SCAT

valentine squirrel

2010-01-25T17:03:00.001-08:00

it's that time of year again, where i'm wishing i was able to go to CHA. i'm totally determined to go someday, somehow. but since i'm not an industry insider that day's not today.

so pushing my CHA envy aside let's get to what i can do today. make and post fun cards. and this card was so much fun to make. it's a joy fold card. which i learned how to make watching a youtube video from splitcoaststampers. i also learned how to make a shaker card that i'm going to post probably tomorrow. so much fun making those! for those of you who aren't taking advantage of all the free stuff you can learn -shame on you :) LOL!

i have to find someone who's doing a use your stash challenge and enter this card, because all of the printed paper on here is from my scrap drawer!!! which made me proud of myself, and also because of that i don't remember who the printed papers are by. the squirrel & hearts stickers comes from a sticker set that was only $0.99 cents at target, and the cupcake is from a k&co sticker set.

thanks for looking, please comment and leave questions if you have any.

blog ya later

SCAT's Red Carpet Winner!!!

2010-01-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Nancy, she is the winner of this months SCAT Red Carpet giveaway!

Nancy's favorite holiday. . .

Nancy said...: I love Easter (Resurrection Day) ...love going to sunrise service and the beautiful songs and celebration.

Nancy please leave a comment with your email address or you can send me a flickr mail HERE, and i'll email you for your shipping address.

we'll be taking a break from the red carpet for February (it's a busy month for me: my sister's birthday, valentines day, and my wedding anniversary! -2 yrs :) so i probably won't have as much time to blog) also i want to make a few changes to the way we do this giveaway and then i'll be back in March new and improved Red Carpet interview :)
I'm also considering adding a color challenge to my blog. . .as you can see lots of thought rolling around in my head.

Congrats again to Nancy!
blog ya later

Red Carpet Giveaway Reminder

2010-01-13T09:55:00.000-08:00

sorry for the delay in posting this, i've been meaning to get it up sooner. but here we go. . .
the Dec/Jan red carpet giveaway! that i promised would be bigger than any other giveaway we've ever done at SCAT and it is. everything in the slideshow above is going to our lucky winner.
these prizes . . .
say a lot about my scrap style and the way i shop for scrapbooking items. i love to mix and match and pair items from different collections. and i love stamps, and chipboard, and ribbon, and rub ons, so i thought i'd share a few of my favorite things with you guys.

and if you want to win. . .
all you have to do is share one of your favorite things with me. what is your favorite holiday, and why?
and don't forget to check out Daniela's blog!

the contest ends this friday Jan 15th. and i'll post the winner early next week.
i hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and i'm enjoying all of the great valentines cards and things on flickr and everyone blog.

speaking of blogs . . .
if you have one please leave a link to your blog in your comment i'd love to check it out! thanks :)

thinking of you card

2010-01-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

the idea for this card came from jennifer mcguires thinking inking class. it was a class she did last summer for two peas in a bucket, and its still available for free on youtube in case you missed it. it was an incredible class! i learned SO much. unfortunately i didn't have all of the great products she used last summer, so as my distress ink collection continues to grow i have fun going back and watching the videos and trying out the techniques.

i started with the rectangular panel in the background using just white cardstock spiced marmalade & worn lipstick distress ink. then i inked the hero arts dot flourish border stamp with versamark ink and stamped the background which left like a watermark imprint on it. (jennifer explains that in the video much better than i think i just did :) i used hero arts thinking of you messages stamp set to stamp the sentiment. for the butterfly i stamped hero arts heart winged butterfly with black colorbox pigment ink and attached it to the card with martha stewarts foam adhesive. then colored with color pencils, then used rangers glossy accents, the string is just regular white embroidery floss, and recollections pearls in black.

thanks for looking.

lucy's color challenge

2010-01-06T20:10:00.000-08:00

i'm back! well i didn't actually go anywhere, i just haven't blogged in a looooooong time. i was on vacation for christmas and new years, and didn't do any scrapping-crazy right. but true.

i just totally rested and relaxed. but now i'm back in the swing of things. and how better to come back than by participating in a color challenge-one of my favorite things :) for more info on Lucy's challenge click HERE.

i used . . .
designer papers: making memories paperie poolside & greenhouse 6x6 paper pad.
cardstock: recollections cardstock-white
stamp: hero arts anytime messages CL129
punchs: martha stewarts 3 in 1 butterfly punch, fiskars scalloped border punch
other: ranger glossy accents, & recollections pearl stickers, Marvy white gel pen

happy new year & an update to red carpet giveaway

2009-12-30T15:50:00.000-08:00

hello! i hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season as much as i am.
i'm planning to post a video on the december red carpet giveaway prize. which will show off all the great loot we're giving away. also it'll announce the extention to this months giveaway. the new end date will be Jan 15th, which will give me enough time to enjoy the holidays and get back to posting a little more regularly.
well that's all for now. . .see you in 2010!
Happy New Year!

SCAT's Red Carpet and SCAT's biggest GIVEAWAY ever!

2009-12-05T17:18:00.000-08:00

it's the most wonderful time of the year! i love the holidays, and christmas has topped my favorite's list since i was a kid.
this month's Red Carpet Scrap-Star created one of the most beautiful christmas cards i've ever seen. check out the interview to learn a little bit more about Daniela's scrap-style.

how long have you been scrapbooking/cardmaking
a little more than a year

what was your last scrap purchase?
We R Memory Keepers Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper

name 3 adjectives to describe your style
clean, symmetric, (with a touch of) shiny

name 3 items you cannot scrap without?
ribbon, rhinestones, embossing powder (lately)

below is one of Daniela's favorite christmas cards. what can i say there's so much about it that i love. i'm so into rhinestones right now, the background stamp is adorable. i love how she used the ribbon, and of course the traditional christmas colors really set the holiday mood. she's so talented. :)

I love this card because I love working with simple layouts, adding one or two embellishments, like rhinestones or buttons.

as promised this giveaway is going to be bigger and better than any Red Carpet giveaway so far. (not quite hard since i only started red carpet giveaway's two months ago-but that's not the point, LOL!)
stamps, ribbon, stickers, rub ons, and more! trust me when i tell you, you want to win this prize, and it's super simple. check out Daniela's blog and come back here and leave a comment telling me what your favorite holiday is and why. you have till December 30th at 12pm PST.

I'M AN AUNTIE!!!!!

2009-12-04T13:55:00.000-08:00

i'm a little backed up on my blogging but i have good reason. . . i'm an AUNTIE :) for the first time.

woooo-hoooooo!!!!!!!!!
i'm so excited. this kid is going to be so spoiled. i only have one brother, and i don't have any kids. so this is my parents first grandchild, and my first nephew. he just got here last night. and i can't wait to get off work and get back to the hospital today!

i was planning to post the Red Carpet interview/giveaway for December today, and i may or may not have time. but it'll be up by Monday for sure.

c ya later! well i guess not see you later more like blog ya later since i don't actually SEE you guys. sooooo. . .
blog ya later!

