Thank you!

Thank you everyone who came last weekend to the Christmas Card Marathon. Everyone seemed to have a great time, and Julia and I certainly did.

Here are a couple of photos I took on the day:

Before things kicked off - all the tables looking neat with the gift baggies on. They contained a couple of wooden shapes cut on the b*ll*cks machine, and a gingerbread house box with a chocolate in inside. The baggies doubled up as a handy way to carry your creations home safely.

Everyone having a busy creative time.

And for those of you who didnt make it this time, but might be tempted next time:

These are a couple of the cards we made this year - but there were 34 I think in total.

:-)

ally

Sneak peeks

Ok these are very sneaky peeks - after all we don't want to unveil the whole thing before the big day.

Something old - silk paper makes a return, with a cute stamp I bought for last year and then promptly lost and so couldn't use - but I found it so its back this year.



Something new - some nice turquoise card, and a new background stamp from Kars to make a funky retro card.



Something borrowed - well, I kind of borrowed the technique from the lovely Tim Holtz, but I'm sure he doesnt mind.



Something blue - glimmer mists/cosmic shimmer misted backgrounds (ok this is a rubbish picure but the shiney sparkly is hard to photograph).



There are of course lots of lovely cards to make, definately a case of something for everyone. If you haven't already - book soon, spaces are filling up.

Have a crafty Bank Holiday Monday.
:-)
ally

It's 9 weeks and counting....

...well strictly speaking it's 9 weeks, and 5 days, but that would be picky eh?

There are still a few more spaces to fill, and time to get your bookings in, so if you are still thinking about it - don't delay!

Come along and get all your Christmas cards done in one day, and have fun while you do it. We'll provide refreshments and lunch and all the bits you need for the cards (a list of what you need to bring will be sent out with booking confirmations).

As a little teaser, so far this year we have used glimmer mists/cosmic shimmer sprays, Tim Holtz new Christmas embossing folder and his Distress Inks, amongst the usual things. In fact at this rate we may well have to have a separate 'messy' table!

Check back this weekend, and I might have a sneak peak or two to tempt you.
:-)

Christmas Card Marathon

Summer is here. July is just about done, so it surely must be time to get ready for Christmas!

Now don't shoot the messenger, I am here just to let you know its only 3 months to the 2 Scrapladies Christmas Card Marathon -details below:-

Christmas Card Marathon

Saturday 30th October 2010
Tidworth, Hants
10am to 4pm

£40 per person

We're happy to announce another Marathon card making session in our usual format: we'll supply everything you need - sample to copy, instructions, papers, glitters, stamps, blah - to make a bunch of Christmas cards (one of each - about 25 if you do them all!). We'll be lurking to provide commentary and beverages, and there'll be a lovely home-made lunch too.

Booking is essential. There is an upper limit too, so don't delay especially if you want to come with a bunch of friends. We'd like a £10 deposit per person with your booking; if you want to, you can make an interim payment (half way to the date is about 15th September). Either way, all balances will be payable on the day, at the door. Payments can be made via Paypal or by cheque or cash of course. Once you've booked your spot, we'll confirm, and by email provide you with further details - route directions, what to bring.

Please read the small print:

- your deposit is not automatically refundable. If we know in advance that you can't come, we will do our best to fill your space and therefore return your deposit. (7 days in advance, minimum)
- Your deposit can be transferred to benefit another attendee if you give us notice that you aren't coming. (7 days notice, minimum)
- Your deposit is entirely safe and 'ring-fenced'. We will not be using it to buy resources or pay costs in advance. In the unlikely event that we have to cancel the day, your deposit will refunded within 48 hours of our cancellation announcement.

If you would like to book, please email Scraplady Julia.

Hope to see you there.

:-)

ally

Theres Still Time...

...for me to turn out another version of the clockhouse. I really like how this one turned out, so much so that this one is all stuck down and permanent, whereas the previous all coloured Paris version wasn't.

So this one is painted in the same cream paint, as the vintage one, stamped in orange, outlined in orange copic pen and then sponged with lemon, orange, and v pale green chalk ink. The photos were changed to black and white and then posterised in Photoshop so they look like drawings - kind of. I then printed them onto cream textured card which I then sponged lightly with the same green and orange ink pads. The background papers are basic grey.

There's still time to join in the fun, see the main post for details, or email Julia.

:-)

Colour

So, as promised here is the colour photo version of my clock house. Ok I will probably stamp it up some as well, but at the moment I'm still deciding it I like the purple or not, so I haven yet - likewise the circle window is still waiting that perfect picture. But I promsed the colour version and you can see from this how it might look.

Also for those who dont have a photo suitable to make long and skinny for the middle section, I made this version on which I have the photos smaller than the apertures so you can see the paper behind them.

The photos I used in the middle section are in fact some gorgeous ikea postcards I got a long time ago and scanned in and shrank to the size I wanted.

Hope this inspires you with your own clockhouses.

:-)

The Clock House

2 Scrap Ladies

proudly present

The Clock House Project

Saturday 15 May 2010

Tidworth, Hants

10am to 4pm

£40 per person

It's a house shaped blank, about 12" at it's highest point, with pre-determined 'windows' for photos and a clock on the roof - obviously. We've both done a sample and have plans to show you a couple more on the day - having finished one, we've come up with a kerjillion ideas for others.

We've thought long and hard about the format for this day. You'll need to dress down or bring a pinny and be prepared to get painty, inky, gluey, glittery - OK, you get it. We'd like you to come with some idea and a handful of photos - or a completely open mind - and use the resources we supply to make up a Clock House that makes you happy. Of course, if the idea sparks something in you and you have something that you HAVE to use - bring it! Scrap Lady Ally will provide a step by step guide to help you get the photos you want to use to the sizes to fit the windows. (Scrap Lady Julia has other manipulation skills).

The emphasis of the day will be on the creative process that brings you to a finished Clock House. Apart from lunch and any amount of beverages, we won't be adding gifts and goody bags or games with prizes to the agenda. You'll be too busy and we'd like you to think of it as money really well spent.

To book a spot, please email Scrap Lady Julia (click button in left margin).

We'd like a £20 deposit with your booking; the balance will be payable on the day. Payments can be made via Paypal or by cheque or cash of course. Once you've booked your spot, we'll confirm, and by email provide you with further details - route directions, what to bring - and Scrap Lady Ally's photo guide.

Please read the small print:

- your deposit is not automatically refundable. If we know in advance that you can't come, we will do our best to fill your space and therefore return your deposit. (7 days in advance, minimum)

- Your deposit can be transferred to benefit another attendee if you gve us notice that you aren't coming. (7 days notice, minimum)

- Your deposit is entirely safe and 'ring-fenced'. We will not be using it to buy resources or pay costs in advance. In the unlikely event that we have to cancel the day, your deposit will refunded within 48 hours of our cancellation announcement.

:-)

Colour!

Watch this space - another version of the house coming up any day soon. It was going to be just a colourful version of my previous one, but it kind of changed. The Cricut wanted to join in the fun, so there are some die cuts on it, and then I had some scraps of patterned paper....and you get the drift. Its more colourful, and completely different to the vintagey looking one.

Dont eat too many Easter Eggs!
:-)

Getting your photos ready

Its not long to the big day, so for those who want to use the apertures cut in the clock, here are the sizes you need your photos cut to:

The three square holes down the left hand side are 55mm x 55mm (5.5cm)
The terrifyingly large on in the middle is 185mm x 55mm (18.5cm x 5.5cm)
The two holes down the right hand side are 75mm x 55mm (7.5cm x 5.5cm)
The round hole in the chimney is 50mm in diameter. (5cm
The filmstrip pictures are 17x12mm (1.7cm x 1.2cm) - see told you they were tiny!

Now, if your photo printing programme won't let you tell it what sizes to print the photos, then you can do is in MS Word.

Open a Word document.
Go to the 'Insert Menu' along the top menu bar
Select 'Picture'
Then select 'From File'
Then go to the document that is your picture.

If you are wanting to do the filmstrip so using a lot of photos it may be easier to put them all in a special folder before hand.

If you have more than one photo in the same folder, or all of them in the same folder, then you can click on the first, hold down the shift key and click on the last one to select all of them. Alternatively you can click on one item, hold down the 'Ctrl key' and click on other items to just select a few.

Finally click on 'Insert' and the photos will be copied into your word doc.

Now you can individually resize each photo.

Click on you first photo little edit marks will appear round the edges.
With the picutre selected, click with the right mouse key and select 'Format Picture' from the drop down menu.
In the box that will pop up, click on the 'Size tab' along the top
Here you can put in the size you want the photo to be. Remember if your photo isnt square its no use telling it to be or it will be mishapen. This box also uses centimeters rather than mm.
Click on 'OK' when you are finished and the changes should appear to the photo.

If your photos are a little jammed together make spaces between them, by clicking with your mouse between a photo and then tapping the space bar to make a space.

Repeat the above for all your photos so that they are size you need for your clock project. Then just print them as you would normally in word, but select the approprate quality and paper type if you are printing them onto photo paper.

Have fun!

PS Don't worry, if you sign up for the class then these instructions and more will be sent out to you in time to get your photos ready.

...and now for something completely different!

This is my version of the Clock House.


As you can see I have used vintage photos, some stamping and painting, and its all just a little bit distressed. To satisfy my need to have something fiddly to do I have a strip of the tiniest photos with some of Tim Holtz filmstrip ribbon.

Panic not though dear scrappers, I will let you all know how to make your own photos turn black and white (if you dont already know) and what size you need them to fit the film strip.

There will also be a version not using the filmstrip for those who don't wish to go blind at an early age, and like Julia I am already thinking of other versions - like a colourful one - so watch this space.

:-)

Scrap Lady Julia's Clock House

Here it is, and I have to admit that it will be the first of many! You'll see from Ally's pictures that I flipped my house over and used the flat side; avoiding the 'window' shapes.
My photography is pants and I'm sorry about that. But you'll certainly be able to tell what we mean when we say gather an idea and come along ready to play!

By way of a story, the title is a double value one - for this clock is for my sweet English Sissy and she excels at spending time with her family - and she's had some hard times, so it is a double about time that they're all happy! I hope she'll get it.

And I hope you like it.

Scrap Lady Ally will post her first today too, and we'll follow up with others as the days draw on!

Its nearly time...

So book Saturday 15th May in your diaries and start looking at your photos, the next 2 Scrap ladies event is coming!

Watch this space for more teasing, sneak peaks and maybe even a look at the whole thing soon.
:-)

edited to amend the date - doh! (wheres the slaps head moticon?)

Hello!

Hello everyone.

Just so you dont think we Scrapladies have forgotten you all out there. We are working very hard on our next project, and hopefully a website that will be up and running in the near future too.

Dont forget, if you think you are too far away to come to one of our events, if you get enough friends together and somewere to have it, we may be able to come to you. Julia is really good at navigating, I consider it an achievement to find my way to work each day, and we both have cars (o gosh I've just jinxed them now).

:-)