My Crafty Life

News and Reviews

Hi there!  I know it's been awhile since I last posted, but there has been a lot of family "stuff" going on.   I have some cool crafting news and a few product reviews for you.

First the News:  Lots going on for me.  I'm going to be teaching Scrapbook Design and You (SDU) classes for EK Success at A. C. Moore.  I'll be teaching a 4-week basic course at the ACM in Wappingers Falls, NY.  I'll be doing the demos for the class in December, and I'll be teaching the classes in January.  I'll list the specific dates in a later post.   I'm also doing a layout for Becky Higgins's Page Maps in December.  To top off all of that, I'm now a Scrapjazz Contributor, which means that I'll be writing articles for SJ on a regular basis.  You'll begin seeing my articles in March.  Whew!  I think that's it for the News.

Now for the Reviews:  I've recently purchased 3 products that I really like, and I want to let you know about them before they're gone.  First of all, I bought the We R Memory Keepers Holiday Papers and Embellishments.  These papers are absolutely gorgeous!  Although they aren't quite a cardstock weight, they are heavy-weight papers that are embellished with glitter, embossing, and foil.  The ribbons coordinate beautifully, as do the rub-ons, stickers, and chipboard elements.  I bought mine from HSN.

 

Another set of papers that I absolutely LOVE is the Peppermint Forest Stack from Joann.com.  Talk about heavy-weight cardstock!  This paper is some of the heaviest I've ever used.  Add to that the foil, glitter, and embossed sheets that are included, and you've got the start of some fabulous scrapbook pages, cards, and holiday projects.  Plus, they're on sale right now for 50% off!! 

My last review is for a product that I've been wanting to get for a long time:  the Glue Glider Pro, by Glue Arts.  I've tried the ATGs in classes I've taken, and I really don't like them.  They're too bulky and unwieldy for me.  The Glue Glider Pro is the perfect alternative for me.  It's small enough to manage easily, whether I'm scrapbooking, making cards, or doing other projects; yet it's also large enough to hold a large roll of adhesive that I don't have to change after every few uses.  The cartridges pop in and out, and there are several different types available.  The adhesive is strong and easy to apply.  I bought mine from Oriental Trading Company.  They also have good prices on the refills.

Well, that about sums things up for now.  As soon as everything "goes live" on the other sites, I'll post pictures of my projects.  Oh, and look for some surprises very soon.  I'm not saying what they will be.  You'll just have to check back soon.  Happy crafting!

Scrapbooking Tip: Odd-Sized Layouts

A few years ago for Mother's Day, my husband bought me a beautiful Hallmark scrapbook album.  It's an odd size, approximately 9 x 12, and this presented a challenge to me.  I've never seen layouts in this size, so I had to come up with some ideas to work with the pages in the book. 

I decided to approach the layouts from an 8 1/2 x 11 perspective.  This worked very well at first, because I even had a little extra room to spread things out if necessary.  After awhile, though, it became a little boring, doing the same basic layout over and over.  Then it hit me.  Why not turn the layouts and make them horizontal?  I had seen this done with 8 1/2 x 11 layouts many times, and I really liked the way they looked.  So I tried it.  Here is one of the layouts, which I think turned out great.  It also adapted it for a 2-page sketch challenge on If It's Groovy this month. 

So, the next time you're faced with an odd-sized layout, try looking at things from a different angle!  Happy scrapping!

 

Scrapbooking Tip: Using Patterned Papers

As a scrapbooker of more than 8 years, I know how confusing patterned papers can be to work with.  It's so easy to fall in love with all those delicious colors, patterns, and textures.  What does one do when trying to use more than one pattern on a layout?  Well, here are a few tips.

1.  Use coordinating papers made by the same company.  On this layout, for example, I used K & Company's Girl Scouts paper line.  (This is the original line.  K & Co. has replaced it with a new line of GS papers.)

2.  If you have the option, choose double-sided papers so that you have more choices of designs that coordinate nicely. 

3.  Use plain cardstock as a background/base paper, and add patterned paper effectively.  In this case, I used the patterned papers to draw attention to my photos and move the viewer's eye from the top of my layout to the bottom. 

4.  Choose coordinating embellishments that pick up a few of the colors in your layout.  Try not to over-do the embellishments when you're using patterned papers.  You don't want to take the focus away from your photos.

5.  Another idea for incorporating patterned papers into your scrapbook pages is to use them for your titles.  For this layout, I used one of the patterned papers for the letters and a coordinating solid paper to mat the letters.

Try using some of these ideas, and you'll see how even the busiest papers can be incorporated into your layout to create a very eye-catching effect.  Happy scrapping!

 

Halloween Treat Bag Toppers

I made these adorable treat bag toppers with images from Ildi Co.   I used circle and scalloped circle punches and added my own little dots in each scallop with a marker.

Fun Titles

When I first started scrapbooking, my titles were pretty simple.  OK, boring.  As I improved my skills and style, I began to create titles that were more interesting; but they were still missing something.  Then I discovered how to really make them come alive.  One way to accomplish this is to use different fonts for different words in my title.  In the layout here, "Play Date" and "Rebecca" are 2 different styles of a Cricut font,  (I think I used  All Mixed Up, but I'm not sure.)

Another technique I use to jazz up my titles is doodling on and around them.  Here I used Souffle Pens, made by Marvy Uchida, to draw little polka dots on and around the letters.  Finally, I wrote in  the word "with" using the same pens.  I don't know if the scan picked up the colors, but they are bright and fun - just the right addition to this page all about Haley and her friend Rebecca.

Try spicing up the title on your next layout using these techniques.  It's easy and fun.  Happy scrapping!  Remember to check out my Etsy Shop for one-of-a-kind creations for scrapbooking and cardmaking!

2 New Cards

Here are the latest cards I've designed for Ildi Company.  Have a great weekend!
     

My Etsy Shop

Hi everyone!  I've just updated my Etsy site to include my newest design, a number mesh designed to use on scrapbook pages and/or cards.  I can make them in almost any color you'd like.  The price is $2.00 + Shipping.  Check out my Etsy shop for more details.  The link is on my sidebar and Here .  Thanks for stopping by!

Another Cuddles Card

 Here's another card with Cuddles from Ildi Co.

 

Teddy Bear Thanks

 

Here's another card using Ildi Co.'s digital images.  This time I've made a very simple Thank You card using some scraps that I took from my stash.  This is a very quick and easy card to make if you need to whip up a fast card to thank someone.  Or change the greeting to Happy Birthday, Hello, Congratulations - anything you'd like.  Have fun!

Ildi Co. Stamps

I was recently chosen for the Design Team for Ildi Co., a new digital stamp company.  (You can find the link on my sidebar.)  Here is a card that I made using one of their stamps (Cuddles-Kuma Goes to the Beach).  The cardstock is from The Crafter's Workshop and Colorbok.  I used PrismaColor pencils to color in the image.  How cute is that bear?!

Ildi Co has a limited time offer!  You can purchase all 10 images for $20.00. The savings is $6.50!  Just click on the link on my sidebar.