Next Crop - 12 December

This will be our last crop before Christmas and Chris has a special project for you all. You will need to bring along some Christmas Paper, giltter, ribbon, christmas embellishments, paint if you want to have a go at making a painted background. All other materials will be provided.

There are two versions of the project one in traditional christmas red, green and gold and the other in winter colours of blue, white and sliver.

I've also been asked to remind you to bring some goodies to eat.

At the AGM it was agreed that people would research suggestions for things to buy for the crop; item, price, supplier, and put their suggestion into a box which we would look at over lunch to decide what equipment to buy for the crop next - so don't forget your list.
See you all on Sunday... Jackie and Chris

Journaling Prompt for November

Winter certainly hit us this month with the deepest snow before Christmas that I can ever remember. I’ve had some great photo opportunities this month so I’m spoilt for choice what I can journal. I snapped some great photos of the Ark Royal as she left the Tyne for the last time and some lovely photos of the snow in the garden and on walks. This month why not do an entry in your journal around either a photo you have taken or a picture that means something to you. If the photo you have is not quite the best quality try using your computer to convert it to black and white, that sometimes adds atmosphere and drama to an otherwise poor photo..

For art journals remember to incorporate some writing. Either cut phrases from a magazine or print something on your computer then stick to your entry. Have a go at including your own handwritten entry, its easier to do than you might think and practice certainly makes perfect.

Chris & Jackie

Next Crop 14th November 2010

For this months project we are going to do some stamping and embossing on our layout, The materials you will need are: 1 piece 12x12 smooth cardstock suitable for stamping onto, 1 piece 4x12 patterned cardstock, 12" piece ribbon, cardstock for photo matt, 4x6 portrait photo, page torn out of a small notebook, large paperclip or staples, large tall flower stamp or similar, embossing powder and lettering for your title.

Don't forget its the AGM which will commence at 12.00, if you have any suggestions for future projects etc please let us know. If you would like to become a Committee Member or would like to help with setting up etc please let Pauline know before the meeting.

See you all soon. Jackie and Chris

Journaling Prompt for October

October turned out to be quite a crafting month for me. Another successful 12 hour crop early in the month followed by a workshop and then a full weekend of crafting. Of course all this meant I ended up buying bits and pieces of new stash to go with the techniques I learned. This month why not do an entry in your journal about something you have learned. Try to incorporate a new crafting technique in your entry.

For art journals try to illustrate your entries by some drawings or doodles. Watercolour pencils or other water soluble colours are good to use to highlight doodles and drawings.

Chris and Jackie

12 Hour Crop Pictures

Thank you to all who attended our 12 Hour Crop and thank you all for the lovely comments and flowers, we are so glad you had a great time. You all did a fantastic job.

12 Hour Crop

Ok, this is probably the last sneaky peak as tomorrow we'll be busy setting up the Centre ready for the big day. We are looking forward to seeing you all so make sure you are there in plenty of time to get settled have a cup of coffee and a chat before the classes start at 9.30am.

12 Hour Crop

Hope you are all getting excited... here's another peak!

12 Hour Crop

Hope you are enjoying these sneaky peaks, well here's another one ....

12 Hour Crop

Ok time for another tease - I hope you are enjoying these snippets its great fun for me too!!! I hope this one gets you guessing. I have a few more which I'll post during the week. See you all on Saturday.

12 Hour Crop - Information

Hi girls,

For those of you who are busy packing in preparation for next week, I know you are and its going to take you all week, supplies will be in and out of that bag like a yoyo! I'm trying to pack too, so here's a reminder of what you need to bring and details of the photos required etc:

Technique Journey - no photo's required

In a Material World - I photo only required, I mentioned 7"x5" on the instructions but a 6"x4" landscape will be fine, but no smaller than 6"X4".

Photo's sizes for the page maps that are suitable for both included kits :
Sketch 1 - 1 - 4"x6" (portrait) and 1 - 5"x3.5" (landscape) OR 6"x4" (landscape) and 1 - 3.5"x5" (portrait)
Sketch 2 - 1 - 6"x4" (landscape) OR 4"x6" (portrait)
The page maps can be rotated to create different layouts that's the reason for the different orientation of the photos. Colour schemes are summer brights and heritage blues.

Tools to bring for the classes, if you have them (don't worry if you don't we have some to share) are:
trimmer, scissors, fancy edge scissors (or pinking sheers - for those who sew), pokey tool, pencil, rubber, ruler, old credit card, adhesives (glue stick, double sided tapes and liquid glue), embossing tool or paper stump, foam embossing or stamp mat, your favourite background stamp, water spritizer.

Don't forget some lunch, a mug, some small embellishments to personalise your layouts and some money for the raffle and to purchase those essential cardstock and adhesives that you always run out of.

Looking forward to seeing your next week. Jackie and Chris

12 Hour Crop - Sneak Peak

Hope you are keeping up, if you're visiting for the first time scroll down and see what you've missed.

12 Hour Crop - Sneak Peak

Another sneak peak - oh look at those gorgeous ribbons and paper - I cannot wait!!!

Jounaling Prompt for September

September seems to be a month for preparations. Preparing for my daughter to go to college for the first time, preparing for her first driving lesson, preparing the garden for winter and preparing the stuff for the 12 hour crop. What have you been preparing for this month? I managed to get down to the Harrogate papercraft show and came back with some new stash so I’ve been playing with it since. For the first time I’ve done some gilding..Try to incorporate something new into your journal pages this month.

For those that are art journaling I’ve been playing with ways to give texture to my pages. Try using ink and paint through stencils. They don’t have to be scrapbooking stencils, I’ve used alphabet stencils, sequin waste and plastic canvas for needlepoint and all give really good results. If your stencil has large holes you need to make sure you apply the ink or paint dry. If the stencil has smaller holes like the needlepoint canvas you might need to water the paint down a little. Don’t forget that the paint left on the top of the stencil can be used on pages to transfer the reverse image.

Chris and Jackie

12 Hour Crop

Hope you are are getting excited!.... Here's a little peak of what's in store for you on the 16th.

I'm not going to give away any further information, it may be a class it may be a kit! but I'm not telling.

Keep checking the blog as we'll be posting more over the next couple of weeks.

Next Crop - 19 September

Just a quick post to remind you all the next crop is fast approachimg - 19th September. The project for the crop will be a scrapbook layout, and you will need the following:
1 sheet cardstock
1 full sheet co-ordinating paper 2 half sheets co-ordinating paper
Card to mount
Embellishments e.g ribbon, stickers, buttons, flowers, string
Letters for title
2 standard 10x15 cm photos

Unfortunately I won't be able to attend I'll be on my hols in USA - yipee, but when I get back I'll be posting sneeky peeks of the projects and kits for the 12 hour crop, so keep watching this space.

see you all soon ... Jackie

Journaling Prompt for August

August is always a month of celebrations in our family. We celebrate two birthdays and an anniversary. This year we also celebrated good exam results with our daughter. What have you been celebrating this month? How do you celebrate with family and friends or quietly? We celebrated our wedding anniversary this year with friends at an outdoor concert in a stately home. Have you perhaps visited somewhere nice yourself this month why don’t you journal about a visit somewhere either in this month or in previous months. Try to record a little about the history of the place you visited.

For those that are art journaling looking at a blank page, even with paint or ink on can be daunting at first. How are you possibly going to fill up all of that space. Reduce your writing space by adding boarders to the page. Try cutting out from a book, magazine, music or patterned paper a wave or pennant shape. Colour it in line with the colour you have used on your page and stick it down one side of the page. Doodle a border on and round if you wish. You can also doodle the whole border on another 2 or 3 sides to balance the page. Don’t get too carried away though remember to leave some space in the middle to journal!

Chris and Jackie

Next Crop - 22nd August

We are always looking for different/unusual projects, so for the next crop will be "Altering It!", what "it" is will be up to you.

You will need to bring along an item that you would like to alter/decorate, it could be anything, a household carton, a boring box that needs some loving attention, something that you keep your scrapbooking tools in that would benefit from showing off your talents - so get searching and see what you can find.

You will also need to bring some of the following:
Scrapbook papers to cover your item
Strong adhesives/tapes to stick everything down with
ribbons
buttons
flowers
alcohol inks
distress inks
stamps
etc etc - whatever you think would look good.
Pauline, Chris and I will be available to help you with inspiration and guide you whenever you need it.

Here's a picture of Pauline's alterable item to get you started.

Journaling Prompt for July

Sorry this prompt is a bit late but July has been a very busy month.

I have been thinking about endings and beginnings. July is the end of the school year. This year was the end of school for my daughter and I took the opportunity to snap a photo of her on her last day in the same place I took a photo of her on her first day. What a change! Try journaling about endings and beginnings this month or about growing and changing.

For those that are art journaling I’ve been to an art journaling class at Art From The Heart and thoroughly enjoyed it. A full weekend messing around with paint and paper creating pages from scratch..and I mean from scratch as we had to make the page first with newspaper! This month I would like you to try a monochromatic colour scheme. Try using 3 shades of the same colour. When you use colour in this way think about how we decorate our rooms at home. We usually have the lightest shade on the walls and that is the largest expanse of colour. Next the chairs, carpets etc tend to be a slightly darker shade and are placed against the lighter walls. Try applying the middle colour to 2 corners on the same side of your page and also an area on the middle of the opposite side. Finally we have the accessories which are the darkest shade and are scattered around the room. Use a small amount of the darkest colour to frame your page.

Chris & Jac

Next Crop 25th July

Hi everyone

The project for the next crop is a layout designed by Shirley with some fab distressing/tearing which Shirley will demonstrate at the crop.

In order to follow the design you will need to bring the following:

• I piece of Bazzil or plain cardstock (1 used spotted Bazzil)
• I piece of double sided patterned paper to co-ordinate
• Photo 6 x 4
• 4 Buttons
• 4 brads
• 1 small piece of coordinated bazzil to frame photo
• 1 flower flourish
• Lettering for Title

Don't forget if you havn't registered for the 12 Hour Crop please get your form and deposit to us as soon as possible, there are only a couple of places left and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Any questions please email and we'll reply asap. Looking forward to seeing you all on the 25th.

Jackie and Chris

Journaling Prompt for June

Looking back on the photographs I’ve taken this month I see that I have managed to do quite a bit of travelling without perhaps planning to go anywhere in particular. So I thought for this month we could look at journeys. Many people will be preparing to go on holiday next month; some lucky people might have managed an early June holiday. Journal about the holiday you have just taken, are planning or a memorable holiday from a previous year. Have you enjoyed any day trips this month? I’m going to journal abut my day trip to Scarborough with my husband’s motor cycle club. You would expect a tri to Scarborough would be quite straightforward, not a bit. And some 4 hours later when we finally arrived and still managed to get lost..... but all worth it for the laughs along the way, the good company and the lovely fish and chips eaten in the sun on the Quayside in Whitby! If you don’t want to journal about a trip what about recording something amusing that has happened to you this month.

For those that are art journaling I’ve been messing around with paint, mica powders, inks and textures this month with some interesting if not always usable results. Try adding texture to your pages with paper torn out of books or magazines. If you put a thin coat of gesso over the paper the text will still show through but you also have a base to draw, stamp or write on.

We are half way through the year now and I hope you have managed to keep up, one page a month is that so hard J. I’ve decided to offer a little incentive to keep you going. For those who manage to keep it going bring your journals to the September Isabella Crop and we’ll give you a small surprise.

Chris and Jac*

Next Crop Sunday 27th June

Hi all, its fast approaching our next crop and it will be Technique Sunday. Chris and Jackie will be demonstrating making, using and some techniques using spray colours, inks, glimmer mists etc.

