It’s a Big World Out There with Let’s Go

Posted on December 3, 2018 by Karen Moss

Hello,

Karen here with the first of my December (where has the year gone to?) projects using Let’s Go.

I started my page by cutting a piece of Flights 11.5ins wide and 4 ins deep and adhered this to a piece of Licorice card. I then cut a piece of 11.5 ins wide and 8 ins deep. I added this to my card leaving a .25 border at the bottom and both sides and overlapping the Flights slightly. I used the suitcase border from the sticker sheet to hide the join.

This range has a really usable acetate sheet which I have used on this page. To start with I cut apart the 3 x 4 pieces and used two over photographs and the third as my title. I arranged the photos at an angle either side of my title.

I used the 6 x 4 piece, with the suitcase on, for a journaling block and used a permanent pen to write on it. I also added the suitcases from the Collectables Pack.

I then embellished my page with Collectables and tickets cut from Souvenirs paper. I also cut the ‘Explore’ tag from the Bag Tags paper.

Finally I added ‘Life Is Either A Daring Adventure …’ from the sticker sheet and some words from Celebrate Tape.

I then went on to make another page as I loved the elements on the Acetate sheet so much.

For this page I used Chocolate card as my base – gutting a piece large enough to use as a photo mount. I then took a piece of Street Signs and cut .25in from the top and one side. I adhered this to the Chocolate card with the blue side showing. Next I cut .5in from the top and right of Cities paper. Using a craft knife and the ‘sunburst’ as a guide I cut sections from the Cities paper and cut away sections of the suitcases so that I was able to slide the acetate I wanted to use as a title under them. I added this to the Street Signs paper.

I used the star border from the sticker sheet and Union Flag border from the Souvenirs paper. After adding my photograph I placed a piece of the buildings sticker border from the sticker sheet and added a cluster of embellishments to the bottom right of my photo – these were taken from the Collectables pack, Sticker sheet and 6.5 x 6.5 Paper Pack.

I hope I have inspired you to want to try using acetate on your projects.

Christmas Banner with First Noel

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Karen Moss

Hello –

Karen here with my final, and by far my favourite, project from this month’s First Noel collection, a Christmas Banner.

I used a pre-cut Kraft banner as my base but it would really easy to make your own from Kraft card.

I started each pennant by adding a slightly smaller piece of paper to the front. The papers were from the 6.5 x 6.5 paper pad and I also used a small piece of the foiled side of Evergreen.

I then punched a 2.5 inch circle from a selection of papers from the 6.5 x 6.5 paper pad. I adhered these to the back of my doilies (from my own supplies) and placed that at the centre top of my pennants .

Now came the fun part! Adding pieces cut from Wrapped, Hark, Evergreen and Calm. I also used elements from the Sticker Sheet, 6.5 x 6.5 paper pad and Collectables Pack adding Deep Yellow rhinestones as lights to my trees.

This was such a quick and enjoyable project to make – one that I left out in my Kitchen and just added bits to whilst making dinner one evening.

I hope my photos do this gorgeous paper range justice and you can see the lovely shiny gold accents.

I will be back again next month and until then hope you have a scrapalicious time xxx

November 17th 2018 – Merly Crop & Layout kit preview

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Chrissy Tingey

Hi Everyone,

The November 2018 Merly Crop will soon be upon us, so here are the details of the crop and sneak peeks of the layouts that you will be able to create using the kit.

For the kit I have used papers from the beautiful “Scrap Studio” Kaisercraft collection.

Also supplied in the kit are 8 meters each of yellow & pink DMC thread, 2 x Kaiser card, yellow Rhinestones and detailed instructions with coloured photo’s for you to follow, so you can create the two layouts that I have designed at your own pace.

Below are some sneak peeks of the first layout which I’ve called “Believe in your dreams” I have used one coloured photo which measures 10cm wide x 11cm high. The layout features beautiful fussy cut butterflies and flowers in blues, greens and yellows, colour coordinating stitching and die-cut flourishes using the DD705 Swirl Flourish pack.

