JuSt Do iT! Week #4

Hi Ladies... It is another Layout-A-Week and this time I'll show you how not to be afraid to cut your papers... Don't think they are precious.... Just do it!!

Some times we just have our papers to admire but at the end they became old and we never use it.. this time I encourage you to use your most precious papers!!!

Always use layers.. that give to your project volume! 

You also can stamp.. Stamping in neutral colors is easy to combine.

Using the fussy cutting technique you can add several layers of paper .... 

Cut the frames of the tags and use it as picture frames ... even if they don't fit your pictures.. Just Do it!! You will love the results.

Add some texture using different materials.. 

Supplies Used:

Xyron Mega Runner

Westcott - Titanium Non Stick Scissors

Wescott - Cutter

Bella Blvd - Enamel Dots

Duck Tape - Adhesive Borders

How to Create an Embellishment Cluster with Die Cuts- Week #3

When I bought paper, I used to buy every embellishment that matched it: die cuts, stickers,chipboard and whatever else I could get my hands on. I would then use the package of die cuts sparingly. I wanted needed those die cuts to last. I felt like it would be a shame to run out of them and still have paper left in a collection.I would see people on design teams and think they were crazy for piling on a ton of embellishments from one package.

Over time( I have been scrapbooking since 2001), my paper and embellishment collection grew. Many of the die cuts and embellishments sat unused. I realized that my style reflected a frugal blend of simple yet layered. I used up paper but was left with a large supply of die cuts. Holding all those packages of die cuts in my hands, I realized that I had to find a way to use them. I started layering them into embellishment clusters.

The layout I am sharing today features die cut vellum pieces. It would be easy to substitute punched patterned paper shapes or even stickers. Feel free to mix both die cuts and stickers into the same cluster.

Key Points to Consider when Layering Die Cuts into Embellishment Clusters

• Choose a background paper which contrasts with the die cuts. I had a lot of bright colored hearts, so I chose a white sheet of cardstock.
• The cluster don't have to be horizontal as in the layout shown above. Choose your photo arrangement first, then push the die cuts around until you have them positioned to your liking.
• Using three clusters gives you a visual triangle. Try to arrange the clusters to form the triangle around your focal point photo. In the layout above, the focal point is the large photo with the closeup of my cat,
• Focus on 1-3 concepts to create the visual triangle. I used die cuts of all the same shape in each cluster. Colors are repeated. I also placed the text near each cluster. You can have more than one visual triangle on your page.

Normally, I am not an advocate of piling embellishments onto a single layout. However, if you are sitting on packages of die cuts in your stash, I think it's fine to give yourself permission to add quite a few to a single page. After all, the supplies are there to be used.Focus on keeping the page simple. Choose a neutral background and add heavier embellishments like chipboard or flowers to each die cut cluster sparingly.

Supplies Used:
Xyron Adhesive
Tape: My Mind's Eye, Amy Tangerine
Letters: Duct Tape Brand, Basic Grey
Felt: Sassafrass, Bella Blvd.
Die Cuts: Studio Calico
Chipboard: Totem Poppets
Jewels: Imaginesce
Metal: Maya Road

2016 - Week #2

Hello and Happy 2016 to you and your family.  I hope everyone is having a great start to the new year.
Today I wanted to share a layout with you that is representing my new year.

I started with a photo of my family.  My husband and my three kiddos.  My printer was running low on colored ink so I printed it it black and white.  I made it a square because I just liked it that way.  A little different from a traditional  4x6.  So then I went to my scrap closet and stood there looking at my paper collection.  I haven't bought new scrapbook paper in a long time, but I need to get moving on using it up too before I then decide I don't like the paper anymore and need to get rid of it all and buy new stuff lol.

So I pulled out some stuff and sat down at my desk.  I knew already that I wanted to turquoise and grey colors on my layout but some of the other stuff I had pulled out for the background just weren't making me jump up and down.  So I grabbed this dark grey textured cadstock, which I loved the best so far.  But there was just something still I thought it needed.
So I spritzed it a few times with some white craft spray and made sure it got a few big globs and set it aside to dry.

While it was drying I decided that my layout would just be those exact colors, the turquoise and greys.  I dug through all my stash drawers and found coordinating papers and embelishments.

I knew I had to use the turqouise patterened paper with the cameras on it.  It was meant to be since the picture of us was my actually taking a "selfie" of us.  So then I found the small strip I had of the cursive black and white alphabet.  So I knew that the black and white would go perfect with the color theme I already had going on.  And it was just a scrap piece and already cut down to a great size.

I wanted my focus to be on my title (besides the photo) so I wanted it to be large.  I also wanted it to really stand out, so I framed the 2016 in a thin border.  I cut the border out in white and the actual numbers I cut in a silver metallic cardstock.  I used the Xyron Creative Station to adhere those to my page.

What I like to do for my layouts is start with the basics.  I cut just a thick strip of the camera paper and attached it to the grey cardstock.  Then I attached the alphabet paper just below it.  I knew that is where I wanted my photo, so I laid it there but didn't attach it just in case I wanted to move it around just a bit.

So once I start with those basics then I go through my drawers to find matching things that I can add to my layout. The tag to the right that said twenty in the exact right colors was perfect, except it said thirteen on it.  So to solve that I just trimmed off the word thirteen and added some silver numbers at the end to make it a perfect fit for my layout.

 I found a pocket card that said make a wish, which I thought was perfect for a layout about the New Year.  I found the Arizona tag, and although it does not match my layout, it has meaning to my family.  We just moved to Arizona 5 months ago and we are starting the new year here.  So I like the small pop of color it gives and also what it represents to our family.

I instantly fell in love with the glittery silver frame and decided to frame my journaling inside there.  I found some tags that matched and of course some washi tape.  I glued everything down and then added some extra little enamel dots and silver heart stickers to complete my page.

I think the layout really represents so much about our family with the color theme, the Arizona tag, our photo (which we are all wearing our Miami Dolphins gear), and a bit of sparkle too.

I hope you enjoy and I am looking forward to sharing more layouts with you this year.

Xyron - Creative Station Review

I had the opportunity to review the Xyron Creative Station machine.  

Let me just start by saying WOW, I love this machine already and I have only used it now for the first time.  

I have never had a machine that could do as many things like this one. The cartridges are so easy to change, they just snap right in. 

First I started with the laminating cartridge.  No heat at all required.

I decided to make a little meal planner for the fridge.  I printed this one out and trimmed it down to size.  (Well I did print it again so the words weren't cut off, and apparently I forgot to take a picture of the correct one).

Then I just aligned the paper up to the left side, turned the handle and it laminated itself as it came out the other side of the machine.  

It was really that simple.  Once it came out, there is a trimming blade right on the Creative Station.  I trimmed it off, then trimmed the excess laminate off with my trimmer. 

After that I took a roll of magnet that I had on hand and cut 3 strips to add to the back of the meal planner laminated sheet.  

Because the roll has been rolled up for so long, once I added the magnet strips to the back of the laminated paper, it was trying to roll right up.  So I took my smaller Xyron Mega Runner out and ran it quickly on the sticky side of the magnet strip.  Because the adhesive is so strong, it worked perfectly to hold in place, and keep it from trying to curl up.  

Then I attached it to the fridge and used some dry erase markers to fill in some info.  Perfect.  

So then I decided I wanted to use the magnet cartridge and see how that did. 

I printed some Becky Higgins quotes from my Project Life App, and used the laminate cartridge on them first.  

I trimmed them down to fit in the smaller 5" cartridge and ran them through the machine.  

Once those came out, I trimmed them down with my paper trimmer, right to the edge of the paper and it did great.

I added those to the fridge as well.  

Because I just couldn't stop using it, I used the regular permanent adhesive for part of a layout too.  The outline of the 2016 was so thin, I didn't want to use my mega runner, so I ran it all through the creative station. Worked perfectly! It made it so much easier to attach them to my layout.  

My conclusion on this AMAZING machine is that I don't know why I didn't have this in my life sooner.  I love it and am already thinking of what I can use it for next.  

Maybe some laminated math cards for my kids, or magnets of my kids for the fridge.  I think the ideas are endless.  I am so glad I was able to review this!

Have you used the Xyron Creative Station?  What is your favorite cartridge? 

~NICOLE

Out With The Old, In With The New - Week #1

Welcome to 2016 on Layout-A-Week! A new year means getting organized and a lot of "out with the old, in with the new" to most people. I decided to apply that to my scrapbooking by using something that I'd been hoarding for awhile to clear out the stash.

I'd had this beautiful Crate Paper collection since shortly after the CHA Mega Show this time last year, where it was one of their new product debuts. It was one of my favorite things at the show, and I snatched it up as soon as I saw it on store shelves! But in a few days, I will be off to the 2016 show to see all sorts of wonderful new things - and this collection is still sitting in my stash! Out with the old, in with the new...let's use it up!



In the same vein of clearing out the old, I have these wonderful pictures of my daughter from her trip to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disneyworld a few years ago that have somehow never been scrapped! This is the perfect time to correct that, since they match the papers beautifully!

To make a quick page, I turned to Jennifer Priest's Scrap Free Scrapbooking ebook:

I used cutting pattern three, although I shifted the photos from the left side to the right side to better accommodate the title. 

The title is a combination of letter stickers and my favorite set of letter stamps - another CHA goodie from last year! I stamped the "Bibbidi Bobbidi" with black Clearsnap pigment ink. It's nice and juicy and easy to get a good impression with the clear stamps! To make it easy to stamp straight, I cut my paper strip first and then stamped on it.

The journaling at the bottom of the page was printed out from my printer and then cut into strips. My tiny Westcott titanium 5" detail were great for this task, as I had to snip close to the small text without getting into it by accident.



And the final result was a quick and simple layout highlighting some of my favorite photos of my daughter contemplating her makeover:



Supplies:

• Crate Paper "Notes & Things" collection
• Bazzill Smooth cardstock in Cotton Candy
• Colorbox Pigment ink in Black & Cupid
• Hero Arts Clearly Kelly stamps (Kelly's Outline Alphabet)
• American Crafts Thickers alphabet (Jewelry Box Glitter in Bubblegum)
• Heidi Swapp date stamp

What items are you clearing "out with the old" this year?