It is so exciting to find a crafter amongst your colleagues, someone who loves the papers, tools and has found a craft that they love. By day Sharon is our bright and breezy receptionist, but outside of work she is a demon crafter and ATCs (Artists Trading Cards) are her fave.
Sharon writes: "ATCs are small cards measuring 6.5 x 9 cms decorated in any style you choose. They are traded or swapped for other cards, but are strictly never sold. I have found this hobby to be completely addictive, having great fun trying our new techniques or mediums I have never tried before.
I trade ATCs at three different 'SWAPS' (ATC meeting groups) this allows me to share my ideas and creativity with like-minded people who are as addicted to ATCs as I am. Try it for yourself, but remember the three golden rules...FUN, FUN, FUN!"
Sharon has kindly posted a selection of her ATCs, which were then whisked away for a SWAP meeting - being a UK ATC fan, Sharon wondered if the US style is so very different and what US fans use as inspiration?
Have you heard the news? Memory Makers Magazine is looking for 10 savvy scrapbookers! The magazine has posted rules and information for the 2009 Masters Contest.
What is a Memory Makers Master, you ask? Ten lucky scrapbookers who are awarded more than $2,000 in cash and prizes, and work directly with Memory Makers editors, creating layouts and projects for the magazine for an entire year. So cool!
Speaking of Masters, I’m loving the 2008 team! Have you checked out their blog recently? The Masters share their loads of talent quite often and are always full of creative ideas like these:
Left to Right, artwork by: Iris Babao Uy, Staci Etheridge, and Tracy Austin
You can check out more layouts and great ideas from the Masters in every issue of Memory Makers Magazine (the June/July issue is on sale April 29) as well as Memory Makers Books’ upcoming Ask the Masters book.
I was just reading '07 Master Crystal Jeffrey Rieger's blog, and she had a post about Danish born artist, Peter Callesen. His work is just amazing! His most recent works have been almost exclusively made of white paper, which I just love. The simplicity and starkness of the white really emphasizes the details in his work. Here is a small sampling of his utterly amazing finished pieces:
I had a pretty impossible time narrowing down my favorites, so be sure to check out the rest of his gallery. It's very inspiring!
It’s no secret that I’m a bit obsessed with fabric. Yet for some reason, I never include it on my cards and layouts. Maybe it’s too hard to work with? I don’t know. But I’m always looking for excuses to buy fabric scraps and for ways to add texture to my paper projects, so I've decided to give it a go.
You can imagine my elation when a couple weeks ago, by a happy accident, I discovered just how awesome fabric stiffener is. Have you tried this stuff? It makes using and cutting fabric for your papercrafting so simple! To use it, lay your fabric over plastic or wax paper and brush on a coat of fabric stiffener (like Aleene’s or Plaid’s). Allow your fabric to dry over night and it’s ready to be cut, punched or otherwise altered as you would paper.
Ready to try using fabric? Check out this sweet framed project (above) over at Sew-Eco. Of course, you can always make this project with your scraps of paper, too. Either way, share your projects here! And download this week's free project for another great way to add texture to a page.
Do you use fabric in your paper crafting? Share your projects in the photo gallery and ideas in the forum!
According to the website Brownielocks, today is No Housework Day. Yes, you read that right: NO HOUSEWORK DAY!! So, for those of you with a list of chores to do today – set it aside for tomorrow. Instead, take some time for yourself and get creative!
Instead of DOING chores all day, this week’s challenge is to instead use them as a source of inspiration! Are you super particular about how housework is done? Do you always follow the same order? Do you have helpers that like to get in on the action? Think about what your housework says about you and make a page about it! Then come share your creations at the Challenge Gallery.
