Saturday, April 30, 2011

First go get a cuppa - this is a long post..

You may wonder what happens to all the cards that I make for classes, competitions and just in general...well on this wet day I thought I would tell you before I go to make some more cards - mojo's back baby!!


I started off crafting over 10 years ago and made cards as I have always loved playing with paper and colour. I was then introduced to scrap booking and loved that I could combine so many of the techniques with both crafts. I started teaching card classes and scrap booking classes at my not so local SS and loved having to push my thought processes to come up with something different each time that also made customers think about what they used and how to use get the most out of it.

After a few years I moved on to a more local SS and was teaching there up until last year, I was also on two design teams and made heaps of projects for display and classes. Now scrapbook pages have a home in albums, but over all those years I kept the cards in folders, so I knew what I had taught and not repeat myself, but they were mounting up and taking up a lot of room and it seemed such a waste (as I generally custom make cards that I give to friends and family).

So I went through and together with envelopes individually packaged them in cellophane bags and donated them to Mona Vales Hospital's axillary to sell on their monthly stalls. So if you are ever on the Northern Beaches and see a stall at Avalon, Newport or Mona Vale, then look out for my cards and grab yourself a bargain...it is going to a good cause.

You may think that it ends with the one donation, but it doesn't... I have accumulated an obscene amount of product over the last decade and have set myself a task of going through it all and deciding what I really will use and what I just bought cos it was sooooo nice and am  creating more cards to keep donating.

I am not a selfless person, I am also making cards to sell later in the year with a friend. Just remember if you find yourself with an overflow of product, consider making cards and donating them to a worthy cause in your area, you will feel good making something and knowing that it is helping at the same time is an extra buzz - the perfect thing to do on a rainy old day .....after you finish your cuppa.


Friday, April 22, 2011

I've got mail

What a pleasant surprise it is to receive mail these days - you know the kind that comes to an actual physical mailbox (not an inbox) and isn't a bill.

Well look what I got the other day from a sweet friend who I don't see often enough (she is also the creator of the watermarked card I posted about not so long ago).


Wishing you a Happy Easter.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Never forget

Well, this is the add on to the Memories layout in the last post - a simple single page with plenty of space for journaling.


This layout connects in a few ways with the double page...my daughter at the beach in the middle of winter and using leftovers from the other layout together with LYB paper and embellishments on dark blue card stock.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Moments

Well the cold weather is making itself know the last few nights and Summer is starting to feel a distant memory, but this layout was created with both in mind. My kids don't seem to mind what the weather or season, they can't resist going into the water (even fully clothed).



LeAnne taught this layout recently and I hope the gals in the class had fun with it, using papers and embellishments from WRMK, mesh by Green Tara and wooden words by L'il Davis. I will post the add on page later in the week.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Special

Another special card from another special friend - I am so lucky to have so many of them in my life. I love simple & elegant and she always does that with a little something extra. I really love the watermark stamp on the kraft card.


I am also a huge fan of border punches!!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Wonderland

You may have noticed a decided lack of scrapbooking layouts of late and far more cards. Well I have found it easier to do a little rather than a lot, but I finally got around to printing photo's for this layout.

At one stage the girls were doing ballet together and this was the last ballet concert in which they both appeared: Alice in Wonderland. They were both "cards" and "tweedles" and I found the Graphic 45 Halloween in Wonderland range worked well together with Coredinations Jenni Bowlin cardstock, black, cream & red cardstock, some AC Thickers and Tim Holtz Distress Ink.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Good Friends

So blessed to have wonderful friends and these are a few more thank you cards, so they know I appreciate that friendship.
These cards were actually made as add on's to a class that I taught at last years weekend away (I am so sad I couldn't be at this year's) and uses 7Gypsies Hudson Valley range papers with black & cream card stock and some really cool masking tape.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Got to share

I've shown you one of Fiona's cards before and am totally in awe of all the hard work she puts into these mini artworks.....also very grateful that she is a friend who cares so much, so thought I would share this gorgeous card with you and brighten every ones day.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Too wet for some

Sometimes it's even too wet for frogs!! With all the wet weather we've been having last month, our back yard & pond have had a lot more volume to the croaking - it's been frog party central, but apparently, even they need a break from all that wet every now & again and this little fella decided to come into the office to dry off and gave Gen a surprise. i don't know who got the bigger shock.



Well he stayed there all night, but  by morning he had gone back to his mates and now that the sun is shining again, all has gone quite.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Serendipity



ser·en·dip·i·ty

[ser-uhn-dip-i-tee] 
–noun
1. an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.

Well I must have been inspired by wishing I had been able to go to the Joyful Scraps Week end Away and all the great projects they were doing. I sat down & played and this is what happened:



It is a complete departure from my normal style - I am not known for collaging. Serendipity is one of my favourite words and I have often described myself as a serendipitous scrapper. My life is also full of serendipity especially this year and this layout is a reminder to me about that.

I used Glitz Designs Love Nest (and even used some of the sheets to make the large flower at the bottom of the page. The Hoopla months, also by Glitz Designs will probably be used on a layout about the last half of the year as well. I used some of the tickets by Tim Holtz and lots of Glimmer Mist on the ruled paper and finished off with Epiphany ribbon from the April Embellishment pack. The die cut butterflies were cut from Fancy Pants Olivia. Dimension & shine was added to the layout using Glossy Accents and it was all backed by dark green cardstock.

 

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Who's Who of Scrapbooking

If you've ever wanted to know more about the creative forces in the scrapbooking industry, go check out Joyful Scraps blog as LeAnne interviews a different personality each month.

February was the uber talented Sherry Mendoza, a woman with a lot going on and so creative. March gave us an insight into Sally Wilson, the driving force behind Delish Designs and her creative style.

This month is the lovely and talented (card maker, scrapbooker & off-the-pager) Dawn Lewis, who's style and personality bring a smile to my face. She is such a lovely person as are the other ladies mentioned. It is so nice to see that we in Australia have a strong creative presence in the world of paper crafting.

Check out the blog each month, leave a comment and you could win a prize. Also check out the value packed embellishment packs each month and what these talented artists produce with them to give you some amazing ideas and inspiration.