All digital content from Panstoria and Creative Memories will be on sale for 30% off the original price. No coupon code needed - the sale price is listed on the website.
Panstoria now offers digital artwork from Cottage Arts & Kaisercraft, too (not included in this sale.)
Here are a few of the kits by Panstoria:
Panstoria also offers Predesigned Pages, Alphabet Sets,
Calendar Templates & Frames, Mats, etc.
Have fun!
10% off your order
The code is GIVETHANKS2013
Valid through Sunday, December 1, 2013
On Sale This Week
12"x5 yard Stripflock heat transfer vinyl
Sale Ends - Sunday, December 1st
*sale items CAN BE combined with coupons*
Be sure to check out the how to videos and project ideas on ExpressionsVinyl.com
Thinking about ordering a Silhouette Cameo? Expressions Vinyl has a great bundle – including 10 sheets of vinyl and 5 sheets of transfer tape.
There is also a great bundle available at Amazon.com with lots of basic extras.
Here are just a few vinyl projects I’ve made using my Silhouette Cameo.
Link to video showing how to make the glittered ornaments similar to those shown above.
Happy Crafting!
First – a disclaimer. I am not signing up for any other direct sales company.
I am a huge fan of the DS business model. There are so many wonderful reasons to be a DS consultant but at this time that option is not a good fit for me. I appreciate the offers and invites that some of you have shared with me. I promise if I ever change my mind I’ll let you know.
Now – for some encouraging news. Last weekend I saw some Close To My Heart albums in person. I was very, very impressed with them.
I know what you’re thinking – but they’re post bound! Bear with me – there just aren’t any albums out there that I have found that are both strap-hinge and great quality. Yet! (Always hopeful!)
Yes, they’re post bound albums. But they’re a very nice quality album and the page protectors are very strong!
That’s a very full 12x12 album that Carolyn is holding by one, single CTMH page protector!
The Memory Protectors are thick and gusseted so if you have thicker pages they can lay flat. They are top loading – BUT in January CTMH will be making side loading Memory Protectors that FIT CM’s STRAP HINGE ALBUMS!! How refreshing that a company not only listens to requests from customers but are actually acting upon those requests! I think these are going to be first offered for a limited time but who know what will happen in the future!
CTMH sells Spine Extenders that you add every 3 or 4 pages to help your pages to lay flat.
You can modify the CTMH Memory Protectors to fit in CM Strap Hinge albums.
This was my first time meeting Carolyn. I gave her the quick version of my history with CM & what was going on w/the company and she showed me a bit of their scrapbooking related items.
Carolyn loves CTMH products and it shows! She was excited but not pushy at all. She was very, very helpful to help me navigate through CTMHs product line. I have been a loyal CM gal for all of my time as a scrapbooker and although I’ve been to a few CTMH parties & ordered a few of their products I’m pretty new to their world.
Carolyn gave me a catalog. I don’t know how much consultants in other DS companies pay for their catalogs but as a CM consultant I always considered the cost of catalogs as a business expense for me. It was a write-off, like credit card fees and order forms. Even in the good ole’ days when CM catalogs contained ideas I never sold them. Giving away catalogs got my information into the hands of others and that isn’t something I’ve ever felt comfortable charging others for a catalog…or paying for one as a customer. So I was very happy to get a free catalog
Here are a few things I liked:
CTMH printed papers – they have a strip on one side that lists what pack it’s from and the colors it coordinates with.
When you trim this strip off it has a pretty pattern on the other side that you can use in your projects.
CTMH Cardstock – it cuts like a dream in electronic die cutters! They have lots colors to choose from, too. The CTMH cardstock has a white core which may or may not be an issue if you’re used to CM cardstock.
Flip Flaps – these are great items that allow you to easily put extra photos or other items on your pages. They are like mini clear page protectors and have a strip of adhesive that allows you to adhere them to your pages.
You can see the CTMH albums & Flip Flaps in this video:
CTMH has a lot of items that work well together or coordinate. You can tell that people familiar with the scrapbooking & crafting industry have a hand in designing their products. I like that!
