QuiTe an ACcomPLiShMeNt

I haven't done a scrapbook challenge in ages.  When I saw this video by Celine Navarro from 2P's, I knew I had to do this page.  The idea is to make use of leftover Thickers for your title.  She also used lots of random letters as part of her background.  Since my title was long, I just did the title and used another piece of chipboard at the top for embellishment.

After placing the chipboard, you coat the entire surface with white gesso.  I had to do two coats to cover some of my bolder letters.  Then a combo of water and mists adds the color.  Here are the products I used.

Also, Celine used a stencil to create some feathers for embellishment.  Stars suited my theme more so I cut out some on the Cricut and traced them onto my layout with a Faber Castell Pitt black pen.  This is THE best black pen I've ever had.

I journaled around the stars and more on the bottom of the page.

The page is to celebrate accomplishing a goal for this year, creating my first on-line scrapbooking class.  Hopefully the class will be popular but however it goes, I want to recognize the accomplishment of creating the 12 layouts, filming and editing down to 2 1/2 hours of video, writing the PDF's, securing a delivery method for the materials, testing and promoting the class.

Thanks for stopping by today and Happy Halloween!

A Peaceful Walk - Page, Sketch and Video

Mid-September should be the height of migratory season.   The Canadian National Park website even listed the particular birds that we would see.  Well, they were either early birds or taking a detour because the only fowl we saw were two ducks who seemed very much at home in the marshland.

No matter.  It was a perfect walk in the breeze, so peaceful after zipping around freeways and trying to take in everything we could in museums for two days.

For the page, I was going for a peaceful, neutral look.   I'm not much of a neutral person so gold and navy ARE neutral to me.  The background paper from BasicGrey's Persimmon line was perfect.  It looked like the cattails we saw among the grasses and reeds.

For embellishment, I stamped an image and used some pastels on Studio Calico canvas leaves.  I also added a bingo card embellishment.  The photo mats are some cardstock repurposed from another project.

Here's the video at YouTube:


Sketch:

I enjoy doing these process videos.  I'm always looking for ways to make them more useful.  Suggestions are most welcome.

Thanks for watching!

Grocery List Organizer

For the longest time, we had out grocery list attached to the refrigerator with a binder clip on an old piece of chipboard we had scribbled phone numbers on.  I thought we could do a little better than that so I did this project over the summer.  Since I was using fall papers, I decided not to post until fall.  This has given us a chance to use our new grocery list and coupon organizer on the refrigerator for several months.  It is working very well.  The only challenge is that some of the magnetic strip came loose and I had to go over it again with the hot glue gun. Since then it has been fine.

There are probably more technological ways to keep track of what we need from the store but we find that just jotting them down on the refrigerator as we run out of things works for us.

I typed up the grocery list in Word using major categories in the order they are in the store I go most frequently.  We shop at Walmart occasionally getting other things besides groceries so I wanted a list for that store as well.  We don't take a newspaper or magazines so few coupons come into the house but when they do, it is nice to see them so I'll remember to use them.

For the project, I used a chipboard base - a piece left from some packing materials, probably the back of a pack of pattern paper.  The papers are Harvest Lane by Simple Stories.  It is a very inexpensive project.

Here is the video for the project.  I did a voice over for the entire thing which is a little low for some reason.  You may need to turn the volume up just a bit on this one.

Watch at YouTube:


Thanks for stopping by today!

Naughty or Nice?

 Christmas ornaments can be irresistible to a kitty cat.  A shiny bauble dangling above their heads.  How can you resist that?

For the card I used Raisin Boat's "Naughty or Nice?" set.  I split the front so that when you open one side to see only the kitty you get Naughty and when you see the dog you see the "nice."  The papers are Bella Blvd's Christmas Countdown.

It was a fun card for our card class this week.

