Cord Scrapbook Studio

Bella Blvd Birthday Girl

When Bella Blvd's Birthday Girl collection rolled in a couple of months ago, I was SO EXCITED. With a little girly-girl at home ready to turn 6 this Fall, I just couldn't wait to "play" with all the goodies in the line!

One thing I love about birthday-themed products is that they're not just for scrappin' pages with photos from the party. You can use them for sprucing up party favors, making cupcake flags, creating custom party decor and so, so much more!

Today, Design Team Member Emily Lanham shares three projects she created using Bella Blvd's Birthday Girl in fun, out-of-the-box ways!

Decorative Party Hat

"Happy Birthday" Lace Card

"You Are the Frosting to My Cupcake" Mini Album

All projects were created using Bella Blvd Birthday Girl patterned papers and embellishments (buttons, flags, decorative tape, etc) as well as the Silhouette Cameo die-cutting machine and ribbons from May Arts.

For additional ideas and inspiration using this fabulous & fun collection, visit the Bella Blvd blog where posts using this line have been catalogued OR check out the Birthday Girl Idea Gallery which is FULL TO THE BRIM with layouts and cards and projects galore!

Oh... and speaking of Bella Blvd, there's a new collection shipping early next month! Here's a quick little sneaky-peek...

Now, having previewed the collection and placed our store's order, I will tell you... don't let the "Valentine's Day" part scare you away. (I know, it's too early to start thinking about February!) To be completely honest, there is so little in this line that's specifically holiday related that I'd hardly consider it a Valentine line at all--it's just SO cute and colorful!  

They'll be revealing the entire collection TOMORROW, OCTOBER 17th on the Bella Blvd blog, so you'll be able to see for yourself, then come back over here and tell us what you think!

I *heart* Bella Blvd. You?

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 [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!)

A little Bo Bunny Inspiration and a Sneak Peek!

Helloooooo!!! Please excuse me if I sound a little extra chipper this morning, but I'm just so excited to be a scrapbooker today. Really! I'm serious. I mean, this hobby is awesome--awesome enough to have our own National holiday, you know...

But more than that (because, well... I'll admit that yes, there's a holiday for everything these days it seems)... what other hobby is constantly refreshing itself--its product lines, its trends, its techniques? And for what other hobby can you find constant inspiration out there via the world wide web? And most importantly, what other hobby has the ability to really hold on to your memories--the ones that seem to disappear about as quickly as they're made?

The answer? Scrapbooking & Papercrafting. And I'll have you know that playing just a small (read: itty bitty, teeny tiny, miniscule) role in this industry just makes me happy.

So without further adieu... I bring you yet another batch of pages and projects from the Design Team in the hopes that you'll find something that sparks your interest... something that makes you happy to be a papercrafter--on whatever level. Be it with today's post, or tomorrow's or something you see next week... because if you love this hobby half as much as I do, you're already chompin' at the bit to sit down at your craft table to whip up somethin' you love. Am I right?

 
"60 Years Later"
Layout by Janet Zeppa

Supplies Used:
    Country Garden Paper: Almanac, 
                        Weathered, Charm
    Country Garden Buttons
    Country Garden Noteworthy
    Pink Paislee Stickers
    Martha Stewart Punches
    Ink: Tim Holtz, Colorbox
    TIm Holtz Alterations Die (Flowers)
    Machine Stitching

"Thinking of You" Card by Janet Zeppa

Supplies Used:
    Country Garden Paper: Stripe
    Country Garden Noteworthy
    Country Garden Buttons
    Jillibean Soup Baker's Twine
    Ink: Tim Holtz, VersaMark
    Embossing Powder
    Cuttlebug Embossing Folder

"So Sorry" Card by Janet Zeppa

Supplies Used:
    Country Garden Paper: Stripe
    Country Garden Paper: Seeds
    Country Garden Noteworthy
    Country Garden Buttons
    Alphabet Stickers
    Sakura Gelly Roll Pen
    Embroidery Floss
    Dimensional Adhesive (Pop Dots)

"Explore" Layout by Celeste Brodnik

Supplies Used:
    Serenity Paper: Dot, Love, Blossoms
    Serenity Dimensional Stickers
    Serenity Jewels
    Bazzill Cardstock
    Clearsnap Fluid Chalk Ink: Creamy Brown
    Cricut Expression
    Cricut Cartridge: Wall Decor & More
    Scallop Border Dies

"Live Life Beautifully" Card by Celeste Brodnik

Supplies Used:
    Weekend Market Paper: Stripe, Tapestry, Dot, Cut-Outs
    Weekend Market Buttons
    Clearsnap Fluid Chalk Ink: Chestnut Roan
    Twine
    Dimensional Adhesive (Foam Dots)

"Paestum" Layout by Celeste Brodnik

Supplies Used:
    Weekend Market Paper: Antique, Tapestry, Dot, Postage, Cut-Outs
    Weekend Market Noteworthy
    Weekend Market Buttons
    Et Cetera Chipboard
    Clearsnap Fluid Chalk Ink: Chestnut Roan, Maroon
    Cricut Expression
    Cricut Gypsy
    Cricut Cartridge: Cuttin' It Up

"Life So Sweet" Layout by Celeste Brodnik

Supplies Used:
    Weekend Market Paper: Dot, Stripe, Vintage Market Labels, Around
                                        the World, Cut-Outs
    Weekend Market Buttons
    Weekend Market Noteworthy
    Bazzill Cardstock: Nightmist

"Best Friends" Layout by Mary Pat Siehl

Supplies Used:
    Ambrosia Paper: Marigold, Dot, Lily, Flowers, Stripe, Bouquet
    Ambrosia Jewels
    Ambrosia Layered Chipboard Stickers
    Silhouette Cameo (Title, Flowers, Butterflies)
    Font: Pacifico
    Sewing Machine
    EK Success Border Punch

"Thinking of You" Card by Mary Pat Siehl

Supplies Used:
    Ambrosia Paper: Stripe, Dot, Flowers
    Ambrosia Jewels
    Silhouette Cameo (Scallop Circle, Butterfly)
    Sewing Machine
    EK Success Border Punch

Spring Wreath by Mary Pat Siehl

Supplies Used:
    Ambrosia Paper: Primrose, Pansies, Ambrosia
    Assorted Buttons
    Assorted Flowers
    Silhouette Cameo (3D Flower, Butterfly, Leaves)
    Glue Gun

Instructions:

1.  Start with a 12 inch base
2. Cut flowers out of 3 coordinating pattern sheets of paper.  I used a 2.5 inch 3 layer flower from my Silhouette.
3. Cut 1-12 leaves.
4. Arrange on the base alternating patter paper and color. 
5. Tuck the leaves randomly around the wreath.
6. Use any fake flowers that are seasonal and glue on. 
7. Cut a coordinating element.  I used a 5.5 inch butterfly from coordinating cardstock.  I also cut a second image out of thick cardstock to give the butterfly a little substance and glue on top of the flowers. 
8. You can make this for any season.  It is so fun to make!

Great job Janet, Celeste and Mary Pat! And thanks so much for sharing your projects (and talents) with us! What great inspiration!

Now... how 'bout a lil' Bo Bunny Sneak Peek? 
 
  

"Camp-a-lot" begins shipping this month! Call me crazy (and chipper) but...
now I'm in the mood for S'mores!!

Have a great day!

A Sneak Peek & A Social Media Exclusive Offer!

TGIF, my friends! I don't know about you, but I am ready for the weekend! We've got big things a-happenin' at Cord Scrapbook Studio--after all, tomorrow's National Scrapbooking Day!

But first, how 'bout a lil' sneaky-peek at a new line we're expecting to arrive in stores on Monday! It's the latest-and-greatest collection from Simple Stories... Summer Fresh!

Umm... yeah... I think it's pretty darn cute. And it's full of trending colors and patterns--newsprint, chevron, denim. You name it! A.DOR.A.BLE.
Check it out...

    
    
Kinda makes me want to grab a blanket, pack up a picnic lunch, and spend an afternoon chasing butterflies and relaxing on the lawn. You?

The line comes with all of the double-sided patterned papers and signature cut-able elements we've all grown to love from Simple Stories. There's also coordinating cardstock stickers and a 6x6 paper pad available! Excited? Yeah... me too.

But ... not as excited as I am about tomorrow being National Scrapbooking Day! Woohoo! We've got croppers coming in for an all-day, 12-hour crop with goodies and prizes and fun galore and we'll be offering a $1 make-n-take at both locations from 12pm to 4pm for everyone! (No appointment necessary--walk-ins welcome!)

