tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-297067652024-03-14T00:58:55.118-07:00Scrap FancyAnitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-69288089935761238092009-09-23T16:12:00.001-07:002009-09-23T16:12:00.639-07:00Hello Again. The Scrap Fancy Blog Returns! And a Sale to Welcome You Back.<p>I have been trying to write this post for some time now. What does one say when one has been blog-silent for so long?</p> <p>My husband (and dog) and I moved from Texas to California over a year ago, so I took some time off from Scrap Fancy. In the interim I have been soaking up California living - enjoying the mild weather and being near the ocean, reconnecting with some old friends who've wound up out here, eating incredible food, working on learning to really cook, and it goes on and on.</p> <p><img src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/IMG_2125.jpg" width="393" height="295" /> </p> <p>While I have reopened my <a href="http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique__W0QQ_armrsZ1?refid=store " target="_blank">eBay store</a> and have been doing some custom photo cards and custom scrapbook work, and have even started a <a href="http://twitter.com/ScrapFancy" target="_blank">Twitter account</a>, the blog has remained quiet.</p> <p>Well, I have missed it, so the blog is back! So keep tuned in - I'll be posting scrapbooking tips, featuring and reviewing products, keeping you up to date with Scrap Fancy news, and of course announcing sales and deals.</p> <p>To celebrate the return of the blog, I am throwing a huge <a href="http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique__W0QQLHQ5fSaleItemsZ1QQ_sidZ70887813QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em309?refid=store " target="_blank">sale</a> - over 100 items in my <a href="http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique__W0QQ_armrsZ1?refid=store" target="_blank">eBay store</a> are marked down 50%, so check it out. Hurry because it only runs through September 30!</p> Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-86268617577235186702008-05-22T17:24:00.001-07:002008-05-22T17:24:53.478-07:00Reducing Clutter: Take photos of and scrapbook your memorabilia<p>It has been a while since the last post – I truly didn't intend for it to be so long in between! We have been busy packing, and are up to our ears in boxes. Every day goes something like “wake up, sort through some belongings, pack some boxes, label boxes, shake head at how much stuff we still have despite our best efforts to pare down our belongings.” Lather, rinse, repeat. We are moving into a much smaller space than our suburban house, so we're having to make some tough choices about what stays and what goes. Today I thought I would write about reducing clutter since it's been at the front of my mind for weeks now.</p> <p>I've realized that we keep things for many reasons beyond the practical or rational. We keep things even if they are not things we use or love. We keep items out of guilt, because they cost a lot or we were convinced it was a “must have” at the time. We guiltily keep objects that we've either inherited or received as gifts from loved ones even if they're not to our tastes. For many parents, the mountain of kids artwork is another example of guilty clutter.</p> <p>In addition to streamlining my own belongings, I've been trying to convince my mother to part with some old cassette tapes that are taking up space in her house.  They are classical music tapes that relatives from overseas had sent us over 20 years ago. These are not the recordings of my brother and me (concerts, recorded music lessons, random talking) - those are going to be digitized so that we will have them in a form we can actually access and listen to - I don't even have a cassette player anymore!  But these tapes in question are just commercial recordings, without any real meaning to my brother or me. My mother however, associates these tapes with a specific time in life, and is reluctant to part with them.</p> <p>Luckily, scrapbooking offers us a great solution: take pictures and scrapbook these items, and purge the clutter from our lives. Many times we are just holding on to the memories associated with these items, and we don't actually love the items themselves. Scrapbooking the story behind these items allows us to let them go.</p> <p>Here are some tips for scrapbooking some common things we keep out of guilt:</p> <p><strong>Kids artwork:</strong> Decide on a certain number of special pieces to keep, with your kids' input. For the remaining artwork, tape it on the wall or set it on a table in a well lit room (natural light is best) and take pictures. Have kids help you write about what the artwork is about and when they made it.  Toss the artwork soon after, or the perceived importance of the item may keep building and it will become much harder to let them go!</p> <p><strong>Inherited objects:</strong> Again, don't toss anything you love that fits your tastes, but consider parting with the objects that you keep only out of guilt or attachment to the memories imbued in them.  Photograph anything you decide to part with, and make a layout (maybe with a photo of the loved one you inherited the items from) that captures the memories that you have of your loved ones with the objects in question.  Sell these items, and treat yourself to a new thing that you love (like a new piece of artwork or that great scrapbooking tool you've been eyeing).</p> <p>I am hoping to keep these ideas in mind even after the move.  I'm loving the idea of simplifying and periodically culling out unnecessary or unloved objects from my life and making space for the things that I do love, use, and enjoy.  Hopefully this will also mean less hair pulling when it's time for the next move...</p> Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-35865546742741029092008-05-01T12:19:00.001-07:002008-05-01T12:23:13.159-07:00Beyond the Scrapbook Page: Dome Bling Ring from Teresa Collins<p>As a self labeled scrapbooking fashionista (definitely with tongue-in-cheek), I find that a lot of inspiration and creativity comes from beyond the confines of scrapbooking.  I am inspired by design, decor, crafts, nature, etc. and I like to use scrapbooking products to create things other than scrapbook pages. </p> <p>It's nice when someone else has the same thought. One of the new products to come from Teresa Collins at the last CHA trade show was these <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_ring_W0QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">clear dome bling rings</a>.  They are clear unadorned acrylic rings that come in sizes 7, 8, and 9. They are the perfect backdrop for adding your own creative embellishments and they make a unique style statement.</p> <p align="center"> <img src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/TeresaCollinsClearBlingRing.jpg" /> </p> <p>For my ring, I decided to use rub-ons to embellish the surface of the ring. Since the space to be decorated was small, I had to find some that had tiny images that would work well on the ring.  I found that the <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_imaginisce-rhinestone-rub-ons_W0QQfcdZ2QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfromZR10QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">Imaginisce Rhinestones & Rub Ons</a> sheets had coordinated designs in varying sizes, and the small sizes would work great on the dome ring - I wanted to preserve the cool effect of the clear ring and be able to see through the ring between the rub-ons - not have the entire surface covered.</p> <p><img height="301" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/TC-Ring-Rub-Ons-2.jpg" width="400" /></p> <p>To apply the rub-ons, I first cut out the desired designs from the sheet (a larger swirl, and a variety of small flowers and dots).  I found that putting the ring on my finger made it easier to position and apply the rub on so that the designs were placed where I wanted.  Using my fingernail to rub the backing sheet gave me more control in applying the rub-ons than the popsicle stick. I started with the swirl centered on the front, and then applied the flowers and dots all around.  The swirl was definitely the most challenging as it was the largest design, being applied to a contoured surface.  I just went with the flow if there was a mess-up and used some of the flowers and dots to cover up any cracks or imperfections. And here you can see the finished ring being worn:</p> <p><img height="531" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/TC-Dome-Ring-Modeling-2.jpg" width="400" /></p> <p>Well, the ring is cute, but I am painfully reminded of why I am not a hand model.... I don't have the long slender fingers with the perfect nails like one of my girlfriends...I have stubby crafter's hands (which are probably ink stained on the palms)!  All in the name of art, right?</p> <p>I have successfully test washed my hands with the ring on without losing the design, but in general, I would probably be gentle with it and take it off before doing anything dirty, rough and tumble, or wet.</p> <p>I love that these rings are so affordable (just $1 each), so you can play and experiment and make lots of different ones. Anything that sticks well to a slick surface should work (Staz-on or alcohol inks, patterned paper adhered to the inside of the ring with <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_diamond-glaze_W0QQfcdZ2QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfromZR10QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">diamond glaze</a>, etc.).  The best part is that no one will have one just like yours!</p> <p>Hope you enjoyed this latest installment of the "Beyond the Scrapbooking Page!"   If any of you have created a ring, I would love to see them!</p> Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-19934868890272829492008-04-30T13:09:00.001-07:002008-04-30T13:09:55.595-07:00Moving Sale at eBay Store - Free Shipping on Orders Over $100<p><img height="309" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Moving-Sale.jpg" width="400" /> </p> <p>I don't talk too much about personal stuff on this blog, but as some of you know, my husband and I are on the verge of a big move (phase one was selling and moving out of our house last December, and moving to a temporary setup).  Phase two is moving out to California.  We have been looking forward to this for a while, and I am excited to say that our move is coming soon!</p> <p>Therefore, I am throwing a big Moving Sale at my <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique?refid=store" target="_blank">eBay Store</a> - no point in hauling all of this on the moving truck!  I have over 100 items marked down.</p> <p>Also, orders over $100 will get FREE SHIPPING!