One in a Million but only 7 Layers

17 Wednesday Apr 2013

Posted by Sara in Classes, Mixed Media, ScrapBook, Yearlong Album

Tags

On Saturday I took an awesome class with Cathie. I normally only use mixed media on my canvases (though I’m working on bringing it to my LO’s too) but Cathie’s a genius at the mixed media LO’s. This particular class was all about layers – 7 to be exact!

I only have one completed, due to flicking white mist all over the picture for the second LO, but I managed not to destroy the picture for this one and love the colour and movement in it.

I really love all the layers, especially the doily to pull your eye through all the layers around the picture:

And this really is One in a Million:

My Gabe, the day he was born. He came super fast so was pretty bruised and beat up in this picture, hence the darkness to his normally very pale complexion!

Cathie has blogged both LO’s from the class here, and Krista, our very clean and simple friend, also blogged her experience with the class here. I love it when we can bring another one to the dark side of messy hands!

I’ll post the other LO as soon as I get it finished, but I do have lots of other work to do this week for upcoming classes and for Simple Scrapper.

One of the things I’m finishing off is my LO for the Yearlong Class this weekend. After Cathie’s class I came home, looked at what I had done and started counting layers – 6! Think I can get another on there before Sunday? 🙂 The funny thing? They’re completely different layers than hers – isn’t mixed media fun?!?

Hug Life

22 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by Sara in ScrapBook

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

American Crafts, Amy Tan, Amy Tangerine, Bowring Park, Daybook, Paperie, ScrapBook, Thickers, Year Long Album

(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!

Finish Line Scrapbooking

20 Monday Feb 2012

Posted by Sara in Family, ScrapBook

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

beach, Eastport, Finish Line Scrapbook, Kiddies, October Afternoon, ScrapBook, Stacy Julian, vacation

I finally completed my Finish Line Scrapbook! You know, the one that’s supposed to take 4-6 hours over two nights? The one I started in September? Yeah, I’m finally calling it done! Yay for me!

cover

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I will say that I haven’t touched it since September, and the bulk of it, minus the inside covers and title page, were finished. I just had to complete those few pages and do my journaling. Of course, my journaling is very limited as I thought the pics spoke for themselves – it was a vacation at Eastport beach last summer – and I’m not a huge journaler anyway. Also, we didn’t do the standard 6×6 mini album, we did a 12×6 one, which is a great size!

First beach day in Instagrams

Also, there are hardly any embellishments, which I’m fine with since I misted all the pages and used a border punch along the way. The embellies I did use are almost all from the October Afternoon Seaside Collection Word and Label Stickers. If you’re going to have one type of embellishments, October Afternoon is the way to go!

M on the beach

But still, it’s done and I can sit and flip through my book, enjoying the pictures of our vacation. Isn’t that really what it’s all about anyway?

G on the beach

Thank you, Stacy Julian, for a great concept – even though the process stresses me out!

Today…

17 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by Sara in ScrapBook

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Kiddies, kids, Paperie, ScrapBook

…I’m trying to do a little planning for The Paperie crop tonight – and now anyone who knows me has just passed out in shock!

I am not a scrapbooking planner, it just doesn’t work for me. If I plan, my mojo runs away and laughs at me so I’ve learned to just bring it all and go with the flow.

The problem with that? I can’t bring it all. And now that the Cave is semi-organized, I don’t want to mess it up, cart it all out in the cold, and then have to put everything away again when I get home. But I prefer to scrap with friends, especially when laughing and food is guaranteed!

Sigh.

Catch 22 I know, especially since I don’t have enough room for anyone to come down to the Cave with me.

Of course, I don’t share space very well (all those same people who passed out a few sentences ago are now laughing and nodding in agreement). I spread out and take over. All of it. Even if it’s your space. Trust me, I will own that too. I’ve noticed that most people try to sit across or away from me – funny that!

However, tonight, I’m trying to plan because: 1. I know I want to get those sympathy cards done, 2. I’d like a few more birthday cards, and 3. a friend who likes notecards has a birthday coming up – and I want to make a gift set for her (bet when she reads this she’ll know who she is!).

On top of all that, I want to break out my kits and do some playing and scrapping for me.

That’s not too ambitious for one evening, is it? 🙂

Wish me luck!

To end on a funny note – what is it with two-year-old boys? As I was writing this, they were fighting with each because they both wanted to put their fingers in the hole in the knee of my jeans. Silly beans!

hole in my knee!

Things on Thursday – CHA Edition!

02 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by Sara in ScrapBook, Things on Thursday...

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Basically Bare, BoBunny, Distress Ink, Distress Markers, Heidi Swapp, October Afternoon, Ranger, ScrapBook, Simple Stories, Stampin' Up, Studio Calico, Tim Holtz, Unity Stamp Co., Washi Tape, Year Long Album

The Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) just finished up their big show in Florida where manufacturers released their new product for the year. I thought I would give you a run down of my needs!

As an aside, I had an entertaining email chat with a friend (Hi Cathie!) about the difference between wants and needs and she agrees with my reasonings for the needs list. Now I’m fully justified in buying!

1. Distress Markers. Yes, I own a zillion Stampin’ Up markers, but these are different, really and truly. They match all my Distress Ink pads! And there’s a white one too!

2. Studio Calico wood veneer shapes. I love these, they take mist and ink beautifully and look great just left plain. They’re the perfect embellishment. And they’re releasing people and cameras – perfect for my Yearlong Album!

3. October Afternoon SprINKlers. I admit to a slight problem – when I love something, I must have it in every colour (case in point, Distress Ink). And I really love the chalk finish and quick drying time of SprINKlers. Plus the new colours are amazing!

4. Heidi Swapp Memory File. I was shocked by this one, shocked. Love the system and think it’s brilliant, though I know I’ll never do it (but it really is genius). What I really want are the FotoStacks – again, perfect for the Yearlong Album.

5. Simple Stories/Unity Stamp Company. I love Simple Stories – we’re using the Year.o.graphy line for the 2012 Yearlong album – and Unity makes really great rubber stamps, so to get both in one product? Awesome! Especially when they make these, maybe my favourite release of CHA.

6. BoBunny Vintage Double Dot Cardstock. The DoubleDot has been my favourite go to cardstock – great weight, great colours, great tone on tone patterns. And now, just when I thought it couldn’t get better, it’s vintage!

7. Now, that’s not my full list, there’s still Tim Holtz/Idea-ology Chitchat Word Stickers, and washi tape galore, Basically Bare albums, Simple Stories everything (especially the pockets), stamps….. it’s all bad people, it’s all bad!

Let me know what’s on your want/need list, I may have to add it to my own! 🙂

Today….

01 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by Sara in Classes, Family, ScrapBook, Yearlong Album

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Amy Tan, Family, Home, kids, ScrapBook, Studio Calico, Year Long Album

…I am cold. We all bundled up and went out to slide and play in the snow that was dropped on us yesterday. Unfortunately, the wind is bitter cold and now I can’t warm up again. Brrrrrr.

…I can’t type very well and am making lots of spelling errors. That just may have something to do with the two-year-old who is determined to sit on my lap today.

G & Mama

Don’t you just love his new “smile for the camera” face? Cracks me up every time! Does not amuse his photographer father as much, especially since I think it’s so funny that I keep asking for it! Ha! 🙂

…we’re having mac & cheese for lunch, with peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Comfort food for a cold day and something that is always devoured by the kiddies. That being said, they do just as well with broccoli and spinach too. But I digress…

…M is having a bad day. Enough said. Sigh.

…it’s very loud. Well, that’s par for the course so I don’t know why I’m even mentioning it. Moving along….

…I started this class. It’s good so far and I’m looking forward to more inspiration!

