This week on the blog I get to show you the beautiful two-page layout spread Patti created using our November monthly kit!
As if her photos weren’t already adorable enough on their own, Patti went all out on these two layouts with geometric design and mix media creativity. Better yet, she let us in on all her design secrets so that we could share them with you in this post!
I just love this starburst effect that Patti has created for her layout. We are super fortunate because Patti has actually shared the instructions with us on how to get this effect! Here are the instructions Patti wrote:
Patti decided to use her vellum as a photo mat. Instead of leaving the vellum with straight edges, she ripped them and used an edge distresser to rough up the edges. This actually makes the vellum stand out more, because it makes the edges more opaque. Give this a try if you are using vellum and want to make it pop! In the right-hand corner Patti has also created a little ribbon cluster. Since all the ribbons from the kit are such different styles and widths, it adds dimension and contrast to have them all together. Patti also kept this idea of contrast in mind when she arranged the ribbons. You can see that she has arranged them all quite differently, leaving the green burlap flat against the paper, spinning a bungle of the green wire and tying a bow with the pink seambinding.
Isn’t the background of this layout gorgeous?! This was actually the white cardstock from the kit, but Patti took it and watercoloured it with inks that matched the colours from the patterned paper in the kit. Watercolouring with water soluble inks is easy- just smear the ink onto a craft mat (if you have an ink refill you drop a couple drops on the craft mat instead), add a spritz or two of water and then mix the water and ink. Then you can use a paintbrush to apply the colour to your paper.
The white frame Patti used for this layout is actually a downloadable electronic cut file from paperpassionposh, a Canadian designer who sells her SVG cuts on Etsy. In order to fill the frame windows with different papers, Patti measured each of the boxes and then cut each paper slightly larger than the windows so that there would be an overlap to adhere the patterned paper to the back of the frame. For the flower, She actually traced the frame pattern onto the patterned paper she wanted to use and then fussy-cut out each piece so that it would fit perfectly when she adhered it.
Patti used the different segments in the die-cut to showcase all of the gorgeous patterned papers from the kit, as well as add in some texture and dimension with the burlap ribbon and rice paper. She also add a splash of white paint here and there to add that bit extra of a mixed media feel and finish the layout off!
In order to add actual stamens to the die-cut flower, Patti poked a small hole in the middle of the flower using a paper piercer. She then folded a stamen from the kit in half and pushed it through the hole so just the bulbs at the end were sticking out. She did this again, so that she would have four cute little bulbs.
Hopefully you are feeling inspired by all of the techniques Patti has used to create these two beautiful pages from our November monthly kit! The layouts are up on display in-store (and will be for the rest of the month) in case you want a closer look.
Until next time,
Happy crafting! ❤
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