Michelle Stokes

About Michelle Stokes

https://gettinhercrafton.blogspot.com/

Posts by Michelle Stokes:

Shine Bright | Unforgettable Collection | Michelle Stokes

Hello there! It’s Michelle back today sharing a new layout using both our new collection Unforgettable and the FREE Cut files designed by Gwen. LOVE LOVE LOVE the designs within the set, especially the circle of hearts design. This whole layout came together pretty quickly by cutting one main floral piece, 1 massive cut file and then tucking random bits here and there.

I started by cutting the design out in silhouette studio using the reverse of the GARLAND paper and then adhering it flat to the white cardstock using the centre edge only. I curled all the hearts up for a touch of dimension. Next I fussy cut the entire wreath design from the same paper and adhered this to the bottom half of the cut file using foam tape.

When it came to the photo I didn’t want it to stand out or compete with the florals, I felt it needed to blend together so I printed it out in black and white. I chose a close up photo of Leila from a few years back as its one of my very favourites. I backed the photo using the woodgrain pattern of the NATURAL BEAUTY paper plus a couple of off cut strips from the 6×8 paper stack I used on previous layouts. I tucked the right side of the photo under the layers of florals and ephemera pieces. I also added a couple of the leaf strand cut files from the FREE SET.

To the left of the photo I added the title using the new foam title words and a stack more bits from the ephemera pack, a flair button, clear sticker and enamel dots to mirror the opposite side of the layout.

Once I felt the entire circular design was a good balance of florals and colours I splattered it all with gold colour shine, including the photo as I ALWAYS forget to cover it up. Super happy with how this turned out, pretty similar to the idea I had in mind when I started which is pretty good. It doesn’t usually run so smoothly HAHA

Well thats all from me today, thanks so much for stopping by. Be sure to pop by our facebook group to chat all things CVS and don’t forget to download the FREE cut files!!

Until next time, Happy Scrapping
Michelle xx

 

 

So Beautiful | Unforgettable Collection | Michelle Stokes

Hello Scrappy friends! It’s Michelle back here today with a new layout share featuring the stunning UNFORGETTABLE collection. I’ve stepped back in time with a couple of super cute photos of Leila that I wanted to re-document and reminisce over. That cute little face really loved posing for the camera back then, not so much these days unless bribery is used HAHA

I challenged myself to use only pattern papers from the 6×8 paper stack fore this layout and I think I did well creating a simple stack of layered patterns as the base for the layout. I really love the smaller designs as you can cram more of them onto a page together.

I distressed the edges of the papers, roughly tore the text pattern rather than cutting and adhered them all flat to the page before folding up the edged slightly to add some slight dimension. I also added a piece of foam sheet to the back of the framed photo to raise it slightly higher than all the rest and layered it together with one of my favourite doilies.

I felt like this layout didn’t need a large title to take the focus away from the sweet photos. Instead I’ve created a large ‘cluster’ of florals and ephemera pieces and used a black banner tag for the title name.

To the top right of the photos I’ve added in a smaller cluster using similar items to the larger group. I follow this design technique on most of my layouts to create balance and direct flow of the layout (if thats even a thing as honestly I just go with the flow and slap things here and there HAHA). Lastly I added a few splatters of gold ink and called it done. Super quick and easy this layout was to create, which I love! I hope you enjoy it just as much as I do.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Be sure to check into the Cocoa Vanilla Studio Community Facebook Group to share the love of all things CVS.

Until next time, Happy Scrapping
Michelle x

 

 

Captured | Unforgettable Collection | Michelle Stokes

Hello friends its Michelle here today with my very first layout share using the BRAND NEW Unforgettable collection. This collection is absolutely STUNNING and was so hard to chop in to, but oh so fun in the end.

I’ve chosen a sweet photo from Christmas in 2011 of my sweet Leila and Grandma reading together. Its hard to believe that this quick moment captured was from almost 8 years ago. To create the layout I chose a cut file from CUT to YOU and cut it out twice on white cardstock, then cut the florals individually off the frame they were attached to. I backed each piece using the SPRIGHTLY, LACEWING, GLORIOUS and GARLAND patterns from the 6×8 paper stack before layering them randomly and adhering with different forms of adhesive for multiple heights of dimension. I also added in a sprinkling of florals from the ephemera pack.

I used a couple of different patterns from the PRETTY BITS & STORY TELLER cut apart sheets to layer with the photo then adhered this stack to the page with a large foam square to raise it slightly higher than the floral cluster

I added the foam title piece to the top of the photo and altered it slightly using white paint so that it wasn’t so dark. I also did the same to the other smaller black foam hearts I added to the clusters.

The two of the layout looked a little bare so I’ve created a mini cluster combining a matching ephemera piece and sticker to create a larger looking flag to combine with a smaller floral cut file piece and the moments banner from a cut apart sheet.

Along the bottom of the layout I’ve incorporated a strip of the SPRIGHTLY paper with some text from the PRETTY BITS paper, a few ephemera florals, cut file bits and some enamel dots that are also sprinkled here and there

Lastly a good splattering of gold ink and a tiny amount of handwritten journalling to complete the layout.

Well folks thats all from me today, Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing my first layout using our super new UNFORGETTABLE collection. Cant wait to see what you all create with it once it lands on all your doorsteps!

