Time To Say Goodbye

The Embellees team would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous 2013.

We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for the support, encouragement and friendships that we have made over the past two and a half years, but the time has come for Embellees to say Goodbye.

The last couple of years have flown by and it comes as no surprise that 2012 was a tough year, especially for Lizzie and we have decided that a new year brings new projects and plans for us both.

Before we go any further we would also like to give a huge thank you to Di, Cassie and Nat for all their help and assistance this past year, we could not have done this journey without you and your support and more importantly friendships.

By now you can all imagine, cancelling our Christmas Workshop was such an extra tough decision as we knew this was going to be our last as Embellees and we really wanted to celebrate with you all, however this was not able to happen (by the way I (Lisa) have not received those papers as yet).


So you ask, what is 2013 going to bring:-

Lisa – I am launching my new business, Scrapart With Lisa and I am excited that I will continue to deliver Workshops and some new plans are still in the pipeline. My passion is scrapbooking, mixed media and crafting and I do really enjoy doing the Workshops and having us come together to get creative.

I have launched my new blog :- http://www.scrapartwithlisa.blogspot.com.au/ and also a Face Book page, click on FB button on blog to be directed to page. I will not be loading any information to this page until this announcement has been sent out.

 

Please go check out my blog, whilst I am still adding content, all dates and a brief description for 2013 classes are already there, first class back in 2013 is on Sunday 10th February, the format will remain similar to what you are already accustomed to fun, challenging and creative.

To my dear friend Liz it has been thrilling, exciting and at times a nerve racking ride, but we can both feel really proud of what we achieved and created. I wish you health & happiness and it comes as no surprise that this lady has some plans of her own, that I cannot wait to partake in. xxx



Lizzie - For me it is a new direction (no not the boy band) - a new blog for you to visit:
 http://gettingyourcrafton.blogspot.com.au/

and a new Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Getting-Your-Craft-On/308310635937538

 
I have lots of 'ideas' (well what is new you say!) and hope that you will join me on this new solo creative journey.

To my bestie, roadie pal, business partner and all the other titles I have bestowed upon Miss Lisa over these years - thank you for riding the wave of Embellees over the last few years and in particular for taking the lead this year while I battled the Big C... there have been so many highlights and, well yes some low lights but I wouldn't change it for anything. I look forward to my new role as a participant and getting 'down and dirty' in your creative workshops and for waving the supporter banner as you venture forth in your new business. xxx

For now ... we look forward to seeing all our lovely customers (friends), sharing many more scrapping workshops and events filled with friendship and laughter.

Cheers (and for the last time)

Lizzie and Lisa

Sneakies for our Christmas Workshop

Sneakies just to tempt and tease!!!

Miss Lisa (aka Lisa Greedy) our gorgeous 'Creative Director' has been very busy playing with lots of Christmas goodness for our Christmas Workshop on 2 December and, has sent through some pics just so we could tempt and tease you all!!!

Our 'sample' table will be full of lots of wonderful ideas to get your 'creative juices' flowing and, hopefully have you running off to make up some gorgeous 'handmade gifties' for those you love.

We will be working on a gorgeous layout ready for a new 2012 'Chrissy Pic' or maybe a special one from years past.  The beautiful My Minds Eye (MME) papers have been teamed with lots of other 'gorgeousness' to really make the page pop!!!

We also have lots of other projects made from the same papers to give you a heap of 'scraplift' ideas, so that none of your Workshop Kit goes to waste .......

It wouldn't be an Embellees Workshop without lots of techniques to enhance your projects so make sure you are registered as we are nearly full and, with a limited number of kits we have to cut off no later than 16/11/2012.

Just to refresh your memory... here are the workshop details:

Date: 2 December 2012

Time: 10:30 am to 4:00 pm
Venue: Edgeworth Bowling Club
Cost: $40.00 (includes kit) - Christmas Special!!!
** Lunch is not included - Club has great Cafe

For more information and to register please ensure you have read our Terms and Conditions at our Workshop Tab (above).

All enquiries should be directed to our email at: Embellees@bigpond.com

We will be back soon with more 'sneakies'!!!

Lisa & Lizzie

 

Let's Celebrate Christmas Workshop Registrations Open!

 

Ho...Ho...Ho time to start getting organised for the 'Silly Season'.

What a year here at Embellees and it is time to kick up our heels and celebrate!!!

