About Memories & More

Blogging for Scrapbookers & a little something extra

I'm taking an online class called "Blogging For Scrapbookers".  We have prompts each day of something to blog or to scrapbook...or sometimes both.  I'm already 3 days behind....so here's prompt one.  My intention for this class is to become a better blogger & a better scrapbooker.  I'd really like to be better at incorporating things that my customers want to see with things my family & friends want to see.  That may be a tough bill to fill...but that's what I'm after.

I made this page today specifically for this photo.  They are little Fuji Instax photos that I took on Halloween & I really wanted to use them.  I took a piece of white cardstock and a piece of die cut bat paper (from Creative Imaginations) and used a foam brush to sponge purple, green & black paint through the bat cut outs.  I mucked up the edges with my scissors & stapled some ribbon to the page.  The "frightful" font & the heart swishes are from Pink Paislee's Halloween line.  Then I traced some bats onto black cardstock & cut them out.  They're popped up with foam squares. 

I love this page!  You should see it in person!  If you're coming to the 30/30 Crop this Saturday (we have a few spaces left!), bring some Halloween photos & I'll show you how to make this page.  You'll need to bring:  2 sheets of 12 x 12 cardstock, one sheet of black 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock, some ribbon, a laser cut paper & an alphabet set that you love (or QuicKutz...whatever works for you!)  I'll supply the paint & together we'll make a fun page!

All Day Crops

We have All Day Crops once a month...typically the last Saturday of the month, well except this month because it's Halloween...and then November because of Thanksgiving...but you get the general idea.  Anyway, one of the perks to All Day Crops is the make-n-take.  It's always something new...always a single page layout...always cute!  This is the page they made this past weekend.  Love the paint on it.  It's still 'ol linear me, but I really like this one.  Hope you enjoy it, too! 

Maybe you can join us for our next All Day Crop?  Saturday, November 21st, 8 am to 5 pm...and this one is just $5 and is a potluck.  Nice way to try us out :)

(for the record, All Day Crops are usually 8 am to 8 pm & are $28 & include more food than you can possibly hope to consume in a day...plus the make-n-take...but the holiday months are a little...odd)

Cards

Recently, I made these two cards for a customer.  She's normally someone who would make them for herself, but the past 4 months have been a bit of a trial.  In & out of the hospital...and now finally on the mend.  They're for her doctor & her favorite nurse.  I used October Afternoon papers because I'm a bit obsessed with them. 

Enjoy, Terri!

Kelly Rae Inspiration

 

(Kelly Rae is to the left...that's Liz with her eyes shut...one of my favorite photos from the trip to Oregon)

I have a bit of an obsession with Kelly Rae Roberts.  Truth be told, she's why I chose to go to Oregon.  Now don't get me wrong, I had the most amazing time on my trip & had some life changing experiences...but meeting Kelly Rae was so...amazing!  Not only is she a gifted artist but she is a genuinely nice person.  She taught a class that just took my breath away...I painted these:

Aren't they adorable?  And I made them!  First time ever!  There are still some finishing touches to be done, but I love them!  (The color is better in person...)  But the best part was talking to Kelly Rae.  Can you imagine talking to someone you admire...face to face?  She's so real...

So anyway, I got this urge (thanks to Mindy's suggestion) to make a painting for the bathroom at the store.  Here's what I came up with:

 

Another Mindy (a new friend from my Oregon trip) is my inspiration for the birdie...I love her style!  Mindy's painting is amazing...hope you check out her link!

My next creation I'm gong to figure out how to incorporate photos into it.  Man, I am lovin' this form of creative expression.  From the paint on my hands...to the paint in my hair...I start working on these & just feel...free.

I've already been asked if I'll teach how to make these.  The short answer is...maybe.  When I learn to make the techniques uniquely mine, then yes, I'll think about it.  But I still have a lot to learn...so it might be a while.  But they'll still pop up from time to time...because I'm lovin' it!

NAU Merchandising Students

Every fall the NAU Visual Merchandising students come to our store for 6 weeks.  (They go to several other stores as well).  Each week a group of students creates a display.  This week's display is fantastic & we just had to share!

