Project Life Style with the Main Kit by Lydell Quin

My Creative Scrapbook design team member Lydell Quin is up today to share how she used our April Main Kit to create a fab Project Life style spread!

Here's Lydell:

>>><<<

Hi There.  Lydell with you today and I have a tutorial to share with you which might be of interest to those of you who might enjoy the Project Life style of recording our lives, but may not have any of the pocket pages to complete it, or really want to commit to this new way of scrapbooking.

This time I created my Week 10 spread as Layouts.  Not using pocket pages at all.  It still works just as well.  And can be used for any topic where you might have too many photos to put onto a normal layout.

So here we go....

I got my 2 sheets of white cardstock out as my base.  I set it all out in front of me with in reach, but with a little room directly in front to work on the individual card pieces.

Next I cut up the Patterned paper I have chosen to use.  I cut each sheet in half (6x12), then cut that at 4 inches, (x2) so I have 3- 6x4 inch pieces.  I chose 4 patterns.  Some of those pieces can be cut in halves again to make the 3x4 Pieces.

Once I have layed out the paper as I want them, then round the corners of each piece with a corner rounder.

Start adhering the pieces down when you know where you want them

Keep the adhesive away from the edges so you can slip things behind if you need to.

And heres what it should look like all glued down.....

Now I tread each card like its own mini Layout.  The first is my Title block.

I add the week number, and the dates.  Likewise this could just be the title of your event and the date, or a quote relating to your theme....etc.

I have chosen any little elements that suit the pattern pieces and lay them out, getting a feel for where I am going.

Keep an eye on the packaging as well.....

It makes a nice background for a photo!

I cut off all the manufacturer title strips from each piece of paper,  Most have a pattern on the back side that you can use.  These make sweet little layered elements for edges of the cards.  

Just stack them and staple together.

You can add your photos and any alphas, stamps or titles you like to each.  

I tent to hadwrite my titles and journaling telling the story of each photo on each card.

Pen lines and faux stitching adds the finishing touches for me.

So here are some of the finished cards 

You can see each one is simple and sweet.

and the final Spread as a whole.

Just slip these Layouts into normal scrapbooking page protectors and you are good to go!

Hope you will give this a try.  Its a fun way to do project life style scrapbooking without changing your style of scrapping!

Until Next time.  

Have a great week!

>>><<<

Be sure to take a look at Lydell's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the Main 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.

How to Make a Dimensional Balloon Embellishment from Paper by Yuko Tanaka

My Creative Scrapbook design team member Yuko Tanaka is up today with a handmade embellishment tutorial featuring our April Limited Edition Kit!

Here's Yuko:

>>><<<

Stack two pieces of patterned paper and cut out a balloon shape.

Place tissue in the center of one of the balloon pieces.
Apply glue around the edge and adhere the other cut-out balloon piece.

Apply gesso to the edges of the balloon for a dimensional effect.

Tie a string to complete the balloon.

>>><<<

Be sure to take a look at Yuko's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the Limited Edition 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.

Using Mists and Stains to Paint Layout Backgrounds by Jodi Baune

My Creative Scrapbook design team member Jodi Baune is up today with a tutorial featuring our April Limited Edition Kit!

Here's Jodi:

>>><<<

Hello! I just love my monthly kits from My Creative Scrapbook! Each kit is packed with so many fun papers and embellishments. This month I had the privilege of working with the Limited Edition Kit....absolutely stuffed with flowers, diecuts, chipboard, wood pieces and more! I decided to take my dimensional layering one step further and play around with a soft colorwash background. A bit out of my comfort zone, but that's how we learn! I love how it turned out!

Let's get started!

We've all heard about using different mediums for watercolor backgrounds and we all love mists. I couldn't help but wonder....what happens when I paint my background with my mist?! LOVE...a new addiction, that's what!

I chose this awesome graph paper from the collection.

this is the assortment of stain and mists I used ,and my paint brush

As you can see, I used a variety of companies. They all seemed to work out the same.

For the stain, I created a puddle onto my craft sheet, the rest I dipped my brush directly into the bottle!

The colors were all so light that I didn't even use water, with one exception, the Maya Road Mists. The Maya Road is a darker concentrated Turquoise so I did use a bit of water to tone it down and give it more of a watery effect.

I loved the watercolor effect of the mists! When I started adding the darker turquoise I started wondering what I had done! I'm great a hitting the panic button and fearing that I just ruined my paper... Not liking it so much anymore! BUT, don't freak out when it's not what you had in mind... that it the great thing about scrapbooking, layering, and embellishments...you can always find a way to cover fix those things you don't want to see!

