Ice Layers

Hello Everyone,

its Deena here on the blog today and I have something a little different. In my latest design team package I received the Ice Layers from Faber-Castell. I wasn't really sure what to do with them so I watched a Faber-Castell youtube video where they used gelatos. Well I decided to experiment a little and I also used Scribble Sticks and Magicals.

 

I haven't completed a finished design it was more of a road test to see what I could use and do. I started out with 4 pieces of thick watercolour page which I covered with a layer of gesso.

 

I always use circles but today and decided to go with the middle design in the above top photo which is called Geode. Now the ice layers, are a sticky rubbery stencil/embellishment. They can be used as a stencil that sticks to your surface and can be removed or you can leave it as part of your design.

 

For my first test I used my magicals. I laid the complete sheet over my paper and then sprinkled my magicals over the top.

 

 

I sprayed water over the surface to activate the colours, I then picked up the excess water by rolling my roll of paper towel over the top. Once I had removed the excess water I gentle pulled of the ice layer as I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to. Success it worked and it didn't rip my paper. When the ice layer was removed I then dried the wet surface of my paper with a heat gun.

 

Next I used my scribble sticks, some of the colour from the magicals did stay on the ice layer and it did transfer to my paper, but that's ok as its part of what I am testing. I laid the ice layer over the top of my watercolour paper and chose 3 different scribble sticks to colour in the shapes. Once all the shapes were coloured in I wet my paint brush and added water to the surface of my paper and ice layer. I was a little concerned as I started to pull this one up but it did up completely up and did not tear.

 

 

This last time I did things a little different, with my gelatos I coloured my watercolour paper and then I laid the ice layer over the top. I did not remove the ice layer but cut it down to size and then with a baby wipe removed the colour within the exposed shapes.

 

 

I really enjoy playing with new products and this one was no exception. I still have the other two to play with so who knows when you will see them in future design team work.

 

Products Used:
Faber-Castell - Ice Layers

Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals - Under The Board Walk

Dina Wakley - Scribble Sticks

 

Happy Creating

 

BEACH BABE - August Crop Kit & Creating layers.

Hello there,
Here we are in September, which is Spring! A season I love, a season of color!! And speaking of color I have been creating with a fabulous Kit the AUGUST CROP KIT which can be purchased as a one off kit, which is overflowing with colorful papers and embellishments, perfect for summery layouts!

With the layout I would also like to share the steps I took to create it. I used a 10cm by 15cm landscape photo.
Things I have used that are not in the Kit were a black marker, some old cardboard or foam tape for dimension and  Dina Wakley Media Scribble Sticks which you can find in the store HERE!!!

I took the white cardstock from the Kit and this was  my back ground page.  I took the pink crayon from the Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks and I literally scribbled all over the plastic bag that the kit came in and then sprayed this with water. I took my white cardstock and dabbed it on the water color on the plastic until I was happy with the shade of pink on my back ground..  Sometimes repeating this step is necessary to get the depth of color that I am after. I let this dry naturally.
I cut a frame from Item #2839 Summer Fun, 3cms on the sides and 4cms on the top and bottom. I placed this frame on my back ground page using the yellow side. I cut a circle from Item#2840 Boardwalk using a circle template, but a small dinner plate works well too.
I then cut strips of paper to layer under my photo which was going in the middle of the circle in the middle of the page.
From Item#2839 I cut a piece 22cms by 6cms, from Item #2837 Feeling Good I cut a strip 18cms by 6cms, from Item #2837 20cms by 6cms and cut a fish tail banner on one end of each of these, ( an upside down V)
Cut a 10cms by 12cms piece of paper from Item2839. I used a black marker to edge each piece of paper.
I adhered the circle in the middle of my page, then the strips of paper overlapping slightly the longest piece of paper on the right going to the shortest piece to the left. Place the yellow piece of paper on the left of the strips under the photo. Then I used the tags and embellishments from the kit around my photo and the fabulous Thickers for my title..

