Meet Our Certified Instructor: Steph Ackerman

Introducing Steph Ackerman, one of our Certified Instructors!

I am a craft-a-holic who loves nothing better than spending time in my craft room creating. I create an assortment of projects - from cards and layouts to mix'd media and altered art.   My day is just not complete if I haven't spent some time crafting. I have a dedicated craft area where I work and teach a wide variety of classes for the beginner and the more experienced crafter.  I love using assorted tools  (Bind-it-all, Cricut, Sizzix, Spellbinders) plus inks and stamps in my work.  I am a firm believer in playing with your supplies because only then can you truly see their full potential.  I have been fortunate to have a number of my projects published.  I am a  Craft and Hobby Association Designer Member.

To book a class or see Steph's schedule please visit:  http://www.stephaniescraps.blogspot.com/

Reflections: An "UP"fold Album

I hope everyone had a creative National Scrapbook Day last weekend. It’s one of the few “holidays” we can call our own, and gives us license to be uber creative (and maybe a little silly too!). I was fortunate enough to attend a weekend event in Newport Beach called Reflections – a wonderful scrapbooking retreat that brought innovative teachers to intimate teaching settings (about 20-25 students per class made it really enjoyable and fun!). One of the teachers we were immensely entertained by was Stephanie Ackerman – a long time friend of Zutter – who taught her family album using the Bind-it-All, Dreamkuts and Teresa Collins’ line of Family Documented papers.

If you are still on the fence about why you might need/want a Bind-it-All, this album should help convince you. In Stephanie’s unique style, you can see how you can create an album that opens to the left, and also up on the right. It’s more than a gatefold ….it’s an UPfold….I guess. You can only get a customized album like this using the Bind-it-All!

My album doesn't have photos in it yet, but Teresa's paper are so warm and versatile that my photos will look so great....and Stephanie designed this album to be interactive in unique ways. The journaling cards, tags and file folders are placed so they fold out. Pages are scored to open like doors (and punched with border punches to give them a pretty touch). The paper letters are adhered to scrap chipboard and cut out (then covered with Glossy Accents) for an easy, shiny homemade embellishment. All of Teresa's papers work perfectly in the Dreamkuts....just cut in halves or thirds and you are done - you don't need your other trimmer or make complicated measurements when you cut! It's a dream! The right side of the album with the little 4X6 flip top is so clever, and adds a unique element to the album that you can't get in a ready-made book. The piece de resistance is the Antique Brass Owire that is perfect with this homestyle album.

So remember, with the Bind-it-All you can bind your projects in multiple variations to add that special tough to your book! Have fun!