Hello Faithful Readers! FYI I will be moving the "Techneek of the Week" series to a new Treasured Memories "Projects and Techneeks" Blog. Right now, all that has been posted is today's Techneek of the Week...but soon you will be able to find my weekly "techneeks" along with a project created by one of the talented ladies on the TM Design Team. These will range from layouts, to mini albums, to home decor projects...whatever turns our fancy that week! Included will be an instruction sheet and supply list and lots of pictures of said project. We hope that this will continue to inspire you and keep your scrapbooking "evolving". Nothing wrong with trying something new!!
Here's the link: Projects & Techneeks Blog
(This doesn't replace any of the other Treasured Memories Blogs...just adds to them! So keep visiting here and treasuredmemories.typepad.com for class and store info.)
Showing posts with label Techneek of the Week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Techneek of the Week. Show all posts
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Techneek of the Week - Scrapbooking "On the Go"
This week's technique is inspired by an upcoming class...Altered Art runs August 4th (that's a holiday!) in the afternoon and we are making an altered pizza box and journal to store all of your VACATION MEMORIES. Today, I am going to show you how to create and "ON-THE-GO" scrapbook to take with you when you go on vacation, or to the lake, or wherever. With a minimal amount of supplies you can combine your travel journal with a mini album and after adding some photos when you get home, you have a COMPLETED PROJECT dedicated to your trip. And this makes it easier to do full pages after the fact because you have all your info in one place.
Pictured below are a couple of "on-the-go" scrapbooks that I have completed on past trips. Last year the fam and I went to Kelowna for a week (mmm...beach) and this spring we went to sunny Southern California with my in-laws to watch my brother-in-law compete in his first marathon. Even though these were two totally different trips with different amounts of free-time (aka scrapbooking time!) I was still able to create something that I enjoy and will keep forever and ever!
The top one is a 7 Gypsies mini album that I bought here at the store. It has nice neutral ivory cardstock pages and tabs along the top. The chipboard cover allows for more decoration (if you choose) when you get home. I didn't do anything to either of my journals before I left. Better to have something simple that can pack away nicely and then leave the fancy stuff for when you get home. I am planning on leaving this guy plain on the outside, aside from the rad 7 Gypsies knob!
The second journal is actually an artist's sketchbook I bought at and art supply store. It is still a nice sturdy coil-bond notebook and since it is meant for sketching, the paper inside is heavy-weight enough to allow me to glue and staple brochures and tickets to it without losing it's integrity.
Pictured below are a couple of "on-the-go" scrapbooks that I have completed on past trips. Last year the fam and I went to Kelowna for a week (mmm...beach) and this spring we went to sunny Southern California with my in-laws to watch my brother-in-law compete in his first marathon. Even though these were two totally different trips with different amounts of free-time (aka scrapbooking time!) I was still able to create something that I enjoy and will keep forever and ever!
The top one is a 7 Gypsies mini album that I bought here at the store. It has nice neutral ivory cardstock pages and tabs along the top. The chipboard cover allows for more decoration (if you choose) when you get home. I didn't do anything to either of my journals before I left. Better to have something simple that can pack away nicely and then leave the fancy stuff for when you get home. I am planning on leaving this guy plain on the outside, aside from the rad 7 Gypsies knob!
The second journal is actually an artist's sketchbook I bought at and art supply store. It is still a nice sturdy coil-bond notebook and since it is meant for sketching, the paper inside is heavy-weight enough to allow me to glue and staple brochures and tickets to it without losing it's integrity.
Remember, when choosing a notebook/mini-album to take along you should look for something small enough to fit comfotably in your luggage or purse, but substantial enough to allow for you add things and write all that you want to write. You might want to pick one with more pages if you are going for a long trip (week plus), or if you want to add more photos when you get home.
