Hope everyone had a great Holiday!

The wrapping paper is on the floor, my belly is stuffed (the gym is packed), and it went way to fast....again! I cannot believe weeks and weeks of preparation is over just like that! Poof! It is really sad in a way. Nathan is still talking about how Santa came to his house. I got 3 batches of cookies done....better than none! The only potential hitch was Nathan got a fever (not to mention barfing all over me) on Friday and we ended up in the ER with strep throat....but he was OK by Monday. Ready for Santa. It was just a little more hectic than usual. Now my mom calls me that she has a sore throat. Ugh!

Scrapbook Santa was nice to me! I got a Disney Cartridge for my Cricut and a gift card (this is always very nice). Now I can scrap our Disney Vacation! YEAH!

My husband also did the 12 cards of Christmas (the Hallmark ladies now love him, along with every other female that knows about this)....He bought 12 cards and in each card was a reason why he loved me. It was really sweet and funny. If you have a male friend or brother or brother in law, I highly suggest you tell them about the 12 cards of Christmas. It was the perfect gift! I am so blessed to have him in my life. I should remember this as I grumble while picking up his socks off the bedroom floor!

Just wanted to let you know that our creative relay team is doing a fantastic job and I cannot wait to post the results. They are also working on mini-challenges so everyone has something to do while the relay takes place. The ladies all are very nice and hopefully I will get to scrap with them! It is a great way to meet new people! Look for more relays after this one is finished!

I will resume posting regularly on January 2, 2008!!!

Here are some pictures of our Christmas:

What a ham! The tree is my version of Christmas "lite"....see previous post for more on Christmas Lite :)

Baking Cookies. He had lots of fun. Mom thought if Nathan had his own color I would know which ones NOT to eat (notice the green around his mouth..yes he was eating and decorating at the same time)! Then as the Royal Icing dried on his hands he tried to shake it off...oh fun!

Grandpa rocks!

In the complete gear...I now nickname the tricycle the bulldozer...that thing runs over ANYTHING!

The art desk was one of the hits of Christmas (yeah for CRAFTS!!!).

You should have seen when he opened the clothes. He had this complete look of disappointment on his face! It was so funny...and I was once again reminded how I cannot find the video camera :)

Dad saying....now we do not have to argue to watch the Wiggles or Football...Two men and one TV do not go well together! :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! I am looking forward to many ideas and new products in 2008!!!

Jennifer

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope everyone has a safe and blessed holiday! I will talk to you again next week! Remember to take good pictures to scrap!!!

Jennifer

Super Easy Present Tags and Cards

If you are anything like me, even though I have been planning for Christmas since the beginning of November, this week is hectic. In every free minute, I have been running around to stores and such. I think I have to start planning better though. I went to Target (my SECOND favorite store) :) to pick up a last minute present. It was packed. I am getting a little worried! I think a lot of people waited until the last minute because there is a weekend in front of the holiday. Ahhh! I did bake two batches of sugar cookies. I still have to frost them, but I am going to make that easy :)

So you need a Christmas card or present tag and you do not want to brave the crowds (and the people who really do not know what to do in a parking lot...). Take out some of your double-sided cardstock and go to town!

If you have a 12X12 sheet cut off about 2-3 inches, fold in half and cut in half (to make a card). Then take a piece of plain cardstock and cut it so it fits inside the bigger card. Tape and put a little message in there....you are done! It literally took me 5 minutes to make 2 cards. Here is an example:

For tags, take that 2-3 inch strip of paper you cut off for your cards and cut them into tag-size rectangles. Fold over and write "To:" and "From" on the inside. Place a Christmas sticker in there and you are done! Here is an example:

These look nice and are stress free! Happy scrapping!

Jen

Hello All!!