Our Christmas Workshop is all planned and we have been busy putting together lots of great ideas for you to add that little 'extra' to your celebrations this year.

We will be working with some beautiful My Minds Eye papers in our favourite Christmas colours of
red and teal (you know us.... never traditional).

Time to get out the Santa photos and do a great layout, make a couple of beautiful cards to send to some very special friends and, finally add three gorgeous tags to finish off those extra special parcels under the tree!!!



We will have a table full of great Christmas crafts that will inspire you ..... gift wrapping, December Daily (for those dedicated to this fun project each year), more layouts and well lots of surprises. Bring your cameras so you can take photos - we are always happy to share!!!

It will be party day with lucky door prizes, Secret Santa  (was so much fun last year) and prizes for the best handcrafted/scrapped/decorated Christmas Hat .... we might even get our 'baking' on for some yummy goodness to indulge on the day!

Because this is our last workshop for the year - we have reduced our workshop fee to $40 (yes that includes your kit) and we have kept our busy agenda under control so you can bring along any projects you might want to revisit on the day!!!


Date:    2 December 2012
Time:    10:30 am to 4:00 pm
Venue:  Edgeworth Bowling Club
Cost:    $40.00 (includes kit) - Christmas Special!!!
** Lunch is not included - Club has great Cafe

Registrations Open as at 30/10/2012

For more information and to register please ensure you have read our Terms and Conditions at our Workshop Tab (above).

All enquiries should be directed to our email at: Embellees@bigpond.com



Workshop Replay

What a fabulous year of Workshops we have shared with so many of our wonderful customers....

In August we all got hooked on yet more of the 'mixed media' trend.

Miss Lisa (aka Lisa Greedy) and Cassie (McCumstie - DD Member) led the Workshop day and everyone was inspired with layouts and canvas art. 

We are so pleased to see how many of our Workshop Lovelies have been 'playing' with all their new found techniques and creating some gorgeous layouts and canvas art. 

Miss Lisa showed everyone how to take wrapping paper and transform it into a fabulous background by adding layers of paint, gesso, masks and stamps .....what a great backdrop for a favourite layout!

Our August Workshop had us revisiting our Hybrid approach and showing off our new Silhouette Cameo Machine.
This is always a fun way to approach scrapbooking with everyone having a fab time
re-inventing digital images and cutouts to make some their mini albums.  

The workshop kits were 'full to the brim' with great items from Typo, Etsy, lots of different Washi tape and so many embellishments that everyone was 'spoiled for choice'.  

We introduced the beautiful papers from Amy Tangerine and it was great seeing everyone turning their albums into their own creations!

The star of the show was the beautiful vintage layout Miss Lisa taught - this had everyone 'rummaging' through their photos for that perfect 'black & white' vintage pic they had been hoping to scrap for ages.





We promised to post some of our favourite links for our Hybrid Scrapbooking - so here goes:

• Designer Digitals:  http://www.designerdigitals.com/
• Two Peas In A Bucket:  http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/
• Mel Stampz:  http://melstampz.blogspot.com.au/
• The Graphics Fairy:  http://www.graphicsfairy.blogspot.com.au/
• Kate Hadfield Designs:  http://katehadfielddesigns.com/blog/
• Sugar Hill Company:  http://www.sugarhillco.com/blog/
• Jessica Sprague:  http://www.jessicasprague.com/

Sorry it has taken us so long to get back to blogging but, we took some time out while Miss Lisa and the Design Team Gals caught their breathe after all the work this year while Lizzie has been undergoing her Chemotherapy regime - so thanks for your patience.

Our Christmas Workshop has just been announced and we hope all our Workshop Lovelies will be back for our last date of the year - put it in your diary 2 December 2012 and here is a link to what we have planned.......

Workshops 2012 Tab - http://www.embellees.blogspot.com.au/p/workshops-2012.html

Be back soon with more updates!

Lizzie & Lisa 

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

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

Cluster Clever Sneakies .... Check Out the Workshop Projects!!!

We are so excited about our Cluster Clever Workshop on 22 July 2012 and wanted to share some 'sneakie peeks' that the team have been working on for our workshop projects and gallery. 

  

The Embellees Workshops are held at the Edgeworth Bowling Club each month and at a cost of $60 for the day (including your kit) we welcome all scrapbookers to join in the fun.  Check out our Workshop Tab above for more details.

