Fun and Scrappy Ideas to Entertain your Kiddos over Christmas Break

Christmas Break is almost upon us, and though most of us love the idea of having our children at home during this busy season, the idea of bored children can also be maddening! Here are some simple scrappy activities you can do with your children over the break. Hopefully the right mix of these will help keep the doldrums at bay.

• Make old fashioned paper chains using all your scrapbooking scraps. Much nicer than the traditional construction paper chain!
• Make paper stockings. Simply cut a stocking shape out of two sheets of cardstock. Punch around the border and let kiddos ‘stitch’ them together with yarn, like lacing cards. They can decorate the stocking with festive stamps and Stickles glitter glue. Apply cotton balls to the top of the stocking for a fluffy ribbing. Have children write their names on the top of the stocking with the Stickles, and then hang the stockings in a special place. Ask each family member to write letters of appreciation to each other and tuck them in the stockings. Share the letters aloud on Christmas day, then scrapbook all those special sentiments.
• Set your kids free with the camera. Have them take Christmas and wintery pictures, then scrapbook them as a family in a special through the eyes of a child layout.
• Make paper flowers using the K & Company Paper Flowers Paper Crafting Pad (click on the title of this post to view this product). This may appeal more to the girls than the boys, but boys could still participate by making gifts for grandmas and teachers. This 578 piece paper crafting kit will keep them busy for hours!
• Make paper Chrismons. Chrismons is short for Christ Monograms, and growing up in the Lutheran church, these beautiful symbols were a staple on the church Christmas tree. I was looking for projects to keep Christ the center of our Christmas this year and found a great web site, http://www.paperchrismons.com/. They have Chrismon snowflake patterns that can be printed on white cardstock and cut out by older children. Children of all ages will have fun decorating the cut snowflakes with crystal, diamond, or icicle Stickles and gold sequins (traditional Chrismons are always white and gold to symbolize the glory and purity of Christ).
  

I hope that you find some activities in this blog that not only entertain your kiddos during this holiday, but help make it memorable. This is a busy time of the year, but we only have so many childhood Christmases, so make sure you take the time to make some memories with your kiddos!

You can find all the supplies you need for dozens of fun projects, including Stickles glitter glue, on our website, www.ScrapBugLane.com.

Happy Scrapping!

Lisa

Trimming Your Christmas Pages With Festive Borders

Hi there. This will be my last post this week, but be sure to check back next week for more fun ideas for making your Christmas scrappy. Features will include ideas for entertaining your kiddos over Christmas break and more!

For my last post this week I thought I'd keep it simple and offer up some Christmas appropriate ideas for trimming your pages. Jodi and I brainstormed a bit and came up with these ideas for your Christmas borders. Enjoy!

1. Ric-Rac - this old fashioned trim speaks of ginger bread men, craft bazzars, and everything Christmas! Glue down a single row, or multiple rows for a traditional (and fun) border.


2. Velvet Ribbon - crushed velvet, regular velvet, anything velvet is appropriate for gorgeous old fashioned layouts. Velvet looks especially nice with formal photos, but like the little black dress, it can be dressed up or down depending on your style!


3. Curly Ribbon - gifts under the tree and confetti on New Years Day make for lots of fun! Make a row of small clusters or single pieces. Its probably not archival safe, but it gets extra points for being so festive!
   
4. Sequin Trim - what says Christmas like glittering gold, or silver, or red, or green, or blue, or anything that sparkles for that matter! Premade sequin trim is simple and plyable and can be draped across your pages, or use it to trim out your photo mats.


5. Crocheted Lace - for a perfect vintage or Victorian look. It is reminiscent of lace tablecloths, doilies, snowflakes, and of coarse cookies and cakes laced with sugar!


6. Stickles! - we can't help but recommend Stickles glitter glue! Just doodle a free hand border across the top or bottom of your page and let it dry. Glit-teriffic every time!


7. Pom-poms - tiny little pom poms are fluffy and sweet, like snow men or Santa's rosy cheeks.


8. Beads - string them together and drape them across the page like a beautiful garland, or if you are extrememly ambitious, stitch them to the page.
   
   

Whatever you do to trim out your Christmas pages, have fun. If you have additional ideas, please post them in the comment section. We'd love to hear from you!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Lisa

Tips for Photographing Your Kiddos this Christmas!

Hi there! Today's post is authored by design team member, Shannon Garrity. As noted in her design team profile, photography is one of Shannon's passions. Since the holidays bring a lot of photo opportunities, we thought these tips for photographing your kiddos would be very appropriate. Hope you find them helpful.

To learn more about Shannon's photography, you can click on the title of this post and link to her site. You can also read more about Shannon in her profile posted on www.scrapbuglane.com, and watch for her favorite shots in her layouts, coming to our gallery very soon. A special thanks to Shannon for being out guest writer today. Hope you enjoy what she put together for you.

Lisa

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Tips for Photographing Your Kiddos this Christmas

The holidays are a magical time of year. A time for us to gather together with our friends and families and share in the joy of the season. Here are a few tips to turn your average posed holiday photos of children into “visual” keepsakes to scrapbook and share with generations to come.

One of my personal favorite subjects to photograph is my daughters. Each time I am able to capture an emotion, a moment or a second of their lives with my camera I know that when they are able to look back in my scrapbooks they will see just how much I loved them and cherished their part in my life. Below are some of my favorite photo tips for shooting pictures of children.

• Let the kids hang out and play for a little bit before the camera comes out. That way they will be more at ease and will not notice you’re snapping the pictures.
• Encourage the kids to say funny words or make funny faces at you when you are ready to shoot, it will bring out a natural smile more than not as you are letting them be silly.
• Always remember to take several pictures of the same scene when it comes to shooting children, some may be a little off center or blurry but you may have a gem in the middle of them all. Remember a child hardly ever sits still.
• Always try and shoot children at their eye level. It may mean that you have to get down on your knees to get the shot but the results will be worth it.
• Try and be creative by catching a child upside down on a swing set or in the middle of a yell as they are swinging on a swing. The more you and your camera do not interfere, the more you are likely to catch a child’s true personality on film.
• The use of a soft focus filter can add a romantic feel to your shots of children, especially babies and are available at a low cost. You can make one yourself with a UV or skylight filter and some Vaseline.
• Children are always moving and their moods and emotions are forever changing so if you get a child that does not want to cooperate, just put it off until tomorrow as it will not be worth it to force them to pose.

