Workshop Layouts

I have two layouts to share with you.  Both I started at my last workshop.  The first I want to share with you is the last layout I did at my workshop.  To be honest all I did with this one at my workshop was to adhere a 5"x 7" photo to a scene pattern paper (I covered the yellow submarine with the photos LOL).
Yesterday using my Silhouette Cameo I cut out the title and the Orca.  I started with just 'Amazing' but then added the 'Creatures'.  Then using a date stamp I added the date we went to Sea World.

The second layout was my first layout I did at my workshop.  I wanted a red gingham paper for my background as we had gone to a traditional Italian pizza place for lunch that day.  But it needed breaking. I cut a narrow frame from black cardstock and a narrow circle frame from kraft cardstock, I adhered these to my layout then added my photos.
Today I cut out the title and stamped two tickets stamps for a bit of fun.  Lastly I added a journaling block (which now has journaling in it)

Can you believe, at this pizza place I had a huge tasty ... salad.  The food and company was amazing.  We had some good laughs.  It was great to stop briefly after shopping in Coronado - a beautiful sea side town with amazing houses (one of my next layouts)

It is so much fun to work on my holiday album.  I love remembering all the fun we had as I look at the photos before and after I scrapbook them.

Die-cut inlay card

Over the weekend I watched a You Tube video from one of my favourite card-makers Jennifer McGuire.  After watching the video I just had to give this technique a go.  A link to her video is at the end of this post, I do recommend that you watch it.  She shows you how to create the background and the die-cut so you can inlay your title of your card.

I loved creating the background so today I have created three more for even more cards.

I wanted to do this as I have a little friend that is desperate need of some happy mail, so I plan to make more cards and send them to her regularly.  I think we all need a little bit a happy mail sometimes.

Enjoy Jennifer's video and I hope you too will give it a go.

Title Spacing Trick

I love cutting out my titles using my Silhouette Cameo, but have often found once cut out I can't get the title to look good on my layouts as my letter and word spacing goes out the window.
Just last week, I cut out a title and took it will me to finish the layout at a craft group.  While at the craft group I started using the negative space of my leftover title as a guide as to where to put my letters on my layout.  Wow, it worked and was so easy.  Let me show you how I did.


First take you layout and place the negative space of your title onto your layout and decide where you want your title to be.

Once you are happy with the placement of your title start adding adhesive to the back of your letters and adhere them back into the space where they were cut from.

Carefully remove the negative space cardstock from your layout

Check out your perfect looking title. Here is the finished two page layout.
This has become a favourite way to get my titles looking the way I want them.  It helps to design and cut out your title using your Silhouette, Scan'n'Cut or Cricut so that it cuts the way you want it to look on your finished layout.

Craft Out West - Card from Die-cut kit

I am so sorry it has been way too long since my last posting.  I so wanted to do better getting things up on my blog this year, but as you can see things really got away from me.

Well to make up for it I have a really fun card that I have created from a little giveaway set of die-cuts that I was giving away at Craft Out West last weekend.  The show was fantastic as usual and I truly loved meeting so many talented people.

I was giving away a set of die-cuts to those that purchased from me or mentioned my newsletters at my table during the show.  One of the die-cuts in this set looked like this:

I am sure some of you looked at this die-cut and thought, "What can I do with this?"  Well I am here to answer that question.  Here is a small card I created using this die-cut as the front of my card.

So to create this card, I took a 6"x 4" piece of cream cardstock and folded it to measure 4"x 3" with the fold at the top of the card.

Next I added a piece of ribbon to the die-cut piece.

Adhere some foam to the back of the die-cut piece then adhere the die-cut to the front of the card.

Using a 1" circle punch I punched out three circle from pattern paper and adhered them through the holes on the die-cut piece.

I hope you enjoy this little project.

I have another card project that I would like to share soon

Let's get crafty this weekend ...

Creativity on the Run - or in my case during the Wait!

Sometimes in the middle of a crazy busy week it is nice to take an hour to do something fun and something just for you.

