Graphic 45 Baby Layout

I have been wanting to work on some boy pages, so I started with this baby boy layout using a combination of papers from Graphic 45's latest collection, the Precious Memories and the Botanical Tea collections. As you are well aware I have a passion for G45 and absolutely love working with it.

What I find though is that often scrappers do like them, some love them but think the papers are very busy or "loud" with too many graphics and pictures, and seem to require a lot of layering and fussy scrapbooking - so just difficult to work with..... Whilst I personally love this layering, fussy cutting, 3D style, Graphic 45 is really not that restrictive. These beautiful papers have a lot potential and uses for both conventional scrapbookers and cardmakers.

In doing this particular page I wanted to show that these papers are just as beautiful for clean and balanced classic layouts. As the papers are double sided, there is always a lovely patterned side that can be used - like I used here. The papers are thick weight so they cut beautifully in die cutting machines and just are wonderful to work with. I did a lot of cutting here with my Silhouette Cameo machine to create the rounded edges and trellis overlay - whilst using a classic layout design. And the Graphic 45 papers I used here all came from a 8 x 8" pad. 

Oh the totally cute baby here is my great great nephew who has just about to celebrate his 1st birthday soon.

The cute rosettas I cut with my Silhouette Cameo machine.

Graphic 45 Once Upon A Springtime - fairy paper!!!

Fairies!! Fairy papers!! Just arrived in. At last Graphic 45 have re-released their beautiful Once Upon A Springtime range in a special Deluxe edition of the most beautiful papers full of fairies. Oh my gosh, I so love this collection!! Here are a few photos of some of the sheets of paper.  Love Love Love them!!  Can't wait to play with them!

14 February Tag Workshop

Thanks to all the lovely folks who came to my Tag workshop today. I had so much fun and just love all the wonderful tags you all made. 

Here are all the gorgeous tags made today!!  I love them - what awesome work!

February Mixed Media Tag Workshop

Okeee Dokee - so you want to know what you could make at my workshop next Saturday, 14 Feb?? Here you go ... A gorgeous mixed media tag, all done with spray mists and gesso. 

If you have never really worked with inks, sprays and mixed media techniques, it is great fun!  Hoping to have a nice full class.

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.