Friday, May 11, 2012

Art 'n Soul's Journal Club meets this afternoon between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. Be sure to stop in and join in the fun; it's free and full of creativity to enjoy, share and/or 'do!'


From Millsrepco featuring Memory Box and Elizabeth Craft Designs' Shimmer Sheetz . . .

Pretty Thank You Card

A Butterfly to Brighten Your Day
IMG_4094
by Jenny Griffiths
"Jenny Griffiths created an embossed alcohol ink background for this pretty butterfly by placing a few drops of alcohol ink onto a small piece of felt then dabbing the color onto a 3 1/2 x 5" Shimmer Sheetz  panel (from Elizabeth Crafts Designs) . The variations are endless when you play around with different colors combinations. Add your favorite colors until you're happy with the outcome. I used teal, brown and metallic copper diluted with blending solution--it will dry in just a few seconds.
Place the panel inside an embossing folder and run though a  Big Shot machine using manufacturer's instructions for embossing. Use a sanding block to remove the ink on the raised design revealing the base Shimmer Sheetz color.
Die cut both parts of the butterfly and layer the pieces together (don't forget the body) --attach to your card with a tiny foam square to raise him off the card. Gently bend the wings forward.
Die cut the label and stamp your thank you message---raise this up with foam dots too.
A simple satin ribbon and paper flower completes the flutterby card and it's ready to brighten someone's day!"

Supplies:
98264 Darla Butterfly Die
98265 Vivienne Butterfly Die
98139 Primo Label Die
B1751 Thank you Combo Stamp
Alcohol inks
Blending solution
Embossing Folder
Shimmer Sheetz panel



Speaking of Memory Box, here's the latest 'partial' of Dave's blog showing cards he taught at a store in Sacramento recently and how the business is going.

"Here are the projects we did (for those of you in class, sorry this took awhile to post!):
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  Ppg17
"Doing the workshops reminded me how much I like getting out and sharing creativity around the country. I've been doing summer class tours - and occasional weekend trips in the fall and spring - for about 10 years now. My summer tour last year was my biggest ever (you can read about it here). And it's about this time of year that I start planning my upcoming tour. The excitement of meeting new people and visiting stores and getting to travel is thrilling for me. 
Which is why it is such a hard decision this year to not do a summer tour. I realized about a month ago, with the unprecedented success of Memory Box over the last year, that scheduling, prepping and actually going on a summer tour was going to be nearly impossible. As far as the business goes, Monica and I find ourselves in the very fortunate position of being so busy that we are working 7 days a week to try and keep all the operations moving as smoothly as possible. Thank you to everyone who has supported Memory Box - people have sent us so many kind emails to say how much fun they have using our stamps and dies. Thanks to Google translate - I even get these messages from Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, France, Italy, South Africa, the Philippines and many other countries around the globe.
Monica and I have always tried to create a business that not only creates beautiful products to work with, but also maintains integrity and honesty. We have worked with other wonderful companies (look for a few more ventures this year!) to come up with new and unique products - and we have engaged in local charities to give back to the community. While it is a business that pays the bills, we have always believed in the greater good - and we try to step back and take a look at the big picture. Are we making a positive impact?
It's our policy to make all of our products in the USA - 100% USA-made steel craft dies, soy-based inks on our recycled papers and locally manufactured wood-mounted stamps - and we also strive for the best customer service. Because of overwhelming demand, our manufacturing has been stretched to the limit - and in spite of hiring, and more hiring, the groundswell of attention that Memory Box is receiving globally is still delaying our shipping times. Have no fear though - we are catching up and we're expanding our operations (cautiously, cautiously - still careful after 17 years in business). We will continue to manufacture all of our excellent products here in the US and get caught up on the hundreds of emails we receive per day. We want you to be happy with what we make - and satisfied with every Memory Box purchase!
Aside from our incredible good fortune with the business, I realize that accommodating two teenagers, my daughter Emma (16) and son Cooper (14), into a summer tour schedule may prove even more difficult than working 14 hour days! As I write this post, Emma's spanish group from school is filming a video for class here at the house, which will be followed by lunch at the park with one of her friends, Cooper is going to the movies tonight with his friends, and tomorrow is a celebration party for Emma's tennis team at another friends house. Ahh, the schedules of teenagers have eclipsed our family free time - which is the way it should be.
So - this will be a hiatus for me. Maybe a year? Maybe two? As Monica and I continue to grow the business, I'll be counting down the days until I get to escape the warehouse - and continue my own creative journey."
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From Graphic 45's blog . . . a project by Susan Lui from Singapore. Remember the "Once Upon a Springtime" paper collection?

"First up is Susan Lui. Susan has a whimsical and intricate style that is simply magnificent. She combines lavish color and gorgeous embellishments to create multi-layered works of art. She also likes to use a variety of materials to create interesting textures in her crafts. Her blog Of Photos & Paper is rich with glorious ideas and profoundly gorgeous crafts. There is a radiant warmth and beauty that shines in all of Susan's creations. We are sure you are going to love her lavish style as much as we do! Please join us in welcoming the amazing Susan Lui!"
Susan Lui photo
'Hi there! My name is Susan Lui and I’m from Singapore. I started scrapping a few years ago and fell in love with papercrafting because it allows me to record and preserve memories for my family in a manner that appeals to the creative side of me. I have a fondness for shabby-chic designs with a vintage touch but will frequently venture over to the dark side for a distressed grungy adventure with mediums. I like my projects to have lots of texture and dimension and my layouts frequently end up very three-dimensional because of the mediums and embellishments I use. Aside from papercrafting, I enjoy travelling and photography. My family’s travel itinerary always includes dining at some of the best restaurants and checking out the local flea markets. All documented with lots of photographs of course. I was on the Graphic 45 design team in 2009/2010 and have really fond memories of my term then and am really looking forward to another year with my favourite manufacturer. Please visit my blog atluv2scrap-pages.blogspot.com to see more of my creations.' -Susan Lui

"Next we have this vastly beautiful Once Upon a Springtime altered art frame and card creation. You can see the incredibly detailed dimension that makes this creation come to life. It opens to reveal a whimsical card that unfolds into a 3-D spring wonderland. It's absolutely remarkable!"
Once Upon a Springtime Susan Lui
Once Upon a Springtime Susan Lui
Once Upon a Springtime Susan Lui
Once Upon a Springtime Susan Lui
Once Upon a Springtime Susan Lui
Once Upon a Springtime Susan Lui
Once Upon a Springtime Susan Lui
Once Upon a Springtime Susan Lui
Once Upon a Springtime Susan Lui


From Penny Black's blog . . . I love these cards!
Wedding Cards by Jenyfur
"We hope you are inspired by these beautiful wedding cards by two of our Designers, Cathy and Heather."
by Cathy Andronicou;
SUPPLIES: Floral Thread 40-135, Puzzle Parts 30-114, Happiness 4185F, Gossamer 3865K and Storm 01-002 Mix and Match Cardstock.
by Heather Telford;
SUPPLIES: Floral Thread, The Sweet Plum panel was stamped with Lace Flower and Blessings.




Sunday is Mother's Day. So our staff will be able to spend time with their families on this annual celebration dedicated to all the mom's in the world, Art 'n Soul will be closed on Mother's Day. We're open on Saturday and Monday, so please don't forget us!






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