Plus... as a thank you, on this very special weekend... A thank you for being so supportive of us, following us on the blog, checking in via Facebook and the like... we've got a special, SOCIAL MEDIA EXCLUSIVE National Scrapbooking Day offer for all of you!

Just click on the coupon above for a printable version and you're good to go!

Wishing you all a FABULOUS National Scrapbooking Day Weekend!

A Lil' Sneak Peek from Authentique

Hold on to your hats, Authentique lovers... there are TWO new collections headed our way! And the super good news is that we've got a uber-special sneaky peek for you of one of them, courtesy of Design Team Member Ashley Rock!

The two new lines are Carefree and Glory, and if you follow the Authentique blog at all, you've probably already caught a glimpse of Carefree. Pretty fabulous, isn't it? They call that orange "Tangerine Tango" and it's rated one of the top colors of the year!

But today, our lil' sneak-y peek features the second collection--Glory! And Ashley's put together a fabulous mini album that's just perfect for this patriotic line! Check it out...

      
Glory Mini Album by Ashley Rock

Supplies Used:
    Glory Paper: Pride, United, Freedom and LIberty
    Glory Element & Detail Stickers
    6x6 Mini Album
    Bazzill Cardstock: Kraft, Navy & Bazzill Red
    Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Walnut
    Ribbon
    Stickles: Xmas Red

What a great way to showcase those old photos, don'tcha think?!

Glory & Carefree will be available both in stores and online sometime next week. To check out the full reveal of the new Glory collection, check out the Authentique blog today! 

Happy Thursday!

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!

    

New Copic Colors for 2012

If you've heard a buzz in the Copic-coloring world lately, it's most likely in regards to the TWELVE new colors released for 2012!

Individual markers will be available in stores mid-late February. (We're currently working on getting all markers listed on our website and hope to have current colors AND the new colors available online by the end of the week!) If you're interested in reserving some of these markers, pre-paid pre-orders are being accepted at our Graceland and Nora stores NOW!

We've also ordered a small number of boxed sets--one of each of the new colors which will be available for just $63! And for every boxed set pre-order we receive between now and February 1st, we'll throw in a FREE updated Copic Swatch Book so you can keep track of your growing collection of colors!

And speaking of Copic Markers, did you know that they've created a Pinterest Page with boards you can follow for tutorials, storage ideas and more?!  It's true! If you're already a member of Pinterest, you can click here for the Copic Boards! And if you're not currently a Pinterest member, but would like to be... you can email us at scrapbooking[at]cordcamera.com (subbing in the @symbol where appropriate) for an invitation!

Happy Coloring!

#CHAShow Sneak Peek # 5 - @BellaBlvd

Ok, Bella fans... there are FOUR (count 'em... 1-2-3-4) awesome & adorable collections shipping this Fall from Bella Blvd. Here's just a smidgen of a sneaky peek for you to help tie you over until you see the real deal. 

And... if you're really chompin' at the bit to see what's coming to stores, you can view each collection in its entirety by clicking on the images below. They'll take you to the Bella Blvd blog post where they were officially announced last week!

So without further adieu...
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Batter Up! It's a brand new, brightly colored, all-purpose sports collection jam packed with vivid patterns and a whole lotta fun!

 
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It's hard to believe Autumn will be here before we know it, but let's face it--it's coming! And by the time it gets here, we'll probably be more than ready to welcome it with open arms! (Anything to get out of the extreme heat & humidity season, eh?)

 
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And with Fall comes...HALLOWEEN!
I tell ya... these little monsters really are too cute to spook!

  
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And last but certainly not least... Christmas.

  
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All four collections will be arriving in Cord Scrapbook Studio stores sometime mid to late August! There are cardstock stickers, chipboard accents, alphabets and all of those pretty papers to look forward to. Are you excited yet?! I know we are...!!

#CHA Show Sneak Peek #4 - Fancy Pants Designs

There are four new collections being released from Fancy Pants Designs this Fall! To see these collections in their entirety, you can visit the Fancy Pants website or click here to download their CHA Summer 2011 catalog. I think you'll find there's a lot of goodies in store!

 
 
 
 
At Cord, we'll be bringing in two of these collections--Oct. 31st which will be available late August and Saint Nick which will be arriving somewhere in the middle of September! There is so much out there for the Fall/Winter season this year and we're incredibly excited to be sharing just a smidgen of what's out there with all of our blog readers this week! Stay tuned!