The Scrapbook Site Design Team Blog

The Blog is MOVING!

We have consolidated all of our blogs into one place...so you can find ALL kinds of information including new products in the store, FREE online scrapbook classes, tips and techniques, and the Design Team inspiration you've come to expect from The Scrapbook Site and A Walk Down Memory Lane.

Click HERE to head over to the NEW Design Team Blog, and make sure to update your FAVORITES!

Click HERE to head over to the STORE blog, to find out all about new products, sales and other things happening at A Walk Down Memory Lane.

Click HERE to head over to the free ONLINE CLASS blog, to get a new tutorial or class every week.

See ya over there!

Buttons, buttons and more BUTTONS!

What is round, cute, comes in many colors and the perfect accent to any page or paper crafting project?  Buttons that is!  Oh my goodness I'm on such a button kick lately!  They can be used in so many fun ways.  I generally like using my buttons as the center of flowers, or to accent a photo corner or journal block.  However just recently I have started to use them in another way.  To help fill the empty space as well as add depth and design to my layouts.  The store A Walk Down Memory Lane carries a nice variety of colors and shapes.  You can see some here:

Basic Grey Buttons are fun because they come in a variety of different colors!  You can see the Archaic set HERE which is a perfect set for those rough and ready boys!

Basic Grey has a collection called Recess, which definitely plays to our inner-child!  You can see this collection HERE.

For a completelyl different look using buttons, check out these Doodlebug Striped buttons.  They come with 4 matching buttons per package in a variety of color combinations.

I would love to see what you have created using buttons.  Please upload your creations to the TSS Gallery!

-Angie

Here are two of my examples having fun with buttons!  I used Cherry Arte's Boy Story Line for the first one and Fancy Pants Papa Collection for the second layout!  You can find the papers in the store by clicking on the link.

http://www.awalkdownmemorylane.net/store/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=fancy++pants+papa

Favorites Challenge

What are some of your favorite things?  That may not seem all the important to you right now, but some day that kind of information will be cherished by your children and their children.  It will also be fun to look back and reminisce.  It also gives you a glimpse of just how much you may or may not have changed over the years.  So... I have a challenge for you!  Scrap a page telling about some of your favorites.  It can be anything!  For instance, your favorite foods, your favorite songs, your favorite things to do, etc.  You can even scrap some of your favorite random things.  Like I did, below. This is an older layout, but I still love it.  Some of my favorites have changed and so my goal this week is to scrap about some of my new favorites! 

I challenge you to scrap your favorites!  Reply to this message with a link to your layout by Thursday May 15th.  I will choose a random winner for a fun RAK! :)  Oh... and the CT is welcome to participate! :)

What's YOUR nickname??

So, I had this unfinished LO sitting on my scrap table for weeks and weeks because I just didn't know WHAT to do with it... I had the picture I wanted to use... the paper... just no title, and no theme at all.  Until yesterday!! I was telling someone the name of my Etsy shop, The Jelly Bean Joint... and it just hit me!! I discovered the theme and title for my LO!  Jelly Bean is my nickname (from DB) and I call him Gummi Bear... I know, corny, but hey... It happens. lol

Anyway... I finished the LO and then thought, "Hey, what a fun challenge this would be!"  So, in order to get to know you better and, of course, to share the humiliation of my funny nickname, I challenge you to do a LO about nicknames!  If you're looking for a little guidance, here's my completed nickname LO:

   

Complete this challenge before next Monday at midnight and I'll choose a random entry for a RAK from my Etsy shop! yay!

Happy Birthday!

Okay, so it's not The Scrapbook Site's birthday, and it's not A Walk Down Memory Lane's birthday, and it's not really scrapbooking's birthday, but it was MY birthday!  So, in honor of all birthday's, I'm highlighting some wonderful layouts that highlight birthdays that can be found in the gallery at TSS.  While these were not made for me, I can appreciate that whomever these memories were for were just as special as my family made me feel this weekend!

This darling entry makes me smile and all that color makes me happy! 

Now, daisies are my very favorite and though I prefer white, blue is my favorite color!  This layout gave me the best of both worlds!

And THIS! What girl doesn't like "Birthday Bling" and diamonds at that!!

Now, you need to high-tail it over to the gallery and upload your birthday creations and when you do, be sure and link here to this post with your layout or card link.  I'll randomly choose ONE from all the links given to me and send you a RAK.  Entries will be taken until Sunday and I'll announce the winner right here on the blog!  So get scrappin!  I can't wait to see what  you make.

(P.S. If you make your project with something available at the store, and you show us a link to that product, I'll give you TWO entries in the hat! That's double your chances!  One entry per person/per household please!)

I wish you all the happiest of days!
Lissa

Gadgets and Gizmos!!!!

