Have you heard about the latest line by SIMPLE STORIES!?!? It’s called “I {Heart} Summer” and it’s a new favorite! You can see the entire line HERE on the Simple Stories blog.
Here’s a layout **from the Simple Stories blog** to tease you:
Isn’t it lovely?
And did you know that Simple Stories has a new marketing director? It’s a name you may recognize from the scrapbooking industry: LAYLE KONCAR. {Pronounced like “Gail” with an “L”}
And she is ~ to quote the name of another SS line ~ AWESOME! I’ve seen her doing great outreach around the scrapbooking interwebs and I’m sure she’s doing more amazing things behind the scenes as well. For instance, check out THIS THREAD on the Two Peas message board. Isn’t that cool?
Speaking of how cool Layle is, look at what she sent me ~ a pre-release box of the new line, “I {Heart} Summer” !!!
THANKS LAYLE and SIMPLE STORIES!!! You rawk. Srsly.
Isn’t that amazing!?!? I was so excited to see this line in person. Believe you me, I unwrapped and fondled every stinkin’ piece, LOL. Let’s just say there was a lot of paper sniffing goin’ on in the hizzy ;)
Recently, I was fittin’ to scrapbook some photos from a weekend we spent at the beach. I wanted to get the photos and journaling in an album while the amazing weekend was still fresh in my mind.
But once I heard this pretty box was on it’s way to me, I put that project on hold sista’! I didn’t think on the surface that this line would be perfect for beach photos. It brought to mind more summer, picnic, BBQ, fishing, and swimming pool pages like these:
***LAYOUTS COURTESY OF SIMPLE STORIES BLOG***
But when I took a closer look at it, I realized how perfect it is for my beach weekend photos. There are images of surfboards, beach umbrella, “Beach” sign, sailboat, anchor, flip flops, clouds, fishies, and lots of distressed, beachy-looking wood. I can’t wait to start scrapping!
So do you {heart} this new Simple Stories line as much as I do? What are your favorite pieces? Do you have any photos in mind to use it with? I would love to hear your project ideas :)
PS: This line ships to vendors the week of 05-20-13. Of course, I would be really honored if you’d order through my MEMORY WORKS SITE. Once it’s in stock, you can find it HERE. Thank *U*
Adorable puffy stickers that will look super dooper cute in my PL?!?!?
Just when I thought I was being good and my CHA shopping tear was over and done. Then you show me this stuff?!?!? Tell you what: Why don’t I just send you my paycheck every month? Send me all you got, and then whatever $$ is leftover. Deal?
PS: If you let The Power of Washi overtake you – at Freckled Fawn or anywhere else – make sure to check out a FREE ONLINE CLASS coming up that’s all about washi! I mean, assuming you want to do something more with it than admire all the pretty colors in a glass bowl :)
Wanted to let you know that May’s FREE scrapinar (a no-cost event) by Lain Ehmann has been announced … and I’m pretty sure you’re gonna’ want to sign up :)
Monica Bradford, washi guru, will be joining Lain on 05-17-13. According to Lain, “Monica will wow you with her prowess as she wrangles her washi and makes it do her bidding. You’ll never look at washi the same way again!”
Here’s What You’ll Learn:
~ ALL NEW tips and techniques for using washi tape on your projects
~ How to incorporate popular trends using washi
~ How to create your own washi tape
~ Storage ideas for your rolls
~ And more!
Click here to learn more or sign-up for the FREE scrapinar! By clicking, you are not committing to anything. It just takes you to an info and sign up page – you can enter your e-mail address if you’d like to join in! If not, no worries. Just close the page :) Btw, don’t worry if you can’t make the exact class time. No prob. Lain will e-mail you a free replay after the event. Coolio.
I also wanted to mention that if you use the above link to sign up, you’ll be offered a coupon code to save $10.95 on Monica’s FIRST washi class called “Washi Tape Wahoo!” Whereas if you just go straight to that sign-up page, you’ll pay full price. No, no, noooooo …. we can’t have that! So use “the Free scrapinar” linkee above, girlie.
If you can’t wait until Friday 05-17-13 to get started learning and having fun with Monica, here’s one more link for ya’:
Monica Bradford is a fun and funny chick – as you can probably tell from her picture above. I love everything she does and I think you’ll enjoy her, too. And for such a low cost {ummm … FREE!}, you’d be kinda’ cray-cray to not at least check out the upcoming webinar “Washi Wahoo Too!”
