Storyboard Kits is now closed

Thank you to everyone who purchased a Storyboard Kit over the years. Storyboard Kits has now ceased trading. The blog will remain published so that you can refer back to the inspiring layouts the design team created.

For more inspiration, please visit me via my personal blog...

...or via my scrapbook sketch site. Scrapbook kits are available through Inspired Blueprints as well!

Wishing you all the best for your future crafty pursuits.

Cheers, Lis.

More Morgan inspiration...

Today I want to share two simple layouts using standard 6x4 photos. First up..."baby dino". For this layout, I have used the smoke cardstock for the base, then layered strips of patterned paper on top. A cluster of tags houses the long title, and journaling. The photos overlap each other, with a strip of vintage lace tying them all together.

 Tip: Combine chipboard and sticker letters to create your title.

Next, a simple layout using one photo. Take seven strips of patterned paper. Cut each strip to measure 1"x10", then cut in half. The strip containing the journaling measures 3"x10". To add interest, mix up the patterns across the cardstock. Place your tag and buttons across the centre join, then cluster a die cut, sticker and felt butterfly on the bottom left corner of your photo.

Tip: Layer a small and large butterfly together, and fix in place with a staple. This will add more dimension to your butterfly. Pop your stickers, and die cut pieces up on foam tape too.

Stay tuned for more layouts and cards using the Morgan Kit.  To purchase your kit...head on over to the Storyboard Store. This gorgeous kit is currently reduced to just $35.00!

Cheers, Lis.

How to create a shabby chic frame using the Morgan OTP kit...

September saw the release of the Morgan OTP kit...a beautiful scalloped circle frame by WOW, combined with papers and embellies from Prima, Manor House flowers, and more...

Here's the round doily frame all decorated...

As promised, here's the instructions to create this frame for yourself, or perhaps a loved one...it would make a lovely Christmas gift. Here's how...

Step One: Cover the solid back
Cover the back in your chosen patterned paper. I have used Prima's new Nature Garden "Midsummers Eve" patterned paper.  Make sure you spread your glue evenly over the mdf to ensure you don't end up with any bubbles in your paper. Smooth out your patterned paper with a brayer if necessary.  Once dry, carefully trim away the excess patterned paper using a craft

Step Two: Paint the decorative front
To coat the front, I have used Antique White paint. Mix your chosen colour paint with a gel medium, then use a spatula to coat the decorative front side of the frame.  The gel medium allows you create a dimensional surface.  Once you have spread the paint across the piece, create a stipple effect by dabbing the surface with a foam brush. Set aside to dry.

Step Three: Prepare the heart bunting
Ink all three pieces of small heart bunting using a coordinating ink. I have used VersaColor's "Umber".  Once dry, run a small bead of glue along the outside edge of the bunting, and adhere a strand of pearls.  I have found the best glue to use for this project is Helmar's fabric glue. The glue adheres almost instantly. Within seconds the pearls were fixed firmly to the chipboard and I was able to pick them up. To add more definition to the bunting, doodle love hearts on the chipboard using a white gel pen.

Step Four: Prepare your blue birds
Spritz or ink your birds using a mid blue. Once dry, rub white paint across the top, then wipe off the excess.  The white paint will sink into the engraved lines on the birds to give them further definition, as seen in the picture below. Coat the birds in a clear glaze to make them nice and shiny.

Step Five: Add a little softness
To soften up the hard edges of the mdf, adhere a sheer decorative lace to the reverse of the frame.  Gather the lace to add more dimension...see picture above.

Step Six: Assemble your project
Line up the front and back pieces of your project, and glue together on the outside edge only.  Hold together firmly to ensure your pieces hold. Once again, I have used fabric glue for this step.

Drape a piece of bunting across the top left corner of your frame.  Adhere a bird at each end of the bunting so that it looks like they're holding the bunting in their beaks.  Trim off a small piece from a floral spray (Prima), and attach to the frame, then thread a decorative clock and key onto twine, and tie in a big bow through the frame, leaving the ends of the twine bow to hang down to the bottom of the frame.

Next, thread a decorative metal camera onto the rest of the floral spray and adhere across the bottom right corner.  Drape the two remaining pieces of the bunting across the bottom of your frame, and adhere.  Finish off decorating the bottom right with the remaining blue bird, a whimsical nest and inspirational words trimmed from the floral spray packaging.

Step Seven: Add your photo
Now, if you're sure that the photo you have chosen is the one that you want to display forever...go ahead and adhere it.  Trim a standard sized 6x4 to measure 5.5x4, mount on foam tape and centre in the middle of the frame.

Alternatively, to give your project more versatility, trim two Tim Holtz Ideology Memo Pins using a pair of plyers (be careful when doing this because the piece may fly off!).  Poke the memo pins through the mdf frame and thread your photo onto the pins. You will then be able to change out your photo any time you wish!

Here's the completed project again...

Click here to purchase the Morgan OTP kit.

Morgan | Guest designer...Renee Miller

This month, I invited Renee Miller to be a Storyboard Kits guest designer...let's meet her...

Tell us about yourself...
My Name is Renee Miller and am a proud mother to two boys, Jack- 6 and Nayte -3, I live near Wollongong, and enjoy a many creative relationships with many scrap bookers from the local area and beyond. I am mostly a social scrapper, going to many local crops and retreats throughout the year.

Why did you start scrapbooking in the first place?
Like many people I attended a crop, and immediately become hooked!!, spending much time and Money, on this awesome craft. It was not only the paper and glue that got me hooked but the lovely ladies that I spend time with keep me coming back for more!!

What is your favourite technique to use on your layouts?
At the moment I am really enjoying using layering, paint and stamping on my layouts. Creating depth without overwhelming the photo is my overall goal, making the photo the hero of the page! And preserving the fact that we are trying to tell a story.

Who or what influences your scrapbooking?
The things that Influence my scrapbooking are mostly the people around me, I love doing challenges, sketches and colour palettes, mixing it up a little to make it mine. People often say that I use contrast a lot in my layouts.

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Renee scraps both 8.5x11 and 12x12 layouts, and she's created a couple of both sizes with this month's kit. Let's check out her work!

First up, and 8.5x11 layout. Renee has trimmed down the purple cardstock for her base, then layered strips of contrasting patterned paper and lace ribbon down the length.  Simple hand stitching frames the corners of her photo and layout. This layout could easily be converted to 12x12.

Next up, another 8.5x11. This time, Renee has trimmed down a sheet of patterned paper, then misted over the top of the chipboard clouds to customise her background. Love the cluster of buttons and butterflies in the left hand corner, and the twine flourish Renee has fixed to her layout with tiny staples.

For this 12x12 layout, Renee has fussy-cut out the hexagon pattern, and added them to a misted patterned base. Each of the hexagons has been doodled with a freehand border for extra interest.

Last, but certainly not least, Renee has created this lovely layout her and her husband. The soft floral patterned paper base has been given a little extra zing by doodling over the pattern with a black fine tip pen. Renee has also traced around the stickers and lettering to give them more definition.

Great layouts Renee! Thanks for joining us this month.

Cheers, Lis.
Storyboard Kits

Introducing a new kit...Morgan!

This month sees the return of Storyboard Kits with the release of the "Morgan" scrapbook kit. As a special offer, the Morgan kit has been specially priced at $35.00! Storyboard Kits are normally priced at $45, so be quick to grab yourself a bargain.

The contents include...

 Cardstock x 3

- wine
- butter
- smoke

Patterned Papers x8
- MME "Follow Your Heart - Be Amazing" - honey blue
- MME "Miss Caroline - Dolled Up" - cute
- Studio Calico "Memoir" - heirloom
- Teresa Collins "Everyday Moments" - calendar
- Bo Bunny "Ambrosia" - marigold
- Lily Bee Design "Buttercup Puddles" - puddles
- Basic Grey "Plumeria" - silver springs
- Basic Grey "Plumeria" - cleopatra

Here's a close up of the papers...so much versatility with both front and back sides of each of the patterned papers working together beautifully.

But wait there's more...

 Lettering

- Prima fabric alphabet stickers - teal
- Basic Grey "Kioshi" alphabet stickers

Embellishments
- Basic Grey "Plumeria" stickers
- Teresa Collins "Fabrications" canvas die-cut sheet
- Basic Grey "Plumeria" wax seals (part packet)
- Studio Calico "Memoir" chip shapes - clouds (part packet)
- Studio Calico "Memoir" chip shapes - buttons (part packet)
- Prima "Sun Kiss" Lucerne flowers (part packet)
- Prima "Sun Kiss" Camille flowers (part packet)
- Prima "Sun Kiss" Flutter bits (part packet)
- Heidi Swapp - felt butterflys - lemonade
- 4 x shipping tags (assorted sizes)
- assorted buttons

Trims (one length of each)
- vintage pale blue zig zag lace
- vintage paper lace - grey
- Webster's Pages - yellow trim
- May Arts - teal organza ribbon
- aqua twine
- chocolate brown twine

In addition to the "Morgan" kit...I have released a mini kit that is selling for just $20!

