How to Become a Kit Killer and a Stashbuster!

We recently just moved houses and I had to sort through and pack up my whole craft room. Yikes! What an undertaking! As it turns out I might be a bit of a crafty hoarder! And I'm also a kit keeper, rather than a kit killer. Is anyone in the same boat? If so, then you might be interested in my latest class at Big Picture Classes called "Kit Building and Stash Busting."

Here's a couple of hints you might be a hoarder....

• You set certain products aside to use 'for something special'.... only to find them months (or years!) later still in it's packet! 
• You keep the smallest scraps of a patterned paper still grouped together with the rest of the kit contents it came with.
•  You own eyelets ;-)

 

So my idea for the class came about when I made a resolution to break my hoarding habit and start actually using up some of those hidden treasures deep within my stash, and I can't tell you how satisfying it is to let these products see the light of day!

My solution was easier than you think.
Since I've always been a big believer in kits (makes all the difficult colour and product decisions for you before you even get started) then I figured I would begin by making up my own kit with all the bits and pieces that I've been 'saving'. 

The first lesson in my class "Kit Building and Stash Busting" will teach you how to go about doing this. I'll answer such questions as 'Where do you start when you're building your own kit?' 'What do you include in your kit, and what should you avoid?'

In the four subsequent lessons I'll share with you how I actually went about creating with my kit! This includes four videos where you'll see my process for making my projects, as well as hints and tips, and challenges along the way.

I ended up with two layouts, a pocket-page spread and three cards... and I pretty much killed my kit! Each project looks different, and each project looks as fresh as if I'd just created it with the latest releases. And the best part? I actually used up a bunch of my stash... and I ENJOYED it!!

So if you're looking for a way to challenge yourself this weekend, check out "Kit Building and Stash Busting" over at Big Picture Classes!

If you're not already a member you can sign up for a FREE 14-day trial, and you'll get access to the whole back catalogue of classes to try out. I've got some other ones over there as well. These include:

• "Creating with Kids | Cards"
• "Documenting Your Newborn"
• "Minc | Beyond the Basics"

Have a great weekend!

Minc | Beyond the Basics

I'm such a fan of the way Big Picture Classes run their business. You sign up for a monthly subscription, of which there is commonly a code to get the first month free (and there is ALWAYS a free trial period anyway) and then you're able to take as many classes as you can handle! And since they are constantly adding new ones I doubt you'll ever run out of options.

At the start of December I added my third class to the lineup. This one is called "Minc | Beyond the Basics" and it's all about sharing new techniques to try out with your Minc machine that go beyond just using the pre-made embellishments you can purchase. In fact, it's actually more about experimenting with what you've already got in your stash than about having to go out and purchase specific products. In fact, I've even heard you can use the same techniques with a laminator (shhhhh!!)

For example, one of the techniques I'm teaching is how to add foil highlights to your stash of commercial Project Life cards. Can you see the mint foil on the globe card above, and the aqua foil on the raindrops? If there's one thing I learned from this class it's that photographing foil is really hard to do!

I'll share a couple of different methods for getting the whole rainbow of foil colours onto your projects such as cards. You know me... I can't help but include all the bright colours at once. 

And then I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone by creating a framed print for the girls room. Tricky to capture the holographic foil highlights in this watercolour painting, but in real life it's quite eye-catching ;-) I'll show you step-by-step how I did it in Lesson 2.

Some of my lessons are video tutorials such as how to use your traditional stamps and digital stamps to create fun backgrounds, and also this one which shows you how to take your kid's drawings to the next level by foiling them!

You can check out all the Minc | Beyond the Basics details here, or simply browse through the wide selection of other classes on offer here.

PS. Studio Calico also happen to have some Minc supplies on sale at the moment if you need to stock up on a few things! ;-)

Bethany's Jan and Feb pages

Despite bloggy silence I've actually been crafting up quite a storm lately. I've got so much to share so it's really time I got on with it. Over the next couple of weeks I'll try and get caught up. I know I'll find that easier to do if I tell myself I don't have to write an essay every time. And lets be honest, it's sometimes hard to read everything on someone else's blog post. Sometimes pictures are enough. So I'll write stuff about products and stories when I feel like it, and leave it off when I don't. Deal?

I've been quite focused on Project Life recently and have spent my time doing this rather than a lot of layouts. A change can be quite refreshing for the creative soul. I've done lots and lots of pages in Judah's baby album (I'll tell you more about that another day) so at the beginning of June I decided to go back and start doing pages for each of the girls. They have separate albums and I'm doing a single page for each month.



I'm aiming for each page to have a mixture of photos, kid art, PL cards and of course plenty of stories. I know that often makes my pages look very 'eclectic' and not so cohesive, and they're always very very colourful, but that's just how I roll.

I'm also realising more and more that I have a real problem with white space. Like... if I see a blank area I just want to fill it with stuff! For example, that grey card above was lovely and simple with just the typed white words. Then I wrote the story underneath and decided it was unbalanced and needed something at the top. My newest Kellie Stamps brunch set (available for preorder on the 1st) was perfect. Is it now too much? Maybe. Probably! But that's ok.

A chunk of January was taken up with me and the girls putting together our Big Picture Classes Creating with Kids class (available here if you're interested) so this needed a few pockets dedicated to it. The photo of course, and the artwork on either side of it was made by Bethany at the time.

One of the best parts about creating these pages 6 months behind is that I actually get to use the most recent seasonal cards coming in my Studio Calico PL kits as soon as I get them. That's usually impossible for me here in Australia! And I'm so glad because I am in love with the latest Galileo kit and it's summery cards!

Apart from using pretty filler cards I'm also making an effort to put some of my homemade cards that I've been making as part of my 100 Day Project into the albums as well. The Origami Map stamp from Neat and Tangled made an awesome card that quickly became one of my favourites. I originally thought it would be great for a travel page, but I think it works just as well here next to the photo representing Bethany beginning music lessons in February. Go and do amazing things indeed!

I'll make the titles of these posts real obvious so that both you and I can keep track of what I've shared! Sound ok?

National Scrapbook Day 2015

There's so much happening around the blogosphere tonight, just love the excitement that's poured out about our mutual love for all things memory keeping and papery. I've already done some blog hops and chats and created things. But right now I'm going to be here at Big Picture Classes.

There's a free classroom that just opened up where I'll be amongst some seriously talented women challenging you in different ways. Here's the project I created for my challenge - see if you can guess what it could be?!

 

Supplies: Far Far Away Card Kit, Versamark Ink, White embossing powder, 

Gold glitter embossing powder, Thanks metal die, Gold foil paper

You might need to go ahead and watch the video I've put together of how I created the card which will explain exactly how and what the challenge is!

      

And if you're thinking with all this crafting you're going to need some new supplies then check out the limited edition World Scrapbooking Day kit from BPC. Not only is it totally gorgeous (totally need that stamp!) but it ships FREE anywhere in the world! That's enough to make me push the 'purchase' button ;-)

 (there's also a very similar kit, with the same free shipping clause over at Studio Calico as well!)

So I hope you'll join me over in the Big Picture Classes classroom for some serious fun!
But in the meantime...
Happy Scrapping!

xx

The Story of Creating with Kids

Have you seen the all-new Big Picture Classes website yet? With its recent launch, I wanted to share a little bit about the site with you. I'll be teaching some classes online with Big Picture Classes this year, and I'm so glad to be able to work in such an all-around amazing place to find inspiration, advice, and creative content from experts all over the world.
If you're not familiar with Big Picture Classes, it's an online learning platform for all things crafty, offering classes that cover all the crucial topics about crafting, creating, and documenting memories that you'll need to excel and then some.  Become a member of our learning family, and you’ll get access to as many classes as you want for only $9.99 a month.  Each class brings you a variety of topics and ideas, not to mention videos, PDFs, prompts and so much more! Stop on by the BRAND NEW Big Picture Classes website to find out more about how you can learn everything you need to know to document your memories beautifully every time!

The first class I'm teaching this year has already launched and it's called 'Creating with Kids'. This installment focuses on Cardmaking. Yes I'm giving you a great big hint there! ;-)
I'm really excited about this topic. I think there's something very special about sharing your talents and imparting your passion to your kids. My girls were so chuffed to be invited to collaborate with me on this class, and every morning they were asking me "what project are we going to do today?" They pretty much consider themselves as co-teachers in this class now!

The way the class is structured is that I teach you 9 different art and craft techniques that you can do with your kids. They're fun and different and messy and awesome! They'd work great just on their own for keeping kids busy during boring weekends and school holidays. But then I take it a step further by showing you how you can take their finished pieces and turn them into 9 different greeting cards that you could give to anyone.

And no, you totally don't even need to have kids to do this class! I've had plenty of women say to me that they're excited to try out the techniques for themselves, and they're coming up with some spectacular results.

Big Picture Classes is also offering a FREE 14 day trial at the moment where you can take my class and as many other classes as you can handle during that time. So what are you waiting for?! You can find out all the information about Creating with Kids | Card Class here.

Happy Scrapping,
xx

The Story of the Forks... and a winner!!

Thanks everyone for your interest in my latest giveaway - a seat in the upcoming BPC "Grammar-Free Journaling" Class. I've combined all the entries from my blog and my facebook and then let random.org choose a winner.

A great big congratulations goes to.....
RUTH BONSER!!
Yay! Please get in contact with me via email and I'll hook you up with a code to get free access to the class :-)

For everyone else, don't forget that if you sign up for the class and use the code:
GOGRAMMAR
You'll get $7 off the full price. But hurry, because the offer ends on the first day of class which is the 24th of July. I can't wait! 

And just because a post feels empty without some kind of photo or project I thought I'd very randomly share this wooden cutlery set I altered back when I was a Guest Designer for American Crafts. 

A very simple project, mainly consisting of dipping cutlery in paint and then covering them with glitter! But really... messy painty glittery projects are quite possibly the best kind ;-)

My girls quickly claimed these after I was finished photographing them, and have been using them for afternoon tea parties ever since. I have to admit, I love it when my kids enjoy what I make.

Grammar Free Journaling GIVEAWAY!

I'm not sure if you've ever noticed my little 'catchphrase' underneath my blog title? It reads, "a story is born every minute" and it's something that I actually thought long and hard about. I wanted something that was fun, said something about me, and described my scrapbooking philosophy at the same time. I chose this phrase because it eludes to birthing - something which I do every day as an Obstetrician, but mainly because it summarises the reason I scrapbook.

I scrapbook in order to capture the everyday stories.

The big events I think I'm more likely to remember. But the details of our everyday routines, the conversations we have, the crazy quotes from my kids, the 'frivolous' things I'm loving right now, my hopes and dreams for the future, the emotional battles of today - these are the things that constantly change, and therefore become important topics for me to document.

So I'm a firm believer in journaling on my scrapbook layouts. It's pretty hard to capture all those stories without adding a word or two... or hundred! My pages always ALWAYS include journaling, sometimes more, sometimes less. Which means one of the challenges I face is thinking of new and interesting ways of communicating that story. That's why I'm super-excited about this new class from Big Picture Classes, and even more excited that I was invited to contribute to it!

It's called Grammar-Free Journaling, and no, it doesn't really mean we're not going to be adding grammar! It just means we're going to be focused on using stress-free methods of documenting truly compelling stories in creative new ways. Let me share a little insight...

  

Now because I know not everyone feels as comfortable as I do including paragraphs of soul-stirring journaling (heee hee!) I want to reassure you - that's not what this class is about! It's actually going to teach some really interesting and quite novel approaches to story-telling that include methods such as quizzes, pie-charts, journaling in numbers, and a little thing called 'painless poetry'. I tell you, I've read through the curriculum and it is blowing my mind! Most of these methods I've never even contemplated before :-)

Here's a little sneak into a page I created for class. I've shared some other sneaks here, and here, as well as on my Instagram account. I got a little stamp-happy on this layout and I used all my favourite bits from my Camelot Kits because I wanted to show you that you can still remain true to your style and include all the things you normally love whilst using the class journaling strategies :-)

Ok... so now I've got two more exciting things to share!

Firstly, I get to GIVEAWAY A SEAT IN THE CLASS! 
Leave me a comment here, and/or on my Facebook account for a chance to win. Tell me about your thoughts on journaling, share a common strategy you use to journal, let me know why you hate journaling and why you need to take this class! Whatever!

This is open internationally, and I'll draw a winner on Friday 18th AEST.

Secondly - I've got a DISCOUNT COUPON for all my Blog readers!
Just in case you don't win, and you still want to take the class, Big Picture have been kind enough to allow all my readers $7 off the price when you sign up before the 24th!!

