Sketch class 9

Another sketch class done and dusted...

Sketch 9

This easy sketch uses 6x4 photos that have been printed with white borders, but if you were to matt your own photos you would need to trim them down first. Alternatively the photos can be 4x4 photos (again printed with a white border) and any one of the photo elements can be swapped out for a journalling block if you have a longer story to tell.

Sketch 8 repeated...

I used a colour combo that was part of a challenge at the Create for a Cause event and basing my layout on Sketch 8 I created a smaller layered embellishment area on each side. I love these photos of Ross and his Mum, some of them are serious but my favourites are the ones where Marj aka 'Ma' is smiling up at Ross!

Here is a sneak peek at the sketch 10 layout.

This class will be held at Scrapbook Corner on August 9th at 1pm but I am happy to re-run the class at another time if necessary. Contact Janine at the shop ph: 06-8422317 for class details.

Sketch class catch-ups

You will have to excuse my terrible photographing of these layouts, I have so much trouble getting them 'square-on'...

Sketch class 7 ...
Two examples from the same sketch, one a traditional 12x12 double layout and the other using the pocket pages by Kaisercraft.

 here is the traditional sample, using the Kaisercraft Hello Sunshine range. I hand cut the cute animals and created a long border across the top and a smaller 6x4 (ish) element on the bottom right corner. The photos and other patterned paper blocks were 6x4 trimmed slightly to allow for a mini margin around each piece. I have to confess though, the title should actually say Taronga Zoo but by the time I had cut the word Auckland on my Cameo and chose the photos I was in too much of a hurry to change it. I will cut a new title next time I am in my scraproom. 

now for the pocket page layout using the same long border and title element. I like to create simple sample layouts for these sketch classes so that newbie scrappers aren't overwhelmed by to many embellishments, The advanced scrappers in class just blow me over with how awesome they embellish, so each double pager created from the one sketch is so different to another, and they all look wonderful, how cool is that?!

 Sketch class 8...
Two samples using totally different Kaisercraft collections...

for this layout I have used the Happy Snaps collection, I personally think buying a collection packis the way to go as you get two of each sheet of patterned paper plus a sticker sheet, and at Scrapbook Corner you can save $13.60 buying that way!!!  I like using 6x4 photos (both landscape and portrait) on one double page layout as this is the standard size most of us print, but as usual with a sketch the photo sizes could be altered, for example the two photos on the left size could be three 4x4 and the three on the right side could equally be smaller or larger depending on what you have got. Imagine that right hand block being a 12x6 photo or even six 4x4 photos.

now if I remember correctly this is the Kaisercraft Key to my Heart collection plus a couple of doilies and a title cut on my Cameo. I have swapped out one of the 6x4 photo spots for journalling and created a 'two-up' collage for that top right photo.

Sketch class 9 sneak peek...

this sketch will be a double page traditional layout using 6x4 photos - two portrait and three landscape orientation but could easily be changed to smaller or larger photos. More info here on Scrapbook Corner's class calendar I hope to see you there :)

Create for a Cause fundraiser

I am part of a team that are holding another fundraiser event in Hawkes Bay, if you want to check out the details then click on the image below...

Pocket scrapping layout plus a 12x12er and an exciting announcement

The last sketch class was not really based on a sketch but actually a layout using Kaisercraft pocket protectors along with a traditional 12x12 layout sample for those not keen to try out the pockets.

I created two 12" x 3" borders on Kraft cardstock using the Kaisercraft Spring Bloom collection then cut the borders into 4" sections so they could fit into the pockets. (I only rounded the outside corners of the top and bottom sections to give the look of a border not just 3x4 cards). The SMILE and LOVE stickers from the same collection are stuck on the outside of the pockets. 

 One of the students used the horizontal 6x4 pocket protectors and created a 24in x 4in border element along the top pockets, using a large sticker element and some border strips and one student created 12in x 4in border strips for both left and right edges in her horizontal 6x4 pocket protectors. Unfortunately I don't have a photos of their layouts to share.

This was the sample double page layout for anyone who didn't want to use pocket protectors, again using borders on each edge, but in this case the left side border was much wider.

The next Sketch class to be held at Scrapbook Corner in Napier is set down for the 5th of April 1pm.
Check out the class calendar here...
 http://gallery.mailchimp.com/031eb5ea3e6ff8dca1dbab2f2/files/classes_March_April.pdf

I am in the middle of creating more layouts for the next sketch class, this time using 6x4 horizontal pockets and a traditional double page layout sample also. Check back here after the 5th April to see them.