If you'd like to take part and if you have any of the following please bring them along:
Glimmer or distress ink sprays (there are now lots of different makes on the market)
Tim Holtz Distress Ink reinkers (these are used to reink the distress pads, but are fantastic for creating your own glimmer sprays)
Spray bottles - if you don't have any the best place is Superdrug they are cheap and are great for spraying
Perfect Pearls
Stiff/thick blank card - white is best, but black can give a really nice effect
Stencils suitable for use with sprays
Heat gun
Kitchen roll
Brayer (if you have one)
12x12 clean pizza box (sometimes used to deliver scrapbook papers)
and anything else you can think of.
PLUS - please wear old clothes and/or bring an apron, because somethimes this can get messy.

Sorry, the list is a bit long, but don't forget if you don't have all the above don't worry just bring along what you can We have a small selection of colour inks and stencils that we can share, and I'm sure we'll all share.

Looking forward to seeing you all next week.. Jackie and Chris

Journaling Prompt for May

I find May an exciting month. We can finally wave goodbye to Winter and see Summer is well on the way. My garden is full of exciting surprises as each of my trees and bushes bloom starting with the huge magnolia that I grew from a tiny stick. The lovely sunny weather this month has made up for all the bad weather and the late start of Spring.

Tempting fate I went up to Scotland for the first bank holiday with my husband’s motorcycle club. It was an exciting and challenging weekend. As ever adventurous, my husband took us up some very steep and winding roads topped with some spectacular views. Record something adventurous in your journal something you have done lately or perhaps in the past. Take a challenge and use something unusual in your layout.

We won a bottle of wine in the evening quiz while we were away. Have you ever won anything? Do we have any secret lottery winners out there? Perhaps you have won something that you could use to complete your layout this month.

I’ve just taken some photographs of my daughter today on her very last day at school. These will sit alongside the photos I took of her very first day. What a change in what seems such a short time. This could be a good opportunity to make a journal entry comparing how time moves quickly and how things change.

For those who are art journal fans try using collage this month building up a picture from magazine, newspaper or other pictures. Bring the elements together using inks or paints and perhaps some rubber stamping.

Happy journalling .... Chris & Jac

Next Crop Sunday 23rd May

Hope you are all well and ready for another great Crop.

This time we will be doing a project called Photopockets created by one of our members - Margery, this project is great if you have lots of photo's/postcards/momento's etc you want to scrap.

Supplied Needed:

1 sheet 12x12 cardstock for the background

2 sheets co-ordinating paper or 3 pieces 12"x4" and 1 piece 12"x3"

Ribbon - at least 28"

embelishments if desired

Photo's - no specific size and as many as you can fit into the pockets

Margery created a double layout so you will need the above for each page.

Looking forward to see you all on the 23rd.

Jackie* & Chris*

Journaling Prompt for April

Sorry our journaling prompt is a little bit late, but I'm sure you'll enjoy the ideas to get your creativity flowing.

Well Spring has eventually turned up this month if a bit later than normal. My garden has finally got some fresh green growth on my trees and bushes. For the first year my Camellia has produced lots of flowers instead the one or two it usually produces. It’s still a bit damp in the garden so instead I’ve set about doing spring cleaning in the house. It’s amazing what you find tucked away once you get started. I cleared my craft room and ended up discovering stash I never know I had. That got me started on trying out some of the products I’ve had for ages and never used. Have you tried anything new crafting this month? Try to do a journal page with your new techniques.

Easter was in April this year. What did you do to celebrate? Our family tradition is Easter Egg hunts for the younger family members and lots of chocolate for the adults. This year chocolate cupcakes were on the menu. Journal your tradition or your special recipe.

We’ve been to a techniques class this month and thoroughly enjoyed getting messy with paint and inks. For those thinking about art journaling try using inks to age and distress a page.

