Happy Birthday to ME!

Aren't birthday's fun? I'm not so old that I dread them yet. My mom and dad sent me this beautiful flower cake. It smells great and it's calorie free. PERFECT!

But since giving is always better than receiving, I have a gift for you. Below are the instructions on how to create a simple 2-sided acrylic layout. I was scheduled to teach this class at Yellowbird Scrapbooking but the owner forgot to advertise the date it was offered (no kidding!) so I chose not to teach it. You can use any papers, trims, and rub-ons that you want. You could even adapt this to a regular layout if you want.

Class Description:

If you’ve ever been a little intimidated by acrylic, this is the class for you. This class is packed with techniques and products! There’s so much you can do with acrylic and we’ll start with inking, cutting, punching, and pasting it to make this 2-sided layout. We’ll also learn about inks, adhesives, paper tearing, and how to use the Xyron create-a-sticker tool and a Crop-a-Dile.

Techniques learned in Class:

· Inking on acrylic and paper

· Adding glitter to acrylic

· Applying rubons to paper, acrylic and photos

· Adhering onto acrylic

· Cutting acrylic

· Punching and setting eyelets on acrylic using a Crop-a-Dile

· Using the Xyron create-a-sticker tool

· Paper tearing

Supplies needed:

12" by 12" acrylic piece, Staz-On white ink, brown ink (any type), Crystal Stickles, Xyron Create-a-sticker, glue dots or ATG gun, Zip dry, scissors, pop dots, and a Crop-a-Dile, 2 eyelets, trim to hang it if you wish, shaped paper to trace, 1 piece of 2 sided patterned paper, Fancy Pants rub ons, 3 white paper flowers, pearls for the flower centers, brown cardstock, and 3 4" by 6" photos.

“Dreams” Side 1

1. With the protective film still on, trace a piece of shaped paper. Cut the acrylic into that shape.
2. Remove one side of the protective film.
3. Use Staz-On white ink to ink the edges of the Acrylic. You only need to do one side.
4. Tear a large piece of the purple/green paper leaving the purple flourishes along the botton.
5. Ink the edges brown.
6. Adhere this paper, purple side up, onto the acrylic using Zip dry, glue dots or an ATG gun. You will be able to see the green side through the second side.
7. Apply the large flourish rubon to the bottom left corner. The rubon will over lap onto both the paper and the acrylic.
8. Apply small brown flourish to the right side of the paper, vertically. This will border your photo mat.
9. Beneath the brown flourish, adhere 2 white flowers. If you want, apply purple Glimmer Mist to the white flowers to match them to the paper. We used the color “True Purple.” The center will be a pearl.
10. To the left of the flower above, apply the large purple flower rubon. On top of that, adhere a white flower and a pearl center.
11. Tear a piece of brown paper to mat your photo. Either a 4” by 6” or a 5” by 7” should fit. Adhere it onto the purple paper.

Side 2

1. Remove the second side’s protective film.
2. Tear more of the purple paper and ink the edges.
3. Adhere it onto the acrylic, making sure you see the green paper from the first side.
4. Adhere lace to the bottom of the green paper’s border.
5. Adhere a small piece of velvet ribbon over the lace onto the acrylic.
6. Adhere a 5” by 7” and a 4” by 6” photo.
7. Apply Rub on quote to purple paper above the 4” by 6” photo.
8. Adhere the 3 small white flowers.

Flip over your project to side 1

1. Apply Stickles to the edge of the acrylic making a dotted pattern. Remember that stickles takes a little while longer to dry on acrylic than on paper.
2. Accent the flourish of the purple paper, the flower/flourish rubon, and the word “Dreams” with Crystal Stickles.
3. Using a Crop-a-Dile, punch holes in the top of the Acrylic sheet. Set 2 silver eyelets. (Traditional eyelet tools will not work.)

4. String ribbon through the eyelets to make a hanger. Add other ribbon pieces to the large ribbon.

Also... Today marks the day until 6 months until Christmas!!! That sent me in a bit of a panic since I'm not done scrapbooking last Christmas. Here's a new layout:

Complete with hidden journaling. ;)
Thanks for checking in! I hope you try the acrylic layout!
Cheers!
Christy

New classes

I'm so excited to be teaching at Yellowbird Scrapbooking again! My last canvas class at Yellowbird sold out so I'm planning to do another canvas class there this round. I've had babies on my mind lately (hint!) so this canvas is called "Oh Baby!" It teaches basic collage techniques and students can choose to do a pink version or a blue version. I think these would be a nice wedding gift too. Just leave off the title. The class is only $20 and everything is included in your kit. If you can't make it to the class, you can just buy a kit. I've included instructions.The other class I'm teaching is a 2-sided acrylic layout. I only opened it up to 5 students this time since none of the acrylic classes seem to sell well at Yellowbird. Not sure if its the projects or that ladies just aren't interested in working with acrylic. I'm calling this one "Shabby-Chic Dreams". I'm not crazy about it but there's a lot to learn in this class and it comes with a ton of product. If you wanted to take any of these classes, you can register here.
Thanks for checking in! Have a great day!
Christy

I'm back...

Oh dear blog... I am alive. I'm sorry I've neglected you. It's not that I don't care. Its just that I've been so busy and you... well... you obviously don't care since you're reading this anyway. I'm happy that you've returned to read more into my crazy, creative, rather normal life.

My mama was here visiting for a little over a week and we had a great time. She's rebounding from her last round of chemo and her numbers are within a normal range for the first time in 9 years! Thank God! That woman is an amazing piece of strength and inspriation. my only regret from her visit is that I didn't take more pictures. I've also been busy making a couple projects for the next classes that I'll be teaching at Yellowbird Scrapbook Store. I saw this idea at the Daisy Bucket booth at CHA. I'd love to claim that idea as my own but ... that wouldn't be right. I did use different papers and stitched through the canvas. It's such a fun project and it'll cost only $20. i'll teach it on March 25th and on April 18th. You can sign up for it online here.

Here's a side view so you can see all the dimension.
The other class I'm teaching is a 2-sided acrylic layout class. My budget was increased for this class so it has a whole lot more embellishments and fun bright papers. I really think this is a new favorite class because it's so full of techniques. You'll be an acrylic pro after this class. Painting techniques, stampling, cutting, adding glitter (2 ways), punching, layering acrylic, and so much more. This class is on March 11th and April 9th. You can sign up for it online here.

I have so much trouble taking photos of acrylic projects. Anyone have suggestions? These are a little hard to see all the details with the green wall behind it.

Allright, there's my shameless plug for my new classes. Thanks for checking in!

Acrylic class

I've started teaching classes at Yellowbird Scrapbook store and this year, I'm holding an acrylic series. I love working with acrylic and I've noticed so many people are intimidated by it because it is a new medium. So the idea for this series is you can learn different acrylic techniques with each class. If you take one class, you'll end up with a nice wall-hanging or acrylic layout. If you take more of the classes, we'll bind them into an album at the end of the year.

All the projects are 2 sided. This first class is rather basic but we'll be building from here. Its next Monday night, February 9th and its only $15. you can sign up online here.

Side 1

Side 2

Class Description

If you’ve ever been a little intimidated by acrylic, this is the class for you. This class is packed with techniques! There’s so much you can do with acrylic and we’ll start with inking, cutting, punching, and gluing it to make this 2-sided layout. We’ll also learn about inks, adhesives, paper tearing, and how to use the Xyron create-a-sticker tool and a Crop-a-Dile. This is the first class in a series of acrylic classes. Take one and you’ll have a nice layout or wall hanging. Take them all and you’ll have an acrylic album full of your year’s memories. Every class you’ll learn new acrylic techniques.

Techniques learned in Class:

· Inking on acrylic and paper

· Adhering onto acrylic

· Cutting acrylic

· Punching and setting eyelets on acrylic using a Crop-a-Dile

· Using the Xyron create-a-sticker tool

· Paper tearing

· Using Stickles to apply glitter

Supplies needed:

Staz-On white ink, black ink (any type), white pen, black pen, Crystal Stickles, Xyron Create-a-sticker, glue dots or ATG gun, scissors, and a corner rounder.

Optional supplies: Crop-a-Dile, Zip Dry glue.

Some things you can make...

I've been busy creating so many new projects. The kids have been sick so they've been sleeping more and we've been confined to the house. My lack of adult interaction has been vented through my scrap projects.

After the CHA new releases of Halloween lines, I've been inspired to use more of last year's stuff. BTW, have you seen the new Pink Paislee Halloween line called Vintage Moon. I LOVE IT! Oh, but I also adore the Halloween Cosmo Cricket line. Oh and Little Yellow bicycle has these fabulous velvet embellishments. Oh the excitement! Ha... I'm such a scrap nerd. But its that energy that inspired this creation.

Here's how you can make it: This is a 12 by 12 sheet of acrylic cut to this shape ( I just traced another piece of paper this shape). I inked the edges with Staz-On black, added some patterned paper (the purple spiderweb paper is from Making Memories, the black glittery paper is from Doodlebug, the witch shoes are from Reminisce patterned paper), and the bat and the saying are a sticker from Rusty Pickle. I punched holes in the top with my crop-a-dile and set the eyelets. With a little black rickrack, it makes such a spooky wall hanging. I hope you'll try it!
This next project started as a design team challenge for Yellowbird Scrapbook Store. The challenge was to "Go Green" by taking something that would have been trash and give it new life. I was not really excited about this challenge because quite frankly, trash doesn't excite me. But after a few cups of coffee, this coffee can became inspiring and is now our dog's treat bucket. This would also make an adorable cookie jar or piggy bank.

Here how you make it: Cover the coffee can with patterned paper. This paper from Sonburn Designs already had the cute dog pattern. Add the felt yellow scalloped trim from Creative Cafe to border the pattern. Add letter stickers to spell "TREATS". These letters are from American Crafts remarks book. Then I added black rickrack to the edge of the top. The top is embellished with dog buttons from "Dress it Up." I just cut off the back of the buttons with a scissors. Just make sure you use a heavy-duty glue for these. Last one here was another assignment for the design team. The project uses all items from Daisy D's or from around the house. My favorite part is the denim pocket. Madeleine had outgrown a pair of shorts and I simply couldn't wait to give them a new life.


The flowers are circles cut from plain cotton fabric (old sheets, a dish towel or curtain linings work great.) I cut them using my pinking shears but using a straight edge or fraying the edge of the fabric looks nice too. You gather the flower in the center and stitch it together (at the center) when you've arranged it the way you like. I brushed the tips with copper colored acrylic paint and added a brad. The ribbon "stem" is loosely adhered to the page with glue dots.
I hope you make some of these things. Feel free to email me or comment if you want more instructions or have questions. I'd also love to see what you make from these ideas.

Cheers!
Christy

Another Clear Post

I just wanted to share another acrylic creation. I made this one for the design team at my LSS and this has been my favorite assignment yet! Its a 12 by 12 wall hanging using an acrylic sheet and the words are acrylic too. You can see through it so it was hard to photograph. (Any tips on photographing acrylic?)



Madeleine looks so sweet in that picture!

Now, I'm off to a grown-up lunch. Tee...hee! No kids! Wahoo! Can you tell I'm a little burned out? 10 days until Puerto Rico!