Photo Expressions

Last Day

Just a quick reminder that today is the last day to be able to order the uppercase or lowercase or numbers from your older sets of QuicKutz.  Give us a call today (or Sunday as I'm sure I can squeak in the order first thing Monday morning) if you need to finish off any of your sets (604-463-3654).  All QuicKutz sets will now be sold as complete sets -UC, LC and #'s!

Trust Us With Your Memories
Michele

130 cards in 2 days

Whew!  I've made 130 cards and 6 lunchboxes in the last few days for teacher gifts.  I loved how they turned out and they are so easy. I made divider cards for the inside of each lunchpail for each month of the year and put a handmade card or two in each month for the recipient to give away.  This is not a gift they get two of and all of the teachers loved them.  You could also adapt this idea and make it a recipe box, put an accordian album inside, or make it a treasure box (I did this at my daughter's birthday party and each girl got to make her own.  They loved them.) There are many uses for these beautiful tins. I kept the cards quick and easy and the lunchpail design is also quick and easy.  You could get much fancier very easily.

I've posted some pictures here of some of the boxes (click to see them larger) and basic instructions. Enjoy! I'd love to see photos of ones that you make.  Email me at [email protected] .

 

A box will take you 1/2 hour to an hour to decorate depending on how simple or fancy you make it.  Putting on the ribbon takes the longest! Then you need the time to do whatever you choose to put inside.

Supplies needed - 1 sheet 12 x12 patterened paper
                         -1-2 sheets of co-ordinating patterend paper or cardstock (small pieces ok)
                         - 5 meters of co-ordinating ribbon (3-5 different colours and textures)
                         -Adhesive - I like Terrifically Tacky Tape and glue dots for this project
                         -Embellishments
                         -selection of handmade cards and cardstock dividers

Instructions:

Adhere Terrifically Tacky Tape just under the top lip and above the bottom lip of the lunch pail.  Smooth down.  (This can also be done with other adhesives such as Mod Podge, but I like how quick and easy and clean this method is!) Remove red coating so the tape is now double sided.

Cut 2 pieces of the main patterened paper into 4 13/16th " (leave 12" length).
Starting at the middle back of the lunchpail, line up the bottom of the paper with the bottom line of adhesive, then the top line.  Adhere.  Smooth the paper around to the sides.

In the middle top of the front piece, punch 1/2 of a circle (to go around the latch).  I used Ek's medium circle punch.

Line up the patterened paper with the 1/2 circle punched out around the latch on the front of the lunchpail.  Adhere. Smooth paper around to sides.  On the sides the paper will overlap the back piece, so apply a little more tacky tape.

Embellish the front.  I used 2 co-ordinating pieces of paper matted and then placed either 3 Prima flowers across the middle or the teachers 1st initial (cut with our 3" die cut letters) and Prima flowers around the four corners.  Take each meter of ribbon and cut into 6 pieces and tie randomly along the handle. 

These could also be made fancier by painting the tin first or applying paper to the top of the tin and ribbon around the top edge.

Trust Us With Your Memories
Michele

Free Scrapbook and Card Magazine

The new issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today is available for FREE download.  This is Canada's first Free magazine dedicated to Scrapbookers and Card makers of all skill levels.  This is the second issue and we have actual magazine copies of this magazine in the store so you don't have to download it.  It is an awesome magazine with lots of ideas and it is FREE with any purchase at PE but hurry as it is only while supplies last.  You will definitely want to add this magazine to your collection.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

Crop-a-dile and K& Co

You'll find some great new things at PE including the much talked about Crop-a-dile

Finally—no clicking, banging, pounding, twisting or grunting. The We R Memory Keepers Crop-A-Dile all-in-one tool punches and sets eyelets, snaps and so much more! Easily punch through any material, thick or thin, then set eyelets, snaps or any metal embellishment in your project. Ideal for punching paper, leather, plastic, metal, chipboard, acrylic, fabric, wood, poly and much more!

The Sweet Pea line from K&Co is adorable (and yes, we are still waiting for Shona to have her baby!)  Perfect pieces to make scrapbooking quick and easy for you with your new baby, or to make a beautiful keepsake for the new mom.

These tins are worth it just for the adorable tin!  Plus you get the bonus fact that they are full of printed chipboad embellishments.

K-ology line including dimensional stickers, metal clips, rub-ons, tags, confetti words,alphabets & paper, 12x12 scrapbook kits, accordian album kit with a really cutematching box and a great mini 6x6 album kit.

Loving the little take out boxes full of sayings - huge value in these little boxes -Proverbs To Go - over 400  sayings
Letters to Go - over 2500  letters!!
Mom to go - over 800 sayings (love this, all those sayings your mom said that you said you'd never say!)

Make sure to also take a look at the Swatchbook Stickers To Go.  They are very decieving from the outside -there are over 170 all occasion cardstock stickers inside!  Great value and beautiful.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

End of School Plan

For many of you, this coming week is the last week of school!  I know many of you dread what you will do with your children, but I have to admit...I love summer vacation and having my girls home more and the less hectic schedule. We will be running a few kids classes at PE and a fabulous Kids album class.

It is overwhelming if you think about having to scrapbook the entire school year of each of your children.  Instead, take a cue from Stacy Julian's Book Big Picture Scrapbooking .  She has a school album for each of her children and it has 4 pages for each year.  One for a class photo, one for an individual photo (and signature) and a pocket to hold report cards and such,  and 2 for various photo highlights of the year. Quick, easy, done. 

To make it even  easier next year, start a file in September for each child.  In that file put anything you think you might want to include for that year in their album - a special drawing (you can bring it in to PE and we can reduce it on our laser copier), class photo, individual photo, various photos of activities, report cards, ribbons...anything special for that year.  At the end of the year, sort through it, create your 4 pages (I must admit I need 6) and store the rest in a safe manner or recycle it.  Fast, fun and easy.

Trust Us With Your Memories
Michele

When did that happen

I was sorting through some recent photos, and this one caught my eye.

When did this happen?!  It seems like just yesterday my oldest was born, and now she is a young lady.  All in the blink of an eye.  A young lady who now cares about what she is wearing, and how her hair looks.  A young lady who sometimes would rather sit and chat with the adults than play with the little kids.  A young lady who is becoming more and more aware of the world around her - both the good and the bad.  A young lady who carries a purse and who is only one shoe size away from me.  A young lady who I am so proud of.

Another reason why I scrapbook. 

Trust Us With Your Memories
Michele

June travel release for QuicKutz

QuicKutz is gearing up for summer with a release of travel related dies.  I can already see some of the ones I will use on the pages of our road trip to Chicago this summer. If you mention that you saw the shapes here, you can save 10% when you preorder them.  But hurry as they are already on their way!

June Shapes—Travel

Hit the road this summer with these great new travel die cut shapes! speech bubble RS-0543 airplane icon RS-0544 thought bubble RS-0542 suitcase KS-0540 male/female icons KS-0539 euro symbol RS-0546 dollar sign RS-0547 fasteners RS-0545 cruise ship KS-0551 road sign KS-0552

Travel Theme Kit

This new Travel Theme Kit comes in a collector's tin and is packed with value and possibilities! It includes five full-color Step by Step Idea Cards to get you started on cards and layouts with the following dies sold only in this kit: vintage airplane layered luggage tag letters to spell "bon voyage" "enjoy the journey" GooseBumpz embossing die

Travel Icing RubOns

Create a well-traveled, designer look on your projects with these sweet new Travel Icing RubOns! Jet-setters will applaud the highly-detailed immigration stamps, meant to transform the new suitcase shape (KS-0540) into a realistic passport—or the suitcase can be covered with souvenir "stickers" and a zipper! These Icing designs also coordinate with shapes and the style of the Travel Theme Kit, with four delicious colors to choose from—licorice, vanilla, chocolate and silvermint.

I survived and have made a difference

Well, I survived another very busy weekend.  My wonderful husband survived turning 40 (he was feeling this one, and didn't want a big party, so I figure I'll surprise him with one at 43 or some age where he won't be expecting it!), I had a great time at the Big Big Big Sale, 2 of my daughter's had a dance recital and were wonderful of course, and my middle daughter made her First Holy Communion.  She looked so beautiful and of course I cried and took lots of pictures. She has the biggest smile and joy just radiates from her face.

I just received an email from a parent of one of the daughter's in Mikaela's class.  We have two daughters in the same grades and have become friends as our daughters go along together in school. She is OK with me sharing the email here with you and I am so glad that she "gets it"  - what I have been saying over and over again about the importance of scrapbooking.  To know that I have touched her life in this way, makes me so happy and all the long hours I put in, so worth it.  I'm so glad that she took the time to share this with me and I'd love to hear your thoughts on how scrapbooking has touched your life (comment here or email [email protected]). Get a Kleenex and keep reading...

"With all the hustle and bustle of Sunday, there wasn't much opportunity to congratulate anyone on their 1st Communion. Everyone was so focused on their kids, as it should be, and on what was happening around them.   It's always an emotional and wonderful day.  My personal memory of my Communion is a sad one, because my mother couldn't be there, so I'm always determined to make it a good one for my kids.  So, congratulations !. Can you believe how time flies. They were just babies yesterday, and now #2 is already past Communion.  It's put me in a very reflective and emotional state of mind.

I've been reading your PE newsletters, ( got a bit behind ) and as usual, I get teary eyed when you mention family memories, and boxes full of mystery photos. I don't want to burden my kids with such a useless gift, but rather want to turn it into a treasure for them, and you give lots of advise to achieve that.  Your passion for scrapbooking is amazing, and inspirational.  It has soaked into every fiber of your being.  You love what you do for a "living", and your job fuels your passion even further, which makes you more successful at it.  That's truly a blessing. How many of us can get so passionate about our jobs? It's a good thing that your enthusiasm is so contagious, because it's truly making a difference in people's lives. How so you ask?

Since discovering scrapbooking I'm learning to take better pictures, and to see special moments in a different way. I'm taking the time to remember, to write stuff down, to slow and enjoy moments, so I can better remember and recall them, rather then just flying through life.  Well, that brings me to my title of course. Generally speaking I think envy is not a good thing and can lead down bad paths.  However, I make an exception when it comes to scrapbooking, picture taking, and memory preserving. Watching you, and your family, take that group photo at the church, with all those "branches" of your family,  sent a current of envy through my heart.  You are truly blessed.

Since it was such a special day, reflection was natural and easy, and I took the time to reflect on my own blessings. Now, I have no siblings, and no parents, and my mother in law didn't bother to come BUT I realized that Jorge and I are the new set of roots. We are the off-shoots from two sides of the earth, who've settled in Canada to start a new life.  While we don't have many branches yet, on our newly formed family tree, we have the privilege and responsibility to set good roots, so that one day, maybe a couple generations from now, we'll be in that kind of a family photo. Along with that comes the joyous task of documenting and preserving who we are, and how we came to be this family, so we can inspire and guide our children to do the same, and to lovingly add to that tree, branches of their own. If I may continue with this metaphor, then scrapbooking, thanks to you, is an indispensable gardening tool in the cultivation of the family tree. 

So you see how a little envy can be healthy, to motivate or inspire.

Now, from a strictly business perspective you could be called a marketing genius, tapping deep into people's emotions and firmly establishing yourself in their lives.  Nothing wrong with that, good for you. The benefit of enriching people's lives, & infusing them with your enthusiasm, is something people will appreciate & remember your for.  Thank you. I just felt like sharing. I'm sure you've heard similar before. 

This email made me cry of course, but from happiness knowing that I've been able to share my enthusiasm for scrapbooking with her and it has made a difference in her life.  As I keep saying over and over -It matters that you make the time to scrapbook - it doesn't matter how plain or fancy it is.  Years from now, your friends and family will care about the photos and your journalling.  They will not care what company the patterened paper is from, or what embellishment you used or that you used the latest technique.  These things are all fun to do, but don't let them paralyze you into not taking the time to scrapbook.  Keep it simple and get it done.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

So Much Fun

I love my job!!  I had so much fun yesterday being out on the floor and talking to so many of you at the Big sale.  I laughed, I cried, I held babies, got lots of hugs, and got to share your passion for scrapbooking (and getting great deals!) Who could ask for more?!  It was great seeing so many of you and getting the chance to chat a little.  It was also cute watching people who don't scrapbook walk into the store and wonder what they heck was going on.

It was very busy all day long, and I think that doing the sale all day on a Saturday, was a little easier on you and on us.  I'd love to hear your feedback at [email protected] on whether you prefer the big sale as a 4 hour event at night, or as a full day event on a Saturday. PE is your store and your feedback is very important to us.

If you didn't get a chance to get in on Saturday, you will still find amazing deals so come down and see us.

Trust Us With Your Memories
Michele

Big Big Big Sale Details

Whew, another busy weekdend this weekend - my husband's 40th, my daughters' dance recital, my middle daughter's Holy First Communion, Father's Day and the Big Big Big Sale - what was I thinking!?

I had another late night last night pulling products for the sale - no section in the store was safe from me.  You will find amazing deals on tons of products tomorrow - and lots of it hasn't even been in the store that long.  I just need to make room for all the new products coming this summer.

Since the sale is a little different this time- it is all day long instead of 4 hours at night- and there will be other customers besides us crazy scrappers in the store, I figured it was probably best that I didn't stand up top on the stairs and yell out the 15 minute specials.  I could just imagine some of the faces who weren't used to me being crazy. :) So, you get a bonus.  I'm posting the 15 min specials here, so you can plan your day as to what times you want to pop into the store.  And you will have a whole hour (a quadruple 15min special) for each special to choose what you would like. I know many of you have a crazy weekend this weekend also, so this will give you a little more time.

These specials are valid for the one hour, off the regular price, and don't apply to previous purchases. If you are a Club Member, you will save 30% off each one hour special (If you are not yet a club member, you will still save 20%!  Better yet, ask us how to become a club member and you save 10% on all your scrapping purchases ALL the time - including your purchase when you sign up!) These special deals are on top of the HUGE selection of merchandise that has been marked down 50-90% off! You are going to have so much fun saving money tomorrow!

8:30-9:30 All Stamps
9:30-10:30 All Paper - Cardstock and patterned!
10:30-11:30 All QuicKutz and Ellison Design/Sizzix products
11:30-12:30 All Adhesives and tools
12:30-1:30 All stickers(anything with a sticky back) and rubons.
1:30-2:30 All embellisments - brads, ribbon, prima flowers etc
2:30-3:30 All Albums and refills
3:30-4:30 All Xyron Design Runner and cartridges
4:30-5:30 All Punches

So basically, almost the whole store is on sale at some point tomorrow. And don't forget this week's current special is all organziers - Buy 2 get 1 FREE!

Can't wait to see you there.  Please be patient with the lines and if you can group like items together, it will speed up the check out process for you.

See you tomorrow!!

Trust Us With Your Memories
Michele

Big Big Big Sale on Saturday

Just got home (it's past 1am!) from pulling products to be sale priced for PE's Big Big Big Sale on Saturday (June 17th).  You are going to find such amazing deals.  I can share a few of the deals with you now, but not all of them as A. there is way too many, and B. you need to have some surprises.

There will be a huge selection of QuicKutz dies and alphabets on sale 50% off!  A few of Making Memories foam stamps at $8!! (The flowers are one of them!) The Fastenator will be on sale for 1/2 price - just $15.  Tons of stamps up to 80% off.  Tables of everything for $1, tables of everything for $3, and also of everything for $5.  Lots of sizzix dies on sale 50% off.  Also, many many stickers, rubons, embellishments, ribbon, kits, punches, pens, paper packs and more will be on sale.  This will be a great day for you to stock up for all your summer scrapbooking.  You can also stock up on supplies and make up little kits for your favourite youngsters to scrapbook with you. 

Hope you can make time to come and see us on Saturday.  You will find it very worth it.  Watch for the 15 minute specials also. Some of these will be Stamps, Paper, albums, Punches, the new Making Memories Home Decor, QuicKutz, Idea books and so much more.  It's going to be a fun day!

