Wednesday 27 April 2011

Cherish the Memories of You & Me {The Colour Room/Pencil Lines} plus a mini-tutorial & Please Vote for Me!









***layout photography mini-tutorial & a voting plea PLEASE!***

Some time last week I promised to show you all a layout using Basic Grey's Curio.  I didn't forget - there just hasn't been an appropriate time to slot this in yet - but I must get it linked up before the end of the month because it uses Pencil Lines sketch 232, which is due in then.




I turned the whole sketch upside down so that the bunting falls at the bottom ot the photo as opposed to the top.  You all now how much I like a big photo & I took this one very recently when my daughter came home from university for a week, and her best friend from Zimbabwe came to spend the night with us on her way through Durban on hockey tour.

 

SUPPLIES:-
Cardstock:- Grey (American Crafts) & Terracotta (Bazzill)
Printed papers - Basic Grey Curio ( Rosewater, Estate & Muslin)
Butterfly & butterfly circle (cut from Bo Bunny Gabrielle paper - Cut-Outs)
Inks - Dark Brown & Lime Pastel (Colour Box)
Bling (Bo Bunny)
Pearls (Basic Grey)
Flowers (Prima)
Lace (Prima)
Butterfly punch (Martha Stewart)
Cardstock stickers - Glitz Design (Love Nest)
Word Stickers - Glitz Design (Love Nest) titles
You & Me wording -Glitz Design (Vintage Titles)
Scallop Stickers - Jenni Bowlin Studio - Border Stickers black
Tiny circle alpha stickers - Jenni Bowlin Studio Vintage Black Stickers
Larger circle alpha stickers - Jenni Bowlin Studio Star Banner Red Stickers
Black glittered scroll & sentences - Melody Ross (GCD studios) Artsy Urban
Blue Scroll Sticker - Bo Bunny Gypsy stickers


I submitted this at The Colour Room last week. With these colour challenges it's always tempting just to use plains & add mists or paint if you don't have the perfect colours, but my advice to you is to get to know what prints you have in stock too as often some of them can be perfect for the challenges & prints always add an extra dimension of interest in my opinion.


I love these papers (Basic Grey Curio) so I'm glad I finally got to use them. They mixed really well with Jenni Bowlin basics & last season GCD & Glitz Design, embellished with Prima for a girly touch.



To get that unusual green I inked a lot.  Inks are a real life-saver.  For edging I use cat's eye inks (small eye shaped inks) but they're no good for stamping - for that you need bigger square or rectangular inks.



To emphasize the grey & tan colours I matted with plain cardstock - just to bring out those two colours from the palette, then the green came mostly from the title & inking & the cream from the embellishing & lettering.




I love using this Prima lace as a substitute for bunting - the fact that it has flag-shaped points is just perfect!



I cut that huge butterfly from Bo Bunny Gabrielle paper!  As you can see above I  made another one of my trademark looooooooooooong titles using various different types of letters/alphas & word stickers.

 

Layout Photography Mini- Tutorial - I love these sideview shots - just to show off the lush dimension.  If you want to take these yourself You are going to need to set your camera to A or AV mode (apperture priority) & go down to the lowest number (F stop) by turning the dial on the top & reading the LCD at the back. 

My lens goes down to 2.6 but some go right down to 1.2 (that's next on my list!) but most kit lenses only go down to 3.5 & it doesn't work so well with those unfortunately.  Focus at the front or middle (with the red square in your viewfinder) then the rest will blur in front/behind it.  Easy when you know how :0)


I have 5 layers of papers on this layout, excl. the photos.  Sometimes my layouts can have 8 layers.  If you prefer the "clean & simple" style of scrapbooking then usually there are less layers involved.  If you prefer the more "shabby chic" style then usually this is achieved by layering of your papers & clustering of your embellishments.


I saw today that I made it to the finals of the May Guest Designer Challenge at Sketchy Thursdays & the top 5 layouts are now up for voting & I am coming in second so far!!  Please, please, please, click the link I've given you above & go & have a look at the 5 layouts & vote for the one you like the most :)  I hate to say "Vote for Me" like an order, because maybe you won't like my layout the most, but I'm hoping that if you follow my blog you DO like my layouts & then hopefully you WILL vote for me so PLEASE take a minute for me & cast your vote :)  Thank you!


We are still on holiday here in South Africa would you believe?!  Tomorrow it is Freedom Day here, another public holiday, so today was an unofficial public holiday & a school holiday here too. 

We have visitors at the moment who are only leaving again on Saturday so it is a bit of a hectic time for me as you all know that so many challenges are due in at the end of the month, which is FRIDAY & I have SEVEN layouts I still need to blog about to link up!

Not to mention some DT commitments that I haven't yet...ahem...started...cough cough...but not to worry, I am not easily flustered & "It'll be all right on the night" as they say.  I work completely fine under pressure, which is good, considering the circumstances LOL!!!  Wishing you all a wonderful week! ***


EEK - Voting closes in 19 hours - hurry hurry!!!

17 comments:

Heather Jacob said...

WOW!!!!! THIS WORK LEAVES ME BREATHLESS & SPEECHLESS !!!!!! you are amazing Miss Helen xoxox

Diana said...

I'm going to vote for you even if I can't stand your LO hahahahahaha you'll probably win it now you're on a roll!
Love the LO and the EIGHT layers. I am definitely a 2-3 layers gal so that must make me clean and simple, eh?
ok off to vote for you.
xoxo

dstandard said...

Voted - fabulous layout above and for the contest as well!

Sabrina Scrapbook said...

Wohooo Helen!! I see no empty spaces here.. SO GORGEOUS, Helen!! This is breathtakingly beautiful!! Awesome awesome!! Well done indeed!! xoxo. Will vote you soon for sure :)))

Lisa Amiet said...

WOW!! This is just fab!Loving all the layers and you have pulled it all together so well! Have voted, and you now seem to be in the lead...good luck! xoxo

Rene Sharp said...

Another stunning page Helen, you must have so many goodies, cause each of your pages is jam packed full of lovely stuff. Fabulous layout as usual!!

Stefanie said...

wow, you're neck and neck now.
I trust all your fan club go and vote for you.
26 votes mine made.
Great LO, you're totally in the groove now.

scrapbookertink said...

Simply stunning layout, love it, will hop over and vote.

Irini said...

Firstly Congrats on making it to the finals!!!!!
I will definitely go and vote for you.
Your layout is exquisite I adore the rich detail you put so much love and thought into your layouts
I also love your step by step narration of how you made the layout...you are a star!!! LOL
I admire your patience

Vicky Varvadouka said...

Hi Helen! Thanks for your nice comments! I dropped by to admire your layout (WOW) and to let you know that I've already voted for you! Good luck!!!

Eila Sandberg said...

OF COURSE I voted for you!!! was up to 75 in your favour when I had pressed the button. You know I'm a HUUUGE fan of yours and just looove to soak in everything your write! fingers and toes and eyes crossed! xxxx

Unknown said...

wow my goodness what amazing beautiful!!!!in every way!!!

Big hugs carla

Ella Swan said...

Thanks girls - so far I'm ahead! Let's hope I make it - if I do it will be all thanks to you girls!! Only an hour to go so I really hope I stay in the lead...oh well if not it doesn't matter but of course it would be nice!!

Lynette Jacobs said...

You won my friend...congratulations. Gorgeous layouts...the one that won and this one;-)

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

This is simply breathtaking Helen, WOW!!! Sometime I wonder how much time it takes for a page like that, I probably need a year, LOL, so much to look at, WOW!

Yolande (pronounced you-land-a) said...

An amazing Layout Helen! I can't even begin to choose what I like the most about it, because there is just so much to LOVE about it.

Marilyn said...

BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL, Helen!!! love every detail here and the photo is Gorgeous!!! I think I'm late for the vote but GOOD LUCK!!! A Big Hug!!! :)