Little Corner of Ania

Um. Pretty, pretty colors! Look at these colors for this month’s color-palette over at Crate Paper: Coral, Aqua and Butter Cream! Luscious, aren’t they!

Tara Anderson, the new hostess of the color challenges at Crate, also put together this inspiration-board for the colors…pretty! You’ll find the rules and stuff here, if you feel like joining in :)

The girl’s my sweet, sweet niece, by the way, taken sometime two years ago, before she started school.

Personally I whipped out lots of older Crate-products for this one. The background’s even from a very old collection: the Lemon Grass collection, hehe. I knew it was smart holding on to that sheet of paper ;p

Other stuff include a doily heart, some glimmer mist, Prima flowers and pebble, a Petaloo-flower, pins from Maya Road, tickets from Pink Paislee and papers and die cuts from the Pink Plum-collection.

Even bits and pieces from Toy Box and School Spirit were used..thickers from American Crafts and transparency from Hambly Screenprints. Mm..lots of bits and pieces on this one indeed..

And I like the idea of using vellum to soften the look further, although I’m not sure if it really came through on the photos of the layout here…

 

Psst! Sweet Nathalie Kalbach asked me to do a guestpost on her blog a while ago, and I was only too happy to oblige. You can find me and my answers to her questions here. And if you haven’t already, scroll down her blog and get to know different guests of hers – I love that she’s a mixed media artist and thus have guests from different areas of art – not “only” scrapbooking. She’s presenting guests on her blog whole April afaik.

 

Miss Marple Said,

11:04 AM

Thank you for showing the tutorial here! I love to see how you work an how simple it can bee with the right materials!
Haev a sunny day – Irma

 

Thank you so much! And yes – most of what I create is indeed quite simple and easy to do – I envy intricate and detail-orientated scrapbookers because of what they can do, but personally I often opt for the simple/easiest solutions haha :)

WillieburgScrapper Said,

3:13 PM

I think a disclosure page is a great idea! It's a little different for the scrap world because part of being a DT member is promoting the brand and your participation in the team but other industries (like beauty products or electronics) send samples to prominent bloggers in the hopes you will write about them without ever stating you got them for free. I worked at a fashion and beauty PR firm and that was my intern job- sending out the free stuff.
LOOOVE the accordion design on the mini- I will definitely try that- it's an elegant solution to the problem of binding without special products or stitching.

Thank you so much for the feedback on the disclosure-page, and yes, I agree – it’s different for scrapbookers and design-teams, which’s out there in the open imho. Nevertheless, I feel alright with having that disclosure-page up and going – if shit hits the fan so to speak I know I’ve done my share, having a page explaining stuff…I hope..haha.. :)

 

Maren Said,

3:09 PM

Du.
Kan.
Vi.
Lage.
Sånne.
Album.
Sammen.
En.
Dag.
Snart.
PLEASE?!

Det.

Kan.

Vi.

Vel!

:D

 

Shalini Said,

7:34 AM

love reading yr posts... and yr kids are so adorable... love hw u motivated them to cook...
i have been thinking and been after by DH to buy me a DSLR for so long :)) which one do u use?

Thank you :)

The camera I’m using is a Nikon D700 w/a 24-70 f/2.8 lens. The best tip I learned when being new to DSLR’s and not really knowing what brand I wanted, was to just try the cameras in your hand – and pick the one you feel is you. Most of the cameras out there atm are great and well advanced for newbeginners – so whichever camera you pick you’re sure to get a great camera nevertheless. If you have good friends or close family w/a DSLR already you may want to stick to their brand if there’s a possibility for you to borrow their lenses by the way.

 

~Sasha Farina~ Said,

12:29 PM

she should NOT stop doing those pose.. hahahha.. i love them!

Oh shaddap ;p

*grin* (yeah I gotta admit, she’s at the age when it’s still cute when doing that, but one or two frames is enough :p)

 

Right!

Date-night w/hubby scheduled for tonight – looking forward to that…going out to eat sushi..mmm…need to celebrate (or mourn..whatever way you wanna look at it ;p) that I’m starting at a new (well, new-oldish) job on monday…:)

Been a while since I re-posted some of the older tutorials (to new readers: I’m trying to gather my various tutorials placed randomly around the web – so I can have them all gathered on my blog). Here’s the first tutorial I did for Crate Paper back when I started designing for them (you can also find this one on their blog here).

The below is taken from the tutorial-post:

 

Ania here with my very first tutorial for Crate Paper - Yay! First, let me come clean and admit something. This project - a mini album - came together because I've recently been a bad girl. I promised my mom (as usual) that I'd send grandma a postcard (as usual) during my vacation, but some how, I kept putting it off 'til it was too late. Ugh. Bad & Embarrassing, I know. So, I figured I'd make up for it by making her a mini album instead..but, don't think I'm good because I made her a mini. I'm actually terrible at making amends...

There - I said it! Let's continue, shall we?!

Here's what you'll need:

• At least two sheets of Patterned Paper (Restoration Collection)
• Embellishments (Restoration & Pink Plum Collections)
• Scoring Tool/Bone Folder
• Ruler
• Mod Podge/Sealer/Multi-Medium Matte (Claudine Hellmuth)
• Adhesive (Both Liquid & Double-sided)
• Sewing Machine
• Bazzill Cardstock
• Fiskars Edge Puncher
• Staples
• Adorn It Letters/Alphas
• Prima Flower

Cut a strip of the patterned paper you'd like as your cover. Based on my photos (which was four images printed on a 4" x 6" sheet) I determined my mini would be 3 1/4" tall and 4.5" long (the cover is slightly longer - the inner pages are 4.5" though). Using a center finder ruler, measure the area in the middle to create a series of accordion folds for the binding of the album (an extra inch or two of paper length required for this part of the album - think about this when trimming paper for your own album.)

Note: In hindsight, I should of probably used a separate piece of cardstock or double patterned paper for this part (accordion section), because in the end, there was a noticeable amount of white between the pages. I loved the edges of the die-cut paper though, so I had to use it!

Measure so that you can create nine creases between between the front and back of your album (yielding four "inner-tops" = 8 pages (front & back)). This part is when I wish I had some kind of scoring tool! :P If you're without one, use a metal ruler or bone folder instead.

 

Take a sheet of patterned paper, cut one side to 9", then turn and cut it into "four" 3" strips. The inner pages should be slightly smaller in height.  Fold them in two (yielding 3" x 4.5" pages for your mini).

 

Optional: Paint the cover with mod podge/sealer to make it stronger.

While the cover is drying, create a cover-embellishment for your album. I opted to create a frame using pieces from the Restoration collection: Chipboard, Paper, Rub-Ons & Stickers. Test your embellishments loosely before adhering them down.

Here is my finished cover piece: Layered Paper, Chipboard Frame & Flower, No. 19 Rub-On, Label Sticker, Rhinestones & Button w/Tie.

Decorate your inner pages. I loved this pattern paper, Slipcover, so much that I didn't want to cover it up. Hence this simple set-up with bare patterned paper, photos and an occasional brad or chipboard piece.

Note: you can also trim the pages individually, though I wanted to preserve the folds.

After all the pages are done, adhere the pages together. Apply liquid glue to each crease and insert page into crease - press the crease around the page to ensure that page adheres appropriately. Make sure the page is deep into the crease and all the way in. Rinse & repeat with the other pages.

When done, press the mini together (watch out for adhesive between the pages themselves - wipe any spilled glue away)

I decided to make a small spine cover to place over the creases of my album. Pre-measure and trim to size a small section of pattern paper to fit over the spine and punch edges using a decorative border punch (fiskars). Don't forget to apply mod podge/sealer to this one as well!

Apply adhesive the sides (not middle section!) of inner spine cover. Add to album and leave in place!

 

ll righty - all that remains is to adhere the cover-embellishment we made earlier on!

And here's the finished mini in all it's glory..let's hope grandma enjoy this so much that she'll forget I didn't send her a postcard this Summer *cough* :)

 

 

There you have it :)

 

By the way, after much hemming and thinking, I’ve decided to create a disclosure-page – found on the top of this blog. Tbh, to me it’s pretty evident that when you’re part of a design team, part of your “job” is to create samples and stuff with their products and then sharing what you have created – plus the occasional promote-post re. things they do and stuff. And even after your term with them ends, you usually still have lots of products from the time w/the manufacturer, and you still find the time creating stuff w/them and stuff – even if you’re no longer “obligated” to.

 

I join design-teams because I love the products they produce (more or less – you can’t really love *everything* although some manufs really come close ;) – and even products I initially go “uhm, no, that’s so not me” about – have usually been the ones I’ve used the most/loved more and more over time, haha), and the love of using said products doesn’t end within a date.

 

However, there’s a Norwegian discussion about bloggers and promoting, and although I personally never really compared myself to the bloggers the discussion’s been about (plus, my design teams haven’t been “secret” either), I figured it’d be better to come clean w/an own disclosure-page explaining how things are for those not really aware how scrapbooking&designteams work just in case. Better safe than sorry? :p

 

I dunno..have you seen disclosures on scrapbook-blogs? (apart from the sites like Craft Critique, who receive samples to review them)

If you’re fast enough, you still have time to enter the grand giveaway over at the Crate-blog & get some spring-y inspiration to boot. Here’s my contribution: a simple spring basket filled w/chocolate-eggs…(my favorite: the ones w/marzipan as core…mmm…)..materials: pretty much all but the flowers hails from the Crate Paper Portrait-collection.

 

I was also asked to write something about me for scrapping.no, who wants to hm, what’s it called – profile? put the spotlight on? feature? – various scrapbookers. It’s a bit lengthy (I was sent a list of questions and I just wrote my answers back, but in the article only my answer’s in print, not the questions…so I’m not really that good at talking alot about myself and what I do in scrapbooking, haha :p) It’s in Norwegian by the way. Thanks a lot for featuring me, scrapping.no! :)

 

Right. Have lots to do this week, so better get going!

I’ve been so extra sucky at snapping photos of the kids w/my DSLR ever since I got the iPhone (hm. Last time I’ll mention the iPhone, I promise..for a while..), so here’s some photos I forced myself to take w/the DSLR :)

Gotta admit….the DSLR sure is handy when it comes to Earth Hour ;)
ISO 800 – 24mm – f/2.8 – 1/20 sec

ISO1600 – 24mm – f/2.8 – 1/25 sec

And here’s the glow-necklace I talked about (on IG I think) – it glows in the dark and continued to do so for at least 18-24 hours..think..rave..haha... The kids found this fun :) You can’t really see him (because he kept moving and it’s quite dark), but Adrian is helping Amalie wearing this “necklace” here.

ISO1250 – 26mm – f/2.8 – 1/25sec

The kids had their cousin sleep over the other day, and cooked us dinner (the keyword is to tell them you’ll judge their food and throw the dice to give them grades ;p That’ll make them all over this task ;p)

I told Adrian he was the master chef in charge (as he was the only one w/some experience cooking dinner on his own of these kids) – and he rose to the challenge, delegating responsibilities and showed them what to do if they wasn’t sure….so cute to watch..I knew he’d be good at this, I’ve seen how he naturally takes charge when playing WoW w/the others, but still..nice to see it play out in irl-fields too :) )

This dude told us we just had to back up his story, telling his mom he actually DID cook..apparently for the first time in his life…hehe…

We gave them 5 out of 6. They weren’t satisfied with us explaining that they needed to have something to reach for, hence no 6, so they ran to grab a dice & threw it until they all got 6 :p

It was quite foggy when I was gonna put Amalie to bed, so I told her “quick, grab a dress and let’s go out for a bit” :p I dunno, I was hoping for a bit more fog, but hey, a little fog is better than no fog :p She oughta quit doing these poses though..

To which I told her: “Ok, enough now, do something else” – “hmmm!”

Then she gave me this,.. :p

And this…

And this..and then we went back into the house to brush her teeth and read her a book :p

Hoping for more fog soon…fog equals cool backgrounds…plus….I only got to snap photos of her while the cars were passing once – the other times I couldn’t focus in time, sniff…they create such cool light-trails in the fog sorta (see first fog-photo)…(all fog photos: ISO1250, f/2.8, 24mm, 1/40sec)

Hoopla…busy week inc…my last one before starting work for real next week :)

I’ll admit, scrapwise I work in a very weird tempo…I try to get deadlines off the way, so I won’t have to stress about them – while in reality I *do* stress about them while working on getting them off the way – then I twiddle my thumbs and try to find challenges and other stuff to occupy myself with when I don’t have any deadlines…(which would mean – I should rather space out the deadlines so I won’t stress at all, but ahwell)

I joined Sassafras’ March-challenge, doing blocking…fun one, and perfect for this mix of old and older Sass-papers :) The image (if you can find it :p it’s drowning a bit here maybe??) is of my daughters bedfellows..I need to snap a picture of her soft bedfellows (aka teddies and stuff as well :p)

Dang..I love these colors mixed together!

Here’s a note w/my journaling on, about her bedfellows..they count a Snow White, a Knights Horse, a dinosaur, Bakugans and some princesses, among other figurines.

I also joined a challenge at the Aussie Scrap Source, where the prize was to win a guest design-spot at Sassafras. I didn’t reach up, but it was fun scrapping this layout (I don’t like the other one much, sigh..bu this kiting one I love :) ). They have another contest going on atm, where you can win a guest-spot at Websters Pages by the way, if you have a fair bit of their stash lying around at home :)

Lovelovelove these little monsters!! Plus, I love the Pink Paislee-tape I used to “tape” on the picture…love that careless look it gives..

And I’m proud of this kite (how original..not ;p), which was put together by sewing the borders together around a diamondshaped piece of patterned papers, cutting a star-sticker into pieces for the “tail-end” and using these buttoned&sewed-upon flowers to decorate it.

 

This was the other layout I sent in, but tbh, I’m not really feeling it – I think it turned out a bit too busy/messy/boring..hmm..maybe if the photos were clean b&w? Hmm…ahwell…it still documents an important aspect re my daughters food-habits – how she wants her slices to be made. I have several other photos and ideas/themes for new layouts re the food-habits of the kids..they’re peculiar when it comes to what they eat and how the food is supposed to be made! And I love that w/my iPhone it’s so easy to just snap a quick photo before serving them food hehe…

Ahwell!

 

 

Now onto something else – Spring Fever over at Crate Paper! :D

Spring is fast approaching (but none too fast it seems, hrmf!) and you’ll find spring-ish inspirations over at Crate Paper – as far as I am aware there will be at least three Spring-posts with chances to win collections and surprises in each – so if you like Crate Paper I wouldn’t miss these opportunities! :)

 

And finally – don’t forget to tune into Pencil-Lines tonight where the new DT finally is going to start their new era – I know I’m excited to see what they’re coming up with :)

I have a new tutorial up at the Crate Paper-blog – you can find it here. I’ll probably put it up here on my own blog in a while, but for now – just head over there to see it for yourself :)

It’s a Children’s Art Storage-book I made my daughter because she kept handing me small sheets filled with her drawings or stickers telling me to hold on to them for her..and I’m like, dude, keep the sheets in your notebook, stop tearing them out cause they’ll only get lost! But noo..part of the fun with notebooks apparently is to tear out the pages after finishing them, despite it making it difficult for me to hold on to a zillion small pages :p So..I made her this book :)

I love how she’s trying to draw things she sees…the bunny seen here is a drawing of Super-Bunny, a French childrens book we recently read…hehe..she’s good methinks!

Had to find the image to show you…teehee…*proud mama* ;p

Here’s the book..it’s quite simple to create – a bit like binding your own book I guess, although I’m using the sewing machine here..

Here’s a peek of the making-of-process..

Go ahead, try it for yourselves! :)

 

Thank you so much for the lovely comments on the babypictures by the way!

pattyo Said,

1:34 AM

Oh, so many beautiful photos! Regarding finding an afghan as a prop--your friend Banglamarie makes beautiful ones.

Oh I well aware, and I’ve seen and know how much time these take – and I “just” want to use it as a prop – so I don’t think I can ask that of her or any of my friends :) Better look at flea-markets and second-hand-stores methinks. Didn’t know it was called afghan though, thanks! :)

 

Cassie Said,

5:02 PM

Beautiful card! The photos are gorgeous! I am following your pinterest boards now too!! =)

Thanks! Although I think my pinterest boards sucks, it’s just for my personal use so I won’t forget this and that....I don’t seem to browse and come across as nearly as many lovely things the other ladies seem to do! :D

Nati Tristan Said,

2:31 AM

Your family is beautiful! that church is beautiful as well!

Thank you! Yes, it is – I’ve only seen it from the outside before, and was pleasantly surprised and delighted over the bright and lovely colors inside :)

Eli Said,

8:41 AM

Herlige dåpsbarnet :) Knallflotte bilder; ser ut som at dagen ble helt perfekt! (og bare hyggelig å kunne være behjelpelig med lue; ble litt lettet når Pia sendte mld om at den passet :) )Klem

Du reddet oss ut av en knipe der, takktakk! :)

Silje Said,

12:13 PM

Ååååh! Herlige bilder, Anne Jo.
Og - jeg er forelsket i bestemoren din.

missusem Said,

6:18 PM

So good to see the generational love between all of you. You have a lovely family Anne! :)

pattyo Said,

11:57 PM

What wonderful, precious photos! Love the baby's christening gown and the traditional Norwegian dress.

Thank you both!