THANKS for all your awesome entries for the August challenges. We had 63 projects submitted and a quarter were from new entrants! Welcome to the Artfull Crafts blog challenges.

This month's theme was "Anything Goes" and we had 2 sketches kindly provided by Sketches in Thyme. We have set up a new COMPETITION GALLERY - which makes viewing the projects easier AND from September onwards you'll be able to load your own projects up into the Gallery without emailing them to us. Now that's going to be great!

To celebrate the new Gallery launch, we thought we'd give away some MORE stuff! Liz has a new Kaisercraft Mint Twist Paper Pad and set of Twig and Berry stamps to give away to two lucky commenters. So head to the Gallery and leave a kind word or two for the entrants. While you are there, go and check out the Design Team projects and comment on your fav projects to go into a different draw for each person! Soooo many prizes to be won this week. Winners will be announced on Friday 7th Sept.

Please note: There is a slight problem with arrowing through the projects (on the final Gallery page) that we are working on - but it doesn't affect your ability to view and comment on the projects. 

Now let's look at the projects we received this month. The winners are announced at the end...

Sketch Entrants
 Anything Goes - Layouts


Anything Goes Layouts

Anything Goes Layouts

Anything Goes Layouts

Anything Goes Cards
Anything Goes Cards

And the winners are...
First Time Entrant goes to Shiree Arnold with her colourful paper piece layout. We think it must have taken ages to cut out all those pieces!!
 

The Sketch Winner is Annie Fitzgerald with this colourful, geometric card. Retro!!


Runner Up for Overall Challenge Winner is Michelle Henderson with this Anything Goes layout. The dog is calling, "Pick me!!"

Overall "Anything Goes" challenge winner is Michelle Frisby with this super birdcage album. I'd would love one of these on the wall to inspire me!


Could all winners please email info@artfullcrafts.co.nz and let the girls know your address and which category you won and they will organise the prizes to be sent out to you!

Many thanks to all the entrants. Don't forget to check out the new challenge tomorrow...

Today we welcome Tracy Jackson!

Keep reading right to the end to find out how to win a 6x6 MME Indie Chic paper pad. Everyday there will be another prize to win... so don't miss a day!

I started Card making and Scrapbooking in 2007, after a friend came around for visit and showed me what she had just bought at a Scrapbook shop. I have always gravitated towards anything arty, so I picked it up rather fast. I joined many Design Teams along the way including the Marianne Createables International Design Team (image below), and even plucked up the courage to start up a challenge blog with a former Artfull crafts DT member Lou. It's called the Southern Girls Challenge.
 What inspires you for layouts, projects, cards?
I tend to get most of my inspiration from all the talented blogs I find on the net. I also love to see new product and I am in my element at night when kids have gone to bed, music playing in background, surrounded by my hoarded stash. Unfortunately when I get to bed, I lay there thinking of projects to do. I hope that being on Artfull Crafts design team that I inspire other fellow crafters.

What other project types do you like to work on besides scrapbook pages?
I am an avid card maker who dabbles in a little scrapbooking and of the page

What is your favourite scrapbook brand and why?
I really struggle with a favorite brand because I think your tastes changes along with the trends. Kaiser is always a great one as the new releases are constant. I do tend to be a paper hoarder… at the moment I am loving Graphic 45, Bo Bunny and My Minds Eye.

What scrapbooking tools/products can you not do without?
Copics, copics and more copics… they bring the inner child out in me! (And they can’t be separated from me either…they have been know to sneak into my bag and come to work with me) I have constantly ink stained fingers! (See Tracy's fabulous colouring with her Copics>>)

What is your current favourite technique or embellishment?
Chipboard and Dies, they really add dimension to any project

What do you hope to try or improve on this year?
My scrapbooking has really been put on the back burner over the last few years, so I am really hoping to step up and show you a couple layouts this year along with many cards and OTP. I am seeing a lot of smash books too… I am on the verge of taking the leap and giving one a go.

What advice can you give to people just beginning to enjoy scrapbooking?
Hunt around on the net. There is a wealth of talent and experience out there. Join in on local classes. If unsure on a product, or wanting to know more on it, join in on the Artfull Crafts Facebook Page and I am positive that between the talents of the Design Team, someone will have an answer.

Can you share with us your three favourite projects – and tell us a little about how you created them and why you love them?

Today we welcome Jo Johnson!!! Jo is going to be our Beyond the Page specialist for 2012. Her posts will progressively show how to assemble and decorate Kaisercraft projects.

Keep reading right to the end to find out how to win a cute Twiddleybitz Chipboard Shadow Box Mini Frame. Everyday there will be another prize to win... so don't miss a day!

Hi everyone. Sit back and find out more about Jo Johnson.
How were you introduced to scrapbooking?
I got a camera for my 10th Birthday, and then took photos and then stuck brochures and notes with my photos into a scrapbook When I got older I got a photo album and I started seeing a few people with pretty paper and that was it.

