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)!

July SNEAK PEEKS!

They're here! THEY'RE HERE!

Yes, the July sneaks are here!

YIPPEE!

We appreciate your patience as we worked extra hard to make our July sneak peeks super gorgeous and scrumptious for you :)

Have a look at what a few of our designers and guests created with our July Main kit:

by Kris Berc

by Stephanie Buice

by Jodi Wilton

and because we know you want to see more more...

here are more Main Kit sneaks:

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Next, a few peeks at our July Creative kit:

by Becky Litz

by Lynn Shaffer

and more Creative kit sneaks:

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Next, take some peeks at our July Limited Edition Kit!

by Maiko Kosugi

by Marta Lapkowska

We couldn't stop there, oh no we could not!

Here are lots more Limited Edition kit sneak peeks:

(as always, click on the photo to enlarge)

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Last but not least, a peek at our July Album kit:

 by Kristin Greenwood

and more peeks at the album kit:

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Whew... if that wasn't a WHOLE LOT of gorgeousness, I don't know what is!

You may want to race over to the website and reserve your kits, as they are not going to last long.

We hope you'll visit our Design Team Gallery on the 5th for the full reveal!

In the meantime, head over to the website and reserve your kits :)

How to Create a Double-Page Layout in 10 Easy Steps by Nicole Doiron

Today Nicole Doiron is sharing a step by step double page layout tutorial featuring our June Main Kit!

Here's Nicole:

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Do you love double-page layouts like me?  When I started scrapbooking back in 2004, I didn't know why someone would want to create single-pages.  I found that the double spread looked so nice in an album and was able to contain multiple photos, which is the whole point of scrapbooking, right?  The photos!  

Well, I have to admit that 10 years later, I have jumped on the single-page bandwagon! hehe  I love creating single pages and often only use 1 photo on my layouts now.  The fact that I have given up putting my pages in albums is probably a big part of it - I have way too many piles of stacked up layouts in my scrap space right now and it would cost me a fortune to buy albums to accommodate them all.

However, all that being said, I still love double-pages!  I love the challenge of blending one side into the other and creating a double page is just double the fun!  Plus, the friends for whom I create a lot of pages still put them in albums and they love the 2-page look.

So, with no further ado, I will show you how I created one of 

my double-pages this month, using the Main kit, in 10 easy steps.

(Do not mind my messy scrap table - I tried to push away the clutter to take my pictures, 

but hey, I'm a messy scrapbooker and I'm proud of it!)

1. I started by choosing some white 12x12 cardstock for my layout background.

2.  I cut 2 pieces of the Flip Flops paper (blue-green chevron side) 10 1/2" x  5 3/4" and 

centered both pieces on my background, lining them at the central edge of my cardstocks.

3. I cut the Summer Stripe paper into 2 pieces 11" x 3" and tucked them under the chevron paper.

4. I cut both a 6" x 8" (left side) and a 6" x 4" (right side) piece out of the Summer Days paper.

5. I cut out the Summer Days phrase banner out of the Summer Days paper and 

lined it up on the left page and put the Sky Above stripe at the bottom.

6. Using the multicolored side of Summer Floral, I cut a 8" x 4" piece and put it vertically on my right page.  I then created a tag out of a 5" x 3" rectangle by cutting the corners one one side and adding an eyelet. I then decided to add some strips of red rick rack ribbon and the little fishes sticker border.

 7. It was then time to find the perfect spot for the pictures.

8. Next, I added some wood, chipboard and sticker embellishments.  I popped up some of the chipboard and stickers using 3D dots.  I also created some flags out of the Summer Butterflies paper (red side).

9.  Now, for my favorite part, the flowers!  When adding flowers, I always try to make to spread out the colors and sizes so as to make the most of every embellishment.  I added the Echo Park brads in the center of my flowers and added a few more here and there to even out the colors.  I often look at my layout from a distance and half close my eyelids to blur my vision while looking at it.  It helps me see where I should add some pink or another shape.

10. Now, time for the finishing touches like stitching and adding twine.

 Here are some close-ups:

For all you double-page lovers, I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and will try this layout design for yourself.  For all you who never do double-pages, I hope I challenged you to try. :)

If you like my designs, visit my blog Scrap-Utopia for more!

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

Here's the June Main Kit:

Stay tuned... JULY SNEAK PEEKS are coming tomorrow!

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.