Creative Cards Vol. 1

Have you heard about Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine's special card edition titled Creative Cards Vol. 1?

I am excited about this edition because yours truly has a card that I created this summer in it.

Organized by season, its pages are full of over 100 cards made specifically for holidays, thank-yous, birthdays, special events, and much more.  As a special bonus, it has a library of online files designed exclusively for this issue including a year's worth of electronic cut files. Creative Cards Vol. 1 has something for everybody who enjoys playing with paper and sending heartfelt hellos!

 - Catherine Tachdjian Publisher, Scrapbook & Cards Today Inc.

It is heading to the printers so hop on over to the SCT site to learn more about this limited edition and preorder it here.

TTFN,

Tags Galore

With March Break upon me, I am finally getting around to posting some items from my Crop and Create Markham weekend from earlier this month.

First up, I am sharing some mixed media tags designed by Vicki Boutin using oodles of Tim Holtz products.

I really like Vicki's designs but I changed up the colouring on all but one of the tags (the top left one) but even on that one I did not go as dark. I like a cleaner lighter look; which is sort of funny because Vicki comments on not being able to get as dark and grungy as Tim Holtz yet I can't get as dark and colour comboed as Vicki does. All personal preference.

I added some Tim Holtz paper twine that I won in a class draw to the moments tag and black splatters to it and two others. Switched up and added a few other things to a couple of the others tags to make them work for my liking. All in all, I was pleased with the results. 

It was great fun getting inky and trying out some of the Ranger products that I haven't tried yet like the Texture Paste and Tim Holtz Distress Rock Candy Crackle Paint. There was never a dull moment in Vicki's class, as besides being very charismatic, she is full of stories and little anecdotes that you can't help but laugh a lot during her class. Already looking forward to next year's edition.

TTFN,

Crop & Create Vicki Boutin Shadow Box Class

A while back I shared some cards in this post here that I had made with the leftovers from Vicki Boutin's Technique Shadow Box Class at Crop & Create Markham.  I couldn't share the actual shadow box that I had made at that time, because it was a gift for my sister-in-law. Well her birthday has passed and I am free to let the cat out of the bag.

Loaded with Heidi Swapp, Pink Paislee, and Maya Road products, this was the result:

When I saw the class sneak peek photos, I  knew it was perfect for my sister-in-law.  Lucky for me, there was still space the day before the event and I was able to get in the class. 

It was a small class (about 10 of us) which made it all the more fun to sit around tables, craft, laugh, talk shop and get to know the other scrappers.  If you haven't had a chance to attend a class taught by Vicki, they are so fun.  I highly recommend it. Fast paced, fab product and you learn tons with beautiful results.

Here is the project photo as provided in the class instructions by Vicki.

As you can see, I gave it my own little twist.  I pulled apart the layers on the cardstock layered sticker piece and inking them all as well as outlining the "sweet" lettering in black. I also added a multi font title to go with the sepia photos of my darling nieces and nephew that I had taken this year and overall, I played down and did not include as much yellow.

As we were working away on the frames in the class, I had mentioned that I thought it would look really cool framed in black. Well, I did just that.  I got an inexpensive canvas from the dollar store, painted it matte black and hot glue mounted the finished shadow box to it.  Love the way it pops against that black!

It was fun getting to make something that was not my usual style and totally with someone else's taste in mind. I am thinking that my sister-in-law must have loved it because she has it proudly on display in her living room.  Thanks Vicki for your wonderful talent!


TTFN,

One down... umpteen to go!

Just scrap it.  Simply that is it in a nutshell.  I want to get all the pre-prepared layouts that I have waiting to be scrapped.  I literally have a bunch of layouts, where I have the photos and the product and the layout design already sketched.  They are even in paper holders or large baggies as I would prep them for vacation time at the cottage or for the occasional crop.  Inevitably, I would do more than I would get completed but leave the rest for other projects that were time sensitive given my little time I have had for scrapping this past year and half.  My goal is to change this.  I want to get all those layouts scrapped. I know that it will make me feel better, a way to de-clutter, use up stash and feel productive.

In my quest, I got a few layouts done at Crop and Create Markham.  The best part was, it literally only took me minutes to pack for the crop.  Like I mentioned, everything was pre-prepped and even better still, it was already in a crate that I tote to the cottage, ready to go.

Here is one that brings a smile to my face every time I look at it.  From the photo to the colours, it was fun to see it all come together.

Supplies: cardstock (Canadian Scrapbooker Super Stock), gelatos (Faber-Castell), chipboard sunglasses (Magenta), stamps [negative frame (MME), Duck (October Afternoon), crowns (Heidi Swapp), duck print (Basic Grey), loopy doodle stamp (Dear Lizzy American Crafts), polka dot washi tapes (Doodlebug Design), Cameras and labels washi tapes (Allison Kreft Webster's Pages), embossing powder (Stampendous), versamark and black ink (Tsukinenko), liquid glass (CTMH), glimmer glaze (Tattered Angels), chipboard letters (K and Company), glitter foam letters (American Crafts), glitter (Recollections), marker (Sharpie), jewels (SandyLion)

This selfie cracks me up.  Last summer, my daughter and niece embraced their first  selfies. I learned what a duck face selfie looked like.  More funny than flattering and I love how the photo depicts a typical teenage moment.  No matter the generation,  what hasn't changed is the young teen wanting to look fashionable and way older than they are.  I think the title just sums it all up.

These Magenta chipboard sunglasses are too cool.  I coloured them to match my daughter's using gelatos for the frames and Glimmer Glaze for the glass.  I sealed the frame with liquid glass to give the look of plastic like the real deal.

From the process photos below, you will see that the green glittered letters did not start out that way.  In fact they were a blue but I wanted then to match the green in the photo so I covered them with gesso, added the glitter and finished them off by outlining them with a marker.

This one is a total multi-manufacturer layout as I combined lots of stamps, mediums and washi tapes together to get the details and embellishments that I had in my mind.

Here are some photos showing the process as I was deciding how I wanted to place items as the layout came to life.

Sorry about the poor photo lighting but the crop hotel ballroom lighting was typical and I took these with my phone but they give you an idea of the process.

After the gelato coloured background has dried, I was deciding on a rough idea for placement.

Washi tapes all down. Just checking to figure out where to put stamping and doodling.

Some stamping completed at this point as well as a little bit of doodling. The journaling line has been added in and I am figuring final placement of all the pieces in relation to which washi sections I want to show.

The finished page - it was all just ducky, don't you think?! LOL! :)(Pun intended.)


TTFN,

Crop and Create fun

I had a scraptastic scrappy weekend a few weeks ago after a new job assignment imposed break from creating. Spent two days at Scrapbook and Cards Today's Crop & Create Markham.  Loved, loved, loved it!

Loved catching up with familiar faces and friends.  Of course there is great shopping from The Memory Keeper and The Scrapping Turtle and Catherine ensures that there are plenty of other scrap goodies to buy at the registration table from the various workshop instructors.

I had fun and lots of laughs cropping with Lisa and Stacey, who I had met last year, and made many new friends this year as our table was larger.

I took Vicki Boutin's Shadow Box Techniques class and created a funky shadowbox for my sister-in-law's birthday. Her b-day is in April, so I can't show it here until then.

I can, however, show you the cards that I made with the left over Pink Paislee Heritage patterned paper scraps.

Inspired by some of the elements on the shadow box, I created this:

The bordered punch trim is actually washi tape.  That took a bit of time to figure out a technique to make it work so it looked like fabric trim.

It was adhered to the end of an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper, border punched and then inked in sections as I slowly removed it from the paper.  Then using two pointed instruments, I styled it do add dimension.  Lastly, I cue-tipped some corn starch onto the back of the raised segments so that they would not stick down in future if pressed upon.

The butterflies were stamped using one of my favourite Magenta stamps on vellum packaging liner and fussy cut.


Next up was this beauty:

The flower inspiration for this one came from Sheila's Petaloo Flower Sale Bin. When I saw these babies, an idea formed and I was off.  With the flowers and a specific card worthy friend in need of a pick-you-up in mind, this card came together really easily and quickly.

Lots of textures and dimension on this one.

Once that well of creativeness was sprung, I was raring to go and created two other layouts which I will share at another time.


TTFN,

Getting Interactive

Creative challenges can inspire some exciting ideas.  While at Crop & Create there was a challenge... to create a project with some interactive element. I did not enter it as I had initial thought not to bother as it did not readily spark an idea that would not be cliche.  I went on my merrily scrappy way of working on other DT projects for Magenta when I was contemplating one of their stamps.  As I went into one of my past kits from the Nook for something, I came across some MME zipper trim and an idea started to form... rainbow colour, zipper open to second part of sentiment. I contemplated, I sketched and then I searched through the products that I had on hand. No paper that I had with me would work so I shopped. LOL! Got to hate that... he, he, he!  I found some stripped coloured Imaginisce paper but what would work for the front? ... think... think...think. I wanted a zippered sweater type opening. Huuummm... I could stamp with the new Vicki Boutin script stamp I bought the night before! A bit of cutting, some stamping, a little colouring and voila!

Supplies: patterned paper (Imaginisce), cardstock (Bazzill), sentiment stamp (Magenta), script stamp (Stamping Bella/Vicki Boutin), ink (Ranger), watercolour pencilcrayons (Reeves), zipper (MME)

L.O.V.E IT!  I loved the results so much I went and purchased a few more sheets of the stripped paper to make a few others.  Fun, interactive and I would have never come up with the idea without the challenge idea put into my brain to percolate.  Thanks Catherine for providing the great inspiration

TTFN,

Getting Creative with Cards

Trying to get back into the scrappy swing of things, I felt like playing and creating the stress free way...by making cards.  Finding inspiration at Scrapbook and Cards Today's Crop and Create, I played with new stamps and product that I had picked up from various instructors and vendors.  So much creativity and inspiration!

I fell in love with Angie Blom's adorable AngieGirl stamps that just were released by Unity Company.  Angie is a sweet creative soul who I met by happenstance at the registration table when I was inquiring about something during the event.   There was Angie working on her adorable new girl stamp samples for the evening make'n takes.  I had the pleasure of chatting with her later that evening while creating a tag with the Andi Girl gardener stamp.  When I got home, I finished my tag and turned it into this card.

Supplies: cardstock (Bazzill), stamps(Unity Stamps), ink and stickles(Ranger), patterned paper (Jillibean Soup), markers (Copic)

When I met Angie we got into a discussion about the flair buttons in a bowl on the table.  She mentioned the excess of Monday and Tuesday ones and jokingly challenged me to find a use for them other than Project Life pages.  First thing that popped into my head was the poem ..."Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's Child is full of grace..." and next the idea hit... use the little Sydney girl image from Angie's stamps. As the concept percolated in my brain, the colours were finalized by the January Colour Suite combination that were found on Crop Challenge sheets at our tables.

Supplies: patterned papers and washi tape(MME), girl stamp(Unity Stamps by Angie Blom), script and bird branch stamps (Vicki Boutin), ink(Ranger, CTMH), markers(Copic, Sharpie), twine(Maya Road), Hersey Kiss ad wrapper,flair badge and doilie(misc.)

While the badge originally said Tuesday... nothing that Sharpies can't fix to make it work.  I used both Angie's stamp and Vicki Boutin's Stamps by Stamping Bella.  I find it hard to pass up a cute bird and this has a couple along with a versatile branch.  I even used a piece of Hersey Kisses tape from the chocolates at our scrap table.

A special thanks to Angie for her inspiration and kindness.  I had such fun with these girls that I got me a bunch.  Looking forward to creating more with them in the future.


TTFN,

Crop and Create Excitement!

My stars must have been aligned because I was one lucky gal at Crop and Create Markham. I say this for multiple reasons. Firstly, I went on my own but I was not to remain that way because I was pleasantly surprised to run into some friends from the former Scraps of Joy store.  These sweet and talented ladies continue to teach and inspire crafters with their new venture, Scrappin' Gypsies. It was fun sitting together, catching up and sharing our creations and inspiration during the crop.

Secondly, Catherine , the publisher of Scrapbook and Cards Today and mastermind of the event, out did herself with the help of her fun loving and creative team.  The hotel accommodations, the food, the make n' takes, the goodie bags (thanks to generous and awesome sponsors), the onsite stores and the challenges were all outstanding.  I attended the super talented Kelly Goree's class and got to see her creative process.  I really do enjoy seeing how others think and share about their projects come to life.

Thirdly, the loot.  I was one of the many of the lucky ladies to win in the random draws in my class and in the crop.  By far, the most exciting win was in the Colour Suite Challenge.  Using the SCT Colour Suite palette for January, I created this layout and to my delight it won!

Supplies: patterned paper, sticker, canvas stickers and stamp (Little Yellow Bicycle), Cardstock (Bazzill), foam letter stickers (American Crafts), baker's twine (My Mind's Eye), inks (CTMH), pen (Creative Memories), staples and jewels (miscellaneous)

This was the colour board used.



Love the BasicGrey Kissing Booth goodies that I received (Thanks Catherine and Basic Grey!).

I had a blast. Caught up with some scrappy friends of old and made some new ones too. What more could a crafty girl ask for?

