Tag Archives: planning projects

Wrangling in the Chips

Posted on by

0

That last post on what to do when getting ready for a crop has got me thinking about organization.  Actually, it has gotten me thinking more about organization–it has gotten me to DO something about it, which is an altogether different thing entirely.  While I really don’t think about myself as a sticker hoarder, I mean user, I am actually.  Case in point:

 

 

 

Ridiculous right?  But I’m guessing I’m not the only one out there organizing their stickers this way.  Hmmmm….

And so, I decided that I would find something that would work for me.  The thing is that organization, no matter how good it is, sometimes outgrows your collection of stuff.  I don’t often buy sticker letter and numbers, so this method works fine for me.  The important thing is to remember HOW your individual system works.  How do you create.  I mainly operate off of color, so my organization system, no matter what I am organizing, needs to be based around that.  Here is my miracle…I mean answer:

Isn’t it great?  The most important thing to make note of with this tote is not necessarily the built-in color system, which is fabulous, but the bottom of the tote.  You can’t really see it in this photo, but the BOTTOM of the tote e-x-p-a-n-d-s.  So key!!!  The result is that everything is laid out, organized, and easily accessible.

And now, I am so slim, so trim, and I have officially wrangled in the chips!

Necessity is the Mother of Invention…..and she’s cheap too!

Posted on by

1

It just hit me this morning….do I need to upgrade…again?

I was watching one of the latest scrapbooking presentations on HSN (which I watch very often) and they spent about half an hour on the newest Cricut Expression 2.  While I wasn’t surprised (I mean, when they start bringing down the price and having crazy deals on items like the previous Cricut you know something new is coming), I also wasn’t interested.

Don’t get me wrong.  I love new toys.  I don’t know any scrapbooker/crafter/cardmaker/artist/insert your title here that doesn’t love new toys.  And, how many blog posts or articles have your read about how crafters are going on a craft “diet” and/or are challenging themselves to use what’s already in their stash?  You don’t fool me.  I see that pack of paper that you had to have but haven’t opened yet.  That ink over there…I see it.  It’s still wrapped up.  And don’t even get me started on that set of dies, that pack of stamps, that…that..you know what you have! :)

I know because I do it too.  Yeah, I have an open cart on several online scrapbooking stores.  And while I have gotten really good at leaving something on the shelf in the store when I really wanted it or organizing my stash better so that I use what I already have, I do get weak from time to time.  At the top of my wish list this year? A new Silhouette SD.

I was really close to buying one last year, but I held off.  And I’m glad I did.  Know why?  If you didn’t know it already, there is a new and improved Silhouette machine called a Silhouette Cameo.  While I’m sure there are numerous upgrades, one of the most significant features that I notice is the fact that the Cameo will fit 12 x 12 paper.  While I mostly only purchase 12 x 12 paper, I don’t necessarily want to upgrade my choice or change how much I may have to spend to get a new machine.  However, after taking a look at the Silhouette website, it says that they are discontinuing the SD and have started shipping the Cameo this month.  Huh? So I have to automatically upgrade even if I don’t want to?  Of course, places like Amazon and other companies still have the SD for sale, but I guess that will be limited too. Oh my.

A little while back I decided to upgrade my original Cricut to an Expression.  It didn’t hurt that they had lowered the price and threw in a Gypsy that had several carts pre-loaded for almost no cost.  This was right around the time the Cricut Imagine came out, then the limited Anniversary edition, and now the CE2, and next year…who knows?  I suppose if you have an unlimited amount of disposable income (and space), the crafting world is your oyster and your wallet is always at the ready for the latest and greatest.  Maybe you can do that (and, bravo by the way) but I have to limit my inner shopaholic.

