Custom Shimmer & Shine Alpha Tutorial

Hello lovelies! Today, I have a little 'How To' that I hope will show how easy it can be to customise Rinea Foiled Paper! I wanted to add a soft, subtle shimmer and shine to some recent layouts for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge but couldn't find an embellishment that I was happy with. Enter my Metallics Foiled Paper Variety Pack - a swoonsome collection that includes a selection of 'Matte' and 'Glossy' Gold, Silver and Copper. It's so on trend, it hurts! :)

The Foiled Papers die-cut so well (but I would recommend some release paper for smaller or more intricate details) and I was thrilled to have some custom alpha embellishments for my cards and layouts. I could have left it there - with some basic, die-cut alphas in some of the lovely metallics - but I wanted a little variety and decided to emulate some of the two-tone alphas I've been seeing recently.

Creating this look is so simple. Haul out an alpha die-cut, choose a little bit of washi tape that compliments or contrasts with the Foiled Paper. Add the washi tape to the Foiled Paper, using the die-cut as an aid; run through the die-cutter; and voila!

I've had a lot of fun combining my customised alphas with my Watermelon Whimsy {June's Counterfeit Kit} stash and I am certain that this technique will turn up over and over, as I make my own kits each month! 

I've already started to experiment with some of the other Rinea Foiled Paper colours; different washi; and, of course, different die-cuts. So much fun! Watch out for more soon!

May You Live In Pinteresting Times

This month all of the challenges at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge will be based on the self set challenges that the newest members of the Master Forgers Design Team (Me, Kelly and Susan) set themselves when they 'tried out' for the team during the 'Great Master Forger Search' last August.

Challenge #1 May You Live In Pinteresting Times is based on the challenge that I set myself - base a project on something spotted on Pinterest, but with a little twist. It can't be a craft project (so no layouts, minis or mixed media as inspiration.)

My original layout idea came from this beautiful interiors shot full of cute frames and textures, which inspired this layout about Meeting Melsh for the first time. We had a *lot* of fun that day - trying, without success, to take a photograph of ourselves jumping in the air. Instead we ended up with a serious of photographs of us as we landed; looking startled; and crying with laughter!

I am really looking forward to seeing interpretations from the rest of the team and from the members of the Counterfeit Kit Challenge.

Play Or Put Away? {What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday #346}

Well, it seems that my desk is full of things that need to be tidied away. Last weekend, I visited my local scrapbooking club, taking with me the remnants of my Document December Kit and this month's Planning For Perfection Kit. 

I was so productive while I was there - working on the Stamped Planner Dashboard Tutorial, I shared earlier in the week and completing the scrapbook layout that you can see on my desk for our Just One More Thing feature over on the Counterfeit Kit Challenge. (It should be live this morning, so do pop over if you have chance.)

After all that creativity, I didn't have the energy to put anything away. But now, I'm ready to start playing again and I think I'll start with that little stack of patterned papers I discovered down the side of my desk last night. Such a happy moment. It was like finding a £5 note in a winter coat!

Oh, and just a quick note to say thanks to everyone that has visited via Stamping Ground and What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday since I started in the New Year. I already feel as though I'm joining a community and it's lovely! 

Challenges And Experiments! {Counterfeit Kit Challenge}

September is always a little bit of a crazy month - working in a university means that as soon as autumn arrives, we're welcoming new students; catching up with old friends and working, working, working. This is really the first day this month that I've had chance to catch my breath and I've enjoyed working on a few things in my little craft room. Unfortunately, that doesn't include tidying! It's such a mess! 

Thankfully, the weather has been a little brighter today, so I've managed to take some better photographs of the layouts I've made for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge, and here's my take on Master Forger Challenge #1. The aim was to use something from our stash - either a tool or embellishment - that we love but haven't used for a while. Inspired by the Organise This theme for the month, I dug out a couple of punches that haven't seen the light of day for some time!

I've been wanting to experiment a little with some different sizes and shapes of layouts and I'm so pleased with the result - even if it does have a photograph of me on it!

Master Forger Challenge #2 was a little more....challenging. Basing a layout on an inspiring character from one of my favourite books or television shows didn't come easily. I was getting a little panicky, when I spotted John Le Carre's, The Constant Gardener on my bookshelf. I've hidden some journalling away about my own favourite 'Constant Gardener' - my dad - but the gardening theme is easy to spot! 

