Shimelle's starting point

I've done a few of these. I think they are a wonderful way to get your mojo going. This week she used a border punch and layered the punched piece over the top of a strip of paper with the same patterned paper. I've wanted to try this for a while now. I've seen how effective it can be with just plain cardstock. I used two lines of border punches instead of the one Shimelle used. You can see hers here. Have a go. It's lots of fun.

This is another layout using old Scenic Route collections. It's another bright layout. I must be inspired to use up my stash at the moment because my job should be packing them away but I just can't bring myself to do it yet. 

The flowers were created using the various Spellbinder blossom dies. There are 4 in total. I haven't made flowers for a while and it was a first using these dies even though I've had them for a while. 

These brads are pretty cool. They are kind of fluffy. You can't tell in the picture.

I like the layering of embellishments in small clusters. I've repeated the type of embellishment in each cluster. I think it looks pretty good. Simple but effective.

See the 2 layers of border punch?

I had to use the negatives of the letters because I'd run out of letters. I don't mind the effect. I hate my hand writing and I think it ruins the layout but I also think the kids will value my efforts in years to come.

I'm into challenges at the moment. It is keeping me focused and inspired. What do you do to keep you inspired and keep your mojo flowing? 

Kaisercraft Saturday Sketch October

I created this layout at the start of the month when I received my Bonjour papers. I really liked this sketch as it allocates enough space for 3 photos which I just love. These days everyone has sooo many photos and they just don't know how they are able to scrap all of them and thus feel the need to catch up and that they are never up-to-date. Sketches like this one allow you to get a numerous photos down at once. This paper range is perfect for girls and for travel. I think it would be fantastic to use for pages about your mother or grandmother too. I really enjoyed working with this range. So here it is. 

Here is the sketch.

Here is my take on the sketch.

 I really like this method of creating a banner. Cut a strip of paper the length and width you want, fold the paper in half length ways and cut a 'v' out of it starting from the edge of the paper and cutting up towards the middle/fold of the paper. Simple but effective.

The flower is from the sticker sheet as is the butterfly border.

The heart were cut using my spellbinder dies and I've used pop dots to give them some dimension. I love the Kaisercraft pearls I've used too. They work really well with this range.

Some really simple techniques in this layout but I like the overall effect. I like the banner. What do you think?

Kaisercraft Hunter & Gatherer collection & masculine pages

There was an interesting discussion on scrapbook.com forum on masculine pages and in particular papers and supplies for a male scrapper. Can you believe it? It reminded me of some pages I did a while ago. I haven't uploaded them because for the life of my I can't find the photos on the external hard drive which I was planning on using with this layout. I also have a laminated moth to go on the first layout. Don't worry it was dead before I laminated it. My daughter at about 18 months was fascinated with the moths we had in our house. She used to call them Moh hence the title of the layout.

I really liked this Kaisercraft range. At first I thought it wasn't one I could use. The large insects and the fish paper but it has been really effective.

I really like this fiskars border punch for masculine pages. I know this is a layout about my daughter but it still has a bit of a masculine feel to it to me. Kevin, my DH, told me I needed to buy these papers because there aren't many truly masculine papers around.

Don't you just love the cardboard tags that come with this collection?

I'm really into my Tim Holtz distressing inks at the moment. Where have I been all these years? I just thought everyone was jumping on this fad so I steered clear of them. I don't think I do a page these days without them.

This is a page of Kevin's cub years. I like the simplicity of this page. The banner is actually a border sticker I have cut up and stuck over a piece of twine. The rope is a stamped image I created from the stamp set with this collection. 

For some reason I am unable to upload the other layout and the details of this layout. When I figure out the problem I will be back with some more masculine pages.

These pages were made only using the Kaisercraft Hunter and Gatherer collection and a piece of craft cardstock by an unknown manufacturer. I love this collection. What is your favourite collection for masculine pages? 

School pages

Hollie started prep this year. I still don't know how I ended up with a school kid. I know everyone says it but where did all the time go. She is the youngest in the school being born on the 29th June. Our School in take is 1st July to 30th June with the preppies needing to be 5 or turning 5 in their first 6 months. She just looked so small. Still a baby face. Now she's a reader, writer, counter and expert colourer.

This first layout is of Hollie's first Principal's award. She didn't want to have her photo taken but I had to have one. Of course I didn't attend the parade the week she got the certificate. Every other week. Lisa must have been sleeping that day. :( 

 I used Kaisercraft papers for this layout. I really liked working with this range. The colours are so bright and work so well with younger years at school. The paper pad was excellent. Great little journaling blocks, die cuts and borders in there.

This following layout is Hollie's first day of school. She was so excited. Of course. I mainly used core'dinations on this layout, ran little squares through my cuttlebug and rounded the corners. The other paper used was Scenic Routes. Very old papers there but perfect for her school colours.

2 punched circles to make the apple and a leaf punch. Pretty cute I thought. I'd been trying to find some apple embellishments but there weren't any at my LSS. I think this is a better alternative anyway.

Don't you just love the cuttlebug? I find I use it so often. I love the embossed effect. I also use it frequently with my spellbinders. Gosh I love them. I think I could buy every die they make. 

What about you? What's your favourite thing about a cuttlebug?

Creating Keepsakes 15 minute layout

I have been going through all of my magazines, taking out the articles, layouts, techniques I'd like to use and throwing the mag to the op shop. It took me a week to do but I have them sorted really well now.

I have one folder for layout designs, one for techniques, one for quick layouts, one for 4x6 layouts, one for page protectors, one for scrap room ideas and another for general scrapping/journaling tips and ideas. I have also added notes on the particular element I like so I don't forget why I cut it out in the first place. I am quite happy with my organisation. I am pleased I managed to toss out so many mags because with the big move coming up I don't want extra things to move.

Here is one of the pages I created from the Creating Keepsakes 15 minute layout section. I can't remember who designed the layout as I have since thrown out the cutting as I won't be using it again. 

The longest part of this process was writing the journaling.

I have recently joined this  forum. I have been lurking and not really participating. It seems like a really active forum with some really good ideas. They have a section called Scrap it Blind where they give you the instructions and you have to create a layout based on those instructions. Here is my take on the instructions.

I quite like the simplicity of this layout. I didn't add the stitching like the instructions said. It is packed away and I didn't feel like getting it out to do. Gosh I hate moving.

The instructions called for an unusual banner made up of stickers and any other items not usually seen in banners. Theses are made from the Scenic Route sticker sheets. 

I like the brightness of this layout. It's a bit unusual for me to use such bright colours in a layout. Do you usually scrap with bright colours? I have trouble matching my photos. What do you do to match you photos to bright papers?

Instruction sheet for a boy layout

 Here is the instruction sheet for Cubs which is a layout I created using Kaisercraft's Hunter and Gatherer range. I love this blokey range. At first I wasn't a fan but as soon as I showed Kevin he said I had to make some pages for him using it. There are many more layouts to come using this range. Following the instructions and make your own pages or use the measurements to create something similar from what you have in your stash.
Cubs Layout and Instructions by Amity Knight

I'll be uploading a few more of my instruction sheets in the coming days. Make sure you have a look back here to get some more ideas for your scrapping.

Page protectors, layouts and shopping

I had these extra photos that I wanted to include in Hollie's album so I used the American Crafts page protectors.  It was a great way to use the scraps from the layouts I'd completed using this range also. It is Toot Toot by Kaisercraft. Such a perfect range for our house.

I'm not really happy with this layout. The stamping went all wrong but Hollie likes it and it's for her album and I just want to get the memory recorded and I'm just going to suck it up and deal with it.

The following layout is about a train chase we went on. I like this layout because it is interactive. I like that you can hide the journaling and cut the page protector so it is still easily accessible. That is my biggest gripe with hidden journaling. It's hard to access. Sometimes that's a good thing but I love the stories behind peoples' pages. That's the voyeur in me. 

Cutting the page protector. I use a pencil or something sharp to trace around the item I want cut then I remove the layout and replace it with a piece of heavy cardstock so I can cut the lines I've just traced with a pair of scissors or my knife.

There are some more kid pages coming and some of the new range from Kaisercraft too. I'm looking forward to sharing with you.