Tuesday, April 21, 2009

An Unfortunate Acronym

As a publications designer with nearly 20 years experience in layout and design, I'm often called up on to teach and share my experiences in layout with classes and in other venues. In fact, I'm writing a book chapter about it for a new editing text.

Most of what I can teach is boiled down into four terms, which, taken together, spell a rather unfortunate word: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity.

Yes, folks, the word is CRAP. (Also used in the Nondesigners Book of Design, which I frequently use as a text in class.)

Contrast, essentially, means if you're going to use two different fonts, colors, shapes, sizes or images in your layout, make sure to make them VERY different. Good, contrasting colors in the Stampin' Up! line include any true colored cardstock and Whisper White. Very Vanilla also contrasts well with the jewel-toned and darker cardstocks. 

In the world of stamped images, look for clean lines that go with fussy florals; fancy type that goes with simple images, and so on.

Repetition means, in part, consistency. Using the Eastern Blooms florals on a card? Use them all the way through the design, and resist the temptation to break out a different set of florals that may not work well with them. But it also means repeating simple elements all the way through a design--a butterfly on the front of a card can be repeated on the back of the envelope, for example.

Alignment means to have elements line up in such a way as to draw the eye naturally from one element to another. A classic pattern is a left-to-right zig-zag, which mimics the way most in Western civilizations read. Start with text or an image in the top left, draw a mental line to the middle right and add something contrasting, then draw a line to the lower left for some sort of embellishment. Other patterns can be viewed in the 2009 Idea Book and Catalog, but the idea behind alignment is to work with what human beings do naturally with their eyes.

Finally, proximity: group like items together. That's it. Florals go together, shapes go together, dots go together, texts go together, colors go together, and so on. Stampin' Up! has that one nailed with coordinating papers, inks, colors and stamps that make it practically impossible to make ugly cards. 

Nothing is ever completely wrong. Let your creativity be your guide. But if it helps, when you're frustrated, just think of CRAP.
 

Working on Samples ...

My first open house is on Sunday, but now I've got my first workshop to prepare for in May. I'll be demonstrating for a group of day care providers in the Twin Cities.

I'm working with my cousin and good friend, Shawn, who is a day care provider, to come up with good, stamp-a-ble projects for kids to do as useful, inexpensive gifts for parents and grandparents. We've decided on the acrylic post-it note project, and on an accordion-fold booklet that can be dressed up with family pictures, a kind of mini-album. It's perfect for national scrapbooking month in May.

I've been playing with the design, and the dimensions of the original piece of card stock are 3" by 9" long, scored at three-inch intervals for folding. This gives you six panels to work with. 

Fold the cardstock into the accordion along the scores. Stamp the front cover with your theme; in my sample, I used "together" from the Define your Life set. As you open it, add other stamps and photos, mounted on a contrasting colored cardstock, to each panel. Reserve the back panel for embellishment and ribbon.

When you've completed the interior panels, fold and flip it to the back. Embellish with flowers, brads, and other fun stuff. Lay a line of adhesive across the back panel, then press an 8-inch piece of ribbon on it, leaving the ends to dangle free. 

Turn the book to the front, and draw the ribbons around to tie in a bow on the front cover, under your stamped theme.

It's simple, cute, and fun as a mini-album for a kid gift.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Options with Define Your LIfe ...

I finally got a clue and started using my scanner to get images of the cards and items I've been making.One of the fun things I've been working with are small note pads, using a Wal-Mart Mainstay acrylic picture frame, post-it notes, and a background paper with stamped goodies to make door prizes for upcoming events.

The finished project is really cute, and I've been playing with my new favorite sets: Eastern Blooms and Define Your Life.

One example:



And another:


I'm using a technique here where I randomly stamp a piece of Whisper White card stock in coordinating colors and texts, then I use it as a background for layering the coordinating colored card stock and stamped images. They've turned out pretty cool. Like this card, which I made for our dean, who's retiring after more than 30 years in her post:




I also thought you might be interested in the Harmony's House signature card layout:


And, finally, a variation on that card that we'll make at the April 26 open house:
These were made with Caramel Cream card stock, Caramel Cream ink on Very Vanilla card stock, the Garden Whimsy stamp set, and Apricot Appeal Pattern Paper, cut into a strip and crimped, as a background. 

The Harmony's House signature stamp comes from a stamp set called Happy Harmony, which is a limited edition and/or hostess set.

Enjoy!

Amy





Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Open House April 26!

And I finally decided on the make-and-take projects.

We're going to do the Harmony's House signature card, which uses the Garden Whimsy set with Caramel Cream cardstock & ink, an Apricot Appeal crimped accent, and brads. I finished cutting the paper for it last night.

We're also going to do the recipe book in spring colors.

And, finally (Cue the drum rollllll.......) a birthday card featuring the Big Birthday greetings set.

Someday, I'll get batteries for my camera so you can see samples.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

How Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cancer, and Stampin' Up! all intersect ...

We were talking in my ethics class yesterday about volunteer organizations, evolving from a case study we had read about the American Red Cross and social responsibility. In that conversation, one of my students piped up with a certain knowledge: being a volunteer coordinator could be really difficult, because volunteers, by their nature, don't have to follow through unless they want to.

How did she know? Because she was coordinating volunteer bakers for a bake sale her Relay 4 Life team was holding in preparation for the campus wide Relay 4 Life fundraiser for cancer research, and several had backed out on her.

She needed chocolate chip cookies.

