Revealing the
sixth of our National Scrapbooking Day sponsors and prizes...
All
the details, how-tos and when-bys will be announced on the 6th May on this blog
- see you there!
Wednesday, 3 May 2017
Real Life | Terri Morris | Sketch
Well 2017 is fast passing us by, I'm shocked that we are now in May already. I'm currently recovering from an operation a couple of weeks ago so thought it would be good to document some of the things that happen at home.
My boy cat Oscar loves to share our food, especially breakfast. He sits by my side staring at me until I give him a cornflake or two. He spends his days curled up on the sofa with me or sat in my craft room.
This month we had a choice of sketches to use as our inspiration. I used the sketch above created by Laura Rumble and have pretty much stuck to it. I love using sketches but often flip them or twist them to create a layout that doesn't really look like the sketch in the end.
I used the new Fancy Pants Family & Co. collection. The background I chose is very busy so I tried to keep the layout as simple as possible. I used a stencil and black ink to add texture on the background. I used the 6x6 paper pad to create a layered background behind the photo and make it stand out against the background.
I added in some enamel dots and Heidi Shine mist splatters to add in more texture. I absolutely love this collection. It is so bright and vibrant. Often the opposite of what I usually use in my scrapbooking. I often go for pastel or distressed style collections.
I'd love to see your take on Laura's sketch, just tag UK Scrap Addicts on Instagram. I'm hoping meet up with a fellow UK Scrap Addicts CT member whilst I'm off which will be great.
Happy Crafting!
Tuesday, 2 May 2017
NSD Sponsor | Lollipop Box Club
Revealing the
another of our National Scrapbooking Day sponsors and prizes...
You can find Lollipop Box Club here:
All
the details, how-tos and when-bys will be announced on the 6th May on this blog
- see you there!
Hoppy Easter | SciFi Scrapper | Sketch
Hi everyone, Emma Marie here today sharing my May layout.
Each month we have a different theme or prompt to work with, and in May we're working with sketches!
This is the sketch I used to create my layout. It's a 12x12 sketch, but I adapted it to the 9x12 size I typically work in.
I created a mixed media background to match the sketch, using some Distress Mist and Color Shine in Cracked Pistachio and Butter respectively. I also decided to add some gold texture paste to the layout, using a stencil from Hip Kit, to add a bit more dimension and interest to the layout.
The majority of this layout is made using my Felicity Jane kit. I loved how the colours went perfectly with the mists I had picked out, and featured those traditional colours we tend to associate with Easter.
The sketch included a tag, which I decided to add at the top of my layout as it fit better there with my vertical photo. I made the tag out of plain cardstock, and then added washi tape to add that decorative touch. It's a black and white washi so doesn't overpower the layout, but adds an extra layer of visual interest. I also added several rubber embellishments to the page. These are some of my favourite things to use, so I was really happy to be able to get some rubber phrases and hearts down on to the layout.
For the most part I feel I kept pretty close to the sketch. I did however add a smaller embellishment cluster to the top right of the page to help fill in some of the dead space at the top of the layout. I used some scraps of patterned paper as well as some more of the washi tape to help tie the two parts of the layout together, and then lightly embellished.
This was a fun layout to create! The photo doesn't really have a 'story' to it, which is why there isn't any journalling, but sometimes it's nice to just create for the enjoyment, without a deeper purpose behind it. :)
If you'd like to watch my process video, you can do so below. Have a great day!
Monday, 1 May 2017
NSD Sponsor | Hey Little Magpie
Revealing the
next of our National Scrapbooking Day sponsors and prizes...
You can find Hey Little Magpie here:
All
the details, how-tos and when-bys will be announced on the 6th May on this blog
- see you there!
SKETCHES
Our monthly theme for May is working with sketches. We will all be working with these two sketches over the next few weeks...
In today's joint post we'll talk you through our individual experiences with sketches and how we use them...
Roxy: When I started scrapbooking, I had no idea what sketches were. I just went with the flow. The first time I encountered them was when I subscribed to a UK kit club. The sketch sheet baffled me, what did I do with? I thought you had to make your layout the same as the sketch, which I disliked! After a while I noticed on Pinterest that you could add your own style, now I find using sketches easier! You don't have to take everything from the sketch, maybe you like the layers or how they've placed the embellishments. Go with the flow, it's your scrapbook page after all!
