Ladies,
I apologize for being a bit slow to get out my schedule of classes to everyone. I hope to get that out by the end of next week. It has been such a fascinating week already. I can't say that I'm ever going to miss working outside the home again.
Last night I went to a fabulous inspiration night at Angela's house and now I am just bursting with even more ideas. Angela outdid herself with so many great techniques and the Lemon Butter Gooey Cake was fabulous!!!!
Monday the kids played in the sprinklers until they were icky muddy messes and today they have run around with pillowcases and blankets pinned around their necks for superhero capes. I have to say they have put on a real spectacle for me to watch this week. What a blessing that they are at the age to enjoy each other so much!
Anyway, for the first time the clock does not seem to chase me down each and every hour, and I am feeling so much more at ease with my To Do List this week. I have had so many ideas I am not sure there are enough weekends to hold them all, so I may be polling to see if some people might enjoy an evening class every once in a while. I am specifically planning a Scrapbooking for Beginners class, a Watercoloring techniques class, a Stamp-a-stack card class, and my Christmas Card Club idea is still being ironed out. So many crafts, so little time.
Please let me know if you are interested in something specific and I will be happy to tailor something for your needs. Everyone have a great weekend and keep me posted!
Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts
Friday, March 30, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
High Impact
Now when I say High Impact, I mean "small cost, big return". If crafting isn't fun, why do it? If you aren't proud of what you make, why bother? If you are finding yourself getting stuck in a rut or always unsure where to start, try using only two colors (preferrably two you love.) If you love pink, buy it in droves.
Pick a neutral that works for you. It could be white, black, green, or chocolate brown. When you surround yourself with the colors you love, you will feel inspired. This goes just as much for the colors on your walls and furniture as it does for your scrapbooks and cards. If you hate green, don't use it. Substitue something else that does appeal to you.
Stampin' Up! has a color wheel you can purchase, but if you are just starting out I suggest using the colors you love. Once you get into your own creating groove, you can work on adding new colors and combinations to jazz things up and keep it fresh. But until then, if you work with pink on pink on pink, keep it up! All that matters is that when the day is done, you are happy with your creations.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Organizing Your Craft Area
I very much like to be organized, but I find the day-to-day task of keeping things orderly almost grueling. So while I try to use easy to maintain systems, I still like for things to be visually appealing (or at least semi-appealing) to give me the added encouragement to keep our stuff under control. So getting your craft area into ship shape condition can really only make craft time easier and more fun. Whether you use a movable tote that you can carry to table top and back to its storage closet or, if like me, you have overtaken the family desk, it is important to be able to use your supplies without having to plan an urban assault to find them.
(Stampin’ Up! sells some great paper, embellishment, and ribbon keepers that are clear so you can see all your choices easily. I personally enjoy being able to see the majority of my supplies in plain sight. The colors inspire me as much as the occasions and it is a constant reminder to not let weeks go by before I allow myself to sit down to create something.)
I have attached some photos of my own desk area. Obviously everyone’s special crafting spot is going to be different, but I believe if you allow yourself the luxury of a place to work and store your supplies it can make all the difference. I used to use long rectangular baskets for all my supplies. That system was great when I worked on the kitchen table and could easily look into them on their shelves from my chair, but times change and the kids’ paints and art supplies eventually booted my stuff. I tried to keep the same system of baskets when I moved everything upstairs, but having to get up from the desk every time I needed a sheet of paper cut into my “flow”. So I finally re-organized and I have loved my new work space. I really just crammed as much as I could into my space by using the containers we already had around the house. I bet you will be amazed at what you can come up with if you think about what containers you already have at home too.
Here are some tips to consider:
1. Find enough work surface to spread out a bit. If you like some elbow room, a TV tray probably won’t be your first choice. But maybe it might be a nice additional item to set up next to your chair to hold a drink and a yummy treat without risking your current creations.
2. Find a comfy chair to work from. Or at least get a seat cushion to make yourself comfortable in a wooden chair.
3. Keep a trashcan handy to easily discard your scraps and keep your work surface neat.
4. Provide inspiration for your area. Pin up your favorite cards, photos, or anything else you find gets your creative juices flowing.