Back when I first got into scrapbooking I remember when everything I owned fit into one medium-sized tote.  I used to pull out a 4 foot folding table and scrap in front of the television.  Now my smallest bedroom holds all of my wares.  And back before I owned a Cricut or a Cuttlebug or a red Sizzix or a Big Shot, I remember making my own die cuts.  Yeah..that wasn’t a typo.  I made them.  As a matter of fact I remember going to the craft store, strolling the aisles thinking…”But what if I need a custom fill-in-the-blank-here for my page?” When I couldn’t find anything that would work on the page I was designing, I took a clue from the flowery patterned paper I was using.  I ended up hand-drawing a complementary flower die cut, colored it with colored pencils, added some journaling and adhered it to the page.  It was very nice if I do say so myself.  And I didn’t need a bug or a crank to help me cut it out. Decorative scissors anyone?

Don’t get me wrong.  I love, love, love my tools.  That’s what a good tool does, right?  It makes life easier.  But I don’t mind stretching my creativity sometimes and going back to what I enjoyed so much about scrapbooking when I started.  I have also sold or donated tools, materials and supplies to help me purge what I don’t need anymore (like the original Cricut).  It helps me save money and make room for the things I really, really have to have.

So does having access to all of these uber-fantastic tools help or hurt your creativity?  I think it all depends on how you use them, but I won’t speak for you.  What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting!

From One Newbie to Another: Ten Tips for Attending a Scrapbooking Convention

Posted on by

12

I did it!  I finally took some time out and attended a major scrapbooking event!

It was a busy week overall for me.  I had just gotten back from another conference for my “real” job and then poof!  I was off to spend time at the work I really love to do.

Because of my job, I knew that my time at the CKC would going to be limited.  However, with a game plan and a few pre-determined goals, I would make the best of my experience.  And now that I’m less of a newbie than I used to be, I would love to share some tips to help the less experienced get exactly what they want out of the time that they spend at a conference.

Gotta have Webster's and Graphic 45. Embellies by Crate Paper.

Tip 10: Begin with the End in Mind

What’s the point? What do you hope to get out of your time at your chosen event? While it may sound like it is easy to answer, there is a ton of things to do at an event like CKC.  Of course there’s lots of shopping and classes, but there are also demos and make-n-takes and cropping opportunities.  Sometimes your budget determines what you can really can take advantage of but the key is figuring out exactly what it is that you want to do.  Me? I wanted lots of crafty professional development.

Tip 9: Bring Provisions and Stake Out Necessities

What’s your plan for taking care of yourself between class time and shopping time?  If you decided to spend most of your time in classes like I did, it really doesn’t leave a lot of time for lunch.  For me that wasn’t a big deal–I rarely stop for lunch on a regular day–but for others, that’s an absolute non-negotiable.  While I wasn’t terribly hungry at the end of the day, having a snack or two would have been a good idea.  The hotel had plenty of water stations available, so that was a big help;  and, I tucked a jacket away in my bag which was a lifesaver in the chilly classrooms.  But if you need to use elevators or often need bathroom breaks, then you should absolutely find out where these facilities exist before you get your day started.  When in doubt, ask a fellow participant or consult the information desk.

Tip 8: Mind the Gap

In preparing to depart, you should know all the finer details of what lies ahead.  For example, since this event is about an hour and half away from my home and I planned to drive, so I was prepared to spend the extra money in gas.  But, I had no idea that I would be spending almost $20 total in tolls.  (I was expecting about half that amount.)  I did, however, take time to read the fine print that is provided when you register for the event and I knew beforehand that I couldn’t take my rolling cart onto the main shopping floor.  I also had to make sure my laptop was fully charged for my Adobe Photoshop Elements class because I may not have had access to an electrical outlet.  And even though I wasn’t enrolled in a traditional scrapabooking class, I was glad when I bought my basic kit to my Copics class because I needed ink and adhesive.  It always pays to read the fine print. (I sound like a commercial…HA!)

Some cute clear stamps and a CD of digi templates

Tip 7: Create a Game Plan

Here’s where you really get to personalize your experience.  Once you figure out exactly what your schedule will look like, the next thing to review is a list of the vendors.  While many of the vendors may be local to the area, large events will draw quite the gamut of sellers.  Some vendors have only one product to sell you; others have a little bit of everything.  If you already know what you are looking for, then you can focus on where exactly you want to go and maximize your time.  It is also a great opportunity to get up close and personal with a national company.  Or, you can get finally get a first-hand look at those new product lines you’ve been eying.

The New Authentique Line

October Afternoon's Rocket Age

Tip 6: Don’t Forget the Extras!

Lots of vendors will have demonstrations throughout the day and some have craft stations where you can try some of their products or simply get inky or glittery.  However, the most fun are all the raffles.  I think I spotted about 15 – 20 or so different giveaways going on all at once! And if your are lucky enough to stay towards the end of the event, lots of vendors put things on sale just to help product move out the door.  If you’ve been eying something, a motivated seller might be willing to make a deal. You could walk away winning something for nothing or getting something for half price.

Tip 5: Make Friends!

Besides the classes, I have been wanting to make more crafty friends, especially ones that live nearby that I can crop or attend events with.  So one of my other reasons for going to the convention was to connect to people.  I had only been there 10 minutes and I introduced myself to a couple of ladies in a booth shopping.  We all were interested in some unique clear stamps. (Yes I bought a few….HA!)

There really is such a camaraderie in this industry and if you’re into sharing the love of this craft, then it will be super easy to make friends.  If nothing else, it’s nice to be around others who “speak your language.” Isn’t that so refreshing? I don’t have any other scrapbookers in my family and friends circle, so although they appreciate my affection, they can’t really relate.  Nor can they understand why I have to buy that new trimmer, or ribbon, or pen, or cutting mat, or polka dot paper or…..you get the point. But I digress…

This is also a good time to have a few business cards on hand.  It actually doesn’t matter what they look like really, they just need to have your contact information on them.  (Although I have updated cards, I only remembered to bring older ones–doh!–but they still worked.) And in my second Copics class, I made good use of the them–one for the teacher and one for Julie who sat next to me in class.  We had a great few hours in class together and now I have someone to meet up again with next year.

Tip 4: Stay Awhile

Because of my “real” job, I didn’t spend as nearly as much time at the conference as I wanted or really needed to.  In the one day I attended, I took three classes and had very little time to do anything else.  I did get to do some shopping….

Ink, paper and stamps from Studio Calico.

Stamps and dies from Clear and Simple Stamps.

but there was a lot that I couldn’t take advantage of.  While I met my goals for the day, next year I hope to return and spend at least one more full day at the conference.  That way I can maybe spend one day in classes and another day on the main floor.  The other reason why this might be a good idea is because since we weren’t allowed to bring rolling totes onto the main floor, I ended up carrying my class supplies and anything else that I either purchased or was given on my shoulder…all day.  And even though I went out to my car once to drop some stuff off, my shoulder is killing me today.  Ouch!

Tip 3: Bring a Camera

This little tip might be the best of all.  I brought my camera, almost as an afterthought, but it came in handy in several ways.  I took pictures of samples,

Copic class samples

and a quick picture with Vee Jennings, a member of Studio Calico’s amazing design team,

and generally got some visual insight into what people are crafting these days.  Your camera will remember long after you forget.  And remember, inspiration is always free.

Tip 2: Expect the Unexpected

Remember that tip about reviewing the vendor list? While I wasn’t surprised about many of the vendors, I was surprised that there would be a few direct marketing-sellers like Close to My Heart on the main floor.  If you are a loyal customers of CTMH, then you can stock up on your favorite supplies.  I spent time shopping at a vendor that sold nothing but Spellbinders dies and accessories and another that sold only Fiskars products.  There were vendors that only sold pre-assembled page kits and laser die-cuts.  One vendor only sold software–all of the product was nothing more than a medium-size bin of CDs. One of the more interesting booths was for Scrapbuck, which boasts selling products for as low as a buck.  Think of it as a dollar store for scrapbooking supplies.  Kinda genius…

Tip 1: Everything is not for Everybody

Or in other words, if it isn’t fun, then why do it?  There is a lot to do but that doesn’t mean that you have to do everything.  So pick and choose what you end up doing. At the end of the day although I was exhausted from the driving and the walking and the hauling, I had a fantastic time.  I left feeling fulfilled and happy.  The energy was great.  The people were fabulous.  And so yes, I had fun.  So. much. fun.  And while everything isn’t for everybody, I will definitely be going again next year.

