OTP Inspiration

Hi Everyone!
Its already October and not long now til Christmas - I know how could I even mention it?! Its too early to start thinking presents!!!  But its not if you're like me and make a lot of your gifts and cards.  So I thought I'd show you what you can do with a simple photoframe.  You can pick them anywhere and now that they come window boxed as well as just flat framed it gives oodles more possibilities. 

The first frame is a really simple wooden one I picked up at The Warehouse, made for a colleague who has just lost his mum to cancer.  I just added a Prima vine, some single little rosebuds and a wee tag - simple but really effective and displays beautifully on a metal display stand.

The second frame I also purchased from TWH and was part of a wedding present - the vine this time was chosen because the colours matched their bridesmaids dresses perfectly, I then just added some rubons and a chipboard heart that was painted and whilst still wet I applied glitter.

The third frame actually made the recipient cry!  Not my intention but she had just lost who precious wee cat so this was a special gift.  The white matt of the frame I stamped using a script stamp and pinecone ink and matted the photo onto some Karen Foster paper.  The 'pompom' vine is from my stash - a petaloo product - and matched the bush Buddy was lying in, with some ribbon, extra few flowers and his initial to personalise the frame.

Now hopefully this has given you some inexpensive ideas for gifts this year!
Happy Scrapping!
Megan

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Bella Blvd - Making the Team....

Get out those sport photos and created some stunning pages using the new Bella Blvd Making the Team range...papers, chipboard, and stickers!!!

 And here are a few designs from the Bella Blvd blog 

First a card designed by Allyson on the Bella Blvd blog using Making the Team.

 This gorgeous layout by Lyn Ghahary!!!

And some lovely creations using the very cute Finally Fall range.  This layout was designed by  Jamie Harper

Download instructions for this gorgeous layout using the new Making the Team range. Be sure to check out the Bella blog - it is brimming over with amazing work. 

Create a layout using at least one Bella Blvd product and be in the draw to win a $15.00 store voucher.  Upload your take to our gallery by 31 October.

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Step by Step- Making flowers for your layout

Hi Everyone and welcome to Technique Tuesday.

 This week i wanted to show you an easy way to make some pretty flowers for your page- easy and cost effective too! I bought my little bags from the Warehouse but you can get the bags in different colours from the $2 shop as well and in different sizes.
First of all you will need some little bags that look like this-

Cut it in two- underneath the sewn line- as shown
Then using the drawstrings - pull it tight so that it looks like this

Then with the second part of your bag cut out 2 circles like this-  it can be quite rough - i didn;t measure-

Then i tucked these 2 circles into the top - through the hole to make the flower fuller. i  used a small circle of chipboard or cardstock underneath to glue it all together.

Then i added a flower in the centre of my large flower and a brad for the smaller one.

and the smaller one

This is the layout that i used these flowers on - using Teresa Collins papers

I hope that you will give these flowers a try - they are great for people like mewho are sewing challenged!

Products used

Teresa Collins papers
Imaginarium Chipboard - coming soon!!
Kaisercraft Flowers
Collections Pins
Teresa Collins Brads
Black and White Bazzill
Kaisercraft Rhinestones
Kaisercraft transparency

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OTP Inspiration with MME and Teresa Collins

Hi everyone - it's time for some inspiration using the MME Lush 2 range and Freestyle by Teresa Collins. These two ranges work so well together! The set I created is giving me a bit of a circus vibe which is SO hot right now!

This gift set would be perfect for a teen girl, or any girly girl really!

I started by creating a gift box. This is the perfect size for some hand cream and lipgloss or any number of small items.

If you'd like to make this box, you can find the instructions here. I decorated the box with this awesome pom pom trim and the co-ordinating ribbon as well as some Green Tara flowers. I love that flocked paper!

For me, homemade packaging is ALL about the details. Going the extra step really makes your packaging stand out. So with this box, I like to also line the inside...

This is a good way to use up those cut scraps of paper and also helps make the box even more sturdy. I have made the tag on this box removable so the box can be used for storage after the gift is taken out.

I used the same papers to create a large 5"x5" card. I layered the sentiment cut from this paper onto a flocked journalling panel. The adorable speech bubble from 2crafty (looks like they are out of stock - ask Adrienne if you need them!) was covered in the grid paper and I used a thicker number 2 to make it a little text speak funky and to tie in with the sentiment on the box tag. The ribbon is again from the Lush set.

I finished off the gift set with a little pillow box. I used a sizzix die but you can find templates for these all over the internet. This one would be perfect for another small gift or a gift card.

Have a wonderful weekend, I hope you get time to be creative!
Sarah

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Fortnightly Challenge #2 - Multiphoto

Hi girls,

Time to announce our second fortnightly challenge for September. This one is a multiphoto challenge, and I want you to use at least 3 photos on your layout.

Here's my example:



Products used:
Cosmo Cricket Social Club "Blue Eyes"
Cosmo Cricket Social Club "Martini"
Cosmo Cricket Social Club "Cocktail"
Cosmo Cricket Social Club Borders
Cosmo Cricket Social Club Elements
grey Bazzill
Heidi Swapp clear stamp "Smile"
Stazon ink
American Crafts Thickers
Carolee's Creations Tiny Etched Natural alphabet stickers
Three Bugs in a Rug paper (dots)

You have until midnight, Friday 30th September to upload your creation to the gallery. Remember, if you enter 3 out of 4 challenges this month, you could be in to win!

Happy Scrapping!

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MME Lost & Found Two Inspiration

Hi girls,

I was sent a box of utter gorgeousness that is My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Two! I couldn't wait to start creating as soon as I opened it.

Here are two layouts I created using a couple of different lines from this range - Breeze and Rosy.

CROSSING THE LINE


Products used:
MME Lost & Found Two - Breeze "Everywhere"
MME Lost & Found Two - Breeze "Boyish"
MME Lost & Found Two - Breeze "Precious" decorative brads
MME Lost & Found Two - Rosy "Love" layered chipboard stickers
MME Lost & Found Two - Rosy "Love" buttons
October Afternoon Mini Market alphabet stickers
Basic Grey Hopscotch element stickers
Prima flowers & leaves

EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU

Products used:
MME Lost & Found Two - Rosy "Remember"
MME Lost & Found Two - Rosy "Everything"
MME Lost & Found Two - Rosy "Everything" title
MME Lost & Found Two - Rosy "Love" layered chipboard stickers
MME Lost & Found Two - Rosy "Love" buttons
black Bazzill
Prima flowers
white chipboard tag
black chipboard heart
transparency

Thanks for looking!

Hannah

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Product Focus -Imaginisce Roly Rosies

,Hi everyone!
Imaginisce have produced this funky range of flowers for you to create, or Rosies as they call them.  Included in the pack are 24 different rosies, each in a different design, either black and white, brown and cream or brown and white.  The designs are script, floral, polka dot and damask, and they are in three sizes small, medium and large.

They also come in two different edges with small and a large version of both - so either scalloped edge or smooth.  If you wanted to a have different edge rather than the smooth edge you would have enough room to use fancy edged scissors.

The instructions are really clear and easy to follow.  All you have to do is separate the rosie from the perforated edge, like this

They say to use a paper quilling tool to start the paper rolling, I have one and used it to start my first rosie but I also found that it was just as easy to use my trusty chopstick and mould the paper round it. Once you have rolled the whole thing up all you have to do is fiddle around with your petals to arrange your flower how you want it to look.  (The tighter you roll your flower the smaller the flower is.)

This shows my three sizes of rosies.  The middle one is actually the large size but Ive rolled it tightly to get a smaller bud.  The third one is the medium size which I have loosely rolled and then curled the edges out with my trusty chopstick!, and added a brad to the centre.
At a cost of $11.90 for 24 flowers - thats huge value for money!

Happy Scrapping!
Megan

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In The Spotlight - "Just For Fun" Sketch Challenge from Vicky

Hi girls,

Vicky Mullen (aka gypsykate), this month's "In The Spotlight" winner, has designed a great sketch for this "Just For Fun" challenge. She's also done an example layout to inspire you all.

She designed this awesome sketch:

And here is her example:

This would be a great challenge to do at the Scrappin' Patch retreat this weekend, or at home if you aren't going to the retreat.

If you want to take part in this challenge, upload your layout to the gallery here: http://scrappinpatch.co.nz/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=452

Happy Scrapping!

Hannah

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Christmas Inspiration

Hi Ladies and welcome to Inspiration Wednesday. This week i would like to share with you some Christmas layouts that i created with some Websters pages. If you are anything like me then you take heaps of photos at Christmas time- there is always so many things to record- and never get around to scrapping all of them. I still have quite a stack to get through from last year so was secretly pleased when Adrienne sent me the Christmas inspiration kit! Afterall it is only just over 3 months to go till Christmas- it rolls around pretty fast - so i need to get all those photos done now before i have a new pile to do!

This first layout is of my second DD who at 5 (now 6) still believes in Santa. The girls are very lucky as Santa comes to our house for our annual Christmas party in December where the girls ask all their friends and school mates to come. Last year we had 40 kids! Santa arrives and hands out presents and we always get some great shots of the girls with Santa. ( Mainly because its actually their dad! Simon has been a professional Santa since he was 17- and has 2 Santa suits)- only Zoe realises that its actually dad!

Anyway this first layout is of Ella sitting on Santa's knee - i love the look on her face when he asks her what she would like for Christmas and her look of shy awe in the third photo! I used the back side of a heavily patterned Websters page  for a change -and added lots of Petaloo flowers and gorgeous Websters sparklers....

