CKMalamaKit – Gia Aloha

Using Tim Holtz Dies on a Layout

Have you noticed that even with the popularity of electronic/digital die cutting machines and software like Silhouette there are still so many gorgeous dies being created by more and more new companies? Even the oldest company that I am aware of making dies- Sizzix- continues to evolve with the trends producing more interesting dies all the time. I used to think that dies were something used more by card makers than scrapbookers only because the scale of dies is smaller.

For this layout about our outing to a beautiful lavender farm on Maui I picked out this Tim Holtz wildflower die set. When I went to look for a link for you I realized it was on sale on Amazon for only $11.99.

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Another tidbit about this layout…I had already pretty much killed my March kit from Clique Kits but decided to use the Traveler’s Notebook kit to create this layout. While the papers are from the same collection, I used the 6×6 pad and things like washi tape and rub ons from the TN kit on this layout. The versatility of both kits is something I truly love!

-Gia

Paige Evans Pick Me Up Paper 22

One of the adventures I have wanted to do since living in Hawaii was to go on a whale watching cruise. Here on Maui they are really easy to see, just from the coast if you have binoculars. The humpback whales come to Hawaii to mate and have babies and in February and March there are literally thousands of mother-baby whale pairs swimming together. Unfortunately, I did not have a telephoto lens or even a decent camera to get good photographs, but that did not stop me from documenting this day. I still used one snapshot I got of a whale surfacing and a photo taken of me taking a photo of the sunset we also enjoyed on the cruise. This paper pieced humpback whale was made with a file I downloaded from Etsy. The Paige Evans paper #22 from the Pick Me Up collection which was in the Clique Kits March 2018 Malama Kit was absolutely perfect for this layout! Here are a couple of close ups!

I loved the way this layout turned out. It was a little time consuming to put all of the paper pieces together like a puzzle, but worth the effort.

-XGia

Using a cut file to frame a photo

In this layout I used one of the add on cut files I designed for the Clique Kits March 2018 kits. The CK Malama kits feature the Paige Evans Pick Me Up collection for Pink Paislee and the color palette in this collection reminded me of the colorful scenery in Thailand when I took my trip there in 2016. If you missed it, I shared this layout also about my trip to Phuket, Thailand.

I separated the inner and outer circles after cutting the file so that I could use the large one to frame my photo of the view of the countryside and ocean on the Phuket coast, which was an enlargement. I challenged myself to do some hand stitching using the embroidery thread that came in the main kit. As it turns out, I am not good at stitching. But I do like the texture it added to the layout even though it was pretty crappy looking embroidery.

I found this Kesi-Art stamp in the Clique Kits shop and it is going to show up a lot on my travel layouts! You can download this cut file right here! Use my coupon code to save 10% GIA10.

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Happy Home Layout

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To create this look I used gelato water soluble pigment crayons with a waterbrush to get a watercolor wash effect. Then I used a fringe scissors on strips of paper from the Paige Evans Pick Me Up 6×6 patterned paper pad and stitched them down vertically. This layout was the perfect place for the mini weaving embellishment from the Clique Kits February release. If you would like to pick one up, use my code to save 10% GIA10

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I am really glad that I finally have a layout about one of my happy places in life- my comfy bed. Have you made any layouts about your home sweet home?

-XGia

Clique Kits March 2018: Paige Evans Pick Me Up

Today I am sharing this layout featuring the Clique Kits March Main kit and some of the add on items from the shop. I created a mixed media layout with dry brushed heavy body acrylic paints. To get the colors right, I mixed them from artist quality pigments tinting or shading as necessary. The color palette in the Pink Paislee Paige Evans Pick Me Up collection is really beautiful-I love it. I painted an abstract design layering different colors. It is key to let the colors dry completely before adding a contrasting color in order to not get a mixture that looks like mud. I stamped on top of my painted layer, then finished with some texture past spread through a bicycle stencil. The last step was adding in some strips of the beautiful Pick Me Up Washi tape strips here and there. These were actually a part of the Traveler’s Notebook kit. The kits do mix and match so well!

Once my background was completed I only had to decorate and embellish with a small amount of papers from the kit. The roses trim was used to ground my photo. I also used some of the print and cuts in the kit, exclusive to the Malama main kit.

Sometimes my favorite layouts do not use very much product at all. I love the vibrant colors in this background. I know I will be using this amazing artsy stamp from Kesi-Art a lot. You can pick one up in the Clique Kits shop! Use my discount code GIA10 to save 10%.

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Kesi-Art stamp in Clique Kits shop

March release add on item