Print Shop, Vicki Boutin - October Scrapbook Kit - Continued

The new Print Shop collection from Vicki Boutin is this month’s scrapbook kit and wow is it fun to play with! 

I love how much variety Vicki includes in her collections - this one feature florals and snails to scissors and paint splatters. There are so many memories you can document with that range of goodies! 

Cardstock Grid Layout 

For this layout I wanted to showcase this fantastic coordinating cardstock in this month’s kit - what a colour! I had to add a little mixed media to bring the ‘me’ to the design so reached for the kit’s circle stencil and some Distress Inks. 

Using a ruler I drew a line down the middle of the page horizontally and vertically using a couple of different widths of journal pens to create the grid. Then I used the circle stencil and a random combination of Distress Ink stormy sky, crushed olive, saltwater taffy and a bit of black soot to add pattern to each grid square. 

I didn’t worry too much about how much of each colour I used and purposely made sure it was a bit uneven so it was a little messy. I finished off with the plus sign stamps with Paper Rose Studio, Premium Dye Ink in Intense Black and some black splatters. 

After that I created a cluster of pattern paper behind each of the three photographs and dropped them into one of the grid squares. Making sure each cluster included one of the cut apart tags. Then the real fun begins - embellishments! I had so much fun tucking things here and there until it looked busy. 

All the Patterns 

For this next layout I reached for all of my favourite patterns from the kit and made strips of paper 6 inches wide and of varying heights (about 2 inches each). I wanted to create a cascade of paper strips all messy down the middle of the page to give me lots of places to tuck embellishments. 

Before adhering the strips down, I used a paper punch to give one edge a notebook journal edge. I also used my ruler and a journal pen to create some random stripes across the paper strips. Once adhered down, I went through and added any embellishment that was about creating, making, being awesome and even the cardstock scissors found a home tucked in the layers of pattern paper for this one. 

I have lots of goodies left to play with and you can bet this kit will be on my desk for a while yet - such fun! 

You can also check out the first two layouts I made at Print Shop, Vicki Boutin - October Scrapbook Kit - these ones focused on the floral and botanical ephemera. 

If you are playing with the kit, we would love to see! Pop your creations up on the Scrap Shotz Paper Crafting Facebook Group or tag us on Instagram so we can ohh and ahh! 

 

 

Tone it Down, Then Jazz it Up

If you all are playing with the February Scrapbook Kit you know how beautiful and dynamic the Simple Stories, Vintage Cottage Fields collection is. (The Kit is sold out but a few goodies are still in the store!)

The collection has so many amazing little touches that make it classically Simple Stories but also a tad busy ... which I LOVE. My approach when things get busy .. is to tone it down just so I can make it my own kind of busy! Jazz it up, Brande style! 

I started with this bold polka dot pattern paper from the Kit - it felt whimsical and fun. Perfect for some old-school soda shoppe photos! I didn’t want the polka dots to overwhelm my design though so I toned them down with some white acrylic paint. I simply added some water to white paint and messily painted a big square in the middle of the page with a wide paintbrush. Messy! Any white paint or even white gesso will do. 

Next, I let the Kit inspire my photo size. I loved the 2x2 cut apart squares in Kit the pattern papers - so cut up my favourites and printed my photos in the same size to arrange them all in a grid pattern. I love the idea of square shapes in a grid pattern in stark contrast to the circle of the polka dot background. 

From there I took my ‘toned down’ busy page and kicked it up a notch with all kinds of busy! Using the stickers, bits and pieces, chipboard, brads, and foam alphas from the Kit to add all kinds of texture and touches to the page. I used the square pieces and edges of the pages to anchor all the fun.

 

I am loving how this turned out - any chance I have to use ALL the fun and pretty things in a layout is a design that makes me happy. All of the pops of whimsy from the embellishments gave this layout the exact feeling I was hoping for - a fantastic reflection of the feelings of this memory!

Are you playing with this Kit? We would love to see! Pop it up on the Scrap Shotz Paper Crating Group on Facebook or tag SCrap Shotz on Instagram so we can ohh and ahh!