5. Do you have the luxury of a specialized location so you don’t have to clean-up mid-project? If not, maybe you could use some project envelopes to stash your supplies for when you
(Stampin’ Up! sells some great paper, embellishment, and ribbon keepers that are clear so you can see all your choices easily. I personally enjoy being able to see the majority of my supplies in plain sight. The colors inspire me as much as the occasions and it is a constant reminder to not let weeks go by before I allow myself to sit down to create something.)
I have attached some photos of my own desk area. Obviously everyone’s special crafting spot is going to be different, but I believe if you allow yourself the luxury of a place to work and store your supplies it can make all the difference. I used to use long rectangular baskets for all my supplies. That system was great when I worked on the kitchen table and could easily look into them on their shelves from my chair, but times change and the kids’ paints and art supplies eventually booted my stuff. I tried to keep the same system of baskets when I moved everything upstairs, but having to get up from the desk every time I needed a sheet of paper cut into my “flow”. So I finally re-organized and I have loved my new work space. I really just crammed as much as I could into my space by using the containers we already had around the house. I bet you will be amazed at what you can come up with if you think about what containers you already have at home too.
Here are some tips to consider:
1. Find enough work surface to spread out a bit. If you like some elbow room, a TV tray probably won’t be your first choice. But maybe it might be a nice additional item to set up next to your chair to hold a drink and a yummy treat without risking your current creations.
2. Find a comfy chair to work from. Or at least get a seat cushion to make yourself comfortable in a wooden chair.
3. Keep a trashcan handy to easily discard your scraps and keep your work surface neat.
4. Provide inspiration for your area. Pin up your favorite cards, photos, or anything else you find gets your creative juices flowing.
5. Do you have the luxury of a specialized location so you don’t have to clean-up mid-project? If not, maybe you could use some project envelopes to stash your supplies for when you
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Baby Girl Congratulations Card
I had to make three cards in a rush the other week, and I realized this basic layout has become one of my favorite "go-to" designs. I used the same bird/elephant/flower combo in the pink/red color scheme to do Valentine bags as well. The bags got lots of compliments, and I was really proud of the way they turned out.
Stamps: Wild about You; Warmest Regards
Colors: pixie pink, real red, whisper white
Embellishments: medium transparent envelope, ivory organdy ribbon
Friday, February 23, 2007
Scrapbooking for the Hesitant
I have already converted two self-proclaimed non-crafty people into scrapbooking moms, so I believe any woman (but especially moms) can find something to enjoy out of scrapbooking, if you give it a try. Actually it would be more correct to say my DS and I have each converted someone. When my DS was a toddler he carried a scrapbook over to my friend Cortney and said, “read book of me!” She was so amazed at how much fun and excitement he had showing off the album full of pictures of himself that she wanted to create the same kind of experience for her own child. Honestly I think all sizes of scrapbooks should be called brag books because what mother doesn’t enjoy bragging about her children? So I challenge you to disregard any feelings of craftiness inadequacy and find some way to proudly display your photos!
Post-Pregnancy I realized some manner of scrapbooking was the only way I would ever succeed in getting any of our family photos out of the computer and into any sort of viewable album. (Later I also realized how much I enjoyed sitting down with my DS and our albums and letting him tell our family story.) My favorite part of the scrapbooking format is called journaling. This is where you write a blurb about the significance of the pictures on that page. Journaling allows me to add little snippets about the kids that go along with the photos so I won’t forget all those great details (especially since I already have a horrible memory).
While I fully admit I enjoy scrapbooking, I have to qualify that I go for the simple approach. I like to use the large 12x12 scrapbooks so I can cram as many photos as possible into one page without regard to exact sizing. Or for example, if I have a picture of my baby’s blue eyes, I like them to be HUGE so that I might never forget their exact hue. Plastic sheet covers are also a must for all my scrapbooks. This way toddlers can look through the pages and not ruin the photos with smudgy fingerprints. After these two Must Haves, everything else is all based on personal preference.
For my first scrapbook I bought solid brightly colored paper and a 12x12 scrapbook. Everything else I used was from craft supplies I already had in my home. You can get lost in the embellishment section of hobby stores, but overall I like to keep my books pretty simple. For one, I like to use things over and over to get my money’s worth, so I’m not a huge fan of stickers. Kids, however, love stickers so usually my oldest sets up next to me with his own art supplies and puts stickers on every piece of paper he can find, while we have some “craft time”. (Hint: Be on the lookout for cheap stickers in the Dollar aisle at Target and other merchants like A.C. Moore. With little kids I believe it is quantity over quality when it comes to things like stickers.)
