From This to That - So Fancy by Simple Stories

You may recall that at the beginning of the month I showed you the loveliness that Jill and Mel sent for my July DT kit.

Well, I thought I would finish the month by showing you what I made with it.  In addition to the papers and stickers (which can be found here)

I also had cardstock, Bradz 

 

and some Prima flowers 

 

 So what did I make?

The Globe

Welcome to our Family

Believe

Hello My Lovely Girl

Fancy Free

Plus 4 Cards

So there we have it - I am now pondering on what to make with August's kit - details to follow :o)!

So Rad with Simple Stories

Here is another photo from Bletchley Park - I like the way that the computer screens light up the faces of my kids.  

For this page I covered the card stock with clear gesso (this has a granule texture which I am not overly fond of - it makes the paper feel like sandpaper....but it does a great job!).  I used my Marion Smith Color Lab blue mist and did a good band in the middle, then I got out a plate for a few biro circles.  The next step was using some of my homemade texture paste and a cog mask. Once the paste had dried I then added some distress stains in green, blue, brown and silver over the top, then I used some water and merged the colours - that's the nice thing about the gesso - the paint doesn't sink in to the paper so you get a lovely watercolour effect.  I then used lots of the So Rad papers by Simple Stories...they are great, I love the blue and orange they use in this, and the number letter stickers went perfectly with my code-breaking theme as well as the computer and little pixelated creature!

cybercrop kits available in store

As promised in our last blog post cybercrop kits have gone on sale in our store.  Join us from Friday 14th through Sunday 16th for a weekend of online classes and challenges all FREE to download.

Some kits have sold out but we've several still available in store if you're a kit lover or you can simple join in on the weekend and use your own supplies to create the projects.

Announcing our cybercrop theme and kit details

As you know we have been holding a monthly virtual crop day following on from our successful annual cyber crop weekend last summer.  We hinted at this month's event that we would be holding another bumper weekend long cybercrop (think virtual crop but for three days!!) where we will share no less than 13 FREE classes and numerous challenges from Friday August 14th to Sunday the 16th 2015.

These cybercrop weekends tend to be a lot more fun if we theme them and we are excited to announce this year our theme is inspired by Disney Movies!!  

Each class or challenge will be named after a Disney Movie with each designer taking inspiration from the movie for their projects. For example one class will be The Lion King from which the main soundtrack song is "Circle of Life" and the layout design will feature circles.  You do not have to have visited Disney, nor watched the movies nor have themed photographs so do not worry!!. The designers will explain their design link to the movie and the classes will cover a variety of projects including layouts, minibooks etc.

We will be selling a limited number of kits for each of the 13 classes but these are NOT essential to be able to take part in the weekend. You can use your own supplies to join in with the classes and our design team will give you an idea of what you'll need ahead of the weekend in August so you can prepare accordingly.  If you are a fan of our crop kits then you'll be eager to know they go on sale this weekend so keep an eye on the website and/or our Facebook page ATDML # Create.

Are you as excited as we are??? 

July Virtual Crop Class 3 - Mel Hand

I used the gorgeous Webster's Pages Hall Pass for my class. In spite of it being essentially a school themed range I had no problem making three layouts none of which were related to school!

Click Here for the instructions for my layouts.

I hope you enjoyed July's Virttual Crop - prepare yourselves or a feast of scrapbooking in August as instead of our usual 3 classes on Virtual Crop day we have THIRTEEN classes across a whole weekend which will also include challenges, chat and prizes :)

Mark the dates 14th - 16th August in your diaries and keep an eye on the facebook page and shop site as kits will be available VERY soon!

Virtual Crop Class two - with Ann Freeman

Welcome to my July virtual crop class where I bring you three layouts today with a little misting and spritzing if you wish. Hopefully those of you with the kit can switch up some of the phrases to suit your photos, don't feel you have to use mine.
If you don't have the kit just replace these with different patterned papers or letter stickers and have fun!

Class instructions can be downloaded HERE; enjoy!