Ok Ok ok.....so I have not blogged in a couple of days....sorry! I think the Christmas rush is hitting me hard (cookies, present wrapping, multiple requests to see Santa)! I am starting to wonder why Santa does not make appearances throughout the year...it is a great leverage tool to get a multitude of things done with my son. Well if you don't go to bed nice, Santa might not come. Ok, I know I said I would NEVER do that when I was a mom, but you know what, all of the books go out the window when your two year old won't do something that he needs to do (brush the teeth...you get my drift!). You gotta get stuff done! My mom is laughing at me now. I am sure of it. :)


We had a great turn-out with the relay. I am really excited! When it is done I will post the results of the relay.... Someone did ask me if it was digital scrapbooking and to answer that, no, you just create your layout at home and then either scan it or take a digital picture of it and send it to me as an attachment. You can do a digital page if you want, but that is not a requirement!


If you have any questions just email me, I would be glad to help you out.


Remember Pat Catan's sells Gift Certificates at the stores. A perfect gift for anyone! Oh and all Christmas merchandise is marked down! Get it while it lasts!


Other things to remember, Pat Catan's is going to have Crops in 2008! YEAH! Stay tuned for more information!

Here are a few pictures that I have taken recently....

Here is Nathan's Gingerbread house from the Gingerbread House Party. Note the cute snowman :)

Yeah, I wish I slept this good in my bed. I usually get inched off little by little every night. He does good in his own bed until about 4 or 5 am. He must wake up and toddle over. I realize this after I have about 2 inches of bed left! He is so cute. And a couple of times I have been awake when he does this and the sound of his little feet walking to our room is so cute! How could I send him back? :)

Ok, I must go now! Have a good scrappy night!

Jennifer

Anyone up for a Creative Relay?

Afternoon! The cookies did not get baked last night. Surprise. Surprise. Instead I took to wrapping gifts. This is loads of fun and does not hurt as much as purchasing gifts :) I had a brilliant plan for the cookies. Make one batch a night. Mark my words, I will be posting on the 21st about how I have to make 8 batches of 4 cookies in a weekend. :)

Ok, here is how the creative relay works. If you want, sign up for the relay by emailing me (jenne@darice.com). Then I will create a layout and send it to the first person on the list (via email) . They would create a layout based on my layout...adding their own twist. Then that person would send their layout to the next person and so on. When all of the people on the list have created a layout, I will post all layouts in sequence to see how they developed through each person.

This is a very very cool thing to do. I need a minimum of 10 people (max 20) to email me and say they want to participate (jenne@darice.com). The cut-off to sign up is Monday the 17th. My layout will be sent (via email) to the 1st person on the 21st. You will have up to 1 week to complete your layout (depending on the number of people to sign up - I will let each person know). This is just for fun and friendship (and you get your work posted on the blog for thousands to see!). Who knows, you might meet your new cropping buddy!

Once again, the cut-off to email me is Monday the 17th and I must have at least 10 people email me.

Have a great night!

Jennifer

New Stuff in stores!

Afternoon everyone! My husband and I had fun playing Santa in the rain yesterday! Let me back up. We got Nathan Step 2 things for Christmas this year as his "big" presents. When they delivered them Sunday we placed them in the garage so he would not see them (yes I have to hide things now!). So last night my husband and I carried them all in so I could "wrap' them. It was sooo much fun! We were running and laughing like little kids in the rain. Oh the magic of Christmas!

So there are a few new things in the store I would like to tell you about today!

First there is a new memory book in the stores. It is a cute and versatile album. This sells for $4.97!!! WOW!

There are also over 60 punches in 4 sizes: 5/8" ($2.97), 1" ($3.97), 2" ($9.97), and 3" ($12.97)!

There is even a little compartment that holds your punch for you (no more looking on the floor!!)!!

Also, a reminder that the new Basic Grey endcap is in store with the Infuse and Periphery lines!! Go check it out, when it is gone, it is gone!

That's all for now! Tonight is cookie baking night for me (I am sure that should yield a great story!)!

Jennifer

Cover Your Chipboard!

