Sitting Pretty......Georgia Blues from Prima

Hi there!

 I would like to introduce the stunning GEORGIA BLUES  Collection from Prima. What an absolute delight these papers are with the gorgeous blue tones, floral displays and elegant silver foiling details on each sheet. The patterns are magnificent and varied and they really are rather luxurious.
( Please excuse the poor quality of the photos, the weather has been wet and  lousy here today and I haven't been able to take them outside like I normally do)

I have been wanting to scrap this photo, taken of our youngest daughter for some time. When we were on a day out on holiday in August 2015 we found a row of lovely beach huts at Hunstanton and we had a little photo shoot.... I think these papers were perfect for the job.

I based the layout on a sheet of Dark Grey cardstock and took a sheet of MORNING GLORY that I then gutted out a large oval shape from the centre of the sheet. I cut small snips all the way round the oval and then using a thin paint brush handle, I rolled the edges backwards..... this created a rolled frame and also exposed the pattern from the rear of the sheet.

I also used a sheet of HAPPY DAYS, from this I cut out the bicycle and the floral arrangement from the top left of the sheet. The large remaining piece was placed behind the oval aperture for the photo to sit on.

I added the bicycle and the floral section around the rolled frame and then cut a slice and rolled back on the top of the right hand side of the layout. Behind the slice I slipped in a small panel cut from a sheet of Memory Lane and then did some criss cross lacing using some sparkly blue thread.

I took the Decorative Chipboard and cut it in half ( to use at the top and bottom of the page) I gently added some Pewter cream rub on to make it suit the page a little better.

The title was made using some lovely puffy alphabet stickers from PinkFresh Studio and their Simple and Sweet Range and I then just added a few blossoms, berries and leaves and also a few blue crystal gems to finish.

This really is such a beautiful, useable collection and I am very much looking forward to doing more with the remainder of my DT kit.

Why not pop over to the SHOP and see what other gorgeous goodies are on offer.

Happy Crafting!!

 Warmest wishes
Anita xx

The World is Yours.

Hi There

Today I have been using up the last few little bits of left overs from the sheets of Gypsy Rose that I have been working on. Please see my original post, Be Yourself ,  for the first layout using these gorgeous papers from Kaisercraft.

I am not normally a fan of using too much cardstock, but I had a couple of sheets spare and they worked well with the colours in this paper range. I cut the lighter sheet down to an 11" x 11" square and then using a Martha Stewart Deep Edge, I did a single punch on each side.

I had a few floral clusters left over that I had cut out from the sheet of Inspiring and scattered these around the page. I also added a die cut butterfly and gave her a trail of champagne coloured crystals.

 

I chose a couple of sections from the sheet called Original....this is full of lovely quotes and sayings and is very usable for a variety of style layouts and cards.

I also used the largest of all the Dream Catcher images in this collection, its taken from the sheet called Free Spirit. A little strip of words was added across the centre and I then added small and large Champagne crystals across the page in various places to finish the layout.

This really has been a delightful Collection to work with....and you can find Gypsy Rose and lots of other stunning Kaisercraft Collections here at the shop!

Happy Crafting, see you again soon

Warmest wishes
Anita xx

Be Yourself.

Hi There Crafters

 Just for a change, instead of working with some of the newest additions to the shop, I thought I would break out an older release which is really beautiful. I wanted to scrap these 2 photos of my youngest daughter after she had been playing with some Snapchat filters. This layout has been inspired by the beautiful work of Kylie Kingham who is on the DT for Kaisercraft.

 Kaisercraft have 2 releases of fabulous papers at the very beginning of every month, all great quality, double sided and designed to compliment each other perfectly. The collection I am working with is Gypsy Rose  and is a lovely mix of dream-catchers, beautiful blooms and varying shades of burgundy, green and pinks.

