HERE is post 1 of 3 where I talked about all the new Project Life things coming our way. Now onto post 2 of 3 and it’s time for Shimelle . . .
Have I told you how much I want Shimelle’s new scrapbooking line? Oh yeah, I did RIGHT HERE. Well, I’ve ordered some but it’s taking FOR-EH-VURRRR to get here so I haven’t fondled it – ahem – SEEN it in person yet. But I know I’m going to LURVE it.
I got the 12×12 paper pad, the camera washi tape dispenser, and . . . some embellishment – stickers? It’s beens so long, I forgot. {I don’t think I’ll be ordering from this shop again}.
Shimelle said on her blog HERE that there would be matching Project Life cards coming so I purposely didn’t order too much of the line, knowing I’d be getting the PL kit.
So I guess “Lovely” is it? Not sure when or where it will be sold.
Again, I found this on an overseas website:
Shimelle used some of the PL cards in this layout:
Not much to go on yet, but looks cute so far. It appears to be based on THIS line from Jen Hadfield called “Home + Made” and it has a lot of gold so maybe that’s where the “Dazzle” comes from?
It’s not really my style but maybe you love it?
I don’t see either of these kits in Becky’s shop or on her blog, but maybe I’m missing them? Just wanted to make sure you had the heads up :) Happy shopping!
Okay, guys, I’m trying to keep up with this whirlwind of new PROJECT LIFE product – either out now or coming soon. There has been a lot of chatter about it online. I’ll be doing this post and a couple more to make sure you see it ALL.
A shout out to my bud Heather, who first shared photos she found online of new lines “Lovely” by Shimelle (see THIS entry for more info) and “Favorite Things” by Heidi Swapp.
Heidi has teamed up with Becky for MANY new Project Life items. You can read about them and see photos HERE and HERE on Becky’s blog. And check out this video if you have time. I’m sorry, but they are both just so dang likable!
The Heidi Swapp line is ‘exclusive’ to Michaels and also being carried in Becky’s own shop. My favorite item from the Heidi Swapp line for Project Life is the “Dreamy” Core Kit
. . . which is one of my all-time favorite scrapbooking lines.
I did hear a rumor that some of the HS cards are not double sided and not horizontal so they’ll be harder to use in the PL pocket pages DESIGN A that I prefer to use. Anyone know if that’s true?
Again, shout out to Heather who took photos at Michaels!
As you can see, there are a lot of OTHER new HS items, too. I’m not sure if they’re technically “Project Life”? I think so because Heidi has them all listed together on her WEBSITE.
I’ll be stalking Michaels to find that Heidi Swapp “Dreamy” core kit and snap it up with my coupon! Usually I just buy partial PL kits from friends online but I need to see this one in person and go through the whole thing before I decide how much of it I want. But I’ll probably sell at least some of it off.
So glad to see the collab between Heidi and Becky. As you saw in the video, they’ve been friends for a long time and bring totally different things to our scrapbooking world, both of which I love. Congrats ladies!
There are also some great products by WRMK on sale. You can use them in regular scrapping but they’re also perfect for Project Life-type scrapbooking.
This corner rounder 3×4 punch is perfect for making quick and easy pocket-page scrapping cards of your own. I’ve heard of people using them to punch all of their scraps. Great idea! You get rid of that paper scraps pile that makes you feel guilty every time you look at it, and you end up with a stack of 3×4 rounded cards out of papers that you obviously love. You can also use this punch on your photos.
Earlier this week, they were down to $14.99 but even at $22.10 and adding one other product to get that $35, the free shipping is still a good deal. A pack of 50 page protectors is pretty heavy and I doubt you can find free shipping on that at many other places.
Finally, check out this great price on the WRMK Multi-Pack!
They’re an Add-On item which means you have to make another purchase but I hope I’ve provided enough enabling above to make that easy ;) If you’re a pocket-page scrapper like me – or have been wanting to give it a try – check out this great Project Life and WRMK sale on AMAZON!
ETA 07-27-14: Whoo hoo, an even better deal on the Multi-Pack!
As you know, Amazon prices fluctuate sometimes by the minute so get over there and catch a deal before it’s gone :)
PS: Have you heard how AMERICAN CRAFTS is buying up a lot of other scrapbooking companies? Yep, since 2009 they’ve acquired Pebbles Inc, Imaginesce, Pink Paislee, Heidi Swapp, Bazzill, and WRMK and have licensing deals for Project Life and Studio Calico.
Anyhoo, the concern that always comes up among scrappers chatting online is whether the quality of the existing products we know and love will continue. Will Bazzill cardstock continue to be thick, have lovely colors, and a variety of textures (especially since American Crafts already has their own brand of cardstock)?
As someone who faithfully uses WRMK 12×12 “leather” albums, I worry that the quality of these amazing albums will change now that American Crafts has aquired them. And I’m not alone; there’s been somewhat of a buying frenzy of existing WMRK albums “just in case” the quality starts to go sideways. It’s like we’re preparing for a SCRAPOCOLYPSE!
If that’s a worry of yours too, I wanted to point out that Amazon also has the WRMK 12×12 albums in several colors on sale. They normally run $29.99 and the sale prices range (at this exact minute) from $17.99 for Aqua, $20.99 for Charcoal, etc. {Ooooh, Aqua and Charcoal …. don’t those colors look great together?? I can picture them lined up on my bookshelf. Puuurrrdddyyyy. Oh shoot, sidetracked – sorry!}
K, I’m really leaving now. I just thought of the WRMK album thing and it made this post really long – ha! Hey, at least it’s Sunday. Hopefully, you have a few extra minutes today :)
My actual takeaway was that scrapbooking continues to serve the same purpose for many that it did hundreds of years ago. From the article:
It let them take this ephemeral media, find the best parts, and give them permanence—and gravitas—by pasting them into a book.
This especially reminds me of today’s fascination with “Project Life”-type scrapbooking – where we’ve gone back to taking receipts, clothing tags, one-off photos, etc. and making them “special” by putting them in albums.
The Smithsonian article does a great job of contrasting paper scrapbooking of the past and present with the way many now choose to document their lives – via social media (heathens!). It was an enjoyable read about the history of our hobby. Please check it out, then come on back and let me know your thoughts.
Small world, huh? Or something like that. Anyway, just thought you might want to check out the class. I’m signed up to watch it live for free. If you love it, you can purchase the class and have lifetime replays plus the extra resources.
And CreativeLive has a sale going on through July 25 (Megan’s class is $49 vs $79) so you can watch the free preview and if you love it, buy it on sale. It’s a great time to check out all their other classes, especially the ones in the “CRAFT & MAKER” category, including Becky Higgins’ amazing CL class on Project Life. I’ve been a CreativeLive junkie since first seeing Becky on there and this is the first time I’ve seen them run a sale – so jump ON it, chickie!
As I mentioned in my LAST POST about my scrapbooking haul from Michaels, I’m starting a new project: a combination Gratitude and About Me journal and mini book.
From Michaels, I recently bought this gorgeous pink 6×8 album, along with the Weekly Planner and Journal Pages sets, by Project Life. I got them for either 40 or 50% off using sales and coupons.
Here’s the album with JUST the Journal Pages set inside and, as you can see, it’s chock full.
I had to put this page first in the album . . . SO PERFECT!
Obviously, I’ll have to pull out some of the Journal Pages to make room for some of the Weekly Planner pages, which is fine because they’re pretty generic, basically just lined or grid journal pages with differing amounts of space to write on.
I also want to take out these divider pages and use the monthly ones from the Weekly Planner set. If this works out, I’ll have a similar set ready to go for next year, too.
