Preparing for My "Life"

Tell me, is there any scrapbooker that isn't currently doing some sort of skew on Becky Higgins® Project Life®?  Beck has certainly created a design phenomenon - and no wonder!

I watched her design debut with American Crafts unfold at the Craft & Hobby Association show last year and I was totally hooked.  Having an active family with two young children, she obviously has the scrapbooking answers I am looking for.  Her product line is:

• Quick
• Easy
• Trendy and
• Clean

Quickly, I bought two different sets of the her Core Kit (one for each child) with extra journaling cards, albums, photo pocket pages of all description.  I love, love, love my Project Life products!  Even the packaging is sleek, stylish and best of all, organized.

I have a wonderful way to use her organizational features found on her website to help you get a jump start on your Project Life layouts:

First: From the "Freebies" tab on her homepage, I printed out the two-page "Project Life Photo Pocket Page Design Reference" on card stock.  I wanted to add it to a dedicated 12 X 12 album, so I overlaid Becky's pocket page onto the printout to use it as a template.

I outlined where the holes needed to be punched.

Viewing the Design Reference side-by-side allowed me to see the whole collection in one glance.  I punched the holes out so I could use them as a "book view."

I added all the different Project Life page layouts I had into a dedicated 12 X 12 Project Life album, each under a separate tab, and added the hole-punched Design Reference sheets to the front, and highlighted the type of layouts I had on hand on the Design Reference.

Next, I considered which photos were absolutely necessary to the layout that I wanted to create.

Laying out my "must have photos" with the design options in view, I could easily begin to see which layout would be most appropriate for my "must have" photos.

I flipped to the back of my album to pick the pocket page layouts I wanted to use.

Lastly, I did a quick check of my layout by using the Project Life pocket page as an overlay to my photos.  I began by adding my "must have" photos first, then I plugged in some additional favorite photos where appropriate.

Once I had a dedicated album of:

• my stacks of different Project Life pocket page layout designs organized and tabbed, 
• and the Project Life Design Reference pages printed and highlighted with the pocket pages I had on hand,

it was smoooooth sailing after that!  Treat yourself by making a Project Life Design Reference book of your own - you'll be smooth sailing, too, before you know it!

Tell me, what's the best way you stay organized with Project Life?

Laurel Lee Pollard, Online Publisher, Promoter

New England Paper Crafts
"Ensuring the inspiring world of paper crafts continues to bloom."

www.NewEnglandPaperCrafts.com

Let's connect!  Find me at:

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Our Cre8time Team Expands our Schedule in 2014

Due to demand, our “Inspire! New England Paper Crafts” Cre8time Team expands our schedule of events in 2014.   After booking successful events this past year, Cre8time’s largest team commits to hosting free paper crafting "Cre8te and Take" events across the region through 2014.

The creative team of designers and specialty art retailers that comprise our "Inspire! New England Paper Crafts" Cre8time Team will be building on their 2013 event coverage which was accompanied by full social media support by New England Paper Crafts (NEPC) and Cre8time.  Promotional opportunities included:

• The Craft & Hobby Association blog, 
• Cre8time's "Take 8" bulletin, 
• NEPC blog & online calendar.

As the Team Manager for our "Inspire! New England Paper Crafts" Cre8time team, I am taking reservations in advance for our Cre8time events.  Whether it's in-store, at a local museum, a consumer event or crop, I look forward to setting the event dates with our team mates and promoting the details of each of event, together.

Each of these free paper crafting Cre8time events will be specifically highlighted in a quarterly NEPC Cre8time Event blog post and social media blitz.  Best of all, our "Inspire! New England Paper Crafts" Cre8time Team members may book as many "Cre8te and Take" events as their schedules allow.

Interested in joining our team?  I'd love to hear from you!  Drop me a note at NewEnglandPaperCrafts@gmail.com - I'll give you all the information you need to jump start YOUR New England paper crafting promotional schedule!

Happy Day, Laurel

Laurel Lee Pollard, Online Publisher, Promoter

New England Paper Crafts
"Ensuring the inspiring world of paper crafts continues to bloom."

www.NewEnglandPaperCrafts.com

Let's connect!  Find me at:

Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram

"Retreat! Retreat!"

