Acrylic!

I have found myself using more and more acrylic. I love the versatility. I love that you can chose to keep it as is and not lose objects under that particular embellishment. I had an idea of basing a wall hanging from a large scallop frame from the Fancy Pants Transparent die cuts. I painted the frame pink on it's backside, white on the front and then proceeded to add a grungy feel by using different textures for adding other paint colours over the white paint. I used cardboard, bubble, wrap and a paint brush. I painted a piece of styrofoam black and covered it in mod podge to use as the base. I added a clear star also from the Fancy pants transparent die cuts pack which was perfect for hanging a Making Memories love notes metal charm (just attached the jump ring around one side of the star). Other supplies Basic Grey micro chip alphabet letters, Heidi Swapp Center of Attention alphabet letters, MM ribbons, Tim Holtz grungeboard.

Prima's shapes-o-rama

Trace Geworsky

Prima's shapes-o-rama are so cool to work with.
You trim them out, and you can doodle on them, paint on them, use alcohol inks on them, use stickles on them, etc.
I cut a piece of patterend paper 6x6, hand cut a design from Making Memories paper, adhered a shapes-o-rama with a picture and minimal journaling, and then added some stickles and little bit of doodling.

Shape O Ramas Product Challenge

Prima Shape O Rama's are on sale for 20% off for the next 2 weeks. We challenge you to create a layout or project with them and submit for a chance to win a $15 prize pack! Looking forward to see what you create. Watch our March newsletter for ideas from our design team.

Mini Canvas

I've become completely obsessed with alternate arts and journalling this past week. The evolution and experimentation has been a really fast process and I can't wait to slow down and see where it all takes me.

I created this cute little 2x3 mini-"canvas" to play with a new technique using melted beeswax. After gessoing the canvas I added a couple of Basic Grey rub-ons and some American Crafts TradeMarks rub-0ns and I sprayed it with Tattered Angels glimmer mist. I then layered the piece with gesso and Tim Holtz Tattered Rose crackle paint. I accented I then brushed on beeswax - melting and scraping it off as I went. A final polish gave it some lustre.I hope you can play and take some risks this week. Let me know what you did!

xo, Jen

Visual Triangles

Do you ever wonder where you should place the embellishments and other design elements on your layout? Imagining a triangle that connects elements is a great way to ensure that you have a balanced and visually appealing layout. In this layout, I've created a triangle of black embellishments, with the title, the photo tab and the damask flocked sticker forming a triangle. I created a triange of red elements with the journaling block, the quote sticker, and a little heart sticker layered over the photo tab (layout created using February Kit contents).

Chalk

There are so many ways to use chalk!! The possibilities are simply endless. I had fun one afternoon and here are some things i came up with.

I used chalk on this basic grey scalloped chipboard circle and heart which really gives a soft velvety finish.

I used versamark to stamp a butterfly image on this Jenni Bowlin chipboard butterfly. I then rubbed pink chalk on the stamped versamark. After that I restampled the same image in black ink overtop for detail. I defined the edges of the butterfly with black and pink chalk. I wanted to change the color of one of the white felt butterflies, so I chalked it to give a pink hue. I also rubbed chalked around the border of white scallopped paper to define the edge for a smoky feel.















I used my paper piercer to make a butterfly trail and chalked over top to make it stand out.













On this layout i didn't use patterened paper! I created my own background with chalk. The layout has a picture of my son drawing chalk on his face, so i wanted to use chalk somehow on the layout. I dipped a sponge dauber in versamark and made a polkadot pattern and then chalked over with a green chalk. I used the same technique for the swirl and the word "fun".















These are only a couple of the things you could do with chalk. I have only "chalked" the surface. haha. Some other ideas could be using chalk to change the color of a letter sticker to customize your layout or using chalk to customize the color your your flowers, the possibilities are endless! Try it and see how fun it is.

Upcoming Class

Trace Geworsky

3x3 kids & teens friends photo accordion album
Thursday, March 26, 2009
6-8 pm
Join me in creating a personalized mini school photo album for storing pictures and information about your friends.
Please bring 6-12 wallet sized picture, adhesive, a journaling pen, a trimmer and scissors.
Cost is $12.00 register now at Rhubarb Roots to avoid missing this fun class.

More Sales

CHA product is on its way! So we need to make room. We have removed alot of product from our pegboard and are working on pricing it. It will be permanently reduced by 40% (it includes some stamp sets so be sure to come early because stock is limited). Most of our patterned paper is also on sale for 40% off. Time to clear our sale table so take an additional 50% off our already rockbottom prices. See you soon.

