thinking*through*design

SEPT/OCT Creating Keepsakes hits the Newsstands!

Sept/Oct 2012 Creating Keepsakes Magazine

OK friends you know I am a fan of Creating Keepsakes magazine and you know why... because it is always packed with great ideas and scrappy goodness. From the latest trends to classic scrapbooking information CK is my go to tool in scrapbooking. 

I have subscribed to CK since the very first issue was published! As a subscriber I am also entitled to the free digital issue -- SO I discovered that on the digi issue that if I wanted to print a page for my inspiration book I can!  HOW AWESOME is that? Pretty Awesome!  CK also has a TON of free down-loadable content for anyone you can find a plethora of scrappy goodness right here 

Every week, I post a challenge at Club CK, a free online community for all paper artist, called the ISSUE challenge, where I dig into the latest ISSUE and find little tidbits of goodness to challenge paper artist to 1. Use this most valuable resource (the magazine) to its fullest 2. Stretch and try new things and broaden the scope of their art.  3. To have fun and get scrapping!  Check it out if you are in need of great inspiration, the PEEP that play along are ALWAYS good for amazing ideas!  If you want to subscribe to CK  or just pick up the AWESOME ISSUE you can do it here

OH and I admit I really LOVE the "numbers" article be sure to check it out! ;)

SO the great news, I get to give away one of the latest ISSUES and all I need you to do is leave me a comment letting me know what you would LOVE to see as an article in CK!  it can be one that is already in the magazine or something you have always wanted CK to explore. 

I will chose a winner on Sunday, August 19, 2012 - you will have a week to respond with your address once I have chosen you as a winner!  

So leave a comment and come back to see if you won! 

Here is a link to last week's ISSUE challenge: Using hexagons

Hexagon Challenge for Club CK

Blessings friends

e

Wednesday Giveaway + a challenge!

Well it is Wednesday so we know what that means!  A NEW ISSUE Challenge has been post to Club CK.

My layouts are really important to me. I treasure the baby photos (my kids baby photos are print film 35mm days) so I am very careful about HOW I scrap them. A few things that make it hard for me in the digi age is that these are the only copies of some of these photos that I have and they are all the same size. Yeah I can crop them but I don't want to remove too much from the photos. 

I was inspired by one of Cindy Toeby'slayout in the kit, and my intention was to straight up scraplift it, but I ended up making it my own, you can see Cindy's layout, but I adjusted it to fit my needs. I also scanned and lightened these dark photos and really gave a nice vintage feel to the photos (but my son is only 16 so I don't know how vintage it could be).  I am very excited at how many layouts I can see with this fabulous kit it is FULL of ideas and great product.

ANYWAY-- Here is the layout I created for the ISSUE challenge this week--Please join us at Club CK and play along

A thought on this layout:when you are creating from a sketch or a scraplift like I did here, think about the lines not the elements. Here I was able to adjust the layout because I took the center of the layout and moved the elements around so they would work with the photos I had!  I also added a little bit of me by adding a silly title and stitching around the border of the layout.

I am so excited this week to see what you can come up with.  I created a layout that used the Creating Keepsakes Baby Kit and guess what.. I got an extra one to give away! YUP thats right, here is all you need to do to get a chance to win this great kit:

1. Become a follower(I usually don't do this, BUT this blog is going to get a new format soon and I think you will like it, I believe it will be one of those things that you will be happy you chose to be a follower. I also should say I hate being told to be a follower of a blog so truth be told, if you don't thats ok.. I am not going to check but I think you will be happy that you did!)

2. Leave a comment telling me why you love KITS

3.Share with a friend or two about this give away.

4. Check back NEXT Wednesday to see if you win!

Here is a photo of the kit

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this --

Blessings ,

e

New ISSUE Challenge Posted --a personal favorite :)

Yup yesterday I posted the latest ISSUE challenge at Club CK. I is a personal favorite.  There are two reasons I say that. First, it is a layout I did about my grandfurbaby (Akea -- AH-kay-UH) . He is the most adorable grandfur baby I have ever seen. He is a Basset/Corgie mix --or  Borgie as I call him, and thus has the cutest tooshie and the most perfectly sweet eyes ever.  OK so the challenge this week also features a company that at one time did not WOW me... but the more I get to use their product the more and more I fall in love-- that my friends if proof that all of us develop as designers-- companies change too-- sometimes you fall in love right away then other times you have to warm up.  The company is one that my friend Kim Kesti is  designing for them.  I adore her work so, of course when I found out she was a designer I began watching them more and more. That company is Pebbles,Inc. I used a product line that was from the previous release, BUT I am anxiously awaiting to get my hands on the new lines. OK enough of that.  Just want to share, my happiness with Pebbles, Inc. we have warmed up to each other nicely!

I know you waiting to see my grandfur baby.. here he is... Presenting: Akea

A thought on this layout: 
So I was inspired by a card I saw to create the banner at the top left of this layout.  I took that inspiration and carried the theme throughout the layout. By repeating the shape of the banners, I created a draw for the reader. Of course there are 5 banner strips, the odd number being a big attention getter for the brain. I also used the white (negative) space as well as scale to bring the focus to the center where I clustered the (dare I say) adorable photos of Akea.  It is impossible to not see him as the focus.  Adding the green pencil fill to the journaling eventually brings the readers eye over to investigate the reason for the color, thus ensuring that the reader will take a moment to investigate the journaling. 

your thoughts....

Please head over to Club CK and play along in some of the fun challenges like the ISSUE challenge, Thanks Living Challenge and one of my new faves..Sketch It Out Challenges... there are so many too some others. Torree's Color Challenge, the March Scraplift Challenge and the OLW (One Little Word) Challenge and that is just a small sample.  I wont even begin on the SWAPs that are going on,Club CK has an active and welcoming message board where we all share our thoughts on scrapbooking, cardmaking, or any little thing.. so please come play.

OH YEAH-- ALL THIS TALK ABOUT CREATING KEEPSAKES.. REMINDED ME-- be sure to stop by on Monday the 19th.. you will be happy you did!

Blessings,

e

ISSUE Challenge #2 - up and ready to go

Good Morning!

Well good things happen on Wednesday!  I post a new ISSUE challenge over at Club CK -- this week we have a fun challenge that will fit in to EVERYONES life.. I am excited to see what you can come up with.. and make sure you pop in here next monday-- I have a great giveaway for you all! 

SO here is the layout I created for the challenge

A thought on this layout-- because this layout has only one photo--that photo is key to the composition of the entire layout. I had to choose carefully the colors and embellishments so they would not over take  the photo.  The image in the photo does not have a "face" visable to draw in the reader and  I wanted to create a sense of fun, so I created a chevron (using zig zag lines brings a sense of energy)  from a light colored paper so it did not overwhelm the photo. I  chose to make the embellishement heavy on the side where I wanted the reader to focus.  I included part of the title into the white space on the photo to pull the readers attention even more to the photo.  Using these few techinques enabled me to bring strong focus to the single photo layout!

I used the  American Crafts, Dear Lizzy Neapolitan Line -- LOVE it!  OH and see in the corner on the misting?  that little stamp Great Scott-- I loved it when I saw it and thought this is an awesome place to share.. Paper Smooches-- Kim Hughes line of clear stamps.. seriously the stamp beautifully (oh and I am proud of myself for using stamps on a layout. I have sooo many and I promised myself to use them more.. how about you-- what is the supply you collect and then forget to use/can bare to think of it as used?

Blessings friend I hope to see you at the Club SOON!

e

LEAP Day! and an ISSUE challenge :)

HAPPY LEAP DAY ! I am excited because how many of us always complain we need more time.. well WE have a whole extra 24 hours this year!  that means we can get more crafting done!  So we have a new ISSUE challenge posted and I am excited too because tomorrow I get to post one of my favorite Thanks Living Challenges! 

Here is my layout from this week and I encourage you to pop over to Club CK and check out the ISSUE Challenge I think it will apply to every person! 

A thought on this layout: Adding the names of famous friendships of enduring characters that most people can identify with builds a familiarity that the readers can identify with-- the two pairs of friend given before my daughters and her friend will trigger for many readers a memory of the loyality and commradary these pairs of friends shared.  Also the by adding these names I give a peek into how deep the friendship between Ally and Osh Kosh is.

When you create a layout for the ISSUE CHALLENGE, this may be an approach you would want to take-- some famous friends could include beloved TV characters like Lavern and Shirley or Cartoons like Tom and Jerry.. I am excited to see what you come up with!

A few great things I was at ScrapbookSteals.com and got a ton of the Amy Tangerine line from American Crafts for a smokin deal.. so that is what got me excited to use this product and spured on this layout--I also found that Jillibean Soup worked really well with this line. I am excited to see what you guys come up with -- I am thinking of adding a Mr. Linky to this blog tell me what your thoughts are on that...

Blessings

e

 

ISSUE Challenge #9 (JAN/FEB 2012) --- and.... ACTION

GOOD morning to you my friends.  I am excited because there are so many big and wonderful things going on here at Thinking*Through*Desgin-- let's just say it is gonna be a HOOT around here!  SO today is Wednesday and everyone know that is NEW Challenge Day  - so I have a funny story for you .  I created a layout and was so happy with it and then I realized.. DUH this is from the March/April ISSUE of Creating Keepsakes (which I might add is WAAAAY full of great ideas), it was then that I realized opps... you probably should use the JAN/FEB ISSUE for this challenge.. SO last night I did something I have never done but worked out well. 

I took my JAN/FEB ISSUE and plopped it on the desk and whatever page it opened to I would use it i the challenge... page 103 was the winner winner chicken dinner and I was a little giddy.  See page 103 falls in the middle of an article I wanted really badly to use but was a bit intimidated because the MOVIE I wanted to scrap was done by Kim Watson.. (she is sooo talented) and well that is a hard act to follow, BUT I did it.. I conqured my fear and scrapped away.  While my layout is NOTHING like hers, it was just being happy with using the same movie as she did. 

I hope you will pop over to Club CK and check out the ISSUE challenge this week.  I really want to see what you come up with. I admit I am a little American Crafts crazy these days. I am excitedly waiting to get the new lines from CHA-W and while I am waiting I am using up my still hip and fabulous Amy Tangerine line... anyway, Here is my sample for the challenge

Have some fun scrapping this week.. I am hoping to have some news for you you soon on whats coming  your way!  I think you will be happy!

 

ISSUE Challenge #8 -Jan/Feb 2012

SO much to take care of today.  First I thought that I would give away a little prize as promised from last week... here is the winner -- I went to Random.org and the winner was post number 1 and that is SandyP! So I need your adress love and I will send you a little Welcome to the new blog prize!

Next -- I was going to try and keep this blog all business, but I don't like only posting a few times a weekk so hopefully I will be able to get more fun creative stuff up and it will be more inspirational here then just a challenge-- I may even begin posting challenges that I had left over from ISSUE challenges.. maybe I need to get a team together to help -- what do you think-- give me your feedback

FINALLY --it's Wednesday, and we all know what that means! YUP the ISSUE challenge is LIVE and kicking.  There is so many neat ideas in one ISSUE of CK that I sometimes forget to look at the actual articles.  I mean that, well I was flipping through this week and realized there is an entire article devoted to one of the scrappers best friend.. STICKERS.. Joannie McBride brought together some amazing ideas for us and I hope you will take a few minutes and be inspired in that article..and then participate in the ISSUE CHALLENGE 

Here is something fun I did this week.

I used the ISSUE challenge and altered my letter sticker... they are the vanilla foam letter thickers  from American Crafts 

and then I used my Copic markers to color the entire letter -- NOW I am working on collecting a new product called TOUCH markers that are basically the same as Copics. I love these new markers!  But that will be a different post... the TOUCH markers will do this a well. BUT I needed red and I had red Copics so here are the colors I used after I colored the entire foam letter sticker I had an idea....Did you know that the colorless blender in both TOUCH and Copic markers doesn't "blend" per say but more removes excess color to achieve a blended look? Its true.. so I decided to try something fun and it seems to have work pretty well. 

Here is what I did: after coloring I decided to remove the red ink and make little hearts. I love how it came out -- the next morning I went and took out even more then shows here.  It give a softer less graphic feel and I like it. All you have to do is simply push back the ink into whatever shape you like.

Well after all that chatting here is the layout I came up with for the ISSUE challenge. I liked how I was able to change the plain vanilla letter sticker-- and these letters were able to be altered so easily, if you have TOUCH or Copic markers, you will be set for any color letters you ever need!

So that is all for today my friends, I hope it was informative-- let me know your thoughts.

Blessings

e

ISSUE CHALLENGE #7 Jan/Feb 2012 - Calendar Craze

Good Morning my friends!

Here we are a bright Wednesday Morning!  I am excited because this is the first ISSUE challenge being posted on my new blog-- that makes me want to give a little prize away... what do you think?  So let's say next Wednesday morning if you leave a comment you can be entered into a random drawing for a little blog candy. 

The ISSUE challenge is really fun this week because CK has a free download that can be used to get your mojo flowing!  If you click over to the challenge (HERE is a LINK) you can find out how to get this great resource.  What I love about it is that you can use it for sooo many things. I don't know if you know this, but CK offers free stuff every ISSUE! 

I would like to mention, Kaiser Craft was one of my favorite booths at the CHA-W 2012 -- and not just because of all the cute Aussie guys with amazing accents.. it was the product.. I saw this line (Tiny Wood Collection) and knew straight away what I was going to do with it. I love that that bar code strips have fun patterns adorning the backs--the colors and patterns were amazing I love the muted natural feel of this line! I truly was inspired by the product this week!

Here is my layout for this week,  I hope it inspires you to get scrappin'

SO here are some of my thoughts on this design: 

I used a grid approach to the placement of the elements, but incorporated the rounded corners on the white outline.  I did that to bring balance to the "starkness" of the grid, additionally the flowers shape helps to bring visual interest to the rigidness of the lines.  I also created a "bleed" of the photos by cutting the photo of the jaguar and the "wonderful" embellishment, I gave a continuous flow onto the second page. I did this because the photos on the second page are not heavy enough to carry the second half of the layout without being anchored to the heavier half of the layout.   I also was able to use the great pattern of the paper to provide some of the much needed weight for the second half of the layout.

Please share with me your  thoughts!