Making Memories

Making Memories is coming to Impress

On May 3-4 Making Memories will be at Impress Rubber Stamps in the greater Seattle area. Free make n takes will be provided all day at all three locations. Check their website for locations.

A free goodie bag will be awarded to the FIRST 25 people at each store plus a 20% discount on all Making Memories products.

 

Making Memories will also be teaching a 5th Avenue mini album class taught by Gail Pierce-Watne, Making Memories' Director of Product Design, and Audre Mathis, Making Memories' product designer. To register for these class call 206.901.9101.

If you have even been to a Making Memories event, you know that tons of prizes will be provided. A card making contest, using Making Memories product, will be at each location. Making Memories will be the judges and awarding prizes.

Contact Impress for additional information. Impress has been "impressing others with paper craft products and ideas for 21 years - they love helping other create cards and invitations for those important moments in our lives."

For more information about other Making Memories events, visit Making Memories website.

May Day Baskets

After a long winter, it is great to see flowers blooming and the grass getting greener.  This project, created by Suzonne Stirling, is a perfect way to celebrate a nice spring day. May Day is just around the corner. Take a few minutes to create this project to display the beautiful flowers around you. Suzonne used Making Memories Noteworthy collection for her project.

1. Attach a piece of double-sided tape to the corner of a sheet of embellishment paper (the reverse side of Noteworthy "Polka Dot Stripe"), secure it to the middle of a papier-mache cone (found at stores like Jo-Ann and Michaels) and wrap it around the cone diagonally, until covered.

2. Using the top of your cone as a guide, trim the excess paper from the top. Then trim the edge on the front (so that it forms a point). Remove the paper from the cone and set aside.

3. Cut strips from the border of a sheet of Ric Rac Ledger paper and punch small holes along the edges.

Attach one strip around the top edge of the papier-mache cone form. (Tip: To make the border run evenly around the top of the cone, cut small slits in the bottom of the border. This will allow you to shape the paper to the cone.) Attach the other strips of the Ledger paper underneath what will be the front edge of the embellishment paper.

4. Wrap the embellishment paper around the cone (and over the Ric Rac Ledger border at the top), matching the edges, with the bordered edge of the embellishment paper ending in the front of the cone. Secure it in place with glue or double-sided tape.

5. For the handle: Make small holes in the sides of the cone, then punch a small hole in two ends of a piece of trim. Push a Noteworthy Jumbo Circle brad through the hole in the ribbon and the cone and secure inside the cone. Repeat on the other side.

6. To embellish: Make a tag using Green Floral paper and stamp or write "Happy Spring" on it. Tie an additional piece of trim to the tag and knot it. Trim the ends of the ribbon. Glue it onto the top edge of the cone.

Fill your cone with vintage millinery flowers or fresh flowers (just keep them somewhat small in size and be sure to put them in floral tubes to keep them fresh).

Hang on the doorknob for May Day.

To see the entire Noteworthy collection, visit Making Memories website.

What's Shipping in April

Definitely deserving of attention, the newest additions to our Noteworthy collection feature striking ledger designs dressed in vibrant color families Addie and Delaney. From intelligent mini albums to beautiful trims and glittered alphas to and glittered die cut paper, this collection is worthy of your attention.

Paper: Available in 12" x 12" double-sided sheet and 12" x 12" die-cut sheets   

 

Jumbo Pebble Brad & Pebble Clips

Glitter Box Collections: Each comes in a reusable storage box. Boxes contain glitter self-adhesive clears or glitter die-cuts

   

Trims: 6 trims, one yard each

Spiral Journaling Books: Contains 30 pages with 10 different die-cut patterns

Mini Albums: Made of heavy paper covered chipboard

Blossom Box Collections: Contains 30 printed paper blossoms, 20 felt blossoms, 10 tulle blossoms

Metal Signage

Chipboard & Shimmer Alphas

For more information about these new products, visit Making Memories website.

Noteworthy Bird House

This lovely project was created by Shauna Norton from British Columbia.

 

Shauna says, "I just love the Noteworthy collection that was released last fall. The colors are soft and soothing and with so many designs in the collection, there is so much you can create with them. I love the shabby vintage look so this program sits my creating style perfectly."

 

"I love the challenge of taking a design and making it out of paper-my sketch book is full of them. I got this crazy notion that I had to design and create a birdhouse out of paper since birds are a huge trend in scrapbooking at the moment. To start, I sat down and started to draw it out, cut my templates, and ended up with this."

"The little banner was hand-cut and sewn together and draped across the front. I made handwritten bird sentiments (i.e. "sing" and "birds of a feather," etc.) on various places on the birdhouse."

Thank you for sharing your birdhouse Shauna.

Making Memories' Product Designer Hillary

 

Today we are doing a profile on Hillary. Hillary is one of Making Memories seven product designers. Hillary helps create all of the papers and embellishments for Making Memories. It's no wonder why she loves her job because she gets to be creative and create beautiful things.

Hillary helped to create product lines for Making Memories such as Funky Vintage, Halloween, St. Nick, 5th Avenue, Garden Party and many more. She also helped create the design cards for Making Memories new Slice digital design cutter.

Her design inspiration comes from surfing the Internet and blogs and also by browsing through boutique stores galore. She loves to look at the details of her favorite products (such as a clothing tag or packaging) because it has the ability to spark an idea in her head. She also receives inspiration from others, especially her team and co-workers. Just sitting down and talking about inspiring things helps her to be more creative.

The designers at Making Memories have to work under pretty tough deadlines so when she needs inspiration and it just won't come, she cleans her office to clear her head. Another trick for Hillary is to think about something else, totally unrelated to work. That also helps to spark ideas in her head.

The other reason we are doing a profile on Hillary, is because today she is celebrating a birthday! Post a comment and wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Also let her know if you have any product requests.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HILLARY!

Check out some of Hillary's product lines on Making Memories website.

Inspiration from Joey

It's Earth Day today and a natural place to glean a bit of inspiration. I chose a picture of my daughter planting some flowers in our yard - beautifying the earth in her own little way. But recycling comes to mind as well so I decided to "recycle" some supplies and use them for a theme they were not originally intended. You will notice that my "grow" layout uses the Making Memories Travel program. The colors lent themselves well to this layout and a little sanding and inking gives them that grungy, get your fingers dirty feel. Look at your own supplies - many "themed" programs can be used across the board. I used some Colorboard Stickers (Discover & Memories) as well as an Embossed Stamp sticker (enjoy the adventure) that I felt added to the journaling. So what do you say? Let's help out mother nature and use some old supplies. Try grabbing "like colors" or do something wild for a more eclectic look. Who knows, you might end up stretching your abilities and "growing" a little.

 

Joey

To see more project ideas, visit Making Memories website.

Poster Profile - Britta Durdel

   

We have not done poster profile in a while, so I though it would be fun to start that up again. It's time to give a warm Making Memories welcome to Britta Durdel. Britta is from Wiesbaden, Germany. She lives there with her boyfriend Allen. Her dad, mom, and sisters (who happen to be her closest friends) live close by also.

Britta started scrapbooking in November of 2007. She was searching for a way to show off calendar photos and found scrapbooking pages on the Internet. Fast forward five months to now and she's addicted to everything about scrapbooking including paper, stamps, embellishments, and more!

Scrapbook shops are pretty limited in Germany, but she still has some Making Memories favorites including the Noteworthy line and foam stamps.

She gets most of her inspiration from the Internet and blogs. She usually starts with a photo and then arranges all the paper, title, paper, stamps, etc, until she gets the look she wants.

Take a look at her blog to see other project by Britta.

Leave your comments and tell her hello and also let the rest of us where you are reading from.

Two More Winners

Here are two more Baby Love book winners for Thursday and Friday.

Congrats to Heather Moll and Meagan Vallee. Email me (jweston@makingmemories.com) your address so I can send your prize.

Congrats!!!

