Showcase 2010 New Products: Tools

This is quite possibly the neatest tool I've seen in a long time. I'm something of a tool snob... I don't buy every tool on the market, but the ones that I use, I LOVE and can't do without. I know that this is going to be one of those tools, I'm just sure of it.


This "Grip and Clip" looks pretty funky, right? It holds your photos in place, spacing them perfectly until you're ready to adhere them onto the page. Check out how it works in the video at the end of this post, which will feature all of these new tools.

Next up is the Page Planner, which is also something I'll be using on my own albums. I love working with my photos, but I frequently get held up by the layout of the photos (which is the first thing I do on every layout). I'm all about someone else figuring out the layout for me, so I can do the fun stuff (like color palettes, embellishments, and journaling)!



The next tool is called the Wavy Tearing Tool:

It may look familiar, because of our wildly popular original Tearing Tool:


What's the difference? The original Tearing Tool creates an awesomely imperfect line that gives the edge of your page a torn look that can be difficult to do by freehand. The Wavy Tearing Tool takes this one step further, creating the tear in a wavy pattern (again, the video at the end of this post will demonstrate).

These are the three new tools that I really wanted to highlight as my favorites, but the video below features a few more in the second half! I highly encourage you to check it out and see how they all work:

Showcase 2010 New Products: Cricut!

Sorry for the delay in Showcase updates- I have been having trouble publishing for some reason, so I have a backlog of posts to get caught up on! Here we go!

As I posted from Minneapolis, Creative Memories and ProvoCraft (the makers of Cricut) are beginning a very exciting new partnership this year. Creative Memories is launching two new Cricut cartridges this month:


I'm trying this image and will update if it's too blurry or too small to see. This is a great sample poster that I'll have on display in my workshop, so I'm hoping it can be viewed here! Click on the image for a bigger view.

The cartridges are $55 each, and of course they require a Cricut machine (contact me if you're new to Cricut and need to know what the heck I'm talking about).

Any Cricut users out there? What are your thoughts on the new cartridges?

Showcase 2010 New Products: Power Palette!

If you've been reading my blog for a while, then you know how I feel about Power Palettes. I think they are to traditional scrapbooking what peanut butter and jelly are to school lunches. If it goes well together, then it just makes sense to keep it together!

I'm thrilled to introduce the Cheerful Power Palette! You may recognize it a bit, because it was purposely designed to use the same colors as our Primary Power Palette (currently being phased out), so if you were formerly a Primary PP user, this will blend wonderfully into your current albums.

Now, if you're not familiar with how Power Palettes are sold, here's a quick primer. You can purchase the entire Power Palette system, and that includes everything you're about to see in the next three photos. But what if you don't need everything that's included? The Power Palette is also sold in three different sets.

The Simple Set, consisting of Tone-on-Tone paper, photo mats and title stickers:


The Enhanced Set, consisting of Designer Papers and Decorative ABC stickers:


Or the Decorative Set, consisting of Paper Ribbons, Paper Buttons, and Paper Frames:


OR... there's one more option. You can purchase items individually, as well. Only need the Paper Buttons? No problem! Need one extra pack of Designer Paper? That's fine! The sets offer a slightly discounted way to purchase the products, with an even deeper discount if you purchase the entire Power Palette System (all of the products that you see in all three sets).

But you need an album to go along with your Power Palette! This one is THRILLING to me, which won't be a shock to anyone, given the title of my blog. :)

It's Purple!


And I haven't even reached the THRILLING part yet! In August and September only, you can purchase an album called "Cheerful Purple," which includes embossing at no extra charge. Want to see what it looks like? Prepare to fall in love.


SWOON. I love.

So that's the new Cheerful line of products. There was another one released at Showcase, called Reminisce. This one was designed to replace our Jewel Power Palette, which I've mentioned before as my favorite Power Palette ever. Now, the colors aren't exactly the same from Jewel to Reminisce, but they're coordinated enough that it transitions well from one to the next, if you're going to use them in the same album.


Here is the Simple Set:

The Enhanced Set:


And the Decorative Set:


The newest coverset to accompany Reminisce is called Moss:


And just like the Cheerful Purple Coverset, you can get this embossed for free in August and September. Introducing Reminisce Moss!


GORGEOUS, right?? These two new coversets are going to make perfect Christmas gifts this year, so don't forget to stock up in August and September while they're available.

All of these products are linked to my webpage where you can purchase them online. But if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask in the comments or by shooting me an email at Marianne241@gmail.com.

I have more products to introduce, stay tuned!

Showcase 2010 Announcement #3: Do you hear crickets?

I had not known that a rumor had been circulating the interwebs regarding a possible partnership between Creative Memories and Provo Craft, the maker of the Cricut die-cut machine. I'm not a Cricut user and apparently have been frequenting the wrong gossip sites! :)


It was announced during Showcase that Creative Memories will be releasing 2 cartridges for the Cricut that will be available for viewing on the Provo Craft site, but will only be available to purchase through a CM consultant. It's a great way to bring those who are Creative Memories-loyal into the Cricut world, and vice-versa! This had the Cricut-using consultants on their feet and cheering, I assure you!

My apologies in advance for the quality of these photos... they were flashed on the screen very quickly, and I did my best but I know they're quite blurry.

The first cartridge is called Cheerful Seasons, and it's designed to match one of our newest Power Palettes (but more on the new Power Palettes later.....):


And here are some sample projects using the Cheerful Seasons cartridge:



The second cartridge is called Reminisce, also designed to match one of our newest Power Palettes:


And some sample projects using Reminisce:


These cartridges are compatible with the Cricut Expression, Cricut Create, Cricut Personal Electronic Cutter, and the Gypsy Handheld Design Studio.

But that was only the first half of the announcement. Because the folks at Provo Craft want Creative Memories Consultants to be familiar with the Cricut, they're offering us deep discounts on all of the Cricut machines! We now get discounts of 40-60% on all Cricut machines (depending on the machine). Needless to say, that is incredibly generous!

So if you've ever thought about buying a Cricut, it is WELL worth your money to become a Creative Memories Consultant. With 40-60% discounts on Cricut machines and 30% discounts on Creative Memories products (including those 2 new cartridges!), that's potential for major savings for scrapbookers!

Stay tuned... I still have more announcements, products, and ramblings from Showcase to share!

Showcase 2010 Announcement #2: Mac-tastic!

After the introduction of new digital products (don't worry, I'll get to new products soon), we heard the familiar dinging of these well-known commercials....

... and out walked two of our main digital men from CM, Mark Mizen (PC extraordinaire, shown below on the left), and our Digital Director on the right, whose name is escaping me.


They confirmed the rumor that had been spreading throughout the country among consultants and customers alike: Storybook Creator 3.0 is coming to a Mac near you!


Creative Memories has finally designed our fantastic digital album-making software for the Mac computer, and it will be called SBC Studio (a different name simply to keep the ordering of software products easier to keep track of). Storybook Creator 3.0 for the PC remains unchanged, but this is a very big deal for those of us who are Apple-loyal!


Here's a quick screenshot of what the program will look like on a Mac. It's not all that different from the PC version, although there were a few uniquenesses explained in the introduction. If you're not sure how a digital page looks (as opposed to traditional scrapbooking), click here to see a recent project that I completed.

The best part? SBC Studio is compatible with iPhoto, meaning we'll be able to directly import our images from iPhoto into our SBC Studio software and get started on our digital projects!

The software will be released on November 1st, but I'll be taking pre-orders soon. Let me know if you're a Mac user who wants to get on board!

Wish Night

Friday, June 4th
5:00-10:00

Stop by during this Open House event and help support the Make-A-Wish Foundation! Creative Memories has some wonderful new products in our "Wishes and Dreams" line that make a great addition to your projects for graduation, Father's Day, or any other celebration throughout the year. Best of all, each purchase includes a donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Every attendee will receive a gift just for stopping by, an extra gift with purchase, and will have the opportunity to create a make-and-take project as well. And no Open House event is complete without treats, so there WILL be chocolate!