So what are you waiting for? :)

Programs, Pins and Pinstripes

Posted on by

0

June has been a busy month, but I don’t think that it’s been any more busy for me than anyone else.  Lots of brides and dads, lots of beautiful flowers (and the pollen that goes with it…) and I’ve been dealing with all of it.

First things first–my wonderful younger brother got married yesterday so I have a brand new sister-in-law! I’m very excited about everything, but more than that, I’m just so supportive of my brother and his new bride. They are both beautiful people and I wish them much deserved happiness.

As most young couples planning a wedding, money only goes a short way.  My gift to them was to create their invitations (with all the needed extras) as well as programs for the wedding and a few other little things that they wanted.  This process in creating each handmade, hand-stamped piece of paper was tedious and intricate but it was worth it–because I could stamp a little love on each piece.

Here are the things that I learned in creating custom invitations, etc.:

  • It is important to remember to keep the overall design simple, because you will have to replicate it at least a hundred times
  • While the bride (and maybe the groom) may ask for lots of different things, you have to consider the cost and effort it will take to make good on the request (let your gut be your guide; luckily for me, my new SIL made things very easy)
  • If costs are a consideration, explore various sizes for your final design; calculate how many different pieces can you get out of one 12×12 sheet of cardstock or paper
  • Simple touches go a long way so use items like ribbon and embossing powder as extensively as possible
  • Make sure you have enough to go around–if you are doing a lot of printing, for example, you will probably need a few cartridges of ink to get everything covered
  • Don’t forget your calling card!  Negotiate where you can place your brand.  Perhaps you can make your business cards available at a reception or you could include a small, tasteful business stamp somewhere on the product.

At the end of the day, you should attempt to deliver your client’s vision before promised and at or below budget.  Luckily for my brother and his new bride, I was able to deliver to their satisfaction!

I was able to personalize these programs with the same ribbon that I used on the original invitation, I used the same plum-colored paper from The Paper Source, and I embossed the feather stamp with the same color embossing powder that was used on the other materials.

While I definitely helped behind the scenes, I chose let my son, who acted as the ring bearer, take the spotlight.  However, I thought that it was important dress myself appropriately and stay close to the color scheme of the wedding.  So I pulled an oldie-but-goodie from the closet (we won’t talk about what it took to actually get into this frock!) and jazzed up my accessories, namely my hair.  I am not the type of girl to fuss for hours in a salon, although I did spend some time in one getting ready for the wedding.  And… I did want to get myself as primped as possible because I know that it will probably be a long time before I spend that much time and attention solely on myself.  To that end, I decided to make some special hairpins using some hot glue and a few flower picks from the local craft store. The result?

A very simple but pretty adornment that looked effortless to create.  I didn’t take the time count how many I made, but I suppose it was about 30 or so and it only took me about an hour after I got going.  With these beautiful hydrangea petals, I wanted to use the color of my dress to complement the lavender/purple theme of the wedding.  These were pretty simple to create:

  1. Before purchasing, look at how the petals are attached to the pick; they should be easy to remove
  2. Choose what you think you will need, but add another pick or two–it’s better to be safe than sorry!
  3. Choose a good, quality pin that is the right type and color for your hair
  4. Once you remove the petal from the stem, figure out the best way to glue it onto the pin. I removed the individual petals and then cut a small piece of the original attachment to get the flattest surface possible.
  5. Once your glue is ready to go, try to attach the petals using a couple of different methods and see which one seems to hold up the best.
  6. Allow adequate drying time, but if you are using hot glue this shouldn’t take long at all.
  7. Pin to your hair as desired and get beautified!

I was trying to think how else to use this pins after I got home. They could make pretty bookmarks, don’t you think? :)

Last but not least, as part of my continued commitment to the Glue Dots team, I created this pinstriped-project just for dear old Dad:

The hardest and longest part of this quick craft was getting the die cut letters cut out.  With the help of my Cricut, it didn’t take me long at all.  Once you’ve got the letters cut and adhered with Glue Dots, you simply use whatever size Glue Dots that you like to decorate the letters.  In this case, I used some to help adhere metal beads.  You could also use glitter or confetti dots or anything else that you would like and simply press down on the Glue Dot to make sure that it stays.  Add your magnets and voila…and instant surprise for dad to find!

There you have it. I told you I was busy!

A New Adventure

Posted on by

0

 

And so it begins….a new adventure.

I’ve recently been certified as a SDU instructor for EK Success and I’ll be working in one of my local Michaels stores as their scrapbooking teacher.  I’m very, very excited about the opportunity and it has shown up as something quite unexpected.

I learned that EK Success had been advertising for new SDU instructors through one of the many message boards that I follow. (Other scrapbookers are always the BEST source of information!) I put in an application online awhile back. (It was so long ago that I even forgot that I did it.)  Then one day, lo and behold, I checked my email and there it was–an invitation to join the team.

For any of you that are interested, it was a fairly easy process.  I think that the most important thing that they were looking for was for an applicant to have some experience with papercrafts.  One of my new co-workers asked me where I had worked before.  It felt a little strange to admit that I really never taught classes before, although I had some very limited experience when I worked as a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator.  Needless to say, this was all new to me and I had to hit the ground running.

While I could give you a play-by-play of my first demo this past weekend, the only thing that I truly would like to relay is that it didn’t feel like work.  At all.

I’ve heard about this sort of thing, work that doesn’t really seem like work. Like getting paid is a bonus.  And honestly, that’s what it felt like.  Well that, and a little like I was on Top Chef during the Quickfire Challenge.  I only had a limited number of supplies to work with and I had to create a project and some examples of what people could learn in my class pretty much right on the spot.  So I did like any good chef would do–I started with a gameplan, a familiar recipe, and embellished from there.  I was really proud of myself!

That being said, unless I come into some serious comeuppance, I won’t be leaving my real life anytime soon.  But it’s nice to dream.  And it is even better taking on a new adventure. We’ll see where it takes me!

Spooks, Treats and Tricks

Posted on by

1

 

So tell me, does this little box hold tricks or treats?  While the answer is ultimately your decision, I can show you how easy this project is to make.  Here is a list of what you will need:

One unfinished wooden box (found at any craft store)
Basic Grey’s Eerie collection paper
Black cardstock
Acrylic paint (Purple, Black)
Distress ink (Black Soot)
Alcohol ink (Caramel)
Distress Stickles (Rock Candy)
Sizzix die cuts (Spooky House, Picket Fence)
Grungeboard die cut (Skeleton)
Acetate
Chipboard/cardboard
Glue Dots®
File (for distressing and finishing edges)

Instructions:
 
Paint the inside and outside of the box that will not be covered by paper. (This can be as much or as little as you would like.) Take measurements and using Glue Dots®, add paper to the sections of the box that you would like covered.
File edges and shade with distress ink. 

 

Punch out assorted die cuts with black cardstock and paint assorted chipboard/cardboard pieces; add Stickles for texture.  After drying, add the pieces as desired with Glue Dots®. (Note: Pop up Glue Dots® help add dimension.)

To create a “window” for the top of the box, decorate a chipboard/cardboard shape with alcohol ink (or distress ink) and attach it to a piece of acetate with mini Glue Dots®.  Attach the assembled window to the box with additional mini Glue Dots®.  NOTE:  My “window” was made with upcycled goods.  The pane was the leftover die cut from my son’s Memory card game and the acetate was leftover packaging from some acrylic stamps. 

Fill with treats or tricks!

A Stampin’ Up! Stamp Solution

Posted on by

3

I’m always looking for ways to better organize myself in my craft space.  I think that you have to depending upon how much stuff you have and your personal system for finding what you need when you need it.  While I’ve seen some really great products and great systems alike, the key to any great system is that it works for you.  My way of organizing may not be your way of organizing, and so on and so forth.  So finding what works for you should definitely be intuitive, but it is always nice if can be inexpensive as well.