No finer words were ever spoken to a crafter, am I right?

I joined the lovely Kim Enck, Creative Memories Consultant, at her semi-annual Scrapbooking Retreat at Purity Springs Resort in East Madison, NH, this past weekend.  Oh, I was so thankful for the long stretch of dedicated time to work on some of my paper crafting projects.  

In preparation of the excursion, I packed up just about my entire Sizzix die-cutting tool table so my fellow Retreaters could enjoy these wonderful, inspiring products that I'm blessed to be able to work with every day.  A few extra trips to the car, and I was loaded with Sizzix crafty goodness to share with our group.

After a full-on scrapping on Friday & Saturday, we woke up early to a winter wonderland at Tecumseh Lodge on Sunday morning.  It was an inspiring sight, especially for those working on their holiday layouts ~

The most memorable part of the weekend?  Escorting our furry visitor from the second floor of the lodge and out the front door.  The text from Nancy Stearns, barricaded upstairs with her roommates read, "Help! Just tried to leave room and a big fat raccoon was there!!!! HELP!"   

First priority of a scrapbooker in this situation?  Get a photo, of course!  Meghan Harriman did not disappoint ~

I recently added the Sizzix Big Shot Pro Accessory - Solo Platform, Shim & Wafer Thin Die Adapter to my tool collection and, BOY, did they make an incredible addition to the versatility of the Sizzix Big Shot Pro die-cutting machine.  With the {new} adapter pad, we worked with the Big Shot Pro non-stop all weekend.

We used the full selection of Sizzix dies through it, including Karen Burniston's "Pop 'N Cuts," Tim Holtz's "On The Edge," as well as Framelits and Sizzlits, not to mention the wide spectrum of Sizzix Bigz Dies I had on hand to share.  By the end of the weekend, even the Sizzix Textured Impressions and Texture Fades Embossing Folders were getting a workout through the Sizzix Big Shot Pro!

Here are a just few examples of some creative works that we were able to personalize with all those beautiful die-cuts:

Melanie Sperry's double-page layout, using both the
positive AND negative from the die cut of
Sizzix "On The Edge - Tree Line" die by Tim Holtz

Debbie Moores' cover page is grounded with her die-cut
from Sizzix "Bigz Pro Die - Square, Ornate"

These little dandies kept me busy on Sunday with customizing
cards from die-cuts from
Sizzix "Pop 'n Cuts" by Karen Burniston

Left - Right: Kim Enck, Laurel Lee Pollard, Melanie Sperry
Front: Debbie Moores

As many of you know, Creative Memories is finalizing a reorganization process. I'm happy to announce that Kim Enck remains committed to the company that has brought so many of her creative friends together over the years.  She will be helping to launch the newly-introduced Ahni & Zoe by Creative Memories Collection throughout her Gorham, Maine-based area in 2014.

I can't wait to see "in-real-life" what creative options Kim Enck will be offering scrapbookers here in Southern Maine, can you?  Let me know what you think of the Ahni & Zoe preview.  Is it something you're considering to use to preserve your treasured memories in the coming year?

** Want more from New England Paper Crafts?  Find me on the web from your favorite creative social media site.  I share creative tidbits on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram - I invite you to join me there!

Happy Day, Laurel

Laurel Lee Pollard, Online Publisher, Promoter

New England Paper Crafts
"Ensuring the inspiring world of paper crafts continues to bloom."

www.NewEnglandPaperCrafts.com

Let's connect!  Find me at:

Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram

Paper Crafting Cre8time in Our York Community

Hello, Gorgeouses!

We had a wonderful time sharing Cre8time together at York Street Baptist Church's free monthly scrapbooking crop.  Thanks to the terrific support from paper crafting industry leaders, I was well stocked to present the four-and-a-half hour "Cre8te and Take" marathon!

Sizzix sent a STACK their Bigz Pro full-page layout dies, BoBunny filled a box FULL of their gorgeous "Forever Fall" premium collection and Imagine Crafts / Tsukineko continues to support our efforts by providing their luscious "Memento" and "Brilliance" designer ink pads.

