Artful Adventure: ScrapAhead Winter Snowman Scene

Sometimes it is just fun to create a background layout without the fuss of trying to get it all done. For some reason, when I scrapbook, it’s all about getting a page complete.  On the other hand, when I am creating something in a more artful manner, I find it more relaxing and fun!

Artful Adventures Wintery Snow Scene

This method of scrapbooking is no exception.  In fact, I enjoy creating the basis of the page so much, I have a secret stash of pages that have backgrounds and no pictures yet!  Okay, I’m not suggesting that YOU create a bunch of scrapbook pages with no pictures, (because I’ve already done that) but you can make some pages for things you know happen every year.  By that I mean, seasons, holidays, birthdays, you get the idea!

Artful Adventures ScrapAhead SnowmanThis winter scene with a snowman was just the thing to use for a wintery day with family playing outdoors.  These pictures were taken a number of years ago, and every time I ran across them I knew they should go on a fun page like this.

Notice how the bottom snow drift “border” are not solidly adhered to the page.  When you ScrapAhead you want to allow places you can tuck photos in, because you don’t really know how many photos you may have, or how you may want to lay them out.

Artful Adventures Snowdrifts

Here’s a quick rundown on this page creation:

  • Snowdrift border is made from white paper with torn edges, and then edges inked in blue
  • Blue background paper is randomly stamped with a snowflake stamp and white ink.
  • Top “Winter” title is made from punched white circles with letters stamped in blue ink.
  • Bottom “Wonder” title is made of blue paper die cut letters.
  • The snowman is made of white circles, and scraps of paper used for his hat, eyes, nose, buttons, etc.
  • A piece of ribbon was used for his scarf.
Always feel free to share your work on our Artful Adventures Facebook Group page!  

Art Journaling and Scrapbooking Classes

Do you ever wish you could get away to attend a workshop that you think you’d enjoy?  Or what about a whole artsy, craftsy, scrappy weekend?  Ohhh that would be fun!  However, that   isn’t always something we can make happen.  Therefore, Lain Ehmann came up with the brilliant idea to have just such an event – virtually!  She calls it TrueScrap, and so far she has held four of them!

Now you can get any of TrueScrap 4 classes individually, and on sale!  

Each on is just $9.95 until 12/25!

Dirty Fingers Clean Design True Scrap 4 classHow about this class with Julie Fei-Fan Balzar!     This is a fun class and you’ll get to watch her in action and learn techniques you can try for yourself.  Click here to view more details on Julie’s class.

 

 


New memory file scrapbooking class with Heidi Swapp

Or maybe you want more scrapbook ideas.  Heidi Swapp shows Your Memory File scrapbooking techniques, and you can get some great ideas on ways to incorporate a lot into a small space. You can learn to take your scrapbooking a new direction! Click here to view more details on Heidi’s class.

 

 

 


Art Journaling 101 a Beginners Guide with Erin Bassett

 

 

You may wonder what the “art journaling” craze is all about, or you may like to pick up a few tips and techniques. Click here to view more details on Erin’s class.

 


 

 

Okay, that’s only three of the classes from TrueScrap 4.  There are 11 more to look at!

 You can see all the offerings by clicking here and scrolling through the classes!

Have fun!   

One Sheet Mini-Album

Here is a quick way to make a mini-album from just a single sheet of paper.  This episode will show you how to create the booklet from either cardstock or patterned paper.  Double sided patterned paper is my favorite for this project because you get to see both sides in different areas of your little book!

Although this sample has a definite holiday theme you can create one for any occasion, or any reason!  You can use little pictures, sayings or quotes, journaling, a tiny art journal… you get to decide!

What better way to use bits and pieces to embellish this little album, than pull from your stash!  Plus, what are you ever going to do with all that patterned paper you are “saving” for just the right project!  Come on, use one!  This IS the project a perfect piece of paper has been waiting for!  Wow, say that fast several times!  Create something fun, and then come over and join and post to our new Artful Adventures Facebook Group.

The next episode will show you how to use different sized of paper, other than a 12×12 sheet.  You will also learn how to determine the number of pages and the page sizes when creating your one sheet mini-album from any size paper!

A printable tutorial, along with 13 other great tutorials is available upon a donation to the American Heart Association through, “Scrappers Give Thanks 2012”. Hurry, it’s only available through December 25, 2012!

Would You Like to do More with your Supplies?

Ideas for Craft Supplies

Image courtesy Flickr/chrissy.farnan

Have you accumulated more arts and crafts supplies for your favorite hobby than you know what to do with?  Would you like to find some ways to use them?

Whether you like to scrapbook, stamp, make cards, art journal, create mixed media, or any number of other hobbies, you probably have a stash of items that you are not really using on a regular basis.  This picture depicts a very tidy space, but many of us don’t have things this organized (and you know who you are)!  The fact remains, if you’re not using your stash of goodies, they are just taking up valuable real estate in your space!  If you are like most hobby enthusiasts, there is no telling how much money you have invested in these items.

This isn’t about making you feel guilty for not utilizing all that great stuff.  Instead, it’s about creating a plan to use it up!  We often get in a rut and use the same products over and over, and the rest just begin to collect dust.  In part, Artful Adventures is about helping you find new ways to use stuff you already have on hand!  We are going to dig in and find what you have, and help you find some ways to use it up!

As we get ready to do that, I would urge you to get started by finding out what you have.  Put like with like so that you begin to see what you really have.  Once you begin to do that, you’ll know what you have and it will be so much easier to move forward.  That way, as we talk about ways to use different products, you’ll know if you have it on hand, or if it looks like something that could work with others things you have, you won’t end up having duplicates.

I’ll confess right now that my arts and crafts items have finally made their way into a single area, and it so much more efficient!  However, I had been carrying items all over the house and using them when the mood hit me.  I am afraid that method has cost me several black markers I was using on some lettering projects.  Ouch.  I still hope they turn up before I need them and end up replacing any or all of them!

Not only are we going to talk about ways to use products, but we’ll talk about using them to cross from one thing to another: (come on say it with me) whether you want to use it in scrapbooking, stamping, card making, mixed media or art journaling!

What kinds of products do you have that you just aren’t using these days?  Leave a comment and let’s see what we can do!

 

On Your Mark, Get Set, Scrap!

This the last segment in our discussion on making it easier to get more scrapbooking done!

Step 9:  Don’t let supplies get in your way! 

It doesn’t really take a lot of supplies, even though you can easily get carried away and overspend.  On the other hand, if you’ve collected a lot of supplies, don’t let the volume of what you have on hand confuse your choices. Grab a few embellishments and be done.   Just do it!

A simple list of items to start with or keep handy in your grab-‘n-scrap kit:

  • Paper
  • Scissors
  • Adhesive
  • Photo safe fine-tip marker
  • Photo trimmer

As you move forward, you may decide the things you enjoy most to add as embellishments.  Maybe you love ribbons, brads, buttons, flowers, etc.  You’ll better have an idea of the things that go in your grab-‘n-scrap kit!  Remember, it’s YOUR kit, and YOU get to decide what YOU like!

If you are a digital scrapper, perhaps selecting your pictures and sticking with a single digital kit may be the easiest way to go.  That way you aren’t overwhelmed by the sheer volume of digital elements.

Happy Scrapping!