Tuesday 5 April 2011

All they need is Love {Scrapbook Challenges/Colour Combos Galore 186/Creative Scrappers}

***Ruffles - mini-tutorial***

I'm feeling a lot better - yahoo!!!  I got this done for my DT Challenge over at Scrapbook Challenges - The ABC's of Me - Letter L - you can see my challenge here.  That site is literally a constant hive of activity with a very active DT so if you are looking for somewhere to "get involved" we would love to see you there!


I also used this for the latest colour combo at Colour Combos Galore where they have a totally dreamy colour scheme up for this week.

We are also encouraged to take inspiration from the photo - or follow the "Designer's Challenge" which, this week, is layers!  I piled them on to this one - with 3 backing papers & 2 more under the photo - 5 layers - plust painting, stamping, embossing, stitching, punching, clustering, ruffling - you name it !!

I started off by stitching the teal cardstock onto silver.  Then I painted over with gesso, pearly white & silver.  At this point the dreaded happened & the paper started to buckle!!  No problem, I punched the edges (LOVE it) then adhered both sheets to a creamy yellow backing cardstock - that problem sorted!  The computer-journaling looked too stark against the teal so I covered the strip with tulle to soften the look.

I have a teal polka-dot paper under the grey print - but it was a bit garish so I toned it down with some gesso. Then I put the grey printed paper on  top, edged it with chunky steel grey glitter.  Before adhering the photos I stamped the doily stamps & embossed them with silver.  It's been an age since I embossed but I am going to be doing it some more!  Loved it!!

I added some bling dots to the centres of the flower doilies.  Here you can see the polka-dot paper quite clearly, aswell as the text stamp & the paint & gesso, as well as the stitching.

I have a pretty awesome collection of Prima flowers so decided I needed to get through some stash - added a variety of white & creamy white/newsprint blooms, as well as some raw chipboard flowers & some little organza blooms too, with sequinned centres.
***I added four ruffles underneath the photo - I used some polka-dot tulle that I folded in half & gathered up with hand-stitching then I did the same with some 2" bandaging I bought at the chemist.  When folding don't fold exactly in half or it's not so easy to see the bottom half.  Always fold so that the top is less than the bottom - ie:- 3/4" and 1 1/4".  I used double-sided tape to hold down the ruffles, pulling them across the length of the thread so the gathers were even,  then stitched over them with my sewing machine to keep them firmly in place.  Lastly I adhered the feather strip on top using strong Tombo Mono adhesive.***

As the designer's challenge was layering I went all out to try to add dimension to this layout - while keeping it light & dreamy at the same time.  I added some black rub-ons to balance out the typed-journaling in the opposite corner - and inked heavily around the edges, particularly in the corners.
And these photos are just for fun - to show off all the layers.  They are easy to capture with a low aperture, by focusing on the foreground so that the background blurs out - love that!


I used a Creative Scrappers sketch for this so am including it here below.  This sketch is a new one for April so if any of you would like to use it you can enter it here before the end of the month.


I have my dear daughter home with me for her week's vacation from University & my other kids off from school for a week's holiday too so I am enjoying the company of my family & as a result have been a bit quiet on the blog-commenting front but I am taking the laptop to bed with me now so going to be doing some visiting!

Supplies:-

Silver cardstock - Colourmates
Butter yellow & metallic teal cardstock - Bazzill basics & bazzill bling
Printed papers - Playful Petals by Daisy Bucket. Mood Lighting by Heidi Swapp. Bo Bunny Gabrielle Cameo
Gesso - Paper Plus
Mettalic shades paint - Pearl - L'il Davis
Silver paint - Heritage
Text stamp - Chiswick
Dark grey ink - Colour Box
Metallic silver embossing powder - Heritage
Doily stamps - Studio Calico
Cream polyester thread
Font - Mom's old typewriter
Small white flowers & grey organza ones - stash
White, grey & newsprint flowers - all Prima
Bling - Bo Bunny
Crystal brads - Creative Imaginations
Raw chipboard - Scrapbook King
Teal tulle - Webster's Pages Vintage Inspired Netting
White muslin - bandaging - from Pharmacy
Feather & feather trim & black rub-ons - stash
Alphas - White Foam Pink Paislee Expressions Cushies - Meringue & Fashion Script - White
Glitter alphas - American Crafts "Thickers"

24 comments:

Diana said...

WOW.
No wonder all these DTs are snapping you up!
This is incredible!

Alia said...

A real beauty of a lo!

Jasmine S said...

This looks beautiful and I just love those pics. Simply stunning.

Rene Sharp said...

Another stunner Helen!! You must have a LOAD of goodies to be able to put so much on your pages, I battle to achieve this look. Hope you are feeling better x

Bellaidea said...

Great page! I like to visit you!
Regards and have fun with kids :)

Kim Sonksen said...

ohhhh, this is shabby chic at its very best. Love the colours and the scrumptious layering..YUM

Sabrina Scrapbook said...

Wow Helen!! Oh my, this is so incredibly beautiful!! I certainly love your layerings and flowers!! The ruffles rock!! ;)

Stefanie said...

This is such a work of art, so much attention to detail and loaded with goodies, flowers, sparkle etc.
DO you put these in albums or just display them around the house?

Heather Jacob said...

OMG helen... sensational... love your work .. hugz x

Jessy Christopher said...

You have been rocking the layouts these days!! This is beautiful & love the take on the colors too :) Gosh the details are so pretty!!

Pearl said...

Wow the details are totally awesome ! the ruffles are definitely my fave part !!! ;)

Lynette Jacobs said...

You absolutely rock the colour challenges...stunning work Helen.

Yara said...

This is just stunning! Love your work!!! and your explanations of all the details! Happy that your recovery is OK and for time with you family!

Unknown said...

ohh my goodness this is so amazing beautiful my friend!!!

hugs carla

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

WOWZER!!!! Helen, Your work are just amazing, those ruffle+feathers, oh so so yummy!

re-tiny doily in my teeny card set
They are die cut from Papertrey Ink

topkatnz said...

Very nice - love the colours. I'm quite fond of a bit of layering!LOL

Bellaidea said...

I can tell you again how much I like your work, I also thank you for your visit andwould like to inform my blog finally has google translator WORKING!Came and check it :)

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

hey Helen, there is a rolled flower/pixie topiary tutorial at my blog for you, hop over if you want! (posted date - 4/7)

re- the doily you asked about on those teeny card is a die cut from papertrey ink, Martha stewart have the similar doily in a pack too.

Mel said...

Oh wow, this is just stunning Helen, how clever mounting the teal on silver, and then gessoing, wow love those stunning photo close ups, the dimension is amazing and how cute is that polka dot tuile.. Back from Holidays now and just saw you are on the Inspired Blueprints DT, Congratulations you are a gorgeous scrapper and so deserve this. Melxx

Rachael Funnell said...

OMGoodness!!! this Is Super Divne, LOoooove it..
All those AMAZING details are just Sensational.... & WHAT a gorgeous Family you have!!!!
XXX

Ella Swan said...

WOW! 20 comments & I'm not giving something away!! This is great - thank you THANK YOU so much friends for all your encouragement here in my little bit of cyber space. Your love certainly makes the scrappy/bloggy journey more exciting!! Rene - yup I choose scrapbooking stash over shoes so I have me a fair bit to choose from! Stef - I have 10 frames I display my layouts in in our dining room - which I update monthly with a new selection, the rest go in my albums, of which there are dozens on 2 bookshelves! Kirsty, thank you for getting back to me with the info on those doilies - they are super cute! And to everyone else - my heartfelt thanks XX

Cathy said...

WOW Helen your LO is absolutely stunning!!! So much gorgeous detail and technique!! Thanks so much for the lovely comment on my blog.. I am very happy to be on the BITW DT with you and can't wait to see more of your beautiful creations :)

FiKenward said...

This is such a soft and pretty layout Helen.

Marilyn said...

BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL Page!!!! love the feeling in this page, very pretty details!!! HUGS!!!