Scrap Play

New Memory Works Line Revealed!

Ooh, I just have to share this!  Memory Works just released the first sneak peek of it's new Simple Stories line.  Ele.ment.ary is a beautiful, simple to use, school themed kit.  Ele.ment.ary will be shipping in August.  I can't wait to use it to scrap my daughter's first day of preschool this fall! 

More CHA Sneak Peeks!

Oh my, my!  The CHA sneak peeks keep on coming and boy, are they cute!  I just have to share a couple more with you.

First, up, from Prima Marketing:  I've always loved their elegant fabric flowers, but the new ones they're releasing are simply stunning!  They've added pearls and new textures to their line to create flowers with extra pizzazz!  They've also jumped aboard the doily trend with some little doily flowers.  Now, Prima flowers are a splurge for me, but I think these styles are well worth it!  Prima also has new paper lines, chipboard, and more.  You can see all the sneak peaks here.

   
 
 

Next, are you ready for Christmas yet?  I'm one of those disgusting people who LOVE seeing Christmas merchandise in stores before Labor Day.  My house would be decorated year-round if it weren't for my husband.  So I started dreaming of Christmas trees and sparkly lights when I saw this line by Graphic 45.  Deluxe Edition Christmas past is actually a re-release of a popular previous line, but they've added new papers.  They're also releasing another new line called Steampunk Debutante that you can view here.

Finally, here's a company I've never tried before, Glitz Designs.  I caught this sneak peek and loved the bright, vibrant colors.  Although I love vintage and distressed papers, their muted colors often don't match my colorful photos.  The Scarlett collection, however, is both bright and vintage!  I wish I'd had this line when I scrapped some green and red apple picking photos last week!  You can also catch a peek of their new Love Nest line here.

CHA Sneak Peaks Ahead!

The CHA Summer 2010 show is almost here, and the sneak peeks are starting to slip out!  For anyone unfamiliar with CHA, it stands for Craft and Hobby Association, the biggest US trade organization for the craft industry.  Twice each year they have a huge CHA show where manufacturers debut their new products for retailers to order.  For the average scrapbooker, there are two fabulous aspects of the CHA shows: exciting new products and sales, sales, sales!  Just when you're completely bored with what your LSS or neighborhood Michael's has to offer, beautiful new papers, embellishment, and tools will come rolling in again.  And as the stores make room for the new products, you benefit from the abounding clearance sales.  My wallet is getting lighter by the minute!

But right now, what I'm excited about is the first signs of new paper lines.  I haven't seen too many sneak peeks released yet, but you can be sure I'll keep you up to date as I do.  Nikki Sivils provided this peak at her new Blueberry Hill line last week.  It makes me think of ocean-side picnics and sunny morning breakfast in the kitchen.

Graphic 45 is releasing a new line called Halloween in Wonderland with a totally different feel.  Perfect for those Halloween layouts or making some really cool alter home decor items for Halloween.

I hope those little nuggets of newness will hold you over until the rest of the previews come out!  Until then, enjoy scrapping with your newly purchased clearance papers!

Scrapping Like a Jedi

Today, I saw a new scrapbooking paper line that made my heart beat with excitement.  Creative Imaginations has released a Star Wars collection!  Now I know you're thinking, "What a geek!"  But hey, I am a geek.  I actually enjoyed taking the SATs, okay?  And darn it, I love Star Wars!  One of my family traditions as a kid was watching all three Star Wars movies back to back every Christmas afternoon and evening.  I remember lying stuffed on the couch, amidst the leftover mess of gifts and wrapping paper, hanging with my dad, brother, and Hans Solo.  I didn't have a lot in common with my dad or brother as a kid, so this was a special bonding experience for me.

Does Star Wars bring back special memories for you?  Or just remind you of the glorious Eighties?  Do you have little boys who are experiencing the thrill for the first time?  Then check out these patterned papers, chipboard shapes, and more. 

Scrapbook Pages that Sparkle and Shine

Now I know that sometimes we all like very formal, heritage style pages.  And sometimes we want pages with that gritty, masculine feel.  But sometimes, just sometimes, I want pages that really sparkle!  I love all things glittery and shiny, and sometimes I want my pages to reflect that!  So today I want to talk about adding sparkle to your scrapbook layouts.

These days there are so many sparkly products out there that an uncontrollable fear of glitter-mess is not excuse for dull pages.  Bazill makes shimmer cardstock, American Crafts makes foil and glitter Thickers, and Basic Grey makes some very intricate rhinestone designs.  So no fear, people!  Bring on the bling!

One easy idea to try is to add a glittery title to your page.  Simply use glitter letter stickers, or add fine glitter to your die cut letters.  Another simple project is to place a rhinestone frame around your photos.  You can buy them pre-made or add sticky rhinestones to a transparency and place it over your photo to get a custom look or fit. 

Stickles are a fabulous products for easy do-it-yourself sparkle.  Just be sure to leave your layout out overnight to dry.  I like to trace the edges of my title letters with Stickles, or use them to add detail to patterned paper.  You can also use them or regular glitter to cover an entire chipboard accent shape.

My favorite new glitter technique is to add glitter to stamped images for depth and detail.  I simple use a clear stamp to stamp my image, and then re-stamp the image with a glue pad.  Sprinkle on glitter, and you're done!  To make your image even prettier, fussy-cut around it and ink the edges.  You'll be surprised how professional your embellishment looks!

Here are some more cute glitzy products: 1.  Spruce Topiary Bling It by Basic Grey

2.  Self Adhesive Glitter Lace by We R Memory Keepers

3.  Glitter Sparklers by Webster's Pages

4.  Raspberry Rainboots Glitter Thickers

5.  Sequin Flowers by Prima

6.  Cinnamon Foil Thickers in Pomegranate

7.  Mixed Crystal and Pearl Flourish by Prima

8.  Shimmer Paper Flowers by Bazzill Basics

9.  Bazzill Bling Carstock in Emerald City Bling

 

So what do you think?  Are you ready to "bling it on"?  Then pull out your rhinestones and glitter and enter the Scrap Play's Bling on the Bling Challenge!  Submit a layout that showcases some serious sparkle to scrapplay@gmail.com by Monday, June 14, 2010.  One contestant will win the new set of Autumn Leaves Alphabet Stamps pictured below.  All are welcome to play, but prizes will only be shipped to winners in the US.

MemoryWorks June Express Kit

Don't you just love receiving a whole package of scrap goodies in the mail?  I know I do!  I'm also hopelessly shy about matching different patterned papers and product lines.  That's why I love kit clubs!  MemoryWorks Express Kits are one of the newer clubs on the market.  They not only send you a gorgeous box of paper and embellishments, but also sample ideas created using Page Maps.  This month's Debonair kit is particularly lovely!  I adore the turquoise and brown color combo!

Get your hands on this beautiful kit here!  

Friday Favorites: Domestic Endeavors

This Friday's product showcase is all about domestic, homespun themes.  These products have a retro, creative feel to them and are perfect for scrapbooking your creative pursuits.  After all, scrapbookers are crafty people and our albums should include pages dedicated to our hobbies and creations.  Why not scrap a page about what your table looks like when scrapbooking?  Or about the fact that you have to embellish everything you buy with scrapbooking products?  These papers and products are also perfect for a layout about the handmade clothes your mother sewed, or your grandmother's famous preserves.  They also make a nice backdrop for humorous pages about your not-so-domestic self.  Why not use them to showcase the picture of the Thanksgiving turkey that caught on fire?  But enough said.  Here are my favorite picks:

