27 Friday Apr 2012
So yesterday was crazy and I’m only now getting to post Wednesday’s Week in the Life pics – enjoy!
Still loving the process, though it is getting harder to motivate myself to write everything down! I know it will be worth it when the album is all put together.
S.
25 Wednesday Apr 2012
Posted in Classes, Family, Uncategorized, Week in the Life 2012
(This is my second post today, check below for my Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger submission!)
Back for day two of Week in the Life and I’m still loving it. So much so that I’m seriously considering Project Life next Year, though I might start that in September as that’s when M starts school – seems like a good point from which to go year to year.
Anyway…. Here are some pics from yesterday!
Enjoy!
S.
25 Wednesday Apr 2012
Posted in Cards, Classes, ScrapBook, Techniques
Tags
Butterflies, Distress Stain, Moxie Fab World, Ranger, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L, The Paperie, Tuesday Trigger
I’m playing along with the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger again this week. It’s a fun one that inspired one of the cards I made for last night’s Hero Arts/Studio Calico class at The Paperie.
The trigger was watercolour butterflies:
Butterfly Reverie
As soon as I saw the border of butterflies in the Calico Borders set we were using in class, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
Watercolour Butterflies
I misted watercolour paper then coloured it with Distress Stains while it was still wet. As I was drying it with a heat tool, I kept misting to blend the colour and get water spots. I then stamped my images with black Archival Ink. I cut around the wings of two butterflies, coloured them with my favourite Sakura Stardust pen and bent the wings for dimension. I coloured the string with Distress Stain and wrapped it around the card front several times. To finish, I adhered the card front with dimensional adhesive for depth.
Love how it turned out – easy but fun and colourful!
S.
23 Monday Apr 2012
Posted in Classes, Week in the Life 2012
Ok, today is the day – Week in the Life starts.
I have my album ready, the daily sheets printed, a folder set up on my computer, camera batteries charged and memory cards cleared.
Now, I just have to keep up with what’s happening every second then remember to take a picture of it all and write it all down! Yikes!
I’ve tried to do the December Daily before and, although I was really good at the picture thing, I was terrible at writing down the details so the albums (2 of them!) never got finished. I’m counting on you guys to keep me going this time and to hold me accountable to finishing the project!
I’m looking forward to it because we have a big week ahead – eye recheck for M and her kinderstart day for the month, G’s birthday and birthday picture session, L’s birthday party, a night out for D and I, G starting regular gymnastics – he’s too old for the parent and tot session now – plus all the other regular stuff that happens around here. Lots of photo taking opportunities mixed in with pics of my breakfast!
On another note, I’m teaching a Hero Arts card class tomorrow night at The Paperie. We’re doing 3 cards with three different techniques and using the Hero Arts/Studio Calico Calico Borders stamp set, which everyone gets to take home! Call The Paperie if you’re interested in going, there’s always room for one more and we’ll be playing with alcohol inks:
alcohol inks
masking:
one layer card
and watercolour paper:
stains and watercolour paper
It should be fun!
I’m not guaranteeing a Tuesday Techniques post tomorrow since I have to kit for this class and organize today’s pictures but I’m hoping to get it done. You’ll have to stop back and see how productive I will be tonight – think I can fit it all in?
S.
14 Saturday Apr 2012
Posted in Classes, ScrapBook, Techniques
Tags
American Crafts, Classes, Fiskars, Lily bee design, October Afternoon, Ranger, Scrapbooking, tags
I’m teaching at The Paperie tomorrow morning and there’s still a spot or two available!
We’re playing with lots of Ranger goodies and October Afternoon Sprinklers so if you’re interested, swing by at 10 am and join us!
S.
12 Thursday Apr 2012
Posted in 12 on Twelve, Classes, ScrapBook, Things on Thursday...
1. I’m doing 12 on Twelve again today. Loved it last month and forgot all about it until I saw this post this morning to remind me! Who’s joining in? It’s not too late, there’s lots of day left!
2. Android finally got the Instagram app and I couldn’t be happier! And I’m also enjoying Ink361 to view my pics and pull them into Photoshop. I’ve heard Extragram is good too though, so I’ll check that out and see what I think. And if you want to follow my photostream my instagram name is saracees!
3. October Afternoon has this sketch challenge up today and though I’m not much of a sketch person, I love this one! Think I’ll have to try to make time to do a LO!
4. I have a another Paperie Picks blog post going live tomorrow and I’ll talk about this cute project:
Sneak peek!
I tweeted a sneak of it the other day but I’ll go into detail about the product in the blog post – awesome stuff!
5. I’m seriously considering another online class. I know, I’m addicted! But the current one – Sketchbook 4 – is awesome and is going to be a fantastic source of ideas once it’s done. The new one, Get Messy, is right up my alley these days – paint, ink, and mist, and a finished mini album in the end! Love the sound of it!
6. I have a fun class coming up on Sunday at The Paperie – the Rainbow Tag Layout. We’ll be having fun with Ranger and October Afternoon products, plus using LilyBee and Amy Tangerine alphas. There are a few spots left so call and sign up – it’s a cheery one, great for those new spring pics you’re taking!
The LO we’ll do in class is not exactly the same as this one – we’re using slightly different alphas and this original LO met a nasty end with a cup of hot chocolate – not a good scene! 🙂
Have a great day – hopefully it’s not as rainy in your neck of the woods as it is here!
S.
09 Monday Apr 2012
Posted in Classes, ScrapBook, Techniques, Uncategorized
So I’ve raved about the online course I’m doing with Tim Holtz through Online Card Classes, and I’ve shown you a couple of tags that I’ve made. Today, I’m posting all the ones I’ve completed!
They’re all pretty standard, just the basic techniques, but now that I have this bunch, with recipes on the back, I can expand and make all sorts of fun stuff! I’ve already done a card for an upcoming class at The Paperie and made a birthday card, now I want to do some stuff on layouts. There are a couple of tags I haven’t been able to do yet, like the custom stamp pad, as I’m waiting for supplies to come in and can’t substitute for a few specific items. However, here’s what I have so far:
Day 2: Distress Ink
Blended Spritz & Flick/Brushless Watercolour/Wrinkle Free Distress
Day 3: Archival Ink
Alcohol Ink Agates/Archival Resist
Day 4: Re-inkers
Watercolouring with Re-inkers/Layered Misting
Day 5: Spray Inks & Stains
Stained Kraft Resist/Stamping with Stains/Marbled Stains
Day 6: Distress Markers (can’t wait for these to arrive at The Paperie!)
Picture will be here soon….I hope!
Day 7: Embossing (Regular and Distress)
Nostalgic Batik/Rusted Enamel/Distress Powder Resist
Day 8: Paint (Acrylic and Distress Crackle)
Dabber Resist/Crackle Paint Resist/Shattered Stains
Day 9: Perfect Pearls
Perfect Distress Mist/Perfect Distress/Perfect Distress Splatter
Day 10: Distress Stickles
Rock Candy Distress Stickles
Aren’t they cool? My faves are the Stamping with Stains, the Nostalgic Batik, and the Perfect Distress – love them!
This was truly one of the best classes (along with Jennifer McGuire’s Inspiration Showcase) I’ve ever taken – great techniques, lots to learn, and tons of info on the differences in inks, paints, and mediums.
Now, I just can’t wait to play some more! But first, I have to redo a class LO, make the May LO for the Yearlong class, and do a special project for The Paperie – maybe I’ll find a way to incorporate some of the new stuff!
S.
02 Monday Apr 2012
A new week is here, much too soon I might add – where did last week go? Oh. I remember. It went in a haze of sickness, and crankiness, and all around no goodness.
And P & C had their last day here. Boo. 😦
I’m really hoping to get back on track this week. I have two new little girlies starting with us, which may throw me off, but crossing my fingers that we can stay on schedule!
On Friday I had a guest blog post at The Paperie go live – go check it out, fun times with paint!
This week I’m redoing a LO that I will be teaching later this month, the original had a slight mishap with a cup of Starbucks hot chocolate. Guess who won?
So, making a new version, with a couple of fun tweaks added – water is a great medium! Sign up at The Paperie, I’ll have sneaks of the new, improved LO tomorrow, I hope.
I’m still having a blast with the Online Card Classes Creative Chemistry 101 by Tim Holtz. I need a ream of tags, not just that measly pack of 20 they sell. And who knew all the cool stuff glossy paper could do? I thought I loved it before but now…
Here’s a bad phone pic of a 3 minute card for C’s birthday party yesterday. Seriously, not kidding. Very cool resist technique on glossy paper – love it!
happy dirtday!
And some of the Perfect Pearls stuff? Way cool! Those who know me know I love Perfect Pearls anyway – now I may be obsessed!
Basically, if you own any Ranger products at all, even one, go take this class, it’s worth it and you’ll learn to use your supplies in ways you could never even dream of! This is an intro video about the class…
Finally, we’re heading over to say goodbye to P & C tonight before they get on the road tomorrow for their big move. And who wants to make a long drive with no cookies?
My kitchen smells good!
S.
28 Wednesday Mar 2012
Posted in Classes, ScrapBook, Techniques
Tags
Alcohol ink, Creative Chemistry 101, Distress Ink, Hero Arts, Jennifer McGuire, Online Card Classes, Studio Calico, Tim Holtz
I’ve written here and I’ve tweeted about how much I am loving the Tim Holtz class – Creative Chemistry 101 through Online Card Classes. I’ve done quite a few online classes, and this may just be the best! Though, the Inspiration Showcase class with Jennifer McGuire is up there too. Let’s just call it a tie!
I’m having a blast learning about the chemistry behind paints, inks, stains, markers. And just hearing Tim talk about how he got started in the business, why he doesn’t clean stamps, how Distress Inks came to be, and more is worth the money, forget the other stuff!
Here are a few tags I’ve made – pretty basic, I really just wanted the technique on these, but I’ll also show you a card for an upcoming class that combines a couple of different techniques.
From left to right, top row:
Blended Spritz & Flick
Wrinkle-Free Distress
Layered Misting
Bottom row, left to right:
Stamping with Stains
Marbled Stains
I’ve tried a few other as well, but they’re not complete – I’m waiting on tags (black and kraft) and markers! And, before someone asks, the reason I’m waiting for those specific tags is that they are coated and so are a better surface to work on – I’ve tried office tags and they’re just no good!
My favourite is the Stamping with Stains tag – love the bright colours, the white stamping and the black images, which is why I use the white stamping technique on this card, along with the Alcohol Ink Agates technique:
This is just a prototype, but the techniques are very cool! The card class will be the end of April, we’ll make 3 cards, and this stamp set is included! Pretty awesome!
You can join the Creative Chemistry class anytime, the content is available forever, it’s fantastic even for those few scrapbookers who aren’t Tim fanatics, and Tim does a minimum of 2 videos a day – worth every penny and more! Go sign up! Now! You’ll thank me, I promise!
S.
27 Tuesday Mar 2012
Posted in Classes, Tuesday Techniques
Dimension on a project or LO immediately takes it to the next level. It goes from “nice” to “wow,” from boring to interesting, from “I guess I like it” to “Love that!”
And it’s probably the easiest thing in the world to add.
After I finish something, I look at it, then start pulling pieces off to add foam adhesive. I learned a long time ago to never permanently adhere anything right away!
There are many ways to add dimension, but I’ll show my two favourites today. All you need is:
Supplies
Sticker Paper, foam adhesive, and scissors.
To give you a good look at how dimension adds to a project, here’s a tag with everything adhered straight to the surface:
Cute, right?
But kind of dull – no oomph to it!
After I added another layer of grass, popped it up, cut out the clouds and popped them up, then fanned out my balloons by using circles punched from the sticker paper, this is what I got:
Better, right?
Way more pizzazz! All the elements are exactly the same, I only added foam adhesive and a twine ribbon – that’s it. As I said, easiest thing in the world so go try it!
Tomorrow, I’m teaching the revamped 7 Gypsies and Simple Stories ATC Tray class – I love how it turned out! I’m cutting kits tonight so there’s still time to sign up at The Paperie!
We’ll be heat embossing, distressing, cutting, stickling, and more! And if you can’t make it tomorrow, call and ask for a kit – everything you need is included!
Leave me a link if you try the technique – I’d love to see your projects!
S.
sarathings 