A Bonus Page

Hi there,

It's Heather here again. I had a few bits and pieces left from my July kit so I thought I'd make another layout. I went searching for inspiration online and found a great mood board over at Jot magazine. This online magazine is free and has some fabulous work in it. They have regular challenges and I used their July mood board challenge as the inspiration for my layout. All those teals and mustards were a perfect match for the gorgeous October Afternoon papers in the kit.

And here's my layout:

I used lots of strips of paper. I punched some, tore some, rounded the corners on some and kept many with straight edges.I found all sorts of quirky things in my scraps that I could use, such as the witch above the large butterfly. I used an old piece of textured cardstock that added a bit more interest to the background.

I love that I could use some of the text from the paper, even though it was book-themed. Sometimes you've just got to think outside the square!

I hope you can use up your kit leftovers to make a fabulous page!

Happy Scrappin'!

Heather

Introducting our new Design Team Member - Kim Ewins

Once again we have been sitting on some VERY exciting news over the last couple of months... yes we have another new Design Team member that joined us.  Why did we keep it a secret??  Well because we wanted to announce it closer to when her first kit will be released!  We do try to work ahead with kits and release, and having a new Arty Chic is definitely making that happen.

Our new design team member is Kim Ewins.  She is a super talented Arty Chic who will be showing her stuff in the form of the premier kits as well as technique sheets e-mailed to members and inspiration on this blog.  We are super excited to have her join the team.

A little about Kim....

Hello, my name is Kim Ewins.

I live in Orange which is in the Central Tablelands of NSW. (And we actually grow apples and cherries in Orange..lol)

 I am a SAHM and my husband, Roy and I have eight Children, (well 3 have left the nest so far). I have 5 boys and 3 girls…..and in January 2014 we welcomed our first grandchild.

 I first started scrapbooking in 2006 after the birth of my last child as I felt I needed to capture our family’s precious moments and my passion has just grown from there.

My current Design Teams;

 Scrap Around the World, Scrapmatts, Craft Queen, Orange Paperie & Co, CSI (Colors, Stories, Inspiration), Heart & Soul Artists (aka, The Color Room). I was a Tutor at The Scrapbooking & Papercraft Expo’s in 2013 and I have also been published in SBM.

My style is on the grunge/shabby side; I love to machine stitch and tend to use lots of layers…. I also tend to stick more to neutrals and pastels.

I love to try out new things and like getting a little messy.

My blog is

 www.lifeisabalancingactx8.blogspot.com

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To celebrate Kim joining the team, we are sharing Kim's layout created using the current kit 'Explore', and rather than keeping her technique sheet just for the members, we are sharing it here so you can get a feel for her amazing style and how she created this fabulous layout.

Don’t Grow Up

Hello Kim here, I am excited to share my first layout for Scrappy Chat Designs

 Created using the Explore Kit.

To create my layout I began by taking the (October Afternoon-Library Card) paper, and then I roughly measured in 3cm from each side and then cut out the middle section. Be sure to keep all pieces aside and don’t throw out.

 Now take the October Afternoon Reference Section paper (I have used the spot side) Measure in 2cm from adjoining sides & trim.

 Then as before cut the middle section of this paper out.

 Now place your 3 layers together so you have a visual of how the layers will look together. Glue the layers together with a light glue (I used a Bostik glue stick).

 Now take the trimmings/strips you cut from the October Afternoon papers (from the edges) and use these strips to create some layers. Glue or stick down once happy with placement.

 Now take the Crafters Workshop mini sketch grid template and position over the strips you have stuck down. Using texture paste and a spatula add some background interest…. Spread the texture paste over the template, remove the template.

 and then let dry or dry using a heat gun.

I then machine stitched around the outer edge through all layers in a white Top Stitch thread and then again using a turquoise coloured thread.

(I generally use either Top Stitch or Upholstery thread in my sewing machine as it is a lot thicker than normal threads and it adds another dimension or texture to my layouts).

 Then using the distress stain (tumbled glass) I have added some splodges in random places.  I also placed some stain onto my plastic mat to paint onto my layout using a paintbrush

 Next I matted my photo (6x4) onto the red cardstock and also cut another piece of red cardstock measuring 12cm x 14.5cm, I then stuck this onto my papers in the desired position.

 Take the twine in the kit and stick it down above your matted photo and down the right hand side as well, tying the ends in knots. (Refer to layout photo).

Using more of the twine make some swirling circles. Use a scrap of cardstock, place double sided tape onto this. Take the twine and create a flat spiral with it, then place onto tape as pictured.

 Once you have placed the twine on the double sided tape simply cut close to the edge of the twine and then stick randomly in place. I have made 5 of these in different sizes.

