Patterns challenge Week #4

Hi Leo here!

Here are the details for the forth of the new weekly challenges. The latest challenge is called Patterns.

The new challenges will focus on a different pattern every week. You might want to interpret them literally and raid your patterned paper stash but we'll also be looking at ways to use pattern as the main embellishing element on your page.

How it works:
I'll post up details of each new challenge every week, (this being challenge number 4 of 4). Each new challenge will be posted here on the blog and also in the Facebook Group for you to follow along with.
Complete all the Pattern weekly challenges to be eligible for an extra goody in your next kit box! The closing date to complete all four of your Pattern challenge projects will be 20th September 2019. All projects must be new projects made specifically for this challenge. You can use any stash you choose but it's a great opportunity to dig into your kit box and not leave it unused!

Ready to see the forth challenge?

For the forth challenge the pattern focus is:

Checkerboard 

So you can take this literally and head into your stash to pick out all your patterned papers with a checkerboard or check pattern to use. Or you could use the idea of a checkerboard pattern as the base for your layout. Here's a simple checkerboard pattern. What could you make up your squares with? Photos, patterned paper, coloured card, stamping?

If you need more ideas I've dug these up from Pinterest to help to kick start your mojo:

On this layout the squares are made from paper cut in squares and triangles then stitched over the top. The pattern of the checkerboard has been turned at an angle too.

Another idea that slightly tilts a checkerboard and the pattern is made up using photos and papers.

Black and white checkerboard is fun for boys and teens themed pages. If you don't have any ready made in your stash how about recreating it with black and white card?

A simple checkerboard of patterned paper squares covering the whole page.

A checkerboard pattern created with tiny squares of paper and stitched edges.

Checkerboard stamped background.

You don't have to stick to squares to make a checkerboard pattern. Here's one made from rectangles!

Here the black card background has been used to create the black checkerboard squares with the white one made from patterned paper pieces, so fun!

Ready to get going with your own layout?

Once you've finished your creation upload it to your platform of choice.

For Instagram tag @craftytemplates and mention it's for the Patterns #4 Quirky Kit challenge so I can find it.
For Facebook add it to the Quirky Kits Group - they'll be a post for each new challenge there to share it to or else mention it's for the Patterns challenge #4 when you post it so I can find it.
For blog add a link to your project from your blog in the comments below any of the Patterns challenge posts, (like this one).
Or if you'd prefer to keep your project private you can email them directly to Leonora@craftytemplates.com

Have fun!

xx Leo

Explore no more - Natalie

Hi everyone,

I have my first layout with the July/ August kit to show you today.

Supplies used:

Main kit:

- Bazzill Swiss Dot 12x12 Cardstock in Black 

- Amy Tangerine Slice of Life 6x12 cardstock stickers

- Amy Tangerine Slice of Life - All Smiles Paper 

- Amy Tangerine Slice of Life - My Town Paper

- Heidi Swapp Chipboard stickers 

Lite kit:

- Amy Tangerine Slice of Life - Bold Moves Paper

- Paige Evans Truly Grateful - Paper 14

Own supplies:

- White cardstock

- Alpha stickers 

- Heart and star punches

I started off with this lovely scene paper from Amy Tangerine with all the bikes and shops. It looks very autumnal with the yellow trees but I actually used a photo taken in May. I decided to use a photo of my bike that I took after I officially declared it dead (more expensive to fix than replace) after 6 years of helping me complete errands around town, so I thought this paper would be perfect! 

I wanted to use quite a large piece of the scene paper so I cut a strip approximately 7 inches tall, and placed that on a piece of plain white cardstock. I used a rainbow strip from the Bold Moves cut apart sheet and a strip of black arrows from the B side of All smiles paper (which I think looks like bike tyre marks) between the scene paper and the white cardstock. 

I matted my photo first on white cardstock and then on the black dotted cardstock to help it stand out against the busy background. 

I used a cut apart piece with a bike on from the Bold Moves paper and placed that next to my photo. 

Next I wanted to create somewhere to journal, so I edited two pieces to make them how I wanted. The blue arrow piece is a sticker which I cut the top off as I didn't like the arrows along the top. And the yellow square is from the cut apart sheet and I cut the top off again as I didn't like the flowers. 

I used a grey pen to journal as I didn't want it to be too harsh with black ink. 

I then used a heart and star punch to punch shapes out of one of the squares from Paige Evans Truly Grateful Paper 14. This paper is brilliant as it has so many different patterns and colours, perfect for punching out shapes. I chose a yellow/ mustard coloured square to punch from, to match the trees on the scene paper. And I added a few cardstock star stickers from the Heidi Swapp pack, which matched the blues in the Amy Tan collection perfectly. 

I then worked on my title. I knew I wanted to include the "explore" phrase on the cut apart as part of the title, so I added "no more" in alphas from my stash underneath. Finally I added a little puffy bike sticker in matching blue.

See you soon with my next layout!

Natalie

Patterns Challenge Week #3

Hi Leo here!

Here are the details for the third of the new weekly challenges. The latest challenge is called Patterns.

The new challenges will focus on a different pattern every week. You might want to interpret them literally and raid your patterned paper stash but we'll also be looking at ways to use pattern as the main embellishing element on your page.

How it works:
I'll post up details of each new challenge every week, (this being challenge number 3 of 4). Each new challenge will be posted here on the blog and also in the Facebook Group for you to follow along with.
Complete all the Pattern weekly challenges to be eligible for an extra goody in your next kit box! The closing date to complete all four of your Pattern challenge projects will be 20th September 2019. All projects must be new projects made specifically for this challenge. You can use any stash you choose but it's a great opportunity to dig into your kit box and not leave it unused!

Ready to see the third challenge?

For the third challenge the pattern focus is:

Words

So you can take this literally and head into your stash to pick out all your patterned papers with a word pattern to use. Or you might want to make the words from other items in your stash. Maybe grasp the opportunity to use your alphabet stamps and/or dies? Or gather together all your letter sticker packs to mix together? All you need to think about is using words as the main decorative element on your project.

If you need more ideas I've dug these up from Pinterest to help to kick start your mojo:

Cut out words from a white background with patterned paper behind.

Larger cut out words - this one would be easier to create without a cutting machine.

How about making the journalling the main focus of your page and filling your whole page?

If you have a large alphabet die or stamp you could create a look like this one.

Have lots of word stamps in your stash? How about creating your own background like this?

Or this one?

Layouts about your favourite things are fun to create and don't always need photos. Create lists or fill out labels to use to build your layout.

Have a typewriter gathering dust? Or if not you can use a PC and a typewriter font. My favourite is called 'a typewriter for me'.

If you're not a fan of journalling write on your page add it as word strips like these.

Word paper and large cut out letters!

An example with a word patterned paper background, (Crate Paper).

Another cut out words idea.

If you're feeling arty why not create your own word background paper with watercolour paints?

Ready to get going with your own layout?

Once you've finished your creation upload it to your platform of choice.

For Instagram tag @craftytemplates and mention it's for the Patterns #3 Quirky Kit challenge so I can find it.
For Facebook add it to the Quirky Kits Group - they'll be a post for each new challenge there to share it to or else mention it's for the Patterns challenge #3 when you post it so I can find it.
For blog add a link to your project from your blog in the comments below any of the Patterns challenge posts, (like this one).
Or if you'd prefer to keep your project private you can email them directly to Leonora@craftytemplates.com

Have fun!

xx Leo

Got there in the end

Hi, Leo here with a new layout using the latest main kit.
I started this layout ages before I finished it. I decided to start out using the cut file. My cut file got pinched by tricky little ones fast fingers and when I finally prized it from the toddler death grip it'd fallen into it was a little bit worse for wear. To remedy this I decided to add a layer of texture paste to flatten it out. It worked a treat! Then after that had dried I decided I didn't like the colour but didn't know what colour to make it so it ended up sat on my desk for another few days! Finally today I decided to tackle it and not stop until I'd finished my layout!
First thing to tackle was the colour. I liked the sandy texture of the paste as it worked with my beach theme and I also really liked the colour of the Pinkfresh 'Hope' paper from the main kit so I decided to go for a similar colour and mix in some more texture paste. I added some white acrylic paint and a small sprinkle of Sea Green Brusho then a dash of water to bring everything together.

Here's the mixed up version!

I spread the mix out onto the cut file using a store card and a scraping action. Then left the whole thing to dry. Once dry I cut it apart into long pieces. I also cut out the flowers on the Hope paper and added some glitter glue to them. Last thing I did to prep was to mat my photos onto the reverse grid pattern on the Hope paper sheet.

To build my page I picked out the sheet of polka dot white card from the main kit. I cut off a piece of paper from the Hope pape sheet about 5 inches wide and added some extra sprinkles of Heidi Shine in Peach to it before gluing it down off centre.

Next I cut out two strips 1.5 inches wide from the Amy Tangerine Slice of Life Lemonade paper from the main kit. I glued them down using the pattern on both sides along side the Hope paper piece.

Next I picked out my decorated cut file. I added some on my layout with 3D foam pads and some glued down flat. My photos I stuck down with 3D foam pads in between as if they were being held by the flowers, (although at this point I was thinking of it more as seaweed!).

I then added the cut out flowers from the Hope paper in between the cut file and photo layers.

To add my title I used a mix of the stickers from the main kit. A tip for getting a straight title with Thickers is to use a full sheet of card or patterned paper and place it where you want your title with the edges at each side of your layout lined up with the paper edges to give you a straight line to work from.

Next I added some of the Pinkfresh phrase stickers and the Heidi Swapp chipboard stickers concentrating them on the photo cluster area I've created.

The last final touches were more stickers - adding the Pinkfresh Enamel dots down the right side. And a few of the Amy Tangerine stickers within the cluster.

There we go - all finished!

Hope it's inspired you to have a play around with your cut file and to not give up on a stopped in its tracks page either. xx