April Kit Reveal and Blog Hop !!

Welcome to the ScrapThat! 

April Kit Reveal and Blog Hop!! 

We are so excited to share the details about our newest kit featuring brand new papers

created by Donna Salazar for GCD Studios.

 The Queen of Girlie Grunge herself, Donna Salazar, will also be joining our hop!

When you get to her blog, scroll down and you will see a familiar face - our own fabulously talented DT Leader, Tracey S., is one of 5 artists chosen to be on the 2013 Donna Salazar Guest Design Team! We are so proud of her !!

Should you lose your way, here is the Blog Hop order:

Scrap That! 

Lynn Shokoples

Donna Salazar

Tracey Sabella 

Sandi Clarkson

Laura Gilhully
ScrapThat! Facebook Page 

Amarilys Doria 

Tracey Gregory 
Sarah Routledge 

Scrap That!!

We are so thrilled to welcome the beautiful and creative artist

Lynn Shokoples

as our April Guest Designer!!!

Hi everyone! My name is Lynn Shokoples and I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.  I've also been blessed to join the Bo Bunny and Quick Quotes design teams this year. When I'm not scrapbooking I'm a wife, and a mom to two wonderful young adults, Nicole who's 25 and Ryan who is 20 and my new son-in-law Christopher. I'm so thrilled and honored to be a Guest Designer this month with such a group of talented artists here at ScrapThat. I love to blog and love to meet fellow scrappers, so please feel free to stop by anytime. 

Stop by and visit Lynn's blog at http://scrappyhappymom.blogspot.ca/

Now, without further ado,
 introducing our fabulous April Kit, "Within Nature"

Featuring the GCD/Donna Salazar collection, "Natural Beauty." Opening the box to this kit feels like opening your closet and finding your most favorite, comfortable clothes packed with a little bling! The colors are rich and vintage and range from elegant pale neutrals to muted pinks, to deep denim blues and sages. These are paired with textured blooms from Prima, Petaloo and more!

Take a look:

Main Kit

Embellishment Add-On

Flower Add-On

Paper Add-On

More details on this  Collection can be seen here: ScrapThat! Store 

We are currently accepting new

Kit Club Members.

For more information,

complete the form on the link below:

New Subscriber 

Look at the beautiful sketch Amarilys has created for April:

See details about the challenge here: Sketch Challenges

Be sure to also check out the details of our monthly DT challenge

 hosted in April by Tracey S. here: DT Challenge

Everyone is welcome to participate.

All entries for both challenges are due by April 24th

Something new! All winners of our challenges, including Layout of the Week, will be eligible to receive 10% off any 2012 Kits-includes Add-ons!

Our Blog Hop features 11 fabulous hop sites including our Design Team blogs. 

We have been scrapping away and are so excited to show you our  creations! 

Two Prizes are up for grabs this month.

Donna Salazar will be drawing a winner from hoppers who comment on her blog for this amazing prize package including some of her new products from the Family Jeans collection and one of her brand new stencils.

 Be sure to check out her blog for additional details.

Next up is our SPECTACULAR April Blog Hop Prize

is a ScrapThat!  Main Kit,"Serendipity".

This kit is chock FULL of fabulous scrapbooking products including the amazing Sweet Nothings Collection from Kaiser Craft. With rich warm colors, and rustic embellishments like wooden gates and bronze cord, this kit lends itself beautifully to heritage layouts layouts.  We have included a white pen for you to use when creating a faux stitching effect.

To qualify for this month's FABULOUS Prize, 

you must complete the following:

* Visit each blog listed on the hop to see what each designer has created using this month's kit and sketch(comments are very much appreciated).

* Each designer's blog hop post will feature a word to make up a secret sentence,
collect these words along the way.

* You must become a FOLLOWER of each blog along the way 
and LIKE us on our Facebook Page!

* Post the ScrapThat! Blinkie on your blog.

* For your last stop on our Blog Hop return here to the ScrapThat! Chat Blog.

Leave a comment letting us know you have

completed the hop.

(Please do NOT include the secret sentence in your comments.)

*Email the secret sentence to Tracey Sabella:tracey@scrapthat.ca

The Blog Hop ends Sunday, March 31 at Midnight EST

The prize MUST be claimed within 3 days of the forum announcement which will also be made on the ScrapThat! Blog.

~ If left unclaimed a NEW winner will be chosen ~
**Winner will pay actual shipping costs for sending the kit from Canada.**
Shipping costs will be invoiced via PayPal unless you are a kit member,
 then your prize will be shipped with your monthly kit.

Prizes won during the month will be mailed out the first week of the following month.

