Saturday, December 18, 2010

Ok, so it's not the Masters Projects

I forgot that in the rush to get my masters projects off, I didn't take any photos. Its now 6pm and I am still at the shop having taught my Graphic 45 Christmas prayer to 10 lovely Ladies, who went home worn out. I was going to show you my masters, but I am too tired to take the photos and then edit them and then post them on my blog. It feels like a job for Monday. Instead I will put another of my pages on my blog for you.
This one is on my Eldest Daughter, it may look familiar as I based a Graphic 45 layout on my book page. Because the book went to Graphic 45 and was to stay there and I loved this page so much I re-did it and changed it so I had it in a 12x12 layout for my album here in Australia. I used the Graphic 45 Bathing Beauty's on the front as a mat for Beth's photo. I love cutting out, so I cut out the three ladies in a row and shaped them to perch on the photo of the lady below. I had two cute photos of Beth, so one went on the front and I made a flap and used some beautiful K&Co hinges I had been saving for that special project! I have a beautiful photo Beth took of herself for the other side of the page. I used Tim Holtz's film strip, Maya road pins, 7 Gypsies Bracelet kit for Beth's title and ribbons. All the rub ons in the book are Creative Imaginations.
I love this range from Graphic 45, I think its the colours that speak to me and I use them over and over again. I also love German Scrap and the way it adds a border to my work. I also love using Graphic 45 to create frames and borders to my layouts.
Hope you enjoy.
Thanks for Looking.
Jane
PS Only 38 Sleeps until I leave for USA and CHA.

Friday, December 17, 2010

It's Jade and My Turn on the Graphic 45's Blog




Hi everyone
It's Jade and my turn on the Graphic 45's Blog today. We both used "once a upon a Spring Time". Jade did an amazing layout, with a gorgeous photo on it. I decided to make a shadow box using one from Imaginarium Designs with French doors. I have not wanted to open my "once upon a springtime" pad, as it is all the paper I have, and I wanted to use it on something special. The box is the perfect project for one of my favorite photos of Anna and Me. Graphic 45 are doing a blog swap with Glue Arts and they kindly sent us some of their products to use. I used their Glue Glider Pro and it made the job so much neater and quicker. I love cutting out and as soon as I saw the Primrose Cottage Print Paper from the collection I knew I wanted to cut it out and drape it over something. It took about 2 hours to carefully cut out the pieces I needed and to put it all together. Well worth the time for the look I ended up with.
Thanks for looking
Special thanks to those to take the time to leave a comment. Its so nice to hear from you and know that someone is enjoying what I do.
Jane
Ps Will post the three Scrapbooking Memories pieces I did for the masters tomorrow and another page from my book over the weekend.

Monday, December 13, 2010

The Next Page in my Book

The Next Page in my book is on my Husband Malcolm. I decided to do a page with a pocket and make tags on Malcolm with each of our children to go in the pocket.

This tag is on Beth our first Child, in the photo I am expecting Anna and only had about 6 weeks to go. Beth and Anna are only 14 months apart. I was 20 when I had Beth.

This is the back of Beth's tag and is of Malcolm in Neo-natal with Anna. She needed special care for the first 4 weeks of her life, which with a 14 month old toddler made life interesting.
When it came to finding a photo of Leah with Malcolm I couldn't find one. So the front of Leah's tag is of all three girls with Malc and Me.

The back of the tag shows Malcolm and Leah on her wedding day. I love this photo of the two of them hugging.

This is Josh's tag our only boy and a delightful surprise after 3 girls.
The back of Josh's tag has Kate our last child and another beautiful Girl. She is a delight and as a toddler she would sit beside me all day watching what I was making and ever touched anything!
The whole page with all the tags in the pocket look great. I should have taken a photo of it but as the book is still in the States, what I have shown will have to do and you will need to use your imagination.
Thanks for looking
Jane
PS Only 44 sleeps to go.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Its my turn on Graphic 45's Blog.