Cupcakes

Every party needs some delicious treats. This cupcake idea is great for your little ones birthday parties. This project was created by Meghan Oleson.  Meghan used Making Memories Animal crackers line to create party hats, cupcake toppers, and table decorations.

This idea came from Making Memories Baby Love book. This book can be purchased at your favorite scrapbook store. It's full of ideas for baby invitations, parties, first celebrations, thank yous, etc.

We are giving one more book away today. If you want to win, post a comment and let us know what your favorite scrapbook technique is right now.

We will post the winner later today.

 

Baby Ella

This page was created by Leah using Making Memories new Animal Crackers baby line.

Instructions:

1. Adhere and machine stitch patterned papers to orange cardstock
2. Machine stitch around edge of chipboard heart
3. Double matte photo, cut edge of orange patterned paper with deco scissors and machine stitch on right edge of photos
4. Punch holes on left and right side of matted photo, thread through ribbon and tie
5. Put adhesive on back of chipboard and adhere to page
6. Add embellishments

This project came from Making Memories new Baby Love book. We are giving a copy of this book away today. If you want to win this book, post a comment and let us know what your favorite Making Memories style program is. Do you love Boho, Funky Vintage, Animal Cracker, which one do you love the most?

We will pick a winner and post it on our blog first thing tomorrow morning.

Wednesday's Winner

Congrats to Brianna Taylor. She is the next winner of Making Memories' Baby Love book. Email me (jweston@makingmemories.com) so I can send your prize.

Something Exciting to Share

It's fresh, it's new, it's updated, it's inspiring...what is it? Making Memories new WEBSITE.

   

Head on over and take a look here. In our What's New section to see our latest products and learn when they will be shipping to your favorite retail store. Our How To section is loaded with videos and tips for using our products. Learn great tips from your favorite designers, read our archived newsletters, upload your own projects, and more.

We hope you like what you see. Tell us what you think.

Display Board

This display board is a great decoration for a baby nursery or anywhere in your home. The magnetic clip on the board allows you to change out your babies photo as often as you like because we know you have tons of adorable pictures to show your guests.

 

Instructions:

1. Paint board and allow to dry
2. Adhere paper to board
3. Cut stems for flowers from paper and adhere to board
4. Adhere flowers, rub-ons and buttons
5. Use magnetic clip to hang photo

This project was created by Maggie.

This project is from Making Memories new Baby Love book and we are giving one away today. If you want to win a copy answer the following question. What is one technique or product that you wish would come back into scrapbooking? Has one of your favorite products been discontinued? Let us know which one.

We will pick a winner later today and post the winner first thing tomorrow morning.

Tuesday's Winner

Congrats to Libby who is Tuesday's winner. Email me your address (jweston@makingmemories.com) so I can send a copy of Making Memories' Baby Love book.

Monday's Winner

Congratulations to Sabrina B who Monday's winner of Making Memories Baby Love book. Email me (jweston@makingmemories.com) your address so I can send your prize.

Nursery Pennant

This idea was created by Suzonne Stirling. This pennant is a great addition to a baby nursery. It also works great for birthday parties and celebrations

Here are some quick instructions so you can create.

1. Make triangle template, trace onto backside of patterned paper and cut out
2. Score each triangle 1/4" from top edge and fold back
3. Glue ric-rac along back edges of triangle
4. Glue paper triangles onto 1/4" double-sided satin ribbon
5. Glue ribbon under folded edge of paper in back, then glue folded edge over ribbon
6. Make decorative knots from ribbon, glue between each triangle and embellish with buttons 

We are giving away a copy of this book today. If you want to win, post a comment and answer this question. In your opinion, what's next big trend in scrapbooking?

Cross your fingers. You could be a winner. We'll post the winner of today's contest tomorrow morning.

Baby Love Week

They're a bit smaller, a bit cuter, and a bit more lovable. They're babies. And you can't help but adore everything about them. Introducing the newest member of Making Memories' publications, Baby Love.