Our Workshops are about techniques and we love to present a great 'eclectic' kit that has lots of bits and pieces to compliment the projects we undertake on the day.  For the last two years we have got to meet a great mix of local scrapbooking ladies, many of whom have become our friends and we so look forward to seeing them again at this July workshop.

If you would like to see what we have been doing, check out our Photo Tab above or visit our Facebook Page and 'trawl' our photo albums.

So now for the 'sneakies' and we hope you 'likie'....

So to start with..... this lovely layout will have you playing with layers of banners, creating the very popular chevron design, masking, misting and the list goes on......










The next beautiful layout that is showcased above is all about layers from the background up - lots of layered stamping, clusters of embellishments that have been enhanced with mists, ink and some other fabulous techniques that make the whole layout pop.

Our third project is all about layers and clustering with diecuts, hand made embellishments and stamping taken to a new level.  We will have you thinking about all those small pieces of paper and how you can use them to make a beautiful layout.






And some extra's from our Workshop Gallery......

 We look forward to seeing some new faces at the Workshop so if you are interested, please don't hesistate to contact us at:  Embellees@bigpond.com as we have a few seats left and registrations close shortly.

Lizzie & Lisa



Cluster Clever Workshop - 22 July 2012

There is a real art to creating a gorgeous cluster on a layout and, getting that much loved layered effect happening.


The Embellees Team are looking forward to presenting a workshop that is all about getting 'clever with clusters' and 'learning to play with layers'.


This Cluster Clever workshop will have you working on three layouts using gorgeous papers from the latest My Minds Eye (MME) and Simple Stories paper ranges.


 
The aim of the Workshop is to have you working not only with gorgeous papers, but handcrafting embellishments for your clusters to compliment your layout and experiment with layering techniques that give dimension and texture to your page.

While the beautiful page above is not one of our workshop layouts - it is part of our workshop gallery.  Cassie McCumstie from our Design Team created this beautiful layout as part of our Mists & Masks workshop in May with the aim that she would combine techniques for this workshop by layering lots of stamping and texture to her very plain cardstock background and simple clustering of embellishments that add that whimsical vintage feel.

Workshop Details:

Date: 22 July 2012
Time: 10:30 am to 4:00 pm
Venue: Edgeworth Bowling Club
Cost: $60.00 (includes kit)
** Lunch is not included - Club has great Cafe

Registrations Open as at 18/06/2012
For more information and to register please ensure you have read our
Terms and Conditions at the Workshop Tab above.

All enquiries should be directed to our email at: Embellees@bigpond.com

We will be putting up some sneakies next weekend as we finish off our Workshop kitting while we are away retreating with all the lovelies from Scrapboutique at the gorgeous Noonaweena retreat.

stay tuned because we will be back soon with lots to inspire you.

Lizzie & Lisa

Mists & Masks - A Wrap!!

Thank you to all our lovely ladies who attended our Mists & Masks Workshop back in May.  Please forgive our 'tardiness' and not updating our Blog sooner - but as you know Lizzie has been in recovery and we are working at a different pace (not our usual frenetic one).

Well back to business.....

We had such a fun time with all the new sprays, inks and masks on the market.

At this Workshop we introduced a techniques journal concept and all our workshop lovelies had so much fun playing with all the techniques on their pages....

The picture above is the gorgeous dust cover done by Cassie McCumstie (DT Member) for her techniques journal - gotta love us a rainbow using Dylusion Ink Sprays and some well chosen masks all on art canvas.

While the fab cover to the right is by the talented Natalie Bright (DT Member).  Natalie was into re- purposing and loved using her inked and misted scraps to create this gorgeous banner for her technique journal ... how good does this look!!!


We all had fun playing with techniques ready for our Workshop - here are some samples of our team's technique albums.

Silhouette image by Cassie McCumstie - love this page!!!

Some quick flowers - mists and doodling by the lovely Lisa Greedy

Masking with Gesso and playing with misting our favourite embellishment - doilies - Noice!!!

Lisa Greedy got down and misting with Mr Huey's and masking using mod podge

Masking and stamping - laying down that mask and using all the left over ink - our Lizzie likes to economise and hates to see all that lovely ink go to waste....

