Fresh Start | Laura Jane Thomson | Journaling

Hello UK Scrap Addicts!  Hope you're all having a scrappy week and are enjoying the selection of journaling ideas for your memory keeping that our creative team have been sharing throughout the month of September. 

This month I have decided to incorporate a cut file which was issued by UK Scrap Addicts for National Scrapbooking Day 2017 alongside a beautiful stencil from Pretty My Page, to show case a photograph taken on a day where my life took a turn for the better and we had a fresh start.

This is my completed layout and I will explain the stages throughout this post:

I started with using the Fleur De Lys cut file which was a UK Scrap Addicts exclusive for National Scrapbooking Day 2017 and is available to download HERE.

I had this cut file in the centre of a sheet of white 12x12 cardstock and in each of the four corners of the white cardstock I used Wilted Violet Distress Oxides using a sponge blending tool through this beautiful Fleur De Lys stencil from Pretty My Page.

Next I layered my photograph onto a couple of pieces of patterned paper, and matted onto a piece of patterned cardstock which I had cut into a banner shape, before adhering to the page.  

Using embellishments from my stash I added floral pieces to two corners of my photograph and a flair badge to the top right cluster, to complete each of these clusters I added some gorgeous enamel dots which are also from Pretty My Page.

I decided to add hidden journaling to this layout by adding a folded piece of cardstock to the bottom left quarter of the page, the front of which is also decorated with the Fleur De Lys stencil, after stenciling the main page I flipped the stencil onto a second piece of cardstock and using a baby wipe to 'clean' the stencil achieved this faded effect.  

Lastly, I added my title "Fresh Start" using yellow Thickers to co-ordinate with my background paper. 

Using cut files in my scrapbook layouts is not something that I am overly familiar with, however I am quite happy with how his page has come together and I personally think that the colours work well together.  

Pretty My Page have recently re-launched their website with more of a focus on Mixed Media products to compliment the beautiful products Lisa has spent so long working on, so to celebrate this launch Lisa is offering our wonderful UK Scrap Addicts readers a 10% discount on purchases made through her website by using the code: UKSA10

Don't forget to check out our September 2017 challenge by visiting our blog here.

You can show your support for Pretty My Page's business by visiting their Facebook page or shopping on their website.

Thank you so much for popping into our blog and reading my post, and I hope you'll pop back soon. 

Laura xxx

Summer Lovin' | Laura Jane Thomson | Clustering

As you have no doubt realised if you have been following our blog and social media, this month our topic is 'Clustering' in scrapbooking - something which I am not totally comfortable with as I never feel that they look the way they should do.  

As crafters we see the work of so many other amazing crafters and it is so easy to compare ourselves, for example I see some scrapbookers who create layouts with the most beautiful clusters at the points where they want to draw your eye around the page so when I create a layout using clusters of embellishments I then look at it and think 'YouTuberA' does it so much better, mine look rubbish in comparison.  

For this months theme I ended up creating three different scrapbook layouts with embellishment clusters before I finished this one that I am remotely happy with - I'm sure if I saw this layout on someone else's blog then I'd no doubt think it was lovely!

When I read through the blog posts and watched the process videos on 'Clusters' by some of the other wonderful UK Scrap Addicts Creative Team, I looked back at this layout and thought the clusters were rather minimal and perhaps not enough but I am quite happy with this layout, as this month is the first I have actively tried to add embellishment clusters to my layout.  

I have only been scrapbooking for ten months and I am still learning so much from fellow crafters, so I know I am nowhere near the level of scrapbooking talent as some of the other incredible people who share their work online, but I also know the progress I have made over the past few months and am slowly accepting that learning these new techniques takes time and to stop expecting instant results.

I would challenge you to try something new or out of your comfort zone the next time you decide to work on some scrapbooking or memory keeping... perhaps clusters are new to you to?  Why not give it a go and share it on our UK Scrap Addicts Facebook page or tag us (#ukscrapaddicts) on all the other social media platforms.  I cannot wait to see your creations. 

Enjoy the rest of your week. 

xx Laura xx