Friday 26 October 2012

Learning from each other

I just wanted to share some of the great things that came out of my "Cards and More" Stampin' Up! class from yesterday. All my classes are small so that everyone gets the advice and support that they as individuals need and one consequence of this is that it works a bit like a nice dinner party (Hmmm I like the way that sounds) where one conversation can include everyone. So we were using the gorgeous textured impressions holiday frame ( see it on page 7 in the Autumn catalogue)and just a little gleam provided by the .I had inked the edge of my base card with Crumb cake - my current favourite - but one of my adventurous ladies decided she wanted to see what the textures would look like with crumb cake ink as well as gleam on the textured whisper white cardstock. The result was a bit dirty looking so rather than throw it away she added some cherry cobbler on top and the result was stunning - a kind of burnished old gold on the accents! So out of a potential oops moment came a lovely look. Another lady then treated her textured frame in the same way but using gumball green instead of cherry cobler and the result was equally stunning - a very chic look which was rich rather than brazen. So thanks ladies for giving it a go and inventing two new looks from my existing stock of inks. Stampin' Up! has a statement of the heart and I know that with this class it is true - "To love what we do, and to share what we love, as we help others to enjoy creativity and worthwhile accomplishments - in this we make a difference". I'm now heading off to the studio to recreate these two effects and take a photograph which I can post to show you (although I know that gleams and sparkles are very difficult to photograph!) Happy crafting everyone and take a hint from these ladies that all oopsies! have the potential to be wonderful with a bit of work.

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Laying on the layers

When do you do your thinking? I find that either gardening or walking the dogs gives me a good chunk of headspace time to sort out the day ahead or consider life in general. Not huge life and death issues but the kinds of things that niggle and need sorting out. I often find that while walking Meg and Tess in the woods behind our house - the same woods that I can see from my studio - I think about a card or scrapbook layout for a particular occasion. Then by the time I've fed the girls and made my coffee when I get home I am ready to jump in and make my layout. Yesterday I was thinking about some cards where there were lots of layers and textures but not so thick that they needed to be posted in a box! It came to me that describing the way we build up a card or scrapbook is kind of like a piece of music - some are very clean and simple like a solo voice and they rely on the beauty of the paper and colour of the card ( like the timbre of the voice and accuracy of the note ). The look I was trying to achieve could be compared to a rich orchestral or choral arrangement - full of detail and depth but without becoming confused and muddied. It takes the skill of the conductor and the composer to avoid jarring clashes - that's the crafters skill in choosing colours and patterns that compliment each other and giving some subtlety rather than just throwing it all together! How about comparing the tiny "ting ting" contribution of the triangle to those two brads that just balance a corner or the composer adding the flutes along with the other woodwind section for particular emphasis being like our beloved inked edges. You are hardly aware of it but it adds a certain ping! So maybe get some inspiration for your next page or card from listening to your favourite music and translating it to our lovely medium of paper and card. Let me know how you get on!

Friday 19 October 2012

Seasonal Colours

Autumn is really here. Ive just been walking the dogs in the wood and their orange coats blended wonderfully with the gold and russet leaves. It made me think of the lovely tones in the Comfort Cafe designer paper pack that Stampin' Up! have in the new catalogue. Go to the products tab and leaf through (oops sorry about that) both the main catalogue and the Autumn seasonal catalogue to see the beautiful tones that are available. Personally I'm loving putting More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie and Basic Grey together. Have a look at the "male" card that we made in class last week - very smart I think.
So dont think that you have to go all red, green and gold for Christmas just yet - make the most of the colours of this season!

Thursday 18 October 2012

Welcome to Beyond the Greenhouse

Welcome!
 My new blog, which lovely Elaina has helped me to build, takes you to the world beyond the greenhouse - namely my crafting studio!
I am the luckiest person to have a dedicated craft space with all my gorgeous stash of Stampin' Up! papers, stamps, inks and punches ready to hand. With the radio and heater on I am lost in creativity all morning only surfacing for lunch or to walk dogs.
Elaina and I were discussing our favourite Stampin' Up! products and I thought it might be fun to take one tool or consumable product every so often and explore what it can do.
I'm going to start with the modest bone folder. A simple yet totally effective tool that means your creases are firm, crisp and un wrinkled every time. No more sore fingernails, no scuff marks on your card creases or bestof all no more wonky folds (grrr dont you hate that!). Once you have used a bone folder you will never go back. You can also use it with your Simply Scored board for precise scoring and folding - for example to make the pretty rosettes that are showcased on the Autumn catalogue front cover. I advise anyone new to papercrafting to use a good quality bone folder. What about putting one in the Christmas stocking of the papercrafters that you know?

Never too early to...

 So we are back after a great summer holiday - very hectic with visiting lots of great places and fitting in some Olympic events as well. Now my thoughts turn to planning the projects for my Autumn and Winter classes. This includes the Christmas Card Club as well as our regular Papercrafting and More (at Tollesbury), Scrapbooking (at Little Baddow) and Cardmaking (at Bicknacre). Hence me saying its never too early to start making your festive cards and decorations. And as a Stampin'Up! demonstrator I'm privileged to get a sneek peek at the lovely Seasonal Catalogue ahead of its official launch on 1st September. I have been using the stamps and gorgeous papers to try out the ideas for the first class (on 31st August at Bicknacre) and even though I say it myself, I'm thrilled at the rich effect of using two shades of green and two shades of red card with the festive papers ....cant wait until the ladies try them out. I'll post pictures later today.