Sunday, July 31, 2022

Create an Imagination Stamperia Canvas

stamperia, fotobella, mixed media, canvas

Hello! It’s Chris, and today I am excited to share this Imagination Stamperia Canvas I created with FotoBella’s Stamperia Imagine Paper Pad. I love creating these mini canvas projects because they make great last minute gifts! And with the Imagine Paper Pad the paper does most of the work! *wink*

Supplies needed to create your Imagination Stamperia Canvas

Stamperia’s Imagine Paper Pad

Buttons and More Galore- Desert Sky

lace, jute, binder clips, small flower (or punched flower), butterfly punch, 5 x7 canvas, paint, metallic ink

Creating your Imagination Stamperia Canvas

Stamperia Imagine Paper Pad

Trim your Stamperia Imagine Paper so that it is slightly smaller than your canvas. Set aside. ( you can see how stunning the papers are!)

stamperia, fotobella, mixed media, canvas

Paint your canvas. I chose this turquoise color, but you can choose any color you’d like.

Ink the edges of your papers with metallic ink. Once dry enough, adhere your papers to the canvas, centered.

Cut out Love tag from front cover of your Stamperia paper pad. Punch out the butterfly and set aside.

Now, we can add lace to the project. Cut the lace to fit the width of the top of the paper sheet.

Cut out Dream tag, heart and sentiment from your paper pad. Adhere your Love tag, dream tag, heart and sentiment as shown below. If you’d like, you can ink the edges to those as well.

Add a jute bow and the punched butterfly to the lower left side, as shown in my image below.

stamperia, fotobella, mixed media, canvas

Next, add binder clips and jute bows to the top of your canvas. Add chipboard scrap sentiment to canvas. Add a clear gem from your Buttons and More Galore- Desert Sky.

stamperia, fotobella, mixed media, canvas

Finish off your Stamperia Canvas with a tiny flower added to the Dream Heart cluster.

stamperia, fotobella, mixed media, canvas

I hope you enjoyed this Imagination Stamperia Canvas and are inspired to play!

Be sure to play along with this month’s challenge for a chance to win from FotoBella!

http://promote.fotobella.com/fotobella-july-2022-best-independence-day-decor/

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Homegrown Page Kit: Mix and Match to Create Your Own Look

Simple Stories Homegrown Page Kit

Hi crafty friends. It’s Kristine and I’m back again today with another Simple Stories page kit for you. In the last post, I shared how to use the Beachy page kit mostly following the directions with some extras. These page kits are ideal for the beginner scrapbooker to learn about page design. Today, I will show you how to can take one of the page kits and rearrange the layouts to make your own unique look. The best part: everything still coordinates since it’s from the same kit!

For this tutorial, I will show you how to mix and match the two double page layouts from the Homegrown page kit. This is a great way to advance your scrapbooking skills while personalizing the layouts. With the Homegrown page kit, you will receive four 12 x 12 background papers, 33 carddtock die cut pieces, and 16 chipboard die cut pieces. Since I also have leftovers from the Simple Stories Love Grows Here card kit (there’s a recent blog post about it), I will use a few of them in my layout. However, if you do not have the card kit, you can use the pieces from the page kit.

Page Kit

Rearranging the Layouts in the Page Kit

You may be asking why I would rearrange the layouts in a pre-made kit. Sometimes, there may be a certain embellishment that does not fit the type of layout you want to make. For me, the cow image on the second layout does not work with my theme. Other times, you may like elements from one layout with elements from the second layout. In my case, I like the first page of one layout and the second page of the other layout. My solution is to combine the page with “Family” and the page with “Together” into one layout. Then, I will create the second layout from the remaining pieces.

To begin, I will add all of the pieces to the “Family” layout. Rather than using the photo size in the page kit instructions, I will make my own photo mat sizes. Mine measure 3 1/2” x 5 ” for the landscape mat, and 3” squares for the smaller ones. Then, the “home grown” sentiment is a leftover piece from my card kit.

Moving on to the second page, I will add the yellow background paper to the left side of the page rather than the right. Next, I will remove the black and white print paper. The two border strips will match the first page. Then, I will cut two photo mats: one measuring 4” x 6” and the other measuring 3 1/2” x 5”. From the original “Together” layout, I will use all of the die cut pieces to embellish the layout. However, I will arrange them differently and also add the circular die cut pieces in the bottom right corner.

