Art Studio: Hannah

Aloha!! It’s Hannah with you today. I can’t wait to share my layout with you. I have been really playing with my mixed media products lately. Maybe it’s all the color coming back with all the spring flowers that is making me want more color on my pages.

I am using the June Aquarelle Kit which features the Cocoa Vanilla Studio Wild at Heart Collection.

This kit is so dreamy. It reminded me of my Lilac bush that is now just starting to sport blossoms. That really was my inspiration for my layout today. I would say 80 % of the time my photos or things around me in which make me take their photo inspire me and then make their way to my layouts.

I started off by trying out brush script so I could make a home made cut file and title. I cut them out with the Grow Wild paper from the main kit. I love this dark color with pops of pink and blue flowers. Even though it doesn’t really have purple in it I knew it would work well with purple.

I also cut out the May Challenge cut file that Maryam designed. I love the triangle design and it is so versatile. I also really wanted to use the cut file like a stencil for some mixed media. Cut files are a really good to have stencils. You just have to remember that if you cut it from paper that if you use really wet media it could rip the paper or seep through or under the stencil.

I watered down some acrylic paint in purple, and dabbed the paint brush so it looked like lilacs a little. I did this 4 or 5 small spots on the 12×12 white card stock. I also added another piece of card stock underneath my cut piece so that I would have the top part and negative space of triangles.

I knew I wanted to use the top piece that was cut but I could save the other piece for another layout design. Since I already have my media out and it needs time to dry this saves me a little bit of time down the road.

I used some Shimmerz Pasteez in Puttin’ on the Glitz and Raspberry Sorbet in splotches with my palette knife to create texture. Then sprayed some of the Coloringz on my mixed media areas. I really want to build layers of media in these spots. This is the key to getting great mixed media layouts. I let my media air dry, I didn’t use gesso on this layout and more water or liquid absorbed into my cardstock. If I used a heat gun that would make my paper warp a lot more than it will if I let it air dry over night.

It really is hard to wait for it to dry, which is why I like to do my media in stages. It helps me feel like I got something accomplished when I sit down in my scrap room.

Next I used my Acri-tonz and dropped the Navy and White on my background. I really love the texture and dimension this paint has when it dries. Also this bottle is perfect for squeezing and dropping the perfect size dots over my layout.

To add a little more texture on my layout I added lots of stitching on my photo and on the side of my layout. I love how this zig zag looks over the side of the photo and through the exclusive printable from the Traveler’s Notebook Kit. The white gel pen pops off that black. Layered with some copper thread, the exclusive flair and main kit exclusive printable adds a nice cluster over top one of my mixed media spots. the media is peeking through the lines of the layering and really brings out the color of the lilacs on my photo.

I think my favorite part of this layout is this title with all the different fonts. My own brush script turned into a cut file, the cut apart from the patterned paper in the main kit, and the copper alpha’s from Pink Fresh Studio all with some stitching through them. It just adds that statement I was looking for.

I started the title with more exclusive printable banners and some of the Add-on enamel dots. I also ended the title with the Maggie Holmes puffy hearts from a couple months ago.

With a little extra thought you can use your mixed media to tie into your kit and make a unique and awesome layout. Use as much or as little as you feel comfortable. Play around and see what exclusive cut files make the best stencils. With your creative imagination the sky is the limit!!

To watch me make this layout (from the Clique Youtube Channel) look below:

I hope you check out the Clique Kits Store and see all the amazing mixed media products you can add on to your June Kit. Use my code Hannah10 and you can get a 10% discount too.

Have you subscribed or checked out the Traveler’s Notebook Kit too?! it is just as dreamy as the Main Aquarelle Kit.

Thanks for sticking around with me today. I hope I have inspired you to get a little messy in your scrap space!!

Geek Lab – Favorite

Hello, everyone. Enza here to share a fun layout featuring the awesome May Sorbet kit.

Paper punches are a great tool when it comes to give your pages a more unique look. I love using them, but rarely do anymore, as my die-cutting machine does all the work for me 😉 It felt like a nice change to take out my big box of punches and think of different ways to use them.

For my layout today, I picked three circular punches in different sizes (one of them has scalloped edges), and cut out several circles from a variety of patterned papers.

