Introducing our September Guest Designer

Hi everyone, hope you have all had a great start to the new week.

I wanted to pop in and introduce our next fabulous guest designer for September, Julie Heard, you can view Julie's Blog here. I came across Julie with a touch of sychronicity as I believe is often a great sign. Julie entered a competiton which was run on Aussie Scrapbooking to design a layout on the topic "What's always on my mind." Koko Vanilla Designs was sponsoring the competition with the winner recieving a Free Kit full of Koko Vanilla Goodies. I of course had the pleasure of choosing the winner. Here is Julie's layout which she entered. I chose Julies' layout because I loved the way she put it together, the colours and the concept, to me quite original and as for the topic she chose I can relate to that as well.

At the time when I chose the winner I didn't realise who Julie was or that she had a blog, was already on other design teams and had published layouts as well as being a Scrapbooking Memories Master for 2007. All in all quite an impressive scrapbooking resume. Finally I sent Julie her kit and she contacted me to say she would send me some layouts using the kit, which is when I finally discovered her blog etc. I then asked Julie if she would like to be our guest designer for September and she agreed. So there you have it sychronicity I was looking for a guest designer and I was led to one easier than I thought. So to anyone out there wanting an opportunity, you just have to have a go and enter as many competitions or submissions as you can and make yourself accessible to anyone out there looking for scrapbooking designers. So to finish here are a couple of layouts Julie created with the kit I sent. She has added a couple of her own embellishments on one of them.

Eager to learn - Julie Heard

Home - Julie Heard

So welcome to the team Julie and I can't wait to see your creations with our September Main Scrapbooking Kit. Lots of new Basic Grey in this one very bold, bright and colourful. Anna

Tropical Fruit Smoothie Petite Kit

I have just loaded a new kit on site in the petites dept. This one is sure to get you daydreaming of those long summer days sitting on the beach with an ice cold smoothie. Grab a taste of summer with this kit. You can view and purchase here.

Tropical Fruit Smoothie

Enjoy your weekend I hope you get some creating time. Anna

Koko Vanilla Designs - Wall Decor Altered Art

Hi Everyone,

Here is a gorgeous new addition to the site to brighten up these cold, dreary, dark and wet winter days. Need something cheerful to remind you to smile throughout your day, or a beautiful gift for a special little girl???? This stunning Altered Canvas has been adorned with designer patterned papers, felt ribbon, diamontes, felt, stitched ribbon, buttons. This 3D canvas is up on site ready for purchase and this is the only one available. To View this on site click here

How about this cute card, know someone moving house or starting out somewhere new, or even someone coming home from a long holiday. This card is sure to make them feel warm, homey and welcome in their new abode. To View click here.

Also up on site are these fabulous ink pad from Ranger Ink. I love using them because they give your project that romantic aged vintage look, just a suttle bit of colour not too strong. These are quite cheap compared with other inks at only $6.50 for a full sized ink pad. They are acid free, non toxic pigment ink. To view or purchase click here.

Okay that's all the updates for today. Hope you are having a great day. Anna

Create Art

I have been thinking a lot about the creating process lately. I must admit that sometimes I create out of necessity and don't enjoy the process as much, especially when there are time constraints, like designing a kit where the instructions need to be clear for customers, so therefore you need to limit just how complex a project is or creating a last minute card in a hurry. These are just a couple of examples.

Today however I had a couple of hours where I just decided to put aside housework and all those niggly things that grab your attention when working from home and just sit down and create. I hadn't had a chance yet to create with the latest Koko Vanilla Kit so I grabbed myself a kit and just went for it, music in the background, warm heater, a coffee and just my creative flair. As you can see above this is what I came up with. Now I have to say the good thing was that I decided to do a wall hanging and not a layout. Sometimes you are bound by the photo or the colours etc etc, so with the wall hanging I could just go for it. I wanted something to hang up in my craft room that reminds me how wonderful the creative process is and how lucky I am to have such wonderful supplies accessible. I wanted something bright and dimensional that really represented to me art. I think its important that if you have a craft area that you put your artwork around you on walls and shelves, its like really validating the process that being creative is an important part of your life and an expression of your personality. Be proud to display and surround yourself with your creations.

I must say that having a kit to create with which had co-ordinating products made it even easier. There was no searching through paper stashes to find the right colour cardstock or the right matching patterned paper, it was all there in front of me ready to go. To me that was so efficient as it took the guess work out of finding supplies and just allowed me to spend those couple of hours purely indulging in being creative and not getting side tracked searching for supplies that I may have thought are somewhere around here. You know what happens when you get sidetracked you think oh maybe I'll just sort out these papers first and then you never actually get to creating. So in a long winded way I wanted to just chat about my thoughts and creativity for the day. I feel I haven't done that for ages as I usually just come on here and quickly post website updates. I hope I have inspired you to really create from your heart and just go for it, don't think a paper is too precious to use or I'll wait to open those glitter alphas for a special layout, everything you create with your hands is special so go for it and enjoy the process and Create Art.

Love Anna

Some August Gallery Images

Our designers Meri and Ruby have been scrapping to the bone to get these delicious layouts created for our August Gallery. Take a look at some of the beautiful layouts which are now up on site. To see more of their work and who created what you can find it here. There are still kits available and don't forget about our competition. We would love to see your creations. You could be one of our next guest designers!!!! We are always on the look out for someone with creative flair to be our guest designer, this could be your chance. For full competition details head on over here.

Live, Create, Inspire!!

Anna

Flowers & Flourishes - New Petite Kit Up On Site

Introducing a very petite kit but packed full of gorgeous product. Featuring felt butterfly ribbon and a crochet flower and some gorgeous stamps images a gorgeous kit, take a look....

Flowers & Flourishes

To purchase this kit and view its contents click here.

August gallery will be loaded tomorrow. Our designers have created some fabulous work with our main August Kit Vintage Chic. There are kits still available for purchase.

Be back tomorrow with more. Anna.

Choc Mint Yumminess and Koko Vanilla August Competition

Choc Mint Decadence

August Card Kit

Well I know what you were thinking, the kind you pop in your mouth and that is exactly what the August Card Kit makes me think of. Yummy chocolate!! mmm, my weakness. As I was designing and creating this kit all I could think about was Mint Slices or any type of chocolate really Oh well at least creating these cards is calorie free, gotta love that LOL!

I have only put a little sneaky peak photo here just to tease and entice, kind of like a block of chocolate in the pantry does, however I am just about to pop this kit up on site for sale, so to see more of our Choc Mint Decadence Kit you will have to go here. You get all you need to create these 4 stunning cards x 2 and the greetings on the front are interchangeable as you get a pack of rub ons to make the words up so you can make cards to suit. You get photos and instructions kind of like a take away class. I am thinking of holding this set as a class also, if you are interested in attending send me an email at pontikis@netspace.net.au. Class would be held at my home in Melbourne.

I wanted to also mention a Competition for August up on site. The full details of the competition are up on site on the Home Page, so go there fore full details. August Competition. But I will just say there are 2 vouchers up for grabs. So don't miss out get cracking and enter our comp.

Okay I'm off to get this kit up for sale. happy tuedsay everybody. Anna

August Vintage Chic Scrapbooking Kit Up On Site

Hi Everyone, a few new kits are up on site. Our main August Scrapbooking Kit Vintage Chic is up on site now for purchase. This month there were so many goodies I wanted to add that I split the kit in 2 and created a smaller kit called Vintage Chic Indulge. You can view them both here.

Vintage Chic

Vintage Chic Indulge

Another new kit also on site in the Petites Dept is this little bright Kit called Sweet Sunshine.

Sweet Sunshine

There is more to come in the next few days including our popular card project kit. Also a fun competition coming up on site so make sure you are a subscriber to our site so you get the information first. To subscribe to our mailing list click here. Happy Sunday all! Anna