I decided that a little more experimentation was in order and although I'm not as pleased with the overall balance of the layout - I'm just not feeling the 12x12 at the moment - I am pleased with my layering. Leaving each layer 'looser' than normal and adding some distressing has really given my layout some extra dimension. I've used some stamps from Lawn Fawn's Check This Out and Flutterby to add some embellishment - they were just perfect for this layout!

There's more to share, but you'll have to wait a little bit longer. In the meantime tell me, have you been experimenting with your scrapbooking recently?

Stitching On Paper - Inspired By Stamping

Morning! Ready for some more Stitching On Paper? We've learnt the basics of hand and machine stitching, but now we're going to start looking at how our stitching can be inspired by some more familiar crafts like stamping, embroidery and cross stitch. 

In today's part of the class, Stitching On Paper - Inspired By Stamping, I'm joined by Guest Designers Julie Kirk and Mel H. We've all interpreted our use of stamping and stitching a little differently, so there's plenty of inspiration. 

Remember that if you've been inspired by the class, I'd love to see what you've created. You could win a little something! Have a lovely weekend! x

PS Last week's Guest Designer, Jennifer Grace, has a little stitching template available on her blog. It's the cute cloud from last week's layout. Go get it!

Stitching On Paper Class - Sneak Peeks

The idea of stitching on paper might be nothing new, but I'm still amazed by the amount of e-mails that I receive asking me how I've managed to add hand stitching to my cards, or the people who leave me comments telling me that they wouldn't have the confidence to start stitching on their own layouts. 

Rather than reply to each and every one of those e-mails and comments individually, I started to think about the idea of hosting a class - for free - to share my own tips and techniques. It's been a long time coming, but I'm ever so proud to announce that Stitching On Paper will start on the 4th August, with tutorials every Saturday and Sunday throughout August.

I'll be exploring how to stitch on paper - covering the basics of hand stitching and machine stitching - then taking those techniques further inspired by stamping, embroidery, cross stitch, string art and quilting. Each element of the class will include tips, techniques and inspiration projects. 

Of course, I have a few Guest Designers joining me - Sian Fair, Mel H, Julie Kirk, Kim Dellow, Lisa Hausman, Tricia Simmons, Jemma Sharrock, Jennifer Grace & Lara Watston. Pretty amazing line-up, right? Each of these talented ladies will be sharing their own interpretation of my basic prompts - and I guarantee that you'll be inspired to start stitching on paper to create your own projects. Oh, and did I mention a prize?

Such Happy Days

Prompted by one of the challenges in the Master's Forger's National Scrapbooking Day Blog-Hop, I started thinking about how I could make my own version of the Sassafras Collage Text Paper to include in my May Counterfeit Kit. 

Just a little bit of stash diving and I was ready to go! First I dug out some white cardstock, the remains of a chipboard alpha set, some spray inks, co-ordinating stamp inks and some of my trusty stamp sets. 

Using the chipboard alpha set as a stencil, I misted part of my cardstock with the spray inks. Once dry, I inked up some of my luscious stamps and used them to add additional colour and texture. Here you can see stamps from three Unity Store Kits - Quiet Essence, All About The Journey and Learning Year By Year, as well as Schoolhouse Backdrops by Lawn Fawn.

Although I've cut the final paper down to include it on my layout, I'll be keeping the extra bits to use in other projects - even on a smaller scale the misting and stamping make excellent backgrounds - so expect to see them making an appearance over the next few weeks. 

With such a colourful paper as the main focal point of the layout, I only needed a simple, but colourful background and a few, well chosen embellishments. To add a little bit of dimension, I've layered a tag, some cardstock from my scrap box and some ... um ... extra stamps.

Even I was a little shocked that I managed to include even more stamps, but those cute clouds and the sweet florals from Bon Voyage and Flutterby - both by Lawn Fawn - added just the right amount of whimsy. And I do like a bit of whimsy!

We're Day Trippers, Yeah! {Saturday Scrap}

At the beginning of my relationship with The Steve, we decided to have a 'Ferry Across the Mersey' date - so we took the ferry from Birkenhead across to Liverpool, had a mooch around The Albert Dock, a spot of lunch at The Tate Liverpool and then went out for a few drinks. It was such a lovely day, even if it was a little bit blustery. And, since this photograph is one of our favourites, I thought it was about time it had it's own layout.

I've used stamps from Say Cheese Too! which one of my all time favourite stamp sets from Lawn Fawn because it's absolutely fantastic for scrapbooking. It includes months and numbers - making it perfect for including dates - and it has the most adorable camera stamp I have ever seen! As soon as I started this layout, I pulled out my stamp set and added one of the sentiment stamps from the set 'A Great Snapshot Warms The Heart'. Couldn't be better for a layout about one of our first dates, right? I also added the little camera to one of my embellishment clusters - I told you it was adorable!

To tie in with the sentiment and the theme of the layout, I also used the teeny, tiny heart stamp from Cruising Through Life. Stamped, coloured and cut-out, it adds a few pops of colour and movement. I haven't decided whether to add some more journalling, so I'm going to pop this to one side and have a little think about it. Anyone else finish a layout and then get a little bit scared of ruining it by adding too much?

Pass The Page Blog Hop - Bonkers For Conkers

Hello & Welcome! If you've just arrived by way of From High In The Sky and have never visited before, you won't be aware that it's been well over three months since I last posted. (If you used to be a regular visitor, don't let these new folks in on my shameful secret! It was never my intention to take such an extended break and I have the lovely Julie to thank for bringing me back to the 'world of the blogging.')

If you're not familiar with the concept of Pass The Page, you might want to start the blog hop 'officially' at Letting The Days Roll By where all will be explained. And, as an added bonus there's a few prizes to be had for commenting along the way.

My part in the blog hop was to adapt Sian's rather beautiful layout (which always meant that mine would look rather dull by comparison.) Initially, I was inspired by Sian's use of layering, as well as the overall balance of her page. I liked the large rectangle created by the papers in the bottom half of the page and the embellishment cluster. However, the thing that I always love the most about Sian's pages is her emphasis on storytelling.

There were many twists and turns in the completion of my layout, so it's totally different to how I imagined it! But, I got the story down on paper - so that's good enough for me!

***Although no cameras were hurt during the photographing of this project, I had just damaged my camera lens. I still haven't replaced and this is the only photograph I have of this layout. Forgive me the bad lighting and the lack of detail shots?***

Now, I don't know about you, but I am dying to find out how the story ends. Your first step on the way to finding out should be Craft Imperfect where Helen has taken inspiration from my layout to make her very own. But, before you go, remember to leave a comment to be in with a chance of winning...

...You never know there may be a sneaky, surprise type of prize too :)

She Speaks Melsh

Another layout to share with you today, using a background paper from my November Counterfeit Kit and some scraps from my October Counterfeit Kit. Actually, October's Kit may never end. Seriously, I have been using scraps from that kit for the last couple of weeks and I still have a ton of them. It's fun seeing how many different projects I can make out of them though, so I'm not too worried.

Anyway, back to today's layout, which was inspired by - you guessed it - a prompt from Pretty Paper Party. The prompt was to use scraplifting as a starting point so, I was on a look out for the perfect scrapbook layout to emulate, when I spotted this beauty over on An Ounce Of Creativity and decided it was the one.

The dinky, little photograph of Mel was sat on my desk just waiting for inspiration to strike and, it did. Don't you love it when scrapbooking seems effortless? Well, not quite effortless. I did hand sew all of that embroidery thread.

Source: anounceofcreativity.blogspot.com via Clair on Pinterest

The journalling is a little twist on Mel's 'About Me'. It says - "Melsh is what she speaks. It describes what she says (nice things, mostly) and how she says it (her accent is a bit of a mixture.) The word comes from her name and from the fact that she's quarter Welsh. But there's no Welsh in her accent. That's Mel all over - lots of lovely quirks. I'll always be proud to be her first blog follower and, of course, her friend".

Not often that I love a layout, but this one's a definite keeper!

There Was Laughter {Pretty Paper Party}

I was thrilled when I received today's prompt from Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party. It's all about combining colours and, just last night, I finished a layout using one of the example colour combinations. I have never been so up to date with a class!

A certain someone will recognise this photograph immediately. In all honesty, it about time that the story of Meeting Mel made it onto a layout. And it's particularly apt, because we met through a Shimelle class! The journalling, and some of Mel's Photographs, are all on the blue piece of card that's tucked away behind the main photograph.

All of the cardstock and papers on the layout are from my October Counterfeit Kit only the base cardstock was a new sheet. I love the papers and the calm colours (though this colour combination could be a riot in different ratios!) but I think it's the splash of blue ink that really makes the layout come alive.

Whatcha think Mel?

Best Day {Pretty Paper Party}

It was an awkward moment. We hadn't seen each other for such a long time. But thanks to Shimelle I have, at long last, been reaquainted with my crafty mojo.

Shimelle's new scrapbooking class, Pretty Paper Party, arrived at just the right time. I needed a little bit of focus - and the class is certainly focused. On encouraging us to use up our pretty paper stash.

So far, Shimelle has been easing us in gently. Prompting us to look at new ways of combining our patterned papers - looking at colour combinations, base colours and pattern size. Although I've never felt afraid of pattern or colours in my scrapbooking, but it's been awkward for me to incorporate both into a style that suits me and my, slightly, minimalist tendencies. But, I have a couple of layouts done and dusted and, although they've incorporated lots of colour and pattern, I love them! Here's one, I'll share some more as soon as the light's good enough to take more photographs....

Shimelle has also been talking a little about how she puts together her cardstock and patterned papers for a crafting session. I smiled a lot, when she described the principles I use to put together my Counterfeit Kits.

Having my October Kit ready and at my side while I've been working through the prompts has made it so easy to pull out co-ordinating colours and patterns without constant rummaging. I have no idea how I used to scrap before I started counterfeiting. I only know that it used to feel so much harder. So, if you're visiting from Pretty Paper Party and the Counterfeit Kit Challenge is a new concept, I can highly recommend it. Enjoy!

Travelogue - Salzburg

Hello. Hello. I'm still desperately trying to catch up with everything after a week away from home. But I don't regret it! It was an absolute blast! A super weekend with The Steve and then a weeklong work conference, where I got to catch up with a lot of friends. I just wish this weekend was a day longer :)

But, I didn't want to leave the little ol' blog too much longer. Have you noticed that the longer you leave it between blog posts, the harder it becomes to think of something to say?

Anyway, I'm sharing one of my travelogue layouts with you which will no doubt end up as a 'chapter' style page within the album. I made this very simply by using some of the papers left over from my Notre Dame Layout - I didn't even cut them - and a few embellishments that were leftover from My Counterfeit Kit For August, plus a couple of lovely roses from Precocious Paper.

I'm trying to keep the separating pages clean and simple, but have recurring themes and colours throughout. I'm hoping that will give the whole album, with it's very different stories, some much needed continuity. I've never actually made layouts with the whole album in mind before. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever made a whole layout album before, I normally stick to mini albums, so this is all new!

Now, there's some washing and ironing calling my name. *Groan* Wish me luck!

Believe In Good Things {Counterfeit Challenge Blog Hop}

If you're stopping by as part of the Counterfeit Kit blog-hop then 'Hello. Hi. Welcome.' If you haven't heard of the Counterfeit Kit Challenge then, oh my, you've been missing out! The idea is to create your own scrapbooking kits from stash, using some of the most popular kits available as inspiration. And, despite the fact that I've not yet spent a single penny, I've been creating with some fabulous combinations I would never have normally used; had access to mini-challenges all month long; and become part of a growing on-line community. Sounds good, right?

When I started scrapbooking, I often saved links to layouts that I loved and I would try to emulate those layouts when I sat down to scrap - only, I'd never really like them because they never seemed to measure up to the original! As I've become more confident in my own style, I've relied less and less on the idea of scraplifting - though I still love looking at other people's layouts - and I've started to love my own layouts, simply because they reflect who I am. I no longer feel as though my layouts have to look a certain way or they 'won't be good enough.'

So, I went back to my old layouts and chose one that I love - just because it was one that really feels like my own - and copied it. The colours might be a little different, but it's still bright and cheerful. And, since I've only used one piece of cardstock, plus scraps and a few embellishments (all the last few in their packets) it's the perfect use for all of those scraps we accumulate while using our kits!

Now, I'm off to the next stop on the blog-hop - Kathy-Jo - to check out what she's been creating, but if you'd like to make sure that you're not missing out you can head back to the beginning at the Counterfeit Kit Challange.

Inspiration Everywhere

Last week's Layout Challenge at The Studio Challenges was instantly inspiring. I knew exactly which photograph I wanted to use and it took mere minutes to pull together the right elements for the page because my Counterfeit Kits were ready and waiting.

I used my version of the Babbling Brook kit, plus a few embellishments that I pulled from my version of the Wildflower Kit - and look - a patterned paper background! Unbelievable! That's twice in a row! There was also an additional challenge to accompany the sketch of using a ruffle somewhere on your layout, so I made my own ruffled ribbon out of some cream satin and added it beneath my photograph. Then I clustered all of my embellishments together to form a focal point and to break the lines of the layout a little. I included one of my handmade rolled roses, some polymer clay leaves, one of roses from my original kit and a cabachon glued onto a chipboard button. Lots of extra used in such a small space. Loving it!

But, there was something missing. Just beneath the cluster of flowers there was a little space and every time I placed another flower there it just didn't look right. I was at a bit of a loss and put the layout to one side for a whole week before inspiration struck.

I'd headed back to The Counterfeit Kit Club and noticed the Inspired By Etsy Mini Challenge then and immediately went to search through my favourites. When I came across these beautiful Temple Lotus Hoops by Lala Design Studio, I knew I'd found the cutest, little addition to my layout. One dinky, pink glass teardrop bead and I finally had the perfect layout.

*happy sigh*

Bee-oo-tiful

Since putting together my counterfeit kits, I've been dying to work with my version of 'Wildflower'. It's no surprise that it was my favourite of the kits I put together - and in fact - when I've been visiting other counterfeiters, it's generally been my favourite of their kits too!

I started with one of the many photographs I took on a beautiful weekend. One I will never, ever forget. Since the memories of that weekend are so special, I decided to be really, really brave and pulled out my favourite piece of cardstock - Japanese Tea Garden from Basic Grey's Pheobe collection and used that as a base for my layout. I added in a page from an old children's books and a journalling sheet from My Mind's Eye, plus several partial sheets of patterned paper from my kit.

I distressed the edges of my cardstock using my craft knife and then blended some inks onto the book page to give it an aged, antiquey look. It's the first time I used my new distress inks and I'm so pleased with how they turned out - something actually worked!

I swapped out the large flower from my original kit and replaced it with a pink one, then combined it with a couple of handmade flowers from last month's kit. The one I hardly used. I also added in some leaves, some of fabric and some of polymer clay - both of which have been in my stash for quite some time.

Of course, I knew that I wouldn't be able to resist adding in embellishments once I started (which is why I tried not to act smug when visitors congratulated me on keeping my kit embellishments to a minimum!) But I think that the freedom to add in bits and pieces is what makes the whole process fun. Besides, it's all from stash, so it's all good.

A Proud Moment {Finally Finished Friday}

I know, I know. I'm cutting it a little fine with my Finally Finished Friday project this week but, since I actually managed to complete something earlier in the week and didn't save it until today, I'm not too worried. And, after all, it is still Friday.

For one reason or another, this project has been worked on in several stages. I first misted the background onto my cardstock about two months ago and absolutely loved the effect - I thought it looked like a starry night - and wanted to save it for the perfect project.

Back in October, the perfect project finally came along in the guise of a monthly challenge over on All About Me - a proud moment or achievement - but due to the timing, I was unable to take part in the challenge at the time. Over the next week or two, I got as far as finding the chipboard elements, trinkets and wording that I wanted to use but, until tonight, I never got as far as actually sticking them down on paper. Oh, how I love sticking things down on paper!

I even managed to squeeze some journalling on there - not always one of my strong points - all about how I managed to buy my own home at the tender age of 24.

It feels wonderful to have this layout finally finished and, thankfully, it looks just how I envisaged it all those months ago. Now maybe I'll have chance to play along with this month's challenge?

Normal Service Is Resuming {Scrap Sunday}

I'm finally managing to settle into a routine that works around my new job (can anyone else believe that it's been five weeks since I started?) and I'm looking forward to working on new projects and blogging more regularly now that I no longer require afternoon naps!

