Mother’s Day Workshop

No act of KINDNESS, 

no matter how small is ever wasted.

Saturday 9th May, 2015

10am - 10pm  (12 hours of scrapping)

Barrabool Hills Community Church

Function Room. 4-46 Province Bvd Highton

For further information regarding the day, bank details and where it is held go to the Crop TAB above or Download Registration Form  HERE

Blog Hop with a Difference

When i was asked by the gorgeous and hugely talented Sue Smyth  (and i mean unbelievably talented - i was totally blown away by some of her projects at the recent Brisbane Expo) to be a part of this blog hop, at first i thought - oh no i can't as my blog really is not uptodate but then i thought well that is just me, not really having the time blog every day and only when i can, so i said yes and hope i don't disappoint....  you can check out Sue's blog above  (prepare to be inspired..)... and keep blog hopping from there...

1. what am i working on right now?
with three teenage girls who need me more than ever to be around if only to be there taxi service Ive had to make a hard decision and cut back from full-time work to a couple of days a week.  Ive had so many people say with them getting older i can do more but NO WAY....  Three teenagers, 13, 14 and 15 (all girls) I'm finding they need me more than ever and i need to be around for them too.  I'm still working two days a week with kaisercraft in the design area but spending more time out teaching around the place... so if you ever want a visit or a class just get in touch...

and in the scrapbooking world, well we are always working soooooo far in advance i rarely can share with you what i am doing right now except to say we are doing the collections for february to april 2015.  but i can say we have ticked a few boxes in the requests from customers this quarter.  so remember if you ever have any suggestions to let one of the sales team know as we really do listen.   i can't remember being so far in advance and its quite confusing especially when talking to friends when they chat about what has just been released and i think its so old as we may have scrapped it 6 months ago...

anyways what i can share is a little sneak peak of some classes i am designing for singapore next month and layouts for a few local stores .  i have been given the awesome opportunity to go over there and teach for PaperMarket and I'm so looking forward to meeting with them and sharing some of the things i love doing with them for the day...

mixed media album for PaperMarket Singapore

...... and a little sneak peak of one of the classes, I'm also teaching this weekend in Ngambie.

lots of layers, lots of texture and hopefully lots of fun...

that pretty much it for what Im up to... if you have any idea of what its like to kit up for classes for 50 etc its pretty much been my days this week.  and then you have writing instructions... something that as much as i love getting my hands dirty the instructions are something that i struggle with...

2. How long does it take to do a project?
working at kaiser for nearly 10 years you learn to scrap fast, so at times you don't necessarily get to spend as long on something as you would if you were at home.  khen when you get home honestly there are times that i really don't want to look at another piece of paper.   i think now that i have cut my hours back a bit i am finding that Im probably enjoying being creative for myself again a little bit more.
projects can vary from an hour to days depending on what it is.   sometime when you see a new collection developing then ideas start to form straight away and i can't wait to get my hands on ranges and have a play.....   (that is happening with a range that i know is coming out in Summer.....  i already have it planned for use on the scrapping cruise in Jan) and you can whip up a layout in a couple of hours but it really depends on what the end purpose is.    Say for instance if its a project such as an altered BTP project for display like CHA you tend to spend more time on it to make it that extra bit spesh with the WOW factor...  Some things can take a few days...

3. What are my favourite things i love to create with right now...

i love textures and layers..... so i love pretty papers but i also like to look at the and see how i can deconstruct them so to speak....  

i love mixed media and absolutely love playing with Modelling Pastes and Gels at the moment - and really all kinds of mediums....  here is a couple of examples that aren't anything special but i had a lot of fun creating....

but since i have just currently just finished my cert IV in photography  lately i have been having a lot of fun creating and playing with my camera....   and we had our exhibition last week.

i actually picked these green bottles up
from a little antique shop in Ngambie last year, who you never
know what i may find this weekend.  i will definatley be
giving this store a visit though...

wow, i never really quite imagined so much work and thankfully i did cut my hours back a little as i would never have finished all the assignments.  i was only enrolling in a course to learn more about my camera but hey 12 months later i feel like i have achieved something.  the best part i think is i had the opportunity to do these two courses with my dad  (and now I'm thinking he a lot better at that side of things than me..... and he loves that) but at least now i know all about my camera and it rarely in the green auto setting.  I've also been asked to take the photographs for our netball club so that little project has actually turned into me making a book at at the moment.  this is one of the pictures from inside....

so you can see that scrapbooking isn't my only passion anymore...  guessing as i said i would at the start of the year, trying to get all the priorities around the right way and trying to start with my family, then the worlds my oyster so to say.... and well POSSIBILITIES are endless and  trying really hard to just see where life takes me...  I posted this quote on Facebook the other day and love it.

and ask you can see, who knows what i will be up to next.....

