Monday 6 June 2016

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. 

Sunday 5 June 2016

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.