A Thank You Gift

Shirley an I wanted to say a big, HUGE, thank you to everyone who filled out our survey.  Your feedback is vital as we put the finishing touches on then new blog.

In 2015 we will have additional ways for you to share your input and participate in our new blog.  Until then, we have a small thank you gift.

Using a Planner Like a Pro.

You can find an update to this post on our new blog: Everyday Moodlings.

Are you obsessed with planners?

BRAND NEW Workshop: Creativity 365

Do you love planners?  I know....dumb question, right?!  OK, maybe not everyone loves planners, but I do. :)  Check out this brand new workshop from Shirley Pando.  Learn how to create a custom planner and add a little creativity to all of 2015.

12 Fun Ways to Use Brads

What a fun week.  I got to research ways to use brads.  Many of these I have used in the past, but I did find some new and fun techniques to try.

Dec. 8th: Sharing My Love of Brads

Hey Crafters!

No, I don't mean Brad Pitt or Bradley Cooper. It's Monday and that means one thing.  What is that again?  Oh right, time for a new challenge.  This week we will be exploring brads.

I will be honest......I love brads.  No, I mean I LOVE brads.  From the moment they 1st hit the market to last time I went to Micheal's.   I am pretty sure that Micheal's has the doors rigged so I cannot leave without a package of brads.

I have brads in all shapes, colors and sizes.  I have fabric and flocked and glitter brads.  I even have a brad maker.  What does this mean?

Dec.5th: Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?

Hey Crafter's, Shirley Pando here. Did you join me this week for the 4 Product Challenge? This week it is all about buttons. We've got to use up all those products we have hoarded collected throughout the years, right??

Check out the projects, below, I made using buttons.

We need your help.

2015 is almost here and that means decisions must be made.  In case you have not noticed the name of this blog is My Creative Life 2014 blog.  Last year we had Use Every Stamp 2013.  So what we will do in 2015?

That is where we need your help.  As we put the finishing touches on the 2015 blog we would LOVE your input on the topics and types of post we will include.  We want you to be part of the process. :)

We have a very brief survey (there are only two questions) for you to complete.  The survey will close on December 8th and the new blog will launch on January 12th. 

 Craft Classes Online Blog Survey

We thank you for your participation and we look forward to very creative 2015.
Jeri and Shirley

Dec 1st 4 Product Challenge: Buttons

Hey Crafters! Shirley, here!

Button, button...who's got the button? Ever play that game when you were younger? It was one of my favorites to play with my three sisters while my mom was busy sewing. Grab the biggest button from the button box and hide it! When they come looking for it you lead them to it by saying, "Warmer" or "Colder" as they walked toward or away from it's hiding place. We could play it for hours, and probably did! Oh such wonderful memories!

I do have a "few" buttons...how about you? Let's get those buttons out and create with them this week. They are one of the products we will use in our 4 Product Challenge.

Check out the short video, below, to see what other products I'll be using.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Shirley and I wanted to wish our readers a very Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope you enjoy the holiday with friends, family and food.  We will be back in December for new challenges, inspiration and fun.

Happy Crafting,
Jeri'

Tips for Embossing with Spellbinders Dies

All November long we have focused on embossing.  This week we turn out attention to cut and emboss dies.  As you already know I am a huge fan of Spellbinders dies.  I am a fan because they are so versatile.

Included in today's blog post is a bonus video, it includes tips for getting the best possible emboss using low-profile dies.

Last chance to save 50% on Time Management for the Creative Soul

Join the 1500+ students who have already completed Time Management for the Creative Soul.

Hurry! This workshop is only available for a limited time. Enrollment will close on November 21, 2014.

11/17 Challenge: Cut and Emboss

During the month of November we have focused on embossing.  Week one we used embossing folders, week two was embossing powders.  This week we will explore cut and emboss dies.

Nov 14th Projects: Embossing Powder

This week we are focusing on embossing powder.  I held off for a long time before I purchased the supplies to use embossing powders on my projects.  I mean a really long time.....like years. :)

I finally caved and joined the fun.  I still only have a handful of embossing powders and most of the time I stick with black, white and clear, with clear being my favorite.

Nov 10th Challenge: Embossing Powder

We are back with a brand new challenge.  This week we will be working with embossing powders.  Watch the video below to learn more about this week's challenge.

Nov 7th 4 Product Challenge: Embossing Folders Projects

This week's challenge is all about embossing folders. I don't have too many, or so I think! I store mine in a basket still in their original packaging, but I've seen some great storage ideas on Pinterest.

Check out my projects, below.

Let's Get Ready for 2015

Join the 1500+ students who have already completed Time Management for the Creative Soul.

Hurry! This workshop is only available for a limited time. Enrollment will close on November 21, 2014.

If only I had more time. How often do we say that? How often do we push away things we say are important because of all of our other obligations? How often do we fill what little free time we have with time wasters?

The truth is we all have the same amount of time. Time is the one constant in our lives. But it is up to you to choose what you do with that time.

Cricut: Crafting with Fabric starts today!

Have you been secretly longing to use your Cricut machine to cut fabric but are afraid to try? Maybe you've tried, but gave up in frustration. There are some limitations, but with just a little know-how, you, too, can successfully cut fabric with your Cricut. Create fun little shapes for cards, T-shirts, pillows, tote bags, aprons, quilts, and more! Take your crafting to a whole new level!

Nov 3rd 4 Product Challenge: Embossing Folders

Hi Crafters, Shirley Pando here! 

It's Monday and time for another challenge.  It's time to FALL BACK in love with your embossing folders. Get it?...Fall back? (For those of you viewing this at a later date, this past weekend was Daylight Savings.)

Misting Sprays:Maybe a Story of Like?

I remember when Tattered Angels came out with Glimmer Mist.  Everyone loved them and then everyone hated them due to spray bottle problems.  Then came the fixes for the problems.  I sat on the sidelines, not sure if I wanted to venture into the world of misting sprays.

I did finally venture in with 3 bottles of Glimmer Mist and I used them sporadically.  I wanted to love them...I really did.  But alas, they were not my favorite product to work with.  I got seriously tired of cleaning out the pumps.  UGGGGGG!  I so wanted to love you misting sprays, but I felt jilted.

A Crafter's Guide to Social Media Marketing

Everyone is using social media to connect with others these days. And that's exactly where you should be marketing your craft business, too! But with new social media platforms popping up all the time, how do you choose which ones to use? Where do you start? What should you post? And how do you fit this into your already busy day? Come join us for this jam-packed 4-week, 8-lesson workshop where Shirley and Jeri's will help you wade through the social media waters so you'll be ready to jump in the deep end with both feet!

Oct 27th Challenge: Misting Sprays

It's Monday and that means a brand new challenge.  This week we will be working with misting sprays.

Halloween Printer's Tray

Here it is....the finished Halloween printer's tray. :)

When I posted my 4 Product Challenge on Friday the tray was not yet complete.  I had plans to work on it over the weekend and I am excited to say I was able to finish the project.  That RARELY happens in my life.

You can see I made a few changes, mostly the center spot was just not working for me, so I moved it to a bottom spot.  My favorite are the flowers.  I will be using that technique again.  Check out Friday's post for even more ideas for using paint.

Happy Crafting,
Jeri'

Challenge: Paint-40 Ways to Use Paint

This week is all about paint.  I am pretty sure crafter's have been using paint since the beginning of time. It is pretty much a craft staple.  This week I wanted to see if I could come up with a list of things you can do with paint on your paper crafting or mixed media projects.   I made a list of 40.  Of course, I am sure there are more.  I would love you to share your ideas too.

A quick disclaimer:  As you can clearly see this printer's tray is not complete.  But I have a crafty weekend planned, yes a whole weekend of craft projects. I am so excited.  I will post completed photos next week.

Oct 20th Product Challenge: Paint

This week we will continue to work with wet mediums.  This time around we will focus on paint.  How can we use it and how can be make it the star of our projects.

5 Ways to Use Inks Without Using Stamps

As I thought about this week's challenge, ink, I struggled with what to do.  I could have just created a stamped card.  But that felt really predictable to me.  That was just too easy.  So I flipped through magazines, idea books and Pinterest for inspiration.  

I finally decided it might be fun to work with inks without just using stamps.  So I came up with 5 ways to use inks without using stamps.  I am certain there are way more then 5 ways, but a girl only has so many hours in a day. :)  I will still be using stamps this week, but the challenge was not about stamps, it was about ink.  So I wanted to make ink the star of the show.  For most of my cards I use two shades from Tsukineko: Grape Jelly and Tangelo.  The colors were perfect for my Halloween cards.

Last chance to save 50% on Clean and Simple Card Workshop

Clean and Simple Card Workshop

Clean and simple (CAS) cards have been taking the card making world by storm.In the world of card making there are many different kinds or styles of cards, but they tend to fall into three categories. Cards that focus on products, cards that focus on techniques and cards that focus on design. It is that last type of card that is the essence of clean and simple cards. 

One should never confuse quick and easy with clean and simple. In fact, it can be quite the opposite. When I create a CAS card I know the design has to be perfect. So while the card may come together quickly in the end, it takes a lot of planning before assembly begins. Sometimes small changes can make a HUGE difference.

For the love of all that is good…..how do I find the right ink pad when I need it?

If you are like me….you probably have a lot of ink pads….in a lot of colors.  There are so many different kinds of ink and each performs a different job.  So you end up with multiple colors in different types of ink.

So how do you find the perfect color when you need it?  For example, I probably have 15 different colors of green inks.  Some are chalk ink, some are dye ink, while still others are pigment ink. The list goes on and on.  In the past I would get out several inks I ‘thought’ might work and then test each one.  For each project I would repeat the process.

Oct 13 Product Challenge: Ink

It is time for a new challenge.

The results are in.......Gelatos!

This week we are focusing on dry to wet products or products that are water activated.  Products like: Gelatos, Twinkling H2Os and watercolor pencils.  I choose to focus on Gelatos.  They are such a fun product to work with. So many possibilities.

I focused on scrapbooking this week and also completed my Project Inspiration ATC card.

Last day to save on Twinklings H2Os workshop.

Today is the last day.  The last day to take advantage of a great sale.  Enroll today and starting playing, exploring and learning about Twinkling H2Os.

Color Inspiration: Twinkling H2Os!

Which watercolor paper is right for you?

Watercolor paper can be confusing and expensive.....so you want to make sure you purchase the right product for the job.  I am often asked about watercolor paper in my workshops.  When using a medium like Gelatos ore Twinkling H2Os I often turn to watercolor paper as my surface of choice.  It makes the color bold and vibrant.  But which weight is best?  What type of watercolor paper do I want to use for stamping? Collage? Backgrounds?

Oct 6th Product Challenge-Dry to Wet

Happy Monday! It is time for a new challenge. :) This week we will be working with water activated products like Gelatos, Twinkling H2Os and watercolor pencils. I imagine most of your have one of those products in your stash, possibly hidden in a drawer somewhere. So let's dig them out and put them to good use.

 My 4 Product Challenge with week will include:

• Gelatos (But I may find time to work with Twinkling H20s too.)
• Watercolor Paper
• Stencils
• 3x4 Journaling Card Dies
• Pattern Paper by Scenic Route

Learn more about my challenge this week in the video below.

The Results Are In......Challenge: Low Profile Dies

Friday came quickly this week.  It was one of those weeks where I felt very grateful to get any crafting done at all.  My to do list seemed to regenerate all on its own.  LOL!  I am certain many of you deal with the same issues.

So I was very thankful to be working with low-profile dies, and specifically Spellbinders, as I feel so comfortable working with them.  Did you join me for the challenge this week?  You can read my Monday Post here.

