Hello friends! I'm back with another inspiring project from our Get Your Game On Guest Designer Suzanne Sergi!

But before I show you the project, I am embarassed to admit, I forgot to include Suzanne's photo with her first blog post! Oops! So here she is, along with a little LYB Q&A so you can get to know her better!

LYB:  What is your "go to embellishment?"

SS:  My go to embellishments are tags, or labels. They are fabulous to stand alone, or to emboss, journal, or ink.

LYB:  Do you prefer cardstock or patterned paper?

SS:   I am a big fan of patterned paper! I am usually inspired by color, so I always begin my design with patterned paper. I do use cardstock, but mainly to add small details to the page.

LYB:  What kind of music gets you in the scrappin' mood?

SS:  I am from Texas, so I am a huge fan of country music! However, I do like to mix it up, from time to time. My library playlist includes pop music, and a bit of classical, too.

LYB:  Do you like to go to crops or prefer to scrap alone?

SS:  I absolutely love going to crops! I love being with friends. However, I find it difficult  to pack my stuff for a crop. I do the majority of my scrapbooking at home. However, anytime the opportunity arises, you will find me at a crop. I am okay to simply sit, and chat! I guess, I love the social aspect!

LYB:   What are your favorite types of projects...pages, mini albums, cards, altered projects, etc.?

SS:  This is a difficult question! I love to scrapbook any type of papercraft! However, if I was to answer it is a toss up between mini albums, and altered projects. I throughly enjoy the creative process of a mini album, and of course, love altered projects especially around the holidays! I scrapbook for my family, so creating pages is definitely important to me. You might see a card from me, from time to time. However, as hard as  I try, they take me longer to create, than a page! 

LYB:   Do you have a favorite scrapbooking snack?

SS:  I rarely snack when I scrapbook at home. You will definitely find a large diet coke with extra ice nearby! (maybe Hot Tamales, too!) If I am at a crop, well that is a different answer. lol

LYB:  Any unique tips or techniques you use?

SS:  Two techniques you will find me using over and over are embossing and inking. I love the instant texture that embossing can give to a premade embellishment, sticker, or diecut. It is an easy technique, and  can add so much detail to your projects. I do love stamping on my projects, too. An easy, and inexpensive technique to embellish your projects.

And now...let's make this fun photo tray!

Hi, Everyone! Suzanne here, to share a project with the new Get Your Game On Collection! I love photo trays for displaying some of my favorite photos.  On my list was to alter one for my football player! I wanted to include a few special highlights of his football season. The new Get Your Game On Collection included everything I needed to create this football photo tray! A few pieces of patterned paper were all I needed to begin. The chipboard embellishment pack included the perfect football details to create fun embellishments in each individual panel!  In a couple of hours, I was able to complete this keepsake, that my son will enjoy for years to come.

Here are a few more pics!

Thanks Suzanne! I just love this! What a great way to capture a bunch of photos from the season ... or even a special game!

We'll be back with more from Suzanne next week ... and meanwhile, be sure to check out her blog by cliking HERE!

Have a BALL!

- Peg

Hi folks!

It's Monday again and that means it's time for another LYB Training Reel featuring the always amazing Biker Chick Tania Willis and the perfectly sporty Game On collection (which happens to be available at your LSS now)!

You are going to have so much fun making this layout and learning new painting techniques (wait 'til you see what Tania can do with bubble wrap. SAVE THAT BUBBLE WRAP people! Don't be tempted to pop it!!) There are a lot of kids in my area playing "Fall Ball" ... and this layout is perfect for those of you with baseball-playing kids.

But here's what I love about the Game On collection. You can take any layout (like this awesome one right here), and just "swap out" the materials to make the layout you want in the sport you need! My son is not a baseball kid ... but I do coach his U13 Travel Soccer Team (Go Canton Warriors!) So if I need a soccer layout...no problemo! I'm going to scraplift this layout and use the soccer papers and embellishments, and make a soccer one with it. Maybe I'll even show it to you when I'm done!

So here we go people. Pick a sport ... any sport ... we have four of them for you...and GET YOUR GAME ON with Tania!

Here are a few more close-ups of Tania's layout:

(bubble wrap!!!)

(more bubble wrap!)

What will this Biker Chick come up with next? Who knows, but I'm sure of one thing ... it will be CREATIVE!

Here are the instructions for this home run of a layout:

Download PDF Baseball Layout Instructions by Tania Willis

We have so much more to share with you this week ... we'll have a BRAND NEW Sketch Challenge from our very own Liz Qualman, plus more from Game On Guest Designer Suzanne Sergi!