</p> <p>The sale runs through May 9, 2008.  After this, the store will temporarily be closed for a few weeks as we move and get settled into our new place.  Not to worry - I will still be blogging throughout that time, and will continue to share tips and tutorials as well as feature some of my favorite fellow entrepreneurs and artists.</p> <p>In fact, make sure to check in tomorrow - I will be sharing another "beyond the scrapbook page" project, and it is a fun one!</p> Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-88677796102226788782008-04-25T22:56:00.001-07:002008-04-25T22:56:56.315-07:00Weekly Scrapping Tutorial: Prima Paintables Layout<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/scrapfancy/SBLEF6m6LcI/AAAAAAAAADQ/iXLeCTuexD8/s1600-h/Watercolor-Pencils-Roxanne%5B10%5D.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="304" alt="Watercolor-Pencils-Roxanne" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/scrapfancy/SBLEGam6LdI/AAAAAAAAADY/WRWQl4c9PIU/Watercolor-Pencils-Roxanne_thumb%5B8%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" border="0" /></a></p> <p>I have always loved the <em>idea</em> of painting - artistic expression and all that.  But the truth is I'm a bit painting impaired. As in, I can't paint. Or draw. I'm afraid my drawing and painting skills are no better than they were when I was in preschool....</p> <p>Luckily, the folks at Prima have a product that allows me to experience the satisfaction of painting without having to endure the <strike>embarrassment</strike> frustration I experience when painting freehand.  Their <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_paintables_W0QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">Paintables paper line</a> has a variety of preprinted designs on textured watercolor paper.  You can use them plain, as a black and white patterned paper, or you can decorate them with paint, markers, glitter, etc.  Some people have told me they're a bit intimidated and unsure how to use the papers, so I decided to share my experimentation with it.</p> <p>I decided to create a layout using the Roxanne paper from the line and dug out my long unused Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils.  To begin I picked out certain flowers I wanted to use and colored them in with the pencils. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/scrapfancy/SBLEG6m6LeI/AAAAAAAAADg/26cu7fs8Q3A/s1600-h/Coloring-Roxanne%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="304" alt="Coloring-Roxanne" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/scrapfancy/SBLEHKm6LfI/AAAAAAAAADo/lzVDdvFZB8c/Coloring-Roxanne_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" border="0" /></a></p> <p>You can achieve color gradients by shading darker to lighter and you can also blend two colors (overlap part of the 1st color with the 2nd color, and blend out into the 2nd color) for more detail.  When finished coloring, I painted over the area with a small brush dipped in water.  To keep colors from muddying, rinse brush between colors.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scrapfancy/SBLEHqm6LgI/AAAAAAAAADw/v0xylzTd3o0/s1600-h/Roxanne%20Painting%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="304" alt="Roxanne Painting" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/scrapfancy/SBLEH6m6LhI/AAAAAAAAAD4/V96eWKsh3rI/Roxanne%20Painting_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><em>Note: Ultimately, I decided not to use the above bird in the layout, but included the photo to demonstrate painting with the wet brush.</em></p> <p>I even experimented with some <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_glimmer-mist_W0QQfcdZ2QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfromZR10QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">Glimmer Mist</a> (a shimmery colored spray available in many hues) - after lightly "painting" the butterfly and letting it dry a bit, I cut it out and sprayed it with Glimmer Mist in Robins Egg a few times until I reached the color I wanted.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/scrapfancy/SBLEH6m6LiI/AAAAAAAAAEA/9rZgNGwTuPs/s1600-h/Glimmer-Mist-Butterfly%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="304" alt="Glimmer-Mist-Butterfly" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/scrapfancy/SBLEIam6LjI/AAAAAAAAAEI/X72Q8gIjkik/Glimmer-Mist-Butterfly_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" border="0" /></a></p> <p>After cutting out the images I wanted from the paper, I used them as embellishments on my layout - I find that to be a great way to use papers that might be too busy or difficult to use as a whole sheet.  Also, if you mess something up, you don't ruin the whole layout!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/scrapfancy/SBLEIqm6LkI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/0m5Y4AH8SDo/s1600-h/Simple-Life-Layout%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="304" alt="Simple-Life-Layout" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/scrapfancy/SBLEJKm6LlI/AAAAAAAAAEY/Xw8XmrQ0Da8/Simple-Life-Layout_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" border="0" /></a></p> <p>A closeup shot:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/scrapfancy/SBLEJam6LmI/AAAAAAAAAEg/tMyu8dTko3Q/s1600-h/Simple-Life-Closeup1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="304" alt="Simple-Life-Closeup1" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/scrapfancy/SBLEJ6m6LnI/AAAAAAAAAEo/CMoy5s93ZaM/Simple-Life-Closeup1_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" border="0" /></a></p> <p>I was having such a good time painting, I also used <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_crackle-paint_W0QQfcdZ2QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfromZR10QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint</a> on the chipboard letters in the title.  I love that it comes with a brush inside the lid and it is an easy one step process, unlike traditional crackle mediums.</p> <p>I found myself happily painting all morning - I will never be a fabulous painter, but with Prima's Paintables I can still enjoy myself and color & paint to my heart's content!  </p> <p>You can find <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_paintables_W0QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">Paintables</a>, <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_glimmer-mist_W0QQfcdZ2QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfromZR10QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">Glimmer Mist</a>, and <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_crackle-paint_W0QQfcdZ2QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfromZR10QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">Ranger Distress Crackle Paint</a> in my <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique?refid=store" target="_blank">eBay store</a>.</p> <p>Also, Prima's blog has a great <a href="http://prima.typepad.com/prima/2007/09/paintables-tips.html" target="_blank">Paintables Tips and Techniques</a> entry that gives tips on even more ways of decorating Paintables.</p> <p>Happy painting everyone!</p> Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-70055353059305495902008-04-11T16:43:00.001-07:002008-04-11T16:43:28.686-07:00Beyond the Scrapbook Page: Upcycled Magnetic Monograms<p><img height="525" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Magnetic-Monogram.jpg" width="400" /></p> <p>Lately I've been taken with the idea of inspiration boards, and the use of typography in home decor.  One afternoon while cleaning some scraps off my crafting table, I realized I had just what I needed amongst my bits of stuff to create some magnetic monograms for that magnetic inspiration board I keep saying I'm going to make.   </p> <p>I have this habit of saving things I think I can make something out of later...little leftover scraps from my favorite scrapbook papers, bits of ribbon, paperboard jewelry boxes, and even the fridge magnets that realtors and pizza joints send!</p> <p>For this project, I used the following supplies:</p> <ul> <li>Promotional magnet with last year's calendar printed on it (any flat magnetic sheet will work) </li> <li>3 of the larger chipboard letters from my scrapbooking stash, and </li> <li>Some bits of scrap paper. </li> <li>Sanding block </li> <li>Basic Grey Precision File Set </li> <li>Adhesive </li> <li>Craft knife or scissors </li> </ul> <p>The basic process for making the letters is as follows:</p> <ol> <li>Sand the printed surface of the magnetic sheet to rough it up for better adhesion.</li> <li>Trace the letter (face up) onto the face of the magnetic sheet</li> <li>Cut the letter out from the magnetic sheet using a craft knife.  Cut inside the lines for best results.</li> <li>Apply adhesive to the back side of the letters. I used my ATG, making sure to go all the way to the edges, but a Xyron machine would work as well. I would not recommend a liquid glue, as it would probably slide around too much.</li> <li>Apply the face of the magnetic cut-out to the back of the letter.</li> <li>For the letters to be covered in patterned paper, turn the letters face down and trace onto the back of the paper.  Cut the traced letters out and adhere to the front of the chipboard letters.</li> <li>After adhering the paper, sand the excess off.  Basic Grey's Precision File Set is great because it has lots of small files to get in those little nooks and corners.</li> <li>The glittered A in the top right of the photo is actually from a <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170190179820&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT?refid=store" target="_blank">Junkitz Chipboard Alpha</a> set.  All I had to do for that one was to take the letter and adhere to the magnetic sheet (as described in steps 1-5).</li> </ol> <p>And that's about all there is to it!  You could do tons of variations using different chipboard or grungeboard shapes, or even use a die cutting machine like a Sizzix to cut out both the magnets and the chipboard for your own custom shapes.  Hopefully I've sparked some ideas for your own home decor projects!</p> Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-74327851401167653232008-04-01T01:00:00.000-07:002008-03-31T22:16:43.331-07:00April Fool's Sale - One Day Only!<p>As I mentioned yesterday, I am having a big one day sale at my eBay store <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique?refid=store" target="_blank">Scrap Fancy Boutique</a> to celebrate April Fool's!</p> <p>Find tons of items marked 40% off for one day only! On top of that, all you lucky blog readers are in for a treat - if you place an order, request a total through eBay, and type "GIFT401" and you'll get a free goodie with your purchase (good for purchases made April 1 only).</p> <p>Don't miss this great opportunity to stock up on some great embellishments, clear stamps, and more - <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique?refid=store" target="_blank">visit my store</a>!</p> Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-77735781722356877212008-03-31T13:18:00.001-07:002008-03-31T13:22:38.935-07:00New at Scrap Fancy Boutique<p>It's an exciting time at my eBay Store, <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique?refid=store" target="_blank">Scrap Fancy Boutique</a>!  Lots of new products are arriving, so I thought I'd share a few of my recent favorites (click image to see larger).</p> <p><a href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/New-at-Scrap-Fancy-Boutique.jpg" target="_blank"><img height="301" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/New-at-Scrap-Fancy-Boutique.jpg" width="400" /></a> </p> <p>Clockwise, from bottom left:</p> <ol> <li> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Cosmo-Cricket-Blackboard-Chipboard-Album-Kates_W0QQitemZ170203571436QQihZ007QQcategoryZ16499QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262?refid=store" target="_blank">Cosmo Cricket Blackboard - Kate's Album</a> - This is brand-new from Cosmo Cricket - chipboard with a fresh twist. This chipboard is black to the core. Tons of embellishing possibilities with this product!  Rub-ons, white pen, paint, and bling come to mind. This scalloped mini album is one of my favorites.  I also stock blackboard alphas and shapes! </li> <li><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Making-Memories-5TH-AVENUE-Blossoms-Buttons-ELIZABETH_W0QQitemZ170198237705QQihZ007QQcategoryZ146545QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262?refid=store" target="_blank">Making Memories 5th Avenue Collection - Elizabeth Blossoms & Buttons</a> -  an adorable collection of buttons and felt and paper flowers that coordinate with the 5th Avenue Collection. I love that some of the flowers are solids, and some are prints! I also carry the coordinating papers which are super stylish. </li> <li><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Heidi-Swapp-MINI-Mask-BUTTERFLIES_W0QQitemZ160224022812QQihZ006QQcategoryZ134630QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262?refid=store" target="_blank">Heidi Swapp Butterflies Mini Mask</a> - this isn't a brand-new product, but the butterflies are so perfect for spring layouts. I know some of you are still seeing snow, so this is a great way to bring a little Spring to your day!  Love that this product is versatile, reusable, and affordable! Don't miss the other shapes I have too! </li> <li><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Cherry-Arte-HIS-HER-BASICS-Rub-Ons-HER-BASICS_W0QQitemZ170206722783QQihZ007QQcategoryZ146545QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262?refid=store" target="_blank">Cherry Arte Rub Ons - Her Basics</a> - a new design from Cherry Arte (coordinates with His & Hers Basics).  Love the different flowers and butterfly designs.  I have coordinating papers in stock as well. </li> <li><a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_bling-ring_W0QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">Teresa Collins Clear Bling Ring (Dome Ring)</a> - these rings are so glam! They are clear dome rings, and you can make your very own design by embellishing with patterned paper (adhere with <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_diamond-glaze_W0QQfcdZ2QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfromZR10QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">diamond glaze</a> or glossy accents), rhinestone bling, rub-ons, alcohol inks, and more! They come in 3 sizes (7, 8, and 9).  At only a buck each, you can make yourself one for every day of the week! </li> <li><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Cherry-Arte-GIRL-POWER-12x12-Scrapbook-Paper-2-pcs_W0QQitemZ170206722834QQihZ007QQcategoryZ11791QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262?refid=store" target="_blank">Cherry Arte 12x12 Scrapbook Paper - Girl Power</a> - this vibrant design is signature Cherry Arte. The double-sided design makes it easy to coordinate your layout. See more Cherry Arte papers in my store. </li> <li><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Making-Memories-5TH-AVENUE-4x6-SPIRAL-JOURNALING-BOOK_W0QQitemZ170204772039QQihZ007QQcategoryZ11791QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262?refid=store" target="_blank">Making Memories 5th Avenue Collection - 4x6 Spiral Journaling Book</a> - I had this in my store earlier and it sold out quickly. Now I have it back in stock! These spiral books are really fun and versatile. Just tear out a page, stick it to your layout clustered with some embellishments, and journal away! Tons of creative uses for this product. Don't miss out on them this time around! </li> </ol> <p>So, if you haven't checked out the <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique?refid=store" target="_blank">Scrap Fancy Boutique</a> in a while, come and browse around a bit. You never know what new goodies you might discover!</p> <p>P.S. - Be sure to check in tomorrow.  I will be having a great APRIL FOOL'S ONE DAY ONLY sale (no fooling!), and blog readers will get a special code word to score some free loot with any purchase from the ebay store. Don't miss it!! </p> Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-56390249371486101352008-03-26T16:13:00.001-07:002008-03-26T16:13:03.546-07:00Weekly Scrapping Tips: Customizing your own embellishments<p>Today I wanted to share some ideas for customizing and creating your own scrapbooking embellishments.  Sometimes as you sit down to create, you may realize you have something that's the right style and shape but the wrong color. Or maybe, you want to add some flair and tie the embellishment in to the style of your project.  There are some fast and easy ways to do this!</p> <p><img height="347" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Matthew-BB-Cover.jpg" width="391" /></p> <p>Here is a board book I created for a client (yes, I DO make things other than board books LOL).  This book incorporated a lot of KI Memories' Love, Elsie stickers, so it had a really playful look.</p> <p>I loved the idea of having a smattering of stars on the cover, so I used some of these <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170190197289&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT?refid=store" target="_blank">American Crafts Playhouse Chipboard Stars</a>, along with a star shaped punch (for the small orange star on the top left).  The stars were the perfect assortment of shapes and sizes, but the colors didn't all match the Love, Elsie color scheme , and they lacked the playful detailing that I was looking for.</p> <p>Dressing them up proved to be really easy and fun. For the topmost star (originally pink colored), I simply swiped the star with a layer of <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170188266435&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT?refid=store" target="_blank">Tombow Mono Multi Glue</a>, then adhered a small scrap of green paper to it. I then trimmed the paper as close to the edge of the star as possible, and used some sandpaper to sand off the excess. This gave it a cool distressed look as well. Then I stamped a star onto it with brown ink (purposely letting the design run off the edge), and to finish it off I used my trusty <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170201167195&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT?refid=store" target="_blank">White Signo Pen</a> to add some faux stitching around the edges. The little orange punched star and the little green chipboard star also got the white pen treatment around the edges, and I also highlighted the heart sticker and the scalloped sticker with the same pen to give it more pop.  Yes, I really do use that pen on almost everything!</p> <p>The big white chipboard star was fun to alter as well. I started with using one of my <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_cats-eye_W0QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">Colorbox Cats Eye Ink Pads</a> to ink the edges. Their unique shape and small size makes it easy to really get all the sides on small embellishments like this. Next I adhered a round blue/brown Love, Elsie sticker on the star and trimmed off the excess. The orange circle on top is one that I punched out of cardstock and embellished by first stamping a design in brown ink, then adding white detailing in using the Signo Pen.</p> <p>So hopefully you enjoyed this installment of weekly scrapping tips, and you have some new ideas on how to make premade embellishments work for you if they're slightly different from what you need! It definitely took longer for me to write out the steps and post this than it did to actually customize the embellishments!</p> Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-34280421741536393962008-03-06T15:54:00.000-08:002008-03-06T17:46:34.452-08:00Weekly Scrapping Tips: Keeping it Simple<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Ally-Soccer-BB-Cover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Ally-Soccer-BB-Cover.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ok after a slight pause we are back with the weekly scrapping tips. Last week's weekly tips post was postponed to this week because I didn't want to show it here before my client had a chance to show it to her recipient. I am excited how this album came out - I didn't have a lot of time to put it together, and I wasn't sure where I was going with it at first, but the key to pulling this one out successfully was to KEEP IT SIMPLE.<br /><br />This album was for a little girl who adores playing soccer. I chose the soccer themed items first - some green soccer paper and some epoxy stickers for some dimension. At first I was worried that the two things were too masculine, and I wanted this book to be a bit girly and fun (but not too frilly since it is about soccer, after all). So originally i went in a direction with more colors - pinks and bright greens and yellow. When I laid out all the papers, I felt like there were too many colors - especially if later the photos had even more colors, with all the uniforms, etc. So, I limited the color palette to just green, black, and white and found that it all came together much more easily this way.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Ally-Soccer-BB-P1P2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Ally-Soccer-BB-P1P2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I found a mix of black and white papers, and mixed in the green soccer paper as a unifying theme throughout the book. One of the black & white papers was soccer themed, kind of edgy and grungy text. The others were girly patterns from Doodlebug's Black & White collection - full of flowers. I liked this contrast between the two - kept the book from being too "boy-like" yet not too girly either. To give some extra sparkle I used some <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_stickles_W0QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store"target="_blank">Rangers Stickles Glitter Glue</a> (in Black Diamond and Starburst) on some of the flowers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Ally-Soccer-BB-P5P6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Ally-Soccer-BB-P5P6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>To keep things even simpler - I cut flowers out of one of the papers and backed them with cardstock for more thickness and then used foam squares to adhere them as embellishments throughout the book. For the round ones, I just used my circle punches to punch flowers out of the same paper - instant matching without any thinking!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Ally-Soccer-BB-P3P4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Ally-Soccer-BB-P3P4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Because it was a 3 color scheme, it was really easy to just add matching journaling spots by stamping with black ink on white cardstock. I used these <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160207822042&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT?refid=store" target="_blank">Fancy Shmancy Tags</a> stamps by Sassafras Lass - they are so verastile and I find myself using them again and again - it's a different look each time you stamp in a different color on a different paper.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Ally-Soccer-BB-P7P8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Ally-Soccer-BB-P7P8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>With the limited color palette it was easy to mix and cluster the embellishments, and everything looked unified. To give things a bit more pop, I inked the edges of some of the photo mats and punched circles with black ink.<br /><br />On the page below, stamped one of the Sassafras Lass Tag stamps onto white cardstock and cut it out by hand as I did before, but this time instead of using it as a journaling tag, I used it as a piece to layer underneath the flower and sticker embellishments.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Ally-Soccer-BB-P9P10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Ally-Soccer-BB-P9P10.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Hopefully I've been able to show how black and white is a very versatile color combo - combine it with a 3rd color and you have an instant easy color scheme!<br /><br />Next week's featured project will be about altering embellishments in order to either match your project or to give them an extra interesting look. Don't miss it!Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-34995179717259404132008-02-21T12:06:00.000-08:002008-02-21T13:19:13.656-08:00Weekly Scrapping Tips: Buttons Buttons!One of the services I offer at Scrap Fancy is custom scrapbooking, meaning customers commission me to make a scrapbook or an altered project for them. This is one of the projects I just completed, an altered frame for a baby shower gift.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/SophiaFrame.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/SophiaFrame.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I started with a <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/CI-Bare-Elements-Peggy-8x10-Easel-back-paperboard-frame_W0QQitemZ170188935952QQihZ007QQcategoryZ37578QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262?refid=store" target="_blank">frame</a> from Creative Imaginations' Bare Elements line, and went with a pink and brown color scheme (one of my favorites - pink and brown are Scrap Fancy's colors).<br /><br />I started with the pink cardstock base layer, and then added the vertical striped strip and the horizontal brown strip. Then I added 3 pink circles (things look better in odd numbers groupings) to the frame. I let the circles run off the edges of the frame, just trimming the excess that hung over - I find that things just look more pleasing to the eye when you let them overlap or break out of the box. I liked that it was all different shades of pink, so it was subtle, but added some interest and depth to the background. To keep things looking harmonious, I kept all the circles' argyle patterns running in the same direction.<br /><br />Since the frame was for a baby girl I wanted something sparkly and fun, so I used these <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_sugar-alphabet_W0QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store" target="_blank">Doodlebug chipboard alphas</a> to personalize the frame with baby's name - the letters are pre-glittered and look like they're coated in sugar! The cute heart in the bottom left corner also comes from that set.<br /><br />To add more dimension, I scattered buttons around the name, and layered on top of the heart. These pretty <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_cute-as-a-button_W0QQfcdZ2QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfromZR10QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQfsubZ12074095QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0?refid=store"target="_blank">buttons by Making Memories</a> are actually made of chipboard with an epoxy coating to make them glossy. These buttons are great because they are lightweight and have pretty coordinated patterns, making it really easy to spruce up a page or project. However, I am one of those people who likes her buttons threaded - though I don't always do it, it bugs me when I leave the button holes naked! So in this case I used embroidery thread and sheer ribbon to thread the button holes. This created a challenge when sticking the buttons to the frame. Normally I'd use glue dots for the job, but the thread and ribbon can cause a really lumpy backside, making it hard for the glue dot to securely stick to both the button and the frame. The answer - <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Glue-Dots-POP-UP-adhesive-Glue-Dots-SHEETS_W0QQitemZ170190247382QQihZ007QQcategoryZ31731QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262?refid=store"target="_blank">Pop Up Glue Dots</a>! They are really thick, so they just mold to the lumpy backsides of the buttons, and stick securely to the frame, and add nice dimension by raising the buttons off the frame a bit! Using the right adhesive for the right job makes all the difference in the world. I think I must use over 8 different adhesives in my scrapbooking, ranging from liquid glues to acid-free, double-sided tape, depending on my needs!<br /><br />Well that about does it for this project. Thanks for tuning in for my tips - hope they help! Happy scrapping!Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-54723746950604867212008-02-20T08:55:00.001-08:002008-02-20T08:55:38.148-08:00What Color are You? <div style="border-width:1px; border-style:solid; border-color:rgb(0,0,0); background-color:rgb(255,255,255);padding:0px;width:378px;margin-top:0px;"><a href="http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=colorogt&c=50652" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.emode.com/images/widget/gigya/widgetHeader020408.jpg" width="378" height="39" border="0" style="margin-top:0px;"/></a><div style="padding:10px;text-align:center;width:353px;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><a href="http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=colorogt&c=50652" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(33,129,218);text-decoration:underline;"><span style="color:rgb(33,129,218);text-decoration:underline;font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;">What's Your True Color?</span></a><div style="padding:10px 0px;font-size:17px;font-family:Arial;">My Result: <a href="http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=colorogt&c=50652" target="_blank" style="font-family:Arial;font-size:17px;font-weight:bold;color:rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:17px;font-weight:bold;color:rgb(0,0,0);">Blue</span></a></div></div><div style="width:358px;padding:0px 10px 10px 10px;font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;border-bottom-width:1px; border-bottom-style:solid; border-bottom-color:rgb(182,182,182);"><div style="float:right;padding:5px 0px 0px 5px;"><a href="http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=colorogt&c=50652" target="_blank"><img src="http://web.tickle.com/cv/50651/http://i.emode.com/color/images/blue_s.gif" width="120" height="115" border="0" alt="Take this test!" /></a></div>You're <b>blue</b> — the most soothing shade of the spectrum. The color of a clear summer sky or a deep, reflective ocean, blue has traditionally symbolized trust, solitude, and loyalty. Most likely a thoughtful person who values spending some time on your own, you'd rather connect deeply with a few people than have a bunch of slight acquaintances. Luckily, making close friends isn't that hard, since people are naturally attracted to you — they're soothed by your calming presence. Cool and collected, you rarely overreact. Instead, you think things through before coming to a decision. That level-headed, thoughtful approach to life is patently blue — and patently you!</div><div style="padding:10px;text-align:center;width:358px;overflow:hidden;"><div style="padding:0px 0px 5px 0px;font-family:Arial;"><strong>What are you?</strong><br/><a href="http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=colorogt&c=50652" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12px;color:rgb(33,129,218);text-decoration:underline;font-family:arial;">http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=colorogt&c=50652</span></a></div></div></div><br /><img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/CIMP/JnB*PTEyMDM1MjY1Mzg3MzkmcD*1OTEmZD*mbj1ibG9nZ2Vy.jpg" />Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-31233968933891176262008-02-13T08:00:00.000-08:002008-02-13T10:13:18.165-08:00Weekly Scrapping Tutorial & Tips: *Gasp* The Fashionista makes a themed album...I know, I know! I've been MIA so long you probably think I disappeared for good. Well, as it so happens, DH and I sold the house and moved since the last post, so after settling in and getting my <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique?refid=store" target="_blank">ebay store</a> back up and running, I have returned to blogland.