A Walk Down Memory Lane

Tool Talk - IRock

I finally got an I-Rock tool, and I am so excited!  For those of you who don't know, the I-rock is made by Imaginisce and is a tool that heat sets rhinestones. What excites me the most about the I-rock is that in addition to the rhinestones, Imaginisce has a whole line of pearls and metallic pearls. These are great for "boy" pages and cards. Since I have 2 boys to scrap, I'm always looking for boy friendly accessories. You can click here to see all the great jewels and pearls that AWMDL carries.

This card is my first attempt at using the I-rock and features I-rock glam rocks along the scalloped edges. It also features Bella Blvd Sunny Happy Skies paper, American Crafts Dear Lizzy Fabric Paper, and Maya Road Leaf Pins.

So, if for a little while, all of my projects are a little sparkly, you know why : I'm loving my I-rock! 

Did You Know - the coffee eddition

Did you know I'm a big, big coffee lover? That's why, when Lisa decided to get one of these for the store, I was super excited:

So now, for only $1, I can have a fantastic cup of coffee (or hot chocolate) while I'm teaching a class, shopping, or cropping at the store. I can actually drink my coffe while stamping my coffee dringking monkey from Stampendous:

In coffee scented Gel-a-Tins embossing powder:

On coffee colored American Craft Dear Lizzy fabric paper:

and add some Coffee themed embellishments from EK Success: 

I'm in Heaven!

Fall's in store!

Fall is in the air at A Walk Down Memory Lane, so today I have some fall eye candy to share. Check it out:     

                                         

These fall blocks by Lisa are made with Imaginice's Apple Cider line. If Lisa can't find a good home for them, I'll volunteer!

 

Bella Blvd's One Fall Day collection just seems to encompass everything fall to me; trees, leaves, pumpkins, and blue skies.  I was finally inspired to create some layouts of my first fall with a baby (way back in 2006)! 

This final fall inspiration comes to you from Christy. She uses American Crafts and Jenni Bowlin papers to create a sweet and crisp fall feel. Happy fall!

Monday Manufacturer Highlight - Graphic 45 and Stampendous

This is the last Manufacturer Monday of September, and I wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the amazing work the on-line design team has done with Graphic 45 and Stampendous.

These lovely Graphic 45 cards with the vintage feel were done by Kim, and the bright, fun Stampendous card was made by Nicole.

This is just a teeny tiny taste of the inspiration these ridiculously talented ladies have been posting on the design team blog and in the gallery all month. If you've had a blast with this month's manufactures as well, we'd love to see it. The on-line design team even has a Graphic 45 contest you can enter. Click here for all the details.

Friday we'll unveil 2 new featured manufactures, but until then you can still take advantage of Graphic 45 and Stampendous at 25% off ...ooh, and don't forget it ships for only $5 with the coupon code "SHIPSALE". 

Shipping Sale & World Cardmaking Day Newsletter

I just sent out an email for our online friends...

It highlights some of our cardmaking supplies that are on sale for next week's World Cardmaking Day!

Click HERE to see the archive if you missed it in your inbox!

Changing the Plan

I often start a project with some specific objectives in line. For example, sometimes I start knowing I want to use a specific photo, a certain stamp set, or my new favorite paper. I almost always know if the project is going to be a card, layout, or mini album.

For this project, I saw this great My Little Shoe Box Simple Life paper at the store, and just knew I had the perfect pictures for it. When I started work on this, it was going to be a layout. However, no matter how I mixed and matched the paper and photos, I just wasn't happy with my design. I decided to change the plan a little, and instead of the layout I started out creating, I ended up with a great little accordion album. Even though I ended up far away from where I started, I couldn't be happier with the finished product.

Supplies:

Paper: My Little Shoe Box Simple Life (Contry Road, Front Porch, Black Sheep), Chipboard
Accessories: Prima Alphabets, Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type Alphas, October Afternoon Mini Market Stickers (Green & Cream), foam dimensional adhesive, My Little Shoe Box Simple Life Card Stock Stickers.
Tools: Fiskars Upper Crest Punch

Washer Necklaces

  I thought Graphic 45 paper would make really cool jewelry, so I set about to figure out how to do that. I've seen a few necklaces made with washers and figured I could try my hand at that. I combined a few different ideas that are out there, to come up with my own twist on washer necklaces. The exact papers and ribbons to make these necklaces will be listed at the end of this post.

The first thing you'll need to do is raid the garage or head to the local hardware store to pick up some washers. I used pretty large washers in varying sizes. The larger the washers you pick, the heavier your necklace will be. If you care pick smaller washers. If like me, you don't care as long as it's pretty, pick whatever size makes you happy. 

Trace your washers onto the patterned paper that you want to use. Cut out your paper. Adhere the paper to the washers with a glue that works on metal and paper (I used Scrappy Glue). Use a clear glaze like Diamond Glaze to glaze and protect your paper covered washers. You only have to glaze the paper (front side of the washer), not the whole thing. The glaze also gives the washers an enameled look. I used 2 coats to get the look I was going for.

