Playing a bit with Prima papers

I decided to have a little play with some Prima papers and made this quick little scrapbook page one evening using the 6 x 6' Prima Princess Collection pad. This super little pad has the most gorgeous soft patterns - 48 sheets in total and the papers are a lovely thick weight quality, more like light cardstock. 

This layout is actually a 8 x 8" page and this 6 x 6 pad is just perfect for the smaller layouts like this.  Little pads like these are wonderfully versatile and so cost effective.  

I normally take my time, hours and hours to do layouts, but just was spending some time in my craft room and honestly rustled up this layout in about an hour.   Record time for me!

HOT trends for 2015

Hot Trends for 2015 : Just been doing a snoop around the scrapbooking circles to find out what is hot for 2015 in scrapbooking and paper crafting, especially as a lot of these hot trends are introduced or visible at the big Craft and Hobby Expo in January in the USA. So what are they:

1. Gold is HOT, HOT, HOT - gold in paper, gold in embellishments, gold in everything
2. Naturals, i.e., Kraft, whites, blacks and grays were clearly visible in embellishments and accents.
3. Smaller pages or albums, 8 x 8', 8 x 11" and 6 x 6" the size for mini albums
4. Travel themes and collections as well as party themes
5. Bright fun colours in paper, even watercolour themes
5. Stars seem to be featuring, so looks to be trending in 2015
6. Mini embellishments all layered up seem to be good trend for the year
7. The in colour for 2015 is Burgundy, or what the experts call Marsala
8. Puffy acetate stickers.
9. Mixed Media is still very in and trendy for the year. So all that goes with mixed media will be hot.
10. Filofaxes and planners are apparently huge this year - so crafters will be doing them up with all sorts of creative projects. Suppliers are already busy working on all sorts of new releases to suit this hot trend.

Right there you go - that is the hot goss from CHA2015 and other scrapbooking fundis out there!

But remember there is nothing wrong with being untrendy!  Some of us like to be unique and different - so use your unique style to be your point of difference!!

But I must say I do like the gold trend .....  so GO FOR GOLD!!!

Whoop Whoop!!!  Doing happy happy dance!!  Got invited to be part of the Funky Flair Studio design team!!  Did not expect it but so stoked.  I recently went on scrappy spending spree and put the cutest, most awesome flair buttons, all beautifully handmade by Funky Flair Studio.

So I had to quickly put together an example for the group.... so here is a shabby chic Valentine card I made using Maja Design scrap paper, some Graphic 45 from the Sweet Sentiment collection and an oh so cute little heart flair button.

Reflecting .... What to do for my workshops ...

OK, so I have been mulling of what to start off with in 2015. I have decided to go with a scrapbooking page kit using Maja Design papers.  The kit will come with a sketch, the layering papers and primary embellishments to make up a easy but beautiful page - all you will need is your own 12x12 background paper of your choice. And this is what the finished page could look like.... but with your own photograph (or two) and your own journalling. And you can add a title if you wish. And I am happy to put together a separate add-on kit for the 2nd page so those of us that like to do double layouts.

And this is what I am also thinking of doing at my first workshop for the year. The kits will also be available for posting out to those who aren't able to attend the workshops. I get out more details over the next few days.

And some close ups of the flowers, die cut from scraps of Maja Design paper.

2014 Relections

Although 2014 was not totally my "annus horribillis" year - it was a bitter sweet year for me.  A year of huge ups and terrible lows.

Sweet, oh so sweet in that our 6 year very expensive immigration journey finally came to an end with New Zealand citizenship and lovely new Kiwi passports.  That journey in itself came at a huge financial cost to us over the last 6 years, was filled with a number of anxious times, but it has finally come to its conclusion.  We have never regretted it for a moment, although we have shed many, many tears along the way, tore our hair out in frustration and have asked ourselves at times whether we completely mad to do it.  Despite the financial setback, we have never looked back and regretted our decision and love our new life here in our new country.  And slowly, slowly as the years pass by, we have become more settled and starting to feel like we belong.

And the lows, loosing beloved family family along the way.  In April I lost my darling mother at the age of 88 years, after a 2 year battle with the effects of a devastating stroke.  I did expect to loose my mom due to her age, but it was still heartbreaking when she passed away.  I miss her dearly.

The lowest and most unexpected blow of all in 2014 was loosing my cherished sister in law to cancer and a very aggressive brain tumour in October.  So unexpected and so quickly.  From the time of diagnosis of brain cancer resulting from breast cancer, she was gone in 6 weeks.  This loss has been huge on my poor hubby who spoke to Linda on Skype just about every day and on me as well as I looked upon her as my own sister.  It is a difficult loss that we cannot reconcile with and still leaves us reeling in shock.

RIP mom and Linda, we love you and always will.  Till we meet again.

Happy 2015

Happy 2015 to you all. May it be crafty, may it be prosperous, may it be joyful, and healthy too! 

Looking forward to an exciting new year!!