Ranger U...

How lucky am I?
Well, very lucky as a matter of fact. Just recently I applied to Ranger U so I can learn all about all the amazing products Ranger Inks has to offer. I understood that I might not get accepted right away as there are only so many spots and quite a few applicants. I guess it must have helped that I am an instructor and the product manager for this line of products for the company I work for. All I can say is I am very thrilled to be getting this opportunity.
Now what does this mean for all my lucky students? New techniques and new product for us to explore. The event is in June so it may be July before I have a class with something new I have learned. That is if I can squeeze it in before heading off to CHA in July. Busy busy busy!
I may just have to wear this silly grin for most of Spring and Summer!
:-)

Who all went to Scrapfest?

Looks like many of us scrappers descended on Kitchener this weekend to participate in some classes and do some serious shopping. I was there Friday night and Saturday morning demoing Copic markers for The Scrapping Bug, a Kitchener based store. I talked and talked markers and paper and ink so I think many of you now have a good introduction to this medium. I must admit I am not the best colourer yet but I am practicing.

The best part about this show (other than the awesome shopping) is that I got to meet up with people I have not seen in a while. There were tons of ladies from my old Cherished Scrapbooks days that I haven't seen since that store closed almost a year ago. Fortunately we were able to share email addresses so we can get back in touch. Hopefully they will also find me here so we can get back to talking scrapping and sharing ideas.

Lost, the stamp or my mind?

I am pretty sure I bought this stamp.I have looked everywhere and can't find it. I seem to recall John and I at Mike's with a coupon and he helped me choose between this and another stamp. Is it possible that I have misplaced it or that I had a mature responsible moment and said to myself "nope, don't need it"?

*****Update*****

Do Black Holes multiply? Only the ones in my head I think. I found the stamp after searching high and low for it. It was hiding in my other purse that was sitting on my hall bench. Now why wouldn't I think of looking for it there when it was the last purse I had in use? I did look in all my other purses even though I know I hadn't used them for months. Go figure.

What I learned again from this experience is that I am turning in to my mother. Her thing is keys and I do not recall her ever being able to locate her keys immediately. It is always a huge search and they are almost always in the purse she is using. Hmm, maybe it isn't us afterall but has it is something to do with evil purses.

Quintessentially Me!

Materials: paper - Bazzil cardstock; flower stamps -Autumn Leaves; brads - American Craft; flowers - Doodle Bug, Making Memories & Prima Marketing; chipboard and ribbon - unknown.

This is the cover page of a black and white album I started a few years ago. Each layout is black and white with one other colour. The idea I had at the time was to see just what I could do using the stuff I have in my stash. It was also the beginning of my stamping on layouts phase (of which I don't think I have gotten out of). Some day I hope to get back to this project as I am interested in seeing how my style has changed since I first began. I know the challenge of just using my stash isn't really a challenge anymore as I do have a fair bit in my stash these days.

Laugh Out Loud

Materials: paper - Bazzil; assorted stamps; VersaFine ink by Tsukinelo; shape and alphabet dies by Quickutz; flower - Heidi Swapp; epoxy shapes - Making Memories.

Please somebody take my picture of me laughing like McGruff! Sometimes I laugh so hard (usually at myself) that I can barely catch my breath and then I start squeaking which makes me laugh even harder.

I have done variations of this and the layout above over the years. It is mostly just doodling with stamps and seeing what I can come up with. The best part is no two are the same. When I do this in a class I just bring a ton of my stamps and let the students run wild. It is amazing to see all the results especially those who often tell me they don't think they are that creative.

I think we all have a creative side and sometimes we just have to give ourselves permission to explore it.

Just a Little off Kilter...

Materials: paper - Bazzil cardstock and Basic Grey; alphabet dies - Quickutz; stamps - Autmn Leaves and Technique Tuesday, ink- VersaFine by Tsukineko; flowers - Prima Markeing; black sheep charm - Around the Block.

Another layout for my Black and White album.

I want a Cat's Life!

Materials: Guess what - more Basic Grey and Bazzil and more Quickutz too.

This is my cat Zephyr. She is definitely mamma's baby and is just a little spoiled. She has quite the personality and she brings such joy to every day. Even when she is "helping" me work on a layout or typing on the computer. Needless to say there may be a few cat hairs included on many of my layouts.

Hey Baby! You've got a little Cattitude!

Garden Party

Materials: paper - Basic Grey and Bazzil; dies by Quickutz, butterflies by CuttleBug; ink- Distress ink by Ranger; buttons & brad- Basic Grey.

This was one of the first layouts I did with my students when I went to teach at Scrapalicious after Cherished Scrapbooks closed. I had the pictures from my garden when I lived in Sarnia, several years ago. In fact, I have lots of garden photos from those days and could fill many scrapbook pages using that collection of pics. I am often inspired by songs when I create a layout and if you look at many of my layouts, the titles are often from song titles or lyrics form a song. Strangely enough, it is often the title that is my starting point when designing a layout.

Round and Round we go...

Materials: paper - Scenic Route & Bazzil, stamps - Inkadinkado and Technique Tuesday; ink VersaFine by Tsukineko; dies - Quickutz; tool - Coluzzle circle template.

I definitely love the music from the early 70's and Harry Chapin was big in those days. This song was running through my head and just wouldn't leave me alone. I believe this was one of the last layouts I did at Cherished Scrapbooks before it closed and I was feeling kind of sappy sentimental. (Shh, don't tell anyone). I also wanted to end off with a happy kind of vibe and I love blue and orange together. I don't know if I will ever add photos to this layout as I love the happy feeling I get when I look at it. Maybe I will just put the journalling on the back in case I ever need reminding of the good times I had teaching there.

To Infinity! And BEYOND!

Materials: paper - ? and Bazzil cardstock, shape and alphabet dies - Quickutz, inks - Brilliance, Staz-on and VersaFine by Tsukineko; stamps - Autumn Leaves, tools Coluzzle circle and star templates and Grommets by Making Memories.

This is one of many tool classes I did a few years ago. This series of classes I did was to encourage those who were ready to move beyond the trimmer to try and explore other tool options. Since the store I taught at was heavily into Quickutz, they were a part of just about every layout class I taught. In addition to Quickutz, I Incorporated the Coluzzle cutting tool, the grommet tool, stamps and different types of ink and my favourite scissors. It may be that the movie Toy Story was popular at the time.

Arnstein in Autumn

Materials: paper - Basic Grey and Bazzil cardstock; ink - Distress Ink by Ranger and VersaFine by Tsukineko; stamps - Inkadinkado, alphabet dies - Quickutz, leaf dies by SpellBinder

My friends tease me all the time about not putting pictures on my layouts. I do this partially because I believe that if there are pictures then my students often add their photos in the same way I have done. Without pics, I hope to see my students do their own thing and personalize their layout. Deviancy is highly encouraged! This time around I had pictures from a trip north to visit my father in law. He lives in what us city folk would consider the middle of nowhere. A small town just southwest of North Bay. The long drive in the Fall is spectacular though.

I don't know if you can see the detail on the die cut leaves. These are cut from the "solid" papers from this Basic Grey collection using the SpellBinder dies. When embossed and a little Distress ink applied, it is definitely hard to tell them apart from the real thing.

Butterflies are free...

Materials: paper -American Craft and Bazzil cardstock; alphabet and shape dies - Quickutz; stamps - Technique Tuesday and Autumn Leaves; ink - VersaFine by Tsukineko; flowers - Heidi Swapp; eyelets, brads and buttons - American Craft.

This was a tool class that I did a few years ago that was one of my most popular classes to date. I don't know how many times I taught this class but I think maybe once too many. LOL This class always ran overtime, sometimes way overtime. I don't know why, everything was simple enough. There are elements I really like about this layout but I think if I was to do it all over again I would choose different colours. I guess that is the thing about looking at our earlier stuff. All in all I still like the layout and may even one day find photos to go on it. One thing that is surprising, I believe I did this during my Funky Chicken phase and I am surprised that I didn't find a way to work that shape die on to the layout.