Saturday 31 July 2010

Back in the Game...{and some advice about backing up your photos}



I need to get this layout blogged today to meet the deadline at How Much is Too Much for this challenge here. I've been out of challenges all year & now I need to get back into them! I liked this one 'cos it was pretty open-ended & non-restrictive!

This is what it said:- "Create a layout document someone's favorite things. Use 26 things (or more) (things include: pattern paper, brads, flowers, embellishments, alpha stickers)."

If you count each alpha sticker & like long titles like I do it's easy to use 26 things or more!

Paper - 2 Photos - 5 Letters - 32 Chipboard embellies - 11 Word stickers - 4 Ribbon - 1 Staples - 2 Bling - 8 Dymo - 1 TOTAL AMOUNT OF ITEMS USED = 66

I mixed Dear Lizzy Thickers {yellow} with Making Memories alphas {green} & Pink Paislee glitter chipboard {red}.

I also added some 7 Gypsies strip stickers to the sides of the photos, some polka-dot organza ribbon & some staples.

Then I also added a strip of red dymo tape along the bottom of the layout with Chelsea's favourite things {her friends!} names along the bottom.

I also used some Making Memories silver glitter chipboard pieces {the star & the swallow} & some bling dots between the words on the patterned paper {just to ensure I used enough stuff!}

Then of course you add in the paper you use {2 prints for me} & all the photos too so things quickly add up! I can't remember the brand of the printed paper along the bottom - sorry! Actually I bought it locally recently especially for a page I had in mind about Cami's shoe obsession, then ended up using it here instead! the backing paper is ancient, from my stash, Sandylion I think ;-D

Today I have spent 6 hours sorting out my photos! Backing everything up to my external hard drive & ensuring that My Pictures & my EHD are an exact mirror of each other. I really should back up onto DVD too but it really is too much hassle. I am going to start looking around at external hard-drives again, have been doing that already when I've been out & about but haven't had a serious look. They sure seem to have gone up a lot so I am on the look out for a good deal.

Yup, I have decided to get another one & back up all my photos AGAIN, so they will be on my pc & on TWO external hard-drives, so that one can be permanently connected to my pc here in my scraproom & the other can be hidden somewhere else so if we have a robbery I don't have all my eggs in one basket. Yes, this is how we have to think in South Africa! I could just back up onto DVD's & hide those but quite frankly life is too short to spend any more time sorting out my photos than I already do!



Friday 30 July 2010

Scrapbooking for the Home!


Okay, we're gonna get there {to the Scrapbooking for the Home bit}...but for now...remember last Thursday {not yesterday but last week, in my Team Up Thursday post} I showed you some paper I had prepared for a layout? {Okay, even I can hardly remember what I did yesterday let alone a week ago so scroll down if you really wanna see it again or just forget it lol ;-D} Well, here's the layout! Did it a week ago but yet to share...

I used an emery board I bought at Claire's {Accessory store} here, as a mask! Also bought a heart & a star but who knows where those have got to since the move ?!? so for now I've just got the cloud lol... Spraying this Glimmer Mist is a bit of a fine art I've discovered {why isn't anything as easy as it looks?!?} but I did okay on this I think. Added some fine doodling within the cloud to emphasize it.

If you read the journaling you will understand the title ;-D {My youngest son Reilly's nickname is Mr. Bing if you really must know lol...} This looks seriously crooked at the bottom there but just checked & it's perfectly straight - must be the angle of the photo - sorry! Used some Bazzill for the base, some Studio Calico Anthology prints, some Pink Paislee artisan tape & some Dear Lizzy for American Crafts canvas paper too. The "broderie anglaise" paper is from Making Memories. Added some nylon twine & a couple of felt flowers from Making Memories Flutter line.

Used my pretty, new Fiskars punch here! Some American Crafts Remarks alphas, some Basic Grey Origin alphas & one Dear Lizzy "T"!

