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

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!

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!

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...

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!

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

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?

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

Flea market find becomes a holiday gift...

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

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

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

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

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

Acrylic Christmas Calendars

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


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

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

On the first day of December...

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

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

Video class, Scrappy celebration and 50 percent off sale!

Last K2R project kit of 2009 – complete with video!

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

In the Pensacola area?


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

Christmas Creations Sale!

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

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

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


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

Sales, conventions, classes and more!

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

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


Check out the Kits2Remember calendar for more details.

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

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

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

Willvis costume complete ...

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

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



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

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

Expo Coupon!

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

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

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

Thank you for your business and support!

Jessica

October brings more kits and Expos!

Happy October!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More details on the K2R Calendar!

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

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

I'm going to be in Ontario!

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

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

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

New fall-themed project kits available!

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

Take a look at these:



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


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


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


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