Maria: I remember the first time that I followed a sketch to make a layout ... it wasn't that long ago and I took the sketch quite literally! I put my layers exactly where the sketch had them, and the same with all the embellishments. Since then, I have used more and more sketches and have become more and more confident in ‘interpreting’ them to suit my style. I don't think I have ever rotated one, but if the sketch had hearts or circles in it, I may have changed them to stars or other shapes. I am still more literal in my interpretations than other scrappers, however, I love the challenge that some sketches give me! I have worked with some ‘interesting’ ones and with some other more straightforward. There are lots of blogs out there where they set up challenges based on sketches and I love participating in these!
Pol: I hate using sketches LOL. I take them far too literally and feel stifled. I prefer to go with the flow of my own style - quite often I have no idea in my head of a layout when I sit at my desk, and it just takes on a life of its own. Sometimes I have a rough idea but I never know where I'm going to place the elements of a page till I actually make it. Sketches are a great starting point if you're just beginning, or have lost your mojo a bit, but they aren't my favourite thing.
Jess: I've only used a sketch once and it was for a challenge. I took some of the ideas and elements but created a Traveller’s Notebook page from the 12x12 sketch. I'd never used a sketch before and generally I prefer to scraplift but I found this particular sketch really inspiring. The stars fitted so well with some of the galaxy themed papers I had and a photo I'd taken that day. The sketch had a square photo but I used a smaller, rectangular one and I moved the direction of the stars. Using the sketch on a smaller scale was easier than I expected, I just used the same shapes which I made using a punch and I added a title and a tag with journalling. Most of my pages have quite a lot of journalling which isn't always a big part of sketches so if anyone has some with space for lots of journalling please send them my way.
Emma C: When I first started scrapping I didn't really get how to use sketches to their full advantage. Sometimes, using a sketch, it’s incredibly easy to feel trapped by someone else’s design. However, I think the real beauty of using a sketch is that the thinking has been done for you. Some kind soul has already thought about design and composition and photo sizing for you, and your job...? To let go and get creative. Think of a sketch as a blueprint or a rough draft. You don't HAVE to stick rigidly to it, go with the flow, see where your photo or product takes you, but use the sketch as a really awesome jumping off point! I also love that many scrappers can use the same sketch and each end up with a completely different layout, all totally original!
Lisa-Jane: I have a bit of a love/ hate relationship with sketches... When I have to use them for a challenge or a Design Team assignment etc, I find that it really helps to get me started. I might flip or rotate the design to suit my supplies or photos but that initial “where do I start?!” overwhelm doesn’t get the chance to kick in. Once I have started though I sometimes forget about the sketch altogether and then I end up with a finished project that bears no resemblance to the inspiration at all! I have to keep it somewhere prominent when I’m working and not lose it under a pile of scraps otherwise I veer too far from the brief. My other issue with them is that they don’t inspire me on sight. I can look through loads of saved sketches on my Pinterest board but none of them will spark that desperation to start scrapping. Show me already-scrapped versions of those same sketches though and I am itching to get sticking! I guess I’m not very good at seeing the potential in a sketch where there is no colour or pattern whereas I can see potential in rooms and houses for interior design with ease! I definitely think I should challenge myself more to use bare sketches because I usually like what I come up with and I love seeing how different other people’s versions are from the same starting point.
Laura: I love designing sketches. When I don't have the time or energy to sit at my desk and create a layout I doodle my ideas in a notebook. The advice I give to people using my sketches is as follows; It's a jumping off point - you don't need to copy it. Turn it, mirror it, remove a bit, add at bit, squash it smaller or stretch it larger, switch up the photo size. Swap a circle for a star, or a flower for a flamingo! Another shameless plug - you can find my sketches here.
Susan: I rarely scrap without a sketch! If I can’t find one (Pinterest is a super resource for sketches) then I draw one myself, sometimes with a drawing programme and sometimes just a scribbled idea. Even if I scraplift I’ll draw a sketch first. You could say I’m a ‘sketch addict’ but if I haven’t got a sketch I spend an age shuffling papers and photos around being completely indecisive. Always remember that a sketch is just a starting point to get you going - where your creativity takes you after that is entirely up to you. It doesn’t matter if the sketch you find has a portrait photo and yours is landscape, just flip the sketch to see if it works for you from another angle. If the sketch has four photos and you’ve only got one, try replacing some of the photos with patterned papers. Don’t be worried if your finished page looks nothing like the sketch you started with - if the sketch got you started and you are happy with your work the sketch has done its job. To finish, I will unashamedly link you to my blog where you will find a tonne of sketches; please use any of them as you like, but do link back to my blog.