I backed the layout on a sheet of deep burgundy cardstock and stuck a 5" x 12" strip of the green polka dot paper Wandering across the top of the page. I also fussy cut a large and small Dream-catcher from the reverse side of the sheet

I then took sheet of Free Spirit and fussy cut the extra large Dreamcatcher, which I put to one side for another layout I had planned. The remainder of the sheet is a shabby chic wood effect and I cut this into 6 strips that were 7" x 2". I distressed all round each strip with an old dark brown ink pad and roughed the edges with the edge of a scissor blade before laying them side by side across the bottom of the layout to create wooden panels

The rest of the page was created by fussy cutting lots of flower clusters from the sheet of Inspiring and also picking some of the sayings and cutting them out from the sheet of Original ( there is a great selection to choose from).
I also die cut some leafy fronds from green cardstock and tucked in behind the edges of some of the bloom clusters

After adding the 2 dream catchers that I had cut from the sheet of Wandering, I added some flat backed pearls and crystals to them and also scattered a few across the page in different places to complete the page.

I have really enjoyed using these papers, the colour way and the prints are beautiful and easy to use. There are lots of gorgeous collections available throughout the shop here for you to have a good look through.

I will be back again at a later date with another layout, using mainly cardstock ( most unusual for me!!) and the left over pieces from the sheets I used today.

Have a great weekend, hope some of it is filled with crafting of somekind!

Warmest wishes
Anita xx

Pumpkin Patch......Simple Stories Forever Fall Collection

Hello again

I am here today with a layout using up the rest of my DT kit using the beautiful Autumnal papers from the Simple Stories Forever Fall collection.

This paper collection was perfect for this large photo I have been waiting to scrap of my Mum and our girls taken back in 2011.
 For several years running we have visited a local Pick Your Own Farm at various times throughout the year, but my favourite visit is always the one to the pumpkin patch.
We have been making these visits since our girls were small and they always have a lovely display of various harvested pumpkins and also lots left out in the fields and we enjoy walking about and finding the largest and smallest ones that we can.

I based my layout on a sheet of Gathered Together  and onto the right hand side of the page I added a strip of the reverse side of a sheet of  4 x 6 Horizontal Elements 
I had my photo printed out large, it was initially an 8" x 10" print, but I cut it down to 7" x 10" and I placed this on the left hand side of the page and then cut a panel from a sheet of  4 x 4 Elements
and I overlapped this on the right hand side of the photo.

 I cut some flowers from a panel on the 4 x 4 Elements sheet and added some mulberry paper glittered leaves in various places.
I wanted to add some extra texture using fabric on my page, so I took some white cheesecloth and popped in a small bowl with a little water and some drops each of Crushed Courduroy and Barn Door Distress Stains 
After a few hours in soak I hung it to dry and added it to the page. The cheesecloth takes on the stain really well and I have often used this technique with a big variety of colours.

 After it had dried thoroughly I tucked small pieces of the dyed cheesecloth under areas of the page and then completed the layout using adhesive copper tone studs, various buttons and a raffia bow.

Sometimes I really enjoy using a very large statement photo and less embellishments on a page for a change, especially if I need to make a page quite quickly.

All of these gorgeous papers and many more are all available over at the shop..... so why not pull up a chair and a cuppa and treat yourself to a little shopping spree ;)

See you again when I am back later on in the month.

Happy Scrapping!
Anita xx

Steam Punk Stamperia

Hi There,
 I am back today with another project using some of the fabulous Stamperia papers that are available in the shop.
I felt that these Clockwork papers had a steampunk feel about them and went with that theme, but they would also work really well for a male based layout too

I backed the page onto a sheet of Laguna Bazill cardstock which I also inked around the edges with a dark brown ink pad to give a distressed effect.
After cutting a random wavy edge all around the sheet of Clockwork Mechanism I roughed up the edges and gently inked them. I then used a Prima Finnibair Elementals Netting Stencil 
and sponged some Bronze and Gold acrylic paints through it to create a background.

Using a combination of UTEE Embossing powders in Gold and Bronze and some
Stampendous Frantage Embossing Enamel in Aged Aqua 
I sprinkled some randomly about the page and also poured some in little piles to create larger areas when melted. I had to heat the powders from underneath the page instead of the usual way from above, this is because no embossing ink was used and the powder would have simply blown away!

I cut a panel from the sheet of Clockwise with Cards  which I then inked around the edge using a Lightning Gold Ink pad and also used a decent amount of the embossing combo again, some areas were deep enough to pour some glass beads and some jewellery findings into.

 I made a photo mat using some gold mirri board that I ran through a Spellbinder 3D M-Bossabilities Creative Cogs Folder, I then swiped it with Bronze, Copper and Black Acrylic paints.
I wanted to add some extra texture using fabric on my page, so I added some metallic mesh fabric and then took some white cheesecloth and popped in a small bowl with a little water and some drops each of Crushed Courduroy and Barn Door Distress Stains 
After a few hours in soak I hung it to dry and added it to the page. The cheesecloth takes on the stain really well and I have often used this technique with a big variety of colours.

I was looking for some suitable embellishments to use and had a good rummage in my stash where I found a broken necklace, so used some of the antique looking metal flowers and also a clock Cabochon.

 I also found some teeny bottles in my stash, so chose the flattest one and popped some Microbeads in and added it to the layout. I then finished the page with a small scattering of sequins....I do love using sequins on my projects and have a nice selection of colours built up now.

I really enjoyed having a play with all the embossing powders for a change and it felt nice to break out some of my old stash that I have had for years.  I will need to have a trip to the shop I think though as I really would like to get some other colour Frantage Enamel to play with.
Thanks for looking at my post today, I hope you enjoyed it. For all your scrapping and card making needs don't forget to have good look around at the SHOP....its full of wonderful products, with new items coming in all the time.

Happy Scrapping
Anita xxx

Dress up your storage with Stamperia.

    My scrapping mojo appears to be on holiday at the moment

and I was wracking my brains as to what I could create for this post.

 I have some absolutely beautiful papers in my DT kit, from a fairly new company to Papermaze, called Stamperia and I really loved the look of a sheet called Peony and Laces.......it was this sheet that inspired this project.

I bought this wooden trough a couple of weeks ago from a Pound Shop and it has sat empty on my kitchen table ever since. When I looked at the sheet of Peony and Laces it made me think of my ever growing collection of laces, ribbons and trims that I have stuffed into plastic boxes in my craft room....my favourites are my vintagey cream and vanilla trims and I decided they needed a pretty new home!

 

I covered one side of the trough with a panel cut from the sheet of Peony and Laces and the other side
was cut from the sheet of Peony and Letters. The left overs were used to cover the ends of the trough.

I gently inked around all of the edges of the trough using Tim Holtz Distress Ink Gathered Twigs to give it a slightly distress, aged look. And then picked one of my favourite trims and stuck it all the way round the top edges, allowing it to drape over the sides.

One of my other favourite embellishments is Blossoms, especially paper ones. I had a couple of lovely ones in my kit and also had a rummage in my own stash for a few more, along with some die cut Bazzill cardstock leaves. There is a super selection of Blossoms here in the shop to look at.

I also used a wooden word saying LOVELY which I inked with Bronze and Gold inkpads and made the word TRIMS using some metallic chipboard letters from my own stash. There is a vast selection of Alphabets in every colour and material HERE in the shop.
I then just added a few flat backed pearls to finish off the decorating....... and piled the trough up with all my lovely trims...they look much nicer in there than stuck inside a plastic box that's for sure!


                                   A couple of photos without all the trims in.

These troughs look lovely when decorated and could be used for all different things....as gift baskets on a theme, as storage around your own home....anything! And when there are such beautiful papers about like the Stamperia Range, what is stopping you?

Thank you so much for looking at my project today, I hope that you like it and you pop along to the shop and have a look at all the wonderful Stamperia Range and the other lovely goodies there that are for sale........ and don't forget the amazing SUMMER SALE is still on, full of bargains....too good to miss!

Warmest wishes
Anita xx

Is 50 too old for Unicorns? ......... a layout using Stamperia.

Hi There

Today I have a layout to share using a brand new manufacturer to Papermaze, called Stamperia! The shop stocks a good selection of their papers and they cover various themes. The papers themselves are super quality, nice and thick and the colour ways are beautiful.

