Step by Step Layout VIDEO Tutorial by Marilyn Rivera

Are you ready for a VIDEO tutorial? DT member Marilyn Rivera is treating us all to a fantastic step by step layout video tutorial today featuring our July Limited Edition Kit!

Here's Marilyn:

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Be sure to check out Marilyn's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the July 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.

How to Machine Stitch on Layouts by Guest Designer Stephanie Buice

Guest Designer Stephanie Buice is up today with a machine stitching tutorial featuring our July Main Kit!

Here's Stephanie:

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Hi everyone! I'm so happy to be back here again guesting for My Creative Scrapbook this time with the July Main Kit. Today I have a simple tutorial for you about sewing right onto your layouts.

I know that this trend has been around for a while but it's still going as strong as ever so for those of you who have been curious and wanting to give it a try I'm hoping this tutorial will help you jump over any hurdles or questions you may have.

I am always getting questions about what kind of machine I use, so here is my sidekick... 

It's a simple regular Brother sewing machine that you sew fabric with. Although I believe that there are probably machines on the market specifically for paper, I just stick to what I know best. Honestly although I am not a huge fabric sewer I have been switching back and forth from paper to fabric for years and have never had any problems doing so. To each is own though and instead of purchasing yet another gadget this is just what I prefer. I mainly sew with white thread so to save time of always having to load it every time I usually leave it loaded and ready to go.

 Getting started is so easy! Set up your paper and align the needle where you want it and get down to business. I just use a regular needle, nothing fancy. The biggest tip I can give you here is to try not to apply too much adhesive under the area you are going to sew. The adhesive will stick to your needle and tends to shorten your stitch length. So for this step just place your paper in the machine as you would fabric and begin sewing.

After you get your sewing done your paper piercer will become your best friend. When I first started sewing through paper I would thread each loose thread with a needle to pull it back through my paper to the rear of the layout. Talk about a waste of time! I quickly realized that if I poke holes with my paper piercer where I want the thread to go back though it's so much faster to just thread them through those holes by hand.

your paper should look like this:

I usually poke my hole in the stitch hole right before that last one machine made.

Then I simply push my threads back through the holes. They should look like this:

An easy tip: Once you get all your threads back through your holes flip your paper over and use your finger to smooth over them. This helps brush your paper back down a bit and your holes will become much less noticeable.

Once I get all my threads to the back of the paper I usually go though and tie a knot in each of the pairs of threads. If you use tape like I'll show you in the next step the knot tying is not really necessary. I just wanted to show different ways that I finish them off.

Then for added security I go through and add some tape over them. You can use plain tape, but since I have so much Washi Tape I have been using it up this way. ( Plus who really has the time to sit there and tie all those knots!?)

So go through all your threads and place the tape over them. Should look like this when you're done:

Here is what the stitches should look like on the pretty side of your layout:

And a better look:

Although for this layout I mainly stitched only through paper, don't be afraid to try sewing through your other embellishments as well. A few other things I often sew through are chipboard shapes and letters, any fabric that you use on layouts such as ribbon, Vellum, overlays, pretty much anything in my scraproom is fair game. Sewing on your layouts is an easy way to add more detail and it helps give things a more finished and polished look.

I hope this tutorial showed you how easy machine sewing on your layouts really is. I remember the unnecessary intimidation that I had before I started and I don't want that to hold anyone back like it did me.

So pull out that dusty machine, dive right in and start stitching away.

I hope that you've enjoyed all the layouts I created for you with the July Main Kit, thanks for checking out my tutorial, Here is my finished Tutorial layout: 

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Be sure to check out Stephanie's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the July 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.

Step by Step Layout Tutorial by Jodi Wilton

DT member Jodi Wilton is up today with a step by step layout tutorial featuring our July Main Kit!

Here's Jodi:

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Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying the kits this month! Today I am sharing with you a step by step tutorial on creating the layout below using the July main kit:

For this layout I started with a white cardstock background. I wanted to show a great way to add texture to your layout by using the awesome stencil that comes in your kit.  So gather your supplies first (stencil in kit, white cardstock, modeling paste)

Next I used the stencil twice in the middle of the cardstock so it created a line from top to bottom. I used the modeling paste on top of the stencil and in created a nice tone-on-tone pattern:

Once the paste has dried  you can start piecing together your layout.  I cut two strips of paper out- one 12 inch piece of the white and gold patterned paper & one 12 inch out of the black polka dot paper. I added both to the left and right side of the cardstock:

Next I wanted to add embellishments over the center, so I added both flowers found in your kit- one at the top right had corner, and one at the bottom left had corner of where the paste has ended. I also added the doily die cut:

I then added the photo on top of the doily die cut , the stickers/die-cuts, and the ribbon topped with a heart chipboard piece. 

I have a really hard time leaving white space, and thought that the layout was still missing something so I using my chevron border punch and made two borders 12 inch long:

LOVE the end result, and love this kit even more! There is so many possibilities with these colours!

Here is the final product once again:

I know you will enjoy the kit as much as I have!

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Be sure to check out Jodi's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the July 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.

A Very Colorful Use of a Two-Step Stencil by Becky Litz

DT member Becky Litz is up today with a tutorial featuring our July Creative Kit!

Here's Becky:

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Hello Everyone!

Becky here with you today to share how I used the fun two step stencil that is included in the Creative Kit this month.

So let's get started!

Step 1: Work outside! Just joking, being outside is not necessary for this project but I did because it was a beautiful day. I pulled all my materials outside and sat on my back deck listening to the kids play while I created...perfection!

Step 2: tape your white cardstock to the table. I used washi tape because it is sticky enough to hold the paper down but not so sticky that it rips the paper when you remove it.

Step 3: I carefully snipped the little icon circles from the stencil because I only wanted to use the circles.

Step 4: I didn't want to get any color any place outside my stencil so I used the washi tape again to tape some scraps of paper over my white cardstock.

Step 5: I wanted to make a rainbow effect so I selected my colours of Distress Ink. I started at the top with the red and used my foam applicator to rub it half way into first row of circles in the stencil.

Step 6: I used a bright pink to fill in the bottom half of the first row of circles, and then kept going with the pink ink to fill in the top half of the second row of circles.

Step 7: continue down the rows applying the ink in rainbow order

Step 8: when you have the ink as you want it remove the stencil from the paper.

Step nine: I took two of the little stencil icons that I had previously removed (the word 'love' and the little star) and I placed them back onto my rainbow circles. I did one close up spray of an opaque white mist over each icon. This muted the ink color a bit on some of the surrounding circles, but I liked the look.

Step 10: Build your layout on top of your stenciled paper! here's what I did with mine...

How do you think you'll use the stencil in your kit? I'd love to see!!!

Thanks for stopping by,

 ~Becky

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Be sure to check out Becky's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the 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.

How to Faux Sew on Layouts by Elizabeth Hellum

DT member Elizabeth Hellum is up today with a tutorial featuring our July Main Kit!

Here's Elizabeth:

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Hello there, Elizabeth here to show you a cool way to faux sew on your layouts. I hope that you enjoy this tutorial and the easiness of it!

While this isn't a new technique, it is one of the easiest ways I have found to create a sewing affect and if you are anything like me, you want to create something easy and cute!

I found this handy tool many years ago. They come in different sizes, so you can choose which one would suit your needs. Ready to know what it is? Friends, this is called the pounce wheel. 

You can buy them on sites like Amazon. What they are.
See! They are used for a variety of things. But we are going to use it for sewing!

It is very simple to use and there are a few things you will need to use the tool.

1. The pounce wheel
2. A thick piece of cardboard, or other heavy material as backing
3. The object you will use the wheel on

 

As you can see here, I have the tool, the heavy backing (I got this years ago from the bottom of a box that had scrapping supplies in it). I use this piece of cardboard every time I use the pounce wheel, as you can tell from all the marks on it! I also have my new layout (using the July Main Kit) I am going to use the tool on.

Once all that is in place, you can start to faux sew on your page. You will need to hold the paper down tightly and still so that the paper doesn't move then press quite firmly when using the tool as well. This way, you will get the deeper sewing effect on your paper. If the paper bulks up while you are using the tool, that's okay just keep going.

When you have finished the first line, you can shift and move the entire thing around to be able to work on the next line thus making an entire square moving it around and around.

Most of the time, I only use this on the ends of the paper to get the desired effect, but you can use this tool on just about anything you are creating to get the desired effect you want!

Here's the finished layout:

As you can see, creating faux stitching makes a page look simply beautiful and it's really easy too!

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Be sure to check out Elizabeth's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the July 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.

Step by Step Layout VIDEO Tutorial by Marta Lapkowska

Are you ready for a VIDEO tutorial? DT member Marta Lapkowska is treating us all to a fantastic step by step layout video tutorial today featuring our July Limited Edition Kit!

Here's Marta:

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Be sure to check out Marta's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the July 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.

July REVEAL + Guest Designers + New Design Team Members!

Woohoo, it's REVEAL DAY!

We think this month's reveal is EXTRA FABULOUS... just wait until you see all of the beautiful things that Pam and the design team have prepared for you.

First, we would like to share a reminder about our current special:
Summer Savings Give a Gift - Get a Gift!

For the months of June and July you can purchase a new kit membership and receive a bottle of Lindy's Stamp Gang mist with an embellishment prize pkg FREE, so sign up that friend, and you both will receive the free prize package. Just click here and put "Summer" in the message box at checkout.

THERE IS MORE... a FREE GIFT will be added to each box that we ship out in August! So join today to get your special Customer Appreciation gift added to your August kit shipments. Just one more way My Creative Scrapbook is working to bring joy to your door

And now...

Presenting the July My Creative Scrapbook kits:

July 2014 Main Kit

featuring My Minds Eye Ashbury Heights!

This beautiful, versatile kit is filled with wonderful gold accented products.  There is even a stencil/mask and a bottle of gold Lindy's Stamp Gang spray that can be used again and again!

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July 2014 Creative Kit

featuring Simple Stories DIY Boutique!

This kit is super bright and happy. There are wood pieces, lots of wonderful stickers, a stencil/mask, and more to create tons of pages.

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July 2014 Limited Edition Kit

featuring Kaisercraft Storyteller!

This is a fantastic vintage kit full of glorious embellishments... one of our best kits yet! Lots of Prima... stunning flowers, resin frames, and crystals... plus so many more delightful things to please your heart. There is even a Prima stencil/mask and a bottle of pink Lindy's Stamp Gang spray that can be used again and again!

*Limited numbers available - grab one before they are all gone*

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July 2014 Album Kit 

featuring Simple Stories A Charmed Life!

This line is a favorite and we knew you would love to create a mini album with this kit. Have so much fun with all of the parts and pieces in this kit. We've even included a coordinating bottle of Mr. Huey's spray mist!

That is not all... check back for the Add-ons to be added to our website by the 10th.

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If you love these kits as much as we do, we encourage you to hurry over to our website and reserve yours before they're all gone.

While you're on the website, we hope you'll take a few moments to soak up the amazing inspiration in our design team gallery.

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Once again, we have a fabulous group of talented guest designers this month!
 
Returning Guest Designer
Stephanie Buice

Hi everyone! I'm Stephanie Buice and I'm so happy to be guesting for My Creative Scrapbook this month! I live in AL with my hubby Bryan and our Son Brady (2). I've been scrapbooking since 2001 when I was gifted a Kit to scrap my senior year of high school. I currently serve on three DTs: Crate Paper, me & my Big ideas and Bella Blvd. I think paper crafting is a blast and it's my perfect escape from the everyday. I've been fortunate in meeting so many awesome women and some of my best friends through this industry, I can't imagine my life without it or them. Thanks for having me here and I hope you enjoy what I've put together for you.

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Guest Designer
Jen Chesnick

Hi my name is Jen Chesnick, I go by Chez too. A long time family nickname that I married into and it just kind of took a life of its own. Currently I live in the great state of Maryland with my husband Bill and my daughter Parker. I sell cheese and crackers by day for Mondelez International and by night I craft, scrapbook, obsess over Pinterest & Facebook. Not only am I a social media addict I watch almost all reality TV it’s quite ridiculous. Remember The Real World? That’s where it ALL started. When I am not coped up in the house I like to travel, and don’t be shocked but I love to camp. As long as I have wi-fi and a power strip all is well in the world.

I started scrapbooking in 2006 after seeing one of my Mothers scrapbooks. I've always been a pretty crafty gal. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of making crafts in Girl Scouts and patching together random fabric pieces making clothes. Paper crafting has turned into a full on obsession.

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Guest Designer
Lynn Shaffer

My name is Lynn Shaffer, and I am thrilled to be a guest designer this month for My Creative Scrapbook. A little about me, I am the proud mommy to 3 beautiful children, whom are the inspirations for almost all of my layouts. I am married to the love of my life Dave, who supports me and my addiction to paper. I am energetic, bubbly and a little on the fun crazy side. As well, I have been fortunate to be surrounded by an amazing set of ladies who have enabled me and my love of crafting. Recently I have begun to teach classes at my local scrapbooking store SGD. I also work full time as a pricing analyst for 3M Canada.

I began scrapbooking in the summer of 2009 during my second maternity leave. My goal, originally, was to document my kids, their growth and preserve those precious memories. But I soon fell in love with the creative process, and my pages will have a lot of hidden journaling. My style is … well I have various styles from a clean to linear to shabby chic, I am now getting into mix media. From a creative perspective, I love inking, layering, distressing, masking, fussy cutting, matting, stamping and.. ok there is not too much I don’t like to do. Sketches play a huge part of my creative process. I find scrapbooking and crafting very calming and therapeutic. I am a paper hoarder. I will be honest. Papers are my passion. I have a hard time using it at times, so I buy double. Ok who am I kidding, if I see, I will love it, and smell it, and drool over it and then hide it in the special paper drawer to oogle over it later.

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As if things aren't exciting enough already, we also have some fabulous talented new design team members to happily announce!

New Design Team Member
Elizabeth Hellum

I'm Elizabeth. Married to neat guy. Has a blended family of 4. One dog. Job I love. Faith that means everything. Tattoos. Hoarder of old things. Discovering who she is. Loving life. Scrapper. Growing.

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New Design Team Member
Marta Lapkowska

My name is Marta Lapkowska. I was born and raised in Poland. I am currently living in Ireland and have been for the last nine years. I graduated as a Sociologist from Wroclaw University in Poland. I am a proud mum of a beautiful girl Emily. My inner soul is trully a creative person. Since I remember I have loved art, craft, creations and have a passion for innovative techniques.

My craft journey started from making cards for close relatives. Slowly I was trying new things, learning new techniques. After all I fall in love with paper, dies, mediums, stamps, masks, embellishments, metal pieces and mix of colours. I love playing around, experimenting and creating unique pieces. From cards and tags to layouts, mixed media canvases, journal pages and altered objects. For the past two years art and craft is my way of living - so far it's the best journey I could have imagined.

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Don't forget to visit our website to reserve your kits and to see our design team gallery for oodles of samples!

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Also, we hope you'll join our sketch challenge (beautiful prize package involved)!