GIVEAWAY ALERT! check this out. . .

2009-12-02T14:27:00.000-08:00

one of my favorite bloggers, Jenn Biederman, is having a giveaway! what a great stash- hero arts & purple onion design stamps-what scrapper wouldn't want win this!

as happy as i am to share this info with all of you, i seriously hope i win. :)

check out her blog HERE for your chance at this great prize.

Red Carpet Giveaway WINNER!

2009-12-01T07:40:00.000-08:00

one of these day's i'm going to try using one of those random number selectors that i see bloggers use to pick their winners. until then i think my system works quite well. i turn to my husband and say
"babe, pick a number between 1 & 18"
"why?"
"just because"
"what's it for?"
"to pick a winner for my blog?"
"what do i win for picking the number?"
"a happy wife,"
"11"
doesn't get more random than that! so far the system's working pretty well.

and this months Red Carpet Giveaway Winner . . .Jackie!
Jackie said...

Nancy's work is beautiful and this Thanksgiving cards is just adorable! I've been enjoying her work on the Hero Arts Flickr Group for a while.

and when i went to check out her blog i realized she'd created a card that i totally fell in love with when i saw it on flickr. this girls got talent! i hope she can put this HA stamp to good use. Jackie there's a link to email you on your blog so I'll email you to get your address.

thank you all for participating, let's all congratulate Jackie & get ready for the December Red Carpet Giveaway, since it's Christmas time i'm planning on doing a SUPER HUGE GIVEAWAY!

faux stitch mania!

2009-11-24T19:58:00.000-08:00

ok i went nuts with a white gel pen, and had a lot of fun making this card. isn't the lil teddy bead adorable? proving my theory that those santa hat stickers can make anything Christmas-y :)

this card is what i like to call vintage shawnte-style since i didn't use any stamping on it. and i didn't start using stamps until i started cardmaking, so anytime i work without stamps it's like going back to my scrap-roots.

so what do i use when i don't use stamps? stickers, stickers, and more stickers. the teddy, santa hat, presents, and snowflakes are all stickers. (the deck the halls is actually an american crafts rub-on)i used a coluzzle to cut the circle around the teddy bear, martha stewards dimensional adhesive to pop that panel up.

thanks for looking.

lucy's color challenge

2009-11-23T19:37:00.000-08:00

Lucy's having her first color challenge.The challenge: use the colors soft pink, aqua blue, and kraft cardstock.
I didn't have a lot of kraft cardstock, but i still wanted to participate in the challenge. I love color challenges, they're a challenge but you have so many style/technique options.

this is Lucy's first challenge, and its just for the joy of scrapping not for a prize. and it'll be open until December 1st.

I knew i wanted to make a circle card cause i'm loving my coluzzle right now. i decided to go with a tone on tone look for the background, so i used colorbox chalk ink in orchid pastel on the pink cardstock, and colorbox chalk ink in mint blue on the aqua cardstock with hero arts dot flourish border stamp. i used die cuts with a view rub on stitching on the background. i used fiskars corner rounder on a small piece of kraft cardstock to give it a label look. I used martha stewarts 3 in 1 butterfly punch, and recollections rhinestones on the the butterflies. the flower is a colorbok chipboard flower (that i got in the sale bin at Michael's for $1) then used a marvy white gel pen to do faux stitching on the label and around the base of the card. the thanks stamp is from hero arts trees, birds and messages set.

i had a lot of fun making this card, i'm so glad lucy started doing challenges i look forward to her next color challenge, thank you so much for looking :)

the greatest inspiration

2009-11-18T19:59:00.000-08:00

i get so inspired looking at the cards and scrapbook pages of some of my favorite bloggers. their work is so amazing, it makes me feel, well-honestly, like an amateur.
although it's always fun looking at blogs (plus a great way to get an idea when you can't think of what you want to do) i always feel better about the finished card when it's my brain-child, not a scraplift. it's authentic, it's orignal, it's an expression of my creative talent, and that's pretty cool. but is it as amazing as some of the scrappers whose blogs i "stalk"? guess it depends on who you ask-my mom thinks my cards are the best-thank God for mothers, right? not that i think they're bad, seriously i love my work, i just know that as the years go by, the more i learn and perfect my skills i'll move to the next level in my creativity.
to test my theory, i decided to take a look back at some of the early work of a few of my favorite bloggers, and what i found was my theory was right, everybody starts somewhere and it takes time to develop your talent. and that i think is the greatest inspiration i could have received

card: basic grey indian summer collection (paper), bo bunny delilah collection (owl sticker), swirl stamp hero art's trees birds & messages set, queen & co (rhinestones), basic grey epoxy brad, & marvvy white gel pen.

Toya's November Wish List

2009-11-16T20:08:00.001-08:00

Usually I am all about the bright colors, and funky patterns, but I must say that Basic Grey has truly surprised me with their new line "Nook n Pantry". The colors are more pastel and I wouldn't normally be so attracted to that but there is something about this line that makes me happy on the inside. I was watching a "Finally Friday" video and Kristina Werner inspired me so much. Even while she was making the card she was so excited, the "Nook and Pantry Cakes Bitsy Clear Stamp" is soooooooo cute I must have it, and of course it's sold out at Two Peas. The entire line truly speaks to me and inspires me in ways I can't even explain. So below are a few items from the Basic Grey "Nook n Pantry" line that I must have in my collection.

1. Nook n Pantry Card Kit

2. Nook n Pantry Collection Pack

3. Nook n Pantry Stitched Brads

Check it out and leave me a comment and let me know what you think of the line.

so much to learn. . .

2009-11-15T19:06:00.000-08:00

though i've been scrapbooking for about seven years now, i've only been cardmaking for about seven months. although they have a lot in common, the more cards i make the more i see that they're worlds apart. there are so many tools and products i would have never purchased or already had and didn't use, or have learned how to use in new ways. it like falling in love with a new-old hobby all over again.

this weeks hero arts challenge was to make a card using glitter. super fun for me since i love all things shiny and sparkly. plus it gave me a change to try out two new things.
1. the coluzzle (a circle cutter by provo craft. i believe this product is now retired, it's super hard to find, if you want one i suggest looking on ebay)and 2. vellum!
my circle card has a cute little vellum window that let's you peek inside at the greeting and adorable penguin.

and because it'll make me feel better to know that i'm not the only one who feels like there's so much about this hobby i'm still learning. leave a comment letting me know what tool you've just learned to use, or a technique you've just begun using :)

SCAT's Red Carpet

2009-11-09T18:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another addition of SCAT's Red Carpet! Where you're the Scrap-star and we can't wait to get the dish on you and your scrap style.

