Geek Lab with Hannah

Aloha!!

It’s Hannah with you here today. I am so excited to share this post. I am always thinking of fun ways I can mix up my kits. This month I thought, wouldn’t it be cool to use the cut files we get with our kits and cut my photo?!

This month Amy Horton gave us a cut file to use with the Traveler’s Notebook kit. The Sundance Traveler’s Notebook Kit features the Wish You Were Here collection by Pretty Little Studio and designed by Ashley Horton. It is colorful, travel themed and has some really fun and hip trees in it. I love this collection and this kit is so jammed packed and perfect for the Traveler’s Notebook.

I pulled out my silhouette and cut out the cut file with a couple of pieces of 4×6 patterned journaling cards from the kit. I also decided to be very brave. (I used a different cut file but we also offer digital files with our kits as well.)

I think one of the things about learning in scrapbooking is trying new things. Sometimes these things work out sometimes they don’t and you need to rethink your approach or try it a different way. This problem solving helps you grow as a scrapbooker. I also feel like if you are happy with the way you do things you shouldn’t have to change your style. But sometimes it is just good to try something new to remember why you love your style too.

All this for trying new things. I am cutting on my photo. I printed a big photo of Mt. Rainer from the zoo. I took it with my DSLR, did a simple edit on it. Printed in as a 5×7. This size a tad bigger than the Traveler’s notebook, but once I cut the cut file most of the extra stuff from the photo would be taken out.

If this is something you are wanting to do, I suggest using a photo you know most of the main stuff in the photo will get taken off. This should help pick a photo that can handle that. I choose a mountain image because it contained a lot of blue sky and then a different colored mountain. The mountain is easy and clear to see because it is way lighter than the sky. This difference in light and dark colors and solid less detail helps you see the image even though not all of it is really there.

Using a cut file on your photo can be so cool and a fun way to showcase the cut file and your photo.

This is what my photo looks like all cut,  not on my spread.

I left most of the hello off from the cut file. It wasn’t actually on purpose but in the end I think I would have cut it off anyway so there was less blue from the sky.

I love how the plane has the dark colors from the landscape around the mountain.

Like I mentioned I cut the file with patterned paper as well. This is something I do often. I really like how using different patterns make the cut files look completely different.

I used the really nice Fancy Pants Traveler’s Notebook from the kit this month. I decided to add both the photo and the patterned paper cut file on my spread. 

I kept the spread really simple. Leaving lots of room for journaling. using the washi tape for layers. This also keeps the spread pretty flat , which is something I have been thinking a little more about lately. I want to be able to get my stories in these albums without having to not use pages because I can’t close my notebook.  Using cut files and washi tape for layers I don’t need to add as many layers, though it still looks like I did.

I love the phrase and card stock stickers in this collection. They add some spunk to my spread.

I used a small paper bag that came with my Clique Kits as a place to tuck a tag threaded with colorful twine.

I finished off this spread with some heart die cuts with similar colors as my cut files. It really adds to my journaling without being really busy.

Be sure to head over to the Clique Kits Youtube Channel and watch my process video. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss any of the Design Team videos we post there.

Thanks for joining me today. I hope you check out the store and add your add ons, before the September Kits ship out. I can’t wait to see what you all make with you Traveler’s Notebook Kit this month!!

Yearbook with Hannah

Aloha!! It’s Hannah here today.

Do you you ever have a story to tell that needs lots of space for journaling but you also have a bit of photos you want to use to highlight your story? What do you choose to do? This is where my brain says double page layout. I really like to give the photos room to breathe and leave lots of space to handwrite  my story without worry that I will run out of room.

I know double pages aren’t all that popular anymore. We often have this concept in our mind of what they should look like or we are worried about filling all that space. If they aren’t your jam, that is fine too. I also want to remind you the cool thing about allowing your story and your photos come together to fit your style and rearrange how you think double pages can look like.

I used the Malibu Main August Kit to make my layout today.  I also am cutting each side to 8 1/2 by 11. I am thinking this change in size will be a nice change in my album but also not feel so daunting as I feel the space.

I start with 2 pieces of white card stock, I like to start off with something empty and crisp. I edged one side with some bright purple chalk ink. I wanted to add a touch of color because I knew on the first side I was using the gorgeous sunset water paper.