So, back to the MAMBI Sticks from the other post . . . I’m going to use 1 or 2 of those on the cover of this new album. I’ll be handling this book a lot so I don’t want to make it too fancy.
I just love the watercolor look of that green one. It’s going to be hard to choose!
Then I’ll use the stickers from the medium-sized MAMBI set on the pages inside. I want them to be mostly journaling and, because the pages are so thick, I need to keep them flat as well. These stickers will be perfect. They make me happy just to look at them :)
I haven’t decided yet whether to include photo pocket pages in this album. I know there’ll be times when I’ll want to use a photo but, to save room, I *think* I’ll print any photos 2×3 or 3×4 and adhere them right to a page, then write the journaling around the photo.
The reason for this project: I have so many positives in my life right now. I feel like I’m at a point where things are becoming more and more clear – about what I want from life, how to be “a positive” in others’ lives, things I want to tell my kids, etc.
I’ve even started another blog with this new vision and I’m SO excited! If I stick with it long-term, I’ll share the link here ;) Hey, I realize my flaws and being The Queen of Unfinished Projects is one of them, including new blogs. Heh.
My new blog will include some scrapbooking and memory keeping but will mostly be writing – about things I think you’ll really identify with – along with photos and lots of other great stuff :) I’ve written drafts of five posts already and I’m having a blast!
I wrote a lot in school and majored in creative writing in college; I miss writing and expressing myself in that way (other than about scrapbooking, of course!). I was driving home the other day and in the space of 20 minutes, I’d written down NINE ideas for posts I wanted to write. Now THAT’S inspired!
I hope I follow through and am able to share it with you – wish me luck!
I’m not a real foodie per se but since starting Project Life, I have been taking a lot more food photos than in the past. I don’t use any special techniques though. Guess I have a thing or three to learn.
See you at Lain’s May scrapinar! CLICK HERE for more details and to sign up :)
From April 6-12, 2014, Michaels is having one of their BIGGEST sales of the year! Check out their ad and coupons HERE.
I for one am happy because they’ll have Iris 12×12 scrapbook cases for only $2.99 (reg. $8.99).
Over time, I’m converting all my scrapbook storage that was in open baskets on my shelves to these closed cases. Love that they’re see-through.
Scrapbook albums and Recollections craft storage are 60% off! Maybe I’ll finally take a chance on a Project Life album at THAT price! {I’ve heard they’re not very sturdy. Do you have a review?}
Scrapbook paper pads will be $9.99 (reg. $19.99).
And Plastic Scrapbook Storage will be 50% off.
If you wanted to implement my PROJECT LIFE CARDS or WASHI storage ideas, now would be a great time to buy up some of those cute plastic shoeboxes or 6×6 Iris containers!
I know you love a good scrappy bargain as much as I do, so I had to share. Hope you find something fabulous. Happy Shopping!
PS: Would love to hear what you pick up at Mike’s. Please come back and let us know!
I was recently traveling in Arizona and had the opportunity to visit two local scrapbook stores (LSS). This is a real treat since the closest LSS to my home is 2 hours away. So I warn you now, there are LOTS of photos and I have a LOT to say!! I’ll have to do 2 blog posts. What?! I’m wordy! Sheesh.
The first scrapbook store I visited in the Phoenix area was “Scrapbooks Etc.” in Mesa, AZ . . . or as it’s now called, “Etc. Scrapbooks, Fabric & More”. The name change appears to be because they’ve added fabrics to about 1/3 of the store. I’m no sewist but I think that’s a brilliant move! Way to stay viable, AZ scrap store owners!
I’m just gonna’ say from the beginning: I loved this store! It’s one of the biggest and best I’ve ever been to. They had loads of current stuff, I liked the way the store was laid out, and they had lots to offer the customer.
Yep, I managed to show up on their Scrapbook Yard Sale day – woot! It started at 10am so I got there about 9:45. I was greeted by a super long line outside the store. I texted DH at 9:48: “Garage sale starts at 10. There’s about 50 women in line. Hold my earrings. Mama might need to throw down!” He cheered me on: “They got nothin’ on u.”
Just kidding, just kidding. I got back in my car, drove across the street, and got a Starbucks. I’m not the aggressive type {even with a latte’ under my belt}.
The yard sale was held in the classroom and here is what it looked like {faces have been blurred to protect the guilty . . . er, innocent}:
Here’s a sample of the goodies to be found at the Scrapbooks Etc. garage sale – a Simple Stories “Summer Fresh” pack for $7. I think that 6×6 pad alone sells for $6, so that’s a nice deal :)
I grabbed a few packs of things and literally had to escape that room so I could find a clear surface to check out the goods. And where did I end up!?!? At the Scrapbooks Etc. sale/clearance table in the back of the store. Where I found more deals. Sheesh. It’s like too much of a good thing, I tell ya’!
One thing from the garage sale I held onto was a BASIC GREY “BLUSH” collection pack. Here’s the tag sheet from the collection kit – “Blush” is SO yummy!
I think it was $7-8 and only missing a few sheets. Again, a good deal but it didn’t make the final cut in favor of NEW scrappy stuff!! I don’t get to an LSS but a few times a year so I didn’t want to miss the chance to get some newer things when I could actually see them in person. Yes, it’s a luxury these days :(
Okay, so if you’re a BAZZILL Babe like I am, you’ll want to sit down for this. Or at least hold onto a hand rail or something. Ready?? I give you. THE GREAT WALL OF BAZZILLLLLLL!!!!
Isn’t all that color and texture and paper goodness so PURDY??? I almost swallowed my tongue! GULP!
I can’t find it now but I swore I read earlier that the husband of the Scrapbooks Etc. owner owns (or works for?) Bazzill Basics. Which would make sense judging by their huge selection of Bazzill cardstock and other Bazzill papers.
Speaking of pretty colors, I just had to take a pic of all those pretty WRMK album colors all in a row. Gorge!
Scrapbooks Etc. had most products arranged by manufacturer which is how I prefer to shop. Here’s some new Dear Lizzy and Amy Tan, both by American Crafts:
I *so* wanted this Amy Tan “Mixtapes” pack but that price took up too much of my budget.
You’re a scrapper, you get it, right? You stand there in the store aisle, fondling the “$11 for 6 bitty rolls of washi tape” and have this internal conversation:
“You should get this. It’s sooper dooper cute!”
“I know, but ELEVEN DOLLARS! And the tapes are so skinny!”
“Yes, yes, but that’s what makes them so preciously KYUTE!”
“Precious smeshious, do you know how much PAPER I could buy with $11?”
“Well. Okay. You do have a good point there. Put them back.”
“But but but! But I want the cute little skinny Amy Tan washi! And if I buy it online, I have to pay $92 shipping on $11 worth of 6 skinny rolls of washi tape!”
“GUUUURRRLLL. Put. The washi tape. Back. NOW.
“(Kicking ground). Fine. It’s back. Jeez.”
Yeah, I put the washi tape back. But it was PAINFUL, I tell ya’!
These Dear Lizzy mini flair badges were very hard to pass up, too. Just darling.
They had a great selection of this new new Basic Grey:
One thing I loved was the little product vignettes they have around the store. They make very appealing displays with new products that make you want to buy things. Wicked smart! Here are just 2 but there were several more:
Colorful Doodlebug Goodness:
All these little packs of puffy arrows, chevrons, and punctuation were KILLIN’ me, Smalls. I very much coveted that shades of teal blue one in the middle.
