Paper. Scissors. Chocolate. Louise Williams

I exploded.

I've been wanting to make one of these for ages and when I finally did, I forgot to post it here! It went up on the Aussie Scrap Source blog a little while ago and totally slipped my mind. Maybe it's my now 40 year old brain. Dementia is already setting in I think, although some would say I've been a bit demented for years... lol

Anyhooo...

I made this exploding box for my mum which becomes a ‘grandmothers’ brag book.

I used the Generations kit from Simple Stories and and quickly created the box from scratch using three pieces of paper and a scoring board before assembling it and adding a decorated band that slides up over the sides and holds the box together. I found instructions for a similar one on this blog but adjusted it to be a dual layer with a larger gap for my pages to allow for a lot of dimension.

The side band was made with a punched strip of paper with a sticker adhered to the bottom edge and finished with dimensional paint dots in blue. There is a punched shape and clock front and back, and the stickers have been raised with foam tape for dimension.

The lid was decorated with pieces of transparency overlays, more stickers and some Prima flowers and bling (you know I can't create with SOMETHING Prima on there huh?)... :D

And these are all the pieces of the box...

The main part of the box was created from 2 pieces of double sided paper, scored and trimmed so the inner piece and central square of the inner piece were slightly smaller than the outer, before they were corner rounded and adhered together.

Each side was decorated individually with stickers, Prima and photos...

The Prima vine folds up with the box - it was cut apart and placed so the flowers didn't fall on the box creases.

Touches of the blue dimensional paint are all the box for continuity.

I added some Maya Road leaf pins for a burst of green :)

The secondary pages were all finished the same way - I used decorative edge scissors with a stamp look to co-ordinate some of the edges to this sticker below (again, adding continuity). I often mount stickers onto foam tape to add dimension, I'm not into the flat look.

Clusters, layering and continuity again...

Again with the stamp scissor edges, clusters and hints of dimensional paint in blue.

Hard to see but the house had glossy accents applied to the windows and doors and glitter sprinkled over the top for interest... it's the little touches. :)

And that's it!

I'm thinking of making another one to send to my grandmother in England... need to be quick to make the postal times!!

Thanks for looking
L x

crazy few weeks...

It's my busiest time of the year - Homeshow month - so I've been awol doing my real job and there's been soooo much to do this year. All good for the bank balance but I'm ready for a break. Oh well, off to the Homeshow this weekend to find and hopefully order a building for my new studio! Can't wait to get that space to myself and I'm hoping we can have it up for Christmas, if we don't then I have no idea where we'll put the Christmas tree in the house this year, there's no room with me scrapping in the lounge and working in the dining room. :/

Prima! there, got your attention! Tomorrow is my first Live with Prima class (be gentle)...  and you can find Primaflower on Ustream - it's starting at 10.30am NZ time. If you need a time conversion for where you are you can find one here: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html. Here's a sneak of the layout I'm recreating:

Hope to see you there...

I have a sick little boy at the moment too. Lukey has a horrible cough/cold and is getting me up umpteen times a night just for cuddles. He's fine in himself in the day but it seems to come on at night and I hear him coughing and spluttering. He went to the doc's last night and it's just a bad cold, no need for AB's which is good but I do wish it would hurry up and go - I totally need a decent nights sleep!

Next on the agenda is my class in Brisbane - make sure you book both classes (me and Janine Koczwara are teaching) and get free entry to the show as well! It's gonna be a lot of fun :)

We've had a couple of spots become available at the retreat if anyone else still wants to book - full payment is required on registration. I can't wait for October!!

Finally a quick share of a layout I did for Aussie Scrap Source

Back to your regular scheduled programming

L :)

A bit of steampunk and a video or 3...

I've been Shimmerzing with the new Enamelz and it's lurve...

For this layout I took a tonne of Twiddleybitz goodness and embossed my lil heart out with the new Enamelz and finished off with some touches of Prima and adhesive pearls and swirls from Flourish with a Bling. I've done a recent guest DT spot for FWAB and love their products - head over and take a look at their blog.

And even a video of how I created it...

On another note I've been rather excited to have my first items being shown on the Prima stand at CHA! I spotted them in a couple of video's of the new stuff and sooooo wish I could've seen the stand in real life, it looked amazing!

In this first one I have a christmas layout of Joshie on an easel rrrriiiggghhhht at the end JUST as the batteries ran out... I'll show the full layout on here as soon as I get the ok.

In this one you can see my clear acrylic album which obviously quite took her fancy as she went back to it again for a good look through it! yay!!

My little bit of excitement for the day. :)

Did I share these? I created them for Aussie Scrap Source recently and they were made for my mum (they made her cry when she got them)... we all got to do some awesome 7 Gypsies trays and memory jars and I love how different everyone's were... don't you love the picture of my mum (number 12) in the top left? I'm really happy with how this turned out - I used Pink Paislee papers and some gorgeous Twiddleybitz chippie embossed with, you guessed it, Shimmerz Enamelz. :D

And this is the matching memory jar. I handmade the cotton spools using rolled up paper and some punched out circles all glued together then wrapped with muslin and secured with some pins from Jillibean Soup. Easy and effective!

Saw an interesting thing on tv tonight about Fodmap's... it could definitely be the cause of many of the issues I have with my Crohn's disease especially when I eat right! It makes me so frustrated that I can't diet and exercise to lose weight like everyone else as when I start eating fruit and vegetables too regularly it sets it all off and I'm back to square one. It's looking like going gluten free and cutting out high fodmap foods could definitely help so I'll do a bit more research on it and give it a go. I miss having some energy and just feeling well. I'm not sick, I'm not suffering but I have had ongoing issues with my disease which has otherwise been in remission up until a few months ago, and with two young children and lots to do I refuse to spend my life sitting on the couch. Stay tuned...

ArtLab is in 2 weeks and I can't wait! I have boxes of goodies for everyone and it's all come together like a plan no less!! it's going to be so much fun, can't wait to share the photos afterwards.

There are places available for the retreat at the end of October too, make sure you register as it's going to be sooo much fun! I'm teaching a Prima class (with Twiddleybitz and Shimmerz) and Liz's card buffet is looking awesome. Roll on October.. but not too fast because of course in September I'll be in Brissy teaching at the Papercrafts Festival! Make sure you book in for all 3 workshops too (myself, Jane Clark and Janine Koczwara are teaching)... you don't want to miss out on these ones either.

Righto, that's enough for today :)

L :) x

A Style Lounge Challenge...

and you have to be in to win! Over on Aussie Scrap Source we've been running style challenges where you've been asked to create layouts in the style of each of the DT... this week is my turn and of course my inspiration is the uber talented Ingvild Bolme... these are the layouts I created for the challenge but check out the blog for the full details and don't forget to enter!!

Lots of layers, details and clusters on this one, including some of the new canvas mistables (love those!).

See the leaves? they're from the mistables sheet and I sprayed them with Shimmerz, then stamped them with staz-on before cutting them out... voila!

In true Ingvild style I used puff paint and gesso along the edges of the scroll - also from the canvas mistables. It adds dimension and a nice detail :)

And the second layout:

Lots of layers along with some Tim H details and a twiddleybitz butterfly frame.

Check it out over at ASS, I can't wait to see what you create!

L :) x

a LONG post... grab a coffee...

Well SENZ is over for another year and I'm still CRAZY busy with lots of shows, classes, videos and blog posts coming up!! eek how'd that all happen? :D

Anyhoo this is a Tim Holtz configurations box that popped up over on the Aussie Scrap Source blog the other day. (Oh and before I forget, head over and check it out for your chance to guest design for Jenni Bowlin!!). Back to the box... I used a tonne of Tim's fabulous designs on it as well as some of the amazing steampunkey Twiddleybitz chippie (and some gorgeous Prima) but I'm thinking it's not quite done. Oh and yes, that really is our bedroom wall colour (remember I told you we had a circus themed house?)... that WILL be changing. Seriously. How we manage to sleep in there I'll never know. It's not like there's anywhere else in the house we could sleep either, every wall is another shade of sunglasses-required. One thing at a time and anyway, I digress...

