Need a quick last-minute gift?

Kits2Remember metal panels are a great foundation for a number of holiday gifts. For starters, here is the No. 1 item created with these - magnetic message boards! I made 12 x 12 and 8 x 8 message boards for my sons' teachers this year. They really thought they were cute. Last year, I used 4 x 4 and ATC-sized metal panels to create tree and wreath ornaments.

Flea market find becomes a holiday gift...

I found a framed metal wall-decor candle holder at a local flea market for next to nothing. This black and white photo of my friend, Brynn, and her husband was just too pretty to keep in an album, so, for Christmas, I decided to create a romantic home decor piece they can enjoy every day.

I used a Kits2Remember 12 x 12 acrylic panel for the lower left side, overlaid with a Creative Imaginations transparency, and a cover 8 x 8 chipboard sheet, to balance the 11 x 14 photo. I backed the photo with a metal panel 1) for support and 2) so that it can be easily removed and replaced with an updated photo later on. I adhered two large, strong magnets to the top of the frame and just set the photo panel on top. I added a sponge behind the photo for the panel to rest on. Glossy Accents was my adhesive of choice in this case - it is strong and clear.

But the metal frame was not the only items here that I found at the flea market. The large pearl flower centers are actually vintage clip-on earrings that no longer had mates. I pried the clips off the back and glued them to the flowers. Chipboard alphas, some ribbon and plenty of Prima, Fancy Pants and Bazzill paper flowers completed the main list of embellishments. Brynn said her favorite color paired with black and white was burgundy, so, using Distress Ink and Glimmer Mist, I did my best to take those reddish tones and use them throughout the piece.

It's important to do your best to plan ahead in a project like this, trying designs out before gluing them down, but also be flexible if a design doesn't particularly work the way you had envisioned. For example, with the careful weight balancing act I did with the different elements, the entire project can still be hung by a single nail or screw by the center loop in the metal wire. I has also planned to use "word bubbles" (Tim Holtz Fragments adhered to some Teresa Collins "Family Matters" paper), but the design was just too busy with them, so I took them off and will use them in another project at some point.

I am really pleased with the way the project turned out and I hope Brynn is, too!

Acrylic Christmas Calendars

Colleen over at Scraphappy here in Pensacola created an adorable countdown calendar with Kits2Remember acrylic:


This tiny photo doesn't do it justice, but I am hoping to get a larger one. Basically, it is two 6 x 6 acrylic panels and 14 (for 0-3 and 0-9) of the 1.75 x 2.25 acrylic panels. Tie the bottom of the "A" frame with ribbon so that it doesn't open too wide and fall, and then use the Bind-it-All and o-wire or a Crop-a-dile and o-rings to bind the top. Colleen then also used acrylic paint dabber and Stickles to create the "snow." Super cute and easy!

Seeing Colleen's project inspired me to Google "acrylic Christmas countdown calendars," and there were so many cute designs. Be sure to take a look for yourself!

On the first day of December...

... I am posting some gifts I have made for my kids' cousins, Kara, Lauren and Hannah. This year I am making almost all of my gifts, as I am sure many of you are, too. Is that what we scrapbookers, paper crafters and rubber stampers do every year?These acrylic door hangers are cute, simple and fun to do. The plain door hangers are in the Kits2Remember store for $3.99 each.

Then, I just used my stash of scrap supplies to embellish these. K2R rubber stamps and pastel Staz-On ink gave me the "foliage" to put the Petaloo paper blossoms on (I used Glossy Accents, which dries in about 5 seconds). I used some leftover chipboard and sticker alphas from earlier projects and finished up with some Stickles glitter glue accents and acrylic paint along the edge of each hanger.

Video class, Scrappy celebration and 50 percent off sale!

Last K2R project kit of 2009 – complete with video!

This is the first Kits2Remember album to not only come with color photos and instructions, but a video with K2R owner Jessica Guthrie instructing! The video will be filmed and posted by Dec. 12 as the first K2R virtual class that you can view when you like, as often as you like. Pause when necessary, rewind and take the class at your own pace. You will create this “Christmas Cheer” 8-inch acrylic stadium album and learn about techniques to use with acrylic. Kit comes with 8-panel 8-inch acrylic stadium album, Theresa Collins paper , transparencies and chipboard charms, Creative Imaginations epoxy stickers, Rebekkah Erickson rub-ons and more than 4 yards of ribbon!

In the Pensacola area?


Check out Scraphappy this weekend! Scraphappy is having a Grand-Reopening Open House and crop on Saturday starting at 10 a.m. There will be free food, free make and takes for both adults and kids, and plenty of stuff on sale. Plus, you can check out After Hours Signs and Graphics – a new business inside Scraphappy! As for Kits2Remember’s role, I am teaching the Gypsy stadium album class on Saturday at 1 p.m. For details about the class, log on to www.kits2remember.com/calendar or call Scraphappy at 850-607-2527.

