The Art Of Scrapbooking... Is the Art of Living!: July 2012

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Looking for challenge

Have been playing around with some products from The Robin's Nest Design Team kit. I though this month's page map challenge looked like a bit of a challenge.

Here's the details about The Robin’s Nest Page Map Challenge:

The Page Map Challenge is a monthly challenge starting on the first Friday of month and will last for one month. The winner of the past month will be announced on that first Friday here on The Robins Nest Blog. All winners will be notified by email.

Entering into the contest you are giving The Robin’s Nest the right to use your project to promote the challenge on their blog and other Social Media sites.

Create your own layout using the current Page Map – the Page Map can be incorporated vertical or horizontal in the layout.

The Robin’s Nest Papers or embellishments must be used in the layout.

HOW TO ENTER:

Add your layout to the inlinkz tool. If you have a blog grab our button and add it to your blog post.

A blog is not a requirement for this Challenge, you can use FlickR or any other Social Media Site to enter.

The winner will receive a $25 Gift Certificate to The Robin’s Nest On-Line Store!

So.. here's the page map for this month created by The Robin's Nest's own Michelle Frae Cummings

Here's my take on the sketch. Found it a bit of a challenge myself as I don't normally use more than two photos on a layout. However.. as I am always up for a challenge it was lots of fun to create this layout.

I used some of The Robin's Nest papers and dew drops to create my flowers. The dew drops I think look really good as the centre of the flowers and add great dimension quite easily.

With a little bit of help from a cardboard texture paste, paint and glimmer mist the background was created quite quickly and game a great dimensional effect.

So why not pull out some papers and have a play with this months challenge.

Get scrapping.

TFL, M x

Making a mess and getting creative with The Robin's Nest and Helmar

This week, the Helmar Design Team have been having a blast playing around with some fun products from

I must say.. that until recently I knew very little about The Robin's Nest and what products they have.

Well.... I have been majorly missing out that's all I can say.

Since I have received some of their products from Helmar and am now part of The Robin's Nest Design Team, I have had a chance to really play around with some amazing products.

As I said in my first post for The Robin's Nest I have ABSOLUTELY fallen in love with their dewdrops.

I think I have used them on every card and layout I have made in the last week. They are so versatile and add the extra pop to cards and layouts alike. I know that I am eager to pop over to the shop and stock up as they are so much fun to play with.

Plus to add to the added bonus I am now in love with their papers. I have been covered in glitter for the last week playing around with their paper ranges. I have never really been a huge glittered paper fan. That was until I received some of The Robin's Nest papers to play with. I have found the quality to be really good and the thickness of them perfect for playing around with and making a huge mess.

And yes... as most of you know I do like to mix it up a bit and play around with my papers.

So.. I got to work when I received my supplies to create this layout.

The base of the layout was created using old book pages adhered using my trusted Helmar Acid Free Glue wash to a piece of pasteboard cut to size and then lightly misted with gesso spray to mute it down. I then spread the centre of the layout with a layer of texture paste roughly and added a colour wash when the texture paste was dry.

The hearts were then created by book page adhered to light card stock using Helmar Acid Free Glue wash, and the others are hand cut from The Robin's Nest paper that I had chosen to work with because of the thickness of The Robin's Nest paper it was perfect for creating embellishments from. I was able to hand stitch them onto the card stock base quite nicely and fold the edges upwards and they help their shape.

I was then able to add that extra little bit of pop to the layout by adding The Robin' Nest dew drops to the smaller black hearts and randomly adhered them using Helmar Gemstone Glue over the base of the layout. I used the clear dew drops, which meant they were able to pick up the colours from the base of the layout nicely.

So super easy to create such a simple layout using some great products from Helmar and The Robin's Nest.

Off to play some more with my Robin's Nest products.

Happy Scrapping.

TFL M x

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

SUPER SUPER EXCITED !!!!!!!!!

Hello everyone....

Super excited today as it is my first post for

I was lucky enough to be chosen to be on the design team.

I must say that when my design team box arrived in my mail I really didn't know where to start. I didn't want to cut up any of the paper and WOW where have the dew drops been all my life.

I think I have used them on every layout I have created so far since my design team box arrived. They are so cool and fun to play around with.

So.. when I finally pulled myself together I managed to cut up some of my goodies up this is what I ended up playing around with.

So with a little help from the about I was able to make a major mess and get completely cover in glitter!

