Nature's Colour Palette

I had a good sort out last week of various projects that needed completing.  I have a rule that no layout gets to go into my album until it is completely finished; journalled, dated etc, but this does mean that I have ended up with a pile of layouts that need finsihing off!  In some cases it was that I simply needed to look up the date of when an event happened, in another I wanted to journal but it was quite personal journaling that needed some thought etc.  Other projects not only need finishing, they almost need starting (!) where I have chosen some papers to go with photos and then not got any further... is there anyone else out there that has this problem or is it just me?!

Anyway, I was very proud of myself at the weekend because I finished three such projects and allowed myself to put them away appropriately in their albums which just gets me so excited (I know, 'little things please little minds', but ho hum!).  In addition, at our Crop on Tuesday evening I also finished this layout which I started several weeks ago at another Crop and for various reasons hadn't quite finished.

'Nature's Colour Palette' by Kate Holliday

Supplies Used:-

Stamps: Tim Holtz Fairytale Frenzy, Tim Holtz Psychedelic Grunge - Stampers Anonymous

Patterned Papers: All About Me 'Looking Ahead', 'You're Timeless' - Websters Pages

Cardstock: White, Twilight Medium - Bazzill

Ink: DewDrop Versa Magic 'Aegean Blue' - Tsukineko

Paint: Adirondack Paint Dabbers Bright 'Citrus' - Ranger

Adhesives: Craft Foam Pads - Stix2

The above items are all available on the website

I adore these Websters papers and felt they worked perfectly with my subject and enhanced what I was trying to say.  The Tim Holtz 'Fairytale Frenzy' stamp set has this beautiful floral stamp that reminded me so much of the way a Bluebell bends over at the top and so I wanted to include this in my layout also.  I layered up the main image and cut out various parts from the Websters All About Me 'Looking Ahead' paper (Websters papers are perfect for fine cutting) and I was really pleased with the end result.  The title was cut out on my Cricut.

Hope you like and thank you for looking :).

Kate

Magical Megaflake!

I have a tendency to buy new things and then let them sit for a while to 'mature' before I use them.
So it was only a week or two ago the I finally opened my Megaflake starter kit to use on a card I was making for a friend's birthday.  Fortunately it comes with good instructions, although it did take me a while to figure out what the 'schoochy' was!  It is a key part of the process, and removes the excess flake, so initially I was slightly perplexed by the results.  However, once I had 'schoochied', I was delighted with the results!  I had glued up fingers and bits of glittery flake everywhere, but the results were fabulous so it was worth it.

I used the Megaflake Starter Kit, the Indigo Blu Wild Meadow Stamp Set and a very small piece of the Glitz Design Pretty in Pink 'Roses' paper. 

I'm really looking forward to having another play with this kit soon!

Nicky x

More with Spring Jubilee

Our beautiful 'Spring Jubilee Kit' proved really popular through May, especially with our Kit competition running and we received some really lovely layouts.  It never ceases to amaze me how many different  layouts and projects can be produced despite all using the same products!  I wanted to share a couple of lovely ones that were sent in from Cath West.

Cath has just oddments of her own stash to complete the layouts but the majority of the items are all from the Kit and aren't the pages just gorgeous (enhanced by the sweetest photos of course!).

Thank you so much for sharing these Cath, I just love them and can't wait to see the other ones finished also ;).

If you have been busy creating from any of our Kits or other products, do send in a picture as it really helps to inspire us all.

Have a great weekend.

Kate xx

Wild Meadow Cards

I just wanted to share with you a couple of cards that were created by Tracy Harris using the IndigoBlu Wild Meadow Rubber Stamp Set.

As you can see they are two variations on a theme and I think they are just gorgeous.  Tracy has used various distress ink to get the shading and on the top card she has chosen to stamp the butterfly separately and then raise it up on foam pads to give a 3D effect and has stamped the flower and grass border in the Jet Black Archival Ink which, against the Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink, gives a sunset look with the border silhouetted.  Tracy has matted this card onto a larger piece that she has stamped and inked to create a patterned paper.

The second card has had the grasses border stamped in various shades of Distress Ink against a blue and green inked ground and the butterfly is stamped directly onto the cardstock.  Tracy has very cleverley inked the words in different ink colours which gives a wonderful effect.  This card has been matted onto cardstock which has been inked up in Spiced Marmalade to match.

Both cards have used exactly the same stamps but have a very different feel to them and I love them both.  Thank you very much for sharing the cards with us Tracy.

Happy Crafting :)

Kate xx

May Kit Challenge Winner!

I had meant to announce yesterday the winner of our May Kit Challenge but the day just got away with me so I am really sorry.  It was also really tricky to choose as we had some lovely entries but in the end we went with this gorgeous layout by Sue Costi.

'Growing Up' by Sue Costi

I love the layers that Sue has created which give such depth and with the different textures from the ribbon, tulle, flowers and bling the whole layout really comes alive and you can almost feel yourself up in the tree with the girls.  This is a really beautiful layout and a worthy winner and Sue will be having our new June Kit 'Doodle Deux' posted off to her.

As I said, it was difficult to choose a winner as there were some lovely entries and I also particularly liked this layout from Loraine Cheshire which features the toilets at the Ritz - what a great subject!!!  It was Loraine's parents Diamond Wedding Anniversary and they had gone to the Ritz to celebrate and I have no doubt that Loraine has other photos from the event but I love that she used these ones!  Loraine coloured the roses from the ribbon and also the letters to pick up on the colours in her photos and the effect creates a really fun layout.  As runner-up Loraine will receive a £10 Gift Voucher. 

'So Posh' by Loraine Cheshire

If these two very creative ladies have inspired you we still have a few of our May Kit, 'Spring Jubilee' left in stock.  We will be featuring some more of the entries sent in over the next week or so and a big thank you to all of you that entered our competition, we have loved looking at your layouts.

Happy Crafting!

Kate xx

New Doodle Deux June Kit

Well June is here and it seemed to come round so quickly - did someone steal half of May?  We have such a fun, vibrant kit for you this month in the form of 'Doodle Deux' which uses the papers from the Prima range of the same name.  All the details of the kit can be found on the website but I thought you would like to see the papers in more detail as they can't be seen easily in the Kit photo so here they are:-

This is such a fun, bright, summer range full of quirky doodled flowers, words and birds and we have packed the Kit with lots of other gorgeous co-ordinating goodies.  There is an Inspiration Sheet for you to download and keep and the layouts that the Design Team have created with the Kit can also be viewed in our Gallery.

Have a great Jubilee Weekend.
Kate xx