This has nine chapters are chock-full of inspiring creations from baby gifts and thank you notes to baby home decor and shower ideas. We are celebrating the arrival of this new book all week long. We will be showing  you some great ideas from the book AND we will be GIVING AWAY ONE COPY of the book EVERYDAY this week.

We thought it would be appropriate to start with an invitation idea to ask you to join us this week for our celebration.

     

So do you want to win a copy of this book? This is how you can win. Post a comment and answer the following question.

What are your favorite scrapbook embellishments?

Let us know your thoughts. We'll randomly pick and post a winner later today.

Thank You and Some Winners

Jodi wanted to post a comment about all the parenting advice that was given to her this week on the blog.

"If you have ever been a new parent you can understand how overwhelming motherhood can be. I don't know about you, but I never got an instruction manual when Carson was born so I love getting advice from others. I appreciate learning about what worked and didn't work from others when raising children. I wanted to pick my favorite tips from the blog to win the Making Memories Animal Crackers program, but I could not possibly choose. Instead I decided to pick to random winners. THANKS again for all the advice. I will have a great time reading all of the advice again with my husband. I am a doting mother and just had to share one more picture."

 

Maggie and Andrea T. Email me (jweston@makingmemories.com) with your address so we can send your prize.

Here are the winners. Congrats to

Baby Layout by Trish Turay

Check out this cute layout by Trish Turay. We thought this was a create way to use Making Memories' die-cut paper in a baby theme layout.

Make sure to check our blog next week as we celebrate the arrival of a brand new baby book by Making Memories.

Guest Designer Emeline

We are excited to have Emeline as today's guest designer. Emeline comes to us all the way from Singapore.

She used Making Memories new 5th Avenue papers along with the Funky Vintage and Noteworthy papers.  She loves the versatility so much that even the packaging isn't spared. She used the blue-black packaging that came with the 5th Avenue die-cut stickers and mounted the pictures on the page. Then she added dimension and depth by layering various flowers together. When mix something old and something new, you end up with something new again.

Thanks for sharing your layout Emeline.

What makes you HAPPY?

The new Noteworthy line definitely makes me happy!

 

Traveling and photography also make me happy... So, I decided to create a page centered around the word "happy."

I recently took a trip to Chicago to attend a photography workshop put on by the fabulous Audrey Woulard. It was a blast and I had so much fun just shooting pictures out on the streets of the city. My new friend and fabulous photographer, Shannon, took this photo of me and I thought it went perfectly with my theme.

My challenge to you is to find a photo of you (or have someone take one) and create a page about something that makes you happy. I know that we all have about a million different things that make us happy so it shouldn't be hard to get started. Then, pick some supplies that also make you happy and just have fun! I hope you enjoy creating your page as much as I did!

Maggie

The Best Prizes Come in Little Packages

Babies, babies everywhere! Must be something in the water. This month, we're welcoming the newest tiny member to the Making Memories family. Jodi Holbrook, our Channel Marketing Manager, is the proud momma of a brand new, beautiful baby boy named Carson.

Help us get Jodi and her boy off to a great start by sending her your single favorite parenting tip. Post your tip on our blog and on Friday April 11, we'll select two respondents at random to receive a huge bundle of their own to love: the complete Animal Crackers Program.

 

How Do You Get Inspiration?

We asked some of our page designers how they get inspiration and this is what we found out.

Christy Tomlinson said, "I love to look through home decor  books to find inspiration. Patterns inspire me more than anything when scrapbooking, so looking through home decor magazines, books, even online at the latest prints and color schemes, often gets me out of a rut and gets my creative juices flowing. Fashion is also a great place to find inspirations for color."

 

Laura Vegas said, "What is one thing that I do to find inspiration when I am not feeling very creative? I turn to organizing my scrapbook supplies! I'm a very big organizer and like have everything in its place. But sometimes it can be fun to find new places for everything. To go through and find the products you don't find inspiring any longer, and pass those along to someone else that can use them. I love to just re-think the way I'm storing my products and see if there's a way to re-arrange things so that the things I find more inspiring are in the best spots to catch my eye. When my studio is newly clean and newly organized, I find that I really want to be in there creating. And it never fails that in the process, I will come across a few products that I completely forgot I had but absolutely have to use right away! Next thing you know, the layouts just start coming together."

