Wishing everyone ...

... a Happy and creative New Year.

Old blog

Just a quick link to old blog... Clare's Mystic Musings

Merry.... journalling Christmas

So - how do you journal Christmas?

Hopefully you've got lots of pics of people looking happy and smiling - having a good old merry time.

If you're anything like me those pics are cluttered with wrapping paper, piles of presents, remains of sumptuous dinners and the like, so now's the time to find out how to use Photoshop or your graphics program of choice to blur the unwanted bits of a photo.

My method is:

1. Use the selection tool to roughly draw round the outline I want to keep - doesn't have to be exact.
2. Then invert selection so that everything is selected BUT the bit I want to keep
3. Then use Adjust - Blur until the background is suitably blurred.

I think feathering probably works better but I don't know how to do that!

Back to the journalling

What does the word "MERRY" mean to you - what really consitutes a "merry" Christmas>? How do people show they are merry? What were they particularly enjoying when the picture was taken?

Create a LO that says what "MERRY" means to you...

Merry Christmas

A little late perhaps for Christmas greetings - but look!...

I got some gorgeous K'ology Addison papers etc. for Christmas from my UKS team secret santa. Luscious!

And today I bought some cheap scrapping goodies in the Lakeland sale. Wonderful!

Let music be your inspiration

Every layout should have the basic information:The classic info:

Who – who’s in the pic
What - what else is significant in the pics besides or instead of people
Where - place
When - date
How – how did it happen? What were the circumstances surrounding the taking of this picture?

However, journalling doesn’t have to be long … it’s better to be short and meaningful.

Kim asked me for some ideas for journalling about her favourite boy band:

If you have a favourite band, why not try a LO based on the first names of all the band – then add the meanings of the names and why they’re appropriate (or not).

• Write a letter to the band (don’t be too soppy – treat them as real people)
• A thank you layout with things you thank the band for use each thing on a separate line cut out.
• Write an acrostic poem:

W………
E…….
S……..
T……..
L……
I …..
F …..
E…..

• Write an acrostic poem using the first names of all the members in the band.
• Do some journalling incorporating as many titles of their singles, albums and album tracks as you can.

Useful Craft Robo sites

The best support for Craft Robo users is the Craft Robo forum at UKScrappers

Other sources of information, templates and support include:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wishblade/
http://papercuttingfun.com/wishblade/.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CR_WB/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CRFun/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wishbladearchives/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WishbladeCafe2/

Baby books

Here's a lovely idea for a baby book:

http://www.simplescrapbooksmag.com/m...9&issue_idx=26
Lullaby album - a page for each month of the baby's first year.

Other ideas for pages in baby books:

• Day you were born
• Taking home
• Hand & footprints
• Siblings/Sisters/Brothers - e.g., using the "He isn't heavy, he's my brother" quote
• First bath
• All smiles

Dedication Ceremonies

A friend asked for ideas for creating a card, layout or gift book for a friend's baby dedication ceremony.

What is a dedication ceremony?

http://www.unity-church.com/minister/dedication.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religi...emonies1.shtml
which suggest a dedication is a naming and welcome ceremony (in those traditions at least!).

Here are ideas:

Concentrate on the child's name - its meaning and why the parents chose it

Perhaps the word Welcome as well: perhaps "Welcome" and a globe, to represent a welcome to the world: or a sun rising with shades of red orange and yellow mulberry paper

Use the name as the centre - cut out of serendipity squares?

If a card is to be given to the child himself, from his parents, something like a birthday card would probably be most appreciated, with one of his favourite motifs on - car, train, whatever (similarly for a girl)

Welcome

Welcome to Mysticclare's Scrapping Blog.

This blog will contain various ideas and information for scrappers and particularly journalling tips and hints and tricks.