There are many stores that are dedicated to nothing but helping you better organize your life in general and your craft space in specific.  Once you’ve got your buckets, baskets and bins, you’ve got to invest some time into actually purging, categorizing and organizing.  I did something this weekend that allowed me do just that–I created my own stamp inventory for all of my Stampin’ Up! stamps.

This isn’t revolutionary by any means, but it works for me and just maybe, it may work for you. For the record, I’ve seen several people (especially on YouTube) share their way of organizing their stamps.  And while this isn’t anything new, I think that my take on it may ultimately help you.

A few adaptations to note:

  • While I have other stamps, I decided to concentrate on my Stampin’ Up! stamps because I already kept them separate (being a former demonstrator) and they come in sets in their own individual plastic cases
  • This method could work for ANY stamps, including cling and acrylic
  • This method could also work for any number of supplies like die cuts (ex. Sizzix), embossing folders, and punches (As a matter of fact, if I ever get the time to do this, I will inventory my entire room this way!)

The good news is that once you spend time getting this task done, it’s easy to maintain and to grow as your collection grows.  You can easily see what you already have (so that you don’t buy the same or similar items).  And when you’re ready to purge, you already know what you have on hand.  Ready? 

STEP ONE:  Gather your supplies. 

In this case I have my stamps, my old Stampin’ Up! catalogs, and some leftover garage sale stickers.  You don’t need garage sale stickers though.  You just need several copies of the same sticker. 

 

STEP TWO:  Set up your inventory system.

My system is very simple:  I use a 3 hole binder which I’ve already organized into several sections. (Since these are Stampin’ Up! stamps, I used their categories for my section labels:  “All Natural,” “Greetings,” “Elements,” etc.)  Since fewer stamps have seemingly been retired recently (this is just my observational opinion), I simply pulled out the page that featured my particular stamp set from past years’ catalogs and hole punched them right into my binder.

If you don’t have any old catalogs or if you’d rather not pull out pages from them, then you can copy the page and use that.  Or, if you are like me and have several sets that have yet to be mounted, you can scan/copy the page of labels or case cover (for the newer cling stamps) and use those.  Of course, making a scan or a copy of the actual stamp works too. 

By the way, other than organizing them into these sections, there was no rhyme or reason to my madness.  As you grow your collection, you could organize the pages by year or in alphabetical order.  You decide.

 

STEP THREE: Organize your stamps–your way.

In my case, I already had all of these shoebox-sized plastic bins.  You may not have bins at all because you just stack your stamps on shelves.  If that is the case, you can skip this step. (Or just assign a different color/style for every stamp set you have.)  But keeping them in small bins just makes it easy for me to get my hands on the ones I want when I want them.  However, I had no big decision to make as to which stamp sets went into which bins; I simply fit in as many as I could.  As a matter of fact, one of my shelves is full of some larger stamp sets that wouldn’t fit in a bin.

STEP FOUR:  Assign your stickers.

This is where you start to color-code your collection.  Since I had enough 50-cent stickers leftover for the six stamp sets in the bin, plus two more for the top and the side of the bin and at least one more for my inventory sheet, that’s what I used.  If you happen to have nine pink umbrella stickers, then use those.  It really doesn’t matter because it is not about the sticker, it is about the coding. 

STEP FIVE: Match up your assigned sticker to the location of the stamp set in your personal catalog.

This stamp set is located in my “Greetings” section and I’ve again used my 50-cent sticker on the image of the stamp set.  So while I can always just go into my containers and peruse my stamp collection, it will be much easier to go through my inventory, figure out which “Greetings” set I want to use and then grab the corresponding bin.

Stampin’ success!

PS If you wanted to completely forego using the inventory system altogether, you could just assign a color/style sticker to a section of stamp sets:  “Greetings” could be blue, “Elements” could be purple elephants, etc.  For those of you with extensive collections (congrats, by the way), this could be a simpler way of staying organized.