If you like bright and fun, this kit is for you!!!! The playful Cosmo Cricket Cogsmo papers are perfect for projects featuring not only your boys but also your girls!! And they are just right paired with the funky retro papers from Paper Trunk (which by the way are made from recycled paper, right up my alley!) The Paper Prunk papers add a feminine touch to the kit, making it extremely versatile.

What I especially loved about these papers was that I could cut designs out of them to use as embellishments on my projects. I love this because it really stretches the kit. The Cogsmo papers and journaling sheet are also double sided, giving you lots of options for mixing and matching.

And speaking of embellishments, get a load of all that's included!

Fontwerks Chipboard Shapes Framed
Moxxie Under the Bigtop buttons
American Crafts Greenhouse Plastic flowers
KI Memories Pop Culture Softies Tiny 2
Stewart Superior Memory Mist Copper
Imaginisce Fab Brads Candy Apple
Lollipop Ribbon

These add the perfect touch to the kit. The copper mist is awesome!! Use it to add shine and shimmer to the chipboard frames, or spray it across cardstock for a quick background effect. The flowers, softies and brads are great for more girly pages. There's something for everyone here, I even used the kit for a page about my kitten!

The versatility continues with the Cosmo rub-ons and journaling cards, the phrases are great not only for pages about your kids, but also about your significant other. Which is great for me since I don't have any kids!!

So get over to the store and snap this kit up now!!! And don't forget to check out all the additional items Lisa selected to work with this kit.

Are you READY?

For the festivities that is!  National Scrapbooking Day is Saturday May 3rd!  We have all sorts of fun stuff planned for you on the site.  Hope you can stop by and join us.  Along with prizes, games, classes and challenges we have Betsey Veldman who just so happens to be a design team member of Tinkering Ink coming to visit with us in the chat room at 1P.M. Central!  Should be a great time to ask questions and learn more about the industry!
Now.....I already gave one sneak peak for my Exploding Box class.  If you have not checked it out yet you can see it here: http://www.thescrapbooksite.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=25891
So since it's a Happy Friday I thought I would post a little sneak peak at my challenge.  Not enough to completely give it away but to get you thinking.  Make sure you have a bunch of alpha's pulled for this challenge.  Oops did that give part of it away?   
Hope to see you on the boards Saturday!-Angie

Today is the day!

The newest kits hit the AWDML Online Store TODAY!  Whooo-hooo!  This month I got to play with the "Tried and True" Kit!   The papers from Basic Grey and GCD Studios are so versatile and have that slightly-worn look that I love!  The Blackboard from Cosmo Cricket was a blast to play with!  (Hint...If you purchase the kit, you will get the newsletter that has an idea section dedicated to altering and decorating the blackboard pieces! )

I have finished several projects already using the kit!  Here is what I have come up with so far:

This is a star garland, I created with chipboard stars, my new big bite hole punch, and Basic Grey Buttons and Paper. 

I also created my first 6x12 Layout!  I LOVE this size and plan on scrapping a whole lot more this size!

Last but not least, I decorated a composition notebook for my inspiration book.

If you are looking for more inspiration and ideas on how to use this month's kits, check out the Design Team Gallery!

One last thing, don't forget... only two more sleeps until our NSD Crop! :)  Do you have plenty of adhesive, cardstock, and snacks? 

National Macaroon Day

I work at a Bakery and today is National Macaroon Day.  We celebrated at the bakery by giving out some yummy macaroon to the customers :)

National Macaroon Day honors the Macaroon, a flourless cookie. It is popular among the Jewish community, especially during Passover, when Jews can not cook with flour. But, the popularity of the Macaroon doesn't stop there. It is also enjoyed around the world.

Macaroons are made from ground nuts and leavened egg whites. Coconut and potato starch is common in Macaroon recipes. Macaroons were believed to have been first made in an Italian monastery in 1792. While monks are well known for their vows of silence, they just couldn't keep quiet about this tasty treat.

Here is a recipe for you

Macaroons

Ingrediants

2 egg whites

1 pinch salt

1/2 cup white sugar

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Beat together the egg whites with the salt in a small bowl until it forms soft peaks. Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time while continuing to beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Continue to beat until glossy. Fold the coconut into the egg mixture. Drop mixture by the teaspoonful onto the prepared sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake in preheated oven for about 12 minutes.

You can check HERE for recipes on making different styles of macaroons

Have a wonderful DAY!!!

LUCY CHESNA

May Kits... Yummy!!!

It's that time again... Almost the 1st of the month... When you can buy the fantastic new kits from A Walk Down Memory Lane!! Yesss!!!  What's behind door number one you ask??? Lots of Basic Grey and GCD Studios, sweet right?  Also some awesome colors... Very versatile if you ask me!  And I had the pleasure of working with the awesome-ness behind door number two this month... Cosmo Cricket and Paper Trunk papers??  Can you say FUN!?  Bright colors and designs that I completely fell in love with and I'm sure you will too... You wanna little sneaky peaky?  You got it, here ya go!