I covered the box in Tim's paper masking tape (love that stuff - it covers so easily!!) and arranged and hot glued the boxes so they didn't all lie flat. I inked all the edges (used a mixture of Distress Inks and Staz on) and added those gorgeous feet!

The gorgeous Twiddleybitz chippie was inked in two colours, layered on top of each other and hot glued into place with a door knob just because I could :). I finished that section off with some Prima, and layered a butterfly cut from Tim's paper on top of his metal wings for a really eyecatching finish.

I used the film strip a bit differently too - I hot glued one end into the gaps between a couple of the boxes then twisted it like ribbon before hot gluing the other end into place.

This is the bit that needs work I think, just doesn't work for me now (it did but now... not so much). It feels a bit empty to me still... I think it's one of those things I'll keep fiddling with for years to come (and the piccies are going to change)... stay tuned for updates on this one!!

Speaking of Prima (as I do) I got my Educators box yesterday and Oh. My. Seriously, be still my beating heart... the things they have for you at the upcoming CHA... *sigh*... I seriously {hearts} them and I'm still expecting an email to say sorry, wrong Louise can you please return your box of goodies... (and my answer would be "no, it's mine and kind of crumpled because I've been rolling around in it"). lol

Onto SENZ. This year I decided not to teach as the only time slots were the last couple of hours of the show and I figured everyone would be shopped/classed out by then and I was right. With 87 different classes to choose from (and many repeated multiple times over the weekend), it wouldn't have been worth the time involved to prepare the awesome class I had in mind but stay tuned as I'm thinking I might run it online instead... ;)

Sooo anyway (keep getting sidetracked), I was selling my jewellery at SENZ this year instead of doing anything scrappy and I really enjoyed it! I didn't make a huge amount of money and probably wouldn't do SENZ again as it's the wrong place for that kind of thing, but I did get to talk to a huge number of scrappers who thankfully took the time to come and say hi! Loved meeting you all and it was nice to put a real face to all our facebook comments! All the jewellery and headbands etc that I was selling at the show will be heading into my etsy shop shortly (once I get a second to breathe and load them) and if there's anything custom you'd like just drop me a line.

I spent a fair bit of time (as did my mum who is always an amazing help) preparing my wee table for the show. Mum's currently addicted to making flowers and has been producing the most beautiful paper flowers which we sold a tonne of at the show, as well as sewing this gorgeous table skirt for me!

I saw a picture online somewhere, sent it to her and voila! she's too clever and it made the table look gorgeous. I've also been collecting bits and pieces off trade me for the last few months including a big old tin box, complete with a bit of rust that looked perfect!

So there you go. Sold enough to keep me happy and got some custom orders, had a very long (but fun) weekend and got to finally have a coffee with the lovely and uber-talented Jilly G (been such a long time coming!). Can't wait to catch up again in Brissy in September! Speaking of Brissy, if you're over there then come and check out the Paper Crafts Festival. You can catch classes from me, Janine Koczwara and Jane Clark (and get discounted entry into the show) but bookings are strictly limited!

Ok... that's all for now, be back with some stuff to share as soon as I'm allowed!!

L x

In the beginning, at the dawn of time...

I discovered scrapbooking. Yep we all started somewhere and with me it was an evening at my cousin's house with a Creative Memories introduction night. I had no idea what it was even about, I was only there to help her make up numbers. What I came away with was a spark and that grew into a full blown passion that has, over the years, included running a scrapping store, meeting some amazing people and being fortunate enough to join some fabulous design teams. I should send my cousin some flowers.

