Today I am popping in to share my latest design team layout for Cocoa Vanilla Studio which was inspired by this month's mood board challenge. The mood board is called "Explore and Discover" and it looks like this...
My initial inspiration came from the painted image in the top left, which made me decide to create a mixed media layout. And of course I chose to use the new 'No Limits' collection, because it is freakin' amazing!
I chose to mainly focus on the yellow, blue and black tones from the mood board for my layout. I used a bright yellow Distress Oxide for my painted background to tie in with the photos of my son and his cube that I was documenting. I also added navy blue stencilling, black stamping and some torn washi tape too.
I added layers of patterned paper behind my photos, as well as a yellow paper doily and some frayed gauze.
I used a mix of Die Cut Ephemera and Accessory Stickers as the basis of my embellishment clusters. I also used a mix of stars that were fussy cut from the Nebula paper. These pieces all tied in with the stars from the mood board. I added foam tape under some of the pieces for dimension.
I used words from the Die Cut Titles pack for my page title. These were also raised up from the background using foam tape.
I added three small buttons from the Wood Buttons pack and then scattered some of the amazing (my fave!) Puffy Stickers around the page to finish off.
If you would like to see how this layout came together, or want more details, you can watch my process video below:
That's all from me today, I hope I have inspired you to play along with this month's Cocoa Vanilla Studio challenge. There is a $25 store voucher up for grabs for one randomly chosen winner, and you can enter via the Cocoa Vanilla Studio Community group HERE
Hi everyone! So excited to be sharing another new layout with you today, and this one is using the January 2022 Hip Kit. This kit features a Hip Kit Club exclusive collection called 'Kaleidoscope' and it is really pretty! (If you want to see exactly what is in the kit, you can watch my unboxing video HERE)
Here is my layout...
For this page, I was documenting some photos of one of my boys with his Minecraft Lego. He was so excited to get this as it combines two of his favourite things. One of his other favourite things at the moment is the colour pink, so I wanted to make sure I got plenty of pink on this page for him.
My mixed media background was created using acrylic paint applied with a brayer over plain white cardstock. The white dots are splatters of Dylusions ink spray.
I challenged myself to use only one patterned paper from the kit and chose this one with a bold striped pattern. I fussy cut part of the pattern and that formed the base for the design of this page.
I used a mix of the exclusive Hip Kit 'Kaleidoscope' embellishments from the kit including faux wood veneer chipboard stickers; die cut ephemera and chipboard stickers. I also added a few items from my stash, as I had gathered together a selection of coordinating pieces prior to starting my page. These included a Charms Creations arrow, paint sample card and enamel dots, amongst others.
I love mixed font titles, so I chose some small Pinkfresh Studio alpha stickers to mix with the larger puffy geo print alphas from the kit.
If you would like to watch me create this layout and hear me talk more about it, you can watch my process video below:
That's all from me today, thanks for stopping by. Until next time, happy scrapping! X
Today I am popping by with a pocket page to share with you. If you have been following along my recent scrappy adventures you will already know I am making an effort to get some extra pocket pages created lately. This one is my latest, and was designed as a companion page for the mixed media layout I shared a week ago using the new Cocoa Vanilla Studio'No Limits' collection. This page documents more of the details about the day my boys went and got their COVID vaccine.
Here's a reminder of my layout...
And this is the pocket page that will sit alongside it in my album...
I used a range of items from the 'No Limits' collection including pieces of the Stardust and Eclipse 12x12" patterned papers and Pocket Cards to fill the pockets where I had no photos placed.
From the embellishment range I used a number of pieces from the Die Cut Ephemera pack and Accessory Stickers sheet. The title was created using words from the Die Cut Titles pack.
I used a mix of both handwritten and typed journalling, which included typing directly onto one of the pocket cards and also some strip journalling.
Although this collection features some space themed imagery, it is by no means a fully themed collection. There are so many bright, fun elements in the range that could be used for almost anything.
Due to a request from one of my lovely friends, I have created a pocket page process video so you can see my method when I put these pages together. I've also got a couple of tips in there that you might find helpful if you are interested in this style of memory keeping. If you would like to see more pocket page process videos, please let me know in the comments section here or over on my video.
Watch my process video here:
I hope you've found this post interesting today. If you have another sort of project you would like to see me tackle, or something you would like to see me use, please hit me up with your suggestions because I love a challenge!