Here she is all done!

Now I really like the turquoise streaks! They look completely different and actually blend the perfect hint of color with the softness of the layout!

Closeups!

lot of diecuts, chipboard, fussycutting, and flowers!

Aren't the flowers gorgeous?!

Thanks for stopping by!

>>><<<

Be sure to take a look at Jodi's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the Limited Edition 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.

Saving Paper when Layering by Angel Rodrigue

My Creative Scrapbook design team member Angel Rodrigue is up today with a tutorial featuring our April Main Kit!

Here's Angel:

>>><<<

Ever wondered how you can make your paper go further in your kit? Well if you like to use alot of paper like I do then you just might want to watch how I did the Honey Bee layout for using the April Kit..

I always start out with a base cardstock.(I like the sturdiness of it).
Then I picked two sheets I though would look nice together.

I then cut the inside out using my paper trimmer I put it about a inch inside the mark and do this all around.

Then I take the next sheet and  do the same trimming the sheet down a bit first so it leaves a boarder as shown below..

Then I use  the back side of the first drop off piece .

Then the reverese side of the last piece that was dropped off..

There you have it the look of 4 layers using only two sheets of paper.
This lets you use the back and front sides as well for those of us that like both sides..

Then you add your photos and embellishments the way you like..

Here is a few close ups of my finished layout..

>>><<<

Be sure to take a look at Angel's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the April Main 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.

You're Invited: April Sketch Challenge!

Our April sketch challenge is up and running!
We would love to have you join in the fun.

Have a look at the yummy prize package:

We are excited to get this beautiful prize into the hands of our randomly selected sketch challenge winner!

Here's the sketch:

For a chance to win the prize package, create a layout based on this sketch using any products you'd like to use. This challenge is open to everyone, everywhere and ends at midnight (EDT) on May 14th.

All of the details can be found on the My Creative Sketches blog,
>>> HERE <<<

We can't wait to see what you create!

Altering Flowers with Washi Tape by Kristin Greenwood

My Creative Scrapbook design team member Kristin Greenwood is up today with a tutorial featuring our April Album Kit!

Here's Kristin:

>>><<<

I love getting white flowers in my kits.  There are so many possibilities for techniques you can use with them!!  You use ink, mist, paint, stamping, embossing, glitter or just leave them white :)

I am going to show you yet another fun technique I used, using the flowers and washi tape that are included in the Album kit this month!

First step it to take one white flower and pull all the layers apart.

Use the washi tape and cover one of the petals on the flower.

Cut off the excess washi tape by cutting around the edge of the petal.

Repeat this process, until all the petals are covered.

Finish the flower by placing a My Minds Eye brad, that comes in the kit, in the center of the flower!

I used this technique on a few of the flowers and added them to the mini album I created.

>>><<<

Be sure to take a look at Kristin's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the April Album 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.

Fun and Colorful Background Techniques by Missy Whidden

My Creative Scrapbook design team member Missy Whidden is up today with some fun and colorful tips featuring our April Main Kit!

Here's Missy:

>>><<<

Hey, everyone!  It's Missy here with you today.  This month's Main Kit has a set of white glitter Thickers in it, and when I saw them, I knew I wanted to try something different.  Instead of using them as part of my title, I decided to use them as part of my background design.  Let me show you what I'm talking about.  It's easy and pretty fun!  Here's what I did:

Here's my layout using this technique.  I like that the Thickers are white, so you can do anything to them.  I wanted to create the blue color of pool water since I converted my photos to black and white.  I used simple watercolors here to just paint right over the letters.  I used a paper towel in some spots to blot color, and if it was too light, I just kept painting over it.  This creates some amazing textures, and it's a fun way to jazz up your background with something besides patterned paper.

Here are a few close-ups.

Here are three more layouts I created using the April Main Kit.  It's FULL of bright colors...perfect for Spring or Summer photos!

One note on this first layout here...to create the background, I took the plastic off a 12x12 stencil I had lying around, and I sprayed mist all over it.  I sprayed water next and then used a brush to mix it up all over the plastic.  Next, I laid white cardstock over it and used my hands to smooth it all over.  When I picked it up, this was the result!  A nice watercolor effect in a random pattern & shape...PERFECT for pool photos!  Easy and fast!  (A tip on drying:  I hold my paper upright as I'm using my heating tool.  I also heat the back.  This helps to keep my paper from warping.  I turn the paper different directions as it's drying.)

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  We can't wait to see what you create with these beautiful kits!

Have a great day!

>>><<<

Be sure to take a look at Missy's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the Main 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.