Christmas Advent Calendar - Scrapmatts DT

Back in 2010 I created my first advent calendar, using a MDF kit from Kaisercraft. I figured I would make one calendar which we could re-fill with quality lollies each year, instead of spending $5-$10 on one each year filled with dodgy chocolate. Eventually it would pay for itself, right? The problem was, I hadn't quite factored in the initial costs for materials, the time it would take to make it or the fact that I would enjoy making it so much that I wanted to make another one three years later! :)

My Scrapmatts Design Team project for this month is actually my THIRD Kaisercraft advent calendar. Don't worry, this one is for my sister. She wanted a rustic theme and picked out the papers for me. I went with a different shaped kit to my last two and was surprised to find this one didn't come with chipboard numbers. I never use numbers in my titles though so this was the perfect opportunity to use up a few from spare alphabets I had lying around.

I love the range of Christmas chipboard available from Scrapmatts! They have reindeers, snowflakes, nativity scenes, baubles, trees, bells, words in a variety of different sizes and colours. In all honesty, I think half my collection of Scrapmatts chipboard is Christmas themed. :) I have painted most of the pieces with acrylic paint which really helps bring out the details in the chipboard. The background also has golden stars painted on it using a stencil.

 The decorations around the outside are actually just cheap embellishments I picked up from the local discount shop. The Christmas-themed printed burlap ribbon was perfect to wrap around, and the sprigs make a great finishing touch.

Chipboard used: CB6097 Assorted Words 19, CB5143 Christmas Trees 06, CB1223 Stars 03, CB1217 Holly 02, CB6080 Bells 01 and CB6010 Ornate Frame 08.

Stencil used: ST1006 Stencil Stars.

If you've interested in seeing my earlier advent calendars, I started with this traditional themed one in 2010.

I then moved on to this White Christmas themed one in 2013.

Last year in 2015 I decided to re-visit my traditional one and update it by removing the centre panel and creating a new scene.

Cactus Painting

This is actually a bit of a delayed post, as I created this cactus painting back on the 12th but the photos were all on my phone so took a while to transfer over to the computer. Two girlfriends and I took part in a Cork and Chroma Paint and Sip pop-up event at The Kitchens in Robina Town Centre. It was a great little event, with really easy instructions to walk you through to this finished product.

The event took three hours which allowed enough time for a somewhat leisurely progression with time for food and wine along the way. 

 I really loved the way we all ended up with very different artworks despite following the same instructions. Now I have to find somewhere to display it.

Wide Brown Land

I managed to find a couple of nights free to whip up a layout that isn't design team related! I have always loved this paper range from Kaisercraft, but struggled to get it to work with any beach papers. I think it worked quite beautifully with these photos from a family holiday to the Northern Territory outback though. I couldn't believe this took place way back in 2005.

Anyway, I have used a sketch from Stuck?! Sketches as the base, rotating it to suit my landscape photos.

Follow Your Heart Tag - Scrapmatts DT

My first Scrapmatts DT project for this month is a mixed media tag in my trademark purple/blue/pink colour scheme. These were the first three colours of mist I purchased and they are definitely my go-to colour choices. I love how sturdy the Scrapmatts chipboard tag bases are, you can really abuse them with multiple different mediums and techniques.

I've included a close up shot of this project too, to show the tulle backing to the heart, the crackle finish to the edging of the heart and the painted details on the metal charms.

Chipboard: CB3009 Tags 05; CB5113 Heart Frames 10; CB6113 Scrap Words 32.

Stencil: ST1008 Stencil Cracks; ST1004 Stencil Bubbles.

Charm: CH076 Filigree Flower #16.

Adore You

I was flicking through some old photos to see if I had anything to match the D-lish Scraps mood board when I came across a series of photos from Harrison's first swim. How hilarious does he look with that bald head and so much chubbiness?! This is why I print my photos, rather than just store them on the computer. I need to have them at hand and randomly come across them to scrap.

Chipboard and stencils are from Scrapmatts. Papers, title stickers and die cut frames are from Kaisercraft. I have used D-lish enamel dots and the seahorse flair from a past JAP kit.

I was inspired by all the geometric shapes in the mood board, so kept a lot of them in my layout. I also referenced the arrows and the frames. Such a lovely colour scheme.

