create

My first experience with vinyl wall-hangings. Let's just say that, if you want to experience these, choosing something with fine print is a challenge for the first time. It was much like a giant rub-on, and a lot of the same principles apply. You just have to have a patient hand. I was glad I bought the Stampin' Up! scraper, as that came in very handy. This particular wall cling is produced by Stampin' Up!. It's in my craft room above the bar and decorative hooks I purchased at Ikea. You can't really tell, but the cling is a chocolate color. They do not recommend hanging it on a textured surface, but it worked fine clinging to our wall, which has a texture. We'll see how it does in the long run.

When Organization Goes Overboard

For about a year now, I have been working on perfecting the organization in my craft room. It is humbling, after reading books and looking at magazines, to see how gorgeous the rooms of some crafters are. However, I am over myself.

I have a room in my house, which is something I didn't have for a long time, and something that others do not have room to do. Also, I have many, many things that allow me to stay organized if I am willing to make the effort. {If you didn't have a chance to see my craft room post, click here.}

But tonight, I almost cried. Instead, I laughed, thank God. I was attempting to organize my ribbon drawer. It contained all those pieces of ribbon that were too large to throw away, yet too small to be on a spool. I realized that it was great to keep these scraps, but if I really didn't want to rummage through and find anything, it was a waste.

On a walk through Michaels the other day, I found these lovely DMC floss bobbins. They have a hole punched in them and come with a 2.5" metal ring. I fell in love and bought 3 (they were also cheap... even better!). It is on these bobbins that I began to put my scraps. While going through my scrap drawer, I round a spool of green grosgrain, which was great as I had just run out of that on the previous spool.

The previous spool was in a lovely plastic, transluscent ribbon box I purchased from Oriental Trading. The empty spool was, of course, in the middle of the row. The photo shows what happened when I tried to get the empty spool out. They just kept unrolling and unrolling. It was nuts.

So, I decided that these ribbon boxes needed a little help from me, the McGyver of crafting (now I am getting full of myself). I took double- sided tape and slid a row of it onto the outsides of the box. My intention was to have it hold the ends of the ribbons that came out of the box.

For right now, it looks great. It is much better than before. I took inventory of what was on a spool but almost at its end, and I wrapped those on floss bobbins. The metal rings ended up in the drawer with the scraps, but they are, at least, something I can (and probably will) pick up at one time and look through.

Off to do some laundry. Then, I shall come back to finally work on the Saturday inspiration card. Wish me luck!

Excited is not a strong enough word...

Well, at the very end of my CKC experience, I saw Wendy Smedley, creative editor of Simple Scrapbooks. I brought The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker, as I knew she was scheduled to be in St. Louis, but I did not know if I would see her for an autograph. I passed her in the lobby, and, well, let's just say it wasn't one of my best verbal responses. But she was so gracious and understanding that my tongue was twisted around my head! She said Aby Garvey, the co-author of the book, would be at her class at 3:10, which was right next door to the SEI class I was taking. She suggested I stop by with the book.

I did so. The two of them were so kind to sign my book and get a picture taken with me (love the glasses, eh? I was so wiped out by then!). Wendy asked if I would send her a picture of my craft room, after I gushed about how helpful the book was. Well, needless to say, right now there will be no photographs, as it looks like a craft store exploded in here. However, after I sift through the mess of CKC purchases, I will, most definitely, send her a picture. SOOOOO cool.

CKC St. Louis Lowdown

{Yawn!} I am pooped! We attended the Creating Keepsakes Convention in St. Louis this weekend. When Karen and I went to Kansas City, we went for about four days. We LOVED the time we spent there. This time around, we were so excited to have some of our craft buddies with us. We were not able to have an extended trip this time. It was still a great time. Here's a rundown:

Friday night: We checked in at the hotel and decided that we will take the Plato "Cadillac" Minivan to Archiver's in Fairview Heights before we ate, as we do not have an Archiver's close to us in Bloomington-Normal, and several of our posse had never been to an Archiver's. My purchases included:

~Stampendous Perfectly Clear Stamps Changito Notes (those cute little monkeys!)