I am not gonna lie, this paper is gorgeous and it saddened me to cut it down, but I knew it really would fit my spread better this way. One this first sheet I stitched some weird zig zag stitches. I carried it through to the other side by adding a strip of the sunset paper underneath it.

Adding the stitching all the way across will tie the layouts together to help tell a cohesive story.

The photos from each side are from a different place, I wanted it to be contrasting against each other as well. I layered some papers under the photos on the second side.

The first side I layered some of the embellishments from the kIt together to fit nicely near the start of the title.

The little squares from the speciality paper are my favorite. I used them all over my layout. 

I really wanted my second page really simple so I could do my journaling on this page. I added a little bit of Shimmerz Creamez in pink and purple. The shimmer in the paint is so pretty but subtle that it really enhances the words that are written over top.

I mixed thickers from the August Main Kit with leftover Thickers from last month’s kit. They work so well together and the both really pick up on the colors in this kit. I wanted my title to run across both sides of the double page spread. I wanted to make sure though, that when the pages were separate they could stand on their own too.

I had fun adding the hologram phrase stickers through out the layout.

Here is a look at the full double page spread.

I really wanted my story and the few photos to do the focus. Little details like leaving room for the journaling and using my title to help tell my story really ties everything together.

Check out my process video and see me make this fun double page spread.

I hope that you are inspired to really use your photos and experiences to help tell your stories on your layouts. I also hope you share them online and use our hashtag #cliquekits so we can see your projects with your Clique Kits.

Geek Lab with Hannah

Aloha!! It’s Hannah here with you today! Lately I have been loving adding my own brush script to my layouts. It is a fun way to add a bit of me to the layout. It makes the layout seem more homemade and has an unique touch.

Today I am going to be sharing with you how I take my own brush script and making it into a png file so I can add it to the Silhouette Software and add it to an exclusive Clique Kits Cutfile.

At the end of the blog I’ll also have a video tutorial that I put together sharing this same info as well in case you like to see what someone is doing in order to learn. I hope you will save that video in your Youtube info so you can refer to it the next time you want to add a png to a cut file.

Adding your own brush script to a cut file is so easy.  It just takes a few extra steps and a piece of you is injected to your layout.

First, use some card stock or watercolor paper, watercolor paints, and some watercolor brushes. I prefer to use black watercolor or at least a dark color paint so that it shows up when you can your image. I also like thicker paper because it won’t warp also allowing for a crisper and cleaner file when you scan it.

Brush script out the title or word you want to use. I find in general with brush script, practice makes perfect. Also know that it is not going to be perfect and that is generally the look I am going for. If you want it close to perfect keep trying until you get the look you want.

You will also need a scanner that is connected to your computer. Mine is wireless so I can do everything right from my computer. Scan your image however your system allows you to do. (My scanner will scan if I go into the system preferences and switch the printer to the scan section.) I like to scan at 300 dpi because I will also get a cleaner clearer image. I scan and save my image to a PNG at this point. You can scan and save as a JPG and switch it to a PNG later.

You will need a PNG in order to use it in the Silhouette software.

I decided to use the Sun exclusive cut file for July. I pull up the Cutfile in my Silhouette software like I normally do when I am going to cut it. I like to open it using the SVG file, because all the cut marks are already added. It’s one less step.

You can open it in a png and then trace it to add the cut lines. Make sure you the High Pass Filter is selected and the value is high enough to get all the intricate cuts of this file.

I also recommend that when you cut this file out you use a nice sharp blade and double cut it. This will ensure that your file be cut right and you don’t have to redo it.

You will need to pull up the scanned cut file in another window in your silhouette. Select the words or phrase in the software with the trace tool. Select the High Pass Filter up the value until everything you want to cut is in yellow.

If there is any part of the image you don’t want cut this is a good time to select the image and select release compound path. This will separate the lines in the image, allowing you to select and delete certain areas of the image. (I show how to do this in detail on the tutorial, as I had info on the image I didn’t want to cut.)

When all the lines you don’t want to cut are deleted, then reselect the image and select Make Compound Path. This will connect all the words in the phrase so you can move them together.

When this whole image is selected (the phrase or word you brush scripted), Copy it.

Click back on the Exclusive Cutfile from Clique Kits, and paste the brush script into the exclusive file. Adjust the brush script to whatever size you like, inside the middle of the sun.

All your cut lines should be in red, since you already selected and traced the outlined phrase you are adding.

From here you cut the file as you would any other cut file.  Adjusting the settings according to the paper you are cutting on.

Here is the tutorial video showing you all this info I explained.

I used a piece of patterned paper from the July Pool Party Main Kit, from Bella Blvd. I wanted a fun pop with the cool design.

I kept my layout really simple so that this amazing cut file would shine.

You can watch my process video of this layout below.

 

Here is a look at my finished layout, with some watercolor behind the cut file so it peeks through all the cuts of the file.

Thanks for joining me today. I hope you try and share with us how you use the Clique Kits Exclusive Cutfiles!!

Share Your Space with Hannah

Aloha!! I think it is every scrappers desire to sit back and take the time to dream up what our perfect craft space is to us. We make our wish lists, and pick out the perfect colors and configure the space a dozen times to best fit our stash.

When we were house hunting last summer, finding a house with a craft room was on my wishlist.  I hit the jackpot, with the house we ended up getting. This smaller closed in porch with surround windows would be my SPACE, all mine! It was a blank canvas for me to figure out how I wanted to use as my inspiration starter.

The first purchase I made was a comfy adjustable chair. I decided on the Grey/Aqua color combo as my palette.

 

This fall my husband surprised me with a really nice and big craft desk. I love it!! It has tons of storage. I also love that it is a really light color so I can film right on top of it when I am recording process videos.

I try to keep it fairly clean, since I am the type of scrapper that is affected by my mess. If my desk gets too cluttered I have mojo issues. Not what you want when you want your space to speak ideas.

I do like to line my window sills with pretty tea cups and dishes (I am a collector of Asian tea pot and cup sets, they make me so happy). I add my die cuts and tiny embellishments to them and then they are ready and at my fingertips when I am creating. I really like to see my supplies so they spark my creativity.

 

I also keep some Project Life type embellishments in this really cute cupcake tin from Crate Paper on my desk top. I keep a small stash of Pocket Page cards in the berry containers when I am working on Project Life. This is new this year since I have started monthly Pocket Page Scrapbooking.

 

My desk has some really nice paper shelves that I like to keep my current kits and collections in. The top is my Clique Kit stuff that I am working on that current month.

All the other shelves house current collections (papers and embellishments) that I may want to scrap with. When I buy more collections or they mostly gone, I separate them by embellishment type and scraps or add them to the plastic kit club bags. I really like to keep my kits and collections together as long as possible. This is how I think when I scrapping, by kit or collection. Even if I mix them I need them to be separate. Only when they are mostly used up I add them with like embellishments for later use.

I really try not to keep a really big stash of stuff. I used to buy stuff every month, but this year I have really slowed my buying to focus on using up most of what I am buying. Plus I only have so much space. I don’t want it cluttered and I can’t store my stuff anywhere else.

My desk drawer holds my most used items scissors, stapler, my fave ink pads, journaling pens (I may have a problem with those), adhesive, and some other odd and end embellies I may want to use. I also add pictures I really want to scrap in this drawer until I scrap them. This way I won’t forget to scrap those most important stories.

I seriously love this view!! My room over looks our backyard, so green.

 

Here is another view of my window view. On a good day I can see the top of Mt. Rainer in it’s snow topped beauty!!

You can see my filming equipment. I film with my iPad Mini, and that gooseneck clamp, holds it really well. It’s adjustable if I need to move it around. I use lots of light if I film at night so I have two extra lamps on my window sill to help distribute the light all around.

This cubed shelf is so amazing!! My Gooseneck clamps on the shelve for filming. I also keep my monthly current layouts on my shelf. I keep them there until I do the voiceovers, incase I need to look at them. It is really cool to see all the stories I have documented on the side. It really inspires me to keep telling our memories and stories, so we don’t forget them. Having three smaller kids, things change so much.

I also keep some old smaller alphas on this shelf. I have a small Crate Paper box for my Clique Kits printables after the month is over. This way I can go back and see if there are any I want to add to my Project Life Spreads.

I really like keeping things at my finger tips. It helps the searching process to a low, I can get so much more done in a shorter time, if I don’t have to run around my room looking for things.

I love all the patterns I could get with the cubes. It holds tons of embellishments and stickers. I can store them and not have to worry about clutter.

This is how I store my embellishments in my cubes. I also have a mixed media cube and a Ali Edwards Story Kits cube. Staying organized helps me find the things I want to add to a layout when I am scrapping. I don’t spend a lot of time searching for things, because I know exactly where they are.

This is my work station.

With a great big pile of layouts (that is what is in the Priority Mail Boxes.) Old layouts that need to go into albums. That is a project for next year, buy a  bunch of albums and fill them up. For now they are going into old mail boxes from my Clique Kits or other scrappy purchases. I may have at least a hundred or two of old layouts from this year and last.

The last owners left this amazing roll top desk, which I love for storing my laptop and silhouette. I really like to have a separate area for writing blogs, editing photos and doing voice overs. This helps separate my creative space from my work space.

Also being housed on my desk is my newest purchase, this really beautiful Singer sewing machine. I solely bought this machine to sew on layouts, is that bad?!  I will however need to learn to sew now, so who knows what I will end up sewing on in the future 😉

 

Lastly I want to share one last thing in my scrap space that I really love. Because of all the windows in my room I don’t really have a place for an inspiration wall, so I got this board. I like to switch out sketches I need to use, things I want to incorporate on my layouts. I also have some fabric on it, trying to plan out a future curtain project I am starting this summer for my craft space.

I am also finally painting my room, so I have some paint samples trying to see what I think will be the best for my space. I really want to digest this, because I probably won’t repaint it for a while. I want to it be great for picture taking and filming, but also inspire me so I am more productive in my space.

I love to come and just sit in my space too, I can see so much nature. It can get distracting but I wouldn’t have it any other way. The only thing that would make this space perfect is a ocean view, LOL. I can’t have everything though, so I am so thankful for this amazing space.

Field Notes: Follow Your Rainbow or Sunset

Aloha My scrappy Friends!! It’s Hannah with you today. When I started scrapbooking I was hooked on Mixed Media. When I made a layout it always had a variety of media on it, and I may have went a little crazy. It really appealed to me in the no rules aspect. It really helped me grow and learn about about as a scrapbooker. This journey is one of the most important for a memory keeper. It helps you forage the way you end up telling your story, in the way you need to do. This is whether or not you yourself add media to your projects.

As I started growing and leaning towards cleaner layouts, I did less and less media. My products sitting lonely in my mixed media drawer.

Lately though I really have been itching to play around and get dirty. Literally. I think Mixed media is like riding a bike, once you get the hang of it and into the groove you get better with time.

Today I am going to be using the May Sorbet kit with add ons from the store to be making my Travelers Notebook. I wanted this size because I think sometimes it is a good place to start, a smaller size to fill up.

Also I hope you take quick look of the new Travelers Notebook Kit that is being added to Clique Kits. It matches the main kit and has tons of goodies play with it your Travelers Notebooks or even adding to your main kit.

 

Let’s look at what I made. I am not going to lie, this spread was my nemesis!! A real labor of love. No matter what I did, I was not sure how I felt. When I am using mixed media products I really use my gut feeling to help guide through the creating process. I think this is quite different approach from just making a layout or other memory keeping project.

Here are some tips to remember about Mixed Media :

It almost always looks bad before it looks really good.  I think this is because layers is the key. Sometimes a stencil gets smudge a little, or a paint splatter is bigger than you thought.

When making my layout I had tried using the cut file Maryam had designed, and adding that right to the page.  It was just too much paper on all the paint I had added.  I actually used my cut file to trace the triangles on top of my paint. splotches.

These splotches are through my layout and I used Shimmerz Acri-tonez in hot pink (it dry so fast and I don’t have to add gesso before, which is nice when I don’t have extra steps.) and gold paint.

When you mess up you can always cover it up.  Sometimes a stencil doesn’t leave a clear image, or you smudge paint before it dries.  When I make a mistake I always try to remember that I can always cover it up with an embellishment or photo. This helps take the pressure off so I don’t have to stress about it being perfect. Mixed Media is all about having fun and experimentation.

Also if you really screw things up, you can always start over again on a fresh new page or cover it with gesso. Since mixed media is about the layers adding gesso and another layer of paint or media it will add an unique twist to your spread.

On my spread I used a doily I had left over from last month’s kit and used it as a layer under my photo. I layered a piece of card stock with the Pretty Little Studio washi strips. I placed these over an area where my silkscreen didn’t transfer my gold paint very well.

I love the way that tab from the exclusive printable looks under my photo with some hearts from Pink Fresh Studio. The gold mirror heart was in the Add on store, and these pieces are so cute. They really help tie in all the gold I used on the background.

Mixed Media is about art expression, use things you love.  When you love the techniques, colors, products, tools or embellishments, it will show on your spread. Playing and learning is part of mixed media, but in the end the things you love that you add to your project really set your page from just okie to a LOVE page.  You may not love every page you make, but using products and elements you love will give you pieces that you love too.

On the page I made I really was eyeing the Freckled Fawn clips. They are so bold and fun. They really make a statement. I layered them with a cut part from one of the papers from the Main Kit and a stamped image I popped off the page. I stamped the image, with the Pink Fresh Studios stamp set,  on white card stock and cut it out. Adding pop dots to give it dimension off the page and making the image more of the focal point. Especially with stamped or written phrases on the inside.

Also layered under the clip was a gold doily from my stash, gold thread and some of the exclusive sequins for this month. They match this kit so well, and the flower sequins looked so cute inside my rainbow.

I added some Pretty Little Studio block alphas to finish my title and finished this cluster up with a gold mirror heart.

 

My last tip for mixed media, is Have Fun and Play, Play, Play.  Mixed media is about expression and when you aren’t having fun it shows. If you aren’t having fun, you won’t want to come back to it later. Just let go and have fun playing.

Playing and practicing also makes a difference. It will help you get better and get a feel for the techniques you get quickly and the ones you need to work on if that is the media you want to use.

These Maggie Holmes butterflies in the Add on section in the store are so fun. They worked perfectly with my spread because it’s about change. Embracing the change an flying high with it.

Here is a look at my full spread.  It’s not perfect, but in the journey of making this I really embraced it. I really kept trying until I got a look I was happy with. Even if I had to take up things off the page three or 4 times.

I hope this week you give some thought in how you can add some fun and play mixed media to you spreads. Even little things like adding some modeling paste to a journaling card, or splatter some color ink on white card stock before you start layering papers.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for this weekend, for international Scrapbooking Day, May 6th. We will be hosting tons of amazing challenges to play along in. There will be lots of chatting, scrapbooking and prizes!!

 

 

 

Mixed Media Monday On Youtube: Playing along with the April Challenge

Aloha My Scrappy Friends!! It’s Hannah with you today. I am using the April “Jelly Bean” Kit to make this Pocket Page Spread today.

This pocket Page Spread I made for the April Challenge using Latina Crafter Stamps. I had a small almost 3X4 size alpha stamp. It is the perfect size for Pocket Page cards or smaller titles. From the minute I saw the stamp I know this was how I would use it. Let me tell you, it was fun, I had a hard time not using this stamp on every card in my spread.

For my pocket page spread, I am doing it monthly. This means for me, I just think about filling pockets. I don’t worry about having two protectors per week. This means that some protectors have two or three days and some have more. This all depends on what is going on in my week. This time period I am documenting is March 1 and 2nd 2017. I am using Design A and then I add a 6X12 protector to go with the one side of the Design A. There was a lot going on at the beginning of the month and I also like to make sure I have enough journaling for my pictures.

I also like to really pretty cards in my pockets especially when I use a kit on my spreads. Using a kit helps keep my selections limited which I really need. I will way overdo it. This year I am really working on keeping it simple to make sure I focus on the stories and photos that happen throughout the month.

Even though I am using a kit, I still love to infuse me into the kit I am using. This April “Jelly Bean” Kit is so colorful it really inspired me to get creative. Mixed Media allows me to play and add to my kits and infuse me into my spreads. The amazing thing is you don’t have to do much with your mixed media to make it special to you.

I started off by printing off the exclusive printables from the April Kit. These printables are designed and coordinate perfectly with each kit.  I used this as my starting off point and what also inspired me.

I used white cardstock, cut into 3X4 size cards. I decided not to use Gesso to prime my cards, I knew I would try to stamp as well, I wanted my drying time to be shorter. I also wasn’t sure how this stamp would stamp on gesso, would it smudge? I didn’t want to take that chance. I knew I was going to keep my cards simple too. This often helps me decide whether priming the cards is necessary.

I chose to use watercolors. On one card I just spread the top with an orange color. I added small tiny flowers on both ends of the orange paint. These flowers were similar to the ones in the collection. When paint dried I used a black dye ink and stamped the word Joy in the middle.

