I know I do! I have been scrapping a lot lately. But I’ve been more interested in telling different, more non-event related, stories. So, my Halloween photos still need to find their way to a page!
I was looking at some of the pages the Crazy Daisy design team created with our October 2010 Main kit and I’m feeling more inspired to get my Halloween pictures scrapped. Maybe this will help you too.
From Amy Kingsford:
For more photos of the goodies Amy created, check out our gallery here.
Be Prepared!
By Amy Kingsford
Though many of you may have children that aren’t quite in school yet, you can still put all of those beautiful school-themed chipboard elements and papers in September’s Main Kit to good use…by building a pre-made mini album for your child’s first year of school!
I put together this 1st Year of School album for my son Caleb, who is currently 2! Now some might call this a little over zealous, but I choose to call it “being prepared!” Something every parent longs to be, but rarely is…lol! So here is a peak at some of my pages and some ideas for creating your very own premade 1s Year if School Album for you little one!
Now every child’s school experience will be different, but here are a few ideas for generic pages to include before hand and then when the time is right you can tailor the album to your child’s specific school experience!
• A My School Page-perfect for a picture of your new academic in front of his school’s flagpole!
• An Introduction Page-Include your child’s name, school name,their grade and their teacher’s name.
• Projects Page- to chronicle your child’s assignments, creations, and projects.
• A Report Card/Grades-to keep track of grades or report cards.
• A Friends/Children at Play-perfect for pictures of friends or fun school photos.
• A Fieldtrips Page- to showcase some of the places your child visited in school.
• A Sports Page- pages for sports team photos and memorabilia.
• An Awards and Certificates Page-to showcase your child’s achievements
Note: The idea of creating a book BEFORE the event is super cool and takes some of the stress out of recording your memories. You could do this for Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas …. Amy used the September Main kit for this project, but you could use anything in your stash.
Tricks for Using Rub-ons
Though Amy (Kingsford) used the August Main kit for this little tutorial, it applys to every kit. There are so many great ways to spice up your pages with rub-ons and nearly every kit we ship out has some rub-ons in it.
Here’s a few ways Amy used rub-ons to enhance her pages:
1. Use them to dress up your photo clusters.
2. Make your own tags.
3. Create a fun scene on your background paper.
The following tips will help you get a clean transfer with each and every one of your rub-ons:
• Avoid storing your rub-ons in a place that gets extremely hot or cold.
• Use a hard flat surface on which to perform your transfers.
• After performing the transfer use the backing sheet from your rubs to place over top and rub over the image again to seal the image securely.
• When cutting your images from a sheet of rub-ons, leave a small border around the image, to help you determine if the edges of your image are sealed properly.
Have fun with this month’s kit and maybe you can look through old kits to find rub-ons you can repurpose for future projects.
Paint By Number: 5 Easy Ways to Use Paint on Your Layouts
By Amy Kingsford
Paint is a fun way to bring a bit of contrasting texture and color to your layouts, if your motivated to punch up your layouts then give these few tips a try:
1. Create our own spray mist by just adding water!
Combine some acrylic paint and distilled water in a small misting bottle … shake and spray, for a glimmer try using a metallic paint!
2. Get Edgy and add a fun border to your pages.
For a subtle effect use a dry brush and take long strokes across the edges of your page; For a bolder look try sponging a bit of paint around the edges.
3. Use a stencil or mask for layouts that are paint PERFECT.
Use masking tape to secure your stencil or mask to your surface and then paint over it to create your design.
4. Drop it or dab it on for a controlled messy look!
Using a bit of toilet paper, dip it into your paint then transfer it to your paper by letting it drip or by actually smudging it onto your lo. For more dramatic splatters with the same amount of control, try using an eyedropper.
5. Use paint to create fun backgrounds and mats.
Stroke your paint directly onto your background for a dynamic textured mat.
Looking for more fun ideas for using paint on your layouts…check out all of the painted perfection available for your inspiration from my favorite artsy scrapper: Dina Wakley!
I love to look at layouts. I could browse galleries for hours. When I look at layouts others have created; I read the journaling; I check out all the materials they used; I deconstruct the pages … it’s a whole process for me. I always feel recharged and inspired when I’ve allowed myself to just pour over the creative talents of others.
Here’s a little treat for you, some layouts I think are worthy of your time and made me drool! Thanks Miss Amy for sharing. You rock.
Enjoy.