I also wanted to use some of the cute elements from the October Afternoon Library Card paper so I cut some of the elements out and, also using the top of the Distress Stain as a circle guide I cut 3 circles from the red cardstock and also 3 circles from the Library Card paper then stuck one red and one printed together (slightly off centre) I also added a few enamel dots.

 Title

Now for my title I used some old alpha’s I had in my stash, (You could use leftovers from your Cheeky Smiles Kit). 

First I inked my alpha with embossing ink then added the Metallic Melts and heated until I liked the texture; I put some Distress Stain onto a plastic surface and then painted this onto the alphas then reheated the Metallic Melts. This added a mottled effect to the alphas.

I then cut the ‘WE GROW UP’ from the Library Card paper and stitched around this and matted on red cardstock and sewed through the ‘WE’. I also slipped a few little strips under this and stuck down. Using small alpha stickers, I suck the other words I needed onto red cardstock, then trimmed close to the edge but making sure to leave a narrow border. I painted more of the Distress Stain around this and also painted randomly around my project.

To finish off I added a few more enamel dots.

Happy Creating

Kim x

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I hope you've enjoyed reading Kim's first post for Scrappy Chat Designs. Kim's first kit release is JUST around the corner!  If you want to get your hands on it, simply email orders.scrappychatdesigns@gmail.com if you would like to pre-order or sign up for membership. Membership is for a three month period and for only $135, you receive a full kit every month including postage along with 3 video tutorials showing you how to create 3 layouts as written instructions and detail pics helping you get up and close to the project at hand. But wait .......... there's more! You also receive email technique sheets from the Arty Chics! showing you how they have used the kit and products it contains in various ways and sharing their techniques, tips and tricks with you.

Reading on an October - I mean July - Afternoon.

Hi there. I hope your week has been going well.

I'm back with my last layout using the "Explore" kit from Scrappy Chat Designs. And for the first time, I've used the October Afternoon papers in the theme that they were made for!

The papers are called "Public Library". Here's my layout:

My daughter is like my husband and I - we all love to read. She was on holidays from uni when I took this photo. She spent a lot of time on the couch reading!

To make this layout I simply cut up sections of book spines from the 'Library Card' paper and sat them so they look they are stacked up behind the photo. I made a teeny tiny book from the papers too!

I did a bit of stenciling in the background using the gorgeous Crafter's Workshop stencil from the kit. I cut a quote from the 'Biography' paper and used that under my smaller photo.

Well I hope you've enjoyed my Scrappy Chat Designs layouts this month. If you're interested in getting the kits plus instructions and videos each month jsut drop a line to orders.scrappychatdesigns.gmail.com

Happy Scrappin'!

Heather

The Colours of Bali

Hi and welcome to my second post for this month's Scrappy Chat Designs kit. This kit features some gorgeous October Afternoon papers. To show how versatile these papers are I thought I'd make a page that is about as far from the usual October Afternoon feel as you can get. My page is about Bali!

It's always hard to show a double page online so here are plenty of close ups:

Aren't those Tinby Metallic Melts divine? If you're a member you'll get full instructions on how I made this.

I had so much fun playing with the stencil, Distress Stain and Metallic Melts from the kit on this one.

If you're a Scrappy Chat Designs member then you will be emailed instructions on how I made this. As a member you get heaps of info every month showing techniques, tips and hints as well as a minimum of three videos showing how to make the key three layouts from each kit. Contact orders.scrappychatdesigns.gmail.com.for more info.

Happy Scrappin'!

Heather

My Scrappy Mess

Hello everyone and welcome to the first of my posts using the new "Explore" kit from Scrappy Chat Designs. This has to be favourite kit of mine. It would be a worry if it wasn't cos I picked the papers for it - lol!

These October Afternoon papers are gorgeous. Even though October Afternoon papers look fabulous in their own right, I find they work really well on my pages. The layouts I make with them are usually not vintage or retro themed, as the papers would seem to dictate. I find they work well with all sorts of layout styles.

Here's what I mean:

There's nothing retro about this layout. It's about as modern as you can get!

Don't you just love the title? I found it on one of the sheets of paper. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to use it! I can see so many scrappers relating to it! Here's a closie:

The kit comes with a fabulous Crafter's Workshop stencil, some Distress Stain, Tinby Metallic Melts, cardstock, twine and enamel dots. I've only used two of these products plus the paper on this layout. I can't wait to show you what else I've made!

For those of you who are Scrappy Chat Designs members, a step by step process of how I made the background will be emailed to you. For those of you who aren't members take a look here to see if this might work for you. You get kits, instructions and videos delivered each month to your door or your inbox. How easy is that?

Happy scrappin'!

Heather