Back to school and CK Budget Issue Giveaway winner

Shhhhhhhhhhhh . . . can you hear it? Yep, that's the sound of QUIET, something I haven't heard in my house for the past couple of months. My girls started back at school yesterday (2nd and 4th grade . . . where does the time go??).  As much as I enjoyed having my girls home with me during the summer, I'm happy to be back on our regular school schedule and have some much needed time to myself.

Sorry for the delay in announcing the winner of the Creating Keepsakes Special Budget-Friendly issue. The Random Number Generator picked #2, which is Romy!  Congrats Romy!  I'll contact you to get your address.

Here's a closer look at a layout I did for the budget issue.  The article shows how you can stretch your scrap supplies further by sharing them with friends.  In this case, several of us used papers and stickers from a single Basic Grey collection, along with a circle punch.  We all came up with very different layouts.  Here's mine:

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

I cut the flowers out of the patterned paper and used them as my main page accent, and I used a circle punch to create a layered page border (accented with Shimmerz paint on the edges for a little sparkle).

I hope you're getting a nice dose of YOU time today!!  
 

Once Upon a Sketch Guest Designer

I'm honored to be the Guest Designer at Once Upon a Sketch this month!  If you haven't heard of this fabulous sketch challenge site, you should definitely check it out!  There's a sketch and a journaling prompt twice a month.  This is the layout I created for the September 1st challenge:

Journaling Criteria: A memorable year - Your title must be a year, and you must journal at least 2 lines on why this year is memorable for you. Examples: the year you got married, the year you graduated, the year you moved to a new house/country, the year you started a new job, the year your child was born, the year you lost someone dear. Your journaling can be in any language and any format (written, typed etc).

Here is the sketch:

Head on over to Once Upon a Sketch and play along!

Creating Keepsakes Budget-Friendly Scrapbooking and a GIVEAWAY!

Creating Keepsakes newest special issue is out!  It's called Budget-Friendly Scrapbooking:

"Prepare to make your stickers, papers, die cuts, and more go further than you ever imagined possible. With the tips and tricks in this special issue from Creating Keepsakes, you'll learn how to create beautiful scrapbook layouts using your scrapbooking leftovers and minimal supplies. Whether you're a new scrapbooker or have been creating for years, we'll show you how to stretch your scrapbooking budget to its fullest."

Here's a little sneak peak of a layout I created for this issue (I'll share a close-up in the coming weeks):

As usual, Creating Keepsakes is graciously allowing me to give away a copy of this special issue to one lucky blog reader.  To be entered to win, simply leave a comment here before Sunday evening and tell something you do to stretch your scrapbook supplies and/or make the most of leftovers.  (One thing I do is save all my scraps of patterened paper and cardstock.  I keep them in drawers in arms' reach of my scrap table. Whenever I need smaller pieces for cards, page accents, stamping, journaling, etc., I reach into my drawers of scraps.)   I'll draw a random winner and announce it here next week!  

Altered embroidery hoops + Prima blog feature

I'm going to keep this post short and sweet because I have a very long post on the Prima blog today where I'm the featured Design Team member.  I've shared some little tidbits about myself along with a couple projects and a tutorial.  Here is one of the projects you'll see there.  It's a set of altered embroidery hoops that I made for Prima's CHA booth. 

I cut three circles out of white fabric and misted them with a rainbow of colors. I then added a plethora of color-coordinated flowers, leaves, a butterfly and a bird from the beautiful new collections. I plan to hang these on my scraproom wall.

I also shared a quick and easy tutorial on the Prima blog showing a fun way to use Prima's new cotton Writer's tape.  Go check it out!!  Here's the link to my post:   Prima's Writer's Tape tutorial.

An owl, a fox, a bear and a hedgehog . . . OH MY!!

I created some little woodland critters and printable paper piecing templates for Club CK's Summer Camp event.  Here is my owl, fox, bear and hedgehog:

I also created a PDF pattern for each of these animals that you can print and cut out, and Creating Keepsakes took it a step further and turned these into SVG files that you can download and cut with your SVG compatible die-cutting machines! You can find the printable PDF files and SVG files here at Club CK: Stacy Cohen's owl, fox, bear and hedgehog.

Have a fabulous weekend!!

Prima layout

Just a quick post before I run out today with my girlies.  Here's a layout I did for Prima's CHA booth using the new Londonerry line:

Gotta love pop dots! I use them on every layout.

This layout is actually a scraplift of one of my earlier layouts . . . this page that I created back in  March:

I like working with this little grid format, so I think I'll try some other variations.

Thanks for stopping by!

