http://scrap-utopia.blogspot.com.auhttp://scrap-utopia.blogspot.com.au/p/scrapbooking-resume.htmlhttp://scrap-utopia.blogspot.com.au/p/gallery.htmlhttp://scrap-utopia.blogspot.com.au/p/design-teams.html

Friday, May 31, 2013

2Crafty Chipboard Blog Hop

 
We are so thrilled to announce our first ever blog hop.
We hope you join us as we're sure you will 
not want to miss out on all the fun.
There will be so much inspiration along the way
 and you will also get a chance to win 
many fantastic prizes.
Here is how to play:
 Simply visit each of the blogs below, then leave 
a comment and become a follower.
 (if you are not already)

         {Start} 2 Crafty
(You are...) Nicole Doiron  (...HERE!)
{back to} 2 Crafty
One lucky winner will win this amazing prize loaded
 with 2 Crafty Chipboard.

Plus as an added bonus, many of our DTs will 
be offering  prizes along the way.

Here is my prize (the musical note paper just serves as background):



All you have to do to win is:
1. Make sure you are a follower of the 
2 Crafty Blog and Facebook page
2. Visit each of the blogs on the blog hop list 
and become their followers.
(if you're not already)
3. Leave a comment on each blog along the way.
4. Leave a comment on the 2 Crafty blog for
 a chance to win.
5. If you share our blog hop on your Blog or 
Facebook page, please let us know by leaving us another comment on the 2 Crafty Blog and you will have a second chance at winning the 2 Crafty Prize.
International participants are welcome.
Here is my layout, featuring some gorgeous 2Crafty chippies, that i created for this special event.


I also created this layout for the June Paperhaus Magazine sketch challenge which opened yesterday and for which i was asked to guest design.  You can have the chance to be a GDT for Paperhaus too by just creating a layout based on this sketch.  Click HERE to find out all the details.

 I thought that a layout based on this beautiful sketch would be even more beautiful, embellished with none other than 2Crafty chipboard.







I hope you love this layout as much as i do!

Now, be sure to keep on hopping!

Your next stop is Sarah Groen's Blog.

Happy Hopping!!

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Cardabilities DT Reveal Sketch # 76

It's time for me to share another card created with a lovely Cardabilities sketch!

Sketch #76 is awesome!


I made this card for Yves' aunt who celebrated her birthday recently.

As you can see, i stayed pretty close to the sketch.



I hope you will be inspired to play along with this sketch and someone special a very beautiful card :)

Visit Cardabilities to see more inspiration and to link up!

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Lots of Exciting News

I have been pretty quiet lately with not a lot of posting on my blog, but i just wanted to let you all know that i have very busy behind the scenes!

Right now, i am creating projects that i won't be able to share with anyone for a few months for a special DT call. I am so thrilled over this opportunity and whether or not I get picked up as a DT, it will still be an honour to have been selected in their 2nd selection round!  I will be done those projects today and hopefully will be able to share an amazing new DT announcement with you early next month.

I will be joining The Color Room as a GDT this year!  I'm very excited about that and will have more details shortly!  You can see the complete list of guest designers HERE.

Cardabilities DT reveal is on May 30th.
 
Crafty Chipboard DT reveal will go live on June 3rd (June 4th for my Aussie friends).

My Creative Scrapbook DT reveal is on June 5th.

Also, make sure to visit on May 31st (in Canada and June 1st in Australia) for 2 very special events rolled into one: 

a GDT spot with the Paperhaus Magazine sketch challenge and... 

the first ever 2Crafty Chipboard bloghop!

There will be prizes!!!



So as you can see... VERY CRAFTY BUSY! :)

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

My Creative Scrapbook Flower Kit Frame

It all started with this cheap wooden frame bought at my local Dollarstore.


 I had received a really beautiful flower add-on kit from Pam at My Creative Scrapbook to create any altered item using some of the gorgeous Prima blooms in the kit.  I gathered some leftover products from the Main and the Album kits for May, including papers, button, twine, canvas heart...

And i came up with this:



Have you seen blooms more gorgeous than these?

Hope you enjoyed! :)

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Tutorial Day for My Creative Scrapbook

It is my turn today to share with you a few tips on how I created certain elements of my projects with My Creative Scrapbook kits.


On one of my layouts, the double-page 24/7, I played around with paints, stains and gesso on plain white cardstock to create a bold and bright background.


 I started with just brushing some paint on my white cardstock.  My Adirondack paint dabbers are fairly dried up so I had to use a brush and the thickness of the paint accentuated the more textured and uneven look that I wanted.

I then dabbed one shade of Distress Stain, making sure to leave a few white spots here and there.

I then went with a darker shade of Distress Stain.

Next, I added thick brushstrokes of white gesso.

With a foam, I lightly dabbed at the paint mixture.

Then I topped it all off with spritz of Glimmer Mist.


To be honest, I had no idea what I would come up with when I first started applying the different mediums to the cardstock, but the key to scrapbooking is to keep at it and not give up until you're happy with what you've created. Once the papers and embellishments were added, I really was happy with the end result and the look of my background.

*** 

Although I am by no means an expert at creating my own flowers and embellishments, I love to try :)

When I got inspiration for my 'Enjoy the Everyday' layout created with the Album kit, I thought that these old book papers that I had received in a prize a few months back would look great with the colors and designs of the Simple Stories patterned paper.

 I started by punching out strips out of the book paper using a border punch.
 

I punched out 3 strips, each border being about 6 1/2 inches long.

The book paper being very thin, it was easy to scrunch each strip, accordion-style.

 I then lined up the 3 strips one after the other on the back of my layout, using scotchtape to keep it in place and making sure to keep it ruffled in spots.

And here is how the border looks on the finished layout.
 

Second, I decided to make flowers out of my book paper.


To create 1 flower, I punched out 3 medium-sized flowers out of the paper and 2 smaller ones.
 

I distressed each flower with Old Paper Distress Ink.

Using glue dots, I stuck each flower on top of the other, the 3 larger ones at the bottom followed by the small ones.  With a piece of styrofoam underneath, I used the rounded tip of a paintbrush to push the flower layers down, making the petals curl upwards.  Since the book paper is so thin, one has to be careful when doing this to not rip the paper.

A generous drop of Liquid Pearl in the middle...  

and voilà!

I liked it so much, I ended up making 3 for my layout.

I hope you've enjoyed my creations with this month's kits!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Smile Big (My Creative Sketches for May)


It's time to share my final layout created with this month's Main Kit from My Creative Scrapbook.


For this layout, I was inspired by the May sketch from My Creative Sketches:
Look at the fabulous prize you could win if you link up your layout right HERE before June 14th!


Now it's time for close-ups!





Hope this layout made you 'Smile Big' :)

Thank you for visiting!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Cardabilities DT Reveal - Sketch #75

Today's Cardablities sketch is a beauty!
I love the vertical bracket shape and all that white space!

Perfect for a wedding card, isn't it?  I love the soft hues of blue.

This pretty Leafy Swirl is from 2Crafty Chipboard.   I covered it with gesso and distress inks.

I hope you will decide to play along with Sketch #75!  Link it up HERE!