April Showers KBS Layout

I received a big box of my 4th Pink Paislee collection called Turn the Page the other day and had so much fun sifting through all of the products - it legitimately felt like Christmas! The very first layout I made with Turn the Page will be published in the Fall 2017 issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine, and here is the 2nd page I made for my July project at Kerri Bradford Studio!

I was browsing through Kerri's newest cut files and came across the April Showers set and fell in love with the umbrella with the cute phrase on it that we know so well: April showers bring May flowers! In Germany it rains a lot. Like, a lot a lot. But that means there are TONS of flowers all throughout the spring and summer and even into early fall!

 To make this layout I traced the PNG of the umbrella and erased some of the tiny brush strokes that got traced inside the letters. Then I die cut it from smooth white cardstock. You all know the next step: backing the cut file with patterned papers! It's a tried and true technique that ALWAYS looks awesome. Then I handstitched around the umbrella using white floss and covered the handle with colorful stripey paper. On an aqua paper background (thanks Malm for helping me choose which paper to ultimately use!) with the pattern going vertical to resemble rain drops, I spread some gesso and then used the packaging technique to apply blue watercolors.

I punched a bunch of raindrops from the signature patterned paper I always include in my collections with all the squares of different patterns - SO perfect for punching! I also punched more raindrops from the mini 2" square pattern swatchbook - my favorite new product! Next I stitched all the raindrops below the umbrella and tucked a photo under the edge. I embellished minimally with a few floral bits here and there and topped the umbrella with a couple butterflies. To finish I wrote the journaling next to the handle. I hope you check out the April Showers cut file by Kerri Bradford - it includes cute flowers and leaves too!

SUPPLIES: Patterned paper, stickers, die cuts: Turn the Page by Paige Evans / Pink Paislee; Umbrella cut file: April Showers by Kerri Bradford; Die cut machine: Silhouette Cameo 3; Cardstock, pen, adhesive: American Crafts; Sewing machine: Brother; Thread: Coats & Clark; Gesso: Liquitex; Acrylic paint: Apple Barrel; Watercolors: Loew Cornell; Floss: DMC