Cut up a Prima Shabby Chic Glitter Chipboard too...

Inked the SC papers with yellow lime to help them pop. Love it when you can use 4 manufacturers' papers {Studio Calico, Pink Paislee, American Crafts & Making Memories} RIGHT next door to each other & it works!

Now here is the "Scrapbooking for the Home!" How beautiful is this print!?! So Rhona Farrer lol...

I have been admiring this graphic for weeks now - at Mr. Price Home of all places...it's from a paper giftbag!

I simply cut out the back & the front of the bag as the print was on both sides {still have the other side to use to make another one as a gift...} then blinged it up {added bling to the crown & all the stars} Measured it all up nice & straight {had to reduce it quite a bit to fit into a biggish frame as it was a BIG giftbag} which was for sale for only R20! {US$2.50}then mounted around it using co-ordinating bazzill cardstock.

Here is a close-up {above} of the stick-on cellphone bling which works perfectly for scrapbooking/papercrafting projects. I buy straight lines sold in a rectangular strip then cut up each line individually & they are so small that they bend to shape around hearts, etc, as seen here...And below is the finished project!

I added some yellow polka-dot ribbon from my local habby store & also some Dear Lizzy tape too then jazzed up the corners with some K & Co. 3D glitter blooms. I bought a cheap frame @ Pick 'n Pay & voila! Wall Art!! Below is a collage of all the corners - close up! I was "happy happy" with my creation ;-D

And here it sits {see below} - in my hall - {well, my hall being the end of my dining room really...} waiting for me to drill it up over the weekend. What a bright & cheery, modern print to greet our visitors, and also a great reminder to each of us as we leave every morning. "Love Who You Are" - not so easy is it?!?

Happy Weekend to you all!



Thursday 29 July 2010

Team Up Thursday Photography Challenge




Hi everyone! This week seems to be flying by & by next week we'll be in August - scary thought! Don't you find that beyond June - once the first half of the year is over - the momentum just increases exponentially until December, which is always a crazy month?! That's the way it goes for me anyway...

Today is already Thursday & time for "Team Up Thursday!" where we set photography challenges for each other every week, my partner Tania & I. I am always open to new experiences because I know that they are the only way to bring about change in my life. Well this experience is certainly improving my photography. Maybe not my technical skills, but definitely teaching me how to style a shoot, etc...

When I received my prompt from Tania - "Fairytale" - my first thought was "Forget it! Can't be done!!" Had I not been having a problem with my e mail I would have sent a reply straight back saying "No way - can't do it - no idea what to do!" but fortunately I had the whole day yesterday to think about it as I was going about my business, and some ideas started forming. I used my ever faithful model, my daughter Camryn to pose for me & took around 200 shots! I chose this one above all of them because it makes me imagine stumbling upon a little fairy in the forest, fast asleep...




And here is my partner Tania's photo below. Love how she has given it a Sepia wash to make it more Olde Worlde.

This is what Tania has to say about our challenge:-

"I chose fairytale, because I had something in my mind, BUT could not do it, for my model was not available.
I had to think of something very quick and my husband reminded me about this castle, the Eben Haeser Castle, just outside Rustenburg. They only finished building it, beginning of this year. And guess what?? It is empty!
Nobody living there,nothing happening. So, should you have few millions lying around, this is the way to make a fairytale come true ;-D"

I had a tough time choosing a photo as I edited the shoot down 75%, to 50 shots & from those had about 10 that I thought were the best. Here are 5 of them, the other 5 were great but not so much for the fairy theme. These showed more wings, fluffy feathers, tulle, etc...all essential to any self-respecting fairy amidst her own delightful little Fairytale!

This little fairy wasn't too happy I might add...she has a tiara that she wanted to wear & didn't really understand me when I told her she needed to channel her "Morrocan Fairy" as I was going for a darker, more grown up look, her being 10 & all now y'know...