 1-3 Homespun Chic by Melody Ross

4  Domestic Goddess by Graphic 45

5-6 Mom's Diner by PJK Designs

7-8 Material Girl by Cosmo Cricket

9  Girl Friday by Cosmo Cricket

10-11 Early Bird by Cosmo Cricket

12-13 Farmer's Wife by Jenni Bowlin

14-15 Thrift Shop by October Afternoon

Celebrity Scrappers: Inspiration from the Scrapbook Experts' Blogs and Sites

When I'm looking for scrapbooking inspiration, I turn to the best in the field: professional scrapbook experts.  Many of these scrapbook celebrities have their own blogs, websites, books, and even online classes!  Here's a look at the experts I refer to for help:

Ali Edwards

Ali has worked as an editor for Creating Keepsakes magazine and is the author of A Designer's Eye for Scrapbooking and Sharing Your Story: Recording Life's Details with Mini Books.  I refer to her for ways to create multi-photo layouts and layouts using divided page protectors.  Her scrapbooking focus is on recording the everyday details of life.  If you'd like to record your life details, check out her posts on creating a "Week in the Life" album.

Visit Ali Edwards' blog here.

Cathy Zielske

Cathy is the Author of Clean & Simple Scrapbooking and Clean & Simple Scrapbooking: The Sequel.  As you can probably guess, her style is clean and simple!  I highly recommend her two books for beginning scrapbookers and advanced scrapbookers who suffer from product overload!  Check out her blog for her awesome new monthly column "Design Do-Overs," where helps improve readers troublesome scrapbook layouts.

Visit Cathy Zielske's blog here.

Tim Holtz

Tim is the Education Director of Ranger Industries and the author of A Compendium of Curiosities.  He is the expert on all things distressed!  Tim's products are always on the cutting edge of scrapbook style and trends.  Check out his website for video demos of products like alcohol inks and distress inks.  His blog is more newsy than helpful to scrapbookers, but I've included the link here as well.

Visit Tim Holtz's website here.

Visit Tim's blog here.

Stacy Julian

Stacy is the founding editor of Simple Scrapbooks magazine, the author of Photo Freedom, and the founder of Big Picture Scrapbooking (more about BPS below).  She's my organizational guru!  Look to her for ideas about how to streamline your scrapbooking process, organize your photos, and set up your albums.  Her blog seems to have a lot of giveaways, too!

Visit Stacy's blog here.

Two more resources I want to mention are Big Picture Scrapbooking and Write.Click.Scrapbook.  Both sites rely on teams of scrapbook experts and industry leader.  Big Picture Scrapbooking offers online scrapbooking classes and projects, where Write.Click.Scrapbook is a multi-writer blog.  Both are top on my list of scrapbook sites I visit regularly. 

Visit Big Picture Scrapbooking here.

Visit Write.Click.Scrapbook here.

A Scrapbook Kit Club for Kids!

I just saw this adorable new kit club designed just for kids.  What a great way to keep your kids busy and focused while you scrap!  It will also keep them out of your stash (hopefully).  Take a look at at the July kit and sample project.

 
  

Check them out at http://www.scrapbookpizza.com/

I know what my daughter's getting for her birthday!

My Favorite Paper Manufacturers

Everyone has their own taste in paper and products. I love product lines with a distressed feel and tons and tons of different doodads.  Bring on the clear overlays, the buttons, fabric flowers, ribbons, chipboard, and more!  The colors have to compliment my photos too.  I’ve yet to find a photo that requires maroon or mustard yellow paper!  And please, nothing cutesy or cartoony.   Therefore, if I had to name my three very favorite brands, I’d say they are:

 

My Little Yellow Bicycle    (www.mylyb.com)  

This is fairly new paper line and they are the doodad kings!  Everything is so laidback and cool looking.  I think I own every product from the Fresh Paint Traveler collection.  Best For: theme pages (travel, holidays, etc)

 

My Minds Eye   (www.mymindseye.com) 

They have a HUGE variety of paper lines and they are all (or, at least, almost all) gorgeous!  Their colors are generally muted enough that your pictures will shine.  I love their journaling cards and clear overlays.  Best For: girl pages, sentimental subjects, nature.

