Instead of highlighting a specific word this week, I wanted to share some wonderful Spring related quotes with you! So if you’d like to enter a page for this week using one of the quotes below, we’d be delighted to share it on the blog!

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Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!”
- Robin Williams

Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer.
- Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.
- Charles Dickins

Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn. ~Quoted by Lewis Grizzard in Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.
- proverb

Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!
~Thomas Blackburn, “An Easter Hymn”

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden. ~Ruth Stout

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. ~Hal Borland

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So show us your spring quote creations… anything will do… a card, a mini album or scrapbook page. Post a link in the comment section or email your creation to Tara at thynner5@yahoo.ca .

Good luck!

Here is a quick and easy tip for everyone today.

If you would like a fun alternative to journaling on regular cardstock why not print it out on a transparency? If you place it on patterned paper and you can’t really see your journaling then pull out your paint. Put a small dab of paint on your palette. Dip your brush in and brush it off on some paper before painting on the transparency. This will get rid of the excess paint. Then dry brush on backside of your transparency. It is better to put it on a little at a time and layer as needed than to put on too much.

Remember that when you are printing on transparencies to change the paper setting on your printer. It is also good to print on the rough side of the transparency as well. This will make the drying time minimal.

Here is a layout I did using Lucy Chesna’s April sketch: My Sketch World

I also incorporated this into my Day 1 Sisterhood of Scrap Challenge for thier online crop: Sisterhood of Scrap

If you decide to try this paint technique then you will eligible for this month’s blog draw. Please send your creations to: thynner5@yahoo.ca and put “CCAS Blog Challenge” in the title. You can also send in those tips to earn a ballot for the draw.

~Tara~

This week’s challenge is all about using some felt and some stitching!

That’s right! Pull out those felt shapes; flowers, flourishes, whatever shape you can find and add them to your page! I also want to see some stitching on your pages this week. Any kind of stitching will do… machine stitching, stamped stitches, rub-ons or hand stitching.

I the page below I used the Fancy Pants felt shapes along with some hand stitching using some embroidery thread.

So grab that felt and a needle and thread and let me see your creations!

Share your creations with us by linking to this post or email Tara at thynner5@yahoo.ca and type “Blog Challenge” in your subject line! And just for sharing with us, your name will be entered into April’s monthly prize drawing!

Happy scrapping!!!

Here is this week’s sketch puzzle. Hope you are still loving these sketch puzzles as much as I do. I have made a medium version and a hard version for you to solve. Please note that they are both of the same sketch.

medium version

large version

If you have any problems printing this sketch off just send me a pm or email me at: thynner5@yahoo.ca and I will send you the sketch. Please put: “Sketch” in the subject line.

Also, if you use this sketch as the foundation for your next layout and email it to me or provide a link you will be entered in this month’s Blog Prize Draw!!

Have fun!

~Tara~

Here in South Western Ontario, we are lucky enough to have Lisa Sales Furtney, owner of ScrapFest, bring her amazing scrapbooking show to Kitchener this year.

This year’s show will be held at the Kitchener Auditorium on Friday, April 11th and Saturday, April 12th, 2008.

Some of this year’s sponsor’s include:

• Fontwerks
• Fancy Pants Designs
• Cosmo Cricket
• Scrapbook and Cards Today
• Tilano fresco
• Tin Box Creations
• Blooms Titanium
• Prima Marketing
• Bluegrass Publishing
• Stix 2 Anything
• International Scrapbooking Association
• Picture It Pageframe
• Treasured Memories
• Ranger
• Clearsnap

Each year ScrapFest offers a wide assortment of classes that you can can attend.  This year’s classes are being taught by some of the industry’s most creative instructor’s;

Kerry McRorie, Editor-in-Chief of Scrapbook and Cards Today, Jenn Starr, owner of Jen Star Designs, Vicki Boutin, one of Canada’s leading scrapbooking experts and Trisha Ladouceur, Edmonton’s coordinator of Canada’s Crop for Kids.

Some classes still have openings.  Check out the class schedules to see if one of these amazing classes interests you… Class Schedules: Friday and Saturday.

For further information, check out the ScrapFest website.

We hope to see you there!!!

I am a font-a-holic!! I can admit it. I love fonts!! All types of fonts. I am contantly looking through the web for new, fresh and funky fonts. I thought I would share my addiction with you gals.

This week I have chosen a cute one called: Girls Are Weird

If you would like it on your computer you can download it for free here: Dafont

If you require instructions on loading your new font, they can be found in the Resources section of the blog: Resources

I would love to see any creations you make using this font. You can send it to: thynner5@yahoo.ca and put “font friday” in the subject line. You can also link you creations here as well. Anyone who does this will have a ballot for this months draw!

Enjoy your new font!

~Tara~

I was looking through some of the wonderful projects in the CCAS wiki today and I came across a tutorial for making a mini flip flop book that I had made a few years ago.

I thought I’d share it with you…. Flip Flop Book Tutorial. I carried this little mini book in my purse for about a year! I used to show people my pictures all the time!

Make one and share it with us! If you do so, your name will be entered in this month’s blog prize draw. Good luck!

I really love how versatile this week’s word is. I have chosen the word:

Always

1. Every time; on every occasion; without exception

2. All the time; continuously; uninteruptedly

3. Forever

4. in any event; at any time; if necessary

Here is a layout I did for The Scrapping Bug. It is of my sweet Paige.

I would love for you to be inspired to create something using this week’s word. It can be in your title, your photo(s) or your subject. Don’t forget that if you complete any sketch puzzle challenge, Monday challenge, wordy Wednesday challenge or submit a tip for Tip Tuesday then you will automatically be entered to win this month’s Blog Prize!! So get scrapping and either send them to me at( thynner5@yahoo.ca ) or link them in the blog!

~Tara~

Since we all love to capture moments to scrap and create with, I thought we could use some quick and easy photography tips.

Quick Sepia Pictures -  When taking pictures on an overcast, snowy day, cup your hand just above and in front of your lens. It will give your picture an almost sepia look.

Easy Event Photos -  Buy the one time use cameras from Wal-mart or wherever you shop most! Print address size labels explaining to your guests that they take pictures of whatever just leave the cameras on the table at the end of the day! Put the labels on the backs of the cameras and leave one on every table or just a few tables! Let your guest pass them around! It lets them have something to do while your mingling! The kids LOVE THEM!

Low-Light Photography -  When taking photos in low light situations tuck your elbows in to your sides and look through the view finder of your digital camera instead of the LCD screen because it help brace the camera.  Focus the camera, then take a deep breath and hold it until after you have depressed the shutter button. By bracing the camera and holding your breath, you have reduced camera shake and thus your pictures are not as blurry.

Where’s the Sun? -  A photograph is all about light so always think of how the light is striking your subject. The best bet is to move around so that the sun is behind you and to one side. This front lighting brings out color and shades, and the slight angle (side lighting) produces some shadow to indicate texture and form.

Search for the Little Things - It’s always tempting to use a wide angle lens and ‘get everything in’. However, this can be too much and you may loose the impact. Instead, zoom in with a longer lens and find some representative detail. A shot of an entire sequoia tree just looks like a tree. But a shot of just the tree’s wide base, with a person for scale, is more powerful.

Eye Glasses Glare - To reduce the glare that may appear off eye glasses, have your subject tilt them downwards a little so the flash or the sun will not reflect off them.

Say it in Sand! -  The next time you are at the beach, write the date and location in the sand and take a photo. This is a wonderful way to use a photo as a journal entry.

If you would like a chance to win this month’s Blog Prize then complete any challenge, send in a tip or technique or use one of the fonts on a layout or card. Send them to: thynner5@yahoo.ca and put CCAS Blog in the subject line.

This week’s challenge is one of my favorites. It is a nice and easy one to do. I would love for you to do a Quote Challenge. I did the following layout from some Daisy Bucket papers I got from The Scrapping Bug. Thanks Kim!

The quote I used was:

 ”A women should be two things, classy and fabulous.” ~ Coco Chanel 

I would love to see you use a quote on your next page. You can use the quote above or you can find one in the Resource Section: Quote Resource

Please email your creation to me at: thynner5@yahoo.ca and put “CCAS Blog Challenge” in the subject line. You could also link it to me here on the blog.

All creations will earn you a ballot into the Monthly Blog Draw! Good Luck.

~Tara~