With winter not too far behind us, we are all looking forward to a little sunshine. Hopefully, we will be out camping soon and can scrap our photos with the new products that are just perfect.

Hilary has been busy having received her Scrap & Moi No 55 and seen the lovely layouts by our very own (we do claim her as an honorary AZZA Australian) Christine Houbrechts. Christine showed how the same sketch idea could be used by turning it 90 degrees.

If you are struggling for inspiration the Scrap & Moi magazine is great. The next one to be sent out is Special Edition #05. If you would like to have a look at one, you can order them individually and a Special Edition would be a good one to get. They are slightly more expensive as they have about 20 more pages than the regular magazine. This Special edition covers a range of layouts from Orion, Bali, Aqua, Neptune, New York to name a few. There are also a few card and Mini Album ideas. If you are wanting to make a few Mini Albums as Christmas presents, now is the time to get started. Thinking of Christmas gifts, a Scrap & Moi subscription would also be a great gift (maybe even to yourself!). There are two subscriptions available, one with 4 Regular editions and the Golden subscription which included the 2 Special editions in the year.

Hilary used the photos of Christine on her visit to Australia this time last year. She has used the Australian Gumnuts embossing folder and two of the newly released stamp and die sets. Note how three little branches have been used instead of just the one with the Koala.

On this page Hilary has used the Australian Kangaroo embossing folder and complimented it with the older Kangaroo ‘Postage stamp’ stamp and the newer Kangaroo stamp and die set.

Hilary coloured her images with alcohol pens. Remember if you are using alcohol pens they do ‘bleed’ through the page, so it is better to use them on a cut-out image that will be placed on your page, and not directly onto the page. Hilary has kept the second stamped image fairly plain as it is almost a background. Below you can see how Christine coloured her image when using it on her page. This shows how you can make your stamped images suit your page.

Speaking of making your image suit your page, this month the Mail Out was all about using the AZZA Decoration stencils. Many people do not use their Decoration stencils as much as they could because they have not been shown how to bring the images to life. If you would like a lesson on Decoration stencils, please contact your Consultant.

Hilary has shown below how a few images can be used together to create a little scene for decoration. You will also see how she has brought her ‘Scout’ to life. She has kept the decoration in shades of brown in keeping with the theme on the page.

Some of the European AZZA Ladies have great fun with the Decoration stencils. They create both decorations on the page and cards.

This is a perfect example of using your image to highlight the theme on the page. She has created the image then placed it onto the page. If you use 3D Foam it gives the page texture. Note how she has used pens and different tones to bring the images to life.

These stencils never date, so do keep them close to hand when you are scrapping. I keep mine in photograph albums, I do have to trim them a little to fit into the 10 x 15 sleeves.

AZZA also have pockets you can purchase to place in an AZZA album to keep them together.

I have used the Nautical decoration stencil on my page above. I created the anchors on a separate piece of card and cut them out, threaded the cord through them then placed them onto the page with 3D foam. I used a second image as part of my heading.

On the decoration below, the stencil has been used to turn plain paper into patterned paper.

The Decoration stencils are also used together with the Figures. When AZZA brings out a Decoration theme, there are generally matching Decoration stencils and figures. In the decoration below by Christine Houbrechts, note how she has only used part of the Decoration stencil and combined it with a Silhouette figure for her page.

Christine has used the image on the Decoration stencil above, but used only the trees and not the cottage in the foreground. She has then used the Hiker from the sheet of Figures below.

In the decoration above I have used the Decoration stencil below in the background and two Fruit figures in the foreground.

Some people don’t realise that some of the images do have extra detail on the stencil beside it, as above. The extra dots to be used with the lemon image and on the back stencil, the detail for the leaf and the pineapple. You can see I have used the pineapple with the detail, not just the outline.

Look at this lovely card created with the Decoration stencil above, using both the outline and detail next to it. She has used the matching Texture stencil for the background.

The decoration on the image above was created using the Provence Decoration stencil. Again the image has been created by using two of the images on the stencil, the bold outline image, then the image to create more detail.

To finish layouts I would like to share with you.

I liked this layout above created with the AZZA New York stencil and the Wrought Iron Dies. The inking on the patterned paper is lovely too. I thought it was a nice clean layout.

The page above using the AZZA Boston stencil is quite striking. I love the tag, stamped with the dots, the camera from the AZZA Photography theme, finished off with a little cord, glitter tape and a few Resin dots. I do like how the inking on the yellow paper extends the 5mm gap above and below the photo and the inking on the page combines both colours.

The page above by Audrey using the AZZA Neptune stencil and Universe paper. She has used the stamps from the Nature themed products. I don’t use buttons on my pages, but think this page is beautiful, the buttons are ever so cute.

The stamp is only available in this kit as it is an older one. This kit is great value and there is only ONE left in stock.

For $40.00 you will get the Booklet with lots of decoration ideas, a Large stamp set, a Decoration duo and a sheet of figures.

I do like the decoration on the right-hand side of the page above, it’s a little different but it works. Lovely page using the AZZA Noisette stencil. Below, the Floral dies and Sand Dunes embossing folder have been used with the same stencil. The embossing stencil is fun and has three different designs on separate folders.

This is a lovely page using the AZZA Orlando stencil. I do like the decoration using the Ruby stamp sets: I LOVE YOU and COUNTRY WEDDING. I use them both quite often, although the one is called Country wedding it can be used with so many themes on the page. The patterned paper used on the page is from the Art and Crafts themed products.

Johanna has used the AZZA Nairobi stencil to create her page, and she has used the Loire Decoration stencil below. What is so good about this Decoration stencil is that you have both a Texture and Decoration stencil in the set.

The page above was created with the AZZA Verlaine stencil and the decoration stencil shown above. They have used the Decoration stencil to emboss the darker paper and with ink to create the lovely gentle effect on the lighter paper. A lovely page.

This lovely page above by Mimouscrap was created with the AZZA Hula Hoop stencil.

A lovely, simple page using AZZA Orlando stencil. Isabelle has used AZZA Dies and the circle has been stamped with an image from the Universe Large stamp set. A sticker circle frames the image.

One of AZZA’s most popular stencils.

Ros has created the page above with the AZZA Nairobi stencil. She has used the Sand Dunes embossing folder I showed you earlier, the Road trip die and a lovely little Lighthouse figurine.

Don’t forget your LOCKDOWN LAYOUTS for the AZZA Competition. Entries have to be in by Wednesday, next week, get your photos printed so you can work on your page over the weekend. 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes for both Consultants and Clients, send your scanned or photographed pages to enquiries@azzaworld.com.au or to your Consultant to be forwarded. All products used must be AZZA products that are currently available in the online shop, this gives you a very wide range of products to work with.

Hopefully everyone finds something in the blog above to inspire them today.

Happy Scrappin’

Lyn