is THIS coming THURSDAY, October 1st.

And I want everyone to come. I mean it, like pull up a seat because the tables are so full kind of crowd. I will even bake cookies and bring them with me. Or rather, I will have my mother bake cookies for us.

The class is about how to “scraplift” – which means how to make your scrapbook pages look like those beautiful pages you see in Creating Keepsakes or any other scrapbook magazine. I will teach you techniques for pulling apart the different components of a completed scrapbook page, then how to turn that into a sketch, then how to apply that sketch to your own page with your own photos.

I have a MASSIVE binder of ripped out pages from scrapbook magazines that i’ll be bringing in, as well as some sample pages of mine which have been “scraplifted”  from other peoples pages.

The class is really helpful because then you can get a scrapbooking magazine and really use it as your own personal ideas rather than just looking through and thinking “wow I wish my pages looked like that “.

Bring some photos with you and supplies if you want, we will definitely be making some sketches, and maybe  even the beginning to some layouts.

To sign up call 212 600 4457 or email us at info@portraitbug.com or comment on this post, or go online to http://portraitbug.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=97_98&products_id=3633

Happy Monday! (and Yom Kippur)

PortraitBug just opened last year and we hope to be a part of the neighborhood for a long time. Just like many of the businesses on Broadway, we are working hard to survive. If you would take 5 minutes out of your day to share your opinion of our store, you can help us win a grant from Intuit (the makers of Quickbooks). There is no registration and you just have to write a sentence or two.

Click “Put them on the map” on the map below and search for “PortraitBug” then just leave a comment and become a fan!

We got this MASSIVE Six Trees shipment in last week. They are these really cool frames that range from antiquey to punky to totally classy. And this morning, I spent 5 hours filling them with a sampling of our portraits. So come in and look.  I just finished. And it took me forever.

And my September album is four days behind. whoops. I have post-it notes on all the pages reminding me what I was going to put there so that tonight when I crank out all those pages I don’t waste time trying to remember what I was doing.

And isnt it just the most beautiful day? Go outside and do something fun. Or don’t take the subway today and walk instead cause it’s not going to be like this forever.

An Art Journal is..like a diary where you can use not just words, but also images and colors to tell your story. Your art journal can be a record of ideas, the story of your life, memories, hopes for the future, random thoughts, things that make you happy, all of these combined or none of these at all! There are no rules, and the best part about art journaling is that your journal will reflect who you are no matter what you do to it.

Tomorrow I am teaching the art journaling class, which will be held again every month of the fall on a Sunday. In each class we will talk about different art journaling concepts such as using images to express ideas, and how to make your pages interact with each other. Also we will learn 3 techniques that you can use while making your art journal. If you’ve never done art journaling then bring a book or we can make one in the class, and if you already art journal, come share your experiences and learn cool new techniques to make your own. Keeping an art journal has been so beneficial for me, it’s where I store ideas, feelings and designs. Sometimes I will write one word on a page and sometimes I’ll spend 3 hours creating a collage. After a while you start to look back at all your previous entries and you realize new things about yourself!

Here are a few sample pages from my art journal-Hope to inspire you!
-Shannon

So who out there is actually making their September Daily Album?

Because I actually am. And have only fallen behind once! I’ll take some pictures of pages tonight and post them tomorrow (or the next time I remember)

I’ve really been enjoying this because I have work during the day and then graduate school classes at night so the chances of me sitting down to make a full 12 by 12 or 8 by 8  is slim to none HOWEVER I definietly have 20 minutes each day to do a little sumthin sumthin.

I think ill be making an October album as well at this rate; it allows me to scrapbook all year without fully scrapbooking.

Is anyone else feeling that way? Anyone enjoying making this album? Anyone thinking about their free 10 dollars to the store in two weeks?

Happy Tuesday!

My dearest Prima Sew Cute 12×12 paper,

How I long for you. You don’t know it, but I stare at you constantly as you rest so gently in the plastic display shelves. When I first saw you covered by packing peanuts in cardboard shipping boxes I knew at once that my life would never be the same. Your vivid purple and green backgrounds  call out to me, wanting me to mat my photos onto you. From across the store I long to move my finger along the perfectly stitched swirly designs; to whisper the opaque words  printed along your border.

I know you must think I am crazy to express such love as you are surrounded by Sultane and Basic Grey but there, I have said it. Now I can rest at night with at least the hope that you might someday feel the same.

Forever yours,

Mattie