Homegrown Page Kit
Type caption (optional)

Homegrown Layout #2

For the lefthand page, I will use the design included in the page kit with a few minor adjustments. First, I will make my photo mats both 4” x 4 1/2”. Also, I will move the yellow butterfly from the bottom of the page to the middle of the page along the lefthand side.

Then, the second page of this layout will be a completely different design. First, I will add the leftover piece of black and white paper from the first layout to the lefthand side of the page. Next, I will cut two 3 1/2” square photo mats for that section. The larger photo mat measures 4” x 6”. Most of the embellishments are from the original layout with the barn, but they are arranged differently. I did not include the cow die cut, and added the produce die cut along with several leftover pieces from my card kit.

I hope this post has given you some inspiration for how you can rearrange a pre-made a page kit. It can be quite useful if the embellishments don’t quite match your photos or the look you want to achieve. It can also be fun to design your own layout using just the supplies from the page kit! Head over to the FotoBella online store today to pick up a Simple Stories page kit and give it a try!

Until next time, happy crafting!

~Kristine, FotoBella Design Team

Monday, July 25, 2022

Own Your Dreams Framed Mixed Media Art

stamperia, fotobella, mixed media

Greetings! Chris here, and today I am so excited to share this Framed Mixed Media Art I created with Stamperia Block Imagine Papers. Theses papers are just stunning in person. As I flipped through all of the pages that came with this collection, I found this one and I just couldn’t cut it up.

stamperia, fotobella, mixed media

So instead I decided to dress it up! And then frame it!

Supplies needed to create your Framed Mixed Media Art

Stamperia Block Imagine Papers

Graphic 45 Rose Bouquet Collection-Classic Ivory & Natural Linen (actually any color will do as you are using the sprigs and leaves not the flowers)

12 x 12 wood tray, burlap, paper doily, butterfly punch, flowers, scalloped circle punch, jute, paint, mini stapler, lace, pearl trims, metal tag

Creating Your Framed Mixed Media Art

Start by painting your wood tray with diluted paint. I chose red, but you can choose any color you’d like.

Trim your Stamperia Block Imagine Papers to fit inside your wood frame. Don’t adhere just yet. (I like to embellish first then adhere to my frame)

Cut some burlap scraps and staple to your Stamperia Block Imagine Paper. You can cut then in any shape. Also, fray them for a different dimension and detail.

Trim the lacy portion of a paper doily as shown below.

Next, adhere the trimmed paper doily as ‘False Eyelashes’ to your lady. Adhere a strip of lace down, to the left hand side of your paper. Do this, by curling up the longer length of the doily, and the shorter side will be attached to the paper.

From the front cover of your paper pack, cut out the heart tag. Punch butterflies and scalloped circle from your cover. Set aside.

Add pearl trims to top, side and bottom of your paper. Adhere floral sprigs as shown.

Add flowers, as shown in image below, to your paper.

Grab the cut heart tag, scalloped circle and punched butterfly. You can secure them to your paper now, as shown in my image. Cut out the sentiment from the paper pad and adhere to the right side of the scallop. Now, add a jute tie to the heart tag.

Next, you can add metal tag, a free style cut banner, lace trim and a punched butterfly to paper as shown. Add a jute tie to metal tag also.

stamperia, fotobella, mixed media

Add floral leaves as shown. You can now finish your project by accenting your eyelashes with a punched butterfly. Adhere your finished paper into your frame.

stamperia, fotobella, mixed media

I hope you enjoyed this project and are inspired to get creative with your fotobella supplies!

Be sure to play along with this months challenge for a chance to win!

http://promote.fotobella.com/fotobella-july-2022-best-independence-day-decor/

Thursday, July 21, 2022

Simple Stories Page Kits - Scrapbooking Made Easy

Simple Stories Page Kit

Hi crafty friends. It’s Kristine and today I want to share another tip for any crafters new to scrapbooking. Simple Stories page kits are perfect for introducing the newbie scrapbooker to the art of making layouts. When you are new to a craft, it can often feel overwhelming to know where to start, what to buy, and how to put it all together. Let’s take a look at the Simple Stories Beachy page kit as an example.

Within the page kit, you will receive all of the supplies to make two double page layouts. There are four 12 x 12 background papers, 54 die cut pieces, and 19 chipboard pieces. Also, the page kit contains instructions for putting together the two sample layouts. The nice thing about these page kits is you can follow the instructions exactly and have great scrapbook pages. Or, you can switch things up a bit and make them your own! However, if you are new to scrapbooking, these page kits will show you how to layer pieces on a layout in a cohesive way.

