Simple Tips and Techniques for your September Creative Kit

Hello Fellow Scrappers!
Today I wanted to share with you a couple tips to aid you in scrap lifting my layouts using the September Creative kit.  As you well know - I like to use my kit up! Here is a photo of my left overs this month.

(sorry for the less than wonderful photos - with three small boys I tend to do most of my scrapping at night. It doesn't make for the best photos!). Here is a layout I was pretty creative with:

The first thing to share is how I make my kit last so long. I started by only using enough background paper I needed.

See how rather than cutting an entire rectangle I only cut part of it. Since the rest was covered I really didn't need to have the entire rectangle. I also waited until I was about finished with all my layouts to cut my circles. I made my decision on what papers to use for my circles based on what papers I had left. Lastly, I hope you like my borders at the top and bottom of the page. Check out your sticker sheet and you will find a triangle border and a bubble border. I decided to cut them out for this layout. The triangles took a little time but the bubbles at the bottom were super easy. I just cut around the bubbles. For the triangles, I first cut out the entire border from the sticker sheet (with the backing still attached). Then I cut out each triangle and laid them out on my layout as I thought I'd like them to end up. I added some pop dots to the back of some triangles (after exposing the sticky back). I admit I pulled up and restuck several triangles in order to get them just the way I wanted but I love the final look so I'm okay with the bit of work it took. Some pages just deserve a little extra work.

One more thing I really want to share with you is how I made the beautiful flowers in our kit pink! I got out my Gelatos again this month - this time to color my flowers. Here is the layout I used my pink flowers on.

First, I grabbed my craft mat, a little water (should have had it in a dish but didn't have one handy so I just dropped a little on my mat). I also grabbed the paint brush that came with my Gelatos, a pink Gelatos and of course my flowers.

I started by scribbling some Gelato on my craft mat, then I dipped my paint brush in a little water and then in the scribbled Gelato. Separate each petal of the flower and color it individually. I had to dip my brush in water and Gelato several times to complete each flower but over all coloring the flowers didn't take that much time and was fun.

When I was finished I grabbed my heat gun and sped up the drying process as I was so excited to get the flowers on my layout. Aren't they beautiful?

As a kit club member and scrap lifer for several years before joining the design team I know that sometimes designers do little things you want to copy but wonder how to do it (I still think that about the beautiful designs in the Limited Edition kit) Please feel free to visit my blog and leave me a message any time you wonder how I did something or have a comment. I'd love to have you visit. My blog: www.scrappyjoan.blogspot.com. Thanks and have fun scrapping! Joan

New Designs to Share

So far I've only used my blog to share layouts I've made for My Creative Scrapbook.  That is the majority of my monthly scrapbooking.  It takes quite a bit of time for me to design those layouts, get them edited, submitted, posted all over, and a tutorial written.  I love it though and scrapping 6-9 layouts a month is a huge accomplishment.  Still I'll never get caught up.  I also love My Creative Scrapbook because it challenges me to try new techniques and products.  You will continue to see all my My Creative Scrapbook work here on my blog but going forward I'm really going to try to get my other creations posed on my blog too. 

I'd love to share my designs I make for my local scrapbook store, Scrapbook Boutique in downtown Lee's Summit, MO.  I teach classes and design kits for the store.  What I do for the store is a completely different process than what I do for My Creative Scrapbook (www.mycreativescrapbook.com) but it is equally as enjoyable. 

Check out the Scrapbook Boutique on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/scrapls and/or visit the blog, http://www.scrapls.com/

Even if you aren't local Judee, the store owner, can get you a kit if you are ever interested in anything we offer in the store (while supplies last). 

Each month I teach a beginner scrapbooking class.  I call it a beginner class but it really is for all skill levels.  I introduce new scrappers to the basic scrapbooking tools, show attendees how to scrap lift from other layouts and sketches, and each scrapper leaves with a completed two page layout using their own pictures.  I suggest people also attend if they want to expand their skills a little or if they have some photos they really don't know how to go about scrapping.  Each person who attends challenges me to help them create a layout in just a short time (another skill we scrappers could use especially me).  I'd love you to come if you are local or near by visiting.  Each month we post a new sketch we'll work with in class so check out the blog/facebook to see the next class date and the sketch we'll be working with.

The second class I teach might be the most challenging for me, it is a local attractions class.  Each month I choose an event or location around the Kansas City/Lee's Summit area to create a layout about.  I'm always open to suggestions so send them to me or to the store.  Most likely if you suggest it I'll make it.  I try to make each local attraction layout very unique and very specific to that event/location.  Past layouts include the Plaza Lights (probably the one I'm most proud of), Chiefs, Royals, Sporting Kansas City, Pumpkin Patch, Paradise Park, and Fireworks.  Some, like fireworks, are customized to each attendee.  They just make their request for the title and I have it ready for them at class.  Last month, we created a Deanna Rose Layout I love.  Sporting Kansas City classes have passed this month but both Deanna Rose and Sporting Kansas City are available as kits.  Check out the Scrapbook Boutique blog for photos of these kits.  There are also a few Paradise Park kits and Fourth of July kits as well.  Most kits/classes cost $16 and again, we can ship them to you.

