Believe and Family - Lauren Tomecek

Hello chipboard fans. This is a very sad post for me, as it is my last design team reveal after 5 years with Scrapmatts. I have had such a great time on the team, made fantastic friends and loved every day of working with the amazing designs.

My last two reveals are both created for CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration. First up is the reveal for the current December challenge. I've used a 2016 Santa photo and can't believe how much older my boy looks in just one year. That wonderful title piece comes from CB6111 Assorted Words 27.

I love the range of reindeer chipboard designs available and had this lovely guy left over for a while now from CB5050 Reindeer 07. The 'falling snow' in the background uses the ST5003 stencil, first with gesso applied through it and then a bead mixture with matte medium once the gesso was dry. 

I loved the CB1053 Christmas Ornaments 03 and just coated them in some silver embossing powder. My flourishes are offcuts from CB4069, inked in black for contrast. 

If you want to see the CSI reveal, it is based on the below image. I used Christmas/winter elements, silver, circular elements and something fuzzy. I actually forgot all about the journaling component though. :(

Design number two was actually created for November's mid-month reveal so has already gone live on the CSI blog. My family travelled from all around the east coast of Australia to attend Harrison's 3rd birthday party and I was able to grab a photo of us all together. 

I've used a couple of different chipboard pieces in this one. I like using the shaped pieces to add some extra dimension to my backgrounds. If you cut them up they will last for ages, I've actually only used half of a sheet of CB5142 Retro Squares 02 on this layout but it looks like much more. The title comes from CB6105 Assorted Words 23.

I have used CB5056 Twigs 02 along the bottom of the photo to mirror the trees in the background of my photo. 

 I was inspired by the repeating squares/rectangles of 'The Scene' and used that to build up my paper layers. I loved 'The Scheme' with the focus on brown/green/white. My 'Evidence' includes clips, leaves, stamp, button, tags and string. My 'Testimony' has been written on a tag.

Thank you so much for looking at my work over the past 5 years. I hope it has inspired you in some way and look forward to seeing what you can create with Scrapmatts products. If you want to keep seeing more of my work please check out my blog or Instagram.

Daddy Hugs and Smile - Lauren Tomecek

Sometimes when you have a great photo, it's important to let it be the star of the layout and not over clutter the layout with embellishments or layers. I find Scrapmatts chipboard is the perfect finishing touch for these kinds of layouts, subtle yet effective. It's also nice sometimes to create a simple layout that doesn't take ages.

I have used the stencil ST9008-A5 to apply some white gesso over parts of the background, then covered the same areas with sections of CB5126 Diamond Mesh 02. Lastly, I've used CB1155 Ferns 01 to frame my title. 

Scrapmatts is sponsoring the current challenge over at CSI: Color, Stories and Inspiration. The case file is below. I've used leaves, a heart, wood/woodgrain and vellum from the evidence and my journaling is inspired by the words 'outside' and 'calm'.

I created my second project whilst on a retreat last month. It was so good to get away and focus on nothing but relaxing and crafting for a whole weekend!

These flowing script words from CB6117 Assorted Words 30 make perfect titles. I've coloured mine using two layers of Versacolor inks to match the background cardstock. I've coloured a medium sized butterfly from CB4008 Butterflies 01 with liquid pearls to add texture and shine.

You can see the largest circle from the CB5139 String Circles 03 set in these close ups, which I've cut in half to use in two spots. This has been inked too, then some pearls glued as accents on all the dots. You can also see a small tab covered in washi tape from CB5117 Tabs 01 and a smaller butterfly from the same set. 

Thanks for looking!

Happiness by Lauren Tomecek

Hello fellow chipboard fans! Thanks for checking out my reveal today. I've gone back to basics with a lot of classic pieces, along with some new leaf pieces. I have had a 12x12 sheet of CB8001 Circles 01 for so many years now, and I've used almost all of the 29 pieces up but just had two large circles left. I couldn't resist paring it with this oversized photo I had ordered in the wrong size. 

My title comes from CB6112 Scrap Words 31. The leaf pieces come from CB1246 Leaves 06. They come in a variety of sizes so are perfect to scatter around as accents.

My top cluster uses CB1209 Scrap Words 12, CB1189 Scrap Words 01 and CB4008 Butterflies 01. You can see little bits of Stencil 9017 net poking out of the edges from both clusters. 

Thanks for visiting!

Daddy Hugs and Smile - Lauren Tomecek

Sometimes when you have a great photo, it's important to let it be the star of the layout and not over clutter the layout with embellishments or layers. I find Scrapmatts chipboard is the perfect finishing touch for these kinds of layouts, subtle yet effective.

I have used the stencil ST9008-A5 to apply some white gesso over parts of the background, then covered the same areas with sections of CB5126 Diamond Mesh 02. Lastly, I've used CB1155 Ferns 01 to frame my title. 