And in case you missed my Summer's Last Hurrah post last week, head over there and leave a comment for your chance to win some Sweet Summertime! I'll be picking a winner later this week!

Have Fun!

Peg

Hi blog friends!

Just a quick note to let you know we're giving stuff away this weekend over at Little Yellow Bargains! Now, seriously, at 70% off retail prices on our retired collections, we're practically giving it away EVERY day, but this weekend, the more you spend, the more FREEBIES you get!

Spend $25 or more ... get the BooVille Journaling Tablet

... FREE!

Spend $30 or more ... get the BooVille Large Chipboard Shapes

...FREE!

Spend $40 or more ... get FREE Shipping (as always) too!

And spend $50 or more ... and get the Trick or Treat BOO Banner

... FREE!

We have just added the retired BooVille and Trick or Treat Halloween collections, as well as Fresh Print Clothesline to our Little Yellow Bargains store! But shop soon ... because the early trick or treaters get the best candy!

So many freebies ... so little time. Offer ends tomorrow (Sunday, September 25) at midnight EDT. One set of free items per household. Purchase price to receive free gifts is amount spent before applicable taxes and shipping. Please do NOT add the free items to your cart (or you will be charged for them)...we will add them when we ship your order!

So follow the link to Grab Some BARGAINS at Little Yellow Bargains!

Happy Scrapping ... and have a great weekend!

Peg

Hi Everyone – Lowri McNabb here again to share another couple of projects with the Head of the Class Collection. I am not sure if I mentioned it in a previous post, but my eldest son actually started school this year in May, and so this collection has been perfect to work with given our recent family adjustment to school life!  Today I have a Magnet Board to show you – but first let’s take a look at how I made the magnets.

.

Magnets Tutorial

These are so quick to make and a great way to use up paper scraps you have lying around. When I make these I love to look at all the tiny details that the designers have put into the paper – it’s amazing what you can find!

Here is a quick and easy way to make custom magnets from any paper…

1. Cut or punch circles of paper slightly smaller than the flat side of the glass dome

2. Apply Mod Podge to the surface of the paper you want visible through the magnet and glue onto flat side of magnet

3. When dry, apply a layer of Mod Podge to the other side o the paper (outside)

4.  Using a super-strong craft glue, stick a magnet to the underside and leave to dry

Magnets Board

The magnet board started life as a really ugly magnetic calendar - so I sprayed the outside edges with some tile paint, glued on some patterned paper and when the glue was dry - I applied a layer of Mod Podge (water-based sealer and glue) over the top to add some shine and a little protection. For this project I used a solvent based glue and it ensure the paper remains flat and is easily cleaned up by rubbing away any excess.

The wonderful papers from LYB really do all the work - they co-ordinate perfectly and the prints are fun and fresh.

My son will be able to put all his bits and pieces onto the board, and I have added a few photos from his first couple of school months to get started – held on by the magnets of course!

I have used one of the Mini Banners (HC-307) in the top left corner which is perfect as PRIDE is my son’s school motto.  On the bottom segment I have used this wonderful bus from the Chipboard Shapes (HC-279) and an upside-down pencil and stop sticker from the Cardstock Stickers (HC-135) to make the sign. Placing scraps of paper behind the pieces and extra detail on the wheels just lifts the bus a little.

I hope you have enjoyed these projects – Little Yellow Bicycle is hosting a great giveaway at the moment – head on over to my blog to find out how YOU can enter and be in to win some of this fabulous collection!

Warm Regards,

Lowri

Sigh... I guess it's time to admit it's finally over.

Summer that is.

Autumnal equinox and all.

In spite of the morning chill in the air I have been digging in my heels and holding on to summer for all I'm worth. Who cares that the kids are back in school! Who cares that I've had to pull out the jeans and sweaters once or twice! It's still summer until ... well...today.

The leaves have been turning here in CT for weeks, but now that the calendar is turning, I have to get with the program and move on to Fall already. Now don't get me wrong. I really do love Fall. Here in the Northeast I love the colors, crisp sunny days, savory cooking [not to mention our new Hello Fall! collection ;) ... who wouldn't love fall with that around, huh? ]

And then I just say to myself ... just wait a minute here ... not so fast! Let's have a little last hurrah for summer! If you're like me, you'll be scrappin' those summer pictures well into 2012 [in fact, I think there's something special about scrapping the beach pics when the snow is falling outside!].