The Design Team at Graphic 45 have been doing a blog swap with Core dinations. They are the company that make embossed Card Stock. I haven't really played with this product before. So thanks to Graphic 45 for giving me the chance. It works like magic, you rub and rub and right before your eyes this embossed pattern appears giving a instant dimension to your paper. I have a thing about clocks, so I couldn't go past the black paper with the clocks hidden underneath. I use a photo of have of my darling eldest daughter and her Grandpa, sharing a quite moment together. It was take at my Mother in laws 70th birthday and with all the hustle and bustle going on around them, they seem to be quite on their own. I washed out most of the colour of the photo, but left a spot of colour on Beth's beautiful auburn hair. I then printed it out on cream criss cross bazzill to give it an aged look. I used one of the Graphic 45 papers to give me the lovely frame around the page. I also used another Graphic 45 paper to do the smaller frame around the photo.
I used some Imaginarium Designs Chipboard for my layout. The little clock was perfect for the top of my page and I found the title fitted it perfectly so I lay the two on top of each other. A larger clock was used to poke out from under the photo.
The other layout I did was on Josh. He has just started work after finishing year 12 a few weeks ago. My little man is no more, and not been my little man for quite a while. I decided to keep this layout simple and use the papers to their best. The background paper is one of the core impressions. The pattered paper has a diamond embossed layer, which when sanded shows beautiful. I rubbed an embossing ink pad all over the paper and then tipped copper embossing powder all over it. I used a paint brush to remove the copper from the diamond pattern in between the embossed diamonds. This means that the sanded diamonds have a light dusting of copper embossing powder over them. I chose another of the embossing papers which had a hounds tooth pattern on it. I sanded it and then stamped a diamond stamp and embossed it with copper embossing powder. I used some Imaginarium Designs chipboard, inked and covered with glossy ascents. I like the simplicity of the layout and the colours work well together.
thanks for looking
Jane
PS Only 46 sleeps to go.
PPS Will post another of my pages of my book tomorrow.

Thursday, December 09, 2010

At last - My Book


Here it is at last, I will be posting photos of my book, which is in Scrapbooking and Beyond (Fall Issue) out now, every couple of days for the next few weeks. This was my final project, which I made for Graphic 45's design team call. The guide lines for this project was that Graphic 45 got to keep it. For the first call of the design team, we were asked to submit photos of 10 projects. Graphic 45 suggested that due to the time constraints that we should have started working on a final project as soon as the 10 projects were sent. As I didn't expect to make the final round I had not started anything. I was so amazed to see my name on the list. This meant that I only had about 5 days to do a project and have enough time to get it to the states by the cut off date. It was kinda hard to say goodbye to it, knowing that I would not see it again. To my delight, Graphic 45 loved the book and Diane every kindly brought it back when she visited Printblocks early this year. I attended the event and got quite emotional holding it again, but parted with it again, so it could go back to USA and be hopefully published there. I am now teaching it at Seriously Scrapbooking and making one for myself at the same time. The classes have been running for 4 months now. We do one double page each month. I will be starting a new group in the new year, so if you would like to make your own with me, then ring the shop 82771298 and they will take your details and get back to you with a date later.
So a bit about the book. As the title says, its about the people I love. The first page is on my husband and myself, with a photo of us before we were married and a photo of us taken a couple of years go in Darwin while we were on holiday. I found an old bible book and used the covers to give me a strong hard base for the covers of my book. Each page is made so that the join is hidden and when opened each page looks like a layout. Each page is 7 3/4 inches x 8 1/2 so when you put two together the page is 15 1/2 x 8 1/2 and folded in half. This means that every page had to have papers joined to make it look like it was continuous. Once all the pages where made and folded, I put a strip of paper down the join on the back of the pages, which is what you can see in the middle photo of the spine. I made 7 pages in all, one on Malc and me, Malc and our children, and then one for each of my five children. I would have loved to include my parents and siblings, but because of only having 5 days I had to leave them out. I really love the project and think it is my best work to date. Hope you enjoy looking at my book over the next few weeks, or if you are lucky enough to get your hands on a Scrapbooking and Beyond magazine, and then you will have a copy of your own.
thanks for looking
Jane
PS only 49 sleeps to go.
PPS I am getting ready to make another big book, but in a pop up format with pockets and tags and everything else I can put in. This will be my holiday project, the week the shop is shut. I will post sneak peeks over the Christmas Break.

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Graphic 45 Blog Hop



Graphic 45 have teamed up with cord dination to bring you card stock with a difference. It's a pad of embossed cardstock called the Timeless Collection. It includes an excluive collection of Graphic 45 designs embossed on the only sandable Colorcore cardstock. Check out Graphic 45's blog each day to see what we have all been upto and then visit cord dinations to see what they have been up to. Graphic 45 is giving away prizes!!
thanks for looking
Jane

Monday, December 06, 2010

It's Official

I had it confirmed today that I will be teaching at the Scrapbook, Papercraft Expo and Convention. This event is held each year in Brisbane and the dates for next year is 11th -13th of June 2011. I would like to thank Graphic 45 and Printblocks for the opportunity to share my love and passion with everyone attending. I will be teaching 3 classes each day. I hope to do 5-7 different classes some repeated, using "once upon a springtime" and the other new lines we know nothing about yet from Graphic 45, but which will be released at CHA in January. I will be doing layouts, cards, more mini squares and other off the page projects. I will try to let you know when you can book into my classes. Use the link I have created to keep in touch yourself, if you want to. These classes will be open to all and not just people in the trade. That means if you like what I do and would love to do a class, then this is your chance. I would love to see some familiar faces in my classes so please book in.
thanks for looking
Jane

Friday, December 03, 2010

Tutorial for My Christmas Tree

Here is the Christmas Tree tutorial as promised.

Cut a piece of cardboard to a triangle shape for the base of the tree. Round the cardboard each size to give it some shape rather than having it flat.
Cut strips of paper 8-9mm wide and cut into rectangles about an inch long. You will need thinner strips of paper 5mm and an inch long. The larger ones will be for the bottom of the tree and the thinner ones at the top. Each of the pieces need to have one end cut to a point, as shown above.
Use a paint brush and wrap the pointed end around the brush to make the pointed end curl. If you have trouble then you can spray the pieces with water to make it easier.




Start at the bottom on the tree and glue one piece on at a time. You can overlap each piece if you need to. Use the wider pieces first. When you start the second row glue them down over the top of the bottom row above the curling bit. You can have the rows as close or as spread out as you like.


Keep adding rows of curled pieces. As you work your way up the tree, you can use thinner pieces. Remember you can overlap the pieces on each row to help make them fit.
Add glitter to each curl or crystals. You can decorate your tree as you wish. Try some white embossing powder for snow. When finished shape the tree again, as you have been gluing the pieces on your tree you will have flattened it. Cut a pot shape out of cardboard and tuck it under your tree, when you add it to a page. This tree would work if you wanted to make a completely round one. You would need to make a cone and add the papers all the way around. I will be making one like this for a Tim Holtz configurations box that I am working on. Will post photos during the holidays.
Have a go and let me know how you get on.
thanks for looking
Jane
PS only 55 sleeps to go!

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

My Christmas Prayer




This is a layout I did for Graphic 45. It is a wall hanging with a Christmas Prayer.
I wanted to make something that reminds us what Christmas is really all about.
I chose a Prayer by Robert Lousi Stevenson
Loving Father,
Help us remember the birth of Jesus that we may share in the song of the angles,
the gladness of the shepherds,and worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift,
and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning made us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake
Amen.
I used
Glad Tidings for the base of my wall hanging.
Holiday Spirit for the 1st frame
Victorian Greetings for the 2nd frame
Jolly old St for the stamps
Holiday Spirit for the image of the Lady
The Holly and the Ivy for my tree
Deck the Halls for my pot
Ode to Joy for my two little girls with banner
The Holly and the Ivy for the flowers
Deck the Halls for flowers
Christmas Past Frames
Vine from Prima
Black Comer's from Imaginarium Designs
I will put a tutorial on my blog for the tree, hopefully tomorrow as I am teaching all day.
There are more photos on the Graphic 45 Blog
thanks for looking
Jane

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Fly in and Fly out!




Kathy and I went to Melbourne for the day to do an all day course on using Copic Markers. We are now both Certified to teach. We had a great day and learnt heaps. I never knew how much fun you could have colouring in with the markers. The image above is my first effort, and there is room for improvment! I will be doing some seriously coloring in over the Christmas. We will be running some classes in the new year at Seriously Scrapbooking, so check out their blog for updates closer to the new year.
I have sent another project into Graphic 45, its a Christmas wall hanger with a hand made Christmas tree. I will put a tutorial for the tree once it is on the Graphic 45 Blog.
thanks for looking
Jane
PS Only 62 sleeps to Go!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Check this out!!!!!



I logged into my Facebook today to catch up on the gossip and found that my friend Candy had left a message for me. My book I made for Graphic 45 as my entry for the final round, the one I have been mentioning but never showing photo's of is out in print in the USA in Scrapbooking and Beyond. (If you want to see for your self, just click the link). This is the reason why I have never put photos of it on the blog or in my Graphic 45 Gallery or why it has not been on their blog as well. As soon as Diane met me in Australia she asked if I wanted my book published in the states and of course I said yes, please do. Well it has finally happened. Scrapbooking and beyond have put a photo of my Cover as part of their promotion for their winter Issue. I can not tell you how excited I am to have my work published in America. They have asked to see more of my work as well, even better.
For some more unbelievable and exciting news (I am still pinching myself). I will be attending CHA in January, how exciting is this. I will be walking round looking at all the booths, doing make and takes, watching all the famous people in scrapbooking doing demonstrations and taking photos of my own work on display at CHA. I have to admit to being very very disappointed that all Tim Holtz's classes are booked out. Still I will be able to see him demonstrating some time during the show.
Way too much excitement for one day.
Only 66 sleeps to go before I leave
Thanks for Looking
Jane
PS Thanks for the lovely emails and comments I have received from the Ladies who did my class last week at Printblocks. I love getting feedback and comments from you all.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Photo as Promised








Here are some of the photos I took at Printblocks. These are at the start of the day so the tables all look nice. I always get caught up in the teaching and forget to take photos. Apologies to the Ladies up the back for not having a better shot of you all. I did make an effort to walk around through out the day and chat to everyone. I know Printblocks took photos as well so I will wait and see if they post any on their web site.
Once again, thanks to everyone who took time to attend and I hope you enjoyed the day.
Jane


Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Back Home again

Back home again and right into teaching again. It's Wednesday night and I am catching up on my blog after teaching two classes today. Blossomwood this morning and my Family Album class this afternoon.
I got back from Printblocks Tuesday afternoon in time for Josh's year 12 dinner (more about that later this week). I had a great time teaching at Printblocks and I think all the ladies enjoyed the day. They all must have been tired by the end as it was full on all day. It was great seeing some old friends and meeting some new ones. Next time I will have to get you all to wear name tags with shop names as well. I was delighted with how well the class went, as I had not taught it before. It was a project I special did for Printblocks and using Imaginarium Designs and Graphic 45 - my two favorite companies.
PS Will post the photos tomorrow

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Getting Ready for Printblocks


I am heading off on Sunday for Brisbane to teach all day Monday at Printblocks. I am really looking forward to this class. I hope every one booked in is ready for a busy and creative day. We will be doing a layout, wall piece and a surprise (if we have time and I get it finished!) I am teaching lots of techniques in this class, so be warned we will be getting our hands very dirty. If you are attending bring lots of baby wipes and an apron. You do need to be a store owner or teacher to attend. If are not, then you need to tell your local store owner to attend so she/he can teach it to you.
After the class I will share all the projects with you.
thanks
Jane

