Hello Again from Helen!

Hi there everyone!   HELEN here again with my March shares.     Today I'm going to share with you a page I made for another design team  I used to be on, Lindy's Stamp Gang.  I also have a video of how I put this  layout together & the different techniques I used on the chipboard pieces. 
 You can see that on my Youtube channel HERE.   Please subscribe if you enjoy it!   There are also more closies in my blog post HERE.
"Gateway to Growing Up"   I used the Leafy Shrub Set 1, which I split up according to my requirements. I also used the Iron Gates, which I again split up. {into two - one for each side of my photo}.

I treated the chipboard with chunky embossing - using a Stamp it!  

Paint dabber from Ranger,using a couple of bronzey colours, 

before sponging over with some white acrylic paint to give a rusted look.

I applied the same treatment to the leafy shrubs too.

Just a few close-ups for you....

Now here are the 2 layouts I created especially for 2Crafty this month!     "Happy  Love"

I could NOT resist the Prima Product Pick for March & entered this layout - above.

I used the 2Crafty words "happy" {loopy font} 

 & "love" {loopy font} to make up my title -

 Happy Love.

I used a few different colours of embossing powder 

for a more interesting effect when I embossed each word.

The great thing about chipboard is it's versatility. You buy 

 it in it's raw state then customise it to suit your project.

These hearts {Squiggly Heart Cluster} are definitely 

MY FAVOURITE CHIPBOARD  ITEM EVER -

 I really want to use them repeatedly - on everything!!  

I used Tombo mono glue to adhere them lightly in just a few places,

 {that glue is incredibly strong & dries clear} & I used the same

 embossing effect on the hearts as I did on the words.

If you find embossing on intricate chipboard shapes tricky with an embossing pad

 you need to buy yourself one of these.  They last an incredibly long time

 & make the job waaaaaaaaay easier...

You just roll it over your piece & the effect can be made to look

 "chunky" if you squeeze out a thicker or uneven layer.

Photo overload so you can study things from every angle!

This chipboard piece in person is way more awesome than you realise

 when you look at it in it's raw state.  There's no way you won't love this!

Using your punches to "mirror" the design on your chipboard 

pieces, if possible, is an easy trick to help create a co-cohesive layout.

Next up is a layout I created using some new 7Dots Studio

 papers that just arrived for me from Poland - Happiness is...

"All Because Two People Fell in Love"

I used one of 2Crafty's awesome chipboard titles for this. 

{All Because Two  People Fell in Love title}

 I sponge painted it with white acrylic paint then dipped it into some

 chunky glitter for a sparkly effect that doesn't show up too well in photos sadly...

I also used the circular panel which I cut into 3 pieces, using one in the

 centre of my layout, under my photo, & the other 2 pieces under my layers 

at each side of my photo.   I treated my circular panel the same way as my

 title but for the smaller pieces of circular panel at each side, I left those raw.

I also cut up one Berry Branch & painted it with a Ranger 

dabber in 'Juniper' {must-have colour!}

Adding chipboard over threads is a good way to secure 

them in place as I have done in the photo above.

Placing your chippie title onto some contrasting 

paper is a good way to help it to pop off the page.

Cutting up your branches is an economical way to use them on your work.

Chipboard makes for great layering as it's light & not too bulky.

I hope you enjoyed taking a peek at my creations with

 2Crafty chipboard today.  See you all again next month!

  HELEN