Bro & Co - Simple Stories

Hello everyone! I have a couple of layouts to share today using the new line from Simple Stories called Bro & Co. This line is perfect for boys, especially teen boys, a subject that isn't always easy to scrapbook, and finding the perfect patterned paper can be a challenge!

This layout is created with an outside border of 1" and given extra interest by using foam tape under the inner layer of paper. I used a tag, ephemera, a few brads and foam stickers from the line to embellish it. I used a splatter of Dina Wakely "Cheddar" Media Gloss Spray on the blue paper layer and a couple of strips of co-ordinating washi tape as a lower border. The mats were cut from Simple Stories Basics kits from other lines. I love that so many of the Simple Stories colors are perfectly matched and are so easy to mix. They all have the same tones and shades.

The second layout I'm sharing is a grid design that I made using 2" photos taken from a movie that I recorded watching the kids play a video game called "RockBand." I cut up the sheet of 2" squares in the paper line and mounted both the photos and squares on 2.25" mats of cardstock and patterned paper scraps. A few of the squares were lifted with foam dots and I used brads to accent some of the squares. The title was created by printing the RockBand logo on a piece of patterned paper and fussy cutting it out.

Thanks for looking in! I will have some additional creations using this line in a little bit, so stop by again soon!

Make the Alphas Work for You

Alphas are one of my favourite products to play with - I see a good title with some great alphas more of an embellishment than just a name on a page, that finishing touch really. Especially when you can use the title to really hit home the memory!

Sometimes though, those alphas need a little extra something-something to make them work for a layout... in the June 2020 Kit, featuring SImple Stories - Great Escape collection, subscribers received these awesome mint coloured, foam Thickers. Such a fun colour that really draws out some of the more subtle green tones of the kit goodies and gives a definite pop of green to those green lovers out there. 

I love the mint but the colour was just not working for me on this particular layout, I felt I really needed a black alpha to bring it all together - so I introduced some black texture paste from my stash, any will do,  to make these great looking alphas work exactly how I needed them on my page. 

I simply used my little spatula tool to spread the texture past across each alpha, tapping the top after with the back of the spatula to make sure the medium dried with some texture. I wanted to get almost an old leather look and it didn't work out too bad. 

While the now black alphas dried, I created the rest of my page. I focused on the pattern paper that features the 2x2 cut-parts. I used half of the paper to pattern block the top half of my page then using some foam tape added a few more of just the cut-apart squares that I loved most as a second, popped-up layer on top of a few of the squares below. I then just went to town adding embellishments to those really, really draw the eye. 

The photo, with loads of layers behind, looked best in almost smack dab in the middle of the cut-apart fun, and I balanced it with a few fun items along the bottom of the page too. 

The background is a tire tread stencil that I had used in greens, reds, and yellows on another layout and what you see on this page is the stencil top pressed down onto a white piece of paper just before I cleaned it off with a paper towel - so sort of the leftover, negative stencil. 

I finished it off with some splatters, of course for this gal, and my now black with mint foam peekaboo alphas. While this page may be titled Sad Face, I was smiling as I finished it off and post it here for you! 

Remember the Packaging

The fun creating with the June 2020 Scrap Shotz kit featuring the Simple Stories, Simple Vintage Great Escape continues in my scrapbook room this week.

For this layout I challenged myself to use the packaging included with the kit goodies - maybe the plastic packaging for watercolour technique, or the cardstock in the embellishments to layer behind a photo or better yet, use the collection paper pack page label as a pattern paper! 

The ripped pattern layer at the top, bottom and second layer in the middle of this layout is the packaging from the paper pack! You know the front page that shows a slice of each pattern in the kit? Yup, that one. I love how great it looks as a layer - matches absolutely everything, brings in another pattern and a different texture (smooth with a bit of shine) than the rest of the kit items too. 

For the rest of my paper layers, I used one of the pattern papers from the kit and reverted some of the kit washi to create a pattern paper too. Use a scrap piece of cardstock, layer the washi tape in rows and then treat it like you would any other paper - in this case, I ripped it top and bottom across the page. You can see it there as the bottom layer of this middle section.  

I finished the layout off with various stickers, chipboard, and die cuts from the kit. Added my title from the Kit Add On 4x6 Sticker Book and a few splatters of some acrylic white paint. 

This page was inspired by a sketch me and a few of my most scrappy friends create and post to inspire other creatives over on our just for fun, scrapbook inspired blog, Scrapstorian. 

I am off to create my next page with this amazing kit! 

Good Vibes Layout with Kate & Ash

Hello friends! Karla back again with one more layout using the awesome Simple Stories Kate & Ash Collection! So far I've created a breakfast in bed double page layout, a fun selphy layout and now today I'm sharing an outdoor fun layout! This collection seriously has lots of creative options for many different themes. 

