Friday 31 August 2012

The Sweetest Thing


Hi all, Jen G here. When all of the newest products from CHA started to arrive in the Sarahscards shop a new range from MME caught my eye straight away. It was “The Sweetest Thing- Honey” range. It seems to have a lot of pink in it at first glance and with 3 boys pink is not my first choice of colour to scrap with. However, as I looked through it I realised there was a lot of yellow and dark grey in there - a colour combo that I love. There is also a pack of coordinating washi tape – everyone’s favourite product right now! So today I have 3 layouts to show you that I created with this range.
The honeycomb pattern that recurs on these papers inspired me to start with a hexagon. Using Microsoft Publisher I printed out a hexagon then used it as a template on the “Damask” patterned paper. I then started to create another hexagon around this using the washi tape. To Helen’s amusement, I didn’t whip out a protractor and compass to work out the angles – too technical for me I’m afraid! The washi tape is so easy to reposition that I laid strips of it down that were too long then used a ruler and pencil to find where two strips should meet. I positioned the ruler across the hexagon from corner to opposite corner to do this – see the picture below.

The next step was to use a craft knife to cut away any overlapping washi tape. This gave relatively neat joins and I found they got neater the more I practised!  I added a touch of the pink from the back of the “One of a Kind”paper for this layout of my youngest eating ice cream. I always check his treats to see if they are “poisonous” – it’s the only way I get a lick! 
For the next layout I have to share with you I used the washi tapes to create a 6x4 area of interest. I simply covered a piece of scrap card with stripes of the 3 tapes in the pack, folding the ends over the edges of the card.
 I layered this up on foam pads with more patterned paper under it and a photo of my niece on top of it. I used the washi tape again to cover some DIY Thickers for the title. Coincidentally I did this in exactly the same way that Nat did when covering her veneer shapes. Great minds, eh Nat?

For the final layout I have to show you today I covered a circle of card with the “Honey Love” washi tapes along with a few other tapes from my collection. Initially the card circle was kraft, but I didn’t really like the effect. I was loathe to waste that much washi tape by starting again but I really wanted to change the card to white. I tried peeling the washi tape off the kraft card and amazingly the vast majority of it came off with ease. I repositioned it all onto white card and was much happier. I then hand cut several of the circles from “Doily” paper and layered them behind the main circle to echo the bubbles in the picture.  I used strips of washi tape once more to journal along.

So, a collection that I instantly dismissed as too girly turned out not to be that girly after all. I love it when that happens. Have you dismissed a range as too feminine/masculine only to be surprised by the results? Let us know.
TTFN!

 
 

Wednesday 29 August 2012

Go LARGE!

My post this month is inpired by this cushion, from John Lewis.  A while back, they also had one with LOVE on the front which is blatantly lifted to form this layout.

 
I hand drew some letters on graph paper before transferring to patterned papers. To give the letters a little definition, I stitched all the way round the L and E on the sewing maching before adding some sequins. I hand stitched the large heart and added some mistable camera shapes ( that I left plain, is that a crime ? ). The V was cut from the fabrip.  Here's a closer look at those letters.
 
 
Next is a layout about our trip to the Olympic Park so I drew and cut out LONDON from a variety of patterned paper. I made the first O slightly smaller to draw the viewer's attention to it so that I can further add 2012.
 


 
This is how I made the letters. Each letter is formed from 3 square wide by 5 square high.  The short first O is 4 square high.  To make the large letters for Love, I simply treated 2 squares as 1. I cut them out and trace onto patterned paper.  The cutting wasn't very precise either...I simply used a small scissors.
 
 
I still had plenty of supply so I made "2 boys" where I drew and cut out 2.

That's all from me this month.  Are you ready for school ? I think I still have a blazer to pick up from the dry cleaners LOL.


Monday 27 August 2012

Masks, not just for masking.

Hi it's Tracy here, most of you will only know me as the 'cardmaker' of the team, but I scrapbooked way before I started making cards, so I have gone back to my papercrafting roots and make a couple of layouts to share with you.
For my post this month I decided to highlight other ways to use the Hexagon Mister Huey's mask, other than just using it as a mask for mists.

This first page features my son on his school prom night, when he got home he couldn't stop talking about it and said he'd had the best night of his life.


I started by using the mask as a stencil and drawing around the inside of each hexagon with a white gel pen, I then gave the page a little spritz of Mister Huey's mist in Calico White, before drawing and cutting out a few hexagons from some Studio Calico - Heyday papers, and adhering them with 3D foam pads to some of the drawn on hexagons.


This next page is all the men in top hats and tails messing about on the beach, and balancing on the groynes at my Nieces wedding earlier this year.


This time I  used the mask as a stamp. First I covered it in black paint, but found this to be too harsh as I really wanted a more subtle effect on this page.


 So for my next experiment I applied black ink all over the back of the mask, placed it on my page and rolled over it with an ink brayer, (you could also use a wallpapering edge roller), this left the desired effect. Leaving the mask in place, I inked softly around the edge, and stamped a grid effect image into some of the hexagons. I then cut out some of the middles of the hexagons with a craft knife and attached some of the wood effect paper to the underside to show through the holes.


The final way I used the mask was to run it through my Cuttlebug using a sandwich of, A plate, tan mat, card, mask, 2 B plates and a few shims of card,  which gave a nice embossed image, which I then made into this simple card. (I couldn't resist making just one card).



 I hope I have inspired you to use your masks in different ways.




Saturday 25 August 2012

The Flood!

Hi again, happy summer!  Its Vanessa here and this month I have continued using the lovely SEI Mayberry Range.


Along with my scrapbooking hobby, I love sewing and I use scrap pieces of fabric to make little puff flowers (tutorials are all over the internet).  I thought I would try this out on paper, bearing in mind you need to make it pliable without tearing it.
Firstly draw a circle, I have used a compass, but draw around anything round.


Use a very small amount of mist spray not only to give a sheen/sparkle, but to slightly dampen the circle and then scrumple it up, which will soften the paper more.


Fold over the edge of the circle and using a needle and thread, stitch a straightforward running stitch all around.

 

Pull both ends of the thread tightly (careful not to rip the paper) and flatten.

Layer the flower onto another piece of scrumpled paper for the base and then using embroidery thread, stitch two layered buttons together and glue on top to create your final flower.


Thanks for looking and enjoy the rest of your summer. :) x