Friday, December 30, 2011

Introduction To Copic Markers Class

Have you been thinking of trying your hand at Copic Markers and just don't know where to begin?

I will be teaching a beginners course on Saturday January 14th in Cornwall at Auntie Em's Scrapbooking.

This course will include SIX markers!  I will teach you the different blending techniques and help you perfect your new knowledge.

I guarantee you will have a great time!

Spaces are limited, so please contact the Store to reserve your spot - 613-938-4888

Where: Auntie Em's Scrapbooking 109 11th St. Cornwall.
When: Saturday January 14th 1:30
What to bring:  If you currently have any Copic Markers, feel free to bring them, but not needed.
Cost: $60.00 + HST
Contact: Emma or Laura 613-938-4888


Your class kit will include the following:
6 Markers: R39, R29, YG93, YG95, YR24, and my favorite BG10!
Images stamped on Copic's own X-Press It - best for Copic paper.
Assortment of different papers to experiment with
An educational information package for the note takers :o)


If you have the above markers and do not wish to duplicate, you can exchange for any colour we have in stock on January 14th ONLY, before the class begins.

Looking forward to sharing with you!

~Lorena~

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Auntie Em's Christmas Card Exchange

What a fantastic array of Christmas cards for the Auntie Em's Christmas card exchange on December 3rd. 
Did you miss out?  Well we will be having another card exchange in about 6 months.  We usually try to have one in the summer and one in the winter.

What is a card exchange and how does it work you ask?  Well, simple, you design a card and make 20 of the same card and include envelopes and join 19 other crafty ladies who have done the same and exchange.  You will end up with 20 different cards, one of which will be your own.


Here is a shot of some of the cards, and close up of two of my personal favorites (however neither of these two won the grand prize)

Good job ladies!  I'm so excited over the multitude of different and very well done cards I received!

~Lorena~

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Have you been Inspired?

Your Auntie Em's Design Team has another reveal for you!  With Christmas just around the corner the December Page Maps from the Scrapbook & Cards Today Calendar was a great inspiration to me.   Emma (with a little influence from me) chose the Basic Grey "Jovial" collection from 2010 - I must admit this still remains my favorite Christmas line of all times!  Emma still has a little of it left in the store and this month all Basic Grey Jovial is 10% off when you mention that you have been "Inspired"

For my layout I choose a great photo of my daughter on her first Christmas.  I fussy cut (and those of you who know me, know how much I *love* to fussy cut) some of the snowmen and snowflakes from one of the patterned papers and popped them up on some of the circles.  I also used a Trinket from Bo Bunny and some Webster's Pages Trim.  The poinsettias are about as old as my stash is, they must be at least 6 years old - lets put it this way they are older than when Prima started dating everything on their tins; and since they don't even use tins anymore - they are old LOL!!

The journaling I snagged from an AWESOME 600+ page book available at Auntie Em's called "Inspiration Station" it is just full of verses and quotes and poems.  Also it has a whole section devoted to layout titles!  Great if you are stuck for writing something or just want to add a little bit of sophistication to your page.   You won't be disappointed with this book!

Again I used my sewing machine to stitch around the outside of my layout and inked with distress ink, um... just about everything!

Well that's it, I hope you enjoyed my take on this Page Map - remember to stop by the store and mention that you have been Inspired, and you will receive 10% off all Basic Grey Jovial collection!




Mellisa's take on the sketch:

Up front, I need to apologies for the quality of these photos.  While the convenience of taking photos with my iPhone is wonderful, the loss of a battery charger has rendered my beautiful DSLR unusable.  (I am assuming that I plugged it in to charge a battery somewhere and left without it ... ugh!)  This means that, while I wait for my new charger and battery to arrive (hopefully before Christmas), I have no choice but to iPhone it and deal with the outcome.  (breathe, Lorena ... BREATH!! I promise it'll be okay. *wink*)

Creating this layout was a bit of a challenge for me, I have to admit.  The sketch didn't 'speak' to me like others did but I also found that I just couldn't go beyond what I did.  Simplifying this simple sketch was all I could do no matter how many things I tried and how many embellishments I added (then removed); straight to the point with the title also expressing what my journalling would say ... that there is no place like being at home for the holidays.  By removing the bottom elements of the sketch, the eyes stay focused on what I perceive to be important ... a few elements of Christmas at home (mine & my Mom's) that represents what Christmas is to me ... with just one glance.


 I did a bit of Photoshopping on this photo, adding a red border and 'Season's Greetings' for a different effect.  Unbeknownst to me until I got home, the processing chopped off the bottom of the fancy G's.  Oops

 A few ornamental photos taken from my Mom's Christmas tree last year.  The flashed out photo is actually the dining room table all set for Christmas brunch .. an annual tradition at my Momma's house and my absolute
favourite part of Christmas.

I coloured this chipboard heart with my Fire Brick distress pad and stickled it for dimension before
adhering to another chipboard circle.



