ScrapScene

Yesterday during naptime (!) I was able to finish the cover of my new art journal.  I used elements from Kimberly Kwan’s kit, "Funky Found Art Journal."  What fun ideas she has!  This kit was from a class she taught in Paris at Version Scrap.  Check out Kimberly’s kits which sometimes become available in her shop "Bebe Beaux Designs" (link is in the right hand column of her blog.) They go fast so you’ll have to keep a watch out.

It was liberating to actually make something that really has no rules or boundaries.  Art journals are all about making what is art to you and using what you love. 

Here are some photos of the cover.  It’s actually an altered book too as the base is an old children’s book.  You’ll see some 3D gesso designs like I showed in a tutorial recently on the cover. The inside pages aren’t finished yet, but I have gessoed some pages together in preparation for all the artsy stuff I’ll be adding! The stamps are from Red Lead PaperWorks. They have such fun little sayings here in their online shop.  Here are the ones I used: "Art Girl" and "No Work All Play."

{Oh, and the photos were taken with my new Canon Elph camera, which I told you about the other day.  I’m still learning all the features so bare with me. }

Scroll down for more photos… click to enlarge.

You’ve probably seen Moo Cards which are mini, narrow business-type cards printed from your uploaded Flickr photos.  Well, I’ve just stumbled across handmade Moo cards that I thought you’d also love.  They are just like ATC’s basically, but a different size.  The size is approximately 1.1" x 2.8".  There is even a blog dedicated to them, "Make a Moo or Two," who hosts challenges.  Here are a couple of their examples.

I love this sweet little one by Sanny, pictured below left.  Look at the pretty sequins strung along the bottom, the beads for ‘wings’ and the tiny little banner at the top.

Susan made these pretty Moos, below centre, with old photos and colourful flowers to brighten them up.

Aashild made the card shown below right.  Love how it’s been set on such a pretty and whimsical background.

Anita made this adorable spring bird and eggs moo card.  Love the theme and colours in this one.  See it below left.

Sue made the moo card shown below centre.  Look at the stitching detail and the velvet ribbon at the bottom.

You can see more beautiful handmade Moo Cards here.  Also, there is a Moo Card pool here on Flickr.  And if you still haven’t had your fill of these cute little cards, here is a cool little tin to hold your cards.  You can purchase them in their Etsy shop.  Great for altering too!

Check out the cute designs some ladies made from Teresa Collins‘ clear dome rings here.  Teresa has also decided to run a contest on designing the rings which you can read about in the same post.

I just love the cute miniature triangle shaped banner that Gloria Froese made for a layout.  Love the dimension and how it’s curled up here and there also.  Not to mention the subject matter of which I can relate to!

Looking for a pretty blog to peruse?  Take a look at Carolyn Peeler’s gorgeous photographs which she presents in such lovely ‘packages.’  I just love how she uses digital frames to make her photos stand out.  One of her examples is shown at left.

This is a great little "random and mixed up" mini book (Ali Edwards inspiration) made by Kate of My Journey.  Lots of cupcake project photos too including the one shown at right.

Julie, from Paper Trufflez, shows a travel coffee mug which she added a pretty handmade decorative liner to here.

Here are a few more notes about the Honourable Mention winners for our "Truly Trendy" contest.

Keandra Perkins-Willis’ "All in My Heart" 8 1/2"x11" layout is an untraditional scrapbook page that evokes an emotion of a layout by journaling only without the photos.  It is becoming a bit of a trend to do a page without photos. It’s a bit of a challenge, but it forces you to focus more on the journaling and thoughts that you have on a particular subject.  Of course, Keandra also made a trendy tree for her page.  Here is what she tells us about her subject, "I have six children-three that I gave birth to and three that I won in the husband lottery.  This layout is dedicated to them.  I used a woodgrain Hambly transparency to make my tree and velvet Making Memories letters." Keandra is from Louisiana, U.S.A.

Kim Fifield’s "Cosy Cottage" 12"x12" layout looks to have some hand doodling and drawing on it.  She also chose the cartoon-style for her trend in this fun layout.  Kim resides in Victoria, Australia.

Kim Frantz "Cupcake Gift Set" is trendy for the obvious reason, cupcakes!  We loved the simplicity of her card project, the colours and also how it is all presented together in a kit included in a box she made complete with a scalloped vellum window.  The cards measure 5×5" and Kim tells us the following about her project, "I made this paper box … to mimic a bakery box normally used for real cupcakes. Five greeting cards embellished with cupcakes fit neatly into the box for giving to friend. Handwritten sentiments personalize this set." Kim is from Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Pamela Palmarini "Fab Cosmo" is a 8 1/2 x 11" layout that is trendy for it’s use of felt, handstitching and also for the subject matter.  More and more we are seeing scrapbook layouts about subjects other than people and events, but about their likes and dislikes. Pamela also altered her photo in Photoshop prior to printing it and used a mix of different fonts on her page.  Pamela is from Ohio, U.S.A.

Rebecca Cameron’s "You" layout is 8 1/2 x 11" and is trendy for it’s grunge feel and incorporation of vintage and found objects along with paint.  Rebecca used some items from Gloria Froese to create her project.  She lives in Laos.

Tricia Sproule "All 3 For Me" layout is a 12×12" one she created for herself for Mother’s Day.  Tricia used the hot trend of hybrid scrapbooking to create her page.  Here is what she had to say about hybrid scrapbooking, "I have been doing traditional layouts for years and just recently ventured to the digital world, now creating hybrid layouts almost every time."  Tricia also talks about her techniques for this layout, " For the journaling paper, I selected a favorite digital paper, sized it appropriately for the layout.  I then added a digtal frame around the edges, typed in the journaling and printed it out.  For the title, I painted the chipboard in green and then inked black on top and sanded the edges.  I used craft paint around the edges of the large photo and digital frames, printed and cutout, on the small photos."  She then put pop dots under the small photos and hand cut the flowers/leaves from the patterned paper and added crystals. Tricia hails from Illinois, U.S.A.

Here are some more tidbits on the Honourable Mentions from our Truly Trendy competition:

Debby de Wilde, from The Netherlands, won an Honourable Mention for her Travel Album, shown at left.  Debby began with a 7 Gypsies naked elastic folder, cut it in half and removed the elastics.  She then went on to add lots of interesting elements that can be seen when it is opened up: a little notepad for photo notes made from a trendy library card and transparency,  a notebook for travel journaling,  a coupon organizer for holding memorabilia, and a little folder for holding the route information.

Jules Eickmeier is from Florida, U.S.A. and won an Honourable Mention for her altered "Vamp Torso," shown below. She started with a papier mache torso shape and painted it using patina green and bronze paints.  Jules then printed vamp images onto self adhesive backed fabric papers and adhered them to the torso.  She then added various rub ons, iron ons, flowers, beads, gems and trims, outlining it with Krylon inks. The torso measures approximately 11" x 5".

Julie Ann Shahin, from New York, U.S.A., also won an Honourable Mention.  Her entry, "Have Your Cake" was made by covering styrofoam discs with vintage/retro and hybrid elements, which of course are very trendy right now.  The cake is about 6" in diameter by 7" tall and would make a beautiful centrepiece for a party table!

More Honourable Mention notes tomorrow!

A Million Memories - Honor a Special Mom Contest

May 5th through May 10th

Mother’s Day is this Sunday May 11th. Is there someone in your life that you feel is a great Mom? Would you like to see her win something special this Mother’s Day? A Million Memories wants to help you honor this person! We are giving away a 3 Month subscription to a wonderful and deserving mom as well as a free kit to the person that nominated this special mom.

Here’s what you have to do:

Write a short paragraph describing what makes this Mom special and post it in the Contest Forum Honor A Special Mom Contest thread. We want to know a little about her and what makes her great. In turn, this Mom has to nominate another Mom and post in this same thread. That’s it!

There is no way we can pick and choose who is the best Mom, so we will choose a random winner on Sunday May 11th, Mother’s Day.

You have until Saturday May 10th @ 11:59 p.m. p.s.t. to put your nomination in.

**Take note that you do not have to nominate your Mom. You can nominate any Mom that you feel is special.**

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Scrapbooker’s Club House - Blog Sketch Contest

Closing date for the call: Monday May 12, 2008 (Winner chosen May 13th)

Create 3 cards with the three card sketches by Noella A. posted on our blog. You may choose any theme you wish when interpreting the sketches to make your cards. When you have completed your 3 cards, please post them in the “blog contest” gallery or e-mail to Noella A. at noelmika@nb.sympatico.ca or Nicole D. at nicole@scrapbookersclubhouse.com.

Please keep images to no larger than 1024KB each for the Gallery.

Please be sure your NAME is on your entry, and to title your entry with “Blog Contest #14” either in the title or description for each photo you place in the Gallery or email to us.

This contest will remain as a Blog contest and will not be announced on our forum, so make sure to stay tuned! Check our blog postings daily at this address. A prize will be awarded to the winner from SBCH. In addition, the winner chosen will then design a sample from one of Noella Arsenault’s sketches for a future blog sketch contest! You’ll win the opportunity to be a Blog Sketch Designer!

Canadian, USA and international residents are all welcome to enter!
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Heather Ruwe - Blog Challenges

Heather Ruwe is doing blog challenges all week as well as a free online class based on her workshop taught at the Inspired event. You can access Heather’s blog here.

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Serendipity Scrapbooks - On a Wing and a Prayer May Contest

Grand Prize & A Runner up prize - Sponsored By Heidi Swapp & Cherry Arte

Create a layout using the theme, On a Wing and a Prayer, and be sure to use wings on your layout. This can be feathered friends or just wings. A combined total of 50% of the layout should be Cherry Arte and Heidi Swapp products.

- Deadline May 31, 2008
- Submit only 1 layout (close up pictures are ok if needed)
- A maximum of one entry may be submitted
- Submit your project in the Serendipity Monthly Contest submissions category in the gallery, your name and your state must be in the subject line to qualify
- To upload into the gallery you must register in the gallery first. There will be an email verification that is sent to you before you can upload. Notify us at info@serendipityscrapbooks.com if you do not receive the verification.
- When you register in the gallery be sure to put in your email address for notification of winners.
- International entries are accepted.
- All entries must be no larger than 450×450 pixels
- The winning projects will be posted on the main website, in our newsletter and on our blog all through the following month with their name and state. They will be posted by the 5th of June.
- Your entry must not be one already completed for any other sites, contest or challenges. It must be newly created and made for this specific contest.
- If any of these requirements are not met, your entry will be disqualified.

Good luck and Happy Scrapping!

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Go. Be Creative - Creative Team Call

We are looking for two or three designers to promote, design for, and participate in the community at Go. Be Creative from July 2008 through December 2008.

To apply for one of these positions, please do the following:

1. Register on our message board if you are not already a member.
2. Email the following information to submissions@go-be-creative.com:
(1) Name and full contact information, including address, email, and telephone number.
(2) Your message board user name
(3) A short biography, including any specific talents you possess (i.e. sketch creation).
(4) Link to any blogs, online galleries, etc. where examples of your work can be viewed.
(5) (a) Give three ideas for original monthly challenges that you will potentially post for our members as a CT member; (b) Give one project idea that you would be able to teach as a class on the message board/blog; (c) This CT will be responsible for our Online Birthday Crop - state what your contribution to these festivities could be.
DO NOT attach images of projects to your email; a link to an online gallery or blog is sufficient.
3. Introduce yourself on the message board and post actively throughout the duration of the call. This is an integral part of the application process; we want to see how you interact with the members! No applicant will be considered if she has not been active on the message board during the call.

Please note: Applicants that are currently on other design teams will not be considered at this time.

Creative Team Members Are Expected To:
- Promote GBC on their blogs and on message boards, where permitted.
- Design and post at least 5 creations made with the kit each month, meeting specific criteria.
- Maintain an album in our gallery with personal creations.
- Participate actively on the message board.
- Post one original challenge each month for our kit club members.
- Assist in planning of online crops, classes, and other activities, as appropriate.

Compensation:
- Free monthly kit.
- Discount on add-on and online store purchases.

Applications will be accepted until midnight EST on Friday, May 31, 2008, and chosen designers will be offered a position on the Creative Team on or before June 8, 2008. Creative Team term is six months in duration, beginning with the July 2008 GBC Kit.

We regret that we are only able to entertain applicants located in the United States and Canada at this time.

Please email questions to lainey@go-be-creative.com.  Now, Go. Be Applying!

Here are a few more tidbits about the Honourable Mention winners for our “Truly Trendy” contest.

Beverley Warwick, from New Zealand, made this layout at left called, “Together.” It stood out to us for a couple of trends: the bright colours contrasting orange and blue and also the black silhouette tree which she handpainted using Indian ink.

Bonnie Manning, from Alberta, Canada, did a beautiful job on her tiara. It was made for a keepsake for a baby girl’s baby shower using vintage ric rack and new ‘twists’ on paper piecing. Love how she photographed it too! Bonnie tells us that, ” the components are designed to open and move, similar to the construction of a pop-up book.”

Danielle Quarmby, from Melbourne, Australia, entered this colourful mini book into our contest. The trendy bits are not only the bright colours, but also the Japanese/cutesy elements, the use of fabric and stitching, and the kitsch look to it.

More photos of these projects and other projects by these entrants can be seen in the Truly Trendy gallery. More to come tomorrow!