Two Peas in a Bucket

1,2,3... improve your Instagram photos (with video tutorial)

Hello everyone, it´s Janna here. In May, Two Peas in a Bucket is focussing on photos. Therefore I would like to share a short video about my Instagram related photo editing process today. I have a rather strict routine how I am editing my photos - there might be better and/or easier ways, but maybe this helps you a bit with editing your photos :)

You might already know that I am a huge (huuuge) fan of Instagram - for me, it is the best social media tool ever. Why? Because it allows you to get in contact with other (crafty) people very fast and to see snippets of their daily life (you know this saying .. I am not curious, I just like being well informed?! *hehe*). All joking aside, for me it feels as if I get to know people better and it is a great way to share my passion for scrapbooking with crafty people from all around the world.

Here are the links to the photo apps I am using:
Snapseed - free
Pic.Tap.Go. - 0.99$
Instagram - free
Picfx - 1.99$
PicFrame - 0.99$
Whitagram - free

...and what I also love about Instagram is that it encourages me to take more photos. There are lots of great photo challenges on Instagram - photo a day, for example, where you have a theme for each day of the month. This does not only let you take more photos, but to see the world around you with different eyes. Furthermore I am using a lot of my Instagram photos on layouts, please click here to see some of them in my Garden Girl gallery.

I would love to know which apps you are using to edit your photos - do you have any favourites? Any editing apps you can´t live without?
And did Instagram (or any other photo sharing program) increase your scrapbooking?

Have a great day, everyone - wherever you are!
Janna
xo

Quick and Easy Layout with Mists & Masks Tutorial by Céline

Hello Peas!  Celine here with a fun tutorial to get you out of your confort zone! I have come up with a fun and easy (you’ll see) tutorial for you – I hope this will inspire you and I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with !

Let’s start!

 

 First of all, choose the patterned papers you would like to work with. Choose a busy patterned paper for the main background and a ledger one or clear one to mist.

Choose your favorite mists or, at least, the ones that match your patterned papers. If you don’t have lots of mists, then pick the ones you would like to work with and match your patterned papers according to your mists colors.

Now you have to mist ! Don’t be scared, everything is going to be alright ! Try to mist not too close (you’ll get a small circle spot) and not too far (you’ll mist all over the place BUT your layout) : try to mist from at least 8 to 10 inches from your background.

Now mist 3-4 times on your background.

Repeat the same step with different colors, without cleaning the mask, and on different spots on your background.

Now, instead of cleaning your mask, use it as a stamp and clean it on your background! You’ll get amazing, unexpected designs!

 How cool it looks now!

Now your background is ready to be scrapbooked.  Pick a few embellishments you really like, print your pictures and have fun!

 

Supplies list : Maggie Holmes 12x12 Paper Pad ; Studio Calico Sundrifter First Kiss Mr Huey ; Studio Calico Sundrifter Splash Mr Huey ; Studio Calico Here & There Desert Mr Huey ; Studio Calico Snippets Circles Mask ; Studio Calico Here & There V Mask ; Dear Lizzy 5th & Frolic Accents & Phrases w/ Foil Stickers ; Dear Lizzy 5th & Frolic Die cut Shapes ; Basic Grey Knee Highs & Bows Ties Wooden Flags ; Glitz Design Love you Madly Whatnots ; Glitz Design Love you Madly Giant Rhinestones.

Folded Circles Tutorial with Paige Evans

For the March Garden Girl Gallery the theme was SHAPE UP YOUR SCRAPBOOKING and I (Paige Evans) had so much fun turning the most simple of shapes - the circle - into a fun and detailed focal point on my layout!

Here's how they came to be:

1) Gather your supplies: I chose the My Girl line by American Crafts, a 2 1/8" circle punch, and a ruler that is about 1" wide.

 2) Start punching circles from the patterned paper. It definitely helps to have double-sided papers because both sides will be seen!

 3) Admire your collection of circles!

4) Take a ruler that is about 1" wide and place it in the center of a circle. Bend up the exposed sides of the circle over the ruler. Remove the ruler then press and crease the folded edges. You can either glue the edges down, stitch them down, or leave them popped up a bit for dimension!

