Driving My Toyota To Honda

About twice a year I drive my Camry down to Honda Corp in Torrance and teach the wonderful ladies of the scrapbook club! This year we created a fun summer inspired layout using my two favorite colors of Bazzil paper (kraft and natural), printed paper from My Mind's Eye and stickers from Heidi Swapp. I still have stickers available for only $1 sheet if you want to recreate this layout at home!

Thanks for having me! I'll see you in November!

Sonja

Wedded Bliss

For a single lady I'm extremely picky about wedding paper. And there isn't much out there that I love which means there isn't much here at the shop. But when I saw the Anna Griffin winter line last fall I knew I had to have it....for Christmas and for wedding. It comes in two tones, silver and gold and either collection is perfect for your special occasion.

Here's a single page spread I created during the 4 day crop.

I started by layering lots and lots of patterns and textures. First the base paper then another layer on the diagonal. Then a pearl lining border. The photo mats are double matted with a 3rd print, a solid and photo corners. To give them extra dimension they are popped up with foam tape.

The layout still needed a focal point so I started playing with the triangles of paper cut from my 2nd layer. It resulted in a flower...I have step by step instructions below. The center is a Bling Brad from Bazzill.

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So here's how to make the flower...

1. Start with a triangle...

(I cut my 4 triangles in half for a total of 8 to make the flower)

2. Fold one side of the triangle up at the center point

3. Fold the other side of the triangle up at the center point.

4. Flip and fluff. Use your finger to open the center area up to give it extra dimension. Repeat for all 8 piece and layer for a flower!

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If you haven't seen the winter layout yet, here it is again!

I combined 4 prints from both the gold and silver collections, plus mats from the Creative Imagination's Real Wood Collection.

I added dimension with popped up die cut and tinsel from Melissa Frances.

Enjoy, Enjoy!
Sonja

More Layouts with Dear Lizzy

Here are more layouts from my marathon last week. These two feature papers from Dear Lizzy 2 from American Crafts. Aren't the colors fantastic for spring?

The pleated flower is accented with a vintage crystal button from Bazzill.

I also added a swatch of from a Hambly Transparency overlay and one of the super cute (but hard to know what to do with) pom poms from Glitz design.

The 2nd layout features overlapping strips that are 3" wide with rounded corners. I don't know what the rounded corners make such a difference, but it really does. I really wanted to feature the lace paper which is gorgeous but again, harder to know what to do with. Here's it's peaking out from under a layer, making it easier to adhere. I used a scrap of lace from Melissa Frances to finish the layout.

This design is easily transferable to a card, courtesy of Linda Tucker.

Ps....the background for both layouts with the white dotted swiss from Bazzill.

Happy crafting,

Sonja

Cards, Cards, Cards, Pt 4

Here are some ideas for babies....Baby Showers and Baby Birthdays!

This first set features paper and embellishments from the Quite Contrary Line from My Mind's Eye. I samped and hand wrote on the umbrella and pop dotted it on the invitation. It's also backed with coordinating paper so you don't see the upc code. To clean up the edges, sand first with your precision filing set, then ink.

The inside of the card is accented with coordinating cardstock and ivory photo corners. The vellum insert with information on the shower overlays on the polka dots, fitting into the corners.

The invite and the matching place card is finished off with tulle from Bazzill Basics!

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Linda T. made this adorable card for a friends' daughter's first birthday. She modified the design of our Father's Day Card, also using paper from Quite Contrary. Inside, she mounted a photo collage of the cutie and added vellum with the event details. The card is finished with a rose from the fabulous Flower ribbon from American Crafts!

If you're looking for something simple & sweet, this will do the trick. It's a paper from GCD Studios Chic Bebe collection, folded over at the top and mounted on Bazzill Bling Cardstock. Imagine a vellum overlay. The the whole thing is held together with the tulle.

Happy Crafting,

Sonja

Bland is the New Bling

In a papercrafting world full of color, these new goodies are a crafters's staple and are anything but boring!

First, Petaloo has launched a line call "Color Me Crazy" full of flowers and other embellishments that are perfect of inking, dying, stamping and glimmering.

Bulk flowers start at just 10 cents a piece!

"Color Me Crazy" also come in pre-packs with gorgeous jewel centers.

I'll be adding to this line so keep an eye out for more!

Bazzill has also joined the basics bandwagon! These are their new Cardstock with an Edge Minis and are perfect for cardmaking or journaling on your scrapbook page at 50 cents each. They have also introduced a new cardstock perfect for Glimmering...120# weight for $1.

My Mind's Eye has also released a gorgeous new black & white collection called Meadowlark. I kept it basic here, but this paper can easily be colored with glimmer, ink or gel pens from American Crafts!

You can barely see it here, but I accented the page with a rhinestone oval from Zva Creations. I also added pom-pom trim from Bazzil and the new Chandelier Drops from Melissa Frances.

Thanks Irene for the title!

Happy Crafting!

Bungle Jungle Mini Album

I simply adore the Bungle Jungle from Sassafras Lass and when my mini album arrived from American Crafts I knew they would make a perfect duo. I'll teach the Bungle Jungle Mini Album class on June 16th & June 20th for $35. The class kit includes one sheet of each Bungle Jungle Print, a set of their Monogram Stickers, Journal Stickers & Paper Whimsies plus Dotted Swiss cardstock from Bazzill and Ribbon & a Mini Album from American Crafts.

Reservations are highly recommended because

some class supplies will be ordered based on demand!

For the class please bring your basic tool kit including:

Trimmer, Zip Dry, Pop-Dots, Distress Ink (Walnut or Vintage Photo) & Scissors.

I might just have to plan a trip to the LA Zoo!
Sonja

The Newest Member of the Color Spot Wall

Dotted Swiss from Bazzill Basics Paper on Vimeo.

Dotted Swiss made it's debut yesterday on the Color Spot wall at the shop. Available in 30 beautiful colors, Dotted Swiss is best described as a monochromatic embossed polka dot paper. Since I'm a sucker for polka dots and this collection is a "must have," I've brought it to the shop for you.

I don't have audio on this computer, so I can't hear the video, but I'm sure it's awesome!

Don't blow away in this blustery weather!

Sonja

The Friday Night Crop

This post comes courtesy of Katherine, one of our dear croppers who moved back east a couple months ago. I received her permission to post it!

Ok, so I finally decided to go and make scrapbook friends. OY. If you are reading this in the store, shout out to everyone, especially my table buddies! And please Thank Julia for sending those photos - I will cherish them.

So here's what happened, or what didn't happen, rather: I already told you that they don't carry Bazzil so I had to stock up at Michael's before hand (I know you are cringing, sorry). So there came around a time when I finished a page, and I was about to yell out "I finished a page, where do you go to claim a prize?" and realized that there was no such thing. It was all kind of quiet. People just finished and rejoiced in private. WHAT?

That room full of Australian goodness you have in the back? Yeah, I think they have a rack and there is no rhyme or reason. I have given up after the third time I asked for something and they said, well . .. I can order it. Ugh.

Oh, and do I need to even comment on the music selection? Sonja, we listened to the radio! I know. And every time the one cropper used her Cricut, the radio would go off. So someone suggested we listen to CD's, and the owner said that it was just too hard to get up on the chair to put them in. WHAT?!?!?!

I miss how bright and organized your store is. And I love how your crop area is smack in the middle of everything so when you are stuck for ideas, all you have to do is look around you. You don't have to get up (well, not unless you want a closer look).

I was talking to the store owner and she was telling me that in Pittsburgh, scrapbooking is seasonal and really doesn't pick up until September. They get really busy during the winter months. Either I had no life in LA, or this is really backwards compared to what I remember experiencing in a part of the country where there is no winter and the weather is ALWAYS nice. I just didn't get it. They only have Friday night crops, 1 Saturday Crop for in May for the National Scrapbooking Day and 1 crop that lasts 3 days, where they book a hotel. That's it. Oy.

Anyway. I hope all is well. Fill me in on the gossip please. I miss you all!