Christmas Creations Sale!

Planning to make most of your gifts for the holidays this year? Stock up on your K2R favorites while supplies last. Get 40 percent off your entire order when you use promo code xmas40 when you check out. Promo is good on new orders only, until noon CST Sunday Nov. 22 and the code must be used. No other discounts may be used with this offer. Happy Shopping!

A great fall idea, a few days late...

I accidentally posted this to the wrong blog a few days ago! Whoops!


K2R Krew member Jennifer made this great "Grateful" home decor piece with Kits2Remember metal and acrylic. See more by visiting the Kits2Remember Krew's blog.

Sales, conventions, classes and more!

If you're anywhere near Pensacola, FL, this Thursday, Oct. 29, you're definitely going to want to stop by Scraphappy. Owner Christy is having a moving sale (the lucky lady is moving her store just to the next building over - and in to a much bigger space!)! Help keep her from breaking her back by buying up some product so she doesn't have to move it. The ENTIRE store is 40 percent off! 40 percent! Scraphappy will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for this special sale. For more information, visit www.scraphappypensacola.com.

I will be teaching in Scraphappy's new store on Nov. 21, and we'll be creating this gypsy-style vertical acrylic and chipboard stadium album.


Check out the Kits2Remember calendar for more details.

For those of you who live in the Pacific Northwest, Kits2Remember products will be available there next month. November 5-7, at the Creating Keepsakes Convention - Seattle at the Meydenbauer Convention Center, Bellevue, WA, Kits2Remember products will be at The Red Bee's booth! Get your fill of project kits, and acrylic, metal and chipboard panels! Find out more about the convention by clicking here.

I have also confirmed that I will be teaching at Gigi's Scrapbookin' and More's 2010 Beach Retreat in Orange Beach, AL, in January. Details are on the K2R Calendar.

Last but not least, I thought I'd toot my own horn for a moment. I entered four layouts in the Pensacola Interstate Fair last week and the judges chose two of them for first and second place. There were many attractive layouts entered, so to have two of mine honored with ribbons was quite an achievement, I thought. Of course, I forgot my camera, so I had these photos taken with my iPhone. Please forgive the poor quality, I'll try to take better ones of the layouts soon.

Willvis costume complete ...

My precious scrap time has been spent on another endeavor lately: blinging an Elvis costume. My oldest son, Will, is 7 and a big Elvis fan. He decided to be Elvis for Halloween in zdecember, when we visited Graceland and never waivered. Thanks to my Mom sewing it, my sister-in-law, Gina, sketching out the eagles, Will has his costume:

After 11 hours of blinging, the Willvis costume is now complete. I had Will try it on and he immediately went in to Elvis Mode. Here are photos of him in action. I only prompted the one with the back of the cape showing.



Here are some close-ups of the bling. I used fabric glue to adhere each gem, jewel and sequin on. Will loves it, so it was totally worth the work.

After the Ontario Scrapbook Expo Friday, I met up with some of the ladies from the SoCal 2 Provo bus tour last year. It was so much fun catching up with (from L to R) Linda, Lori, Stephanie, Dana and Cathy.

Expo Coupon!

Planning to go to the Ontario or Sacramento Scrapbook Expos this month? Go to www.kits2remember.com/expocoupon and print off the coupon for a free pair of 4 x 4 acrylic covers with any purchase at The Red Bee's booth!

Don't forget that I will be at the Ontario Expo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday doing a make and take at the Red Bee booth! Hope to see you there!

Not in the area? There are lots of panels, products and kits in the K2R store!

Thank you for your business and support!

Jessica

October brings more kits and Expos!

Happy October!

Two new kits have been added to the Kits2Remember store: "Moments Like This" 6 x 6 acrylic and chipboard album

and a 12 x 12 metal message board, "Notes."

There are just a few of each of these left over from my classes during Scrap Pink this weekend. Click here to find out more.

It's a busy month for scrapbooking Expos! Take a look at where Kits2remember will be:

October 1-3, 2009 - Creating Keepsakes Convention - Glendale, AZ
Renaissance Glendale Hotel
Glendale, AZ

Kits2Remember products will be here at The Red Bee's booth! Get your fill of project kits, and acrylic, metal and chipboard panels!

October 9-10, 2009 - Scrapbook Expo - Ontario, CA
Ontario Convention Center
2000 Convention Center Way, Ontario, CA 91764

Kits2Remember products will be here at The Red Bee's booth! Get your fill of project kits, and acrylic, metal and chipboard panels! Plus, K2R's Jessica Guthrie will be at The Red Bee booth from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, hosting a make and take - come see the fun acrylic project we are going to do! I am lookig forward to seeing everyone!

