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 Friday, February 15, 2008
Must-see CHA Winter Video
Friday, February 15, 2008 5:35:03 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) This video gives you a true taste of the exciting products exhibited at the CHA Winter show this past week in Anaheim. Hope you enjoy! Products and people in the order they appear. - Graphic 45
- Crystal Jeffery Reiger ('07 Master) signing the Ask the Masters book.
- Molly West Handbound Books
- Pink Paislee
- ScrapOnizer
- Jenni Bowlin
- Paper Trunk
- Making Memories
- Claudine Hellmuth signing her book Collage Discovery Workshop: Beyond the Unexpected.
- Luxe Designs
- Technique Tuesday
- Me, Eileen (Technique Tuesday), Beth Williams (executive director, MM)
- K&Co.
- 7gypsies
- Sissix
- Scenic Route
- October Afternoon
- Sandylion
- Me and Beth Mauro (executive director, Scrapbook Retailer)
- Lisa Pace ('08 Master) and Beth Williams
- Staci Etheridge ('08 Master)
- Little Yellow Bicycle booth
- Crystal, Katrina Simeck ('07 Master) and me.
For more pictures from the show, check out Master '08 Caroline's blog here. Create something. Inspire everyone. GinaMarie
Friday, February 15, 2008 5:35:03 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) 
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CHA chatter & party planning
Friday, February 15, 2008 11:51:02 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) Yesterday we got to hear about Beth and GinaMarie's adventures in Anaheim at CHA. They both had a fabulous time, met lots of great people and saw tons of cool product. American Crafts sent us all sorts of goodies, and we're loving Thickers! K&Company also sent us a shopping bag bursting with stuff we couldn't wait to get our hands on. Come to the forum and tell us about what you saw at CHA and loved. Or, tell us what you wished you'd seen more of but didn't. Can you believe it's the middle of February already? We get an extra day this month ... it's Leap Year Day on the 29th. And in honor of the day, we're hosting a crop here at work for our co-workers called Take a Flying Leap Into Your Creativity Zone. (In my next life I'm going to be a party planner.) Here's the sign-up sheet I made today. Can you tell I love my Photo Booth function on my Mac? Take some time and create today. The few minutes I spent on this have left me feeling just plain happy! Peace and love, Patty 
Friday, February 15, 2008 11:51:02 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Thursday, February 14, 2008
Q & A with Cindy Tobey
Thursday, February 14, 2008 10:56:18 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)  Happy Valentine's Day, Dear Readers! We hope your hearts feels sunny and
light today, and that you get a chance to share the love with someone
special. If there's not a romantic love in your life, that's no reason
to think you're missing out on the fun. Friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, the mail carrier or clerks at the store all will feel better if you just wish them a happy day. The photo above is what the February cover looked like before we added the masthead and cover lines. Thanks to our art director Christy Miller and our trusty stylist Nora Martini, we had a gorgeous palette upon which to build the cover. We thought you might like to hear from Cindy Tobey who is the artist behind the layout as well as the woman in the picture on the layout. Here's a little Q&A we did with Cindy: Q: How does it feel to have your artwork and your face on the cover of MM? A: It feels amazing to have my artwork on the cover of MM! It is such an honor. My face…well, let’s just say I’m still blushing.
Q: Was it difficult to do a layout about yourself? Or do you find yourself showing up on your pages frequently? A: Surprisingly, it wasn’t difficult. While the majority of my layouts are about other people, I do have a handful that I’ve created about myself, and I’m sure I’ll create more. I think it is important to also show glimpses of myself in my albums. I think my children (and someday their children) will appreciate it. Q: Are the layouts you produce for possible publication different than the ones you create for your private scrapbooks? A: Once in a while I might create a layout that I don’t submit for publication, but not very often. The layouts that I create for publication go right into my private scrapbooks.
Q: How long have you been scrapbooking? A: I think it has been 11 years…but before that I’ve always been the keeper of the family photo albums, even growing up.
Q: How are your layouts different now than they were when you first began scrapbooking? A: I’d say that they’ve changed just as the trends have. I guess my layouts have a lot more depth and texture now. I love thick embellishments and most of my pages are pretty dimensional. Q: What other pursuits inspire your art? A: Painting, drawing, quilting…even knitting.
Q: What kind of camera do you use? A: Canon Rebel XTi. I actually just purchased it at the end of 2007. I’m still figuring out how to use it, but I love it! I just got back from my son’s Valentine’s party at school where I took some sweet photos!
Q: What are your must-have supplies for a layout? A: Cardstock, patterned paper, chipboard, paint, ink pad, brads and alpha stickers. But I also love my sewing machine, felt and clear die-cuts…oh and how could I forget, flowers! Yeah, that’s a lot. I’m sure I wouldn’t put all of this on one layout, but it is so hard to narrow it down. I really try to use whatever is appropriate for the layout. Q: What would you like to say to readers that I haven’t asked you about? A: My favorite techniques are sewing (especially machine stitching) and painting. I use paint to alter chipboard shapes, alphas, etc. Paint is an inexpensive way to bring new life to old embellishments or to alter your embellishment to better match your layout. Peace and love, Patty
Thursday, February 14, 2008 10:56:18 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Wednesday, February 13, 2008
What kind of love are you celebrating?
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 2:20:50 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) self? parental? significant other? worldly? I've come to learn that celebrating love isn't just a once-a-year thing. For me it's everyday, whether it's the sunshine, laughter, chocolate, a brand new day...you get the idea :) And it's just not about romantic love, it's about the love we feel when someone smiles at us, holds the door open, let's you change lanes on the highway, when you receive a hug, or when your pet greets you with kisses at the door. This week I wanted to scrap something about everyday love... And I also wanted it to be my first digital attempt. Let me tell you that I had a lot of fun with this page. It's simple, mainly because I wanted the photos and journaling to stand out above all else on the page. I am a traditional paper scrapper normally, but I think I'll be trying my hand at digital a bit more often in the future.  Elements on the page came from these digital kits at littledreamerdesigns.com:Boho Chic Elements Pack Boho Chic Paper Pack Springtide Paper Pack Distressed Alpha :: true type font WildSorbet (which you can get free here). Share with us what kind of love you are celebrating this week? christy
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 2:20:50 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Pssssstttt...what's your opinion?
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 1:07:01 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)  So they leave me here and go to sunny California. What's a girl to do? Talk to y'all, that's what. Come to the forum and take a quick survey about what you'd like to see in this year's Scrapbook Idea Gallery (SBIG). I can't wait to read your responses. Peace and love and dry toes, Patty
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 1:07:01 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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More Pictures from the CHA Floor!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 11:15:31 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) It’s day three of the CHA convention and, as I was warned, my feet were practically numb by the end of each day. This also means I’ve been walking this huge facility to bring you pictures of some of the greatest finds at CHA. Here are some favorites that I thought you might enjoy! 
Pink PaisleeThey are a fresh, new exhibitor. This is a shot of their Spring Fling Collection. I thought the colors were bright and the designs were so fun. I also loved this flower frame they had in their booth. I was noticing that several scrapbooking booths also displayed how to use some of their products for home décor projects.  LuxeThis booth had some great things going on in it. They are introducing several bright and graphic lines, including the Sundress Collection pictured to the right. The bright floral colors mixed with brown give the collection a warm fuzzy feeling. I also thought the Sheer Ribbon was awesome! With the ability to stretch and be tied in every which may, this ribbon would make a fun embellishment on any page. 
 Technique TuesdayThe stamping possibilities were endless at this booth. I will admit, I’m not a huge stamper, but I want to be now! Their stamps coordinate seamlessly with each other, making each stamp you buy an investment that can be built upon. If you’re new to stamping, or don’t know where to begin, Technique Tuesday is debuting a Starter Kit that provides not only letters, but numbers, words and shapes that can be used over and over. Making MemoriesI’m happy to report one of the new lines is a twist on a recent favorite of mine. The Noteworthy Collection is back (see below), and while it still has the die-cut patterned shapes, the colors are bright and vibrant. And this might bring a lot of joy to some people (including our editorial team): They have reintroduced Tiny Alphas by popular demand! Once they hit the stores, you may want to stock up on these letters that are great for journaling and just about anything. Their newest tool, Slice, will be something every die-cutter will want to get their hands on. This portable die-cut machine cuts out images and letters to coordinate with their new lines. The Slice was simple and easy to operate and create embellishments and journaling tags for any of your pages.   Those are only a few of the amazing things I have seen at the show so far. Is there a company you are dying for me to scope out and post what I’ve found? Leave me a comment, and I will try my best to track down the stuff you can’t wait to see. Time to get ready to hit the floor again! Create something. Inspire everyone. GinaMarie
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 11:15:31 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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More CHA Trends in a Nutshell
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 9:29:37 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) Hi! Here's what I observed on the CHA show floor yesterday: - Lots of zoo animal motifs -- giraffes, monkeys, lions -- in both bright and pastel colors
- Scalloped chipboard albums
- Motifs of dinosaurs and sock monkeys
- Lots of mix and match coordination in each company's collections
- Boy-themed collections appropriate for babies, toddlers and preschoolers
- Papers using the fresh, modern quilt fabric look
- Embellished album covers ... everything has a bit of bling, needlework or other decorative items
- Complete lines of party items -- invitations, envelopes, thank you notes, favor boxes
- "Almost done" albums ... just add photos
- Embellished papers -- varnished, flocked, glittered
- Photo books from Web-based companies
Will check back in when I get a chance! Getting ready for Day 3 here in sunny California! Best, Beth
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 9:29:37 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Monday, February 11, 2008
SNEAK PEEK: March/April issue
Monday, February 11, 2008 3:08:57 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Monday, February 11, 2008 3:08:57 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Journals & Journaling