I prepared three layout kit options for the "Cre8te and Take," featuring {NEW} interpretations of the Sizzix Bigz Pro full-page layout dies.  For step-by-step instructions on how to prepare these layouts, I encourage you to click-through HERE, HERE, and HERE ~

Fully organized and READY!  **The Sizzix Big Shot Pro (foreground) was a HUGE hit!

Here I am with one of the best event coordinators I have ever worked with.  Sherry Boyd, along with her crew of energetic volunteers, organizes this free monthly community crop with space, set-up, refreshments, tool tables, Make-n-takes, inspirational message and experienced scrapbookers dedicated to answer questions or demonstrate techniques!

The "Cre8te and Take" seats were completely booked SOLID until 11:30pm!  The ladies did a wonderful job with the layouts.  Many recreated them step-by-step.  Others were inspired by the amazing variety of supplies, that they customized their layouts to perfectly personalize the pages for themselves.  It was certainly great to see their creative process of these experienced scrapbookers!

Sherry Boyd was generous enough to invite me back to host "Cre8te and Takes" at the York Street Baptist Church's free community scrapbooking crop in 2014.  I look forward to working up {NEW} concepts with paper crafting industry leaders to share with them!

Thanks, again, to my wonderful sponsors!  Sizzix, BoBunny, and Imagine Crafts / Tsukineko.  Not only am I grateful for their support of this free event, but I'm thankful for their continuous work to develop wonderful quality products that keep us wanting to {make more Cre8time!}

** If you know of an organization that is looking for some fresh crafting inspiration, I encourage you to get in touch.  Museums, Bridal Shows, Home Shows - I look forward to hearing about the wonderful opportunities available to get boots on the ground and "Get OUT there!" and share my paper crafting inspiration with others!

We'd love to hear your volunteer stories.  Leave us a comment and tell us what you've been sharing with others!

Happy Day, Laurel

Laurel Lee Pollard, Online Publisher, Promoter

New England Paper Crafts
"Ensuring the inspiring world of paper crafts continues to bloom."

www.NewEnglandPaperCrafts.com

Let's connect!  Find me at:

Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram

"Gratitude" Layout Kit for York Street Baptist Church "Cre8te and Take"

Hello, Gorgeouses!

Today is the day!  I'll be hosting the free "Cre8te and Take" at York Street Baptist Church's monthly scrapbooking crop tonight from 6:30pm - midnight.  Find out all the details HERE.

This is the last of three posts revealing ways to reinvent your Sizzix Bigz Pro dies for your layouts.  They've really come alive with the BoBunny "Forever Fall" designer paper collection and "Memento" and "Brilliance" inks by Imagine Crafts / Tsukineko! Find the the complete details of the first two layout options HERE and HERE.

We'll be featuring a 3 x 5" photo as we work with Sizzix's "Frame, Ornate" Bigz Pro Die.  We begin by cutting and 8.5 x 11" semi-opaque paper in half and and laying it over each end of the steel-ruled design.  As you can see, the design is angled on the die, so the paper needs to be placed accordingly.

Place the BoBunny "Forever Fall Stripe" on the die.  Place the striped piece of paper face down on the die, angling the pattern to follow the steel-ruled "Frame Ornate" design of the die.  (If this was a randomly patterned paper, we would just square it off even with the die.)

We make our "Sizzix sandwich," ensuring the cutting pad comes out over in front of the die.

BoBunny is premium, heavy-weight paper, so we tape the excess over the top of the cutting pad in order to run it through the Sizzix Big Shot Pro.  (This step would be unnecessary if the paper was squared off with the die, which we would do if this was a randomly patterned paper, versus the stripe we're using here.)

We're doing a bit of paper-piecing here, which is one of the wonderful attributes of using the Sizzix dies.  The patterns will all cut exactly alike, so they layer beautifully and easily.  We add our semi-opaque paper with tape adhesive as shown, being careful to keep away from either sides.

Flip the layers over and bring them together, so the scallops are just touching.  Begin creasing both sides by pressing out from the middle, over the fold.

Continue the crease by running up and down the fold from our mid-point.

Crease both sides.

We turn our folded layers over and complete the crease both sides with a bone folder.

Using the edge of our table so that we don't have to open the layers flat, use the smaller hole punch of your Crop-A-Dile . . .

 . . . to punch holes in our design, as shown.

