ACBailey Free Shipping Reminder...and Drawing

Last month I started a drawing for a free crop or a $15 gift certificate to the ACBailey Store. All you do is place an order on the first of the month and your name goes in the hat for the drawing. Remember, all orders over $35 get free shipping on the first of every month! July's winner was Nicole...and she says she never wins anything, ha!!!

So what do you have to do? The following:
1. Place an order on the first of the month (tomorrow, Aug 1) at this address
2. Put my name in the consultant box
3. Email me a copy of your receipt

So take a look around the ACBailey website and enter the drawing. Here are a few of my favorites

• The Kit of the Month (KOTM) - these kits have lots of papers and coordinating embellishments and they are sure to fit into whatever theme you scrap. I got 8 pages plus left overs from the July kit. If you sign up for a subscription, the kits will ship automatically and shipping is always free. Subscribers also get exclusive offers for kit add-ons with extra papers, embellishments, and stamps.
• What's New - there are lots of new products in this section...and look at the coordinating packs of Bazzill cardstock to go with many of the paper packs, it take the guess work out of everything!
• Templates - put in the word " XL" or "scraps" into the search box and you'll find acrylic templates perfect for paper templates. They can also be altered for project use.

Brave

As you can tell from the layouts I post, I rarely scrap my loving husband, Jeff. Every time I come home from a crop with new pages, he looks at them and asks, "Where are MY pages?" I hate to say it out loud, but Erica is more fun to scrap. So I'm trying to be better...I took lots of pictures at the ATA Alaska State Trap Shoot and did a layout of Jeff the other night (Yeah!). So here's my loving, BRAVE, husband...

This layout uses Jenni Bowlin Large Patriotic Bingo Cards....and is lifted from ACBaiely Design Team Member, Dee. I inadvertently bought two PACKAGES OF SIX cards rather than two individual cards (yes, I'm a dork). So what did I do? I made this layout the monthly calendar layout!

Screaming Eagles

Erica's last day of soccer was last week (July 20). I'm not sure what we're going to do with ourselves now that there's no soccer and no gymnastics. I guess we'll just have to keep climbing Mt Baldy (a nice layout coming on that in the next few days!). Erica's team was undefeated...thanks to a tie on the last day and the other team scoring on themselves a few weeks ago (but I should've keep that part to myself, right?).

This layout also, uses the ACBailey July KOTM. I love how many layouts and projects you can make from one kit. I finished the kit this past weekend and I think I ended up with 8 pages (some are double page spreads). I didn't use any of the tropical papers (palm tree and flip flops) cuz I have nothing to scrap since I've already done my Spring Break pages. I did add cardstock to the kit for the layouts as I usually scrap on solid background...one of these days I'll try patterned paper for the background. Anyway, here it is...TFL

My Friend Moose

More layouts from the Fairbanks trip last month...Did I mention that I was a terrible trap wife during that trip? We went to Fairbanks for Jeff to shoot in the PITA Alaska State Shoot. Erica and I spent most of the time sight seeing. You would think that since I'm a scrapper, I'd take pictures of everything, right? WRONG! Oh, so wrong...and that makes me a bad trap wife! While at the gun club, I took a whopping four pictures, and all four of them are of Erica and Moose (Bailey's dog). So I made up for it at the ATA State Trap Shoot last week...more to come on that another time.

Back to Moose...Erica fell in love with Moose! She knows I'm allergic to dogs, so asked if I could go live with Bailey so Moose could live with her...NICE!!! My own daughter is willing to trade me for a dog! I haven't yet journaled on this layout, but I think I'll be putting something on it about Erica wanting to trade me for Moose. Once again, this layout uses the ACBailey July KOTM. The little ticket said "Brothers Friends" and I covered up the Brothers to add the little "Me and My" stickers. Then I covered up the "S" on Friends with the flower...sneaky, huh? Gotta make what you have work! And the layout is lifted from Scrapbook Trends.
And I finally got some layouts scanned rather than taking bad pictures...and this scan turned out terrible! The bottom left corner is cut off. No matter what I tried it wouldn't scan nice...I almost took a picture. One of these days I'll get it right...

40 below

I think I mentioned that when we went to Fairbanks last month we went into a 40 below room. Yes, I paid $10 to experience what 40 degrees below zero was like...but it was soooo cool (ha...cold!). We went into a giant freezer and the guy thru up a glass a water that evaporated in less than a second. Then he hammered a nail with a banana. He also showed us a jar of motor oil...all the vehicles have to be plugged in so they don't freeze. I remember watching a special about the fire engines in Fairbanks. But I digress...

So here's the layout I made. Check out the thermostat...it really says 40 below! Thank goodness they had parkas we could wear. After just a minute in the room Erica was ready to leave. I used the AC Bailey July KOTM (summer papers) on this layout, and I think it works. I also used some Thickers for the title.

Daddy's Girl

I went to a crop with some friends last weekend and had quite the creative block going. It took me about TWO HOURS to get past it. My problem was I had in my mind I wanted to use pink camo paper on a layout with Erica's new Nuclear Ice bow (it's pink digi camo). Well, I never found it, but I finally made it work with some Basic Grey papers...it's water color, but it's kinda camo, right?
TFL...
Oh, and I also used Pink Paisley alphas and Heidi Swapp big flowers (LOVE those flowers).

Some cards...

I wanted to share a few cards I made. One is pretty cool, and the other is pretty basic. I made these for an ACBailey party. I don't usually host parties, but a friend of mine asked and I just couldn't say no (there's a story behind it). Plus, it exposes AC Bailey to more people!!!

This first card uses Craft Plastic, Staz On ink, Core'dination Cardstock, stickles, and In Stitchez. I also used a Stampin' Up stamp. I used a Stitchez template and punched holes from the back of the Core'dinations cardstock, then sanded the holes and edges to show the color. After adhering the cardstock and pattern paper inside the card, I stamped over the pattern paper strip on the outside of the card. Then I added stickles to bling up the stamped image. This was a really fun card and I think it shows up the versatility of our products.















The second card is pretty basic. What I really wanted to show off was the Xyron Sticker Maker. I believe it is a MUST HAVE tool in any crafter's tool box. I used the Xyron 150 (1-1/2") to adhere the ribbon...VERY tacky and the ribbon won't come up. The 150 is great for smaller items...especially for die cut alphas!!! The Xyron 250 (2-1/2") is also a great tool. It's a bit large for ribbon, as you'll waste some adhesive, but it's more flexible for the die cut alphas that won't fit thru the 150. I love both of these!!!

Layout of the Week...

Ugh...it has been WAAAY too long...again...since my last post. I'm sooo sorry! It's an Alaskan summer, what can I say (if you live in Alaska, you know what that means). Things are crazy around here!!! With the Alaska State Trap shoot, Jeff's parents are in town and he's running around like a chicken with his head cut off. This weekend I'll have to play the "good trap wife."

So I wanted to jump on real fast and let you know that my Olympic Training layout got selected at the AC Bailey Layout of the Week...how fun!!! And if you remember my post from a few weeks ago, Jeff gave me the idea of splicing all the pix together to make it look like Erica is going across the monkey bars.

So, put your camera on continuous shooting and go out and try this yourself...it's really fun!!!

Quotes and Journaling Help

Wow!!! I read about this site from a post on the AC Bailey forum...I'm in LOVE!!! For those of you that know me, you know how important journaling has become to me (I'm not sure I've shared the story on the blog, I'll do that one day, but not today). Not everyone I scrap with journals, but I think I'm getting to them little by little. Quote Snack will help. I've bookmarked it and I will be back regularly.

So every other day she posts a journaling prompt. She asks you to read it and be free with your writing. I did it today and it took me somewhere totally unexpected. Check it out! I have journaling for a page with Jeff and I...now I just need some pix of the two of us

The chemistry of parts is something beautiful.