Here is a close up shot

The second page i tried to keep pretty simple as Websters pages usually are pretty detailed and i wanted both the page and the photo to be the focus without a whole lot of layering or embellishing. So what to do when you can;t layer? Well how about using a shadow box technique where you cut into the paper and layer behind the photo using lots of pop dots to make it have more dimension. Its hard to tell in the photo but in real life the photo is sunken into the page!

 I hope that this has inspired you to get out those old Christmas photos and start scrapping them now so that you are ready for this years gorgeous Christmas photos !

Happy Scrapping!

Francine

Products Used


Webster Pages
Petaloo Mini Bouquet Pansies
Websters Sparklers- Medallions
Kaisercraft flowers
My Minds Eye flowers
Doily
Kaisercraft Mini Alphas Black

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Tech Tuesday - Storage Ideas

Hi,

I know that there were lots of posts on the forum and also on the facebook page which focused on scrapbooking storage ideas so I thought I would base the topic of my Technique Tuesday blog post today around different (and not all expensive) storage solutions.

Of course, wouldn't we all just love to have Clip-it-Up storage (specifically that one that sits on your floor and can hold ALL your embellishments) but in reality I struggle to justify the price for that when I could also be spending that sort of money on the latest products (Prima anyone?). However, I am thinking that maybe Santa could bring me a Clip-it-Up this year... must add that to my wish list for Christmas. However, if you are after Clip-it-Up storage then I know that Adrienne can get that in for you... all you need to do is ask.

For me personally, storage solutions that work best for me are ones that make my scrapbooking supplies visible and easy to find. Nothing worse than spending more time HUNTING for that embellishment that I know I have somewhere but where did I put it? Most of the time, I don't find what I am looking for and have to settle for using something else (only to find that product at a later time!) Also, I find that when I can see the products I have I am more likely to actually use up my scrapbooking supplies. This makes me happy because I am not hoarding and never using and it means I get to go shopping for more newer and exciting supplies (new Prima anyone!).

The second problem I have is how to store my scrapbooking products and also stay portable. Long gone are the days where everything used to fit inside my one little crate which made going out to crops easy and stress free. Now it seems that I have to fill the boot of my car - and that is just for the Martha Stewart punch collection (but that is another story) -- just to go out for half a day.

So... what are the best storage solutions for your scrapbooking supplies? Well in a perfect world I would have one of those rooms (you know like on the Crafty Storage blog), it would be beautiful, it would be white, it would have little baskets and it would be accented in one other colour with beautiful artwork and inspiration on the walls. But sigh, it doesn't seem to be a perfect world right now.

Here are a few ideas that won't break the bank:

Firstly, you can make your own Clip-it-Up storage for embellishments. You will need a metal towel rail (I got mine from Howard's Storage World), some little coat hanger clips (from Plastic Box) and a man (got mine when I got married) to hang it. Attach, it securely to the wall and hang little embellishments from it. I have also put some of my punches on the top of it too.

Secondly, create a perfect punch storage by using an over hanging shoe storage over the back of your door! Punch out the shape and attach to the front of the pocket so you know which punch is inside and you will always have a place for each of your punches.

Thirdly, utilise a spice rack for your glitzes, your spritzes and your mists. It utilises the height of your room and makes a pretty little display for all your mists etc. This photo (and the one above) is actually from Annelie's room and if you look closely you can see she has added a little Clip-it-Up to the bottom of her spice rack as well.

I also like to use little boxes for embellishments which sit on my desk. Which is great as I can pick through them easily and they are portable to take to crops as well. I usually have one for Prima and one for other types of embellishments.



Lastly, an easy cost effective way to make my room look pretty, is to put up some of your layouts on the walls. Unfortunately, I have just packed mine away right now to move house next week but I can show you an example from Annelie's wall. I love that I can put up my latest layouts to get me all inspired before putting them away in albums (or pizza boxes) as I find they don't get looked at as often. It is easy as hanging a piece of string between two picture hooks and pegging up your layouts with little pegs.

I know I could blog all day about different storage solution ideas!! I haven't even really scratched the surface. I know there are many products out there that you can buy such as Cropper Hopper files for paper storage, photo storage products and embellishment storage solutions but I hope this post has helped you get inspired to organise your scrap space where ever it might be.

//Michelle

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September Off The Page Challenge

Hi everyone - it's time to introduce the OTP challenge for September. This month I would like you to make an Artist Trading Card that stands alone as a piece of art, then use your card on a larger item. You can use your ATC on a greeting card, decor item, giftbox or scrapbook page.

If you haven't made an ATC before it is SO easy! Cut your base card at 3.5 inches x 2.5 inches then decorate as desired. Traditionally, Artist Trading Cards are made flat and stored in sleeves designed for baseball cards, but I say break all the rules! Decorate your ATC however you like - you're the artist!

