Ele.ment.ary PDF & Giveaway

I'm so excited about the NEW Simple Stories line by MemoryWorks! Head over to their blog for a chance to WIN IT BEFORE YOU CAN BUY IT!!! Isn't that FANTASTIC!

If you would like to purchase this kit, I'm taking pre-orders now. Here is the PDF for the NEW Simple Stories: Elementary line. E-mail me with what you would like to purchase and when the kit becomes available (mid August).

I'm so excited to play with this kit :) What do you think about this kit?? How do you plan on using it?

4th of July Mini

Here is the final photos of my 4th of July Mini album. Can you tell who the star of my life is? My nephew of course! I used the MemoryWorks July Express kit and a Maya Roads canvas album to complete this album. I also got my photos printed at scrapbookpictures.com - they are 2x2 photos and the quality is awesome! So happy with how they turned out! I also used glimmer mist and stamps I have in my stash!

Enjoy!

Summer CHA 2010 - MUST HAVES

So sneak peeks have been flying around the manufacturer's blogs this past week or so. And I'm in love. This is such an exciting time because new product is always fun to have and to see what new innovating things companies come out with is so thrilling to see. The bad part - my wallet doesn't like me and won't let me buy everything I want! BOO! Lottery anyone?

Well here are my top 5 (super hard to choose) products that I love and seen (SO FAR) for summer 2010 CHA! There maybe honorable mentions...hehe. In no particular order.

(1) Pink Paislee: This comes to no surprise as it is my favorite brand, I was bound to LOVE Pink Paislee. Now I'm jumping the gun on this a little, as their full release is happening this week. So not everything has been seen yet. But loving it so far! So far my favorite line is Hocus Pocus and the Parisian line looks divine - has not been revealed yet. I love their new Oversized Clear cards and the flip notes of course and the papers in the Hocus Pocus line are fabulous :D I love Halloween!

(2) Tim Holtz - Swoon. I'm attracted to Tim Holtz's creative mind. He is inspirational, innovative, and amazing at what he does and has awesome products. His stuff is like being in a candy shop. You don't want just want the chocolate bar or the sour patch candies - you want the WHOLE store. He is on Sneak Peek day no. 9 and I have to say - he has not disappointed me. I do have to say - my FAVORITE item was released today (I even Facebook my favorite LSS to see if she would be carrying it - sad I know). This die you see to the left is my FAVORITE of his release. There are so many things about Tim Holtz release that are fabulous - but that could be a WHOLE blog post plus. So just head over to his blog & check it out for yourself.

(3) Crate Paper. If you have never used Crate Paper papers - you are MISSING out. Over the years this has been on the top of my list for favorite paper companies. They come out with amazing designs and products that I adore. This release is NO different, and actually probably my FAVORITE release I've seen out of ANY company this summer CHA. I adore the texture of CP papers. And the colors and patterns they design and put together amaze me!

My FAVORITE of their releases is Restoration. Where to begin with this line? Seriously I don't know. I want every single piece of it! Head over to their blog and check it all out! I couldn't decide what image I wanted to share! Oh and CP has 6x6 paper pads (I love love love these!!)

(4) Teresa Collins: Stampmaker machine. Okay now this is a MUST have (especially for a stamp addict like me). I saw this machine revealed on her blog and about fell off my chair. I haven't stopped talking about it. It is so obvious that I LOVE this machine that Matt asked me where he can buy me one (to hush me up). For a few days it was non-stop talk about this machine. All the possibilities!! My head is spinning with excitement! Anyway, she is also releasing some great new lines including "FreeStyle". Pink and orange has been a favorite color combo of mine for a very long time...so this line definitely caught my eye.

(5) Cosmo Cricket - lots of fun things going on over there! Including a special re-release of WANTED! AWESOME! Love that line. I'm digging their holiday line and the non-traditional colors. Their ALPHAS are a MUST have! I adore them!!! The ones to the right are CLEAR! how cool is that!! Love them. I'm also digging the "Togetherness" line. Too cute!! So many adorable things!! They also have MATCHING Unity Stamp Co. Stamps! SWEETNESS!! I love Unity Stamp Co.




