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As I talked about in THIS post, I was lucky enough to find an AWESOME scrapbook store while in Arizona recently. {If you haven’t read that post yet, ya’ gotta’ if you want a laugh}.
Now it’s time to show you the haul from my trip to Scrapbooks Etc. in Mesa, Arizona.
Here’s the bag of pretties I brought home :) Note: If you click on any of the photos below, they will enlarge.
So, I took the photos, downloaded and edited them, then realized I forgot to include the Kaisercraft cards in this photo. So pretend they’re there, mmm kay? The budget I’d set for myself was $30 and you can see that I went over that just a teensy bit. Wonderful restraint though, if I do say so myself!!
They had a sale going: Buy 10 sheets of $1 paper and get the 11th free. Well, it was my duty to buy 10 sheets of paper, right?? Right.
First, 5 sheets of October Afternoon “Daily Flash”. I officially love and, yes, want to marry that sheet on top with the distressed teal stripes. Well, it would be a plural marriage because I need the bokeh paper in my life always as well.
Here are the backs of those same OA papers:
Here’s 1 sheet of American Crafts “Daydreamer” from Dear Lizzy. Don’t worry; I’m not going to say AGAIN how much I love hearts. Because you already know I love hearts. I say I love hearts ALLLL the time. I mean, why do you need to hear again how much I love hearts?!?! You really don’t <3 <3 <3
Next are 5 sheets of Basic Grey “Capture”. My favorite (OBVI!) is the turquoise on one side and turquoise/green on the other. I don’t like being faced with Sophie’s Choice, so I just bought 3 sheets of it – 2 to use for a turquoise background on a 2-pager and 1 to use the striped side.
Here’s the other side of the BG papers. Oh look, those stripes again!
So there are my “buy 10 get 1 free” sheets of $1 scrapbook paper :)
Here’s all the cards spread out and where you can see both sides:
Are they not lovely!?!? I adore this color scheme. I do a lot of beach pocket page scrapping and these will be perfect-a-mundo!
The flowery bits are not my favorite but, ya know, every card has 2 sides, LOL. I love everything else about these cards. The distressed teals and beiges, sayings, and other designs with banners, dots, chevrons, etc.
I also got 5 sheets of Echo Park “Fun In The Sun” – bright, cheerful pastels, bikes, cameras, trees, and flowers. These were only 49 cents a sheet; I think I found them on the bargain table I mentioned in my last post.
Here are the other sides of the Echo Park papers. This will be a great line to use for Project Life pages.
The only garage sale item I left the store with: a pack of paper for only 5 buckaroonies! It came with 37 cardstock-weight sheets of paper. I don’t love all of them and there are lots of duplicates but, at a mere 13 cents per sheet, I’m not complaining :)
Here are the backs of the same papers above.
I batched together my 3 favorite sets. I don’t know who makes these but they look lovely together and I like the mix of patterns and color. Very useable, don’t you think?
These papers aren’t labeled either but they’re great for Halloween layouts.
My absolute faves and why I bought the pack: These papers from the Teresa Collins “Memories” line. Such fresh colors and designs. The paper is very heavy and also textured. I imagine these must retail for AT LEAST $1 per sheet and since I got 5 sheets, there’s the $5 I spent on the whole pack. The rest of the papers are just scrapbook gravy :)
At $10, that took a big chunk of my budget but totally worth it. I *had* to have the wood veneer 3×4 and 4×6 cards plus the whole set is just so stinkin’ pretty.
Then I got the 2 little bags (they were sold seperately but look like Allison Kreft?) and the Doodlebug coffee stickers. ‘Cuz I might, um, be a little addicted to coffee. And take photos of it. And scrapbook them. Just maybe.
Well, there ya’ go . . . my shopping haul from Scrapbooks Etc. Hope you enjoyed!
PS: I did hit up one other store while in Arizona. I’m not gonna’ pretend it was as awesome as this store but I did manage (ahem) to find some more scrappy goodies. Stay tuned for another store review and scrapbook haul!
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.
A Fond Farewell
by Michelle Rubin
May 9, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.
