CHA Round-UP A-L

Hello and good morning..

It's Wendi here and I had the amazing opportunity to go to Winter CHA in Anaheim.. I've been before, but this time I was able to be there for 3 days and had a blast. If you haven't gone before, there is a TON to look at. It's 3-4 full convention sized halls full of crafting and supplies.. it is AMAZING and a bit overwhelming at the same time because there is soooo much to see.

Here is a run down of what I saw and fell in love with while I was there... I'll go in ABC order.

First up AMERICAN CRAFTS...

The DIY shop has some really fun basic embellishments and additives for any project...

 

Dear Lizzy collection: adorable embellies, the stamp set was too cute, and check out the wooden heart "paper"- how fun would that be to add misting, cut apart or make a home decor project with.

BELLA BLVD:
I swooned over the new Molly and Max collection since it's aimed towards tweens- not too baby for kid photos, but not too grown up for teenager photos. Both collections have fun patterns.
check out the pink camo paper:

 

 The embellishments were also very playful and fun- I can't wait to get my fingers on them:

BASIC GREY:
I was really drawn to the fun, bright colors of the Spice Market collection, perfect for spring and summer photos.

and these cool metal embellishments and these fun shapes:

Next up... CHICKANIDDY CRAFTS:
A new company that is in the scrapbook industry with two new collections. The enamel hearts from each lines are so delicious.

They also have gold and silver specialty papers that can be run through any die cut machine or embosser.

COSMO CRICKET:
Has some of the cutest little wood charms out there:

And some really cute organizational containers for holding scrappy goodies or anything else. The containers either come with vintage knobs or opened spaces:

CRATE:
Always has such sweet collections and great embellishments that coordinate, I'm a huge fan of their chipboard pieces.

How cute are these little bow embellies? I might even use them and attach them to my little girl's hair clips.

DCWV:
Always has great displays in their booth. Check out this layers HUGE scrapbook layout.

 As always, they have TONS of new Mat Stacks coming out, in almost every theme, color scheme, textures, or holiday line you can think of.

ECHO PARK:
Always have great collections packs, along with some of their mini lines that are coming out. Did you know that Echo Park releases a new collection every month?? That is so cool, and always gives me something new to look forward to.

This soccer line really has me excited to scrap the kids soccer photos this year:

And this collaboration line with Allison Kreft looks so bright and happy:

GLITZ DESIGNS:
Always one of my favorite companies with ubber cool embellies. Washi tape, giant rhinestones and some fun puffy stickers this year.
The Carpe Diem has some little woodland creatures in it.. can you say, What Does the Fox Say?

Here are two of the lines 77 and Carpe Diem:

HAZEL and RUBY:
A newer company out of Utah, the owners are Jayme and Lindsey (who previously was involved with Cosmo Cricket). They have some fresh and new creative products.
Large rolls of washi tape:

Pretty sequin tubes- which are a HUGE cool embellishement right now:

And lots of fun stencils, which are great to do DIY boards with:

JILLIBEAN SOUP:
I always love to see what new soup names they are going to come out with to name their new collections..
Spicy Social Soup has lots of fun embellies, along with a stamp on an instagram camera..

Their placemats are all the rage to use on your projects. They come in several patterns, to be used in whole or cut apart:

Soooooo that's what I have for you today. I still have M-Z to get through next time. There is a TON of cool new product, papers and embellishments calling my name.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day....

Knee Highs and Bowties by BasicGrey - Loving it!

Hello Heather here with a new layout created with some great Basic Grey goodies! I got the opportunity to create with the fun Knee Highs and Bowties collection. One cool thing that they have with this collection is 6x12 sheets. It gives you so many more options, and ways to create. This layout came together so quickly because of the awesome choices in this product line.  I had a great time playing with it. Here is my layout:

This is my darling niece, Evie. Isn't she the cutest?? I am in love with this collection. Between the 12x12 sheets and the sticker sheet this layout came together so quickly, and I could have made 2 more! Here are some detailed photos:

I added some letter stickers in the center of these scalloped circle stickers. There were several in different sizes so it was very easy to layer together.

I am in love with this owl. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to incorporate it somehow. Also those little butterflies... SO cute!

More fun stickers from the collection, with a date stamp and a little journaling. This is such a fun collection with so much inspiration to be had. Thanks for sharing it with me :)

Gifting Gift Cards Part 4– Pocket Card

As soon as I saw the Kneehighs & Bowties collection from BasicGrey I was totally in LOVE!
There is absolutely something for everyone in this collection! Yesterday I shared a gift card wallet for a girl and today I have something for the boy (or man) in your life. I will stop drooling now but just one more comment on Kneehighs & Bowties. How about the blue and orange together?? I really like this combination!!

This card is perfect for Father’s Day coming up in the next few months! The paper is light and fun but perfect for a male recipient. I love how snug my gift card fit into the pocket. It is a perfect fit and is simple enough but makes a great gift as well!
Make sure to stop by Basic Grey’s booth at Scrapbook USA (just over 2 weeks to go) and pick up some fun product!
Until then,
check out all my Gifting Gift Card ideas on My Craft Channel. My latest episode features all 5 of my ideas.

You can also take a peek at my first 3 ideas on our blog:
Part 1: Homemade Snowglobe gift card holder
Part 2: Gift Card Wallet
Part 3: Gift Card/Candy Envelope

Gifting a Gift Card Part 3–Gift Card Candy Envelope

If you are just joining my Gifting Gift Cards segments. You will want to check out the first 2 segments:

Part 1 – Gift Card in a snowglobe
Part 2 – Gift Card Wallet

Of course you can see the video version of all my gift card ideas on My Craft Channel. My latest segment will show you each of my 5 projects.



My latest installment features a candy/gift card envelope using BasicGrey’s “Hipster” collection. I LOVE this line and have had plenty of fun playing with it!



This project is another quick and easy idea for gifting a gift card. I started with a 12X6 sheet of cardstock. I used a cereal bowl as a template to round the top (scientific it is) and scored the paper in 3 places..
Starting from the flat end (the one that you didn’t use the cereal bowl on) I scored it at 3.5 inches, 5 inches and 8.5 inches.



Separately I put together a little clear bag with some candy and the gift card. I placed 2 holes in the bag and threaded my ribbon through it.



Next I placed the bag onto the template and laid the ribbon out flat.



I could have added another photo here (I didn’t think of it) but instead, here is the finished product…



I used velcro to keep it closed. If you were to look into the side you would see the candy bag sitting there. It is attached by bringing the ribbon around and tying it on top. The base it is sitting on is 1.5 inches thick and is just the right size of bottom for it to sit up nicely.

I hope you enjoy this project, give it a try! Make sure to check out BasicGrey at Scrapbook USA Expo March 22-23, 2013!

Gifting Gift Cards Part 2 (As Seen on My Craft Channel)

I really went a little crazy with gift card ideas! I was looking for one fun and new idea and ended up with a number of ideas that I plan on using over and over.

You can check out ALL my ideas at once at My Craft Channel by watching my latest segment or you can follow me today and tomorrow while I roll out each one individually!



Earlier this morning I shared my Gift card snowglobe idea. Make sure to check that one out, it is SUPER cute! Now, I have a quick gift card wallet idea that works great for any occasion.

Today I am using BasicGrey’s new “Kneehighs & Bowties” collection. It is a super fun and young collection. This will be perfect for my niece’s birthday.



I cut my paper to 12X6 and scored it in 2 places. I just “eyeballed” my folds to get it the size that I wanted. To get my rounded edges I used a cereal bowl as a template (very high-tech) and rounded it to my desired look. I added a pocket to the inside and some velcro for my closures.

I like how there is plenty of space on the inside to write a little note, personal message or add a photo. This space is perfect for my family of 7 because I like everybody to write their own names on cards and most of my kiddo’s names end with flowers and hearts (at least when they write their own names) so the extra space is perfect.

I think I am going to make one of these for Mother’s Day as well. Instead of a gift card I could add little notes and poems from each of the kids.

Super versatile and best of all SUPER easy! I hope you have as much fun as I have had putting together and personalizing one of these little Gift Card Wallets!

Gifting Gift Cards Part 1 (As Seen on My Craft Channel)

Happy Monday!! When I was planning my segments for My Craft Channel I wanted to put together a cute and creative way for gifting gift cards. Once I got going I ended up with a number of different ideas that I really LOVE!

Since some of them require some measurements and instructions I am breaking up today’s posts into 5 parts that I will share throughout today and tomorrow. You can wait for each of my posts OR better yet, check out a sampling of everything by watching today’s Creative Insights segment on My Craft Channel.



Sometimes gift cards are “gifted” as last resorts because we really don’t know what else to give but more often than not I like giving gift cards because I want to give my friend or family member the opportunity to pick up something special for themselves.

So, I have been brainstorming some fun and creative ways to give the gift card so that the receiver knows that it is a personal gift meant just for them…..

My first idea is also my personal favorite. I probably love it because I have 4 daughters and believe me, I am SO out of gift ideas. In my opinion, they have everything they need and if they don’t have it, I don’t really want it in our house. I have recently started giving them gift cards more often. The gift cards are meant to be used on dates with Dad or I. Last year I gave my 8 year old a gift certificate to Hales Theatre. We ended up having a fabulous time together seeing “The Sound of Music”. So with all the little girls in my home you can imagine that they would probably be intrigued if they received one of these for their birthday…



My 4 year old loves snowglobes and asked for one for Christmas. I had seen tutorials for making them (which I meant to do over the holidays) but never did it. So instead, why not make one with the gift card inside. Putting together this temporary gift is super easy.

Just take a canning jar and fill it with water. Add some glitter (amount is up to you). Next get a ring with a canning lid inside. I used a couple glue dots to attach the gift card to the inside of the lid. I found this cute minnie around my house and she was a perfect fit inside the jar. I had planned on using glue dots to attach her to the lid but I didn’t need to because she fit in so snuggly.

Lastly I put the lid in place, screwed it tight and turned the jar upside down. Of course it needed a little more so I cut that trim with some BasicGrey paper and attached it with the bow and there it is, a cute and intriguing way to gift a gift card.

In addition, I love that after a special gift card is used , like this DisneyLand card, the memory can be remembered by keeping it safe in a homemade snowglobe.

So, Happy Gifting! Stay tuned for more gift card ideas later today...