I’m all signed up myself. See you there, my scrappy friend :)
As a scrap mag ho, I’ve been in serious withdrawal with the demise of most of the hard-copy scrapbooking magazines.
{Darn economy! Stupid Pinterest! Lame-o digital scrapbooking! LOL}
So I was very happy to discover a new online scrapbook magazine called “LIFE. PAPER. SCRAPBOOK.” It’s from those fab Aussies but features scrapbookers from all over the world.
I know, I know. You can thank me later. {I love Starbucks gift cards, Pashmina scarves, and turkey jerkey, in that order}.
Here is what they’re about, from the LPS website:
Life. Paper. Scrapbook is an Australian quarterly, online publication that is dedicated to showcasing designers from all around the world to inspire each other, explore current trends and techniques and most importantly to celebrate our love of scrapbooking and paper crafts. This is a place to share our style, designs and creations with like minded crafters from around the world.
“Life.Paper.Scrapbook” has it all, including:
New products
Mini albums
Traditional layouts
Info about featured scrappers
Project Life layouts (yeah!)
Just a few ads
and a simple yet lovely layout
What’s not to love? The first issue was 100 pages of pure yumminess. Next issue is scheduled for June 2013, with project submissions due by 05-31-13. Tick tock, get on that, would ya’? I expect to see some of my own peeps in there next time, mmm kay?
So go sit in the bath with your iPad and get all wrinkly while you check out this great new addition to your life.
I keep a running list of typos on scrapbooking products HERE. Sadly, it’s quite an extensive list :(
Today I have another addition … well, additions. Multiple. There are several typos on the MAMBI Project Life-type cards I blogged about HERE.
But the cool thing is: MAMBI has publicly acknowledged the mistakes and gone above and beyond to try and do right by us. To see what I’m talking about, read their blog post HERE.
In case you’re feeling lazy and don’t want to click over … {I know, exhausting, right?} … here is the important part:
To remedy this problem, we have corrected all the errors and they are all available here as free downloads. We have also included 4 exclusive cards available for free download. These cards are our way of saying, “OOPS”, please forgive us.
I can’t think of another instance where a scrapbook company has come out and acknowledged that they messed up. Much less issue printable corrections. Much less provide other free items.
Much less with such a sense of humor about the whole thing:
So all I have to say is … Good on ya’, MAMBI. Good on ya’.
As a scrapbook consultant for the best company on earth ~ MEMORY WORKS ~ this is one of my favorite times of year . . . when a new catalog comes out. Without further ado . . .
Click on the link and it will take you to a gorgeous color .pdf version of the Spring/Summer 2013 catalog. {Because of all the graphics, it can take a while to load}.
So grab your beverage of choice, get comfy, take your time, and savor all the scrapbooking goodness . . . ahhhhhh . . .
If nothing else, you have to click over and see the the cover – could it BE any cuter? I don’t think so.
In case you’re not familiar with Memory Works, we carry all the popular scrapbooking brands including:
Simple Stories and Sn@p!
In fact, the owners of Memory Works own these two lines as well ;)
If you’re a project lifer or pocket page scrapper like me, you can see the new line of Sn@p 6×8 and 12×12 leather albums and divided protectors with tons of options. Those items are brand new, due for release in late April/early May 2013.
Other brands are Basic Grey, My Minds Eye, Studio Calico, American Crafts/Dear Lizzy and Amy Tan, Lily Bee, Echo Park, and lots more.
MW also carries products like flowers, mists and masks, a washi tape dispenser, the popular WRMK envelope maker, bling, shadow boxes, adhesives, cardstock, and YES wood veneers! {<- my most recent obsession}
My shopping cart already holds the Sn@p 6×8 calendar pages, Carta Bella ‘So Noted’ line, and Echo Park ‘Perfect Summer’.
{I would have said Simple Stories ‘Urban Traveler’ and ‘Vintage Bliss’ but I already own much of those lines, lol!}
I hope you enjoy the new catalog! Please tell me what your favorite items are :) Most of these items are in stock HERE if you’re ready to shop or would like to see bigger photos.
PS: Pssst! If you look at the catalog and see pages 14 and 15, you’re going to get some VERY GOOD NEWS!! Check it, chica!
Here’s peek from the MAMBI site that gives a preview of what I’m talking about . . .
