Stick it Down DT July Layout using FLHK kit

Hello Lovelies

I'm not sure whether I've mentioned here on the blog that I'm joining the crew over at Stick It Down!  I love using scrapbook sketches so I was pretty excited about playing with these girls!

I'm using my July For The Love Of Homemade Kits supplies to put this layout together.  You can find more on that in the description box of my video.

The sketch was a bit different for me as I mention in my process video (scroll down!).  The titles placement and embellies on just one part of the page forced me (most willingly!) out of my comfort zone!

Here's the link to July's Challenge:

Stick it Down Single Page Challenge

This one is packed with dimensional embellies of all sorts and to adhere anything (especially anything requiring some extra strength) to mixed media calls for Permanent Glue Dots! 😍😍😍

If you watch the video and compare the finished layout there to the still photos, you may notice I moved all the tiniest enamel stars and lightning bolts.  🙈🙈🙈

While I am happier with them after the change, this page one one that took on a life of its own and I'm not sure how pleased I am with it. 

It's definitely not what I pictured in my head, but the crazy energy definitely reflects the story of two crazy energetic little girls who would barely stand still long enough to pose for a couple of photos!

Journaling

Close ups for your reading pleasure as always (if you can decipher my writing! 😳)

Embellies

YouTube Process Video

Wonder Woman & Super Girl

Love, and STICK IT DOWN!

Crazy Circles Gnome Card

Hi Lovelies!

This challenge is doing double duty for The Paper Girls Challenge 

and 

Arty Divas challenge.

The theme for TPG is circles and the image from sponsor Laurie Furnell was a cute gnome digi.

All I knew was that I wanted to stretch my Copic colouriing muscles again since I was feeling rusty and I felt the vibrancy would be perfect for a child.  Im not sure I like how pale the blue is on the gnome.  It bothers me a bit.  🤷 And let's not even discuss the beard! 🤦

What to do for the background, though?  If I used this project for TPG circles challenge I could pull out THIS bag of cats circles.  Recognize it?

It's from last year's Wonder Woman layout!  This one:

Since I printed the image out bigger than I expected, I went with a 5x7 card base.  The front ended up being 4.5 x 6.5 to allow for a contrasting mat.

I layered up some of the smaller circles and ran them through the sewing machine.  Using Permanent Glue Dots I adhered the back with all the thread to the stripey mat and I love using the same dots when using "fun foam".  I stick the adhesive side to the piece i'm popping up then it's easier to run Glue Dots all over the plain foam side.  They're far more reliable on foam than my dot roller I've discovered.

Lastly I die cut a fairly general sentiment which can be used for several occasions.

And I barely even made a dent in the baggie of circles!  I'm going to be reaching for them a lot, I think!

Hooray

Lastly I do encourage you to enter a paper project at one or both Arty Divas and The Paper Girls!

Love and crazy circles!

Arty Divas Challenge 23 DT Project

Hi Lovelies!

Today is Challenge 23 at Arty Divas.  This is a FORTNIGHTLY "anything goes" (any type of project and any theme) challenge with a design team who makes projects showcasing the sponsor who often offers PRIZES!

 

This week's sponsor is Lee Holland Art
Online Shop -  https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/leehollandart
Prize:

 

The image we were given to work with was a pre-coloured one, and usually these are not the easiest thing for me to work with, but the minute I saw that cute little dragon I knew I wanted a soft ethereal cloud background.  I used some cloud dies by Lawn Fawn which I cut using scrap cardstock so I could do a blended cloud background with Distress Oxide Ink

 

I used a different cloud die to cut three from vellum which I machine stitched down.  This meant relying on my trusty Glue Dots to make sure the card front stuck securely to the card base.  

I fussy cut the little dragon and the printed sentiment.  The dragon was mounted on foam for some dimension and some clear shiny sequins (stuck with Mini and Micro Glue Dots of course) finished it off.

 

This will make a great card for a little girl I think!

 

Dragon Wishes

 

That's all from me today!  It was nice to make one that was quick to put together for a change!

Love and quick cardmaking!

 

The Paper Girls Challenge #200 - All About Boys

Hi Lovelies!

It's challenge time again over at The Paper Girls Challenge Blog and I'm hosting Challenge #200 so I'd really love it if you played along!  The theme is All About Boys!

If you are taking Shimelle's Start with a Sketch class my layout is based on sketch #7.2

The difference with this sketch is that most of the layering was done with things OTHER than pattered paper (although I did manage to sneak in a few more scraps than Shimelle originally intended).

There IS a process video, BUT both the lighting and my editing are not what I hoped they would be.  Time got to the better of me and I forgot about zooming in in the video editor.  I cropped out a lot since much of it was repetitive fiddling and re-sticking.

 

Process Video 

 

I do address the issue of how to tell a longer story and splitting it across multiple pages.  In this case I wanted to include three photos that illustrated the shenanigans of remote learning.  Making a separate layout for each one is kinda overkill, but two (or maybe three) layouts documenting the entire ordeal process should just about do it.

Here's the journaling if you want to have a read:

Another trick which I'm nor sure is clearly shown in the video is the doubling up on Glue Dots (like under the grey cat) gives just a bit more dimension than regular adhesive, but not so much as the shallower foam squares.  When you're tucking things under, it's a useful trick to remember.

The Title

 

The Embellies

The Trials and Tribulations of Remote Learning

And lastly here are a couple of masculine cards.  They were made to go overseas so they have a slight Australian vibe.  I reduced the size of cut files intended as 12x12 backgrounds so the finished cards are a bit smaller than 6" square.  Each was backed with one or more patterened papers and accented with gum leaf gut files and gold mist.  Nice and simple and binge-cutting saves time later.  I'm all about efficiency!

Please visit The Paper Girls Challenge and enter a papercrafty project!  We'd love to see you there!

Love, and prolific papercrafting!

The Paper Girls Challenge #198 Girl Time

Hi Lovelies!

It's challenge time again over at The Paper Girls Challenge Blog and Challenge #198 is all about Girl Time. 

This might mean different things to different people, but whatever you enjoy doing with your besties is something to treasure. 

In the current climate of Covid-19, remembering the days we could get physically together with our friends and go out can be bittersweet, but it wont be too much longer I hope.  As someone whose health depends on everyone doing their part to adhere to lockdown restrictions, I'm very thankful to each of you playing your part.

In the meantime, I treasure the moments of the past by documenting them and staying in touch by virtual means.
 
Pretty much exactly a year ago, my sister and I enjoyed a spa day together, and this is the first of a couple of layouts about this trip to a town famous for its day spas.

If you are taking Shimelle's Start with a Sketch class and think my take on sketch #5.1 looks awfully like Shimelle's example in terms of supplies then you'd be right.



I tried various lines of paper that combined some florals with an autumnal colour palette, but they didn't have the vibrancy and fun I was looking to convey. 






See here's the thing.  Autumn in nature is beautiful, but in craft supplies it often seems to translate to orange and/or brown and of all colours, I rarely use these unless I'm working on a boy page maybe.

I only have the paper pad and some embellies from Paige Evans' Truly Grateful line, so my choices were slightly more limited, but seeing that beautiful bold floral in the background of Shimelle's page meant everything else paled in comparison.  I was also inspired by two of Shimelle's choices for the angled paper strips and while not identical, they are similar.

I was very pleased to use TWO words/phrases from those Thickers sets we all seem to buy byt struggle to use.  These ones were from Shimelle's Head in the Clouds line supported by some small puffy alphas from PinkFresh Studio.

There are several places where things didn't quite go to plan, but overall I'm fairly satisfied with the way it turned out. 

I was in a hurry to get it finished and cranky with the way the first official day of remote learning for TallCraftyDude was unfolding,

I guess I will have to wait and see how sketch 5.2 turns out!


 

Rise + Shine For There Are Adventures to Be Had

Love and scrap all the things!

Arty Divas Challenge 19

Hi Lovelies!

Today is Challenge 19 at Arty Divas.  This is a FORTNIGHTLY "anything goes" (any type of project and any theme) challenge with a design team who makes projects showcasing the sponsor who often offers PRIZES!

This week's sponsor is Jan's Digi Stamps
Online Shop - https://www.janmahew.com
Prize:



This time I decided I would use the shaker element I made last time and tuen it into an actual card. A goft card holder to be precise!

Here's how I went about it:

First I cut a card base (tent folding) just a bit larger than the shaker and cut a piece of patterned paper a quarter of an inch smaller than the card base to leave a small border as shown below

Then I used a loyalty card as a template for a gift card to a certain coffee chain which has a famous seasonal (and limited!)  pumpkin flavoured  coffee drink.

The card measured at 2 1/8 inch so I added to that the width of a strong red tape to either side (a total of 1/2 inch) plus another 1/8 inch either side to allow for the depth of the pocket.  This totals 2 7/8 inch, so I just rounded up to a width of 3 inches.  The length isn't so important since you want plenty of room to be able ti see and remove the card.

Add the strong tape to the back of the pocket to the bottom edge and sides.  Remove the backing and stick in place, 

Double check that the card fits...

 Using a strong adhesive (such as Glue Dots) add the shaker to the front of the card

I wanted to emphasize the pumpkin theme so I cut out one of the squares from this cut-apart sheet and ended up fussy cutting since it was too big otherwise.

I stamped a more appropriate sentiment and cut it into two to make it fit better and covered the wording on the pumpkin then added next to the shaker on the front,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The front of the card:

I also cut out one of the critters to add inside:

That's all from me for today!

Love, and get crafty in quarantine

The Paper Girls Challenge #197 Florals

Hello Lovelies!

It's challenge time over at The Paper Girls and Challenge #197 is Florals.  What a lovely theme, isn't it?  My lovely friend and fellow Newbie to PGCB Lori is hosting it!

I was disappointed that I didn't get to make a project in time for challenge #196 which was Babies, so I combined both for this one!

I love to fussy cut and when I see a paper with large florals, my scissors are just itching to get into my hands.  Maggie Holmes papers are perfect for this and my layout has both fussy cut flowers and flowers from the die cut pack.

I also cut apart the floral chevron called L'il Bit Lovely.  I picked the ones I wanted, inked them and lightly tacked them to the page before stitching them down.

This paper along with the chipboard sheet from Maggie Holmes Shine collection were the driving force behind this layout.  

The photo was matted with my usual messy stack from the scrap box (yay! 🎉🎉🎉)

I used the "Bloom & Grow" along with additional thickets for the titles and also added the deer and some hearts from the sheet which to that point remained untouched.  

I was awfully pleased with the dent I made, but as you know, all chipboard made by American Crafts needs extra adhesive and Glue Dots in various sizes are my jam.  I'm not saying it's a bad thing actually, because I do like to move my embellies around a bit before I commit. 

There were other pieces from various collections (mostly Maggie Holmes). a sweet doily, gold mist and gems and enamel dots.  In hindsight perhaps I went too far with the gems, but more is more, right?

My journaling is below and pretty simple, but I liked how it flows into the title as the last line.

 Bloom & Grow Little One

Before I sign off, I thought I'd leave you with a few photos of the infamous photobombing NewCraftyCat!

I hope you visit the link to The Paper Girls and have a go at the challenge yourself!
 
Love, and fabulous florals