Monday, February 11, 2008 10:43:49 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) I admit it. I love notebooks and journals. I have a hard time resisting any lovely little journal or notebook that could provide a happy home for my lists, journaling, daydreams, poetry, lyrics, scrapbook/craft ideas, recipes, etc. So, I loved this recent blog post from our sister publication, HOW magazine, which showcases the set of 12 moleskin notebooks below that are being sold by Design Within Reach.  Each blank notebook is embossed with the phrase "One Year of White Pages" and has a
hole to indicate the month (one for January, two for February, and so on). For more journal eye-candy, click here. And get journaling tips, here. Then, head to the forum to talk journals. Share your favorite: Is it plain and familiar, or embellished and energizing? And, let us know what your journaling style is. Happy Monday! —Katie
Monday, February 11, 2008 10:43:49 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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CHA Trends in a Nutshell
Monday, February 11, 2008 8:33:50 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) Got a chance to walk some of the CHA show floor yesterday and noticed the following trends: - Fresher, brighter pastels, especially pink, purple, yellow, green
- Fewer distressed papers, or if distressed, often more subtle than in the past
- Matching baby boy and girl collections
- Light adobe and aqua/Tiffany blue combinations, as coined by Beth Mauro, executive editor of siter trade publication Scrapbook Retailer
- Acrylic all sorts of shapes and sizes: homes, bones, words such as LOVE, labels, different-shaped albums
- Chipboard albums in various shapes
- Motifs of owls, birds and mushrooms
Gotta head to the "Adding Dimension and Texture" class that Christine Doyle, Master '07 Crystal Jeffrey Rieger and I are teaching this morning and then hitting the show floor again. GinaMarie will be checking back in later today to share more! Best, Beth
Monday, February 11, 2008 8:33:50 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Sunday, February 10, 2008
First Day of CHA!
Sunday, February 10, 2008 6:59:23 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) There's no doubt about it. If you're a crafter, than CHA is a little
taste of heaven on earth, and the weather is absolutely gorgeous! I
know you really don't care  what the weather's like, you just want to
see what's inside the doors of CHA. I will be sharing with you the top
trends, products and tools that I see throughout the show, so continue
to check in daily to see all of the cool stuff!
Our first picture is outside of the Anaheim Convention Center, because
I mainly just wanted to show you the beautiful palm trees.
Our first stop this morning was walking the New Exhibitor's floor, and
I took pictures to show you what all the CHA newbies were showing off
in their displays.
Graphic 45 
Elegant with a touch of shabby chic, their designs and booth were
gorgeous. Check out this baby carriage adorned with their Baby 2 Bride
collection. This lamp was one of my favorites, because it would be so
easy to create customized shades to fit your decor.
Molly West Handbound Books 
The fabric-bound School Days book would help any busy Mom keep a
detailed memoir of her child's school life from kindergarten through
8th grade. I also took a picture of a brag book, which comes in many
different designs and sizes. The fabrics were stunning and had a lot of
neat details.
Glue
 
They sell raw materials that you can cover and alter to create
awesome home decor projects or gifts. They had unique things to alter,
like a necklace stand to and organize your jewels.
Jenni Bowlin
 
 Many might already be familiar with some of her stuff, but this was her
first appearance at CHA. I fell in love with many of her things. The
papers are from her Tangerine Dream Collection. I also wanted you to
see the Journaling Cards that coordinate with the different collections
and adorable Printed Tickets. Her booth was booming, and there's no
doubt in my mind why it was popular.
Paper Trunk
This booth was also crammed with people so I brought the samples back
to my room so I could take a picture of their fun and bright
designs. Graphic patterns and bright colors can be seen all over CHA. 
I just wanted to share a few of our favorites from the day, but I'd like to know what you think about them, too. Check out the Favorite New Product thread started by 2008 Master, Tracy Austin, and let us know what's your favorite CHA product? Keep checking in as I walk to floor and let you know what your favorite companies are coming out with next!
Create something. Inspire everyone.
GinaMarie
Sunday, February 10, 2008 6:59:23 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Waiting for "Kickoff"
Sunday, February 10, 2008 9:04:23 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) Hi. GinaMarie and I arrived safely in Anaheim yesterday, and it was invigorating to feel spring-like breezes and see bright green grass. Ahhh! We rode to the hotel with the window down, basking in the breeze and sunshine. Just a bit of a change from our cold, bleary Cincinnati weather. It's now Sunday, 6 a.m. in Anaheim, and I'm excitedly looking forward to CHA "kickoff" at 9 a.m. I can't believe I'm actually here; one year ago, I began the interview process for this most amazing of jobs, and I remember wishing I was already on the Memory Makers team so I could attend CHA. It's the SuperBowl of the scrapbooking industry, and I can't believe I'm now actually here. (Guess I already said that, but it's true! I feel like a kid in a candy store, or Eli Manning after his SuperBowl win.) Well, I guess I better go "suit up" and get ready for the big game! GinaMarie will be blogging later today/tonight to share some of the product and trends she's observed on the showroom floor, and I hope to pop back in too. Have a great day! Best, Beth
Sunday, February 10, 2008 9:04:23 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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