Family

Scrapbook Layout  - Family -

I am crushing over Elle's Studio's Little Moments Collection...

Hello there!

I am always looking on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for inspiration for my creative process.  A couple weeks ago, I was drawn by a layout from Ashley Horton that featured this beautiful paper by Elle's Studio.   So i went ahead and placed an order for the collection...  Can I say, that it is more beautiful in real life that in pictures.  Though my first instinct is to hoard the beautiful paper, I wanted to use it on some of my most precious memories of my trip to Ecuador.  SO here is my first layout with this collection...

A large title for this layout.

I chose to create the title first for the layout by just using my Cameo to perforate the word 'Family' on one of the collection papers.   I chose thread that matched the colors of the collection, and hand stitched each letter on a different color.  I was going to leave it on the page, but i wanted to stand out, so I cut it out and added painted each letter to match the thread color.

A close up of the picture on the layout.

I chose to use a black and white picture so that it will stand out on the page.   All the little pieces come from the collection,  I just fussy cut some hearts, and added the vellum hearts from my stash.  

Once I added the picture to the page, I wanted to add some extra interest, so I cut the main mat of the layout to fit 11x11 in.  I also cut a 2 inch border from the black and white paper of the collection (my favorite paper).  I attached the white and yellow striped paper to the border making sure that the bottom left corners were almost flush.  This created an inverted L shape border on the top right side of the layout.  To make sure that it didn't shift and to tie in the stitching on the title, I machine stitched the mat to the border and added some stitching on the clusters around the picture.  Here is the final layout

The final layout.

I love this layout because of the picture and the beautiful paper.   I already have plans to use up the entire paper collection.  

Till next time,

Happy scrapping!!

Materials used:

Patterned paper,  Little Moments Collection, Elle's Studio

Ephemera and decorations,  Little Moments Collection, Elle's Studio

Title - Butterball Spring Cut font ,  Silhoouette Studio store

title - watercolor,  Artist Loft, Michaels.

Project Life Update (week 17, 18, 19)

PL  week 17, 18, 19

Hello everyone,  

It has been a while since my last update of my Project Life layouts.  Thankfully, I have been keeping up with the weekly entries, just haven't updated its progress on the blog.  So here goes a quick glimpse to what my PL album is looking like...

Week 17

I just added a few pictures of week 17 on a page, as the Saturday of this week, we celebrated my niece's First Communion, so i made a large 4 page spread of the celebration. 

One of the pages from my niece's Communion celebration

I loved using paper cut into 3x4 and 4x6 in. cards as  my fillers for all this section of the album.

The patterned paper comes from a Recollection collection...

I started week 18 with a simple page one page layout.  It was a slow week at home, so one page was enough to compile the week's anecdotes.

I chose to not label the week number as it was the beginning of May...

For Week 19,  I had to add a small insert to add the extra pictures of  the week, though it was  a normal week, we had visitors and I had my camera in hand at all times..

I kept the layout to black and white to balance all the color in the pictures.

Here is the second side of the layout

I found this Teresa Collins cards on sale, and bought 2 packs
which came in handy to tie in all the pictures on this spread.

I am working on weeks 20 at the moment, so I will update it ASAP.

I hope you are also capturing your life, but most importantly printing the pictures and documenting them...  It is important to safe keep memories alive.

Till next time,

See you soon!

Happy Memory

Scrapbook Layout  - Happy Memory -

My favorite layout from the on-line crop challenges

Hello everyone,

This is the last layout I have worked on throughout this weekend's online crop.  I used one -of the thousands- of the pictures from our trip to Ecuador last year.  Since we attended my cousin's wedding,  I wanted to capture the occasion with a floral motive.

The Cut Shoppe's Funky florals cut file was perfect to obtain this large cut-out of the rose, and the rest of the leaves and flowers.   I used papers from Authentique's GRA001 collection to back the flowers. To add softness, I added vellum behind the picture, and used it to back some leaves on the layout.

A close up of the picture on the layout.

