Paper. Scissors. Chocolate. Louise Williams

A perfect combination...

I created this layout with some gorgeous Prima combined with some of the amazingly detailled Twiddleybitz chipboard. Thought I'd give you a quick rundown on how I put it together too :)

Supplies:
Prima #843106 Londonderry - Parlor Games
Prima #841478 Flights of Fancy - Miss Pretty
Prima #843427 Romantique - Hilary
Prima #890735 Resin - Mini Windows
Prima #543358 Summer Carnation - Wisteria
Prima #548858 Corine Collection
Prima # bulk roses
Prima #551346 Say it in Crystals
Twiddleybitz BAS013 Bag of Love
Twiddleybitz GAR001 Garden Flower Tower
Twiddleybitz FRA006 Fancy Vine Frame
Twiddleybitz WOR039 Love Word
Twiddleybitz ALPHA005C Itty Bitty Alphabet - Chocolate
Digital frames downloaded from internet
Stickles
Dimensional Magic
Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam

Instructions:

1. Cut a 4" strip off the left and right edges of the Hilary paper and swap them over so that the border is running in the middle. Cut a 6" strip from the middle of the Parlor Games paper and punch the long edges using a decorative punch. Adhere using double sided tape to recreate a 12" square page.
2. Use paint or a Tim Holtz distress stain (in picket fence) the Twiddleybitz Garden Flower Tower and Fancy Vine Frame. Adhere the Garden Flower Tower into place in the middle of the strip.
3. Cut the Fancy Vine Frame in half and adhere into place with one piece at the top right and one at the lower left of the tower.
4. Adhere your digital frames and photos into place, using foam tape to raise the frames up from the photos.
5. Adhere the resin window into place at the top of the tower.
6. Adhere the vine into place.
7. Colour the hearts and the Love word with the Glimmer Glam, finish with dimensional magic and adhere into place when dry.
8. Create a banner out of the middle cutoff strip of the Hilary paper, folding the edges for dimension. Adhere into place and attach the lettering.
9. Adhere the other flowers into place. Cut out some butterflies from the Miss Pretty paper, fold and shape the wings for dimension and adhere. Finish with the Prima crystals and some kindyglitz on the roses.

Thanks for looking

L :)

 

 

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

Darkroom Door Guest Designer

Yep I was lucky enough to be a guest designer for Darkroom Door - you can check out the blog posts here: http://rachelgreig.typepad.com/darkroomdoor/2011/11/guest-artist-louise-williams.html

Here were the projects I created with the awesome stamps and photo chips I was sent.

Explore Layout

Details:

I started with a neutral Basic Grey background and lightly stamped using the French Script background stamp to add interest. Before spritzing and spraying with various Shimmerz inks, I added some roughly sewn on and distressed strips of the Meadow paper. I added a layer of the Art De Fleur filmstrips behind the photos and punched and added a strip of the Legato paper. The bird image from the Lovebirds stamp set was stamped onto some of the remaining Meadow paper and finished with some distress stickles. Hints of papers from Websters Pages, a book plate from Tim Holtz and some flowers scattered through the layout add a bit of dimension and the layout was finished with the word stamp also from the Lovebirds set.

Onto the next project...

Art Journal:

Details:

I created this journal with an acrylic album and a lot of Gesso and Shimmerz. I stamped with the Darkroom Door “Little Door Photo Stamp“ using Stazon ink onto the back of cover, so that if I made a mistake with the front I could safely remove it without ruining my stamping. Then, taking my cue from Anna Dabrowska-Pękocka’s work, I layered lots of little items found around my junk jars and painted them with layers of gesso and Shimmerz paints to create an interesting cover for what is now my art journal.

Timeless Layout:

Details:

I used the gorgeous San Marco paper as my base for this simple layout that focuses on the photo rather than a lot of journalling. I layered as strip of the Legato paper over the top and roughly covered it with a thin layer of gesso to tone it back.  I stamped onto transparency with Stazon using stamps from the beautiful Love Birds set and layered them with some Twiddleybitz chipboard, some Basic Grey flowers cut out from paper and finished it with some Prima roses for a sweet touch.

Safe Journey Card:

Details:

This was a quick card to make thanks to the lovely Art De Fleur photochip background, which was layered over a distressed and punched strip of the Blush paper. Add in some scrunched seam binding and Prima flowers and finish with a strip of the Wilderness wordstrip for an easy title.

