2012 Welcome

Cardstock: Colorbok; Patterned Paper: American Crafts, Frances Meyer; Journaling Spot: Advantus; Stamp: Stampin Up; Markers: Copic, Stampin Up; Stencil: Plaid; Other: Flower

I'm looking forward to a brand new year.  While there was nothing particularly bad about 2011 there was nothing particularly noteable about it, either.  It was just "there" mostly.

I know it's cliche but I'm looking forward to making some changes.  Body, mind and environment.  We'll see how it goes.  LOL.  See?  I'm already starting on one of my changes - to be more laid back. 

This layout is based on this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch:

I knocked it on it's side and condensed it a bit but hey, like we always say over on Sketchy Thursdays...our sketches are for inspiration.  They're a starting point.  We're so laid back, LOL! 

Do you make resolutions?

♥Heidi

Hope your holiday was bright...

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. 

The weather here was perfect.  Clear skies, cool days - short sleeve weather in the sun, crisp nights.  The kids were so excited and really had a blast. 

Every year, by about 4pm on Christmas day I'm so ready for it all to be over.  Except for the tree.  I'm happy to pack up all the other decorations but never the tree.  I'm always sad to see it go and it's usually the last thing I pack up.  I hold off as long as I can...as long into January as I can swing it.  I think it's the atmosphere.  The soft light.  And there are so many memories associated with the ornaments. 

This layout is from last year's Scrapbook News and Review holiday sampler.  I love this one.  The clean and simpleness of it.  The yummy colors.  The gorgeous corrugated flower by Precocious Paper.  The tree and title are actually on a tranparency overlaying the rest of the layout, except for the flower, of course. 

I'll be sad to see the old tree go again this year but I'm so ready to move on.  I have lots of reorganizing to do and finally some time to start doing it. 

If I don't talk to you again, have a happy and safe New Year!

♥Heidi

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!

I apologize for not being around much in the last couple months.  I've been super busy with all the manufacturer events on Scrapbook News and Review.  I had tons of fun doing them (I think I participated in 26 manufacturer events) and made, for the most part, between 5 - 12 projects per event.  I hope you were able to stop by and take in all the amazing work all the SNR staff made. 

We're finally done for this year so it's now back to business as usual.  I'll be turning my focus back to creating regularly for Sketchy Thursdays, submitting regular projects to the SNR magazine and lots of fun new tutorials and articles for SNR as well.  We've got a lot of great stuff planned for you this year in the Education Department of SNR and you won't want to miss a bit of it!!!! 

There's a subscribption sale going on right now - a full year of Scrapbook News and Review for $19.99! 

That's like 24 issues for less than $1 each because we release twice a month!  How amazing is that??!!!!

Plus, in addition to all our regular eye candy, tutorial and article features in scrapbooking, cards, stamping, mixed media and digital, we'll be bringing you a few more months of manufacturer inspiration in the form of articles in the magazine.  Trust me, you don't want to miss it!!! 

Don't miss the sketch I made for Sketchy Thursdays this week:

We're giving our Sketchy Designers a little holiday break so this sketch will run for two weeks, through December 28.  There's an awesome SRM Stickers prize pack up for grabs, too.  Trust me, there are enough stickers of various themes in this pack to get you through a good deal of your 2012 scrapping or card making.   I love SRM Stickers.  I can always find just the perfect sentiment. 

As mentioned, I've been so busy with SNR that I haven't had much time to make other stuff so all my 2011 holiday projects are in the magazine...but here's a cute one from last year:

As seen in the Scrapbook News and Review 2010 Holiday Sampler

The trees were inspired by the Dr. Seuss style.  Plus, of course, gotta get some yummy holiday glitter and sparkle in there!

If I don't "see" you again before then, have a very happy holiday!!!!!

♥Heidi

Huh? December?? Who stole November??!!

Seriously, who stole November? 

It was 11/1 and now it's 12/1.  What the???!!!!!!

I had a very busy month creatively in November although every single last stitch of it was for Scrapbook News and Review so I can't share any of it here for a few more months.  But you can see a lot of it on their Fall Events forum.  Right now the Lindy's Stamp Gang (I especially love the 80s themed artwork!),  I Brake For Stamps and EK Success Celebrate Fall and Thanksgiving events are still up until Saturday.  Check them out!  I have several entries in each event. 

This is my favorite pic right now of my favorite people.  It was taken at the fall festival at the kids' school. 

Speaking of Lindy's Stamp Gang, I used quite a few Lindy's Starbursts and Moon Shadow Inks on this layout.    Just look at how shimmery and sparkly their products are:

This is based on the sketch I made for Sketchy Thursdays this week:

Well, I hope to share with you a lot more often this coming month than last!  Fingers crossed.  :)

♥Heidi

Attitude of Gratitude

I am so excited to be a part of Tessa's Precocious Paper Attitude of Gratitude event. 

Attitude of Gratitude is a month-long event in November designed to encourage you to express gratitude on a daily basis. Tessa will be sharing her own thoughts on her blog, as well as uplifting quotations, stories, articles and videos, Her hope is to inspire those who participate to have a more grateful heart, and in turn, happier life.

 Last year I looked forward to Tessa's posts and I can't wait for them this month, too.  Tessa is such an inspiration, such a beautiful person.  I am thankful to call her my friend. 

This year I am going to join Tessa for her Attitude of Gratitude project.  I am going to try to blog my gratitude daily and throughout the month I am going to add to a mini gratitude journal which I will share with you along the way. 

I am going to be using Tessa's Precocious Paper Attitude of Gratitude kit:



Kit includes:

♥ Handmade Mini Album - 3 chipboard pieces, 2 distressed cardboard pieces, one metal ring, 4" by 6" finished size

♥ 2 Fabric and Felt Flowers

♥ 2 Sewing Pattern Petals

♥ 1 Denim Twist Flower

♥ 1 Blush Jersey Twist Flower

♥ 1 Full Set of Sweet Spots (10 pieces, exclusive to kit)

♥ 1 Navy Tulle Clothespin

♥ 1 Pink Raffia Clothespin

♥ 1 Green Raffia Clothespin

♥ 2 Leaves

♥ 1 Large Shipping Tag

♥ 2 Paper Sacks

♥ 1 Glassine Envelope

♥ 1 Template (for page shape, not pictured)

Let me tell you, if it's possible, this kit is even more awesome in person than in the picture above.  I am so in love with all the shaped journal pages and Tessa's flowers and Sweet Spots NEVER disappoint. 

Today I am sharing the title page for my journal:

Gratitude is the Best Attitude

Supplies Flower, Leaf, Trim, Chipboard: Precocious Paper; Stamps: Rubber Soul, Stampin Up; Ink: Ranger, Tsukineko; Paint: Delta, Liquitex, Making Memories, Plaid; Acrylic Ink: Liquitex; Decoupage Medium: Plaid; Gelatos, Pen: Faber-Castell; Mist: Lindy's Stamp Gang, Studio Calico; Other: Dictionary page, gesso

The majority of this piece is paint supported by ink.  I'm loving playing around with my Gelatos.  They have the perfect colors for creating my little girl's skin tone, pouty lips and rosy cheeks. 

My all-time favorite flowers of Tessa's are her Sewing Pattern Petals because they're just screaming out to be customized.  I went subtle on this one giving it a healthy mist of gold and brown. 

(Keep an eye out for more of "my girls" soon.  I'm hoping to get a variety of them up in my Etsy shop ASAP.) 

Please, join Tessa and me in this month-long exploration of gratitude. 

Here is how you can be a part of it:

1. Add the image above as a badge to your blog.

2. Blog your thoughts on gratitude daily (or as often as you can throughout the month).

3. Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter if you prefer.

4. Write your thoughts in a journal.

5. Collect your thoughts throughout the month and create a layout or mini album to display your gratitude.

Thank you for joining me today.  I am truly blessed to be able to share what I love doing with you. 

♥Heidi

Imagination at work

Supplies Cardstock: Colorbok; Stamps: Advantus, Autumn Leaves, Crafty Secrets, Stampers Anonymous, Technique Tuesday, Unity Stamp Company; Ink: Tsukineko; Ink Spray: Lindy's Stamp Gang; Stencil: The Crafter's Workshop

This is based on the sketch I made for Sketchy Thursdays this week:

I'd love to have you play along with us.  Get your journal on!!!!

♥Heidi

Post It Note Art

Don't you just love art made by your kids??!!!!  The girl is on a post-it note art kit.  Fun little masterpieces contained on one compact square. 

Even the background is a collaborative effort between me and both the girl and the boy.   We had fun with some water-soluable oil pastels, mists and stencils. 

This is based on this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch:

I sort of flipped it upside down.  Oh, you know I can't just leave a sketch alone!!!!  LOL!

Be sure to check out the Sketchy Thursdays post this week because today is the debut of the art inspiration from all of our new Design Team!!!!  Wow!  There is such an awesome variety of styles represented.  I LOVE it!!!!!

The kids are on fall break this week so we're just chillin'.  Enjoying the cooler (although I'm guessing temporary ~sigh~) temperatures.  We're actually in the low 90s/upper 80s right now. 

Have a great week!

♥Heidi

Home Sweet Home inchies

So when I started with Scrapbook News and Review I considered myself only a scrapbooker and a reluctant card maker.  As I look back now I see I had burgeoning mixed media tendencies although I didn't know to call it mixed media at the time.  SNR has an amazing mixed media department and the staff is spectacular at encouraging your exploration into the genre. 

I've discovered I LOVE mixed media.  It's so creatively freeing.  Who'd have thought how satisfying it is to make a whole piece of art in one square inch, for instance?

Canvas Inchies

Originally published in Scrapbook News and Review May 2011

These inchies - and yes, each one is one square inch - are made with sticky back canvas, dictionary page, stamps, ink, paint, markers, glossy medium, cotton and a rhinestone.  Whew!  I sometimes don't use that many things on a 12x12 layout, LOL!!!

What's really cool is that mixed media isn't all abstract and goopy.  It's just as much about the form as the mediums.  It's about playing and using products together that you wouldn't normally such as paper and canvas here.

Be sure to check out all the awesome mixed media projects brought to you every month in Scrapbook News and Review.  You'll see my name in that section quite often nowadays!!!!  I'd love to share my MM adventures with you. 

Now I'm proud to consider myself a mixed media artist!

♥Heidi


p.s.  Check out my sketch this week on Sketchy Thursdays!  I'm rather proud of it.  ~grin~

The Next Sketchy Thursdays Design Team

I can't believe how quickly six months flies by.  It's already time for Diana & I to introduce our next Sketchy Thursdays Design Team! 

Check out the announcement HERE.

You'll see a few returning faces and a whole group of newbies.  We are so excited to have each and every one of them with us for the next six months!  Including Diana & I that's TWENTY DT members!!!!  So that's a whole lotta inspiration for everyone every week! 

******

So, yesterday was the reason I started scrapbooking's birthday.

I can't believe my little man is EIGHT. 

I mean, that's half way to driving.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!

THAT's a sobering thought.  LOL!

****

So, tonight is the Studio Calico event on the Scrapbook News and Review forum.  Be sure to check it out as I've not only made a few layouts and cards for it using Studio Calico's Countryside collection but I've also made a mixed media plaque that I'm pretty proud of and have a class for you to show you exactly how I made it! 

Also, the September issue of SNR is live!!!  Check it out!!!

Be sure to check back with me tomorrow for this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch and layout!

♥Heidi

Sketchy Thursdays - and a blog hop!

This week Sketchy Thursdays is partnering with the challenge blog ScrapFIT for a fun blog hop. 