She has a plastic crate under her bed, FULL of dress-up clothes, being the Drama Queen that she is, so selecting one fairy dress, a couple of co-ordinating feather boas & a bejewelled bangle was a cinch {she gets all my junk jewellery when it starts to tarnish - doesn't take long to corrode here at the coast lol...}

I love this different facial expression here above {not the best quality photo - not very sharp} - but I was teaching her how to pout & she did a very subtle job of it I thought - model material I tell ya! She certainly can work it for the camera this one!! She got an idea of what it would be like on a real shoot after half an hour in the cold wind lying on the concrete besides our pool - not as glamorous as she had imagined - but I treated her to a swim in the heated pool at the gym afterwards ;-D

I shot all these in Aperture Priority Mode with an F-stop of 10, very low, because I wanted them all overexposed intentionally. I desaturated them a bit & added a touch of glow to give them an ethereal feel. I cropped a teeny bit here & there but hardly at all. I've got the hang of composing a decent shot these days.

Here are the links to some of the other Team Up Thursday participants, so if you are interested in Photography Challenges hop on over & have a looky at what they have come up with. If you are here & taking part in the challenge & your name is not on the list please leave your link in the comments section for me to add to the list next week. TTFN.

My partner Tania http://littlethingiesofme.blogspot.com

Stefanie http://semplydone.blogspot.com
and Lynette http://creativemoments-lynette.blogspot.com

Andrea http://andrearobertsontoo.blogspot.com
and Claire http://www.mcgeers.blogspot.com

Berta http://rboice.blogspot.com
and Corey http://livingandlovingeveryminuteofit.blogspot.com

Megan http://mentalinventory.blogspot.com
and Melody http://thehipmommasjournal.squarespace.com

Cat and http://juggelingactoflife.blogspot.com
Shayne http://scrappy-time.blogspot.com


Joanne http://worth-it-all.blogspot.com




Tuesday 27 July 2010

It's Happening...






Thanks to those of you who took time out to read my loooooooooooooong & rather random post on Sunday. I don't expect you all to so no worries if you didn't - those kinda posts put me off too believe me...I wasn't expecting ANY comments & really just needed to get it all written down for MYSELF on my blog, as a record of my thoughts, as you do lol...

As a result of voicing what has been on my mind all year at least, I have come to a decision...I am starting another blog! I am splitting my blog in two so to speak. This blog is going to become primarily my scrapping blog, for layout posts & related this & that, with a dose of personality thrown in a bit too of course. But I feel I have too much to say & a mixed bag of bloggy friends to say it to. For those scrappers I am quite happy for you to stick with just following this blog, although of course you would be welcome to follow my personal blog, but it is not expected, I do know that time is precious to us all. And vice versa, for those friends with little interest in scrapping, I am quite happy for you to dump me here & pick up there instead. It is entirely up to you.

This is an experiment. I may not keep it up. I have all sorts of concerns about it. At times I go through a scrapping frenzy & have tons to share, then at other times I can't scrap for various reasons but I still feel the urge to blog! So what I'm gonna do is link up the blogs when I do a post. Ie:- Do a post on my personal blog to say I have a scrappy post up here {or just mention it above my post} and again vice versa - I will mention here that I have a post up on my other "personal" blog. I have really been fighting this desire because I don't have time to faff about but the truth is, once the blog is set up it is little extra work really as I just need to make sure I click "Create Post" on the right blog on my Blogger dashboard!

Thing is, I have things to say. Things that are nothing to do with scrapping. There is more to my life & I want to share that too. Not just a daily log of what's going on, but times when "I have thoughts" lol...now I do have one predicament, albeit minor, but to me it is a real issue. I believe a name is very important. I love the name Scrap Addict as it makes me feel there is an expectation of me to keep scrapping & I like that accountability. Now I have thought of numerous good names for my new blog but DH thinks they all suck...so...please help me...a little brainstorming could be good. I want a name that sums up my passion for life, my introspective nature & my unique existence here at the bottom of the continent of Africa. A name that would intrigue you & give you an idea of what I was about if you had never read my blog. Get it???

Any ideas?!?





Sunday 25 July 2010

Always Questioning...






*** BRILLIANT VIDEO EMBEDDED BELOW POST **

This blogging thing... Now today being Sunday, chances are stronger than ever that I am talking to myself in any case...which could be a good thing lol...so if you never give your bloggy life another thought it's probably time for you to move on around about now...

I've had a chance to do some blog-hopping tonight & it's brought about quite a thoughtwave... During the week I just try to keep up with my regular commenters, followed by my inspirational scrapper blogs, and don't usually get to fit in much more than that. I love blogs like this {Piradee's} that are so professional, and blogs like this {Diana's} that are so directional, and I think to myself, I need to FOCUS when it comes to my blog.

Then I carry on blog-hopping & read blogs like this {Margie's} & this {Aida's} & this{Laura's} & know that for me, this TYPE of blog is definitely the type I LOVE the best...filled with photographs & a glimpse into the person behind the beautiful work. {Scrappy blogs that are written so personably, with little snippets of info that give me a behind the scenes idea of what it must be like to live somewhere entirely different}. Appeals to the dreamer in me perhaps...Now I'm not saying that there is a right & a wrong way to blog, or that any one type is better than the other. There are millions of blogs out here in the blogosphere & we all have ours for our own personal reasons. I'm just trying to make sense of what it is that I want for MY OWN BLOG, because I do know that I want it to be the best that it can possibly be.

I think it's an African thing...that we are fascinated with people around the rest of the world...although saying that I see some South African bloggers seem to prefer sticking with a circle of local bloggy friends, so maybe it's just a ME thing. For me, my scrapbooking has benefited one hundred fold from following international blogs, and that alone is worth a lot. I have come to see that there is a certain scrapbooking style to each continent {yes, really...} Being a fashion designer by profession I have followed trends for decades & am that rare mother that is able to buy things for my 17 year old without her being with me because I'm naturally attuned to picking up on trends, I have an inbuilt fascination with them.

If I see a layout in a gallery now chances are I'll be right in my guess of which continent the scrapbooker is from. My favourites being {in this order}

1. ASIAN - Vibrant, brave, adventurous, artistic, layered, fresh, fun-loving layouts that are experimental yet very directional at the same time.

2. AMERICAN - Clean, modern, simple, funky, bang on-trend, achievable yet very effective.

English scrapping has a lot of catching up to do & African scrapbooking is very old school {not us bloggers but the traditional LSS layouts that have 50 embellishments per double page, every photo is matted/mounted on 4 sheets of cardstock & white space is an unheard of term}. Australian scrapbooking is so artistic, with so many different things going on that it's definitely less directional. If you think about it a continent's scrapbooking style is indicative of it's people & their lifestyles, very interesting really.

So I've learnt a lot about my craft through blogging, & a lot about the world @ large. Nowadays I usually have a general idea about what the weather is like on each continent & am now familiar with all the major time-zones off the top of my head. I feel far more like a "citizen of the world" than I ever used to. Now if I only followed blogs that show-cased layout after layout I'd never be any the wiser as far as matters of life are concerned, so there's a place for every type of blog I guess.


So, after my concerns & my consideration that maybe I need to concentrate ONLY on my craft-work here & leave out the personal bits I've decided against that for the time being, based on the type of blogs "out there" that appeal the most to me {the scrappy ones with a bit of behind-the-scenes info now & again}.

It interests me alot that, second to my fellow countrymen here in South Africa, I get most of my hits from America, yet if I've had a handful of comments in my 20 months of blogging that's been a lot. I don't stalk blogs I don't comment on, because if I follow a blog I like it & my natural reaction is to post affirmatory comments, obviously not everyone is like me on that score. So there are still things that befuddle me about this blogging business & questions that I may well never find an answer to.

I suppose if I never gave all this a second thought I'd be stagnating & not evolving. An old friend of mine posted this on Facebook the other day & it really struck a chord with me. Any of you out there who are constantly questioning the worth of your work & your personal progress {both blogging & scrapping} as well as photography {or any form of art or any form of work for that matter} then this is definitely worth a watch. Very thought-provoking.









Saturday 24 July 2010

There's not a lot More Gorgeous Than...

This. Always been one of my all time fave manufacturers & their new CHA catalogue is OUT NOW! Leave a comment for a chance to win, link to their blog & post about it for an EXTRA CHANCE!!

Thursday 22 July 2010

Woot! Woot!





Okay I know that was naughty...I have nothing to woot about...heehee...having not entered one challenge all year! Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut I did need to get your attention & you'll thank me for it if you go & lookie here cos you will see a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge buncha stash being given away as a RAK by
Artful Delight & who doesn't want {ummmm...I mean neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed} some more stash!

Giveaway ends in about a week so click the link NOW!

Team up Thursday Photography Challenge & a Sneak Peak!






My photography partner, Tania, & I decided on the theme "Scrappy Love" for this week! Photographing any or all of the stash that makes us go weak at the knees...This was difficult as it meant displaying it all beautifully & that took TIME ;-D Hope you like the results.

I left it too late to use any natural light so had to use a flash, a high ISO & a lamp bent so it pointed up to the ceiling! The main light was off so only the subject was illuminated. I found that gave me the best result. I shot in AV mode with an F stop of 7.1. Who knows if I did the right thing lol...but this was the best of a bunch of 33 photos!


Any photography buffs out there - don't be shy to offer me advice please - I have no idea what I'm doing! I edited it a bit with the saturation & highlights, just to give it more of a magical, ethereal look.

I bought the birdcage @ Mr. Price Home about a month ago & it has been in the centre of my dining-room table, attracting strange looks from visitors & family alike! I knew I loved it & wanted it but didn't really know what to do with it...well this challenge has made me realise that where it really belongs is in my scraproom ;-D Filled with flowers...They are actually all colour-coded in slim, clear plastic containers that fit snugly in there so they all stand upright & the top-section of the bird-cage unhinges for easy access.

And this is Tania's photographbelow - you can read her text here & leave her a comment while you're at it lol! I see she thought of everything here...the cappucino, CD & camera too!

And here is a peek @ what's been happening @ my desk this week...

I bought this "mask" from Claire's {Accessory store} - it's an emery board! How cute???!!!

I made up my paper first this time then plonked the photo & title on top. Will show you the finished layout in my next post! Meanwhile here are the links to some of the other Team Up Thursday Photography Challenge participants!
Stefanie http://semplydone.blogspot.com
and Lynette http://creativemoments-lynette.blogspot.com

Andrea http://andrearobertsontoo.blogspot.com
and Claire http://www.mcgeers.blogspot.com

Berta http://rboice.blogspot.com
and Corey http://livingandlovingeveryminuteofit.blogspot.com

Megan http://mentalinventory.blogspot.com
and Melody http://thehipmommasjournal.squarespace.com

Cat and http://juggelingactoflife.blogspot.com
Shayne http://scrappy-time.blogspot.com


Joanne http://worth-it-all.blogspot.com

As for me I have more stuff I need to photograph to show you but that's me for this week - got lots I need to finish off around here before my visitors arrive on Monday. Happy Weekend All!





Tuesday 20 July 2010

Guess Who Won?! {Plus a Stephanie Howell Scraplift}.






Guess who won all this yummy stash? {okay not scrappy stash but still good stash lol...}. It was none other than Pearl! Pearl is an experimental scrapbooker & loves to create with interesting effects, especially misting! If it wasn't for Pearl I would not have got sooooooooo excited about getting hold of a whole selection of Glimmer & Maya mists & having some spritzing fun! Congratulations girl!!

