*** GIVEAWAY POST FOR 500 OR MORE FOLLOWERS IS DATED SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2011***

Please leave your comment under the GIVEAWAY post for consideration in the drawing. Once I reach 500 followers I will select a winner! Thank you kindly.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

"TOOL TIME TUESDAY" THE MERRY GLO ROUND LIGHT BOX

Hello Bloggers!

This week's tool is brought to you by the folks at:EK Success.

It's the Merry Glo Round Light Box.

The Merry Glo Round 9" light box is an indispensable tool for a whole range of art, craft, and hobby applications. It's a fast and easy way to trace and cut designs, patterns, stencils, photos, dry emboss and lettering.
Other features include:
- Illuminated glass surface
- Spins for easier embossing and cutting
- Lightweight - under 4 lbs!
- Spin lock holds glass in place
- 9" reflective working surface
- Even light distribution
- Heat resistant tempered glass
- Replaceable long lasting fluorescent bulb
- Gripper feet ensures tool will not slide
- Plastic body will not rust
- Closed design for added safety - light bulb can not be touched when in use
- Includes AC adaptor
- Slanted edge is easier on the wrist
- Cut, glue and paint right on the surface and wipe clean with a baby wipe.

Dimensions: 13" round, with 9" round workspace


SEE IT IN ACTION HERE:




Thanks for tuning in!

Monday, June 28, 2010

CRAFTING TIP OF THE WEEK (#43) CLOTHESPINS FOR CRAFTING?

Good Day Bloggers!

For this week's tip I thought I would head on over to the laundry room for a little assistance.

I know what you're thinking but believe me, it will surprise you in a good way.

This time around I'm thinking...let's make use of an item in the laundry room that may not get used as often this day & age.
Curious yet? Got any idea what I could be alluding to?
If you haven't guessed it by now...I'll tell ya, it's the good ole CLOTHESPIN.

These underutilized pretties can be quite a hoot to include in your crafting fun. I am sure you have all seen the large versions in the craft stores often used to hold photos or recipe cards. Those are mostly decorative. They even sell them plain so you can paint & embellish them.

I am referring to the mini ones & the regular sized clothespins.
You can use them for more then just holding a photo or recipe card.
Use them in your scrap pages & card making projects.
You can paint the pins & stamp words or adhere rub-ons to them.

They look like this:


You can also use the pins to hold painted projects in progress that need a place to dry. What you do in that case is paint one side of your project, clip the unpainted half with the clothespin allowing the painted portion to air dry.
Once dry, flip the project & paint the other side while clipped to the clothespin.

You can also use the clothespins to fasten or suspend a mini pendant banner or clothing cut-outs like dresses or little t-shirts on your layouts, home decor or cards.
Here are a few ways I jazzed up some of my clothespins:




I used a rub-on from K & Co. on the plain, regular sized clothespin & added little bling with a single rhinestone.
I painted the minis with acrylic paint & used some on little t-shirt cut-outs and the other mini I simply adhered a butterfly on to it.
As you can see there is plenty you can do to give these a facelift and they make a unique, adorable addition to any project.

Now get going on trying them out for yourself & see what fun ways you can create & utilize clothespins in your crafting.

A.C. Moore, Michael's & Joanns all carry them in mini sizes. For regular sized ones grab a bag at the Dollar Store & go crazy.

Happy Crafting!

Friday, June 25, 2010

FABULOUS FRIDAY FIND-PHOTO SCANNER

Hello there!
Thanks for stopping by.

I found something that I think is well worth the investment for any scrapbooker, family archiver or just a lover of photos.
It is brought to you by the folks at PANDIGITAL.
It's a photo scanner featuring one touch scanning to get all those photos you may have stored in boxes and unscrapped to be enjoyed & preserved in a variety of ways.

You can transfer photos directly onto a digital picture frame to display in your home. Save the images to a memory card--no PC required. Or attach the scanner to your computer and transfer your images directly to your PC. Once they're on your computer, you can easily organize and share them with friends and family.

Here's the PANDIGITAL video from their website (www.pandigital.net):



They offer different size scanners which can scan your 4x6 size photos, 5x7's & even your 8x10's. If you purchase the larger size you can scan all the above mentioned sizes and everything in between. You don't just have to limit your scanning to photos either. You can scan your kids school work, art, historical family documents, archival records, recipes passed down from family members, birth certificates and more.

Pandigital.net is offering a great bundle price.

QVC.COM currently has a great price point going on for this product and they even give you an option to break up the payments into 4 easy payments, once a month for the next 4 months til it's paid off.

I know that Wal-mart & Target carry the pandigital photo scanner too but they do not have the larger sizes in my local area. Best Buy also carries this product. You can find more retailers online.

With technology advancing so rapidly and digital cameras virtually outnumbering 35mm & instant cameras, this is one way to be sure you preserve your photos in a way that you will access them for so much more then viewing.

