Clearwater Beach Hybrid Layout

Hey everyone!! This is my second post of the day, so if you are looking my project for Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbon's DT Day, check out THIS post. 

Have you seen the super new fun kit out at Peppermint Creative?! I love it!! It's called Boardwalk Heat, and has such a wicked unique beach feel to it. 

I am in love with wood grained paper, so that's where I started with my layout...

I printed and cut out the seashells in various sizes and they made the perfect embellishments!! 

I also used the some elements from the Sandcastle collection from Pretty Little Studio, which went perfectly with the Boardwalk Heat kit. 

If you haven't noticed, I am SO addicted to sequins right now!! I love how they look randomly scattered around! 

Here is what I used on my layout...

- Boardwalk Heat digital kit from Peppermint Creative

- Sandcastle Collection from Pretty Little Studio

- My Creative Time doily die, Type font stamps

- Pink By Design alphabet stamps

- Gold Shimmer twine from The Twinery

Thanks so much for stopping by today!! Make sure you come back tomorrow for my Disney project and a new release from Trendy Twine! 

Hybrid Layout - Daughter

Hey everyone!! If you visit my blog often, you might know I have recently started doing a lot of hybrid projects, using digital scrapbooking kits. I have had a few questions about what exactly "hybrid" is, so I thought I would dedicate a post to answering that question! 

Hybrid crafting is using a combination of traditional paper and elements (buttons, glitter, etc.), with digital elements (pictures of pattern paper or elements that are computer files). Digital elements can be printed out, then cut by hand or a by using a machine such as the Silhouette. 

My favorite thing about creating using digital elements is the ability to lay my projects out on screen (in a program like Silhouette Software, or Photoshop) to see how they will turn out, before starting to assemble them. Changing the size and arrangement of elements means the possibilities with digital elements are really endless. I think my FAVORITE thing about digital kits, is that you can use the paper and elements over and over and over again! I tend to hoard my traditional paper and elements, and I know I'm not the only one!! (Right?! ;)) As FUN as playing with digital elements are... if you are like me, you NEED to get your hands in there!! Once all the digital elements are printed and cut out (I like printing on plain white, textured paper), traditional supplies like twine, pearls, glitter, buttons etc. can be added for extra depth and texture. 

In my layout below, I started with my digital aspects... I started with a 12x12 square and filled it will my blue background paper. I could print the paper out at this point, but I knew I wanted to add doilies and other elements, which are really detailed and can be a little tricky to cut out. Instead, I made these elements part of my background paper. When I printed out my base sheet of my layout, I included my 12x12 blue base, doilies, a few strips of quatrefoil-ish pattern paper and two wood circle borders. Everything else you see on the page (flowers, tags, text) was printed/cut out individually, then added onto my page along with pictures and some pearls. 

To add some dimension, and to hide those ugly white edges that sometimes show after cutting elements out, I used fluid chalk ink (I like Colorbox) to ink the edges of my elements. (You can see the brown along the edges of my orange quote strips). I also use foam stickers to adhere some elements to add even more dimension. 

In the pic above, you can get a better view of how my base 12x12 sheet of paper was printed with the doilies and wooden borders right on it. 

For my layout I used the Uniquely You kit from Peppermint Creative (one of my favorite kits!!). 

How inspired are you just by looking at this kit?! The possibilities are endless!! 

I hope I answered some questions about hybrid scrapbooking!!! Prepare to be addicted!!! :) 

Yumm-A-Lish

I seriously cannot believe Easter is already this weekend!!! We still have SO much snow! I guess the egg hunt will be in the house this year! I have a quick little project and tutorial to share with you today! Before I get started with my project, I wanted to let you know there is an awesome Easter sale going on over at Peppermint Creative you won't want to miss!! :) 

Supplies Used:
- Peppermint Creative Hoppy Easter Papers and Hoppy Easter Elements
- Silhouette Software
- Plain white card-stock
- Ribbon
- Adhesive pearls
- Foam stickers (pop dots)
- Two sided tape

I created my cut out elements using my Silhouette machine. If you don’ t have a digital cutting machine you can print the elements you’d like use with your printer and cut them by hand if you have some patience and a good pair of craft scissors. 

Here’s how I created the print & cut elements using Silhouette Studio

Step 1: In Silhouette Studio open a new document create a rectangle for the base of your topper. The size will vary depending on the size of the bag you will be using – my bag was 4 inches wide, so my rectangle measured 4 ½” x 5”

NOTE: Keep in mind your topper will be folded in half later on, so if you want your topper to be 2 ½” tall, then double it to make it 5” tall.

Step 2: Open window on your computer where your digital paper is stored. Make sure rectangle in Silhouette Software is selected, then drag and drop the desired digital paper over onto the rectangle to fill it with the pattern

Step 3: Under FILE, select MERGE and open up the following elements: easter basket, candy corn/jelly beans and flowers

Step 4: Scale all elements down to fit onto your topper base. (Keep in mind your rectangle will end up being half as tall). Scale/arrange candy to fit into your easter basket.

Step 5: To create a white border around all the elements, use the TRACE function. Use the SELECT TRACE AREA to create a square around element, uncheck HIGH PASS FILTER and increase THRESHOLD slider all the way to the right. Select TRACE (this will create an outline around element)

Step 6: Select outline around element, open the OFFSET WINDOW. Choose OFFSET, use slider to achieve the amount of white border around element. Go back and delete original TRACE outline

Step 7: Check to make sure the elements will be cut along the proper lines by using the Cut Style window.

Step 8: Align all elements on mat within registration marks

Step 9: Send to printer and feed through Silhouette to cut elements out!

Now for the assembly:

Step 1: Add pearls to flowers and ribbon to basket

Step 2: Fold topper base in half, add foam stickers to elements and adhere to topper

Step 3: Using two sided tape (one strip on each side of the inside/bottom of the topper) adhere to treat bag. 

Pretty easy, right?!? Hope you enjoyed my tutorial today!!! There will be more where this came from!! ;)