Friday 28 February 2014

Love That Pose Layout - 2Crafty Chipboard {Prima BAP} Paperdvizhnik POSE challenge!






Hello Everyone!  I've been away in Cape Town this week, so was very busy finishing off my Design Team work for this very short month before I left, hence no blogging!  I had a fantastic time there with my older son, who turns 19 next month.  I also have a March birthday so my darling hubby treated us to a night away so we could attend the Eminem concert.  

We are both massive fans despite being totally anti-swearing {Eminem is known for not mincing his words at all} but I am crazy about the English language & meaningful lyrics & he can't be beat for his story telling.  I also love authenticity - and am known for my straight talking - I call a spade a spade & don't beat about the bush - so we have that in common - minus the bad language!

Anyway - back to business!!  I'm live over at the 2Crafty blog this week HERE with a couple of new shares.  One of them uses the Prima BAP so needs to be shared today so I can link up, as the challenge closes in a matter of hours :)  

I loved the February Prima BAP as I'm a layered scrapbooker & there was plenty of opportunity to embellish...

I don't generally enjoy following sketches as my layout design 
is often pretty predictable.  {I enjoy centering my photo/s
 & favour a diagonal design} but I did love this sketch
 as it is so interesting & has a lot going on!

I am also entering this layout over at one of my favourite 
challenge sites - Paperdvizhnik for their POSE challenge.
There are still a couple of days left to enter the challenge -
click on the link above if you are interested to enter!


It gave me the opportunity to use just about
 all my favourite things all on the same page!


I used the "Love You" title but I cut off the "you" & saved it for a future project.
I embossed the title with Venus Violet Blue from Lindy's Stamp Gang.


I also used the "Chicken Wire" sheet behind the photograph,
which I cut up into 3 different pieces, each tucked just a tiny
bit beneath the photo - to give the ILLUSION that it extends 
all the way underneath the photo.  GREAT WAY TO SAVE!


I used one branch from the "Leafy Shrub Set 2", which I 
coloured using Adirondack Brights Alcohol Ink in Pool & Raspberry.


I misted some cheesecloth pale lilac then dabbed it with matching alcohol ink 
& adhered it with some dabs of hot glue before attaching the chipboard on top.


  For fine chipboard pieces my go-to glue is Tombo Mono Adhesive
 as it has such a fine tip which works perfectly for precision application.


Lastly I used 3 out of 6 "Indian Feathers" which I treated 
with droplets of alcohol ink, which blended into each
 other beautifully {pink & blue = purple!}

HAVE A FAB WEEKEND EVERYONE!

Friday 21 February 2014

"Friends" Layout - Lindy's Stamp Gang Layout Tutorial {Prima Product Pick}





Hi everyone!  I'm here to share my February Layout Tutorial for Lindy's Stamp Gang.
For a change this month I've done a photo tutorial rather than a video one.  This is quicker
for me as the editing process takes me a very long time & I haven't had a spare weekend.
{Hubby is away on business & kids & I have been sick!}  


I decided to use this Prima Product Pick as my inspiration.
It is just TOO YUMMY but sadly I don't have these brand 
new products in my little hot hands as yet {of course some
of them are on the way already!!}


I stuck with Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Sprays for this tutorial.  
They are so shimmery & sparkly ~ they are just TOO MUCH FUN!!


Here's a list of the exact Lindy's Stamp Gang products I used,
although of course you can mix it up & use what you have on hand!


Here's a look at the some of the close-up detail & below is the final layout.
Hopefully my tutorial will help you get to the end result PAIN FREE :)


1.  Select your backing paper & your layering papers.

I used a Kaisercraft paper for my backing, because it went
 so beautifully with the Prima Product Pick image & I don't
 have the new Prima collections as yet as I have to order
 them from the States & they take a month to arrive.


The image above shows some Prima packaging, taken from the backing sheet of their large canvas alphas, that I cut down then used to back my photo & to the left of it on my final layout.


2.  Select your photograph ~
to match the colours of your papers/
the colour scheme you are wanting to create.


3.  Choose your embellishments. 

 Dig through your embellishment stash & select items
 that match the look you are trying to achieve, 
as well as your papers & your photo.


4.  Crop your photo.

A standard 10 x 15cm (4 x 6inch) photo is too big to
 look proportionate on a modern scrapbooking 
page so I always trim mine down if possible.  
A lean rectangle is always a good look.


