Description:
.. Happy Mother's Day!.. Earth Day '08.. Coming Soon! Invites @ blink..
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PS... the Mother's Day page in the photo below can be purchased through my website www.blinkcustomscrapbooks.com.
Also, it's not to late to let blink organize and create a beautiful scrapbook for mom or grandma!
Maria
Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother's Day to all scrapping moms! Hopefully your day was a restful and special one... With the photos that I'm sure were taken, why not create a mini 6x6 album? Or lately I've been seeing more of the acrylic or chip-board albums. These albums are great for display as they stand on their own and look as though they could double as a picture frame on a side table. Maria Scrapbook Designer, Founder
Earth Day '08
April 22nd was Earth Day... Did you help the environment by re-using your scrapbooking supplies? Every scrapper I know does her part by using every bit of scrap paper. Don't throw something away if it can still be used. You never know when you'll need a tiny piece of paper for a punch. Or another good way to help our earth is by swapping or donating your old scrapbook tools or supplies if you don't want or need them anymore. A few of my local scrapbook stores are holding "garage sales." They are letting people come in and set up tables full of their old stuff. Whatever they "sell" will go toward store credit. Brilliant! Ask around at your local stores to see if they'd be willing to do something similiar.
Maria
Scrapbook Designer, Founder
blink Custom Scrapbooks
Coming Soon! Invites @ blink
I am very happy to announce that coming soon to blink Custom Scrapbooks will be the addition of hand-made invites and announcements (with a "scrapbooked" feel)! Recently, I was asked to make baby shower invites, and they turned out so well, I decided to expand my business venture. I'll keep everyone updated as to when the invites will be officially up and available for customization on my website through this blog.
Maria
Scrapbook Designer, Founder
blink Custom Scrapbooks
Who knew scraps of paper could be so useful? Last blog, I wrote about organizing and sorting them in order to find colors faster and more efficiently. I've found that these scraps help tremendously when creating title layouts on my pages when using the Cricut. Because the Cricut's blade can be positioned anywhere on the mat, you can use multiple scraps of paper in varying colors, if you so choose. I've found the following technique to work particularly well: Try to place scraps of paper that are similiar in size next to each other, leaving just a bit of space between them to allow for the Scotch tape. (As my regular readers know, I use small pieces of Scotch tape to ensure my paper does not jump.) Position your blade at the corner of your chosen scrap, make sure your "size dial" is set appropriately, type in 1-2 letters, and hit "cut." Don't remove your mat, just re-position your blade at the corner of your next scrap of paper, and repeat the process with the next letter(s) of your title. When you're finished, you'll have a fun, colorful title to compliment your page (without the hassle of removing sheets after each cut!)
Maria
Scrapbook Designer, Founder
blink Custom Scrapbooks
Just wanted to add a quick tip about organizing your scraps... As I blogged yesterday, I found hanging file folders to sort my plethora of scrap paper. The box of folders that I bought came with 24; this left me with extra folders. I'm using the extra ones to organize my "odds and ends" that I've collected over time. After finishing our wedding scrapbook, I had a bunch of random wedding-related items (paper, embellishments, ribbon, etc.) I grouped everything wedding related and put it all into my new "wedding" hanging folder. I did the same for all of my Disney-related items. If you have random stuff that's related (such as wedding or baby items) try grouping everything together in one place, whether it's a folder, drawer, or whatever. I'm sure this system will save time when you're looking for something specific!
Maria
Scrapbook Designer, Founder
blink Custom Scrapbooks
Stop the Scrap Paper Insanity!!
Hopefully everyone had a wonderful Easter and had their fill of chocolate bunnies and peeps! I'm still working on my stash :)
I decided to do a little spring cleaning of all my scrapbooking supplies. In particular the one chore that I've been dreading is sorting through my scrap paper pile... um, mountain. I have every shade imaginable, so when I need to find something it's quite a hassle and time consuming to find exactly the color that I'm looking for. A light bulb went off and I've fixed the ever-growing problem. The neat and easy way that I organized my scraps was by getting inexpensive hanging file folders and labeling each folder a different color. Now, when I need a small piece of black cardstock to mount something little on, I go straight to the folder labeled "black" and ta-da! all black scraps are at my fingertips! No more time wasted and most importantly, no more wasting a full sheet of cardstock for something small.
How do you handle your scrap paper?? What's your organization method?? I'd love to hear it!
Until next time,
Maria
Scrapbook Designer, Founder
blink Custom Scrapbooks
Hey Provo Craft! Prolong the Life of Your Mats!
So by now I've had a solid two weeks to play with my Cricut and I'm still loving it and all the wonderful things that it does! One minor complaint (as do a ton of people) that I have is about the "sticky" mat. According to the package, the stickiness should last between 25-40 uses. Twenty-five uses could occur within one serious day of scrapbooking. The tackiness of my mat was lost by the end of my second day using it. Just throwing it away and busting out a new one every few days doesn't seem like a good option, so I began to do some research. Provo Craft suggests getting multiple mats and rotating them with each use. They also say to insert the mat opposite the arrow. Personally, I don't feel that using multiple mats will solve a whole lot; I'll just have several mats lying around exposed to air while losing their tackiness. I did insert the mat opposite the arrow and that didn't do anything.
Still I'm determined to make that mat last longer. I stumbled upon a tip that suggested running the mat under hot-to-warm water and letting it air dry. I will admit that this helped regain some tackiness. I got probably 8-10 more uses out of it. After that, I decided to place small pieces of tape on each end of the paper I was using. As long as the paper is pulled taut and it's smooth on the mat, it didn't shift, thus cutting my letters perfectly! Just be sure to position your blade away from the tape.
If anyone has any better tips on prolonging the life of the Cricut mat, I'd love to hear them! I'm willing to try almost anything so long as I don't have to buy and stockpile mats!
Until next time,
Maria
Scrapbook Designer, Founder
blink Custom Scrapbooks
Cricut Mania!
After almost a year of pining away for the Cricut, I finally got it this past weekend! I got my first glimpse of the Cricut in person at a crop night when a woman brought her's and her plethora of cartridges. She may have had all that were available at the time. Michael's hadn't gotten smart yet and the 40% off coupons were good for all Cricut accessories. She took full advantage! As you can imagine, jealousy hung in the air like a dark cloud. So far my Cricut has lived up to it's expectations. I brought it to my usual Monday crop and saying that it was enjoyed by all would be an understatement. I currently have the "George" cartridge that comes with it and the "Jasmine" cartridge. I thought that the font seemed elegant, maybe even fancy (?) and completely opposite of "me" and my scrapbooking style. I decided to experiment with new styles and scrap outside my comfort zone. Seeing as the cartridges aren't exactly cheap, it'll probably be awhile until I get my next one. Does anyone have a favorite cartridge that you just love and feel everyone should have it? Let me know! As of now, I'm undecided-- there are SO many to choose from! I'd love some help deciding, seeing as my birthday is next month... hopefully my husband reads my blog (wink!). Until next time,
Maria Scrapbook Designer, Founder
Welcome Connected Monthly Readers!
This month, I received some exciting news... a scrapbooking article that I submitted to my local magazine was accepted! Therefore, I'd like to say 'Welcome to my blog!' all of you Connected Monthly readers. As in my article, I like to share scrapbooking tips, ideas, and stories in my Scrapfection! blog. I update my blog at least once a week, if not more, so check back often to get your scrapbooking fill. And as always, I encourage feedback and comments. Share your ideas or ask me questions, that's what Scrapfection! is all about!
Until next blog,
Maria
Scrapbook Designer, Founder
blink Custom Scrapbooks
Time Flies When You're Cropping
Yesterday, my scrapping buddy, Kristen and I spent another full Monday happily cropping away. As we both are busy people, we try our hardest to get together every Monday to work on our current scrapbook projects. We've realized that hours can fly by without either of us ever noticing. Our day begins with the opening of the door to our favorite scrapbook store and it ends when they need to lock up at night. That's approximately twelve hours of solid cropping! We were laughing about this yesterday; some people think we're crazy! (My husband included.) Yet to us that twelve hours is over within the blink of an eye. Sometimes, I'll come home, unpack my supplies and continue to scrapbook. That's dedication.
Another thing about yesterday-- she spent six hours working on a two-page layout of the "Tower of Terror" in Disney. The end result was unbelievable. She captured the essence of the dusty, antique and worn look of her photos perfectly on her layout. The funny thing is, neither of us thought anything of the time that she spent. The finished pages spoke volumes about her effort. My question is this: How many scrapbookers out there can spend entire days cropping and not ever realize that countless hours have passed? What's the most amount of time YOU spent working on a single layout? Can you beat six hours? I'd love to hear your story!
Until next our next crop,
Maria
Scrapbook Designer, Founder
blink Custom Scrapbooks
Stamping: Not just for card making!
It seems as though the more scrapbook pages and albums I complete, I find more and more extremely useful scrapbooking products. Until recently, I always thought that stamping was geared toward card making. I saw it as a convenient way to mass produce thank you cards or baby shower invites. Wow- was I wrong! My local scrapbook store had a clearance sale on some clear stamps. On a whim, I bought a few and the necessary clear block that the stamps attach to. As soon as I came home, I experimented with them on white cardstock and I was hooked! I have since gone back and purchased alphabet, journaling and "doodle" stamps. Of course then, I had to buy a colorful array of stamp pads.
I recommend investing in at least a set of the alphabet stamps. These are so convenient, especially when adding a title to a scrapbook page. You can stamp each letter individually if you wanted to use different color inks on different letters, or you can stamp all the letters in the word together and use the same color ink. My other recommendation is that you purchase the appropriate sized clear block that you use to place the stamps on. As I've found, it's better to have a larger block to ensure that every stamp fits.
As always, I encourage you to share your scrapbooking tips and tricks. If you have a great use for stamps or a helpful suggestion, please share! Until next blog...
Maria
Founder, Scrapbook Designer
blink Custom Scrapbooks
Xyron 150 Create-a-Sticker
The other day, my cropping buddy, Kristen, and I spent nearly 11 hours at our favorite scrapbook store- Crop, Paper, Scissors (located in Plainfield). I had Sizzix-ed myself a creative title for my page and began the daunting task of speading my glue stick on the back of each individual letter. The glue, inevitably, began to get messy. My fingers were a sticky mess. The sides of the small letters were a mess. I was annoyed. Seeing my frustration mount, Kristen whips out her new Xyron sticker maker and says, "Use this- no more mess!" I slide my letters in, pull them out, and press them down on my page. Unbelievable. Apparently I've been living in a scrapbook bubble because I've seen this handy device but never really took the time to discover what exactly it did. After using Kristen's, I bought my own Xyron right there on the spot.
For those of you who may not know what the Xyron 150 is (like I didn't) let me tell you all about this fabulous scrapbooking must-have! The Xyron is used to place a sticker backing on any type of paper that is 1/16" or thinner; cardstock included. The device itself looks like a capital letter 'X'. You place whatever it is you want to turn into a sticker in the top compartment of the Xyron and push it in until the sticker cartridge catches your piece. On the bottom part of the 'X' you pull the sticker tape and out comes your newly made sticker. As in my case, I made the page title, "Merry Memories" so I continued to feed all my letters through the Xyron. One important tip: Before you peel off the clear protective covering, run the tip of a pencil around the shape of each piece. If you don't, the adhesive tends to get trapped in small crevices and around edges.
When your Xyron sticker cartridge is used up, replacements can be purchased. The cartridges come in either permanent or repositionable adhesive.
Now that I own a Xyron, I don't know how I scrapbooked without it!
If you croppers out there have any great scrapbooking tools that you CAN'T crop without, I'd love to hear about them!!
Maria
Scrapbook Designer, Founder
blink custom scrapbooks
My New blink Adventure
I'd like to start off today's blog by apologizing for not writing last week. I've been busy working on a new part of my custom scrapbooking business, blink. Coming soon, think February '08, I'll be listing pre-made 8x8 albums and two-page 12x12 layouts. They'll be ready for shipment immediately; just add photos when they arrive at your doorstep! Instant scrapbook pages...what could be easier? I'll be sure to add a note about the importance of archival-safe adhesive. As we all know, what's the point of a beautiful scrapbook if the photos become warped? Hmm.. just had a thought. Should I include an archival-safe adhesive with each scrapbook or layout that I sell? I know first-hand, that before I began scrapbooking, I wasn't aware of the differences in glue. I assumed it was pretty much all the same. Obviously, I know now that isn't true. So everyone out there reading Scrapfection! what do you think? Would it be a good idea to include adhesive? And particularly, what kind? Glue stick? Photo corners? Zots? Mounting Squares? Let this blogger know what YOU think!
Maria
Scrapbook Designer, Founder
blink Custom Scrapbooks
Remember 2007 with a Year-in-Review Scrapbook
The third week of 2008 is just around the corner. The Christmas decorations (should be) put away by now and your new year (ideally) is in full swing. Just because we're looking forward to the year ahead of us doesn't mean that 2007 should be a forgotten memory. Hardly! The events that took place in your life are significant. No matter how large or small, they shaped who we were, who we are and who we will be!
Here are a few ideas for how best to remember 2007 and give last year the props it deserves... Dig out all the photos you can find (that aren't already scrapbooked!) from last year. You know the ones: building snowmen during a "snow day," cheering on the Bears during the Super Bowl, travelling cross country for a wedding, the "prized" pumpkin that was grown in your garden, etc. With all of your photos handy, sit down with a notebook, pen and most importantly, your family. As everyone looks back at those moments, jot down what people say. Not only do you now have instant journaling blocks completed, the hard part of sorting through pictures just got a little easier, and hopefully, more fun too.
With your photos and journaling in hand, you can begin your family's 2007 scrapbook. You could create it following a calendar-like template: creatively scrapped month on one page, creatively scrapped photos/journaling on the next and so on. Or scrap your photos by season. Gather all winter photos, papers and embellishments together, scrap, and you're already one season down. Or scrap your photos by family member, yes pets included! However you do your 2007 scrapbook, it'll surely become something that everyone will not only enjoy but treasure as well!
Maria
Scrapbook Designer, Founder
blink Custom Scrapbooks
Holiday Recipe Scrapbook
Happy 2008! If you're like me, the holidays flew by within the blink of an eye. By "holidays" I mean the Big Three... Thanksgiving, Christmas, and of course, New Years. With the Big Three usually come the Big Five to Ten. Pounds, that is. Looking back though, shouldn't we all say that it was worth it? After all, what would Thanksgiving be without that coma-inducing meal, complete with a heaping slice of pumpkin pie? For me, the "Christmas Season" doesn't begin until I have my first bite of homemade fudge or the easiest, but tastiest appetizer ever... ham roll-ups. Don't ever show up to Christmas late, because those are the first to go! (I learned this lesson the hard way this past year. Very disappointing!)
Certain foods have been Christmas staples for as long as I can remember. They have sentimental value. They bring back wonderful memories of Christmas' past. These foods and the recipe cards they are preserved on deserve better than to be stuffed in an ordinary recipe box, sitting drearily among the meatloaf and potato cards. Special recipes should be showcased and preserved in such a way that gives them the glory and appreciation they deserve. Am I going too far here? Absolutely not. Especially not in the scrapbooking world. Recipes tell a story. Shouldn't your recipe book do the same?
By now I'm sure all you serious scrappers have developed your Christmas photos. Chances are, you'll find family and friends enjoying a morsel of this or a bite of that, smiling away for the camera. When you create your recipe scrapbook, be sure to include those photos. Journal the moment and "the good 'ol days" will be re-lived each and every time someone reaches for it. Now, gather together your special recipes, scrap a recipe book, and re-live your special moments with the ones you love. Timeout while attemping to download the Blog or RSS feed.
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