Now you will need to attach ribbon to the washers. The necklace at left was laced up using the technique I found here. Scroll about 1/2 way down the page to see a diagram on how to lace the ribbon.

For the necklace at right, I had my husband drill holes through the washers. Then I just threaded the ribbon through the holes. Both necklaces were really fun, inexpensive, and easy to make, and they were a great use for my Graphic 45 paper!

Don't forget, you have until the end of the month to get Graphic 45 and Stampendous on sale for 25% off!

Supply List

Drop Necklace (on the left)
Paper: Graphic 45 On the Boardwalk (High Style Holiday), Graphic 45 Le Romantique (Celebration, Enamored Embrace)
Accessories: Hero Arts Hero Hues (Earth Ribbon)
Additional Bits: Large Washers

Bib Necklace (on the right)
Paper: Graphic 45 On The Boardwalk (Malt Shop, She Sells Seashells
Accessories: Hero Arts Hero Hues (Earth Ribbon)
Additional Bits: Large Washers

B&M Newsletter is ready

For those of you close to Rock Valley, Iowa (or northwest Iowa, southeast South Dakota, southwest Minnesota, or northeast Nebraska) we have just sent out our newsletter with a list of our classes and crops!  If you haven't gotten our newsletter before...you can email me at lisa @awalkdownmemorylane.net and ask to be added to our B&M newsletter list. (make sure you take out the space in the email)  Here is a link to the archived newsletter, in case you missed it.

We're also really excited to be hosting our first FUNDRAISING crop for our local Christian School.  We hope to have lots of women at the school to enjoy some fun, fellowship, and getting some pictures scrapped and into your albums!

The crop is from October 15 starting at 5 to 1am Friday night.  Saturday morning we'll start at 8am through 3pm.  During the crop, we'll have a free beginners class for anyone who has never scrapbooked before (or someone who started a long time ago, and needs a refresher course).  We'll also have some demonstrations throughout the weekend to learn how to use various tools, Betsy Veldman is teaching a mini demonstration on Saturday morning on how to make embellishments using your scraps! 

The crop is $45 and you'll get:

14 hours of crop time Friday & Saturday
A Goodie Bag valued at over $20 filled with scrapbook supplies, and some snacks
A Free Beginners Class on Friday night
Access to use ALL of our Cricut cartridges (you'll need to take your own Cricut machine)
Free Demonstrations throughout Friday & Saturday on the newest and coolest tools

We will have our Embellishment Bar and Cardstock available for purchase at the gym, just in case you run out of the perfect color of brads, buttons, or flowers.

We will bring an assortment of tools including border punches, idea books and more.

We will have bottled water and snacks available in the kitchen.  You are responsible for your own meals throughout the weekend.  We will have menus from the various restaurants, if you would like to order a meal.

If you are from out-of-town, we are more than happy to help you arrange a hotel room in the Super 8 in Rock Valley, or in one of the hotels in Sioux Center.

If you have any questions or would like to register for the crop, please call the store at 712-476-3443

See you there!  We expect a great turnout and a fantastic weekend!

Shipping Sale!

Have you gotten into the school schedule again? Are your kids all wrapped up in their fall sports, homework, early bedtimes, early mornings, and lunch packing?

Fall is definitely here in northwest Iowa...and to celebrate all things fall...we're having a SHIPPING SALE!!

All domestic US orders ship for $5 through the month of September. Now is a great time to empty out your wish list from the store. Have you seen the beautiful new papers and embellishments that we brought into the store after CHA? We have all your favorites like Echo Park, Fancy Pants, Bella Blvd, Jenni Bowlin, Jillibean Soup, Best Creations, Crate Paper and more! We're also expecting boxes to show up any day from My Mind's Eye, Doodlebug, Basic Grey, Copic, October Afternoon, and a few other surprises!

Or...you can check out the clearance section where you'll find some fantastic deals on our paper and embellishments that we just ran out of room at the store. You can get some great deals on Basic Grey, Scenic Route, Piggy Tales, Sassafras, GCD Studios and lots more.

To receive $5 shipping...use coupon code "SHIPSALE" when checking out.

ENJOY!

Did you know, sometimes you don't even need paper?

When I think about my addiction to papercrafting, I immediately think about all the pretty papers I have, and how I can use them next.  Today, however, Christy shows us that sometimes you don't even need paper to paper craft. This amazingly adorable button bouquet is not only an eye catcher, but according to Christy it's easy too. Here's what she has to say about it:

 "All you need is some buttons in the colors of your choice, floral wire (I used 20 gauge white), a little pot of your choice, floral foam, and embellies to finish off.  Stack your buttons on your wire, about half way down.  Bend the top half of your wire down and loop through the opposite button hole.  Twist wire together to hold buttons in place and whaaalaaah!"

I'm thinking this would make a really fun birthday or new baby bouquet. You can break into your button stash to make this project or you could use my new favorite buttons from Doodlebug. They come in monochromatic packs of green, 2 different shades of blue, 2 different shades of pink, orange, and yellow. A single pack has regular, sparkly, and polka dotted buttons in that color. So fun!