Today's Tip

Add a strip of white acrylic paint to your background paper and then add your title on that painted strip. You can handwrite, add letter stickers or apply rub-ons.

Today's Tip

Creating a layout on your kid? Why not let her journal in her handwriting and add that to your layout? It enhances the theme and gives off a very strong child-like charm to your page.

Had More Craft Time Yesterday

Spent a good productive day with my cousin.  We worked on some great gifts (here's a sample of one)

and got some shopping done, too.

What a GREAT day!

Today's Tip

Apply rub-ons titles or captions directly on your photos to add instant interest. It's also a great idea if you're running short of space to add your title.

Today's Tip

If you have a layout that touches on a painful moment, you can rip a line down your photo. A black background that shows through the ripped line will intensify the look.

Today's Tip

Add a different look to your layout by using vertical orientation of your journaling and title once in a while. It helps to add variety to your pages.

CONGRATS to my Sister and her Family

CONGRATS to my Sister and her Family who added a beautiful baby boy, Cameron Stephen, 3 lbs. 12 oz., AND a gorgeous baby girl, Jane Oliva, 4 lbs. 3 oz., to their family today.

Hugs and Love to the entire family!  Love you all!!

Whatcha been up to?

I've been working on a few Christmas Gifts (so I can't show you on here.... yet.  I'll take pictures and post later).  What have you been up to?

Today's Tip

Want to direct the eye of your readers? You can use little arrows or one big arrow cut out from cardstock (just cut a "v" shape) to direct your reader's eyes from the photo to your journaling.

Today's Tip

Do you have a gorgeous vacation photo? Why not enlarge it to form a background for a double-page layout? Then you can include a journaling box on the white space of the photo. Big photos are very impactful and the two-page spread will let you display the best bits and details of the big background photo.

Today's Tip

Looking for a way to store your little eyelets, brads and such? You can get a 7-day vitamin container and store all your tiny embellishments into different compartments. You don't need separate containers that take up space anymore. Try to get a clear one as you can easily look into the container for the item you're searching for.

Today's Tip

Can't remember the dates of your photos? Right click on your digital camera's image file. Next select "Properties" and a pop-up screen will show when's the photo taken. Now you can easily remember the exact dates of your events.

Printable Michaels Coupons

http://victoriabc.flyerland.ca/
Search for "Michaels" or click on the Michael's Link

I just printed three 40% off coupons!

Why don't YOU get published? How about in Canadian Scrapbooker?

Canadian Scrapbooker wants to see and publish your work. If you have an unpublished, original layout that you want to share with others across Canada, please send it to us! It’s simple. Below you’ll find a quick guide on how to submit your work. Call For SPRING – Deadline November 15, 2009 (okay missed that deadline, but there will be more).
http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca/

We are currently looking for pages in the below themes:

• Layouts that use the colour VIOLET
• Layouts using tissue paper
• Layouts inspired by Ukrainian Easter eggs
• Spring is in the air
• Layouts using vintage tags
• Easter
• Layouts inspired by nursery rhymes

We are also looking for that perfect photo for our Spring 2010 cover. If you have a photo that you have taken and you feel it would look fantastic on our magazine cover, please send it to us!

Deadline for the Spring 2010 page call: November 15, 2009

Call For Pages

• Call for Spring 2010 – Deadline: November 15, 2009
• Call for paper crafts (including children’s paper crafts) – ongoing
• Call for unpublished Canadian layouts – ongoing
• Call for unpublished original Canadian layouts – ongoing
• Call for amazing photos – ongoing
• Call for seasonal photos for our website – ongoing
• Call for “Walking Away” photos – ongoing

How To Submit Your Work

Fill out the online submission form below, or

E-mail a scanned image or digital picture of your work to submissions@canadianscrapbooker.ca. Please limit file size to 200K and attach only one image per submission.

Please be sure to include the following information in your email:

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• E-mail address
• Title of layout
• Size of layout

In the subject line of your e-mail, please indicate the Page Call you are submitting for. For example: “Spring 2010”.

Have an idea for an article? Send it to us!

The sky’s the limit! We are continually looking for fresh ideas to share with our readers. E-mail your article to: articles@canadianscrapbooker.ca. Please include any images that you would like to include. We look forward to hearing from you.

Die Cuts With A View - New Paper Stacks - and you can WIN one!!

http://www.dcwv.info/michaels/

Check out the video on the great new paper available exclusively at Michaels... and you can also join contest after you watch it to win a pack!!!

Today's Tip

A lot of photos you want to cramp into a layout? Consider turning your photos into a photo collage. For an effective collage, look at the proportions of your photos and then piece them together in a way that show them off effectively.

Today's Tip

Occasionally, enlarge those photos that's special to you. The bigger photos will show off the photo's prominence and help to set the mood for your layout.

Today's Tip

Create Polaroid look-alike by cropping your photos into squares. Next, mat these photos with white cardstocks and you'll have "Polaroid photos" in a jiffy!

Today's Tip

Do you have many photos from the same event with distracting background? Why not crop these photos and turn them into design elements for your page? Line them up to form a page border for your scrapbook layout.

Today's Tip

Need a totally creative title for your beach vacations? Next time you're out on the beach, write out your place of vacation in the sand and take a picture of it. Then use photo as a die cut title for your vacation layout.

Today's Tip

Racking your brains for more creative titles? How about looking to movie titles to create your next page theme? "My Best Friend's Wedding", "A Cinderella Story", "Chocolate Girls" and tons of interesting ones around. Go to http://imdb.com/search if you need some help with your movie titles.

Get Cooking!!!

You've been CHALLENGED!!!!!

How about cooking up something good?  This is a "recipe challenge" of sorts.