Scrapmatts is sponsoring the current challenge over at CSI: Color, Stories and Inspiration. The case file is below. I've used leaves, a heart, wood/woodgrain and vellum from the evidence and my journaling is inspired by the words 'outside' and 'calm'.

My second layout for this month was created while I was away on a scrapbooking retreat. It was for a challenge and came with one piece of cardstock and one piece of patterned paper, of which you had to use at least 70%. I think Scrapmatts chipboard is the perfect embellishment for any layout so I've snuck lots in here. 

These flowing script words from CB6117 Assorted Words 30 make perfect titles. I've coloured mine using two layers of Versacolor inks to match the background cardstock. I've coloured a medium sized butterfly from CB4008 Butterflies 01 with liquid pearls to add texture and shine.

You can see the largest circle from the CB5139 String Circles 03 set in these close ups, which I've cut in half to use in two spots. This has been inked too, then some pearls glued as accents on all the dots. You can also see a small tab covered in washi tape from CB5117 Tabs 01 and a smaller butterfly from the same set. 

Toddler Adventures - Lauren Tomecek

Welcome back to the Scrapmatts blog. Today I'm sharing two layouts featuring my son because in my unbiased opinion he's the cutest toddler around. ;)

I used CB6115 Assorted Words 28 as my title on this one. The yellow hexagons were created using Stencil 9002 in the A6 size.

I also used CB5124 Hexagon Mesh 03 in the background, painting the mesh light grey and the popped out hexagons a sparkly charcoal.

I have used CB5133 Africa 01 and acrylic paints to create a little animal scene. I love adding details and depth with paints on chipboard pieces. CB5150 Sticks 01 has been cut into smaller pieces and tucked under all the photos. Cutting the sheet up is a great way to get more value for money and make it last longer.

Hope you enjoyed the shares today. I'd love to see what you create if you've been inspired. 

ATCs and Cards - Lauren Tomecek

A very happy good morning to you all! Today my baby turns 3 years old and if I'd been planning ahead, I would have done a couple of layouts of him to celebrate. But instead, I was too busy trying to plan the party and get everything ready for my family visit, so I have a variety of small projects to share instead. :)

I'm a big fan of ATCs as they were the start of my journey into scrapbooking. They are also really great projects for when you only have a short amount of creative time. For these ones, I painted ATC10-010 Bracket 01 with gesso, then sprinkled watercolourpowders across them and activated with water. They had a beautiful vibrant colour while wet but unfortunately the gesso mutes that as they dry.

I've used stencil ST5024 in the background of all three ATCs, but each one was used differently. On 'Discover' I used a small Versacolor stamp pad in charcoal to ink through the stencil, this gave the crispest edges to the image. On 'Remember' I misted black ink through the stencil, you can see it leaked in some places because my ATC based had warped a bit after the gesso layer. Finally, on 'Inspire' I flipped the stencil over and stamped the left over mist onto the image, then misted white Glimmermist to highlight the design.

The sentiments all come from CB1199 Scrapwords 07. The leaf pieces come from CB1146 Leaf Spray 01, CB5144 Layered Poinsettias 01 and CB1235 Leaf Spray 14. I finished them off with the lace, flowers, sequins and enamel dots.

It's always a good idea to have a few birthday cards in your stash. This one didn't hang around long, I've ready given it to a friend! I used ST9018-A6 in the background, just as straight gesso over the background. Chipboard pieces include CB5087 Leaf Spray 09 and CB6100 Words 29.

 

The second card uses the same background technique as the first, but I've taken it in a different direction. I can never go past a pun and the CB4067 Marine Life 02 set was perfect for this one. The chipboard has been painted using distress inks stamped onto my craft mat then spritzed with water and painted on.

The last card is another birthday one which has a galaxy feel to it. Quite simple in design, but I think the background really makes it pop. The stencil is ST1008, I used Versamark through the stencil then embossed this with a clear embossing powder to create a resist effect. The chipboard is CB6100 Words 29 and CB1223 Stars 03, both have been painted with acrylic paint.

Maybe next month I'm be organised enough to show you a layout celebrating my son's birthday. ;)

Remember and Baby Girl - Lauren Tomecek

Hello chipboard fans! I have two layouts to share today. My first is a family photo from my sister's wedding a few years ago. I wanted to go with a bit of a rustic feel with gold bling highlights. The new CB4069 Ornate Frames 26 set was perfect for my flourishes and stunning frame. I've embossed the frame with gold embossing powder but left the smaller background flourishes raw.

The chain pieces (CB6109 Lamps 11 and CB1229 Chains 02) were all embossed in chocolate-coloured powder. I love the effect of the gold texture paste through the ST9006-A5 stencil in the background. My title comes from the CB6112 Scrap Words 31 pack.

