Photo Expressions

Everyday Tango, Front Porch...

  These papers are so yummy.  These are some more of the new My Mind's Eye collections that were released at CHA summer - Front Porch and  Everyday Tango.  They are so fun and fresh and I can't wait to create with these.  I love My Mind's Eye papers because they are so easy and quick to make beautiful pages with.  You really don't have to do much to them except add photos and journalling.

Great new shapes from QuicKutz.  I absolutely love the frog!

The new fall issue of Canadian Scrapbooker is in also.  This is a great magazine with lots of Canadian content.  Check out the article on one of our favourite local companies Fontwerks .  Kah-Mei has just taken the leap and quit her "day" job to work full time in her company.  All of us at PE are so proud of her and know she will do very well because she has very cool products very sought after by scrapbookers and designers alike, and she is such a great person to know and be around.

We have lots more new products in boxes that will be out soon and lots more coming in.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

Kelani and Quinn update

A few weeks ago some of us at PE got together to create some projects for our Children's Hospital program.  I will be going to the hospital in the next few weeks to bring the projects and spend some time creating with some of the kids.  If you have some time to go thru your supplies, I will gladly deliver your donations of products you no longer need to the hospital.  It brings great joy to the children and their families and you benefit from a less cluttered work space so you can create wonderful memories. Just drop them off at PE in a bag/box marked hospital and I will see that they receive your donations.

Renee brought Kelani along and Shona brought Quinn .  Both babies are so cute and growing so fast.  They co-operated quite nicely by sleeping so their mommies could help create some projects.  They look like little angels.

Michele

Masking

Masking is a term which means "to cover". In the world of stamping it is used to bring images to the forefront by covering the main (foreground) image with a mask, and then stamping over it with another (background) image. This technique is easy, fun and very useful.

The Hero Arts website has a great article on how to do masking.  It is a lot easier than it looks.  Take out some of your stamps, click here for the rest of the article and play.  I'd love to see what you come up with.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

Each day...

EACH DAY . . .

1. Learn something new. Share it with someone else.
2. Do something nice for someone else.
3. Do something nice for yourself.
4. Think of at least one specific thing to be thankful for.
5. Do something to grow your business/advance your career.
6. Eat three healthy meals.
7. Do some form of exercise for at least 20 minutes.
8. Do something you enjoy.
9. Do a chore a day.
10.Make sure each of the above affirmations were met.

I had this saved in my quotes file.  Unfortunately, I didn't include where/who this is from.  But it is great advice.

Michele

Crafters Pink tool set

How cute is this?!  What every girl needs.  Her own pink tool set - 18 pieces in a hard sided case.  I was ordering from one of my vendors tonight, and came across this set.  I can never find my husband's tools, so this way I can have my own set and I know where they will be.  In my favourite colour!  This isn't an item I will bring into the store for regular sale, but if you'd like one, let me know  ([email protected] )and I can bring it in for you. ($23.99)

Michele

Bohemia and Signature Suite

My Mind's Eye has really outdone themselves this year.  Their Bohemia line and Signature Suite line are so beautiful.  Definitely my favourite of the new summer releases.  You like them also as they are flying off the shelves.  I've already re-ordered some of it!  Happy to see such a nice company doing so well.

How can you not just want to scrapbook when you look at this...

samples from Signature Suite

or this....

Samples from Bohemia

Watch this weekend as we put out their other collections Front Porch and Everyday Tango .(click on links to see them!)

Plus for you blog readers (you get to be in the know!), mention this blog this week (until Aug 31st), buy both double sided papers from a "theme" and receive 40% off the matching pieces (gems, transparancies, frames, quotes etc) for that theme. The co-ordination is all done for you and you will produce stunning layouts quickly and easily.  Valid on as many themes as you like in the Bohemia and Signature Suite lines.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

Timeless advice...

This is from a newspaper that was sent to me from August 15th , 1931. 

Characteristics of Success:

To be able to carry money without spending it foolishly.

To be able to do one's duty even when one is not watched.

To be able to keep at the job unil it is finished.

To be able to make use of criticism without letting it whip you.

This advice still works 75 years later.

