"Love Letters" a hit at Treasured Memories...

... Even if you're not living in Southern California, you may have heard of the rain storms, flooding and mudslides that have hit the area this week. One good thing was the double rainbow over Orange County this afternoon. Just thought I'd share the photo I took:

I spent most of this rainy afternoon in Oak Park, CA, at Treasured Memories, a great, and today a bustling, scrapbooking store northwest of Los Angeles. Scrappers were shopping, cropping and taking my class, the 6 x 6 album called "Love Letters." Here there are in deep concentration, focused on trimming frames out with a paper trimmer, learing to use the Bind-it-All and Round-it-All corner rounder and creating interactive pages.




Look like fun? This class will also be taught tomorrow from 1-3 p.m. at The Scrappin' Table in Placentia and Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Scrapbook Boulevard in Victorville.

Monday, I will be at Ever After in Vista teaching the magnetic message board class "Love Notes" and Tuesday I will be at The Red Bee in Tustin for the last "Messages & Time" clock and message board class. Check out the Kits2Remember calendar for details!

I saw Prima, CI and Stickles in a movie ...

... my Mom and I headed to the theater for the afternoon and saw "He's Just Not That Into You" and "New in Town." I enjoyed both movies, both were a great escape from reality, but "New In Town" really hit a chord with me: A handful of the characters scrapbook. In various scenes, they can be found cropping around the kitchen table (the amount of crop space left much to be desired, but I am sure the comraderie made up for it!) and, once I discovered this fun subplot, I tried to keep a tally of the manufacturers I saw on screen. Creative Imaginations, Prima, Die Cuts With a View (I think the Posies stack) and Ranger's Stickles were a few I was able to pick out. While none of these manfacturers are seen in the online scrapbook on the movie web site (click the link above to see) it was still a lot of fun to see scrapbooking on the mainstream big screen. My Mom, a quilter, even enjoyed a bit of emphasis placed on her hobby, including a very practical gift for Renee Zellweger's character, the newcomer to the Great White North. The movie also reminds us that handmade, crafty gifts can even be appreciated by jaded city slickers... LOL... Except for maybe the movie critics... nearly every single one I saw online panned this movie, but, then again, I doubt any of them are scrapbookers or have been a city/suburban girl transplanted in a cold, rural area (which I was a few years ago). So, as long as you're not expecting an epic film with academy award-winning performances, just a fun romp on a rainy afternoon, with a little scrapping thrown in for good measure, I think you might enjoy this film. If you do go to see it, see how many scrappy products YOU recognize!

P.S - I was watching "Psych" on USA tonight and the main character said he'd rather be scrapbooking... more mainstream exposure for our hobby!

Orange County Scrapbook Expo only a week away!

The Orange County Scrapbook Expo in Costa Mesa begins next Friday and I am busy getting all of the product and samples ready for the Kits2Remember booth and classes. I have heard that a number of you will be attending and I hope you'll stop by the booth and at least say hi. I also have a coupon for free 6 x 6 acrylic panels with any purchase so be sure to print it out and stash it with your Expo stuff.

As far as new product goes, Kits2Remember will be rolling out some new acrylic and metal sizes. I love Teresa Collins' new lines, as do many people, so I now have 6 x 12 and 4 x 8 acrylic panels to pair with her new double-sided papers that feature these sizes. While I won't have the papers available at this show, many local scrapbook stores either carry or will carry her line. I happened to get these papers at The Red Bee in Tustin.


Featuring a photo of my family at Fourth of July last year...


I love this photo - my Mom, Dad and I all own Ford Explorers. Of course, I had to be the "black sheep." I took this a few days before I drove mine across country to Pensacola this summer.

While I don't have a photo of them yet, I will also be rolling out 8 x 10 and 11 x metal panels, so that paper crafters can frame their magnetic message board creations with standard-sized frames. Be sure to check the samples out in the booth next week.

