Tag Archives: American Crafts

Da Bomb!

24 Wednesday Jun 2015

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Another LO that I did at The Paperie retreat – this one has a fuzzy, but funny, pic from that weekend and a phrase Cathy and I seemed to toss around a lot over those few days:

da bombI used some awesome silver molding paste over a stencil for the background and then layered my photo over silver thread and drywall tape for texture. I love how versatile drywall tape is! I’ve used it for texture on canvases, photo mats, as a stencil, and just as an embellishment:

da bomb textureTo finish it off, I heat embossed silver powder over Thickers and added a whole pack of Studio Calico cork stars, as well as a few Freckled Fawn enamel stars – I’m fully embracing the “use it all” mentality!

da bomb alphasI’m sure you can probably tell, but it was pretty late at night when we took this picture and there may *cough, cough* have been a little bit of wine involved! what happens at the Wilds…..🙂

S.

Sketchbook!

28 Friday Sep 2012

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I spent last night at The Paperie taking Cathie’s Starburst and Pinwheel Class with some scrappy friends. We had a blast and the LO’s were awesome! Equally awesome? The stuff I came home with!

How do you all feel about classes? Are you happy to simply do them and come home with your projects or do you like to get extra stuff too?

Me? I’m all about the add-ons! Love getting a little something to carry away, especially if I learn something new and get a product so I can recreate the projects in my own way. Last night, we all got a pack of Thickers (I already had the green so I exchanged them for the black) and a 6×6 Amy Tangerine Sketchbook paper pad – pretty sweet, my friends!

The starburst LO we completed was this one:

oh dear… (design credit: Cathie Reed)

Of course, I had to make things difficult and use different papers so that slowed me down a little, but I love the end result. Cathie also showed us how to make a stencil from our starburst and how to tone down the bright papers we were using.

I had to come home to finish this one since the picture I brought just didn’t work. I’m glad to get this photo on a LO though, because it was a pretty funny day – M & P chose to colour each other, but with non-washable red marker. They had streaks on their faces for days!🙂

The second LO featured a pie chart and again, Cathie suggested a couple of ways of doing it and some other project ideas too.

for you, mama! (design credit: Cathie Reed)

Again, I made things hard on myself and used different papers which meant time sorting out what to put where but at least I got these photos scrapped, since they probably wouldn’t have been otherwise!

M & G love to pick me flowers and on this day, shortly after the dandelions came out in bloom, they insisted on keeping them in a “vase” of water. As you can tell, I’m also in love with the Ali Edwards photo overlays from Designer Digitals. I have to force myself not to drop them onto every picture – a battle I lost for this LO!

Hope you liked them – go over and tell Cathie what you think – maybe we can get her to teach some more classes!🙂

S.

It’s Friday! and a LO…

21 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by in Family, ScrapBook

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Friday! Yay! I have a crop to go to tonight and we have both adult and kiddie birthday parties this weekend – it’s going to be a fun one! Plus, the weather is still holding, knock on wood!🙂

I don’t know why I haven’t posted this LO yet, it’s one I did for a LO tag back in August but since I didn’t post it then, it gives me some eye candy to post for you now!

Happy Together

This is one of my favourite pics from the trip M and I took to New Brunswick in July. She and P had the best time – I only wished we all lived a little closer to each other!

I used the August Paperie club kit for this – I loved the Dear Lizzy patterned papers and chipboard pieces, so fun! Of course, I had to add some wood veneer:

I love those little people. Really love them – I have 3 packs so that I never run out!🙂

And I had to add some hidden journaling because, as per usual, I didn’t think about it until the LO was finished so it had to be tucked away!

A great Dina Wakley stencil and some Studio Calico Shine for the background and that was it. I love the neutral background and photo with the soft colours of the embellishments – not my norm but I think I’ll have to try it again!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and the weather is good wherever you may be!

S.

The Simplest Mini Album Ever

16 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by in Mini Album, ScrapBook, Techniques

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I needed a super quick and easy mini a while back and this sheet a paper was in a Paperie kit I had open in front of me. I don’t know about you, but to me it looked like a mini book kit waiting to happen!

Let the fun begin…

I literally printed my 12 on Twelve pics from June, pulled out my washi tape and a black pen and that was it. At the very end I added some baker’s twine but there were no other embellishments or adhesive. In other words, if you want an on-the-road kit for a vacation project, this is what you’ve been waiting for!🙂

I cut all the elements from the patterned paper apart and trimmed out my pictures.

