephemera I added to my page. These were all painted with Colour Blast Colour Shimmer Dust in midnight. (I gave each piece two coats of colour, as I wanted to ensure they looked really black.)

To the left of my photo I clustered together another piece of the ephemera; a Charms Creations heart; a Flutterby Designs flair button and some messy black thread. I also added another Blackboard Sticky Quote directly onto my photo.

That's all from me today. If you haven't tried any of the Colour Blast products yet, then I highly recommend you start with some Colour Shimmer Dusts - they are so much fun to use and very versatile!  (You can pop over to the store HERE)
I will be back soon with another project to share. Until then, happy scrapping! X

Welcome to our Tribe | Flutterby Designs

Hi everyone!
Here today to share my latest layout using some of the new 'Fur-ever Friends' collection from Flutterby Designs. Pets are such an important part of the family, that they deserve their own pages in our albums too. This collection is perfect for capturing those memories of all those furry, feathered (or even scaly) members of the family.
The layout I have to share today features a photo of the newest member of our family when we arrived home from picking him up. (He was so relaxed, and already showing us what a chilled out little man he is.)

I decided to mix it up a bit for this layout; and along with the elements from the 'Fur-ever Friends' collection, I also threw in some pieces from previous releases.

I started my page with a sheet of patterned paper, and drizzled some 'Tropicana Teal' Flutter Colour paint (from the new release bright set) onto the page and set it aside to dry.

I created a layered photo mat by combining Everyday Etc filler cards from the 'Fur-ever Friends' and 'Happy Together' collections. I also tucked one of the 'Fur-ever Friends' Page Tabs in amongst my layers; and used another filler card from the same collection to add two triangular pieces to the diagonally opposite corners. The "meow" word came from the 'Fur-ever Friends' Die Cut Bits & Bobs pack.

The gorgeous "a house is not a home without a pet" quote and the cute little house were both fussy cut from one of the 'Fur-ever Friends' Everyday Etc cards. You can also see where I tucked in some messy thread for texture.

I also tucked some matching thread on the other side of my photo, which I topped with a cute camera flair button (from set #195). Alongside that, I added a Photo Cut Out tab (from the Bright Directions Tabs 3 sheet); and an enamel dot (from the Bold set).

The title for my layout was fussy cut from one of the 'Happy Together' Everyday Etc cards. As a finishing touch to tie in with the hearts on the paper I had used, I added some Rainbow Heart stickers randomly around my page.

Thanks for stopping by today so I could share this with you. If you haven't already, make sure you join the Flutterby Inspiration HQ group on Facebook. You can share your Flutterby pages, chat to the team, or just be inspired by what other people share.
Til next time, happy scrapping! X

Love Every Minute Together | Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi everyone!
I am popping in today to share my very first layout using the new Wild at Heart collection from Cocoa Vanilla Studio. I am IN LOVE with this collection, it really is even more stunning in person than it appears in photographs! The whole collection boasts such beautiful tones, and add to that the floral and watercolour elements, plus a heap of gorgeous butterflies...let's just say making the first cut into any of it was hard! ;)

I DID manage to cut into it though, and I paired it with a couple of selfies I took of my daughter and I together recently just before we went to the theatre.

The most difficult part of using any new collection is knowing where to start - there are just so many beautiful things to choose from! I started with the papers I wanted to use for my background. I chose the Double Dot paper and used the B-side for my base sheet. I then used the beautiful blue watercolour side of the Mariposa paper and I tore it (yes - tore!), so I could layer a piece over the top. Along the top edge of this piece, I used one of my border punches to punch out a contrasting decorative strip from the B-side of the Luscious paper.

I used two frames from the new chipboard frames pack to frame the photos I wanted to use and set them aside. I then created a layered mat to mount them on using more of the Luscious paper, along with some of the navy floral vellum sheet and a paper doily from my stash.

I added some fussy-cut floral pieces from the Luscious paper that I used around my page. I nested one of the coordinating flair buttons on top of one of them, along with some messy cotton thread for texture. Along the edge of my decorative strip I added a couple of stickers from the Accessory Sticker sheet.

For my title "love every minute together", I used two pieces from the cut apart Fussy Cuts paper. I also cut the large butterfly from the same sheet. (I love the butterflies in this collection SO much!)

In the bottom corner of my layout I added a few phrase stickers from the Accessory Sticker sheet; another butterfly (this one is from the Die Cut Ephemera pack); some more cotton thread and a few Sparkles glitter enamel dots.

To finish off my layout I stamped the date and added a few splatters of navy mist.
Thanks for stopping by today so I could share this with you. I will be back soon with another project for you.
Until then, happy scrapping! X

One Spoilt Cat | Flutterby Designs

Hi everyone!
Just popping in today to share another layout featuring the brand new 'Fur-ever Friends' collection from Flutterby Designs (and my kitty!) As with all Flutterby collections, I love the bright, fun colours in this one; which makes it perfect for creating layouts about those furry or feathered members of the family.

I started this page by adding some subtle texture and colour to my newsprint patterned paper (which is from Cocoa Vanilla Studio). I used the new Flutterby Bubble O'Fun stencil to first add some texture paste to random areas of my paper, then used a few drops of Flutter Colour paint added to some water to add some light colour to the textured areas. I then drizzled white Flutter Colour paint over the top.

