Monday 12 March 2018

Getting scrappy with it

Helloooooo Blog land.  Long time no blog.  The last twelve months have brought with it a lot of adventures, but I am glad to be back here.

Back when I first started paper crafting (about 13 years ago), I first learned how to do scrap booking and then moved onto card making.  There are some ladies in my craft group on Facebook who are interested in giving scrapping a go, so I thought I would type up some thoughts, tips and ideas.


Okay, so what is scrap booking? 

My explanation is this: It is a way of preserving photos and telling a story.  Pages (like the one seen above) can be and often are called layouts.  You can make single or double page layouts.  We will get to double page layouts at a later date.

I was lucky enough to teach a bit of crafting a few years ago and in the workshop where we did a layout, I explained that Scrap booking is like making a big card.  The photo is your focal point or topper, the title is like your sentiment and the rest is just decoration.

You can add a section for journalling (writing about who is in the photo and what is happening) if you like.  Not all scrappers do it. 
I have learned some new info about journalling so I am going to follow this section up in a later post.


Sometimes I see a photo online that screams "do a layout" at me.  I do a little research to see if I can trace the originator so that I can credit them.  It's good manners, just like if you copy or are heavily inspired by someone else's layout.

Do I have to use 12x12" paper?

NO.  I started with 12x12" and it is my default out of habit, but you can make 8x8", 6x6" or even A4 layouts.  Work on the size that is comfortable for you and that suits your purse/wallet.

What do I do with my layouts after I make them?

This depends.  Some people frame them and put them on the wall and some like to put them into special albums.  (I will cover this at another time).

Knowing what you are going to do with your finished layout ahead of time will help you to decide what to put on it.  If you are going to put it into a scrapbook album, you will want to keep every thing you put on it fairly flat, but if you are putting it into a frame, especially a deep or box frame, you can go a lot more 3D with your embellishments and the number of layers that you add.


I plan for this to be an ongoing scrappy series, so if you have topics I can try to cover around scrapping, please leave me a comment or contact me via facebook.

Please remember that I am no expert and that scrap-booking isn't my main type of paper crafting.  (I'm more into mini albums).  I can only give you my take on it and how things work.

Topics I hope to include in this series include:
Double layouts
Scrapbook albums
Working with sketches
Tools
Styles
Creating your own back grounds.

I hope that this has all made sense.  There is so much I want to say, but I don't want to bore you silly or go one for hours.  So until next time...

Ny x

Sunday 16 July 2017

Please be seated

This may come as a shock to some of you, but I made a card AND I made it using bright colours.  Yes ME!!!  The queen of grunge made a card (it's been a few years) and with bright colours and NO distressing <gasp>. I honestly don't know what happened.  There was even patterned paper involved.

Well I guess I had better show it to you.


I don't know the correct name for this card.  I call it a flip top card.  I made my first one years ago.I will put the items used at the bottom of this post.

This card will lay flat in the envelope and then you just open up the sides so that it is free standing.   I have made a number of versions of this in the past.  Some die cut, some with lace to name just a couple.

The top flips up so that you can put a message there, but if you want to add an image, the message could just as easily go on the back.

 I hand dyed a white butterfly applique and added 2mm and 3mm AB rhinestones.

I flattened out a love slider to add to the card and dyed bakers twine using Melon mambo ink refill to match.

Items used
Stampin' Up
Color theory A4 cardstock pack - Item code 144195
Color theory designer series paper stack - Item code 144193
Very Vanilla solid bakers twine - -Item code 144224
Tempting Turquoise Ink refill- Item code 101041
Melon Mambo Ink refill - 1item code 115662


XCS (Xanderous Crafty Stash)
White butterfly applique - Item code ND123
2mm AB Rhinestones - Item code ND114a
3mm AB Rhinestones - Item code ND114b
Love slider - Item code ND068

Thanks for stopping by

Naomi x

Friday 14 July 2017

Busy busy busy

I'm so sorry that it has been so long since I last posted, but life has been so busy.

Life is still busy, but so much fun now.


I'm still running Xanderous Crafty Stash.  It has grown from 25 lines to over 300.  I'm now stocking metal embellishments, rhinestones, flat backed pearls and so much more, but there was a gap in what I was able to provide so in addition to XCS

This allows me to share so much more.  Quality card stock and papers, stamp sets, coordinating dies, embellishments and all manner of crafting goodness.

If you would like to to see the complete range of Stampin' Up products available, you can find them here .  To chose me as your demonstrator, please follow these instructions.




Thanks for visiting.  I have a few projects planned to share with you.  Keep a eye on this blog to see more.

Naomi x

Thursday 26 May 2016

Face of time

 Long time no blog.

Getting my business running right and life in general has gotten in the way of my crafting, but I did make time to make this piece.


I call it Face of time.


I have used a lot of different products to make this canvas and had a really good play, trying out colours and textures and techniques that I have never tried before.  I pretty much just winged it and let what happened happen.


This is one of my  favourite parts, the appliques I have been hoarding with the cogs.  I lean towards Steampunk and try not to just stick cogs any where, but they really seamed to fit with the piece and the theme  TIME.


I was so happy that this crackle effect worked.  I wasn't sure it would or if I had used enough of the Decoart Media Crackle Glaze.


Loving the textures here.  My first time using clay balls, which I made myself a while ago.  A lot of the colour here comes from the DecoArt Media Quinacridone Gold paint that I used.

I was inspired to make this canvas by a challenge over on Andy Skinners blog The theme for which is time.  I have incorporated time with the use of a Tim Holtz weathered clock die cut and gears.

I want to make another one that is some how flower themed.  Not sure how that is going to look yet, but I am sure I will have fun finding out.

Happy crafting to you all.

Naomi

P.S  I created a video showing the process of how this was made



Sunday 24 January 2016

Getting up to date

I'm such a bad blogger.  I'm trying to Blog or Vlog or both at least once per week in 2016 and so far I haven't managed it.  I will keep trying though.

I ended up creating a separate Blog for my Vlogs to go on as not all of them will be craft related.  It is called The Serial Camera Dodger if you want to check it out.

So far this year I have managed to make 3 tags.  One paper and  two MDF and I have started on a new project called He-Bot and She-Bot.  I'm doing a series of videos on the building of the two of them, so I will be creating a new tab on here so that you can find them easily.  I will turn them into a play list when they are completed, so that any one who wants to try later on can find all of the videos easily.

 











What else do I have going on craft wise?   Tina and I have planned out a number of videos showing you all a bunch of different things that you can do with pieces from Fernli Designs in the form of tutorials.  Some will be experimental like our first video, so keep an eye out for the Ti-Ny Crazy Crafters :D

I'm itching to make mini albums.  I have at least 3 in my head along with some beginners videos that I want to launch. So many ideas right now and so little time.

So that is what I have managed so far this year.  Hopefully I can keep up the pace and have plenty to show you.

Time to get back to it all

Laters

Naomi x