The coupon is:

GOGRAMMAR

To check out all the details about Grammar-Free Journaling, pop over to Big Picture Classes here.

Good Luck :-)

Big Picture Classes Winners

This afternoon was all about picking winners from my Big Picture Classes Giveaway. My girls had been begging me to choose my winners the 'fun way' rather than with random.org which is my easiest go-to method. Once upon a time (if you look through all my old archives searching the word 'winner') my winners were chosen in much more interesting fashion ;-)

We compromised, and I put everyone's name in a bowl (twice if they had earned it!) and let the girls each choose a winner. It just so happened that they did it perfectly, and each chose a winner who had elected different classes.... so that worked well. Rather happy with that!

Bethany's winner is....... ELOQUENCE, who asked for the "Here & There Inspiration Class"!! YAY!

Whilst Moriah's winner is..... SOFSTERFRENCHY, who asked for the "Phone Photography Project 2 Class"!!

Can each of the winners contact me via email (natalie@onescrappydoctor.com) and I'll hook you up with the class code.

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words about my upcoming Grammar-Free Journaling Class. I'm so excited for this to begin! The start date is July 24th which still gives you plenty of time to register. Before I go, I'll leave you with one more sneak peek of a page I'm contributing....

It turns out the class prompts were just what I needed to finally get around to scrapping my 'One Little Word' for this year. We're only 7 months in.... that's not bad in my books ;-)

Grammar Free Journaling (and a Giveaway!!)

After my little stint at Big Picture Classes for the National Scrapbooking Day 2K event I thanked them very much for having me and tried to recover from my delirium of having worked alongside such remarkable ladies. So you can imagine my surprise and delight to later on be contacted by Angie Lucas asking if I would like to contribute to an upcoming class. Especially when I read that the class was going to have a focus on journaling techniques! I couldn't think of a subject that I feel more passionate about!

It's called "Grammar-Free Journaling" and will teach some unconventional (yet entirely useful) writing strategies to have you telling awesome stories in completely new ways. I tell you, I've taken journaling classes before but I've never come across these techniques before. I was so inspired reading through the curriculum! And when it came time for me to decide which classes I wanted to contribute to, I had such a hard choice! I managed eventually of course, can I share some sneaks of the projects I've made?

Now I'm not alone of course, there are some other who's-who of scrapbooking names that are contributing to the class too. Dare I name-drop? I must! There's Maggie Massey, Jennifer Gallacher and Donna Jannuzzi and all of us are coming under the leadership of Angie Lucas who's actually teaching the class!

Classes run from July 24th to August 20th and will include access to plenty of videos, PDF's, example projects, downloadable journaling prompts, quizzes, forums.... the works basically! You can check out all the details, and sign up for the class HERE.

In celebration of my upcoming "Grammar Free Journaling" Class I've got a couple of seats to giveaway in some of the other exciting classes happening at BPC this month!!

First up, I've got a seat in Amy Tan and Kelly Purkey's "Here & There Inspiration" class! This is huge! It goes for a massive 12 weeks and will teach you to stop, look around, and capture life colourfully and beautifully on a dozen fun projects, including your own inspiration journal. Check out all the details for this amazing class HERE.

And secondly, I've got a seat in "The Phone Photography Project 2" to giveaway as well. This class has an awesome line-up of teachers which include the likes of Ali Edwards, Elise Blaha Cripe, Maggie Holmes, Stacey Julian and sooooo many more! It will teach you that your phone camera is capable of much more than you realise, and show you how to produce frame-worth snapshots with nothing more than your smartphone and the right combination of apps. Check out all the details for this class HERE.

So what do you have to do to win?

For one entry: Simply tell me which of the 12 story-telling strategies in the "Grammar-Free Journaling" Class has piqued your interest the most? Did you see the list? It's in the pie-chart HERE (in fact, pie-charts are one of the 12 strategies! Ha!)

For two entries: Share about "Grammar Free Journaling" on your Blog/Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram/etc and let me know the link!

Leave a comment here letting me know which class you would prefer to win a seat in (Here & There Inspiration or The Phone Photography Project 2) and I'll draw a winner for each this coming weekend. Open internationally of course!

Good Luck!