Well here we are at the end of the year again!! ....From all of us here at Mystical we wish you and your family a joyous Christmas and a wonderful scrappy New Year.

We also have to say a sad goodbye to our long term DT member Dale Tiernan.  Dale has been with Mystical for a couple of years now and working with her has been absolutely amazing,  Dale, you will be missed, but we all wish nothing but the very best for you in what ever comes next!

I'm taking a little break over Christmas and then heading down south for a family holiday afterwards.

I will be re-opening on the 12th January,  of course the shop is open to place your orders anytime, but all orders will be processed on the 12th Jan 2015.

Our Challenges however start again on the 5th January!  So keep an eye out for a fabulous challenge from Jane to kick off the new year.

And we have our 1st Cyber crop for 2015 all planned and ready to go for the 25th January.

Take Care over the holidays and I very much look forward to chatting with you all again in the new year.

Cheers
Donna and the Mystical Team xx

Dale's Gallery Pick

Hi girls. It's Dale joining you today. I've picked lisajane's little elves layout this month.  Here it is for your viewing pleasure.

Jane's December gallery pick

Well it is my time to check out the gallery and find a layout I would like to highlight this month.

And my eye is drawn to Dale's lovely sample page for the Nov/Dec Cyber Crop.  I just love the colours in this page and the fresh feel it has.

Wonderful work Dale.  This page really looks fabulous.

December monthly challenge ...

Since this is the last month of 2014 what better way to celebrate the year than by having a final challenge reviewing some of what went on during the past twelve months.

Below are four layouts from Donna, Dale, Tracey and myself.  Your challenge for December is to use one of these as a template for your own page.  Yes my friends a good old fashioned scraplift !!!  You can use any theme, any colours and any product - just base your layout of one of ours.

DONNA

DALE

TRACEY

 

JANE

You have till the end of the month to get your page into the gallery - happy scrapping :)

Dale's lesson for November 2014

Hi everyone,

It's a busy time of year. I found some time today to make a page with an altered paper that I made earlier in the year. It's handy to make some different backgrounds to use in later pages.

The yellow piece of paper in the picture below is about 8" by 8". My friend Karin has a gelli plate, which she made herself. It has a few bubbles in it which kind of add interest I think. You can go to Youtube and search for gelli plate and template and a bunch of videos will come up. You can learn a lot from these on how to use gelli plates.

We sprayed some ink on her gelli plate and used her brayer to smooth it out. Then we placed a piece of paper over it and brayered over it quite firmly to create a pattern on that piece of paper. We put it aside. The template had left a wonderful pattern on the gelli plate. We put the yellow piece down on it and brayered over it. The negative image is what you can see on the yellow piece. We though it looked better than the first image.

I've trimmed the yellow piece of the blank yellow showing around the gelli plate image and used a corner rounder. Then I took a wavy trimmer and sliced it twice. I moved the centre piece higher on the page as I wanted to create movement for the eye. I think the pattern created ties in with the snake's skin really nicely.

Another technique I used was with the background paper, which is a Tim Holtz core cardstock. The core of this piece is kraft, whilst the front is a lovely colour green. I used a sanding block to sand away some of the green to make it more rustic looking.

Here is the finished layout.

Thanks for looking and I hope I have inspired you to go and create.

Dale's layout for Tracey's Cyber Crop challenge

Hi there scrappers. It's Dale here.

I've had a go at Tracey's mood board challenge. I love the colour scheme she has chosen.  Here is my layout.

I didn't have any new year's eve photos as we didn't do anything to celebrate last year. I've chosen to scrap a photo from a party I went to this year. It had the right colour tones and happy note that the challenge asks for. I encourage you to have a go.

Also, don't forget my November challenge. You have until the last day of November to do this.

Dale's Gallery Pick

It's my turn to spot something special in the gallery. I really couldn't go past Debi J's entry for my summer mood board cyber crop challenge. Her layout just embodies the Australian summer in every way. Don't you agree?