This time I used a random name generator on the internet & Pearl's name popped out of a slot machine! I tried to save the webpage for you but when I checked the link it came up blank. Please, if anyone knows how to show a page on the internet such as this, please explain it to me! I often see people showing off their desktops on their blogs & I think "how the flip did they do that?!" Simple when you know how I'm sure... someone out there must know how to do it! Please let me know if you do!


So, Pearl, please send me your postal deets so I can send you a real South African vuvuzela plus various authentic South African & FIFA World Cup goodies! Woo Hoo!!

Now, seeing as this post is really for tomorrow {Wednesday} but I am publishing it tonight {Tuesday} because I promised to do the RAK draw - I may aswell share a layout with you as I am not going to be blogging tomorrow {do all my photog stuff on Wednesdays so uploading/editing/backing up}. I loved this layout on Stephanie Howell's blog & had a few photos of Cami that I needed to scrap in PINK, with lots of pretties, so knew this would be perfect!


They are from several years ago - when I first started printing my photos myself - and they came out pink! So I decided to make a feature of it rather than reprint them!! I misted a plain sheet of cardstock, using an awesome mask I bought here some years ago, online locally, thinking it was a sheet of lace paper! Realising it was plastic I of course kept it as a stencil/mask. It sure is a beauty!!

I used some American Crafts Noteworthy/Dear Lizzy label stickers & they kept smudging! So be careful if you're gonna hand-journal on them with a felt-tip pen 'cos they don't dry quick!

In the end {after throwing 4 away...} I didn't pencil in the journaling first - just held my breath & wrote in pen first time!

I'm all outta nice alphas so I had to use white from 2 different ranges! Some {cellphone!} bling {I always buy it here cos it's cheap & available!} & a few of my treasured Jenni Bowlin bling butterflies.

Then I had fun at the bottom just adding some random flowers {Prima/Making Memories/Fiesta Felt}, feathers & glitter brads.

I loved creating this! I can feel more girly girl layouts coming on...oh dear...no wonder most of the layouts I do are for Cami's album!!!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to pop in on my last post & share your favourite manufacturers with me! See you Thursday for "Team up Thursday Photography Challenge"





Tell me What's your Flavour? { & How to Scrappy Shop Online}






Today's the day for the World Cup RAK to be announced!
I will do that later but first need to check on who has remembered to link up to my blog from theirs as that was the rule remember?! Once I have done that I will do a quick post this evening announcing the winner! THEN I need to work out how to pack a vuvuzela into a box lol...think I will have to custom make one! But fear not - if I said I'll do it I WILL DO IT & one lucky person will win a treat-box full of South African & World Cup goodies. Just doing my bit to keep World Cup Fever around a little longer!


For now this post is about shopping! I went shopping yesterday. Took forever...even though I didn't even have to leave my computer...yes I went shopping online! I ordered some lovely goodies for my birthday a few months back but they took ages to arrive because we had strikes here & the volcanic ash story causing delays around the world. I am ploughing my way through the goodies I got & know that I will be in need of something fresh in a month or so {when my next lot will arrive}. I tried a different store this time - mainly because they were the only ones I could find that stocked Fiskars trimmer blades. They are now IMPOSSIBLE to get here & even when they were R120 per set of 2 is an insane price to pay!

I did scour my 3 local stores first before ordering, but obviously there are certain brands that are favoured here for some reason & unfortunately they are not the ones I love the best. It seems that Fancy Pants, Imaginisce, My Mind's Eye & Bo Bunny obviously have good relations with the importers here, which is great & the ranges are relatively up to date, & they are lovely, but just not what I am looking for at the moment. Since I embarked on my home-decorating venture a few months ago it seems to have given me complete clarity about what I like & dislike in the way of scrapping supplies - weird huh?! But I am loving my new decisiveness & seem to have gotten over my scrappy identity crisis. So here goes, these are my new flavours!