 5) Line up the pieces side-by-side in a row.

 

6) For the next row, tuck the pieces over then under (then repeat) the bottom edge of the first row.

 7) Now you've made a happy and fun border for your layouts, cards, and projects!

 

 If you get a chance to make a project using this circles technique, I'd love to see, so make sure to leave a comment with a link to your project below! THANKS! - Paige

Rule of Thirds Tutorial by Wilna

Today we are going to talk a bit about the rule of thirds. I made this 7 minute video where my photographer friend, Dani van Steelandt and I talk about the rule of thirds. I will also show you how I created this page in a few easy steps. I hope you enjoy it! And I hope you use this design principle on your next page!

Much love!
Wilna

Tutorial: Ombre Letters with Jill Sprott

Ombre isn't just fun to say (om-bray), it's also a fun effect to create on a layout. Mists in hand, adding gradations of color to a title is a cinch. It's a technique I've used with a variety of colors and page themes:

All of these layouts include die-cut letters in their titles, but today, I'll show you how you can also apply the same effect to your next layout using the negative spaces from your die-cuts. 

Step 1. Gather some basic supplies.

You'll need:

- mist in assorted colors (analogous colors, or colors next to each other on the color wheel, work well together, like the orange, pink, and yellow Color Mists or the yellow, green, and blue Mister Huey's above). 

- two large paper scraps that you don't mind misting over

- a large cardboard box

- your target title: die-cut letters OR the sheet left behind (containing the negative space) and a piece of cardstock that will eventually contain your finished title. 

Step 2. Place your title (whether die-cut letters on their own or negative spaces, backed with cardstock) in the box and a place one piece of scrap paper above the title, and one below it. Move the bottom piece of paper upward to cover the title until only the very top of the title is showing. 

Step 3. Select your first color of mist.  Shake it to be sure that the consistency of the mist inside is uniform.  Hold the bottle a few inches away from the paper and lightly spritz over the top of the title. 

Step 4. Adjust the paper scraps, moving the top piece downward to cover the just-misted area, and the bottom piece downward all the way to expose the rest of the title. Repeat the misting in a different color. 

Step 5. Readjust the paper scraps one last time, moving the top piece downward to cover the just-misted area, and the bottom piece downward a bit to expose the final section of the title. Repeat the misting in the third color selected. 

Step 6. Wait a moment for the mist to dry, and then carefully remove the paper scraps to expose the final misted title. 

The negative-space die-cut approach tends to result in a title that is a little imperfect around the edges, but endearing all the same. Using die-cut letters will result in a more precise effect. Regardless of the outcome, I love the ombre look both ways! 

Thanks for joining me today!  

-- Jill 

 

Die cut look without a machine with Lilith Eeckels

I really waited quite a while before getting my Silhouette cameo. Today I can't scrapbook without it, but I know it isn't always easy to invest in such equipment. Before buying the Silhouette I wanted to create the same look and found few ways to do just that.

1. Use the negatives of sticker / chipboard sheets.

2. Use punches and punch out along the border.  Another idea is to punch out a design, take a larger punch and punch over it (I used this technique for the butterflies in circles situated at the top and bottom of my layout).

3. Look for products in the store that have the die cut look. Here are just a few:

InLinkz.com

On my layout I used die cuts from Studio Calico on the photos. I would usually cut similar ones out using my cameo but sometimes I don't have the time and I really love using products like these.You get several in a packet and there is a huge variaty of frames in the TwoPeas store. ( click here )

I also used a border punch, the negative space of a butterfly sticker sheet and some left over chipboard. I love the effect it creates and it also enables me to use up all those leftover scraps.

The card was created using an EK success border punch and a scalloped circle punch. It took me 10 minutes to create. I wouldn't have been able to use my cameo in that time frame.

Have a closer look at your supplies and you'll be surprised to see how many products you can use to create that "Silhouette/Die cut machine" look.

 

Happy scrapping, Lilith

Little valentine boxes... by wilna

Hi Peas...

With Valentine only a few days away, I want to share a little gift idea. Decorating little boxes for treats, mini albums or other little things for Valentines.

I have a bunch of 5x7 little white boxes and decided to paint them. This image inspired me. Still inspired by the project I did for In the mood to scrap, I painted 3 different shades of pink and a brush stroke of glitter.

The glitter is actually just white craft glue mixed with glitter and then I sprinkled some additional gold ontop. You can also paint with glue and sprinkle some glitter on top. I wanted the glitter brush stroke to match the other 3's brush qualities.

I used my Silhouette Cameo and cut LOVE (using the font pacifico) 11 times (that's how many boxes I made) and adhered it on top with a hot glue gun. I finished it off with some Paper Raffia ribbon and a die cut heart.

Now you are ready to steal some hearts for Valentines.

If you love techniques like this, have a look at my art class. :)

Love, wilna furstenberg

2012 : CAPTURED TUTORIAL WITH LISA TRUESDELL : CONFETTI CARD

Good morning!! My 2012 : Captured class for December went up yesterday, and this month, it's all using what you love in your Project Life album. My confetti addiction is no secret, so I thought it would be fun to show you how to create a confetti card to add to your album. 

(supplies - patterned paper - Simple Stories; vellum - Studio Calico; happy sticker - Pebbles; alphabet - Studio Calico; washi tape - Freckled Fawn; date stamp - Studio Calico; ink - StazOn)

First, gather your supplies. You'll need a piece of 3x4in piece of patterned paper, a 3x4in piece of vellum or transparency, washi tape and confetti or sequins. 

I usually just stitch around the outside of my confetti pockets, so I wanted to share a no sew version today. Line your vellum up over your patterned paper and run the washi along the edges. Be sure to leave enough on the outside of the paper so that you can bend it around to the back.

Once you have three edges taped, add your confetti. I used a mix of punched paper and sequins.

Add the last piece of washi tape finish off your confetti card with a sentiment or embellishments! 

I can't wait to see your confetti cards - link me up in the comments if you make one! -Lisa

 

Tone On Tone Tutorial with Wilna Furstenberg

Hi Peas! Wilna here today with a super simple tutorial... adding some texture to your pages using tone on tone. As you can see in this page, I added some Christmas trees to my white background to add to the theme and subject of my page.

Step 1:

I printed a bunch of photos size 2x2 and used a corner punch to round the corners. I also added the same size patterend papers to make things more interesting. I found this cool website where you can print your instagram pictures! I am super impressed with the quality.

Step 2:

Using some Silhouette Cameo designs of Christmas trees, i cut out 18 little trees using white card stock.

Step 3 & 4:

Lastly, I used some modge podge (matte) and lightly brushed some on the paper and adding the trees... adding another light layer on top of the trees.

Now go ahead and finish your page with photos and embellishments, title and journaling! A very simple page that was super fun to make! Get out the Modge Podge and play some!

Smiles,

Tutorial: Dimensional Vellum Stars with Jen Gallacher

Hi, everyone! Jen Gallacher here today. I have to confess that I have a slight addiction to dimensional items. I love me some chipboard. I have to have some enamel or jewel dots on almost off my projects. And any time I can create my own dimensional items, I am all over that! So today I thought I'd share a quick tutorial for how you can create dimensional stars like I did on this layout for Garden:

Step 1: Punch (or die cut) three of the same sized shapes from vellum.

Step 2: Layer the three shapes on top of each other, matching sides together.

Step 3: Staple vertically down the center of the shapes.

Step 4: Fold up the layers.

Step 5: Attach only the bottom, folded layers to the layout (see the detail shot below).

You can use this same tutorial for stickers that are the same size and shape, die cut shapes, and handcut items. Imagine clouds, hearts, and other shapes and how darling they would look with a little dimension. While these shapes do get a little squished my albums, they actually hold their shapes fairly well and make for fun details on your page. If you recreate this tutorial, I'd love to see it! Simply upload your project to the 2Peas gallery and then link me to your completed project in the comments section below.