Search
Navigation
Blogroll
|
 Friday, July 18, 2008
How to Use Packaging in a Creative Way
7/18/2008 10:52:48 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
I love finding new uses for items that might normally be thrown away. In this layout, I used packaging from Fancy Pants Designs and Making Memories as embellishments. I cut off the scalloped edge of the Fancy Pants packaging and inked it with a brown ink. I used the top of the packaging from Making Memories' Noteworthy collection and inked the edges in blue. I also found this little brown notebook with paper samples on our the bistro here at work. I cut out the three holes and used the paper samples to show some of the reasons why I love Zach's heart.
(F.Y.I. The bistro counter is the place where people leave objects they no longer need or want in our office. It could be anything from food to free books and magazines. It's important to pass by the bistro several times a day to check out the goods.)
 Look around your house and see if there's anything that can be salvaged and used on your next scrapbooking project. Hope you're inspired to create something this weekend and turn your trash into something you'll treasure. Create something. Inspire everyone. GinaMarie supplies: Acrylic piece (Graphix) • Adhesive (Tombow) • Arrow, brad, ribbon (American Crafts) • Dimensional glaze (Ranger) • Epoxy stickers (KI Memories) • Fabric brad (K&Co.) • Felt, patterned papers, scalloped edge (Fancy Pants Designs) • Ink (Clearsnap) • Letters, packaging, paint, sticker letters (Making Memories) • Paper (Post-It) • Pen (EK Success) • Misc.: brown notebook, foam adhesive
layout inspiration | techniques
7/18/2008 10:52:48 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
|
|
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Kids Craft Day
7/17/2008 12:53:13 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
I'm in Chicago for the summer Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) show, and I can't wait—it kicks off tomorrow! While I'm looking forward to the seeing new scrapbooking products and meeting up with friends, I'm still thinking about the awesome experience I had yesterday.
CHA hosted a three-hour kids craft fair for 150 children at the General Robert E. Wood Boys & Girls Club of Chicago. In recognition of the event, the mayor proclaimed July 16 "Kids Craft Day in Chicago."  CHA volunteers* including Beth Mauro ( Scrapbook Retailer executive editor) and me were on hand to help the kids create. I'm not sure who had more fun—the volunteers or the kids! We helped them decorate craft foam visors, doorknob hangers and bookmarks, as well as scrapbook bulletin boards.   I love working with kids (two of my previous jobs were working on children's magazines). Some start out a little timid, while others jump right in, but they all find their creativity stride and really just go with it. Love watching that process. And, I had two favorite experiences that will stay with me a while. One was of an older boy who was very solemn—I never saw him smile—but he seemed intent and very fatherly, almost, to the younger boys. He stood around and watched, but didn't participate. It was like he didn't want to get in the way of their fun. I handed him a set of foam sports stickers and told him to take them with him. He didn't say anything, but held on to them, and a little later, I saw him decorating a visor. I doubt that it was for him, as he just seemed to be a generous soul who thinks of others before himself. My other favorite memory of the day was helping a little girl, who was probably about 7. I asked her if she was having fun, and she said, sweetly and simply, that it was the best day of her life. I told her I was really glad to be there on the best day of her life, and she said, "Thank you. You have a best day, too." Wow. Angela, the BGCC program director, said that the club hasn't had any craft supplies because they don't have money for them. Thanks to the craft industry's generous spirit, these kids now have more than $40,000 worth of craft items to keep them creating and growing long after Kids Craft Day. I had a best day. *CHA participants Terri O, Duncan Enterprises, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, FloraCraft, Arte Latin-Oh!, Creative Hands, Scrapbook Retailermagazine, Memory Makers magazine, EK Success, Ellison, Pack-o-Fun Magazine, Leisure Arts, SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L, and research partner Phoenix Multicultural, have all donated product, time and effort to make this event special for the children of the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago. Additionally more than 40 companies donated more than $40,000 in craft products and supplies to insure that the BGCC has a complete year's worth of crafting supplies and projects. Best, Beth
7/17/2008 12:53:13 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
|
|
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
WIN a Rejuvenating Summer Prize Package
7/16/2008 9:56:29 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  
(All photos by Assistant Editor GinaMarie Reda, taken on her Cape Cod vacation. Aren't they gorgeous!?)