So today I'm going to share some Sweet Summertime goodness from the Biker Chicks! For one last hurrah!

[And read on dear blog followers! There's a chance for you to win some Sweet Summertime goodness for yourself at the end of this post!] 

So let's get started, why don't we? First up, this adorable little layout from Biker Chick Liz Qualman. There's something about boys and boats...isn't there?

And a few close up shots:

Next up, Biker Chick Renee Foss shared this amazing shadowbox just full of great summer memories!

... and a detail shot:

....swoon.. Love this!

And last but certainly not least, Tania Willis posted these two awesome Sweet Summertime layouts on her blog earlier this summer and I've been meaning to share them with you. But I kept forgetting! Shame on me! 

Here's the first. You can't beat the photo of that cutie Emma, and I love how Tania kept it simple ... but simply perfect! Check out that sun!

And the details:

And next up, how cute are these two muggin' it up for the camera? And how cool is it that Tania used this versatile summery collection on a page that really isn't summery at all? Love this!

And a couple close ups to show all the detail and dimesion!

If you want to scraplift this layout (and who wouldn't? ... though for finding the big wax lips I must tell you ... you are on your own!) just follow the link I posted above for detailed instructions!

Three cheers for the Biker Chicks! You guys are great!

And now for the LOOT!

I personally went over to our warehouse and raided - RAIDED I tell you! - that Sweet Summertime collection. I have two AMAZING prize packs to share with two people who leave a comment. We're talking papers, stickers, and embellies galore people! Who wants 'em???

Just tell me about YOUR last hurrah of summer.

 Here is mine...I decided to run the Hartford Half Marathon in a couple weeks. This is big for me and I'm not quite sure I'm ready but there's only one way to find out. And let me tell you, running in the CT humidity today ... it sure felt like summer to me! So now that I think about it - bring on that cool weather already! I'm wilting like steamed spinach out there!

Can't wait to hear YOUR story!

-Peg

OK, OK I know Lowri McNabb is already rockin' the Guest Designer blog for LYB but what can we do? We're shipping the brand new Get Your Game On collection as we speak (actually as I type...) and so, since it's so perfectly sporty ... we decided to Double Team you!!! That's right ... two Guest Designers for a little extra inspiration. And who can't use a little extra inspiration? Gotta love it!

So allow me to introduce our OTHER Guest Designer - for Game On - the awesome, fun, and of course talented Suzanne Sergi! I was introduced to Suzanne at CHA-W by our very own Biker Chick Liz Qualman. As I recall, Liz told me something like "You have to check out her work..." and so I did, and knew then and there we needed to ask her to guest design for us (click the link above to her blog and you'll see why as well!).

Suzanne hails from beautiful Orange County in Southern California, where she lives with her husband Steven and three children Gabriela (almost 13), Roman (8) and Macie (6). Suzanne has been scrapbooking for about 12 years. Like many of us, she tripped into this hobby when Gabriela was born when she ventured into a scrapbook store to look for an album ... and fell in love with all the possibilities. Suzanne scrapbooks mostly about her family and the special moments in their lives. She loves papers and embellishments and tells us she is "all about the details on (her) papercrafts ... (her) favorite part of the scrapbooking process." She designs for several manufacturers, and has been published in Scrapbook Trends magazine... and we are so lucky to have her!

And now... here's Suzanne!

_________________________________

Hi, everyone! Suzanne here, and I am very excited to be one of the guest designers this month! I love papercrafting, and I am a big fan of Little Yellow Bicycleʼs products. One of my favorite things about their products is that you will not see only paper, and a few embellishments. No, you are going to have so many possibilities, and a wide variety of embellishments to choose from. A couple of my favorites are the transparency overlays, and I love their journaling notebooks. Their product fits my style of scrapbooking, and makes designing pages fast, and fun to create with.

I had the opportunity to work with the Get your Game On collection. With a few athletes in our household, I am always inspired to document their special “winning” moments. Today, I have my first project to share with you. A scrapbook page featuring my son with a couple of his teammates. My son seems to enjoy all sports from football, soccer, baseball, to basketball. Luckily, LYB has paper for all of these fun sports. I decided to create a basketball page to slip into my sonʼs sports album. This page came together very quickly.

I began with the basketball collage paper for my background. This paper has the large graphic in the upper right hand corner, so it needed very little extra paper. I used a small strip from the grey Bleachers patterned paper, layered on top of the red All Star paper. I also used one of the tear-out tickets for my title. I loved it, and thought it told the story of the photo perfectly. I did cut it so I could use the top portion at the top of the photo. The bottom half of the ticket holds my journaling that I ran through the computer. Love it when you can get more out of an embellishment! Here is a closer look at the cluster of embellishments I created in the lower right hand corner of the page.

