classes: pretty paper. true stories. {and scrapbooking classes with cupcakes.}

That’s better—we have a bit of light now so we can have some pictures! Next weekend I am teaching four classes at the Skrapztacular Christmas weekend—two layout classes and two project classes on Saturday.

Yuletide Magic is the first layout class—and we actually make two pages in class because we’ll use die-cut paper and cardstock lace to create two pages back to back, so when it goes in your album you can see right through it. There are two colour options for this class (you choose when you arrive) so although one is certainly Christmas themed, there is also a second colour option that could go with a wider variety of photo themes. And this is a class that you can add the photos either on the day or later (which is a bit rare for me!) so you don’t really even need to plan anything. The kit includes everything you need to make the double-sided die-cut layouts plus an additional 12×12 page to construct outside of class. Click here to book.

Sing, Sparkle & Shine is the other layout class and it too is two pages, and you’ll even have more left over in the kit to make two more after that, so it’s a blingy kit for four whole layouts. We’ll be working with a mix of new and vintage bling as well as glass, paint and a few other little tricks. Again there are two kit options so on the day you can choose something in Christmas colours or brighter florals. There are only a couple spots left for this one, so click here to book if you fancy!

I want to show you a bit more on the two project classes—one is a fabric book (I’m packing my sewing machine!) and one is linked to Journal your Christmas, where we’ll make the album together so you’re ready to go when December hits…so I’ll share those two classes with you tomorrow!

More info on the retreat is here and there is a chat thread here if you want to say hello to others who will be there!

xlovesx

PS: Tomorrow I am going to get caught up on all my email from when I was away, so if you’re waiting for a response, you should hear from me soon! Thanks for your patience!

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It’s not quite as fun as more wedding stories I want to share, but I still wanted to give you the heads up: all archived classes are on sale in the shop this weekend. Archived just means that these are scrapbooking classes that have already run and won’t be run on a set schedule in the future, but you can still sign up and download all the materials to work on the project at your own pace. You still get access to the forum for that class, but it may be a bit quiet (though actually, it may not). You could always convince a friend to sign up too then you’d have a guarantee of someone to talk to!

The sale is for this weekend only and includes:
When I Grow Up (including guest artists Joy Madison, Rosemary Waits, Nisa Fiin, Marcy Lambert, Jen Tillman, Stacy Fike, Alissa Fast and Natalia Harandon)
You Think You Know Me (including guest artists Anne Parry, Cheryl Johnson, Venessa Matthews and Kristina Contes)
There’s No Place Like Home (including guest artists Kate Bucci, Beshka Kueser, Allison Kimball and Barb Novak) (There’s also a kit to match.)
Worth a Thousand Words
My Freedom

Sale prices are valid just until Sunday night and only when purchased through the store, which means your transaction will be in priced in pounds. But the store takes cards in any currency, and you can even check your local currency against the pound here if you’re wondering what that price is in ‘real’ money.

If you sign up for a class during the sale, you will receive access to all the class materials on Monday. (If you’re new to our classes, you can speed this along by registering your name and password for our forum where you will be able to access the classes.) Your access to the class is permanent, so you can sign up now and leave the project for a rainy day if you like.

Sheesh, that’s more detail than I first thought! So here’s the short version: Hey! Stuff’s on sale! Cool!

Have a fabulous weekend! Happy scrapping!

xlovesx

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If you’re reading and relatively local to Kansas City, email me, pretty please. I’ve got some details for a super-duper-scrapping-something for the KC crowd and I’d love to send you the info!

xlovesx

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Thanks for all the entries yesterday. Here are our three winning numbers from the Random Number Generator.

The winners are:

1. Sarah Merritt (posted at 13:57)
2. Olga (posted at 18:02)
3. Lisa (posted at 22:29)

I’ll be in touch in just a bit to get you set up with a free spot for you and a friend.

Sorry to those who didn’t win this time! There is still time to join us if you would like to finish an album this summer. See all the details here.

xlovesx

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I’ll keep it short and sweet today: comment below and you’ll be entered in a drawing for a free place for you and a friend on the new class, My Freedom.

Entries close at 8am Sunday, London time.

If you’ve already signed up for the class, you can still enter and win. If your name is selected, you can give the place to a second friend or have your money back and enjoy the class for free!

I’ll pick three winners Sunday morning—class starts Monday!

Good luck!

xlovesx

ETA: entries closed…will post winners shortly!

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I promised a bit more info about My Freedom, and it comes in two parts. A little about style and a little about content.

Let’s start with style.

The class notes mention that you’ll see four albums come together over the completion of the prompts – each in a specific style: stream-lined, contemporary, arty and digital. That’s just the four versions that are done before we start—of course, you’ll also get to see the albums from fellow students come together as you share the creative journey.

Identifying four styles for this class certainly doesn’t mean there are only four styles possible—they are merely a sampling and a springboard. Take direction from the one most like your own style or try something in an entirely different style to what comes naturally. Or if style and scrapbooking in the same sentence ties you up in knots, use this album as an exercise in finding out what works for your scrapbooking. Each album points out design tips along the way, so trying something new is easy, while you’re also free to ignore the design ideas entirely and strike out with something that is undeniably you.

Your completed album will be at least twenty pages and you can actually finish this project within the five weeks, as there’s never one day with an uneven balance of stuff to do. Plus you have the weekends to give you a little break and keep a spring in your storytelling step. There is the option to add extra pages, especially if you would like to incorporate stacks of photos, or if your style would like to embrace a little more space here and there.

You can create the entire album using your own stash, and you can even get ready early if you want—registered students can access a from-your-stash shopping list this Friday. Or you can have almost everything you’ll need shipped right to your door: the kits used to create the projects in the prompts go on sale tomorrow at noon. There’s a little peek above, but you’ll be able to see more from each kit (including a sample page) in the shop tomorrow.

So tomorrow: shopping, a look inside each book and we’ll talk about what story we’re going to tell this summer.

Join this class here

xlovesx

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My Freedom is an online class for the summer. Over five weeks, we’ll put together a complete album designed to help you tell your story in a new way. Through daily prompts that focus on photography, storytelling and design, we’ll capture the spontaneity of life and put it in perspective with thoughts about the past, present and future.

Starting Monday, the 7th of July, you’ll receive five prompts each week. We’ll start the week with our cameras clicking, as the photography prompts get you snapping photos that will inspire the stories we’ll be telling that week. The photography prompts are not technical and you don’t need a fancy camera to get these shots. There’s also the chance to search in your existing photo library for earlier shots that add perspective to the topic.

As the prompts continue in the week, we’ll focus on telling our own stories with certain topics in mind. Whether you love to journal or find it intimidating, you’re safe here. The journalling resources included in these prompts take you step by step and offer a variety of ways to add style to your writing without just recording the who, what, when, where and why. We’ll write stories in a way that will make them be read again and again.

In the design prompts, you’ll see how the same starting point can create several different styles of project, and you can choose the right style as your creative springboard. As the weeks go by, you’ll see four completed albums come together: a stream-lined scrapbook, a contemporary-styled album, an art journal and a digital album, with tips for creating in each style. As a bonus, you’ll also be able to download digital elements to add to your designs—they are suitable for printing out and including in paper pages or as elements in a digital scrapbook project.

Our classroom is a private message board where you can access a permanent archive of the class materials and also discuss the project and share your work with others. You’ll receive the daily prompts by e-mail, so it’s up to you whether you want to stay and chat on the board or get straight to work or save the project for a rainy day.

My Freedom, in summary:
...class starts Monday 7th July
...there are twenty-five prompts delivered Monday to Friday for five weeks
...all prompts are permanently archived so you can come back to the project at any time in the future
...all participants are invited to a private message board to discuss the project and share their work
...the completed album will be at least twenty pages, and works best in a format of 8×8 or larger.
...the album focuses on the world from your perspective

Between now and the 7th of July, I’ll post a few snippets from inside the albums to shed a little more light on the project.

You will need a forum name to join us. If this is your first class, just go here to choose a name and you’ll be all set.

Ready to join us? You can pay in Pounds Sterling or in US Dollars—simply click on the cupcake of your choice.

Things to remember:
Keep the email you receive from Paypal after you pay. This is your receipt.
The first prompt will be emailed to you on Monday 7th July.

Any questions, just let me know. Otherwise, stay tuned if you want to see a little more.

xlovesx

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Two limited-time special offers are available just for participants in Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers. Both offers expire at the end of Tuesday 14th June. Choose a new class, an archived class or both!

THESE OFFERS HAVE NOW EXPIRED.

For those looking for something new, a chance to sign up for the next brand new class at shimelle.com before it has even been announced. Admittedly, that means there is a bit of mystery! But I can tell you this much:
…it’s an album-focused class where you’ll be creating pages.
…there is much creative freedom built in so you can choose what size of album you want to make, whether you work on pages daily, weekly or just whenever you have time.
…prompts include all sorts of fun things like craft techniques, new ideas for things you already have in your stash, photos to take, words to write. a new little adventure in each prompt.
…class starts on Monday the 11th of July.
This class will soon open for registration at £10 or $16. But Beyond Blogging participants can sign up early at a discounted rate of £7 or $12.

For those who like to know the full outline before you sign up, a special price for the archived class Love your Pictures, Love your Pages. You can see the full class details here. This class ran last summer (July 2010) and all the materials are available for you to download and work through at your own pace, including the message board. Please note the discounts for Totally Rad Actions and Digital Photography School have now expired, but all the class materials are ready and available.

Love your Pictures, Love your Pages is usually £16 or $24. Beyond Blogging participants can add this class to your account for £10 or $16, but only until Tuesday 14th June 2011. Click to sign up in your choice of currency.

Please note the following for both classes:
You can pay by debit/credit card or Paypal account – choose your option from the screen that follows. Class registration can take up to 24 hours (though it is usually much quicker). If you do not see the class on your forum account after 24 hours, please send me an email so I can help.

If your Paypal account is under a different email address than you use for classes, please leave me a note or send me an email to let me know the email address you prefer. You can also buy either or both classes as a gift – again, I just need the email address for the recipient.

These special prices expire at the end of Tuesday 14th June 2011 and are not available beyond that point.

Any questions, just send me an email.
Thanks!!

-Shimelle

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