This layout begins with an awesome background paper. This woodgrain from Craft Smith Co. provides so much texture and depth without being too busy. I wanted the wood veneer to really pop and this paper helped immensely. Let's dive in to the process of this awesome layout!


This is a super easy layout to scraplift. I'd love to see your take on featuring your wood veneer on a page. If you have trouble with layering or design concepts I'll walk you through some of the tips I have to create a layout like this one.


My first tip is to stick with a simple color scheme. As you can see here I chose to go with blue, teal, and varying natural shades, and a few metallics. When you start mixing in a lot of colors it can become very overwhelming. After deciding a color scheme I start thinking about texture. I talk about texture a lot in my videos, if you would like a full video on explaining texture as a design element I will gladly film one!


In these photos you can start to get a gist of what I mean when I refer to texture. In the photo above we have varying textures including paper, metallic foil, transparency material, staples, shiny enamel, and wood. That is definitely some eye candy. Now, when making your layouts, try not to overthink it, but when you feel the need that your cluster may need one more thing, try adding a different texture in to the mix.


My paper layers are minimal on this layout, but the focus is truly the small embellishments. I used so many different brands on this layout that I have a feeling the supply list down below is going to be so long! One of my absolute favorite things about the creative process is the mixing and matching of collections. I know that I am creating something really unique. What's your favorite thing about the creative process?


When laying out all of the wood veneer, I tried to vary the icon type, size, and sometimes color. I think this Stretch Your Stash idea would be a great opportunity to alter the wood veneer with paint. There is tons of inspiration for wood veneer layouts on Pinterest, but don't get too distracted by all of the inspiration!




This is definitely one of my favorite layouts of this month. What have you been working on lately? I hope you're still following and holding up those crafty New Years Resolutions! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
*Purchasing through these links is part of an affiliate program and I will receive a small portion of the sale at no additional cost to you*
Shop at Blitsy!
Shop at Tupelo Designs LLC!

American Crafts Pink Paislee C'est La Vie Ephemera

Boys Fort Wood Stickers 20/Pkg-Buttons

Studio Calico - Noted Wood Veneer Birds

Studio Calico 24-Piece Wanderlust Wooden Button Embellishments

Studio Calico Wood Veneer Cameras

Similar: Studio Calico Classic Wood Veneer Butterflies


Similar: Jillibean Soup Bowl of Dreams Wood Veneer Embellishments

Similar: Butterflies Shaker Wood Veneer Fillers
from: Blitsy

Tiny Attacher by Tim Holtz Idea-ology, 6-3/4 Inches, Includes 100 Staples, Plastic and Metal, TH92800

My original idea was to do a sort of radial look with my eyelets, but I came across a couple of obstacles. One, eyelets are a pain in the butt sometimes. Two, I didn't have enough eyelets! Oh well, I plan on revisiting this idea sometime in the future. It is definitely a fun texture to add to layouts. Plus, I think it would look really great for some summertime layouts or children's layouts. Without further ado, on to the video!



This layout starts with a beautiful light blue background. I love doing colored cardstock backgrounds. I rarely use white as a background paper which I think is pretty unique compared to many scrappers out there. This layout is simple, but packs a punch through its various textures and elements.


I created a small cluster in the bottom right of this layout as to not take away from the eyelet elements. I used a Heidi Swapp tag as a base. I also included a Freckled Fawn chipboard phrase sticker, a Project Life wood veneer asterisk, and a Project Life arrow. This embellishment cluster helps add more color to the layout.


Underneath my photos of my two cuties, I have some fun layers. I use black cardstock and a DCWV patterned paper with small ampersands on it. To add a unique texture I used a glassine bag under my photos. I completely resisted the urge to include a doily on this layout which took a lot of will power.


I also created a small cluster by my title piece. I used a Tim Holtz phrase sticker as the basis. The eyelet circles that I created made it easy to space out my other embellishments. The circular patterns even inspired me to go with this circular chipboard piece as my title! It's funny that going out of your creative comfort zone even if just a little bit can bring different types of inspiration! I would highly recommend giving it a try sometime.


I also made an embellishment cluster in this eyelet cluster. I really am so happy with how this turned out. It is definitely one of the easiest ways to use up a lot of eyelets quickly. If you would like to see more eyelet ideas or other Stretch Your Stash episodes be sure to subscribe! I can definitely see this series going on for a long time. Leave me any additional topics to cover in the comments. Thanks for stopping by!

Hello friends and welcome back! This is a very exciting post for me because it is my first ever blog post on my new MacBook Pro! This is also the first video I've edited using my new computer and I hope it's the quality your used to! If anyone has tips or tricks or apps that they love for this type of stuff for Mac let me know in the comments! I'm finally bringing back the Stretch Your Stash series back! I've been busy with design teams and other collabs, but it's time to bring it back. I hope you enjoy this version which features a new use for fabric flowers.


This layout features five, yes five, photos! I haven't included this many photos on a single 12x12 layout in so long! It tells the story of our pumpkin picking adventures from autumn 2016. It wasn't any special story, but it was fun. Below is my process video for this lovely autumnal layout and I hope you enjoy!


This layout starts out with a dark brown cardstock background. I then layer various patterned papers to create a fun strip. The light woodgrain pattern is from DCWV and the orange polkadot is from My Minds Eye (I think). I cut both of these pieces to created a place for my main photos to live. My main photos are cut to 4x4 and then matted on white paper.


I included a strip of Freckled Fawn's floral washi tape to make the seam less abrupt. I also used a border from K & Company to include more red, but this ends up getting covered up mostly in the end. My other three photos are part of a photo strip. I first mounted them on white cardstock and then evenly spaced them on some bright yellow-orange cardstock. I used a Fiskars scalloped border punch to add more interest. There's also foam under this section to add more dimension.


I created a cluster in the bottom left of my layout since there was a lot going on at the top. I started by adding a Basic Grey border strip of this plaid pattern. Then, I used an Elle's Studio cut apart as another journaling spot. I used a Jillibean Soup hexagon sticker as a pop of color behind my felt pumpkin. Lastly for this cluster, I scattered some enamel dots from Echo Park.


I included a Pretty Little Studio tab die cut for a place to include my date. I also used an Amy Tangerine puffy cloud sticker to add dimension. To the left of the large photos, I used a pocket from Paper Studio to include a hidden journaling spot. The tag in that pocket is from Recollections and I put some teal twine to add more texture.


Lastly, but most importantly the title and my example for the stretch your stash flowers edition. Fabric flowers are a great layering piece. I may do another video using more flowers as main layers if you guys would like to see it. My title pops because of this flower. The title is made out of a Pretty Little Studio die cut, Webster's Pages letter stickers, and Freckled Fawn cork alphabet pieces. This layout was so much fun to make! I hope you enjoyed this idea for using your flowers. I know that I still have plenty to use. Do you have any ideas for a stretch your stash concept? Post them in the comments below so I can see them. Thanks for stopping by!

I created tiny clusters about the page. This one in the top left was an attempt to include more of the layout color scheme across the layout. Having this cluster of colors helps draw the eye around the page as well. Scrapbooking doesn't always have to be a balancing act. Although we talk about several design aspects when making scrapbooking layouts, what matters most are the stories and that you like it. So, don't let design concepts or anything along those lines frustrate you or prevent you from scrapbooking and telling your story.


Here's another cluster I created using this tiny phrase sticker as a focal point. It is from Simple Stories' Carpe Diem collection. I also included a button since it is one of my repeating elements and then a small silver pearl because I could and I wanted to.


I hope you all enjoyed this episode of Stretch Your Stash! It is fun to use things for a slightly different purpose. If you guys have any suggestions or ideas let me know and I would love to try them out. Thank you so much for watching! Thanks for stopping by!

My first tip before even beginning this type of project is picking out a color scheme. I went for a classic red, white, and blue, but you could use all one color or maybe some pastels. It's all up to you. Next tip, be aware that putting all of the letters down is what will take you the longest time. I am not kidding you this coordination of letters (I know, it's a masterpiece) took me at least 20 minutes. Once this section of the layout was done it was all smooth sailing. If you guys would like other ideas on how to use up those leftover letters let me know! I have a full process video below and some up close photos.



In the video, you can see that I sped up the letter laying section up a bit so it went by faster, but it did take me a long time. I was meticulous with my placement though, I didn't want the same letters next to each other and it to look sort of random. There are plenty of other versions of layouts like this on the internet for your inspiration as well!


I used three alphabet sets to do this fun method. One was a Thicker set from American Crafts, another from KI Memories and the blue set is from somewhere I can't remember, haha. After I laid all of the letters down, I took to some paint! I used white acrylic paint as an additional layer behind where my photo will go. I also watered down the white paint to put some splatters around the page. The splatters add contrast against the otherwise bland kraft background paper.



I created an embellishment cluster to the bottom left of my photo starting with a Tim Holtz label sticker. I also added an Elle's Studio star sticker, an ampersand from the leftover alphabet sticker sheet, and a heavy metal arrow from Michael's. This cluster ended up coming together so effortlessly. Do you ever get the feeling that you set yourself up for success by accident? What I really mean by that question is do you think that having a messy desk promotes creativity? Just kidding! (Although I'm sure it probably does for some people).


I titled this layout "Cat Nap?" because I swear my dog thinks he is a cat. He loves our cats and definitely wishes he could follow them in to the tight places around the house including under coffee tables and couches. He also particularly likes their treats. I knew this story would have a lot of journaling, so I included a pocket from Hobby Lobby's Paper Studio line to keep a tag in.


Lastly, I finished off this quirky layout with a couple of navy buttons. I really like how they add yer another textural element to the alphabet cluster. That sums up this layout guys! I hope you enjoyed the video tutorial and try it yourselves soon! Thanks for stopping by!

My goal for this layout was to create shaker windows that worked with the entire layout. Little did I know, that this would be quite difficult! I decided that since punches are the easiest way for me to create shaker windows, that it would be nice to share it with you! So, grab your favorite punches, some foam sheets, and your sequins! Let's jump right in!



I hope that video tutorial made sense. It's easier to watch the technique sometimes over reading about it and then attempting to replicate it. I started this layout by picking out my background paper. I have had this DCWV polka dot paper for at least five years, it was time it finally stopped collecting dust! I used it's color scheme to help select my photos and then the rest of the elements I eventually used. My dark green patterned paper is from Kathy Davis' Journey 6x6 paper pad. Originally, this was going to be a 6x6 Fix series layout, but it took a different direction.


My second favorite portion of this layout (only because the shaker windows are my absolute favorite) is the title cluster! The whimsical feeling of the title die cut mixed with the Wilton doily, the teal tag from Recollections, and the frame die cut from Pink Paislee's Citrus Bliss is so perfect! I added a few more details including a wood veneer star from Studio Calico and some Tim Holtz tiny phrase stickers. If I was going to change anything about this layout, it would probably be to add a few sequins around the title area for a touch more pizzazz.


There were quite a few blemishes on the shaker window area (that you can see in the video) that needed some covering up. I covered the seam between the two piece of paper by using a Pretty Little Studio die cut word and another Studio Calico wood veneer. The die cut is perfect because it helps bring the navy from the title piece over to the other side of the layout, creating a balance.


Here are a couple tips that could help your shaker windows go a little more smoothly. One, make more pencil marks! I wish I would've been more careful and lighter with my markings, but I definitely didn't have enough because everything turned out a touch wonky. However, it wasn't ruined. Be lenient with yourself. If it isn't perfectly straight (like mine) use something to cover it up instead of throwing all of your hard work away. Two, get thicker foam, but be warned. A few of my punches could barely cut the cheap foam I had, let alone if I had a thicker piece of it. Use thicker foam if you can so you can add more shaker bits, otherwise you can always double it up!


My shaker bits are from a variety of places. I used some Kat Scrappiness, Darice, and DoCraft to create a custom sequin mixture! In some of my photos (like the one above) you'll be able to see that the foam peaks out. To remedy this, you could use white foam, so it is less noticeable, or use a foam that closely matches the color of your top patterned paper. I choose something that was in my color scheme at the very least.


This layout was so much fun to make! I hope you enjoyed watching my struggle with shaker bits, but these windows make the whole layout pop! If you have any questions or suggestions, let me know! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
*Purchasing through these links is part of an affiliate program and I will receive a small portion of the sale at no additional cost to you*
Shop through Blitsy! http://blitsy.com/ref/z3m57
Shop through Tupelo Designs LLC! http://i.refs.cc/H3vCMoVA 

Hello everyone! Today on the blog I have a couple really easy projects to share with you. If you're anything like me, you love to buy pocket page cards (PL cards). They're all so cute and inexpensive! Since we tend to get a few duplicates of each, I decided that it would be fun to turn some of my extras into Valentine's Day cards. So I'll show you a couple examples on how to stretch your Project Life card stash! I hope you enjoy!




Besides the small glue fiasco I had, this card still turned out elegant (besides how crooked it is). I love the gold foiling on the window as well as the sequin movement behind it. I decided to frame the shaker window with a rose patterned paper from Studio Calico's Hey Day collection.

As I have said in earlier posts this year and the end of last, I am bringing a whole lot more content in the form of videos. I would love to be able to post more than one a week, but I also know that two a week would be really hard for me when school starts again. So, while I'm still on break I plan on trying to film as many videos as possible to give you all what you like to see most! With that being said, I have also developed a couple of new series I'll be extending or introducing to you over these next few weeks and over the course of the year. I hope you'll enjoy all of these new series and please let me know what you think. Today, I'll be introducing a new series called Stretch Your Stash which focuses on reinventing things in your stash in new ways to become inspired again.


For this round of Stretch Your Stash we are focusing on buttons! As you'll see in the process video below, I have a lot of buttons, so I decided to stretch their use and make them the primary focus (besides the photos) of the layout. This took a really long time, but it was very therapeutic to complete! I point out a few things during the process video that I wish I had done differently, so learn from my mistakes, and plan ahead, haha. Enjoy this process video and I'll share more tips and details below!



I tried to cut out a lot of the boring work out of the video, so hopefully it wasn't too unbearably long. I think that this would be a great series for you all to play along, so I am extending my invitation for you to dive into your buttons and make them a starring role on your page. If you do participate, please tag me where you post it, I would love to see!


I personally think that buttons are so cute. I love to use them when I can remember to, but I usually only use a maximum of about 3, so this idea is a great way to use up loads of buttons at once. There are so many different shapes that would work for this technique including stars, circles, letters, clouds, and hexagons. I also love the flexibility on color ranges from rainbows to neutrals it is totally customizable. I wanted my layout to have some more pizzazz, so I used the packaging technique with my Recollections blue mist and my Tim Holtz distress stain spray in coral to give a watercolor look.


My photos are pretty plain color wise on this layout and I keep it clean by only layering some pink cardstock behind the photos. I wanted few embellishments since this layout already screams embellished. I used a Doodlebug Designs mini doily on the top left and bottom right of the photos. There's also a discrete fish paper clip, a vine die cut from Sizzix, and some crochet thread all tucked in.


It's the little details that make the true impact of these layouts. This was really outside of my comfort zone, but it sure was fun. If you have something specific you would like me to tackle for the Stretch Your Stash series I would be happy to hear it! I hope you enjoyed this layout process and are excited for more! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
*Purchasing through these links is part of an affiliate program and I will receive a small portion of the sale at no additional cost to you*
Shop through Blitsy! http://blitsy.com/ref/z3m57
Shop through Tupelo Designs LLC! http://i.refs.cc/H3vCMoVA 

Similar: Buttons Galore Button Bonanza, Blue

Similar: Buttons Galore CB110 Color Blend Buttons, 3-Ounce, Plum Pudding, 3 Shades of Purple

Similar: Buttons Galore Button Bonanza, Brilliant Pink

Scotch 6052A-1 Quick Drying Tacky Glue, 4 fl. oz.