"In summer, the song sings itself."
—William Carlos Williams
 My favorite summer splurge is getting to enjoy what I deem the perfect summer day: Waking up to a cool morning filled with sunshine and enjoying a latte; spending the day by the pool with good books; enjoying a delicious summer meal alfresco with friends and loved ones; and finally, sitting outside long after the sun goes down, surrounded by those I love and engaging conversation.
What's your favorite summer splurge? Post your answer here for your chance to win a summer prize package. The winner will receive soothing, pampering products from Depth Body and an array of summery
scrapbooking products from Scenic Route’s Grafton collection. To enter, you must post your response by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday, July 21, 2008. (Note: Please do NOT leave your response in the comment section of the blog. It will not be entered into the giveaway.)
Wishing you a lovely summer day,
Katie
| contests
7/16/2008 9:56:29 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
|
|
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
4th of July Layout
7/15/2008 9:17:57 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) This Fourth of July celebration was my first in Cincinnati since I moved here about a year and a half ago. Last year I celebrated my freedom while on a missions trip in Mamelodi, South Africa (what a humbling experience celebrating freedom where the simplest of freedoms don't exist). It was also the first fourth of July that Luke and I were able to enjoy together with family and friends. Definitely a special Fourth of July to document!  Supplies: • I Am Free kit by Emily Powers (check out Katie's blog entry to see her layout using the same kit) • Epson R1900 printer to print the 10x10 digital layout • Red cardstock for mounting my 10x10 layout to create a 12x12 layout. • I used bling, brads, ebellishments, and Gel-A-Tins Save the Date stamps (which are SO awesome) • Zig Millennium pen for all the journaling and Staedtler Triplus Fineliner markers for outlining and drawing on my page. Share your fourth of July layouts with us here. Have a great day! Christy
Digital Scrapbooking | hybrid scrapbooking | Photo Printing
7/15/2008 9:17:57 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
|
|
Monday, July 14, 2008
Fourth of July Layout
7/14/2008 9:57:48 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  Have you scrapped your Fourth of July memories yet? On Saturday, I created this hybrid page to document a lovely dinner and trip to the fireworks with Art Director Christy Miller. (I apologize for the slightly crooked scan of this page.) I used the I Am Free kit by Emily Powers, which is chock full of digital elements that have a great textured look. I especially enjoyed using the paint and torn kraft paper elements, as those are often staples on paper layouts I create. Lately, I've been loving the time-saving nature of hybrid layouts. For this page, I mounted my 10x10 digital page on notebook patterned paper from KI Memories. I added staples (because I like the look of staples but also because I ran out of my Tombow adhesive while scrapping this page). Then, I added the white glitter chipboard letters and accents from American Crafts. Final step: Adding the date stamp in the upper, right corner, which is quickly becoming a constant on my pages. After admiring Kal Barteski's use of the date stamp, I've become quite fond of the smudgy, imperfect look it leaves on my pages. (I also appreciate her bulletproof postive attitude. What a great way to create!) Have a great Monday! —Katie (And if you've created any Fourth of July layouts, share them with us here.)