Love You Everyday - Scrapmatts DT

My second Scrapmatts DT project for October is a simple yet colourful layout featuring a favourite photo of my son. I wanted the photo to be the focus, so have kept the embellishments fairly simple. Surprisngly, I actually created this one without using a sketch but had a firm design idea in my head and it turned out pretty close to that.

I enjoyed creating the busier photo matting that I normally use, and creating the rainbow with my Gelatos was fun. Can you believe for my title I had actually already used up all the 'y's so had to create more out of 'q's? Who uses up all the 'y's but still has two 'e's available?! 

Scrapmatts chipboard: CB6107 Assorted Words 25, CB6105 Assorted Words 23.

Life is a Journey Canvas - Scrapmatts DT

Are you like me and you keep all those left over bits of chipboard? You know the ones, when you only have one piece left from the sheet, or you take it out but change your mind so don't use it on the layout, or even the extra bits you get in the Scrapmatts kits if you take an expo class? I have had a great time using up some of my leftovers stash to form the base of a small canvas display piece. The great thing about it is that it doesn't really matter what you have in this stash, because it will mainly get covered up anyway.

I quickly captured some progress shots to show how I built up the background. Stage one: two layers of chipboard and a metal charm, along with some builders tape and some texture paste through the stencil. Everything has been covered with a layer of gesso. Stage two: I have added the flowers and some lace strips. I decided I wanted the brick texture to stand out more so re-applied more texture paste, including over the lace. Everything got another coat gesso. Stage three: I have built up the coloured coverage using multiple applications of three colours of mist. Because of the gesso, they initially dry lighter than expected, so quite a few applications were required, but this helps blend the colours together. Stage four involves flicking black ink across the canvas, dry brushing white gesso across the whole piece to highlight the contours and then dabbing on spots of gold coloured paste to the flowers for highlights.

 

My tips for creating mixed media background:

- put your flat layers down first! I forgot to put my lace and builders tape down first, so ended up having to cut it to fit around the chipboard shapes.

- always coat everything with gesso to ensure they absorb the paint at the same rate, otherwise you ended up with inconsistency in the colours between surfaces.

- Let ink colours dry before changing colours to avoid them getting muddy. Don't be afraid the overlap dry colours to blend them though.

- Spray inks from different angles and positions to get into all the nooks and crannies of the canvas.

- If in doubt, add more!

You can see in these detail shots the background detail created by putting some texture paste through the brick stencil as well as the layers of chipboard in the background prior to building up the frames. The gold frame is embossed, and the top frame has a watered down mist painted over white acrylic.

Scrapmatts chipboard: CB6103 Scrap Words 21, CB6113 Scrap Words 32, CB6091 Ornate Frames 19, CB6110 Ornate Frame 25, plus bits and pieces left over. Stencil: ST5013 (this is my go-to stencil for background texture).

Navy Pier

'What is this?' I hear you asking. Yes, I have finally found time to scrap something that isn't for a design team! It somehow still took for three nights, spread out over a week and a half to do, but it's a 'just for fun' layout and I'm happy I got to do it.

Photo is an old one, from our trip to America pre-baby in 2012-2013. Papers are a mixture of different Kaisercraft patterns, had a lot of fun mixing and matching rather than sticking to a collection. There is journaling, it's on a card behind the photo.

I took my inspiration from the Stuck?! Sketches September challenge. This is probably my favourite sketch challenge site. The sketches are always easy to use and the design team is very creative in their interpretations.

Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge has an easy challenge this month, the project just had to include red.

Thank You Card - Scrapmatts DT

My second Scrapmatts DT project is a card I made to say thanks to my manager who is leaving for a new position. I like the mix of grungy and feminine on this card, by combining the messy background with a big floral cluster.

To create this background, I applied gesso through the squares stencil, this sprayed three different mists over the cardstock. Once it had all dried though I decided I didn't like the effect, so painted gesso over the top of the whole thing, before selectively spraying smaller areas of mist and playing with a drip effect. I like the subtle effect it has created.

Scrapmatts chipboard: CB6020 Words 06, CB5144 Layered Poinsettias 01, CB5142 Retro Squares 02. Stencil: ST1038.

Floral Frame - Scrapmatts DT

September already! Where has the year gone? Hopefully you've spent at least some of it getting to play with some Scrapmatts stencils and chipboard like me. :) My first DT project for this month is a wooden photo frame I've decorated. I gave it a quick coat of gesso to start with, then sponged on a few different shades of Distress Inks through a beautiful Scrapmatts stencil, finishing with a quick varnish spray to stop the inks smudging. The leaf sprays were the perfect accent to my flower clusters and then I just popped a Scrapword in the negative space of the photo.

