23 Dec

12 Days of Christmas Crop & Hop – WINNERS

HELLO fellow Christmas enthusiasts and scrappers. This will be our last blog post of the year. It’s been a crazy year, and I’m so thankful for you all to be joining me on this journey.

But now, let’s get onto the reason you’re all here. =)

There were 176 people who participated in the crop party. We had 174 projects submitted, and 760 comments posted. That all adds up to 3581 entries into the draw.

Note: if you win a prize, you weren’t eligible to win another prize. We wanted to share the love around. =)

The winners of the Spotlight prize packs are…

Most Layouts Created: Karyn Schultz
Most Comments: Amanda Birchler
Most Challenges Used: Rachel Dutko

And now the Blog Hop prizes…

Papercut Labs: Lauren Tomecek, Aimee Dow, Amanda Case, Felicity Wilson
A Piece of Cake Designs: Melinda Sweetman, Lisa Johnston
Kellie Stamps: Amanda Hartmann, Louise Nelson
Heidi Swapp: Judith Armstrong, Lauren Sims
The Scrappery: Lesley Jaskowski, Lorraine Bate
Seriously Scrapbooking: Julie Evers, Miriam Prantner
Maya Road: Lizzy Hill, Gail Hutchinson
Stampin’ Up!: Jasmine Tarnawsky, Paperpapier Blogspot
Scrapmatts: Emily Aybar Flanders, Renee Gabriella Johnson
D-lish Scraps: Nicky Normandale, Ashan Charmane Wimalaratne
Studio Calico: Donna Macpherson, Tammi Harris

If you’re name is on the list, please email Ellen at hello [at] papercutlabs [dot] com with your name and address and we’ll get your prize out to you in the new year!

From Papercut Labs, I hope you have a wonderful holiday!

15 Dec

Blog Hop: Adding Atmosphere (the Stampin’ Up! post)

Welcome, welcome to the Papercut Labs’ 12 Days of Christmas! Over twelve days the hop is providing you with some awesome Christmas projects to inspire you and (if you’re not already) get you totally in the Festive Spirit! To keep up with the hop and where it lands each day: visit our information page. And don’t forget to join the crop event for chances to win the giveaway prizes.

So where are you in the hop? DAY EIGHT! Make sure you check the blogs that have already provided inspiration, and head on over to Scrapmatts tomorrow for day nine.

Monday, 8 December 2014: Papercut Labs
Tuesday, 9 December 2014: A Piece of Cake Designs
Wednesday, 10 December 2014: Kellie Stamps
Thursday, 11 December 2014: Heidi Swapp (via Kim Jeffress)
Friday, 12 December 2014: The Scrappery
Saturday, 13 December 2014: Seriously Scrapbooking
Sunday, 14 December 2014: Maya Road (via Angella Peardon)
Monday, 15 December 2014: Stampin’ Up! << YOU ARE HERE
Tuesday, 16 December 2014: Scrapmatts
Wednesday, 17 December 2014: D-lish Scraps
Thursday, 18 December 2014: Studio Calico
Friday, 19 December 2014: Papercut Labs

Editor’s note: The Pacific region of Stampin’ Up! doesn’t have its own blog, so we talked it out with them. We’re hosting their post — and we’re so happy we are!

Today, Susan from Stampin’ Up! joins us and helps create some atmosphere to any Christmas table.

Stars Over-the-Table Christmas Mobile

Supplies:
Inks: Versamark
Papers: Bermuda Bay, Marina Mist, Pistachio Pudding, Whisper White, Coastal Cabana, Soft Sky, Pool Party, Naturals Ivory, Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper
Stamps: Bright & Beautiful
Accessories/Tools: Gold and Silver Stampin’ Emboss Powder, Stars Framelits Dies, Adhesive (I used Dimensionals and Sticky Strip)
Driftwood
Cotton Thread
Hemp twine or other for hanging
Two eyelet screws for ceiling

Make approximately 30 stars (see below — note, the smaller stars were left unscored, as you can see in this detailed photo). This depends on the length of your driftwood/branch/dowel of course. Make sure your threads are all about a 60–80cm long so you have some play when hanging.

Tie on your stars at varying lengths and hang to the ceiling. A friend to help you place it and get the strings the right length is definitely helpful!

Dipped Pinecones

Supplies:
Pinecones, Baking Trays, Tin Foil, Paint of your choice

I went cone collecting with my four-year-old daughter where we braved all the bugs hanging out under the pine trees.

Bring them all home and bake on a tray lined with foil for two hours at 110C/225F.
This melts off the sap, kills all the creepy crawlies, dries out the cones and opens the ones that are closed. Plus it fills your home with a beautiful woody aroma!

Let them cool then remove any loose bits including the seed pods.

Dip in paint, drain as much paint off as you can then place on a fresh tray lined with foil and let dry. You could add glitter too if you’re game!

05 Dec

Five Minutes with… ANGELLA PEARDON

Today is another Five Minutes With interview — this time with OTP Queen Angella Peardon.

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1) We’re coming into summer (yay!)–how do the seasons effect your crafting?

The hot weather means I tend to scrap a lot later into the wee hours then the cold winter season, but I do find that the seasons reflect into more of my colour mood board that I scrap with.

2) You’re on the Maya Road DT and the Simple Stories DT. Could you name your top three products from each for the silly season?

This is a hard one as I have so many favourite products! But, if I had to choose… For Maya Road, I’d go with: cotton spools, trims and wood. For Simple Stories: DIY Christmas range, photo stickers and insta squares.

3) What about non-DT related items?

You can’t get me away from anything vintage. I’ll pick up all sorts of bits and pieces. At the other end, I love digital brushes. And I love fabric, it gives my projects a different feel to them.

4) How do you go about recording your Christmas season?

Simple: mini books and more mini books. lol.

5) Any big plans for next year?

I’m teaching in Europe in May and June next year, but I’m also continuing work on a new project (in the scrappy industry) that I have been planning on for some time.

Thanks so much for spending time with us today, Angella!

03 Dec

Five Minutes with… KELLIE WINNELL

Today, I’ve been lucky enough to interview the wonderfully talented, Kellie Winnell, blogger of Give a Girl a Blog, owner of stamp business Kellie Stamps. And she’s one of our sponsors for the 12 Days of Christmas event!

First, a few of Kellie’s most recently layouts:

1) Tell us your papercraft story. The how, the why and the when.

I’ve been papercrafting for almost 8 years. WOW that seems like a lot when I say it like that and to be honest it doesn’t feel that way with learning new things all the time. I started out scrapbooking, moved to purely cardmaking for a few years, back to scrapbooking, smash books then to project life and haven’t looked back.

2) Project Life seems to be your preferred style, what was it about PL that appealed to you?

The story telling, the memory keeping and the documenting of everyday life. In this day and age we all take so many photos. I like that this system allows for me to use many in one spread and share them with my family and my blog readers.

3) What made you want to start your own stamp business? Where do you find your design inspiration?

I started because when I was getting into Project Life I was frustrated with the lack of Australian way in stamping. I look back and I’m so glad I got into this, I absolutely love it. I get it from my family. By this I mean I look back over my album and think, what quote would suit that photo, saying etc and I go from there. People tell me, it’s like you’ve designed them for my pages. In a way they are?

4) Who are your favourite papercrafters?

Oh boy this list might never stop, no lie, many many amazing talented people. My go to for inspiration of late are Trisha Harrison, Jodie York, Rachel Del Grosso and Jessica Upton.

5) What has been the biggest lesson for you in papercraft? What’s the best piece of advice?

Two birds, one stone here… Don’t compare would be a lesson I learnt and my advice for you. I know some people don’t do this at all and my hat goes off to them. Then I know many people that have done or do and have blogged about it. Once I start comparing I start to get doubt in my work, design and pages. When I’m not? I’m on a roll, loving every moment and enjoy it so much. Lesson learnt!

To finish off, some more layouts!

Thanks so much for talking to me today, Kellie!

01 Dec

More December Goodness!

We’ve done a little thing today.

We’ve made our ENTIRE Christmas class free, until 31 December 2014. All you have to do is sign up for an account here at Papercut Labs. (If you want, you can ‘buy’ the free product, but you don’t even need to do that. You just have to sign up.)

If you’ve ever wondered how our classes run or what they’re like, this is a great opportunity. And the best part? Once you have it, you have it forever! It doesn’t matter if the price increase, or if we no longer sell it, YOU will always have it.

Do a little dance and celebrate! And while you’re doing that, think about joining our previous classes. They have finished, but are still up for sale!

30 Nov

December Gift – Freebie Wallpaper

It’s summer here in Australia, so I’ve been looking for a way to spice up my computer screen. All my favourite graphic designers who give away wallpapers are based in the Northern Hemisphere so everything is dark and dreary or has been autumny.

As with all things, when I couldn’t find it, I had to do it myself!

I wanted something that said water while also being fresh. I bring you the blue watercolour-inspired wallpaper of the month!

There are three versions of the one wallpaper. One for all seasons, and two with a December calendar on it. (The circles behind the calendar are just slightly different. I couldn’t decide!)

Ready to download? Click the buttons below! (Note, sometimes you may need to click the button twice–for some reason, occasionally it’ll take you to a blank page. =( )

24 Nov

A bit of fun: SUMMERTIME PLAYLIST

My office is filled with stuff. I have five Billy Bookcases (thanks Ikea) that are double stacked with books piling up in front of it on the floor. I have boxes of crafting things, either freebies from some generous people or things that I bought because how could I not? The problem with having a tiny office/study area is that the ever-leaning, almost-tipping piles of things around me sometimes distract me. They pull me away from things I should be doing.

My solution: music.

I sing, out loud, to music, all the time. I’m grateful that I’m the only one at home so no one has to be put through my cat screaming. (The only place I sing louder is in the car when I’m alone.)

I thought, there has to be other people, with offices–or craft rooms–that threaten to fall on top of them daily as well? Maybe they need a bit of sing-therapy.

HENCE, the Summer Crafting Playlist. A playlist guaranteed* to make sure you are GTD (Getting Things Done). A lot of the playlist is pop-y, and dance-y, and it will definitely make you want to sing along.

Focus on the singing and the Leaning Tower of Books / Papers / Crafting will disappear and you can actually get some creating done.

* I can’t actually guarantee it. But it works for me!

19 Nov

Let the fun begin! (12 Days of Christmas)

Today is the day! Tonight at 7pm (Australian Eastern DAYLIGHT savings time), the challenges will be released and you can start creating and getting entries.

A reminder of the ways to get entries:

1. By joining the crop party event, you get an entry into the giveaway draw.
2. By creating a project (card, layout, OTP, something paper-y) inspired by the challenges, and uploading it to the event page, you’ll receive SIX entries into the giveaway draw. (Make sure you tell us which challenges you used!)
3. By commenting on a project on the event page, you’ll receive an entry into the giveaway draw.

UPDATE: They do not need to be Christmas pages, unless you’re using challenge 12 (“Must be Xmas-y!”).

Remember: You need to have posted your projects to the EVENT PAGE by midnight, Saturday 6 December. (You should be able to add a post to the event page (this link is an image), you can also upload a picture here.)

Number two needs a little further explanation.

You’ll get six entries if you make a card using challenge one. But, you’ll get twelve entries, if you make a card using challenge one and challenge three. You can use as many challenges as you like and you’ll get six entires for each challenge used.

Not only that, but you can reuse challenges! Let’s say you’re really inspired by challenge eight. You make a layout, two different cards (not a set) and use it in your December Daily. You’ll get twenty-four entries for those four projects.

Imagine the possibilities!

In the week since the last blog post, we’ve been figuring out bonus prizes to give away. So there are some special prizes that you’ll need to work for, but these prizes are still in development, so we can’t entirely share them. How do you get them?

One of the prizes will be given to the person with the most entries. One will be given to the person who used the most challenges on one project. Another will be given to the person who creates the most projects.

If you miss the crop, don’t forget to check back here at about 8.30pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time — we’ll update this post with all the challenges!

17 Nov

EXPLORE with Tarrah today!

Today, blogging team member Tarrah takes us through the creation of the below layout: Explore.

Explore

The video has been sped up so you can see Tarrah in action in just over two minutes. (Note, this layout did take 30 minutes to make.)

12 Nov

12 Days of Christmas! (Blog Hop & Crop Party)

We’ve been pretty quiet lately. Who can blame us with two amazing classes running at the moment: Flashy Cards Fast! and Fun & Funky Christmas. But that’s not what we’re talking about today.

Let’s talk about the Christmas celebrations!

We’ve joined together with a multitude of business (as seen in the picture at the very top of this post) to give YOU a little Christmas cheer. Each business has put together TWO giveaway prizes just for you.

That’s TWENTY FOUR prizes in total.

We’ve got some of the prizes displayed below.

I guess the question is, how do you win one of these amazing gifts?

It’s really easy.

1. By joining the crop party event, you get an entry into the giveaway draw.
2. When the crop opens next week Wednesday, by creating a project (card, layout, OTP, something paper-y) inspired by the challenges, and uploading it to the event page, you’ll receive SIX entries into the giveaway draw.
3. By commenting on a project on the event page, you’ll receive an entry into the giveaway draw.

Simple, right? We’re honestly trying to help you get your Christmas crafting done. =)

(Unfortunately FB have changed their giveaway/competition rules and we can no longer ask you to like pages–which honestly would have been easier.)

And what’s this about a blog hop?

WELL, we’re glad you asked! Starting on Monday 8 December, each of the giveaway suppliers (what would you call them? I can’t think of a better term) will be posting a creative project on their blog. And on the same day, here on our blog, we’ll be announcing the winners of their giveaway.

I hope that’s clear. I’ve been thinking about this for months now, that sometimes details get missed when I try to explain it. So if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to comment below.

P.S. We know that the 12 days of Christmas is actually AFTER Christmas, but we really like the idea of 12 days. Please forgive us!