Sugar & Spice

This is my very first blog post here, and I would just like to say how much fun I have been having so far as a member of the Design Team. One of the things that I am loving about being on the DT is that I am being challenged to use chipboards that I would not normally use and therefore I am creating layouts that I wouldn't normally create. However that is not the case with the chipboard that I have used on the LO for this post. I absolutely love love love this chipboard and let me tell you, it has been put to the test. I only wish that I had taken photos of what I did to this poor chipboard.

I had heaps of fun creating this LO and it all started with the chipboard.  One of the great things about this chipboard is that it comes in 2 pieces (sugar & spice) and (& all things nice) which makes it heaps easier to fit to a layout because you can move it around much more easily.  Well this chipboard started out with being covered in tacky glue, then I used a designer foil over it, I then decided that that was too much for it so I kept the designer foil look for the first part of the chipboard and decided to cover the second part with some liquid pearls straight over the top of the foil.  Well after I put the layout together I decided that the chipboard was all wrong for it and it was getting lost with the busy paper so I then made the chipboard glittery instead.  Let me tell you, I was impressed with what I put it through and it turned out looking fabulous.

I had so much fun with this LO and love how it turned out, I have included some close ups of the embellishments for you as well J

Well I hope that I have provided some inspiration.  Have a great day!

Sam J

Inspiration by Irit

Hello, my dear A2Z friends!

I am Irit and this is my very first blog post here and this time I am going to share the way to play with A2Z chipboard titles. Sometimes we have a great title, but not a great fit to our page. So my way to fit it is to cut it to pieces and then to use each piece on a different page- frugal too, if you don't have to many title pieces as it was with me before I became A2Z DT member.

So I had this most gorgeous Sweet and Sassy chipboard and my black and white old photo was not so sassy, but sweet only. Bingo! I made one single cut and I used this Sweet part of it only on this shabby/vintage scrapbooking page here.

I covered it with 3-4 pastel chalk inks and then covered it all with Ranger Distress Glossy Accents glaze.

Now I had a second - And Sassy- part of the title and this was just perfect for cute and sassy page here.

I added Happy before the piece of a chipboard and BFF after and got this mixed title, perfect for this page.

I covered it with red pigmented ink this time, heat embossed with clear Utee embossing powder and them randomly stamped some pearly white dots with the pencil eraser back.

So you can see one single chipboard title used for two different page with different techniques.

And one single project just to show you A2Z most gorgeous butterfly added to my glittery die cut garden made for Robin's Nest DT blog post.

Hope I inspired you a bit and see you next month with more A2Z inspiration!

Irit

YAY ...

I scrapped!! After 5 very long months, I have finally organised my scrapping gear enough to complete a layout.

Here's my take on the January Sketch designed by Amy Prior.

"Driving Miss Millie"
by Julie Cottrell.

Thanks for looking.

... Until Next Time ...

Layouts from Monica's scrap room

Well it has been wonderful being on holiday and spending some much needed ME time in my scraproom......Julie's parcel couldn't have arrived at a more perfect time!!! After a very busy school term, I was ready to focus totally on my hobby!

No particular theme, I just scrapbooked whatever inspired me on the day ...could be a photo, new papers but most often it was my a2zscraplets....I just went with the flow and enjoyed every minute of the journey. The first layout is of my firstborn son, Shaun, only a few hours after his birth on the 20th March 1986...oh what a wonderful feeling to be a mum! I could not take my eyes off him!!!

TITLE: MUM'S LITTLE MAN

Fast forward 24 years and one week to the 27th March 2010...his WEDDING day! What a handsome GROOM! His younger brother, Richard was his Best Man.

TITLE: GROOM

DOODLET 11

TITLE: BEST MAN and FLORALETTE Bird 10

"A PICTURE is worth a THOUSAND words, but a scrapbook page is worth a MILLION memories......"

Author: Remedios Lina C. Villarosa-Garcia

I hope these layouts have inspired you with the scrapbooking of your precious memories.

Till next month,

Happy scrapping!

Monica:)

No Real Plan

I found a couple of cute pics of my little boy that i had neglected to scrap and really wanted to use the Scraplet Bubble Tree and the Nested Squares because they are so cute. I started my layout with no particular plan and just kept adding until i was happy .. so here is my process.

Step 1 – Using Kraft 12 x 12 cardstock and the A2Z Scraplet Nested Squares – take the negative one … i used the 4^th one in from the outer edge… glue that down

Step 2 – I decided to add some tissue paper over the right side of the frame for some texture, then slapped on some color… lovely pale blue. I used my foam brush to get the great edge marks at the top.

Step 3 – Add more color and texture… a darker blue was added with some bubble wrap - looks stunning.

Step 4 –Maybe a little more color is needed… some beautiful Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Electric Blue sprayed at the top and at the bottom of the layout. I also drew a black frame around the edge of the Scraplet …. Then i decided to use a little gesso on the edges of my page and the frame.

Step 5 – I did not like that much so i decided to go all out and do a quick paint over with my foam brush and some white paint… its looking better …. I love how the paint is seeping through the white wash.

Step 6 –Now it was time for some printed paper… some cute little boy paper for this layout.

Step 7 – A litel more white wash was added to tone down the paper… and i added some spotty paper too because layouts look great with spots especially little people layouts.

Step 8 – Onto a little inking to age the layout and to give it some warmth… I used a kaisercraft brown ink over the edges of the frame and around the edges of the layout.

Step 9 – Time to add a little more color. Orange is a great color to compliment this layout… so i had some leftovers from other layouts laying around and added them in different spots and then found some cute old fashioned Snap playing cards… lovely….

