Friday Fun Day

some of my readers will have read THIS post on the URBAN SCRAPBOOK blog.

                                                                    i stole the following 2 photos from the blog to share here too...... Thank you!

a small group of us were armed with packs of white cardstock and asked to make flowers. usually when i cut paper to create a lot of flowers it goes straight into a ziploc bag for a class kit. so this was a treat to cut out petals and flowers and then get to use all of them myself! my fingers were sore. and dirty! who knew clear glue and white paper could make your finger tips so black?!

we met with our flowers and then made more.

then we added glitter. and more glitter. which made our finger tips look like some kind of scary halloween costume. we will be finding glitter all year i think! when i left the store last night, i noticed a trail of it leading from the door to the garbage disposal area. it glittered in the light from the street lights.

i can't wait to see it amongst all the other beautiful trees at the festival.

i wish i had had the time to count the variety of flowers we made. there were so many different styles.

i have to toot a horn for Jan. she made this bird from scratch. it is incredible.

anyways, it was a lot of fun to be a part of this project.


this is a very simple tag that i created for our Make and Take last night.



Spellbinders has some amazing dies available. they are well known for 2 types of products:

1. simple and elaborate shapes that nest into one another. easy to cut a decorative mat for a photo or greeting and have the photo or greeting have the same shape.

2. embossed edges. you do need a special rubber spacer for this, but the effect is amazing.

for my tag i just used the dies to cut. however, during the demonstration i also used the embossing mat to emboss. for a third usage of the dies, i also demonstrated how you can use the die as a mask for inking. of course i don't have pictures of that result.


to cut: 
place the die against the paper you want to cut. most of these dies are open in the inside, so it is easy to get the exact cut from a desired part of your cardstock. use a bit of tape or one of the Spellbinder Magnetic spacers to hold the die in place. because these dies are thin, you will need an adapter plate or a few thick layers of cardstock or chipboard.


to emboss:
immediately after cutting, DO NOT remove your paper from the die. lay the Embossing Mat against the paper side and run it through your machine again. you will need to remove the adapter plate. for the Cuttlebug, we needed to add one layer of chipboard when we ran it through our machine. i have not tried this step with my Vagabond or a Big Shot, but i suspect it will be similar.

to ink:
for this step you don't have to emboss your shape, although the embossed image with the ink looks stunning. again, don't remove the paper from the die just yet. lay the die down so that you are facing the metal die side. keep in mind that your RIGHT SIDE of the paper is INSIDE the die. take a look at the die (use the pictures on the die package to help if needed) and ink the areas that have a decorative shape. then you can remove the paper! a few of the customers suggested that spray ink would work as well. i think that would be a neat effect! not all of their dies are meant to be inked...just check the image on the package to see if it is possible. the areas meant to be inked will appear a slightly darker tone than the rest of the image.

i hope that helps! i am definitely not a Spellbinders expert. the Spellbinders website is very helpful. they have videos, instructions and a huge idea gallery for more help. they also have a comparison chart of all the machines and exactly what layers you need for each step. i love that inside their die packaging they have a simple set of instructions for the major die cutting machines.



i layered all the images from the Holly Motifs set with foam pop dots. a few crystal stickles added some sparkle and a clear rhinestone in the centre completed it.

the stamp is from Stampendous. i used Festive Berries from Tim Holtz' Limited Edition Christmas colours. then i embossed it with clear embossing powder. although it is a dye ink, it stays "wet" for a long enough time to emboss it easily.



a final tip. the intricate scrolls on this set of dies was crazy tough to get out of the die. i have never had this kind of difficulty with any of their other dies, and neither had the other girls. we learned the most amazing trick to get around this problem....maybe it was just the set i had, or perhaps it involves any intricate die? we used a few layers of WAX PAPER and ran it through the Cuttlebug with the die. so simple, and the following shapes came out without any difficulty. the wax paper die cut image actually looked really neat too!

in fact, wax paper works with paper punches too. if they are sticky. aluminum foil helps sharpen your paper punches. the key is to use several layers when you punch.

getting ready for back to school

already?!

it feels like summer just started.

it has been a good summer for all of us. we would all agree that it definitely improved once the summer weather kicked in. wearing jeans, socks and warm shirts was not our definition of summer. Aidan commented that the rain and cold was "not in the spirit of summer"! he cracks me up!!


a few weeks ago i was in the mood to try something new. of course i had just returned from Urban Scrapbook and was very inspired to try out the new products flying in and off the shelves. Jan had done a stunning layout (overnight!) with the new Pink Paislee Mistables.

i had Kiara's preschool photo from last year that had not been scrapbooked...so i thought it would be a great starting point. the purple in her shirt was the part that prevented me from putting it on a layout previously. purples are tough! i don't usually buy that colour paper to begin with. i love the natural colours more.

i grabbed a sheet of the new Tim Holtz Kraft Resist. thinking i would play off the browns. my safe zone. well. it did not work out well. i may chuck the sheet. for now i'm holding on to it....thinking i could use if for BEHIND other nice paper. sigh. it happens.

my confidence slightly shattered....i glanced at the beautiful Pink Paislee...and questioned if it was a good idea for me to try it today. i decided i had nothing to lose except the paper. again i started with brown inks. talk about blah! a little search through my mists....found a good purple from Shimmerz. then i had my "aha!" moment. i grabbed my LuminArt shimmering paint pots. once i had some purple paints it just fell into place. between those latter 2 products, the colours and design started to work for me.

i then created a "purple" layout. i was even able to make the purple match her shirt perfectly.



and that is the advantage to those plain boring sheets. you can customize them to whatever colour your inks and paints can dream up!

inks can be blended to create a new colour. a bit tricky, but it can be done. water helps.

paints can also be blended to create a new colour. or add more water to lighten the tone.

treat Glimmer Mists, Shimmerz, LuminArtes, etc like paint. shake and pour a small puddle on your non-stick mat or into a paint pallet. add water to lighten.

then grab a few cheap paintbrushes and play around. keep a paper towel handy too. even a scrap sheet of paper to test your colours. sometimes the colours will lighten or darken as they dry.....so get out your heat tool to speed it up.



i took a risk and was curious. i embossed a corner of the paper with my Texture Fades and vagabond. it really creases because it is so heavy. but....afterwards i added more ink. the embossing cracked some of the thick glossy areas....and allowed the ink to seep in. something different.



the mislabels chipboard letters are amazing!! see the sparkle? thank you LuminArte!! i used water and dabbed with the paper towel to keep the ink from being a solid colour on each letter. then i inked with dry ink to get the brown.


school is not in and this papermama learned a few lessons. i hope they will inspire you to try adding custom colours to your pages. it is amazing what a nice colour combination or great paper can do to take a difficult photo into something you enjoy looking at. when you just play around with inks and colours you learn more than you expected. sometimes you make mistakes. sometimes you surprise yourself. don't give up.

teacher gifts - round three starting

my craft room looked like a bomb hit it this week! i was so thankful for a rainy Friday....a much needed excuse to stay home and hang out in it. Kiara watched some television - always a treat when she is by herself. but she also crafted!

during the Costco shopping trip this week i took a look at the kids' book section. this is meant for kids 8 and up, but i figured that Kiara could handle it with my help. for $8.99 i didn't take me longer than a minute to add it to the cart.

i did the first flower with her. showing her the page to look at to choose the flower, then finding the right page. which had ALL the pieces for that specific flower. she is actually very good at cutting paper, but this has her punching out the shapes. quicker!

later she sat down and worked on her own. i kind of expected her to run into some trouble and frustration. wrong. she was so quiet and relaxed as she worked. i also expected her to have some interesting flowers. considering it is a craft for girls twice her age...she did very well! there is now a bouquet of them arranged in a children's cup. she was at a birthday party on Saturday and created a vase. i told her it would be perfect to hold these flowers. those who know this zany girl of mine will laugh....her response? "or my toothbrush." hmmm.....must have been one of the items that came up for it's multitude of uses during the class?!!

her being content and hard at work, allowed me some more time to get my own craft projects worked on.  i so love that my kids enjoy television, but can also be entertained in other ways.

on to my stuff....

Aidans' teacher is a scrapbooker. it was her first year teaching grade one. she also just returned from a maternity leave. and she was one of the first teachers to be hired to help be the original teaching staff in a brand new school. between work and her family, i know she has had next to zero time to herself! she has been another perfect and amazing teacher for Aidan. i wanted to give her a very special gift as a thank you.

but what?! i really don't know her style or anything.

as i thought about the different projects i've either created myself  or seen out on display....i decided to try another version of the Graphic 45 Doorplate mini album. i haven't posted photos of it because it is the only one i have not finished! Diane Schultz, the owner and designer for Graphic 45 taught it to us at the retailers' convention back in March. it is one of the most amazing projects i have ever done. the spine of the album is one of the Graphic 45 doorplates.

as much as i wanted to try the le cirque papers....i was not sure if circus was her style. i pulled a few different papers off the shelves to look over. Jaslyn and i agreed that the 'Afternoon Muse' collection by Glitz seemed a great style and colour for the project. soooo nice when the second opinion agrees with mine!



honestly i would love to have a library of books that have spines like this!

the assembly of the book is confusing at first. it was less difficult the second time around. but still confusing! just one of those projects that you have to be willing to be patient with and take your time doing. the pages themselves are just chipboard, covered with the patterned papers. but each page is attached to the doorplate. i think this was Diane Schultz design...not 100% sure. she has some incredibly gifted artists on their design teams too.



the cool part is that it stands up on its' own very easily too. right now it has made itself comfortable on my mantle above the fireplace. this will be one of those gifts that will be really hard to give up!

i'll share the inside photos throughout the week.

i wanted to use all Glitz...but the embellishments didn't fit the size of the album very well. it is only 7x6. i found that most of the pieces from the Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden ephemera pack worked better. i inked all the edges and tried to make them look more vintage than they already do. i still have nearly the whole package of their house of 3 tickets, so those found a home as well. Pat had a project where she used them and totally inked over them in brown...took that crisp look away and they looked sooo much older. that technique worked wonders here too.

the Tim Holtz filmstrip ribbon is another highlight - i think! the solid ribbons and laces i had picked out were just too heavy looking. the filmstrip ribbon added detail, but looked like it fit in with the design.

some prima flowers...when do those NOT look good?!

even some older Making Memories supplies. where would i ever be without their vintage garment pins? Jan discovered they worked great for inside the album too- which you will see later. i used one to hang the key and pearl at the top. isn't that key awesome?!

Maya Road mini-tickets...another staple in my supplies.


the hardest part was choosing which paper for which page. once i got past that stage, the rest just fit. the boring part was gluing the paper to the chipboard, sanding and then inking it. thank goodness for online movies! my craft room had a thin layer of dust over everything when i was done too.




here is a tip:
gluing paper to chipboard.....

when this first became popular (at least for myself) we used a glue stick. but then you had to have it sit under something heavy as it dried and set.

later i took some online classes and they used Mod Podge. it works too. but it is pretty wet, sometimes tears the papers and takes a long time to dry. it also has to be under something heavy...after it is dry.

then i used a gel medium sold by Golden. i prefer it over the Mod Podge.

now i use Multi-Medium by Claudine Hellmuth. it is a thicker consistency, dries super quick and works very well! it dries so quickly that sometimes it is dry before you get the paper on. i put the medium on the chipboard - seems to dry slightly slower. i can put it under something heavy right away. all of the methods tend to curl the papers as they dry.

i want to try the new Glue N' Seal from Ranger one of these days.

if you use any of the non-glue stick options i would recommend using the MATTE formulation. even when i am careful i always manage to get the stuff where it shouldn't go. with the matte, at least it blends with the papers i use and you can't tell. or i can give it a top coat and it isn't obvious. the "glossy" mod podge and gel medium i bought....totally shows! unless you want the shiny look.


off to work on the next project!

photo tip

this post from Work in Progress was very helpful to me last year.

Photographing Your Christmas Tree!

i got my first great photos of our lit tree using these tips.

here are some other links for great tips on capturing good photos of lights:

Strobist

BetterPhoto.com

Rebecca White

for myself, i found that using a tripod was perfect for me. but i've also used tables, chairs and counters to keep my camera still.

i am lucky to have a DSLR {Nikon D80} and a husband who loves to make sure i have great lenses. 

i picked up a good tip from reading a book by Scott Kelby. my lenses have a VR {vibration reduction} sensor. which means they will sense any kind of vibration and allow me to get a really crisp photo. here is where the tip comes in. according to Kelby, he recommends turning the VR to OFF when using a tripod. if it can't find any vibration...it will go searching for it! and create a less sharp image. 

{The Digital Photography Book: page 13}

in my previous post i shared a layout about our family at the provincial legislative grounds. don't be scared to take photos at night. i probably took about 10, and that is the only one that turned out the way i liked. even then, i still had to lighten the RAW format before printing. Photoshop Elements (often available at Costco or London Drugs for around $100CDN) has some features too that can help to lighten photos like that. Picnik would also be helpful, and it is available online for free. 

however....it is always helpful to have the best photo you can before you do any editing!

i hope those links were helpful. enjoy!!

catch this train!

the first time i learned about scrapbooking, i learned about decorative edged scissors. yes. my favourite to this day is the 'deckle edge'. looks just like the edge on the vintage photographs. it was so long ago that they had scissors designed to cut corners. i haven't seen them on store shelves for years. my guess is that they have been replaced by punches. my set of scissors were finicky. the corner punches definitely are a better quality product. those one of a kind scissors are in storage somewhere. you can see how often i use them!

when i first started to make scrapbook pages i added the small corner punch to my tool box. it really is time to replace it because i've used it so much! i do remember seeing the decorative corner edgers on the shelves but the designs were so far from my taste. i liked simple.

my love affair with border punches began almost as soon as i knew what they were. my first one was Threading Water by Fiskars. i still love it! i got super lucky one day and found an embossing/edge punch in a clearance bin at Superstore for $3. i don't use it as much, but i couldn't pass up that deal! it is more intricate and flowery....not simple. i love the punches by EKSuccess. they also take up very little space in the drawer in my desk. my most recent purchase was the Upper Crust punch by Fiskars. very simple. very trendy right now. it gets used a lot. i also could not live without my notebook edge punch. mine was purchased many years ago from Stampin'Up. it is the size of a regular punch, but can go along an edge to create a decorative border. it was one of those orders from a season catalogue. they sell a new version of it, and it resembles the ones you can find on store shelves. EKSuccess and Fiskars have a few now that are awesome.

but my love affair with punch-around-the-page began last Christmas. they drive me crazy. they are addicting. when they are on sale, or if i have a coupon....they are kryptonite! i can't pick my favourite. however, i seem to have a lot that have some sort of loop or scallop. if you see me with another punch in my hands....could you just ask me if i really need to have it...help! one drawback is that your paper needs to be a specific size in order for them to work properly. i use them to make photo frames, so the measurements 5 x 6 3/4 inches work well. they also work well on your standard greeting card. as well as a border on a 12x12 layout. sometimes i think i have the right measurement....then realize i don't. thus i have saved time and know exactly where to place that flower or sticker! ha!!

and now there are punches that can give you a lovely decorative strip. at first they made me look, but i walked right by. until i saw an adorable layout by Christine Middlecamp. sigh. yes, i bought it.

i would hate to be on the same train all by myself.

here are some great videos i've come across this week. as well as some new ideas on using punches.


using 3 different edge/border punches:



using the Punch Around the Page (you can find this on the Martha Stewart website too):


this idea has been around for awhile...using your simple corner rounder to make scalloped edges:


how about using the same punch to make flowers?



how about a new use for your corner punches? using your corner punches on a CIRCLE shape:


and another method to use your corner punches on a circle: click here (no video, pictures only)


i have tried this. not that i have measured or anything, but i have not had the ends meet up accurately. again, a good spot for a flower or button?!


how about using your edge punches to go all around the page? it can be done!


i do remember watching another video tutorial. but now i can't find it!

in honor of American Thanksgiving....here is a cute tutorial using shape punches to make a turkey. great inspiration!



i sure wouldn't recommend to most people getting started in scrapbooking to buy all the tools at once. if only all of our bank accounts could handle that!

when i started i bought:
-- a craft knife (with replacement blades)
-- a good ruler (LOVE the B-1M by C-Thru Ruler and this one by Tim Holtz)
-- a craft mat (self healing)....so many companies sell this and in various colours too! it does not have to be 12x12, as long as you have one width that is 12 inches you will be good.
-- glue sticks are what we all used in the beginning. they are great! as i started to create more projects i found double-sided adhesive tape runners were more practical for me. at this point i have a favourite glue for adding extra embellishments to a page! (i'll share that list another day. but depending who you ask, we all have our own favourites. mine is the best for me, but not for everyone.)
-- good paper scissors. something to help you cut small flowers or branches, etc. and ribbon
-- black journaling marker. i still have my ZIG marker from 1996. and it still works as great as the day i bought it. i use the American Crafts slick writers for writing on slippery surfaces, like photos.
-- paper for the project you are working on. however i buy a huge pack of 200+ sheets of 81/2 x 11 white cardstock at Staples. great for card backgrounds. printing.

the other thing i would recommend is buying a new tool for the project you are working on. this way you know you will use it. it also helps to add to your inventory without breaking the bank. for example i bought a snowflake punch the year i used it on our christmas cards. it is also the tool that gets lent out the most too!

one year i borrowed a friends' straight edge punch. when you make 40 cards, and have about 3 layers of mats...well it sure saved time. the next time i saw one on sale, i bought it. get one that will cut a 12 inch sheet of cardstock. you will not regret it, even if all you make are cards.

many of us trade and share our supplies with each other. it provides a great opportunity to try new tools and see what we like. or what likes us!

i also took classes. i did learn how to use markers and blending pens to lighten colours. learned what ink pad should be used for what purpose. experience is a great teacher, but sometimes it is just more fun to learn from someone who knows what they are talking about!! the first time i used alcohol inks was in a class. at the time i thought it was a lot of money...probably a $45 mini album. however i got to play with the products after having the instructor give us her tips. in the end i knew what colours of inks i wanted to start with (bought 3 colours....now 4 years later i have almost a dozen colours....far cry from how many are available!). i also learned some tips on where i could save some money. today, that album is still one of my favourites. i could have googled and searched for videos (that works too) but sometimes it is just more valuable to learn from the instructor and the students around you. did i mention that classes are fun and enjoyable?

above all....ask questions! i think most people who are passionate about scrapbooking or cardmaking will be ready to share all kinds of tips and advice. if you see a technique or design that you can't get out of your mind, ask how the designer did it. we all love having our work admired! doesn't matter if it is the 5th project you created, or if you are a design team member of Pink Paislee (who wouldn't want to be on that team...yum!).

at some point i bought that first border punch and used it all the time. slowly i added to my collection. whether it was points or a gift card or birthday money or coupon. at some point we all have tools we rather regret. like my Big Bite. yes, i have used it. i've been able to share it. but, really, it has not received the use my crop-a-dile or paper punches have. it doesn't mean it is not a great tool. just not something that is useful for me and what i create. sometimes you just don't know until you try it.

i was just reading this week that Christine Middlecamp does not yet own a die-cutting machine. would you believe that surprised me? she does amazing work and is one of those "most-wanted" by companies. (in my opinion! i'm sure Christine loves to hear people say that about her!!) anyways it just goes to prove that you don't have to own every tool in order to be good.

you know i just realized i could have saved me and you some time. all i really needed to say was:
don't buy it all at once. start with the basics. then buy what you like/admire to create what you like/admire!

amen!

have a super weekend....yay! no more -100C temperatures!!

free to dream

i was really needing to put together another layout just for me. secretly i always hope that one layout actually means 3 or 5! but i know i can't put them together that fast. one is always better than zero. for me.

i was so inspired by the deep colours Jan got on her Pink Paislee artisan elements. one day i got out a few of my own elements and tested out other methods of getting colour.

i did create a fantastic one using caramel, reds and greens.....but had no 'perfect' paper to go with it!

i used the new Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze and loved how it looked. deep and rich, yet you can easily wipe it away on this product. well, not completely. but you get just a bit of the colour. basically more control than with alcohol inks. and i didn't have a purple alcohol ink to go with my glaze. i added even more glitter with some Stickles. i just rubbed it across the surface and the glitter stuck in the crevices.

being lazy i did not want to go and find a new photo and go to the trouble of printing it. confession! instead i looked through my 'extras' and found one that sort of matched the purple.

then i needed to find some purple paper. not a usual colour for me to use. i had a few sheets. but then i was totally stumped. i was beginning to think that i would need to move on to a third option.

instead i took a break and had a whim to visit the Colour Room. they have the colour palette and a sketch for a starting point. i was shocked when they had purple as one of the colours. then shocked out of my chair when i saw they had other colours that i had on my desk....grey and yellow. no way!

i don't usually use sketches. and when i do, i tend to not follow them well. which pretty much eliminates me from any team that requires a sketch to be followed exactly! haha!!




they are on palette #28. i am not sure if i would have been comfortable trying this combination on my own. but i like how it all looks together. thank you Little Yellow Bicycle! i'm glad i ended up picking up this set.



i had these glittered scrolls left over from another project and thought they worked nice here. even if they were not the same. there were a few leftovers here that i was happy to use up! you can also see the glitter glam on the artisan elements here. i am in love with their most recent set.



when i showed the layout to my daugher {who is only 4 years old} i asked her opinion.

mistake?

she says, "i don't like it."

then she points to a layout i did a few years ago and tells me she likes that better.

to risk destroying all my self confidence in one blow, i am going to choose to believe that she simply prefers the colour PINK. this week. PURPLE is just not good. this week.

yeah. let's go with that thought.

origami flower

so the secret is out. i love flowers. i am drawn and captivated by flower making tutorials. i'm excited when i am using the "right" paper or materials to include one of my new faves on a layout!

a few Christmas' ago i came across a really cool flower globe on the blog 'a daily inspiration'. {i am very sad that it is no longer updated....there were so many cool ideas and techniques here} i made my version that same Christmas and it looks even better with the colours in our new home.

it's funny because the same flower folding has shown up in a few areas recently. Godrun Lennecken shared a bouquet she made using them. {i had forgotten that she shared her own tutorial and even linked back to the tutorial she used....found both just now. never mind the time i spent doing my own photos! oops!!}

then i saw the same flowers on a card or layout. for the life of me i can't remember what paper or who it was who made it. anyways, i simply had not thought of using them on a layout. i was inspired.




this is what i came up with!

my only problem was that the flowers were just a bit too high for the page.

so i changed up the design slightly.



this is the side view of a finished flower.

each petal is made individually. each flower is made of 5 petals.

if you were to make the globe, you would need 12 flowers. yes, that is 72 petals. a lot of work, but totally worth the effort.


here is my version of the instructions!



start with a perfect square.

{tip: the first time i made these i used a 4 inch square. i would totally recommend starting with a larger size. the smaller the square, the more tricky it can be. the larger the square, the larger the finished flower.}



fold your square in half, on the diagonal.



fold one outside corner up to the middle corner.



do the same with the other outside corner. now you are back to the square shape, just smaller.



fold back the fold in half. the edges should line up evenly. it is hard to see that in the photo because the paper springs back! the edges will match, but you will have the corner sticking out.



do this with both sides. to me it almost looks like a frog at this stage.



Godrun (step5) has a great photo of this. you are going to reverse one of the fold lines on those corner folds. the inside fold stays the same, the middle fold will be flattened, and the outside fold is reversed. this is what it looks like AFTER you redid your folding.



at this point, you are going to fold back the tips. here is the view from one angle....



....and the other angle. can you see through my blur? must work on that focus!!



at this point you will refold that section of paper one last time. fold along that middle line. in my photo, it looks like i unfolded it, but it just sprang apart when i let go to take the photo. the next step involves glue, so those folds won't come apart!



if i were to continue to make it like the globe flower, or for a bouquet then i would add my glue at this point. you can see the large fold line on the right side? that centre fold is the place where the petal is glued together.

here is where i changed it up a bit.



the first flower i made i cut the tip off after it was folded and glued. what a pain! it had to be re-glued. and it was tough to get my scissors and craft knife blade through all that thick paper. although it would have been fun for someone to watch me struggle!

my tip is to cut off the bottom tip BEFORE you glue. and don't cut a straight line. give it a slight curve. the curve will go away from the tip, and towards the middle.



i also found those little binder clips very handy! you'll see. just a dab of quick drying glue. this is the same spot you would put the glue if you weren't cutting off the tip.

{yes, hot glue would work. but i am not so skilled at keeping myself from getting burnt! so cold glue it is for me.}



use the binder clip to squeeze the edges together. you could hold this with your fingers too. it takes my glue about 3 minutes to set nicely, so the clips allow me to move to the next flower. i find 2 clips is about all i need. by the time the 3rd petal is needing the clip, the 1st has dried.



once it is set, this is how it looks. this is one of the five petals you will need. use the same size square for all 5 of the petals.



just add some glue in between the petals. glue two of them together at a time. then add the 3rd petal to one of the pairs. when that glue has set, glue all 5 of them together.



to keep the bulk down, i also curled the petal tips downwards slightly. a bamboo skewer works really nicely for that.

for this flower, i added some ink to the edges.



here is the side view.

you can see the slightly curled tips better.

when you adhere them to your layout, a few glue dots should hold them. again, the glue gun would also work nicely.


on the above layout, i used a square punch to get all the squares cut to 1 1/2 inch.


the patterned paper had some flowers that looked very similar to the ones i made. they also had stamens in the centre. i decided to add my own!



i had these pearl strands in my stash from an old shopping trip at WalMart. i think they were meant for bouquets or cakes. there were 4 of the strands in a bunch.



i cut them so that they kind of looked like pearl lollipops.




if i want to change the colour of anything, i use some alcohol inks. i've also been doing some experimenting with ink mists too. this was the SilverFoil SMOOCHspritz. some ink pads work well too.

and i just realized that i forgot to take photos of the fully completed flowers with their stamens! i set the flower down on my splat mat. it is like the silicon baking sheets. EVERYTHING comes off of it. i squeezed a good portion of my quick drying glue in the centre of the flower, and poked the stamens (6 in each flower) right into the middle. my glue dries clear. due to the large portion of glue, it does take about an hour to dry. do all your flowers at once and set them aside to dry. again, hot glue could work. like i mentioned earlier, hot glue and small areas and me do not do well. old fashioned is the way for me!





here is that view again. for these flowers i used a green ink to colour them.


while i waited for my glue to dry, i thought of a new flower.

if my glue had fumes i would blame it on that. can't go with that excuse. can't use boredom either. normally i don't care much about using scraps. honestly, the scraps go to my kids. i have enough paper that once i use some of it on a layout or project them i'm ready to move on to the next sheet!

i noticed that the little tips that i cut off my flowers sort of formed their own little flowers. maybe it was the pile of them on the corner of my mat.



i glued the edges to each other like this.



and this was the finished flower.

not breathtaking. but different. and simple.


now, go create!!

next class

i completed my layout for the April class.

this is a happy marriage of traditional and very non-traditional scrapbook supplies!




that is all i'm showing for now!! i'll have the rest of the photos up next week. as well as information on the date and time.

it will give you a taste of being messy...in a safe and introductory way!


these classes have been awesome. it has been a challenge for me to find new ideas and combine it with the supplies. i love it! at times i think that i will never be able to find enough new ideas. then i come across a new one that is really inspiring and totally works. it is one thing to create the layout and an entirely new task to think about how you got it from start to end! never mind being able to communicate it to an entire class. this is the kind of challenge i enjoy! which is a good thing.

flowers are a huge trend right now and not always everyone's first choice when it comes to all scrapbookers. they are an easy and excellent embellishment and i've come across a lot of people who still struggle with adding a flower to a layout about their boys. in my humble opinion i think most layouts are neutral. there are the obvious pink and frilly layouts that scream girl and the brown or rough layouts that automatically make you think boy. i also think that my daughter does not have to have every layout done in pink or have flowers attached to them!

so that is one challenge is to keep them neutral. i think i pushed my limit when i used pink ribbon on the February layout. however, with it being valentines and the month of love....never mind finding the perfect papers from Making Memories! there was still lots of brown and cream. as long as it doesn't happen every month i doubt anyone will complain. this one doesn't have even a hint of pink...i wonder if that will be a problem? ha!! i'll keep you posted.



here is something to challenge you:
years ago i took a watercolour painting class. our teacher was the most amazing artist. she removed our thinking that we had to paint mountains grey, trees green or water blue. because of that class i had an entirely new appreciation for nature and art. we painted mountains purple and blue. trees became any colour under the rainbow. water became less blue and more of a mirror. she emphasized that our eyes can quickly find a tree or rock. with art, it is more appealing to the eye if we make the brain work a little harder to see it. {words to that effect, anyway!} cool colours like purple emphasize distance, while warm colours emphasize proximity. it was the first time i painted a picture with PURPLE trees.

look first at the layout and think of what your eye sees. if you have to ask yourself, "what colours was that exactly?" then i truly doubt you will have to worry about it being "girly" or "boyish". most likely you have just viewed a neutral layout. phew!

i find it so fascinating learning about how our brain and eyes work when it comes to art.

testing

another layout that is different for me. (yikes! 2 in a row!!)







i really admire all the layouts that are shared on the Studio Calico blog. this layout won't be one of them! regardless, i love the photo. i wanted to emphasize the playfulness of the photo. i wanted to take a family photo, so off we went into our suburban wilderness with a bike and a stroller. i think Aidan decided he didn't want to ride his bike at some point, or maybe he was upset that he wanted to ride and we kept stopping? somehow, Kristian ended up riding it. we did get some great shots of the family. the ones i wanted. as well as the ones that a mother does not want...but are definitely truthful.

one of their challenges on the Studio Calico blog this week is to scraplift another member.

i think i will take that challenge on! haha. maybe i will learn something about using these techniques with my style?!

wish me luck!!


soon i will share the upcoming layout for my March class at the store. i often ask Kristian to share his opinion. he is honest! this one he commented on it reminding him of a fair and parties. that is all the hinting i will share for now. so far i get more excited to teach each successive layout than the one before. i think that is a good thing, but it still shows that my opinion is easily changed?!


on another note. i haven't done anything photography or PSE tips lately. but i came across this post today. plus there is a free action you can grab for PSE too!

new blog!

check out:

The Scrap Review


a new blog that will be offering critiques of various products! yes!! there is so many new tools and ideas, it will be fun to check this out and compare produts before you buy!


i noticed on my blog, and i've read other bloggers share the same frustration....due to some upgrades in Blogger, the "follower" lists have been out of whack! if you were following my blog and you noticed that you are no longer listed as a follower...it is due to the Blogger problem...you were not deleted by me!! thanks. please add your name, and hopefully Blogger will not malfunction again...

layout with unique journaling

this is a photo of Aidan from a year ago.

he was just beginning to recognize letters. he already knew what the letter "a" looked like. and he knew that he had one that started his name.

using chalk and these neat little chalkboards, i wrote out his name for him. then he copied it. over and over. and then finally erased the board and started himself. he has been able to write his name about 98% of the time by himself since that day.

his teacher-mommy was very proud!!

these started as plain etched acrylic letters. i used three colours of alcohol inks to add colour and dimension. the sketches in the letters are perfect for this paper.

i think the company that made these is no longer in business? it's too bad. i think they were maybe just a bit too early....acrylic stuff in scrapbooking has really gained popularity in this last year. in my opinion! which we know is always right!! lol.

soooo.... i hadn't meant for this to become a page... i tried using those stickers somewhere else and didn't like how it looked. so then they were added to the journal section. still not a huge fan of how this turned out...but learning to embrace it!

and this is my unique journaling. hidden inside a book on a layout. i also had Aidan write his name at the same time. since the page was done a year later, i thought it might be fun to add his handprinting as well.

i do have to say that CosmoCricket paper can sure take abuse! it was tough to peel off the sticker, but still possible without major catastrophe! and those stickers still kept their sticky-ness after being peeled away. sort of like the AC thicker stickers. sort of. but not quite.

it has been so weird to look back on my scrapbooking over this past year. i have really pushed myself to try new techniques. attempted to try new styles. i think it was 1996 when i put together my first scrapbook. to compare that book with a book today...unbelieveable!

that very first book....i used rub-ons! isn't that crazy?! they are still around. and soooo different.

i bought a "zig writer" in black for that first project. and it still works just as well today as it did over 10 years ago. awesome investment!!

i also bought a pair of Fiskar scissors....called "deckle edge". they have been sitting in my crop bag for several years without seeing the light of day. i brought them out to use on my December Daily album. love them!!

those three tools {and the little cardboard album} was my intro into scrapbooking. every scrapbooker needs a good quality black pen with a tip for writing....fine or medium. good scissors is also a good investment. initially i did not even own a straight edge cutter. instead i used a great quality clear ruler, self-healing mat and exacto knife. no regrets over that choice. and i bought those for another project....making Christmas cards one year. so don't get overwhelmed with all the tools. buy a few at a time. buy good quality. ease into the craft.

there is no right or wrong way to begin.

the purpose is to remember the story behind the photo.

the art comes second and can help to share your story.

it is completely personal.

just do it!

{i think NIKE was on to something with that ad....}

one day at a time

crazy how i manage to get myself thinking of goals that are too complicated!

then i question myself. was that goal really that complicated?

or did i finish before i started?

breathe.

smile.

just take it one day at a time....


i love glue and paper and stuff to glue onto paper! i do. i do!! and i love it when i am in love with the finished product! not always the result.


this is one i am satisfied with.

i soooo love black glitter on black paper right now.


AND i'm trying to figure out how to classify my scrapbooking style. what is it??! or do i even have one?

help

i found this blog back in february...and then somehow managed to lose the link.

Craft Critique

want to buy a new paper trimmer, but not sure if it is what you want?

curious about the crop-a-dile? or the new big bite?

or want to know what is the best paper for stamping?


this is the place to check out!

this week they also listed some top company blogs. described what it is like and listed the pros-cons for each of them.

and it isn't limited to paper stuff. they also had a demo on how to felt your own wool. far too much work i think...but hey, maybe it makes you smile! i guess that is how non-scrappers feel about us scrappers!!


and i am so happy to report that i have finally selected photos from all the way back to january. i actually am missing a few months....october to december. but at least i had a start!

i notice that sometimes the colours on my computer don't always reflect the colours in the prints. once i see the prints themselves i'll then choose which photos i want and crop those for that second year album.

happy news: i think Costco will be my new best friend. i'm going to download photos in smaller bunches...like as in within a few weeks...not a year! they have an album storage system too. free! and only 15 cents for a 4x6 print. good paper. good quality print. all the stars are lined up!!

sad news: i think we've lost 2 months of photos from Aidan's file. when he was 25 and 26 months old. ugh. i should have some photos on disks from when i had a few printed. phew! but it is nice to have the original copy....


3 lessons learned:

1. read Craft Critique to check out comparisons - and bookmark the link!
2. order photos in the comfort of my own home and print for cheap at Costco
3. better back up system for photos...still working this one out...

my little problem

i seem to fall in love with paper far too easily.

i have decided to just finish some projects that have been on the go for awhile. well...finish....ummm.....

Friday, i bought all the papers and die-cuts for both present lines of October Afternoon. why? because i love them. those die cuts have patterned paper on one side and cool journaling space on the other side. this company reminds me of a crisp and trendy version of Cosmo Cricket.

you see...i know that after the next CHA show, more good stuff is going to come to the store. i know that. i've seen proof of this. but i also know that good stuff doesn't last long. in my opinion this recent October Afternoon stuff is not going to last for more than two weeks. and i have been known to be correct. on occasion. maybe it isn't an addiction. perhaps it is fear. fear that i will never get another piece of the paper i want. like after it sells at the store, they stop making it....

yeah. maybe i need to work on conquering this fear?

in the meantime, i wanted to try some new stuff i had. and use up some older stuff i also had.

the photos are new. yahoo!

my little problem (considering unfinished projects being a big one! haha) is that my photos are on my computer. stuck. like glue. i need to make a goal to actually print some of them off. and then use up my paper and other stuff. for now i'll be satisfied that at least some of them are escaping to my scrapbook papers.

anyways....here is one for Kiara's album.

american crafts paper, foam die-cuts and letters. heidi swapp rhinestone bling. and extra ribbon. and remember those lil' davis letters i talked about before? used up two more!

one technique i've seen is using bubble wrap to paint/stamp a background. so i gave it a try. very fun and easy.

i used my american crafts slickwriter to put the edge on the large letters.

then i added felt from doodlebug to the word "sweetness".

here's a tip! don't put the glue on too thick. i ended up doing a second coat using my glue pen. and it worked much better. so save yourself some frustration and learn from my mistake. that felt is very fun. i love the look of felt...but their sugar coated glitter is still my fave.

this one was tough. i wanted to use some of pink paislee. but it just didn't suit. i found this basic grey obscure paper. got it in the box of goodies from Kim.

and it still didn't look quite right. so i tried my best to grunge it up. using some new techniques. of course.

i used versamark and some of Judikins chocolate tinsel embossing powder on the cosmo cricket blackboard. i took this idea from a photo on Heather's blog. (you have to scroll to the bottom of the post.)

and here is another tip! i learned one thing about embossing powders while on a trip to Western Educational Activities. the "tinsel" powders are more glittery and not very smooth. think of the tinsel we used to put on our Christmas trees.

and then i used my scratching tool from Tonic Studios to distress the photo. i loved the overall effect it had for this layout.

then i doodled a border around the top photo with my black zig marker. added some black brads in no particular place.

one technique i tried. it wasn't awesome. but i did learn something. and i'd do it again. i used my versamark and embossing powder on some foam thickers from american crafts. i had to use my heat gun. on foam. which wasn't too bad. if i hadn't been a clutz and dropped the letters upside down after adhering the powder. i ended up doing two coats. which would have looked fine (i think) if i hadn't been so clumsy. we'll just say that mine look good from a distance.

here is that great glue pen. so great for small areas. i use it if i'm adding glitter...or felt! on top of it.

here is the chocolate tinsel embossing powder by JudiKins. (is that not a fabulous name?!)

and my scratching tool from tonic studios. i don't use it often, but it is a fun tool to have.

i thought i'd share my "how-to's" and my "how-to-nots".


and i also had to share my latest confirmation of my paper addiction.