Hard but clever...

I have used alot of pattern papers since I have started scrapbooking,there have been some that I have liked,some I have loved and some that I have run away from screaming!!! lol.

And I have to say these pattern papers from Scenic Route have been one of the ones that have made me run!!!

But I am not one for giving up and I was determined to use these papers, even if it took me two weeks to do.

So one day I asked Vanessa to pick me a few to try and I took them home.

After playing with them for a few days I realised that actually they do most of the work for you. You are not starting with a blank canvas, and I dont know about you but that first step to deciding how the page is going to come together is sometimes over whelming.

It also fills up the page for you, which in my eyes is always a good thing.


So, the first one that I used was the one that to me reminded me of a palm tree that was in the indoor pool at a cottage we stayed at on holiday. So I hunted through the photos that i had and found one that I thought matched the Scenic Route paper.

Since working with these for the first time I have learnt one major and very interesting way of using them.

Dont place the rest of your page over the pre made design place it under it and use it to your advantage.

I used my craft knife and cut along the edge of the leaves and then while actually making the page I slid the edges of all the cardstock and pattern paper through the slit that I made. The plant then became part of the layout and overlapped.




I am a really slow scrapper and I mean really slow, like one page can take me two days to do. But using these Scenic Route ones cut that in half, as most of the page is done for you.



For this one I used the Scenic Route paper that had the surf board on. I used the same principles as before. I cut along the right hand edge of the surf board from the top to the bottom and the after creating the page I slid it behind the surf board.






These papers are both from the Grafton range, but there are others in other Scenic Route lines, such as Ashville, Laurel, Sumner and Metropolis.

Now I cannot wait to see what the new Scenic Route pattern papers are going to be like, as I will defiantly be buying them.

And the winner is...

The winner this week was picked by Vanessa at random, to win a box full of American crafts. We had some gorgeous projects sent in, but the winner this month was Sarah Slade !!! Here is the card she sent in.



Congratulations Sarah send me your name and address to wendy@bbbweb.com and we will get the parcel in the post to you.

Scenic Route Liberty

When I was sent one of the latest mini ranges by Scenic Route, called Liberty and designed for 4th July layouts I was a little concerned. I have never visited America and have no American connections at all so was a little bit stumped as to what I would scrap with the papers. I needn't have been worried. When the papers arrived they were gorgeous, and I knew they would suit lots of different subjects. In particular they would work really well with masculine subjects (something I don't scrap a lot of to be honest!)

I decided to scrap a photo of my boyfriend who regularly plays the Last Post at various locations around Coventry. The papers went really well with the colours of his band uniform. I started with a piece of stripy paper, which I cut to a semi-circular shape and adhered to the scalloped circle cardstock. I then used my sewing machine to stitch several outline circles around the scallop edge.

Next, I adhered the scalloped circle to some navy blue cardstock, which I had also machine stitched a border around. I fixed some KI Memories lace cardstock across the centre of the layout, and added the photo.

I created a base for the title with a Jenni Bowlin journalling sticker, then cut out the title from red cardstock before sticking it down.

My journalling was written onto strips of cardstock, and adhered to the bottom left of the layout.

Finally, I added some ghost stars and buttons as embellishments. To make the ghost stars stand out more, I painted round the edges with white paint.

And because I had plenty more scraps of paper left, I used them to create this mini book about a recent walk along the SouthBank I enjoyed with my mum and dad.

Kelly Panacci

It's always fascinating to see how different people use the same supplies! This month we sent some of our design team a few of the new Kelly Panacci papers from Sandylion - and the result is four completely different layouts! Also included in the kit was some ribbon, a Bazzill paper blossom, a Jenni Bowlin journaling ticket, plus some Doodlebug frills and brads. First up is Angie:

Then Debbie has produced this:

This is Stephanie's:

And finally Chloe's:

We love how they've all been inspired in different ways by the papers, and hope you do too!

Competition time

First before i post what the competition is , i want to say. Last month i got the most gorgeous entries for the card sketch post. Seriously guys you out did yourself and they are gorgeous.

The problem??? before i had a chance to upload them to the readers gallery my computer gave a puff of smoke and then died on my, never again to work.!!! All of your gorgeous cards where on that computer and i now have no access to them. If you still have the photos,please please send them to me again so i can put them on the readers gallery. Send them to wendy@bbbweb.com. Thanks...

Okay onto the competition. My challenge to you is to use something that was shown on the blog this week. Use the inspirational objects put up, or lift something that i made for the blog this week. You have until next sunday to send them into me at wendy@bbbweb.com.

THe prize????? well it will a box of American Crafts goodies!!!!!

The prize for the comments posting competition is -

Scrapping4fun said...

congrats!!! send me your address and i will get your prize to you!

I cannot wait to see what you come up with and thanks for stopping by all week!!!

Day five!!!!

Hi and welcome to the last day of our inspiration week here on the Papermaze blog.

Today's inspiration came from my box of Hayfever tablets ( which have not been far from my side for the last few months!!!)

I love the colours on here. I love the dark red and the orange and the green. I thought it was a really different colour combination and one that i have not used before.


Because being a scrapbooker i can never give anybody something simple, i decided to make a cd pocket for my sons's Grandma from our last trip to see her.

I used this template...

And cut it out of some scrap Scenic Route lined paper. The wobbly lines on the sketch above are not not to be cut, but scored so they can fold over.

I stuck it all together. Then using a circle punch i pucnched half a circle out of the top part on the front part of the cd cover.

The new Prima line DUDE matched the colours on the Hayfever box really well so i used them.

First i used the plain green pattern paper. I used the cd case as a template and drew round it. I decreased the size but about half a cm, so there was a border and stuck them on the front and the back.

I put a tiny edge round the semi circle in a red pattern paper.

I added 2 strips of pattern paper in different sizes and different pattern paper.

Then using the Prima felt strips, i cut them in half so it fitted on the case and adhered it to the case.

I then tied a black ribbon round the whole of the case and tied it in a bow.

Then i cut out sections of this pattern paper to make my own embellishment to put on the front.


Adhere them all together..

And then stuck it underneath the bow.

I then added some little black letter onto the circle and viola!! done.


It only took me 20 mins to make and it looks nicer than just sending a normal cd.

Thanks for coming by this week and seeing what we had to show you. Dont forget to leave a comment to go into the draw to win the templates and the pattern papers used this week.

Come back 2m evening and see what this months competition is going to be. We are going to do this week long themed posts every month at the same time. SO pop back next month for another week of posts. DOnt forget to check back often though to see what our design team come up with!!!

Day four...

Okay today's inspiration comes from my garden of all places!!! This is just one of my new candles that i have bought for my garden for this summer.

I loved the blue,cream and brown colour combination and decided to use it in my scrapbooking.


The first thing i made using the colour combo was a 12 by 12 page. For this page i used the Basic Grey line. ( yes i know i have missed a letter out!!! )




But i didnt stop there. My older sister birthday is coming up and i wanted to use these day out photos for something that she could keep out. THis is what i came up with.

I used these instructions to make a box to put a mini album in. I used the Dream Street Paper line... for this box as the colours matched the candle perfectly.

I used my retro punch on this again. I use punches alot for embellishments for two reasons. One they are cheap!!! and that is always a bonus and two it means you can have matching embellishments that match the pattern paper perfectly.

THese boxes are also a cheap way to wrap your presents in as all you need are two pieces of complementary pattern paper.


I then made a mini album to fit in the box. I didnt have one to use, so i cut out a few strips of kraft cardstock folded them into an accordion shapes. Again a quick and cheap mini album.






Hope you liked the stuff here today and i will see you tomorrow for our last inspiration day. Dont forget to leave a comment to enter the draw to win all the papers i have used this week!!

Inspiration day 3...

Okay so the inspiration today is bought to us by Zarah. I asked her for something that inspired her and this is what she gave me. Now not only is this a beautiful duvet set, the colours and style are gorgeous. So first here is a 12 by page that Zarah did using this picture as her inspiration.


I asked her how and what had inspired her while looking at this picture....

On this page i was inspired by the pattern on the duvet cover. Which i mimicked with the pattern paper from Scenic Route. I also added a 'skirt' to my look like the one on the bed. The pillows made me add a brown ribbon that separates the patterns, as well as the brown frilly edge. The flowers are also from the duvet cover.

Now the 'theme' well i just couldnt get the thought out of my head, that the greatest comfort and comforter is my husband.

The journaling is part of a Swedish song and translated it goes something like this...

'you are the only one
who secretly sees me
Although no one has spoken
You know what i ask of you'

When i saw this duvet cover, the first thing i noticed was how feminine it was and the colours really reminded me of the new Prima Pattern papers, so i started there. I went through them and picked out the ones that i thought matched the colours. And then i wanted to make sure that the pattern paper had the flowers to match the duvet.

So then it was my turn and i created these cards. But with a difference.

I have seen all the tags from Bazzill and Hero Arts that i wanted to try it for myself. I drew out two tags and joined the together. The size of the tag is 13cm down,9.5cm across and the short part at the top that joins them together is 4cm.

I also cut out the same design with some acetate.

I then fold the cards together, making sure that the acetate is on the one to go on the top, to use as the front of the cards. I used a punch to punch a hole at the top to thread some ribbon through to secure them together. And added some faux stitching around the edges of the rosy card.

I then cut out some Prima pattern paper to the size 9.5cm down and 9.5cm across. Using a corner rounder i punched the edges to become scalloped. I inked them and added some blue gems.
I then added another piece of Prima paper to the size 5.5cm down and 9.5cm across. I inked the edges before sticking it down.

I then cut out a square size 7cm across and 8cm across. I used a small circle punch and punched out a notch. I stuck this on with thick tape so i could add a tag to slide in it later if i wanted to.

I then added to strips of ribbon across the middle and adhered to the back.

I then used an assortment of flowers in matching colours and stuck it to the left handside of the card using a glue dot.

Then using some glittery thickers i add the 4U.


I then attached it to the front of the card to the acetate with double sided sticky tape. And it looks like this.



I then did the inside of the card. I used the same size for the scalloped edge paper as on the front cover. I used a prima stamp on some acetate for the flourish in the corner, and placed it so the edge just fits of the end of the card. I left the rest blank to write the message inside.




Before finishing i added some brown card on to the rosy card behind the acetate. And volia the card is finished.



I then made a circle card using the same formula...



And here are the two together.


Card
Products used
Prima - pattern paper
Prima -flowers
American Crafts - thickers
Transparencies

Zarah's page
Scenic Route - pattern paper
Stripped paper - Basic Grey Archaic


Thanks for popping in and dont forget to come back tomorrow for another inspiration.