Due to Customs clearance, International mailings sometimes take 30-75 days to receive.

The first secret word is: 

Spring

Next hop over to our April Guest Designer:

Lynn Shokoples

For your final stop, return to the ScrapThat! Blog 
to let us know you have completed the hop.
Remember ~ only send the secret sentence to tracey@scrapthat.ca
Happy Hopping!

March challenge winners!

Hi everyone, Amarilys here, announcing the winners for both the March Sketch Challenge and the March DT Challenge. Between both challenges we had AMAZING entries and because no one likes the task of choosing a winner, we leave it to random.org! :)

So, according to random.org the winner for the Sketch Challenge is.......

Connie Hall

and the winner for the DT Challenge is:

Pam Ellis

***Challenge winners please PM Tracey your information (e-mail and mailing address) within 7 days of the challenge ending date or you will forfeit your RAK.

Congrats ladies! I want to take this time to encourage you to play along the monthly challenges. The April Challenges will open during the Blog Hop and Kit Reveal this Friday, 3/29. Hope to see you there!

Scrap That! April Kit Sneak Peeks!

Oh my goodness! It is almost Reveal Day here at Scrap That! Kit Club and we can't wait! 

The Design Team has been having so much FUN with the April Kit "Within Nature."  It is simply amazing ... and one that you will not want to miss!  While we wish we could share the whole thing with you today, a few tantalizing sneaks will have to suffice for now. 

Stay tuned for our Blog Hop and April Kit Reveal on Friday, March 29th, 6:30 AM EST. You will wantto visit all the designer's blogs to see their fabulous projects with this month's kit .. 

and for a chance to win our Grand Prize this month, the "Serendipity" Main Kit. Doesn't this look gorgeous? 

All right! Time for us to get back to work adding those finishing touches to our projects! 

See you Friday! 

Introducing our April Featured Guest Designer, Lynn Shokoples

We are delighted to introduce our 

April Featured Guest Designer,

Lynn Shokoples! 

 

Hi everyone! My name is Lynn Shokoples, and I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I've been scrapbooking since the beginning of time when all there was available were pens, rulers and a few stickers. I started my first baby album in 1992! Let's just say that my style has evolved since then. I love to try new techniques, and my style goes anywhere from shabby to some cute and fun projects. I've also been blessed to join the Bo Bunny and Quick Quotes design teams this year. 

When I'm not scrapbooking I'm a wife, and a mom to two wonderful young adults, Nicole who's 25, Ryan who is 20, and my new son-in-law, Christopher. I'm also a new mom to two rambunctious goldendoodle puppies, it sure keeps my days interesting. I'm so thrilled and honored to be a Guest Designer this month with such a group of talented artists here at ScrapThat! I love to blog and love to meet fellow scrappers, so please feel free to stop by anytime. http://scrappyhappymom.blogspot.ca/

Lynn

LOTW 3/24/13 **Adri du Preez**

Tracey G. here with this week's LOTW.

 Our gallery has been hopping with gorgeousness but this page really caught my eye:

 I just love the vintage vibe and all the little details and textures! Adri used Amy's March Sketch beautifully!

Check out those cool flowers and love how the masking of the chicken wire flows perfectly into the tear away's tucked in chicken wire. Love the tonal treatment to the gear chippies,too! 

Congrats,Adri on LOTW!

 Message me your email and I will send you your badge blinkie for your blog!

You are also eligible for 10% off any of our 2012 kits left in stock-including add-ons!

March Kit Creations by Tracey Sabella

Hi, it's Tracey S. here to share my

March ScrapThat! Kit creations.

First up is this oh so fun page of our daughter, Elizabeth, when she was a little girl riding in this battery operated car with her cousin. As I was contemplating what projects I wanted to create with this fabulous kit, a picture of this page popped into my mind. A rare moment indeed when my page is preplanned rather than a work in progress!!

"Movin' On"

MK Only

Close-Ups:

Flower Cluster

This is a mix of handcrafted and kit flowers. The large "Full Open Rose" is created with kit cardstock colored with distress inks and cut with Donna Salazar's Grand Peony and Bitty Blossoms dies. My tutorial can be found here. The smaller pink rose also uses Bitty Blossoms. The sweet white roses, velvet leaves, and skeleton leaves are all included in the main kit and the yellow carnation is cut with DSD Carnation Creations.

Here is a side-view:

Grassy Rose Clump:

More of the kit roses layered on some

DA grass chippies from my stash.

Banner Title Close-Up:

I cut the banner flags from kit cardstock and laced them together with cording from the main kit. The path is made from eggshells adhered to cardstock. A technique by Gabrielle Pollacco that I expanded. 

Below the banner you can see my mixed media layered on using gesso, mists, and bead gel.

Sparkling Chipboard Sun:

The tutorial for my Sparkling Chipboard Sun

can be found here. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Next is a layout of Elizabeth all grown up on her wedding day dancing with her father. I love the way he whispered and talked with her during this sweet dance. These papers make for gorgeous wedding pages. The Meg's Garden Spring Paisley Label page is just filled with sentiments that are perfect for page titles or card sentiments.

"Cherish this Moment"

MK, EAO, FAO

Close-Ups:

Flower Cluster

This cluster blends my hand crafted flowers with the gorgeous FAO kit Prima and Petaloo Flowers. The fabulous Prima gears and buttons are included in the EAO kit.

"Layering"

 

I had so much fun using the striped papers for pleating, punching, distressing, and layering, and on top the MK filmstrip by Tim Holtz is just perfect!

Title Cluster:

 

More pretty flowers here and the fussy cutting opportunities abound. The pink sprays of flowers tucked into my cluster were fussy cut. To create the doily effect, I punched a row of scallops, cut apart each scallop and adhered them around this label for part of my title. 

More fussy cut leaves and a handcrafted carnation using DSD Carnation Creations dies. The dragonfly is from my stash and painted with metallic paint. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Finally, I have another wedding page to share with you of Elizabeth on her wedding day smiling and so happy. This page is out for publication at Scrapbooking News and Review, but I can show you the close-ups.

"You Mean The World"

MK, EAO, FAO

Ribbon Cluster Close-Up:

I cut banners and crumpled the paper to make them look fabric-like and layered them with the crinkle ribbon from the Main Kit and topped with FAO and handcrafted flowers. I pulled the larger white flower apart and replaced the center with one of my Bitty Blossoms flowers.

DA Butterfly Close-Up:

I used twinking H20's to paint this gorgeous MK chipboard butterfly flourish and used MK pearls for the body. So easy!! The crystal flourish trail is from my stash. 

Layered Hearts Close-Up:

This is such an easy embellishment to put together if you have a die cut machine. Just cut hearts in 1/2 inch increments and stitch down the center. 

Crackled Chipboard Frame Close-Up:

I applied pearl pen to this chipboard frame piece and allowed to dry. I used the Smooch Accents in the MK to paint the vines and heat set. Heat setting caused the smooch and pearl medium to bubble with some lovely texture. On top of that I applied Clear Rock Candy Crackle Paint. If you click on the photo it will enlarge to give you a better view of the texture.

Thanks for joining me today for my March Kit Creations!

There are still a few kits and add-on Kits available in out ScrapThat! Store.

Be sure to grab yours before they are gone.

Easy-Peasey Brick Wall Tutorial with Tracey G.

Tracey G. here! Today I have a really easy and quick way to get the brick wall effect in my canvas below:

A close-up of the wall on my canvas:

 So there you go! Give the spray stone a try for an easy way to add texture!

Sandi's March Kit Creations!

Hello, everybody! Sandi here today to share my March kit creations using the yummy Meg's Garden Spring Paisley collection! 

"Cherish"

Main kit only, personal stash

Project #1 is called "Cherish" and features a sweet new photo of one of the dgd's. I loved, loved, loved this peachy-pink paper from Meg's Garden Spring Paisley collection as well as the red and brown striped pattern paper that is peeking from underneath.  Everything featured here is from the Main kit only except for the white crochet doily and the Dusty Attic lacing tash which are from my personal stash.

 I did a bit of random molding paste along with my Crafter's Workshop "Tile Texture" template. Next I split my paper and added the lacing tash which was treated with white Gesso as well as  a Salmon paint dabber. Then I did some lacing with the seam binding from the kit. My Dusty Attic Butterfly Flourish was treated in much the same way but then I hit it with my Quick Quotes  Maraschino Cherry PowderPuff Chalking Ink. Wow! What an incredible impact it made. You will notice that I cut my flourish, painted it green and added it to my flower cluster. 

 Lots of hand made flowers here (Bitty Blossoms) as well as a sweet paper rosette (Tim Holtz) along with a ton of fussy cutting! The little sweetie in the photo is my dgd MA and the  the photo was taken by Kristin Alexander. 

Just a couple of close-ups. 

Next ... 

