Workshop Secrets

Hi there,

I'm so sorry I've been a but quiet on the blogging front lately. I've just been busy! I've had a busy time with work, kids and scrapping and something else had to give! Anyway, I am here to make amends.

I thought It's high time I gave an update on my Workshop Secrets articles in Scrapbooking Memories magazine.

Vol 15, No 6
This subject was about using old papers as I felt this is an issue we all have to deal with. Since I wrote that article I haven't thrown out any old papers as I keep using them for backgrounds and in the ways I discussed in my article. Here's my favourite layout from that article.

I used mists over chipboard shapes to create the background and layered strips of old paper along with a painted chipboard border to form the vertical piece. The black ribbon is exactly how it was cut off a present a long time ago and I topped it all with that gorgeous Manor House flower.

Vol 15, No 7
This was hopefully the only time I ever have something published that I'm not happy with! When the magazine offered me this regular article there was so little time to get the first couple of articles done. Neither of the layouts in this edition turned out the way I wanted but I had no time to re-do them. This will be a long post if I put all the layouts up so I'll just leave these ones out!

Vol 15 , No 8 and No 9
These were my articles about photographing your work for blogs and submissions and how to get published in magazines. I hope you got a few ideas from them! In a bit of a twist, the magazine chose some of my layouts that they had already accepted as the ones to publish with the second article. Here's one they chose.

I had fun creating this one. I randomly stuck chipboard letters all over the background but deliberately stuck the x and o where I did. I used Dylusions to spray over the centre of the layout and built the page up over that.

Vol 15, No 10
I chose a somewhat different subject for this one - I discovered that it can be pretty cool to create shadowbox layouts by raising the edges and other parts of a page. Adding 3D elements around the edges can really give the page that extra pop.

For this layout I cut the border from the Graphic 45 paper and added this over another piece of the same paper. To help you pick the detail on a flat photo, the border includes (clockwise from centre top) the trapeze girl, the ringmaster, the running clown, the curtain and the title. The pages are quite stunning in real life but don't show the detail on photos.

I hope you're enjoying the articles. If you have any comments or suggestions, by all means let me know!

Heather

Weekend in Brisvegas

Oh my goodness - what a weekend! I went to the scrap expo in Brisbane. It was so much fun!

I couldn't fly up til the Saturday as we had the Rockwiz crew come to Ballarat for a live performance on the Friday night. It was hysterical!

Beck and I went to the expo together and had to do the obligatory pose out the front thing...

We met up with Kaye Grieve and each did our Masters talk. It was a bit daunting but lots of fun! I'm so appreciative of the people who came to watch. My Ballarat friend, Lisa, even left her class to watch!

Some of the ladies that I with chat with online were there and it was so good to meet them. A special hello to Angela, Wendy and Lizzy C who all went out of their way to catch up.

 A special hi also to my friend Jo who I see once a year at Brisbane. (Good photo Beck!)

To those of you that could only make it on the Saturday, I feel bad that I didn't have enough time to spend with you. I'll have to make it up next year!

That night Karen Shady, Beck and I went to dinner with a bevy of scrapping beauties. Even though it was raining it was still warm so it was lovely to eat in the fresh air. We had a great night.

Scrapbooking Memories magazine was well represented - apart from Beck, Kaye and I there was also Gail Lindner.....

and Peg Hewitt.....

Sunday saw me helping out on the Manor House Creations stand for a while which was a lot of busy fun. Then it was out to explore all the goodies on sale. There was really nothing much that I needed but I managed to spend a small fortune still! Sunday evening saw a crowd pile into our hotel room for an impromptu show and tell session before we hit the town again. Naomi, Michelle and those wild ladies of the north were lots of fun!

A sure sign of a good night out!

Just to finish off a totally indulgent and girly night out, we bought churros and chocolate and ate them in our hotel foyer! Karen showed us how it's done....

The next day, after a final shopping frenzy, Marilize, Karen and I caught the train to the airport where we managed to chat loudly for quite some time before we realised we were in the quiet carriage! Whoops!

I'm so glad I was able to get to she expo and hope I can make it again next year. Woohoo!

Heather

30 Cards In 30 Days

It's the first day of winter and it sure feels like it! It's grey and miserable here.

Here's some news to brighten up the day of the card makers though. Katherine at Scrap Everything! is having her annual 30 Cards In 30 Days challenge.

This is a fun challenge with a prize as well. You can find out more info here.

Hope you can join in. Just think of how much you'll achieve! You might make enough cards to see you through the year!

Have fun!

Heather