I chose to use some photos from my 50th Birthday (earlier this year) when my lovely daughter and sister joined forces and made me a luscious rich chocolate layer cake and a fabulous, huge well fed unicorn ( made from fimo!)

 I had a sheet of light cream cardstock in my kit that I wanted to use to base the layout back onto, but needed it to blend in, so I used 2 Distress Oxide Ink pads : Peacock Feather and Seedless Preserves and applied them using some cellophane packaging and a water mister.

I also used the same colours and technique on the sheet of Wonderland Unicorn that the layout is created on. Where some of the patches were particularly wet, I blew hard and created the runs down the page.
Using some white acrylic paint I dry brushed around each photograph to create a soft matt and also around the entire edge of the layout.

I had some Prima Blossoms in my kit and I wanted to make them work with the page, so I used the same inks on these, gently patting a bit of each colour on and then misting with the water spray again to help blend the colours.

 I had bought a 2nd sheet of Wonderland Unicorn and so cut out the 2nd Unicorn and layered it on the original page using some foam pads for dimension, then gave the wings, mane and tail some magical sparkle using some Stickles.

 I also had some lovely cotton lace in my kit, this took some of the ink really well and stained it to co-ordinate with the rest of the page.

I tore a slice out of the paper on the right hand side and rolled each section back, to reveal some of the inking underneath. Then used some irridescant, sparkly thread to stitch criss crosses along the length of it.

I cut a floral section from the back of a sheet of Wonderland Dragonfly and used a couple of other scraps of left overs and layered them up behind the photos along with a couple of small plastic doily embellishments.
The title was made using various alphabet stickers, including Simple Stories Snap Studio, Martha Stewart and AC Thickers.
I used a few different paper blossoms and lots of flat backed AB crystals scattered about ( because you can never have too much magical sparkles can you??)

                                                        A couple more close ups.

So, if you want to see some absolutely gorgeous new papers, then pop over to the shop and have a good look round. And don't forget the super Summer Sale is still on and there are some fabulous bargains to be found.....don't miss out!!

Happy Scrapping!!

Anita xxx

Sun Kissed Explosion Box

Hi There

I am sharing my explosion box with you today....made using the last of my left overs of  the gorgeous G45 Sun Kissed!

I haven't made one of these for the longest time, but they are so simple and great fun. You can fill them with various layers if you wish and add lots of photos. They make great gifts for people and can be created in any theme and for any occasion.

I followed this basic plan, measuring in cms. I cut and removed the shaded areas on the top diagram to make the drop down base. The smaller diagram is for creating the lid to pop on the box. I followed the dotted lines to crease and fold in the right place for a good fit.

I used a sheet of orange cardstock for the base and a sheet of navy for the lid although you could of course use the same colour cardstock for both.

I used little bits and pieces throughout the inside and outside of the box from various sheets of paper I had left over. Here is a list of those used.
Sail Away
Turtle Time
Kids at Play
Floating Floral
Splish Splash

I had a good rummage through my blossom stash at home....I really wished I had some shells of some sort, but alas no! I also added some hessian and mini scrabble tiles to the box for some decor.

I wanted to create the feeling of the turtles swimming about, however, I didn't actually have any acetate available. Not a problem though, one of my lovely cropping friends had been eating a punnet of grapes, so I cut a couple of lengths from the side of the punnet....and voila!! Swimming turtles and starfish!

                                                     Here are a couple of close ups xx

I cut one of the tags from the sheet of Kids at Play and added some ribbons of orange mesh and a few light blue half pearls.

And some die cuts and mini wooden scrabble tiles from my stash.

This has been a really enjoyable project to make and as I said before, these boxes can be themed to anything. if you haven't had a try at one of these dear little albums, the please do go and have a look about and have a play.

Thank you very much for looking at my post, I hope maybe it inspired you a little. Everything you need is available over on the shop site
And don't forget, there is a huge SUMMER SALE on over at the shop too....so grab a bargain whilst you can!!
Happy Scrapping

Warmest wishes
Anita xx