'Son' by Elisa Ablett for Visible Image UK

Hi Crafters,

Elisa here from the design team for Visible Image.

I have heard a few people say that they find it hard to create layouts for their older sons or husbands etc as most of the boy papers that are out there are geared towards younger boys.

As a mum of two boys, 14 and 9 years of age,  I love to make my own backgrounds to suit their personalities and get the most out of my stamps and stencils. Win Win!

This is my latest mixed media layout featuring a few of the new stamp sets and stencils from Visible Image from their last release. Shapes and bright colours and a bit of grunge is great for a masculine layout and still keeping it nice and light and fun.

Visible Image Products used in my layout - 

Stencils....

https://visibleimage.co.uk/product/stop-meshing-around/

https://visibleimage.co.uk/product/count-me-in/

Stamp Sets.....

https://visibleimage.co.uk/product/son-definition/

https://visibleimage.co.uk/product/shape-it-up/

https://visibleimage.co.uk/product/ink-splats/

Here are some close ups!

Layering with my mini circle gel plate and using a mask to stencil within the circle. Then layer with different circle stamps, I used Shape it Up and Grunge Splats!

Continue on with your circle theme by cutting or punching out circle shapes from tissue paper so that you can still see the gel plate circles underneath!

Add some black splats and grungy writing for that ultimate in grungy boy layout.

That's it from me today, I hope that I have inspired you to add a little mixed media with your awesome Visible Image products, don't forget to head to the shop to see the whole range!

Hugs xx

Elisa Ablett

'Love this Boy' Elisa Ablett

Hi everyone,

Just sharing my very first layout as part of the new design team over at D-lish Scraps!

I am so excited to be a part of this very talented and inspiring team and look forward to sharing my 'hybrid' mixed media/paper based creations with you all.

Now onto my first creation  - a grungy boy layout featuring loads of D-lish Scraps goodies.

To start my background I used Colour Blast Shimmer Dusts, stamping with black versafine ink with some grungy stamps and then using the D-lish Pattern Quartet Stencil and Colour Blast Dusty Charcoal Paste added some texture to the background.

I tucked a lovely spotted green tissue paper from a past Just Add Paper Kit behind my photo, I tore the edges and folded then to grunge it up a little.  A little tip is to check the Past Kits & Bits section on the website for those extra goodies to go on your layouts.

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For the cluster in the above close up, I used the following gorgeous D-lish goodies - Enamel Glitter Dots, twine, kinder kreations basic circle chipboard, orange Journal it tab , orange journal it minifetti and a gorgeous wood veneer title and stars from a past Just Add Paper Kit.

To add depth to the layout I inked the chipboard circles with black versafine ink and tucked them under the tissue paper. Then I twisted and curled the twine so it flowed nicely across my photo and under my title.

Let's take a look at the next cluster - Circle Chipboard and those 'oh so lovely' Enamel Glitter Dots and some strategically placed (kidding - it really just went everywhere) black splats and splashes of black dylusions spray.

Again some more of those lovely inked black chipboard circles and glitter enamel dots and a wood veneer star and wire arrow clip from a past Just Add Paper Kit.

Another quick look at the main embellishment cluster and last minute grungy stamping and we have finished!

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today, make sure you leave some love and stay tuned for my next post later in the month 😀

'Boys Rule' By Elisa Ablett

Hi all !

Just sharing a recent layout of mine that featured on the Shop and Crop Blog.

Featuring loads of products from Shop and Crop including Colour Blast Colour Sprays, Colour Blast Texture Paste, Darkroom Door Arty Circles Collage Stamp and a cool Grungy Template from Kaisercraft, keep scrolling for all the handy links to the shop. 

Also I have included in this week's post a handy background tutorial for you to try.

If you are placing an online order don't forget to use the code EA5 to get your discount at the checkout!

Here are some close ups of the finished layout!

Technique and Product Showcase - 

To keep with my circular theme on my layout I wanted to show you how I created my grungy backgroun!

Step One - I used Colour Blast Colour Sprays in Carribean and Lagoon to lay down a small oval of colour in the top right hand corner where my photo would fit over and also a small area on the bottom left hand side of my layout where my corresponding cluster will go.

Step 2 - Using the circular template spray colour sprays directly onto the template instead of your page! then quickly turn it over and press firmly onto your layout, you are essentially using your template as a stamp. Mop up the excess spray from your craft mat with your chosen chipboard, i used a couple of grungy pieces from Memory Maze Chipboard.

Step 3 - once that has dried, spray and splatter a small amount of Roadbase colour spray onto the layout around your two areas of colour.

Step 4 - Ink up your darkroom door stamp with Black archival ink - i use versafine ink as it gives a lovely crisp stamping image. Stamp in a cross circular pattern around your colour area as shown in both photos.

Step 5 - once dry - using a small dots stencil add small amounts of Colour Blast Bling Paste to your layout over the top of your stamped image, once dry you are now ready to layer your photo and embellishments!

Product Showcase from 

SHOP AND CROP SCRAPBOOKING

Colour Blast Bling Paste

Caribbean Colour Spray

Lagoon Colour Spray

Road Base Colour Spray 

Darkroom Door Arty Circles

Kaisercraft Template - Grunge

Thats it from me today, hope you enjoyed the mini tutorial and product showcase!

