Exciting News!

I'm so excited to announce that I was invited to be Simple Stories' Guest Designer for November!

Simple Stories is featuring my "Journey" Mini Album, a project I designed using their 6x6 Urban Traveler paper pad and coordinated chipboard stickers. Inside are photos from my family's European vacation in 2007.

 Click HERE to visit the Simple Stories blog and find more inspiration!

I had so much fun teaching this mini as a class at ScrapFest Oshawa a few weeks ago...

Here's my wonderful volunteer Teaching Assistant, Anne Marie...

And more exciting news...my first webisode with Canadian Scrapbooker magazine is LIVE! When Jackie Ludlage asked the Design Team to help film some webisodes, I said, "YES!"  

Click HERE to watch the video on YouTube!


It was so much fun, but I was pretty nervous.  We will be filming more webisodes in November, and I can't wait!  Hopefully, this month I'll get back to making my own crafty videos, which have been on the back burner while I was travelling and teaching.  

Maybe by next week, I'll upload a video to my YouTube channel....stay tuned!

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L & Clearsnap Blog Hop

Well, isn't this a busy blog week for me!  Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L has teamed up with Clearsnap for a blog hop, and I'm sharing my project today as part of the hop.

Here is a Halloween card I designed using a combination of Clearsnap and Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L products. The papers and stickers are Simple Stories.

There are more photos and techniques shared on the Adhesives blog.....plus a PRIZE if you leave comments, so click HERE to join in the hop!

You can also click HERE to visit the Clearsnap blog too.  This hop ends Friday, so be sure to head over there today!

Happy hopping!

Simple Stories Meets The Sketchy Challenge

Is it okay to post a Back To School layout at the end of October?  Of course it is!

BabyOfTheFamily first day of school Grade 8

This design is based on Sue Sykes' Sketch for October over at the Canadian Scrapbooker magazine Sketchy Gallery.

I've been itching to use these wonderful Simple Stories papers as soon as I saw them.  I mean, who can resist a collection called "Smarty Pants" ?  Not me...especially because this term describes BabyOfTheFamily perfectly.

The layered stickers are from the Simple Stories 'I heart Summer" collection...

That's what I love about Simple Stories....I can often combine collections and everything works so well together.



This fun title is cut out from one of the patterned papers.

I added stitching to the edges of my banners to make them pop a bit.

Not only am I happy to get a Back To School layout done, I'm happy that BabyOfTheFamily will still agree to pose for one! 

Classes, Classes and More Classes!

With the end of August in sight, I will get back to writing more blog posts and bid a sad farewell to our lazy summer days.  But I am excited for September too because I have some wonderful classes coming up.

On September 10, I am teaching a "Summer Layout Workshop" at Treasured Memories...

If you would like to get those summer photos into albums, then join me and learn some fun stencil techniques as well!

Click HERE to register.

If you live in Alberta, you have probably heard of this fantastic event hosted by Canadian Scrapbooker magazine:  The Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival...

I will be teaching a layout class in both Edmonton and Calgary called "Double the Fun"...

Using some fun new Fancy Pants Designs products, we will use one of my sketches and a few cool techniques to create 3 double or 6 single page layouts.  

Click HERE to learn more about the Carnival and register.  It's a really great time with lots of awesome classes!

In October, I will be teaching at ScrapFest in Oshawa. 

I'm SO excited to be invited to this event and cannot wait to meet up with all the Ontario scrappers there!

Along with "Double the Fun", I will have 2 other classes as well:

In my class "From  Simple To Sensational", we will create 2 double page layouts, learning how to embellish a basic design with lots of extra special elements.

The third class is a travel mini album, featuring the wonderful Simple Stories "Urban Traveler" collection:

Click HERE to register for my classes at ScrapFest.

Although September means an end to summer, I'm really looking forward to getting back into the classroom.  Hope to see you there!

It's CHA in Vegas, Baby!!

I'm so excited to tell you that I am in Las Vegas right now at my first CHA (Craft and Hobby Tradeshow)!  I'll tell you all about my experiences here next week when I return home.

There are 2 reasons why I'm attending CHA this summer:  Canadian Scrapbooker magazine and Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L.

I'm the Social Media Correspondent for the magazine, so I will be updating everyone with CHA news and trends via Facebook, the blog, etc. Click HERE to visit Canadian Scrapbooker on Facebook or click HERE to stop by their blog and find my updates for Vegas.

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L invited me to work in their booth, so if you are also in Vegas, please come find me and say hi!  I will be doing demo's and make 'n takes all three days, Tuesday - Thursday.  So much fun!

Here is one of the projects I have on display in the booth:

I used the Simple Stories "Vintage Bliss" collection, and I really like how the house walls turned out....that paper looks so real, exactly like wood!

I cut all the pieces from a second identical piece of paper and popped them up with 3D foam squares for dimension.

The roof is made with a Fiskars scallop punch.  I designed a similar roof on another layout awhile ago, along with a tutorial.  Click HERE if you'd like to see that post about the scalloped roof.

There's more to come in future posts....plus, I will feature a few projects on the Crafty Power Blog too!

April Sketchy Challenge

Easter has come and gone, so it must be April!  And that means a new sketch from Sue Sykes over at Canadian Scrapbooker...

I decided to have some fun with the pretty collection "Vintage Bliss" from Simple Stories.

Here is my layout...

BabyOfTheFamily has a wonderful new friend in junior high who has the same goofy sense of humour.  When these two get together, there is lots of laughter and joking around.  I took these pics during one of their sleepovers, and they are both wearing the same 'onesies' pj's...piggy style.

This Simple Stories collection has wonderful patterned papers that I cut apart to embellish my layout. I think I stuck EVERYTHING down with Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L Foam Squares!

I created that fun background with Maya Road twine and a hole punch.  If you would like to see how I did this and also watch how I put this layout together, you can watch this video tutorial.

You can also click HERE to go to YouTube and subscribe to my channel!

If you have a chance, design a layout using this sketch and upload it to the Canadian Scrapbooker Sketchy Challenge.  Click HERE to visit the gallery and find lots of inspiration!

Christmas Classes

This time of year is a busy one for classes at The Urban Scrapbook.  I'll be posting my Graphic 45 Happy Haunting Halloween mini album later this week, but today I thought I'd share what I've designed for Christmas classes coming up soon.

First, here is a set of 5 cards I created using the gorgeous Graphic 45 Nutcracker Sweet collection.

After this class runs on November 22, I will share the techniques and details on these cards here on my blog.

The next class is a Holiday Recipe Mini Album, perfect for a gift or family keepsake.  My friend Sandra and I collaborated to design this mini album  using Simple Stories.

Once again, after the class date of December 15, I will post photos and techniques used in this album.

Click HERE to check out the classes at the Urban website and register!

And now....to prepare for Halloween!  Look out candy, here I come!

Sketch Inspiration

Summer is over and fall weather is here...which also means that Canadian Scrapbooker magazine is planning the Spring 2013 issue!  

I know, I know....it is soooo hard to type 2013.  But that's how the magazine industry rolls :)

This also means that my new sketch for the "Double the Fun" Spring issue is on the Canadian Scrapbooker website, along with my sample layout [which might look familiar]

Here is my sketch....

And here is my layout[which most of you have seen before]

Designed with the beautiful Graphic 45 Tropical Travelogue paper collection.

I would love it if you would give a 2-pager a whirl and design a layout based on my sketch.  There is still time to submit....the deadline is November 15, 2012.

Just click HERE and you will find out how to easily submit your pages online....and who knows....you could be published!

Some of my scrappy friends have already completed their Double the Fun layouts based on my sketch.

Michelle Marks used these wonderful photos of her nephews...

You can see this layout on Michelle's blog HERE

Another friend of mine, Paula, used the sketch to create a really cute layout of a day at the zoo...

To see more, please visit Paula's blog HERE

Lastly, my sweet friend Sandra designed this layout while we were at the Great Canadian Scrapbooker Carnival last month...

Sandra's family visited the amazing Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, Arizona during a holiday there.

Two-page layouts are a fantastic way to scrapbook multi-photo events and activities. 

Canadian Scrapbooker magazine also has posted their October Sketchy Challenge online, and here is the single page sketch, designed by Sue Sykes...

If you link up your sketch layout on Sue's blog HERE, you can win a prize!