I then folded them in half, but didn’t glue them together. The idea was to create dimensional petals.  I used the colorful buttons in the Pink Fresh Studio Dream On collection for the inside of the flowers and tucked all the folded circles underneath them.

The smaller picture fit perfectly in between the flowers. A few layers of patterned papers and ephemera pieces were used to give the photo a more finished look.

For my title, I used the “Favorite” die cut included in the May Sorbet Kit. Simple and easy, but still bold enough to create some contrast with the rest of the colors.

I finished the layout with a couple of fun and colorful strips of washi tape at the bottom of the page and puffy stickers scattered all over the page.

Thank you for stopping by. Don’t forget to visit the Clique store for all your crafty needs. We also have a few challenges going on in the Clique Facebook group. You have until May 31^st to play along for a chance to win a gift certificate to the store.

Have a lovely day!

Enza

Art Studio With Hannah

Aloha!! Today I am going to sharing the double page spread that I made for the May Challenge, which is to use gold, mixed media and the sketch and cute file that Maryam created. I am also using the May Sorbet Kit.  Here is a look at the Sketch again.

I started out by using the cut file in my Silhouette with a gold sketch pen. After I decided it wasn’t bright enough so I went over it with a green gold jelly roll pen. I the green will go well with my picture.

I decided from the start that I wanted to put a spin on this sketch and cut file. I resize the file to fit inside an 8 and 1/2 layout. I also took a couple of rows of triangles off the cut file. This will help my triangles to fit mostly on the right side.

I also knew I wanted to use one really large photo. I really wanted it to fill up most of the patterned paper so only a bit sticks out. Then I add some Shimmerz Paste-eez with a stencil on the bottom right side and the top left side.

I added some of the die cuts from the May Sorbet Kit along with some of the exclusive printables. I use a mix of the pieces from the Main kit printables  and the exclusive printables for the Traveler’s Notebook Kit.

I layered the mixed media right on the photo. I really wanted it draw you eye to the photo and from the bottom to the top. Using a green colored modeling paste also helped it not stick out but blend and work with the colors of the photo.

I did this for the top and the bottom. Using different shaped and sizes in the layered embellishments helps tie everything together.

A little gold thread adds some more gold and some texture. By mirroring some of the same shapes and colors in both embellishment clusters it helps create a cohesive look.

I do this with the second page of this double spread. I punch out a few circles and look for some die-cut triangles and circle.

On this second side I add more Shimmerz Paste-eez on top of the big triangles. I tried to be aware of directions of the small triangles too. I wanted them to look layered and not a little chaotic.

On top of the white card stock I spritzed my Shimmerz spray in green, blue and coral. These colors are similar to ones in the Pink Fresh Studio Dream On Collection in the Kit.

The mix of big and little drops look really similar to watercolor. I didn’t use gesso, this did make my sprays warp the card stock, but I wanted my sprays to dry faster and not move around o the page too much.

I used the basic design of the Sketch Maryam created. I have layered pattern pieces for the middle of my layout. I add a cut apart piece from the Kit. I loved finding papers just work perfectly together to form edges around the big cluster. I am using this for journaling instead of a photo. Since I already have a big photo, I didn’t feel I needed another photo.

This photo of the woods on my drive around the area, is one of my favorite views, Especially now that it is spring and all the trees are coming back to life and standing really tall.

I add some of the Pink Fresh Studio gold mirror pieces around my journaling. This add on and more are in the May Kit Section. I hope you check them out and purchase what you want to add to your kit. These little things help add more life to your kit.

I used dimensional adhesive to give shadows under the layers. It also helps still show the mixed media I did on the background. After all the fun work I did, to cover it all would be a same.

I added my title about the main cluster instead of below. I also had the main cluster a little lower on the page. I use the Gold Thickers from the Kit along with some Doodlebug Design blue tile alpha’s. I like how this blue picks on the blue spray not the background.

These bird circles are so cute and remind me of nature, and their singing in the forest. They go perfect with my picture. I love how Maryam matched the Printable to the puffy stickers and die cuts in the kit.

Again I made sure to use similar shapes on both sides of my double page spread. It helps it flow together and feel like one layout inside of two sides, even though they are clearly different.