On today's red carpet we have Nancy. Her blog is so engaging, and I love her unique approach to card making. Plus I'm super jealous of her scrap space!

how long have you been scrapbooking/cardmaking
I started making cards with rubber stamps about 20 years ago. I used stamps as a teacher and a friend took me to a store called Stampa Barbara...I was immediately hooked.

what was your last scrap purchase?
I purchased the Hero Arts Four Apples set (LP125) and the Nestabilities Standard Circles large.

three adjectives that describe your style?
changeable, intuitive, imperfect

three items you cannot scrap without?
Distress inks, Hero Arts stamps, beautiful paper

I love the holiday season, and Nancy's thanksgiving card totally puts me in the mood for turkey. adorable card don't you think? It's her current favorite . . .
I just finished updating my traditional Thanksgiving card for the Hero Arts Photocard Challenge. It's my favorite for many reasons but mostly because it's one I add to and improve on each year.

Great card right! I am so inspired.
And now, for the GIVEAWAY!!! Check out Nancy's blog and come back here and leave a comment to win a Hero Arts stamp set. Contest will end November 30th at 12 midnight PST.

exciting news!

2009-11-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

when i got home from work today my darling husband surprised me with Cricut Gypsy!!! i couldn't believe it. i'd never even mentioned to him that i wanted it. in fact i never even told him it existed, he really amazes me sometimes- actually he amazes me more often than not, you'd think i'd be used to it by now.
i'm so happy!
if you don't know what the Gypsy is, it's a portable design studio that's compatible with your cricut. you design on the Gypsy and then cut using your cricut, eliminating the need for hooking up to your computer which is totally perfect for me, since as i noted in a previous entry i'm not all that into using my computer when i scrap.

here's a video that'll explain it much better than i'd be able to. if you haven't got a gypsy yet, i totally recommend you get one. i've only had it a few hours and i'm so excited, and so happy with it.

Winner of Breast Cancer Awareness Contest

2009-11-04T18:21:00.000-08:00

I am proud to announce the winner of the 1st Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Contest.......And the winner is......drum roll! ........Yvonne Smith. Thank you so much Yvonne for sharing your project and particpating in our 1st Breast Cancer Awareness Contest. Take a look at Yvonne's entry....It's amazing!

jolly christmas card and red carpet winner!

2009-11-01T19:09:00.000-08:00

my "have a jolly christmas" card was made for hero arts simple holiday challenge.
using HA's jolly christmas stamps, that's also the stamp set GIVEAWAY for the oct red carpet interview!

speaking of which, the winner of the giveaway is . . .

Daniela Hendea {PurpleD} ...: I love Vanessa's style! She's one courageous stamper, never afraid to learn and try all kinds of new things. She's an inspiration to me.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
if you'd like to be interviewed on SCAT's Red Carpet, leave a comment below.

butterfly thanks

2009-10-31T20:18:00.000-07:00

here's a card i made recently. simple right? yep it's super simple. why? -creative block.

creative block sucks. the last couple of days i've sat at my craft desk and not been inspired. so what do i do when my mind goes blank? i flip through old scrapbooks and cards i've done, and look at blogs and cards on flickr.
and even after all of that i still didn't feel that spark of inspiration that comes when i just have to scrap becuase i have so many ideas in my head that i have to get them out on paper.

so i like this card, it's cute, but just a little too simple for my taste. here's hoping i get inspired soon.
thanks for looking.

Red Carpet Giveaway Reminder

2009-10-28T14:04:00.001-07:00

hi!

just a reminder that this month's Red Carpet Giveaway is ending this SATURDAY! Oct. 31st at 12 midnight PST.

I'll be announcing the winner on Monday!

to win simply check out Vanessa's blog, and leave a comment here.

WANT TO BE THE NEXT BLOGGER ON SCAT'S RED CARPET???

it's so easy, just leave a comment below with a link to your blog or flickr account, or email and we'll contact you with the interview questions.

by the way here's a peek at the prize . . . perfect for the holidays :)

HA ATC Swap

2009-10-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

it's been so long since my last post.
the last two weeks of my life have been CRAZY busy-but i'm glad to be back. and to share my HA ATC's.

when i heard HA was having an ATC swap i got so excited because i love making new friends and getting to know people who love scrapbooking & cardmaking as much as i do. i can't wait to see the other ATC's i get back, and i'll be sure to post them.
if you didn't hear about HA's ATC swap, check out this link HERE. since i believe they'll be having another one.

thanks for looking :)

SCAT's Red Carpet

2009-10-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another addition of SCAT's Red Carpet! Where you're the "scrap-star" and we cant wait to get the dish on you and your scrap style.

On today's Red Carpet we have Vanessa. I'm such a big fan of her style. Sometimes it's the little details that really make a project and it's so easy to see that on her cards she really keeps that in mind with results that are simply stunning!

how long have you been scrapbooking/cardmaking?

I have been cardmaking for about 9 months now. Although I discovered the scrapbooking world a few years ago and bought a lot of supplies, I never started scrapbooking! I only read some CK mags and looked at the beautiful creations...

what was your last scrapbook purchase?

BoBunny double dot cardstock

three adjectives that describe your style?

changing, experimenting, shabby chic (recently)

three items you can't scrap without?

distress inks, buttons, stamps

now here's a look at Vanessa's current favorite project. . .

I love butterflies, swirls/flourishes and distressing and sewing and jewels or pearls with ribbon and buttons, so everything I love is combined in this card!

Isn't her style amazing! Alright now for the GIVEAWAY!!! check out Vanessa's blog and come back here and leave a comment to win a Hero Arts stamp set! Contest will end Oct. 31st at 12 midnight (PST).

Finding Some "ME" Time

2009-10-04T00:59:00.000-07:00

Today I took the time to look around my craft room and thought about all the unfinished projects that I have tucked away. Wonderful ideas that came to my head and inspired me to purchase the tools needed, only for it to be put off for months. For example I made the decision that I wasn't going to complete another scrapbook of another friend's baby instead I was going to do an "All About Me" book. Using all in black and white photos. I thought it would be an amazing book, with bright colors and embellishments, that really poped agains the black and white photos. But, here I am months later with all the supplies and yet no book is done.
So often we get rapped up in life to the point that we fail to complete the things that we enjoy and make us happy. So I have decided to make a pact with myself that I will finish what I start and spend at least an hour a day doing something that makes me happy.
Are there some things you wish to complete? I'd love to hear about it, drop me a comment on the blog or at our email scat4u2009@yahoo.com!!!! Have a scaptabulous day!

October "Breast Cancer Awareness Month" Contest

2009-10-04T00:45:00.000-07:00

As many of you may know October is designated as "Breast Cancer Awareness Month" and there are some amazing walks and events that will be going on to promote awareness. I believe that this is a wonderful cause and thought a great opportunity for a ..............GIVEAWAY!!!!!! So I am asking for individuals to submit a card, or scrapbook page displaying inspiration about being a cancer survivor for themselves of someone they love. Or just create a card that you would give to a friend of loved one that was battling cancer. Although it is breast cancer awareness month I think it is important to celebrate being "Cancer Free". So along with the submission of the card please provide a story giving details about what inspired you to create this project. Please send it to scat4u2009@yahoo.com and I will display all the entries here on the blog and post the winner. The winner will receive a wonderful gift. The last entry must be received by October 31, 2009 at 11:59 p.s.t. I look forward to all your wonderful entries. Thanks for stopping by!

i've come down with the worst case. . .

2009-10-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

of scrapfest envy
a weekend of stamping, scrapping, and crafting. making friends with people who love this hobby as much as i do. getting to meet people from my favorite scrapbook companies like: hero arts, basic grey, cosmo cricket, and more. it would have been heaven. plus i'd finally get to see archivers in person. (we don't have an archivers in california) oh how i wish i could have gone.
for now i have to live vicariously through the blog posts of others who attended -hence the envy.

but this jealousy won't last forever. because one day i'm going to go, i'm going to be one of the happy ones. i'm going to enjoy the classes and make n takes and it'll be one of the best things i've ever done.
and i'll be sure to blog about it, and who knows, one day i may be the cause of someone else's scrapfest envy :)

scrap shopping

2009-09-30T21:23:00.001-07:00

shop. shop. and shop some more. if i could i'd shop for scrapbooking stuff everyday. i thought i'd share some of my latest purchases.
leave a comment to win one of the items shown in the video.

thanks for watching!

i (heart) u, butterflies

2009-09-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

if you've never used distress inks you have to try them! this was my first time using them and now i'm hooked.
i embossed the butterflies with zing white embossing powder and then blended the distress inks over the butterflies.
if you haven't tried this technique what's great is that the embossing powder resists the distress ink. and the colors blend so beautifully.

and the winner is . . .

2009-09-28T09:29:00.001-07:00

before i announce the winner of the giveaway i would again like to say thank you to everyone who participated here at scat and over at two peas. you all are so creative.

ok here we go. (drumroll please :) the winner is. . .

TRace44's Celebrate the Season card

she did an amazing job on this card, i just adore those smart little owls, and the jewel accented snowflakes. this card is simply stunning. don't you agree :)
to view more of TRace44's beautitul cards check out her flickr page.

TRace44 please leave a comment with your email address so that i can send you your prize. (i'm also going to send you a flickr mail if you'd prefer to keep your email private you can just respond to the flickr mail.)

The Perfect Tools for A Beginner & Giveaway

2009-09-26T21:17:00.000-07:00

I recently met this really nice lady in Michaels and she asked my advise about tools that are essential for a beginner. Here are my suggestions:

* TomBow Mono Adhesive

* Fiskars Paper Trimmer

* Fiskars Corner Rounder

* A Pack of Thickers

* A K & Company Greenhouse Paper Pad

This is just a simple list of things I think you should have in your possession. What do you think? Leave a comment on what tools you Must Have in your possession and we will send you a free gift. Thanks for stopping by have a great and scrappy week!!!!

Toya's Must Haves of the Year!!!

2009-09-26T20:49:00.000-07:00

Usually I would blog and give my "Must Haves" for the month, but I found some GREAT GREAT Stuff from K & Company and I just had to share it with you. These are some things that I must purchase, Two Peas In A Bucket has them in stock and trust me in a few weeks I will be blogging to you all about my purchase. It is the K & Company "Green House Collection", it is so bright and innovative I must have it in my possession. Here is a list of the items I have fallen in love with:

Greenhouse 8.5 x 8.5 Paper Pad

Greenhouse Baubles

Greenhouse Pink Canvas Tote Bag

Greenhouse Blue Canvas Tote Bag

Greenhouse Alpha Adhesive Chipboard

christmas card GIVEAWAY ends today

2009-09-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

it's almost over! time is running out.
ok all drama aside, this is just a reminder that the christmas in september card challenge ends today. so if you want to WIN just post a link to a christmas card you've made in the comments section by midnight tonight (PST).
i'll post the winner (maybe tomorrow-more likely monday :) -since i don't usually post on the weekends.
i'm so happy its friday, i didn't scrap at all last weekend and i look forward to making up for it this weekend. plus i plan to shoot a video, which i haven't done in months. so it should be a very fun, very "crafty" weekend for me.

happy friday

shawnte's sept. must haves

2009-09-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

this months must have list is all about BASIC GREY!
ever since the lime rickey collection i've been paying more and more attention to them. i love their color combo's and the chic modern prints they use on their papers.
i never thought they'd come up with a collection i'd love more than lime rickey, then they debuted the indian summer collection. it's breathtakingly beautiful.
so what do i want this month from the indian summer collection? EVERYTHING, LOL! -my response to everything when it comes to shopping isn't it.

but seriously here are my 4 picks
1. indian summer 6x6 paper pad
2. indian summer hip mini mono stickers
3. indian summer element stickers
4. indian summer glazed brads

what i've learned

2009-09-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

last week the theme on the hero arts blog was learning. and their hostess' showed one of their first cards and then made another card showing how much they'd learned. which got me thinking.
i've been scrapbooking for about six years now, but i've only been making cards since may of this year. just 5 months!
so what have i learned?

that while i never used my bone folder for scrapbooking, its unbelievably handy for a card making

most of my letter stickers are too BIG for cards (which was as good a reason as any for me to shop)

6x6 paper packs are PERFECT for cardmaking. honestly before i just didn't see the point. and i didn't own any, now i'm always on the hunt for a cute mat pack :)

pop dots are your friend-and make your cards SO much more interesting

and above all. (because i have to say i didn't own a single one until i started making cards.) YOU NEED STAMPS! :) and Hero Arts make some of my favorite stamps.

i feel like my whole outlook on scrapbook has changed since i've been making cards and when i go back i know i'll be a better scrapbooker because of everything i've learned. although i do think my scale is going to change a LOT. i used to be a 12x12 scrapbooker, i think the next book i do will be and 8x8 since i'm so used to working on a smaller scale these days.

now for the cards. the blue happy birthday was one of my 1st cards. the elements i really wanted to keep in creating my "what i've learned" card were: the horizontal border, buttons, rhinestones, and i wanted placement to be somewhat similar.
i'm proud of my progress so far, can't wait to see what my cards look like a year from now or two years from now.

want to share what you've learned? please leave a link the comments i would love to see your before and after!

Two Peas & Cricut Contest

2009-09-17T00:45:00.000-07:00

That's right TwoPeasinabucket.com has linked up with Cricut and created a contest. The contest will go on for three weeks and there will be winners picked each week. Its real simple check below for the information and discover a way to win some wonderful and great prizes.

- Week 1 : 9.14-9.20
- Week 2 : 9.21-9.27
- Week 3 : 9.28-10.4

[1] Create any project showcasing use of your Cricut.

[2] Upload your project to the Two Peas gallery. You must relate at least three products you used that are carried in the Two Peas store. You also must select at least five descriptive tags so that members can easily find your project when searching the gallery. You will also need to check the appropriate contest checkbox under "member challenges" to be included in that week's contest.

[3] You will need to post to your blog - Two Peas or personal - about how using the Cricut on this project made it easier, completed the project, etc. You need to include the following verbiage somewhere in your blog post :

[4] To complete your entry, you will need to reply to the contest blog post for the correct week on mellypea's blog with links to your project + blog post for each project submitted.

You may submit more than one project for each week's contest.

Weekly winners will receive a Cricut cartridge and their choice of any Two Peas digital die cut kit.

Have Fun!

Sharing Some Fun Ideas

2009-09-17T00:23:00.000-07:00

Above is a sample of a few cards that I completed after watching "A Finally Friday" video. I was totally inspired by the Cosmo Cricket Line, and the giraffe and turtle stamp. Let me know what you think!

celebrate with style

2009-09-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

i've been kind of busy lately not a lot of time to post. i'll make up for it this weekend by actually doing a decent post. but here's a quickie of a card i made.
i purchased these cute prima flowers and loved the colors so much. they're so bold and bright they embody my scrap-style. to make them the focal point i did the rest of the card in black and white.
thanks for looking leave comments if you have any questions.

OH! don't forget about the GIVEAWAY!!! just make a christmas card and post it-and leave a comment, i'll be picking a winner soon :)

christmas in september plus a GIVEAWAY!

2009-09-09T19:26:00.000-07:00

i can't believe how quickly this year has gone by. its only September but the holiday scrap supplies are already on display in craft and scrapbooking stores. christmas is easily my favorite holiday and in the spirit of the coming season i thought i'd make a couple of christmas cards.

with this first card i really wanted to create a "scene" card. i love the little polar bears, i think it came out pretty cute.

supplies used: recollections stickers (polar bears & santa hats), HA clear stamps Jolly Christmas Clear Design stamps, recollections rhinestones, DCWV stickers (christmas boxes). colorbox chalk ink blue, red, and colorbox fluid ink white.

the second card i made was using american crafts christmas rub ons. i was so inspired by the festive ornaments.

now for my very first GIVEAWAY!!!!
to win help me celebrate christmas in september! make your own christmas card and post a comment with a link to your blog or flickr page.
a winner will be selected on friday 9/25/09.

SCAT's Red Carpet

2009-09-02T18:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome to SCAT's Red Carpet! Where you're the scrap-star and we cant wait to get the dish on you and your scrap style.

Our first scrap star is the incredibly talented Jen.
SCAT: How long have you been scrapbooking/cardmaking?
Jen: About 5 years, but I've always loved playing with paper and collecting stationery since I was little.

SCAT: What was your last scrap-related purchase?
Jen: Patterned paper from BasicGrey and Sassafras

SCAT: List three adjectives that describe your style?
Jen: Eclectic! Dimensional, clean.

SCAT: List three items you can't scrap without?
Jen: Good quality scissors, kraft cardstock, thickers

SCAT: Share your current favorite project? And why it's your favorite?

Jen: I love this card I made recently because of its simple design that doesn't use a lot of fancy product but I just loved how using the coloured pencils really transformed the stamped background. Those moments when I have a new idea and it actually turns out to work are the most gratifying for me creatively.

for more info on Jen's amazing work and style check out her BLOG!

Toya's Toy's and Projects

2009-09-02T18:07:00.000-07:00

My partner in crime Shawnte and I are always sharing our wonderful wish list and the great new tools that we would love to purchase. Well this summer I bought some great new things and wanted to share with you all the fun things that I have purchased at Michael's and Sonja's Scrap Spot.........I have learned in the last few months how more important tools are because you can reuse them and if you treat them good they will last for years and years. So this summer I purchased the Marvy Uchida 2" scallop circle punch, and 1" scallop circle punch, a Fiskars Square Punch, and Large Circle Punch. I also caught a sell at Michael's where I was able to get a Martha Stewart Scallop Dot Edge Craft border punches to complete my collection. To show you how much I am enjoying the tools here are a few cards that I created to sample my new toy's. Stay tuned for new updates and project ideas. Thanks for stopping by have a great day!

manweek

2009-09-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

it's manweek on the hero arts blog. i can't believe it. i almost fell out of my chair with laughter when i read that monday. whenever toya and i scrap together we always talk about how much we suck at what we call "man-cards" because they're just not as much fun to do.

seriously you don't get to use all the fun girly elements like ribbon and flowers, and pretty girly colors. it's torture! :)

but you know me, i love a good challenge. and i know (well i hope) i can rise to the challenge and come up with a man-card i can be proud of.

not to mention the second part of this super hard (by my standards) challenge: getting your husband to make a card too.

the 1st and only time my husband ever touched my scrap supplies was to make me a scrapbook album which he used to propose to me. it was one of the most romantic things he ever did. but he hasn't touched any scrap tools since! LOL! and when i asked him last night he didn't seem to optimistic about it. oh well. i'll keep trying and i guess we'll see what happens.

any of you having as hard a time as i am getting your husbands to make a card for this challenge?

the school of YouTube

2009-08-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

i enjoy learning new techniques, trying out new products, and learning how to use products i already have in ways i wouldn't have come up with myself.
but it's easy to break the bank attempting to take every class i come across online or at my LSS. yes, it's a problem. my solution?
i realized that YouTube is a great resource for for keeping up to date on great tips, tricks and techniques.
jennifer mcguire's thinking inking class taught me so much about distress inks, paint dabbers, and the value of a ranger craft mat. :)
i also subscribe to hero arts YouTube channel. they feed my obssession to learn more and more about my favorite hobby!

do you have a crafty YouTube channel? if so leave a link in the comment below. i'd love to check it out.

caardvarks: myStampBOX challenge

2009-08-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

this is my entry for caardvarks color challenge!

i know i've only done two challenges so far, but this was the most fun i've had doing a challenge. requirements: use the colors black, white & hot pink. since my favorite color is pink this was a challenge that got my creative wheels turning the moment i read about it.

as i always do, when starting a card, i sat down and looked through my supplies hoping something would jump out and inspire me, as was the case with the cute little penguins (perfect since they're, of course, black & white), and that's pretty much how the card came about.
thanks for looking! and if you want to participate in the challenge you can HERE.

cosmo cricket

2009-08-20T11:02:00.001-07:00

isn't it funny how once something pops up on your mental radar you suddenly see it everywhere? such is the case with cosmo cricket. a few weeks ago i hadn't ever heard of the line, and now i seem to notice their unique and quirky style everywhere.

i'll definitely be picking up some items from this line on my next shoping trip. i love the vintage-y feel (how cute is that little toaster!) and the colors they use, which is a little surprising for me since i usually gravitate toward bold bright colors. this is their early bird collection, which is my current fav. their latest release is the boyfriend collection which is pretty cute too.

got a new favorite line you just found? leave a comment and let me know about it!

celebrate (butterflies) card

2009-08-17T17:42:00.000-07:00

i don't usually buy kits, but i couldn't resist the specialty papers in making memories girl just chillin collection.
the tag i used on the card is from the same collection but i actually purchased it separately from the paper kit. i was at target buying a pilates mat and couldn't stop myself from going into the scrapbooking section. i grabbed it so quickly i didn't even realized i'd purchased tags to match the kit i had. lucky break :)
i really loved the butterfly punch out shapes on the striped paper, i used pop dots to give it the dimensional effect over the polka dot paper.
i used stampendous perfectly clear stamps, the everything happy set to put the word celebrate on the tag.

thanks for looking, please leave any questions in the comments.

sweet(heart) card

2009-08-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

i got these cute cupcake stickers from Michael's arts & crafts store, they were having their dollar days sale and i picked up these cute 3 dimensional stickers for only $1. a pretty sweet deal :)

thanks for looking, if you have any questions please leave them in the comments.

hero arts challenge: sketches2

2009-08-14T17:45:00.000-07:00

i did it! my first card challenge. it was so hard and i thought about giving up a couple of times. i doubted myself but i decided i was going to finish the card i started. now that i'm done i'm pretty proud of it. so, here it is. . .
(by the way i did end up using sketch #4 :)

bazzil cardstock in black, basic grey lime rickey collection print papers, glitz gal back ground stamps (dots), martha stewart white ribbon, recollections rhinestones, hero arts anytime messages stamps, cricut george and basic shapes flower, die cuts with a view rub on stitching.

scrap rooms

2009-08-12T21:43:00.001-07:00

if you've been reading this blog at all you know that i love shopping for scrapbook supplies as much as i love scrapbooking. the more you shop the more stuff you have, the more stuff you need to organize and store somewhere.
i subscribe to kristina werner's youtube channel, and one of her latest posts is on her "messy scrap room". i have always loved looking at other scrapers' rooms. to see how they organize things, and to check out their hoard of supplies. and kristina has a room full of amazing supplies.i wonder if she appreciates that great stash. i'm trying hard not to be jealous-can you tell :)
besides being jealous was inpired, because i figure at the rate i'm going eventually i'll get there, one blissful shopping trip at a time.
my scrap room, is technically not a room. it's more of a desk. which is a step up from working off of tv trays or the kitchen table like when i first started. it's hard to believe that once upon a time all of my cardstock and print paper both fit into one organizer, and all my other supplies in a small plastic tub. i still don't consider myself an advanced scrapper, but i'm enjoying the growth process and learning more and more about my favorite hobby every day.

want to see more scraprooms? click HERE

shawnte's Aug. must haves

2009-08-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

ok, so first i have to point out that i thought it was pretty funny that toya and i both only got 1 item each from our july must have list and both items were fiskars punches! she got the square punch and i got the scalloped sentiment boarder punch!
alright, now on to this months' picks.
first up is colorbox chalk ink in white. out of all of the inks i have can you believe i don't have any white ink. time to remedy that. and i LOVE chalk ink, so colorbox is usually my first stop when looking for ink. what else do i want?
tim holtz unmounted stamp binder. a cute storage option for my growing stamp collection and speaking of stamps, next up is a cute wood mounted background stamp. hero arts floating leaf pattern design. and last but not least on my august list is american crafts zing! clear embossing powder.

Toya's Must Haves for August

2009-08-11T01:37:00.000-07:00

Last month I shared with you my July wish list. I am proud to say that I purchased one item from my list: "The Fiskars Square Punch", and I must say I love it. I also picked up two border punches by Martha Stewart.

I am going to share something very important about myself: I LOVE TO SHOP! It is like therapy, and finding a sale or clearance item gets my adrenaline going. I just feel as though you can NEVER EVER EVER have too many scrap booking supplies!

Since I have been on vacation I find myself browsing the web late at night and finding new and old stamps. Plus lots of other products I've never seen before. Many times after watching a MACM or Finally Friday video, I'm introduced to a stamp or new technique and I just have to have the products they use. Then I become obsessed with trying to find a good deal on it, so I search various web sites like Two Peas, Ebay, or Frugalities to see who has the best deal. It may appear crazy or abnormal but I love it. So this month I decided to share with you some things I found that are now on my August wish list.

a couple of firsts

2009-08-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

first #1
this week i'm going to participate in my first card making challenge. it's a hero arts card making challenge and i'm really excited about it. there are 4 sketch options and i think i'm going to go with the the 4th one, but who knows i may change my mind. or i might do a couple and let you know which one i like best.
its so easy to be inspired by the beautiful cards shari made.
so here's hoping my skills are up to the challenge.

first #2
for all of you, who like me, are addicted to the thinking inking class. i know you're as sad as i am that this is the last week.

this was actually the first class i've ever "attended" online. i wish i'd been able to buy all the supplies and properly follow along. the great thing is that since it's online i'll always have the video's to reference, and when i get the products i can go back to the video. i've learned SO much from this class, and this is my official thank you to Jennifer McGuire and everyone at Two Peas, Ranger, & Hero Arts for an AMAZING CLASS! (especially since it was free, and for all of the skills that were taught they certainly could have charged).

the ebay battle is over and . . .

2009-08-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

I WON!!!!!

that's right, i won the coluzzle circle template. thank you ebay. it was a close call, had my competitor bid just one more time i would have given up, becuase even i have my limits.

and because i had a little extra money to do some shopping i decided to pick up a few more things and stumbled across possibly the BEST DEAL i've ever found on Ebay. seriously.

I purchased some hero arts clear stamps for $5. Seriously $5! I bought 2 sets and with combined shipping (which was only $3) i made out like a bandit. since in any store those stampes would have been $15.

here's a link to the ebay seller

i purchased hero arts: birds, trees & messages. and happiness messages stamp sets. can't wait to get them, and make some cute cards with all my great new sentiments.

bad news equals big spending

2009-08-06T07:14:00.000-07:00

recently I was watching a MACM video and heard kristina warner say that provo craft is discontinuing the coluzzle. shock. outrage. disbelief ensued. i've wanted a coluzzle since the first time i saw it in action. but i'm a shop-a-holic, i want pretty much EVERYTHING i see, so i have to pace myself. i'd actually tried to purchase it the conventional way, and was unable to find the circle template (the one i really want) at my LSS or online.

so i turned to my ever helpful. . . wait for it. . . ebay!

and now i'm bidding higher than i usually like to and fighting harder than i thought i'd have to, to win this thing. there are 6 hours left, and mark my words, i will win this darn coluzzle if i have to empty my bank account to do it. ok, maybe i'm just kidding-i'm not empting my bank account-but seriously i want it now and i'm going to get it.
stay tuned, i'll let you know how this ends.

cute rejects

2009-08-04T18:47:00.001-07:00

sometimes making a card for a friend is the hardest thing for me to do. i made four cards and ended up selecting the cute green and white one with the turtle on it from my last post. so i thought i'd share the reject cards.
my friend is having twins so i'm going to have to find someone else having twins if i want to use these :)

by the way this month's a year in cards class at two peas is all about baby cards. my fave is the one with the little owl and mushrooms :)

baby card

2009-07-20T19:44:00.000-07:00

i'm going to a baby shower this saturday, so i've been working on baby cards. here's my favorite so far. not sure if it's the one i want to use but i thought i'd share.

