Megan here! I love the 4th of July, and I love scrapbooking my Independence Day pics. It is NEVER too late! It makes for easy coordinating when all are decked out in red, white, and blue. :) For this page, I went with a mixed media approach, combining paper, watercolor paint, fabric flowers, beads, and gems.
To create my photo fireworks, I used the round balloon die from the Balloons Shaped Shaker Kit and simply trimmed off the balloon flap to create quick circles. Altering dies slightly like this is a great way to stretch your shapes further.
I also cut my photos in this fashion, positioning the inner circle of the balloon around the area of the pic I wanted cut. I then framed each pic with an outer ring from the balloon die.
For the firework action, I simply brushed watercolor lines in red and blue, applying more pressure for some of the lines and less pressure for others. I also alternated between more and less water. Doing this gives the bursts more depth. (More water = lighter color, just as less pressure = lighter color.)
I also added some splatter to fill the “sky” with more sparkle. To do this, simply get your brush quite wet, dip it in wet watercolor paint, and tap the brush with your finger while holding it over your paper.
When I first saw the cute Pom Flowers, I immediately thought of fireworks. They’re just the right amount of happy puff!
Of course, I had to put the die cut extras to work on the page. When it comes to using “scraps,” I just can’t help myself. I simply cut the inner balloon circles in half and added them to the left edge, popping every other half circle up using foam adhesive for added interest.
Those bombs bursting in air wouldn’t feel compete without a little shaker action, so I added one decorative circle to the mix, using various shaker contents to add interest. NOTE: I also popped one of my photos up to help balance the pop of the shaker. I went with a red matted image for some symmetry.
I gave my main photo a boost with a patterned paper mat. My stars are punched from adhesive-backed glitter paper. I then used them to frame the image. (Kind of like star photo corners, I suppose.)
A bright white cardstock background is an awesome foundation for a July 4th page. Have fun filling it in with color and creating a whimsical scene. Three cheers for the red, white & blue!
Cheers!
Megan Hoeppner
Megan Hoeppner
SUPPLIES
Queen & Co. Supplies Used:
Queen & Co. Supplies Used:
Pops Toppings, Red
Bity Beads Toppings, Red
Pom Flower, White
Pom Flowers, Red
Shaped Shaker Balloons Kit (balloon die)
Epoxy Dots, White
Other Supplies Used:
Cardstock: American Crafts; Water Brush, Watercolor Paint: Close to My Heart; Glitter Paper: Cosmo Cricket; Star Punch: Stampin’ Up!; Pen: Marvy Uchida; Adhesive: Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L;