With school heading back soon for our US fans, and they school year well underways here in Australia… we wanted to share a FREE download for all you Mum/Mom’s out there!

Kerryn Leworthy, a member of our Kaisercraft Digital Creative Team has created a FREE study planner using our School Days digital collection!

The School Days Mega Kit can be download here for only $9.99!

Just click on the image below to download yours!

In other exciting news, we will be releasing a number of NEW digital kits over the next month or so, so keep your eyes peeled! These will include some of your favourite paper collections in digital form, and will include Christmas Collections too!

Here’s what Christine had to say about her layout:

“I was inspired by all of the circle elements and the photo configuration in the sketch, but I moved my title to the right side of my page so I could fit in some more journaling”.

“Not so shy” by Christine Rumley – Fun Fair paper collection, Red and Black Alpha Stickers.

And here’s a layout from Pam using Lilac Avenue:

Don’t forget to share your creations into our May sketch gallery – you can win a $25 collection pack!

At the end of May (31st May AEST) we will be selecting a winner from the May sketch gallery to win a $25 collection pack of their choice (6 patterned papers, die cut elements, alpha stickers and rub-on pack)!

And here’s our FREE digital template, this week made by Leah!

(to download the free template, just email us at competitions@kaisercraft.com.au to recieve the link).

And here’s her gorgeous layout!

And a layout from Donna:

Digital kit used: Elegance
“I stayed true to the orientation of the template and just added a few extra elements/embellishments. I kept it simple to convey my title”.

And a cute layout from Kerryn using “Apple Tree”

Hint – Use a dymo type font like ‘Smargana’ to create a sticker like alphabet with minimal fuss and layers!

And a layout from Carole,

Show us how you’ve used Carole’s FREE digital template for your chance to win two digi mega kits of your choice, valued at $19.98. Before the end of the month (May), upload your creation here to be in the draw!

Remember – your entries have to include at least 70% Kaisercraft product and your entries into the Kaisercraft gallery must contain the sketch number.

For full terms and conditions head here.

By Carole House

Have you ever wondered how to create the look of using a corner rounder on your digital layouts?

Here is a simple way to create that look.   Start out by creating a new file using Photoshop Elements 8 with a transparent background.

Open a photo or digital paper to work with.  Drag the photo or paper to the new file window and resize it for your layout.   Then select the rounded rectangle tool on the left side of the screen.  At the top type 100 next to radius.   That is the setting that works best for me.  You can change that to suit your needs.  Then draw the rectangle to fit your photo or paper.

Make sure to bring your photo forward so that it is above the rectangle you created. I centered my photo right over the top of my rectangle.   Then on the keyboard press command G (for a Mac) control G for (for Windows).

You should now have a photo with rounded corners.   Next you want to go to the layers palette and right click, then click on merge visible.  This combines the layers into one layer.  Now you are able to drag your photo or paper to your layout.

I love using this technique.  You can also create one or several rounded rectangle-clipping masks of various sizes to use on digital paper.  I did that so I could create several rounded rectangles using a variety of papers for a layout.   I just open the paper, drag them over to the rounded rectangles and press control G (for Windows) or command G (for Mac) and it cuts the paper just like a corner rounder would do.

Here is a layout I created using the rounded rectangle tool in Photoshop Elements 8.

Layout by Carole House: Little Man basic kit

And Tanya’s layout also using our NEW Jungle Bug collection:

To personalise my layout, I built my page around the basic design of the sketch, and I adhered it all to the diecut paper before sticking it down onto a 12×12 piece of paper.  This has given my layout a different look, whilst still keeping to the original design of the sketch.

“That’s My Boy” by Tanya Tahir – Jungle Bug Collection papers, die cut elements, coloured rubons, ‘Boy Zone’ rubons.

Don’t forget to share your creations into our May sketch gallery – you can win a $25 collection pack!

At the end of May (31st May AEST) we will be selecting a winner from the May sketch gallery to win a $25 collection pack of their choice (6 patterned papers, die cut elements, alpha stickers and rub-on pack)!

And now for our weekly FREE digital template!

This weeks was created by Carole – download your template here.

And here’s her layout:

And a layout from Donna using the Party Time digital kit!

Donna used the “Polygonal Lasso tool” to extract the banner in one of the digital papers and overlapped stitches to make the layout look a bit messy.

Show us how you’ve used Carole’s FREE digital template for your chance to win two digi mega kits of your choice, valued at $19.98. Before the end of the month (May), upload your creation here to be in the draw!

Remember – your entries have to include at least 70% Kaisercraft product and your entries into the Kaisercraft gallery must contain the sketch number.

For full terms and conditions head here.

It’s another weekend (or almost weekend for some of you), so why not use this week’s sketch, upload your project into our online gallery and you could be in the draw to win a prize pack of your choice!!

Nancy loved the placement of the photos in the sketch, but chose to use fun, bright colors to showcase pics of her best friend’s adorable little two-year-old  little girl. 

“Terrible Two” by Nancy Burke. Materials Used: La Di Da paper collection, La Di Da 6×6 collection pad (tags and embellishments), Fozz Felt, chipboard alphas, number stickers. Other: white paint, embossing powder, black and purple pens, foam mounting tape, flower buttons, white thread.

 And Nikki created a cute card!

” Unfortunately I’m not blessed with a natural ability to create some of the stunning cards I see, so I thought I’d help myself out a little and use this week sketch as my inspiration.  I have simply substituted the photos for small squares of patterned paper and maintained the overall sketch layout as the design for my card.  I have to say this was such an easy and quick way to create a card.  Next time you need to make up a card…why not use one of your favourite sketches or the design elements of a layout of your own……Too easy!”

Materials: Jungle Bug Paper Pad, Kaisercraft Organza Ribbon, Birthday rubons, Chipboard Alphabet, Alphabet stickers, Foam dots.

Don’t forget to share your creations into our May sketch gallery – you can win a $25 collection pack!

At the end of May (31st May AEST) we will be selecting a winner from the May sketch gallery to win a $25 collection pack of their choice (6 patterned papers, die cut elements, alpha stickers and rub-on pack)!

And here’s our weekly FREE digital template! Just click on the image to download it!

Show us how you’ve used Chrissy’s FREE digital template for your chance to win two digi mega kits of your choice, valued at $19.98. Before the end of the month (May), upload your creation here to be in the draw!

Remember – your entries have to include at least 70% Kaisercraft product and your entries into the Kaisercraft gallery must contain the sketch number.

For full terms and conditions head here.

Above layout by Elizna Parsons: Kaisercraft mini alphas,Pina Colada Papers,Pina Colada Epoxy Brads,Kaisercraft Rub-ons,Kaisercraft Rhinestones {different colours} Kaisercraft Pearl strip {black}.

“It is just such a pleasure to do a layout by using a sketch. It saves so much time as you can just play around with the design to fit your photos and style of scrapbooking. I’ve made the circle much smaller to accommodate another photo. And I have decided to put my title at the bottom right hand corner. With Kaisercraft rub-ons I added more words, such as “explore” and “enjoy” to add to the title. I again used my favourite embellishments…rhinestones! And I did some fake stitching to add interest to this layout. Adding in buttons and “scattered” bling adds to the playfulness of this layout”.

Layout by Alicia Barry.  Utopia papers, paper pad, Kaisercraft alpha stickers, Kaisercraft rhinestones.

“It’s ununsual for me to follow a sketch so closely, but this time all I did was turn it upside down. It’s fun to see how different the same design looks, but with different papers and colours”.

Above layout by Tanya Tahir.  Tea at Elsie’s Collection papers, die cut elements, clear stamps, rubons (Babies), alpha stickers (Cream), chipboard letters.

“I wanted to scrap just the one photo so  I adapted the sketch slightly and moved certain elements around the page to fit the design, whilst sticking to the basics of the sketch”.

Don’t forget to share your creations into our May sketch gallery – you can win a $25 collection pack!

At the end of May (31st May AEST) we will be selecting a winner from the May sketch gallery to win a $25 collection pack of their choice (6 patterned papers, die cut elements, alpha stickers and rub-on pack)!

And now for our FREE digital template (aka sketch)!

And Kathryn’s layout using the Apple Tree digital kit:

And Kerryn’s layout using Hideaway:

And Donna’s using Argentella:

Show us how you’ve used Kathryn’s FREE digital template for your chance to win two digi mega kits of your choice, valued at $19.98. Before the end of the month (May), upload your creation here to be in the draw!

Remember – your entries have to include at least 70% Kaisercraft product and your entries into the Kaisercraft gallery must contain the sketch number.

For full terms and conditions head here.

“Both cards are made with a quilling technique called husking, which means that you wrap the small paperstrips around pins”.

I printed one of the butterfly brushes from the Flutterby kit first, to use as a model. See picture below!”

“The background of the card is a paper from the Candyshop kit. The text circle is a brush also, from the Circles brush kit. I erased the edges and the inner part (so the only thing left was the text itself ) and printed this together with the background paper”.

“After I finished the quilled butterfly I added some rhinestones. The antennas of the butterfly are made of a stamen which I colored black, folded and glued on the top of the butterfly’s body”.

“The flower on the other card (below) is a brush from the Loire Valley kit. Just like I did with the butterfly I printed it to use as a model. I quilled the six separate petals first. First, I attached three of these together, then made another layer with the other three and glued one layer on top of the other to make it more dimensional. The blue background is a paper from the Loire Valley kit, printed with a brush from the Love brush kit”.

“The black came from the Elements set in the Loire Valley kit. There were already some drawn stitches on this frame. I handstitched these with real thread first (also for more dimension) before I glued the frame on the background with some foam tape. I also printed the red colored flower from the Elements set in the same size as my quilled flower. I attached my quilled flower on top of it and glued it on the frame on the card”.

Next, Sandra’s also made a bunch of cards using the Flutterby kit:

“As also mentioned in the Kaisercraft Scrapping Style Alfabet in the Q2 magazine, Q is for quilling! So I used three different quilling techniques on the cards and added some elements of the digital kit”.

“For the card with the flourish and the flowers (below) , I used the ‘side flourish’-element from the Flutterby kit, digitally erased some parts to make room for my own flowers and printed this on a white Kaisercraft card. I quilled some flowers in different sizes and glued these on the card. I also printed a brush with the text ‘For You’ on the card”.

For the second card (below) with the big poppy I used a quilling technique called husking. This technique is about creating figures by threading paperstrips around pins. I printed the ‘flower-frame’ element from the Flutterby kit in a little smaller size than my card.

I used this as a model to create my quilled poppy by sticking pins on the lines and threading my paperstrips around it. First I quilled each of the five separate petals, then glued them together and attached a quilled flowerheart on top of it.

I printed the flower-frame element again, now in full color, cut it out, inked the edges and glued it with some 3D tape on my card. I attached the quilled poppy on top of it and finished my card with a black line around it.

“For the third card with the butterflies I used the paperstrips in a different way again, now by tying a sort of knot in them while wrapping them around my card. I cut two circles out of my card first. Then I used 14 paperstrips and attached them on the inside of the card in between the two circles. The 14 strips are split in two bundles of 7 strips when they come out of the upper circle and ‘tied’ in a graceful knot. I printed some of the butterflies from the Flutterby kit, cut them out and attached them on the card”.

On another quick note before we go….

Scrapbook Magazine (UK) recently had a feature article about digital scrapbooking, one of our talented Creative Team members, Kathleen was lucky enough to be featured on the cover – and her layouts featuring Kaisercraft products are also featured on page 30 – 33. To download your FREE copy of this magazine just head to their website!!