Bonnie gave us a Cardstock ONLY Challenge …This is a challenge for many!! Using only cardstock, create a fun layout! You can use 100 different colors of cardstock, but it must ONLY be cardstock!! Only cardstock ladies No embellishments of any kind & no printed papers……get creative & show us what you got

Well this one created some conversation and is making the girls put their thinking caps on.

Here is the fantastic work that Kimberly came up with…, wonder if anyone else will attempt this challenge?

We are having a month long crop to help beat away the winter blues. I thought I would put some of the challenges up over the next while and show you some of the work that has been created!

The first challenge is from LoriBeth and it was to create a layout or card using at least three different shades/patterns of predominantly blue cardstock or patterned paper.

So far Bonnie and Renee have tackled this one, I will be back with more challenges

A layout from Bonnie

Cards by Renee

Let’s see if we can start the year off and continue on the right foot with at least one post a week:)!

We are having a crop next weekend. It is going to be a cooperative one, where everyone who will be “attending” will also be participating in organizing the crop challenges! Should be fun to see what everyone does!

ScrapCentral will undergo a few minor changes over the next month, I will be introducing a new way to be a member and at a new cost as well. So stay tuned and get ready to let everyone in on the news when it gets posted.

Hope you all enjoyed your holidays and are looking forward to all that 2010 and will bring for you!

and re-group is what I have been doing. Needed to get some things organized personally and decide what changes I need to make to go forward, hence the reason the blog has been sadly neglected. Working on ideas on what to change and will be back shortly with good intentions of keeping you up to date.

ATC’s are fun, creative, and a great way to be artistic while using up our scraps. Right now at ScrapCentral we are starting up our latest ATC swap for July/August, so sign up if you are interested.
A lot of people ask what to do with them once they have a lot. I found these great mini books, which would be a fun way to organize and store all our ATC’s.
This first one is an actual ATC book that you can buy

But you don’t necessarily have to buy a designated book, you can make your own. I found this sample from Splitcoast Stampers website

And then there is this project, using envelopes




For more info on how to make this ATC mini book, check out http://www.trimcraft.co.uk/projectinfo.php?pid=34415

I would love to hear what you do with your ATC’s.  Leave a comment below to let us know how you store or use yours.

Here’s what I have found today

Scrapbook and Cards Today - Stamping Bella Stamps

Paper Crafts - is giving away Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Crafting Kit and Ready-Set-Chipboard

Vicki Boutin - is having a draw for a Hero Arts Script Stamp (she has lots of news about upcoming events on her blog today too!)

Spellbinders - Are you following their 2nd blog frenzy?

Well I hope you have a sun-shiney, relaxing weekend!

is challenges - we are having challenges posted every Friday all summer long on the site. Giving everyone the summer to complete them, just like one long crop:) The first challenge was all about colours - using colours that connect with the event, such as red and white for Canada Day, red and green for Christmas, etc.

Here is what has been done so far

1st by Bobbi-Lynn

Then one by Michelle

I even got one done!

Well if you are reading scrapbooking blog at all, the what’s new is all the Summer CHA sneak peeks and there are lots of great new product coming out this summer!

American Crafts - new product, new stamps and new thickers

Spellbinders - they have another release and blog frenzy coming up!

Prima - WOW sums most of their new product out, the new flowers, the new bling, oh my!

Pink Paislee - has given a little sneak and tease.

that’s just enough to wet your appetite, stay tuned for more links to sneaks next week.

Here is Michelle’s post for today

Today I am going to teach you how to fade a picture to use for a journaling spot or title area.

Here is my original photo. It is dark and larger then I want so I lightened it (Screen @ 75% Opacity) and cropped it.

This is the finished picture.

1) Set your foreground colour to white. This is located at the bottom left of your screen. You can also use these short cut keys: Hit D then X. This sets the colours to their default (black and white) then switches the background and foreground.

2) Select the [b]GRADIENT[/b] tool which is located under the Paint Bucket on the tool bar.

3) Click on the picture of the gradient in the Options Bar at the top of the screen. This opens up the Gradient Editor.

4) We will be using the [b]WHITE-TO-TRANSPARENT[/b] gradient for this technique. Click on it. Click OK.

5) Create a new layer (Layer>New>Layer).

6) Making sure the Gradient Tool is selected, start at the edge of your photo where you want the white to be, [b]click and drag [/b] a straight line (hold down shift key to keep the line straight) toward the centre of the picture. When you release the mouse, you will see the new gradient.

7) You can repeat this to get the gradient you like.

If you start further into your picture the side will fill with solid white and create a shorter gradient. As seen in this picture:

Thanks Michelle! Can’t wait to see what you does with this picture on a layout!

Here’s another fabulous 2 page layout sketch by Heather and a layout she did with it! I love how Heather pulls these double page layouts together!