Scrapper's Edge Blog

Pink Box Special to benefit Breast & GYN Project

We're lucky to live in an area with such wonderful, caring people making valuable local non-profit organizations possible. And, the Breast & GYN Project is one of our favorite local organizations to support.

The Breast and GYN Health Project (formerly Humboldt Community Breast Health Project) is a community resource of support and education for those facing a breast or gynecologic cancer concern.  They are a client-centered, grassroots organization with services provided by cancer survivors and their support persons.  They promote healthy survivorship through education, healing support, and hope, enabling each person to become their own best medical advocate.  They support and challenge our community to address breast health concerns responsibly and holistically.  

Without a doubt, the Breast and GYN Project is comprised of the most caring, compassionate, and dedicated staff and volunteers. We're happy to support them with discounted printing services throughout the year. Also, every October, as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are one of many local businesses that participate in SALES FOR SURVIVORS.  Most businesses choose a day to dedicate a percentage of sales to BGHP.  Other businesses do month-long sales and/or special events.  Participating businesses are listed on the Sales for Survivors Page on their website. Click here for more information!

This year, our benefit days will be October 15th-17th. While we're not open on the 16th & 17th, support is still possible by shopping on our website!

We're also helping in a new way this year. We're selling what we call a PINK BOX SPECIAL!  Check it out!

We are not only excited but also proud of this special. We designed the graphic and are printing all the contents in our store.

The price is only $30 and we're donated $5 for each box sold to the Breast & GYN Project.

For more information, stop by or visit our website!

Please consider checking out all the businesses that will be supporting the Breast & GYN Project throughout the month and planning your visits to their locations or websites on the dates that will benefit this incredible organization.

CHA Day 2 was busy, busy, busy!!!

I started off the day by receiving a free autographed book, ‘The Big-Ass Book of Crafts’, by author and crafter Mark Montano. You’ve probably watched him on TLC’s “While You Were Out” show. He’s not only very creative, but very personable. My mom also received a signed copy of the book, and he wrote in it “Nancy, Craft your ass off! Mark Montano.” In my book, he wrote, “Sondra, Rock out with your glue gun! Mark Montano.” What a character!

I placed various orders today. Here’s a list of some of the brands & items I ordered as well as website links so you can check ‘em out!
• Unity Stamps. http://www.unitystampco.com/
• DCWV Papers. http://www.diecutswithaview.com/new.php
• Tim Holtz / Sizzix “Alterations” dies and embossing folders. http://timholtz.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/01/alterations-on-the-edge.html
• Graphic 45 new lines. Le ‘ Romantique, A Proper Gentleman & On the Boardwalk. http://www.g45papers.com/product-lr.php
• Basic Grey new lines. Green at Heart, Kioshi, Cappella, and Max & Whiskers. http://www.basicgrey.com/scrapbook

One of the things I did today was check out point of sale computer systems because I need to replace our current system. While I was doing that, which took almost 2 hours, my mom was busy doing make-and-takes. She was searching out cardmaking projects. Now, while I’m trying to type this, she’s checking out all of her “loot” she’s gathered the last two days and is asking, “Can I use this for cardmaking?” Her enthusiasm is so cute! I’m going to turn her into a crafter yet!!!

Now, it’s time for dinner followed by working on more orders! Happy Crafting everyone!

(pictured is the Max & Whiskers by Basic Grey)

Day 1 of the CHA Convention has been terrific. And, boy, are my feet tired!

To give you a little perspective on how huge this show is, I’ll explain the layout. It takes up three huge halls or buildings and is divided in the following categories: Scrapbooking & Paper Craft; General Crafts; Art Materials; Fabric/Quilting/Needle arts, License & Design; International; and New Exhibitors. Scrapbooking & Paper Crafts comprises about 60 % of the total area. And, we only made it thru about 75% of the Scrapbooking & Paper Craft area. So, needless to say, we have a lot of additional territory to cover tomorrow!!!

My favorite things that I saw today include:
• Tim Holtz’ “Alterations” Sizzix dies and embossing folders. All I can say is, “Wow! It’s about time!” I’m probably more excited about this than anything else I saw today.
• Tim Holtz’ 12 new distress ink colors by Ranger. He has lots of softer colors that are absolutely wonderful!
• Tim Holtz’ new “Ideology” embellishments, including tissue tape. He also has new paper!!!
• The Zutter Kutter - cuts thru chipboard, corrugated board & clipboard
• The Zutter Distress-It-All - it’s an electronic distressor that you can run several sheets of paper thru at a time. If you run it in one direction, you get a slight distressed look; if you run it the opposite direction you get a real distinct distress look.
• GCD Chip Art – lines of chipboard shapes and metal “dies” to emboss into the chipboard. Very fun!
• Canvas Kits by Quick Quotes.
• Staz O’s new metallic ink pads.
• Options new storage bags, totes & containers in new colors. They have a great bag for the Cuttlebug!
• Cuttlebugs new longer plates, 12” border dies, new metal embossing envelopes! Yea!

The most unique thing I saw today is the new Cricut Cake. Yes, you read that correctly – the Cricut Cake. It’s a new Cricut, the same size as the Expression and it’s red. It is food safe and has special stainless steel and plastic parts that make cutting sheets of gum paste safe to eat. They’re even going to have food coloring markers and sell gum paste and frosting sheets. It works with all the regular cartridges, as well as Design Studio and Gypsy. It was inspired by an actual well-known cake decorator who wanted a Cricut to cut out sheets of gum paste to decorate cakes. Learn more at: http://www.cricut.com/cricutcake/

Some of my favorite new paper lines are by: KaiserCraft, Glitz, K&Company, Donna Salazar, 7 Gypsies, Basic Grey, Little Yellow Bicycle, Prima, Bo Bunny, Cosmo Circket, and Jillibean Soup.