I added a few stars and hearts with whipped speckle to the corners of the layout to add texture and interest to the page.  The title is a large sticker from an old Heidi Swapp collection, but suited the page perfectly.  I even added the tag from the wedding's bombonniere as part of the embelishment on the picture.  I have omitted the jourmal lines, as I will most likely ask my cousins to write something about us being there, and place it at the top of the layout...

Here is the final layout:

I love this layout

I hope that this inspires you into creating beautiful things.

See you soon!!

Materials Used:

Cut file - flowers - Funky Florals - The Cut Shoppe

Pattern papers - Authentique

Cardstock - background - Bazzil

Title - word stickers - Heidi Swapp

butterfly cut-outs -  Bloom Collection - Crate Paper.

Hello Spring

Scrapbook Layout  - Hello Spring-

The top corner of  the layout.

Hello!

I loved most of the challenges from ScrapbookNerd's online crop, that i tried my hand at most of them.   This project was about creating a layout about spring.  

Lately, I have been working with a lot of Pink Fresh Studio's Felicity collection, since the collection is so springy, I used it to create this layout.

the large title of the layout

I started by using Scrapbook and Cards' "Hello Spring", to create a title; i backed each piece using different papers from Pink Fresh Studio's Felicity collection.  For the background, I used shimmer watercolors to create a  soft palette where the title and picture will show.  I used two pictures for this layout, and i located them as if they were inside a pocket in the title.  

Pictures of my baby and the flowering tree he stops by every day on his walk.

The background mat was cut to fit  12x10 in, and two large strips of one of the papers of the collection was sewn in to fit into a 12x12 layout.  I added a small cluster at the top left corner of the layout and my journal lines below the title.

Here is the final layout:

the completed layout.

I hope you check out the challenges at Scrapbooknerd.com forum or their facebook Friends and family page.

See you soon!

Materials Used:

cut file - title-  Hello Spring,  Scrapbook and Cards Today

White cardstock, American crafts

Patterned paper,  Felicity collection, Pink Fresh Studio

Chipboard stickers,  Soft Spoken collection, MAMBI

Ephemera and cut outs-  Felicity Collection, Pink Fresh Studio

watercolor,  Artist loft, Michael's

You & Me

Scrapbook Layout - You & Me -

a close up of the layout

Hello there!

 Here is layout, I created to join one of the challenges at ScrapbookNerd's on-line crop.  The challenge called to use a flower as an inspiration for a layout.  I chose a yellow daisy as my inspiration piece.   

Lots of yellow acrylic paint to create an ombre effect.
Matte gel medium to create the texture

I created my background with some yellow acrylic paint and a palette knife.  I went for an ombre effect by adding white paint to the yellow mixture at each pass of the knife.  Once that was dried, I added some matte gel medium to the paint, and used it on top of an stencil to create texture (as in the center of the daisy).  

I looked in my stash for all the yellow stickers and pieces of ephemera I could find ( i have a lot, and it is not my favorite color).   Here is the final layout:

The complement of yellow, white and black is stunning on  this layout.

See you soon!!

LOVE - Word Art

LOVE - Word Art -

a close up 

Hello there,

It seems i have been away from my blog for a while!   But having battled a horrible cold, and had to meet deadlines has left little time for my weekly updates (they will be on later on today or tomorrow).

Since during the weekend, Scrapbook Nerd -the company I am currently designing for- hosted an on-line crop,  I actually decided to try and meet all the challenges of my fellow designers.  So I chose to create this word art (I started with a layout idea, but quickly changed my mind) inspired by the May mood board at Scapbooknerd.com

One of my favorite scriptures (hand stitched)

I decided to use a combination of embossing ink, gold embossing powder, water colors and fine brushes to create a flower ampersand.   After it dried, I added one of my favorite verses from my bible, 1 Corinthians 13.

the final art piece

I hope you like it,  now I just have to find a frame to put it in my daughter's room.

See you soon!!

Be Free

Scrapbook Layout for Scrapook Nerd On-Line crop   - Be Free -

A close up of the layout.

Hello everyone!

Today, I am bringing you a new layout created for the  "Let Your Creativity Bloom" on-line crop at Scrapbook Nerd.  My challenge for the crop is to use butterflies in a creative way.   Here is my take on the challenge.

The large butterfly shaker in construction

I started by using the "origami butterfly" cut file from the Silhouette Store to cut two large butterflies, and a few more of a smaller scale.  Using some vellum, I backed the large butterflies. Then, using removable adhesive, i glued them together as to form a shaker figure,  Using a paper piercer i made holes along the cut out part of the butterfly, so I can hand stitch it together.  Before sealing the edges together, I added sequin in the same color as the embroidery floss used.

the finished butterfly shaker in the layout.

For the mat, I used watercolor paper cut to 11x11 in.  Using Heidi Swapp's color shine inks, I created a watercolor background to match the colors of  the sequin, and added ink splatters all over the page.  I then trace the edge of the smaller butterflies on different vellum papers, and attached them to the cut out (just at the center line).

Using the sewing machine, the watercolor background was added to a 12x12 patterned paper mat;  the butterflies were also stitched to the layout along the lines created by the ink splatters.    I added a black and white picture of my niece with a few embelishments in little clusters around its edge.

I added a lot of texture to the page, and continued the wood
grain look of the backing paper by using wood veneers for the title.

I made sure to staple the  layers of the picture to the paper, so that it will remain in place.   The large butterfly has a row of foam dots under the wing to create the illusion of flight.   Here is  the final layout:

The layout captures the lightness of her dress flying as she twirls, just like the butterflies' wings.

I hope you join us in the on-line crop over at scrapbooknerd.com.

Till next time...

Happy Crafting!!

Life is Lovely

Scrapbook layout  for Scrapbook Nerd  - Life is Lovely -

A close up of the layout

Hello!

This is  my last layout for my reveal week at Scrapbook Nerd - I am enjoying working with the Design team and the lovely Barb and Joy -...

Since I had quite a few small pieces of paper left over after the layouts.  I decided to use them up by building a background for this layout.  I don't own circle punches, instead i have a circle cutter (it works as a spirograph / compass combination). which is what i used to cut  different size circles, and rings from all the leftover scraps.

The rings and circle arrangement for the background.

I arranged all the rings in random order on top of a 7x10 in piece of vellum.  Then i arranged clusters of circles on top of some of the ring intersections, making sure that the birds were the last circle on the stack.  I proceeded to sew the pieces together using the sewing machine.

a close  up of the stitched background.

I used a bit of hot glue to attach the vellum to the mat paper - the glue dots are placed behind the circle clusters and in some of the ring intersections).

Just a few embelishments suffice in the layout, as the background is very ornate.

The mat paper was chosen to match the colors of the picture.  Since the background has a lot of interest,  I chose to go for simplicity on embelishments and layers for the picture.

A simple tag (cut file from Silhouette) and a few fussy cut pieces
highlight the picture.

The title was formed using the glitter foam stickers from the same collection as the circle papers - Pink Fresh's Felicity Collection -.  To form the y in lovely, I cut the word loveliness into 'lovel' used the is , and formed the y from the n and remaining s.

a close up of the title.

Finally I added a  few journal lines  under the picture, and some puffy sequin stickers in the layout for some more interest.  I love the final result.  The quirkiness of the background works beautifully with the picture; the picture coordinates with the background colors, etc.  In all i really enjoyed creating this layout, and using all the small pieces left over from the other layouts.

The completed layout.

Till next time... Happy Crafting!!

Materials Used:

Patterned paper -mat - Simple Stories, Life in Color collection - So Much Happiness

Patterned paper - background - Pink Fresh Studio - Felicity collection

Title - Glitter foam word stickers -Pink Fresh Studio - Felicity collection

Word phrase stickers - Pink Fresh Studio - Felicity Collection

Wood veneer and sequin puffy stickers - Pink Fresh Studio - Felicity collection

Chipboard Stickers, Friends favorite - MAMBI collection

My Boy

Scrapbook Layout  for Scrapbook Nerd  - My Boy -

A close up of the title of the layout...