TTFN,

Scrapbook and Cards Today Events

Scrapbook and Cards Today magazine host some of the best make 'n takes biannually at ScrapFest and CreativFestival.  They appeal to paper crafters, card makers and scrapbookers alike and are the cutest projects.  This fall was no different, with their Interactive Studio events being sponsored by Maya Road, Zyron, Doodlebug, Jillibean Soup, Core'dinations, Fiskars.

Well as promised, I am sharing one of their Interactive Studio make 'n takes from this Fall's ScrapFest in Durham.  This one was taught by the one and only Caroline Lau, co-owner of Maya Road.

Is this adorable or what?

I vamped it up with some more details when I got home and made mine into a fridge magnet by glueing 4 flat round magnets to the back. 

It brings a smile to my face without fail.

Another cool event that SCT is hosting is their new Crop and Create series.  Having just launched in Saskatoon this fall, it comes to Ontario January 13 & 14, 2012 for its' second installment.  Have you registered yet?



This 2 day event features their reknowned make 'n takes, and a schedule of amazing classes by some of the industry's best.  From my own experiences, I would highly recommend any of Sarah Hodgkinson's card classes and if you are a Becky Fleck PageMaps fan, her Triple Play class was a huge hit at ScrapFest (I will share more on that in another post.).  This time around I have signed up for Kelly Goree's class.  I am so looking forward to it.  Being a teacher, I love to learn new things and experience different teaching styles.

This is sure to be a fun scrappy experience.  They are even hosting pre-event updates and challenges on their dedicated FaceBook page.  Be sure to check out it out and join in the action.

Just 76 sleeps to go.

TTFN,

Scrapbook and Cards Today Give Away

I have not had an opportunity to blog about the fabulous time I had at ScrapFest a week ago.  Lots of shopping, loads of friendly faces and catching up with some friends including some of my pals from My Scrapbook Nook. I absolutely love the comradery of scrappers and I can honestly say that I made a few new friends during those two days. As for crafty treats, I did a few make and takes and a great three page layout class with the fabulously talented Becky Fleck which I will share soon.

In my VIP goodie bag was a new copy of Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine fall issue.  As I already received one through my subscription to the mag I thought I would give it away to one lucky reader of my blog.

Loaded with loveliness as always, this beauty could be yours by leaving a comment on this blog post.  I will draw a winner from the comments received by November 1st and I will ship it anywhere in the world. 

I will be sharing some of my ScrapFest creations and some exciting new Magenta releases over the coming blog posts. Be sure to check back over the next week for more crafty fun.


TTFN,

Try Something New

I love to try new techniques.  My motto is ... you won't know, unless you give it a go.  So when I saw this tie-dye technique from Becky Fleck, on the Scrapbook and Cards Today blog, it intrigued me and I wanted to give it a try.



Supplies: tissue wrapping paper (miscellaneous), glimmer mists (Tattered Angels), modge podge (Plaid), cardstock (Super Stock), chipboard letters, acrylic wings (Heidi Swapp), stamps (See D's, House of 3/Pink Paislee, 7 Gypsies, Making Memories, Melissa Frances), ink (Rangers), journal cards,tag and ink (CTMH), pen (Creative Memories), visitor admission lapel clip (National Gallery of Canada)

My paper of choice was a large sheet of white tissue wrapping paper.  I had a photo already in mind for this layout so I chose 2 different blues, a purple and a cream coloured Tattered Angels Glimmer mists.  I crumpled the tissue into a ball as instructed and sprayed it from lightest to darkest colour in a large box, rotating it as it expanded and the areas filled with colour.  I chose to spray 4 different tissue sheets so I could try it with different amounts of colour.  After I let the sheets sit for a while, I carefully uncrumpled them and then let them dry over night.

The next day, I chose the one that I felt best represented a sky with clouds and took a 12x12 heavier cardstock sheet and Modge Podged the page and adhered the tissue using a brayer to smooth it out.  I let it dry , trimmed the edges to within an inch and then turned the layout over and adhered the tissue edges onto the back; thereby creating a very finished look to my now ready background paper.  After copious amounts of stamping and some embellishing, it was done.

I think it worked well in representing a sky.  I would give this technique a try again.  Next time I am thinking it will be with paper so I can make some pretty flowers like Becky's.

