Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

A brief post this morning on behalf of Jo and the Scrapbookit Design Team to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

We hope that you spend today sharing lots of special family time with all of those that you love. Don't forget some pudding and some gift giving too!

From all of us ~ Merry Christmas! Have a great day!

Here are a few gift tags that I have created this Christmas...

Peace, Noel, Joy

Well, only 2 sleeps and Christmas will be here! I seriously can’t believe how quickly this year has gone! It only seems like yesterday that we were beginning the New Year.

For today’s post I have created some free standing ‘Christmas’ themed words. I love doing off the page projects that I can use to decorate my home or give as gifts to family and friends, especially at Christmas. 

The first of the words ‘Peace’ is a wooden word that I have had sitting in my collection for years. I finally decided it was time to pull it out of the cupboard.

As with my first project this month, I have used the Authentique ‘Joyous’ collection. This collection has the traditional Christmas colours but also has something a little different with blacks, creams, reds and greens. So I decided to go non-traditional for these words!

I have used the ‘Diverse’ page from the ‘Joyous’ collection. A circular die cut, from the same collection, with the phrase from the Kaisercraft Christmas Sentiments stamp collection, stamped on it with Staz-on ink. I have used two bells from a Lindt Chocolate gift that my friend gave me and some chipboard flowers from the ‘Joyeux Noel Layered Accents’ by Bella Ruby Rock  It.

As with all of my OTP projects I have used Mod Podge to adhere and to seal.

Here is Peace.

The next word is ‘Noel’ and it is a Kaiser Wooden Word. I have used some Kaisercard to cover the word. Then I stamped different Christmas sentiments and quotes all over it.

I have used some Kaisercraft Paper Blooms and some ordinary, everyday string. Again I have used a die cut from the collection to embellish the word as well as strip of coordinating paper through the centre of the word.

Here is Noel.

The final word is ‘Joy’, also a Kaiser Wooden Word. For this word I have used the same products as above.

            

Well, that is it for me for December…however I do have a small post to share with you later this week…keep your eyes out!

Make sure you get your December entrees in before December 31st!

Don't forget to pop over to the online store to grab some of these products...or maybe send your hubby/wife for that last minute 'gift voucher' for you!

I would like to take this opportunity to say ‘Merry Christmas’ I hope that each and every one of you can spend some quality time with those you love this Christmas.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

                                                                                              

Mel

Project #1 December 2013

Hello Everyone,

Can you believe that it is nearly Christmas? I can't!

I hope that you are all ready for Christmas and your shopping is done.

I haven't even started yet!!!

This month our gorgeous Guest Designer, Amanda Francis, has set the challenge for us. Amanda set the challenge of using Paint and Spray in our projects.

My role on the Scrapbookit Design Team has changed a little, we have decided to mix it up a bit. So my role now is to try and inspire you with a few different projects…you know a bit of this and a bit of that!

This month I have returned to some instructions for a ‘One Page Wonder - Mini Album’ which I received years and years ago from my gorgeous friend Jaine…she was always very clever with her designing and creating.

I had a lot of fun creating this mini album so I thought I would share the instructions with you.

 

I have been very lucky this month to receive the gorgeous Authentique ‘Joyous’ collection and some other bits and pieces to play with.

The first step of this project is to score a piece of cardstock so that you have a checkerboard effect. This will involve scoring three vertical lines (I scored the centre first and then scored half again) then you will need to turn your page one turn and score three vertical lines.

Then, you will need to cut along the scored lines.

Along the first line you need to cut from the bottom to the top intersection. For the second line you need to cut along the score line from the top down to the bottom intersection. The third line needs to be the same as the first line. You are now ready to fold your card stock into the mini album.

Once you have folded your mini album you will need to adhere some of the pages together. However, make sure on the first, third, fifth and seventh pages you only tape 3 sides to make pockets to slide a tag/s or other memorabilia in.

You will then need to cut two pieces of chipboard to become the front and back covers of your album. I have sprayed the edges of my chipboard covers with Dylusions ‘Cut Grass’ Ink Spray. Before you stick the covers on you will need to attach the ribbon underneath the cardstock. This will be used to tie up your album once complete.

It is now up to you how you might decorate your mini album. I have used strips of paper from the collection as well as some of the card stock elements. I have used Kaisercraft ‘Christmas Sentiments’ and ‘Christmas Card’ Rub ons. The clear stamps ‘Christmas Sentiments’ and ‘Christmas Quotes’ by Kaisercraft were also used.

I used some plain card tags and have decorated them using some of the above products but I have also used Tattered Angels ‘Brick’ Glimmermist for my spraying and Tim Holtz ‘Fired Brick’ Distress Ink around the edges.

Throughout the album and on my tags I have used a VERY VERY old christmas stencil and a mixture of Texture Paste and green paint to add some Christmas trees and stars. 

As you can see I haven’t added any photos…I am not sure that I want this album to display photos or for it to be something else….maybe a little quote book or a remember when…book; somewhere to write down our little Christmas traditions in our family…I’m not sure???

Well, that is my first little project for the month. I hope that you have been inspired. It is always nice when you can create something out of one sheet of cardstock. 

Thanks heaps to Amanda for being our Guest Designer this month. I have loved using sprays and paints. If you would like to check out some more of Amanda’s work head on over to her blog…

http://evangelinemarie.wordpress.com

Make sure you head on over to the Scrapbookit Online Store or email Joanne to grab all you need to complete a One Sheet Wonder Mini Album. If you would like some more detailed instructions for this project please send me an email…melfield30@gmail.com. Then you have until the 30th of December to get your entry for this challenge submitted to Joanne.

Make sure you pop back in over the next few weeks to see more projects from our wonderfully talented Design Team and I look forward to checking in with you just before Christmas to share another project.

Happy Scrapping,

Mel

Garage Days

Welcome everyone to my second post for November.

I would like to start by welcoming our newest Design Team Member to our team, Cindy Porter. It is so wonderful to have Cindy as part of our team. She has an amazing style of scrapping to bring to our team and a wonderful knowledge of mixed media techniques. I am very excited to have Cindy on the team...can't wait to see all of the amazing layouts she creates.

Not only do we have Cindy joining us but each month for the next 6 months we will have a different Guest Designer. It is so exciting to know that each month we will get to see some new ideas from our guests. Make sure you pop by next month to see the first of our guests.

Now to what I have been up to...

This month I was lucky enough to be able to play around with the Garage Days collection by Kaisercraft. As you all know I love the masculine collections and creating pages of my boys. 

The photo that I have used is a photo that I have had sitting in my scrapping room waiting for that "right collection" to use. Well finally I have found that "right collection."

Check it out and see what you think...

The papers that I have used match perfectly with the colours in the boys shirts (well, I think so anyway).

I have been right into distressing at the moment. So as you can see there is heaps on this layout. I love the effect of distressing and inking, especially for masculine layouts.

I have torn the right hand bottom corner away and rolled the edges. I have then cut another corner and adhered it behind. I used this to put a little quote from an older pack of Kaisercraft rub-ons on. 

The quote says,

"Life is built around experience with others; our foundation is always family."

I have used the Garage Days rub ons under the photo. This pack is great especially for male cards. There are lines of bikes, cars, wheels etc.

The wooden fob watch is a Kaisercraft Wooden Embellishment. Again, another item that I have had stashed away in my scrapping room. I have just used some household twine to tie it and attach it to my layout.

The next layout that I have to share with you is one I created a the retreat last month.

You may have heard that our theme for Saturday night was Halloween.

Part of the night was that Jo gave us all a pack of paper. You either ended up with a trick or a treat. Whilst some people may believe I ended up with a treat pack I thought it was a trick pack. Mainly because I rarely work in these colours.

I luckily had a gorgeous photo of Note and Arnut, two of our Thai friends from our trip.

It worked perfectly with the papers.

Here is what I came up with...

Have you heard that we are doing it all again?

The 2014 Scrapbookit Retreat is on from 21st - 23rd March at the Mountain View Holiday Resort in Harrietville.

Make sure that you book early if you want to come along.

Don't forget you still have a few more days to get your entries in for this months challenge...Email your entries to Jo by the 30th.

Until next time,

Happy Scrapping!

Mel x

Garage Days by Kaisercraft

Can you believe that it is November? 

I know I can’t...it is very scary how quickly this year has flown by.

We have had an amazing year here at Scrapbookit and there is still more to come!!!

To kick off the second last month of the year we have a great challenge for you all to join in with. We also have some great new products in store that you may be able to use. You could try some of the new Scrap FX stamps/stencils, some WOW chipboard and use them alongside some of the new Kaisercraft paper collections or how about Fancy Pants???

This months challenge is to follow the recipe from below. You need to include the following on your project:

* 5 Pieces of patterned paper ( any size)

* 4 Embellishments

* 3 Word  title
* 2 photo's (any size)
* 1 mask/stencil (as many times as you like)

I have been very lucky to play with the Garage Days collection by Kaisercraft. This range is a great masculine range featuring denim, cars, gasoline pumps and heaps of quotes and words about Dads and/or the males in our lives. It was extremely easy to work with.

Here is my layout...

I have used the gorgeous Spare Parts page for the background. I just love the wood grain effect on this page, it makes a great background. Along with this I have used Oil Change, Tool Box and Gas Tank (Front and Back) to make up the 5 pieces of patterned paper required for the recipe. I have distressed the edges of the smaller pieces of patterned paper to give that “grungy” look!

I have used a little collectable and a card from Wheel Alignment to create a hidden journalling card. A great way to make sure you journal! I love it that I can write special messages to my boys and they are not visible on the layout.

I have used some Twiddleybitz and Scrap Matts cogs, found in my stash, as part of the 4 embellishments. I have used a Collections chipboard movie ticket, some Garage Days collectable sayings and a shield (tucked under the patterned papers) as well as a button for my embellishments.

The Garage Days Element Sticker Sheet has so many wonderful options for use on layouts and cards. It has border strips, sayings and alpha stickers. I used the gorgeous alpha stickers for my 3 word title - Father & Son (which the littlest of my boys decided was the title he wanted).

I have also used some of the Garage Days Rub Ons on the layout. These work really well and are great to add that little something to your layout.

My 2 photos were taken in 2009 as we headed off on our Thailand trip. We were actually still in Melbourne and we had caught the tram to St. Kilda beach. It was nice to be able to include a 5” x 7” photo as well as a smaller photo.

For the mask/stencil part of the recipe I have used a Prima mask. It, like the chipboard embellishments, has cogs and wheels. I have used some Texture Paste with the mask and then to take away the starkness of the texture paste I slightly rubbed with some Tim Holtz Walnut Distress Ink. I also used some distress ink around the edges of the background patterned paper.

Well, it is that easy to complete this months challenge. Have you started your entry???

This month we will be announcing our new DT - it is really quite exciting! Make sure that you pop back in to the blog over the next few weeks to check out our exciting announcement but also to check out what our gorgeous DT member Brenda has created for this challenge.

If this layout has inspired you to want to create a great masculine page, or page about the men in your life then either head over to the Scrapbookit Online Shop (by clicking on the page link above) or email Jo - joanne@scrapbookit.com.au to get your hands on this collection.

Until next time - happy scrapping!

Mel x

Scrapbookit Retreat - October 2013

Hello Everyone,

What an absolutely wonderful weekend had by all!

We started arriving on Friday. Some of us believed that they would never get the car packed the same way again on Sunday afternoon...however, the unloading and settling in did not take very long at all. It was lovely to catch up with old friends and great to meet some new ones.

Throughout the weekend there were plenty of laughs (actually some of us complained of sore sides at several points), plenty of scrapbooking, some spending, plenty of eating, some drinking (cordial only!!!), great conversations, music and some of us even took a liking to singing aloud!!