What inspires you for layouts, projects, cards?
The photo itself, the pictures on a page, and what I can do with them. The colours and smells of the paper and places where I am also inspire me. 

What other project types do you like to work on besides scrapbook pages?
Off the page is my favourite, but I like things that are really different. Sometimes when I am out and about, I will start to feel the idea coming. Then I can stand in a shop, or in a location, thinking, planning and waiting for it to hit. I will then start collecting for my projects. Ssometimes the idea changes as I find things that might work betters or colours that I prefer.

What is your favourite scrapbook brand and why?
I don't have a favourite as such, but Graphic 45 has lots of things to cut out, and because it tends to be vintage and not so bright, I can use it as a background. Websters Pages has so much to cut out as well. I like lots of flowers for layering, and leaves. Kaisercraft - I use heaps of their off the page projects and their products for scrapbooking. Bobunny I use a lot as well as it's great for layouts. Oops no favourite!

What scrapbooking tools/products can you not do without?
Tim Holtz scissors, Distress inks stains or mists. Flowers, leaves, and bird nests at the moment.

What is your current favorite technique or embellishment?
Chipboard is by far the best thing on the market, and I am a big user of it. I paint it, stain it, emboss it, cover it, distress it, cut it up.

What do you hope to try or improve on this year?
I want to push gesso to its limits - what else can i do to it? I have started art journaling, so I would like to take that style to my scrapbooking more.

What advice can you give to people just beginning to enjoy scrapbooking?
Don't worry about what other people think. Do it for yourself. If you love it, then smile, and be happy that you did it. If you feel something is wrong with it, then try layering, add pieces of ribbon, tulle, fabric, chipboard, rip some paper.... Don't give up..... sometimes it can be the smallest thing that makes all the difference. A little piece of your soul goes on each page, a great gift for future generations.

Can you share with us your three favourite projects – and tell us a little about how you created them and why you love them
Lately I found a broken vintage camera, and then glued it back together, covered it with paper, and then added birds and nests, as a play on the old saying of photographers, "Watch the birdie". I collect vintage cameras so this was fun.


I love my little Curiosity Shop from Dusty Attic. It took me weeks to make as each drawer was carefully covered, and then I wallpapered and covered the walls and floors. Then I imagined what i would find in a little curiosity shop. I found so many fun little things, broken things, weird things and then cute things. It took a long time, but I love it when I show people and they just stare and then start to hunt out all the little things hidden in the background.


Finally, I really like the tree canvas. This is a picture that I lovel. I spent ages just getting the edges of the reversed canvas to look like wood. I started with gesso and put it all over the back of the canvas edges. I then painted it, and then started the process changing my mind, colour and products used. Everything from paint, to sprays, to inks, to stains. I inked all the edges as well. I added metal Tim Holtz corners to the project. I added the picture in at this stage, it was cut from the inside of a calendar. I then added chipboard flourish painted brown, up the left hand side and then some glitter tulle stapled amongst it. Then added a Prima Marketing vine, prima birds nest and a couple of little birds. I added extra Kaiser flowers and then some black and green leaves. I still wasn't happy so I added the top chipboard flourish and some flowers in the top right hand corners.

Today we welcome TERESA ABAJO!!!

Keep reading right to the end to find out how to win a NEW RELEASE 6.5" x 6.5" Kaisercraft Paper Pad from the Turtle Dove range. Everyday there will be another prize to win... so don't miss a day!

Hello from sunny (?!?) Melbourne! My name is Teresa and I'm thrilled to be joining the Artfull Craft Design Team. I fell in love with the shop when I visited in March to teach a couple of Copics classes. I'm delighted to have this opportunity to develop the friendships with all of the wonderful people I met, and make a whole bunch of new friendships.

Here's a little Q&A so you can get to know me a little better:

I was originally a cardmaker, and using lots of scrapbooking products, just not on layouts. My first layout was for a design team commitment, and I continue to produce layouts as wall art more than for albums.

If I'm making something for someone in particular, I like to reminisce about them while I make it. Could be why I'm often smiling while I work ;) It's usually the patterned paper I've chosen that leads the way with a project. My heart beats a little faster when I find an embellishment that matches perfectly.

Cards cards cards! I have boxes on the floor of my studio overflowing with cards. I love to make books and other off the page things in my spare time too.

There is no possible way for me to choose one! That's like trying to pick a favourite child!

This is going to be a long list! Let me save time by listing the things I use more than most of my arty friends: distressing tool, brown ink, Spellbinder dies, 6x6 paper pads, foam mounting squares, arty stamps.

I still love distressing and ageing things. I really can't see a time when I'll tire of them either. One embellishment I use heaps of is buttons - I'm certainly not a koumpounophobe! (I'll give you a second to google that LOL).

