GUEST DESIGNER - Introducing - Amanda Reddicliffe

I would love to introduce our latest Guest Designer the lovely Amanda Reddicliffe! Amanda has been working with our December Main Cake kit :) Over the next week or so I will be sharing her creations with you.

The kit Amanda is working with is still available in the APOCD store :) You can get it here 

Here is a little bit about Amanda in her own words:

I started keeping a journal from the moment I could write. I grew up in the 80's on a huge property and, in hindsight, had a sheltered upbringing. My parents travelled somewhere exotic every year (and I was fortunate enough to come along) so not only did I get to see the world, I got into the habit of collecting tickets, nick-nacks, business cards, brochures, postcards, bar coasters, maps - anything I could get my hands on - to keep as memories of the adventure.

I see now that my childhood was a special one - I lived outside from dawn to dusk in the warmer months (letting that imagination roam free), and spent rainy days as a child looking through shoe boxes of photographs and watching The Young Ones and other sarcastic British comedies. My parents have always had a love for photo's and they gave me my first camera when I was eight (that was 1988 for those of you playing at home) and I've been snapping away ever since. My big girl cameras these days are a Canon 5D Mk II, but I also love my iPhone while out and about.

I was introduced to scrapbooking in 2003 via a Creative Memories party while heavily pregnant with my first child and I was sold on the idea of scrapbooking - even though at that time all I had been given was a 12x12 piece of white paper and a couple of triangles of colored cardstock. And a plastic stencil to make my title. How far we've come.

These days I'm truly blessed to be the mum of three beautiful, happy kids and work as a photographer and stylist with the coolest magazine on earth (in my humble opinion), Scrapbook Creations. I'm currently on the Design Diva's team for Scrapbook Creations and Anna's Craft Cupboard.

My life resolves around my kids (often referred to as 'my bears') and handsome hubster, belly laughing often, a good paperback, photography, listening to new and old music, vintage treasure hunting, good food, instagram, a glass of wine on the odd occasion, hitting the open road to unplanned destinations, taking more photo's, Spring, learning more, more, more (about anything), hardware stores, losing track of time, organising stuff, Pinning, thinking positive, listening to others, and sending and receiving happy mail.

In the craft world I love scrapbooking before card making (but they are both a lot of fun), buttons, sewing, adhesives, finding new products, clear stamps, scissors, more buttons, my Silhouette Cameo, bright and light colors... and meeting like minded people!

To see more of Amanda's work you can check out her blog here:

http://areddicliffe.blogspot.com.au 

Looking forward to sharing Amanda's lovely pages with you all :)

Raquel xxx

DESIGNER - Nearly here... - Ebony van der Starre

Well I know it is nearly Christmas and finding time to get messy and creative can be tricky, but I really wanted to share one of my layouts I have created using this month's "Cupcake kit". I LOVE this kit...the colours the patterns and especially the gelato and spray bottle. What awesome value this kit is and so versatile!

I wanted to show you a layout using the gelato and the misting bottle. I apologise that I didn't take any progressive photos but here is my layout and an idea to use the gelato and water.

One way you can create interesting backgrounds with gelatos is o use them like a crayon and scribble onto some white cardstock. I use one colour at a time and then with the spray bottle apply some water. You can use your finger or a brush to slightly blend the colour, but still leave enough of your scribbled lines showing. I also often tip my page up so that some of the wet colour dribbles down and around my cardstock.

You can see here the different gelato scribble lines.

Now I have to admit that I am lucky to have a few different gelato colours in my stash so I have also used "snow cone" which is an aqua colour gelato and I have also scribbled with it .

Once you have done this effect with two or more colours you can then spray and dribble some yellow mist over the top randomly. I have used a Tattered angels "Twinkle yellow" mist and then I have used a "Mr Huey's" custard mist  and a Tattered angel Patina mist to draw lines amongst my gelatos using their nozzles.

The rest of the background is using various stamps and masks and some doodling with a permaball pen.

Once my background was done I cut up some of the awesome papers in the kit into various sized squares.

I then added some strips of the papers ( which are actually the cut off strips from the papers!) and some washi tape, some from the kit and some from my stash. I added some of the awesome sticker elements and word stickers from the kit and then coloured the alphabet black with a sharpie for my title! 

One boyish layout complete but you could easily do a feminine version with the other papers in the kit! 

Have fun creating and I hope you all have a very merry Christmas!!!

Eb x

Christmas Break

APOCD will be on Christmas break from Monday 23rd December until Monday 6th January. Orders may still be placed during this time but will not be sent until after the 6th.

Have a Merry Christmas and a safe New Year!

SPECIAL GUEST - Lory Bucaria - Our neverending story

Today I am here to share our last layout by our special guest Lory. Lory has recently had some exciting news and is now on the creative team for Studio Calico! 

Here is her layout where she has used a flair from our One Little Word Cherry Flair pack. I love the frames and design of this layout. Plus that little shaker frame she made is too cute!

A close up of our flair:

Thank you so very much for being a special guest at APOCD Lory! We have loved having you! xxx

DESIGNER - Ebony van der Starre - The best things in life are free.......

Hi again! I'm back to share another layout using this month's 'Cupcake kit".

I took this photo of my children one spring day playing in a handmade, thrown together cubby at the front of our house! They spent hours out there together, listening to music, chatting and laughing! It really did remind me that it is the Simple things in life that are often the most cherished moments but we sometimes forget to just scrap these times. So this layout is about doing just that.....

 I began this layout with machine stitching . I sewed a circle and lots of random lines beside it but it is hard to see now as I ended up covering most of them up !!!
I then used some watercolour paints from a previous kit and some water to create a watermark effect on my cardstock which I covered with gesso first. The Gesso stops the paper warping as much I have discovered and the paint sits much better on it rather than soaking straight into the paper.
This layout would be great for using your off cuts of papers or your little scraps as I just used different squares/rectangles of the different patterned papers in the kit. No real pattern or theme in mind!

Once my background was done I added in some white patterned tissue paper form my stash ( it is a Christy tomlinson Pink Paislee one).

I then added my squares and rectangles of patterned papers and also some sticker elements from the "Pebbles Inc" sticker sheet. I rubbed a light coat of gesso over these as well just to give it a worn look. 

Once again I have used the splatter stamp with the grey  and aqua chalk inks to add some stamping to my page, as well as the "glitz Design" roller stamp from a previous kit.

The frame was painted with watercoloured paint to match the colours in my layout and placed over my photo. 

I have used some sticker words from my own supplies and the "Heidi swapp" buzz word is too from my own supplies. 

Add in some doodling. some washi tape and some wooden veneer stars and you have another layout!

 Thanks for popping by. Hope you are enjoying your kit and looking forward to the next one!!!

Eb xx

GUEST DESIGNER - Gina Rodgers - A & R

I loved both sides of this Crate Paper "curio" paper so cut a strip off one side, flipped it around and stuck both pieces together! Next I added some gesso and mists to the background and layered paper, stickers, ephemera die-cuts including the left over circle frame (as used in my "love this moment" layout)

I've also used an APOCD exclusive cherry flair from the "painted version 2" collection and added some grey thread behind..

This is my last share as Guest Designer and it's been so much fun..thanks again Raquel for letting me play along this month!


Gina x

DESIGNER - Ebony van der Starre - New exclusive wooden veneers feature..

Hi everyone, it's Ebony back again to share a layout with you once again using this month's "Cupcake kit".

This layout features the exclusive wooden veneers that Raquel was clever enough to design exclusively for "A piece of cake designs". I love it!!!

I have used it to add extra layers behind my photo but you could also use it as the photo matt itself.

I have also used from the kit a variety of the patterned papers which I have torn into various sizes and shapes and adhered to a white background mixed with some old dictionary paper and some white patterned tissue paper.. I then covered with some gesso.

Next I have added in some stamping with the awesome splatter stamp in the kit with the gorgeous grey chalk ink pad also from this months kit. I have also used the aqua chalk ink from a previous kit with the same stamp!. Other stamping includes some hearts ( hero arts Stamp) , the arrow by Technique Tuesday and the circle one is a cocoa daisy stamp. 

Once this was done I took some element stickers from the "Pebbles Inc" sticker sheet in the kit and added  as embellishments on my page.

Add in some washi tape both from the kit and my own supplies and splatter some paint and there you have another layout created with an awesome , versatile kit!!!

I have added in some wooden veneer shapes and some sticker words from my own stash too!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Back soon! Eb x

SPECIAL GUEST - Lory Bucaria - Right here

Today I have another gorgeous share from Lory to share with you all. This time Lory has completed a layout using the 'Right here' flair from the Everyday Olive Cherry Flair pack. 

Layout title: Right here

I love how Lory has used a bright thread the same colour as the flair to gather under it. How gorgeous!

A close up:

Love, love, love the vellum star banner Lory has used:

Stay tuned for more shares!

Only 13 more days to apply for our design team call :)

GUEST DESIGNER - Gina Rodgers - At the Fashion Show

I've used a couple of sections of the kraft paper here, keeping the rest of the background white, then filled in the diagonal design with lots of little details, the ephemera pack and stickers makes it really easy to do.

I've also splattered some white, pink and blue mist around to match the gorgeous colours in the kit

Thanks so much for another gorgeous page Gina! 

GUEST DESIGNER - Gina Rodgers - Love this Moment

Inspiration share from Gina using the November Main Cake kit. We still have a few left instore :)

I've used just one sheet of patterned paper on this page, the Heidi Swapp Mixed Company "Good Life" and arranged several hand-cut squares in a vertical design and machine stitched between them.

The vellum circle frame in the picture below is actually left over from the little circles in the Heidi Swapp ephemera pack.

A close up of the exclusive Cherry Flair that was available in this kit.

Stay tuned for more inspiring shares. 

Did you see we are having a design team call? Check out our blog here

http://apieceofcakedesigns.blogspot.com.au/p/apocd-design-team-call.html

SPECIAL GUEST - Lory Bucaria - Project Life Layout

Today I am here to share Project Life layouts from our lovely guest Lory. These layouts are just so gorgeous and I love her Project Life Style! Lory has used the Everyday Olive and I {heart} Coffee Cherry Flair on her page. 

Here is the first side of her Week 30 layout. 

A close up of the flair available in the Everyday Olive pack

And the other side! How awesome is this?!?

Close up of the I {heart} Coffee flair -

A close up of the flair available in the Everyday Olive pack

Look at that gorgeous bow! Love, love love it!

I can't wait to share more with you soon, plus, if you missed it. We are having a design team call, click the image below for more details.