Working with Vellum

Vellum papers add a unique touch to any album page. From formal wedding and anniversary photos to frosty winter wonderland layouts, vellum can transform solid papers and customize patterned paper.

Because vellum is such a specialty paper, there are tricks to working with it. Vellum is not as porous as your other scrapbooking papers, so adhesives and inks won’t be absorbed as quickly. And because vellum paper is so transparent, most adhesive will show through. Once you know the tricks, you’ll find that creating wonderful vellum pages is pretty easy.

A few tips:

Handle with care. Vellum is beautiful because it is so delicate. And because it’s so delicate, it also requires special attention. As with any light–colored paper, smudges and creases show up more easily than on dark paper; vellum will be protected if stored inside the book it came in or in a file folder.

Picking Paper. When selecting paper to place under a white vellum overlay, choose the brightest patterns and colors. These will show up more clearly than a pale or very dark color. White vellum is also perfect for softening a paper pattern that’s too bright for your photo.

Pastel vellum transforms solid and patterned papers—slip a few different papers under your colored vellum sheet to discover just how many dramatic looks there are. Part of the fun of working with vellum is the delight of finding just the right combination, so play and experiment with your papers to see what you like best.

Vellum for journaling. Vellum provides a wonderful journaling option, as it allows for perfect tracing. Simply lay the sheet of vellum over the alphabet you want and trace with a pen. Because vellum isn’t as porous as regular paper, the ink often “sits” on top. Try journaling with Zig Writers, Sakura pens, Zebra’s Jimnie Gel Rollerball and Pentel Gel Rollers. Whatever you do, always let the piece dry for a few minutes before working with it.
For an extra-special effect, color with chalk, markers or colored pencils on the reverse side of a sheet of white vellum. Chalks and colored pencils will give a soft, muted look, while markers can produce a stained-glass effect.

Vellum and computer printers. Yes, you can run vellum through a computer printer. Just be sure to let the ink dry for a few minutes before handling. And if you’re printing multiple sheets, be sure to remove the vellum from the tray after printing.

Tearing vellum. Vellum can be torn for really beautiful borders. Torn vellum lends a soft look to a page. Go ahead, try it!

A "WORD" for the New year

a few weeks ago i saw a challenge to choose a word for the year. after thinking about it for a while, and knowing my slacker habits, i came up with my word -
~do~

i figured i needed to DO lots of things, get up off my arse *i mean computer* and do something.
more than what ive been doing.
then this morning i googled the meaning of the word ~do~ , and quite the interesting list came up! here it is partially...there are a LOT more definitions in the list that are very applicable! lol


1. to perform
2. to execute
3. to accomplish
4. to put forth
5. to be the cause of
6. to render, give or pay,
----and here is the doozie
7. to deal with, fix, clean, arrange, move, etc., as the case may require. lol as in DO the dishes! snort!

there are a ton more meanings and such..here is where i found mine- http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/do


i'm happy with the word i chose, its gonna really suit me.

what would YOUR word of the year be?

An Introduction to Tea Bag Folding

I found this fabulous guide at Card Making Inspirations and I just had to share it! I am going to try this and will post my finished photos when complete!

An introduction to tea bag folding

Tea bag folding uses some of the techniques of Origami combined with tiny squares of patterned paper. Once folded these squares are combined in attractive geometric patterns to form a larger design.
The art of tea bag folding is said to have been born when a clever Dutch crafter decided to work with the decorative envelopes used to hold fruit tea bags. As the craft developed specially printed sheets have been produced with patterned squares ready to cut out and fold.
Any patterned paper could be used but part of the attraction of the assembled tea bag patterns is the repetition of the design elements.

Equipment for tea bag folding together with a sheet of "Leaf Aurora" tea bag paper.

Equipment for tea bag folding.

• Cutting mat
• Metal edged ruler
• Craft knife
• Scissors
• Paper adhesive

Lay your sheet of tea bag paper on your cutting board. Line up with the grid on the cutting board. Cut a strip of squares using a metal ruler and a craft knife.

Cut a single square.

Folding the paper.

On the diagram the green shaded areas represent the right side of the paper, the white areas the wrong side of the paper.
The dotted lines represent folds you are about to make, the solid lines represent folds you have already made.
Step 1.

In step 1 and 2 you are creating creases by folding and unfolding.
1. Fold the paper into half and then unfold it. Fold in half the other way and unfold it.
Step 2.