Hello everyone!

When Simple Stories revealed some of their newer collections, I knew I wanted the Heart collection to document my late grandmother's memories.  Little did I know that it could be so versatile and masculine that it will serve to document my teenage boy. 

I pulled the inspiration for this layout from one of the cut-apart cards of the collection.  The diamond shapes in the stickers, gave me the idea of using the shape for the layout.    Using a ruler and an exacto knife, I cut diagonal lines to the 4 corners of the paper (they all have the same dimension and angle).   I went ahead and attached the cut corners on white cardstock.   

I left an empty white space in  between some of the cuts,
so that the page will not be overwhelm by the pattern.

The next cut, followed the diagonal pattern, but with an 11/2 inch offset, and so on.  Once I started gluing this pieces, I decided to turn the patterned paper so I can play with the matching patterns.   In the center of the piece I went ahead and cut a large square of white cardstock, and divided it into 4 quarters.   I cut the quarters by leaving a small offset edge to the cut.   I used other papers from the same collection to mat the quarters.  Here is what my final set up looked like before the picture.

I secure the pieces using the sewing machine.  
The stitched lines  add interest and texture to the layout.

 The title was placed to highlight the angle of the paper cuts; it was also sewn in to continue the look of the page.  Though the colors of the patterned paper are a bit dark, I chose a black and white picture of my son.   I used stickers from the collection to create clusters around the picture.

I used the diamond card cut-out to back one of the quarters of the inside square.
The picture was layered using a gold foil paper so that the different elements can have continuity.

Finally I added my journal in the same fashion as the title, and lots of enamel dots along the different points of interest of the page,

the completed layout (crooked stitching at all).

I really enjoyed playing with the beautiful paper for this layout.  I hope you also like the results.

See you soon!!

Materials Used:

White Cardstock - American Crafts

Patterned paper - Heart Collection - Simple Stories

Word phrase stickers - Felicity Collection, Pink Fresh Studio

Stickers- Heart Collection -  Simple Stories

Patterned paper - picture layer - Chic Tags, Cloud 9 collection, Sunday's Best

Title - Wonder Thickers - Gold Charm

Puffy Sticker -  The Happy Planner collection

Enamel dots - Recollections, Michael's

Tab - ephemera - MME, Market Place collection

Beautiful Blossom

Scrapbook layout for Scrapboook Nerd  - Beautiful Blossom -

I love dimension on layouts.

Hello everyone!!

I continue my weekly reveal at Scrapbook Nerd -scrapbooknerd.com- with this layout about my beautiful daughter,  I got the inspiration for this layout from the mood board created for this month.  As soon as I saw the wood planks covered in flowers, I knew that i was going to combine a wood and floral element on the page.

I started by transforming a Wilna Furstenberg silk transfer stencil into a cutfile, by scanning the image, and then tracing the edges on my Silhouette Cameo.  The results were faulous.

A look at the cut-out obtained from the silk transfer stencil.

I also used the Cameo to cut the title for this page.  I created a cut file based on the inspiration word for the month, "Blossom".   I used the beautiful papers from Pink Fresh Felicity collection to mat and back the letters in the large title.

I love the look that the papers lend to the title.

Since I had a  large title in the center of the layout,  I placed the floral cutouts on one of the diagonal lines of the paper.

I added a few drops of gold paint to some of the  edges of  the cut-out

I placed my picture on top of the title, and added just a few pieced of ephemera and some word stickers from the Felicity collection.

A closer look at the picture and flower cluster

I chose to print my jounal lines and attach them right under the picture

The final layout

I invite you all to visit ScrapbookNerd.com to take a look at the mood board  that Paige (a fellow creative member) has created for this month.

See you soon!

Materials Used:

Patterned papers,  Felicity collection,  Pink Fresh Studio

Cut File, Wilna Fustenberd designs, Big Picture Classes

Wood grain paper,  Hickory/cream grid,  Snap Basics, Simple Stories

Acetate title,Heidi Swapp collection

wood veneers, puffy sequins, word phrase stickers,  Felicity collection, Pink Fresh Studio

Paper clip,  Heidi Swapp collection.

Best Friends

Scrapbook Tutorial for Scrapbook Nerd  - Best Friends -

This layout plays the idea of a storybook within the page.

Hello everyone!

I am excited to share the process of how i constructed this layout.  The inspiration came from  one of the classes I took at Big Picture Classes on interactive scrapbooking.  Here is how I created my version.

For this layout, you will need at least 4-5 different patterned papers,  2 sheets of cardstock, a large piece of twine/ribbon/yarn, embelishments, a hot glue gun, and two or  more pictures - one has to be matted into a 4x6 in cardstock, the other pictures can be any size as with a height of less than 4 inches.

1.  Trim your cardstock to a square of 11x11 in.  Using the hot glue, attach the page to a 12x12 in patterned paper, making sure that the cardststock is well attached to the backing page.

I used a lot of glue in the center of the page where most
of the weight will be placed.

2.  Cut a large strip of cardstock of 12x4 in.  Mark the center of the strip (at 6in), and proceed to fold it using a bone folder.

The strip of paper after folding.

3.  Cut a piece of patterned paper or color cardstock to measure 4x6 in.  You can use paper that works with the smaller picture you will be using.

I have trimmed a 6x6in sheet to 4x6 in.

4.  Glue the 4x6 in patterned paper to one of the sides of the inside of the folded strip.  It is better if you place the paper on what will be the right side of the open strip.

A closer look of the folded cardstock strip after the paper has been glued in.

5.  Go ahead and place the smaller picture on the patterned paper side of the strip.  You can add any stickers, cut outs. etc to this picture as long as it does not add too much height and dimension to the page.

I have added a heart tag to the left side of the picture with a chipboard sticker.
For some added interest i added word sticker phrases to the picture.

6.  The opposite side of the strip (adjacent to the picture) is where your lines of journal will be placed.  I have chosen to write mine directly to the cardstock, but a large Project Life card can also be used, if you chose to do so.

This is a great way to hide journal lines, or to add extra details on the pictures.

7.   Attach the twine to the outside of the folded strip.  Use washi tape to make sure that the string/ twine/ rope/yarn does stay in place.

I have chosen to use suede ribbon as my attaching twine.

8.  Now, attach the large picture to the front of the folded strip.  Do use hot glue, as you want to make sure it does not move, and as a way to secure the string.   The picture should sit flush on the folded flap, so that you can hide the edges of the folded strip.

The picture covers the folded strip and string.

9.   Use different papers to create layers for the little storybook.  I always attach my layers with staples,  i find they lend dimension to the piece.

I attached the storybook using hot glue to ensure that it won't move from the layers.

10.  I wanted to add just a few points of interest to the layout - I wanted to keep the storybook as the center of attention of the page-;  i used a heart cutout to trace  a few on the cardstock of the layout.  I punctured holes  along the edge of the traced heart, so I can use them as a guide for my handstitching.

I chose to place the hearts on the edges of the title words.

11.  I used hot glue to attach the layered story book to the layout.  I picked some large word foam stickers to form the title. and added a few pieces of ephemera around the page.

The final layout.

Here is a look at the layout with the open storybook

A look of the layout with the open storybook

I hope you enjoy this tutorial, and try this for some of your pictures.

See you soon!!

Materials Used:

Patterned paper,  Felicity Collection, Pink Fresh Studio

White cardstock, American Crafts

Foam Word Stickers,  Felicity Collection, Pink Fresh Studio

Suede String,  Recollection. Michael's

Chipboard sticker, Friend Favorite Collection,  MAMBI

Wood Veneer, Felicity Collection, Pink Fresh Studio

Word phrase stickers,  Felicity Collection, Pink Fresh Studio