Epic Legend (Cocoa Vanilla Studio DT)

Hello again! I was up earlier this week with a layout for Cocoa Vanilla Studio that I made with the gorgeous new "Legendary" collection. I decided to finally scrapbook my amazing brother in law Blair, who passed away in October last year after a nearly year long battle with cancer. I haven't been able to scrapbook his journey yet, as its just been too hard, but this amazing collection helped!

I used a star wreath cut file by Paige Evans which I backed with papers from the collection and some vellum from my stash.

I had fussy cut lots of the stars from the All Star paper, and I placed the smaller stars around the wreath to carry on the "star" theme of my layout. The die cut words were perfect for my title.

I kept my embellishment very simple, because the wreath and stars did all of the work. I also did some very subtle machine stitching under the wreath to add some texture and interest.

You can watch my process video here, and hear my thoughts about scrapping a hard memory. Thanks so much

The Best - Confessions of A Paper Addict DT

Hello everyone! So happy to be back today with another post. This one is a bit sad, as its my last project for Confessions of A Paper Addict Cut Files. After a year (2 terms) on this amazing team I've decided to step down. So for my last layout I wanted to create a tribute to the amazing design team members who have become my friends, and I also wanted to thank the owner Virginia, who is amazing!!

I used the "Unforgettable" collection by Cocoa Vanilla Studio, which was perfect as I wanted a paper that was artsy that I could cut the "Wonky Hearts" cut file from.

For this layout I used the negative of the cut file, which is the hearts. I used the positive as a stencil and backed the hearts on foam for dimension.

Of course I had to include one of the design team announcement photos, as I'm trying to make an effort to get my stories scrapped too! You can watch my process video here. Thanks for looking!

Rad Brother - Cocoa Vanilla Studio DT

Hello!! I hope you managed to have a lovely Easter, despite being isolated because of COVID-19. I'm back again with another layout I made for Cocoa Vanilla Studio. I was so happy to finally create with the new awesome Legendary collection, which arrived last week, just in time for my assignment to make an Easter themed layout. I was so happy to finally get this photo of Sam from our egg hunt last year scrapped.

I used a cut file from Confessions of a Paper Addict, appropriately named Easter Egg. I decided to challenge myself to use a boy themed layout with a floral cut file scrapping a nearly teen boy!! I was able to find several papers and some patterns from the cut apart sheets to back my cut file. The small repeating triangles on the background paper were perfect too.

I altered the die cut word "Brothers" to remove the "S" because Sam is our only boy. Don't be afraid to make die cuts and embellishments work for you!

I hope you enjoyed seeing my layout. Please follow me on Instagram where I regularly post everything I create :) Take care friends Melissa

Stay Unique - Cocoa Vanilla Studio Design Team

Hello hello!! I'm back after what probably seems like forever!! Firstly welcome to my blog to the new followers who have made their way here and stuck around despite my lack of posts, thank you for joining me! If you want to see more of my work, especially what I've made in the years I haven't been here, you can find me on my Instagram. My biggest scrappy news is that I made it onto the Cocoa Vanilla Studio Design Team for 2020, and I'm thrilled because I adore their product!! Today is my first creation for Cocoa Vanilla and I am using the gorgeous Happiness collection. I was hoping to create with the newly released Legendary, but due to the COVID-19 Global Pandemic, my supplies and still in transit. I've created a layout with the gorgeous 'Happiness' collection because my Legendary is somewhere in transit, slowed down by the COVID-19 global pandemic. I used the Large Die Cut & Backing Set and decided to be bold (for me) by chain stitching the heart in back embroidery floss.

The photo is of our gorgeous yet cheeky 3 year old daughter Ava.  I've been having some fun with the filters on Instagram, and I was so happy that she stayed still for a couple of seconds for me to take this sweet photo. 

The chain stitching took me hours to complete but was worth it for the texture it added to my layout.  I just worked on it in the evenings while I watched Netflix.  I ended up getting into quite the rhythm, and found it very relaxing!

I don't have much of this collection left because I love it so much, so I embellished with some fussy cut butterflies from both the 12x12 paper and the 6x8 paper stack, resulting in two different sizes of butteries. I created an embellishment cluster around my photo with layered and distressed papers, vellum, stickers and die cuts. I added dimension with craft foam and pop dots.  My final touch was to add Nuvo Dream Drops in Gold Luxe, and some black mist splatters.

I made a process video which you can watch on my YouTube Channel. Thanks for reading & take care Melissa 

Violet Kit Projects (The Scrappery Creative Team)

Hello again!  Told you I'd be back :)

Today I want to share with you the projects I made with the Violet Kit from The Scrappery Kit Club.  This gorgeous kit featured the Bohemian Dreams collection by Cocoa Vanilla Studio, and of course had beautiful Scrappery exclusives.

This first layout features a cut file from Paper Issues.  In this layout I documented a scan that Ava had to have at 10 weeks old.

This layout is a mixed media layout, and I used the paint in the colour kit to add colour to my texture paste.

For this layout I wanted to use as many flowers as possible with a stiched frame.  I added dimension to the frame with foam.

And this final layout features lots of fussy cut butterflies from one of the papers.  I wanted to them to be flying in a swarm over my photos.

You can see process videos for all of these layouts on my YouTube Channel.

Thanks for looking

Love You (The Scrappery CT)

Hello!  I just realised that I forgot to post my layout for The Scrappery here last week!  For this layout I was inspired by the butterfly paper in my Belle kit, and wanted to fussy cut them and create a swarm.  I googled "swarm of butterflies" and found an image to assist my inspiration.  I choose to scrap these two photos of Ava playing with her foot on the bouncer, and I love the one of her looking up, as if looking at the butterflies.

I adhered the butterflies in their centres with liquid adhesive, and folded up their wings for dimension.

