Rachel Greig

Darkroom Door Swap!

I'm hosting a Darkroom Door swap over on the DD Blog... so if you own any Darkroom Door stamps (or need an excuse to buy some!) then all the details can be found HERE. There's been lots of people signing up from all over the world - so it's going to be a great swap!! Join us if you can! Everyone is welcome no matter your experience level. If you have any questions about it, please email me or leave a comment here and I'll get back to you. Unlock the artist within!

Tonight I'm heading off to see Joe Satriani in concert. I love this guy. I saw him at the Metro in Sydney about 10 years ago, and it was just amazing. I'm really looking forward to seeing him again tonight. I'm not a guitar player, but I can appreciate the talent he has to be able to play like that. There's never a wrong note. It's just mesmerizing just watching how he plays. So on that note (pun intended ;) have a great evening! You know I will! :)

Snow day...

We've just spent an amazing fun day at the Snowy Mountains. (yes, there is snow in Australia!) We haven't been there in 5 years. Ethan only had vague memories of when we visited the snow when he was 2, and Zoë hasn't seen snow at all before today. Since I'd been doing a photo shoot near the snow this past weekend, we decided to spend an extra day and have some fun! It was magical. It snowed heavily the whole day. I loved that. Zoë caught snowflakes on her tongue. We had snowball fights. We built a snowman. We went tobogganing. Our fingers froze instantly if we took our gloves off. The kids fell over laughing trying to walk. And it reminded me so much of why I love the snow, the cold, the rosy cheeks, having a warm body with a cold nose, and it made me wish we lived closer to visit here more often. :) But cramming in as much snow fun as we could in one day... priceless.

Remember...

The photo above is the beginnings of a mini book that I started last September. My intention was to create a book about the things I remembered about my paternal grandparents while growing up near them. Things like: making apple pies with Grandma, watching Grandpop in his carpentry shed, drinking hot milk and honey before bedtime, Grandma scratching my back while watching TV, Grandpop knitting his own vests,  Orange Juice Concentrate that was always in the fridge, the big soft spare bed that I'd sleep in when I stayed over, playing them tunes on the organ... and many more.

But the book is still empty. I have wanted this book to be so complete, that my fear was I would forget to include an important memory. (That  just sounds so contradictory, right? If I didn't remember it to include it, then how could I wish to remember it!?) Yes well, this is the art of thinking too much, trying to make every book matter and perhaps putting a little too much pressure on the whole exercise. Anyone else do the same?

My Grandpop died in Nov 2006, my Grandma is still around, and I'm sure she would love for me to read her the book when I have completed it. (Her sight isn't the best anymore.) So that is incentive enough to stop *thinking* about the book, and start doing. So today I've started to write down the memories, and will give myself a couple of days to add to the list. Then I'll start putting the book together. Whatever I have remembered by then will go in the book.

By the way - the book is created from 2 of the 6x6 Making Memories mini book inserts. They're quite an old product, and I stocked up on them before they were discontinued. Unfortunately I have more inserts than I do covers, so for this one I created my own cover by stitching the cream cardstock onto the cover and binding the two inserts together with 7gypsies gaffer tape and Making Memories book binding tape. The paper is from Scenic Route, and the Remember sticker is from 7gypsies. The pebbles are from my backyard ;)

So today, take some time out to remember some things about your grandparents. If you like, share a couple of things here that you remember...

Community Fundraiser

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all enjoying the weekend! Just letting those of you in the Central Coast - Newcastle area know that Cath from Paper & Stuff is holding another Fun-Fun-Fundraiser night on the 5th July. This time all proceeds are going to Breast Cancer. All the details are here in the flyer to your left. (click on it to see it larger). I hope you can make it!

I won't be going to this one unfortunately as I'll be away on a photo shoot, but for those that do go - you'll be sure to have a good time! Always lots of yummy food... and prizes!!!

Also - Cath has a blog! Check it out here.

Upcoming classes...

I've just added a few more classes to my schedule for this year... the links are over there on the left hand side. Next week I'll be teaching 2 classes at the Erina Scrapbook Store. Now if you think that the Central Coast Scrapbook Superstore has closed down - well, they have! But they have reopened under a new name of Erina Scrapbook Store and in new premises (only a few doors up from their old shop). I've been inside the new store and it's so fresh and vibrant! Loads of new products too, and a whole new classroom to get inky!

Here's the classes I'm teaching there next week:

Wednesday 2nd July 7pm-9pm
Understanding Your Camera
Ever wondered how you can use all those features on your camera? Are you trying to understand the instruction manual? Or have you bought a new camera and don't know where to begin? In this workshop, Rachel teaches you about the different functions and modes on your camera, and how to use them to your advantage. She also covers different types of lenses and accessories suitable for all types of photography. Suitable for both SLR and Point & Shoot camera users. Please bring along your camera and manual.

Thursday 3rd July 7pm-9pm
Full Bloom Photochip Cards
Darkroom Door Photochips have many uses for card making, scrapbooking, invitations and other types of papercraft. Create six Full Bloom cards using a variety of techniques with this versatile and vibrant product! We'll ink, stamp, punch and more...

To book into any of the classes above at Erina Scrapbook Store, contact them on 02 4364 0770. Hope to see you there!