So – those are my first thoughts about some of the CTMH options that might work for those of us searching for new homes for our scrapbook pages.
If you have specific questions about the products please ask your CTMH consultant!
CM was never big on social media. There was a time when CMCs were forbidden from even mentioning online that they were consultants. We couldn’t share our work online or promote our business without the threat of deactivation. I know of CMCs that were actually deactivated because they dared to share ideas featuring CM products online on a message board. Heck, I was slapped on the hand by CM because I promoted CM products on my CM blog. The same blog that was dedicated to my CM business and only contained info regarding CM!
Looks like CM AZ still doesn’t recognize the value and potential for social media and that’s really a pity. Add to that their desire to control information to & from consultants and you get this as part of the A&Z Policy Manual (it’s on page 8.)
I agree that as a rep for a company you shouldn't go on public social media sites and bash that company. That's just not good business sense. Most direct sales companies have some wording regarding this issue and it pretty much boils down to common sense. But this bit about “You must avoid disparaging conversations, comments…" leaves too much wiggle room for A&Z. As an A&Z consultant, according to this, you can't say anything - in a public, private, closed or secret online group - that isn't "positive” according to A&Z. Many people see things as honest and realistic but CM HO has a reputation for viewing anything that dares to go against their thought process as negative. Unfortunately, I witnessed this labeling of a differing opinion as “negative” first hand many, many times. Positive is a subjective term. Each person has their own idea what is positive and what is negative. With the same people in charge of A&Z I’m willing to bet it will be not only more of the same but now, contractually they can discipline consultants for sharing their “inappropriate and disparaging” thoughts according to A&Z!
It’s quite obvious that if you don’t agree with AZ then they don’t want to hear about it.
CM/AZ entered into the social media world kicking & screaming. They have not embraced it - in fact they seem to barely tolerate it. The removal of their consultant only social media platform (again) and shutting down of comments on their public FB page are the latest examples of this.
I will say it again – go into any business venture with your eyes wide open!
Today is Digital Scrapbook Day! This happens the first Saturday in November each year! Here are a few spots celebrating with digital freebies (Be sure to check out the stores – most have great deals & other fun things going on to celebrate DSD!)
Note: most digital kits are pngs and they do not install with the ease of the kit’s most SBC+ and Artisan users are used to using that were purchased from CM or Panstoria. Here is a tutorial that explains how to bring png files into SBC+ – same process for Artisan. http://www.jenreeddesigns.com/blog/tutorial-import-digital-scrapbook-kit-storybook-creator/
Free page file template – at Scrap Orchard courtesy of Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs to start a Sorry! MIS challenge. Click here to learn more about this challenge & download the template.
Kellybell designs has an adorable free “Princess Overnight” kit and specials
MJAJ Designs has this fun freebie:
Check out Digiscrapparade for a fun parade that will take you to blogs, websites & Facebook pages where you can collect lots of freebies!
digiscrapaddicts also has a blog hop – here’s the complete list of participants. LOTS of beautiful freebies!
A few of my favorites from the digiscrapaddicts hop:
This one from she creates is available in page format!
Scrap Orchard has lots of events and these freebies offered throughout the weekend :
Pixelscrapper has a Blog Train – with lots of freebies. Here is a list of these participants.
These are not part of DSD but are still fun & free!
Template by Meagan's Creations - page file available
Scraptakeout.com has 3 freebies:
REEL fun freebie from simple Pleasure Designs
“Like” Mad for the Mouse’s Facebook page for this freebie:
LOTS of freebies at these 2 sites:
A Cherry on Top – 96 pages of freebies!
Here’s a cute one from A Cherry on Top:
Shabby Princess – over 30 freebies!
Festival is one of my favorites!
Blog Train to celebrate Ivy Scraps 4th Birthday!
Lots of freebies here – Sweet Shoppe Designs & here susyQscraps
Be sure to grab the DSD freebies first – most will only be available for a limited time!
Have fun!!
Feel free to post links to other freebies you find & I’ll update this post if/when I come across more.
