Friday, January 4, 2013

Scrapbook Steals January Blog Hop

 I hope you're enjoying the January Scrapbook Steals Blog Hop featuring Kiwi Lane Designs! I love Scrapbook Steals for their blog full of scrapbooking ideas and the deals on scrapbooking supplies!

 I had checked out Kiwi Lane's booth at the Creating Keepsakes Convention in Seattle and was blown away by the number of creative layouts and uses for their versatile templates! If you have not checked these out before, I recommend watching tutorials on their websites and picking up some of the border strips like I used. I was given the Clara Lane set to work with which is one of the Kiwi Lane Design Borders sets.

For my first layout, I used the templates in a traditional manner, using Kiwi Lane's framing technique. I loved their ideas for using these to maximize your paper and create two page layouts. While typically I am a one page layout scrapbooker, these templates made it easy for me to create a two page layout with balance and unity.
 
I created waves on one side with patterned pieces of cardstock, and flipped the shapes on the other side so that they balance each other without being completely symmetrical.

I found that inking the edges gave dimension and allowed the layers of paper to really pop. Some simple buttons and stickers were all I needed to add finishing touches to my page.


The wavy templates reminded me of snow and so my next project featured some fun snow pictures with the templates creating banks of snow on my layout.


Layering various patterns of cardstock I created hills of snow and one piece I cut out and then ran through my embosser to give it dotted texture for dimension.
I punched mittens which I strung across my layout with twine and clipped them on with mini clothespins. To emphasize the curve, I journaled along the curve of the snowy hill.



I also punched snowflakes which I also embossed with dots to add some interest.
The templates come with an eyelet enforced hold punched in the corner so the sets are easily held together by a ring. It was nice to keep them together and pull them out as needed to use them.
 The shapes were so versatile even beyond the simple forms they come in.
I took one shape that had a pointed wave and traced one side...
 Then flipped it to trace the same shape on the other side, to create a bracket edge.

 Again, I found that inking the edges added nice dimension and definition to the shapes.
 I was able to use even scrap strips that I might have otherwise thrown away or not thought of to use. By tracing the curve down the middle, I was left with two interesting strips that added life to my page.
I also found the templates useful for tracing stitching. On this page, the stitching makes a trail of the snowflakes falling on the page.


And finally, another fun technique...


I used the border template to cut two complimentary shapes, punched holes and reinforced with eyelets, and laced the pieces across a coordinating piece of cardstock.

These templates are so much fun, I hope this gives you some ideas of what to do with the Kiwi Lane Templates!

I would love if you became a follower of my blog and left a comment along with the other blogs to be entered to win a $20 gift card to Scrapbook Steals!
Don't forget to check out Kiwi Lane Designs after you've hopped where they will be giving away a prize as well!
Here is the list of the talented ladies blogs to visit on the Scrapbook Steals hop...
Lanette Erickson
Jennifer Blomquist
Rochelle Spears
Laurie LaRiviere
Marisa Torp
Andrea Eason --- You Are Here!
Amber Sheaves
...and don't forget to leave a comment at Scrapbook Steals!
Happy Hopping!


80 comments:

  1. Love that you gave a little mini tutorial and the stitching on the one layout is to die for!

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  2. Great Two Pager I love it! Great Tutorial too!

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  3. Amazing layouts!!! Thanks for sharing the "How-To" aspect of your design work - cannot wait to head into the scrapping room to try it out!

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  4. Oh, wow!!! Love that my girl layout. Thanks for taking the time to make a great post.

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  5. OMGosh! Such AMAZING layouts! I love the inked edges on the layers and the lacing is just adorable! Such great ideas and inspiration! Thank you so much for being a part of the blog hop! :-)

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  6. wowsers!!!!! Your layouts are awesome!!!! Great job on all the projects! :)

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  7. wow these projects are great, I love the two pager, these templates are good for that...:)

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  8. I love the lacing technique! Cute layouts

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  9. i think it's great you showed your process step by step through pictures. i love how the last one turned out.

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  10. I really love all your examples! The lacing on the strip is very cool. I also love the embossing on the snow day layout! Thanks for sharing so many ideas!

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  11. So many cute layers - love your projects!

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  12. love the last layout! soooo adorable!

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  13. Wow, you really showed the versatility of these!

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  14. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!!!!! You totally rocked it! You should swing by the Kiwi Lane Facebook page and share your creations. They are STUNNING.

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  15. I really liked the stitching idea and the flip of the templates. Really great designs.

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  16. I really enjoyed your layouts. i especially liked the coordinating paper. thanks for sharing.

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  17. Wow! You did such an awesome job on all your layouts!

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  18. Love all your projects! Great job!

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  19. Wow...this is really impressive. I think you explained the "how to use" element better than the other bloggers...and your work is just gorgeous. I love the corseting you did, by the way.

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  20. These are wonderful, you really rocked those border templates! Gorgeous layouts!