Add coordinating BoBuny "Forever Fall Brads" to the punched holes.

Run a 5.5 x 8" BoBunny "Forever Fall Leaves" through the Sizzix Big Shot Pro, face side down, over the top middle of the Sizzix Bigz Pro "Frame, Ornate" die.

Trim the excess off the sides, so just the five scallops remain.

 We trim our choice of large journaling box from "Forever Fall Cutouts" to 5.75" x 6"

Die-cut Sizzix Bigz Die "Branch with Leaves" from BoBunny's "Turquoise Journal," taking advantage of the Sizzix Big Shot Pro so that we do not need to trim our paper to fit a smaller die-cutting machine ~

Trim BoBunny "Forever Fall Impressions" to 3.75 x 5" and mount our 3 x 5" photo, leaving it weighted at the bottom.

Adhere our BoBunny "Forever Fall Foliage" by first aligning it to match across the top of your Sizzix "Frame, Ornate"die-cut.  Attach our "Forever Fall Cutout" by aligning it to match across the bottom of  the "Forever Fall Foliage."

Mount the photo in place, across the bottom only.  Slide the "Branch with Leaves" die-cut in behind the top of the photo, bringing the top branch over the front of the photo.  Tack the die-cut in place and glue the top of the mounted photo down to the page, ensuring the top of the branch is still out over the front of the mount.

Slide a sleeve of adhesive dots to each of the three top branches and secure to the page.

We pick our embellishment strip of choice from BoBunny's "Forever Fall Noteworthy" collection and mount across the bottom of our photo.

We pick our quote of choice from BoBunny "Forever Fall Cardstock Stickers" or "Forever Fall Combo Sticker" sheet, mount on BoBunny "Forever Fall Impressions" and trim corners.

 Add dimensional mounts to the back.

Adhere quote to the bottom of your layout.

Use a 1" circle punch to cut two BoBunny "Forever Fall Stripe" covers for the back of each brad and align the grid pattern to blend in with your layout.

We prepare a BoBunny "Forever Fall Trinket" with a ribbon.  Adhesive mounts may be necessary to even up the layer around the knot of the ribbon so that is able to be attached to the layout securely.

Using Imagine Crafts / Tsukineko "Memento Rich Cocoa," prepare additional embellishments with BoBunny "Forever Fall Noteworthy"

We finish our layout on BoBunny's "Forever Fall Sunflower" with our choice of a large die-cut from BoBunny's "Fall Foliage Noteworthy," add string for a closure, embellishments from "Fall Foliage Combo Sticker" and additional customized embellishments we customized ourselves . . .

 . . . changing this Sizzix Bigz Pro die "Frame, Ornate" layout . . .

 . . . into this {NEW} interpretation!

Oh, yes, I'm excited to join my friends tonight, October 18th, 2013, at our monthly community scrapbooking at York Street Baptist Church!  Find out the complete details about the event HERE.

We all dearly appreciate the amount of volunteer hours that go into preparing these events - the scheduled make & takes, the tool tables FILLED with Sizzix dies & cutters, stacks of inks and stamps, and plenty of scrap-worthy paper to work with.  The registration, the set-up, the take-down.  The inspirational message and the array of pot-luck refreshments available to everyone. It's all coordinated by the Ladies' Group of York Street Baptist Church.

I'm thrilled to be joining these fine ladies by hosting the "Cre8te and Take."  I look forward to seeing you there - but, don't forget, the ladies appreciate hearing from you if you're joining us so they can ensure they prepare a spot for you in advance of your arrival!  Contact Sherry Boyd directly at: Sherrilla (at) aol (dot) com.

Again, thanks so much to our sponsors: Sizzix, BoBunny, Imagine Crafts and Cre8time.  It really has been a pleasure for me to work with these industry leaders to bring the newest tools and techniques to engaged paper crafters in our community.

Do you have a community crop that you attend?  We'd love to hear about it!  Leave a comment and tell us how the community of paper crafting enriches your life ~

Happy Day, Laurel

Laurel Lee Pollard, Online Publisher, Promoter

New England Paper Crafts
"Ensuring the inspiring world of paper crafts continues to bloom."

www.NewEnglandPaperCrafts.com

Let's connect!  Find me at:

Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram