Monthly Kit Samples ... All About A Boy

Hello ... hope you are well!
It's Louise here today!
SJ Crafts have released two new kits and and I had the opportunity to create with the

"All about a boy" Kit
 

This kit feautires gorgeous Echo Park papers and is full of colour with a big selection of chipboards and stickers to embellish. At first the name of this kit might suggest that it is more suited to layouts featuring young children. I wanted to show you that not only is it suitable for the younger boy but for the bigger boy too. In fact I used the kit to create three layouts, one for a little boy, one for a big boy and one for the biggest boy of all!!

I used the kit exclusively and did not dip into any other supplies at all - not even my favourite washi tape ... the tape I seem to reach for constantly.

For the little boy layout I used layers with all the patterned papers. I love the colour orange and use it a lot on layouts of my boys.
 

The big boy layout uses one of the 12x12 patterned sheets. It reminds me of denim and I just know that this paper will be falling into my shopping basket next time I place an order with SJ Crafts!  It's fabulous!
 

Onto my third layout ....
This layout has a photo of the biggest boy of all who just couldn't help himself!
I wanted space to journal and created the flap on the right hand side to record some more details from our holiday.
 

After creating three layouts I had one sheet of cardstock left and lots of scraps so I made two cards. A Happy Birthday Handsome card ...
 

and a Thank You Best Friend card ...

 

The kits are currently available in the shop ...

  Click here to buy "All About A Boy" Kit!

   Click here to buy "Sweet Girl" Kit

You really will not be disappointed!!

Enjoy the rest of your day!
Louise x

See more of Louise's crafting projects on her blog:
Boys, Bugs and Beautiful Buttons

Studio Calico Snippets

Hello and a very happy weekend to you!

Louise here today to show you my projects made with the Studio Calico Snippets Collection!

 

My main supplies were:

 

Snippetts 6x6 patterned paper pad

Chipboard Arrows

Chipboard Cameras

 

All of which are available in the shop!

 

This collection is perfect - it reminds me of bright summers days. Airy and light. The patterns are a mixture of bold and subtle, the colours being both bright and muted. What I like best about this 6x6 pad is that all the papers are single sided. You don't know what a weight off my mind it is not to have to choose between sides. The combination of colours and patterns is wonderful and suitable for all themes.

I'd like to share with you two 12 x12 layouts and several 4x6 horizontal mini cards/layouts. These layouts are for my holiday album which mixes 12x12 with 4x6 page protectors pockets.

The top two 4x6 cards will accompany a non beach/pool 12 x 12 layout in my album with the bottom two going next to to a 12 x 12 beach/pool layout.

First up is the beach/pool theme. I wanted a fresh bright feel to my holiday album and used the Bazzill white range of cardstock. The 12x12 layout is kept simple with lots of white space. The main focus being the photos.

The journaling is on the back of this page. I have so much to write for this holiday that occasionally there is too much to actually put on the layout. Here is my DH coming down the water slide with two of my boys in the pool waiting for him. He has a water camera in his hand, so while I take a photo of him (on the left), he is taking a photo of me (on the right). You might just be able to make me out in a black cosie standing with my feet firmly on the ground.

I fallen in love with the chipboard cameras and arrows. They are simply Cute!

The 4x6 cards and photos will go in the 4x6 page protector pockets next to the 12x12 layout in my album.

You can see I've used more of those gorgeous chipboard arrows with some titles and quotes.

For my second 12x12 layout I have chosen a non beach/pool theme. First of all I created a misted hexagon background.

To create this background I used an embossing folder. Spray your mist onto the raised side of your embossing folder, turn over and press onto your card/paper.

I used two mists here the Mister Huey Honor Society and Leaf Green

This amazing castle is the Harry Potter Ride in Florida. The title of this layout is taken from the words that my youngest son wrote about this ride at the end of the day.

More chipboard cameras and arrows.
 

As before, the 4x6 cards and photos will go into in the 4x6 divided page protector pockets next to the 12x12 layout.

Once again there is so much to journal for this page. Like.... how I came to have a photo of the "Public Convenience" sign and the story of the Harry Potter Ride, the Forbidden Journey. For this story in particular, the 4x6 card is a pocket which will hold all the details.

So.....I hope you like my Studio Calico projects. Making little 6 x 4 cards to go alongside 12 x 12 layouts is a great way to get all those extra details and photos into your album. I hope you might give it a go.  If you are still not sure I will be making plenty more 12x12 and 4x6 with this range so you may wish to keep an eye out over at my blog.

In addition to the Studio Calico Snippets 6x6 paper, chipboard camera's and arrows I also used:-

• Glitz washi tape pokka dot blue
• Glitz aplhas
• 12 x12 bazzill white cardstock
• AC Alpha's
• Studio Calico Mister Huey Mists - Honor Society and Leaf Green

All these products can be purchased from SJ Crafts.

Thanks for stopping by today

Louise x

Don't forget to visit Louise's blog at : Boys, Bugs and Beautiful Buttons

Louise Brooks - Inspired By Winter

My apologies this is a few days late - it should have been posted last Wednesday. 
Lots going on here at the moment!
If you missed the first "Inspired By Winter" post you can find that right here!
This week it's the turn of SJ Crafts DT Member, Louise!

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Hello, I'm Louise and I live smack bang in the middle of the country with my husband and three boys. 

I work part-time and when I get a few minutes spare from family life you'll find me cutting and sticking. Unless it's a Sunday then I spend the best part of the day watching, cheering, shouting (words of encouragement) on the sidelines between three rugby pitches.

I've been scrapbooking for over 13 years now. It's been so long that it's now a way of life. It all started when my eldest son was born.......although if I think back it may have all started with my childhood when I became (a Duranie!) infatuated with Duran Duran. Remember this was in the day, pre world wide web! A scrapbook wasn't big enough so I kept everything in an arch lever file. Newspaper/Magazine cuttings, photos, posters (ones that weren't on my bedroom walls), lyrics, concert memorabilia .....I'm sure some of you must have kept something similar!  Please say you did!?

  

The world of scrapbooking has advanced here in the UK since I created my very first layout, there is so much more on offer now. Sarah (SJ Crafts lovely owner) asked me a few scrapbook related questions and this is what I had to say:

• What was your last crafty purchase?  Papers are my thing. I would rather buy a pack pack than a set of alphas or embellishments. Hence, my last purchase consisted of two paper packs, the gorgeous Echo Park This & That Christmas collection kit and the stylish Classic 3 kit from Studio Calico.

• Who is your favourite Craft Manufacturer? and why? I imagine we all have our favourites. There are times when one manufacturer releases a new line and for a while they are my favourite. I do have my all time favourites though, they are Lily Bee, My Minds Eye and American Crafts. This year my favourite manufacturer has to be Echo Park. Their collection kits are super value, come with plenty of papers and alpha's and stickers (which is a bonus). When you predominantly scrap with boys, it can be a challenge finding suitable papers...so these kits work perfectly for me.

• What is your favourite technique? Hmmm this is a hard one. Many techniques come and go... at the moment for me it's stitching on layouts. Next month it will no doubt will be something different. 

I couldn't finish this post without sharing something pretty with you. Christmas is approaching all too fast and Winter is now upon us. Winter is the best excuse to stay inside, to sit in front of the telly, to create. I spent an evening with a tray full of patterned stars, some seed beads and a score board. 

These 3D stars turned out well and made a lovely contributions to the tall dried tree decoration that stands in the corner of my living room. It now looks very christmassy indeed!

These 3D stars can be made to any size. 

I used a sizzix die, but you can cut them out by hand.

Papers are  from the wonderful Carte Bella Merry & Bright range.

All you need to do is score from each star point across to the other side and  gently fold the peaks and valleys.

          To finish off I added a few seed beads to some cotton to thread through the stars for hanging. 

 Are you planning on making any Christmas decorations this year?  

Have you been inspired today to have a go?

 We really would love to see if you have.... so do leave us a link so we can come and see!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by today!

Louise x

Don't forget to visit Louise's blog at Boys, Bugs and ... Beautiful Buttons

Studio Calico Yearbook - By Louise

Today, DT member Louise talks about her scrapbooking process!

***      ***      ***

Do you have a scrapbook process?

If so, where do you start?

- with pretty papers

- with a story

- with photos 

or 

- with a design

Each time for me it's different. Usually I tend to start with a photo and then choose my papers, but as Sarah sent me the new Studio Calico Yearbook papers to work with, this time I chose a photo that I thought would suit the papers.

After selecting your photo and papers what comes next?  

Do you have a technique in mind you want to use? Do you think about what you want to achieve? Do you refer to a layout you like or turn to a sketch? Do you just start cutting up papers and see what comes to mind?

So I'd got my papers ready and I picked out the photo I wanted to scrap, next I quickly scribbled a sketch. I don't do this all the time, but it does help to give me a starting point.

And this is how the final layout turned out.

The Ugly Sisters
Sorry, I have had to "blur out" the face of one of the children!!

 

Products used  Studio Calico Yearbook

Studio Calico - chalkboard alpha thickers

  

For this second layout I noticed that this sheet of numbers would work perfectly with a story I had recently blogged. So this time around I chose the paper to go with a story. A story that you can find here.

 

Products used  Studio Calico Yearbook

Studio Calico - chalkboard alpha thickers 

Studio Calico Mister Huey Mist - Calico White

The Studio Calico Yearbook collection is gorgeous and I am sure there isn't a theme that it wouldn't work with. It's perfect for older children, school photos and boy or girl themes. 

So where do you start?

Photos ... papers ... sketch ... technique or something else?

Please do share your layout process with us.

Jenny has been busy with another Studio Calico collection, Wonderland so pop back soon to see what she did with it!

Have a fabulous day!

Louise x

Not ONE But TWO GIVEAWAYs!!!

All this week, DT member, Louise has been showing you the five layouts she made with just 1 Echo Park collection kit!

If you missed them, there was this layout documenting her son's love for pigs and this one which featured multiple photos and lots of journalling and this post with two more layouts and the final post with a fifth layout. 

Louise has three young boys, who often feature in her scrapbook pages, mini books and crafty projects. She takes amazing photographs and tells fabulous stories of her busy family life. She regularly posts her layouts, creative projects, photos and stories on her blog Boys, Bugs and Beautiful Buttons - do pop by and say "Hi"!!

So .... the Giveaway!!! 

As we have been focusing on 12 x 12 collection kits this week, I have ONE kit to give away to ONE lucky winner! 

What do you have to do to win??

Easy .... first of all become a follower of this blog (if you're not already) and then visit the S J Crafts Shop and take a look at the kits available and then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me which collection kit you would like to win. 

One comment will be picked at random to win a collection kit! 

(where possible this will be the kit you have picked and put in your comment but if it is out of stock you will be offered an alternative kit!)

But that's not all .....

I also have a selection of twelve 12 x 12 papers (different designs, different manufacturers but all beautiful!!) to give away to one person who also mentions this giveaway on their blog, either in your sidebar or within a post. You must include a link to this post and leave a comment on this post to be eligible for entry into the draw for papers!

 

Both winners will be picked at random on Monday 15th October from all those eligible!!

The giveaways will close at 10pm on Friday 12th October so make sure you've entered by then and both are open internationally!

Please remember to "follow" this blog and leave your comment!!

Good Luck!

12 x 12 Collection Kit - Part 4!

Today I have my 5th layout to show you. By now, there wasn't an awful lot left from the Echo Park kit that I started with but I managed to squeeze this one out of it.

It's all good

As I mentioned back in this post one of my boys doesn't like attention, so when I asked him to write down some words that best described him, he couldn't do it. So I did it for him and even asked his older brother to describe him too.

I am very much a B side girl and I really wanted to use this bright green scheduled paper. The middle of the 12x12 was gutted and another panel of patterned paper stitched over to cover the hole. I could then use another panel of the green paper on top. As in many of the other layouts I've shown you this week I wrote the journaling onto the layout first and then built everything else around it.

For this layout I didn't add any extras apart from the sewing! 

So after 5 layouts from one collecion kit, I have 1 full sheet of 12x12 left, a few paper scraps, some alphas and stickers - which I will be able to use up on other layouts and crafty projects.

Thank you for joining me this week - I hope you've enjoyed it!

Later today Sarah will be along to tell you how you can win your own collection pack!!

Until then I hope you have a wonderful Friday!

Louise x

To see more of Louise's work - visit her blog: Boys, Bugs and Beautiful Buttons

Collection Kits - 2 More!

Hello again, Louise here back with 2 more layouts to show you!

So, just a reminder I'm using just one Echo Park collection pack to make 5 layouts!

If you've only just joined me, don't worry the first post in the series is here and Part two can be found here!

 I have lived in.....

Number one son is my fact boy. He thrives on facts. 
This layout is based on one of his recent statements.

 

The string and number stickers were not from the kit and againn my sewing machine was used!

What's in a name?

Stanley, bless him, gets called many a name. I adhered the tickets and photo to the background and then added paper scraps around them. 

When using these kits, it's worth keeping all your off cuts of paper and using them to make another layout!

The only thing not from the kit is the ribbon!

I also used my sewing machine and some staples!

I have one more layout to show you later this week and there will also be a chance to win a collection pack of your own!

I'd love to know which is your favourite layout so far?

12 x 12 Collections ~ Part 2!

Hello and Welcome back. If you missed the first of this weeks' posts on 12 x 12 collection kits you can catch up on that right here!

Just as a reminder I'm making layouts using just the supplies from 1 collection kit (with a couple of extras added here and there!) and focusing on journalling using the notes my boys jotted down for me.

For the 2nd layout using my  For The Record 2 kit I turned my attention to my shy boy, who doesn't like attention in any shape or form. 

This is the face....

I wanted to make a note of some of the things he wrote down as his "loves" this year. I wrote on the journaling blocks and zig-zag stitched them to the layout.

For this layout, all supplies came from the kit - all I added was the machine stitching!

Do you like to use collection kits? Have you got a favourite kit?

See you soon with two more layouts!

12 x 12 Collection Kits - By Louise

Hello there, it's Louise here today.

I hope your weekend has been wonderful!

Remember Lisa-Jane's fabulous series of projects using 6 x 6 pads?

Well, this week I'm going to share with you my love of 12x12 collection kits. 
Like the 6 x 6 series there will be posts throughout the week, each with a new layout! I hope you'll join me!

Many, many moons ago when I started scrapbooking 12x12 papers didn't exist, at least not here in the UK.  Papers and Cardstock were 8x10 and very limited. Luckily for us scrapbooking has expanded and there is now a wealth of supplies on offer from single sheets of 12x12 to paper pads to 12x12 kits. I've never subscribed to a regular kit from a company and I often wondered if I was missing out. Then earlier this year I discovered Echo Park's  12x12 Collection Kits and now I use these all the time. They quickly became the staple supply in my stash. I love them!!

I've used a few of these kits for lots of different projects like this mini book using the This and That Charming range and Interactive Layouts using the Note to Self Range. 

This week I'm going to show you just how far one of these kits will go and how you can make different layouts using just one kit!

In most of the Echo Park kits you get:

12 double sided patterned 12" x 12" papers. Amongst the patterns is a journaling and border sheet.
1 sticker sheet - the sheet is 12" x 12" and crammed with loads of stickers.
1 alphabet sheet - again the sheet is 12" x 12" and usually has a large alpha and number set and two smaller alpha sets.

 

Using this For the Record 2 Documented kit I have taken it's name quite literally.

 I planned to create five layouts where the story was the main focus.

 I tried to use the kit and the kit only. I tried really hard .... but I have used my sewing machine on each layout and I did add the odd little item here and there. 

Throughout the week, after each layout I've listed any extras that weren't in the kit. 

So, you ready? .... let's look at the first layout ....

I don't just like pigs...I love them

Each layout started out with a story and in this one you can see that I included the journaling on the layout before anything else was added.

For those of you that don't know me I have three boys, earlier this year I asked them to write down some things about themselves. S took himself off away from the other two and wrote down some of the funnest things. Obviously they had to be recorded in a layout.

I worked out where the photo would go and journalled in the space around it.
Then added my papers, embellishments, photo, title and stitching.

  

 I love how he spelt "finc" (think) and "bootafall" (beautiful)! 

 The photo was layered onto an envelope so that his original writing could be kept safe inside.

What did I use that wasn't in the kit? ... only a circle stamp and the 2012 number stickers!!

I hope you'll pop back for my second layout tomorrow!

Scrapping with SMASH!!

Hi Everyone ... Louise here today!
Have you seen all the new Smash items?
Aren't they lovely?!

It would be a great shame though to save all these gorgeous pads and tapes just for our smash books....wouldn't it?

Today I'd like to share a layout created using a few of the Smash items Sarah has in the shop:

The SMASH items I used:
journaling notes from the favourite person pad.
Tiny flag clips
Section smash tape

          

... and I added into the mix lots and lots of patterned paper scraps. 
In fact my pile looked like this....

I started by pulling out some recent scraps and an old sticker sheet, together with the smash items Sarah sent me.  White bazzill was chosen for the background.

I wrote my journalling on a few pages from the 2 of Us smash pad and added the flag clips to the tops of them. I then built up an area with my paper scraps to sit below the journaling. Sections of the smash tape added here and there gave a further splash of colour.

I added a simple title but then this created an empty white space on the right hand side. Grabbing the old sticker sheet the beautiful yellow bicycle jumped out at me.

Perfect for filling the space!

  A few more stickers were added until I was happy that the space was covered.

The journaling notes were added over the top of the scraps and with a little embellishment added to the top of the layout......

........it was finished.......

 Have you got a handful of scraps and some old stickers that you'd like to put to good use?
Or even a hoard of Smash items that haven't yet made it into your Smash book. 

You have??
Great ... Go Grab them and create a layout with them!!
Just remember to overlay and fill the space until your happy with how it looks.
And be sure to link up in the comments so we can pop across to see. 

Thank you for stopping by today!
Louise