Here's my ATC. I cut apart the petals of my prima flowers so I could adhere them to the back of the sentiment layer exactly how I wanted them.

And here's the card I created using my ATC as the focus....

You can make the ATC removable if you like, I do this sometimes and put a strip of magnetic tape on the back so the inspiring card can be kept on the fridge.

Here's a little peek inside the card....

I hope you'll join in this month and make your very own ATC and use it on a larger item. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Supplies:
Emma's Shoppe Paper - Crate Paper
Out of Print Paper - Basic Grey
Liquid Pearls in Baby Blue
Barn Door Distress Ink
Crochet Trim
Prima Flowers
Leaf Trim
Button
Twine
Verve Visual Stamps
Verve Curvy Bookplate Die

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September Sketch Challenge

Hi Ladies and welcome to the sketch challenge for September.I have an amazing sketch for you this month from the awesome sketch site Sketchabilities. They have kindly given permission for us to use this sketch- a great multi photo layout with lots of room for layering and interpretation.I can't wait to see what you all create with this one! Please check out sketchabilities website at

 http://sketchabilities.blogspot.com/

This is my interpretation of the sketch using some Creative Imaginations papers and lots of Prima bling and flowers! Adrienne has all the new ranges of Prima and Kaisercraft and Websters and BoBunny in store or soon arriving. The shop is chock full of lines from the CHA show in the States so check out the online shop!

Happy Scrapping!

Francine

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This month's Spotlight is on ...

... Vicky Mullen aka gypsykate!

I would like to share Vicky's fabulous winning layouts. Here's her layout for August's sketch challenge:

And here are her layouts for August's fortnightly challenges:

And so you can all get to know Vicky a little better, I conducted a little interview.

1. Tell us a little about yourself - your family, where you live, etc.

I live in a little town 30 minutes outside of sunny Nelson with my 5 year old daughter and my parents. My 2 grown sons have left home, the eldest is a baker in Stratford and has a beautiful baby daughter. My middle son lives with my brother in Australia, at 19 he hasn't decided what he wants to do yet so he works at McDonalds while he makes up his mind. My kids are my pride and joy. I suffer from RA (an auto-immune disease) which stops me from working but I keep myself busy scrapbooking, mixed media art, reading, playing games on Facebook and of course spending time with Katie and my huge extended family.

2. How long have you been scrapbooking?

7 years.

3. What got you into scrapbooking?

Losing my partner in an accident, I needed something to record all the memories I held of him, and had helped my Mum make a scrapbook for my nephew's 21st earlier in the year. I managed to get not only myself hooked but a few of my friends.

4. Where do you get most of your inspiration from?

The photo I am using, or sometimes the patterned paper, sometimes from an image or something I see on TV or the net.

5. If you had to choose just THREE scrapbooking products, what would they be and why?

Patterned paper, I am a junkie for pretty paper.

My Silhouette, I cant live without it and use it just about every time I scrapbook.

Stamps, this is a rapidly growing addiction and I love to use them on layouts.

6. Who are your favourite celebrity scrapbookers?

That's such a hard one, there are so many fantastic scrapbook artists that I admire. I suppose if I was to pick one it would be Nichol Magouirk.

7. Your favourite quote is ...

"Stay calm and just breathe."

I hope you have all enjoyed seeing Vicky's work and getting to know her better. Stay tuned, because in a couple of weeks we will be posting a special "just for fun" weekend sketch challenge based on a sketch chosen by Vicky (as well as her interpretation of it).

Congratulations Vicky, on being this month's winner. I hope you've enjoyed being "In the Spotlight" (and it's not over yet)!

Hannah

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Fortnightly challenge ends 14th September

Hi,

Welcome to the first fortnightly challenge for September and the first time we are posting challenges directly to the blog and onto Facebook!! I know it feels a bit weird for me to be posting it here rather than on the forum but I hope you all enjoy playing along with the challenges this month.

The theme for September is 'Mighty Masculine' so this month it is all about the boys!

My challenge for you is a 'journalling and doodling challenge' -- so I would love to see the telling of a story as the main focus of your page and of course get that black (or another colour) pen out and doodle as well. My example layout is about my husband and my dad running their second marathon together down in Rotorua. I have taken advantage of the lines on my patterned paper to tell the story as well as extra journalling around the edge of the circle. I have also added doodling to my banner and my sticker embellishments as well as adding some ruled lines around the edges of my page.

Remember - to be eligible to win 'In the Spotlight' you need to enter all 4 challenges for the month (the sketch challenge, the two fortnightly challenges, and the OTP challenge. To win the monthly RAK you need to enter 3 out of the 4 challenges.

I hope you enjoy playing along with this challenge and I am looking forward to seeing all the layouts in the gallery!!

//Michelle

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