As you can see, I did a lot of journaling...essentially documenting the trip as I went. Each evening (and sometimes during longer car trips!) I would dedicate some time to journaling about the day and adding some "found items" as I went along. I kept any maps, tickets, tourist brochures that I picked up during the day and cut and pasted what would fit in my journal. I always find it so hard to incorporate these things into my scrapbook layouts after the fact, and instead of just sticking them in a page protector at the back of my album, this is a nice way to display them. They also add a little extra decoration to your pages, so you don't have to bring as many supplies!
I purposely left space in my journal to add photos when I got home. I even wrote in the space which photos I wanted there. For example, in my Kelowna book I would journal along part of the page and leave the rest for photos...which works because my book is large enough. For my California journal, which has smaller pages, I left entire pages blank so I would have room to add lots of photos.
And this, my friend's, is all that I took with me! Pens, adhesive (glue stick or stapler work great!) and scissors (don't take on the plane!) are essential. Stamps are a nice addition, as you can pack a couple of shapes, an acrylic block and some ink pads and really get some "bang for your buck." Stars are pictured here, but labels, swirls, numbers, etc. would also do really nicely. I took 7 Gypsies labels with me to Kelowna and Scenic Route lady and gentleman with me to California. And if you bring coloured ink pads instead of just black, you get some added colour as well! I also like to take some simple label stickers (the ones pictured are Prima), in a sheet that I can cut to fit. All of these guys fit in my handy-dandy Spongebob Squarepants pencil case, along with my journal and I can pack that along with me on the road or the plane and it's at-hand whenever I have the inkling to create!
And here are some examples of things we carry that would be great to bring along, if you want some extra things to embellish as you go! But remember, you don't want to bring too much stuff and get overwhelmed. This is meant to be a simple, portable project, something that can be added to once you get home from your trip. So maybe if you really want to get creative with this book, leave more space to add these rad travel embellishments when you get home and add your photos.
Supplies pictured (clockwise from top left): Lil Davis chipboard titles; Scenic Route chipboard; Love Elsie epoxy stickers and chipboard stickers from her Forrest line; Making Memories cardstock stickers from the Passport line
[NOTE: Since Blogger is being uncooperative and not loading the rest of my photos (!!) I wil leave the post at this...for now. I have some other product ideas for you, and will try and post later today.]
I hope you enjoyed this installment of Techneek of the Week! I am currently working on getting all the August class demos done and will hopefully have something to show for it next week! So keep checking back for more ideas and Sneak Peeks for upcoming classes!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Techneek of the Week
Welcome to a new segment I hope to bring to the Classes Blog on a semi-regular basis. I'm always working on new things, and some techniques the rest of the girls and I figure out just don't make it into classes! But I still want to pass on the stuff we learn...so you can skip all the hard steps of figuring things out and just reap the benefits!!! I hope you find some inspiration here, and have some fun getting your Mojo working!!
Techneek of the Week #1
This week I was playing with ideas for the "Environmentally Friendly Scrapbooking" class, and I thought it would be nice to share some things I came up with that you can use in your scrapbooking everyday to make the most out of your supplies and be a little "greener."
These two pages share the same basic layout, but with one big difference. The one on the left was done with environmentally friendlier techniques and supplies. Now get out your creative brains and dust off your imaginations and I'll lead you through the construction this page, step by step.
Instead of using pattern paper for your background or as an accent, try making your own with some stamps! On the not-so-green layout, I used a beautiful flocked pattern paper by Making Memories. On the "green" layout, I made my own background using Scenic Route acrylic stamps and some stamping ink.
First, you'll want to cut your template. I traced my 4x6 photo template on a piece of scrap paper and then cut it out and taped it down (lightly) where I wanted it on my background.
Lisa's Tip: I have a bunch of picture templates that I keep on hand when I am planning a layout. These are cut to sizes of pictures that I usually use (4x6, 3.5 x 5, wallet size, etc.), and I can just pull them out and place them on my background when I need to see how things are going to fit on a page. That way I also know what sizes my photos should be once I print them.
