New Class Date

Just a quick post to say that the Peel Offs class discussed in the previous post has been moved to June 21st. There's still time to sign up!

Peel Offs

So, despite the lovely weather, the schoolwork and the yard work, I was able to sit down tonight and create. On Thursday, June 9th, I am teaching a class at Shelley's. It's all about Peel Offs. If you've never used them, you're in for a treat! Peel Offs are vinyl outline stickers. It sounds pretty simple, but they really pack a punch! Below are the cards I will be doing for the class. I apologize for the bad quality of the photos. I was going for speed rather than artistry tonight!


This card was done using black Peel Offs. I stuck them right to the blue cardstock. I then used an aqua brush. They come in all kinds of brand names, but basically it's a paintbrush with a hollow handle. The handle can be filled with water, to provide tons of painting time without the need for a dish of water. In this case though, I filled the brush with bleach, and painted the area inside the Peel Off. I let it dry and painted it again, but it didn't change the colour much. The result is a very pretty pale green flower in the corner of my card.


For the butterfly, I used gold Peel Offs. I simply stuck the butterfly to white cardstock and coloured it with my gel pens. It looks like stained glass - simply beautiful!


The second butterfly was done using the negative image of the stained glass butterfly. I used painter's tape to lift the pieces off the backing sheet, so that I didn't have to worry about positioning them perfectly on the card. It took a bit of time, but the result was well worth it.


This birthday card was done with double-stick Peel Offs. They are completely clear shapes, sticky on both sides. This cupcake is actually 9 pieces! I first stuck on the cupcake wrapper and covered it with super fine brown glitter. After taking off the excess, I added the stripe pieces and the first cupcake topper. I used orange glitter on them. After clearing off the excess orange, I added the top of the cupcake and used brown glitter again. Finally, I added the hot pink cherry on top (I really wanted to go red, but don't yet own fine red glitter, and chunky just wouldn't have looked right.)

Of course, Peel Offs can be used on scrapbook layouts, on 3D projects, they stick beautifully to glassware for a decorative touch too! I hope you can make it out to my class on June 9th to experience Peel Offs for yourself!

Scrapping Space

Everyone who crafts needs a space in which to create. Sometimes it's the kitchen table, others have whole studios in which to putter. I started with the kitchen table, years ago, and have slowly expanded my space. I now have a whole room - a small one, but a space all my own.

I am very lucky in this, but it spoils me for when I go to crops. I never seem to be able to take everything I want! I also have a hard time keeping it tidy. When nothing but crafting goes on in the space, there's little incentive to clean up the project(s) at the end of the day. After all, I'll be coming back to it, right?

Well Shelley is having a contest right now. To enter, you have to submit pics of your scrapbooking space. Do I need to enter? Nope. But as a design team member and instructor, I kind of have to provide the photos. So I spent a few hours (I won't say exactly how many, it's embarrassing), cleaning and sorting and putting away. My space is now something I am proud to show off. So here it is:


This is my supplies wall. I love these cabinets! We picked them up at Canadian Tire a few years ago, and I really don't know how I did without them. I also have my paper in racks, divided by colour, and of course my stamps up top where I can see them easily. The drawers are full of tools, embellishments, idea books and more. It's hard to read the wall decal, but it says "So many toys, so little time." Isn't that the truth!?!

This is where all the action happens. I have my punches within reach, thanks to my wonderful hubby, Trevor. I also have my favourite brads, eyelets and markers close to hand - not to mention the ever useful Cricut. Hidden behind my marker caddy is my Tassimo coffee maker - for those late-night crafting sessions! (And yes, there is a fridge in my space. Sadly, it's just our basement fridge, and holds nothing more exciting than a few extra jugs of milk and some soft drinks...)Here, to the left of where I sit to craft, I have my ink caddies, ribbon, my Big Shot, more storage, this time for projects in progress (and things still to scrapbook.) The quote on the wall is from Stampin' Up! and is the definition of "create". The extra table is there more for storage than anything else, but I do use it for extra crafting space in a pinch (usually when I'm switching between projects without putting things away!)

Now off to bed with me, as it's late. If I get all of my schoolwork out of the way early tomorrow, maybe I'll actually have time to make something in my newly cleaned space!

Going Digital?

Before going further with this post, I have to say that I will never give up my paper scrapbooking. There is something very satisfying in the feel of the paper and the embellishments. That said, I have been experimenting a little with digital.
Because I use a laptop, digital is very portable for me. I can take my scrapbooking anywhere and have access to all of my papers and tools at the click of a button. I think what I like best about it though, is that I can experiment with colour and placement, interchange mats, add and remove ribbons - all without wasting! If I really like what I create when playing around, I can always duplicate it in paper (and sometimes I do just that.) I can also do hybrid pages, where I start with a digital layout, print it and then add traditional scrapbooking elements to it for a dimensional feel.

The following layouts are done using a digital kit purchased from DCWV's digital site 300dpi.com. My photos are not the best quality, but I loved the sheer abandon of the spontaneous dance!

Of course, there are also many sites where you can download free kits, and some are VERY good. These pages were done with a kit from computerscrapbook.com, but I also really like the free kits from Shabby Princess.

When digi-scrapping, I use Stampin' Up!'s My Digital Studio software. Why MDS? I was a SU Demo for 4 1/2 years. I got into digital with MDS, and actually, it's a pretty decent program. Easier to pick up and use that Adobe Photoshop (though not as versatile), and it allows you to use any and all of your digital products, regardless of where you get them. For me, it's the quick & easy of digital scrapping. It allows me to print using my own printer, but if I want 12x12, I have the option of printing with Stampin' Up! or exporting to any service I like. Am I endorsing the MDS? Not really. Any digital program out there has it's good and bad points. The thing is to get going and start using it, even if it's just for brainstorming!

Summer is Great!

And it's almost over. I've been very busy this summer, getting ready for new jobs at school, having laser eye surgery, visiting with family, planning birthday parties for both girls and of course, paper crafting!

Lately I've been busy creating for Shelley - classes for this fall, and a challenge. My goal is to plan one project a month to teach at Shelley's. If there is enough interest, the class will go ahead. If not, it gets canceled. Either way, I win, since I have to make the sample, and it gets me motivated!

When I plan projects for Shelley's, they tend to be 3D items or mini albums. The other ladies on the design team lean more toward card and scrapbook classes. That said, if you happen to see something on my blog that you like, I can arrange to teach it at Shelley's!

I created this project for Shelley's October website challenge. Four of us were given a similar set of products and challenged to create! I used the Tri-Shutter Album template from Andrea Walford's website (though you can google to find similar ones.) This is also a class that I will be teaching on Saturday, September 18th at 1pm (which explains why I have it ready so early!)
.

The album holds 5 pictures, with ample space for quotes or journaling. It looks really complicated, but it's pretty easy to put together. If you take the class, you'll receive a handout with full cutting and assembling instructions.


I'm not going to post all of my classes today... you need to have something to come back for! But I will post October's class - I'd hate for you to miss the sign-up! I am teaching this one at 7:30pm on Thursday, October 7th. Don't miss it!


This cute Friendship Box measures only 5 1/2" tall, but it packs a lot of punch, look:


This box design is by Pam Curtis (I think I found the template on splitcoaststampers.) Of course, you can make it into any kind of box you like... all the quotes and greetings are done by hand, so you can change it any way you like. The little boxes are about 2x2 and are perfect for holding an assortment of small scrapbooking supplies, earrings, candies, chocolate, stationary supplies, etc. It would make a great gift for a grandparent, babysitter, teacher - anyone who is hard to buy for. With masculine papers it could even hold a variety of small fishing lures for dad or grandpa. If you sign up for the class, I will have my quote books handy for your inspiration!

Now, off to ice a cake and get ready for tomorrow's ordeal (I mean birthday party!)

It's been a while...

Yes, it's been a long time since my last post. I've been super-busy with school, and it's not likely to end anytime soon, lol! As for stamping, I haven't really done a lot since Christmas, but was recently inspired to create a few cards. One of the groups I belong to, as a Stampin' Up! demo issued a January and then a February challenge. I created one card for the January challenge (just one hour before the deadline!), and have now created 2 for the February challenge - and I hope to do more!
This card was for the January challenge: to use a card map from pagemaps.com.

I really like the way it turned out... I used all current SU products, including many from the new Occasions Mini catalogue. I love the glitter in the paper, and the epoxy brads are so cute:).

The February challenge is a lot harder, I think. It's a colour challenge, using Baja Breeze, More Mustard, So Saffron, a deep red, Cameo Coral and Whisper White.
This first card is all paper piecing. I sponged the white background with Baja Breeze. The flowers and the sun are all sponged as well. The more mustard frame is just that: a frame, with the white background showing through. Even though I found the colour combo hard to work with, I really like how it turned out.

The second card I did for the colour challenge, I created using SU's digital software, My Digital Studio. I really enjoyed using the MDS for this challenge, as it allowed me to design away, switching colours at will, without wasting cardstock. I finally came up with a card I really like, and I may actually get out my ink and stamp this one for real!

I will post again when I have created my next cards (or scrapbook pages!) Hopefully, it won't be as long a wait!

Christmas is coming...

And so is a Christmas Stamp-a-Stack! It seems that my posts will come only quarterly - not what I had in mind when I created this blog, but I seem to be too busy to post more frequently, lol!

I feel like the school year just started, but it's already into October, and it's time to start thinking about Christmas cards. I know, it's still a couple of months away, but if I want to order my supplies and get them made, I have to start now.

For those of you who would love to hand-make your Christmas cards this year, but don't have the supplies, or the time to design them, this Stamp-a-Stack is for you!

You'll make 24 cards (plus one bonus card!) in one afternoon. The picture below shows the group of 12 cards - you'll made 2 of each. These are simple and quick to make, just stamps, ribbon and cardstock. Please contact me for dates and pricing!

Happy Stamping!