Sunday, November 30, 2014

December Sneak Peeks

It's time for our December sneak peeks!

Get ready to scrap lots of HOLIDAY photos!

We are very excited for you to see the kits that are coming your way this month. Pam has filled each one to the brim with beautiful items to scrap all of your favorite holiday memories.

Have a little look at our December Main Kit:


and because we just can't help ourselves... here are a couple of the layouts that our DT girls created with the Main Kit:

by Brenda Cazes

by Lynn Shaffer

--------------------

Take a peek at our December Creative Kit:


okay, sure! We can show you a couple of the DT girls' Creative Kit layouts:

by Kristin Greenwood

by Izzy Anderson

--------------------

Here are our December Limited Edition Kit sneaks!


and some of the Limited Edition Kit layouts created by our Design Team:

by Kris Berc

by Marta Lapkowska

by Michelle McDonald

--------------------

Take a peek at our December Album kit:


and here's a great big peek at the album!

by Kristin Greenwood

--------------------

It's hard to believe that this is the last sneak peeks post of 2014. Just wait until you see what the New Year is going to bring to My Creative Scrapbook and to YOU!

*** Don't forget to reserve your kits ***
Visit MyCreativeScrapbook.com for more information.

See you for the full reveal on the 5th!

Photo Collage Tutorial by Guest Designer Elisa Delora

Guest Designer Elisa Delora is featuring our November Main Kit today with instructions for creating a printable photo collage to use on your layouts!

--------------------

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to share a few things I've learned to make my scrappy life easier. If you know these little tricks, you know what I mean. I've not really gotten on board with Project Life yet- I did write yet- as I haven't been able to take the time to streamline the process enough to get started. I have started scrapping some PL inspired grids lately and I do love the effect. What I also love from Project Life is the simplicity in scrapping a few smaller photos, with small journalling cards and a few embellishments- an amazing way to tell a story. One of next year's resolutions is to incorporate more grids an PL type elements into my scrapping.

One of the things I really love about Project Life is the smaller photos (more of them!) to tell a story. Sometimes it's so hard to choose the best photo of a same event. Why choose? Sometimes, they all have a little something!

My tutorial is all about how to print smaller photos on a single 4x6 photo. It's clean, no fussing, no cutting. The photos are seamless as they have been placed in the grid before printing... And they obviously can be cut for placement...

Here is how:

I downloaded the free photo editing software Picmonkey. You choose collage in the tools over the picture, just to the right of the monkey.


As directed, I imported 3 photos I had previously changed to Black & White with the regular editing function.


The photo size is ALL WRONG to print a real 4x6 photo, so the size can be modified with the releasing the small padlock under the grid. 


To print a real 4x6 photo with a grid on it, the measurements should be 1800 x 1200, not the initial square 2000 x 2000. You can incorporate either 2 or 3 photos. Just click the "x" over the unwanted photo element to remove it.

Then the photos that were downloaded can be dragged into each square.


Save, print and use on a clean line layout!

This layout was created with the November Main Kit:


Obviously I didn't invent this process. This is what I found works easiest and fastest for a busy scrapper Mom like me, and I just wanted to share!

--------------------

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

Here's the November 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.

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Design Process with Heather Binnie

Heather Binnie is up today to walk us through her design process featuring our November Creative Kit!

--------------------

Hi everyone,

Here are the instructions/tips for my November pages from the fabulous November Creative kit.

4 kittens:


I had a small pile of ribbon collars sitting on my dining room side table and knew I better do something with them before they were lost.

While we were fostering kittens, my daughter gave each one a pretty ribbon. We took them off before we took them to Petsmart for adoption.

If you've ever considered fostering,  DO IT! It's so worth it. These kittens and mom were going to die if someone didn't step in and rescue them.

Anyway, I printed the picture as shown and set them on top of some scrap patterned paper from a previous layout. I inked the sides.

The title was placed at the top and the little pink "Hello Kitty" tag is from one of my daughter's shirts.


I used the computer to type out the rest of the title "grew out of their ribbons", cut them up and inked each piece.

I added some heart stickers here and there to help move the viewer's eye down the page.

The ribbon is just tied in a bow and stuck down with glue dots.

I used the Mini Attacher to staple down the kittens' ribbons.

Hello Sunshine:


I remember waking up in the tent and seeing this. I grabbed my camera (yes, always kept close) and took the picture of Katrina peeking through the screen. There is just something so serene about the photo for me. 

I positioned the photo on the right with her looking up. I then added the yellow circle to represent the sun and added a few butterflies.


After I finished, Kat said that it looked boring and too simple so I used the masks to spray some gold ink around the page. I sprayed some on the saying (and then added a bow).


I had already arranged my photo and stuck it down, so I used another piece of paper to protect it from the spray. I used the mask two more times around the page and I think it gave it some more interest.

I used some Stickles around the triangles in the patterned paper and then added the journaling under the photo.

Mickey & Me:


I'll never forget this day. Trent was almost 6 and we were in line at Disneyland for a ride. We had waited quite a while and Trent had become friends with the very young ladies in front of us. He was trying to make an impression on them when he asked me to take his picture with Mickey Mouse. He leaned up against the rock and had that very serious smile on his face.


I kept the cut off border on the red and white dot paper. I turned the stripe paper horizontal and attached it to the red and white dot.

I decided where I wanted the photo and then used my Martha Stewart anywhere punch to cut out the stars. If you don't have an anywhere punch, you can use any punch and add the punched parts to the page.

I arranged the cameras around the photo and turned the red & black circle stickers into a Mickey Mouse head.

I just kept adding stickers until I felt it was balanced.

Pirate Patti:


When I was a kid, I would babysit for Patti who lived 2 houses down. She and my mom were best friends. All of us stayed in Tucson, but years later we moved to different neighborhoods.  We had always kept in contact with Patti and her family. We love them like family.

Patti had always had some health issues and things seemed to be getting worse for her. She threw herself a giant pirate party on what she thought for sure would be her last birthday. She even invited Jack Sparrow. You can see him behind my son. ;)

The party was a blast and it was her last birthday party. We will never forget Patti and I'm grateful that my kids got to know her, too.

BTW, the page isn't that crooked in real life. The flowers make it bumpy on the scanner so it scans weird.



I wanted to do something different with the masks this time. I used some modeling paste and swiped it over the mask to give the corners some texture. After it dried, I add some distress ink to help it stand out a bit more.

I sprayed gold ink on the flowers and arranged them on the page. The other flowers were cut from the patterned paper. Some of the flowers are on 3-D dots and others are flat. Distress ink was swiped on the edges of the flowers.

After arranging the flowers and photo, I added the title and used stickers around the page.

The bow is tied and I just used a glue dot to stick it to the page.

That's all I have for now! Thank you for reading and have a great day!

--------------------

Here's the November 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.

Friday, November 28, 2014

Step by Step Layout VIDEO Tutorial by Guest Designer Michelle McDonald

Guest Designer Michelle McDonald is treating us to a step by step layout video today featuring our November Limited Edition Kit!



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

Here's the November 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.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

My Creative Scrapbook Thanksgiving Message


At this time of Thanksgiving celebration our thoughts turn gratefully to you our customer with warm appreciation. We are deeply thankful and send our best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.

We have so many exciting items coming your way in this next kit, Yea!

We will be out of the office on Thanksgiving day and due to our holiday travel we will be billing on the 26th. E-mail us with any questions, we are happy to help.

Have a lovely weekend,

Pam Rangel

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

How to Make Your Layouts Pop by Lynn Shaffer

Hello! Lynn here today sharing my tips to making your layouts pop. I had the pleasure of working with the Main Kit. I don't know about you but receiving my scrapbook kit is a production at my house. The whole family is involved. The minute that bad boy makes it to my place the kids and I are dancing and squealing. We then sit down and open the kit. The rule is mommy is the first one to touch (everything). This kit is stuffed with beautiful pieces, lots of great embellishments. 
Beautiful flowers and I loved the velum words. 

Little did I know there is a bit of a competition between my kids as to who's picture will be used in the layouts.

Once the pictures are selected I will then match them to the base pattern paper. I then go through the embellishments and add the ones I believe will go well with my picture and the base page.  I then start to stage my layouts. Using either a sketch or playing with the various pieces, till I get my look. Once my look is achieved I will take a picture of my layout.

This picture will serve as my guide as I layer, ink, distress the pieces. I will cut pieces in ½ to layer. 

The picture on the left is of my stage layout and the one right is my actual finished layout. You will see there is a slight difference in the placement of the pieces but overall pretty close match. 




By cutting pieces in 1/2 and layering you achieve a full look to your layouts. Slightly inking those edges will help those elements pop. 



I also picked inks that would go with my embellishments. 



Another way to make your layout pop is to add a darker color with a bright. For this layout I loved the black vellum lettering. But when I staged my layout the black lettering was a bit off. 



I decided to layer my patterned paper with black cardstock. I then painted a few embellishments with black paint. Adding bits of color here and there around the layout. 
For extra shine I added Faber Castell Glass Bead Glitter Gel

 

I love soft layouts but sometimes simply tracing out a few elements in black will help them stand out. 



Tracing words or shapes will help draw attention. 



Also don't be afraid to manipulate some of the pieces. I had a few gold leaves in my kit that I cut into hearts to make my layout work. 



I also added a few color blotches by fanning my nozzle on the pattern paper. 



I started editing a bit of journaling on my pictures. I really wanted to use these pictures but the paper combo's where not working for me. So using a bit of color (I used my Color Bloom spray or you can use your Lindy's) re-colored a couple of my pieces. I also cut hearts out of other embellishments.



I also recolored some of the pieces to "bold" them. 



Inking the edges to help them stand out. 


Hope this helps you on your creative process. Don't forget to check out the DT Gallery

Enjoy this fabulous kit!

--------------------

Here's the November 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.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Adding Details to Project Life Cards Using Masks by Guest Designer Kristine Davidson

H​ello, It's Kristine Davidson with you today! I'm sharing a little idea with you that might give you some ideas on how to use up some of the left over papers and stickers from this month's Creative Kit.

I had a few pieces of scrap paper left, and almost a full sheet of the American Crafts Shimelle - Haynes. I decided I was going to do a few 3/4 Filler cards for my ​Project Life Album.


I decorated my cards with stickers, a little sewing, some pop dots and I knew something was missing. I then realized the kit includes this awesome package of masks!


Yes, ( blushing! ) after I glued and sewed I realized what I could do with this Mask set. HINT: Do this before you glue and sew!

I got myself some Colorshine, and Sprayed only a few parts of my cards. It added some extra details and a little pattern to my cards.




I then added some twine for bows and voila!


I really love the outcome and hope you give this a try!

--------------------

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

Here's the November 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.