2. Turn the paper over and fold from corner to corner then unfold it. Fold the other two corners together then unfold it.
Step 3.

3. Fold the lower half up and the outer edges into the centre, manipulating the creased paper into shape 4.
Step 4.

Fold a total of eight shapes to this stage.
Step 5.

5. Slide a second folded sheet between the V of the first shape. Note the way the V's of each piece go together.
Fix the pieces with paper adhesive as you assemble the shape. If this is your first try it might be best to assemble it dry to start with, then fix it with adhesive when you are satisfied you have the correct method.

6. Continue sliding new pieces into the V of the previous piece until the design is complete.
The last piece of the set will take a bit of manipulation to get it into the correct position. Study the finished diagram to see how it should look.

Mount the finished design on the front of your greetings card.

Wishing you all the very best in the forthcoming year.
May it bring you health, wealth and happiness ...........or lots of craft goodies :D

CRAFT FOR CHARITY

Craft for Charity – and a chance to win $500!
I wanted to let you know about a really cool charity movement that Scrapbooks etc. magazine
has just launched! It’s called Craft It Forward and it’s a great way to use your passion for
crafting to make a difference in YOUR community. A handmade card can bring smiles to kids in
crisis, a fun banner can brighten the day of adults in residential facilities and a bookmark can
encourage someone learning to read.
Here’s how it works: throughout 2011, visit the Craft It Forward website each month for a new
down-loadable pattern and suggested recipients. Make the project and donate it to a charity that is
near and dear to your heart. Then, add your story to the Craft It Forward gallery for a chance to
win $500 in cash and a $500 donation to a charity! They’ll be looking for stories to feature in the
magazine and on the website, too.
So join me and Craft It Forward throughout 2011. This month, I’m going to make Birthday Cards for the teens to use for family and friends and donate them to Homeless and Runaway Street Outreach Center    .www.iowahomelessyouth.org


For more information, visit the Craft it Forward website: www.scrapbooksetc.com/craftforward.

CRICUT BASICS

Black Friday shopping is not a fun activity for me but I needed to go out to pick up a new furnace filter and thought I would check out the Cricut Cartridges that this store was selling.....well to my surprise I started talking to the nicest woman who was just given her first Cricut Expression and couldn't wait to get started on albums for her grandchildren, but had no idea where to start.  I told her to open the box and take it slow.  This got me to thinking....there may be others out there that need some ideas on where to start and what to do when first starting to Cricut.  Here are some basic ideas for the Cricut Machine.....
 1)  Cricut Setting Chart for Cutting



One thing that is absolutely critical to making the Cricut cut properly is to have the pressure, speed and depth of blade correct for the type of paper you are using. This, by far, is what makes or breaks your Cricut experience. No one wants to ruin expensive paper by accidently having the wrong settings in place and then shredding their paper! It's certainly happened to me enough times, especially when switching amongst different types of paper like going from heavy cardstock to thin patterned paper.

2) How to Condition your New Cricut Mat

Have you ever noticed that when you get a new mat, it's really sticky! I mean, REALLY sticky! In fact, it's best to only use heavy cardstock initially as the mat will not let the thinner paper come up.

To combat this, after opening the mats up, I usually press the mat against a clean T-shirt (or the one I'm wearing, ha ha!) and this removes the excessive stickiness.

But, Cricut Dan has an even more interesting idea and people on the yahoo group say this prevents those little paper stickies from clinging to your mat!

Look HERE to see Cricut Dan's video about this!

What's the Difference

What is the difference?

There are differences in Scrapbook Retreats, Scrapbook Weekends, Scrapbook Classes and Scrapbook Crops. Though they are all similar there are some distinct differences. If you enjoy Scrapbooking , all of these Scrapbook Events are great ways to get more involved with your craft while spending time with others that are interested in the same hobby of your interest.
I would like to put together a facebook page that allows people to post Scrapbook Events that they know about in their area for free. This helps encourage people in the scrapbook community to share every scrapbook event they know about. If you know of an event in your area such as upcoming crop or retreat would you take the time to share the information on my facebook page?

UPCOMING CRAFT FAIR

I have been working non stop in my scrapbooking/craft room getting ready for an upcoming craft fair.  Not only will I have some amazing premade scrapbook pages and a few premade albums but I have been busy making Christmas Stocking Stuffers.  Here are some photos.

SNOWMAN KISSES

I am having a great time working in my Scrap Room today.  I am working on projects for an upcoming craft fair.  I found this really fun craft at KRISTENSKREATIONS.  Here are the finished pictures.

Does Your Photo Storage Box Need To Go On A Diet?

Let me be direct…is your photo box getting a little chubby?  In other words, are you too busy to scrapbook?  I can barely get in a shower, let alone scrap.  MY reasons are: I work full time, I’ve got a new business, a daughter whose expecting, laundry, wonderful boyfriend, needles inserted in eyes…you get the picture.  Tweak this list a little and you can see yourself.  So, what is a craft-loving, super woman (or man) to do?  That box of photos is not getting any lighter, in fact; it’s gained about 10 pounds in just the last year alone.  It’s about time to do something about it. One page at a time, one event at a time.  Don’t look at the big picture, because you will become overwhelmed.  Don’t spend your time trying to create the perfect layout.  Honestly, I’ve been saying this since the beginning of time…just get them down.  That’s my motto.  That doesn’t mean that your scrapbooks are going to turn out awful.  I’ve got some nice layouts that took 15 minutes or less.  Stick with a theme throughout your album; that alone will save you GOBS of time.  How about this…steal, steal and steal some more!  It’s fun to be creative, but that takes time and if you really need to just catch up, the internet is the perfect place to steal someone else’s imagination (or your neighbor at the next crop).  Once you catch up, create away!  Let’s start on a goal, lose a pound a week.  That’s not too much to ask, is it?

Take the Guilt out of Scrapbooking

Do you ever wonder why you need to scrap EVERYTHING??? 

I do, all the time.  It’s this weird thing I have where if I don’t scrap it, I feel completely and utterly guilty!  Let’s say I take a walk and see the cutest little duck in a pond, I take a picture of that cute little duck and feel the need to scrapbook it (sound familiar?).  Why, I ask you, WHY????? 

Don’t you think it’s time to take it down a notch?  I do…well, for myself anyway.  Don’t get me wrong, I love to scrap as much as the next guy.  Believe me, it’s a hobby that I am fervently into, so please don’t hate me for going off for a moment.  I’m really just trying to say that it’s ok to downsize, if nothing else but for your sanity. 

My advice:  Stick to what you really feel is important and scrap it.  All else goes into a box (make sure it’s acid free and don’t forget to categorize it – you know, under “Fowl, Spring of 2010.”)  And if you have a rainy day, the house is clean, the kids are in school and your scrapbooking is up-to-date, by all means scrapbook the rest.  Take a deep breath.  Isn’t that better now?

A scrapbookers Vocabulary

Adhesive - The product that is used to attach pictures and other items into a scrapbook page.


Album — Blank book used to hold scrap-booking pages.

Archival — Will last. Lightfast.

Border – The margins of a page.

Buffered — Maintains the core of a solution and prevents transference of acid from photos to paper.

Calligraphy — Old fashioned lettering.

Cardstock — Thick, sturdy paper, usually a thicker mil then regular paper.

Clipart — Art that is purchased usually in a group that can be used royalty free.

Collage — A collection of various items.

Corner Edger Scissors — Scissors that cut corners.

Crop — To cut or to trim a photograph.

Deacidification – Neutralizes the acid in paper.

Decorative scissors — Scissors which cut a decorative pattern.

Die-Cut Designs —Designs cut from die cut machines.

Double-Mount — To place a photograph or other item on two background papers.

Embellishment — A ‘special touch’ added to your layout for cosmetic value.

Emboss — To create a raised surface.

Eyelet - Eyelets are small metal circles through which the laces are threaded on a pair of shoes. They are used in a scrapbook context as decoration and as a means to "rivet" components onto a page--mainly card stock.

Focal point – The area of a design that you would like to draw attention.

Gel-Based rollers — pens with pigment ink.

General Pattern Paper — paper with patterns.

Gift Album — A collection of sentimental items put together for a person.

Handmade Paper — Paper made by hand.

Handmade Scraps — scrap book supplies made from layered die-cuts.

Heading — The caption or title.

Heritage — The traditions passed down from one generation to another generation.

Idea Books — Guidebooks usually written about one aspect of scrapbooking.

Intensity - The strength of a color.

Journaling — Any words you write in your scrapbook.

Layout — The arrangement of items in your scrapbook.

Lignin — a naturally occurring acid substance that breaks down over time.

Master Family Album — holds photos of everybody in the family and other items of interest.

Memorabilia — certificates, documents, and other items that tell a story.

Mount — to attach a photo or other item to another piece of paper.

Oval Cutters — paper trimmers that cut paper and photographs into ovals.

Page Protectors — acid-free plastic sheets protect your pages when they are complete.

Pattern Paper — paper with designs repeated on the entire page.

pH Level — measurement that tells a scrap booker how acidic or basic something is. Seven or above is thought of as ideal when scrapbooking.

Post-Bound Albums — scrap-booking albums that are held together with big metal posts that run through the pages.

Reversible Adhesive — an adhesive that can be removed if necessary.

Strap-Hinge Albums — scrap-booking albums held together with plastic straps that run through a holder directly on the pages and keep the book in place.

Template — a stencil or other pre-made item.

Theme — the overall subject.

Vellum — a lightweight, translucent paper.

Wax Pencil - A soft, acid-free pencil used to write on glass, plastic and photos.

Workshop —a class usually held at a scrap-booking store to help people new to scrapbooking to get started.

Something New with Memory Works

Ever hear of them? If you haven't you will NOW! You see I have recently become and Independant Memory Works Scrapbooking Consultant! I am so excited to share this wonderful opportunity with all of you!


Where to start? Well, Memory Works offers all products at a reasonable price in one easy place! ME! They offer papers, chipboard, flowers, adhesives, bling, inks, and so much more! Some vendors they carry are Bo Bunny, Tim Holtz, My Mind's Eye, Fiskars, Basic Grey, Crate Paper, Cosmo Cricket, Jenni Bowlin, and so many more!

Not only can you get new products, but you can also search their clearance section and get some awesome stuff at an even more unbeleivable price! Memory Works also has a Monthly Kit Club! Yup! You heard right! A Monthly Kit Club! You can order month to month after you see what they have OR you could just get yourself a monthly subscription and be surprised when you receive your kits every month automatically! Either way, you win!

They also have an easy, fast and cost efficient way to scrap your memories. It's called Simple Stories. You can quickly get your pages put together with one of their easy to use kits.

Here's how it all works........ Visit their website, review the products available and send me an email with the products you would like to purchase. I will then send you an invoice via PayPal. Once I get confirmation of payment I will place your order for you. In 10 days or LESS your order will arrive! Right to your door! How great is that?! All the glory of new scrappy supplies without the hassle of driving all the way to your local scrap store for the newest stuff!

If you live in Des Moines, I can host a get together for you and your friends! You supply the people and the snacks (if you choose) and I will supply the door prizes, fun, products for you to see and a great giveaway! Just send me an email telling me you are intereseted and we'll go from there!

I am totally excited about this new endeavor and I know you WILL BE very happy with their products and their quick shipping.

NOTE: This is my personal website (Independent MemoryWorks Scrapbook Consultant #MW976737). MemoryWorks provided graphics, images, and content are copyrighted and cannot be copied, pasted, or duplicated in any format. General website graphics, designs, and images on this website are not representative of MemoryWorks.

MEMORY WORKS

I think everyone has a "thang".  For some its cooking (not me).  For some its exercising (not me either). And for others its their work.  My thang is scrapbooking.

Its that thing that you devote a lot of time and focus to.  It usually comes naturally and is enjoyed to the fullest.

But I would argue that scrapbooking in particular is different than most thangs.  You don't have to be born with creativity oozing from your pores.  First of all, its a muscle that needs to be exercised to get stronger and better (and there goes my argument for not being an exerciser...). Second, there are so many products out there that do the work for you so you can have a stunning layout in no time and with no stress.

I have so many friends who feel like creativity is just not their thang, but at the same time they long to have the results...beautiful pages and albums that showcase their special memories.  If you're one of those people, I might have a solution for you.

I have recently become an Independant Sales Consultant for Memory Works...a direct sales scrapbook company, that allows scrapbookers of all levels to share their story and photos in a simple yet meaningful way.  The first kit created by Simple Stories is called Life Documented, a kit comprised of pre-designed cut apart elements in a variety of basic sizes. 

Memory Works is sending me a kit to review and I can't wait....I will post pictures and share the results when It arrives.

Quotes: Related to Scrapbooking

I love to collect quotes and use them in my scrapbooking when I'm at a loss for words or just want a little 'something' to enhance the journaling already on a page. I've even been known to use a quote as a page title before.

These are a few quotes that I've come across lately that really appealed to me in the way that they relate to scrapbooking (and photography also, really).

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." Albert Einstein

 

This quote made me laugh when I first read it! Isn't this so true...people are pressured to come up with best and brightest ideas/concepts/products every day...but how many of them are 'truly' original? If scrappers are honest, I believe most would have to admit that they glean a great deal of inspiration from other scrappers...and most have done at least one scrap lift or two. In most situations, people often seem to want to hide their 'sources' and take credit for themselves. However, scrapper's tend to be a bit of a different breed in this respect. They openly share their work, their sources, and encourage others to take inspiration from it.

"Imagination and fiction make up more than three-quarters of our real life."

Simone Weil

This one is just thought provoking to me...how much of what we portray through our scrapbooking (or photography) is 'real'? For example, if you were to look through the scrapbooks I've created for my daughter, you would think that she's a perfect angel. She is, sometimes, but she's certainly had her share of 'moments'. However, as of yet, no many, if any, of those 'moments' have made it into her scrapbook. I guess that the last thing I think of doing when she's slamming doors and yelling, "FINE!" at the top of her lungs is grabbing my camera. I should work on that. After all, she deserves to be reminded of those moments when she's older, right? Like when she has a child of her own slamming doors! :-)

"We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection."

Anais Nin

To me, this one sums up the entire reason why we scrapbook...and why we take pictures in the first place. Isn't it so that we can remember the people/events/moments in our lives that shaped us? And isn't it interesting that often the thought or emotion that we had 'in the moment' can often be so different than the one we have 'in retrospection'. 

What thoughts/ideas do these quotes bring to mind for you with respect to your scrapbooking? Do you have others quotes that you have come across that have made you stop and think along these lines? Please share!

SCRAPBOOK TIP

Scraplift one of your own pages!


If the design worked for you once,


it will work for you again!


Update the colors, patterns


& design elements, leaving the


general layout intact


- it can be our little secret!!!

Keep on Learning.......

Starting this blog has been fun... I love scrapbooking and teaching others. Scrapbooking is a hobby that continues to come out with new things and new techniques to learn. Everything is a building block to take, alter, and make your own. I have recently started reading blogs for inspiration and ideas and to learn. Tim Holtz's blog is great. Lots of ideas and inspiration. I encourage you to take a look. Not only will you learn new techniques and tools but he will be giving away prizes! You will find it at www.timholtz.typepad.com. Enjoy!

Another great place to look is your favorite company's website or blog. Bo Bunny has projects on their blog. There are also a lot of groups on Facebook too. Explore. Learn. Create.

Creative Road Blocks......and ways to get around them.....

How many of you have hit your own creative road block, or have in the past? It is frustrating, aggravating, and just plain un-inspiring! Here are some ways that you can bust through and come out loving your layout, and being excited that you were able to just finish it!!!

~Sketches: I love using sketches! What I find so great about them is that my layout never ends up looking anything like the sketch. I use them for inspiration. When you find yourself stuck, look at sketches, even if you didn't start from a sketch. My favorite places to get sketches is http://www.pagemaps.com/ Becky Fleck has some awesome sketches and an archive of them on her website.

~Quotes! Lyrics! Poems! : There are so many of these out there, and so many of them "speak to our hearts". I loving looking for inspiration from quotes, lyrics, & poems. I did a page once where I wrote out the lyrics to the Rascal Flatts song, "God Bless the Broken Road". It was my background for my layout. Journaling is very difficult for me, and looking to these help me get over that hurdle.




"Scrap-lifting" : Have you ever just seen a layout that just WOWs you? Or maybe a piece of a layout. Take inspiration from that and make it yours. Change it up a bit to make it fit your layout and colors... Look at magazines, books, the Internet.... there is so much out there from which to draw inspiration!

These are just a few things that help me... but if you really look INSPIRATION IS EVERYWHERE! Just the other day I pulled out a page from the Martha Stewart magazine... it was a picture of what you can do with dried leafs and flowers... I loved the colors, the shape of the leaves, it was just fabulous.