I used two more tear-out tickets (these are starting to become my favorite). They are perfect to stand alone, when your page just needs a little something. They are also great to layer more fun embellishments underneath or on top of them. I punched different size circles to layer on top of the tickets. I used some of the chipboard embellishments as well. The #1 element I left alone, but I did add more texture to the chipboard basketball by running it through an embossing folder. This page has a bit of grunge to it, so I used my embossing folders to the circles, too. I simply love texture on my pages, and embossing is definitely my “go to” technique every time I scrapbook! This cluster of embellishments helped to add movement to the page.

Another item that I really enjoyed were the ticket stickers. I used one as an added detail on one of the tear-out tickets. They reminded me of a decorative tape, and I adhered it with a small staple on the page.

In this final detail photograph, you can also see a cluster of the chipboard stars, and do you recognize the brad?

It is from the Zachʼs Life collection, and this is still one of my favorites. Thought it tied well with the page!

Supplies Used:  

- Get Your Game On Basketball Collage/Basketball Court

-Get Your Game On Game Day Words Blue/Grey Bleachers

- Get Your Game On All Star Red/Field Dirt

- Get Your Game On Chipboard Shapes

- Get Your Game On Tear-Out Ticket Book

- Get Your Game On Stickers

____________________________

Thanks so much for this fun layout Suzanne! I'll be back during the next few weeks with more projects from Suzanne, featuring the Game On collection ... plus some fun LYB Q&A with Suzanne!

For now, if you haven't already, why not go check out Suzanne's blog for some more inspiration, and tell her how much you love her work (tell her we sent you ;P)

Peg 

Hi Everyone – Lowri McNabb here to show you some more ideas using the wonderful Head of the Class Collection from Little Yellow Bicycle.

I have two projects to share today – I hope you enjoy them and please post a comment with any questions.

Banner

I made this banner for my son’s classroom. One thing I discovered is that banners are so much fun to make – but really hard to photograph!

I have kept the decoration simple to let the great colors stand out, and on the end pennants I have added pieces from the Clear Cut Shapes (HC-230) and made some mini flags with the Stick Pins (HC-227) and a piece from the Canvas Stickers Borders (HC-201)

Each “flag” of the banner consists of two triangles with a star, rosette and letter mounted on top with dimensional tape. It’s a project that can be adapted to any occasion and to any size. 

I have used 3d mounting tape to add some dimension to the elements of the banner which really help them stand out.

It really was a challenge to photograph this piece –but I am sure it is going to look great in the entrance of my son’s classroom!

ABC Writing Cards

I have made a set of ABC flashcards before similar to this – but when I saw the font on these alphas I HAD to remake one for my son, as now he is beginning to perfect his writing it’s such a handy item to tuck into my bag and keep him amused for those 10 minutes that seem like an hour!

I have used the Bus Stop Paper as it has perfect gridlines – which is great for kids just learning to form their letters.

This project was very quick to put together

Here is a little tutorial to show exactly how I made the cards…

1. Cut strips from the Bus Stop Paper (HC-105) measuring 4.5cm wide. Then cut these into 7.5cm pieces. You will yield 4 per strip (*See note below).
2. You will also need a pack of the Cardstock Stickers (HC-145) and some laminating pouches measuring approximately 54x86mm
3. Place your alphas onto the pre-cut pieces of card
4. Slip them into the laminating pouches and run them through a laminating machine
5. Voila!
6. Punch a hole in the centre of each card (use the first card you punch as a guide for the rest to make sure they line up)

*Note– you will get 24 pieces per 12 inch sheet – but you could of course double up on a couple of letters (P&Q, Y&Z etc.) to make it a really economical project using just a single piece of paper.

I made an additional card and used stickers from the Cardstock Sticker – Favorite Places (HC-135) to decorate the front.

All you need now is a whiteboard pen and a child to give it a test-drive - here is my son demonstrating how it works..

I hope you have enjoyed these projects – please post a comment with any questions and keep a look out for more projects coming next week.

Lowri :-)

Hi,

We are thrilled with the response and the entries we are getting for the "Cycling Team". If you aren't in on the scoop, be sure to like us here and get the details.  Also, see yesterday's post.

