The Art of Scrapbooking™ by Melissa Samuels

Fall Classes at Memories Galore in Richmond, Virginia

Registration for fall classes at Memories Galore is now open!   You can call the Brandermill store in Midlothian, Virginia at (804) 744-6500, or the West End store in Richmond, Virginia at (804) 565-2000 to reserve your seat.  Here's what I'll be teaching.

 
Halloween Cards with Melissa Samuels $24
Have a frightening good time while creating three spooky Halloween cards with a Graphic 45 twist. Okay, so maybe they aren't spooky, but they are oh so cute! Graphic 45’s Hallowe'en in Wonderland paper collection has just the right touch of magic and whimsy that make these cards a perfect surprise for any recipient to find in their mailbox. We'll use paper cutting, Stickles, vellum, distress ink, and Glossy Accents to add lots of dimension and details which is sure to impress.

• Brandermill: Monday, Oct. 11th from 6:30-8:30pm

• West End: Friday, Oct. 15th from 6:30-8:30pm

   

Christmas Cards Workshop with Melissa Samuels $38
Give the gift of handmade cards this holiday season! Join Melissa and Santa's elves, for some creative Christmas card creations that are sure to impress each and every recipient. Use Tim Holtz's On the Edge dies for a touch of elegance, glam it up with Glimmer Mist, and add some sparkle with Stickles. Enjoy Christmas carols and drink hot cocoa to channel the Christmas spirit while creating five cards with handmade envelopes in this workshop.

• Brandermill: Saturday, Nov. 6th from 2-5pm

• West End: Friday, Nov. 5th from 6-9pm

I'm excited to announce that add-on kits are available for purchase with the Christmas Card Workshop.  The kits contain all the papers, ribbons, flowers, and cutouts you will need to create an additional set of 5 cards for only $18!!  This kit is ONLY available to workshop participants who have already paid the initial workshop fee, and is completely optional.  You will be able to send everyone on your Christmas card list a beautiful card made with love.

 

Framed Nature Notecards Workshop with Melissa Samuels $38
In this workshop you’ll create four beautiful nature themed notecards and envelopes good for any occasion or season. Use Suze Weinberg's melting pot, UTEE, and Beadazzles to make Memory Frame charms that resemble fossilized pieces of nature. The recipient of these cards are sure to treasure them as they are, or they can remove the charm to use as a sun catcher or ornament.  A great Christmas or teacher appreciation gift.  Note**Melting Pots and all materials needed to create 4 cards will be provided. 

• Brandermill: Friday, Nov. 12th from 6-9pm      

• West End: Friday, Nov. 19th from 6-9pm

Click here to see what Suze Weinberg blogged about my cards!!

 

Art Journal Page

It always happens this way, I start cleaning my studio, it's going pretty good, and then I get sidetracked.  Sometimes I think my kids, ages 2 and 4, have greater attention spans than I do.  At any rate, here is what I did today after I got bored with cleaning. 

 

 

"The Key To Time" Townhouse Tutorial

 

Hello All!  I have a little tutorial I thought I'd share with you!  I bought these super cute chipboard Townhouses at CHA for my shop, and I've been dying to make one to show you some of the possibilities.  At first I was going to paint it, but then I thought I would cover it in paper.  Of course, 7 Gypsies' Conservatory was the first paper to pop into my head, because it has a beautiful nature theme that would be perfect for a birdhouse.  BUT, that would be WAY too predictable.  So, going against the grain, I decided on my fav Graphic 45's Steampunk Debutante.  OH YEAH...

So, here we go...

 

Use tracing paper to create templates of the side, front, and roof.

 

Pick an image on the paper that you would like to use on the front of the Townhouse.  Use the template to trace and cut it out.  Trace and cut out the back, two sides, and roof.

Adhere cutouts to the Townhouse.  I used a combination of Scor-Tape and Glossy Accents, but whatever your favorite adhesive is will work.  (Gel medium or Modge Podge would work great, too!)  Carefully sand edges to get a clean look, and to reveal the white of the paper.

Using distress ink and a blending tool, ink the sanded edges.  (If using Modge Podge or gel medium sand and ink first.)

 

Embellish!  If you are using hardware like I did, Beacon Quick Grip is a wonderful all-purpose adhesive great for metal and holds fantastically.
 

 

 

 

I added cutouts from the paper, Magic Mesh, and Stickles as a finishing touch.  I haven't finished the mini album that was included with the Townhouse, but when I do I'll post pics.

The Maya Road Townhouse, Graphic 45 paper Steampunk Debutante paper, and 7 Gypsies Charm used in this project are available for purchase & ready to ship in my store.

Tutorial linked to:

ArT JoUrNaLing by the river

If you read my post about our weekend getaway at Shenandoah River State Park, you may have caught the part about me art journaling on the riverbank.  My DH packed my art supplies in his backpack, and took them on our hike to the river.  While he and the kids played (and then napped), I did a couple art journal pages.  It was so peaceful and serene to be fully immersed in nature, listening to the splash of the minnows breaking in the water, smelling the sweetness of the grass, and watching butterflies floating through the air.  I could have sat under that cool shade tree all day. 

Here's what nature inspired in me...

I stamped, then sprayed the page with Glimmer Mist.  I used a couple colors of watercolor crayons to get the color I was looking for.

I collaged some of the page with 7 Gypsies' Conservatory paper.  I sprayed lace with Glimmer Mist, and added it to the page.

I inked the pages with distress ink, and added a flower.  I stamped and ink a pocket, added a cutout from the paper, and attached it to the page.

I added some butterflies and a cutout from the paper.

I finished the page with some journaling.  Maddie found some shells in the river to go in the pocket, and I picked a piece of grass.

It was a beautiful day!

Family Nature Getaway Continued...

After our stay at Shenandoah River State Park, we headed down the Skyline Drive.  We drove the entire thing from Front Royal to Waynesboro.  It was still pretty early in the morning when we got on, so the mountains were still misty.  There was a chill in the air, so we had to wear our jackets, which was a nice change from the hot and humid weather we were accustomed.  It was so beautiful.  The views were out of this world amazing!  I believe I read there are 75 overlooks for viewing, and I think we must have stopped at at least 50 of them.

 

We stopped at the visitor's center and purchased a book on hiking that listed all of the short hikes down the Drive.  Our first stop was Hogback Trail.  It was a about a mile hike up and back that looped around to the Drive.  The beginning of the trail was covered in ferns.

 

There were beautiful rock formations all along the trail. 

 

 

This was the view at the top of one of the rock formations overlooking the Skyline Drive. 

Then it was back in the car, through the tunnel, and on to the next hiking trail...

...with a few overlook stops along the way, of course.
Our afternoon hike was Bearfence Rock Scramble.  In the hiking book it was described as a fun hike for the kids that had them scrambling over the rocks on hands, knees, and feet at times.  Sounded cool! 

 

It was awesome!

 

The kids loved the rock climb, but I think they enjoyed the junk food they don't normally get just as much.

This is where the trail got a little too dicey for the kids, but I had to see what was at the top while the kids had a snack.   I reconnected with the rock climbing daredevil in me.  It's been too long since I did this!  I had forgotten how much fun it is. 

 

 

Before we even knew it, it was dinnertime!  We stopped at South River Park to do a little campfire cooking, and let the kids run around.  I have to admit, I was surprised they still had so much running left in them after the hiking.

 

I bet you didn't know I could cook on a campfire!  Yep!  When hubby and I were first married we lived on a farm (uggg!).  Our house had a wood-burning stove for heat, and in the winter when the power sometimes went out for a week or two at a time because of snow storms, I had to cook on the wood stove.  I've actually always loved to cook, and at one point thought about opening a bakery.  Shocking, I know.

  Here is our dinner guest in the park getting a drink of water from the fountain.

We hit the drive again in search of the sunset.

 

 

 

 

 

We chased the sunset from overlook to overlook.  We parked and watched as the sunset turned to blaze orange, the sun disappeared, and the moon took over its watch.  Words cannot describe how spectacular it was to have this as the finish to a truly amazing trip.

Family Nature Getaway

I have never really been camping before, so when my hubby suggested we take a trip to Shenandoah River State Park, my first thought was he was crazy, but I'm willing to try just about anything once.  I had no idea what to expect.  We live near a state park, and I love taking the kids there for a short hike, to play on the playground, or watch Robert fish.  However, I also love coming back to the comfort of my home where my big fluffy bed always awaits.  When Friday rolled around and it was time to leave, I thought of a million and one things I had to finish up:  answer student emails, pack my arts supplies (very slowly), pay a couple bills, and catch up on Facebook (very important).  I drug my feet until about noon, and realized I was running out of excuses for not being in the car and ready to go.  So, we grabbed the dog and babies and hit the open road.  We arrived at the cabin in the late afternoon/early evening, and "wow" is all I can say.  The views were spectacular!  We used to live in Charlottesville, so this was no big surprise, but it's been a long time since I've seen mountains.  It was the cabin that really had me concerned.  I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty particular when it comes to where I'll stay when we travel.  Well, it turns out the cabins were just built this July, and were fully furnished with with everything you could ever need (except a tv and phone).  I was pleasantly surprised!  The kitchen was fully equipped, there were fresh linens, toiletry items, rocking chairs on the wrap around deck, a picnic table, charcoal grill, and fire pit. 

   

I was so excited I could hardly contain myself!  I knew I could survive staying here the weekend.  Yes indeed!

We gave the kids a little project while we ("we" meaning Bob) brought everything into the cabin.  I unpacked the entire week's worth of groceries we brought (I must have been hungry when I packed), and then we took a little evening stroll.

The views were absolutely breath-taking!  There were mountains off in the distance, and the Shenandoah River was just down the hillside from our cabin.

 

It wouldn't be a camping trip (I can only imagine) without roasting marshmallows and making s'mores! 
 

After we put the kids to bed, Robert built a fire in the pit and we roasted a few more marshmallows and talked until the early morning hours.

The kids were up at 7am ready to start the day!  It was so beautiful and misty outside that I didn't even care that I had hardly slept.

After breakfast, we started the day with a hike down the Bluebell Trail.  We saw lots of birds, but not a lot of other wildlife, shewww! 

The trail snakes along the river, so we were able to stick our feet in the water.  It was still a little too cold to jump right in just yet.

We decided to "rough it" and roast hot dogs.  I think the kids have seen hot dogs at their Nana's house, but there was no way Maddie was going to actually eat one.  Lily took a big bite to give it a try, but no...

Here's the view from Cullers Overlook in the park.

  Since the river was just a short walk, we suited up the kids to go wading.  The water was amazingly shallow and calm, so the kids had a great time.

 

Apparently wading and fishing is exhausting work.  Robert and the kids took a little nap, while I did a little art journaling.  Awesome!!  A life I could get used to:)

Okay, so Maddie didn't take a nap...

but, Lily did.  Robert woke up, handed over my baby, and caught a crayfish  to entertain Maddie.

I'm not sure why he thought it would entertain me?  Though, it does look tasty.  I wonder if he has about a dozen more friends?!

We packed up a groggy Lily, and were headed up the riverbank, when we met this lovely couple who were passing by on horseback.

They were so very nice.  They let each of the girls sit in the saddle, and pretend to be cowgirls!  They told us about a local restaurant called 3 Brothers Bugers, which serves amazing chili cheese fry burgers (doesn't that just sound sinful?!), and a custard shop called Spelunker's.  No one went hungry that night!

In fear of making this the longest blog post in history, I'm going to stop here.  You're going to have to tune in tomorrow to hear about the rest of our trip. xoxo

I just love it!

You may have already seen this book.  It was published last month in Scrapbooking.com Magazine.  It's one of my favorite mini books.  I just love working with canvas, and I LOVE Fancy Pants Designs papers.  I used their Wishful Thinking collection for the pages, and I added a transparency page made from their Roadshow collection (one of my all time favorites!).  I thought I'd share a few extra views of it with you.  I hope you enjoy!  xoxo 

   

 

Halloween Cards

Halloween is definitely one of my favorite holidays.  I love the spooky decorations, scary music, and excessive amounts of candy that October 31st has come to mean.  My youngest little girl's birthday is the day before, so Halloween has become an even bigger occasion at our house.  Nothing is more enjoyable than dressing the kids up in costumes, pulling them around the neighborhood in the garden wagon, and knocking on doors for candy.  Okay, when you say it out loud, it sounds a little strange...but, it's loads of fun!

Of course, no holiday would be complete without, you guessed it, cards!!  I hope you enjoy!  

 

  Happy Halloween!!    ~Melissa xoxo