DIY backgrounds using little stamps

I have to start by saying that SU! have a fantastic range of stamps just perfect for baby projects - including the Nursery Necessities set I used to make this card.  With all those other options available, this pin stamp, cute as it is, wouldn't normally be my first choice.  Remembering though, that my challenge is to make use of those smaller stamps that are so often under utilized, and in particular the images from the Short and Sweet stamp set.  Nappy pin it is!

I am actually really pleased with how this card came out.  I have used the idea of repetition again, but this time in a random fashion to make my own patterned background.  Some of the pins are stamped twice before reinking, so you get a bit of variety in the depth of colour of that baja blue ink.   I used Night of Navy card to give the baja blue a little lift, and then finished it off with some sponging to soften the edges, and some matching baja ribbon.  When you have a ribbon that matches it is almost a crime not to use it!

I have also used this set to make backgrounds for scrapbook layouts, and not just on those mini projects.

The little heart outline was just perfect to stamp on the cocoa card strips for this 12 x 12 layout (although you may have to click on that photo and enlarge it to actually see it!)  The rose red strips had word stamps decorating them (including the 'love you' from short and sweet) and the rose red patterned paper pieces came from a single 6x6 piece - the photo and embellishments hide the joins so you would never know!

This is a layout that has been shown lots in real life, but pretty sure I haven't shown it here before.  It was full of experimentation and little challenges to myself - the first really girly, frilly, busy layout I had done, and still one of my favourites.  Makes me want to get the pretties kit out every time I see it.  It also reminds me, that after committing to sewing directly on the layout I discovered my sewing machine wasn't working like it should.  The repair man, after fixing it, told me he had never seen that particular problem before, and if it ever happened again I should bring it back IMMEDIATELY! Eek. I didn't tell him I had been using it to sew cardboard!  (and I haven't had the courage to use the machine again for anything, let alone scrapbooking!)

Maybe that should be my next challenge?!

An accordian spine mini coaster book...

Once upon a time there was a boy who went to a cartooning class. The boy loved it, and wanted to spend almost every moment after that, designing, creating, and mass producing comic books, which he intended to sell to his family.... I am guessing that is just the first chapter of that story, rather than 'The End'!

For my part, I decided to make Hayden a special little coaster book, that he could turn into a limited edition Hayden Jones comic. These little books are easy to make, and a great way to use up those scraps. Some of you have done them in a class or workshop with me before.

When it came to decorating the covers, I wanted to keep them simple (not knowing what story Hayden would be telling), but not completely blank. One of my favourite stampsets in the new catalogue is the 'Once Upon a Time' set. This set may not be quite as versatile as some of them, but it was one of my must haves (and I cannot quite explain that myself!) This was the perfect project to get some ink on it for the first time...

The verse on the front cover - Once upon a time - is actually one long stamp. I used sticky tape and my Stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp it in two shorter lengths, so it would fit the cover better.

Why sticky tape? Use it to cover the part of the stamp that you do not want inked up, ink the entire stamp, remove the sticky tape, and stamp as usual. The part of the stamp that was under the tape will remain 'clean' and will not leave an image. As for the back cover? 'The End' of course!

This is what the inside of the mini book looks like (pre-cartooning). The spine of the book is an accordian fold - the number of pages in the book depends on the number of mountain folds, and can be adjusted to suit. A length of ribbon sandwiched between the double coaster covers prevents the accordian spine opening out too far, and also doubles as a way to hold the mini book closed.

These little books are great for mini scrapbooking projects, and make wonderful gifts. The colour used in this one is Baja Breeze (card, ink, ribbon, and patterned paper).

Sweet Baby Boy layout

So I've updated the photo, and here it is. It's a little bit better. My sweet baby boy, in a photo with me - unheard of!

This layout was inspired by an Ali Edwards layout. Although I had to change it quite a bit. I couldn't find my white 12 x 12 card, so went with blue instead, and my chipboard frames were circles and squares instead of hearts (and yes, I probably could have made my own, but when I started this layout I thought it was going to be a quick one - no time for that!) It probably would have helped if I had have had a photo in mind, before I started painting and stamping, but there you go, sometimes you just have to dive on in.