Michele

QuicKutz $5,000 innovations winner

How cute is this!?! This is the winner in the QuicKutz Top Innovators contest.  Laura Wright created this favourite cartoons book. And she is a Canadian!  Way to go Laura!  Bet she will enjoy her $5,000 shopping spree.  To see the rest of the winners click here .  I love seeing how creative people are getting with their QuicKutz tools and dies.  As I have said many times, it really is a tool I use almost every time I scrapbook or make a card.  Love it, Love it.  Come in to PE anytime for a free demo on the system.  It is quick and easy to use and you will love it.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

Easy gift project...

Card envelope/portfolio with cards inside

This is a fun easy project I did tonight with a group of teens at the Maple Ridge Library. They had a great time and and were very creative even though most of them had never made cards before. You could easily make this set for a great hostess gift, for back to school teacher present, birthday present, just because to a friend, etc etc.  The card holder is a die we have at PE and it only needs one sheet of paper. It is all scored and very easy to put together.  Then make a variey to cards to go inside, and you have a great, quick gift.  It can be done very inexpensively or very fancy and expensive. Change the colours, or embellishments and you have a quick, great gift.  You can never have enough cards on hand.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

Like this technique from Hero Arts...

This is from the Hero Arts Newsletter.  I like the look of this technique (and this card!) Sign up here for the Hero Arts club membership and you'll receive a monthly newsletter, tips, special notices, contests and more.

Instructions:
Get the most out of your supplies by using your color wheel paints on textured or colored card stock. You may want to paint accents such as lowlights and highlights, completely color in a stamped image or stamp with the paints as your ink. I'll walk you through the steps to your next creation. Click here for the rest of the instructions.

You can find all these supplies at Photo Express .  We also have copies of the Hero Arts Catalogue and would be happy to s special order any of their products for you.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

Photographing Children...

Ron had a great article in the digi newsletter on photographing children. click here to read the article and sign up for the PE digital newsletter for lots of other great photo tips and interesting digital news.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

Great quote from Ali Edwards homework...

Love this quote that is part of the homework sheet that Ali sent us for one of her classes at PE in November.

The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It's overwhleming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt.                     Leo Buscaglia

Powerful and true!

Michele

Purple Squeeze tool from QuicKutz

QuicKutz is advertising a QVC special that includes a purple squeeze hand tool.  

They have had many retailers, (myself included), calling them to see if the purple tool will be available at the retail level.

Good news, it will be shipping to PE September 15th.  The retail set will be slightly different from the QVC set.  If you'd like one of the purple squeeze sets, let us know at [email protected].

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

Photo Express is hiring...

In case you missed the postcard that was emailed out, Photo Express is hiring! We are looking to add a dynamic scrapbooking sales team member to our team.  If you would like to know more about working at a store that is lots of fun and well respected in the community and the scrapbooking industry, click here for a job description and application form.  We'd also love for you to pass this along to someone who you think would be a perfect fit for the Photo Express team.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

Bohemia is in and Basic Grey and...

Over 50 boxes have arrived this week!  It's like Christmas.  I'm very impressed with how on top of things manufacturers seem to be after this summer trade show.  In the past it has taken much longer for show orders to start arriving.

You have to come in and check out My Mind's Eye's new Bohemia collection.

It caused the most stir at CHA summer and is absolutely stunning!!!!  They also have 3 other new collections that are all just wonderful. Ordered their entire booth!  I love this company - their booth is always a hoot to visit and they have great customer service not to mention totally cool products! Click on the My Mind's Eye link to see all the great releases from CHA summer.  Yummy!

And the 2 new Basic Grey lines are in - Gypsy ( Romani )and Lily Kate.  As always, they are gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous!  This is one of my favourite lines to use.  The papers don't need much done to them so they are so easy to work with.

Technique Tuesday is also in.  So many way cool stamps from this company.  And we have a special promo with them.  Watch for details in the next few days, but it involves FREE Stamps!

Some of the other new stuff in is QuicKutz, Making Memories, Great Impressions, New Paper craft with lots of cute Halloween ideas, Lots of new Sizzix dies (remember they are on sale 30% off all month), All My Memories, New SEI, entire Memories Complete release and new albums from Colorbok. I'll add some photos as we get these out over the next little while.

Be patient over the next few days (we are a little thin on staff right now with holidays) as we get it all put out onto the floor.  It will be worth it!

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele