SO MUCH TO SMILE ABOUT/MY CREATIVE SCRAPBOOK

Hello everyone! June was a blur...seriously, this month flew by. Today, I'm sharing this layout I created using My Creative Scrapbook's sketch for June. It's such a fun sketch and I love how this turned out.

Initially, I planned on creating a collage layout, but then I started moving the chipboard frames around the layout and came up with this design! I love the cluster of flowers and the stenciled background. Isn't this so pretty?

I love using sketches to help jumpstart my ideas! You can turn it sideways, flip It upside down or simply take a few things from it to use on your projects.

I love how the chipboard pieces tie this layout together. What do you think? You can see the full tutorial through my YouTube channel. Click here to see this month's kit. Mention my name for a free gift! Thank you so much for visiting today!

LOVE, HOPE, DREAMS ART JOURNAL SPREAD/A CHERRY ON TOP

Hello, friends. Happy Friday! Nicole here with a fun, whimsical art journal spread. I really need to play in my art journal more often because it makes me so happy...my mood instantly changes when I play with pretty stamps, stencils, and lots of color.

Before I begin, I always decide on a color theme...I chose to work with orange, reds, and greens for the base. The patterned paper pads make the process so much easier! I simple colored the pages using acrylic markers and then tore the paper and glued them to the pages.

Sometimes, I fussy cut images from the paper to glue down as well to tie both sides of the journal spread together.

I glued a variety of cute die cut elements at the bottom to create a fun, whimsical cluster of elements across the bottom of the page. Next, I glued the glitter drops down to add some shimmer.

This page has a nice collage feel to it. I just glued down everything that I wanted, randomly all over the place. It's not organized by any means, but it's totally fun!

One of my favorite things about playing in my journal is that it is very freeing to not think or worry about anything at all...just add color and glue down the things that make you smile...it's that simple. JUST HAVE FUN.

I hope you found this spread fun, and delightful to look at! I enjoyed playing, and I encourage you to try something different if you haven't given art journaling a try, yet. Start out small and work your way up to the larger size. I'm still working with a 4x4 size and it works for me. Click here, to see the full tutorial! Thanks for watching.

Nicole

MASCULINE INTERACTIVE PAGES/A CHERRY ON TOP

Good morning friends! I'm so excited to share my flip pages I created using 49 & Market's Rust and Revs collection. I've been wanting to make a masculine album of my son for some time now...and I decided to just start it, and I absolutely love what I created so far. This collection is perfect for teenage boys and men.

To begin, I used a blending brush to blend the ink through the flip pages that comes with the Rust and Revs Binder Album. Next, I added some patterns paper. After that, I mounted down the photos and chipboard frame and then the fun part...adding rub-ons and fun embellishments to bring this spread to life.

I followed the same format for the back of the pages using these photos. My goal with this album is to document Edward's hobbies and things he does...and I will add a few candid shots throughout the album because you may not know this already, but teenagers are difficult when it comes to having their pictures taken.

Here is a close up of the embellishments. The rub-ons are fantastic...Can you spot them all? What do you think? Isn't this so cool!?

I especially love the chipboard frames and enamel stickers. They are just perfect. And you can't beat the quality of 49 & Market's products.

I hope you found these flip pages inspiring! They were super simple and fun to make! Thank you so much for visiting today.

Nic

Book Fair/MY CREATIVE SCRAPBOOK

Hello, friends! I have some exciting news to share. This month I am guest designing for My Creative Scrapbook. The main kit includes lots of fabulous products from Simple Stories' Book Fair collection. If you've been on the fence, why not grab a kit today...you will receive just the right amount of products to document your back to school memories or your love for reading! Be sure to mention my name before checking out to receive a free gift! Click here to take a look at the kit.

I painted this chipboard album from Prima Marketing using a variety of paint by Perfect Paints. Next, I used the modeling paste and acrylic paints to create the fun cameras. I love playing with stencils and so this was so much fun for me.

I have a certain way that I set the pages up for this fun mixed media album. On the left-side of the page, I add a fun cluster of embellishments and on the right, there's either a photo or flip page element and occasionally a journaling card.

I kept this album pretty simple with lots of layers and pretty embellishments!

To add dimension to the stickers, I used foam squares to pop them up off the page.

Since I was getting low on die cuts, I fussy cut the stack of books and flowers from the cut-apart sheet. This is such a great way to stretch your products!

This cluster of embellishments makes  me happy. I just love them all stacked up together in this beautiful cluster. 

I created a flip page by cutting two 4x6 journaling cards so they were still attached and folded in half. Next, I mounted it to the page and added the picture and embellishments.

Here is the inside of the flip page. That little owl is too cute for words. I plan on writing a few of the books we read together on the card for our book club!

Here is a simple cluster I created using stickers and foam squares. I added a few enamel dots from my stash.

This boy is always by my side...even at night while I'm reading... Isn't Paco the cutest? I cut the sentiments from journaling cards to frame the photo. Next, I added the tag and foam sticker clips.

This is a simple page I created using a few die cuts, and foam stickers. LOVE that little wormy. Seriously, this kit is so fun!

For those of you who do not have a digital cutting machine, this kit comes with a pre-cut image and I just love it!! I heat embossed the image using gold embossing powder. Then, I glued it to the page and added some embellishments to add dimension so the page wouldn't appear too flat.

More layers...and cute owl. This is my favorite spread from this little mini. And I think the blue background really makes the embellishments pop.

I created another flip page element by cutting the journaling cards and folding it in half. Next, I mounted the top portion behind the photo to create the flip. 

What do you think? Isn't this super cute. It's been awhile since I created a fun mixed media album and it felt good to make this adorable mini. 

Thank you for visiting today and don't forget to check out the kit, here! If you would like to see the full tutorial of how this came together, I'll have the process video up on my YouTube channel tomorrow. Click here to check it out. Hope you have a great weekend!

Nic

YOUR SMILE MAKES MY DAY/49 & MARKET

Hello, friends! I'm loving all the new collections by 49 & Market. Seriously, they are amazing! I especially love the Rust & Revs collection. It's perfect for masculine layouts...and even beach layouts!

I used a stencil and polishing plasters to create the stenciled background. I love this stencil! The different polishing plasters look amazing in the background and they match perfectly with this collection.

I used a variety of rub-ons throughout the layout. These rub-ons are absolutely beautiful! The clockwork chipboard is from Brutus Monroe. They add a great deal of dimension to this layout with the enamel dots added to the center.

I layered a variety of embellishments together to frame the photo nicely.

I created the tag using a scrap piece of patterned paper and a metal die. Isn't this the perfect masculine layout? I just love everything about it. This collection is available at A Cherry on Top. Click here to see this beautiful collection through my affiliate link. Thank you so much for visiting today!

Nicole

LET YOURSELF FREE ART JOURNAL SPREAD/A CHERRY ON TOP

Good morning, friends! Nicole here with a fun art journaling spread I created using a variety of products by Art by Marlene. I just love how fun, funky, and vibrant her products are and I've been itching to play in my journal for a few weeks now. And then I saw that Jess and Rachel were playing in theirs...and that was just what I needed to jump in and play along side them.

I never really have any idea of what I'm going to do when it comes to creating in my art journal. I simply grab a stamp and some paper along with my duo acrylic markers and just start laying down color. Once the background is colored with markers or papers, I add shapes, journaling and whatever else inspires me.

The butterfly stamps were my inspiration for this spread. I picked up two sets a few months ago and have yet to use them...therefore, I designed this spread around the butterflies. I cut the postage stamp paper to create the border at the top and bottom of the first spread. The butterfly was stamped directly onto the page so that I could get the scattered polka dots... and then I filled in the area to add pink and blue dots between the black polka dots.