Fun props to use with shooting pictures of kids:

• A favorite toy or your child’s favorite blanket not only makes them feel safe but you will be able to catch a genuine look of love when they give it a hug.
• A mirror is always a fun prop to use when shooting pictures of children. They love to see their reflection and will enjoy making faces or smiles for the camera into the mirror.
• Hats are a usually a big hit with kids. When shooting babies and toddlers with hats you might need to snap a picture quickly before they decide to pull it off but it should make for a great picture even if the hat is half way off their head.
• Sports equipment are fun props to put in pictures. They make the child feel as though they are in the middle of a game.
• Flowers and ribbons are fun props to make a picture have a “girly” feel to it.
• Santa hats, presents, oranaments and more can add to your holiday pictures and the children will have fun with them.

New Fallen Snow

Good morning! I fell off the wagon yesterday and didn't get my daily post made. I'm afraid that with everything going on for the holidays, I may be a bit spotty about posting over the next couple of weeks. Keep checking back, because I have a lot to share and will continue to post, however irregular it may be!

Maybe it is the snow outside and this sudden cold snap that has taken the country by storm (no pun intended), but I have been in the mood to make some wintery layouts, and you can't have wintery layouts without the look and feel of snow!

When you think of snow, what words and images come to mind? Along with cold and wet, I think of glistening white, so if you are trying to create the look and feel of snow on your pages, it makes sense that products that are glistening and/or white can take you where you want to go. Here are a few simple ways to incorporate glistening white in your winter layouts:

• For beautiful, stark glistening white, try using the Wausau pearlescent cardstock in white gold on noble white. This shimmery paper is subtle and beautiful and is so appropriate for a wintery layout! You can actually stamp on the Wausau pearlescent paper as well. Create a subtle snowy background by stamping monotone snowflakes in white ink on the shimmery side of the paper. The shimmer of the paper will contrast just enough with the dull finish of the ink that the snowflakes will be barely visible.

• Like frost on the edges of a store window, a little white ink applied in a feathery fashion to the edges of dark colored photo mats can transport you to that little shop window on a snowy afternoon.

• Stickles glitter glue in Crystal, Diamond, Icicle, or Waterfall can add the perfect accent of shimmer to your pages. If you don't want a defined line, try applying glitter glue by smudging or smearing it on appropriate elements.

• Nothing glistens more that glitter, and the Essential Glue Pad can allow you to add shimmery silver or white glitter to your layouts in any shape you desire! Simply stamp images using the glue pad and then dust with glitter. What could be more wintery than glitter laced snow flakes stamped accross your page?

• Try stamping images with Encore Ultimate Metallic ink in either silver or champagne, or use a crumpled paper towel to sponge the shimmery ink onto white paper, then cut borders or accents from the inked piece.

• The Adirondack paint dabber "snow capped" is appropriately named and can be used to create a similar affect on your pages. Snow cap die cut letters or the entire edge of your layout by simply "dabbing" the paint on! These handy paints are equipped with a built in dabber for easy application!

Experiment with all these mediums and see what you can come up with for fantastic wintery layouts. If you have an idea not expressed in this post, please feel free to share it with us in the comment section. Hope you find one or more of these ideas helpful! See you soon at www.scrapbuglane.com.

Lisa

Using and Re-using Your Christmas Cards

Good afternoon! As I type this message, I am watching the snow fall. My house is mostly decorated and the Christmas cards are rolling in... at last, it is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

Each day from now until Christmas, I will be posting simple tips and ideas to help make your Christmas scrappy! I thought I'd kick it off with some ideas for preserving and re-using all those Christmas cards you will be receiving in the next month or so (I usually don't get mine out until February). Hope you enjoy these simple tips as much as you enjoy receiving all the cards!

Lisa

Using and Re-using Your Christmas Cards

Behold the Christmas card! For most of us, cards are as much a part of Christmas tradition as the tree itself. It is that one time a year you hear from loved ones both near and far, and in hearing from them, gather them to your family celebration through the spirit of their well wishes.

If you are like me, all those wonderful photos and cards make for a big dilema at the end of the season - what to do with the cards! I do have friends (like Jodi) who are wonderful at saving cards. I, on the other hand, tend to end up with so many shoe boxes full, that at some point I break down and throw them out. Here are some simple tips for recycling and preserving your cards that I've found helpful through the years.

• First, remove all the photos and photo greetings from the cards. Create a special book that you preserve these photos in. Make simple layouts 2 - 4 pages in length where you display these photos each year. By having these photos in one book, you'll be able to look through the years and see your friends and their children grow and change. How fun it will be to reflect on their hair styles and clothing over the years;
• Use your favorite cards to make gift tags with. Cut the images from the card then punch a hole in one corner. For added fun, embellish the images and write to/from on the back side with stickles glitter glue. These simple tags, attached with a fabric ribbon, add a festive and scrappy look to all your packages;
• Use the images from your cards to fashion homemade cards with. Cut out images and mat them with Wausau pearlescent or metallic cardstock. Pop the images off of your card with a 3d foam adhesive tab. Outline designs with stickles glitter glue and stamp a simple message on the inside. If you don't wish to keep these cards for your own use, you can donate them to someone in the service, or bundle them up and give them as hostess gifts next Christmas;
• If "making" something out of your cards is more than you had in mind, donate the cards to a worthy cause. St. Jude's Ranch for children has a Christmas card recycling program that helps raise money for their programs. Simply cut the front of your greeting cards off and mail to St. Jude's Ranch for Children, 100 St. Jude's St., Boulder City, NV 89005-1681. They also offer the recycled cards for sale. You can click on the title of this post for more information.