Wendy Anderson said, "I think the best way to get inspiration is actually to walk away.  Do something else.  Let creativity come to you in it's own time.  However, this isn't always possible - so when I NEED inspiration, and I need it NOW, I turn to my shelf of magazines.  Not only scrapbooking magazines, but lifestyle magazines, fashion magazines, and even catalogs.  Something is sure to spark an idea - whether it's a color combination, a layout, or an idea for a title or journaling - something will get me started. Another tip I like to use is to start with a card or small accent.  Once I start creating - even if it's with no real purpose or end in mind, ideas start flowing and I'm eventually able to create something I'm really happy with."

Now it's your turn. How do you get inspired?

Jeannie Goes to Australia

Jeannie is one of Making Memories’ teachers. She just got back from Brisbane, Australia attending an event for Joy at Bumble Bee.

I was so excited to be in Australia and see the scrapbooking market booming over there. The people in my classes were fabulous. I loved being with them. On of my favorite memories with Joy and the girls was during their morning and afternoon tea times.  Talk about a fabulous tradition.  They defiantly have fine tuned this tradition. 

I took my sister as my traveling companion so we also spent some time around Brisbane. We took the train down to the gold coast to enjoy a warm 80 degree afternoon. Who wouldn't enjoy that? The beaches and surfers were amazing. We also took a River Cruise to the Lone Pine Sanctuary which was a highlight. We fed Koalas and Kangaroos. A girl from Utah doesn't get that opportunity everyday.

Thank you Joy and the Bumble Bee team. I had a fabulous time!

 

Guest Designer Ali Russell

Today's design challenge comes to us from Australia. Everyone say hi to Ali Russell. Her challenge incorporates something old with something new.

I totally LOVE the new Making Memories' paper lines and matching embellishments. I'm always excited to see what they will come up with next. For today's challenge I want you to use the new papers and embellishments that you are excited about along with your favorite "older" products. Instead of just staying within one product line, mix and match them together.

Both of these pages are a combination of Boho Chic, Noteworthy, and 5th Avenue.

What I love about Making Memories' products is that you can mix and match some of the ranges to create beautiful scrapbook pages and projects. I particularly love the trims that go with each range. Try using some trims and add some hand stitching, it will finish off your page beautifully.

Ali Russell

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Baby Meghan

Being a South African, we lived in Big 5 country all my life. So this new range of baby papers by Making Memories just struck a cord with me. I love the little wild animals and all the beautiful little embellishments! I used pictures of  a friend's baby (little Meghan) and her sister, Ella. They are just the most adorable little girls ever and I loved doing this page!  Note that I "grouped" the embellishments in two spots aimed at bringing the attention back to the pictures... but still leaving the rest of the page "empty". I would love to see your pages with "grouped" embellishment spots... show me! It's a fun way of actually using all those embellishments!

Wilna

Inspiration Everywhere

You know when you are walking in a store and you see a design that literally stops you in your tracks? No? Well, that is how inspiration happens to me. It is either big, big…no light bulb going on for me, it is more like a floodlight! I love, love wonderful design and typography and when I see it, I will typically buy the product. My children still complain of the awful tasting tortilla chips that I used to buy years ago because I loved the design of the package and the sensitive use of typography. The product didn't last but I do believe that I used the package color combination in a couple of design projects.

I also let endorphins bring inspiration to me. I run. I have run for about 20 years and some of my best ideas have come out of nowhere in the middle of my long runs. I am not talking about a two-three mile jog, I am talking about after five or six…I get the best ideas. One time I actually saw a complete design for a poster that I had to do appear before my eyes and it was one of the most successful projects that I have every done.

I do know that whether it is called inspiration or endorphins or just being around design and studying about it for as long as I have, I can rely on my subconscious to let me know deep down inside when something is new and fresh and wonderful and it is a physical sensation that I never tire of.

Gail