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Sunday, July 17, 2011

CCG 200th "Anniversary" Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Color Combos Galore 200th "Anniversary" Blog Hop! We hope by visiting the CCG Design Team members' blogs, you will be able to pick up some fun tips and techniques. Many of the team members will be offering prizes, so you will want to visit all of the blogs to increase your chances of winning some fun scrappy stuff. We are also offering a chance at a Guest Designer spot for the month of August if you visit all of the blogs in our Blog Hop and participate in Challenge 200 by uploading your project to the CCG Gallery. It's so fun to get the colors before everyone else! Plus, who doesn't love to see their name in lights! The deadline for the chance to win these prizes is one week from today, Sunday, July 24, EST.

If this is your first stop at our Blog Hop, you'll want to start at Bente Fagerberg's blog, and follow the hop in order so you don't miss anyone. If you've been hopping in order, your next stop is Eva Pizarro.

Once you have visited all the blogs and uploaded a project to the CCG Gallery using Challenge 200, please make sure you check in at the Blog Hop discussion in the Special Announcements Forum at CCG. We will choose our August Guest Designer from that thread. Individual DT members will be choosing winners for the prizes they are offering. Good luck, and we hope you'll enjoy our blog hop!

CCG has a very talented team of designers, and they will be sharing some amazing techniques. I don't consider myself much of a "technique" scrapper but rather a storyteller, so instead, I thought I'd share some of my favorite tips--ones that I use a lot that help me on virtually every page I made, including this page I made for Challenge 200:



Favorite Tip #1 - You may not know that I scrap 8 x 8, which means I have to really plan my layouts carefully so that everything fits. One thing that helps me is wax paper! I use wax paper to see if my title fits where I want it to. I just adhere my title letters on the wax paper, and I can move my title (or other sticky elements) around my page until I get it just where I want it.

Favorite Tip #2 - I just recently figured this one out. I used to photograph my layouts as soon as I was finished with them, but I recently realized that waiting until the next day allows me to see my page through "fresh eyes" and I almost always add something to it that makes it feel more "complete." On this particular layout, what I added were the Ranger Enamel Accents to the letter stickers and the Ranger Perfect Pearls to the scallops on the envelope, and believe it or not, I didn't originally have that doily stamp on the envelope. I sort of knew I needed something there, but it didn't come to me until the next day when I had another look. I can't imagine my page without that detail.

Favorite Tip #3 - Before you toss the edge of the patterned paper away, look closely at it. You know, the part that has the manufacturer’s name, logo, paper line, and bar code? Sometimes, this disposable bit of paper might be just the perfect thing for your layout. That "Haute Cuisine" on the side came from the tear strip on a Teresa Collins paper. Pay attention to the names of the papers or collection names, which might help you tell our story. My very favorite tear strips are on Cosmo Cricket's papers--you know, the ones that say "flip for fun" or "but wait, there's more," and so forth. I use those a lot for when I use hidden journaling (and I have to do that a lot because sometimes there's just not enough room on an 8 x 8 page for my story).

Favorite Tip #4 - Tell a story. It doesn't have to be long and drawn out, though it's nice to write a detailed narrative sometimes. But it's important to get all the little bits and pieces of your life down on paper. Think about it: Some day we're going to look back on all these hundreds--or thousands--of pages we've made, and it's the stories that are going to make us smile more than the beautiful products we used on our pages. As I've evolved over the ten years I've been scrapping, the "artistic" side of scrapping has become more important and interesting and fun to me (not to mention, the array of wonderful products has become so irresistible to use), and sometimes the design I have in mind doesn't allow for the lengthy journaling I enjoy to fit on my small canvas, so in those cases, I'll hide my journaling--in a pocket or on the back of my page. It might seem odd that I scrapped pictures of my mom's ugly meatloaf (she wouldn't let me photograph her holding the pan because she didn't have on makeup), but it's a little piece of my life I wanted to document, and some day when I'm old and maybe my mom won't be around anymore, I can look at this page and remember how she used to make meatloaf for me. And I'll smile.

Okay, so I lied. I do have two little techniques to share, and these are more for newbies:

Technique #1 - About the distressed edges (and I'm almost embarrassed to share this because so many on the CCG team are masters at distressing--and I can't wait to read their blog entries in hopes they'll share their secrets), I used a Zutter Distrezz-It-All. It's a handy little electric contraption that allows you to run your paper across it and it does the distressing for you, easy-peasy!

Technique #2 - Heat embossing. If you're chicken to try it, don't be. I know I was for a long time, and the first time I tried it, it worked perfectly and I was so surprised and so irritated that I hadn't tried it before! All you need is a stamp, an embossing stamp pad, embossing powder, and an embossing gun. Just ink your stamp with the embossing ink and stamp your image--it'll be clear. Then sprinkle the embossing powder over your stamped image and tap off the excess (I do it on a sheet of paper so I can easily dump it back into the container). Then heat it with your embossing gun, and the image magically turns into the wonderful raised, shiny embossed image! Couldn't be easier!


Thank you for hopping onto my blog today. I hope you picked up a little something from reading what I shared. Please leave a comment for a chance to win a little surprise of scrappy goodies from my stash. Your next stop is Eva's blog...

60 comments:

kristie said...

love your page Debbie!!

Jenny Evans said...

I love all your tips and techniques!! Your page turned out amazing!! with have to try a few of them!!

Jenny

Alanna said...

Love all your tips and techniques you shared Debbie! And your page is divine!! I've been thinking of doing a kind of recipe book lately and you've inspired me to treat each page like a LO and include photos and embellies - not just recipes!

I've only been scrapping for 9 months or so and yep... I'm scared of heat embossing ;)

Heart2hand said...

Love the tips you give soo freely. I will try the new day on a layout...I too am always afraid it is missing something.

TFS
hugs
rhonda

Pam said...

As usual, I LOVE your layout! I also love all your tips especially the one about using the edge of the patterned paper! I would have never, ever used that idea as I immediately toss those scraps without a second thought. Now, I'm going to pay attention to them and see how I can incorporate them on a page. Thanks for sharing!:-)

Susan Stringfellow said...

ok I totally love your tips! I have never heard the wax paper tip before and its fantastic. And I am really going to try to do that - wait a day - thing because I do end up adding after I have taken photos and I actually did add to this weeks CCG page too. LOL!

nita said...

Thank you Debbi for all the energy you put in teh comments on the gallery- it gives a sunray in my inbox...and I love your work.

Carolyn Lontin said...

Thanks for all of the great tips! fantastic layout!

Unknown said...

Oh Debbi how fun, you see my title "New Arrival" is part of the strip of paper almost everyone I know tosses away!
loved your tips!

Kathy said...

Gorgeous page, Debbi, and I loved your tips....so practical, but I hadn't thought of them before! Wonderful embossing on that sweet doily!

Shaunery said...

Fabulous, fabulous.. and your tips are wonderful... I NEVER thought about wax paper!! :D

Ruby said...

Thank you so much for the technique tips. I love the idea of the wax paper. Thanks for sharing your beautiful work.

Lynn said...

Love all the tips you shared, especially the wax paper one. Genius! Also, waiting until the next day to photograph is a good idea. I love that blue, embossed doily!

Kris Berc said...

Thanks for all the great tips!

Bellaidea said...

Hi!
And thank you!

Toni K said...

Thanks for the tips! I should definitely wait to take pics until the next day ;)

Carol said...

Debbi I have admired your work for a long time. Love this layout. Thanks for sharing!

sandi said...

Wonderful lo and great tips Deb. You would never know that your lo's are 8x8, they look like 12x12!

Stephanie said...

Nice Layout! I would not have guessed it was an 8x8 until you noted that! Awesome design planning; page is beautiful. :)))

BabyBokChoy said...

Beautiful layout and the tips are just GREAT!!!!

Tracee said...

Thankyou for the tips especially tip 3, I used that today on my page! A great insight into how you create those wonderful pages Hugs Tracee x

mahlin said...

Such a cute page and I love all those tips you shared.. thank you!

Yolande (pronounced you-land-a) said...

Your layout is totally yummy, scrumptious, delicious in fact! :) I love that pocket and the doilie and pearls that you've added, I love all your lovely distressed layers, your title and the cutlery with the twine is really fab. I've known for a while that you scrap 8x8 and I think it's amazing that you manage to fit so much in total elegance onto your layouts. Thanks for the tips....the wax paper is definitely and interesting tip. :) Have an amazing week...

Jeanne said...

Great tips and techniques. Love the layout... the colors are some of my faves!! TFS!

Cynthia Lloréns said...

Love all your tips and techniques you shared Debbie! And your page is fantastic......so many wonderful details !!!
I wish a great week!!!
Kisses and huges from Brazil.
Cynthia

Rachael Funnell said...

Another Gorgeous Layout Debbi!!!
Loved reading all your Tips & Techniques....
Thanks for Sharing!!

Bente Fagerberg said...

Great collection of tips and techniques here debbi. Thanks for sharing! I will def try that wax paper thing. I don't know how many times I stuck down my title and it looks bad, but nothing I can do about it! A must try!

Tamera said...

What a fun oage Debbi! I totally agree with the wait a day to photograph tip! I'd like to see exactly how you do the wax paper title thing.

FiKenward said...

Great Tips Deb, especially love the one about the paper strip.

Jessy Christopher said...

Thanks for sharing all the wonderful tips & techniques! That is certainly a gorgeous layout ;)

Unknown said...

Some great tips, D! I do that with the tearoff strips, too!

marsha said...

Amazing tips! TFS

Crystal said...

Kudos to you for scrapping 8x8. I do it for my BOM and boy, is it a challenge sometimes to make the stuff fit.
I'm right there with you on the thought of letting the layout "rest" before calling it finished.

Lisa's Creative Niche said...

beautiful work! I love how you are able to fit so much on an 8 X 8 page! Thank you for all of the tips too!
Lisa
summer_sunset54 at hotmail dot com

Tina said...

Debbi! Another gorgeous layout..I love that you do 8x8. I really like the size of an 8x8...
Embossing, huh? I really need to get my stash of embossing powder out and give a try.

Elaine said...

Debbi!
I love, love, love your layout. It's so full of wonderful little details that catch your eye. Great LO and great tips!
Thank you for sharing,
Elaine

Susan said...

so many beautiful details on this layout! I love it!

Kelly said...

Those were fabulous tips, Debbi! I love your page...and I loved hearing a little about your process.

Melissa Hortin said...

Great LO and thank you for all your tips and techniques. I love the idea of leaving your page till the next day to photograph and to see it through fresh eyes. I will definitely be using that one. Thanks again.Very inspiring.

monica said...

bellooooo

Gloria said...

Thank you for tip and technique!! I will try! Kisses from Italy, Gloria.

peachy alfelor said...

Hi Debbi, I finally arrived at your blog. I love lengthy journaling and stamping so your tips and techniques truly help a lot especially someone who is really new to all these wonderful tricks in making beautiful LOs. Thank you for being so generous with your craft. :-)

Anonymous said...

I like to tell a story on my layouts too.
Thanks for sharing your techniques. I've tried embossing once but you've encouraged me to give it another go!
TFS

Manu said...

Hi Debbi, I love your LO ^__^
It's wonderful!!
Big hugs.
Manu

Unknown said...

Debbi thanks for all the useful tips espescially the one about taking a second look.... i say i journal for me...for the day when i am old and senile....will read the story of my life!!

Kiwi The Kreator said...

I LOVE the "fresh eyes" idea because the additions happen to me ALL THE TIME!!!!

wendy said...

Thanks for the tips. I love the wax paper idea! Nice lo too!

tellana said...

Your tips are wonderful, so thanks for sharing them!

jenessa said...

These are the most fabulous tips! I will try them all!!!

Sarah said...

Thanks for your great tips debbi - I always love your pages!

Jannina said...

Loved the tips!!! I can always use some easy tips...thank you!

Scrappiness said...

Debbit thank you for sharing your tips and techniques. I soooo recocnize tip 2....but make the same mistake over and over again :):)

scrapbookertink said...

Hi Debbi, tip no 1 was my favourite would never have thought of that GENIUS, love your layout and always love the stories that go with it as you said this is one of the main reasons we scrap, something I must admit I struggle with telling the story but hope to take inspiration from you and maybe hide more of my journalling. tks for opportunity to play along and Oh to be guest designer for the month of August would be a dream come true! x

Eva said...

Debbi, your tips and your page are fabulous! I loved the wax paper tip, I'll try that!

Pam Pritzl said...

Awesome tips, Debbie! I need to try the 'photograph the next day' thing ... I've often added things after the LO was posted on my blog or a challenge site ... TFS!

Elisa FornEzza said...

Beautiful Lo!!!
I love the tips...thanks for sharing!!!

Michele's Scrapy Creations said...

love your layout! I also do the same wait until next day to see if it needs any finishing touches..

michelesscrapycreations35 at yahoo dotcom

forpahl5 said...

love these ideas! Thanks for sharing!

Faye Marie said...

Love the page! Thanks for the great tips!!!!

Micchi said...

I love heat embossing, too!

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