Kiwi Lane Guest Designer: Happy Birthday Layout

I am popping back by the Kiwi Lane Designs today for a guest designing spot! 

 I got out the super fun Elements set to create a birthday layout.  One of my favorite things to use Kiwi Lane sets for is to create a different background than I could achieve with just plain patterned paper and today I will show you how I achieved that.

Using the arrow piece I cut out four arrows using Elements Piece 1 and lined the points of them up to create an interesting background on my layout.  I then cut out Elements Piece 4 and used that in the center of all the arrows.  That served as my subtitle area and I created a larger title underneath my focal picture.

I cut out Chevrons using Elements Piece in an opposing color and used those to highlight the arrows and one of the pictures.

Don't you just love the fun you can have with Kiwi Lane Templates!?!

Supplies Used:

Templates: Kiwi Lane Designs

Patterned Paper: Core'dinations

Stickers: Bella Blvd

Using Kiwi Lane Templates on 3 different types of Projects: Guest Design Spot

I am so excited to be guest designing on the Kiwi Lane Designs Blog this week sharing some of my new projects with you!  I have been a long time fan of Bella Blvd products and they are one of my favorites for two page layouts!  My last post as a design team member at Kiwi Lane was actually a  two page layout using Bella Blvd (you can check it out here)!  First up is a two page layout using the Molly line.

The pink patterned paper with the words on it jumped out at me because of all it’s curves and swirls.  I knew it would be perfect to combine with Kiwi Templates.  I went with the Chestnut Drive Border Set because the curves pretty much fit around the word “Beautiful” perfectly.  After cutting that out for both sides, I added my pictures so that they would be enhanced by the curves.  The Chevron Border Templates are pretty much my favorite – so I used those also to create borders along the bottom.  Bella Blvd makes lots of great border stickers as well as a patterned paper sheet of borders – these complement the Kiwi Lane Border system so well!  To embellish the page I used the Rings Set (to create my sunshine) and the Tags Set for my journalling spot.

Pocket Page

We love our two pagers here at Kiwi Lane but we also know that the templates are great for other things too!  Next up I have a pocket page layout that makes use of them.

This pocket page has a really neat narrow side border which was screaming “Kiwi Lane, Kiwi Lane, Kiwi Lane” at me.  So I obliged ;).  I used one of the Large Brackets to create a layered border there.  I then filled each of the other pockets with layers of paper and pictures.  The Shapes set was especially useful for creating just basic shapes to highlight the photos. The Tags set was also useful for creating my “title” pocket with it’s perfect banner shape.

Paper Piecing

Lastly I have one of my favorite techniques using Kiwi Lane to share: paper piecing with the Chevron Border Set.

I have done this technique a couple of other times!  Once for a Kiwi Lane Hop that you can find here and once for a Stash Busting Hop that you can find here.  Every time I need to combine vibrant papers with Kiwi Lane supplies I want to do this.  The Max line from Bella Blvd was perfect!  To do it I create five Chevron borders in five coordinating papers.  I then cut the chevrons apart and piece them back together.  There is something so satisfying about taking beautiful papers and putting them together in a different way to make them your own!  One thing I would recommend when trying this technique is having a good black pen to outline your shapes with.  I think they get a little lost otherwise and the black just makes them pop!

Kiwi Lane Designs - Hazel & Ruby

I am in the last month of my term with Kiwi Lane Designs.  I can hardly believe almost nine months has passed!!!  They do not do back to back terms for their designers so I will definitely not be back this next term and we will see what the future holds...Today I have my last regular project with them and will have one more special one in a few weeks! This month we are teamed up with Hazel & Ruby - they have some different products that I had played with before so it was a fun creative challenge!

One of the things Hazel & Ruby sells is rolls of tissue paper that are acid free! I really wanted to try out the tissue paper on a layout so I decided to get out the Mini Madison set and use every single one of them!