<br /><br />To make amends, I thought I would start a new weekly blog feature: scrapping tutorial and tips (p.s. - I reserve the right to rename it when I come up with something more imaginative)!<br /><br />Once a week I will post a project and share hints and tips with you. The idea is not to give you a step-by-step recreation of the specific project, but rather to share techniques or tips, and a bit of my creative process so that you can use them in lots of different projects.<br /><br />This week's project is a board book I made for a little boy who loves the movie "Cars." This was actually somewhat of a stretch for me, because I'm not a big themed-product scrapbooker. I have been dubbed a scrapping fashionista for my love of the latest sophisticated embellishments and artistic papers, so I really enjoyed the challenge here of incorporating the theme while not letting it override all sense of design and creativity!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Cars-BB-Cover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Cars-BB-Cover.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>First I chose the products I wanted to use, starting with the themed stickers. Using the colors and style of these stickers, I chose some papers - red and gray distressed paper to coordinate with Lightning McQueen. This striped paper brightened things up and gave a sense of movement. I used distressed papers because much of the movie was set in Radiator Springs, which was run down and dusty.<br /><br />I put Lightning McQueen on the bottom of the cover, to give it some visual weight there, and I clustered the boy's name with some stickers in the top corner of the cover, so that those elements would not just be scattered randomly. Note that Lightning McQueen is facing toward the opening of the book - I find this helps direct your eye toward opening the book. The direction of the striped paper also reinforces this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Cars-BB-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Cars-BB-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I continued the distressed look by inking the edges of the kraft photo mats. Using the same color scheme throughout the book, and using some of the same papers from page to page keeps everything feeling cohesive and coordinated in a mini album.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Cars-BB-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Cars-BB-2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Creating a visual triangle helps the pages feel unified, and tells the eyes where to go. In the above photo, notice the red paper and the grid transparency on the left side are repeated in the two circles on the right page.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Cars-BB-4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Cars-BB-4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I couldn't find Cars themed scrapbook paper when I was shopping, which turned out to be a blessing. I think themed stickers AND themed paper could have been overwhelming here. The papers I used actually have nothing to do with cars or the movie at all. The stripe is from My Minds Eye, and the red and grey papers are from Basic Grey's Scarlet's Letter collection. The grid transparency is a Hambly overlay. You wouldn't think to use them on a scrapbook with a Disney animated movie theme, but they work! Keep an open mind when shopping for paper and embellishments - try seeing beyond the theme or the collection the papers come from when searching for the perfect match for your project.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Cars-BB-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Cars-BB-3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I kept all the cars in the book on the bottom, so the pages would feel grounded. Floating cars all over would just say "sticker sneeze" and feel too overtly themed, I think.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Cars-BB-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Cars-BB-5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Well that's it for my first scrapping tutorial feature! Hope you found it useful and interesting. If you have any questions or feedback, I'd love to hear it!Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-88687270335725754792007-10-23T18:47:00.001-07:002007-10-23T19:28:38.468-07:00This line should be called "Droolworthy"...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Noteworthy-Collection.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Noteworthy-Collection.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I am talking about Making Memories' Noteworthy collection. I will let you in on a little secret. Sometimes as a retailer of scrapbooking goods, you can get a little blase about products - I mean, when it's your job to know about all the latest and greatest, it takes more to really wow you. You've seen it all (and lately a lot of it looks the same). But this...this line is special. It actually made my heart go pitter patter when it arrived (ok, that sounds so lame. but really, it is cute).<br /><br />It took all the willpower I could muster to not open up all the packages and touch all the yummy ribbons and the felt flowers and the pebble clips--I took a photo instead.<br /><br />The colors are just gorgeous - a pretty, pretty mix of pink, aqua, cream, brown, and cranberry. And every piece has so much detail. The die cut papers have scalloped edges, the brads are shimmery, the trims have ruffles and other great details, the chipboard is all glittery and fun.<br /><br />My favorites have to be the shaped papers (seen underneath the brads and pebble clips) and the embellishment jars, which have coordinating buttons, felt flowers, and paper flowers all in one adorable reusable jar!<br /><br />I nearly went permanently cross-eyed uploading them all to my ebay store (unfortunately being store owner isn't all fondling ribbons and drooling over paper), but now they are all up there for your enjoyment! So shop for the Noteworthy collection <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_Making-Memories-Noteworthy_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ15959368QQftidZ2QQtZkm?refid=store">HERE</a> before I squirrel them all away for myself!!Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-80910543114397327412007-10-09T12:37:00.000-07:002007-10-09T14:02:22.827-07:00A Creepy Crafty HalloweenWhen I was a kid, I didn't really get into Halloween. My parents were sort of health nuts and hated the idea of me eating candy and sweets-for my birthdays they got me carrot cake as some kind of strange compromise - "hey at least carrot cake has VEGGIES in it." Needless to say, they were not big Halloween people - they had my little 6 year old brain convinced that Halloween was a time that kids went haywire on a sugar buzz, and got kidnapped by bogeymen. So yeah, not so into Halloween as a kid.<br /><br />Fast forward a indeterminable number of years, and I've become a convert - after visiting DH's cousin on the east coast in October a few years back, I'm a huge fan of fall, and pumpkins. Our neighbors down the street love decorating their house and yard with gruesome and silly decorations for Halloween, DH's friend gives Halloween gifts to people, and Martha Stewart (love her or hate her) puts out some seriously neat Halloween craft ideas in a special issue magazine, and I think it's all really fun. So yeah, I guess I am a late-blooming Halloween fan!<br /><br />To celebrate this realization, I've created a limited edition "Spooky" board book kit:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/SpookyCover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/SpookyCover.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />An example of the inside pages:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/SpookyP3P4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/SpookyP3P4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The kit comes with all the materials (5x5 board book, cardstock, patterned paper, die-cuts, embellishments, ribbon) and color photos and instructions so making this project for yourself is super easy. All you need are adhesives, basic tools (like scissors and a paper trimmer), and photos! I had so much fun creating this one - it's packed with fabulous stuff like glittered and flocked papers, and exclusive transparencies. Perfect for halloween photos of kids of any age! Available now in my eBay Store <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170157553115refid=store">HERE.</a><br /><br />I also have a section of the store devoted to Halloween scrapbook supplies if you are in search of papers, stickers, brads, etc. - <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_Seasonal_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ14758547QQftidZ2QQtZkm?refid=store">LINK.</a><br /><br />I hope everyone has fun preparing for a creepy, crawly, spooky, and *safe* Halloween!!Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-52181825868048443522007-09-05T15:58:00.000-07:002007-09-05T16:58:58.788-07:00The Elusive 5th Favorite - Bind it All machine!So supposedly I was doing a "5 favorite scrapbooking items" list, and everyone reading this blog was probably thinking I couldn't count since I stopped at 4. But I didn't forget - there is a 5th!<br /><br />My favorite tool as of late has been this nifty thing called a Bind-it-All.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/BIAmachine.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/BIAmachine.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Simply put, it is a little personal bookbinder - it punches holes in paper and chipboard (or even plastic and CD's if you're feeling adventurous), and binds them with wire coils. The books look just like the professionally made notebooks and journals with the wire bindings that you see at bookstores and stationery shops. Very cool. Besides making your own scrapbooks in any size you like, you can bind your own cookbooks, journals, kids' artwork, etc. - the possibilities are limitless!<br /><br />I wanted to show what you could do with it, so I took pictures of a book I made this week for a friend's birthday. She's an avid gardener, so I decided to design her a gardening journal where she can sketch designs, take notes and keep photos. I love how it turned out - I was able to incorporate a bunch of different papers of my choosing. For the covers, I covered pieces of chipboard with patterned paper on both sides, and then punched the holes with the BIA:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Garden-Journal-Cover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Garden-Journal-Cover.