Meredith Corporation has made the difficult decision to close Scrapbooks etc. effective with the August 2012 issue. Scrapbooks etc. has been the longtime brand leader within the scrapbooking industry, but due to the longer term business forecast for the franchise and the industry, the corporation has chosen to cease publishing within this marketplace.
The August 2012 issue, with an on-sale date of June 19, will be released on schedule to our 350,000 subscribers and newsstand buyers through the scheduled off-sale date of August 14, 2012. The ScrapbooksEtc.com website will support the print issue throughout this time period as well.
Meredith Corporation continues our strong support of the crafts industry with our Holiday Crafts titles and our newest addition, Make it Yourself, launching in October 2012. And of course we will continue to serve the growing quilting industry with our multiple quilting titles and website, allpeoplequilt.com.
For questions regarding your subscription, please e-mail sbecustserv@cdsfulfillment.com. If you’d like to purchase past issues for use on a mobile device, go to www.zinio.com/sbe.
On a personal note from the editorial staff, we are grateful for your support through the years. We could not have asked for better readers, and we have loved seeing your scrapbook pages and craft projects in our inboxes, on our website, and on our Facebook page. You inspired us in our mission to give you the ideas and information you wanted to preserve your memories and express yourselves creatively, and we hope that we in turn inspired you to create great pages and projects.
We’ll be posting here on the blog for a few more weeks as the August issue hits newsstands. And look for a post celebrating some of our favorite projects through the years.
THANK YOU!
Well, wow.
I can say that I’ve seen this coming for quite a while but that doesn’t make the news any easier to take, does it? It’s just sad :(
I’m sad for them and I’m sad for us. I’m sad that a scrapbooking magazine can no longer make it in today’s market. Remember when there were, what, 5 of them going strong? Man, those were the days.
I wasn’t happy when Scrapbooks Etc. started focusing more on the “Etc.” part of their title by including other papercrafting and craft projects. It didn’t stop me from buying it but I stopped enjoying it as much. But I guess it was an effort to stay alive, huh?
I have heard much criticism of the magazine since they made that change. I wonder if they had stayed focused on just scrapbooking, if the end result would’ve been any different? I guess we’ll never know.
The last issue will be August 2012 (on sale 06-19-12) so keep an eye out for that. For those of us who’ve subscribed, I wonder what will happen to our unfulfilled issues?
HERE is where the Peas are talking about it. What are your thoughts on the end of Scrapbooks Etc. magazine? Is this all because of the bad economy, the surge in social media like Pinterest and blogs, a bad magazine, or what? Would love to hear your thoughts.
I made it clear right in the title. Don’t want to cause any panty bunching or Diet Coke inhalation ;) I got yo’ back, homes.
Check out THIS THREAD on 2peas. Apparently, posters who had subscribed to Scrapbooks, Etc. through DiscountMags.com* recently got this e-mail.
Dear (Subscriber),
Your order for Scrapbooks ETC has been canceled (Order #——- on 02/15/2012).
Cancellation reason: The magazine has ceased publication.
Refund Amount: $10.00
Please allow 5 business days for refund to return to your account.
We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reply to this e-mail.
Sincerely,
Customer Care
Disc0unt Mags.c0m
* No, I’m not going to give them the privilege of a link because that is a reeeeeeealy bonehead move. Do *NOT* mess around about a scrapbooking magazine being shut down. We don’t take too kindly to that kind of thing. And we bear scissors. And cutters, trimmers, piercers, and punches. Yeah, I said PUNCHES. Be skerred. Be very skerred.
K, so … it turns out the e-mail was incorrect. If you scroll down on page 1 of the thread, you’ll see this:
Hey, Peas! Michelle Rubin from Scrapbooks etc. here. We are still in publication! In fact we’re busy working away on our June issue. We’re checking into this e-mail, though. So it’s business as usual. Please feel free to renew your subscription!
Michelle Rubin
Editor
Scrapbooks etc.
First of all, that’s what I love about 2peas message board. You have a scrapbooking question or concern, you post about it, and you get answers – often right from the source.