One thing that I'm particularly looking forward to is contributing to Operation: Tackle That Beading Stash. After Sarah, who set up the blog, linked to my Bead & Button Bracelet Tutorial, I pretty much invited myself onto the team. (If you don't ask, you don't get, right?)

The reason that I'm so pleased to be working with these lovely ladies is because, although I don't often feature my beading, it was actually my first crafty love and I wouldn't have tried scrapbooking, card making, glass painting, embroidery or sewing without having discovered a patience that I never knew I had.

Seed beads really are very fiddly and I realised that if I could cope with them, then I could easily cope with sticky tape, ribbons and threads.

In honour of my joining the team, I've (finally) completed a scrapbook layout that I started on National Scrapbooking Day over a week ago. It features a photograph of one of my beaded necklaces and, of course, some handmade beaded embellishments in the form of branches. See the little leaf shaped beads? Love.

I also added some of my hand rolled ribbon roses, which are one of my current favourites, along with some hand cut leaves and sewing pin details. With all of the handmade details, embroidery and all of the gems I had to stick on with superglue one by one, this layout took an absolute age to finish, but I think it's worth it. For my first (crafty) love.

Looking forward to catching up with some of my own favourite blogs this week and resuming normal, blogging service. Leaves on the tracks permitting.

Scrapping With Shimelle {Scrap Sunday}

If there's one lady on the scrapbooking scene that never seems to run out of excellent ideas and inspiration, it's Shimelle - who is hosting an online scrapbooking crop this weekend, full of challenges, inspiration and giveaways. If you haven't managed to visit already, I suggest that you get yourself over there pronto as the challenges finish tomorrow morning at 6am!

One of the current challenges, Scrapbooking With Two 4x6 Photos, really appealed because I've never created a scrapbook layout with multiple photographs. I'm quite comfortable scrapping without photographs, which is something most people find quite difficult, and I'm happy scrapping just one photograph because I love negative space on a layout. But two photographs? That takes up so much space!

Imagine my surprise then to discover that I love my finished layout. It came together fairly quickly, even though I spent quite a bit of time making a lace flower and a beaded branch to use as embellishments, and I'm particularly pleased with how well balanced the layout seems. Add to that the fact that I've continued to use things from my stash (chipboard flowers, ribbon stickers and rub-ons) that haven't seen the light of day for some time and I have successful scrapping. Almost as enjoyable as my search for the perfect pair of shoes!

So Much Scrapping! {Scrap Sunday}

I am still busily working my way through all of the prompts from Shimelle's class Something From (Almost) Nothing and I'm crediting it with my rediscovered love for scrapbooking. It really has been inspirational.

As part of the class, there was an option to create a 'Celebrate Life' album and, along with each technique prompt, came a prompt for creating an album page. I didn't start working on my album straight away. Initially I wanted to focus on working through the techniques and finishing off some older pages, but I've now started work on my album and have completed a few more 6 x 12, horizontal pages.

My first page is my current favourite. (Don't you love how that happens? A new page always seems to hold your heart until the next one is finished.) It's a photograph of my university friend, Sarah, on our trip to Austrailia almost seven years ago. *Sigh*

It's quite detail heavy and took me two evenings to finish - because I hand sewed the rolled ribbons before adding them to the layout - but I think it's worth it. As I said, it's my current favourite!

This second page is a small list of some of things I am grateful for - the things that I want to celebrate and seems perfect for a summary page in my album. I mainly used scrap cardstock to complete the journalling and make the flowers, but added in a pleated ribbon to give the page a little bit of lift.

And lastly, a layout which has been forming in my head since late last year when I went with my folks to Ness Gardens. I managed to snap a few portraits of my parents and this one, of their almost matching trousers, socks and shoes, became a firm favourite. It makes me smile every time I look at it and deserves a place in my scrapbook album.

I pulled out all of my floral stamps and, using a brown distress ink, used up all of my small scraps of papers to make accents for the page. It was a lot of cutting out, but I love the autumnal effect and the lift it's given to an otherwise simple page.

So, that's it for this week, but since the class has been extended into April with bonus materials and challenges, I think you'll be seeing more scrapbooking.