October 16-17, 2009 - Scrapbook Expo - Sacramento, CA
Sacramento Convention Center
1400 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Kits2Remember products will be here at The Red Bee's booth! Get your fill of project kits, and acrylic, metal and chipboard panels!

More details on the K2R Calendar!

What do a clock and Cricut Design Studio have in common?

They are both used in K2R Design Krew projects... take a look at the blog!

I'm going to be in Ontario!

I am so excited! I will be in SoCal for the Ontario Scrapbook Expo Oct. 9 and 10. In fact, I will be in The Red Bee booth Friday from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. doing a make and take... stop by and see what we're creating! The Red Bee will also have plenty of Kits2Remember products, from acrylic and metal, to chipboard and kits. If there is something specific you want to get, email me at jessica@ kits2remember.com and let me know. I'll do my best to have it available for you!

I am also excited about getting together with my fellow "tourists" on last year's SoCal2Provo bus tour. We had SO much fun on the 6-day long trip from Southern California to Creating Keepsakes University - Provo, we are reunited to relive the memories. If you hadn't heard about it, you can read about it in this past blog post.

I am SOOO looking forward to seeing my SoCal scrappy friends! Hope to see you at the Expo!

New fall-themed project kits available!

I am so sorry I haven't posted in awhile, but I have been busy busy busy in my scraproom! I've created several new project kits for the fall and holiday season, as well as project samples using some of the old Kits2Remember favorites.

Take a look at these:



With this Halloween wall decor kit, you will get the acrylic cutout frames, materials to make the cute dangly spider and a link to the spider web pattern so you can trace it with with Black Diamond Stickles. Get ready to scare up some fun on your walls!


The "Family Memories" Vertical Stadium Album kit we had last year was a hit, I came out with another one: "Gypsy." I used this album to showcase summer photos, but because of it's larger size and eclectic mix of papers and embellishments, it can be used for a number of themes and events.


This maple leaf autumn wall decor project is simply made up with K2R acrylic cutout frames. I just added acrylic paint, Stickles glitter glue and a flourish with the K2R flourish stamp 1-01 and black StazOn ink. You can get the panels in either 4 x 4 or 6 x 6.


Give special thanks this fall with the 6 x 6 acrylic and chipboard book, "Thank You." You can use this project in two ways - make a memorable album or use it to collect family recipes. Either way, it's sure to be something you can't wait to show off!

Nashville CKC, half-price shipping and metal's back in stock!

Kits2Remember is gearing up for the Fall season! New kits are being developed as this newsletter is being emailed out and I’m sure you’re going to love them!

Is anyone planning to go to the Nashville Creating Keepsakes Convention this weekend? K2R products will be there, in The Red Bee booth. So, be sure to stop by and store up on the acrylic, metal and chipboard panels you’ll need to make this year’s holiday projects and gifts!

Are you in the Pensacola area? I will be teaching three classes at Scraphappy this month, in conjunction with the store’s Scrap Pink event, Sept. 25, 26 and 27. Learn more by visiting K2R’s calendar.

Live elsewhere? Get a complete list of the upcoming events on the Kits2Remember calendar.

Large metal panels are back in stock. I know a number of you were disappointed that the 11 x 14, 12 x 12 and 8 x 12 sizes recently sold out. Well, they’re available in the store and K2R still has half-price shipping, no matter how much you order. These will make great magnetic message board gifts!

A creative day leads to yet more wall decor ...

... I have been collecting goodies for this project for more than a year now, and it seems like it took forever to get it on the wall. While it is only about 3/4 of the way done, and it will be a work in progress for awhile, at least it is up off of my bedroom floor! I have huge, plain wall in my dining room and when we moved in to our house last summer, I had a moment of inspiration for yet another photo-filled wall hanging. I would have theme be centered around my family eating, cooking or preparing food. To match the blue green and beige tones in my home, I stuck with much of Little Yellow Bicycle's Vita Bella line (Those of you on the SoCal 2 Provo bus tour last year remember how crazily I collected that along the way, don't you?)and mixed in some Teresa Collins, 7Gypsies, Tim Holtz, Glimmer Mist and Ranger paints and inks.





Flea Market finds: Printer's drawer, miniature serving trays, tiny cast iron pans, doll-sized wooden chairs, and blue serving spoons. From JoAnn's clearance aisle: Frames, decorative posted cork board, framed corkboard, large square corkboard and the 12-hole nick-knack shelf. I used Canvas Concepts stretched canvas frames in all different sizes and depths and Kits2Remember stamps on the glassed frame with the three 5x7 photos. Last, but not least, I stretched a table runner my grandmother had made (the cream fabric with blue decorative border) over the large square corkboard to add a bit of heirloom feel. And, since I am such a ribbon junkie, I was sure to throw some of that up there, as well.