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I used some paper from the brand new American Crafts Metropolitan line (loving this line!) and the LilyKate collection from Basic Grey. One of my favorite elements was the scalloped tag - I stamped a tag from <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/SASSAFRAS-LASS-Fancy-Shmancy-Tags-Clear-Stamps_W0QQitemZ170138114667QQihZ007QQcategoryZ75574QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem?refid=store">Sassafras Lass' Fancy Schmancy Tags</a> clear stamp set onto graph paper and cut around the edges- so cute! The dividers were fairly simple - just used some of those <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_boho-tiny-stickers_W0QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0&refid=store">tiny boho letters</a> (see previous post) and some ledger journaling spots from Heidi Swapp, along with little Prima flowers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Garden-Journal-Layout-Sketc.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Garden-Journal-Layout-Sketc.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Garden-Journal-Notes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Garden-Journal-Notes.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Garden-Journal-Photos.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/Garden-Journal-Photos.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I've already got ideas for at least 2 more projects in the near term using the BIA - I'm itching to make a mini brag book to showcase little 3x4" photos!<br /><br />I carry the Bind-it-All as well as the owire bindings and chipboard accessories at my ebay store -<a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_Bind-it-All-Accessories_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ13854766QQftidZ2QQtZkm?refid=store"> check it out</a> - I highly recommend it!!Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-68129400736761099152007-08-18T12:53:00.000-07:002007-09-05T17:11:00.453-07:00My Favorites - Part 4 - Making Memories Tiny Boho Alpha Stickers<span style="font-style: italic;">**Edited to add: I did confirm that these stickers have unfortunately been discontinued, so I will try to find more through my suppliers, but what's in my shop now may be it, so get them now if you're wanting some!**</span><br /><br />So much of the scrapbooking industry is focused on the latest and greatest. Well, this favorite of mine is maybe not the latest - I think it came out at least a year ago, but I do think it is one of the greatest. Making Memories Boho Chic Tiny Alphabet Stickers - it's a mouthful, but they are cheap, fun, and versatile.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaR5AFluASxjijPlNlsaBVUKfHwa_iGpboqV6vBJ413cey8ZhBm5l_Lg7Yt_w3GjvK0Dptut3nYxfBx06HQL59Cf4VjeVkI7zMVUsDm8yOv9KuXMLY2ld3z4H6J9-yYoCVqMwr/s1600-h/MM+Boho+Chic+Tiny+Alpha+Stickers+WHITE.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaR5AFluASxjijPlNlsaBVUKfHwa_iGpboqV6vBJ413cey8ZhBm5l_Lg7Yt_w3GjvK0Dptut3nYxfBx06HQL59Cf4VjeVkI7zMVUsDm8yOv9KuXMLY2ld3z4H6J9-yYoCVqMwr/s400/MM+Boho+Chic+Tiny+Alpha+Stickers+WHITE.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100133978140266722" border="0" /></a><br />I think you all must agree, because they've been flying out the door since I got them in stock a week or two ago! These letters come in a variety of color combos, but the general idea is that they are teeny tiny letters, numbers, and punctuation stickers. Perfect for adding that fun jumbled letters look - some people call it the "ransom letter" look - to your pages and projects. They're great for adding just a few words to a layout - perhaps just a simple thought or the date of the photo or event. They are great because they add interest without competing with the bigger elements on your page. Here is an example of some lunchbox tin dividers (from a kit I designed a while back) using these stickers - the stickers were the perfect size for labeling the tabs.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77VyYl4WvGqKz8azOI89YzgSzyrHrKW7uftDbB_iheINLjrNUlCQA_kODw9pL3Kkexaw4dRpOVJVrluikkE3VNqPp48ItWtEDc6bh-fmqYa4hNgPEpcdM_wnKD37EI_vbgkSk/s1600-h/MM-Tiny-Boho-Alpha-Sample.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77VyYl4WvGqKz8azOI89YzgSzyrHrKW7uftDbB_iheINLjrNUlCQA_kODw9pL3Kkexaw4dRpOVJVrluikkE3VNqPp48ItWtEDc6bh-fmqYa4hNgPEpcdM_wnKD37EI_vbgkSk/s400/MM-Tiny-Boho-Alpha-Sample.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100132260153348306" border="0" /></a><br />I can see why these remain popular after all this time - it went from being a trend to a staple for a lot of people because they are so versatile (they go with everything), and a great value - 2 sheets of stickers (total of 468 characters) for less than $2!<br /><br />These tiny alpha stickers seem to be harder to find these days, but I'll do my best to keep them in stock - find them in the sticker section of my ebay store <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique_boho-tiny-stickers_W0QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfsnZScrapQ20FancyQ20BoutiqueQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsaselZ70887813QQsofpZ0&refid=store">HERE</a>.Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-31338456726138153702007-08-14T08:23:00.000-07:002007-08-14T09:16:06.711-07:00My Favorites - Part 3 - 3M Scotch ATG 714 - Adhesive Transfer GunOops. So I'm a few days late! Was out of the house a lot last week and didn't get a chance to take these photos so I could blog about them. No one likes a blog entry without pictures.<br /><br />So, without further ado, I present my 3rd scrapbooking favorite - the 3M Scotch ATG 714. I know what you are thinking - what is that thing, and how can she be so excited about a tape gun?<br /><br />Last fall, I attended an intensive 3 day scrapbooking event, CKU (Creating Keepsakes University) when it rolled into town. I had a great time, and I loved that the event was very educationally driven - the classes moved fast, and we did a LOT of scrapping. The only problem? I had horrible adhesive issues. I had only packed a smaller sized scrapbook adhesive, and without fail, I would run out in the midst of a class - so I missed useful tips and instruction while fumbling with the refill as the class around me happily scrapped away. From then on, I was on a mission to find an adhesive that wouldn't just run out every time I made more than a few pages in a day.<br /><br />Enter the ATG gun. This thing holds a 36 yard (yes that's YARDS, not feet) roll of adhesive. I was worried about it's size and weight, but this thing was designed for use by professional framers - it is amazingly ergonomic and well balanced. The size is not an issue, unless you are really tight on space going to a crop (though it seems everyone I see at those events rolls in with a giant stroller big enough to pack all my clothes into for a 3 week trip to Italy...so I don't think space would be an issue).<br /><br />So, anyway, 36 yards of 1/4" wide adhesive. And guess what? The adhesive is soo much cheaper per foot than most of the other popular scrapbook adhesives out there. Those that know me, know I'm all about stuff that works well, and stuff that is a good value, so this was just a no-brainer for me. Yep, it was an investment up front because of the cost of the gun - but I made that back really fast in the savings on adhesive. And I've never run out in the midst of an intense scrapbooking session since :)<br /><br />So, now on to the pictures - since those who have never used one before might have some questions loading the adhesive for the first time, I took a picture of mine opened up to demonstrate - keep in mind I was in the middle of a roll so I just tore off the used portion so I could thread the remainder onto the gun for demonstration purposes. A new roll would have the plaid liner portion at the beginning of the roll, and you would take that end and thread it into the gun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNV8tewxkAjpbmimN8gzGEpElCbBgx7VeREKMEA5XQDY8sDXmKM3qfH4st1THGfORakGIXSMkxL_RCsS5ox00VhWL1P-fDp24cJTFhfXl5O83cLE-YPGjvIPt4M4IzZSRRUtC/s1600-h/ATG-Gun-Threading-Tape.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNV8tewxkAjpbmimN8gzGEpElCbBgx7VeREKMEA5XQDY8sDXmKM3qfH4st1THGfORakGIXSMkxL_RCsS5ox00VhWL1P-fDp24cJTFhfXl5O83cLE-YPGjvIPt4M4IzZSRRUtC/s400/ATG-Gun-Threading-Tape.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5098583417515727042" border="0" /></a><br />I added the arrows to show the direction that you would thread the tape. You thread it over the first roller, then under the 2nd one, then it goes back over the adhesive roll over to the back wheel. I have a closeup of the back wheel below:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfeyu3QSSpZEjr4e4PK1kYRq9XRIJ-VNUof-wsCm67e0QsEUMy4ZNx-5fhY77gnpk2IY47AwQZ-CCfCBcqUH8hCxYEpZ_DFMs6W4kq3ngHUpnQTkITKKc5OF4Nk3-fe4HPKMhb/s1600-h/ATG-Threading-Closeup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfeyu3QSSpZEjr4e4PK1kYRq9XRIJ-VNUof-wsCm67e0QsEUMy4ZNx-5fhY77gnpk2IY47AwQZ-CCfCBcqUH8hCxYEpZ_DFMs6W4kq3ngHUpnQTkITKKc5OF4Nk3-fe4HPKMhb/s400/ATG-Threading-Closeup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5098584409653172434" border="0" /></a>It goes into one notch and out the other notch - this catches the tape onto the back wheel so the tape from the used portion of the roll will roll up on the back wheel. After putting on the new roll, you would put the black cover back on this back wheel so that it holds the tape in place and keeps it from flopping off the wheel as it turns.<br /><br />After the first or second refill, it was second nature to me to put in the refills, but I figured in case anyone was bad at spatial relations like I am, this might help the first time you use it.<br /><br />I offer the ATG gun in my store <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Scotch-3M-ATG-714-Scrapbook-Adhesive-Applicator_W0QQitemZ170136456508QQihZ007QQcategoryZ11786QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem?refid=store">HERE</a>, and the refills <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Scotch-3M-1-4-908-Gold-Adhesive-Tape-2-pack_W0QQitemZ170136456502QQihZ007QQcategoryZ31731QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?refid=store">HERE</a>. The gun itself does not come with any adhesive, so you will need to purchase some before you can use it. All the ATG adhesive I carry is acid-free (not all ATG tapes are).<br /><br />So, hard as it is to believe, this is one of my favorite scrapbooking purchases - no it's not as glamorous as some scrapbooking goodies, but it is a workhorse, and I love it!Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-13612741982778947702007-08-08T20:32:00.000-07:002007-08-08T20:57:25.300-07:00My Favorites - Part 2 - White Uniball Signo Pen<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtCwbTDZOqN4p39fzeBv5kvt87U9HnRME-Z-f68MNsBwbqheli17KYyGVGq1Rx2wxLgGCyaiTTOMgq95Ai3wBLVVR9mve43g6OTovaYFAyj-utBxec5T0d44fzObkIhCJ54_a/s1600-h/white-signo-pen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtCwbTDZOqN4p39fzeBv5kvt87U9HnRME-Z-f68MNsBwbqheli17KYyGVGq1Rx2wxLgGCyaiTTOMgq95Ai3wBLVVR9mve43g6OTovaYFAyj-utBxec5T0d44fzObkIhCJ54_a/s320/white-signo-pen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096538785449564290" border="0" /></a><br />I was downright giddy when the box arrived today. This is the white Uniball Signo pen. UM-153 for you pen geeks out there. Up until this point, I had only been able to get these pens for my own personal use - it had been discontinued in the US, and was only available from Japan, and through one of the direct sales companies. It was like Christmas when I found a couple at a Japanese stationery shop in San Francisco, but I wished that I could offer them for sale to others. Just by chance I found a supplier while looking for something else! So, as of today, these are up for grabs in my ebay store <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Uniball-WHITE-SIGNO-Pen-Stampin-Up-Gel-Pen-UM-153_W0QQitemZ170138383494QQihZ007QQcategoryZ11790QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem?refid=store">HERE</a>.<br /><br />If you've ever struggled with a sputtering, skipping, sanity-trying (ran out of words that start with 's'), white pen, you will understand my excitement regarding this pen. It is the one hyped by scrap celebs, published scrap artists, and everyday scrappers as the ultimate white pen. Smooth milky white ink, acid free, even writes smoothly on photos. Well, I've tried it. It is all true. I am finding reasons to use it on almost everything I make!<br /><br />Here are a couple cards I made last weekend:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmrexQ8Cwjp8fwe_4MGIH5D9oWjOOKwWdNBf8bperPp17UPM_yQvZtqAhCNBxvuNHhDRAFcotGkv4x2zfIBosuwEpLsjYvStYceTklhduSX63JhMEvv1eWHcUAD39L9yF-q4N/s1600-h/cards-with-white-signo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmrexQ8Cwjp8fwe_4MGIH5D9oWjOOKwWdNBf8bperPp17UPM_yQvZtqAhCNBxvuNHhDRAFcotGkv4x2zfIBosuwEpLsjYvStYceTklhduSX63JhMEvv1eWHcUAD39L9yF-q4N/s320/cards-with-white-signo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096542788359084194" border="0" /></a>I used the pen to add the white accents to the blue stamped flower on the left card, and to accent the white bits in the flower center and add "happy birthday" on the right hand card. Here's a closer view:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBe39_0d_BfdykyFEaxe2ocYhgOSUKFq8wnrdPolFWmq6Ax_DgIEqj6q1E9CuNW6xGTO_8AYsAwj_EYcyvaIfaoTMRyTfaTTLg8OYsAhmlNg0Oj2C-R6Vu6ZhEWKvVOhrJCCm/s1600-h/cards-detail-signo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBe39_0d_BfdykyFEaxe2ocYhgOSUKFq8wnrdPolFWmq6Ax_DgIEqj6q1E9CuNW6xGTO_8AYsAwj_EYcyvaIfaoTMRyTfaTTLg8OYsAhmlNg0Oj2C-R6Vu6ZhEWKvVOhrJCCm/s400/cards-detail-signo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096543535683393714" border="0" /></a><br />I love love love this pen. I think it's a must have for anyone that is into cardmaking or scrapbooking - just perfect for doodling or accenting embellishments, or journaling. It almost makes me like the look of my own handwriting!<br /><br />So, that is #2 on my favorites list (which is in no particular order). I know I missed yesterday, so I will catch up tomorrow or Friday. Stay tuned!Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-45893180803085938162007-08-06T12:26:00.001-07:002007-08-06T13:55:37.119-07:00My Favorites - Part 1 - Blank Board Books<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img style="width: 382px; height: 418px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/plain-board-book-5x5.jpg" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As promised, today I kick off a series of "my favorites" - five of my favorite scrapbooking goodies and tools of the moment. Tune in all week to see them all!<br /><br />Most of the time I consider myself a very practical gal - I love things that work well, are versatile, and represent value. So, it's no surprise that my first "favorites" pick is blank board books. Reminiscent of the chunky books we read as kids - these board books are fun and adorable and can be used for so many things.<br /><br />The ones I sell in my eBay store are 5"x5" acid-free, <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170117717918&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT?refid=store">white chunky books</a> with 6 pages (12 surfaces). I love this size because they are so do-able. Enough space to decorate with paper and embellies, and add photos, but easier and faster to finish than a regular sized scrapbook. I am infamous for having more ideas than I can finish when it comes to scrapbooking (I literally have scrapbooks that have been waiting for their last pages for years now), but with these mini sized books, I can actually do one start to finish in a couple hours - love that instant gratification!<br /><br />Here is a sample of one that I did themed for a baby girl (using the Oh Baby Girl papers from Basic Grey) - this mini scrapbook would be fabulous as a brag book for a new mom - everyone's always asking to see pictures of a new baby, but most moms I know are a bit busy with the feedings and diaper changes to create a giant scrapbook from the get-go!<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img style="width: 393px; height: 294px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/131250.jpg" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As you can see, the look just completely changes when you decorate them with different papers. This next one uses the black and white papers from Doodlebug, and the large white silk flower is <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&amp;rd=1&item=170117684273&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT?refid=store">Heidi Swapp</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img style="width: 386px; height: 514px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/131410.jpg" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The basic technique for making these books is to "wallpaper" the chunky pages with your cardstock or patterned paper. I cut my base papers 4 7/8" wide x 5" tall to fit the pages. For a one-piece cover, I cut the cardstock/paper to 10 1/4" x 5" (maybe a hair longer to give you more leeway when wrapping it around the book).<br /><br />Here are my tips for working with these board books -<br /><br /><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Design and build the page first and then attach the completed page to the book</span>. I find this much easier than sticking things as I go to the book, because it is easier to work without the board book getting in the way (since it doesn't lie flat when open).<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Use the right adhesive for the job</span> - people often ask what I use to keep the pages stuck to the book. Currently I am using my <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;item=170136456508&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT?refid=store">3M ATG gun </a>for that - the adhesive is really strong, and will stand up to a lot of handling. I usually apply the adhesive to the book itself (making sure to apply it right at the edges so the paper won't peel up), and then wallpaper the patterned paper or cardstock onto it. Spray adhesives also work well, and some people use a Xyron.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Use a small radius corner rounder to round the edges of your paper </span>- to get the rounded edges on your paper to match the rounded corners of the book, use a small corner punch - I use a red one from Hobby Lobby (the small size). I found that my Creative Memories corner rounder made the corners too large.</li></ol>You could even use these books to make little chunky books for your kids - tell a story using photos or paper piecings, or make a book that teaches colors, animals, or numbers! I love that what you can make with these books is only limited by your imagination!Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-41957219730930313562007-08-02T09:22:00.000-07:002007-08-02T09:36:01.697-07:00Simpsons Silliness<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXE2HB63fzB1GmGL8yxjQpOWNNxp3LTqmgDakw16jU6_RXu2NAGLmOkmepUb9iauUfCDSsvft-vihT-YYxUgp0XujmmbrcUHUIWEn_pHj-gAzxTtDNn2Kho9G-FrREXckrob9y/s1600-h/simpsonized+anita+full+body.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXE2HB63fzB1GmGL8yxjQpOWNNxp3LTqmgDakw16jU6_RXu2NAGLmOkmepUb9iauUfCDSsvft-vihT-YYxUgp0XujmmbrcUHUIWEn_pHj-gAzxTtDNn2Kho9G-FrREXckrob9y/s320/simpsonized+anita+full+body.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094139694027430002" border="0" /></a>Last weekend DH and I saw the Simpsons movie - it was fun and silly, just like I'd hoped. DH has also been singing "spider pig, spider pig.." for a month now.... So, how could I resist "Simpsonizing" myself? If you're looking for a way to avoid work too, here's the <a href="http://simpsonizeme.com/">LINK</a>. No real topic today, just wanted to share my new picture!<br /><br />I will be doing a "my favorites" series soon covering some of my latest favorite products from my eBay store - every time I unpack a new shipment, I get all these new ideas on how to use these cool tools and yummy embellishments - so stay tuned!Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-40411326309659001382007-06-26T13:28:00.000-07:002007-08-01T09:27:48.177-07:00Can I say I love the San Francisco Bay Area?A couple weeks ago DH and I took a trip to the SF Bay area - he needed to go for work, so we added a few days so that we could see San Francisco and spend some time with friends in Berkeley. I thoroughly enjoyed tasting all the amazing seasonal/locally grown foods, drinking excellent wines, discovering Trader Joe's, reveling in the joy of non-sticky weather, and soaking up that artsy vibe that San Francisco has. Like any good scrapbooker, I sought out paper/arts & crafts stores.<br /><br />Ok, so one of the favorite stores I found was a chain (Paper Source) - but look at it! Even with San Francisco real estate as precious as it is, look at the beautiful spacious well-lit layout of the place!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/163328.jpg"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/scrapfancy/163328.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />So, I definitely drooled and spent time looking at all the beautiful embellishments and ribbons and papers. I got tons of inspiration there. If I were to have a brick and mortar store, it would look like this in my fantasy.