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!