Guten Tag!

German obviously and if you hear some poor bugger shouting “Hilfe!” it’s probably some poor lost German tourist looking for “help” in which case you step in and do your civic duty (which in South Africa usually means taking him home for a braai and a few Klippies and coke before putting him on the right track). I’m really starting to feel the buzz. Aren’t you? I’m just LOVING all the flags on the cars flapping in the wind. I obviously had to buy Phil a Pommy one but I’ve balanced it with a South African flag out the other window for fear of him been stoned.

Well here’s a first in my little home studio: I have a GUEST TEACHER this week on Wednesday. Yes, Melanie will be coming in to do her Ooh La La page. You know the black and white Fab Scraps range I showed y’all? That’s what she’s used. It’s a really lovely page incorporating a fabulous shaker box, glittered title and taffeta. She’s done it of her daughters dance pictures and has introduced pink card stock and pink beads (inside the shaker box) to complement the pink in the pictures but you could bring in any other colour you like. This page would work fabulously well with a variety of themes – from formal dance picture, wedding pictures to family shots. I also think it would look stunning with black and white pictures. You need:
4 jumbo landscape
2 (2up) portrait.
I’m hoping to be able to send you a pic of the page before Wednesday but if I don’t, I can assure you this page won’t disappoint. You need to bring your own beads or you can add them to your shaker box at a later stage.

Well, after that rush on the African Contrasts range, I’ve had to order more which should be in some time after the 7th. I’ve also ordered more of that fabulous pink and green range from Fab Scraps which some of you missed out on or want to do another page using the same paper. Do let me know if I must keep you a pack.

Next week’s evening class will be on Wednesday 2nd at 18h00 (or 18h30 as some of you seem to prefer). Please book.

Some of you have indicated that you might not be able to do too much scrapping during the holidays (when personally I think you need it most!) so we’ve decided to do a whole day of card making on Wednesday 9th. The idea is to bring along all your old co-coordinating scraps and left over bits and bobs and I’ll put out loads of stamps, embossing templates, ribbon etc and we just make gazillions of cards. I’ve been making lots of little mini cards which has been great fun. This will be an all day affair with a break for soup and crusty bread at lunch time. You are required to wear slippers and preferably a track suite or something comfy. And most importantly, something that shows where your alligence lies for the World Cup (hat, flag, face paint or whatever) If card making doesn’t blow your hair back, you’re welcome to come along and just scrap (and stay for soup or not). Please book for this so I know how many lentils to start counting out for the soup. Cost is R35.00 including lunch.

I was going to run the Comrades but my legs were wobbly before I had even made it to my car. Good luck to all of those of you who are undertaking this big run.

That’s my bundle for this week. Take care and happy scrapping.
Regards
Alison

I thought I’d end with these wise words from Bill Gates……..

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things he did not and you will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept sets them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2 : The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
Rule 6 : If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault , so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now.. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life!
Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Wild Times

Bonjour mes Belles Dames!
(that froggy language)

This newsletter come to you a day or two early because I’m off to Clarens for the weekend. Somewhere I’ve been dying to go to for ages. I’m nearly overcome with the excitement of finally going. I feel awful that I’ve turned so many of you away for Saturday – so sorry but I’m also a much nicer person if I have the odd break.

Next week’s page is “Wild Times” and has a {huge} number of photos and I do mean {HUGE}. Now, I do know that some of despise having booklets on your page so the good news is that you don’t HAVE to do the booklet – you would put pictures where I’ve done the cover and dispense with the rest. I’ve designed this page specifically for game park pictures (hence the massive number of photo’s – I’m one of those people who has to photograph the animal from four angels just to make sure I got the shot!) but it can easily be adapted to any theme buy changing the paper. I’ve used the Fab Scrap “African Contrasts” range (see attached) which has worked brilliantly if I say so myself. Some of you might also not want to make the booklet as thick as I have so this can also be reduced.
With this in mind, I’ve broken down the picture requirements page by page so that you can decide how big you want to go (with a summary of the total pictures at the end)
Page 1
Booklet cover: 3 (2up) landscape (10cm x 7.5cm)
Inside cover: 1 jumbo landscape (cropped to 10 ½ x 10cm)
Page 1: 1 jumbo portrait
2 (2up) landscape
Page 2: 3 (2up) landscape
Page 3: 1 jumbo portrait
1 (2up) landscape
Page 4: 2 jumbo landscape
1 (2up) landscape
Page 5: 3 (2up) landscape
Page 6: 3 (2up) landscape
Base 2 (2up) landscape
Page 2
4 (2up) landscape
4 (4up) landscape (7.5cm x 5cm)

Summary:
Jumbo Landscape: 3
Jumbo Portrait 2
2 ups Landscape 22
4 ups Landscape 4

If you want the page to look like mine, you’d need to bring the exact same pictures for the booklet cover and page 2. However, for the inside of the booklet, you can use any combination of jumbo, 2up or 4 up that you like (you can even just chop up all those gazillion jumbo’s you’re sitting with instead of printing specifically)
Now, the booklet made this all quite heavy so I’ve adhered the base page to a piece of cardboard and then put the booklet on with a paper fastener right through the board. You’ll need to bring along a piece of firm 12 x 12 board plus a paper fastener (of which I’m afraid I don’t have stock).
I also heat embossed the “Wild Times” title and the chipboard filmstrip. Please feel free to bring your own embossing powder or you can use mine for a small extra charge. You also need an ink pad for the embossing.
I’ve still got to put the finishing touches to the page – if I get time I’ll send out the picture.
Shucks! You might like to go and have a little lie down after reading all that.

Next week’s evening class will be on Thursday 26th. Please make sure to book.

I just have to end with this little letter to Truworths from Sipho which I thought was too funny for words……. I just loved the ending.


LETTER TO TRUWORTHS IN JOHANNESBURG

Dear Sir/Madam

I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 7 August 2009 in which for the 3rd time, you request that I pay the monies owed to you. I first want you to know that by no means do I dispute my debt and I intend to pay as soon as possible.

However I would like to bring to your attention that you are not my only creditor. I have many more creditors, quite as honourable and important as you, and whom I wish to pay too. That is why, each month, I throw all the names of my creditors into a hat and draw one randomly. The one drawn is paid immediately. I hope that yours will come out shortly..

Sincerely Yours,
Sipho

PS: I regret to inform you that given the harsh and threatening tone of your last letter, you will not be taking part in the next three draws.

Have a great and splendid weekend!
Best Regards
Alison

Oh So Cute!

G’day Sheilas!

I’ll get straight to the point…..
Next week’s page is one designed by Di Gar and lovely it is too. I’ve called mine “Oh So Cute”. The paper is the Kaiser Craft La Di Da range and has a lovely fresh and clean look to it and it ideally suited to a young person but I don’t see why it can’t really be adapted to any age really. See attached.
The pictures are 4 jumbo which I chopped down to: 1 (10 x 11) cm / 2 (9 x 9) cm / 1 (9 x 10) cm and two 4 up’s. I did my photos slightly differently to Di. I’ll show you her layout when you arrive. She used 4 jumbo portrait trimmed down.

The next evening class is on Wednesday 19th at 18h00. I was going to do a Thursday 20th evening class as well but I completely forgot its Bee’s card class at the Pigeon Racing Club at 17h30. Sorry girls, we’ll have to wait until the following Thursday.

Loads of delicious new stock in. Do pop in for a peek.
My fingers are covered in ink and grunge as I’ve just been to a really interesting product knowledge day. Used lots of fabulous inks, embossing, smooching, dabbers etc which I hope to incorporate some time soon into our scrapping.

I don’t much feel like talking today so I’ll keep it short.
I leave you with this little neurological test which I hope you all pass.
Take care, blessings to you all and have a marvelous weekend.
Regards
Alison

Les & Jess

Hola Senoritas!
(Spanish)

Well, that’s another week flashed on by.
I’m dealing with something of a catastrophe! – water got into my “work in progress” box (some of which dates back to the time of cholera). All the boxes are covered in a layer of mould with which I could start my own penicillin dispensary. These are all incomplete works from various workshops I’ve attended over the years at great expense and every year I vow to complete them. Perhaps they have always been destined for the bin.

This week’s page: “Les and Jess” requires a mere 8 (8cm x 8cm) pics. I’ve used the Fab Scraps Urban Chic range which would look stunning with sepia or black and white pics although I’ve used colour. The shades are pink, limy green and brown which works well for a more feminine page but I’ve worked out that by just changing the background paper you can get a totally different more neutral look. (I’ve attached a pic of the paper). Can be of any theme.

Cappuccino coffee is back in stock!! Oh yes. This can be administered either directly into the vein or in a nice cup. Your call.

This week’s evening class will be on Thursday 13th at 18h00.
Bee’s next card class will be on Thursday 20th at 17h30.
Please note that there will be no Thursday morning classes for the foreseeable future as I’m doing clay and mosaic work on Thursdays (and loving it!)

Why of why do the suppliers show me fabulous new stock right on top of an event? I’ve just ordered some great mini chipboard “Mother” albums which would have made a magnificent Mothers Day gift. But we’ve been left with very little time to do it – unless you’re one of those speedy scrappers (like you Ash). I’ll have the stock in on Monday if you’re interested. I’ve ordered the “Dad” one which we can look at doing for Fathers Day.
On Monday, I’ll also have in stock metal rulers, some great new chipboard words and shapes at excellent prices, the new Fab Scrap range of paper, the new Art From The Heart papers I was telling you about and more.
I’ve had a good look at the Fab Scrap leather album and I have to say it does look rather fabulous - a bit pricier than some but I do think when it comes to albums you get what you pay for. I’ve ordered one for you to take a look at.

Here’s a date to diarize: The Ballito Prawn Festival 2 – 4 July. Loads of activities, jazz, goodies to buy and treats to eat. Well worth a visit. I’ll remind you closer to the time.
And don’t forget the Discovery Big Walk on Sunday 23 May – go on, get out there in the fresh air.
That’s about wraps it up. Happy scrapping days to you all.

Best regards
Alison

More Buddies

An nyoung ha she yo!

Well, that’s Korean for Hello (pronounced AnYOH HASHim-ni-koh). How will we ever learn this in time for the World Cup? I’m actually now terrified of bumping into a Korean.

So sorry girls but this week has flow by like an out of control meteor. Hence no new page this week (for shame!!!). I’ve dug out an oldie that I don’t think many of you have done. It’s called “More Buddies” and you require:
8 landscape jumbo (don’t pitch with portrait – it’s not going to work)
Then six tucked away easily accessible tags (approx 7.5 x 9cm) on which you can put little pics, journaling, rub ons or what have you.
Can be of absolutely any theme. You can also just come along for a scrap and chat or catch up on a missed page if you prefer.
Sorry about this but I promise to have something fabulous for next week.

I’ve had a sneak peak at the latest Art From The Heart papers and can’t wait to get my hot scrapping paws on them. I think, like me, you’re going to like. I’ll have them in stock after the 11th (I’ll try to remember to post a pic of the papers)
I’ve ordered some Stazon ink pads – absolutely indispensable to any craft bag. I must mention that I’ve been using my Stazon pad (along with everyone and his canary in the studio) for about 4 years and it’s STILL going strong. And it does Staz On. On anything. Glass, paper, transparency etc. Tombo glue coming in on the same plane, as is Dazzles and some new brads.

In a moment of madness and egged on by my dear friend Rikki, we’ve decided we’re going to do some Kiddies Craft Classes during that awfully long June/July holiday. This is a wonderful opportunity to use us as a cheap baby sitting service while you get on with the more important things in life (lunch, tennis coaching, bridge etc). Please let me know if you’d be interested in these workshops.

That my bundle for this week – short and (a bit) sweet.

Take care of yourselves and happy scrapping.
Annyeon!! (the friendly form of ”goodbye” in Korean as opposed to the formal Annyeonghi gadeyo – good grief!).
Alison