Papercrafts Fesival ... Louise Nelson's class

So how awesome was the Papercrafts Festival at Penrith this weekend? I managed to get a few precious kid-free hours to visit on Friday, and managed to spend just a little over my budget...  ok maybe a bit more than a little... but now that all the retreats and shows are over for the year my plan is to stash-bust! Over the coming weeks I'll be sharing some ways I have used up stuff that has been in my stash for years, things that need just a little alteration to become something gorgeous and useable.

At the Papercrafts Festival I was lucky enough to meet Louise Nelson at her workshop where I learnt some fab techniques. And it was great because I didn't have to follow instructions much... those who know me know I don't follow instructions well! I can't help it, I just have to mix things up. The class was mainly Lou sharing the techniques she uses to achieve her instantly recognisable style, then we could go off and create our own layouts and just have a play and get messy. This is what I made.

Without sounding too weird and stalker-ish, it was so nice to meet a kindred spirit; I create in a very freestyle way too, mostly by feel, knowing that magical point when all your elements flow and just playing with stuff on the page till everything falls into alignment. The end result is different, we have quite different styles, but aside from me almost always using a photo as my starting point, I think we both kind of look for that organic way a page needs to flow. You know when you meet someone and you know you're just on the same wavelength? Yeah, that!

So I left feeling very inspired! It was great to finally meet Lou and Nic Howard, make friends with Sarah Martin and the other girls in the class, and catch up with Jane Clark, Teresa Crouch, Joanne and a few other scrappy girls including the scrappy girl I see nearly every day of the week, Miss Karyn Pawson.   :)

Here's the second layout I completed in the class, the first one is more balanced but I like this one too. I made it for my sister-in-law Debbie who is so amazing in so many ways... but is yet to embrace lumpy-bumpy scrapping! This one's for you Deb - bumps a-plenty! 

Thanks Lou for the lovely little kit too; LOVE this Imaginarium Designs chipboard.  :)

Stay crafty peeps,