Scrapmatts chipboard: CB1146 Leaf Spray 01 and CB1241 Scrap Words 27. Stencil: ST1011.

Perfect Beach Adventure

As soon as I started planning my family holiday to Fiji, I was thinking about all the beach and nautical themed Scrapmatts chipboard I could use to decorate the layouts I would create. This is a double which has been perfectly finished off by the chipboard.

The seashells were in the white finish and I've painted them with some Gelatos so they have a light shimmer to them.

Chipboard used: SW004 Beach, CB1218 Scrap Words 19, CB4059 Nautical Design 03, CB4067 Marine Life 02.

Petting Zoo - Scrapmatts DT

It's coming up on time for the Gold Coast Show so I'm starting to create a few double-page layouts to enter. I don't think I'll enter every category this year, I'm getting sick of making some pages just for the sake of getting an entry in each category, but it's still fun to challenge myself to create in a different way to normal.

 

 

I thought I might curry some favour by scrapping a layout using photos from last year's Show. :) Harrison absolutely loved spending time at the petting zoo and was so gentle with all the animals there.

 

 

Scrapmatts products used on this layout as my second DT project for this month.

 

Chipboard: CB5101 Flags 02, CB5147 Gum Leaves 01, CB1239 Scrap Words 25. Stencil: ST5007.

 

 

Close up shot to show the beautiful leather/mottled-brown look of the scrapwords, which is a standard finish these come in. My tip to let you keep the cut details on your chipboard is to colour it with ink pads, like I've done on the gum leaves.

 

BFFs - Scrapmatts DT

I didn't get this layout completed in time to be a design team example over at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration but the colour scheme was too good to pass up, so I've created a layout to enter instead. Photos are from a recent dessert tour of Brisbane my friends arranged for my birthday, it was amazing!

 

 

Chipboard: CB2008 Page Borders 07, CB5122 Hexagon Mesh 01, CB1070 Hearts 03, CB6106 Assorted Words 24. Stencils: ST5007, ST5016.

 

Close up details to show some of the subtle background details. If you click on the image to show it full size you should also be able to see the crackle gloss accent on the flourish as well.



 

Here are the details for Case 204. I used all the colours in the Scheme. From the Evidence I used hearts, flourishes, flowers, doilies and lace. My Testimony talks about how much I love these girls.

 

 

Times Square - Scrapmatts DT

Scrapmatts is sponsoring CSI: Color Stories Inspiration this month and so we've been given the opportunity to be guest designers over there. It was too much fun last year to say no this year, so here is my first layout based on their Major Case File. The circle frame is one of the fantastic brand new designs Sofie has created and I had only received the day before I put it on this layout. I actually changed the whole design to get it on the page. :)

 

 

 

Chipboard: CB5152 Circles 02, CB5126 Diamond Mesh 02. Stencil: ST1002 Stencil Diamonds.

 

 

So how have I solved the case? The scene inspired me to use a photo of my husband from our trip to  New York. The colour scheme should hopefully be fairly obvious. From the evidence I used diamonds (chipboard scatter and gesso through a stencil in the background), transparent accents (the black travel words) and stamps. My journaling includes the Testimony words "so far, stand, big" as I talked about this being our biggest holiday so far and standing in Times Square. I was inspired by the circle elements of the sketch, the position of the title and the misted background. 

Messy Birthday Cards - Scrapmatts DT

I had actually made the bases for these cards a few weeks ago, but I put them under my craft mat to dry without warping and must have forgotten about them. Sofie from Scrapmatts had just sent me out a new shipment of chipboard as part of their DT so I decided to combine the new chippies and stencils to add to my stash of birthday cards to have on hand for emergencies.

 

I find the most difficult part of creating cards is coming up with the design, so you can save some time by creating a few in a similar design each time. If you're interested in making something similar, here is how I made them:

 

Prep the background

1/ Cut your base cardstock to size. Mine are 4'x6'.

2/ Smear white gesso over the front and allow to dry.

3/ Spray mist through a stencil. I used pink Glimmermist through ST5007 which has given a very subtle effect for the card on the right and aqua Dylusions through ST5003 for the card on the left. Because the Dylusions ink pooled on the stencil I then flipped it over and used the excess like a stamp to get the reverse image on the middle card.

4/ Splatter black ink over the cards. Put aside for mists/ink to dry.

 

5/ Randomly stamp a script image over the background.

6/ Edge the card with black ink, applied in a messy fashion.

 

Create the tags

7/ On a scrap of kraft cardstock, apply white gesso through a stencil. I used ST5023 and ST5024. These are new stencil designs and I just LOVE them! Wait for the gesso to dry before moving on (even though you can see from my smudge I didn't wait).

8/ Mist randomly over the cardstock. I found Glimmermists didn't give me a bold enough coverage so used Dylusions instead. Wait for the ink to dry.

 

9/ Stamp a decorative image over the top in black ink. I used a Kaisercraft stamp which was the perfect width to then create tags from.

10/ Cut the cardstock scrap down into different sized tags.

 

Assemble the card

11/ Colour the background chipboard (CB5151 Webbing 01) black, I used stamp ink.

12/ Adhere the tag to the left side of the card using foam mounting tape.

13/ Adhere the webbing chipboard around the tag. I only used one piece for all three cards (and even have a bit left over) because I cut it into smaller sections and placed these around the tag.

14/ Adhere the leaf spray chipboard (CB1235 Leaf Spray 14). There are only two sprays in the pack but I again cut it down into pieces to suit my cards.

15/ Cut three small rectangles of muslin and distress these. Adhere over the bottom of the leaf sprays.

16/ Adhere the Happy Birthday sentiments (CB1243 Scrap Words 29) using foam mounting tape.

17/ Adhere three small white flowers to the bottom left of the sentiment.

18/ Scatter rhinestones across the card.

 



 

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial. If you do make a similar card please let me know and if it contains Scrapmatts chipboard don't forget to upload it to our Ning site, we would love to see your creations.

A Love So Deer - Scrapmatts DT

One of my favourite things about chipboard is how easy it is to modify to suit your projects. For example, I have a variety of different reindeer designs from Scrapmatts, so when I wanted to do a layout with these deer feeding photos fro my sister's wedding it was super easy to just cut off their antlers and paint up to suit the layout.

 

 

I have used two of the stencil designs on the background of this layout. The paint splatters are just your basic spray with a mist but the leaf pattern is a bit more complicated. I masked off the areas of the stencil I didn't want, then applied Versamark ink through it and clear heat-embossed this. It's given it a very subtle effect that I love.

  

 

Chipboard: CB1094 Reindeer 02, CB2020 Vines 01, CB6109 Lamps 11, CB1229 Chains 02, CB6105 Assorted Words 23, CB5132 Chains 01. Stencils: ST5004, ST5010.

 

 

Our Family

I saw a sneak peak of Kaisercraft's Sea Breeze range back at the start of the year on Instagram and I've been eagerly awaiting it's release ever since. I just love the large floral patterns, which I immediately thought would be perfect for fussy cutting, plus that beautiful turquoise colour pallet. Here is my first layour using this range, showcasing a beautiful family portrait by Divine Life Photography from Harrison's first birthday shoot.

(Removed for possible publication)

I'm trying to scrapbook on a budget at the moment to make me use up some of my supplies. I purchased the Sea Breeze paper pack and everything else came from my stash. I love those rhinestone swirls and even though my stash is running low I happened to have the perfect green shade waiting for this layout. The frames and tags are actually diecuts from the Blue Bay range but the colours matched perfectly. Kaisercraft stamp to add some extra texture to the background.

I based this layout on the April Kaisercraft Challenge sketch.

Steampunk Tags - Scrapmatts DT

I had wanted to do a steampunk-style piece for quite a while now and decided the canvas I shared two days earlier would be the perfect chance to give it a go. Of course, being a new style I thought it best to practice on a smaller scale before starting work on the canvas so I tried out two different styles on some tags. Tags are so versatile for this purpose and now I can keep them to refer to later or add to layouts/cards in the future.

 

 

 

 

 A lot of the chipboard is the same as used on the canvas. Left tag: CB3007 Tags 03, CB5132 Chains 01, CB1239 Scrap Words 25, CB1078 Gears 05. Right tag: CB3007 Tags 03, CB1078 Gears 05, CB1017 Keys 01, CB6113 Scrap Words 32, CB602 Ornate Frame 02, CB5111 Layered Fob Watch 02.