I cut the card down and backed it on the Bella Blvd Daily Details Paper. With my journaling, a roller date stamped on and a puffy sticker, this card is so cute and matches my spread.

I also mixed the exclusive designed pocket page cards in my spread as well. I loved this card with the hearts at the top.  It had the right amount of space to journal about the Blog Hop we had on March 1st.  I added some Freckled Fawn Enamel Dots next to the hearts for a little extra something and left the card alone.

I have found with my pocket pages less is more.

For my other mixed media card I added half circles with watercolor on the bottom half of the card. I used the exclusive printable as inspiration. There was a similar card but I wanted to change up the colors and make them match more of what I had used. This is the cool thing about mixed media. You can tweak and alter your kit and make it work for you.

I Used Joy again with my Latina Crafter Stamp. I stamped once in full ink and then continue stamping until the ink was all gone. This ombre look looks really cool on the different color paint.

After I finished the card I outlined it with my black pen and added this card with an image of a text message I had with a friend. This is a fun way to add conversations and interactions with family and friends without having a major picture.

Throughout my spread I added lots of stamped words with my new Latina Crafter Stamp.  Seriously it was so much fun.  Added with this Freckled Fawn Foam word and some exclusive printables my coffee photo is really fun. It makes a simple photo and gives it some piazza.

I also used the Stamp on my Photo that I had a longer story/journaling on in my pocket page spread. This is why I used a 6X12 protector. It took a bit to figure out the arrangement on the page but it was fun designing on a different size layout. I printed my journaling from my laptop in a funky typewriter font. this allowed me to add more journaling than I could write out. I also was wanting to use journaling I had right from my FB acct, which is a simple copy and paste for journaling. I had already wrote the words earlier, sometimes there really is no need to re write the journaling.

I keep the 6X12 layout simple, with some epoxy sticker add ons and some printables.  

I hope you check out the april challenge blog post and see all the details and join along. Make sure you tag us so you can be entered into the drawing for the sponsor’s prize. We love to see all you in the Clique have made using your kits!!

Make sure you also check out my process video for this spread.

 

Can’t wait to see you around!! Have an Inspired Day!

Geek Lab with Hannah

Aloha!! It’s Hannah here with you today.  The fresh and bold colors in the “Jelly Bean” April Kit have me thinking about Spring. Where I live it’s still pretty green and damp. It has me dreaming about my flower bed from the summer and all the beautiful colors they wore proudly. I knew this kit and the exclusive flower cut file would fit perfectly together to make an awesome layout.

Maybe by making a layout about my flowers will entice them to grow faster! If only scrapbooking brought on the season change and made the weather behave?!! While I dream about wearing old sneakers and dirty garden gloves, lets take a look at what I created.

I really wanted to go BOLD so I used my silhouette to cut the exclusive floral cut file with pattern paper. The cut file is really intricate so it really helps this busy paper pop. The flowers come alive. It will work well on my layout because I am using white cardstock that I made several stripes with dark grey acrylic paint. The color against the dark and white really help them stand out.

I cut one set of flowers big and left them open. I also cut a couple of other sets in plain white cardstock.  I like to use smooth cardstock with my cut files. I find they look better and the thicker quality helps them hold up better in the silhouette. These smaller sets I backed with some of my left over “Paint Me” patterned paper and some of the dotted vellum. I used some tiny staples in gold from my tiny attacher to attach and hold the paper together. I wanted to create shadows by attaching them this way. I wanted the cut file to lift up a bit from the paper to add dimension too.

To me this really helps makes an impact on a layout when you use dimension and shadows in your favor. The bright colors in this kit and paper really help with that as well.

I used 3 3×4 size photos that I matted with white cardstock. With all the color in the cut file and in my photos I didn’t want to go crazy. I also knew I would finish off the layout with some splatters of the Shimmerz Acri-tonez Paints.

I added a couple of the cut aparts from the “Daily Details” Paper for some extra layers. I love the writing on them it’s so fun and said perfectly how I felt. The gold foil on some of the cards is gorgeous and I couldn’t help myself not to use that on this layout.

I lightly embellished this page. The color and intricacy of the cut file really helped fill the page up. I used a few of the Freckled Fawn foam word phrase stickers. They are really fun. I also added some of the Bella Blvd Puffy Stickers and Epoxy Stickers from the Clique Store.  These stickers add just the right amount of extra color to tie my layout together.

