Technique Tuesday is back and today we are going to focus on using stamps but not just any stamps… background stamps. We have sold a variety of these over the years and currently have a few to chose from- they are great and are VERY versatile!! Obviously you can use them to create your own background pattern – that is what I did in this layout but I inked my stamp with a sponge so that I could get the look I was seeking.
You also may notice I did not use CTMH paper for this one- it is pretty rare that I find something else like as much as what we carry but his time I did find one. It was perfect in this layout (and I still used my CTMH white enamel marquee shapes and the Artbooking cartridge to really bring my layout together).
CTMH has a new Idea book coming out August 1st (and I cannot wait)!! I leave in two weeks to partake of the unveiling of new products and all the excitement that goes along with it (and I will share once I return JUST how fun convention is).
I can say that I am going to make a prediction. This one is based on our recent Free to be Me special for customers (it was a good one and the paper was yummy!). My prediction (and secret hope) is that our new book will see vellum in it. I have missed it and have noticed it featured more and more in paper crafting magazines, etc. I know that in the past when CTMH brings something out in a monthly special it is often because they are testing how that item will do. I think this item did well enough …. fingers crossed!
To create this layout I used a full piece of vellum as the base of my page and then layered pieces on it from there. My favourite part is the polaroid frames along the bottom- they turned out really nice (and were cut out using my CTMH cricut art booking).
What would you like to see in our new Idea Book? This one will be an annual book so think all four seasons!
My daughter turns 3 in a few months (a fact she never lets us forget as she reminds us every time someone else celebrates a birthday). First of all I cannot believe how quickly she is growing and changing- everyday she seems a LOT more grown up than the day before. I decided to chronicle what she is like at 2 in this layout- just to make sure I remember the funny and sweet parts!
She is a HUGE girly-girl- loves her dresses, tries to wear makeup (thanks to my Dad for this gift) and is a fan of all things purple, pink and princess (and is pretty obsessed with Minnie Mouse).
She has a smile that can melt your heart but also has her serious look- like she can see right into your heart and soul.
To create my layout I used some of our Picture my Life cards (these are part of our pocket scrapbooking system and they have SO MANY great uses!) They were perfect in this layout for my journaling and to add some nice images and quotes to the overall layout.
In the bottom photo I cut the three hearts out of one of the PML cards and used foam tape to pop them up and add some dimension.
Happy Technique Tuesday- I know that these have been a bit AWOL lately but things got REALLY busy in my business (it really is a good problem to have LOL). But, we are back on track and since summer is right around the corner (and a whole new catalogue August 1st) then you should see lots of great posts on a variety of topics!
I want to share with you- in face I want to give you permission- to use products NOT intended for your layouts ON your layouts. I don’t mean things that may not be safe or that could be harmful to your photos in future but things that you may have purchased for other paper crafts- in my layout below I use things purchased to go with one of our Crush albums (similar to Smash books). I know it may seem silly and maybe you were already using these things on your layouts but often I find that people don’t do it- they haven’t even really thought about it. Then you try it on ONE project and that is it…. ADDICTION!! Throughout the month of June you will see a theme of my projects using either the Crush assortments or our Picture my life projects within more traditional layouts and projects- seriously I just LOVE the results and cannot stop!
Check out some of the fun I had below:
You can see better in this close up a variety of fun images- tags, tickets, word bubbles and fun envelopes- all of these came from one of the Crush assortments (and these assortments are inexpensive and FULL Of good stuff!).
Of course I also added some other fun details- my title came off the CTMH cricut Artbooking – I wasn’t sure if I would like the white on white but in the end it was the perfect accent. I added some accessories- our skylark assortment, sparkle assortment and white marquee enamel shapes and a stamp (that is the ONLY stamp that I own that is not CTMH but I fell in love with it recently at a show I was at).
A quote from Cinderella herself pulls it all together for me- I just love how this all turned out in the end!
Welcome to my Brae-er Team Blog Hop- since May is National Scrapbooking Month we decided to feature some really fun and useful techniques for scrapbooking! On this hop you will find tutorials and maybe even some videos! Just follow along with the links at the bottom of my post and if you get lost come back here where I have the full list posted.
For my technique I decided to focus on Kissing! I love this technique as it really adds versatility to your stamp collection!
To ‘kiss; your stamps gather together one that is more of a solid image (like my fab in the picture below) and one that has a pattern that you would like to transfer onto the solid stamp. Ink up your solid image and then ‘kiss’ it with the pattern. (I like to make a little kiss-y noise when I do this – silly but fun).
This is what you get:
Here are a few images I did- I used the April stamp of the month because it went so well with my pictures of my friends and I at our annual Swiss Chalet Festive Special Dinner.
and here is the final product! I used the Free to be Me paper (get it for only $5 with a $50 order this month) and some of our teal shimmer trim.
NOW- I am missing ONE thing! A title…. what title would you give this layout??
Now hop on over to Chris’s Blog to see what amazing creation she has for you!
Here is the full list:
1. Brae Montgomery- www.brae-er.com
2. Chris Robertson- http://chriscreativelife.blogspot.com/2014/05/national-scrapbook-month-blog-hop.html
3. Michelle Stewart – www.mycreationswithmichelle.blogspot.ca
4. Kimberly Clark – http://leokc34.blogspot.com/2014/05/ctmh-brae-er-group-hop.html
These are a series of pictures just from the first half of April! April is AWESOME with CTMH and this is my photographic proof!
Always the busiest month (and September/October as well) but a month that inspires and motivates! It starts wit Scrapfest in Kitchener with my downline Lucy and our friend Lynn (she won’t become a consultant but man can she sell!). We had a great time and welcomed many new ladies to our team and shared our passion and product with the masses!
April is also the month that I have ALMOST earned the next Close to my Heart incentive trip to Disney Aulani in Hawaii!!!! I have many months to go so it is ‘in the bag’ so to speak. I LOVE watching my points creep closer and closer to the 32,000- maybe by the end of this month! My loyal customers and my hard working team are the reason my family and I will be able to enjoy this exclusive resort next winter (and after this winter I think we need it).
Add to all that my team Winning (or actually EARNING cause there was a lot of work to do to be in the running for this) a Thrive incentive! This summer we will be treated to one of the corporate VPs come to us and giving us a free team training! I cannot wait – it will be quite the event!
What will the rest of the month hold??
You will have to check back to find out- there is so much! My team has welcomed over 80 new consultants- we are working on a goal of 100!
Another layout today using Ariana and featuring some of my Advisory Board photos- this one is a single page layout with my photo from the photo shoot! I used a layout that I saw on Pinterest for my inspiration (if you follow me on Pinterest you will see that I keep one board FULL of layout inspiration).
Ariana paper, complements, and one of the CUTEST stamp sets we have this idea book! All together made a really sweet one page layout!
Here is a close up of the kite- I used the blending pen to colour in the image (did you see my Technique Tuesday featuring it? If not find it here)
Here are some of the items I have been featuring the past few posts:
Here is another layout featuring the Ariana paper- I really like the different blue papers that are featured in this kit! I also used some of the complements from the die-cuts that you can purchase seperately AND if you have been following my blog (and if not what are you waiting for! Sign up on my sidebar!) you know the spray pen technique I used.
These photos were taken last fall at our Advisory Board retreat- the Advisory Board is a group of consultants with Close to my Heart who are chosen to give advice on tops throughout the year. Being picked to be an AB member is a huge complement and I am happy and proud to be part this year! We had a lot of fun with our photos- and used the fact that our group had the first male AB member! Phil was our ‘Charlie’ in one photo and the reason to be shocked in others- what a great memory!
My term ends this summer and I will definitely miss all that this opportunity has brought to me.
I am trying very hard to show you things beyond my favourite paper pack- I love them all but tend to gravitate toward the Skylark paper. HERE is a layout done with the Ariana paper which is so pretty and also very versatile. I especially LOVE the complement die cuts that you can purchase to go with this paper (that is where most of my embellishments for this layout come from).
I used my spray pen and re-inker to create the background spritz. The layout itself was from a magazine challenge (that I created and forgot to send in LOL!). I like how it all turned out and worked so well with my pics- and the very serious expression that my daughter had that day 🙂
Keeping with the post from yesterday I wanted to post another layout – this time using Jubilee paper and complements- that is simple and easy! This one was inspired by some of the artwork released by Close to my Heart for the Jubilee paper and accessories- I adjusted a few things to fit my photos and papers.
My layout uses the following items:
Make it from Your Heart Volume 2, pattern 10
Jubilee paper
Jubilee Complements
Jubilee Assortment
Bakers twine
This paper is fun (and like all our papers it is versatile)- it worked perfectly for pictures I took a few springs ago when we visited a farm over the Easter weekend!