Hope that you find one or more of these ideas helpful. If you have something special you do with your cards each year, post it in the comment section. We'd love to hear your ideas!

Be sure to check out all our festive products on http://www.scrapbuglane.com/. Don't forget, our Basic Grey Mellow paper is on sale this month, so be sure to grab some before it is all gone!

All that Glitters

Hi there and happy Friday. Hope that it has been a productive week for all of you. I have been very busy decorating and preparing for Christmas this week, so the blog has taken a bit of a back burner. Not to worry - next week I plan on starting with my Christmas extravaganza. Tune in for all kinds of Christmas fun, every day until Christmas!

Just in case your not in that Christmas spirit yet, I'll start us off easy this Friday with my all that glitters section. I did a quick survey of our site for those especially glittery and shimmery products that are perfect for all your holiday projects. Here is a special salute to all that glitters (and it isn't all gold). Hope you enjoy!


Lisa


All that Glitters at www.ScrapBugLane.com

1. Stickles glitter glue! I am loving this festive glue for cards, wrapping, decoarating ornaments, and of course for all my Christmas layouts. Especially wintery are the Christmas Red, Icicle, Eucalyptus, and Waterfall colors. Fun, fun, fun...
2. Florals Glitter (a.k.a. glitter flowers) by Heidi Swapp. Check them out in wintery white, or the fun and funky kiwi color. For a very rich and very traditional Christmas look, the Crimson is a must have!
3. All the beautiful papers in the Wausau Pearlescent and Metallic Cardstock lines. Particularly suited for winter are the Lunar Blue and White Gold color combos. For Christmas, you can't beat the deep green in Empress Emerald, or the dark plum found on Sparkling Merlot. Re-entry red is also really fun, bright, and spirited with a frosty feel.
4. Mardi Gras Jewel Round brads are shimmery, shiny, and festive no matter what the holiday. Available in two sizes, they are sure to give you a lot of bling for your buck!
5. 12 x 12 handmade Indian Paper in Burgundy with Gold stripes. You'll find this beautiful and inexpensive paper hiding in our handmade paper section. You can't really do this beautiful paper justice in a photo, since much of its beauty comes from its shimmery stripes and heavy texture.
6. Encore! Ultimate Metallic ink pads by Tsukineko. These metallic inks are very glittery and very fun. Available in blue, bronze, champagne, copper, gold, purple, and silver, at just $2.29 per pad, why not buy them all?

Hope you have fun checking out all these selections on our site. Click on the title of this post to link to the stickles glitter glue, then explore the site and see what you can find that glitters and shines!

A Big Thank You to all who attended the Workshop and Open House!

Good morning! What a busy weekend it was at ScrapBugLane. We hosted our first workshop on Friday night, and then followed it up with an open house the following day! It was a very successful weekend and we want to thank everyone who came out to support us.

At the workshop, we talked shop and laughed a lot, and at the end of the night everyone left with three fully decorated jars of hot cocoa, perfect for gift giving! I hope everyone that attended it enjoyed it as much as Jodi and I did.

At the open house, we were able to preview much of our new product that hasn't hit the site yet. I don't know about you, but it sure got me in the Christmas spirit. It was great seeing old friends come out to support us and great to meet a few new ones too!

Because it was such a busy weekend, I didn't have a lot of time to think about what I was going to post to the blog. Several of you wanted the White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe from the workshop, so I thought I might divert a little from scrapbooking today and use the blog to post the recipe.

Thanks again to everyone that came out and supported www.ScrapBugLane.com. We appreciate each and everyone and are happy to have you as a part of our scrapping community!

Lisa


White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 1/2 C. - crushed gingersnap cookies (about 32 cookies)
1/4 C. - butter, melted
3 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 C. - sugar
3 - eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. - vanilla extract
5 - 1 oz. squares white baking chocolate, melted
3/4 C. - canned pumpkin
1 tsp. - ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. - ground nutmeg

Almond Topping:

1/2 C. - chopped almonds
2 Tbsp. - butter, melted
1 tsp. - sugar

In a small bowl, combine gingersnap crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9" springform pan; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in white melted chocolate.

Combine pumpkin and spices; gently fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour over crust. Place pan on baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until center is just set. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the topping ingredients; spread in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring twice. Cool.

Carefully run the edge of a knife around the springform pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer and then refrigerate overnight. Store topping in an airtight container; store in the refrigerator. Add topping just before serving. Enjoy!


By the way - I wanted to mention that Jodi has released her project for the January workshop. We will be making a "LOVE" word album from BoBunny, a matching box filled with chocolate kisses, and a coordinating gift bag and gift card. You will make an entire Valentine's gift for just $35. In addition, you will receive four clear acrylic stamp singles from Imaginisce. The class is scheduled for January 25th. Seating is limited and we've already had several sign-ups! Mike will have the new info posted under upcoming events soon. Hope you can make it!

Daisy Bucket Coming Soon!

Hey all! What a busy day it has been for both Jodi and I. I've been busy getting ready for the workshop - putting together packets and even baking a cheesecake surprise! Jodi's been pricing product for the open house and getting things ready to welcome you on her end. We are really excited for the next two days. We received a big shipment from our distributors yesterday, so we are going to have lots of product available at the open house that you haven't seen in the store yet, including some new Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paints, a brand new item! We also received a couple of new lines from Bo Bunny (show up to find out which ones), and we have numerous acrylic stamp sets from names such as Fancy Pants, Doodle Bug, Queen & Company, Basic Grey, and Heidi Swapp (perfect for gift giving).

Well I'm going to quickly do my name of the day post. Today's famous scrapbooking name is actually a not so famous one - Daisy Bucket. We will be offering many of their lines in the near future and have several of their products on order. I think you will really like this new favorite!