Secondly, SO glad SCRAPBOOKS ETC. isn’t ceasing publication, and that Michelle took the time to come and squelch the rumors. It sounds like she had a little convo with the discount maggers because further down in the thread, a Pea posted this:
I just received a follow up email with an apology for saying that Scrapbooks, Etc. was ceasing publication. It just said that they were not offering the publication through their service.
Duh. That’s a pretty major difference, Discount Magazine People. I mean, really??? So now my scrappy heart can start beating again. Since the beginning, I’ve gotten Scrapbooks Etc. {because I’m a SB magazine ho, and I don’t mind their change in format as much AS I THOUGHT I WOULD}.
Until recently, I bought it off the newsstand but then a cute kid with a magazine fundraiser wouldn’t leave me alone and I subscribed. {“Who are these little people and why do they keep calling me ‘mom’?”}.
Just today I was considering whether to re-up even though my subscription goes through August. But honestly (and kinda’ related to this), I decided not to because of all the scrapbook magazines that have stopped publishing … and I don’t want to be left holding the bag. Yeah, I have *that* much confidence in today’s scrapbook magazine industry. Color me jaded.
Anyway, glad to hear SBE is planning to continue. They and CREATING KEEPSAKES are the only scrapbook magazines I still buy. Isn’t it crazy how many there used to be and now there’s TWO? Times have sure changed :(
Oh! Gotta’ go! Someone is knocking at the door. Better not be one of those cute magazine fundraiser kids. I. will. not. cave. Wish me luck!
ETA later the same night: Well, shukes! I can’t even be righteously indignant toward the Discount Maggers that sent out the erroneous info. Check out this contrite e-mail they’re now sending their customers:
We are writing to you today, to apologize for incorrectly stating in a previous e-mail that Scrapbooks ETC will be ceasing publication. We are unable to fulfill your subscription because this magazine is no longer available through our website. A full refund back to your original payment method has already been promptly processed. In offering this deal, it was certainly our intention to complete all orders.
Clearly, we did not meet your, or our own, expectations for the excellent service you deserve from us. Please be assured that we will take this opportunity to conduct a comprehensive review of our entire process in offering this deal, so this situation does not happen again. We have enclosed a code for $5 off your next DiscountMags.com purchase, in the hopes you will shop with us again and see that we are committed to doing better.
Gift Certificate: (a big long number)
Again, please accept our most sincere apology.
Sincerely,
DiscountMags.com Customer Service Team
It’s not even fun to be mad when someone apologizes like that, huh? Good on ya’, Disc0untMags.c0m!
Okay, so that wasn’t a magazine you were expecting, huh? Whoever would’ve thought I’d be mentioned in an article in “Hobby Farm Home” magazine, right? Not me. But here is how they describe the HFH mag on Hobby Farms website:
Hobby Farm Home
The editors of Hobby Farms also produce Hobby Farm Home, the home magazine for those truly living in the country. Hobby Farm Home highlights farmhouse activities such as cooking, crafting, collecting, pet care and home arts and skills.
See? Crafting. That’s us. Scrappers are crafters!
I answered some questions for the writer back in September 2010 and never heard anything more of it. I was just going to contact MONETTE to ask if her article was accepted. Then I was in Walmart one day looking for the latest CREATING KEEPSAKES and SCRAPBOOKS ETC and there was Hobby Farm Home magazine! I flipped through it to see if the article might be in there and had the most surreal experience … there was my name at the top of page 66. Holy mother of … WTH?
I called my mom right from the magazine aisle. I bought all three copies they had, which made the checkout lady wonder, LOL. I told her I was mentioned in an article and she was giddy with me :) Even though she had NO idea what I was talking about … Scrapbooking your farm? Mmmm-kay …
There was one little bit of confusion printed but that’s okay. Just for fun … whoever spots it first and leaves a comment here, I’ll send you a $5 Starbucks card (or Target card? if you don’t like coffee, tea, sweets, or smoothies … hee).
I hope I don’t sound like I’m bragging. I actually found this out 2 or 3 weeks ago but was too bashful to say anything. But I’m still excited and can’t contain myself. This is NOT the kind of thing that happens to me! So it was extra-special and fun. Thanks for letting me share.
