Hello, my crafty friends and welcome back to the Stamp and Scrapbook Expo blog. I can’t believe that we are already half way through our show season, this year is just flying by. I’ve just returned home from our Kansas City show and I am happy to report that a good time was had by all. The Creativity Center was on fire with lots of talented paper crafters. It truly is my happy place when I have the opportunity to craft with you live at the show. Since it’s Sunday lets get started with today’s creative therapy, shall we?
Nature’s Bounty Keepsake Album by Ann Barnes
Many of you know that I have a soft spot for a handmade mini album full of priceless memories and this little beauty is no exception. Ann started out with a bracket edged stagger mini album from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts. This album contains six pages with various edges that are staggered to allow small glimpses of the pages below. The album comes with rings to keep all of your pages together, forming the album. The rings are large enough so that you can add a few extra pages if you’d like and also the rings give you lots of extra room in case you get a little carried away with your embellishments.
Mini albums (as you’ve heard me say before) are the instant gratification of scrapbooking. I hope you’ve been inspired to create your own unique album. Don’t forget that mini albums make the perfect gift for any occasion. “I don’t appreciate a beautiful mini album full of priceless memories” said no one ever! Ann has lots of great tips to share so be sure to hop on over to the blog and check out how easily this keepsake comes together.
Inlay Die Cutting by Yana Smakula
Yana revisited a classic technique called Inlay Die Cutting in creating this sweet card. As with most classics, this technique has stood the test of time and has been used by many a paper crafter throughout the years. This technique can be a bit time consuming but the end result is stunning. I love how Yana uses double-sided adhesive and fun foam which really speeds things up a bit.
I hope you been inspired to give this tried and true technique a try. I highly recommend stopping by and checking out Yana’s video tutorial so you can see how impressive this technique can be. Kudos to you for sharing those smiles one handmade card at a time. Your loved ones appreciate it more than you realize.
Off The Page Altered Cigar Box by Farrel Tailor
As a paper crafter, we could all use extra storage space to keep us organized. Crafting is always more enjoyable when you know where everything is. Thanks to our creative friend Farrel and the amazing products by Dusty Attic our storage doesn’t have to be boring. I love this little work of art. Farrel used Dusty Attic’s chipboard cigar box but you could also use the real thing if you are lucky enough to have a few cigar boxes on hand.
This project is definitely on my crafting bucket list as I have several old cigar boxes that I can’t wait to alter. I hope you, too, have been inspired to create some fun storage containers for yourself. Click here and I will be happy to take you over to the Dusty Attic Blog so you can drool over all the unique chipboard designs that they have to offer. You might want to grab a cup of coffee as you will be there a while!
Shrimp and Scallop Scampi with Linguine
Ok, they had me at Scallops and Shrimp, two of my absolute favorites to order at a good restaurant. But to be able to enjoy them at home in about half an hour really makes my heart sing! Big hugs to the Food Network Blog for showing us how it’s done. Click here and I will take you over so you can print out the recipe.
I hope to see you soon at one of our shows. Click here and I will lead the way over to our website so you can start planning an amazing weekend with your creative peeps. I will meet you at the Creativity Center and I’ll have your 2018 “I Created” button waiting for you!
Lorraine: You have a very important job of keeping us happy in your Craft Center at the Expos, but I suspect you might have some influence with the powers above regarding classes being offered at the Expos. I’m a scrapbooker. I am not a card maker. When I come to the various expos held at Santa Clara, Pleasanton and Sacramento, I’m faced with glasses that are mainly directed to the card makers or the stampers and only a couple, if any scrapbook pages — that is 12×12’s. I’m not into the smaller scrapbooks, but some people are. Could you pass on that there should be more opportunities being offered for actual scrapbook pages by not only those classes designed by the guys who do pages using their products, but have other instructors that can make pages using actual 4×6 photos, 5×7 photos rather than 2×3’s or sizes that require one to cut away important parts of a print, or pay extra to order wallet sizes which is a waste because you only use 1 of the 4 pictures, the rest are trashed in most cases. Obviously one could sent the wallets to friends if they are people pictures, but if a landscape or portrait print from a vacation, the picture is too small to stand out. Anyway, if you could pass on that they need to bring on board more instructors that teach scrapbook pages would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for listening and I enjoy your crafty corner at the expos! Keep that wide smile going on.
I am in love with Yana’s card. It is stunning. Going to check it out and hope the technique is not beyond me.
Lorraine,
Thanks so much, i always love ur hard work with helping us with card making on the floor. Thanks, look forward to nxt yr in Duluth.
Jo