Autumn Leaves Mixed Media Layout

Hi all,

A new layout to share today using some pictures I took a few weeks ago of the trees in our local park as the leaves were just beginning to turn. It was at this point that after having my camera for four years, I worked out how manual focus works. Ha ha ha...

This layout started when I was trying out some Nuvo metallic 'embellishment mousse' through a Prima stencil and it looked fantastic. The challenge then was, how to make a layout without covering too much of the beautiful pattern I had created. I also added light green and gold ink splatters.
I stuck my photos in a strip on patterned paper and then stuck onto vellum and ripped the edges. The large skeleton leaves are from Paperchase (note to self: buy more in London!). Finally I added ribbon, rub ons and thickers, as well as some cardstock stickers from the 'Market Street' collection by My Mind's Eye.

Thanks for stopping by!
Emily xx

Golden Days Scrapbook Layout

Hi all,

A new layout to share today and it's one of my favourites ever.

The picture was taken a couple weeks ago at our local park. Nathan and I went for a walk as it was a sunny Sunday and it was an excuse for a cheeky Maccies and an opportunity to have a play around with Nathan's new camera which is like mine but with a lot more bells and whistles. It's a lot of fun to use and I got some great shots but this one is my favourite. Nathan had gone for a sit down (he had been at work the night before) and I took this. I love how the trees were reflected in the still water and how the shadows in the leaves on the floor have been captured.

Sometimes, you have to suck it up, put your big girl pants on and USE YOUR SPECIALITY PAPERS. Like seriously if it cost you two quid you need to use it and not sit there stroking it. So I did. The background is some speciality papers I had been hoarding. I'm going to say the one with the trees on is by Carta Bella and it's textured and lovely and I got it in one of those surprise sale boxes last year. The round one with the lovely rings (there is a word for it and I can't remember!) is from one of this year's collections, it's... Warm and Cosy by Pebbles/Jen Hadfield. It cost me £2 but I didn't care.
The embellishments are a mish-mash of collections. Basically I got a 12x12" plastic zip bag and filled it with all of my autumn stash. Like a personalised scrapbook kit. Most are bits from the September/October Quirky Kit, but there's also some Shimelle 'Go Now Go' love hearts which brought a little more gold to the layout. The blue domes are from The Works, they have a crackle effect and they are wonderful.

They don't show up on the picture but I also used some gold rub on leaves. I forget what brand they are but they are from this year. I took a picture from the side so you can see them. It's all in the little details.

Thanks for stopping by!
Emily xx

Life In A Snapshot Sketch Challenge - November

Hi all,

A new layout to share today for the Life In A Snapshot sketch challenge. You can find out more and enter here 

The backing paper is Mr Smith's Workshop by docrafts (Probably should have chosen something less busy!) covered with various washi tapes and the other papers and embellishments are from the BoBunny Enchanted Harvest 6x6" paper pad that I got last year and never used as much as I'd've liked.

Here's the sketch for this month.

You could use four embellishments if you're making a card or ATC, or if it's a layout you could use four individual pictures or do what I did and cut up one picture into four bits.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll join in with us!

Emily xx

More Than Words October Challenge

Hi all

Here's my entry for the October More Than Words Challenge. You can find out more and join in here.

Here is the October mood board.

I wanted to do an autumn layout as I've not had much chance to make one so far this year. 

I decided to do an ombre of orange-yellow-green like the colours in my photo and I did this by covering a sheet of 12x12" cardstock with gesso and then used watercolours once the gesso was dry.

I tried to keep the ombre going through my embellishments - these wooden stickers by BasicGrey were perfect and I'm so happy I could finally use them - they've been in my stash for a while now. I painted them in the same colours as my background so they blended in. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx

Hello Autumn!

Hi all,

Well, autumn is in full swing.. it's chillier and the leaves are just starting to turn.

I haven't been able to get to a country park yet for a photography day - whenever we've had chance the weather has been dull and gloomy! Fingers crossed we'll make it in the next couple weeks.

To keep me going (I really wanted to get started with some autumn bits), I had a wander to the edge of our estate where there's a green with some trees on up a hill. I piled leaves up with my feet (they're a bit sparse on the ground) and took the picture on my phone... Autumn has just started but already the colours are so beautiful. 

This is my first ever A4 layout and I used a little flicked acrylic paint on the background. The papers are a free download from Trimcraft and you can get them here. 

I made a little card with the papers too. I love love LOVE the colours on the papers. So bright. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx

Another Autumn Layout

Hi all,


Here's an autumn layout I have made.

The picture was taken at Walkers Nurseries in Doncaster. There is a show garden there and this beautiful bridge is just outside the cafe. (Nice cafe, too...). The colours this time of year are beautiful, and I picked out the orange and pink and used those colours in my layout.

Speaking of beautiful.. the title is created using gel medium.

I bought it to try out some image transfer. But after watching videos on Youtube, I still can't get it to work so instead I looked at other ways to use gel medium. 

So I grabbed a stencil, put the medium onto it, let it dry and sprayed ink onto my desk-saver and added water and painted a wash over the stencilled area. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx

Scrap Around The World Mood Board October 2015

Hi all,

This is my first time entering the Scrap Around the World challenge. I've followed the challenge for a while and have been so in awe of all the entries, and I thought, it wouldn't hurt to have a go, would it?

So here's what I came up with, using pictures from a day out in the October sunshine with my boyfriend.

Here's this month's mood board. If you want to join in you can find out more here http://scraparoundtheworld.blogspot.co.uk/  The mood board inspired my layout with the vibrant colours, particularly the autumn tree. I had been meaning to make an autumnal layout anyway so this was the perfect opportunity. There's a lot of blue in this mood board so I added blue distress paint to my layout, it really makes the oranges 'pop'.

A close up of the ribbon flower. It's just leftovers glued together. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx

Feeling autumnal....

Hi everyone!

Stayed home today, apparently some bright spark thought it 'cool' to drop a generator onto the railway line so all trains to Sheffield were cancelled and there is no other way of getting there in an hour....

I am contemplating popping into town to pick up the new issue of Scrapbook magazine (but will they have it in stock?) and maybe up to The Range (but will they have the new docrafts products in stock?). Also I've no one to go with and I'm always paranoid when I'm alone.. wah.

Anyway, I did a spot of scrapbooking earlier this week....

This first page is inspired by autumn, spied these mushrooms on the way back from the supermarket the other day... Experimented more with layering on this, too. 

Mambo paper (orange)

First Edition man made paper (Orange & green stripes)

Studio Calico paper (green with diamonds) and wooden topper

Papermania birdsong letters

K&Co Flora & Fauna borders/toppers

Grace Taylor toppers

Papermania All Aboard calendar and tape

I also drew the mushrooms.... someone on the internet said this is the best mushroom drawing they'd ever seen! 

 And then one misty morning the hanging basket tree was covered with spider webs.... the same week that Nathan and I made Halloween cake pops...  So here's a spooky page... may have gone overboard with sequins....