First and Foremost, check out Guest Designer, Lowri McNabb's blog, Paper Vine . Get ready to be lost into a world of inspiration. I'm always happier when I find a blog like Lowri's. I love to grab a cup of coffee and peruse through my favorite blogs as I start my day. I've got Paper Vine bookmarked.  Not only are Lowri's projects gorgeous, but they are doable. She really does make it look "oh so easy".  And, the best part is so many of her projects are FUNCTIONAL.   See. See. See.  Lowri has all of these Head of the Class goodies stepped out for you here.

I promised that I would help you to get to know Lowri better.  It's only fair that we all are friends....

Sit back and enjoy.

LYB Questions for Guest Designer – Lowri McNabb

What is your ‘go to’ embellishment?

I would have to say plain, die-cut chipboard pieces. You can paint, ink or stamp them, cover them with patterned paper, emboss them or all of the above!  I also have a weakness for glazed and fabric brads too..

Do you prefer cardstock or patterned paper?

Patterned paper mainly as I tend to draw inspiration for my projects from the prints themselves. It really depends on the weight of the paper/card as some paper projects  are better with thinner paper (those that need a lot of folding) and some are better with heavier weight cardstock. If using cardstock, I usually start with a white, cream or kraft base

What kind of music gets you in the scrappin’ mood?

When I am scrapping I tend to have DVD’s running on my computer - often favorites like British sit-coms I used to watch as  a kid or old James Bond movies. When I do listen to music you will hear me mainly listening and singing along to some 80’s rock or Kings of Leon

Do you like to go to crops or prefer to scrap alone?

I have always worked on my own – primarily due to my location meaning there is not anyone else within an hour or so in the evenings! I have been to a couple of crops, but I was so interested in what others were doing and chatting about products and new ideas that I didn’t get a single piece of work done. I am probably most people’s  worst nightmare at a crop! If you see me – you might want to take a seat the other side of the room…

What are your favorite types of projects—pages, mini albums, cards, altered projects, etc?

 I would call myself a papercrafter.  I very rarely do layouts and I prefer to use my photos to make mini albums and frames  -  I do however draw heaps of inspiration and ideas from the amazing layouts I see online.   I make a lot of altered items and beyond the page projects – usually as gifts and I also love to make custom stationary, party decorations and the occasional card-set.

Do you have a favorite scrapbooking snack?

Not really – depending on the time of day you are most likely to find an enormous  mug  of tea, Diet Coke or glass of wine sitting on my desk though…

Any unique tips or techniques you use?

I am always on the lookout for items to alter or use. I often look to dollar-stores, hardware stores and kitchen supplies for inspiration. I recently  packaged some gifts I made for Father’s Day (a mini album and a magnet set) in some gorgeous  old tobacco tins

Describe your biggest scrapbooking ‘mishap’?

No major mishaps spring to mind – if I make a mistake I just cover it with another piece of paper! I do get frustrated though when I get time to myself and feel so overwhelmed with the list of things I would like to do that I end up wasting it. With a young and active family, time on my own is a precious resource!

What are your favorite scrapbook magazines?

I really don’t buy many magazines – I find there is so much inspiration on manufacturers and designer blogs that usually I search for tutorials and ideas online.  

Do you have a favorite die cutting system?

I have a cuttlebug which I love to use with my slowly growing collection of Spellbinders.

Are you a morning bird or night owl?

I hate mornings but I have to get up each weekday at 5:45 to get to school on time (after I check my email, drink 3 cups of tea, make lunches etc) so I am definitely a night-time crafter.  

Computer or handwritten journaling?

I don’t do much journaling but I use my computer as a tool a lot in my papercrafting. I love to print onto patterned paper and tags and it’s invaluable for making stationary and other specialist items.

What is your favorite color (or colors) to use in your pages?

That’s a tough one! I find my work is very product driven, and I usually work with only one collection at a time – supplemented by some basics such as paint, stamps etc. I have mainly worked with very bold collections, but I am trying to incorporate more vintage themes now – whilst maintaining my clean style.  I always love green though!

How long does it typically take you to complete a project?

Anything from 2 hours to two weeks. I try to work on a project from start to finish and I usually find the last 10% of the project takes 50% of the time! If I am working on a project that includes photographs – choosing and editing them takes me ages – it’s something I am working on.

Do you use any tools that are not specifically designed for scrapbooking?

I use a few small woodworking tools (mainly files) and various grades of  sandpaper to sand and smooth my wooden projects before starting.  I also have a leather hole punch with various size tips to create holes in paper, card, fabric etc.  I have also made a couple of custom embossing folders with plastic ice cream container lids!

Do you scrap chronologically or out of order?

I tend to create projects according to need as I usually create my items as gifts with a specific recipient in mind

Sit down or stand up scrapbooker?

Sit down – I don’t usually get started until the kids are in bed – and by that time I need a good sit down!

Do you have a favorite quote?

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” – Wayne Gretsky

Are you a neat scrapbooker or is your space a mess?

I can’t even read this question with a straight face. I am horribly messy but luckily I have my own little room and when it’s really bad I just shut the door and nobody has to see it. When I cannot see any floor space, and can’t make any more by piling up some more junk – I figure it is time to clean up!

What is your best time or money saving tip?

Money saving – create custom albums by cutting cereal boxes into shapes using Spellbinders (or other dies)  and then cut patterned paper again to cover. I usually use 2 layers per page.

Time saving – not really a time saving tip but if you are sitting there and it’s just not working out  – give up and  try again tomorrow!

Do you have a favorite adhesive?

A few – depending on the project. Most of my  projects are fun items designed to be used or handled as opposed to preserved, so often I am more interested in an adhesive being good for its purpose rather than acid free. I use Spotlight Crafters Glue but I think Helmars Premium Craft would be an equivalent product in the US. I recently discovered Dodz too – they are super sticky, clear, dimensional adhesive blobs of glue – I love them!

Describe your style.

Clean and linear with a hint of retro if I can make it work!

 
Friday.

Have a great day.

Lori

Hello Friends!

Take your imagination for a ride on the

new LYB Cycling team!!

Are you looking for something new? Want to get your hands on some *FREE* stuff? Would you like to join our new "Cycling Team"?  We hope so!

I hope you've seen the amazing projects our Head of the Class Guest Desiner Lowri McNabb did for us in her first post. [If you missed it, here's the link right here - check it out, seriously.] We were so lucky to get her when we called out for Guest Designers! In fact we were so impressed with the caliber of the work we received that we sent some product out to a few more people...just to see what they would do with it (yes we will share what they create with you!).

So this all got us to thinking...why not send out some MORE free stuff, so more of you awesome designers out there can play? 

And so, we're forming the "Cycling Team." Here's what we're looking for:

With each new collection we're going to pick a few new designers (about 3-5 per collection). Those designers will join the Cycling Team for the month after the collection is released. We'll send you some product (not the entire collection, but lots of goodies, we promise!). No long-term DT commitment - just some fun and oh..did we mention ... free stuff!  And here's what we're asking from our Cyclists:

1) Make one project with what we send you - a layout, some cards, a mini album, an altered item...whatever makes you happy!

2) Send us some pictures of it, and a little write-up or how-to of how you created it.

3) Post it on your blog (if you're not a blogger, that's not required, but it is preferred ... so if you don't have a blog, get one of your blogger friends to post it on their blog!) We'll put it here on our blog too, of course!

That's it!

Tryouts for the team are starting RIGHT NOW! If you want to join, just send a few samples of your best stuff (you don't have to use LYB products, but of course, we'd love it if you did) to lori@cthruruler.com. We'll announce the first two teams for Head of the Class and Get Your Game On next Wednesday, September 21st.

And then we'll ask you to hop on that Little Yellow Bicycle and pedal your heart out!

We hope you'll come ride with us!

-Peg

Hi all,

We are so pleased to share with you our Guest Designer, Lowri McNabb.  Lowri lives on a vineyard in beautiful Marlbrough, New Zealand with her husband and young family.

She loves to do all types of papercraft and is currently Design Team / Blog Administrator and Marketing Manager for Artfull Crafts, a scrapbooking store in Timaru, New Zealand.

Tomorrow, we will help you get to know Lowri better with some fun Q&A's. You'll smile more as you get to know her...

Until then, I'd like to show off some of Lowri's creations that she has been working on with our latest back to school collection, Head of the Class.  Get ready to be inspired.

Here's Lowri:

Hi Everyone,

It’s a real honour to be here today creating with one of Little Yellow Bicycle’s latest collections –Head of the Class.  The LYB  products are a little hard to come by here in New Zealand so I was thrilled to open my pack and find superb quality heavy weight patterned paper and an amazing collection of matching embellishments.

This collection is packed with fun, bright prints, but also offers some more subtle patterns too.  My first projects have made use of these more subtle patterns and I have decorated a pencil box and desk tidy along with a few extra stationary items, all of which would be suitable for an older student or maybe even a teacher’s gift.