But at $5 a pack, I had to pass :( You don’t want to hear the conversation-with-self I had about THAT! I almost socked myself in the jaw right then and there. But the Good Angel won. Again.
Here’s a shot of the fabric side of the store. They seemed pretty busy and I could hear the counter person answering lots of customer questions. Seems like a great set-up.
Teresa Collins “Happy” which is so much prettier in person than online.
Teresa Collins “Save the Date” which, me being married for so long, I didn’t think I’d be interested in. But, man, the colors were so pretty. I was seriously considering re-engaging and re-marrying my man just so I could use it.
The epoxy/enamel heart down there was callin’ my name. Have I mentioned I LOVE HEARTS?? Yeah, maybe once or thrice.
An entire wall of SIMPLE STORIES. Um, when can I move in, please? Starbucks across the street, rainbows of Bazzill, WRMK, and Doodlebug, AND a Simple Stories neighborhood – what more do I need to sustain life?
KAISERCRAFT is one company I’m not very familiar with but their products sure caught my eye! I ended up with a pack of their 3×4 cards; guess which one? {I’ll reveal in a “Scrapbooks Etc. Haul” post later}.
They also have Project Life Island. See? I never need to go anywhere else :) I’m set.
There was a big Accucut station; a die-cutter’s dream.
October Afternoon . . . squee!!
I think these were garage sale shoppers checking out their loot or deciding what to buy. I totally get it, ladies. Take your time. If I step on you, smack me.
More October Afternoon:
Fancy Pants:
Whole row of Bazzill Basics patterned paper:
Ahh, My Minds Eye rotating racks, I’ve missed you!
So that’s my tour and review of Scrapbooks Etc. in Mesa, Arizona. I highly suggest you visit if you’re in the area. Or in an adjacent state. It’s worth it, LOL. Wonderful store and I hope I’m able to visit many more times in the future!
Stay tuned to see what goodies I bought there!
ETA 03-30-15: Kind of a sad update. I hear from an online friend who was at Scrapbooks Etc. recently that it has shrunk in both size and number of new products since last year when I went. They’ve remodeled the store into a smaller space at the same location and decreased the inventory accordingly. Boo hoo. Still probably a better store than most, though . . .
ETA 07-31-16: Well, I heard a while back that more of Scrapbooks Etc. had been converted to sewing products. Now I hear the sad news that they are closing altogether effective the end of July 2016 :(
Same owners since 1999!
We are sad to say that we are closing the store officially August 6th. July 28th-July 30th the store will be open from 10am-6pm and August 1st-6th the store will be open from 10am-3pm.
There will be no open lab for the remainder of us being open.
Well, unbeknownst to me, it’s National Craft Month on HSN. They failed to include me on the memo :D
And apparently it’s also National Wicked Cool Manicure Month!
Starting at midnight on Monday 03-24-14 (or 9pm Sunday night for those of us in the PST), HSN will be airing crafting and scrapbooking shows by (among others) ANNA GRIFFIN, MARTHA STEWART, and my personal favorite, LISA BEARNSON – check out the (4) new PROJECT LIFE kits for HSN she is debuting!
You MUST click over the Lisa B’s BLOG and see tons more photos. Well, I mean, click over there if you’re ready to buy something because you’ll want to after seeing all her great pics. Word.
Luckily for me, I’m broke. Ha! If I wasn’t, I’d be getting the “Daydreamer” and “Style Board” kits. OMBRE & WATERCOLOR & BOKEH, oh my!
Did you know you don’t have to wait for the shows to air to buy these kits? You can get them on HSN.com now {if they’re not already sold out}. I usually find things that are about to air in the crafting NEW ARRIVALS section.
The only problem is if we buy them all up before the show, Lisa won’t have anything to demo again, LOL. {Yes, that happened in the past}. Then again, things selling out before they even air shows HSN and other companies {I’m lookin’ at you, QVC!} that we scrappers are serious shoppers when you bring us new stuff at a decent price. Am I right?
To see when and what shows are airing, check out the HSN PROGRAM GUIDE and change the drop down menu to your time zone. Then set that DVR and get to recording! Or if you’re lucky and don’t have to be anywhere else, grab a bowl of popcorn, some coffee, and get to watchin’!!
And if you’re stuck at work on Monday – okay, do NOT tell your boss I told you this – but you can watch HSN live online RIGHT HERE. Just sayin’ . . .
Will you be watching HSN Crafting this time around? Do you think you’ll buy anything? What’s your favorite item?
ETA 03-23-14: Someone mentioned on Two Peas that Amazon had some of these kits without the extra stuff, if you don’t want that. I went to check and found that (as of this second) AZURE, DAYDREAMER, and STYLE BOARD are listed for good prices but sold out. I can’t find “Happy” on Amazon; someone mentioned it was maybe an exclusive to Australia?
As I mentioned HERE back in early January 2014, some Michaels received new Project Life items including 6×8 albums, page protectors, and kits to use in them for Planner, Agenda, and Recipe.
Well, what should I spy at my Mike’s almost 2 months later but this!?!?:
Yeppers, some of the page protectors and 1 of the 3 kits. I have a zillion 6×8 Sn@p! pages so I don’t need more of those for now but I did snatch up the “Planner” Project Life kit. It was $4.99 minus $2.00 with my 40% off coupon. So only $2.99 for 40 cards – pretty cost effective.
And it’s really cute! I love the theme, colors, and style. I think I’ll get a lot of use from these cards. Here are some photos in case you’d like a closer look:
4×6 cards
3×4 cards
It’s very everyday, happy, and fresh. It looks great with one of my other favorite Project Life kits, HONEY. {I talk about why it’s one of my faves HERE}.
Not to enable or anything – ‘cuz you know I hate to do that – but “Honey” and “Olive” are only $23 and “Turquoise” is only $18 at the moment HERE on Amazon. These kits are usually $30 so that’s a great deal ;)
Anyway, just wanted to let you know not to give up hope on finding the “new” Project Life items at your Michaels. They may still show up!
About a month ago {01-28-14}, Becky Higgins announced on her blog HERE that a new Project Life line would be coming to Joann craft stores as an exclusive. The line is called “Kiwi” and it’s super cute!
Being a Project Life junkie, I knew I had to have it. Unfortunately, the closest Joann to me is about an hour and it’s a tiny one – hardly any scrapbooking stuff. So I started looking online at JOANN.COM and found the kit HERE.
Note: Click on “Locate in Store”, enter your zip code, and you can find out if the Joann store(s) near you carry the “Kiwi” set.
Joann.com told me that my tiny, not-so-close store didn’t carry it. So I signed up to receive an e-mail when Joann.com had it in stock but have yet to be notified :(
But luckily for me, a sweet online friend (ENABLER HEATHER! ha ha) lives near all these amazing, large, current craft stores and she always finds things I *need*. She found Project Life “Kiwi” at HER Joann and bought it for herself, then kindly sold me 1/2 of it.
And without further ado, here is a quick pic of Kiwi:
Sorry, I did’t have time to spread the cards out better and get more photos but you get the idea. The colors are fun, bright, and happy. The sayings are everyday and very useable. The “handwriting” font used on some of the cards isn’t my favorite {see the pink one on top of the pile?}; it’s a little sloppy for my taste. But that’s the great thing about PL cards – if you don’t like one side, use the other or even put a sticker or embellishment over things you don’t love. I like the use of black and turquoise with lighter pastels, there are plenty of hearts {you KNOW I love HEARTS!}, and the mix of white/off-white backgrounds is a nice feature.