SCMS-finding joy everyday

2009-07-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

here's the first scat card making session!! i've been watching different scrapbookers and card makers on youtube, and it looked like so much fun. i had to try it for myself. i was so excited making this video, and very nervous. (as i'm sure you'll be able to tell since i stumble over many words. =) hope you enjoy. if you have any questions please leave them in the comments.

supplies used:
standard notecard: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches
(the white paper is cut to 3 1/2 x 4 inches, the print paper is cut to 2 x 4 inches)
K&Company papers, die cuts, and boarder
hero arts stamps anytime messages

Finding Momentum

2009-07-18T02:16:00.000-07:00

One thing that I have learned whether you are scrapbooking, making cards, or cleaning out your closet. In order to accomplish your task you must have momentum. Something that inspires you to sit down and go through pictures, discover a colorful and creative way to show off you baby's first party, or their graduation day. Lately I have been looking for new tools, techniques, and paper to inspire me. All this week I have been working on an 8-12 page paper that I need to write for school and I have struggled with getting motivated to sit still long enough to get past the title page. So I decided to get out my scrapbooking tools and make some cards hoping it would inspire me or at least relax me enough to complete a few pages. To my surprise I was not motivated to make cards either, it was almost as if it was a chore instead of a wonderful addictive hobby. Which made me me to wonder what the heck was restricting me from creating? Then it dawned on me card making is something fun and relaxing and unfortunately this has not been a relaxing month due to all the things that I have had to take care of at home. So I decided to reinvent my happy place and stir up my creative juices and here are the cards that I created. I enjoyed using different patterns and putting wonderful vibrant colors together. I hope you enjoy them leave me a message and let me know what you think.

not ready to go digital

2009-07-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

ok, i've been thinking a lot about digital scrapbooking lately.

so far my computer's only involment in my scrapbooking has been printing out text on white computer paper. so it's going to be a big leap to get me to go digi. it seems so complicated. also i feel like i'm going to loose some of the 'handmade' feel to my layouts/cards.

my husband bought me the cricut design studio for my birthday (june 13-a full month ago.), and i still haven't tried it out yet. pretty sad- i know.

what else has me thinkin digi? the latest finally friday video featuring one of the cutest cards i've seen.

when i first heard about digital scrapbooking i was adamant about avoiding it. but its becoming harder to resist. i forsee branching out in my future, but for now i'm just not ready to go digital.

Toya's Must Haves

2009-07-08T18:09:00.000-07:00

Like most scrapbookers I feel like I can never have too many new tools, gadgets and product to explore. I was thinking about all the wonderful things I have on my "Must Have" list and decided to share it with everyone.

A New Discovery plus a GIVEAWAY

2009-07-06T00:18:00.000-07:00

Whenever I travel outside of my neighborhood I love to explore and find scrapbooking stores that I have never visited and check out their product. Whenever I go to a scrapbook store I enjoy getting that feeling of "Home" and "My Happy Place". For example anytime I go to Sonja's Spot at the Bridge in Los Angeles I get inspired every time I walk through the doors, the vibrant colors and the atmosphere makes you want to stay for a while and spend money and create wonderful projects and scrapbook pages. Well last weekend I went to visit my mom in Pomona, California and I discovered a scrapbook store down the street from her house called Scrapping Lounge. OMG! I fell in love with this place, it was so cute and inspiring and the people there were extremely friendly that I just wanted to sit down at the wonderful work station and scrapbook for the rest of the day. It had such a vibrant colors and displays that just opened up your creativity. The various choices of paper was great and just the set up impressed me. I was truly in "My Happy Place". They offer FREE table time during work hours! So if you are in the area take the time to check them out. Their web site is www.scrappinglounge.com. Thanks for sharing in the excitement of my New Discovery.
GIVEAWAY!!!
The first person to go to Sonja's Spot or Scapping Lounge and send us a comment about them we will send you a little gift. The email for SCAT is scat4u2009@yahoo.com. Have a great day!

Two Peas In A Bucket Sale of the Day

2009-07-06T00:10:00.000-07:00

Like my partner in crime I get a natural high anytime I get a bargain, there is just a sweet rush when you are able to purchase something at wholesale price instead of retail. It's like walking into your first scrapbook store, you are so giddy and can't take the goofy smile off your face. Anyway I just went on www.twopeasinabucket.com and discovered that they taking 50% of Bo Bunny Press products just for today. This is a sale you don't want to miss.

once again i'm reminded why i love ebay

2009-07-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

since i refuse to develop the kind of self control needed to stop myself from constantly wanting to shop for new scrap supplies, i am at least proud that i've developed the kind of shopper savvy to seek out great deals. i've been in love with hero arts sending happy thoughts stamps since i first saw them. (about a month ago). but i couldn't bring myself to spend $15 for them. (man that makes me sound cheap-sorry but that's how i felt.) without at least trying to get a better price.

and i did. . .thanks to the joy of ebay i got them for $5.15 plus $2.50 shipping. $7.65!!! can you believe it.

thank you ebay

i can't wait to get started using these. be sure to check back for all the cute cards i'll be making with them

july wish list

2009-07-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

here are my picks for this month's wish list.
Maya road chipboard shapes. those cupcakes are adorable!!!
Fiskars scalloped boarder punch. anyone who's as big a fan of Kristina Werner's finally friday video's knows how useful this punch can be.
basic grey's 6x6 paper pad in lemonade. i really love those colors for summer.
KI memories pop art icons stickers. i'm really into birds right now and the two little "love birds" on that branch would be perfect on a little "love" themed card.

as always thanks for stopping by scat, and feel free to leave comments or questions!

green, brown, & the cutest lil' monkey

2009-06-27T16:53:00.000-07:00

i don't know when i got so into green and brown, but i really like the color combo on the two cards i just made. i bought this cute little monkey stamp, and i knew it would be perfect with basic grey's lime rickey collection, this is probably the cutest paper pack i've ever bought-i love it THAT much. the second card is made with the mm just chillin collection & of course -thickers! (i'm obsessed with thickers right now)

thanks for looking. leave a comment if you have any questions.