Honorable Mention:
Okay so this isn't a CHA release - it's just a product that I have found to be truly awesome and can't WAIT to scrapbook with it. The new Simple Stories: ele.ment.ary line by MemoryWorks. Check previous posts featuring the line and all the information! If you would like to pre-order this line, contact me! This is only available through a MemoryWorks consultant.

Alright! There you have it. My FAVs (so far) of the new releases. Other companies I adore are Fancy Pants Designs, Bella Blvd., American Crafts, and Maya Road.

Glue & Paper

I scrapbooked last night!! I love when I can sit for hours and just glue paper & embellishments down!!

Last night I finished my 4th of July mini album (waiting for the photos I ordered before I share the entire project). Here is a sneak peek of the cover.

I am using the MemoryWorks July Express kit (there are a few left for purchase w/out a subscription) and the album I got at Archiver's last time I was in the cities. It is a canvas album with 4 chipboard pages inside and 2 canvas pockets. I thought it'd be fun to play with! And it really was! I sprayed the cover of the album with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist and hot glued the elements to the front.

I also am hosting the 2nd challenge on the MW Studio this month. If you are a MemoryWorks Consultant head on over to enter and for a chance to win a PRIZE!!

I picked out a sketch from Pagemaps.com. I just loved all the possibilities with this sketch and the fact that everyone is always looking for ways to add more photos to their layout and I thought this was perfect!!

So here is my take on the sketch. I think I"ll add a little to it and of course I'll add journaling. The words just were not coming to me last night.

I didn't put photos in all the spots, I actually filled some areas with pattern paper (I may go back and add elements to those areas - like chipboard or a stamped image).

Also, the scalloped part is Pink Paislee Flip Notes, I cut the tops & bottoms off 2 of the flip notes and adhered to my photo mat. I kept the rest of the flip note because it made a really cool tag or possible use for a title box on another layout!

Supplies:
Pink Paislee: Queen Bee (Theme Set, Flip Notes, Punch Outs)
Bella Blvd.: Flower
American Crafts: Clear Stamps - Whistle
BasicGrey Chipboard Letters
White Acrylic Paint
Brown marker pen
Fancy Pants: Stamp (every day moments)
Unity Stamp Co. Stamp (in love)
Ribbon

Ele.ment.ary

So the week has passed and the new Simple Stories kit has been revealed. But the fun isn't over yet! All week the MemoryWorks home office is posting projects and layouts using this wonderful new kit! Head over to the Simple Stories blog for some great inspiration!

If you are interested in pre-ordering the Simple Stories: ele.ment.ary kit, please email me for more details! lacey.memoryworks@gmail.com

Trying to be DOMESTIC

So today is the day - I'm making WHOOPIE!!! Found the recipe on Bakerella.com and wanted to try it for myself. Okay here is the thing. I haven't baked from scratch in, well probably since early college / high school (sad I know).

I had all my ingredients set out, the oven preheated and I was ready to go. This was all a surprise for Matt, he sat in the living room doing his homework, while I baked!!

Now the process started and I realized, I need to invest in an apron - I get stuff EVERYWHERE. Things were going well though. I was reading the directions, putting in the CORRECT amount of everything I needed and I was flying!

THEN! I was scraping the side of the bowl and my spatula got caught in the HAND mixer and so did my fingers. TG it wasnt' going super fast, but the spatula flew across the floor batter got EVERYWHERE and I was crying. Matt to the rescue. He turned the mixer off, stuck my hand under cold water and started cleaning up the batter around the entire kitchen (including spots that got in the hallway and on my laptop.

He finally asked "Can I ask you now what you are making me?" So I did, because he had to "supervise" me for the rest of the process (had to use the hand mixer again). The rest went fine. The cookie part is in the oven (as I type this, the last batch is baking). That part is actually really good :) Of course we ate one cookie / cake half.

