Christmas Joy by Design Team Member Jules Avile

Hey there everyone! My name is Jules and I will be sharing my project with you today!

I was given a sketch and a paper kit with some goodies to play with and given the liberty to make whatever my little heart desired...well...I tried thinking of what to make, although it didn't take me long to decide, I could not help but think..."Layout"!! It was just fitting for me....and I had just pulled some old pics of my kids from years ago and just had to scrap one of them!! 

Let me show you what was given to me,

the front of the paper...

So, this is the "St. Nick" paper collection made by Fancy Pants!  Love the "lellow" (my kids used to say yellow like that!! lol)   

and the backside of the paper in the same order!

and the embellishments,

But aren't these just pretty?! I was beyond excited about the style and the colors....and those flowers and the tinsel garland! Perfect pop of color!

I did use some additional supplies, which can all be  found at your local Craft Warehouse!

These extra supplies are:

- a 12"x12" artist canvas (which you can almost always find on sale at Craft Warehouse....I stock up on a few almost every time I go..heehee)

- Spellbinders circle dies

- red double sided tape adhesive

- paint applicator (spongy circle for the effect I did)

- any white shade of Folkart acrylic paint

- Glossy Accents (this is a glue and can be used to coat anything to give an "epoxy" sticker look)

- American Craft Thickers alphabet stickers (CW carries bunches of colors and styles)

- Cosmo Cricket "Tiny Type" alphabet stickers (awesome to use for journaling)

- a Tim Holtz paper distresser (not shown above but is in another pic below) 

- and a 12x12 solid gray card stock (CW also carries tons in different colors and shades)

Now my assigned sketch designed by Jen and her sweet sister Rebecca! Didn't they do a great job? This is a very cool and simple sketch design that was so easy to start my project with. Easy peasy people!! :)

Layout created for Craft Warehouse 
by Jennifer Evans & Rebecca Grinder

Our very talented DT member Mendi just shared hers in the previous post. You must see what she made if you haven't already! Her sketch was just as fun and her project...completely gorgeous and inspiring! But go after mine ok:) lol

Ok, so I took loads of pics but will try to share just the points of the techniques and what I consider the highlights of the layout and Jen's sketch!

Here is my layout!

 

I have to say that my most favorite things to do to paper is distressing it! I love painting too, so to do the both to the paper was so much fun!

 

I started out with cutting out a frame 1-1/2" wide (I measured then cut out with a craft knife for a clean cut) and stitched around it with my sewing machine (optional or course). I then tore a strip off the inside edge close to the stitch lines and then used my paper distresser and finger tips to curl the paper and "age" the look of it!

The end result....cool huh? :)

For the gray cardstock, I cut 1" of 2 sides making it 11"x11". Then I did a dry paint technique where using my dry sponge tool, getting a little bit of paint at a time, I add it to the paper by pouncing all around it (I also did this to some of the other strips of paper and chipboard embellishments to add a "snowy" look).  

Then I added water to a dollop of paint to dilute it and add drops of it onto the cardstock to make a "splashed" effect! This is what it looked like...

Here, I tilted it to the side and tapped the paper on my table to 

make the watery paint run.

I cut 4 strips of paper to 2"x10 and 2"x11 (I had already cut up some of the paper. I didn't think of making this tree until a little later), lightly spritzed with water (to make it more workable), did an angled accordion type fold, they are soft folds (not a tight crease), distressed the bottom edges (I did that after it dried or the paper will tear) and then dry painted with the pouncing....

 (paint looks darker in the photo...?....not sure why)

I glued the top edges together to make a fan with all 4 pieces.Taking a strip of chipboard scraps, I started adhering the fans to the chipboard...

Then comes a tree! I cut the edges down to have a clean triangular look....and distress the edges again:)

This last one is a little thinner...I wanted a tall look so I cut the sides down a little more! I added more paint using the pouncing technique to the bottoms of the pieces.

I got the largest "lellow" star from the sticker sheet and stuck it on some scrap chipboard to create my own chipboard embellishment, then used an emery board to clean the edges and it also preps the piece so the paint will adhere better....again with pouncing of the paint! Looks snowed on!

I used this star to top my tree, and coated it with glossy accents!

I made some hanging ornaments for those circles you see on the sketch....and used the tinsel to hang them from. Basically I used the circle dies and cut 3 circles from each size, using scraps of chipboard for added dimension, I added them under the gray smaller circles. The top layer are from the chipboard sheets. I pounced paint on these too:) Then once dry, I coated them with glossy accents too!

I adhered the border frame to the gray cardstock on both sides leaving the top open for the tinsel to be glued down on the backside.  Then I put layers of chosen papers down and started to  embellish my page according to the sketch!

The shiny spots are what I coated with Glossy Accents. I used the red tinsel to hang the "Joy" banner under the picture for a color pop and some texture!

 

I did fussy cut some stockings from the paper that had borders  on it and cut some thin strips of papers from the  collection to simulate hanging stockings:) 
 

I added the double sided tape on the backside and adhered it to the canvas, then used hot glue to tack the entire edges down onto it to  make sure it sticks!

 

....and, here it is on the canvas!

 

And again.....the whole LO!

 

Thanks Jen for the sketch and Craft Warehouse for the kit!!  

So guys, head over to your Craft Warehouse and get yourself this collection! If you don't normally make layouts, you can totally just make a card or an altered project using the sketches for these last 2 posted here on the blog!  If you love a challenge, make something you haven't tried yet! You'll be surprised at what you can come up with if you just try!    

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my layout! 

xoxo and Happy Scrafting!!!   

Jules!