Scraps Of Darkness June Kit-Summer Breeze Reveal

As we head ever closer to summer, Scraps of Darkness unveils it's kit Summer Breeze and it is just perfect for those fun summer photos. Of course, as always, this kit is so versatile, your imagination will know no limits.

The Main Kit Includes;

Papers: 
Simple Stories-Documented- Expressions Stickers
-Memories, Noteworthy, Ever After, Words 2 Live By
Prima-Sun Kiss Collection
-Sundried, Lemon Ginger, Sunshine Path, Nectar Fields
Little Yellow Bicycle
-Paradise- Happy Dots, Pleasant Plaid

Embellishments:
Maya Road- Yellow Zipper, and  Pins
Kaisercraft Wooden Flourishes
Prima- Poppies & Peonies Canvas Banners
Prima- Peanut Primmers, and Say it in crystals

For this kit, I used a lot of different techniques  in each layout to create dimension and texture; hand stitching, sewing, punching, beading, gesso, modeling paste, stamping, stenciling and painting are all great ways to add interest to your layouts. So be sure to take a close look at all the details.

The following sketch created by Sue Pup is also included with the kit:

The following is my take on this month's sketch and features a photo of me and my family when my son was about 4 years old. Simply put, I love my family. They are the world to me and I consider my family sacred ground. My husband, David and I have been married for 22 years and dated for 3 more. After being married for 5 years, we finally decided to have a child, and I must say there is no greater joy, for me than in being a mom. My son, is now 16, right at the verge of 17 and I feel so privileged to have watched him growing up and turning into the man that he will one day be. More amazing is watching this person, who is a little bit of me, a little bit of his dad, and whole lot of his own self finding his place in this world. I couldn't imagine life without either him or my husband, and count myself, one lucky lady to have been blessed with the beautiful sweetness of such a wonderful family.

I did lots of layering with the kit papers using reversed scallop edging, punching and distressing. I hands stitched around the Kaisercraft Wooden Flourishes from the kit and layered on Prima chipboard pieces from the Romance Add On. The Lemon Meringue Butterflies are from my Etsy Shop.

I did lots of machine sewing around the photo, word pieces and side piece.

Here, I used layers of the kit paper, one of the Prima Chipboard pieces from the Romance add on and some Prima- Lady Godivas Nougat flowers from the Flora and Fauna as well as some Yellow She Daisies from my Etsy Shop.

 The side floral layer was created using Sizzix Flourishes more of those Prima- Lady Godivas Nougat flowers from the Flora and Fauna as well as some more Yellow She Daisies from my Etsy Shop. The daisy and bling layer underneath is the Prima Say It In Crystals piece from the kit.

I love Daisies and Sunflowers and the papers and embellishment from this month's kit was just perfect for our family photo. I love when elements from the kit reflect things that I love and I get to scrap those special photos!

This next layout features a photo of my son, Draven and shows how this beautiful kit can be used to create a masculine layout. I can't believe how grown up my son is starting to look. He is slowly filling out his features and starting to look even more so like his dad. I took this photo along with some other ones while we were down by the Tennessee River at this big farm, and I love how wonderful they turned out and have just had to scrap some of them. I am so proud of him!!

I used layers of the kit papers, corrugated board, and the corrugated Jellie Bean Soup Paper also in the kit that I distress punched, inked and distressed to get my base layers.

The side strip is a piece of the Life Stories paper that I cut the large words "Life Is Good"  out of. I then gessoed over the paper to give it a soft side, distressing the edges for that rugged look. I then created a banner using the Prima Canvas Banner from the kit and some floss. I then took 2 Dusty Attic Keys that I had purchased from Mandy (Craftysprinkles) Etsy, and I painted them, then dabbed them with a paint dauber, strung hemp rope through them and hung them from the strip with a 7Gypsies clip from a previous kit.

