Crop Kit

We had nearly 40 people at our last crop, and the kit that day was very popular. The technique was using alcohol inks, and we enjoyed getting messy! This is the layout that I did:


I used the inks on photo paper to create the circle, then on a ghost flower and on a metal circle to show how they can be used on different surfaces. I still have a few kits left over so I have put them on the website here. They're £2.50 and include everything you need to create the layout except the alcohol inks themselves and the lettering - I used some Li'l Davis stamps and a Heidi Swapp chipboard M on the metal tag. Full instructions are included too!

And the winner is...

mmwwaahh211 said...

Lovely book, thank you for the excellent instructions too. I love the papers, lush colours!

Send me an email at wendy@bbbweb.com with your address. THanks for everyone who commented. If you make this, send us a picture and i will add it to our readers gallery!!!

Dont forget to enter our Ki Memories competition to win a £15 voucher!!!!

Have you tried Autumn Leaves Alphabet Stamps?

Anyone who knows my scrapping style will know that my titles are always a big feature on my page - I like them to make a statement! While I often handcut my titles from a range of fonts available on the internet, recently I have been turning to my Autumn Leaves clear stamps to produce some really effective title lettering. Its quicker than handcutting, and there are a range of different styles to suit any project.

The first of my layouts features the Freestyle alphabet by Autumn Leaves - this might look like a difficult font to use as its quite bold and funky in style, but since buying this alphabet I have found myself using it on a range of projects. For this layout I wanted to keep things simple, so the title is just stamped onto cardstock, cut out and then layered onto the page with foam pads. However, this style alphabet would lend itself really well to hand colouring with felt pens or chalks, as it has quite a lot of free space and design within the lettering.

The second layout makes use of the Scribble Alphabet by Autumn Leaves - anyone who reads my personal blog will have seen this in use constantly on the pages of my Christmas journal and I love it! On this page, I decided to colour in the letters with a brush marker to tone them in with the background paper, but they would look just as good left blank.

On this notecard, I have tried to show how your alphabet stamps can be used on all sorts of projects - the Autumn Leaves Typewriter Hand Drawn Alphabet stamped in black Distress ink makes a simple but bold statement! This alphabet includes a range of puncutation which is helpful too.

Finally, Wendy has shown how an alphabet stamp does not have to be used to create a whole title. Using just one letter from her Autumn Leaves Alphabetically Sent stamp set, she created a more understated title, and then used the words from the stamp to inspire the rest of her journalling. So even if you are not into big, bold titles like me, alphabet stamps can easily be incorporated into your pages.

Answer to a question???

I have had a few people asking how to send us you entries. On the right handside of the blog is a bit called welcome. In there is an email address - wendy@bbbweb.com. This is the email to send in your entries in for any of the competitions.

I cannot wait to see your entries!!!

Just popping in...

To remind you of our current competitions here to win a £15 gift voucher from Papermaze, and here to win a mini album. Go check them out!!!

A little book just for you.

Before i start this post i have to tell you i am by no means the creator of this little book. I saw it being made on a website a little while ago here - Nichole Heady and thought it was too cute not to show you.

First you need

Two 12 by 12 papers - doublesided is easier

A set of Bazzill Coasters - any size. The bigger they are the bigger you book will be, so the sixe is up to you. the size i used for this is the 4 inch ones.

2 lots of ribbon fairly long

Co-ordinating cardstock

usual tools and glues...




I kept the length of the pattern paper to 12 inches, but it really depends on how long you want the book to be. I cut the paper to be the same size as the coaster so these papers are 12 inches by 4 inches. Do this to both pieces of paper.

Lay out one of the pieces of paper and then lay one of the ribbons on top and stick down. Make sure there is lots of ribbon at either end as it will be used to tie up the book.

Next stick the coasters to either end of the paper


Next using the other piece of paper you cut out cover the coasters, sick them all down firmly...
Your book should now look like this!!!


As the edges of the coaster a round i then used a basic Grey file to file down the edges and the corners.

Next we use the cardstock. You need to create it into an accordion. I cut it a centimeter smaller than the coaster. You can make the accordion with as many folds in as you like by just flding and pasting a few together

I inked mine before i stuck it down. Before you stick it to the book, attach a piece of ribbon at the back. this you will use to tie it up so it doesnt move about when the book is closed.


Next you can decorate inside...
And here is the final finished photos!!! Sorry for the bad photos but the light here was awful!!! where is the sunshine!!!