Hi everyone! Today I am here to share a new layout I created using my August 2021 Hip Kit from Hip Kit Club. This mixed media page features the main scrapbook kit combined with acrylic paint, a Distress Oxide, modelling paste and some stamping too. I also added a few small items from my stash - tissue paper, sequins, gauze, some phrase stickers, a flair button and a Charms Creations heart. (Yay for a bit of stash-busting!)
My inspiration for this layout was the Simple Stories 'Sunkissed' ephemera pack from the kit which is summer themed, and full of vibrant colours. I chose the photo of my daughter in the pool to go with it and also one of the subscriber exclusive Hip Kit Club cut files too. The cut file is called Target and was released alongside this kit in August 2021. For something different, I decided to cut it from a dark blue coloured cardstock (yay for more stash-busting!)
My background was created using a mix of Salvaged Patina and Salty Ocean Distress Oxides and a piece of kitchen sponge. This technique was inspired by fellow Cocoa Vanilla Studio DT member Josefine van der Hoeven.
I used papers from the kit to create layers under my photo, and I also fussy cut a few flowers from one of the Vicki Boutin papers. I included quite a few pieces from the ephemera pack, including the title piece.
The sequins provided a nice shimmery touch and went well with the water theme of the page. I attached them using tacky glue in my fineline bottle. I also added handwritten journalling with a felt pen.
If you would like more details about this page, or to see how I put it together, you can watch my process video here:
That's all from me today, I'll be back with another project soon. Until then, happy scrapping! X
Hi everyone, popping in today to share my very first project using the brand new 'No Limits' collection from Cocoa Vanilla Studio. You know I am a passionate boy scrapper, so I can't tell you how excited I was to receive this new collection! There is no arguing that Zoe does THE BEST boy collections and this one is no exception. Besides the awesome colour palette which includes blues, greens, orange, and even a pop of red; it also features some fabulous bold patterns and a bit of space themed imagery. (Not enough that I would necessarily consider this an entirely "themed" collection though, as it could be used for all sorts of creations.)
For my first project I decided to create a 12x12" mixed media layout, combining the collection with Distress Oxide, acrylic paint, modelling paste with a stencil and also some stamping.
You can see that this layout contains many layers - from the mediums on the background, right through to multiple paper layers, texture from frayed gauze and an assortment of embellishments.
The B side of the Orbit paper (which just might be my favourite pattern from this collection) was what I chose for my page border, and I also used the same print from the A5 Paper Stack to mat my photo with.
Torn pieces of the Stardustand Spark papers were used to define the focal area of my page and add texture. A banner piece from the Chipboard Sticker sheet added the sentiment to the bottom of my photo.
Die Cut Ephemera and Accessory Stickers always make it easy to embellish a layout. The 'No Limits' ephemera pack contains 64 pieces, providing plenty of choices; and the sticker sheet contains a great mix of phrases, icons, labels, etc.
The Puffy Stickers (definitely my most favourite item from this collection - I need 1000 of these!) and Wood Buttons are both great embellishments for adding extra small details and subtle texture to the page.
You can see exactly how I put this layout together and hear me talk about it in more detail in my process video:
Thanks so much for stopping by today. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them here in the comments or over on my video.
Hi everyone, today I am sharing my latest Cocoa Vanilla Studio design team project with you.
This week we are doing a scraplift theme with a twist, as the team have been tasked with scraplifting ourselves! I have to admit, it was a great excuse to look back over some of my Cocoa Vanilla projects from years gone by, but the task of choosing one was a bit like choosing a favourite child. In the end I decided on a layout from back in November 2018. It was created for the “Throwback Thursday” feature and I used the ‘Life is Beautiful’ collection, which was actually released back in Cocoa Vanilla’s first year back in 2015. This collection remains one of my all-time faves, and I still have some of it lovingly hoarded in my stash.
Here is my original layout…
For once, I actually scraplifted a layout and stuck pretty much to the original design. This was partly because I wanted to see if it would hold up to the test of time, but it was also because I was sick with COVID and was lacking in mojo and energy. So this scraplift couldn’t have come at a better time for me.
