Mixed Media Layout Tutorial: Shimmerz, Vintaj, Ranger, and Kathy's Nature Walk

Good morning, it's a new week, and we have a new layout tutorial to share:

Amy created this amazing layout with our Kathy's Nature Walk kit and add ons, and did a Youtube step by step tutorial to show you her process:

Amy's photo matting techniques never cease to inspire.  I hope her tutorial inspired you, too!  And I hope you all have a beautiful and creative week...

~Melinda

DIY Shabby Chic Card Tutorial

Tiffany has made two beautiful cards with our August Mallika's Whimsy kit and add ons, and she did a video tutorial for one of them:

And since they go beautifully together, I just thought I'd share the other card she made in the same post:

I hope you are having a great weekend, and I hope you enjoyed today's tutorial...

~Melinda

Oh the Owls.....................

Every month Melinda puts together awesome kits full of wonderful papers and 

fabulous elements....

Then there are the fantastic add ons which coordinate perfectly!

There seems to be an element every month that I love just a tiny bit more,

last month, it was the magicals in the main kit, June it was those heart on a stick and so on.

Now these are my personal faves...I am sure if you asked the rest of our amazing team they may have picked something else.....This month it has to be those resin Prima Owls....they are too fun.

The ladies on the Scraps Of Darkness Team all have their own styles and the way we use elements.

I thought I could show how we all used the same element in different ways....

First up is Tracey with this amazing layout

She was planning to alter the cute Prima resin owls and the Prima natural flowers but she realized that she liked the fresh feel against the rich burgandy BoBunny paper and gold misting. 

I love how she used the branches and tucked the little owls in like you would see in nature!

So much texture was achieved by using the branches, the nest, and the burlap!

Next up is Michelle....

I love the whole feel to this layout....she really captures the nature feel!

and of course the resin owl....

 I love how she just inked it a little bit with the Tim Holtz distress ink in moss that was included in the color add on.

here are a few more of her fabulous details

 a wonderful clustering of elements....

 I love the tears and edges...

next up is Kathy with this fabulous boy themed layout.....

  

She started by using a piece of corrugated paper as the base, then  began ripping some of the papers until she got the look she wanted.  she added some joint tape for texture. Then she started to lay down some rough twine on the bottom of the page into loops. 

She used matte gel medium to hold it in place using just a few places.  Next she matted and layered the photos.  There are some really cute little squares in all different sizes included in the kit from "Misc. Me" that were perfect for the layers.  

 and look at that adorable owl!  She hand painted it!

She painted the blue fern chipboard from the elements add on with the viva patina paint and added some prills

The little squirrel looks different because she used Lindy's Stamp Gang embossing powder "Twilight Bronze Slate" (from previous kit) after she painted it, then painted it again with the Viva patina paint. 
She then added flowers from the Floral add on with a few mixed in from her stash, some leaves and then looped some left over threads from a piece of burlap that she saved. 

and finally there is my layout

I love how the patterns, colors and designs all lend themselves to each other in the Kaisercraft Botanica paper line!

It makes it so easy to layer....one of my favorite things to do!

I used one of the wonderful stamps in the elements add on and gesso....added a few flowers and the wonderful title I cut from one of the papers!

I also added a bit of gesso to the flowers and misted a doily with mist from a previous kit and tucked it between a couple of layers.  In the Color Add On is Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad - Forest Moss which was perfect for inking my edges!

I created a cluster of flowers and added one of those darling owls from the main kit.

To achieve the look I painted the owl with Inklingz from previous kits, and while it was still wet I added some embossing powder also from a previous kit and heat set it.  I painted the heart and eyes and then added some gesso.  I think he is adorable!

Thanks for stopping by!

September SOD kit reveal

Good morning and Happy Friday!

Today we're sharing our September Scraps of Darkness kit, Tanya's Industrial Odyssey.

The kit is named after our wonderfully talented Educator, Tanya SonataJoy, and features Marion Smith Designs' Time Keeper and Kaisercraft's Time Machine collections.  We still have a few left, so stop by the store to pick yours up before it sells out!  Here's the link to our Scraps of Darkness kits.

This month's Creativity Add On includes Brett Weldele's gorgeous Steampunk Selfie stamps and Faber Castell / Design Memory Craft's new Masquerade Designer Gelatos:

This month's Color Add On is all Lindy's Stamp Gang goodness:

And the Elements Add On includes one of Rebecca Baer's GORGEOUS stencils (and guess what, we've just added some of her other stencils to the store, and have even more designs arriving next week!):

As always, lots of beautiful flowers in our Floral Add On:

And this month we have FOUR paper add ons!

The Patterned Paper Add On:

The Coordinating Paper Add On:

The Time Keeper Paper add On:

And finally, our Cardstock Add On, with wonderful heavy weight My Colors cardstock:

Thanks so much for stopping by to see our new kit, and I hope you have a beautiful weekend!

~Melinda

More Awesome Off The Page projects!

Good morning!

Today I am bringing you a few more Off The Page Projects from out super talented 

Design Team!

Firs up is Anna using the Scraps Of Elegance 'Mallika's Whimsy Kit'

She created these two amazing mixed media cards.

The details are wonderful. Anna used the Blue Fern Studios 'Frolic' papers from the main kit.

She used the Prima Isabella Vidette flowers from the kit, and handmade flowers using Blue Fern Studios papers.

Look at that dimension!!!!

Next up is a gorgeous shabby chic Swag Bag created by Renea. She also used our Mallika's Whimsy kit.

she even shows you how to create one using the bags from your SOE/SOD kit

Here are Renea's instructions....

Step One;

"Take one of your bags that you get your SOE kit supplies in. (or any paper bag will do)

Step Two

Take the bottom of your bag and fold it up to the top. I folded mine so that you had about a one inch drop from the top opening. 

 I folded mine so that it overlapped below the top opening. 

Step Three:

 Sew either by hand or by machine, up the two sides of your bag to form the pockets. If you don't want to sew, you can always just glue to the insides of each side to adhere. 

Here is what the finished product will look like.

And here you can see the pockets it creates.

Once you have your base created then you can get to embellishing and layering!! "

Here is Renea's finished bag

and all of her beautiful details

Renea is hosting a Swag Bag swap in the community  - check it out

here

And the last project I am going to share is this beautiful upcycled project from Tracey...

She is refurbishing her bedroom and used the creativity add on to update a few things...

She found the easiest way to paint knobs is to thread them into cardboard-like the handy packages our kits arrive in.  She covered them with the patina and let them dry, then brushed on the chalk paint. once that dried she used the distressing tools to bring up the jade and hints of the brass. She stamped with a light grey then covered them with the Ranger Glaze. Once dry, she returned them to her chalk painted dresser !

She treated this thrift store brass bucket the same way...

Thanks so much for stopping by!

DIY Mixed Media Notebook Cover: Tutorial

Good morning, it's Wednesday - the week is half over, and we've got a little inspiration today to help you get through the rest of the work week...

Tanya made this fabulous notebook / journal cover with our Kathy's Nature Walk kit and add ons, and she did a Youtube video tutorial showing her step by step process:

And a few close ups:

What a great teacher's or back to school gift this would make!  I hope you enjoyed the tutorial, and I hope you have a beautiful day today...

~Melinda