Christmas Card Class

I will be teaching my Christmas card class on Friday, November 21st from 10am-12noon at the Lone Star Retreat and Event Center. The class will include 4 different Christmas cards and one surprise bonus project for $12 (quick and easy gift idea). Envelopes are included with the cards and we are going to be using some fun techniques for a festive look. Please email me or leave a comment if you would like to attend so I can have all the supplies pre-cut and prepared for you.

If enough people are intereseted, I may offer the class again on Saturday, November 22nd...please leave a comment or send me an email if you are interested.

Looking forward to this class! :)

Creative chaos

I'm working away on some samples for an upcoming Christmas card class I'll be teaching soon...can't wait to post the sneak peeks for this one and all the details about the class.

I love working on projects...brainstorming the ideas, techniques and project layout. It's so much fun to find new combinations of supplies just because there's a big jumbled mess on my table. haha

I also love seeing my kids reactions to the projects...they love to watch me put the different items together and give their imput. They also love playing with my leftovers. :)

Off to finish some more cards!

October 17th: Mix It Up Pattern Paper Class Sneak Peek

Just wanted to post a quick sneak peek for my next class that I'll be teaching on Friday, October 17th from 9:30-11am at the Lone Star Retreat Center. This is the first class in my Mix it Up: Pattern Paper series. We will be using papers from one manufacturer to create a double page 12x12 layout along with a card. If you would like to sign up, you can email me from my blog or post a comment and I'll get in touch with you.


All classes must be prepaid a week prior to the class date (although for this class, I will extend the sign up date since it's a holiday weekend). So for this class, the deadline to sign up will be no later than Tuesday, October 14th so I have time to purchase and prep all the class supplies. Again, please contact me so that we can arrange for your payment.



Here's the info for my class:

Mix It Up: Pattern Paper #1

Classes on Fridays: Oct. 17, Nov. 21, Dec. 12 (9:30-11:00am)

Mixing pattern paper on your layouts is not as complicated as it may seem.
Come learn some strategic elements of page design along with techniques for combining patterns as we create a new 12x12 double-page layout each class along with a card.
Handouts are included with pictured samples and information.

This class will be a three-part series:
Month One: using papers from one manufacturer (Fri. Oct. 17th)
Month Two: mixing patterns from various manufacturers (Fri. Nov. 21st)
Month Three: creating unique custom paper with various supplies. (Fri. Dec. 12th)

Class Fee is $15 each
Class kits will include a new variety of supplies and papers each month.

Please bring these supplies to class: Glue Dots, Adhesive, Scissors, Brown and/or Black Inkpads


Here's my sneak peek of the layout:
I'm looking forward to this class! Hope to see you there....

Megan :)

Upcoming Classes

I am so glad today is Friday!! :) I will be going over to the Lone Star Retreat Center in Georgetown for their grand opening crop this weekend. I will be teaching two different make and takes while I'm there along with getting some more layouts of mine done!


Here's some pictures of the finished make and takes. They will be offered for $1 each. We will be using lots of fun scrappy supplies and techniques and they are each highlighting one of the classes I will be teaching up at the Lone Star Retreat Center starting in October.

This first make and take highlights a few of the fun techniques I will be teaching in my Totally Techniques class. There is lots of glitter on here too, which doesn't show up well in the photo... For this class, we will be making cards, but the concepts cross over to scrapbooking very easily. I can't wait to share some of these fun techniques with you! This class is jam-packed with information and tips.



Here are the details for my Totally Techniques class:
The Totally Techniques Class will be offered these dates:
Monday Oct 6th 9:30-11am
Monday Nov 3rd 9:30-11am
Monday Dec 1st 9:30-11am

Each month, we will focus on several different techniques as we create four cards. A handout will be included with a sample image and complete directions for each technique. I'm looking forward to sharing these fun ideas with you. Be sure to try these same techniques on your scrapbook pages or home décor projects too! Class fee is $10 and will include a different variety of supplies and papers each month. Please bring glue dots, your choice of adhesive, scissors and brown/black inkpad with you to class.


********************************************************************************
This next make and take highlights my Mix It Up: Pattern Paper class. In this class, I will teach how to combine different patterns together and we will also talk about some design concepts you can use when you create your own pages. The class will include a double page 12x12 layout and a card each month. Such a fun class and I look forward to teaching this one again!