I used a stencil and misted it with Lindy's Mist from a previous Color Add on at the corner of my page. I dry inked the Jellie Bean Corrugated board that I cut into my desired shape using a template. I then took a punchenella stencil, painted over it with modeling paste, with the stencil still in place, I misted it with some Maya Road Mist from last month's color add on and then went back over it with a stencil brush and modeling paste to blend the color in. I grunge stamped randomly on my page with Vintage Photo Ink to add visual depth and interest.

I tied some more hemp rope around the corner of the corrugated piece then took a Bottle Cap Inc- Bottle Cap, and Epoxy Sticker from the Romance Add on and made the crown piece. I edged the bottle cap with some of the Vintaj Patina Metal Paint from this month's color add on and then sealed it with some of the Glaze, also in the add on. The lock is another DA piece from the lock and key set I purchased from Mandy's store that I gesso'ed and then grunge stamped. For the final touch I tucked in some of the the film strip transparencies and one of the Simple Stories sticker sentiments from the kit.

I love the way the kit gave me all those wonderful, rugged yet beautiful pieces that allows me to scrap photos of my son. He is after all, one of my favorite subjects!

This next layout shows how you can use this month's kit to get a Vintage look. I love old Vintage images. I purchased this one off Etsy from a seller who scans them in from old Vintage postcards. I loved this one with those soft romantic greens and creams, so perfect for these papers. It is titled "In Another Time". 

The base layers of this layout are made up of punched layers of the kit paper that I punched and hand stitched, and of course did a little distressing and inking on. The trim is some beautiful Vintage look trim that Karen (aka LostCoastScrapper) gifted to me. Thank you Karen!!

Here you can see the detail of the technique work I did. I used a Prima Stencil and applied thick layers of modeling paste. I then hit it with my heat gun to add even more dimension then stamped in the modeling paste design. This is a great way to add dimension and design to your layers. I took a Dusty Attic Chandelier and painted it with gesso. I then painted it with Smooch paing and added details with Tim Holtz Markers, pink Smooch paint and some silver metal look paint, and then added little crystals for even more detail.

I created the flower layers by stamping the leaves using a Heartfelt Creations Rose Leaf Stamp and cutting them out with the matching Spellbinder's die. I then layered on flowers from past kits and some Shabby Love Letter Flowers from my Etsy Shop, and then added even more dimension with some Baby Renea Crushed Ice Butterflies from my shop.

Here is a close ups of some of the details.

 The ornate design on the side of the photo is a layered piece, with the bottom being a piece I cut using a Spellbinder's Parisian Accents die, and the next layer is one of the Prima Chipboard Stickers from the Romance Add on, and then a crystal accent for the center.

I love the versatility of the Scraps Of Darkness Kits, they so suit my "scrap your mood" style~


This last project is one that I have been wanting to do for a while. Both Ingrid Gooyer and Romy (DutchyRomy) have done little altered bird houses in the past, and I just loved them. They both inspired me to do my own version of one, so thank you Ingrid and Romy, you girls are so talented, and I am always inspired when I step into your galleries!

I started with a wooden bird house and gess'ed the whole surface to prep it. I then created templates and used the templates to create the paper details, distressing the edges.  I used the Prima Mountain Lily Sunflower piece from the Flora & Fauna add on to add instant beauty to the front of the bird house. I then used a stash chipboard bird, and some real branches and pine cones from my hemlocks to create texture and a natural look to the bottom. I attached one of the chipboard pieces from the Romance add onto the perch and added a Prima crystal to the center.

. I edged the front pitch of the house with lots of little beads which added some fabulous texture.

For the roof, I used a fence die cut and created "tiles" by staggering the paper colors. I then added some reindeer moss in keeping with my "natural" look.

For the sides I used a Donna Salazar Stanza Stamp and stamped onto the gesso'ed sides and then added some reindeer moss and more of the tiny pine cones.

Close up of some of the details.

View of opposite side.

I just loved how this bird house turned out so beautiful with a natural edge, and lots of texture.

Thank you for visiting me and checking out my Scraps Of  Darkness Reveal Day projects. I hope you enjoyed taking a look at all the different ways that you can use this beautiful kit! Now, I am off to check out what the rest of my sisters have created! Have a great week~ Renea