Sunday, January 30, 2011

All About Love Challenge - and meet Joanne!

Hi Everyone – Lowri here and welcome to our first Sunday Scrapping feature and the launch of our first Blog Challenge.

Our Blog Theme and Blog Challenge for the next four weeks is:

♥♥♥ALL ABOUT LOVE♥♥♥

We don’t just want to see your Valentines projects (though we want to see them too) we want to see anything and everything that you love! 


For example, what about..
  • Layouts about LOVEd ones
  • Cards made for someone you LOVE
  • Maybe you LOVE to do BTP projects
  • A layout about how your kids LOVE pizza
  • Maybe you LOVE Cosmo Cricket 
  • Or you LOVE the colour orange...
You get the picture!! To enter the challenge - send a picture of your project to artfullcraftsdt@gmail.com You can send us as many entries as you like. We will be featuring entries and there will be a prize for the Challenge Winner!

The Design Team will be coming up with heaps of inspiration to help you along.

Here are some Valentines Cards I made using Cosmo Cricket's Circa 1934 Collection. I have more pictures and details on my blog





SUNDAY SCRAPPING -
Meet The Design Team


This week we are meeting Joanne Care - a talented scrapbooker from Feilding. 

Joanne has a beautifully clean, simple and graphic style of scrapbooking. We asked her the following questions and we asked her to share three of her favourite projects.

How were you introduced to scrapbooking?
About 5 years ago I was working in a call centre and we weren't busy so on my break I went to the supermarket to find a magazine to read. I ended up getting a three pack of Scrapbooking Memories, not having a clue what it was really all about - little did I know that I would be hooked! I used to make some really bad pages every now and again for a couple of years, and it wasn't until I found out that I was pregnant that I really got into creating rather than just reading about it!

What inspires you for layouts, projects, cards?
At the moment its the Internet. I find lots of inspiration through sketches and online galleries.

What other project types do you like to work on besides scrapbook pages?
I haven't branched out from pages apart from a couple of cards. One of my goals for the year is to build up a stash of cards ready for birthdays etc.

"Adore Love"
I have mixed emotions on this one - it makes me happy but also makes me want to cry. This is my Daughter and my Grandad (her Koko) the last time they were together. She was only 6 months old and already adored and loved him. I made this page as part of an online challenge. It was also the first time I had misted on a project, I used homemade glimmermist on the white doily to turn it blue. 


What is your favourite scrapbook brand and why?
There's too many to choose from! There hasn't been a Basic Grey release that has really hit it out of the park for me lately - but I'm holding out hope and they are still a big favourite. I love their wide range of embellishments. Echo Park has made a huge impact since they debuted - I really hope they continue! Ive seen their Little Girl line online and cant wait to get my hands on it. Ive also started using a lot of My Minds Eye, their recent releases have been perfect for photos of my little girl.

What scrapbooking tools/products can you not do without?
Border punches! Ive got a couple of 'standard' designs (scalloped etc) and find they fit any theme.


"At 9 1/2 Months"
My Mum was going to be looking after Hannah for a few days so I wrote a little bit about how we usually do everything, things she likes to eat and play with etc for her. That's when I thought it would be the perfect topic for a layout and would show a little snapshot of her life at this age. Reading the journalling she has already changed a lot and its only been a few months! The patterned paper behind the photos are strips that I have cut and layered together. Basic Grey's Basics line is perfect for pages with lots of journalling!



What is your current favorite technique or embellishment?
I'm not a very technique-y person. I do love the rolled fabric flowers though, but find them a little bulky for my pages.

What do you hope to try or improve on this year?
I want to finish the pages I've yet to do of my daughters first year. I'm working on Project Life this year so I'm not planning on doing any 'normal' scrapbooking pages of 2011 (With the exception of a couple of pages mixed into my Project Life album) so this will (hopefully) give me some time to catch up. Also, as i mentioned above, I want to build up a stash of cards. I'd also like to try a mini-album or two as I haven't been very successful with them in the past. Oh and really give Glimmermist a proper go - haven't been able to manage that yet! Any suggestions how to use them would be great!


"So Sweet"
This is one story I have wanted to document ever since it happened and I only just managed to do it after Christmas! Hannah and I were staying at my Grandparents for a week and Hannahs bedroom was further away than it is at our house so I never heard her wake up in the mornings. Even tho Hannah was far too heavy for my Nana to lift easily she still managed to pick her up, put her in bed with me and turn the TV onto cartoons! I would wake up and Hannah would just be sitting there smiling at me watching TV. Its little things like that that I just love.

What advice can you give to people just beginning to enjoy scrapbooking?
Start off small. The first thing I wanted to do when I started was an album of my 21st photos mixed in with my photos growing up - It was too big of a project to start with for me, and to be honest, Ive never started it. Find some other people that scrapbook if you can, in person or even online in a forum or gallery - you'll find a lot of ideas and inspiration through them and you'll also have people to talk about it all with! Non-scrappy people just don't understand sometimes :)

Do you have a blog?
Yes - but I don't update very often! I'm hoping to change that this year. http://twoandahalfcares.blogspot.com

Thanks Joanne - we are really excited about seeing more of your work this year!

Don't forget to start thinking about YOUR challenge entry - and please leave a comment with any questions.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

**Blog Launch Tomorrow**

Hi Everyone – Happy New Year and welcome back to the Artfull Crafts Blog. After the Design Team’s wonderful effort for the Christmas Countdown we all took a rest – but we are back now kicking off an exciting few months of ideas and inspiration.

In order to make this process a little easier – we have made a couple of changes – so please take note of these below!

Become a Facebook Fan!
The Artfull Crafts Facebook page is where you find all the latest news! 
We always update after a blog post and you can ask any questions regarding products - one of Liz’s wonderful staff or a DT member will be sure to answer you. In fact we ask questions too and sometimes our “fans” are able to help us – it’s a great way to keep in touch and share information.

You can “Like” us right here, right now on the right hand side or you can find our Facebook Page at  http://www.facebook.com/#!/artfullcrafts

Emailing Artfull Crafts
The Artfull Crafts e-mail has changed to info@artfullcrafts.co.nz.
Please update your address books.

Upcoming Blog Features
Now for the exciting stuff! Every four weeks we will have a theme – and the Design Team will be posting projects relating to that theme. Now these themes are very broad and open to all kinds of interpretation – the more imaginative the better.

At the same time – we will be running a Theme Challenge whereby all our Artfull Crafts fans and blog readers can submit their own projects, be featured on the blog and win a prize.

We will also be introducing our Tuesday Tips - a great source of information including techniques, photography tips, product features and tutorials.

Our Sunday Scrapping features are going to be heaps of fun and a great source of inspiration. We will begin tomorrow by featuring one of our Design Team members. They will tell us a little about their scrapbooking history, favorite products and will share some of their favorite projects.

Exciting New Products
We couldn't have a blog post with no pictures - so take a look at these exciting new releases from Kaisercraft and Cosmo Cricket. We will be carrying these in the shop when they are released for sale.
Class of '87

Magic Happens

Timeless

Salt Air

Social Club

Upcycle
Don't forget we love your comments! 
Let us know which of these collections you are looking forward to using the most!

Make sure to check back tomorrow for our first Theme announcement!



Wednesday, January 26, 2011

A girly layout from Tina

Hi there, Just a quick post from me today. Here's a layout I made using these gorgeous Webster's Pages papers.





A few layouts from Tina

Hi everyone,
It's Tina with a layout using Graphic 45 "On the Broadwalk" papers.





And another using G45 "A Perfect Gentleman"

Thanks for looking,
Hugs
Tina

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Lowri - Wedding Album

Hi Everyone
Just a quick post today to show you a Wedding Album I made for a friend in Canada using a Kaisercraft BTP album.

A good friend of mine got married last year in Canada - and unfortunately I was unable to go. 
Tina took some amazing photos for me and my husband at our informal wedding a few years ago and hopefully this album will go some way to returning the favour!


This was a really fun project - and almost made me feel like I was there to share their wonderful day!

Lowri :-)

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Lowri - Kaisercraft Magnet frames - plus tutorial

Hi everyone - Lowri again!
I have had a really busy week as you might be able to tell! I have actively been trying to keep busy actually - and the upside is that I have been very productive LOL
I completed this tutorial for the last day of my baby-themed blog posts and thought I would share it here - along with a couple of examples I made using the Kaisercraft products.

Now - here's the catch - you have to head over to my blog to see the tutorial! Here is the link - and there you can also see the baby-themed frame I completed as part of my baby week posts. Remember these are magnetic  - so you can make your fridge look even more exciting than it probably already does!

Hippy Girl Frame
Here I have used the wonderful Hippy Girl Collection from Kaisercraft. Once you complete the frame - you can embellish it how you like. Rub-ons work really well onto the smooth surface and with chipboard pieces - the work is already done for you!




The Seaside Collection from Kaisercraft has been my absolute favourite that they have released all year. It was one I liked so much I just wanted to keep it to look at and not use it in case I couldn't get any more - but I have used it because it's just gorgeous.

