Card Making and Scrapbooking are NOT THE SAME!!!

Here's my first ever attempt at a card. It may well be my last...

YouTube link here - Anniversary Card

Thanks to Hannah and Stefan for their trust in me! And to the ladies at Charmed Talk for all their advice.

Kathy Orta Paperbag Book

Hi guys - so, so sorry that I have been away so long...getting married in a couple of months and have been incredibly busy making things - want to post pictures but seeing as at least one of you is invited (Mark) I don't want to spoil any surprises. Rest assured I will be posting pics of what I've been up to asap.

In the meantime here's a little something from a while back. Always wanted to make a paperbag book and when I saw Kathy Ortas (FREE!!!) tutorial series on YouTube I knew it was the one for me. Even down to using the same papers (Tim Holtz so can you blame me??). Used my own binding and cover system but otherwise its pretty similar. Don't think that's cheating - think its total flattery.

So please enjoy - its a bit of a long one but there's so much to see in the book I had no choice!

And here's the YouTube link Paperbag book

Live your own Fairytale

The trend right now seems to be on making folios - and they aren't exactly hard to do. Picked up a couple of Sarabinder folio blanks (from a local second hand shop no less) and put this little mini book together. Used BoBunny "Enchanted Garden" papers which are just so pretty (and I am in love with the little Gnome) and did a bit of sewing. Papers from my favourite online shop of course - charmedcardsandcrafts.co.uk.

Heres the link to YouTube - Live your own Fairytale

Hope you enjoy!

Alice

A Tim Holtz Configurations book housing my favourite parts of one of my favourite books. I'm thinking this should be a series I make?

Here's the YouTube link - Alice

Eerie Tale Mini Album

Sorry to be such a while between posts - had a lot going on here but I do have a few things saved up to show you...

The first thing is this wonderful mini album with a twist. The pattern/tutorial came from PaperHoarderDisorder who you can find either on the net or at her Etsy shop. Its really easy to follow and you seem to end up with an amazing looking project with the minimum of effort - just the way I like it!!

For those on tablets the YouTube link is here - Eerie Tale

For everyone else -

Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells Mini Album

Think this was one of the very first mini albums I ever made - its interesting to look back and see how much more polished my work is now!

As it was a pretty much first attempt I definitely scraplifted the album but it was a long while ago and I have no idea where from except it was someone on YouTube who had copied it off someone else. So if you may have an idea who it was I'd be grateful to know so I can at least credit them! And thank them for getting me hooked. Not sure of that's a good thing...anyway, here's the link to the video on YouTube - Graphic 45 Steampunk Mini

And if you're not on a tablet - here's the video first hand -

Competition win!

Want to share with you a little tag I made with my winnings from the Charmed Cards and Crafts Facebook competition.

Really enjoyed doing something a little bit different, so this is for Karen (the boss!) and the lovely ladies I've met at Charmed Talk I'm sure they'd be very happy to have you join them.

All I want...

Here's a little book I made showing just how hard it is to get a nice photo of my other half and I where we both look nice. I have one nice photo of him, and one nice photo of me. But we're not together.

It is impossible!

YouTube video here All I want...

Today I am mostly being helped by Loki.

Or not.

Mostly not.

The Evacuees..life before Graphic 45!

I wanted to share a little book I made back in 2009 to commemorate a school history project that my daughter, Rachel, was involved in.

Her whole class had to experience the life of a World War 2 evacuee and although its probably not the right reason to do it, she did look cute in her costume and the photos were mint!

I made this book before I had ever heard of Graphic 45 and its interesting to me how the little things I love about the Graphic 45 ranges kind of made their way into this album...enjoy!

YouTube link is here The Evacuees

And now for something completely different...

Been admiring lots of little felt creations on Pinterest lately and its inspired me to make my own.

So something completely different, here's the fruit of this afternoons (quiet and gentle) labours.

Inheritance

I mentioned to my daughter once that my scrapbooking was pointless because when I died it would all just be thrown away. She really surprised me by one of those looks ( you know, one of those TEENAGE ones) and said no. When I die she will actually put them where people can see them rather than in a cupboard.

That's me told.

Indian Summer Mini Album.

Love this little book. Beautiful papers and embellishments from Basic Grey's Indian Summer collection - the colours are so lush! from the usual - Charmed Cards and Crafts!

The book itself uses Kathy Orta's "Contessa" mini album - tutorial purchaseable from the Paper Phenomenon website.

YouTube video here - Indian Summer Mini and thanks again to YouTube for the awesome Audio Library Collection which is a real cornucopia of annoyingly catchy little tunes.

WARNING: There are NO Glossy Accents in this project.

Hangs my head in shame...

You know sometimes if you do something bad, if you say it out loud it sounds better? I bought a trolley from Ikea. And it wasn't cheap. But isn't it beautiful? I blame Pinterest. I saw a pin...

Comfort Zone? What comfort zone?

A proper little mini album using the Romance 6x6 Album tutorial from SoMuchScrap SoMuchScrap Romance Mini and the Prima Princess range from Charmed Cards and Crafts Charmed Cards and Crafts.

Not my usual style, this album took me way out of my comfort zone but I loved every minute of it. It's a good solid little album that thankfully isn't as delicate as it looks. A keeper!

Here's the YouTube Link - Prima Princess Album

Disneyland Paris 2006 - 12x12 scrapbook

I think this is still my favourite 12x12 scrapbook to date. It details a weekend at Disneyland Paris in 2006 that was loads of fun but actually has a really sad back story. We went in memory of my mum who had passed away two years previously and the album includes all the reasons why. But for me that's what makes scrapbooking the tale of my life. Its about the good and the bad and the journey through it all. And the coming out smiling on the other side.

Here's the link to YouTube - Disneyland 2006

 

So enjoy and smile! And I'm warning you - this is backed by an annoyingly catchy tune.

Lillie - my grandmother - mini book

This one is an oldie but a goodie (probably literally). It's such a long time since I bought the kit I have no idea who, why, what or when - maybe someone can enlighten me? Its jolly pretty, whatever it is and really gives the antiquey 1920s feel I wanted.

For you YouTubers click here - Lillie

Steampunk Spells Canvas

Bit of home décor for you today.

12x12" canvas using the Graphic 45 "Steampunk Spells" title pages and a whole bottle of Glossy Accents so best wear your sunglasses.

You can view on YouTube here - Steampunk Canvas

As mentioned in the video, here's the link to the rose tutorial from Sweet Bio Designs Rose tutorial

Spice Market Lapbook 2

I'm not sure which took longer to make - the lapbook or the video. Not helped by the fact I had to crop my belly and PJs out of most of the photos...

YouTube link here - Spice Market Not so Mini

or

You can find Kathy Ortas plan at Lapbook 2 Tutorial
My fave online shop at Charmed Cards

Also love the music for the vid which is one of YouTubes own - YouTube Free Audio Library

Shout Out...

Here's my shout out for this morning -

Mark - Cal and her crapbooks thanks you for taking my appallingly pixelated videos and making them watchable xx

www.charmedcardsandcrafts.co.uk for a constantly amazing next day service.

The Craft Cave in Stafford for the lovely ladies and amazing little treasure chest of a shop.

My family for your constant inspiration and tireless frustration "Mum! Mum!! Are we actually having dinner tonight??"

Sunshine at 5 a.m. on a Tuesday morning...

By the Sea - Graphic 45 Mini Album

Hi guys - today's offering is a look at my recent "By the Sea" mini album using those wonderful Graphic 45 papers.

I love Graphic 45 papers. It seems to me that the sheer variety you get in a paper pack means that anything you make is beautiful. There's always something to see, something to hide and something to interact with. They make it so very easy to make something amazing without hardly trying - every time.

If you can't see the video try the direct link to YouTube here - By the Sea - G45 Mini Album

Enjoy!

Chase Scrappers Film

If you're interested here's a link to a film made for a crop (now sadly disbanded) that I used to attend once a month.

Chase Scrappers

This time you get me and not my scrapbooks (although the "Home" one at the beginning is mine!).

Christmas in June

You gotta love Christmas in June...

If the bid doesn't work here's the link to YouTube - Christmas 2013 Graphic 45 Tag Book Box Album

This is my first ever video. It ain't as slick as Spielberg but it ain't a Tarantino either!

I'm Cal, and I Scrap...

Hi everyone, I'm Cal and I scrap. Not Cal and I'm crap, despite what Mark says.

Welcome to my blog. Here you'll find some short films about what I've done, links to cool sites I love and maybe even some of my random thoughts.

I'd love to hear yours - so get reading and watching and I'll see you on the other side...