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 Friday, February 22, 2008
Friday Fun: 15-minute Challenge
2/22/2008 3:59:04 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) On this cold, rainy, snowy Friday, we decided to have a little fun with a Friday challenge. The rules: Create a card in 15 minutes. (The gathering of supplies was not included in the time limit.) The participants: Christy and GinaMarie The photographer: Katie The videographer: Patty (We almost had a video, but Patty forgot to press the record button!) So, without further ado, here's a little photo story of our 15-minute challenge:  Some of the supplies And they're off! GM is concentrating. Christy is, too. Time is running out!
And now (drum roll, please) the finished results: GinaMarie's card.
(I love the foam letters and the rub-on stitching.) And check out the inside (I think she thought I was judging or something!)   Christy's card(I love her use of felt.)
What the participants had to say about the challenge:
Christy: "So, I called for a fun 15-minute challenge, thinking that it would be fun, fast and easy ... It was fun and the time flew by, but it was harder than I thought. I usually create pretty fast, but I think it was the constant verbal countdown by Patty and Katie that made me sweat  I think I've gotten so used to taking my time when I scrap that I felt rushed and pressured to create something stellar."
I am going to be practicing at home for the next 15 minute challenge!
GinaMarie: “It really was a challenge for me. I’m the kind of person who could spend hours on one card, so the time limit made me so nervous, I began to sweat.”
If you're looking for a creative way to spend a dreary Friday, or just looking to have a little creative fun, try our 15-minute challenge. Then, post your projects in the forum. Have a great weekend, everyone. Until next week, Katie
2/22/2008 3:59:04 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) 
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Thursday, February 21, 2008
How to Scrap a Quirky Habit
2/21/2008 11:12:42 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)  As I was trying to organize my scrapbooking supplies and photos, I stumbled upon some pictures my Dad took of me playing volleyball when I was in high school. I didn’t want every volleyball layout to talk about the good old days of high school, so I choose a consistent pattern I found when I looked through the pictures. After I noticed my tongue was consistently hanging out in several photos, I knew this was something worthy of scrapbooking. I still have a habit of sticking out my tongue when I am concentrating on something. I also included a close up below for good measure. When you look back at pictures from your past, do you see any patterns? Is there anything fun and quirky that you want to capture in a page? I hope this inspires you to do so, and have fun documenting what makes you, you! Create something. Inspire everyone. GinaMarie  Supplies: Adhesive: Tombow Patterned Papers: K&Co., AdornIt, Love, Elsie and KI MemoriesButtons/Embellishments: Love, ElsieFoam letters: American Crafts
creative prompt
2/21/2008 11:12:42 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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notebook creativity
2/21/2008 10:26:54 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) I love finding plain, little notebooks and decorating them. I found this one at Target. For some strange reason, it's more fun to write in something pretty and in something that I added my own little personal touch to :) Now that all the new products from CHA have been released I have found some stuff that I really like. The American Crafts chipboard letters and embellishments and ribbon are just a few of the thing that caught my eye. I added some patterned paper from K&Co. and the KI Memories lace cardstock as a background. Nothing fancy, but I love pulling it out of my purse and writing in it. Apparently, I am not the only one that decorates notebooks! I was reading Michelle Coleman's blog and she has a new hybrid project called Cheeky Little Notebooks, which was inspired by both of her girls' love for writing and drawing in notebooks. My sister is about ready to buy her first house and I think I am going to make her a personalized notebook for her to record all the stuff she wants to buy for it. Have a great day! christy 
2/21/2008 10:26:54 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Back by popular demand ... general submissions!
2/20/2008 12:42:19 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) We hear you saying you want to be able to send us your favorite layouts for possible publication, even when they don’t fit a specific page call. We’ve always wanted to see your best stuff, cool techniques, layouts with new products and old favorites, but until now we couldn't process the influx of so many pages. But we have a plan that will allow you to submit to your heart’s content, and allow us to review as many pages as possible. Come to the forum to read the guidelines of what we’ve fondly named The Sky's the Limit page call. We’ll also be posting more specific page calls regularly for upcoming issues, so check back often in the forum on the page calls thread for specific pages we need. Here’s a big THANK YOU for your patience and input as we continue to work to make Memory Makers the best darn scrapbooking magazine in the business! Peace and love from the whole MM team, Patty, Beth, Christy, Katie and GinaMarie
2/20/2008 12:42:19 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Sunday, February 17, 2008
On a Windy Night
2/17/2008 9:35:45 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)  The wind is howling outside, and I'm grateful to be cozy inside with a hot mug of peppermint tea, new scrapbook supplies, good books and, of course, my kitten, Mia. It's the perfect night to do some crafting before retiring to bed with a stack of books. I hope you've been enjoying your weekend. —Katie
2/17/2008 9:35:45 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Friday, February 15, 2008
Must-see CHA Winter Video
2/15/2008 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
2/15/2008 5:35:03 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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CHA chatter & party planning
2/15/2008 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 
2/15/2008 11:51:02 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Thursday, February 14, 2008
Q & A with Cindy Tobey
2/14/2008 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
2/14/2008 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?
2/13/2008 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
2/13/2008 2:20:50 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Pssssstttt...what's your opinion?
2/12/2008 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
2/12/2008 1:07:01 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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More Pictures from the CHA Floor!
2/12/2008 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
2/12/2008 11:15:31 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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More CHA Trends in a Nutshell
2/12/2008 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
2/12/2008 9:29:37 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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