The chipboard title was perfect for this page, and I even had it nestled within the swarm.

A fussy cut flower cluster added some weight to the left side of my photo, to provide balance.

And here is my butterfly swarm inspiration.

And my process video.

Thanks for looking!

Hello Beautiful Big Sister (The Scrappery CT)

Hello!  Today I'm sharing my layout that I made for The Scrappery this week.  I used my Belle kits (featuring Cocoa Vanilla Studio's "Wild at Heart" collection).  I decided to scrap an older photo of Shaun, Azaria and a newborn Brielle.  I've had this photo printed for years, but I've always struggled to scrap it due to the light and tones in it.  This collection was perfect.  This week I focused on using up the 4x6 cards from the PLK kit, and they are actually cut from the 12x12 papers by Ronelle.

I finally got one of the rubber charms onto the page!

I had so much fun layering embellishments around my photo, and of course I adore those doilies.

The chipboard title was perfect, and the flair badge filled an empty space on my photo.

Here is my process video.

Thanks for looking!

"Dream Big" Traveller's Notebook (The Scrappery CT)

Hello again!  Today I'm back to share with you the Traveller's Notebook page that I made for The Scrappery.  I've decided to change the way that I'm scrapping in this notebook.  I'd been viewing it as a mini album with each page being a new layout, but what I really want to do is treat each set of two pages as a double page spread.  I'd created the left-hand side page at the beginning of my Belle Kits, and when I found a third photo I decided to complete the spread.  This kit features the entire "Wild at Heart" collection by Cocoa Vanilla Studio.

It's unusual for me not to have any journalling, but I'd told the story on the left-hand page.  So for the right page I had fun with embellishing.

Here is my process video.

Thanks for looking!  I'm hoping to share more Traveller's Notebook spreads.

You Two (The Scrappery CT)

Hello!  Today I'm back with a layout I made with my Belle Kit a couple of weeks ago for The Scrappery YouTube Channel.  This kit features the entire Cocoa Vanilla Studio "Wild at Heart" collection (if you get all three kits).  I decided to use the patterned paper with painterly features on it as my background, and lots of frames.  Frames are an embellishment that I want to use but struggle with.  I used some older photos of Brielle and her lovely friend Dexter.

So happy that I could use up all these frames!!

Layering chipboard embellishments on chipboard frames!

And here is my video.

Thanks for looking!

Oh Boy (The Cut Shoppe DT)

Hi there!  Today I'm back with a layout I shared on The Cut Shoppe Blog earlier this month.  Its a really old photo of Sam as a baby, and I've had it printed for many years, but haven't scrapped it until now.  I used Cocoa Vanilla Studio's "Oh Happy Day" collection, and the Social Butterfly Background Cut file.  Its a really old photo, and not the best quality, but I love what I created!

Thanks for looking!

Happy Unicorn (The Scrappery)

Good morning! I'm back today to share a layout I made a couple of weeks ago for The Scrappery Kit Club.  I used my Belle Kit featuring the entire Cocoa Vanilla Studio "Wild at Heart" collection and an adorable photo of Ava in her unicorn onesie.  Of course I had to use the Unicorn Xing cut file set from The Cut Shoppe.  

I enlarged my title and made it a feature of my page.  The gorgeous floral patterned paper is my favourite from the collection.

Gun layering with a doily, ephemera and a flair badge.  The gold acrylic paint is by American Crafts and came in the colour kit.

And here is my process video.

Thanks for looking.

Cupcake Mini Album (The Scrappery)

Hello again!  Today I'm back to share with you a project I made with my Belle kit from The Scrappery Kit Club.  This kit features the Wild at Heart collection by Cocoa Vanilla Studio, and if you purchase all of the kits you get the entire collection!!

My friend's daughter turned 5 in March, and we had a party for her with cupcakes at our local park.  I took some photos and decided this kit was perfect for a mini album to record her birthday.  I made my own cupcake cut file to make the album, and in my first video you can see this process and the making of my cover.

Here is the first video:

My second video focussed on making the album pages and embellishing them.   Here are some photos.

The page on the right is made on the speciality vellum in the kit.

And here is a photo of the finished mini album.

Here is my second video.

My friend and her daughter loved the album, and I really enjoyed making it!!

Thanks for looking!

Restore (The Cut Shoppe)

Hi again!  Today I have a layout that was up on The Cut Shoppe Blog last Tuesday, I'm a little behind because its school holidays and Shaun's been working days and some nights.  This layout is my word for the year, which is Restore.  I used a background paper from Cocoa Vanilla Studio, and the rest of the products are from Take me Away by Paige Evans for Pink Paislee.  I used the new Flower Delivery and the Brush Up Alpha cut files.

Originally I hand stitched on the Restore, but I didn't like the look so I cut a second one and layered it over the top.  I love the dimension it adds!  

I cut the flowers on several different papers and then layered them with the leaves using dimensional adhesive.

My word is all about restoring everything in my life after spending last year so sick with hyperemesis, and then being unwell after the C section.  Its all explained in the journalling, and on my Instagram post here.

Here are the two cut files.

Thanks for looking!

Ava (The Scrappery)

Hello again!  I'm back today to share with you the layout and video I made for The Scrappery last Tuesday.  I decided to use the gorgeous Lilly Kit and make the inside cover page for Ava's album.  When I saw all the vellum flowers I knew I wanted to make a wreath.  I love how it turned out!

I used this cut file from The Cut Shoppe, and it was perfect for my wreath.  I machine stitched around every part of the wreath once I'd adhered my flowers.

For my title I cut "Ava" twice, in white cardstock and in one of the papers from the kit.  I layered them offset for interest.

The kit has so many gorgeous embellishments that are perfect for this very girly page!

Here is my video.

Thanks for looking!