I will also be cropping during this time, as it falls on my regular Crop 'Til You Drop night (the first Friday of every month). If you'd like to be added to the Evite for this event, leave a comment here or email me at Marianne241@gmail.com and I'll add you! The Evite has my new address as well as more details.

Did you catch them all? Here's a bonus...

This week I revealed 5 of the 18 cards we'll be making at my Christmas card workshops next weekend (November 21st/22nd). Here's a bonus card, check it out!



So now it's time to sign up! I have 3 spots left for my workshop on Saturday (Nov. 21st). Sunday's workshop is full, but I could possibly squeeze one more person in if needed. These cards are both simple and enjoyable to make, with pre-cut and folded cards and step-by-step directions for each one (not to mention your friendly consultant on hand to help you out)!

Here are some deets for you:

Date: Saturday, Nov. 21st
Place: Marianne's House
Time: 2:00-5:00ish
Fee: $32 (covers the cost of all supplies)

OR

Date: Sunday, Nov. 22nd
Place: Andrea's House
Time: 2:00-5:00ish
Fee $32 (covers the cost of all supplies)

Contact me to snag one of the last seats. Last year's workshops were a big hit, don't miss them this year!

Christmas Card Sneak Peek #5

Now, I'm not really a "bow" person. Just ask my bridesmaids- I was anti-bows on every pre-wedding shopping trip we took (and there were a lot... but that's just another story for another day...)

But I have to admit that I had a lot of fun making this bow!



I know that I cut the straight pieces a little short (you can see it under the loops), but at that point I was so proud of myself for making it *look* like a bow, I didn't even mind!

Wondering how to make this? Come to my workshop next week, and you'll have 18 of these cards of your own! They're a ton of fun to make, and your friends and family will love them.

I currently have 4 spots open on Saturday, Nov. 21st. I could possibly make room on Sunday, Nov. 22nd if needed. Contact me ASAP if you want in!

Christmas Card Sneak Peek #3

Today's Christmas card used a technique that I often forget to try. The three ornaments you see on the front were cut from 12x12 paper with a repeating ornament design. I usually shy away from busy designs, but it can be fun to cut pictures out of them, as in this example:



The key in doing this is to use foam squares (also known as 3D squares) to lift them off the page!

All of the cards I'm revealing this week are from the CM Christmas Card Featured Project. I'll be holding workshops on Saturday and Sunday, November 21st and 22nd. Contact me if you'd like to join us- the fee is $32 for all of your supplies!

Christmas Card Sneak Peek #2

Today's Christmas card was a favorite among those who were scrapbooking with me when I made these. I have to admit, it's one of my favorites, too! There's something about Santa that continues to bring me joy, even as an adult.


Interested in making your own cards? These were all made from the Creative Memories Featured Project: Christmas Card Kit. The cost comes to an even $32 after tax and shipping, and includes the pre-cut, pre-folded cards, all of your paper and stickers, and envelopes for sending. We also have step-by-step directions for you to make each unique card! In all, the kit makes 18 cards, but there are plenty of supplies left over, so I plan on using them up and seeing how many more I can get out of them!

Keep stopping by all week- I'll reveal another card tomorrow!

Christmas Card Sneak Peek #1

The Christmas card kits are here! Those of you who made cards and tags with me last year know how much fun it is to make them yourself... and how satisfying it can be to send these to family and friends and hear those words of praise!

"Oh, you're so crafty!"

"Did you make those yourself?"

"I've always wanted to make my own cards!"

Here is the first of my Christmas cards from this year's CM card kit. Check it out:


Fancy, right? Stay tuned- I'll debut another card tomorrow!

New Black and White Products

These are the popular Black and White products that were featured last weekend at my workshop. I can't get enough of them, which is why they've gotten so much blog space!

{Tone-on-Tone Papers}

{Designer Print Papers}
{Storybox} - Photo mats and journal boxes
{ABC Stickers}

{Paper Flowers}

{Paper Ribbon}