4. How do i become inspired and stay inspired:

well i don't have to look very far to do that, there is always something around me that inspires me, whether its nature or a pattern - there is always an idea for a great printed pattern and I'm sure the girls at work get sick of my ideas at time.

next week the Reeds gift and trade fair is on and i love going to that - i love see what is new and then thinking i could make that...

and also lots and lots of reading and blogs by inspiring people.    I often start at one person and then move to another.

Probably one of my very very favourite artists is Kelly Rae Roberts and i love everything about her....  my house is full of her canvases and she would be one of my inspirations for what i do....  grab some of her books if you get the chance...

I know in all my classes - i always quote
"there are no such thing as a mistake only a unique creation"
i didn't realise she had this canvas until tonight... I'm off to track one down...

5. What is my signature style:

well i don't know if i actually have one, i love distressed, a little shabby, lots of layers but i also tend to like things simple at times... It really depends on the mood I'm in.  I guess working with Kaiser papers i have learnt to adapt to what i have to use can switch it up if i have to... but when i am doing things for myself there usually is lots of layers and heaps of Tim Holtz products - you gotta love Tim...

i hope you have enjoyed a little glimpse of me.  thank you for asking me to do this Sue, its been fun and i nominate the following two gorgeous and talented girls to do the same, both of who i have the please of working with at Kaisercraft....

1.  Kylie Obst

2. Jess Milinkovic or on facebook HERE

You will love Mr Fox

Well he is modern, cool, calm, suave and sophisticated....  this new range from Kaisercraft is sure to excite you as its great for both masculine and even a few feminine projects with a couple of papers have gorgeous florals on them. 
But what I love is how cool it looks on Beyond the Page Projects and I just love this new Rotating Storage Wheel.  When designing this weren't really sure how it would work out but now I can just imagine it sitting on my desk here at home  (when I clean it up) full of all my Tim Holtz distress paints and Stains - all my favourites at my fingertips...  Something a little different to all the sets of drawers...


SB2300 Rotating Storage Wheel

Capture those special moments with HAPPY SNAPS.....

OK cant help but share a couple of things I have done with another range that has been released this month.  With project life soooo popular at the moment and mini albums making a come back, I thought I would share these little projects with you.  This range is so cute and these are so easy to make.

First up the Camera Album - a great idea for a for a special occasion



Download Instruction PDF for this project HERE

and then with just about every company jumping onto pocket scrapbooking you need somewhere to store those special cards and little bits and pieces - why not try your hand at making one of these Scrapping Organisers from Kaisercraft.  The beauty of this project is that you can cover it in any papers it to suit your own home décor. 


Download Instruction PDF for this project HERE. This link also has a little video on how to put this
Beyond the Page project together, as at times they can get a little tricky.

 

If you get the chance make sure you drop by the Kaisercraft site and check out the whole HAPPY SNAPS range by Jess.  As you can see it is so bright, funky and absolutely perfect and versatile for both traditional and pocket scrapbooking.  Not only that there are both 3x4" and 4x6" cards available to match - "SAY CHEESE" - We would love to see what you create with them.

Back again soon - with yeat another favourite range - yes next month is very special.  (hmmm so who is Mr Fox?  - I'll leave you thinking about that)

Enjoy the rest of your day and thanks for stopping by.
Mel.

 

Kaleidoscope - NEW Range NEW Projects

I know I have been a little quite on the blog front but I really have been very busy both at work and at home.  Moreso at home whilst i have gone part time for awhile...  With my girls getting older and all three at high school I am finding out that instead of needing me less they need me more..  Gosh I am getting really good at algebra all over again and well mums taxi service is in need of repair.  The extra time I thought I would have to organize more classes well just hasn't eventuated but im sure after Easter i will have more time on my hands - well thats the plan. 