Pencil Box

This box started out as a ribbon dispenser. It comes flat packed as 6 raw wood pieces. I sanded and painted the edges red and then used an old graph paper stamp I had to decorate with white ink and mirror the grid pattern on some of the papers.

I then measured, cut and glued pieces of paper to cover all the panels before assembly.  I have mainly used the Ruler paper (HC-109) as it is such a fun print and reminded me of the old fashioned slide top ruler pencil boxes.

I have used the Back to School paper (HC-101) to decorate the top which again has some lovely ruler detail and also picks up some of the other primary colours used throughout the collection.

The stars on the sides are from the Fabric Favourites (HC-220) pack and just add a little texture and detail to the sides. I gently removed the dimensional adhesive from the ends, cut the strips to size and then used a mini glue dot on the back of each star to glue them down.

Pencil Holder

This again was a plain wooden piece that I painted and stamped like the Pencil Box. I have again used the Back to School paper (HC-101) as the base for the sides and on the front I have used these super-cute mini pencils from the Chipboard Shapes (HC-279) as well as the stars and numbers piece from the Fabric Favorites (HC-220)

You can see the box is stuffed with a few goodies!

Paperclips

These giant paperclips are so much fun. You can use them as bookmarks or just as clips for giant paper! I sandwiched the paperclip between one of the Dimensional Stickers (HC-195) and a piece of plain cardboard backed with paper that I cut to the same size. I used hot glue to bond them all together which makes them durable and easy to use.

Ruler & Pencils

This dollar store ruler suddenly becomes a lot more fun with a great sticker! I removed the sticker it came with and replaced it with this super-fun ruler sticker from the Favorite Pieces Cardstock Stickers (HC-135) I love looking for little fun ideas like this to give as extras with a gift – it makes it just that little bit more special. My son has to have all of his pencils marked at school so instead of trying to write his name in teeny tiny writing, I labelled them by wrapping coloured tape around the top. I have done the same here to create matching pencils for the pencil box. Such a simple idea but would add a lovely touch for a teacher.

Fold-Back Clips

Products Used
Patterned Papers:
Back To School (HC-101), Ruler (HC-109), various scraps from other papers

Embellishments: 
Cardstock Stickers - Favorite Pieces (HC-135), Cardstock Stickers  - Fresh Verse (HC-140), Dimensional Pop-Up Stickers (HC-195), Fabric Favorites (HC-220), Chipboard Stickers (HC-279)

I hope you have enjoyed these and I look forward to showing you some more projects next week. Please post a comment with any questions.Head of the Class

On this 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we remember the victims and their loved ones with heavy hearts.

It was only a few days after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 that I found the invitation discarded in my inbox and realized the implications. A trade show with breakfast at Windows on the World, on the top of WTC Tower 1. I had planned to attend until, a few days earlier, my colleague told me he was "too busy with work" to make the drive down to the city. He wasn't going to go, so I decided not to go either - a little disappointed, in fact, because I had never been to Windows on the World. Set the invitation aside and moved on.

Everyone at Windows on the World that morning perished.

Finding the invitation, I realized that I was one of the lucky ones who, if not for a 'near miss' - a change of plans, an alarm that didn't go off, a detour or missed train that made them late - would have been there that horrible morning ten years ago.

My children were two and four at the time. My husband would have been left to explain why mommy wasn't coming home. My kids would have grown up without a mother. When I came home that evening I gathered them up, sat with them on the couch, and cried silent tears - so sad for the victims and still, so thankful for that capricious decision a few days before 9/11. 

I spent a lot of time thinking about all of the "what ifs" in the weeks and months following 9/11. I remember being grateful for so many things. I also remember thinking that my kids at least would have known how much their mommy loved them - thanks to my scrapbooks. Sometimes I look at my "scrap stuff" and think my hobby could some day become my great-great-grandchild's nightmare ("What do we do with all these books? We don't know any of these people but someone sure spent a lot of time on them..."). But on days like today I am reminded of exactly why it's important.

So many of us have 'near misses' in our lives. You pause, maybe send up a silent prayer of thanks, and move on.

Because of 9/11, I am reminded each year just how fortunate I am to have been given the gift of another year. I am so very grateful for the reminder - because it is so easy to forget.

Truth is, none of us knows how much or how little time we may have. We can just be thankful for the here and now.

We hug our kids.

We kiss our spouses.

We call our moms.

And we mourn for those who were lost that terrible, tragic day.

- Peg

Hi friends! Hope you had a fantastic Labor Day weekend! For many of us here in the U.S., Labor Day means back-to-school (though some kids have been back for a while!)...