Digital Scrapbooking | hybrid scrapbooking | layout inspiration | Photo Printing
7/14/2008 9:57:48 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
|
|
Friday, July 11, 2008
What I'm Loving These Days
7/11/2008 2:44:23 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) I haven' been scrapbooking as much as Katie, GinaMarie and Christy this summer, but I'm loving two new-to-me scrapbooking essentials. These are two of my very favorite discoveries this summer ...  I'm a huge fan of anything from Anna Griffin,
so I'm really LOVING my Anna Griffin Dorothy tote bag. It's got a
weatherproof, almost oilcloth surface, and it's unbelievably roomy,
with two huge fabric-lined sections with a padded divider, a small
zippered section, 2 pen holders, a phone pocket, adjustable straps, a
gold wax sealing-typed medallion... Swoon. And, best of all, it's in my
favorite damask pattern (I'm all about black and white accessories!). It's pretty and practical, as it can hold 12x12 paper, a laptop, lots of file folders, clothes ... I
used this as my carry-on airline bag to GASC in Arlington, Texas, and
it held SO much, especially on the way back when it was filled to the brim with book receipts from our Memory Makers booth. If you're at
CHA, you'll see this little beauty on my shoulder at all times.  One of my latest discoveries is Staedtler Triplus Fineliner
pens. I'm a bit of a pen snob—always have been—and this one just feels
right in my hand. It's shaped ergonomically for fatigue-free writing,
and it has a dry-safe feature so that if I leave the cap off for a few
days, the ink won't dry out. Plus, it's acid-free. And, it just
g-l-i-d-e-s over paper. It's my new favorite for taking notes and
journaling.  And, even though it's not scrapbooking related, I'm loving Sonic
limeades. There's something about a large limeade complete with a real
quarter-lime and lots of crushed ice that just says "summer" to me. I'm
trying to make the switch to the diet limeade, but it's not quite the
same. I see a Sonic drive-thru run in my weekend, and maybe I'll bring it home and actually spend a little time sipping and scrapping. What are you loving this summer? Hope your weekend is filled with lots of it! Best, Beth
7/11/2008 2:44:23 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
|
|
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
hybrid layout designed with the fabulous Tutti Frutti digital kit
7/9/2008 9:14:15 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Last week Katie posted a creative prompt titled "I Am..."I really had no idea how to finish that sentence because I feel like I am so many things at this point in my life. I decided to design a hybrid layout that allowed plenty of journaling space to detail my life as it is right this moment. I LOVE this digital kit ( Tutti Frutti) by Emily Powers and Paislee Press. Isn't it so cute!?! The colors and patterns are wonderful and the embellishments can be used in so many ways. After I designed the layout I printed it on our Epson R1900 for a gorgeous print, then mounted it to orange cardstock then a piece of 12x12 blue cardstock. Using my new scallop shears (that I absolutely love) I cut around the blue cardstock to get a clean, scalloped edge. I added ribbon, bling, and KI softies, button findings and felt embellishments to add a little dimension to the page. 
creative prompt | Digital Scrapbooking | hybrid scrapbooking | layout inspiration | Photo Printing
7/9/2008 9:14:15 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
|
|
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Hybrid Layout: Step 2
7/8/2008 9:37:59 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  As promised, here's my finished hybrid layout. It was a snap to put together. Here's how it came together:* I printed the 10x10 digital portion on our R1900 Epson printer. * I adhered the digital page to the center of a piece of kraft cardstock. * Using a foam make-up applicator, I applied blue and white paint to the edges of the kraft cardstock. (Almost every page I create lately incorporates paint in some way.) *I then added a few embellishments to give the page a bit of dimension and texture. supplies:(Digital) Tutti Frutti kit by Emily Powers and Paislee PressSticky strips by Amy HutchinsonDate stamp: Mark That Date by Two Sisters Designs
(Traditional)
kraft cardstock
paint: Making Memories
acrylic accents and flowers: Making Memories
staplesAnd before signing off, I leave you with this creative prompt: Create a layout that showcases the similarities you share with a sibling or close friend (in appearance, personality, etc.). **And bonus if the layout is hybrid and incorporates paint in some way.** —Katie
creative prompt | Digital Scrapbooking | hybrid scrapbooking | Photo Printing
7/8/2008 9:37:59 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
|
|
Monday, July 07, 2008
Hybrid Layout: Step 1