Here is a look at my finished spread. It really shows the vast and tall trees that I am surrounded by everyday, and I feel so lucky to experience them.

I hope you join in the May challenge this month when you get your kit. Use lots of gold, mixed media and the sketch above to tell your stories with pictures or other projects you have in mind.

You can also watch my process video on the Clique Kits Youtube Channel today as well.

Don’t forget to like, and subscribe so you don’t miss out on any of the Youtube Design team videos. They are only up on the Clique channel, no where else.

 

Have an inspiring Day!!

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!!

 

 

 

Yearbook – Showcase

Hello scrappers! It’s Victoria and I am back with a pocket layout I created using the gorgeous May 2017 Sorbet Kit. This kit features an amazing color story and stunning icons!  I could not wait to put it to good use!

I love pocket layouts for two main reasons: I can incorporate a ton of photos and I can tell a robust story. For this layout, I documented my daughter’s recent school showcase, which is an opportunity for students to demonstrate what they have learned during their unit of study. The students created projects based on the intersection of recycling (science), financial literacy (math), poetry (language arts/reading) and artistic careers. I love that I am able to see my daughter apply the concepts she is learning in class!

Front

Back

During the show case, I took a ton of photos. And honestly, there was not one photo I was willing to sacrifice. Ultimately, I paired down my collection to the main photos that told the story I wanted to document. For me, the photos and story always come first and typically serve as a starting point for my layouts. Using a pocket style layout is a great way to showcase multiple photos and to tell a robust story. I like to keep my pocket layouts clean and simple.

For this layout, I am using a Becky Higgins Project Life Pocket Protector (Design F) that features two 4×6 pockets and twenty 3×4 pockets (10 pockets on each side, front and back). I started by trimming some of the pattern papers down to 3×4 pocket cards and incorporating them with a few of the pocket cards that came in the kit. I created the title card using the gold chipboard font stickers by Thickers called “Brush” to spell out the word “Showcase”.  To the title I added a die cut camera and a puffy arrow by Pink Fresh Studio and a 3×4 photo of the front door of my daughter’s classroom.

The remaining cards were embellished using some of the May 2017 Sorbet printables that are available in the Clique Kits Monthly Downloads.  I used a variety of die cuts, most of which are popped up on foam squares for added dimension and a few of the puffy embellishments from the “Dream On” Studio Puffs Stickers by Pink Fresh Studio.

Creating pocket layouts is so much fun and a fantastic way to document a great story with lots of photos!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today and don’t forget to check out all of the new goodies now available in the Clique Kits Store!

Happy Scrappin’!

Locker Room – Delightful And Happy

Hello, Clique friends! I’m so excited to be back today to share a new layout created with the gorgeous May Sorbet kit. I know I always describe the kits as gorgeous, but they truly are. From the featured collections to the exclusives, everything is so inspiring and fun.

One of the things I have recently re-discovered is stamping. I used to stamp on my layouts and cards all the time. Then I stopped for a while, trying new techniques and such. I had forgotten how fun and versatile stamps are. For my layout today I was inspired by the Delight paper in the Pink Fresh Studio Dream On collection. All those little circles in different colors gave me the idea for my background.

I used an Altenew stamp set from my stash, but the same result can be achieved with any other stamp or die cut shape. There is a lot to choose from in the Clique store 😉 I tried to use colors that coordinated well with the collection.

To repeat the motif across the page, I used a 3” circle punch to cut my pictures, which I adhered down using a piece of foam sheet.

Next, embellishments. I knew I wanted to keep the layout light and airy and only scatter little die cuts and puffy stickers here and there for extra color.

The sequin mix that comes as an add-on item this month is so pretty! Such a beautiful mix of colors and shapes!

The butterfly shaped sequins are also from the Clique store. I absolutely love them!

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you felt inspired to create your own background with stamps. Check out the Clique Kits store for all your crafty needs and to grab the May Sorbet kit and add-ons.

Until next time.

Enza

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April Clique Kits Pep Rally

Welcome! Please join us today for the April Instagram share. We hope to inspired you with a variety of projects using the April Jellybean kit. Here’s how this works; it’s very simple.