I also want to remind everyone that I put a contest out there this week, and still don't have any responses. The first three to respond to it will receive a set of Cosmo Cricket Hey Sugar stickers absolutely free - so read the posts!

Have a great one.

Lisa

Day 3 – Daisy Bucket!

Okay, maybe you are scratching your head and trying to “place” this company. I wouldn’t necessarily call Daisy Bucket a big dog, but I would definitely call them a growing one. Relatively new to the industry, they offer a fresh line of papers in a unique lighter weight texture and fresh color schemes. These double sided papers are just flat out nice to work with.

I also love the Daisy Bucket stamp elements, produced to match their lines. These inexpensive clear acrylic stamps are sold singly and are designed to coordinate perfectly with their papers. They are like embellishments you can use again and again.

We will be carrying the ever so pretty Wrapped Wishes line, and the Superstar line. We also have some of their stamp elements coming! Check out all their beautiful products on our site, http://www.scrapbuglane.com/, in the near future, and on http://www.daisybucket.com/. We will continue to carry their newest lines and hope that you enjoy their products as much as we do.

Cosmo Cricket - Hey Sugar and Beyond!

Hi everyone. This is a busy week for Jodi and I as we prepare for our first workshop, this Friday, and our open house on Saturday. We are looking forward to a great response to both! If you haven't signed up for the workshop, there is still time to do so. No need to sign up for the open house, just show up! We'll have product demos, cookies, cider, and specials. You can get more info on both the open house and workshop by looking in the "upcoming events" section of our site, www.ScrapBugLane.com.

I'm continuing with my product features today. The name I'm featuring is Cosmo Cricket. Just a word of warning - I'm typing this on my bed while my youngest son watches "Super Sleuths". At the moment, he is pretending to be Tigger and bouncing up and down on the bed, so please forgive any typos!

Be sure to read the whole thing - there just may be a contest inside (hint, hint, hint)!

Day 2 – Cosmo Cricket!

Okay, strange name, fabulous product! Their high quality, cardstock weight, double sided papers are fantastic to work with. They have a tendency to sell out fast. I find myself buying everything they have and then waiting endlessly for their next release.

We are currently offering their "Hey Sugar" line. One of the items I like best in this line are the Journaling Cards. With this one sheet of journaling cards, you get 16 different journaling options (since they are double sided as well). With just a little imagination, you could make some darling valentines out of them!

Other products they feature are Alpha Buttons and Button Fashions. These are Cardstock weight letters and die cuts, in that order, and come on two large 12x12 sheets, so you can imagine the generous size of the letters and die-cuts. They also have the darling 'Strip Tease' sheet, A 12x12 sheet designed to be cut in strips for matching borders and theme appropriate quotes.

If I had to come up with just two words to describe Cosmo Cricket, they would be "imaginative" and "fun". Their products really are all that and more!

Check out their Hey Sugar line on our website, www.ScrapBugLane.com. Then check out their other products on www.cosmocricket.com. While you are on their site, check out the “About Cosmo” section to find out how they came up with their very unusual name, Cosmo Cricket. Follow their link to come up with a funny anagram for your name and then post your favorite one in our comment section. The first three to post their anagrams will receive a free set of Cosmo Cricket Hey Sugar stickers!

Look forward to hearing from you!

Lisa

Just for the record, I did an anagram search on my name and here were two of my favorites:

Salami User, and
Aura Smiles

Would you use a paper line called "Salami User"?

Famous Scrapbooking Names - BasicGrey

For the remainder of this week I’m going to do something that some of you might think is overly simplistic. Many of my friends look at me like I’m speaking a foreign language when I start rattling off lists of my favorite scrapbook paper lines and brands, so I thought it might be fun to gain a little insight into just a few of Scrapbooking’s big dogs, whether you’ve used their lines a thousand times or never heard of them at all. I will be featuring a tid-bit on a different famous (or not so famous) scrapbooking name each day this week. We will also have a link to their sites, so you can check them out for yourselves.

Playing with the Big Dogs
A salute to some of the best known and least known names in Scrapbooking

Day 1 – BasicGrey!

Can they get any bigger than BasicGrey? I’m not exactly sure when BasicGrey first came on the scene, but I have to believe they changed the face of scrapbooking forever when they did. According to their website, they “specialize in creating cutting edge paper”, and they have been very successful at that. I still remember my first BasicGrey papers. They were like nothing else, and I loved them so much I could hardly bring myself to use them.

In addition to fabulous papers, fibers, ribbons, tags, and chipboard elements, BasicGrey offers some of the most fantastic rub-ons in the industry. To see some examples of their beautiful rub-ons, just click on the title of this post.

Scrapbooking is such a trendy industry that brands tend to come and go rather quickly. What’s hot today may be old school tomorrow, but BasicGrey has somehow managed to rise above this tendency. They are kind of like the Madonna (sorry for the comparison) of the scrapbooking world, reinventing themselves with each new release without losing their distinct identity.

They have recently adapted again, making their Christmas line double sided! We carry BasicGrey's new Christmas line, Figgy Pudding, and also have their Mellow and Recess lines. In addition, they have added coordinating acrylic stamps to their newest releases. If you sign up for our November workshop you’ll get a chance to work with both the Christmas line and their acrylic stamps!

Check out all of their beautiful products on our site,

www.ScrapBugLane.com and at www.BasicGrey.com.

Lisa

P.S. – Within the last couple of weeks BasicGrey has unveiled the delightfully delicious “Two Scoops” line. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this gorgeous new release!

Scrapbooking Naughty and Nice Lists

Good morning. I thought I’d start this week out with something fun and handy! For all of you who are checking in to find some great Cyber Monday scrapbooking deals, I have come up with the perfect gift finding method for the scrapbookers on your list. To find the perfect gift, you simply need to determine whether the scrapbookers on your list fall into the “naughty” or “nice” category. Once you’ve determined this, refer to our scrapbooking “naughty” and scrapbooking “nice” lists to find the perfect gifts for them.