Next, I stamped the butterfly image on to patterned paper and fussy cut it and glued it to the page. Super simple, but by using patterned paper, I was able to add more color. Then, I added the stamped sentiment, string, and gems to complete the spread. I ended up tracing over the sentiment using the marker to make it more bolder since the stamped sentiment was a little light.

The second part of the spread was a bit of a challenge and it didn't necessarily go as planned... I added the paper and then stamped the circles across the top of the page. I used markers to color in the dots. After that, I stamped the butterfly onto the paper and it was not a clear image so I ended up stamping it on a piece of patterned paper and fussy cutting it out to glue over my mistake. I stamped a few images such as the heart and sentiment. After that, I added a few die cuts to fill in the white space along with gems, and doodling.

Have you played in an art journal yet? It doesn't have to be pretty or perfect! It's just a great way to decompress and just play... Thank you so much for visiting today!  Click below to watch the full tutorial! A lot more went into this process than meets the eye...but in a fun way!

Nicole

How to Make a Thinking of You Card/Perfect Paints

Good morning, friends! Nicole here with two mixed media cards I created using the newest polishing plasters in the shop! Loving the new additions!! The colors are beautiful. I've been meaning to send a friend a "thinking of you" card for sometime now and thought I would make one to send to her this week. And I just love how pretty they turned out...and mostly, they were super simple to make!

To begin, I cut two panels from watercolor paper to measure 4x6. Next, I taped the panel down on the glass mat to prevent the paper from moving. After that, I taped the stencil over the panel. Then, I used a palette knife to pull the Sangria and Boho Blue Polishing Plaster through the stencil-one at a time.

I let the polishing plaster dry before mounting the card down on the A2 card base. I did need to trim the panel down a bit to fit on the panel. I decorated the card with ribbon, die cuts and gems. I just love how pretty and simple this looks.

After I created this card, I decided to make another one using the Nature's Patina and Clover Honey Polishing Plaster.

Are you ready to make a few mixed media cards of your own? I'm sure your friends will love receiving a handmade card in the mail. It would be a nice surprise. Thank you for visiting today!

Nicole

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ART JOURNALING SPREAD/A CHERRY ON TOP

Good morning, friends! Nicole here with another mixed media art journal project. This past month, we celebrated my neice's third birthday. I came home and created this fun art journal spread using stamps and stencils to create a fun background. One thing I realized while creating this spread is that I definitely gravitate towards things that I like in real life... Such as pigs and animals in general, and Art by Marlene fits my personality! I love funky stuff...and I like playing with bright, colorful products. I think that's why I'm hooked on art journaling! It's freeing...

To begin, I used a pencil to draw marks on the plain art journal page to create a pattern for the background. Next, I colored in the triangles using the Duo Acrylic Markers. This markers are fantastic!!! I love them so much. Next, I cut the patterned paper from the Golden Collector's Book into a fun photo corner and glued it down in the journal.

After that, I moved the fun die cuts around to figure out the placement of all the magical elements. These fun die cuts come inside the Golden Collector's Book.

Once I was satisfied with the placement of the little guys, I glued everything down. I used the white marker to trace around some of the die cuts to make the images more defined so they don't get lost in the background.

I stamped some journaling scripts and hearts to the background. You do not need a block for the stamps. Simply, press the stamp into the ink pad and then press the stamp down on the page using your fingers to press down to ensure the images transfer to the paper. I probably should have done this before gluing down the elements...but to fix this issue, I covered the areas I didn't want to cover with scrap pieces of paper and it worked out. After that, I used the markers to create a variety of dots to fill in the white space.

I stamped the hearts down and then traced them using the markers to change the hearts to multi-colors. I used my fingers to dabb off the excess paint from the hearts to lighten them. Next, I used the stencil to create the little blocks with the markers. I used my finger tips to dabb off the excess to lighten the paint so it blended in the background. Since the acrylic markers are opaque, I used an alcohol marker to color the die cut sentiment pink. 

I hope you found these pages delightful! I had so much fun playing in this journal! Click here to see all the products used and to shop through my affiliate link. Thank you for visiting today.

Nicole