HKMC | November Kit Club

          So excited to bring you a new kit for our November Kit Club at HKMC!  Check out this fantastic kit (Figure 1) from October Afternoon - Travel Girl.  We love to travel - so I couldn't wait to start crafting with this one!!! 

Figure 1

 

          The first layout I created was a single page layout (shocker - I know!).  At the HKMC Fall Retreat, we created some tags using the people outline stencils - and I wanted to use one of these tags (Figure 2) on my travel layout. I LOVE the Luminarte Silk Paint - fabulous!!!  

 

Figure 2

 

          One of my new purchases, is the awesome new world map from the digital section of Two Peas in a Bucket.  I used my Sissex eclips to cut it out of blue cardstock.  One of my friends had picked up a beautiful immigration embossing die for me - I embossed white cardstock and ran some orange ink over it...  added a few pieces of paper and stickers.  Normally, I don't use gray much - but I have to say I am loving it - especially with the blue and orange here.  I also included one of my favorite family travel photos and I intentionally let it fade in with the paper since I wanted the girl and the world map to be the focus (Figure 3).  Something else that I enjoyed using were the cling stamps "This Way" and Ali Edwards stamps "fabulous" and "TRAVEL"

Figure 3

 

          Up close shot of the Immigration embossed paper (Figure 4).  

Figure 4

 

 

          My second layout was a double page using the negative of the world map I created for the single page above over the gray street paper from the Travel Girl.  I wanted this layout to show how much fun we've had across the world together as a couple and now as a family.  Love my title that I created on the Sissex eclips machine -  "Oh, the Places You'll GO!" - (Figure 5) especially since I can create it at any size that I would like. 

 

Figure 5

           Using Luminarte Silk paints in Yellow Rose and paste, I painted it over a gorgeous stencil.  Next, I added 13 photos taken from all over the world.  I added the title and the string (Figure 6).  Last touch, I added the wood plane.



 Figure 6

     
           My final layout was a double page about travel, but it specifically focused on the summer fun the kiddos had in our front yard in the USA.  I captured some great photos while the kids played in the sprinkler (Figure 7).

Figure 7

 

          I used some of the red enamel dots and blue arrows to draw attention to the title: travel {home}.  These photos show how carefree the kiddos feel when they are splashing around in the water sprinkler. 

Figure 8

 

 I especially love the one of them dancing (Figure 8)!  Awww - to be young again...   

HKMC | September Kit Club

          The HKMC September Kit Club had some beautiful papers from the Bo Bunny Key Lime collection.  I love the navy and lime colors with a dash of yellow.  From this kit, I created three layouts: 2 double-page layouts and 1 single-page layout (shocker I know!). 

          The first layout I created was a 2-page spread that began with the two Deep Blue Sea papers.   I rotated the right paper counter-clockwise in order to use the rays across the 2 papers.  From my tool stash, I pulled a vintage Bo Bunny flexible ruler out and used it across the 2 Sun-Dew papers to create a wavy sand look. 

          I printed my marshland photo as an 8R and tucked it under the Sun-Dew paper.  I used the white Thickers letters to spell out my title, along with some Heidi Swapp letters for the subtitle.  I love the mustard Color Shine - so I sprayed it on the small Heidi Swapp letters.  With instagram type frames self-cut for three photos, plus a 4R beach photo & a cute orange polka-dot cellophane pocket to hold my journaling and extra photos...   

The last touches were the Heidi Swapp No Limits banner (from my stash), and the Color Magic notes to cover the fish in the upper right corner. 

          My second layout was inspired by Ali Edwards Hello Story class.  Ali had suggested using a circle pie chart in a layout, but I thought a heart pie chart might be a fun alternative.  After cutting a circle from the left over Sun-Dew paper, I used red acrylic paint in the shape of a heart behind the pie pieces.  I used several photos taken over a year to show my son's relationship with a bunch of the females in his life!!!    Finally, I colored six Color Magic notes and "attached" each one to a photo - underneath is my journaling about each event.

          Finally, my last layout with the Bo Bunny Key Lime collection, was created with one inch strips of our collection of papers.  I wove them together to create some texture and then used gesso and water over it to soften the bright colors a bit.  I LOVE IT!  It is definitely out of my comfort zone - a single page AND a single picture - whoa!!!  Those of you that know me best know just how far this is out of my norm...  I think I'm going to have to do this more often :)

 

          I spritzed the mustard Color Shine over a stencil on my paper to create my on background - stamped some vintage photo Distress ink with a few different stamps - and even used the bottom of my coffee cup to make some circles!!  Next, I used my diamond stencil with some modeling paste to create texture. 

          The MUSIC letters were sprayed with Mustard Color Shine on top and Cherry Color Shine on bottom.  Once I wiped the letters it blended so nicely with a slight orange color in the middle!  The white and red flower was made from a piece of paper towel that I used to soak up some of the beautiful Heidi Swapp Cherry Color Shine that I sprayed on the letters.  I twisted the paper towel and glued it into a circle.  By using a Sissix 3D flower diecut, I created the yellow/white flowers from the paper towel that I used to soak up the mustard color!  In addition, I added in several flowers from my stash to complete the grouping.  Last I added a couple of birds singing...  my favorite layout!



          Hope to hear from you all about your latest layouts!

Hello Story | Courage to Create

          Okay, so I have to be honest...  I'm out of my comfort zone!!!  AND LOVING IT!  I typically create double-page layouts...  and I like bright colors like red, any shade of blue, pinks and yellows typically.  When I began thinking about what I wanted to create for the Hello Story class with Ali Edwards, I decided to hop outside my box and do something different.  I love the results - take a look and see what you think:        

          First, I took a plain piece of white cardstock.  I decided to use black, white and purple on this mixed media single-page layout.  By using some of my washi tape, I created a diagonal stripe mask on my page.  I placed it on a Ranger craft mat.

 

          I didn't use a ruler, I just freehanded the placement of the tape.  To make it more exact you could place the tape fully across the page, but only the edges are going to show so I didn't worry about the center of the design. 

 

 

          After masking off my paper, I used black acrylic paint to create the stripes on my paper.  The acrylic paint dries quickly, so once it dries you can peel the washi tape off to display the stripes you have created. 

          Next, I took one of my favorite stencils:  TCW Quadtrefoil by Ronda Palazzari Designs and some purple acrylic paint to create a beautiful design on a second sheet of white cardstock. 

 

 

          I like the pop of color against the black and white stripes.  At this point, I decided to keep all of my other items black and white to allow the purple to be a shot of color. 

 

 

          Now to continue with some fun items, I used the Tim Holtz tissue paper as an overlay.  I used Mod Podge to coat the area where the tissue would go AND used a paint brush to cover the back of the tissue paper - NOTE:  when using Mod Podge (especially if the area is a larger area) be sure to cover it well or you'll have bubbles under your paper/tissue.  Even after coating both areas, I still had to peel my tissue up and smooth some additional Mod Podge over the area - this is tricky since it is so thin it can easily tear!!! 

          Afterwards, I painted Mod Podge over the top of the tissue paper to help smooth it down and adhere it nicely to the page.  I added one of the  Heidi Swapp Clear Pop Banner Delights across the top.

 

 

 

        Finally, I printed a six-word title "Creativity takes COURAGE to let go" and added it under the banner.  To complete my layout, I used a 6x6 Heidi Swapp Confetti stencil for the splattering of silver dots. 

          WOW - so much fun!  Thank you, Ali, for the challenge -