We were blessed to have Melissa Kennedy from Kaisercraft join us. She ran a class for us using one of the newer paper ranges “Hidden Treasures.” With plenty of distressing, inking, tying, mounting, layering, tucking, journalling, hiding, sticking and dabbing we created two gorgeous single layouts. Thank you to Melissa for running the class, for sharing with us and for having a laugh with us, we had a ball and thoroughly enjoyed it.

We had a halloween themed dress up on Saturday night and even did some 'Trick or Treat' scrapping.

Here is Jo, Brenda and I...

 and the whole gang...

Our venue “Mountain View Retreat” was great. Our hosts were very kind to us all and provided us with plenty of yummy food, plenty of warmth (especially when Friday night was a little chilly) and smiling faces! Thank you so much to the team at Mountain View Retreat for your hospitality.

All in all, a wonderful weekend. 

A huge thank you to Jo for organising and running the retreat. They are always wonderful weekends and I, personally, know the hard work you put into the event behind the scenes that we all need to thank you sincerely for Jo! 

A huge thanks to Rhonda for running the shop and keeping the tallies for the weekend and for helping with the set up on Thursday night and Friday. An endless support to Jo - thanks Rhonda!

A huge thanks to all those who assisted with the pack up. Especially to Lyn and Kerry, who stuck around and packed the already full car with products to transport back to the shop. Also, a big thanks to Andrew (Jo’s partner) and Brittany, Casey and Lachie (Jo’s children) for all of their hard work with transporting the shop and setting and packing up...you guys are awesome!

I was lucky enough to run a class on the weekend too!

It was a Christmas Card class, featuring three cards using the gorgeous Bo Bunny “Elf Magic” or the Bo Bunny “Silver and Gold” collection.

As I explained to the class on Sunday, our original intentions with this class was just to make the ‘Trinket box’ but felt that we needed a couple of extra cards for good measure. 

So here are some photos of the trinket box card...

What a wonderful little gift box and card! I can imagine buying a beautiful piece of jewelry to place in the box, writing on the easel card and then tying a big bow around it and placing it under the Christmas tree.

I have also made this trinket box card twice before for my niece and nephew. They loved the chocolates that filled the box for their birthdays!!

The next card is the Envelope/Tag card.

Basically, all I have used is my Kaisercraft card and envelope. I have decorated the envelope and then cut the card in half to create a tag to hold my message inside!

Something a little different!

The final card is a very basic card. I have used 1” squares, distressing and scrunching to create the background.

If you like these cards and want to give them a try, I believe Jo has some packs in the shop with a full set of instructions. Drop her an email and she can get one to you.

Well that is all for me today! I hope you have enjoyed hearing about our wonderful weekend and have enjoyed looking at my cards.

Make sure you pop back in to check out the new challenge for November and also to hear our new Design Team news!!

Until then, happy scrapping,

Melxx

Echo Park

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to the first of my posts for October - a very exciting month for us here at Scrapbookit!!

This month sees our much anticipated October Retreat!!

I, myself, have a few things happening this month...actually as you read this I will be on holiday in Thailand...two weeks of my Long Service Leave. Then when I get home it will nearly be time for our retreat...so exciting!

We have a very special guest, Melissa Kennedy from Kaisercraft coming. I personally can't wait to do her class :)

I know there are only 2 spaces left for the retreat - we would love you to come along.

This month the lovely Brenda has challenged us with an absolutely gorgeous sketch. Well done on the design Brenda...it is an awesome sketch and I had heaps of fun using it. At the end of Brenda's last post she said that I would be posting next and that she was sure I would rock this challenge....well as per normal I have "rocked" the boat. As my headspace was obviously already in Thailand at the time of doing this layout I failed to use a black and white photo :) Sorry! Mel again tweaking the rules...just make sure you don't do it on your entry! Sorry Brenda!

Here is Brenda's sketch...

Sometimes when you have been scrapbooking for a long time you forget the simple things. Over the last few weeks I have been scrapping with my friend who is reasonably new to scrapbooking and she has reminded me of some of the basics that us older scrapbookers forget. One of these things is about the rules of using a sketch. Basically my rules are that a sketch is a place to start. When creating you can flip it or rotate it. Actually you can basically do anything you wish as long as there is a resemblance to the original sketch.

Sketches are great no matter whether you are a scrapbooking newbie or an old hand!!

So here is what I came up with! I actually flipped the sketch!

This month Jo so kindly gave me the gorgeous Echo Park papers - Reflections by Lori Whitlock.

They are truly gorgeous papers. The majority of the element stickers and embellishments feature words and phrases about family...so a perfect range for all of those family shots.

You can pick up the pack at Scrapbookit. Included in the pack is...

12 12x12 Double Sided Papers, 12x12 Element Sticker and a 12 x 12 Alphabet Sticker sheet.

I love packs...they take the stress out of coordinating papers.

In this layout I have also used - the gorgeous WOW Word Speech Bubbles; Bella Floral Self Adhesive Flowers; Twine; Tim Holtz - Distress Ink; black staples and the cardstock I have used is Double Mates - Outdoorsy Olive.

Here is a close up of the embellishment cluster...

And my favourite part of the sketch...those trendy little tags under the photo...

Well, I hope that you have found something to inspire you from my post today.

Make sure you join us for this challenge. All you need to do is create a layout using Brenda's awesome sketch and email it to Jo - joanne@scrapbookit.com.au

Don't forget if you love this range to pop on over to the online store or email Jo to get your hands on this pack.

Looking forward to seeing your wonderful creations.

Mel x

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to Scrapbookit and to our September challenge!

Isn’t the year flying? It will be....................before we know it

 (didn’t want to mention the actual word!)

I have set this month’s challenge....so you can all blame me!

When thinking about what to do I spotted my very large crate of rub ons that don’t get much of a go these days. Hence, why I thought that it might be good to use up some of these to create a background.

So, the details for this month’s challenge...

Create a layout using...

Rub ons to help create a background;

Chipboard;

and a 

Handmade embellishment.

This month I was very, very lucky to get to play with a gorgeous paper collection ‘What a Wonderful Day’ by Fancy pants. The kit that I received was amazing!

Inside the kit there is everything you need to complete lots of wonderful projects. 

Inside the pack there are...12 sheets of double sided paper; a label sticker sheet; a tape sticker sheet; a sticker fundamental sheet; an alpha sticker sheet and 2 sheets of corrugate paper - white and turquoise.

What an awesome pack and they are such gorgeous papers too!

Here is my layout for this month...

I have used the Fancy Pants pack (see materials above); Kaisercard - Coconut; Kaiser and miscellaneous Rubons; Kaisercraft Rhinestones - silver; Twiddleybitz - Chipboard Hot Air Balloon; Tattered Angels - Glimmermist - Pearl and Heidi Swapp - Color Shine - Mint Green.

You may be wondering what my handmade embellishment is?

Well, this time round I took the easy option. 

The little clouds I have classed as my handmade embellishment. 

Poxy, I know, but it wasn’t really the layout for flowers or anything really big and bulky!

Here is a close up of the Twiddleybitz Hot Air Balloon, 

which I sprayed with Heidi Swapp - Color Shine...

Here is a close up of the paper ripping and rolling that 

I have done so that I could hide some rub ons in the background...

And another close up...

Well, I hope you like my take on the challenge.

Have you heard about our retreat?

Are you coming?

It is very exciting...we have Melissa Kennedy, Kaisercraft Designer, 

coming along to teach a class.

If you haven’t registered...you need to asap by contacting Jo at the shop or by email

joanne@scrapbookit.com.au

Make sure you pop back in on the 14th to see our Guest Designer's take on this challenge....I know I am looking forward to that!

Looking forward to seeing your take on this challenge in the Gallery.

Until next time,

Mel x