ETA 05-01-14: You can no longer buy the entire “True Scrap Pocket Pages” event that’s linked below. HERE is where you can purchase the same classes a la carte {that’s a fancy way of saying “individually” ;)
If you haven’t already signed up, you can find more information by clicking the link ^^^.
I signed up the second I heard about the event and now it’s finally here. Can’t wait can’t wait can’t wait!
Here’s what’s on tap: Some of my all-time favorite instructors {I’m looking’ at you, LAYLE and LILLITH!}, chatting with other scrappers from around the world, shopping discounts, and free replays for as long as I shall live. Also, prizes provided by sponsors like Simple Stories, Project Life, Gossamer Blue and Studio Calico. Yeah, I’m not kidding.
The fun starts with a Pajama Party on Friday night which I like to refer to as the chat-n-giggle. Between Lain, the Wonder Twins, and all the fun scrappers who attend Lain’s events, there’s always something funny poppin’ off :D
Hope to see you there!
ETA 01-24-14: Click on the link above, enter code ASAP90 by 5pm PST today, and get $90 off the price!
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?
Remember that Eddie Money song from the 80’s? C’mon, sing it with me!! “I think I’m in love!” (I know CHEEKY will sing with me…)
I just found THIS on the Pebbles Inc blog while looking for their new Easter kit. It’s called the Share & Tell Binder System. Here is a pic and quote from their blog:
“We’re excited to introduce to you our Share & Tell Binder Program! Let’s face it…we are all busy. Whatever stage in life we find ourselves in, time seems to limit us from all that we want or need to do. The Share & Tell Binder Program offers simple ways to organize your photos and display them beautifully!
The Share & Tell Binder Program includes Albums, Sheet Protectors, Creative Pads and Journaling Cards that all work together to make scrapbooking your memories easier! This is the only system on the market that is flexible enough to work with hard-core crafters and non-scrapbooking consumers alike!
Start looking for the Share & Tell Binder Program this spring!”
Then I clicked over to their recently launched (March 2008) WEBSITE and found this:
And this:
“The Share & Tell Album Program offers simple ways to organize your photos and display them beautifully! Let’s face it…we are all busy… This program was created by Brenda Birrell, mother of five daughters and founder of Pebbles in my Pocket and Pebbles Inc. as an answer to today’s busy life! A simple system that is easy to maintain and will provide us with more time to spend with loved ones creating memories! Isn’t this what life is all about? This is the story of your life together and as you share it, relationships will be strengthened and memories will be preserved. In this age of digital photography it is so important to print out your favorite photos for safe keeping and enjoyment. CDs get scratched and hard drives crash. Your memories deserve to be placed in organized books that can be enjoyed by your loved ones. Isn’t it time to share your story?”
On the Pebbles website ~~ which you can now order directly from! ~ all the items currently show “Temporarily out of stock, available April 2008.” The albums posted come in black and brown (retail $29.99), page protectors in 12×12 (for full pages) and divided 4×6 (retail $9.99). Can anyone read the fine print? How many page protectors do you get in the package? I have a laptop & my screen is too small. Here are pics:
The website shows the following (14) Creative Pad theme sets ($4.99 each): Baby Boy, Baby Girl, My Guy, My Girl, Nellie’s Garden, Theodore, Season’s Greetings, Sweetheart, Party Time Boy, Party Time Girl, Easter Time, School Days, Summer Day, and Zoo Fun. They contain 30 sheets of paper and 4 sticker sheets. Then (10) sets of coordinating Journaling Cards ($3.99 for a pack of 25). Sorry, I was unable to paste them over here for some reason…
Here is what I like about this system:
~ I’m tired of always feeling “behind” in my scrapping. For instance, Christmas was 3 months ago and I haven’t scrapped any of it yet. Honestly, it’s intimidating to me because I have photos from about 10 events (Christmas tree lighting, making cookies, cutting the tree, decorating the tree, Christmas Eve service, Christmas party, opening presents, and on and on…). If I had a system like this, I could put them in an album right away, jot some journaling down, and we could’ve been enjoying them for the last 3 months. If I decide to “really” scrap any of the photos later, awesome! If not, at least they’re in a cute presentation that everyone can access.
~ Many people are getting tired of dealing with strap hinge and postbound albums, e.g. the lack of flexibility to move pages around, etc. On the message boards, I gather that many of you scrappers have switched over to D-ring albums like this, or are at least contemplating it. I’m still on the fence because the “break” in the middle bothers me, as I do about 95% 2-page layouts. However, for the purposes of just getting my photos in books in this simple style, that wouldn’t be an issue.
~ Although Pebbles Inc’s style is what many would call “simple,” I think it’s also a very cute and clean presentation with lots of personality. Besides, there’s nothing to say you can’t take their basics and distress, cut, tear, scallop, ink, punch, sew or whatever it!! Make it your own. For me, as you read in THIS POST, I sometimes gravitate towards this simple, clean style. It’s the one style that, when I look back at my old albums, does NOT ever look dated or trendy or “so yesterday.” So I embrace this style as ONE PART of my scrapbooking. Besides, you can just use the albums and maybe the journaling cards, then use all your own stuff to fill the 12×12 or 4×6 slots. I think I would do a combination of the two if I use this system.
~ Compared to a similar system by Creative Memories called PICFOLIO, I like this one much better. I’ve always been tempted by the CM system but have never bought it because I can’t deal with the fact that you can’t customize the number of pages, i.e. you can’t add or take away pages, because they are bound into the album. With the Pebbles system, you can certainly have as many pages as you like.
The only things that concern me about using this system:
~ The price. Although I do occasionally pay $30 for an album, it’s rare. I use 2 per year minimum on our family album, then special theme albums in addition to that. I hope that Michaels or another store with a 40% discount coupon carries these albums so I can slowly buy them.
~ The D-ring…is it sturdy? The main complaint I hear about D-ring albums is that the rings start to separate and gap over time, which makes it a major PITA to turn your pages. From the photo, I have to say those rings don’t look overly sturdy, do they? BUT…I have a lot of Pebbles Inc items like their RIBBON IRON, chalks, etc. and the quality is always very good, so I’m optimistic about their album quality.