……….and below are some sneak peeks of the second layout, which I’ve called “Cherish Moments Forever” This layout features the pinky, peachy colours from the collection – I have fussy cut the beautiful butterflies and flowers and have added coordinating stitching, this is all set off with a black base and strips of black card throughout the layout. I have used one coloured photo measuring 10cm wide x about 12cm high.

Other items used on the layouts which you may want to bring are a colour coordinating ink pad, I have used the “Saffron” Kaisercraft mini ink pad for inking around the edges, a needle for sewing (if you want to do it) foam pads and a small pair of scissors as there is some fussy cutting on both layouts. We will however have a selection of ink pads & Foam dots/roll, available to purchase in the on site Merly shop. From my own stash I have used some black rhinestones/Pearls.

I have also used the WRMK Sew Easy Tool and a Martha Stewart Edge punch, I will bring these to the crop for people to use and our usual supply of tools including the Big Shot machine & a small selection of other punches and dies.

The location of the crop, together with other details and future dates can be found on our Crop Dates page. We also have a crop/retreat facebook page, where you can see more sneak peeks and details of up and coming events and where you can also post your finished layouts.

At the crop we will also have our usual FABULOUS Merly Impressions Shop where you can purchase all the latest Kaisercraft goodies, including the new October & November releases and all our other Kaisercraft, Tim Holtz, ScrapFX, G45 & Little Birdie goodies. Extra kits will also be available to purchase at the crop. Just ask Paul for them.

The usual supply of tea, coffee and a selection of biscuits, chocolates, snacks & home made cakes will be available throughout the day – and for this crop as we are also celebrating Merly Impressions 9th year this month, we will have an extra little tasty treat for everyone. You will need to bring your own lunch and your usual supply of crafting tools.

See you all on Saturday 17th November 2018 at 10am (not before 9.55 unless you have been asked to help, as we will be very busy getting ready, please wait outside if you do turn up really early) – until 4pm. The cost for the day & kit is £27.00, payable on the day, we take cash and/or cards.

For anyone who can not attend the crop, the kit will be available to purchase the day after the crop over on the website. The cost for this kit is £17.00.

See you all on Saturday 10am.

Happy scrapping, hugs,

Chrissy xXx xXx

With Love with First Noel

Posted on November 5, 2018 by Karen Moss

Hello,

Karen here with my first page using the First Noel collection (I have a YouTube of my unboxing of this luscious kit here) which is the final Kaisercraft Christmas range for 2018. Again this has a very different and contemporary look focusing on gold, gray, black and white with gold foil accents.

As soon as I saw that the range featured presents I knew exactly which photo I wanted to use – one taken of Gracia when she was three.

I decided to try using my present embossing folder as a letterpress and inked the debossed side with black ink and run it through my Big Shot. It didn’t give a perfect print but I really liked that some areas were a little faded and distressed. Next I cut out the two piles of presents .

I cut two rows of presents from Wrapped and was ready to start assembling my page. I started with a piece of Elephant Ears card to which I added the gray side of Starry, having cut half an inch from one side and the bottom.

To this I added the Wrapped piece at the bottom of the page. I added my photo on foam tape to the back of my photo, leaving about 1 inch clear on all sides and placed it on the right side of my page. I tucked the two embossed piles of gifts either side. At the bottom of my photo I added a border from the 6.5 x 6.5 pad, which I tied around with a piece of gold and white baker’s twine (from my own supplies) and added a tag, also from the 6.5 x 6.5 pad.

I then stuck another piece of gold and white baker’s twine to the top of my page and added pieces from the Collectables pack and the wooden flourish pack to make a garland across the top of my page.

Finally, I used a piece of Celebrate Tape for my title and added three deep yellow rhinestones to either side of the border at the bottom of my photo.

So there we have my first project this month. I have already made my second one to show you later in the month and that one has a very different feel to it!

Karen xxx

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year with Peace and Joy

Posted on October 22, 2018 by Karen Moss

Hello,

Karen here with my third project using the wonderfully traditional Peace and Joy Collection.

Hello, hello – Karen here with my third project using the wonderfully traditional Peace and Joy Collection.