Seaside - Beach Patrol
I love this picture of my middle son. He's a redhead and so we have to really protect him from the sun - especially when we are in Australia which is where this pic was taken. I just love how he looks like a little lifeguard and the embellishments from the Seaside Collection were just perfect for this photo



Seaside - Wedding Pic
OK - I can see you thinking why would you use a beach collection for a wedding! Well - I guess you can if you got married on a beach.. I really just put this one together to just show how REALLY simple you can keep the decoration of these. It costs pennies to make (I guess that should be cents here in NZ!) and who doesn't love a personalised gift.



I actually bought the frames in the Warehouse - I think they were 2 for $2.99 but you can probably pick them up at heaps of places

Have a great weekend - my husband is insisting I watch a movie with him this evening - but I might just be able to sneak my laptop in there and organize my photos...

Lowri :-)

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Lowri - Mini Album Tutorial

Hi Everyone

I did a mini-album tutorial on my blog today and I thought I would come and share it here too!  I am sure heaps of you will have seen this before online and I did show it at the Artfull Crafts opening in December - but here is my take on it!

Don't forget to head on over to my blog for my baby-themed week posts and leave a comment to be in to win a great giveaway

Mini Album Tutorial
  1. Take a piece of 12”x12” paper
  2. Trim off four inches from one side, leaving 1 piece 12”x8” and 1 piece 12”x4”
  3. Take the 12”x8” piece and fold in half lengthways and widthways
  4. Fold up the two shorter sides to meet in the middle, making 8 segments all 3”x4”
  5. Using a sharp knife – make a cut as shown through the paper
  6. Fold the paper at the remaining intact fold and using the folds as a guide create a book!
  7. Glue pages together as shown at a, b and c to create 3 pages of double thickness paper and 2 covers of single thickness
  8. Take your remaining 12x4” piece and glue to one side of the book
  9. Turn book over and crease at the spine of the book firmly before gluing the other side of the cover. This will ensure a neat finish and mean there is enough paper over the spine to allow the book to open freely
  10. Trim off the excess paper from the cover with a sharp knife
  11. Your book is complete and ready to decorate
  12. IDEAS – you can round the corners, or before gluing the centre pages together, cut out a shape using a die cutting machine or punch and place acetate between the pages for a window.
Whenever I try a project like this for the first time, I use scrap paper so I can mark up right sides, wrong sides, measurements etc. I can play around with it and experiment without ruining any really nice paper!

Here is one I did last year with the wonderful Hippy Girl Collection and one with Cosmo Cricket's Earth Love collection

Liz is away on her fabulous holiday still, so if you have a go at making one of these - take a pic and email it to artfullcraftsdt@gmail.com and we will feature it on the blog! Make sure to include your blog address if you have one so we can share that too!

Happy crafting - Lowri :-)

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Kaisercraft Photo Display - Shirl

Hi Everyone,
I'd like to show you my latest project!
This is the new Kaisercraft Photo display with English Rose paper..(love it)
I'm very happy to have created such a beautiful keepsake of my beautiful Mum who I lost 15 years ago to pancreas cancer.


I think of her everyday and as the days go on I feel I'm starting to forget what she looked like, so now everyday I can look at this gorgeous display and remember her beautiful smile, and although she never got the chance to be a Gran to mine or my sisters children, they too can look at this and remember this beautiful lady, all 4 of her grandkids know that she is looking down and watching over them everyday with love xx

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Holidays



There's nothing like relaxing on a beach after the Christmas rush! Here are Clarissa and I at Kaiteriteri for a day with some other families. The water was too cold to swim - so we indulged in some reading of the latest Papercraft Magazine.


I did create some gifts for family for Christmas. My favourite one is the Display Frame from Kaisercraft with pictures of my new neice Ayla. I've used the gorgeous English Rose collection. I gave this to mum and she was so thrilled!

We hope you are having a happy holiday too!

Monday, January 3, 2011

Lowri - Kaisercraft Diary

Hi Everyone - Lowri here - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I have another project I made as a Christmas gift to share today - and this one can easily be completed in an evening.

This time I have taken the Kaisercraft 2011 Diary (available here from the Artfull Crafts online store) and used Crate Paper's Brook Collection for the decoration.


I have created a "bookmark" using some of the patterned paper with some double sided adhesive chipboard in the middle for added strength. I have used Spellbinders dies to cut the labels and a few Kaisercraft Rhinestones for decoration.
They have such an awesome variety of colours and are such a good buy at $3 per packet - and there are 100 in each!




Like most of the Kaisercraft BTP Projects I complete - I have sanded the edges and painted before covering in a base layer of paper.

I then cut around with a very sharp knife and lightly sand the paper along the edges for a neat finish.
A few of the beautiful Paper Clips from Basic Grey's "Origins" Collection match perfectly as page markers





I hope this has given you some inspiration to create your own Diary. Now is the time to do it so head on over to the shop and buy one today and use your favourite paper line to decorate!


Any questions - just leave a comment.


Lowri