CUT to YOU | Interlocking Hexagons | You Are Awesome | Mel Field

 Hey there crafty friends!

I'm here again to share with you my second project for this month for the CUT to YOU Design Team. I have again used more than one cut file from CUT to YOU for this project and whilst I had no real plan in the beginning for my layout I am very happy with the end result. 

This photo was taken of my son at the end of the 2019 Australian Scout Jamboree in Tailem Bend, South Australia. They had endured a very hot, windy, dusty and then some rain for the two weeks. It was a tough Jamboree and the colour of his face is evidence of that. I will never forget the colour of the water as I soaked his clothes after it or the colour difference between his feet and legs when he removed his dusty socks.

I love love love scrapbooking pages of my boys, there is just something about masculine pages and I often sway to these well and truly before feminine pages. I also love love love using mixed media for my masculine layouts. I have created this background using some of my favourite mixed media products. 

I started by applying some gesso to my card stock. I have used Vicki Boutin Foundations card stock but I knew I was going to be using a fair amount of water so wanted to safe guard against buckling my card stock.

I then used some clear gesso and an OG Kaisercraft 6x 6 stencil ‘Birch’ to create some slight texture in some places on the background.

To create the striking colours I used Lindy’s Magicals. I started with the Mission Bells Brown applying a watery amount in random places around the layout. I also then used my water spray on these sections. The most important thing was the drying that occurred between each colour.

I then repeated the same process with a mix of Cardinal Pines Green and Bells of Ireland Green.

I also splattered these colours around, making sure I dried between each application.

To add some depth I then used my Archival Ink - Potting Soil and the Kaisercraft ‘Grid’ Stamp, another OG, around the layout in random places. I didn’t use a stamping block as I didn’t want the image to be perfectly stamped. I then did the same with another OG. Kaisercraft ‘Hexgons’ Stamp and Archival Ink - Jet Black.

The main cut file I have used is the Interlocking Hexagons cut file. I wanted to use this as a mat for my photo and chose to use Kraft card stock to cut it from. I used some of the patterned papers to back the cut file from the very cool masculine teenager collection by Simple Stories - So Rad. I love how this looks!

If you look carefully, you might see that I have used some acetate sheets from the same collection. They are 6x4 size and I decided that I may never use them as is, so decided to embrace using them for this purpose. I love how they are something a little different.

The second cut file I have used is the title cut file You Are Awesome. A little like my last project, there was no real title pieces or phrases that I could use for this project in the collection. So why not use a title CUT to YOU cut file, right?

I have also cut this using Kraft cardstock and have backed it in coordinating patterned paper and some white vellum.

I framed my mixed media background with the Kraft card stock and a patterned paper used throughout the layout. I also inked the edges of my layout and the cut files with some of the Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Walnut Stain.

Given the layout is rather busy with the mixed media background I chose to keep my embellishment clusters rather simple. Some wooden star embellishments from Uniquely Creative  and the inner section of the stars from the title cut file. I have also added some tiny words too from the Simple Stories collection!

I have used some black acrylic paint for some splatters and chose not to include a lot of journalling. Just the basic who, where, when details under the title. Sometimes that is all that is needed.

Well that’s about all from me today other than to say be sure to pop over to the CUT to YOU Shop and check out all of the amazing cut files, you won’t be disappointed.

Happy creating everyone,

Mel xo