I did that last week and again this week.  I was frantically getting my newsletter and ScrapPacks done.  It was the last minute crazies.  But as soon as all the ScrapPacks were packed and shipped I took some time to try out a couple of dies.

The first one I tries was the new Teresa Collins words die.  Oh wow, these cut so nicely and look stunning.  I just had to use them on a couple of cards that I made.

The next die I used was the Elizabeth Craft Designs Adirondack Chair Pop It up Die.  Oh I am so happy with how this came together.  They do recommend you cut the top pattern paper at the same time as the cardstock so you know everything will fit together when it comes to assembling the card.

I was impressed that these dies cut and emboss at the same time, very cool!

My daughter things I am really funny!  On a Wednesday night she and I drive out to Onehunga (half and hours drive from home) as she teaches a Zumba class there.  She doesn't quite have her restricted license yet so I need to go with her.  this use to be my time to write my G&T emails.  But now, my daughter is impressed as to how as soon as we pull into the Onehunga YMCA car-park I can turn the car into a mini craft room.  I now bring my Spectrum Noir pens, cut-cut cards, adhesive, pencil case and other bits, and I will set and craft until it gets to dark (being winter it gets dark early now).  Then I read or write blog entries, or newsletter articles.  Hey! I might as well make the most of my time - right!

Where are some of the strange places you craft or create?

Set of Four Cute Cards

I came across this idea for these cards from Jennifer McGuire's email that I received a few weeks ago. I watched the video and thought, "Hey, I could do that"  and it was so easy.

I just used some of my favourite little stamps that I have had for ages from Imaginisce and added a little sentiment from an older Inkadinkado stamp.  I coloured each of my stamped images using my Spectrum Noir pens.

Jennifer McGuire used some nested dies with stitching for her cards, but I did not have these, so instead used my Silhouette Cameo and found some stitched nested designs on the Silhouette Design store.

I cut out my designs and then layered them with foam tape.  To add variety I added foam tape to different pieces to put the different frames on different levels.  I really like the result.

Here is Jennifer McGuire's video.  I hope it inspires you too...

Taking Time To Be Creative

With the silly season well and truly upon us, it can be very hard to find time to create.  This weekend was no exception.  Daughters needed to be here, there and everywhere all at once, which meant trucking them where they needed to go.  In between these times and giving my house a little clean (really it needs a big clean, but we won't look to closely will we ...) I gave myself permission to take time and create a couple of fun little cards.

Here is one I created using the really cool metal die set from Echo park.

I started with a very plain background cream cardstock and just went over it with the Distress Ink Broken China and the Distress ink tool.  I punched out the corners - I love this effect.

I cut all the clouds using a light blue Bazzill cardstock, then cut out the word 'sunny' and the sun from yellow Bazzill cardstock.

All these dies are from the Echo Park Sun and Clouds die set - available from our online shop

I also used some red washi tape for some fun contrast.  One of the plain clouds was adhered using foam tape seeing as it was in front of the others.  I really like adding dimension to my cards.

I also had a bit of fun with this little journaling card.  I saw an idea on Pinterest and thought I should give it a go.  I love this particular punch, it seems to be very versatile.

Basically I had two pieces of cardstock and then using this punch, I punched out a piece from the side of my lights cardstock

I matted my main two pieces of cardstock then added a scallop circle and two strips of cardstock.  I also stamped in the space that was punched out - this looks so cool.

I love getting more uses and ideas on how to get the most out of my punches.

Preparing for Craft Out West

Oh my goodness!

Shows and Expos always come round so fast.  Still so much to day and only a few days left to get things done.

Today I have been working on my little giveaway that I will be giving to special customers :)

I have been frantically cutting out on my Silhouette Cameo for everyone.

In each pack you will get the word Joy, with the 'O' being an ornament, a Ho Ho Ho title, a jingle bell with a red ribbon and a vintage lamp post.  Here are a few ideas that you can use to create some cards using these items.

The background papers or cards are not included, only the main shapes.

Have fun everyone!

See you at Craft Out West this weekend
West Wave Recreation Center
20 Alderman Drive
Henderson

10am - 4pm
Saturday and Sunday
8th and 9th November