Go Vintage with My Mind's Eye Bella Bella

I had a couple of special vintage photos that I knew would work beautifully with these papers.

My favorite was the photo of my mom having a slumber party with her girlfriends in 1963-- so cute! I added to the great Bella Bella papers and accessory sheet and with the vintage photo as well as vintage lace, newspaper and wall paper (we actually tore some off the wall!). I used Liquid Pearls to glam it up a little, and contrasted that with inking and tearing some edges to keep the aged look. This page was so fun to do!

I also got to create a page with a couple of photos of my dad when he returned from Navy Basic Training in 1970. Here I used some of the Laundry Line paper that is glittered and the Paperie Mocha shimmer alpha stickers by Making Memories.

Lastly, a card. I've decided to use some photos on cards. This one is an engagement photo of my maternal grandparents. I plan to send the card to one of my family members on their anniversary to honor the 50+ years that my grandparents were married and encourage my family as they strive for long and successful marriages too.

How would you like to use some of the vintage photos you have?

News from Memory Mixer

Hey there... are you still considering purchasing Memory Mixer? Well, here's a few more exciting things about the product that may help you with your decision.

1. They've upgraded! There is now a Version 3 of Memory Mixer with several fun new features.

2. Still not sure if you'd like it? Well, according to their website, they'll soon be offering a 30 day free trial!

3. Wondering about the product lines they sell? They recently teamed up with My Minds Eye, so now you can get several of their paper lines (just like the ones sold at Paper Pals) in a digital format. Pretty cool! Here's a couple examples of the QuickMix pages they create for you:


You can also purchase the lines just like you would at the store as 12x12 pages and embellishments. They currently have the lines Bella, Bliss and Boulevard.

You should check it out!

Carolee's Creation Fern Line

This line is by far one of the easiest lines of paper that I have ever used. I love Carolee's Creation and was a little worried when I was looking for ideas and only found 1 layout and no card ideas because if you know me I am a scrap lifter but it didn't matter. All the paper and the sticker sheet just went so well together that it was a snap to do. I think it literally took me an hour to do 5 cards and the layout. So if you are that type of person who loves fast and easy you better go down to the store today and get some of this before it is all gone. I also love the stickers because when you first put them on if they aren't exactly where you want them they come up very easily. Owls are definitely a trend this season so if you are also a person that likes to stay with the trends then this paper is for you or if you just love cute paper then go and buy some because it is very cute.

new Delight by Fancy Pants Designs

Oh those designers at Fancy Pants Designs...they always have something so fabulously wonderful to assist us in our creative pursuits! Add to it Ali Edwards new stamps for Technique Tuesday and you have a "delightful" pairing!

The new Delight line by Nancie Rowe Janitz was great to play with for these layouts and cards. While the papers are in, the accessories and embellishments are still on their way. To embellish these layouts and cards, I turned to my "stash" of ribbons and Creative Cafe felt flowers and chip embellies. The colors are marvelous together and this allowed me to use "something old and something new".

Technique Tuesday stamps are fantastic anyway, but now they have Ali Edwards on board? This is so awesome!

Special techniques or things to note on these layouts:

• Journaling on transparency is so easy
• After you stamp (or write) on your cards/layouts, you can always go over them with Stickles for a little pizazz!
• Add flair to the paper itself (see flowers in layout #1) with Stickles!
• You can embellish any paper by using Diamond Glaze or Glossy Accents (by Inksentials) on it... (layout #2)

What can you create with this paper, stamps and your stash?

Enjoy!

Anita

Time for Another Design Team Call!

Wow! We can't believe 6 months has already gone by! We sure hope you all LOVE our current Design Team as much as we did! But, it is that time again to open up our Design Team to Paper Pals that would like to apply. Remember - current members can re-apply!

So WHO are we looking for?

We are looking for inspiring designers who are creative, ambitious, and love a challenge.

We are looking for designers who can display the following:

- Open communication skills
- Unique individual style
- Teamwork and cooperation
- Participate on the DT blog by posting work and comments
- Can take photos of all work and submit it to the blog
- Ability to work within deadlines and under pressure


How Do you Apply?

Submit the following:
1. 2 or 3 of your favorite layouts that you feel best showcase your style
2. 1 altered item, home decor item, or mini book.
3. 2-3 cards that you feel best showcase your style

All samples must have your name printed on the back. Submit samples to us between March 16 -March 31.

The Fine Print:

The Design Team term will run for six months: April 2009 - September 2009. Design Team members will be notified the first week of April.

If you have questions please contact us at the store 509-332-0407.