The second layout I'm sharing today was created for the CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration challenge for July, which Scrapmatts is sponsoring. I have used the same background stencil (ST9006-A5) only this time painted watercolours through it for a more subtle effect. My flourishes are actually from CB2003 Page Borders 02, but I've cut it into two quarter pieces to use either side of my photo.

I had been wanting to use the gorgeous rocking horse chipboard piece (CB6057 Rocking Horses 01) for such a long time, so was very excited to finally get the chance. I have left the horse itself raw and painted the darker brown parts with a watercolour pencil, then used a gold pen to highlight the metallic details. The title comes from the CB5135 Baby Boy 01 set. I have scattered words across from page from CB1191 Scrap Words 03.

If you're interested in playing along with the CSI challenge, the Case File is below and it's open all month. I'd love to see what you create. 

Man of Steel - Lauren Tomecek

Does anyone else feel a sense of joy when they know they have the perfect photos for a particular challenge? As soon as I saw the challenge guidelines for this month's CSI challenge, I just knew I had to use these photos of my son with Superman that I'd taken just a few days beforehand.

Being on the Scrapmatts DT, sometimes Sofie sends out surprises for us to play with. These are normally new products that aren't even listed on the website yet so it's always very exciting to receive these. In my latest package I was lucky enough to receive a couple of the new larger sized stencils and I've used ST9008-A5 for some white-on-white texture in the background.

Chipboard used: CB1233 Film Strips 06, CB6095 Assorted Words 18, CB1162 Assorted Words 08 and CB5138 String Circles.

This is the June challenge over at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration. Scrapmatts is sponsoring so you could win a great chipboard prize pack if you take part. For my layout, I've obviously been inspired by the superhero characters in the scene. My evidence includes the white background, speech bubble and stars. My testimony uses the inspiration words.

My Boys - Lauren Tomecek

I'm normally a pretty bright and colourful scrapbooker but this month I've taken it to the extreme! First up I have a rainbow explosion page with a photo of my husband. I told him if he wants to take silly selfies then he should expect to see them on a layout. :)

I started by doodling my background in Gelatos, then washing that out with some water and playing with how the drips ran. The background has some extra texture as I applied gesso through stencil ST5003 on the left and right sides. The heart topiary (CB1110 Topiaries 01) is a classic chipboard piece, I've used two packs in my time with Scrapmatts. CB4063 Leaf Spray 13 flourishes in black provide some contrast to all the colour. I've used CB1159 Hearts 05 in the red, CB1166 Cupids 01 in white mist finish in the purple and CB6116 Assorted Words 29 for my title.  

My second layout for this month is another bright and colourful boy themed layout about my son and his messy feet. They are always running or jumping or climbing or kicking.

I really wanted to capture the 'messy' aspect of having an active toddler, while still keeping a 'clean' layout design. The paint splatter stencils ST1009 and ST5010 were perfect to create that effect, using a little bit of mist. I mixed the same mist in with some texture paste and painted the title pieces from CB4055 Assorted Words 09 as well as some CB1078 Gears 05 pieces, you can see the great effect this created in the close ups. I covered a CB5117 Tabs 01 piece with patterned paper and added it to my top cluster.

I also created a little bonus project this month. Harrison had painted these wooden star bases earlier and I was saving them for a 'special occasion'. We had a few elderly neighbours pop round to give him some Easter treats, so I turned the stars into thank you gifts with the addition of a photo and some Scrapmatts chipboard. The sentiment is CB6020 Words 06, coloured with a silver sharpie. I've also added a couple of stars from CB1223 Stars 03 painted with acrylic paint.

Layout and Cards - Lauren Tomecek

Scrapmatts sponsored CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration for the month of March and they invited our whole design team to guest for their challenges. I shared my layout for their main challenge as part of my March reveal, but the second challenge came out after my Scrapmatts reveal day, so I've saved it for April.

I love these photos of Harrison cooking with his Grandma. I've hidden some journaling behind the right photo which records how Ben learnt to cook with his mum Helen and I'm so happy that Harrison is getting to have the same experience with her. I don't remember ordering these cooking chipboard pieces but they ended up being perfect for the theme. I've painted them with white acrylic paint, added red pen details and silver embossing for the metallic areas.

Scrapmatts used: CB1020 Card Borders 03; CB1199 Scrap Words 07; CB1139 Kitchenware 03; CB2026 Picket Fences 09.

My second project for April is a set of two cards. I've used a sheet of scrap paper to mop up some left over ink spray I had from another project, which I've then used as the backgrounds for both cards. I love these sentiment chipboard pieces, they make whipping up cards so quick and easy.

Each card has some texture paste stars in the background too, using a Scrapmatts stencil. The chipboard sentiments come in the black, all other pieces I've just coloured using mini ink pads.

Scrapmatts chipboard: CB1241 Scrap Words 27,CB1020 Card Borders 03, CB1007 Butterflies 07 and CB1158 Butterflies 20. Stencil: ST5002.