Since my first album I discovered the bevy of fabulous patterned paper, but I prefer the large sets of coordinating papers. (Stampin’ Up! has a beautiful selection if you are looking for some fool-proof supplies.) The papers are great for other crafts like card making as well. As a time-saver, the colors are already coordinated so I don’t have to waste time pondering what kind of paper to buy for a particular occasion. If I hadn’t found these great pre-coordinated sets, I would probably just stick to solid black or dark charcoal. I have yet to see a photo that doesn’t pop off the page on these two colors.
The other reason I’m not a huge fan of many embellishments is that they make the scrapbook LUMPY. Being the tightwad that I am, I don’t like wasting space or limiting how many pages I can pack into one album by having fat pages. The one type of embellishment I have learned to love are my Stampin' Up! stamp sets. I can use them over and over in a multitude of ways without making my pages too lumpy or chunky. Many styles of albums sell additional pages, but there is a limit to how many can be reasonably crammed into the binding without splitting the seams of the cover. I learned this after my DS’s first album developed a split down the seam. His constant use is emphasized by that rip and now I love it all the more. You see, I’m sort of a “warts and all” type of girl at heart.
Post-Pregnancy I realized some manner of scrapbooking was the only way I would ever succeed in getting any of our family photos out of the computer and into any sort of viewable album. (Later I also realized how much I enjoyed sitting down with my DS and our albums and letting him tell our family story.) My favorite part of the scrapbooking format is called journaling. This is where you write a blurb about the significance of the pictures on that page. Journaling allows me to add little snippets about the kids that go along with the photos so I won’t forget all those great details (especially since I already have a horrible memory).
While I fully admit I enjoy scrapbooking, I have to qualify that I go for the simple approach. I like to use the large 12x12 scrapbooks so I can cram as many photos as possible into one page without regard to exact sizing. Or for example, if I have a picture of my baby’s blue eyes, I like them to be HUGE so that I might never forget their exact hue. Plastic sheet covers are also a must for all my scrapbooks. This way toddlers can look through the pages and not ruin the photos with smudgy fingerprints. After these two Must Haves, everything else is all based on personal preference.
For my first scrapbook I bought solid brightly colored paper and a 12x12 scrapbook. Everything else I used was from craft supplies I already had in my home. You can get lost in the embellishment section of hobby stores, but overall I like to keep my books pretty simple. For one, I like to use things over and over to get my money’s worth, so I’m not a huge fan of stickers. Kids, however, love stickers so usually my oldest sets up next to me with his own art supplies and puts stickers on every piece of paper he can find, while we have some “craft time”. (Hint: Be on the lookout for cheap stickers in the Dollar aisle at Target and other merchants like A.C. Moore. With little kids I believe it is quantity over quality when it comes to things like stickers.)
Since my first album I discovered the bevy of fabulous patterned paper, but I prefer the large sets of coordinating papers. (Stampin’ Up! has a beautiful selection if you are looking for some fool-proof supplies.) The papers are great for other crafts like card making as well. As a time-saver, the colors are already coordinated so I don’t have to waste time pondering what kind of paper to buy for a particular occasion. If I hadn’t found these great pre-coordinated sets, I would probably just stick to solid black or dark charcoal. I have yet to see a photo that doesn’t pop off the page on these two colors.
The other reason I’m not a huge fan of many embellishments is that they make the scrapbook LUMPY. Being the tightwad that I am, I don’t like wasting space or limiting how many pages I can pack into one album by having fat pages. The one type of embellishment I have learned to love are my Stampin' Up! stamp sets. I can use them over and over in a multitude of ways without making my pages too lumpy or chunky. Many styles of albums sell additional pages, but there is a limit to how many can be reasonably crammed into the binding without splitting the seams of the cover. I learned this after my DS’s first album developed a split down the seam. His constant use is emphasized by that rip and now I love it all the more. You see, I’m sort of a “warts and all” type of girl at heart.
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