Scrapbook & Cards Today Blog

December Countdown - Day 22!

Good morning!  If you are just new to the SCT blog, welcome...we are thrilled you've joined us!  While we know our "12 days of holiday giving" is almost over (sniff, sniff!) we are continuing the fun with our December Countdown.  Each day during the month of December we have had one of our favourite designers share a handmade card, tag or gift to provide you last minute inspiration if you need it.  You can see each of their crafty goodness here!

Today's project is from Caroline Lau, co-owner of Maya Road.  By gathering a few supplies and tracing her children's hands, look at the fun project she made...

Each year Caroline does a great gift with her children's hands and this year it was a beautiful pillow!  She has provided all the instructions on how to make it right here!  (There's still time because all your shopping, baking and wrapping is done right?  lol!)

Just remember our "12 days of holiday giving" posts are still open until 3:00 p.m. EST today!  Be sure to leave a comment (just one!) each day and join us here tomorrow at noon EST where we will announce all the winners!    Have a great day!

~ Catherine

 

A fun "twist" with twine!

Hello all! Becky here, your humble editor and chief bottle washer! Have you had a chance to read Vicki Boutin’s Designer Notebook article in our winter issue? She created a fantastic feature on baker’s twine, loaded with some of the best techniques for using this hot, trendy embellishment. I decided to follow along with her step-out tutorial, and added a fun twist.

You will need a scrap of chipboard, a 1” circle punch, a red pen, baker’s twine, wet adhesive and some scrap cellophane.

 

Punch out a 1” circle from the scrap of chipboard and run a red felt pen around the cut edge. 

 
 

Apply wet adhesive over the surface of the chipboard circle and allow it to partially dry (I used a Zig pen in this sample).

Beginning on the outside edge, cover the chipboard circle with baker’s twine in a spiral pattern.

 
 

Snip the end and tuck it into the center.

 
 

Trim a scrap of cellophane to 2.5” x 3”. Lay the covered chipboard circle in the center of the cellophane, face down, and bring each edge of the cellophane to the center of the chipboard, securing with a glue dot. Twist and tie off each end with a piece of baker’s twine.

 
 

This adorable wrapped “candy” would be so cute on a package tag, a holiday card or even to embellish a gift card holder, as I have done here.

 
 

Fun, fast and easy – that’s what I like during this hectic time of year. Happy holidays, everyone!

~ Becky

ps...by the way, I've seen the list of prizes for the "12 days of holiday giving...SCT style" starting tomorrow and you DO NOT want to miss it!  Join us right here tomorrow when all the fun starts!

And we've got Summer Fullerton as Day 8 of our December Countdown here!

Pinterest holiday craft ideas for kids!

With the holidays fast approaching, I don’t know about you, but my house is in a holiday décor uproar.  First there’s the box of things I’ve been saving, then there’s the box of things I purchased on December 26 last year at 75% off that I completely forgot about, and then there’s the toilet paper roll Santa’s and the construction paper reindeer that the kids made.  Add it together and I love it all.  But it can be a bit overwhelming.

Because I thrive on being overcommitted yet I love to create, I always seem to task myself with a homemade creation to add to the mix.  Normally this means a google search, the winter issue of SCT, or quality programming on HDTV.  But there’s a new dog in town, and her name is Pinterest (join SCT on Pinterest!).  You may have heard of her.  You may have your own account, filled with boards of inspirational goodness.

You can find anything on Pinterest.  The other day I was short on dinner ideas, and all it took was a photo on my “Eats” board and I was in my cupboards and shortly thereafter, a gourmet meal, that looked JUST like the photo, I swear, was served.

Today I wanted to share some fun winter crafts to do with your kiddos, all found on my new favorite site.  This time of year normally includes a lot of school vacations, and it’s always fun to come up with fun festive things to do, and sometimes you need to fill in the time with a project. 

I love this ornament.  This would make a great gift for a grandparent:

Source:  HandsOnAsWeGrow  

There’s several project ideas on that blog post.

 

Source:  ThompsonFamily

These are so cute.  This would be a more advanced project for kids but you could do this yourself and create an easier version using patterned paper.  Just let the kids go for it.