Includes:
- 1 x pinecone cardstock
- 1 x Coredinations Poinsettia Posies cardstock
- 5 x Basic Grey "Konnichiwa" collection papers (Lucky Cricket, Koi Pond, Pagoda, Sui Sui, Mt Fuji)
- Basic Grey "Konnichiwa" alphabet sticker sheet
- Basic Grey "Konnichiwa" stickers
- Basic Grey "Konnichiwa" layered stickers
- 1 x length red seam binding tape
- 1 x lime twine
- 1 x Manor House bloom, red
- 2 x pink crochet flowers
- 2 x lime mirror embellishments- 1 x doily 

...and for you off the page crafters, there's also a kit for you...also just $20!

Includes:
- WOW round doily frame
- Prima "Nature Garden" collection papers x 3 (Blackthorn, Primrose, and Midsummer's Eve)
- WOW blue bird set
- WOW small heart banners
- Prima "Nature Garden" button vine
- Assorted Prima "Nature Garden" essential flowers
- Prima nest x 1
- Tattered Angels brass key x 1
- Manor House bloom x 1
- 1 x length pearls
- 1 x length twine
- assorted buttons

Here's a sample of what you can create with the "Morgan" otp kit.

All kits are now on sale in the Storyboard store...act quick because numbers are limited and they won't be repeated.

Stay tuned for some Morgan layout inspiration, as well as step by step instructions to recreate the beautiful frame pictured above.

Cheers, Lis.

Challenge winners...and a guest designer call...

Quite some time ago, I held a sketch challenge competition...and I never announced the winners! My sincerest apologies to all who entered.  Thank you...your layouts were just gorgeous and I really appreciate you sharing them with me and the Storyboard community.

To enter, scrappers had to create a layout based on this sketch, and include one of the techniques the Storyboard team had shared previously. I really enjoyed the diversity of interpretations of the sketch!

Unfortunately there can only be five winners...and here they are!

First prize - Kate McCulloch

Congratulations Kate...you have one a Three month subscription to Storyboard Kits valued at $159!!

Second prize - Karen Watson
Congratulations Karen...you have won a Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher and refills valued at $42

Third prize - Amanda Taylor

Congratulations Amanda...you have won a Scrap-ma-bob Cup and Bag holder valued at $30

Fourth prize - Peg Hewitt

Congratulations Peg...you have won a Unity Stamps "Here's the Ticket" stamp set valued at $30

Fifth prize - Holly Connors

Congratulations Holly...you have won a Webster's Pages "Country Estate" kit valued at $30

I'm sure you can agree that the winners are very deserving...absolutely gorgeous layouts! Ladies, please email me your postal addresses to storyboardkits@gmail.com, and I will forward your prize packs asap.

In other Storyboard Kits news...
Thank you to everyone for your patience over the last few months. It has been a particularly trying time personally, and I have been unable to devote time to my business like I should have.  I cannot apologise enough.  Please email me if you wish to discuss anything regarding previous purchases.

After a few months hiatus, I am working hard to rebuild Storyboard Kits. A new online store, a new community gallery, a new kit and new guest designers each month....starting 15 April 2012.  I am really looking forward to putting together kits again, and sharing them with you.  At this stage, kits will be sold on a "first in, first served" basis, with subscriptions available in the future.

Guest Designer opportunities...
Each month, I will be featuring a new guest designer, who will work with the kit to show you it's versatility. If you would like to be my guest, please send me an email titled "guest designer" to storyboardkits@gmail.com, including the following...

• Your name and postal address
• A short paragraph about yourself
• A link to your blog
• Three of your favourite layouts that best represent your style (no need to create new layouts for this call)
• NB. Guest designer call is open to Australian residents only.

As a guest designer, you will be provided with the newest Storyboard Kit valued at $45. In return, you will need to create four layouts using the kit's contents, which will be featured on the Storyboard blog and facebook page.

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I am looking forward to moving onward and upward, and showing you all how amazing Storyboard Kits are.  Stick with me...the future of Storyboard Kits is going to be a really positive experience.

Cheers, Lis.

Sharing...

Hi guys,
Just popped in to share a couple of layouts with you using the "Louie" kit.
For this one I have used the diecut paper and cut some circles out of it. I really loved how the turned out!

This one is quite a simple style layout (well for me anyway!). I used my cricut machine to create the heart mask in the background. I love using my cricut for this!!! I also used it to cut the circles (yep my obsession at the moment...just ask the mojo girls!!!) using the yellow cardstock! Just a few ideas for those who have cricut machines!

Eb  xxxx