If you are buying for yourself, this gift finder still applies. Simply answer the questions in reference to yourself, and then look at the lists to find products that are your perfect match! Warning, this is a serious process, and we cannot guarantee accuracy unless you are completely honest!

Step 1: Determine if the scrapbooker on your gift list is naughty or nice (please answer all questions for the most precise diagnosis):

1. Does the scrapbooker on your list stop scrapbooking to fix dinner for their family, or do they frequently suggest ordering take-out?
   If you answered “fix dinner” score one for the nice category. If you said “take-out” score one for the naughty side.
2. Does the scrapbooker on your list try to skimp on the clothing budget so that they can divert the funds into their scrapbooking budget? (It may be hard to tell, but a good indicator might be whether or not their children have socks and shoes)
   If you answered no, score one for the nice side, but if you answered yes, you have a very naughty scrapbooker on your hands.
3. Does the scrapbooker on your list often feign illness in order to get out of chores or work, then spend the whole day scrapping projects they “have to” finish?
   If you answered yes, you have a naughty scrapbooker on your hands. If you answered no, score one for the nice side.
4. Does the scrapbooker on your list stay up until the wee hours of the morning to work on scrapbooking projects?
   This is a trick question. Though it may appear that they are being naughty by staying up late, they are actually being self sacrificing and should be considered “nice”.
5. Does the scrapbooker on your list frequently skip meals in order to dedicate more time to their hobby?
   Eating healthy meals is important! If your friend or loved one has resorted to starvation in order to feed their scrapbooking addiction, they are not only a naughty scrapbooker, but may need immediate intervention. Successful intervention includes therapeutic chocolate supplements, as well as adequate scrapbooking time. Oh I am naughty!
   

Now that you have determined whether you have a naughty or nice scrapbooker on your list, you are ready to select a gift (to be on the safe side, we suggest selecting more than one). Remember – all of these great products are 15% off with free shipping through today only, so don’t delay!

Scrapbooking “Naughty” List:
Perfect gifts for those naughty scrapbookers on your list

• Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress Ink (15% off with free shipping)
  
• Red Pepper Adirondack Paint Dabber (15% off with free shipping)
  
• Tattered Silk paper by Prima Marketing (15% off with free shipping)
  
• Wausau Metallic Cardstock in Sparkling Merlot on Black Knight (15% off with free shipping)
  
• Sassafras Lass “Shiver me Timbers” paper from the Whale of a Tale collection (15% off with free shipping)
  

Scrapbooking “Nice” List:
Perfect gifts for all those nice scrapbookers on your list

• Cosmo Cricket’s “Hey Sugar” line (the whole line, since they are so nice) (15% off with free shipping)
  
• Wausau Metallic Cardstock in White Gold on Noble White (15% off with free shipping)
  
• Cream Soda Thickers (15% off with free shipping)
  
• Brenda Walton’s “Dollhouse” Scrap Pad To Go (15% off with free shipping)
  
• “Sugar Plum” buttons (15% off with free shipping)
  

Sure hope you enjoyed my gift finder! Be sure to check back with the blog for the remainder of the week. We will be doing product features on some of the best and least known names in scrapbooking, and will be posting a contest for some free Cosmo Cricket Hey Sugar stickers. You won’t want to miss it.

Happy Cyber Monday shopping!

Lisa

Click below to link back to our website and take advantage of our 15% off sale with free shipping! Offer good through November 26th only, so don't delay.

http://www.scrapbuglane.com/

15% off Sale, Plus Free Shipping Extended

In honor of cyber Monday (the internet's equivalent to black Friday), we have extended our after Thanksgiving sale one more day. That means you have one more day to:

• Save 15% on Cosmo Cricket Hey Sugar papers, Hey Sugar Journaling Cards, Hey Sugar Alpha Button Fashions, and Hey Sugar Buttons and More Fashions - and receive free shipping as well!
• Save 15% on Prima Marketing Rue 88, Prima Marketing Lucid, and Prima Marketing Croquette papers & kits, and receive free holiday shipping!
• Save 15% on all Tim Holtz Distress Inks, and receive free shipping!
• Save 15% on Sassafras Lass Felicity and Sassafras Lass Whale of a Tale papers, plus receive free shipping!
• Save 15% on BasicGrey Mello, BasicGrey Figgy Pudding, and BasicGrey Recess, and receive free shipping to boot!
• Save 15% on Wausau Pearlescent and Wausau Metallic Cardstock, with free shipping!

One last day to receive 15% off all your favorite scrapbooking brands while still taking advantage of our free holiday shipping. Can it get any better than that?

Click the title or the following link to see all of our great sale items! Everything is on sale, now through 11/26/2007, so hurry!

www.scrapbuglane.com

Prima Marketing, Sassafras Lass, and We R Memory Keepers 15% Off

Just a quick post to update you on some of the new product added today -

• Prima Marketing Croquette, Prima Marketing Rue 88, and Prima Marketing Lucid have all been added and are priced at 15% off with free shipping! If you haven't seen these papers, check them out - they are beautiful!
• Sassafras Lass Whale of a Tale (priced by the sheet or whole collection) has been added. This darling boys line is 15% off with free shipping!
• We R Memory Keepers Promenade and We R Memory Keepers Explore paper kits have been posted at 15% off with free shipping. Check out the fun and fresh colors.
• Also, don't forget the Cosmo Cricket Hey Sugar line! You can buy all six papers plus the Hey Sugar Alpha-Button Fashions, Buttons and More Fashions, and the Hey Sugar Journaling Cards, all 15% off with free shipping.

In fact, everything on our site is 15% off with free shipping, but only until the 25th, so hurry and take advantage of our after Thanksgiving pricing today!

To link back to our site, click below, or click on the title to view all the fun kits added today!

www.scrapbuglane.com

Cosmo Cricket Hey Sugar has Arrived and is on Sale Now!

