How do you store your dies?

Today I have a question for you

Seeing as how the product of the month is dies and they are 20% off for the month I would like to know how you store your dies?

Currently I store mine in the Avery Elle storage pockets

They come in an assortment of sizes and the ones I use are, 

Extra Large - 6 3/4" x 9 3/8" (50 Pack)

Large - 5 1/2" x 7 3/8" (50 Pack)

Small - 5 1/8" x 5" (50 Pack)

I cut a piece of white cardstock that is slightly smaller than the pocket and put that inside the pocket.

I attach a piece of magnetic sheet that is large enough to hold the die/dies.

I use my label maker to add a label to the pocket.

I write on the cardstock how many pieces are in the die set so I know I have got them all when I am packing up.

I store all of my packets in clear containers.

I have made category labels to fit into the containers so I can sort my dies 

and hopefully make them easier to find.

I always try to cut one of each die when I receive it and place it in the packet.

 I use this to try for size when I am trying to decide what to use on my project.

I store any un-used die cuts from my projects in the back of the appropriate packet.

If the die set has matching stamps I store these in the back of the packet.

I currently store these in with my die storage but not sure whether I should keep them with my stamps. 

In fact I think I have some in the stamp storage bins and some in the die storage bins.

Perhaps they should have their own bin?

I store my stamps in the same type of bins, sorted by type.

I would love to know how you store your dies and die/stamp combinations.

Looking forward to seeing your systems

Hugs

Julie

July "1-2-3" Cyber Crop

Welcome to this month's Cyber Crop!

We have 3 more challenges with the 1-2-3 requirements, you can add other items, but we need to see the required item clearly.

 Deadline is Sunday midnight 25th July.

Challenge 1

   Louise here. Sharing my challenge for 1-2-3

Your challenge is to use 

Here is my inspiration:

I'm really enjoying creating with 9x12 at the moment.

 It challenges my creativity but also I can fit a lot more pages on my shelves.

So I've started with wood paper.

Then I've added the mixed media element which is acrylic paint through the Kaisercraft Line Art stencil.

I chose some 3x4 photos and mounted them on black - to give them a little pop. 

I've used the Uniquely Creative Brick die on white cardstock, leaving it plain behind the photo and colouring it with distress ink under the "Brave" word. 

I've finished with some star embellishments and wood pieces.

Thanks for visiting

Happy Scrapping

Challenge 2

Hi Julie here with my  challenge for you for this Cyber Crop 

I would like you to use:- 

1 stencil, 

2 mediums (ie Texture paste, sprays, inks etc) 

3 colours

The feature product this month is dies and you will receive 20% of all dies in stock. 

You will find the store here so check it out.

Here is my layout

I have used two 4" x 4" photos on this layout that were taken when a group of us went cruising in November 2006.

For the background I used Ice Cold cardstock.

Using Dusty Attic's Criss Cross Stencil I applied Modelling Paste randomly around the page.

 Once that was dry I applied Watering Can Archival Ink with a blending tool through the same stencil.

The papers I have used are Uniquely Creative's Choose Your Own Adventure.

I have used 

The Story - Layer Cuts

Ready?...Go!

Journey

from the Collection Pack

along with 

Nostalgia Cardstock

I have cut 

The Story - Layer Cuts (reverse side) to 6" x 10"

Journey 2 @ 1 3/4" x 10" (use the reverse side for 1)

Ready?...Go! 1 1/2" x 8 1/2"

Nostalgia Cardstock 1 1/2" x 12"

I used a La La Land Scalloped Border die to die cut the scallops in the Nostalgia Cardstock

Once I had inked the edges of all of the patterned papers I attached them to the layout using double sided tape.

I then machine stitched around the page and all of the patterned papers.

I would suggest if you are going to machine stitch on your layout that you stitch each of the patterned papers before you attach them to the page. It would be so much easier.

I created a small cluster to the lower right hand area of the layout and added a few embellishments in other areas of the layout using fussy cut items from The Story - Layer Cuts sheet and a strip of the Journey paper.