Anyways just to share a few things i have done lately, well they feel so old now as we are working so far in advance, can you believe we are already working on ranges for next year. Every now and again a range comes along that you absolutely love and just want to reuse over and over again. Well this has happened AGAIN this month with Kaleidoscope designed by the gorgeous Clare.  actually that kinda happens very regularly here at Kaisercraft but this is one of those ranges that is one of my personal favourite.

Maybe it just has to do with all the gorgeous quotes and affirmations and i just love QUOTES in a big way - mix that with the slight Mixed Media style and well there you have it really...  take a look yourself or head over to our website for a closer look at each paper.

  BEAUTIFUL QUOTES.

Then combine these with a couple of our home decor storage items and immediately the oooohs and ahhhhs began again....  the papers are so vertatile and just gorgeous to look at..... and again there are some things I create that im happy to give away and then there are a couple that I struggle to part with..

SB2223 Storage Cupboard
Imagine this filled with all your little bottles of paints,
embossing powders etc.  Double drawer below for those little bits and pieces.

SB2253 Turntable Drawers
16 drawers and a Tray top to fill with your favourite crafting goodies.

And for those who love a little bit of mixed media and playing with stencils and textures - i have had a little play with the ornate frame and some of the papers - looking at it now there are a hundred things i could do different and it would end up a complete different project but here it is for now.

And I sound like one of those adds on tv but truthfully it doesn't really stop there, the range also has CAPTURED MOMENTS cards to match - called LIFES TREASURES, so if you are into Pocket Scrapping, Project Life or whatever you want to call it, there is the most beautiful cards to match.  These cards are a definite favourite...

Mother’s Day Workshop

I know many of you have been asking when the next one is.  Well is now finally organised.
Registrations are now open for the Mother’s Day workshop.
Join us for a day full of FUN, friendship,

LAUGHTER and CREATIVITY.

For more information click on the Crop for a Cause tab above.  You can also download the registration form from here too…

Melbourne Scrapbook Expo - Classes BOOK NOW BONUS.....

OK I have been missing in action lately from my blog but I have a couple of things here you may be interested in....  actually I have lots to share over the next few weeks but they can wait for now..

Once again the Melbourne Scrapbook and Papercraft Expo is on - its on  February 21-23, 2014 at the Royal Exhibition Buildings in Melbourne.  We had lots of fun last year so guess what we are back again to do it all over again - and I would LOVE to see some of you in my classes.

BONUS! Early booking incentive! The first 10 people to book into each class EACH day will receive the coordinating clear stamp (valued at $8.99) to match the range that is being used in the class – FREE!

Telegraph Road - Friendship Card Class

First up each day - Session 1:10am to 12 noon in the Kaisercraft Room I will be taking a class where you get to make a lovely stash of cars that you can have on hand to let someone know you are thinking about them and how much you appreciate their friendship - I guess in the world of iphones etc, texting and facebook, getting a card in the letterbox is a little spesh - especially when its been lovingly created by a friend.  For more details on this class and where to book go HERE... and don't forget be one of the first 10 to book in each day and you will receive FREE the coordinating clear stamp set for Telegraph Road - That is a $9 bonus already...  You will get full colour instructions so for the cards you don't finish in class you can finish them off at home..

Limelight Layout and Captured Moments Class

Then after lunch - Session 3: 2pm to 4pm you will get the best of both worlds – showcase one of your favourite photographs and see how versatile the Limelight Collection is by creating a 3D layout and then use the leftovers in pocket pages.  (the ever so talented Jess Milinkovic - who designed this awesome range will actually be up at the show demonstrating her wonderful talents and how she came about designing this range so not only can you see that but in this class you will create a gorgeous, distressed and layered background on your layout using a combination of templates, texture stamps and FUSIONS in a way you never thought possible and as an alternative to using ink pads.  You will also see how to use the Simple Scrapping papers with leftovers from the collection in pocket pages to capture those little everyday snapshots and ensure they don’t get forgotten.
For more details on what to bring to these classes, cost and where to book go HERE...  again you will get the FREE clear stamps for the LIMELIGHT collection if you are one of the first 10 to book in each day.....  Personally I LOVE these stamps - if you are into Project Life - you will want to get your hands on these stamps.....

The lovely Kylie Obst from Kaisercraft is also doing a gorgeus BTP class in the middle of mine so look online - the link will take you there and check out hers and other amazing classes on offer..

Well I hope to catch up with many familiar faces - so even if you aren't able to sit in on a class make sure you drop by and say HI.

Mel.