Fabulous Fundamental: Mixing and Matching Elements

Sometimes I find myself stuck in my ways, thinking I should only use the items in a collection but then I ask myself "Why?" Why indeed? Half the fun of this wonderful hobby is the creative freedom it affords.

Take the layout below for example...here I have used predominantly Studio Calico's Print Shop line and its accessories but I love how easy it is to add elements from other manufacturers. For example, just a few wood icons from Prima here and there add so much to the layout. The cloud dies from Taylored Expressions are so versatile and are just the perfect accent to tie all your elements together.

Supplies:  Paper from Scrap Shotz monthly kit featuring Studio Calico's Print Shop, American Crafts (thickers). Studio Calico (cork punctuation, happiness wood phrase); Prima (wood icons); Spellbinders (circle dies);  Taylored Expressions (cloud die); Making Memories (mini alphas)

Tell me...do you mix and match from within a collection or do you use multiple manufacturers?

Want to Play Tag?

Have you considered joining our forum? We have monthly Design Team challenges, swaps and tags, for both layouts and cards. Participating in tags is so inspirational and loaded with laughs and camaraderie.

Below is a layout I created as part of the Layout Tag using Bella Boulevard's Molly Collection kit.

Supplies:  Bazzill (cardstock); Bella Boulevard (pattern paper), Heidi Swapp (flowers); BasicGrey (alphas); Claudine Helmutt (acrylic paint); Prima (gems); Studio Calico (acrylic phrases)

I look forward to seeing you in the next tag!

Fabulous Find: Elizabeth Craft and Karen Burniston Lots of Pops Die

Have you seen the uber cool Lots of Pops die from Elizabeth Craft and Karen Burniston? It's ingenious if you ask me. I love cards that "look" complicated but are simple and elegant in construction. This die is it and is oh so versatile. You can make birthday and sympathy cards all in one. (In a future post I will show you how to combine the various Elizabeth Craft and Karen Burniston dies - so easy, so quick and so amazing.)

Look at the samples Rosie created below.

Supplies: Karen Burniston for EC Lucy Label Pop It Up die; wood stars Stucio Calico, EC Peel Off Words, paper Fancy Pants "Be Different"

Supplies: Karen Burniston for Elizabeth Craft Pop It Up die; Featuring the My Minds Eye line, Izzy from the February Scrap Shotz monthly kit

Supplies: Karen Burniston for Elizabeth Craft Pop It Up die; Featuring the My Minds Eye line, Izzy from the February Scrap Shotz monthly kit; Elizabeth Craft bird stickers; Elizabeth Craft tree die

Aren't Rosie's cards amazing? What have you done with your dies???

Fabulous Find: Cheery Lynn Chrysanthemum Strip

One of the newest manufacturers Sandy has brought into the story is Cheery Lynn. Firstly, isn't their name just oh so cute? Their dies offer so much versatility. They cut easily and precisely in my Big Shot. Perhaps what I liked the most was how I had the option of how I wanted to layer the pieces of the chrysanthemum. If I wanted a fuller flower, it was easy to add another layer. If I wanted a more fragile flower, I simply layered less.

Below are 2 different moods of cards. Below is a fun vibrant birthday party. The royal blue chrysanthemum added a punch of colour and spunk.

Supplies:  Bazzill cardstock; Hemptique (hemp); Cheery Lynn Strip die (chrysanthemum die); Tinkering Ink (pattern paper); Die Versions (border die)

This next card is a sympathy card, for a dear friend in memory of her mother. I wanted the card to represent the happier memories she had of her mother and adorned the card with chrysanthemums. Misting the flowers, after assembly, with 3 different colours allowed me to create dimension in the flower. It looks like the sun is bouncing off of the petals.

Supplies:  Bazzill cardstock, Cheery Lynn dies (chrysanthemum flower, chicken wire), bronze leaves (source unknown); Queen and Company (brads); Memento Ink, Tattered Angels (mist)

I hope you will give a try to the Cheery Lynn dies - they are utterly fantastic!

Fabulous Find: Elizabeth Craft and Karen Burniston Butterfly Pivot Die

Have you seen this fabulous new Butterfly Pivot die by Elizabeth Craft? Isn't it absolutely divine? As you know I have a soft spot for anything butterfly - Elizabeth Craft really knows how to design a gorgeous butterfly too.

This pivot card is easily made with the die.  Take a look at the card Rosie made with the die. 

Supplies: card stock Bazzil, patterned paper Heidi Swapp, Shimmer Sheetz, glitter Dots, Butterfly Pivot Cutting Die Karen Burniston for Elizabeth Craft Designs, Stamp unknown, Memento Ink black, clear glitter brush marker Wink of Stella, embossing folder Provo Craft, border punch EK Success

Hear what Rosie says about the die: "The new Karen Burniston pop it ups dies are lots of fun to use, I love how this butterfly card turned out. The most challenging aspect of it was choosing the papers I wanted to use in combination with the Shimmer Sheetz in my stash ;). This die is so easy to use and the small butterflies, flowers & butterfly bodies are part of the die as well so you're getting 6 dies in one purchase, lots of bang for your buck!"

Another fabulous product from the Elizabeth Craft and Karen Burniston pairing!

Fabulous Find: Taylored Expressions - Banner Stacklets

Since the banner craze started, I have been in enamoured with it. I use them as "flags" on my layouts and cards; as backdrops for a sentiment or journalling; as a border; as a tag unto itself and have even fashioned the banner shape into a card. Below I have tried to inspire you with samples of "banners." All of the banners on these projects have been cut using the Taylored Expressions Banner Stacklets which can be ordered through the Scrap Shotz store.

Below is a layout I created using the Scrap Shotz monthly kit which showcased the Print Shop line by Studio Calico.

Supplies:  Bazzill (cardstock); Studio Calico (pattern paper, cork punctuation,  chipboard conversation bubbles, acrylic script words); American Crafts (glitter alphas, slick writer); Pebbles (corrugated alphas and punctuation); stitching

In this layout, I used the banner stacklets to create matted blocks of colour and pattern to balance the bold and vibrant Studio Calico Print Shop pattern paper. The banners were stitched onto the layout and adorned with the the Studio Calico stars.

Supplies:  Bazzill (cardstock); Taylored Expressions (banner stacklets dies); Studio Calico (pattern paper, chipboard conversation bubbles, cork punctuation, acrylic stars); Little Yellow Bicycle (burlap accents); American Crafts (alphas, Slick Writer); stitching

For these "tag cards" below, I placed the die just about the folded edge so I could maintain the integrity of the card but have the shape of a tag.

Supplies:  Bazzill (cardstock); SEI (pattern paper); Making Memories (glitter ampersand chipboard, chipboard label); Kiki Art (glitter heart); Heidi Swapp (acrylic flower, large white cloth flower); Basic Grey (chipboard "2U"); K&Company (rubber button acting as a flower centre); Sizzix (rolled flower die); Tattered Angels (mist)

I hope I have inspired you to take a second look at the Taylored Expressions Banner Stacklets die - I would love to hear how you have used your banner shaped die too!

Fabulous Find: Taylored Expressions - Proud Peacock Cutting Plate

Taylored Expressions is one of my favorite companies - not only are their designs fresh and innovative but the quality of their product is superb.

Below is a sample using the Proud Peacock Cutting Plate that Rosie created. When I first saw the die in the store, I fell in love with it but I wasn't quite sure how to use it...but since I've seen Rosie's projects, well I am just brimming with ideas.

See how Rosie used the die as an accent on her layout?

Supplies:  March 2014 Scrap Shotz Monthly Kit

And look at this beauty of a card? It is so stunning and that colour combo is timeless.

Supplies:  March 2014 Scrap Shotz Monthly Kit

What creative ways have you used your Taylored Expressions Proud Peacock Cutting Plate? Please share them with me.