Saturday 22 November 2014

Happy Birthday Renna

My sweet great niece Renna celebrated her 1st birthday in August. Her mom is a kindergarten teacher and a crafter/scrapbooker so I thought this clipboard would be perfect to capture her pure beauty and sweetness! Love ya baby girl! Xo


Crafting with Chloe


Simple and cute....that's what this little folder is! We used a tiny 7 Gypsies file folder and stamped a word on the tab. We covered a chipboard circle with paper to create some dimension and added a couple flowers and a tiny tag with a heart stamped on it. And to finish it off I found a container that had a bunch of chipboard arrows (I love using some of my 'stuff' that I have been collecting for years!!). Wouldn't this make a cute 'thinking of you' card to brighten someone's day! 

Attention Medicine Hat and area scrapbookers!

I am so excited to announce an alternative shipping option for my Medicine Hat and area kit lovers!! Starting in December I will be making monthly shipments to Cindy. How does it work you ask.....order your kits through me directly (email me or Facebook message) and pay only $3.00 per month for shipping!!! You can pay by Paypal, e-transfer or credit card. You can also buy through my Etsy Store and I will refund the difference in the posted shipping rates. The first week of every month I will send your kits to Cindy. Upon delivery you can pick them up at her house. Super easy! Super cheap! Email me for more details: jcbyrd2@gmail.com 

Friday 14 November 2014

2 New page Kits!!!

You've taken the pictures, now it's time to scrapbook those ghosts and goblins! This kit features the Lost and Found Halloween collection by My Minds' Eye. I have designed TWO double page layouts!




The second kit is all about BOYS! The colors and grundgyness of this double page layout would be perfect for any boy or outdoor photos. You have the choice of swapping the 'That Boy' title for 'Nature' as a title.





Click on over to my new Etsy Store to get more information on my 2 newest layout kits. Just search Byrds Nest Paperie at www.etsy.com


Saturday 8 November 2014

A little play time!

I must admit...it took me a bit to get my creativity going on this project. It's been a year since I've 'played'! I had to remind myself how to use products and what order to do things. Thanks to my sweet friend Natasha for inspiring me!!! I took pictures of her pages last fall at my final retreat, I love her work!!! I've been wanting to scrap lift them ever since I saw them and now was my chance. Here is my creation:


 And here is Natasha's page that I used as inspiration:


If you love it as much as I do and want to recreate one for yourself, pull out your supplies and lets get creating! 

Supplies I used:
Sprays or mists
Stencils
Light Modeling Paste
Stamps
Paper and embellishments 

I started with a cream background page and randomly misted with color. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Just spray. I did get a couple drops of color that I wiped with paper towel that left a great water mark behind. 


TIP: when you spray be sure to work on a craft mat. That way you will be left with overspray on your mat. Don't waste it! Use a tag or book paper to 'mop' up the color: 


I forgot to use a stencil when i sprayed (remember it's been awhile! Lol) so I added it anyway with another color:


Then I remembered that I should have added light modeling paste first with a stencil (and forgot again!) so I added it anyway. Do you see a pattern here - there is no set order to creating! Just play! 


Next came the stamping. I used Black Archival ink. My background ended up being a bit darker than I wanted so the stamps are a bit hard to see but it adds to the overall look. 


Now it's all about embellishing! I used washi tape, tags, book paper twine, a diecut frame and diecut book paper flowers and buttons. 






This photo corner was literally the best trick I learned from Natasha. You can make it any size you want. I started with a 1" strip of paper...the book paper that I used to mop up the most. 


Then you fold down each end. 


Trim off the ends. From here you can leave it as is or clip it to create the corner I used. To do the corner is used fold it in half like shown 


Then clip off the bottom 


When you unfold it you will be left with a perfect corner. Glue it in place or add staples for added dimension. 


Thanks Natasha for inspiring me!!! I have a few more pages of hers that I want to scrap lift. I'll share them as I create them! 

Thanks for stopping by!
Charlene. 



Tuesday 4 November 2014

Crafting with Chloe

This was my first project that Chloe and I created.....simple, yet beautiful! 

I taught her how to distress the edges and then ink them. Stamping. Using Distress Ink on the chipboard bird.   Adding lace with tacky tape and then embellishing it with flowers. 

Our next project was this cute tag. Very similar to our first one but we added a flag banner. I taught her the trick of snipping up the middle first and then clipping each side....creating an equal 'V' snip. 


Happy Tuesday!
Charlene

Saturday 25 October 2014

Crafting with Chloe

So my niece Chloe and I enjoy spending time together in my studio. She has a very creative side and is loving learning how to scrapbook. We're creating tags and cards and cute pieces together which I'm going to share with all of you. She is a fast learner and we're creating some really beautiful pieces. I found an old Maya Roads chipboard tin that she's using to hold all of her creations. I'm excited because I finally get to fill up my 7 Gypsies triple spinner. (Remember this....sat in the back of the store unfinished for many years). 



So with Halloween only a week away I thought we should create something to celebrate the occasion. We started with a  chipboard diecut frame (using grundgeboard and a TH diecut). She loved using Tim's diecut machine. She thought it was a suitcase! We stamped numerous different stamps with Versa Mark and added clear embossing powder and heat set it. 


We then used a TH black paint dauber to paint the entire area. Before the paint dried we used paper towel to rub off the paint to expose the embossed areas. We then scuffed the edges with sand paper. 


We then started with a white piece of paper and I dug out the chalks (yes....chalk...I can't believe it! I haven't used then in years and years). Added a grey piece of torn card stock along the bottom, stamped the image and added the moon and bats. 


We finished it off with a diecut leaf, Halloween ticket and RIP tombstone. 

We then always finish off our projects by adding the date to the back with a date stamp. 

Hope you enjoyed our creation! 

My Studio

So anyone who has ever moved their scrapbook room will understand the daunting task to setting up a new space. I found mine even harder as not only did I have everything from my studio in Medicine Hat I had so many things from the store that needed to find a home. It made unpacking interesting to say the least. Just finding the right placement for the big pieces was tough enough. I moved my larger cabinet 3 times! In the end I am completely happy with my studio....except it could be bigger! It is full....beyond full! But it's my space, my happy place! 

So my favorite wall is this one. It represents my style and my space. Cindy found this wooden shelf (trim from an old door frame) at a garage sale and thought of me. I bought the vintage wooden press with 'my studio' on it in Edmonton and I just didn't have a good space for it in my old room....it has now found the perfect home! 

So, this my desk in the center of the room. I stand behind it and look at my beautiful 'my studio' wall and at my boys in the family room. 


I created a wall of wooden boxes and crates to house all of my paints, stains, mists, button jars and stuff...lots of stuff! It is a lot to take in from the picture (cluttered chaos actually lol). But I know where everything is. 



I love my suitcases! In there are some non-essentials. (Extra string, tiny letter stamps, foam stamps- yes I still have them!) and flowers. 


This is my favorite cabinet! I found it at Cozy Cottage in Calgary. The cubbies are the perfect size for 6x6 paper pads, 12x12 paper, acrylic stamps and TH diecuts. 



The rest of my room is a collection of my finished projects, mini albums, and lots of storage for 'my stuff'! 









And then there is my closet (the furnace room). I was upset with my contractors for telling me I needed to have 2 feet around the front and side of the water tank and furnace. It made my room much smaller than I wanted. But in the end I am happy with the hidden storage space it has given me. 


Well, that's it....My Studio! My creative space! The only thing I'm missing is a space to assemble kits. That's going to have to be done at my kitchen table.....I'm going to miss Karen and Cindy when it comes time to assemble! I might have to recruit my niece Chloe to help me :)

Thursday 23 October 2014

Oh how time flies! I can’t believe that it’s been over a year since I officially announced that we were moving to Ontario, where does the time go? It has been such a hectic, stressful, tearful, sad, happy, busy, joyful, exciting year!

The last 10 months have been so incredibly busy! Just moving a family across the country and setting up a new home is enough to consume a lot of time. To add to that we have completely renovated our entire house, from top to bottom!!! (We still have a few unfinished things to complete). We’ve installed a new septic system, had our house dug up along the one side to re-tar it and put in new water drainage pipes. We have created a beautiful 24x30 flagstone patio with a pergola (hand picking the stones from a quarry and laying them ourselves). Attempted to do some landscaping (I say that loosely as we have soooo much more to do!). I’ve travelled to Phoenix for the South Hill Designs annual conference and building my business here, while supporting my ever-growing team of SHD artists. We enjoyed a wonderful week with our very good friends Mel and Lance and 2 fantastic weeks with my Mom, Trevor and my brother Dave. And in there we have also been able to enjoy the company of our family, re-connect with old friends here and bask in the beautiful amenities of where we now call home. And to top it all off, hockey is now in full swing too!

Now I know all of you are wondering “when is this girl going to start designing again?” Well, soon I hope! There are a couple changes that are happening though that I’m excited to tell you about. I will no longer be posting under Scrapbook Central. As the time has passed over the last year, I have realized that Scrapbook Central represents to me over a decade of wonderful memories created in a beautiful store environment, creating and inspiring all of you, hosting retreats and attending trade shows. It’s time to start fresh!  So, with that in mind I am excited to announce that I have created a new blog called Byrd’s Nest Paperie! This blog will be my place to share my creations with you, inspire you with ideas, techniques, feature page kits, and just share what’s happening in my life. My Page Kits and Mini Album kits will be available for purchase through my new Etsy store.

I am so excited to finally be in my studio, unpacked, set up and ready to create (as our basement was the last to be renovated).  I’m thinking with the long lapse in my creativity that it might take me a little bit to get my mojo going. Up until now all I have done is a few cards and thank-you tags for my South Hill Designs business and completed a couple kit projects that I’ve had for years!

I welcome you to follow me on Facebook personally, as Byrd’s Nest Paperie and South Hill Designs by Charlene Byrd and then my Etsy store and new blog. Here are all the links:

Personal Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/charlene.byrd.31

Byrd’s Nest Paperie Facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/groups/548466948620579/    
        
South Hill Designs Facebook:      https://www.facebook.com/southhilldesigns.charbyrd

My Blog:              http://byrdsnestpaperie.blogspot.ca/

Email address:                   jcbyrd2@gmail.com


I’m looking forward to hearing from old friends and making new ones. 

Sincerely,
Charlene