Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to take a moment to thank YOU!  I am so blessed to be able to help support my family while doing something I love & I couldn’t do it with you.  Consultants, customers, family & friends - thank you for your business and support!

Here is a little turkey I made in SBC+   Feel free to use him with your digital projects.

You should be able to right click on it & save to your computer. 

Not sure how to add outside content to SBC+?  Here is a quick tutorial.

Importing Freebies into Storybook Creator Plus 4.0

Thanks to my talented sister CMCs for sharing these ideas:

Shawna Bartimoccia made this cute gobbler using the Circle Maker, Heart Pocket Punch, Starburst Pocket Punch & Ribbon Maker

This shows all the supplies needed

Brenda Wilkinson made this little guy – using the Circle Maker, Leaf Maker and Border Maker System & Picket Fence cartridge.

You could easily make a holiday pie (at least a paper version) using the Scallop Circle Maker as the crust and the Circle Maker as the filling – cut into wedges for individual slices.

I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!!

Stuff Your Stockings Sale

Here is a great chance to get free product while picking up some great products.  Free products with your $75 purchase & even more when you spend $225.  If you place your order before 10 p.m. CST on the 21st you’ll get an additional bonus.  Click the flyer below for full details or view the pdf here.  Happy shopping!

Happy Halloween!

Just a few ideas to help you with your photos of your little ghosts & goblins!

Frankenstein’s Monster – made using cuts from the Traveler CM Cricut Cartridge, Circle Maker, Star Maker (or the edge of the Square Maker) & Foam Squares.

Download a pdf with instructions here.

CCS Candy Corn   Using one of the Circle Patterns from the Custom Cutting System – pick one of the circles & cut  the larger size for orange paper, the middle size for yellow and the smaller Circle maker for the white tip.  Cut the circle into 8 pieces.  You can use the Corner Maker on the edges and add detail with the fine point of CMs Dual Tip Pens. 

Some titles for your Halloween themed pages.

You can download the pdf here.

Thank you to my fellow CMCs for sharing their ideas!

Fun ideas using the Scallop Circle Maker – thanks to Lynn Seymour for sharing!

Ideas Featuring the Border Maker System

These are by Lydya Hulst:

This idea is by Diana Parent:

And this cute variation of  the Gingerbread Chain Border Maker Cartridge by Linda Phelps:

and this one from Jill McLeester

This fun page is by Bethany Castaneda

Happy Haunting!

Crop & Shop– November 3rd in Livonia

 

We’ll have plenty of space, great food & lots of time to work on your projects!  We will also have various home based businesses available so you can start your holiday shopping early! 

There is no cost to stop in & shop!

Host a table at Croptoberfest scrapbooking event to earn these Chalking Inks, free, as my gift to you for hosting.

Hope to see you at St. Mikes!  Contact me if you have any questions!

Fabulous Fall!

Finally – it’s Fall!    Time for sweater weather, pumpkin flavored everything & fun fall inspired projects! 

At the Patch 12x12 layout

Rustic Fence Border Maker Cartridge
Hocus Pocus 6x6 Stack Pack
Cardstock:  Brown, Green Apple & Carrot
Cheerful Seasons Cricut Cartridge
Foam Squares

How to Create:
Use a sheet of Green Apple Cardstock as your layout base.

Add two sheets of beige argyle patterned paper from the Hocus Pocus 6x6 Stack Pack to the layout as shown.

Add some accents punched out from the stack pack as shown.

Punch a border from Brown Cardstock using the border maker system and the Limited Edition Rustic Fence Border Maker Cartridge and add it to the bottom of the layout.

Using a Cricut machine and the Cheerful Seasons Cartridge cut a pumpkin accent and title letters from brown, orange, green, and beige paper. Add them to the bottom right side of the layout layering some of the letters on the Hocus Pocus banner punch outs.

Back to School 12x12 layout

Ingredients:
Autumn Addition
White Cardstock
Circle Maker

How to Create:
Place orange and red Autumn Addition mats on background paper as shown, staggering the red mat so it is about 3/4” lower than the orange mats.

Crop photos to 3-1/4 x 3-3/4”. Place the right and left photos so they are even with the top of the red mat and touching the edges of the red mat. Center the middle photo.

Cut a strip of White Cardstock that is 1/2” wide. Trim 2” off and place under the left photo. Repeat for the right side. Cut a 2 ½” long piece and place vertically above the middle photo.

Punch a large circle with the Circle Maker and place a leaf sticker on it. Repeat with a second leaf sticker. Center the circles under the left and right photos.

Print the journaling on White Cardstock using brown ink. Trim the journaling block to 2x2”. Adhere the journaling to the brown leaf mat and randomly cut around it. Adhere under the middle photo. Place the apple sticker on the bottom right corner.

Place the Autumn Additions title sticker on White Cardstock. Trim and place above the middle photo.

Football Wall Print Poster

Ingredients:

• StoryBook Creator 4.0 Software
• Football Digital Additions

  How to Create:

  1. Create a new 16x24 Wall Print Poster project.
  2. Add Football Paper 3 to the top of the poster.
  3. Add Football Paper 4 to the bottom of the poster.
  4. Add a large photo across the center of the poster.
  5. Add the Super Star embellishment.  Under the Format tab, add the Cord surface.
  6. Add the MVP embellishment.
  7. Add the name, filling with Football Paper 1.  Add a light shadow.
  8. Add the Gold Star and Player 1 embellishments.  Add the Cord Surface to each.
  9. Add the Touchdown title.
  10. Add the school and mascot as desired.
  11. Order on the Creative Memories Digital Center.   Please use my  Consultant Id #96470395 when ordering from the digital center.

 

Cropping for Causes - Using Digital Embellishments in Traditional projects.

 

Welcome to the croppers stopping by after the  fundraiser crop for Inflammatory Breast Cancer!  Please take a moment to learn about the symptoms of IBC – it is a rare and very aggressive form of breast cancer.  It is usually not detected by mammograms or ultrasounds. 

I was lucky enough to be asked to contribute to the goody bags for this crop and thought it would be a good chance to feature some of Creative Memories Think Pink products.  A portion of the sales from this line go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), an organization I am proud to be associated with! 

Unlike many organizations that associate themselves with raising awareness for breast cancer (like the Susan G. Komen Foundation) the BCRF does not have a huge portion of their funds going to pay immense salaries, lawsuits against those that use “for the cure” in their efforts to raise funds for other causes and they most certainly do not fund other organizations.  You can be sure that by contributing to the BCRF and buying CMs Think Pink products you’re actually helping to fight against breast cancer. 

BCRF continues to remain one of the most fiscally responsible charities in the country.
BCRF holds a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, its tenth such designation since 2002.
Additionally, BCRF is the only cancer organization designated as "A+" by CharityWatch.

If you print the image below as a 4x6 print you will be able to punch out the buttons with CMs Circle Maker and use them on your traditional projects.  They look great on top of the Scallop Circle, too. 

This was created using CM’s digital scrapbooking program – Storybook Creator Plus (SBC+).  I use this program for so much more than scrapbooking!  Flyers, invitations, gifts, album covers – SBC+ is an easy to use program that can help you create custom items quickly!

Here are some items I did to show you just a few quick and easy ideas to mix digital and traditional items – creating hybrid items.

The Think Pink line is available while supplies last!  If you want these items order them before they’re gone!

This page uses decorative cardstock  (it has beautiful silver foil accents) and printed paper for the photo mats are from the Think Pink Specialty Pack.  The paper ribbon is from the Think Pink Embellishment Pack.  “Cropping for a cure” title and ribbon button embellishments are from the Think Pink Digital Kit and are included in the freebie print at the top of this post.  The button at the bottom of the page is mounted with Foam Squares on top of a Scalloped Circle punched out of Pink Shimmer Cardstock and that is adhered to a scalloped circle punched out of Raspberry Cardstock.  The Scallop Circle Maker punches out 2 shapes.  Sliding the lever on the base allows you to choose which shape to cut – scallop, or decorative scallop.

Paper and die-cut border at the top of the page are from the Think Pink Specialty Paper Pack.  I used the Silver Metallic pen to accent the edges of the photo mats and journaling strips.  Layering a black scalloped circle underneath a pink one gives the embellishment a bit of a shadow.  Ribbon button is from the Think Pink Digital Kit and can be found in the freebie at the top of this post.

Epoxy Sticker is from the Think Pink Embellishment Pack.

I used the computer to print out the “Think Positive…” sentiment for this card.  Much easier, more precise and a lot cheaper than using stamps!

