ScrapFX: Creative Adventures Downunder

The second big name tutor over from the US for the Creative Adventures Downunder Event 2013, was Teresa Collins, a name I am very familiar with in terms of her products as I stock several ranges in my shop.
Teresa was due to teach us two classes as well over the event.
My first impression of Teresa... beautiful long blonde hair, gorgeous smile that just lights up her face and OMG is she expecting to wear heels that high while teaching all day... and the answer was YES!!
Like Heidi, Teresa is incredibly open and forthcoming about her private persona. I certainly appreciated the openness and honesty as well as the story behind her designs and creations. I have to confess that I haven't really thought much about why I scrapbook other than the fact I enjoy the creativity as well wanting to keep a record of our life and events for future generations. So hearing Teresa's reasons for why she scrapbook's has certainly given me food for thought as to why I scrapbook and what I really want my scrapbooks to say.

Class 1 - Memories Layout:
In this class we created a two page layout using some of Teresa's "Memories" range. Right from the start Teresa was very insistent that although we were following her page design, we were more than welcome to change it or step it up however we wanted. As someone who NEVER follows a recipe this was somewhat of a relief to me... so I did!!

Once again the class was quite speedy, especially when for those of us who did extra things such as inking the edges of embellishments, that were outside of the page design. I was impressed with the explanations Teresa gave us about some of her page designs. Not only did she give us the "why" of the page design, but she also gave us a number of different ideas as to "how" we could then use the pages she had designed. This showed me that she had put a great deal of thought not only into the image design, but also how the pages and other products could be best utilised by the end user of her products.
Like all my other classes, I didn't get the layout finished and I definitely still need to add some photographs, but I was still pleased with the way the double layout turned out.

Class 2 - Far & Away Travel Journal:
This class was our final class of the event. Despite this, the enthusiasm level was still very high from all of our group. This time we used Teresa's Far and Away collection. I had one complaint about the kit and that was that one of the cardstock pieces wasn't cut well and I ended spending far too much time resolving this problem. Part of this was my being such a perfectionist and crooked lines and edges really bug me but I accept that sometimes when you are making kits in bulk there are going to be one or two bits that goes a little awry. It wasn't a big deal (despite the fact that is noted a comment in here) but it was a flaw in the otherwise great class.
Once again Teresa used her "this is my design, but change it up however you like" class structure. Although we were sent the photo requirements prior to the event, she did still offer alternatives for those who didn't have photos (like me) so you didn't feel completely out of place or unable to bind your finished project.
Again the class was a little rushed but that was because half of the class time was reserved for the binding of each of the journals. Although I didn't get mine bound there as I have my own binding machine at home, it was certainly essential for everyone else who was not so lucky to have the access at home.

The travel journal pages expanded out to see all the pages created. This includes a sheet of plain cardstock which I have not shown below as well as some of Teresa's mini file folders which we didn't do anything to, so additional photos have not been included of these either.

The front of the journal is supposed to be two photos backed on to each other... but as I didn't have any photos, this is for now the front page. I just LOVE the pack of bling - "Tell Your Story - Medallions". So totally gorgeous... I could have used a dozen packs of these!!
Very simple treatment but doesn't it just look so smart!

Page 2 - the addition of the border strips just really finished this page off. More of the gorgeous bling. One thing that has come through from all of the classes is simple ways of adding extras photos onto the one page though the likes of mini file folders, openables and photo-flips and this page is no exception.

Page 3 - another simple to way to add lots of pictures without having to add a lot of extra pages or bulk; and very cute with the use of the ribbon to hold it closed. With these being pockets they are also ideal for holding some of all the memorabilia you collect while on your holiday. I love the variety and the number of borders included in the pack (we received a full pack which included 12 different borders).

Page 4 - pocket pages are perfect for mini albums regardless of the theme. You always end up with odd or unusual things that you want to keep but which you may not want to put any holes in and pocket pages are the perfect solution to storing these and keeping them within the album.

Page 5 - I love this as an alternative way of using up some of those journal block pages that so many companies are now including as a part of their collections. Rather than cut them all up into individual journal blocks, cut them into a larger block of four journal blocks and use this as a page.