The students made that stunning fall leaf.  Scrapbook paper & the die cut machine...very cool!  Would look lovely hanging on my front door!

Halloween Goodies

I love Halloween...I'm sure that's not really a secret to anyone who knows me...so when my girlfriends did a fall exchange with our favorite treats, of course I had to make a jack-o-lantern.  I like to call him "Edward".  Because he's a vampire pumpkin...and he has cherry cordials for his treat (hard on the outside...all gooshy inside...bad joke...sorry!)

Audra made these delightful buckets (paint cans covered in pretty paper) & filled them with sugar cookie ghosts (just one per pail...and they were YUMMY!)

Renae made these cute little bags (we have the die cut at the store for the bag shape) & filled them with mint Oreo's...yum!

Kim made these whoopie pies & decorated them with an oak leaf die we have at the store...

And Mindy made the most adorable backpacks out of paper & filled them with treats, too!

All of these are fabulous ideas for treat holders for your family, friends, teachers, neighbors...whoever you'd like to give a little somethin' to.  I'm sure you can think of tons of thing to fill them with...I know we can! 

Paint the town red contest...

we came in 2nd & couldn't be more thrilled!  I know the gal who won first place...Brenda Silveus from Pioneer Title...and that girl rocks!  They decorated all of their building...windows, floors, walls, ceilings...they 100% deserve to win!  And you know, our display is pretty darn amazing, too! 

 

We'll leave it up for a few weeks...make sure you come by & check it out!  And if the Cardinals make it to the Super Bowl again, well, you'll see it again!

A little inspiration...

Here's another school photo of Kendall from the now nicely organized school photos binder!  Lovin' this page, too!  The photo is an 8x10, in case you were wondering, and it was taken in the spring of her 6th grade year.  It remains one of my favorite photos of her.

 

Her shirt says "I eat boys like you for breakfast".  The "flower" is just a strip of paper that I pleated outof my scrap paper...lately I'm inclined to use every bit of paper and not throw it in my scrap bin.  I used the Rebel line from Glitz Desins & I'm lovin' it!  Here's the flower a little closer:

 

The star brad was gold, which wouldn't do.  So I tapped it on my Versamark pad & dumped white embossing powder on it.  Heated it up & then quickly dunked it back in the white embossing powder & heated it up again...I'd recommend using pliars or long tweezers to hold the brad or you'll burn the heck out of your hand.  If your embellishments don't work as they come, then change them.  Enjoy!

 

Sneak Peek of our cool Cardinal's window!

The judging for the "Paint The Town Red" contest isn't until August 18th...so I'm not going to show you the whole window yet...wouldn't want to give away all our secrets (well, that & it's not quite done yet).  It's coming together very nicely! 

Like I said, not done yet....

My favorite part of the display is all of the handmade paper things my mom made.  This "burger", the "chips", the "salsa", the "pickle", "onion", & "lettuce" are all made out of cardstock.  Awesome, don't you think?

This made me laugh like mad when I made it.  I know, what a dork.  But it's a fan to cool yourself off....  ANYWAY, I have to take the coke bottles out of the window...turns out Pepsi is a sponsor of the contest...wouldn't want to hurt our chances!

I love to make bag toppers & fill goodie bags for parties.  Have been doing it for Kendall forever.  Maybe that's why she doesn't want a party...hmmmm....or it could be the pinata & sidewalk chalk? 

Paint the Town Red

Fridays during Cardinals Training Camp are fan days!  Wear your Cardinals shirt to the store today & get a 10% discount off your purchase.  Not bad for just wearing a shirt!

We're participating in the "Paint the town red" contest that the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce is putting on.  There are two categories...outside decor & inside decor.  We're doing inside decor & have been working on our display all week (takes a bit to craft all those bits of paper).  You're supposed to show your team spirit.  The Chamber is judging next week...winners will be announced August 17th.  While I can't tell you what we're doing yet, I can give you a sneak peek:

 

We want to win.  Bad.  Think we have a chance?