I really enjoyed looking at stamps by: Loralie Art Stamps, Hero Arts, Impression Obsession, Unity Stamp, Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz.

Other interesting information or products:
• Glue Glider is making a new removable Wall Art adhesive refill and have great glue-dot type adhesive squares.
• Tombow vellum adhesive works great when adhering transparencies. I used it today and was amazed. (And, we already stock it!!!)

So, that summarizes my first day. Stay tuned for additional information tomorrow night!!!

Copic markers ROCK! And, I'm now officially a Copic Certified Designer/Instructor!

Yesterday, I attended the Copic Certification training in Anaheim. It was from 9am-4pm and was absolutely fabulous! I owe all of my wonderful customers who suggested that we start carrying Copic Markers for my new love for them!

We covered so much information it would probably make your head spin, including papers to use, color theory, basic coloring, blending techniques and more. We even learned airbrushing! Now, I know I just have to get an air compressor!!!

I thought I'd share a few tips with you!

First of all, there are things that will hurt your Copic markers:
- White Out or Opaque white. (avoid coloring over these)
- Un-fired clay
- Acrylic paints
- Chalks / Oil pastels (use these after your color with your Copics)
- Untested stamping inks / inking pens
- Solvents or oils

Rule of thumb: If it is something that smears when it gets wet and is opaque, stay away or test it first. If you must color over it, Airbrush your marker on.

Here are some common mistakes beginners make when picking Copic colors:
- Colors are too dark: On uncoated papers you want to pick ligher colors than you think. It's easier to go darker than to go lighter!
- Colors are too vibrant: Vibrant colors catch the eye, so you may buy the markers. However, make sure to buy colors that you'll actually use.
- Not enough colors to blend: You need to get 2 colors in each color family.
- Not enough contrast between colors: In many color families, you need to jump more than 2 digits to get colors that wil blend and still show up as being different.

For more information about color families, blending techniques and the overall wonderful world of Copic markers, sign up for my upcoming class:

Wednesday, Feb 10th
Sondra's Copic Marker Class: What? How? and Wow!
Project: Valentine's Cardmaking Class
5:30-7:30pm
$18
Copic Sketch markers are alcohol-based markers that are very popular! Take this class to learn about the Copic marker labeling system, blending techniques and other Copic basics. Then, utilize your new skills to make two Valentine's cards. Please bring any Copic markers and supplies you have, as well as your basic kit.

January Kit! Gotta love it! Our January "Get the Edge" paper crafting kit includes fabulous papers from 7 Gyspies and Black Magic cardstock from Coredinations. (and lots of fabulous embellishments!)

Have you used the Cordinations papers yet? Our January kit includes FIVE sheets of their Black Magic cardstock and it's so, so fun to work with -- especially with the Making Memories sanding block included in the kit. The cardstock is black on one side and one of various colors on the other side. You can sand, tear or emboss on the black side to reveal the color on the other sides. It's so much fun!

Check out this photo of a page I created last night from the kit. And, if you're not already a subscriber, get more info at:

http://www.scrappersedge.net/Monthly_Kit_Club.html

I'm back from my quick trip to New York City and am catching up on ordering merchandise for the store. I am SO, SO excited about the January "Get the Edge" kit. I just finished ordering the contents -- and here's a sneak peak. It's going to include the 7 Gypsies "Victoria" line of papers and Core'dinations Black Magic cardstocks. The rest is a secret! This kit will be delicious!!!

To subscribe or find out more info, visit:

http://www.scrappersedge.net/Monthly_Kit_Club.html

The December "Get the Edge" kit has been a real hit. We even have new subscribers -- just because of this kit. The kit features Dream Street papers, with cute whimsical birds and snowflakes.

The kit includes:

-Dream Street “Merry Bright” papers (6)
-Bazzill Brown cardstock (2)
-Bazzill Parakeet Cardstock (3)
-Little Yellow Bicycle Snowflake diecut paper
-Mayart Crochet fiber
-Karen Foster white letter stickers
-Bazzill Flowers (green or red)
-Fluid Chalk Pad, dark brown
-Creative Charms brads
-Assorted Ribbon

After doing the sample pages, if you choose, there's still a ton of supplies left over -- whish happens every month!!! And, each kit usually has something in it that you can reuse and reuse -- this time it's the dark brown fluid chalk pad.

For more information on how you can have these monthly kits delivered right to your door, visit:

http://www.scrappersedge.net/Monthly_Kit_Club.html

Funny Questions

Sometimes people call and ask us the strangest questions.  Since we just received one of those calls, I thought I'd share my favorites:

• What do you pay for scrap metal? 
• Do you carry scrapbook albums?
• Do you stock stickers?

Too funny!

Album Refill Tip

Shopping for album refills can be frustrating, as I'm sure you've discovered.  Each album manufacturer tends to place their posts/holes in a slightly different pattern.  So, unfortunatley, very few refills are interchangeable between brands.

So, when you visit your local scrapbook store (like the very well-stocked Scrapper's Edge), bring in the name of the company who made your album.  And if it's not a well-known brand (like Making Memories, Bazzill, Mrs. Grossmans, K & Company, Creative Imaginations, Scrap Artistry, American Crafts, American Traditional, Provo Craft or EK Success) you should bring in either your album or a page from your scrapbook.  We can often match up the hole pattern to find refills that will meet your needs!

I hope this tips is helpful!

--Sondra