Thursday, November 04, 2010

As Promised


I have been running lots of classes over the past two years, where my ladies buy one of the K&Company Paper Pads. I do a double layout each month and they do my class. At the end of the 12 months, they and I have an Album all finished. This is the latest one I have just started. The collection of papers and embellishments is called blossomwood.
This is quite outside of my comfort zone, but I am loving working with Kraft (for the first time). I used one of Prima's vine and added some crystals to give it a lift.
I love this photo of my beautiful girls of which I am blessed to have 4. This photo was taken at Penola and they were just mucking around with each other. I have change the colour of my photo by lightening it and then removing some of the colour intensity.
I stamped a background stamp in vintage photo, added a chipboard title from Imaginarium Designs inked black over the stamped image. I love working with papers so I always use two or three and sometimes four different prints on my layouts. I am not good a leaving space on my layouts so this is proving to be quite a challenge for me. I am enjoying where this is taking me and the more I look at the layout the more I like it.
thanks for looking
Jane

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

What's New

Have you seen the new paper range "once upon a Spring Time" from Graphic 45. I can't wait to get my hands on it and start playing with it all. The ideas are endless. I also got in our store Tim Holtz's configurations so I think I will have to combind the two and see what I come up with.
I will be teaching in Brisbane again for Printblocks on the 15th November. I really enjoyed my day there last time. So if you are a store owner or teacher then spend the day with me. The class is over half full already so don"t leave it to late.
I will be sharing a layout with you tomorrow, as my good camera is home due to my son doing his year 12 art and having to take lots of photos. My old camera is here at the shop and the battery's are flat!!!!.
will be in touch tomorrow.
thanks for looking
Jane

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

I have a loving Admirer

Aren't these just beautiful, I received them yesterday for my birthday from a "Loving Admirer". I don't often get a big bunch, it's usual a long stem red rose, but this was just beautiful. I was very spoiled as two friends arrived each with a home made cake. Another friend arrived with biscuits and her sister brought butter chicken, enough for the whole family. At my Tuesday night class I was given some beautiful hand made cards and chocolates. Due to work commitments my family birthday tea has been moved to lunch on Sunday. I am told that my presents will be arriving in the post any day soon.

I feel very blessed to have family and friends to share my birthday with. Still have a couple of years before another big one.

thanks for looking

Jane

Friday, October 22, 2010

Just a Quick Update






What a week, last Saturday I did the catering for a friends wedding. Finger food for 180 people and all hand made. This Sunday cooking for a big group from all the Christalphans Meetings in Adelaide for 1200 people. It's going to be jacket potato's has I don't have enough ovens for any thing else. Should be lots of fun with a bit of work as well. Luckily I have a great team of people who just pitch in and help.
On the creative front, I got a letter from Scrapbooking and beyond in America wanting to publish my final project that I sent to Graphic 45 for the design team entry last year. It has been a long wait and I have been unable to share the "book"with you all, due to it being published by the magazine. It should be in print early next year. Very happy that my work is being accepted overseas for publication. I got my masters projects back today. So nice to see them again. Hope to have one of them published in the masters magazine issue in December, fingers crossed.
Have been updating my Graphic 45 ning page and have added some more photos. So I will share here as well. They are photos of my Halloween in Wonderland album I did for CHA this year. I used a Graphic 45 kraft album and an 8x8 paper pad. This gave me miniature images, which are perfect for a small project. I am hoping to teach this one, once I get it back from Graphic 45.
thanks for looking
Jane

Sunday, October 17, 2010

A blast from the Past

Wow, sorting through some files on my computer, and found photo's of one of my first off the page projects. I love this mini book with photo's of my son Josh playing in water on Saturday afternoon. The book is a 6x6 inch size. The inside is made of 3 - 12x12 paper s all folded into quarters. You tape one of each of the quarters together, making sure the pages all fold together so the book ends up being 6x6. Attach a front and back cover and there you are. The inside book folds out to show all three 12x12 papers. It is still one of my favorite projects. I have taught this book to so many ladies. It is perfect for a quick present.
Thanks for Looking
Jane