So 2 bruised fingers later and 15 whoopie pies... I got through my FIRST baking experience (from scratch) in 10 years. It may be another 10 years till the next one.

Oh and the pictures on the bakerella site are 10xs better then mine and their whoopies look cute! mine look weird.

The aftermath of the mixer

After being baked - they look like hamburgers

Finished with the filling (Salty Peanut butter)

AND my fingers you can see toward the right of my pointer and left lower portion of my thumb it is read...it is now bruised and red.

Saturday's Creations

I actually got to sit around and CREATE today!! Mostly play around with new supplies that I got yesterday and today!

I got some more GCD: Chip Art Tools! Including the Sparrow lower case set and mini shapes. I created a title chipboard piece for a layout or card! I think I have the perfect papers to go with this and album idea! This project will be towards the bottom of my "Creations" to - do list. :D



I also put together my "INSPIRATION" journal. I used 2 chipboard pieces that I had laying around (they were part of an album and I didn't need them) and I cut up some Bristol paper I've had laying around since college to fit the album. Here is my journal:


And I was so excited to have my new inspiration journal, I decided to test it out and create a page in it. My inspiration journal will be a place for me to try new techniques, play with other medias and explore "art" outside of scrapbooking - while still incorporating it into my pages. On this first page I used water color paints, Water colored pencils, Pink Paislee: 365 Degrees stamp, and rhinestones.

I had fun exploring with these medias and also trying to LOVE my handwriting. This is something I've never been found of and hopefully through this journal I can start to like my handwriting.


I encourage anyone who is crafty in any way or artistic to start their own inspiration journal. It may help you get out of a rut and it's fun. There is no standard set, it's just putting your thoughts, feelings & creativity on a page! Doesn't have to be "perfect" - just be apart of you! :D Have fun!

Simple Stories: the EXTRAS!

I'm so excited about this release! For the Simple Stories: Ele.ment.ary release, MemoryWorks has added - EXTRA products you can purchase separately from the kit. Want more paper? You can purchase just that - a pack of Simple Stories: Ele.ment.ary paper pack. Love letters stickers - look no further a great full sheet of letter stickers!

So here you go - THE EXTRAS!! Also, don't forget to pick up your album (leather or linen) & page protectors (these are available now!)

Also, HEAD over to the Simple Stories blog for YOUR chance to WIN this entire kit & extras!!

This sheet of Journaling Jots is double sided!!

Letter Stickers

Designer Cardstock: This set gives you 8 sheets, 2 of each included in the kit!

And Expression stickers!!


And don't forget - here is the Ele.ment.ary "KIT" as a whole.

Contact me today at lacey.memoryworks@gmail.com if you would like to pre-order the kit and/or extras! The Ele.ment.ary kit retails for $16.99. I do not have prices on the extras yet. I'll keep you posted!

Ele.ment.ary - Full Kit photos

Alright here it is. Everything you see below is INCLUDED in the MemoryWorks Simple Stories: Ele.ment.ary kit! How awesome is that. But there are MORE surprises tomorrow!!! Seriously more?!? Check out the Simple Stories blog for all the details.

Double Sided Papers

Sticker Elements: I love these stickers for the fact that they are so versatile. Even if you don't have a child in school or are using this for school themed, there are endless possibilities to use majority of these stickers.

COLORED Transparencies! These are awesome for the fact that they are bright bold colors and match the Simple Stories kits to a tee!!

Journaling Cards: I LOVE these. They will definitely help out with journaling and a great page element feature!! To get a closer look, check out this blog post.

Border Strips

Quote Cards: I love these cute 4x4 cards!

Photo Mats

There you have it. The FULL MemoryWorks Simple Stories: Ele.ment.ary kit! Make sure to check back tomorrow for surprises!!

Also, if you KNOW you want this kit, email me to pre-order! The kit will be released in August and if you have pre-ordered I will place the order the day the kit comes out! Email me with questions or orders :D

Enjoy!