My Clear Scraps order from CHA arrived today. We have all 11 styles of the new Clear Scraps minis (each of these cuties is about 3-inches), including the tiny tabbed album, wide-eyed owl, oak tree, flowers, tags and more. Here are some of the samples the Clear Scraps team has created with them:

This daddy brag book features the tiny 3-inch tabbed album.


This one features one of the mini flower album designs.


This one appears to have been created from the rectangle mini album. Such vivid color!


I also got some of the new sandcastle acrylic albums. This design is gorgeous and oh, so detailed. While beachy pictures would adorn this album beautifully, it can easily be transitioned into a pretty princess album, as well!

And then there are these: Clear Scraps Clear-n-Chip collections. There are five different collections and they feature diecut shapes, one sheet in acrylic and one sheet in chipboard. These shapes can be used as embellishments on layouts or bound together to create albums. Depending on how you choose to create your album, you should have enough product to make two albums with collection pack package. Be sure to check these out at Expo because photos don't do this line justice. Fun fact: Each of the Clear-n-Chip collections is named for the Clear Scrap's owners' children: Little Miss Molly, Caroline's Caffe (coffee theme), Ace-a-Roo (boy theme), Abbey's Love and Amy's Fashion. Jackie and Janet are devoted Moms for sure! This one below is the Little Miss Molly collection, coupled with an album the Clear Scraps team created with it.



Plus, I will have some of the Clear Scraps XL acrylic shapes, which are perfect for layouts and home decor. I stamped with StazOn ink on the bracket in this layout:

And then used the Clear Scraps XL heart and a Kits2Remember 8 x 10 acrylic panel to created this "love"-ly clock:



While these products will be introduced at the Orange County Scrapbook Expo, they will be available online by the end of the month.

I've got more samples in the works, so be sure to check back in the next few days to take a peek! In the meantime, be sure to check out the K2R Krew blog for more inspiration!

Scrapbooking Heaven's Clock class...

... went very well. It amazes me how everyone who took the class saw the same sample I made weeks ago, but created masterpiece of their own design. No two "Messages & Time" clocks looked the same tonight, yet they were all gorgeous. Take a look for yourself:





Look like fun to you? There is one more chance to take this class at 6 p.m. Feb. 10 at The Red Bee in Tustin...

Message Board Club

I love what The Red Bee in Tustin, CA, is doing with Kits2Remember metal panels! They are taking the 8 x 12 size, packaging it up with paper, embellishments and more and creating a monthly kit for about $10! Wow... how fun is that? Not in SoCal? You could always create your own monthly message board you could change out with your holiday decor.

January


February

I'm still working on more samples, so when I'm done I will photograph them and post them for you too see. Stay tuned!

KrewTip: Feathery painting

I have had a number of people ask me how I get the "feathery" look on the edge of my acrylic projects. I use the Adirondack paint dabbers (think bingo dabber, with acrylic paint inside) and "scratch" the paint along the edge of the panel or shape.

It's hard to show this visually with just a photo, so I made a quick line art diagram. Laugh if you feel the need. I did. :)

The big "NO!" means don't go parallel to the edge, just following the shape of the panel. You want to "scratch" perpendicular along the edge.
Here is what I was working on while demonstrating this technique:

These are the new Clear Scraps Minis, which are small, 6-page albums that are three inches or smaller. This on is a cupcake shape, but they come in arrows, hearts and more. There are several different shapes and I will have them available for sale at the Orange County Scrapbook Expo Feb. 13-15.

CHA Care Package winners!

WOW! What a response! Thank you for all of your comments. I loved reading about the techniques you guys like to use with acrylic and metal. Now, drumroll please... the winners, chosen at random using the Random.org Sequence Genrator are, as quoted:

Here is your sequence:

55
91

So comments 55 and 91 belong to

connie said...
Favorite with acrylic is ink, double-sided paper and rub-ons.
thanks for a chance to win.
connie#2909

and

Scrap DIVA 911 said...
OMGaaaaa im sooo jealous girl!! I sooo wanted to go and check it out but... I kinda had an accident at my job as a po po... so dr didn't discharge in time ahhhh.. so any whooo my favorite part in acrylic albums is PAINTing them!!! and STAMPING! totally kewl....
Take care girl and WISH ME LUCK !!!

Congrats to you, ladies! Please send an email to jessica@kits2remember.com with your full name, complete address and a phone nuber, just in case. And, again, thank you to everyone for your comments! I hope to see some of you in class or at the Orange County Scrapbook Expo! Check out the K2R calendar for details!

KrewTips for you ...

... Well, the whirlwind of CHA is now over and you should start seeing the fruits of your local scrapbook store owner's labor and tough decision making in the weeks ahead. You'll get to see, touch, taste and buy the latest and greatest very soon!

So while you wait patiently for your LSS's UPS man to arrive, I thought I would start posting some KrewTips every now and then to help make your scrapbooking and papercrafting faster, easier and more fun. I have been scrapbooking since 1998, but I am still amazed by some of the "Well, duh! Why didn't I think of that?" tips and tricks I get from other scrappers. So below is the first KrewTip... more will follow every few days. I am always looking for tips from other scrappers. If you have one you think would be great to share, email it to me at jessica@kits2remember.com, I'll take some photos showing off the technique and then I will post it, giving you full credit for the KrewTip. And then I just might snail mail you a pair of acrylic covers...

This weekend I will be kitting a number of classes, with the help of my Mom. Some of you may have met her at the booth cash register of you have been to a Scrapbook Expo. She's one of the most organized people I know, so kitting will be cake. If you are in the Southern California area, I still have some classes available, so log on to the Kits2Remember calendar to see if one of the projects piques your interest and fits into your schedule. Can't make it to class but need some inspiration? If you are looking for fun, fresh ideas for acrylic, metal and more, be sure to log on to the Kits2Remember Design Krew's blog. The Krew is great about posting something new every couple of days, so check back often!

And don't forget to post a comment to the blog post below. I will be giving away two CHA care papckages to two lucky, random winners. Comment today and check back tomorrow!

Last but not least, here is the first KrewTip of the series:

I have seen a lot of people dismiss a ribbon that they really like because it is wired and wired ribbon doesn't always work so well on scrapbook layouts and other projects. Well, don't be so quick to pass that ribbon by! There is a quick trick that takes the wire right out. First of all, I don;'t recommend trying this technique on ribbon longer than one yard. Shorter lengths are easier to use, so if you know how much ribbon you want to use ahead of time, say 12 inches, clip the 12 inches of the roll first.

Then slide the edge of the ribbon down the wire to expose the tip of the wire in the tiny channels on either side of the ribbon.

Gently grab the end of each wire and pull slowly until the wire is completely removed.

Be sure to carefully dispose of the wire because it can be very fine and tough to see in carpets and such. You don't want anyone hurting themselves on the tiny, sharp point. Then feel free to use the no-longer-wired ribbon to your heart's desire.

Got a quick KrewTip of your own? Email it to jessica@kits2remember.com. Be sure to add your name and location. If your tip is chosen, we will mail you a pair of acrylic covers.

CHA Day 2 ...

... I headed to CHA this morning with my Mom, Nancy, and friend and Krew volunteer Kathi. We were there about 20 minutes when the fire alarm went off and we had to evacuate. Luckily, there was nothing truly wrong, so we were able to come back into the building about five minutes later. But it was still a big inconvenience for everyone.


As for the more fun side of CHA today, I visited the BasicGrey booth, where I saw fellow Creative Escape instructor, Kelly Goree conducting a make and take of her own design. I, of course, had to peruse the new lines from BG, since they are one of my personal favorite companies. The new additions are:


Lime Rickey


Wisteria


Marrakech



I would love to see more of these Blue Hills Studios magnetic punches available. I love the fact that you can punch anywhere in the middle of a piece of paper, allowing for really cool possibilities for both negative and positive images.