Dale

Jane's November tutorial ...

Hi Jane here .... just popping in for a quick tutorial.  Here's a super easy way to do some Christmas cards using washi tape and gift tags.

I picked up these gift tags in the throw out bins after Christmas last year.  The washi isn't Christmas - just the appropriate colours from my stash.  You could add other little embellishments if you wanted.

Use it in strips on your cards.

Add a card and presto.  One Christmas card ready to go.  These took minutes to produce and could be a really great creative activity for the kids to do this Christmas - make their own cards for their teachers and friends.

Jane's gallery pick for November ...

So many lovely pages in the gallery from October!  So hard for me to select just one to showcase!   Hmmmm  looking, thinking, looking some more.   Ahhh found one!

My pick for November is this little beauty .....  courtesy of Mel (mel71hortin) from my cyber crop challenge.

This little guy is just way too cute to pass by and the page on which he is featured is bright and colourful and eye catching and well ... what's not to like ??

Jane's Birthday challenge ...

Welcome to the final birthday challenge of our big birthday month.  

A birthday is a day that comes once a year when a person celebrates the anniversary of his or her birth.  Birth is defined as the start of life as a physically separate being. 

My challenge to you is to celebrate birth in which ever form you would like it to be.  The human variety or animal, even something from nature.

Perhaps you have a tree in bud in your garden or baby birds in your aviary.  Maybe your farmyard chickens or ducks are proudly showing off their fluffy babies or you have photographs in your yet to scrap stash of the family pet as a very junior member of the household. 

Here is my sample:

I have these sitting in a photo folder for some twenty-one and a half years - think it was about time I got them scrapped eh!!

I used mainly Little Yellow Bicycle - Snugglebug Girl for my double page spread.


Hope you can join us for this final challenge or any of the other ones we have presented to you during October.  You have until midnight Sunday, November 2nd to get your creations into the gallery..

Tracey Campbell's Birthday Challenge

It is my turn to challenge you lovely ladies to our weekly birthday celebrations at Mystical Scrapbooks for the month of October. This week I want to see some stamping on your layouts....not just any stamping...birthday stamping, with a twist.

Use birthday themed stamps on a non birthday layout or use non birthday stamps on a birthday layout.

Here is my sample

Happy Happy

I have used Heidi Swapp and October Afternoon Birthday stamps on a layout of my two daughters at Howard Springs Park playing at the top of the slide after they had a swim...boy did they zoom down the slide so fast in their wet bathers.

Dale's Gallery pick

Hi everyone. It's Dale here with my pick from the Gallery at Mystical for October.

I've chosen this layout by Joolz that she did for Tracey's September cyber crop, white plus 1 with a twist. The little fishes are soos cute.



Don't forget all the birthday challenges that are currently running. Lots of fun to be had.

Mystical birthday challenge from Dale

Hi scrapper's. It's Dale here.

It is Mystical Scrapbooks birthday and we are having a month of challenges to celebrate.

My challenge to you is I'd like you to:

MAKE A CARD USING THE COLOURS BLACK, WHITE AND ONE OTHER COLOUR OF YOUR CHOICE.

I have made two examples, one with an extra colour of red and the other using yellow. They are both very similar in design. You can make whatever design you like.

Get your entry into the gallery by the end of this month to qualify. Don't forget you must use the criteria I have set.

Dale's tip for October

CARD TUTORIAL - PRESENT BOXES

Hi everyone. It's Dale here on the Mystical blog today. As it is birthday month here at Mystical I have decided that my tutorial will be on how to make cute little present boxes. These boxes can feature on any card or scrapbook page. You can make them for birthdays or even Christmas if you choose.
Only 16 weeks to go til the big day. I'm sure some of you are thinking about making your cards already.

Your list of supplies you will need might read like this:

square punch or trimmer
small flower punch
ribbon
patterned paper and cardstock
twine
adhesive

Start by punching or cutting out squares. You can use the same sizes or vary it up.
Then cut some small pieces of co-ordinating patterned paper, cardstock or you can use ribbon or twine. These will represent the ribbon over your present wrapping.

