How I kit... part 1

When I am heading away for a weekend retreat I like to sort out a bunch of pages ahead of time paper wise for a few reasons.

1. It helps me use up my stash.
2. It means I don't have to take much more than I need- and will only need to buy a few papers- and can use my spending money on embellishments rather than patterned paper (which I have a lot of already).
3. Batch tasking like this saves a HEAP of time. A big part of any LO is choosing the supplies- If I can go through and choose the papers for forty layouts all in one session then I only have to go through my stash once- not forty times!!
4. Having all sorts of choices already sorted for me means I can do what takes my fancy and I can get into it fast.

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When I kit like this I start from two different places depending on my mood.

Option One: This is the stash buster option I go through my patterned papers and find the ones I have had for quite a while, as well as some that I absolutely love and really want to scrap with and lay them out ALL over my lounge room floor.



Option Two: I go through my photos and find some that I am 'in the mood' to scrap then I lay them all out as below.

(Option three is a bit of both- in which case I do the papers first).

Step two in both processes is to match 'this with that'. So if I have paper all over my floor I will pull out my envelopes of enlargements, and my albums of photos waiting to be scrapped and find the matches.

I am looking for colour matches contrasting or complementary- not the same colour. Or thematic matches. If I find more than one paper option I will add them both. I may or may not use them both in the final LO but at least I have the paper with me to chose from and not back at home where it's going to be useless.

Here are some examples...

 

 The brown tones in this image is a good match with the greens in my photo and a few of the butterflies pick up the red of the table. This works thematically because the butterflies go to fun and outdoors.

The spooky paper is great with the witchy photos- the tan is neutral and will work with most things and the orange highlights are also found in my pictures.

The colours here work with my photos and the circles echo the ball in the image. You can see a similarly toned paper in the background which has chevrons- these will give the illusion of movement- I'll point them in the same direction the ball is moving in.

Arrows work with these images for the movement theme again. There isn't too much bright colour or bust details in my photo so this relatively colourful and busy paper with pair nicely.

A science-themed paper to match the science experiment in the photos.

This one is all about the colours.

This one is about colour too- I can see that these colours will work with my sons green shirt because that green is already in the paper. The pictures are quite bold so I have chosen a soft paper so there's no competition.

This is a paper I have had for ages and really like but found hard to match- but it works well with the sheets and picks up the pinks in the quilt cover. It contrasts nicely with my daughters green top.

Once I have complete sets of paper and photos I have a think about what I know is in my stash that will work well with what I have going on and go grab it...

I knew I had these Pirate Stickers from the same paper range the flag paper came from.

I knew I had some paper with cereal boxes for my baby eating cereal page.

The next stage is to go through my scrap paper drawers. These are sorted by colour and I pull each one out in turn and go through them to see if I have some papers to co-ordinate with what I have going on. Once again I am looking for colours and patterns that compliment or contrast...

Here's the final result. I didn't find matches from the scrap drawers for all of the pages but some of the offcuts from what I have already might work- because it's pretty unusual for me to use a full 12x12 sheet on a LO. Or I might buy a sheet or two while I am away. (I scrap at Country Paper Craft in Bruce Rock- it's a store and a retreat.) 

The final stage before I put it all away is to add a sheet of cardstock to each set. 98% of the time that will be White or French Vanilla. Very rarely I might use Black (Raven), Kraft, Chocolate, or Grey. 

Then I slip it all into, what ends up being a very full, Work-in-Progress Album- if you don't own one I highly recommend them. When I get to the retreat I flip through and pick the page I want to work on and pull all my bits out and get straight into it. When the page is done I slip it back into it's spot in the album for safe transport home.

Layout Quick Share

I've mixed the Open Road and Sunburnt Country lines to create this page. I love following a diagonal line when I am scrapbooking and you'll see it in a lot of my pages. On this one I have also created an intersection with the tan paper as a focal point for the LO and that's where I put the bulk of my embellishing and my journalling. It's like creating a couple of subtle arrows saying the important stuff is here. :-)

Layout Quick Share

I'm not a huge fan of fussy cutting- I call myself a 'lazy scrapper' I like to work fast- so I can record lots of memories. But every so often I might break out my tiny scissors. When I do making a 'pocket like this one for some of my page elements is a favourite technique!

Have you noticed there have been a few different Australiana lines around recently? The store has Couture Creations- Sunburnt Country, and Kaisercraft Open Road and Native Breeze. I'm loving these lines for the way they represent this country we live in but also for their versatility. Not only great for travel, but outdoor adventures, heritage stories, as well as boy and girl pages. They all work quite well together. The stamps and dies in the Couture Creations line are very affordable and great for embellishing and adding little details to your pages.

Weekend Inspiration

If you've already done your Competition page for this week and you need some more inspiration for your weekend scrapping I have you covered...

1. Do a double page LO.
2. Have some birds on your page.
3. Use two or more different types of letter stickers to make your title.
4. Go with mostly neutral or Monochrome and just add a pop or two of different colours.

5. Hand draw a messy frame.
6. Stamp and fussy cut some pieces for your page
7. Tear your papers rather than cutting.
8. Sprinkle some nuvo or enamel drops around the page.

9. Use Journalling cards as patterned paper. 

10. Have circles on your page.

11. Hand write you journalling.

12. Tell an everyday story- an almost insignificant bright moment from your day.

Saturday Inspiration

A double-page spread of my baby girl wearing my baby dress- and being a wee toad for the camera. :-) That's our weekend inspiration...

1. Scrap about an item of clothing or fashion trend.
2. Pile on the pink.
3. Use a stencil or mask.
4. Make a cluster or three.
5. Use something from someone's sewing stash.
6. Scrap about your own childhood.
7. Pop up your embellishments on foam tape.
8. Do a double-page Layout.
9. Journal a now and them comparison. 
10. Embellish a stencil with glitter or other mixed media- Nuvo drops are great.
11. Sprinkle Flowers liberally.
12. Use less than great photos.

Supplies Used: Bazzill Cardstock, Cocoa Vanilla Unforgettable: Forget me Not and Die Cut Ephemera, Lace, Nuvo Crystal drops: Party Pink Gloss, and Sherbert Shimmer (Glitter), Versa Color Celadon Ink, Kaisercraft Acetate Stickers: Antique, AC Foam Thickers- Be Kind, and TCW 6x6 Template.

Layout Quick Share

Supplies used: Colour Blast: Love and Grace ~ Portia, Kaisercraft: Time Machine ~ Gadget,  Acetate Stickers: Butterflies and Antiques, Washi Tape,  Memory Lane Clear Stamp set. Foam Thickers, Baker's Twine, Ranger Distress ink: Mermaid Lagoon, Nuvo Drops Gloss: Morning Dew (clear).

Saturday Inspiration

Here's a stash busting LO share with 12 ideas to inspire your weekend scrapping.

1. Layer up. 
2. Matt with both carstock and patterened paper.
3. Go for clusters: an odd number in decreasing sizes.
4. Use a visual triangle.
5. Look for supplies in unusual places (My heart Curio is from a Christmas Kit.)
6. Use the Pint/cup/teaspoon rule... My page has a pint of white, a cup of blue and a teaspoon of browns/orange.
7. Punch paper to add interest.
8. Break out of the lines (see that blue strip which goes all the way across the page.
9. Hand draw a border in pen.
10. Journal with sickers.
11. Document a hobby or past time.
12. Make a page for the boy and/or man in your life.

Supplies Used: Bazzill Cardstock,Core'dinations: Evening Sky and Marine Blue, Cocoa Vanilla Unforgettable Pretty Bits, CV Boys Rule Miscellany, Kaisercraft Starry Night Curios, Nuvo Crystal Drops Gloss: Oyster Grey, and Pearl: Navy Blue.

Layout Quick Share

Supplies Used: Bazzill Cardstock, Bazzill Bling Cardstock, Cocoa Vanilla Unforgettable: Papers: Garland, Glorious, and Unscripted plus Die Cut Ephemera. Maya Road Vintage Crochet Trim Baby Pom Pom, Versa Colour Ink: Violet, Nuvo Crystal drops: Aquatic Mist.

Not the Cyber Crop Challenge #1

Due to unexpected circumstances, we are not holding a Cyber Crop this month.

Don't worry, we got your scrapping needs covered (pun intended!).  We will have 3 extra weekly challenges for you!

And here's Gypsy with the first...

If you know me you'll know I am an avid reader... 69 books and counting this year alone... So I couldn't pick just one cover for my "Not the CC Challenge" this week. I had to pick two...

Your challenge is to be inspired by one or more aspects of one or both of these covers. It could be as simple as making a page with flowers. Here's what they inspired for me...

This is my Grandma and Grandpa nineteen years ago with my daughter. Grandpa has passed on now and I am on my way to see my Grandma in Brisbane today, she's not very well.

Can you see what bits I have picked for each cover? So many cool things to include I think I could do another dozen pages at least with the inspiration here... that's why I am excited to see what you all come up with!

Supplies Used: Cardstock Bazzill Bling- In the Pink, Cocoa Vanilla ~ Unforgettable: Garland, Pretty Bits, Die Cut Ephemera, Clear Stickers, Bohemian Dream- Enamel shapes, Love Always - Flair. Mulberry Flowers: Small Gardenia Pink & White and Lilac & White. Kaisercraft Resin Blooms: Orchid, Nuvo Drops Glitter: Aquatic Mist.


All 3 of the "Not the Cyber Crop" challenges will be open till the end of the month... Prizes will be be awarded as per usual, just at the end of the month instead.
Happy Scrapping!

Saturday Inspiration

Here are some ideas to try for your weekend scrapbooking...

1. Mount two photos together.
2. Use a central column Layout design.
3. Die-cut your embellishments.
4. Use punctuation from an alphabet set for as a co-ordinating embellishment.
5. Document a phase someone went through.
6. Add just a touch of an unexpected/contrasting colour. (Red in this case.)
7. Use Nuvo drops, paint, stickles or something else to add highlights and dimension to a die-cut piece.
8. Stick with mostly natural tones for an outdoor subject.
9. Flip a W when you need an M. :-) 
10. Use Tags as a home for your embellishing.
11. Journal in a coloured pen.
12. Use tone on tone for a gentler look. (Cork on Tan cardstock).

 

Supplies Used: Bazzill Cardstock,Core'dnations - Coconut Cream, Fancy Pants- What a Wonderful day: Awe Inspiring, Wonderous, Swell, and Decorative Tags, Couture Creations Sunburnt Country Dies: Eucalyptus and Gumnuts, Kaisercraft Peals- Chocolate, Nuvo Glitter Drops- Chocolate Fondue and AC Thickers - Cork Dazzle.

Layout Quick Share

Supplies Used: Bazzill Cardstock, Colour Blast ~ Love and Grace -  Lucinda, Jillibean Soup: Banners- Hello, and Journaling 2, Nuvo Drops Gloss: Dandelion Yellow, Kaisermist: Yellow, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Broken China, Baker's Twine - Aqua and White and Thickers - Let's Go!

Saturday Inspiration

Twelve ideas to jump-start your weekend scrapbooking:

1. Use a blue and yellow colour scheme.
2. Have a title and a subtitle to get your message across.
3. Recycle something- my bow came from some special coffee my husband got for Christmas.
4. Journal with stickers. 
5. Create a frame by triple matting a photo- works best with an enlargement.
6. Scrap a design with a diagonal flow.
7. Repeat an idea... see the little flags at top and bottom opposite corners? They help to balance my page.
8. Use a file tab.
9. Stack some tags just for fun.
10. Sprinkle stars.
11. Leave some space free and clear. 
12. Keep it simple for more impact.

Supplies Used: Bazzill Cardstock, Coredinations- Coconut Cream and Impressions Agean, Fancy Pants ~ What a Wonderful Day: Swell and Awe Inspiring Papers, 12x12 Fundamental Stickers and Decorative Tags, Nuvo Drops: Pearl and Chipboard Thickers.

Layout Quick Share: M & W

 I used a photo editing program to add some frames to my photos and printed them a little smaller than usual- 8cmx8cm (3.25x3.25in) each.

Supplies used: Bazzill Cardstock, Kaisercraft Time Machine papers: Ironclad, and Coggler, 12x12 sticker sheet, Cocoa Vanilla Free Spirit Fancy Buttons (On sale!), Kaisermist - Charcoal (On sale!), Kaiser Rhinestones- Black, Kaiser Wooden Flourish- Love, Kaiser Resin Blossoms Orchid (On sale!) and Thickers- Happy Gold with Mint Green foam.

Mixed Media and Colour Blast: Limited Edition

I've been working with some mixed media materials ahead of out Cyber Crop this weekend. My kit for this month is the distressed and grung greens and blues of the Colour Blast Limited Edition Range. I've used the 'Original' and 'Real Deal' Papers. Added these cogs from WOW which work perfectly with this line- I've embossed them green to work with the papers. to help add to the movement in my photo I added a line of woodland green and black nuvo drops down the right hand side of my page and spread them across with a rubber comb.

This is the 'Imperfect' Paper. I have applied distress inks to my non-stick craft sheet and misted with water and then applied the paper to the mat to get my coloured background.
The stars on the left are made by spreading texture paste through a mask and then I have added embossing powder while the paste is still wet- the trick is to wait for the texture paste to dry before you heat the embossing powder.
My title is Foam Thickers and the Stickers are from the Cocoa Vanilla lines: Boys Rule and Totally Rad.

Cocoa Vanilla ~ Happiness DT Share Part 2

Hey all,

Last month I was working with one of the newest lines in the store Cocoa Vanilla - Happiness. I  love the upbeat, blissfully happy feel of the patterns and designs. I think this is also a great range for card makers. Happy scrapping!

Cocoa Vanilla ~ Happiness DT Share Part 1

Hey all,

This month I have been working with one of the newest lines in the store Cocoa Vanilla - Happiness. This line feels quite girly- but I have definitely done some boys pages and I think it would be great for party pages, fun times, garden pages, kids, family, friends and romance. Here's the first bunch of pages I have to share. More next week. Happy scrapping!