5.  Use foam tape to raise your photo.

{the items you see to the right of the photo are
more pieces of Prima packaging used for my layers.
Foam tape is better than foam dots because it raises
the entire photograph rather than just parts of it,
while other parts "dip" (not a good look!)

I buy mine on a HUGE roll - cheaper this way!!


6.  Use embossing paste or modeling/molding paste 

& an old store/gift/credit card to apply it.
I love this Wendy Vecchi embossing paste.  
It has a great "in between" texture that 
is not too hard & not too soft. 


7.  Apply your paste randomly across one side of your page,

using a palette knife to assist with the spreading.  The idea
is to create texture so your thicknesses need to vary.


8.  Lightly spritz your painted area once dry.

I use a heat gun to dry my layers off quickly.
Short, sharp sprays should give you the effect
 you see above, where small dots of colour appear.


9.  Thoroughly dry your layers.

{Notice how much lighter the colour becomes once dry}
  Mad Hatter Mint is a must have colour for 2014 -so IN} 
Buy the whole MAD HATTER COLLECTION HERE 
FOR $35 less 15% (at the moment).

GREAT value as the mists retail individually for $5 each.


Here's a close up of the texture as it's not easy
 to fully appreciate it unless you see it close up.


10.  Choose a good-sized piece of chipboard 
to add more textural & mixed media interest to your page.

My chipboard piece comes from 2 CRAFTY CHIPBOARD.


11.  Apply the mist to the chipboard using a paint brush.


12.  Add some black splats using the uptake straw 
from the mist bottle & flicking it above your page.

{Actually FLICK the straw with your right hand 
while holding by the nozzle in your left hand!}


Above is a close-up of what your page should be
 looking like once all your mediums so far are dry.


13.  Use your chipboard piece as a mask
to add another layer of subtle detail to your page.
I used "Twinkling Tinsel"which is a shiny white mist.

You can buy it HERE.


14.  Now place your stencil over your coloured mist

area & spray lightly with water.  This will create a water colour 
effect with the colours you already have on your page.  


15.  Add some fine splatters to your layout using a fan brush.

Pour some mist into a glass or ceramic bowl so you are able to dip 
your fan brush in without kinking the bristles.  This effect can 
ONLY BE ACHIEVED USING A FAN BRUSH.

You need to dip the brush quickly into the mist (so you don't load it up too much) then hold it over the area you want to splatter then tap it with your left hand while holding it with your right hand) or visa versa if you are left-handed of course!


 This is the final effect, with the texture from the molding paste,
 the splatters/water colour effect & the find black speckles.


Some more of the different thicknesses
 of the embossing paste here - YUM!!!


16.  Glue your entire page to a backing sheet
{I use the white papers that come inside my album refill plastics}
This will iron out any waves & kinks created from the moisture
on your page.  Use a roller where possible (around the flat areas)
to ensure that the entire page is well adhered to the backing paper.


17.  Play around with the positioning of your 
elements until you are happy then adhere.


18.  Start layering up & adhering your elements

{packaging, chipboard, craft tag & photo} to the side 
of your mixed media work so as not to cover it all up!


19.  Cut a 4" {10cm} strip of dry-wall tape

 & use it in 4 different places around your main elements
 by cutting it down the width in a jagged, uneven fashion.


20.  Recolour or add depth to your flowers & embellishments

 using sprays & water {the water makes the effect look
 more natural & even & less "tie-dye".


And here is the finished layout!
As you can see I tore the tag across the bottom. {Tearing always adds texture}. And also added some smaller Prima tags {paper & wooden} that  I cut into 2 pieces each & dipped in my left-over mists for a painterly effect.


I also added a large Prima metal Element from Finnabair.
This is really tactile & textural too & I've been waiting
for the perfect place to put it.


You can see above left that I also used some of the Prima clear packaging with the white script writing.  I adhered this with a
 big dollop of hot glue that ended up squishing under the entire area, therefore becoming invisible.










All the embellishments used come from Prima - the flowers, 
sugar-dots, metal elements, the wood pieces & the clear dots. 
 I used my hot-glue gun to adhere them all.  I find this the
 quickest & easiest method & it also works out very economical
 & very strong.  It is very unforgiving though so you do need
 to make sure you are happy with your placement first.

Thanks for stopping by today!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!