ScrapWest Blog Celebration!!!

Over at the ScrapWest blog this week's theme is a celebration of blogs! So we're asking everyone to join in and share some of their crafty secrets on their blogs and we'll link to them.

I love downloading free fonts from the internet and use computer printed journalling in most of my scrapbook layouts. It wouldn't be possible to have stickers, stamps or rubons for every occasion but I can always find the perfect font to match every project. One of my favourite sites for free fonts is http://www.dafont.com/ and one of my favourite fonts is called "Mom's Typewriter". I find it suits lots of layout styles as its kind of rustic and distressed!!

I hope you can see the screen snapshots ok - they seemed to get smaller once I uploaded them!!! BTW I used Windows XP.

Step 1 - Go to http://www.dafont.com/ and find the font you're looking for either by style or by name. In this case I put the words into the search facility. Once the font appears you'll see a box on the right hand side of the page which you click to download the font to your pc.

Step 2: Once you've clicked "Download" a pop-up box will appear asking if you want to "open" or "save". Always choose "save".

Step 3: Once you've clicked "save" you'll now have to choose where to put the file containing the font. It's best to keep all your fonts in the one place so you should use the "Fonts" folder which should already be on your hard-drive. It contains all the preinstalled fonts which you use in Microsoft Word e.g. Arial, Times New Roman etc. If you're having trouble finding it, it should be at C:\WINDOWS\Fonts. Once you've opened the fonts folder click "Save" and the font will be saved into the Fonts file as "Mom's Typewriter".

Ok, you've now saved the new font in the proper folder. Now it's time to install the font into Word so that you can use it in your journalling.

Click on the "Start" button at the bottom left of your screen and go to "Control Panel". If you're not using Windows XP you might have to get to your Control Panel another way.

Once you've clicked "Control Panel" this new screen should appear. What you're looking for here is the "Appearances and Themes" category. Once you've found it, click on it once.

Once you've clicked "Appearance and Themes" this new screen should appear. On the left hand side of the screen there is an icon for the "Fonts" folder. Remember this is where you saved your new font to. Click on the "Fonts" folder icon.

You'll now see a screen which has a listing of all the fonts which are currently available to you and saved in your fonts folder. Just because a font is saved doesn't mean you can use it though, it first has to be installed. You should be able to see your new font "Mom's Typewriter" in the list.

To install the font so that you can use it in Word. Click "File" at the top left of the screen. Now move the mouse down and click "Install Font".


A new pop-up window will appear asking you to choose the location of the fonts you wish to install. Again choose C:\windows\fonts


The list of fonts will then appear in the top left window of the pop-up and you simply click on the name of your new font "Mom's Typewriter" and then click OK and voila! your font is now installed.


To check if you've done all of it right open up Microsoft Word and from the drop-down Fonts menu you should be able to find the name of your new font in alphabetical order all ready to use.

Once you've done all the hard work just type in your journalling in your new font. Then to make sure it fits into your layout print the journalling onto a plain A4 sheet. Choose the paper you want the journalling on in your layout and cut it to a size to fit onto the layout. Then, using removable!! adhesive, stick the piece of paper or card over where the journalling printed and run it through the printer again. The journalling will now be exactly where you want it. Just remove the cut piece and add it to your layout, card or other project.

I hope you find this useful. It looks so good it encourages me to add in that priceless journalling without having to use handwriting.

Don't forget to check out all the other crafty ideas on the ScrapWest blog and leave your comments with a link to your creations (if you're feeling inspired).

Anyone who leaves a comment here will have their name put into a raffle for a gorgeous prize of a new Basic Grey Collection Pack and I'll announce the winner next Friday.

A great day in Cavan yesterday!

We had a brilliant day at our August Scrapbooking Retreat yesterday in The Silver Bear Centre, Bawnboy in the County of Cavan. Even though the weather didn't live up to expectations it was warm with a few bits of sunshine. I don't think many of the scrappers noticed though because they hardly left their seats! It was a very productive day and everyone seemed to be getting loads done.








One of Julie's stunning LO's:



A sample of Linda's gorgeous cards:



The class was a 12" x 12" boy themed layout using the gorgeous Crate Paper Zoom Collection and the finished layouts looked amazing. The mini book in a CD tin class used the same papers and again the finished books and tins looked fantastic.





Even though we were there from early morning until after 6pm the hours flew by. I don't know how much tea and coffee we all drank but we got through about 3 litres of milk between 20 of us. I think I had about half a dozen cups myself!! That must've been what kept everyone going, that and the chocolate, buns and craic :-)



Many thanks to everyone who travelled from near and far to make the day so special. We had scrappers from Cavan, Kildare, Dublin, Louth, Galway, Belfast and Donegal and what a brilliant crafty bunch you all were. I hope I'll get to meet you all again soon. Thanks also to Linda K who brought along her shop packed with mini books and other goodies.







TheScrapbookStore's next outing to Cavan is planned for October so keep an eye out for the dates and details on our workshops page. If you'd like to be notified by email about any of our upcoming classes just send your details to workshops@thescrapbookstore.ie

I've been tagged - loads!!

Thanks to everyone who tagged me.

Jackie was first with her card which I was totally chuffed about.

Then Eva and Lainey both tagged me with the "7 Things Tag". I had a laugh thinking of these - thanks to both of you.

Here goes 7 things about me:

1. I was once 3 stone heavier.

2. I love Indian food especially Channa Masala from Kinara (that isn't why I was 3 stone heavier!)

3. I've been to the original Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory in Vermont (why are these all about food??)

4. I'm a secret (not any more) Johnny Logan fan.

5. I preferred Hutch to Starsky.

6. I took piano lessons until I was 18 (got to Grade VI)

7. My favourite Zoo animal is the Meercat (soo cute)

As everyone else I know who has a blog has already been tagged - a few times - I'm off to find a few people to email.

Bye for now.

Hello Summer! Hasn't this week been beautiful, the sun is shining at last.

Whew, it's been a busy week here at TheScrapbookStore. Our "Paper Sale" is in full swing and the paper bargains are being well and truly snapped up. We've also been ordering lots of new goodies from the thousands of different products which were released at CHA Summer 2007 last month. It seems that all of the companies have been busy creating new summer ranges so keep an eye on the "What's New" section of the store over the coming weeks to see all the new stuff.

Last Saturday we spent a blissful, relaxing day at The Silver Bear Centre in Bawnboy, County Cavan. The weather behaved itself and we scrapped from morning until evening.

What a view!!

Anke who owns the Centre makes handmade teddy bears. They are so gorgeous - real collectors items. It don't know if she made this one, but everytime I walked into the scrapping room I was sure he moved!!


We had three classes. The first was a 12" x 12" layout using the gorgeous new Basic Grey Infuse Collection then after lunch we had a mini book class and an ATC class.




I don't think I've ever had so many cups of tea in the one day. In actual fact, it was hard to tear myself away from the craic and chat to get the classes started. Many thanks to everyone who made the journey and made it such a special day. Thanks too to Audrey, Lainey and Linda who travelled all the way from the Big Smoke and to Amber-Jane who made it all the way from Virginia (not the US one - the Cavan one!!)

Looking forward to our next one on August 25th. If you'd like to book a place at the classes or just come along to do some cropping, email us at workshops@thescrapbookstore.ie