Cord Scrapbook Studio

Hello, Cupcake!

It's an event that comes around once a year for everybody--and it's definitely worth celebrating! Thankfully, our vendors tend to keep a semi-constant rotation of birthday-themed releases to whet our creative whistle throughout the year!

Here's a quick look at the Hello, Cupcake collection from Imaginisce, thanks to Design Team Members Ashley Rock and Lori Roop!

"Sophie's 1st Birthday" by Ashley Rock

Supplies Used:
    Imaginisce Hello Cupcake 6x6 Paper Pad
    Imaginisce Sticker Stackers
    Bazzill Cardstock: Kraft
    American Crafts Knock Out Punch: Bracket
    Simple Stories Summer Fresh Alphabet Stickers

"Let's Party" Card by Ashley Rock

Supplies Used:
    Imaginisce Hello Cupcake 6x6 Paper Pad
    Imaginisce Hello Cupcake Sticker Stackers
    Bazzill Cardstock: Kraft
    Cat's Eye Ink: Chestnut

Paper Kite Decor by Lori Roop

Supplies Used:
    Imaginisce Hello Cupcake Paper:     Birthday Hooray
    Imaginsice Hello Cupcake Chipboard Stickers
    Ribbon, Twine

"Wish Big" Layout by Lori Roop

Supplies Used:
    Imaginisce Hello Cupcake Paper: Cheers, Party Time
    Imaginsice Hello Cupcake Cardstock Die-Cuts
    Bella Blvd Crochet Flower
    My Mind's Eye Button

"Make a Wish" Card by Lori Roop

Supplies Used:
    Imaginisce Hello Cupcake Paper: Let's Party
    Imaginisce Hello Cupcake Chipboard Stickers
    My Mind's Eye Button

And speaking of birthdays... Bella Blvd is celebrating their 4th BIRTHDAY!! Four years of new products, tons of layouts and cards and bits of inspiration along the way, plus a brand new booth to celebrate this past week at CHA! You can see a few snippets of their booth, here.

Bella Blvd is also releasing TWO new birthday collections...
(both shipping to us August 6th!)

 
  

And...


  

They've posted a ton--and when I say ton, I mean a very, very large amount--of projects on the Bella Blvd blog recently featuring ALL of their new CHA lines. So when you have a moment to ogle and drool and jot down your favorite ideas, get your "pin it" button warmed up and head on over to peruse each post! 

To see these two new birthday lines in action, simply click here and here. Then head over to the Bella Blvd Facebook page, wish them a Happy Birthday and tell 'em how much you love 'em!

Aren't birthdays grand?!

What's Up?

So with today being the last day at CHA, I figured I'd do a quick little "What's Up" post to fill you in. Admittedly, my Facebook updates and posts this week weren't as frequent as I'd hoped they'd be!

Most of our orders have been officially placed (woohoo!!) and now we begin the slow-and-steady process of entering items into our system and getting things listed online. And by "we"... I of course mean "me". This way we're ready to hit the ground running when all of these glorious boxes show up on our doorstep!

If you check out the "Coming Soon" section on our website, you'll see a small sampling of what you can expect to see in stores (and when).  The new lines are listed in order of their ship date over on the left side of the page (in green). Just click on the collection name to see it in its entirety.

Keep in mind--new products and collections will be added almost daily over the next couple of weeks though, so check back regularly!! And if you've been staying on top of the new releases, keeping up with manufacturer blogs or company Facebook pages and see something you *really* hope to find at your local Cord Scrapbook Studio--please don't hesitate to drop us a line via Facebook or by leaving a comment here on the blog!

Oh.. and speaking of "What's Up"--I've got a couple of Design Team projects to share featuring Basic Grey's "What's Up" collection!
Altered Picture Frame by Emily Lanham

Supplies Used:
    Basic Grey What's Up Paper: Abroad
    Basic Grey What's Up Toothpick Flags

"Celebrate" Card by Emily Lanham

Supplies Used:
    Basic Grey What's Up Paper: Miscellany
    Basic Grey What's Up Toothpick Flags
    Bazzill Cardstock
    May Arts Ribbon

Now, if you've been following our Design Team posts for awhile now or have checked out Emily's blog--you've probably noticed those handmade rolled flowers pop up every now and then. If you've ever wondered how those handy dandy made-to-match-your-project accents are made, Emily shares a quick and simple tutorial here. Check it out!

