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Edited to add: Winner – Carolyn Fodel – COngrats!

 Even at 7 years old Abby still comes up with gems of interesting information.  She is learning about the past and present at school, resulting in many questions about what the world was like when I was little.  Because that was so many years ago.
Classic homework question last night.  "When your parents were little they might not have had microwaves" (um point to note here, we did so, I'm  not that old …anyway…question continued…) "how would cooking have been different for them?"
So Abby asks me – "How would cooking be different without microwaves?" I thought pretty hard about the answer, I mean the girl is 7 and has no real concept about cooking.  My best, most consise, compact answer I could think of was " You couldn't re-heat food as easily.  We'd eat less leftovers.  You'd have to eat it when it was hot, or eat it cold the next night maybe". 
Her answer?
But you could have rubbed sticks together and stuff to make fire to reheat it, right?
I laughed.  She was offended I laughed.  I should have been the offended one, considering she classed me as being alive in the caveman days. 

Anyway – time for a giveaway.  It's a biggie – I'm giving away a space in Lain Ehmann's Big Picture Class, $79 in value.  Here's the details! 

Class details:

A Scrapbook Marathon

Are you a marathon scrapbooker? Do you want to be? As crazy as it may sound, scrapbookers have a lot in common with runners. Both can run into the same problems – lack of time, isolation, a routine that has become more of a drudgery than a help. The good news? You can easily overcome these obstacles.

No, Lain won’t make you run 26.2 miles in just a few hours – but she will challenge you to scrapbook 26 layouts in 26 days! Through The Mother LOAD – A Scrapbook Marathon, part of the 4Experts series for 2011, Lain will show you how committing to making scrapbooking a priority in your life will help you:

• Scrapbook faster
• Love your pages more
• Actually USE your stash
• Connect with what you love best about this hobby of ours

The first two months of class will be spent on “basic training” to increase your stamina, refine your process, and get you mentally and physically ready for the ultimate challenge: creating a layout a day for the first 26 days of September. After you cross the finish line, there will be time for reflection – and celebration!"

So, leave me a comment before midnight Saturday 18thJune, US  PST and I'll put you in the draw!  C'mon, let's get some comments going on… big prize up for grabs, Lain is an awesome teacher, FULL of inspiration, she'll have you inspired to scrap like never before. 

If you are keen to sign up for the class now, here is a coupon code: LOAD2011 – put that coupon code in at Big Picture and you'll get a $20 discount.  Bazinga!

Oh!  While I'm helping you spend money, I see TwoPeas has a 30% off Prima sale – ugh, it's criminal.

Oh and still spaces at my SENZ classes – I'm hoping to have more sneaks this week, so check in when you can!

Leaving you with a little bit of cuteness taken by Vicky Gibson photography.  We had some pics taken a little while ago and Vicky is sending me teasers while she is editing … look at Abby's cute little tummy peeking out, so cute!  Can't wait to scrap some of these!
Laters!

(Please note if you are after SENZ class bookings, see this post here).
Flowers and sparkles, gorgeous papers and embellishments, I've been spoiled to work with it all during my time with Prima.  I've worked as an educator, a design team member, as  a representitive at my biggest teaching event ever in South Africa, and we always work closely with Prima when we organise the Autumn Escape.

Today my time with them as a design team member comes to an end.  I've been on their design team for around 18 months, and it's been wonderful, but I am not back on the new team.  Over the past year or so my focus has shifted from working in a design team environment to being involved in teaching a lot more – I have a lot of really cool online stuff coming up for True Scrap and Big Picture Classes.  Pair that up with all the organisation that goes into Autumn Escape, the teaching I am doing around the place such as SENZ and SA Scrapbooking, (not to mention some part time study) and I am fried at the end of the day.

And so it's a fond farewell to Prima for me.   Change is always hard, but it doesn't mean I won't work with Prima anymore, I've been teaching fabulous classes with them for years, I'm part of the furniture now so I'm sure it won't stop.  BUT – and this is cool – I can explore other alternatives out there.  I've really enjoyed working with Pink Paislee and Websters for my SENZ classes – those kits are GORGEOUS and I've really enjoyed putting them together.  Bring on the fresh inspiration!

I'm leaving you today with a summary of some of the work I did for Prima over the years. 
So here's to Prima.  Laters.

Tuesday is our Monday this week, after a holiday weekend.  Lovin' it.  I'm full of energy, finishing up all sorts of projects, overseeing Jacob creating a science board, whilst listening to Braden perfect his speech and watching Abby draw amazing creations on the cover of her Ukelele folder.  I'm busy this week.  Really busy, infact I've instructed the dinner to cook itself and washing to clean itself because I have far too many other fun things to do.

SENZ update – and this is important – listen up!  I'm taking over bookings, so please email me nic.paul@xtra.co.nz if you would like to be in any of these classes! 

Good news is that I have been moved to a BIGGER room!  YESSSS!!  That means more spaces have opened up in all my classes.  Descriptions are below, all classes are $52 and include gorgeous kits and full colour instructions.  Please email me to book!  Jacob is on to kitting class kits tonight, don't disappoint him, he gets paid per kit, help fund the next box of Lego Ninjago…

(For those of you in my classes, please be aware that what-to-bring lists and photo lists will be available in about a week – please check back here next Monday!)

Twenty photos scrapped!   Layout class by Nic Howard

Kit includes just released BasicGrey products!  Fresh off the press, sizzzling HOT!!

Friday 12.00 – 2.00pm
Saturday 12.00 – 2.00pm (only 2 spaces left…)

Do you want to scrapbook twenty photos in two hours? Let’s get some photos on layouts!  This fun, energetic, yet simple-layout based class is all about getting it done!   You’ll get it all -  including sketches and Nic’s favourite products for creating visually pleasing layouts, including photos, embellishments and that all important story.  Worried about how fast paced this class could be?  Don’t be! Nic is well known for her relaxed, fun, interactive teaching style, and if you don't complete the layouts in class, a full-colour instruction sheet and photos are included with your kit!

Decadent Details Layout class by Nic Howard

New for SENZ – Sponsored by Scrapware.

Fri 9.30-11.30
Sat 9.30 – 11.30

Nic is known for her beautifully detailed projects, and in this workshop she’ll teach you the latest of her favourite techniques! Join Nic as she brings you her freshest class in dimensional scrapbooking from the background to the smallest embellishments, Nic will visit her favourite techniques, some old, some new, it’ll all come together to create a gorgeous 12×12 layout that will be suitable for a variety of themes.   Kit includes product sponsored by Scrapware and detailed colour instructions.  If you love the detailed look of layered pages, you won’t want to miss Nic’s latest class! 

 

I love happy emails and this morning it was Lain Ehmann in my inbox.  Every time I talk to Lain she is a box of fluffies.  If only my attitude could be as orange as hers.  I wake each morning and think "Be an orange today, be an orange today" and think of Lain. I'm not sure what Lain thinks of me thinking of her as I wake each morning but hey as long as the right attitude is achieved, right?. 

So Lain emails and lets me know that True Scrap is now up for sale as separate classes.  Apparently she'd had so many people asking for the classes to be available separately, that she sorted it out.  Apparently (andthese are Lain's words) you can now get access to the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, muppetational scrapbook event of the year, separately.  (which leads me to the question, which muppet would I be?)

So without further ado.  All the True Scrap classes available for purchase separately.
Enjoy!
Ali Edwards – Intentional memory Keeping. 
Stephanie Ackerman – A few of my favourite things.
Erin Bassett – Die-cut dress up. 
Tracey Clark – Expressive photography.
Kelli Crowe, Cute Embellishments.
Lain Ehmann – Painfree journaling the EZ way.
Aby Garvey – Scrapbook organisation your way.
Nic Howard  – Touch me, all about texture.
Noell Hyman – Design your story.
Katrina Kennedy – Action based photography.
Shimelle Laine – Creative Stash diving.
Jennifer McGuire – Super stamping secrets.
Tami Morrision - Inspiration files
or ALL five make n takes! 

Colour! or is it Colour   -( the re-run-due-to-popular-demand!) repeat class – is now open for registration!

The Class Description:

Do you love colour? Do you want to immerse yourself in a workshop that takes you through a whole rainbow of possibilities? Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet… colours are all around us! They reflect our mood and fill our scrapbooks; it’s time to celebrate the colours we use!

Join Nic Howard for ‘Colour! or is it Color?’, an exciting 6 week workshop at Big Picture Classes that will be a true celebration of the gorgeous colours all around us. Nic is known for her beautifully detailed projects, and in this workshop you’ll get the added bonus of learning some of Nic’s favourite techniques as well as building a library of valuable colour theory!

You’ll learn a variety of things from the way colours affect the mood of our pages, to how to use colours together effectively, to RED hot techniques! Nic will bring you this and more in step by step format with plenty of examples, tips and techniques, week after week. From the smallest of details, to the largest of projects, we all need to know how to enjoy all the gorgeousness the rainbow has to offer, click here to learn more, you won’t want to miss this class!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is this the same class you have already run once?
Yes, this is the exact same class, so everything is the same.  Big Picture had requests for it to be repeated, so here we are, doing it all over again! 

Can you tell me, what will we be doing?

