We had a fun Scrapathon yesterday. The weather was probably the hottest we'd had all year - so it did feel a bit bad being inside - but every day is a good day if you're crafting!

Here are a few of the layouts I managed to complete.

I LOVE this piece of cardstock from Creative Imaginations (and I've got them on 40% off sale at the moment). The edges are glittered and it's in the shape of the snowflake. The layered snowflake is created using the Spellbinders Create a Flake and the silver ones are from American Crafts Tinsel pack. (Also on special at the moment).

This is using the new Kaisercraft Shaken not Stirred papers and embellishments and their cool mini stickers. This piece of paper just screams "Scrap me"!

Made with Love (Kaisercraft) is a cute set of papers and will be great for using with a loved one or for babies. Here we are in Akaroa 2 1/2 years ago - celebrating our 10 years' wedding anniversary. This card is using a lovely Rubadubbadoo stamp. I have had it I sitting there for ages and finally got around to using it. I also stole the lovely flower/ribbon combo idea from one of the ladies at the crop! It think it's really pretty have the ribbon looping under the fower. The quote is from Stampin' Up's Thoughts and Prayers set.

Have a great day. I'm off to do some more creating. The house work is done and what a shame that it's not a very nice day outside...

Pink Cuttlebugs arrived in NZ!

Yes it's true! The Limited Release Pink Cuttlebug has arrived in NZ. Click here if you want one...

We've been having some fun with the Great Outdoors papers (3 Bugs in a Rug).

Here's a layout I created using the fun papers. I've tried out my new cricut cartridge and created some grass. The leaves have been cut out of the fabulous embossed Bazzill cardstock. I've inked over these leaves to exagerrate the pattern too.

Juanita created this layout with a photo of my Dad after a successful fishing adventure. She's used used Bazzill cardstock to create the fishy background, and a hook with nylon to create a genuine embellishment.

We're a bit excited here at Artfull Crafts as it appears that tomorrow morning we will finally get the rest of the Q3 papers and magazines... Keep watching this space.

Empire Layout

Hi everyone. The sun is shining again! It certainly makes for a great start to the week.

Clarissa (one of our talented designers) has had a play with the new Empire papers and has created this stunning layout.
And here are a few more layouts from that scrap day...

Here are our friends' lovely children shivering after a dip in Lake Tekapo last March.

I've used Deja Views papers along with some Kaisercraft Fozz Felt, random flowers, Kaisercraft Offshore die-cuts and some Kaisercraft alpha chipboard and letter stickers. I love the size of them. So great for titles.
We love our Nelson holidays - and each year we go to Natureland to be entertained by the animals (and the friends' children we take along!). These beautiful parrots were just waiting for us to photgraph them.
I've used Cherry Arte papers. They are so vibrant and I simply cut lots of the flowers out of the paper to use as embellishment, and added some Sassafraa chipboard for the centres. Now that's simple scrapbooking!!

Scrapathon warning...

Last weekend we worked really hard on the website. We've made lots of changes and we think it's looking great! We're implementing a Browse by Brand system - just in time for the explosion of new products that we're going to be stocking in the upcoming weeks.

We're going to be expanding and expanding. Just as well we moved into the shop!

SCRAPATHON DAY warning!
Next Saturday (6th Feb) from 10am - 10pm. Come along with your craft projects. We'll have a Pizza dinner, make-and-take, tea and coffee, prize draw and a lot of fun. Head to the website to book - or call us on 688 8566.

Here are a couple more of those layouts that I did on that big scrap day last year.
This is our friend's cute boy. I've used the Basic Grey Colour Me Silly papers (which I've had stashed for ages). For the embellishments I used some Sassafrass chipboard, I cut out some of the critters on the paper and used some good old American Crafts white foam thickers.

This photo is of Graham and I at our good friend's wedding. I was a bridesmaid and the beautiful top material just happened to match some scrapbooking paper I had stashed. Actually - it's not a true paper. It's a fabric with glittery bits on it.

Add some Prima flowers, more American Crafts thickers and a cute ribbon buckle from Bella and it's complete.

Enjoy the weekend.

Classes and more

We've been busy here at Artfull Crafts HQ preparing our class schedule for February and March. We're still uploading them to the website - but here's a link that will show you the list.

And here's a sneak peek at the front cover of a clear album class that we will be completing on Feb 8th. This one will be gifted to my lovely husband - but you may want to do one for a friend or family member.

Summer Double Layout class using Offshore

Quilling class (thanks Shirley)

And the other exciting news is that we found the sun today. We'd been hunting high and low - and wow - there it was in the sky! Apparently it was there all along .... Just obscured by a cloud that persisted since we got back from our holiday. And that was 12 days ago!

Junaita is blinded by the light...

Now we're busy creating some layouts with the new Three Bugs in a Rug papers that arrived...

Pairie Lane

I thought I'd start the year with a photos of the best event in 2009 - my brothers wedding in Thailand. Graham and I were following the bride and groom up the beach during the photographic session and decided to take advantage of the lovely sunset.

I've used the new Prairie Lane papers from Kaisercraft and a few random leaves and a bow from Thailand. It's a simple page - but the papers are busy enough without going over-the-top! I love the way Kaisercraft papers have plenty of 'cutting out' pieces - ie the journalling tag. And who doesn't love their pearls?


This page is a reminder of a great weekend we had celebrating a friend's 30th birthday party in Hanmer. It's time to start printing out random photos and scrappin' up those fun events.