scraperie: April Showers Layout

This layout was part of the Seasonal Solutions Scrapbooking Layout Class for April that I taught at Craft City. There are a few kits available for purchase at the store for a limited time.

The first page shows how photos fit on the mattes. The instructions that follow included a black matte behind the April Showers title, but in the end I preferred the layout without it.

1. In our class we used the Sizzix and a dot embossing folder to texturize the green paper. This is optional and if you have embossing folders or embossing plates you can add this feature.

2. Using a round template (such as a plate or bowl edge) trace the slope of the hill on the two pieces of green paper. You should create hills that slope in opposite direction. The key is to start the slope high on one end, and end low on the other.

3. Take a sheet of blue cardstock. If it has an edge for the branding & pricing, use a paper trimmer to trim the sheet to 12X12.

4. Adhere the hill with the high slope on the left, to the left edge of the paper.

5. Using a paper trimmer, cut two 4-1/2 X 6-1/2 inch mattes for photos. This will create a matte with 1/4 inch on each side of your photos. Adhere to the page as shown.

6. Take the three pieces of the boot and glue the yellow on top of the black, and the black notch, lining everything up at the top of the boot. In class we used scrapbooking chalk to create shadows and add dimension to our paper piecings.

7. Using tacky glue or glue dots, adhere one boot on the top of the hill, and the second boot on top, kicking out slightly.

8. We chalked the edges of the large cloud and then adhere to the top of the page. In class we used the SewEasy to pierce the paper and stitch raindrops with white embroidery thread. You could also do this with a needle to pierce the paper, or as shown here, use a white gel pen to draw the stitiched raindrops.

9. Glue together the paper pieced sun and in class we chalked the edges in orange. Adhere to the page on top of the large cloud.

10. Trim out the teardrop shaped rhinestone and add to the end of the "stitched" rain.

11. Chalk and adhere the smaller cloud slightly overlapping the sun. You could also use a pop dot if you want extra dimension to your cloud.

12. Now take your second blue cardstock to create the second page of the layout. Adhere the opposing slope to the right hand edge of the paper.

13. Cut and glue the same style and size black mattes from the first page. You could either do two mattes, or one and the title will go directly on the blue cardstock. Adhere to the page so they mirror the location of the first page of the layout.

14. Take the black umbrella cut out and adhere the yellow umbrella piece on top lining up the edges. Add the pink and blue to the top layer. Chalk the edges if desired. Adhere to the right side of the page.

15. Take the flower punches and using a pen end, press into the center to give some dimension to the flowers. Adhere to the page using glue dots or tacky glue.

16. Add rhinestones to the center of each flower. Cut out the remaining raindrop rhinestone and add dropping off the right edge of the umbrella. Add the green rhinestone "leaves" to the edges of two of the flowers.