Doilies, doilies, doilies

I have a post up on the Creating Keepsakes Blog about my favorite trend right now: doilies.  From crafts, to home decor, to clothing, doilies are popping up everywhere. Here's a layout I made using doilies that I cut at home using my favorite doily die, made by My Favorite Things (Die-namics High Tea Doily die).

I used products from Crate Paper's lovely and adorable Pretty Party collection (one of my favorites from CHA!)

Be sure and check out the CK Blog to see some inspiring photos showing different ways to use doilies!

Creating Keepsakes: Simple Scrapbooks giveaway!

Creating Keepsakes' newest special issue is out!  Check out Simple Scrapbooks:

Make scrapbooking faster and easier than ever with the hundreds of ideas in this new special issue from Creating Keepsakes, dedicated to scrapbooking simply. Discover quick tips for simplifying your layout designs as well as ideas for scrapbooking with limited products. Plus, with plenty of 2-page layout options, you'll get more photos scrapbooked in less time. It's all in Simple Scrapbooks from Creating Keepsakes.

I don't normally scrap "clean and simple", but it was fun to step outside of my box for this issue and create some pages that were more minimalistic. Here's one of the simple layouts I made for this issue.

As seen in Creating Keepsakes special Simple Scrapbooks issue. Copyright Creative Crafts Group. Posted with prior permission from the publisher.

You can find a copy of this special issue at your local newsstand/bookstore, or you can purchase a copy  from CK's online store:  Simple Scrapbooks.  Here's a link to the online extras where you can find the  downloads, sketches, techniques, etc. that compliment this issue: Simple Scrapbooks Extras.

As usual, the generous people at Creating Keepsakes are allowing me to give away a copy of this special issue.  To be entered to win, simply leave a comment here before Sunday night, May 5th, and tell me what your scrapping style is.  Clean and simple? Shabby Chic? Artsy? Fun and playful? Or something else?  I'll announce the winner next week.

Check out these blogs for more chances to win!

Piradee Talvanna
Patty Cieri 
Megan Hoeppner

Creating Keepsakes May/June issue giveaway winner

The winner of last week's giveway for the May/June issue of Creating Keepsakes is . . . Mandi!  Edited to add:  Mandi was kind enough to let me know that she had already won this issue through one of the other blogs participating in our blog hop last week, so I chose another random winner . . . drumroll . . . Lisa Young!  Congrats Lisa!  I'll send you an email.  Uh-oh . . . I hope you didn't already win it too. :)

For everyone else, please check back tomorrow because I'll be doing another giveaway for Creating Keepsakes' newest special issue!  Woot woot!

Creating Keepsakes May/June issue + giveaway

The May/June issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine is out!  This issue is extra special to me because I had the honor of creating the cover layout:

Here's a closer look at my layout:

Copyright Creative Crafts Group. Posted with prior permission from the publisher.

Inside this issue you'll find amazing ideas to spur your creativity, such as

• inspiring ideas to scrapbook family,
• fun ways to use canvas and ribbon on your layouts,
• peeks inside creative spaces to inspire your organization,
• tricks to translate pages to just the size you want, and
• tips to add trendy, baking-inspired items like cupcake liners and baker's twine to your layouts.

Packed with plenty of layouts, techniques, and more, this issue is a must-have!

Here's another layout I created for this issue (the Latest and Greatest column):

I got to play with Pink Paislee's Mistables and October Afternoon Sprinklers.  It was so much fun!

You can find a copy of the May/June issue at your local newsstand/bookstore, or you can purchase a copy  from CK's online store:  May/June 2012 issue.  Here's a link to the online extras where you can find the  downloads and techniques that compliment this issue: May/June online extras.

As usual, the generous people at Creating Keepsakes are allowing me to give away a copy of this issue.  To be entered to win, simply leave a comment here before Sunday night, April 22nd.  I'll announce the winner next week.

How would you like more chances to win?  Check out these blogs: 
Patty Cieri 

Mou Saha

Autumn Baldwin

Good luck! 

Exciting news from Prima!

Prima just announced the arrival of a brand new PRINT publication dedicated to all things 'Prima'.

Introducing: My Prima Place . . .

