Pick Of The Patch

Glimmer mist on layouts ...

"How do I use glimmer mist on a layout?"  This is a question we hear quite often at the store.  For those of you that know me, you know I am a glimmer mist addict ... I use it on cards and altered items all of the time and I also use it on the occasional layout.  I use it because its quick, it adds colour and glimmer, which adds a very subtle additional dimension to a page, and I do love adding dimension.    Here are three layouts that I have done, two very recently and one about a year ago ... they each show a different use of glimmer mist on a layout. I love using Bazzill "kraft" cardstock ... but on this layout it just looked a little dull ... and as i was going for a circus feel, I simply sprayed ramdon bits of the kraft cardstock with glimmer mist.  See how it adds a bit of sheen to the cardstorck?  I didnt need to spray a lot, just 4 or 5 randomly placed spurts and it completely livend up this layout.  This layout also used the yummy Collage Press "Knave of Hearts" paper and diecuts.

On this layout I used the glimmer mist in two ways.  I sprayed the grungeboard wings with two different pink colours .... I allowed time to dry and kept layering the spray until i got the effect I wanted.   I wanted to add some dimension to the raised clouds which were cut from the same "Knave of Hearts" paper as the background.  So i simply sprayed some glimmer mist onto my kraft sheet, and then dipped a brush into the pool of glimmer mist and painted the edges of the clouds.  It is a very quick and very easy technique.

On this layout I used the glimmer mist to colour the corners of the patterned paper and used the mist and glimmer stencil to colour and create the butterfly on the patterned paper.  Again, a quick and easy technique that  brings and added sheen, dimension and design to the layout.

I am sure that there are literally hundreds of ways to use glimmer mist on layouts ... these are just a few that I have tried.  I encourage you all to get out there and play with your mist, and do use it on layouts ... it is a lot of fun!

Facing your fears ...

... but only fears as they pertain to Scrapbooking ... So here are 3 "fears" that i hear quite often from other scrappers... 1) I can't do tone on tone, 2) whitespace!!!  I can't leave white space!!!  and 3)  I can never use flowers because i only have men/boys in my family.

Tone on tone or monochromatic pages do scare some people ... and sometimes they can look overdone.  When I am using this technique, i tend to use it on the majority of the page instead of the entire page.  That way the intention is clear, but the page does not convey the message of being only one colour.  In the layout below I used white on white, and white over the majority of the page.  It makes it look clean, it makes the other coloured accents and papers pop and it doesnt look overdone.  This works well with all kinds of colour combos ... it's very versatile and again, the photo and accents will be highly visible.

Whitespace ... another toughie ... when i first started scrapping I would literally cover almost every inch of the background paper ... blank corner, toss in a large photo corner ... blank space, toss in a quote printed on velum, or flowers or something chipboard.  Now I am embracing "whitespace" ... which can really be any colour ... and/or pattern .... but essentially it is those wide open spaces on your layout.   I fist started using "whitespace" when I saw that it allowed the viewer's eye to focus on the important part of the layout ... which primarily is the photos. 

Flowers ..... what can I say, I adore flowers in all forms as embellishments ... and yes, you can use flowers on almost any layout, even when you are scrapping your guys. The first thing I do is look for photo opportunities that lend itself to a possible floral theme ... in this case, my Dad, standing in front of a floral banner.  Try photographing your guys in natural surroundings, like green forests, tropical plants, in front of flowering trees & shrubs ... you can add white flowers to snowflakes for a floral winter scene, flowers in orange tones for those shots of walks in the park in the autumn ... so, yes you can use those flowers, just dont adorn their baseball photos with flowers and you will be fine.

Have fun trying some of these techniques, as always, come show us your creations, we would love to see what you have been up to.  If you have any techninques or issues you would like to see covered on the blog, let us know ... we are happy to help you create!!!

all patterned paper and clear embellishments are from the New Basic Grey line "June Bug"

Two under $2.00 Redux!

Did you get a chance to try  two cards for under $2.00 using one piece of patterned paper? I have played with it more and I am having a blast with it.  Today I wanted to show you how to make an inexpensive hostess gift.  I used 5 sheets of patterned paper, all with the My Minds Eye French Flea Market Paper.  I made note cards from the first 4 sheets of paper, and I altered a chipboard jewellery box with the 5th sheet of paper and remaining pieces of the "card" paper.    From my own stash i used ribbon that i had left over from a large project and a couple of stick pins from my stash.  I also used paper punch's, a stamp, ink, glue and 9 little gems.  My little gems were from the Basic Grey bling line ... there are 80 in a pack so using 5 cost me maybe .15 cents.  I also used 4 small scrap pieces of cardstock for the center's of 4 of the note cards.
The big expense for this project, was the paper, 5 sheets at $1.15 for a total of $5.75, and the ribbon at $1.75.  From this I produced 8 note cards, in a gift box.  It was fun, it was fast and it is an inexpensive project, perfect for a hostess gift!  Imagine how cool they would look with a Monogram stamp instead of the flower I used.  If you do try this technique, please share with us, we would love to see what you come up with.

Two under $2.00

Scrapping on a dime?  How does two cards for under $2.00 sound?  Here’s my challenge to you.  Take one piece of double sided paper and make two standard sized cards (5 ½ x 4 ¼), and use most of that piece of 12 x 12 paper.

I used:

1 piece of MME French Flea Market Paper – Sophie     $1.15

Scraps of ribbon from my stash. approx  $.50

Small amounts of adhesive and ink  approx  $.25

A corrugated coffee holder   free

Two completed cards $1.90

 

Variations:  Embellish with your left over flowers, buttons, brads, etc from your stash.  Or make flowers or shapes punched from scrap paper.  Stamp a message on a scrap piece of paper.  Doodle a border; use a piece of wrap white cardstock or the back side of patterned paper to insert in the center to record your message.  Use a border punch on edge of the paper strip.  The variations are endless.  Use your scraps, use your stash, use your imagination and see what you can come up with for two under $2.00

New Arrivals and some Inspiration

I've always been a fan of Collage Press with their bold prints, clean clines and bright colours, but then they released Sweet Shoppe and Knave of Hearts and I really fell in love.

When I walked into work at Pick of the Patch a couple of weeks ago I couldn't believe that what I was seeing was from the same paper company. Their newest releases are distressed to the max, but still maintain those bold, rich colours I had loved before, and the distressing, why, it speaks to my love of the vintage.

Sweet Shoppe is full of bright colours with a chocolate and cupcake theme. Anyone who knows me knows I never say no to anything chocolate and my kids are cupcake lovers. I had such a hard time deciding which papers to chose that I bought nearly the entire line. The new die cut circles are so innovative and I can't wait to work with those next, but this is what I was inspired to create first. I love that despite the pinks, this paper works just as well for a boy layout.

 

The Knave of Hearts is fabulous too with a focus on the men in our lives, and more masculine papers you just might be inspired to make some Father's Day projects, however many of these papers will work just as well for the women in your life.

Collage Press has outdone themselves, come on in, check it out, I know you'll fall in love with it all too.

Use your Tools

by Karen Cobb

 

We all have them but tend to keep using our favorite ones.  Today's challenge is to pick a tool and use it for your next creation.  I have been wanting to use my Scor-Pal and they have some great ideas and instructions to get you started.  I made this cute purse and for now its going to sit on my desk to admire!  Have fun using your tools!

Here is the link http://scor-pal.com/

 

Being Horizontal in a Vertical World

I have come to love horizontal pages. I find the white space available on this type of page simply appealing. The journalling, embellishing, and creating I can do in this space is amazing! I tend to use my 5 x 7 photos for these pages. I have  special album of just the 5 x 7 photos done in scrapbook pages. These photos are the poignant ones in our life of raising three teenage boys with very hectic schedules and lives.

 

This page was done with a vertical 5 x 7....notice all the beautiful white space?

 

This page was done with an horizontal photo.

There are so many options even with the little space that seems left over with a 5 x 7 photo on an 8.5 x 11 page.

Monday Greetings

Today I would like to showcase some of the cards that can be found in the POTP Gallery - lovingly created by the POTP Flower Girls, so let's get started:

By Kelli:

 

By SCdaisy:

 

Digital card by Rae:

 

By Lois:

 

By Shannon:

 

By Sylvia:

 

Thank you Flower Girls for sharing your beautiful work with us :) To see more cards, please go to the POTP Gallery  and search for cards, there is sure a lot of eye candy there.

Be inspired by our February Guest DT - Nancy Low

I am constantly inspired by things around me. When I went to Starbucks the other day, I knew I had to take the coffee sleeve home for a future project. Originally, I was going to do the green thing and incorporate it into a page or album. I pulled out my Kraft cardstock and some patterned paper and decided to make a mini book with quotes. As I was playing with my pieces, I decided that I liked the groupings visually and ended up placing them on a dark piece of  8.5 x 11 cardstock. I cut out the flowers from one side of my patterned paper and used the rest alternating between the Kraft cardstock pieces. Next I found some sticker quotes that were perfect for the project and as I looked at the words, I thought I needed a photo of my husband. Luckily I had a picture of the two of us on our wedding day photo shoot from a previous project kicking around and it just fit the whole theme of the page. To complete the project off, I used the border and alphabet sticker sheet left over from the February POTP kit. Take time and look at your everyday surroundings and who knows, the next time you go out for a coffee, walk by a shop, see an AD, you will think I have to scrap that!

 

This is me, things I love

by Karen Cobb

 

Did you have fun with the photo scavenger hunt?  Please continue to use the list for photo inspirations.  Now lets scrapbook 10 photos!  I created this 4.5 x 5 mini album for my photos and one lucky scavenger hunt player will also receive this album.  Here are the pages in the album for you to see and yes there is a transparency between pages 4-5.  This album can be easily recreated with items from you stash and can be held together with rings.