 Attach these with your doubled sided adhesive.

Punch out some small flower or other shape to go on top to represent your ribbon flower. I used a small flower and a splat. I coloured around the edge of the splat in the centre present with green pen to co-ordinate with the ribbon.

Then your presents are ready to go on a page or a card. I've made a simple card using white cardstock, a strip of green and white patterned paper and some tiny alphas for the sentiment.

I hope this inspires you to make your own present boxes.

Jane's gallery pick for October ...

Some lovely layouts have appeared in the gallery over the past few weeks and it is my turn to highlight one for your pleasure.

I couldn't go past this really very pretty vintage page created by Debi for last months challenge.  I love how she has used patterned paper and tags which blend in beautifully with the colouring of the older photographs.

Lovely work Debi.

Extra Birthday Challenge

Surprise!

I have a sketch challenge for you :)

Take your inspiration from this sketch I've made, the only requirement is that you create a background.  You can paint, use some texture paste, free hand or use a template, it's up to you.

You have till the end of the month and we have a 'Bling' pack to give away, and our winner will be chosen by random.

Have fun with it!!
Donna

Birthday Give-A-Way

This weeks give-a-way is a FREE packet of beautiful  Kaisercraft - Mini Blooms.

Just place an order over $20.00 placed this week and add a comment letting me know which colour you would like.

Happy Shopping! ( and don't forget everything is on sale!!)

  

Jane's tip and tricks for October

Three ways with washi.

Do you, like me, have a mountain of washi tape and yet can't seem to pass a basket of them in the shop without rummaging through to find a few more?

And guess what !  Mystical has these little beauties on special this month HERE.

Do you look at these pretty rolls and wonder "Ok I have them but now what do I do with them?".

Here are three simple ways to use up that washi we all love so much.

1)  As a patterned paper block.

Use strips of washi to create your own striped patterned paper.

2)   As vertical or horizontal stripes. 

Use pieces of washi of varying lengths to bring focus to photographs or to anchor embellishments.

3)   As a border.

Use washi as a border either above and/or below a strip of photos  or at the top and/or bottom of your page like I did in layout 2).

Have fun with that washi !!

October monthly challenge

Hi Jane here and it is my turn to host the monthly challenge.

This month I'd like you to dig deep into your patterned paper and embellishment stashes and find some very obvious paper made for those boys and girls in your life - be they your own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or just family friends and do an obviously child focused (boy or girl) page.  I am also asking you to find an embellishment or two (can be from the same range or from somewhere else) which is obviously child focused to add to your page.

I've used the Bo Bunny Blast Off  range from the store with it's out of space, planets and aliens theme which worked well with photographs of my son on a school excursion to Luna Park a few years ago - yep they got to go to Luna Park ... for school!

I also like the Bo Bunny - On the Go range or the Imaginisce - Enchanted line for those with little girls.

Can't wait to see what you come up with for October and Dale and Tracey will be inspiring you throughout the month with their own creations.

September Cyber Crop time

Hi there,

Welcome to the WITH ONE and a TWIST Mystical Scrapbook's September cyber crop.

This month you get to use a specific background for each of our challenges - either white cardstock, black cardstock or kraft plus ONE other colour of your choice.........and each of us has a TWIST for you to include on your page. We will allow you to have 5% of either black or white on your layout.

JANE

Jane Howden's challenge to you is to use kraft as your background with one other main colour and the twist is to use flowers on your page.

Bonus points IF you can use the colour as a word in your title. Jane has used the colour yellow as her main colour, but you can choose any colour for your main colour.

Products used:

Kraft cardstock

Patterned papers from October Afternoon and Pink Paislee

Flowers from  Prima and Green Tara

Stickers from October Afternoon

Kaisercraft Paint

AC Thickers alphabet

DALE

Dale Tiernan's challenge to you is to use black as your background one other main colour and the twist is to use patterns/shapes on your page.



Bonus points if you can use a stencil and mists to create a shape background on your black cardstock, like Dale has. Other shapes that Dale has used are triangles, squares, stripes and chevrons. Dale has used the colour white/cream as her main colour but you can choose any colour as your main colour.

Products used:

Black cardstock

WOW Altmatz 12" template

Mists

Papers and chipboard from the July Mystical Kit

Kraft cardstock

Tiny Blue Adorn it alphas

Tracey

Tracey Campbell's challenge to you is to use white as your background with one other main colour and the twist is to use the same amount of photos as words in your title on your page. (Tracey has two photos and two words in her title).

Bonus points if you add some splatters to your page. Tracey has used the colour plum/purple as the main colour on her layout but you can use any colour as your main colour.

Products used:

Cardstock

Colour Spray

BoBunny Cést la Vie

Simple Stories Year.o.graphy

We can't wait to see what you come up with for the challenges. You have until Midnight Friday 26th September to get your layouts uploaded into the gallery for you chance to win a great Mystical Scrapbooks prize.

Dale's Gallery Pick

Hello scrappers.

Today's gallery pick is by me, Dale.

I've chosen to highlight one of the September challenge entries. It is by Joolz (Julene).



I would like to travel on this. Looks so comfortable. Great layout Julene.

Don't forget to join in the September challenge, set by Tracey.

Jane's gallery pick for September ...

Now who couldn't love a little face like this one?

"Sweet" is my gallery pick for this month, although this gorgeous page was done for my negative space challenge for the August cyber crop.  A beautiful page Debi.

Jane's page for the September challenge ...

Now here is a lesson for all of us!  When you are completing a challenge which has several steps or different criteria, don't think you know all the bits and pieces involved, actually write it down and have it in front of you so you know all the bits and pieces involved.

I'm sorry Miss Tracey ... I stuffed up!!  I missed the bit that said cut your patterned paper in half and put it back together somehow using both sides.  So my paper has been cut but not in half I'm afraid, I only created a bottom panel on my page.

So Tracey's challenge for this month is:

You need to have the following on your layout;
a) 1 double sided pattern paper
b) 2 photos
c) 3 different pattern papers (the pattern paper in (a) is not included in this)
d) 4 embellishments
e) 5 tags

now the twist............ you are to have a 1/2 in the challenge - you are to cut your pattern paper in half somehow and show side one and side two as your base. As you can see in my sample I have cut the pattern paper in a diagonal, flipped one side over and adhered them back together to make one piece. You can add anything else you like to your layout as long as you have the five elements in the list and the 1/2 requirement. 

and here is my not quite right page (hanging head in shame :(  ...

Hope you can play along with us this month.

Dale's September 2014 tutorial

Hello everyone.

I'd like to show you how I made a Father's Day card for my Dad. He loves to go out on the ocean in a boat and fish, or fish anywhere really. He had a boat for many years but sold it to buy a caravan. Mum is much happier as she gets seasick and couldn't join in the boating.

One of the latest Collections at Mystical is Thoughts Wandering by Manor House Creations. There is a paper that has journal cards on one side (here in the store). I thought it would suit a card for my Dad.



First of all I gather supplies I thought I might use. This can be great as inspiration if you're not sure what to create.

I cute some cream cardstock for the base of the card. Then I cut some Crate Paper woodgrain paper and inked the edges to be the background on the front of the card.
I have added the journal box with the ship on, top right corner of the MHC paper. No reason to just use these cards on a scrapbook page.
Then I added a couple of stickers and a die-cut on the right hand side.
Then I chose a Flourish with a bling yellow flower with a jeweled centre. No reason a bloke can't have a flower on his card I say. I've also added the rhinestones as well.

Lastly I have added some Adorn It tiny alphas to make the sentiment.

I hope my Dad will like this card. I know my Mum will. She keeps all the hand made cards I give to them both.

I hope I have inspired you to go and make a card yourself.