Inspiration

New & Noteworthy: 2012 Hero Arts

January 5, 2012 By May Flaum 5 Comments

Last month I posted an article about the Hero Arts 2012 debut, and now I am back with a closer look at some of the stamps, as well as two new projects. The new collection includes a lot of newsprint, hearts, and birds as well as a variety of background stamps, new sets with Sizzix, and stamps made with card makers in mind as well.

I think that this release finds a great balance between trendy looks and useful designs. Newsprint seems to be re-emerging as a hot trend in 2012, as are hearts. I consider both of these to be staples, so it’s nice to see some fresh looks and new takes on the classics. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: Hero Arts

Organization | Tips for Redesigning Your Scrapbook Area

January 3, 2012 By Melissa Stinson 9 Comments

The start of a new year is a time that many people – not just scrapbookers – start thinking about organizing, cleaning, and purging their spaces. For me and my scrap room, this process always starts way before January. I’m an absolute wimp when it comes to cold temperatures and gray skies, so as soon as it starts to get even a touch chilly outside I retreat indoors to my warm, cozy spaces. The problem is that after I spend just a few weeks in those spaces, I start itching to rearrange them and try something new. I guess I just get tired of looking at the same old surroundings!

I started plotting and planning my scrap room revamp in late October, and then after waiting to have time to make the trip to IKEA (the closest one to me is about four hours away) I finally started the actual makeover process in early December. It took about a month of work interspersed between my regular job, family gatherings, and Christmas prep and celebration, but I’m finally finished and am thrilled that my scrapping space now looks like this!

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Inspiration, Organization Tagged With: Ikea, Organization

Review | Etsy iPhone App

December 31, 2011 By Melissa Stinson 2 Comments

So, you got a new iPhone for Christmas and want to know what is out there to turn it into a craft geek power tool?

Well, if you love all things homemade, a great first stop is the new app from Etsy, the online marketplace for all things unique and handmade. I spent several days testing the app out, and I’m pleased to report that it’s stable, easy-to-use, and oh-so-beautiful to boot! It puts the convenience of supporting small sellers and cottage industry at your fingertips, making one-of-a-kind gifts, fashion and home decor just a search-and-mobile-phone-enabled-payment away from landing on your doorstep!

The front page of the Etsy iPhone app displays a selection of hand-picked items, along with a sampling of Treasury Lists, much as the front page of the full Etsy site does. The Dancing Snowflakes list immediately caught my attention (I have just a tiny obsession with snowflakes), and I couldn’t help tapping on it to browse further.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: Etsy, iPhone

Quick & Easy Christmas Gift Tags & Gift Card Holders

December 21, 2011 By Nancy Nally 6 Comments

At this local outpost of Santa’s workshop, the shopping may be done but frantic work is definitely still in progress on packaging and wrapping gifts. But a frazzled brain can make it hard to get those creative juices going to create those extra little touches for holiday gifts! So what can you do? I grabbed a few sheets of cardstock stickers I had on hand and created a couple of “recipes” for tag designs that could be duplicated over and over. Problem solved!

I needed two types of tags for my gifts this year: gift name tags and tags to hold gift cards. Now my personal holiday style tends towards jewel tones and lace and vintage goodness. But all of these tags were for gifts for kids under age 12, so I knew I needed something bright and colorful and fun. And sitting in my Christmas stash I found just the thing – the Christmas Wishes and Winter Wonder collections by Bella Blvd. (Thanks to Bella Blvd for supplying the editorial samples that were used in these projects.) Even if you are over 12…who can help but feel festive when faced with multi-color penguins?

The first tags I made were the gift name tags. These followed a very quick and simple formula:

The circular element is popped with foam tape for dimension. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: Bella Blvd, Christmas

Video | Making Fabulous Gift Card Holders

December 18, 2011 By May Flaum 2 Comments

The days left in December, and until Christmas are quickly running out, but I’m here today with two ideas for dressing up your gift cards and putting some crafting into your giving this year. Making use of my scrapbook supplies and having some fun while checking off my gift list is one of my favorite things to do in December!