Top Ten Tools

Hi Everyone! Happy Thursday!

CS Member ‘sdscrapper’ started a thread in the CS forum about a month ago about your favorite crafting tools. It started as ‘your favorite tool’ (singular), then a few folks posted their top three or five. I decided to up the ante to my top ten. Ten is a good number. I got a good alliterative blog title out of it!

1. Photoshop
Okay, as much as I love my paper, these days I really can’t live without Photoshop. I use it for my day job, my CS job and for crafting. It is #1 on my list. And for folks who are just getting started in the wonderful world of digi or just think that the full version of Photoshop is a little ‘over the top,’ consider Photoshop Elements.

2. Bone Folder
I love my bone folder and I’m not afraid to admit that! It also doubles as a scoring tool and a burnishing tool. Who doesn’t love a multitasker, right?

3. 12" Trimmer
It’s not easy to be a paper crafter without a good trimmer, and my ‘go to’ for years has been my large base 12” Tonic Trimmer. We recently learned that they’re not gonna be making them anymore (GASP!), but the good folks at CS have been auditioning a few other nice alternatives.

4. CS Grid Rulers
They come in a few different sizes, and it really does pay to have one of each (or more than one of each for that moment one of them gets buried during a crafting frenzy.) Plus, they double as mounts for your unmounted stamps. Once again, multitasking is a good thing!

5. Crop-a-dile
I’ve got the desktop model and it’s great for punching holes and setting eyelets.

6. Corner Chomper
The best corner rounder out there, IMHO. I’ve owned several different brands over the years, but this one rocks! Easy on the hands, and you can chomp Club Scrap's heavier stock or several pages at once. And you get two different rounders in one punch! Club Scrap will have these on hand soon.

7. Craft ‘Utility’ Knife & Cutting Mat
(Some will argue that I'm listing two tools, but you use them together. I’m counting them as one!)
I’ve confessed that I’m a craft knife phobic, but I learned about this utility knife at the 2010 Retreat. It seems to be the only knife that I can use well. Forget those flimsy pen knives. They just don’t cut it for me :) For a cutting mat, my favorite is my Tonic Glass Mat. I prep it with a light coat of a 50/50 mixture of Mount-It and water. The paper doesn't move and I get a clean cut every time.

8. Envelope Punch Board
The folks at We R Memory Keepers are just creating some of the best tools. It’s cleverly designed, easy to use, includes two punches in one, and makes envelopes in bunches of different sizes. And for all that it can do, it’s quite reasonably priced, too. Plus, Tricia keeps coming up with things to make with this thing besides envelopes.

9. Scor-Pal
I was a Scor-it fan for a lot of years, but I was hearing good things about the Scor-Pal, so I gave it a try and it lives up to the praise. I really like the fact that you can do multiple scores without moving the paper, and I think it handles heavier paper better than Martha’s version. Club Scrap will have these back in stock soon!

10. Scissors
Oh yah, 'ya gotta have a good pair. I actually have several: a pair of EK Success Cutter Bees are my ‘all-purpose’ scissors. They also make them with non-stick blades. Judi-Kins sells a pair with short, pointed blades that are excellent for ‘fussy-cutting’ and the finger holes are large enough for my fat fingers. Tonic spring-loaded scissors are awesome for cutting UM sheets.

So there you have it. My ten favorite crafting tools. Are all of these in your stash of favorites, too? Please post a comment and let me know what's on your list!

See you next week!

-Ron

National Scrapbook Month Kick-off!

Happy May Day, everyone! Spring is finally here--or is it summer? Was it really 86 degrees in Wisconsin yesterday? Yikes!

Today is the kick-off of our month-long celebration of National Scrapbook Day/Month. Check out our calendar to be inspired each and every day to create something new, whether it be a card, scrapbook page or other paper crafting project.

We have a new sub-forum set up in the Coffeehouse, launched especially for this event. Create artwork that meets the challenge criteria and post it to the Club Scrap Challenges>Impromptu Challenges Gallery. Then share your art with the rest of the Community on the daily challenge thread online. Such fun!

For May 1st, we've got a "Bling Challenge" for you! Here's a "bling-y" card to inspire you:

Ooh, and the card I created last week meets the challenge, too! Cool!

I hope you have fun with these challenges. I look forward to seeing all of the awesome artwork you create! And be sure to join us right here on Saturday, May 4, for our NSD Blog Hop!

***I'd like to give an extra special "Thank You" to Julie Heyer and Pam Butler for their amazing help on this project! From creating the daily challenges, finding/making the sample artwork, to helping me host the Live Chat on Sunday, May 5...I appreciate these ladies more than I can express in words.***

Creatively yours,

Karen

Hardcover News Book - Picture Tutorial

Friday Greetings from Kay here at Club Scrap!

Did you happen to see the Hardcover News Book Project introduced at this year's retreat? Along with my Altered Panel Workshop, I got to use the fun printed text collage paper I put together for this little book. It looks great altered with inks and sprays or just left black & white. As usual, the kit comes complete with instructions, "cut to size" book board, outside and inside cover wraps and inside pages, for only $5.95 - I just love that price!  :)

I want to show you the altered styles I've made. Below, I cut windows into the book board cover with my heavy duty craft knife to create nooks for embellishments.

The inside pages hold photos and rubber stamped quotes, of course.

On the book below, I assembled it before adding the color mists. Normally I would color the paper before putting the book together, but didn't do it in that order this time. After the little book was put together, I selected four mist colors and sprayed away.

Luckily, I took a few pictures while putting the book together, and you can see the easy process. It's so simple, and for only $5.95! (Oh, did I mention that already?)

Picture tutorial:

Hope you enjoy this fun little project as much as I did.

As always, thanks for looking and enjoy your day!

Kay Williamson

Thousand Cranes for Hope Project

I remember meeting Tricia Morris, and being introduced to Club Scrap, on the set of the Carol Duvall Show. We both appeared as guests on the Home Shopping Network and Craft TV Weekly as we shared our passion for paper crafting. I was also honored to be a guest teacher (along with Tricia and other talented designers in the crafting world) on the Carol Duvall Cruise. These were the best times in the craft industry!

I still have the original cranes that inspired this project.

About the Thousand Cranes for Hope Project:

Eight years ago, I was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer. During my course of treatment, I received a large box on my front porch that contained hundreds of folded cranes that well-wishers had folded for me. Each crane represented a prayer and a wish for my recovery, and it was a powerful message of joy for me in a difficult time. I have been in remission since that time. I am blessed to be living a productive and joyful life, and I want nothing more than to give back what was freely given to me.

I would like someone who is ill (or having very difficult time in life), to receive the gift of cranes, and to experience the joy of receiving them, just as I did. Receiving a thousand cranes is giving hope and healing to the receiver’s heart and I am asking the community of the world to help me do this.

The idea is to create a thousand cranes strung together as a stunning testament of hope and healing to present to someone.

How do we do this?  I am asking you to fold as many cranes as you can out of 6″ square paper and send them to a specific location, yet to be determined. You can use any paper that folds well: origami paper, magazine pages, gift wrap etc.

Once enough cranes have been received, the stringing process will begin.

If folding paper isn’t your thing, I ask that you create a piece of art incorporating a crane or a hope and healing theme. It can be done in any media you choose. The mixed media creations can be presented to even more recipients, therefore spreading hope and healing to even more people who need it! All I ask is that you photograph your project and post it on our Facebook page to share it with the group, if you plan to give it to someone you know who is in need. Otherwise you can mail your mixed media creations to this group’s address so that we can give it to someone on our list of recipients.

Mixed Media Artwork

 Please join me in this project!

About Karen:

Karen Elaine Thomas is the Creative Maven for Yasutomo and Company, an art materials importer and manufacturer. She was a frequent guest on the Carol Duvall Show, CraftTV Weekly, and the DIY Network, where she combined her experience as a fine artist with her passion for paper to create unique and distinctive techniques with a more traditional craft.

