Monthly Archives: April 2013

Apr12

Fun Little Kit Club

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Heather

My friend Gina (or GZ as I like to call her) has a fun little kit club she’s started called Messtaken Identity. It’s based on the idea of reducing, re-using, and recycling, and how that can be applied to scrapbooking.

GZ’s business is taking over her crafting life, and her living room. She was on this week’s episode of PaperClipping Round Table, and brainstormed ideas that should help her business be a little more efficient and organized. Since organizing is one of my favorite things to do, I’ll share some of my organizational ideas with you next week. If you give a listen, you’ll also get a better idea of what the Messtaken Identity kit club is all about.

Each month GZ sends out a kit of papers and embellishments made with recycled products. She also holds an online class thru Spreecast where she gives you ideas and techniques that you can then use with your kit. GZ was kind enough to send me her current kit, and partials of two previous ones. Want to see what she sent me?

I’m not sure what I will do with them. I could use them as part of my Week in the Life project in May, I could use them on random layouts, I could use them to make a mini album. So many options! I’m going to let the ideas germinate for a bit, and then I’ll do a process video showing you what I do with the kits.

Interested in getting a kit of your own?

Check out GZ’s website, and sign up for a kit!

Apr8

Here Comes LOAD 513!

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Heather

Here Comes LOAD 513!

May is just around the corner, and with it comes one of my favorite things to do during the year: the Layout A Day challenge. (Or LOAD, as the regulars call it.)

LOAD has been a part of my life since October 2009. It’s made me more productive, inspired my story telling in new ways, and helped me figure out my own design style. Most importantly, it’s led to some wonderful new friendships with people who share my love of scrapbooking.

It’s that community, that sense of support and camaraderie that keeps me coming back for each new LOAD.

LOAD513 sidebar small

The theme for this LOAD is based on the board game Clue. The idea of becoming a detective in your own life sounds like fun, doesn’t it? I’m looking forward to seeing what Lain comes up with.

If you need more convincing that LOAD is worth your time, money, and effort, check out these previous posts I’ve written about the experience.

Why I LOAD and you should too.

How to succeed at LOAD without really trying.

Finding your creative self with LOAD.

Style review: or how LOAD has increased my confidence.

LOAD makes me (scrap) happy!

LOAD really is a fun and rewarding experience. I hope you’ll join me and the other 400+ people who have already signed up. There are only a few spots left, so sign up for LOAD 513 now before they are all gone!

If you sign up by April 10, you can use coupon code FNF to get $10 off the cost of the class. It’s worth every penny!

Apr5

Dealing with Imperfect Stamping

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Heather

Dealing with Imperfect Stamping

As much as I love using stamps to embellish my scrapbook pages, they don’t always turn out perfect. Then again, I’m not looking for perfect.

I’m sure you can pick out all the imperfections on this page. The pieces of missing images & the blurred edges don’t make this page any less effective. What’s the first thing you notice when you look at this? The photo, right? Does the imperfect stamping detract from this page? Not really. The page is intended to be messy and haphazard, like the boy in the photo, so the imperfect stamping just furthers the theme of the page along.

journaling spot stamps

You remember this page from Monday, right? Did you notice the incomplete, rather pebbly looking inking on the journaling spots and title? (Reminds me of mud!) That’s a result of using Distress inks with photo-polymer stamps, and to be expected. If you know how particular inks and stamps work together, you can prepare yourself mentally for when things go wrong. In this case, I knew Distress inks were a potential problem, but tried them anyway. I actually really like how the letters came out. I didn’t outline the edges of the letters, but it looks like I did. Don’t you love how happy accidents make something that was unplanned look like it was planned?

Do you see the bad stamp images on this page? No? Here, take a closer look:

Do you see it now? The blue swirl that’s blurred and ghosted? (Accidentally double stamped.) You don’t notice that for two reasons:

1. You are your harshest critic. Only you know if something is a mistake or intentional.

2 It’s mostly covered up with the strategically placed white flowers. Simplest strategy for dealing with stamping mistakes, other than claiming it was intentional? Cover it up!

To further illustrate the intentional bad stamping:

I had so many problems with this page: the multiple layers meant the image didn’t transfer correctly over paper edges, and when I tried to re-stamp it without a stamp positioner, I missed, and got a double image on one end. I used a fantastix and some brilliance ink to color the arrow so it looked purposeful. What do you think? Does it work?

One last example for you today:

If you look closely at the flourish, you’ll notice gaps at the edges of the photo and mat.

If the gaps really bother you, you can fill them in by using a tiny paint brush or a fantastix, and the ink from your ink pad, or, if you are lucky enough to have one, a matching marker. I filled in some here (bet you can’t tell where!) and left some alone. Looking at it now, there’s only one that still bugs me, but I am a firm believer in leaving a page alone once I’ve decided it’s done.

Are you feeling any braver now? Ready and able to stamp on your pages? Still nervous? I will have a PDF and short video on how to avoid common stamping mistakes to share with you next week if you sign up for my mailing list.

If you have stamped on pages before, link up an example. I’d love to see what you do!

Apr1

Stamping on Pages

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Heather

Stamping on Pages

When I began my crafting journey, I was a stamper. Back in 1991 thereabouts, there was a craft show at the local mall, and a vendor was there selling rubber stamps and embossing powder. When she showed me how to emboss, I was hooked. Unfortunately, at the time, there wasn’t much of a selection of stamps. Winnie-the-Pooh? Looney Toons characters? Sure. It was much harder to find lovely art stamps.

When I moved to the Capital Region (yes I live in upstate NY!) I discovered a locally owned store, entirely dedicated to rubber stamping. I was in heaven! But as my addiction progressed, it became harder and harder to give away my creations.

Enter motherhood. Between my desire to keep some pretty creations for my self, and my need to record family stories, scrapbooking became my go-to craft. It was hard for me to figure out how to add stamping to scrapbooking at first, but there are some simple things you can do.

You can create a background patterned paper: