28/09/2009

Using Alcohol Inks

The Paper Symphony Spring Break has come and gone and I have to say it was a fantastic weekend. Thank-you to the wonderful ladies who came along and made it fabulous. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I hope you enjoyed trying a few new things as well as getting some photos scrapbooked.

In my class I showed the ladies a simple way to use alcohol inks to create embellishments. Kate from Crafty Tart asked me to make a video a while back so I have finally done it and here it is if you’d like to see this easy technique. In the class, I precut a number of shapes out of glossy cardstock that once inked up could be layered to create dimensional embellishments. There are a heap of colours and they all blend together nicely so with just a few you can make a multitude of different combinations to get just the right thing to match you layout.

This is the layout from the class. You can see the layered flowers.

Montessori Farewell

I used the butterflies created in the video for this page using the new Basic Grey Indian Summer paper. A perfect match.

Walk with me Dad

07/09/2009

This Weekend …

Wow, the Spring Break is on this weekend. I am packing up class kits and challenge packs and trying to work out if I can fit all my scrapping supplies in my car. Maybe I need a trailer. ;-) Thanks to everybody who has left a comment for the blog candy. I have really enjoyed reading them and learning what space inspires your scrapping.

Congratulations …

I hope you enjoy your sweeties.

I finally have a couple of sneaks too for the classes. First up Janine’s

Janine's sneak

and mine

Melissa sneak

See you soon,

Melissa

22/08/2009

Win some blog candy …

If you haven’t come across it before blog candy is basically eye-candy (attactive things to look at) on a blog. So, here is some blog candy and you can win it!

blogcandy

As you can see it is the new Buzz & Bloom mini series chipboard leaves and alphabet along with a Ranger mini-mister and reinker and heirloom gold perfect pearls so you can mix up your own pearlescent mist and alter your chipboard. I have to say I love these mini-misters and the fact that you can make your own mist whatever colour you like with as much sparkle as you like, which is why I thought you’d like them too.

All you have to do to be in to win is leave a comment about where you like to scrap whether it is at home or a crop or a weekend away. If you have a blog, include a link to this post in your blog and you will get a bonus entry in the draw.

You don’t have to be coming to the weekend away to win but there are places left if you are keen to come. You can register online by clicking the link on the sidebar.

There are a few spaces available for Saturday afternoon/evening croppers if you can’t make the whole day or weekend. Cost will be $20. Please email me if you would like to book one of those spaces.

10/08/2009

Not Father’s Day weekend

That has definitely been a problem for some of you keen to come along so the date has now been changed to 12th & 13th September.

You may have noticed the Fiskars logo over there —> that is because they have given some great prizes for the event. I am also waiting for a goodie-bag from Pelikan Artline which will contain Xyron & Tombow product. Oooh, I can’t wait! Thank-you to these wonderful companies for supporting the Spring Break event.

Some of you have also asked about accommodation for Friday night so you are there and ready to start on Saturday morning. This is available on a twin-share basis for $90 including breakfast. Please e-mail me if you would like to add this option.

I hope to see you soon.

Melissa

23/07/2009

Introducing Janine W (aka mummymoo)

Spring Break is all about creating and to help you do that the amazingly talented Janine will be taking a class on Sunday. I’m sure that lots of you have seen Janine’s work in Scrapbooking Innovations magazine, in the Crafty Tart gallery and other places online. Janine has put togther a little introduction so you can get to know her a bit better:

Hello, my name is Janine but you may all know me better as Mummymoo. I live up here in the winterless North with my two boys moo, almost three and squeak, almost one, and Carl my very long suffering DH and my best friend.

I have been scrapping for almost 9 years after a friend introduced me at a scrapping party, really I was hooked on the first look and there was no going back :-) I love to scrap my boys and really enjoy working on OTP projects and mini albums. Recently another friend introduced me to digital scrapping, which is heaps of fun and leaves my kitchen table MUCH tidier. I also design digital products for www.eidou.com under the name DigiRosa.

Scrapping is a great way to preserve memories, make new friends and be creative but mostly it is just heaps of fun !!

