Tuesday, December 30, 2014

10 Papercrafting Resolutions

Did you know that you could make papercrafting resolutions? You can and they are a little easier to keep because they are fun!!!   Here's some suggestions!

1.  Step out of the box this year!  Try something new in your papercrafting.  Lately I've had a lot of fun with wet embossing.  It's easy and fun to watch the embossing powder melt.  

2.  Set a page goal.  How many pages would you like to get done in 2015?  Break it down by month or even by week and go for it!

3.  Buy something new.  Try a new ink color, a pack of paper you wouldn't normally choose or if you are a flat scrapbooker, try some embellishments that have texture!

4.  Are you a cardmaker but not a card giver?  Make this the year you actually send out cards.  Make a list of all the people you love and their birthdays, just for a start.

5.  Speaking of birthday lists, one easy way to keep track is our event calendar.  Here's the link to the calendar.  Here's a link to the way I decorated this calendar a few years back.

6.  Organizing your crafting supplies is something that people tend to put off.  Allow yourself just 5 minutes a day to organize something in your scrapbook room, you wouldn't believe how much you can do in a short time.

7.  Actually MAKE something you've pinned on Pinterest.

8.  Share your artwork this year!  Post it on facebook, start a blog, share your work at crops.  You worked hard, you deserve it.

9.  One of my worst downfalls of my scrapbooking is not getting my pages into albums.  If you are the same, promise yourself that you are going to work on getting those albums filled up.

10.  Negative talk leads to negative thoughts.  This year, don't let the words "I"m not creative"  leave your lips.  Creativity can be learned, it's called practice.  Train yourself.

Have a wonderful New Year!  

Barbra

Sunday, December 14, 2014

10 things you can organize in 5 minutes in your scrapbook room

1. Your idea books, don't alphabetize them, just get them back into place, turn them all in the same direction, and stick something heavy on each side to keep them upright.

2. Writing instruments, not your collection of markers but your pens, pencils. Get them into a jar or container of your choice.

3. Inks: Luckily most of you probably have less than 50 inks so get them into their container and if you have time, organize them by color or alphabetize.

4. Your desk space: If it's like mine it will take more than five minutes worth of cleaning BUT just spend five minutes and see how much you can get done.

5. Albums: Put them away, get them off the floor, the desk, the dining room table and back onto the shelf.

6. Dust: Run around with your duster or rag cleaning up all of that artwork and knick knacks in your craftroom.

7. Cuttlebug templates or Cricut cartridges: Get them back into their containers.

8. Punches: Another thing you can usually straighten up in five minutes unless you've gone terribly crazy and own hundreds!

9. Adhesives: Get them back to their places, tops on, in cases.

10. Scissors: If you have time, use a little goo gone an get them cleaned, if not, at least put them all in one place!

Good luck!

Friday, December 12, 2014

Giveaway Friday!

It's giveaway Friday, be the 12th person to email me at caldreamin05@comcast.net with the subject line "Merry Christmas" and win a Close to my Heart ink pad!!!  (No consultants please)

12/14 update!   Congratulations to Peggy Roberts!!

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Are you in a crafting slump?

Does is seem like forever since you sat down to scrapbook, make cards or paper craft and you find that you are having trouble getting motivated?  If so, here are ten ways to get yourself back into the crafting groove once again.

1.  Just do it.  Sometimes the best way to get back to crafting is to just force yourself to sit down and do it.  Remember the joy it brings you?  Just yesterday I had to do this very thing and ever since I've been on a high about the cards I created.  It's like cleaning out a closet, once you finish you can't stop going back to look at it.  Sit yourself down and do just one thing and see if it doesn't bring the joy back.

2.  Gather ideas!  We are so lucky to live in the age of the internet and especially Pinterest where literally millions of ideas are at our disposal.  This doesn't work for everyone but if you are someone who gets motivated to craft once you see an irresistible idea, pull out those idea books or get on your computer and find some new papercrafting idea that makes you want to go running to your crafting room!

3.  Buy something new.  Now I know that some of you are craft supply collectors instead of doers so if you are, forget this step. However, if the latest tool or a pack of brand new scrapbook paper gets you going, buy yourself an early Christmas present and bring it home to try out.

