Tuesday trends: Starburst design layout!

So following on from my previous post about keeping up with current scrapbooking trends, I decided (quite a few months ago now) to have a go at the starburst layout. Lisa Truesdell over at two peas made this great layout (top picture) that took all of the guesswork out of it as it included a step-by-step video.
I must admit that it was a very time consumming process and I had to use a ruler and make measurements - something that I NEVER do in my layouts. I've never been a fan of math or being too precise. I used my kraft knife to slice the little sections out - but it doesn't look as though mine are bursting with as many sequins (or punched out circles as I used) as Lisa'a segments.

What I loved about Lisa's layout was:

• all the cute polka dots
• the amazing frosty picture
• the glittery title which pops from the page
• the chevron stamping
• the buttons

Other than obviously copying the whole composition of it I also tried to incorporate a lot of these elements in my layout. It was definititly more of a scraplift than just using a layout for inspiration.
The subject of my layout was my sister's first 'proper' holiday to America. She had been to Chicago on a work trip but had never been on a roadtrip in California and so because I loved this picture of her, I felt that the starburst would reflect her excitment and the shininess of the picture.
It was one of those layouts that I was working on for a few weeks as I had to be really alert and ensure that I got it all right to make it fit together right.

Do you love starbursts, but want to start smaller? Here are some links to other layouts using this fun techniques. Jen at Studio Calico using kraft, Amy Tan rocking a small starburst, Magda went cute with hearts and pastel shades and last but not least October Afternoon ran it as a sketch challenge and you can check out what their design team did with the starburst.

I'd love to see - have any of you used starbursts on your layouts?

Photo booth and hexagons layout...

I used to just scrap out of what I had and was inspired by my photos.
But since blogging I've started to follow trends more and see ideas that I want to use on my layouts and lust after specific stash and ranges more than before.
I got this 6 by 6 pad from Studio Calico and decided to start using the honeycomb/hexagon trend.

The photo strip pictures are from sixth form prom and the journalling and title are all about the cheesy music that we were enjoying on the night - the sixth form prom committee chose all of the songs and we were amazed by how 80's and 90's inspired it was. Britney, S-Club 7 and Rick Ashley. It was a really fun night.

How about you? Do you follow trends or do you march to your own creative beat?

 

Messy Mondays: Scrapbook layout of arty Barcelona!

One thing which people always told me about Barcelona was that there was art everywhere. I certainly found this to be true. My sister and I loved all the graffitti on the boulders at the beach - it made a nice change from all the naturists on the beach. We couldn't believe how many people got their bits out of a public beach - men included. And old men at that...
I felt that I needed to dedicate a whole layout to this art form and so I did.

This was my personal fav!

 I wanted the layout to be bright and bold to fit with the subject and so edged all my embellishments and photos in black to make them pop off the page. I also added washi tape and veneer cameras from Studio Calico to embellish. Don't you just love the supersize camera too?

In other news (as it feels like its been a while):

• my sister is loving in in Vancouver and you can follow her adventures over here on her blog.
• I am looking forward to making this tomato soup cake now that autumn has arrived
• If I had lots of money I would buy these shoes and this top
• Only two more gets-up till half term - 8 weeks is surely too long without a break?
• I have been getting into a frenzy about all things pumpkin - like all my fellow bloggers and pinners. Pumpkin milkshakes or scones anyone?

What are you into right now?

That's entertainment!

Do you ever find yourself getting bored at a wedding? Sometimes it can seem like such a long day and you often have to wait ages to get any food - a big breakfast is definately a must! One thing I decided when plannig my wedding was that I wanted our guests to have fun between pictures, food courses and the speeches so we came up with some ideas to entertain them and this is what this layout is all about.
We entertained guests with:

• nibbles and some very embarrassing home videos of my sisters and I singing Spice Girls ( I did not okay this - it was my dad being a pain)
•  A Mr and Mrs Quiz on each table with questions about both of us
• Little quiz boxes on each table
• A pinata full of sweets and prizes for the kids - although my The Belgian got first pop at it and almost took me out - a great start to marital bliss!

Here are some close-up shots of the layout...

It was a great layout to use up scraps - even the purple heart ribbon that we used for invites and favours. I think I used a Shimelle sketch of the week for inspiration on the composition - but I can't find it now! I also used up cute little scraps cut from 12 by 12 sheets and also plently of washi tape.I swoon over my blue star washi tape - don't you love it?
Purple and turquoise were out wedding colours and so I took a slight departure from this using purple with browns and oranges - not a colour combo I had ever used before but it just seemed to work really well.

