I'm super excited to introduce our Fun in the Sun Guest Designer: Raquel Bowman! (Blog: Raquel Bowman | Instagram: @raquelp | Pinterest: @raquellbowman | YouTube: Raquel Bowman)
SHORT BIO: My name is Raquel and I am an Australian, 31 year old mummy to Charlotte (2 and a 1/2 years) and Jack (1 year), wife to Clint, and an ‘obsessed with all things scrapbooking’ kind of girl! I am currently on maternity leave as a primary school teacher, so I'm a Mummy by day and a scrapbooker and Aussie kit club organiser by night :) I love spending time with my family, having coffee with friends, creative time, a glass of wine at the end of a tough day, and all things social media!
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED SCRAPBOOKING? Funnily enough, it was my mother who started a scrapbook album for me just before my 21st birthday. Instead of finding it a fun and enjoyable process she found it quite stressful. So I took over making my own 21st album and found I thoroughly loved incorporating my photos, paper, and a story into my pages. Since finding scrapbooking 12 years ago I truly have become quite obsessed and it is now my healthy addiction! I love everything about it; the process of documenting and sifting through photographs, telling my story, the embellishments, the papers, viewing peoples work, the socialising, etc.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE AMERICAN CRAFTS PRODUCT? I think my favourite product would have to be the papers and being such a paper lover I cannot resist the 12×12 paper pads from the AC collections. Papers are just so versatile, you can layer them, fussy cut them, you can die cut them, they can influence layout designs, and so much more. Love, love, love!
ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA by Raquel Bowman
Patterned paper provides endless opportunities for embellishing. Here I have cut out polaroids, a camera, flowers, and hearts all from the True Stories papers to act as the main embellishments for my page.
Supplies: Cardstock (71081) – 12×12 White, True Stories (370712) Salted Caramel Paper, True Stories (370721) Orange Pekoe Paper, True Stories (370709) Biscotti Speciality Paper, True Stories (370717) Frappe Paper, True Stories (370733) 4×8 Stickers, True Stories (370735) Cork Stickers, True Stories (370736) Enamel Dots, True Stories (370745) Wood Buttons, True Stories (370737) Phrase Stamp, with Notepad, Rise & Shine (70026) Grace/Phrase Black Foam Thickers
COFFEE SCRUB by Raquel Bowman
Try using an image as a template from a paper or 4×4 card to create a little mini album. Here I have used the coffee cup from the 4×4 cards to create a little album with instructions to accompany the Coffee Scrub gift.
Supplies: Cardstock (71081) – 12×12 White, True Stories (370744) 4×4 Cards, True Stories (370733) 4×8 Stickers, Rise & Shine (370039) Wood Veneer Tags, True Stories (370709) Biscotti Speciality Paper, True Stories (370721) Orange Pekoe Paper, True Stories (370722) Cinnamon Roll Paper, True Stories (370736) Enamel Dots, True Stories (370745) Wood Buttons
GOOD TIMES by Raquel Bowman
Adding a triangle in the opposite corner to a main photo mat can help to draw the viewers eye back to the focus of the layout; the photo and journalling.
Supplies: Cardstock (71081) – 12×12 White, Rise & Shine (70026) Grace/Phrase Black Foam Thickers, Rise & Shine (70012) Olivia Paper, Rise & Shine (370025) 6×6 paper pad, Rise & Shine (370035) Phrase Stickers, Rise & Shine (370039) Wood Veneer Tags, Rise & Shine (370038) Cardstock Die Cuts, True Stories (370736) Enamel Dots
HAVE A LOVELY DAY CARD by Raquel Bowman
When layering a lot of papers to create a card, mix up the widths and lengths, add banners etc to add interest and dimension.
Supplies: Cardstock (71081) – 12×12 White, True Stories (370712) Salted Caramel Paper, True Stories (370721) Orange Pekoe Paper, True Stories (370716) Shortbread Speciality Paper, True Stories (370709) Biscotti Speciality Paper, True Stories (370735) Cork Stickers, True Stories (370707) Espresso Paper
SHINE by Raquel Bowman
Products like the speciality papers and 4×4 cards do not always have to be used in whole pieces. Here I have cut elements from them to act as embellishments for my page.
Supplies: Cardstock (71081) – 12×12 White, Rise & Shine (70001) Chloe Paper, Rise & Shine (370038) Cardstock Die Cuts, True Stories (370707) Espresso Paper, True Stories (370721) Orange Pekoe Paper, True Stories (370722) Cinnamon Roll Paper, True Stories (370702) Earl Grey Speciality Paper, True Stories (370716) Shortbread Speciality Paper, True Stories (370736) Enamel Dots, True Stories (370745) Wood Buttons, Rise & Shine (370039) Wood Veneer Tags, Rise & Shine (370035) Phrase Stickers, True Stories (370744) 4×4 Cards
Be sure to visit Raquel at all these fun places to find more of her stellar creations:! Blog: Raquel Bowman | Instagram: @raquelp | Pinterest: @raquellbowman | YouTube: Raquel Bowman