Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Crafty Design Ideas: Wedding Scrapbook









Album: K & Company
In honor of our anniversary, I put the finishing touches on our wedding scrapbook album this past weekend! Jeff and I were married two yrs ago on the Oregon coast and it was a magical day.  ♥


My vision for our album was to combine elements in nature with a touch of elegance and romance. Since we were married at the ocean, I used a combination of sheer and embossed wedding papers, shell and sand papers, hand-cut flourishes, stamps and embellishments.


I chose ocean blue as our wedding color along with a spiral motif to symbolize eternity...


I arranged the book chronologically, and created a unique border for the page spread in each section.
Thanks to the lovely Sarah McAllister Photography, we have so many gorgeous photos from our special day. On each page, I combined three to four photos in collage style.


Of course, I had to make my dress! I based the design on Simplicity 1909...



To create scalloped edges on many of the page elements, I used a variety of Fiskars paper edgers. Love these scissors. I've had them a long time and I use them for everything!


For the ceremony pages, I used the ocean paper with rhinestone spirals and hearts. I printed a verse from our ceremony for each page in this section which we wrote together...



I chose Jolee's Boutique sticker embellishments (bells, birds and flowers) as accents throughout the album.


And the trim around the photos are hand-stamped flourish motifs accented with Holbein silver glitter paint at the points. The bottle has a super-fine tip, and their paint is saturated with glitter which is nice for fine detail.




Leave it to Iko cat to help me too.... :)



Photo corners and flourishes were made with a stamp set using Brilliance Dew Drops silver ink pad to create an old-fashioned look.


Added sheer ribbon edging on a few photos for a romantic effect...





 


---♥---♥---♥---

Follow RPS #craftydesignideas on Instagram for more inspiration!

Browse free craft project tutorials and patterns on robinphillipsstudio.com

Monday, March 9, 2015

Website Color Makeover: Anna Magruder Art










Looking for a simple way to freshen up your site? A background color change along with new header graphics can give your site a completely new style. And it's an affordable way to re-brand your business and boost your professionalism. Recently I helped artist Anna Magruder, who paints gorgeous vintage-style portraits, create an elegant new look for her site!


BEFORE...




AFTER


Color Makeover/Style Tips
  • Think about your business brand and the mood you want to convey to your viewers. What words come to mind? What colors match your concepts? Is it playful, serious, trustworthy, creative, eco-friendly, etc.
  • Choose no more than two colors and fonts for your site, and use shades of these colors for a clean, professional look. One color + black and white works well too.
  • Neutral backgrounds are best for showcasing art or handmade products so that your work stands out and viewers are not distracted. 
  • For whimsical, craft or children's products/services, adding a playful design element or swatch of material in the background can work well.
  • Subtle nature imagery in the background can enhance human services businesses such as healers, coaches or counselors.
  • Earth tones (a good mix of light and dark) work well for builders and environmental organizations, bright greens boost eco-products.

Considering a web makeover? Connect with me. I'd be happy to take a quick look at your site and offer you ideas. :)









Thursday, March 5, 2015

Art + Craft + Gardens - BC








 

Now I know why they call it 'Beautiful British Columbia' - truly so much art, design and stunning nature in this region! A couple months ago, Jeff and I spent a week between Victoria and Vancouver visiting gardens, art galleries, artisan studios/craft shops, discovering neighborhoods and local eats. It was lovely.


We left on the ferry from Port Townsend...





Coming up to Victoria, the regal Empress Hotel greets us.


Loved the hanging baskets everywhere. And the streets are rich with boutique shops, cafes, and hotels- many with art on display. I found the cutest needlework shop in Victoria and they had 12" circular needles :)


 We stopped in many native art galleries!

Mother Wolf-Harvest Moon by Maynard Johnny Jr. from the Perpetual Salish exhibition


Is there anything more charming than a horse-drawn trolley?


At night, the Parliament building is lit up by the waterfront- so magical!


Next we were off to see the famous Butchart Gardens, which was still breathtaking even though it was late fall.



Mio amore! Jeff with his favorite sweet treat in the Italian garden ♥




In the Japanese Garden at Butchart...




We stopped at Hatley Castle to find two peacocks tending the gardens. Be still my heart.





On the way to Vancouver, we took another ferry.


Love this shot with the reflection in the water...


Throughout the city, we found amazing public art and mosaics...



Chinatown and the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden





A mosaic for each animal of the Chinese zodiac...


Stanley Park has an amazing collection of totem poles honoring their First People.


We strolled through the Nitobe Japanese Garden at UBC. Each lantern around the garden represents a stage in life from beginning to end- such a spiritual place.


We got lost in the labyrinth at VanDusen Botanical Gardens!


In North Vancouver, we stopped by a local native art gallery.


Downtown, we visited local artists studios/shops at Granville Island.


The Gasthaus district is charming with it's historical architecture and native art galleries.


Leave it to us to find Little Italy in Vancouver too, it's a small strip along Commercial Drive. :)

And of course, I had to bring home some art!


 (applique laser cut Orcas by Quilts with a Twist, I sewed and added beads.)



Kolus by Beau Dick, Whale by Dwyane Simeon, Ancestor's Journey by Ben Houstie 



 April Moon by Betty Albert



Love you BC. ♥