Craft & Quilt Fair Demo

I had a great time yesterday doing demo's on the All About Scrapbooks stand! I was demoing the Darkroom Door stamps and how to use them, along with how to hand-tint Photochips. Many of the people who watched my demo had not used unmounted stamps before, so it was great to show them how they work! Thanks to everyone for dropping by, and to Katrina and Vanessa for being great hosts!

As I was packing up, I had quite a stir going on at my demo table. There were several people who seemed to be converted over to the unmounted rubber side, with a flurry of people dropping by to ask a few last minute questions, have a few laughs etc! My wonderful friend and chauffeur Simone was a little snap happy at this stage too!

And... two lovely ladies who dropped by to watch me demo earlier shared their story that they don't do any crafting. They don't quilt, they don't stamp, they didn't have any bags with them, so therefore had not done any shopping at the show. They simply told me they loved looking and admiring all of the craft but hadn't found their 'thing' yet. They watched the demo and then off they went to explore. A little while later, as I was packing up, they came back to show me that they had found their 'thing'! It was stamping! They said they LOVED it. They loved it so much they bought up a couple of Darkroom Door sets to get started at home. They were SO excited, as they said they'd been wanting to do a craft for ages. Now this, truly, is such warm fuzzy. Ok, so I love that they bought the Darkroom Door sets, but really, to introduce new people into rubber stamping is the BEST! Shaari - if you're reading this - enjoy those stamps, and thanks again for dropping by! (and see the lady in the background picking up a set of Darkroom Door stamps off the hook? She too, my friends, is a smart lady! Unless of course she is putting them back. But no, I'll go with the first option! ;)

Happy stamping everyone!!

Worldwide Stamping Challenge!

 Feel like a bit of stamping fun over the next week? From 14th - 21st June, 2peas are hosting a Worldwide Stamping Challenge! Here are all the details.

Darkroom Door have challenged everyone to a 'Doors' theme... with prizes to boot!

Here is the complete (short) list of all the challenges:

1. Anything Goes (use 3 stamps)
2. Asiana (whatever it means to you)
3. ATC: What time is it? (number/clock themed)
4. By the Sea (shells, lighthouses)
5. Celestial (sun, moon, stars)
6. CFH (any of your WSW cards that are being sent to the troops)
7. Doors (door theme)
8. Four Things (use at least a font stamp, image stamp, brad, patterned paper)
9. Get Inspired (inspiration will be posted on the 14th)
10. Hoarders Anonymous (using up stash on other challenges)
11. Into the Wild (animal stamps)
12. Kiss & Tell (‘kiss’ technique)
13. Long Tall Cards (business-envie sized cards)
14. Masterboard (make a stamped masterboard and use it on cards)
15. Mix It Up (use 3 different manufacturer’s stamps)
16. Naked Stamping (Stamps. Paper. You get it.)
17. Non-paper Stamping (Stamp something else!)
18. Opposites Attract (color wheel opposites)
19. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (transporation theme)
20. Playing Card (use a card on your piece)
21. Punch of Color (3color combo)
22. Quilts (use a quilt –yours or a photo of one- as inspiration)
23. Sketch Challenge (to be posted on the 14th)
24. Skulls and Bones (bring out your bones!)
25. Spin the Color Wheel (adjacent colors on the color wheel)
26. Stamped Embellishments (make your own embellies)
27. Stamps as Tools (using stamps in unique ways)
28. Toying with Techniques (try a new-to-you technique)
29. Winged Creatures (bugs, butterflies, birds….pigs)
30. Christmas in June (get started early on your holiday cards)
31. Had to Have It Product Review (had to have it but haven't used it? get it out!)
32. Calendar Challenge (calendar stamps)
33. Earth-Friendly Challenge (recycling, repurposing, nature)

I hope you'll join us! Good luck to everyone who enters!

Darkroom Door Demo's this Saturday...

The Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair is on this week in Sydney! This Saturday 14th June I will be there demonstrating a variety of techniques using Darkroom Door stamps and products! Here are the full details:

Date: Saturday 14th June
Time: 10am-12noon
Booth: All About Scrapbooks (Papercraft section)

Hope to see you there!

Spread Your Wings Mini Book

Here's a mini book I made for the Tarisota gallery this month. The book is made by Collections. I've used a 6" square photo for the cover, and inked the outside frame with Peeled Paint Distress Ink, then stamped over the top with Brilliance White ink using Darkroom Door Wildflower stamps. The inside frame was painted with an Adirondack Gold Paint Dabber.

The Label stamp is by Delish Designs, stamped with the Brilliance White, and I have written inside using Rangers new Inkssentials Opaque white pen. The hanging tag was also painted with the Gold Paint dabber, stamped with Wildflower stamps and I've added the Heidi Swapp Mirror Bird.

For each inside spread, I have used a 6" square photo on the right side, and a strip of three 2" square photos for the left page. I printed all of these on a 6" x 8" photo. The little photo strip fits perfectly across the top of the 6" square photo, and so you just trim off the strip to use on your page. Easy!














Read about the Tarisota Design Team here, and for more detailed photos of this mini book, check out the June 2008 gallery here.

Tarisota Gallery

The Tarisota gallery is up! You can see all the projects from the Tarisota Design Team and my projects for being Guest Designer for this month! I just LOVE seeing what everyone has created!

Here's one of the layouts I completed:

 

It's created using Basic Grey papers, Delish Designs letter stickers, Heidi Swapp Travel foam letters. My Minds Eye label, and some black trimmings.

Hope you enjoy the gallery!