Tenaciously Yours, Jessica Guthrie

Counting in Japanese

2012-01-25T15:57:00.000-08:00

Konnichiwa!

In an effort to master some basics of the language before we move there this summer, my boys (ages 9 and 5) and I are learning Japanese. I am using Rosetta Stone, but think it may be a bit challenging for the kids, so I am teaching them some basics through YouTube videos I am finding. Thanks to the Japanese Society (an organization based out of New York) we are counting in Japanese now. It's actually a pretty simple system. Here is the link to the 5 minute video that has you counting from 1-100. Seriously, we caught on pretty fast! We thought you'd like to give it a try, too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOUqVC4XkOY&feature=plcp&context=C32fddeeUDOEgsToPDskLOARDoVE-uQHkkEch3nOt-

Siyonara!

Konnichiwa!

2012-01-23T13:15:00.000-08:00

Scrappy pal Emily shared this on my Facebook page... somehow Basic Grey (one of my favorite manufacturers!) knew I was moving to Japan this summer... and came out with the perfect line to scrapbook my adventures with: Konnichiwa (which means 'hello'). Guess I'll have to stock up on some of it!

Next stop: Japan

2012-01-15T10:59:00.000-08:00

Cherry blossom path in Iwakuni.

Documents provided by the military to prepare us for a move overseas, as well as Rosetta Stone for Japanese.

My husband Rodney received orders - to MCAS Iwakuni in Japan! Click on the link the some info about it. We report in July, after being stationed in Pensacola, Florida for 4 years. Iwakuni base is the only Marine Corps base located on mainland Japan. The rest are all located on the island of Okinawa, which is where Rodney was stationed in 2003-2004 while Will and I lived with Rodney's parents in Illinois.

Iwakuni Castle

Map of Japan - note how close we are to Gina's homeland of Korea!

Kintai Bridge in Iwakuni

Arial version of MCAS Iwakuni in 2004. That sandbar-looking area in the bottom left corner is now a new runway.

Rodney is absolutely thrilled to be going back, he loved it there and can't wait to share it with the rest of us. The kids are more excited than I thought they would be. Will wants to see the Pokemon museum in Tokyo and Xan just wanted to make sure that he didn't have to learn Japanese before he went to school there. I am sure we will all have moments of sadness when we leave, but I think we all have the mindset that this will be an adventure! We have gotten Rosetta Stone for Japanese, levels 1-3, so, hopefully, we will have picked up enough Japanese to get ourselves from America to base. As we get more info, we'll let you know. Right now we are busy trying to figure out what to do with our house (sell or rent?) and our cars (must sell, but how and when?).

Meanwhile, I am still working part time for the credit union's marketing department, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and we are launching a new campaign for 2012: The Pen Air Patrol. Click the link to see what my CU life has revolved around for the past 5 months. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I am still teaching two sections of speech, or Basic Communication Skills, for the University of West Florida. I am a lot less nervous this semester and have adjusted the class slightly to better ensure the students actually read the assigned chapters ahead of time. It seems to be working so far.

I am also scheduled to graduate with my master's degree in Strategic Communication and Leadership May 5, provided I finish the three classes I am registered for now. One is a traditional class, meeting in Thursday nights, and we are studying how the media portrays alternative medicine. Since I know very little about this subject, I should learn quite a bit. The second class is new for the school. It is a sort of advertising agency for the different schools and departments within the university, to help them promote the speakers and events they host on campus. I am not sure what I will be doing with that yet, but will hopefully find out next week. And, finally, I will have a capstone project, something I work on individually as the all-encompassing final project. I am not sure what I am going to be doing, but I have some ideas. Hopefully one of them will be approved by the department.

I have no idea how much time I will be able to spend creating, but I surprise myself sometimes, so you never know when you might see something scrappy here. ;)

2012-01-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

These are 8x8 albums with acrylic covers that I made for a friend. She gave them to her family for Christmas. They are each a different theme that she selected to match the families' personalities. It was great to have some time in my scrap studio again, and these got me back in to the scrap swing of things for the gifts I made my family.

Paper clip Angel

2011-12-23T09:31:00.001-08:00

Will brought this home from school. I thought it was really clever and cute - a perfect kids' project!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Addition of Cheyenne

2011-12-21T19:53:00.000-08:00

My niece, who is nearly 18 months old, finally made her presence known on my college-ish mixed media mural on my dining room wall. Of course, it wasn't her fault she came late to the party, it was mine. Grad school has monopolized a lot of my time in the past year! Plus, my sister-in-law breast fed her for awhile, and since everyone on the wall is eating or drinking, it may have led to some somewhat awkward photos!

This is simply a 6 x 6 layout slid into an acrylic PageFrame and hung on a thumbtack stuck in the covered corkboard I created months ago.

This was a clearanced shadow box I got for a steal - because it was without the glass it came with. I am just a huge fan of this Vita Bella line Little Yellow Bicycle came out with in 2008. I think I bought everything in the line during the CKU Provo bus tour that August. All of my favorite colors in one in classic, beautiful designs.

Canvas, frames and flea market finds - oh my!

Make paper boxes in minutes

2011-12-19T20:33:00.000-08:00

If the video isn't showing up for you, you can check it out using this link to YouTube.

This was a fast and easy solution for custom boxes that I learned at me LSS, Scraphappy here in Pensacola. All you need are two sheets of 12 x 12 paper and a paper trimmer!

My Leadership Philosophy

2011-11-30T09:46:00.001-08:00

My definition of leadership

Leadership defines a role an individual chooses to accept, whether it is leading alone or with others, as a job title or in a single situation. A leader must look out for each team member, provide the team with the tools necessary to be successful and provide guidance towards a common goal.

What I expect from myself

I am honest and transparent. I will give team members as much information as I can so they can do their jobs to the best of their abilities. I will not expect more from the team than I expect from myself. I have high expectations, but not unreasonable ones. I will be approachable. I will be tough, yet empathetic when it is warranted. I will provide feedback and direction when needed. I will be a sounding board. I will be a devil’s advocate and attempt to provide different perspectives so the team can make the best decisions possible. I will create an environment of empowerment, yet, if it is necessary to move the team forward, I will not be afraid to make a final decision.

I learned much from Jim Collin’s book, Good to Great: I will strive to be a Level 5 leader. I will recruit talent even if I am not sure what they will do once they join the team. I will invite the right people on to the bus and seat them in the right seats. I will not be motivated by fear. Goals should inherently motivate, but I will provide the team with the tools, compensation and security it needs so it can focus on being great. I will put the best people in the best areas for growth opportunity. I will listen more, talk less and ask questions.

I will guide, not direct. I welcome questions, feedback and constructive criticism. I will help us all pursue joy. As famed college basketball coach John Wooden suggests, I will love each team member the same. Like professor Dr. Athena du Pre’ said, if I must let someone go, it will be done out of love for them… their happiness matters, too. I will not allow others to do my “dirty work” for me. I will have the courage to address the issue myself. I will be loyal to the team and its members. I will forgive others for honest mistakes. I will also forgive myself for honest mistakes. Like Southwest Airlines, I will fire customers who do not treat team members with respect. I will provide authentic, genuine leadership and create an environment people want to be in. As exemplified by Dr. du Pre’, I will do what is necessary to have refreshed, healthy and invigorated team members so the team is creative, effective and efficient.

What I expect from team members

I expect team members to be honest, transparent and loyal. Deadlines are not to be missed. I expect them to communicate with me. If you don’t know or aren’t sure about something, don’t pretend you do. You will eventually look like a disingenuous liar. Simply say that you don’t know, but will find out quickly. I will expect the best the team has to offer, and then try to stretch the team a step higher. I expect team members to grasp and use their empowerment for the good of the group and organization. To quote the unofficial Google motto, “Don’t be evil.” I require the team members to be respectful, honest and to hold each other to high standards.

Be brave. I expect team members to have integrity and to be accountable for their actions, choices and words. If you commit to something, anything, see it through. I don’t want to have to tell team members what to do or remind them repeatedly to do it. I do not like to micromanage. I want there to be an agreed upon consensus and each team member to take responsibility for their part in the plan. Yet, don’t be afraid to ask questions to gain better understanding. And, paraphrasing Randy Pausch in his last lecture, don’t let the brick walls stop you – those walls just show you how badly you want something. Do not be complacent and do not complain. If you have the tools to fix the problem, do it. If you don’t have the tools, ask for them. Follow up and follow through with everything you do. Embrace constructive criticism. If no one cared, or thought you were capable of achieving their expectations, no one would say anything to you.

Personal idiosyncrasies

I do not like to waste time or resources. I am impatient... but I am working on it. I love a good discussion and am competitive by nature. I like to win. But also see the benefits of a true dialogue and realize there is an appropriate time for each.

Non-negotiables

I will not tolerate cheating, lying or team members’ disrespect to themselves or others. I do not accept excuses. Habitual tardiness or absences show a lack of respect and commitment to the team and are not acceptable. Ignorance is not bliss, it is inexcusable.

Tyler Durden's 8 Rules of Innovation

2011-08-22T20:38:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine introduced this link to me today and it absolutely resonated! I am not a huge fan of the move "Fight Club," but I thought the author's use of the parallels to get his point across was great. I have no idea who Tyler Durden is (LOL), but I like what he has to say about the rules of innovation! Be fearless!

Giving Etsy a try...

2011-08-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

I have set up an Etsy account and one of the three items I have uploaded is this Steampunk Debutante wall decor:

I would greatly appreciate it if you would browse the store and offer suggestions!

A little John Deere here...

2011-08-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

My friend Raeanne "commissioned" a piece for me to create for her to give to her sister-in-law as a gift for her new baby's room. The room is John Deere themed and Rae gave me a multi-photo frame to "Jessica-tize," as she put it. Here it is, before, after and on the wall:

Whoops! Forgot to give the low down on Guthrie Gallery Night!

2011-08-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

I just realized I never blogged about Guthrie Gallery Night! Both events went very well and it seemed like everyone had a great time. Some wer looking for inspiration, some were looking for gifts, others were just wanting an evening (or afternoon!) out of the house!

It was so much fun to be able to show off the pieces I have created for my family and answer questions about them. Everyone who attended seemed to have their own personal favorites, so I can't say which one was hands-down the most popular.

Here are some photos from the event:

Akiko and Shiho won the raffle prizes on Saturday.

Melissa loved winning the door prize on Thursday.

Actually, Melissa was thrilled to win the door prize on Thursday!

The baby boy "Zoo Baby" collection was a big hit.

My friend Kanoko added to my mantle display - she gave me the pretty green bottle, third from the left.

The "Steampunk Debutante" Collection was my favorite to work with. This is a three-frame wall hanging.

The left frame up close.

This clock cabinet is one of my favorites.

I have been asked if I will do another Guthrie Gallery Night before Christmas. I think I might, coupled with a some kind of class, which has been requested by a number of people. Could be fun, maybe a weekend in November. But, we'll have to see how my crazy fall semester pans out first (see previous post for details)!

Some of the things that are still left I plan to put on an Etsy site or something, so I'll be sure to announce that here and on Facebook. But a huge thank you to everyone who came out and were so supportive (even if they weren't totally sure what to expect!).

Summer's over....

2011-08-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

So, my summer is officially over. My summer classes have ended and I got the As I wanted. I never would have thought I would have gotten all As in graduate school, based off of my 3.4 high school and 3.1 college GPAs, but this field of study really does resonate with me. I think it’s a good fit… and nary a calculus or biology class in the bunch!

I didn’t get to the beach once this summer, but I did get to clean most of the house and see some bands and movies with the spouse. Oh, and I am pretty much caught up on my sleep, I think. Which is a good thing, because this fall promises to be challenging!

I fly out tomorrow to pick up the kids from my parents’ house in California. I’ll stay about 6 days to visit with family and friends before coming back. The same day I get back, my in-laws will be arriving in town, to help me out with life while the spouse is off playing softball for 10 days, representing his squadron of Marines. Why the Marine Corps has this annual event the week school starts for many kids around the country, I have no idea. Why not earlier in the summer so families can go? Or at least not have to worry about start of school flurry of activity that wreaks havoc on many households. But the Corps has never really tried to be convenient for family. No need to start now.

Will and Xan start school on the 22nd. Will will be going into 4th grade, and Xan will be starting Kindergarten. I will be starting my fourth (and hopefully, send-to-last) semester as a Strategic Communication and Leadership graduate student at the University of West Florida. Plus, I will be dropping back to part time status as a marketer Pen Air FCU so that I can pursue a new adventure: Teaching at UWF. I will be a graduate teaching assistant (GTA), teaching two public speaking courses on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I have always wanted to try my hand at teaching at the collegiate level, and I now have my chance. It’s is going to be a very busy semester for me and I am trying to create a schedule a routine so that I have as little stress as possible – ha! Life always manages to throw a wrench (or ten) in to the plans I make, so flexibility will be a much-needed commodity.

Plus, I am doing some freelance copywriting and scrapbooking on the side. Keeping busy is a way of life for me. I'll post pictures of my latest scrappy projects soon!

Guthrie Gallery Night preparations

2011-07-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

So, I am finishing up some projects that I have had either had concepted or started so I can showcse them next week at the two Guthrie Gallery Night next week (scroll down a couple of posts for info), and I wanted to give you sneak peek. You can also follow me on Facebook...

"Heirloom" collection

"Lemonade" collection

"Animal Crackers" collection

Yes, I may be a feminist, but I still like men...

2011-07-16T00:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, so follow my logic here: Recently, while in graduate school, I learned that feminists are not what society has created them to be. They do not hate men. They do not think they are better than men. They simply believe they are equal to men. Wow. Imagine that. Equal to the XY chromosome? Oh, the horrors! Yet, this is an identity I identify with. ;) I am different from a man, but together, we bring equally valuable perspectives to whatever discussion is at hand.

Seriously, though, in my reflections, I realize that I come from a long line of true feminists. Not females who think they are better than their male counterparts, not the "man-haters" pop culture likes to pigeonhole in to the definition of "lesbian," or those who were "wronged" by men and, therefore, despise them. But examples of true feminists who believe women can work and live along side the males as equals in the world. Nothing more. Nothing less.

On my paternal side, my grandmother was the first female U.S. Navy Dispersing Officer. She was not enlisted in the Navy, merely hired by them, but, in short, she was the first female to pay the bills for the installation. The keeper of the money. In fact, she was the only one who knew the combination to the safe at the Naval base in China Lake, CA, in the 1960's. A lot of responsibility... and it was even a much bigger part of the U.S. Navy than it is now, with a lot of testing and engineering that done near Ridgecrest, CA. And, yet, someone realized Grandma Barbara was the best person for the job. Amazing. I did not appreciate what she had accomplished for my gender until after she had passed away, but better late than never. Three cheers to my Grandma Barbara. Way to make the most of the opportunities you had!

Yet, the grandmother on my maternal side was no slouch. Unexpectedly, my grandfather passed away of a heart attack when my mother was just over a year old. That left my grandmother alone with a daughter to raise. Now, my Grandma Ginia was close to her parents, but she did not rely on them entirely for financial support, or just quickly marry another man for the sake of acquiring a head of household to support her and my mom. Grandma Ginia worked for a living, for an insurance company, when most uneducated women stayed home with their children. Now, my grandma did have an associates degree, which she earned before she met my grandfather, and such things were rare for women in America at that time. However, in the 1950's, World War II had ended and women were being replaced in the workplace by men who returned from war. Yet, Grandma managed to find and maintain her position as a integral part of the insurance agency she worked for for nearly 20 years. And despite her mother working for a living, my mother turned out to be a productive member of society, earning her associates degree, and nearly a bachelor's degree, before meeting my father and changing her priorities.

So, here I am, two generations later, and I am the first member (not just female member!) of either side of the family to work toward a post-graduate degree. Technically, I am more educated than my husband, as I have a bachelor's degree, and he does not. However, his training as an air traffic controller is quite extensive, and earns him an abundance of college credit. With my bachelor's degree and 18 credits toward my master's degree, I merely strive to be equal to him in the eyes of society. My IQ is slightly higher, but my common sense skills are lacking slightly in comparison to his. I'd say we are pretty equal right now, in our respective areas of expertise, yet his compensation is triple mine. Why? According to Time Magazine, women make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns - when comparing the same skills, dedication and availability. Yet, no one can truly point out the reason for this. Women tend to not ask for raises, and tend to attribute accomplishments to the "team," according to a recent book I read authored by "Morning Joe" TV co-host Mika Brzenzinski. Men are more forthcoming with their personal accomplishments. Women are much more less likely to say say "no" to ridiculous requests, and tend to take more time off to have children.... pick your excuse. But should gender really matter when it comes down to who is the best person for that particular job?

The women in my family have more than proven themselves. I just hope to follow in the footsteps they have already left behind, and then spread those prints a bit farther down the path toward equality. My mother-in-law, a retired elementary school teacher of 30-plus years, recently told me, "It is still a man's world." She is probably right. However, I prefer to fight the good fight and hope than I am valued for the skills and experience I bring to the table, not the combination of chromosomes I have in my body. But the part that bothered me the most is that she brought it up now that she is retired, when gender biases aren't encountered each day in the workplace and should matter less. Was she trying to warn me? Motivate me? Seriously, people, I just want to be equal. Why is that such a problem?

Gallery Night at the Guthrie's...

2011-07-14T21:41:00.000-07:00

The window celebrating Rodney's and my 10th anniversary.

I don’t really consider myself an artist. Not like a painter or sculptor or that guy who creates chalk drawings that look like canyons in the sidewalk. But some of my friends seem to disagree. Especially my friend and co-worker Crystal, who is an artist herself, as well as a graphic designer. She's been harping on me about having a Gallery Night at my house to share my home decor and scrapbooks with the good people of Pensacola. And then she got some other friends and co-workers to chime in. After months of internal debate, and a heart-to-heart with the spouse (who was skeptical, but did not outright laugh), I have decided to swallow my apprehension and host a Gallery Night at my house. Well, actually two.

The Guthrie Gallery Night will be from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, July 28 and 2-4 p.m. Saturday, July 30 at my house. Bring family, friends, whomever you would like. Email me if you need directions: jessicaguthrie at hotmail.

Feel free to come and imbibe on some refreshments as you enjoy the décor items and flip through the albums. Also, I have a number of albums and other projects that I have created that are looking for a good home (including the house album and "create" wordart below! Scroll down a few posts to see more). So, if you are looking for a unique hand-made gift for a bride, baby, or birthday, you might find the perfect gift for sale.

I will also be having a free raffle at each Gallery Night, giving away some of the albums. I hope you can stop by!

Wooden wordart with easel.

Clear acrylic house album.

"Live, Laugh, Love, Play" is in my dining room.

The "Love" quadrant of the "Live, Laugh, Love, Play" piece.

Worked on a couple of projects in between school assignments...

2011-05-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

Somehow I seem to manage to find snippets of time in between my studies, work, and family to escape into my scrap room. I think it's my way of relaxing and allowing the creative side of my brain to work. After a couple of years of practically ignoring my scrap room, it feels to be able to go back into it and create some cool things for myself, family and friends. Here are some of the things I have done recently.

This first project, I guess you could say was "commissioned." My friend and co-worker, Brad, asked me to create something for his wife, Christy, who graduated with a degree in elementary education this weekend. I went to one of my favorite flea markets and found this framed bulletin board. I think refinished it, added a metal sheet under the top alphabet paper and then used chalkboard vinyl in the center so it was truly for for a teacher. Brad also gave me some pictures from her last day of student teaching, so I added those, which I mounted to acrylic panels, stamped with flourish designed for a softer, yet layered look. There is even a little canvas pocket, filled with sticks of chalk. Brad loved it and I hope Christy does, too!

Last weekend, Scraphappy in Pensacola had a guest instructor, Lynn Warner, teaching classes. I took one on Friday night, in which Lynn walked us through several different flower-making techniques. I can;t remember the last time I took a scrap class, so, in the middle of a crazy end-of-the-semester two weeks of final project, I figured I needed to "waste" some time being creative. So glad I did! It was just the break I needed and I came away with some really great ideas, all on the tags below, one of which I used today.

This is a rolled paper flower for my son Will's teacher for the first day of teacher Appreciation Week tomorrow. He's supposed to bring a flower. I figured this one would last longer than a "real" flower and then Will wrote a sweet note to his teacher about how much he had enjoyed being in her class this year. To make a flower like this, simply tear out (yea, tear... it does not have to be perfectly round!) a circle and then tear it in a spiral from the outside in, so the spiral is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide leaving a small, roundish center. Then take the outside end of the spiral and start curling it tightly toward the center. Once it is completely rolled up, let it go, and twist it to the bottom of the flower is resting on the roundish center. put some glue or glue dots to hold the flower in place. Then set the flower right side up on the table in front of you and then push down hard on it wit your hand. That creates the crushed rose look.

Perfect

2011-04-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

Made a wrong turn, once or twice
Dug my way out, blood and fire
Bad decisions, that's alright
Welcome to my silly life
Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood
Miss 'No way, it's all good', it didn't slow me down
Mistaken, always second guessing, underestimated
Look, I'm still around

Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than, less than perfect
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing
You are perfect to me!

You're so mean, when you talk about yourself, you were wrong
Change the voices in your head, make them like you instead
So complicated, look happy, you'll make it!
Filled with so much hatred, such a tired game
It's enough! I've done all I can think of
Chased down all my demons, I've seen you do the same

Oh, pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than, less than perfect
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing

You are perfect to me

The whole world's scared so I swallow the fear
The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer
So cool in line, and we try try try, but we try too hard and it's a waste of my time
Done looking for the critics, cause they're everywhere
They dont like my jeans, they don't get my hair
Exchange ourselves, and we do it all the time
Why do we do that? Why do I do that?

Why do I do that?

Yeah, oh, oh baby, pretty baby!
Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than, less than perfect
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel
Like you're nothing, you are perfect to me
You're perfect, you're perfect to me!
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing
You are perfect to me

A "Love"-ly Renaissance Woman

2011-04-04T20:31:00.001-07:00

My Mom and I met Grace Zabriskie, actress (think Lois Hendrickson in "Big Love"), poet and visual artist tonight at UWF. Very interesting lady and I enjoyed listening to her perspective on the "Renaissance Woman." I love the boxes she creates! Take a look: www.gracezabriskie.com

Spring Break projects...

2011-03-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

I took my college's Spring Break off of work, and although it wasn't all fun, games and adhesive (I did have to do some homework for my graduate classes - yuck!), I did manage to finish and create plenty of new projects. And most of them for myself!

Live Laugh Love Play is a wire mesh and wood frame wall hanging created from pieces I had around the scrap room and stuff I found at local flea markets. I wanted a place to display photos and memories of family fun.

This was a poker-themed (huge) wall clock before I got through with it. Now it's showing off five of my favorite photos from a family photo shoot in November - and it's going on my office at work so I can remember what - and who - I am working so hard for. Those of you who were on the SoCal to Provo bus tour in 2008 may recognize the papers and embellishments: They are from Little Yellow Bicycle's Vita Bella (Beautiful Life) line. I still love it!

Kaiser's wooden flourishes and flowers have always been in my scrap room for awhile, but I could never find just the right project to use them on. I finally did when I paired some of Kaiser's papers with Creative Imagination's "Create" wood word.

I had enough scraps left over to create a house album with two Clear Scraps house-shaped acrylic albums I wire-bound together. Some Prima flowers and Heidi Swapp bling added the finishing touches - just needs photos now!

I have wanted to complete this project for awhile... I found an old window at a local flea market and added Hambly and Creative Imaginations transparencies along with photos of Rodney and I from the past 10 years of our marriage. The photos are backed with 6x8 acrylic (available through From Cover 2 Cover). Chipboard letters are from Scenic Route and Rusty Pickle, prior to their closing. And there are those wooden flourishes from Kaiser...!

Shoot. Fire. Aim.