Let’s work on the some layouts using the Beachy kit! I will also be using one of my Graphic 45 ink pads - Peachy Pink. These ink pads are an easy way to liven up your layouts. Also, I love to use gems on my layouts so I’ll grab some matching ones from my stash. These doodads from Buttons Galore & More would be cute with the collection, too! Also, I will be using foam tape to add dimension to some of my embellishments.

Beachy Layout #1

Beachy Page Kit by Simple Stories

For the first layout, I will follow the directions that come in the Simple Stories page kit. However, I will ink all edges of the papers and cardstock punch outs first. I did not ink my chipboard punch outs. Rather than adding photos, my layout will have white cardstock photo mats and I will add photos later.

Then, I will add some foam tape to some of the embellishment clusters. Finally, I will add just a few gems to each of the pages to provide some extra sparkle.

Simple Stories Page Kit Layout #2

Simple Stories Page Kit

Now that the first double page layout from the kit is done, we will move to the second layout. Similar to the first, I will follow the directions included in the Simple Stories page kit and ink the edges of my pieces. However, I did place the two circular pieces on the righthand page up higher than the example.

Foam tape will be used on some of the pieces for added dimension. Since I don’t have photos printed for my layout, I am using white cardstock photo mats. These pieces are also inked for a pop of color.

Extra Pieces from the Page Kit

In the pictures above, you may have noticed a few “extra” pieces that were not included in the Simple Stories page kit instructions. Since there are several leftover pieces, I like to add a few onto my layout, as needed. So, I will add the starfish between the small photos on the second page.

I really like the anchor punch out and want to include it in my layout. So, I decided to add it to the opposite page, between the two smaller photo mats.

If you are new to scrapbooking, I hope you have found the Simple Stories Page Kits to be less intimidating. The more page kits you make, the more you will recognize the elements of a balanced layout. And if you are a scrapbooking pro, what tips do you have for the beginners? We would love for you to share them in the comments below! Don’t forget to check out the FotoBella online store for more Simple Stories page kits and other paper crafting products.

Until next time, happy crafting!

~Kristine, FotoBella Design Team

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Quick and Easy Stamperia Princess Card

stamperia princess card, fotobella, cardmaking

Greetings! Chris here and today I am sharing this Quick and Easy Stamperia Princess Card.

I just love the sentiment for this card... Beauty Lives with Kindness! The sentiment makes this card a perfect thank you for that special someone who offered you an act of kindness!

Supplies need to recreate Card

Stamperia 12x12 Paper Pad - Princess (10 Double Sided Sheets)

Stamperia Chipboard - Princess

5x7 card base, coordinating card stock, adhesive

Creating your Stamperia Princess Card

First, trim your coordinating card stock to 4 3/4 x 6 3/4. I chose these prints and this pinkish solid color, but feel free to choose another color combination if you’d like!

Next, cut this pretty floral piece from the Stamperia Paper pad to 4 1/2 x 6 1/2. You can then adhere it to your coordinating card stock. Now, adhere both to the center of your card base. Just look at how beautiful that paper is. Optional additional details can be: inking the edges, tearing or shredding the edges and even adding touches of glitter.

stamperia princess card, fotobella, cardmaking

Cut the door image from your Stamperia papers and adhere to the lower left side of the card. (You could also cut the doors so that they open and tuck a little message inside if you desire)

stamperia princess card, fotobella, cardmaking

Next, add this cute Chipboard lady from your Stamperia Chipboard collection to the lower right side of your Stamperia Princess Card. Touches of glitter dots would be an option for her dress here as well.

stamperia princess card, fotobella, cardmaking

Finish your card by adding the Beauty Lives with Kindness chipboard sentiment greeting to the upper left part of the door image. I love the depth it creates, by adhering it layered off the card. You can use 3D sticky dots or foam.

stamperia, fotobella, cardmaking

I hope you enjoyed this Stamperia Princess Card and are inspired to try out this collection.

Be sure to play along with this month’s challenge for a chance to win a prize.

http://promote.fotobella.com/fotobella-july-2022-best-independence-day-decor/

Thursday, July 14, 2022

Simple Stories Card Kit: Perfect for the Beginner Card Maker

Hi crafty friends. It’s Kristine and this month I’ll be showing you several projects that I make with the Simple Stories kits. If you’re new to these kits, Simple Stories makes a card kit and a page kit. Each card kit comes with all of the supplies you will need to create 8 cards. Likewise, the page kit comes with all of the supplies to create two double page layouts.