Next, choose the stamp you want to use to create your background. It should be one that is symmetrical, and can be repeated many times. Ink it up really good, and fill the space. You might want to either do a test run (so you don't wreck your background) or stamp the pattern on another sheet of leftover paper and cut it out to fit the space. Once you're done this step, you can remove your stamping template from the page.
I love using packaging on my layouts!! And I love to use ledger or lined paper as well. So the KI Memories Love Elsie line is the "Bees Knees"!!! And it's really great for those of us who like to add some journaling to our layouts. And I always have some packaging and some lined paper in my stash, which makes it easier to reach for these environmentally-friendly items when I'm in the midst of a creative burst.
For this part, I cut my Love Elsie packaging down to size and since it wasn't big enough to fit the whole space, I added some simple lined paper (leftover from when I was still in school!!). Since the lined paper is very see-through, I folded it over before I adhered it to my page. Now I can easily add journaling or my title to the space...I have built in reference lines!!
I am a big fan of creating my own embellishments. Sometimes I just can't find what I'm looking for in the store. You know...the "perfect thing." So I make my own in whatever colour and size I need to fit my layout. This is a great time and place to use "found items" and stamps.
First, I chose a 7 Gypsies label acrylic stamp set and some packaging, this time from a Scenic Route chipboard set. You'll want to use a permanent ink (like Staz-On) if you're stamping onto a glossy surface. Or you can emboss the image (try coloured embossing powder for a really fun look!). If you're really adventurous, try doodling an image...you can start simple with a circle, square, heart, squiggle line, but this can really add a personal touch to your layouts!
After I stamped the circle label, I punched it out with a slightly larger circle punch. These little guys come in handy when creating your own embellishments. They save you time and effort when you want a nice shape, or lots of them! Next, I added some colour with my red Slick Writer pen along the border of the stamped circle. These pens are great for adding some quick journaling or doodles to a gloss surface and also come in handy when labelling the back of your photos. No smudging, no streaking, and they come in a bunch of rad colours, and different-sized tips.
A "found item" (as defined by Lisa...that's me) is something that would normally be thrown out before you even considered putting it on a scrapbook layout! Something that is not a traditional scrapbook supply. For example: tags from your new shirt, the cute ad for ringtones that came in the CD you just bought, wrapping paper leftover from your daughter's birthday, etc. etc. etc. Anything can be a found item, and if you're not concerned with "acid-free", can be used on your scrapbook layouts.
On this page, my found item is the mesh bag that my oranges come in. I cut a bit off and used it as ribbon behind the stamped image. I save anything that can be used as ribbon, including "garbage" ribbon from presents and leftover tidbits from Starbucks packaging! You can always add a little ribbon to a page for some texture and visual interest. Try pop-dotting a punched-out image above your ribbon, as I did here.
Finish up with a little doodling around the edge, and voila! Your first (of many, I hope!) "green" layout!
"Green" Layout
Stamps: Scenic Route "Woman Clear Stamp", 7 Gypsies "Label It"
Ink: Staz-On "Jet Black"
Pens: American Crafts Slick Writer (black and red)
Techneek of the Week #1
This week I was playing with ideas for the "Environmentally Friendly Scrapbooking" class, and I thought it would be nice to share some things I came up with that you can use in your scrapbooking everyday to make the most out of your supplies and be a little "greener."
These two pages share the same basic layout, but with one big difference. The one on the left was done with environmentally friendlier techniques and supplies. Now get out your creative brains and dust off your imaginations and I'll lead you through the construction this page, step by step.
Instead of using pattern paper for your background or as an accent, try making your own with some stamps! On the not-so-green layout, I used a beautiful flocked pattern paper by Making Memories. On the "green" layout, I made my own background using Scenic Route acrylic stamps and some stamping ink.
First, you'll want to cut your template. I traced my 4x6 photo template on a piece of scrap paper and then cut it out and taped it down (lightly) where I wanted it on my background.
