Saturday 28 March 2015

Playing with Stencils at escape2create Retreat

Hello again!

While I was at the escape2create retreat last weekend, I had a bit of a play with some cool stencils. I really liked this one - it's a Crafter's Workshop stencil called Parasols.




Apart from the fact that I love the design of this, I also love the fact that when I did different things with the stencil, the image actually seemed to change. Instead of parasols I saw fireworks, tractor wheels, citrus segments and flowers. Cool!

It's easy to play with stencils and make cards at the same time. Just cut up some white cardstock to the right size to cover card bases and started experimenting! Once you have created a background with the stencils, just grab whatever products are nearby and create simple cards with them.

Here are two of the cards I came up with:


Yep- they're the same stencil. On the 'Let Your Light Shine' card, I rubbed Gelatos through the stencil with my finger. Some of the sections are quite small so you have to get in there with your pinkie. I chose pastel colours but I could also have gone bright and bold on this and it would have worked just as well. Don't you think the parasols now look like fireworks?

For the 'Hello Friend' card, I first sprayed Heidi Swapp Color Shine through the stencil (to make another card background) then flipped the stencil over and gently pressed it onto a new piece of cardstock. A brayer is ideal for this job, but I didn't have one at the retreat so I just used a bottle of glue to gently roll over the stencil. The parasols now looked like grungy cogs so I made this into a masculine card.

I had planned to make a lot more cards but there was too much laughing, chatting and good times happening to actually let me get much work done! I'm not complaining at all though!

Here are some of the other backgrounds I made using different techniques but all with the same stencil:



And lastly - here are a few pics from the retreat. What a weekend it was!




 Happy scrappin'!

Heather

Thursday 26 March 2015

My Scrappy Chat Designs kit

Hi there,

Gosh, sorry I've been so quiet. I've been in South Australia at escape2create, a most amazing scrappy retreat. We had four days of scrapping, laughing, learning, sharing, more laughing, not sleeping, catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. It was wonderful!

In my haste to get organised, I didn't share with you that I was the key designer for the last Scrappy Chat Designs kit. I made three layouts, each of which comes with an instructional video.

Here's one of the layouts:


This kit features some new, less consumable product that you can learn about and have a play with! Aside from the divine papers by 'Adorn It', Crate Paper and Kaisercraft in the kit, there is cardstock, fun embellishments including DecoArt Americana new coloured Chalky Paint, a texture stamp from Kaisercraft, full set of Kaisercraft chipboard alphas and if that wasn't enough, there is a pot of Beck BT's Tinby Designs Metallic Melts for you to learn to use in different ways.

Here is what the kit looks like:




And in even more Scrappy Chat Designs news, the next kit has just been released today! Here's an idea of what the kit contains:



For more info on the kits, pop over to Scrappy Chat Designs here.



Happy scrappin'!

Heather

Thursday 19 March 2015

A Bright and Sunny Dusty Attic

Hi there!

I'm back today to share another Dusty Attic project. I was looking for something in my paper stash the other day and I came across a pack of older papers. I just dismissed them then, as I shifted them forward, the back of one of them caught my eye. The yellow paper was gorgeous! I promptly pulled out the pack and ended up using some parts of the other papers as well. I didn't particularly like some of them much but it just worked! There were also rub-ons in the pack which again were quite dated but I liked what they did to the page.


As you can see, having a striking photo and some fantastic Dusty Attic chippies helps! I had previously spray-painted a whole sheet of chevrons white. It's great when you can just grab a piece and it's already painted. It only takes a few moments to spray-paint a whole sheet so this is a really time-effective thing to do.

I painted the leaves of the daffodil in Jungle Green, the petals in Navajo White, the sticky-outy bit in Cashmere and the centre in Sunshine. This really isn't hard to do and the paint dries so quickly. All the other chippies were painted in Soot.


I've scattered some Heidi Swapp stamping around the background.




Don't forget to join in the Dusty Attic challenge this month. There's a whopping $100 Dusty Attic prize to be won!

Dusty Attic products used:

Chevron Panel large DA 1066

Daffodils DA 1082

Elegant Swirl #3 DA 1123

Stars #3 DA 1153

mini Stars DA 1040

Dusty in Colour Paints 

Thanks so much for dropping in!



Happy scrappin'!


Heather

You can see more of Heather's work at www.heathermcmahon09.blogspot.com.au












Saturday 14 March 2015

Scrapping the "Other Half"

Hi there,

I'm just dropping in to share some layouts I made for last month's Scrapbooking Memories magazine. I wrote an article about how to scrap your partner. I ummed and ahhed about what to include as 'your partner' as these days it could mean anything. In the end I went with majority and wrote about scrapping males from a female scrapper's point of view. I'd have needed half the magazine to cover every possible combination!

I hope you like the layouts.



And here are some close ups:


Once I thought of making a fox tail to create part of the title I couldn't resist it! My teenage son was horrified that I put something so risque in a magazine!




My other layout was a bit more subdued but I still really liked the colour combo in this.



And some closies:




Yep - that's how long we've been together!


I have this layout displayed on a sofa table in my loungeroom and every time I walk past it those Metallic Melts catch the light beautifully. I love them!

Thanks do much for dropping in.

Happy scrappin'!

Heather

Tuesday 10 March 2015

Dusty in March

Hello scrappy friends! I'm back with you today with my Dusty Attic project based on the stunning March inspiration board. You can find the challenge here.

Here's the inspiration board. Don't you love it?



Why don't you use this as your inspiration to join in our challenge this month? You could win 
$100 
worth of gorgeous Dusty Attic goodies!

Here's what I made:


I used a lot of Beck BT's Tinby Designs Metallic Melts on my chippies here. I love how they bring chippie to life!

Here are some close ups:


Here I've used the vine frame and butterflies. I adore these new paper ranges from Webster's Pages.


I used a blend of Metallic Melts to get that aged appearance on the fence. I can see so many uses for this chippie!



Dusty Attic products used:

Old Wooden Fence small DA 1166

Vine frames #2 DA 1192

Bookman ABC Set DA 0666 

Typewriter ABC Set DA 0143

mini Blossoms DA 1090

Butterflies #2 DA 0842


Dusty In Colour Navajo White DA 0903 



I look forward to seeing what you create with this inspiration board!



Happy scrappin'!

Heather

Friday 6 March 2015

Get Your Bling On At Kraft Plus!

Hello again!

Have you seen the fantastic new Aussie challenge site called Karft Plus? I love it! It's only been operating a month and it's been a huge success already. Take a look here.

I was asked to design a layout for Tinby Designs, makers of my fave products - Metallic Melts.

The challenges are a bit different each month. You can make just about anything but it must be on a kraft base. This month there's a sketch for inspiration, plus you have to add something that glitters or shines. Of course Metallic Melts were perfect for this!

You can find more details on the challenge here

Here's the sketch for March:



I stuck very closely to the sketch as I really liked it and it worked well for me. Here's what I made:


Meet my niece's kitten, Billy. He's incredibly active, intelligent and funny. And sooo cute!

I used the Metallic Melts in different ways here. I added it to chipboard stars from The Dusty Attic and scattered them across the page. I added some directly to areas stamped with clear Versamark ink to get that random feature in the background.

Behind the photo I punched a border then added pink and gold Metallic Melts to it. Beneath that I used a stamp and embossed the image and beneath that again I stamped a strip between two strips of washi tape, embossed the strip, then removed the washi. Further down I stamped Versamark ink through a template before adding the Metallic Melts. I also added two colours of Metallic Melts to the title.

I hope you can join in the challenge. The site is bright and chatty and it's loads of fun.

Happy scrappin'!

Heather

Sunday 1 March 2015

A Perfect Scrap Around The World!

Hello there!

It's the first of the month and that means the new reveal is up at Scrap Around The World! Have you seen the gorgeous new mood board by the uber-talented Terhi Koskinen.? If not, here it is:


Isn't it stunning? If you would like to join in at Scrap Around The World this month you can find the challenge here.

Here's the layout I made:


As you can see, I stuck to the mood board very closely. I used the colours, the blue chevrons, the architectural drawing style (I'm sure it's got a better name than that!) and the twine.

I outlined parts of all my white on white stenciling and paint splatters with grey lead pencil to ensure they could be seen.



When I saw the architectural drawing I immediately remembered a stunning layout made by Kim Ewins. She had made this amazing title using a similar style. The layout isn't available for general viewing at the moment but pop over to her blog for plenty of inspiration!


Of course, it wouldn't be a Scrap Around The World challenge without awesome prizes!


ALL OUR PRIZES ALWAYS INCLUDE FREE INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE!!


1ST PRIZE
$50 worth of product from UmWowStudio!
IMAGE BELOW IS A SELECTION OF THEIR PRODUCTS





UmWowStudio is an innovative embellishment company located in Las Vegas, Nevada. With chipboard, flair & stencils currently in their product line (& more fun things on the way!) we span across all bits of paper crafting, including memory saving, card making, tags, stamping, mixed media, art journaling & more!

Shop with us HERE, follow our blog HERE & LIKE us on Facebook HERE! Follow our boards on Pinterest HERE & Youtube HERE!!

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2ND PRIZE
$35 worth of product from 13@rts






13arts is a Polish manufacturer specialising in scrapbook papers, embellishments & artistic mediums. See our store HERE where we ship worldwide! Our blog HERE is full of inspiration & we have a monthly challenge where all are welcome!

Follow us on Instagram HERE, Twitter HERE & Facebook HERE & remember to follow us on Pinterest HERE too!!

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3RD PRIZE
OVER $30 worth of product from 7 Dots Studio! EXACTLY AS SHOWN BELOW









7 Dots Studio was born from dreams & for dreams. We are a European scrapbooking manufacturer of high quality scrapbooking products – paper, stickers, die-cuts, collage sheets, 6x6 pads, collection kits, chipboard & stencils.

Our collections are created by amazingly talented artists - from clean, graphic designs to mixed-media, grungy collage look. What you can always be sure of is high quality & thickness of our papers, which makes them perfect for all kinds of media.

Among our products you will also find clear stamp sets coordinating with our collections to make them even more interesting & versatile. We are amazingly happy & feel very blessed to see how much our products are loved by crafters & artists all around the world!

If you would like to see more awesome inspiration from our design team please visit our blog HERE, our Facebook page HERE & follow us on Twitter HERE, Pinterest HERE & Instagram {7DOTSSTUDIO}.

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4TH PRIZE
$25 worth of CHIPBOARD from 2Crafty Chipboard {not necessarily exactly what is shown below but a GREAT selection!}





2Crafty Chipboard is an Australian owned & operated manufacturer & wholesaler of laser cut chipboard products, located in Sydney, Australia. We have been in operation since October 2006 & have more than 1 000 designs on offer. We pride ourselves on quality products that are versatile & up to date with market trends, as well as offering unbeatable customer service, with quick turnaround of jobs large & small. Visit our website HERE.

We are happy to quote on personalized jobs,whether it be a single title for a customer, or large jobs for retreats, classes etc. If you are a retail business & would like to stock our range of unique products, please contact us for more information. Please see further details on our blog HERE!

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5TH PRIZE
$20 gift certificate from Creative Embellishments!





Creative Embellishments is a family-owned company, established in September 2013, by Michael & Nicole Kramer, a husband & wife team, who design & produce unique, high-quality chipboard,
wood, rubber stamps & flairs. Their mission is to offer fun & inspiring products that can be added to
any project to bring out your inner creativity! In the near future they will be expanding into other media such as acrylic products, stencils, etc!

They custom cut for individual orders & have a wholesale shop for stores, kit clubs & orders for classes. Find their website HERE ! If you have a store sign up for their wholesale division HERE . Check out their blog HERE & follow them on Instagram HERE & YouTube HERE.

GIVE THIS FANTASTIC NEW COMPANY YOUR SUPPORT!!
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6TH PRIZE
$15 worth of product from Studio75 {Exactly as shown below}






Studio75 is a Polish manufacturer of scrapbooking papers & items such as chipboard albums, notebooks, spiral bindings & magnetic sheets.
We have our own online store HERE, a bustling Facebook page HERE & a highly inspirational blog HERE - come & visit us - let's connect!

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7TH PRIZE
15 Euros worth of product from Scrap-Unlimited {you will receive a surprise selection of BEAUTIFUL goodies!}







Scrap-Unlimited is a craft supplies manufacturer from The Netherlands, creating & selling the most amazing selection of embellishments for the crafting industry. We offer shabby chic, vintage & steampunk inspired embellishments, ribbon, flowers, metals, mini-books & mini novelty items.

Check out our online store HERE for SO MUCH MORE! LIKE us on Facebook HERE & follow our highly inspirational blog HERE & our Pinterest board HERE.

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8TH PRIZE
15 EURO gift voucher from Mixed Media Place






Mixed Media Place is a treasure chest of different media for creative minds, carrying a wide variety of embellishments & tools to get your projects going. The world of mixed media is a place of limitless possibilities - we are here to help you to spread your wings & fly!

Find our blog HERE, LIKE us onFacebook HERE, follow our boards on Pinterest HERE & do your shopping HERE!

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9TH PRIZE
17.50 Euros worth of products from Danafix, France. {Choose your set of 5 + 1 copics HERE!}





www.copicmarqueurs.com is an online store 100% dedicated to all Copic products. All Copic products made & assembled by the European importer are available in stock & we offer fast, international delivery!

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10TH PRIZE
$40 worth of product courtesy of our very generous design team member Tiphanie BARBREAU!



Prize consists of TWO full packs of Stazons (pumpkin & vibrant violet), Basic Grey flair stickers, full pack of Basic Grey layered stickers, AND a set of watercolor pencils!!

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RANDOM PRIZE
Scrapbook kit from SCRAPS OF ELEGANCE KIT CLUB Random Winner will always receive the previous month's kit from Scraps of Elegance, valued at a whopping $36.95!!





Scraps of Darkness & Scraps of Elegance are monthly scrapbook kit clubs that cater to scrapbookers who are looking for an alternative to what other kit clubs offer. Our kits are designed for artists who wish to take scrapbooking to a level beyond. We strive to include the latest & greatest items on the market that will enable you to create not "just a layout", but a work of art.
Visit our blog HERE,our Store HERE & sign up for our kits HERE & HERE! Please LIKE us on Facebook HERE, follow our boards on Pinterest HERE , subscribe to our Youtube channel HERE & find our tutorials HERE!!

We would LOVE to connect with you!!!

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The deadline for this challenge is TUESDAY 31st MARCH 2015.


Happy scrappin'!

Heather