 

BoBunny   (www.bobunny.com) 

Admittedly, I don’t use this line as much as the other two, mostly because I have difficulty finding it at good sale prices.  This line is also bolder and more modern than the other two.  I love the color combinations and the swirly, girly, flourishes though.  Best For: vibrant photos and exciting topics.

 

Where I Buy Scrapbook Supplies

If you're just starting out scrapbooking, you might not have any idea where people are getting these beautiful products you see.  Now, where to shop depends partly on where you live, but this is where I shop:

Michaels

They have a much bigger selection of scrapbooking supplies than AC Moore or Joanne.  They carry all the basic supplies you need like tape rollers, cardstock, and paper trimmers.  They also have a good selection of paper pads.  With their coupons, you can get some great deals.  I generally shop here for basic suppies and the occasional paper pad.  Beginners will find most of what they need here.

My LSS

LSS stands for Local Scrapbook Store.  Mine is The Crop Shop in Rockland, MA.  LSS's carry a much greater selection of individual paper sheets and embellishments, offer classes and crops, and carry brands that Michaels doesn't.  For instance, two of my favorite lines are Little Yellow Bicycle and BoBunny, neither of which can be found at Michaels.  Also, they carry the full lines of many manufacturers, not just the paper pads and a handful of embellishments.  Expect to pay top dollar at your LSS though.  I personally have a heart attack every time I get to the counter.

ScrapbookExpress.com

I love this site!  They have a large selection of manafacturers and a wide range of products by each one.  They also have a continuous Clearance section with prices up to 70% off.  They have a huge selection of My Minds Eye (MME) with much of it on clearance.  Look for free shipping coupons or deals to save yourself even more.

Creating Keepsakes Conventions

Okay, I get a little nuts at CKC.  They have a huge vendor fair with tons of different products.  I actually buy most of my supplies for the year here.  Most vendors sell mini-album kits with instructions.  You can find a good selection of Stickles, Glimmer Mists, stamps, and class kits.  I recommend two different approaches here, depending on your money philosophy.  Either bring a set amount of cash and lock your credit cards up, or bring your credit cards and expect to pay them off for the next year!  Really, though, vendor fairs at conventions are one of the best ways to shop for scrapbook supplies.

Archivers

Okay, I don't really shop here; I've shopped here once.  Its not my fault there are no Archivers in New England.  But if I did live near one, I'd certainly shop there.  Archivers is the perfect combination: it has selection similar to a LSS, but with a chain store's ability to have great sales and discounts.  I went to one while visiting my sister in Wisconin and came home with my suitcase overflowing.  This was the infamous location where I lost my sanity and bought the entire Fresh Print Traveller line by LYB.  What can I say, it's a good store.

Be a Stickler: The Wonderful World of Stickles

Today I stamped a title on a layout and it looked terrible.  Blame it on cheap stamps, a dying ink pad, or general incompetence, but the result was the same: a smudgey, inconsistent mess.

Luckily, Stickles once again came to the rescue!  Stickles are a name-brand scrapbooking glitter glue and they are awesome! 

"Glitter Glue?' you might be thinking, "What am I, five?" 

Trust me, Stickles have nothing in common with your kid's glitter glue.  These come in little, easily manageable bottles and have a very smooth flow of glitter.  They come in about a million colors and have tiny little tips that are great for detail work.  And you can buy a bottle for less than $2.  Today I simply pulled out a brown Stickles and traced over my letters.  Than I got carried away and drew on some swirly flourishes.  Miracle fix!

Try Stickles to write titles, add designs, and create detail and texture.  You can also get a clear version (Crystal) to provide a subtle glimmer without color.  If you only buy one bottle, buy this one.  I often use this one to trace the design on flat patterned paper.  This creates the look of beautiful, expensive, dimensional paper.  Also use to to trace the outlines of cardstock flower punches and other embellishments.  I promise you'll love it!

One word of advice:  Stickles take FOREVER to dry.  Plan to leave your pages out overnight to dry.  NEVER apply Stickles at a crop or someplace you'll have to leave soon.