For the title I used the Elle Studio White Alphas and one of the Heidi Swapp Acetate words in gold. I love when I have word phrases in my kits to help me with my title. I don’t really mind if I don’t have the most thought out title. As long as it helps capture the feelings I have when I see my photo that’s all that matters to me. I know I will have journaling somewhere on my layout eventually so my family and I can remember all my thoughts about these photos.

Though truth be told, I just really enjoy taking photos of my gorgeous flowers. They are all mine and they are beautiful! I just want to remember how beautiful they are, especially during the middle of the winter when it has been raining for ten days straight and you can see your breathe when you wake up in the morning. It’s times like this I want to remember there is color and beauty that grows right in my own back yard. I don’t need a fancy title this time for that!

To finish off my layout I added Freckled Fawn enamel dots and shapes around my cut file. That is intact what I want my eye to go to first when I look at this layout. I added the year for a date with more of the White Alphas by Elles Studio. Since the date really isn’t important I don’t need it to stand out. I also finished by adding splatters with the Shimmerz Acri-tonez Paints. I just let the paint fall out of the bottle as I lightly squeezed it. I really love the look it gave adding them this way. The paint made really raised spots around my layout and have great dimension. I made sure I put my layout off to the side while it dried so the paint didn’t get touched, or settle down.

I hope you are inspired today to create different looks using just one cut file. It really makes a cut file be versatile when you can get different looks just by changing a few things, like color, shape and what is behind the cut file itself.

Have a great day and I hope you are excited about playing with your April “Jelly Bean” Kit when it shows up at your door. When it does arrive be sure to tag us and share what you creating with your kit!!

Also Check Out my Process Video on the Clique Kits Youtube Channel for more details on how I made this fun layout.

Student of the Month – Hannah Lemieux

Aloha!! This is Hannah here and I am so excited to be one of the Guest Designers for March!! The “Hell Yeah “ Kit is so much fun to play with. I am loving all the black and white with pops of colors. For the layout I made I decided to go with that concept. Since I love making my backgrounds unique I took one of the Pattern papers and altered it. Yes, i know that sounds kinda scary, right?! I picked the Seven Paper Goldie paper002, which has Amazing black doodled stripes. Now I messed up there definitely was no going back. I broke out my watercolors and started painting more stripes. The Inspiration I had for my background was a shirt I recently bought that was a black and white plaid. I love the the stripes on my plaid shirt are different widths. On my background I played with this thought of making some of the lines wider. Since I had already picked out my papers, I went with twisted citrus in distress ink (watered down to look like watercolor) and some hot pink Heidi Swapp Color Shine for some of the other stripes on the background. I splattered the access of my paint brush in a couple of spots too.

 

I love how it turned out, even though it isn’t perfect. I find that is the key to homemade backgrounds. Embracing the imperfect!! The imperfections often adds to it’s uniqueness.

Now it was time to build the rest of my layout. I knew that I wanted to use three 3×4 size photos that I took recently during a unexpected trip back to visit my family. I took some nature shots of things we definitely don’t see much of in Hawaii, like sumac and birch tress. I knew I wanted to create this layout so my kids could see a little of what I used to see growing up but is so foreign to them.

Because my background was so busy I tried to pick just a few papers that were mostly black and white with pops of colors that were either in my photos or in the background paper I created.

I layered some of the exclusive die cuts pieces made by Pink Fresh Studios in a few areas to draw your eye around my photos. The wash tape also added a nice layer without being to much because you can kinda see through it.

For my title I used one of the pocket page cards from the Paper add by Photo play. The word Wonderful just looked so pretty. I couldn’t help but use it on my layout. I added the word Nature in the Red alphas by Studio Calico. I love these alphas, they are just the perfect size for titles. I only wish they had more of each color.

For my journaling, I waned to do something a little different. Plus with this busy background there wasn’t a lot of space on the main part of the layout to see what I wanted to write. I cut a little off the the sides of the layout and added the patterned paper on plain white card stock. This gave me a little edge around the layout for journaling.

I think it turned out really cool and adds something different to my layout.

Here is a look at the full layout completed.

Thanks for joining us today!! I hope you were inspired!! Don’t forget to come back and see what the other designers are doing with their March “Hell Yeah” kits too.

Aloha, Hannah