Lisa has had a 'love affair' with Dylusion Ink Sprays for sometime and, this beautiful tag is a lovely sample of ghosting techniques, stamping and dying embellishments.

Layout Gallery

Layouts by our lovely team were on display at the Workshop, showing how to take the techniques we had been exploring and translate them to a layout ... here is our sample gallery.



Layout  above by Cassie McCumstie

Layout above by Lisa Greedy

Layout above by Cassie McCumstie

Layout above by Lisa Greedy

Layout above by Cassie McCumstie

Layout above by Natalie Bright

Layout above by Natalie Bright

We hope you enjoyed our 'wrap' of the last workshop and now it is time to start 'gearing up' for our July workshop - 'Cluster Clever'.  We will be back real soon with all the details so keep an eye on our updates.....

Cheers

Lizzie & Lisa



May Workshop Registrations Are Now Open

Firstly, we would like to thank everyone who has enquired after our Lizzie's health.  Many of you are aware that in early March Lizzie was diagnosed with Bowel Cancer and it has been quite a journey thus far.  But in her own words 'don't give up on this over 50, overweight gal - she is a fighter' and that she is.... Lizzie is two weeks into recovery from major surgery and she is already keen to get back to everything routine.... while she still has a journey ahead of her, she has done remarkably well and we are so happy to know that she is going to be sitting in on the next workshop in May and is keen to see all of our workshop lovelies.

Our May Workshop is titled - Mists and Masks.  We at Embellees have had a 'love affair' with mists and masks since we did our first Glimmer Mist Workshop with the gorgeous Heidi Swapp and the Tattered Angels Team way back in 2009 when they visited Australia.

This Workshop is all about experimenting with the different misting and mask products out there in the big wide world of scrapping.

Time to check out the feel, the look, the differences. These products are great tools that a lot of as are adding to our supplies and getting to play with them using different techniques will help expand their versatility as well as their appeal. 


The aim for the day is to have you play with techniques and products like Glimmer Mist, Mr Hueys, Dylusions Ink Spray, Tim Holtz Distress Inks and much more! 

 

 

 

 

In this Workshop we will be starting you on a journey with a very special project technique journal that you can refer back to, add to and decorate with some gorgeous new embellees we are going to also introduce you to... all handmade!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Workshop Details are:

Date: 20 May 2012
Time: 10:30 am to 4:00 pm
Venue: Edgeworth Bowling Club
Cost: $60.00 (includes kit)
** Lunch is not included - Club has great Cafe


Registrations have opened and spots are filling quickly, so please please ensure you have read our Terms and Conditions on our Workshops 2012 page tab above.

All enquiries/registrations should be directed to our email at: Embellees@bigpond.com

Embellees Embellishments - Covered Buttons

In our recent Workshop 'Papers, Punches and Photos' we had a lot of fun introducing our Workshop Lovelies to the art of making their own covered buttons to use on their layouts. 

We made three buttons on the day in different sizes that worked with our layouts. 

Here you can see the lovely yellow and white spot button used as the centre of our 'pinwheel embellishment' on the Rainbow Layout by our DT Member Natalie Bright.

Another sample is shown here on our Butterfly Layout added to a crochet doily that Lizzie had tinted with distress inks as part this embellishment cluster.

We love being able to introduce handmade embellishments (or Embellees as our name suggests) to our Workshops.

While it is easy to buy co-ordinating embellishments with most scrapbooking papers, it is always rewarding to use new ideas, techniques and more importantly your 'stash' to make your own.

For many years (Lizzie) has been making her own covered buttons when sewing and she then continued to add these to her layouts. 

It was great to find new tools that made this so much easier and cost effective.  We purchased our tools from an Oz Company by the name of:  Pack It In 

This great little company has good prices, quick purchase options and fabulous customer service.  We found them via their Facebook Page, which led us to their products on Ebay.



Here are some links to these sites:

Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Embellees/123092587736147#!/packitin

Ebay: 
http://stores.ebay.com.au/packitin-bags

To get yourself started you will need to:

• Purchase a template/kit that matches size of button (one-off purchase)
• Purchase a supply of buttons (we used the flat backs and sizes 19mm, 28mm & 38mm)
• There is a very easy tutorial included on the FB page that helped us get going very quickly and is supplied with your template purchase

We look forward to showing you many more ways in which we intend to use these  'embellees' in our future projects.

Cheers
Lisa and Lizzie