TTFN,

Introducing "The Colour Suite"

There are still a few days to take part in the new monthly colour challenge over at Scrapbook and Cards Today.  Called The Colour Suite it is hosted by scrapbooker extraordinaire Summer Fullerton. You have until their August 15th reveal to enter for July's wonderful colour scheme.





TTFN,

Scrap Happy Day!

I woke up this morning and while enjoying my morning tea I thought I would check the Get Picky site for their Inspiration Challenge #9 winners as due to different time zones (it is an Australian site) they post while the eastern part of North America is sleeping.  Talk about starting the day on a high!

Get Picky

While sending in some publications submissions, I got to thinking that the Twilight Beauties layout and I sent if off to Scrapbook and Cards Today on the off chance that it might make it into a Reader's Submission post this summer.  Imagine my surprise when Catherine Tachdjian emailed me back!!! A whole lot of whoo hoo and my daughter came into the kitchen to shush me as apparently my DH was on the phone in another room and had made a displeased face. (Doesn't the man know that it is very exciting to have a layout featured?) Definitely not excitement to be contained, let me tell you. 

Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine

Is it any wonder that it was a scrap happy day for me today?

What better way to top off this super happy post then with a little scrappy eye candy goodness?  Here is a layout that I made awhile back from a Nook kit (August 2010) but had not posted. 

Supplies:
PP, diecut stickers, die cut border strip (Sassafras Lass), flowers and felt (Prima), love definition stamp, ink, and pink CS (CTMH), black CS (Bazzill), ribbon doillies (Basic Grey), fabric chipboard letter stickers (American Crafts), glitter mini alphabet (Making Memories), butterfly (Recollections), jewels (Heidi Swapp) and pen (Creative Memories)

This is one of my all time favourites.

TTFN,

Easter weekend begins on a high!

My Easter weekend started with a very pleasant scrappy surprise.  I was browsing Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine's blog as I often do and imagine my joy at seeing one of my layouts featured in their Easter Themed Reader Submissions blog post!

It made my daughter's day too as she loves being the star of my pages.  Such a fun way to start off the holiday weekend!

I am sending positive vibes for the cold rainy weather to go way by Sunday so that I can capture some outdoor Easter photos for this year.  Fingers crossed.

TTFN,

The Perfect Pairing!

New for 2011, Scrapbook and Cards Today and Becky Fleck's PageMaps launched a 2011 Sketch Calendar.  The sketches are inspiring per usual which is why I love Becky's PageMaps.  I have a plan to use the calendar such that I do the monthly sketch with the products from My Scrapbook Nook's monthly kits.  Thus, at the end of the year I will have some fabulous pages that combine my two favourite scrapping things.  So here is my take on February's sketch with the Nook's kit featuring Webster's Pages.


Supplies: patterned papers, trims, fabric (Webster's Pages), cardstock (Bazzill), journal spot (Maya Road), glitter chipboard letters (Cosmo Cricket), pearls and rhinestones (Dollarama), pen (Creative Memories), ink (CTMH), font (Amura)

The Webster's Hollywood Vogue line is some gorgeous stuff.  You almost don't want to cut into it, it is so pretty. 

As to March's sketch...  I am looking forward to receiving my March Kit in the weeks to come.  Here is what it looks like.

Hot off the heels of CHA, this kit features Crate Paper's Emma Shoppe and MME's Stella Rose with some Webster Pages trims.  Ooh... this is going to be a fun one!

TTFN,

More CreativFestival

Continuing on from my last post about the Fall CreativFestival, I have a few more items to share that I recently finished up.  During the event, I also visited the Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine's crafting area where I had an opportunity to do a cute Jillibean Soup's Atomic Soup make'n take card also taught by Sarah Hodgkinson.  In making the card we had an opportunity to use the new Fiskars anywhere punch.  Very cool tool!

The next make'n take was taught by Catherine Tachdjian.  This was a layout sponsored by Bella Blvd using their One Fall Day line.  We started with the green background, the blue sunflower rectangle patterned paper, the bottom green strip and the striped paper.  From there I started to veer away from the design as I began playing with the shapes fussy cutting page.  I had to leave early to make it to my scheduled class that day but in the end this what I turned it into at home.

Supplies: patterned papers (Bella Blvd.), chipboard letters (Heidi Swapp) foam letters (Dollarama),watercolour cardstock (Carson), brown marker (Staedtler) white pen (Signo), twine (Dollarama)

I had fun adding these really cute photos of my daughter and her friend which worked well with the paper and my end design.

Overall a fun crafty experience and I look forward to attending the Spring CreativFestival in April.

TTFN,