I started by recycling a piece of packaging to create the base of my layout. Then I adhered layers of book pages to start with using Helmar Acid Free Glue watered down. Once that had dried I then lightly sprayed it randomly with gesso and a few different colours of glimmer mist in different spots. Finally to finish the base off stamped the whole think with script stamp randomly and then added some butterflies a bit more heavily.

Once all that was done I was able to add in my Robin's Nest Glittered Papers which i had inked the edges of to give a bit of dimension.

Then came the process of layering my Robins's Nest Viva Rubons, Paris Clip Ons and some flowers that I had almost misted lightly with gesso

The main part of the title was also created adhering a scrap of the paper to thick chipboard then stamping directly onto the reverse side of the the Robin's Nest Glittered Patterend Paper and cutting them out by hand. to finish off the layout I randomly adhered some dew drops around the clustered embellishments. They really popped too with the glimmer mist behind them and added a really nice finish.

So here's the full layout..

And don't die of shock... YES is actually a layout with a photo of me in it. Very few and far between I know.. but these paper really inspired me.

Better get back to scrapping. There is so many other goodies in my design team box I want to play with.

TFL, M x

Monday, July 16, 2012

A just because layout

Okay... just a quick post...

FINALLY got this layout finished that has been sitting next to my scrap desk since E2C in April. It was one I had started while away and NEVER got around to finishing.

I hate not finishing layouts but think I put it off due to the fact had lost my actual train of thought as to what I was exactly planning for it.

So.. anyways.. it is done..

Fairly simple...

But its done.

Happy scrapping to all.

TFL, M x

Sunday, July 15, 2012

SWV Blog Hop

Scrapbook Kits With A Difference, and the Design Team, would like to welcome you to our first ever Recipe Layout Blog Hop.

We'd like to share this special event with you, and to celebrate, we are offering three kits from Scrapbook Kits With A Difference, for 3 lucky people.

The blog hop begins at the Scrapbook Kits with A Difference (SKWAD) blog.

On the SKWAD blog you will find a complete list of all the designers participating in the blog hop, in case there is a glitch along the way.

If you would like to play with us, just follow along the blog path.

Each SKWAD designer is linking to the next designer, and that designer is linking to the next, and so on.

Be prepared to find lots of inspiration along the way.

Our 3 lucky winners will be randomly chosen after the hop is over. Woot! Woot!

The Blog Hop starts today, July 15th and runs through until 22nd July (midnight AUS Eastern Standard Time).

The three winners will be announced on the SKWAD blog on Tuesday 24th July.

All you need to do, to be in the draw to win one of the fabulous Scrapbook Kits kits, is the following:

1. Become a follower on our SKWAD blog.

2. Like us on our Facebook Page

3. Add our SKWAD blinkie to your blog.

4. Leave a comment on each designer's blog, and on the SKWAD blog too.

5. If you create, and share a layout, using our Blog Hop Recipe, you will receive 5 extra tickets in the draw. Please link your layout to the Recipe Blog Hop post.

Hello everyone...

You have hopped over to my Blog from Doris Lee Widder's Blog.

I hope that you have been enjoying the hop so far.

I have had a blast using the recipe

3 photos, 1 cardstock, 2 patterned papers, a wet medium, a mask, raw chipboard, 5 buttons (or brads), 3 rows of text, twine (or string), and 2 butterflies. Flowers, ribbons, and bling are all optional.

I made a mess with this layout and really thought outside the box. I recycled a kit packaging ox to create the base of my layout and then made a mess with some texture paste and a mask I made myself using chipboard I had hand cut (the flourish).

My two patterend papers are what creates my boarder on the layout. I used book page and a conrast patterned paper. I punched out half circle then adhered then down at one end and scrunched them. I used twine to create wobbled twisted lines and added some antique buttons for texture.

My raw chipbaord is my hand cut title and I stamped the butterflies onto contrast paper.

The blog hop begins here: Scrapbook Kits With A Difference

Your next stop is here: Rebekkah Lynch's Blog.. so get hopping!

Thank you SO MUCH for joining us. I hope you have been inspired to go have fun and create.

Don't forget to drop by on Tuesday 24th to find out who the lucky winners are!!!

TFL, M x

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Love is... Faber Castell and Helmar together

Hello all, Michelle here from Adelaide, South Australia.

