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Friday, May 20, 2016

Journaling 101 ~ The Text Issue



Within the spectrum of Journaling 101 there are many issues. The first I wanted to talk about are the possible hand writing issue's.  Now I'm not a "set in stone" kind of creator but at times I have to set some rules for myself. These rules force me outside my comfort zone. I don't believe all your lasting legacy books (Scrapbooks) have to have journaling but there is something to be said about the STORY behind the images...these stories are what creates the "mortar" within our books of lasting legacy, setting the flow of the story being told.

Writing in our scrapbooks isn't always an issues for everyone. Some people, like myself, struggle with it while others find it natural. Although I've been told my handwriting is nice, it always seems to look horrid to me and I even took a hand-lettering course in college. When I want it to look exceptionally nice for a layout it seems to go south, and I don't mean Arizona south I'm talking deep Mexico city south.

So here are my top three tips for hand-lettering issues. Either you have to become friends with your own flourishes and make nice nice with what you have, invest some time and possibly some money and take a hand-lettering class or find a hand writing alternative.

Here are six of my favorite alternatives to my own "scratch" issues.

1.) Use your computer and print out your journaling blocks. You can print onto vellum or other surfaces and get some really nice results.
2.) Use a FREE app or online software that enables you to generate some nice looking text with or without images. Either print them as photos, cut and mount them or print them on alternative surfaces direct from your own printer. I prefer picmonkey.com. They have several FREE options. There are many apps on phones like photocollage etc. that will do nearly the same thing but directly onto the photo you want to have printed.
3.) I've seen some wonderfully artistic and creative things done with word stickers. You could compile your words for your journaling from different resources of stickers leaving you with a mismatch of funky word texture. The proverbial "ransom note" effect, if you will.
4.) Use quotes for journaling from purchased quote pack's. By using a quote relative to the event your scrapbooking then simply adding the date below in your own hand writing. This can leave lots of room for doodling (which I have a huge fondness for) this of course is a minimalist approach to the hand writing avoidance issue.
5.)Find someone who's hand-lettering you like and get them to write out your journaling block for you. Or have multiple people as a "go to" source. Whats even more fun is to find multiple people who have vastly different writing styles and ask them to each contribute and mix match.

    and of course when all else fails 

6.) Cut out multiple pieces of cardstock for your journaling block to leave yourself mistake room. Try pre-writing it in pencil then going over it with a journaling pen. Sometimes this can help in eliminating the need for the additional pieces of cardstock.

I would like to interject here that for the future viewer of your books of lasting legacy, it is interesting for them (especially your children) to see what your hand-lettering has looked like over the years. So while you more than likely dislike "going there" you need to...They Need to see it! So maybe bargain with yourself and use your own hand lettering at least once every 10 layouts. wink wink ok every 20!

Thursday, May 12, 2016

National Scrapbooking Month Celebration Give Away!


I will be on live today reviewing the Give Away. All times are AZ MST. I will be live on Periscope (NinasArtSpot) at 2:00pm and on Facebook at 2:30pm. Hope to see you there and you can get in on all the awesome possibilities during this wonderful month of building your Scrapbooking/Cardmaking/Crafting STASH!

Please note this give away is only good through me at www.NinasArtSpot.ctmh.com.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Picture My Life Watercolor Cards Tutorial


These are a fun take on the already fun to mix and match Picture My Life cards. Now you can discover your creativity even more with the watercolor cards, creating designs and sentiments that are all your own.

Close to my Heart created a wonderful tutorial on their YouTube Channel. It is very helpful and quite an inspiration on using these wonderfully creative addition to our Picture My Life Line.





Don't forget my special National Scrapbooking Month's Special Offers (specially #4 that includes the Watercolor PML's) Click HERE to see the details!


Sunday, May 1, 2016

Happy National Scrapbooking Month ~ Special Offers


In celebration of National Scrapbooking Month Close to my Heart and I have some awesome offers for you going on during the whole month of May. Now some are while supplies last so don't take to long to think about it because these will go fast! If you are confused by any of the offers and need answers to your questions please don't hesitate and shoot me an email at NinasArtSpot@yahoo.com or pop over to the Facebook page and post your question there!

MY OFFER #1
During the month of May place a $25 order by Clicking HERE and joining the National Scrapbooking Month online Gathering and receive a FREE mixed goodie bag from me worth $3.95 in product &/or pre-made item(s).

or

May Stamp of the Month ~ Celebrate with Cake S1605

OFFER #2
During the month of May place a $50 order by Clicking HERE and joining the National Scrapbooking Month online Gathering and receive the May Stamp of the Month S1605, Celebrate with Cake a 17 piece set for $5 (a retail value of $17.95) and receive a FREE mixed goodie bag from me worth $3.95 in product &/or pre-made item(s) and a FREE NEW Seasonal Expressions II!

or

OFFER #3
Happy times can be yours during the month of May because it's National Scrapbooking Month, and we're offering an exciting promotion to celebrate! With a qualifying purchase of $60 you can get the exclusive Happy Times paper packet (CC1063)** for FREE! This fun paper packet, which is available for one month only, features 14 exclusive B&T Duo's, including four papers with gold foil designs in floral and gold foil details! Featured colors: Canary, Fern, White Daisy, Smoothie, Pomegranate and Glacier. You can also purchase this exclusive paper pack at full retail for $14.95 with no purchase requirement. Additionally, we've designed a coordinating D-sized stamp set, My Acrylix Happy Times (CC1064), to go with the paper packet, which you can purchase for $17.95. It contains 18 stamp images, including floral images and sentiments perfect for memory keeping which can also be used for creating thoughtful and heartfelt cards. There's never been a better time to treat yourself to some beautiful new paper. Plus receive the May Stamp of the Month S1605, Celebrate with Cake a 17 piece set for $5 (a retail value of $17.95) and receive a FREE mixed goodie bag from me worth $3.95 in product &/or pre-made item(s) and a FREE NEW Seasonal Expressions II!  Place your $60 order by Clicking HERE and joining the National Scrapbooking Month online Gathering. 
**While Supplies Last

or

Offer #4 Layout #1 & #2
MY OFFER #4
Place an order of the following items, which is a $120 order, HERE by joining the National Scrapbooking Month online Gathering, with the following items, have it shipped to me directly and I will pre-cut and label all pieces and include the full color instructions so you can make the following 6 page scrapbook layouts and the 12 Standard size cards. Then I will mail or deliver (if your local) the layout & card kits to you to put together. Plus you will get the May stamp of the month for $5 instead of the usual $17.95, receive a FREE mixed goodie bag from me worth $3.95 in product &/or pre-made item(s) and a FREE NEW Seasonal Expressions II!
Offer #4 Layout #3 & #4
Purchase These Items
  • CC1064 Happy Times Stamp set - $17.95
  • CC1063 Happy Times Paper Packet** need 2 - FREE
  • M1051 Make a Wish Stamp set - $2.95
  • 1385 White Daisy Cardstock - $9.50
  • X5780 Pomegranate Cardstock - $14.50
  • X254 White Cards & Envelopes - $14.95
  • X3189 White & Gold Ribbon - $5.95
  • Z3091 Pink Enamel Gems - $3.95
  • Z2012 Sequins Gold Assortment - $2.95
  • Z1768 Metallic Markers - $4.95
  • Z3217 Picture My Life Watercolor Cards Gold - $8.95
  • Z1985 Gold Shimmer Trim - $4.95
  • Z2060 3D Foam Tape - $5.95
  • Z2089 Micro Glue Dots - $7.50
  • S1605 May Stamp of the Month Celebrate with Cake - $5
  • Any additional item at $10 or more of your choice

Offer #4 Layout  #5 & #6
12 Standard Size Cards
Items You will need to complete the kits
  • Paper Cutter
  • Pomegranate Ink pad
  • Smoothie Ink Pad
  • Glacier Ink Pad
  • Canary Ink Pad
  • Fern Ink Pad
  • Black Ink Pad
  • Acrylic Blocks
  • Z1999 1" Circle Punch (Optional)
  • Z1851 Scallop Punch (Optional)
  • Scissors
  • Adhesive
or
OFFER #5
Now through the end of May, you can save 25% on the purchase of Close To My Heart’s amazing My Legacy™ albums! That is a savings of over $8.50 per album! Choose from our gorgeous variety of colors and patterns available in both post-bound and D-ring styles. But this offer is only available while supplies last, so place your order early to make sure you get the styles and colors you love. They’re built to last and going fast—order yours today! See all the different choices we have available! Place your order by going to www.NinasArtSpot.ctmh.com click the join button on the National Scrapbooking Month Gathering and placing your order and and receive a FREE mixed goodie bag from me worth $3.95 in product &/or pre-made item(s).   *Offer valid while supplies last. Sale ends May 31, 2016 (11:59 pm MDT). Shipping/handling is calculated based on the full retail price of the discounted items.



Please Note: The FREE mixed goodie bag from me worth $3.95 in product &/or pre-made item(s) and the FREE NEW Seasonal Expressions II and the pre-cut kits with instructions will be mailed directly from me under separate cover and will not be shipped directly with your order.

My offers are only being offered by Nina's Art Spot and not by any other consultant. Orders placed to take advantage of My Offers need to be placed on NinasArtSpot.ctmh.com by clicking on the Join button for the May National Scrapbooking Month orders. Any offer can be combined but all conditions need to be met for each offer.


Just Released Seasonal Expressions II 2016


Seasonal Expressions
May 2016 - August 2016

Its always so exciting when a new SE (Seasonal Expressions) is released and we get to show all the new and fun products we have to share with you. I decided that for this release I would give you an in-depth view into each of the new papers over the next few months.

Although the Seasonal Expressions is now available for you to view online I do have some available for purchase at $1 each, or you can get them for a limited time for FREE. Check out the MAY National Scrapbooking Month Special Offers to see how you can get yours for FREE!

There are three new Paper Packet's available in this SE. The first is Florence and it will be the first I will showcase for you this month. The second is Magical and the third is Calypso. Of course there are an as sundry of stamp sets that are also new and Workshops Your Way that go with the new Paper Packets. I can't feature them all but I will do my best to get in as many of the new items as I can or at least highlight a bunch that stand out for me.

Florence Workshop Your Way G1107
Florence
Featured Colors: Flaxen, Peacock, Poppy, Ruby, Saffron & Whisper
Special Embellishments: Florence Complements, Rose Gold Foil Tape & Florence Sequins

I worked with the Workshop Your Way (WYW) and really got into making the six pages. I can't wait to put pictures of my four kids into them. I went ahead and made all the Picture My Life cards as described in the WYW instructions but didn't put together the layout yet.





The 7 Picture My Life Cards on the Right are those I made and those on the left are the extras

I went onto create the additional cards that you can make along with the layouts but instead of using the suggested A Bunch of Love stamp set I used the May Stamp of the Month, Celebrate with Cake.


May Stamp of the Month Celebrate with Cake and Florence WYW
I'm still amazed at the Workshops Your Way and how much you can get out of these kits for the price. I made all the above items with only adding the card bases a stamp set and the ink pads and I still have all this left over to work with.


That is nearly a full roll of Rose Gold Foil tape, over 2/3 of the Florence Sequins, about 1/4 of the complements but I did use some of them on the cards I made and I did layer those, I have probably enough paper to make about 10+ 3" x 3" cards which I love to use as gift bag cards and order Thank You's. The compliments by the way on the Florence are gold foiled and quite beautiful.

Items I did not use or highlight which would have gone great with the Florence Papers would have been the A Bunch of Love Stamp Set and Thin Cuts or the Ornate Blossoms. Anyone who orders both the Florence Paper and the Ornate Blossoms and is interested in a Scrapbooking Layout Instruction Sheet let me know and I'd be happy to share it with you.

That is it for now on the new Seasonal Expressions II. I will be back next month showcasing the next paper pack Magical!

Happy National Scrapbooking Month,

Nina