International craft month is coming to the end, new CHA released products continue to arrive in stores, and inspiration is springing up everywhere. From new classes to tutorials, special events to videos there was a lot to check out this week. All signs point to a fantastic year for papercrafting in 2012, so let’s dig into this week’s noteworthy stories:

Let’s begin with a tutorial that makes creating a stitched flower so easy – and in a way I never thought of doing. The always inspiring Rebecca Sower posted a very detailed and easy to follow tutorial on free-motion flower stitching. Sharing a lot of photos and helpful tips, I can now imagine creating my own flowers with some fabric scraps and a bit of time. Perhaps making these will become my new ‘while I watch TV’ project.

Are you looking for inspiration for scrapbooking boys? Good news! This week Doodlebug celebrates their new Boys Only collection by posting projects and ideas for using it. The stand out for me was the mini airplane tutorial that shows how to fold a paper airplane then cut it in half to create two unique accents. This is a great idea for a spring, travel, or boy page as shown! See more posts at the Doodlebug blog.

For even more great ideas, check out Get It Scrapped for an article focused on ideas for scrapbooking teen boys. Her ideas could prove useful for teen girls or anyone really – but the specific ideas and page examples are really well done.

Christy Tomlinson announced her first (solo) on-line workshop of 2012 this week, that is in part inspired by her business/life coach Art McCracken:

Each week’s lessons in this workshop will be based off  Art’s excersizes in helping to create our living canvas. I will also share my experience with each lesson and how it has helped me and what I have done to apply them into my life. Then we will take everything we have learned and create messy fun art journals and canvases and vision boards.. so we have something to look back to to remind us and motivate us to stay on our new path!

The six-week class begins May 21st and is $109. For a limited time (until April 15) registration is reduced, and is $89. More information and detail can be found here.

Elle’s Studio announced that they will have their first on-line class this May called 30 minute layouts & more.

I’ll be showing you some tips and tricks to complete layouts faster, along with giving you step-by-step instructions to complete a bunch of layouts on your own. All layouts will be exclusive to the class and brand new – plus, there will be lots of encouragement to use the stash of scrapbooking supplies you already have!

More information will be posted on their blog soon.

Julie Ebersole posted three cards and a video tutorial on adhesives with delicate and tiny die cuts on the Ellen Hutson blog this week. In the video she walks through various adhesive preferences, and how she utilizes each. The end results (cards) are shown, and at 8 1/2 minutes long the video is a great length too.

Falling behind on your project life? Need a creative boost or fresh ideas? Or perhaps you want to try just one week? Don’t miss Ali Edwards special Week in the Life event April 23-29. Ali posted some details here, including some specifics in the way she’ll approach the project, links to past posts and years, and more. Ali writes:

It’s a lot of work. Think Project Life on steroids in terms of the details and the photos and the commitment of time.

And that is precisely why I love it and precisely why I will be doing it again.

These albums are amazing looks at our lives over the course of one week each year. They are in-depth. They document so much of the basic pieces of our existence. They show me so many things to be thankful for in my life yesterday and today. So I’m going to do it again and you can consider yourself invited.

Ali is taking a spring break this week, and her blog is filled with posts from guests – myself included. My personal favorite is Kelly Purkey’s nod to ombre and how she cleverly alters some ruffled paper to create a unique layout.  All of the guest posts can be found here.

Speaking of Project Life, as the first quarter of 2012 comes to a close, it’s interesting to note who is still creating (and sharing) PL layouts on a regular basis. A few that have done a really nice job of posting and sharing some ideas as well include Amy Tan, Ali Edwards, Cathy Zielske, Melissa Stinson, and Jenni at Elle’s Studio. The links I included to their blogs will take you right to their Project Life category pages. If you have some PL favorites, please feel free to share in the comments section.

Noteworthy is a weekly column here at Scrapbook Update. Have something new & noteworthy to share? Beginning in April Editor Nancy Nally will be writing the noteworthy column. If you have something you would like considered for next week’s column, email nanally@scrapbookupdate.com with a link or press release.

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Things are warming up, and the paper crafting world is full of inspiring ideas, tutorials, new challenges, and even the announcement of a new e-book that will include Scrapbook Update editor Nancy Nally!

Let’s begin with a breathtaking tutorial on how to use Distress markers to stamp and create this beautiful card. Personally I’d frame Richele Christensen’s finished project instead! This would be perfect for a butterfly, flower, or any image really. I love the look and her photography of the steps and how-to instruction is concise and easy to understand. I am always amazed by her projects.

Jennifer McGuire shared a really interesting folded ribbon card on the May Arts blog this week, and it really caught my eye. Chevrons, banners, and twine are very popular right now, and this card combines the look of all three things.

My current favorite ribbon is this chevron twill. The colors are delicious, it is high quality and it seems to go with any type of project. For this card, I used a ribbon folding technique to add some fun interest and texture.

The post includes a video with how-to instruction, and the technique could easily be used as an embellishment on a scrapbook page, journal cover, or other project as well.

My Minds Eye creates beautiful papers and has long been a favorite company of mine. This week a very exciting announcement came that I hope will mean a significant increase in online presence and creative inspiration as well. The company has hired well-known designer Stephanie Howell as their social media director.

From relaunching the blog,twitter, FB…to interacting with the community of scrapbookers out there. that will be me.

I will also be designing with their products,traveling to shows (CHA), and all kinds of other things.

To say I’m thrilled would be a massive,massive understatement.

You can read Howell’s announcement post here on her blog.

Do you ever wonder how people make sketches or use them? Master card maker Kristina Werner has a really fascinating inside look at her sketchbooks, and how she uses them with her cardmaking this week on her blog. She shares numerous sketches, information about her process, and sketches a card as well. I am really taken with this idea for cards because you give them away and unlike layouts, you don’t look through an album to be reminded of things you’ve done (and liked) in the past. The video is posted here.

Linda Ledbetter is launching a challenge series on her blog inspired by the new Tim Holtz Compendium of Curiosities 2 book. Launching Friday April 13th, each week a different technique will be looked at.

We’ll be working our way randomly through each and every technique in Tim Holtz’s awesome new book, A Compendium of Curiosities, Volume 2!
Everyone is welcome to join in as we explore all the fantastic tutorials Tim created for his second Compendium.

This sounds really inspiring, and I’m sure it will be a popular challenge series.

As a lover of little notebooks (and known collector) I was really excited to see Amy Tan’s how-to on a simply decorated notebook. She shares the step-by-step photos and it’s a great quick project and way to use some of that washi tape many of us have growing collections of.

Wanda Guess shared a really cute card utilizing Hexagons (which are wildly popular at the moment) – and I love her take as well as the detailed photos and instruction. What I appreciate the most, and what is now so obvious to me but I hadn’t yet thought of, is that she used the hexagon to make quilt-like flowers.

I went for the shabby-chic-grandmas-quilt look for this card. I picked colors I like for Spring – happy, cheery colors. It’s really easy to form the hexagons together – just like quilting – into flowers.

This transforms the very graphic shape into something (as Wanda said) more shabby chic – I love that! I will be using my stickers and papers with hexagons on them in this way immediately!

Last, but certainly not least, a new e-book was announced this week that has 33 contributors including Jessica Sprague, Amy Tangerine, Debbie Hodge, and Scrapbook Update editor Nancy Nally.

Everyday Storyteller: 33 Practical Ideas from Real World Scrapbookers is a digital idea book from the owner of Simple Scrapper, Jennifer Wilson. It will be released at 10pm CDT on Friday, May 4 immediately following a live chat launch party.   With 33 inspiring contributions from across the scrapbooking industry, Everyday Storyteller is an essential resource for the modern memory keeper. Find out how your favorite scrapbookers document their stories, create amazing pages and still have time to make memories.

If interested, you can sign up for the VIP list so you can be included in the launch party. Click here to sign up and for more information.

Noteworthy is a weekly column here at Scrapbook Update. Have something new & noteworthy to share? If you have something you would like considered for next week’s column, email may@scrapbookupdate.com with a link or press release.

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Now halfway through March, both Easter and St. Patrick’s Day holiday, as well as floral, spring, rainy day, and other seasonal subjects are popping up on blogs everywhere. Inspiration is plentiful, and lots of exciting things are going on.

The Pink Paislee blog is always full of inspiration, what I really enjoyed this week is the gold, cream, and green “color crush” series they have had this week. This card and decorated tin by design team member Jess Mutty really stood out for me. Her use of a wide mix of products by Pink Paislee as well as the color and metallic mediums she used to accent her project really caught my eye.

Over on the Get it Scrapped blog, Kelly Purkey wrote a piece showing five ways to get scrap-lift inspiration from her layout. Breaking down specific ideas and elements to her page that can be used as inspiration for your own, it’s a great way to see ideas that could lead to creating an entirely different looking page. It’s also a nice reminder that when searching for inspiration to take a close look not just at whole projects, but specific ideas and elements within the project itself.

This cute rainy day mobile tutorial on Miss Make caught my attention because it a really great step-by-step and an adorable project as well. The rain drop element is a bit beyond me – but I think that baker’s twine and punched paper, buttons, or some other element that does not require crochet skills would work just fine. This could be done for a baby shower gift, child’s room, or for some unique party decor. It certainly doesn’t have to be restrained to a rainy day theme either.

Are you a Scenic Route fan? Do you miss their paper designs as much as I do? This week on the SR facebook page Sarah Milne made an announcement:

I’ve joined American Crafts! I’ll be doing Social Media Marketing for Pebbles, Creative Samples and some product design for American Crafts and Pebbles! I am super excited, so far it’s been really fun!

I am very interested to see what product designs we will see from her with American Crafts, as well as what changes we will see with Pebbles online presence.

Anna Dabrowska (aka Finnabair) is an amazing artist. Her art journals and scrapbook pages are full of incredible detail. I would love to get a glimpse of her process or take a class (note: it was announced that she will be in Canada and USA teaching with Prima this summer). She posted a layout and stop-motion video that is very inspiring. She originally shared this in Nat Kalbach’s “Creative Jump Start 2012″ newsletter:

There were so many creative, talented ladies in this project, sharing their tips and ideas… I loved it so much! This layout above and my first ever stop-motion animation was my contribution to this wonderful project:) I hope it will give you as much positive energy and fun as I had making that for you

It is a very uplifting and inspiring video, and look at her process as well.

With St. Patrick’s day this weekend, I couldn’t resist mentioning the cutest little shamrock project that was shared over at the Doodlebug blog. Elizabeth Carney cleverly uses a template to make simple shamrocks out of patterned papers – Doodlebug green is just perfect for all things Spring and St. Patrick’s Day! It reminds me that using my scrapbook stash for holiday decor and gifts is always a good idea.

Finally, I must issue a warning! Budgets beware – as I type this new product is pouring onto store shelves. I received notice that new Amy Tangerine and other American Crafts brands March release products are now shipping. Scrapbook.com has new Lily Bee, Heidi Swapp, Clever Handmade (Heidi Grace Kress), Pink Paislee, SEI, the Lucky 8 punches from We R Memory Keepers, and more. At local stores and elsewhere on the internet I’ve spotted new Tim Holtz dies, Melissa Frances, Doodlebug, and more.

Noteworthy is a weekly column here at Scrapbook Update. Have something new & noteworthy to share? If you have something you would like considered for next week’s column, email may@scrapbookupdate.com with a link or press release.

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It has been a quiet week around the scrapbook world – no major announcements or huge batches of new products hitting store shelves, but it’s been an inspiring week never the less. I believe that many creative people are gearing up for winter’s end and the beginning of spring, while store owners make room for the massive amounts of new product that may be arriving as I type this.

Yes, with the new CHA goodies hitting store shelves and spring break approaching, blogs lighting up with pastels and Easter ideas and flowers beginning to grow – it’s hard for me not to love early March. Here’s a look at some inspiration for you this week:

On Jenni Bowlin’s JBS Mercantile blog this week designer Ranjini Malhotra shared a how-to for taking metal tart tins and turning them into cute Easter baskets. There are a lot of variations that could be created, and with the holiday being less than a month away now, it’s that time of year to be looking at inspiration!

Rhonna Farrer released a new line of digital elements called Spring Circus, and she also blogged a bit about her creative process and what steps she takes when making new product.

I am always on the lookout for what I’m drawn to…what inspires me. I take inspiration trips to stores, boutiques, Pinterest, my mags/books, & I’ve even been known to get inspiration from random things like: taking the garbage out!

It’s an interesting and inspiring post, and you can see it here.

Wilna Furstenberg is frequently catching my eye with her amazing designs and helpful tutorials – this week she has one at the October Afternoon blog using artist masking fluid to create a hybrid scrapbook layout featuring a digitial design by Ali Edwards. Using October Afternoon’s sprinklers (mist) applied with a paint brush, she creates a really neat look for this layout.

Kristina Werner is known for her MACM (make a card Monday) video series, and this week’s card really caught my eye. Featuring a design that could be used as inspiration on a layout or card for any recipient, the tools are pretty basic and as always I enjoy watching her process.

Finally this week, Pink Paislee has been posting technique tutorials on their blog, and one really caught my eye. Utilizing product packaging and altering it a bit, Mahlin Wiggur created her own stencil for misting on a very colorful and artistic layout. In addition to her homemade misting stencil, she also uses a stencil with gesso and another pattern to add even more depth to her background. It’s a great reminder to play and really look around and use what you have in your stash. The tutorial can be seen here.

Noteworthy is a weekly column here at Scrapbook Update. Have something new & noteworthy to share? If you have something you would like considered for next week’s column, email may@scrapbookupdate.com with a link or press release.

Want to stay up-to-date on all the latest scrapbook news?

2012 is a leap year, and with that extra February day behind us it’s time to look ahead, and scope out what’s happening this week. It’s March, also known as National Craft Month, so I advise be keeping an eye out for manufacturers and bloggers to get extra inspiring, and perhaps we’ll see an increase in contests and giveaways as well. I look forward to it. Getting the month off to a strong start, here are this week’s stories:

Ali Edwards released a new self-paced online class on her website this week. “Five” is based off of her workshop from Creative Escape last year and is now formatted as an online self-paced classs.

The cool thing about this workshop is that you can really make your album any theme you want: favorite photos from a specific year, photos of a loved one who has passed on, favorite photos from a travel adventure, a collection of photos that celebrate your life right now, etc.

The class is $14, and available for purchase on Ali’s website.

Claudine Hellmuth released a video on her blog this week, showing a detailed look at a new card kit as well as a video for a new dimensional sticker kit that will be coming to HSN on March 6th. The colors, designs, and useful embellishments look like a lot of fun. She has been creating exclusive paper crafting kits with HSN for awhile, and she is scheduled to be on-air on March 6 with three new kits. She will be updating her Twitter and Facebook with exact times as the date approaches if the times change. If you don’t want to wait - the kits are available (as well as the previously released kits) at www.hsn.com.

It is noteworthy that March 6th is going to be scrapbooking day on HSN, so if interested you may want to check their website for schedules and deals coming for that.

The Jenni Bowlin inspiration blog has a beautiful spring inspired bird project posted this week. Team member Leah Farguharsen shares the how-to as well as images of the finished project.

With March approaching, most people’s thoughts in the United States turn to spring. Wouldn’t it be fun to chase away a friend’s winter blues with these sweet spring wishes?

It’s also worth noting here that Jenni Bowlin’s new products have begun hitting store shelves- I’ve spotted a number of items now at 2peas and other retailers.

Ella Publishing has a new ebook out titled Stamping Secrets: 7 Sensational Stamp Sets Used 21 Ways. This ebook features seven stampers and is offered at an introductory sale price of $8.79 until March 7.

In 28 packed pages, you’ll enjoy 21 gorgeous projects, 35 expert stamping tips, 6 step-by-step written tutorials, and 20 minutes of exclusive video instruction—all for just $10.99.

To learn more about this book or purchase it, visit Ella’s site here.

New product is hitting the shelves, and with so many manufacturers anticipating March release dates for CHA products shown, I can only imagine that soon stores will be flooded. Some much anticipated product lines that have been hitting store shelves lately include Jenni Bowlin, Lawn Fawn’s paper line, Echo Park, Tim Holtz distress markers, and Bazzill’s Wayfarer and Vintage Marketplace lines. Check in often to your favorite scrapbook stores – I’m told most places are getting new things daily!

Finally this week, I’d like to point out some excellent blog posts this week.

Stephanie Howell posted a moving entry about being ok with being herself as a crafter, and giving herself permission to do her own thing.

I am not the worlds most complicated scrapbooker. I am not the world’s most inspirational scrapooker-technique wise.   But I put my heart on every page. And i LOVE this hobby.   And I am more than okay with that.

Julie Balzer did a post titled “So you don’t have a Silhouette” that is a great detailed look at using a craft knife to hand-cut designs. Her photos and tips are fantastic.

What’s a girl to do without a Silhouette?  Well, grab her craft knife and get busy, that’s what!

Davinie Fiero posted about how she adds confetti (a super hot trend at the moment) to her projects.

Confetti is running rampant on the crafty front, so I wanted to take a moment and share some tips/tricks and techniques for adding confetti to your scrapbook pages.

Tim Holtz is back with a new “12 tags of 2012″ installment on his blog. As you would expect, it’s a brilliant idea that has a lot of applications, and puts scraps to use too.

 I’ve been inspired by spring, and i think this mini paper mosaic technique will be useful throughout the year on everything from cards & tags to journal covers and more.

Noteworthy is a weekly column here at Scrapbook Update. Have something new & noteworthy to share? If you have something you would like considered for next week’s column, email may@scrapbookupdate.com with a link or press release.

Want to stay up-to-date on all the latest scrapbook news?