Create a Quick and Easy Altered Spring Clipboard (video included)



If you haven't yet seen my latest EP TV Echo Park Paper video tutorial, I wanted to share it here with you. It features the spring "Splendid Sunshine" collection from Echo Park.



Here's a close-up photo of the project:


You can watch the video HERE on the EP TV Youtube channel or below:



Look for this fabulous collection in stores now!

Make It Meaningful Bonus Project: Baby Burlap Pinwheel


Make It Meaningful Bonus Project:

How many of you search the Walmart crafting aisles for something cool to alter? I do. I do it when I'm grocery shopping in the wee hours (5 a.m.) of the morning. No one else is there to judge me. And I feel like a treasure hunter in an abandoned building. It's fabulous. Lately I've been spotting these cool burlap covered frames everywhere. They come in a variety of sizes. I have a texture crush on burlap and linen so I stocked up on a variety of these when I was last grocery (cough, cough) craft shopping.

Ok, boy shapes are hard. Seriously. Think about it. Girls have butterflies, hearts, and all sorts of pretty things. Boys? Boys have nothin' except maybe a star or two. Poor boys. So when I was trying to think of a dimensional object to place in the center of this frame, I was stumped. Stumped I tell you! Then I saw some lovely pinwheels in Pinterest projects that struck my eye. "THAT could be a boy shape," I decided. And so it was.

It's really a simple project, but I love the dimensional effects of the pinwheel. Just makes my heart happy.

To Make This Project:

Supplies:
* Carta Bella Paper "Baby Mine" (boy) Collection (paper, brads, chipboard stickers)
* Burlap Frame
* White Crochet Twine

You can search for many of these items HERE in the 2Peas store or watch for them to arrive in the store soon.

Instructions:
To create a pinwheel, simply cut a square from a patterned paper which is pretty on both sides. No difficulties here. Then cut a slit from each corner of the square into the center of the square. Make sure you leave about 1/2" to 1/4" uncut in the center. Then gently fold each corner to the center, but do not crease the folds.

A few paper strips, some twine, and some stickers finish off the frame. What makes it meaningful is that whenever I make something for someone there is a special meaning behind what I create. A simple craft becomes something much more meaningful.

Three Reasons I Love Teaching Scrapbooking Classes


I love teaching scrapbooking classes. Who knew that when I was playing school in my front yard with my younger siblings, that I would grow up and have the opportunity to travel and teach something I've come to love and believe in deeply? It's an amazing way to share what I love with people who "get it."

Here are just three reasons why I love teaching scrapbooking workshops and classes:

1. It's all about preserving memories.

I started scrapbooking when my oldest was just a few years old. Through the years I've documented my children's growth, special events, and my love for each one of them. If I can help someone else discover the joy of preserving their own memories, then I feel blessed because I've learned through some rather difficult life lessons that memories fade more quickly than you could ever image. And there are just certain things you don't want to ever forget.



2. Making art makes people happy.

Since the early years of cutting and pasting in Kindergarten, we've come to appreciate the art of making things. Whether it's through sewing, or cooking, or home decorating, or paper crafting, there's something very rewarding about the creative process. I love the look on people's faces when they complete a project in a class I'm teaching. I love it when they put their own special spin on something making it entirely their own. And I love the way they express their personality and viewpoint through paper and photos.


  
3. What a perfect opportunity to make a connection!

Sometimes when we go someplace new, we feel shy and that we might not belong. With a scrapbooking class, you discover that you have something in common with every single person in attendance just because you chose to learn something new and creative. And even though you might come from different economic backgrounds, or live in entirely different worlds, or have completely different points of view, you will make friends. I've met so many women who come together for monthly crops, or travel hundreds of miles for a getaway together, or who just chat online with others who share their passion. Scrapbooking is a fabulous connector of people.



Where to find scrapbooking classes:

If you're looking for an opportunity to take a scrapbook class, look for community events in your area offered by craft stores. Or organize your own scrapbooking group where you each share your expertise, knowledge, and creativity as one group. You can also look online for several self-paced and special event classes. If you like learning on your own, this is a great opportunity to do so.

Here are just a few classes that I have available if you're looking for an online learning course:

Class information is located HERE!


Class information is located HERE!

You can find additional workshops and classes that I teach from my drop-down menus above.

I also travel from time-to-time to events, and try to keep you updated on what events at which I will be teaching. In March you can take an Echo Park Paper class in Salt Lake City, which is sponsored by Heartfelt Hobby and Craft. You can find more details HERE.



To contact me about a teaching opportunity in your area, you can reach me at js_gallacher@hotmail.com. Details and fees will be provided upon request.

Tales of a Tract Home: In Search of the Perfect Headboard

Have a minute? I'd really love your input on something. All through the process of redesigning my Master Bedroom, I've had a certain headboard style in mind. And now suddenly I'm realizing that my heart might be taking me in a different direction.

So can you help a girl out? If you had bedding that looks like this, and haven't yet (obviously) decided on a wall paint color, would you go with this headboard color?



Source: Decor Pad

Or this headboard color?




Or this head board color?

Source: Target

Leave me your favorite pick in the comments section below. I'd love to hear where your heart takes you.

Make It Meaningful #7 Scrapbook Process Video: Dreams Do Come True


Welcome back to another "Make It Meaningful" scrapbook process video hosted by Two Peas in a Bucket. This week all of the Garden Girls' projects focus on the idea of "moments." Don't we all have special moments that we want to record and not forget? For me it was my day trip to Paris last November. You can read more about the actual trip HERE and my opportunity to teach scrapbooking classes in England.

Make It Meaningful #7: Dreams Do Come True

All this month the Garden Girls have been focusing on the "Me" topic, and this is clearly a layout about something special to me. One long view of the Eiffel Tower helps depict in this layout how dreams really can come true.

Here is the layout I created:



Here are a few close-up views of this project:



You can watch how I created this video either below or HERE on the 2Peas Youtube channel:



If you'd like to see all of the videos and projects in this WEEKLY series, you can find them HERE at 2Peas.

Below I've suggested Travel themed and non-travel themed products you might consider when creating a layout about a vacation destination layout. Search the 2Peas store by "camera" or "travel" to find even more.

Suggested Products (click photos for product links):





Big Picture Class Giveaway with Monica Bradford

I'm excited to be giving away ONE spot in Monica Bradford's newest Big Picture Classes workshop called "Scrapbook Outside the Pocket." This $25 workshop is perfect for anyone with lots of pocket page style products looking for a creative way to use them.




Scrapbooking Outside the Pocket with Monica Bradford
Creative Uses for Project Life Cards, Sn@p Supplies, and Other Pocket Products

Take a Peek Inside This Class:
 
You can watch this promotional video HERE or below to learn more about this exciting new class to which I contributed a few layouts:



Class Description:

Big inspiration often comes in tiny packages—small enough to fit in your pockets.

We're talking about pocket-style scrapbooking, using 3" x 4" and 4" x 6" slip-in cards, which has taken the memory-keeping world by storm. From Project Life and Sn@p! Studio to Photo Freedom and Albums Made Easy,* the options for pocket pages have exploded in recent years. And so have scrapbook stashes worldwide.



In Scrapbooking Outside the Pocket, a new online workshop from instructor Monica Bradford, you'll be inspired to put dozens of pocket products to beautiful use on 12 or more standard scrapbook pages and one fun mini-album.



You'll love Monica's inspiring layout examples, fun mini album project, weekly process videos, and instructional handouts with extra tips and tricks. Not to mention the private message board and gallery in the classroom, where you can trade ideas with worldwide scrapbookers who share your interests.


Learn more and register here!

Class Giveaway:

To qualify for the giveaway, simply leave me a comment below with your name, email (in code if you prefer), and one reason you'd like to take this class. All comments are due by Sunday, February 23rd at midnight MST to qualify. I'll select ONE winner to receive this special class spot on Monday, February 24th so check back to see who's won. I'll update this blog post with the final winner, as well as, contact the winner via email.

This class starts on March 6th so be sure to register soon!

Make It Meaningful Bonus Project: Spring Frame



Make It Meaningful Bonus Project:

I am SO ready for some Spring weather. I always love the first few days of snow, and then after a week of dreary, cold weather I'm completely over it. So where can I move where winter only lasts a week? Is that even an option?

To help cheer me up in preparation for longer days of sunshine and warmth, I created this charming little frame for my office (I can call my own projects charming can't I?). I wanted to experiment with some new techniques on this project, and I really like these little details.

Little details can help make a project more meaningful because it makes it a little more "fancy."

To Make This Project:

Supplies:
* Echo Park Paper "Hippity Hoppity" Collection
* White Frame
* Echo Park Paper Embossing Folder
* Sizzix Die Cut Machine
* Silhouette Die Cut Machine
* Leaf Die Cut Shape
* White Cardstock
* Vellum
* White Crochet Thread
* White and Silver Sequins
* Teal Office Clip
* Yellow Button

You can search for many of these items HERE in the 2Peas store.

Instructions:
When working with bright colors, one way to make them stand out is to start with a white background. But plain white cardstock can be boring. And no boring projects are allowed here! To mix it up a bit, I first embossed the white cardstock before sticking it into this inexpensive white frame from Target. I still wanted some more white-on-white action, so I wrapped the entire frame with white crochet twine (make sure you don't wrap the frame support on the back or it won't stand up on its own any more). Here's one of the cool elements I added to this project: I threaded a few sequins onto the twine before wrapping it around the frame (see them in the bottom, right of the frame).

The main item in this frame is a journaling card from the Echo Park Paper collection. I used several layers of pop dots to help it stand up from the frame. Adding some punched circles of pink polka dot patterned paper to the side keep it feminine and the light touch of a die cut vellum leaf shape add texture but don't take away from the journaling card image.

This really is a simple project, but it looks so much prettier with all the little handmade touches. It definitely drives away the "drearies" every time I look at it. Looking for some additional project ideas? Check out my "Bonus Projects" blog posts each Wednesday for ways you can surround yourself with meaningful items. HERE is one project you might have missed.
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