I asked her to see me after class. I am, as my family knows, a champion chocolate chip cookie baker. And I firmly support cancer research; my grandma Elsie died of cancer and its complications, as have other relatives. Baking chocolate chip cookies? An easy way for me to help.

So I spent my evening yesterday baking chocolate chip cookies, alternating pans through my old gas oven while simultaneously playing with stamps at my kitchen table. (I finally got my starter kit, and I'm in LOVE with the Stampin' Pastels and blender pens. Seriously a must-buy. Seriously.)

I brought my student six dozen cookies this morning. When she stopped to pick them up, she offered me, on her team's behalf, a luminaria or a label for a luminaria to be displayed at the event. "Have you lost someone to cancer?" she asked. "Because if you want, we'll give you a luminaria."

A luminaria is basically a white lunch-sized bag into which glow sticks will be placed, surrounding the track in the big field house on which team members will take turns walking, honoring those we've all lost to cancer. Each bag represents another soul lost. Many decorate their bags with their relative's name and other things.

I was touched by her offer, and I accepted. In my bag to take home with me tonight, I have a luminaria that I'll stamp on behalf of Elsie, with her own Stampin' Up! personalized stamp, still in my things. I'll probably add a butterfly, because she helped to give me wings.

And I'll take a picture for you.

If you're in Mankato April 18, stop by the campus fieldhouse to see the luminaria displays. It's a moving experience.

And if you need chocolate chip cookies for a bake sale, I'm your girl.

Monday, April 6, 2009

The Mini-Cookbook!

I've been working with my "From the Kitchen" stamp set to find just the right make and take project for my April Open House. I think I've found it! It's a mini cookbook, perfect to use as a shower or Christmas gift, attached to an edible item for which the recipe is included in the book.

It's also super simple.

1. Stamp the big recipe card stamp in basic black on 3X5, unlined index cards.
2. Using a different color of your choice, stamp the "yummy scale" stamp in the upper left hand corner of the card.
3. Cut two pieces of 3 1/4 by 5 1/4 cardstock, colors of your choice.
4. On the first piece of card stock, layer it in your favorite colors and stamp it with the category stamp in the set. If your recipes are desserts, for example, stamp it with the dessert stamp and color it.
5. Stamp the back of the second piece of cardstock with "From the Kitchen of" stamp, and sign it.
6. Stack your cards together with the card stock, using the first piece as a front cover and the second piece of card stock as the back.
7. Punch through the cards in the upper left hand corner.
8. Use a brad to bind them together.
9. Write in your recipes!

The brad allows you to fan out the cards, so that when you're cooking, you can simply fan out the one you want to look at and put the others away under their protective card stock covers.

Cool, or what? I plan to use this at the holidays to accompany my treat baskets.

When I get pics going, I'll post 'em.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Playing with Boxes and Baskets

I have probably been having way too much fun this week with my stamps and papers, building samples for future workshops. As soon as I get batteries for my camera, I'll take some pics of my favorites.

One of my current hot items is my crimper, simple piece of machinery that transforms any paper into a wrinkled, corrugated-style ribbon that adds texture and interest to virtually any project. I made some fun cards with a crimped ribbon of contrasting color across the front, layered with sayings and pictures. They turned out really nicely.

I've also been playing with box templates, available from the demonstrator's portion of the Stampin' Up! site, and when I started digging through my big box of paper, I found an entire manila envelope full of old box templates that played with years ago. I've been having a great time making new boxes and baskets of different styles out of paper. I think my favorite is a cone-shaped basket with a handle, perfect for hanging over doorknobs for May Day (May First!).

Surf over to check out my new web site just for Stampin' Up!: http://harmonyshouse.stampinup.net . You can browse catalogs, look at projects, and order right on-site.

Happy stamping!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Welcome to Harmony's House New Purpose: Stampin' Up

I finally took the plunge and am now an official Stampin' Up demonstrator! I've been stamping for years, and I'm really enthusiastic about all the great stamps and products Stampin' Up has to offer for this fun hobby.

To celebrate, I'm offering some wonderful opportunities to you for the month of April:

1. The Open House Launch Party! Sunday, April 26, from 1-4 p.m. at my place (also known as Harmony's House), 17 Camelot Drive in Mankato. Come if you can for three separate free make-n-take projects, door prizes, and specials.

2. In April, if you set a date for a workshop with me, you'll get a free 2009 Idea Book and Catalog!

3. The Mystery Hostess Catalog Party: Any of you who submit a catalog order of $25 or more to me personally by April 20 will qualify for a "Mystery Hostess" drawing. The winner gets all the hostess benefits for the the party, which can include lots of free stamps and supplies. The current catalog is available here: http://www.stampinup.com/us/enu/543.asp

Stampin' Up is also offering a great promotion with some fun stamps in April. The Occasions Mini-Catalog launches today, and anyone who orders $40 worth of merchandise from that catalog will get an additional $10 of merchandise for free! And you can add that up. If you spend $80 from that catalog, you get $20 of free merchandise! Check out the catalog here: http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/Occasions09_US.pdf

What a great month to start a business!

For my Milwaukee friends who might want a workshop: I will be in Milwaukee at the end of June, so call me if you want to set something up.

Watch for the launch of my new Stampin' Up web site, coming soon. Meanwhile, check back here for pics, projects and more!

Big Announcement!

I've just won the Pulitzer for my new book, "More than a Farmer's Wife," available for pre-order now at amazon.com.