Yes, they are joining the ever popular trend of having a divided page protector, Project Life-type line and it’s called “Pocket Pages”. As a divided page protector scrapper and Project Lifer, I am very happy about this new development. I’ve always loved MAMBI’s happy, colorful, simple designs and have a bit of MAMBI (that’s short for Me and My Big Ideas) in my stash.
To make this development even better, the MAMBI “Pocket Pages” line will be carried @ Michaels! And as someone who has no Hobby Lobby, Archivers, Joann’s, or LSS, I mainly shop at Michaels. With COUPONS . . . hollah!
You can see the entire line of 3×4 and 4×6 cards HERE!!
I took the liberty of going to Michaels and taking some photos for you ;)
And on your behalf, I also bought {2} packs of the cards to start us off. There was a 50% off coupon that I used for us, too. All in the name of shopping research … hee! Here are the sets we got – they don’t have names that I could find so I made up my own:
SUMMER
We have a pool and live near the ocean so I have scads of photos to use these with. Happy!
SPORTS
Every kid I know plays sports and I love to take sports photos. Not to mention my love of MLB games and Spring Training. There are cards for soccer, baseball, and football. Another perfect match.
I love how on the back of the package they show each of the cards so you can see what you’re getting before you buy them :)
So the card packs retail for $4.99. You get {12} 4×6 cards with no repeats and {60} 3×4 cards with some repeats but not a lot. Some of the 3×4 cards are pattern-only like polka dots, grass, etc. No solids that I can remember. All of the cards have a reverse side of white with a light grey grid or swiss dots – so if you don’t have a use for the design, you can use the reverse side for journaling. The cardstock is of lighter weight – which I personally like because it makes for more pages within an album.
I’m pretty much in love with these cards and plan to buy just about every set over time with coupons. There are also the pocket pages (I already use WRMK and Becky Higgins Design A; not sure I want to introduce yet another style) and matching greeting card blanks. You just fold them in 1/2 and pop a 3×4 card on the front for a cute and quick card.
There are more at the link above – these are just 2 samples.
So there is my MAMBI @ Mike’s news and a review of their new product! Have you seen them at your Michaels yet? What sets have you bought or do you plan to buy?
As I’ve been posting and talking about signing up for LOAD 513 – aka Layout a Day May 2013 – I get this comment/question a lot:
“I want to do LOAD in May but that’s a reeeeaaallllyyyy busy month for me. What if I can’t join in much during the month but still want to be part of the fun?”
Well, the great news is you can still do this!
I took LOAD213 (this past February) and, as always seems to happen with me and online scrapbooking classes, after a week or so real life took over and I wasn’t able to complete all of the daily layouts (I got about half of them done and only because I had a retreat in February).
However, I still have access to a list of the daily prompts – with live links to the daily videos and transcripts. I can still look through the LOAD 213 gallery and be hugely inspired by all the layouts done by other 213 LOADees. And I can still read through the forums to see what challenges, questions, and insights came up for others.
It’s now April and I’m still using the LOAD 213 materials whenever I have time to sit down and scrap. Or even just dream about scrapping, like on the iPad at a sports practice, lol.
I wasn’t 100% sure I’d heard whether or not LOAD attendees have “forever access” to class content so I e-mailed to get a concrete answer, and here it is:
YES! They [attendees] have “forever access”. In fact, we send out a link to a master list with all the prompts, so it’s even one stop shopping when they are ready to tackle the challenges!
So there you go.
If the only thing holding you back from LOAD 513 is the fear that you can’t stay on top of it all month, please don’t let that be a worry. For any LOAD event you join, you have “forever access” to the content.
Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns about LOAD and I’ll address them. Hope to see you in May … even if just for a bit :)
After attending my first LOAD event in February 2013 – see my post HERE – I’m a true believer. It’s the BEST online scrapbooking event I’ve ever attended. Well, okay, it’s tied for 1st place with TRUE SCRAP :P
I wasn’t able to keep up with blogging about LOAD 213 (Feb ’13) but I did get tons of layouts done that month. They are some of my favorite layouts I’ve ever done. I think it’s a combination of the prompts received from Lain and the supportive community who makes you feel like your ideas are valid and appreciated.
The gallery is EXTREMELY active so even if you’re like me and not able to physically do a layout every day, you can at least collapse on the couch at the end of every day and marvel at the layouts posted by other LOADers. Inspiration station, baby! And the message board was LOADs of fun, too (har har).
It’s time for LOAD again in May 2013 – so this one is called LOAD 513.