And here is my layout, designed with the wonderful Simple Stories "Harvest Lane" collection.The awesome cardstock stickers made this page come together really quickly...

BabyOfTheFamily is acting so grown up that I am feeling a little sad.  And I was really surprised on the first day of school when she got up at 6:30 am, dressed up in this cool outfit and straightened her hair with a flat iron. 

 This is a HUGE change from a few months ago when she struggled out of bed a half hour before school started, wore the same clothes 8 days in a row and argued with me about brushing her hair!

I think you'll notice a significant difference in BOF's appearance in the upcoming photos and layouts I post here.  sigh.  I know it is inevitable, but it's hard for me to watch my little bird perched on the edge of our nest, getting ready to fly away.

In the meantime, Mama Bird is going to keep scrapbooking the moments that matter and hold on tight to the fleeting existence of childhood.

A Sweet Summer Memory...with Simple Stories

This month's sketch challenge at The Urban Scrapbook included the wonderful "Summer Fresh" collection by Simple Stories.

These sweet papers and stickers were so much fun to use and perfectly capture the essence of summertime, with its retro primary colour palette, mixed with denim, gingham and floral patterns.  


When I saw this collection, I immediately thought of scrapping this photo of BoyGenius, when he was about 3 years old.  Being the oldest, he spent a lot of time with his Grandpa....and his Grandpa knew exactly how to keep this busy boy happy.  For hours, my dad could entertain and play with BG and was one of the few people who understood how to manage my son's mercurial temper and intense emotions.

The green woven photo mat is made with strips of Tim Holtz Kraft Core cardstock.  I sanded the edges for a distressed look...

The sticker sheet includes these pieces of "washi tape"....so cute!

Jan rounded out this month's kit by adding some die cut Sizzix/Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers, cut from a lightweight denim fabric.  I layered them with the buttons, also included in the kit....

Both the tiny hearts and white canvas flower are Prima.

I cut and re-styled the green twine ribbon in the kit to make the centre of this flower....

These brown canvas alphabet stickers are Prima.

Aren't these SS stickers adorable?

I have to be careful when I have a sheet of stickers in my hands....because I tend to want to use ALL of them! You can check out all the wonderful pages the Urban Design Team created with the July kit by clicking HERE and visiting the Urban Scrapbook Blog.


These days, BoyGenius has his very own "sweet ride"....a used car we bought him last fall.  And sadly, my dad's "ride" is now a wheelchair, so their roles as driver and passenger are reversed.  


If only I could turn back the wheelbarrow of time....

The Simple Stories of My Life

Last week I popped into one of my favourite blogs, Write, Snap, Scrap by Izzyb and found out about a challenge over at Simple Stories.  This got me excited because I had made a 2-page year in review back in January, and I taught it as a class at The Urban Scrapbook.  

 The "elements" papers and matching sticker sheet from this Year-O-Graphy collection was just perfect to document our entire year on one layout.

Here are a couple of close-ups of the left and right page elements...

Butterflies are made with a Martha Stewart punch and card stock

This quote is cut into strips from the Yearography patterned paper

Behind each bingo card month is a pocket that holds a tag for journalling....

I made a different stencil/mask for each tag, which is cut from kraft card stock. Then sprayed with a variety of coloured mists.

I added some SS tiny alpha stickers from the awesome Yearography sticker sheet to highlight certain words in my journaling.

  Here are snapshots of each month...

We celebrated DramaQueen's 15th Birthday

 

In February, BabyOfTheFamily turned 12

I met Tim Holtz [gasp] at a special scrapbook event and attended his amazing class

Birthday BoyGenius is 17!

May is all about volleyball tournaments

My dark hair turned grey in June when BoyGenius began driving lessons

A happy weekend away in Kelowna with friends in July

Our anniversary...happily married after 22 years

Our Calgary "daughters" come back to school at the University of Alberta

Newfoundland Michelle traveled across the country to see me, and we attended the Canadian Scrapbooker Carnival together

It's legal!  Our nephew celebrates 18 years!

This candy cane sticker is perfect to showcase December's picture of BabyOfTheFamily on Christmas morning

So that's it....our life in 2011...made simple by Simple Stories!