"Ready, Set, Go! "

Using Amarylis's awesome sketch, MK, FAO, EAO, personal stash

I really struggled with how to make my pages unique from what the rest of the DT might do, especially since my PAO didn't make it to my house this time around. Amy's sketch has lots of wonderful layering, so I had to get the layers in any way I could. Thank goodness for the card stock that Kaitlyn always puts in the kits! They can be used for so many things but this month I've used them as my base. Haven't done that in years!! 

I did some random punching with a couple of different Martha Stewart punches (Wild Flowers, Swirling Lace) and then set to work using my Crafter's Workshop "Cherry Blossoms" template. It worked perfectly for this sketch and added just the soft background that I wanted. 

You'll notice lots of fussy cutting once again .. which also led to my paper shortage! I think it was a blessing in disguise though, because I had to get creative! Some cheesecloth and the filmstrip serve to add more layers. You can just barely make out my title on the right because I hit it with the chalk inks. I've used the brown trim in the kit to "lasso" my photo .. thought that was kind of fun! And that said photo is of my dgd and taken by Kristin Alexander. 

I adored the flowers that came in this month's kit and think I used every single one, including all my add-ons! And don't you love the sweet Prima wood clip? I love Kaisercraft Pearls .. my fave .. and have scattered them all about the page. 

Just a few close-ups. 

Next ... 

"Olivia"

MK, FAO, EAO, personal stash

This time I've used my Crafter's Workshop "Ledger" template to work a little magic! Really love that one!!  I went a little crazy with more fussy cutting and tons of flowers! Love these Meg's Garden papers and sure hope to work with them again soon!

 I went simple on my chippy frame and covered it in Gesso, then inked the edges and rubbed them with Gold Rub and Buff. My lamp post is a Fabscraps chippy from my stash and is simply covered with white Gesso and light coat of chalk ink on the edges. Oops, almost forgot my Dusty Attic butterfly. Here I've wet it so that I could separate the layers of the wings. Then covered them with more Gesso and Quick Quotes PowderPuff chalk ink in Bloody Mary.  I also added red microbeads to the body for more dimension. 

 Lastly, I finished by tucking in random pieces of cheesecloth which is included in the kit. I've also tucked in a few wooden gears in amongst my flowers and used a cute Prima wood clip on my photo. Photo is of my sweet granddaughter-in-law. 

Close-ups .. 

MK, FAO, EAO, personal stash
Lastly, just a simple card that I squeezed out from my scraps! Cards always come in handy!

That's it for me today! Thanks for coming by! 

Sarah's Photoshop Elements Photo Editing Tutorial

Today I'm sharing a photo-editing tutorial with you about how to convert a photo to black and white but then re-reveal a certain colour element from the photo. I used this technique on the photo that I used in my "Those Eyes" layout, created using the ScrapThat! March Kit.  I converted this photo of my son to black and white, but then revealed his beautiful blue eyes!

Here is the step-by-step procedure to create this photo effect using Photoshop Elements.

1. Open the picture you want to edit in Photoshop Elements.
2. Crop the photo to the size/shape you want. For this I chose a 5x5 crop to get a square photo.

3. Under the “Layer” tab, choose “New Adjustment Layer” and then “Gradient Map”. This will create a black and white layer over your original picture, converting the image to black and white. 

Note: If your image isn’t black and white, check the Gradient Map options in the Layers palette on the right side toolbar and ensure the correct (i.e. black and white) colour profile is selected.

4. We’re now going to restore the colour to the eyes of the photograph. On your layers palette, the gradient map layer has two thumbnail icons. The thumbnail on the right is the layer mask, which lets you alter your adjustment by painting on it. White will reveal the adjustment, while black will block it. Zoom in on the eyes in the photo so they fill your workspace. 

5. Choose the brush tool from the left hand toolbar, adjust the brush size (top toolbar), and set the opacity to 100%. Set the foreground color to black (shortcut to do this is to press D, then X). Now click on the layer mask thumbnail in the layers palette and then begin painting over the eyes in the photo.

6. If you’ve coloured outside the "lines", you can fix it easily. Switch the foreground color back to white (press D then X), undo the colouring in the areas you want. In this photo I fixed some of the skin colour that was showing on the right eyelid.

7. You can set your zoom back to 100% (or fit screen) to see the result of the revealed eye colour.

8. As a final finishing touch, we’re going to add some graininess to the photo to make it look a bit more “vintage”. Under the “Filter” menu, choose “Noise” and then “Add Noise”. 

9. Set the noise amount between 3-5%, and make sure “Gaussian” and “Monochromatic” are checked.

That’s it – you’re done your photo editing - here is the final photo!

I hope you found this tutorial helpful! Please leave a comment and a link if you decide to give this a try!

Thanks so much for stopping by the ScrapThat! blog today!