so many of my smiles begin with you

another superb kit this month at the Urban Scrapbook!



the selection of Valentine themed papers this year are amazing. i probably said that last year too. i think this year is even better! choices of soft pinks and perfect reds. you can also pair it with a kraft paper or chalkboard looking paper. definitely some papers and embellishments worth hoarding and using for a few years!! you can't see it here, but i coloured over the "SMILES" and "begin" with a red Wink of Stella glitter pen. if you have not tried these pens, they are a new must have. the way a ray of sunshine captures the sparkle is incredible. they aren't messy, if this is an issue.

these are my 3 most favourite people in the world and my favourite pictures of them from last year.

i layered paper under a few spots of the chevron lace paper.



one of the papers had a variety of hearts over the entire background. typical me i fell in love with it and waited to use it for a special part of the layout....set it aside so it wouldn't get messed with by accident....then found it again at the end of my design session. how many times must i make this mistake!?! despite my senility, i think it worked out okay in the end.

i absolutely love adding colour to seam binding. this time i used Spun Sugar and Antique Linen. it turned out better than i had hoped. i wanted it to be soft and aged looking, like the kraft/pink combination. and how cute is that Maya Road "love" heart?! someone must know someone who needs to make some wedding invitations.....these would be so perfect for the trendy cards being sent these days.



the challenge for this month was to use stitching. my sewing machine and i spent a lot of time sewing around various pieces. then it went around the entire background page. since i had never done this technique yet, but always wanted to....i sewed over my title. those letter stickers are STICKY, so there was no need to ensure they stay in place....however it looks cute and homemade, like the rest of the embellishments. i also made a few "x's" with the red twine.

have you checked out the other layouts on the blog yet? they are amazing. as always they look even better in person.

well, i'm thankful for a blue sky and sunshine today. however this ridiculously cold air is not so exciting. the snow is no longer sparkly white and everyone in my house is tired of mittens and snow pants!! i think we are less than 90 days away from camping season... a big number, but we are already counting down.

frozen

January Monthly Kit at the Urban Scrapbook

the new BoBunny Woodlands Winter papers are incredible. i had trouble picking a favourite paper out of the kit. love original designs like this!

there is also a snowflake stencil in the kit that is a lot of fun!

here is my layout:



i tried several techniques on the background page as well as bits of pieces on other papers.. lots of fun! a snowflake stencil is included in your kit, so it was a fabulous excuse to think of many different ways to use it.



i cut some detailed snowflakes on my Cameo. then i added clear glass glitter. i love the look of the glass glitter against the white snowflake. it looks just like frost!
it is a bit difficult to see, but i also cut a snowflake from the Tim Holtz Frosted Film with my Cameo. it cuts it perfectly!



to make the title thicker, i cut out 3 layers from chipboard and adhered them together. the patterned paper was adhered on top. it is hard to tell the glimmer on the title. i got that effect by using a Wink of Stella glitter pen. love that pen!! i haven't gotten the look from any other technique i've used...it's totally unique.

another part of the kit are some clear rhinestone crystals. i kept some connected as they were in the package and cut others apart so that they were singles.

there are some more designs on display at Urban Scrapbook. as usual, the design team members have so many different styles and this kit was perfect for all of us. go, check it out and be inspired!

2013 - layouts in review

here is a summary of my 2013 Year in Review Classes at Urban Scrapbook:

February 2013
Pink/Red
{using stencils and UTEE}




March 2013
Green
{gelatos!}



April 2013
Yellow
{ink, perfect pearls, water and UTEE again!}



May 2013
Purple
{painting with a mix of mediums}




June 2013
Blue
{Distress Paints}




September 2013
Orange
{variety techniques using embossing and stencils}




October 2013
Black/Grey
{metal effects}




November 2013
just White!
{frost effects}

Bonus - January 2014
Colour against a white background
{page 1 of 2}



Bonus - January 2014
Colour against a black background
{page 2 of 2}



even though the focus was on a new colour each month, there were different techniques explored each month. those techniques could have been used interchangeably between any of the months/colours as well. i was trying to think of my favourite of the year. i can't pick!! there was something i loved about each layout that was unique to that month.


{i purposely didn't list all of the techniques we used on the layouts. just the main technique that the class often referred to when we talked about previous classes. the rest of the techniques...well...you just had to take the class to learn and play! respect that the techniques taught in each class were part of the class cost and not to be shared publicly. i do not share the methods of achieving the techniques outside of the class and expect that my students will use those techniques only on their own work and not use it for teaching purposes. some techniques were based on publicly known techniques, but refined for my class. i spent many hours researching and testing before they were chosen for a specific month, and in some cases had to be changed to work with different products.}

January Year in Review Class!

