Today’s your lucky day because we’ve got another scrapbook pattern for you from our archives! Hooray for free scrapbook patterns!
We’ve taken this pattern, which originally debuted with our Skylark Workshops on the Go®, and made new artwork with it using the Swan Lake paper packet and some cardstock.
As always, feel free to take your own spin on this pattern. You’ll see that we switched out pieces C and I for our black shimmer ribbon, and we also dovetailed the title and journaling pieces.
Add your own personal touches to the Skylark pattern, and then show us what you create by sharing your layout on social media with the hashtag #ctmhpatterns. Also, be sure to look into our line of How-To books for even more patterns.
Now treat yourself to some nice warm tea and a little crafting time. 🙂
You’ve probably photographed dozens of picturesque nature scenes— ember-colored sunsets, mountains mottled with snow, a bee hovering over a bluebell—but have you ever thought about creating nature scenes in your artwork? Aristotle said, “Art takes nature as its model,” and who are we to argue with Aristotle?
Our inspired artist gathered bunches of stamp sets to create the colorful meadow on the page. A corner from the Brushed paper packet makes a perfect patch of grass here, but our favorite feature has to be the faint sky in the background. How did our artist create this look? If you guessed that a sponge was involved, you are correct!
First, our artist cut out a cloud shape from some scratch cardstock. Then, she placed the cloud on the page and lightly sponged around the edges with our Glacier Exclusive Inks™ pad. The result is a soft, subtle texture that has us floating away to crafting paradise. A similar technique was used to create this mountain scene:
The great thing about using a sponge is that it can give any artwork textural variety and layers of color, which you can really see on this card. Our artist first sponged on the sky and soil. Next, she traced the mountain range from the My Acrylix® Campfire Lifestyle stamp set onto a scratch piece of cardstock and cut out the shape. This time she placed the cardstock with the mountain shape cut out of it on the card and sponged on the mountains using both the Pacifica and Gypsy Exclusive Inks™ pads. Finally, for the trees, she first stamped the image, and then, squeezing the sponge to create a narrow surface area, carefully dabbed a little more ink on top of the tree to create a softer look.
Isn’t it amazing what that little sponge can do? These pieces of artwork are lovely odes to nature. Albert Einstein said, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” So, browse through your photo stash for pictures of nature, or better yet, step outdoors for some fresh air—we know you will be inspired. Then, pull out your handy dandy sponge, and let your creativity run wild!
Recipes
12″ x 12″ Life is Beautiful Page Reflections: Sampler—Captivating Corners™ (with alterations)
C1599 My Acrylix® Pretty Petals, C1589 My Acrylix® Lifetime of Happiness, D1616 My Acrylix® Have a Happy Day, C1612 My Acrylix® Shower Flowers, D1627 My Acrylix® Your Own Kind of Wonderful, D1646 My Acrylix® Finding the Words, D1613 My Acrylix® Best Christmas, B1432 My Acrylix® Love This, X7190B Brushed Paper Packet, Z2031 Paper Fundamentals Enchantment Assortment, Z2641 Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2191 Sunset Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2153 Sweet Leaf Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2197 Pear Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2155 Topiary Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2135 New England Ivy Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2642 Flaxen Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2643 Canary Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2644 Pixie Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2118 Desert Sand Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2111 Chocolate Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2640 Thistle Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2193 Cotton Candy Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2105 Black Exclusive Inks™ Pad, Z2454 ShinHan™ Touch Twin ™ Leaf Green Marker, Z2463 ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Sap Green Marker, Z2451 ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Clay Marker, Z2462 ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Peony Purple Marker, Z2012 Sequins Gold Assortment, Z1979 Marvy® Uchida® LePen™ Journaling Pen, Z697 Round Sponge, Thread
Sometimes it feels like you’ve maxed out your creativity. You might find yourself staring at your supplies with nothing but crickets chirping in your head. Or maybe you find yourself busily crafting away before realizing that you’ve made yet another variation of the same design.
When a case of “the blahs” strikes, it’s time to take a step back and observe the world around you. There is inspiration everywhere! Here are two ideas you can incorporate into your scrapbooking to freshen it up.
First, take time to smell the roses. No, really! Step into your backyard, walk to your local park, or take a drive up the canyon. Look at the simple yet beautiful objects around you—the veins in a leaf, the shine of an acorn, the shading of a flower petal. Find something that inspires you and take a picture of it, or better yet, arrange several items together. Our studio artists recently took a field trip to inspire themselves in just this way, and they photographed this beauty:
True to their poetic selves, our artists noticed just how beautifully each of these simple items enhanced the colors, shapes, and textures of the others. Once back at the studio, one artist created this scrapbook page from her photo inspiration:
The greens, blues, browns, and reds from the photograph inspired the color scheme of the page. The vivid tones of the Brushed Complements flowers mimic the red cherry, and the leaf shading mirrors the multi-colored leaves in the photograph. The artist also took inspiration from the textures in the photograph: the organic, recycled look of the kraft cardstock resembles the bark.
Here’s a second idea for getting more inspiration: listen to your favorite song or playlist, then take the lyrics that suit your fancy most and incorporate them into your design. Here’s a page inspired by Colbie Caillat’s song, “Try.”
In scrapbooking, there are only so many words you can put onto one page, but lyrics really pack a punch. They capture the emotions of a memorable day or the emotions you feel toward a loved one. You might also interpret the meaning of a song and then express your interpretation in your design through colors, shapes, or patterns. The possibilities are endless!
Now you have the remedy for your creative slump. Plug in those headphones, take a stroll, and get inspired!
Recipe
12″ x 12″ What a Beautiful Day Page
B1463 My Acrylix® Thankful Heart, Z2022 Picture My Life™ For Always Scrapbooking Program, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z2032 Paper Fundamentals Adventure Assortment, Z1375 Kraft Cardstock, Z2463 ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Sap Green Marker, Z2454 ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Leaf Green Marker, X7190C Brushed Complements, Z1853 Aqua Dots, Z3017 Cricut® Artfully Sent Collection
Cricut® Shapes:
Artfully Sent
9″ Shift+Scene (p. 34)
12″ x 12″ You Page
B1432 My Acrylix® Love This, E1029 My Acrylix® Marquee Uppercase, E1030 My Acrylix® Handwritten Alphabet, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, X5772 Canary Cardstock, X5770 Glacier Cardstock, X5751 Sorbet Cardstock, 1386 Black Cardstock, Z2033 Paper Fundamentals Whimsy Assortment, Z1829 Black & Grey Glitter Paper, Z2105 Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z2164 Sorbet Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3013 Brushed Assortment, Z3009 Chalk It Up Assortment, Z3010 Wanderful Assortment, Z1809 Black Shimmer Trim, Z1906 Cricut® Artbooking Collection, Thread