Elisa xx

BMX Bike by Elisa Ablett

Hi Crafters,

Just sharing my latest design team layout created for Kraft Plus Challenges January Challenge.

As soon as I saw this challenge graphic i knew i wanted to use a photo of my son on his bmx bike, the photos i took of him completing his first heart stopping ride on the huge hills at the local bmx track.

I wanted the layout to look colourful and explosive!

Here is the link to the January Challenge over on the blog.

Kraft Plus Challenges 'On your Bike' January Challenge

I recently found my old Making Memories foam stamps the other day when i was cleaning my craft room and decided to dust them off and use them in a more modern way... with some neon green paint.

Here are some close ups! 

Here is the January Challenge, I got my inspiration from the bike and that's pretty much it! this graphic is way pretty with a cruisy beachy feel about it but my brain went in another direction once i saw the photo i wanted to use!!.

Thanks for stopping by the blog ... make sure you leave some love :-) 

Elisa xx

Awesome by Elisa Ablett

Hi Crafters,

Elisa here from the design team for Shop and Crop Scrapbooking with a last minute, after Christmas, oh heck i'm running late blog post!! You know what i'm talking about 😉😉

I wanted to share with you the awesome Boy paper collection pack from Simple Stories called 'So Rad'. It is filled to the brim with papers, element pieces, stickers and bonus transparency overlays.

Available now from Shop and Crop Scrapbooking, if you use the code EA5 you can get a discount on your next online shop!!

Here is one of the layouts I have created with just a few elements of this pack with loads of left overs!

I will be back in the New Year with another layout featuring this awesome boy collection, not just for the younger males in our lives but also excellent for the teenagers as well with gaming and sports elements. Happy New Years everyone.

Here are some close ups of the details of the elements from the paper collection pack. I chose the number photo transparency and cut it up and stapled it too my page for a great feature. Plus a touch of mixed media with some splatters of Colour Blast.

Here are some of the products used and available from Shop and Crop Scrapbooking.

Simple Stories - So Rad Collection

Colour Blast Shimmer Spray in Deep Water and Tangareen Dream

Heavy Weight White Cardstock

Thanks for stopping by the blog today xx

Cool Dude by Elisa Ablett

Hi Crafters,

Just sharing a layout and full step by step photo tutorial I created for Colour Blast Blog back in early December !!

I wanted to create a grungy boy layout so I grabbed a few of my fav Colour Blast products -  Paris Shimmer Dust, Roadbase Colour Spray and Dusty Charcoal Texture Paste which can be found at the Colour Blast Shop.

Here is the layout - loads of gorgeous greens (including some neon green paint) and black.

Green and any shade of green is my youngest son's favourite colour, so this is his favourite layout so far... I wanted to show his more fun, crazy side in this layout, he has a huge sense of humour and is beyond his years with what he says and does. Everyone describes him as being a real character and I wanted to capture it before he gets to that stage of pre-teen or teenager where they just eat and grunt at you lol

Let's get started on the tutorial !

Step 1 - Grab a ruler and pencil and draw a line about a third of the way down your page starting on the left side.

Step 2 - Spray the line with water, then while wet grab the top of your Roadbase Colour Spray and drag colour along the line through the water. Do this a few times, stopping to drop large drops of the colour into some of the more wet areas.

Step 3 - While your black colour is still wet, grab your Paris Shimmer Dust and using the end of a pencil or paint brush add some of the Dust Crystals to the wet areas as shown in the photo, if you need to add more water, spray some more directly onto the end of the paintbrush where the Dust is, it will create some great patterns and colours.

Step 4 - Using a black marker and brick stencil, trace around the inside of the stencil along the bottom edge of your paper and also in the top left hand side of your paper.

Step 5 - Using black archival ink and a large background stamp, I used a great Carabelle Studios stamp, add some light stamping to your brick work but really ink the stamp up for your background stamp for behind your photo.

Step 6 - Using a large square item (like a tupperware lid etc) using your black marker again trace around the edges of the square item to create a great background frame for your photo layering.

Also using the brick stencil again and a palette knife, spread some Dusty Charcoal Texture Paste over the area where your photo will sit. DRY thoroughly.

Step 7 - Add some more Dusty Charcoal paste using your palette knife and a skull and cross bone stencil (I used a Tim Holtz stencil) on the top and bottom right hand side of your paper. Also splatter and drip Apple of My Eye Shimmer Spray over the areas in which you applied your texture paste.

DRY

Step 8 - Once Dry, add some more stamping, arrows, chevrons, grungy grid stamps those sort of stamps. I also used a great roller stamp that had a few phrases on it like crazy fun, fearless etc I added those words mostly around the skull and cross bones areas.

Step 9 - At this stage I scraped some gorgeous neon green paint using a palette knife in patches over my layout. I also added to clear phrase stickers near the skull and cross bones. I did a practice run of where I wanted my photo to go along with some extra embellishments. It was at this stage I wanted to add some more Paris Shimmer Dust in patches to bring the beautiful green out some more!!

Some final details!!

Add some black shimmer splatters using your Dusty Charcoal Shimmer Spray.

Add some great black and white cross paper under your black tags and under your photo (i fussy cut my photo out).

Add some black thread under the black tags to add some more texture.

Add the rest of your embellishments.

Here are some close ups!

Here is another look at the final layout.

That's it from me today, I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial, don't forget to leave some love...

Wish me luck in finishing off the Christmas shopping lol

Elisa xx