CM also has a Ribbon Maker that can be used to create all sorts of awareness ribbons.

I love helping out with fundraisers!  Please let me know if you need help raising funds!  Even if you’re not local I’d love to help!

Dry Erase Boards for Practice Schedules

The Photo Panels from Creative Memories can be a great way to display favorite photos – but they can also be used as a dry erase board.  Here’s a few I created and can be personalized with your team colors, names, etc.  You can preview these and order them directly from the CM Digital Center (minus the watermark).  These are a 12x12 size but I can easily upload them in an 8x8 size.  These make great fundraisers, too!  I’m happy to help your organization raise money.  Contact me for more details!

View the Gymnastics Dry Erase Board at the Digital Center

View the Football Dry Erase Board at the Digital Center

View the Volleyball Dry Erase Board at the Digital Center

View the St. Mikes Dry Erase Board at the Digital Center

If you buy the dry erase pens that are magnetic you can glue a metal washer to the back of the photo panel and you’ll have a handy spot to keep a dry erase marker! 

I recently found fine tip magnetic dry erase pens at Target with the school supplies.

Custom Coverset – Mitten Memories

Look what my UPS man dropped off this week from the Creative Memories digital center – ready to fill with our summer memories!  This year we decided to play tourists in our home state of Michigan.  We took several shorter trips within the Lower Peninsula and had a blast! 

You can easily create a similar coverset for your travel memories!

The You Create It Albums can be customized using Storybook Creator Plus or online at the Digital Center using templates provided by Creative Memories.  (Please use my consultant ID  #96470395 when ordering from the Digital Center.  I am also happy to help you create your custom album.  This is easily done via the internet & email or I’m happy to meet with you in person if you’re local. 

These custom coversets can hold Side Loading Sleeves – perfect for digital page prints, custom album pages (digitally created and printed right on scrapbook refills) or traditional  scrapbook pages, 12x12 PicFolio pages – pocket pages that you simply slide in your photos or scrapbook refill pages.  You can also combine page types – it’s up to you!

Here are the products I used for my Mitten Memories You Create It Album:

State of Michigan outline, robin & apple blossom image - North American Road Trip Digital content – no longer available but I can use my digital content to create a page for you.  Contact me for more information!  (I have A LOT of digital content – including Disney kits – Cars, Mickey & Friends, Princesses, etc.) that are no longer available.)

Background paper – Enchanted Summer digital kit

“Escape” graphic in lower right hand corner – Destinations Digital Kit

For the graphics representing the stops on our trip I used various images that I found on the internet and erased what I didn’t want (white backgrounds, unwanted content, etc) with the wand tool. I also just used a nice font for “Charlevoix” LHF Goldsmith & “Frankenmuth” Heidlelbe-normal

I used the Text Shape tool in SBC+ to create “Mitten Memories” and “2012 Summer Tour”.  This tool lets you take any font on your computer and give it a nice border.

I’d love to see your custom album designs!!  You can email them to me or share them in my Facebook group!

Camp Crop-A-Lot October 12–14 @ The Novi Sheraton

It’s time to register for our upcoming weekend retreat at the Novi Sheraton!  It is a wonderful weekend filled with lots of fun, ideas, great food & company!  You can view more information about the weekend at our Camp Blog here:  www.cropalot.blogspot.com

Our weekend retreats at the Novi Sheraton are filled with fun, great food, wonderful company, inspiration, tips & techniques and plenty of space and time for you to work on what you want.  Plenty of optional activities for you to participate if you want to – including massages, make & takes, classes, drawings and raffles.

Please note that you’ll need to register by September 1st to get the Early Bird price & save $15!  Also, when you register by September 1st  with me I’ll send you a confirmation packet filled with new product samples, Pre-Camp sale information and a mini catalog with the newest limited edition products. 

I have sent the registration for to those on my CM email list – if you didn’t get it you can download it here.

You can download the registration form here.

Fall 2012 Creative Memories Product Discontinuations

It’s that time of year again…new products coming so that means time to get rid of some old ones! 

I don’t have any information other than these products are only available while supplies last beginning 8/6/12.  I hope some are just being updated but honestly don’t have any info – so my advice is if you see a favorite – grab it before it’s gone!

You can view the  While Supplies Last products here and Clearance (discounted) section here on my CM website.

Traditional Products

 

Digital