On Friday I may even hint here at what time some of the 15 minute specials will be around ;)

Trust Us With Your Memories
Michele

A great gift

A scrapbook is truly a one of a kind gift that is so treasured by the recipient.  I made up two little albums for the coaches of my daughter's softball team to go along with the gift certificates we bought them.  They were very simple as I didn't have tons of time.  The first page had a team photo and the girls name (Diamond Divas - how cool is that!) then each page had a photo of each girl batting, with another smaller photo of them in the field.  I had each girl sign their page with a little note to the coach.  Then there was a couple of pages of some general action shots.  The last page was a poem of thanks for all the time they took to coach the girls and all the things they taught them.

Both coaches LOVED the albums and were quite protective of them when others wanted to look at them.  I could tell by their smiles as they looked at them, that they would be a treasured keepsake of their time coaching this season.  One of the coaches said, "No one has ever given me a gift like this."

So the next time you are wondering what to get someone, make up a small gift album for them.  They will appreciate it more than you know.

Trust Us With Your Memories
Michele

Big Big Big Sale

It is that time of year again, when we have a Big Big Big sale to make room for all the new products being released this summer.  (I've seen some of the previews and as always am amazed how they keep coming up with such cool new stuff!).  In the past we have done this sale at night for 4 hours.  This time we are doing it next Sat the 17th and you have ALL Day to shop.  The store gets so crowded at the night sales, that we thought we'd try to spread it out a little.  We are going to open at 8am (one hour early) for those of you who have a busy day that day.

You will definitely want to come in for the Big Big Big deals.  I have been pulling products off the shelf to mark down like a mad woman.  Nothing is safe from me and my sale gun.  This product is being tucked away as it gets sale priced, to be brought out Fri night after we close.  You want to get in early Saturday for the amazing deals.  Throughout the day, we will also be having some of our famous 15 minute specials.  So save the date, and plan to spend some of next Saturday with your friends at PE! Can't wait to see you there. :)

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

When your Mother is a Scrapbooker

...nothing is safe from the camera.  My oldest daughter was in a softball tournament this weekend.  Before their first game, they were warming up and she got a ball right in the glasses.  (Freak accident as she always catches everything!) The top frame of her glasses went right into her eyebrow creating a large gash and her glasses shattered.  Luckily she didn't get any glass into her eyes. 

So we are at the doctors waiting to get stitches and I remember I have my small camera in my purse!  So guess what?  She has photos of the before gash, the stitches going in (she needed 6 of them) and the after today when her eye is almost swollen shut.  She was an amazing trouper and went back to play at the next game.  I was so proud of her and her great attitude.  Her team was so excited to have her back and everyone was so proud of her.

I figure since I've already shown you the inside of my eyeball, I probably shouldn't share those photos with you.  Maybe when I get the layout done. :)  This just proves my point though from a few days ago, that it is also important to scrap the not so happy moments of life.  They are part of our lives and shape us into who we are today.

Trust Us With Your Memories
Michele

A-Muse-a-Palooza!!!!

You are going to have such a great time this summer during A-Muse-a-Palooza!  This is an exclusive event being held across North America (and a few other locations) at about 30 stores. A Muse fans from all over the world will converge on stores just like PE with one thought in mind: I can't wait to get my hands on all those new stamps from A Muse!?? How exciting is this - a global party!  And you get to participate at PE!

You will get to see first hand weeks in advance of the general public, the Holiday release from A Muse.  The new releases include Holiday, Halloween, Thanksgiving, backgrounds and some everyday stamps.  I can't wait to see them as I always make some Christmas cards with A Muse stamps.  They are so adorable and easy to use. Watch here and on PE's email updates for all the details.

A-Muse-a-Palooza is coming to you July 10th - July 17th.  You will enjoy Free Make & Takes, Fabulous Classes (what a great way to get a jump start on your Christmas Cards!),door prizes, refreshments, goody bags and a Grand Prize that is sure to delight! One lucky winner is going to win a private class with five of her friends from A Muse's founder and lead designer, Linda Carnell.Yes, you heard it right! Linda will fly to the home town of one lucky winner and teach a private class for the winner and 5 of her friends.

Check out the special website for this great event www.amuseapalooza.com

You can also win lots of great prizes in the weekly drawings from A Muse.  All you need to do is register at www.amuseapalooza.com to play.  The sooner you register, the more chances you will have to win! I can't wait to see all the new stamps!

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele