Author: Catherine

Ok so this might be random to post a Christmas page in February – but I don’t scrap in order or anything – I just do what comes to mind! And in this case I had the photo already in the frame from the previous page I shared with you!

So as it was a picture of the hot chocolates we had at the winter markets it felt right to use some Christmas papers to scrap the picture – so I grabbed a lot of papers from the stash – some of these are very old and some of these were gifted so no idea where they are all from except the stitches one is papermania!

I did lots of layers and also grabbed the printed vellum panel too as that adds a nice texture in there.

I added a panel of journalling to go where the other frame is and then some scraps of fabric for added and lots of old Tim Holtz stickers for the words etc.

I used the gingerbread men dies for the main embellishment along with spotty card candi.

I chose some thickers for the first part of the title and then die cut the others from scrap cardstock.

Love how this page looks and so pleased to have got some of the old papers used up in my stash!

If you want to see the page come to life please check out the process video over on my YouTube channel.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

I decided to keep it simple and just use a piece of cardstock that was on the desk to stamp and emboss the gorgeous Snow Crystal stamp. The cardstock was actually from the Kingston Crafts Everyday Stories album kit but was a plain colour on this side (the other side was patterned but I figured it was more likely to use this as a card front than the pattern on the other side!)

I then added the punched circle and a die cut snowflake and a sentiment I stamped and die cut using a Spellbinders set. I did stack the sentiment to give it a bit of dimension.

Then I used some star puffy stickers from the Everyday Stories album from Kingston Crafts to embellish.

And so here is a quick card for the festive Friday challenge! Another week completed!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

The last few days have been scrapbook heavy so time to return to cardmaking!

Our theme for the latest Creative Knockouts blog is ‘love’ – so anniversary/valentines type of thing! We were given the Autumn Love image by Paper Shelter to work with – oh it is so cute! One of things that’s so fun is they send a coloured version and a line art version and a background too!

This time I decided to use their coloured version of the couple and print two versions of the background so I could give it some real dimension!

It also meant I could add the die cuts to the card between the layers of the background which I think worked quite well.

I started however with the die cut panel I had in my box of bits and bobs to be used up – this was cut from a subtle patterned paper so just added that to the card blank to give the background some interest.

Next I worked on the main focal point. I fussy cut it out with a white border and then I also cut out the oval from the background. I inked up the oval a little with vintage photo distress ink to give it a little definition. Then I used foam adhesive for both the oval and the couple image to raise them up.

I added a panel of orange cardstock to the back of the panel too as a mat.

I decided that the waffle flower leaves die cut from three different greens would work well and added them top left and bottom right to frame the image and help define the layers I had created.

Next I stamped the sentiment and cut it into a strip to sit off to the right. I added some foam on the right hand side and glue on the left so it would sit nicely on the different layers.

As a finishing touch I brought in those enamel gems in the peach colour that I thought looked nice with the colours in the image and the paper.

A cute card indeed celebrating love!

Off to see what the rest of the team did with the cute image!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Today I have a page I made using some of the leftovers from the page kit I shared a few days ago – and of course I raided my existing stash too and pulled some of that in too! I also decided to play along with the monthly challenge at Hey Little Magpie Facebook group and made sure I included hearts in my page!

With a big panel of the rainbow themed paper left I knew I needed to scrap the rainbow themed photos of the hubby! So I started with that as the vertical stripe down the page and edged with the reverse with the orange and pinks.

I then added in the teal and green colours from the other papers leftover. Triangles/arrows from the leftovers also came in and then I just had a play with other stash from Kingston crafts bits and those 49th & market leaves and some bits from the old Lollipop box club kits.

The main thing however became the title and I faffed for a long time until I came across these ransom style stickers which I thought would work with such a long title!

A bit of a mish mash page but I like it!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

So I went a little overboard for this next project for my Kingston Crafts design team as I couldn’t decide which shrink plastic pieces to use and whether to make one 12×12 scrapbook page, and 8×8 scrapbook page or just to go a little off the wall and make a little mini journal style scrapbook for some our pics from Menorca … so yes I went with that!

I started by playing with shrink- colouring things and cutting them out and shrinking them – then I cut some papers from the summer collection pack and some white from the everyday cardstock collection. I already had my mini photos cut ready to use and then started arranging things loosely how I might want the pages.

Next I had to decide on what construction I fancied for the pages to sit on – in my head I wanted a little flip book so it could sit on a shelf and change the view whenever I wanted to look at a different page!

So out came the junk recycling – you know the packaging from having had craft supplies delivered which I am very guilty of ordering! I always save packaging as you never know when it will come in handy! It needs to be sturdy obviously but doesn’t need to be pretty as it will be covered by the pretty papers! I decided to use the fab rainbow stripe paper for the back of each of the panels as it then coordinated with all the panels.

I decided to use the wide red tape to adhere the papers to the junk card bases – this way I knew it would be secure and wouldn’t warp!

Once all four were covered on both sides I used my cropadile to punch holes in the top so I knew where the book rings would go and then started with the decorating and sorting out each page!

I had lots of fun putting each page together … this is the point where I was almost finished … but did add in some other touches once I had popped them together with the book rings.

I added in some hand drawn lines and frames for the extra words I had added and some little journaling elements like the where and the when!

I also added some card Candi to this page…

… and some additional shrink wrap icecreams I could resist adding to this one!

I know I still need to add journalling but decided I would add that to panels on the back of each page as the main point is to have the front visible on display. I will add that later… for now these are with Martin ready for going on display. When I get them back I will add the journalling to finish off.

Hope you like this fun project – I am really pleased with how fun it is and a different way to do some memory keeping!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Hello! I did some more scrapping – this time one of the page kits I bought in January from Hey Little Magpie – and although the layout stayed similar in terms of the sketch I totally changed the page by changing the background from a white 12×12 to grey. I’ve saved the white piece for using with leftovers and instead made what was quite a romantic page into something a bit more masculine to fit the photo of my hubby!

The papers retain the cheerful feel but I added in the modeling paste brick stencilling and lots of dark grey splatters to grunge up the page.

The picture is of my hubby in the Valhalla bar in York enjoying a pint after we had been out in the rain most of the day walking the walls around York.

I brought in the mixed alpha from an old papermania masculine set but mixed in with the cute glossy puffy stickers from the original kit it still works well.

A fun page and really enjoyed mixing up the kit to make it feel very different from the original inspiration.

This is why I love page kits – you can totally go with the original design – you can mix it up and do something different but keeping with the sketch – or just do your own thing with the kit and go your own way completely!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Once again I’m joining in with the UK stampers forum decorated tag swap – and like last month I’m also using up papers from the magazine collection I have although this time I went for full on background with more of the mandala papers.

Sorry this first photo is a bit of whiteout but it is partly due to all the shine on the tag! Once I covered the tag (which I made from recycled packaging) I added some stripes of adhesive tape and then the gilding flakes. I love the fun shine and glamour this provides – and it’s so easy!

Just don’t sneeze or cough near the flakes!

Next I heat embossed in gold the Beautiful Flowers image from Simon Says Stamp – a favourite of mine (thanks for Amy from Prairie Paper and Ink) – I did this directly onto another panel of the mandala paper (yes that’s another piece used!) and cut it out. I then glued that direct to the background – so there is the shiny embossing over the background covered with gilding flakes too! No wonder I’m struggling to photograph this tag!

Then I added two of the individual flowers which I heat embossed onto white cardstock and cut out – these are at least a little easier to distinguish! I did add some scraps of white cardstock underneath to give some subtle dimension.

Then I embossed the main sentiment from an Altenew set onto some rust coloured cardstock leftover from the cards I made for the beginning of the month.

I also added a sub sentiment just stamped in black onto the white cardstock.

I added some doodles using a brown pen to the sub sentiment and the edge of the background elements on the tag. I also added some spotty dark brown card candi for embellishment.

I finished the tag off with a few bits of string and the sequined ribbon and a brown wax melt heart image which was on the desk from playing with the wax melt kit from Kingston Crafts!

A fun and shiny tag! Those flowers are just gorgeous and love how the mandala paper became an interesting mix of the colours on the images.

Happy crafting!!

Catherine

It’s a two blog post day because in addition to first of the month it’s a Saturday and so time to share some scrapping! It’s also been a very busy two weeks in my new job so I am grateful for the weekend and getting some crafting time today (full disclosure this page wasn’t made today but I am trying to get ahead a little on the blog posts to allow for the busy working weeks where there isn’t energy or time for crafting!)

Stash busting is the name of the game with this layout and I had fun making it!

I videoed the process so you can check that out.

I used some random papers from the stash and then lots of the 49th & Market spice kit bits and pieces. I also added the distress oxides in the background and some rub ons (again 49th & market).

As much as I love how this came out I think it is time to put the rest of the 49th & market stash to one side and try and play with something else!

But it is difficult when the artwork is so pretty!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Back to that pouch of patterned papers from old magazine kits and this time only managed to make use of two pieces – but those mandala papers are just so beautiful!

This time I went cover plate mad for the cards to add some different interest and texture to the backgrounds. I used a rust coloured cardstock and cut out the two Altenew cover plates – I did have to make a little adjustment to one to make it fit the 5×7 card blank with a snip down the middle which the patterned paper element covered up!

Both cards I chose some very old Lily of the Valley digital stamps that I must have coloured several years ago (I’m guessing around 8 years ago) and they’ve been sitting in the stash waiting for their moment to shine!

I fussy cut them out and the colors of the peach and creams were perfect for the patterned paper element.

For this one I chose an anniversary sentiment with the die cut from Crafters Companion. Again I’ve owned this for many years and occasionally I grab it to play with as it makes a lovely fancy element for the sentiment!

I did raise the sentiment up a little with some strips of scrap cardstock behind them and then inlay the anniversary with white so it stood out on the patterned paper.

The second card I thought made a nice thank you card. I used a pre stamped and die cut Waffleflower sentiment.

I really love the mandala papers but they aren’t the easiest to use as they are such a focal feature in themselves but I think with the addition of that rust coloured cardstock it helped to tone them down a bit more.

For both cards I embellished with some sequins – cream for one card and peach for the other.

Really happy with these beautiful and very cute cards.

Next month going to have to use more than two pieces of the papers in the pouch as they really won’t get used up quickly if I only use two per month!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Hello! It is time for another Christmas card for my Festive Friday challenge.

I went with a large Polkadoodles image from the stash of already printed digital stamps.

Once I coloured the image with my promarkers I added some texture and shine using both glitter glue and enamel accents.

I decided to use the papers from the magazine kit I got last autumn to give myself some new bits to play with.

I added the layers together with some bright pink cardstock elements.

I then added the little die cut snowflakes that I had in the stash.

Happy crafting!

Catherine