Michelle: as a ‘newb’ to 12x12 scrapbooking I often follow sketches, usually sourced from Google, but they very rarely end up looking anything like them. I think it is more of a confidence thing for me, to ensure I'm doing things ‘correctly’ and to give me a starting point and inspiration.
Roxy: When I started scrapbooking, I had no idea what sketches were. I just went with the flow. The first time I encountered them was when I subscribed to a UK kit club. The sketch sheet baffled me, what did I do with? I thought you had to make your layout the same as the sketch, which I disliked! After a while I noticed on Pinterest that you could add your own style, now I find using sketches easier! You don't have to take everything from the sketch, maybe you like the layers or how they've placed the embellishments. Go with the flow, it's your scrapbook page after all!
Maria: I remember the first time that I followed a sketch to make a layout ... it wasn't that long ago and I took the sketch quite literally! I put my layers exactly where the sketch had them, and the same with all the embellishments. Since then, I have used more and more sketches and have become more and more confident in ‘interpreting’ them to suit my style. I don't think I have ever rotated one, but if the sketch had hearts or circles in it, I may have changed them to stars or other shapes. I am still more literal in my interpretations than other scrappers, however, I love the challenge that some sketches give me! I have worked with some ‘interesting’ ones and with some other more straightforward. There are lots of blogs out there where they set up challenges based on sketches and I love participating in these!
Pol: I hate using sketches LOL. I take them far too literally and feel stifled. I prefer to go with the flow of my own style - quite often I have no idea in my head of a layout when I sit at my desk, and it just takes on a life of its own. Sometimes I have a rough idea but I never know where I'm going to place the elements of a page till I actually make it. Sketches are a great starting point if you're just beginning, or have lost your mojo a bit, but they aren't my favourite thing.
Jess: I've only used a sketch once and it was for a challenge. I took some of the ideas and elements but created a Traveller’s Notebook page from the 12x12 sketch. I'd never used a sketch before and generally I prefer to scraplift but I found this particular sketch really inspiring. The stars fitted so well with some of the galaxy themed papers I had and a photo I'd taken that day. The sketch had a square photo but I used a smaller, rectangular one and I moved the direction of the stars. Using the sketch on a smaller scale was easier than I expected, I just used the same shapes which I made using a punch and I added a title and a tag with journalling. Most of my pages have quite a lot of journalling which isn't always a big part of sketches so if anyone has some with space for lots of journalling please send them my way.
Emma C: When I first started scrapping I didn't really get how to use sketches to their full advantage. Sometimes, using a sketch, it’s incredibly easy to feel trapped by someone else’s design. However, I think the real beauty of using a sketch is that the thinking has been done for you. Some kind soul has already thought about design and composition and photo sizing for you, and your job...? To let go and get creative. Think of a sketch as a blueprint or a rough draft. You don't HAVE to stick rigidly to it, go with the flow, see where your photo or product takes you, but use the sketch as a really awesome jumping off point! I also love that many scrappers can use the same sketch and each end up with a completely different layout, all totally original!
Lisa-Jane: I have a bit of a love/ hate relationship with sketches... When I have to use them for a challenge or a Design Team assignment etc, I find that it really helps to get me started. I might flip or rotate the design to suit my supplies or photos but that initial “where do I start?!” overwhelm doesn’t get the chance to kick in. Once I have started though I sometimes forget about the sketch altogether and then I end up with a finished project that bears no resemblance to the inspiration at all! I have to keep it somewhere prominent when I’m working and not lose it under a pile of scraps otherwise I veer too far from the brief. My other issue with them is that they don’t inspire me on sight. I can look through loads of saved sketches on my Pinterest board but none of them will spark that desperation to start scrapping. Show me already-scrapped versions of those same sketches though and I am itching to get sticking! I guess I’m not very good at seeing the potential in a sketch where there is no colour or pattern whereas I can see potential in rooms and houses for interior design with ease! I definitely think I should challenge myself more to use bare sketches because I usually like what I come up with and I love seeing how different other people’s versions are from the same starting point.
Laura: I love designing sketches. When I don't have the time or energy to sit at my desk and create a layout I doodle my ideas in a notebook. The advice I give to people using my sketches is as follows; It's a jumping off point - you don't need to copy it. Turn it, mirror it, remove a bit, add at bit, squash it smaller or stretch it larger, switch up the photo size. Swap a circle for a star, or a flower for a flamingo! Another shameless plug - you can find my sketches here.
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