Do you ever find that weddings can drag? What ideas for entertainment have you seen at weddings?

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For more of our wedding layouts see here, here and here

Messy Mondays: Scrapbook layout using up scraps

 I love how Shimelle (and other scrappers) use enlarged pictures for layouts. I think its great as it makes the photo the focus and can really showpiece a photo you are proud of.
I used the white space in this photo to put a journalling mat and my title.
I used several different washi tapes to affix the picture.
I used my Studio Calico abroad range to create some scraps to embellish the layout.
Some close-ups below:

 The funny thing about this layout is that the day after my sister and I were doing a 'photo shoot' on the rocks at the beach and I put down my glasses for a second - next minute they had fallen down a crack between the rocks and were gone into the oblivion on the beach. I loved those glasses too. I had spent more than I normally do on sunglasses too. My other pair were free in a magazine, but these were Quicksilver and they were purple and big and I loved them. :(
Perhaps the layout should have been ode to my sunglasses.

As the nights get darker and the temperature has dropped to 5 degrees - its nice to think back to sunnier days in Barcelona.
What do you do with your leftover scraps?

Ten things to do when you turn thirty...

1) Play around with your new lens in Shoreditch - I need more practice with it I think!

2) Take pictures of your The Belgian looking excited for the weekend ahead!

3) Stay in the Hilton at Canada Water and take the free boat across the Thames to 

Canary Wharfe

4) Have yummy pizzas at Fire and Ice in Spittlefields

5) Enjoy a yummy maple and pecan cupcake from Spittlefields market

6) Wander round London Bridge in the sunshine

7) Get some useful and funky pressies - liek the Wahaca recipe book

8) Have a bite to eat at the Bukowski grill and spot Gok Wan with his boyfriend and little doggy but didn't get a picture quick enough!

9) Have delicious ice-cream at Oddano's in Selfidges

10) And the highlight and reason for the weekend go and see a West End show - more specifically Matilda. I loved it all - the staging, the cute little kids, the character of the dad, the songs - especially When I Grow Up.

Admire the sunset on the day you get the train back up to Leeds....phew what a great birthday weekend!
How did you all celebrate your thirtieth birthdays? If you are the big 3-0 yet, that is!

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Linking up (a bit late to the party!) to Shimelle's 10 on the 10th

Messy Mondays: Washi title and glimmer mist mat

Do you remember our anniversary day out at the start of the summer? Three whole years and a grand day out together to celebrate.
I was inspired by my zebra print dress and used my stripy washi tape to coat my chipboard title and I am totally using that technique again - even though it was a bit of a 'faff!' I used lots of scraps of studio calico and tags to create a layered effect. The newsprint paper is perfect for the vintage and grungy feel of the layout.
I created a mat by mixing my turquoise and glittery glimmer mist together - it was quite subtle but added a nice glimmery tint.

 I embellished with paper strips and buttons.

 I added some bling to embellish as well.

 A close-up of the pictures.

Linking up with the amazing soapHOUSE mama over here...

Market value...

So you may recall my sister and I went on a trip to Barcelona over the summer - here are my top ten.I quickly ordered the pictures and have been enjoying scrapping with them.
We visited the market practically every day- the ice cold fruit smoothies were very welcome in that intense heat - it is when I am in markets that I wish that my photography skills were better. In my head I imagine pics of colourful stalls with arty blurring etc, but in reality my pics never live up to the idea in my mind. I have recently ordered a new close-up lens and am hoping my dreams of blur and macro shots will be realised with this new lens.
So back to the layout...I feel that this is sketch / composition that I have used before and think it is inspired by Shimelle. She has a pet hate of putting pictures on layouts that are landscape and portrait and I am inclined to agree that it looks more pleasing to the eye to have a nice line of photos. I used paint to create a border and then put some blue splodges in the corners.

I tied the middle pic up with some Miss Caroline twine to make it stand out.

I used washi in the top edge and bottom edge - overlapping the pictures.

I decorated with punched out starrs given texture with glossy accents, a flag and an American Crafts sticker.

I think turquoise and pink is a great colour combo and it really stands out and looks very bold and fresh. My sister and I were discussing the trial of coming up with titles for our layouts, earlier this week, and I said I often use song lyrics as inspiration or phrases. In this layout I thought of the title 'Market Value' as one of the things that I journalled about was that when we went to the market in the evening we got some real bargains - as all of the stalls were selling their food and drinks off before closing. I am a fan of cheesy puns - how do you all think of titles? Is it the first or last thing you plan in a layout?