…I’m plugging away at the 2012 Album and getting frustrated. Luckily, I can turn to my graphic designer husband to do cover pages for me!

Cover Page Sneak Peek

…the playroom has had cow and dog races (the cow always wins and apologizes to the dog), monsters eating trophies, storms destroying the train tracks (“Really, Mama, it wasn’t me, it was the storm!), and pirates making little boys walk the plank. Never a dull moment.

Wishing you all a day that is warmer but just as entertaining as mine!

Tuesday Techniques – Trapped Embossed Resist

31 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by Sara in ScrapBook, Techniques, Tuesday Techniques

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Distress Stain, Embossing, Hero Arts, Maya Road, Perfect Pearls, Ranger, ScrapBook, Stampin' Up, Technique Tuesday, Tsukineko

One of the best, easiest, and most effective techniques I know is Trapped Embossed Resist. It takes a few steps, but it is easy, the results are always amazing, and it can be used for pretty much any project.

Supplies + Clear Embossing powder

You need a fairly small scale background stamp (I like text or script best for this but try what you have), a stamp with a good amount of both solid and open area, two colours of ink, VersaMark, and Clear Embossing Powder. Oh, and a heat tool, that helps with the embossing part!

First, use your lighter ink to stamp your background.

Stamped Tag

Next, ink up the other stamp with VersaMark and emboss with clear powder. Keep in mind that we are trapping the original design behind the second design, but still want to see part of it so VersaMark and clear embossing powder are a must, anything else will hide what we did first!

Clear Embossed Tag

It’s hard to see, but look at the shine! You’ll see the magic in just a minute….

Next, take your darker ink and rub the inkpad all over your surface. Really get it on there, you want to cover up any of the script that is not covered in embossing powder.

After that, I spray with a light mist of Perfect Pearls Mist. This is totally optional, I just like the shine, plus, I always use Distress Inks so I like how they blend when they come in contact with water. A side bonus is that it makes it easier to wipe the excess ink away!

Using a paper towel, wipe the ink off the embossed areas. You should have a beautiful, two-toned design to go play with and make into an embellishment, tag, card background, whatever your heart desires!

Completed Tag

See how the purple ink covers the pink so you don’t see any of the script, except where it’s trapped under the embossing? Awesome!

My favourite combos are Worn Lipstick and Dusty Concord, or Wild Honey and Barn Door Distress Inks. The fun is playing with different combos and stamps!

Now, go play and try this out, and please let me know if you try it – I’d love to see what you come up with!

Enjoy the storm, a snow day is a good day to hunker down and get inky!

Things on Thursday

26 Thursday Jan 2012

Posted by Sara in Family, ScrapBook, Things on Thursday...

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Amy Tan, Layout, October Afternoon, Paperie, ScrapBook, Studio Calico, Washi Tape

It’s been a big week around here:

1. I started this blog! (Big cheers! Confetti! Yay!)

2. The cookies we made yesterday were yummy, yummy,yummy – even gluten free!

3. I got fun eye candy mail, 3 magazines from Northridge Publishing – Create, Simply Handmade, and Cards. Love how beautiful these books are.

4. I’ve been creating! I was in a rut for, oh, a million years or so it seems, so it feels really great to be doing stuff just for me again.

5. I finished the Year Long Album 2011, typed up all the instructions, and have almost finished getting all the pictures in there. Nice to have this one clued up, since the 2012 class is just around the corner!

6. I finished the Kraft Glassine Album for the class I’m teaching in February. Once again, instructions are typed up and I have all the pics in. Nice to be ahead of the game for once!

7. I signed up for this online class and am pumped to start! I love Amy Tan’s style and the list of special guests is awesome too. Also, I have three Paperie kits and one Studio Calico kit mostly unused and waiting to be played with – I need the push!

8. The big one this week is especially big for M. She had her follow-up appointment with the optometrist and the news was not what we were hoping for. As a result, we’ve started patching her right eye to get her left eye working better. Sigh. Tell me if any four-year-old would make this easy, because my daughter is not! She loves pirates though, so we’re really pushing that angle (please forgive the bad pic – I think it was taken on D’s cell phone!).

