Create Your Own Perfectly Matching Background Paper!

 

In today's tutorial I will show you how to create a background paper that will allow your photo(s) to shine on a scrapbook layout.  Using Memento Inks that match the photo allows the photo to be the center star of the layout.  All the embellishments will also match by coloring with the same inks.  The background itself is super quick and simple, and can be used for cards as well as layouts.

Skill:  Beginner

Time:  1 hours

 Directions:

Step 1:

 

Select ink colors that are in the photo you wish to highlight.  In my case it is one of my favorite photos from our travels to Oahu when we climbed to the top of Koko Head.  The stunning blue, brown, and green directed my choice of ink colors.  In this step Memento in Peanut Brittle is brayered randomly over a sheet of canvas textured white cardstock.  Cover about a third of the cardstock in varying levels of ink layers.  The key to this technique is to not look for perfection, just go for a fun look!

Step 2:

 

Memento Bahama Blue is used to ink the next layer in the background.  A good quality rubber balloon is filled with popcorn and tied off.  This is used to ink with random size dots in varying ink intensities on the background covering about one more third of the paper.

Step 3:

A second balloon filled with rice gives a slightly different ink look for the last layer using Memento Olive Grove.  Fill in the remaining open areas on the cardstock to finish the background.

Step 4:

The embellishments are shown here as one step, as the main focus of this tutorial is the background technique.  Smooth texture cardstock is used for all the embellishments as it die cuts more cleanly.  A frame of white cardstock is trimmed to 7 1/2 " x 5 1/2 " and inked with Memento Luxe in Peanut Brittle.  The Luxe ink blends a little more easily over larger areas.  The title is die cut in triplicate, then adhered together with small dots of OnPoint Glue around the die cuts to add dimension, and finally inked with Memento in Danube Blue.  A die cut of the island of Oahu is inked in Memento Olive Grove.  

Step 5:

 

When the photo was layered over the frame the match between the soil and the Peanut Brittle was so close, they blended together!  The edges of the photo are inked with StazOn in Jet Black to add definition to all edges of the photo, and allow the photo to stand out from the frame.

Step 6:

A journal block is written on the computer and printed out using photo settings and trimmed to size.  A frame is trimmed 1/4" larger than the journal block and inked in Memento Danube Blue.  The two are adhered together with Tear It! Tape.

Step 7:

 

 

The elements of the layout are placed on the background and adhered with Tear It! Tape or OnPoint Glue.  Memento Dual Tip Marker in Tuxedo Black is used to mark a small "X" as to the location of Koko Head on the Island of Oahu.   

Art Supplies

Imagine:

Memento--Peanut Brittle, Danube Blue, Olive Grove

Memento Luxe-- Peanut Brittle

StazOn--Jet Black

Memento Dual Tip Maker--Tuxedo Black

Ink Daubers

Tear It! Tape

On Point Glue

Other:

White canvas textured cardstock

White smooth textured cardstock

2" Rubber Brayer

Rubber balloons with popcorn and rice

Momenta Casual Script Alphabet Dies

Die Cut machine

Brother Scan and Cut 

Silhouette Design Store--Hawaii State die cut modified, Candy Apple Bold Script

Sketchy Time at Retro Rubber Easter Card

 It is time for a new challenge over at Retro Rubber Challenge Blog.  This is a beautiful clean and simple sketch that can be adapted in many ways.

Since Easter is coming up I choose a very classic scene for this sketch using Joy Clair's My Redeemer from March 2017.  

• I do not have a sunburst stencil or die in my stash (gasp!), so I found one as a card design at the Silhouette Design Store and made my own from 60 lb Bristol Board vellum finish.
• Using my DIY stencil I blended Memento Dandelion, Cantaloupe, and Tangelo to create a background.  
• The cross is stamped in the center and on another section of cardstock in VersaFine Onyx Black and heat embossed with iridescent embossing powder.  After tapping VersaFine Crimson Red and Vintage Sepia I used a spritz of Ink Potion No. 9 and a fine paint brush to color both crosses.  The second cross is fussy cut with scissors.
• In my stash of ancient Provo Craft Slabs I found the perfect multi-colored paper to finish the sketch.  A 4" strip was cut and then Lawn Fawn Cuts Stitched Hillside Borders to die cut the two different shades from the paper.  They were purposefully cut a little long so I could overlap the edges in a way that fit the sketch.  After they were adhered I trimmed the excess with scissors.
• The fussy cut cross was added with dimensional foam adhesive.
• Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Easter from February 2021 added the sentiment.  It is stamped in VersaFine Onyx Black and heat embossed with iridescent embossing powder.  Memento Cantaloupe is inked over the sentiment that was die cut with the matching die.  A backer die cut was added to finished the sentiment then adhered with dimensional foam adhesive.

A CAS Easter Card, I plan on making a few more as I still have plenty of the multi colored paper to make contrasting hills!  Please do come join us at Retro Rubber Challenge blog and have a little fun creating with the sketch!  

CHALLENGE GUIDELINES

• We require stamps older than one year.  If we feel you are using newer stamps, you may be disqualified from the challenge without notification.
• New papers/dies are OK – but you must use at least one stamp older than a year and describe the age in your blog post.
• Please note that all challenges require the use of at least one stamp older than a year.
• Post your new creation to your blog or online gallery.   Use keyword RRCB180.  No backlinking. 
• Link back to the blog using the Linky Tools by the due date. 
• Enter as many times as you like. 
• Feel free to combine our challenge with a maximum of 10 challenges.  Entries linked to more than 10 challenges will be disqualified without notification.
• If your project is posted on a private group site such as Split Coast Stampers or a photo sharing site not all DT members may be able to comment.   Thank you for understanding.
• Turn off Word Verification.  We love to comment but word verification can make that difficult.

Transportation theme for Retro Rubber

 So here we are closing in on the end of summer.  Our theme at Retro Rubber is transportation, and as you will notice by the Design Team's cards, any type will do!

 

I have a stamp set from Unity Stamp Company that I purchased back in 2013, "Consider yourself vintage" that was perfect for this challenge.  Using The Stamps of Life Oval Grid die set made very quick work of putting together  card with visual interest.

 

 

• The car image is stamped on white cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black, along with the sentiment.
• The oval die is centered around the car and die cut.
• The sentiment trimmed to size.
• The grid portion is die cut from two sets of patterned paper, Most likey by Essential Paperz, but it was in my "card making" scrap tote, and have no idea how long it's been around.  But it works perfectly with this image!  (Bonus:  I have the outline, and grid pieces to make at least 3 more cards!
• Black cardstock is trimmed and adhered to the card front.  
• I used a centering ruler to center and adhere the image oval with thin dimensional foam adhesive.
• The grid pieces are alternated and adhered to the black cardstock.
• The card needed a little pop of color so the sentiment is backed with a scrap of red cardstock and adhered with thicker dimensional foam adhesive.

Please do join us at Retro Rubber!   These are our challenge guidelines:

• We require stamps older than one year.  If we feel you are using newer stamps, you may be disqualified from the challenge without notification.
• New papers/dies are OK – but you must use at least one stamp older than a year and describe the age in your blog post.
• Please note that all challenges require the use of at least one stamp older than a year.
• Post your new creation to your blog or online gallery.   Use keyword RRCB165.  No backlinking. 
• Link back to the blog using the Linky Tools by the due date. 
• Enter as many times as you like. 
• Feel free to combine our challenge with a maximum of 10 challenges.  Entries linked to more than 10 challenges will be disqualified without notification.
• If your project is posted on a private group site such as Split Coast Stampers or a photo sharing site not all DT members may be able to comment.   Thank you for understanding.
• Turn off Word Verification.  We love to comment but word verification can make that difficult.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

 

Fremont Street Experience

When in Las Vegas, taking in the craziness that is Fremont Street Experience is part of the fun.  I had read about Fremont Street Experience and wanted to see the lighted dome . . . little did I know this was not the only aspect of Fremont Street that people went to see!  I was advised by a local to wear shoes . . . as it is usually crowded and dirty, and to be prepared to see all kinds of characters!

We went right as the light shows started, but it was not as crowded or crazy.  We got the tame version, which was fine by me and my husband.  We saw many other street performers, a few that were not suitable for my scrapbook pages.  Notice the blue circles on the street, those are scheduled assigned spots where the performers can stand.

I used purple cardstock as a base to match the purple in the printed Old Antique Words by Scrapbook Customs for ScrapbooksRUs.  Two different colors of grey cardstock are used to complement the colors.  I trimmed 1 1/4" strips and die cut the edges with Spellbinders Classic Bracket.  Not much of the strip shows from behind the photos on the right side, but I wanted more of the printed paper to show.  Sizzix Thinlits by Jen Long Just a Note font is used to die cut both titles.

With so many photos I decided to keep the embellishments to a minimum.  I am pleased with the outcome of the layout.

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts here at Snippets of Time to Craft!  Have a blessed day!

Around Las Vegas

Two more pages, not actually companion pages, but they will reside side by side in the album.  If we had more time we would have hiked in Red Rock Canyon, but as it was we just drove by, so two scenic shots.  There will be another layout about the craziness that is Fremont Street, but our photos at the iconic Las Vegas landmark were perfect for the next layout.

The background papers are Old Antique by Scrapbook Customs for ScrapbooksRUs.  By the way if you have not had the opportunity to shop at Scrapbook Customs I would highly recommend their products.  I have a stash of custom papers that I will use for scrapbooking my kids high school graduations.  They also have many awesome custom sport papers.  You will notice the the color of the title influences the overall color of the paper.  Both sides have the photos double matted.  Red Rock has a journal block, and the mats on the Fremont St. trimmed a bit larger to include room for journaling at the bottom.  

Thanks for stopping by and checking in with Snippets of Time to Craft!  As always your comments are appreciated!

Las Vegas Sights!

My husband and I recently traveled to Las Vegas for my Kodiak High School All Class Reunion.  We are not gamblers or drinkers, but we did enjoy seeing the sights and eating great food!  One of our stops was to a BRICK AND MORTAR local scrapbook store, ScrapbooksRUs.  I was able to find great papers to scrapbook our trip.  They are all custom papers by Scrapbook Customs that ScrapbooksRUs carries in the store.  The owner knew immediately we were from out of town and greeted us by saying "Where are you visiting from?".  The give away?  My spouse was with me as we came in the store.  Thank you dear husband for going to the scrapbook store with me!

I had too many photos to fit on a double page layout, but not enough to create another page or two.  So lift up the flap and see six more photos!

There were lots of colors in the Vegas Sights print, so I choose from those to complement the photos.  The Vegas Sights is two sided, and the B side is featured as the strips along the A side.  The yellow cardstock behind the Las Vegas Strip die cut is fussy cut to trim it down (literally) in size.

Thanks so much for stopping by and taking a look!  Have a wonderful day!