It runs during the entire month of May and here is what you get if you join:
31 days of brand-new video prompts and lessons, guaranteed to bust you out of any scrapbooking rut, bring a smile to your face, and make your hair shine!
Exclusive message board for LOAD members only where you can connect and chat with the coolest scrappers on the Web!
Private gallery for our members where you share your daily creations, win prizes, and strut your stuff!
31 never-before-seen sample layouts!
Random surPRIZES, Hugh* sightings, and fun for all!
*Lain may or may not have a serious thang for Hugh Jackman … See why?
Participation is capped for all LOADs and there are only 50 spots left for this one – it’s a very popular event. The most awesome thing is that I have a special deal for you: $10 off the $50 price. Do the math: That’s only $1.29 a day for all the goodness listed above.
And after 31 days, how would it feel to have 31 layouts?!?!? I mean, that’s an entire album. A satisfying stack. A titling tower of layouts!
I’m a ScrapHappy.org member so I get all LOADs for free – I will be there! If I were you, I’d just go sign up for LOAD 513 right now. Because if you don’t, the end of April and them May 1st is going to be here, everyone will be talking about LOAD, you’ll get really jazzed about joining in … and it will be full.
Every LOAD has a theme. For the February session, it was ScrapHappy. This time it’s “Get a Clue! Investigating the Mysteries of Your Life.” Sounds like fun. I can’t wait to get started!
Speaking of which, there is no special prep you have to do for LOAD – no specific products to buy or pre-work to do. It would help to start May 1 with a clean desk and join the message board and gallery as soon as you sign up for LOAD. The message board actually gets hopping before the event starts. But that’s it! So if you need to make a big dent in your stash, LOAD is perfect for you. {Or if you need an excuse to scrapbook shop, we’ll encourage you there as well … bwahahahaha!}
Memory Works puts out 2 official catalogs per year – in the fall and spring. The next one is due in late March/early April and will feature a TON of items from the recent WINTER CHA show! But we don’t have to wait until a new catalog comes out to see and purchase the new goodies.
Nope. No sirreee Bob! Memory Works is awesome in that they add the new products to our websites as soon as they arrive in the warehouse. As of now, there is 1 vendor who is PROMPT sistah! I’m talking about My Minds Eye.
These first lines from CHA-Winter 2013 are now available on my MEMORY WORKS WEBSITE.
There are 6 new lines by MY MINDS EYE – Noteable, Memorable, Remarkable, Unforgettable, Boy Crazy, and My Girl. Here’s just a little taste of each one:
You can see all the new My Minds Eye items HERE. I’m so happy to see we have the ever-popular MME Enamel Dots, like these from “My Girl” and “Boy Crazy.” One of each, please!
These little dots are just perfect for adding accents to layouts. And I’m thinking their both going to look great in my PROJECT LIFE album using the SN@P! line. For Project Life, I’m always on the lookout for embellishments that will add a little texture without too much bulk, and visual interest without being too distracting. These are perfect!
And this time it’s on a product from my beloved SIMPLE STORIES!!
Clee over on Two Peas posted a photo of this amazing mini album she made for a friend using the Simple Stories SN@P! LINE. It wasn’t until she completed it that she noticed the typo on a journaling card:
Man, oh man. That’s not even something you can cover with an embellie or add another letter to fix, can you? I feel so bad for her. She says she’s contacted Simple Stories on their Facebook page to point out the error. It will be interesting to see if they compensate her in any way {hope so}.
Well, even though Simple Stories is my favorite line in the world, and as a MEMORY WORKS consultant, I sell bunches of it … in all fairness, this latest scrapbooking product typo must go into the HALL OF SHAME :( It’s like sending one of my own kids to the principal, LOL.
Have you found any other scrapbooking product typos (not already listed in my other post)? I’m thinking with all the new products coming out from CHA, there might be some fresh stuff, LOL.
It’s late Saturday night and I wanted to give a little update on my LOAD experience so far. It’s technically still Day 2 (02-02-13) but being on the West Coast, I receive the prompt for the next day at 9pm the night before (does that make sense?). Which is really nice because I can start working on the layout before I go to bed or at least start thinking about it.
Tangent: Okay, is this just me or are there others of you Scrapbook Obsessed who do this too? When I go to bed, my mind is usually still going a mile a minute – “Pay the electric bill tomorrow, buy dog food, don’t forget to call the water softener guy, when is that report due?, blah blah blah.” So oftentimes to calm myself down and relax so I can sleep, I’ll start thinking about scrapbooking – a layout I want to do, a new way to organize my Project Life cards, what I want to buy first from the new CHA stuff, what am I going to pack for the retreat? – that kind of thing. Works every time, baby! A few minutes later . . . ZZZZZZ Please tell me you do that too!
So back to LOAD . . . I now have 3 prompts . . . 2 layouts almost done . . . and 1 prompt I’m still kind of stumped by (if you’re a LOAD-ster, I’m sure you know which one I’m talking about, lol). I was waiting to see if the prompts would fit the overall concept I had for this class and so far they DO match so I’m going with it: I’ll be doing layouts for a Book of Me. Have you heard of these?
It’s basically where you – the one who always scrapbooks about everyone else in your life – actually scrapbook about yourself. Novel idea, eh? Because your family and your kids want to know about you too, silly! What makes you tick? What is your daily life like? How about that childhood? Hopes and dreams? Favorite things? So that’s what I’ll be scrapping with my LOAD layouts. If I get all 28 layouts done, I could have a full BOM album done at the end of the month – wouldn’t that be Rock Star-ish of me? Cue screaming fans.
And I did – thanks to some very helpful comments here and in the LOAD forum, including an answer straight from Lain herself – decide that it’s fine if I blog about LOAD, the prompts, and the layouts I make from them. And I have to say . . . the Ladies of LOAD are a pleasure to be around. Everyone in the forum is kind, helpful, excited, and passionate about scrapbooking. I couldn’t ask for a better group to be a part of.
So that’s where I’m at with LOAD. I can’t promise when I’ll post prompts and layouts – maybe a weekly round-up? Sometimes fitting in blogging is really hard, and I want to make getting layouts done this month the priority. But I’ll do my best!
Even though it’s only 10pm my time on 01-31-13, on the East Coast it’s past midnight. So the official start to my month-long adventure with LOAD has begun and I got my first prompt!
{If you’re wondering what LOAD is, please READ THIS}.
I’m not really sure how to blog about LOAD. It’s a paid class and I want the creator Lain to make a living. She puts a LOT of work into this. Today for instance we received an 8-minute video with a 3-page transcript and a very thought-provoking prompt. Not to mention all the other stuff that goes into LOAD.
So I don’t want to share the specific prompt, do I? {I don’t know that I’ll be sharing my layouts online anyway so that’s not a concern}. I’ll have to see how other LOAD’ers are handling blogging about the class content.
But I will say this: The first prompt is amazing! One that really makes you think, makes you take the first step out of that box you may be in. If it keeps up like this, I can tell ya’ I’m going to LOVE me some LOAD!
PS: You can still join LOAD yourself, ya know? RIGHT HERE. At this point, you won’t even have missed anything :)
Alas, I won’t be ordering one . . . don’t have $50 at the moment . . . too bad. I’ve really liked her recent stuff although the only thing I own is her VINTAGE CHIC line . . .
Man, those enablers over on the Two Peas message board! They so innocently post “75% off My Minds Eye ‘All is Bright’ in the store right now!”
And stupid me, I follow the link . . . and see that super pretty All is Bright line that I wanted when it came out but didn’t get. And still want.
Resistance. Is. Futile.
Must
Have
Scrappy
Goodness
So I caved and bought most of the line. Here is my order:
Chevron 12X12 All Is Bright Paper (My Minds Eye) $0.22
Merry 12X12 All Is Bright Paper (My Minds Eye) $0.22
Linen 12X12 All Is Bright Paper (My Minds Eye) $0.22
Joy 12X12 All Is Bright Paper (My Minds Eye) $0.22
Noel Banner 12X12 All Is Bright Paper (My Minds Eye) $0.22
Bright 12X12 All Is Bright Paper (My Minds Eye) $0.22
All Is Bright 12X12 Chipboard Accessories (My Minds Eye) $1.24
All Is Bright 6X6 Paper Pad (My Minds Eye) $1.49
All Is Bright 12X12 Sticker Accessories Sheet (My Minds Eye) $0.74
All Is Bright Decorative Brads (My Minds Eye) $1.49
All Is Bright 12X12 Paper & Accessories Kit (My Minds Eye) $2.74
All Is Bright 4X6 Accessories Pad (My Minds Eye) $1.24
True Love 12X12 Kiss Me Paper (Bella Blvd.) $0.99 2 $1.98
A Studio G Valentine’s Item $0.00 1 $0.00
Product Sub-Total: $12.24
Shipping: $9.80
Sales Tax: $0.00
Order Total: $22.04
{Sorry it doesn’t line up all pretty}
But you can see what a difference 75% off makes, jeez! A $10.99 paper and sticker pack for $2.74? I’m in like Flynn, baby!
So, yeah, it’s January and I’m set for Christmas cards 2013, LOL. And about 30 layouts.
If you want to see just the “All is Bright” stuff, click on the 75% off link in the left sidebar.
And did you notice I’m getting a free Valentine’s item? That’s another promo they have doing right now. You only have to spend $1 on any Valentine’s item and you get the free gift. So, yeah, they got me there, too. You tell me “free” and I’m the first in line ;) Yes, please!
Only 8 more days . . . only 20 spots left . . . time to sign up!
What is LOAD? Yeah, I’ve been hearing about “load” for years and never really paid attention, honestly. I knew it stood for Layout a Day and that you complete 28 layouts in a month. But that’s about where my knowledge stopped.
Eventually, through other classes I took with the creator Lain Ehmann – most notably TRUE SCRAP 4 – I learned more about what LOAD/Layout a Day really is, how it works, and how amazing it is. And now I’M JACKED, PEOPLE!!! I can’t wait for February to get here!
I thought I’d tell YOU about LOAD213 (the 213 stands for February 2013) and see if you’d like to join me :)
28 days of brand-new video prompts and lessons, guaranteed to bust you out of any scrapbooking rut, bring a smile to your face, and make your hair shine!
Exclusive message board for LOAD members only where you can connect and chat with the coolest scrappers on the Web!
Private gallery for our members where you share your daily creations, win prizes, and strut your stuff!
Insiders-only interview with Gretchen Rubin, best-selling author of The Happiness Project. Listen as she shares her secrets on living a happier life (and why scrapbookers have a jumpstart on the ordinary people)
Random surPRIZES, Hugh sightings, and fun for all!
SPACE IS LIMITED!
To Preserve the Intimate and Personal Atmosphere of This Event,
Participation Is Capped!
PRIZES!?!?! Did she say PRIZES? I’m so there.
If you want to learn even more, check out THIS QUICK VIDEO by Lain. Her enthusiasm is infectious.
I’ve already joined the gallery and message board. The other attendees are posting and prepping. Again, the excitement is infectious.
When you read the reviews and endorsements HERE from past “LOAD’ers” (ha), it really makes you want to take part. {Scroll down a bit to see them}. I mean, in reality . . . I work full-time, have kids, activities, bizzy bizzy life. Am I really going to complete an ACTUAL layout a day? I don’t know. I’m realistic and thinking not.
But like one of the reviews said, the daily prompt is a quick and motivating way to start your day. Go create your layout right then and there. See what you can accomplish, right? I figure even if I get only 10 layouts done (hmm . . . there are 8 weekend days in there and maybe I’ll get lucky on 2 weekdays, lol), that’s 10 more than I probably would’ve done otherwise.
And PROJECT LIFE layouts COUNT! So I’m golden there :) Those of you who can get 28 layouts down, my hat’s off to you. I’m sure you’ll inspire me and maybe I actually CAN do it. Who knows?
Also I’m a sucker for forums and galleries. I totally {heart} talking to other scrappers day-to-day in a community of support. Everyone’s in the same boat and, from what I already know about Lain’s SCRAPHAPPY* community that I also belong to, it is truly “the nicest group of scrapbookers on the internet.”
*By the way, because I’m a member of SCRAPHAPPY.org, I didn’t even have to pay for LOAD – members attend all LOAD’s for freeeeee!!! That was one of the things that sold me to join in the first place.
So check out all the information about LOAD and think about joining us. But don’t think too long. Lain caps enrollment and the last I heard, there were only 20 spots left. Hope to see you there!
If you have any questions about LOAD, please post below in Comments :)
So I decided to take on Project Life again in 2013 (I tried it once in 2009 … epic FAIL). So far, it’s really cutting into my blogging time, LOL! But, no, that’s good right? I’m scrapbooking again – woot! At home, not just at a retreat or crop . . . which is a miracle for me these days.
I’ll be posting this year about my adventures with Project Life so I hope you like hearing about it :)
One thing that’s crucial to making Project Life work for me in the long-term is it has to be SIMPLE. S-I-M-P-L-E. And fast. I’m plate-spinning here, people! (You know, like a circus act). Trying to keep everything going at once and not letting anything drop – family, work, blogging, scrapbooking, friends, volunteering, et al.
If Project Life is going to work for me, I need a fast and easy way to print photos. Sending them out to be developed or waiting in line for the photo machine at Target ain’t gonna’ work for me. I need to print at home. Yeah, it’s a tad more expensive but totally worth it.
I also didn’t want to bring software into the mix. I know there are programs such as iPhoto, Photosheet (not compatible with us Mac’ers unfortunately), and Photoshop. But does it sound like I have time to learn a new photo program much less do editing and all that crap?!?! Hell to thuh no. I barely have time to tear my washi before I pull it off the roll, sista!
So I keep it simple (see above). I print the photos straight from my camera card, no editing. I mean, this is Project REAL Life for me. It’s Day 14 and I’m actually caught up through Day 12. I owe most of that to my Epson Picturemate printer.
I have an older model; it’s a Picturemate Dash (PM 260). I finally figured out again how to print multiple smaller photos onto one 4×6 sheet. Thank you Project Life for motivating me, LOL!
You may already know how to do this but in case anyone doesn’t, I thought I’d share the instructions I typed out to keep by the printer (for the next time I forget how to do this or my mind is spinning so fast I can’t access any available brain cells):
Epson Picturemate Dash PM 260
How to print multiple photos on 1 sheet
1. Insert memory card into printer
2. When all photos have loaded, use arrows to find 1st photo you want
3. When it’s highlighted, make sure it says Total 1, then press OK
4. Highlight 2nd photo and press OK
5. Menu
6. Print Settings
7. Layout
8. Jumbo Wallet (or see other choices below)
9. Print – which will give you a preview to make sure it’s how you want
10. Print again – photo will print
Layout choices:
Jumbo Wallet = (2) 3×4 with no border; can do 2 different photos (great for Project Life!)
50×70 = (2) 2 x 2 ¾; can do 2 different photos
Wallet = (2) 2×3; can do 2 different photos
Mini Wallet = (4) 1 ¼ x 1 ¾; can do up to 4 different photos
US Passport = (2) 2×2; same photo only
Layout-3×3 = (1) 3×3 photo
*Portait Packages and US Passport = only prints multiple copies of same photo
There are MANY more layout choices. I just noted the ones I’m likely to use. I love having all these layouts to choose from because Simple Stories “Sna@p!” is coming out with some new page protector configurations . . . including tons of new 3×4 options!! I’m using the “Sn@p!” line as the basis of my Project Life 2013 so this is very anticipated :)
I like that I don’t have to use a computer program to print multiple photos onto one 4×6. I just pop my SD card out of my camera and into the Picturemate and print away! I don’t know if these instructions work for other models or newer models of the Epson Picturemate. But even if they don’t work specifically, at least you can see that this CAN be done! In 10 easy steps :)
Just find the manual for your printer online and look for the section about photo layout. Then you will be happyyyyy like meeee!!!
Wanted to let you know about yet another scrapbook mystery novel, called “CROPPED TO DEATH.” It’s by an author I’ve never heard of: Christina Freeburn.
She’s a Renaissance woman . . . former JAG officer AND a scrapbooker! Schweet. Lookie, she’s even wearing a scrapbooking t-shirt.
Here’s a description from the above website:
Former US Army JAG specialist, Faith Hunter, returns to her West Virginia home to work in her grandmothers’ scrapbooking store determined to lead an unassuming life after her adventure abroad turned disaster. But her quiet life unravels when her friend is charged with murder, and Faith inadvertently supplied the evidence. So Faith decides to cut through the scrap and piece together what really happened. With a sexy prosecutor, a determined homicide detective, a handful of sticky suspects and a crop contest gone bad, Faith quickly realizes if she’s not careful, she’ll be the next one cropped.
Sounds fun, yeah? I’ll be reading this one soon!
In other good news: The subtitle of this book is “Faith Hunter Scrap This #1” . . . which means this is the first in a series, yippee! Bring on the scrapbook novels. I can’t get enough of them :)
HERE is the link to the Kindle version on Amazon. It’s at 99 cents as of today (01-04-13). According to the AUTHOR ON TWITTER, that price is good through 01-13-13. So snatch it up quickly!