2011-03-05T17:47:00.000-08:00

This is actually something I wrote a while back, but still think the basic ideas are relevant.

Start – Then have meetings!

Disorderly action is better than orderly inaction.

Shoot. Fire. Aim.

The way I work on projects is:

· * - 1) come up with an idea/goal

· * 2) figure out possible ways to accomplish the goal

· * 3) some initial research to eliminate the least likely ways to reach the goal

· * 4) dig in and get started

· Unforeseen challenges ALWAYS pop up, so switching gears and adjusting methods as you work toward your goal is normal, not the exception.

I know that not everyone works the same way, and I used to think I could embrace others’ way of completing projects. But, recently, I have found that I am not as welcoming to new processes as I have been in the past. While it may not be the absolute truth, my perception of some of my team mates is that they are more motivated by the following phrases:

Analysis by paralysis

Procrastinators: The leaders of tomorrow

Indecision is the key to flexibility.

Needless to say, the team does not work together smoothly. And I so wish it would. We could accomplish so much more! These situations have been addressed by various forms of management for at least a year now, with little or no results. Management is aware, and small steps are taken, but, really, I don’t understand why something more drastic is not done, like termination, or placing the person in a different job. That’s actually something I hope to learn in these classes – why is the removal of poor employee rarely done? This is not the only workplace I have seen this be a problem in, so there must be some universal issues. Or is this a taboo subject that could use some dialogue?

The reason I digressed to poor personnel when it comes to time management is because the team could be so much more effective and efficient with team members who understood efficiency, planning and organization. Because of their poor time management skills, those who do have good time management skills end up doing more work to make up for what the others can’t (or won’t) do, leaving the efficient employees feeling stressed out and overworked.

It is so important to hire the right people. I can see why interview processes at good companies are so long – you really need to get to know the true person as best you can before you extend them an offer. Something for me to keep in mind: Taking more time to get the right candidate to begin with can save your months of time in the future! Hire hard and manage easy. Discuss...

Back to the blog...

2011-03-04T19:35:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been more than a year since I posted to this blog. I thought it would be time to do so. I do realize I still have followers and, to be fair, I should tell you that this blog will not just be about scrapbooking and crafting anymore, but more of a documentation of the world through my eyes. Hmm... that sounds a little deep, but you get the idea. And I'll probably toss in some humor, sarcasm and anecdotes. And, of course, some scrapbooking. I have had a love-hate relationship with my scraproom for the past year, but I have managed to create some projects...

A project shipped to Creative Escape for a charity auction.

A birthday gift for my friend and co-worker.

An album for a class that never happened.

A wall hanging kit project.

A birthday gift for a former co-worker ad fellow military wife.

A national company cropping in Pensacola??? No way!

2010-02-26T20:26:00.001-08:00

Yep, it's true! I can hardly believe it myself! The ProvoCraft executive design team will be staying in Pensacola Beach March 12-14. And one lucky person gets to go! (Transportation not included!) Learn more here on Michelle Brooks' blog: http://cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/02/wanna-get-away-to-this-fantastic.html

I've entered to win... and hope I do! What a great way to gain some crafty inspiration!

Products now available at From Cover 2 Cover!

2010-02-16T17:10:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to announce that Kits2Remember acrylic, metal and chipboard are now available at From Cover 2 Cover, a new online store owned by K2R enthusiast Julie Wilcox. Julie has been a huge K2R supporter the past two years and has been a great customer! She lives in Southern California, has her own unique style and creative ideas, and is also a paper crafting instructor.

From Cover 2 Cover will have these raw materials available for both wholesale and retail, and Julie warmly welcomes all K2R customers to her store. If you live in Southern California, be sure to stop by the From Cover 2 Cover booth during the San Diego Scrapbook Expo the first Friday and Saturday in May.

I wish Julie the best of luck in her new venture and hope those of you who have supported Kits2Remember so well will do the same for From Cover 2 Cover!

The Cinch ... works on K2R materials!

2010-02-03T18:57:00.000-08:00

It's been confirmed: We R Memory Keepers new binding system, The Cinch, works on all of Kits2Remember's raw materials: chipboard, acrylic and metal. Essentially, it is the same as group of Crop-a-diles lined up. I can't wait to give one a try! Here are a couple of videos that show off exactly what this new tool can do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jkVpJjS75U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joeg7dC2dwY

Tough times for the scrapbook industry continue...

2010-02-03T18:45:00.000-08:00

Sad but true. While CHA-Winter in Anaheim, Calif., showcased a number of fun and innovative companies and products, some of the old favorites are closing up shop. While the unique raw materials of Kits2Remember will hopefully be back on the market with a new owner sometime soon, there are a number of manufacturers who aren't so lucky. The latest is Rusty Pickle, who I remember as being a fun and generous company when the SoCal2Provo Bus Tour traveled up to CKU-Provo a year and a half ago (Creating Keepsakes University is another scrappy something that has gone the way of the dodo...).

SoCal2Provo Bus "tourist" Stephanie shows off her shopping smile. Owner Lance Anderson (below) opened up the RP warehouse at midnight one night exclusively for the bus tourists, riding woth us on the bus and acting as our personal tour guide.

Here is the email I received today:

RUSTY PICKLE PRESS RELEASE

This past year has been incredibly tough on Rusty Pickle due to the economic situation. We feel that we can no longer survive as a company; consequently we have decided to close Rusty Pickle. We would like to thank all our customers who have supported Rusty Pickle for the last 7 years.

Rusty Pickle will be liquidating inventory. We now offer everything at half price. On Rustypickle.com, everything is now 50% off - prices are as marked. The warehouse is also now open to shop. Call or email to find out more of what we have. (801) 746-1045 or email jeri@rustypickle.com
Warehouse Hours 9am-2pm
Rusty Pickle

Be a part of scrapbooking history!

2010-01-07T17:03:00.000-08:00

Non-profit organization Scrapbook Royalty is sponsoring the CHA Craft SuperShow's World Record Attempt... the most scrapbookers cropping at one time in one place! I would SO be a part of this if I was going to be in California for CHA! Here are the details:

Saturday, January 23rd

Anaheim, CA

10:00am – 6:00pm all day cropping with in and out priviliges.
6:00pm – 11:00pm Cropping, Celebrity Appearances, Demos and Charity Raffle

Don’t miss being part of this exciting event!

FEATURING:

* Celebrity Appearances by your favorite Scrapbook stars
* Product give-aways, goodie bags, and door prizes
* Charity Raffle featuring your favorite scrapbook products and handmade items

To benefit:

Come be a part of the fun, bring your friends, and crop the day away!

Order Online by following these steps...

Step 1: visit www.CraftSuperShow.com
Step 2: click on 'Show Info' then 'Tickets'
Step 3: create [or modify] your order (discount codes are out there! i got one from Tall Mouse, a local chain of craft stores)
Step 4: fill in any 'Registration Questions' as needed
Step 5: find SBR on the Workshop/Event Ticketing page - a bit below middle on my browser window! #E201 & E201a

Have fun and be sure to take lots of pics!

Kits2Remember Online Store Closing

2010-01-04T16:29:00.001-08:00

After much debate and indecision, I have decided to get out of the scrapbooking retail and wholesale business. With my move from Southern California to Florida, the downturn in the economy and the needs of my young family, I am just not able to devote the time necessary to manage and promote Kits2Remember the way it needs to be.

With that said, Kits2Remember is having one last sale this week – 50 percent off items in almost every product category – no promo code necessary! This sale applies to in-stock items only, and while supplies last. At this time, Kits2Remember products will not be represented at any of the upcoming Scrapbooking expos and shows. Please order now and use your frequent shopper points in conjunction with the sale through Sunday Jan. 10. All items will ship the week of Jan. 10 via USPS.

The Kits2Remember online store through Qbaroo will shut down this month; however Kits2Remember.com, as an idea, resource and educational site, will remain live. Kit instructions will continue to be available online. You can also still contact me via email through the web site, as well.

Also, if anyone is interested, I am selling one of my cargo trailers, a 2007 5x8-foot enclosed white Wells Cargo trailer. It is located in Irvine, Calif., and will be sold with 16 panels of gridwall, complete with wire baskets, shelving and hooks, cash register, a Zutter DreamKuts, box of buckets, baskets and pails for small items, boxes of plastic grocery store bags, a pink 8 x 8 wire paper rack, a 12 x 12 white paper rack, Ranger paint dabber (4) and Stickles (1) racks and set of rolling drawers. $4,000 for everything. It will also be listed on Craigslist later this week.

If anyone is interested in buying the rights to sell the raw materials (acrylic, metal and chipboard) portion of the business, please feel free to contact me – serious inquiries, only, please. These products are unique to the industry and I would hate to see them become completely unavailable.

While I still plan to teach classes when I can, simply because I enjoy it, I very much want to focus on the creativity and fun scrapbooking and paper crafting brings to my life. I thank each and every one of you who has been so enthusiastic and supportive during my 2 ½-year adventure. I’ve had a lot of fun, made some wonderful friends and have learned so much!

I want to send out a huge thank you to my Expo Krews and the K2R Design Krew; to my parents who were always more than happy to lend a helping hand, and to my husband, Rodney, who has stood with me through the ups and downs this experience has given me.

It’s a small Scrap World – I’m sure I’ll see you around!

All the Best,

Jessica Guthrie

Need a quick last-minute gift?

2009-12-18T20:34:00.001-08:00

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...

2009-12-16T18:50:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-09T18:39:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-12-01T17:26:00.000-08:00

... 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!

2009-11-17T17:35:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-11-13T18:05:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-10-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2009-10-15T18:41:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-10-10T22:15:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-10-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-09-25T19:33:00.000-07:00

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

I'm going to be in Ontario!

2009-09-21T17:57:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2009-09-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

... 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 ...

2009-08-30T19:23:00.000-07:00

... 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...

2009-08-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

... 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!

2009-08-24T19:10:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2009-08-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

... 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 ...

2009-08-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

... 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?

2009-08-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

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!

The last week of the K2R Anniversary celebration!

2009-08-09T19:34:00.000-07:00

Congrats to our recent winners! K2R had a couple dozen Kommenters... thank you all for your kind words! Rachel A. from California, the third Kommenter, was the one chosen by random.org! And the Krew blog commenter is Summer B., from Virginia. Both Rachel and Summer have each won a Kits2Remember stadium album! Rachel, be sure to email me (jessica@ kits2remember.com) with your address!

There is one more week of the K2R 2nd Anniversary Celebration! This is the last week to work on your projects for the K2R Anniversary Kontest! All entries are due Friday, August 14, though we've gotten a handful of entries already. The Krew and I are SO looking forward to seeing what you guys have up your sleeves! One lucky - and talented - winner will receive a $250 K2R prize package featuring K2R products and more! There are five different categories you can enter your project in to: Acrylic, Metal, Mixed Media, Kits and Rubber Stamps. And the grand prize winner isn't the only one getting some prizes! One finalist will be chosen from each of the categories and receive a prize package worth $50. Click here for more info about the Kontest!

This weekend, The Red Bee, from Tustin, CA, took some Kits2Remember products and kits and had a successful Scrapbook Expo in Santa Clara, Calif. In fact, they had such a great show, they will be doing it again across the country at the Scrapbook Expo in St. Charles, IL. Stop by The Red Bee booth and stock up on acrylic, metal and chipboard. If you're a kit scrapper, they'll have some of those, too! So, be sure to stop by The Red Bee booth if you're a scrapper in the Chicago area.

If you are in the Pensacola, FL., area, there are two seats left in my acrylic cookbook class Saturday, Aug. 22 at ScrapHappy. Be sure to contact Christy right away to secure your seat in this popular class!

Santa Clara Expo, RAK, Kontest and more ...

2009-08-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

If you haven't checked the K2R Krew blog in awhile, you might want to stop on by and have a look-see... you never know what the Krew might be giving away ...

I am pleased to announce that Kits2Remember products and kits will be available at the Santa Clara, Calif., Scrapbook Expo next weekend. Stop by The Red Bee booth and stock up on acrylic, metal and chipboard. If you're a kit scrapper, there are a couple of new ones they will have available for you.

If you haven't yet participated in the K2R 2nd Anniversary festivities, it's still not too late. We are still looking for Komments, as well as Kontest entries. Here are the details:

Kits2Remember Anniversary Kontest!
We?re looking for a few good scrappers! From now until August 14, we will be accepting emailed entries in to our Kits2Remember Anniversary Kontest. One lucky - and talented - winner will receive a $250 K2R prize package featuring K2R products and more! There are five different categories you can enter your project in to: Acrylic, Metal, Mixed Media, Kits and Rubber Stamps. And the grand prize winner isn?t the only one getting some prizes! One finalist will be chosen from each of the five categories and receive a prize package worth $50. Click here for more info.

We?re looking for some Komments!
Kits2Remember would love to hear from you! We want some testimonials from real K2R customers who have been inspired by our products, classes and commentary (kommentary?). Comments will attributed to you, with your first name, last initial and home state/country. If you have a comment or two to share, and don?t mind your comment being posted to the Kits2Remember web site, please send them in to: Jessica@ kits2remember.com by August 3, 2009. In the subject line please put: Komments. A random "kommenter" will be chosen to receive an acrylic K2R stadium album and announced by August 7!

I also stopped by the new scrap store in Pensacola, one I mentioned a couple of blog posts ago. Scrap That had its grand opening Saturday ... here are some pictures:

There is a large selection of scrap stuff there, from papers to embellishments, from a selection of manufacturers: Creative Imaginations, 7Gypsies, My Minds Eye and Bo Bunny, just to name a few. There are lots of different themes represented and prices are reasonable. Owner Angela plans to have several teachers from those manufacturers come in to teach in the coming months, so be sure to sign up for her newsletter for notifications. If you are a scrapbooker who likes to see and play with the latest products, you may be disappointed in Scrap That's inventory. Most of the product is about two years old, with some of it being a year old or less. There also doesn't appear to be a lot of crop or class space available. But the store is dangerously close to my home, so I am sure I will be stopping by more often that I should!

Basic Grey and an RAK ...

2009-07-30T20:24:00.000-07:00

If you haven't checked the K2R Krew blog in awhile, you might want to stop on by and have a look-see... you never know what the Krew might be giving away ...

As anyone who knows me knows, I am a big sucker for Basic Grey. I do use it occasionally, but mostly I just collect it... and collect it ... and collect it. I think the newest CHA Summer releases will also soon be added to my collection. You can see it all on the Basic Grey web site, but here is a sampling of Indian Summer, Eerie, Eskimo Kisses and Nook and Pantry:

Fruit Salad from the Nook and Pantry line

Autumn Glaze from the Indian Summer line

Rooftop from the Eskimo Kisses line

Poison from the Eerie line

If you haven't yet participated in the K2R 2nd Anniversary festivities, it's still not too late. We are still looking for Komments, as well as Kontest entries. Here are the details:

Kits2Remember Anniversary Kontest!
We’re looking for a few good scrappers! From now until August 14, we will be accepting emailed entries in to our Kits2Remember Anniversary Kontest. One lucky - and talented - winner will receive a $250 K2R prize package featuring K2R products and more! There are five different categories you can enter your project in to: Acrylic, Metal, Mixed Media, Kits and Rubber Stamps. And the grand prize winner isn’t the only one getting some prizes! One finalist will be chosen from each of the five categories and receive a prize package worth $50. Click here for the Kontest details!

We’re looking for some Komments!
Kits2Remember would love to hear from you! We want some testimonials from real K2R customers who have been inspired by our products, classes and commentary (kommentary?). Comments will attributed to you, with your first name, last initial and home state/country. If you have a comment or two to share, and don’t mind your comment being posted to the Kits2Remember web site, please send them in to: Jessica@ kits2remember.com by August 3, 2009. In the subject line please put: Komments. A random “kommenter” will be chosen to receive an acrylic K2R stadium album and announced by August 7!

Binding away at Scraphappy ...

2009-07-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

... Thursday night, 10 ladies gathered at scraphappy here in Pensacola to learn how to use their Bind-it-All machines. Christy, the owner of Scraphappy, really had a great deal: Buy the BiA for $75 (the normal price) and get the class free! So not only did these ladies leave with the machines, but they left knowing how to create four different types of projects with them. Here are two happy ladies - Heather and Natasha, with the projects we made.

We started out with a simple 3 x 4 acrylic album, so the ladies could learn the basics. Then we moved on to an 8 x 8 acrylic and chipboard album, followed by a 4 x 8 gate-fold album, where the book opens in the middle and the bindings are on either side. Last, but not least, was a 3-panel 6 x 6 acrylic wall hanging. This class covers so many techniques and was such a hit with my first 10 "guinea pigs" I am thinking about making this a regular class for local stores and possibly a class online here on K2R....

Week 3 of the K2R Celebration!

2009-07-21T20:31:00.000-07:00

It’s Week 3 of the Kits2Remember Anniversary Celebration! Yesterday, K2R celebrated its 2nd Anniversary and I celebrated by messing around in my scrap studio... photos of the finished products to come soon... as soon as I put the finishing touches on them!

Here are some of the fun things coming up this week and beyond:

If you are in or around the Pensacola Area, I am teaching a Bind-it-All class at Scraphappy. Owner Christy loves the tool and has asked me to come and teach her customers the basics... gee, Christy, twist my arm! I'll be sure to take some photos of the stuff we do - we'll be creating four different projects in one evening!

Also, due to a conflicting event in the scrap world here in Western Florida, my stadium album cookbook class at Scraphappy featuring Teresa Collins' Haute Cuisine line has been postponed to August 22. Check out the K2R Calendar for details!

I am also excited that a new scrap store close to me is scheduled to open August 1 - Scrap That here in Pensacola, will be located at the intersection of Sorrento and Blue Angel.

Don't forget to submit your entry in to Kits2Remember Anniversary Kontest! From now until August 14, we will be accepting emailed entries in to our Kits2Remember Anniversary Kontest. One lucky - and talented - winner will receive a $250 K2R prize package featuring K2R products and more! There are five different categories you can enter your project in to: Acrylic, Metal, Mixed Media, Kits and Rubber Stamps. And the grand prize winner isn’t the only one getting some prizes! One finalist will be chosen from each of the five categories and receive a prize package worth $50. Click here for the Kontest details!

We’re also looking for some Komments! Kits2Remember would like some testimonials from real K2R customers who have been inspired by our products, classes and commentary (kommentary?). Comments will attributed to you, with your first name, last initial and home state/country. If you have a comment or two to share, and don’t mind your comment being posted to the Kits2Remember web site, please send them in to: Jessica@ kits2remember.com by July 20, 2009. In the subject line please put: Komments. A random “kommenter” will be chosen to receive an acrylic K2R stadium album and announced by July 23! A huge thanks goes out to those of you have already sent in your Komments!

Find K2R on Facebook! Join the K2R Krew's group and stay on top of the latest and greatest K2R news, events, ideas and more!

My lamp for Creative Escape '09 ...

2009-07-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

... I spent a good part of yesterday working on decorating this lamp. The organizers of Creative Escape sent it to me last month to decorate and send back to them. A number of current and former CE instructors have been invited to participate. Why a lamp, you might ask. The theme of this year's event is "Let Your Light Shine!" I decided to incorporate CE's signature colors of pink and green, using My Minds Eye glitter papers, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, Heidi Swapp Bling and a collection of flowers and bling brads. I hope I get a chance to see what some of the other instructors have done.

At CE next month, the participants will have an opportunity to bid on their favorite lamps and the proceeds will go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Association. What a "bright" idea!

Celebrate with the K2R Kontest!

2009-07-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

It’s Week 2 of the Kits2Remember Anniversary Celebration! On July 20, K2R will celebrate its 2nd Anniversary and we want to celebrate with YOU! Here are some of the ways you can get in on the fun:

Kits2Remember Anniversary Kontest!
We’re looking for a few good scrappers! From now until August 14, we will be accepting emailed entries in to our Kits2Remember Anniversary Kontest. One lucky - and talented - winner will receive a $250 K2R prize package featuring K2R products and more! There are five different categories you can enter your project in to: Acrylic, Metal, Mixed Media, Kits and Rubber Stamps. And the grand prize winner isn’t the only one getting some prizes! One finalist will be chosen from each of the five categories and receive a prize package worth $50. Click here for the Kontest details!

We’re looking for some Komments!
Kits2Remember would love to hear from you! We want some testimonials from real K2R customers who have been inspired by our products, classes and commentary (kommentary?). Comments will attributed to you, with your first name, last initial and home state/country. If you have a comment or two to share, and don’t mind your comment being posted to the Kits2Remember web site, please send them in to: Jessica@ kits2remember.com by August 3, 2009. In the subject line please put: Komments. A random “kommenter” will be chosen to receive an acrylic K2R stadium album and announced by August 7!

Calling all Calendar girls!
The Kits2Remember Calendar has been updated with new events and classes, so be sure to check it out…

And the discounts continue!
In celebration of K2R’s anniversary, and in appreciation for your patronage, I would like to extend a 15 percent off discount (not good with any other offer besides free shipping) to everyone through 5 p.m. CST July 20, 2009. Just use promo code ann15 and be sure to click through all ordering steps. This discount applies to everything in the store! Also, for every three project kits you purchase, you will receive a surprise project kit FREE! And remember, when you spend $75 or more after discounts and before any taxes, you will get free shipping!

Get inspired!
The K2R Krew is posting away and they have got some great new ideas. Check those out on their blog! You never know when they might be giving away an RAK!

Scraphappy class, Hello Kitty and more ...

2009-07-09T19:00:00.000-07:00

... I had a lot of fun tonight teaching a class her at Pensacola's own Scraphappy. It was a basic acrylic class, using Kits2Remember acrylic, of course, so everyone there learned several techniques to use with acrylic: punching holes with the Crop-a-dile, rubber stamping with StazOn ink, foam stamping with acrylic paint and so much more! Here are some photos of the ladies having fun creating:

My next class at Scraphappy is July 23, a Bind-it-All class that includes the Bind-it-All machine with the cost of the class. We'll create four different project configurations with this fabulous tool. This is a class you won't want to miss if the BiA has ever caught your interest!

I just scheduled an August class at Scraphappy: My acrylic cookbook stadium album using the Teresa Collins Haute Cuisine line.

The class will be 1-5 p.m. on Saturday Aug. 8. More details will soon be up on the K2R Calendar.

K2R pal Scrapbook Joe is at it again! He has created some of the most gorgeous acrylic albums I have ever seen over the years. Here is one of his latest: A tribute to Hello Kitty.

Stay tuned to K2R next week, as the 2nd anniversary celebration continues! The Krew and I will be announcing the K2R Kontest, plus there will be some opportunities to randomly win some K2R products and more! An email newsletter will be sent out early next week, plus the news will be here on the blog. If you haven't signed up for the newsletter already, you can do so on the K2R home page.

Anniversary sale, free shipping and Kontest ...

2009-07-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

... July is Kits2Remember’s anniversary month! On July 20th two years ago, I purchased the web address for Kits2Remember and began loading merchandise into the online store. Back then, the only products were simply kits I had created that could be used with the Bind-it-All binding machine.

Since then, Kits2Remember has not only added to its collection of project kits (and not just for the Bind-it-All anymore!), but raw products, such as acrylic panels (added in October 2007), chipboard sheets (added in November 2007), metal panels (added in August 2008) and flourish rubber stamps (added in March 2009). And a huge thanks goes out to you, my customers and inspiration … without you Kits2Remember would not be the creative papercrafting and scrapbooking resource it is today!

In celebration of K2R’s anniversary, and in appreciation for your patronage, I would like to extend a 15 percent off discount (not good with any other offer besides free shipping) to everyone through 5 p.m. CST July 20, 2009. Just use promo code ann15 and be sure to click through all ordering steps. This discount applies to everything in the store! Also, for every three project kits you purchase, you will receive a surprise project kit FREE! And remember, when you spend $75 or more after discounts and before any taxes, you will get free shipping!

Next week I will announce the details for the K2R Kontest, where anyone can submit a project they have created with K2R products for the chance to win a prize package worth $250. The K2R Design Krew and I are really excited about the Kontest and can’t wait to see the projects submitted!

In preparation for CHA Summer ...

2009-07-05T12:11:00.001-07:00

... The 2009 Craft and Hobby Association summer show is in Orlando at the end of the month, so many of the scrapbook store owners here in the Southeast are planning a pilgrimage to this industry event to see what our favorite manufacturers are coming out with next. As a member of CHA, I have been getting a mailbox full of invitations from the CHA organizers, themeseves, and from some of the manufacturers who plan to exhibit there. The most interesting invitation so far has been a chipboard puzzle from a Canadian company called Harmonie, who, oddly enough, specializes in laser-cut chipboard embellishments. I was so intrigued I thought I should share it here:

Stampin' Up and Kits2Remember ...

2009-06-28T16:16:00.000-07:00

... Richard Garay is a Stampin' Up demonstrator in Hesperia, Calif., and he was kind enough to email over a couple of the projects he has created with Kits2Remember acrylic and Srampin' Up product. If you're a fan of rubber stamping, these are some gorgeous project sure to inspire you! Wanna see more of his work? Visit him online at www.thefunstamperscorner.com.

Scrappy stuff this week ...

2009-06-26T16:24:00.000-07:00

... sometimes life just gets in the way of good blogging time! With my hubby's birthday this weekend, summer visits from friends and just life in general, I haven't had much time to process photos and post them this week! I promise to do better! But here's what happened in the world of Kits2Remember this week:

Craft night at my house Monday night: Some Pensacola moms got together at my house to create and some of them wanted quick lessons on the K2R metal message boards, Stickles and Ranger paint dabbers. We had a great time!

Thursday night I taught the "Men in My Life" class at Scraphappy here in Pensacola. It's a great 8 x 8 mixed media album that is a companion to last month's "The Women in My Life" 8 x 8 album. Leftover its for both classes are available in the K2R store.

While I was at Scraphappy, owner Christy was busy with some of the K2R acrylic flags. I paused during class to see what she was doing with them and check these cute embellishments out:

If you want to create something cute for the 4th of July next weekend, order these acrylic flags by Sunday and you will have them no later than Thursday!

Need some more inspiration? Don't forget to check out the K2R Design Krew's blog!

Happy 5th Anniversary, Gigi!

2009-06-20T20:51:00.000-07:00

Today I had the pleasure of teaching my "Great Times, Good Memories" 8 x 8 acrylic album class at Gigi's Scrapbookin' and More in Foley, Alabama (Orange Beach/Gulfport area). Gigi (also known as Gina) and her staff were celebrating their 5th anniversary with a couple dozen of their customers and she was kind enough to invite me to come and teach the class. It was great to be among my scrappy "peeps" again, and managed to get about 10 layouts done, as well!

Gigi's regular, Lenora, and GiGi, herself, getting ready to punch and bind.

"Start on 'C' ... start on 'C' ..."

Croppers hard at work ...

I love how the store embraces the local beach tourism with seashore decor ... including an umbrella and thatched tables full of new product (have you seen the new Jenni Bowlin and Crate Paper lines? Fun stuff!).

On to Florida ...

2009-06-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

Once we left Savannah Thursday morning, we headed toward Jacksonville, Florida, so we could catch I-10 West to Tallahassee, the state capital. In Jacksonville, I only had time to stop at one store, so I went with the one listed first on the Google search I did for the area. The Crop Shoppe is a fabulous scrapbook store, even Rodney was impressed. I could have done some serious damage to my wallet there, but the highway was calling, so I buzzed around the huge store as quickly as possible ...

After my short shopping spree, we headed for Tallahassee, arriving at about supper time. There had been a scrapbook store on my list to visit in that city, Scrapbook Market, but I had found out at the Crop Shoppe that the same owner owned both stores and the Scrapbook Market had recently closed. Unfortunately, store closures seem to be a trend right now, and I often called stores on my Google lists to find the numbers disconnected.

But we did see Rodney's buddy, Rick, and his girlfriend, Michelle while we were there. Rick and Rodney had been stationed at MCAS Yuma when I met Rodney in 1999.

We arrived back in Pensacola Friday at about 4:30 p.m. As it turned out Chris, our friend we visited in North Carolina, was in Biloxi, Mississippi, for his training and drove over to visit us this time. I tortured the men by making them go see "The Proposal" (they both said it wasn't as bad as they feared - we all laughed through it) and then we turned in for the night. I had to wake up at 7:30 a.m. so I could head over to Gigi's Scrapbookin' and More in Foley, Alabama, to teach at her 5th Anniversary crop!

Good-bye South Carolina, hello Savannah!

2009-06-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

Wednesday morning dawned and it was time to leave South Carolina. We thought about spending more time with my cousin, Marianne, and her family, and skipping our day in Savannah, but we decided to stay on schedule. Besides, we had been staying in Marianne's oldest daughter's room and I am sure Alyssa was happy to have her room (and bathroom!) back again! So, we loaded our stuff up into the Explorer again, and went out to the stable to pick up the dogs.

Before Rodney would let Marble and Ripley into the car, he insisted they have a bath.

Marianne's 24-year-old Keiger mustang, Neva, appeared to want to help. Then we discovered, once we got out of her direct path, she was just waiting patiently for us to move so she could get to her water barrel - despite the fact she could have gone around us!

After seeing some more of Florence, and having a last lunch with the Ralphs, we jumped on to I-95 for a few hours, hit some traffic after a lumber truck spilled its load on the highway, and got in to Savannah a little later than I had wanted. I had planned to go on a tour of downtown Savannah, but, unfortunatelky for me, there was a huge Girl Scout conference going on and they hapoened to have books every evening tour that day. We walked around Savannah a little bit, but it was 87 degrees, wuth humidity, so after a short while, all we wanted was some air conditioning! But befre we escaped to a bar along River Street, I snapped a few photos of some of the historic buildings:

The Savannah City Hall is at the end of Bull Street, so all the bull leads to city hall...

The Savannah Cotton Exchange used to have a beautiful fountain in front of it, but it was destoryed by a drunk driver last year.

The shops and restaurants along the river is where we sought refuge from the heat and humidity before we decided to take a Ghost Tour of Savannah. We were a bit disappointed in the tour. The guide did not have too many stories to tell, often got the facts wrong and didn't try to make the tour at all scary or spooky. Oh well... Rodney promised me we would go back to Savannah at some point so I could tour the area better.

Thursday morning, we got up, packed up and started to head toward Jacksonville, FL (the second Jacksonville on our trip!), ending up in Tallahassee to visit a friend of Rodney's. Before we left Savannah, there was just one stop we just HAD to make:

I actually made a little album from a Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World gift card tin for Rodney. We have taken a picture of Rodney in front of each of the ones he has been to, and then I add them to the mini album, along with the date he first visited that store. A hunter's shopping history documented!

Fortunately for me, the Outdoor World was attached to a mall that also had an AC Moore craft store inside of it. I had never been to an AC Moore before, so I just had to go in and take a peek.

AC Moore had all the scrapbooking staples, and I love the way they display their paper, but I noticed that the prices seemed to be a little bit higher there than at other craft stores I frequent. Of course, I did not check all of the products, so it may have just been my impression. I still have to say that my favorite of the big box craft stores is Hobby Lobby, ad I am lucky enough to have one in Pensacola. If you haven't been to one and have a chance to go, it's a must-do!

Darling Darlington ...

2009-06-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

Being a fellow scrapbooker, my cousin, Marianne, was happy to take me to the local scrapbook store in the larger town of Florence, South Carolina, with our hussbands and her two daughters in tow. Florence is just south of Darlington. Scrapbook Concepts had all the scrapbooking staples, patterned papers and embellishments a scrapbooker could hope for, but with the added bonus of an abundance of racing and NASCAR themed items - appropriate due to the store's proximity to Darlington Speedway, of course.

After touring Florence and eating at the Five Guys restaurant (think California's In N Out in the South - quite tasty!) We headed out in Marianne's husband, John's 1955 Chevy Bel Air for a local museum, produce market and bakery called Mac's.

Inside the museum of sorts was a huge collection of antiques, cars, furniture, collectibles and more.

I just HAD to take this picture of the antique and contemporary phones together ...

We headed back to the Rock-N-Horse Ranch ... it was time to feed the horses! Buttercup, a palomino quarterhorse, came to the ranch pregnant last year and had her filly, Clover, the day after St. Patrick's Day.

And, last but not least, a good steak dinner among family at the end of a busy day!

From one Carolina to the next ...

2009-06-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

(Sorry for the delay on updates - I did not have access to the Internet the past few days!)

On Monday morning, Michi and I headed to the only scrapbook store I could find in Jacksonville, NC, called A Crafter's Dream. This small store had all of the scrapbooking staples and plenty of military-themed papers and embellishments, this being a huge Marine Corps town.

I was surprised to find that Bazzill had Marine Corps and Navy cardstock collection packs and just had to get the Marine one for when I scrapbook Rodney's military career.

We said good-bye to Michi around noon and then headed off West again, to visit my cousin, Marianne, and her family in Darlington, South Carolina.

NASCAR fans might know Darlington due to the speedway there. And it is clear that NASCAR plays a huge part in the community there.

For the past two years, Marianne, with the help of her husband John and daughters Alyssa and Amanda, owns and manages the Rock-N-Horse Ranch in Darlington.

While I was raised in the Orange County, Calif., suburbs, I love the rural side of life, too. Rodney was basically raised on a farm, so for him, our visit to the ranch was going back to his roots. I cannot say the same for our dogs.

While they have stayed in less sophisticated areas than these indoor horse stalls, Marble and Ripley were not pleased to have been "demoted" to the ranks of livestock after staying in the climate-controlled and pillowed indoors through the trip so far. But they were none the worse for wear when their "camping trip" was over and it was time to go a few days later...

Hangin' out with Michi ...

2009-06-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

... Chris has a two-week air space course in Biloxi, MS, so he flew out this morning and that was the end of our fun with him. Michi, however, was a wonderful hostess and showed us all around Jacksonville ... which took about 20 minutes. I didn't even have time to remember to take photos! Just imagine a small town where they are a lot of men with short haircuts and everything is very green, but very damp... it rained on and off all day.

We did do a bit a shopping: Rodney found some gear he had been looking for and I found some unique Marine scrapbooking supplies at the Camp Lejeune exchange - win-win for everyone! My favorites were clear acrylic dog tags etched with the Marine Corps logo and a few phrases, and a huge, 10-inch black Bazzill Cardstock die cut of the Marine Corps logo. Both are from Combat Creations. I have no idea what I am going to do with them, yet, but I'm sure I will figure something out!

After a short break at home in the afternoon, Michi took us back to base to introduce us to her "baby boy," Amedeus. They compete in dressage events around the area and he is just a beauty.

Each day, Amedeus gets to spend some time in the open pasture - complete with his anti-fly suit and boots on.

Last but not least, the stables had this telephone booth outside.

Seriously, this might be the last working telephone booth in America ... I took this photo so I could explain it to Will and Xan in a few years. :)

Tomorrow, Michi (who is also a scrapbooker) and I plan to go to a local craft and scrapbooking store here before Rodney and I head back west for a visit with my cousin, Marianne, and her family in South Carolina. Incidentally, they have horses, too...

Into the Carolinas...

2009-06-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

We left Tucker, Ga., about 8 a.m., hitting the I-20 East towards the Carolinas. I had a couple of scrapbook stores on the list, Simply Scrapbooks in Augusta, Ga., and Scrappin' Creations in Columbia, SC.

Simply Scrapbooks wasn't too far from I-20 and it shares a parking lot with Wal-mart, so it was a great stop for us travelers. The owner was very nice and friendly and the store had a great variety of scrpping goodies. I especially liked their military section, which had some things I hadn't seen before.

They also had a pretty good Disney section for Magic Kingdom lovers ...

Scrappin' Creations was very much how I would set up a scrapbook store if I owned one.

It was a brightly-lit labrynth of scrappiness, differnt rooms dedicated to different things: the tool room, the theme room (papers and embellies organized by theme) and the one I could have spend considerable time and money in: the cardstock room.

I really enjoyed this store, with its friendly, knowledgeable owner and staff and it's great selection of products that were easy to find. I would have spent even more time (and probably money) there if we didn't have the dogs traveling with us in a black Ford Explorer in 92-degree, humid weather. There is only so long husband and dogs would be happy meandering around the grassy knoll behind the store.

Rodney, the dogs, and I headed for Jacksonville, NC, where our friends, Chris and Michi, also at the mercy of the Marine Corps, are currently stationed.

They took us to a really interesting bar/museum, Sywanyks.

This place is huge, and covered from floor to ceiling in Marine Corps paraphernalia, contemporary and historic.

We played pool, listened to the Top 40 hits and just took in all the stuff. Chris said he's een there several times and he always finds something new.

Today we'll be looking around Jacksonville and Camp Lejeune.

In Atlanta tonight ...

2009-06-12T18:24:00.000-07:00

... actually, we are in Tucker, which is in the Atlanta metropolitan area, on the East side. We left Pensacola at about 8 a.m., first stopping by Scraphappy so I could drop off my sample for the beginning acrylic class I am teaching there next month. Then it was off to Alabama!

Fortunately, the drive was uneventful. We did stop at a Guthrie's chicken restaurant in Tallassee, Alabama (Not to be confused with TallaHAssee, Florida) for lunch. Rodney managed to drive 12 miles past the exit before I looked up from answering my email via iPhone to ask him what was taking so long to go 13 miles ... but we turned around and went back to Guthrie's anyway, simply for blog fodder. We even asked an amused stranger to take our picture for us. By the way, the chicken was excellent. Off to Georgia!

We arrived in Tucker at about 3 p.m. Well, we thought it was 3 p.m. It was actually 4 p.m. - we forgot about the time change to EST. Whoops! Good thing we didn't have anywhere we really needed to be. Unless you count the scrapbook stores ... There were two in the area I wanted to go to, but due to the lack of time (both stores closed at 6 p.m. and we needed to drop the dogs off at the hotel) I only got to one of them. Paper Impressions was on the opposite side of town, in Murietta, and traffic was starting to get bad. So I settled for just going to ScrapChic Boutique, which was only about 6 miles from our hotel, in Decatur.

We actually just drove right by ScrapChic before we saw it ... not because it was small, but because we were looking for a strip-mall type store and ScrapChic is actually housed in a turn-of-the-century house. I really loved the feel of the place!

The three owners had done a great job keeping the antique, rustic feel with their decor, use of space and fixtures, such as this ladder ...

The range of supplies was good. I picked up some of the new Sassafras, some Hambly Screen Prints transparencies and Atlanta-themed paper. But I loved the crop space.

While you did have the climb stairs to get to the crop space up there, there were three spacious rooms filled with tables. The huge windows gave great natural light for day crops and there were plenty of tools and computers for croppers to use. Rodney even managed to keep himself occupied with all the fun goodies to look at! And, of course, I just HAD to drop off some samples of Kits2Remember products while I was there ...

As always, the dogs traveled well. They were excited to be on an adventure and were thrilled this morning when they found out that they weren't going to be left behind, They had been edge all day yesterday ... the suitcases were in the house! For the trip, Marble has her crate, which Ripley sometimes sleeps in, so we got a travel crate that was chew-resistant fabric and folds down, sort of like a car sun shade. I laughingly call it the dogs' "sleeping bag."

We put Marble in it first, since she is smaller than Rip, but while we were at ScrapChic, and they were at the hotel, she managed to UNZIP it and meet us at the door when we came in to the room. Seriously! So, when we went to Fuddruckers for dinner, we put Rip in with a clamp on the zippers. That seemed to work out better.

We're off across I-20 tomorrow, headed for the Carolinas!

Dad, Grads, Teachers and Travel ...

2009-06-10T21:23:00.000-07:00

... While summer officially starts on the 21st, there are certainly the signs of the warmer times. School years are ending, students are graduating, Dads will soon be celebrated and many of us will be taking summer vacations. The K2R Design Krew has been working on some fresh and affordable handmade gift ideas for the special teachers, students and Dads in your life. Be sure to check out the K2R Design Krew blog to see what they've been up to ...

While the kids are away, the parents will ... take a road trip! My husband, Rodney, and I are fortunate to have parents who love to take our children for weeks at a time during the summer months. That means we can actually have a conversation without getting interrupted! :) We've decided to take a road trip through Atlanta, Georgia; Jacksonville, North Carolina; Florence, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Jacksonville and Tallahassee in Florida over the next week. We plan to visit some friends and family. And, OF COURSE, we will be stopping at different scrapbook stores along the way! I've already mapped some out and can't wait to see what the scrapbook stores of the South have to offer! Any suggestions for scrappy stops along that route would be appreciated ... just post here or email me: jessica @kits2remember.com.

If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to this blog (just click the links on the right) so you'll get the latest chapter to our travelog each day... I love to travel, especially road trips, so I am very much looking forward to this vacation!

Fun with Fragments ...

2009-06-08T15:38:00.000-07:00

... I have been messing around with Tim Holtz's Fragments Charms. With a little Glossy Accents, these have turned out to make some great little embellishments. Here are the first four I made - forgive the glare on the large one, I didn't realize how bad that was until I went to edit the photo... but you get the idea! These Fragment charms are pretty affordable, too, 48 for $10, so 21 cents each. Check them out in the Kits2Remember store...

New June project kits, sale items and more ...

2009-06-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

Kits2Remember has two new kits available for June!

The first is “The Men in My Life,” a complimentary 8 x 8 album to last month’s “The Women in My Life.”

The kit features high-quality, double-sided paper from We R Memory Keepers, four packages Rebekka Erickson rub-ons and acrylic, chipboard and metal panels from Kits2Remember. With this project, you’ll also get to play with foam stamps and acrylic paint – the four different-sized circle stamps are included in your kit! Just like the “Women in My Life” kit, this project can be altered to suit many themes – you will get an entire Rebekka Erickson chipboard alphabet to work with!

The second kit released this month is the “Favorite Recipes Cookbook” featuring Teresa Collins’ “Bon Appetit” line, including her great double-sided papers and an entire package of her coordinating chipboard charms!

You’ll also work with embellishments from Imaginsce and Heidi Swapp, and an 8-inch Kits2Remember stadium album. About 24 recipe cards come with the kit, plus there is plenty of room to slip more favorites into the pockets of each section.

O-rings (also known as book rings) are back in stock in a variety of colors and sizes. Now you can order them individually for 50 cents each.

The last of the current kits that feature Teresa Collins’ lines (A2Z of Me, Family 6 x 12 and 4 x 8 albums, True Love 8 x 8 album) have been uploaded into the inventory. Once these sell out, there will not be any more of these kits made, so get them now while supplies last.

Some items on sale through June 7:
• Selected Kits2Remember flourish stamps are 30 percent off or more.
• Zutter Bind-it-All o-wire is buy one, get one of the same size and color FREE (discount applied when your order ships)
• Ranger Paint Dabbers are buy 2 get one FREE (discount applied when your order ships)
• Stickles are buy 3 get one FREE (discount applied when your order ships)
• Rebekka Erickson rub-ons are buy 2 get one FREE (discount applied when your order ships)

Kits2Remember products will be all over the country this month: Jessica will be teaching in Pensacola, FL, and Foley, AL, while K2R products will be featured in Chantilly, VA. For more information, please visit the Kits2Remember calendar!

Need inspiration? Be sure to check out these three places for great project ideas:

The Kits2Remember Project Ideas web page
The Kits2Remember Design Krew Blog (have you seen the latest video on acrylic paint dabbers?)
Right here on Jessica’s Blog (scroll down for a great teacher’s gift idea!)

Father's Day album ideas ...

2009-05-31T20:25:00.000-07:00

... this past month I have worked on some Father's Day albums. I've been using quite a bit of Magic Mesh. I really think it has an ability to make things more masculine, and with two boys and a husband, I need more things scrappy that are masculine!

Anyhow, here are some of the albums I have created. Each one took less than 2 hours to make, so these are definitely do-able projects for busy moms and kids!

If you want any details on techniques or materials, email me: jessica @kits2remember.com.

Collage home decor finished ...

2009-05-26T20:51:00.000-07:00

... One cannot live by acrylic, metal and chipboard alone! I love "repurposing" and "altering" stuff I find when I go "junking." I have collected some cool things from antique stores and flea markets for the wall hanging for nearly a year now. I am so pleased to finally have it done and on the wall.

The place above our TV set in the living room just seemed so bare, and this just fits so nicely.

I used canvas (some of you who follow this blog might notice the YuDu'ed canvas panels with the swirls), print drawer inserts and a wooden shadow box I picked up awhile back in the clearance section of JoAnns. I added some Distress ink, Glimmer Mist and acrylic paint, as well as some wood conditioning oil to the printer inserts. Most of the paper is from the Little Yellow Bicycle Vita Bella line, which I collected on the SoCal 2 Provo CKU bus tour last year. The blues and greens are perfect for my home decor.

I took a technique I learned from Donna Downey on the Ultimate Scrapbook Cruise in January: Take toilet paper or paper towel cardboard rolls and dip the ends in paint... they can then be used as cool circular stamps!

I also went to one of my favorite flea markets here in Pensacola, Jennifer's Flea Market, to find some small knick knacks that remind me of my boys, since they are the featured subjects of this piece. These included a Pensacola Ice Pilots hockey puck (Will played hockey when he was 4 and, not only did he learn how to roller skate, it really got him ready for team sports!), a toy Blue Angel jet (we love to watch them from our backyard as they perform), a spoon from Illinois (where Rodney is from and the boys love to play on the farm), a small tin cup with a California logo on it (Xan was born there) and some wooden alphabet blocks.

While I worked out the composition on my dining room table, I still need my husband, Rodney's help to translate it to the wall, which is easier said than done. Fortunately I was able to use some of the canvas hanging hardware to make it all work.

I am now working on one for my dining room. It will be a bit larger than this one, to fit the long, empty wall in the room, and feature canvas, a printer insert, raw frames and some cute doll chairs. The theme will be photos of our family members eating ... I already have the composition worked out, now I just need to execute!

Krew Tip - cookie sheets...

2009-05-25T08:52:00.000-07:00

... A couple of Christmases ago, I asked for cookie sheets from the family. Both my mom and mother-in-law gave me a set, which was great for me. I need them both for the kitchen and for my scrap room!

In the scrap room, I use non-stick cookie sheets to lay down embellishments, grungeboard, chipboard and other elements that I want to paint or Stickle. I take a tip from Tim Holtz and put a glue dot on the back of the element to hold it still on the cookie sheet. Then I paint or Stickle. In the photo here, I am crackle painting a grungeboard heart for the cover of the Father's Day album shown below.

The beauty of the cookie sheet is that I can now take it off my work space to dry and I can move on to another scrappy task. The non-stick part allows me to easily remove the glue-dotted element once it's dry, plus it makes cleanup easy.

This album also has a cool magnetic closure. I used Basic Grey's magnetic buttons, placing one under the DAD title and then I wrapped the other in ribbon and secured it with adhesive and a staple.

Something scrappy for the teachers ...

2009-05-23T12:17:00.001-07:00

... A few days ago my first-grader, Will, came home with a handful of his essays he had written the past few months, in preparation for the standardized writing test the school district here has each year. Here is one of my favorites:

Since he wrote about scrapbooking, I figured it would be only appropriate for Will's teacher's thank you gift to be something scrappy. So I got an 11 x 14 metal panel and created this message board:

I also used a Red Pepper Ranger Adirondack paint dabber, Stickles, http://www.qbaroo.com/KitsRemember/main.cfm?categoryoid=48&productoid=113and K2R flourish stamp 1-11. To "age" the paper, I used Distress Ink in Brushed Corduroy.
I covered the back side, as well, and added a photo of Will and Mrs. Perry together, along with some notebook-like paper for him to write a thank you to her for the fun time he had in her class this year. Fast, easy and inexpensive, yet from the heart.

For more scrappy ideas for the teachers in your lives, be sure to visit the Kits2Remember Design Krew blog and scroll back to last week. They have some really cute and easy ideas, too!

Buy 3 get the 4th FREE sale!

2009-05-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

The Kits2Remember warehouse is restocked and a bit full, so I feel like having a sale to make some room in there for the soon-to-come June project kits... so for the next five days, Kits2Remember will have the Buy 3 get the 4th Free Sale! This applies to a number of product categories in the K2R store:

Project Kits
Acrylic Panels
Metal Panels
Chipboard Sheets
Bind-it-All o-wire
Paint Dabbers
Stickles/Liquid Pearls
Rebekka Erickson Rub-ons

Here's how it works: Order items in groups of four (four bottles of Stickles, four project kits, etc. - project kits do not have to be the same exact kit, you can choose four different ones). After you've purchased three you will get the fourth one, of equal or lesser value, FREE. You order total will be adjusted when your order ships. This sale CANNOT be used in conjunction with any other offers, with these exceptions:
- Free shipping on orders of $75 or more (after discounts) within the U.S. only.
- Frequent shopper points will be honored

The sale ends Monday, May 25, at noon PST. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at jessica @kits2remember.com.

Some of the new products we now have up in the store as of today:

- Extra Scrapbook Expo Make and Take kits

- "Love Letters" 6x6 mixed media album kit
- We R Memory Keepers Rub-on Tool

Some of the restocked items:

- "True Love," "AtoZ of Me," "Family Defined," and "Family: True Story" album kits featuring Teresa Collins' popular collections.
- Opaque white StazOn ink
- New colors of Stickles and Liquid Pearls- New colors of Ranger acrylic paint dabbers
- Craft magnets for metal message boards
- http://www.qbaroo.com/KitsRemember/main.cfm?categoryoid=55- Distress inks
- Acrylic circles

Those of you in Florida may be planning to go to the Scrapbook Expo in Orlando this weekend. While Kits2Remember won't be there, our products will be! Scrapyard 329 will have a collection of our acrylic and metal panels, so be sure to stop and shop!

If you are in the Pensacola area, I will be teaching the class "The Women in My Life" at Scraphappy at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 28. You can check the K2R Calendar for details. Hope to see you there!

Artist Trading Cards ...

2009-05-17T19:36:00.000-07:00

... I created a few artist trading cards today, as samples for the Scrapbook Expo in Orlando, Fla., next weekend. While Kits2Remember won't have a booth there, Scrapyard 329 will be featuring K2R acrylic and metal in several scrappy sizes and they need a collection of project samples to show off the possibilities acrylic and metal present. These three ATCs feature work with rubber stamps and StazOn ink. The "special" one also features an alcohol ink background - such a cool effect! Looking for some more great project ideas? Be sure to check out the Kits2Remember Design Krew blog!

Krew Tip - Aligning letters on acrylic ...

2009-05-14T19:25:00.001-07:00

This is so simple, but sometimes not thought of... place your acrylic panels on top of notebook paper to ensure your sticker, rub-on and stamped words are straight across the panel. Makes creating titles so much easier!

A simple album formula ...

2009-05-12T09:55:00.000-07:00

... I created two of these albums in less than 2 hours, so, since we are all strapped for time and unique gift ideas, I thought I'd share this with you. All I used were:

Two 6 x 6 chipboard sheets
Three 6 x 6 acrylic panels
One sheet of 12 x 12 Class of 2009 paper
One 12x12 sheet black cardstock
One 12x12 sheet silver cardstock
Two 12x12 sheets of different graduation papers
Silver acrylic paint dabber
Ribbon
Strong corner rounder
Binding method

The trick to keeping this fast and easy is to keep the page and mat sizes modular. I cut the papers up as follows:

One sheet of 12 x 12 Class of 2009 paper - I just cut the top strip of the paper with the writing, the rest was white and I saved it for journaling once I have photos.
One 12x12 sheet black cardstock - cut into four 5.25 x 5.25 pieces
One 12x12 sheet silver cardstock - cut into four 6 x 6 pieces
Two 12x12 sheets of different graduation papers - Cut them each in to four 5 x 5 squares

Save your scraps, as we will be using some of them in a minute.

So, here is what I did:
1) Take four of the 5 x 5 graduation paper squares (your choice) and mat them on the black cardstock. All of the black cardstock should be used up.
2) Take the four silver cardstock 6 x 6 squares and adhere them to the front and back of the 6 x 6 chipboard panels. Trim/sand as necessary so the paper is flush with the edge. Be sure to adhere the edges of the cardstock very well so they won;t peel over time.
3) Place your chipboard and acrylic panels (they should still have the blue film on them) in the following order: Acrylic on the front, chipboard, acrylic, chipboard and then acrylic on the back. Use the corner rounder to corner round the right two corners (the non-binding side) only, of all of the chipboard and acrylic.

4)Peel the blue film off of all of the acrylic panels. Take the Class of 2009 strip and lay it across the front of the acrylic cover panel so the words are centered on the front of the cover. Adhere it down, wrapping the ends around to the back side of the cover. The ends will not quite meet, so you can add a matted word (as I did in the sample) or other embellishment to hide it.

5) Add the remaining graduation paper and matted squares to the pages as you wish. Some things to keep in mind: Make sure that when you place squares on an acrylic page, it is simplest to use the same size square on the opposite side so they hide each others' adhesive. Also, before adhering the squares to the pages, you can also tie ribbon around the squares as an accent.
6) I also took scraps of the black cardstock and made a couple of edge borders to change up the simple page designs.
7) Bind the album together with the Bind-it-All and o-wire (I used 1-inch o-wire)or a Crop-a-dile and o- or book-rings. For binding tips you can go to the Kits2Remember Tips and Tricks page.
8) Add ribbon to the bindings.

There are plenty of variations you can add to the album, such as stamping, painting, Stickles, embellishments, etc., but you can see how this basic "recipe" makes it easy to switch out papers and themes for a simple yet attractive gift album that can be completed within an hour. Have fun!

Krew Tip - Peeling the film off acrylic

2009-05-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

Since nearly everyone has a digital camera now, the only kind of film we really need to worry about in scrapbooking these days is the protective film that coats acrylic panels and keeps them from getting scratched before you embellish it.

Protective film is usually one of three colors: blue, as shown in the picture below, and the easiest to peel off in my opinion; light gray; and a frosted clear. The film is usually on both sides of the panels. It can be a real pain to try to remove it sometimes, so here are a few tricks to try next time you're film is giving you fits:

1) Use the tip of your scissors or paper piercer to lightly scratch at the panel's edge, peeling up a bit of the film.

2) Run the pad of your thumb along the edge of the acrylic panel, perpendicular to the cut edge until the film begins to roll up.

3) Once you have one piece of film off, use it to rub the edge of the film in a downward motion on the face of the rest of the panels. This should cause enough static and friction so the film begins to peel off.

Some of my NSD layouts ...

2009-05-10T19:55:00.000-07:00

... I have some of my layouts here that I did at the National Scrapbooking Day crop at Scraphappy in Pensacola. Because I am pretty far behind on my personal scrapbooking, I have gone with the "quick and dirty" formula for scrapbooking. These are a few of my favorites...

Two new project kits now available ...

2009-05-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

A few of these 4 x 4 Butterfly acrylic and chipboard make and takes are available in the Kits2Remember online store. They are left over from National Scrapbook Day and make great teachers gifts or brag books. They feature different floral My Minds Eye papers, a complete package of Rebekkah Erickson rub-ons and the full-color online instructions to complete the project. There are a limited number of these $6 kits available, so order now!

The second new kit now available is the "Women in my Life" 8 x 8 acrylic and chipboard album, featuring Basic Grey paper, Heidi Swapp bling and more. In my sample, I used it to honor all of the women in my family who have influenced my life. But, since you will have an entire sheet of Basic Grey alphabet stickers in the kit, your album can feature something else, such as a wedding or family reunion.

In June, a complimentary kit, "The Men in my Life" will be released.

Also, Kits2Remember will no longer be carrying Zutter products. Once our stash of Bind-it-All o-wire has been depleted we will not restock it. I am sorry for any inconvenience, as I know we are one of the few (if not the only) shops that allows you to purchase o-wire singly, and not in 2- or 6-packs. You can see the range of o-wire we still have available here. I am not sure how long our stock will last, so be sure to order soon!

NSD photos from Scraphappy...

2009-05-05T12:36:00.000-07:00

Scraphappy owner Christy has posted her photos from her store's National Scrapbook Day crop. I had a great time there on Saturday ... can you find me in the crowd? You can see more photos from the event at www.scraphappypensacola.blogspot.com. In the Pensacola area and interested in scrap classes? Christy also has those posted on her calendar. Hope to see you there!

The calm before the storm...

2009-05-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

My Dad managed to get these quick pictures of the Kits2Remember booth at the San Diego Scrapbook Expo Friday morning before the doors opened. After that, he did not have a chance to take any more! In the booth are my Mom, Nancy, Kathi and Jenn. Krew member Jodie isn't pictured but if you stopped by the booth on Friday, I'm sure you saw her!A huge thank you to all of you for your help this weekend. I couldn't have done it without you!

In Florida, I celebrated National Scrapbooking Day at Scraphappy here in Pensacola, doing an acrylic butterly album make and take and working on my own pages for a cvheange! I managed to get 40 pages done for my boys' albums - I feel such a sense of accomplishment in that! I hope you all got your papges and projects done during your crop time this weekend!

Lucky number 17 ...

2009-04-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

is the winner of the two new Kits2Remember project kits, as decided by Random.org:

There were 33 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

17

Comment #17 is:

djamesequipment said...
Beautiful albums!!Thanks for giving everyone the chance to win them.
Crystal

So, congratulations, Crystal! Email me at jessica @kits2remember.com and I will ship those right out to you!

If you didn't win, but would still like the kits, you can get them for $12 each, or $20 for them both. This one is the Blue Flourish 6 x 6 acrylic album kit:

The 8x8 Starry Black acrylic album kit is fun and universal, a great way to display school achievement, graduation or sports all-star photos:

Again, each kit is only $12 each, or you can order them both for $20. They, of course, come with a link to the online full-color instructions. More kits coming next month!

Two new project kits and a giveaway!

2009-04-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

Ready for National Scrapbook Day on Saturday? As I am sure you would guess, it is one of my favorite "holidays." Any excuse to scrapbook all day works for me!

This week I have been working on some new project kits. These are the first two, affordable, fun and simple acrylic albums that can work fabulously as gifts this summer. The Blue Flourish 6x6 album kit is timeless, elegant and features family-inspired rub-ons. Perfect for Dads, weddings, prom and more!

The 8x8 Starry Black acrylic album kit is fun and universal, a great way to display school achievement, graduation or sports all-star photos.

Each kit is only $12 each, or you can order them both for $20. They, of course, come with a link to the online full-color instructions. Really want them badly? Post a comment here and you could win! I will choose a random comment-er Wednesday afternoon and ship her (or him!) both of these project kits...

Planning to attend the San Diego Scrapbook Expo at the Del Mar Fairgrounds this weekend? Be sure to print out the K2R Expo coupon and take it with you. Stop by the booth and meet K2R Design Krew members Kathi and Jenn, plus see some of our new acrylic and metal project samples. Need some inspiration NOW? Check out what the Krew has been up to on their blog!

My attempt at a green thumb....

2009-04-20T20:23:00.001-07:00

... the weather here in Pensacola has just been gorgeous and I have been spending as much time as I can outside, soaking up the sunshine and puttering around the yard. As some of you may have seen in my Facebook post, I have been doing a lot of work in my backyard garden, seeing if a "Recession Garden" really will save me some grocery money.

While some plants, like spearmint and this lily here came up voluntarily thanks to previous owners, my Mom was in town with my grandma, and helped me to pick out some plants for my backyard. Aside from some flowers, I will also attempt to grow cilantro, anaheim chile peppers,

three different types of tomatoes,

yellow squash, zucchini, watermelon, green beans and cantaloupe.