The Places You'll Go Layout:

Details:

This was a very quick layout to put together using the Prague photochips as a background over some neutral Basic Grey paper. I adhered them into place, roughly sewed over them and then created a sweep of white through the middle using texture paste. Once it was dry I sprayed the area with some Shimmerz My Bleeding Heart colour spray and added some Mandarin Shimmerz paint as well, allowing it to run up the page for interest. Over the top I’ve added parts of a Basic Grey Doily paper and finished it with some American Crafts lettering and Prima flowers.

So there you go! thanks to Rachel for the opportunity to use their amazing products.

L x

You need to start following this blog.

We all need a little happiness in our lives, and if we can give a little to others in the process all the better right?

My BFF Debbie Blincoe has started this awesome blog called Handmade and Heartfelt - all about ways we can add little special touches to our every day lives to enrich them. She's featuring some great scrappers and creators of all things handmade and has some fabulous ideas for Christmas and just generally giving!

Make sure you go and check it out, then follow her journey for a more handmade and heartfelt life.

L x

Registrations are open!!

7-9th September 2012
Motu Moana Scout Camp
Blockhouse Bay
Auckland

$280 all inclusive

After an amazing retreat this year we're doing it again but you'd better be in quick. Registration forms are available to download from the sidebar of my blog there --->

Soooo join us for A Vintage Indulgence. Step back to the elegance of a bygone era with beautiful classes from Prima Educators Janine Koczwara and me (Louise Williams!) and the ambience of all things vintage. Enjoy fabulous gourmet meals from our talented caterers Debbie and Richard Blincoe and spend the weekend relaxing, scrapping and indulging in all things inspirational and chocolate-covered. Bring your friends or come alone!

The price has increased this year due to having an international tutor, cleaners plus the increase in accommodation and food costs, but what amazing value still!

• accommodation for Friday and Saturday nights
• delicious meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday, breakfast and lunch on Sunday
• 2 inspirational classes with Prima Educators Janine Koczwara (Australia) and Louise Williams (NZ)
• Generous kits and welcome gifts
• Cleaners on the Sunday so you don’t have to do it!
• lots of fun extra’s planned to keep you motivated, entertained and indulged

Book now so you don't miss out, this one's gonna be popular and places are strictly limited.

L x

It was indeed... an Indulgence...

Fabulous. That's really all I can say about the retreat. What a fabulous group of scrappers eating fabulous food with fabulous classes and such a positive, yep.. you guessed it... fabulous vibe all weekend. Thank you all who came and helped make it so successful.

Debbie did a phenomenal job with the catering - I have never eaten so well at a retreat and her buffet table at the creepy crop was just amazing... see what I mean?

We were also treated to a beautiful card buffet by Liz Hicks... stunning work and everyone loved helping themselves to the Prima!!

And I taught this layout class filled with Prima goodness:

Then during the creepy crop we had a mask competition... this was mine with yes, more Prima... lol

And there we go... we're already into full on planning for next year's "A Vintage Indulgence" and will be releasing the registration form and details as soon as I've confirmed the venue and dates. I'm expecting us to fill up fairly quickly next year judging by the feedback from this one so make sure you keep an eye out for updates.

Righto... onto other things...

Something super exciting is happening this weekend!!

 

Starting on Friday the 4th of November the Twiddleybitz DT are having a bloghop.
And not just any ol' run of the mill bloghop.....

oh no...
uh uh!!

We are having a  RAKAMANIA BLOG HOP!!

Each of the DT members are putting up a RAK for you to win and also showing you some gorgeous work on their blogs in the process.
It all starts on Friday November the 4th at 5pm (AEST)

So keep an eye out on the Ning for more details and the schedule, because that is where the

RAKamania Blog Hop will start!!

And not only will there be prizes from the DT members on the actual Hop, but there will also be prizes to be won on the Ning during the weekend and also on Facebook.

Like our page on Facebook to keep up to date with what is happening on the hop!!
Twiddleybitz on FaceBook

We also have prizes on offer for those of you going to the Paper Crafts Festival in Penrith on Sunday of that same weekend. Make sure to pop into the Ning to see how you can win some Twiddleybitz just for stopping by the Twiddleybitz booth at the Show and saying hello. :-)

We do hope you will join us for what we are sure will be a fun and inspiring and prize packed RAKamania Blog Hop...!

L x

blink and you miss it.

I can't believe that last couple of weeks has flown by already.

Live with Prima class? check.
Trip to Brisbane? check.
Homeshow week? check.

Seriously. Where did that fortnight go? It seems the older I get the faster life seems to be going...

