Tuesday, October 14, 2014

6 Ways to Color Canvas Thickers by Nicole Doiron

Nicole Doiron is featuring our October Limited Edition Kit today with six different ways to change the color of the canvas Thickers that came in the kit.

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It's my time once again to show you a few tricks of the trade.

Well, this month, I have decided to play around with the set of canvas Thickers that came with the
October Limited Edition kit and show you different ways to add colour to them.  Obviously, there are dozens of possibilities out there, but I have decided upon 6 different mediums that I have in my stash.

First I have decided to use number 1-6 of my Thickers set.


On number 1, I went the easy route, dabbing some Ranger Distress Stain.  I love Distress Stain as it is very watery and flows so easily from the cotton dabber.  It's also very pigmented so every colour available is very potent and bright.  It absorbed fairly quickly into the canvas, not requiring a lot.  I've had my Distress Stains for a couple years now and none of them have ever dried (unlike some paint dabbers) and they last a long time.  Definitely a favorite of mine!  


Number 2 was misted with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist.  I love mists and I love Glimmer Mist as it gives such a beautiful translucent glimmer effect and they come in a variety of colours, but I have to admit that they are a bit more complicated to use than Distress Stains.  More complicated in the sense that they are messier and yes, they do often clog up!  And it's never an easy task unclogging them!  But according to the Tattered Angel website, before each use, if you "hold the bottle straight up and shake side to side multiple times, avoiding flipping the bottle or turning the bottle over as much as possible", your mist should remain clog-free.  I love using mists the most to create nice mixed media backgrounds for my projects, often mixing more than one colour.  To cover the canvas Thicker, two sprays were more than enough.
Hold the bottle straight up and shake side to side multiple times. You want to avoid flipping the bottle or turning the bottle over as much as possible. - See more at: http://mytatteredangels.com/glimmer-mist-tips-techniques/#sthash.ub1KTc9A.dpuf


Number 3 was more of a challenge.  I dare say that Ranger Distress Inks do not work that well on canvas chipboard.  I used a finger dabber to rub the ink unto the Thicker and it resulted in a more distressed uneven look, the canvas even ripping in some places.  Maybe Distress Ink is better for distressing paper.


Aww... the good ol' marker method!  I love coloring so I often use my markers to color in any type of chipboard.  These markers worked pretty well on the canvas, absorbing quickly and so easy to use.  Another advantage is that you can even add colour even after your chipboard has been stuck on your layout as it's fairly mess-proof if you are careful with the tip.  


Number 5 was painted using FolkArt Metallic Acrylic Paint.  I could have used a paintbrush, but I normally like to add paint to anything by using makeup sponges.  I just put a drop or two of paint on the sponge and just dab away.  That's how I achieve the whitewash frosted look I add on a lot of my layouts for anyone who is familiar with my style (if you're not, you can see most of my creations on my blog http://scrap-utopia.blogspot.com - I would be thrilled if you came to visit!).  If you want a LOT of shimmer, I do suggest this brand of metallic paint.  They come in different shades and are very good quality for crafting.


With number 6, I went even more shimmery than Glimmer Mist or Metallic Paint.  Ranger Perfect Pearls is a pigment powder creating dazzling pearlescent effect.  You just need to mix a tiny little bit with water and paint your chipboard using a paintbrush as you would with any other paint.  On normal chipboard, you need very little to cover a large piece.  With the canvas-covered Thickers, it was a bit more difficult.  Perhaps I hadn't used enough water.  You can also Perfect Pearls in a mister and make your own glimmer sprays.


So now you can compare and tell me which one you like best!
Personally, I have to go with either the Distress Stain or the marker.  However, each one of these mediums created a cool effect and if you start to search online for different ways to use each of them, the possibilities are just endless.


Hope you liked my little tutorial this month!  See you in November!

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You can see Nicole's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the October Limited Edition Kit:

We invite you to join us and experience the possibilities that our coordinated monthly kits offer. To purchase a kit, please visit our website, here.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Blog Hop Winners!

We are very grateful for all of the love, support, and wishes that we received during our birthday bash blog hop last week.

We feel very blessed to have such wonderful customers and to have gained so many new friends in our 9 years. A great big thank you to each and every one of you!

Are you ready to find out who the blog hop winners are?

The Grand Prize Winner of the My Creative Scrapbook October Main kit is:

 The 3 winners of the Carta Bella prize packages are:


Congratulations to the winners! Please claim your gift by emailing your mailing info to MyCreativeScrapbook@gmail.com with Blog Hop Winner in the subject line.

