Balzer Designs

Hybrid Tutorial: Creating a Patchwork Embellishment (or twelve)

Here's a fun Photoshop Tutorial to take you into the weekend. I originally wrote it for the Scrapbook Dimensions blog, where it appeared earlier this week. I'm a big fan of creating my own embellishments. But sometimes I'm short on time and just want something that looks handmade. That's why I love this technique. I am going to show you how to create a digital template that you can use over and over and over again! 1. Open a new 12x12 file (File>New) in Photoshop. 2. Choose the "Rectangle Tool." 3. Use the "Rectangle Tool" to draw rectangles of various... Read more →

Challenge Me!

I love challenges. Whenever I'm feeling a little mojo-less, I turn to a challenge. Particularly because I don't scrap chronologically and I'm pretty much "caught up," sometimes I need a spark to get me going! Currently, I'm participating in "The Sketchbook Olympics" at The Sketch Book. I saw the challenge listed on the Pub Calls blog and I decided to sign up. The first challenge was as follows: So, the first sport we are tackling is Cycling. We thought we would go easy on you for the first week Here are the rules: Create a layout (8x8 or bigger) using... Read more →

Monday's News

Happy Monday to You! 1. WINNER!!! Congratulations to Joan Fowler! Oh please, you have to pick me. I just love the whole bubble wrap thing. I NEEEEED it. Creating this stamp strikes me as a very inspired idea. You rock! Posted by: Joan Fowler | August 21, 2008 at 09:50 AM Joan, you have won a set of the stamps I designed for Scrapbook Takeout for August. E-mail me your mailing address and I'll pop them in the mail to you! 2. I'm going to be taking over the "Templates x3" article in Scrapbook Dimensions Magazine. It's a column about... Read more →

Day Seven of Sultane Week!

As promised, since Monday, I have featured a project using Sultane every single day on this blog. It's day seven and the official end of the unofficial Sultane week. Today I'm sharing three layouts that were published in Histoires de Pages in February. I hope you've enjoyed Sultane week as much as I have. The Sultane papers are double-sided, thick, excellent quality papers. And here's the best news: Portrait Bug is going to be the only place in U.S. that you can buy them!!! The online store should be up this week...so let the shopping begin! In other Portrait Bug... Read more →

Inspiration at MOMA

I live about three blocks away from the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). And yet, I rarely go. The $20 price tag keeps me away. Sometimes you just want to go to a museum for an hour, but for $20, I feel like I need to make it a marathon. Silly, I know. The good news is that every Friday night, you can go to the museum for free from 4-8pm. And so this week, we did! The main reason we went was to see the Kirchner exhibit. He was a German Expressionist painter and I really love his work.... Read more →

Glimmer Mist Q&A

First up, some good news! About three hours ago I had a layout picked up by Simple Scrapbooks for their January/February issue. Yay! And I got a copy of the October Memory Makers Magazine and you can see my first published digital layout on page 51! Now, on to the rest... This is an article I wrote for Craft Critique. It appeared on that blog last week. Q: What is Glimmer Mist? A: Glimmer Mist is a glittery dye from Tattered Angels. It comes packaged in a spray bottle with a sticker showing the color of the contents. Q: Why... Read more →

Who Wants To Win Some Stamps?

It may be a bit self-serving, but I'm totally in love with these stamps I designed for Scrapbook Takeout! They're unmounted, red rubber stamps. I used a pair of Kai Scissors to cut them apart (as close to the design as possible). Some people mount the stamps on cling foam, but you can also place a mouse pad underneath your paper instead. Basically, the rubber needs a cushion. Both methods work. I'm giving away a full set of these stamps to one lucky commenter. So, let's check them out... I call this my bubble wrap corner. I scanned an actual... Read more →

Tim Holtz Sent Me An E-mail...

I've been accepted to Ranger U! Here's the deal: We will be hosting a full 3-day program that has so much to offer - Tim Holtz, Ranger Senior Designer and Education Director will be teaching Ink, Paints and Embossing and Suze Weinberg, licensed designer of the Melt Art® line will show how to use UTEE™ and the Melting Pot™ for your papercrafting and jewelry-making customers. Talented mixed-media collage artist Claudine Hellmuth will provide creative insight and instruction with paints, Beeswax, and fine art mediums. The previous Ranger U program was separated into three distinct certification courses. The updated format will... Read more →

Oh, sad...

You know, I'm fairly used to being rejected. My chosen career (theatre) and my chosen hobby (crafting) are both full of rejection. It's just part of the biz and normally I just let it roll off my back. But, I have to admit to being very, very sad about a rejection I received yesterday. I made this quilt: (here's a close up detail...) for The Journal Quilt Project, which was juried this year. I really love the quilt, so I'm feeling sad about being rejected. Ah, well. The good news is that it means I can post it here on... Read more →

Manic Monday!

So much to share today! 1. Sakura of America and Scrapbook Memories I'm extremely pleased to share that Sakura of America has hired me to host seven segments on the Scrapbook Memories TV show, which airs on PBS! The segments will each focus on a different aspect of doodling. I'm a huge fan of Sakura projects and I love doodling, so it's a perfect match! Special thanks to Maelynn Cheung, author of Doodling for Papercrafters for providing the connection! Check out the big box of supplies that Sakura sent me: Lots of fun! 2. Get Digi With It This is... Read more →