I just opened a box of stamps from a supplier brand new to us! They are rubber mounted stamps for use with your acrylic blocks. I especially love the stamps designed by the talented
Kim Hughes! Here are just 3 of the 30 that just arrived (we will be working on getting these priced and out on the shelves ASAP):

New Tag

I created this tag to play with lots of different stuff. I started by distressing the edges of the tag. I covered the 7 Gypsies tag with Black Paint Dabber. I then stamped on my image and embossed it with black embossing powder. I stroked Shell Pink Dabber over top of the whole tag with varying strokes and once it was dry I wiped it off revealing the embossed stamp again. That's the cool thing about the paint dabbers is that they don't stick to embossing powder! I sanded away some of the paint and then sprayed the whole tag with Tattered Angels Glimmer mist. I covered the Heidi Swapp chipboard crown in Lipstick Distress Powder and wrapped some wire around it. I finished it off with some Black Diamond Stickles. I attached and hammered a Making Memories eyelet for the corner and finished it off with Tim Holtz ball and chain. I had some cool feather trim that I liked to add more texture so I attached it to the back with double sided tape.
Have a great week!
Jen

Door Hanging

I have had this piece of styrafoam in my scraproom for a long time. I had been wanting to use it for a while. So i made a sign for my daughters room. I painted the edges with Making Memories Chocolate Paint. Hot glued a piece of Pink Paislees paper onto the front. Embellished the sign with Provo Crafts flocked chipboard letters, magic mesh, Scenic Route Chipboard circle, Tim Holtz Grungeboard crown covered in pink flock and rain dots, Rose Moka mini letters, a misc button and Heidi Swapps pink chipboard heart. I used 2 small nails to attached the ribbon to the styrafoam and hot glued 2 Tim Holtz fasteners to hide the nail heads. Now off to make one for my son! :)

40th Birthday Album

I created this 8x8 Maya Road album as a birthday gift. It's a hybrid album, heavy on the digi layouts. Various elements used include Grungeboard, Tim Holtz lon fasteners, Basic Grey papers, Basic Grey Fibres, Distress Ink, Paint Dabbers, Distress Embossing Powder, Bo-bunny stamps, Tim Holtz Philosophy Tag and some other assorted goodies in my stash.

Stickles

Trace Geworsky

Being a fan of any products that allow me to get my hands a little dirty, I am a huge fan of stickles(although generally, stickles are totally mess free)
Stickles are really easy to work with.
You gently squeeze the bottle, and work it over the desired area.
you can use stickles on letters, chipboard, to add bling to a project, for doodling, etc.
On this card, I used Stickles to outline the windows on the house rubon, as well as the sun and cloud rubons.
stickles: Ranger
rubons: little yellow bicycle
all available at RR.

Bind It All Class

Thursday, March 5 - (6:30 – 8:30)

Favourite Things Bind it all canvas mini album class – Join us in creating a canvas covered mini album about your favourites bound with our bind-it-all system. Please bring your trimmer, white journaling pen, black journaling pen, adhesive, glue dots and 10 pictures of your favourite things (I created mine to be 5 inches tall and between 3 or 4 inches wide). I also included a page about my favourite people in my life. I needed to use more than 1 picture so I resized one main picture at the above dimensions and 6 more 1 inch x 1 inch.

Cost $25.00(non-members) $23.00 (members).

Love week

I have completed multiple layouts over the past few days. Kits are always a great source of inspiration for me. Everything matches so there is no painful deliberation over what products to use! I used the February kit and scrapped all about love and some of the relationships in my life. Here is a peek at a few of my layouts:



I'm sure DH will be happy about this post ;)

Product features

I'm sharing this layout with you because it features a whole bunch of my new favourite things! I loved using this Jenni Bowlin bingo card as a photo matte. I inked the edges with green ink. I created the tag using ink and a mini-mister. I sponged the water based ink onto the tag, then misted so the ink would blend. Once the tag dried, I used a Basic Grey rub-on for the title. I added a Prima flower, Tim Holtz keyhole, and Creative Imaginations epoxy tree to complete the layout.

Thanks for looking!

A favourite place

This week, I challenge you to create a layout or project that is all about a favourite place. The layout I'm sharing is a layout with photos of one of my favourite places, Niagra on the Lake. I visited there last spring with my Sister, and I took a lot of shots of the beautiful landscapes and architecture. While the time with her was part of the special memory, for this layout I wanted to focus on what I loved about the place.

To create this layout, I used supplies from the February kit. I liked the way that the black pattern in the paper picked up the black in the photos (on the lampost, the lighthouse, and the stone wall & church window. I added Karen Russell letter stickers and an American Crafts rub-on to complete my title.

Congratulations!!!

A big thank you for all who entered the valentine card contest. What great submissions! We made the draw last night and a big congrats to Janet!!!! You have won the Basic Grey Bittersweet Card Kit! Here is the beautiful card that she submitted. Congrats Janet!

white space

Trace Geworsky

While looking through my layouts, I noticed that about 80% of them have a lot of white space on them.
I don't intentionally leave white space on the layouts, but I really do like the look.
If you struggle with the concept of having so much white space on your layout, this patterned paper by Teresa Collins is perfect, because it has the heart with wings design at the bottom of the page, so You really don't need to add a lot of other elements to the page.
I added one 4x6 picture, some gaffer tape(7 gypsies) transparencies(Prima) journaling spot(Luxe) and some patterned paper( I cut into tiny hearts) and word stickers from February's kit.

Labour of Love

This afternoon while my daughter was napping, my son and I made valentines for his preschool. We cut out hearts out of cardstock, used a pen to make faux stitching around the edge and addressed them to his friends. I can't believe he signed them all! We had to take a break mid way and sample the treats!!! We used a piece of tape to attach the heart to the sticker package. I finished them off by tying a ribbon to the stick of the sucker. I can't take credit for the cute idea as i saw it somewhere in a magazine. But i thought it was a fun and EASY way to make valentines!