Step 10 – OH and i best not forget some sewing … i love sewing … it helps add to the feel of a piece i think .. shows care and love… I have also added some little square glass tiles that i painted to the layout these were added at the top and the bottom - alternate corners.

Step 11 – I love this Scraplet Tree of Bubbles… it has to go on this layout.. its fun and whimsical… I used Keepsake Colors by Plaid to paint this.. i love the pearly white look it has given to the tree.

Step 12 - I have not totally covered the tree with paint as i wanted to add more colors using my chalks. I used a red for the tree and a green for the trunk… i needed to add the red to enhance his rosey red cheeks shown in the photo.

Step 13 – I used foam dots to give the tree extra height on my page

Step 14 – I had a few rub-ons and decided that they would be perfect for this lalyout and i have also added a little brown tag near the ball

Step 15 – A cute little title via the dymo machine - "Happy Little Vegemite"

Step 16 – All done - another cute layout for my sons album

I hope you have enjoyed the process of putting together this layout with me. I love that there are no rules to creating and if you are not happy with your layout that you can build on it and nothing is wasted.

Tracey

2012 January New Release ...

... are now up on the website and available in stores. There's a mix of Christmas goodies, Page Frames & New Words - so hopefully something for everyone !

First up, we'll take a look at what the Design Team ladies have been up to with the NEW Christmas Scraplets.

The following layouts are all using the NEW "Reindeer 4" - CR Shape. It's always fantastic to see "same product, different uses" hence why some products are sent out to all of the team members to see what they come up with.

"Christmas 2011"
by Samantha Windsor ...

(Sam has also used NEW Snowflake Shape).

"Merry Christmas 2001"
by Monica Burns ...

"Santa Pic"
by Amy Prior ...

(Amy has also used Holly Shape - CR).

"Merry & Bright"
by Holly Connors ...

"Kids Christmas Wish"
by Sandra Wilkinson ...

Still on the theme of Christmas (because I know you still have lots of Christmas photos to scrap), there's a NEW "Snowflakes 2 - Set of 3" available. Here's what some of the girls did with the Snowflake.

"Snow Much Fun"
by Amy Prior ...

(Amy has also used various Scraplets Cogs).

& just to show you the NEW "Snowflake" is tucked onto this layout, here's a close up of it.

"Up"
by Irit Shalom ...


"White Christmas"
by Sandra Wilkinson ...

"Snow Magic"
by Monica Burns ...


"Home for Christmas"
by Tracey Thorne ...

(Tracey has also used Scraplets title).

& check out this awesome booklet collage

by Holly Connors ...

Just a few more Christmas goodies to share - a NEW title for all the "good kids" ...

"Dear Santa I have been good"
by Carolyn Zabel ...

by Tracey Thorne ...

by Monica Burns ...

Last up on the Christmas goodies is a NEW "Holly 2 - Shape"

"Dear Santa"
by Holly Connors ...

Now we're going to share with you the
NEW "Page Frames". They come in 3 different varieties - Cogs, Butterflies & Flowers with more designs coming soon. Would love to hear what you think of them so leave us a comment.

I have to share the "Page Frame - Flowers" by Amy Prior first up. She has used it on a canvas and I'm totally LOVING what she's done with it. Amy is going to hang it in her scrapping area to give her inspiration - I know it gives me inspiration looking at it too !!

OUT FOR PUBLICATION !!

and a couple of close ups ...

I'm hoping Amy will have more information on how she made this canvas over on her blog.

Here's a few more gorgeous examples on how the Design Team have used the Page Frames.

"Our Family"
by Monica Burns ...

"Wings"
by Irit Shalom ...

"Moments"
by Gracie Holzhauser ...

"Bon Jovi"
by Carolyn Zabel ...


by Monica Burns ...

Okay, still in "Picture Frames/Page Frames" section, we have a NEW
Picture Frame 14 - Set of 2 - to suit 6" x 4" photos. I"m loving what the girls have done with this NEW Scraplets too !!

"Family"
by Irit Shalom ...

(Irit has also used Scraplets corner).

"Family"
by Sandra Wilkinson ...

(Sandra has also used Family Script Word).

Next up we have 2 NEW Scraplets Shapes - Starburst 1 Large & Starburst 1 Small. I'm loving what the DT have done with these too !!

"Fun in the Sun"
by Samantha Windsor ...

"Beach Days"
by Sandra Wilkinson ...

(Sandra has also used a Scraplets Corner Word).

"Her Smile Sparkles"
by Tracey Thorne ...

and last lot of NEW Scraplets released this month are a few words (in no particular order) ...

"Sleeping Beauty"
by Carolyn Zabel ...

& Monica Burns ...

(Monica has also used Doodlets 12).

& Samantha Windsor ...


& Irit Shalom ...

"Dare to Dream 1"
by Gracie Holzhauser ...

(Gracie has also used Shapes - Birdcage 5).

"Dare to Dream 2"
by Holly Connors ...

& by Carolyn Zabel ...

"Capture the Moment"
by Samantha Windsor ...

"Learner"
by Monica Burns ...


"in the Summertime"
by Gracie Holzhauser ...

"Sleepyhead"
by Tracey Thorne ...


Thanks for checking out all the gorgeous creations by the design team, showcasing the NEW Designs for January.

Be sure to come back and look at the blog every couple of days as the girls will be posting inspirational layouts/projects, how to's & step by step projects.

And if you're scrapping, don't forget to have a look at this months Sketch Challenge designed by the talented Amy Prior.

... Until Next Time ...