This weekend I am joining three friends for a weekend of scrapping, so hopefully I will have more layouts to share on my blog next week! Meanwhile I am busy making page kits in readiness. I have a two day Volunteers workshop for Cranford Hospice before the weekend though, plus of course my paid job too :)

Exciting News: the 2014 fundraiser crop event has been announced, check out the details on the Create for a Cause blog here...
http://createforacause2014.blogspot.co.nz/


 Meanwhile Happy Scrapping

Class layouts to share.

Not sure if I have mentioned on my blog about the Inspired Scrapbooking class at Big Picture Classes. I am so happy that I get to spend another year online with Stacy Julian. The class isn't as full-on as TWELVE was but that suits me right now. You can still register if you want to join us (click on the link above). 

Here is my layout for the first topic SEASONS. Whilst this topic covers the seasons of nature it also covers any seasons in your life, in this case the ending of my season as a Treasurer...

A very simple layout design with a 12x6 block of photos (the 6x4's on each side are photo collages), along with some strips and scallops and some elements cut from some patterned paper. The lengthy journalling tucks behind the photo block. I mounted my title onto some transparency which sort of disappears once the layout goes into a page protector.

The next two layouts are from the last sketch class at Scrapbook Corner. The first one was the original layout design whilst the second has a similar background of patterned paper strips but with a smaller shape element and different photo sizes and placement.

Using patterned papers from the Kaisercraft Summer Breeze collection as strips of various widths and a large heart shape element. I cut off a piece of the Kraft cardstock (background) and printed my journalling out then stuck it back on to the background piece hiding the seam behind the patterned paper strips.

Again the same background idea of patterned paper strips, using two different Kaisercraft collections - Technologic and something else (I think its so old its no longer on the Kaisercraft page). I borrowed a friend's Tim Holtz embossing folder and embossed the brown circles with some really cool cogs/gears and added a few diecut cogs/gears to embellish. I used 5x7 photos on this layout and flipped the background (sort of).I added my journalling in strips and glued them directly on to the patterned paper strips.

The next 'sketch class' at Scrapbook Corner is not really a sketch but we will be using the Kaisercraft pocket protectors, patterned paper and/or Captured Moments cards and some embellishments. For those who do not wish to use the pocket pages we will help them create traditional 12x12 layouts. This class is on the 15th March at 1pm at the shop so book your seat ASAP.

two double pages based on the same layout design...

Using the same layout design but flipping horizontally and vertically to get two similar but different layouts. (click on the layout images to see them bigger).

The background of this layout (and the one below) are so easy to create. The two photos on the left could be swapped out for an enlarged landscape orientation photo and the photos in the centre can be a collage of photos to create a 12x6 photo block, my top photo is a collage of three portrait photos on one 6x4 canvas. Funny story - I had to add the small circular photo on the last photo to hide the fact the my hubby's zipper was down but at least then I managed to add a photo of me to the layout! LOL

Same layout design but flipped, this time I made a photo collage of two 3x4 photos in the centre of the block. My journalling strips are spread across the whole layout in this example.

 These layouts were for the January sketch class at Scrapbook Corner in Napier.

two layouts to share, one double and one triple!

Last weekend we held the third sketch class at Scrapbook Corner and this is my version of the sketch...

this layout could accommodate up to 11 photos but I have swapped some of the square spots out with patterned paper and journalling and the two 6x4 verticals on the right side I have used one enlargement instead.

this is actually three layouts (6x12, 12x12, 6x12) about my Great Grandparents. I was lucky enough to be loaned the photos, newspaper clipping and the wedding certificate by my Uncle James for copying for my layout.

I am now on six weeks holiday (school break) and hope to have many more layouts to share during that time. Meanwhile Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your families.

Sketch classes at Scrapbook Corner

I have been helping out with sketch classes at Scrapbook Corner and we are having a blast.

One of the best comments I overheard was "we can choose our own papers" so yes that is the beauty of a sketch, you can make it your own by changing things up a bit and definitely by using your favourite papers and embellishments, unlike a kit class.

Using the Simple Stories Awesome range, such an awesome grungey range for boys (excuse the pun) plus my favourite Kraft cardstock (background) and some Swiss Dot strips.

Using the Kaisercraft Summer Breeze collection and a variety of cardstock scraps and embellishments.

based on the same sketch as the layout above, this one using the Kaisercraft Garage Days collection with less 'banners', I carefully chose 'banners' from one of the patterned papers so the 'Dad' words couldn't be seen.

 

 Keep an eye out on the Scrapbook Corner Facebook page and their newsletters for upcoming sketch classes. The next class is on 14th December at 1pm.

