Sneak Peek #6: American Crafts Dear Lizzy 5th & Frolic (FOTM)

"You Are My Angel" by Jennifer Moore

"This collection invites you to enjoy the pleasures of home, with a color palette of crisp blues, pinks, greens, yellows, and airy neutrals put into the form of birds, trees, foxes, houses, keys, clipboards, and more. Accents of gold create an irresistible sophisticated sweetness and you can't help but feel right at home with this line." -- American Crafts Blog

Sneak Peek #5: Cosmo Cricket S'more Love (FOTM)

"Manly Men Only" by Melanie Call

"We've taken your favorite marshmallow and his chocolatey pal and updated them with a bit of Mad-Men inspired mid-century styling. They are sure to melt your heart faster than a roasting campfire!  Get the family reunion shots out, press the scout uniforms or jump in a lake... whichever you choose, be sure to bring along a camera for some awesome, outdoorsy scrapbook layouts!" -- Cosmo Cricket Blog

Sneak Peek #4: Pebbles Seen & Noted (FOTM)

"Work It!" by Beth Hallgren

"Record the adventures of everyday life in stylish simplicity with Seen & Noted. A warm color palette of red, yellow, green, turquoise and gray flourishes with beautifully versatile designs — from polka dots and stripes to speech bubbles and flowers." -- Pebbles Blog

Sneak Peek #3: Crate Paper Acorn Avenue (FOTM)

"You Are a Blessing" by Jennifer Moore

"Acorn Avenue is an eclectic, everyday collection with aspects of fall spread through out. One of the best things about this collection is that it can be used year-round for everyday moments, plus it works for both boys and girls. With fun and quirky art appearing thoughout this collection, it will make all your projects unique and fresh!" -- Crate Paper Blog

Sneak Peek #2: Echo Park Fall Fever (DS)

"My Rock Hounds" by Theresa Sovacool

"This fall tribute collection is whimsical and full of nature's beautiful imagery." -- Echo Park Blog

Sneak Peek #1: Crate Paper On Trend (DS)

"Smile" by Aphra Bolyer

"Our new On Trend Collection is full of high contrasts and fun, eclectic art to make your next project, well, be right on trend!  Instilled with show-stopping color and eclectic design, it's one of those collections you just can't go without." -- Crate Paper Blog

One Last Look: It's In the Details!

You know what tomorrow is, don't you?  Yep, sneak peeks start tomorrow!!! *bliss*  So, while we're waiting, let's take one more look at October's kits.  I know you've checked them out... maybe cut into them (what are you waiting for?)... or maybe even used them up already (rock on, girl, if this is you!).

But on the off chance you need a little mojo, or just like closer looks, here's what our favorite bits of the October kits look like:

Melanie takes a flair badge and sticker... nestles it perfectly in the corner with the awesome funky sewing print... and makes it all part of her journaling.  Simple, clean, and stunning.  The tiniest best little detail?  The heart in her exclamation point. *big love*

Some little details make the whole layout.  Brenda gets seven (!!!) patterned papers on this layout by just using little strips all the way around.  Little strips make a great border - and of course, it's all matchy matchy with the coordinating papers we get. 

Did you notice what Jenny did with this "Hello Fall" banner?  Check out the twine!  Love the little knots on each end - super cute way to kick up the banners in our kits.

Beth piles on some great texture and eye candy:  buttons with twine, die cuts, ink edging, a journaling strip, and a popped-up sticker.  A little embellie cluster with tons of impact!

Aphra cleverly cut her paper to place these great banners on the left of her pictures - and then dressed them up with just the right stickers.  I love how Aphra didn't get pushed into a corner by the printed graphics... she grabbed those scissors and made it hers!

I loved these stickers.  Possibly the cutest little fishy stickers EVER.  Plus the stripy one covered up a little boo-boo.  Don't tell.

Come back for our first sneak peek tomorrow...  It's going to be another great month!

- Theresa/"Savi"

Lettering Detail by Jenny!

My favorite scrapbooking embellishment? LETTERS! I can't get enough of them. Chipboard letters, foam letters, fabric letters, vinyl letters...it doesn't matter. I'll take one of each in every color, please! :) Letters and title work can add SO much to a page. For my "Thankful..." page, I immediately fell in love with the font style and size of these fabric Thickers by American Crafts:

However, when I placed them on my page, the title just didn't "pop" like I wanted it to, so I used my white gel pen (UniBall Signo white pen is AMAZING!) and added a thin outline to each letter. The result:

Just a simple little white outline on fabric letters can bring your titles to life. Take another look at all those letter stickers/Thickers that you have and see if a white outline is just what they need! ;)

- Jenny

Stitching on Your Layouts with Melanie!

I LOVE to stitch on my layouts with my sewing machine! I may be a bit addicted to stitching since it appears I cannot stop. After all, it is an economical way to add an extra special touch to your layout. I tell my husband I'm being thrifty...I don't think he really sees it that way though :)

Here are some ways I stitched on my layouts this month.

For my Simple Stories layout...I created a garland by placing the stickers on the layout then stitched right through them.

 

For my American Crafts layout...I hand cut little chevron/arrow-like shapes then stitched right through them to add an extra embellishment that matched the pre-printed pattern paper.

Finally for my Lily Bee layout I stitched through the hexagons and pattern paper....why use glue when I can stitch :)

Go ahead...try machine or hand-stitching on your next layout!!!

- Melanie

Photo Assignment: Leaves

Leaves.   Leaves on trees, leaves on the ground, leaves on kids, leaves on pumpkins, leaves in pretty centerpieces, leaves stuck to your car, brand new green spring leaves, leaves on houseplants, or leaves tracked ALL OVER the house... you get the idea.  We all have leaves, and they are EVERYWHERE.  And did I mention, tracked all over the house?

I think the Simple Stories lines would be amazing with leaf pictures... and isn't it great that you happen to have some in your stash right now?  *big grin*

We've kicked off this photo assignment with these photos from the Design Team:

Beth says:  "Fall splendor!"

Jenny says:  "Last year during Thanksgiving, my mom made this "Thankful Tree" for our family. We each got a paper leaf, and we wrote things that we were thankful for down on the leaves before hanging the leaves on the tree. It then became our table centerpiece for our big Thanksgiving meal.  I think a new tradition was born..."   (totally loving this!!!)

Aphra says:  "How wonderFALL!"

I say:  "It's been so horribly dry here... the leaves are either turning brown and falling off or just plain old falling off. No pretty colors this year."

So now it's your turn to go out there and capture that image you have in your head when you think of leaves.  It would be a great addition to your Project Life, Month-in-Review, or calendar pages.  You may even be inspired to take more than one photo and make a layout about what your leaves look like this time of year.  Aphra has this to say:  "I hope some members post their pics, too. I'd love to see and be inspired to go on a little fall photo shoot!"  Couldn't agree more!  Who can't use inspiration?  So go ahead and link up YOUR leaf photo with Mr. Linky - and thanks!

- Theresa/"Savi"

Colorrific Letters with Aphra!

Hi everyone.  Aphra here with a quick tip for getting just the right color letters that you need.  For my October recipe card, I dug through my stash of letters looking for just the right color to coordinate with the Pebbles Walnut Grove papers and embellishments.  None of them were exactly the color that I wanted.  Soooo . . . I grabbed a marker and a couple of chalks and altered away.

Before

After

On the Layout

You can do this same technique with your chipboard letters, too.  Just peel off the top layer of color and then paint or chalk them.  You can even add some Crystal Accents to give them a shiny finish.

Can't wait to see your altered letters!

- Aphra

Mod Squad: Andrea & Joyce!

If you've been anywhere near our Message Board this month, you've noticed that Andrea & Joyce are our new moderators for the quarter - and their goal is to keep us all chattering and challenged and inspired to get more pages done.  I can support that!  *grin*  And since they're at the helm for the next 3 months, I thought it would be fun to get to know them a little bit better.  Plus, I am maybe a little bit nosy.  *wink*

Did you know Andrea & Joyce live near each other and are friends from way back?  Yep, awesomeness!  

Joyce (on the left) says:  "Here is a picture of Andrea and I at a crop together back in the spring. We like this one because we are doing our favorite thing together....scrapping at a crop!"

Andrea, how did you get started scrapping?

I got started in scrapbooking in 2001.  I was invited to a CM party.  I had always scrapped in a sense.  I loved to save all memorabilia, and took lots of pictures & stuck them, randomly, into books.  Anyway, I went to that party and the rest is history.  I bought a little 5 x 7 scrap book & the kit to go along with it & that was it...I was hooked.  I was stuck on CM for quite some time & then branched out when I discovered all of the other beauty the scrapbook world held for me!  HA!!  Luckily, I did do CM or I would have never met Joyce!! 

Joyce, you've been scrapping for a while now.  What 3 tools and piece of advice would give a newbie scrapper?

Tools:  Paper trimmer, a good pair of scissors, and a Creative Memories multi-purpose tool.  Advice:  Be inspired by others scrapping abilities but don't ever feel like your pages aren't "good enough". You are preserving memories and that is beautiful thing! 

Okay, Andrea.  Five random facts about yourself!  Go!

1. I LOVE Hulk Hogan.  If I ever meet him I WILL kiss him, and I want him to flex his bicep so I can hang from it.  My husband has been warned.
2. I want to go to all 50 states before I travel out of the country.  Well, unless I could convince my husband to take us to Niagara Falls, Canada side. 
3. I have never been drunk.  Not even lying!  
4. I love the way my husband smells when he gets home from work all sweaty & dirty.  Rawr!!
5. I have approximately 350+ LO's that need to go into albums, and I still need to buy the albums.  UGH!!

Joyce?  How about you?

1. Coffee is my favorite beverage.
2. Together my hubby and I have 7 kids and all of our names begin with J while all our animals begin with C.
3. I can't sleep with my feet out of the covers for fear something will grab them.
4. I have to have something red in every room of the house.
5. I love Nutty Bars! I mean, really love them....they are good with coffee!

Andrea, what is your desk trying to tell you right now?

If my desk could talk it would be asking me why all I ever do is make bows anymore!  I'm sure it is crying that I don't love it anymore. I had to scrap on a different table Monday night because I have too much ribbon, bottlecaps, glue sticks, etc. on my scrap table.  It's terrible, but I do love it, and I promise it I will scrap on it again...very very very soon! 

So what non-scrappy items are in *your* space right now, Joyce?

Shania Twain CD, my 'Dotty' Scentsy warmer, my collection of DVD's (Sweet Home Alabama, Andy Griffith, Gilmore Girls), a bird house my son made for me when he was 6 (he is 29 now), my collection of hand made items from Kenya, and Russian dolls.

Sounds like we're in for a fun time, ladies!  I wish I lived a little closer, myself.  I can imagine coffee (and nutty bars!) with these two would involve lots of giggling and perhaps a little coffee out the nose periodically.

Now before you head back to the Message Board to see what Andrea & Joyce are up to today... here are their favorite layouts to share with you.  Enjoy the inspiration!

"This is Us" by Joyce

"Pure Joy" by Andrea

- Theresa/"Savi"

October Sketch Challenge and September Winners!

We have another great sketch for you this month!  Aphra drew this one up and we all loved putting our spin on it.

Sketch by Aphra Bolyer

Aphra Bolyer

Beth Hallgren

Brenda Carpenter

Jennifer Moore

Melanie Call

Theresa Sovacool

Use one photo or many.  Pile on the embellishments or not.  Use many patterned papers or only a few.  Regardless of how you spin it... go to your scrappy space and just have fun!  You have until October 31st to link your completed layout here for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the TSR Store.  Good luck!

And speaking of that $10 gift certificate, here are our September challenge winners!

Our Sketch Challenge winner is Kim {emmakat} with this layout about her sweet Fred.  Love how that embellie circle keeps my eyes traveling around the page!

Our Got Scraps Challenge winner is tutteli with this gorgeous layout about how time goes by.  Love the woven strips and how the grey background just pops!  I won't mention that she mixed kits - it totally freaks me out, but so many people do it so well. *wink*

Congratulations ladies!  Please email Tammy at admin@scrap-room.com with your real name, address, and the name of the contest you won.  She'll get your prizes to you right away.  Happy shopping!

- Theresa (a.k.a. "Savi")

What "Wood" You Do? It's In the Details!

While you are waiting for your kits... (they'll be here this week!!!!)... check out the fun little wooden pieces we're getting this month!

You'll get 3 of these speech bubbles in the FOTM kit!

You'll get 4 or 5 of these cameras in the Doubleshot kit!

Hmmmmm... wondering how to use them?  Well, no worries.  As usual, the Design Team has done an amazing job of working with all the bits of the kit to encourage and inspire you to get more pages done.  Check out these great details!

Melanie used a speech bubble, die cuts, and a sticker to make a great accent for her back-to-school photos.

Beth inked this speech bubble - it's terrific looking *and* a great way to add some commentary to photos!

Jenny used this speech bubble as a sentiment on a card.  Perfect and easy.

Brenda used this speech bubble as an embellishment on this super cool file folder detail.

Brenda used another speech bubble on the same layout as part of her title.  Love that!

I inked a camera, tied some twine on it, and filled the center with Glossy Accents to make it look "lensy" (is that a word?).

This Polaroid-style camera inspired me to mat my photos as if they were Polaroid pictures, too.

And finally... I used this camera as a charm on a card.  Easy peasy!