Some closer views.

Beach Babe!

I remember the first time I took my daughter to the beach, she was so unsure of the waves, but once she got used to it, she loved the beach, and digging in the sand was a favorite thing to do!

I also created a fun card with some leftovers!!

Such a fabulous Kit and with summer just around the corner, pop over to the shop for your kit HERE!!!

Just before I finish this post I would like to share with you a technique I use a lot on my layouts, and that is layers.. I love to add layers, it adds dimension and interest to my pages. And it is a great way to use scraps of paper as these can be tucked under your photo for example to add to the visual effect of your page.
I have used papers from Cocoa Vanilla - Wild at Heart and you can see all the wonderful Cocoa Vanilla products in the Shop and Crop Scrapbooking Store HERE!!!!

This is what my desk looks like when I am putting a design together... (please excuse the dirty craft mat!!0

I use strips of paper that I layer over each other.  With all the Kits from the Shop and Crop Scrapbooking store you dont have to worry about whether things will match, the Kits are put together so all that worry is gone. The papers are going to either contrast or compliment each other..

After I have the design roughly put together then I adhere it to my page, and once my photo is put down I add things like fussy cut elements, flair and tags.

And here are some closer views..

I have layered some frames and stickers and papers.. The Butterflies were fussy cut from the papers.

The layers on the tag with die cuts and a flair tucked in just under the tag..

And my layout... Hello Gorgeous!!

 A good thing to remember when designing your layout is to leave white space, or parts of your layout that have no embellishing, as this gives the eye a rest especially if there are busy or heavily embellished places on the page. I hope you have been inspired to use some layers on your layouts, I am sure you will find it becomes a favorite way to scrap too..

Thanks for coming by and make sure you check out whats new in the SHOP AND CROP SCRAPBOOKING STORE HERE!!!

Until next time... Happy creating!

Much Ado About Nothing

Hello

It's Deena here with you again today. I bring you a little something extra an art journal page.

Recently I was away on retreat with a room filled with very talented ladies and so much inspiration.

I was sitting there on the last night wondering what I was going to create next. I was looking through my things and I came across my scribble sticks. Now so far I have not been a huge fan of them, I had used them a couple of times and I will be playing with them in the future. I decided to play with them.

 

Here is my art journal page

My art journal page was really about nothing special just playing. That's the thing with art journaling you can do anything you like. Try new products, try a new technique or what ever comes out.

 

To start with I had a piece a heavy watercolour paper that I covered with a layer of gesso, 95% of the time i cover my art journal page in gesso. It helps with the movement of products across my page and it also reduces the product soaking into the paper, so you use less product, which is a win in my books.

The next step was to find a piece of book text which I tore into strips, nothing was measure or cut just torn which gave me different size strips of paper. I then attached them to my page with matte medium vertically and horizontally.

Once they were all attached I then scraped an extremely thin layer of gesso over the top.

I then found a stencil in my collection and my texture paste I used the whole of the stencil across my page.

 The next step was to choose scribble stick colours and randomly scribble across the surface of my page. Once my scribbles covered the page I then got out one of my big watercolour brushes and loaded it with water and began moving the pigment. I think I did this step a couple of times making sure that I dried in between the layers of scribble and water.

While I was laying down the strips of paper I just happened to lay the words Much Ado About Nothing at the top of my journal page. This became my title. I made sure that I didn't cover it with gesso or texture paste so that it stood out from the rest of my page.

 

Scribble Sticks are available in the store

 

Happy Creating

 



Bonus Layout - My Minds Eye Kit, and Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks.

Hello there,
How is your day going? Right now as I am preparing this post it is cold outside... but hey great reason to stay inside and get some products and do some creating... And that is when the fabulous Kits from SHOP AND CROP SCRAPBOOKING come in so handy...  It is all there ready for you to get creating!!

In my last blog post which you can see HERE!!!  I shared two layouts created using the  MY MIND EYE - In Bloom Kit which you can get at the Shop HERE!!! Well I have created another layout to share with you from the products still in the kit.. These kits have so much product that even though you get the instructions for 2 layouts there is still more creating to be done! So I would like to share the layout I created with you with some simple instructions for you to follow to use some of the remaining product after you create the first two layouts.

Take the In Bloom paper #BKM004 and cut off the bottom identification strip. I always keep these strips. Measure paper 20.5cms from the bottom (to the pink stripe) on the paper and cut off the top.

This is what you start with.
From the Kaisercraft Coconut CD101 cardstock cut 2 pieces of paper 5cms by 30cms. The two white cardstock pieces go top and bottom of the layout. I then got a scrap page  to use as a base (you wont see this) and laid the design down on this and adhered the papers down tucking the white cardstock under the floral paper.
I then got the Kaisercraft cardstock Licorice CD102 and I used a paper punch to cut a decorative edge.. you can tear the paper or use decorative scissors if you dont have a punch to use. I then put these decorative edged papers either side of the rose paper.. #BLM004. This black edge just adds some pop to the layout. You could use some lace or washi tape from your own supplies if you like.
I cut my 10cm by 15cm photo down a bit to 8cm by 11cm or you could even go smaller. I matt the photo on the leftover piece of #BLM004 using the floral side. I then matt the photo again using the black cardstock.. Double Matting a photo really helps the photo to stand out on your layout.. This is what your layout should look like at this stage.

I put some scrap cardboard under my photo to lift it up, foam tape would be suitable to use also.
I put the strip from the bottom of the paper #BLM004 that we cut off at the beginning of the instructions and placed it on the right bottom corner of the page. I then got a chipboard sticker from the chipboard sticker pack "This Moment" and placed it down the bottom of the left hand side.
I then used some stickers from the sticker sheet and some more chipboard stickers to embellish my page.  I used another strip from a different page and stuck it up the top left hand of my page.
This layout is simply designed and embellished as I feel if you have something big and bold on your paper like the rose for example, dont overcrowd the page but let it be a feature. You also dont have your photo trying to compete with it to stand out..  The paper feature and the photo should compliment and balance each other on the page.

Some closer views of the finished layout.

I love these gorgeous little floral chipboard embellishments, they add some dimension next to the gold stickers.

And the finished layout.

I added a little bit of journalling on my layout to finish it off. Remember to check out this kit and all the others over at the SHOP AND CROP KIT SUBSCRIPTION SECTION OF THE SHOP..

A while ago I purchased some DONNA WAKLEY MEDIA SCRIBBLE STICKS from the shop..

Now let me say I am not very experienced with water colors as such but like many of us, I got these to try. Well I did try..  I had a play with them...  They are easy to hold and the colors are vibrant,  I messed around to see how they go onto cardstock, no gesso just cardstock.. and this is what I did..

 They blend with water easily. The blue color I drew on the paper and added water to see if I could draw the color along.. and the pink color I scribbled on some clear plastic and added water and make a liquid and patted the cardstock on the color.. this came out lovely..  and then I used a stamp and stamped it around my page..  you know.. just playing...  which is what we should do when we get a new product... just have some creative free fun..
 Well then I wanted to see how they go as a water color type product.. I found some really old paper from Rusty Pickle... (what a great name by the way!!!) and just used the stick to draw around on the image and then added water.. my first attempts dont look very good...  but as I played around I was learning how to draw the color into the image and also trying to have light and shade...

This is the dried page, they sure do keep the vibrancy of the color!

 So again I confess I am still learning about water color products, but my goodness this was such fun.. I will definately have another play with this wonderful product, I hardly made a dent in the sticks, they will last a long time..  I love how pretty these colors are when dry and my only complaint is that I wish I had more shades to play with!!! You can purchase your DINA WAKLEY MEDIA SCRIBBLE STICKS in the shop HERE!!!  and remember to use this code LC5 to get a discount of your order..

Until next time.. get creating!