Great Groupon Deal for Shutterfly Photo Book!

OK, this is just too good of a deal not to share! Today you can get in on an awesome deal from Shutterfly through their Groupon offer. For just $10, you get a 20-page 8"x8" hardcover photo book from Shutterfly...that's a $30 value!

Click here to get the deal: Shutterfly Photo Book Deal

If you're not familiar with Groupon, it's a coupon-type website that has daily offers from various companies...some are local to specific areas and others are for online retailers. Since Shutterfly is on online retailer, today's deal is available to everyone no matter where you live!

If you're not familiar with Shutterfly, they are an online retailer of photo prints and other photo-related products. Their photo books are outstanding! It's a great way to get your digital scrapbook pages printed and bound into a book...you can even upload scans or photos of your paper-and-paste scrapbook pages. Or you can use their premade templates to just plug in your photos and make a quick-and-easy keepsake book! The Shutterfly photo books make excellent gifts, and the possibilities are endless. They are ideal to make theme books for vacations, weddings, family reunions, recipes, and more!

Shutterfly also has a partnership with Creating Keepsakes, and they offer several pre-made digital scrapbooks from the magazine's designers that you can also use. Some of the book designs offered include:

• Celebrate Everyday Life designed by Ali Edwards
• Sweet Baby designed by Becky Higgins
• Year in Review designed by Lisa Bearnson
• The ABC's of You designed by Jessica Sprague
• School Days designed by Tiffany Tillman

If you're like me, the idea of scrapbooking all your photos is completely overwhelming...not to mention impossible! I know that I'll never be "caught up" with scrapbooking all my photos...first of all, I take photos way faster than I make scrapbook layouts! Plus, I like to relax and enjoy the creative process when I scrapbook...I don't want to just "get it done." That's why I'm a big fan of photo books...they allow you to get photos captured in print that would otherwise just be stored on the computer (or in boxes). At least that way, you can enjoy them with your family and friends!

You can check out the gallery at Shutterfly to see thousands of examples of photo books that others have created. Here are a few of my favorite photo books from the Shutterfly gallery:

Kindergarten Art by GeorgeH8:
LOVE this idea for storing all the kids' art work and school projects! Such a great way to keep their creative works without having to store the actual pieces (macaroni art does not do well in storage)...and don't we all need to find ways to de-clutter? And now Grandma (and anyone else who looks through the photo book) is able to appreciate the creations of your budding little artists.

Encyclopedia of ME by Emilie:
Another great idea! This one is really creative...such a cool way to do an all-about-me book.

Blossoms and Butterflies by Kjeanette:
A fabulous collection of photos...I'll admit I'm a sucker for shots of flowers and butterflies! And I am so ready for Spring right now, so these pics are like a breath of fresh air! The Shutterfly photo books would be perfect to showcase your favorite photos like this...sort of a portfolio of your best shots. What a great coffee table book, too!

Orlando 2007 by HeatherAnn:
This is digital scrapbooking at its finest. Love the digital layouts in this photo book! Heather Ann Melzer is an amazingly talented designer...she also sells her designs online HERE.

I could go on and on with photo book samples...there are so many great ideas out there! So what are you waiting for? Get your groupon, and start making your Shutterfly photo book!
Remember, this deal is available TODAY only, so be sure to get yours before it's gone: Shutterfly Photo Book Deal

Enjoy!

The Very First Reminisce Blog Hop!

Welcome to the very first Reminisce Blog Hop! If you've just arrived from Becky Kremke's blog, you are in the right place. If not, please visit the Reminisce blog for the complete list of details and blogs that are participating if you'd like to play along! We have some fantastic prizes you can win, too! The blog hop starts today, March 9th, and runs through Midnight CST on Sunday, March 13th. To have a chance to win a prize, just leave a comment at each stop and then a comment on the Reminisce blog telling us about your blog hop experience. (Please be sure to use exactly the same name in each comment.) Then return to the Reminisce blog on Tuesday, March 15th to find out if you've won!

There will also be a Secret Bonus Stop on one of the featured blogs! By commenting on the secret blog you will have a chance to win the brand-spanking new IN BLOOM collection from Reminisce! This new line won't even be in the stores for another few weeks but this is your chance to win it before you can buy it!

I'd like to share a card I made with the new Reminisce Celebration Series collection. I used the Luau-themed papers and stickers for this card:

I love the bright, fun colors and patterns...they are perfect for scrapbooking tropical vacations or even for making luau party supplies!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Before you hop along to Robin Gibson's blog, don't forget to leave a comment here on my blog. Then you can check out Robin's blog for more fabulous Reminisce projects! (Remember, in case of any glitches you can always go back to the very first Reminisce Blog Hop entry HERE.) Happy hopping! :)

Dixie Pieces March Kit: Project #1

Today I'm going to share some details on one of the layouts I made with the March 2011 kit from Dixie Pieces as their Guest Designer this month.

I noticed right away all the bold, bright colors in the kit, but there are also a good mix of blue and aqua tones, as well as some sea-themed paper, which was the inspiration for this layout:

All the supplies on this layout are from the kit, and I also used some white cardstock, and a bit of ink, paint, and Stickles. I started out with the sheet of die-cut paper, cutting the outside edge to use as a border on the patterned paper background. I cut a strip of the October Afternoon Seaside paper along the wave pattern and layered it over the Lakeshore cardstock, tucking the photo under the waves. I used a punched border that had a wave-like pattern in it to fill in the bottom of the die-cut shape. As I was about to toss the negative "confetti" pieces from the punch into the trash, I thought the little wave shapes might be cool to use somewhere else on the page, and I ended up adhering them across the photo.

LOVE the way this looks...I'll have to pay more attention to my "throw-away" pieces from now on!

I did the journaling on the computer using a graduated fill color in the text box. I repeated the large die-cut shape, using some smaller similar shaped pieces that I layered for the title. I brushed some Stickles on the large title letters to add a bit of sparkle.

The finishing touch was the cluster of flowers, which I made with shapes punched from the papers and cardstock. I also added a bit of paint and Stickles to the edges of the flowers. These paper roses are so simple but so pretty!

I really love how this page turned out...the papers in the Dixie Pieces kit were just perfect! I was trying to capture the beauty and serenity of the view from that pool, and I think it does the job! It sure makes me wish I was back there again...of course, who wouldn't want to trade the winter blues for the blues of that pool and the ocean?!

Speaking of blues, you'll be sad and blue if you miss out on this fabulous kit from Dixie Pieces...so, head to the Dixie Pieces website and get it now!

I'm thrilled to "Pieces"!

It's March 1st, so finally I can share this...I'm thrilled to be the March Guest Designer for Dixie Pieces! A big thank you to my friend Kim Holmes for introducing me to Dixie Pieces, and to co-owners Sherry and Brenna for giving me the opportunity to work with one of their awesome kits!

This is the fabulous Dixie Pieces kit for March 2011..."Dot-A-Licious"!

Isn't it yummy? You can see a full list of what's included with the kit and order it on the Dixie Pieces website HERE. But let me just assure you, there is a bunch of great stuff in this kit to create with! I had a ton of fun playing with all the goodies...flowers, buttons, tags, decorative tape, ribbon, denim fabric, bingo cards...even shrinky dink sheets! And lots of patterned papers, along with cardstock and letter stickers, too!

Here are the projects I created with the kit:

I have to say it again...I really had fun playing and creating with this kit! There are lots of great pieces in there that you can use as-is, but I also had fun taking the supplies to create my own unique embellishments, like flowers (paper and fabric), paper piecing, and custom accents using shrinky dinks!

Over the next few days I'll share the details and more photos for the projects I created. In the meantime, if you want to get your crafty hands on this kit, head over to the Dixie Pieces website and order yours today!

"B" is for Barnyard Buddies, Birdhouse, and B-Side!

In honor of the Reminisce "B-Side" Challenge, I have a project to share that uses only the B-sides from Reminisce patterned papers...well, and a few other supplies, too. But all the papers are strictly B-sides!

Coincidentally, this B-side project uses product from a Reminisce collection named with 2 words that start with the letter "B"...Barnyard Buddies! And, the project itself has a "B" name...Birdhouse Barn. That's pretty un-"B"-lievable! OK, enough with the punny stuff...on to the project.

I started out by painting the wood birdhouse white, except for the base which I painted green. I then covered the sides and roof with Reminisce paper...all B-side paper! Finally, I added plenty of farm critters around the barn using Barnyard Buddies stickers and pop dots. A few shreds of raffia gave the finishing touch on the birdie perch in the window. Here are a few more photos so you can see the sides and back of the Birdhouse Barn:

Don't forget...today is the last day to get your entries in for the Reminisce "B-Side" Challenge! Get your B-Side project linked to the Reminisce blog for your chance to win some great prizes from Reminisce! Good luck!

Reminisce "B-Side" Challenge!

Reminisce is hosting a fun challenge with prizes on the Reminisce blog!

The details: Your challenge is to highlight the B-sides of some of your favorite Reminisce papers in a paper craft project -- a layout, a card, an altered object, your choice. Post the project to your blog or upload to an online gallery and load the link onto the Reminisce blog post so everyone can enjoy your inspiration! You have until next Monday, February 28th at midnight (CST) to link your project.

The incentive: One creative participant will win a Reminisce prize pack and have their image (and link) featured on the blog. Another random challenge participant will win a Reminisce prize pack too!

Check out the Reminisce blog to see some projects by the Reminisce design team using B-Side papers!

I can't wait to see what everyone creates!

You've got mail!

Valentine's Day is almost here...I guess you'd have to be living under a rock not to know that by now, lol! Signs of "love day" are everywhere...
Valentine decorations and displays in the stores...heart-shaped cupcakes and cookies in bakeries...commercials on the radio and TV, hawking everything from flowers to jewelry as the perfect gift for your special someone.

Speaking of gifts, I have a project to share that makes a great Valentine's Day gift...or it could be a gift for a loved one at any time of the year, really. Ever seen those adorable little mini mailboxes? That's the basis of this project, which not only makes it very cute, but also very inexpensive, too!

This particular mailbox is made of a heavy cardboard material and I got it from Oriental Trading. (I actually purchased multiple sets of these as a craft for my son's class Valentine party at school one year. They were perfect for the kids to decorate and put all their little valentines in!) I have also bought metal ones from the Target dollar spot and the craft stores. They all work great and are so fun to create! On this version, I used patterned papers and stickers from Reminisce. They have lots of product lines that are great for Valentine's Day and love-themed projects like this! Check out Be Mine, Crazy in Love, Flirt, The Love Collection, The Love Collection 2007, and Valentine's Night. 

I also added some large glittered flowers, ribbons, and a scalloped border. Here's another photo so you can see what the other side of the mailbox looks like:

I made a tag to look like a little letter and tied it onto the ribbon. I also included a love-themed quote: "For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it." - Ivan Panin

So, I said this would make a great gift...but I guess it also doubles as a gift-wrap, too! There are lots of ways you can use this cute little mailbox. I already mentioned that it's perfect for holding the class valentines given to your school-aged kiddos. It would also be a great way to package a gift card! How about filling it with candy or other treats for your sweetie? You could also get a bit more creative and make some special "love coupons" or small cards to put inside. You could even put a mini-album in it!

I think it still works as an anytime-gift for a loved one, too. You could leave little love notes or trinkets in it when they need a pick-me-up, or when you want them to know you're thinking of them, or even on random days "just because." How fun would it be to see the little flag raised up on your mailbox letting you know that...you've got mail!

Hope you enjoyed this little project...have a LOVE-ly Valentine's Day!

Winter outside my window

So here in Indiana we are among those who've been hit by this big winter storm. As I look out my window, I can see everything is covered in snow and ice, as it has been for quite awhile now! The kiddos are on day 3 of being home due to school closings, and I think we are all getting a little stir crazy! There is a ray of hope, though (literally!)...the sun is shining today, and it looks like the ice and snow is beginning to melt.

You'd think that I would take this opportunity to hunker down and work on some scrappy projects, but instead, I am spending some quality time with the kiddos and just hanging out. I guess the idea of being trapped in a winter wasteland is sapping my creative energy.

I do want to share a winter themed layout in honor of this crazy winter storm...which has pun-tastically been referred to as Snowmaggedon, SnOMG, the Blizzard of Oz, the Fast and the Flurrious, and the Snowtorius B.I.G. (hmmm...those could make some great titles for scrapbook pages, don't you think?). Anyway, since the creative juices haven't been flowing as much as the de-icer around here, the layout I'm sharing is an oldie (but still a goodie to me!). It's called "Winter Outside My Window" and it features a photo of my daughter at age 2 looking out the window at a snow-covered scene much like today.

It's hard to tell in the photo, but I used lots of glitter on the chipboard letters and snowflakes...I really wanted to create that look of sparkly white snow. Here are some detail shots that show it a bit better...



 
I added snowflake transparencies and gemstones for even more shine and sparkle. The small snowflake shapes are actually miniature Christmas ornaments with the hanging part cut off from the top. They had a shiny, glossy finish on them, and I thought they were perfect for this page. I love it when I can find a way to use unique, non-scrappy items on my layouts!

Hopefully, the weather will break soon and my scrap mojo will come back. If you're in the middle of this storm, too...stay safe and warm! And, if you're lucky enough to be enjoying warm weather right now, please send some my way!

Last Chance for Reminisce Prize Giveaways!

Today is your last chance to get entered in the prize giveaways from Reminisce! Leave a comment on the Reminisce blog for your chance to be entered in the drawing to win a Reminisce Prize Pack featuring one of the new collections being released at CHA! You could win it before you can buy it! Leave a comment on each of the posts featuring the new collections to increase your chances of winning...there will be 3 winners for each collection! Good luck!

CHA Sneak Peek from Reminisce: Day 5

Well, it's the last day of the CHA sneak peeks from Reminisce! Hope you enjoyed getting a little preview of the new products being released at CHA.

The final new collection from Reminisce is: Happy Easter!

This collection features bright colors, cute chicks, and funny little bunnies! If I had to use one word to describe the Happy Easter collection, it would be...well, "happy"! It's perfect for adding fun and cuteness to all your Spring and Easter-themed layouts!

Today I also have a layout to share that I created with the new Happy Easter collection.

I mixed strips of patterned papers with the border strip stickers as a way to combine all the fun designs without overwhelming the page. A simple white cardstock backround lets the bright colors "pop" and keeps the focus on the photo of my kiddies...just beaming with pride for their artistic egg creations! I cut the Easter eggs from a sheet of patterned paper then arranged them into a cluster, adding pop dots to some for a little extra dimension. I couldn't resist including that cute little bunny on this layout! I cut him from patterned paper and put him on a scalloped circle to make a page accent...and he got the pop dot treatment, too. I just LOVE the bright colors in this collection...such a nice change from the soft pastels you usually see in Easter lines. Not to mention, they are a PERFECT match for the brightly colored eggs in my photo! :)

A final reminder to make sure to visit the Reminisce blog today and leave a comment there for your chance to win a Happy Easter prize pack! Three winners will be randomly selected from each day's posts, so check back on the Reminisce blog next week to see if you've won one of the fabulous new collections!

Win a free Silhouette Machine Valued at $395!

Just thought I'd share the news about this awesome giveaway...you can Win a free Silhouette Machine Valued at $395!

Check out all the details at the "i heart nap time" blog here:
Win a free Silhouette Machine

CHA Sneak Peek from Reminisce: Day 4

It's time for another CHA sneak peek from Reminisce!

Today's featured collection is: Graduation Celebration!

This line has patterned papers and stickers that are perfect for graduation and prom layouts, as well as smaller projects like open house invitations, party decor, and thank you cards. This collection would be great for creating a guest book for the graduation party or a mini-album to honor the graduate. Pair the fancy foil papers in this collection with Reminisce's Glitter Factory papers, and you'll be able to add glitz and glamour to all your formal occasion pages...like weddings, black tie events, and cruise formal nights! In addition, the classic patterns and black/white/silver color scheme in this line can work for scrapbooking just about anything. 

Visit the Reminisce blog and leave a comment there on today's post for your chance to win one of 3 Reminisce prize packs featuring this new collection!

Great Deal: 50% off Amazon Gift Card!

OK, so this isn't exactly scrapbook-related, but this deal is a really good one so I thought I'd pass it on!

Today only (I think there is about 9 hours left on this deal), you can get a $20 Amazon Gift Card for just $10 through Living Social (if you're familiar with Groupon, Living Social is a similar thing...they offer daily deals/coupons online).

Just click on the link below, then click the "buy now!" button. You can sign in with your Living Social account or Facebook account (if you have one), or just register for a new Living Social account.

https://livingsocial.com/deals/21336?ref=conf-jp&rpi=4198211

Best of all, the Amazon Gift Card doesn't expire, so you can use it whenever!

And, come to think of it, Amazon sells lots of scrapbook supplies and tools (like Cricut cartridges and Martha Stewart craft stuff)...so it actually IS scrapbook-related!

Enjoy!

CHA Sneak Peek from Reminisce: Day 3

Another day and another CHA sneak peek from Reminisce!

The featured collection for today is: Reminisce Signature Series Dimensionals!

There are 36 different themes in this colorful collection of 3-dimensional stickers, so there's sure to be something for everyone! You'll find themes for the people (Best Friends, Our Family, etc.), places (At the Beach, In the Garden), and passions (Music, Tool Time, etc.) that we like to capture on our scrapbook pages.

Check it out and don't forget to leave a comment on the Reminisce blog for your chance to win a Reminisce prize pack featuring this new collection!

CHA Sneak Peek from Reminisce: Day 2

It's Day 2 of the CHA Sneak Peeks from Reminisce!

Today's featured collection is: Reminisce Celebration Series!

This new collection highlights 6 of the top selling party themes, including Luau, Fiesta, Western, Casino, Hollywood, and Backyard BBQ! The papers and stickers in this collection would be great for creating invitations, party decor and favors with these themes, in addition to scrapbooking the parties and events themselves.

Leave a comment on the Reminisce blog letting them know what theme you'd like to see next, and you'll be entered to win a prize pack of goodies from this new collection! And you never know...you may just see your suggestion in a new Reminisce collection!

CHA Sneak Peek from Reminisce: Day 1

This week the Reminisce blog will be featuring sneak peeks of the new collections being released at CHA Winter 2011. Each day a different collection will be featured, and you have a chance to WIN THE NEW REMINISCE COLLECTIONS just by posting a comment on their blog!

Today the featured collection is...Monkey Adventures!

This Reminisce collection features bright colors, whimsical designs, and cute monkeys...perfect for scrapping all the adventures of your own little monkeys! Check it out on the Reminisce blog and don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into the prize drawing!