LOVE YOU - Scrapbook Nerd

Hi there!
We are in July already, and like much of the world, we are slowly starting to restart our new normal life here in Toronto, after almost 4  months in quarantine.  Well, that has meant that birthday celebrations have move to a more  virtual way. So, i pulled a few pictures from my little sister (23 rd ) birthday to create this layout for Scrapbook Nerd.

I started with a cut file from Handipaper ( my friend Inna has beautiful cut files in her shop), and used Pink Paislee's Bloom Street to back all the flower spaces.  Once i had it ready, i tied a tag from Heidi Swapp's  Honey and Spice collection at the bottom of the flowers ( this serves as a title).

For the base of the page, i cut a piece of paper from the Magical Forest paper pad ( Crate Paper) to serve as the base of the layout, and glued the cut file to it, then added one small butterfly sticker.  For the other half of the page, i baked the pictures with a paper from Bloom Street and once i glued it to the background, added my journal  below it.

I added a few more stickers to the page, and a second butterfly at the side of the pictures to complete the spread.  Just love how it turned out.

Remember to stop by Scrapbook Nerd to check all the materials i used in this page, there are new goodies always arriving at the shop!

XO

FABULOUS YOU - Scrapbook Nerd

Hi there!
This week, the DT at Scrapbook Nerd is working with stencils to create their projects.  I chose to create my background by combining a few stencils, materials and textures in the background of my layout.

I started with a piece of Marshmallow cardstock from Bazzill.  First i used a Vicki Boutin script stencil and diluted acrylic paint (Dina Wakely) to create the impression on the page.  By applying the paint with a stencil brush, it is easy to control the richness of color and also create the ghost effect of the application. 

Using Acrylic paint helps to prevent the impression from disappearing when adding the watercolor layer ( VB watercolor markers).  Then to finish the background work, i  added a bit of texture using VB Rose Gold glaze and a Kaisercraft stencil.  This time, i run the glaze with a palette knife on the stencil, thus creating the bumpy texture on the background.

While the background completely dried, i used Heidi Swapp's Honey and Spice collection to build all the paper layers behind the picture.  I tried to add the bulk of the papers towards the left of the picture,  for this, i reached for a cut file from Just Nick studio to help me elongate the paper cluster to the left of the picture.   I set all these on the top right side of  the page.

When the background was created, i made sure to add a small section of mixed media to the side of  the page, so that i could balance the layout.  I used a few of the collection's embellishments to create a small cluster and then used Kaisercraft Stickers to construct my title as a link between the two corners of the page.

I love how this turned out, especially with the beautiful Boston Terrier image on the collection.  The following video will show you how the page came together:

Don't forget to stop by the shop to check the materials used in this page, and please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions

XO

Create

Scrapbook Layout  - Create - 

Hello everyone!,

A close up of the cut-out in the layout.

Today I am up at the Scrapbook Nerd blog with a tech tutorial on how to use their new Camp Glamp cutfile (design by The Cut Shoppe) to creat the cut-out used in this layout -all you have to do is click here and you will be directed to their web page-.  Check out the blog post as it will inspire you to look at cutfiles in a new light.

I cut the heart outlines on patterned paper from the Snap Basic collection from Simple Stories.  I knew i wanted to use this paper for the entire layout, so I used some mixed media to highlight the cut-out.  So i went ahead and used watercolors (all the colors of the rainbow) to create a mixed media background.

I played with different papers, and yellow cardstock was the best choice
to back the cut.

The background was glued to the wood grain paper, making sure that the watercolor sit within the cut hearts' outline.  With a paper piercer, i perforated the entire outline of the cut (leaving a 0.25 in.offset fromt he cut), and proceeded to stitch the entire outline using the different color thread (all rainbow colors in pastel tones). 

A close up of the stitching on the project.

Some vellum was used to back the word CREATE in the middle heart.  I used my gold paint marker to color both sides of the cut-out letters.  Once the paint dried completely,  i used  very thin scissors to cut all the vellum that did was peeking behind the letters.

the gold accent brings focus to the word "CREATE" which serves as the
title for this layout.

The hearts cutout was attached to the layout using foam dots behind the cut-out (hence providing that shadow).   I added small pieces of ephemera in the hearts to create some visuals around the page.

i continued the stitched motive by stitching the journal lines, and some of the
butterflies using the sewing machine.

I started this layout with a picture in mind, and changed it once the background was created.  I opted for a self portrait of me working on this layout.  The picture was attached to a few layers of patterned paper and added a few embelishments around the corners.

the cut-out was created, so that it will nest a picture next to the heart with the word.

To balance the layout, a small cluster of cut-outs and die cuts was positioned at the bottom left corner of the page.   Once this was attached,   a few sprinkles of gold ink, enamel dots and all the butterflies were added to the page.  Here is the complete layout:

This is one of my favorite layers  of this year so far.

I hope you hop onto the Scrapbook Nerd website and get a copy of the cut file (it is free in the store, just need to create an account;  and the  ladies that own the store are lovely), and then visit their blog to see how to manipulate the cutfile to create this cut-out.

Feel free to contact me with any questions, just leave me a message.

Till next time

Happy Crafting!!

Materials Used

Yellow Cardstock, American Crafts
Cut file  - Scrapbook Nerd

Heidi Swapp Colorshine, gold, pink, peacock, mustard,violet, green, mint

Layout paper - Aspen/White,  Sn@p! Basics,  Simple Stories

Patterned paper - Afternoon, Flutter, Blossom- Bloom collection, Crate Paper

Ephemera,  Bloom collection, Crate Paper

                         Cest la vie, Pink Paisle

                         Chipboard icons, MInc collection

Stickers, chipboard - Bloom Collection, Crate Paper

                   word phrases - Felicity Collection, Pinkfresh Studio

                        

                      

Hello Life

Scrapbook Layout  created for Scrapbook Nerd  - Hello Life -

A peek at the layout

Hello everyone!,

Hope you all are enjoying a relaxing and crafting summer season.  I love summer (though it is a short season), all the sunny mornings and late nights provide the  perfect opportunities to capture memories.  As my reveal week begins over at Scrapbook Nerd,  I chose to document memories of my daughter's first attempt at zip-lining a few years ago.

Barb and Joy at Scrapbook Nerd (visit the store or forum, these ladies are a pleasure to work with) were kind enough to special order the new Simple Stories collection, 'Sunshine and Happiness' for me.   The papers are gorgeous, and so suited to showcase sunny happy memories. 

The background for the layout.  After stitching the pieces, i raised the edges of the sunburst pieces.

For this layout, i used the Shine Bright paper (it has a large sunburst design) to create the background.  I started by cutting half the paper, and then using an exacto knife, i cut along the lines of the sunburst, making sure that only every other piece was attached to the cut-out.  I glued the sun cut-out to the mat, and also added the cut-out pieces making sure they were placed on the opposite side to the cut.  I gessoed the middle part of the page, and used Heidi Swapp color shine in various colors to create some mixed media on the page.  After it had dried, I used yellow thread to stitch the pieces through  along the middle line, extending it to the other end of  the layout.

a close up of the picture clusters

The picture was placed in the center of the layout.  i used papers from the collection to form the layers behind the picture, and added clusters of ephemera to the corners of picture.

The title of the layout

The title was created using the Say Anything cut file from The Cut Shoppe.  I used papers from the collection to back the letters of the word LIFE.  To emphasize the title, a few pieces of ephemera were added, as well as a small wood piece -arrow- that was painted using gelatos.

the completed layout

We are in love with the finished layout, as it captures the happy moment with such vibrancy.  I am  in love with this collection, and plan to use it all.

As always, let me  know if you have any questions abou this or any other post.  Visit Scrapbook Nerd  to check what the ladies have in the store, and/or the website forum to join us in our summer fun.

Till next time,  Happy crafting!

Materials Used:

Patterned paper - Sunshine and Happiness, Simple Stories

Ephemera pack - Sunshine and Happiness, Simple Stories

Cut file - Say Anything,  The Cut Shoppe

Color shine, seafoam, coral, butter, mustard, pink , Heidi Swapp

Wood pieces - Healthy Hello Collection, Jillibean Soup

Crazy Love

Scrapbooking Layout Tutorial for Scrapbook Nerd  - Crazy Love -

A close up of the finished tutorial (title) in the layout.

Hello Everyone,

It is my week to contribute to Scrapbook Nerd  blog with a step by step tutorial.    I have a hard time showing clear pictures tutorials, since i scrapbook late at night, and i have to rely on taking photos of the procedure under poor light,  but I had to share this idea on how to add dimension to titles -that i used on two on my layouts this month-.

Let me show you how i came  about building this title:

1.  I used one of Ashley Horton's cut files to cut the title on white cardstock.  I made 4 cuts of this title at the same time  to ensure that they were all the same size.  You can create a similar result with alphas of thickers (as long as they are the same size, and preferably not to thick).

The title pieces before being stacked.

2.  One of the cut-outs was covered with Heidi Swapp's new MInc Reactive Mist, and set aside to completely dry.

3.  While the misted cut-out is drying,  i went ahead and glued two of the title cut-outs together (making sure that they are completely flushed).  Let it dry completely.

The cut-outs being stacked together.

4.  Using the MInc machine, on setting 3,  (you can use any laminator, I happen to use this brand) aply foil to the misted cut out.  

I wanted a distress look for the foil, and not a complete coverage of the cut-out.

5.  Attach the last title cut-out to the foil pieces with some strong glue, making sure the sides are completely flushed and the foil is sitting on the upper part of the cut out.

The foiled piece after being glued to the other cut-out.

6.  I attached the white cut-outs on top of the foiled cut-outs makingn sure that there was a small overlap, and a small part of the foiled cut out was showing.   Something like a shadow or a tri-dimentional object.  It is up to you whether you chose to glue the foiled piece at the top or bottom;  just make sure that there is that overlap to create the desired look.

Here is a close up of the finished title.

It is up to you to decide which look you want for your title (it can also be used for cut-outs, etc.), and decide on the look that suits your project.  There is no need to foil one of the pieces, a different color piece will also produce the same look.  If you are using thickers or alphas, there is no need to glue flushed pieces (as they are thick already), just go ahead and create the overlap with different color thickers/alphas.  Note: since the new piece will be heavier, make sure you use strong adhesive to attach it to the project.

Now back to the layout;  this time i chose to work backwards and start building the layout from the picture out.  So I used Amy Tangerine's Better Together collection to create lots of layers in a triangular form behind the picture.  This time, I used my ruler to tear paper, instead of clean cutting the pieces.

The layers behind the picture.

I used the rub-on stickers from the Better Together and Finders Keepers collections by rubbing them onto white cardstock and vellum and used them as ephemera around the picture.

I stuffed pieces of cut-outs in between the layers behind the picture.

I chose to create a grafitti like background just by dropping ink dots  (Heidi Swapp color shine in different colors to match the colors on the papers) on a piece of white card stock to form a triangle a little bit larger than the picture and its layers.

I wanted a graffitti feeling to the background to match the title look.

I attached the title next to the picture (at the very right tip of the ink triangle), and my journal lines just below the picture.  Here is the final layout:

I love the vibrancy of the layout, and how easy it was to construct.

I hope you try adding dimension to your pieces (in my case titles), let me know if you have any questions.   Until next time...

Happy crafting!!

Materials Used:

• American Crafts White cardstock
• Patterned paper, Amy Tangerine's Better Together collection
• Stickers and Rub-ons, Amy Tangerine's Better Together collection
• Rub-ons, Amy Tangerine's Finders Keepers collection
• Washi tape, Amy Tangerine's Better Together collection.
• Cut-file,  Crazy Love,  Hip Kit Club May 2015 Ashley Horton Designs.
• MInc Reactive Mist
• MInc Silver to Teal reflective foil
• Heidi Swapp colorshine in gold, butter, mustard, pink, blush, peacock, mint, coral and navy.

Cute Girls

Scrapbook Layout for ScrapbookNerd.com  - Cute Girls -

A project created for Scrapbook Nerd.

Hello once again!!

I continue to share with you all my projects created for ScrapbookNerd.com using the "Wonder" collection from Crate Paper.  

I love cut files,  I enjoy how i can manipulate them to highlight my layouts.  For this particular layout, I am using the Cut Shoppe's "Any Which Way" cut file.  This background arrow cut file was perfect to create a geometrical and interesting mat for my picture and ideas.

A close up of the cut file

I used the cut file to get a background for a 12x12 layout, and went and cut it into 4 different sections.  I backed the cut file in an alternate formation.  The arrows with vellum were backed directly to the back of the cut out, while the ones with pattern paper were not backed, instead, i chose to pop the cut file with foam dots on the color paper.

A side look of the layout.

I chose to use one of the geometric pattern papers as a mat for the layout.  The contrast of the cut out and the mat work to create contrast on with the picture.   The picture was matted and layered with the same patterned paper  and vellum as the cut out.

A simple cluster on the top left corner of  the picture.

This picture was depicting my daughter and niece at Christmas dinner showing off their present (they got matching hats).  So I chose the large word chipboard word "Cute" as part of the title.  I fussy cut  the letters for girls from one of the papers.  Using Heidi Swapp's Ink Toner marker,  I painted half the letters and added gold foil.  The result works perfectly in this layout.

The picture doesn't catch the light to show the gold foiling.

 

To balance the page, I added a small cluster of fussy cut pieces, chipboard and tags  at the  other corner of the page.

I created the tags by cutting one of the patterned papers.

Finally I added my journal at the  opposite side of the cluster.   Since I wanted to highlight the picture and cut out, I stop there and was happy with the result.   I hope you like it too.

Materials Used:

Patterned Paper,  Wonder collection, Crate Paper

Ephemera, chipboard, stickers,  Wonder collection, Crate Paper

Cut File,  Any Which way, The Cut Shoppe

Title,  Ink Toner Marker, Heidi Swapp MInc Collection

Gold Foil, Heidi Swapp MInc Collection

Smile

A Crafting Tutorial for ScrapbookNerd.com  -Smile-

A close up of the title for the page.

It is my week for showcase at ScrapbookNerd,com ( I am so thankful for the opportunity),and this is the first tutorial that i will be sharing with their customers and my readers...  

I saw this idea of paper folding some time ago, and i folded a scrap piece of paper just like i remember and put it in my bits and pieces box, so i will remember.  Once I had finished all my layouts for Scrapbook Nerd, I was left with a large number of scraps of paper, so I re-purpose them into a scrapboook layout as follows:

• Cut about 15-20 pieces of  different paper scraps into squares of about 2.75 inches for this  particular layout  (you can go up to 4 inches to get a balanced look for a layout).  Note that the patterned papers work together because they belong to the same collection.

Mark the center point of each side; in this case 17/8 inches

• Using a bone folder and a scouring board mark a line uniting the center points of the lines as follows..

• Fold the squares about the marked lines (make sure that the patterned paper is showing on the outside of the fold.

• Since I wanted to form a "heart shape" with the squares, I penciled intersecting lines at 45 degrees at the center of the bottom edge of the layout.

• Start placing the squares on the lines making sure that no two matching patterns are right next to each other.

• I wanted the picture to be part of the heart, so I cut one my picture to fit in the place of two of the hearts.  I backed with a large piece of foam, so it will be raised from the folded hearts (this is personal choice, the picture also looked great when placed just on the layout)

• For my title,  I chose this large wood veneer from the collection (it is coincidental that it fits instead of two of the folded hearts).  I used white acrylic paint to cover the entire surface, once dried, mark the middle of the piece -width wise- with some washi tape.  Use the marker to color just one of the halves of the piece.  I set my MInc machine to 5, and placed the envelop with the wood veneer covered in gold foil in between the rolls.  I had to push the envelope a bit until the rollers caught the piece.  As the veneer was about to exit the machine, I set it to reverse so the foil will be completely attached to the veneer.  NOTE;  this work only for the MInc machine.

• Finally I added a small cluster of embellies, ink splatters, and a few lines of journal to the layout.

It was fun to create this layout, and it gave a great opportunity to use all the little paper scraps.

If you have any questions, please just leave me message in the comments section below.  I hope that you use the technique for your crafting projects.  I would love to see pictures of them.

See you soon!

Materials Used:

Patterned paper,  Wonder Collection, Crate Paper

Ephemera, stickers,  Wonder Collection, Crate Paper

Wood Veneer Title, Wonder Collection Big Words, Crate Paper

Ink Toner Marker, Heidi Swapp MInc Collection

Heidi Swapp's Color Shine in black and gold.