A Look into Design Process by Becky Litz

Becky Litz is featuring our October Creative Kit today with a look into her design process!

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Hello friends!

Today I would like to share with you how I put together my Love This layout. This layout was made with the October Creative Kit and features the super adorable Forest Friends collection from Doodlebug.

I'm not really into the Pocket Style of scrapbooking for the most part, but sometimes the simple style of it appeals to me. Rather than use a page protector with pockets, I just adapted the style to fit on a typical 12x12 page so it would fit in my regular sleeves.

The Jillibean cards in the kit work perfectly for this style of scrapbooking. They are the perfect size.

I layered some patterned papers in the negative spaces on the card to create my title, and then layered the heart sticker over the arrow. Now of course I can't have things too linear or flat so I offset the sticker of the flower on the card and popped it up with a pop dot. I added the little tag of ribbon to add some texture.

I used one of the small flowers from the kit to create an embellishment cluster in the center of the layout. The flowers are actually two layers glued together, but I carefully took the layers apart and used just one flower on this layout. I used the other on a different layout.  I tucked the owl sticker under a button and used a pop dot under the sticker to add a bit more depth and dimension there.

The is my favorite part of my layout. I wrapped a piece of string around the purple card I cut and strung a bunch of the little tag stickers onto the string. I put a pop dot under each (I love pop dots! I can never leave stickers flat). then I tied a little piece of the orange ribbon from the kit in between each of the tags.

..it's super adorable.

Finally I loved the circle/bubble card in the kit so I added it in the last section. I liked how the white cards are on opposite corners of the page. It helps to create balance.

And again, I just can't have things too linear so I offset the cute little owl journaling sticker and added a button for dimension.

So that's it from me today....  

Hope that list gave you some ideas for your next project!

Thanks for stopping in today!

~Becky

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You can see more of 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.

Anatomy of a Layout Plus Using a Photo Collage by Izzy Anderson

Izzy Anderson is featuring our October Creative Kit today with a look into her design process for two of her adorable October layouts!

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I loved the patterned paper with the words about Fall and wanted to feature it so I made it the base of my design. I layered a few other papers in the collection to make a horizontal photo mat near the bottom of the page. 

The die cut card is from Jillibean Soup. It was white and a bit too stark for my layout, so I darken the card a bit with mist and sewed on a colorful ribbon. I backed the card with purple patterned paper from the kit to make it pop against the orange background. Then I added a couple stickers on top. 

To the right of the large orange photo mat, I added a doily under the photo, a tab sticker and layered a flower on top of a large die cut leaf.

The layout was coming along but I needed a space for my title and I wanted to balance out the heaviness at the bottom on the page.  So I added a shipping tag to the top, colored it with mist then added some stickers, die cuts and my title. 

Here's another look at the completed layout: 

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Next, I have a simple layout made with a photo collage, a journaling card I ran through the printer, and the October creative kit.

We had a big party for my Mom for her 70th birthday and I had several photos I wanted to use.  I used PicMonkey to make the collage, then printed it out as an 8 x 10 photo with a large white border. I trimmed down the white border to make the collage fit better on my 12 x 12 layout. 

I wanted to add some journaling to this layout, but there was no room on the page itself. The kit contained a white cute die-cut card that I thought would work perfectly as a journaling spot. 

I backed the die cut with orange patterned paper for a pop of color, used washi tape to adhere the card temporarily to regular printer paper then ran it through my printer. The photo trio below shows the steps I used and the finished journaling card. 

After the journaling card was ready, I made a little pocket for it under my photo collage then slipped the card into the pocket. The card pulls out to reveal the hidden journaling. 

Though this kit is Fall-themed not birthday themed, it worked out great by using the more neutral papers and palette. A cute and versatile kit

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You can see more of Izzy's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the October 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.

Step by Step Layout VIDEO Tutorial by Marta Lapkowska

Marta Lapkowska is treating us to a step by step layout video tutorial today featuring our October Limited Edition Kit!

Sit back and enjoy as you watch Marta create...

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You can see more of Marta's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the October 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 Make Word Stickers "Pop" by Kristin Greenwood

Kristin Greenwood is featuring our October Album Kit today with a tip for making word stickers "pop"!

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 I knew I wanted to use the Jillibean word stickers for my title on my mini album, but by themselves they just were not bold enough.  I am going to share with you how I made them pop!

I cut the word I wanted out of the sticker sheet.

I traced it on cardstock.

I cut on the lines I traced on the cardstock.

I took the sticker off and stuck it to the cardstock.

Here is how it looks on the cover!

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You can see more of Kristin's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the October 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.

Step by Step Layout Tutorial by Lydell Quin

Lydell Quin is featuring our October Main Kit today with a step by step layout tutorial!

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Welcome to MCS today.  I have a Tutorial to share with you.  I thought I would show you quickly how I created this Page.

I had lots of Artsy fun with this page, and you can see it morph with the layering in the pictures below.

It really is a layered piece!

First I used stencils and brown Ink to add some texture to the background.

Then I added paint and sprayed with water and dry brushed it on here and there.

I used a bottle lid stamped in india ink, to leave circles around the page, with some black drips added with a dip pen dipped in the india ink.

I wrote words, drew scraggly circles in varying sizes and just made marks.

I hand cut some letters for my Title from the Paper in the kit, and I painted them with the Shimmerzy Paint!  Gorgeous!

I pulled out elements that would work.

a doily

the hexagonal chip shapes....which I painted with crackle texture paint, and then green paint, then Shimmerz Paint.

The ribbon (olive green organza)

A title that matched what I wanted to say

A flower I pulled apart and sprayed with Shimmerz 

Then I started fiddling about with the layers and the placement of the bits and pieces.

By this stage I wanted to take it back a bit, and tone down the strong colour.

So I swiped gesso over the background, and used the end of the paint brush to made circles all around, with the Shimmerz Paint , framing my focal area of the page

Lots and lots of texture.

I let that dry and adhered down all the pieces .

Here's some of the layers and embellishing close up.

I stick little bits here and there to create groupings and fill spaces.

Little pieces of left over string, Folded ribbons

Little labels and strips cut up

and little stickers....

(I adore those owls.  You can use the 'Owl' sheet of paper in the kit and cut out the sweet little owls and you can have owls forever!!!)

I wrote my journalling on strips and cut it up to place down the side of the page.

It changed a bit over its production, but I liked how it came out in the end.

And I almost gave it up several times,  I set it aside, and kept going back to it, because I loved the colours with the striped Paper.....I learned two things.....1- sometimes it pays to persist......and 2- almost anything can be saved....sometimes you just need to set it aside, and come back to it with fresh eyes.

Hope you enjoy this kit this month!

My Blog

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You can see more of Lydell's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the October 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 Create Paper Ruffles with Punches by Sandi Clarkson

Sandi Clarkson is featuring our October Limited Edition Kit today with instructions for creating her paper ruffles on her pretty pink layout!

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Hello, everyone! Sandi here with you today to share how I created the fun ruffles on my pink "Lucy" page! I don't do that much punch work anymore but I wanted to do something a little bit different and this is the very first thing that popped into my head! 

I've used primarily the Prima Coffee Break Aromatic Blend paper along with 4 inches of side B of the Cup O' Joe paper (pictured in lower photos.) Trim everything into 2 inch strips, 6 of the pink and 2 of the black and white.

 Then I began using some random border punches being sure that they were all of a similar nature and that none were a deep-edged punch. 

I began laying them out until I got a rough idea how I wanted them to be. You can see here that I initially planned to perhaps place a black strip at the top.  Later, I decided to go all pink at the top and let the black and white paper serve as a petticoat effect at the bottom. 

Then I made tick marks on my pink card stock on both the right and left margin at 1.5", 3", 4.5", 6", 7.5", 9", 10.5" and of course 12" being the last marker.  Once you have your tick marks, all you have to do is start taping your pieces your pieces down. I fiddled with mine a bit to ruffle the bottoms upwards once I had a rough idea where my photo and embellishments were going to be placed. 

I forgot to take a final photo until I was further along in my process but here is one as I was getting ready to do some inking with my stencil and black ink. Ruffles is certainly one way to give your layout a girly look! 

Thanks for coming by and taking a peek! 

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You can see more of Sandi's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the October 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.

Come Play Along with our October Sketch Challenge for a Chance to Win!

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

Have a look at this month's 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 (you do not need to be a kit club member!) and ends at midnight (EDT) on November 14th.

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

We can't wait to see what you create!

Step by Step Mixed Media Layout VIDEO Tutorial by Marilyn Rivera

Marilyn Rivera is treating us to a step by step mixed media layout video tutorial today featuring our October Limited Edition Kit!

Sit back and enjoy as you watch Marilyn work her magic...

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You can see more of Marilyn's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the October 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.