More ABout Creating Boy Pages --- Using What You've Got

So you say that papers, embellishments, etc. are more geared to the feminine than the masculine?  Well, perhaps.  Today I wanted to critique several of my older pages, looking for the things that represented a compromise in working with what I had at hand, rather than running out to look for, say stickers that fit the theme of the page(s).  

In the page just below, I found anything I grabbed that had a red and black print overpowered the photo.  It was way too dark.  So then I started looking about at silver, gray,  and metallics.  Better.  But all the papers I had available at the time that contained metallics seemed to be wedding related! Um, not going to work for a motorcycling page!   

What I did have in my stash was washi tape in gold and silver.  And I had them in various prints and widths!  Even better.  Using a distressed printed paper for the background, I lined up row after row of the tapes and used that as a resting place for the photo.  Tucking a couple of kraft colored tags behind the photo also added a bit more visual interest and depth.  

The next page, ECO racing, relied on a couple of medium blue printed papers. The grayed blue colors coordinated nicely with the "car", racing suit, and the denim blue of the boys jeans.  The black printed, tire tread looking tape was a vellum strip that was really just a herring bone kind of pattern.  Torn and lightly distressed, I thought they looked like tire tracks. 

The other pieces (reduce speed, restricted lane, and the red dotted piece) were all cut from a scrap of travel related paper.  The page was pretty full, since I hadn't cropped the photos a lot, so embellishing more would maybe have been over-kill. 

The next page uses next to nothing for embellishment, just papers and a small snippet of lace.  Yes, lace on a boy page--- it was the right color and used in such small pieces, doesn't really look much like lace. 

The blue papers were printed with the waves  and swirls... but to use the sheet as a whole  would have meant that blue would have fought with the blue of the sky.  Plus with scrapping multiple photos, they would have covered much of the wave pattern.  The solution?  Cut out the most prominent wave shapes and use those to accent the photo blocks. 

Repeating the water theme by cutting large water droplet shapes and adding white pen work highlighted both the water drop and wave shapes, as well as contained the photo and journaling blocks. 

Tip #1:  work with the patterns in your papers, cutting out shapes, patterns or text to use as embellishments.  Tip #2:  Take a good long look through your washi tape (or ribbon, or border strip stickers) to provide coordinating colors and patterns to use collectively as you would a sheet of paper.  Tip #3:  Tags, buttons, and yes, even snippets of fabric or lace can add just the right accent. 

The biggest lesson is to challenge yourself to look at the supplies you have right at hand and see if small modifications can make them work for you rather than against.  Fussy cutting, distressing, tearing, pen work are all small things that can make a large impact. 

Go forth...make a guy a page! 

best,
Cheryl 

Diversity within a Kit Club -- No, Not the Political Kind!!

I am NOT talking diversity, as in ethnicity here folks!  I am talking about how many looks or types of pages can be easily made from one kit! 

Here, my Scrapbook Circle kit provided me with a nice vintage vibe for an old photo of my parents, circa 1948. 

I just loved the feel of those peach and pink florals on that green background...combine that with a touch of black and white and a bit more peach.... oooooh yummy! 

Before I did anything, I decided approximately where my photo was going to go and used water plus spray mist on cellophane  technique for added some areas of color.  Not a lot, just a bit of peachy pinky color that would peek out from under my photo.  And once that was done, I added a few splatters of peachy pink too! 

The photo itself was layered with crumpled tracing paper (my substitute for vellum, since I am out), a scrap of some light green patterned paper (that I had tested my little sewing machine out on), and a slim strip of the striped paper. 

I hand cut the border pieces since I wanted a slightly irregular edge on them, layered them up and curled and bent the edges.  Then added the striped piece (truly they are piece-s just spliced together)  and fussy cut a few floral bunches to use as supporting embellishments and to tie the border into the photo portion of the page. 

Took the opportunity to use a few of the chipboard pieces included in the kit down the left side of the photo. 

Once the photo was in place, it was easy to line up a few of the chipboard pieces.  But now I was stymied as for a title...I decided to use the smile chipboard piece as the title, so it went to the top of the stack!  I did have to alter it slightly, it came with the hashtag symbol and this being a much more vintage page...the hashtag was just not appropriate.  I just trimmed that off and lightly sanded the edge. 

This page came together pretty quickly.  The papers coordinated beautifully and the page design is just a matter of border pieces, so I was done in no time!   The border at the top was cut by hand again to allow for a slightly irregular edge and after bending up the edges, all I added was a doily piece and a few small fussy cut flowers. 

Other than my tracing paper, I used a few enamel dots from my stash and that odd piece of green patterned paper--not even sure you can see it.  And I still have another piece or two (or three) of paper yet to be used, more chipboard pieces, sequins and other goodies.  So far, this kit has provided me with a back to school page, a baby page, my little superhero page and now a vintage vibe page.  I'm thinking the diversity here is pretty good, huh?! 

Experiment with a test kit or two...see what kind of "diversity" you can achieve! 

have a great and scrappy day!
Cheryl

Choosing a Kit Club --- Making a Feminine Kit Work for Boy Pages!

My new Scrapbook Circle kit arrived right before we left for Wisconsin and I am just now getting the time to work with it.  I sooooooo wanted this kit.  Looooooooved the papers.  Could. Not. Wait. to get it. 

But now that I've had it in hand for a few days and have put together some pages....it' not that I am unhappy with it, not in the least.  But it did feel much more feminine and I did feel like I had to stretch some to make a couple of "boy" pages. 

This is exactly why it is so very important for anyone looking to choose a kit club to try them out for a couple of months before settling into a commitment.

You do have to be realistic, you just are not going to fall in love each and every kit.  (But let's face it it, most of us have more than enough stuff in our stash to supplement a kit we aren't head over heels about and we will use up those goodies--just maybe not all together.)  Then there's another thing I've noticed among kit clubs and pages that are big hits on various blogs and such.  Most of us scrappin' fiends are women.  We are drawn to feminine details, feminine pages, feminine kits.  We just don't always keep in perspective that there are masculine types we need to give equal attention to.  So what's a scrapper to do?

Well there are several things we can do...first of all when you are choosing a kit club...you absolutely cannot choose it on what makes our eyes happy on first viewing.  Look at a kit...go back and look again..closely, at the papers and the embellishments.  Are there any bold stripes, checks, lined patterns (those are the easiest to apply to "boy" pages)?  Or, is everything floral?  And even if there are a lot of florals, is there anything in a bold hue?  A bold colored floral is easier to add to a boy pages than pastel.  I added the little fussy cut dark navy flowers to the page to bring more of the navy down into the page and I don't think it's too girly.  Kind of artsy...and the page is about making art, soooo. 

On this page, I wanted to use a lot of blue--Jackson is wearing blue--he is painting with blue--so blue papers were used at the top and bottom of the page and I used aqua and light blue on the embossed water-color cards.   I knew I wanted to use a grid design; the four-square.  Two squares would be the photos, one would be used for a title and one I would use for the embossed square once I had water-colored it.  

I used another embossed piece and cut the feathers out to use on the title square.  As for the title I knew I wanted two different fonts, so I used the white acrylic "favorite" and the golden puffy alphabet.

Since I used the provided golden color alphabet, I felt I needed to repeat that color elsewhere on the page, just to tie things together.    I did not want a ton of layers going on, since there would be enough happening with the water-color pieces, so only a bitty smidge of gold peeks out from under one photo,
 

 
and popping small strips of punched gold patterned paper under the blue strips of paper at the top and at the bottom of the page seemed to be just enough.   (This was just a scrap--not included in the kit.)
added a few navy blue paint splatters, my journaling and called it complete.

Voila!  A boy page from what I initially thought of as a feminine kit!

My advice is to really look at the overall kit offerings from a club...and once you commit to a club membership, do not be dismayed by one or two kits that seem too feminine, too masculine, too cute-sy, too anything.   There are fixes you can work up to make good use of your kit.  You just wouldn't want to do it with each and every one!

have a happy scrappy day all!
Cheryl

Making a Page With Kit Leftovers

How about a page that came together because of an embellishment? 

The little acetate pieces were the impetus for the entire page!  Their shape mimicked the windmill blades in my mind.  The colors of those little acetate pieces dictated the colors to be used for the page.  Pastel, soft and quiet. 

The little pink tabs came in the kit, each printed with a word or two...but none really fit with my travel photos, however I did like the pale pink color. So they just got tucked in such that the words didn't show. 

In this case I used one of the papers in the kit for the background since it was mostly white, with a bit of printing at the left edge.  The branding strips were trimmed into long skinny banners and the one or two larger chunks of printed paper that were left got layered under the photo.  There is nothing hugely striking about the page---it is calming and still, allowing the photo to be center stage. 

The only add from outside the kit was a scrap of green (cut into two short banners) and the chipboard heart. 

Next up is a page using strips of paper at the edge of the page. 

Another page showing the use of watercolor on the white background to help unify the page and tie the colors and photo together rather than the use of printed papers. 

Looking through these page samples, the one common denominator leaving a good amount of white space.  (White space = open space, it could have been a colored background---I just happened to use white.)

This open space could be less, if you were working with more than one photo--but it would be more difficult to have enough papers left for layering.  In that case your leftovers could be used in small strips under your photos or along one edge of your page, depending upon the size and shape of your leftover pieces. 

The point is, a technique for getting the most from my kit(s), before relegating things to my stash, is to gather those little pieces and parts together and see if there is enough to either surround a photo, layer underneath a photo, or line up along the edge of a page.  Now I am not always successful at this.  In fact I have a layout that I am going to take apart, cuz it's    just.  not.  happening.  When I get that one put together again in a happier arrangement, well that can/will be a whole other conversation.   And I'll have that conversation, it's ok to me to shows one of my "yuck" pages ... and compare it to one that I find more pleasing to look at. 

But for today, try and use all those little "schnibblets" left lying about your workspace to make just one more page before you call a kit done.  It can't hurt, you can always take it apart, but if you are successful, you'll have one more page done AND finish off a kit feeling that you have spent your money on that kit wisely! 

best to all,
Cheryl

More Gossamer Blue Test Results

So another page done with the same kit... I was in sore need of doing some feminine, girl type pages for our Bella (cuz that girl keeps track of such things!). 

One of the items added from my stash on this page was the plain white cardstock for the page background (and I don't count that --- my game, my rules, hahaha).  Then there are the title elements; the "fabulous" (Heidi Swapp), the @ six came from two different Thickers alpha sets and the doily.  That was all. 

Flowers were fussy cut from one of the included papers, and the polka dot border was made by pleating a strip or two of one of the papers.  I did some outlining and spattered on some black Heidi Swapp mist and I was done.  What actually took the longest was not pleating that paper, but bolding it in place to staple and glue it together!  Other than that, this page was done in about 30 minutes.  Gotta love that. 

So far, Gossamer Blue is ranking right up there in my book. 

Next, we'll try a travel page! 

best,
Cheryl 

An Era Lost - A Travel Page That Almost Wasn't

Yep, almost chucked the whole thing right into the trash.

It was taking up the photo layers for the third time to try another background sheet, that I about made a big old crinkled up paper ball for kitty to play with.  The layered photos came up, but the title had to be redone each time...that was the kicker. 

Really...three tries and I come up with plain white?  Well truthfully all the background papers started out white, one with a watercolor background... truly nasty...I used a gold color wash and when completed it appeared that a toddler in potty training had left  little golden puddles.    So, no.  

 





Luckily the embellishment cluster had not been permanently glued into place cuz that's what someone wants to do is rework embellishments three times over! 

 



Then I tried a white background with a penned outline around the photo layers.  Oh, so not a good choice.  After flinging the thing down on top of  a few scraps lying about, the red piece peeking out looked kind of nice.   Oh so quickly I got another white piece,  trimmed it down and layered it onto a red patterned paper.... Not what I originally had in mind, but oh so much better than the previous futile attempts. 

And finally, a truly plain white background won out.  No watercolor, no pen work, not even any paint splatters. 

The page itself is about the deserted motels along the old Route 66.  Very nostalgic and very sad to see them in disrepair.  This is where America vacationed in the "good old days".  Families taking to the highways and pulling into the motels at the end of the day,  kids in the backseat clamoring for a motel with a pool.  Travel by plane was not so common then...the everyday family took to the road, not the air.

How is it that you can move right along some days just happily making pages and then one day something as simple as choosing a background stops you cold?

Seriously, how? 

best,
Cheryl

 

Eat Cake - More Fussy Cutting!

From a bright and bold watercolor background back to simple white... (can you say fickle?) 

In keeping with the modest amount of supplies at hand, I again flipped over a patterned paper from one of the pads I brought along so as to make use of the white backside. 

Layered the photos on several loosely cut pieces of patterned paper (all from the Maggie Holmes Birthday Party pad from Crate Paper) and also several irregularly cut pieces of plain old white tissue paper (to add a bit more volume and softness around the edges).  Tucked in part of a doily at the bottom of the photo layers, as well as a starburst (fussy cut from a sheet of the Party paper).  More fussy cutting provided the "Eat Cake" banner, the "5" ticket stub, the Happy Birthday strips, and the zig zag edged pink and red striped piece.  Gotta love your scissors and keep them close at hand!!! (nobody better mess with momma's scissors around here)   

The balloons and the party hat are chipboard stickers from Maggie Holmes (picked up 40% off at Michaels some time back).  Although the balloons were originally "bent" going in the other direction and did not fit where and how I wanted them to, so a little disassembly came into play.  Re-tied the strings and bent them slightly in the other direction for the appropriate "bend" to fit my photo placement. 

Punched a bunch of pink and beige confetti and a few little hearts to mingle in amongst the confetti bits.  And, my own little-big new thing is to be able to use a sewing machine and add stitching on my layouts.  (Since I am staying at Dad's whilst the house is going up, my mom had two different sewing machines, so I am making use of one of them... yea!). 

Our Bella turned five.  Cannot believe how fast she is growing up.  She picked out her cake.. rainbows.   Thought for sure she would pick something with the Disney Frozen theme. But no, she went with a rainbow.  Always her own person, this one.  Happy Birthday Bella! 

Make use of what you got is my ongoing mantra.  If it doesn't work one way, turn it over, take it apart, cut it out. 

 now off to splotch some more watercolors about (fickle? yep!)
Cheryl

NZ Travel Page - Limited Supplies? Fussy Cutting to the Rescue!

When you are working with a limited supply base like I am right now, it's important to make use out of just as much as possible...  A good pair of scissors you are comfortable working with becomes one of your best friends! 

I used the backside of another printed paper I wasn't fond of since I am hoarding the last couple of white American Crafts cardstock.  Did the layering under the photo using several cut-a-parts, as well as a bit of this paper and a bit of that.  Also used a couple of border stickers teamed up with a torn strip of paper down the right side of the page. 

But, besides using cut-a-parts (which as the name implies...you cut--them---apart), I fussy cut the large chevrons from a patterned paper, the labels, the large-ish photo corner pieces, and yes--the title "NZ".  I didn't pack all my alpha stickers, nor do I have my Cricut handy, or even my Big Shot.  And an N and a Z seemed pretty straightforward as far as cutting went.  (Hint:  Cut one block of paper and then cut your letters out...helps to keep the letters the same size).  Now I might have thought twice about hand cutting letters if I had entitled this page "SkyTower"!  Not going there! 

Last was to add some gray splatters and some of my homemade enamel dots and to tuck in just a couple of small round tabs.

Again, most papers were from the Heidi Swapp No Limits pad of paper I brought along, although the black and white diagonal stripe I believe is from the Crate Paper DIY pad.  And the border stickers were off an Echo Park sticker sheet (For the Record 2). 

So moving right along...if you are going to stretch your supplies, keep a pair of scissors handy that you are comfortable using! 

best,
Cheryl

A Birthday Page - The Wish

Changing things up a bit from my recent travel themed projects.

This is Isabella, whose wish for her 5th birthday was...  wait for it ...    unicorns.  Yes, unicorns.  Not quite prepared for that one.  But her mommy handled it with the efficiency and style that only mommies can understand. 

The unicorn bike helmet, coordinated perfectly with her new scooter (one that came complete with a big ole stuffed unicorn head, of course).  But, I'm sorry Bella, this is the most ridiculous bike helmet I've ever seen.  Laughed so hard, I about fell off the couch. 

But she of the unicorn helmet?  She was thrilled. And that is enough. 

Yes, I am still scrapping from my pre-kind-of planned page kits, packed tote and shoulder bag.  Even though we have now found our house, it will be awhile before it is disassembled and reassembled here.  Then we have some renovating to do.  So I'll be scrapping out of my totes for the immediate future.  It's working ok.   I won't say it's perfect, but there is something to be said for having to work with just what is at hand. 

Papers used here are from Echo Park and Dear Lizzie (old papers, scraps actually).  And I even ran out of white cardstock, so improvised and used the backside of patterned paper from one of the pads I brought along.  Used a little watercolor, and some chalk ink with a polka dot stencil to create a bit of interest against the white and fussy cut some flowers and tags from the papers.  Flair badges are from Basic Grey, Hey Girl.  The pink-ish red foam alpha is from Thickers and the little pink tile alpha is from Echo Park. 

Her wish was for unicorns.  Of course.  Why not? 

best,
Cheryl

Too Tired for Complicated Pages

Ho, Ho, Ho, It's my "after Christmas I'm so tired I can't think straight" time of year. 

Time for an easy page layout.  It helps that the paper was so easy to work with.  Heidi Swapp's No Limits paper pack had this arrow border paper that needed little but to pile on some coordinating papers under my photo. 

I added a few things; stamped title, a (for real) Bingo card, some tags (Pink Paislee and Tim Holtz), several banner stickers (from Glitz) for who, what, when kind of journaling, a strip of paper and a length of washi tape for the photo to rest on.  After that, I fussy cut some of the circles from the circle patterned paper (I think that one was a scrap of old Cosmo Cricket), added some leftover pieces of border stickers, and  glued on some teeny gold star sequins.  But that's really about it. This was just stuff that was out on my desk and within easy reach.   Just what I needed right now, an easy, no brainer kind of page. 

I know I mentioned posting some of my gift card holders...the pictures I took were pretty awful.  My daughter did put them aside Christmas Day so I could take photos again and hopefully I do a better job this time and can get that post up in the next day or two.  (Cuz they really did turn out cute!) 

best,
Cheryl

Hello Saturday!  Hello Weekend! 

Hello paper and photos! 

Today I am posting a layout and blabbering about cutting up pretty paper.  I know, we cut up our pretty paper all the time, but I mean really slicing and dicing it up. 

I cut out the teeny little triangles, cut out the chevrons, cut slivers of the heart paper, cut slices off a 6x6 piece, cut the branding strips, and even cut the banner sticker.   Just basically chopped and sliced and cut up everything I used.  And then, reassembled it.  Stacked the chevrons, using just the colors I wanted.  Stacked the branding strip pieces up in a slightly crooked fashion.  Sprinkled on the tiny triangles.  Slid the cut pieces of the 6x6 piece under the matted photo and one piece up under the stacked branding strips.  And then arranged what was left at the top and bottom of the page.  Oh, yeah, I also decided to highlight the use of the little triangles by saving one to use as a template to outline a few times.   (I am telling you now that outlining a teeny tiny triangle is not as easy as I had anticipated...) 

Once all the slivers, slices, cut up triangles and chevrons (some of the chevrons are on pop dots) were in place, I added the striped banner (cut into two pieces of course) and just a couple of stickers--the #2 circle sticker, the yellow ampersand and the chipboard heart at the top of the page and the little tabs clustered at the top of the photo.  Alpha is an ancient Thickers set, the old vinyl ones in this bright school bus yellow that I just loved. 

All this slicing and dicing---and the occasion?  Just a trip to Costco! 

Best!
Cheryl