 

The 4 products I used included:

• Spellbinders Labels
• Washi Tape
• Text Paper  
• Trim

Don't throw your dies away! Learn how to get a clean cut using intricate dies.

Spellbinders produces many stunning intricate dies that can be used to create beautifully layered cards.  They make my creative soul swoon.  And then my love turns to frustration as I struggle to get the die to cut and release properly.

Fear not my friends.....this crafty gal has a few solutions for you to try.

Sept 29th Challenge Topic: Low Profile Dies

This week we will be working with low-profile dies, like those made by Spellbinders, Papertry Ink, QuicKutz, Crafter's Workshop, Technique Tuesday......and so many more.

September 26th Challenge: Low Profile Dies

The number of companies producing low-profile dies has skyrocketed and quite frankly, I LOVE it!  I have shared my love (aka addiction) to low profile dies in the past.  We actually used Spellbinders as our 2nd challenge for this blog. 

This time around we will be expanding the challenge to include all low-profile dies.  Some of my favorite dies are those with matching stamps.  But what if you want to create the look of a matching stamp where one does not existed?  That is my challenge this week. :)

4 Product Challenge: Cricut - Projects

Hello again! Shirley Pando here. Did you join me this week in the 4-Product Challenge using your Cricut (or other die cut machine)? If you missed the challenge, check out my post from Monday, HERE.

Here is a list of the products I used:

1. Cricut "Lite Bloom" cartridge
2. Scrap papers in various pink colors
3. Vintage music papers
4. Trim

Last day to save on the Color Inspiration: Gelatos workshop.

Do you own a set of Gelatos? Maybe you have yet to use them? Or maybe you have used them only a few times and now they are resting quietly in a lonely draw? Now is a great time to get them back out and join me the Color Inspiration: Gelatos.  This workshop is currently on sale for a very limited time.  Sale ends tomorrow, Sept 26th, at 10:00 am central time.

Gelatos are a wonderful option for adding color to your projects. they are easy to store and fun to collect. But learning to use them takes some practice. I will share my favorite tips and techniques. The results will amaze you....and hopefully leave you Color Inspired!

Strategies for Increasing Your Cricut Usage.

If every time I wanted to use the Cricut I had to pull it out, hook it up to my computer, figure out what carts and/or cuts I wanted to use, design my cuts and then cut them out.....I would NEVER, EVER use the Cricut.

There MUST be a better way.

After starting to scrapbook again I really wanted to start using the Cricut again.  I have so many cartridges with so many cuts I could be using, but the task seemed so daunting.  I don't have the time for complicated crafting. :)

Sept. 22nd Topic: Cricut - Getting the Best Use From Your Die Cut Machine

Hello! Shirley Pando here! I'd like to welcome you back to the My Creative Life 2014 challenge blog, the official blog of Craft Classes Online. We've taken a little hiatus to change gears and reorganize but we are now ready to bring you the best in crafting and creativity. We have a new website, new projects, new workshops, and, of course, new blog posts! :-)



Jeri's original mission for this blog is pretty simple:

1. To inspire you to make creativity a daily priority...or weekly or monthly...whatever works best for you.
2. To motivate you to use all of the supplies you have collected over the years. (Oh, goodness, I have so much it's embarrassing!!)
3. To explore the concept of creativity and practical ways for adding more creativity to our lives.
4. To find ways to lose the perfectionism, comparison, and pressure that are creativity killers. (I resemble that remark and I feel a new blog post coming on!)
5. Oh, yes, we will also offer a few online workshops along the way.

Now, let's get on with the show!

Cricut: Getting the Best Use From Your Die Cut Machine

So you made that big purchase of a die cutting machine. It can do some amazing things. And you are a crafter, so you tell yourself that it will make your life much easier, right? You may have purchased it many years ago or just a few months ago. You bought (most all of) your favorite cartridges with the adorable little characters and/or lovely fonts. Life is sweet!

Why I am finally joining the pocket scrapbooking craze!

I have never been one to jump on a trend....ok, that is a complete lie. :) I have a number of tools and supplies that ended up in my craft room because they were the next big thing. (The Cricut comes to mind.)  I do tend to wait to jump in, but when I jump in it is at 100%.  Such is the case with the topic at hand....pocket scrapbooking.

The whole Project Life/Project 365 craze never really appealed to me.  I will admit that I only recently started scrapbooking again. While I would make a page here and there, I was very inconsistent. So maybe I would have joined the fun sooner.

Death of the scrapbook?

With the closing of Two Peas in a Bucket and the merging of so many companies....is the scrapbook industry dying?  This question has been posted a lot over the last few months.  So that got me wondering....is it dying?  Has it peaked?  Was there a bubble?

So many possibilities!

I love a clean desk....so many possibilities.  I think the theme for this fall will be one of new beginnings.  New classes, websites, projects and more.

The future is NOW!

"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike....and all plans, safeguards, policing and coercion are fruitless.  We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip, a trip takes us." ~ John Steinbeck

Today is a bittersweet day for me.

16 things your Cricut can do...besides cut paper!

Did you know that your Cricut machine can do much more than cut little paper die cuts? Oh yes, my friend, it's true. Of course, there are some limitations, but don't let that worry you. ;-) The more you learn about your Cricut, the more you will come to love it!

Two NEW Summer Workshops

Hey Crafters!

I know I am taking a blog vacation, but I am NOT taking a vacation from teaching.  I miss my students. :)  In June we will continue the Color Inspiration journey with Smooch Accent Ink and then July we will look at the endless possibilities of Spellbinders dies.

 

Blog Vacation

Hey Crafters,

I don't often discuss my private life at work, I prefer to keep things as separate as I can.  Unfortunately sometimes life throws you a big old dose of realty.  Over the last year I have dealing with some ongoing health issues.  Running a full time business has certainly made my efforts to get well more difficult.  I realize now that I need to take some time and really focus on healing.  Over the next couple of weeks we will be revealing some much needed changes we will be making at My Creative Classroom to lighten my load.

Project Storage: Rub-Ons

Hey Crafters,

This week's topic is rub-ons.  Essentially rub-ons can be stored the same way stickers are stored.  There is some evidence that it may be best to store your rub-ons flat.  So binder or file folder might be best.  Right now mine are stored on a modified shoe rack.

May 5th Topic: Rub-Ons

Happy Monday,

It is a new week so we have a new topic.  This week we will be working with rub-ons.  I must admit I don't really have very many rub-ons.  I never got hooked on them when they got hot.  Which is not the norm for me. LOL!  But I do have a few and, as always, I am looking forward to working with them.

May 2nd Projects: Paint

It is time to play with paint.  While it is indeed Monday instead of Friday....it is always a good time to play with paint. :)  Even though paint is messy, I find it to one of the most satisfying mediums to work with.  I love that I can easily create any color I want to just my mixing a few colors together.  In my stash of idea books, I have one that shows you how to mix certain colors together.  I highly recommend a color mixing book.  

Project #36-Project Inspiration
I wanted to leave the brush strokes so I could easily identify it as paint in my ATC display.

Project Storage: Paint

Hey Crafters,

It is time to talk about storage.  Paint is actually pretty easy to store and there are many, many options for you to choose from depending on how much paint you have.  I do not have a ton of paint so they fit easily in the draw below.  Most of my paint comes from Ranger.  As I have said before I am NOT a big fan of the dauber they use, but I love the colors and thickness of the paint.

For those of you who have fallowed me for awhile, you know I like to keep it simple.  Using Ranger paints falls into this system because I also use their ink pads, embossing powders and stains.  Everything works together so nicely.  That is a huge plus for me.

April 28th Topic: Paint

Happy Monday!

This week we are working this a product that people either love or hate....paint.  Why hate paint, cuz it's messy of course. :)

Just like last week I will be working with four additional products randomly chosen from my stash.  This week I decided to change it up a bit and created a short video of what I will be using.




Are you joining me this week?  What products and projects will be you working on?
Jeri'