Scraps of Elegance Design Team Reveal Featuring the April Kit "Swan Song"

This months beautiful kit from Scraps of Elegance features Prima "Fairy Belle,"

Pink Paislee "London Market" and Websters "Everyday Poetry." I can't say enough about the care Mel puts into gathering just the perfect touches for us in these kits. We also have an exclusive "Vintage" add on. This is composed of a select number of vintage items that are very special and a perfect compliment to the kits. 

My first layout for the month is based on Charlottes sketch for us this month.

This photo is of my daughter when she was little. She took dance classes for many years. 

I used my new Martha Stewart Embroidery Punch on this layout. It's beautiful!!!

My favorite Lindy's mist is Gossamer Gold. I love to use it on chipboard when I want to have a bronze antique finish. On this layout I cut the leave flourishes on my Cameo and I used a small script stamp on the leaves. I will be sharing a tutorial in next few days on this technique. Stay tuned.

I used Heartfelt Creations Layered Elegant Swirl Die to create the pretty lacy effect above the photo and off to the side.

My next layout is much more recent photo of my daughter. I used a lot of gesso and a texture paste with a stencil. I have a tutorial I'll be sharing on this technique as well.

I used masking on the cardstock.
The dies are the Fanciful Flourish from Cheery Lynn.

I used a template to cut the scallop edge on the cardboard.

My next layout is one of my daughter when she was a baby along with my niece and nephew.

The leaves on this layout are Heartfelt Creations Autumn Splendor 

I stamped them and fussy cut them out. I also colored them with distress ink.

There are beautiful Melissa Frances pieces in this kit including a chandelier drop. I also used another Martha Stewart Embroidery punch to create the little doilies.

My last layout is of my OTHER daughter! LOL

On this one I used a new set of digital frames I picked up the other day.

They are the Katie Pertlet Carded Stacked Frames from Designer Digitals.
This photo was taken a few years ago by Gina Coppolino Photography.

I used masking in the background again and also on the pattern paper.

I created these daisy floral blooms and am sharing a tutorial with you on how to create these. I also used a crackle stamp on my chipboard Dusty Attic hinge.

I painted them white then stamped over it.

Here is a close up of the flower.

Daisy Flower Tutorial

Supplies needed:  Spellbinders Donna Salazar Carnation Creations Shapeabilities, Small flower punch, Glimmer Mist, Cardstock Colors of Choice, Craft Mat, Chalk Ink, Paint brush

Die cut 2 large flowers and 3 small flowers

Put a few drops of glimmer mist on your craft mat. Spray the water on the glimmer mist. You can test the color on a scrap paper to see how light you like it. Once you get the intensity of color that you like paint your flowers with it. Paint both sides.

Let them dry or heat dry with your heat gun.

Ink the petals with chalk ink.

Roll the daisy flowers petal inward with a paint brush.

Punch 4 small flowers for the centers.

Spray them with glimmer mist and let dry.

Roll the petals inward using the paint brush end.

 Layer the flowers, 2 large, 2 medium and stack the small punched flowers inside each other adhering each layer with glue. Crunch the flower together to fluff it up.

This month I created some butterfly files for our Scraps of Elegance kit.

I created these files using free butterfly clip art images and altering the colors and sizes to match "Swan Song." Feel free to grab them for your own personal use.

** REVEAL DAY AT SCRAPS OF DARKNESS** Introducing...

    White Magic

 PLUS FULL PSE TUTORIAL ON USING TEXTURES HERE

Today is the day SCRAPS OF DARKNESS is revealing the GORGEOUS January kit "White Magic!!!!"  I just love the name  (that alone inspires me) never mind all the gorgeous goodies Melinda put together.  This kit is jammed packed with beautiful Pink Paislee Parisian Anthology and Websters Hollywood Vogue! I was able to create 5 layouts and I still have plenty left over for another couple of projects!!!!

Top that off with some jewels, stars, bling, feathers, flowers and some awesome mists and glimmer glaze!!!! I had such a fabulous time creating with this kit and I know you will too! 

Each month we have sketch challenge over at Scraps of Darkness. This months sketch by our very talented designer Mandy a/k/a Craftysprinkles does not disappoint!

Here is my take on Mandy's sketch! I combined the Pink Paislee resist paper with the Websters! I inked my resist with a mossy green distress ink. I love to fussy cut Websters and create a whole new look with their papers. I also love to layer as you can see! We got some beautiful rub on's and jewels in this kit and I think I used every bit of them up! This is a photo of my neice and nephew when they were little. They are teenagers now.

 This next layout is a photo of my girls and I taken by my friend Gina. I altered her original photo in photoshop and I added a snowflake texture to it. I have a full tutorial on how to use textures in PSE here. Check it out so you can try this fun technique yourself!
Again, I inked my resist paper in the beautiful broken china Distress ink. That gorgeous crystal vine came in the Scraps of Darkness kit along with the yummy white flowers. I cut the vines and flower centers on my cuttlebug using sizzix and TH tattered floral die. I used the Tattered Angel glaze that was this months add mists add on. It gave those blue vines and awesome look. I also added some diamond dust for a icy feel to this wintery layout.

Lately I have been into cutting my photos up and giving my project a magical fantasy look.
 Again I combined my Pink Paislee and Websters! This kit is so versitile and the papers work so beautifully together!  We received the beautiful flowers, jewels and feathers in the kit! I really adore those Tim Holtz ribbons! Those little bloomers are a wonderful size! You could mist yours to any color you like but I really loved the pop of the white on my layouts!

There are so many fun things you can do with photos to blend your photos with whatever your vision is for a page. In this next layout I took a photo of my daughter that was taken by my friend Gina and I put it on a magazine cover! If you google "photo fun" you will find a ton of sites where you can upload a photo and print it out on their design. I uploaded my photo, then downloaded it to my computer so I could adjust the colors in my PSE to go with my papers!

 I love purple and this time i used the Websters as a sheet! LOL I did a lot of misting and used the Tattered Angels Stencils that were part of our kit. I also used a ton of rub on's and Mandy's gorgeous stickpin. All part of the amazing "White Magic" kit!

This final layout is of my Mother and I on my Wedding Day 25 years ago!!!!! 

   Another example of how I combined the Websters and Pink Paislee! I really enjoyed working with all the mists and inking my pages. Those corner pieces are Dusty Attic and are another goodie you'll find in this Magical kit! You can really let your creativity flow with these papers!
I made the flowers you see on this layout.  I am going to call them "Antique Mums" and will be providing a tutorial on how to do these! Stay tuned...

I hope I have inspired you to take a hop over to SCRAPS OF DARKNESS 
and check out the January kit along with what my other fabulous Design Team members have done with it!


Thank you so much for visiting! I love and appreciate each and every comment!
Have a wonderful day!

***Webster Pages***

I've scrapped a couple of new layouts using GORGEOUS Websters papers!

This layout titled "Nurture" is several layers of Websters on a cardstock backdrop. The Natures Storybook line is one of my favorites! I love birds and butterflies! I shaped the first patterened layer using a template I had on hand. See nothing scary about cutting into Websters. Shaping the outside layer takes nothing away from the beauty of the paper! I cut several more layers from the pattern papers and used them beneath my photo! My photo was heavily altered in PSE. I will be doing a tutorial shortly on this technique. I actually removed a person from the photo who was sitting on the seat with my daugher! I added butterflies to the photo using brushes!
The birds, leaves and butterflies were all cut from extra Websters papers! I now have their digi downloaded motifs so I can get these gorgeous motifs printed any time I want to add them for embellies.
I took the paper that had stripes and polka dots and used my punches to create that lacy effect under the prima flower. I also added on my friend Angelica's vines to the mix! Sprinkle in some pearls and netting and here you have it!

This next layout titled "Vagabond" is a photo of my dd taken by my incredibly talented friend Gina at a photoshoot we just finished this fall. I think this photo goes fabulously with the Websters Seaside Retreat Papers. You can see I cut the luggage out of the papers which ties into the suitcase I used as a prop in the photo! I have layers and layers of Websters here that were cut, punched and added to this layout. I used a heart punch a whole bunch of times on the pink paper then tucked them under a layer to create that scalloped edge look. Genius huh? LOL
The birds are a digi motif by Websters that I printed on photo paper and cut out and used as an embellie! Look how awesome the balloons look cut out from the paper and using a pop square adhesive on the back to give dimension! Just added some Prima Flowers and cut some vines on my cuttlebug!

Thank you so much for your comments.
~Please know I read and appreciate each one with all my heart!

Shhh! Baby Sleeping

Oh my! This is my last layout from the Simply Irresistible kit!!! And it was irresistible. Trust me...

This is a photo of my dd when she was just 4 wks old. I did a little pse editing on the pic. I threw in a couple of things from my stash, that polka dot paper, the pink leaves and chippy bird and vine.
I used alot of prima packaging this month. On this layout I took the packaging and punched some flowers and I also used it to cover my chipboard bird. I covered the bird in diamond dust too.
I used the pink paislee anthology papers as that lacy border under the photo. I inked them in pink and purple then punched a few borders.
Another fun thing I did was I was to use a small heart punch, ink the edges of the hearts and tucked them under the artisan shape to make it look like a scalloped edge. You can take any punch and punch out the shape and tuck half of it under the edge of a paper for a pretty edging!
Thanks for visit today!!! xo

Sweet as can be

MCS is having a BIG Sketch contest! Like whoa really big!!!! It's a 3 month contest with lots of great prizes. I created this layout for my October entry.  I love to use sketches as a jumping off point and I always make them my own; never following them exactly. I dunno if that's a good thing or a bad thing. :)

This is a photo of my dd and I (who is now a teen :( back when she was about 3. She was as "as sweet as can be" Such an easy child and always so good. It's funny how when they grow up you forget what they looked like when they were little. She is a really good girl still even through the teen hormonal flare ups!
This is a cumulation of Swirlydoo supplies bascially! I inked a resist that was in our current kit with pink and green cats eye ink pads. I did some fussy cutting of the plane and flower/leave tucked behind the plane. The beautiful rose vine is Prima and I love the natural color of the vines on this one. I cut it and arranged on the top of my page balancing it with flowers on each side instead of using it as a long vine. I also added some Websters blooms. I have had a collection of these for awhile and I have not had the right layout to use them in ribbon form like this! I am so happy it finally worked!
I love K & company papers and like to have some of their pads in my pantry as a staple. I like to use them when I want some pattern and either don't have anymore kit papers to coordinate or want a different look. So I have some of those tucked in. I coated the chipboard artisan shape with diamond dust for sparkle. The background paper is Websters vellum over a pink cardstock.
Thank you so much for taking a peek!

Supplies
Cardstock - pink
Vellum- Websters
PP- K & Co, Websters, Pink Paislee Anthology
Flower Vine- Prima
Websters bloomers
Ribbon- Making Memories
Alpha- Basic Grey
Maya Road transparent doilies
Pink Paislee Artisan Elements
Cats Eye Chalk
Martha Stewart Punch around the page
EK Success punch
Stamp- Heartfelt Creations
Technique Tuesday chipboard
Other- websters sparkler, k & co butterfly, diamond dust

Dress Form ** Websters Pages**

Websters Pages Inspire Me site is having a contest! Dress your dress form!
I had a big collection of Websters I had not used! This was the perfect challenge to get through some of that paper and trim! Here is a looksee:

I used a paper mache dress form from the craft store and a candlestick for the base. I painted them in white and attached them with glue.

I covered the top of the dress form body in diamond dust. Then I added my Websters blooms.

I layered my Websters papers using punches and Websters trims. I also had a sheet of stickers that I attached to cardstock to add body then cut them out. I inked the back of them and wrapped them around the base. I used diamond dust on the stickers and butterflies!

Hope you enjoyed looking at my creation and this inspires you to try one of your own!!!

October Swirlydoos***Lavender Escape***

This stunning kit with my favorite colors *** purple/black*** combo has been sitting and waiting for me to finish up my Spooky blog haunt projects. Now that those are done and waiting to be posted for the 15th I have started in on this beautiful kit!
This is my first layout for the Swirlydoos sketch challenge using Beggahunas sketch for this month.

I misted the purple cardstock with smooch. Fussy cut some of the Websters papers in the kit to create my design. I used the smooch on the pink paislee pieces just to give them a little detail. The black bow is some netting that was in the kit.

I took some inspiration from Irene Tan (Scrapperlicious) and die cut a piece of acrylic to make the flower. I then colored it with alcohol ink and heated it with my heat gun so the edges would curl. I added a prima bloom to the center of it.

We received a beautiful ZVA CREATIVE flourish in our kit. But it was working as it stood with this layout and I really wanted to use it on here so I cut it apart.

The only thing missing from the original piece is the butterfly and I will use that on another layout!!!!
I'm always trying to think outside the box and use things in a way I think others won't. Hope this inspires you to give some of these things a try!