18th Birthday Cards

Although I like to take my time with scrapbook layouts, I prefer when cardmaking is short and sweet. That's why I decided to make 2 birthday cards at once, using similar colour schemes, to save time. I had a couple of guy friends celebrating their birthdays recently, so I thought the navy and purple in the kit would work really well.

 In this first card I was going for quite a messy look, which is why I freehand drew the '18'. If I was going to spend more time I would have machine stitched the top piece of paper, but I think drawing stitches is still effective (and much quicker!)

 This card is a lot cleaner, but I still included a few different textures. I love the serrated edge from a paper bag some of my kit came packaged in, and I think the chipboard star and foam stickers add dimension.

Here you can see the two cards together and although they share similar colours and the '18', they're still quite different designs. Now for some news: I'm afraid this is my last Quirky Kit blog post! I'm so grateful to Leonora for giving me this opportunity and I have really enjoyed the last year or so on the team, but I think it's time for me to just use up my stash for a bit. Thanks for reading!

She's A Wildflower | Travellers Notebook | ScrappyNerdUK (Claire) | September/October 2017

Hello friends,

So, I've really jumped on the travellers notebook bandwagon (i've dabbled before) and I love the smaller format to document those photos that are just not 12x12 worthy, or indeed those duplicates we've all got lying around and can't quite bear to part with.

So here it is.... I've used the September/October 2017 kit for this one and kept to using just a few scraps left over from the kit and added a few stickers.....That's it. Lets see below how this one came together.....

 So I started on the left hand side of the page and used some of the scraps of papers I had left from the kit. I just layered these papers to create some layers behind my photo. I then fussy cut out the circular floral piece to create my own ephemera and tucked this just underneath the photo. I then fussy cut the "You are Magical" from the Dear Lizzy "Find Joy" paper and finally added a sticker from the Dear Lizzy sticker sheet and this was the left hand side finished. Quick, easy but effective.

Then onto the right hand side. I grabbed my leftovers pot and rummaged through and found these kits from the last kit. They were the last 2 I had left and knew that it would work on this layout with using the cut apart from the Paige Evans, Paper number 1 from the Turn the Page collection. I layered in some clouds that I had lying around from a pervious project and a little banner piece which again was from my left overs from previous kits.

I just love how you can use up so many odds and ends on a travellers notebook....and how quick and easy it is to for these layouts to come together.



And this is the finished layout. I chose not to add journalling to this one as there isn't much of a story to tell and so fantastic to be able to get this photo scrapped without having to worry about taking hours to scrap it in a 12x12 layout (because lets face it ladies, every photo seems worthy of a 12x12 but there just isn't room to store 100+ albums!!)

I hope that this has bought you inspiration and if you haven't tried a travellers notebook then please give it a go. You do not need to invest anything for a travellers notebook and quite easily make your own with some white cardstock and a sheet of double sided paper.

See you next time

Claire xxx

Natalie - Adventure

Hey everyone,

I'm back with a second layout made using the Sept/ October kit.

For this layout I decided to focus on the Pinkfresh Studio "Escape the Ordinary" puffy stickers that were in the embellishment kit. This set has lots of puffy triangle stickers, and so I decided to make a layout based on triangles!

As the "Escape the Ordinary" collection is very nature themed, and I am not sporty at all, I asked my cousin for a photo of her mountaineering. This is a photo of her at the highest peak in Morocco!

I started by using white cardstock for my background and cutting out two equilateral triangles (6" height approximately), (PFS Escape the Ordinary, Wander and Chase, both from the Main Kit). 

I placed these facing opposite directions, and added my photo in the middle, with a white matt to help it stand out. 

I then cut out smaller triangles to create my embellishment clusters at the top left and the bottom right. The green dashed paper is the back of Chase, and the yellow triangle is actually cut from a hexagon from Pink Paislee Turn The Page Paper #17 (Lite Kit), which matched the yellow in the Pink Fresh Studio collection perfectly!

I added a variety of sizes of puffy stickers to my two clusters.

Next to my photo I added the "You'll move mountains" ephemera piece (PFS Escape the Ordinary ephemera, Custom Cards Kit), which fitted my theme perfectly!

Next I worked on my title. I used a Freckled Fawn acrylic word from a Quirky Kit earlier this year for my title, as the colour was perfect! 

I decided to add a further embellishment cluster next to my title, so cut out a blue spotted triangle (Dear Lizzy, Stargazer, Marigold Merriment, Main Kit), added another puffy sticker, and a leaf ephemera piece.

Next I worked on a further embellishment cluster, in the bottom left, where I wanted to place my journalling, which I typed using a free typewriter font. 

Finally the layout was seeming a bit too bare for me, as I usually always work with patterned backgrounds, so I decided to add a border to two sides of my layout, something which I seem to be doing all the time at the moment. The blue spotty paper adds just enough colour I think (Dear Lizzy Stargazer, Marigold Merriment, Main Kit), and I gutted the back so I still have most of the paper free to use!

I hope you like my layout, and that it inspires you to use triangles! 

Natalie xxx

Natalie - What a wonderful world

Hello everyone!

Sorry that I have been missing for so long, I can't believe it's nearly time for the next Quirky Kit!! I've been really busy away from home for 6 weeks on a hospital placement, but this weekend I finally had the chance to use the beautiful kit!

This is my first layout entitled "What a wonderful world", and it uses mainly the Paige Evans "Turn The Page" supplies from the kits. The layout was inspired by a sketch challenge run by Leo on the Quirky Kits Facebook page.

I started with the gorgeous floral pattern (Paper #02, Lite Kit), I really wanted to showcase this paper but it's just too busy for a whole background so I cut a 4 inch strip and attached it to the green floral paper (Paper #16, Main Kit). I love this green paper because although it has a pattern it's muted enough to work well as a background.

Finally I added a strip of pink paper (Paper #01, Lite Kit), which I punched a notebook style edge onto, using a border punch from my stash.  

My photo is a picture of my family at my graduation, alongside Charles Darwin!! I printed my photo with a white border, and used foam tape to raise the photo from the busy background. I added a rose gold tab with the date on (Paige Evans Turn the Page Journalling Spots, Embellishment Kit). 

For my title I cut out the "Wonderful" squares (#Paper 01, Lite Kit). These also have a lovely rose gold effect, which matches the date tab perfectly. And to complete my title I used the Freckled Fawn white alpha from a previous Quirky Kit, which is my absolute favourite to use at the moment! It's the perfect size for making longer titles. 

As the papers are so busy I kept the embellishing very minimal. I fussy cut out a bird (Paper #16, Main Kit). I love these birds I've used them on quite a few layouts already, and if the colours don't work for your layout, you can always cut the wings off one bird and add them to another! 

I then added some journalling strips and finally a few puffy flower stickers from my stash, there are similar flowers on the Dear Lizzy Stargazer puffy stickers which were in the extras shop.

I hope you like my layout! 

I'm quite impressed that I managed to use a total of 5 papers on this layout, including the background, the fussy cut title and the bird!

See you soon with another one. 

Natalie x

Space Layout

I thought the actual name of this layout 'UKSDC' (UK space design competition!) was a bit sciency for a Quirky Kits blog post title so I cut it down to the key word 'Space'. When I first opened my kit I noticed right away that the black card, navy paper and a few of the stickers could work very well with a space theme so I ran with it.

Working on a black cardstock was a challenge I haven't tried before, but I love that even darker colours can pop off it. I created the background by using a large brush to paint gesso then doing layers of watercolours in purple, navy and black on top. I finished it off with some splatters to be like stars in the galaxy. 

 It was a really easy background to do and I tried to pick colours to match my layering. WARNING it did take a little while to dry but I think it was worth it.

 When embellishing my layout I decided to layer onto the photo because there was a lot of mess in the foreground. I also created clusters of punched and sticker stars to fit my theme.

 Even though the topic of my photo is pretty niche, I think a space theme can work for all kinds of layouts, especially for kids or with the new Star Wars film coming out soon!

Wonderful | ScrappyNerdUK (Claire) | September/October 2017

I'm back with some more inspiration for you using the September/October 2017 kit.

I used mainly the papers from Stargazer in this layout but took inspiration from Paper 1 from Paige Evans Turn the Page collection.

On the cut apart sheet there was a card that had a grid with "wonderful" spelled out (a different letter in each box).

I recreated this on a bigger scale by cutting 9 3x3 inch squares of patterned paper.

I then cut 9 2.5x2.5 inch of white cardstock and cut each of the letters from this. I layed them all down in a grid format just like the cut apart element from the paper. I then decided to draw some faux stitching around each letter as the white yardstick was getting a little lost on a few of the cards as it was white on white. This helped the letters to stand out from the background paper.

I then added some fussy cut elements in 3 clusters around the layout. I fussy cut the sentiment frames along with the flowers from the Paige Evans floral paper (I love to fussy cut elements from paper as this helps to get the most from it).

I layered the flowers up in clusters and added in a few of the stickers from the Stargazer sticker sheet.

Each cluster was finished off with a wood veneer from the Turn the Paige collection.

I then did a small amount of embellishing to the right of the photo to help it stand out.

I used a photograph of myself from when I was 10 (ish) years old and backed it with white card and then vellum. I used some foam adhesive behind to help it stand out from the background.

Adding the flowers and the sticker at the bottom helped to create some interest around the photo.








And here is the finished layout. I love how this turned out. I did add a couple of other elements to fill in the negative spaces on the O,D and R which I think just adds to the design.

Thanks for looking and I'll see you all shortly for more inspiration using this kit.

Claire x

On Safari | ScrappyNerdUK (Claire) | September/October 2017

Hello my friends - its great to be back!!

I've been MIA this last month due to illnesses, work and my birthday!!

But I am back to share some inspirational layouts with you.

I took inspiration for this layout from the cut apart sheet from Paige Evans Turn the Page collection. I knew straight away that I was going to fussy cut the banner pieces and reconstruct them to make my own banner with my photo in the middle.

Can you see the mistake that I made here?>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Oops!!

I added some of the stickers and wood veneers. I love how the StarGazer and Turn the Page collections compliment each other and work so well together.

And the whole layout was finished off with some tiny word stickers from my stash and some Heidi Swapp Gold colour shine. I added the title in an arc above my photo to create some interest. I used the gold Thickers from the kit for these (and I'm slightly in love with them!)

See you in a few days for some more inspiration.

Claire x

Traveler's Notebook Fun

So after my first time scrapbooking in a Traveler's Notebook last kit (here), I decided to have another go! I was planning on just a single page, but I was having too much fun to stop, so I did a double spread/two singles with similar photos....

 There's not really any particular story for these pictures and they're not great quality, which is why I decided to put them in my notebook.

 The picture was so small I realised it just about fit on a kraft tag, then to jazz up the page I added pattern paper at the top and bottom. I know in the long run things like wood veneer and staples will add bulk, but I've decided to take a relaxed approach to this project.

 Since the left page is very bright, I kept more white space on this side. Since the photos are from a bird themed dance, I had to fussy cut these swallows. I found it a little difficult finding a nice sentiment to match the photo, so I went for colour over meaning.

Even though I'm only a few pages in, I'm really enjoying this notebook. Next time I print photos I'll definitely do some in smaller sizes!

Leaf Your Troubles Behind

Hello everyone!

I am back with my second layout using the September/October kit. This one features a huge hand sewn leaf, that took me quite a while let's say, to stitch..but more about that later. Here is what I used and how I created my layout:

What I Used:

• Dear Lizzy Star Gazer Blissful 12x12 patterned paper
• Pink Paislee Turn the Page no.16 12x12 patterned paper (both sides)
• Pink Paislee Turn the Page no.15 12x12 patterned paper
• Dear Lizzy Star Gazer sticker sheet
• Pink Fresh Studio Escape the Ordinary Golden Foiled Wood Alphas
• American Crafts Ella gold foam Thickers

How I created the layout:

I started this layout by browsing google for a nice big leaf shape that I could punch holes through using my Sizzix secret stamping weapon, which is this thing below:

It can be bought HERE

 I received this from my cousin last year for Christmas, and have been trying to use it as much as possible, as I really like the results it produces.

If you would like to use the same leaf image as me I will link that HERE and all you need to do is print it off and poke holes in it with any sharp pokey tool.

 I then settled down in front of the TV put my favourite Netflix fix on at the moment (Reign) and sewed away to my hearts content.

Once I had finished it I matted my 4x6 photograph on some of the Pink Paislee Turn the Page no.16 patterned paper (B-side), and then matted that onto the Dear Lizzy Blissful paper.
I placed it on the bottom right hand side as I was trying to avoid covering my beautiful leaf up as much as possible.

I then used some of the flowers I had fussy cut from the Turn the Page no.15 patterned paper as well as a fussy cut swallow from the Turn the Page no.16 patterned paper, these were added to the bottom left of the photograph. Sticking to the triangle embellishment theme, I added some of the stickers to the bottom right hand of the photograph too.

My title was created using a mix of both the Pinkfresh Studio Escape the Ordinary Gold Foiled Alphas (Which I adore!) and the American Crafts Ella gold foam Thickers.

The last little bit of embellishing I did was scattered some of the wood-grain sequins in various random places and glued them down to complete the layout! Here is it below...

I had so much fun creating this layout, and when my friend, Emma, took this photograph of me throwing the autumn leaves in the air I knew I had to come up with a title to reflect that, and so I did a little play on words too hehe...
I hope you like my layout and that I've inspired you to pull out your needle and threads and get stitching..The limits really are endless!

Until my next layout..Happy Scrapping! xxx