I wanted to use this range for a non Christmas page to show how versatile it is and decided to use a photo of my husband and our dog taking an Autumn walk. I really do think Autumn is the most wonderful time of the year!

I started with a piece of Fern Weave Cardstock and added the reverse side of Frolic (which I had trimmed half an inch from the bottom and one side) as the brush strokes look a forest of pine trees.

Next I added a piece of Elation, two ins from the left, cut to 12 ins tall and 4 ins wide. On top of this I added a piece of Comfort, 2 and a half ins from the top, cut to four ins tall and 12 ins wide.

Next I dabbed Vine ink through the stripes stencil at the top left and bottom right of my page.

I then took two pages from the 6.5 x 6.5 paper pad and added them to my page.

I used two 4 in strips of the the tree border sticker, from the sticker sheet, across the bottom of the Comfort paper and then cut a border, from the 6.5 x 6.5 pad and added it either side of my page below the sticker border.

I added my 5 x 7 photo to the top of these leaving a small border of the green and gold paper at the top and two sides.

To embellish my page I cut the two birds and foliage from one of the 6.5 x 6.5 papers and added to the top right and bottom left of my page. I used another border from the 6.5 x 6.5 paper pad underneath my photo to which I added the word ‘Together’ from the Collectables pack. The remaining piece of tree border sticker was placed at the bottom right of my page with three trees from the Collectables pack on top. I then layered up a tag from the Collectables pack, a tag from the 6.5 x 6.5 pad – with a sticker from the sticker sheet added at the bottom, and a robin from the Collectables pack on the right of my photo. Finally I added a little cardinal at the top of my photo and the title , which is from the sticker sheet.

The last thing to do was to add my journaling, using a Kaisercolour Gel Pen which was the perfect colour.

I hope this gives you an idea on how to use a Christmas range in a non Christmassy way x

Christmas Home Decor with Peace and Joy

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Karen Moss

Hello,

Karen here with the first of my projects for October using the beautiful Peace and Joy collection which is very traditional in its colouring with a watercolor feel to all the papers. You can see the unboxing of my DT goodies in the YouTube here.

For this project I decided to use the collection with a Large Heart Silhouette Wall Art off the page (on special offer at the moment and only £7.97). I think my project would have been better if I had painted the frame with Gesso first as I will explain later in this post.

The frame comes in three pieces – a square back, a square with a heart cut out and a heart. I started by covering the square back with the spot side of Festivity. I then drew around the heart onto a piece of Ruby Glitter Cardstock and cut the heart out. The heart frame was then added to the square with the heart cut out. I found that the card was reluctant to stick to the wood and this is when I thought it would have been better to have primed the wood with a little gesso.

After I had stuck the card to the cut out heart I then put double sided tape around the outside of the frame and the heart shape and added red glitter tape to this.

Finally, I covered the heart with the stripy side of Gladness. I used foam tape to stick the heart to the top right of the glitter frame.

As I wanted to be able to change the photo on this project each year I made four photo corners from the scraps of red glitter card and added a 6 x 4 in piece of white card as placement for my photograph.

Next I cut lots of flowers from Cheer and Merry papers and from the corresponding papers from the 6.5 x 6.5 pad. I also cut the birds from one of the 6.5 x 6.5 papers.

I placed the Leafy Wreath die cut so that my heart was tucked underneath on the top left but over the top on the right. I did have to snip it apart to make it lay flat.

The fussy cut flowers and birds were placed around the wreath with a few added to the bottom left of the frame. I added some black rhinestones and a couple of tags from the 6.5 x 6.5 pad.

So there we have it – a lovely piece of home decor to get out every Christmas and add my favourite photograph from the year before.

I will be back soon with my next project using this lovely collection.

Flowers In Her Hair with Hide and Seek

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Karen Moss

Hello,

Karen here with the first of my August pages – where has the year gone? This month I have the fun and funky Hide and Seek collection to play with. I was delighted when I opened my DT box of goodies to find this particular range as I had really hoped that Chrissy would choose this one for me to work with. What I love about this collection is that it’s so versatile and can be used for baby pages, pet pages, camping/outdoor pages – the possibilities are endless!

I so loved the fox die cut that this was the first thing I wanted to experiment with.

I had seen it used in a couple of different ways in the July Kaisercraft Workshop Magazine.

But I wanted my one to be more like a real fox rather than a pattern paper filled fox. For this I used papers from the 6.5in x 6.5in paper pad to backfill his face. I laid the die cut onto each piece of paper and traced around the relevant piece, with a pencil, before cutting out slightly larger than the pencil line and rubbed out the pencil lines before adhering to the back of the die cut.

Doesn’t she look cute?

I cut .25in from top and one side of a piece of Clouds paper and used the reverse side to adhere to a piece of Mou ntains paper which I had gutted a 1 inch frame from (it’s too pretty to use a whole sheet when most will be hidden behind the Mountains paper).

I mounted a 3in x 4in photo onto a 3.5in x 4.5in piece of blue spotty paper, from the 6.5 x 6.6 paper pad, using foam dots and added to my page with a cluster of elements top left of my photo. The ‘Let there always be LOVE …’ is cut from Deer paper and the My Girl, Stay Clever, Antlers with flowers, Stay Wild, flowers and pink doily border are taken from the Collectables Pack. The blue scallop border and circle are from the 6.5 x 6.6 paper pad.

I then added my fox to the top right of my page – her ears touch the top of the cloud paper and her right cheek touches the right, overlapping the top right of my photo.

Next I added the pink flower border from the sticker sheet, to the top of my page, but cut it so it didn’t go behind the fox ears which left me a little piece to add to the bottom right of my page.

The final touch was to add Dusty Pink paper blooms and Sage mini blooms to my fox’s right ear to tie in with my title of Flowers In Her Hair.

So that is my first project with this fun range. I can hardly wait to get onto the next one, which I have a planned in my head and have the perfect photos ready! See you again soon

Karen xxx

Do Everything With Love with Full Bloom

Posted on July 4, 2018 by Karen Moss

Hello,

Karen here with my first page using Kaisercraft’s Full Bloom collection.

I really love the Flower Bunch mini stencil and really wanted to make a page that showcased how pretty it is.

I started with a piece of Cocoanut Weave cardstock and divided the reverse (smoother side) into six panels measuring 6in tall and 4 in wide. I then, with the stencil taped into place, spread some texture paste through the top right and left and middle bottom one, making sure I wiped it clean each time.

You can just about see the white on white here. Once the texture paste had dried I dabbed ink onto a silicone sheet – the colours I used are Petal Pink, Berry, Vine and Avocado.

The next step was to use a fine paint brush and a little water to thin the ink and add to the raised texture paste flowers. I was thrilled with the result!

I trimmed 1cm from all four sides of my white card and mounted it onto a piece of Full Bloom Undergrowth paper. Next I cut three peices of paper from the 6.5 x 6.5 paper pad measuring 3.5 x 5.5 and a piece of the pink gingham paper measuring 3.5 x 4.5, also from the 6.5 x 6.5 paper pad.

I added the gignham piece, centrally to the centre top panel of my page and using mounting foam dots, added the other three pieces of paper to the centre top and left and right bottom of my page.

chose one of the gorgeous pink and gold phrase cards from the Blooming Foil Paper for my title and placed this centre top of my page. To this I added two doves from the Collectables pack and coloured some leaves and a rose, from the wooden Flourish Pack with Berry and Avocado ink pads to add to the bottom of my panel.

I die cut two flowers using the Decorative Die Rose Cluster and backed these with off cuts from the 6.5 x 6.5 papers I had used.

Finally I added my photos and used the diecuts and elements from the Collectables pack with a couple of stickers from the sticker sheet to finish my page.

I for one didn’t realise you could use the little ink pads to paint with and this is something I will be utalising more in the future.

Stay Wild Moon Child with Stargazer

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Karen Moss

Hello,

Karen here with my last Stargazer page for this month.

For this page, not only did I want to use as much of this gorgeous range as possible but I also wanted to experiment with Kaiserfusion pens (which are on sale at the moment).

I started with a piece of Navy Weave card and to this added a piece of Milky Way paper which I had trimmed .25 of an inch from the top and one side.