Creative Uses for Product Packaging
Are you one of those scrapbookers that keep your packaging from companies like Kaiser Craft and Prima, simply because their packaging (like their products), are simply too beautiful not to use! I know I am! If not, or if you’re searching for some more creative ways to use your packaging you may want to give some of these ideas a try!
Try creating your very own designer tag from a product sales tag—simply cover the parts of the tag you may not want to show (i.e. the price or the collection name by adding small elements ) and let the parts of the tag you admire, shine through! Like the Devonshire Collection tag included with this month’s Kaiser Craft stickers.
I absolutely love using my leftover plastic packaging from charms, brads, etc for mini disposable palettes. The small wells are perfect for one time use on small projects or most can be easily washed and re-used if you are so inclined.
Prima’s packaging is just as beautiful as their products and makes for great photo mats and frames. You may have to strategically place a few items to cover up manufacturer information but this packaging’s rich colors and die cut designs make it hard to throw away!
In this month’s kit Kaiser Craft’s stickers come packaged plastic zip pouches that can be easily stored in a binder. Once you’ve used up these beautiful stickers, why not put this purposeful packaging to use. There is a number of scrapbooking supplies that could be stored in these wonderful pouches or get a head start on back-to-school shopping and give them to your children to store their school supplies in!
If you only have a half of the packaging as is the case with this month’s beautiful Fabric Covered Buttons by Prima…then no worries, use them as a journaling strip or tab! The scalloped edge and bright color are sure to capture your audience’s attention and direct them to what you have to say!
There are so many uses for your packaging…hopefully these ideas will not only inspire you to use every last bit of the pretties that show up in your monthly kit, but will also encourage you to search for more fun ways to sue your product packaging in your layouts!
SCRAP YOUR OWN FRAME
Supplies:
Wooden Frame
Coordinating Patterned Papers and Scraps
Misc. Elements, Alphas, Ribbon
Decoupage
Adhesive (such as Hot Glue)
Scissors or Exacto Knife
Paint, Ink, other medium (to treat your edges)
Paint Brush
Step 1- I like to approach my frames much like a scrapbook lo and do a brief sketch before beginning…this may or may not help you…but give it a shot. You can use a collage technique or a block design, or you can use a simple layered design like the one I’ve used here.
Step 2- Once you’re set on a design begin by treating the edges of the frame (inside and out). You can use ink, paint , wood burning or leave them unfinished…its up to you. But you’ll be happy you completed this step first, once you get your frame all put together.
Step 3- Cut out the paper pieces of your design, using an exacto knife or scissors, and have all of the embellishments you wish to use ready to go.
Step 4- Now because some of the frame will be coated in decoupage and other parts like your elements and ribbon will not need to be sealed, consider working in order as far as your layers are concerned.
Step 5- Apply each of your paper layers, by first applying a thin coat of decoupage directly to the surface you wish to adhere your layer, using a medium to large size paint brush. Then carefully position the layer, so it corresponds to your design and flatten it out, making sure to remove all bubbles and allow it to dry. You may find that you need to do some trimming on each of your layers…this should only be done only after each layer is secured to a surface and before you have applied decoupage over the top of the paper, to avoid tearing.
Step 6- Now apply a generous layer of decoupage over the top of the layer, making sure to seal your corners and edges and paying close attention to any puckering along the way. After the decoupage is dried you can continue with your other layers.
Step 7- Once you’ve applied and sealed all of your paper layers, use adhesive to apply your ribbon, flowers, embellishments, and alphas. If you too are using paper elements that will not be sealed, but you are concerned about their durability (like the two children in my frame), then coat them in decoupage before hand and let them dry before applying them to the frame, this will give them a bit more stability.
Step 8- Often wood frames that you buy at craft store, etc, do not come with glass in them but you can use glass from an old out-of use frame of the same size and it will likely fit the opening.
Step 9- Now Your ready to place your photo inside your frame and put it out for everyone to see!
Inspired by…
So now that you’ve been thinking a little about what inspires you … I’d like to share with you a simple way to “bottle that inspiration”, so to speak and use it for later. If you’re like me you see countless “inspiring” images, products, sights, etc. a day and have now idea what to do with them all. I don’t know about you…but I would never have enough space on my computer to save or bookmark every one, nor enough space in my brain to remember them.
That’s when a creative journal can come in handy!