Once you read “Cropped to Death”, please come back and give a review.
I’m continuing to review “TRUE SCRAP 4” individual classes, which were originally part of the huge 2-day “True Scrap 4” event in October 2012. I purchased the whole event and, although I was unable to attend “live” because I was out of town that weekend, I have really enjoyed watching the classes since then.
On the True Scrap 4 replays, you can either choose to watch just the instructional video itself or a recording of the live event = class video + ongoing chat of participants, intro by True Scrap hostess Lain Ehmann, and a Q&A with the class instructor afterward.
It’s kind of funny that this ended up being a favorite because (if I’m being totally honest … and you know I always am, sista’) it was one of the classes I was least looking forward to. I’m such a staunch paper-only scapper who swears that I will never go digital. So even the word “hybrid” kind of turns off my interested button.
BUT.
I was wrrr . . . I was wrr-rrr . . . I was not exactly right. {10 points if you know what I’m quoting!}. Well, here. Let me just show you.
I was WRONG. Okay?!?!? I was wrong. This was a great class and I think it should be one of your FIRST choices of True Scrap 4 classes to take. If you’re a VERY beginning computer-digital-hybrid scrapper like me, that is. I would not recommend it for experienced hybrid or digi-scrappers because I suspect that you already know how to do these techniques.
– How to print on a journaling card (in Word)
– How to add text to photos (in Photoshop)
– How to use Word Art (in Photoshop)
– How to print photos in any size you want (in Photoshop)
– How to print digital scrapbook supplies (two ways: DIY stickers in Word or photo-quality embellishments in Photoshop)
But these things were new to me! So if you don’t know how to do these things either, I would highly recommend this class. Jennifer has a nice, soothing, patient way of walking you through things. She shows you click by click these basic things and also how to play around with them a bit.
How to print photos in any size is great for you Instagrammers – she shows how to easily print those photos at home or send to a photo printer and a way to make sure the edges don’t get cut off. The DIY stickers ideas was a big hit among the class participants.
I think *my* most-used techniques will be the first two – printing on a journaling card and adding text to photos. I’ve been wanting to learn these things for so long, but my pledge to do Project Life in 2013 really had me wanting to learn how.
The whole Photoshop thing . . . well, I’m skerred of it. Didn’t wanna’ own it. Didn’t wanna’ learn it. Didn’t wanna’ pay a lot for it. Didn’t wanna’ go anywhere near that Devil of Digital Scrapbooking. But, well, to do most of the techniques in Jennifer’s “Hybrid Techniques” class, I’ll have to. The good news is that she provides a link where you can do the free trial of Photoshop Elements 11 (that’s the cheaper version anyway, and all a scrapbooker would need).
I’m waiting until I have some time to sit down and play with these techniques but I do plan to try the free trial. When I do, I’ve got a GREAT cheat sheet provided as part of the class – saved and bookmarked! Also – as with all True Scrap classes – I have lifetime access so I can go back and watch the video again as many times as I need to. And knowing me, it will take lots of times :)
While I’m raving about Jennifer Wilson, I thought I’d mention something else she’s doing that I’m very excited about for the new year. It’s a program she’s running on her own site, Simple Scrapper (which I’m a member of), and it’s called “Focus.”
And to introduce you to the class and see what it’s about before you pay for it, she’s offering 2 free sessions: Monday 01-07-12 @ 8:30 pm CST and Wednesday 01-09-13 at 1pm CST (2 different times to accommodate different schedules and time zones). Just pick which one works best for you. You get an e-mail confirmation and will get a reminder when it gets closer.
The purpose of this training is to share some of my best tips for simple scrapbooking and introduce the new Focus program. I hear so many talk about not enough time and getting behind etc. This year-long program will help scrapbookers hone in on what is most important and learn new skills to be more effective and efficient.
Do you want to:
Feel more relaxed every day?
Learn ways to scrapbook faster?
Finish the projects you start?
Find more time for scrapbooking?
I’d love to teach you some of my time-tested approaches for simplicity in a free training event. I want to show you exactly how to focus on what matters most in 2013 and have the best year ever! There are two dates and times, to best fit your busy schedule.
This is a perfect match-up for my other pledge for 2013: to get more scrapping done. But I need help. Obviously. I need someone to hold my hand. So I’m signed up to attend the session on 01-09-13 . . . if you sign up as well, please say “hi!”. If you click on the graphic, it will take you to the right place :)
