Creative Kit Tips and Techniques by Heather Binnie

To continue the June Creative Kit inspiration, Heather Binnie is sharing a variety of tips from each of her layouts!

Here's Heather:

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I used a bubble template, light modeling paste and an expired credit card for the textured bubbles on the page.

Using the credit card, I scraped the modeling paste over the template. I just held the template down with one hand, and scraped paste with the other.

After I covered the template, I very carefully lifted the template off the page and let the modeling paste dry overnight.

The next day, I used Tim Holtz stain and a foam dauber to dab stain onto the dried modeling paste. I chose not to use the dauber on the bottle of the stain because I wanted more control over the color. Putting the stain directly onto the foam dauber let me control the amount of color.

At this point, your cat may try to step on the page. Just let her do it otherwise she may come back later and vomit on your chair. I know this as a fact!

To make the border, I used a cutting mat with a grid and a magnetic ruler. The easiest way to do this is to line up your paper on a straight line. I measured a 1/2 inch from the edge and used a pen to draw a line. Afterwards, I simply used an x-acto knife to cut out the border.

I cut up the other patterned papers and lined them up under the photo. I added the title and typed my journaling on the computer, printed, cut and inked the edges. I used a punch for the tab and added an epoxy arrow from the Heidi Swapp sheet to point out the sprayer on the hose.

Later I decided it needed something more, so I used Crystal Accents on top of the blue bubbles to make them look wet.

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I had 3 photos of the kids posing with characters from Disneyland. I've had them for awhile and didn't know how to use them. This kit made it very easy! I just put them all one one page.

After cutting and inking the stripe paper, I made sure it lined up by using my grid cutting mat. All you have to do to make sure it's straight is to line it up with any straight line on your mat.

To add the title, I used the magnetic ruler like I used to line up the striped paper. I left the ruler there on the page and simply added the title to make sure it was on there straight.

For the journaling, I cut out one of the cards and used a pencil to draw lines 1/4 inch apart. I always write my journaling in pencil first!

I write over the pencil with a Sharpie and then use a white eraser to erase away the pencil lines.

I used pop dots on the journaling flags to give a little more interest to the page.

I added another patterned paper strip to the bottom and arranged the accents as shown. The three circle elements (the two epoxy circles and the wooden earth) make the visual triangle to balance the page.

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When ever I get stuck with a page, I add a circle of some sort. I love the way the tie pictures and elements together. To make the circle for this page, I have a circle template (The Crafter's Workshop). I know there are lots of tools out there that can cut circles but I got tired of those and decided that tracing and cutting was the easiest and fastest. Besides, I don't have a lot of room on my desk for extra tools so this template is just perfect.

I simply traced a circle with a pencil and cut it out with scissors.

I trimmed the bottom photos to make them almost square and matted them on white card stock. I used a journaling card to connect the two sections of the page, stamped the camera on a tag and stuck it back to the journaling card that says, "World Traveler". Before I glued it all down, I stapled a ribbon to the top for more interest.

I rounded the corners of the bottom piece to match the curve of the circle around the boat. I also inked the edges.

I used the wood accents as a visual triangle and then also colored them in just a tad with Copic markers. I also colored in the camera with Copic markers as well.

The page still wasn't working for me so I decided to add some photos corners. I used a punch and then stuck them on the top corners.

 

Don't forget to add your journaling! I wrote mine around the circle. I always use pencil first to make sure it fits and then write over the pencil with a Sharpie. I then use a white eraser to erase all the pencil marks.

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"Totally Cool" is what the kids said when they saw the Lego Spongebob.

I added the photos on top of the patterned paper and used a corner rounder on the bottom right corner.

Instead of using the journaling cards to journal, I stamped a camera on one of them and tucked most of them under the photos.

Like I usually do, I taped the back of the photos only on the long edge so I could take journaling tags behind the photo. I cut and stapled a ribbon to each card to make it easier to pull out and read.

To match the ribbon pullers, I added another ribbon to the bottom of the page. I tied a simple knot for interest and used my tape gun to tape it down.

Finally, I added the title and made sure the arrow lined up with my son's head in the photo. I then used the extra epoxy circles from the Heidi Swapp sheet and scattered them around the page to make a visual triangle.

I then cut a 1/4 inch strip of the red patterned paper to help balance out the page and to keep the viewer's eye from falling off the page.
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Here's the June Creative Kit:

We invite you to join us and experience the possibilities that our coordinated monthly kits offer. To purchase a kit, please visit our website, here.