(1) Yvette • I love Reese's cups kept in the frig!!
(2) Jessica G. • I just rediscovered 100 Grand candy bars! They have so much thick
caramel! I don't know how I forgot about them! So that is my (current)
favorite!
kelly-jo • Mine is swedish fish. They are SO yummy and I can never eat just one.
My mom worked in a store down the street from a penny candy shop. I
would always look forward to taking my change and getting a little
paper bag filled with that delicious redness! mmm...I may have to stop
by the store tomorrow!
Karmen, Yvette, Jessica, and Kelly-Jo please email me ali at ali edwards design dot com with your contact information.
One person will receive a great collection of goodies from Scrapista.
Scrapista is getting ready to host their first event this September in Duluth, Georgia. Read below for more information from Rebecca:
"Scrapista has been around for a long time…just not in the form of a business. I’ve been scrapping for years with friends. And in all of that time, I think we’ve been able to discover what the perfect scrapping retreat is all about. The kicker is…it’s not the same for everyone. Some scrappers want classes every minute of every day, some want a day of relaxation without a care in the world, some want to sit and focus like mad on their current project, and some just want to be social. I’m right aren’t I? That’s what Scrapista is all about - creating an environment that is wonderful for everyone, at the same event."
Here’s what is included in the giveaway:K&Company Urban Rhapsody Adhesive Chipboard, K&Company Urban Rhapsody Rub-Ons, American Crafts Fabric Thickers in Dolce, American Crafts Remarks JFK Neutrals Letter Stickers, K&Company Urban Rhapsody 12x12 Double Sided Papers (36), Autumn Leaves Rhonna Farrer Aqua Twist Die Cut Paper, Bazzill Dotted Swiss Mud Puddle, Crocodile Green Textured Paper, Bazzill Basics Dark Chocolate (2), Bazzill Basics Berrylicious, Heidi Swapp Cherish Acrylic Stamp, Stampabilities Oval Journal Stamp, Chocolate Brown Grosgrain Ribbon, Big White Rickrack
According to Eve, "These little books work great as an everyday journal - something that can be kept in your purse/car/etc to record little things, thoughts or artwork, sketches. They make great gifts too!"
You can also learn to bind your own coptic journal with her new tutorial/pdf kit.
Natalie is celebrating her 1st anniversary as an etsy seller on her blog with a bunch of cool giveaways including $10 off coupons, free memberships to Clickin' Moms photography forums,
a $30 gift certificate to {We Are} Storytellers, and a $100 gift
certificate to Amazon.com.
To be entered into today's drawing please leave a comment sharing your favorite type of candy (mine is Sour Patch Kids). Comments will be closed at 8pm Pacific with the winner's posted shortly after.
Welcome to the first edition of a new weekly series: Tuesday Tutorials.
One of my favorite parts of scrapbooking, and life in general, is learning new things. My goal with Tuesday Tutorials is to develop an archive of fantastic how-to posts from a variety of different people interested in the pursuit of documenting life & making stuff along the way. I hope these posts will challenge the way in which you approach this hobby by encouraging you to stretch beyond your comfort zone and try something new. Consider me the curator.
This week I welcome Jennifer McGuire as my guest (read her bio at the end of this post). She has put together a great video that will walk you through seven different techniques on three layouts. I also love her whole approach with these pages: simple, repeated design with room to play (and a moment captured). I am definitely feeling inspired after watching this video. Thank you Jennifer!
Jennifer : I’ll be straight here - I am not great at design, journaling or "telling my story." And since I'm not good at it, I don't fully enjoy it. What I do enjoy is new techniques, favorite photos and using products creatively. To me, these make up the playful side of creating – where the true joy of the hobby exists. Because of this I decided to start focusing on creating in this playful way.
I recently started an album using favorite photos and funny one-liners from my 3-year-old son (he is famous for these). To keep it simple the basic design of the pages is the same throughout, with designated areas on each page to try new techniques. Each layout has a large quote - allowing me to use up some letter stickers and rub-ons - and favorite products used in a creative way. For me, this is perfect: I get to play with product and capture some playful moments. That is what I love.
By the way, I do put all my other memories in a plain scrapbook with nothing but photos and journaling on black paper. This has allowed me to release the pressures of traditional scrapbooking and enjoy it again.
I asked Jennifer if she could show me what these albums look like and she graciously obliged. Check out her blog today for more information on how she puts these albums together.
Here's a closer look at the layouts Jennifer creates in the above video:
If you like the techniques
shown on these projects, be sure to check out Jennifer's upcoming 9 week
Thinking Inking class starting June 15 at twopeasinabucket.com.
Each week will have three technique videos (27 in total!), showing
numerous techniques using Hero Arts and Ranger products. For more
information and links, visit jennifermcguireink.com.
Jennifer McGuire has been scrapbooking, cardmaking and stamping for 6 years. In this time, she has been published in many idea books and magazines. Currently, her work can be seen each month in Creating Keepsakes, where her article shows the many things you can do with one tool or product. Jennifer also loves working as a designer for Hero Arts Rubber Stamps, contributing to their designs, catalogs, website and blog. She most enjoys teaching. After cutting back on travel, she now gets her “teaching-fix” via how-to videos on her blog, jennifermcguireink.com. She also enjoys contributing to Two Peas in a Bucket.
Jennifer lives in Cincinnati working as a crafter and stay-at-home mom. Almost 6 years ago, Jennifer left her job as an engineer in order to scrapbook full-time. Her family includes her dear husband, Ken, step-daughters, Kay (14) and Audrey (11), and new son, Colin (3).
Do you have a step by step project or creative tutorial you would like to see featured here?
To be considered email your completed project, including the how-to text, to ali at aliedwardsdesign dot com. If your project is chosen you will be paid for your creative time & effort. Please include Tuesday Tutorials in the subject line.
Wondering what happened to Three Things? Look for it to appear again from time to time on Thursdays.
For as long as I can remember swimming has been a part of my life. It's a huge part of my personal history: I swam for fun, competed into college, taught lessons, and coached at different points in my life.
Swimming has become a past time that we enjoy as a family. We are lucky to have an awesome indoor pool called the Tamarack Wellness Center available for family swims a bunch of different times during the week. It's an indoor, salt-water therapeutic pool with a water temperature of 92 degrees. Yes, 92.
We first started going to Tamarack a few years ago when Simon was receiving services through the local early intervention agency EC Cares. Since then we have been fairly regular at different parts of the year and it has become one of Simon's favorite activities.
During the winter it's awesome because it is so nice and warm. During the summer it's awesome because most people are outside and
it's a lot less crowded.
Simon is so happy now that we are all going again. Waiting
for Anna to be old enough probably felt like forever when you are
living in "kid" time. He and Chris went a few times on their own but I think it's just more fun when we all go.
We took Anna to the pool for the first time just about a month ago. She's a total water baby and is happy to be in the water both at home in the tub and in the pool. Again, that warm water is a total benefit especially for little ones.
Yesterday I remembered to take the camera and was rewarded with awesome light coming in from the windows and an almost empty pool.
I am so very thankful we have a place we can go that seems such a great fit for our family.
Tomorrow : a brand new weekly series that I am really excited about. Attention Locals : Come Play Eugene & The Create Boutique will be happening at Jill's house this weekend. This time they are offering a crop on Saturday from 9am to 9pm and spaces are still available. The boutique will be open from 10am to 4pm.
Last week this little gem made it home from school safe and sound in Simon's backpack.
What a very cool peek into some of his current favorite things and a little bit about how he's seeing himself (or how his teachers helped him identify some of his traits). My favorite petals include "reader," "kind," and "chicken burger."
I've done a variety of layouts over the years documenting our right now: things that are important to us, favorites, what we are into, etc. This is the first one in Simon's own words; in his own handwriting. Definitely a treasure to me.
This weekend consider documenting your own petals or those of someone you love. Maybe involve your family members by having them identify what are the important things in their lives right now. Ask simple questions like "what's your favorite food" or "what are you really good at?" and have them write their own words if they are able.
This is definitely not a complicated exercise. It's a silly little way to document a bit of your life right now. Grab a piece of scratch paper and draw a simple flower or download and print the one below. Simon's flower has 10 petals but don't worry about the number, just write. Don't forget to add the date.
These flowers would make a sweet little family minibook, a nice accent on a layout of each person, or you could gather a bunch together and create a "bouquet" of all your family member's flowers.
To get you started here's a simple flower download (the same one I used for my flower above) that is ready and waiting to be printed and decorated by you and your loved ones.
Tracie VW • Its not just about
12x12 paper and photos. Its also about preserving other artifacts...
thoughts scribbled on a napkin, receipts, coasters from restaurants,
baby id bracelets, toddler art projects, anything!!!
One person will receive the June kit from ReVa (click to see the full list of supplies).
Tracee • I wish I had realised
earlier, that just because my layouts don't appear in magazines (except
for that one - leap for joy!), doesn't mean that they are not worthy of
publication. Magazines are not measuring sticks against which we assess
ourselves. At least, they shouldn't be.
Carol (ScrapMomOf2) • Start already! That's my advice! What are you waiting for? Also, do
what YOU want to do! Don't compare your work to others. Let others
inspire you, but always do your own thing!!
One person will receive a camera strap and a lens bag in their choice of the fabric from *Shey*[B].
alison • My advice is to print pictures quickly after you take them. I find that
actually having them on hand (rather than on my hard drive) makes me
that much more inspired to actually begin scrapbooking....rather than
just thinking about it. :)
Tracie, Tracee, Carol and Alison - email me ali at aliedwardsdesign dot com with your contact information.
Get
Crafty
is an online workshop led by Elise Blaha. Over two weeks, this class will explore
techniques on how to build mini books and layouts from the ground up.
We will break away from the traditional scrapbooking products and
design our own paper and embellishments. Each weekday, there will be a
lecture, a project, an idea to try that day and an idea to save for
future use. In addition, there will be photos, journaling prompts and
giveaways. Class starts on June 1st.
One person will receive the June kit from ReVa (click to see the full list of supplies). Read more about Rebecca on her personal blog here.
One person will receive a camera strap and a lens bag in their choice of the fabric from *Shey*[B].
To be entered in today's drawing please leave a comment below sharing your best advice for a new scrapbooker. What did you wish someone had told you when you first started? Comments will close tonight at 8pm Pacific with the winner's posted shortly after.
Just a quick reminder from last week's giveaway post that Transparent Touches & Tag's kit subscription offer ends today. If you sign
up for 6 months, you will receive a fun goodie bag filled with
scrapbooking products for FREE with your first kit. After you sign up,
email Monica (info@transparenttouches.com) to let her know that you
heard about TTT from this giveaway. Offer ends today.
For a weekend away with family. For laughter. For good food and cold
drinks. For cameras that capture more than I could ever remember. For little kids. For the ocean and fresh salty air. For
exploration. For movies about the cycle of life. For getting out of
the house and away from the routines of our everyday. For Grandparents. For
tall grass. For secret gardens. For picnics. For conversation. For hugs
and kisses. For sunshine. For possibilities.
Anna wishes you and your family a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
Two things to note:
(1) Cards For Heroes is hosting a MEMORIAL DAY BLOGHOP this Saturday May 24th. Bloggers from all over the US and abroad will be posting a card and sharing why THEY participate in honoring our nation's heroes. And everyone else gets inspired! This bloghop will be helping us to get the word out to even more crafters and financial donors-so we can get more cards out to our heroes! We're getting more and more requests all the time and need to step up our game, and this is one really fun way to share what we're doing...letting YOU share! Hop through blogs, and get inspired to make more cards or donate funds toward our work! Tell your friends about it, even if they're not cardmakers...it'll do everyone's patriotic heart good to hear about so many Americans wanting to help our military. Visit bloghop central here.
Cards for Heroes mission is to support our nation's armed forces by sending blank greeting cards to
write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them
throughout their deployment. We are an all-volunteer group of
crafters. To date we have sent over 140,000 cards to our heroes serving
in the Middle East. You can find more information on making + sending cards here.
