Thursday, July 26, 2012

Workshops Update

She was
a modern girl
with a
vintage soul

In September 2011 we presented our first Mixed Media Workshop and everyone loved learning lots of new techniques.  Over the past 12 months the Embellees Team have been undertaking as many educationals as we can to be ready to present a great new Mixed Media Workshop for 2012.

Our Mixed Media Workshop will be held on Sunday - 19 August 2012 at our regular venue here in Newcastle (Edgeworth Bowling Club). 

The aim of this Workshop is to introduce lots of new techniques, reinforce those that we have been exploring at different times in our  past workshops/projects.  We will be doing two beautiful page layouts designed by Embellees Creative Director extraordinaire - Lisa Greedy and, will finish up with a lovely little canvas artwork inspired by the beautiful stamps from Christy Tomlinson (designed and presented by Cassie McCumstie  - Embellees DT Member).

Our Wokshop kits will be full of an exciting eclectic mix of goodies that will enhance your beautiful works of art.  As always our Workshops are about 'techniques' not just sticking down pieces of paper on a page - in this Workshop we are especially keen to have you incorporate the mixed media techniques into your layout pages.

Registrations have already opened and the numbers are growing quickly - so to ensure your spot, please email us at:  Embellees@bigpond.com

Further details about our Workshops are located under our Workshop Tab above.


Hybrid Scrapbooking Revisited Workshop

Our September Workshop will be all about us revisiting our hybrid approach to scrapbooking.  We introduced this concept last year and we have had numerous requests to revisit this fun style.

To make this interesting we wanted to ensure we took a slightly different approach and in this Workshop we will be demonstrating the Silhouette Machine we recently purchased - WOW is all we can say!!!  This great die cutting machine takes our hybrid/digital options to a whole new level.

We are so looking forward to introducing you to a whole digital kit approach and how to incorporate this into your 'stash' of products to choose from (especially good for those of us who don't get out to shop traditionally and want to have some new products to play with). 

Our fun project at this Workshop will be a fabulous 'brag book' called 'Pictures of You' using some gorgeous new products from the Amy Tangerine range that we have fallen in love with.  Our kits will be 'full to the brim' as always with a fabulous eclectic mix of products both traditional and digital....

Again, registrations for this Workshop have already opened and we thank all our lovely regulars who have been quick to book a spot - so please don't miss out - email us at:
Embellees@bigpond.com to secure your seat for 16 September 2012!!!

Hope you have enjoyed our workshop updates and we look forward to offering you some more sneakies as the dates approach.


Lisa and Lizzie


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Clusters and Layers


It's the simple things - by Lisa Greedy (Embellees)

What a great day we had on Sunday 22 July 2012 at our most recent Workshop - Cluster Clever.  We loved seeing all our regulars and few new ladies who have returned for their second and third workshops.

We spent the day playing with lots of techniques that we decided should be defined as 'clustered layers'.  Lisa Greedy had everyone working through two lovely layouts... It's the Simple Things (above) and Share Your Smile (below). 

In this Workshop we wanted to get our workshop lovelies working with 6 x 6 paper ranges.  These little gems are often forgotten, but what we found is that they worked beautifully for layering and clustering. It allows you to get a whole paper range to play with these techniques you don't always need a full sheet of paper.  What makes these even more versatile is that you still have heaps over to play with, the papers seem to go on forever - so we sent our workshop lovelies home with lots left in their kits to keep creating. 

For Lisa Greedy's - It's the Simple Things layout above we introduced the beautiful Simple Stories Summer Fresh paper range.  Lisa had everyone playing with a range of Tim Holtz Distress Stains to free-hand the gorgeous Chevron on her 'It's the Simple Things' layout above.  Masking off the chevron and stamping adding the second of our background layers and defining with a black outline pen and it really took a simple piece of white cardstock to a whole new level.  In the beautiful "clustered layered" it is hard to see all the bits and pieces - but the workshop kits were full to the brim with lots of little eclectic bits and pieces (just how we love our kits).


Share Your Smile - Lisa Greedy (Embellees)

Our second layout for the day Lisa Greedy's - Share Your Smile, we introduced the beautiful My Minds Eye (MME) - Follow Your Heart paper range.  We loved the softness of the layout and Lisa had everyone busy using a patterned background paper (MME Follow Your Heart - Be Amazing - Honey Blue), adding Glimmer Mist (just love a dribble of GM) and then lots of layering with masks, distress stains and stamping (love those background stamps we have in our stash).  One of the great techniques that our workshop lovelies played with was making their own ceramic tile embellees - nothing like a trip to Bunnings, gesso and some know how  to pull off a beautiful handmade embellee for a layout!  Again, back to our fabulous eclectic kit mix to keep our clustering and layering unique and to add texture .... hessian, fabric, lace, buttons, ribbon, chipboard, doily, papers, stamped images... just lovely and a favourite with all our attendees!



I Absolutely Adore You - Cassie McCumstie (Embellees)


Our third layout for our Workshop was by the very talented Cassie McCumstie (DT member).  This gorgeous layout had us using another background patterned paper from the MME range (Follow Your Heart) and lots more from the 6 x 6 paper range.   Again, the layout started with layering from the background patterned paper - enhanced with a mask and some misting, paint and stamps.  Cassie had everyone working with lots of small clusters of elements to add dimension.  There are always so many little interesting bits and pieces in our kits and lots of use of different stamps for our workshop lovelies to 'fall in love with'.  We especially love the introduction of some gorgeous hand dyed seam binding sourced from our lovely friend Alex over at her Etsy Store - Scrap Alley Kits & Treasures.

It is always a fun filled and very busy day at an Embellees Workshop ... below are some other 'great layouts that starred in our  'Inspiration Gallery' on the day.


Little Girl .. Big Love - Natalie Bright (Embellees)


Brighton Beach - Lisa Greedy (Embellees)


Sk8 Dudes - Lisa Greedy (Embellees)



Inspired - Liz Smith (Embellees)



Hope you have enjoyed a look at our workshop day and layouts - we will be back very soon updating with our 'Sneakies' for our Mixed Media Workshop in August.  We had our projects on display at this months workshop and, it was so great that all our attendees were busy signing up for August - not many spots left with all our regulars returning so we are opening up registrations in the next few days.


Be back soon.
Lizzie & Lisa