Nathan has taken a liking to Christmas music in the car. Ahhh... the sweet sound of jingle bells...10 times in a row. There is nothing like it...If I try to change the CD I get a chorus from the back....'No mommy! Christmas ones!'....my other favorite is if the volume is too low I get 'turn it up mom!'...So is Christmas over yet? :) Just kidding...but I do wonder who rules the house....it is a tie between the child and the cat... :)

Chipboard used to intimidate me a lot. It looked too scary and hard to use. Then I slowly moved to the chipboard that already had patterns/colors printed on it. They were like 3D stickers to me. Loved them!

But the "naked" or plain chipboard is an embellishment I always stayed away from...sort of like Journaling (do I HAVE to?)...The times I tried to cover them with paper I always missed a spot or it looked half done when it was really done. My favorite mistake was cutting the paper too big around the chipboard. Then I would trim. 10 hours later (or so it seemed) I scrapped the chipboard that was ruined. Frustrated, I returned to more expensive chipboard or stickers (aren't those things easy?!)

But someone showed me a better way. It is still a tad time-consuming, but after you are done you have beautiful chipboard that perfectly matches your paper...not a huge mess. So it is totally worth it!



What you need:

Hobby Knife (be careful!)


Self healing cutting mat


Glue (the liquid kind)


Chipboard letters or shapes (these Letters are $1.00 at Pat Catan's)


Paper

1. Take your chipboard letters and glue the FRONT (you will be very unhappy if you glue the back) side of them



2. Turn your paper so the back (the side you do not want to use) is facing you and glue your chipboard letter down. Wait about 10-15 minutes for them to dry




3. Take your hobby knife and cut around the edges of the embellishment. Take your time so you do not cut yourself or cut the chipboard (it will be worth it!)


4. Turn letter over and cut or sand away any little snags in the paper


5. Glue to your project! It is that easy



A few tips to consider:


*use a heavier but not too heavy paper....thin paper will tear and it will be hard to cut through thick paper or heavy cardstock

*When using striped paper make sure to have your letters all going the same way (I almost did this one! How do you think I knew not to do that!)

*wipe away any excess glue so you do not gum up your knife


*Be careful with the hobby knife


*Enjoy your new embellishment!


Have fun! My chipboard now looks professional! Yours will too!


Jennifer

Just Glue (or stick) It!

HI! We made it through a very busy weekend! Two parties, candy galore and no nap later, Nathan was still going strong (although his eyes told me different). I think he called the energizer bunny for backup!

The first party was the Gingerbread House Party. Every year my mom's sister holds a party where all the kids in the family (30+ grand kids and 3 great-grand kids) make a gingerbread house. This was our first year since when the annual parties started when I was in college and Nathan had been too young. Let me tell you something about the look on Nathan's eyes when he saw all the candy to decorate the houses. He thought he arrived at his jackpot. Which was very cool, except try keeping his hands off of it. Throughout lunch I would watch him at the kids table slink out of his chair ever so quietly and peek over the side of the candy table. Of course everyone thought that was hilarious. Even more funny was watching me trying to keep him away. All of my aunts thought this was great fun to watch...yeah...now that their kids are grown. Above all it was a great time with good company. And despite the candy consumption, Nathan did not get a belly ache. Bonus!

So, you know you need some kind of adhesive to scrapbook. Of course you know that it needs to be archival quality and that won't ruin your page you have worked hours on (oh I know about this! One page done at a 5 hour crop yesterday). I am sure you have a staple that you use all the time, but what IS out there? LOTS and LOTS of sticky stuff...here is a run-down of some of my favs and what they glue:

Basic Tape Runners: Use primarily for sticking pictures and paper to the page, but did you know that there are different kinds?

Darice Permanent Adhesive Roller ($1.00 at Pat Catans) - Great for paper and pictures. Great general use

Darice Permanent Adhesive Dot Roller ($1.00) - Great for permanent adhesive on paper/pictures that are oddly shaped (circles) or small. You can very easily rub off some of the dots that your paper/pictures do not cover.

Darice Repositional Adhesive Roller ($1.00) - Great for paper and photos that you would like to move while working. You know...I really don't like that there. Or use while doing a Mosaic (this is fun! Email me if you would like to know how!)

Tab Dispenser ($10.97) - Another good one for paper and pictures. I seem to use less adhesive when I use these than the runners because you put the tabs in the corners (not in a line across). I think they last a long time too.

The Trusty Glue Stick ($2.47) - Many people swear by these. This is usually my backup, but sticks good on paper.

Tacky Adhesive ($3.97 - worth every penny) : MY FAV FOR EMBELLISHMENTS (buttons, metal, etc.) - this stuff sticks (in hair too...trust me on this one...I know) - It dries clear too. I never leave home without this one.

Another form of double-sided tape ($5.97) - Great for paper and photos. I tend to use a lot when using due to the easy to use dispenser.

Glue Dots ($3.77 in small, med, or large) - Wonderful little dots. They make your life with embellishments (ribbon too) easy!

3-D Glue Dots ($3.77) - Wonderful on paper/photos/embellishments to give a raised look. Easy to work with.

Ribbon Adhesive ($4.97) - Stick your ribbon on the sheet, pull off, stick on your page. Well worth the money...so easy to use on ribbon. Other than staples, this works the best for ribbon!

Photo Corners (in clear or black $1.77 and 1.97 respectively): Great for photos that you do not want to glue down. Read: very old photos you treasure :)

And there you have it! There are so many types of adhesives! Email me your favorite adhesive and why! Tag along a layout and I will post it!

Happy Scrapping,

Jennifer

Weekly Challenge!

I found the mittens! YEAH! They were out in plain sight too. Well I guess you cannot win them all! At least Nathan is not walking around with my gloves on anymore (10 sizes too big). I kept feeling the need to explain to everyone that I came across why he was wearing them. You name it, grocery store clerk, my mom, my husband. Just so I had all my bases covered (yes I know they are too big. But at least he has gloves on!) I did, however, go and buy a spare set... just in case. Next purchase is the little clippy things that attach the mittens to the coat. I will probably find those right as spring is breaking and we no longer need mittens. :)

This weeks weekly challenge is a "catch-up" challenge. I like these because you are focusing on completing things. I do not know about you guys, but I have trouble with this one sometimes. Especially things I do not like to do. So guess what I do not have done....you guessed it...JOURNALING!!! (boo) But it, in reality, is one of the most important parts of scrapping...one of my least favorite though. So go through all of your pages and find those that are "lacking" in the journaling department and finish! Slip on your page protector and you are completely completed!

Take a before and after picture of one of them and send them to me (jenne@darice.com) I would love to see your finished projects!

Happy Holiday Shopping this weekend (for those of you (like me) that are not done yet)

Jennifer

Create Your Own Rub-ons!

So we got to ride the Polar Express last night. I do not know who had more fun, me or the children riding. I was in heaven. Of course we were waiting for the train and NONE of the three children in our group had mittens. I am SURE all of the parents were talking about us...'did you see that one? It is 16 degrees and her child does not have mittens'. Yes the sideways glances were coming our way. I needed a sign that said 'child will not wear mittens. He hid them. Maybe he put them on the cat.' I do not think that would have worked either though. So we were busy telling all the kids to put their hands in their pockets. Like that worked. Two 2.5 yr olds and a 5 yr old. At any rate, I highly suggest going on the Polar Express. It is fun and it brings the Christmas spirit out in everyone! And my son and his friend were bouncing off the walls when Santa came on the train. I am surprised they went to sleep last night. Plenty of fun pictures!

So you like rub-ons? Who doesn't? They are fun, easy to use, go on just about anything. The only thing though, once they are gone, they are gone. No re-using. Have to buy more. Well, to save money, be extra crafty (in less time it would take you to get to the store and back), and have a rub-on of virtually anything, create your own! It is super easy!

Materials you need:

*Transparency sheet (an 8-1/2 X 11 works best...printer friendly)

*Computer and Printer

*Popsicle Stick

Steps:

1. Create your image or word in a word processing program (Photoshop, Word, Works, Etc)

2. Set your print properties to "mirror image" (can you read backwards? I cannot. So if you skip this one, you will rub-on a backward image...not fun)

3. Load your transparency into the printer with the shinny side up (or whichever side your printer prints on)

4. Select "Best Quality" print setup. This ensures you get the most ink for your rub-on.

5. Print!

6. Once printed, be careful to not touch the ink...it will smear. Let it dry for about 30 minutes.

7. Place the rub-on over your page with the ink side down and rub with the Popsicle stick.

8. Lift transparency. You are done!

9. Wipe transparency off...you will be able to use it again!

Virtually free rub-ons! And you don't pay for those that you don't need! YEAH!!!!

Have Fun!

Jennfer

Find this paper at Pat Catan's!

Christmas Project for you!

The first real snow! This means a few things for me. 1. I will have to stop every 3 feet while walking outside to re-discover the miracle of snow with my son (this is very entertaining and exciting) 2. Hats and mittens only to be taken off BEFORE we get outside. Then I cannot find the mittens...hmm can't wait to find those during spring cleaning...mental note: must go buy mittens in bulk 3. Extended drive time to work...this would not be too bad other than the fact that a certain someone is sort-of new at the whole potty-training thing and when he has to go, we HAVE to go. Above all, the best is being with Nathan in the snow. I am seriously re-living my childhood.

So, with that said, I have Nathan sit on Santa's lap every year (like millions of others...hint: go before Thanksgiving!). And of course a great way to remember the details is to scrapbook the visit. But, not the traditional scrapbook. I have a book (shown below) that chronicles Santa visits each year. This book will be great to show off when he is 18 and a great book for me to remember everything about the visit (was he scared? Did he get up there and ask for exactly what he wanted BEFORE Santa said a word...at least he said please while Santa was trying to hold back his laughter!).

What to do: Get a 6X6 book. No need for it to be bigger... 8x8 works well also.

These Darice books come in many different colors and are perfect for the job! The 6X6 is $3.97 and the 8X8 is $4.97.

2. Other than the types of paper and embellishments you use, you only "need" three elements; the date, a little blurb about the visit, and the (oh so expensive) picture. And you are done...how easy is that?

Here is my example:

This is a simple and easy way to make sure your memories are preserved. I can already see huge changes in Nathan (and my scrapbooking) throughout the years! The book makes a great gift to a grandma, yourself, or even for your child (children) when they get older and (sniff) leave the house. You will thank yourself many years from now when you look back. Plus I can tell my husband that I actually have a book that is up to date! he he!

Happy Scrapping!

Jennifer

Tips and Tricks - Think Ink

Ok, it's officially here. Snow, cold, and the impulse for my child to grab everything off every store shelf (I vow to not take him shopping with me again until after Christmas)....oh wait, I mean December is here!!! :) But there are other fun things too, like parties to go to, surprises to look forward to, and the glisten in my son's eyes....I love it!

This is a great time to scrapbook too...you are thinking I am crazy, but you should. Take some time for yourself and do it. That way everything will not wear you down and you can enjoy your holiday more!

We all know that you stamp with inks, but what else? You can add a ton of dimension to your page with a little ink.

*My favorite is inking the sides of your pictures. This gives your pictures a mini border - instantly. No cutting. No mess. Plus your pictures tend to pop off your page. It is nice when you have a very simple page that you want a clean look for (see my layout below).

*Stamp your chipboard alphas. Cannot use alphas because they do not look "right?" Try stamping them with a pattern and they might instantly become the perfect letters (see my layout below)

*Gently brush your ink pad across the paper (or down)...you will get a very cool texture and a great background

*Ink the edges of your paper embellishments. This will make them pop off the page too. Adding dimension.

*Use white ink on dark paper. This has a very cool effect. Make sure it is a pigment ink

*Silver ink looks very cool too.


Have a safe evening!

Jennifer

Materials used (paper - American Crafts The Goods- I do-double-side; Heidi Swapp Corner Stamps -Love; Autumn Leaves Clear Stamps - work flourishes; Basic Grey Infuse buttons; Darice Chipboard Alphas stamped with Heidi Grace Clear Stamps)