As mentioned in the class description, we do everything from colour theory to practical, hands on, good old creating layouts!  The class includes a large amount of sketches, guest artists, challenges, giveaways, step-by-step instructions, videos of me dancing to old 1950’s songs… you know, just the usual…

Is this class project based, or layout based?

This is a layout based class.  You will receive instructions for the occasional other project, such as the tags above, but in general, the weekly assignments and step by step instructions are for layouts. 

What if I can’t keep up?

Big Picture Classes have forever access.  Participate as much or as little as you wish.  All the materials are accessible forever, you can come along on a crazy colour-filled 6 week ride with us all, or do it at your own pace, it’s up to you!

Do I need specific materials?

I supply materials lists for many of the layouts, but nah, dive into that stash, use up product you already have, unless you really want to go shopping?…

If I completed Dimensional Details with you, will I be repeating things by joining this class?

No – this is new stuff.  I do cover some of the Dimensional Details techniques in pre-class but that is just to get those that didn’t sit that class up to speed with a few techniques.  Join in, I’d love to see you!

Will this class suit the digital scrapbooker?

My class teaches colour theory, which translates to both digital and paper scrapbooking, but all of the assignments and all of the techniques are paper based.  There are no digital templates in my class.  Whether or not you think it will suit yo, as a digital scrapbooker, depends on how well you adapt paper techniques to digital scrapbooking.  Let me know if you are a digital scrapbooker and you join in, I'd love to keep in touch to see how you go!

Are the layouts 12×12"or smaller?

The assignments are all for 12×12" layouts.  Some of the examples are 8.5×11" though!  Although I use the bigger size, I would hope that if you scrapped in a smaller size, that it would be easy to convert!

Nic, can you give me information on what kind of techniques you cover in this class?

Oh my goodness, there are many!  Mostly techniques that are not difficult.  Just interesting techniques that can be adapted to be used a whole lot, of just add a small touch to your page. 

Ok.  I’m just about convinced.  Give me one more reason why I should join in…

Just one reason?  Seriously.  I have hundreds of reasons in the form of testimonials from those that sat in on my last class.  Please, ask around.  I’m a perfectionist.  I love detail.  I pack so much into these classes that my family eat 2-minute-noodles and tomato sauce for weeks while I work on it.  Please make that worthwhile for them.  I’d love to see you there! 

This was meant to be 'Five for Friday' but on Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday, (sing that Rebecca Black style), anyway, Friday disappeared and all of a sudden it was Tuesday. Seriously. 

So five for Friday (ehhh… Tuesday.. almost the same).

* Friday I passed my first paper -" Prescription of basic physcial activity to meet specific performance goals".  You tell me what you want to do and I can say  "You GO for it!" .  But seriously.  Prescription of exercise.  Who knew that the words Nic Howard and exercise could even be in the same sentence never mind me having enough knowledge to start designing exercise programmes.

* Friday I received samples of the new 'Oxford' and 'Out of Print' by BasicGrey.  I had the good old "That's cool, oooo, that's cool, nah that's realllllly cool' reaction of BasicGrey days gone past as I flicked through it.  Looking forward to pulling together a kit for SENZ class "20 Photos Scrapped!" that will make you all do the same.

* Friday was the day I finally discovered that aiming my remote at the car indicator light is not the most optimum way to turn my alarm off and unlock the car.  Indicator light flashes when it unlocks, yes, but aiming the remote there will.not.work.  (We all have DUH moments, right?)

* Friday was the day that one of my children first threw back one of my classic lines to me.  Oldest son grew devil horns and started the most unneccessary hurrendous fight.  Over nothing.  The whole house is in turmoil when he miraculously calms down and states "Everybody has a bad day".  No crap.  Now we are all having one.  And don't use my line on me.

*Finally.  Friday was the day (actually I lie it was Saturday) that I finally sat through an entire movie without falling alseep.  Pirates of the Carribean 4.  There was a moment when I was fighting the sleep when all of a sudden one of my favourite Disney characters turned nasty and about had me crawling under my seat in fright.  Don't take little girls to see this movie.  They'll never believe that the littlest mermaid is a sweet creature ever again.  What did I think of the movie?  Stars out of 5 for the movie… 3.5.  
Stars out of 5 for giving me the perfect 'line' for next time I fall off the treadmill at the gym?  5.  "I hope you all saw that because I don't plan on doing it again".

laters.
Oh wait.. dang that's six – details tomorrow of BPS Workshop 'Colour' which is repeating in just a few weeks!
 

It's Monday.  Which means two things.  The weekend is over and it's five days until the craziness of another weekend – which in itself follows an equally crazy week AND I'm allowed to post the SENZ class details here.

I don't teach around New Zealand often, you are more likely to hear of me teaching internationally or online lately, so it'd be great to see some of you at my classes.   Classes are more than halfway full, so if you are keen, then hop on over to the SENZ website to check them out! 

