ATDML Retreat Calendar Class with Simple Stories

Off the page creation for one of my retreat classes this last weekend, and I do love creating a calendar at this time of year. Not my idea, the use of these Ikea frames has been around a while but a fun and popular class nevertheless - made I think by the vibrant colours from Simple Stories Bloom papers.

Here are my pages, one for each month and using the black and white photos the colours just pop against the black card.

I'll share my other classes later this week.

My Minds Eye Wander class for ATDML Spring Retreat

I loved these travel themed papers from My Minds Eye Wander collection and my last class from last weekend's ATDML retreat featured a half pack of 6x6 papers, two of the 12x12 designs, cardstock, a 6x12 sticker paper and enamel dots in the kit.

We made three layouts in total, one with lots of banner elements hanging from a wavy top of the page and using elements cut from the papers and the sticker sheet. The second page shown here made a background from four of the 6x6 papers and a pocket behind the second photo with pull out tabs for journaling.

The last page used my favourite paper from the collections which gives the illusion of triangles of bold colours placed together to form the background, the edges along which we added faux stitching.

I then made a pocket to sit to the right of the photo with elements tucked in side but stuck down so none moved and then we drew the white tag directly onto the background for the journaling. I made a few pages for the passport making it 3D and added plenty of stickers and elements cut from the smaller designs printed on the 6x6 papers.

I am definitely going to paper piece some other products together to achieve a similar look to the layout above, I am really happy with it!

Simple Stories Travel minibook for ATDML retreat

My second class at last weekend's ATDML retreat was a 4" mini book using Simple Stories new Travel range where I made a star book with plenty of interactive elements. Featuring photos from my trip to New York last year with my daughter for her 21st some delegates had photos ready to fill their albums and others made the book up ready to use to document a forthcoming trip.

I was mildly apprehensive about this class as mini book classes are harder to write instructions for and harder to teach than layout classes in my opinion but it actually went really well with great feedback from the attendees.

Back from a weekend away at the ATDML retreat

Back home again from the 22nd ATDML scrapbooking retreat this weekend with good friends and a tonne of inspiration. As one of the teachers the weekend combines relaxing scrapbooking and chatting with the girls with the work element of preparing and teaching classes and guiding delegates to create pages they are happy with. Some follow along with the class instructions and questions here and there and others are inspired to take elements of the design and alter to suit their photos or simply see the papers in a totally different way and create something completely different. Very often I end up being inspired by the delegates alterations and love them more than my own design!!

My first class used Pink Fresh Studio "Let your heart decide" papers where I made the page above focusing on the lovely epoxy heart stickers to crease a heart of hearts.

The second page saw more cutting out of hearts and layering on the fun background and using the square phrases with printed tape elements as frames for some additional smaller photos.
It was a nice "cut out lots of hearts" and layer class to start off the weekend which saw over a dozen classes and many challenges over three days.

I'll share more creations including my other two classes throughout the week in teh run up to their next virtual crop day this weekend.