This  bi-monthly Art-Zine is created by Prima's in-house Editor, Sherry Mendoza.  Each issue will showcase a variety of styles and projects including scrapbooking, card making and mixed media. With beautiful photography and written step-by-step tutorials prepared by Prima's talented international design and education team, My Prima Place will be a great source of inspiration and information. Prima will also be adding projects  from acclaimed guest-artists and designers from all over the world to keep every issue fresh and informative. The Art-Zine will be available in stores and distribution to stores begins this month. Magazine inquiries: sherry@primamarketinginc.com  Sales inquiries: sales@primamarketinginc.com

I'm honored to have one of my layouts in this very first issue.  This is a layout I created for the CHA booth:

You can find my step-by-step instructions for making this layout in Volume 1.  And . . . I'll have other projects in the upcoming issues of My Prima Place.  Keep an eye out for this Art-Zine at your local scrapbook store!

Pinterest Challenge on Creating Keepsakes' Club CK

I have a new addiction: Pinterest.  It all started innocently enough.  I was asked to host a Pinterest challenge on Creating Keepsakes' forum, Club CK.  Prior to that I had casually perused Pinterest a bunch of times, but I hadn't joined or "pinned" anything myself.   When I was given the task of choosing five Pinterest images to share as inspiration for a scrapbook layout challenge, I happily obliged and then I jumped into Pinterest head first.  WOW!!  It's opened up a whole new world for me.  Surprisingly, I find myself spending more time looking at non-scrapbooking things, like vintage loveliness, recipes, home decor, beautiful color combinations, and general crafty things.  I love the idea of getting scrappy inspiration from non-scrappy images.  At any given time now I have a couple different Pinterest tabs open on my computer. Must.step.away.from.the.computer. 

You can see the five Pinterest images I chose here:  Pinterest Challenge on Club CK.
 
This is the sample layout I created based on one of those images.  My eye is always drawn to the gorgeous "ROYGBIV" colors, so I love to create rainbow colored projects.

Supplies:  Patterned Paper: Canvas Corp; Cardstock: Bazzill Basics; Alphabet Stickers: BasicGrey; Baker's Twine:  Jillibean Soup and The Twinery; Paint: DecoArt; Die-cutting machine: Sizzix; Die: My Favorite Things; Pen: American Crafts; Punch: EK Success; Adhesive: Tombow. 

I was inspired by the beautiful rainbow colored tags I found on this Pinterest image:

If you click on the photo, it will take you back to the image on Pinterest.  The original source is  CaliforniaCraft's Etsy store, where you can find an abundance of beautifully colored tags, bakers twine, and other goodies.
 
There's a prize to be won if you play along with the challenge on Club CK, but I realize that it's kind of short notice since the entries must be posted by Monday the 9th.  Sorry for the late notice!  But you can still play along for fun at any time.  I'm definitely planning on using the other non-scrapbooking Pinterest images as inspiration for future scrapbook pages.   

Happy Passover, Happy Easter, and Happy Spring everyone!!

Upcoming Prima Layout Classes at Treasured Memories

To all you Southern California scrapbookers, I wanted to let you know that I will be teaching two Prima layout classes at Treasured Memories in Oak Park, CA (near Westlake Village) on Saturday, April 21st.   Due to popular demand, both layouts will be 2-page spreads.  They will be filled with lots of Prima products and other goodies from my personal craft stash.  

The first layout features Prima's lovely new Songbird line.  We'll make a lush springtime layout brimming with layers and textures.

The second layout features Prima's gorgeous new Nature Garden line. We'll make a 2-page spread displaying 10 mini cards.  Each one of these cards will be it's own little "canvas" that you will embellish with your precious photos, beautiful Prima flowers and embellishments, and vintage lace and a pocket for journaling.

You can find more information about these classes on the Treasured Memories class calendar here:  Treasured Memories.

I hope you can join me!

DCWV Deals

Who doesn't love a bargain?  I sure do!  DCWV has just launched a great new discount website for crafters:  DCWV Deals.  You can find DCWV Stacks, stationary, wall vinyl, Blue Moon beads and more, all at significantly discounted prices.

The wonderful people at DCWV were kind of enough to send me a basket filled with all sorts of fun goodies.   My favorite DCWV product is their glitter cardstock stacks.  I used it to make the roses and leaves on this card:

Other DCWV products used:   Scalloped card pack, Halloween Stack, Quote Stack - card sayings.

You can use this coupon code to get 15% off any purchase at DCWVDeals.com: BLOG41208 (expires 4/30/12)

Have fun shopping!