More New Kit Peeks

Hi :)
I've got chance to do a couple of new peek photos of little bits of the upcoming kits to show you today....

'Tell me more, tell me more'

'Summer Lovin'

New kits will be ready to go at the end of the month and I'll carry on showing more as the new goodies arrive. x Leo

New July/August Quirky Kits coming soon........

Hi :)

It's almost time for brand new kits, they'll be heading out to subscribers at the end of the month. If you'd like to subscribe check out all the details here, http://craftytemplates.co.uk/quirkykits.html

The two brand new kits for July/August are 'Tell me more, tell me more' and 'Summer Lovin'. Both kits have been inspired by the kitsch movie Grease and the current trend for storytelling and office stationary themes. I've picked out lots of papers from brand new collections from My Minds Eye, (Sweetest Thing) American Crafts (Shoreline), Studio Calico, (Heyday) Pebbles, (Sunnyside) and Echo Park, (Sweetest Day and Everyday Eclectic). Here's a quick peek....

Main Kit 'Tell me more, tell me more'.

Lite Kit - 'Summer Lovin'

The embellishment goodies echo both sides of the kit with fun 1950's kitschy influences and more of the storytelling/stationary theme too. Stay tuned for more peeks as the goodies start to roll in over the next couple of weeks.

 x Leo

UK Scrappers Blog Hop

Hi, Leo here!

Welcome to your next stop on the UK Scrapppers blog hop. Thank you to Craft Island for the last stop. You've now landed on the Quirky Kits blog. I've brought you here so you can get a glimpse of the kinds of things we have in the Quirky Kits monthly kits you can get from Crafty Templates :) I've got a scrapbook layout to share with you made with goodies from the past kits.
If you haven't started at the beginning of the blog hop and would like to you can find all the details on UK Scrappers here, http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/boards/index.php Your next stop on the hop after this one is over on the Cre8tive blog. Don't forget to qualify for the prizes on offer you need to leave a link here and on the other blogs as you go along then you need to add a final post on UKscrappers here, http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=330779

So on this stop I've got a layout idea for you and I've tried to include a couple of techniques to have a go at. Most of the goodies I've used are from the current kit 'Observations'. I've also used denim fabric from the January Kit and colour mists from my supplies. I have used a sewing machine for an embroidery technique but you could use hand stitching too.
So here's my finished layout:

I began by layering up the background starting with a sheet of cardstock, (Bazzill Mystique) and adding a second piece of cardstock, (Bazzill White) 9.5 inches square then layering a paper doily along the edge:

Next I layered over two pieces of patterned paper, the larger one is 8x8 inches and the smaller piece is 7x6 inches. Papers are Studio Calico Take Note 'Think Tank' and My Minds Eye Follow Your Heart 'Be Happy'.

For the next step I've used fabric pieces and used my sewing machine to create some freehand machine embroidery/ applique on the background of the layout. I started out cutting a square of denim fabric into four smaller squares. I folded each of the squares in turn in half to cut out some leaf shapes.

Because I wanted the leaves as part as the background I needed them to be as flush with the background as possiable so I glued the leaves scattered around the layout first with dabrs of gluestick. Then used freehand stitching to create the leaf patterns. If you wanted to you could also use hand stitching on the leaves although it might be easier to add the stitching to the leaves first and then glue them flush to your layout.

For the next step I've added some more embellishments. I filled a glassine envelope with some sequins and I've added a vintage postage stamp inside then stitched it down onto the layout on the right side. Under that I've added an Elle's Studio tag for the date and a scrap of ribbon with a button layered in between. On the the left side I've added a piece of ribbon. My photo is going to go roughly in the center so I'm building up the embellishments on each side of the layout. Depending on the size/amount of photos you're using you may want to adjust the placement of your embellishments.

I've added the photo next, matting it to a piece of Kesi'Art 'Alouette' patterned paper. From the same paper I've cut out some butterflies and glued down on the edges of the layout.

Next I added the title along the top of the layout, (American Crafts Muse white wash Thickers) then punched out butterflies from a piece of patterned paper, (MME Indie Chic 'History Blooms') to scatter around the leaves.

Finally I've added some colour mist along the edges of the layout, (Studio Calico Mr Huey's) painting it on in layers with a paint brush. They work like colour washes using them like this. I used a grey and a white colour.

That's the layout finished :)

Well hope you've enjoyed this stop on the blog hop. If you'd like to learn more about Quirky Kits pop on to the Crafty Templates store here, http://craftytemplates.co.uk/quirkykits.html

Don't forget your next stop is over on the Crea8tive blog.