So after the initial diving in, I got a bit stuck - not such a quick project after all! This is also a little removed from my usual straight lines and simple. Not only did I not use a ruler once, I didn't even use my paper trimmer. Find a straight edge if you can!

The initial idea was more of the 'make your own patterned background' theme. This time I started by roughly painting the bashful blue card with acrylic paint (white with a hint of blue), leaving the blue card visable round the edge like a border.

Over the top of this, to add some interest, I used the super handy 'lots of dots' jumbo wheel, from the summer mini catalogue. I am loving this wheel (even though it is probably kind of boring!) and am really disappointed to find out it hasn't returned in the new catalogue. Apologies in advance - you will probably see this one used again in the future - retired resmired I say!

I inked the wheel up using my bashful blue inkpad (and then a little bit of not quite navy, applied to the wheel with a sponge) rather than a cartridge. Once the wheel has been around once the image will start to fade BUT - I knew the middle would be covered over so could work it so that was where the faded bit was. Also, because I was going for a 'quick and easy thrown together' project, I kind of figured it didn't matter if some dots were lighter than others - it just adds to the interest. I went over it a few times anyway - sorry it doesn't show up so well in the layout photo, but you should get the idea from the closeups.

I also painted over the chipboard frame, and then sponged bashful blue, and not quite navy ink around the edges of the chipboard, and roughly over the rest of the frame.

The rest was made up of bits and pieces. Some yummy wide bashful blue stitched grosgrain from the mini, flowers from the pretties, dyed with night of navy ink (see this post to find out how to do this), some hand cut vellum hearts - with piercing round the edges, and some stamped up images from assorted stamp sets - mostly retiring - but not at my house!

I also managed to throw in a petal from the pick a petal set - see it up there? I didn't ink the smile word on the stamp - instead I left a gap and wrote my own word in, then used the inside of the petal to write the date.

I must confess, I am not entirely convinced that this is quite finished. But I guess that is what happens when you try something new. What I did enjoy was all the playing, experimenting, and DIY. And that another empty sleeve in the album is empty no more!!

Ingredients for this one (ones in bold are retiring tomorrow - several are discounted!):

Bashful Blue., whisper white, and night of navy card, vellum

bashful blue and night of navy ink

On Board Ginormous Pieces chipboard frame

flowers from Pretties kit

Bashful Blue double stitched grosgrain ribbon

Lots of Dots jumbo stampin around wheel (and handle)

ABC Alphabet Lower

Stamp of Authenticity

Office Accoutrements

Pick a Petal

Everyday Flexible Phrases

Expressive Flexible Phrases

Words, Words, Words

We all know that a picture paints a thousand words, but not all projects have to have pictures. Sometimes all that is needed is a good word, or two.

About 18 months ago (eek - that long already?!) I participated in a circle journal. For those of you who don't know what that is - a brief explanation of what is involved. A group of ladies each started a small scrapbook, choosing a theme, and any 'rules' they wanted (eg bright colours - you know who you are!) We had two weeks to complete a layout, and send it on to the next person on the list. We would then receive the next scrapbook, and the process would repeat. And repeat. Until at the end we had back our own, now complete, scrapbooks. It was a lot of fun, and a great way to challenge yourself to scrapbook topics and use materials that you might not normally.

And so now to todays blog. The theme for this scrapbook was words. Choose one word, and scrapbook about it. My word was learn. This layout took a little bit of figuring out. I was used to having photos as a focal point. There were a few false starts. But then my lovely word stamps came to the rescue. And the beloved rough edges alphabet. Love that set!

And here is where I ended up. (Please ignore the alphabet used for the word 'learn'. It is a retired set that I momentarily forget the name of. Terrible, I know, but there you go, that is why my word was learn, and not remember!) Patterned papers are also a mystery -non SU, using up bits and pieces from my stash. That rusty strip down the side of each page looks a bit like ribbon but is actually a scrap of paper (I don't throw anything out!)

I can tell you that the ink colour is Really Rust - one of my favourites. And the stamps - the soon to be gone rough edges alphabet, expressive flexible phrases (25% discount on both of these while stocks last) and the cool circle stamp is from the Polka Dots and Petals set, also retiring now.

So there you go. you don't have to have photos. If you are a scrapbooker, why not try this out sometime? Go on, it's a challenge!