Of course, we scrapbookers all know about the demise and downturn of scrapbooking magazines in the past few years. We’ve lost Simple Scrapbooks, DIGITAL SCRAPBOOKING, and MEMORY MAKERS. We’ve seen changes to the number of issues with SCRAPBOOKS ETC. and Creating Keepsakes.
For some down and dirty facts, check out this report about the 2009 scrapbook magazine industry … PART ONE, PART TWO, and PART THREE.
When I was at Michaels recently, I noticed that the papercrafting and cardmaking magazines don’t seem to be suffering the same fate. And what the hell is up with that?!?! As “our” magazines dwindle, theirs seem to be multiplying.
Keep in mind that even more magazines are hidden behind the ones that are showing. The magazine rack at Barnes and Noble looks similar.
Admittedly, I haven’t read through the 3 long “state of the industry” articles I linked to above. Maybe the answer is in there, but skimming them, I didn’t find it.
What do you think is going on? Do papercrafting and cardmaking have that many more participants than scrapbooking? Have they not yet hit the bubble and then downslide that the scrapbooking magazines did, but their time is coming? What do you make of this? I honestly can’t scrounge up a good explanation. Please ‘splain it to me, Lucy …
I was in Michaels last weekend, looking for something coupon-worthy, and also looking for the April issue ofSCRAPBOOK ETC. magazine, which the Peas had told me HERE is now available (bummer … most of the reviews are not favorable).
Darn if I couldn’t find SBE, but I did come across the gorgeous publication WHERE WOMEN CREATE. It’s a nice, thick, beautifully done magazine … well, more like a scrapbook idea book except that you get studio ideas instead of layout ideas.
At $14.95, it’s a bit rich for my blood considering it would be total eye candy for me, unlike a $15 idea book that I would actually use over and over. Anyhow, it comes out quarterly and I like to flip through it when I see it at Mike’s or BARNES AND NOBLE (they have the hardcover book of WWC, too!).
I’m always hoping to see a scrapbooker or at least a cardmaker and their studio featured, but so far I’ve come up empty. Hmmm … I wonder if they really haven’t chosen to profile a paper crafter, or if I’ve just missed it somehow. It’s entirely possible that I’ve missed it, which would be my fault since I’m too cheap to buy the magazine/book and “cheat” by flipping through it at the store. This issue did feature THE PAPER SOURCE, which is at least on the right track :)
Another thing I wish they would do is designate what type of artist each woman is, both in the Table of Contents and on the intro or title page to each artist. Again, if they DO do that and I’ve missed it, I apologize. But if I’m missing it every time, it can’t be that obvious, LOL! The cover gives the names of the artists inside and sometimes even the company they’re associated with, but just by a listing of names, I don’t know if any of them are scrapbookers/papercrafters. I mean, I’m pretty up on all the popular scrappers but I don’t know EVERYONE, sheesh.
One studio I flipped past was that of a knitter. I was stopped cold by a photo of her “Wall of Yarn.” It was all stacked by color in a large wall shelf, an Ikea EXPEDIT or similar. My first thought was, “But this magazine is about personal studios. Why do they have a photo of a store in here?” Then a second later, I realized, “Ah, that probably IS a personal studio!” But that lady had a shite-load of yarn!
Then I laughed so hard at myself (Bwahahaha! The other Mike’s customers were probably fittin’ to dial Mental Health for me … ), because I realized that that’s what people ~ non-scrappers, especially ~ must automatically think when they see MY scrap space. “Why does she have a scrapbook store in her house?” LOL Who could blame them? Instead of a Wall O’ Yarn, I have a Half Wall O’ Paper, a Bookcase O’ Idea Books, and Jars O’ Flowers, Ribbon, and Letters.
First, I was embarrassed. Oh. My Gosh. How embarrassing to realize that people who visit my home and peek into my office wonder why I have a scrapbook store. But then after I stopped internally blushing, I felt better. You know why? Because after flipping through Where Women Create all these times, I’ve seen some crazy, huge, awesome, expensive, fully-stocked, storelike studios of women who do all kinds of crafty and creative things … photography, art dolls, sewing, graphic arts, quilting, etc. And I realized something very comforting and very important.
We are not alone.
Scrapbookers aren’t the only ones so obsessed with supplies that it takes entire rooms to hold and organize them. We aren’t the only who live for Ikea and it’s plethora of crafty-friendly storage items. We aren’t the only women who find solace and comfort in our craft, who consider our creative spaces to be a haven, a place where we can go and truly be ourselves.
We are not alone. And that’s pretty great, isn’t it?
Just a reminder in case you’re wondering where you’re January issue of Scrapbooks Etc. is … there apparently won’t be one. Yep, for shizzle.
Remember HERE when we talked about the changes to their format? I copied this from their blog at the time:
——– About Scrapbooks etc.
Scrapbooks etc. is America’s leading and only ABC-audited scrapbooking magazine. Beginning with the October 2009 issue, Scrapbooks etc. is published six times per year, in February, April, June, August, October and December.
——–
So unless something has changed, there won’t be a January 2010 issue. I looked all over their website to see anything to the contrary and found nothing. If you know otherwise, please set me straight so I’m not spreading nasty rumors around Scrap Land. When I gossip, I want to be right, LOL!
ETA 12-16-09: This was just posted on a Scrapbooks Etc. THREAD over on 2peas…
—— Hi everyone! I wanted to pop in let you all know that the next issue of Scrapbooks etc. will hit newsstands on December 29. Also, we’re launching a new and improved ScrapbooksEtc.com on Friday, so be sure to check out the site!
Brittany Hopkins
Scrapbooks etc. Staff Writer
——
So, it sounds like February IS indeed the next issue. Look for it after 12/29/09!
Also, to clarify…there were 8 issues in 2009 (including a January issue). There will be only 6 issues in 2010…
Remember the new line by Melody Ross for GCD I showed you HERE? It’s only being released at 100 Michaels stores and, as predicted, it’s not at mine. But my buddy ABBY who lives down South (or is that DAY-own SAY-outh? Sorry, Abby, don’t hit me!) found the line at her store. She recently became an iPhone convert and has been taking stealth photos in scrapbook stores! Why I never! Oh, wait, I do that, too. Anyway, she sent me these photos….I’m so jealous.
But the true scrappy friend that she is, she said if my Mike’s never gets “Artsy Urban,” she will send some to me :)
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Have you seen the Nov/Dec issue of SCRAPBOOKS ETC yet?
As you may know {and I wrote about HERE}, they decided to change the magazine a bit and this was the second issue with the new format. It’s not getting rave reviews HERE at all… I was actually relieved to see that thread because I was quite underwhelmed by this issue also, but thought it must just be me…cuz I’m so pissy about their format change and all. And it’s humid here. And I’m so disappointed that WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, the movie I was going to take my kids to this weekend, is being reviewed as doomy, gloomy, mature, and boring {ASTRO BOY it is!}. And I’m tired, cranky, and generally vindictive….. But no. That wasn’t it. The issue sux. It’s not just me. {What a relief, ‘cuz it’s usually just me}.
My discontent started when I found the issue at Walmart the other day and that new title font just rubs me the wrong way. It reminds me of those cheapie supermarket magazines at the checkstand, the ones that look to be worth about 50 cents. The logo looks….cheap, I guess. I am a classy woman. I prefer to look at a classy logo. Nay, I DESERVE a classy logo! To sum up the rest of my issue with the issue (ha!), it just wasn’t a page-corner-turner-downer, kwim? Few layouts I wanted to steal…erm, scrapjack. Few articles I was excited to read. And some non-scrappy advertising, too. Yuck. {Yeah, yeah, I know beggars can’t be choosers…SBE is taking the advertisers it can get, but do I have to be happy about it?}.
~~~~~~~~~~
Just to give you an update on my scrapbook room makeover…there isn’t one. I’ve been working a lot and just generally busy. And I’m at the point with it that some decisions have to be made about how/where to store things. I want it all to make sense and be user-friendly. I go in there sometimes, look around, try to wrap my brain around some kind of concept….and usually walk back out without accomplishing anything. I think I need to complete two things before I can really move on: Paint THIS shelf so I can decide where to hang it and what to put on it, and put my 2 remaining JETMAX cubes together so I can decide what to store in them. Both of these things involve manual labor which, like “exercise,” are words I try not to utter much less DO. Hollah! Okay, okay, you’ve nagged me enough! {Oh yes, I can read your mind, sista!}. I will do these two things so this makeover can move forward. But when I get paint under my fingernails and hurt my hand with that tiny screwdriver, I will curse YOU, damn it!
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My scrappy and ever-so-talented online friend JULIE is having a RAK to celebrate her 10,000th hit! Please go say hi to her. Once you see her blog, you’ll be hooked. She takes great photos, has beautiful kids, and makes riDONKulously gorgeous layouts. And she’s such a huge JASON MICHAEL CARROLL fan, that she makes me feel better about my own STEVE PERRY crush. Swoon!
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Upcoming in November 2009, there is a “Blogging for Scrapbookers” class by SHIMELLE … isn’t she pretty? And she is wicked talented, I tell ya….
What a wonderful idea for a class. Unique but very pertinent, since so many of us scrappers love to blog. If you sign up, let me know :) I’m thinking about doing it…but if some people that I know signed up, that would tip me over the edge… {hint, hint, wink, wink}.
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Okay, mah chickies….Peace out!
So what if it’s Sunday Night when I’m finally getting around to publishing my Friday Night Randoms? Who wants to be on schedule? Not me. That is so cliche and expected….and I’m anything but cliche and expected. For shizzle.
~~ Speaking of shizzle….if you ever need a translator for when I speak Snoop Dog, HERE YA GO. Bladizzle.
~~ A bunch of (22!) First Day of School scrapbook page ideas are HERE, provided by Scrapbooks Etc. I think this one is my fave, but I loved them all…
~~ There is a wonderful discussion of why the Peas think the scrapbook industry has tanked HERE. And a related ARTICLE on SCRAPBOOK UPDATE called “Is Scrapbooking Fading….Or not?,” is asking for your thoughts so go chime in, why don’t ya? I think many “industry folks” read that website so let them hear from you. I scored the first Comment ~ yeah! Guess sometimes it pays to be up blogging in the middle of the night, lol. Anyway, if you’d like to read my ever so humble opinion on the whole thing, click on over to the Scrapbook Update article … I wrote a novel … or at least a chapter ;)
~~ Remember when I said that my Michaels wasn’t going to be putting ads in Sunday paper flyers anymore? {It was HERE}. The cashier had given me a flyer and everything, saying that Sunday flyers would be no more, and that I could get my flyers and coupons online from now on. But here it is 6 weeks later….and I’m still getting Michaels ads in my paper on Sunday. What up with that? I dunno’, you got me. Guess they changed their minds…
~~ According to the GOLLYG at 2peas, ROSS has some scrapbooking stuff again: “Enabling Alert! I stopped by Ross today and they have tons of new scrapbook stuff. They had Making Memories paper kits for $2.99, American Crafts paper pads $5.99, K&Company Stuff, and lots more!” Also, rumors of Disney scrapbooks….read the thread HERE. I used to find 12×12 postbound albums there all the time, but nothing scrappy in ages. But what do you know, there is a Ross store smack dab between my Target and my Michaels. I happen to be headed to Target for prescriptions tomorrow, so I’ll check out Ross and let you know if I find anything.
~~ “I’m so far behind!” Have you ever said that about your scrapbooking? Well, read my blog friend Susan’s great article HERE and you’ll feel better soon :)
~~MEMORY WORKS now has Basic Grey “Nook and Pantry” in stock. Here’s a peek…
Please let me know if I can get some for you. Order it HERE, or contact me HERE.
I was a Target today for Landry food, picked up the most recent Scrapbooks Etc. (yeah!), and of course stopped by the Scrapbooking aisle. Behold! It was full of employees diligently working. They were unpacking boxes, which I took as a sure sign of new goodies.
Um. WRONG.
They were rearranging the whole aisle but I didn’t see anything new. Shizzle. They put all the stamps and inks together and had the tools better organized. They had all the Making Memories stuff together, instead of scattered everywhere and that looked really nice. Woulda’ been nicer to see some new MM items, but no….The 12×12 accordian paper holders with the stripes were on the clearance and there was a new version in the SB aisle. But that is literally the only new thing I saw in there. My hope is that they were reorganizing the “old” stuff before they started unpacking oodles and oodles of new stuff.
Yeah, a girl can dream, can’t she?
Anything going on at your Target? New stuff or same old, same old?
Hey, did you notice it’s snowing on my blog. I just really {heart} WordPress.
Okay, let’s start with a shopping report, because there haven’t been enough of those lately. Tonight I went to Michaels and used my 40% off coupon on a really snazzy 5-up photo album by Recollections. Sorry, I coudn’t find a photo of it anywhere online. It was back with the frames and photo albums, not with the scrapbooks. It’s my latest idea for storing extras of “already scrapped” photos and bad shots that I can’t seem to throw away. Each page has some vertical and some horizontal. I figure whatever slots I don’t have photos for on each page (does that make sense?), I’ll slip in some paper and do journaling or a title. Or just some decoration. I have to keep it flat, though, as I doubt this album would be able to handle lots of embellies. If you’d like a photo of it, leave me a comment and I’ll take a pic of mine. I’m going to start collecting these with future Mike’s coupons. I think they’re normally $25, but worth it, with a simple, classy looking cover and the plastic protecting cover that I love…
I also got a kit by K&Company, which was on sale for 30% off. It’s a paper pad with embellies attached (bling!) to make ornaments, which I’m going to give as gifts. And I’m sure keep some too. Every year, I make an ornament for each child so this year’s will be made from this kit. Again, couldn’t find a pic to post for ya’ ~ SAH-REE!
I also got some cinnamon-scented pinecones because I love how they make my house all smelly! I came right home and put them in 3 crystal bowls distributed around the great room area. Mmmmm!! And I got 4 bags of chocolate melts, because they were on a good sale. We’re going to make our traditional PEPPERMINT BARK with the recipe I coulda’ sworn I got last year from BECKY HIGGINS blog. But now I can’t find it on her blog, so I’ll refer you to a sweet CKMB’er, LIZ aka HicksChick, who also has it HERE. We made 2 versions, with Oreos and without. I thought I would like the Oreo version better but just to warn you, it is SUPER sweet. I could take about 2 bites and be done. Hey, wait! That’s a good thing! Last year, we used boring old white chocolate melts but this year, they had RED and GREEN. Totally cool! Here’s a pic of Liz’s peppermint bark so you can start drooling now…then go buy the stuff to make it, you won’t be sorry…{Hi Liz!!!}
Then I went to Target. Yawn. Their scrapbooking aisle has gotten so boring. Nothing was on clearance, and what they call “Sale Items” are, like, 30 cents off the regular price. I do want one or five of THESE KI Memories card and scrapbooking kits. Here’s the Christmas Cardmaking Tin:
And my favorite of the scrapbooking tins, Birthday:
I hope they don’t sell them all, and then put them on Clearance near or after the holidays.
Okay, what else is going on? I got the most recent Scrapbooks Etc and am really enjoying it. I hear a lot of scrappers saying on the message boards that SBE has replaced CK as their favorite scrap mag. I’m not quite there yet, but I get what they’re sayin’. Now the January CK is out and getting rave reviews at 2PEAS. I seeked…sought…sooked…oh, whatever!…but did not find it tonight on my shopping jaunt. Bummer, dude. But I did get the Jan/Feb issue of Simple Scrapbooks. Can’t wait til bedtime when I can browse through it.
I found a very cool LINK where you can download a list of all the Cricut cartridges released to date.
Well, that’s it for now. Back to work! Hope you’re having a wonderful Christmas season and maybe getting to scrap a little? Yeah, me neither but making Christmas cards and ornaments and gifts for soldiers is so much fun this time of year. “Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo!” {Did I get that right, Anne Marie?}
