June Sketch Challenge

We thought it would be fun to have a monthly sketch challenge and so I offer for your 'delectation' the following sketch which is based on one by Jill Cornell in Issue 53 of Scrapbook Magazine.  Sketches are a great starting point if you ever find yourself short of inspiration.

What I love about sketches is the differing interpretations you can get from the same sketch.  Three of the design team used this sketch and our layouts are all very different and Nicky was even able to interpret hers into a double-page layout.

'Grossology' by Kate Holliday

Many years ago I took our children up to the Science Museum where they had a 'Grossology' exhibition on - the impolite science of the human body!  As you can imagine the children loved it and they had this photo taken at the exhibition.  I wanted my layout to have a feel of the exhibition and the Jillibean Soup 'Monster Stew' range was perfect and using the sketch made bringing the whole layout together really easy.  I cut out five monsters for the circles at the bottom which I covered in Glossy Accents and cut out additional eyes that could then be lifted up, my title and journaling stayed as they were put on the sketch but I substituted the two small photo spaces for splats!

Materials used:-
Patterned Paper: Monster Stew '3 Arms', 'Cup of Eyeballs', Pinch of Hair' - Jillibean Soup
Other: Glossy Accents - Ranger, Craft Foam Pads - Stix 2
The title and subtitles were taken from the packaging that the photo came in.

'Fit of Giggles' by Martina Gardner

I love this layout that Martina has produced.  She has used the gorgeous new papers from Cosmo Cricket's 'Odds and Ends' range but used them (to great effect) on a Christmas layout.  Martina has kept her layout quite true to the sketch with the photo and title in the same places.  She has substituted the five circles for four small photos and moved her journaling up to one of the photo spaces at the top and replaced the journaling area with an embellishment.

Materials Used:-
Patterned Paper: Odds and Ends 'Remnant', 'Scraps' - Cosmo Cricket
Cardstock: Watermelon - Bazzill
Title Letters: 'Kraft Mini Alphas - Red', 'Alphabeans Cardstock Stickers - Roasted Red' - Jillibean Soup
Ribbon: 'Pom Pom Trim - Brick' - Bazzill

'Back to Tisbury' by Nicky Parry

The observant of you will recognise this layout as we used it as a focus on re-thinking older papers on the 22nd May and Nicky used the sketch as her starting point but managed, very successfully, to extend it to a double-page layout.  The left side of the layout is quite true to the sketch with the pictures of the cars on the patterned paper a substitute for the five circles .

Materials Used:-

Patterned Papers: Joy Ride 'Pit Stop', 'Round About', 'Zoom Zoom' - Cosmo Cricket
Stickers: Joy Ride 'Cardstock Stickers' - Cosmo Cricket
Title cut on a Cricut Machine

We would love to see any layouts you make using the sketch, so do send them in to us so that they can be put on the Blog also.

Baby Mine

We have the cutest new baby range in from Fancy Pants Designs, 'Baby Mine', and as it is nice to see the papers and elements altogether I thought I would share them with you on the blog and it will also let you have a little bit of 'ahh' time!

 'Wonder'

 'By the Inch'

 'Special Delivery'

 'How Tall?'

 'Peek A Boo'

 'All in a Row'

 'Baby Birds'

'Strips'

In addition to these eight double-sided, cardstock weight paper we also have some rub-ons, stickers and design embellishments for you to really have fun with your page or card.

'Design Embellishments'

 'Rub-ons'

'Element Stickers'

See, I told you they were cute!!  My personal favourite is the rub-ons selection with the toy monkey hanging from the washing line and I am very attached the frog that appears on the 'Wonder' paper!

What I really love about the range though is that not only is it suitable for both baby girls and boys plus toddlers but many of the reverse sides are suitable for any topic making it massively versatile and therefore excellent value.  To see prices or to purchase please go to the website here.

And the winner is.....

Our May Kit Competition proved very popular and therefore very tricky for the Design Team and I to choose our favourite.  All the entries were of a really high standard but in the end we were all agreed on the winner which was Giselle Homer with her beautifully presented layout '32 Months'.

'32 Months' by Giselle Homer

I am sure you will agree that this really is a stunning layout.  Giselle's style of clean graphic lines is beautifully softened with the beautiful cluster of journaling blocks from the die-cut sheet, flowers and heart pin.  We also loved her use of the twine and the sweet little butterfly.  These design choices combined with the stunning photos of her grandson has made for a striking layout that the Design Team and I really loved.  The new June Kit 'Sweet Threads' will be making its way to Giselle with our congratulations.

As I said, we were really torn with the layouts and decided to award a Runners Up prize because we also so loved this beautiful layout by Sue Costi.

'Friends' by Sue Costi

I know you will agree with me that this was another stunning layout and we couldn't let it go without a mention and we decided to award Sue a Runners Up prize in the form of a gift voucher.  We again loved the clustering and the way that all the elements drew together to bring the focus on the sweet photo in the centre. I also loved the fact that Sue had used the twine from the Kit to sew her arrow which again draws your attention in to the photo.  Our congratulations to Sue also.

A huge thank you to everyone who entered the competition the layouts really were of a very high standard and choosing a winner was not an easy task - there are some very talented ladies out there :).