The weather here has been perfect for crafting.

So with a little help from some Helmar and Faber Castell I had a fun time playing with lots of texture and colour.

Who would have thought that Faber Castell Gelatos could be so much fun.

Not having had a chance to play with them before I really wanted to test them out.

And I must say.. I was not disappointed with what I was able to achieve.

By creating the main part of my title using a hand cut template and some texture paste I was able to create a nice base. I then used some Faber Castell Gelatos to colour and blend directly onto the texture paste once it was nice and dry. I love the effect that I was able to get and Faber Castell Gelatos were a perfect match for the texture paste. They adhered and blended nicely.

I was also able to finish off the centre of my title by hand colouring the title using a Faber Castell Aquagrip Aquarelle and blended it using water. It really made the title have pop and texture with very little effort.

Now.. I absolutely love to hand cut and water colour as some of you may know. I find it quite relaxing. With a little help from some Faber Castell Aquagrip Aquarelles I was able to colour away to my hearts continue with ease. They really do create a nice smooth finish to the water colour look.

Then with a little help from Helmar I gave the flowers and leaves some dimension by using some Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots to adhere them down at various heights.

And if you look real close... I have adhered contrasting seed bead to the centre of the flowers using some Helmar Gemstone Glue.

And if you take a closer look at the background of the layout I have used my napkin technique and my Helmar Acid Free Glue to create the base of my layout. I also gave the edges of the layout a bit of a shimmer by blending the edges with my Faber Castell Gelatos and water... gave a nice shimmery look to the edges.

And here's the full layout.

Lots of colour and dimension. But the best bit was...

I made lots of mess and had a blast trying out some fun techniques with Helmar and Faber Castell.

Why not give some a try and have fun playing around.

TFL, M x

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Looking for some blog hopping fun ???

MAS July Sketch Challenge

Looking for another challenge this month ???

Then check out the Mad about Scrapping Facebook page....

A real fun sketch to play with by Em Stafrace

and here's my take on the sketch using leftovers from last months kit.

Why not give it a go..

All entries due by the 25th July.

Check out the Mad about Scrapping Facebook Page for more details.

TFL, M x

SWV July Kit

Well it is kit time again at Scrapbook Kits with a Difference this month and I have been busy creating.

Love this kit I received so much.

It really made me feel like spring was in the air.

Here's the layouts I created using this yummy kit.

Included In This Kit:

2 x cardstock; 2.5 patterned paper (Cosmo Cricket); Bella! alphabet set; Bella! 3D flowers; Bella! rub-ons; Bella! ribbons; Zva Cretaive pearls; Zva Creative pearl flourish; assorted flowers; 2 x tags; 1 x stick pin; and paper doily.

Additional Items Required:
Adhesive of choice; ruler; pencil; scissors (or craft knife); stapler; brown mist spray or paint; brown ink; paper trimmer; photos.

And don't forget with this kit you also receive FULL instructions so you too could create these layouts.

Head over to the store now as kits are limited and are at such a good price too!

TFL, Mx

Helmar July Challenge

Welcome to The July Helmar Challenge!

This one will be a fun one....Open to interpretation- all you have to do is find something within the image which inspires you with your choice of project.....maybe its the fonts used, or the colours, maybe its the title or the topic, maybe its the design which gets you thinking about something creative.....just let the image speak to you and see what happens...!

and my take on this challenge.

Just load your completed project to the Helmar Facebook page and tag it with your details before the end of the month,

(Be sure to tell us what Helmar glue featured predominately in your creation) for your chance to win a fabulous Helmar goodie pack!

"You gotta be in it to win it".....so get creating!!!!

TFL, M x

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Red White and Blue Hip Hopping around with Helmar...

Hello everyone and welcome to the

Helmar Red White and Blue Hop.

We have a bunch of wonderful projects to share with all of you

and wanted to celebrate the colors of our design team with you.

Australia, Canada and America are shining brightly, so grab a glass of your favorite beverage and lets get hopping.

Hello all you have hoppied over to my blog from Grace's Blog.

Glad that you hopped on over here to see what red white and blue goodies I have created.

As time can be a little tight here when the birthday and giving seasons are upon us I like to keep a few cards squirreled away just in case I miss some one.

So with a little help from my Helmar Adhesives I was able to get these cards done in no time.

Fot my first card I was able to create a bit of dimension on with the butterflies using my Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots