It's been one of those days...

Five for Friday–all the awesome stuff this week…

I’m such a self-confessed wuss that I could spend all these five-for-Friday’s moaning about the cold.  Yes I know it’s not really cold in the standards of those that chose to live in Southland, Canada or even, well, Taupo.  But this girl hates the cold.  I hate placing my butt on my cold leather car seats at 5.30am when it’s 1 degree outside.  I hate walking to meet the kids from school, heck I even hate walking to get the mail.  I know I’m soft but I promise to refrain from complaining anymore about it while I celebrate this week’s Five for Friday…

1. Awesome kids stuff for the week.

My Abby has turned into something quite amazing in that she’d the kid that represented her school at the district speech competitions, she is a wet-day monitor, road crossing monitor, helps out with sausage sizzles, gets given all the jobs they give to the responsible kids, all that stuff.  However she told me of the moment she was told she had been picked to attend the Principal’s lunch, an honour saved only for those that have truly excelled in a number of ways.  “Children are chosen for their effort and for responsibly demonstrating the school virtues” the principal said.  “Well they must have the wrong Abby or I must have done that really by accident” my Abby declared to me on the way home.  I guess doing it by accident is still a good thing, right?

2. Awesome App of the week: PicLab.

Another picture taking app for my already-overloaded-with-pic-apps phone.  I like this one, it’s easy, has nice filters and text is easy to add.   I do have to pay to get the watermark removed (I might splash out on that $1.29 maybe) and to add more fonts, but it’s cool all the same.

This was my first play with the app. I love the way Paul is humouring my picture taking antics while is trying to have a quiet beer while watching late evening fishing programmes on TV.  That’s his leave-me-the-hell-alone look.

 

 

3. Awesome scrapbooking discovery this week.

Fav scrapbooking discovery this week, apart from realising that Stampin’ Up are coming up with a Hexagon punch (did I say that?), was learning that Finnabair has a new collection coming out with Prima.  I feel in love with the journal first, the A4 pad of papers second and I had an order in for class kits for Prima ArtVenture about 3 seconds after that.  Boom.

 

4. Awesome I-forgot-I-had-that discovery of the week

I’d tell you about how much I hate the cold, how much I despise winter, how much I know I’d never cope down south, but I promised I wouldn’t.  Instead I thought I’d just post a pic of my new best friend.  We share an office.

 

 

5.  Awesome classes released just today.

Best for last.   NINE amazing classes released for those booked into ArtVenture, just released today.  This retreat is about 3/4 full.  I know there are people out there that will be saying “I wish I’d signed up for that retreat” when they see the photos start to appear in a few months time of what we have planned, what Prima in the USA have planned, boxes of stuff are already leaving the USA destined for those joining us for the weekend in September.  

This could quite possibly be THE girlie weekend away you’ve been waiting for. 

I’m so proud of the work gone into these classes by the teachers already, they’ll sell fast to those registered for the retreat.  If you were on the fence about coming along at all, jump off, join us, we promise you won’t regret it.

(Cue Nike ad:  Just do it…)

ArtVenture Details here:

laters

New class kit... with freebies as well...

I have a new class kit ready to go - and the best part?  Order any class kit from me before Sunday night and I'll include a Prima Chalk Edger, colour 'SweetPea'  FREE.  But be warned - a mauvey, pinky shade, "Sweet Pea" is could be the start of an addiction, once you have one chalk ink, you'll only want to track down more of these little beauties!  

(Sweetpea is a mauve/pink, it is not a matching colour to the Engraver Kit, I didn't think far enough ahead to be that organised - next time!)

AND as a bonus, everyone that orders before Sunday night will go into the draw to win my completed page from my new 'Engraver' kit.  With no pics & title of course, you don't need the pic of my kiddos!.  Yep, I made a second page while creating the instructions so what better fun than to give it away to someone.  So order ANY kit before Sunday night and I'll put you into that draw. See the kits for sale here.   I can combine postage for class kits, trinkets, charms, order by emailing me!  

So here it is, the new Engraver Kit - a single layout with instructions.  Enough stuff to create more, and order before Sunday night and get a freebie ink PLUS a chance to win my layout.  $42.00 plus postage and it's yours - find out more here.   

Have a good weekend,

laters

Stampin' Up! goes digi...

If someone says to me "Do you do digi scrapbooking?" my answer is usually no.  I've never really got on well with my computer, actually the feeling is probably mutual, I don't think it gets on with me either because it's a common occurrence that it'll take all my hard work and wipe it, jumble it or stash it in some black-hole of irretrievable important files.

So.  When I was asked about digi yesterday, I repeated the usual "nuh, don't do that stuff". To which I was encouraged to check this video out.   It may just change my mind.  What's that saying about "You should make a career out of whatever you use to procrastinate"... yea... that's the computer....  this looks good for Project Life... think I may give it a go... (take a little look and let me know what you think!)

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Laters

Five for Friday – stuff that made me happy this week.

Especially number 5.  Well it made me ecstatically happy for about 3 seconds before I had a “why did I not know this sooner!” moment, and then I got happy all over again when I realised  easy it was going to make things for me.  So – without further ado, five things that made me happy this week….

 

1. Watching videos for work. 

This is what my view looked like again today.  I have been watching video after video, explaining to anyone that dares to butt in that it's a necessary part of my day.  It's what I do.  I create.  I create, therefore I procrastinate first.  Isn't procrastination an essential ingredient of creativity?

Yes those are my slippers.  It’s winter.  The fact I get to wear slippers to work also makes me happy.

 

2. That there are less than 100 sleeps until Prima ArtVenture.

Under 100 sleeps to go - I know this, because Garfield tells me so.  Things will start moving really fast as Prima are just about to launch a whole stack of exciting new products, all of which we hope to have at ArtVenture.   Already I see sneaks sprinkled across the web.   For example here, on the Live with Prima website, scroll right down to the bottom to see some new Prima products.  Go on.  You’ll love them.

Now that product samples are arriving, things are being finalised and plans are slotting into place FAST. 

For those registered already - Jump-up-and-down exciting news for you as we are hoping to open classes for registration within 2 weeks! 

For those not registered already – won’t you miss being part of an event with five (did I really say five? hmmm?) fantastic teachers, NINE classes and the latest and greatest of everything? To get the best spots in the classes register soon, or risk missing out.  Did you know fear of missing out is a real thing?  Noone likes FOMO.   

Garfield is cute huh?  Ok so I admit adding the bit about ArtVenture but what he was really saying in the cartoon I found on the internet was in German.   And although I’m sure it probably did say “98 sleeps til ArtVenture” (right? no?) I thought I better put an English version on there just incase.

 

3.  My Silhouette Machine.

Yes. It makes me happy.  It did not make me happy sitting in the box under my desk for the past year, but now I have cleaned my office out and have space, this makes me incredibly happy.   Especially when I can make stuff like this.

Cut-outs courtesy of some Studio Calico files from a class I took with them.  I’m not sure if the were available to students only. 
Edited to add: I purchased my machine from ScrapboxNZ.  It is the Silhouette Cameo and yes very easy to use. 

 

4. Using a sketch to create a layout, that layout going on the Prima blog AND then using the same sketch to run a super inspiration challenge on the AE Scrapbooking Retreats facebook page.   Now THAT makes me happy.

You don’t have to be coming to one of our retreats to join our facebook page.  We have about 280 members, we have a great little scrapbooking community, come join us if you like!

The sketch and my interpretation using the Prima Divine, Lyric and Engraver ranges.. 

Visit our facebook page for more info on joining in on that challenge, let’s see some of our pages on the Prima blog!

 

5.  That you can use the volume button on the iPhone to take the photos when your camera is open.

Am I the ONLY one in the whole world that did not know this? 

Were you all laughing at me trying to take selfie pics with my iPhone3 (that doesn’t have the reverse camera) by tapping randomly all over the screen whilst it is facing away from me, with my out-reached hand in the hopes that I might tap the camera icon and take a pic? 

Did you KNOW you just use the volume button?

Seriously.  The volume button.  I have had my phone for 3 years.  How did I not know that? 

It’s the little things, huh?

Laters.

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Back from a little break...

Five for Friday. Remembering favourite products.

I've spent the last week cleaning out my office.  I'm only working for one manufacturer now and can only use their most recent products.  I had no need for older products, especially from manufacturers that I no longer work for, or no longer exist. 

The big cleanup was something well overdue, for me a clean office means a fresh slate, inspiration and creativity flows easier.  It was needed.  But it was also sad.   I purged items dating back 10 years.  Items I won during my year as a USA Memory Makers Master.  Years of collected BasicGrey papers.  With each collection I got rid of I had memories of stressed out summer days creating for CHA or catalogs.  I felt the pride of "Working for BasicGrey" and the satisfaction of seeing my pages, MY pages, in the CHA booth photos all over again.  Those were the days.

My room now contains probably only about 30% of what it did.  I got rid of a LOT.  The good news is there is a small country school with no art budget that loves me right now. 

But some things, some things, I just couldn't let go of.  So in the name of awesome products from years gone past, here is this week’s  Five for Friday.

Products I just cannot let go of.

 

1. Making Memories Tags.

Vellum tags.  Paper Tags.  Those gorgeous little Making Memories taggy tags.  They came in all sorts of sizes and later they came in coloured vellum.  Ahhh vellum.  There is another thing I did not get rid of.  Old habits die card.

 

2. Making Memories words.

Clearly I had a Making Memories thang back in the day.  They were one of the elite companies.  I haven’t used these words in forever, but couldn't;t let them go?  Why?  Because they remind me of good times with scrapping friends, scrap-camps, weekends away and most of all they remind me of scrappy buddy Evana.  I’ll be keeping these.

 

 

3. Colour Me Silly.

For a girl dubbed ‘putty girl’ by her first editor because she only liked to use beige in monochromatic tones, this was a step waaaay outside my comfort zone.  I once created a page called “Please don’t make me use red”.  Then BasicGrey, cue feelings of pride for being part of their on-call-team for all those years, released Color Me Silly. 

I’ll never give this away.  Please wallpaper my rest-home room in these bright reds and quirky frog images. 

 

4. Tia Bennett & Autumn Leaves Stamps.

Tia was one of the first ones, alongside Autumn Leaves, to bring out clear stamps.  I have fontwerks stamps, sassafras stamps, Tim Holtz stamps, but none will ever be my favourites like the Autumn Leaves ones.  Especially Tia’s hand-drawn beauties.  Who could let them go?  Besides, they remind me of Tia.  And the 2Peas days.  And Crafting Connection.  And teaching to huge crowds with KiwiScraps.  Amazing what memories one set of stamps can bring back. 

Yep, they’ll be staying.

 

And last, but not least.

5. Scenic Route papers.

I know they are just papers.  But in the crazy, publishing, DT driven world that used to be scrapbooking, my inclusion into the Scenic Route design team was the thing that truly made angels sing for me. 

I will never forget getting my first collection of Scenic Route papers, and falling in love.  They were these exact papers.  I bought many sheets once I realised they were discontinued. 

I’ll also never forget email conversations between the owner of Scenic Route & myself.  The sharing and praise.  I still have the woohooo email I sent a friend when I was asked, when I was asked, I still get a buzz out of that, years later, to join the Scenic Route design team.  In terms of feel-good scrappy days, these papers encompass it all.  They will be staying.

So those were my most treasured Five for Friday.  Of course there was more small things I kept for whatever reason.  Many, many more.  But boxes and boxes of papers and other crafting goodies are now being loved by a new crowd of scrapbookers at a small country school, most of which were probably born well after the products they are now using ended up in my scrap room. 

How cool is that?

Laters