Creative Inspiration - Week 16

Happy Good Friday everyone.

We, as a family love this time of the year. 

The part that we love the most is being able to share it with others.

Every year the kids and I get together to work out what they would like to be able to give as a small gift to their school friends. 

It has been a tradition that I have done with the kids since Jhane was little (she is now 16 years old). It is a value that I have instilled in the children about sharing with others. We don't do it to get something in return. The children at school get quite excited every time it is a special occasion to see what we have created this time.

This year I have been lucky to have a small bit of this Echo Park paper range left over that was just perfect for what we had in mind.

So here's what I came up with this year.

So.. I had to make 100 of these little Easter treats.

With that in mind and trying to keep to a strict low budget to enforce the "its the thought that counts" motto, these ended up only costing me 

Paper bags - $2.00 for 100 

Garden twine - $2.00 for HUGE ball which I have 99% left

Echo Park paper 12'x12' sheet - $1.05

Yellow Card stock 12'x12' - .50c

Star Patterned Tooth Picks - $2.00 for 100

Mentos - bought in bulk bags $6.00 for 2 450gram bags

Ink from own stash

White Card stock for tags - recycled from album inserts 

Printer ink - very little

Total cost = $13.55 average (not including printer ink and recycled white card)

However still worked out to be about 14 cents each. 

The paper bags are only little (2 1/4' x 4') in size to give you an idea of the overall idea of size of these Easter gifts. However they are big enough to hold 3 individually wrapped Mentos lollies. Like I said it is a token, and more about the giving. Plus we tend to focus more on the craft aspect too so the kids aren't over loaded with lollies. 

Now I wanted to keep them simple due to the sheer quantity that I needed to make. I had found the PDF for these cute rabbit tags via a Google search. They were designed by Funky Time for Handmade Charlotte. Lots of good craft ideas on there I have found for the kids too!

I finished off each little parcel with a little star tooth pick I adhered to a scalloped circle I had stamped. I then added a little bit of bling with a pearl dewdrop. 

Was glad they all go done in time for the kids to hand out. Loved the look on their friends faces. Just warms your heart that's for sure.

Happy Easter everyone.

Till next time.

TFL, M x

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Creative Inspiration - Week 15

Hello all. 

Wow... still hard to believe that it is April. The months are just whizzing by this year.

This month is another busy one in this household with two birthdays, Easter 

AND school holidays all in the mix.

So I have gotten busy with the last bits and pieces of this yummy Echo Park range to try and stay on top of things scrap wise.

So first up at the end of this week is Miss K's birthday. Now this year we have decided not to have a big party as she had a big party last year. Instead we are taking along some of her friends to the movies to see Sherman and Mr Peabody which she has been longing to see. After the movie we will come back home for pizza and cake. Super simple and a special way to celebrate with a few good friends.

Now despite the fact that we aren't having a party as such we still wanted to be able to give a small party bag to her friends to say thank you for coming to help Miss K celebrate. 

So with that in mind I have managed to prepare these little bags full of fun surprises from this bright paper range by Echo Park.

I am love with these little party bags I found ages ago at the cheap shop, however I love them even more now they have been personalized.

I have jazzed up the top edge of the party bags with some paper strips that I have given a decorative border punch then added a plain contrasting strip to match. 

Now I have played around with a digital brush and some Project Life graphed journal cards to create the base for the embellishments I have added to the front of the bag. Then I added another strip with the cupcake pattern, which worked perfectly with the theme. 

I finished off the bag with a little pennant flag I made from the lolly print paper, added a twine bow and finished off the flag with a stamped cupcake I mounted with 3D foam tape. A little bit of glitz was added to the cupcake icing as I just couldn't resist adding a bit of sparkle. 

I don't know who is going to love them more.. me or the kids. 

I love being able to take something and make it my own. This time around it was super easy thanks to this paper range by Echo Park which worked perfectly with my theme.

Have you personalized something yourself lately.

Why not give it a try. 

Till next week.

TFL, Michelle x

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Challenging Inspiration

Hello Everyone,
Michelle here.

Isn't this sketch designed by Mad About Scrappin's Creative Team Member, Amy Prior amazing !! 

I absolutely loved playing along with this sketch.

Once again  I have used this kit from Echo Park to create my take on this months sketch at 

Mad About Scrappin.

So here's my take on the sketch.

I have been cleaning out my scrap stash again and found some papers that I have had laying around for ages. The background paper I thought would be PERFECT for the base of this layout. It also matched perfectly with the Echo Park kit too without taking over completely. I also decided to do my take on the sketch and only have one photo. However I did use a 3'x4' journal card and some scrap to create the two other "photos" from the sketch. That way I felt like I was making it my own.

No I was really inspired and my scrapping mojo was flowing when creating this layout. I played around with some texture paste and a stencil I had gotten from a Mad About Scrapping sale to add some texture to the base of my layout.  I then added layers of patterned paper, washi tape and a large paper doily till I was happy with all the layers. 

To mix things up a little and because I really didn't have a lot that I wanted to journal on this layout I have instead created an embellishment cluster there instead. By making my own pennant flags and mixing it up with some matching bakers twine I was able to tie it all in together.

Why not give this month's Mad About Scrappin's challenge a go. 

REMEMBER!!!

There are 2 prizes up for grabs this month at Mad About Scrappin !!!!. One voted by the Creative Team and a random draw so don't forget to get your entries in by the 30th of April!!

Challenge Details :

- Challenge is for Australian Residents Only.

- Entries are to be created exclusively for this challenge and must not be used for any other challenge or Design Team work.

- One entry per person.

- Entries must be added to the link by midnight on the last day of the month.

- Please link to the post that contains your challenge entry, not just your blog.

- A prize will be awarded each month as voted by the Design Team & a Random Draw Prize.

- Winners will be announced on the Blog and our Facebook Page

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Creative Inspiration - Week 14

Hello again.

I have had been rather busy here the last week. We were lucky enough to be able to host another student from Japan for a week. It was nice to be able to share our family with someone else. It was also fun to be able to show our student, Yuzu, some of our favourite places. I was able to get lots of photos to play with too whilst visiting our favourite places. 

The kit Echo Park Kit I have been playing around with these past few weeks was PERFECT for some of the photos from the beach we took on our weekend sightseeing tour with Yuzu.

This week I decided to take a Project Life approach to my layout. There were so many good photos from the day that I wanted to showcase each one in their own little way but still have them all tied together.

So here's this week layout.

I love how bright the papers are and how well they fit with my summery feeling photos. 

For my title I have used two of the 3'x4' journal card spots in the page protector to create the space for my title. By using a mix of patterned paper from the kit, stamping and a vinyl doily I have been able to create my title rather easily. I like how my title sits between the two pocket spaces. It gives a bit of contrast and really helps create the paper as a feature of the layout.

I loved being able to use the arrow shaped clips as embellishments. They make it really easy to highlight something. I have used them on some journal cards that I have stamped and jazzed up with some matching washi tape.  Super easy and yet so effective. 

I love how easily some pattern papers can be used for different types of layout. This particular paper range has some great journal cards too which made using them for Project Life style layout super fun.

Why not get out of your comfort zone and try a different style of layout.

Get Scrapping.

TFL, Michelle x

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Creative Inspiration - Week 12

Hello all.

Hope that this week have been a good one for you all. 

Been a busy week here again with having an exchange student stay with us at the moment. It has been fun to show her around and share our family with her. 

I have managed to get some time to play around with a new kit this week that arrived safe and sound from Mad About Scrappin. Leanne had sent me a photo of the kit and I was most impressed when the kit arrived at the lovely vivid colours that I have to play with this time around. 

So here's the kit.

I wasn't too sure if the colours were going to be too bold however when the kit arrived I couldn't wait to have a quick look through. I am really pleased to with the stickers that come in the kit. There are so many AND I can see that I will use most of them as they are very usable.

For this week's creative inspiration I have created a layout. I have been taking quite a few photos lately and have found quite a few of them I want to scrap. 

So here's this weeks layout.

I have gone with a white base this time around because the colours are bright and patterned. However in saying that I I have used an old black Staz on ink pad that is almost dried up and stamped randomly with a clear stamp and used my hand as a stamp block. This has created a bit of interest to the base card stock without taking over. 

I have also created some texture to this layout by punch circles from the patterned paper and folding them inwards on each side to reveal the colour on the back. I have then adhered then to the bottom as shown. It look effective without taking over. I like to be able to add some homemade embellishment to my layouts sometimes too.

By playing around with some mixed circle punches I have been able to create cutaway to reveal the colours underneath. By doing this the patterns underneath can be seen through and add the the overall look.  I have then played around with some circle and scallops to create the embellishment's for this layout. Adding the title was easy too with a mixture of alphas stickers from my stash and the word candy from the matching sticker sheet.

I have had fun creating this quick and easy layout. I love how the bright colours pop.

Have you played around with a different colour scheme to what you normally do lately ?

Why not give it a go.

Till next week.

TFL, Michelle x

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Creative Inspiration - Week 11

 Hello once again.

So rolls on another week of the year.

Yet again I have been busy creating with the last little bits of this Photo Freedom kit 

from Mad About Scrappin.

Here's what I have to share this week to inspire you.

The kit really is at its tail end at the moment. I still have a few odds and ends I will use up for cards and what not however I did manage to scrape together enough to be able to create my last layout from this kit. I have do this with a little help from tow matching pieces of card stock I had in my stash.

 Now its a bit hard to see but the lighter card stock is actually a really pale grey blue. I felt it toned in perfectly with the patterned papers without being too over powering. I wanted this layout to not be quiet as dark as the last few I have created. However I still felt the card stock was a little too pale on its own so I have randomly stamped the card stock using dove grey staz on and inked the edges with two different ink colours to tie it all together. I then used some Mr Huey black mist to add some ink blotches which I blotted with a paper towel so they weren't as dark. I then trimmed and matted in onto a mid toned grey card stock. I feel it has create a subtle looking base for my layout.

  To add a little bit of details I have added some hand stitched circles to the base of the layout. I also liked the idea of using up some old number stickers in my stash. So I have coloured them in using a permanent marker and adhered them in a staggered fashion. It helps to add a little bit of definition to the layout without taking over because they are darker. To finish it off I have added some inked ticket stubs and one of the matching stickers using 3D foam squares. 

To finish the layout off I have added a little washi tape over lapping another sticker from the Photo Freedom kit, another 3'x4' journal card and the matching arrow sticker mounted with 3D foam tape. I have used the word from the journal card as part of my title finishing off the title with a die cut word. Super simple and so much fun to create.

So refreshing to be able to use all the little bits and pieces up from the kit.

Till next week where I share some new products with you.

TFL, Michelle x

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Creative Inspiration - Week 10

Hello everyone.

This week has been a fun filled week here for me. I haven't been studying or scrapping much. But managing to have some "me" time. Been quite refreshing and much needed.

However I have managed to this weeks creative inspiration done for Mad About Scrappin using some more of this photo freedom kit.

 So here what I have created this week.

I had a real blast creating this layout too. I made so much mess on my desk and  my hands playing around with texture paste and glimmer mist.It seems like ages since I have played around with texture paste. I forgot how much fun it was to play with. 

I used a chipboard alpha negative that I have had laying around in my stash as my masking template with the texture paste. I used a piece of chipboard from an old art sketch book as my base for my layout. I cut it to size and then added the texture paste where I wanted it. Once the texture paste was almost dry, I then started to layer different coloured glimmer mists to add some colour to match the journal cards I was using.

To finish off the base I then randomly stamped and inked the edges of the card stock. 

I carried through the masculine feel to this layout using washi tape and garden twine to embellish. I also popped in an ornate frame I had glimmer misted to match. I love this photo freedom kit too for the stickers that come included. They make it easy to add a few little accents to the embellishment cluster as desired.

Once again this photo freedom kit has taken me in a different direction. Definitely not washed out of pastel but a very strong masculine colour scheme. 

Why not mix it up with the papers you are using at the moment. 

Till next week. 

TFL, Michelle x

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Creative Inspiration - Week 9

Good morning everyone.

Wow ! Another month end is upon us. So hard to believe how fast the month's are rolling by this year. 

Anyways.. I am back this week to share with you a layout I have created using this Photo Freedom Kit.

This week I have used the photo sleeve included in the kit to create a Project Life look layout. I must say now that I have been playing around with these kits for a while I am quite liking these kits. I am finding them a lot easier to use than when I first started. I am also finding that I am now scrapping more than one photo which was a rarity for me. 

So here's the full layout I created this week.

I love that this kit has a combination of 6'x4', 3'x4', 12'x12' patterned paper and stickers. It makes creating so much easier. I have used one of the 6'x4' title cards to create the base of my title for this layout. When creating this style of layout I like to have one of the photo sleeve spots as my title. 

I also like to use on of the photo sleeve spots for my journalling. I am finding that since starting this style of scrap booking I am now journalling more than I used to. I find though that I still don't like the journalling to be the feature of the layout. So on this layout I have journalling on the computer and printed it directly onto a graph printed card. I like to be able to mix up the fonts a little to to create a little interest. I have also found that I don't always have many 6'x4' landscape photos so but journalling on one half of the 6'x4' graph card I am able to add an extra 3'x4' portrait photo easily.

When creating these pages I tend to keep the majority of the 3'x4' photo sleeves for photos only. This time around I have matted my photos with some white card stock to tie them all in. because I didn't have any other smaller photos I wanted to use for this layout I have used one of the 3'x3' to create a sub title for the layout. By adding a paper doily and part of a glimmer misted frame it was done fairly easily. 

I have found that I like to add a little bit of embellishing on the photo itself. By cutting up some of the ornate frames I have added a piece to each photo with some washi tape and a hand cut heart mounted with 3D foam tape.

I am finding when creating this type of layout that I am using one of the 6'x4' photo sleeves for a full size photo. This would usually be the photo that normally I would have used to create a 12'x12' layout. It would be my favourite photo of the event/outing or people etc. Sometimes I edit the photo adding digital brushed words however this time around I have used washi tape, a piece of glimmer misted frame and a WOW laser cut chipboard word. 

My last card in this layout is usually another photo or I use it to sum up the layout itself. For this card I have used the plain coloured 12'x12' sheet. I have then randomly stamped it with butterflies using dove grey staz on. I found without the stamping the card was too pale for my liking to match in with the layout. I have then finished the card off with some washi tape, another ornate frame and a die cut chipboard tree.

Once again I have had a fun creating with this Photo Freedom kit from Mad About Scrappin. 

Why not give it a go yourself. 

Sometimes its not about scrapping the main event but about the little things that mean the most.

Till next week.

TFL, Michelle x

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