October 2018 Sketch Challenge

Hi Everyone. Dolly here and this is my first blog post so treat me gently! 

I don’t know about you, but I love a sketch to get my mojo started. Sometimes my finished page looks a lot like the sketch, and at others, it is hard to see where the sketch has gone. But actually, that doesn’t matter. The sketch has done its job if it sparks that creative process, no matter how you use it.

I am thrilled to be back as a part of the team at ATDML and one of the things I would like to do is bring you a new sketch each month in the hope that it will spark your creative process. Sometimes it might be a very traditional sketch, as this one is. Other times, well I might just be a little more ‘off the wall’.

Anyway, here is a very simple sketch for my first month. I hope you enjoy creating something based on it, no matter how loosely.

I used it as the inspiration for this page using the gorgeous Come Away With Me papers by Graphic 45. It is also a sketch that is great for using up scraps of papers. For example, the strip down the left-hand side was a small strip I had but worked perfectly as a side border. The two strips of vertical map paper tucked under the right-hand side and the strip under the dotted paper at the bottom are really little strips (no I don’t throw anything away) just inked and tucked under.

Finally, the journaling block I had, from the same set of papers, was too big for the page so I cut the middle section out, stuck it back together to make a smaller journaling block and covered the join with a word strip. Yes, I cheat – all of the time!

This is my page 

Have fun with the sketch and I look forward to seeing what you create. Do come over to the ATDML # Create Facebook page and share your pages!

October Journaling Prompts

October has come around pretty fast, it's always a busy month with several family and friends with birthdays and of course the Autumn Retreat at the end of the half term holidays!

But first things first, it's time for another  Journaling Prompt to hopefully give you an idea for your titles and journaling on your pages this month. Don't forget to come over to the ATDML # Create Facebook page and share your pages in the Journaling Prompt Gallery.

This month's prompt is:

Consider different ways to get your journaling on the page:

1. Use printed journaling direct to the page
2. Handwrite direct to the page
3. Add printed or handwritten journaling on strips of cardstock
4. Use stickers or die cuts

By varying the way you add your journaling you can create lots of different looks.

As always I have added examples below.

1.) To print direct to the page I had to be careful with my layout design, I don't own a 12x12 printer so by bisecting my layout with the large photo I could feed a piece of cardstock cut to the width of A4 through the printer and build it back to 12x12 hiding the seam with my photo.

 2.) I most often handwrite my journaling direct to the page because I feel so strongly that our handwriting is a special part of who we are. The advantage of this method is you can add as little or as much as you want and in any location. Sometimes I add lots of journaling, other times it may just be a line or so.

 

3.) Adding journaling on strips means that you can go handwritten or printed nice and easily, it looks good on the page and can make your journaling pop on a busy or dark background. These examples include strips cut into individual words as well as longer strips for a varied effect.

4.) Using stickers or die cuts for your journaling is something I sometimes do mixed up with handwriting or if I am using a long title that might double as title and journaling. This is a silhouette die cut which I just loved and it was all the journaling this page needed.

So I hope these different examples of journaling techniques have got you inspired to think about varying your journaling techniques.

School Rocks with Simple Stories

Hello everyone, I'm here with a page using the new school line from Simple Stories - School Rocks.  It is packed full of colour and beautiful embellishments...you could make lovely notebooks as teacher gifts and all sorts with this.  I decided to document my kids first day back - I like doing this as it gives a snapshot of them growing each year, so is lovely to flick through these pages.

I started by creating my curve using the pencil paper which is on the reverse of the 4 x 4 elements.  I then stuck some cream card stock on the back and dug out my scalloped scissors - yes, I found them in the back of my draw! Adding a scalloped border.  For the rest I used lots of layers with the element stickers and cutting out elements from the papers.

Here you can see some of the elements all layered up, there are loads of wonderful little designs.

I used some thickers for my title and a little bit of the pencil boarder strip to add more colour.

September Virtual Crop - Class 3 with Debs

Welcome to the last class of today’s Virtual Crop and this time we will be working with the colourful and fun Amy Tangerine Heart and Hustle papers to create two quick and easy layouts to round up your scrappy day.

Inspired by pins on my Pinterest scrappy board I  have created two layouts with this kit and the free instructions are available to download as a PDF here.  I love that the inter-world gives us the opportunity to give and take so many ideas and inspiration from each other. These layouts have elements I have seen on other pages and I hope you enjoy my interpretation of these using this range of fresh and funky papers from American Crafts. 

Please share your creations or pop in for a chat on our ATDML # Create FB page.
Have a fabulous weekend.
Debsx

September Virtual Crop Class 2 with Mel

Hello and welcome to the second virtual crop class of the day.

I hope you enjoyed Karen's first Virtual Crop class for ATDML, don't forget to show the love to our newest DT member over on our Facebook page!

My class uses the second release from the Simple Stories "I Am " collection, I've made two layouts with it both featuring photos from our most recent family wedding.

Click here to download the free PDF instructions and to see the other layout. Then do come and visit us on the ATDML # Create Facebook page and share your creations.

Come back at 2pm for the last class of the day with lovely Debs!

September Virtual Crop - Class 1 with Karen Leahy

Karen recently rejoined the ATDML Design Team and kicks off with a lovely class using the beautiful Graphic 45 Come Away With Me collection.

She has made two gorgeous layouts and has included a link to a you tube tutorial for making the paper roses which she has used to embellish her second page.

Click Here for the free downloadable instructions and don't forget to share your creations over on the ATDML # Create Facebook Page.

Come back at 12 o'clock for a Simple Stories class with Mel.

Welcoming Back An Old Friend...

Over at ATDML HQ there is much excitement as we welcome back an old friend as the very lovely Karen Leahy will rejoin our DT!

For those that don't know her Karen has been scrapping for many years, her layouts feature her travels with husband Nigel, Disney trips and her (sometimes rather mischievous) Bengal cats.

Karen who also goes by Scrapdolly or Dolly is also one of a number of people currently working their socks off to keep UKScrappers running and as it is where many of us discovered scrapbooking that is something to be very grateful for.

I hope you will enjoy seeing her pages as much as we do, her debut will be a Virtual Crop class next weekend so please give her a very warm welcome!