2016

Woa those black stripes needed some thought. I love the paper but no matter what I did I found the stripes moved everytime I looked at the paper. In the end I realised that I needed a vertical border to make it more visually pleasing.

The leaves and berries were diecut and the leaves bent to give a 3d effect. 

The numbers were stamped with shadow foliage to make them less stark.

and because it is a 2016 layout I added four photos in varying sizes and shapes.

More tomorrow xxx

You Never Know .....

Over the last six months I have made quite a few projects using cogs but when I looked back, I made them all silver, copper and gold colour. This time I decided to have a play with some of the Distress Colours to make this male layout.

 I only used the brad heads for the centres

and because the background paper is so fab, I just used a brick paper and cut bits out of the pattern. 

Like this one xx

Winter Layout

and of course, after an Autumn layout there has to be a winter one. This particular layout was so hard to photograph. Even now this picture doesn't do it justice.

The lovely polar bears are from HobbyArt Stamps (I think I've got a herd of bears if there is such a thing lol)

and I added a little penguin for good measure even though you probably would never see them together in the real world as I was told in class. 

My answer "we they go together in my world" lol. So cute xx

Autumn Layout

With the weather changing it was definitely time to get out the leaf dies for Tuesdays Scrapbook Class

I distressed the die cut trees and then added orange to the tiny leaves

and a flurry of glittered leaves finished it off

Love the autumn leaves. A few years ago I made a Christmas Wreath using the same types of leaves. You can find it HERE. 
Have a great weekend xxx

School/Graduation layout

Little ones graduate now even from nursery and pre school so I though it was about time I scrapped my Granddaughters photo.

It has to be bright and cheery but at the same time, as the second layout for a class it had to be reasonably easy to make.

This is what I came up with 

Based on squares and frames and of course bright colours it was great fun to create.

I added a few well chosen stencil words and used a white pen to decorate the page.

I'm being told I need to share some cards so will start tomorrow promise xx

A Nice Normal Family

Got to be one of my new favourite stamps with a saying that perfectly describes my family lol and just perfect for this first layout from last Tuesdays Scrapbook Class.

The aim was to change the colours of a piece of scrapbook paper to a completely different colourway. This paper started out mostly pale pinks and blues but ended up all red, black and white.

The bunting is a stamp so can be stamped in any colour (will use that again) 

and cutting the base of the little pegs printed on the paper and sticking them back over the new bunting, worked a treat.

The little ladybirds were cut out from the ladybird digital paper downloaded free from the Docrafts website (they have a lovely dragonfly one as well)

Kept everyone busy but I think everyone enjoyed playing xx

Lets Party

Yes I am still using using the record stamp. I just can't help it. My only bugbear is that the Happy Birthday is printed on the record. I would have preferred it blank so that I could add my own titles but there are ways round that.

Keeping the background stamping in black and white makes the centre of the layout pop and draws your eyes to the photo.

The border stamps work really well too.

And those electric guitars will definately be used again. 

I've got some pictures of Guns n Roses which will go really well.xx

Our House

This is a gorgeous background paper so it needed very little decorating. 

I wanted to use the design on the paper as part of the layout so I added some tiny flowers at the top.

I carried the flower detail down the trellis and made a little cottage ladder to complete the design.

It was nice to get the border punches out again. I had forgotten how versatile they are.xx

Free Time Me Time

I love using bright papers especially when I have photos of the Grandchildren at play.

 The stars were cut from the main paper and then put back onto the page using sticky foam pads.

I used a red cardstock star for the journalling and kept the title lettering plain white.

I think I might use the yellow brick paper again but this time with black graffiti. Oh that's an idea. xx

Little Donkey

Another fantastic set of stamps from Hobbyart in June and as soon as I got them I just had to use them for one of the Scrapbook Class layouts.

 The beauty of these stamps is that you can either use them in black and white or colour them in.

and the bumble bees are all different sizes so there is plenty of choice.

Definitely going to use these at the next card class as well.xx

I can't stand the rain

A quick and really simple layout to show off those many, many rainy photos (I am adding to the collection as we speak). This paper was too good to cover with "stuff" so I used a craft knife and cut out some of the umberellas.

I put red and yellow paper behind the holes and even added a bit of my own handwritin for the title.

Love these wellie boots as well. stamped out and coloured. Brilliant.

I used some of the cut out umberellas as decoupage pieces which gave the layout some depth. A busy layout and a bit out of my comfort zone but happy with it xx

Cuddles

When I showed this in class i did so as a lace circle and not with the pink fgloral background. 

The idea was that people could choose to use either the pink doily or turn it over and use the white side and then use a blue background for a boy.

The flowers are by Altenew, simply stamped and coloured to match the background.

The little white fans are cut from a border punch by Martha Stewart and the centres of the flowers are finished using Anitas 3D Gloss.

Peek a Boo

Love bright colours and am a great fan of bunting so was really pleased with this layout.I think if I had been making this just for my album I would have been tempted to fill some of the "white space" with background stamping but I know some classmates are not keen on that.

I added the banners at the bottom and top right to bring the layout together.

I used embroidery thread as the bunting string and a flower cut from the paper as the final embellishment.

Loads more inspiration to come so keep checking back and if you can, please leave a comment. I love hearing from you and it lets me know someone is reading the blog lol. xx

Birthday Boy

I love using white on white. I've found over the years that most papers are a slightly different shade of white from the next making it easy to distinghish between white elements on a page.

The little swirls were a stamp and I added pen dots and little gems.

Will use stamped shapes again.

More tomorrow xx

Family

As you know by now I love my stamps and believe me I have hundreds. Stamping is a fantastic way to make lovely scrapbook layouts and a great way for a card maker to start their first page.

This layout was inspired by a canvas I saw on pinterest a few weeks back. I would have loved to have time to make the canvas but settled for a layout instead.

Most of the decoration was done before adding the photos although I always start a layout with black card pieces the same size as the photos I will eventually use. This allows me to work out where everything should go.

I am working on a beginners tutorial so keep checking back. xx

Blackberries

I have been saving these wonderful blackberry stamps and dies by Sheena Douglas, for ages. In my studio I have a " to be used" box filled with scrummy stamps, dies, stencils and paints to use at some point in the future.

In the  first layout for Tuesday's Scrapbook class I wanted to use a photo of my granddaughter and lo and behold, she is wearing a lilac cardigan in it so out came the blackberry stamps and a beautiful purple promarkers.

These stamps are so detailed they look good stamped in black without colouring in. 

The blackberries were made to look more realistic by using a foam mat and embossing tool

And just a little bit of detail in the top right hand side to finish it off.

More tomorrow xx