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  21. Great Job!! You rocked it!! Love them all! Thanks for sharing!

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  22. Very nice CAS style! I really liked the vertical "My Girl" layout! :)

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  23. Very cool ideas! I love how the traced stitching looks.

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  24. Love love love the lacing! What a fab idea! And thanks for explaining how you used the templates beyond just their framing process. Awesome!

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  25. Very nice pages and I love all the little details and embellishments you used!

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  26. These are beautiful layouts. I love your choice of colors.

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  27. What wonderful uses of the templates! I wanted to comment on just one layout but I love them all! So very creative!!

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  28. I Love the Clara Lane template set. Hadn't thought of turning it over to make a bracket. Thanks for the ideas my favorites were the winter with the gloves and the lace one. Also like the second winter layout with the snowflakes

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  29. I always ink mine! Great tip!

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  30. Oh WOW, that Winter Wonderland L/O is fantastic!!!

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  31. Love your layering and the way you did your journaling! Thanks for sharing!

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  32. Beautiful LOs. Love the falling snowflake one. Good job on using the template in so many different ways.

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  33. Love how you use bright colors in your layouts! The lacing on My Girl is fabulous! I MUST c.a.s.e :-)

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  34. What great projects! I love the snow day layout!

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  35. I really like what you did with the twine and stitching!

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  36. Love the way you laced one of the template cut-outs. Love it. Beautiful

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  37. Love those tiny hanging mittens. So cute. I love the bracket also. Great idea. Thanks for sharing.

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  38. Love the winter layouts...absolutely beautiful and a great use of the templates. Tracy P.

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  39. I love the movement across the pages, grat layouts!

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  40. I love the all blue snow days layout and the winter wonderland layout. Beautiful.

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  41. Love your scrapbook style and the way you used the templates. Thank you for sharing.

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  42. Love what you have done with the templates.

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  43. I love how you used the templates for faux stitching!

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  44. The snow day one is my favorite. Now I see how useful
    these tools are.

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  45. Um, can I just say WOW!? :) Your layouts are fantastic and I LOVE the idea for using the templates for faux stitching. Plus that was so clever with the lacing as well. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  46. Winter Wonderland and My Girl are my faves. Although all the layouts are FABULOUS.

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  47. Love your creative ways of using the templates!!

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  48. Fabulous!!! Every layout is just fabulous!!! I think the layout with the lacing might just be my favorite, but I really love all of them!!! Amazing works of art!!!!

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  49. Wow! You rocked these layouts! The inked edges really make them! And, I love those mittens!

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  50. Loved the snow day layout the best and inking the edges is a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

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  51. Your layouts are BEAUTIFUL!! I have a question for you though... do you put these layouts in page protectors and then in albums? With all the bulk in the clothespins, flowers, and other embellishments, it seems like they would not work well in a traditional scrapbook? I LOVE the look of them, but wonder how they would work out in my scrapbooks. I would appreciate any advice from all you scrapbookers out there! Thanks! =]

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    1. Hi Holly! Yes I do put them in page protectors! It's funny because I get that question a lot. I buy the D ring albums from Michaels from Recollections. The wide spine allows you to put layouts in without them getting squished. I find that most page protectors will allow you to put in a "bulky" page as long as the one on the opposite side is less bulky. Another solution I found, also at Michaels, is a free standing page protector display. And of course, there is always the 12X12 shadow boxes for really bulky pages. The "My Girl" layout is probably the only one that I would have to put in a D ring, the others are no more than 1/4 inch off the page. Hope this helps!

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  52. I really like your style. The layouts are beautiful and you've given me lots of inspiration. Thanks!

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  53. Love that you showed the product - thks! The mittens are super cute!! I am a new follower!

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  54. You worked the boarders, loved everything

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  55. Your layouts are beautiful! I love your banner on the snow day layout!

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  56. Love your layouts! And thanks for the little tutorial- it was perfect! Thanks for sharing!

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  57. Really awesome projects!!! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  58. I Love this Product. I highly recommend it. You would be surprised what gorgeous layouts you can make.

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  59. Thanks for the great ideas and for the chance to win.

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  60. I really liked your winter layout. They all had a clean crisp feel without being too busy. It doesn't take away from your pictures.

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  61. I love the little details, the snowflakes, buttons, clothespins, and flowers. It makes them so much sweeter.

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  62. Such great details! I love your layouts!

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  63. Your layouts are AMAZING! I love the trail of the snowflakes. Great idea!

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  64. Wow! Awesome LO's!!! I love the mittens with the clothespins!

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  65. Wow! Great post full of awesome layouts! And great descriptions to go along with them. Thanks for sharing your fun projects with us!

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  66. Great lay outs! Never thought of running my kiwi lane frames through my embosser! Thanks for the tip!

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  67. Beautiful LOs! I love all the different techniques you used!

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  68. Love all your beautiful Layouts:)

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