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My Minds Eye

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New at Michaels: My Minds Eye, DCWV, K&Co., Prima, and More

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A couple of weekends ago, I went to “the big city” and shopped at the Michaels there. I posted photos of that trip HERE. This past weekend, I went to my Small Town Michaels closer to home ~ which usually is quite a ways behind the Big City store in getting new things ~ and was surprised to find they had a lot of new products the Big City store did not have. Yay for Small Town! (For once).

This was pretty interesting. It’s a paper stack like you usually see by K & COMPANY (this is from the cute new “handmade” line; yes, it’s in all lowercase) but this one was longer. It says, “Designer paper pad. Decorate your life with pattern. Perfect for large format die cut machines.” The front cover has photos of home dec projects, like using paper to cover trays and bookshelves. Very innovative, K! And your Company. All Ya’alls! Good job.

The next three photos are from a rack of new K&Co, and much of it was similar to what I posted in my last Mike’s entry. In this first photo, bottom row center, I think those wooden die cut shapes are new. They felt pretty sturdy, not flimsy at all. Another great, innovative idea by K. And her Co.

Also in the top photo, in the top right corner and partially cut off, is a pack of photo frames. They were in black and white with a kind of deckle edge and that “old fashioned” printing of random dates. It said something like “turn your modern photos into vintage looking photos.” Man, I’m really impressed with all these new ideas that the Company and K are coming up with!

Here’s yet another new idea by K&Co. It’s a postbound, pre-done album with an open spine and no page protectors. It’s also from the new “handmade” line, which is really growing on me now. This is the front cover …

… and a random page inside. As you can see, the pages are laid out in such a way that you would just plop your photos and journaling right in there and either be dunzo, or add some embellishment to fancy it up. I thought the papers and designs were soft and pretty, very useable.

Personally, it gives me the skeeves to think of scrapping something and then leaving it out in the open, unprotected like that. I mean, won’t my nekkid photos get fingerprints and schmutz all over them? It’s one reason I’ve never done a spiral-bound scrapbook and why I have a hard time with a lot of mini-books (so many with no protectors, ack!). Then I got to wondering if there were side-loading page protectors you could get to slide onto these pages when you’re done. Kind of like the THESE by CREATIVE MEMORIES.

Here is a racka new stacks, mainly by K&Co.

A close-up of the Silhouettes from the “handmade” line (yes, AGAIN!). These were different than your average doily-type papers in that only half of each sheet is die cut. I was really wanting these …

SHIMELLE posted some great photos from CHA-W of the “handmade” line on her blog HERE.

Here another racka stacks. These are from Die Cuts With a View (aka DCWV). Lots of cute stuff here.

A closer look at the DCWV stack called “At Home” and it’s matching cardstock stack. This line really caught my eye. The colors and designs are very fresh, I thought.

DCWV stack called “Hittin’ the Books.”

“Songbird” by DCWV; super cute, fun colors, birdhouses, flowers, cheerful, and happy. These papers would make great cards.

Here’s the “Family Connections” stack by DCWV, with family tree pages and great heritage looks.

I almost hate to show this one, the “Vintage Collage Stack” by DCWV, because my Scrap Sisters ANGIE and ABBY might feel like they MUST have it, and you know how I hate to enable (wink).

Wow, another innovative product in my opinion. Wait until you see these papers. They don’t have a repeating pattern, but something totally different. Awesome DCWV!

I think this was called transparency film, and here were the two designs to choose from. I’m not sure how to use them, or why they come in a tube. Maybe someone can enlighten me … please?

Here are some gorgeous trims by Prima ~ black lace and flower petals, 4 choices of colors. So, so pretty …

More new Prima flowers …

In my last Mike’s post, I showed you this:

Well, here is some more of the “Home” line by MY MINDS EYE. The 12×12 stack is very thick and I think every single page had glitter on it. The 6×6 stack in the middle had some pages with glitter and some without (ETA 2-8-10: I stand corrected. I looked at this pad again and every sheet indeed has glitter on it. Some of it’s very subtle and I missed it the first time I flipped through in the store, sorry!). The smaller 4×6 mat stacks had no glitter. No matter though … all versions are absolutely gorgeous.

I don’t know how MME does it but they have a way with color, how they combine specific shades, and give it a distressed or worn out look but not so distressed that it looks grungy. Instead, it just looks soft and approachable. {Jeez, what am I writing, an ad for Match.com? “Soft and approachable?” Yes, I DO love paper. I love it a lot. Much like you love your mom and your dog and your iPod; that is how much I LOVE paper. If I weren’t already married, I would most likely be in a committed relationship with it}.

So, you want to know what I got, right? Because I’m not made of stone. I can’t just go in there, see all this scrumptious new stuff, and not buy anything, right? If loving scrap supplies is wrong, I don’t wanna be right!

I got the K&Co. road trip chipboard stickers from this earlier photo:

I used a 50% off coupon and, from the photo posted earlier, I got the 6×6 MME “Home” glitter pad. {Wait, “glitter pad”??? WTH is that? Something Tinker Bell uses for her monthlies? Bwahahahahaha!}

I also got packs of orange and green Primas like these. Why yes, I do already have them but I was getting a second set for a, um … “friend.” Yeah, that’s the ticket. For a “friend.” J/K, I really was getting them for an online friend who’s local Mike’s doesn’t carry these Primas. I owed her a big time favor so I was happy to find them!

I explained to the cashier that I was buying them for a friend who lived elsewhere but her Mike’s didn’t carry the Primas. I asked if I could ring them up separately and use another 50% coupon … and she said yes! I know that kind of thing is hit or miss with Mike’s employees, but I lucked out today :)

So that’s the latest and greatest at Michaels. Have you seen the new stuff? What’s on your wish list or what have you already bought? What I meant to ask was, What has already jumped in your cart when you weren’t looking and then you didn’t have the heart to tell it to get out? It’s okay, you can tell me …

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Memory Works: My Minds Eye “Tres Jolie” Mega Pack

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So, I have your attention now, right? LOL!

You may have missed out on THIS, but here is your second chance to get a great deal on a FEE-YOU-JUS pack of scrapbooking goodies from MY MINDS EYE for only $29.99. Or, like me, you got that first MME kit and loved it, so you want/need another one :)

“That’s right, Bob. Now tell them what they get…”

Well, you get “200 piece paper & accessories pack. This kit includes 39 sheets of 12×12 double-sided cardstock paper plus over 170 mix & match accessory pieces including frames, journaling cards, titles, quotes, rub-ons, and transparencies.”

The MEMORY WORKS SITE says this pack is worth $170, so you’re saving 83%!

If you need some prodding….erm, I mean…inspiration to buy and use this kit, HERE is the Tres Jolie gallery from the My Minds Eye site.

If you’d like more info or to place an order for the fab-O kit, click HERE. Have questions on how to place an order? Check THIS out…

Isn’t this a gorgeous kit? Now that I see this one, I like it even better than the prior one. The colors are brighter and prettier. You likee?

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Memory Works: Come “Shopping” with a Consultant

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It’s pretty funny that this comes on the heels of my POST about how I have so much scrap stuff that I feel defensive of it, LOL!

But I truly was overdue in placing a Memory Works order; I haven’t done one since July 15, when I got that MEGA KIT from My Minds Eye for myself, and filled two customer orders. In the meantime, I’ve gotten several product credits for signing up new consultants (both hobbyists and “premium” consultants….thanks so much ladies!) that have been burning a hole in my virtual shopping cart. I’ve been restraining myself from using them as I watched all the new stuff from CHA Summer come in. But most of it is here now, and if I wait too long, the things I want will be gonzo. {The only thing I’m still waiting for are the new THICKERS}. Today, I received a customer order so the time had come to place an actual order instead of just dreaming about it, lol. Besides, I NEED STOCK!

I thought I’d share what one of my orders looks like. Back when I was going gangbusters with MEMORY WORKS (last year, before the economy tanked), I would make $100+ orders like this about once every month or two. If you figure that as an MW CONSULTANT, I get 20% of the retail amount of each order, you can see I was making some pretty nice bank. I mean, I was never no Lisa “QVC” Bearnson, but I was doing okay :)

However, those were the good ol’ days, and placing an order like this now literally makes my hands shake. I’ve got about half of the cost covered already with product credits and the customer order. But the rest is just cash I’m laying out there, hoping to sell these products to friends and at crops, and recoup my money with a little bit of profit. Or if I can sell 80% of it, then the 20% that I can’t sell – and thus, it enters my own stash for good – can be considered my “profit.” That’s why I only buy products that I love and would use myself….because if I can’t sell them, they become mine. Mines, all mines! Yeah, break my heart, why don’t you? Force me to take all these ugly scrap supplies that no one wants.

Okay, on to the order. This is gonna be pic heavy, so get ready to scroll, especially you Laptoppers like me….

1 BasicGrey: Take Note – Eerie $5.00

****** From here down to We R MK stamps and then the white Thickers, these are items on Fall Clearance so the prices are great; a good time to stock up! ******

1 American Crafts: Thickers – Lullaby Blush $3.20

1 Basic Grey: Chip Sticker ABCs – Lime Rickey $5.60

1 BoBunny: Gearhead Rub-on – Grease Monkey $2.80

1 Heidi Swapp: Tools – Edge Distresser $1.20

2 Jenni Bowlin: Label Strip Stickers – Brown $2.00

1 Making Memories: Tiny Alpha – Teal $2.40

1 MME: Theme Set – Cowabunga $5.40

1 MME: Theme Set – Wild Ride $5.40

1 Pink Paislee: Chipboard Letters – Fascinating $3.60

2 We R Memory Keepers: Clear Stamps – List $ .80

1 7 Gypsies: Theme Set – Victoria $5.00

1 American Crafts: Thickers – Sprinkles White $4.00

1 American Crafts: Thickers – Sprinkles Lavender $5.00

1 BoBunny: Combo Stickers – St Nick $3.00

1 Cosmo Cricket: Rub-ons – The Boyfriend $3.00

1 Creative Imaginations: Cardstock Stickers – South Seas $3.50

1 Creative Imaginations: Theme Set – Class Act $6.00

1 Creative Imaginations: Journaling Pad – Class Act $5.00

1 Creative Imaginations: Theme Set – Liberty $3.75

1 Creative Imaginations: Journaling Pad – Just Wonderful $5.50

1 Creative Imaginations: Holey Cardstock – Chocolate Swirl $2.00

1 Fancy Pants: Notebook – Christmas Magic $9.00

1 Jenni Bowlin: Memo Book – Black $4.50

1 MME: Theme Set – The Spider’s Web $7.75

1 MME: Theme Set – Merry Days of Christmas $7.75

1 Pink Paislee: Theme Set – Amber Road $5.50

1 Scrap Within Reach: Journaling Tags – Paper Boy $1.20

1 Three Bugs: Die-cut Tags – To the Rescue $2.00

Okay, first I have to comment on some of these items…

Basic Grey “Lime Rickey” blue chip stickers – Love! How did I never notice those before?

Jenni Bowlin brown label stickers – Did you notice I ordered two? Mama wants her own set. Not. For. Sale.

We R Memory Keepers clear stamps – Only 80 stinkin’ cents. I mean, that’s a no-brainer, right? I got one to sell, one to keep.

7 Gypsies “Victoria” Theme set – Remember that from HERE? Yeah, I caved and bought it. Those papers are sooooo pretty! But here’s the deal I made with the scrapbook goddesses: I’m going to set that paper free, and offer it for sale to customers. If it flies to someone else, it was never mine to begin with. If it returns to me, it was mine all along…

Pink Paislee “Amber Road” theme set – I drooled over it HERE. I finally ordered some. I’m going to set it free also. And hope that it comes back….

As you can probably tell from the things I ordered, I have customers with boys, public safety customers, and customers who have surfers in their family (we do live by the coast, after all). You can also see that I like to order products based on the seasons on either side of us at any given time, because that’s what people are scrapping now or preparing to scrap for. Right now, that would be 4th of July and 9/11, summer, back to school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Alphas and journaling items are always big sellers. It’s all a balancing act, placing an order, because I have to stay within my budget, fill customer orders, and choose other items based on what I think customers will like, taking into consideration the seasons, and what hobbies and interests my regular customers have. Also, I try to keep in mind the tastes of my friends. For instance, there were about 5 different Halloween sets I chose from and I went with one that has a more “distress-y” look because, in my experience, in my crowd, that sells over the real bold, bright look.

Now, don’t you wish you were a Memory Works consultant?!? LOL I don’t know if that was interesting at all, but I thought if nothing else, you’d enjoy looking at the pretty pictures. “I do NOT have scrapbooker’s A.D.D. …. Ooooh, look sparklies!!” Yeah, I got your number, sister. Holla!

I placed this order online late Tuesday night, and got an instant order receipt in my e-mail. Then Wednesday morning around 11, I got a UPS shipping notification that 2 boxes were on the way to me ALREADY! That’s one thing I *lurve* about Memory Works; they ship your order within one business day of receiving it. I also signed up a friend to start receiving the monthly kit, called MEMORY WORKS EXPRESS. The September kits had already gone out, so her first kit would normally have been the October. But she asked if she could still get September, so I e-mailed Miss Fabulosity aka Jodi at MW customer service. She said to just let her know when I had registered my friend, and she would manually go in and start her in September. Voila! It was done, just as she said. I got a UPS notice that my friend’s kit has shipped, also.

Now what’s super cool is that this friend, me, and a few others are meeting up to crop this Saturday…and our Memory Works shipments are due to arrive….wait for it….wait for it…..FRIDAY!!! Just in time :) So that will be wicked cool. Sorry I keep bragging on Memory Works…I just can’t say enough good things about ’em. It was really fun to “shop” for that order, even if most of it will be sold to others (hopefully). Hope you enjoyed our shopping trip, too!

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Memory Works: My Minds Eye Christmas Paper and Accessory Kit

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Sounds like another great deal to me! I already have one in my shopping cart before they run out.

MME: Christmas Paper and Accessory Kit
This My Mind’s Eye kit includes (20) 12×12 sheets of double-sided cardstock paper, plus over 40 mix and match accessory pieces.

Retail Price: $15.00
ON SALE Price: $8.75 (Save 42%)

I’m going to use this kit to make my 2009 Christmas cards. Get a jump on them and get started now, so I won’t be scrambling like I always am in December, LOL! If you’d like to order, instructions are HERE. Merry Christmas in August!!!

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Hurry, hurry! My Minds Eye “French Market” Mega Kit!

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It’s back in stock at MEMORY WORKS!! Whoo to the hoo!

Shockingly, it’s only $29.95 (over $100 value). I ordered this last time and have it; if you’d like photos or have any questions about what’s in this amazing kit, just let me know :)

More info HERE and HERE.

The My Minds Eye “Bohemia” embossed chipboard is also back in stock. I’m getting some this time, cuz I was so mad I missed out on it before.

It’s only $3; retail value is $8. Can’t beat that, I say…These will be fun to color with chalk inks, alcohol inks, maybe rough ’em up with sandpaper or my BASIC GREY FILE SET.

They will go perfectly with the MME “French Market” set above. Eeeee! Can’t wait to get the chipboard and can’t believe it’s only 3 bucks.

More about the chipboard HERE and HERE.

Just click on the “I’m a Memory Works Consultant” up top, or through the links provided, to order these goodies. Seriously, hurry. They went out of stock very quickly last time.

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Fancy Pants “Happy Holidays Mega Collection”

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Oh, Memory Works, WHY must you tempt me so?? I opened up my MW website today to see if the MME MEGA KITS and MME BOHEMIA CHIPBOARD KITS were still in stock {they’re not; they were very popular as predicted … and gonzo}. But there is this next “mega” deal…. {The colors look quite nice with my blog header, don’t they?}

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Fancy Pants: Happy Holidays Mega Collection
Come celebrate Christmas in July with the Fancy Pants Happy Holidays Collection.
RETAIL VALUE OF $80.00 which we are selling at only $34.99

This collection includes:

1 – 8X8 Happy Holidays Paper Pad (32 Sheets) $9.00 Retail

1 – Happy Holidays Embellishment Kit (Epoxy Brads, Label Holders, Binder Clips and File Folders) $15.00 Retail

1 – Happy Holidays Printed Chipboard Shapes $13.00 Retail

1 – Happy Holidays Printed Chipboard Alphabet $13.00 Retail

2 – 3X3 Christmas Stamps $4.00 Retail Each

1 – 8X8 Happy Holidays Binder Album (includes 10 8X8 page protectors) $22.00 Retail

(Retail) Price: $80.00
ON SALE Price: $34.99 (Save 57%)
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Looks like such a cool way to scrap one entire holiday season, or else maybe a “layout a year” type Christmas album. My normal scrap size is 12×12, but this 8×8 would be fun to keep out on the coffee table each Christmas season to share with guests. And the kids would love it, too, I’m sure.

Alas, I cannot afford this sweet deal at this particular juncture. Just blew the rest of my birthday dough on the MY MINDS EYE KIT {which has arrived in my hot little hands, btw!!!!}. But click up top on the “I’m a MW consultant” (or here’s a direct LINKEE) if you’re interested in it… Then I can live through you vicariously :)

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Bohemia Embossed Chipboard by My Minds Eye

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Sorry for another Memory Works “advertising” post so soon, but I just saw that they had this other new item and it would go so well with the MME 29th Street Market MEGA PACK.

MY MINDS EYE – BOHEMIA EMBOSSED CHIPBOARD

Distress it, paint it, ink it, sand it, show it off. Unique mulit-dimension Bohemia Chipboard. Includes 52 shapes and pieces. An $8 retail value for only $3.

Here are some sample layouts from the MY MINDS EYE GALLERY, showing this cool product being used:

ALL THREE LAYOUTS BY “KRISTEN”

Wish I would’ve seen this stuff before I placed my order yesterday. Just the package itself didn’t catch my eye, but seeing it in use makes me want some….want some BAD. If you’d like to order some ~ maybe throw it in with that MME mega kit ~ click on “I’m a Memory Works Consultant” at the top of this page.

If you’re not a shopper, I hope you enjoyed the layouts anyway. Aren’t they gorgeous? Kristen is such a great photographer and I love the way she used all of the MME products, not just the chipboard. I like going straight to the manufacturer’s galleries when I have a certain product I’m itching to use. They give such wonderful ideas.

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Hating the Scrap Lull…

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You know how right before the new fall season of TV shows comes on, and you’re hearing about all the great new shows, and you can’t wait to watch them, and every show you’ve always loved and been watching seems so dull and boring merely because you have had a taste of the new stuff and you want more??? (Phew, that was surely a run on sentence!).

Well, that’s how I’m feeling about scrap products right now. I went scrap shopping today, with my 40% and 50% coupons in hand, and knowing that my local craft store had 25% off the entire store. I was in the mood for some serious swag, I tell ya’. First, to the LSS and my only really good finds were the new issue of CK, and some cute/cheap papers from their Half Off table. Their shelves weren’t empty, per se, but there was nothing “new” like there is every other time I go, about once every month or two. Then to Michaels to use my 2-day only 50% off coupon. Again, I came up pretty empty and had to struggle to find something to use the coupon on. I got a cute MAMBI page kit (all page kits were already 40% off) then walked around that store for 10 minutes trying to find something I wanted that was Coupon Worthy. I finally decided on the Making Memories medium-sized storage jars, which will fit on my MM Embellishment Shelf.

mm jars

mm shelf

I have no idea what I’ll put in them, but $5 instead of $10 was a transaction I was obligated to make. Heck, I’ll use them in my pantry to store sugar if I have to. Finally, I went to the craft store. The acrylic stamps I went there for were out of stock:

Autumn Leaves Scribbles Alpha – Punctuation
al scribbles punct

For a gift, I picked up the K&Co. Wild Saffron paper slab, tag set, and photo mat set. This is one of my favorite lines ever and I already have most of it. My friend keeps admiring it, so guess what she’s getting for her birthday?

ws pad

ws papers

ws tag pad

ws mat pad

Everything was 25% off, which was already a good deal, but then the cashier gave me 40% off the paper pad “because there was a coupon this week” (which I had in my purse, but thought I couldn’t use because of the storewide sale). So, that was a good buy…$16 worth of Wild Saffron for $9.50.

Other than the CK, the only find of the day that made me all perky was noticing that the craft store now sells……BAZZILL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, is that enough exclamation points to communicate to you how stinkin’ happy I am??? I LUVLUVLUV Bazzill cardstock but my LSS was the only place to get it (other than online, which I don’t usually do b/c I like to buy it by the sheet and match it to papers I have). They sell Bazzill Canvas and Bling for 75 cents/sheet, In Stitch’z for $1/sheet. I buy sheets when I’m there to match whatever patterned paper I buy. However, in my world, one can never have enough Bazzill. So I was crazy-excited to see 5 racks of it at the craft store. They sell Canvas and grasscloth for 59 cents/sheet, Bling for 69 cents/sheet, and With an Edge (scalloped, etc) for $1/sheet. So I got about $10 worth of Bazzill which cost me $7.50 with the sale. The only “newer” stuff they had was all the Valentines stuff, most of which I didn’t like this year, like the Daisy D’s and Wild Asparagus stuff.

I spoke with the cashiers at two of the stores, and yes, they are anxiously awaiting new items from CHA. The LSS said she ordered things from 15 different companies, some of whom they’ve never carried in the store before. So, like the store owners, I will patiently wait for all the new goodies to arrive. Amend that: I will WAIT, but not patiently, because I wanna see the new stuff NOW! Just hope the big reveal of all the new scrapbook products from CHA won’t be as disappointing as the new fall TV shows have been in the past few years, LOL!

PS: Have you noticed that I’m getting dangerously close to hitting the 100,000 blog hits mark? Wow, that just kills me!

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Previews of CHA Winter 2008

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For the Scrapbook Obsessed, you could say that CHA time is even more anticipated than Christmas, Mother’s Day, and your birthday all smushed together. I mean, am I right?? Well, it’s that time again and the excitement to see all the new products is building. FYI: CHA Winter 2008 is being held in Anaheim, CA on February 10-13. The keynote speaker this year is financial diva, Suze Orman. According to the press release, “Orman will help attendees understand how their relationship to money affects their businesses and lives.”

I’ll keep adding any product previews or news I find to this post, so keep checking back (most recent entries will be on top). Please let us know what ya think, what ya might buy, what ya must have, and what ya won’t buy even with a 40% off coupon at Michaels…

And away we go!!!

DAISY D’s

I usually LOVE their stuff, one of my favorite brands, but…
Sorry, me no likey at all…

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There is tons more…see it all HERE.

MY MINDS EYE
Now THIS I’m loving…

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AMERICAN CRAFTS
Lots of their usual bright, cheery, easy to use stuff. There’s so much, I can’t post it all here. Just CHECK THIS OUT ~ it’s all laid out very nicely!

QUEEN & CO
This is from Q&Co’s blog; make sure to read the fine print!
“Introducing… the NEW Valentines line….

Queen & Co is excited to announce the arrival of our new Valentine products. Included in this release are new 3/4″ Felt Ribbons, two new Clear Stamps sets plus several fun styles of brads! Products are starting to ship this week. Look out for them in stores soon!

(note that these are not our CHA Winter releases – these are an extra mini release …keep an eye out for CHA releases soon!)”

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UNITY STAMP COMPANY (new company!)
See everything on THEIR BLOG

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PAPER HOUSE PRODUCTIONS

New chipboard – see more at THEIR BLOG

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CHERRY ARTE
18 new papers: His & Her Basics, Girl Power, Boy Story

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Okay, so much cute Cherry Arte but I have to stop! Go to CHERRY ARTE to see it all.

AMERICAN CRAFTS

Papers, glitter letters, and vinyl cut letters

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FLAIR DESIGNS

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TERESA COLLINS

From Teresa 1/2/08: “Here are all the details I have so far….

1. BELLA GIRL (tell me what girl does not love pink/black and crowns…) enough of a hint….

2. BOARDWALK (this line is bright fun colors…just what I’ve been wanting to do…did someone say SURFBOARDS,eh?????)

3. DAMASKED (enough said….sophisticated and rich)

4. Journal- It (this line will make you journal in a whole new light-)”

Details are from HER BLOG and she will release a new sneak peak each Friday. Here is the first one…
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SEI
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SCENIC ROUTE
Lynden, the new Easter/Spring mini line

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See more Scenic Route HERE.

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Basic Grey Magnetic Mat: I Have a {Crush} on You!

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It’s been awhile…not since last May with the Cropadile…since I’ve fallen so madly in love with a new scrapbooking tool. But after first playing with my new Basic Grey Magnetic Mat a couple weeks ago, my heart is still going pitter-patter ever time I relive the experience. Maybe it’s that I’m still in that “I-just-met-you-and-you-can-do-no-wrong” stage with my BG baby, but I hope to stay perpetually infatuated. I know that many of you have the Basic Grey Magnetic Mat on your Christmas list, so here is my review:

This thing RAWKS! Here is a picture:

thankful layout

The retail cost is $24.99 and the mat is 15”x15”. The premise is this: The mat itself has a sheet of metal in between the black self-healing layers. Then the ruler and the little “tacks” are magnetized. So you use them to hold things in place while you cut with a craft knife, say, a curvy flourish or some letters. Or you use the tacks to hold down your pages in progress, which has two benefits: One, you can move things around while you’re deciding how to place your photos, journaling, and embellishments. Two, the magnets hold everything down and let you walk away from your project without worrying about all the pieces blowing away, falling on the floor, being tipped by a toddler, or batted by a cat. I even carried a partially done layout to a crop in my bag and it arrived completely intact. Those little babies are strong. For another $5.50 retail, you can get 10 additional magnetic tacks (the mat comes with 8). It hasn’t happened to me yet, but I’ve heard on the message boards that the silver paint on some people’s tacks begins to peel off. What a pain, but I heard you can paint them with clear nail polish to stop or prevent that from happening. I also heard that the customer service has been good with getting BG to replace them, yet who wants more tacks that are just going to peel. Someone else suggested getting little magnets elsewhere like the Container Store or wherever, so that’s an option (see why I love MB’s?? everyone is so helpful with sharing problems and solutions!).

I got my BG mat, of course, through Memory Works. When we first started carrying them, I wanted one but hesitated to buy a BG mat because I wasn’t sure if I should spend that much money on something I wasn’t sure I would use or like. I mean, for $25 I could get a lot of PP, ya’ know? Also, I didn’t exactly have $25 laying around so… But as time went by, I kept hearing people raving about their BG mats so, when I made a little money from a crop I held, I decided to buy it. Well, then they were out of stock for the longest time (How does that saying go? “She who hesitates is lost…”). FINALLY! They were in stock again and I ordered that baby right away. Actually, I ordered 4 because I had another crop coming up by then ~ 2 to sell, and 2 for me. Yes, TWO for me. I had also heard that if you get one, you may as well get two especially if you do mostly 2-page layouts (which I do). The thinking is that if you have 1 BG mat and get everything laid out, aren’t you going to want another one right next to it? See, scrappers are very logical girls J Well, I sold one of the remaining mats as soon as my mom saw it and I showed her how it works. She scraps 8.5 x 11, so one mat for her is fine I think. Then she used hers at the crop and I demo’d it for everyone, and sold a few more. Also sold FIVE of them at my Holiday Open House. It’s crazy…if you see this tool in action, you will want one!

In preparation for the Open House, I needed to put together a double layout called “Thankful” by My Minds Eye. Here is a photo of the finished product:

thankful

Anyway, perfect opportunity to try my BG mat, although I didn’t anticipate using it much because there weren’t any fancy craft knife cuts and the layout didn’t look very complicated. But was I wrong! I only broke out one mat for this project (can I confess…that was because my desk was so overtaken with ‘stuff’ that there was only room for one mat??). Anyway, I used the heck out of the BG mat. I made all the cuts to the papers on my Cutterpede according to the measurements on the Class Kit instructions. I cut out the exact phrases I would use on the layout, from the die cut sheets and the rub-on sheets. Then I placed everything for one layout arranged on the mat, using the magnets to hold everything down. I don’t know about you, but when I’m scraplifting a layout or putting together something from a class, I’m so nervous to tack anything down. I’ve had to do a LOT of unsticking in the past when I thought I had put this or that element where it should go, only to find when I got to the last step….urrrghh! No room left or something didn’t line up where it should. Well, here I was doubly nervous because this was a class project that others would be copying from, not a layout I could just shove in my album and hope no one noticed ‘my lil boo boos.’ It had to look just like the picture, y’know? So I was really loving those magnets in a big way. It was so cool to lay out the elements, tack them, notice something wasn’t going to fit later, and be able to easily move things around til it was perfect.

The other thing I loved was the ruler. First of all, BG was very smart to make it longer than 12” long. It’s a full 18” long, which allows plenty of room on either end of the ruler hanging off past the edge of your layout. I had the background paper down on the mat with the ruler either horizontally or vertically across the paper. Making sure both the paper and the ruler were lined up with the markings on the mat, I was able to easily make sure my photo mats and other elements were perfectly straight. Now, this is something I’ve needed help with for a while. In a way, I’m a perfectionist with straight lines and really prefer the look when everything is straight (if it’s meant to be so). But I hate trying to make it that way, with my old 12” long plastic ruler and the Creative Memories 10”x12” cutting mat I had been using (yes, I was long overdue for a larger mat). Anyway, I really enjoyed being able to easily have straight lines…I think, for me, that is one of the most addicting things about the BG Magnetic Mat.

So if the Basic Grey Magnetic Mat is on your Christmas list, I hope you’ve been “nice” this year, and Santa puts one under your tree. If you already have one, give us YOUR review in Comments or link us to your blog!

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