As we walked the aisles, I ran into Diva Craft Lounge hosts Danielle and Rayme. They were kind enough to autograph one of their new books "Designing with the Divas" for both my Mom and myself.


This shot also shows the page of the book my acrylic wall hanging project is on. I will have a few of these books available at the Orange County Scrapbook Expo in a few weeks.


One of the tools I was excited about was the new We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper. This tool retails for $25 and had two different corner sizes in one: 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch. Basically, this is both of the Zutter Round-it-Alls in one for half the price. I test-drove one myself and it cleanly cuts not only acrylic, chipboard and paper, but it also "chomped" right through my metal panels. Whoo-hoo! I cannot wait for this April release!



And, of course, the YUDU silk screening machine is a lot of fun. I got to experiment with it today, put a metallic heart on the front of a YUDU T-shirt and learned the basics to burning a screen and more. I cant wait to get the machine in the mail!

I also stopped by my friends, the Clear Scraps gals' booth. All I can say is "Wow!" They really come out with some fabulous new acrylic and chipboard goodies! For starters, there is a gorgeous acrylic sand castle album that's new. Plus, the adorable mini-albums that are 3 inches or smaller and come in the shapes of flowers, arrows, hearts, cupcakes and more.

Are you someone who wasn't lucky enough to go to CHA this week? How about a consolation prize: A mini CHA care package. I have two of them featuring Clear Scraps cupcake mini albums, an apron and foam de-stressing Slice from Making Memories and Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (the exclusive Tea Green formula!).



Just comment below answering the following question:

What is your favorite technique to use with acrylic or metal?

Two random winners will be chosen Friday afternoon, so check back!

CHA Day One ....

... CHA is always a sensory overload, and while the show floor was noticeably smaller this year, the overwhelming gleeful feeling was still there! To kick things off right last night, I met up with some of the ladies from the SoCal 2 Provo CKU Provo bus tour this summer. Steph, Lori, Deanna, their friends Trish and Dawn, and I headed off to the Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney.

Good food, good music and good company. Then I had to turn in. Still being on central time, I knew I would feel the effects of a lack of sleep in the morning if I didn't turn in at a reasonable hour. Midnight is reasonable, right?
Then it was up and out at 8 a.m. so I could drive the half hour to Anaheim and get myself registered. In between the two business classes I took, I walked the show floor to see what was available. Of course, I did not get the whole floor looked over, but there is always tomorrow! Here are some of the photos I took:

Stopped by and said "hi" to Heidi Swapp. she was showing off her new Invisible line. This is one of the new products she gave the Ultimate Scrapbook Cruise scrappers a sneak peek of. It's paper and chipboard that has coated areas of the design. When you blend inks on it, the coated areas resist the ink and stay white.


Teresa Collins wasn't too far away and I wanted to get a look at the new lines she had talked about on the cruise. I don;t think her fans will be disappointed.



Some more of the companies and lines that caught my eye:


Graphic 45


Zutter Display-it-All


Tattered Angel's Green Tea Glimmer Mist - a color formulated only for CHA!



Little Yellow Bicycle's "Traveler" line


I think I'm in love with the Cosmo Cricket spinners!


Sassafras


Maya Road's clear albums


Something about this part of the Me & My BIG Ideas display caught my eye.


Do you YuDu? This is the personal screen printng machine the SoCal 2 Provo bus tour gals and I got to secretly preview this summer. And guess what? I am one of a handful of us who has been selected to get one shipped to me to play with next month! Can't wait to test it out!


Can you spot Paris Hilton? Yeah, me niether. The crowd around her was insane and the CHA/convention center personnel just couldn't seem to handle it. She was there to promote her new crafting and scrapbooking line for tweens.


Not sure why the Star Wars gang was on the show floor, but I figured I would use the photo opp to thrill my kids. Will and Xan are big Star wars fans - Will was even a storm trooper for Halloween.

Tomorrow I will spend more time cruising the show floor.... stay tuned!