A layout here and a layout there

I am definitely NOT creating like I did like last year, in two ways... firstly the number of layouts has drastically reduced from 13 a month to 1 or 2 a month and secondly I am trying different techniques on every fourth or fifth layout.

Here are the latest layouts...

A simple double page layout using a couple of 6x4's on the left and a 6x12 collage on the right side and a block of journalling. Very little embellishing with just a few punched butterflies.

No photos on this layout but an empty snacks packet and a metal badge from my son's sweatshirt. I could have easily taken a photo of the Pods packet but I am not worried if this is acid free or not. I have used a variety of embellishments from my colour drawers from all sorts of product collections including chipboard, a flair button, regular buttons, patterned paper banners, rub ons, star stickers and a random ticket embellishment.

Ain't my hubby a cutey?! LOL Again I've used some random embellishments from all sorts of collections, that is why I love my colour drawers, I just look for something that will match or coordinate with the patterned papers and voila, they're added to the layout.

This time all the elements are from an old Generation Z range and a little bit of glimmermist on the background.

I was inspired by a layout by Nic Howard where she used a grungey stamp around the edge of the background and a couple of coloured strips along one side and black/white/grey strips next to the photo. (the element behind the photo is a transparency and the shiney-ness will disappear when the layout is placed in a plastic page protector.

I have my fingers, toes, knees, eyes and feet crossed that Scrapbook Corner will organise a big one-day-crop before Christmas so I am busily making more page kits, you know, just in case. :)

Some more layouts to share

I have been scrapping irregularly since about March this year and blogging even more irregularly but today I am blogging twice!

I have created more layouts than I have shared here, but not that long ago I filed away the finished layouts  in to some new albums and forgot to photograph them first. If I get a chance I will hunt them out and maybe get them uploaded to this blog too.

Last weekend six ladies booked a holiday house out at Waimarama Beach for a weekend retreat. The place was awesome, the craftiness was awesome and the company was even more awesome...

Myself with Lynda, Wendy A, Michelle, Wendy K and Janine when we popped out for some fresh air and took some photos, we all agreed that this was the best group photo, aren't we a bunch of lovelies!?!?

We took over the lounge/dining/kitchen areas as soon as we got there on the Friday morning, and got busy eating, drinking, and scrapping (and in my case even a bit of snoozing on the sofa)! It didn't take too long to get it all packed away and tidied up before we left late on the Sunday afternoon. We hope to get back there again soon!

I was the first one up on the Saturday morning so headed down to the beach (only about 20 footsteps away) and watched the sun rise, this is one of the 50+ photos that I took as I wandered along the beach, just beautiful and so peaceful.

Nice colour combo of the purple/lilac, teal green and white ay? The Happy birthday title was cut using my new Portrait Cameo, I can't wait to learn more tricks with this machine. The purple flower behind the title is from the actual birthday bouquet that we gave Alyse on her 19th birthday, complete with dollar notes ($50's as bows and $20's wrapped around the silk flower stems). TJ played an impromptu Happy Birthday tune on his guitar especially for his sister but he refused to sing LOL.

A quick and easy layout using the actual tag from Alyse's cake with a couple of embellishments added.

I printed out another set of these photo strips for this layout as the ones we used on the birthday cake got quite messy with icing. These photos span 20 years, my oh my the years have just flown by!

Alyse with some of her birthday gifts (Recipe books from Nan, and a box of tissues and cash from Ross and I). The little tag that we attached to the box of tissues is slipped in behind the photos on the right hand side, it read...Alyse,  if you find you've got issues then here are the tissues! Love from Mum and Dad xoxo. When Alyse pulled out the first couple of tissues she was surprised to find $250 in random notes attached!

Left side of double page layout

Whilst these aren't great photos (and an even crappier photo of TJ hiding behind his birdie finger) this is another story of my teenage son, told.

Ross and I are going on little dates lately, and this one was even more little in as far as it took less than an hour to drive to the Farmers Market, wander around, make a few purchases and drive back home! It would have been even quicker if I hadn't managed to lose Ross in the crowd (intentionally!). Even though Ross isn't in the photo, again it is another story told.

My step-son Lance does an awesome job of bringing up his daughter as a solo dad, but we like to help out with teaching Cahlia a few things too (isn't that what grandparents do?)  This is a very simple layout design, but don't you think that floral patterned paper is divine?? I cannot recall the name of the collection but it has a lovely glittery sparkle to it too. The three plastic flowers are about 10 years old and worked perfectly for this layout!

Challenge layout

I haven't created a challenge layout for a long time, but I was very happy with how this one turned out so will enter it into two challenges and see what happens. Today is the deadline for the challenges at Show Us Your Stuff and Sketches With a Twist but add these blogs to your RSS feeds so you can keep an eye on  what other challenges they may post in the future.

It's not often I get a nice photo of the both of us, usually Ross has his eyes closed anticipating the camera flash. I really like the colour combo of black/red/beige/cream and a splash of pink and green.

For the SUYS challenge I had to include a handmade embellishment. In this case it is the little crochet flower, I have made a heap of these in different colours so I always have them on hand. The thread and hook are tiny so very hard to use in the evening unless I have a good light though. Find pattern here. The extra item required for the SWAT challenge was a safety pin so I used a small one to hold the chipboard alphas together in my title.


 

This is the sketch my layout was based on

a trickle of layouts

 Only a few layouts to share right now but I am itching to make some more, so keep checking back just in case *wink*

  Two layouts using similar papers and embellishments but different photos. These are the original pregnancy tests from 1992 and 1995! I made the teddy bears by hand and used them for my props LOL. btw the cream mini doilies were made by me too.

 A simple layout documenting another one of the wonderful things my teenage son says. (oops I didn't realise the little strips at the top were so crooked) 

 

 I am still making 'Photos I Love' layouts using scraps but this year I am using an embellishment to match the theme of the photo instead of the large red heart like in 2012.

 A layout couldn't get any simpler but is a great way to document some 7th birthday fun

No longer a teenager

This passed weekend our daughter turned 20! I can still remember the first time I saw her all those years ago in the delivery room and how I cried tears of joy when I said to Ross, "you have got your baby girl".

All Alyse wanted this year was cash so I used Pinterest to inspire me how to 'wrap' the cash and this is what I came up with...

*the caption was stolen my cousins Nicki and Becca*.

And to decorate the store-bought cake I quickly located one photo from every year of Alyse's life (thank goodness for Finding Photo Freedom and my category drawers) and created photo strips which I glued to a kebab skewer, plus a quick and easy tag.

I am finding photo freedom

THIS IS A POST FROM 2011 I HAVE NO IDEA WHY IT HAS POPPED UP AGAIN.


I am smack bang in the middle of a 10 week online class with Stacy Julian (Big Picture Classes) called FINDING PHOTO FREEDOM

The first step in the process was to rate and purge a pile of printed photos then sort them by a 3 star rating system. All 2 & 3 star photos are then stored in binders. (All 1 star photos go into cold storage). So far I have only purged 2008 - June 2011 digital images and about 600 pre-1990 printed images. I have managed to toss/delete well over 13000 photos from my collection! I went from 7490 photos in the 2008 folder alone to 3743!!!

I have created a simple table chart in WORD where I can tick off each step in my digital workflow as I complete it (purge/rate/tag etc).

I set up tags way back in 2008 in Windows Photo Gallery (part of Vista) after reading Stacy's Photo Freedom book (now out of print). You can see some of my process here and here (btw if anyone has any of the plastic Homemaker boxes to sell I may be interested). I have changed the categories a wee bit after advice from Stacy and Coaches in the FPF class and have been busily tagging all 2009 - June 2011 digital images. There a many different programs available for keywording/tagging and organising photos eg PSE, Picasa, iPhoto, Lightroom, Bridge etc but I am sticking with WPGallery as it is simple to use, came free with Vista and all tags/ratings are held with each photo.

I am now going through the Category Drawers I set up back in 2008 to purge and rate those photos.

Calling all blog stalkers...

Now and then I hear someone say, "oh I read your blog" or "I love looking at your layouts on your blog" or "when are you going to update your blog" well if I knew there were people interested in reading my blog then I might make more of an effort LOL. 
To date I have really only blogged to create an online record of my scrapbooking for me to look back on in the future. 
 If you are one of my blog stalkers then please leave a comment, cos feedback is nice (and polite) hint hint

Here are some of my 2013 layouts so far, I do have others to upload but haven't photographed them yet. (but that will give you an incentive to pop back to my blog again soon *wink*) 

Don't you think this is a great idea for a layout? photos of each of us at one year old. awww we were all such cute babies. 

I love scrapping the funny things my family say and even though the colours in the photo of this layout are a bit off (Alyse's face isn't that colour LOL) I still wanted to share this simple layout design and Alyse's funny story.

Another funny story, this one from TJ. I love the grungy look of this layout and the simple cluster of embellishments. I made the chicken wire embellishment myself by simply printing out a digital image onto the transparency.

Inspired by a layout I had saved a while ago, but cannot remember who was the original designer. So easy to create with the word strips which you could easily make yourself in WORD or PSE etc.

I will endeavour to upload some more layouts soon, and maybe even some Project Life style travel pages.