I cut out each piece and then inked them.  I then began to layer them to create one big dimensional ruffle.  It ended up looking really cool.  The tissue paper is light enough that it almost floats up like ruffles. Creating this much at the bottom I knew I needed to keep the rest of the layout pretty simple so I went real light on embellishments for the rest!

I used the masking sheet to create my title.  I got out some mist and then sprayed away. Once it was dry I cut around it leaving a slight border. I also added some Hazel & Ruby Sequins to embellish around the title.

Hazel & Ruby Supplies Used:

Stencil-Mask Child's Play

Wrap It Up - Pretty Floral

Sequin Tubes

KLD Sets Used:

Mini Madison - All of them!

Kiwi Lane Designs Pocket Page

You know what one of my favorite things about pocket pages is?  You can use up gobs and gobs of pictures that don't necessarily match or wouldn't make sense on a layout together!  As my youngest son is now 1 1/2 I was itching to get the newborn pictures polished off.  So today you will see a pocket spread from me that uses a whole bunch of newborn pictures!

My favorite part of this layout is how I did the two outside edges using Kiwi Lane borders!  Abbie Road is one of my favorite borders and so I chose that to you use today!

On this side I didn't use a whole lot of other templates simply because with the pictures set up the way they were there wasn't room.

On this side I made use of the tiny brackets to create some unique edges and corners on a couple of pictures.

To show you my framing (which is very very simple because of the pocket pages) I made you a collage!

KLD Templates Used:

Abbie Road:1A

Tiny Brackets: 1T. 2T

Fancy Pants Products Used:

Be Different Line

Fancy Pants & Kiwi Lane Design - Zoning in on Doodling

I am up over at the Kiwi Lane Blog today!  I zoned in on doodling with my templates. I love doodling on my layouts be it in the form of outlining or drawing - I just love to use my markers.  It is in fact a rarity to see a layout where I haven't done some marker work.  Today I am going to share a simple way to doodle that is fun and really adds some pizazz to a project.  Today we are going to talk about doodling frames.

The background on this layout is one of a kind because I added my own touches thru doodling.  For each shape that I added (both Kiwi Lane shapes and tags/folders from Fancy Pants) I used the same basic technique but varied the actual doodling.  Here's how I did it:

1. Cut out your shape and adhere it where you want it.

2. Outline your shape with your fine tip marker.

3. Create a second outline about 1/8 of an inch out...don't worry about if it is perfect!

4. Create a pattern within the frame - think scallops, circles, lines, etc.

5. Fill in some parts of the pattern to add some extra contrast.

Another option is to skip step 3 and just add scallops or loops - if you are doing a lot, as I did, this can be another way to add good variety!

Supplies Used:

Fancy Pants "Be Different" collection

Kiwi Lane Designs: 

Tiny Brackets 3T

Accents 4

Kiwi Lane Designs - May Blog Hop - GIVEAWAY Alert!

I love blog hops and am excited to be joining a group of Kiwi Lane Fans in one today full of scrapbook inspiration with ideas to use their designer templates! I have a cheery spring layout making use of these fabulous templates to share!

First off here's the Hop Order

Kiwi Lane Blog

Lissa Mitchell

Leslie Prikki

Connie Wallenbrock

Sandi Presley

Me :)

Alicia O'Bryant

Suzanne

Roselyn Riley

Arin Flynn

I am also linking this up in the current Paper Issues Link up - Mum's the Word

 There is a great big giveaway of a $25 gift certificate to the Kiwi store to one random person for commenting on the blogs. Guess what??? I have a giveaway too!  Kiwi Lane will be announcing their winner on May 8th!  More details on mine after the layout!

Doodlebug Designs is one of my absolute favorite manufacturers so I decided to pull out some of their goodies for my layout today!  I used the Brackets template and the Floral template to just add to my whimsical layers.  I love that the floral one kind of resembles the sun!  The brackets help to draw the eye to my photo.  Most of this layout uses the Springtime line from Doodlebug but I also added in a big blue circle from their Kraft line because it just matched the photo so perfectly! I love how it adds a surprising color twist to things!  