My first thought when I read this was to write about the parts of Erica and how beautiful she is. But then my mind wandered a bit and I realized those parts were made because of the chemistry that Jeff and I have together. How neat is that?!? She is made up of equal parts of the two of us. That is sooooo exciting when I think about it. So how did the chemistry of “us” come about? Can you believe we were actually set up on a blind date? A “chemist” experimented and mixed us together, creating our relationship. I can’t begin to tell you the chemistry I felt with Jeff after that first date. One night with him and I felt like I had known him my whole life…and all we did was go to Dairy Queen for “American ice cream.” How’s THAT for chemistry? I truly believe he and I were made for each other. Yes, “The chemistry of parts is something beautiful!”

Scrappin' Summer Camp with CK

Who doesn't like summer camp?! And when you can avoid bugs and dirty mess, it's even better. Oh, wait, maybe this won't be better...I tend to create a big dirty mess when I scrap (ugh!). OK, at least it doesn't cause me to have to do MORE laundry than I already have to do. So check this out...I get the CK News Flash and they announced last month (yes, I'm THAT far behind) that they are having summer camp the week of July 13 - 17. So I thought it would be fun to join...I was soooo productive last year with the ACBailey Summer Camp, so what the heck....here's the email I got...sign up and I'll see you at camp!!!

Q: What do you get when you combine tasty camp treats and stylish camp wear with scrapbooking?
A: CK's Online Summer Camp 2009!

That's right, my crafty friends, the week of July 13-17 is the first-ever online CK Summer Camp. Join in the fun and take your summertime creativity to new, fun-filled heights. Items on the camp agenda include a week of free online classes, inspiring creativity challenges, tips, giveaways, recipes and more!

Time to Register today. Not only is it completely free, but it also comes with freebies. Those who register prior to June 31, 2009 will receive a free, stylin' CK Summer Camp iron-on t-shirt transfer. After all, what's camp without the groovy uniform? And everyone who signs up before registration closes on July 13 will receive an official CK Summer Camp logo, a special coupon code to be used in our online store and a chance to win one of our camp "Snack Packs," filled with scrapbooking goodies.

I hope to "see" you at summer camp in a few weeks. In the meantime, click here to register today!

Cheers!Camp Counselor Megan

The Magic of Santa

I couldn't resist completing a layout of our visit to the Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska...I guess it's like Christmas in July, hee, hee. I got the inspiration from Becky June...she's soooo talented! I plan on adding a tab at the top of the photo mat with hidden journaling about the FULL story of our visit. And I added reindeer hair in a little ziploc baggie...it makes our trip that much more REAL and magical. I'm soooo glad I was able to convince Erica to go and Santa convinced her it's not pretend!

Enjoy...the pattern paper is from Stampin' Up!, misc flowers (including prima) and buttons as well as a foam bracket from American Crafts. And I'm sorry, but I can't remember where the rubons are from...they're left over from a class I took at CKU several years ago.

Scrapping and Friendship

I had my monthly crop this weekend...what a blast. It was so good to see friends and get caught up on things...scrapping is a social event for me!!! And I actually got some scrapping done myself. OK, so "some" is considered a single 2-pg layout. And just before the crop I did a layout, too...the magical Santa Claus House layout. That one needs a little journaling, too. I printed the blog entry and am going to put that as hidden journaling behind the photo grouping so little eyes won't "learn" too early. I'm trying to do more hand written journaling than just the standard "who, what, when, where" stuff.

So here's the soccer layout. I was never a real big fan of the WRMK papers from last summer (so bright and busy), but the title, paper, and eyelet were perfect...plus Queen and Co soccer ball felt borders. By the way, if you ever use the Queen and Co felt borders, they are self adhesive...BUT, DO NOT REMOVE THE BACKING. The felt shape gets distorted when you remove the backing. Keep the backing on and use a liquid glue like Zip Dry (love this stuff!). It dries quick and clear!


Excuse the poor photos of the layouts...one of these days I'll get better at it or go back to my scanner.