PRIMA - Say it in Pearls - Swirls - in pink, lime & pearl. Brown & White De-vines. Fairyring flowers, trellis roses, flutter vines & cherry blossom branches! Damask pebbles & Donna Downey embroidered words.
{Already have too much of their beauuuuuuuuuuuuuutiful paper ;-D}

K & CO - Acetate Frames. {Still need to cut into my Que Sera Sera paper pack...}



HAMBLY - border stickers & white frame transparencies. {Still have some of their transparencies I need to chomp through...}

MAYA ROAD - Cherry Mist & gorgeous scalloped craft envelopes. {Love their accessories but just had to stop shopping by the time I got to M...}



TATTERED ANGELS - Pearl Glimmer Mist. {Like white bazzill it seems the hardest colour to get hold of...}

MAKING MEMORIES - Vintage Findings.

OCTOBER AFTERNOON - Fly A Kite, Ducks in a Row, Farm Fresh papers.

LILY BEE - "Lovely" papers.

AMERICAN CRAFTS - Letterbox & Dear Lizzy papers re-orders {what's not to LOVE?!}

JILLY BEAN SOUP - Summer Squash papers - mostly sold-out unfortunately.

JENNY BOWLIN - Playdate papers - mostly sold-out unfortunately.

STUDIO CALICO - hot-air balloon rub-ons & Documentary papers - mostly sold-out again unfortunately!

THE GIRL'S PAPERIE - Paper Girl & On Holiday trims {would have bought all that vintage paper but...you guessed it...all sold out!}

PINK PAISLEY - Bayberry Cottage Artisan tapes, pleated ribbons, die-cuts & sticker elements
{paper's too strong for me but accessories are delicious...}

ECHO PARK {Yup they're new & THEY ARE ROCKING...} Sweet Summertime papers, borders & stickers!


15 splendid manufacturers all in one box! I am BEYOND excited!! Yay me!!! The downside is these goodies will only be in my little hot hands in at least a month...but I know it will be worth the wait - especially as I have THICKERS galore packed in there too :-D

For anyone local wanting to shop online my advice is:-

1. It's worth it if you buy 3 months worth @ a time {this is 3 months worth for me when mixed in with my other older stash} so make it 6 months worth if you scrap a few times a week, or share your box with a scrappy friend.

2. Still support your local store - pop in there before you place your order so that you don't import what's already here {that would just be stupid} - when you see the prices overseas & add in your postage {about R400 for a big box of stuff} & minimal duties - the local prices are correct - the issue is with availability.

3. Shop by BRAND unless you want to take a week browsing...you will be gobsmacked at the selection! Get to know which manufacturer's ranges & products you usually like & go straight there - no way you'll have time to view everything!

4. Add strict instructions to brace everything in re-inforced cardboard THEN again into SEALED plastic THEN to fill in all gaps with bio-degradable peanuts {that's just a silly name for bits of polystyrene!} or by the time your goods arrive they may be water damaged or have crumpled corners. If you do this though chances are your goodies will be fine ;-D

So now that I've poured my little scrappy heart out & told you who I am in love with now it's your turn! Which manufacturers are rocking your boat right now?!





Monday 19 July 2010

Just One for Today...{& last RAK day}



Good Monday to you all out there! Just popping in ever so quickly with another layout to show you. Have another 6 to follow soon & an altered frame for this week, so keep checking back! And remember today is the LAST DAY to link up to my RAK as I choose a winner tomorrow!

This was a photo my husband took of my son & one of his sports coaches. The journaling says it all {sorry I had to obscure some of the details for privacy reasons}. I used Prima Shabby Chic Apricot Tree as the backing paper {because of the bird - it matched the journaling theme of "taking him under his wing"}.

The other printed papers laid on top are Studio Calico {loooooooooove these papers!} & down the side is a Dear Lizzy by American Crafts canvas strip cut from the 12inch fabric papers - love them too!

I used a MME journaling circle here & a Fiskars punch along the side of the green print see? Then again at the bottom & side of the photo - 3 different punch designs - can you find them all?!