Mix It Up: Pattern Paper Class series

Mixing pattern papers on your layouts is not as complicated as it may seem.
Come learn some tips and tricks to use when combining paper patterns and colors as we create a new 12x12 double page layout each month. We will also create a card using the same papers.
Class fee is $15 and will include a different variety of supplies and papers each month. Please bring glue dots, your choice of adhesive, scissors and brown/black inkpad with you to class.


This class will be offered as a three part series:
Month One: Using papers from one manufacturer.
Month Two: Mixing patterns from various manufacturers.
Month Three: Ways to create unique custom paper with various supplies.

These are the dates I will be teaching this class:
Friday Oct 17th 9:30-11am (Month 1)
Friday Nov 21st 9:30-11am (Month 2)
Friday Dec 12th 9:30-11am (Month 3)
If you are interested in attending any of these classes, please feel free to contact me or leave a comment below.
I will post the previews for each class soon...
Have a GREAT Friday!!

Wordle

I just came across the COOLEST website http://www.wordle.net/ that you can use to create custom word clouds.

Here's an example of one I just created:

http://wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/159803/stamp_scrapbook

Unmounted stamps--Adhesive

ACK!!! Where has the summer gone? The kids are finally back in school and I'm trying to catch up on everything I've had to push back during the summer.

I have had several emails about how I use my unmounted rubber stamps with my clear blocks, so I wanted to share this tutorial with you. The big *secret* is that I use Aleene's Tack it Over & Over to make my unmounted stamps sticky.

Here's a little more info and details...

The supplies you'll need are:

Aleene's Tack it Over & Over

Wax Paper

Masking Tape

Disposable foam paintbrush

Disposable gloves

Toothpicks

Unmounted rubber stamps (already trimmed)

First, I start off by taping down some wax paper to my surface using masking tape. This prevents any accidental glue from getting on your surface and also allows your stamps to be easily removed once the adhesive has dried. Then lay your stamps face down onto the wax paper surface. **If you have unmounted the stamps from wooden blocks, be sure all the foam has been removed first (you can usually easily rub it off with your finger, or use goo-be-gone or an adhesive remover to get any remaining foam off the rubber). I also make sure my stamps have been trimmed closely to the images and I cut apart any sayings before I add the glue. I can always line the words up just as they were originally intended, or stamp them in a different variation on my project when they are cut separately.

The next step is to be sure to wear the disposable gloves. I have found I like to only wear one...on my left hand so that I can use that hand with a toothpick to hold down the stamps while I paint on the glue. I am right-handed. Trust me, you don't want to get this glue on your hands...it's hard to get off!! :)

Then I squirt some glue on the backside of each stamp and spread it out with the foam brush. On smaller stamps, I have found you can use the paintbrush to "pounce" the glue on. If your fingers get in the way when you are holding the stamp still, you can use your toothpicks to hold it down. I usually paint on a medium heavy coat of glue. Don't want to drown your stamp in glue, but as long as it's fully covered, it will work.

As the glue dries, you will see white spots where it is still wet and they will turn clear when the glue is completely dry. I usually leave the stamps out for a few hours just to make sure the glue is completely set and had time to get fully tacky.

Here is a picture of my stamps after they have dried (and had time to get tacky) Again, I usually wait several hours to let the glue fully set. You can see how it's dried clear and kind of "shiny" where the adhesive was painted on. Before I put the stamps on my storage sheets, I usually stick them to the back of my hand to tone down the stickiness a bit...they are quite sticky when they have fresh adhesive on them. **If the stamps ever lose their stickiness down the road, I simply repeat the same process and add another thin layer of painted on glue. So far, I haven't had to do this to many of my stamps. The dried adhesive will last for a good while. Also note that sometimes you will get excess glue on the front or sides of your stamp by accident...I know I'm a messy painter at times. :) Don't worry about it...just rub it off with your fingers once it is dry. Remember to try not to touch the wet glue with your hands...it's a pain to get off. For some reason, the dried glue is easier to remove. It's kind of like rubber cement.

Hope this helps answer some of your questions about my adhesive solution. The Tack it over & Over is relatively inexpensive (around $5 or under a bottle) and that lasts a LONG LONG time. I have found mine at Michael's craft store in with the other adhesive/glue bottles.

If you have any questions, just let me know. :)

Stamp Storage Tutorial

I've been working on re-organizing my scrapbook room all summer long and wanted to share some of my favorite parts so far...

