Rubber Stamping and Tim Holtz

On a last minute decision I went to the Rubber Stamping Convention in Carson, CA. today. http://astampinthehand.com/

Now I may be a scrapbooker - but I'm not much of a rubber stamper. The card making folks really seem to have that niche. Of course the stamps have come a long way and I really love some of the more interesting techniques. But I still think that I'm not a stamper.

I was looking forward to seeing one booth/ person. Tim Holtz was scheduled to be at the Stamper's Anonymous booth. The event was bigger than expected and there were a lot of good things. But finally finding this booth and his demo's made the whole trip.

I've oo'd and ah'd at all of his great things but I mostly didn't know what to do with them. He demo'd some great techniques and hopefully I'll have some time soon to try them all out. I'll post some pictures when I can.

But if you have a chance to go to the event tomorrow (it's from 11-2 on Sunday 11/13/11). I'm not positive he'll be there, but if he is it's really worth checking out!

May 21st Craft Fair in Buena Park

We will be at a Craft Fair this Saturday in Buena Park for a WONDERFUL cause.

May 21st, 10AM - 3PM
Ehlers Community Center - Buena Park

8150 Knott Ave
Buena Park, CA 90620

There will be 40+ vendors!

Handmade Paper Crafts, Woodworking, Handmade Jewelry, The Lilac Leaf, Scentsy, Avon, Thirty One, For Every Home, Trinkets & Treasures, Cookie Lee, Beady I's, Gold Canyon Candles, Priscilla Rose, The Pampered Chef, Mary Kay, Lil Mamas Creations, Sarahs Tolepainting, Jewelry by Janel and more.

About the Cause: Matthew March is a 16 ½ year old young man who is smart, caring and determined. Matthew at the age of 3 was diagnosed with Aspergers, a form of high functioning Autism. Matthew was placed in special classes and he didn’t like that. So, determined not to be different he worked very hard, studied and after a few years he was able to be slowly reintroduced in main classrooms. Since then there has been no looking back. Matthew has learned to play the Guitar, Bass, manage the sound board at Church, and be very active with his youth group weekly as well. He is training for his high school swim team and is loving every moment of his normal life.

His new goal that he is determined to reach is to go Cross Country with his youth group on a Grand Mission Trip leaving: June 27 – July 14

Leaving from California going to New York and back, they will be stopping at all the major tourist attractions along the way: Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, Washington Monument just to name a few. But they will be stopping at every Calvary Chapel along the way to meet up with fellow youth groups and do various activities, This is a ONCE in a lifetime opportunity for Matthew, for any 16 year old really so any help would be a Blessing to us.
I hope to see you this weekend!! Mention this blog and I may have a surprise for you!

Scrapbooking Classes:

And don't forget to Join KatzScrapz at the Michaels in Rowland Heights for the next 4 week Scrapbook Design and You course. Just $25 gets you 8 hours of instruction to make your scrapbook pages look their best!

Call or walk in to register:
Michael's
17584 Colima Rd
Rowland Heights, CA 91748-1752
(626) 965-9336

Classes and Events for April

A few of my Favorite Things – the Scrapbook Expo edition

This past weekend I was lucky enough to have the Scrapbook Expo in Anaheim. For those that don’t know, this is a large trade show that is completely devoted to scrapbooking. People come from all over to spend the weekend shopping and taking classes and they have crops going on as well. And lucky me, it was just a 15min. drive from home.

First a little commentary on the Expo itself, even though the pervious Orange County location was further away from me, I preferred it. They had it at a Fair Grounds. The place was more open. Had more parking (we were forced to park at a nearby hotel when they ran out of parking at 10:30AM! – and some had to park blocks away at Disneyland and hike back.) And I heard that even though the crops ran to midnight, the food at the Anaheim Convention center shut down early and it was freezing in the big room at night.

Ok back to the good stuff. I think I’m in love!! I happened upon a crowd around a demo.

As I crept closer I saw it. Teresa Collins Designs and Photocentric have teamed up to create the Stampmaker. http://www.unkit.com/2010/08/10/award-winning-stamp-machine/ It’s a UV light system that allows you to create your own clear custom polymer stamps, stencils, and embossing dies!! Make my own stamps!! I’m so in! Then I saw the price tag $150 and so I forced my feet to walk away – for now. It’s so tempting though. Image all of the stamps you can create. What stamps would you like to see? So it’s on my wish list for somewhere down the road.

The second thing that really spun me were these awesome papers: Core Impressions from Corédinations

This is an amazing thing. The cardstock is sandable! What this means is when you look at it it’s embossed and often all one color. When you lightly sand, either just a section or the whole thing, the raised areas show the dyed core (done in things like clocks in this sample) and you have a completely different look! These are a wonderful and wholly unique idea! I only kind of understand how they do it but I know I love it.

http://www.coredinations.com/index.php/products/core-impressions/

And my final favorite thing from the expo was a very cool Letterpress system. From our friends at Quickutz: http://www.quickutz.com/newsletter/2009/July/L%20letterpress%20release.pdf
Now we’ve all seen those wonderful professional invitations with a debossed, inked image or lettering. Now imagine being able to make those yourself at home. Can you say Etsy business?! I knew you could. Again the price tag (a familiar show theme at $150) had me forcing myself to back away slowly. But if you have a die cut machine that has the hand crank (like the Big Shot), there is a Letterpress Start Kit for a much more reasonable price of $69. Seems like a very good investment if you do. I have a different kind of die cut machine, but I’ll save that for another Favorite Things post!

Scrapbook Expo - Make n Takes

So one of the real highlights of the Scrapbook Expo each year is all of the wonderful demonstrations at the booths. We call these Make n Takes. Well, because you make it there and then take it home!

They've been kind enough to post a list HERE of all of the wonderful things the exhibitors will be showing and letting you play with. This is a WONDERFUL way for beginners and experienced scrapbookers alike to learn new techniques, try out new tools and get a ton of ideas.

If you get to do some of these, I'd LOVE to hear how they were and see what you made!
Feel free to post that as a comment.

Scrapbook Expo Coupons!

The scrapbook Expo is in Anaheim this year! And it's this coming weekend. Here is the coupon for $2 off of admission:


And check out this link to get coupons for a bunch of exhibitors like Strictly Scrapbooking, Dollar Scrapbooking.net, and Quick Quotes!: Click here

Breezewood Village Craft Fair.

Breezewood Village Craft Fair. It is a senior center but the event is open and free to the public.

It will be on Friday, December 10th starting at 2pm. It will end at 3 or 4 depending on the turn out.

16000 Grayville Drive #2, La Mirada, CA 90638.

Small craft fair with multiple vendors. I know there will be hand-made jewelry, homemade candy and woodworking (doll beds/ step stools).

I will be a vendor there selling my scrapbooking/ papercrafting work. To include handmade holiday gift tags.

Cardmaking and Scrapbooking Buffet

This coming Sunday April 25th from 11am - 6pm Tall Mouse is having a
"Cardmaking (and Scrapbooking) Buffet"

Bring your cardstock, tools, adhesive and pics
and they'll provide:
stickers, embellishments, printed paper, and more.
All you can grab for just $10!!

I won't be able to attend this.
But head to that YORBA LINDA Store to enjoy this!
Yorba Linda
17506 Yorba Linda Blvd.
Yorba Linda, CA. 92886
(714) 996-0101

And CLICK HERE for a great 30% off Coupon to use while you are there!!!

Still Squeaking

The Cerritos Tall Mouse store is still there.

They are down to 40-70% on everything!!

Still quite a lot of great items there!!

I just came from there and spent too much money . . again.

Boutique on April 25th

A friend and fellow crafter told me about an upcoming Boutique:

SPRING/SUMMER BOUTIQUE (Torrance, CA)

Sunday, April 25 from 1pm to 7pm

Join us for this FREE event -- door prizes every two hours, refreshments, specials, etc. Vendors include Pampered Chef (Yvonne), K&D Designs (Jewelery by Diana & Kim), Mary Kay Cosmetics (Ramona) and Stampin'Up! (me, of course). Bring your friends to receive extra door prize tickets. An email letting me know you plan to attend will be helpful. kubotajudy@yahoo.com

* Finished Cards starting at $1 each

* Several NEW, beautiful card sets with matching boxes for Mother's Day Gifts, etc.

* Adorable Kid's projects

* Door Prizes

* Refreshments

AND MUCH MORE. R.S.V.P. NOW!!!

Last Day of the Mouse!

Just a reminder.

Today is the last day that the Cerritos Tall Mouse will be open.

Sunday, April 4th 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Most things are 20% off, but all holiday items are 70%.

See more about it here: http://www.tallmouse.com/email/t2liquidation.pdf

Coupons and Sale at Pinecone Press

Easter Egg Hunt

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Join us for our annual Easter Egg Hunt sale! Find an Easter Egg not only will there be a sweet treat for you, but also a special coupon that will give you a discount on your entire order. Discounts will be from 5-40% that you will get on your entire order at check-out time. Come and create a special Easter project with Shari.
Click here to find out more.

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Easter Cards Back to top Create these adorable Easter Cards with the Bunny Train Die-cuts

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New Coupons Back to top

Sad News about Tall Mouse

The Cerritos Tall Mouse store is closing.

Starting tomorrow they will be liquidating everything in the store.

In addition to the complete merchandise liquidation, racks, counters,
wood & metal shelving, brackets, peg board & peg hooks, various fixtures, office equipment, and store supplies are for sale. EVERYTHING WILL GO!

It is our intention to offer you an opportunity to shop our COMPLETE
INVENTORY at prices DISCOUNTED from 20% to 70% off.

STORE HOURS ON SALE OPENING:
Wednesday, March 31st 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 1st 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Friday, April 2nd 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 3rd 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 4th 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

See more about it here: http://www.tallmouse.com/email/t2liquidation.pdf

I am sad to see this great, locally owned, store go. Hopefully the Yorba Linda and Laguna locations will be able to hold on.

Card Making for a Great Cause

I came across a post on MyCraftCorner.com about Cards for Cancer Day.

Really seems like a wonderful idea. Here's a chance to do something we love and have it mean so much to someone that could use the cheering up!

Here's some info from their website:

"CARDS 4 CANCER DAY

APRIL 10th 2010

On Saturday April 10th, 2010 Spirit Jump and the team leaders around the world will deliver bags of uplifting cards to their local cancer centers to be given to those battling cancer. Cards can be collected by asking family members, friends, neighbors, schools, youth groups or just about anyway you can think of getting them. Cards can be handmade or store bought and should have a positive message to help JUMP the SPIRIT of someone who is battling cancer."

Click on the link below for more information and to find out how you can be a part of this great movement!

If you make one for this, please send me a picture so I can feature you on my blog!!

http://cards4cancer.org/

Tall Mouse BUFFET!!

This coming Saturday from March 27th 10am - 6pm Tall Mouse is having a
"Cardmaking (and Scrapbooking) Buffet"

Bring your cardstock, tools, adhesive and pics
and they'll provide:
stickers, embellishments, printed paper, and more.
All you can grab for just $10!!

I'll be at the Cerritos Store to enjoy this, come and join me!
Tall Mouse
13233 E. South Street
Cerritos, CA. 90703
(562) 865-0800

New Orders and events

Be careful what you wish for.

I've been working at this social marketing thing for a while now and obviously the goal there would be to expand the working end of my scrapbooking.

Well I've gotten scheduled to have a booth at a small craft fair. That's a great thing, but that means I've really got to get moving on getting some inventory ready to sell. I've got some great die cuts and cut-out pages and some blank cards but need some more pre-made pages.

Well, in the meantime I received a call to do a private scrapbooking lesson over at the Tall Mouse store. This is one of my favorite things. I bring as much of my supplies, tools, idea books as I can cram into one (and sometimes two) rolling carts and I drag it all over to the store. And then I sit and explain about my take on adhesives (see a previous post) letting them try a bunch out. And then I take out a few tools - often some different types of eyelet setters - and let them try them out to see if they like them and which kind they'd prefer. And then I talk about the fact that there are no rules to scrapbooking. Well you get the idea.

I gave my lesson on Thursday and ended up with an order for a full 20 custom pages! This would be my 3rd such order since I started offering this service less than a year ago. I've gotten plenty of other things, but this is the bigger one for me.

Part of me is excited to get started. But part of me is thinking - What was I thinking?!?! My time is stretched so thin already. But I know this will get me motivated again. And while I'm working on these pages, I'll try to throw in a few pre-made ones for the event in March.

So the plan now is to get off of the computer (yeah right) and go and work on my great cutter machine to make some very nice titles. (I'll post them later) And then to dig through all of my stuff (ok, can't make it through all of it tonight) and then pack up a bunch of things to take to the Tall Mouse Crop tomorrow. Hopefully that will find me getting a few pages done.

Come and join me if you are local!

Great Tall Mouse Coupons

Tall Mouse Coupons!

And this coming Sunday from 11am - 6pm they are having a

"Scrapbooking (and cardmaking) Buffet"
Bring your cardstock, tools, adhesive and pics
and they'll provide:
stickers, embellishments, printed paper, and more.

If all goes well, (and life get's out of my way) I'll be at the Cerritos Store to enjoy this!

Come and See me at a Craft Fair

Handmade Craft Fair

There will be vendors with Scrapbooking, Photography, Woodworking, Jewelry and MORE

When: Friday, March 19th
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Where: Community Room
Breezewood Village Apartments
16000 Grayville Drive
La Mirada, CA. 90638