The Z in the Dear Lizzy Thickers I used here looked more like a 3 to me so I cut my own Z out of cardstock & adhered some "sand" to it {you know the stuff kids do sand art with!} Of course they gave up on the sand art after a while & passed the sand on to my craft collection lol...

So there you have it! Who says you can't use Prima for boys? Or floral papers for that matter. Pffffttt to all that nonsense I say...

I am running late today. My daughter has an appointment with the orthodontist & I am meant to be in the car right now! So flying off round about now...still pop in to say HI though please!
Thanks for stopping by...




Saturday 17 July 2010

Carefree Layout & Mottled Chipboard Tutorial



***See my RAK post here to leave a comment to stand a chance to win & remember to link up to my blog if you haven't done so already...I choose a winner on Tuesday next week!***

Well I am still working away in my studio, having created 10 layouts in the last week! Kids are back @ school so I have my mornings back & I have put everything else on hold for a while to play catch up...

I was meant to feature 2 layouts today but will show you more next week. I had forgotten that I had taken some photos of my process along the way for this one.

HOW TO ADD INTEREST TO PLAIN CHIPBOARD:-

There is not much locally-produced scrapbooking product here in South Africa but something we have an okay selection of @ times is chipboard. It can take some finding but I stop @ any/every scrapbooking/craft store when we travel anywhere {Johannesburg & Port Elizabeth for example} & add to my stash each time.

The simplest way to jazz up a chipboard title is to ink/paint/spray-mist it, but this time I wanted a mottled effect, so I decided to use my distress inks.

These inks appeal to my neat-freak alter-ego because of their stackability - how neat is that?!

As I wanted to mix various colours together I used a disposable cloth to dab the ink onto the chipboard. This gives more control & stops your inkpads getting contaminated with other colours. { I wash my cloth & keep on using it - gotta think green y'know...}

You can work on any old scrap of paper, although a piece of plastic is more ideal as the chipboard won't get stuck to it. Once you have dabbed on 3 or 4 different colours {using a different section of cloth each time} it's time to paint over the top of it all so go grab a paint brush...

If you're anything like me you'll have plenty to choose from! {okay, I used to teach kids' art & craft lessons, which is why I own so many brushes!}

Now choose a paint in one of the main colours of your layout. {I have all shapes & sizes of paint too!}

Note the spray bottle in the photo above {saved from a hair-spray & re-filled with water} - keep one handy with your paints to save you filling a tub with water {that could potentially spill all over your precious work too} & use it to spritz your dollop of paint to thin it out if need be. Paint over your inks with a diluted paint mix {about 80/20 paint/water in my case but dependant on the paint thickness} then IMMEDIATELY start dabbing off with a damp cloth.

Voila! Your finished piece ready for adhering. With fine wording like this I find it easiest to adhere using Tombo glue squeezed through the fine applicator or GLOO using a paint-brush. {Wash soon after...}

Definitely more depth than one solid colour don't you think? You can achieve all these steps quite quickly if you are organised & lucky enough to have all your supplies to hand. Let me know if you try it!

So here it is in place on the layout I'm about to show you...

I was inspired by Miss. Misting here, to get out my box of Glimmer Mists & start spritzing!

I used 2 different colours {black & pink} & a Heidi Swapp polka-dot mask {& a circular lid on the bottom left-hand side.}

Supplies:- Bazzill cardstock, Glimmer Mists, Prima patterned paper & packaging, K & Co. patterned paper & fabric brad, gingham ribbon, chipboard title, paint, Prima flowers, Webster's Journalling Cards, bling.

So there you have it...

I bought a chipboard scallop piece that I keep as a ruler template for whenever I want to cut even scallops.

I am {{{in love}}} with these Webster's Pages deluxe Journaling Cards & ploughing through the set...the designs are just gorgeous & they look like little ATC's only they are quick & instant!

Happy Weekend all ;-D