Anyway I found these the other day. Yep, my very first layout!! It was originally made on the standard black paged CM album page but that was before I discovered PATTERNED PAPER. Yes! The CM instructor was a little taken aback that I cut my photos into circles to make them into paw prints (these were long before the days I had children and the only photos I had were of holidays and pets!). I also printed my title onto some gold paper so was a hybrid scrapper from the start - I guess I was a rebel... lol... oh and check out the journalling written around the photos, I still do that! and a bit of embossing and a pop dotted paw print... so many techniques... lol

Now once you've gotten over your laughter with that one here's another one I did. I have no idea who this woman is, it's simply a photo we bought at the market to scrap as I had no heritage pictures. Whoever she is she's beautiful and I find it so sad that she's been parted from her family. I called her Anne and I fully intend to scrap her again to do her justice. Check out the torn paper and the fussy cut flowers... I think this is the first time I did that!

And this one... an overwhelming bout of pink and VELLUM!! I'm pretty sure this came about as a shop sample and me trying to use some paper that wasn't selling... lol

So there you go, a few pages of my first work and pages I totally intend on redoing (now they're posted here for posterity!).

I don't think I've shared these with you yet, they're a bit more recent! Both were created for Aussie Scrap Source and this one is all about Cosmo Cricket. Ignore the dent in the paper at the top, little fella stood on it while I was taking the photo!

And finally this one (should've warned you not to be on dial up for this one!)... this one features one of the We R Memory Keepers ranges (Yankee Doodle).

Hope you had a laugh

L x

The things we do...

at 4am. Early start here - DH is getting a cold so it's hard to sleep with a snorting, snoring, coughing fella hogging the bed. I gave up trying and decided to get some projects I've been a day or so behind with due to me snorting, snoring and coughing the last few nights weeks. Lucas has also been sick and was vomiting the night before last. He was fine last night but I'll keep him home from kindy today just to make sure he's out of the cold and having a quiet day to get over it. Touch wood Joshie's been fine. Soooo....

Over on the Aussie Scrap Source blog (have you got that one on your blogroll? you should) went this layout full of flower techniques. Loving the new Prima flocked rubons - they're easy to use, stick really well and make great flower centres!

So after a hugely busy month last month (yes I have a real job too), I've got a lot to look forward to in the next few months (well for the rest of the year actually!). SENZ is fast approaching and while I've decided not to teach there this year, I will be having a table in the craft market and selling (hopefully!) my jewellery. August has the ArtLab (so looking forward to that one!) and September has me flying over to Brisbane to teach at the Australian Papercrafts Festival. I'm so excited about it and will be teaching a Twiddleybitz Altered Book Album class, full of Shimmerz and Prima goodness. Here's a sneak...

October brings the Paper. Scissors, Chocolate retreat which I'm totally hanging out for!! Still some spots left if you want to join us for a fun weekend packed with goodies and creativity! Lots planned and next year is looking to be as full of excitement as the next 6 months. Loving it!

On the homefront we're planning on building a huge garage on the front of our property to use as offices. My half will be a big scraproom/office and will be big enough to hold crops/classes in! After scrapping in our lounge and working in our dining room for the last few months, I'm soooo looking forward to it. It'll realistically be about a year away I think, but when it's done... woohoo! I have lots of ideas on how I want it to look and will definitely share pics when it's built :)

And that's it for now... more stuff coming up so stay tuned :)

L x

Quick share...

Just up on the Aussie Scrap Source website is this layout using lots of different ways of using trims!! The journalling is a little hard to read but it's about how every spring, Joshie always brings me flowers for my hair. Even if they are weeds. Which they are but I'm not fussy. :)

Lots of yummy details and layers...

L x

You can't go wrong...

with Prima and Twiddleybitz...

I used the same technique with the paperclay on the mushrooms and fairy for this whimsical layout about Joshua and combined it with some gorgeous Prima papers, felt and flowers and Twiddleybitz chipboard.

L x

A quick share...

A layout I did recently for Aussie Scrap Source using Basic Grey, Prima (of course!) and the gorgeous Pink Paislee Artisan Elements.

L x