Until Next time, Happy Scrapping

Michelle xx

Happiness Is | Happiness Collection | Michelle Stokes

Hello Friends, Its Michelle back again with a bonus layout share for this month! I’m trying to crank out as many pretty layouts as I can using the beautiful Happiness Collection before the brand new Unforgettable collection arrives on my doorstep and all other collections are forgotten HAHA

The layout was inspired by a sweet photo of a few familiar faces from this years Creative Escape Retreat in Coffs Harbour. LOVE LOVE LOVE spending time with these lovely ladies and it was SO good to meet Anna in person

To begin the layout I cut out the Floral Banner cut file from CUT to YOU using white cardstock and backed it using block colours of bright patterns Good Vibes, Expressive & Frame of Mind. The main banner piece is backed using the multicolour spot paper Sprinkles and layered together with a strip of vellum and the woodgrain pattern of the Bright & Beautiful paper. I also cut the florals off the main banner rather than keeping them as one whole piece. This gave an extra layer of depth and dimension. We all know I love small hints of dimension on a layout!

The photo is adhered to the reverse pattern of Botanical Bliss with the addition of a couple of ephemera pieces to create part of the cluster top right.

I had a handful of florals and butterflies, fussy cut from previous layouts, that I added to the florals of the die cut. I tucked in a couple of leaves from the ephemera pack too

I fussy cut a few more florals from the Botanical Bliss paper to tuck into various places of the layout adding hints of orange. There’s also a couple of clear stickers added here n there

The title is made using a couple of accessory stickers and cardstock title piece, raised slightly using glue dots.

Lastly a few splatters of gold ink, a date stamp and handwritten journalling and it was finished.

Thats all from me for my final share this month, thanks so much for stopping by. Be sure to share all your crafty goodness using all things Cocoa Vanilla Studio in the Facebook group HERE

Until Next time, Happy Scrapping!
Michelle xx

 

 

Sweet Moments | Midnight Collection | Michelle Stokes

Hello Crafty friends, its Michelle back today. I have a new layout to share with you all that’s based on the super cute Page Maps sketch shared by my fellow team members this past week. I had so much fun using the sketch as a kick starter for this layout, and that Midnight collection worked perfectly with the floral design elements

Love that these photos document a sweet moment shared between both Leila and my nephew from a few years back. They both love to read

TO begin the layout I cut down a piece of white cardstock to roughly 11.5inch square and adhered to a 12×12 piece of the stunningly beautiful INKY DEPTHS paper. Love the tiny floral design of that pattern paper. Once the 2 papers were secure I roughly drew then sewed multiple circle shapes similar to the large version on the sketch.

I gathered a couple of photos, printed black and white so as not to clash with the colours of the sweet Midnight collection. There were layered to the right of the large sewn circles and adhered using foam tape for slight dimension. I’ve tucked some ephemera pieces and fussy cut florals from the BLOOM AND GROW paper above the top photo

Between the photos I’ve layered a strip of roughly torn pink paper from the ombre SHINE BRIGHT design and a piece of the  blue and white diagonal stripe frame found in the ephemera pack to replicate the scalloped piece on the sketch. I’ve also added a second piece of the torn pink paper to the top of the layout

TO the left of the photos I created the large title cluster using more elements from the ephemera pack and die cut titles that looked similar to those on the sketch. Especially those mason jars and florals. Perfect pieces! To give them all different dimensional heights I’ve used multiple adhesives – raised and flat glue dots, foam tape and good ol tacky glue.

Lastly I added some handwritten journalling and a few splatters of gold ink and called it done.

Well thats all from me today, thanks so much for stopping by! I really enjoyed playing around with this sketch as it helped get my creative juices flowing when I was stuck in a rut. I hope it inspires you all too!

Until Next time, Happy Scrapping (or sketch scrapping)

Michelle x

You are Awesome | Happiness Collection | Michelle Stokes

Hello Scrappy friends It’s Michelle back today with a new layout share! This is definitely one to be added to the favourites using the Happiness collection and a pretty awesome cut file from fellow DT member Gwen.

The sweet photo I’ve chosen to document is of Leila taken back on Mothers Day with her ‘new’ friend Kermit – best op shop find ever! She truly is an awesome kid, and this cut file from CUT to YOU was the perfect accompaniment for this collection. I managed to pull all of this together with just scraps of papers used on previous creations and 1 full piece of pattern paper for the background edging.

I backed all the pieces of the cut file using the scraps I mentioned before then adhered to the white cardstock using some foam tape for dimension. I layered the cardstock with a full piece of my favourite MEADOW paper for even more colour, and sewed around the edging using white thread.

I added some more of my favourite paper colours to the photo stack. These are the smaller designs you can find in the 6×8 paper pad.

At the top of the photo and bottom of the cut file I added some floral ephemera pieces to give the slight hint of a diagonal design element. I also used the negative star pieces left over from the cut file and some enamel dots (which are making a come back with our upcoming collection and goodness I am excited about it)

Lastly I added a sprinkling of gold colour shine, some handwritten journalling and a date stamp to complete the page.

Well thats all for today. Be sure to pop by the CVS Community group on facebook to share all your scrappy goodness using all things COCOA VANILLA STUDIO

Until Next time, Happy Scrapping!

Michelle x

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