I kept the design of this fairly simple, because we are giving this one away. To put yourself in the draw for this all you have to do is comment on this post. THat is it. Comment by sunday and all the names will be in a hat and the winner will get the book sent to them. Show us if you make one of these and we can add it to the readers gallery!!!

Challenges time!!!

So you have all settled back into life after christmas??? Do you have your routines back in place and your house back to normal???

You do!!

Well then it is challenge time again.

Since the last post was about Ki Memories that is going to be our challenge for this month. I want to see what you can do with the new line from KI. use any of the papers or the lace cardstock and send it in. You are more than welcome to lift one of the pages that our dt team have showed you.

You have until the 9th of Febuary to send it in. And the winner will win a £15 gift voucher for Papermaze!!!!

show us what you got!!!

DOnt you just love it!!!

I am a big! big! big! fan of KI Memories. In fact it was the first line that i ever bought. And this line is no exception.

THough i have to say i was a little bit intimidated when i saw the new line. First impression??? wow how cool is that. Then after a while i began to wonder how on earth you would actually use it.

And right up until Vanessa gave it to me to use i was still a bit un sure, until i got it home.

One of the best things about it is how many different ways you can actually use it. Take for example the sheet of brown lace cardstock. I have used this sheet twice already. Once i used the whole sheet, but the next time i cut out the individual flowers and leaves and they are great used as an embellishment.

This one i have used as a whole as well, but it looks good cut into lines and used as a border.
This one!!!! is soooooooo pretty i have yet to cut it up!!! LOL!!!
So i got to work using it. I used it many different ways but this way is a bit different and more fun!!!
To do this page i cut out the section of the lace cardstock that i wanted to use and attached it to some acetate. As you can see this is a very effective way to use it!!!

To make the edge of the page stand out i edged it with white paint.And attached little crystals to the ends of the swirls for a decorative effect.


Vanessa shows you how to cut out out the number lace card and use it as part of the background of the page and then she used one of the numbers as part of her title. She outlined the two numbers to make them standout amongst the others she outlined them in white.


Again i used the acetate with this page, i really love the effect it has and it makes it easier to use. I also used some of the new KI Memories paper with it!!!

Nearly crop time!

It's nearly crop time again here at Papermaze! If you're in the area why not come and join us this Saturday, the 19th, for a day of scrapping and chat! It costs £3.50 for the day - that price includes drinks and light refreshments and drinks all day, you'll need to bring a packed lunch. As usual, there will be a kit - these are usually priced between £2 and £4.

Last month's kit was slightly different in that it was a challenge kit. The ladies from the crop came up with some lovely layouts using Scenic Route Roxbury papers. Christmas may have been and gone, but I'm sure if you're like me, you've got lots of festive snaps ready for scrapping - so let us inspire you with some of the layouts from the Christmas crop!

If you're interested in coming to the crop, just email via the website, or book your place online here. And remember the shop will be open, with 20% off everything!!

Do you fancy one scoop or two!!!

So it is that time again!!! New product! and new Basic grey!!! yippppeeeeeeeee!!! And arrived in the form of Two Scoops!!!

I was really looking forward to this line as i wanted to start my wedding album and this was the perfect paper to use!!!

Basic grey have out done themselves with extras to go with the line. The brads are just gorgeous, there are two types to choose from. The first are normal ones


And then there are the fancy glazed ones..


The buttons






I am going to be bold and say i think it is going to my top of favourite basic grey papers, above Obscure!!!!! that is how scrummy it is!!

Here are a few things i did with it!!!

I used an assortment of the two scoops paper letter stickers, rubons and the chipboard shapes!!

Bad photo here, it wouldnt photo any other way!!! dont you just hate it when that happens!!!???

Teaching time!!!

We have had a few comments about how you make notepaper effect on cardstock and pattern paper. You dont have to have a fancy punch to do this you can do it with a hole punch, pencil ruler. So here we are!!!

First start with the paper or cardstock you want...

Next mark out the gaps between the holes. The width depends on how big a gap you want or how big your holes are. You may want to test this before you do it on your fav bit of paper.
Next using the dots as a guide punch your holes.
Using something long and sturdy poke it through the holes and then pull very quickly sidways. I used one of the files from the Basic grey set as it works perfectly.
THis is the effect you get.
You are left with bits hanging off. Sometimes i leave these on, or if the type of layout is right i leave it on.

You can always tear with your fingers for a different effect. Or if you like things neater, use a pair of scissors!!!