beth ervin. supplies here

Creating hybrid books using our Nature’s Sketchbook Journals as the background opens up a whole world of altered art projects. It’s fun to use the journals on digital layouts, too, but printing them back and front allows you to bend them at their spine and use them as cards, coffee table eye candy, or whatever your creativity desires!

michelle shefveland. supplies here

You may not be a sketch artist or have the ability to paint, but that matters not! Just using your photos, patterned papers (re-sized on top of the journals), AlphaSets, and lots of digital elements is all you need to create spectacular art pieces to send as birthday cards, anniversary cards or whatever.

michelle shefveland. supplies here

Simply create your finished inside journal like any other scrapbook page then do the same with the cover. Save each in layered format so you can edit in the future. Print them on your 8.5×11 cardstock or matter photo paper. If you use the same journal you can flip the paper around and print on the backside, too.

beth ervin. supplies here

Now trim the journal and, voila, you have a foldable booklet with a front and inside already done! Fill with as many pages as you desire.

beth ervin. supplies here

Here are some sites I love to visit to get my mind flowing with journal inspiration. Some will link you to other inspirational journal sites too.

Artsortments by Karen Cole

Faerie Journals

Stickers and Donuts

Danny Gregory

Happy Creating! Beth

I challenge you to pick any page pak and create a valentine card. Sometimes we get tunnel vision when we scan through our digital kits and don’t think outside the box. Maybe the name of the kit or the color block our vision from using the kit for other ideas. Put on your rose-colored glasses and take a good look at your kits to see how versatile they are.

I chose Painted Tapestry Papers and Elements to create three simple valentines by mixing and matching papers, elements, word art, plus using a few of my own words in between to piece them together.

I know I had an easy time of it since Painted Tapestry has hearts and traditional valentine colors! Next time I promise to pick something tougher.

The vintage font KingThings Trypewriter from Dafont.com was a great complement to the stitched word art. Check out all their free typewriter fonts here.

You’ll be surprised at what fun things you might see through your rose-colored glasses.

Happy Creating! Beth

beth ervin. supplies here

When you begin scrapping the “almost grown up” years, it can be a difficult transition. As parents, we tend to scrap the cutesy stuff (and often from our point of view). But, as kids mature the tide turns…teens seek independence, live in pursuit of finding their own way, speak and act with an open mind, and embrace the adventurous path ahead.

rachel shefveland. supplies here

We have spent their lifetime sharing our values through our actions, words, and deeds. Our children have watched and listened and now they need to choose their own path and own their own belief system. They have been given unique talents, personalities, and dreams…and their lives have a unique purpose only they can fulfill.

beth ervin. supplies here

We can support this important part of their journey by sharing their words, rather than our own. Listen to your children with your heart and tackle even the tough times by scrapping them, not avoiding the tough subjects.

Maybe, like Rachel, they may even want to scrap a bit themselves. This often gives even more insight into their heart.

rachel shefveland. supplies here

Document the special traits and characteristics of your one-of-a-kind youth, remembering that only time and experience have taught US that the journey is just as important as the destination.

Beth

beth ervin. supplies here

Journaling begins in our visions and what we dream about. It can be in the form of documenting each detail, a sweet remembrance of something from our past, maybe even a fragrance that sparks a treasured memory.

Visual journaling is simply how you view and record anything that touches your heart. Walking in the woods, journal in hand, find a quiet place to sit and sketch the beautiful flower at your feet or if sketching does not come natural to you (as it does not for me), photograph it or etch it in your memory.

beth ervin. supplies here

Journals filled with these photos, sketches or memories not only help you interpret and become one with your surroundings, but present opportunities to learn and expand as an individual about your true passions. So anything that catches your eye or sparks your memory and imagination is fair game.

beth ervin. supplies here

Upon returning home from your discovery adventure, do a bit of research on the subject. Re-capture the energy you felt when your mind was triggered to journal, and then run with your journey into new, imaginative places. Some may find this a spiritual reflection and time of prayer. Creating is a way to give thanks for the beauty around us..to challenge growth.

michelle shefveland. supplies here

I love the Nature’s Sketchbook Journals just as they are. Print them, cut them, bend them at the spine and use another journal (Journals 2 has wonderful book covers) to cover your journal page by simply adhering to the other side, they don’t need to be the exact size.

Decorate your covers, hole punch them, save them in a ring binder, or put them on the coffee table. However you choose to savor these memories…the sky is the limit!

See our tutorial on printing/binding a hybrid journal here.

Beth

michelle shefveland. NS Journals 8, World Travels, Say it Again 1,Scrap.Words - Life, Grunge Paints 2 Brushes

In creating digital art and in processing images you can never have too much training, right?! So wanted to let you know of some awesome free training videos by Adobe Photoshop Guru, Deke McClelland, over at Lynda.com. Deke is offering 40 free weekly videos of his top Photoshop features on their blog with no strings attached….very informative and highly entertaining. Many are valuable for Photoshop Elements users, as well.

As of this writing, Deke still has 14 more weekly tutorials to post, which you can check out every Tuesday. My favorite episode thus far is #23 on Color Range, helpful in creating layer masks.

