Ready Set Create Project Roll

In September 2022 I attended the Ready Set Create event in Burbank, CA with a few friends. It was a weekend-long paper crafting extravaganza! My last craft retreat was Copic Boot Camp in January of 2020, so...this was a fun and much needed girls' weekend away!

Melody, Jacquie, Gloria, Karen at the sock hop 

Ready Set Create is difficult to get into as there is ALWAYS a waiting list. The last time I bubbled to the top of the list was maybe 2018, but I had to cancel due to a health issue. I was so happy to be able to attend in 2022, and so excited that three of my friends were also able to snap up spots!

It is no secret that I have been in a creative slump when it comes to paper crafting since the early summer of 2020. After nearly 15 years building my blog and my "brand" I was just so burned out! My 2020 summer break became a 6 month break, which became a pandemic break, which became a moving into a new house break, which morphed into a two year break. I have been struggling to create, or to share anything I DID create. My decision to QUIT paper crafting altogether hinged on my experience at Ready Set Create! {No pressure!} If playing with paper for the long weekend reignited my love of paper crafting, great. If not, I was going to just have a big sale and move on to something else! Well...

Thankfully I had a wonderful time and came home with a new love of making and creating! I came home with some new products, too! Not to mention the sheer volume of sponsor products we received! It was a HUGE haul! 

I wanted to share with you some of the projects I created at the event. I managed to finish all but ONE of the many projects, and that leftover one is going to be remade as a Christmas project for next year!  

Our six classes included two mini albums, 2 scrapbook layout classes (I know, don't faint), one off the page project, and one card class. I also purchased some kits to bring home, and managed to finish two of those as well. Oh yeah...I have been crafting my heart out! I confess that I am still struggling with the desire to work on the blog, as evidenced by the fact that the event was FOUR months ago! But, I am trying to self-motivate and find the joy in blogging again, too!

This is a long post, with lots of photos and chat, so grab a snack and put your feet up!

Class 1: Creative Cardmaking with Hero Art Stencils by Debi Adams

I am a card maker. I love making cards. However this class was WAY out of my style zone! But you know what? I enjoyed it immensely! I had never used Hero Arts ink or stencils before, so it was fun to play with those products. And it was fun to try some techniques that are just NOT in my wheelhouse! 

Like most things, you never really get 100% finished at these classes while at the actual workshop, so when I got home, I put a little Gloria spin on the cards and finished them up! There was a paper folder and some envelopes included, so I finished those, too and plan to give this set of cards as a gift to someone...sometime. {smile}

Class 2: Layout Class by Jodi Sanford from Make a Pretty Life

I really don't scrapbook in 12x12 any more. I just lost the love for it a long time ago, so I was not sure how I would like taking not one, but two layout classes! Especially since the style and products are not really my "thing." But of all the classes I took, I enjoyed the layout classes the most! I ended up coming home and finishing EVERY SINGLE LAYOUT! {I know, right?!!}

We made three layouts for Jodi's class, plus we made a wood dowel hanger as well, which was a super cute addition! The paper collection is Bloom and Grow from Fancy Pants, a company I did not even know was still making paper! Y'all know I am mostly a vintage style paper lover, so some of the more trendy stuff just sails right by me!

I did change up the layouts a little bit from the directions, because...you know that's what I do! But I tried to stay pretty true to the original design. I am not sure what I will do with these yet so for now they are in a box with other finished layouts awaiting inclusion in my scrapbooks.

FYI: The "Place Photo Here" stamp is something I had custom made years ago, and I do not remember where. you can find that sort of stamp online. Do a Google search for one and see what pops up!

Class 3: Let's Go Layout Class by Sue Kendall

Sue's class was interesting. We used Simple Stories products, and I love some of their papers and things. I used to buy their Christmas collections all the time. Oh, and I buy their Disney themed collections also, which they call Say Cheese I think! 

Anyway, the feel of this class was retro and sort of theme park-y which I enjoy. We made three double-page spreads, so SIX layouts.

I finished a few pages in class, but when I got home I did all the rest! We were missing some of the products due to a glitch in the matrix, so I just did my thing once I got home. {grin} Sue eventually did send us the missing items, but now they are in my stash, waiting for another project down the road. 

My pages are about 80% what they are supposed to look like, which is pretty good for me. {giggle} I had a chance to use a few products that I have never purchased before such as the chipboard frames and the foam letters and stickers. I normally only buy the paper packs. I did go to the little store and buy some more of the enamel dots that they had on sale! You know I love those! 

There was also a nice amount of product left over so I can make more pages if I decide to ever scrapbook one of my many trips and adventures. {Don't hold your breath!} And, I did purchase a few other Simple Stories paper packs, so watch out for those to make an appearance at some point! 

Class 4: Enjoy the Little Things Mini Album Class by Layle By Mail

Y'all know I love a mini album! But this one was not in my normal wheelhouse, so I was really excited to take the class. Plus, my friend Jacquie raves about Layle's classes which made me even more excited!

I think we mostly used papers from the Jen Hadfield Collection called Live and Let Grow. I was unfamiliar with this paper line, but thought it was super cute! The little book had clear covers with gold foil numbers. That was really fun! There are 14 pages, for 28 sides! There are pockets, flip outs, tags, and more! Just adorable!

The book is bound with hand stitching! Then we added some ribbon, charms, and trims to the spine. I enjoyed this binding technique so much that I bought the tool you need to make the stitching easier! It is called Book Binding Guide Tool by We R Memory Keepers, and Layle sells it on her site HERE.

I love the tag waterfall on the right-hand page! Some of this paper was not my style, but some was, so I just went with it!

This is my favorite two-page spready! We used a bit of the packing material, the text "paper" on the right. That is the junk you normally toss out! Except for a few small changes, I created the book pretty much as Layle designed it. I had a few things that I tweaked, but not much. {smile}

We used more packaging material to make the pocket on the right-hand page. So smart. I often save this stuff, but then it goes in a bin somewhere and I never remember to use it! 

All in all, this was just a super fun and very cute project! I may do a video walk through as I have several books to share and maybe I can do them all at once. I will post a note if get around to that! 

Class 5: Graphic 45 Cottage Life ATC Album by Monika Thomas

So, you know THIS was the class that had my name written all over it! Graphic 45 papers and taught by my friend Monika! Win win! We used the G45 Cottage Life 8x8 papers and the Ivory ATC Album.

I think this was actually the last class of the event for my group, so we did not really get very far into it. It is a small album, but it has 12 double-sided pages (24 sides), plus covers, plus tags, plus pockets, oh my! But I really had a blast finishing it up at home! 

My style is pretty similar to Monika's, but I did change a few things, and added MORE paper! I purchased an extra pack of the paper so I would have more....in case of a paper emergency! {Don't judge!} I also went through my VAST G45 stash and pulled some papers from other collections.

I like how it all came together in the end! I always love a nice, chunky mini album! If you can believe it, this is the first Graphic 45 product I have purchased or received since spring 2020!! I ended up only  buying a few things at the shop, because, let's face it...I have tons of older product that I can use!

I will try to add this mini to a walk through video soon. I have a few books that would be fun to share in a video, so we will see if I find the time to do it in the next few weeks. Y'all know editing video is really not my thing!  

Class 6: Bowerbird Card File by Paula Cheney

This is the only project that I did NOT finish. I started this one during the class, but I did not really get much accomplished as there was a LOT of technique involved, plus some drying time for the various parts of the make. I have taken Paula's classes in the past and know that you need to be prepared to get messy! Which we did! (The photo above is of Paula's finished project, not my sad attempt.)

I liked having a chance to play with a lot of Ranger and Tim Holtz products as I have not really followed the new stuff for several years. I made a list of what I would like to buy for later! 

Truthfully, as much as I love Paula's work, I just didn't love the theme of this project. I could not see how to use this in my home décor, and I am really trying to stop making things that have no use and need to be stored or sold or tossed, or whatever. However, Paula remade this same project for Christmas (see HERE) which I LOVE! So, I am putting this one away until later as I plan to do a makeover of it for next Christmas! I totally like the idea for this project, I just need to make it using a theme that inspires me, and Christmas is 100% my rodeo! 

Plus, Paula ALWAYS gives you so much product that there is plenty of opportunity for me to make some other things with what was leftover! And I am sure I will have ample opportunities to use what we learned! So many techniques!

I was super excited to reserve my spot for the next event...sadly, I have had to cancel my trip to Ready Set Create for 2023. Because...I am going on a 2-week British Isles Cruise with my daughter in September 2023 and could not justify the cost of two events. {smile} 

So that is the scoop on the event! I also completed two kits that I bought, but they are both Christmas projects, so I am going to try to share those on the 25th of each month until I get sick of sharing Christmas stuff. I have a lot of WIPs (Works in Progress) that involve Christmas or Autumn themed items that I hope to share with you when I have some free space on the blog. 

I also purchased a few other kits that I have not started yet, so I will share those as soon as I get them finished. {smile}

Have a great day, and thanks for sticking around to the end!