Thanks for stopping by today!  Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Lawn Mower Repair 101 - Page,. Video, Sketch

Lenny titled this page for me.  Although, Dillon likes to tear apart lawn mowers and any other piece of mechanical equipment more than actually repair them.  I'm not sure exactly what happened with this one though I think the end result involved 'riding' it down the driveway and it isn't a riding mower :-)

The paper is from All About A Boy, appropriately enough, by Echo Park.  I rarely buy 2 pieces of the same pattern paper unless they are part of a pack but this is my 2nd piece of this one.  I really needed a third as I liked both sides so much.  You are seeing both sides here, the little gears and the woodgrain are the same paper.  So the video goes through cutting up and flipping the paper on the same page.

The gear embellishments are some mistables from Prima.  I added some silver liquid pearls and a few brads.

A couple of regular office paperclips finish it off.

Watch at YouTube:


Here's the sketch:

Thanks for watching today!

Shopping and a Fall Card

The designer paper on this card is from the new fall papers of Imaginisce that came in my last Two Peas order.  I fell in love with that chevron so a few of these had to go in my cart.  The papers work well for cards as they are small all over prints with no distressing on the edges.

The stamp is one of their Snag 'em stamps that are a dollar each.  I also got a cute little squirrel stamp from them.  The flower on the card is Maya Road and was from my regular stash.

The rest of the loot is in this shopping video.  It wasn't a big order; they were doing a free shipping for $35 of new product special.

Watch at YouTube


Have you gotten any new scrapbook goodies lately?

Thanks for stopping by!

Fun and Done - Video and Sketch

My Mother's favorite question is "Are you done yet?"   Her second favorite question is "How many people were there?"  I know if I got to an event, I'm going to get that 2nd question.  I've even started estimating the number of people at a wedding or other event so I'll be prepared :-).  Clearly, she is a quantitative person.

I'm a process person.  I like to get things done, of course, but if I didn't enjoy the process, it wasn't that much of an accomplishment to me.  So I was a bit wary of using this title which was the first thing that came to mind when I saw these photos.  My friend Karen and I did get a lot done over our crafting weekend this summer. We also had a lot of fun and each learned new things in the process.  So it was a huge success.

For the page, my challenge was no purple pattern paper (say that 3 times fast) to match one of the colors I wanted to pull from the photo of the two of us. My red pattern paper stash seems to be leaning toward more rosy reds or papers earmarked for the holidays so I turned to my cardstock stash and it did not disappoint.

The stamps are one new one and the other an old favorite called 'Big Flowers' that I've used on gobs of layouts.  It always looks different in new colors and arrangements.

The background gave me a bit of a challenge as shown in the video.  I started with misted cardstock and decided it didn't give the right feel for this particular page.  I hadn't glued anything down yet - being a process and not a 'get it done' sort of person - so it all worked out.

I did finally break down and buy a new cartridge for my Cricut, Ashlyn's Alphabet, which was used for the word Done.  It is nice in that the inside of the letters stays attached to the background.

Here's the video at YouTube:


Sketch:

And if you find yourself reaching for your cardstock for your pages, you'll want to join us for the Creative Cardstock class.

Thanks for watching!  Hope you have a great weekend.

2 Cameras are Better than 1

The first trip we took with 2 cameras was to Australia in 2006.  We had our regular film camera and a digital one.  Digital was fairly new to me then.  The reason for two cameras was insurance.  I wanted to be sure if we lost one or had problems with one, we had a backup.  I was so wary of getting home with no photos, I had some photos developed in Melbourne.  I put the developed photos in my checked bag and the images (I think it was the digi ones) in my two carry ons with the other camera.  Never were the two cameras in the same bag.  It was a once in a lifetime trip and I wasn't coming home without pictures to prove it!

Well, we got home with lots of photos.  Now we often take two cameras. On that trip, I did most of the photography.  Now my husband often takes photos, too.  I really like that because we two perspectives on our trip.  Plus, he carries one so I don't have to worry with it all the time.

We did not plan the photos above.  I turned around to take his photo and he was taking mine.  We are on the beach at Point Pelee National Park in Ontario.

For the page, I used some of the techniques from the Creative Cardstock class announced yesterday.

The only designer paper here is the background. The rest is cardstock.  The wood veneer is from Basic Grey's Carte Postale though is starts out the normal pale wood color.

I printed "Say Cheese" on my computer and had the "SMILE" from a stamp.

The ombre effect on the 2 and the effects on the other letters are part of a lesson in the class.  The class has 11 brand new layouts you won't find here or on my regular YouTube videos. Find more info on the class here:

Creative Cardstock Class

With getting all the finishing touches on the class, I didn't get a video ready over the weekend.  Later in the week, I'll have another page, video and sketch.  Happy Wednesday!

Announcing... Creative Cardstock Class for Scrapbooking

Have cardstock?

I bet you do!  You may dive into your stash frequently for your pages or it may have been languishing in bins or drawers for awhile.

Cardstock was, and still often is, the foundation of scrapbook pages.  When I started scrapbooking, we often began pages with a cardstock background and we certainly matted every single photo with colorful cardstock to match. In the 90's to not mat a photo was like wearing a dress without pantyhose!

While times may have changed (thank goodness we can opt out on the pantyhose), I still mat some of my photos.  And I often use cardstock for page backgrounds.   What has changed though is that I do more with my cardstock by often giving it a bit more punch.

I am teaching a brand new class that helps you find new ways to use this inexpensive scrapbooking basic.  It is called Creative Cardstock.

This class is about ways to use that stash of cardstock to its fullest potential.  Don't have a stash?  Don't worry, cardstock is still available everywhere you can get scrapbooking supplies in all kinds of colors and textures.

This class also gives you the opportunity to exercise your other supplies.  A wide variety of supplies are used so you can pick the techniques that fit your current stash.  Some products are stamps, inks, a scoreboard, punches, gelatos, a sewing machine, distressing tool, die cutting systems, and embossing folders.
 
During this class you will learn how to

• Create custom backgrounds for themed pages.  
• Use only cardstock and a paper trimmer to create the popular ombre technique - a great look for any page including masculine themed pages.
• Learn simple, quick ways to add texture and dimension or your cardstock for backgrounds, mats and borders.
• Create woodgrain mats from kraft cardstock.  
• Cut and embellish frames using any simple shape from your die cutting machine or with a nested die or punches.  
• Use embossed cardstock in a creative band to add interest to nature photos without overwhelming the subject.
• Create a custom collage background.  
• Learn 7 ways to add pizzazz with tone-on-tone effects to your die cut lettering.
• Embellish simple die cut or punched shapes from dark cardstock with gelatos.
• Use cardstock to create unity across pages and to stretch out your supply of pattern paper.

The class is designed to use a wide variety of supplies and techniques.  Not a stamper?  No die cutting machine?  Not to worry, there are plenty of techniques using all types of scrapbooking supplies.

Because the class shares complete page layouts, many other techniques not specific to using cardstock are shared in the videos and pdfs.

This self-paced class contains:

• 10 videos (7 - 30 minutes in length) that show you step by step how to use your cardstock on layouts for backgrounds, titles, mats, and embellishments - a total of 2 1/2 hours of video content!
• 10 PDF files including 10 page sketches.  All layouts are brand new projects.
• A discussion board to share your questions, ideas and links to projects with other class participants.

The introductory price for this class is just $15 for all the lessons.  More info on the class page  You can register by clicking on the Buy Now button on the right side of the screen.

I'm so excited to be offering an on-line class.  I was a corporate trainer for many years so getting to teach others about my favorite hobby is the best opportunity imaginable for me.  Doing YouTube videos and blog posts is such fun.  I'm delighted to be able to go into more depth on a single topic in this class.

Here is a video with more sneak peeks:


I hope you'll join me as we learn new ways to use an old favorite.

Happy 55th Anniversary!

This week we celebrated the 55th Wedding Anniversary of my parents!

I'm so fortunate they are active and independent.  Running a business together for 30 of those years, they spent even more time together than most couples.  They seem happier and more in tune with one another now than ever.

