A "Just Because" Layout - "Enjoy The Sunshine"

I just adore scrapping "just because" layouts.  It's when I get a chance to use mediums that I might want to try, or techniques that I want to experiment with, or even goodies I've been dying to play with.
"Enjoy The Sunshine" is exactly that.  I had so much fun just sitting down and playing.
This is what I did:

On this layout, I was keen to try out my new Dusty Attic "Waves" Stencil,  so I used some Colour Blast Colour Paste in Snow to apply the "waves" to the Pion Design "Shoreline Treasures" paper.  I really wanted to create a foamy "white cap" look.  You can get the Dusty Attic "Waves" stencil and the Colour Blast Colour Paste from Studio M Designs here.

 I completed the background by using a Prima stencil and stencilling some "bubbles" onto the background with some texture paste mixed with Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals.  Then I splattered the background with some Lindy's Stamp Gang mist in Sandra Dee Sepia and Aloha Avocado.  Then I blended some blue into the background with some watercolours - just to give the layout a watery "under the sea" look.

 I also wanted to use a Dusty Attic "Fishnet" chipboard piece.  All I did with that was stamp some embossing glue on it, and embossed it with some Lindy's Stamp Gang embossing powder.  I was really trying to blend in the background colours of the paper, and give a "fish net" look to the paper.


Other Dusty Attic chipboard - the Shells and Seahorses - where painted in ombre tones.  To achieve this, I painted the base of the chipboard in the darkest shade, then kept adding white and blending it in as I went higher.  I finished the chipboard off by sprinkling some glitter on to it.

Here are some close ups:

I cut some diecuts with the Kaisercraft "Seagrass" die and painted the white yardstick in greens to blend into the layout.  I put the whole layout together with some flowers, and some Prima Glass Glitter.

Hope you enjoy your week folks, thank you for stopping by my blog
xx

I Have a Confession.....

Like most of us, I am my own worst critic.  Sometimes I HATE what I do creatively.  Most of the time I leave a layout to sit for a few days, and I keep revisiting it, analysing it, trying to find ways to improve it.  There are times when layouts just don't "look" right.  They don't look balanced, the colours seem off....whatever it is, I am not happy until I have one final fiddle to fix it.

One such layout was this one:

Now, don't get me wrong, I loved MOST of what I'd done.  LOVED the background work.....  Even liked it enough to blog about it.  But in my view there was something not right about it....

So I kept it aside, just looking at it every now and then....  worked on something else...  Then I figured it out.  Just to be sure, I consulted with a couple of very talented scrappy friends of mine (Michelle Grant)

Anyway, this is what I did to "fix" it.

What do you think?  Can you see what I've done?

In the end, I decided I wasn't happy with the balance of the photo mat, and I didn't like the way the title blended into the background.  So I got more of the Blue Fern Sudios Number chipboard, and coloured it the same what I coloured the other, then placed it under and above the photos - effectively matting the photos with the chipboard.  I then moved the title down to the bottom right corner.

What do you think?

What do you do when you aren't happy with a layout?

Thank you so much for popping by today - will be back in a few days with another share

xx

Be Yourself

Good morning everyone - Happy Sunday!!
Thank you for stopping by.  Today I am sharing another layout I have done using 7 Dots Studio Papers - this time it is the gorgeous "Nature Walk" collection.  I always know when I truly adore a range when I just about run out of the papers.  That's the case with this, I think I've done about 4 layouts with this range, and every single one is different - such is the versatility of the range.

The photo is of my stunning niece Paige.  She is such a beautiful soul, sweet, loving, kind - with just the right mix of cheekiness.  Such a unique young lady.  Hence the title "Be Yourself"  My journalling is "Your are amazing just the way you are."

I did my background with a bit of Gesso, then used some Lindy's Stamp Gang Inks to add some colour.  I used Hibiscus Rose, Time Traveller's Teal and I'm Late I'm Late Slate.  Then I did some stencilling with some Colour Blast Colour Paste in Stormy Weather and Bling.  The Colour Blast Colour Paste in Bling would have to be one of my favourite colours.  It is SO golden and shimmery, just divine.....

Finally I used a few stamps to stamp across the "T Zone" of my photo background.  From memory I think they were a Kaisercraft Texture Grid stamp, a Prima Coffee Stain stamp and an Indigo Blue stitch type stamp.

This gold butterfly I created by smearing a very thin layer of the Colour Blast Colour Paste in Glitz over a piece of cardstock.  I waited until it was very dry then I ran it through my Sizzix with a butterfly die.  It is REALLY important to smear the paste thinly and to wait until it is completely dry before using a die, or the card will stick to the die and tear.   Believe me, I had a couple of mishaps before I finally got it right - LOL.  Good think I am persistent.  Hehe.

The black swirls at the top left of the photo is from a Manor House Creations Frame.  I also simply stamped some Blue Fern Studios Chipboard in some Black Memento Ink to provide some nice dark anchors for the photo.
I then finished the layout off with some lovely flowers in pink, teal and grey.

That's it for today - hope you have a lovely day.
xx

Grungy 7 Dots Studio "So Proud of You".

Hi Everyone, thanks for popping by my blog.

I was having a bit of a play with my Dies and my Sizzix the other day, and I decided to have a play with making some stencils out of my Tim Holtz Cog Die.  I wanted to make a nice grungy background for a photo of my nephew.  I used Colour Pastes in Leather and Stormy Weather to stencil in the design, then I used more to blend the design into my background.
At the moment I am really enjoying playing with Colour Blast Colour Pastes.  They are smooth, creamy, shiny, gorgeous pastes that just glide onto your project with ease.
Anyway, I digress.....

Here it is, the paper and embellishments are from 7 Dots Studio's Lost and Found Collection.  I've had this collection a while and it is a real "go to" collection for me - love the colours and the design of the papers.  Perfect for the Grungy Boy layouts I usually do.

As you can see, I went fairly heavily on the grunge factor.  I used lots of Distress Ink and black ink splatters, and also some watered down Gesso splatters.  I did some stamping with Kaisercraft Texture Background Stamps and also used Hession, Gauze, Blue Fern Studios Chipboard (embossed with Lindy's Stamp Gang Embossing Powder in Queen of Sheba Silver) and some Prima and Tim Holtz metal embellishments........

Here are some close ups:

Well it's hard to believe it's Friday again.  Hope you are planning some crafty time - I'm hoping to get some done, but I also want to make some memories with the two men in my life.....

Cre8 Till L8 Challenge

Hi everyone,

How was your weekend?  It was a long one up here in Queensland for Labour Day, so mine was pretty good - spent chilling, scrapping, catching up on some housework and seeing family and friends.

Anyway, thank you for popping by my blog.  Today I thought I'd share a layout with you that I did at Saturday's Cre8 till L8 day, run by Michelle from Studio M Designs.
Michellle always has a challenge on the day, and I participate everytime.  Not so much for the fantastic prizes on offer, (20% and 10% off your shop purchases) but because it is fantastic for getting the mojo flowing and doing something different.  The prizes are by random draw, so everyone who enters has a chance of winning.

This was the criteria for the challenge this time:

1. Title/Theme/ Inspiration – Happy
2. Design/Project – Circles3. Tech/Tools – Die Cuts/ Embossing Folders4. Colour – White plus one other colour (can include varies shades of the one colour)5. Medium – Inks (Can be ink Pads or Spray inks)6. Journal – With a white pen7. Embellishment – Die Cut Feature

And this is what I did, please note I found it VERY difficult to simply use "White and One other Colour," so I entered the challenge, and then with I got home I added some black lettering and some black ink splashes...just couldn't resist - lol.

To create the background I diecut some Spellbinder's circles and arranged them onto the ink splashes I had laid down initially.  I did some stamping, and used some Colour Blast Paste in Snow with a Dusty Attic Stencil, some gesso splashes, and some stamping, also used some Melt Art White embossing powder.  The Colour Blast Paste and the Dusty Attic Stencil are available in the Studio M Designs shop here.

I was actually pretty happy with how it turned out.

Cheers,
Hope you all have a wonderful week xx

Ahoy There!!!

Hi Everyone
Thank you for popping by my blog today.
Today I am sharing another "Just Because" layout.
I took this photo a little over a year ago.  Mum, Connor and I went for a trip up the Burnett River on the Bundy Belle, a lovely little boat that takes tours on the river.
At one point, the Captain invited the kids to go and have a steer of the boat.  Connor jumped at the chance and I couldn't resist taking a photo of him at the helm.

I have used 7 Dots Studio "Destination Unknown" papers.  I just loved all the nautical elements of the range, and thought they went well with the photo.
My background work included some stencilling with some gorgeous Colour Blast Colour Paste in Bling and Stormy Weather.  These beautiful richly coloured pastes can be purchased from Studio M Designs.  I also painted on some gesso and added some stamping using some Kaisercraft Textured Background Stamps - Film Edges and Grid, which can be found here in the Studio M Designs shop.
At the very end I added some watered down gesso and some black ink splatters to get more layers and added more texture with some Prima Glass Glitter and Microbeads.

Here are some close ups.

Hope you have a fabulous Sunday and are able to squeeze some scrapping in.

Cre8 Till L8

I am really excited for my weekend.  Tomorrow is a Cre8 Till L8 day here in Mackay.  Studio M Designs host these days every month or so, and they are full on, starting at 9.00am and literally going until the last person is standing - midnight or later.....  An entire day and night of non-stop creating.
Through in some friendly challenges and competitions,  a workshop or two hosted by the talented Michelle, and some pretty awesome creatively minded peeps and it is one of the best days to be had.

Also, Michelle releases BRAND NEW Kits 2 Go.  They are only available at the crop for the weekend, and get uploaded to the shop the next week, so it's a good time to get in and grab a kit before anyone else has a chance.

Tomorrow, one of the layouts I created is being released as a kit.

Here is is:

As I have explained before, these kits come chock a block full of all the paper and embellishments you need to create this layout, PLUS detailed, step by step instructions explaining how to put it together, including details of the mixed media products used so you can create an exact duplicate of the layout using a photo of your choice.

Pretty cool huh?

Also released tomorrow is a kit by the very talented Anguree Jansen Von Rensburg.  This lady's work is AH-MAZING so I can't wait to see the kit myself.

So, if you are in the Mackay area and would love to join in, contact Michelle Grant at Studio M designs or visit the shop here.

Thank you for popping by my blog, hope you all have an awesome weekend.

CSI Case File 198

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for popping by my blog.  Tonight I am sharing the layout I did for the final challenge in my Special Investigator stint over at CSI Colour Stories Inspiration.

Here is the challenge:

Now I have to admit I did find this a bit tricky - especially with the colour combinations, as I don't usually scrap with a lot of green.  Don't know why - it's just one of those colours I don't use much....

Anyway, this is what I came up with.  

I used some paper from Pion Designs and the Kaisercraft Coastal Escape Range, as well as a Kaisercraft Die for the large seagrass, and Coastal Escape Collectables.
To cover all of the colours, I painted the large seagrass diecuts with some Dusty Attic Paint in Forrest and Crushed Olive, which you can get from the Studio M Designs shop here.  My background work included some Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals in Tweedle Dee Denim and I also added some netting with the Kaisercraft Fishing Net Background Stamp and Lindy's Stamp Gang embossing powder.  I also splattered some Lindy's Stamp Gang mist in Tweedle Dee Denim and Sunshine Yellow.

The Evidence I supplied was the striped paper, leaves/flowers, string, and the mesh I used as part of my photo mat.  My Testimony was about nature, and was partially hidden in the bottle.

Here are some close ups:

If you would like to play along with this fantastic challenge, visit the CSI Color Stories Inspiration site here.

Cheers, and I hope you are having a good weekend. xx

Hi Everyone,
Hope you are all having a good week - thank you for stopping by my blog.
Today I am sharing a "Just Because" layout.  I had these photos of Connor I took in Cairns up against a graffiti wall.  He was being his typical uncooperative self, and it was a real struggle to get some decent photos of him.
Anyway, when I saw this stencil from Dusty Attic I knew I wanted to do a grungy boy layout to fit the cheekiness of the photos.

I am pretty sure you can get them at Studio M Designs here:

So this is what I created:

I created the cityscape background with the Dusty Attic Stencil and Colourblast Colour Paste in Steel.  I chose to spray the background with a Kaisercraft Spray Ink in Red, and a Lindy's Stamp Gang Spray Ink in Tweedle Dee Denim.  I also added some Colourblast Colour Paste in Snow with another Dusty Attic Stencil, and did some background stamping with a Kaisercraft Texture Stamp.  Loads of other texture was added with some ink splatters, letter stickers, Viva Decor Inka Gold Paste, and Gesso splatters.  The papers and diecuts I used was from one of my go-to grungy boy ranges "Off The Wall" by Kaisercraft.  I finished it off with some florist wire and some metal embellishments from Prima and Tim Holtz.

Here are some close ups.

You can get the Colourblast Colour Pastes, Dusty Attic Stencils and Kaisercraft Spray Ink here at the Studio M Designs shop.

Hope you all have a great weekend and get to fit some scrapping in!!
Bye for now,

CSI Special Investigator Case 197

Hi Everyone,
Thanks so much for popping by my blog.
Today I'd like to share with you the layout I did as a Special Investigator for CSI Colour, Stories, Inspiration Case 197.

Here it is:

As you can see, this challenge comes with a sketch done by the talented Em Stafrace.

This is how I solved the case:

For a change I decided to use a fair bit of pink in my layout, and this photo of my gorgeous niece went perfectly with what I wanted to do. I sprayed a white background with pink and yellow spray, and backed it with black and white paper. Just used a small bit of the pale grey in my title.

The Evidence provided included the stripes in the bow, chalkboard elements, flowers, decorative borders, a lightbulb and my painted chipboard title.My testimony was using a prompt from Easy Street Prompts "Gypsy Soul."I kept mainly to the sketch provided, but used a 6x4 photo and moved the embellishment cluster more to the side of the photo.

Here is a close up:

As you can see, I added lots and lots of yummy layers with paint splatters and stamping as well as the sprays.
These cool leaves are from 2 Crafty, with you can get at Studio M Designs.
I used Blue Fern  "Ombre Dreams" Paper and the other flower chipboard is also from Blue Fern Studios
Well I'm off to do some creating in my scrap space now - hope you get some scrapping done this weekend, and if you would like some inspirations, don't forget to pop by CSI for a challenge or two.

xxxx

Creating Cards

Hi Peeps,
Thanks for popping by.  Today is just a quick post sharing a card I created for a friend who recently lost her father in law.
It has been a while since I created a card, but I was quite happy with how this one turned out.

All I really used was white and two different shades of grey cardstock I had in my stash.  I used an embossing folder I haven't opened in the 3 years since I purchased it, as well as a Spellbinders label die and a Couture Creations Butterfly die.
Hope you are all having a good week and can get to your scrap table over the weekend. xx

CSI Guest Detective Major Case File 196

Hi everyone, thanks for stopping by my blog.
I am super honoured and proud to be a Guest Detective over at CSI Colour Stories Inspiration this month.
Major Case File 196 is open now and all the Design Team Contributions are there for inspiration.

This is the challenge:

This is how I solved the case:

I have used predominantly Teal, Copper Brown and Buttercream Yellow on a White Background, with splashes of Marigold Orange.
The Evidence I supplied included the circles in my background, chipboard and epoxy circle stickers, cogs, lightbulb and solid brads. I could have also included in my evidence the moustache Mr Connor was holding as a photo prompt.
My Testimony was my journaling about the background story to this photo, and how funny Connor thought it was posing with a moustache.  

Do you like the rusty effect on the cogs?  I got it by using Dusty Attic's Rusting Powder, which can be found here.  At Studio M Designs.

Here is a close up:

Hope you have a great week everyone, don't forget to head over to CSI and join in the fun!!