Local Attractions - Deanna Rose - I'll have to start photographing the two pages together -sorry buout that.   (or flip over the barn and use that side for a generic farm layout)

The last class I teach each month is my favorite!  I teach a kids class and although it is almost always full of only girls this is a class boys can attend as well - my boys love attending.  Kids usually attend with a parent or other adult but it really depends on the child whether an adult needs to stay with him/her.  Some parents drop their kids off and come back in a couple hours all the while their children are creating friendships and cool creations.  Kids are so creative.  They aren't afraid to put their own personality into their creations.  I learn so much from them.  Every class we create a two page layout and finish with some sort of 3D project.  We've created an Eifel Tower, Christmas ornaments, gift bags, shaker boxes, and this month we are making a Piggy Bank.

I usually have the kids help me decide on a project and most of the time I use my Silhouette for the project (I love my Silhouette).

 

 

Besides classes, I also make kits for the store.  Again they typically sell for $16 and can be shipped but there are limited quantities so be sure to call in or email to order yours as soon as they are available.  We have an email sneak peak that goes out the second Friday of each month.  You'll want to get on that email distribution so you don't miss out on these kits.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can have a University of Missouri kit available in store this Friday.  I'm trying something new in my design and it will feature Truman the Tiger.  All MU fans will want this kit and they will go super fast I guarantee it.

 

For now, remember to check back and I'll show you more of my designs.  I hope you will love them and as a reminder - leave me comments.  I love them!

 



September My Creative Scrapbook Kit Reveal Reveals lots of Color!

Hello All, By now hopefully you've visited the My Creative Scrapbook Blog and Design Team Gallery and viewed all the amazing kits and design team creations. I'm a few days late this month unfortunately and I apologize for that! Pam Rangel, My Creative Scrapbook owner, and I are gearing up to host a big crop on Saturday so I'm busy creating for that this week. If you are ever interested in coming to Kansas City and attending a crop with us we'd love to have you visit us. Our next crop is November 2nd. You can find out more by clicking the Crop/Shop tab on the My Creative Scrapbook website, www.mycreativescrapbook.com. For now I'd love to show you the new kits and my designs with the Creative kit. Check back later this month for a tutorial too. First up is the beautiful and colorful Main Kit. I wish I was able to create with this one! It features My Minds Eye Jubilee.

Next up is the Album kit featuring Fine and Dandy for Echo Park. Kristin, the Album designer, has amazed me yet again. This is a fabulous kit.

The Limited Edition kit is stunning as always! It features Authentique and Carta Bella and includes a mask.

**Did you know there are several Add-On kits available form MCS too? These include the Off the Page kit, Flower kit, Project Life kit, and more. Check out the Add-on Kit tab on the My Creative Scrapbook main page. Lastly, the Creative kit is packed full of goodness. Whether you have school aged children or not you will enjoy this kit. It is bright and cheerful and all around wonderful! I hope you enjoy designing with it like me or scrap lifting. If you make a layout with this kit will you share it with me?????? I'd even love to see your scraplifted projects whether it is based on one of my layouts or another designers. Just show them off. I'll even send you a gift for doing so! You will love it!

Here are my creations. I have to say I have some of the best photos to scrap because I have some of the best kids :) and some fantastic nieces and nephews to top it off.

First up is a layout featuring my newly 9year old 4th grader, Charlie. Okay, this is one of the very few photos I scrap that was actually staged - well kind of. I had a photo of him sitting at the computer a few months ago and was going to use it but when I went to print it I couldn't find it so...he was already sitting at the computer anyway so I took another one. It is almost the exact same photo because he is doing the exact same thing - what he always does. I wanted to scrap this photo though because I so rarely scrapbook current photos that I lose track of the feelings of what is happening not just the facts of the photo.

Another very recent photo just taken in early August on our family vacation to Florida. This was actually snapped in Mississippi while visiting some friends. I was trying to take a picture of my friends daughter and my youngest when Chase stepped in front of them as I was snapping. I think photo bombs are really supposed to happen when someone jumps in behind the photographed object/people but Chase does things his own way!

These photos are just a year old. It was Chase's first day of school. I was so nervous. He wasn't! You know, he just started first grade and I don't think I was any less nervous about it. Again, he wasn't! Oh and here you get a peek of my wonderful supportive husband, Matt.

This page almost didn't happen but boy and I happy it did. I have to admit it is my favorite of the month despite the fact my boys aren't in it. My niece, Samantha is absolutely adorable. These photos are a couple years old so I can't believe I haven't scrapped them yet but I'm happy I haven't because they are perfect here. My gift to my sister when she was pregnant was a promise to scrap her daughter. My sister almost cried when I told her that. I love knowing that she loves that I'm doing it for her. I have to admit - I love getting to scrap some girly pages this way too.

This is another last minute layout I created. I was making 5 and a two pager when I realized I had so much paper left I should make more layouts. Isn't Tino adorable! He just turned 6 on the 8th. I can't believe it!

Do you ever have the perfect photos and perfect paper but they don't match because of the colors? Just turn the photos black and white or sepia. Ta-Da. It all works. More very recent photos here - taken August 20th 2014 the first day of school (well really just for Charlie and Chase. Tino started pre-k the week before). I try to grab photos of the kids in the same place every year so I can look back over the first day of school photos from year to year and really see how they've changed.

My niece again. These were taken last spring in my parent's backyard. They have the perfect yard for family gatherings and photography.

My mother has quite a green thumb. Wish I did too. This is one of many pages I've created from photos in my parents backyard. So that is it. Isn't it amazing how many layouts you can make with a MCS kit? Please send your questions and comments to me. If you are scraplifting a page and wonder how I did something I would be happy to help you. Lastly, if you have a suggestion on a tutorial for me please let me know. I NEED suggestions. Happy Creating! Joan