Subscribers are eligible to earn free product credits for participating in the Pep Rally via Instagram. Participation is a very relaxed commitment on a month by month basis. Simply email marketing@cliquekits.com by the 15th of the month to have your credits recorded. Subscribers may earn 5 credits (1 credit=$1) for each month they participate. If you end up not participating- we lash you with wet noodles. (Kidding.) We simply skip over your points that month. Credits are cumulative as long as you are still a subscriber! Sound good so far?

What do you do once you sign up? This is really straightforward too. We hope this step by step instruction covers what you do, who is eligible to win a prize, and what the prizes are.

Step 1: Take pictures of projects you created using the monthly kit (please use a minimum of 80% kit and add on products so that the inspiration provided for the Clique is kit-focused.) You can do this anytime during the month- but be sure your photos post before 10 am CST on Pep Rally Day.

Step 2: On or before Pep Rally day, join the event on Facebook and Instagram by sharing on Facebook with your friends and tagging them on Instagram letting them know that each name tagged is entered to win a gift certificate to spend in the CK shop!

Step 3: Use the Instagram search tool with the keywords specified in the Hashtags and enjoy the eye candy! Leave some love for all your friends!

Step 4: Tune in to Clique Kits for announcements of the monthly Pep Rally participant winner selected to win an additional $10 product credit to spend in the Clique Kits store!

And without further ado, here are the hashtags. The first 3 are the same every month. The last two will obviously change each month.

#Click_Connect_Create

#CKPepRally

#CliqueKits

#CKAprilKit

#CKJellyBean

Here is a sneak peek at some of the projects that our Design Team has created for the hop!

And before you run off to check out the beautiful projects by our Varsity Team and Subscribers, here is the May Kit!

Now get out there and get inspired because there are tons more where these came from! We love our subs and followers, and our community is growing every day. We are so thankful for you and hope you have fun!

Clique Kits Design Contributor -Jill Keller

 

Hello everyone and Happy Tuesday!  Today I am here to introduce you to our December Design Contributor Jill Keller!  Jill will be sharing this month using the December 2016 kit bringing you tons of inspritation!  Jill is a full time mommy and we are sure you have seen her work from places like Pretty Little Studio, The Cut Shoppe and Gossamer Blue!  Her work will inspire you and we can not wait to share what she is doing with the December kit!  But until then we will get to know Jill a little bit and also have a look at what she created with her October Clique Kit!

First how about we get to know a little bit about Jill!  She has taken the time to answer a few fun questions for us!

What is your favorite tool?

Definitely my Silhouette! But I have a deep love for my little piercing tool when I do hand-stitching.

Who is your favorite designer/paper company?

There are so many talented designers and paper companies! I adore PinkFresh Studios and Fancy Pants Designs right now, I can always use their products on a page.

Where do you find inspiration?

I look to my peers! I follow a ton of great scrappers on Instagram and I also follow all the kit clubs, so definitely Instagram for inspiration.

When you scrap do you listen to music, watch tv or need complete quiet?

Does listening to my 4 yr old talk count? hahaha! My kiddo talks non-stop! She has a tiny table in my craft room and is in there with my while I create. Otherwise, silence. Sometimes I’ll pull up something from iTunes but that’s rare.

How long have you been scrapping and one thing you love about it?

I started scrapping years ago, but didn’t get into it seriously until after my wedding in 2008. I started being active online sharing my work about 5 years ago.  1 Thing I love: the process of creating. I wish I were one of those scrappers who is about preserving memories and sharing the story, but it’s truly about making stuff for me. I love looking at products and seeing how they can be put together and then finding a photo that fits the creation. Yes, I am a backwards scrapper, haha!

Jill thank you so much for shaing a little bit about your love for this craft with us!  For even more about Jill and more projects and inspriation please head on over to her blog HERE!  Jill has also been busy creating with the October Clique Kit that is avaiable now in the Clique Kits shop HERE.  Here are some of her beautiful projects!

Stay tuned for more Jill coming up later this month!  She will also be joining us in our December Pep Rally coming in a few weeks!  Make sure to subscribe to the Clique Kits newsletter HERE to stay up to date on what is going on here at the Clique!  Until next time..I hope you have a wonderful day and don’t forget to stop by the Clique Kits shop and pick up today’s Countdown to December Freebie!