Lisa's Tip: I have a bunch of picture templates that I keep on hand when I am planning a layout. These are cut to sizes of pictures that I usually use (4x6, 3.5 x 5, wallet size, etc.), and I can just pull them out and place them on my background when I need to see how things are going to fit on a page. That way I also know what sizes my photos should be once I print them.
Next, choose the stamp you want to use to create your background. It should be one that is symmetrical, and can be repeated many times. Ink it up really good, and fill the space. You might want to either do a test run (so you don't wreck your background) or stamp the pattern on another sheet of leftover paper and cut it out to fit the space. Once you're done this step, you can remove your stamping template from the page.I love using packaging on my layouts!! And I love to use ledger or lined paper as well. So the KI Memories Love Elsie line is the "Bees Knees"!!! And it's really great for those of us who like to add some journaling to our layouts. And I always have some packaging and some lined paper in my stash, which makes it easier to reach for these environmentally-friendly items when I'm in the midst of a creative burst.
For this part, I cut my Love Elsie packaging down to size and since it wasn't big enough to fit the whole space, I added some simple lined paper (leftover from when I was still in school!!). Since the lined paper is very see-through, I folded it over before I adhered it to my page. Now I can easily add journaling or my title to the space...I have built in reference lines!!I am a big fan of creating my own embellishments. Sometimes I just can't find what I'm looking for in the store. You know...the "perfect thing." So I make my own in whatever colour and size I need to fit my layout. This is a great time and place to use "found items" and stamps.
First, I chose a 7 Gypsies label acrylic stamp set and some packaging, this time from a Scenic Route chipboard set. You'll want to use a permanent ink (like Staz-On) if you're stamping onto a glossy surface. Or you can emboss the image (try coloured embossing powder for a really fun look!). If you're really adventurous, try doodling an image...you can start simple with a circle, square, heart, squiggle line, but this can really add a personal touch to your layouts!
After I stamped the circle label, I punched it out with a slightly larger circle punch. These little guys come in handy when creating your own embellishments. They save you time and effort when you want a nice shape, or lots of them! Next, I added some colour with my red Slick Writer pen along the border of the stamped circle. These pens are great for adding some quick journaling or doodles to a gloss surface and also come in handy when labelling the back of your photos. No smudging, no streaking, and they come in a bunch of rad colours, and different-sized tips.A "found item" (as defined by Lisa...that's me) is something that would normally be thrown out before you even considered putting it on a scrapbook layout! Something that is not a traditional scrapbook supply. For example: tags from your new shirt, the cute ad for ringtones that came in the CD you just bought, wrapping paper leftover from your daughter's birthday, etc. etc. etc. Anything can be a found item, and if you're not concerned with "acid-free", can be used on your scrapbook layouts.
On this page, my found item is the mesh bag that my oranges come in. I cut a bit off and used it as ribbon behind the stamped image. I save anything that can be used as ribbon, including "garbage" ribbon from presents and leftover tidbits from Starbucks packaging! You can always add a little ribbon to a page for some texture and visual interest. Try pop-dotting a punched-out image above your ribbon, as I did here.Finish up with a little doodling around the edge, and voila! Your first (of many, I hope!) "green" layout!
I hope you enjoyed my first "Techneek of the Week." Check back in another week or so, when I hope to have some Ranger techniques up for you to try! If you have any comments or questions, or suggestions for future posts please leave them here, and I'll get back to you ASAP.
Supplies Used
Both layouts: white Bazzill cardstock
Basic Layout
Pattern paper: Making Memories, Jenni Bowlin
Ribbon: American Crafts 9by the yard)
Ticket: Jenni Bowlin
"Green" Layout
Stamps: Scenic Route "Woman Clear Stamp", 7 Gypsies "Label It"
Ink: Staz-On "Jet Black"
Pens: American Crafts Slick Writer (black and red)
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