Graphic 45 Double Layout Challenge: Nature Sketchbook Natural Beauty Double Layout

Hello, G45’ers!  I’m a bit excited about today’s post, as I’m sharing something I’ve never done before.  As you probably know, May is National Scrapbooking Month.  To help celebrate the occasion, Graphic 45 issued the #G45Layout Challenge with a $100 prize pack up for grabs.  You can read all about it HERE.  A double dare was issued to each member of the G45 Design Team: create a DOUBLE layout.  So that’s how this Nature Sketchbook Natural Beauty Double Layout came into being.

A Walk in the Woods

My dear daughter Liz occasionally kidnaps me and carries me away for a few days of R&R.  One of our favorite destinations is at the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina.  While the house is magnificent, what we really love is the gardens and the wonderful walking trails.  We escaped here last October and enjoyed a full day of rambling along the gorgeous paths that meander all through the grounds.  We were blessed with near perfect fall weather, and had loads of fun taking photos along the way.

Double the Natural Beauty: A Few Tips and Tricks

The surroundings and the company were both Natural Beauties!  Can you believe I snapped this photo with my I-Phone?  Technology certainly has come a long way!

Nature Sketchbook was the perfect collection to capture these memories.  For my background paper, I chose to use a monochromatic print from the 12×12 Patterns and Solids. I knew I was going to add a lot of flowers and other embellishments, so I wanted to keep the background simple.

First, I prepared the background by adding a honeycomb design with stencils and gold texture paste.  As the paste dried, it caused my paper to warp, so I knew I was going to have to mat the pages onto a solid surface.  I painted a 1/2 black border around two pieces of heavyweight chipboard with Black Soot Distress paint.  Then I used a Nature Sketchbook stamp to add white stamped text all the way around the border to add some interest and another layer of dimension. Now my pages lay flat, and as a bonus, they can stand up all on their own!

Clusters of Flowers for Natural Beauty Double Layout

We could not have asked for a more perfect day.  I managed to snap this photo of the fall foliage and the bright October blue sky captured in the still waters of the Bass Pond at Biltmore. To draw attention to the photo, I created a cluster of Nature Sketchbook Flowers, altered chipboard pieces, fussy cut butterflies and Petaloo Flowers.

I ran out of the Nature Sketchbook die cut flowers, but no worries!  I simply used the empty flower sheet as a template and traced the outline of the flowers onto 12×12 Patterns and Solids Paper. Then I cut them out and shaped them.  Perfect match!

To give chipboard elements extra depth and texture I like to paint them with Distress Paints.  While paint is still wet, I sprinkle with embossing powders and heat set.  Once the embossing powder cooled on the ferns in this layout, I went back and stamped over the tops with Jet Black Archival Ink and a Nature Sketchbook script stamp.  I have a Snapguide Tutorial from an older project that outlines this process for you. 

Meet Me in the Middle of this Natural Beauty Double Layout

One of the biggest challenges in designing this Natural Beauty Double Page Layout was creating a good flow between the two pages.  Create a “bridge” by using a large image that spans both pages.  First,  I fussy cut the large image from the signature page of Nature Sketchbook.  Then I flipped the pages face down and pushed them together side by side so there was barely a gap.  Next I hinged the pages together with strips of washi tape.  Then I flipped the pages face up, and used a ruler and craft knife to carefully cut the two pages apart.  It worked like a charm!

I have this Natural Beauty Double Layout on display in my dining room, and every time I see it, I remember this glorious adventure and smile.  What a beautiful world we live in!

I hope I’ve shared some tips and tricks that you can use in your own crafty adventures.  If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.  And I hope you’ll share take part in this fun #G45Layout Challenge and share your projects with us on the Graphic 45 Facebook page.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

Nature Sketchbook Natural Beauty Double Layout Supply List

• Graphic 45 Nature Sketchbook 12×12 Papers
  •  Nature Sketchbook
  • Seasonal Splendor
  • Patterns and Solids
  • Flowers
  • Decorative Chipboard
  • Tags and Pockets
  • Stamps One and Three
• Other Products
  • Distress Paint: Peeled Paint, Broken China, Black Soot, Twisted Citron, Shaded Lilac
  • Gold Crackle Texture Paste (Prima)
  • Color Box Frost White Pigment Ink
  • Stampendous Shabby White Embossing Enamel
  • Distress Embossing Powder: Scattered Straw, Shabby Shutters
  • Emerald Creek Burnt Copper Embossing Powder
  • Pumice Stone Distress Ink
  • Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts: Fern Fronds , Queen Anne’s Lace,
  • Petaloo Red Vintage Velvet Pansies
  • Chicken wire stencil
  • Jet Black Archival Ink