You can share them with friends & family, organize them and create digital photo albums. Or you can simply just keep better track of all your family photos and build yourself a digital reference photo library.

Afterall, if you invest in the cameras, lenses, tripods, camera bags, SD cards & other digital camera goodies to take those precious pics, why wouldn't you want to give the same attention & care to those printed photos of the past? You know the ones... the ones that are yellowing in those old school albums, the ones that are in suitcases, the ones that other family members are holding on to because you have no place to store them. Yep, those forgotten ones. They may be older & less technologically advanced but they are an important part of your past that should be preserved for your future generations. They tell your stories.

That is just this humble girl's opinion.

Say hello to my little friend...the Pandigital Photo Scanner!











Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

"TOOL TIME TUESDAY" THE 7 GYPSIES BINDERIE PUNCH

Hi All!

This week's tool time feature is the 7 Gypsies Binderie Punch.

Yes, I know it is not new but I did receive a question from one of my followers on it- so true to form I just had to post about it. I really love this tool because it is portable, easy to use, can run on batteries or an AC adapter and works like a champ. It does what the Bind it All does but with lots less pressure to your hands & wrists.

Here's what it looks like:





Here's a demonstration video:



It is less expensive then the Bind it All. It is carried by many online retailers like www.bluemoonscrapbooking.com currently on sale for $35.99.
It drills holes in transparency, cardstock, thin chipboard & other mediums as well.

For the price & performance it is a great tool to have especially if you like making mini albums or projects that require a lot of hole punching.

This segment should have come with a WARNING...

ENABLING ALERT!

Monday, June 21, 2010

CRAFTING TIP OF THE WEEK (#42) FINDING THE RIGHT WORDS

Good Day Bloggers!

This week's tip is short & sweet.

If you are short on words for your scrapbook layouts, albums or cards there are ways to find some & here are a few:

1-The Bible! Scripture is inspirational, soothing & instructional. It can cover a multitude of subject matter.
2-Conduct an Interview, Q & A style with your subject then type up the interview word for word, print and adhere to your project.
3-Write a personal reflection. Compare & contrast from your perspective using a now & then approach to your journaling. For example;if the photo is of you as a child, describe the details, how you felt then & look back on it now.
4-Use words from beloved songs.
5-Go to websites like: www.poetry.com, www.lovepoemsandquotes.com or www.americanrhetoric.com. You can also find famous quotes and quotations on www.brainyquote.com.
6-Ask a family member to provide the story.
7-Find your favorite author and borrow a line or two.

Often times I get stuck in a rut and find journaling a challenge. The tips I have shared with you have really helped me immensely. Particularly with older photos where I could not remember all the details.

Happy Crafting!

Friday, June 18, 2010

FABULOUS FRIDAY FIND-THE PICTURE KEEPER

Hello Everybody!

This Friday's find is called the PICTURE KEEPER.

It is a USB Drive which keeps your pictures. You simply insert the Picture Keeper drive into any USB port on your PC, click "Start Backup" and Picture Keeper automatically finds and saves all your pictures. That’s it! They ALL fit right there on the Picture Keeper drive. What's more, subsequent backups are fast because Picture Keeper will only copy the newest images when you use it again to save your recently added or changed pictures.

It is compatible with PC's & MACS.
It is currently available in 3 sizes: 4GB, 8GB & 16GB.
They respectfully hold many photos.
4 GB holds 4,000 pics & retails for $29.99
8 GB holds 8,000 pics & retails for $59.99
16 GB holds 16,000 pics & retails for $99.99

This find may not be free but I assure you it is worth the money.
What better way to free up space from your computers, keep all your digital photos in one spot and have easy access?

Currently you can find the PICTURE KEEPER at these locations:
picturekeeper.com
Archivers
BJS.COM
focuscamera.com
Shop NBC

To find out more detailed information go to www.picturekeeper.com

Have a great weekend everyone!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

I AM THANKFUL...

I received this "SWEET BLOGGER AWARD" award from Sharon over @ http://lilprincesscardcreations.blogspot.com




Now I must share it with 10 other sweet bloggers. That is very difficult because I think all bloggers are sweet but I hope from my 10 it will spread to everyone as the sharing continues.

Here you go fabulous bloggers:
1- Kathylee @ http://myscrappycupcake.blogspot.com
2- Lauren @ http://laurenscreative.blogspot.com
3- Aubrey @ http://scrapamomentwithme.blogspot.com
4- Jenny @ http://kozfam5.blogspot.com
5- Raechel @ http://raechelscards.blogspot.com
6- Melissa @ http://melissa-moecreatons.blogspot.com
7- Janet @ http://lifefullofsunflowers.blogspot.com
8- Kylie @ http://blondee72.blogspot.com
9- Bonnie @ http://prettylittlesomethings.blogspot.com
10-Marilyn @ http://scrapbookinginparadise.blogspot.com

Thank you Sharon!
Happy Crafting.

GIVEWAY WINNER!

According to Random.org the winner is...

The Purple Muse & here is what she said...

Hi Sonia! I read your post on my blog. Thank you! It looks like we have similar crafting interests:-) You are so much farther ahead than I. I still need to replace my video camera my DH broke at Disney so I can start learning all of this YouTube stuff too! Looks like I'm #90. Not much further to go. Good Luck!
June 15, 2010 5:34 PM
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Please e-mail me your address at: archivingangel@yahoo.com so I can mail you your goodies!

I REACHED 100 FOLLOWERS...

In celebration of reaching 100 followers I will be drawing a winner of my giveaway this evening using random.org. I will post the winner @ 7oopm Eastern Time.

Thanks to all who participated & left comments.

It is truly appreciated.

A big thank you to all the followers old & new!

I'll be back with the giveaway winner.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

"TOOL TIME TUESDAY" ALTERATIONS DIES & EMBOSSING FOLDERS

Hey there!
This week's tool time is brought to you by Sizzix & Tim Holtz.

I thought it would be great to showcase his recent ALTERATIONS Dies & Embossing Folders. They are terrific and will work in the Sizzix and the Cuttlebug. You have to love that versatility.




Monday, June 14, 2010

CRAFTING TIP OF THE WEEK (#41) GLITTER STORAGE

Happy Monday Bloggers!

This week's tip is a quick one geared toward helping you keep your glitter in tact & organized in a fun, new way.

Simply put...try using clear glass salt & pepper shakers to store your fine glitter or sand.




Pour your fine glitter or sand into the vessels, screw the lid on & shake away.
Not only are the shakers functional they will look pretty kept out in your craft space.

Their small size make it easy to store and handle when crafting.

It is just another way of repurposing an item you may have on hand or might just have fun going out to get. The dollar store sells glass and plastic salt & pepper shakers. Since the dynamic duo usually come as a set you will have a place to store two different mediums at a low price point. They come in regular & mini sizes.

In the same way, you can use cheese shakers with larger holes in the tops to store mica flakes, thick glitter, mini beads, etc...

The key is to stick with CLEAR shakers so you can always see what medium is inside as well as your color.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

One Spark of Creativity Leads to Another

In recent weeks I had been feeling a bit of a crafter's creativity block and try as I might I just could not really get many projects started or completed.

About a week before my BFF arrived to join me for CKC Buffalo I began to feel inspired & managed to make 2 home decor wall hangings.

Here they are:





They look so much better in person. You cannot quite grasp the detail.
Here are the supplies I used:
Paper- Prima (Pastiche/ Butterfly Wings)
Ribbons- Prima
Pearls- Queen & Company
Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch
Tattered Angels Bird Chipboard
Keys= K & Company
Clocks= Maya Road & Heidi Swap
Arrows, Brads, Gears, Hangers & Clips=Tim Holtz
Wood Button Brads=Deja Views-Global views
Cream Flower Brads= Anna Griffin - Flora Collection
Text= Making Memories
Acrylic Green Birdie- Maya Road
Stickles used to outline flowers & glitz up butterfly centers
Twine

When my BFF saw these she knew she had to have one for her space too so my creativity sparked hers & here is what she came up with:





Fabulous Job!!!

It was nice to inspire her & see the finished product. She did a terrific job.
I hope our projects spark your creativity too.

Have a great day!

Friday, June 11, 2010

FABULOUS FRIDAY FIND-STORAGE SOLUTION FOR CHIPBOARD LETTERS

Happy Friday Everyone!
Thanks for tuning in to this week's Fabulous Friday Find.

I found this wonderful storage solution for chipboard letters that I thought was great.
It is a bit pricey but I thought knowing us crafters we could come up with a way to make it for less.

Here is what it looks like:




Isn't it just adorable? Quite functional too!
It is carried online by a few vendors and the price points vary.
Here are two vendors I found: www.tomnidesign.com ($79.95) and www.brendasbitz.com ($101.15).

Apparently it is an item that has been discontinued so when they are gone, they are gone.

This week's find is not free but it is totally fabulous and one that you can reproduce at a lower price point. If this storage idea appeals to you, you can use your rub-ons or alpha stickers to label drawers from a hardware store used to keep nails & bits and have your own version in no time.

This is the kind I mean:


Okay guys, hope someone finds this as fabulous as I did and can make good use of the information.

Have a great weekend.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

"TOOL TIME TUESDAY" XYRON CREATIVE STATION

Hello Everyone!

This week's featured tool is:

The XYRON CREATIVE STATION.
It is an awesome, versatile tool that can adhere, laminate & magnetize your images just by popping the cartridge of your choice into it & rolling your image through the machine.
This machine does not require electricity, is lightweight and portable and operates easily.

Check it out in action!

Monday, June 7, 2010

CRAFTING TIP OF THE WEEK (#40) DON'T DISCARD YOUR NEGATIVES FROM YOUR DIE CUT IMAGES

Happy Monday Everyone.

Thanks for tuning in to this week's tip.

I thought I would share an idea on an innovative way to use your negative die cut images.

After you have popped out the die cut and are left with the negative image,use it to create a customized, dimensional embellishment for a card or a scrap layout.

What you do is find a self adhesive cello bag. Make sure it is one that will fit behind your negative die cut image.
They look like this:



Often times when you purchase craft items they come in small, self adhesive pouches. Save those pouches for this project.
Here's mine:



Now fill that self adhesive, cello bag part way or about two thirds of the way with an item of your choice like...
glitter, confetti, mini shells, beads, etc...you get the idea.

I filled mine with these little flower shaped, green confetti:


Once your cello bag is filled part way, seal it and adhere it behind the negative die cut image. Once adhered, turn your negative over & you will be able to see through the cut part of your image the contents you inserted in the cello bag. That will render you an embellishment with dimensionality & uniqueness. For the best effect do not fill the bag full. Use good adhesive like glue lines or score tape. Coordinate your contents with your project for a customized look.

What you end up with is something that looks like this:














I die cut the gift box image from the "Stamping" Cricut Cartridge.
Just a little side note...you may want to sandwich the cello bag & its' contents between 2 negative die cut images for stability. Then adhere down to your project using glue dots or pop dots. Either way you can't go wrong on this one of kind fun, interactive embellishment.

I am certain you will have fun and discover so many possibilities.

Happy Crafting!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

A Little Peek into My Craft Studio- Always a Work in Progress

Recently some of my blog friends have wondered about my craft space.
When my friend Marilyn came over with her camera she was kind enough to get some pics of my space. That way I could post them on my blog for all you curious crafters.

I did not use them all as I thought my space was not in good enough order. Those pics also helped me to see the space from an outside perspective which once again had me rethinking my storage.
In any case, there are only a few pics but they give you a good idea of my layout. One side has storage cabinets and a computer area. The other side holds a old kitchen table which I revamped and placed a glass top on to turn it into my "creative station". Flanking the table are 2 inexpensive book cases which I assembled- where I store items I use most. My Espson, my Cuttlebug, embossing folders, dies & plates, bling, pearls, buttons, metallics & Air Force Embellishments. On my desk, I keep a lazy susan which I painted black that has many of my favorite embellishments as well. Those are kept in a footed bowl & in ceramic,cream, crown candleholders. Say that fast 3 times! I love clocks, gears, arrows, acrylics, birds, butterflies & lots of Tim Holtz. To the right of that is my daylight lamp, Cricut Expression & a 3 drawer system for my stickles, alcohol inks, tools & adhesives.
This room came with all the built-in cabinetry, carpet & chandelier that is evident in the photos. At first I did not like those things but I have since reconsidered. I tried to work with all the existing pieces to make the space my own. As you can see, I certainly made the most of it.

I recognize how truly blessed & fortunate I am to have a crafting place of my own.
From the kitchen table to this...

I've come a long way. To God Be the Glory! Thank you to my dear husband as well!

Click to play this Smilebox photo album:
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox
Photo album generated with Smilebox

Friday, June 4, 2010

FABULOUS FRIDAY FIND-PINKWOOL.COM-FREE DOWNLOADS

Hey Everyone~ thanks for stopping by today.

I want to share information on a site I found called www.Pinkwool.com where they offer lots of free downloadable images like stationary, cards, labels and many more useable items.

They currently have great free downloads for Father's Day cards that you can print right from the comfort of your own home. Did I say for FREE?

Go check them out & see how much they carry that you can use in your crafting, in your office, for your home & even for gifting.

It is a fantastic, fun free find.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

CKC BUFFALO PICS...

Hello There!

I finally downloaded the pics my dear friend took of our time together @ CKC in Buffalo.

Here we are: Me & My BFF Marilyn Outside the Buffalo Convention Center



Here I am with Holly Fossen (She is usually on HSN & works for Creating Keepsakes)
(Fun fact about Holly: her sister is Suzanne Runyan(also an avid crafter)- a host on HSN...I had no idea until she told me so!)



Last but certainly not least: Me & Melissa Frances!
I just love her!!!
She is as sweet & talented as can be and her beautiful products left me wanting more.



Thank you Marilyn for sharing this fun event with me and taking the pictures.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

"TOOL TIME TUESDAY" TAG CURLER

Hello Bloggers!

This week's tool is brought to you by Making Memories.
It is not a new tool on the market but can be a very useful one. It is super easy to use as well.

So let's take a look at the Making Memories Tag Curler.



Thanks for stopping by!