Supplies Cardstock: Stampin Up; Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye; Glitter Mist: Lindy's Stamp Gang; Paint: Creative Inspirations; Pen: Faber-Castell; Stencil: The Crafter's Workshop; Punch: EK Success; Other: Thread

I just had to show you the yummy detail of both the Creative Inspirations sparkly paint I used to color in the letters in "friends" and also the gorgeous Starbursts mists from Lindy's Stamp Gang.  Both of these are my current faves.  I just loves me some sparkle!!!!

This week we're all making layouts based on my Sketchy Thursdays' sketch:

AND

ScrapFIT's Workout (prompt/challenge) #52: F Is For Friendship

Friends are the family members we pick out by hand. Let's dedicate this week's layout to a special friend(s). Show us who you hang out with or call when you need to vent!

Because we're having a fun blog hop we've got LOTS of chances to win prizes this week!!!! 

1.  There's our regular sketch prize, this week a HUGE kit from Burlap & Buttercups. 

2.   There's also ScrapFIT's Workout prize courtesy of Paper Issues. 

3.  Leave a comment on the Sketchy Thursdays post for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate from Diana's Etsy store Design by Diana.

4.  Leave a comment on the ScrapFIT girls' blog hop for an additional prize.  (See the ScrapFIT site for more details.)

We'd love to have you join us for the blog hop and play along with us!

♥Heidi

Can You Help a Girl Out???

I am woefully bored with my current Pandora music channels.  The only time I listen to Pandora is in my crafting room and I'm afraid the repetition of the same old music is affecting my crafty mojo! 

Can you help a girl out and give me some suggestions for channels with upbeat, rockin good music??  I want to WANT to get up and dance around while I'm making stuff.  I want my head to bob.  I want to sing along at the top of my lungs.  (Luckily I'm usually home alone when this is going on, lol.)

And even if you don't listen to Pandora, just tell me some of your fave crafting music.  I can still get ideas from that. 

I'm thinking maybe I should clarify my "kind" of music, too.  I was recently asked if I was DJ Jazzy Jeff and I had to come up with my Top 5 list of rock the house songs what would they be and I answered:

One Step Beyond by Madness

Boom Boom Pow by Black Eyed Peas

Freedom! '90 by George Michael

I'm Not Okay (I Promise) by My Chemical Romance

Vasoline by Stone Temple Pilots

So, can you help a girl out?  I'll trade you a card for your suggestions.  ;0D

Originally published in Scrapbook News and Review June 2011

This one is chock full of yummy painty techniques and I love the way it came out. 

OK, back to my craft room with my same ol' same ol' music.  LOL!

♥Heidi

ILU

Supplies Cardstock: Colorbok; Patterned Paper: Recollections; Flowers: Precocious Paper; Brad: Imaginisce; Flower Center: Prima; Glitter Mist: Lindy's Stamp Gang, Tattered Angels; Pen: Zig; Other: Thread

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Tessa's Precocious Paper flowers?  I especially love the ones I can recolor.  Case in point, these luscious dress pattern flowers.  They started here:

Typewriter Keys White Sewing Pattern Petals

And with the magic of Lindy's Stamp Gang Starbursts in these scrumptious colors:

Autumn Maple Crimson

and

Delphinium Turquoise

You get this:

Seriously, the pictures don't do the Lindy's mists justice.  They are so shimmery, rich and vibrant. 

This layout is my lament of how grown up my itty bitty baby girlie looks in her Kindergarten photo:

And how skinny!!!!  She takes after her daddy, luckily.  ;oD

The layouts is based on this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch.  Diana, this one's a keeper!!!  I'll be using it over and over.



Remember, you only have 2 more days to submit for the next Sketchy Thursdays Design Team term. 

Hope you are having a great week!!

♥Heidi

Make a Wish card

Originally published in Scrapbook News and Review, June 2011

I thought I'd share a card with you today that I made for Scrapbook News and Review a few months back. 

The butterflies and everything from the flowers down to the green checked bottom border are from a napkin.  I love the way you can still see background through the napkin. 

Here in the States it's a holiday, Labor Day, and lots of people have the day off.  Hope you're having a great time!!!!

♥Heidi


p.s.  Don't forget we'd love to have you contribute to SNR!!!  Check out the deets HERE.

Share What You Know

I think my favorite part of working for Scrapbook News and Review is all the tutorials I get to create.  I love the step-by-step, the closer examination of a technique I love to do, the sharing of aha! and oops! moments alike. 

Well, guess what?  SNR would love to end the year with a bang and have YOU contribute to our magazine, to Share What You Know.

***

We want to end the year with a BANG and the best way we know how to do that is to make it all about YOU! This means that a part of the October/November 2011 Double Issue (our largest issue of the year) will be from our readers.


So, if you love to create and you want to share and teach something that is near and dear to your heart, then we want to hear from you!

Are you known for a certain style or can people spot your projects out in a line-up? Do you have a favorite go-to technique or a “quirk” that you just have to do on everything you create? What’s the one thing that people ask you the most, “How did you do that?”
 For this very special call, we’re looking for paper crafters of all kinds – paper and digital scrapbookers, card makers, stampers, altered art and mixed media artists and even those who enjoy making home décor, handmade jewelry and gifts!

Here are the details:



Choose a Style or Technique


1) Style – Share and teach something that is important to what makes your style unique, for example, distressing for Shabby Chic or working on a grid pattern for Modern and Graphic.


2) Technique – Share and teach a technique that you knock out of the park and may even be your “signature” technique.


Submit a Tutorial via Our Automatic Submissions Form


1) Tutorial must have at least four steps to be considered.


2) The tutorial must have step-by-step instructions.


3) The tutorial must include photos for each step in the instructions.


Other Info


1) The deadline is October 1, 2011.


2) The tutorial must be original and cannot be currently posted or found anywhere on the internet. For example, it cannot be content taken from a previous post on your blog or a design team or challenge blog you may be a part of.


3) The tutorial can be about any subject, topic or theme you desire. It can be based on any existing trend or technique available so long as it is your own work, created by you, and you give proper credit to anyone you may have learned it from or been inspired from. We do not discourage “scraplifting” as it is a great way for all paper crafters to learn new things and hone their skills, but we strongly encourage everyone to give credit where credit is due. It’s the honorable thing to do.


More details will be available on the automatic submission form.


The automatic submission form will be available as of September 6, 2011, so put your thinking caps on and get creating. We can’t wait to see your amazing artwork and showcase it in the October/November issue!


If you have any questions before the form is posted, please feel free to e-mail us at specialfeatures@scrapbooknewsandreview.com anytime. 


P.S. Nervous about writing a tutorial for a magazine? It’s completely understandable but don’t worry about it. That’s what editors are for. Just do your very best and if your project is chosen for publication, we’ll walk you through it and make you look fabulous!


C'mon...you know you wanna!!!!

Play - Sketchy Thursdays

Supplies Cardstock: Stampin Up; Journaling Spot: Advantus; Packaging: Prima; Acrylic Ink: Liquitex; Glitter Mist; Tattered Angels; Mask: The Crafter's Workshop; Gel Medium: Golden; Pens: Faber-Castell, Sakura; Other: Tape, thread

Thank you to everyone who stopped by for Tessa's 30th Birthday Precocious Paper Blog Hop!  Such awesome displays of creativity using Tessa's gorgeous flowers.  I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed creating for it!

Here's another inky fun creation, this time based on this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch:

I'm so glad to see a few new friends along for my little creative ride!  I hope I don't disappoint.  ;oD

I'd love to see all of you stop by Sketchy Thursdays and play along with us this week!

♥Heidi

Precocious Paper Blog Hop

Hey there!

I am so excited to be a part of Tessa's 30th birthday blog hop sponsored by her Etsy shop Precocious Paper!!!!   Tessa is an amazing person and an awesome artist and I'm so honored to celebrate her birthday with her. 

Ah, to be 30 again.  LOL!

Twenty designers (I can't believe I'm included among these artists!) are helping Tessa celebrate her birthday with some awesome projects featuring a variety of Precocious Paper goodies. 

Truly my favorites!!!

You can join in on all the fun by starting at Tessa's blog here.  If you've been hopping along and just arrived here from Julie's blog, you're in the right place!

I was lucky enough to be a member of Tessa's inaugural Precocious Paper Design Team and I can honestly say Precocious Paper flowers and embellishements are TRULY my favorites to work with.  So, when Tessa asked if I'd like to help her celebrate her birthday I jumped at the chance for an opportunity to showcase Tessa's beautiful flowers.  Anytime and anywhere I can!!  For the hop, I have a couple of projects to share with you.

Supplies Cardstock: The Paper Company; Flower: Precocious Paper; Glitter Mist: Maya Road; Markers: Copic; Pen: Faber-Castell; Mask: The Crafter's Workshop; Other: Thread

This layout features a beautiful fabric and felt Lollipop Flower.  The PP Lollipop Flowers are so beautiful and HUGE!  This one is about two inches across!!!  I love the ones in this sampler.

Supplies Flowers: Precocious Paper; Tape: Advantus; Stamps: Rubbernecker, Stampin Up; Ink: Tsukineko; Acrylic Ink: Liquitex; Pens: Faber-Castell, Sakura; Gel Medium: Golden; Other: Chipboard, gesso, newspaper, rub-ons 

This piece features Felt Roses in my favorite (and Tessa's!) color combination, red, turquoise and white.  I'm in awe of these little goodies - they're so tightly rolled with row upon row of petals.  Check out the ones Tessa's has in her shop right now: these, these and these.   

Would you like some Precocious Paper goodies to work with?

Tessa has added many new things to her shop as part of the celebration, so be sure to stop by and take a peek. If you use this code during check out - HMBBHFREE - you will receive free shipping and a free thank you gift. (International orders, $5 minimum please. No minimum on US orders.) This code is good through September 5th!


Would you like to WIN some Precocious Paper goodies? 

If you complete the entire hop, leaving a comment on every designer’s post, you will be entered to win the grand prize – the September, October, November and December Samplers! That’s a $54.00 value and dozens upon dozens of hand-crafted scrapbooking embellishments.

Follow Tessa’s blog to be entered to win a $20.00 credit to the shop.

Follow Precocious Paper on Facebook, you could win another $20.00 credit.

Tessa is also giving away surprise credits to blog hop participants, so be sure to leave a comment on this post!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! 

Next stop on the Precocious Paper bloghop: Jan Tatomir!

Happy Birthday, Tessa!!!!!!

♥Heidi

None of your beeswax!

OK, well maybe it is.  :oD 

I realized I'd never share with you the piece I'd made when I took a beeswax class a couple months ago. 

I've been interested in learning how to work with beeswax for a while now and finally got to take a class at a LSS from an awesome duo, Mike and Lesley of Jack & Cat Curio.  They're Ranger certified instructors and all around amazing mixed media artists. 

This piece is a sandwich of layers of printed material, stamps, a dress pattern and beeswax on a wood base.  I stamped directly into the beeswax on the top layer and finished it off with a few colors of Perfect Pearls including interference green which I MUST get my hands on!!!

Here's another view that gives you a little different perspective.  The Perfect Pearls made it hard to take a good non-reflective picture. 

I will defnitely be playing with beeswax more.  I happened to luck out and come across a few jars of it on seriously cheap clearance. 

Doing anything crafty this weekend? 

♥Heidi

sketchy thursdays sketch

The sketch I made for this week's Sketchy Thursdays challenge. 

Would love to see you play along with us!!!

♥Heidi

I gave in...

My cool little skater boy. 

I love his hair.

He does not. 

I think the last time I got it cut was last November.  :-O

Think it's about time I let him take control?

OK, so I didn't completely give him control. 

We compromised.   Short on the sides and back, a little longer in the front (for me!).

I had a HARD time watching.

Oh the humanity! The carnage...

For perspective, take a look at the size of the pile of hair compared to the size of the trash can.  We could make a small dog out of it!

Happy boy.

Reasonably happy mommy.

:-)

♥Heidi