Hi there. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Mike has had a busy one so far, posting some of our new product and adding an "Upcoming Events" section. Be sure to check out both! Our new product includes the following:

• K & Company Scrap Pads to Go in the these great styles: Hopscotch Boy, Kazoo Kids, and Dollhouse by Brenda Walton - all freshly posted and 15% off with free shipping until the 25th.
• The Hey Sugar line by Cosmo Cricket, including the Hey Sugar Alpha Fashions, Hey Sugar Buttons and more die cuts, Hey Sugar Journaling Cards, Hey Sugar Strip Tease, as well as six beautiful double sided papers - all brand new and 15% off with free shipping until the 25th.

Check them out today. Its a great time to buy!

15% Off Everything at ScrapBugLane.com

I know I said I wasn't going to post to the blog for the remainder of this week, but I had to post this exciting news - we are having our first after Thanksgiving scrapbooking sale. Save 15% on all items in the store, plus receive free shipping on your order:

• 15% off sale and free shipping, on all Wausau Pearlescent Cardstock, including Re-entry Red, Lunar Blue, Gamma Green, and more. We sell them by the sheet!
• 15% off sale and free shipping, on all Wausau Metallic Cardstock, including Castle Copper, Sparkling Merlot, Empress Emerald, and more. We sell them by the sheet!
• 15% off sale and free shipping, on Ranger Distress Inks and Distress Ink Re-inkers!
• 15% off sale and free shipping, on Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabbers!
• 15% off sale and free shipping, on brand name papers like Heidi Grace, Around the Block, Crate Paper, Karen Foster, Junkitz, and more!
• 15% off sale and free shipping, on all BasicGrey, including BasicGrey Mello and BasicGrey Figgy Pudding!
• 15% off sale and free shipping, on Staz-on inks!
• 15% off sale and free shipping, on the We-R-Memory Keepers purple Crop-A-Dile in the case!
• 15% off sale and free shipping, on handmade papers!
• 15% off sale and free shipping, on K & Company Paper Crafting Kits!

Okay, okay, I think you probably get the point. 15% off of everything and free shipping for the holidays to boot!

Hurry, sale ends November 25th.

Happy day after Thanksgiving shopping everyone.

Click here to link to

http://www.scrapbuglane.com/

By the way - there are still three free sheets of Wausau Pearlescent Cardstock or Wausau Metallic Cardstock, as well as three free sheets of BasicGrey Mello out there for the taking. To find out how you can win a free sheet of each, read all of this weeks posts.

Quotes for your Thanksgiving Layouts

Greetings from Longmont! We arrived late last night, just ahead of the storms. My sister-in-law and I couldn't wait to talk scrapbooking, so we stayed up late looking through stacks of paper. We have fallen in love (love is not too strong a word), with the Prima Marketing papers. We will be selling these very soon on our site. Watch for them - they are really unique and the colors are gorgeous!

Wow - tomorrow is Thanksgiving already. I'll be taking the next couple of days off to celebrate the holiday with family. For today's blog, I thought I'd do something different. I did a little searching and found these jokes, quotes, verses, and blessings for your Thanksgiving pages. If you enjoy them, be sure to check back with our site often, as we will be adding a section called Quotes, Etc., contagious quotes and more for all your scrapbooking needs. In addition to quotes, this section will feature a Scrapper's Dictionary and journal starters. We hope to have this section up and running in the very near future.

A Cornucopia of Quotes (and more) for Your Thanksgiving Day Layouts:

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year;
to the honest man it comes as frequently
as the heart of gratitude will allow.
- Edward Sandford Martin

Forever on Thanksgiving Day
The heart will find the pathway home.
- Wilbur D. Nesbit

What do you get when you cross a turkey with an octopus?
Enough drumsticks for Thanksgiving

God has two dwellings;
one in heaven, and
the other in a meek and thankful heart.
- Izaak Walton

Without Thy sunshine and Thy rain
We could not have the golden grain;
Without Thy love we'd not be fed;
We thank Thee for our daily bread.
(unknown)

Why did the turkey cross the road?
It was the chicken's day off!

For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.
- W.J. Cameron

There is one day that is ours. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American.
- O. Henry

What did the turkey say before it was roasted?
Boy! I'm stuffed!

Some people complain because God put thorns on roses,
while others praise Him for putting roses among thorns.
(anonymous)

So once in every year we throng
Upon a day apart,
To praise the Lord with feast and song
In thankfulness of heart.
- Arthur Guiterman, The First Thanksgiving



Have a very happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Lisa

By the way, if you haven't read through my blogs this week, you may want to do so! There are still three sheets of Wausau Pearlescent or Metallic Cardstock and three sheets of BasicGrey Mello out there, free for the taking! What do I mean? Read and find out!

10 Reasons to be Thankful You're a Scrapbooker

This is a little list Jodi and I put together so that you too can count your blessings this Thanksgiving. It can also serve as good justification for your hopeless addiction, so post the more altruistic ones on your mirror as a reaffirmation that scrapbooking is indeed a good hobby!

My blog today is very short since I’m having to pack and head out of town a day earlier than expected – the weather is supposed to turn bad tonight, so we thought we’d better leave while the leaving is good.

10 Reasons to be Thankful You're a Scrapbooker

• You always have something to spend your money on!
• You don’t need an excuse to take photos.
• The satisfaction you feel when you complete an album, knowing that not only you, but your children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy it for years to come.
• You are never bored on rainy days.
• All the enjoyment you get from a night out cropping with friends.
• The excitement you feel when you find a cool new tool, paper line, or embellishment.
• Because you can appreciate the beauty in a single sheet of paper.
• Because of all that blackmail material you know you have hidden away in your scrapbooks.
• You no longer see the world in just red, blue, yellow, and orange, but in fired brick, azure, mustard seed, and pumpkin.
• Because the most wonderful people in the world are scrapbookers!

An alternative list might go something like this - 10 Reasons I'm Thankful I Scrapbook: Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, Wausau Pearlescent & Metallic Cardstock, Around the Block, acrylic stamps, Ranger inks, Junkitz, Prima Marketing, Rouge de Garance, Crate Paper, K and Company, Doodle Bug, Bo Bunny, and..... oops, I think that's more than 10! Have a great day everyone!