 
 Source:  KatyElliott

I can’t wait to do this one with my girls!!!  I want to string a garland across a window with this idea.

 
 Source:  Urban Comfort

I think these would be quick and easy with a toilet paper roll and paper from my stash.

 
Source:  Current

I always find myself attracted to ornaments and ideas that preserve parts of my kiddos when they were small.  Love the thumbprint idea.  This too would make a great gift for that person (grandparent) who has everything. 

Lastly, I wanted to share a fun idea that might inspire smiles while you are practicing your photo skills in front of the Christmas tree:

 

Source:  PaperandCake

Doesn’t that look fun?  I think my kids would love this.

I hope these ideas inspired you to do some fun things with the kiddos, or the links led you to something else you’ve been wanting to do.

Happy Holidays! 

~ Davinie

Want a little more inspiration from Davinie?  Davinie is Day 7 in our December Countdown on our website!  You can see her adorable, easy-to-do tags HERE!

AND...our biggest event of the year starts THIS FRIDAY!!!

If you joined us for our annual "12 days of holiday giving...SCT style" during the last two years, then you certainly won't want to miss this years event!  Be sure to join us Friday!

 

 

Shoe-Lace Ribbon Technique with Aly Dosdall!

Today I want to share with you a fun ribbon sewing technique that will add a unique look to your scrapbook pages and cards.  This shoe-lace ribbon sewing technique can be achieved using a We R Memory Keepers Sew Ribbon tool or a craft knife as well.



If you're using a Sew Ribbon tool, you need to use one that has two rows of holes (ie Flower, Shoe Lace, or Zig Zag).  The trick is in lining up your papers on the magnetic template.  Take the paper that will end up on the left side of your project and line it up on the top half of the template so that the bottom edge of the paper is just touching the top of the bottom row of holes on the template.



Once you have your paper lined up in your template, cut the top row of holes.




Then take the paper that will end up on the right side of your project and line it up on the bottom half of the template so that the top edge of the paper is just touching the bottom of the top row of holes on the template.




Cut the bottom row of holes.  Your two papers should end up with the holes looking like the photo below.  If you're using a craft knife, just cut evenly spaced vertical slits on each paper.  Make sure the slits are the same width as the ribbon you're using.




Now sew your ribbon just as you would lace a shoe.  Be gentle so you don't bend or warp your paper.



You can also leave an extra 6 inches at the ends and tie them in a bow.  Give this technique a try on your next project.  It will definitely pack a creative punch!  Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

~ Aly Dosdall

(Be sure to check out Aly's blog where she has more fabulous holiday inspiration and a fun download today too!)

Our December Countown continues!  Be sure to check out Day 6 right here!

Davinie's non-traditional challenge!

Traditionally winter layouts are embellished with snowflakes, circles, and maybe stars.  We usually use blue and green on white, maybe add some kraft, a little red, plaid, and we are done.  For today’s blog post I wanted to share a winter layout using non-traditional embellishments.

Last year we only had two storms leave snow at our house, but managed to find a good sledding hill on Christmas Eve while visiting my husband’s parents.  I was taking a couple of photos of Morgan when she put her hands in the shape of a heart on her chest and told me, “I Heart Snow!”  How perfect for mama, the scrapbooker.  I now had the photos AND the title of a layout in one moment.

Because of the sentiment she used, I wanted to include hearts on my layout, which isn’t a traditional winter embellishment.  And because of her favorite color, I also wanted to use pink. 

 

(Note to self:  Watch where the twine lands when photographing a layout, for pete’s sake!)

Supplies:  A few bits from a recent kit, a couple of different collections from Crate paper, new and old, and bits from my stash. 

I didn’t use any die cut systems for these embellishments.  I took chipboard hearts from my stash, traced and cut them out, and I used a basic cursive font from my computer, printed it as a mirror image on cardstock, and cut it out too.  The traditional snowflakes (there was snow, I had to have a snowflake), were punched out and then I used the negative just for fun.

I challenge you to use non-traditional colors and embellishments for your layouts.  I’ll see you back here on Wednesday for more winter ideas.

 ~ Davinie

 

Check out Kelly Purkey's beautiful tags on Day 5 of our December Countdown!

 

December Countdown - Day 4!

 

If you are following our December Countdown on our website, today is Day 4 and we have a beautiful card set from Sheri Reguly!  With quick instructions you can make some easy gifts for the holidays in a few simple steps (think friends, teachers, co-workers, and in my case the local crossing guard too!)

Also, don't forget that Crop & Create Winnipeg registration opens tomorrow at 7:00 p.m.!  Find out all the details here!

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

December Countdown - Day 3...and one more!

 

We've just posted Day 3 of our December Countdown on our website.  Today is a sweet (and quick!) tag from Lisa Dickinson.  Join us each day on the site for daily holiday inspiration! Falalalala!

And, in all the fun from yesterday's post (did you see the Bazzill giveaway???), we completely forgot to announce the winner of the Ninabrook Designs Kit giveaway!  So sorry!  Drumroll please...our winner is...

It would be wonderful to work with such great products from Ninabrook Designs. I love the little snowman embellishments.  Posted by: Cheryl | November 26, 2011 at 07:45 AM

 Congratulations Cheryl!  Please email us at ideas@scrapbookandcards.com and put Ninabook winner in the reference line and we'll send that off to our friends at Ninabrook Designs!

Hope everyone is enjoying a fabulous Saturday!

~ Catherine

ps...if you have not yet seen our winter issue, you can view it in its entirety HERE!

 

 

 

 

 

It's here! The Winter issue is here!

We could not be more excited to share this beautiful issue with YOU!  It is ready for viewing on our website right here!  And because we want you to have the full experience if you don't have a paper copy of this issue, we have installed a new application on our website that allows you to view the issue with such amazing clarity you'll want to touch the screen!  It even downloads perfectly to any smartphone, ipad, playbook, tablet, etc! 

With more than 100 great tips, techniques and projects to celebrate the season our brand new winter issue is not to be missed!  Full of your favourite articles, including our 3 Designer Challenge, Easy Detailed Expert and Designer’s Notebook, we also show you how to “tie it up” with twine, some beautiful holiday gift ideas and cards for the season!  The best part, you can view it or download it for free!  But if you want to actually hold it in your hands you need to run to your local store that carries it today, or click here for a subscription - you just pay the shipping!

Or, you could win one!  That's right we have a copy to give away to a lucky reader.  But, do you know what else that lucky reader will win?  We have a wonderful box that is full of one of our favourite collections this season, Holiday Style from Bazzill Basic Paper! 

and this...

 and these sweet buttons too!

 

If you want to be the lucky reader to win this, just leave us a comment below by Thursday, December 8th at 6:00 p.m. EST and we'll choose one lucky reader to win it!   Good luck!

Join us for Day 2 of our December Countdown right HERE!  See a beautiful card from the talented Danielle Flanders and be sure to check back each day as we post a new project each morning! 

And one more surprise today...

Our annual "12 days of Holiday Giving...SCT style" starts right here next Friday, December 9th!  Fabulous prizes from our fabulous sponsors just for you!  And let me tell you, they are pretty incredible prizes.  The best EVER!  Mark your calendars because you will not want to miss this annual SCT tradition!

Is that enough fun for today?  Go grab yourself a warm cup of something (I've got a creme brulee latte!), get comfortable and enjoy our latest winter issue!  From the entire SCT team, thank you for being the best readers out there!

~ Catherine

Publisher, Scrapbook & Cards Today magazine

(ps...for all our friends in the Winnipeg area, don't forget that registration for Crop & Create opens on Monday at 7:00 p.m. right here!  It's going to go fast!)

 

 

 

December Countdown and Project 12 - October reveal and December sketch!

It's here, it's here!  December 1st is finally here!  And with that this is also here...

The inaugural December Countdown with SCT magazine!  We asked 24 of our favourite designers to share holiday cards, tags and gifts to inspire you the entire month of December and they did not disappoint!  Join us each day on the SCT website as we share their creations and, we'll also share instructions on how to make each one.  Make SCT your first stop each morning during December to see what these fabulous designers have shared each day!

 

For those following Project 12, get comfy as Davinie has some great inspiration to share with you also...

"Hello December.  The year is almost at it’s end.  For me, it’s really hard to get crafty this time of year, and yet my camera is out all season long.  There is a lot of life to live and document, so I continue to push myself to ensure it all gets documented for my kiddos to look back on one day!

At my house, October is filled with school, the pumpkin patch, and Halloween.  The house starts to smell like pumpkins and pie, the candles turn from washed linen, honeydew melons and fresh cut grass, to baked goods, and harvest apples.  The leaves start to fall, and fall sports are in full force (but this year, the girls decided to take a break from fall soccer, and I wasn’t complaining).

Here at Project 12, we had yet another fun sketch from Becky to be inspired by.  As a reminder, this is what it looked like:

 

As I was first studying the sketch, I admit, I struggled.  The photo sizes scared me a wee bit.  I decided to let it inspire me, as sketches should, and altered a few things to fit my comfort zone and my available photos.  This is what I came up with:

 

 

I took all these photos at the pumpkin patch of guords, pumpkins, the scenery, and thought stacking them up on my layout would be a fun way of incorporating these photos into my albums.

Peeking at the contributions, here’s a couple of submissions that caught my eye.

This first one is from Jacqueline, and this is her first time playing along with the challenge.  What a great contribution! 

 

I love the photo corners framing the layout, and the use of the blue backdrop from her journaling spot, pulled from the bits of blue in the patterned paper.  It really pops.  And look at that kitten!

I also wanted to share this one from Jen:

 

One of the things I love most about Becky’s sketches, as I’ve mentioned before, is her great big journaling blocks.  It’s my favorite part of each and every sketch.  The thing that first stood out to me with Jen’s layout, is how she made that spot wide, used that half circle of patterned paper (which I adore), and managed to cram a small novella in there about her month.  I.  LOVE.  THAT.  There is so much history and personality in one small space that further tell her family’s story.  Kidding aside, you know that’s my favorite part of this challenge. 

I was looking back on some of my first layouts from 2008, and initially, it was for me about getting some of those extra photos on a layout and telling a quick visual story.  I used labels and just jotted names or a date with each photo I used.  I’m so glad that eventually I wised up and started telling the stories.  The little things.  Someday I’m going to forget the little things, but I don’t want to.  And that’s it, period.

There are some changes ahead in 2012 (more on that later) but I wanted to make sure you know how important this challenge is to me and how much I value this process. With this challenge I’ve been lucky enough to get opportunities for prizes if you play along, and for the October sketch, our own Becky Fleck provided us with two copies of Pagemaps 2 to give away.  Becky has created the sketches for this challenge, so of course this prize is a must have! 

The winner of Pagemaps 2 from my blog is:  Kana. 

The winner of Pagemaps 2 via the SCT blog or the Facebook submissions is: Paislee Petals (Karen)!

Congratulations ladies!  Be sure to email ideas@scrapbookandcards.com as the winner of  the October P12 sketch prize!

Now that November is over, it’s time to work with the November sketch we revealed on November 1st.  Brace yourselves:

I look at this sketch and I don’t only see photos in those photo spots.  That’s how I plan to approach it.  What are you going to do?  Be sure to link your November layouts to THIS post from November 1st.

Going forward we have one more sketch from Becky for 2011’s Project 12 album!  I think this one is simple, elegant, and a PERFECT sketch to capture December:

 

Thank you again for playing along, and don’t forget, if you want to play for a prize, link your December layouts to TODAY's post.

Want to know what your playing for?  Check out what Pink Paislee has in store for our winner...the ENTIRE beautiful Snow Day collection!

 

I used this line as part of an assignment for the winter issue (which releases tomorrow!!!) and there are some great prints in this collection.  It’s a must have!  And word has it that Pink Paislee's annual December event is going on right now HERE.  Be sure to check it out!

Have a great month!  We can't wait to see your November sketches!  And just a little hint, if you complete Project 12 for 2011, we will have an extra special prize just for you!

~ Davinie

(Don't forget the winter issue launches here tomorrow...and its Friday ;)