M, acting the pirate and not wanting a picture taken!

And that’s my week so far, lots of fun and not so fun things happening. To let you go on a good note, here’s a LO I did using a little of the November Paperie kit – lots of Amy Tangerine (can you tell I love that Amy Tangerine stamp?), some October Afternoon, a bit of K&Co. Smash, and a touch of Studio Calico! As always, click on the image to see a larger size.

All You Need is Love & Dirt

Here’s hoping your week is already, or is becoming, just as interesting as mine!

Tuesday Techniques – Glossy Accents

24 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by Sara in ScrapBook, Techniques, Tuesday Techniques

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Crafts, Glossy Accents, ScrapBook

First, let me say big Thank You to everyone for the great welcome! I felt pretty special! 🙂

I participated in an online crop this weekend and, in the process, rediscovered an old technique that I love. And so Tuesday Techniques was born! On most Tuesdays (you’ll notice I didn’t say all!) I’ll show you a technique that I love to do. It may be an oldie but goodie, or it may be new to me. Whichever, I hope it will inspire you to try it out, play, and have fun!

Today, we’re pulling out our Glossy Accents!

What??? You don’t have Glossy Accents??? Run, run I say, to the nearest Scrapbooking store and buy it up! And if you’re here in Newfoundland, head on over to The Paperie and support our local LSS! Go on, I’ll wait…

Have you got it now? Good! This will become one of your favourite liquid adhesives (I may or may not have glued together everything from chipboard to children’s toys to broken appliances with it…) and, my favourite part, it’s an amazing dimensional glaze. With Glossy Accents, just about anything can be made to look like an epoxy embellishment. The way I use it the most? Little letter stickers. They just pop right off the page when they’re raised and shiny.

Ok, here goes…

Get your supplies together. I like altering basic chipboard so I started with old Maya Road chipboard letters and some Studio Calico Mister Huey’s.

Supplies

Mist away, let the letters dry a but, then cover each one in Glossy Accents. Just squeeze a generous layer on there and smear around with the tip of the bottle. It stays where you put it so no worries about a big mess. Also, it will look cloudy but don’t worry about that either because it dries completely clear.

Covered in Glossy

Now go away. Leave your letters alone, don’t even think about touching them. Just be sure that little children and cats cannot get anywhere near them – I suggest the microwave. Really.

Come back again in a hour or so. My letters are pretty big, and I put a heavy layer on, so they did take quite some time to dry. Little letters or embellishments with a lighter layer will dry pretty quickly.

Finally, use your Glossy Accents to adhere them to whatever project you’re working on (great glue, remember) and you’re done!

Completed Tag

Look at that shine!

And you can add more layers, if you want the letters to be even more dimensional.

Easy, but what an effective step to add. Enjoy, and let me know if you try it. I’d love to see how you shine up your next project!

Knock, knock….

23 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by Sara in ScrapBook

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

Echo Park Paper, Paper, ScrapBook

Hello?

Is any one out there?

I’m finally here!

First, please forgive the look of the generic blog – I’ve had some harassing (you know who you are!) to get this done already, so it’s still a work in progress.

Second, I’m not sure where this new journey is going to take me (or you!) but I guess we’ll see over time as I stumble along and try to figure this whole blogging thing out. The only thing I know right now is that it’s sure to be a mix of family, scrapbooking, my art, kiddies, and random stuff that may make no sense at all but will hopefully be some fun in your day!

To start us off on the right foot, here’s a little eye candy of my baby…

(Seriously, that blond hair? Those blue eyes? Total heartbreaker!)

Lots of fun product here – Ranger, Echo Park, Amy Tangerine, EK Success, Fiskars, Stampin’ Up, and Cosmo Cricket. This was for a LO Tag so thanks to all the talented chickies before me for the inspiration!