Lisa

Thanksgiving Day Layout Ideas

The leaves have almost entirely fallen, the weather is crisp but definitely still nice, and we turn our thoughts to the busy holiday season ahead. One last respite for the weary lies between where we are at and the Christmas rush – Thanksgiving! A day to count our blessings, share with family and friends, and stuff ourselves with the bounty of God’s good creation.

This will be a short week for the blog. I’ll be posting today, tomorrow, and Wednesday, and then taking the rest of the week off. To keep it appropriately themed, we are going to start this week with some fun tips for your Thanksgiving layouts.

Tips for your Thanksgiving Day Layouts:

Once the Turkey is eaten and the parades have quieted down, there are still photos to be scrapbooked and memories to be jotted down. Here are some fun ideas to spice up your Thanksgiving layouts:

Ideas for Color –

Add some sparkle to your autumn palette with a sheet or two of Wausau Pearlescent or Metallic cardstock. Try adding Sparkling Merlot on Black Knight, from the metallic collection. This is a deep purple that will contrast nicely with traditional gold and pumpkin tones.

The BasicGrey Mello line has a definite fall flare and I asked Jodi to select some of the Wausau Pearlescent and Metallic papers to pair with it. Here’s what she suggested:

Castle Copper
Gamma Green
Solar Yellow
Re-Entry Red, and
Empress Emerald

(Click on the title to link to see the ever festive BasicGrey Mello line)

Ideas for Content –

Do more than scrapbook the photos, beef up the content by documenting the people who were there:

• Bring along a sheet of cardstock. Have everyone sign it and write their age. Make this a tradition year after year. It would be wonderful to look back and see all those names at various ages in their own handwriting.
• Make hand turkeys to scatter on your page. Trace the hands of the little ones in the family and if they are old enough, have them help decorate them. Be sure to write their names and ages on the turkeys. It will be fun to look back and see their little hands. You could frame a group photo of the kids with the hands and title the page “Grandma’s Little Turkeys” or something similar.

Ideas for Photos (just say cheese) –

You want to be sure to take photos of the dinner guests but don’t forget the food and decorations. Be creative - use fun photo angles and design abstract shots. Photos of the table, food, or the turkey in the oven can add to the overall feel of you page by setting the scene and atmosphere. Here are some things to think of photographing:

• The dishes. If your mom or grandma use special dishes year after year, document these.
• Take a photo of the cook’s hands. These busy hands prepared the meal and are another blessing to be accounted for.
• Take a photo of a full plate, and then the same plate after all has been eaten. You can mat the photos side by side and come up with some funny before and after dinner thoughts.
  

Document the traditions -

• Be sure to take note of the traditions. If dad always watches the football game, snap a photo of him tuned in and record what the score was that year.
• If Aunt Mabel always makes delicious pumpkin cake, snap a shot of the cake and include her recipe next to it. This is a great idea for all the scrumptious side-dishes and could become a whole layout on its own called “A Salute to all the Turkey’s Side Kicks”. Younger generations will appreciate having all those recipes in one place!

Whatever you do, have fun. If you use any of these ideas to season your pages, let me know. We’d love to post a photo of your creation on our blog. I’m definitely going to try some of them out myself. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

As a Thanksgiving treat, I’m including a contest in this blog. In keeping with the Thanksgiving spirit, I used a number of descriptive food words in this post. How many can you find? The first three to e-mail or post their answers will receive a free sheet of Mello paper and a coordinating sheet of Wausau Pearlescent or Metallic cardstock to document all their Thanksgiving memories with. You can e-mail me at info@scrapbuglane.com.

Lisa

Distress Ink Refill Tip 4 - Drop It!

Hey everyone. This is my last Tim Holtz distress ink refill tip, as well as my last official post for the week, so I hope you enjoy it and have a wonderful weekend. Next week is Thanksgiving, so be sure to check the blog for holiday related fun.

Distress Ink Refill Tip 4 – Drop it!

One last tip for your Tim Holtz Distress Ink Refills! Drop the ink directly on your page. Oh yes, I’m serious!

This is definitely a tip for the bold of heart, though I have done it and found that a strategically placed drop or two can really add a neat effect. Create a “spray” of drops surrounding a photo, or fill in empty spots with a splat or two. I would suggest practicing on scrap paper before placing the ink on your beloved layout since it is a rather unforgiving technique.

Try it out if you dare. It is the ultimate Ink apart from the pad experience.

Hope you found my Distress Ink tips helpful. Tune in next week for a whole new blog experience. We will be serving up a host of Thanksgiving fun!

Lisa

Wausau Pearlescent and Metallic Cardstock

Jodi and I have been brainstorming and have come up with several reasons you have to like, no, make that love, Wausau Pearlescent and Metallic Cardstock. This is my second blog today (I'm just having too much fun), so if you were checking in for the distress ink tip of the day, it follows this post:

• Wausau Pearlescent and Metallic cardstocks glisten - you really must see them in person to appreciate their beauty.
• Wausau Pearlescent and Metallic cardstocks are fun to tear. Many of the metallics are backed with black and when torn from the metallic side leave a raw black edge! This is a great stress release!
• Wausau Pearlescent and Metallic cardstocks are double sided with a metallic or pearlescent front and solid-color back.
• No matter which color you use, you have the perfect complimenting monotone on the back.
• Wausau Pearlescent and Metallic cardstocks offer lots of bang (or bling) for the buck!
• These papers have really cool names, like Sparkling Merlot on Black Knight, Majestic Blue, Excalibur Steel, Empress Emerald, Gamma Green, Solar Yellow, and Re-entry Red. Even your husband has to appreciate a paper with a name like Gamma Green.
• If you are a woman you know that gold, silver, and sparkling gems go with anything!
• They are infinitely cheaper than a therapist. Buy them all today!
  