Chris & Jac

Next Crop - 25th April

I hope you all had a good Easter and are ready for some more creative scrapbooking. The project will be a page map. Something quite simple but with lots of creative possibilities eg: faux stitching, rub-ons, stamping, ribbon drawing swirls, flowers and as many pictures as you fancy.

We will also be making the long awaiting announcement of the details for the 12 hour crop. The crop was a huge success last year and many of those who attended have been eagerly waiting for the details, we hope we can make it even better this year, so don't forget to come along and be the first to get you name on the list.

Looking foward to seeing you all on the 25th.

Jackie and Chris*

Journaling Prompt for March

They say March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb but what happened this year? Winter seems to have hung on until the very last minute. The clocks went forward for the start of British Summer time but someone forgot to tell the weather to change seasons! But finally the garden seems to be waking up. Crocus and daffodils are flowering all be it a bit late. What’s going on in your garden? Have you managed to get out and plant some seeds or plants for this summer?

And if it’s been a bit too cold and wet what about the house? Have you started the Spring cleaning? This month I’ve been busy decorating the bedroom and just putting the finishing touches to the decoration with new curtains and quilt covers. Have you done any work in your house you want to journal about?

In March we celebrate Mothering Sunday have you memories of the day this year you want to remember? Do you want to record some memories of the past of your Mum or Grandmother? Perhaps you want to record gifts given to you by your children.

And also this month we had Saint Patricks day. Do you celebrate this? If you do journal what happens in your household or what traditions you have.

I’ve been experimenting with various concoctions this month, for those thinking about art journaling try mixing media. Introduce paint, inks, chalks, pens and pencils onto your journal pages. Try using watercolour pens or pencils and see what effects you can create.

Chris & Jac

Next Crop - 28th March

The next crop is on Sunday 28th March and Chris has created a fab project, a hanging keepsake, which can be either painted or covered with patterned papers and decorated to your individual taste.

You will need the following supplies:
3 Photo's printed onto normal paper (approx 3"-3")
Ribbon
Paint and/or patterned papers
Lettering
Chalk inks
Embellishments

Chris will be demonstrating using UTEE (ultra thick embossing powder) and will be able to supply the UTEE and chipboard for the project.

Keep watching the blog for the next Journal Your Month post and don't forget clocks go forward on the Saturday evening.

See you all soon.. Jackie & Chris

Next Crop - 7th March

Wow time flies by, I just realised this morning that its the crop next week so before I dash off out I thought I'd better update you all on the crop project.

This month its Technique Sunday and I've put together a 12x12 page that I hope you will love, its full of little techniques that you've probably done in the past but are nice to use again.

You will need:
1 sheet 12x12 patterned paper/cardstock
2 sheets co-ordinating 12x12 plain cardstock
2 - 2.5"x3.5" portrait photo's (or similar)
Black cardstock to mount photo's
5-6 co-ordinating buttons
Thread (embroidery is best)
Journaling words/stickers
Swirl stamp or diamante swirl (or similar)
Ribbon

Lettering for Title

We will be providing a printed flower and to cover the printing costs will be 10p.

Hope to see you all on the 7th.

Jackie & Chris

Journaling Prompt for February

The weather is continuing cold. Snow showers again throughout the month. Will it ever be spring? For all its cold it must not be far off. I snapped a picture of a frog on my patio at the beginning of the month and there are crocus braving the cold in the flower bed. Have you snapped any photos of wildlife you want to journal.? Who are the visitors to your garden bird table or feeders? Have you seen any early stirrings of spring?

If it is too early for flowers in the garden, how about in the house? Valentine’s day is traditionally celebrated with a gift of flowers or chocolates. Have you a secret or not so secret admirer you want to journal about?

We’ve also celebrated shrove Tuesday and the start of Lent. Do you have any Lenten traditions you want to record? What do you give up or do extra over the Lenten period?

For those thinking about art journaling try introducing some paint onto your journal pages. If you have some prime the page first with Gesso to stop the paint sinking into the card. Try applying your paint with foam applicators or baby wipes and see what effects you can create.

Chris & Jac