Vintage travel layout

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Many layouts start off with pretty paper and this one is no exception. I have used the vintage "Come away with me" collection by Graphic 45. You don't have to use travel photos for this one, just something with a soft pastel feel will be just fine. 

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I will show you how you can add shading with Gelatos (a type of watercolour crayon), which have a subtle metallic shimmer too. We'll combine it with stamping and embossing to create a pretty background that is not too distracting for the busy patterned paper.

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A little wreath from a branch will be perfect for outdoor photos and if you don't want to use that much pink, you can choose a different colour too.

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All you need is:

- one photo (or a series of minis) in any direction, mine is 3 1/2 x 5: but a regular 4x6 is ok

- your usual tool kit (glue or tape, scissors, cutter)

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Class times at Scrappin' With Style will be as usual:

Monday at 9:30am

Tuesday at 10am & 5pm

Please book in if you're not a regular!

Cost is $25, which includes everything you need to complete this project. 

More papers from this collection are available at the shop, if you'd like to create a double layout with more photos.

Dreams & wishes - using Oxide Distress Inks

By now you have probably heard of the new Oxide Distress Inks and have wondered, how are they different from the good old Distress Inks? What can they do that the Distress Inks can't? If you want to have a go at a new product, come to class next week! It's the best way to try before you buy! I have only used the re-inkers, which are even better value than the ink pads. Both are available at Toni's shop too.

My verdict is that they are awesome! Even my very first try turned out super nice. I made this gorgeous galaxy background with hardly any effort at all. You can layer them, mix them, spritz them with water and every single time it looks amazing. For this project, we will keep the layout quite simple so that the glorious colours can take centre stage. You will of course choose your own colour combination and I haven't had one yet that didn't look amazing, because the colours don't blend together into a brown puddle.

There are 3 items we will need for this technique: a heat gun, a heat mat and a water spray bottle. If you have these three items at home, please bring them to class! If everyone has their own, the class will go faster and you won't need to wait in-between steps for your turn. BUT I will also bring my own and we have a few at the shop to share, so don't let that keep you from coming along!

If you don't already own a heat mat, you might want to get one. They are the most versatile mat for all your messy crafting, heating, embossing, spraying and inking and you can see the colours best on the white ones. I highly recommend the white heat mats that Toni sells. 

You will need:

- 1 photo (4x6") in either direction. Any colour combination will work, but avoid a crazy busy photo with too many competing colours. If in doubt, bring a black and white.

- cutter

Optional, but highly recommended to bring:

- heat gun

- water spray bottle / mini mister

- heat mat

See you on Monday at 9:30am

Tuesday 10am or 5pm (you must book in for the evening class)

at Toni's Sccrappin' With Style

21 Mayes Ave, Logan Central

Cost is $25 and includes everything.

You did it! A mosaic of photos

Many of us have way too many photos, but we like to create fancy, beautiful layouts that often feature only one photo. At this rate, we'll never get all the photos scrapped. 

I have talked many times about how to create a second matching page without all the fuss. All you need to do is repeat the background and a few small embellishments and plaster it with lots of photos. The time has come to give this a try in class. I have 9 photos on this double layout and I have cut them up like a mosaic. The idea isn't new, but we haven't done this in years, so let's get scrapping. 

Please choose photos with a "neutral" background, like nature, city sites or backgrounds we can cut out. It's best to choose photos that have a similar background / colour scheme, for a unified look. If in doubt, make it black and white.

Maybe you're not a fan of lots of photos? In that case, you can either use a lot less photos on the left page or simply only do the right page and make it an easy single layout. It kind of started out like one anyway.

The papers we're using have a pretty mint green colour with black and white (the mint green proved tricky to capture in a photo). It is actually a gorgeous neutral colour that will go with a lot of different colours. Hint: The little rows of houses make this the perfect paper range for sight-seeing photos. 

We will also have a go at painting 7 Creek Rd chipboard arrows with the mica mists to get a pretty mint shimmer on a dark backing. Again, that was hard to capture on camera, but it's there in all it's shiny glory.

You will need:

- a stack of photos

- a cutter

- Dimensional Magic or Glossy Accents

Classes are held at Scrappin' With Style @ TJ's

Monday at 9:30am

Tuesday at 10am & 6pm

PS:
My original inspiration for this layout came from this one:

I found it on Pinterest (see here).

Giving money in a card

Recently we went to a wedding and wanted to give some money as a wedding gift. 

 I searched the internet for some creative folding and found this little video on how to make a swan from a dollar bill. You can find the video by clicking here 

 

The swans were easy to make, but Australian money is made from plastic and won't stay folded, so I had to add a couple of staples and glue dots. No worries, they're easy to remove!

Not only is Australian money plastic, it also features some cool little windows and fairly bright colours. They weren't easy to match up with papers! In the end I made it into a little wallet card, so that the swans pop up when you open it. 

I simply followed the instructions in a video (click here). I hope this gives you some inspiration for next time you want to give money creatively.

double trouble travel layout

Who enjoys traveling? Let's get lots of photos onto a double layout! 

We'll use the vibrant Graphic 45 papers with lots of blue. You don't have to make it a beachy theme either. Bring lots of photos to cut down to approx. 3x4" and smaller (the sizes and orientations can vary, it's best to bring a pile and we'll choose some in class). Black and white or sepia will go really well too. If you just can't make up your mind, add the photos later.

We will also have another go at doing some heat embossing with the Metallic Melts. As you can see, there are flecks of blue and green in it. If you missed the stamped teen boy page last week, don't miss this cool technique!

You will have a choice of travel / sight seeing titles, frames and keys. 

Would you like to join us in class? Class times are:

Monday at 9:30am

Tuesday at 10am or 5pm (earlier start!!!)

For $25 you will get all materials and mediums and walk away with a finished double page.

See you at Scrappin' With Style @ TJ's

21 Mayes Ave, Logan Central

Adored - a dream in purple

A dream in purple! Such soft pastels are just begging to be scrapped with pretty photos. 

We are creating a pretty cluster with some of the new products that Toni has. There is a bird bath, birds, a cabochon (6 different styles to choose from), lace, flowers, glitter balls and feather-like thingies, which I like especially. There will be a choice of titles too.

What you need:

- photo(s) - see below

- basic tool kit

- your lovely self

Note that my photo doesn't have any purple in it! Just choose one with soft or neutral tones. Baby photos will suit this really well too. You can scrap a 4x6" portrait photo (like I did), a landscape 4x6" or a series of minis. Even sepia and black & white would look amazing. So please don't feel that you need to find a purple photo. I don't recommend a larger photo as you would cover up too much of the pretty flower pattern. 

Class times:

Monday at 9:30am

Tuesday at 10am & 5pm

Please remember the earlier start for the night class and that you must book in for that. 

See you there!

Just unwind

It's amazing what you can learn from other crafters. While teaching a layout class at Alison Bevis' BYO Stuff craft event, I learned some cool techniques from the other 2 teachers, Sharon Pick and Beck Beattie. They were kind enough to let me scraplift their ideas for our class next week. 

First we will stamp a frame for our photos, like Sharon did. It's so effective! It works for any shape photo, but we will cut some photos into circles for the best look. 

Then we will use a heat embossing technique with Beck's Metallic Melts. See how the stars have lots of different colours embedded in them? They look amazing and show different colours, depending on the lighting.

You will choose your contrast colour (where I used yellow), to go with your own photos.

All you will need is 2 photos and they don't have to be black and white. Mine were both 4x6" but the larger one needs to be a portrait photo to get the right size circle. If you only have a landscape photo, you can either flip the layout on its side or use an enlargement (5x7 or 6x8"). We can adjust the size of the circle to suit your photo. If you have a choice, print the photo without a white frame. And if you're really keen, you can use 3 or 4 photos and make more stamped circles. 

Then we'll add some cool embellishments like a zipper frame, a light bulb and winding up key, also some  journaling spots (to write on them, bring a permanent pen) and some stenciling with the amazing pearl paste.

Would you like to give it a try?

Come to TJ's on Monday at 9:30am or Tuesday at 10am or 5pm (new start time!)

Cost is $25 and includes all materials.

See you there!

Inspire joy

How cool is the new Kaisercraft Basecoat collection?! I just love this blue and green painted paper. And with a little bit of safron yellow it simply pops! 

It all matches perfectly with denim. You just know we're going to make this denim rosette, don't you? 

And this sweet little tassel too! We can whip that one up in no time with a cool little trick that I will show you. If you want to find out, you'll have to come to class.

Hello, sweet little fluffy photo border...I haven't used mulberry paper in years and right now I'm wondering what I was thinking! This stuff is amazing at adding texture without effort. You will love it.

Bring a photo (mine is 3 1/2 x 5", so just a bit smaller than a regular photo), it can go in any direction. 

Important class update: Tuesday night classes will now start at 5pm to cater better to you early birds. If you want to come, but can't make it at that time, just send me a note and we can start you a bit later. I'm a night owl, so I don't mind. Don't forget to book in!

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When?

Monday 9:30am

Tuesday 10am & 5pm (!)

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Where?

Scrappin' With Style, 21 Mayes Ave, Logan Central QLD 

(aka "Toni's)

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How much?

$25 gives you everything you need to walk out with a finished layout

This smile - let's get some colour on!

Our basic tools and mediums are so versatile and you don't always need the latest range of products to create something beautiful. Next week we'll scrap any size / any amount of photos on a painted background. There are some textured love hearts, subtly peeking out here and there and bold purples on gold. 

If that is too much colour for you, why not pick a different combination? I will have all sorts of sprays and Magicals available for you to make your perfect colour palette. 

A pretty little mirror birdcage adds a bit of bling and they're also available in white or black.

We'll embellish it all with some small lace pieces, flowers and soft vellum leaves. I have painted some buttons and the die cuts with my gold pen, if you still have the gold and silver markers from last Christmas, please bring them along.

IMPORTANT:

I am thinking of changing the Tuesday night class to 5pm in the future to make it a bit easier on those of you who get tired at night, Please let me know what you think! Yeah or nay?

Please bring:

- Photos: whatever number, size and direction you want! Anything goes, we will make the layout match your photos. We can die cut the photos in class, if you want (lots of sizes available).

- gold & silver markers (if you have them)

- Your basic tools

Class times will be as usual:

Monday at 9:30am

Tuesday at 10am & 6pm (we won't change the evening time until I've had a chance to chat to you)

at Scrappin' With Style @ TJ's

Cost is $25 incl all materials and mediums

Live a colourful life - music and teens

One for the music lovers! Or the teenagers, if you prefer. 

The main photo opens out to reveal another two 4x6" photos and the possibility to scrap 2 minis as well (3x4") - to or use the space for journaling. 

(note: I have blocked out Hannah's school friends to make it internet-friendly)

Lots of tags, metal-look and grungy embellishments add a pretty cool vibe.

Maybe you're not into music? How about a different theme then. We're scrapping with papers from Feature Art and there lots of other options:

BMX / dirt bikes

Skateboarding

Dancing (hip hop style)

Basketball

Martial arts

If in doubt, simply go with some cool and happy photos, my photos actually have nothing to do with music either. You will need three 4x6" photos (landscape) and two minis (3x4" portrait - those are optional)

You will also choose a colour of cardstock that goes best with your photo.

Let's grab a few photos and come to Toni's shop on Monday at 9:30am or Tuesday at 10am or 6pm!

As always, cost is $25 and includes everything you need, just bring your photos and tools. If you have a scoring board or a scoring blade on your cutter, please bring them along too.

See you in class!

Geli

To the moon and back

What's happening in class next week? We're treasure hunting. It's amazing what's hiding at Toni's shop.

We're scrapping 4 photos with a wooden dress form, an embroidered thingy, a wreath with tassles (soooo cute!) and a hinge. 

Before you throw out small paper off cuts, let me show you how you can make some quick and simple flowers to match your layout. And we're making the tassles, by the way, because it's easy and looks adorable. 

Sweet dusty pink and soft grey flatter most skin tones, making it perfect for portraits. But you can use any photos and if in doubt, make them black and white or sepia. You will need 4 photos to be trimmed to a 3 1/2" square.

If the chocolate brown as accent colour doesn't suit your photos, we can change anything brown to a different colour. 

As always, we meet on Monday at 9:30am, Tuesday at 10am & 6pm at Scrappin' With Style @ TJ's.

Cost is $25 and includes all materials (there are heaps this week, making this a real bargain!)

See you there!

Making cards with leftovers

I had a spare background paper from demonstrating in class (see the recent travel layout here) and I wanted to make it into a few quick cards. First I cut my 12x12" paper into equal 4x6" pieces, one for each card. I then rifled through my stash of small embellishments (see my super cheap organised stash idea here). 

I let the colours on the mixed media background guide me in picking some embellishments. I wanted mostly masculine birthday cards and avoided flowers (except on one). It's easy to find matching bits and pieces because I sort them all by colour. 

Next I simply picked a matching cardstock or patterned paper for a mat, cut it to size and matted everything on a kraft card base.

My rule of thumb is a 4x6" card base, a 3 3/4 x 5 3/4" mat, a 3 1/2 x 5 1/2" background. Every layer is 1/4" bigger than the one above. That way I get 6 card bases out of 2 sheets of cardstock and 6 backgrounds out of 1 sheet of background paper. I broke that rule on the red card, since I wanted the stripes to show more, but you get the idea. 

I had punched 6 tags from my leftover map paper, so they all share that too.The rest is scraps. 

Everything you see is bits and pieces I hold on to, like most crafters do. Of course it means that no two cards are the same, but it's a great way to use up what you have.

Sticking it all together was the fun bit and I did that while watching a bit of telly. I hope you find some inspiration to use up your stash too!