A 2-page layout

Happy Friday everyone!  I'm officially in a very relaxed summer mode . . . sleeping in, hanging out by the pool, staying up late and watching my favorite reality TV shows, etc.   I haven't been scrapping much at all over the past couple of weeks and I've just been enjoying time with my family and friends.  Ahhhhhhhhh . . . so nice.

I'm often asked to do 2-page scrapbook layouts for my Creating Keepsakes assignments.   For me, making 2-page spreads is very different from making 1-page layouts.  But they're fun to do because they challenge my creativity.  My 2-pagers always come out looking more "clean & simple" and linear than my single page layouts.  Here's one I did a while back:

As seen in Creating Keepsakes Magazine.  Copyright Creative Crafts Group.  Published with prior permission from the publisher.

I made the tree by hand-cutting fabric and coloring it with Shimmerz Spritz.  I cut the trunk from some specialty corrugated cardboard.  I made the apples by coloring plain rhinestones with alcohol ink. 

I created a quick little video for Creating Keepsakes showing how to do this simple technique:  Coloring Rhinestones Video

Another close-up:

Have a fabulous weekend, everyone!

CRAFT Beach Retreat

First of all, we have the winner of Creating Keepsakes' new special issue, Scrapbooking Tips & Tricks: Summer Fun & Travel.  The random number generator I used picked commenter number 4, and it is . . . da da da da da da da da da da da (that's my impression of a drumroll) . . . Caroline Hackney!  Congrats, Caroline!  I'll contact you to get your info.

I want to give you more details about the upcoming CRAFT Beach Retreat, where I'll be teaching a class chock full of beautiful Prima goodies.  This is going to be an amazing and unique event that you won't want to miss!!!

The Dates: November 11-13, 2011
The Times: 9-5 each day, broken into two workshops.
The Workshops: Six emotion-based scrapbook and mixed media/home décor sessions.
Plus four bonus ‘art and soul experiences’ will be right before and after classes, and a few in the evening at the hotel. Some secret…but including a henna painting workshop, sand art/message in a bottle and more...

The Instructors: Linda Barber, Paige Evans, Ly T. Le, Amy Tan and yours truly!

The Location: Beautiful, sunny Santa Monica.

The Venue: The classes will be held at the beautiful Annenberg Beach House, right on the sand off Pacific Coast Highway (also known as HWY 1). 

The space we'll be in is an intimate room, the Terrace Lounge, with floor to ceiling windows...every seat has a view of the ocean. Right outside the door is a lovely seating area with a fountain where you'll be enjoying your lunch breaks.

The Sponsors:  Creating Keepsakes, Prima, American Crafts, Lily Bee and Jillibean Soup.

You can get more of the details and sign up here:  CRAFT Beach Retreat.  This will be a scrapbooking retreat like no other!

Creating Keepsakes Special Issue and a Giveaway!

Creating Keepsakes has a great new special issue out: Scrapbooking Tips & Tricks: Summer Fun & Travel:

Summer is the perfect time for adventure, fun, and travel. In Scrapbooking Tips & Tricks: Summer Fun & Travel you'll learn the best ways to capture all those memories in your scrapbooks. You'll see ways to take and use scenic photos, learn colorful ways to enhance your summer and vacation layouts, and discover money-saving ideas for using found objects, maps, and travel memorabilia on your layouts. In addition, you'll be inspired by a gallery filled with 94 ideas for scrapbooking your summertime adventures.

Here's a little sneak at one of the layouts I created for this special issue (I'll share more about it in the coming weeks):

 

You can get a copy of this issue from Creating Keepsakes' online store. Use the discount code CKFUN10 for free shipping in the US on all orders of $25 or more (Expires 8/8/11).

As usual, Creating Keepsakes is graciously allowing me to give away a copy to one lucky blog reader.  To be entered to win, simply leave a comment here telling me about your favorite summer activity.  You have until the end of the day on Sunday.  I'll announce the winner next week!

Just a quick post . . .

Just a quick post to share one of the layouts that I created with the new Prima products that will be showcased at CHA in a few days.  Prima has done it again . . . so many fabulous new goodies!!  This was made with the new Printery line:

I printed the journaling on Prima's new Writer's Tape:

Gotta run . . . I have a sick kitty who needs my attention.

Funny Girl

For those of you who celebrate the 4th of July, I hope you had a great one!!  While I'm busy working on CHA products, I thought I'd share a layout I made for the last CHA (I never got around to posting it here).   My little Danielle is a total comedienne and she makes us laugh every single day.  Funny girl . . .

I'm so grateful for the all the laughter and joy she brings into our lives.

On another note, The CRAFT Beach Retreat event is almost sold out.  So if you want a spot, you better  hurry scurry over there and register!  This amazing scrapbooking retreat will happen here in Los Angeles (Santa Monica, to be specific) from November 11-13th. Check out the site for all the details.