Angel Wings Book by Kaiser Kraft

Deb does the most amazing job with mini books! She took the angel wing board book from Kaiser & paper from My Minds Eye and turned it into this treasure! Stop into the store to touch and see this book in person! We have lots of the books to sell and you can make one for yourself!

Amplified by American Crafts

"The Color of Memories" is American Crafts' slogan... and that it is! The Amplified paper line takes me back to the great 80s. The specific paper names are Breakdancing, Cassette, and New Wave. Isn't that just fun?

It also took me back to last Easter-- of which I had photos but not layouts. That's been fixed! Here's three different layouts I created with this line of papers.

I used a couple of the "remarks" journaling stickers that match this paper line and had fun duplicating some journaling block sticker doodles up under the title at the top. I'm learning to love doodling on my layouts.

On this second layout I used filing label stickers as masks. I painted over them, removed them, and then had some great little journaling spots. This is just another way to use things you have sitting around the house. The "cassette" striped paper has the fantastic subtle varnish on it, so I mimicked it by using diamond glaze to put polka dots on the title lettering and around the journaling blocks too.

This last layout includes paint stamping (I used a glue stick lid to make the little circle stamps) and the use of Liquid Pearls (you can find it near the Stickles at the store). I think the pearl look really made the ampersand and the butterfly wings stand out nicely.

I may have to purchase this fun line of papers for a second go-round and scrap some of my classic 80's photos from high school. Those photos, however, will not be posted here for your entertainment! :)

New My Minds Eye - Bella Bella

Deb created these amazing layouts with the NEW My Minds Eye Bella Bella Line - you have to see these in person - my photos do not do them justice!

Graphic 45 Creations by Wendy

I just LOVE what Wendy did with the New Fasionista Line from Graphic 45 - this is only a small sample of all the project she made with this vintage paper!

New Flower Patch by Making Memories

Making Memories has done it again with their Flower Patch line! Once again, with a few pieces of paper, some of the matching embellishments, sticker letters (or stamps) and a little bit of innovation, you can create layouts and cards that work well for Easter or spring in general. Some of the papers remind me of heritage themes or perhaps even weddings.

Special Techniques I used:

• a photo collage from Picasa (free photo editing and organizaing program...www.picasa.com)
• stickles over sticker letters for a little extra flair
• diamond glaze and ultra fine glitter over sticker letters for a little different flair
• "chalk" the page with ColorBox chalk/ink to make it look messy (like the dyed fingers in the photo)
• staple the ribbon...really stapling is OK
• trim the rounded scalloped edge off of the round piece to "boy-ize" it
• cut the pre-formed journaling card to fit your page and a whole new look
• salvage the scraps!

Take a look at these ideas for starters, but then head in to Paper Pals...there are many more patterns in this line, some more Easter-y, others just springy, still others, even more versatile...all are beautiful!

Enjoy!

Anita

Making Memories Love Notes!

Fun Layouts using the NEW Making Memories Love Notes Line! Great job Deb!

We R Memory Keepers - Heart Attack!

This paper was fun to make cards with and made a really quick, easy layout for a page. I used a little bit of white card stock for my journaling and a piece of red rick rack. I really liked how the paper has four different squares of color on the flip side. It was like having four different papers to embellish with. Fun stuff for Valentines, go check out all the cute things at the store!

Design Team Show & Tell

What you share on the PPDT blog is probably just the tip of a great big crafty iceberg. What have you been working on lately? It's time for Show and Tell!

I love making these fun and easy paper topiaries. I made several for Easter gifts last year, many as ornaments for our Christmas tree, and now this one for the February display at Paper Pals! You can find a pattern for them at Heather Bailey's blog, www.hellomynameisheather.com

I love this paper line because it has blues and black as part of the color scheme...a new twist on Valentine's paper!

This Paper is Just Dreamy {2}!

My most recent layout for the store was inspired from a variety of places... and the ideas were pulled together using products from My Mind's Eye in their "Just Dreamy 2" line. Isn't this line just lucious?
My inspirations:

1. My daughter's friendship with her friend Max. They're so dang cute together! And when I overheard their cute conversation I couldn't help but journal it.

2. A template design from the January issue of Creating Keepsakes (p. 41). I went with variation 3 by stretching it across 2 pages the way Cindy Tobey did in the magazine example. Hers was 8.5x11, mine is a 12x12. I re-created the template in Memory Mixer, so my page is hybrid. The photos and journaling block were created and printed using Memory Mixer software.

If you go to my blog, you can also see a different layout I created with the same template in Jessica Sprague's initial version. Here's a sneak peek: (And yes... that's bubble wrap you see!)

3.A valentines themed layout with paper not specifically created for the Feb. 14 holiday. I like to "break the rules". I'm also making a mini-book of the same photos and journaling to give to Max as a valentines gift.

What's inspired you recently?

Designer Kit - by Deb

Baby Shower-- Monkey Style!

I created these fun little centerpieces for my sister's upcoming baby shower. We'll have 6 tables of guests, so I wanted something fun (yet practical) for each table.

I was inspired by Noel Culbertson (Creating Keepsakes top 10 SOY in 2007) who did a monkey themed shower and posted it on her blog a few months ago... wow. Her decor was incredible!

I'm keeping mine simple with these mini-diaper cakes-- I used 5 or 6 newborn diapers for each cake. I wrapped them in Bazzill cardstock, brown satin ribbon, yellow velvet ric rak, and used a paint dabber for the polkadots. I cut bananas (freehand)from Bazzill swiss dot paper (LOVE that stuff).

My monkey head came from a template on the Martha Stewart web site-- I also used Bazzill papers for my monkey faces, and a popsicle stick to hold them up in the diaper roll.

These little guys were a hoot to make!
You can see more of my stuff on my personal blog, Mom-e-Memoirs.

Memory Mixer Layout with Video

I've been playing with Memory Mixer digital scrapbooking software a little more and wanted to share with you more of the features available with the program. They're a lot of fun!

The feature I'll share today is the ability to add video to your layouts. When you create a digital layout you can add a "hot spot" to the page and when someone clicks on it, they can watch your video link! The best way to share this would be via DVD, but since I can't send a DVD to each of you I created a video of my project via YouTube. You can see how the layout (it's not very good quality on YouTube) and the video are linked. This is a great way to share more of your story with something beyond still photos.

Check in again sometime (or visit the store) to see more great features of Memory Mixer software.

New Basic Grey-Bittersweet Line

Oh how I do love Basic Grey...this company constantly amazes me and I am so thankful that Karen & Shauna love it too and keep us all stocked in the latest and greatest lines. This line, Bittersweet, is so fantastic, with lovely colors of brown, crimson, tan, pink in a delightful mixture of patterns that work really well together. The line is perfect for love/Valentine themes, but the color scheme and patterns could really work for so much more than that! I intentially created very simple layouts here that by using the line's accompanying "sticker" sheet and a little ribbon you can pull together layouts, cards and home decor items in a flash!

See what I mean?

As always, I turn to my "scraps" to make cards. I love playing with unusual shapes and sizes. The photos below don't show it, but I also used Diamond Glaze, Stickles and some fine glitter on these cards.

KI Memories and Bazzill team up for whimsical kit

How could I not love to create a kit using such wonderfully versatile and playfully whimsical colors and patterns as you'll find in this kit? KI Memories can always "bring it" and paired with Bazzill paper and embellishments, a lovely Butterfly overlay and cute button brads, you're sure to be able to create something you'll love with this kit.

I created 2 12 x 12 layouts and four cards for this kit, but trust me...you'll probably be able to stretch your "scraps" even further! the contents of this kit are generous!! The layouts were designed to create either two stand alone layouts or a double page spread.

The first layout, Thank Goodness I'm becoming more like my Mother may not appeal to everyone, so I included another journaling prompt/quote about sisters. So, you can create a layout like mine, or one about sisters (perhaps your own, your Mom and hers, grandmother, sorority sisters, etc). The second layout, Some of the Best Lessons are Learned from Kids, is designed for anyone that knows or has kids in their life (perhaps your own, your neighbors, your niece/nephew, etc.) Or, of course, choose not to use either of the journaling prompts and come up with something totally your own!

Finally, the cards are literally unusual shapes and sizes with fun "bits" of the other papers that I created from my "scraps"...a great way to use your supplies and make sure the trees that made their way into our stash get used beautifully!

I hope you enjoy the kit as much as I enjoyed creating it!
Anita

Mini Book Designer Kit

New Kits from Paper Pals! What a fun idea! I love the kit I was given to make. It has some really beautiful textured card stock, really cool Hambly rub-ons, white chipboard circle frames, some pretty border stickers, a very chic bird accent and a acrylic piece. There are so many possibilities with this kit and it is nice to be able to get everything all ready to go at a great price. I made a little book with my kit.

A pocket page with tags.

There were so many circles in the package that could be used on other pages or books or even cards.

I used the rub-ons all over my book, I put one on the acrylic and made it my cover. There are only Three of these kits still left at the store so you better hurry if you want one! Thanks for the great ideas Karen and Shawna!