Cord Scrapbook Studio

Friday Favorite: Organization

If there's one scrapbooking-related topic out there that continually inspires me, it's that of organizing your scrap space. There are so many different ways to organize your stuff that the end result is almost always a reflection of personal style, method and taste. I go back and forth between scrapbooking on my living room floor and actually using my designated scrap space. (Partly because the living room is so convenient and houses the TV--as entertainment is a MUST--and partly because my scrap space isn't quite "me" yet so it's not the comfortable, creativity-inspiring environment I need to scrapbook).

So while I'm still searching for the "right" color combo, the best way to arrange the furniture and the "right" way to organize my embellishments, papers, tools, etc., I find myself drawn to the rooms others have created for the inspiration I need to create a space of my own!

I had the privilege of reading through the virtual tour of Karen Russell's office (pictured at left) that she posted on her blog this past Monday and was completely and utterly wowed. (Is wowed even a word? Hmm...) Using her traditional photographic flair for documenting life, she gives you an up close and personal view of each component in her new scrap space so when you finish reading through it, you're ready to move in! (Or at the very least, "borrow" a few of the ideas...)

Melissa Kaiserman posted a few snapshots of several different workspaces on write.click.scrapbook's website several weeks ago that I saved under my "favorites" because it's a great resource for finding unique ways to store different categories of product in your workspace. The best part about her series of posts about organization was all of the tips and tricks to designing a personalized workspace, the close-up analysis of how she pared down her supplies with suggestions as to how (and why) we can (and should) do that too, and finally her tips for actually using and enjoying our scrap space.

And if that's not enough inspiration for you, scrapbooksetc.com has a whole section of their website dedicated to organization, including an article on low-cost, creative scrapbook storage solutions! (And who's not looking for budget-friendly options these days!)

CHA Summer 2009 - Jillibean Soup

I have been a huge, huge, huge fan of Jillibean Soup for a while now but in case you haven't heard or seen about this local company's products just yet, please allow me to introduce them to you now as a "Friday Favorite" of mine!

Above, you'll see little snippets of two new collections Jillibean is introducing this week at CHA--Alphabet Soup and Grandma's Christmas Crab Soup.  After browsing through their website you'll start to notice that Jillibean's really got it goin' on... their papers & embellishments are very unique, very fun, and very basic so they're incredibly versatile to use.

Lentil Soup and Talk Soup are two more collections they've introduced (pictured above) along with their "soup staples" (photo below). The staples are probably my most favorite because they demonstrate the innovative versatility of jillibean with the trendy colors and classic patterns you can combine with other patterned papers, cardstocks, ribbons, accents, and more! 
 

Jillibean started out with a product line printed on 100% recycled Kraft paper last year and that's actually what drew me to them at first--it's what made them really stand out from the rest, you know? And while a lot of people might find it plain, I find it full of potential because you can add pretty much anything to Kraft to create the look you want. I like to combine bright papers with my Kraft patterns to mix a little "spunk" with the crafty, homemade look and left just as-is the kraft papers are great for heritage pages, weddings, geneology, school, etc! Jillibean has since expanded their product line, brought in a bunch of different colors and patterns and then... then there's the "goods".

Acrylic stamps, wooden buttons and twill, Number "Sprouts" and Calendar "Sprouts"... just to name a few!So you know how popular journaling spots have become in this world (naturally, as journaling is the most important part of scrapbooking, next to the photos of course)... well, Jillibean makes journaling "sprouts" in both white or kraft so you can use them for pretty much anything and everything. (Have I mentioned how versatile these products are?)

  
Anyway... if you haven't already, I hope you'll look into Jillibean Soup and check out their blog--it's so full of ideas and inspiration from their designers that you'll quickly add it to your blog "favorites". Plus, they're giving away some mystery packs of some of their new products--all you have to do is leave a comment on their blog to earn a chance to win!

Speaking of chances to win... stay tuned later today as we announce our Facebook Fan contest winner!

Friday Favorite: The Christmas Tree

My absolute favorite thing about Christmas is the tree--the soft glow of twinkle lights at night, the way it looks in the front window as you're driving by the houses on your street, the ribbons, the glass bulbs, the angel on top. And I get my appreciation for this holiday tradition from my mother, who every year painstakingly poured her heart and soul into having the absolute perfect tree. As I got to be old enough to help her decorate, the Christmas tree became a source of yuletide pride for her and I and the time we spent together deciding the color scheme, the ribbon patterns, and which ornament would go on which branch, was incredibly memorable. To this day, that's what I think of each time I dig my own tree up out of its box.

I've had so much fun this week pulling together sneak peek images of new products that fall into the Christmas category. There is so much great holiday product out there this year and I'm incredibly excited about each and every one of the different collections! I hope that you, too, have enjoyed our time celebrating "Christmas in July"!

As we wrap things up for the week (one more sneak peek still to come tomorrow), I wanted to show you this particular collection by Crate Paper--North Pole. This one's the first (among the many) that actually sparked a memory--a warm and fuzzy feeling in regards to Christmas--that made my heart swell specifically with Christmas Tree pride.

  It's all about the ornaments. For me anyway. I mean, each one tells its own story or has its own memory associated with it. They're what make each and every Christmas tree unique, year to year or house to house! On my tree there's this hoaky, vintage doll thing that's faded and falling apart but it was my great-grandmother's and it reminds me of all of the porcelain dolls she had lined up on her windowsill that we were to "admire, but not touch" as kids. I've got a little homemade ornament that smells like my grandma's apple pie and a little crystal stroller that I was given when I had my first child. And then there's all of the ornaments my mom gave me. See, she gave my brother and I a special ornament to hang on the tree each year that signified a special event, accomplishment or characteristic of ours. When we married and left home, she wrapped them up and gave them to us as a wedding gift--a tradition I hope to carry on for my daughter. The ornament papers in this collection made me think of all of the fancy glass balls and ornate globes I stow away along with my personal collection of keepsake ornaments and how everything comes together on my tree into one big collection of the pretty and the priceless. The ornaments are what make Christmas trees so magical, so personal. And that's why they're my favorite part of the holidays!

As we pack up our Christmas sentiments until November, keep in mind which memories you want to capture this year as you watch new products make their way into stores this fall. Is it the activities? The traditions? Should you take a moment to scrapbook your ornament collection or jot down a few favorite holiday recipes?

As the next few months roll in, watch our Facebook and Twitter pages for new product arrival announcements, upcoming holiday classes, and more! (Besides, signing up to "Become a Fan" gets you an entry into a drawing to win an entire collection of Imaginisce Polar Expressions goodies! Exciting, no?)

Friday Favorite: Weddings

I may be just a hopeless romantic, but I really do love weddings. In fact, I just had the pleasure of attending my cousin's garden wedding a couple of weeks ago and it was so beautiful and so elegant it made me want to get married all over again (to the same guy, of course--just with different colors, theme, flowers, etc.)

I personally enjoyed every minute of planning my own wedding and sometimes think that was one of the best parts of the entire experience! But, it was all over so quickly that now, 6 years later, I find myself re-living the moment through others in such a way that it feels like I'm right back in the wedding party, experiencing the charm, the excitement, and the pure romanticism of it all-- just the way I did back when I was the blushing bride. I marvel at the little details--from the flowers to the color(s) of the bridesmaid dresses to the cute little place cards, the design of the cake, and the name of the first song they newlywed couple has chosen to dance to...and you know... It never ceases to amaze me how wonderfully creative people can be when it comes to pulling all of those details together to create an experience that's truly unforgettable!

Now, wedding planning and scrapbooking are a lot alike when you think of all of the little details it takes to really achieve a certain ambiance-- the look you're particularly going for. But I think scrapbooking weddings can be hard because of that perpetual desire for absolute perfection. I mean, it's your wedding album, right? It's got to be perfect--and that means having the perfect papers, the perfect colors, perfect accents, embellishments, ribbons, journaling... the whole nine yards! I've spent the last several years in search of such things but instead have merely gathered bits and pieces here and there in the hopes that someday I'll have enough to really do it "right".

The Making Memories "I Do" Wedding collection (arriving in stores and online today) is one of those collections I think has a lot of basic accents and wedding frills that you can use for almost any color, style, theme, etc of wedding. But it's also perfect for documenting anniversaries, homecoming, prom... anything where you find you need that perfect, delicate touch of detail.

In celebration of its arrival, I'd love to know your favorite thing about weddings! Leave a comment below and let us know--be it a traditional wedding song, your favorite flavor of wedding cake, or a funny/memorable story!

Friday Favorite: Border Punches!

 You know how there's just some tools that seem to cycle in and out of the scrapbooking world? First there were decorative edge scissors and then they kinda went away. Fast-forward a little bit and there they were again--making a comeback as the must-have tools that were all the rage in scrapbooking a couple of years ago. Now they're sometimes really difficult to find!

Well, in a way I think border punches have kinda followed that same trail. They were once a had-to-have item a few years ago, then the "fad" moved on (although some of us still remained loyal) and now they're back with a vengeance--and multiplying! Two great suppliers of these totally awesome paper-edgers are Fiskars and EK Success--both of which provide scrapbookers with the high quality we need (to support heavy usage!) and the cute designs we crave!

There's scalloped edges, notebook paper edges, and lacy edges. Borders that mimic the look of a postage stamp, a cityscape, or waves! And punches you can weave ribbon through, punches with fancy, intricate designs, and punches that will even look like candles lined up on a cake!(You may have even noticed several of these used in Terri's Bordering Summer cards class featured in yesterday's blog post!)

Border punches are officially my favorite tool of the week. In fact, I just might make them my favorite tool for the entire weekend as I've got a stack of layouts that could surely use a little somethin' extra. So here's to livin' life on the edge... :-) 

  

Friday Favorite: Thickers

Chipboard Thickers. Felt Thickers. Foam, Vinyl or Puffy Thickers. Glittered Thickers, Foiled Thickers, Fabric Thickers... you name it... they've got it.

When it comes to needing something 3-D or packed with texture, something quick and easy to use, or something that will deliver the punch and pizazz I'm looking for in a layout title... I am hopelessly devoted to my Thickers.

 

I was first introduced to Thickers a couple of years ago, talking to a co-worker who had seen them in a magazine. She was telling me about these cool, new Thickers she'd seen from American Crafts and the whole time she was talking, I was thinking "It's STickers, not Thickers, silly!" Come to find out... she was right. Thick+stickers=THICKERS. (Clever, eh?) 

   

The layouts pictured here were designed by American Crafts' in house design team members Alisha Gordon and Paige Evans. If you go to the American Crafts website, you'll find a link to their online idea gallery which is chock full of inspiration! You can search for ideas by product type, too which is totally awesome--especially when you're trying to work through your stash! (I've got these purple glitter stickers...now, how can I use them?)

And as if that weren't enough to tickle your creative fancy, check out the American Crafts blog where you'll find a daily dose of inspiration and two more creative galleries --one here and one here. How many people think we should get some kind of reader gallery goin' here on this blog? Anyone?

Anyway... that's my Friday Favorite for this week. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Friday Favorite: *NEW* Basic Grey Rhinestones & Pearls!

I am a self-proclaimed bling-a-holic. Show me something shiny and pretty and I'm S-O-L-D. Whether it's spot-glittered papers, shimmery/metallic cardstock, rhinestone accents, glitter glue...anything that adds just that perfect little (albeit sometimes subtle) detail to my pages and projects has become a staple in my scrap room.

Well...the obsession just got worse. *sigh*

Basic Grey came recently came out with a line of bling and pearlescent self-adhesive accents that... well, let me just say... "Be still, my beating heart!" They're perfect! (I bought each style in every color. Like I said--I'm obsessed.)

Seriously though... these little individual rhinestones and pearls are great for card-making and scrapbooking alike because they're incredibly delicate, come in a bunch of different colors and styles and they're just SO CUTE! (See...now you know I'm a scrapbooker--I can obsess over a tiny little circle thing that's no bigger than a pencil eraser and think it's the cutest little thing I've ever seen. Anyone else would most likely think "yeah, so it's small and it's shiny and it's got glue on the back. What's the big deal?" Well!)

Wanna know the best part about these mouth-watering little gems?  They're only $1.99! Um, yeah... totally affordable! Don'tcha think?

So thank you, Basic Grey for giving me just one more thing I can't live without--for indulging my guilty pleasures and putting something out there on the market that's hard for me to resist! From the B to the L to the I-N-G, these new rhinestones and pearls are just what I "needed". :-)

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Friday Favorite: Ali Edwards - Inspiration for Everyday Life

It can be said that inspiration can be found anywhere and everywhere.

Perhaps there's a magazine ad you've seen that uses a particular design layout that inspires you...or maybe there was a piece of fabric you found with a color scheme that made you eager to take a swatch to the Bazzill aisle at your LSS. Whether it's the memory of a beautiful sunset, the look in your child's eyes or the dream of your upcoming Disney vacation--everywhere you look there's something to be found that holds the potential to speak volumes about the "everyday you".

And what's totally cool about those tiny, fleeting moments where you find yourself taking a step back from life just to breathe in its every detail, is that when you use those bits and pieces of inspiration to drive your scrapbooking...some day, years from now, you will be able to look through all those finished layouts and be reminded of how wonderful it is to have lived "in the moment". 

"Capture Life. Create Art."

When it comes to embracing life and documenting the memories that go right along with it, there is only one person I can think of who consisentantly inspires me to stay focused on the moments (the words + pictures) that make my everyday life so special--and that person is none other than Ali Edwards. For today's "Friday Favorite" I wanted to share with you one of my absolute favorite blogs--Ali's. 

Every day you'll find something to take with you, from creative tips to inspiring ideas, personal anecdotes, reflections, and weekend challenges! With each post she practices the "Capture Life. Create Art." mentality she's become famous for and I often find her topics to be the peaceful, inspiring, motivator I need to keep me going, day after day.

This weekend, I encourage you to take a moment (or two, or ten or twenty) to take extra notice of those inspirational moments in your life and then check out Ali's "Week in the Life" or the shorter "Weekend in the Life" projects for ideas on how you can document your everyday life as well!

(A special thanks to Ali for allowing me to use the AE logo for this post and also for all of the creative inspiration for everyday life you've offered loyal blog readers over the years! You totally rock!)

Fall Harvest

Today's "Friday Favorite" is actually not related to scrapbooking. (Gasp!) Today I've chosen to share with you just a plain old favorite of mine that I think a lot of you share--the changing of seasons.

 

I love Autumn. The colors, the nostalgia...there's just something about it that's comforting to me. I walked out the door this morning to a warm breeze, a front yard with a crab-apple that has all of its "apples" but none of its leaves (which is kinda cool), and a flower bed with mums that are still hangin' in there in between the cold snaps. And I love it! I love seeing the pumpkins sitting on my neighbor's front stoop and my favorite time of the week is going to the grocery where bulk stacks of apples, apple cider, squash and pumpkins greet you on the way in! Sure, fall is the gateway to winter, but I still think it's exciting!

 So, brace yourselves...I'm about to connect this "Friday Favorite" of mine to something that is scrapbooking-related. (You had to have expected I'd turn it around at some point, didn't ya?)

Just so you know, this product is not yet in stores but it is coming--which makes this another SNEAK PEEK to help "scratch" the Scrapbooking "Itch" we've all had lately! (By itch I mean desire for something new and fresh and not some kind of rash you could get from having too much exposure to Stickles...)

This is the "Fall Harvest" collection from K & Company and it features a wide variety of patterned papers and accents that are perfect for the season!

   

 

I am especially excited for the adhesive paper ribbon and the 3-D Grand Adhesions stickers, the chipboard, the diecuts and the rubons. Oh wait... that's pretty much the entire collection! How do you choose?

    

Side Note: Have you noticed that a lot of companies are coming out with bundles like these (pictured at left)? I love it because sometimes it's hard to choose between one paper or another. Buying them in a bundle like this not only saves a buck or two, but you're free to layer as many as you please on this year's layout(s) and still have plenty to go around for home decor projects, Thanksgiving cards or placecards for the table, as well as last year's trip to the pumpkin patch. Add a few simple embellishments like the ribbons and the stickers, use one or two with each project and voila... more bang for the buck!

Have a wonderful Fall-filled Weekend!

Have you seen these?

These have been around for a while, but they're one of my favorite go-to reference materials. See, I have found that I can accomplish a lot more at a faster pace when I pre-plan my pages. So I plan now, scrapbook later--when I have more time to really sit back and enjoy it.

Well, when I'm sorting my photos and pulling together sketches and supplies I plan to use for those photos, usually I can find a printed paper or two that works well (and I'm all about using what's already in my stash right now).  But 9 times out of 10 I don't have any cardstock that matches. (Don'tcha hate that? A whole stack of plain paper and I never have the right green or the reds I have are just slightly off!) So what do I do next? Well, I'll tell ya... I don't pack up my papers and photos and head to the store to match up what I need. Instead, I pull out my Bazzill swatches.

(This is what they look like when you buy them from the store. They're grouped by texture for the most part and not by color. Since I scrapbook by color and not texture, I've actually reorganized mine into color groups which I find is MUCH easier when I'm matching swatches to my projects. But, anyway...)

I take these handy-dandy little swatches and use them to choose my colors. Once I find the colors I need to purchase, I write the names and the color family (ex: blues, greens, reds) down on a slip of paper and take that to the store with me--so much less to carry and I don't have to worry anymore about keeping track of what I brought into the store with me vs. what I picked up there. The color families just help me narrow down my search so that I'm looking for a specific name within a group of 50 colors instead of 500 colors.  

It's so quick and so easy I can guarantee that if you invest in these swatches and really learn to use them (and keep up with them as colors are discontinued or new colors are added) you'll never be disappointed! I love, love, love them! Know what else? Well, if you subscribe to our email newsletter you'll be happy to know that this week's edition had a coupon for 25% off all of the Swatch Books! How's that for great news on a Friday afternoon? If you do not currently receive the weekly email update, you can register by clicking the link here on the blog and see the most recent edition (with the coupon) by clicking here.  

(For those of you who have owned swatches for a while and are curious about what changes need to be made in order to update your swatches you can access a list of corrections here; however, swatch books need to be in their original format for updates to work correctly.)