Scrapbook Soup Show 112 Now Online!

Show 112 is now airing online at www.scrapbooksouptv.com thru noon EST, Friday, June 29th.

Jenn Mason joins Julie for the first segment and shows us how construct and decorate a small, accordion fold album using watercolor paper.  There's a good reason for this, as you'll see when you watch the show. 

 

Jenn is the editor of Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine.  It's a great magazine, so don't forget to check out their website, which is full of FREE information. 

Kathy Kromer, from the Michaels design team joins me on the next segment.

 

I love Kathy's project.  It features a technique Julie used on the previous show, except Kathy uses paint instead of oil pastels.   She also shows us how to make a photo transfer with packing tape.  I wonder if anyone else remembers a product called "Decalit".  It looked very similar to ModPodge.  You would brush about 6 layers of this medium onto printed paper; wrapping paper for example.  Each coat had to dry so it was a little time consuming.  When you finished applying the Decalit the piece of paper was then soaked in water to soften.  The layers of Decalit dried clear like tape, so once the paper had softened you'd rub the paper away leaving the print on the "plastic".  At that time, plaster molds were trendy, so we'd create the molds then place the "decal" on the mold.  A little bit of crafty history there.  You'll have to check out the segment to see which of Julie's techniques I was referring to........  This is another sample she brought to show us. 

The next two are "Julie Julie" segments.  We always enjoy these.  Manufacturers send us their projects and we get to share them with you! 

On the first segment we were showing how to personalize items we use every day:  Coffee mugs, smart phone covers, pens, key rings and more!  I think I even suggested we make name tags for ourselves....  lol

For the next segment, I showed how to use the i-Top, bradmaker from Imaginisce.  We love this tool.  You can custom make brads for paper craft projects, quilting and all kinds of fabric based projects.  One of the things I like to do with it is to make brads with baby photos.  Use a circle punch to punch a photo a little smaller than the diameter of the brad you're using.  Then use the specialty i-Top punch to punch the flowery looking shape from acetate.  Attach the photo to the top of the brad with a glue dot then seal it with the piece of acetate by following i-Top directions.

I had a fabulous "find" to share at the end of the show.  No, it's not a purse, it's a  - well, you'll just have to watch the show and see. 
 

You'll also find out what is so special about this pad of paper.

 

If you've watch the shows a lot over the years, you've probably heard me talk about "Quarter" cards.  I mentioned them again during the Imaginisce segment.  Thought I'd clarify.  If you cut an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper in half, lengthways you'll end up with 2, pieces of paper that are 5 1/2" x 8 1/2".  Score then fold in half to create 2 cards.  These are the perfect size for all kinds of cards!  I'm using a Westcott trimmer here.  It's wonderful for card making because both a cutting and scoring blade are always on the trimmer....

You can find instructions for most of the projects on our website and don't forget to check projects from past Scrapbook Memories shows.   Manufacturers are responsible for sending us the instructions, so if you don't find the instructions you're looking for, shoot them an e-mail and ask them to send them to you.  They'll like the fact that you liked their project and it lets them know you're watching the show!

Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook.  We have a group page and a page "page".   The group page is a great place to ask questions.   You'll get lots of answers from other group members.

One of the things scrapbookers are always looking for is ideas.  So, if you're looking for even more ideas, check out my website www.juliemcguffee.com/craft_lane_ designs  I was spring cleaning - again - last week and I filled some USPS "if it fits it ships" boxes with scrapbooking magazines from 2003, 2004 & 2005.  Colors and paper prints may have changed since then, but the ideas never go out of style.  You'll be surprised at how many of the ideas we refer to as "new" have been around a long, long time.  They've just been re-discovered and updated.  Enjoy!  Y'all come back now..........

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Babyville Boutique Giveaway Winner!

This is St. Mary's church, in York which is in the North of England.  It's one of my favourite cities.  If you read my blog pretty regularly you'll know I featured the photo in my "April Showers bring May Flowers" post in April.  There were also some pretty great clues if you hopped thru the DCC blogs.

Kristyy 

is our giveaway winner this month, so Kristy, please send me your mailing address (US) and your parcel of goodies will be on its way!  We'd love to see what you make, so be sure to let us know.  E-mail me by June 30th - julie@juliemcguffee.com.  I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Scrapbook Soup Show 111 Online Now!

No scrapbooking on this show, but there are some really cool and crafty ideas that we hope you'll try.

First Kathy Kromer from the Michaels design department shows us how easy it is to decorate candles with alcohol inks, then Julie FF creates scratch art using oil pastels.

Scratch art is a fun technique with all kinds of mediums.  I remember coloring stiff white board with colored inks in art class, then we'd rub the entire surface with white, household candle wax.  The final step was to cover it with black India ink and it was ready for scratch off.  Kinda like lottery tickets!  I love Julie's idea to use stencils as a design guide.  My dad enjoyed scratch art too, but purchased ready made scratch board that was either black over white, or black over silver.  Scratch art kits are also available for purchase at Michaels Arts & Crafts store, but Julie's method is much more fun and creative.

Nancy Hill from Die Cuts With a View joins me next with some absolutely gorgeous paper crafting ideas.  If you've been following my blog for a while, you may remember the photos I posted of the most beautiful paper dresses which were displayed in the DCWV booth at CHA Winter 2011.  During this segment Nancy shows us how we can create our own exotic and beautiful paper art.

In our final segment Julie shares ideas for paper crafting with security envelopes.  Want to know what that's all about, then head over to www.scrapbooksouptv.com and you'll find out!

Scrapbook Soup series 100 is now available on DVD.  What a great gift this would be for a friend, or even yourself....

Don't forget to "like" our Facebook Page and check out our group page.  It's a great place to share ideas and ask questions.  BTW, don't forget you can get samples (for cost of shipping) of Elmer's Designer Tape (Washi tape) on my website at Craft Lane Designs.  AND - don't forget to enter to win the Babyville Boutique Giveaway!  

Enjoy the show!  Y'all come back now......... 

Yours truly,

Julie :)

Scrapbook Soup Show 110 Now Online

Scrapbook Soup, show 110 is now airing online at www.scrapbooksouptv.com   This show will air thru noon EST, Friday, June 15th.

This first series of Scrapbook Soup is full of new, crafty ideas and a much wider variety of techniques than we have shared with you in the past.  Julie FF starts the show by showing us some art journaling techniques, using a pocket pack of water color paints from Sakura.  My dad was a graphic artist and loved water colors, but it was never an easy technique to master - at least not for the style of painting that he enjoyed.  He would, however, have loved Julie's uninhibited, free and easy technique for adding color to her page as a backdrop for her journaling.  Check out Julie's blog, Balzer Designs, for a wealth of information on all types of Art Journaling.

Christina Mauch from Elmer's joined me next for a scrapbook page designed to be wall art.

 

If you've downloaded instructions for any of the Elmer's projects over the years, you've probably noticed that I designed them.  When I design projects for manufacturers, it's not necessarily about the project - it's more about the products they sell, how to use them and why you would want to - after all, that's why they're in business.  I also try to include tips that not everyone may have thought about.  The goal for this project was to show why it's necessary to use a glue that is specifically designed for a certain surface, which is why I embellished the page with fabric and chenille as well as a couple of other things.  I have to admit, I really like the self adhesive foam board.  It was easy to cover with paper and the photograph was so easy to add to it - not a bubble or wrinkle in sight!  It's my mum and her little brother in the photo, by the way - I just love that photo.  My tip for the project was using silk flowers from the floral department at your craft store.  If you're a scrapbooker you tend to look for all your embellishments in the scrapbooking aisles,  but I purchased a stem with about 10 flowers on it for about $4.99 from the floral department which was much more economical and there are so many different flowers and colors to choose from - nuff said.........

Jo Pearson, Michaels Stores spokesperson, presented the next project - a bird cage made from a Paper Maché box.  Jo is a long time crafter like me and you'd be surprised where our creativity has taken us over the years.  This was a really fun project and so easy!

At the end of the show Julie FF shows us some of her projects she created with Washi tape.  Washi tape is..... well, why don't you head over and watch the show! 

Elmer's also has a line of "Designer Tape" which you can find at your local store.  I have some rolls on my website at Craft Lane Designs if you want to try it out.  Leave a comment here about Washi tape and I will gladly send you 6 rolls for the cost of shipping so you can try it for yourself. Plus I'll also include some additional Elmer's goodies.  They will be available June 15th and I only have a limited supply.  Y'all come back now......

Yours truly,

Julie :)

Today's mommies are much more eco minded and are making a conscientious decision to use cloth diapers for their little ones instead of disposable ones.  To meet these mommies' needs Babyville Boutique was born.  (No pun intended.)  The program was developed so that everything these new crafty "mommies" needed could be found in one program, readily available in stores like JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby and Hancocks.  Since I'm expecting my third grandchild in a few months, I thought this would be a good time for a baby giveaway.

There's a selection of PUL (waterproof fabric), patches, FOE (fold over elastic), buttons, labels, snaps and snap pliers, plus a 60 page, full color book jam packed with ideas and patterns.

Starting tomorrow, June 8th, you have 10 days to enter to win this package of goodies.  Here's how:  If you check the FB Like button in my sidebar, it will whisk you away to the Designer Crafts Connection FB Page.  There you will see one of my favorite photos for the cover photo.  Do you know where this is?  You can find clues and maybe even the answer on one of the DCC blogs in our webring.  You may not be expecting yourself, but what a great gift to pass on to a friend, or a friend's friend.  Comment on my blog and you can still win even if you don't find the answer, but those of you who do will be entered twice.  Best of British Luck!  Y'all come back now.........

Yours truly,

Julie :)

Picnic and Fathers' Day Crafts

It's the first Monday in June and this month's Designer Craft Connection theme is "Picnic and/or Fathers Day Crafts".  So, you may be wondering, why am I looking at a photo of a Diaper Cake!

Well, Life in the Craft Lane isn't always a picnic.  I spent the last 10 days of May at the hospital with my hubby who was admitted with a severe case of pneumonia, a blood infection and a bladder infection.  His mother has been telling him for years to get a pneumonia shot and now he realizes why.  Yes, I'm going for mine next week.

Our son and his wife were also visiting from Philadelphia these past few days to celebrate our son's birthday with us on May 31st and since they're expecting their first baby in September, her mom was having a baby shower for them on June 2nd.  Yes, he's going to be a Father.  I admit it's a stretch to connect with our theme, but it works for me.  I was in charge of making the diaper cake, so I thought I'd share it with you. 

My son has a "thing" about diaper cakes and neither he nor his wife like cutesy crafty stuff, so this a "tasteful" version without a whole lot of crafty "c--p".... LOL   I've made a bunch of these over the years for family and friends, but rather than it being just a decorative piece, it's also a gift "bag".  I start with either an empty Pringles can or a Quaker Oatmeal container.  They're both the perfect height.   I use the white hospital, fabric type tape to wrap 3, 4 or 5 layers of newborn diapers around the base.   I find it easier if you fold the folded diapers in half to make them more even then line them up next to each other on a flat surface, overlapping the ends about an inch or so.  Attach them together with the fabric tape then wrap the strips of connected diapers around the can until you have a bottom tier about 10" in diameter.  Add 2 or 3 layers above the first layer for the second tier.  As you can imagine, I didn't have a whole lot of time to work on this, so I just wrapped wide ribbon around the layers.  The topper was a die cut stork shape which I glued to a bamboo skewer.  My son loves to play golf, so I purchased a golf bag sticker to add to the stork's bundle, punched a circle from pale peachy colored card stock, added 2 black dots for eyes and 2 pink dots for cheeks to make a baby's head then stuck this peeping out from the top of the golf bag.  I also added a second golf bag sticker to the skewer at the base of the stork. 

As I said, my diaper cakes are gift containers, so I stuffed the inside of the oatmeal container with baby gifts - sox, onesies, etc. then added colored paper shreds and a few silk flower heads on top.  The topper was then stuck into the center between the tissue paper wrapped gifts.  EZ PZ Quick'n EZ...   The cake was then placed on a 12" round cardboard cake base covered with a round, scalloped piece of scrapbook paper, which I just happened to have.  I usually use cake doilies.

Here are a few more ideas:

You can find all kinds of things to use for decorations:  stickers, cake embellishments, candy shapes, favors from the baby aisle at the craft store and lots of stuff at the party stores.  Enjoy!

Hopefully Life in the Craft Lane will be back to some semblance of normalcy by the end of next week.  Since I have babies on the brain I'll be putting together a "Babyville Boutique" giveaway on or around June 8th.  You won't want to miss this one, so y'all come back now....!

For more, and probably more authentic, picnic and Fathers' Day crafts don't forget to hop forward via the blue, Designer Crafts Connection logo here in my sidebar.

Yours truly,
Julie :)