I don't want you to scrap a recipe, I want you to follow the recipe below to cook up a delicious layout.

• 3 circles
• 1 picture
• 5 buttons
• scallops
• 1 heart

Mix all together and show us your finished product!!

INFO - Scrapable Moments, Comox - CLOSING

http://scrapablemoments.com/

From the website:

"Scrapable Moments is closing and this is your chance to save big. Perfect time to get some great Christmas gifts at great deals. Hurry in as we are closing soon and things are going fast. Everything must go.

Thank you to all my loyal customers throughout the years but it is time to stop spreading myself so thin and focus on my family. I will miss you all but am looking forward to finally being able to scrapbook again.


Please note there is no free shipping given the already deeply discounted product."

Today's Tip

Want to create a stitched look on your layouts? Do you own a pair of pinking shears? Use it to cut a straight line down a piece of heavy cardstock. Then use the edges of the cut cardstock to trace zig zag stitches on your layouts using a fine black pen.

Today's Tip

A fun way to create bullet points to your journaling is to use brads. To make sure that your bullet points are lined up evenly on your layout, poke holes using a thick needle point where your bullet points should be and then inserts your brads.

Contest Results

Well, the contest period has closed, and then some, and no posts to the blog.... so no winner :(   I guess I get to keep the prize.

But, we're closing in on 250 hits to the blog!!!  Woohoo.

Anything you want to see here?  Let me know!

Today's Tip

Do you tend to have a hard time recalling specific details to an event? Then bring along a small notebook with you and quickly jot down answers to date and place of event, people, highlights, activities, feelings. Then tear out these handwritten notes and place them with your photos. Whenever you're ready to create your layouts, you'll have all the handy answers on hand.

Today's Tip

Isn't it frustrating whenever you need your liquid glue and it's clogged? For a quick fix, squeeze out a little glue after using it and let it dry on the end of the tube. Next time you need to use it, simply peel off the dried glue and your liquid glue will be clog free.

Today's Tip

Stuck with limited color schemes? Want to expand your possibilities? Whenever you come across pleasing color combo, cut out these well-done color schemes from magazines and place them in your "favorite color scheme" binder.

Today's Tip

Instead of an exacto knife to cut out your lettering, use a pair of long, curved cuticle scissors to cut them out. Not only does it save time but allows you to cut tiny lettering with great control too.

Today's Tip

You don't always need a page title. Sometimes your journaling is sufficient for the page. Simply writing one or two words in your journaling in capitals might be enough to convey the main story of the page. So save your title.

Today's Tip

Add more texture to your cardstock by crumpling it.

Cardstock can be quite stiff, so run it under a drizzle of water to soften it. Then start crumpling the cardstock.

To dry it, flatten it out and use a towel to absorb the moisture. Let it dry completely before using.

Today's Tip

Is your background competing with your photos? Lay a piece of vellum over the background to mute the strong background colors.

Today's Tip

For a soft and classy look, write your journaling on a piece of cardstock then place a piece of vellum over the journaling block.

Today's Tip

Scraplift (copy) a page to quickly achieve a fantastic-looking layout! I love looking at others' layouts and I love scraplifiting those designs that caught my fancy. Even with scraplifting, you can create very different looks. So you'll still retain your unique look. Look through others' scrapbook layouts. See any inspiring layouts that you really like? Scraplift that page.

Today's Tip

Want to create a unique handwritten title? Handwrite with wide enough space between each letter. Cut out each handwritten letter and mat it on a cardstock. Be amazed by how your handwritten title will look like a unique font!

Today's Tip

Add on a premade envelope to your layout to tuck in the extra journaling. Give your envelope a unique look by customizing it to your own preference. You can also use library pocket to tuck in your extra journaling too.

Today's Tip

Want to know how to quickly spread liquid adhesive over a large surface area?

How about using those phoney plastic credit cards you receive in the mail?  The ones you're not using on your latest vacation layout to show how you paid for the trip.  Save your used phone cards too as they are great glue-spreaders!  Use the otherwise wasted plastic card to swipe and spread the liquid glue into a thin, even layer over a big surface area. When you're done, simply wipe the card clean and reuse again and again.

Gypsy by ProvoCraft

If anybody out there has the Gypsy, let us know what you think.  I`m almost ready to buy one, but not quite...... convince me.  LOL

Cricut / Cricut Expressions

And I do have both of these....... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Cricuts!!!!!

Bind-It-All (I got this, but haven't used it all too much)

The new Bind-It-All (BIA) makes punching and binding easier than ever! It's the only dual action machine that will punch and bind chipboard, acrylic, clipboard wood, canvas artboard, and more! The BIA allows endless applications and creativity.

Stickles (these are a current favorite of mine)

Let your art "sparkle" with acid free, non-settling Stickles™ glitter glue! Easily write, dot, dash, draw and embellish on paper and rubber stamping projects, candles, memory album covers and more! Available in .5 oz. fine point applicator tip bottles.

• Acid free
• Non-toxic
• Non-settling

• Easy-flow tip

• Water wash-off

Smooch (has anybody tried these yet?)

I bought one of these recently, but haven't tried it yet.  Has anybody tried?  What do you think?

Stylish pearlized ink with a foam applicator tip, fast drying and archival safe.

Today's Tip

Old Magnetic Photo Albums



If you still have some of your photos in the old magnetic albums here is a great tip for removing those photos.

Your photos might be stuck to the pages in these albums, but don't worry.  Simply take some waxed dental floss and gently work the floss back and forth under your photo.  Works like a charm!!!

I've also heard that putting your album in the freezer will harden the glue and make it easier to remove, but I haven't tried this method.