My "Scrappy Boxes"

Here's a picture of my 'Scrappy Boxes' that I created and built...

New Crop House in Cascade!

I've been looking for places to hold crops and there's a new crop house in Cascade, Maryland that's open! I met the owner last night at one of my card parties and I'm definately going to hold a crop there! Take a look at their website at:


http://www.mymemoriesinthemaking.net/

Here's a picture of the house!

Great Deals on Scrapbooking Supplies!

I've found an unlikely place that has great deals on scrapbooking supplies!  They have a wide variety and lower prices on most items than most of the other online stores that I've found.  Also, if you purchase $100 or more, you can get free shipping!

http://www.ritzcamera.com/scrapbooking.htm

I've been published!

I recently submitted my post from here entitled "How to Pack for a Scrapbooking Crop" to Ezinearticles.com.  They published my article and it has been picked up and re-published on Cool Craft Sites!

Here's the link:

http://www.coolcraftsites.com/2010/scrapbooking/packing-for-a-scrapbooking-crop/

Really neat system!

Last year a few of my friends went to the Scrapbook Convention in Virginia and came back with a neat system that's called "It's a Grid Thing".  I just found a post by Tami Potter that shows how to use the system.  Here's the link to that page:

Tami Potter's Blog Post - "How do I"

Two more photos of Mt. Aetna Retreat Center.

This is where we will be having our crop during the March 12-14 weekend!

New Toy!

I'm so excited that my new Spellbinders Wizard arrived in the mail!  I'm looking forward to playing with it over the next millenium and I really wish that Stampin' Up would sell the Wizard instead of the Big Shot.  The Spellbinder Dies are exquisite!

I've spent a lot of time researching all of the die cut machines and the Wizard is by far the best thing on the market!  So...  I'm saying 'bye bye' to my cuttlebug!

You Can't Take It With You... Or Can You? Or Better Yet, Should You?

Yes, I'm talking about the age old question about what to pack for a scrapbooking crop!  I seem to be getting better and better and taking less and less with me to an all day crop -- but I feel that I could do so much better.  So, I'm not only typing this to help you with my organizational skills, I'm hoping that it will help me plan for my next all day crop.

Try to get back to the basics.  How many pages can you get done during an all day crop?  Do you want to actually FINISH the page or would it pain you too much to have to finish it at home?  Do you have a scrap-room (like I do) to finish your pages at home?

Here are some of the basics that you will need to remember:

1.  Your PHOTOS!  (Don't do what I did one time and leave home without your photos!)
2.  Adhesive
3.  Paper trimmer and scissors
4.  Markers and/or pens
5.  Paper
6.  Embellishments

One thing you may want to do is put together "page kits".  If you take the time to put together page kits during 15 minute blocks of time at home, it will help you be more organized and get more done when you sit down at the crop.  You will also end up bringing less to a crop because you won't be bringing all of your paper and all of your embellishments.

For my page kits, I use Page Planners by Cropper Hopper that were designed for that -- you can get them in your local scrapbook store.   You could also get the huge ziplock bags that are big enough for your 12x12 paper to fit into.  If you take 10-15 minutes a day or every couple days to put these together, you will end up with enough page kits to bring with you to a crop.  I developed my own planner page to put with each kit so that I know what I planned for each page.  You will put the papers you want to use, stickers, embellishments, photos and go ahead and cut out your die cuts ahead of time to put in your page kits.

Of course, if you don't have time to make up your page kits, you could just bring everything with you!  I hope my suggestions above will help save you time and get you a little more organized.

Happy Scrapping!

Just something fun...

Author Unknown

"Twas the month after Christmas,
and all through the house,
Nothing would fit me,
not even a blouse.

The cookies I'd nibbled,
the chocolate I'd taste
At the holiday parties
had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales
there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store
(less a walk than a lumber),
I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,
The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese
And the way I'd never said, 'No thank you, please.'

As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt...
I said to myself, as I only can,
'You can spend a winter, disguised as a man!'

So, away with the last of the sour cream dip.
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip.
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
Till all the additional ounces have vanished.

I won't have a cookie, not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.
I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie.
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore...
But isn't that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good diet."

New Crops Posted

I've posted some new crops!  They can be found at:

www.meetup.com/scrapbookers

Clear Mount Stamps!

Clear Mount Stamps are now available!  Now you have a choice!

Enjoy the same high-quality rubber and foam you've grown to love on our wood-mount stamps in a new clear-mount stamp option! Like our wood-mount stamps, clear-mount stamps are also die-cut, which makes it easy to start stamping right away. Each of our clear-mount stamp sets comes in a handy storage case about the size of a typical DVD case- which makes storing stamps a cinch! Most of the stamps in the new occasions mini catalog have the option for you to chose clear or wood mount.


Happy stampin' with your choice of clear or wood mount stamps!

Click here to shop for Clear Mount Stamps