I'm often asked my favourite class when I do an event like this… but I can never answer that question honestly!
Shabby Chic is cool because it has 5 little projects that each teach one technique.  The bonus is that you walk away with 5 beautoful cards that you can send out – you pay for the class, but save money on buying cards!
'20 photos scrapped' is cool as well because, well two reasons, firstly who doesn't like to get layouts done?  and secondly…um NEW BasicGrey!  Not even properly released yet, hot of the press, super mega new!
'That's my Boy' was a roaring success at Autumn Escape and I'm thrilled to include a fun boys class at SENZ and lastly 'Decadent details' is the stuff I love to do.  It was 6 years ago when I first gained my reputation for super layered, detailed pages, and I just haven't stopped.  I've taught thousands of people how fun this style of scrapbooking is since I first found my own little niche in the scrapbooking world all those years ago, I still love it and you can tell in this class.  It really is my passion. 

Full details of classes below, I hope to see some of you at SENZ!

Shabby Chic Cards by Nic Howard
New for SENZ – Sponsored by ScrapWare.

Join Nic in creating five beautiful shabby chic card creations.  We’ll use products in soft pinks, blues and vintage whites to make every card just perfect.  Each card will visit a different technique you’ll want to use on future projects such as ATCs, cards or scrapbooking layouts.  Our kit will include plenty of products for you to personalise the cards the way you want, whether it’s for a birthday, anniversary, thank you, or any occasion; it’s up to you!  This class is as much about the techniques as it is about the fabulous finished product.  What a class – products, techniques AND five gorgeous cards made, ready to send out for those next occasions!

That’s my Boy! Layout class by Nic Howard
As taught at Autumn Escape 2011.

Time and time again we hear you saying you want a BOY layout class!  Ask no more, Nic Howard has put together the perfect boy layout class just for you!  Celebrate that boy in your life, whether it is son, brother, hubby or friend, this class will suit them all.  Interesting technique and bright colours combine to make two layouts in class with enough supplies and a sketch for a third layout!

Decedant Details Layout class by Nic Howard

New for SENZ – Sponsored by Scrapware.

Nic is known for her beautifully detailed projects, and in this workshop she’ll teach you the latest of her favourite techniques! Join Nic as she brings you her freshest class in dimensional scrapbooking from the background to the smallest embellishments, Nic will visit her favourite techniques, some old, some new, it’ll all come together to create a gorgeous 12×12 layout that will be suitable for a variety of themes.   Kit includes product sponsored by Scrapware and detailed colour instructions.  If you love the detailed look of layered pages, you won’t want to miss Nic’s latest class! 

Twenty photos scrapped!   Layout class by Nic Howard

Kit includes just released BasicGrey products!

Do you want to scrapbook twenty photos in two hours? Let’s get some photos on layouts!  This fun, energetic, yet simple-layout based class is all about getting it done!   You’ll get it all -  including sketches and Nic’s favourite products for creating visually pleasing layouts, including photos, embellishments and that all important story.  Worried about how fast paced this class could be?  Don’t be! Nic is well known for her relaxed, fun, interactive teaching style, and if you don't complete the layouts in class, a full-colour instruction sheet and photos are included with your kit!

Who is keen to sit in with me for a class at SENZ?!!!
SENZ class details have been released and they are open for bookings! 

I am teaching 4 classes this year, 3 of which are brand spankin' new just for SENZ attendees!  I can't give too much away until the classes are released to the public on Monday, but I have three layout classes, one wicked cool card class that I'm only teaching once AND I might even drag in the very awesome Lucy and Tana (Autumn Escape Alumni will know who I mean) to help out in class. 

At the moment bookings are only open to those that have purchased the passes to the SENZ weekend.  If you are extra keen to make sure you don't miss out on classes before Monday, you could grab yourself one of those while you are at the SENZ website. 

Good luck picking your classes, there are over 80 choices, I hear!

Cluster Embellishing!  I've been asked many times for a class on embellishing and here it is!  Newly released at Big Picture Classes, Cluster Embellishing is a self-paced, instant download, do-it-in-your-own-time $12 class at Big Picture and registration is open now!  So what exactly is it all about?

"  Do you look at beautifully embellished projects and wonder how you can arrange your embellishments to look the same?  Do you sit for hours moving products around your pages wishing you knew the secrets to arranging them in a visually effective way?  Do you have more embellishments than ideas?  Then this class is designed for you!" 

Class includes a detailed handout going through the cluster embellishing process, step by step instructions to put your new knowledge to use and create a layout, it includes many examples and sketches AND a video showing from start to finish how to create one of my most favourite recent layouts…

What are ya waiting for?