  You can see our entire selection of Wausau Metallic and Pearlescent cardstocks by clicking on the title, but remember – you really need to see them in person to appreciate their beauty!

Distress Ink Refill Tip 3 - Mist-it!

Hi everybody. Its a beautiful day out, but my oldest son is home with the crud, so hopefully you are all enjoying the wonderful weather for me.

Today's distress ink refill tip apears below. It is a great tip and one I've been using a lot lately. If you attend our November 30th workshop, you'll get a chance to try this for yourself. We'll also have some of the empty bottles available for purchase. Hope you can make it, and hope you enjoy this tip.

Have a great day!

By the way, I figured out the link thing. Click on the title to look at the distress ink refills we have available in the store. You will have to scroll down to find them. We currently have just three, but will be adding more soon. We also have the coordinating pads on order - just in case you were wondering.

Distress Ink Refill Tip 3 – Mist-it!

Most of us have the small craft misting bottles that can be purchased in the paint section of the local hobby store. If you don’t have one, it really is a must have tool (and its cheap).

The most common use for the mister is to spray it on a freshly inked page to cause the ink to bleed slightly. You can also mist an inked stamp prior to stamping with it to get a beautiful water color effect.

Now here is another way to use your mister and your distress ink refills. Simply fill the bottle with water and then mix a few drops of ink into the water to create a color stained mist. This is a great way to subdue bright colors or just create that beautiful weathered look that scrappers love. Be sure to mist your pages over newspaper or even outside so that you aren’t getting the colorful water on your carpet or furniture.

I love doing this and have a bottle specifically designated for this use. Try it out and let me know how it works for you!

Lisa

Okay - I'm just back from Jodi's and I thought I'd make a quick post for all of you who just can't wait to find out what was in the box! This is my second post of the day, so if you were checking in to find out the Distress Ink Refill tip of the day, it follows this post.

Here are some of the exciting products we received in this shipment:

• More Thickers
• A Festive new Junkitz paper line (you'll have to keep checking back to see which one)
• 2 lines from Crate Paper (to be posted soon)
• More Tim Holtz Distress Inks & Distress Ink Refills
• Adirondak Paint Dabbers (all kinds of fun colors - coming very soon)
• More Heidi Swapp flowers, a couple of Doodle Bug alterables, some darling AMM mini-totes, Basic Grey Rubons, additional papers for our Basic Grey Mello and Recess lines, and more...

...and the best news is that this is just one shipment - we are looking for a couple of more in the next week or two, so keep checking us out!

Distress Ink Refills Tip 2 - Dye it!

Good afternoon! I’m ready to post my second Distress Ink tip, and then it’s off to Jodi’s house to see what new product came in from our supplier today. We’ll get the new product up just as soon as possible for all of you that can’t wait to peek in the box too.

Hope you are enjoying the tips. I’ll post my third one tomorrow!

Distress Ink Refill Tip 2 - Dye-it!

Want to create a soft water color look on white or ivory flowers? Maybe you want the ends to look slightly stained like old linen. With a plastic or glass container, some water, and a drop or two of Tim Holtz Distress Ink, you can create a watery dye to bathe your flowers in.

You can also create a tea stain look by folding, tying, and dipping your card stock in the solution. If all the moisture causes your paper to wrinkle, no worries, just iron it on low. This is a fun process and just one more way for you to express yourself using Distress Ink refills.

Lisa

My very first blog!

Hey guys. I think its time to get this blog up and running, so I will do my best to begin posting to it regularly. I will try to mix it up and keep it interesting by including project ideas, tips, product trials, contests, challenges, and industry news. I’m going to get it going, but Jodi will also be posting to it, and hopefully our design team members will share with us too!

The big news for Jodi and I is that our site is now officially open. We have great ambitions for this site and will be working diligently to grow it over time. We have a ton of product on order that we will be adding over the next couple of months. Watch for new lines to appear from names such as Cosmo Cricket, Daisy Bucket, Heidi Swapp, Bo Bunny, Three Bugs in a Rug, Junkitz, Around the Block, Wausau and more. We are also going to offer a great selection of embellishments and acrylic stamps!

Thanks for all your support. We will do our best to make this site everything our customer’s desire.

Lisa



Tim Holtz Distress Ink Refills
Why they are great apart from the pad

If there is one tool in my closet I find indispensable, it’s my Tim Holtz Distress Inks and my Distress Ink refills. I have found many uses for the refills besides just re-inking the pads, and in many ways I prefer my refills because of the flexibility they give me.

This week in the blog I will be featuring four different uses for the refill inks. Check them out and then try them yourselves. Experience the freedom of ink without the pad!

Distress Ink Refill Tip 1- Edge it!

As stated in my design team profile, I can often get hung up on details. When I distress a page, I want every element to match. I find that by distressing all edges it ties my page together and nothing is left looking raw or unfinished. I distress everything, including my die-cut letters. This can be a trick, especially when it comes to inking the hole in the “A” or the very center point of a “V”. Here’s a simple solution using Tim Holtz Distress Ink refills.

Place a few drops of distress ink in a plastic/glass lid or container. Dab the narrow end of a make-up/chalk applicator (such as the ones featured on this site) in the ink. This narrow end will allow you to ink the edges of your letters into the narrowest of spots.

When you are finished, you can store your make-up applicator in a zip-lock for a short time since the make-up applicator is spongy and stays moist. I have tried this same technique by dabbing the applicator directly on the stamp pad and have found that I just can’t get it wet enough to distress the edges effectively, you really need the refills to pull this off. Try it out and let me know what you think and then make sure you check back tomorrow for tip #2.

I have attempted to post links to both the make-up applicators and the ink refills on our site. Please bear with me if the links don't work. This is my first blog, but I will figure it out!

Basic Grey - Figgy Pudding

The new Basic Grey Holiday Collection - Figgy Pudding will be arriving soon at ScrapBug Lane. This is going to be one of the hottest paper lines this Christmas season. Keep checking our site for this exciting arrival.

http://www.scrapbuglane.com