a few cards

2009-06-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

here's a few cards i've done recently. different things inspire me when making cards. these in particular were inspired by different embellishments in my collection. thanks for looking

i got the "bee" stickers as a free gift with purchase with my last frugalities order, and the moment i saw them i knew i wanted to use them on a card.

i bought making memories just chillin collection die cuts on a whim one day at target. (i was actually there to buy a pilates mat but couldn't stop myself from wondering over to the scrapbook isle. honestly i didn't realize how cute the die cut set was until i got home. hmm . . . maybe i should randomly grab things more often LOL!). anyway, this butterfly jumped out at me. love the colors and the glitter on this embellishment.

i was flipping through my stamp collection and saw this love you tons stamp, and it made me think of my hippo sticker (i don't know if you can tell from the picture, but i wanted to use demensional adhesive on the hippo. so i stuck it to black cardstock, and trimed around it so that i could make my hippo pop off the page), and that's how this card came about. isn't that hippo adorable :)
thanks again for looking, leave comments if you'd like and if you have any questions.

birthday shopping

2009-06-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

what's the best thing about birthday's? gift & shopping-right? right! so i thought i'd share some of the things i picked up with the scrapbook gift cards i received for my birthday. strictly scrapbooking in Cerritos, CA is, sadly, going out of business, but i was glad to catch the great sale they were having. i also did some shopping at sonja's scrapbook spot, tall mouse crafts & because you know i love a great deal- big lots & ebay

thanks for watching

good advice for all scrappers

2009-06-22T12:08:00.000-07:00

i'm a big fan of kristina werner's. she does the finally friday video's at two peas in a bucket, as well as make a card monday video's for her own blog. while the card she made today is cute its not one of my favorites, however i wanted to share this video becuase i think she gave some of the best advice for all scrapbookers new and old alike. but particularly for new scrappers becuase we all get a little intimidated at first when we look around at all of the talented scrappers who've come before us.

chipboard, thickers, and other things that make me smile

2009-06-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

For as long as I've been scrapbooking I've always tried to find a way to save money. There is always some new product or technique I want to try out, and it's easier to enjoy when I can stay within my budget. (it's not so easy when you want everything.) I am and always will be head over heels for Chipboard Letters, they are amazing. But my new found love are thickers. When American Crafts made these they opened the door to a new level for card making and scrapbooking. Also I have this wonderful scrap booking web-site that I love to buy things from because they definitely have some great deals and discounts. Its called frugalities, it is very user friendly and I just love the new and fun things they have to offer. So check them out and let me know what you think.

Addictions!!!

2009-05-31T23:05:00.000-07:00

My friend Shawnte introduced me to this scrap booking website twopeasinabucket.com and it is a wonderful and friend website that has videos on how to create some really nice cards, and funky ideas for layouts for a scrapbook. So I was teasing Shawnte about being addicted to a segment on the website called "Finally Friday's" where this lady videos herself doing all these cool cards. So one night a few weeks ago I was up late and needed to wind down so I decided to surf the web and began watching the "Finally Friday" videos and became so inspired. I became so intrigued by the videos that I couldn't stop myself. Before you knew it I had been on this sight for a few hours and it was 2:00 a.m. and I have to be up for work at 5:15 a.m. I thought to myself "man now I know why how Shawnte feels because it became so addicting yet intriguing all at the same time. So if you get a chance check it out they have some great products, and tutorials on just about anything. The website truly gets your creative juices flowing. Just beware of the addiction the website will draw you in too.

Goal Accomplished

2009-05-31T23:01:00.000-07:00

So in my previous blog I talked about making the decsion to complete projects and how I have been working on my god-daughters scrapbook for two years and I vowed to complete it by May 31, 2009. I am proud to say that I completed my task and will be mailing it to her this week. I am so proud because I set a realistic goal and followed through on it. So stay tuned for the slide show of the wonderful pics of my sweet and loving god-daughter Emiya!

Finding Time To Scrap

2009-05-12T21:08:00.000-07:00

Years ago I was introduced to the wonderful world of scrapbooking and it opened up an amazing new world for me, it seemed to have opened up a window of creative juices I had no idea existed. One of the downsides to this is finding the time to indulge in my passion. I started off saying that I would work at least 1 hour a day working on pending projects and scrapbooks that I have on my to-do list. When my god-daughter was born I decided to create a wonderful scrapbook of her first year and give it to her for her 1st birthday. Unfortunatley she just turned 2 last week and her book is still not completed. Everytime I think I am finished I find another picture that just has to go in the book, or I buy some new paper that deserves to make it's debut in her wonderful book. So I made up in my mind today to get it done before the end of the month. That seemed like a wonderful realistic goal that I have a strong chance of accomplishing. It is important to set realistic goals to allow yourself room for compromise. An important lesson that I have recently been reminded of is to finish the things that I start. I don't want to have dreams deferred I desire to have purpose fulfilled.So stay tuned to view the pages of the cutest little girl and rejoice with me as I reach my goal!

3rd Annual Southern California Shop Hop

2009-05-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

For all my fellow scrapbookers in Southern California mark your calendar's because the Annual Shop Hop is on the way. From August 7-23, 2009 forty of your local scrapbook store's from Los Angeles to San Diego will be offering wonderful make and takes for as low as $2.50 without purchase, and up to 20% in savings for all the hot new products. This is an opportunity to go on a road trip with your girlfriends to shop, and scrap to you drop. In order to benefit from the amazing savings you must purchase a "Passport" package at your local scrapbook store for the low price of $9.99 before June 12, 2009. After June 12th the price will go up to $14.99. So be sure to check out your local stores to get the full details. If you live in Los Angeles or near the Culver City area be sure to check out my girl Sonja over at Sonja's Scrspbook Spot at the Howard Hughes Center. If you live in the Torrance area you can always check out A to Z scrapbooking in the shopping center on Anza and Torrance Blvd. Whatever store you decided to patronize you will not be disappointed. I look forward to going on this amazing adventure.....

mother's day cards

2009-05-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

hello

it's shawnte guest bloggin at SCAT! i LOVE scrapbooking, but have just recently gotten into card making. and with mother's day coming up i thought i'd share some of the cards i made for my mom, mother in law, and my aunt. my favorite is the one with the mom and baby poodle. i love my cricut!

"Just Getting Started"

2009-04-28T21:57:00.000-07:00

Some months back I was having a conversation with a friend of mine who introduced me to "blogging". She thought I had some funny anecdotes and experiences in the scrapbook world and should create a blog. So I figured why not give it a try since I love scrap booking and believe it is a wonderful and amazing journey that needs to be shared. Often times people believe that they are not creative enough to scrapbook but it is so much more than that, it is preserving memories and sharing with others your wonderful life experiences. So I decided to take her advice and thus SCAT was born, it means "Scrapbook Creations Around Town". I will use this platform to talk about all the wonderful scrapbook stores, events and wonderful products not just in Southern California but all over. So stay tuned for my adventures and smart tips.