New Year, Let's Try This Again!

In keeping with the promise to myself to craft more this year, I bought a planner to keep me honest & focused. I'm not a fan of planners, though I do set all kinds of reminders in my phone because otherwise I'd forget all those "other" things I'm supposed to do! This is for classes I'm setting up, crops I'm setting up, and FB posts here so I don't go AWOL for 8 months again. Help keep me honest in this quest by following along, posting your comments & own artwork, and come by for some crafting-for-charity if you're local & free on the days posted in the FB group (though I will also always post them here. Local to Long Island? Join us over on the Scrapbook Gals of Long Island FB Group for all of the events, classes, & networking for Long Island Gals like us! (Crafty Guys welcome, too!!!) 

Let's hope I figured out "scheduled posts" correctly! 

Ready for 2018? 

Let's get crafty together!

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How do you store your stamps?

Last year, I started a new-ish system. Years ago stored them in CD cases (like I know many of us did), but my room design changed & I was running out of room, plus not all sets conveniently fit in the little case.) Using that same idea, I bought a bunch of Heartfelt Creation stamp panels & I was lucky enough to have them sell me the clear cases (I needed a lot of them.) While it took a while to get it going, and I am just catching up on everything I bought since last summer 😲, I think it might work. It has in the year since I did it, anyway. I number each box, I have a picture in an album that has the same number on it, and everything is stored in numerical order. The binder categories posed a bigger challenge I want to be specific, but not crazy. I chose to make categories for Heartfelt Creations, Background Stamps, Nature, Fall, Spring, Winter, Summer, Alphabets & Sentiments, Embellishments, Ephemera, Flourishes & Borders, Kids & Sports. Sometimes I make 2 copies - if there are sentiments with flowers, for example, I put a copy in Nature as well as Sentiments. I am at the end and, as usual, I have random pictures left with no stamps, and stamp with no pictures. It has taken me the better part of 3 days but I think the end is in sight. I used a D-ring album, 12x12 white cardstock (I used CTMH White Daisy because it is very sturdy) & CTMH page protectors because they, too, are very sturdy & can stand up to the wear & tear on the album. I could have gone with cheaper protector, but then I'd just end up replacing them sooner rather than later.

My CTMH sets all go in CTMH boxes. I'll tell you about those another time, but their pictures do go into the binder, in the categories described above.

How do you organize your stamps? I'd love to know!

I passed!!

"Are you crazy? 400 markers times $7 a marker!" Well, yes, it seems I am. 

For starters, I own all the Spectrum Noir markers. Now, to be fair, I bought those at CKC last year (and the new ones this year) because they were cheaper & I thought they would be the same. Sadly, they are not. BUT, I can use them to somewhat practice my skills even if they are not really the same. And so, I have come up with a plan. That's me, always finding a loophole. 

Birthday is coming, anniversary is coming, Christmas is coming...announcement family, I would like markers. 2 at a time, 3 at a time, cash to spend on the markers...that's my new plan. They're tired of buying me Dept. 56 & say there's "nothing" to buy me because I don't need anything? Well, here you go people! You won't be running out of options this way. (Not that I NEED these.) I will give a list of colors, a set of websites, and have my Dad sniff out the best prices. I may even get good about it & send each a different list of colors. 

It's a plan. Time will tell if it's a good one.

Copic Certification, here I come (if I pass, that is!)

I've been meaning to take classes in using alcohol markers since they came out.  Until last year, I had resisted the fad, in case it was just one if those uber expensive passing things in crafts.  It's a year, I found 3 little classes, a couple of tips but nothing overwhelmingly helpful.  Early last month I did a search & found that Copic was running its Beginner & Intermediate certification classes... this week about 45-60 min away.  (That's Long Island-speak for less than 20 miles.).  Copic also stated they don't return to the same area twice, so it was now or never.  While I know I won't walk out as Picasso I'm hoping I learn to use my markers (don't tell the instructor but I own a different brand. Shhhhh...)

Anyone ever take these classes? What am I in for?

I've never been stressed out over a coloring class before!

Raise your hand if you're a "company snob"...

There were many CTMH, SU!, etc. people at CKC.  In one class, I overheard a conversation between 2 ladies about running crops where they did not allow competitor products to be used.  I was curious about this, because, really, who has JUST ONE company in their stash?  Raise your hand if you do.  Mine us down.  I know yours is, too.  We all have SOMETHING that's considered "contraband" by our respective companies.  Does that make it wrong?  Does that mean you would prefer to force people into using only certain products at a crop they are PAYING TO GO TO?  I say "yes" to wrong & "no" to being forced into any product.  You may disagree, and that's OK.  I prefer to have friend & new people at my workshops using up what they already have.  if that means they are not bringing a CTMH paper pack, I'm fine with it.  The cost of the workshop doesn't change.  It's trickier on their end because they need to kit their paper like CTMH does...that's what my workshops revolve around.  Would I ever say "no" to someone who wants to bring their own paper instead of buying mine?  NO, I would NOT!!  I'd rather expand my cropping circle than become one of those product snobs...you know them.  We've all met them.  I apologize if you're one of them & now offended.  You can still use it toward your mins,  just save workshop fees & apply it to your next order.  That said, I ENCOURAGE people to use up their hoarded stash before buying more.  It's tough out there these days.  $10 for a class with your own kit is still less than the kit plus tax & shipping.  If you NEED paper, well then, I can't say enough how much I like the way CTMH kits up their paper.  I made a video - my 1st - last August on how to kit a paper pack from your own hoarded stash for those who wanted to come to workshops without buying a paper pack.  It is on my FB page under videos.  Feel free to share it, but please give me credit with a link back here if you do.  Just a thought for those of you who know it's the wrong thing to make customers to buy more hoard, or are going through tough times, or just to make the hubby's feel like wifey actually used something she bought.  That's my theory anyway.  Feel free to disagree, but this has always worked for me. 


Opinions?


As always, thanks for stopping by!

"I'm a Sister Consultant - why do I have to BUY your Workshops?"

I have been asked many times over the last month why I "sell" my cutting guides to other Consultants rather than send them to all fellow Consultants who request them gratis.  There ARE things that I share gratis.  The workshops take time - find sketches I can use, draw out the cutting guides, figure out if & how the layouts will fit into the cutting guide, finding more layouts because 1 or 2 I picked didn't "fit" into the cutting guide, so there wasn't enough paper left to actually do that layout, etc.  My customers pay for the Workshop, so to give it away for free to others is not very fair to them.  I believe the fee is nominal, allows you to make money, and gives you an option of a monthly workshop that you don't have to worry about.  The only planning is making your own samples, period.  I have already done my own samples so know the cutting guide is accurate, and I send along the pictures so you can see what mine look like as well as the sketches I used to see an option on photo sizes, etc.  Many Consultants do this, and a lot of them that I have seen require you to buy $25 in product from THEM to get eh guide free.  With the change in Corp policy on this, I think it's very fair that mine is only $10, required no product bought from me, and so does not take away from your own mins for that quarter.  I offered my layout workshops to be helpful at a low price that others I checked with believed was fair - if not too low.  As the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished.  The July Workshop will retire this Thursday, so if you're an interested Consultant, please keep that in mind!  The August Workshop will be available as of Friday.

Fellow Consultants! Here's a different take on the layout workshops to consider!

I had some great feedback from a bunch of people about the 5 Double-Layout Workshops, but one that stands out talked about how that Consultant changed up how I run mine.  Instead of making 5 in class, they cut the pieces, everyone keeps the pieces there, they do only 2 layouts per class, start to finish - layout as I do them, plus mats, pictures, embellishments, titles, markers for hand-written journaling.  Stamps & inks are used on some, not on others.  It changes the price of the workshop because of the extras needed, and everyone uses the same paper pack (no choice in that) so the stamps, embellishments, cardstock in bulk for mats, & samples are the same.  What a great way to take an idea and make it your own!  They only do 2 because of time limits on the Workshop, and the remaining 3 can either be taken home or left for the next class since she runs more than 1 workshop per month.  Thanks to the Consultant for sharing her spin!