Because the Kiwi kit is “exclusive” to Joann stores and so hard to find, the message boards are abuzz with people buying, trading, and looking for it. Many have been unsuccessful and the rumor is that each Joann store who DOES have it only got 2 kits per store. Which seems kind of crazy given how popular Project Life items usually are.
A Pea reported today that: “I was at (Joanns) tonight and asked a lady about the Kiwi kits. She said they’d be put out next week since Ms has a coupon on them. It must be the 50% off one she’s referring to.” So that’s good news if it’s true! If you’re looking for the Kiwi kit, I hope you find it sooner than later! It really is beautiful and I think you’ll like it a lot in person.
Soooo . . . confession time! Are you a Scrapoholic? Are you in recovery . . . or driving to the store?
Tell us something weird, funny, or crazy your “scrapbook obsession” has made you do. I mean, it’s an ADDICTION so you’re clearly not in control and can’t be blamed for your actions. {That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it}.
– I had to buy a third plastic shoebox because my PROJECT LIFE, MAMBI, and SN@P! card sets have outgrown THIS storage . . .
– I take selfies at the beach {while pretending I’m taking ocean photos} because that’s the only way to get myself in the scrapbook . . .
– I have one of my jobs solely to have a budget for buying scrapbook supplies and printing photos . . .
There are lots more but I’ll leave it at that :)
Okay, don’t leave me hangin’ out here alone. Your turn!
I’m sorry I didn’t post this sooner but it’s been cray-cray in the hizz-zay. You feel me? Word.
Unless you’re, like, the super most efficient scrapper on the face of the planet, I’m reaching you in time anyway. Before you start scrapping your Valentine’s Day 2014 festivities, check out Miss Tiina’s “Printable Valentine’s Day Freebies” HERE. This one is my favorite . . .
. . . but there is lots of heart-filled goodness there by one of my favorite graphic designers. Who still hasn’t designed a PROJECT LIFE set yet, much to my dismay. I’m going to start a letter-writing campaign, I swear!
{For you young-uns, a “letter” is what we used to hand write on paper BEFORE there was e-mail. And we had to put it in an envelope, lick a stamp – yes! we had to LICK them! oh em gee – and wait for our “letter” to arrive in the mail. This could take DAYS. It was rough back then}.
So I’m going to start an e-mail (ahem) campaign for BECKY HIGGINS to sign on MISS TIINA. She is wicked talented, I want her style in my scrapbooks, and I’m tired of having to cut up all her printables. Help a sista’ out, Becks. {I can call her “Becks” because we talked at CHA and now we’re besties}. {Ok, not really . . . the besties part, I mean}.
PS: HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!! Hope yours was fabu. Did you get anything scrappy?
This was posted on Instagram by Erin with DCWV (Die Cuts With a View), makers of scrapbooking papers and products! {You can see their stuff on Amazon HERE and they sell a lot of it at Michaels, too}.
She refers to a 1-hour craft show on QVC coming 03-05-14. So maybe not “QVC Scrapbooking” per se, but at least a crafting show and a step in the right direction – woot! I know many scrapbookers like me have missed the “good ol’ days” of QVC Scrapbooking, when we would call in sick to work . . . erm, take a planned vacation day . . . so we could sit glued in front of the TV and see all the fabulous ideas and products.
Some years ago, QVC quit doing scrapbooking shows (which we couldn’t understand, because most of the items would sell out). Then HSN ramped up their scrapbooking and LISA BEARNSON was eventually added as an HSN Scrapbooking hostess, which I was very happy about because I LURVE her. I was on a scrapbooking cruise with her back in the day and, let me tell you, she’s one of THE nicest and most genuine people you will ever meet.
So I really do hope that scrapbooking is coming back to QVC. The QVC PROGRAM GUIDE only goes through March 2 at this point so I can’t confirm the March 5 thing.
On top of THAT good news,
On 02-12-14, HSN Scrapbooking will be featuring the new Cricut Explore. In fact, according to someone on the DT for Anna Griffin, “Anna Griffin is launching the new Cricut Explore and some free fun party images from Anna come with it.” HERE is the announcement on Anna’s site. She has a series of Cricut Explore sneak peeks on HER BLOG if you’re intrigued.
According to the HSN PROGRAM GUIDE, all of the Papercrafting shows on 02/12 will feature the Cricut Explore. Since I was recently given an amazing SILHOUETTE CAMEO, I have no interest in buying one but will check out at least one episode to learn about it.
On 03-24-14, Lisa Bearnson will be introducing two new PROJECT LIFE kits on HSN and other new things.
This is from LISA’S BLOG recently, where she also discussed what a bust her last appearance was on HSN:
Thanks for all your comments about my last HSN show! Hopefully you didn’t miss out on the amazing savings on Project Life items. I got a note from the buying team yesterday that said you all know a good deal when you see one! Almost every Project Life product has sold out but these four items (as of yesterday)! I so hope you were able to get one of the Cinnamon Project Life kits!
So sorry about the 5-7 p.m. hours. HSN had to make a last minute switch (it had nothing to do with crafting products) and I tried to be cheerful about the change! Yes it’s true that some of my items were sold out, but there were many that I was so excited to showcase. It really was beyond any of our control.
Stay tuned for March 24th–the next big craft day. I have tons of new, new, new including a two new Project Life kits! Please be assured that HSN is still very dedicated to the crafting market.
I’m glad to hear HSN isn’t abandoning us scrapbookers! After the canceled and moved shows last time, I was beginning to wonder.
Here’s to a happy weekend, with visions of TV scrapbooking shows dancing in our heads!
As I talked about HERE, I recently went to my annual scrapbook retreat with friends. I had a complete blast, as I always do. This retreat weekend is something I look forward to all year. Daily life is so busy – family, work, home – that I rarely get to scrapbook at home. That’s why I enjoy and look forward to crops and retreats so much.
I worked extra hard all week so that I’d be ahead on my work come Friday, and was able to head up to the lake retreat house first thing in the morning. I was the first to arrive {that NEVER happens! LOL} and quickly got to unloading my heavily-packed car. Personal stuff went into a downstairs bedroom and scrappy stuff upstairs to the main part of the house.
Since I was there first, I was able to take some photos of the house empty. You can see how super cool it is and perfectly set up for a scrapbooking crew like us. Starting at the left of the photo: Crop tables with Ott lights; living room with big comfy couches, TV, and fireplace; 2 more scrapping’ tables where me and my mom sat; large kitchen; and big dining room table.
This is the view from the front deck toward the lake. Because of our drought, the water is very low this year and you can barely see it there in the background :(
Here’s my table with all my scrap-crap unloaded but before getting organized. All the stuff in the back row was already there – printer, lamp, Iris drawers, etc.
Here’s me all set up and ready to scrap the long weekend away! Epson PictureMate? Check! Bag in Bag full of embellishments, enamel dots, and labels? Check! Basic Grey Magnetic Mat double down? Check! Stack of free printables? Check! Let’s get this pawty stawted, homes!
This was my table on Day 3. Ahhhh . . . coffee and scrapbooking. My idea of heaven.
This is one reason I love my Project Life storage solution so much. {If you haven’t read my post about it, they’re just plastic shoeboxes from Michaels with all my 3×4 and 4×6 cards divided by brand and line with simple labels}. See how I put them on top of the existing Iris drawers? It was so easy to pull down the box I needed, flip the lid off, and go to town. If I’d had a large case with an attached lid, where would I have even put it? And so heavy! If I’d used one of the those fancy divided cubby units that I so admire when I see them on Pinterest {ha!}, how would I have transported it to the retreat without all the cards falling out and getting mixed up?
“Scrabpook Obsession, you can love your Project Life storage system. Just don’t LOOOOOOOOVE your Project Life storage system.” {10 points if you can name the movie I’m referencing!}
Anyhoo, I worked solely on pocket pages with my goal being to get 2013 photos completely done including Project Life. Welllll . . . that didn’t happen, LOL! More like February, March, and October to December 2013. Oh well. Best laid plans and all that. I did get 20 pocket pages scrapped. I just counted how many photos:
One hundred and five. Bladow.
105 photos and lots of handwritten journaling, capturing memories, reliving our fun year = what a blessing. Wish I could go on a retreat every month. I dare say I’d be totally ‘caught up.’ Which will never happen in reality but it’s fun to dream about, yeah? If I’d done traditional layouts, I predict I would’ve scrapped about 20 photos.
I even got some organizing done while I was there. I made more labeled dividers for my PL storage {yikes! I’ve collected even MORE cards since I showed you my storage system HERE}. And I got a lot of my divided page protectors out of their packaging and into a 12×12 ring binder, divided up into the various pocket configurations. Made it much easier to find the specific type I was looking for instead of digging into a mixed up multi-pack each time.
I’ll close with this photo of some beautiful deer. I was standing on the front patio early in the evening, talking to one of my kids on the phone, when these deer just walked right up to me. Aren’t they amazing?
Yes, of course, I took a ton of photos and now these darlings will have a pocket page spread of their own. Anyone know a good “deer” line?? :D
Do you go on scrapbook retreats? Do you get a lot done or is it more of a social thing?
I wanted to let you know I’ve added several more products to the original list of SCRAPBOOK PRODUCT ERRORS AND TYPOS. Take a look and have a giggle :) As a teaser, can you see what’s wrong with these stickers?
I have to say, this blog entry was an interesting topic when I went to CHA. Since I was talking directly to scrapbooking companies who’ve been mentioned here, I had this loose-woman-in-a-confessional booth need to REPENT! Confess that I was the evil blogger who kept a list of their foibles.
Thankfully, they laughed.
They did take the time to explain the manufacturing process and how it’s almost impossible to keep errors like these from slipping through once in a while. They said not to blame it on the overseas manufacturers, that they only print what they’re given. But, as in any other business, breakdowns in communication happen sometimes. They do have many pairs of eyes look through everything but they’re humans and they miss things. Or corrections are made but the wrong computer file is sent. The best they can do is try to fix it and offer the customer a digital or hard copy replacement. In the case where the line won’t be reprinted, all they can do is offer another product as an apology.
The sweet folks at SIMPLE STORIES showed me an example of how specific and exacting they have to be with the product makers. For a pack of die cuts like these . . .
. . . they have to send specs about EXACTLY how they want them in the package. The large red hearts on the bottom vertically, the blue HOME on top of that vertically, the teal scallop horizontally, etc. I think she used another pack as an example but that was the gist of it. Anyway, just something I never gave any thought to and found very interesting.
So, maybe I’ve softened a little bit on the manufacturers. Well, or not. I’ve never been “burn them at the stake!!!” for these errors. I just think it’s fun to keep a list and also like sharing it with you so, if it’s an error that would bug you, you can steer clear of that product. As long as the companies are willing to make things right with their customers when these problems are found, then I have their back. It’s the best they can do, right?
So check out the updated list linked above and, as always, give me a shout out if you find any new ones ;)
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’ve been hangin’ around the blog, you know I’ve been very excited to attend TRUE SCRAP POCKET PAGES :) I signed up on Black Friday and had to wait for.EV.er for it to actually get here, LOL. I could kinda’ care less about Christmas and my birthdays because I don’t receive much these days . . . but sign me up for a scrapbook class or event, and it’s all I can think about. Am I alone here?
So today it was finally time for TS Pocket Pages. I really enjoyed my experience and wanted to share a review. Did you know you can buy these classes individually later? Lain usually sells True Scrap classes a la carte a month or two after the event; I’ll make sure and post here when they’re available. If you don’t want to miss that, you can sign up in the top right sidebar to receive an e-mail every time I post.
It actually started Friday night with a Pajama Party from 9-10pm EST. This is a chance for all the attendees to check out the chat room, get to know the hostess Lain, say hi to everyone, and chit chat about scrapbooking for an hour. There are often technical things to work through, too – like changing browsers, watching videos straight from the LOAD site, getting close to your router, etc. – so I highly suggest attending PJ parties before any of Lain’s events or at least checking out the online classroom at least 1 hour before start time. She usually uses Cisco Webex for which you’ll need to download Quicktime if you’re not on a Mac. I usually sail right into class but this time I couldn’t access the classroom using Safari. I switched over the Chrome and had no problem, although Lain says that most people who have problems are using Chrome (guess I’m an anomaly, LOL – wouldn’t be the first time!).
On Saturday, I got to sleep in because it didn’t start until 9:30am my time. There were scrappers from other parts of the world like my buddy AussieGal (Janet) who had to be up at 4:30, ugh. What a trooper! If you’re not that devoted or have other plans, there are always full replays of the class videos including the chat. Love that feature. I also love the replays because here is my routine: While the event – class videos and chat – are going on live, I give that my full attention. I watch the video, participate in the chat, etc. {And the chat moves VERY fast so you have to be a bit of a scrapbook Olympian to follow it}. Then later I’ll watch the videos individually to take notes, follow the projects more closely, and sometimes create the project.
In this case, the pocket page classes were more process-oriented where the instructor walked you through how and why they do PROJECT LIFE or pocket page scrapbooking. They shared what products they use, how their space is set up, how they choose and print photos, do journaling, etc.
Usually with True Scrap classes, there’s a project to create and I’ll do that after the fact. This time, I think I’ll watch again whenever I need Project Life or pocket page inspiration or just want to watch or listen to something scrappy. There were SO many ideas and tips to incorporate into my own pocket page scrapping. Another great feature of True Scrap events is the Supply List. This is sent out ahead of time in case you want to gather products and create along with the instructor. But it’s REALLY useful for after the fact when you fall in love with the products they use and want to know “Where’d she get that?!?!” If the item isn’t on the Supply List, they’re really great about following up and putting a link to the item in the chat and/or in the Post-Call Guide.
So, now for a quick review of each class. I included the class times so you could get a sense of how long the event is, and the class name/description in italics. My reviews follow in regular type.
12:30PM* – Meet and Greet
*All times are EST
Again, just a time to check in, make sure your connection is working, etc. We all said hi to old and new friends, said where we were from, and compared temperatures; those with snow and ice didn’t appreciate hearing from us in Cali, Hawaii, and Arizona, I’m sure.
1PM – Pocket Scrapping 101: Back to Basics from Layle Koncar
As a dedicated “traditional” scrapbooker, Layle Koncar had to find a way to make pocket scrapbooking work for her – and she did it! She’s sharing her secrets to take you from pocket scrapping zero to hero in this comprehensive class, “Pocket Scrapping 101: Back to Basics.” If you’re new to pocket pages, this is a can’t miss primer for how to approach the system from Planning and Organization to Color and Design. And if you’re an experienced pocket scrapper, you’ll still find plenty of tips, hints, and time- saving secrets. This is one class you’re sure to watch again and again!
I’ve been scrapbooking pocket-page style for a few years now but even I enjoyed this “basic” look at the topic. If you’re new to pocket page or Project Life-type scrapbooking, this is a great class. Layle talked about all the products that can be used, how to organize products, how to store and use memorabilia, etc. One of my favorite things about Layle is she’s so down-to-earth, like your funny BFF who always makes you smile. She told a story about Hawaii that had me ROFL *and* LMBO. Word. We found out that Layle had done her video, it was almost an hour (which doesn’t allow for chat time), so she took 2 segments out, and submitted it. Well, it’s the real world and things happen – so we ended up seeing the long version. No one was complaining though – more learnin’ for us :) And Ms. Lain Problem Solver is going to Skype with Layle soon, get all our questions answered, and share it via e-mail. So we got the best of both worlds.
2PM – Do You Hear What I Hear? Including Your Family’s Perspectives in Your Pocket Spreads from Marcy Penner
Most scrapbookers realize that pretty soon, their scrapbooks become a reflection of their perspective on their life. And that’s great! But what about those other special people who inhabit your world? Is it possible to include more “voices” in your pocket pages? As Marcy Penner can attest, YES! Marcy will create a weekly spread in her Project Life album with a focus on adding other voices and perspectives. You’ll learn specific tips and ideas for including family members in your process, as well as where to find content that will add additional perspectives to your pages. After “Do You Hear What I Hear? Including Your Family’s Perspectives in Your Pocket Spreads,” you’ll be hearing voices – in a good way!
In addition to all the ways I learned to include my family members’ voices in my pages, I also liked watching her process. She has a clever Design A template on poster board that she uses to design her pages before slipping everything into protectors. Someone in class mentioned seeing online where another scrapper made a template on their desktop using washi tape! I usually just design my pages right on top of the page protectors themselves but will consider making one of these templates. Marcy shared photography, placement, embellishing, and color tips as well. Her process and pages are very detailed and not something I personally (a very simple and time-challenged scrapper) would re-create. But I can take 1 or 2 of her ideas per layout and still get my money’s worth from the class.
3PM – KISS: Keep It Simple, Scrappy! Simplifying the Pocket Page Process from Monica McNeil
So you’ve got plenty of product, plenty of pictures, plenty of memories, but not much time. Monica McNeil is right there with you! In “KISS: Keep It Simple, Scrappy! Simplifying the Pocket Page Process in Three Simple Steps” she’s going to share her methodology of batch-processing her pocket page spreads. She works on several weeks at once, and also finds time to go back to older years to deal with those pesky missing weeks. (You DO have missing weeks, don’t you?) Jam-packed with ways to keep your process simple, “KISS” will give you the tools to actually have time to cultivate that good life, instead of spending all your time recording it. Join Monica to use your kits, preserve your memories, and showcase your photographs in a flash.
This was one of my favorite classes from True Scrap Pocket Pages. I wasn’t familiar with Monica prior to this but I really like her scrapbooking style and how she teaches. I’m in the same boat – super busy, wanting to do Project Life and pocket page scrapbooking, but having to adapt it to something I can handle time-wise. Even though she keeps it simple, Monica’s pages tell the story, are fun to do, and look great. She gave concrete tips like batch processing, using label stickers, tagging photos, and going back to complete older albums.
4PM – Outside the Lines: Creative Approaches to Adding Journaling to Your Pocket Pages from Stephanie Bryan
Do photos come easier than words for you? You’re not alone! As an experienced pocket page veteran, Stephanie Bryan knows that you can get into ruts, making your whole project feel like a trip to the dentist rather than the joy it can (and should!) be. Over the past years, she’s discovered ways to re-invigorate her journaling by including the stories in unique and fun ways. She’ll be sharing these techniques with you in “Outside the Lines: Creative Approaches to Adding Journaling to Your Pocket Pages.”
I’m a pretty boring journaler with my pocket pages. I usually handwrite straight onto the provided journaling cards and call it a day. I really enjoyed Stephanie’s class for all her ideas to get me out of that rut. She utilizes things like flip up journaling cards, tags in pockets, journaling on photos, and using her die cutting machine to spice things up a bit. As with Marcy’s class, I admire Stephanie’s pages for their artistry more than I would plan to replicate them but, hey, that’s great, too! “Aspirational scrapbooking,” right? It’s all good.
5PM – Playing Big: Adding 12×12 photos and layouts to your Pocket Pages Albums from Lilith Eeckels
Pocket pages are wonderful for capturing little moments. But what about those BIG little moments – the ones that deserve more than a 3×4 or 4×6 spot? Lillith Eeckels wants to help you get those special times into your pocket page albums. In “Playing Big: Adding 12×12 Photos and Layouts to Your Pocket Page Albums” she’ll show you how to scrapbook everyday moments in the traditional 12×12 size, and then how to add those oversized pages to your albums. She’ll also share her tips for making the whole process easy, enjoyable, and achievable. Let’s get BIG!
Lilith you may know as a former Two Peas GARDEN GIRL. I love her style and always enjoy her scrapbooking videos. In this case, I don’t have a wide format printer and don’t send my photos out for printing either so I probably won’t use her 12×12 photo or collage ideas. But she did teach me a thing or three I WILL use! She showed a great way of incorporating regular 12×12 layouts within your pocket page/Project Life layouts to where they look cohesive and not “out of place” like I’ve seen them do. I also enjoyed watching her layer on 3×4 and 4×6 cards. She has a great attitude about embracing mistakes and not stressing on things too much. Lilith was raised in South Africa and lives in Belgium (we learned in class), so she has a lovely accent, too.
6PM – Hybrid Hints for Paper People from Traci Reed
Traci Reed is the resident Digi girl for True Scrap events, but even though she loves those pixels, she works her pocket pages in paper style… with a little help from her digi background! In “Hybrid Hints for Paper People,” Traci will show you how to use digital techniques and tools to expand what you can do with your paper pocket pages. That’s right – you can have the best of both worlds, and Traci will be your guide in getting it all!
I’m a strictly paper scrapbooker so I have to admit I didn’t get as much out of this class. She delves right in with Photoshop, a program I doubt I’ll ever own, but the music playing while she demos her work was great! I have nothing against digi-scrapping, it’s just not for me. I’m on the computer ALLLLL day for work, personal, blogging, and comms with my scrappy peeps. When I sit down to scrapbook, I want the creative “paper and glue” outlet. But I think most scrappers are open to digital or at least hybrid scrapbooking. You’ll enjoy this class if that’s the case for you. Traci is a very accomplished digital designer and teacher and her Project Life pages are stunning. She has a pleasant teaching style and her interaction during chats always makes me laugh. Traci did surprise me at the end by printing out her digi-fied photos, cutting them out, adhering to card stock, and embellishing with physical scrapbooking products and stamping. So check out her class and see if you like it!
To give you an idea of the amazing prizes handed out, here are the ones from “True Scrap Pocket Pages”:
Layle – Simple Stories “Daily Grind” prize package
Marcy – Studio Calico Project Life kit
Monica – Full Project Life set of choice including album
Stephanie – Life Pages kit from Gossamer Blue
Lilith – Layle Koncar’s “Pick a Card, Any Card” class
Traci – Digital kit with printables $40 collection brand new
If you’ve read this sooper dooper long review and want to just buy the whole event, you can still purchase “TRUE SCRAP: POCKET PAGES” at this link. I just put it in a shopping cart and entered the code ASAP90 which still worked to bring the price from $149 way down to $59. I thought that code had expired but I guess not – it’s worth a try! If not, wait for those a la carte prices in the next month or so and you can buy just the classes that sound the best to you!
Thanks for reading my reviews. Please post ANY questions or comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
Once a year, I go on a scrapbooking retreat with a group of friends and my mama :) There are 8 of us and we have a blast. It’s coming up later this month and I’m trying to get a jump on planning what I want to work on and, therefore, pack. I started to write out these lists on paper, then figured “what the heck? Why not blog ’em?” Here’s how it’s going so far.
Well, first . . . when I’m at retreats, I like to work on projects not just a bunch of random layouts. Layouts are super fun and creative and all that; I just don’t feel like it’s a good use of my time. I’m so busy these days (work full-time, kids, DH, sports, activities, blogging, etc.), that I do the majority of my scrapping at crops and retreats.
Yes, it’s sad but true. I work on Project Life a bit at home and try to periodically organize memorabilia, print photos, type out journaling, and put away purchases. Which is all scrapbooking-RELATED but it’s not the real thing, right?
So when I get a concentrated amount of time away from the fam and work, with a big table to spread out on, wonderful girlfriends for company, and can stay up as late as I want – I’m taking advantage of it, guuurrrlll!
PROJECTS, baby, PROJECTS.
Projects Considered:
1. Baby Albums – I have the photos organized, memorabilia/journaling, album, page protectors, Project Life “Baby” kits, and lots of cute embellishments. But I feel like I’d do this better at home where DH can help me with the memories. Heck, I’d love him to do some of the journaling.
2. Mediterranean Cruise/Rome Album – From YEARS ago, people! I started out doing a regular 12×12 album and got maybe 20 layouts done. But it hit me that if I kept going on that plan, I would end up with 150 layouts and it would take me 3 years to complete! Now I just want to get the photos in divided protectors, journal what i can remember, and embellish with the Basic Grey papers and embellies I’ve collected FOREVAH! for this project. The existing layouts are done with BG as well so I could slip those in wherever they go chronologically. Once that’s done, it won’t seem like such a daunting thing. I can grab the albums (as in multiple; there are LOTS of photos!) whenever I feel inspired and transition some photos and journaling to traditional layouts. In the meantime, I’ll be able to look through the photos and remember what an awesome trip that was! My mom was on the cruise too and I thought it would be good to pick her brain on memories while we’re at the retreat . . . but it almost seems like too BIG of a project to start on a weekend.
3. Scrap all of 2013 – That means finish Project Life, pocket page scrap all other 2013 photos (everyday/family, trips, sports, school, and events), and if I finish all of that, do some traditional layouts or a mini Sn@p! album. I like this idea the best because it’s do-able in a weekend. Also, I want to journal while everything is fairly fresh in my mind.
Scrapbookers are fickle, you might agree, but as of this moment – I’m going with #3 :) Now, it’s time for prep.
{Pssst! I’m going to start adding some pretty pictures now so you don’t fall asleep while reading this mega-post :) You’re welcome.}
To Do:
1. Get all 2013 memorabilia sorted into page protectors by month. (I blogged about my method HERE). I worked on this last weekend and I’m almost done.
2. Print photos and prints journaling already on computer
3. Type journaling for events (I like to do this ahead of time so I can either copy it as handwritten journaling while at the retreat or leave a spot big enough for typed journaling to add when I get home)
4. Make sure I have refills for adhesives, paper trimmer, TINY ATTACHER, etc.
To Pack:
1. 2013 Dayplanner/agenda (I keep great notes on what we did, thoughts, things the kids said, etc.)
2. Laptop, Picturemate printer*, photo paper, cords, iPhone, charger, OTT LITE, etc.
3. WRMK albums to store completed pages and plenty of page protectors! PROJECT LIFE and WRMK variety packs are my most-used. I use the Kiwi WRMK albums for Project Life and the Turquoise for Family albums. {Do you have a color coding system, too?}
4. Sticky notes (I hate to say Ali Edwards copies me but THIS is what I do, too . . . oh, simmer down! I’m kidding! I’m suuurrree it was her idea first. Yepper.)
*Photo from Ali’s blog
5. Plastic shoeboxes of all my Project Life-type cards (I talked about my storage method HERE and retreat time is when I really love how portable, light, and easy they are to use). Yes, I really have that many Project Life, MAMBI, and Sn@p! cards. Let’s see how much of a dent I can put in them at the retreat!
6. Tool caddy with plenty of black journaling pens, pencils, and erasers – a must for all the handwritten journaling I’ll do. (I love THESE erasers; they don’t smear the ink yet totally get rid of the pencil marks). I can also use my laptop and Picturemate to print journaling onto any 4×6 sheet of paper while AT the retreat. Cool, eh?
7. BAG IN BAG filled with Project Life-y stuff: washi tape, ENAMEL DOTS, stickers, embellishments, label stickers, date stamps, Cat’s Eye chalk inks, etc. I filled this up today and will show you pics soon.
8. Sn@p! album, chipboard pages, and page protectors – just in case ;)
Can you tell I’m excited!?!?! It’s still about 2 weeks away but I’m busy next weekend and have to work all the weekdays in between so I’m trying to get started with planning and packing now. I feel so much better now that I’ve decided on a project. I can pack up my crop bags in the next day or so and then add to them as I remember things I forgot, LOL!
Once everything is packed, I’m going to clean my scrapbook/home office. There will be some cleared surfaces for once – ha! One thing I do wait to pack until D-day is my paper trimmer (my trusty Cutterpede). Whenever I’ve packed it early, it comes back out to cut coupons, work papers, etc. Same goes for my tool caddy with pens, scissors, etc. There’s a lot of crossover use between my scrapbooking things and my work-at-home activities. I’m so lucky to have a big space where I can do both.
Okay, I’m off to start packing ‘er up! Thanks for reading such a long entry :)
As I posted HERE, some Michaels stores are now carrying several Becky Higgins’ new Project Life products – already! According to HER BLOG, these albums are being introduced at CHA-Anaheim next week . . . but they’re already showing up at some Mike’s! Sounds good to me :)
And I can’t find mention on her site of the 6×8 agenda, calendar, and recipe kits nor any new Core Kits by Maggie Holmes and Dear Lizzy {which I’m now hearing may the HSN “exclusive” core kits?}. So I don’t know if these items are Michaels exclusives or what? I’ve asked for clarification on the message boards from scrappers who’ve seen these displays in person but no one seems to know. Hmmmm . . .
And as it goes . . . none of these new Project Life goodies have arrived at MY Micheales and I won’t be surprised if they never do. Remember when MOST Mike’s got the 12×12 WRMK albums, like, ages ago??? My Mike’s got them about 1 month ago. Finally.
That’s one reason I get so much of my PROJECT LIFE stuff on Amazon.com. They may not have 40% off coupons but they do put things on sale fairly often and with PRIME, I get them in the mail sometimes sooner than I could’ve even run to Michaels (1-2 days, yippee! A girl needs her instant gratification, ya know?)
So, given that I have little hope of seeing these in person before I turn 82 (hey! I know I sound old and curmudgeonly but I’m nowhere close, I promise you) . . . I asked my message board friend Jen (aka Redscountrygirljen) if I could share the review SHE posted. I’m so thrilled she said yes! Below is JEN’s review and the wonderful photos she provided:
So, with our Blizzard approaching what was DH, my toddler and I to do today? Go to Michaels a half hour away, of course!
And what to my wondering eyes did appear?
New BH Project Life! And with it 40% off (like others have said, it’s not marked on sale) I got a 6×8 leather binder, the planner kit, planner theme set, and a pack of Design 2 and a pack of Design 3 page protectors.
Above: The leather album. It’s fairly nice quality, not as nice as WRMK. There is a noticeable seam on the inside where you can tell the leather inside was glued down. The album also has a slight smell, but it isn’t obnoxious. Long story short, I will probably by at least a few more of these. I like them better than her larger paper binders and I like them better than even the Sn@p chipboard albums. I have yet to see a Sn@p leather album so I can’t provide a comparison to that.
Above: Menards Teddy Bear aside, this is the inside of the album and also a peek at the Weekly Planner inserts. They are reg. priced 14.99 but I got it on sale for 8.99. I was a sucker for the planner because I love the tabbed monthly inserts.
Above: The back of a month page and the front of another. So colorful! I can also see myself using the journaling prompts on the back of the dividers.
Above: Samples of the weekly planner pages. I don’t see myself using these each and every week. The main reason being that after putting in all the pages of the kit, there isn’t a lot of room for clear page divided pages. I will certainly use some throughout, but unless I want to have two 6×8 albums for 2014, I will just keep some for another project (or for 2015? eek!)
Above: Page protectors! I got style 2 (2-3×4, 1-4×6) and style 3 (2-4×6). Style 1 is 4-3×4. The most important thing I’ll throw out here is that the first thing I did when I got home was try my Sn@p pages – they fit perfectly in these albums too! This means other Sn@p products will work too like their own dividers and page protectors.
Above: For only 2.99, I also got the accompanying planner cards. They’re nice and colorful and will look really nice. I’ll be adding some of the Honey cards in as well I think :)
So, that is my review of the new Michaels-exclusive BH Project Life merchandise! I went for the recipe album, but I was disappointed in the colors. I made my mom a recipe book using some pages from Simple Stories Handmade Holiday and I think we can add to it using the new SS Homespun Collection. They also had new 12×12 BH Project Life albums and two new larger kits – Maggie Holmes was one of them and Dear Lizzy was the other.
All of it was on sale! I got the 6×8 binder, the planner kit, the planner card mini set, a pack of Design 2 and a pack of Design 3 protectors for 28.00 :) My M’s had some of the patterned 6×8 albums left, one leather bright pink one, two of the turquoise, and a black leather album in. Since I just bought a black leather 8×8 WRMK album and a red 12×12 BH leather album, I thought the turquoise would be nice. :) I’m actually pleased with the quality of the album and after taking out even 10 of the divider pages, I have more room. I think I’m going to keep most of the planner pages, add two clear plastic pages for each month for a total of 24 and see what happens :)
Just an update – October Afternoon’s Flash pages are not compatible with either the BH 6×8 or Snap binders. Neither are SC Handbooks pages.
Here are two pictures showing BH’s stuff in a Snap binder. As you can see, when closed, nothing pokes over the edge. Perfect fit!
Wasn’t that an awesome review!?!? Thanks so much for letting me share it, Jen! I owe ya’, girl!
Jen is working on her own blog and when she has it up, I’ll link to it so you can follow her :)
I’m so excited about these new products!! I hope I get to see them in person soon {translation: BUY them, LOL!}. I’m thinking about doing a smaller format, Project-Life style album this year. Instead of doing a daily photo like I did in 2013, I want to have a place to keep everyday one-off photos and quick journaling, without the commitment of “photo a day” and filling the 12×12 pocket page protectors like I did last year. This PL 6×8 album with the Agenda and/or Planner sets are big contenders.
Have these shown up at your Michaels yet? What do you think?
Went to Ms today and found some new goodies! Maggie Holmes and Dear Lizzy full kit, those mini albums, 3 – kits that goes with (journal, agenda, recipe), page protectors and some of those small card kits.
She was kind enough to take photos, not just one trip but two! Some of them are on her blog above but I also wanted to share them here in a larger size . . . gotta’ see the detail, right!?!?! LOL
I’m a bit confused as to what exactly is being sold at Michaels. She mentions MH and DL full kits (referring to the 2 Core Kit boxes on the bottom, I assume?). I knew there were new MH and DL (and Amy Tan) *mini* kits coming out but not Core Kits. Besides, this would be rather early as Becky says RIGHT HERE that they’ll be introduced at CHA in mid-January.
Although I also see the BRAND NEW Project Life 6×8 albums and pages Becky showed on her blog HERE and those are supposed to be intro’d at CHA as well. So the Core Kits must be new ones I missed hearing about? Hmmm . . .
I also think I spy a bunch of Project Life Themed Cards. I think I’ve already grabbed all of those that I want, but I’m still excited to see them at Michaels as mine hasn’t carried those yet.
So off I went to Mike’s today with my 50% off coupon in search of this Motherlode of PL Goodness. Do you think I found any?
Of COURSE not!
Supposedly, they’re on an end cap in the scrapbooking section. For once, I did have some time to stroll around the whole store but couldn’t find them anywhere, not even a bare end cap possibly waiting for them.
Color me sad :(
Oh well, I hope they show up at my Mike’s eventually or that I can find an excuse . . . ahem, that I can check the “good” Mike’s some time soon because I “need” to go to Costco ;)
What I did find at Michaels was an island full of Valentine’s Day stuff. It’s not usually a holiday I buy many scrap supplies for but there were some REALLY cute things!
Disclaimer: Very busy store + everyone watching me = rushed blurry photos. Sorry!
See those cute enamel heart stickers ^^^^ in the top middle of the photo? Got me summa’ them. Hearts are a staple – any time of year.
On the “Valentine Island” there was also some new MAMBI stuff that looked geared toward card making but I can see it for scrapbooking too!
I also got the MAMBI Sticks arrows and the Soft Spoken Hi, Hello stickers. Sooooo cute!
And just in time for all those New Years resolutions to get organized, all of Mike’s storage is 50% off – this is just one of many aisles of organizational goodness.
I do need more Iris 12×12 containers but didn’t get any today. With my 50% off coupon, I got the 3 sticker sets for less than $8. What a nice pick-me-up indulgence after the madness of Christmas and doing so much cooking, cleaning, and “stuff” for others. That and a Starbucks vanilla skinny latte’ and I feel *almost* redeemed. Hope you’ve been able to give yourself a little reward, too :)
Please report any new Project Life sightings at YOUR Michaels! And if you can clear up my confusion about what Core Kits those are Photo #5 above, I’d really appreciate it!
product – either out now or coming soon. There has been a lot of chatter about it online. I’ll be doing this post and a couple more to make sure you see it ALL.
. . . 
that I prefer to use. Anyone know if that’s true? 
Reg. $29.99, now $9.99 with FREE shipping over $35 (that’s 66% off!)
Reg. $19.99, now $12.85 with FREE shipping over $35
Reg. $14.99, now $6.71 with FREE shipping over $35 (that’s 44% off!)
Reg. 29.99, now $21.18 with FREE shipping over $35
Reg. $29.99, now $22.10 with FREE shipping over $35
Reg. $13.88 (I know I’ve paid more like $15 for them at times), now $3.59 with FREE shipping over $35 (that’s 75% off!).
Reg. $25.99, now $15.27 with FREE shipping over $35. Thanks so much for pointing that out, 
, 
, and 
are listed for good prices but sold out. I can’t find “Happy” on Amazon; someone mentioned it was maybe an exclusive to Australia?
. {I talk about why it’s one of my faves 
, I have no interest in buying one but will check out at least one episode to learn about it.
? Check! 
double down? Check! Stack of 
, etc.
, etc.
. . . 
!
to store completed pages and plenty of page protectors! 
and 
erasers; they don’t smear the ink yet totally get rid of the pencil marks). I can also use my laptop and Picturemate to print journaling onto any 4×6 sheet of paper while AT the retreat. Cool, eh?
, I get them in the mail sometimes sooner than I could’ve even run to Michaels (1-2 days, yippee! A girl needs her instant gratification, ya know?)