~Making Memories Animal Crackers 30 Felt Shaped Buttons - Jack

~Inkadinkadoo Small and Medium Acrylic Blocks

~American Crafts Jewelry Box Brown Chipboard Thickers

~American Crafts Daiquiri Brown Vinyl Thickers

~K & Company Boy Scouts Flat Paper

~KI Memories Pop Culture Die Cut - Flower Child Socialite
~KI Memories Pop Culture Die Cut - Hangman Navy

~KI Memories Pop Culture Die Cut - Hangman Old Flame

~Reminisce Self-Adhensive Die Cut Stickers - The Freedom Collection

We then ate at Smokey Bones in Collinsville, IL. Yummy, and some of the hardest laughing I have done in a long time. :) Finally, we went to the hotel to catch some zzzzzzzs.

Saturday: Karen and I needed to be "crack o' dawn" people, as I had an 8:30 class and she started volunteering and reported at 7:45. After a continental breakfast, I headed out to my first class, hosted by the best company on the planet as far as I am concerned: SEI. This class focused on velvet paper techniques. I made the accordian album (both sides shown) in a one-hour class. In the class we used rub-ons, dry embossed, and inked velvet. I really had never known it could be such a versatile product.

SEI is one of the most generous companies at the CKC events. You come out of their classes with a TON more than $21 would ever have covered retail. And that, my friends, is smart business based on what I then went to their booth and bought. The other really great thing is, with their kits especially, you have pieces that are precut and they give you possible layouts. Here are some of the selections I bought from the SEI booth (shown in the picture):

~12 x 12 velvet paper - Gerti Flower, Brown Stripe, Chocolate, and Clover

~Dill Blossom Paper Stacks - 8 x 8 and 4.5 x 6.5

~6 x 12 Velvet Assortment Packs - Romance and Neutral Collections

~6 x 12 Linen Assortment Packs - Organic Collection

~Ally's Wonderland Assortment Pack

~Accordian Envelopes Pack (previously a Club SEI kit)

After the SEI class, I hit the Vendor Fair. HOLY MOLY, were there a lot of people there! Whew! That didn't stop me from shopping, though. I visited Embellish It!, which was one of my favs in KC. They sell tons of Basic Grey. Pictured in the photo are my buys (all Basic Grey unless otherwise specified):

~6 x 6 Archaic Paper Pad

~Colored buttons

~Undressed Chipboard - Wilma

~Mini Monogram Stickers - Sugared (fit with Wilma chipboard)

~Family Chipboard Album

~Magnetic Precision Mat

~A generous bonus kit

~Bazzill In Stitch'z Granny Stitches Templates

I also had to visit the always-busy Technique Tuesday booth. Such great product! I bought:

~Fundamentals of Love Technique Tiles (not shown)

~Celebrate Life Clear Stamp Set (50% of proceeds go to Susan Komen Foundation)

~Textile Circles, Scallops, and Squares

~Free gifts: Twill ribbon and Stickles four pack

By then, it was time to head off to my next class presented by Scrapbooks 'N Stickers, entitled "My Heart Belongs to Daddy." We began an accordion album, and I am hoping to complete it for Scott for Father's Day (maybe this year... gotta get some photos of him, too!). I really liked the paper assortment they chose for the project. I sat next to some fun people, and the volunteer was none other than... Karen! Crazy coincidence!

After that class, we decided to have show and tell at the hotel lobby and then we went to eat at Zapata's. We returned for a very quick run to the Vendor Fair, where I bought a T-shirt and some folders for a small album. I cannot remember the name of the booth, and, since some vendors were assigned to the lobby but not on the map, I am unable to check with anything at the moment. I have bought from them before, and I do love their product. I also subscribed to Paper Crafts magazine and extended my subscription to Simple Scrapbooks. What a sucker!

Our last venture of the day was another SEI Class about album techniques. This was taught by their owner. Instead of using the paper mats in the kit, the company replaced them with linen paper mats. We used the Dill Blossom kit. I am not finished yet, but I love what we have done so far. I had a VERY special enconter after the SEI class. That must have its own blog entry. Let's just say, it made me very tingly!

We stopped in Springfield for a bite to eat at The Pasta House Co., and then we arrived at home... pooped! But a really great tired, you know?