So now you've seen "what's up" with Emily and you've read "what's up" with Cord and the new releases from CHA... now, what's up with you?! Inquiring minds wanna know... :-)

Have a good one!

All-Star Sports

Raise your hand if you're one of those scrappers with a pile a mile high of photographs and memorablia to scrapbook for your football, baseball, soccer and/or basketball player at home? They sure do stack up fast, don't they?!

Today, DT Member Stephanie Matlack has an Echo Park All-Star Layout to share and we've got a special sports sneaky-peek for you, too! Perhaps you'll be inspired to tackle that stack once and for all! (Or at least until next season!)

"Go Team" Layout by Stephanie Matlack

Supplies Used:
    Echo Park Mini All Star Paper: Court, Journaling Cards, Basketball

And COMING SOON to your local Cord Scrapbook Studio is a lil' somethin' new from Fancy Pants Designs! They call it...

Patterned papers, cardstock stickers, coordinating die-cuts (including the *new* banner-style die-cuts)... it's a smorgasbord of sorts for sports!
(Did that sound like something Dr. Seuss would say or what?!)

My favorite part is... the coordinating papers. You know, the ones that don't have footballs, baseballs, soccer balls or basketballs on them? They're PERFECT for masculine pages & projects--a style and color scheme we get a LOT of requests for!

Little Sport ships at the end of this month/early August... but you'll find Echo Park's Mini All-Star Collection and all of the other sports lines we carry both in stores and online, here.

Time to celebrate YOUR All-Star athlete (be it a ball player, cheerleader, swimmer, gymnast, etc.) with some pretty powerful pages! Just think... with the Olympics coming up in a couple of weeks, you could set up your scrapbooking table in front of the TV and get to work while enjoying the games!

Have a great weekend!

What's New Wednesday: Scrappin' Sports

The first of the summer's new CHA releases have arrived at a Cord Scrapbook Studio near you! And if you've got sports photos piled up because you've been waiting for something a little different than the same-old, same-old sports paper--this line's for you!

There's your standard, run-of-the-mill basic sports like baseball, basketball, football and soccer...

 
 
 

...plus a few additional categories like cheerleading, tee-ball, volleyball and cross country or track!

 
 
 

Each paper comes double-sided and in most cases the coordinating "b" side is a simple pattern perfect for matting photos or creating contrast on your pages! The colors Scrappin' Sports uses with their new Sports & Activities collection also coordinate well with existing sports patterns and elements so you can mix-and-match with ease!

Batter Up!

What's [Gonna Be] New: CHA Summer 2012

The next big batch of new products being released for this Fall & Winter will be announced at the CHA Summer Conference & Tradeshow 2012 taking place in just a few weeks!!

So as sneak peeks start popping up all over the web between now and the show (July 16-19th), we'll be busy placing orders, sharing snippets on our Facebook Page, and gearing up for an inspiring second half of the year!

But here's the deal... we need your help! When you find something out there that you LOVE--let us know! Leave us a note here on the blog or comment on our Facebook page! We really try our best to bring you the collections and themes you want need, so your feedback is always welcome!

Based on what I know now, I can tell you what you can already expect to see in our stores as early as mid-July, though... Christmas. (Scary, isn't it?) But don't worry... we'll have some non-seasonal goodies coming in, too! And besides, what's "Christmas in July" without a few spectacular stock-up savings and a chance to get a jump-start on your holiday cards?!

But that's a topic for another post...

I'm off to scour the web for sneak peeks and previews.... care to join me?!
(I love this time of year!)

The #CHAShow Previews Continue w/ Basic Grey!

After a short, two-day blogging break, I'm back with yet another big preview for you! I know a lot of you have already seen some of these collections online and that in a way, some of this stuff is "old news" already. But, I thought it might be helpful to know what your local Cord Scrapbook Studio will be carrying with some updated ETA's and stuff. And so I press on...

For starters.... the layout for this month's Basic Grey Page of the Month class (Friday, February 17th @ 5:30pm) is posted above. Plus, we're THRILLED to announce that we'll be continuing to offer the Page of the Month program throughout the 2012-2013 term!!!

An all new batch of classes starts next month and they've added a few new things this year, including a special gift for anyone who attends all twelve classes in the series, exclusive bonus projects to help you use up all of the extra product you receive and new exclusive digital content--a fun, digital element each month that you can download and use either on your class layout or with the bonus project! 

We've got a special blog page dedicated to Page-of-the-Month updates, and this is where you'll find the current page being offered each month--complete with supply list--as well as pricing information & incentives, class dates, and a re-cap of past classes offered with a list of which kits may still be available.

At the CHA Show, Basic Grey introduced four new lines, two of which will ship at the end of this month and two shipping mid-late April. Each line is incredibly unique and has a "flavor" all it's own (in true, Basic Grey fashion!)

The first new line is a collection of mesmerizing fuchsia, cherry blossom pink, bonsai-tree green and soft sky blue. Picture It-- delicated clouds of white lotus fill the sky. Outdoor street markets are alive with dangling lanterns and vivacious colors. Original, angled rooftops and architecture line the streets... you must be in Japan! Welcome. Or more appropriately, "Konnichiwa!"

 
  

Also shipping in February is the new Plumeria collection...

Breathe in the deep hues and experience the calming effects of delicate florals, striking geometric shapes and watercolor-style prints in this blooming Plumeria collection.  An assortment of dusky lavender, dramatic midnight purple, mossy green and a thrilling pop of orange cascade through this line of long-stemmed imagination! Take time to stop and smell not only the roses, but all of the natural wonders found in this classically intriguing line!

  

The first of the next two collections--shipping in April--is PB & J.
(I think this one's my favorite of all of them...)

This line is jam-packed with a hearty helping of heartfelt style. It's the perfect blend of classic comfort and down-home design! As you prepare your creative spread using this signature collection, your options are limitless. Maybe a mixture of banana yellow and strawberry-preserves red is a personal favorite, or perhaps you're a fan of trimming away those crusts... No matter how you slice it, your sweet treat is sure to impress as you create paper objects and preserve your memories!

 
  

And last but not least... "What's Up"...

Something is surely in the air with this billowy group of nostalgic, whimsical prints featuring a parade of hot air balloons, a banner-filled skyline and jet planes zipping across the horizon. This fanciful and free-wheeling collection of lilac purple, sunrise turquoise, Parisian pink and a chip pop of poppy red is your ticket to take off on an around-the-world adventure. You’ll be consumed by that floating-at-the-festival feeling as your creativity balloons out of control!
 
  

And these are mere snippets of the goodies you can expect from these four new lines! There's a lot of new embellishment categories and a few suprises you'll see as we take a closer look here on the blog when products arrive.

Until then... sayonara!

    

The Next in Our #CHAShow lineup... Echo Park!!

It's hard to believe that it's been over a year-and-a-half since Echo Park started up and here they are one of our top-selling companies! It just goes to show how much we scrappers love our patterned papers...right?

So over the next few months, here's what you'll find in stores from Echo Park, starting with a "twin" collection--This & That, by Lori Whitlock.

The "Charming" Edition of This & That is filled with subtle sophistication and vintage boyhood imagery, featuring a variety of natural and earthy elements. Let's take a peek, shall we?

  
 

And where "Charming" was masculine and robust, its sister collection "Graceful" is full of feminine colors and patterns, littered with sweet florals and elaborate damask. While that one is clearly for the boys, this one's definitely for the girls!

  
 

In addition to the traditional double-sided paper assortment, collection packs, cardstock stickers and 6x6 paper pads, these two collections also have some pretty nifty chipboard embellishments to match!

 

We're expecting the This & That collection to arrive within a couple of weeks (mid-February). This next collection, however, ships at the beginning of March and it's a whopper! 

Now, if you feel like you're looking at lots of different collections instead of just one, well... you are. See, what EP's done is gather together some of the most popular themes and bundle them all together into one giant release.  Think of it as collections-within-a-collection, if you will. Baby Boy, Baby Girl, the 4th of July, Baseball, Basketball, Football, Weddings, Outdoors & Camping, the Beach, Pets, Springtime, Music... it's gonna be great.

And last but not least, a collection shipping in April that's sure to put you in the mood for summer (as if these high 50-degree temperatures this week haven't already done so...)

  
 

Phew! Lots o' new goodies coming in! Of all that you've seen or heard of so far, either on this blog or elsewhere on the web... what are YOU most looking forward to?

A lil' Something "Authentique" from the #CHAShow

What a whirlwind-of-a-week this has been! Whew! I've got some more new goodies to show you, starting with two lines that are actually on the road being delivered to stores today--Celebrate and Genuine, from Authentique!

 
  
"Celebrate" has a very, very loose birthday theme. I mean, with the exception of a few stickers on the details sheet, it's not blatently obvious--and I love that. Call it a birthday line, call it your regular run-of-the-mill themeless paper line. Either way, these papers can conform to whatever you want them to be. And that my friends, is what we call versatility!

 
  
We often get requests for patterned papers and embellishments that cater to the men we often scrapbook--masculine color palettes, themes, and non-floral prints that are just as trendy without some of the female "fluff". And Authentique's "Genuine" collection just might fit the bill... don'tcha think?

Now y'all have probably seen Authentique's paper lines in stores over the past several months. And more than likely, you saw all of the little cardstock die-cut add-ons and sticker sheets that were each sold separately in this convenient little rack displayed over the paper lines in stores...

 
Well, they've changed things up a bit and now all of those pick-and-choose details are available in one convenient coordinating cardstock sticker sheet.

And the tiny alphabets and "diction" stickers we could hardly seem to keep in stock? Yup... they've changed those up, too! Those elements are now available on an 8x12 sticker sheet--all at a great price to boot!
 

But here's what may be the best news of all... Authentique will be shipping new collections every month. Woot! Woot! So you can look forward to seeing something new from them on a regular basis! I thought we'd celebrate by showing you a little preview of the next collection coming up...  
 
The collection is called "Loyal" and it looks pretty Father's Day friendly to me! (There's just something about plaids and argyles that make me jump straight to Father's Day cards--and that's not even until June! But I digress...) More on this line when the time comes... :-)

I hope you're having a fantastic week so far! Tomorrow we'll pay tribute to the new lines you'll see coming in from Echo Park...
TGI [the day before] FRIDAY!

#CHAShow Preview: We R Memory Keepers

We interupt our regularly-scheduled "What's New Wednesday" series to bring you yet another CHA preview of the goodies yet to come from the first big release of the year in the papercrafting industry. It just so happens that this post also happens to cover one of the new arrivals in stores this past week or so. Coincidence? I think not.

So let's talk We R. As in--We R Memory Keepers, or WRMK for short because wowee that's a lot of words to type over and over again in a blog post! Phew!

When I think of WRMK, there are three things--three major categories--that come quickly to mind. The albums. The tools. And the monthly paper collections. Shall we begin?

1. The Albums.
We stand behind WRMK's albums 100%. They're fashionable, sturdy and there's a wide variety HUGE assortment of different photo sleeves (refills) available to help you scrap what you want, the way you want. They've got both post-bound and D-ring albums in either linen or classic leather in dozens of colors and now they're adding eight new 12x12 classic leather D-ring albums--complete with windows!!

Say it with me now--- oooohhhh, aaaahhhhh.
*smile*

The new albums will be available in Black, Dark Chocolate, Strawberry, Real Red, Orange Soda, Lemon, Kiwi and Aqua--shipping to stores in April.

2. The Tools.
WRMK has really stepped up to the plate as one of the industry's leaders in craft tools. If you've ever kind of thought in the back of your mind "man, it would be really nice if I had some sort of something-or-other to help me do this..." well... chances are, WRMK has either come up with it already or they've got something in the works. Because seriously, rolling paper piercers for stitching? Specialized punches for threading ribbon? A tool for setting brads?! Holla! Let's work clockwise 'round this photo, shall we?

Up at the top left, you've got the all-new, anywhere corner mounter. It's perfect for photos up to 5" x 7", business cards, mattes--you name it. Adhesive-free mounting has never been easier!

To the right of that you'll see a funny looking green-handled punch. That, my friends is one of two new power punches. They feature a 2" reach, adjustable alignment guides, and a locking mechanism for convenient storage. Plus, they'll cut through paper, bookboard (thick chipboard), thin tin, leather and more! Think Crop-a-dile without the eyelet setting part. Nifty, huh?

Next up we've got a new batch of Sew Stamper cartridges and Sew Easy stitching cartridges. Achieving that handmade look has become increasingly popular, but it's not always practical to pull out your sewing machine. With these tools, you can either stamp or stitch your way to the handcrafted look (and feel) you crave!

That giant "8" thing-a-ma-bob you see next is actually one of the new Lucky 8 punches. Get a load of these babies--with just 8 punches around your paper, you can create your own die-cut, decorative papers! It's like a border punch--on steroids. Awesome.

And finally, there's the new mini tool kit--a cute little, color coordinating assortment of the basic tools you need for general papercrafting--precision tipped scissors, tweezers, brad setting & piercing tool, craft knife and a magnetic mat and ruler.

Necessity is the mother of invention.
We needed it. They made it happen. I love that!

3. Monthly Collections
WRMK has a new paper collection released each month which is totally great because it helps us keep things fresh and updated in the store! February's collection is a much-needed refresh for our baby section and you'll find it in stores mid-February. It's called Baby Mine and it's adorable! It's not listed online just yet, but here's a quick peek...

And if you're looking for something new, something springy... we do happen to have a WRMK collection new--and in stock--now! (This is where the usual What's New Wednesday routine comes into play!) The latest-and-greatest from WRMK is Good Day, Sunshine!

  
 

This is just a smidgen of what we can expect from WRMK over the next several months, so this won't be the last time you hear of such goodies! You might even see a few of them up close and personal in make-n-takes and demos this Spring! Ooh la la!

Tomorrow we'll be sharing more CHA previews, so stay tuned!

#CHAShow Preview: Jillibean Soup

I feel like my brain has been spinning around a mile a minute lately--the left side taking care of all of the behind-the-scenes order placement and item entry, website listings and budget tracking, while the right side keeps getting caught up in all the pretties I'm seeing on the catalog pages this week and thinking about pages I want to make with some of this fancy stuff coming out!

Needless to say, I'm exhausted! (And it's only Tuesday...!! Oy vey!)

But you know... I wouldn't trade this part of the job for the world!
It's like Christmas... every day... *sigh*

So enough with the dilly-dallying... here's the scoop! FOUR NEW Jillibean Soup paper lines--in stores now. You got it... patterned papers are in stock with all of the extras coming in over the next couple of weeks! Woot! Woot!

Want a lil' taste test? How about some Southern Chicken Dumpling Soup!!

  
 

From the chocolate bunny to the chicken coop... this super sweet Easter-themed collection is chock full of cuteness--for peep's sake! And did you catch that little image there at the bottom left? Oh yeah, baby... those are brand new COLLECTION PACKS. Now you can have your soup (and eat it, too!) 'cause it's all in there--the papers, the pea pods and the stickers.

Is it lunch time yet? Because, I tell ya... all of this talk about soup has me hungry for some Coconut Lime Soup... how 'bout you? Good! Because it just so happens that's the next line we'd like to showcase here...

  
 
I don't have a plan for that lime paper yet, but I just love it! Maybe I'll use it for something Cinco de Mayo-themed. Hmm... food for thought.  But the butterflies and the strawberries mixed with the bright colors and the subtle gardening theme? YUM-O.

Phew! Two collections down, two more to go and we are just getting started! Next up, I've got a small helping of Neopolitan Bean Bisque I'd like to share... grab a spoon!

    
Umm... love the telephone paper. You? And the teal with the red and the lime green with a little yellow spinkled throughout? So. Much. Fun. Modern vintage--who'da thunk it?

Now, what would a Jillibean Soup release be without a Kraft collection? Are you ready, sports fans? Because Game Day Chili is for you! 

  
 
They really do use the finest ingredients, don't they? Great designs, fabulous colors, a dash of cuteness and a pinch of fun... WHEW! I can't wait to see all of the pages and projects y'all create with these new lines!

Now, keep in mind... just the patterned papers (and a few of the pea pod die-cuts) are in stock so far. The Collection Packs, 6x6 paper pads, the cardstock sticker sheets, buttons, wooden accents, twine and soup labels are yet to come! So here's a lil' snippet of THOSE items to whet your appetite until they come available...

   
(Soup Label Stickers)

  
(Cool Beans: Wooden Buttons)

   
(Woodgrain Chipboard Epoxy Buttons)

  
(Baker's Twine - New Colors!)

   
(Alphabeans Cardstock Sticker Letters - in a new, smaller size!)

   
(Cool Beans: Wood Flags - Card Sentiments)

Whew! I don't know about you, but I'm full... OF EXCITEMENT! Soups on!

More new product announcements and CHA releases tomorrow! Stay tuned!