Last retreat class peek

Here we go with the last peek in the run up to our retreat starting tomorrow!  This class uses the Cosmo Cricket 'Evangeline' line with its slightly retro feel of florals and colours.  The peach and soft teal colours of the kit screamed 1960s/70s photos to me.  I flipped through some old prints and immediately found a few that matched the papers right away, there's something about how those photos were processed seems to be a perfect pairing for this kit.

The sample uses a single 6" x 4" landscape photo (we didn't take many way back then!) but you could adapt the design for a portrait photo if that's all you have.

You'll need a brown inkpad for this class (sample used Distress Ink in Vintage Photo).  We have so many goodies in this kit, you'll have masses left over - honestly I mean masses!!

The kit includes; cardstock, 3 sheets of double sided paper, a half sheet of patterned paper, a pack of Evangeline chipboard, Evangeline cardstock stickers, pad of Evangeline journaling tags, length of ribbon, large doily, paper roses

Last minute change!

 Following an eleventh-hour call from our original venue this morning, I have had to find an alternative venue for the retreat this weekend!  I have booked us in to an amazing venue which offers us individual ensuite rooms and a range of additional facilities for the same great price.


De Vere Venues Harben House is located just off junction 14 of the M1, only a 15 minutes' drive from Milton Keynes. It offers contemporary accommodation with free Wi-Fi.

Rooms at the De Vere feature bathrooms with baths, showers and hairdryers. They also include satellite TVs and work desks. Traditional breakfasts are served daily.  The hotel’s leisure facilities include a steam room, sauna and mini-gym.

I appreciate that this will mean a bit more travelling for some of us but I promise you that it will be worth it!  The address for your satnav is;

Harben House

Tickford Street

Newport Pagnall

Buckinghamshire

MK16 9EY

Check-in is from 2pm onwards Friday and if anyone is held up then just give me a call and I can get dinner held for you.  I'm in the process of calling everyone to let you know individually, if this is a problem please get in touch xx

Retreat checklist

Those of you who are attending the Total Papercrafts Creativity Escape this coming weekend should be starting to think about packing some bits and pieces around about now. Each class peek will have its list of specific tools and photo sizes but there are a few things that we generally expect everyone to bring as basics. I thought I'd offer a checklist for you....

Trimmer or preferred cutting tools for 12x12 card and paper
Scissors
Non stick craft mat
Heat gun
Selection of adhesives
3d foam
Pencil
Ruler
Craft knife & cutting mat
Baby wipes
Kitchen roll
Ink blending tool & foam/blending sponge/brushes
Paint brush
Water spray
Apron
Latex gloves if you don't like having inky fingers!
Distressing tool
Tweezers - not essential but handy

This list is not exclusive and of course you may like to bring along more than this which is fine. If you don't have something on the list please don't panic, I'll have a few spares and we all play nicely and usually share our toys!!

Oh I almost forgot some other essentials - chocolate and your favourite tipple!!

Total Papercrafts kit 2 for October sample design

After much titivating and fussing I've finally decided that we are there with the sample design for kit 2! I love to fussy cut and these papers offered so many chances to cut out different bits and pieces and then recombine them with each other for a lovely layout.  The theme of this Teresa Collins line is living in the moment and I was drawn to these photos of Dave and I for that reason.  We spontaneously decided to get off the train after a day at one of the Olympic venues and take a walk to see the Olympic Park.  I'm so glad that we did, the atmosphere was brilliant and the people we met on that walk were so positive and fun, everything that sums up living in the moment for me!  Unless I scrapbooked these photos and wrote that story down there would be no other way for future generations to know that we did that, that we were spontaneous as a couple and that we loved to live in the moment.  I tucked the story on a card behind the top photo so its there to discover but not dominating the design.

I have printed off some bingo cards and added those to the kit as I liked the look of mine so much, everything else is included in the kit or die-cut.  I got out my Tim Holtz clock die and a scrap of chipboard to make some clock hands and then coated then with a thin layer of Liquid Pearls in Chocolate which gave them a metallic bronze finish (they look gold in the pic but thats the shine from the pearl effect). The pumpkin yellow twill photographed a lot brighter than it is in real life, its quite soft and muted when you see it and adds a little touch of solid colour in amongst all of the patterns.

