Getting a little bit more Christmassy!

This weekend we have been invited up to the midlands once again to teach at the Moxley crop. As it will actually be December (can you believe that??), they asked that one of the classes be themed. With a bit of tweaking I was able to adapt a class I taught at one of our retreats and make it super seasonal - and I LOVE it!!

I can't show the whole project just yet as I haven't taught the class but I wanted to share a little bit. One of the things I really wanted to include was a sleigh, not some nasty cheap looking thing but something unique and in keeping with my style. Through Facebook I found a really talented lady who creates gorgeous things with Fimo clay and she offered to try to make something bespoke for the class. The result was this fabulous sleigh that almost looks good enough to eat!! I threw my budget to the wind and ordered one for each kit!

It's been stressy waiting for these babies to arrive and we were right to the wire as far as design time goes but I have finally installed my sleigh into his reserved space in my project and he looks very happy. I'll be able to show you just how good he looks after the weekend - watch this space!!

Getting in the Christmas spirit

The pace is picking up with classes right now and I even managed to completely lose the plot and double booked myself for last night!  Thankfully one of the groups consisted of my girlfriends and they know just how much I'm juggling so they were super sweet about rescheduling.  This is a sneak peek for those fab ladies of the class that they nearly had last night!

They asked for a Christmas project and so I adapted our Summer canvas album project.  I couldn't resist the new Christmas line from Teresa Collins and so I think I have included a little of everything in this kit.  There are 12 sheets of 6x6 papers, 12x12 transparency, 12x12 paper, cardstock, a 12x18 canvas, a Tim Holtz binder clip, adhesive gems, sticker sheet, flash cards, decorative borders, lengths of Teresa Collins washi tape - masses of goodies to create an album on a canvas.  This kit has already drawn a lot of attention and we have a waiting list for any spare kits!  I'll update with more peeks of the finished article......

Total Papercrafts kit 2 for November

The delivery for this kit went on an adventure and only made it to us yesterday - over a week late!! It was worth the wait though as there is a Ranger paint dabber included which is so versatile and fun to use. We were also blown away by the fab quality of the My Minds Eye kraft papers, they are super thick and double sided. Add a genuine LP record into the mix and you've got too much fun going on here!!

The kit contains; cardstock, 3 double sided patterned papers, Ranger paint dabber, 12" vinyl record, crystal gems

The sample design uses a single 6" x 4" portrait photo but you could easily rotate the design to include a landscape print.

To complete the sample design you will also need a water spray bottle, perfect pearls powder (optional), a length of bakers twine or ribbon, white paint or gesso (for paint splatters - optional).

Heidi Swapp freebie!

I am a regular viewer of My Craft Channel and love to check out the weekly shows from a broad spectrum of crafters.  Today there was a new show from Heidi Swapp showcasing her Memory Display Stand which is a cross between a ring binder and a clip board.  One of the projects was a cute calendar that was embellished 'Heidi-style'.  She didn't say anything on the show but a quick visit to Heidi's blog revealed that the calendar is available as a printable download!!
If anyone is looking for a fun and easy gift idea then this might be the way to go.  Just click here to link to the download page, save and then print off as many pages as you need.  You could even create your own display stand using a Tim Holtz binder clip and some scrapbook supplies.  Its such a cute idea!!

Club cancelled tonight

I've sent out an email but just in case anyone is checking here, we have had to cancel club tonight after the kit delivery failed to arrive. We checked a week ago that we would have the kits in time and were promised they would be here. After checking today it appears they are yet to be despatched. I am gutted to have been let down so badly but for things like this I can be as organised as possible and still find things out of my control.
As soon as the delivery arrives I will get designing and pop the sample layout up here. If you missed club and would like the kit just let me know.

Over 300 Facebook Fans!!

Over recent weeks we have been really active on Facebook and Pinterest and its suddenly reaping benefits. It took a while to break through the 200 'likes' threshold but we've had a lot of interest recently and very quickly zipped up to over 300 'likes' in just a few days!!

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to 'like' our Facebook page and even comment and share our posts.  We love that you are sharing the love!!  We have different items on the Pinterest site so if you fancy having a browse then click on the Pinterest button above.  If you like what you see then feel free to repin our images to your own boards - lets see how quickly we can get the followers on Pinterest to match those on Facebook!

Total Papercrafts kit 2 contents

Our second kit for November is a fab combination of neutrals - think Kraft, black and white. These tones are so easy to match with your photos that you'll be spoilt for choice!
The double sided papers give loads of options and combinations so you can really make this kit uniquely yours. We have included a Ranger paint dabber in classic black for you to play with in this kit. There's tons of fun to be had with this paint as we dab, flick and spray the colour onto the page!

New Masterclass for Kent groups

Things are getting busy on the Masterclass front once again, the Tunbridge Wells group are starting up once again with the first class in their new series starting tonight. They will be doing the same kit we have scheduled for the North Kent group for next week, a masculine layout using Prima Craftsman.
The kit includes; cardstock, 8 sheets of patterned paper, a set of stamps, Prima crystal swirls, calico fabric, adhesive canvas and full step by step instructions.
The sample design uses two 6" x 4" portrait photos in sepia but you could also use two landscape or a single large 6" x 8" landscape. It's not essential that your photo is sepia, the colours in the kit are blue, burgundy, rust and cream so you may have a colour photo that would work.
You will also need; a scallop border punch, a notebook edge punch and a brown inkpad (the sample used Distress Ink in Vintage Photo).
I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again tonight, it's been too long!!

Free Prima magazine to download

Earlier this year Prima launched a magazine that was available free through stockists.  I have tried very hard to get the magazine but haven't had any luck.  I was among the many people who requested that this be available online. The great news is that they listened to us and have responded!!  We can now download the copy of issue 4 of My Prima Place!!

If you love Prima products and want to see the work of their design team then click here and be inspired!

Prima's Friday Freebie

Its Friday which means that Prima has added another free printable to their Facebook page!  These gorgeous Notecards match the Fairy Belle and Nature Garden paper lines but of course you can use them on their own on your projects.  How stunning would these look added to a card or as journaling cards on a scrapbook layout?
To download these and future Friday Freebies you will need to 'like' the Prima Marketing Facebook page and then click on the Free notecards tab at the top of the page.  Have fun with these and share what you create!

Messing about on Pinterest

If you want to lose yourself for a few hours online then I can highly recommend Pinterest as a starting point and if you haven't taken a look around the site yet you are in for a real treat!  If you are unfamiliar with Pinterest I'd describe it as a computer version of a noticeboard or the side of the fridge - somewhere you stuff all the interesting/important/useful things you come across during the day.  The only real difference is that the 'stuff' is digital.  You can 'pin' your own things to your own boards and can also pin anything else you may find online.  Other people might like the things that you have found and can re-pin them to their own boards, its a very interactive site.  Virtually anything you might want to look for on the internet can be found on Pinterest - we have discovered great home decor ideas, learnt how to turn a spoon into a bracelet and if you're after a recipe then look no further!!
Of course as a crafter you won't be disappointed as Pinterest is crammed with fab tutorials, scrapbook pages, sketches and loads more.  I blogged a while back that Total Papercrafts has a Pinterest page and we've given it a bit of an overhaul recently, some boards have been removed and new ones have been created including TotalPapercrafts TV!! You can check it out by clicking here
Those of you who are very observant may have noticed the new button under the header here on the blog.  Simply click the button to follow us on Pinterest and check out what we are uploading, its all very exciting!!

Fractured doll angel

I have to admit, I've never really warmed to the Tim Holtz fractured dolls, in fact I've found them a little bit scary looking! However I decided to challenge myself to do something creative with these odd looking porcelain people and this angel was the result.
I decided that one of my main issues was that she was naked and so I set to making some dolly clothes for her. I found a small scrap of cotton lace and sewed a simple running stitch along the straight edge. A simple gather and a few stitches to secure the ends together around her middle and she had a skirt. I found a small piece of nylon lace which gave a nice contrast and repeated the stitching and gathering around her neck. She was now decently attired if not exactly ready to go clubbing!
I created a set of wings by cutting the shape freehand from some grungeboard. I covered the wings with pewter Distress crackle paint and left them overnight to dry and crack. The dry wings were inked with vintage photo Distress Ink and then secured to her back with Fabri Tac (hot glue would also work).
I really like this little angel and she is transformed from her scary former self into a sweet Christmas embellishment - perfect to add to my Configurations box!

Prepping for Moxley

A few months ago we were invited to teach at a crop in the midlands to help them celebrate their birthday. We had such a great time that we were really excited to have the chance to pop up again to see everyone and so we were booked in for a Christmas crop on 1st December!
Things seem to have gone a bit nuts in the interim and I now hear that the crop is completely sold out!! I am so pleased for Lisa and Deb that things have taken off so well and we are so happy to be a small part in helping towards the success of this fabulous crop. If you are anywhere near the Midlands area and want to join this really lovely group of ladies just drop me an email and I'll put you in touch.
So what sort of things do we teach when we travel to crop groups? It can vary wildly but this time we are doing one project and one layout - last time it was three layouts. The project is based on a Masterclass I taught at one of our weekends. It uses a Configurations box and it is altered to become a faux book. The original was very generic but as the Moxley crop is in December, this one is Christmas themed. I was very excited to play with the Tim Holtz woodland trees and happily sprayed and dabbed away to create shimmery green and gold branches, a huge difference from the off-white bottled brush they were out of the pack. So it's not finished but well on the way and I'm pleased with how it's coming along. I don't usually share photos of work that's in progress but I just couldn't resist teasing the Moxley ladies - how excited are you all getting?!
If you are interested in having us teach at your crop or club please feel free to get in touch. We can tailor something to suit your needs and can bring along the shop as well. You can email us at sales@totalpapercrafts.co.uk

Total Papercrafts kit 1 for November

Here we go with the first kit for November using gorgeous Graphic 45 papers.  The soft colour palette is very easy to use and easy on the eye with tones of peach, cream and a touch of black.  There are loads of layers going on here cut from the stunning designs on each of the papers and I won't make excuses, there's a lot of fussy cutting going on here!!

The sample design uses three 6" x 4" photos, two portrait and one landscape but as is usual with our kits, you can use different configurations and sizes of photos.  The papers have images of vintage ladies, flowers, clocks and old letters which will work with feminine, heritage, floral and a number of different themed photos. You can add your own theme/title using the chipboard letters in the kit.

I used a brown and a black inkpad (Distress Ink in Vintage Photo and Black Soot), a decorative border punch and a small flower punch.  I also used liquid pearls in black but you can add tiny adhesive gems or even a black pen to create flower centres. A scrap of ribbon and a couple of brads were used to create a closure for a pocket with hidden journaling which was stamped with a script stamp.

The kit contains; cardstock, 4 sheets of double sided patterned paper, a pack of chipboard alphabet, length of lace trim, small envelope.

Papers for November's kit 1

I'm not very patiently waiting for the deliveries to arrive for the November kits so while my stress levels steadily increase I thought I could at least show you the gorgeous papers! I have a bit of a thing for Graphic 45 and they release at least one line each season that I fall madly in love with. The ones I've picked for this kit were another of those papers I have a love affair with. The soft colours are easy on the eye and very easy to work with, I can see this being a very popular kit!!
I've paired these four double sided papers with a great chipboard alphabet that will give you loads of scope to add a title/quote/journaling.
While I'm waiting for these to actually get here I'd better start planning what to do with them as I won't have long to get the sample design done. Good job I thrive on tight deadlines!!

Our pumpkin recipes

Ok so you went for it yesterday and got a pumpkin, cleared out the seeds and some of the flesh. Your pumpkin looked great outside but now you have at least one bowl full of stuff left and no idea what to do with them. Let me help....

The first thing to do is to pull all the seeds out of the stringy stuff and put them into a colander. Rinse them well under cold water to remove any remaining bits of flesh and tip onto a clean tea towel. Lightly pat the seeds so they aren't dripping wet but just damp. Tip them onto a baking sheet and then sprinkle over a teaspoon of salt. Shake them to mix the salt around and evenly distribute the seeds over the sheet. Pop into the oven at 250C for about 45 mins until very lightly golden brown and crisp. You can eat these warm from the oven or allow to cool completely and store in an air tight container. These are delicious with a cold beer!!

Now to the pumpkin flesh, cut it into small chunks and place into a microwave for 5 mins on high. Remove and stir to distribute the heat evenly and repeat cooking for another 5 mins. Check the pumpkin and if it is still firm repeat cooking and stirring until it is very soft and easily mashed with a girl. Set aside to cool.

Mix together
1 container of double cream or Elmlea
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs plus the yolk of a third egg
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest
and add half the cream container of milk. Mix thoroughly together. Mash the cooled pumpkin and add to the spiced milk mixture. Mix with a hand blender to create a smooth batter. Pour into a pre-baked shortcrust pastry case (this will fill 2-3 cases) and cook at 200C for around 50mins or until the centre of the batter is set. Serve warm or cold with ice cream, cream or custard - delicious!!