Belle Papier {pretty paper}

Grab your coffee! I don’t usually write so much but…this is going to be one of those longggg posts.First of all…I’m super excited that the Scrapblocks release day has finally arrived. Here they are, almost as large as life. Scrapblocks are 6″ x 6″ square unmounted red rubber and are perfect for cards, altered projects and scrapbooking.

Vintage Text Scrapblock

Stitches Scrapblock

You can find these Scrapblocks in the CHF store: Vintage Text, Stitches Scrapblock

The Challenge:

I’m back with another Ways to Use it Challenge today. This week we’re focusing on a look that I think it big in the industry right now…text. It’s amazing how many places it is popping up. What’s it inspired by? I’m not quite sure as it is a great vintage trend as well as looking great on more graphic style designs. Perhaps all the interest in fonts and the computer generation has brought it to light. However you want to use it…it’s a great look. Use text as a background layer, stamp on it, add a definition block, use a vintage book, computer generate your own…use it however you wish and have fun with the challenge! Check out the details here.

 The Project:

I love scrapbooking and altered projects. Frequently though…I’m so short on time, I just stick with cards. The solution? Make a small mini-album. This little album is only 4″ x 4″ square but I’m just bouncing as I had so much fun making it. Ever done that? Create a project that you’re thrilled you finally got a chance to make? This is it for me.

This little album may be small but it’s packed full of love…it’s a mini album of all five of my babies. The really fun element in this project for me was all the clear elements. The covers of this project as Zutter Acrylic Covers. I stamped on them with my Vintage Text in Stazon Ink. I used the Text to tie the project together. Text is a great versatile look and it really doesn’t matter what it says…it’s all about the style.

Quick Tip: Crystal Accents and other dimensional glazes are great adhesives for Clear Card Sheet projects.

Inside my book, I alternated binding pages of stamped Clear Card Sheets cut to 4×4 size and patterned paper. On the paper pages, I adhered a 3×3 picture of each child, keeping it simple because of the mini size. The Clear Sheets are where the fun is. They are each stamped with a different Scrapblock or Backgrounder for a little variety. These pages hold the info and embellishing…an initial and birth date of the child. I love the way they give a peek at the baby underneath.

and so on….

Supply List:

Stamps: Sweet Bee (The Rummage Bin line), Vintage Text Scrapblock, Stitches Scrapblock, Sophisticated Swirl Backgrounder, Spanish Script Backgrounder by Cornish Heritage Farms

Ink: Black Stazon by Tsukineko

Paper: Patterned Paper by MME, Clear Card Sheets by Cornish Heritage Farms

Other: brad by Making Memories, flowers and lace by Prima, bling by Basic Grey, dymo label maker,  chipboard by American Crafts, Zutter Bind-it-all

And finally….

The Winner:

Thanks so much everyone for your wonderful ideas for using the Scrapblocks. They are really so versatile.  I used the random.org integer generator to pick one lucky winner….number  62  .   Tracey Gordon, that’s you!  Congrats! Please e-mail me with your address and I’ll get that rubber in the mail.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for staying with me through a very long post!

Julia

I’ve been practicing my photography a little and trying out a new lens. Hubby is happy if I just buy what I want for my birthday and so those new ink storage units and a new lens for my camera made the list this time. It’s a Canon 50mm f1.8 and I’m thrilled with it. It allows 8 times more light through the aperture than my other lens so it makes it perfect for taking photos indoor. I love how the larger the aperture, the depth of field decreases. This gives me a beautifully blurred out look if I want it. My sweetie did surprise me with this huge hydrangea plant so I was happy to put both my new goodies to good use. I can’t wait until the better weather and I can practice taking photos outside. Seriously…I’m so glad I took Candice Stringham’s Oh Shoot course. I really needed that push to get off of automatic and onto manual.

Now onto the hippity hop part of the post. I am SO ready for spring! It’s been snowing most of the week and Easter is this weekend. Some of the CHF girls and I thought it would be fun to have a Spring/Easter blog hop to get in the mood. Take the time to check out these links for some great Easter and Spring inspiration…

Sherrie Siemens

Becky Olsen

Lisa Silver

Kristine Reynolds

Joanne Allison

CHF Creative Blog

Vintage Tulip Girl

This actually isn’t the project I had in my mind for this blog hop. A sweet reader had asked me to create something with the Saturday Evening Post bunny again before Easter. I went to pull it out but to my dismay…the bunny has hopped away somewhere! I can’t wait until I have better stamp storage! I’m sure I’ll find the sweet bunny soon but instead…I was inspired by this sweet Tulip Girl, also from the Saturday Evening Post line. I just can’t get enough of her! All those tulips…she looks perfect for spring, right?

This design is super simple. I wanted to highlight to be the beautiful image and the coloring. I just adore colored pencils on kraft.

Quick Tip: Distressing the edges of a layer gives a great vintage look and is a very cost -effective embellishment.

Have a beautiful Spring day!

Supply List:

Stamps: Tulip Girl (Saturday Evening Post line) & Pin Dot Scrapblock by Cornish Heritage Farms

Ink: Rich Cocoa Memento Ink by Tsukineko, White Pigment Ink by Clearsnap

Paper: Kraft & Simply Smooth White cardstock by Prism

Other: colored pencils by Prismacolor

I simply adore baby cards. That just may be because of how much I adore babies. I guess that’s a good thing for a mother of five. We have quite a few  babies waiting to be born to some friends at church. I’m super excited and am hoping that they’ll allow me a little baby “fix” now and then.

b is for baby

This is a fun card I created with some pink flannel fabric. You may remember it from this project. I just had to put it to use on a baby card. I just love the soft texture.

Quick Tip: Customize clear accents such as this Heidi Swapp Ghost Swap letter by stamping on them.  I used white Stazon Ink and it’s a great look.

Supply List:

Stamps:
Fine Houndstooth Scrapblock by Cornish Heritage Farms
Baby Love (Kim Hughes line) by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: White Stazon by Tsukineko, Black memento ink by Tsukineko
Paper: Simply Smooth White cardstock by Prism
Other: clear letter by Heidi Swapp, grungeboard heard by Ranger, velvet brad by Making Memories, crocheted flower by Imaginesce, fabric, sewing machine, Worn Lipstick Distress Crackle Paint by Ranger, stapler

I also thought I’d share a few photos that I took last weekend. The swans were back, stopping for a week or so on their flight north. It was unbelievable…there were thousands of them! Next item on my wish list…a longer lens! It never ends, does it?!

And here’s the rascals last week with their treasures…

Have a simply wonderful day!

I was having so much fun at the Copic class that I actually didn’t do all that much coloring! LOL I did learn some great tips though and manage to color one complete image that I made into a card when I got home. Truly…I don’t work that well creatively in a large group. I’m best in my own little space where I can find things… or hopefully find things and have not so much going on. This is actually Friday’s post but I felt like posting it early…so I did! Why not?

Tulip Thoughts

This design comes from this week’s CPS sketch #108. It’s been a while since I last played along and had fun with it. I took some liberties with it and turned some of the design onto an angle. Hope you like the fun variation. Sorry I have NO idea on the Copic colors. I just played with what was on the table.

Stamps:
Tulip Girl (Saturday Evening Post line) by Cornish Heritage Farms
Script Essential Expressions (Mona Lisa Moments line) by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Black Memento Ink by Tsukineko
Paper: Simply Smooth White, Iced Teal cardstock by Prism, patterned paper by MME
Other: Copic markers, punch, photo turn and brad by Making Memories, sewing machine, ric rak

I was super excited to finally get to meet Kimmie Reid. Now why did I have to go so far to meet her when she lives so close!? With Kim is Andrea and it was so fun to meet them both.Things are NEVER dull with Kim and Andrea!

I’ve designed with Sherrie Siemens and Lesley Langdon on the CHF team for quite a while now. They are super talented and so much fun in person. This was my first time meeting Sherrie. She’s the new Canadian Copic Certification class teacher and is perfect for the job.

Here’s Tara G and Kerry J hard at work with the Copic Airbrush system. It was so fun sitting with them all day, making new friends.

Of course I had to get a picture of Marianne Walker…the Copic Wonder Girl. She just kind of whips up drawings at the lunch table, just for fun. Wow! Here she is doin’ her thang….

So there’s a little peek into my super fab Tuesday  Copic Class.

Take care,

It’s almost spring! Just a few more days on the calendar but here in the Great White North??? Well, I have to be honest. Just because we’re in Canada doesn’t mean that we’re at the tundra. Actually, where we live is south of quite a few parts of the northern US states.Be that as it may, we took a little drive up to Lake Huron last Saturday and there is still ice on the lake as far as you can see. We took a fun trip to the sugar bush on the way there and that was so super fun. I was thinking that morning that I REALLY need to spend the day cleaning. I mean really NEED. Hubby said…no. We’re taking the two little boys and taking the day off. Is there any doubt why I love this man?! The sugar bush had horse drawn wagon rides, a tour of the facility and woods and some lovely animals in the barn. My favorite part was the oh so yummy pancake, sausage, baked beans and maple cupcake brunch. Oh yes…those maple sugar candies too. Seriously…I need to start that diet.

Hope you don’t mind all these photos today! I’ve been having so much fun with my camera. Learning how to use it! These photos were all taken on Av and Tv modes. In other words…semi- manual. I’m really excited to have gone totally manual since then. Candice Stringham is really teaching a great class. I can’t wait until Monday to see what she has for us next!

Now…as far as the second part of my title, I’m hoping you can help me out. I’m finally starting to plan out exactly what I need for my new little studio. LOL That seems like too grand a word for my little room. It’s only about 7 x 8 feet and I’ll be lucky if I can turn around once I get everything in. That means I have to plan it VERY carefully. I’ve figured out my stamp, paper and embellishment storage but have hit a wall with the ink. I have about 100+ full size ink pads and that doesn’t include  the little dew drop chalk inks and memento inks. Yikes! They have to be pretty accessible as I use them all the time. Right now I have four Dzn-Tech units. Do you remember them? I love them but that still only gives me 48 slots. Do you have any good storage solutions for ink pads? I’d love to hear from you with links if you do!

Have a beautiful day!