4.  Carve out time.  Especially at this time of year we tend to overbook our time to such an extent that there is not a moment to craft even if we wanted to.  This is not good!  This is exactly the time of year that you need to take out some time for yourself so that you don't get overwhelmed.  When I was in Mother's of Preschoolers years ago we called it filling up our juice box.  We tend to give and give and get all the energy squeezed out of us by family obligations and don't take the time to fill our juice box back up by taking a break. Schedule some time, even if it's only an hour, and allow yourself to craft to fill you (the juice box) back up.

5.  Do a project that requires very little effort but gives you great results.  Making a card is great example, it doesn't take long but the satisfaction is great!   Choose something that you really want to do that won't take too much time and see if that doesn't give you your crafting mojo back.

6.  Make a small Christmas present.  We have people in our lives who we just give a small token of our appreciation to, choose one of those people and make a small gift with your paper supplies.  As you make it, keep in mind the smile that will be on that person's face when they see you took the time to actually MAKE something for them.  See if that doesn't motivate you.

7.  Clean your crafting area!  This does it for me everytime because I simply can't think in a messy room, let alone create.  Remember that you don't have to do this all in one day if it's really gotten crazy messy in there.  Use the 15 minute method.  Whenever you find a spare 15 (or even 5 minutes) go to your crafting room and see what you can do.  I think you'll be surprised how much you can accomplish in a short time.

8.  Get together with your friends.  Find someone or more than one person who is looking for some crafting time too and get together to craft.  Knowing you have an obligation to a crafting buddy can usually get you back into your crafting mood.

9.  I am not a person who really likes the unscheduled time when the whole family is home over the holidays.  I don't like getting out of my routine and I tend to go a little crazy and get grumpy because of this.  So, when I know it's coming, I specifically plan projects for myself to get me past vacations and long weekends.  The worst time for this, to me, is the week after Christmas before New Year's Eve.  The festivities are over and everyone is off playing with their new gifts.  That's the time I set aside for my crafting projects, the big ones especially.  Look to your own calendar and see if you can predict some of that open time (and it is coming!) and start dreaming of what you want to do now.

10.  Last but not least, what product have you collected and still not used?  Is it brads, buttons, paper?  What is your supply overload? Determine it and challenge yourself to take that collection out and use as much of it in the shortest time possible.  Put them on your crafting table along with your basic supplies and go to it, getting rid of as many as you can on your pages, cards or papercrafts.  The sense of accomplishment will really amaze you!

Hope these help!  I would love to hear if they did so shoot me an email atcaldreamin05@comcast.net.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Rolling and Shoulder Totes are now available!

I love our new rolling and shoulder totes, they are sooooo pretty!   Close to my Heart has told us that the first batch will go first and then there will be a wait for the second batch so order yours now so you have no delay!  You can buy yours at this link!




Sunday, December 7, 2014

For Stamp Lovers - The Ultimate Sale!

December Special!!!   Spend $50 from either the Annual Inspirations or Seasonal Expressions catalogs and you are able to purchase not only the stamp of the month for $5 but you can purchase unlimited C or D size stamps for $10 only from the annual idea book!!

30 Stamps I'll be Ordering!

1.  Geek is Chic D1599



2.  School Years  D1556
3.  All the Details D1555
4.  Delightful Ditty C1590



5.  Season of Thanks D1604
6.  Lifetime of Happiness C1589
7.  Always Grateful C1559
8.  Happy Birds C1600
9.  Country-Born D1543



10. Noel C1598
11.  Christmas Village D1554
12.  Make it Merry  D1617
13.  Shreddin' the Slopes D1603



14.  Best Christmas D1613
15.  Polar Bear Holiday C1557
16.  Flakey Friends C1506



17.  Frosty Fun D1611
18.  Build-a-Cake D1618
19.  Bodacious Banners D1607
20.  Wild Wonders C1558
21.  Nursery Charms  C1601



22.  Big Hug D1584
23.  A Budding Friendship D1602
24.  Rainy Day C1597



25.  Your Own Kind of Wonderful D1627
26.  Fabulous You  C1533
27.  Here We Go D1600



28.  Lifting Spirits C1570  
29.  Seaside Greetings  D1609
30.  Hello Summer  C1595