Here's what I came up with for stamp storage. This is my first time using photos in a blog post, so you'll have to excuse the rough format...still trying to figure things out and I had a hard time getting good pictures of these clear transparencies, but you can get the general idea.

I sorted all my stamps according to category and broke up my sets (I know, I know...it was hard to do, but I LOVE it now)! I literally mixed all my stamps together--rubber unmounted (formerly all my wood-mounted sets) and acrylic (clear stamps). Any stamps that I didn't absolutely LOVE, I decided to sell at a garage sale or donate. I just kept the ones I loves and knew I could easily use.

Then I used standard transparencies from the office store to create "books" to hold my stamps. The sheets measure 8 1/2 x 11" and I trimmed them down 1/4" so they were 8 1/4 x 11". This was because the stamps can be bulky depending on what they are made out of, so now they would slide easily into my page protectors for storage.

To create these "books", I set two of the transparencies down next to each other on my table and left about a 1/8th inch gap between the two as a "spine".

Then I used clear packing tape along the "spine" to hold the two transparencies together. I used one long strip that went down the center, then I turned the transparencies over and continued my same tape strip along the backside down the center, being careful to smooth down the edges.

After the transparencies had been taped together in the center on both the front and the back, I cut the tape to leave about an inch or so at the top and folded that down to cover the top seam completely.

Then I folded the transparencies over so that they were stacked on top of each other like a book and creased the clear packing tape well.

I decided to cut the corners of my transparencies down (like a miter) so that they would slide easily in and out of my page protectors.

I did the same thing to the solid cream cardstock that goes behind my transparency book in the protector. This cardstock is just so I can easily see what stamps are on that transparency.

You can also see in the picture above that I used the index that comes with the stamps as guides so I know where to put my stamps back after I use them. I just used clear glossy tape (the cheap kind) and taped them to the front of the top transparency. For my rubber stamps, I still need to stamp the image on cardstock or scraps of transparency and tape them to the front of the top transparency. The stamps are actually mounted onto the inside of the front cover and the back transparency cover is there to keep the stamps from sticking to the cardstock and to help keep everything in place.

Basically, when I was all done, I had a transparency "book" with a certain category (in the above photo, it was Butterflies and Bugs). Behind that "book" of stamps, I had a plain piece of cardstock so I could see what was in the "book" and then I slid that whole stack inside a heavy duty page protector.

To label the "book" category, I used my McGill Label punch and scrap cardstock. I just wrote the names of each category on the label, added adhesive and glued it to the front page of the transparency "book". This way, I can pull on the label and the stamps slide out of the protector easily. If I have more than one "book" in a certain category, I just labeled them as "flowers 1", "flowers 2", etc. and each label is adhered a little further to the right of the previous label.

My original intention was to put the filled page protectors back in my large 3 ring notebooks, but I liked the idea of being able to expand by just adding another "book" in that certain category and some of my notebooks were already getting full. I stood them up on end in a basket temporarily and ended up loving it so much that I searched the house and found a few more matching baskets so I have room for my stamp collection to grow. :) Sorry kids...your Xbox games and controllers will have to find a new home. LOL

Here's a picture of the finished stamp "books"stored in my baskets.

All in all, this was fairly inexpensive--the transparencies were the most expensive part and it ran about $20 for a box of 100 (use the off brand, they are cheaper), and a roll of packing tape and a roll or two of the clear glossy scotch tape. The only other thing I needed were baskets to store them in, the cardstock to go behind each stamp book and the page protectors, all of which I already had on hand.

Hope this gives my fellow stamp lovers some more storage ideas!! :)

Taking the plunge...

So here I am sitting here with a blog, ready for posting on and I have had NO clue what to start with! :) haha I was reading some other blogs this morning and came across this quiz on what type of soft drink are you and I took it and here's my results.

You Are Dr. Pepper

You're very unique and funky, yet you still have a bit of traditionalism to you. People who like you think they have great taste... and they usually do. Your best soda match: Root Beer Stay away from: 7 Up

What Kind of Soda Are You?

What is so funny is that (diet) Dr Pepper is my favorite soft drink EVER! :)

Whew...now I've gotten over the hurdle of what to post for my first entry...I've got some more things to share soon from my scrapbook room reorganization, so stay tuned! :)