Accomplishments Part 2

Remember yesterday's post? Here it is if you missed it. This post is a Part 2 because it was getting very long. Well, it seemed very long to me and maybe not others. Back to the packing for cropping chat!

Ok back to cropping! I had to get out my two cents about saving digital photos. So maybe it was more like 45 cents. Before you pack, think about what you want to accomplish at the crop. Are you social butterfly and like to chit chat more than crop? Then don't take everything you own with you. Plan a few small projects and pack for those.

If you are someone who spends half the crop shopping, think about that. Is the store close enough where you could spend some time the day or week before shopping? Are you shopping for the project you brought with you? Think about what you really need. Start a list and do all of your shopping at once. This will save you precious time. You won't spend 30 minutes wandering around the store hoping something jumps out and says, "Stick me on your page!" and then another 30 minutes two hours later and so on. I've done this and been incredibly frustrated by how much time I wasted.

Are you the serious cropper? That's me! I go in with a plan and what I MUST accomplish. If I fall short of that, then I get really annoyed with myself. Yup, I have scrappers OCD. Here's an example of my nerdy, OCD self:

I went shopping before a crop which was held at a large store, but I knew that they didn't have what I was looking from since I have been there numerous times. I went through the photos I had with me to scrap, the ones I had just gotten from my sister-in-law of my sweet nephews, and the ones I took on my trip. I knew I was not going to scrap all of the photos I had printed at CVS, but I don't have a scrapbook store anywhere near me. The closest store is about two and a half hours away and it's not a large store.

Unfortunately, I have to do the majority of my shopping online which does have some downfalls. You can't see or touch what your buying. Sometimes I'll order stickers online and when receive them, they are glittered which may be fine sometimes, but I am really not into pink glitter on boys layouts. That's just my thing. I do know a lot of scrappers will use pink, flowers, or glitter on masculine pages. I'm just picky and I know it.

This is the list of what I was looking for:

playground
sandbox
swings
hamsters - zhu zhu pets
legos - with the uncle
ice cream

This piece of paper is well traveled and pretty ratty looking at this point. I did get some papers and embellishments at that store I was shopping at and at the one I was cropping at. One night when I went back to my hotel, I went to my favorite online store - A Cherry On Top (don't worry the link opens in another page so you won't lose your place here - and did a little shopping. The order arrived a day or two after I got home. I had forgotten all about it. It was like Christmas!

I still am hoping for a few more items so I have to search my other favorite places. But here are a few things I found that I am totally in love with!

• Playground Kit from Echo Park - it's a 12x12 paper pack with 2 sheets of stickers and 12 sheets of double sided paper. Super cute and works for both boys and girls. 
• Lego Brick Stickers from Creative Imaginations - who does love Legos?
• At the Park Stickers from Reminisce - these are super cute a must have for photos from the park! 
• Dinosaur Brads from Eyelet Outlet - I have yet to meet a little boy who doesn't love dinosaurs. I will get a lot of use out of these critters.
• Playground Stickers from Sticko which is EK Success - totally perfect for playing in the backyard.
• A Boy's Life Kit from Echo Park - totally perfect for the big boy - not a baby or toddler paper - in your life. Your big boy will be sure to tell you that he's not a little boy. This is made for him!
• Ice Cream Brads from Eyelet Outlet - perfect after stopping for ice cream and snapping a few photos.

I didn't think to take a photo until I put everything away. Yup, I'm a slacker. Ok I promise to do better next time, but you can see the goodies on A Cherry On Top's website plus the other pieces that coordinate and what the prices are if you're interested in a little shopping.

Anyone know where I can find me some paper or nice stickers with a hamster or two? This Zhu Zhu Pet mania has struck my nephews and I must scrap their pets with them! 

Until next time *

Make a plan even if your not a planner. You'll feel like your accomplishing something!

O Luminarte Where Art Thou?

ONE word...Luminarte!

What is Luminarte? It's only the coolest thing to happen to ink since Tim Holtz! And I love Tim Holtz and all his inky goodness so this says a lot.

Recently, Joann's had all of the Luminarte products they carry on sale. Oh happy day! Add a coupon for free shipping to tax refund season and it's better than Christmas morning. No really it is. Stick with me on this.

First up, I added a serious collection of Radiant Rain Shimmering Mists to my inky goodness. They are available in 24 colors. Looks like I got most of them and I wasn't even trying. I just got one of every color Joann's had on their website.

What is Radiant Rain Shimmer Mist? It's a watercolor in a spray bottle with mica to give it some sparkle. Remember, I like bling and sparkle. Add some ink and viola it's my little version of heaven.

What can you do with them? Spray anything that will stand still long enough! Use a stencil or a mask and you can create your designs. Heck, use a stencil or a mask or both on plain cardstock and you've just created your very own, one of a kind paper! You can also apply the Shimmer Mist with an eyedropper, sponge, paintbrush, feather, cotton ball, cotton swab, or whatever you find.

You can use your heat gun to speed up drying time. I like to leave my ink spritzed goodies to dry overnight or at least 8 hours. I do use the heat gun also. Lots of times papers, tags, and chipboard will curl from the moisture. The longer they are left to dry, the flatter they tend to be.

Up next are the Radiant Rain Color Concentrates. What's the difference between these and the Shimmer Mists? These come in a bottle that is capped with a dauber. You smear these all over. They are available in the same 24 colors as the Shimmer Mists.

And lastly, I got several Twinkling H2Os. They are available in 73 - yes, you read that right! - colors!!! You simply add a smidge of water to them and you have pigment shimmer paints.

Until next time *

What girl doesn't love a little sparkle?

Atlanta...What Else Is There to Say?

I recently went to Atlanta for a Cricut Circle Meetup. More on that amazing event in another post. No trip to Atlanta is complete without a visit to Archiver's!

"What is Archiver's?" you ask. It's the national chain of scrapbooking and stamping supplies! It's a paper crafter paradise really. So many of us don't have a LSS (local scrapbook store) and shop online. Archiver's now has online shopping!!!! Yippie Skippy! It's a paper and stamp candy store.

Yup, you guessed it, I did a little damage. Got lots of things I have never seen before and a few I have but need more of. A girl can never have too much paper, right?

I stumbled upon iridescent pigment ink pads from Inkadinkado. They look so sparkly! Several background rubber stamps from Hero Arts. Full of flourishes and scrolls and the like.

Chipboard galore! Mini chipboard banners from Jenni Bowlin. And from Fancy Pants Designs I picked up a set of Ribbons Edge Banners from their Artist Edition line.

One thing I picked up to learn more about was something called Chip Art from Melody Ross. I asked around about these as they are a brand new product. Well, they are meant to be embossed with several different tools from Melody Ross. Something to look for in the future!

I also stocked up on a pile of stickers, 3D stickers, and die cuts from K & Company, Creative Imaginations, Hambly Screenprints, and TPC Studio.

Well, that's about it from my Archiver's Adventure! I am hoping to go back to Atlanta soon. I'll definitely have to make a pit stop and see what's new!

Until next time *

Get Inky!