Monday, Monday . . .

Summer has officially started for us today.  The girls are out of school, and so begins the summer-o-fun!  For the next couple of weeks I'll be juggling kids' activities, work (the kind that I actually get paid for), and CHA projects. 

I have many CHA projects to complete in the next couple of weeks, so I'll have to find a way to speed up my normal SLOW scrapping process that involves dilly-dallying and spending 3-4 nights on one page.  No time for that now!   I'm reminded of the old I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel get a job at a chocolate factory wrapping chocolates.  Here's a YouTube clip:  I Love Lucy - Candy Wrapping Job.   When the chocolates began coming down the conveyer belt faster than they could wrap them, Lucy and Ethel started stashing the extra chocolates in their aprons, hats, down their shirts and even in their mouths (I like their thinking on that last one!).  When the supervisor came to check on Lucy and Ethel, she mistakenly believed that they were keeping up with the pace, so she yelled to the person at the beginning of the conveyer belt:  "SPEED IT UP A LITTLE!!!!"  So that's what I'll be hearing in my mind while I'm working on CHA projects for the next couple of weeks . . . speeeeeeeeeeeeed it up . . . no time for dilly dallying!   

Here's a canvas I made using gesso, paints, gauze and lots of Prima goodies:

 

Happy summer to you all!!

A couple of cards to share . . .

My current assignments are done, my scrap table has been cleaned off, and now I'm awaiting delivery of new scrapbooking products so I can start creating for CHA in July.  I'm ready!!   Today I have a couple of cards to share.

Lots of Prima goodies on this one. . .

 

I recently had the pleasure of playing around with some fun Lawn Fawn stamps.  Their stamps are absolutely adorable!!  Here's a card I made using the Bake Me a Cake set:

I love this set because there are different options for making birthday cakes, wedding cakes and even cupcakes.  Did someone say cupcakes??  Yum!

Thanks for stopping by!

A couple things to share . . .

I have lots of Prima and Creating Keepsakes projects I haven't yet shared here.  I'll be playing catch up over the next few weeks while I'm busy working on some upcoming projects and CHA booth work.   I'm very excited to see what new goodies Prima will be introducing for CHA this summer.  They never disappoint!

Here's a Prima layout I made based on this month's BAP.

Everything on this page is Prima except for this little mini bookplate.  I decided that I LOVE the size of the this tiny bookplate, but sadly it's made my Li'l Davis, which is no longer in business.  I have tons of larger bookplates, but this small size (about an 1.5 inches long and .5 of an inch tall) is perfect for small dates/ages and such.  If anyone knows of other manufacturers who make these teeny tiny metal bookplates, please let me know! 

I also want to tell you about an amazing event that I'm going to be teaching at here in Santa Monica, California in November, 2011:

Wouldn't it be wonderful to create projects while overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean?  This new event features a great line-up of introspective scrapbooking classes, talented teachers and wonderful sponsors (including Creating Keepsakes, Prima and American Crafts!).  Check out the CRAFT Beach Retreat site for more details.  Registration opens this Saturday, June 18th at 9am PST.  Space is very limited, so be sure and sign up early before it sells out!

Another year with Prima!

I'm so excited to share the news . . . I've been asked back for another year with Prima!!

Y'all know how much I love, love, love Prima, so being able to work with their gorgeous products for another term makes me very happy.   You can see the full Design Team announcement on the Prima blog.  Prima has chosen an amazingly talented international team for 2011-2012:

Sharon Laakkonen (DT Coordinator): http://sharonlaakkonen.blogspot.com/
Anna Dabrowski: http://tworzysko.blogspot.com
AnnaMarie Mondro: http://annamarie-mondro.blogspot.com/
Anna-Marie Wolniak: http://www.princi-made.blogspot.com/
Anne Jo Lexander: http://www.aniia.blogspot.com
Emeline Seet: http://www.scrapvilla.blogspot.com
Hege Lundquist: http://www.hegeal.blogspot.com/
Heidi Kelley: http://seesterk.blogspot.com/
Jamie Dougherty: http://www.jaylynnscraps.com/
Karola Witczak: http://www.karolakraftuje.blogspot.com/
Leslie Ashe: http://www.leslieashe.blogspot.com
Maiko Kosugi: http://maimaipiano.blogspot.com/
Marie-Nicolas Alliot: http://www.ma-ni.creation.over-blog.com
Stacey Young: http://www.staceyeyoung.blogspot.com
Steph Devlin: http://www.stephdevlin.typepad.com
Trina McClune:: http://www.trinamcclune.typepad.com
Trudi Harrison: http://www.scrappinwitht.blogspot.com/

Now please excuse me while I go finish doing my happy dance.