<br /><br />But I love having an online business. It's flexible, and I can work from home and not deal with idling in traffic - I just recently opened up my own ebay store <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Scrap-Fancy-Boutique?refid=store">Scrap Fancy Boutique </a>to add to the custom scrapbooking and personalized invitations/cards that I create. I'm so excited about getting to share some of my favorite scrapbooking embellishments and tools there, and I'm getting new stuff quite frequently. So, if you're a crafter in need of a <a href="http://binditall.com/">Bind-it-all machine</a> (I've been waiting years for someone to come up with this!) or some fun glittery chipboard alphabet letters, check it out! If you squint real hard you can imagine that my store looks like the picture above ;)Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-45045542237102968892007-04-17T09:40:00.000-07:002007-04-17T11:30:22.925-07:00Seeing the beauty around us...I came across this article titled "Pearls Before Breakfast," from The Washington Post--<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html">LINK HERE</a>--they set up an informal social experiment to see if people commuting to work would recognize greatness if it were just in an everyday context. They had Joshua Bell, one of the greatest violinists of our time, play incognito like a street performer just outside a D.C. Metro station during the morning rush hour. Out of over 1000 people that passed him in 43 minutes, almost no one stopped to listen or showed signs of even noticing he was there. It was so interesting, and though I wasn't surprised at the results, it was saddening nonetheless.<br /><br />It is something to ponder--even though I consider myself to be a "stop and smell the roses" type of person, I know there are times I am just rushing about, trying to "be more productive," getting irritated at anything that might slow me down.<br /><br />This is one of the greatest gifts of scrapbooking--it encourages us to slow down, to contemplate, to recognize the beauty or significance of what is around us. To document it. <br /><br />Some may find it ridiculous that my husband Steve takes photos of the process of baking his ciabattas etc., but there is something beautiful and fun about making REAL food--creamy, flavorful crusty bread..with carbs and calories and all, and I am thrilled that he is documenting it (and the yummy results), and I intend to write about it and scrapbook it--it is about seeing the beauty around us.Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-61744454849756574712006-12-18T12:50:00.000-08:002006-12-18T13:29:54.995-08:00Wow, where have I been?Goodness, it has been over a month since my last post?? I am a bad blogger! Guess "be a better blogger" will be one of my new year's resolutions...<br /><br />So I switched over to the new blogger, and suddenly I have become aware that I had a handful of comments that I had not approved for publishing--it never told me they existed even though I had it set to--eek! So, if I have any blog readers left after this perceived snub of the commenters, I sheepishly apologize for unwittingly ignoring your comments, and have set it up so this doesn't happen again!<br /><br />The holiday card ordering rush has passed (thank you SO much to all of you who ordered or told your friends about me), and I am now getting ready for the holidays and thinking up ideas for the business in the coming year. I was sick with a horrible stomach bug during Thanksgiving, so I missed the whole kickoff to the holiday season. I usually love dragging out all the Christmas decorations the day after I've gorged myself to the gills, and remembering all the ornaments and past holidays as Steve and I set up the tree and decorate the house. This year, I was only able to feebly watch TV from bed and drink Powerade for the 4-5 days surrounding Thanksgiving. Somehow, missing the kickoff made it hard to get into the holiday spirit--we replaced our beloved runty 4 1/2 foot "Charlie Brown Christmas Tree" with a 7 1/2 foot monster this year, and while we were excited about having a prelit tree that was taller than us, that thing fought, scratching and clawing the whole way. It took a while to finish setting it up because I only had enough motivation to fight that tree for an hour each day! Finally got the tree up and hung the sparse collection of ornaments (remember, we only had a 4 1/2 footer before!). Somehow that helped immensely--having this big ol lit up fake tree in our house just made it start feeling like the holidays. We miss our Charlie Brown tree, but this one's growing on us. Maybe next year I will be super motivated and create a Christmas tree miniforest, LOL.<br /><br />I am really looking forward to having friends and family descend upon us and getting to spend quality time with people I don't see everyday (amidst a backdrop of comfort foods and stockings and glittery ornaments and favorite movies). Love this time of year...Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29706765.post-1163552457121872832006-11-14T16:52:00.000-08:002006-11-16T14:12:30.106-08:0010 Tips for Taking Great Holiday Card PhotosDo you dread getting all the kids together for a holiday card photo shoot every year? Here are 10 tips to help you get the best results, stress free.<br /><br /><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dress for Success</span>- When choosing outfits for the little one to wear, steer clear of any busy patterns, no matter how cute the fuzzy bears all over her sweater are. Patterns distract attention away from the cute faces of your kids, and make the photos busy. Avoid dark red if you are going to have black and white pictures--it comes out very dark, creating a lot of contrast and loss of detail. White, denim, and neutrals are classic choices of professional photographers for a reason.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Say No to Cluttered Backgrounds- </span>Try to take your photos in a setting that is free of distracting details. Avoid the kids' toy strewn playroom and if you're outside, look out for trees growing out of the kids head when you frame your shot. Textured concrete walls, a pond, or uniform foliage make for good backgrounds. Taking some time to find a good location will make a huge difference in your photos.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Flash is evil</span>- Whenever possible, use natural light. Flash washes people out and makes everything look flat and unnatural. Get outside in the late afternoon light--it is beautiful and warm this time of year. Avoid taking pictures at high noon on a sunny day--the shadows and glare will make the photos harsh. Take pictures on a cloudy day or in open shade, such as that under a shady tree or an open carport. Indoors, try to find a window that lets in indirect light (there should be no harsh shadows on the ground), and place your subjects beside it. Or, go the opposite route and experiment with photos of your baby playing with a string of lights in a dark room without using the flash.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Focus</span>- Be smart about how you use your camera's autofocus. To focus on most point and shoots, press the button halfway down and hold to focus before pressing all the way down to take the picture. Usually the camera focuses on what is in the center. You can compose interesting shots with your subject off center by first framing the shot with your subect in the middle and pressing the button halfway to focus. Then, <span style="font-style: italic;">still holding the button halfway down</span>, move your camera sideways and reframe the shot the way you want it. When you are satisfied, finish pressing the button all the way down to take the picture.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Have fun, relax!</span>- put on some fun music, get your subjects relaxed. Photos taken when the kids are comfortable will look less stiff and posed, and will show more of their personalities.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Get on the level</span>- many people stand fixed in one spot and try to snap all their pictures from that one vantage point. Instead, try and get on the same level with your kids, and move around to try to get an interesting angle.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Eyes are the Windows to the Soul- </span>ever hear that saying? Try making sure that the eyes of your subject are in focus. This can give your photo a lot of impact. One favorite trick of photographers is to capture the reflected light in their subjects' eyes--called catchlights. This really makes the eyes pop. Lighting your subject from the side (such as seating them next to a window) will often give you catchlights.<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Get in close</span>- This has 2 parts: get in close to your subjects, and have your subjects get in close to each other. In photos, even small distances between people can look like big gaps. Get your kids to squeeze in close together, and fill the frame with them. This is a great thing especially if you can't find a super scenic backdrop for your photos. Getting in close minimizes distracting backgrounds, and puts the focus on those cute faces.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Observe</span>- If you have more than one child, try standing back and letting them interact with each other instead of making them pose stiffly. Sure this may not result in the most traditional portrait, but you have a chance at capturing their true personalities and relationship in your photos.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Take lots of shots</span>- Ever notice how a professional photographer takes tons of shots? Even the pros need to take a lot of shots to get those few stunning ones. So, experiment, and take pictures from different angles and keep shooting. Many cameras come with a burst mode that will snap a series of shots in quick succession. Often times the most real expressions and interactions will come after the initial photo is taken--make sure to capture them!</li></ol>I hope these tips will get you thinking outside the box and inspire you to take stunning portraits of your kids. It doesn't require fancy equipment or lighting--just a little planning and time to try out some different ideas.<br /><br />If you are looking for some original holiday photo card designs, check out the cards on my site: <a href="http://www.scrapfancy.com/SFCards.php">www.scrapfancy.com/cards</a>. I do free basic photo enhancement, free conversion to black and white or sepia, and free online proofs! Order now from the comfort of home before all the holiday chaos!<a href="http://www.scrapfancy.com/SFCards.php"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></a>Anitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309249442266312314noreply@blogger.com1