Remember that time when you were browsing the 12 x 12″ papers in the craft store and you found the most beautiful pack of paper that you had ever seen? You bought it and then you weren’t quite sure what you were going to do with it. Something special for sure.
That happened to me in February.
I found the most beautiful pad of 40 double sided patterned papers from the Craft Consortium created by Melissa Lowry called Over the Hedge. Had I seen the coordinating ephemera, I would have purchased that as well. These papers are stunners! (And they were on SALE!)
I have been mulling how to create with these papers until I ordered 2 of Vicki Boutin’s album layout kits and classes. After spending 2 six hour sessions with her (virtually), I discovered how she puts patterns together, how she views creating layouts, and how she goes about creating an entire album out of a few pieces of paper and some pretty ephemera packs.
Aren’t these papers gorgeous? The colors called to me and the hand drawn florals and critters were just too irresistible to walk by! There are 4 of each double sided design pairs, so there are 20 different paper designs! The fact that I had 4 of each sheet made it much easier to cut into!
And I know you know what I mean by that!
I also happened to pick up a 12 x 12″ paper pad called Willow from One Canoe Two. It had 10 cardstock sheets that beautifully coordinate with the Over the Hedge papers. It also had 4 specialty papers, 8 single sided patterned papers, a page of sticker ephemera and a page of alphabet stickers.
I pulled a out some ephemera packs that I had purchased that day as well. I had a Simple Stories Simple Vintage Garden District set of bits and pieces that I thought worked pretty well with the colors. I also had some Altenew adhesive Wood Veneers and enamel dots.
After 12 hours of creating Vicki’s layouts, I had a much better idea of how to use these little bits and pieces, and what kinds of layering elements I wanted on the first page that I was creating after learning so much from VBoo…the master herself!
I started with two papers with 4 different patterns. I found two of the plain cardstock pieces that coordinated with these and got to work.
I started with my base using the mustard color card stock and cutting it down 9-1/2 x 12″ so I could attach a 3″ piece of the floral paper with the mustard background to the base. I added a strip of deep green, a strip of the second paper which I scalloped on one edge, and a strip of the second paper that I picked to go with this. I learned that I should attach them together in a way to leave the top edge of the top piece unattached so that I could slide my picture mats, tags, pockets…whatever detail was going above this bottom piece, underneath that layered bottom.
One of Vicki’s Golden Nuggets for sure! I didn’t add any ephemera or titles and sentiments until the layout was complete. I did attach all the pieces in a way that other stuff could be tucked under them later when the photos and journaling are added. That little fox is fussy cut from one of the papers as is the little owl on the top of the piece below.
I added two squares of the second patterned paper and created a pocket for a tag and tucked all of those into that top unadhered edge of the paper layers. I found a piece of Vicki’s paper that I cut to create a tag for inside my pocket that coordinated with the colors I was using.
Here you can see the ephemera that I used and some of the details. I used a circle punch to create the pocket notch and I used a circle punch to create the paper tab at the top of the tag. I also added some strips of the deep green to the top of my photo mats. Those strips are actually the piece of paper you tear off the top of the paper when you remove it from the paper pad. Nothing got wasted crafting with Vicki. She used everything!
I was very happy with how that Simple Stories ephemera pack coordinated with this paper set. It was a happy accident! I also learned a lot about using those ephemera from Vicki. In the past, I might not have used those two sentiment pieces with the stripes on the same page. I also would have not used all the butterflies on one page. I discovered one of Vicki’s Golden Nuggets is that you use all of those coordinating pieces on the same page and it gives a very uniform look to your layout. When both photo mats have very similar coordinating toppers, it really adds a unified look to the page. Had I just put one on, the other mat might not have looked completed.
The same with the butterflies. The key is to use them to pull your eye across the page.
This photo did not look at all blurry until I added it to this blog post! So sorry! I wanted you to see this detail. I used a piece of that deep green paper to create a banner, pulled a banner from the ephemera pack along with one of the circular elements. I also fussy cut the little owl from the paper and added some of my wood veneer elements to the upper corner of the page. This was another Vicki Golden Nugget. Add something layered to one of the corners when all your stuff is focused on the other end. Pull the page together so the eye keeps wandering across the page.
I added other wood veneers in two other places in a triangle shape on the page. Vicki calls it a visual triangle. The dark green paper also was used in 3 places on the page…basically using the rule of 3rds. One piece was on each 3rd of the paper horizontally.
You can also see that the page has a lot of dimension. I’ve popped some things up on foam dots or just a couple edges of something might be popped up to give the page movement. Another Vicki Golden Nugget.
I finished off the page by adding 3 black enamel dots, just because I felt like I wanted to pull that black background from my second paper out more toward the top of the page.
Now, I just need to print out my photos and add them along with the journaling. I will be adding a white mat around each of the photos and for the journaling on the tag.
I really enjoyed creating this page and I can’t wait to find time to create another page to go in this album!
I’m also looking forward to the next 6 hour marathon Vicki album class in a couple of weeks! My album kit is on it’s way from Vicki and she already sent the 30 page PDF with the layouts and instructions. The live video class is set for the end of July. I’m also keeping my eye out for her Christmas album kit to go on sale. I am looking forward to making that with her too!! She has certainly inspired my creativity in a new direction this summer and I’m loving every minute. I’m also learning a lot of things that I didn’t realize before. It’s great to take a class with someone who has an education and creative background in graphic arts. I majored in science and just did creative things for fun and relaxation. I’ve taken a lot of classes over the years just for the absolute fun of it and I learned a lot along the way.
There is also a Virtual Crop & Create event for which registration is only open until July 14. I splurged and registered for that. There are 4 experts (including Vicki) and each person will be teaching on morning or afternoon class. The event starts on a Friday evening in November with some virtual “happy hour” with Catherine, the publisher of Scrapbook & Cards Today magazine. There will be prizes, make-m-take events, special guests. The 4 classes will include how to document everyday life moments through photography and storytelling, layout design principles, how to use a single collection pack to create an album and use all the stuff, plus we will be creating an entire album with interactive parts with Vicki.
We are receiving a kit with all the materials that we will need for the classes and make-n-takes. Plus there are daily gifts, prizes and discounts from the retailers and SCT itself.
One of the things that I wanted to treat myself to in 2020…my first year of retirement, was to attend a live scrapbooking or papercrafting event. It would be a big investment with travel, hotel, food, and the event tickets and materials. This is working out much better! For about 1/3 of the event price, I get all the materials and instruction without having to travel and stay in a hotel. Plus, I can eat my own cooking. As a person with Crohn’s disease and a lot of allergies and food intolerances, this is a BONUS for me! I’m super excited about this event and I can’t wait to create and learn from the experts!
In the meantime, I will keep sharing what I know and what I’m learning. I hope you enjoy it and feel inspired to create something with goodies in your stash.
My 2021 goal will be to use up as much stuff in my stash as possible!!
I jest. Nobody could use this stuff in only 1 year!
Supply List:
Are you interested in the products I used? To make them easier for you to find, I have linked them below. (Affiliate disclosure ) Your purchases help keep my blog running at no additional cost to you and I thank you for the support!
I wish I’d seen the ephemera packs in the store. How cute are those little critters?!!
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend my friends!
