Daily Grind

Hi Everyone,

ONLY 1 SLEEP TO GO!!!!

It is finally here...the Scrapbookit Retreat! A weekend full of fun, laughter and plenty of scrapbooking. Just what the doctor ordered I say!

If you can't tell I am really looking forward to the weekend!!!

Keep up to date with what happens over the weekend via our Facebook page!

For this post I am actually going to give you an insight into the project I will be sharing as a class this weekend...

I have created a 'Mini Clipboard Album', a cute little way to share and display a special event or some special photos around your home.

I am really looking forward to working with the class on the weekend to complete this project.

I have used the Simple Stories 'Daily Grind' paper pad for this project. I just LOVE Simple Stories...they are my most favourite!

I started with a plain clipboard and have covered it with a 'homemade transparency' (a secret that I have to keep for the class...sorry!).

Here is how it turned out.

I can't begin to tell you how happy I am with this project. It came together in the end and it is something that I will be proud to display in my home.

Here are a few more photos...

Not only have I used paper but I have tried to use some different products throughout the mini album like tags, hessian, washi tape, tabs, homemade transperancies etc. 

I avoided adding too much dimension so that the paper/card could lie reasonably flat.

Here are some close ups...

Materials used: Simple Stories Daily Grind Paper Pad; clipboard; acetate; serviettes; Kraft Card; hessian; twine; Ink - Versa Colour; Manor House Word; tags (large); Glimmermist and/or Colourshine spray; Mod Podge; Washi tape; rub ons (Kaisercraft - old stock); Kaisercraft Wooden Letters

So there is my retreat off the page project!

If you are heading along to our retreat this weekend and you want to find out more why not book into the class?

If you are not heading to the retreat...have you had a go at this month's challenge???

There are some great entries in the gallery

The gorgeous Mary Bennetts has set this challenge as she is our guest Designer for this month.

 For my Challenge I would like to see layers, texture & the title to be from a song or quote. I would also like to see some stamping

 Why not give it a shot? And when you have finished email your pic to Jo (joanne@scrapbookit.com.au) to enter the challenge!

Well, for those of you we won't be seeing over the weekend...have a wonderful one! 

For all retreat goers...see you really soon!! Yay!!

Until next time,

Mel x

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

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