I then took the two largest patterned pieces, laid them side by side and adhered washi tape to the seam on the outside.

After that I just washi taped in the other pieces, paper and pictures, as needed.

There is very little journalling as the pictures were simply an overview of one day so I felt they only needed quick captions.

There are also no embellishments because I felt the assortment of washi tape and the interest of different sized papers added enough.

Also, I made some extra little flaps and tags with the smaller pieces of patterned paper to add to it all!

Obviously, you can use any paper for something like this, and you can add many more embellishments, journalling, extras, etc. but this is a great starting point for those of you always asking, “What do I take with me as a small kit on the go?” It doesn’t get any smaller than this, my friends!

I may go back and add some stickles here and there (I have just a small obsession with Rock Candy!) just to bling it up a little but…. we’ll see!

I hope you try out a quick mini and leave me a comment so I can see what you make. Or, if you want more detailed instructions, let me know, I can always do a tutorial for you!

Back tomorrow with some exciting news….. times 2!😉

S.

Index Card A Day – #3

04 Monday Jun 2012

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I decided to try a new product in my stash for this one – Microglaze. It’s almost like a firm type of Vaseline, or a less firm wax. Somewhere in between those…

Anyway, I spread a very thin layer over a Dylusions stencil, then firmly rolled paper towel over to pick up any excess (I didn’t want it to smear when
I added additional layers).

Next, I misted some Dylusions Ink Spray on my non-stick craft sheet and dragged my card through, then carefully wiped the excess from the Microglaze – awesome resist!

I then stamped a bunch of sentiments from Ali Edwards for Technique Tuesday, pulling out all the ones with the word “life” in them. A fuchsia sharpie, some doodling, and an Amy Tangerine Fabric sticker finished it off!

Life

Final thoughts – I had no idea where I was going with this but I really like how it turned out. Love how the Microglaze worked and there’s no greasy or waxy residue left over. And the small pops of pink make me happy!🙂

S.

Rainbow Tag Class

14 Saturday Apr 2012

Posted by in Classes, ScrapBook, Techniques

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I’m teaching at The Paperie tomorrow morning and there’s still a spot or two available!

image

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.

Tuesday Techniques – Finishing Touches: Scored Lines

13 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Cards, Techniques, Tuesday Techniques

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I thought I would do something a little simpler the next few weeks for Tuesday Techniques – Finishing Touches. Sometimes it’s that last little thing that holds us up but is the perfect thing to finish off a project when we do figure it out. Over the next few Tuesdays, I’ll show you a couple of quick, easy things that work for me!

Today, one of my Mom’s favourites when she sees it – Scored and/or Perforated Lines.

You need:

Supplies

A scoring board, a bone folder, a perforating tool, and cardstock. If you don’t have these items, you can use the ridge in your paper trimmer, your finger nail, and a thumbtack – I just like collecting supplies!

Put your cardstock in the upper left corner, making sure everything is straight, then press the bone folder firmly on the cardstock, letting it run down in one of the grooves; I went 1/2″ in for this step…

Scoring...

…and 1/4″ in for the perforating.

Perforating...

Then I did some masking, inking to pick up the perforations, and I was finished!

And a closeup of the details:

I like how the scoring and perforating, with a little inking, makes it looks like a stitched luggage tag – perfect for this one!

To give you some more ideas of how this technique would finish off a card, here are a Sympathy and Birthday card I made using the same Papertrey Ink set and the ScorBug:

Sympathy

Birthday

And finally, a card with scored lines and another Papertrey set:

Chickadee

I scored over the drawn lines to give them a little something more. It’s hard to see here, but adds a lot IRL – just a little oomph!

As always, I’d love to see what you do with this, or any technique I’ve shared. Leave me a link in the comments where I can view your project and I’ll take a look!

I’ll be back tomorrow with my 12 on 12 pictures!

S.

Things on Thursday…

08 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by in Things on Thursday..., Uncategorized

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1. I’m seriously considering doing another online class – this one. Lots going on in our lives right now and I think a “Grateful, Every Day” journal would be a fabulous thing to keep me focused on the big picture. Learning how to make a new album and doing some art journalling is just a nice side benefit!

2. Saw this on Pinterest and, considering how much the kiddies here *love* yoghurt chips, I gave them a try – big success, super easy, and they thought they had a treat!🙂 It doesn’t get any better than that!

Strawberry Frozen Yoghurt

3. The new Paperie monthly kit comes out on Saturday – they go fast if you don’t have a subscription so call in to be a subscriber and have it guaranteed each month! Beautiful blues and yellows in this one, with an amazing stamp set, used by Kristina Werner here. Lots of My Mind’s Eye, Authentique, American Crafts, Bazzill, and more!

March Kit

4. Got my mom’s sewing machine today! That means my happy little moments class will finally begin! Looking forward to sewing on paper! No worries, I’ll post some pics when I get something done!

5. Making my friend Rose’s Moroccan Pork Roast tonight – super yummy! It has apples, onion, cinnamon, apricot jam, and is made in the crock pot. Thanks, Rose, it’s a staple around here, even the kids “gobble it all up,” as M says!

6. G wanted to be upside on the couch this morning. I tried to take a picture but he kept laughing and saying, “I wiggle my bum at you, Mama!” so it’s a bit soft – oh well!

G, upside down

All in all, quiet around here, which is very nice for a change!

S.

Hug Life

22 Wednesday Feb 2012

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(EDIT: Today seems to be the day to showcase crop night LO’s! Check out this and this.)

Friday night I went to a crop night at my LSS, The Paperie. It’s always the third Friday night of the month and it’s always fun and yummy – great combination!

This time we talked and talked and talked and laughed and laughed and laughed – and actually got some scrapbooking done too!

One of the projects I was picking away at was the Hug Life Daybook from Amy Tangerine for American Crafts (a larger version of the one I tore apart for this LO).

These are the best mini albums – surprisingly big, as in tons of pages, and very eclectic.

There are pockets and grid papers and tickets and rounded papers and scalloped papers….. So different, so very fun.

I am using the November kit from the Paperie and I *love* it. The papers, the stamp, the thickers, the mixtape – awesome!

Just before the kit was released, we spent a day in Bowring Park with the kiddies taking pictures of them in the leaves. Then we headed to Lester’s Farm for pumpkin pics and baked goodies, along with yummy fresh veggies.

The pictures from that day perfectly matched the colours of the the kit papers and so instead of a LO, I decided to do a mini album.

It’s still not finished, but I’m loving what I have done. The pictures are most definitely the focus, not the papers or embellishments, and  there’s plenty of room to do journaling as I go along.

So…. so far, so good. It will be a fun one to flip through when I’m done. And because the different papers make it so easy, it’s a good one to poke at when midnight rolls around and the brain has gone to mush!

My plans for naptime today and this evening revolve around writing instructions for the 2012 Yearlong album – the first class is Sunday. Hate the writing instructions part – love the teaching it part!

Enjoy the cold today if that’s your cup of tea. Me? I’m freezing!

S.

Randomness…

25 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in Family, ScrapBook, Yearlong Album

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As I write this, it is raining (again) and the snow is being washed away (again). This winter has been bitter cold, or snow storming, or raining. In other words, impossible to get outside and play! So, we’re all feeling a little housebound. To try to combat that this morning, the kiddies and I made these. They’re just about ready to come out of the oven and boy, do they ever smell good! My mouth is watering to think of a cold glass of milk and all that chocolatey goodness! I think this may have to be an after nap snack as I’m pretty sure all that sugar is not good for sleepy time!

On a completely different note, Ella’s newest favourite napping spot is my misting box. Since I do the majority of my crafting on the kitchen table (sorry, D!), I try to contain the mess by misting in a box. Normally, I would just spray away – colour makes everything better! – but others in this household simply don’t agree with me, for some odd reason.

Anyway, this hasn’t been an issue until lately – I’ve been using a lot of red and let’s just say that it’s not totally permanent, hence the fancy pink paws that Ella now sports! It doesn’t seem to bother her but it does bother Rosie who is reluctantly cleaning Ella for the first time ever. I did double-check though and the mist, thankfully, is non-toxic.

Ella in the pre-red box

Finally, I’m hoping to get some more work done on the 2012 Yearlong Album tonight. As a treat, here’s a look at the album cover, with a curious visitor included!😉

2012 Album Cover (& Ella!)

I’m loving Simple Stories (oh, the new CHA-W goodies!) and American Crafts Modern Albums!

Hope you are all having a good, if rainy, day!

S.