7/7/2008 11:22:47 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)  I created this 10x10 layout to use on a hybrid scrapbook page. After printing, I plan to mount it on patterned paper or cardstock and add a few embellishments to create texture and depth. Stay tuned. Tomorrow I'll post the finished page and supply list. Happy Monday! Katie
Digital Scrapbooking | hybrid scrapbooking | Photo Printing
7/7/2008 11:22:47 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
|
|
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Mini-album Idea
7/3/2008 10:12:24 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) I am off to Cape Cod next week for a family vacation and I couldn’t resist getting a jumpstart on creating a mini-album for the trip. I’m using the Passport collection from Making Memories as my base color scheme and a board book album from Cloud 9 Designs. I’ll keep you updated on the process when I return. This is the outside carrying case of the Board Book album.  And this is the front cover of the mini-album. It's still a work in progress!  Hope you have a wonderful Fourth of July! Create something. Inspire everyone. GinaMarie supplies:Adhesives (Tombow, U-GLU) • Board Book (Cloud 9 Designs) • Brads (Bazzill, American Crafts) • Epoxy sticker, flower, journaling spot, patterned paper, ribbon, sanding block, tag (Making Memories) • Felt letters (American Crafts) • Heart (KI Memories) • Ink (Clearsnap, Tsukineko) • Linen pocket (Li'l Davis Designs) • Pen (EK Success) • Stitching stamp (Autumn Leaves)
mini-albums
7/3/2008 10:12:24 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
|
|
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
mimic the pattern or theme of paper for quick and easy design ideas
7/1/2008 11:36:55 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) I love patterned paper. I've had this SEI paper (from the Dill Blossom Collection) in my stash for some time now, waiting for the perfect project to use it. Sometimes I struggle with working with bold colors and patterns because they can be challenging to design with (I have a fear of making designs too busy). For example, instead of adding too many busy elements to this card, I added layers of flowers (from Making Memories' passport collection) and brads on the paper to create dimension and texture without overdoing it. I added a piece of chipboard to the center and used a black Staedtler fineliner marker to write "hi."  When using bold patterned papers, try a few of these tips to add texture: Have paper with stripes? Cut strips of felt, ribbon or paper and glue them down on top of the paper. What about paper with circles? Cut circles out of fabric, paper or other material (or use a circle punch), and then use foam dots to lift the circles off the page. The possibilities are endless! This is a quick solution to making layouts, cards and other adorable paper projects in a flash! What are your tips for working with bold, patterned paper? christy
cardmaking | techniques
7/1/2008 11:36:55 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
|
|
Monday, June 30, 2008
Creative Prompt: I Am
6/30/2008 11:51:13 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) Creative Prompt: I Am. Interpret this prompt any way you wish. You might want to share your different roles (mother, sister, best friend … ), what you’re doing on a particular day (a slice-of-life focus), how you’re feeling when creating the page, plans for your future, etc.  i am (becoming more me every day)supplies: Adhesive (Tombow) • Acrylic accents, paint (Making Memories) • Chipboard, button, rubber photo corners (KI Memories) • Letter stickers (KI Memories, Making Memories) • Patterned paper (K&Co.) • Pen (American Crafts) • Stamp (7gypsies) • Text card (Moo) • Misc.: date stamp, ink, staple For my I Am page, I chose to focus on the ways we’re always changing and growing. My journaling shares some areas of growth in my life at the moment, such as making time for one of my hobbies (creative writing) by joining a writing group and reaching out to my community by searching for volunteer opportunities. Instead of keeping my journaling together in one block, I broke it up by writing on the following surfaces: on chipboard accents, directly on the patterned paper and inside a journaling block stamp. Additional notes about my page:• I used products from more than five manufacturers (which is the June Master's Challenge prompt). And even though the month of June is quickly coming to a close, check out the thread in the forum for inspiration and to share your own layout that showcases products from five or more manufacturers. • To make the second part of my title stand out (the word becoming), I painted on the patterned paper and outlined and doodled on my letter stickers. If you take part in this creative prompt, please post your layouts in our Online Idea Gallery. (Be sure to specify that you participated in this prompt.) I can't wait to see what you come up with and how you interpret the theme I Am. All the best, Katie
creative prompt | layout inspiration
6/30/2008 11:51:13 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
|
|
|