ALTENEW Design Team!

Happy News!!  I'm so excited to share that I have been invited to join the Altenew Scrapbook Design Team!  I recently joined in the Altenew Release Blog Hop for their gorgeous, Reflection Scrapbook Kit.  I had so much fun creating with the Kit, that I jumped at the chance when May invited me to join the team!

I have a couple of sneak peeks of new layouts, using the Reflection Kit to share with you today, to go along with my DT announcement!  You can see the full layouts on my intro post on the Altenew Blog!

There is a big variety of patterned papers in the Kit, so you can create so many different looks from one Kit.  I loved this wood grain pattern, with pops of color from some fussy cut flowers and embellishments from the Kit.  The colors also coordinated really well with the colors in my photo.

I LOVE this rainbow patterned paper that is included in the Kit, so I wanted a fun way to feature it.  I cut a mix of heart shapes from the patterned paper and then I placed the patterned paper over my White cardstock background.  Then I pulled each heart off of my Cameo mat and adhered them to their coordinating spot.  Once I had all of them in place, I pulled the rainbow patterned paper up and each heart was perfectly placed.  

I am looking forward to working with all of the gorgeous products from Altenew, and I'll be sharing my first official Design Team post at the end of this month.  

Pink Paislee | Shine Bright

This week on the Pink Paislee Blog, the Design Team is sharing ideas for using Rub Ons.  I wanted to feature the rub ons from the gorgeous, Moonstruck collection on my layout.  I tend to use rub ons sporadically on my layouts… one or two strategically placed among other embellishments, but I thought it would be fun to incorporate them in a large focal design.

I wanted a patterned paper background so I chose a subtle design that would allow the rub ons to stand out. I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut a large heart shape. Then I used a pencil to lightly trace the shape onto my background paper. I started placing the rub ons at the bottom of the heart on the left hand side of the heart shape. Then I continued following the pencil outline until all of the shape outline was filled with the rub ons.

Once I had all of the rub ons in place, I machine stitched around the heart shape so I could cover any of the pencil line that might show through. I placed the photo and title inside the heart to fill the open shape. Since the rub ons were a flat element on the layout, I used some of the cork pieces and puffy stickers to add dimension to the layout.

Once I had everything in its place, I decided to add some black Color Shine splatters. I loved the contrast it added against the watercolor look of the background paper. If I’m adding my Color Shine to a completed layout, I always cover my photo with scrap paper to keep any of the mist from getting on it.  But I don’t mind it splatters over my embellishments.

If you're looking for more ideas on how to use rub ons for your projects, make sure you stop by the Pink Paislee Blog and check out all of this week's posts.

A Flair for Buttons | December Story

Hi there!  Today, I have a new layout to share with you for the A Flair for Buttons Design Team.  I took a little break from AFFB over the past few months, but I'm excited to start sharing some new layouts with Shelley's fun flair designs!  I've got a good bit of Christmas flair buttons in my stash, and I've got a lot of Christmas photos to document, so I decided to create a Christmas layout.

I decided to use the Cork Flair Set, because they are neutral and perfect for any collection that you're using.  I cut a large cut file from White cardstock and backed it with a mix of patterned papers.  The center of the star design on the cut file, was a perfect spot for the December 25 Flair Button.  I wanted to do something a bit different, than the typical photo in the middle of the design, so I made the Flair Button the "star" of the show, and placed my photo on the right hand side of the layout.

I added a mix of embellishments around the photo, for texture and dimension.  I also wanted to bring in another Flair Button, so I placed the star flair below my photo.  I love that it had the star image to go with the cut file and a couple of other star embellishments that I added to the layout.

You can check out the full Flair set that I used, in the A Flair for Buttons shop!  While you're there make sure you take a look at all of the other Christmas designs that are available!

Crate Paper | Emma Madeline

Oh how I love working with a brand new collection from Crate Paper!  Whatever collection Maggie Holmes comes up with, it's always my favorite...and now I'm adding Chasing Dreams to my favorite list!  I am in love with the colors and fun embellishments and of course, the beautiful patterned papers!  I am so glad I have two girls, which allows me to go full on girly with this collection, but there are great patterns and elements that can also be used for masculine layouts.

Our middle daughter’s birthday is the day after Christmas, and I always have a photo shoot for each of the kids for their birthday.  Emma’s photo shoot is never boring, because it usually involves funny faces, stuffed animals and a Peruvian hat.  I captured some great shots of her, and this one pretty much sums this girl up!  As I looked through the Chasing Dreams patterned papers, the Delicate pattern caught my eye.  I loved the Pink on Pink polka dots and the large pattern.  I wanted to make it even more interesting, so I layered the Glitter on Acetate paper over it.

If you’re intimidated by using the Acetate papers, it’s very easy.  Here’s what I like to do.  Start out by figuring out the rough design for your layout…where you want to place your photo and any embellishments.  Once you have that in mind, add adhesive to your background paper and then place your Acetate sheet over it.  This will secure the Acetate to your background paper and the adhesive will be hidden behind your photo and embellishments.  You can also add a bit of machine stitching, if you have a sewing machine, for extra adhesion.

  
I tend to use smaller photos on my layouts, but I wanted this photo a bit larger, so it wouldn’t get lost in the embellishments and background paper.  I used a mix of the Ephemera Pieces, Puffy Stickers, word phrase Stickers and Chipboard to create a layered banner under the photo.  I wanted a simple title, so our daughter’s name was perfect for the layout.  I grabbed one of the tags from the Ephemera Pieces pack and layered the title over it, using the Cloud Puffy Letter Stickers.

  

When I have a large polka dot, I can’t resist placing embellishments in the center of the circle!  I wanted to fill several of the polka dots around the layout with a mix of embellishments from Chasing Dreams.  I used the Vintage Buttons, Puffy Stickers, Stickers and Collect Chipboard Stickers to balance out the design on the layout.

If you missed the reveal of the full Chasing Dreams collection, make sure you check it out on the Blog.  I know I can’t wait to create more layouts and projects with this amazing collection!

 

Pink Paislee | Washi Photo Board

Trends come and go, but washi tape is here to stay!  It’s just such a fun product… totally cute with all of the different patterns and very versatile in its uses. I love the washi sheets that come with the Moonstruck collection. They are perfect for layouts and cards, but you can also use the sheets for other projects as well. I have a washi photo board to share with you today, and a tutorial to go along with my project!

Step 1: Gather the supplies you’ll need. I picked up an inexpensive plank board at my local craft store. Print your photos ahead of time so you’ll be ready to get started. Make sure you leave your photos untrimmed after they are printed.

Step 2: Use twine to wrap around the board. I started on the back side of the board and used a stapler to secure the twine to the wood.

Step 3: After you secure the end of the twine, you can begin wrapping it around the board. I criss-crossed my twine to create an interesting pattern on the front side of the board.

Step 4: Now it’s time to play with the washi tape. I chose the skinny strips from the Moonstruck washi sheets and placed them along the four edges of each of my photos.

Step 5: After each side of your photo is covered with washi tape, you can trim away the excess photo paper with your paper trimmer.

Step 6: I decided to use small clothespins to attach my photos to the twine. The clothespins are perfect for covering with washi tape too. I placed a few designs on my clothespins. If you need to trim off any excess washi tape, just use a craft knife along the edges of the clothespin.

Step 7: Now you can add your photos to the board. Just clip them to the twine with your clothespins and grab some of the embellishments from the Moonstruck collection to embellish your photos. 

And that’s it! You can interchange the photos and coordinate your collections and washi tape to create unique looks for your project!

Pink Paislee | Card Set

This past week on the Pink Paislee Blog, the designers shared ideas for fussy cutting.  Fussy cutting can be as simple or intricate as you want it. It’s great for creating extra embellishments and for adding texture and dimension to your projects. I have a card set to share with you using the Take Me Away collection by Paige Evans.

The first card was easy peasy!  I decided to cut one of the cute windows from the Paper 09. When I fussy cut, I usually like to leave a margin around whatever I am cutting. This helps your fussy cut image stand out from the background you’re adding it to. I covered a white card base with Paper 07. I liked that it had a subtle pattern with the small polka dots and it was a great contrasting color against the yellow on the cute window image. 

I wanted to have more of a separation between the patterned paper and fussy cut window, so I chose one of the tags from the Ephemera Pack as a layering piece. Once I had the tag in place, I added several pop dots to the fussy cut window to give it dimension on the card. I completed the card design with a couple of chipboard pieces and embellishments.

My second card features more intricate fussy cutting. Flower patterns are perfect for fussy cutting. Fussy cut flowers can be used as extra embellishments for your projects or you can create a totally different background look with them. I chose Paper 02 and cut most of the flowers from the paper. I kept my card base white because I just wanted to cover the entire front of the card with the fussy cut flowers. I cut and layered the flowers on the front of the card until I reached my desired look.

When adding adhesive to the back side of the flowers, I didn’t cover them completely. This allowed me the ability to slide the fussy cut pieces under one another and gave texture to the card. I really loved the final result of all of the flowers on the front of the card. This technique would work great on a layout too  You could use a larger flower pattern to cover the bigger area. I wanted to keep the embellishing very simple, so I chose two chipboard pieces for the card and finished with one of the white foam hearts.

You can find more ideas for fussy cutting, by checking out the posts from this past week on the Pink Paislee Blog!

ALTENEW Gift Certificate Winner!!

Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by for the Altenew December Blog Hop and for your sweet comments!  It's time to announce the winner of the $30 Altenew Gift Certificate.

CONGRATS:

LISA'S CREATIVE NICHE 

 

Lisa, please email Altenew at winner@altenew.com with the subject line "Reflection Kit Blog Hop Winner from Ashley's blog" to redeem your prize.