I created a mat for my photo by layering together several of the Fur-ever Friends Filler Cards; and then fussy cut the spoilt cat portion of my title from one of the Fur-ever Friends Everyday Etc Cards. The remainder of my title was created using some die cut pieces from the Mad About You Die Cut Bits & Bobs pack; some printed words; Cocoa Vanilla Studio alphabet stickers and a word sticker from the Fur-ever Friends Sticky Quotes sheet. (The cute little cat is from the Sticky Quotes sheet as well.) Tucked in amongst the layers under my photo was also a spoilt page tab from the Fur-ever Friends Page Tabs.

Underneath my photo I layered one of the new Fur-ever Friends wood veneer frames, along with some messy black cotton thread. I then added a flair button from the Fur-ever Friends - Cat set directly onto my photo and popped one of the black Tiny Sticky Quotes beneath my photo.

To tie in with the wood veneer frame I had used, I also added some wood veneer small hearts around my page. The small embellishment cluster at the bottom of my page included one; along with a die cut from the Fur-ever Friends Die Cut Bits & Bobs pack and another black Tiny Sticky Quote.

To finish my page, I added some stamping; black mist splatters and a quick line of journaling.

If you haven't got your hands on any of the newest products yet, make sure you head over to the Flutterby Designs store HERE and check out the new range! (Check out the Fur-ever Friends kit that includes some kit exclusives too!)
I will be back soon with another project to share with you. Until then, happy scrapping! X

Yum | Colour Blast

Hi everyone!
Popping in today to share the latest of my Colour Blast creations with you. Today I have a 12x12" layout that features Colour Paste and one very chocolatey cake! I made the cake for my daughter's 8th birthday last year after she specifically requested a "minion cake". I have been sitting on these photos for a while, but as soon as my design team package of Colour Blast goodness landed on my doorstep, I knew exactly what I was going to use with them!

Doesn't that Colour Paste look good enough to eat? (And believe me, my kitten thought it did! haha)

After prepping my background with Heavy White Gesso, I used Sunshine Colour Shimmer Spray, which I applied like a watercolour paint by tipping a small amount out of the bottle and then painting it on using a wide brush.

After the spray had dried, I grabbed my Colour Pastes (I used Leather and Sunshine) as I wanted to play on the colours in my cake photos. I applied it roughly with a plastic palette knife as I was aiming for the paste to give the appearance of frosting that had been smeared across the page. (You can see how I scraped it back in parts to allow the Colour Shimmer Spray I had applied first to come through.)

It is important to note that the Colour Pastes dry to a richer and darker colour than they first appear in the pots. Look at the beautiful, vibrant colour once dry (and tell me that gorgeous texture doesn't look like chocolate!)

After the pastes had dried, I also added a few black splatters using my Colour Spray in Road Base and then proceeded to add my photos and embellishments.

I added a couple of gold frames that I had cut on my Big Shot using gold glitter paper, as well as some gauze and a mini paper doily under my photos to create some layers and add some alternative textures.

I used "paintable" Heidi Swapp ephemera pieces which I added some subtle colour to using a brush dipped in my Sunshine Colour Shimmer Spray.

I pushed the chipboard Thickers I used for my title straight into the wet Colour Paste and allowed them to dry there.

I added a D-lish Scraps flair button to the corner of my photo, with some messy cotton thread underneath it. The "I'm having a Martha Moment" stamp is from Viva Las VegaStamps (of course!)

Look at those layers and all that rich colour and shine! Very happy with the result of this one.

Thanks for stopping by today (especially if you made it through all those photos!). I will be back again soon with another project to share. Until then, happy scrapping! X

New Threads | Scrap the Boys February Challenge

Hi everyone!
I am so happy to be continuing on with Scrap the Boys for another term this year. As my long-term readers will know, I have twin boys and when I re-started scrapping after they were born I wondered how I was ever going to get my head around doing the whole "boy page" thing. Fast forward a few years, and I LOVE to create boy pages now, and am passionate about sharing my work in the hope of inspiring others to scrap their boys too.

So, onto the February Scrap the Boys challenge, which is...

And here is my take on it...

"New Threads"

I've been a bit of a mixed media roll lately and really enjoying it, so figured why stop now? I created this background using some red Flutter Colour paint from Flutterby Designs, which I simply swiped over the background with an old gift card. I then added some depth by stamping over it with some Viva Las VegaStamps, and then added some small pieces of torn washi tape.

Next, I created some layers under my photo using an assortment of things - tissue paper; paint sample card; small paper bag; gauze; and a wood veneer frame that I coloured black with a Sharpie then cut in half and placed under either side.

I used Cocoa Vanilla Studio alphas for my title and next to my photo I used a Charms Creations chevron as my feature embellishment.

To carry through my "clothing" theme, I also added a couple of small tags that I stamped the date onto, and tied with twine. (I love how the twine, along with the cut up pieces of the paint sample card bring in just the right amount of blue to tie in with the photo.)

I also added a foiled flair button from Flutterby Designs, which I nested on some messy black cotton thread; and a few Cocoa Vanilla Studio black enamel dots.

I added a couple of Snippet Strips from Flutterby Designs using my tiny attacher; some stamped phrases (stamp also from Viva Las VegaStamps); handwritten journaling; and then splattered a bit of mist around and I was done!

Don't forget you have until the end of the month to get your entries in for the Scrap the Boys challenge. We have TWO fabulous sponsors this month - Cocoa Vanilla Studio and Scrapping Life, so get busy if you would like to be in with a chance of winning! (Remember, don't get caught out with the short month!)

Until next time, happy scrapping! X