I used the Stars and Moon mini stencil as a template to draw the stars on either side of my page – I flipped it over so that the pattern was mirrored.

I then coloured the stars with a Denim Kaiserfusion pen and outlined them with a silver gel pen.

Next I cut a strip of feathers from Universe paper and adhered to the bottom of my page. I also cut a strip from the two corresponding papers in the 6.5 x 6.5 paper pad. I stuck these on top of the feathers, using foam tape but being careful not to place the tape so high that I would be unable to add my photo.

My photo is 7 x 5 in and I chose two pieces of paper from the 6.5 x 6.5 pad, stuck them together side by side and then cut this piece down to 6 x 8 ins. I tucked my photo underneath the blue and silver feathers.

I used the butterfly stamps from the Ma Cherie range (also on sale at the moment) and ‘scribbled’ on them with the large tip of an Alaska Kaiserfusion pen. When I stamped it gave me a beautiful water colour effect. I tucked four butterflies into the top of the blue and silver feathers.

Next I had four mdf feathers, from my own supplies, and coloured these blue with a Denim Kaiserfusion pen, I outlined them with a silver gel pen. I cut four flowers from two of the papers in the 6.5 x 6.5 in pad and also coloured three white flowers, from my own supplies, with my Alaska Kaiserfusion pen. These white flowers would look beautiful coloured with the Kaiserfusion pens – Mini Paper Blooms and Paper Blooms. I like the idea that you can colour the blooms the exact colour you wish.

I added the three blue flowers at the top of my photo with the fussy cut ones at each side. I placed two feathers each side and my final two butterflies.

My title was added, at the bottom of my page using phrases from the Collectables pack and I finished off by adding Dark Blue rhinestones to my flowers and scattering a few of the smallest ones amongst the stars.

So there we have four different ways to use Kaiserfusion pens but I am sure there are many, many more.

Karen.

Savour Life and All It’s Magic with Stargazer

Posted on June 6, 2018 by Karen Moss

Hello,

It’s Karen here with the first of my June projects using the spectacular Stargazer Kaisercraft collection.

For this page I wanted to utalise the Starburst die cut and decided that it would look stunning when backed with the Galactic printed acetate.

I started by adhering the acetate onto a piece of Cosmic paper, with the little tiny dots showing. I then placed the Starburst die cut on top, I didn’t glue it yet but used a piece of washie tape along one side to hold it in place. This acted as a ‘hinge’ and I was able to use it as a guide to place my Stars and Moon mini designer stencil and then lift it out of the way to add my texture paste . Before doing this I used more washie tape to mask off the moons and the hole at the top of the stencil.

I mixed some Little Birdie Dazzle Cocktail – Martini with some Transparent Gloss Texture Paste and spread this through the stencil in the three apertures on the right, lifting the die cut out of the way each time and making sure I removed any surplus paste from the stencil before using it for the next aperture.

Once the texture paste had dried I adhered the die cut to the acetate.

I took all the borders from the 6.5 x 6.5 paper pad and layered them up to put at the bottom of my photograph. I also chose three papers from the pad, cut them to 5 in square and arranged these underneath my photograph, using foam pads to secure them.

I cut a title from the Astronomy paper and added it to the two right hand sections of the Starburst die cut paper. I then added stars from a pack of Epoxy Stickers.

Using paper from the 6.5 x 6.5 paper pad and DIY Flora Peony die I made four flowers. The final touch was to add the ‘i love you to the moon and back’ phrase from the Collectables pack.

I really love this range and can’t wait to show you my next project.

Karen.

Merly Impressions

Specialists in Kaisercraft scrapbooking products

Category Archives: Product Focus

It’s a Big World Out There with Let’s Go

Christmas Banner with First Noel

November 17th 2018 – Merly Crop & Layout kit preview

With Love with First Noel

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year with Peace and Joy

Christmas Home Decor with Peace and Joy

Flowers In Her Hair with Hide and Seek

Do Everything With Love with Full Bloom

Stay Wild Moon Child with Stargazer

Savour Life and All It’s Magic with Stargazer