Rumor has it there are more gifts to give away as we celebrate all month long, so don't forget to keep checking back *wink wink*

Sunday, October 5, 2014

October Kit Reveal and Birthday Bash Blog Hop with GIFTS!


Welcome to the My Creative Scrapbook October Kit Reveal and Birthday Bash Blog Hop!

IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY!

My Creative Scrapbook is celebrating its 9th year in business!
We feel very blessed to have such wonderful customers and all the new friends that we have made in our 9 years.

Yea, it’s time to party!  We’re celebrating all month long, and, believe us, you’ll want to party along with us.

We have BIRTHDAY GIFTS, lots of them, to give to YOU!

We’re getting the party started with a blog hop filled with birthday gifts! 
Are you excited?!


Do you want to know what you could win?

*** The Grand Prize winner will receive a complete My Creative Scrapbook October Main Kit featuring Echo Park and Carta Bella! ***


This kit is filled with beautiful Echo Park and Carta Bella goodies (and more!) that are just perfect for your Fall/Autumn projects.

That's not all.

We know you all LOVE Echo Park and Carta Bella as much as we do. So, we are beyond thrilled to have Echo Park and Carta Bella partying along with us!

Yes! They have been super generous to provide not just one, not just two, but THREE beautiful gifts to give to YOU!

*** Three of you will win the gift below! ***


Do Echo Park and Carta Bella know how to party or what?!

>>>>> Here is how you can win <<<<<

Complete our blog hop. It begins on the My Creative Scrapbook blog and takes you on an inspiration-filled journey through several MCS designers' blogs. You won't want to miss any of it!  You’ll find the links to the participating blogs at the end of this post.

Be sure to leave some comment love on each blog... the gift winners will be drawn from the comments!

and now...

Presenting the My Creative Scrapbook October kits:

Main Kit:

 Creative Kit:

Limited Edition Kit:

Album Kit:  

Are you a My Creative Scrapbook kit club member?
If not, now is a great time to join!

Subscription information can be found here: http://www.mycreativescrapbook.com/kits.htm

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We have some very talented ladies to introduce today!
Please help us welcome...

Stephanie Buice
Returning Guest Designer

Hi everyone! I'm Stephanie Buice and I'm so happy to be guesting for My Creative Scrapbook this month! I live in AL with my hubby Bryan and our Son Brady (2). I've been scrapbooking since 2001 when I was gifted a Kit to scrap my senior year of high school. I currently serve on three DTs: Crate Paper, me & my Big ideas and Bella Blvd. I think paper crafting is a blast and it's my perfect escape from the everyday. I've been fortunate in meeting so many awesome women and some of my best friends through this industry, I can't imagine my life without it or them. Thanks for having me here and I hope you enjoy what I've put together for you.

Brenda Cazes
New Design Team Member

Hi everyone! My name is Brenda Cazes. I live in Alberta, Canada and have been married to my best friend for 20 years. We have two adorable little boys who are the stars of my scrapbooks. I began scrapbooking in 2006 after going on a Caribbean cruise. Unfortunately, I dropped my camera into the ocean on the last day of our vacation and lost all of our photos. I still have nightmares about it! Luckily, we had friends with us and I was able to use some of their photos. By the time my first son was born in 2007, I was completely addicted to this wonderfully therapeutic hobby. I would describe my scrapbook style as clean, layered, and whimsical. I love bright, fun colors and no layout is complete without machine stitching, buttons or twine. I’ve been fortunate enough to be published several times in Canadian Scrapbooker magazine and Scrapbook & Cards Today.

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Before you go, remember to leave a comment to be entered into the prize drawings!

We would love it if you would follow us on Facebook, too.

The blog hop ends on Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Winners will be announced on the My Creative Scrapbook blog on Monday, October 13th.
 
(By the way... we're partying all month long, and we have even more gifts to give that we haven't shown you yet! So keep checking back this month for more ways to win)

Alright, it's time to hop around!
** If something should go wrong along the way, such as a broken blog link, or a blog post not appearing, the complete blog hop lineup is below **


>>> The next stop on the blog hop is the Echo Park Paper Co. blog!

Here is the complete blog hop lineup:
Echo Park Paper Co.: http://www.echoparkpaperblog.com

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

October Sneak Peeks!

It's time for our October sneak peeks!

We have been so anxious for you to see the kits that are coming your way this month.

Get ready for FALL!

Pam has once again put together a fantastic set of kits that are going to SELL OUT QUICKLY, so if you've been thinking of subscribing, now is the time to hurry over to our website to reserve your kits.

Have a little look at our October Main kit:
(as always, you can click on the photo to make it larger)


and because we know you want to see more... here are a few Main kit layouts:

by Brenda Cazes

by Elizabeth Hellum

by Stephanie Buice

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Next, check out our October Creative kit:


 and here are a few Creative kit layouts:

by Kristin Greenwood

by Joan Bronson

by Alicia Giess

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Next, feast your eyes on our October Limited Edition Kit:


and check out a few layouts that the girls made with the Limited Edition kit:

by Nicole Doiron

by Kris Berc

by Marilyn Rivera

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Last but not least, take a peek at our October Album kit:


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WOW, right?!

Don't forget to reserve your kits while supplies last!

*** See you for the full reveal on the 5th! ***

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Countdown to World Card Making Day

Saturday, October 4th, is World Card Making Day!

How fun to have a day dedicated to celebrating making cards, and just in time to get started with holiday card making.

Many of us will be making at least a card or two on Saturday... How about you, will you be making some cards?

Last month, My Creative Scrapbook designer Marta Lapkowska created several amazing cards with our September Limited Edition kit. We thought we'd share them with you here to inspire you for World Card Making Day!










We hope these beautiful cards will inspire you to create some cards of your own on Saturday for World Card Making Day!

By the way, tomorrow is the 1st... SNEAKS will be here!

Monday, September 29, 2014

Tips and Techniques by Joan Bronson

Joan Bronson is featuring our September Creative Kit today with a look into her design process!

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Hello Fellow Scrappers!
Today I wanted to share with you a couple tips to aid you in scrap lifting my layouts using the September Creative kit.  As you well know - I like to use my kit up! Here is a photo of my left overs this month.
(sorry for the less than wonderful photos - with three small boys I tend to do most of my scrapping at night. It doesn't make for the best photos!). Here is a layout I was pretty creative with:
The first thing to share is how I make my kit last so long. I started by only using enough background paper I needed.
See how rather than cutting an entire rectangle I only cut part of it. Since the rest was covered I really didn't need to have the entire rectangle. I also waited until I was about finished with all my layouts to cut my circles. I made my decision on what papers to use for my circles based on what papers I had left. Lastly, I hope you like my borders at the top and bottom of the page. Check out your sticker sheet and you will find a triangle border and a bubble border. I decided to cut them out for this layout. The triangles took a little time but the bubbles at the bottom were super easy. I just cut around the bubbles. For the triangles, I first cut out the entire border from the sticker sheet (with the backing still attached). Then I cut out each triangle and laid them out on my layout as I thought I'd like them to end up. I added some pop dots to the back of some triangles (after exposing the sticky back). I admit I pulled up and restuck several triangles in order to get them just the way I wanted but I love the final look so I'm okay with the bit of work it took. Some pages just deserve a little extra work.
One more thing I really want to share with you is how I made the beautiful flowers in our kit pink! I got out my Gelatos again this month - this time to color my flowers. Here is the layout I used my pink flowers on.
First, I grabbed my craft mat, a little water (should have had it in a dish but didn't have one handy so I just dropped a little on my mat). I also grabbed the paint brush that came with my Gelatos, a pink Gelatos and of course my flowers.
I started by scribbling some Gelato on my craft mat, then I dipped my paint brush in a little water and then in the scribbled Gelato. Separate each petal of the flower and color it individually. I had to dip my brush in water and Gelato several times to complete each flower but over all coloring the flowers didn't take that much time and was fun.
When I was finished I grabbed my heat gun and sped up the drying process as I was so excited to get the flowers on my layout. Aren't they beautiful?
As a kit club member and scrap lifer for several years before joining the design team I know that sometimes designers do little things you want to copy but wonder how to do it (I still think that about the beautiful designs in the Limited Edition kit) Please feel free to visit my blog and leave me a message any time you wonder how I did something or have a comment. I'd love to have you visit. My blog: www.scrappyjoan.blogspot.com. Thanks and have fun scrapping!

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You can see more of Joan's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the September Creative Kit:

We invite you to join us and experience the possibilities that our coordinated monthly kits offer. To purchase a kit, please visit our website, here.