Another Scrappy Layout

So I've been working to "kill the kit" with the March 2013 kit from Studio Calico. I'm finally here today with my last layout from the kit -- a scrappy layout, made just from the last bit and pieces I had from the kit.

You might recognize this layout type as one I have done many times before. :) Like this layout, and this one too. It's just a framework that works so well, and I love how it turns out each time.

So I had created all these layouts with the March 2013 Studio Calico kit:

And all I had left of the 12x12 papers in the kit were lots of scraps. So I trimmed a bunch of them down to 3" strips of varying heights and layered them up along the side of my paper:

I added a few thin 12" strips and washi tape from the kit and that's it -- layout done.

Love it! And that finishes off the March 2013 kit from Studio Calico. On to the next one...

Until next time,
Stay crafty!
Lissa :)

Sketch N Scrap Sketch Challenge #58

It's time for the first sketch of the month from Sketch N Scrap. I love working with these monthly sketches. There are so many possibilities for creating your own spin on the sketch. Plus, I love the reveal -- seeing how all of the designers create based on the sketch. It always inspires me!

Each month, Sketch N Scrap offers three layout sketches and two card sketches to challenge your creativity. And if you link up your creation at their site, you'll be entered to win an awesome prize package -- a different prize each month.

Here's sketch #58:

And here's the layout I created based on the sketch:

Those four cards on the sketch are awesome. I love how it turned out. Once again, I'm "killing the kit" by using up my March 2013 Studio Calico kit. It is so fun to create such different looks from a single kit.

I used the Becky Higgins Project Life Die Set to cut my photos and the white pattern paper into 3x4 squares. Then, I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut four more journaling cards, enlarging them a bit to 3 1/2x4 1/2 so they would be able to mat the 3x4 cards. I also cut the pennant banner with this cut file set from Miss Kate Cuttables.

So that's my layout for this sketch. And now, head on over to Sketch N Scrap to see what the other talented designers came up with for this sketch!

Be sure to play along with the sketch challenge this month (and every month!) at Sketch N Scrap. Don't forget -- if you link up your creation at Sketch N Scrap, you'll be entered to win a great prize giveaway -- a new prize each month.

Until next time,
Stay crafty!
Lissa :)

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Sketch N Scrap Sketch Challenge #56

It's time for another monthly sketch challenge from Sketch N Scrap -- and you know I love working with these sketches! They always include fun elements to play with on your page.

Each month, Sketch N Scrap offers you three layout sketches and two card sketches to challenge your creativity. And if you link up your creation at their site, you'll be entered to win an awesome prize package -- a different prize each month.

Here's sketch #56:

And here's the layout I created based on the sketch:

Like many of you, I'm sure, I have a stack of monthly kit club boxes in my scrap room that need to get used up. :) I decided to "kill the kit" this month with a Studio Calico kit from last May 2013. I love color combinations in this kit and I thought it was a great time to scrapbook a few random cousin photos.

I love how versatile this sketch is! Just the right amount of photos and so quick to put together.

Be sure to play along with the sketch challenge this month (and every month!) at Sketch N Scrap. Don't forget -- if you link up your creation at Sketch N Scrap, you'll be entered to win a great prize giveaway -- a new prize each month.

Until next time,
Stay crafty!
Lissa :)

Practical Scrappers November Layout Sketch

I have recently found another awesome scrapbooking website -- Practical Scrappers. It's run by a group of awesome ladies, one of whom I met through Kiwi Lane's design team. I love how the world of scrapbooking is all connected by our love of creating stuff with paper and showcasing our family memories. Practical Scrappers features daily inspiration about all areas of scrapbooking and paper crafts. There's so much there -- you have to check it out!

Today, I'm sharing a layout I created, inspired by the November layout sketch at Practical Scrappers. I'm a little late to the party, but I wanted to create the layout anyway. :) Here's the sketch:

I love this sketch -- especially those banners and polaroid frames. So, based on the sketch, I created this layout:

I had these photos and this paper collection just waiting for the right layout. I love how it turned out. I used papers from the Here + There collection from Studio Calico and American Crafts Dolce Thickers in aqua and orange. The number stickers and the flair button are from Kelly Purkey at Simon Says Stamp. I used quite a few dies on this layout, which was fun. (I need to do that more often!) The small white alpha letters are cut from the Sticky Note alpha from Quickutz, and the polaroids are from a Quickutz frame die. For the starburst circle, I used this die from Simon Says Stamp. The small banner behind the title is from this die, and the little house is cut with this die.The triangle banners are also cut with a die (I can't find the manufacturer). I then added in little embellishment bits, mostly from Studio Calico (the arrows and wood veneers). I also (of course!) used my Kiwi Lane templates:

• Paisley Place border strips 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B
• Strips 1" and 1/2"

So that's my layout for the November sketch for Practical Scrappers. So glad I got to play along. It was fun to create.

If you haven't visited Practical Scrappers yet, you definitely should! There's always something new to see over there...

Vintage Photo Layout

Today, I'm sharing a layout made with vintage photos -- at least, vintage 1980s. I took inspiration from a layout by Two Peas Garden Girl Wilna Furstenberg. I love the layered look she creates, and I wanted to create something in her style.

I used three large blue tags to create a solid background for the photos, then I layered together papers from a few Studio Calico kits. I just tucked various patterns together until I created a look I liked.

I added in a few random embellishments from my stash to complete the layout.

This was a departure from my usual style, but I had fun creating it. I'll be trying it again soon, I'm sure.

Have you created anything using the layered look? Please share it...

Cut Outs from Background Paper

Today, I'm sharing a technique for your background paper. I've been seeing this technique done around the blog-o-sphere, and I wanted to try it out for myself.

I created this layout with the Sock Hop kit from Studio Calico. Love the bright colors. If you look closely, you can see that I've cut the star shapes out of the background paper with my Silhouette. I then put the patterned paper on the back of the layout, to show through the shape to the front.
 

 It's a subtle technique but it adds so much texture and dimension. It works well for intricate shapes that would be difficult to piece together as a shape -- as this star would, with its strips and pieces.

If you have a Silhouette, this is a very easy technique to try out. If you don't, you can handcut a shape from the paper or use your punches to shape the background paper.

Give it a try - I think you'll love the results.

Embossing a Background

Recently, I took Jen Gallacher's class Scrapbook Stamper's Workshop at Two Peas. Loved that class. Jen's layouts are always inspiring, and she had a ton of ideas for using stamps on your layouts.

I was especially drawn to one technique Jen highlighted -- to use embossing powder to create a background for your layout. So I grabbed two different camera stamps (one from Amy Tangerine and one from a Lawn Fawn alpha set) and my white embossing powder to create this layout.

The rest of the papers and embellishments are from the Front Row kit from Studio Calico. I also used some zig-zag and straight stitching to add some texture.

I really love how those embossed cameras turned out. They look beautiful on the vellum. I need to remember to bring out my stamping supplies more often.

An easy way to add interest to a large strip of paper. I'll be doing this again soon.

Now it's your turn: When was the last time you embossed on your scrapbook pages? I challenge you to dig out those supplies and create something today...

Making Use of Feature Papers

You know those beautiful papers you get in some collection kits, where they feature a corner or design element printed right on the paper? I love those papers -- My Mind's Eye makes a lot of them -- but it can be hard to figure out how to use them without covering up those beautiful designs.

The So Cal kit from Studio Calico featured a couple of these papers. In order to showcase those printed feature elements, I used my Kiwi Lane designer templates. I was able to layer my border strips around the design, while combining the colors and papers to coordinate perfectly. The end result is that the printed element looks like an actual embellishment for the page.

On this layout, I used the printed feature element on the background paper to incorporate with my title and date cluster. By layering the embellishments together, it looks like a cohesive embellished piece on the page.

The next time you have a paper that you're hoarding because of the beautiful printed design element you just don't want to cover up, try using your Kiwi Lane designer templates to work around the design, bringing it in as an integrated embellishment for your page.

Front Row Kit from Studio Calico

I have quite a stash of Studio Calico kits. Their kits are always great, and Studio Calico's Front Row kit (Feb. 2013) was no exception. I went back to this kit recently to clean out my kit stash a bit and make room for new ones. I had used the kit already, so I had just enough left to create a few last layouts before calling it done.

This first layout is based on a layout by Amanda Jones in the Silhouette 101 class at My Creative Passion. The circles here are a cut file from that class. I backed the circle with various patterned paper from the kit and foam-dotted the circles and the photos up off the background.

The stitching around the edge gives this simple layout a nice frame.

I added just a few simple embellishments to finish off the page -- along with a few little stamps from the Front Row kit.

Next, I was inspired by a video at Two Peas by Jill Sprott to use lots of frames on a layout. I had a bunch of frames sitting on my table from working with Studio Calico's Roundabout kit, so I used those along with the Front Row kit to make this layout.

The photos are straight out of my category drawers -- a photo organization method taught by Stacy Julian as a place to store your extra photos, the ones left over after you make a page. Those photos are organized by categories (as the name implies), so I was quickly able to find photos of each of us and all of us together.

I'm addicted to stitching lately. I sewed another frame on this page. Love how it looks.

With these two layouts, I officially finished off my Front Row kit from Studio Calico, making room for more kits to come. :)

Studio Calico June 2013 Layouts

I really loved the Studio Calico kit for June 2013 -- Roundabout. I already shared the Project Life layouts I created with the kit. Today, I'm sharing the 12x12 layouts I created with the main kit and one of the add-ons.

This first layout is based on a layout video Jen Gallacher posted a few weeks ago. I loved her layout and wanted to recreate a version of it with the Roundabout kit.

I love how colorful everything ended up being. I had some trouble figuring how to adhere those letters since they're transparent, but staples worked great and added some nice texture.

Next up, another layout based on that same video by Jen Gallacher. I loved it so much, I had to do it again...

On this version, I add more photos. It worked great, while still keeping the sketch of the layout intact.

Next, I created a layout inspired a different Jen Gallacher video. I love the page divided in half with all the file folders at the bottom. I cut the folders with my Silhouette.

A first for me (or at least it's been many years) -- I printed my journaling in a fun typewriter font. Jen does this a lot in her videos and I love the look. I will be doing this again soon.

I created the title with my Silhouette too. For the "Destination" part, I added an arrow through the middle to hold all the letters together. I think I saw that idea on a video by Nichol Magouirk. A great way to use any font without having to weld the letters together completely.

The kit included this awesome summer chalkboard paper (I think it's from Pebbles?). It was too beautiful to cut up, so I built up a mat with paper scraps to showcase just one great photo.

Love the bright colors against the black and white...

The frame stamp and the July font stamp were from the Roundabout kit too. Love both of those...if you look closely, you will see that Adventure frame in three out of the four layouts here. I was pretty proud of myself for stamping so much this month.

And one more layout before I called this kit done. This layout was a fun mash-up of the various papers and elements in the kit. Those black camera are transparent and when I first got them in the kit, I wasn't a big fan. But I love them on this layout.

That's it for the Roundabout kit from Studio Calico. Such a great month from them. I loved the brighter colors and summery travel elements.

What have you been creating? Link it up in the comments, and I will check it out. Thanks!