Hopefully all these little guys will grow and I will have some tasty produce this summer! And I'll be back working on projects in my scrap room soon, but until then, check out the K2R Krew blog... they have been busy ladies!

Project ideas, upcoming events and more!

2009-04-14T07:59:00.000-07:00

Tonight I will be teaching my first acrylic album class here in Pensacola, at Scraphappy. I am looking forward to it. I know a lot fo scrapbookers here haven't worked with acrylic or the Bind-it-All, and it is always fun to inspire others in new ways.

Kits2Remember products will be featured in Arizona this weekend. I'm really excited about this because K2R hasn't been in Arizona since Creative Escape last year. The Red Bee will have K2R acrylic, metal and chipboard at the 7 p.m. crops at Creating Keepsakes Convention-Mesa Friday and Saturday. I have sent some samples with them, including this 6 x 6 album:

Plus, The Red Bee will have a 4 x 4 acrylic album make and take - but there is a limited supply, so be sure to stop by their crop table early! They'll also have adhesive, Stickles, stamps, buttons, clearance goodies and plenty more to help you make the most of your cropping time!

Kits2Remember will have a booth at the San Diego Scrapbook Expo May 1 and 2 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Go here for a coupon for our booth. We'll have a make and take, project kits, the new K2R rubber stamps and, of course, all of our products from "Klear" 2 "Raw."

If you hadn't yet noticed, the new K2R Design Krew is already hard at work. You can check them out on the K2R Krew blog and ask them questions on the K2R message board. This week is Rubber Stamp Week, so if you have any questions or need some ideas for stamps, that's what we will be featuring!

And I have been working quite a bit on some fresh new projects. I finally got around to creating with Krew Kit #8. I will post all of the project photos on the Krew blog, but here is a sampling. I decided to make it for Mother's Day.

I love butterflies and the colors of the kit are so different from the usual, that I had a lot of fun with this project.

Then I moved on to something for the boys in my life. I used the Rouge de Garance Urbaine collection and an 8-inch stadium album, plus some rub ons I had laying around, to create this:

If you haven't signed up for our newsletter, you might want to so you'll get K2R news first, plus exclusive deals!

Walking (again) in Memphis ...

2009-04-10T20:38:00.000-07:00

My sons, Will, (7 next Friday) Xan (just turned 3 Tuesday), Grandma Nancy, G.G. (87 in May) and I drove up to Memphis from Pensacola to meet Uncle Joe (my brother), who was in town for his friends' wedding. Of course, we hit two of the city's main attractions: Graceland and Beale street.

Friday evening we got into town and checked into the hotel. We walked around the corner and down a few blocks to the famous Beale Street amd ate dinner at the Blues City Cafe.

Xan had seen the large decorative balls adorning the front walk of the FedEx sports center down the street and begged to be allowed to climb on them. Why this was such a draw, I have no idea, but we humored him. I think he liked the fishing lure float the best.

While the grandmas and kids settled down for the night, Joe and I headed back to Beale street for some music and drinks. We gave Coyote Ugly a try, since neither of us had been to one, and we played a game of pool in the practically dead bar. Well, at least we can say we've been to Coyote Ugly.

We moved up the street in search of some good live music and found it at BB Kings with the BB King Allstars.

Saturday morning we were off to Graceland. The boys and I were the only ones who had been there before and that was in Decemeber. Graceland wasn't all decked out for Christmas this time, so it was great to see it in it's usual state.

Here is Grandma Nancy and G.G. waiting patiently for our shuttle to take us across Elvis Presley Blvd. (Hwy 51) to Graceland. They are wearing their headphones for the guided tour. If you missed it and are interested, I detailed this all out when we visited in December, so you can check out the blog archives.

Will took his digital camera and photographed everything until his battery died. A future scrapbooker, perhaps? Now I just have to try and find the cable to download the photos!

I tried an artistic shot with the mirrored stairwell, but without a flash, it was a little shaky. Flash photography is not allowed inside Graceland.

Mom got to see Will's favorite Elvis jumpsuit up close and personal. She is currently working on creating a small replica for Will to wear for Halloween this year. Quite the project!

After touring Graceland, we came back to the guest center and toured the different exhibits. The newest was Elvis Lives and there was kareoke and a microphone. It just so happened that Will's favorite Elvis song, "Suspicious Minds" happened to be the song on, so he gave kareoke a whirl!

Tonight G.G., Grandma Nancy, the boys and I headed back out to Beale street and ate some tasty grub at BB Kings. Here is a shot of the family on Beale:

We drive home tomorrow so we can spend Easter with my husband... 8 hours in the car again... wish me luck!

Easter eggs-amples ...

2009-04-07T20:16:00.000-07:00

... with Easter coming up, I broke out one of the Pebbles Inc. Easter kits I've had for awhile and use the one page kit to create three albums:

I used a Kits2Remember 8-inch Stadium album for this one, along with white StazOn ink, K2R flourish stamp 1-01, Stickles and Petaloo paper flowers.

Here is a simple 8 x 8 acrylic album:

And a 6 x 6 acrylic album:

This "Joyful" album is also a fun spring project, featuring another stadium album, bound vertically, this time.

Also, the three new album kits featuring the Teresa Collins' new paper lines (these are the ones that sold out at the Bay Area Expo) are now in stock and ready to ship. I only have a handful of each of them left, so place your order soon! I will be working on some new kits in the coming weeks ... can't wait to post them!

The Beulah Sausage Festival ...

2009-04-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

... is a fun event. Great people, great music, great ... sausage. Christy, the owner of Pensacola's Scraphappy scrapbook store, is seen spreading out the wood chips in the horse stall that is our booth.

And here is the booth all set up. The horse stall is actually not a bad idea. It's covered, lit, 12 x 24 feet and the doors lock at night!

But apparently sausage lovers and scrapbookers don't run in the same circles. If I added it up right, Kits2Remember made $4 today. Seriously. But, I am getting in some great scrapping time ... I made three new acrylic albums today! I can't remember the last time I created three new albums just 'cuz! So, while I hope tomorrow is a more lucrative day, I am looking forward to the scrapping time!

While I do have some scrapbooking supplies for sale, I also have some completed projects I have created this past week for sale in the booth. Here are some 11 x 14 framed magnetic message boards I created with K2R metal and flourish rubber stamps:

I also used some Pebbles Inc. Easter goodies and made some albums created with K2R acrylic. The largest album is actually an embellished 8-inch stadium album.

Meet the four members of the new K2R Design Krew!

2009-04-01T15:11:00.001-07:00

I am very excited to announce the four new Kits2Remember Design Krew members! Although, if you have been following this blog for awhile, they may all look familiar to you!

Back for another term are Regina and Erin:

And introducing the two new members of the K2R Design Krew, Kathi and Jenn:

Jenn and Kathi have both been indispensable as volunteer Krew members at at Kits2Remember event booths and I want them to share their talents, enegry and ethusiasm online, as well.

Over the next few days, these ladies will be introducing themselves on the K2R Design Krew blog, so check it out. Meanwhile, take a look at their biographies and get to know them!

My deepest thanks to all of the members of the past Design Krew ... Trace, Andrea and Kristie, thank you so much for sharing your talents and time with Kits2Remember. It has meant a lot ...

New project kits now available in the K2R online store; New events announced

2009-03-31T20:12:00.000-07:00

Ready for April Fools Day?

While you are plotting how to fool your favorite fool today, I'd like to invite you to browse the Kits2Remember online store! We have five new project kits that will be ready to ship next week.

Three of them, featuring Teresa Collins' new paper lines, Family Matters and Documented, were sold out at the Bay Area Scrapbook Expo last month, but will be back in stock and ready to ship next week, so if you missed out, order now!

Plus, we have some leftover project kits from two recent classes: The Great Times, Good Memories 8 x 8 album class featured at the Scrapbook Expos earlier this year are now available in the store, as well as the "Double-sided Spring Message Board" home decor kit.

We also have some upcoming events you might be interested in: Kits2Remember will be featured at two events in Pensacola, Florida, in April, and then at the San Diego Scrapbook Expo May 1 and 2. You can check out the details on these on the K2R Calendar.

If you ordered a We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper last month, they will be shipping out between April 1 and April 8, so keep an eye out for those in your mailbox!

The new K2R Design Krew will also be announced soon, so be sure to check out this blog for that news, too!

As always, thank you for your business and support!

If you haven't checked out the Krew blog lately ...

2009-03-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

... you are seriously missing out! Log on: www.k2rkrew.blogspot.com and check out what amazing projects they have been working on. The new Krew will be introduced later this week, so be sure to thank the current Krew for their inspiration!

Copic markers ...

2009-03-26T18:28:00.000-07:00

Well, I got home from California yesterday about three hours late, at 11:30 p.m., thanks to a bad thunderstorm in the Dallas area that backed up the airport pretty badly. So I am a little tired today, and plan to take the next three days "off" to recoup and spend time with my family, but I did want to get up this photo of Kits2Remember acrylic and metal scribbled on with Copic markers. These permanent, colorful markers seem to be the latest and greatest, there are tons of uTube videos and such on the Internet, showing how to use them and projects created with them. I tested some out here that I bought at the Bay Area Scrapbook Expo and noticed that the jewel tones seemed to be more vivid on the metal and acrylic, while the lighter colors had more of a water color effect. Most of the pens have two tips, a chisel and a brush, so I can't wait to play with them "for real." Of course, I'll post the projects when I do!

New video, instructions now available ...

2009-03-24T17:21:00.001-07:00

... K2R Design Krew Member Andrea has been hard at work heat embossing on Kits2Remember acrylic. Have you seen the video yet? You don't want to miss this cool (or should I say hot?) technique! Log on to the Krew blog (www.k2rkrew.blogspot.com) and check it out!

Also, if you were one of the lucky ones to have gotten on of the NEW (but currently sold out) Kits2Remember project kits featuring Teresa Collins' new lines, the instructions are now available online. Thank you for your patience... I just ran out of time before the Bay Area Scrapbook Expo to get them posted. The web site address for the kit instructions is on the label on the front of your kit package. It starts "www.kits2remember.com/..." . Just type that web address into your web browser and the photos and instructions should come up. Email me if you have any trouble: jessica @kits2remember.com. Although the kits are sold out, I do plan to order more supplies, so the kits will be available in the K2R online store in a week or two. I will send out a newsletter when they are available, so be sure to join the email newsletter. Next up on the Expo circuit: San Diego in May!

Pleasanton Scrapbook Expo Day 1 ...

2009-03-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

... We had a lot of fun today. Bay Area Scrapbook Expo goers seemed to be in good spirits and the Kits2Remember booth was busy more often than not. A huge thanks goes out to my Krew: Kathi, Jenn, Kathryn, Gina, Erline and, my faithful cashier and Mom, Nancy. I couldn't have done it without you guys! You rock!

Here are some photos from today:

The Krew in our YuDu'ed shirts

The new line of Kits2Remember stamps.

Kathi got some shots of me teaching the Imaginative Magnetic Metal class.

My Mom at her post.

Kathi bagging up the merchandise.

And, last, but not least, Jenn mesmerizing the crowd with her knowledge of acrylic, rubber stamps and the Bind-it-All.

Looking forward to the replay tomorrow!

In the hotel room this evening...

2009-03-19T21:47:00.000-07:00

... We spent eight hours today setting up the Kits2Remember booth for the Bay Area Expo and then came back to the hotel in Pleasanton - with some work still to do. Kathi spent most of her day kitting projects, but still had a little bit left.

Jenn, who helped my Mom, Nancy, and I set up the booth at the Alameda Fairgrounds all day, came back and created a cute acrylic wall hanging with some of the Petaloo Flower Charms (those of you attending the Expo can see the final project in person tomorrow at the booth!).

Mom cleaned up and made sure the credit card machine was charged up.

As for me, I kicked back with a margarita and "supervised." Just kidding... the Krew made me write that... SOMEBODY had to update the blog and check email! Looking forward to seeing you at the Expo tomorrow!