We hope that you like the kit and that the sample page gives you a few ideas for how you can use these papers with your own photos.  Its nice to get a couple of simple snaps onto a page and write the story behind them - scrapbooking doesn't always have to be about the perfect photos or the big events, sometimes a simple snap can tell the most about you xxx

Total Papercrafts kit 2 for October

I know that things have been thick and fast around here with peeks for the Retreat but we haven't forgotten about the monthly kits!  Our second kit for October features the luscious Vintage Finds line from Teresa Collins (I can hear Wendy squealing already!!).  The gorgeous papers are double sided so there are loads of options and ways to combine them and the quality is fabby! We have matched the papers with the co-ordinating sticker sheet of borders, flags, tabs and alphabets.  There is also a pack of crystal brads, a length of cotton twill and some lace flower trim.

The colours are black, grey, cream and soft orange.  The vibe of the kit is modern vintage with damask prints, clocks and spots.  The quote stickers in the kit include the following; 'remember', 'spark your dreams', 'be true', 'celebrate life', 'create the world you want to see', 'make good things happen' and 'laughter is the best medicine'.

Studio G class peeks

 Here we are with a peek at the Studio G 'Autumn Splendor' class kit.  As I laid everything out Lily decided that she was very interested and would like to join in.  Now this cat legs it at the sound of the camera motor switching on so this was really strange behaviour from her! She must have really taken a liking to the colours in this kit and decided to check them out up close LOL!!

Anyway, this kit is full of gorgeously rich colour, jewel tones of purples and deep magenta are offset by soft greens.  The overall effect is of mossy garden walls with ripe orchard fruits growing over them - get the picture?  We will be featuring one of this years hot trends in this class, ombre!  You'll create an ombre background on resist kraft card and then add layers of patterned papers and flowers for a rich and gorgeous page.  Plus you get to play with one of the most stunning ranges of shimmer sprays we have found (and keep a bottle!!).  Check out the peek.....

The sample design used three identical 6" x 4" portrait photos layered over one another but of course you could just use one if thats all you have.  You'll need a selection of green and purple inks plus a pale beige colour to antique the paper doilies.  The sample used Distress Inks in Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Seedless Preserves and Old Paper.  Don't worry if you don't have these exact colours but you'll want to have two shades of green - one light and one darker plus a purple. I used a small retro flower punch and liquid pearls to create tiny flowers on the sample - the punch will be available to use in class but if you own a tiny flower punch you might want to bring it along.  I used liquid pearls in pale pink but cream or white would also work.

The kit contains; resist kraft card, 4 sheets of patterned paper, bottle of shimmer spray, large doily, small doily, paper roses, fabric leaves, alphabet stickers - cat not included!!

Prima class sample

Take a peek at the class sample using the Prima Craftsman kit!  We have oodles of layers going on, well with so much patterned paper in the kit it'd be rude not to!

The sample design uses two 6" x 4" portrait photos but this is another very adaptable page that could accommodate two landscape photos or a larger 7" x 5" single photo.  I printed my photos in sepia because the originals had a lot of bright blue in them and just didn't work with the page - but I really wanted to use them!

The kit includes; cardstock, 8 sheets of A4 patterned paper, Prima Craftsman acrylic stamp set, Prima flower centres, large black gems, piece of canvas, length of lightweight calico, Prima crystal swirls

Available in the class will be; brown Chalkboard spray, border punches, Tim Holtz Sizzix alphabet die, tab punch

You will need; black and brown inkpads (sample used Distress Inks in Black Soot and Gathered Twigs), Glossy Accents/Diamond Glaze or similar dimensional adhesive

While this has been designed as a masculine page you could in fact include female photos as the word strips include 'all about me', 'girl', 'always', 'excited', 'boy', 'cheerful', 'faith', 'love' and 'babe'.  I think that vintage photos would look fabulous on this page too - you've got so many options, its so exciting!