What a Hoopla!

26 Monday May 2014

Tags

Classes, Home Decor, The Paperie, Tim Holtz fabric

First, I’m sorry for the long absence – I was away visiting my brother and his wife and their brand new baby!!! When I got home it struck me that I had 7 classes, three sets of design team projects, and a guest blog post due by the end of June – eek! Happily, I enjoy it but I had to hunker down and get a chunk of that done before I could post here.

But now I’m back and today it’s all about the Home Decor Hoopla at The Paperie this past weekend. It was their 10th anniversary and so we had a Hoopla class, some great sales, cake, and lots of fun! We’ve done a Holiday Hoopla the past couple of years at Christmas where you get to make gifts, one from each of the Design Team Members. This year we expanded to a Home Decor idea and it was by far the best one yet! Five items, completed, for $50 – you can’t beat that, my friends!

Cathie had a quick and super simple item but it really looks amazing – coasters with the new Dina Wakley stamps!

I think these would be awesome as a wall or office hanging for your favourite girl – or woman! And I’m looking around for the right stamps to make them for Gabe too – perfect sentiments for boys as well as girls!

Lori helped us make this fabulous burlap table runner:

I love the texture, it was fun and easy, and you can personalize it by adding any extras you want. I, of course, added dots:

Mary Ann, our resident Silhouette guru, came up with this etched vase:

Unfortunately, she couldn’t make it but Tina stood in and did a great job teaching us how to get it all perfect! And sorry for the dirty glass – I guess I should have cleaned that before the picture!

Rae Lynn tweaked a Pinterest idea and we made a framed family tree:

Isn’t it gorgeous? What an awesome idea and so easy for gifts!

I added grass and popped up my clouds for some extra dimension and love how it turned out:

And my project was this wreath using the Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements fabric:

I love wreaths and have several that I change put over the year so it was fun for me to teach a project that I love to use in my own home.

The fabric was perfect for the roses on the wreath – great patterns and pinked edges:

We all had an excellent day with tons of fun. If you’re around these parts in December you should definitely look into taking the Holiday Hoopla!

I’ll be back soon with the LO’s from my last Distress Renewed Class – Dylusions Ink Sprays. Lots of inky fun in that one!

Party hair and a WINNER!

14 Wednesday May 2014

Posted by Sara in Family, This & That

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Big Picture Classes, giveaway winner

Almost every morning Molly and I have a fight about her hair. I want it up, or at least back in a hair band. She doesn’t want it brushed.

So imagine my surprise this morning when she declared that she wanted “Party Hair.”

What’s that, you say? Good question. It’s the same one I asked.

It turns out that “Party Hair” has one side up in a bun like a balloon and the other side left out like streamers.

I saw this all going terribly badly. However I forged ahead and, being the genius that I am, got it done. We had the bun/balloon on one side and for the “streamers” I twisted the other side up. It almost went downhill at that point but when I assured her that no one would ever let streamers just fall straight down, they always have to be twisted up to look more party-like, it was a go.

And here’s the final product – she was pleased as punch:

Phew. Morning crisis #1 averted.

Now, to share a little something else with you all:

Haha! Just a fun little sneak of the Paperie June Card Kit – I went outside the box on this one, my friends!

And finally, WINNER!!!

The lucky recipient of the spot in Big Picture Classes Art & Science of Scrapbooking Workshop is Bernadette – I’ve emailed you! Congratulations and enjoy!

P.S. Didn’t win the spot? You can sign up right here – it starts tomorrow!

12 on Twelve | May 2014

13 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by Sara in 12 on Twelve

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12 on Twelve

1. Taking pics for Thursday night’s Spring Canvas Class

2. Ella waiting to come in from a frosty morning

3. porch selfie

4. Will Spring ever arrive?

5. Little Gabe hanging out

6. Mr. Gabe in a new-to-him hat (it used to be Uncle Graham’s!)

7. Rosie

8. Blowing bubbles from up high

9. Reading to Nana

10. Drinking milk under the table

11. kitchen dancing

12. Madison, Molly, and Gabe – the stepping stones

Seasonal Canvas | Spring

12 Monday May 2014

Posted by Sara in Canvas, Classes, Mixed Media

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Class, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer, mixed media canvas, Silks by Luminarte, The Crafter's Workshop

This week I’m teaching the second of my Seasonal Canvas Classes. I’ve already gotten Winter behind me (in canvas anyway, the weather here is another story!) and we’ll be making the Spring one Thursday night.

Isn’t is fun? I love the fun colours in the kite and, although I am definitely no sketch artist, I’m happy with my little girl silhouette. That being said, she does have what Molly called, “Crazy, wild hair!

And look at that texture! The stencils I used both happened to be by Balzer Designs for The Crafter’s Workshop and the dimension they add to a canvas is awesome!

We’re using our regular deep-edge 6×6 canvas – love these!

I think one of my favourite things about this class is that you can do all four classes and have a full set or just do one and still have a great decor piece for your home! There’s still a spot or two left so if you’re local and want to forget about all that ice we have here today, call The Paperie to sign up and join us.

P.S. I also know that you wouldn’t fly a kite by holding the tail but it’s my canvas and I can do what I want! Artistic licence, right? 😉

Video

Giveaway! | Big Picture Classes

09 Friday May 2014

Posted by Sara in Giveaway

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

Big Pictures Classes. Giveaway

Hi everyone – I’m excited to say that I have one spot to give away in Big Picture Classes Art & Science of Scrapbooking Workshop! This is a repeat of a class taught by Stacy Julian and Jennifer Wilson and the first time around it was so popular that they’re offering it again. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out! Want to know more?

Art + Science of Scrapbooking, 16 brain-boosting challenges to strengthen your creative process taught by Stacy Julian and Jennifer Wilson.

Class Description

Are you a right-brained person who embraces possibility and spontaneity, thrives on imagination, relies on feelings, and thinks in symbols and images? Are you a left-brained person who practices strategy and order, finds comfort in facts, relies on logic, and thinks in words and language?

The answer to both questions is “yes!” In The Art + Science of Scrapbooking, a mind-bending workshop from Stacy Julian and Jennifer Wilson, you’ll learn to harness the creative power of both sides of your brain.

In four illuminating weeks, right-brainer Stacy Julian and left-brainer Jennifer Wilson will help you embrace your natural cognitive strengths. But they’ll also challenge themselves, each other, and YOU to find a new sense of balance and power as you explore the other side of your brain.

Read the rest of the description here.

Doesn’t that sound like fun? Check out the video:

To enter, just leave me a comment telling me if you’re left brained or right brained. Not sure? Try this!

You can also register for the class here or try to win a spot at Kelly’s blog. Contest closes here on Tuesday, May 13 and I’ll draw a winner the next day – just in time for class to start on Thursday!

Good luck!

Simple Scrapper Show & Tell | May 2014

06 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by Sara in Mixed Media, Simple Scrapper

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Mixed Media Layout, Simple Scrapper

It’s time for the May Team Gallery reveal over at Simple Scrapper and that means it’s also time for the Community Show & Tell! I love this time of month – seeing what all the other Creative Team members have designed and also checking out the art work the rest of the SS Community have made is so much fun!

My sketch LO this month is based on a Story Starter from last month’s collection – I made the same LO for Gabe but with a different template. This one – about about Molly – is made with Bella Blvd’s Molly line. You know I just had to get my hands on that!

I used lots of papers and applied a favourite technique – clear embossing paste, coloured with mist and sprinkled with UTEE. I love the shiny and textural look it gives. I also added a black Wink of Stella pen to the heart wood veneer to give it some shimmer.

My story starter this month, combined with one of the current templates, gave me this LO:

It’s a fave of mine right now – the mixed media background, photo, and story all came together the way I was hoping it would. There’s also lots of shimmer and shine with glittery alphas and metallic pens:

Now go see all the other amazing creations this month – and don’t forget to add your own!

The Premium Membership at Simple Scrapper provides skills and shortcuts to help you simplify and find more meaning in your memory keeping.

just breathe…..

03 Saturday May 2014

Posted by Sara in This & That

≈ 3 Comments

The past year or so I’ve been picking One Little Word. This year it’s breathe.

When asked to do a class at the Paperie Retreat this spring, I knew right away I wanted to do a special word canvas. Mine, naturally, has my OLW but class participants can pick any word that means something to them.

We’ll be playing with molding paste, gel medium, Silks Acrylic Glaze, Distress Paints, and the white water-based Sharpie Paint Pen. To finish it off, I like a bit of shimmer so we’ll be tossing around some gold too!

Hope you’re all having a fun and crafty weekend – I know I am!

March | YLA2014

30 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by Sara in Classes, ScrapBook, Yearlong Album

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Layouts, YLA2014

Another month, another Yearlong Album class. Another sketch. Another day of fun teaching times with friends.

Here’s what we made last weekend:

I had lots of fun layering bits and bobs and stars and stuff:

And we all had a great time making an inky, misty background using the awesome Quatrefoil stencil from Ronda Palazzari for The Crafter’s Workshop:

I’m heading off this evening to a 4 day scrapbook retreat with all my friends – it’s going to be epic! And most awesome too! 🙂

P.S. I know I’m missing an “H” from my title – I’m waiting on a new pack of alpha stickers and then I’ll add it in!

Layouts by sarathings designs; sketches by Mary Ann Hounsell

This and that…

25 Friday Apr 2014

Posted by Sara in Classes, Mixed Media, This & That

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Dylusions Ink Spray, mixed media layouts, Simple Scrapper, The Paperie

Sorry I’ve been AWOL this week – it’s Easter break for the school kids this week and it’s thrown off my usual schedule.

On top of that it’s my baby’s birthday and his party tomorrow:

he’s the cutest…. 🙂

As well, I’m teaching a class I needed to prep for, Simple Scrapper LO’s had to be completed, and the Paperie Retreat is next Wednesday – there’s been lots to do around here!

Here’s some eye candy bits and bobs for you to make up for the absence!

Some Simple Scrapper sneaks:

my girl

My story starter was fun – I made a beautiful mixed media background on that one as I was trying things out for an upcoming Dylusions class at The Paperie in May.

you – right now

And more fun on my template LO for May – a fave technique for the background on this one!

For you Yearlong Album peeps, here’s a sneak of tomorrow’s class:

And finally, a LO from a mixed media class I took with Cathie – I love how this one turned out!

Some awesome layers with silver paint, gold embossing paste, tissue paper, and wood veneer with Wink of Stella pen:

And that’s it! Expect next week to be much the same as this, maybe worse since I’m leaving Wednesday for a scrappy retreat – fun times ahead!

Simple Scrapper Q&A

19 Saturday Apr 2014

Posted by Sara in This & That

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Simple Scrapper has a new series on their blog and if you haven’t checked it out, you really should. Each Saturday one of the Creative Team Members answers some questions relating to simplifying their scrapbooking or life. It’s short, sweet, informative, and this week, it’s my turn!

As well, you might want to take a look at this month’s Team Gallery before the new one goes up. The Team Gallery features each CT member’s favourite LO from the current month’s Membership goodies and it’s always fabulous. MY favourite features my pretty feline babies this month. 🙂 S.