Have you seen the Head of the Class collection at your LSS yet? If not, watch for it because it's on its way!

Today, Biker Chick Tania Willis joins us with another awesome Training Reel video tutorial featuring this fun new collection from Little Yellow Bicycle.

These cards make a perfect "back to school" gift set for that special teacher, or can be enclosed with a teacher gift, sent to school to offer encouragement on testing days, or used as journaling cards on your layouts! So many things you can do with your cards! But first, ya gotta make em! So let's get to it!

Here's a peek at the whole set:

Now check out the Training Reel video tutorial - Tania will walk you through the steps to make the pencil-shaped card in the front!

I love how she used the paper crimper to make the eraser holder!

And now a few close ups of each of the cards:

10 Things I Love About School (have your student - or the entire class! - fill out the pencils for a super special card their teacher will cherish!)

Check out the downloadable pdf for a templated for this fantastic apple-shaped card!

Cutey-cute-cute Elmer's Glue bottle!

I especially love how Tania made the lead for the pencil tip (watch the video to find out)!

Get all of the instructions in this pdf:

Download Teacher Appreciation Cards Training Reel Instru.

Got extras? Here's a tip from Peg!

When you finish the cardset...save those extra stickers and embellishments to make "Lunch Box Notes" for your kids! For many years, I would use my scraps to make tiny cards to stick in the kids' lunches to let them know I was thinking about them throughout their day. You just need a tiny square of paper - or really any shape or size - and an unused embellishment or two - add a quick note - and you have a special card that will make their day.

One year, my daughter saved ALL of hers (she didn't tell me until she brought them home on the last day). Another year the owner of my LSS told me she had non-scrapbooking moms coming in to buy stickers and papers because their kids told them about my son's Lunch Box Notes and wanted some too! What a simple way to make a kids' day! Sadly, by about 6th grade, my kids had outgrown the Lunch Box Notes - guess they were too cool for them! Still, I sneak one in every now and then, and they still like the surprise! You're really never too old for a Lunch Box Note!

Make Your World a Little More Moxie Fab!

Finally one more quick shout out to our friend Cath Edvalson over at Moxie Fab World, who posted this wonderful blog about Head of the Class yesterday. If you missed it, just follow the link! Be sure to follow Cath's blog to keep up on all the Moxie Fab-ulosness!

That's it for now! We'll be back with another Training Reel next Monday - featuring the all new Get Your Game On collection!

Have a great day!

-Peg

Hey blog followers! Happy Labor Day! 

Just a quick heads up to let you know we just put a whole bunch of new goodies up on the Little Yellow Bargains site, for your shopping and scrapping pleasure!

How about the immensely populer Fresh Print Clothesline collection? Yep, it's just been retired and now you can get your hands on it at 70% off suggested retail! You'll find it all by following this link right here ... and use it to make fun projects like this:

PLUS! Get ready for a spooky Halloween with the also-just-retired Boo-Ville and Trick-or-Treat collections!

And this weekend only, spend $25 or more (not including tax and shipping), and you'll get these Fresh Print Clothesline Clear Cut Moograms absolutely FREE!

(Don't put them in your cart, or you will be charged for them - we'll add them to your order when we ship it!)

We hope you're enjoying your holiday weekend!

Hello Friday,

Are you ready for some basic math?

Talented Tania Willis + Head of the Class = 2 great back to school layouts!  4 U.

I have to ask you, what could be cuter than a kindergartener in pig tails?  May I answer my own question? A kindergartener in pig tails with yellow polka dot bows. 

Go to Tania's blog and find basic instructions for these great back to school layouts. I think you'll find her blog encouraging. And honest.  I do. 

See the Learn and Discover journaling card behind the photo pocket on left side. Cool idea. Interactive. I like.

I appreciate the journaling on this page. I like what it says. I like knowing that we all have an opportunity to recognize and share the good things that we notice about our child's day.  

To note: My favorite journaling card in the collection is:  IF LOST, PLEASE CALL MY TEACHER. 

Be thinking about journaling prompts you might like to share for next week's Wednesday Challenge.

We'll be shipping Head of the Class next week. We are excited to get this out to you.   I so enjoyed reading your school memories on this weeks Wednesday challenge.   I laughed. I laughed out loud even.  I was sad reading some of them as well.  Looking back and pressing on is good. Thank you for sharing.  I'll announce winners on Wednesday along with new Wednesday challenge.

Have a great long weekend.

Lori