2013 was another unique year for my Year In Review classes.

my "bonus" class for 2012 was opened up to my new 2013 students as well as spaces for my 2012 group. that was fun! i put my "bonus" layout pages in my 2012 album, but they would also work for 2013. {Celebrate Today and Always Remember This}

my first year for teaching this set of classes was in 2010. each month followed a monthly theme.

in 2011 i kept an intentional focus on techniques for each month.

2012 had each layout following a sketch, and using non-layout sketches to get inspired designs.

and 2013 was focused on COLOUR!!


for the "bonus" class to close up the 2013 year i thought it would be fun to play with all of the colours we used during the year. with a change up!

here you go....



taking some paints, gesso and coloured papers on a white background.

but what if....



we used those same products on a black background?!

then put the pages side by side....



this is the first time i have created a "bonus" layout where the pages could potentially be displayed side by side in the album. yet they could still work as the "first" and "last" pages.



a close up....



and another...



and another.

it can be a challenge to take "blank" canvases and "naked" embellishments and use them. however, with an open mind it can also be very relaxing.

i think this will be a great culmination to our year. techniques we have used on various layouts, so an opportunity to use what we have already been practicing.






it is so interesting how the background paper changes the effect of the colours.

{if your photos work....and you have the time to sort through them.....i think it would be a really neat look if your photo colours could match the backgrounds. such as a sunrise/sunset against the yellow, summer green against the green, etc. i chose black because i didn't want more colours to distract from the overall look.}

those registered for the 2013 year should be getting an email about the specifics by the end of next week. classes will be the last Thursday and Saturday of this month.

stay tuned for the focus of 2014. {don't worry....you won't have to wait too long for this news....but you will love it!!}

just for fun

i hope your Christmas was joyous and peaceful.

in our home, we were all very excited for the holiday this year. all four of us will have had an entire 2 weeks off, and we're at the halfway point today. i know we will all enjoy returning to work and school next week, but for now we are pretending that this week will be the longest ever!

we had a virus hit the kids, so that part wasn't so fun. however it does make the house a bit quieter and we are forced to slow down and take things easy. no complaints about that.

i cleared off all of my unfinished projects and got out some photos to scrapbook. it was fun to mess around on some layouts that are only for our family. this time i used the school class photos from last year.

this year i chose to use Crate Paper for the majority of their pages. vintage Crate Paper! haha!! why do we save the prettiest papers? i need to get out of that habit.



my girl loves glitter. nothing really gets measured when i put my personal pages together. i usually lay my photo onto the photo mats and trim until i like the look of the papers. often they end up crooked, or i cut off too much. or i have the "perfect" paper…but not enough to make a "proper" mat. this was what happened with the gold dot vellum for this page. this vellum had been in my scrap bin since March….loved this paper. i hope they make similar styles to this next year. i think it was one of those papers that sold out fast everywhere.

those glitter letter stickers bright! i chose loose glitter and sequins to balance them a bit.



i often have trouble getting my embellishments together for "boy" layouts. this time i chose the papers first. and got most of them cut apart for the base. then i went on a treasure hunt through my drawers, baskets and jars for anything that might work. surprisingly i ended up using most of the things i pulled out. which is not typical of me!! it is definitely easier to find a spot to glue it onto the layout rather than return it to it's storage spot in my desk. ha! Crate Paper sold 12x12 sheets of adhesive tissue paper….also known as Washi Tape. you can die cut out shapes from it, or slice off strips/squares as you use them. they look super bright on the shelf….but they are transparent when you put them against the papers. the chevron, typewriter and woodgrain strips are some of the ones i used. if you are like me and don't like to use the same paper or elements from a package more than once, then these sheets of tissue are ideal. the splatters are from a mix of re-inker, water and some perfect pearl powder. so easy to make your own and match it to your layout.

i'll share my next class layout later this week. and there is a new month for the Urban Scrapbook design kit too. January has always been my favourite kit to create with, and this one is no different!

merry Christmas and Happy new year!

jingle all the way

i had to convince my family to take advantage of a snowy day to do a family portrait. it was a really bright day. and i was tired! i tried to think of what i had learned in my Ambient Light workshop in the spring. i didn't get the "rembrandt" look….but at least we don't have bad racoon eyes or harsh shadows. phew!!

i was so happy to use this on a scrapbook layout right away!



these papers are so pretty. i was wishing that i had more photos at Christmas. maybe play off the polka dots with photos in the shape of circles….adding that to my "scrapbook-bucket-list".



i tried a few new techniques here. i LOVED the chalkboard technique that Tim Holtz shared in the Online Chemistry Class last month. so i tried it out on the ornaments.

our last shopping trip to Restoration Hardware had some cool ornaments that had the "mercury glass" look. they looked a lot like the Maya Road trinket that was included in the kit. i first painted it in Brushed Pewter Distress Paint. after it was dry, i dabbed at it with a scrunched baby wipe to remove some of the paint. then i painted the rest in Black Acrylic Paint. it is difficult to get a good photo of it. but i was happy with how it worked out.

i stamped "tis the season" using black Archival Ink. this was actually part of a more detailed stamp. i had to mask off parts of the stamp so that i only got the words i wanted. it looks simple, but took a bit longer to achieve.

and that red/silver ribbon. PURE GORGEOUSNESS!!! i'm planning to buy a few yards of that pretty stuff. it will look perfect in my wreath and a few other places in my house. i would wrap presents with it too….but i kind of want to keep it for myself! ha!!



here is a side view of the cluster.

if you haven't already done so….check out the other projects from the rest of the Design Team. oh. my. goodness!!

if you give a kid a cookie….

this is not a post about a layout. but you can bet this story will be retold on a layout.

the kids and i look forward to attending the Festival of Trees every year. this year the time passed by too quickly! i didn't feel like i had a chance to view many of the trees. this year they were more interested in the activities than the decorations. they also spent most of the time doing their Christmas shopping. {they did finish, so i guess they are one step ahead of me!}



after the shopping, their first stop was the cookie decorating.



amazing how much they enjoy this very simple activity!



we had just left the cookie decorating area and they were about to decide where to go next. but they were interrupted by Graham Neil asking if they wanted to do a TV interview with him. which they agreed to with big smiles on their faces!

he asked us to follow him. then he rounded up more kids on the way. it was like he was the Pied Piper! haha!!

he was very good with the kids as he prepped them for the interview. at one point he said that he was a bit nervous about doing live TV with kids! you just never can predict what will come out of their mouths.

you can watch the interview here at CTV.

he told the kids that he would talk about the trees, then the cookies. to close he would eat his own decorated cookie. however, the airing of the live portion was a few minutes later than he thought….so there was some waiting involved. he actually left his cookie on the ground. i'm not sure if it got stepped on or not. it would have been a miracle if no one had stepped on it. at some point he must have decided that it would not be a good idea to eat his cookie!

it should also be noted that neither of the kids have eaten their cookies. yummy or not. i may need to frame them?



perhaps Kiara will change her mind of what she wants to do when she "grows up"?

mr. handsome

had i only known October would be a "blink and you'll miss it" type of month! wowzers!! at the same time i started teaching, i caught a cold.

it. would. not. leave.

then we suspected a sinus infection. after a week of antibiotics i am feeling much more like myself.

everywhere you go these days, someone is suffering with a cold too. it is still circulating among the kids at school. as soon as one kid gets over the sniffles, another one picks it up. no doubt it will be a continuous cycle until summer returns.

it feels like eons ago already. but i think i mentioned i took another photography course in September? it was always interesting to view the photography assignments each week. the interpretation was always varied. the best part was that my kids were super helpful acting as models. they were no longer just subjects for my lens. they were "mommy's homework assignment". suddenly the fact that i also had homework motivated them to make me "work"! well, that alone motivates me to take more classes if they like me having homework!

this is one of several pictures i took of Aidan. i was trying to make the photo appear "boring". this didn't fit that category when i went through them afterwards. but i love it. he is so handsome. just like his daddy.



this paper line was designed by Lori Whitlock for Echo Park. the theme reminded me that it would be a very good idea to get a family photo organized!

as always i love how each of us designers take the same kit into a different direction. check them out here.

sigh. that boy is such a miracle. being a "mom" was not my main goal in life. i eventually reached a point where i agreed with my husband that it might be time to enter the phase of parenthood.

this kid is fully responsible for getting me started on my "mom journey" and i am thankful for that. my kids have already had an amazing influence on my life. if not for this boy, i would not have started scrapbooking like i do today. which is just the tip of this iceberg. i could continue to list the positive impact his life has had on me. not that every day is a dream come true! he still forgets to listen and all of the other things kids do when they are growing up.

it has been awhile since he has had a layout designed just about him. i did ask if he was okay with me putting a flower on his layout though. he didn't even hesitate when he said yes. in return i made sure that flower was as rugged as i dared to make it. i am in love with the new embossing powders coming out. mixes of colours and sizes of the granules. yum!


a little funny story that i have to share. i had one of those: "this flower looks fun to make and for sure my six/seven year olds can make this and yes i can teach it to them" moments. ahem.

step one: decide to make this flower from scratch, but forget to pre-cut the paper into a square for them.

step two: teach them how to create a square from a rectangle {they were incredibly impressed by this time}

step three: ask them to fold the square in half (triangle) again and realize that half of them are now confused...including my EA

step four: ask myself "what were you thinking?! these are great kids, but most are only six....and some barely speak english!"

step five: don't give up. explain the folding again. and again. and again. again. again. again. again. and again. and one last time. phew!

step six: uh oh. fold the square to create a rectangle. the purpose being to add fold lines. they are now in awe that they can also fold a square to make a triangle and a rectangle. which got me thinking that this was an awesome math lesson. which is totally fortunate since i teach them Language Arts and Social Studies. oops! make a mental note that this would be useful for when i actually have to teach a geometry lesson. explain the folding again. and again. and again. again. again. again. again. and again. and one last time.

step seven: feel guilty for putting these wonderful children through this agony. wondering if i should quit and just give them candy instead.

step eight: just keep going. and hope this works out with no one going home in tears!

step nine: oh my. make sure all 19 kids {4 left school early} have their final triangle folded just right and are ready to cut.

step ten: offer to cut all 19 flowers for them. 18 take me up on my offer. 

step eleven: 19 successfully made flowers and 19 happy children who want to make another one

at which point i decided that this was also the perfect lesson on following directions. and we all passed!

i am so thankful that we all continued on. i warned them from the start that they might not like the first one they made and that was okay. i was totally blown away when they all were successful and proud of their flowers. most of them made as many as they could. i was impressed that they tackled the folding and cutting on their own as well!

one boy nearly made his mother cry at the end of the day when he presented it to her and said, "I made this for you, mom." i was ready to cry with her!



i hope that makes you giggle. i am so tired as i type this! i would not be surprised if i have terrible grammar. perhaps it was due to exhaustion that i chose that flower lesson in the first place?

dreaming of winter

it appears my new trend has been to blog on a monthly basis! it has been that kind of a month. a good month. just a very busy one. in fact this blog post is partly a procrastination from the work i'm supposed to be doing. there is a pile of marking with my name on it. i tried to pawn it off on the kids in my class today {jokingly} and they were ready to help me out. if only they could!

sigh.
on to my show and tell....

the colour for November is white. i was very excited about planning this one. the only disappointment was that there was not a single company who sold an only white pattern paper. aren't these big designers following my blog and keeping up with my plans this year?! haha!!



the beauty of this design is that the students can add any colour of photo to the layout and the design will work perfectly. if any of the ladies were fortunate to be out photographing the scenery after this last snow, they should have some lovely options. even some winter foliage and blooms will look so pretty. family photos? i can't wait to hear the ideas tossed around or the photos brought to class.



lots of texture. in a variety of techniques.



i debated to even add a title. after it was cut out and laid on top, i was totally sold on the idea.



this is my favourite poinsettia on the page. it looks even better in real life!



this little tree has a surprise. ooohhh! i cannot wait to see the reaction. i know it is not a new product to some of the ladies....but they may have forgotten about it?! i can think of a few other uses for it, and i'm certain there will be more ideas shared in class.



and more poinsettias!



this little embellishment was the hardest to photograph. in fact it looks like a mess right now! trust me that it is much better to view in person.



there are a few extra spaces this month. call Urban Scrapbook to book your spot. {780.451.3459}

Thursday, November 28 @ 6:00 to 9:00 pm
                  &
Saturday, November 30 @ 10:00 am to 1:00 pm 
 {**note that the store does not open until 10:00am...you will have some time to pick up any supplies for the day and get your work area set up before we start the class. however it is much better to pick up your supplies early!}

it's the Halloween Countdown!

chalkboard and glitter. fun!

Happy Haunting by My Mind's Eye has them both.



i love this skeleton. i really think it stole the show in this collection.

i had a halloween countdown item that had a really ugly picture on it. but i loved the countdown idea. it was a perfect opportunity to make it look pretty. of course we are down to 20 days until Halloween...

it was a rosette making storm in my studio! i hadn't made these in a long time, and suddenly i used them on both of my halloween projects. what are the odds?



i totally love how the pumpkin turned out. i used the Flourish and Wings Texture Fade by Sizzix. although i was wishing i had the Halloween Words and Cobwebs...a spider web would have looked really amazing though. we were given the orange Core'dinations cardstock with a kraft core.

those little vials are so fun. i've filled them with sand, glitter, beads.... the yellow one is a mix of yellow re-inker, water and gold glitter. the black one is microbeads and black ink spray. i coloured the cork tops with some black and dark brown ink.

i took the shine off of my binder clip with some nearly black Inka Gold metallic rub by Viva.



i cut out a spider with my Cameo. added silver Inka Gold metallic rub to the web. then pulled out some ancient Doodlebug crushed velvet flocking to make him furry. i think black Distress Glitter would have looked awesome.

i also cut out the words: "days until" with my cameo. i added adhesive to the letters using my Xyron Sticker Maker. that little tool has been around longer than i've been scrapbooking.....but it is awesome! no runny liquid glue distracting my layout.


i was "oooohing" and "aaaahhhhing" over the other projects the girls made at Urban Scrapbook with this kit. many of them used the Apothecary Bottles Bigz Die to cut out shapes for their projects. as well as a few of the other new Halloween dies and embossing folders. they are so inspiring!