I focused on using the florals and feathers on this page and embellished using the coordinating Bits & Pieces ephemera, Chipboard Cardstock Stickers, Decorative Brads and stickers from the 12x12 Sticker Sheet that is included in the 12x12 Collection Pack.

I used a sketch for my page design using one of Jennifer Edwardson's Use Your Own Paper sketches, which always come in handy! I cut one of the journaling cards from the 4x6 cut apart sheet to be smaller and wrote my journaling in. Some of these adorable Garden Party Sprinkletz flowers were also perfect to add to the page!

I fussy cut the rainbow and the words Choose Happy from one of the 4x4 cut apart sheets. There are so many cute images that you can either use on the journaling cards or by cutting them out!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Be sure to check out the full Simple Stories Kate & Ash Collection in the Scrap Shotz Store, and be sure to join us for Live Videos on our Facebook Page - PS Mark your calendar for today, July 24 at 1 pm MST to see me live on FB with New goodies in the shop!! Wishing you a crafty and very happy week ahead!

Hey Girl! Kate & Ash Collection Layout & Video

Hello friends! Karla back today with a fun layout using the awesome Simple Stories Kate & Ash Collection!  This is such a fun, bright collection with a cute girl vibe!! I just love the colours in the 12x12 Collection Pack, which includes fabulous cut apart sheets and a full size sticker sheet! I absolutely loved that my daughter's outfit matched the colours in the paper, lol! I forgot to add my journaling before I took this photo, but the story behind this layout was that my 8 year old kiddo discovered the photo booth app, which distorts your features, on my iPad one day and while I was busy took a bunch of photos! I didn't even realize she had taken them until I was looking through my pictures, lol. 

I used some one of the 3x4 cut apart sheets to add this fun Hey Girl title, edged with Iced Spruce Distress Oxide Ink, and popped up one of the pretty coordinating flowers Ephemera from the Bits & Pieces Pack. The Sticker Sheet  from the Paper Pack has lots of fun little elements like these hearts and word stickers that work wonderfully to embellish your pages! I added some splatters of colour using the gorgeous NEW Dina Wakley Gloss Spray Paints in Carnation and Aloe - oh my goodness these are amazing!

I added the Oh Snap word sticker from an older Vicki Boutin Thicker sheet from my stash and added the camera from the 6x12 Chipboard Sticker Sheet. 

I added another pop of colour with the Decorative Brads & the fun matching Washi Tape at the bottom of the layout, with a stamped date. I'll go back and add my journaling around the edge of the page before I pop it in my album!

Here's a look at the Process Video showing you how this layout came together! 

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Be sure to check out the full Simple Stories Kate & Ash Collection in the Scrap Shotz Store, and be sure to join us for Live Videos on our Facebook Page!! We also have a Facebook Group - and we'd love to see what you're working on! Wishing you a crafty and very happy week ahead!

Circles, Circles, Circles

When your Scrap Shotz kit features the Simple Stories, Simple Vintage Great Escape with loads of amazing circle elements - you most definitely have to create a design to show them off. 

For this layout I went through the kit and pulled out all the circles that made me happy, focusing on the insect and mushroom elements specifically. I am scrapbooking photos of some Scotland Cows (coos) so wanted to focus on the nature circle elements of the kit and make it look all messy and save the hiking pieces for future layouts. 

After picking one of the pattern papers as a background in muted brown tones (to play off the brown of the Coos), I added some white acrylic splatters for a little texture and to anchor the circles. I also painted just the very outside edge of the page as a sort of border or frame. 

I cut the couple of photos in circles and then just stared clustering the photos and kit element circles in a wide strip down the page. I tried to bring in chipboard, stickers, and some brads into each ‘cluster’ so there was a lot of texture down the design. 

Sitting back I felt I needed something black to give some pop to the muted tones of the kit and give me that messy ‘cows in the mud’ look I was hoping for. I pulled some Tim Holt’s rub on backgrounds from stash, cut them in circles and brought those into some of the clusters as the most bottom layer. I think the black draws the eye to the other circle items. I also pulled some black alphas from my stash for this same reason - a little pop! 

I finished it off with some kit washi and border strips down the opposite side for a little balance, added a few tiny staples for some added texture and black splatters.

I like how it turned out - and that with circles you don’t have to worry about the lines being all straight and perfect the most clustered and crazy the better!   

How are you using your kit this month? We would love to see! Tag Scrap Shotz on social media so we can ohhh and ahh! 

Let's Stay Home Some More!

Hello again! I'm just loving this new Pinkfresh Studio Collection "Let's Stay Home". I've got three more layouts to share today.

The first layout is about home schooling. Ok, maybe my picture isn't quite what people had in mind when they made this collection. But how cute is it to teach all your stuffies? There is a paper in this collection that has all these triangles. My daughter and I were playing with them and she came up with the idea to turn them into houses. 