You can see more of Janine’s work on her blog.

I am really looking forward to seeing what Janine’s class so I hope you will join us.

23/07/2009

What is Spring Break?

A weekend away for scrapbookers, cardmakers and papercrafters at Waves Motel in Orewa which is 30 minutes north of Auckland City.

It is on 12th -13th September 2009 and is run by Melissa Davis, avid scrapbooker and design team member for Crafty Tart.

Great value at only $225. Register and pay online with credit card or by internet banking. Scroll down for lots more details.

NB. This is the event that was originally to be held at Whangaparaoa but has been moved to Orewa.

20/07/2009

Card Makers and Day Passes

It was great to meet so many wonderful crafty people this weekend at SENZ. Scrapbookers, cardmakers, paper-crafters in general – it was nice to meet you! I did get quite a few queries about the camp and if it was just for scrapbookers. The answer is no. Your Paper Symphony is whatever you like to create so card-makers and paper crafters are more than welcome at Spring Break. The classes will be technique based and be able to be applied to cards, ATCs, journals etc as well as scrapbook pages.

For those of you that are keen to create but have other commitments, there are day passes available. A Saturday pass is $80 which gives you the day from 9am – 9pm (or a bit later if you’re keen), lunch & snacks, a technique class with Melissa Davis (me), product demos and a make-n-take. A Sunday pass is $70 which gives you the day from 9am – 4pm, lunch & snacks, product demos and a technique class with Janine Worthington (aka mummymoo).

Click here to register or the link on the right menu bar. Scroll down for more details about the camp.

Hope to see you soon. :-)

13/07/2009

Prize Draw and a Payment Plan

This coming weekend is SENZ – the papercraft expo – so to celebrate I am doing a giveaway. If you register for the Paper Symphony Spring Break before midnight on Monday 20th July you will go into the draw to win an amazing Basic Grey Magnetic Precision Mat kit.

This is a fabulous tool for cutting as your ruler sticks to the mat and doesn’t move when you’re cutting. It also comes with magnetic tacks so when you’re working out how your layout is going to go you can tack down pieces and they won’t move. If you get up and do something in the middle of your layout, when you come back to it, it will be just how you left it. The mat is 15″ x 15″.

Magnetic Precision Mat

If you’re coming to SENZ I will be at the Crafty Tart stand so feel free to come and see me to register in person or just say hi.

I have also had some queries about paying in installments. If you would like to do this, when you register select bank payment as the payment option. You will be given the bank details as you continue through the process. You can pay a deposit of $100 now and the remaining $125 by 20 August. If you would like some other arrangement please email me.

06/07/2009

Busy Bees at kids class

We ended up being a small group of girls but we had a wonderful day of creating. The girls all chose different titles from the Girl Friday elements and cut and glued and decorated all morning. These two both decided to go with Busy Bee for their titles but still ended up with very unique little books.

classbooks

After lunch we made a fry box to hold chocolates and then some cards. One highly motivated wee crafter made 10 cards! All in all, a successful, fun day. Check back soon for future kids classes. :-)

Melissa

02/07/2009

What’s on offer at Spring Break

Spring Break (12th – 13th September 2009) is the opportunity for you to get away from it all and scrap to your heart’s content. Here’s what you’ll enjoy while you’re there:

* Large tables with plenty of scrapping space

* Laptop and A3 printer for journaling

* Plenty of the latest magazines for inspiration

* Use of a Pazzles Inspiration electronic cutting machine

* Use of a bind-it-all

* Lunch & snacks on Saturday and Sunday

* Overnight accommodation on Saturday (twin share) at Waves

* Shopping with Crafty Tart

* Games and prizes

* Make-n-takes

* Page contest with a prize for the winner

* Technique based classes with Janine Worthington and Melissa Davis using the latest release products.

* Plenty of cropping time

* The beautiful surroundings of Orewa Beach

* No cleaning duties

All this for only $225. So, have you registered yet? You can pay by credit card right now to secure your place. I can’t wait to see you there. :-)

Melissa