A Matter of Memories

With the summer CHA to open next week, there are all kinds of sneak peaks out there to enjoy (and drool over). No matter what your particular scrapbooking style, your sure to find a few (okay, a few is probably an understatement) collections to add to your wish lists!

Here are a few of my new favorites...all of the manufacturer names link to either their blog or website where you can see additional highlights of the featured collection and other collections for which they may be giving sneaks.

Scrap With Reach is a fairly new company, but really love the color combination of the bold red and soft blues and greens in this collection called 'Carnival Ride'.

Here's a winter collection from SEI with a similar color combination 0f bright red and soft blues that really catches my eye...thinking I'm going to have to get Kaitlin a RED winter coat this year!

I have been a fan of Making Memories as long as I have been scrapping and rarely dislike anything they come out with, but it seems they are notoriously stingy with their sneaks. All I've seen is this image on the homepage of their website which doesn't give a whole lot away, but am quite enamored with this colorful little ghosts.

It always amazes me the sheer quantity of new collections that My Mind's Eye debuts with every release!! While I don't generally like them all, there are always a few that are quickly added to my must-have list. This release, those seem to be the Ooh La La and Merry Days of Christmas lines.

I never was much of a Bo Bunny fan in the early years, but that is certainly changing! I LOVE the Calypso line they released a while back and now they have several new great lines coming out - my favorites being Flutter Butter, Gypsy, and Tis the Season.

Fancy Pants always seems to have a collection or two that I like...this time it's Trick or Treat and Christmas Magic.

I saved he best for last...in my opinion...this is my opinion because I really liked Pink Paislee when they came out with their debut collections a year or two ago, but became a little disillusioned with them after their last release. I didn't really like ANY of the four collections from the winter release. However, PP has most definitely redeemed themselves with the release of their newest four collections - Amber Road, Twilight, Mistletoe & Co., and Cupid. Not only do I love one or two, but I LOVE them all!

Obviously, I'm going to be needing A LOT of Christmas pictures this year if I ever hope to use that many different lines of holiday-themed paper! (Or maybe I could finally hand make my Christmas cards this year like I've been wanting to do forever, but never have the time.)

So there it is...my favorite new releases I've seen so far to debut at the summer 2009 CHA show opening next week. All in all, my wish list just got quite a bit longer (and more expensive!!).

In case you can't tell, I tend to gravitate towards collections with a distressed look to them, but there are new lines of all shapes and styles coming out. If you'd like to explore more new releases, these are a couple of my favorite places to stalk for sneak peaks - Two Peas and Serendipity Scrapbooks.

READER RESPONSE:
How 'bout you?? What are your favorite new collections about to be released and why?

Every so often, I collect a few fun links from my online explorations and I thought I'd share of few of my recent favorites with you.

KNOCK KNOCK:

There tagline is "Put the fun in functional." and that they do...check out this totally fun journal and this awesomely hilareous notepad. Please don't stop there...there are so many little treasure to be found and why does everything I see have me wanting to use it as the basis for a scrapbook layout? (The notepad above would be perfect for a layout about my hubby! JK...sort of...)

JOURNALING PROMPTS:

Looking for some great journaling prompts? Memory Makers recently posted a two-part article (part 1, part 2) containing some great prompts by Joanna Campbell Slan.

MORE JOURNALING IDEAS:

Here's a great article recently posted on Scrapjazz using the 'Top 10' theme as a starter for layout journaling.

VALE DESIGN BLOG:

I recently discovered this blog and quickly added it to my reader! Not only does it have some great design eye-candy, but also some amazing free printables that could be easily used as elements of some amazing scrapbook layouts (or you could just use them as their more obvious purpose, but what would be the fun in that?) My favorites? Check out this, this and this!

READER RESPONSE:
What is your favorite recent web-world find??

THANK YOU to all of you who took a few minutes to give me your opinions and insights about my monthly scrapbooking prompt download - currently called Daily Inspirations.

You have all given me some great ideas and thoughts to ponder and I am listening. (Did I hear someone say they'd like some sketch prompts??)

Actually, I have made more headway than expected and hope to launch the new and improved format sometime next week for the August issue so be sure to check back.

And, I imagine that I'll continue to 'fine tune' as time goes on so, of course, feedback is welcome and appreciated at any time.

Without further ado, I'd like to announce the winner of the Cosmo Cricket Wanted paper crafting kit!!

Congrats, Janine!! Please watch your inbox for more details on how to claim your prize!

Thanks again to all those who contributed their thoughts!!

By the way...did you notice the new header?? Consider it a mini sneak peak to the new monthly prompt downloads. :-)

The weather was beautiful here this weekend - sunny and not too hot - so after going out to lunch with my parents on Sunday, we decided to go for a leisurely drive out in the country.

Once we were out on some not-so-traveled back roads, Justin decided it was time for a driving lesson for Kaitlin.

Only in the country...

Then, after Justin gave Kaitlin a driving lesson, she decided to give me a dancing lesson. (Sorry about my fly away hair...it was quite breezy!)

(She insists that the facial expressions are key to the execution of the dance.)

SUSAN HELLER:
"When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money."

ST. AUGUSTINE:

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

MIRIAM BEARD:

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.”

If you need some great travel-themed scrapbook supplies to go along with these great quotes, check out this post!

This was my daughter’s FAVORITE dress last spring and wanted to wear it every chance she got, so I wanted to be sure to highlight it well.

I had this picture both in color and sepia, so decided to layer a cropped portion of the color photo over the full-sized sepia version for an interesting effect.

Then I placed the sticker I used for my title over the rest of the photo.

Initially, I wanted to use a rub on journaling spot on the painted butterfly to act as a home for the date, but for some reason it didn’t want to transfer well, so I created the effect myself using a paint pen instead.

I love the quote that I used on this layout:

"Like star dust glistening on fairies' wings, Little girls dreams are of magical things."
~ Sherry Larson

It just seemed to be the perfect complement to this dreamy photo and sweet patterned paper.

Supplies:
Adhesive: Duck, Stamp Craft (foam)
Patterned Paper, Title Sticker, Love Butterfly: Little Yellow Bicycle
Chip Butterfly: Scenic Route
Rub On: Basic Grey
Ink: Colorbox
Paint: Craft Smart
Font: Ali’s Writing
Paint Pen: Sharpie
Pen: Zig
Corner Rounder: Marvy

READER RESPONSE:
What is your favorite quote? Have you used it on a layout?

Summer is certainly in full swing!

If you're lucky enough to have time to do some crafting in between all the wonderful photo opportunities and memory making that summer brings, you will find that's there is no lack of great summer-themed scrapbooking products hitting the shelves of your favorite scrapbook store.

Here's a few of my favorites: