Using Stencils

We've come a long way since the days of using alphabet stencils on poster board to create school projects.  Today's stencils come in all shapes and sizes.  And if we can't find the stencil we want, we are making our own!  Let's see what crafty uses the Practical Scrappers On Trend Team has found for stencils:

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat created her own stencil from a Some Odd Girl cut file.  She then used her stencil to make the background of this card.

Practical Scrapper Malika used a Studio Calico stencil and two colors of Mister Huey ink to make her background on this layout.

Practical Scrapper Charissa used a Studio Calico stencil and her colored pencils to create part of her background before building the layout with Glitz Design's Finnley Collection.

Practical Scrapper Lisa Peeples used white gesso with a Studio Calico bubble stencil on the corners of her layout. She then inked over the gesso with a Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad after it dried to make the pattern stand out.

Practical Scrapper Krissy Clark McKee used a stencil and a black marker to doodle an additional pattern around her photo on this layout.

Back to School Layouts

It's that time again - in the U.S., children everywhere are starting school or counting down their last days of summer freedom.  And as they head off to school with their new backpacks and stories of "what I did this summer," we moms are rejoicing at the few hours of quiet and sanity that has returned to our homes.  Or maybe we are trying not to cry as our little one starts their very first day of school.  Either way - at Practical Scrappers, it means we are digging out our school-themed papers, printing out our Instagram photos, and showing off our Back-to-School layouts, like these:

 

Practical Scrapper Wendi Robinson used an older Crate Paper school line on this page of her son.

 

Practical Scrapper Becci used her crafty supplies to make these back-to-school gifts.

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat has a pocket layout to hold all the important papers from 2nd Grade.

Practical Scrapper Nicole Laha stamped these back to school images on patterned paper and layered them onto the front of her card.

Practical Scrapper Julie used an alphabetic letter mask from Kesi'Art and paper reinforcements to go with the theme.

Practical Scrapper Lanette used her scrappy scraps and old stickers from her stash to make this fun school days layout.

 

Practical Scrapper Malika used Chic Tags new Schoolhouse line to create this first day of school layout.

Practical Scrapper Lisa Peeples used an old Bo Bunny line and some cork board stickers to scrap her son's fifth grade photos.

 

 

Practical Scrapper Krissy Clark McKee used Crate Paper's Portrait Collection for this layout that has a hidden journaling card containing a quiz of her 8th Grader's current favorites.

Sunbursts

It's a fact - we love the sun.  We love spending time outside on a sunny day.  We love to take pictures when the sun's lighting is just right.  And, now, we love to add sunshine to our cards and scrapbook layouts!  Put on your sunglasses and come see how our On Trend Team has interpreted the popular trend of adding sunbursts to a project.

Practical Scrapper Wendi Robinson created a sunburst out of pattern paper and added stitching across the rays for texture

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat created a sunburst using the Silhouette and backed the negative space with pattern paper.

Practical Scrapper Cathy created a layered sunburst with the Bazzill Sweetwater Lucy's Crab Shack line!

Practical Scrapper Malika made a summery card with a Silhouette cut sunburst and an Epiphany Crafts epoxy.

Practical Scrapper Lanette covered her whole layout with a burst pattern.

Practical Scrapper Danielle de Konink made a sunburst pattern for the background and handstitched all the pieces together. She chose her photo for the dreamy effect created by the shining sun.  

Practical Scrapper Nicole Laha cut sun rays freehand from patterned paper and adhered them behind her summer photos.

Practical Scrapper Lisa Peeples used fun sunbursts to make a cover for her journal she created to record her crafty ideas and sketches.

Practical Scrapper Kerri created her sunburst with Crate Paper's Emma's Shoppe Collection.   She inked the edges of the pink/red sunbursts to highlight them.

Practical Scrapper Marcia Dehn-Nix used a Sunburst only on the top half of her layout and used stitching and sequins to accent it.

 Practical Scrapper Krissy Clark McKee used patterened paper from Pretty Little Studio's Nature Walk Collection to create her fall-themed sunburst that she accented with stitching, paper feathers, hearts, buttons, and sequins.

Negative Space Layouts

Have you ever said or heard someone say, "don't be so negative?"  Well, guess what?  With scrapbooking, you can be as negative as you want - and it's a good thing!  In fact, it's another hot trend.  Check out these negative space layouts by our On Trend team - I am positive they will put a smile on your face and give your creativity a jump start!

 

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat used a Some Odd Girl Circle with Arrows Cut File and had lots of negative space with the arrows.

Practical Scrapper Cathy created her negative space layout with a Fancy Pant's Silhouette File and Fancy Pant's Good Life collection (and photos of the cutest little fisherman ever!)

Practical Scrapper Charissa used a Silhouette Cameo cut file and backed the negative space with a variety of patterned papers from Carta Bella's Hello Again collection.

Practical Scrapper Malika used her Silhouette to make subtitles for her layout. Instead of gluing each little letter down she used the negative and backed the strip of patterned paper with black card stock.

Practical Scrapper Marcia Dehn-Nix created a negative space title and backed it with pattern paper.

Practical Scrapper Lisa Peeples fussy cut some of the arrows out of her paper and placed embellishments inside. She also used chipboard pieces and backed the negative space with paper to create her title piece and little heart at the top.

Let Your Banners and Flags Fly

Happy, happy Monday!  Today, the members of our On Trend team are showing their love for all things crafty and trendy by proudly displaying their layouts that have banners and flags.  Whether they are big or small, handmade or found on a sticker sheet, trinagular or pennant shaped - banners and flags are the perfect embellishment for just about any kind of layout.  Don't believe me?  Well then, take a look at these:

Practical Scrapper Wendi Robinson added a banner she cut from the circle pie paper.  She also created flags with her patterned paper and toothpicks.

 

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat used chipboard pieces to create this festive banner.

Practical Scrapper Danielle de Konink used the Basic Grey Hipster collection, which comes with this fun banner that she placed vertically on her page.

Practical Scrapper Malika Kelly used a little Bella Blvd banner for a subtitle and flag as an embellishment.

Practical Scrapper Julie made a big banner below her picture using the collection "Yes Please" from American Crafts.

Practical Scrapper Lanette layered her banners and popped them up with foam dots to add depth to her Bo Bunny Alora layout.

Practical Scrapper Charissa created circle banners from patterned paper and twine.  She placed her banners along the top of her page as well as near the photo for a central embellishment.

Practical Scrapper Cathy was super inspired by Kimberly Neddo's long banners that she created for a layout in the May issue of Scrapbook Trends!

 

Practical Scrapper Ruth used simple layered banner embellishments made from cardstock as a balance for the busy bright and energetic background paper.

 

Practical Scrapper Krissy Clark McKee cut out her "today" banner with her Silhouette Cameo.  She added solid pink eyelet behind each cutout word to help them stand out more.

 

Fussy Cutting

Fussy cutting - can I get a show of hands for those of you who wondered just what the heck the term "fussy cutting" meant when you first heard it?  If it makes you fussy, why in the world would you want to do it?!  Well, for those of you who are still just a little unsure what fussy cutting is - it's not something that makes you mad, it is taking a piece of scrapbook paper - or any paper - and cutting specific images out of it, following very closely to the outline of the image.  Think of it as creating a die cut without the machine.  And today, we have lots of wonderful examples of fussy cutting from our On Trend team - everything from the sweet and simple "just right" embellishment to the intricately detailed...take a look:

 

Practical Scrapper Wendi Robinson fussy cut out scallops and added pop dots to make a layered effect, she also fussy cut the heart and lil elephants.

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat stamped several elements, fussy cut them, and turned them into embellishments (banner, just be you, love).

Practical Scrapper Lanette fussy cut lots and lots of Bo Bunny flowers and clustered them together to create this romantic card.

Practical Scrapper Audrey Yeager fussy cut the flowers and doilies on her page to create embellishment clusters.

Practical Scrappers Claude used letter stickers on a piece of cardstock and then fussy cut around the title. She then pop-dotted it to make it stand out.

Practical Scrapper Marcia Dehn-Nix fussy cut the victorian lady and rose from patterned paper in this A Ladies Diary Collection by Graphic 45. Then she adhered them with foam tape to give her layout dimension.

 

Practical Scrapper Krissy Clark McKee fussy cut her arrows along the top and bottom of her layout.  She then fussy cut additional matching pieces that she sewed on top in several places to create extra dimension.