Be your own paper designer !

Here is a little scrapbooking insider tidbit for you:) When a company, like Pinkfresh Studio, is designing a line of paper there will be repeated elements throughout the collection ( or they would just look like separate pieces of paper, right?!)  Designers will choose Color and Shapes as the two main ways to create a cohesive collection. So, when I have no idea of where to start because I’m in a creative funk, Those are the things that I look for and try to pull inspiration from:)

On these two pieces of ‘Happy Things’ paper, I admired the triangles. The way they were orientated, overlapping, transparent and dimensional.  So I thought I would recreate the paper in my own way with the pictures being the majority of the triangles.

I chose a picture with no faces or orientation so It would be easier to cut from and not worry about missing eyeballs.  Sky shots, floors, or other non portrait like pictures would work very well.

Then, I stitched and pasted the pictures, velum and other fussy cut triangles from the kit to create the ‘paper’ on which to have my full pictures on. I also stitched a few floating triangles as well to add some texture.

From there my creative juices started flowing and I was able to add the final touches with some alphas, height, wood veneer and watercolor splashes.

So my humble advice is not to fret when your stuck. Just be your own scrapbook paper designer and I’m sure that you will love the result.

XOXOXO

-Kim

Are you a Saver?

I’m like my mother, and like her mother and like her mother…. You get my drift, right?!

We are SAVERS!

And, of course, all the Clique Kits bits and fab paper are totally worth saving. Every last inch!  Which is why at the end of this and every kit I receive from Clique Kits, I make something special with the last few pieces left.  I hope to show you clever ways on what can be done with your extra leftover bits throughout the year!

In this specific post I’ll walk you through my process of making a scrappy mini with the Funfetti Kit. I approach any non 12×12 scrapbook layout or pocket page with the same process laid out below.  I will list them here first and them break it down as the post continues:

1. Shape 
2. Theme
3. Binding

I first look at what the majority of the pieces shape is.  In this case, they are rectangle.  I cut or ripped each larger scrap as a base for the pages.  90% of scrapbooking paper is double sided so if you don’t like a certain b-side, paste one to it. Not only will it add stability to the book but you won’t have to work with the side you don’t like:)

Then for your theme you can fly by the seat of your pants or have some structure.  I used the leftover picture that ‘didn’t make the cut’ for week-in-the-life but you are free to use vacation leftovers, sports shots or just a book on selfies.   Obviously you’ll organize pictures by what works best with each scrapbooking paper page.

Size will definitely determine the picture you will get to use.  Don’t be afraid to cut them smaller, please.  You probably will like the picture better!  I print all my pictures in 4×6’s and sometimes those 2″ cut away leftover pieces when I make a 4×4 album make for some great shots!

After adding all the pictures, alphas, printables and extra scraps of paper each page it gets pretty sturdy.  So you’ll have to consider that when you choose your binding.

I’m a big fan of the rings you can buy at Office whatever because you can buy a pack of different sizes in a great silver.

Think about using ribbon, string, or brads when assembling.  You don’t always have to use plastic page protectors or a ring for binding when using an album. Also, picking up any type of album, even if it’s at the dollar store will work.

I truly appreciate you stopping by for read and I hope to see you soon!!

XOXOXO

-Kim

Being Fussy

I am always tempted to use scrapbook paper whole, the way the designer and manufacturer has intended.   This paper from Pink Fresh Studio in the October Funfetti kit is so beautiful on it’s own, the soft clouds,  the delicate feathers and especially the words of encouragement!

BUT…

The snapshot I wanted to use, in my opinion, too dark for the original lighter background ‘dream big’  paper.

So I wanted to recreate the paper by taking all the elements from the page I adore and rearrange all the parts to work with another background.

Here they are side by side so you can see where the elements came from.

I wanted the feathers to be trailing like before and also added a couple more from another paper in the kit.

Fussy cutting the word ‘Dream’ was easy but I substituted the ‘big’ for the matching sticker in the kit.

 

I did take some inexpensive craft paint and whitewashed the background before attacking the layout.  It’s a great trick to use that will lighten any background paper.

I gave the Crate Paper tassels a trim to make my rays of sunshine behind the clouds.  Adding height really gave it dimension.

Fussy cutting is indeed time consuming, but I think totally worth the effort!

XOXOX

-Kim

Pocket Style Without the Pockets

I have always valued a pocket page for it’s simplicity of design and ease of use.  But what if you’re not into pocket pages or you just don’t want to feel constrained by those tiny plastic boxes!?

Scrapbooking in a way that is organized with fixed symmetry can be put together in no time!

The Pink Fresh Studio paper with the 3 x 3 squares is what got me on the right track for a grid design.  I printed out my pictures from Walgreens in a 3 photo collage format leaving the 3rd section blank in a regular 4×6 picture.  Without the 3rd collage picture, it creates some blank space below the pictures that could be used for journaling but in this case, I just used it for white space between the squares. Bonus – two pictures for the price of one!

A scrappers trick to adding some interest to simple design is HEIGHT!  Add some cardboard or foam stickies under each element.  The height gives it an illusion of being more complex than it really is 🙂

I did enjoy placing our Clique Kits Gold Confetti Sequins in sets of three in each row between the pictures – thought it added some sparkle and uniformity.  Since stitching is one of my first loves, I created a border with three different thread types and stitch length.  Then finished it off with journalling surrounding the whole layout.

Thank you guys for welcoming me so warmly to the Clique Kits Family!  Looking forward to a year of getting to know all of my new Family!