NEW PAGES AND FIRST EVER TUTORIAL

Hey guys sorry I'm late sharing this with you. I had hoped to get it uploaded early last week, but my boy has been sick so there just hasn't been time. I have 2 new pages to share with you today. One never before seen page and another which I have completed a tutorial for you on. Now I've never done one of these before so mostly it was just guess work and I apologize for the poor quality on some of the photos as it was nighttime when they were taken and lighting was very poor. However I do hope it gives you an outlook into my creative process. I'm not much of a planner and I do things in any order so if things seem a bit backwards, its just the way I work. I hope you enjoy and find lots of ideas and inspiration today.

I think I will share with you my new layout first and then move on to the tutorial.

For the background I've used Kraft cardstock and paper from Teresa Collins collection Family Stories. I absolutely love the papers from this collection they are gorgeous. Other paper and products include AC, Echo Park, Tim Holtz and some Prima Junk Yard findings.

'Playing in the Sand & Sun'

Some gesso scraped on the background with ink splatters and some stamping, thought I'd stick with simple to see if I could scrap faster no such luck. I still spend hours and sometimes days on my pages... Lol!!

As you can see I thought I'd try something a little different behind my photo. Nothing major but along with my usual calico I've cut and folded up very long pieces of cotton which I've then messed up and added being the photo. I love the effect this gives and the bright blue cotton really adds a little something to the page.

Here are some close-ups.

The flag here I made. First I cut the flag shape out of some yellow paper and glued it ti skewer then I wrapped washi tape around it and cut the word 'loved' out of a piece of Echo Park paper and stuck it on. I finished it off by outlining in a black pen and wrapping some waxed twine around the post. It was super quick and simple to make and a great addition to my page.

I absolutely love these cork chevrons by Studio Calico, I would use them on absolutely everything if I could. They look so fantastic and have such great texture.

The title was done with Glitz alphas I love the boldness of the black on the soft cream and blue striped background. I outlined in black pen to help it stand off the page.

Studio Calico and Echo Park arrows, with the Tim Holtz mini paper clips and the chunky light bulb. You can see a lot of the different textures on the page here. Including a really good shot of the blue cotton. The flags here I found on google images and I printed them out before once again gluing to a skewer and adding twine. 

These photos I have of my son playing outside when we first moved in are some of my favorite. I'd never really let him dig in dirt before mainly because there had been nowhere at our old house to do so, and seeing how curious, excited and happy was, totally melted my heart. I felt so guilty when it was time to go inside and clean up, and now we have grass so unfortunately no more digging except at the beach.

Lots of layers made from materials, paper and waxed twine (fantastic stuff!!). I finished the page off with a few copper pearls from Kaisercraft.

This is probably one of the first pages I have made in a very long time that doesnt have at least one flower on it somewhere and I'm really happy with the way it turned out!!

Next up I have my tutorial to share with you. Now like I said at the beginning of the post I've not done one of these before so a lot of it is guess work, but hopefully its okay. Feel free to leave some comments and let me know what you think of it, and once again, I do sincerely apologize for the poor quality of some of the photos. It was dark when some were taken and unfortunately I couldn't get good enough light in the house.

Here is the finished product:

'Treasure'

The main products I used on here were Teresa Collins, AC, and MME, with a bit of Echo Park, Bo Bunny and Kaisercraft.

Some close-ups for you

 To make the flag I cut to words from a die-cut piece of card from Authentique, and glued to a skewer. Lots of layers of paper and material here.

This cute little camera motif was cut from a piece of paper in the Chalk it up collection by MME.

Kindy Glitz on the pegs (butterflies too) and the little yellow rose I made from the same patterned yellow paper underneath.

Lots of background texture. I'm actually really happy with the way this page turned out as its really quite different from what I normally do and it was lots of fun to make.

Here's how I created this page. Hope it will inspire you to get creative.

Step 1: I've chosen to use a wood-grained patterned paper from the Family Stories collection by Teresa Collins. Using a brick mask spread texture paste onto you background. I normally try to create a triangle shape with my mask around the page. Sorry I know this is a little hard to see.

Step 2: Spray mist in a cream color over the whole page, then unscrew cap and use a paint brush dipped in the ink to paint some of the bricks (no need to paint them all). Add some drips from the same mist over the page. Next add flicks all over the page using 2 different colors of blue mist, one lighter one darker, and using the darker one add some random big splats. Also flick a chocolate brown mist and use a brush to highlight the edges of randomly chosen bricks. Don't worry if your page warps.

Step 3: Lightly press a grid stamp from Kaisercraft into Black Stazon Ink and lightly press here and there on your page. Repeat this step again using a script stamp. I've used one from Prima. Just try and remember that you don't want a full or clear image. I've also used the back of a clear stamp pressed in ink to stamp my page. This is how I achieved the blocks of black ink.

 
Step 4: Choose the papers you wish to use for you photo mat. I've used 4 to start. Two I have cut into a large banner shape one smaller than the other overlapping then add another 2 pieces on top to add some extra dimesion.

Step 5: I also started embellishing the top my page at this point as I rarely do anything in a specific order. I started by tearing a piece of paper about half the width of the page, which I have glued slightly off center and then overlapped with a longer but much thinner strip of paper. Next I rolled up a piece of paper which I wrapped with twine and embellished with a button and glued this horizontally across the papers at the very top of my page. To finish off I added a bow and an arrow pointing down underneath. Finish the top with some pearls and washi tape.

 

Step 6: I usually build up the layers for my photo separately from my main layout. Begin by cutting out a kaisercraft acetate frame and gluing a circle of waxed twine on top, do not cut the twine though. Make sure you leave enough to continue the circle a few  more more times. Tear a piece of paper to match the top of your page and glue this on top of you twine circle. Add calico and your photo, then continue to wrap the twine in a circle around the top of your photo. use a bakers twine in black and white and do this again a couple of times. Once this is secure add a layer of buttons to the twine at the bottom right of your photo and a peg to help hold it all together.

Step 7: Glue your now ready photo to your page on top of your paper allowing the banner to peak and add some washi tape.

Step 8: Using the 2 left over triangles from your banner layer them on the left side of your page. Fold up some twine to match what you used at the top of your page and stick a chipboard heart and saying on top place this on the triangles and add some washi tape with a chipboard butterfly on top (The next photo doesn't actually show thew washi tape as I pulled the butterfly off and added it after I had already taken the photograph). On the same side of the page, tuck behind the photograph at the bottom a fabric ticket and a pen nib.

Step 9: On the opposite side of the page add a flag, you can make one yourself like I did, it's really simple, or you can use a pre-made one. tuck the end of the stick under your button so the flag itself sits up near your washi tape. Add a little lightbulb underneath and another fabric motif, I've used a camera. Add some more butterflies flying up your page, some gems and a brad to the very right of the layout.

Step 10: Add some more embellishments to you page. I've added a second little peg beneath the big one and tucked a little handmade flower on top with a yellow right angled arrow coming down beside the camera before turning towards the photo.In the top left hand corner I've used some foam tape to mount a picture of a hot air balloon which I cut from paper and added a button behind. I added some layered buttons beneath the chipboard heart too. I made a second flag with the word treasure on it to use for my title which I've placed on the opposite side of the photo. Finish embellishing by adding a little cutout camera motif, safety pins, paper clips and more gems randomly placed around the page.

Step 11: Use a light blue mist, a chocolate mist, and a paintbrush to add highlights and shadows behind your papers and embellishments. Use both colors to build the depth. Finish off your page by randomly brushing some gesso over your embellishments and papers.

 Well that's it from me today. I hope you find some inspiration on here to create something fun and unique for yourself. 

I've been really busy creating lately so I'll have more to share with you very soon. Have a good week and thanks for visiting. xo!