For their card, I used an American Crafts stamp set on book paper.  I think I've finally got the hang of coloring these flowers.  Every other time, I've tried to graduate the color on the petals.  I just don't have enough markers (or patience) for that. This time, I used the same color all over each flower and then added a little gelatos to punch them up a bit.

I also used a background stamp and some distress ink on the corners of the book paper.  I cut the numbers out of cardstock and misted them to add a little Colorshine.  With my Mother, you gotta have bling!

So here's to many more years together, Mother and Daddy!

Last minute True Scrap discount

Lain Ehmann is offering a last minute discount on True Scrap 5 which is this weekend.  She is working on a goal of 300 attendeess and is so very close.  Here are the details she sent out in an e-mail:

1. Through midnight tonight, use code IAMCOOL to save $25 on the regular registration fee. 

2. If we hit 300 registered students (and we are at 289....) I will sponsor an online crop later this month where everyone can get together to work on their True Scrap projects, reconnect, and in general hang out and have some fun post-event. The date and time for this is yet to be determined.

3. Every True Scrap event, we choose a charity to sponsor. This time around, we are donating $1 for each registered attendee to "Joy Jars," a non-profit that donates jars of toys, fun, and goodies to kids undergoing life-altering medical illnesses and treatment. 

I also have some great testimonials from folks who have already signed up. Feel free to share these as reasons why others have joined in the TS5 fun:

"I've had heaps of fun with your free webinars and I "attended" True Stamp.
Loooved them! Plus it was such an AMAZING deal!!! 2 days of fantastic instructors...NOT having to pack up everything!!! ...You just can NOT get a deal like that anywhere! I know it's going to be SO worth it"

"I love True Scrap! I've been to every one!! I love the variety of educators Lain gets together. I love learning new techniques and/or seeing old ideas in new ways. I love the interaction of the chat room - it feels like I'm getting together with old friends!!"

"I love love love having all that knowledge and fun in one spot in time. I like not going out, getting dressed, or hauling supplies. And most of all the perpetual replays that I can go back to. I have so enjoyed getting to know other people in the scrap world ...this has broadened my skills and my viewpoint as well."

"I've attended before and got so much out of the last ones, that I figured WHY WOULDN'T I attend again."

"Inspiration, sharing of a loved hobby- "fellowship" with other creative thinkers!"

"It is truly a magical event... you learn SO much and laugh all day!!"

"You made it sound like so much fun ..... and I've never done it before, so I thought I would give it a whirl."

"Giggles, fun, a lot of laughs... talking to people... learning new techs... basic and new... great opportunity to pack lots of info into a fun weekend!"

"I know there will be great ideas and wonderful people there."

"I wanted to learn some new things and I knew it would be a lot cheaper than when I go to scrapbook expo... I am especially happy that I can view the classes at other times. So often I go to classes and am so busy trying to keep up that I do not internalize the scrapbook techniques or I do not finish the projects. I am thrilled to try it online at my own pace..."


Interested?

Click here to view more details

Remember the oval?

Did you ever cut your photos into shapes, particularly circles and ovals?  If you ever used Creative Memories, you probably did just as I did in 2001 or so.

That was the year the photo on the left side of the layout was taken.  We were on our honeymoon in the Canadian Rockies and asked a passerby to take our photo.  Now the passerby had obviously just climbed up the steep hill (we would call this a mountain but I suppose in the Rockies it would be a 'hill') and wasn't in much mood to take a photo.  Thankfully he did and took a good one.  We wanted a momento of climbing that 'horrible hill' as my new husband and it was sleeting to boot.  This was in July!

The view was fantastic.  There is a glacier in the background just over my left shoulder.

The photo in the center was taken just a few weeks ago at the southernmost point of Canada at Point Pelee National Park in Ontario. It was very breezy and you didn't want to get too close to the water as the current was very swift.  I just plain didn't want to get wet.  This time our photographer volunteered and we in turn took a photo of her with her cute little boy on her back.

Canada always seems to lure us in to some odd but beautiful places.

For the layout, my challenge was the oval photo.  I scanned the original and then matted it with some papers to go with the 3x4 card from Basic Grey's Persimmon collection.  Below is the video that goes through all the steps for this layout.

A little misting behind the photos...

I almost never buy the embellishments with a collection.  I never know what I'm really going to need.  For this one, I used some Studio Calico wood veneer, a punched flower and a My Mind's Eye brad that was just perfect.

View video at YouTube or here:

Here is the sketch for this layout.

It was nice to revisit an old memory along with a new one.  Thanks for stopping by today!

Mixed Media Girl

For the canvas I posted last week, I decided to try creating a girl.  'Girls' are Christy Tomlinson's signature design element on her canvases. When I took her class I remember thinking I'd never try one of the girls.  No way could I do a face.

Well, this one doesn't really have a face, at least not facial features.  I followed the instructions on the video to keep her whimsical.  I was very pleased with how the shading turned out... the 2nd time through.

You see when I first did the canvas I didn't worry much about wrinkles in some of the layers as that adds texture.  However, a wrinkle right down the middle of the face is not texture, it just didn't work.  So after several attempts to paint over and add shading, I finally gave her the ultimate 'chemical' peel.  I removed the layers of paper and paint on the face and took it back to the canvas.  Then I added the paint and just started that part over. It worked!

Her dress starts with paper and then has layers of paint and rubons.

It was a fun project.  Thanks for stopping by today!

Holiday Card Video 2013: Stenciled Snowflakes

My art supplies cabinet is bulging with wonderful products I use in scrapbooking and art canvases.  I thought it would be fun to use some of them on a card.  You can sub out a lot of the things on this card for whatever you have in your stash.  The only thing you really need is heavy gel.

The stencil is from Hobby Lobby.  It was back in the home stencil section.  They have a lot of great choices and they are cheaper than the ones in the scrapbooking section.  A very detailed stencil works best for this technique.

To add color to the gel, I used Perfect Pearls.  You can also use ink.  Since the Perfect Pearls are a powder, they don't dilute the gel.  You only need just a little bit.  The gel dries clear so all that white color disappears. Whatever color you add, go light as it will dry a lot darker. Here is the gold snowflake still wet.

Here's the video at YouTube:


This is the 3rd of my holiday cards.  The other videos are O Holy Night  and  Washi Tree. Thanks for watching!

Snow in the Trees

This card is CASEd from the class I took from True Stamp from Raisin Boat.
Click here to view more details

I changed the background a little by adding some perfect pearls over the top of Baja Breeze ink.  I wanted a glistening background.  It is through their class I discovered white fabric paint.  They used Liquid Applique which I couldn't find; however, Michaels and Hobby Lobby carry fabric paint that works beautifully and is so inexpensive.  It makes pretty snow.

Tomorrow I'll have a new holiday card and video to share with some other great product from the craft store.

Inside out and

sdrawkcaB.  That is how my husband put on his shirt after an afternoon nap when he was anxious to get down to the beach.  Unfortunately, he rushed for nothing; there was no beach to get to.  It was very high tide.  The rest of the week we had plenty of beach to walk on.

I love to create pages about funny moments.  For the layout, I continued the theme with arrows going in all directions.  My new product from Detroit hardly got to rest in its drawer.  The designer paper is from the Recorded paper pad by Webster's pages.  I also used the paperclips from this collection.  Everything is arranged on a kraft background.  The trim has been in my stash for ages.  At first I thought it would be too heavy but it worked out.

My husband was a little puzzled by the title until he figured out that the top word was 'backwards' spelled backwards.

The Cricut helped out on cutting all these arrows and their cardstock frames.

Here is the process video:


And here is the sketch.  I deviated a bit from my original plan.

After looking at the layout, Lenny told me I wouldn't have nearly as much to scrapbook if he were 'normal.'  That's true and how boring would that be?

Thanks for stopping by today!