Creative Ladies

Do you remember when I told you that I was at my sister's on the May 24th weekend and we were creating card kits for her to make with her Womens Institute as a craft?  Well that happened today and here's the result. The ladies not only made the cards, they bought some for their own use and still had some left over for the card convener to send out throughout the year to shut-ins and others on their birthdays.

Well done ladies for all your efforts in "paying it forward" and making
someone else's life a little brighter.

I'm not going to be able to show you the cards that Linda made for Emily's teacher and the music teacher, because she forgot to take a photo, but she tells me they were lovely.  I'm sure they were too.   We've had a number of people into the store in the last couple of days commenting on the beautiful swan lake card. You can see it if you scroll down a little.   I'm going to ask her to make another for display in the store because it would make such a gorgeous wedding or even sympathy card. So keep your eyes peeled for it to be seen in the near future at your local craft store.

We've noticed the difference now that schools are out, with families coming up to our beautiful Muskoka and their cottages.  They're stocking up on crafts to keep the childrens hands busy whether on a sunny day sitting on the dock, or a rainy day which is bound to happen now and then.

Lots of interest being shown yet again this year in the weaving wheels and bracelets made with floss or the gorgeous bright colours of rat tail that just arrived in stock.  With 20 yards on the roll for only $2.99 great value here.

 

Linda took the time to write out some basic pattern instructions for the weaving wheels to help people get started, and she also sourced a really helpful website that shows you how to design your own.  Ask us about them.

We had a great technique class again tonight with ten lovely ladies laughing, learning and having fun.  We played again with Versamark ink which inspired them to see their stamps and cardstock in a different way.  Distress ink is always a hit and we made a simple yet stunning pyrimage style of card.  Using an economical stamp along with a large background stamp and one of the lovely new summer distress ink colours, we took a simple piece of cardstock to new heights.  Our third card had many steps to it by using an embossing folder, and a number of Spellbinder diecuts we created a beautifully layered card.  It was a little intimidating at the start, but everyone said once they'd gone through the steps and the card was complete, they felt it was easy enough to make.  One lady was thrilled to have a card ready for a wedding she's attending.  I'll show you the cards later because I too forgot to take photos yet...LOL!

Did you sign up for to receive an email when a new posting is put on the blog?  Just up on the right hand side you will see "Keep up by email with what's new at the Craft Nook".  Fill your email address in the box and you won't miss when an entry is made on the blog.

Happy Crafting

Lilian

Busy Creating Again!

That's what Linda's doing again tonight, making a card and gift for a teacher and a card for the music teacher too.  Last night it was creating a bracelet for a mini jewellery class we had today, I'll show you that later, it was gorgeous and the three ladies that made it were so pleased with the results too.

I can't show you the cards being made tonight just yet, but thought you may like to see the ones Linda made for the dance teachers....drop down gorgeous they were too.  Inspired by the girls dance costumes, this is what Linda came up with.

Emily in Swan Lake. Doesn't this card show the costume beautifully and wouldn't it make a lovely wedding or sympathy card

Rachel in her ballet Czardas.  This card is taken from one  that we created in a Thursday night Technique class and beautifully reflects the elegance of Rachel's costume.  A lovely birthday or anniversary card.

Emily in her Hip-Hop Dance Pata Pata.  Isn't that the most fun costume, so much nicer in my opinion than the slouchy style of dress you often see for hip-hop.  And look at that card, wouldn't that make a great birthday card for a young person.....fun fun colours.

 

  

Rachel in her Jellicle Cats Acro costume.  This was a cute costume with all the cats a little different.  Linda and Rachel added whiskers to her nose after this photo was taken.  How about the card, can you see the likeness?  Great circle card with the fun elements of the googly eyes and whiskery nose, surely a child would be thrilled to receive this for a birthday.

  

And finally we have Rachel in her Senior Competition Tap Dance Queen.  What you don't see here, is that they begin their dance with blue jeans and the top on.  A few moments into the dance they disappear off stage and re-appear seconds later with their jeans off and the skirts on (that was a challenge for all the dancers), hence the blue jean Authentique paper on the card.  Wouldn't a teenager enjoy this card for their birthday.

 

So are you inspired when  you see these drop down gorgeous cards that Linda created to thank the girls dance teachers Miss Meagan and Miss Tammy.  We were priviledged to watch the dance recital on Father's Day sunday at the Rene Caisse Theatre.  What a truly professional performance The Dance Connection puts on.  With five shows to accomodate all the people that wanted to see the students performing, you know that it must be exhausting, and yet Miss Meagan and Miss Tammy are there through it all smiling, encouraging everyone.  Amazing role models for these students young and older.

And now we have another Guest Blogger.

This time it's Bev and she's participated before in our blog challenge cards and has come up to the plate again with some more organisational tips.  Here's what Bev has to offer all of us.

What great ideas Di.   Thanks for the tips.  I love the spice rack idea, as a matter of fact I have one in the attic that I will dig out as soon as I finish this blog addition.  

We don't often take the time to really look at something and say, "now that could be used for....."

I came across an old beat up 2 drawer filing cabinet, spray painted it black, bought a few hanging files and stored my 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock in it.  I keep smaller cut pieces in front of the file with corresponding colours.

    

A dear friend gave me her, no longer used, CD rack.  It's great for holding embossing folders.  You know those old CD's you never listen to any more, throw them out and use the empty CD case covers for storing your die cuts, they fit perfectly.

This tip isn't free, but close to it....buy little containers from the dollar store and keep all those odd ball things handy such as glue, spritzers, scissors etc..

  

Save empty plastic spinach and fruit containers for all those little pieces of ribbon that just might come in handy some day.

Empty cookie tins (of course they're empty because you ate all the cookies), can be used for stamped shapes, pieces of card stock cut outs, etc. 

Small spice jars are great for brads, tiny embellishments, flower petals and so on. 

Join in ladies and with all these money saving tips we will soon be able to take that vacation to our dream paradise!

HAPPY CRAFTER, BEV

Thank you so much for your ideas and great blog contribution Bev.  I know I've used some of your ideas myself, like the dollar store containers for my smaller pieces of cardstock when re-doing my craft room.  Look back on the blog (you'll have to scroll down as it's near the bottom of the page) to see that photo. 

Now how about it ladies, you have two challenges here from Di and Bev.  Lets have some fun inspiring and challenging one another.  What do you have to share? 
Perhaps like me you've recently revamped your crafting area and would like to show us what you've achieved. 
Maybe like Linda you've been busily creating some cards for outstanding people in your life and you can inspire us through your creativity.
How about Nancy who created a really special album for someone that you'd like to share with others.   Just email your ideas to the store linda@scrapbookingncrafts.com  and once we've taken a look, I'll be happy to blog them for you.

Well though this may have been a long post, I hope that you have gained some inspiration from it.  Don't forget that you can keep up by email when something new gets posted to the blog.  Just look down the right sidebar where it says keep up by email (near Rachel's ballet photo) and enter your email address and you will receive an email each time a new post happens.

Until later... Happy Crafting

Lilian

Contributing Guest Blogger - Diane

Have you ever wondered about blogging?  For crafters, it's a great way to share ideas and to inspire one another, but it does take time to blog and post.  You can imagine my surprise when I opened my email to find someone asking if they could make an entry onto our blog. 

GOSH yes I thought!!  Had to read it over first though....don't want to be advertising some competitive business on our blog after all is said and done.  What a beautifully written entry it was though.   So here it is for all of you to enjoy and if you'd like to contribute, please don't hesitate to do as Di suggests and email your contributions, ideas, photos, inspirations to us and we'd be happy to share them with all of our readers.  I'm sure they'd like a change sometimes from my ramblings....LOL!  

Here's what Di has to say.....

I was reading this blog and enjoying a tour around looking at all the scrap pages and cards, absorbing and feasting on the inspiration it was giving me.

I then stood back and thought to myself - WOW what a lot of hard work has gone into this blog, how do Lilian and Linda keep coming up with new ideas?  Maybe they could use a hand once in a while.

I was busy in my kitchen later on the same day and was still thinking about crafting.  Looking around I noticed  slim box I had cut diagonally across corner to corner, covered it and stamped it appropriately and now use it to store my tin foils, cling film wrap etc on end without them constantly falling over.  Looking around I realized I use many items for my crafting, which was not what they were intended to be used for.  I bet I'm not alone, that you all have adapted and reused items in some way to enhance your crafting storage and needs.   Why don't we all share our ideas of alternate uses for home gadgets that lend themselves to crafting.

I'll start, let's get the ball rolling and make this page a shared work of  art and inspiration....come on ladies crafting is made for sharing. 

Hints tips and alternative uses1. Spice rack used to store stickles, liquid pearls and paint

2. Cutlery drainer for pens glues and scissors

3. 2lts plastic Pepsi bottle cut down the long side used to store ribbons

4. Pringle tubes used to hold paint brushes neat and out of danger of curling up or getting dusty.

I've photographed some of my suggestions, but you don't have to photograph them, perhaps  a few words will paint the picture.

Lets give The Craft Nook ladies a break and contribute to this wonderful blog. which we all enjoy. 

We can't post directly to the blog, it's only right that all entries are given the once over so email away to the Craft Nook.

Looking forward to seeing and being inspired by your ingenuity.
Di

  

Thanks so much Di for your contribution.  Hopefully more will decide to make a comment at the bottom of each blog entry, or even to send in an idea or two.

  

Happy Crafting

Lilian

Summer Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine

Just to let you know the Summer Scrapbook & Cards Today edition will be in our store on Friday. 

Don't miss your opportunity of this magazine, free with a $20.00 purchase.

Full of inspiration and ideas for all of your paper crafting.
A great way to survive the heat of the season.

Limited numbers available.


Happy Crafting,

Lilian

Surviving the Heat.

What do you do to survive the heat?  I like the quiet coolness of my craft room where I can create to my heart's desire.  Long gone are the busy days of caring for family, so time is more available to me now. 

Along with creating, I love the technology that's available to me to use and explore.  I think one of the best gifts I ever received was one from my sister-in-law when she not only gave me a Paint Shop Pro Program by Corelle, but she taught me how to use it.  It was a very intense time as I worked through the lessons she had taken at a night school class, but so worth the effort. 

Having and knowing how to use the program enables me to enhance or alter my photos for my scrapbooking pages. I often clean up a not so spectacular photo, or even alter it by layering it with another photo, maybe even taking someone in or out of the photo.  Well you get the drift.  So in doing all that, I sometimes create digital pages that I use as screensavers on my PC.  I'm still very much a touchy feely kind of scrapbooker, I love the paper and embellishments that are available and the ability to create through my Silhouette machine.   These digital pages however, enable me to see family photos in the scrapbook style I love, on my PC.  Here's such a digital page that I made of family in England as they awaited the arrival of the Olympic torch going through their town recently.

Now here's a photo for a touchy feely page I have ready to do where I've added someone into the photo.            

This is the before....

   and here's the after photo.......I see the difference, can you see the difference....LOL!

I usually make note in my journalling when I've digitally altered a photo such as this.

We've had the pleasure of helping someone lately as she created some beautiful touchy feely pages for her son's 30th birthday album.  Nancy was a newbie scrapper when she came to one of our Friday Crop and Craft Nights.  We had no idea what her goal was at that time.  Believe me they were lofty goals, but she attained them....kudos to Nancy for her dream, desire and drive.  She created a couple of double page layouts on the friday night, but more than that, she was like a sponge, listening to and taking in all the suggestions we offered her. 

Can you believe Linda's surprise when Nancy came into the store a week later with numerous file folders containing her photos and a layout she had chosen for each of them.   They worked diligently finding papers that would do justice to her photos and the chosen layouts, then home to create them as she wasn't able to attend our next Friday Crop and Craft Night.  Back came Nancy in a week or so with more file folders, layouts and photos and again we chose paper for these sets.  Nancy and I talked about what to do if she wasn't able to get all the pages done, however that was a moot point.  On the next Friday Crop and Craft, just a month after she began this daunting task, we worked at putting the extra pages she needed into her album. With longer posts and chipboard spacers, the album opened cleanly and displayed her amazing work. 

WELL DONE to a newbie scrapbooker who has found her creative talent.  Nancy's taking a couple of weeks off right now, but we look forward to seeing her again as she begins her next project without the same timeline to deal with. 

Here are a couple of examples of the pages she created.......

I'm off now to scan the photos of Linda's two girls in their dance costumes.  They had a very busy weekend of four dance recital performances.  I'll show you the cards that Linda created using their costumes as the inspiration.  Their teachers were extremely pleased to receive the beautiful cards.

Until next time, happy crafting....
Lilian