While I know that this isn't our last post of 2011, I recognize that things get very busy during this time of year between shopping, Christmas festivities, family and friends so, with that in mind, I would like to take a moment to say, on behalf of Emma, Laura, Lorena, Sue, Michelle and myself, that we wish all of you the very Merriest of Christmas' and the Happiest of New Years. Happy Holidays.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Stamp Exchange

Something to share .... Auntie Em's is doing a monthly stamp exchange.

How does it work you ask?  Bring 3-5 of your favorite stamps, ink, stamp cleaner and paper/cardstock to stamp on and join others doing the same.  Stamp images using other's stamps.

If you bring a sample of your stamp (card, tag etc.) you get your name entered into a draw!

Then.... next month you bring your creations that you made with the stamped image from the previous month and everyone gets to vote on their favorite sample - for yet another prize!!

Sound good?  Well it was alot of fun creating with the stamps that everyone brought last month.

Here are some samples of cards I created.






This month the theme was Christmas stamps, so it's going to be alot of fun seeing all the Christmas cards that everyone made with the stamps.

Next month's theme is going to be FLORAL - get creative, dig out your best flowers and floral background stamps and the like!

Call the store to reserve your spot.


~Lorena~

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Design Team Reveal - November - Monthly Inspiration

November has arrived and with it brings the knowledge that Christmas is only a month away, and that the long cold winter is going to be upon us sooner that you think, and if you are like me, sooner than you *want* it to.So, the Auntie Em's design team has again used the Page Maps Calender to create the Monthly Inspiration.

This month Emma gave us Bo Bunny's Et Cetera line to work with!  I was so excited to play with this collection, I had been anticipating it's arrival for, no word of a lie, a month!  So, all the month of November Bo Bunny's Et Cetera collection is on SALE - 10% off, all you have to do is say you "were inspired" at the cash.  It's that easy!

So here you go, up first is my take on the challenge - I also did 3 cards with some of the leftovers (I love that line so much I didn't want to waste anything)

 So Hungry I Could Eat My Socks




3 Cards:



Mellisa will post her layout very soon, so please stand by!

In the meantime, stop by the store and mention that you were "inspired" and you will receive 10% off all Bo Bunny Et Cetera line for the entire month of NOVEMBER!  How cool is that?

As always feel free to stop by my blog HERE

~Lorena~ 


Sunday, October 2, 2011

October Inspiration Design Team Reveal

Time again for another reveal from the Page Maps Calendar for Auntie Em's Scrapbooking.


This month Mellisa and I used Basic Grey's Sugar Rush collection and a Doily from Basic Grey and some sparklers from Webster's Pages.


The Sugar Rush collection was alot of fun to play with, there are so many colours that you can really pull out from this line.  I did two layouts, one I kept very basic and straight forward and the 2nd layout I used more details and alot more colour.


Lorena's Take:

 "Hangin Out"

The journaling reads:
"You guys have so much fun on the swings.  This was a fantastic fun day in Winchester, April 9, 2011"
Supply list:
Pattered Papers: Basic Grey Sugar Rush collection, Bazill Basics, Basic Grey Doily
Flowers: Prima Londonerry collection
Jewls: Webster's Pages
Chipboard Letters: Basic Grey
Machine Stitching - Husqvarna


Lorena's Take #2

   "Dad & Daughter"





I loved all the colours of this line, but didn't know how to use all that paper without it fighting with itself. I decided to roll little bits of it and hide it under the vellum of my title.  I used vellum again on the journaling which is a poem I nabbed from the net on scrapbook.com - it reads:


"Dream Come True: a daughter is a dream come true, pink lace, ribbons, fluff and froufrou, giggles, kisses, bubbles and bows, she's such a sweet dear from her head to her toes."


Supply list:
Basic Grey - Sugar Rush collection patterned paper and doily
Vellum
Prima flowers
Basic Grey brads
White Pigment ink - Stampin' Up
bubble wrap

Mellisa's Take

       "A Day T Remember"




This month the Inspirational sale at Auntie Em's is Basic Grey Doilies - you can save 10% off every doily you buy just by saying that you were "inspired"


Enjoy! 

~Lorena~

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

September Inspiration Sale - My Mind's Eye - Stella & Rose

September is upon us, the kiddies back in school. The crisp Autumn air is around us, and Christmas is less than four months away! 
So, without further adieu, September also brings another PageMaps reveal. Mellisa and I received some Bo Bunny new Double Dot, and some more of Emma's favourite Stella & Rose from My Minds Eye. She also provided some flower pins and crocheted flowers.
Mellisa's take on the sketch:




Lorena's take on the sketch:

I must say, this 3 photo layout was alot easier to do, since I knew I wanted to do a layout of my son's first haircut ... boy did he need it, what a shaggy mop top he had going on before that hair cut. This weekend he is going to have his 3rd haircut. Time really flies, soon I won't be measuring time by the number of haircuts my kids have had, but the number of baby teeth that have fallen out, then by the number of A's they got on their report card, followed by the number of sleepless nights I've had worrying about them being out too late ... and life goes on like that.



Supplies:

Patterned Paper = My Minds Eye (background), Bo Bunny (brown), Basic Grey (orange), Graphic 45 (blue)
Embelishments = Prima (flowers), Petaloo (crochet flowers) stick pins (I believe they are Little Yellow Bicycle)
Journaling = Journaling card by MME, rubons Karen Foster
Other: Ranger Distress Ink, twine, Glimmer Mist, brads (Basic Grey, Stampin Up, dollar store)

Mellisa's Inspirational take on the sketch coming soon :o)


This month all My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose collection is on sale - all you have to do is say "I was Inspired" at the cash when you are purchasing anything from this collection.


You can link to Lorena's blog here, and Mellisa's blog here for more inspiration.

Be sure to show us your creations too!


~Lorena~


Here's Mell's photo of her take of the page map sketch....fingers crossed lets hope I can do this!




you can uncross your fingers - looks like I did it!!  Now I know why I was leary of a blog but Lorena and Mell assured me it wouldn't be hard - to count on them and that I do! I know Mell would say more about her photo and the techniques she applied to her layout - however she is unavailable! So you just get me rambling, sorry! Hope you enjoy the layouts and don't forget to drop by the store and check out the MME Stella and Rose Collection - something for everybody!
Emma :)
P.S. We have a fabulous Sale on right now!! Come and see



Tuesday, August 2, 2011

August Design Team Reveal

Wow, August is already here, that means that summer is half over .... for the optimists out there, we still have half a summer left!  Myself I'm looking forward to August because I am taking some vacation.

For the August layout Mellisa and I were both excited to be using the Bo Bunny Gabrielle line of paper.  And I was doubly excited over a layout sketch that only has one photo on it!  Again we were using the Scrapbook & Cards Today calendar sketch for the month of August.

Peek-A-Boo

The photo for this LO was taken at the Tulip Festival in Ottawa. I used Glossy Accents by Ranger for my lettering.  I layered several pieces of chipboard to add dimension.  The flowers are Prima and Websters Pages with a couple of vintage brads.  The journaling I did with my antique typewriter.  You can find more detail about the products I used at my blog here




I loved this layout sketch so much that I did it twice, here is my 2nd layout.

Your Radiant Smile





Mellisa never ceases to amaze me with her fantastic eye for detail and flare for style.  She did this fascinating layout on canvas!  Leave it to Mellisa to put multiple photos on a single photo sketch - I'm in awe how she makes (or anyone for that matter) multiple photos work on a page.  Mellisa decided to play up the blue and browns of the Gabrielle line - where I chose the peach.  You can see more details on Mellisa's blog here.

The Beauty of Friendship






Looking at these projects, I can't believe this is the same paper line! 

Remember, for the entire month of August you will receive a 10% discount on all Bo Bunny Gabrielle products when you say "I was Inspired"


Enjoy!

~Lorena~

Thursday, July 7, 2011

July PageMaps Design Team Challenge

It's that time again, time for your Monthly Inspiration! This month Emma chose Echo Park's "Life Is Good" collection.  Full of florals, pinks browns and blues this collection is perfect for a little girl or even a boy layout. 

I chose to showcase my daughter and husband's love for sweets.  I call this layout "Sweet Tooth Teeth" because I certainly know where she gets her sweet tooth, and it ain't from me!


 and now for ....

Mellisa's layout:  Life's Delight

We started with identical paper, and even though we had the same paper they are still quite different.  Mellisa and I always work on our layouts separate and don't compare until we are each done.  Most times they are so different you can't even tell they were from the same sketch.  I think this month you can see the similarities though.  Tell us what you think!  Leave a comment!




Remember you can get Echo Park all this month on sale at Auntie Em's by saying "I was INSPIRED"

Enjoy and happy crafting!

~Lorena~

Monday, June 27, 2011

June Page Maps Challenge

Some how the month of June escaped us without a Challenge Blog post.  The layouts were however hanging in the store, and the inspirational product of the month was CARDSTOCK.  

Cardstock doesn't have to be boring - you can emboss it, stamp it, layer it all to get different effects and dimension.

Please excuse the lighting on this layout - it doesn't give the photo justice.


On the background of this layout I used an embossing relief technique.  I used clear ink (Versamark) and stamped a background image and used a clear embossing powder to heat emboss it.  I think used watered down Distress ink to colour the paper.  The ink will not set where the clear embossing is, leaving your stamped image to come to life.

I also stamped with a script stamp on the cardstock before I made my flowers to give them some interest.  Add some glimmer mist, stitching, distressing and some punches and there you have it!



For my final layout I used Bo Bunny's double dot - which I consider cardstock but it is technically Patterned Paper.  I had some amazing photos of an orange flower just covered in dew drops.  I mimicked the dew drops with glossy accents.




Mellisa used a lot of texture too on her layout.  She used several different embossing folders on a metallic paper and then rubbed paint to highlight the valleys and peaks to the texture.  She uses some amazing photo editing to bring out only one colour in her photos to make the hair stand out.  Fantastic job with simply cardstock Mellisa!





~ Lorena ~