Monday, April 24, 2017

Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial

Hello everyone! I hope you had some crafty time this weekend! I managed to do the finishing touches on a project that I'll post later this week. Yesterday, I was really happy to find a new walking path through a lovely forest along a lake. Ever since I was little, when I visit certain places, such as lakes, I often wish that I could see the opposite side of the lake too. The new path happened to go along the edge of a lake right across from a beach we often go to during summer, and I have many times thought that I wanted to walk along that opposite shoreline. So now I got to do it and it was a really wonderful walk. We'll certainly go back there soon again.

This week at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog, our theme is 'We've got your number'. Fun! Don't miss the last project from our April guest designer Amy Bethke. It is a really stunning and vibrant project.
 

If you are in the vicinity, don't miss the Simon Says Stamp CREATE event, which takes place April 28-29, 2017. The tickets are sold out, but there is an on-site store and awesome Create and Takes, open for the public. You can read more about it here on the Simon Says Stamp blog. I sure wish I could go! :)

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

I knew immediately what I wanted to do with this theme, a scrapbooking layout for our recent two-year old. I can't believe Leo is already two, time sure flies. I took a lot of photos on his birthday and picked this set where he plays with one of his new toys. There are a lot of different numbers, and you will see them more clearly below. I took some step photos too, and the techniques work for any type of project, as usual.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin with stencils by Tim Holtz

I worked on watercolor paper and started with a layer of gesso. When that was dry, I mixed shades of grey, to fit with his clothes, and added Glazing Medium to the mixes. The medium makes the paint dry slower. Apply the paint with a palette knife and before it dries, rub off paint with a cloth through stencils. I used Tim Holtz's Splotches and Numeric stencils.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin with stamps by Dina Wakley and Wendy Vecchi

When the paint was dry, I stamped the background with circle stamps. The smaller ones are from Dina Wakley's Circle Patterns set, and the large one is the Circle Collage stamp by Wendy Vecchi. I love circle stamps.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

Using the number two from Tim's Type Lower and Block Lower foam stamp sets, I stamped numbers all over the pages with yellow paint. Clean the stamps before the paint dries.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

Mix a little yellow paint into texture paste and apply through a Polkadot stencil.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin with Simon Says Stamp Exclusive stamps

The Simon Says Stamp Exclusive Wild Cuddle Critters set was perfect for this page, especially since the same animals appear on Leo's clothes. I also have a hard time not adding a lion theme here and there for him, since he is our little lion after all.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

The animals were watercolored with Distress Inks. Smear inks on a craft sheet, mist with water and pick up with a paint brush. There is also a coordinating set of dies.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

I used papers from My Favorite Things and stamped them with a number background stamp, using yellow ink.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

Here's a closer look at the individual pages. The photo at the top is my favourite. Leo is wearing a cute outfit that my Mom made for him for his birthday. 

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

It is easy to create this type of layered background with paint, stencils, stamps and paste and you can make it fit any theme.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

I wanted to add a soft feeling and wool felt is perfect for that. You was die cut from white wool felt and numbers from a dark grey.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

The hearts were also die cut from white wool felt. I used sentiments from different Simon Says Stamp sets all over the page.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

This lion stamp is so cute! I added a heart to him too, and stamped a heart row from the same stamp set here and there with Watering Can ink.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

The sentiment stickers are from Tim Holtz's Quotations metallic sticker set.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

Leo loves vehicles, especially airplanes and these blocks make sounds if you pair up the two parts of a vehicle correctly. You can see that he is listening for sounds on one of the photos.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

The cute giraffe, and another heart.

Layers of ink - Numbers and Circles Layout Tutorial by Anna-Karin

I wrote the journaling on cards from Simple Stories and tucked them behind the ledger paper on the second page.

I really hope you will join us in our We've Got Your Number challenge. As every week, you have a chance to win a $50 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in.


Don't forget to follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram, they post great stuff daily. 


new-instagram-icon22

Do you use Instagram? If so please add #sssmchallenge so we can see your entries there too.





Thank you so much for visiting today! Have a lovely week!

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin 

Supplies:



13 comments:

  1. I love this, Anna-Karin! The colors and design are amazing and that background is to die for! I love how you colored the adorable critters and I just ordered the Wendy Vecchi stamp and seeing it on your project makes me love it even more. Amazing!

    Cathie ♥

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well, the yellow-grey combo is one of my favorite mix of colors. Here you blended them perfectly and I love the black circles giving sharpness to the project. Hugs, Marzena.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your layout is beautiful, I love the grey background, it makes the adorable little animals stand out so well. Leo is just adorable, it really does not seem like two years at all! Anne xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is such an adorable layout! As always, I am in awe of the way you can make ANY color palette look amazing. I feel like I get stuck in the same color ruts, but you use the whole spectrum with skill. It's always a treat to see what you make!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love your fab layout and you have used one of my all time fave colour combinations, really beautiful work,
    Sarita x

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds like you found a lovely place to go walking - I'll be along soon!!

    Fabulous layout - a really great colour palette, and such cool layers in the background. And how adorable the photos of Leo are.
    Alison x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anna-Karin this is adorable and the animal stamps are a great addition to your layout. (Your little guy is super cute!)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh my gosh, Leo is adorable! Love his bright big eyes! Wonderful layout, Anna Karin! You really worked in a lot of numbers in the design! hugs, Maura

    ReplyDelete
  9. Totally fabulous layout Anna-Karin 😍❤️ Leo is super cute and I love the whole wild animal theme, absolutely gorgeous ❤️❤️

    Luv
    Lols x x x

    ReplyDelete
  10. beautiful layout Anna-Karin...love the soft grey with the yellow and how you incorporated all the numbers and cute animals...Leo is such a cutie and is growing up so fast...hugs kath xxx

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a gorgeous layout and as always, you've bought these pages to life with the photos and elements you've added! It's always wonderful to see Leo and I can't believe how he's grown but he's just adorable... :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love love love this wonderful layout! Anna-Karin. The color scheme and those animal images are fabulous. Love those super adorable photos of Leo. :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. So incredible! This double layout is fabulous, your pictures are so sweet and Leo is fantastic! Love every detail and the backgraound is wonderful... as always great technique! Barbara

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for leaving a comment! Happy Crafting!