Anyhoo... I'm back. My trip to Brisbane was great, I got to meet a lot of people I've known online only for a while and the classes all went well. I roomed with the lovely Janine Koczwara (left) and got ferried to and from the airport by the equally lovely Giovanna Scott who is THE QUEEN of self portraits. Seriously, this was the only attempt at a group shot, outside the airport before we headed home. I'm the queen of cutting heads off. So glad I got to meet you guys, you're both awesome, mwah xx

I also got to meet the lovely Nic, Andrew and Jen from Twiddleybitz. They totally rocked the show and after seeing the amazing samples from the DT on display, I walked away thinking I totally need to lift my game... lol. Some serious talent on that team :)

Anyhoo... I also got a bit sick while I was away. My Crohn's has been a lil active for a while now and I think I got too run down before I left so it kind of hit me while I was away. It's been worse since I got back though so I'm grateful it hit me after the plane trip than during!! TMI? lol

Being away gave me some time to think what I really want to do in this amazing industry too. I've been very blessed to be on some fabulous teams with some incredibly talented people and while I still love it and have no intention of stepping back any further, I've got ideas in my head for other avenues that I feel the urge to explore too. Stay tuned... ;D

Righto. I'm inspired and have a brand new Big Shot waiting to be used (that got Custom's scratching their heads) so I'll love you and leave you.

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 :)

FREE CLASS

The kids are heading back to school and you should to! 

The headmistress at Miss Art's knows that new backpacks, school supplies and first day apparel can reduce a crafters budget to milk money, so for this weekend only she is offering you a tuition free class.  Beginning on Friday, August 26th, you will have 3 days to check out one of our most popular classes for free, no subscription needed.  In "The Secret Garden," the talented Stacy Cohen teaches you how to create a shadowbox efffect on your layouts by adding dimension through layering and creating beautiful floral clusters. Stacey even earns a little Extra Credit by providing you a step-by-step demonstration on how she creates her trademark crocheted page accents. We hope to see you in the class room and if you enjoy our class that you'll be kind enough to leave an apple or a comment for the teacher.

Head over to Miss Art's and check it all out.

L :)

It's been one of those days.

Again. We've been having a bit of a rough run of late and so my little blog has been sadly neglected.

I currently have a lingering headcold, deadlines looming and some family stuff that has and is needing a fair bit of attention. It's hard to dig up the mojo when surrounded by chaos, and with everything on my plate I've had to make the hard decision to leave a couple of the design teams that I love. I'm no longer an Educator for Shimmerz, I totally love those guys and Stacey really is the absolute best but with stuff I've got going on something had to give. So I've stepped down from Shimmerz and also as a Design Diva for Scrapbook Creations Magazine. Both have very kindly left the door open for me if/when I'm ready to return and I'm very grateful for their support, in fact the support I've had from everyone in making this decision.

I've got some stuff going on that I need to get to dealing with, and my family has and will always be my priority. I'm remaining with Prima, Twiddleybitz and Aussie Scrap Source and am still scrapping up a storm - the difference now is my workload has halved and I can begin to start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel instead of just ongoing tracks.

I'm starting to feel more positive about it all though. We're going to start building our new offices soon (ok so it's a garage but will be built to what we want rather than changed afterwards) and it's going to be big. 9m x 6m (and I get half that!) which will give me a great sized scrapping space - big enough to hold classes and crops. The other plus side in that is that I'll no longer be scrapping in the lounge and working in the dining room, I've so hated not having my own space that I could lock myself away in. I'm tired of finding lego on my keyboard or having my tools go missing as Joshie decides he needs to create (I don't want to stifle his creativity, just his magpie tendancies when it comes to my scrappy stuff!).

I'm also going to be spending a lot more time with my boys. Not just ordinary what-do-you-want-so-you'll-go-away-quickly type of time either, real quality time. I love my boys and they've not been getting the best of me. DH hasn't been getting the best of me either. Martha Stewart I'm not, never have been, never will be but of late I've been more Peggy Bundy. I want my home to feel like a home, not a workplace where I get to sleep occasionally. So I've been on Pinterest (damn that time sucking website) and am. so. inspired. By everything. For everything. About everything. I just want to create in whatever form that takes. I want to sew. I want to paint. Of course I want to scrap too but I want to scrap harder. Get more creative. See where it takes me.

So while I'm sad for leaving those teams (and I really did find it a hard decision to make), I'm looking forward to getting my family back where we should be. I'm excited about the ideas in my head and just want to create. I'm looking forward to the classes I've got coming up. I can't wait for the retreat in October.

It's all good.

L x