I covered the page in gesso and splattered some Color Shine mists around the page. The buildings are all fussy cut from another paper. The puffy alphas in this collection are awesome for building titles. Finally, I had to add a fabric bow to all my layouts.

My second layout I made while I was at the lake. No fancy tools or cutting machine to help me so it forced me to keep it simple. 

A little bit of fussy cutting and some ephemera embellishments made this quick and easy. The title is in the ephemera pack which makes things so much easier!

The last layout features another paper in the collection. The paper pack comes with two of each paper so I used the back of the second one to matte a lot of my photos but I strategically cut around part of the rainbow so I could use it again (the bottom part of the layout). 

The title was in the ephemera pack and I immediately thought of this picture. On this layout, I added some puffy stickers and journaling to match the top of the rainbow.

I hope you've been inspired today! If you don't have this collection there are still many elements in the shop including the paper kit. 

Have a great day!

Let's Stay Home Scrapbook Layouts

Today I'm excited to show you two layouts with the Let's Stay Home by Pinkfresh Studios Collection. If you have quarantine pictures to scrap, this collection will fit the bill. I happened to use some older photos and they worked just as well.

For my first layout, I fussy cut the triangles from one of the papers. It was really easy to do. I love how there are so many patterns you can make with triangles. I used a quilt pattern I found on Pinterest as a guide and laid out the triangles. 

The picture I popped up with a piece of foam backing. The rest is a combination of ephemera and puffy stickers. The title is made with the Puffy Alpha Stickers. The awesome bow is from a whole pack of fabric bows that you just fold and stick. Finally, I outlined everything with a white pen.

The second layout shows off my daughter's new love of baking. I pulled out everything in the collection that related to food. The title is in the ephemera pack along with many of the embellishments. The puffy stickers, puffy alphas and a fabric bow finish it off. The blue stripe is from the cover paper in the paper pack. The paper pack comes with 2 copies of each paper. I love when that happens so I don't have to overthink which papers I want to cut into.

I'll be back Wednesday with some more Pinkfresh inspiration! Have a great week!

Lawn Fawn Car Critters: Building a Scene

Hello!

Rosie back to share this card and a few tips for building a scene with your stamps.

I have combined the Lawn Fawn Car Critters stamp set, All the Clouds stamp set and the Mama Elephant Scene Builder stamp set.

Tip # 1: "Test Drive" the layout by practicing it first to figure out exactly how to proceed. The image on the left below is the practice panel.

Tip #2: Use a stamp positioning tool like a Misti. It's invaluable for this type of card as you can lay out the various elements and stamp them all at the same time. 

Based on my practice panel I stamped the car, mountains, moon and clouds. I also stamped these images on masking paper and fussy cut the images. I applied the and then stamped the bears.

With all the stamping done, I masked the moon, clouds and mountains and then inked a sunset scene with Distress Oxide Squeezed Lemonade, Picked Raspberry, Blueprint Sketch, Wilted Violet and Black Soot in.

Tip#3: Hand draw in details if needed. I drew the edges of the road with a Micron .05 black archival marker alongside the car. I also extended the edges of the mountain range to the side of the card stock. I then laid Post It tape over edges of the road and masked over the mountain range, inking the grassy area with Distress Oxide inks in Mowed Lawn and Forest Moss.

Once the inking was done I coloured in all the images with copic markers and stamped the sentiment from the Car Critters stamp set.

Here's another look at the completed card.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!

Happy Crafting!

Lawn Fawn: All the Clouds...Two Ways

Hello!

Rosie here with a couple of cards featuring the Lawn Fawn All the Clouds stamp and die set.

The Lawn Fawn team has so many AMAZING samples I didn’t want to just copy them.

I created two cards using the clouds from the All the Clouds die set and here is the first card, an inlay cloudy card.

I laid out the dies on a piece of 6x6 Hello Sunshine Remix paper and ran through my Big Shot.

I then ran the same set of dies over  a piece of white card stock, inked the negative white die cut card stock with the Lawn Fawn Cloudy stencil and Stormy Sky Distress Oxide Ink and adhered to an A2 sized white notecard. 

The die cut patterned paper clouds were then inlayed within the die cut spaces. Sentiment is from the Lawn Fawn Simply Sentiments stamp set.

This second card was made from the negative patterned paper die cut left over from die cutting the clouds for the card above.

An acetate sheet was glued to the back of the patterned paper and then foam adhesive placed around the cloud die cuts to create the 'shaker' frame.

I poured Glass Seed Beads into the "wells" and then placed the Kraft card stock back over top.

I embellished the card front with a trio of white clouds, stamped the sun and sentiment(s), coloring the sun and sunshine with copic markers.

Thanks for stopping in!

Happy Crafting!

Rosie