Next class is with Mel at 2pm and don't forget the travel challenge posted this morning

Virtual Crop Class One - with Jane Hewitt

Good morning all, I hope you are all well and already getting stuck into some scrapping. My project for you today is called my 'Mini-book in a battered old suitcase' since I was given a stack of lovely Graphic 45 Come Away With Me papers to work with.

When we went on a trip on the Jacobite steam train, the joy really was in the journey rather than the destination - so I decided to use photos from our trip to fill a suitcase.

The case itself is made from card from a cereal box - here is the end result in both photo and video form - it's easier to see how the case opens and the  pages move by watching the video...

 I hope you'll give it a go or do your own take on the idea...

Click HERE for the instructions

Next Class is with Ann at 12:00 noon.

Have fun!

Jane

x

Virtual Crop challenge

Hello Scrappers and good morning to you on our July Virtual Crop day.

In true virtual crop fashion we will start you off with a challenge based on this day in history and today we go travel themed. British travel entrepreneur Thomas Cook who founded Thomas Cook travel agents died on this day in 1892. Started from humble beginnings Thomas Cook was originally a preacher before he settled upon the travel industry after arranging excursions for temperance campaigners from Leicester to a rally in Loughborough.

Your challenge today is to create a travel themed layout - nice and easy enough! 
Look forward to seeing what you create, do share them in our virtual crop gallery on Facebook or post links to your images in the comments below.

Your first class see us welcome back Jane Hewitt at 10am, check back here to download free instructions for her class, then back again at noon with your truly (Ann) and at 2pm with Mel.
Happy a happy scrappy day :)

Photo Requirements for the July Virtual Crop

Class 1 - Jane Hewitt

This is a mini book and can have up to 12 photos no bigger than 2 1/2  by 3 1/2" (definitely no bigger than 3 by 4") - portrait or landscape

Extra equipment - a couple of cereal boxes

Class 2 - Ann Freeman

Layout 1 - 4" square photo

Layout 2 - 2 3by 4" photos

Layout 3 - 6 by 4" landscape photo

All of Ann's photos are black and white

Class 3 - Mel Hand

Layout 1 - 6 by 4" landscape

Layout 2 - 6 by 4" portrait

Layout 3 - 2 6 by 4" both portrait

The Globe

I know I am very fortunate to have the job I have and although there can be weeks that are really, really busy there is always something special that happens during one of those weeks.  Last week, was one of those weeks but as part of a very busy time I was fortunate enough to go on a school trip to The Globe in London.  I have to admit I am not a huge fan of Shakespeare but I thought it would be an unmissable experience - I was right!

As always I had my scrapbooking head on and spied, in the shop, some teal and white badges with quotes from A Midsummer Night's Dream on.  When my DT kit arrived there was the perfect paper to go with the badges and the memorabilia I had saved from the day.   There was even a little globe on the sticker sheet - how serendipitous my good friend Eileen would say!

I loved the building, loved the play and the museum is well worth a second visit.  So if you get the chance I would thoroughly recommend it.

Kaisercraft - First Ride

The Into the Wild papers from Kaisercraft made me go straight to my Animal Kingdom photos.  I used some textured card stock for the base and then a strip of snakeskin paper down the middle.  I layered up some of the 6 by 4 cards that you get in this collection with my own rectangles cut from the papers, I tried to reveal little bits of all the animal print papers that are in this range.  I made a journal pocket behind the photo with a glassine envelope and also layered up one of my muslin squares behind the main picture.  I added lots of the stickers from the range and a beautiful wood veneer which I stained a darker brown and then picked out the writing with a black pen.  

When we were at Disney we were lucky enough to be picked out the crowd one morning and got our own ride around the Kilimanjaro Safari which was a real treat.  So the photo is of the empty car....I do have lots of pictures of the animals too!

July photography challenge

Welcome to the second half of 2015 and our seventh set of photography prompts.

Grab your camera and let's go:
1. Selfie on the first
2. Sunshine
3. Great outdoors
4. Footwear
5. Spontaneity!

Have fun and please share using #atdml or on our Facebook page.