Today I am going to be doing a giveaway of the Floral Templates from Kiwi Lane and I will also stick a few of the 6 X 6 papers from Doodlebug's Springtime line in there for you too!

You can do any or all of the following to enter:

1) Become a follower here

2) Like my Scrapping with Christine facebook page

3) Pin this project onto Pinterest

And lastly leave me a comment to let me know which you have done!

I will leave this open until next Friday, May 9th and announce a winner on the 10th!

Thanks so much for joining in the hop today!!!

Now, head on over to Alicia's blog and  make sure to leave a comment and get yourself entered for the big prize!

Kiwi Lane Designs and My Mind's Eye Layout

How in the world is it already April 29th?  I volunteered to do a second posting for Kiwi Lane this month because I was having sooooo much fun playing with My Mind's Eye and this months new templates!  Having three boys the new "Now and Then" line is just perfect for me!  

Today I thought I would incorporate both my Silhouette Cameo and some doodling with my Kiwi Lane templates!

  

Before I go any further I have to give a shout out to the uber talented Stephanie Buice - she inspired my background!  It doesn't have anything to do with the Kiwi Lane Templates so I didn't talk about it there - but I wanted to give it a moment here :).  She has done several layouts recently that have this painted background with stripes, etc...she has used a variety of mediums to create hers.  I went with what I had - which was mists.  I just used my mists and dry brushed a line across diagonally.  I started with the darkest and then went from there.

Now on to the Kiwi Lane stuff :)

First off I used two different patterned papers and cut out the word HAPPY on my Silhouette.  I made sure to leave space between each of them so that I could use my balloon template to cut them out.

You can do this with any die cutting machine!

I then traced a balloon around each letter and cut them out.  

The other way I used my templates was to create another layer to my background.   Once the mist painting was dry I used my Cloud Template and traced clouds throughout. I made sure to overlap them and added some loops for a whimsical touch.

Now you may be wondering, why go to all that work for a background?  I didn't have a paper on hand that coordinated without being too busy.  So when that happens...I take to making my own.  One thing is for sure - it is one of a kind.

Have you ever used your templates to create one of a kind layouts?  That's one of the best things about Kiwi Lane - you can make things personal!

Kiwi Lane Templates Used:

Wacky 2

Celebrate 2

Creating a Sunburst using Kiwi Lane Templates

First and foremost: Happy Easter blog friends!  Hope you are able to spend this day enjoying family!

This post went up on Friday over at Kiwi Lane but because of other blog commitments, you get it today!

I love playing with my Kiwi Lane Templates because you just never know what they are going to inspire!  Today's post uses some of the brand new "Wacky" templates which are definitely some of my new faves!

This layout is full of techniques but for today let's focus on two things: creating a sunburst and stitching.  First up I'll show you how I created the sunburst!

1. Choose your template and set it where you want it on your paper.  You will be using this paper as a template for the papers that you will actually cut up.  Outline your Kiwi Lane Template.

2. Use a ruler to draw lines from a point to the outer edge.

3. Label each section of the starburst with a letter so that you know how to put it back together.  Cut out each piece and use those pieces as your templates for cutting out your patterned paper.

4. Put the whole thing back together and glue it down.

Now that you have assembled the whole thing you might find you have some kinda rough edges between your bursts.  I like to use a zigzag machine stitch to connect the papers and hide and little flaws.

1. You are going to do a long zig zag stitch between each of the patterns - begin at the tips of the sun and work towards the outside of the paper.

2.  Once you have done all of them you will be left with a mess of strings all over the place. Simply trimming won't work because you run the risk of them slipping out. My favorite thing to do is go to the back side and pull the strings all through to the back.

3. It's a mess on the back but that's no big deal! Tape them down with some washi tape.

4. Now you have a nice clean front!

Supplies Used:

Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye

Stickers: My Mind's Eye

Overlays: My Mind's Eye

Enamel dots: My Mind's Eye

Buttons: My Mind's Eye

Say Cheese - A Baby Boy Layout

This week on the Imaginisce blog we are focused on babies.  Last week we focused solely on the new baby lines but this week we are doing anything baby...so I decided to make a baby layout that doesn't use one of the new lines.  I really love the polaroid snag 'em stamp and thought it would work perfectly for a set of pics that I had way too many to choose from!

There are a lot of little details on this layout!  Stamping, using of the ITop to create my own brads, fussy cutting...it was a super fun one to create and add lots of one of a kind touches to.  One important detail to point out is that I also used a Kiwi Lane Border Template to create my curvy border.  There are additional details on the layout over at the Imaginisce Blog - hop on over there to check out more!

Kiwi Lane Designs: Pocket Page Birthday Spread

I am up at Kiwi Lane Designs today!  This month we teamed up with We R Memory Keepers for our creations!  They sent some birthday pocket page pieces so I decided that was the route to go!  Especially since I still needed to scrap pictures from Timmy's 7th birthday (he's almost 10).  Here's the spread I made:

I love to do pocket style pages for birthdays because I take tons and tons of pictures!  And as you can see from this...not every picture is worthy of a full blown layout but still is a part of the story!

I used a variety of Kiwi Lane Templates throughout - including accessories and border templates.  Each one adding a little something special to the page.

I also did my outlining throughout to make certain elements pop.  I think my favorite of all the pockets is either the "Celebrate Good Times" one or the "Life of the Party" one - I like how unique the Kiwi Lane templates made those!

I am also linking this up to the Paper Issues Current Challenge: Count Your Lucky Stars!

Supplies Used:

Patterned Paper: WRMK

Templates: Kiwi Lane

Stickers: GCD Studios

Wood: Studio Calico

Kiwi Lane Designs Basic Sketch

I played along and created the sample today for the Kiwi Lane Designs Basic Sketch!  Here's the sketch:

And here's my version!

The only big change I made was changing the brackets to circles.  I did that to pair up with the circle elements I used throughout the layout.  I always find two pagers challenging...so this was another good opportunity to stretch myself a bit!  I have had these pictures for awhile (obviously as Bo is almost 18 months now).  Just haven't found the right paper match for them but I think the Imaginisce got the job done!

Try to find some time to play along with this sketch this week and get in on the chance for a prize!  You can find all the details at Kiwi Lane!

Supplies Used:

Patterned Paper: Imaginisce

Buttons: Imaginisce

Die Cuts: Imaginisce

Stickers: Imaginisce, Bella Blvd

Cardstock: American Crafts

These are a few of my favorite things...a layout incorporating some of my favorites

Of all the new lines from Imaginisce, I do believe that Welcome Spring is my favorite.  I love the bright colors, I love the graphics, and I really love that it has my two favorite colors to scrap with: navy and yellow!  I made use of this line for this birthday layout about my Lucy!  You are also going to see that this layout incorporates several other elements that are favorites of mine!

I had several posed shots of her like this from her 5th birthday party, so I picked my three favorites and lined them up.  Her dress was navy blue and bright pink making it a perfect match for this line.  I used my favorite Kiwi Lane Border Template to create a wavy border above the photos.  I also used my cameo to cut out the "smile" for my title and added a sticker from one of my favorite companies SRM Stickers.  Doilies are hands down my favorite embellishment right now and I am incorporating them on almost every project that I create.  I added texture by using a feather, burlap, twine, and chipboard.  So what are some of your favorite things to use right now?  I bet we have some in common!

Supplies Used:

Patterned Paper: Imaginisce, Teresa Collins

Stickers: SRM Stickers, Simple Stories

Enamel Dots: Freckled Fawn

Chipboard; Bella Blvd

Feather: Bella Blvd

Die Cut: American Crafts

Kiwi Lane Blog Hop

I love blog hops and am excited to be joining a group of Kiwi Lane Fans in one today full of scrapbook inspiration with ideas to use their designer templates! 

 I am the last stop on the blog today so if you have just started here you should head back to Kiwi Lane and do the whole thing!  There is a great big giveaway of a $25 gift certificate to the Kiwi store for commenting on the blogs and I have a giveaway too!  More details on mine after the layout!

I love Doodlebug Design's "Sweethearts" Collection and knew I wanted to play with it for this.  I created my layout using a couple different template sets: The Chevron Border set and the Sweetheart Accessory Set.  The Chevron border set is pretty much my favorite.  All I did was use it to cut out three borders and then cut them apart.  I reassembled them with the three colors in various places.  It is a super easy technique that really packs a punch.  

As a Thank You to all of you for stopping by today I am doing a giveaway of two separate prizes!  One for a follower here on my blog and one for being a fan on my facebook page!

-If you become a follower here on my blog and leave me a comment telling me you did so - I will enter you into a drawing for the Paradise Accessory Set and some Bakers Twine.

-If you become a fan on my facebook page and leave a comment on the wall there - I will enter you into a drawing for the Sweetheart Accessory Set.

I will announce the winners on Monday!

Now, head on back to Kiwi Lane and make sure to leave a comment and get yourself entered for the big prize!

Kiwi Lane & ADORNit Baby Layout

I am up today over at the Kiwi Lane Blog!  This month we got to play with some fun Adornit goodies and I was to use a Pinterest inspiration for my project. I love to include handstitching on layouts and I think Chevrons just scream to be stitched!  To check out my Pinterest inspiration along with directions on how I did my stitching, head on over to the Kiwi Lane Blog!  For now, I will just give you a peek at the layout!

Supplies Used:

Templates: Kiwi Lane

All Papers, Stickers, and Diecuts: ADORNit

Practical Scrappers Blog Hop: Scrapping Our Stash

Welcome to the Practical Scrappers Blog Hop 

where we are Scrapping our Stash.

CHA is this weekend and that means the industry is putting out all kinds of fabulous new product.  So what better time to kick off our new monthly series of Scrapping our Stash!  A special shout out to the sponsor of today's hop: Kiwi Lane Designs!  Head to Practical Scrappers to find out details on how to win a fun prize from them!

Practical Scrappers Blog Hop List

Practical Scrappers

Charissa Miller 

Cathy Harper  

Jennifer Haggerty ***You Came From Here 

Christine Meyer ****You Are Here***

Kristina MacKeen ****Head Here Next****

Erin Morehouse 

Nicole Laha 

Krissy Clark 

Wendi Robinson 

Lissa Mitchell 

Deborah Johnson  

Jessica Arrant 

Kerri Yarus

Lisa Peeples 

Kim Ryden

Laura Cox

Kelly Jean

Lanette Erickson

Alison Day

Wendy Coffman

Michelle Johns

Lee-Anne Thornton

Marcia Dehn-Nix

Kelli Fortier

Now on to my Stash Busting Project!  I decided to pull out some old papers and one of my new Kiwi Lane Templates to create a paper pieced layout.

So this.looks.complicated.Yes?  It's not so bad actually!  I used my Kiwi Lane Chevron Template and cut five strips of five different patterns.  I then cut those in the middle of each them.  The challenging part was putting them back together and figuring out a pattern :)  The papers, stickers, chipboard are all from my stash...mostly from Pebbles from a line that I totally loved and picked up extras from over a year ago.

I am doing a giveaway here today!  In order to qualify you can do any/or all of the following:
1) Become a follower here on my blog
2) Subscribe to my blog via email
3) "Like" my facebook page
Make sure to leave me a comment letting me know what you did!  Here's the prize pack up for grabs!

Lots of goodies from my own stash!  Includes ribbon, trims, stickers, washi tape, chipboard and more!  I will leave the giveaway open until 11:59 est on Monday and plan to announce the winner on Tuesday!

Thanks for coming by...head on over to Kristina MacKeen's blog next!

Tip Time Tuesday: Kiwi Lane Designs & Teresa Collins

Have you caught the drift that I am really enjoying my time with Kiwi Lane?  Today I am up for the month with my Tip Time Tuesday...

Last winter I got to take a class with Teresa Collins at my local scrapbook store The Scrapbooking Studio. I was a huge fan of hers before that but meeting her in person and listening to how she works with and develops her products was totally inspiring. Suffice it to say that I was THRILLED to hear that we were going to be combining her products with Kiwi Lane’s templates this month!

I got to to work with her Christmas line and thus the first Christmas layout of the season was born. I love to cut things up and piece them back together—creating quilted style backgrounds or doing something unexpected with a big chunk of patterned paper just makes me happy. If you hopped with us over the weekend you caught me doing just that (if you didn’t you can see how I cut up my Abbie Road template here). So for my tip today I have the following to say: Cut things up and see where it takes you!

I used my Abbie Road templates and then cut them down to 5 1/4 inch pieces so that they formed perfect squares. I did this with two different patterns and then pieced them back together forming a grid of four squares. I used papers that were not overly heavy on pattern or color so that it wasn’t completely overwhelming. I also stuck with those two colors for most of my layout.

I also created my flower in the center and my circle using templates.

For my layout I used the following templates:

• Abbie Road 2A
• Abbie Road 2B
• Nature 5T
• Tiny Shapes

Kiwi Lane Designs Blog Hop

Welcome to the November Kiwi Lane Designs Blog Hop! If' this is your first stop, you should head back to the Kiwi Lane Blog so you can make your way thru the whole hop! I am thrilled to be participating this month with some of my fellow Kiwi Lane fans to share scrapbooking inspiration using their fabulous designer templates!  I've got giveaways to share...but first let's get down to why you're here...to check out a fun Kiwi Lane project!

When I saw the new "Cut & Paste" line from My Minds Eye, I knew I had to have this portion of it.  the color combination is stunning and it works perfectly for boy themed pages but also has some feminine pieces to it also.  Paired with Kiwi Lane it made for such a fun layout!  I used the Abbie Road border set to create my blue border.  After cutting it out, I cut it down into 1/2" stripcs until I got close to the top.  I then laid those out at the bottom and slid my pictures into it.  I also added some circles I cut from the Tiny Shapes Accessory Set.  I also added an arrow from the Nature Accessory Set as an accent in my title.    

Do you love giveaways?  Here's your chance at two different ones:
Kiwi Lane is going to pick a fan from ONE of the participating blogs (including the Kiwi Lane blog), to receive a $25 gift certificate to the Kiwi Lane Shop.  Just make sure to leave a comment at each blog along the way!  The winner will be announced on the Kiwi Lane blog on Thursday, November 7th. 

Secondly as a thank you for visiting my blog today I have a roll of Doodlebug Designs Washi Tape and a Kiwi Lane Designs Sweetheart set for one of my readers.

You can enter by doing any or all of the following: become a follower here, become a fan on my facebook page, or become an email subscriber to this blog.  Leave me a comment telling me which you did and I will announce a winner on Thursday, November 7th!

In Case you Get Lost, Here's the Lineup for the Hop today:
Kiwi Lane http://kiwilane.com/here/blog/
Cristine Redmond http://onescrappynovice.blogspot.com
Joy Nielsen www.threadsnscraps.com
Van Nguyen http://likethecar.blogspot.com
Minousha Bari  http://preservedscraps.blogspot.com
Lissa Mitchell http://mightycrafty.blogspot.com
Arin Flynn http://apieceoflifespie.com
Kerri Smith http://www.crafttimeandcupcakes.com/ 
Christine Meyer http://scrappingwithchristine.blogspot.com *******You Are Here*******
Christina Steel www.tinasscrapcrap.blogspot.com ****Go Here Next******

Thanks so much for stopping in today - head on over to see Christina Steel next!