Simple Stories Love Grows Here Card Kit

For the beginner card maker or scrapbooker, these kits are fabulous and I’ll tell you why. First, it can be overwhelming as a newbie to pick supplies for a project. The Simple Stories card kit and page kit take away the pressure. All of the elements in the kit match and have a theme. Second, beginners sometimes struggle with layering various pieces of the collection. Again, the Simple Stories kits make it easy because they provide instructions for creating the sample cards and layouts! And finally, the card and page kits can help the beginner crafter to understand how to design a card or page with various elements.

Often, many crafters struggle to add layers to projects without losing site of their photos (on layouts) or sentiments (on cards). The Simple Stories kits really can help with the process of learning layering!

Love Grows Here Card Kit by Simple Stories

For today’s project, I will be using the Love Grows Here card kit. It includes 8 cardstock bases along with 28 chipboard pieces and 70 die cut pieces. Simple Stories makes it simple to create their cards! Simply grab your glue bottle and follow the instructions provided! However, you can also add some extra embellishments to make the cards unique. Other embellishments from the collection such as brads and enamel dots are easy add-ons. And ribbon or twine from your stash are always a nice touch.

If you are brand new to card making, welcome! We all start out as newbies, so let’s start on those cards from the kit. Before I assemble anything, I like to punch out all of the pieces in my Simple Stories kit. This makes the assembly process much quicker. Then, I will place the pieces onto each card front before adhering anything down.

Simple Stories card kit

At this stage, it is time to decide whether you want to assemble the cards exactly as the directions in the Simple Stories card kit show. Or, you might want to add a few extras such as ribbon, twine, or gems like I am doing on my cards. Also, I will use foam tape to add dimension to my card fronts. And finally, I will be using my Graphic 45 ink pads to add more dimension and color to my card pieces.

Assembling Your Simple Stories Cards

To begin assembling your cards, use the directions provided in your card kit. However, if you are adding those extras, check out each of my cards below where I will explain what I added to the directions in the Simple Stories card kit. Each card below will have two photos to show the finished card and the dimensional extras.

Card 1

On this card, I used foam tape to adhere the “Happiness” piece and added a small piece of ribbon to the right side. Then, I used foam tape on the “Welcome Home” floral piece and added two black pearls to the top left side. The edges are inked in black and natural linen inks.

Card 2

For the next card, I added foam tape to the butterfly and the “Grateful for You” banner. Then, I added a ribbon bow to the bottom and three black pearls to the top right corner. The edges are inked in black ink.

Card 3

Then, for this card I tied a piece of twine around the back piece and popped the three center pieces up on foam tape. Two black pearls are added to each side of the card. The edges are inked in natural linen ink.

Card 4

On the next card, I added foam tape to the roosters and knotted a piece of ribbon for the righthand side. All edges are inked with black ink.

Card 5

With the next card, I added two small pieces of ribbon to the ends of the “Family is Everything” piece. Then, I added foam tape to the barrel piece and added two black pearls to the corners. All edges are inked in black.

Card 6

Next, I adhered the floral pieces and watering can to the card front with foam tape. I also tied a twine bow at the top of the tag. The edges of the pieces are inked with natural linen ink.

Card 7

Then, on this card, I added foam tape to the back of the wheelbarrow. Two black pearls adorn to the sides of the “Home Sweet Home” sentiment. A button and twine bow is added to the right corner of the card. The pieces are inked with natural linen ink.

Card 8

The last card in the Simple Stories card kit has an extra piece added to the background. Then, I used foam tape for the animals and finished off with a ribbon and twine bow in the bottom corner. Pieces are inked with black and natural linen inks.

Extra Pieces in the Kit

If you have made all 8 of your cards, you will see that there are a lot of pieces leftover from the Simple Stories card kit. These pieces are perfect for adding to the inside of the cards to give a bit of decoration. Also, you can add them to the envelope to dress it up a bit. Or, even better, you can make additional cards using background papers from your stash!

Especially for the beginner card maker, I hope you have found this post to be helpful in showing you how you can elevate your cards to the next level. With just a few extras, you can take your cards from simple to stunning. Don’t forget to check out the FotoBella online store for all of the other Simple Stories card kits and page kits available.

Until next time, happy crafting!

~Kristine, FotoBella Design Team