The 21 pages in this month’s mini are perfect for keeping track of your random creative thoughts, inspirational images and creative prompts. And here are a few prompts from my own creative journal, to get the creativity flowing…
#1- Be inspired by your favorite products
#2-Be inspired by who or what you love
#3- Be inspired by your favorite song
#4-Be inspired by an organized space
#5-Be inspired by the world around you
#6- Be inspired by what others say
Looking for more great creative prompts, check out the following workshops, books, and challenges for a little more inspiration:
The Scrapbooker’s Creativity Kit – a book by Claudine Hellmuth
100 Creativity Exercises – an online workshop with Rhonna Farrer
U R 2 Cre8tive – an e-book by Stacy Jullian
Get Challenged - monthly challenges with Tami Taylor @ Get It Scrapped!
LOAD Challenge – monthly challenge/workshop with Lain Ehmann
INSPIRED BY…
Thursday evening my husband and I went out to dinner and a movie for our 4 year anniversary (an eternity I know…lol)! We also did a little shopping. And as I was perusing the racks at Anthropologie, I stumbled upon this gorgeous necklace …. I was in love! But not in the way that you’d think.
To be honest, there was nothing in my closet I could wear with this piece and it didn’t really speak to my personality, but I just couldn’t stop staring at those beautiful flowers and thinking … wow they would look great on my next lo! So I studied them carefully and when I got home that night I gave them a try. I was so pleased with them that after I made my first one, I tried them out using several different mediums, including, lightweight paper, muffin tins, and of course fabric …
I get my inspiration from all different places … Sometimes, I look to my fellow scrapper’s work … Sometimes I look to their blogs for fantastic tutorials and project ideas … and sometimes, inspiration is staring back at me from the pieces of my everyday life!
How about you?! Where do you get your inspiration from? Do you find yourself looking to the same places, time and again? A particular community’s online gallery, or maybe your favorite magazine?! Or… are you in constant search of new resources for inspiration? I must admit that I am a sucker for “familiar haunts“… my favorite Mongolian BBQ joint or the quaint little coffee house just down the street from my home. But there is definitely something to be said about stepping outside of your comfort zone — especially when it comes to searching for inspiration for your artwork.
Inspiration can come in all colors, shapes, and sizes — in a variety of formats, and mediums. And once I realized this … the opportunities for artistic growth and expression became virtually endless! I challenge you all to look at your everyday life for new ways to express yourself creatively. It could be anything from an advertisement whose design inspires the perfect lo, to a funky vintage apron, whose colors and motifs inspire a great page addition to your art journal.
So with that in mind … get out there and ask yourself … WHAT INSPIRES ME?!
Tuesdays will be all about our Design Team and let me tell you … they are fabulous. I have been reading their blogs and I am in awe. These ladies are super talented and beyond cool. My husband especially likes Miss Katie … because they happen to have the same taste in music. And yes, my husband has been to all the design team member’s blogs. His response, “These ladies are professionals. They should really do this professionally.” You all have my husband’s approval!
In my attempt to keep things streamlined and consistent (my life is neither of those things) Tuesday here at Crazy Daisy are now going to be Design Team Tuesday. Eventually, our Design Team will be posting on Design Team Tuesdays … but for now it’s me, posting about them … on Tuesdays!
Over the course of the next few weeks, we’re going to be introducing you all to the ladies of our design team. To kick things off, I want to start with Amy Kingsford. I’m picking Amy first because, well, umm … my sister’s name is Amy. Seriously. That’s why. Every time I see Amy’s name, I think of my sister. So, why not?!
1. I can’t imagine my life without … my son … he has truly been a blessing in my life.
2. My least favorite chore is … doing the dishes … luckily my hubby loves me enough to do them for me!
3. I would love to win a shopping spree to … Dear Lizzie, I could shop for hours in that store.
4. My must have treat and music when scrapbooking is … Diet Coke, Almond Joys, and some Killers in the background.
5. When scrapbooking, I love to use … the packaging from my supplies … what can I say, some of that stuff is WAY too cute to simply throw away!
6. My favorite creative project is … altered art … I just love turning everyday things into something special!
7. I thought I would never … buy a Blu-ray player … of course I said the same thing about a DVD player and an MP3 player … so much for NEVER!
8. My worst habit is … never letting things dry! Many a projects have met there demise due to my impatience!
9. My favorite scrappy or crafty web site is …. Get It Scrapped! I love the atmosphere and the classes, and all of the women there are fabulous and inspiring!
10. You would never guess it, but I … have three tattoos, I know … not all that shocking, but other than that I think I’m fairly predictable! ugh.
And of course, let me show a little bit of Amy’s work … which of course blew us away! It is her scrapbooking that made us want her on our team .. not just the fact that she’s cute and cool!
RSS