Happy hopping!
x Leo

And now for something completely different

For my last layout with the kits I have thrown it all together to see what I can come up with! Because Leo stuffs the kits full of goodies I still had loads to play with after all this time. Here is the result

 

While I was waiting to meet my friend the other Saturday I stood on the mound on top of Tower Hill tube station and pivotted around taking photos. You can see the Tower, a portion of the London Wall and the Shard, all without moving your feet. And put in proportion by the iconic tube signs! 

I wanted to create a layout that echoed the "old and new" side by side vibe from the photos and so used the chintzy, flowery not so much my thing as you can tell from their non appearance so far on any of the other layouts, "B" sides of some of the papers. I also made two schoolboy errors.

1: When you ignore the warning voice that says "move that other layout out of the way while spraying or you will get some on that too", you will pay. (Some of the sparkles on "first look" had to be added to cover red dots. I've left a teeny red dot uncovered as a reminder)

2: Sprinkling red mist as opposed to spraying it looks a bit like a blood splatter.

Oh well. On the patterned papers, which I decided to tone down with spray, I also added some brown mist on the top. On the cardstock it (hopefully) just looks a bit arty and not so much that I need a trip to A and E, stat. The idea was that the right had misting using a tile pattern mask would look old fashioned and the left hand sprinkles, more up to date funky.

As well as adding some spray to the papers I also distressed and inked the edges, added faux stitching, tore some edges and used my new Martha Stewart doily punches. I pushed the papers around until I was generally happy and then stuck them down and went around the edges of everything with a fine line pen for definition. "From sunrise to sunset" was written on the grey and yellow paper so I cut that out and used it as a subtitle. I used up my ribbons too - the rest of the wasp twill has been turned upside down, folded and stapled. My final two flags have been stuck  together at one end to create a tag and more of the fab leaves have been used, both together and seperately.

I do wish that I had adhered the title a little more to the left but only realised this after I had outlined the words in pen and it was too late. I added a few sticky pearls but apart from inks and pens everything else has come from the kits. Here is the journalling - a little blurred I am afraid but hopefully easier to read

I have had such a blast creating all these layouts from the kit and it has set my scrapbook album reflecting my old life and my new life off to a brilliant start so thanks very much Leo.

Snippets

One of my favourite techniques when using lots of patterned paper is to repeat a geometric shape on my layout. The Footnote kit features loads of lovely double sided papers and this way of using them means that you don't have the dilemma of which side to choose!
Here are two layouts that have the same idea at the basis but (I think) they end up looking quite different.

This one uses hexagons - made all the more easy by having a new die to cut the shapes out. The die also features hexagons stuck together and I used the off cut to create the zigzag border on the bottom of the photo. In real life the yellows of the papers match the yellow of the sign and the van perfectly. I love it when that happens.

I inked round the edge of everything with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and beofre sticking the paper pieces down I flicked some brown glimmer mist across the cardstock. I spent a while playing about with the shapes until I was happy with the flow and then adhered them down. I used an alphabet die to form the title and the subtitle was made using the fabby stickers that come with the kit. I then added the journalling, making the lines deliberately wonky and uneven to break up the geometry a little.

I love the ribbon from the kit and wanted to find a way to use it that would not overwhelm the page so I gathered it and added random staples with my tiny attacher.

Finally I sprinkled some of the circles and stars from the kit across the page and more or less stuck them down where they fell with some Glossy Accents.

This layout took very little time at all once the shapes were die cut. The other layout took rather longer as more maths was involved.

(ooh its a bit wonky close up isn't it)
This photo is very special as it is the first one I took of where we are going to live. It wasn't definate that we were going to live there at the time. I thought that I had lost this pic but it turned out it was on the camera that my son then took to University.

I had decided to try a grid pattern. I thought I would make it easy by using one of my square punches as they say what the size square will be. Only I had already given them to the Church card club as part of my downsizing, having decided I didn't need them AND Nestabilities. Wrong. Which meant that each square was quite a difficult size to measure. Each empty grid needed to be something like 2 1/8" square. Which took a bit of working out. But I think it was worth it in the end. I was hesitant to use real stitching as I often have a problem stopping (no, really, I always have a look of mild panic on my face when I machine stitch). So this is all faux stitching. An awful lot of pricking and then going over with black pen. But worth it I think. Having made the grid and inked the edges of the papers with Black Soot Distress Ink, I was going to place the photo in the bottom right corner. But somehow it landed top left and I think the balance is better. There was an empty space at the top right of the photo which made a good spot for a title made from small letters and also draws the eye into the layout.

I made some layered flowers using various punches (still got those) and cut two of the leaves from the fab suede effect ribbon. I stuck them down before adding the journalling

I finished it off with a few more of the gold sparkles.

I have one more layout to show you before the end of June - this last one will combine elements from both Observations and Footnote

A Footnote

Here is the first layout I have made with the Footnote kit - and it is the most paper heavy.

The observant might notice the slight cheat in that I did use some of the Thickers from the main kit. But I do like titles that use a mixture of letters and they fitted the spot so perfectly.
I started this layout as I often do by randomly chopping into some of the papers, punching edges and making small strips, then starting to layer them up. I don't stick anything down until I am reasonably happy with the placing. Sometimes I then make marks about where the papers should go. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I do and then find the whole thing has shifted and I have to move something else to hide the pencil marks that never seem to rub out as well as I would like. The papers were all outlined with a Sharpie pen before sticking down.

To do this I put my patterned paper on some scrap paper and run a thick Sharpie down the edge which leaves a clean black line. I have done this for a while now and am quite good with keeping my arm loose and the flow good so I can just about do a 12" side in two goes (as I need to move my scrap paper around. You do end up with lots of black lines on your scrap paper too). BUT every now and then my hand will skid and leave an unexpected line onto the patterned paper. Actually I got away with it on this layout but it is rare. That is when embellishments are your friend. I needed them to come into play for a different reason this time...

These layers grew and grew and so left me less space than I had planned for title and journalling. I decided to add journalling on a small piece of one of the papers and added the strip of blue first to tone it in with the rest of the layout. And then discovered I had a LOT more to say than the space that I had. So fished around for another of the glassine envelopes and once more utilised it as a pocket. To be honest, this envelope was a lot bigger so I trimmed it to fit, decided to emboss it with a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder and then swoosh a little brown distress ink over it. At some point it became extra delicate and tore. Which helped decide the placement of the buttons!

I wrote on two matching pieces of patterned paper, punched a circle out of one of the other papers and sandwhiched it between the journalling to form a double sided tag.

I then decided to use one of the other glassine envelopes to create more embellishments. I die cut several circles and embossed them with the Swiss Dots folder then added either blue or brown distress ink lightly over the top. I adhered them with Pritt Stick. NB they really are fragile so you have to be careful.

Here are two in close up. They are easier to see in real life but still have a subtle quality about them

Last from the main kit

I've been very careful to keep my kits seperate just so that you can see what great value both the full Quirky Kit - Observations and the Quirky Kit Lite Footnote are. I've so far managed 5 layouts and a tag from Observations and am on my third layout from Footnote. I'm hoping to end by combining them - but that might have to happen at a later date as very soon I am going to have to shut up my crafting space ready for my big move to Devon in 2 weeks time.

This layout features the new house. And as you will see I added grey cardstock and a red button to the kit. This layout was inspired in part by the May 15th Stuck sketch and Leo's card for the Resin Inspiration Daring Cardmakers challenge

I started by using a mask and swooshing two grey toned Distress Inks over it. If I don't know how to start a page then I add a background layer with paint, ink or mists and a mask and already it isn't just a big blank scary space. I inked the edges of everything, then when each piece was stuck down I went around the outside with a fine line pen (I use lovely fine tipped felt pens from Wilkinsons - 99p for 5!). I added a further line just around the inside of every piece as well. This happened because when I made the flower with my Sizzix tattered floral die, it just all merged into one until I decided to add the extra edging. The grey butterfly was left over from my preparation for the first page. The red butterfly was a plain wooden one but I pressed it into a red Distress Ink pad.

 And you can see one of three little circles of tulle that feature on the layout but are VERY hard to photograph!

 The little white dots come from the American Crafts thicker pack.
I've had some lovely comments about my layouts - thanks so much! Including some about my hand writing. My writing was terrible as a child until a teacher suggested I start again with printing and then move on to joined up at the age of 14. It did the trick. I think it is important to use your handwriting on pages even if you don't like it (and sometimes I still think mine looks a bit messy) so that it makes a page uniquely yours.  If you are still not sure about it, why not try this technique? I  look round the web at stamp sites that have fonts I like and then try to reproduce them! I find that if I cut strips of paper to 1cm high, it makes my printed writing neater. As on this example

I can now write like this pretty quickly, without having to refer to an alphabet chart. It makes a fun change from my usual scrawl!
I'll be back soon with my first Footnote page, which also features the new place I'll be moving to