Photo Frames

The glass from 20 frames had their glass broken when delivered at a local shop. They were tried to be returned to the supplier but as they did not want the hassle of picking them up again gave a full refund and said for the shop owner to dispose of them as they want. It was mentioned to me and I asked if I could have them. I could see with a little bit of work I could transform them with the plan of giving some as Christmas presents.

This is what I did:-

1. Bought the frames home from the shop in batches and removed the broken glass.
2. Removed the words "mom", "dad", "+" and "me" which had been badly stuck onto the frames.
3. Used a combination of cream cleaners to clean the frames and with the aid of a scouring sponge to remove any remnants of glue.
4. Wiped down the frames with Tim Holtz alcohol solution.
5. Using felt applicators and Tim Holtz alcohol inks to colour frames and create pattern. With each frame I got a different end result from the combination of ink colours I used and how I applied them to the frames.
6. Using some OHP sheets (the old versions which can't go through a printer but instead have to be hand written in with permanent pens) I cut them down to size to act as the glass to the photo frames.

I used up a lot of my alcohol inks which are not cheap but I did decorate 20 frames. And I had bought these inks a long time ago so it was good to finally use them. The few photos I need I will print at home, anf the OHP “glass” was from a pile that dad had got from his work when they were all going to be thrown away/ So all in all it’s a perfect "free" Christmas present.

One frame had some ink colour "splodges" which I could not remove. So instead I got some butterfly stickers and stuck to the frame to cover them up. Though defiantly not to everyone's liking it’s a perfect candidate to give to Nan.

I gave the shop owner some back once they had been "transformed" for him to sell as I did not need them all. He has already sold two!

And as for Christmas presents I am just left with finding photos, printing them off and fitting into frames and voila.

(Photos to follow)

Photos Developed

It was the first time I have got photos developed since doing the Big Picture Class "Finding your Way". This class helped me to understand that I am a single page 6x4" photo. However sometimes there is an event where lots of photos are taken and a series of photos is needed to tell the story.

Where as before I a would print all my photos at 6x4 then try to cut them down and fit onto a single page - normally making me not feel happy with the finished result. This time I thought of the stories I may want to tell. Printed off single 6x4 photos where the whole story could be told and then using adobe photocopy elements package merged two photos onto a single 6x4 photo size to cater for those events/stories where more than one photo needed to be used. This way I could either use photos that size or cut them down so they were smaller. Plus it also meant I could get more photos printed for less money!

When I got the photos back from the developers I was really pleased with the results. Now I just need to scrapbook some of them!

Thank You Card

Mick had not only kindly bought a bureau which was just the perfect size for my house he also treated it with woodwork treatment. So a thank you card was defiantly in order.

I played around with my alcohol inks on some cheap 7x5 photo paper until I was happy with the results - a piece to use as background and another for a strip for the ribbon to be mounted on.

It took a long time to get it all compiled so that I was happy with the results. Mick was really pleased to not only have a thank you card but also to have a handmade card. So all the time I spent on it was worth it.

28 Days of Sketches

I was in two minds if I should sign up for this class as I have learnt from “Finding my Way” that I need to understand my own style rather than copying someone elses pages directly. But the idea of seeing a range of peoples interpretations on a sketch, identifying those elements or layouts which inspire me and using the sketch as a basis for my own layouts and what is really “me” sounded to good an opportunity to pass up.

Unfortunately this class ran during a very busy month for me with commitments outside of my scrapbooking world so I was hindered to the amount of attention I could give towards this class.

I did look at the handouts and the gallery – thank goodness for some internet access on my mobile phone. But I was disappointed that there were not more examples of totally different interpretations of the sketches by other BPC teachers. I think this would of been very useful in the current position I am in understanding what my own scrapbooking style is.

I am currently working on one layout from a sketch in the class. I am pleased with the way it is turning out but it is taking some time to complete – a combination of other commitments and my playing around with the items to use on my layout and their position.

I do know that not having the sketch out all of the time has helped me scrapbook my way rather than doing a straight copy of the sketch. And I do look forward to using other sketches from this class to inspire me to scrapbook other layouts.

Photo Freedom

Thanks to Big Picture Scrapbooking for giving me the opportunity to undertake this class again as a 2010 alumi.

I thought I was doing really well with the implementation of the system and “tweaked” it for myself. And that in part is true. But there are so many things I have forgotten about which would make my system even better.

The main thing I am going to be looking at is using Adobe Photoshop more effectively. So need to get the manual out and learn how to do things on the programme to utilise it fully.

Where am I know at the end of “Finding Your Way” class?

Well I am still on the journey to discovering my own style, what makes me happy. I continue to experiment with how I do my journaling and ways to identify which are the best ways for each layout.

Creating layouts is taking me longer but this is because I am playing around with items on my pages till I get the “feel right, look right” moment. I know the advice from “Finding Your Way” was just to stick things down and not think about it but I just can’t make myself do it. I don’t want to fill my scrapbooking albums with more layouts which I do not like.

Cheap and Lazy Embellishments

Embellishments can be very expensive in the UK and as I am on a tight budget, and would rather spend the money I do have on paper, I am using up embellishment items I already have or making my own things using items/ diecut machines etc which I invested in some time ago.

I tend to make my own embellishments in batches so they are there ready to go as I need them when scrapbooking. I think that I can do this as I tend to use “standard” items which are not specific to the latest fashion in embellishments or specific patterned paper.

I think before investing time in creating your own embellishments you need to know:

1. What your “go to” embellishments are.
2. What effects you always use/like (e.g. embossed, distressed, glitter effect).
3. What colours you will use the

This does mean I spend some of my scrapbooking time preparing these embellishments but when I do sit down I can actually create and my work flow is not interrupted. Currently I have been working out from Finding Your Way exactly what my answers are to these questions before I prepare any more embellishments.

I buy chipboard items such as swirls, borders, shape chipboard pieces but don’t actually use them on my layouts. Instead I use them as a template, drawing around and then cutting out on whatever cardstock or patterned paper I want to use. I may stick these down flat on my layout as it was the shape rather than the dimension I wanted or use foam pads to give it additional dimensions. (I know not something all those scrapbooking manufactures want to hear!)

I have learnt that I prefer to use black lettering and the preferred size of font. I have therefore invested in a pack of 12x12 black cardstock and am currently cutting out different style alphabets using my Cricut machine. This means that I have been able to cut out more of those letters you always run out of when you buy stickers/thickers and it works out a lot cheaper.

To make my own chipboard letter I have also bought a sheet of black mount board to cut out the Lollipop alphabet using my Sizzix machine.

All of this is time consuming and does mean I spend some of my scrapbooking time preparing these embellishments but when I do actually sit down to create they are there and my work flow is not interrupted. I suppose I consider it a bit like organising my scrapbooking room and supplies so that the most used things are close to hand.