a quickie for Valentine's Day ;)

yo yo yiggidy yo
Colleen here...who apparently needs to stop watching Juno over and over

I love making cards, and with Valentine's Day coming up, I am definitely making a few cards to send to those special people in my life. And what I really love about cards is that they are a perfect way to use up scraps. In fact, I've never made a card from anything but...

Here's a quickie little card you can make for your Valentine's Day Sweetie

Take a scrap of red patterned paper from one of the many fabulous WIP kits this month and fold it in half to make a card. Adhere a scrap of ribbon to the bottom right corner of the card. Cut or punch a heart out of a contrast paper (I used the houndstooth paper for mine, not just because it was very much a contrast but I am in love with that paper) and then you want to ink the edges to really make the heart pop. I didn't mess too much with ink, and just took my Zig pen and colored the edges that way. Then, stick the letters down and you've got yourself a card.

5 minutes tops

Take a minute to be thoroughly impressed with yourself and then send it to someone you love

a few favorites.

as i was cleaning out my picture folder tonight, i ran across a ton of pages i've created, since being on the DT for work in progress. here are my top 5 (in no particular order)...

and i must say, doesn't trish put together the most rockin' kits?

*sigh*

i just love them.

Decorating for Valentine's Day

I love decorating the house for every holiday and Valentine's Day is no exception.   Many magazines are filled with ideas on little every day items you can use to add to your vignette.   Remember to use things you already have.  I had a couple frames from a local store called Perfectly Charming which I was using in another area of the family room. I found they were perfect  to add to the Valentine decorations. 

Here are some simple tips that I use for when you pull out those decorations.  

1.  Keep collections together - if you don't have a lot of Valentine's decorations instead of spreading them around the house pick one room or one area to decorate.

2.  Don't line things up - Using things in front and behind and taller and shorter will make the area flow better

3.  Use odd numbered items - whether decorating in the house or planting outside I try and use odd numbers.

4. Bring in silk flowers or other greens for added texture.  

A Special Kit...and a give away...

As many of you know, February will mark the second birthday to Work in Progress Kits. I've pulled together a special little affordable kit for those of you who emailed me wanting a smaller Valentine kit, and so I thought I'd call it our "Birthday Kit." It's a beauty...


You can purchase the kit on the website. It is a steal for only $20, and they are ready to ship!

I will also be listing another kit shortly called "The 10 Loves of my Life" using the Crush line from Teresa Collins. I am currently teaching this as a class locally and have made a few extras to sell on the WIP Etsy site. The photos I took of it today didn't turn out too well, so I'll give it another shot in the morning. Thanks for your patience. And if you're one of the lucky ones to get in the class, I look forward to teaching you in person!!

So why not start the celebrating a little early? Post a comment by midnight EST on Tuesday and you could win one of the Birthday Kits yourself...

Have a super day!!

ETA: Congrats to Carrie--please email me at Turay413@gmail.com and I'll get your kit out to you ASAP. Thanks for your kind comments everyone, and stay tuned to the WIP blog for more fun in February!!

The Year of the Ox.

Chinese New Year is a holiday that celebrates the beginning of a new year according to the lunar calendar. It is considered to be one of the most important holidays for Chinese families, and this year, it begins tomorrow. You know me--I love a party!!

The holiday is generally celebrated with big family gatherings, gift giving, the eating of symbolic foods and display of festive decorations--all focused on bringing good luck for the new year and celebrating the coming of Spring. I plan on taking a little time out today to prepare for tomorrow, and wanted to share some ideas with you as well...

If you're a local, you must try No. 1 Kitchen on Abbe Road in Elyria. I wish I had a recipe to post, but I have no inclination to learn how to cook Chinese food with such a great local place like this one. I was able to purchase a bunch of fortune cookies for my daughter's classroom last week. I also purchased chopsticks and hope to show her classroom how to use them properly on Monday.

I loved this site where the calculator determines your Chinese Zodiac animal for your birth date. It is said that the animal that corresponds to your birthday is supposed to symbolize your personality traits. I'm a goat. :)

This craft is easily done with children. I love this one from Martha--and plan on using it next year when I hopefully have more time to prepare. There are even more ideas here. I also printed out information on the holiday in general and I plan on reading it during dinner with our family tomorrow. Kind of a fun way to talk about other cultures and celebrations.

Happy New Year!

Finds.

Not sure if it is the weather or something, but I've had a keen eye on lots of bright and bold color these past few days. Yes, that does include pre-orders from CHA too...

Love not only the owl, but that it is pink. YUM.
I'm not sure if it is because this is my son's name, but these prints are so cool...
These posters need a place in our home for sure...
Love this mobile from PBK.
More later!

Ah...Love.

My house is filled with red and pink these days, and I've been into the spirit of Valentine's Day. Lindsey over at The Pleated Poppy got me with these fabric pins...Loving all the Basic Grey Smitten papers too. I have gone to town making V-Day cards using their kit, and I have a few left over at the WIP Etsy shop on sale (regularly $15). They went together quickly, I must say...

Stay tuned for a special little Valentine kit or three in the near future too. I've had several requests for a smaller project kit, and still others who have requested more "Sweet Treats." I have also been working on a mini book called "The 10 Loves of My Life" for two upcoming classes, and I have made a few extras in case anyone felt inclined to scrap about themselves. They will be available over at the Etsy site as soon as they're ready (most likely, the weekend!) I've listed a few of the 12x12 2-page layouts (called "Page-in-a-Pinch"), which happen to be a favorite to my local scrapbook customers. So fun putting these goodies together--I've been a busy gal...

I've listed more crop dates on the WIP Website through May. If you are interested in signing up, please email me at Turay413@gmail.com. I added the second March crop for those of you who didn't get in the first one, so I hope that will alleviate some of pressure to those on the wait list. Thanks for your patience guys!

Have a wonderful Friday...

We're home.

Things I've learned the past few days...

1. Mother/Daughter trips are priceless. I love being her mom.
2. Driving in the middle of the turnpike is allowed if it isn't plowed.
3. Hand and foot warmers are the best invention in the world.
4. Everyone should own a Garmin. Seriously. You need one.
5. Washington D.C. is truly one of my favorite places on the planet. I could live there.
6. Patriotism, civility, kindness and compassion were all action verbs on the mall during the whole Inauguration. I witnessed an excitement that was palpable, and it isn't something I'll ever forget.
7. Starbucks really does lace those drinks with something.
8. Hearing Bruce Springsteen live is a religious experience. I'm so glad this song has a "new" meaning for me. I cried when I heard it. That choir put me over the top.
9. My husband is a saint. (Okay, I knew that but needed to re-state it.)
10. Your kids grow up faster if you leave for 4 days.
11. Hanging out with my sister, my niece, my cousin and her fiancee was time well spent, and I wish I stopped to spend more time like this with my family. So glad to have shared this experience with them.
12. Goldfish are resilient and withstand a lot. Not sure we're ready for other pets.
13. Crossing something off your bucket list is pretty damn cool.
14. I may never catch up with all my emails, but I'm going to give it a shot.

Thanks for your kind words and well wishes on the trip. I will post more pics when I get a moment to catch up here. Have a wonderful day friends!

Change

Hey everyone, it's Amy! With all the change that is happening in our world right now (wasn't the inauguration amazing yesterday?) it is making me want to document my everyday, my family's everyday. Things change so quickly, and I want to make sure I remember what our day-to-day was like. I decided to look around the world-wide web to see what inspo I could find...take a gander:

this one from Noel Hyman is really cute.

this from Kelly Noel makes me happy, too!

I *might* have something up my sleeve using the Feb kit, but I'm not saying a word! Hope this inspires you to scrap your everyday...because things change at the blink of an eye! (:

i felt love...i mean i love felt

Felt is cool again. In the 70's, my mom would embroider felt designs on the back of my jean jackets and my grandmother made the coolest purple and orange Christmas stockings from felt. (you have no idea how I would kill to still have my jean jacket with the huge butterfly on the back) Felt is everywhere in Scrapbooking aisles and one stop at Esty shops confirms it all. I love this shop and this one too!
I decided to put my new sewing machine to use (besides stitching on layouts!) and make Christmas presents for my little guys. I reviewed this tutorial and got started with my own patterns.
Here is my first attempt at felt monsters:

They turned out pretty cute and the boys love them.

(Note: remind children not to leave toys on floor where little puggies can chew them. The red monster has a few minor wounds but Frank was REALLY sorry about it afterwards.)

Cooper loved his so much he actually found a few other patterns he would like me to make for him. (not kidding that my 6 year old can navigate a website and find this stuff on his own.)

Just what every child needs - a Lightsaber Cozy!

or a Bantha for his guys to ride.

or even a Yoda felt doll.

for those of you who don't live your life by the power of the force - here's a cute Hello Kitty tutorial.

Have fun! Laina

mission impossible?

What are your scrappy goals for the new year?

Happy 2009 everyone! Colleen here! Aside from making cards rather than buying them, I've decided to taken on the huge feat of making something everyday. Yep, I have. Not only am I taking a photo a day, but I'm also keeping a daily scrap journal. So far, so good. And you know what? It isn't as hard as I thought. I actually like doing it, and I am finding that I am able to capture more of the everyday. Here's some favorite photos since New Year's Day.

I snapped this one in the grocery store one day. You can't imagine the rush of getting a shot when no one is looking (or the difficulty)
some scrap their children, I scrap my dog
Documenting the everyday: soup is good food.

Some of these actually end up in my daily album, and some don't. Those that don't will be scrapped another day. But I love having a constant record of the everyday. Here's some favorites from my daily scrap journal.

Of course I started out with the resolutions

Remember that grocery store pic?And you don't always need a picture to go with your daily page.

You can see more of my daily scrap journal and my daily photos in my flickr.

I know what some of you are thinking...sure, she's 18 days in and it is easy right now but what happens in August when it is just a chore? Good question...I'm just taking it day by day and we'll see how it goes. I have some ideas for keeping it going though:

*carry a camera with you at all times. See that perfect shot? You have a camera with you so snap it.

*work at your own pace. You don't have to actually create a page a day if you have something going on that keeps you from your scrap table. Try to set aside some time each day to make an entry or take a pic, but don't stress if you can't. You can always make the page another day when you have more time.

*don't go too long without creating, or it will become a habit and you won't be able to keep up with the journal

*snap everyday life. that morning cup of coffee, driving the kids to school, what's in your purse, dinner cooking on the stove. you don't have to be annie liebowitz

*find a routine. snap a pic, upload them to your photo organization program, print. I actually treated myself to a compact photo printer and it is the best invention known to man. Can't do that? How about Walmart one hour photo or printing pictures on cardstock?

*there are no rules...starting today? so end your daily journal in mid-jan 2010. no one says you have to start this thing on new year's day.

*have fun with it and keep your sense of humor. these are pages for you, and no one has to see them. they don't have to be perfect. just have fun with it and create.

Already undertaking a daily scrap journal or photo a day challenge? How about linking them here? We'd love to see a glimpse into your everyday life!

Guess where I am?

Kiesha Campbell's not the only one! :)

I'm having the time of my life, and I can't wait to share pictures when I return. Along with a few million others, I'm looking forward to the concert on the Mall today with my sister, niece and daughter and cousins. We couldn't resist a road trip!!

How are you celebrating? Are you attending any Inaugural parties of your own? Before I left, I made the most delicious cupcakes and found these to adorn them. Not only a great way to celebrate the current festivities, but also an idea to use on President's Day next month!! Simply print out and glue to a toothpick. It doesn't get any easier than that...

Whatever it is you do, I hope you absorb this moment in history and celebrate this amazing nation of ours as we approach a new frontier. There is nowhere else I'd rather be...

from drab to fab.

hi ya'll, emily here!

so, my son has this really cute/vintage looking lamp in his room, but i was thinking it needed a little sprucing up, so with some leftover fabric i took this:

to this!

easy peasy, and it totally changed the look of the lamp.

what kind of things do you like to cover with fabric? i'd love to try some other stuff out!

Getting ready for Valentine's Day

Tina here with some of my favorite projects using felt.  I love working with felt, it's an inexpensive way to make fun things for the kids.  

The bags above I made for gift cards and during Halloween I make pumpkins, in the winter I make snowmen and here I made hearts for Valentine's Day.

To make them just trace a heart onto chipboard, cut out and trace onto your felt.  I usually fold my felt in half so that I cut two at a time.

I made them for a friend of mine who is a realtor and using embroidery floss I would stitch different sayings on them.  I've also used my sizzix to cut out shapes and even digging into my scrapbook supplies dug out some flowers and buttons.

Then fill them with your favorite Valentine's treats.  Enjoy!

 

February WIP Kits

It is hard for me to believe, but we're quickly approaching our 2nd WIP Birthday!! I can’t believe how fast this time has flown!! So to celebrate, I wanted to extend a special offer to my subscribers and to those of you who have made a prior purchase to WIP Kits. For this month only, the main WIP kit is available for only $25!! In addition to that, if you purchase any two WIP kits (in any combination) you will receive the cardstock add-on (20 sheets for $7.50) for free!! Way to celebrate, huh?

The kits will go on sale to the public today at noon EST here. Please email me with your selections at Turay413@gmail.com if you would like to pre-order (there are very few left of both the main and the project kit) and I will send you a paypal invoice with your total. Please note that kits are on a first come basis, and I will do my best to ship them out as soon as the invoices are paid.

February 2009 Main Kit--$25

Contents of this kit include: 11 October Afternoon double sided papers, one October

Afternoon alphabet sheet, 3 handwriting sample boarders, 1 sheet of October Afternoon

Label die cuts, Making Memories glitter alphabet set—2 sheets, 12 raffle tickets,

Making Memories Noteworthy Lace, terry cloth and felt flowers, Heidi Swapp 5x7

Mirror album & binder rings, several die cut mini flowers and 25 skittles in pink and green.

_________________________________________________

February 2009 Project Kit--$65

Contents of this kit include: 21 patterned papers (1 SEI, 1 Making Memories, 1 Sassafrass Lass,

1 KI Memories, 5 Scribble Scrabble, 4 Teresa Collins, 3 My Mind’s Eye and 5 Basic Grey

Smitten), Full sheet of BG Smitten cardstock stickers, Smitten chocolate brown alpha stickers,

Pink Paislee alphabet sheet, pink baker’s twine—2 yards, 1 yd. pink ric rac, 11x17 pink

Cardstock (used to make 2 accordion cards), My Mind’s Eye pink glitter adhesive chipboard

Alphabet, 3 Making Memories chipboard pieces to embellish, 4 Making Memories altered

Paper clips, 13 chipboard pennants, full set of Jenni Bowlin mini love bingo cards,

2 My Mind’s Eye die cut Title cards, 4 feet vintage crepe paper streamer in pink, My Mind’s

Eye crochet embellishments—flowers, My Mind’s Eye glitter chipboard border set, and a

5x7 canvas mini book which includes 7 BG Smitten pages inside.

____________________________________________________________________

February 2009 Add-On Kit--$13

Contents of this kit include: 5 patterned papers—October Afternoon, Bo Bunny,

My Mind’s Eye, Amy Butler, 1 October Afternoon alphabet sheet, one Making

Memories mini alphabet sheet, full pack of Kaiser Pearls and full pack of

Creative Café velvet green brads, two My Mind’s Eye journaling spots,

Cardstock to complete cards, die cuts (as shown)—6 total for Valentine Cards.

Please continue to stay tuned to the WIP blog, as there will be a few surprises throughout the month of February as the celebration continues!! My heartfelt thanks to all of you who have helped in the success of this kit club--I appreciate each and every one of you!!

Some business...

I. can't. stop. making. banners.

There, I said it. Totally true. The above is made with the February Project kit that is all Valentine--and it will be available to the public for purchase tomorrow!! Can't wait to share...

I have to say a little something about the crops, because things have gone a little crazy with sign ups. The February 7th AND the March 7th crops are both SOLD OUT. I have added all that I can at this point and have started a wait list, but I really can't hold any more. Due to the influx of email, I am considering adding another crop on March 28th. If you are interested in attending that date, please email me at Turay413@gmail.com so I can see if there are enough people to hold an additional crop. The time and cost would remain the same--$25 for the day from 10am until midnight. Thanks so much for your enthusiasm--it is good to see so many new people join us!!

Enjoy your day !!

do you display your works of art?

i love to display my creations. i have some layouts hanging around my scrapbook room.
for a while that was enough. then i got my hands on this amazing display case.
one of my neighbors was having a tag sale. I went down to check it out and was drooling over this
contraption she had. She thought it was rather funny---but she didn't see what i saw. So she told me if she didn't sell it--that i could have it. Lucky for me no one wanted it.
so now along half of one of my wall in my scrappy room-- i have this:






so how do YOU display YOUR works of art?

Which new products are you dying to see???

Hey everyone, it's Amy! With CHA coming up in a couple of weeks, the sneaks are starting to surface. Are there any products you are dying to get your hands on? Trish always manages to get the best products for her kits, but she is also always open to suggestions. If there's something coming out that you'd love to see in a kit, please let us know! Here are a few new releases that I can't wait to put to good use!

I love these lace flowers from Prima


I adore this collection from My Mind's Eye


This collection from Sribble Scrabble makes me sooooo happy!!



The Chatterbox sneaks have me very intrigued.



Of course, I'm sure that the October Afternoon release will take my breath away!

I have posted some sneaks of the new Three Bugs in a Rug over at my blog. I love their new releases!!

Do you have any favorites? Remember to let us know if there's anything you'd really like to see in a kit!

Hand Towels.

I found these at a recent trip to Anthropologie...They've had me on a dishtowel and embroidery kick for a week now.
I love all the trim, the hand work, the color. So beautiful!!

I love how something this simple can inspire.

Have a great weekend!!