As you can see, I stuck very closely to my original design. I chose to document a photo of myself and my family in front of our new house that we recently purchased, and I knew this collection would be perfect for it. In particular, it was the Neighbourhood paper with all the sweet little houses that I had in mind. I combined this with the spotty print of the Take Flight paper and some strips of the pretty orange leafy pattern of the Wall of Fame paper as the base of my design. To add texture, I lightly distressed the outer edges of my papers.
With papers in place, it was time to start working on the other components. I decided to add two elements that I include on most of my current layouts that were missing from the original page – frayed gauze and a paper doily. I opted for a dark charcoal doily to tie in with the black of my photo, and I layered them on the background before sticking my photo on top.
Alongside my photo, I added the no place like home 3×4″ card from the Pocket Cards pack; whilst the oh happy day quote along the bottom edge of the photo was from the cut apart The Good Life paper.
I used pieces from the Floral Ephemera pack as the basis for my embellishment and title clusters. I added foam tape behind some of the flowers as I layered them, and I also bent the petals up away from the page to add dimension. In the cluster around the bottom left corner of my photo I added one of the Wood Epoxy Buttons to mimic the flair button from the original layout.
For the title cluster above my photo, I used the word home from the Foam Title Stickers, flowers from the Floral Ephemera pack and the small sweet flag from the Die Cut Ephemera pack. Being the butterfly lover I am, and also as a nod to all the butterflies on my original page, I couldn’t resist adding one of the butterflies (also from the ephemera pack).
A few finishing touches included a label from the Accessory Sticker sheet for my journalling and the date; small hearts from the Puffy Stickers pack added to my photo; and some small splatters of black ink around the page.
If you would like to see exactly how this page came together, you can watch my process video here:
That's all from me today, thanks for stopping by. Let me know in the comments (either here, on my Facebook page, or on my YouTube channel) if there is anything you would like to see from me - such as a specific product you would like to see me use or a technique you would like to see me do.
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 BeeArtySnow 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 DoorDistress 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.
Hi everyone, popping in today to share my latest Cocoa Vanilla Studio design team project with you. For this one I decided to pull out my supplies of the beautiful 'These Days' collection as I still have plenty in my stash left to play with and was dying to use it again. I also had a sweet photo of my boys together that I took last year when they were heading off to their first school disco. Although they might be twins, you can see that they are very different and both have their own individual styles, which I thought was summed up quite well in this shot.
Despite the fact this range has quite a broad palette of soft colours, I decided to focus on predominantly the blue and green tones combined with the wood grain for my background. Before I moved onto my papery layers however, I really wanted to add some depth to the background by adding some paint and stamping. I used a white Mont Marte paint applied with a brayer, which also helped me to define the focal area of my page. Over the top of the paint, I used a brick pattern stamp from Viva Las VegaStamps with a grey ink.
For the papery layers over my background, I used a few papers from the A5 Paper Stack which I cut and tore to size. I also added a grey paper doily from my stash, a strip from the cut apart paper, and some frayed gauze for texture. My photo also had some scrap cardboard adhered to the back of it to help pop it up from the page.
For my embellishments, I started with the Die Cut Ephemera pack. I chose a doodled frame first, which I cut in half and tucked half in under the right edge of my photo. I often use frames in this way (cut into pieces and tucked into layers) as opposed to the way they were designed to be used. I also chose the stack of books from the ephemera pack as I thought this worked well with the fact it was a school disco the boys attended.
I used the gorgeous Mini Puffy Alpha stickers for my title, as I didn't want to detract from all the delicate elements I had on the page. I love these alphas sooo much, they are a perfect size and such a pretty mix of colours. Along with the puffy alphas, I also added some of the Puffy Stickers to my page - a heart, a flower and a butterfly (because you can never have too many butterflies!)
There were plenty of regular Accessory Stickers on this page too - you can see how I used the tab and flag amongst the cascade of embellishments alongside my photo, and there were several phrase stickers used as well. From the Clear Stickers sheet I used three small clusters of crosses and a green brush stroke. This coordinated beautifully with the green Epoxy Wood Button that I also included.
I finished off my layout with handwritten journalling; stamped phrases and date; and some black stamped doodled circles and dots (stamp from Viva Las VegaStamps).
I have a process video available for this layout. If you would like to see how it came together you can watch it here:
Thanks so much for stopping by today so I could share this with you. Until next time, happy scrapping! X