Scrap Pink Altered Bra Contest entry ...

... I spent a few hours altering a white bra from Wal-mart today. Christy Hillard, owner of Pensacola's Scraphappy, asked me to submit a contest entry and suggested I make a Kits2Remember one. So, I obliged.



Some of the product I used: K2R acrylic flowers; Key Lime Gimmer Mist from Tattered Angels; Heidi Swap patterned tape, bling and hibiscus foam stamp; flowers and bling brads from Imaginisce and LOTS of ribbon... Is your local scrapbook store participating in Scrap Pink this year? Consider creating an altered bra to auction off for the Susan G. Komen foundation. Find out more about Scrap Pink here and Scraphappy's Sept. 25-27 ScrapPink crop here.

A new project from Richard...

... K2R friend and fan Richard has created another great project with Kits2Remember acrylic and his Stampin Up! Supplies...



You can see more of his work on his web site...

Congrats to the K2R Kontest Winners!

Kits2Remember is proud to announce the winners of the K2R 2nd Anniversary Kontest winners! A big thank you to everyone who entered... it was so much fun to see what your creative juices produced! The K2R Krew and I had fun looking through the entries and there were some tough decisions made. But here are the winners:

Grand Prize Winner: Jaime N., Silverhill, AL - $250 worth of K2R goodies
"Supply List: Creative Imaginations 2008 chipboard album, Acrylic, Little Yellow Bicycle "Zach's Life Collection" paper and embellishments, danelle johnson Swatch Book Impress-ons, Robin's Nest dew drops."



Jaime won this collection of prizes:


Runner Up for Metal: Carolyn M., Fountain Valley, CA - $50 worth of K2R goodies
"I used three of the 4 x 4 metal panels, 3 o-rings (from 7Gypsies), 1 jingle bell (from Kits2Remember) in the goodie basket by the cash register at the Expo's, Ribbon (from a Kits2Remember kit - sorry, don't remember which kit), 3 Me and My Big Idea Stickers (from Kits2Remember) Dream Big, Spirit, Dedication.I peeled the back of the stickers off, placed them on the metal, used the Crop-o-Dile to punch the holes, snapped in the o-rings, tied on the jingle bell and ribbon hanger at the top, and voila - done - really, about 5 minutes to make - I love it!"


Runner Up for Acrylic: Gayle F., Sacramento, CA - $50 worth of K2R goodies
"Supplies I used were Kits2Remember 8x8 panels, the Love, Elsie travel line from KI Memories. I've been hoarding the paper, ribbon and epoxy stickers for a long time to use for a special occasion. I also used Heidi Swapp plastic letters for the SF and journaling spots. And a Hambly transparency with stitched rubons (I think Daisy D?). This was my second acrylic album to finally use my 10th Anniversary trip to San Francisco. Our first time away from the kids (how sad is that???)"

Acrylic cookbook class at Scraphappy ...

... I only had eight of the acrylic cookbook kits left, the one I designed using Teresa Collins' Haute Cuisine line, and I needed every one of them! The scrappers seen here found the album challenging, but fun, and they were oh-so-proud of what they had accomplished during the three-hour class today at Scraphappy in Pensacola. Two of the ladies had even driven the hour-long drive from Mobile, AL, to come to the class! Thanks, ladies! While anyone who knows me knows I don't cook willingly, I have to say that this is one of my favorite projects I've done. Take a peek at what class was like today...






For those scrappers living in and around Pensacola, Scraphappy is celebrating Scrap Pink Sept. 25, 26 and 27. You can find out more details on the store's website. There are lots of ways you can get involved to help raise funds for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, known for its fight against breast cancer: Alter a bra, crop one or all of the three days, take a class, do a make and take, bid in a silent auction... and that's just naming a handful of ways! I will be there each day of the crop, teaching a different class. I am not sure of all of the kit designs, yet, but I will be sure to post them on my blog and on the K2R Calendar! Plus, if you are in the area, they will be on display at Scraphappy, so stay tuned!

ProvoCraft... with an edge ...

... OK, I was looking at the article "The 10 Best Places to Grow Up" on Yahoo when an ad the piqued my interest came up. I don't usually click on web ads, but the little square space with "When Scrapbookers Go Bad" just made me have to click... and here is what I found ...


http://www.roguegypsies.com/

Have you seen this?

K2R Design Krew member Jenn created this unique project - a baby mobile! Not only does she explain how she created it, but she also has some video check out. If you have seen her post yet, head on over to the K2R Krew blog now!