Time management. I MUST spend less time on the computer, and more time in my studio. And who wouldn't like more time with friends and family?

If you see an idea you love, don't be afraid to try it. If you're having trouble with something, just ask - we're a kind, sharing lot and there's not too many secrets among us. Don't be afraid of failure - we learn so much more through trying and failing than we do getting it right the first time.

Here's a little collage of some of my projects you can find in my gallery:


I look forward to sharing my ideas with you over the next 12 months or so.





Liz's Note and Prizes to win!

Liz's Note
We're very excited about having Robbi on board. She's a talented lady and we hope to enjoy her company in Timaru sometime soon! Her blog is called Little Scraps of Heaven and she'd be thrilled if you started following her.

What a crazy day Friday ended up being! The shop was busy, the web orders were pouring in, the phone was ringing, and I was unexpectedly alone in the shop for much of the day (thanks Tanya for coming in at short notice to give me a chance to get my hair done!).  We LOVE crazy around here - but the fun was only just starting!

So with the shop shut at 5:30pm I had until 6:10pm to be dressed in my glad rags, do make-up and nails, and be out the door for the South Canterbury Business Awards. Artfull Crafts had made the finals in the Small Retail Category (5 or less full-time employees). That's pretty much most of the Timaru retail district! Large retail finalists were Noel Leeming and New World.  There were 3 other businesses in our category and I was nervous about the stiff competition. Our applications had been judged by professionals in the business world - including Peter Townsend from the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce - so that also made me a bit nervous! How would they view this business which has evolved from a hobby to home-based business to a big store in Timaru City?

The other categories were Small and Large Tourism & Hospitality, Manufacturing & Primary Produce, Emerging Business, Service & Community Organisation, Technology & Innovation, and Sustainability.

The evening was a Black Tie dinner event - so I did take the opportunity to buy a lovely new dress! It was held at the Caroline Bay Hall and there were 400 people attending - including the Mayor, Councillors and other dignitaries! The MC for the evening was Rawdon Christie from TVNZ's Breakfast Show and there was a range of entertainment (some better than others - side note here - I don't see the need for dirty jokes and innuendo at such a wonderful uplifting events). Anyway, there were plenty of reasons to smile (like when the Mayor mispronounced Edinburgh...)

The awards were presented during the 3 course meal. Each category was introduced by the sponsor and then 30sec videos shown of each finalist. Our camera man was with us for about 10 minutes catching some footage and we didn't know what the end product would look like. That made me nervous too! Then they announced the winner as...

.....  ARTFULL CRAFTS (clap clap, cheer cheer!)

We got a really loud cheer! We had some other friend's businesses in the finals too and so it was great to feel the love.

Graham and I made our way to the stage and I was pretty excited! I had a plan that if we won Viv would record the speech on Graham's iphone, Diana would take some photos on my iphone (before it ran out of battery) and Ella would take some fancy photos on her beautiful camera! So we had all the bases covered. We received a lovely trophy, framed certificate and beautiful orchids. I gave my speech (remembered to thank the staff and loyal customer - as if I would forget them) and then headed out to the photography room. The ladies taking the photos were commenting how excited I was (wouldn't you be??!).



We waited to the end of the evening to hear how we did in the People's Choice Award. We had a HUGE response from you (our loyal customers and friends) and we knew we were in the top five. BUT they said prior to the announcement that even though thousands of votes had been cast, there were so few between the top four, that they wanted to recognise the 3 runner ups.  Artfull Crafts was called as a runner up! That was such a great result. I mean, we were up against big businesses like the Cancer Society and so we were very satisfied with the Retail Award.

The evening was topped off with some great dancing (and Graham and I were able to practice our dance moves from Thursday night's Charleston's Class!). Here's our table:

We thank you all again for helping us get to where we are today. It's a team award - so pat yourselves on the back and share in our success!


We will load the speech up on Facebook (but we're off to the Queen Concert tonight. Can the weekend get any more exciting?). Yes - it already has! We sold our house in ChCh yesterday and are now free to settle in Timaru properly. Soon we won't feel like gypsies.

Today we welcome NICHOLE PARKER!!!

Keep reading right to the end to find out how to win an Echo Park Hello Spring Mini Theme collection pack. Everyday there will be another prize to win... so don't miss a day!

Hi everyone!  I'm Nichole.  I've been card making for over 2 years.  I'm new to the Artfull Crafts Design Team and live in Wellington New Zealand.

• Practice makes perfect! Find your style and don’t be afraid to experiment. 

• Anything goes in today’s world and you can look outside traditional materials and techniques – even ones you didn’t think you could use.

• Don’t be afraid to mix and match lines of paper – most of my best pairings were when I accidentally mixed scraps of papers in the same drawer.