First off, here is a step-by-step tutorial how I created the layout:
You will need two cardstocks – 1 for the cut file and 1 for the base where you will adhere the cut file. Adhere the negative part of the cut file to the other cardstock, set the ‘good or positive’ cut file aside.
Using a piece of plastic (any will do, just make sure it’s clean), spread watercolor (or any medium you prefer, diluted in water) to the surface. Start with one color first and build up the layers one after another.
Add another color to the edges, spreading the diluted color with your fingers
While the base is drying (or you can use a heat gun to help it dry faster), use different patterned papers as backing to the Sunshine cut file (I used a pencil to trace the floral parts of the cut file and cut manually with scissors).
Once the base is dry, adhere the Sunshine cut file backed with patterned papers. Use foam tapes to add dimension to the cut file.
Start embellishing
And this is how my layout turned out
I added some fun details like this wavy flag and clusters of sequins and stickers.
Different heights added interest to the overall look of the whole page. Here, I used different thickness of foam tapes to adhere the photo and other embellishments like stickers and word arts.
The holographic embellishments are so pretty in person!
That’s all from me today but I will be back in a few days to share another project with you all.
Hello! Donna here for my first layout using the August “Malibu” kit featuring Summer Lights by Pink Paislee
I used the August cut file “Scallop” as a stencil. Instead of paper, I used an acetate (A4) and run it through my Silhouette Cameo machine (I selected “Stencil Material” in the material type option). This will ensure I can use the stencil over and over again! How cool is that?? Cutting just took a bit longer than usual but it’s worth it.
1. Figure out where you want the photo. Then place the scallop stencil on the white cardstock and brush watercolor randomly.
2. Use a piece of plastic to spread the watercolor while it’s still wet.
3. Flicker the brush to create splatters. The farther the brush, the bigger the splatter will be. Let it “sit” for a few minutes.
4. Then, use a tissue to blot off the excess water. Your background is ready to be used! I love how the scallops look like rainbow waves.
This is my finished layout
I cut out the ombre pink hearts and scattered them all over the page. I mounted some with foam tape for dimension.
I mounted the framed photo with foam tape as well and tucked some messy thread and sequins under it.
Some more close up images
Would love to hear what you think of my project today! Just leave a comment if you have any questions and will happily answer them as much as I can.
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.
For the base of the card I used white neenah cardstock. The cut file was cut with my Silhouette Cameo and I backed it up with a paper from Maggie Holmes Chasing Dreams collection.
On the center of the card I put two flowers from the printable sheet that I fussy cut with my scissors. As a title I used a word that says “don’t give up” and at the end I added some enamel dots.
Here are some close-ups to see more details:
I hope you liked my card and I can’t wait to see what you will create using the CK exclusives of this month.
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 Challengecut 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.
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!!
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.
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 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 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.
Hello, Clique friends! I’m back today with a layout featuring the gorgeous May Sorbet Kit. The colors in this kit are absolutely amazing and the exclusives coordinate beautifully with it.
The main inspiration for this layout came from one of the background cut files that will be available in the Clique digital store.I initially intended to use the cut file as it is, but then decided to scatter the different size stars around my pictures and layer them to crate a lot of dimension and texture.
Since the patterned paper I chose as my background is very similar in color to the one I used for the stars, I decided to just use pink acrylic paint to create some contrast. I still wanted my layout to have a soft look, so the light colored paint worked perfectly for it.
Some of the stars are cut out of vellum. I love the different texture it adds.
Once all the stars were positioned as I liked them around my pictures, I started embellishing. I tend to go for a tone-on-tone look most of the times to make the colors stand out more.
For my title, I used another exclusive cut file that will be available with the May Sorbet kit.The Pink Fresh Studio Reverie paper with its gorgeous blue adds the right pop of color the layout needed.
I hope you felt inspired today. If you are not a subscriber yet, give it a try. The kits are beautiful. The exclusives are always so unique! You will not regret it! Visit the Clique Kits store for details 🙂
I hope you all have been enjoying all the beautiful projects the DT has created this month with the beautiful “Jellybean” kit. It does not only contain beautiful papers and embellishments, but also exclusive printables and beautiful cut files!
For this layout, I wanted to use the large phrase title cut file as the main focus in the page, so I chose to convert it into a large stand out title. Here are the picture steps I followed on the Silhouette Software to create this title:
Here is the image ready to be cut. DO NOT close the program or image after cutting it!
Using the offset command, add an external offset to this image ( i have colored the original image, so you can see how the function works). You can chose the size of the offset.
Separate the images, just click on the edges of the original image, and move it out of the picture. Now the offset is ready to be cut.
To make the title stand out, i added a small white border around the title (the offset). The title was cut from the beautiful Bella Bld.’s “Magnifique” paper -though the flowers are gorgeous, I was drawn to the colors and paint brush marks on the image-. I made sure to cut the title from the center of the Magnifique page.
Once the cuts were glued together, the edge of the title was pierced to add some stitching and texture to it. After adding hand stitching to the title, I set out to construct the page. First, i trimmed about 0.5in from two of the edges of a light pink card stock. Then I used watercolors and inks to add some color to the background.
Once the background dried, the title was attached to the page, making sure it sit right in the middle of the large watercolor background. The picture of my niece holding her art TN (she loves TNs as much as I do!) was placed above the title. I used the exclusive printables, and ephemera included in the Jellybean kit, as well as the puffy stickers from the Make Your Mark collection that are available in the Clique store, to frame the picture.
To finish the page, using the sewing machine, I stitched the layout to the left over piece of the “Magnifique” paper, making sure to leave two opposite corners free . These were folded into the layout to be used as part of the clusters formed here. I tried to use these corners to bring some of the colorful accents and embellishments from the Jellybean kit. Here is the final layout:
Don’t the colors and title work just pop out of this page? Though I love the roses, I wanted to take a different approach when using the Make Your Mark “Magnifique” from the Jellybean kit in this layout. I am so pleased with the end result, and i hope it inspires you to create stand out titles for your project.
Don’t forget to check Clique Kits to register for a subscription (there are just some spots available) for their gorgeous kits, or sign up for their newer Traveler’s Notebook kit. You will love them!
I am always a comment away if you have any questions on how this came together.
I wanted to use the “You go girl” word art cut file so bad but I was stumped which photo to use (adding that my printer isn’t working yet so I had to choose from the ones I’ve already printed). I try to remember the stories behind each photos and I decided to use this one photo of my daughter slumped on the floor with lots of Hello Kitty shoes. We were there to buy shoes but it’s not the kind we were looking for at that time. She wasn’t even two yet when this was taken and she knew what she likes already and kept on saying “Kitty” while gathering ALL the HK shoes she can find. So I focused my journaling on how I wish she grows up to be a strong-willed individual who knows what she wants in life.
Good thing I cut the word art already before my printer broke. But I used a plain white cardstock. Since the Silhouette studio software is still crashing when I try to open on hubby’s computer, I had to use my good old scissors to cut around the paper that I used as backing. I did this twice since I wanted to use this colorful Bella Blvd paper and the polka dot Paige Evans paper as well. I adhered the white cardstock first and carefully cut around it, alternating my scissors and sharp cutter. Then I adhered it again on the polka dot paper. I used a thin cardboard to add a bit of height to the big title.
I love the colors in the kit but I need some black to somehow “balance” the look I’m going for. So I used the b/w bag which stores the embellishments in the kit. And then I used the polka dot vellum paper to make a little paper clip bow.
Hello!!! It’s Donna here and I’m very excited to be back on the CK Design Team!
For my first post and project, I will be sharing a layout using the April 2017 kit, “Jellybean”.
I love the foiled word arts in some of the papers and that’s the first inspiration on this layout.I didn’t plan to have a monochromatic layout, honestly. I ended up choosing teal/blue with black colors so that’s what I went with.
I fussy cut the words you + me (and later on couldn’t find the “+” cut out so it didn’t make into this layout).
I adhered the floral cut files using gel medium. Then I used watercolors (blue, black) and PITT pencils to color the cut files. I started with the light blue colors first and then mixed the black watercolor later on, creating a grayish blue shade.
I also used watercolors as ink to stamp the word “love”. Scattered it around the layout. The stamp is from Latina Crafter. I scattered the hearts and stars from the foam word stickers by Freckled Fawn. And did the same with the black enamel dots from Freckled Fawn as well.
I have a problem with my printer but good thing I got this 1 photo printed correctly. I didn’t want to just throw the rest away so I used them and layered them like you see here. I also love using layers of messy thread to add a bit of texture
I distressed the edges of the paper in the middle a little bit after cutting about half an inch to make it a little bit smaller. Then I used the blue/green stripe patterned paper as a mat.
I initially intended to use the cut file as it is, but then decided to scatter the different size stars around my pictures and layer them to crate a lot of dimension and texture.
The 
I didn’t plan to have a monochromatic layout, honestly. I ended up choosing teal/blue with black colors so that’s what I went with.
Clique Kits 