She is the author of several paper craft books, including Origami Card Craft published by Random House.

For more information, please visit:

www.thousandcranesforhope.com 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thousandcranesforhope 

www.karenelaine.com

Join Me for Summer Camp!!!

It's that time of year again...SUMMER! And at Club Scrap, that means it's time for PSL Summer Camp!

What the heck is PSL Summer Camp, you ask? Lemme give you a bit of background:

Members of our Clubs find themselves in the unique situation of receiving an entirely new collection of papers, stamps, stickers and stencils EVERY MONTH. That's alotta stuff! And let's face it, life can get in the way of our crafty time, so sometimes that stuff stacks up. With that knowledge, Club Scrap came up with PSL (aka: Pro Scrapbooker's League)--it's kinda like the NFL, but with paper, instead of pigskin. It all started with the Winter PSL (timed right after the NFL Super Bowl)...but due to overwhelming popularity, we quickly added a Summer Camp version.

PSL Summer Camp is your chance to use all that "stuff" that's been stacking up: You get a whole lotta scrapbook pages, digi pages, or greeting cards done, in a really short amount of time. And you have tons of fun, too! Oh, and prizes...did I mention the prizes?  

When you sign up, you'll be assigned to a Cabin, based on your interests: Scrapbooking, Cardmaking, or Digital Scrapbooking. Each Cabin has a place to chat on our Community Forum, which is a great way to get to know your Cabin-mates, cheer each other on, and make lasting friendships...just like real Camp! Each week, Campers are provided with a challenge, and participants have the potential to earn prizes in the form of AWESOME online shopping discounts. 

Hmmm...PSL = get a lot done + use what you have + earn fabulous discounts. What could be better?

So c'mon...what are you waiting for? Need more information? Go to: http://www.clubscrapcommunity.com/news/proscrapbookersleague

Ready to join me? It all starts on June 28. You can register here: http://www.clubscrapcommunity.com/news/1984

Last one to the campfire is a rotten egg! 

You're Invited...

Over the years, I've spent a lot of time lurking on the Project 365 thread of our online Community forum. I've always been blown away at the level of dedication of those who participated. Those folks truly have a detailed record of a particular time period in their lives...which is an amazing gift for themselves and for future generations. 

I knew Project 365 was a great goal, but I also found out that it's a project with a huge "drop out" rate. I found myself very inspired by those who did Project 365 (and a teensy bit envious), but it was all too easy to make excuses: I'm too busy! What if I forget? Could I really take a photo a day and keep up with the journaling?

So, one of my New Year's Resolutions for 2012 became taking on Club Scrap's Weekly Chronicles as a personal challenge. Weekly photos and layouts sounded a whole lot easier to stick to, and there's a new theme challenge each week to inspire me creatively. With lots of other Club Scrap Forum Members participating, it''s been an amazing experience learning more about my online friends through their pages and journaling.

Well, it's been a little over six months, and I'm happy to say Weekly Chronicles is still going strong. There's a core group of people who've managed to maintain their goal of weekly pages without interruption...amazing! But you know what the beauty is? Even though a few of us might get behind by a week or two, catching up isn't some insurmountable task.

This process been such a rewarding and enriching experience or me. So, I thought now would be a great time to remind you, my crafty friends, about Weekly Chronicles. Guess what? You can jump in any time! So what if you didn't start it at the beginning of the year? There are still plenty of weekly challenges to inspire you in the coming months, giving you plenty of material for a “book of me” or 6 month snapshot of what your life was like in 2012.

So, head on over and check out the details. I cordially invite you to hop in and join the party right now...it's NOT too late. You'll be so glad you did!

Oh My Goodness, There's a Chicken at Retreat, and he's a Green Bay Packers Fan!

Yeah, I'm still thinking about retreat this week. I'm sorry, but I really can't help it. After I finished looking at my photos from the 2010 Retreat, I naturally started looking at the 2011 photos and then I saw this:

When is the last time you had your photo taken with a chicken?

And as luck would have it, someone at Retreat was even dressed for the occasion! How cool is that?

One of the big mysteries at Retreat each year is how and when folks will get their super-special Retreat Kit. Well, the 2011 Retreat kit was called 'Hot Chicks' so it seemed only natural that a chicken would show up (at lunch, no less) to give out these most excellent kits! What, you say you weren't at the 2011 Retreat? Well that's too bad, you really did miss out on a great time, but luckily I can show you a sample or 2 of this great collection:

The beautiful Hot Chicks Kit!

So if you missed out on this kit, or you just want more, you're in luck - there's still some in GHM! So click on this link, and get yours before it's too late!

And don't forget, there's still time to sign up for the 2012 Retreat so that you can participate in this year's Retreat Kit Mystery - When will we get it? Where will we be? And most importantly - what will the kit look like (and you just know it's gonna be gorgeous!)? I don't think we'll see a chicken walking around at Retreat this year, but who know what surprises the fine CS® Folks have up their sleeve for us - I don't know about you, but I can't wait to find out!

Culinary Arts--Club Scrap Style

Just released from the Vault. . .the delicious color combo of the Culinary Collection. Starting today, Club Scrap is offering the Culinary Collection at 80% off! (Crazy--I know!) Now you can indulge without having to loosen your belt, and it will be the perfect accessory to our new Bon Appetit Collection!

Just like a great meal, we want to share. Below is a little about a card created using the Culinary White Print & Diecut Tags. At such a screamin' deal, I didn't even mind cutting up this yummy print.

After trimming out a block of six squares from the 12x12 print, which ends up being a perfect just shy of 5x7 card size, I trimmed out six more squares for layering onto the card front. Trimming them to 1-3/4" makes them 1/4" smaller, perfect for layering. Then I grabbed the flower punch from Tricia's office (I don't think she noticed because I returned it so quickly---heheee) and punched a flower into each of the six layering squares. Then attached them with foam squares for added dimension.

Attaching an acrylic jewel with Club Scrap Booking Binding Glue was the perfect touch, along with using the Culinary Diecut Tags for the rubber stamped greeting.

Fun Card!

Of course I couldn't stop there... the below card is kind of the same, but a little different.

I flipped the Culinary Tag over to the unprinted side for the above card to make more room for the stamped greeting.

Then there is that cute little Culinary Pot Holder Stamp...

This blog doesn't really serve-up all the Culinary Items now available online, but it's part of the recipe for yummy paper crafting! Dig in and enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Club Scrap Creates!

Kay Williamson of Club Scrap

Why I Love Going to Retreat

Back in 2008, when I was still a Club Scrap® Newbie, right around this time of year, folks in the Coffeehouse Forum were chatting furiously about going to Wisconsin for Retreat and even though I wasn't going, I found myself caught up in the excitement - I thought to myself, "Someday I'll get there, too!" Well, it didn't happen in 2009 (although I did get Retreat in a Box that year), but in 2010 I made my first (but not my last!) trip to Wisconsin for the October Retreat.

Michael Strong, Tricia Morris, Cherryl Greene, and me

It is an experience that almost defies description. There are lots of workshops and food and hugging and laughing and more hugging and there's not much sleep, but the hugs and laughs help you forget that you're not sleeping very much, so it's all good! And as much as I loved the projects and the food and the hugging and the laughs, those weren't the best parts of Retreat (although all of that was amazing) as far as I'm concerned.

Party time!

The best part of Retreat are the people! Really. If you spend anytime at all in the Coffeehouse chatting with people in the forum threads, you slowly start to build friendships. Meeting those people in real life is what made the retreat extra-special for me. So I went back in 2011 and I'm heading back in 2012 - as much as I want to experience the projects and the hugs and the laughter, I really just want to see those people again - they've become family and I can't imagine not taking the time to spend a few days with them.

Brenda & Julie

So if you haven't made the trek to Wisconsin yet, think about going to Retreat this year - you won't be disappointed! And if you have been to a Club Scrap® Retreat, please post a comment and let me know what you liked best about your Retreat experience!