I used a black fountain pen to draw faux stitching around these embellishments.

For the title I use white alpha stickers attached to a piece of the Nostalgia cardstock

The date the photos were taken was handwritten below the bottom photo.

Here is my process video

Looking forward to seeing all of your inspiring layouts for this months Cyber Crop

Till next time

Stay safe

Hugs

Julie

Challenge Info....

Due date Sunday, 25th July 2021.  Please share with your scrappy friends!

Upload your challenge entry to the albums on our Mystical Scrapbooks Facebook Chat Page.

Our chat is private and if you haven't yet joined us we'd love to have you. If you have any trouble joining please email/message me, Donna, with your name and or a link to your Facebook profile and I will send you an invite.

We will be giving away 1 gift voucher valued at $20.00 and each entry receives 1 ticket into the draw.....So the more challenges you do the more chance you have to win!

We will also have a surprise prize!! Our DT members will choose their favourite layout and I will send that lucky person a surprise in the mail.

Happy Scrapping

Mystical DT team

12x12 Scrapbook layout "Family" featuring paste and acrylic paints + process video

    Hi Crafters

Louise sharing a new page with you today. 

For this layout I wanted to focus on using acrylic paints.

Sea Breeze

Marine Blue

Coastal Blue

Firstly I've used paste through stencil. Once it's dried I've used the acrylic paints with water to thin them out. 

To apply, I've used a combination of packaging technique and paintbrush to move the colours.

Choosing a photo is often a tricky part of creating.

I tried a few and settled on this one.

I've used the Family title from Cocoa Vanilla Studio.

With such a pretty background, I just had to add some florals

So I've fussy cut some Uniquely Creative paper and combined it with carnations.

Finally I've finished with just a little black stamping.

Here is the process video to see how this page came together.

Thanks for visiting

Happy Scrapping

July Challenges

 

Now our competition has ended for 2021, we are back to our regular challenges, and for this month we are having fun with requirement challenges.

Our DT girls have some great challenges for you.  Our challenges are open till the end of the month, have fun! 

Challenge 1 

Hi there, Julie here with my challenge for this month.

I would like you to use 

1 die set

2 photographs 

3 patterned papers

Here is my layout

As you can see I have used 

1 Die Set (Uniquely Creative's Tags Tops & Tails)

2 Photos (3" square photos of my Grand Daughter on her school sports day)

3 Patterned papers ( Ready?...Go!, Journey I have used both sides of this paper and Authorised Personnel Only.)

All of the papers are from Uniquely Creative's - Choose Your Own Adventure paper range

All of the papers on this layout have had the edges inked using Kaisercraft's Bark ink cube

To create the background I used an assortment of star stamps, that I had in my stash, to stamp randomly with StazOn Jet Black and Versa Color Cardinal Red inks.

I cut four pieces of the patterned papers so they measured 3.24" x 4", inked the edges and attached them to the page with double sided tape

I cut two of each size of the tags in the die set from Find Your Way paper as well as four of the ring reinforces in white cardstock.

I attached the ring reinforcers to the page using Art Glitter Glue.

I matted my photos onto black cardstock so they had a 1/16" border on each side.

I then used my sewing machine to stitch around the page, the patterned papers, the tags and the photos

I attached the tags to the layout, with glue, after I had threaded white crochet cotton through the holes.

The photos were mounted onto some craft foam before being added to the page.

The title was cut using my Scan N Cut from the Find Your Way paper

I fussy cut a few embellishments from The Story - Laser Cuts paper and added them to the layout

The date the photos were taken was hand written on the label at the bottom right of the layout.

If you would like to watch this layout come together here is my video

Looking forward to seeing what you create for this challenge

Hugs

Julie

Challenge 2 

  Hi Crafters

Louise here.

Your challenge is to use 3 x patterned papers, 2 word title and 1 die cut

Seems as though Julie and I have given you very similar challenges.

Here is my inspiration:

"Book Lover"

Each month we are providing a product focus and this month it's Dies.

I've used the Uniquely Creative Barbed Wire

Don't forget that dies don't have to be used for the exact description ... I've used the barbed wire cuts as the string on my tag :) 

For the background I'm using Uniquely Creative Chevron paper and cut to 8.5 x 11.

The other patterned papers used on this layout are:

Once upon a Christmas

Ocean Breeze

I chose my photo thinking about a two word title and used black thickers

I've included a die cut tag and added lots of stars.

I've created an area for my journalling at the bottom over the mesh ribbon which provides some great texture. 

To finish I've mounted it on some black cardstock.

I look forward to seeing your challenge entries.

Happy crafting.

Challenge Rules
Please upload your entries to the album in our Private Facebook Chat Group by 11.55pm, 31st July 2021 to be eligible for the prize.

Facebook Albums - Here
Chat Page - Here

The prize is by random draw.  This month's prize is a pack of Uniquely Creative lace Doilies 

· International entries are welcome, however, due to international postage cost, the prize is a little surprise in the post.

Week 8 of Around the World in 8 Weeks

Good morning

It's the last week of the competition, Around the World in 8 Weeks 

This week we have returned home to Australia, the land of wide open spaces.

The requirement this week is to use negative space, the technique is spattering 

and the optional kit item is chipboard.

Here is my layout

I wanted to use two photos for this layout so I knew I would have to keep everything else to a minimum.

I have used Colour Blast - Bee Arty - Find Paradise and Basic Grey - Serenade patterned papers on this layout.

All of the papers have been inked with a Bark Kaisercraft ink cube. 

The frame around the layout is a 12" x 12" sheet of Bee Arty - Find Paradise - Light Forest

I used white cardstock for my background, trimmed to 11.5" x 11.5.

 I have applied Modelling Paste through TCW's Tile Texture stencil to add some interest.

I have trimmed my photos to 4.5" x 4" and 5.5" x 4" and matted them on black cardstock.

The patterned paper behind my photos is a 6.25" x 8.5" piece of Bee Arty - Find Paradise - Light Forest

This paper is attached to my layout at the top, bottom and left hand edge, 

creating a pocket to house a tag for my journalling.

The tag is a piece of Bee Arty - Find Paradise - Light Forest that I have cut to 6.75" x 4.75". 

I have added and eyelet and several strands of black crochet cotton through the eyelet.

The strips of patterned paper that run down the left side of the photos are a 0.75 x 10.5" 

piece of Basic Grey - Serenade - Parlor and the other paper is a 0.5" x 11.25" piece of 

Basic Grey - Serenade - Dowager.

The Basic Grey - Serenade - Parlor patterned paper has also been used as the background for my title.

 The title was created using sticker from Gold Label.

The required spatters were created using Glimmermist's Black Magic and Artiste Spritzing Ink in Gold.

The chipboard piece I chose from the optional kit is the set of suitcases. 

I have coloured them with Terra Cotta acrylic paint and then heat embossed them with clear embossing powder.

The reason I chose the suitcases is because the gift my daughter gave me was a night in one of the inner city hotels here in Adelaide and I did pack a case to do that. My husband and I spent the night at the Adelaide Fringe and then went back to our lovely hotel. It was very pleasant.

These are the details I will add to the journalling tag.

Here is my process video if you would like to watch this page come together

I hope you have enjoyed the 8 week competition and if you have managed to create a 

layout for each of the weeks you are to be congratulated. 

You will be in the running for one of the three great prizes up for grabs.

Good luck.

Till next time

Stay safe

Hugs

Julie

June Cybercrop Challenge reveal

 

June Cybercrop

Hi Crafters

Louise sharing for the June Cybercrop.

Your challenge is to use multiple triangles (more than one, but as many as you like).  

I've used Cocoa Vanilla Studio "Sunkissed" papers and foam title.

I started the layout as a 9x12 but added that to some black cardstock.

The washi tape was from my stash ... featuring triangles of course!

Finally I've added some triangle enamel dots.

I can't wait to see your triangle inspiration.

Happy Scrapping.

***

Good morning Julie here with my challenge to you for the June Cyber Crop.

 I would like you to create a layout inspired by this sketch.

Here is my layout

I have used Cocoa Vanilla's Daydream paper range for this layout. 

The background is White Cardstock

All of the papers have had the edges inked using a Kaisercraft ink cube, colour Bark.

I started by giving my Dusty Attic - Start Banner chipboard a coat of acrylic paint. The colour is Goldenrod which is a mustardy yellow. When the paint was dry I added a coat of the Gold glimmer pen from Uniquely Creative.

My 8" x 6" photo was matted on a piece of 8.25" x 6.25" coordinating cardstock

I cut Cocoa Vanilla - Daydream - Stepping stones to 10.5" x 6.5"

and Cocoa Vanilla - Daydream - Garden Variety to 5.5" x 10.75". I cut a fishtail into one of the narrower ends of the Garden Variety paper.

I tore two thin strips of the Stepping Stones paper

I have attached the papers using double sided tape and the chipboard using glue.

To embellish the layout I have fussy cut three flower clusters from the Garden Variety paper and items from the Cocoa Vanilla Daydream sticker sheet.

I used a bread & butter plate from my dinner set to draw the faux stitched partial circles above and below the patterned papers.

I also added faux stitching to all of the patterned papers, chipboard and sticker embellishments

The title was cut from the same cardstock I used to mat my photo using my Scan N Cut. I inked the edges, attached it to the bottom section of the layout and added faux stitching.

I have adjusted the sketch to accommodate my larger photo, I have added the torn paper at the top and bottom of the layout and I have also added the chipboard banner to the top of the layout. I moved the title to the bottom of the layout because it would look too cramped at the top with all of the other things I have added there. I also deleted the doily for the same reason.

Here is my process video if you would like to watch it.

Thank you for spending part of your day here with me today

Till next time

Stay safe

Hugs

Julie

My take on week 7 of the Around The World in 8 Weeks competition

 Good morning.

Today I am sharing with you the layout I have created for week 7 of the Around the World in 8 Weeks Competition at Mystical Scrapbooks. 

This week we are in China and the inspiration for the week is food, the technique is embossing and the optional kit item is bling.

My layout uses a photo taken at a family picnic at the beach many years ago, in fact it was January 1961.

I am in the photo (extreme left) and I would have just turned 8.

I have used a sandy coloured cardstock frame for the base of the layout and a piece of 11.5" x 11.5" white cardstock as the background

I have used the half flower from Dylusion's Sunshine Girl stamp set and stamped with Gold pigment ink three time on the right hand side of the white cardstock. 

This was then heat embossed using Clear Embossing Powder.

I tore, Cocoa Vanilla's Daydream Stepping Stones paper, to about 5.5" - 6" wide and trimmed it to 11.5" long. Once I had inked the edges with my Versa Color Black ink cube I attached it to the left hand edge of the white cardstock background.

I matted the photo with a 1/8" black matt and then a 1/4" matt of glitter cardstock from Doodlebug. 

The photo was then mounted on some chipboard scraps and attached to the page.

I fussy cut some of the flowers from Cocoa Vanilla's Daydream Garden Variety paper and inked the edges.

There was a piece of chipboard in the optional kit that was in the shape of railway tracks. I cut these up so they were various shapes and attached them around the edge of the photo. The flowers were then added around the photo. A gemstone, from the optional kit, was added to the centre of each of the flowers.

I also added an assortment of stickers from the Cocoa Vanilla Daydream Sticker sheet.

I cut the title on my Scan N Cut from the cardstock I cut from the centre of the base frame. 

The font is Hobo Std.

The title was attached at the top of the layout and given a coat of glimmer using Uniquely Creative's Glimmer pen.

Here is the process video

Until next time

Hugs

Julie