Have fun!

Michelle

Hi everyone…Beth here. Bottle caps have always fascinated me for many crafty ideas and are now making a gripping comeback in a whole new way. They are one of the hottest new embellishments for scrapbooks with a versatility that seems endless… from page accents to little frames for photos and more!

Beth Ervin. Supplies here

First, think beyond the basics of photos inside your bottle caps, try a mini collage using torn scrap paper, wire, charms or glitter for a little extra sparkle. String a few together, or “hang” things from them on your page.

Here are just a few different ways to use bottle caps in your scrapbook layouts and cards.

-Spell out page titles, names, expressions, phrases, or personalize projects with monograms

Beth Ervin. Supplies here

-Change hues on your bottle caps any color to match your layout

-Use your elliptical marquee tool to create a custom circle covers from photos, papers or ephemera for the inside or top of the bottle cap

-Think creative with the circular shape and create things like snowmen or use a bottle cap as the center of the flower (like my first layout above)

-Distress bottle caps for the old antique look by playing with different blend modes, picking up color or texture from the paper beneath

-Place a glass bubble or pebble over what you fill your bottle cap with to mimic a traditional glue or glaze

Beth Ervin. Supplies here

Cottage Arts has two different bottle cap AlphaSets, Retro and Rusty, grade bottle caps in Scrap.Words - School Days, decorative ones in Train Pak, with loads of other circular items to fill these in our digital kits.  Check out Count on Me for a few circular accents that fit nicely.

Get creative and use bottle caps to jazz up one of your next layouts!

Happy New Year!

Michelle, Beth, and the Team at CottageArts.net

Buttons are a common scrapbook supply staple. Even in early traditional scrapbook albums, it wasn’t unusual to see a keepsake button placed on a scrapbook layout. Using digital buttons is a breeze…without the bulk of the button on your page.

Loads of beautiful buttons (even some vintage ones) and button fasteners can be found in Everyday Elements 1, and spattered in many of our other kits as accents.

Scrappers are always hunting for unique embellishments for their pages, but there’s just something about good old-fashioned buttons that add such charm. Consider these tips for using buttons on your pages.

1. Line coordinating buttons along the edge for an eye-catching border

Beth Ervin. Supplies here

2. Place buttons in your titles by using them as O’s, or dots on your i’s and j’s

Rachel Shefveland. Supplies here

3. Anchor a ribbon border to a page

Beth Ervin. Supplies here

4. Use as a center for a flower

Michelle Shefveland. Supplies here

5. Take small buttons and attach them to the corners of a photograph (it’s easy to decrease the size of digital buttons!)

Beth Ervin. Supplies here

6. Use as bullet points for a list of journaling

7. Hang a string from a tag using a button as its anchor

8. Embellish accent buttons with decorative stitching

Rachel Shefveland. Supplies here

9. Create simple objects such as wreaths, ornaments, Christmas tree lights, hearts, frames, etc. using buttons

Beth Ervin. Supplies here

10. And, most obviously, use as a fastener!

Beth Ervin. Supplies here

Whether young or old, big or small…families have traditions that help define their family unit. Especially during the holidays, these traditions mean so very much.

For at least the past 10 years, our family has been making the same Christmas Eve brunch. It may not be elaborate or even take a ton of time to prepare, but it is special to each of us. There are others, too; many inspired by those Kris or I had growing up. Traditions enable us to connect to our past and, hopefully, allow a piece of us to continue on after we are gone.

For our latest challenge, the team shared a bit of tradition revolving around their Christmas tree or other visual piece of their holiday celebrations.

Michelle Shefveland. Supplies: O Christmas Tree Pak, AddOn2, Nature’s Sketchbook Photo Art Blends 1

See more creations by our team below. Layout details can be found in our challenge gallery here.

Michelle

Stopping in to let you know of our Countdown to Christmas Sale good thru December 25th.

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Receive 40% off all orders totaling $20 or more using coupon code

XMAS40

Enter coupon code during checkout in Promo Code field. Coupon Code expires December 25, 2009. Coupon code not valid on purchase of Gift Certificates.

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And, as the weather outside turn frightful, I like to work on my summer imagery. It helps fool the mind a bit! Here’s something I just created that happens to be Christmas colors.

Happy weekend! Michelle

supplies: Naturals 13 Paper Pak (used #8), Love Letters 1 Brushes/Stamps

Hi all…here’s an easy hybrid project I created for my mantle. The kids can even join in the fun.

Cottage Arts digital supplies: Manger Medley Pak, Elf Town Pak (striped paper, changed hue), Everyday Papers 1 (changed hue)

1. Cut out cardboard shapes; square 3”x3”, house and rounded top all at same width - 3”

2. Digitally create nativity scene page by page at same width as cardboard shapes - 3”

3. Print each page, adhere to cardboard shapes and use packing tape to tape each piece together at back. Gently fold back and forth at seams so it can stand up.

*I sanded my pieces after adhering them to cardboard with a light sanding paper to add a more distressed effect. Distress inking on the edges also works well, especially after sanding.

Download the printable instructions and cardboard shape templates here.

Happy creating! Beth