Member Monday with Lucy Edson

Welcome back. It is a new Member Monday here on the blog and this week's pick comes from Lucy Edson who chose this layout by Amy Tara Koeppel.

"His White Dinner Jacket" by Amy Tara Koeppel


Here is what Lucy had to say about choosing this layout. "I chose Amy Tara's layout as layout of the week because she knows how to make a masculine layout look great even with a few frills! I love her multi-photo layout with the handcut scrolls and layers."

Here's a little interview Lucy did with Amy Tara!
1. Why do you scrapbook? I scrapbook for many reasons but the two most important ones are because I cherish my family(memories) and I love the creative process.
2. What tips can you share with us for scrapping pictures of the men in our lives?
I think the best thing to do with pages about the men in our lives is to make the page as authentic as possible. Not every guy is sports oriented or grungy style, etc. Do what is authentic to them. And if that means flowers work, then go for it!
3. What are your 'go to' scrapping supplies? My go to scrapping supplies are patterned paper, Tim Holtz distress inks and trims (lace and ribbon).
4. What is your favorite source of inspiration? My favorite sources for inspiration are online galleries and home decorating magazines.
5. How long do you spend on your average layout? My average time spent on a layout would have to be about 4 hours, including sketching time.

You can check out more of Amy Tara's gallery here. And be sure to leave her some love either on this post or directly on her layout in the A Million Memories gallery here. If you'd like to be selected as Layout of the Week be sure to upload your projects to the gallery often! We would love to highlight your work here on the blog!

Little Something Sunday with Corien vd Oever

I made this clear album with papers from Websters, and lots of flowers and lace. Click these links to find these products or similar ones in the store!

Get Your Blinkie On!!

With all the newbies around here we wanted to be sure you had a blinkie to add to your blogs and signature and represent your A Million Memories love!

So if you want to win a sold out August A Million Memories kit all you have to do is add the blinkie below to your signature here, your blog if you have one, and any other message boards on which you participate that allow for blinkies such as Two Peas in a Bucket. Then come back to this thread and link us up to your blog by midnight on Monday August 31st! It is as easy as that!

So here is the blinkie:

here's the code to add to your profile, just remove the word REMOVE
[IMGREMOVE]http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn127/karenika1/amm_big_blinkie.gif[/IMGREMOVE]

Here's a not so big one:
here's the code to add to your profile, just remove the word REMOVE
[IMGREMOVE]http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn127/karenika1/amm_blinkie.gif[/IMGREMOVE]

And here is a picture of the sold out August kit.

If you need help or have questions let us know! Help spread the A Million Memories love!!

More from our Guest Designer

Sorry for the late post today. I am in the middle of a move which has me a little discombobulated!

Today I wanted to share with you a couple samples of work done by our guest designer. Vee does magical things with paint and mists that I just can't wait to see how she works the September kit.

I love the cover of this inspiration journal! So cool!

Interested in what might be in the September kit? You know you are! Head on over to this thread where Mia is playing a little guessing game!

September Guest Designer Reveal-Vee Jennings!!!

Vee Jennings
I fell in love with Vee when I saw her awesome work with paints and mists and have been following her blog ever since. I am so excited to show you what she does with our kit. Read on to find out more about her. We'll be back the first week of the month to reveal her awesome designs so be sure to check back. Without further ado, meet Vee Jennings!

BIO: I live in the Washington DC area with my two children, Saadiq and Syani. I love creating and making an inspired mess with scrapbooking! I tend to scrap LATE at night which makes Starbucks a necessity in the mornings for me, lol. I love to use paint and inks mixed with simple elements on my pages, mini books and ATC’s. When I am not creating or mommy-ing, I love to take photos, read and watch my shows (sorry to say I am a lil’ addicted to tv): The Hills, LOST, True Blood, Project Runway, Supernatural, and Law and Order: SVU— the list really could go on and on! I am excited to be the guest designer for A Million Memories this month!

* Vee is a 2009 Memory Makers Master. Her work can be found on her blog, Creative Blessing.

xo,
vee

I just wanted to share this awesome atc card I got from Vee last week. I'm telling you, she does awesome stuff with paint and inks. Check it out!

I can't wait to see what she does with the kit!

Technique Tuesday with Larissa Albernaz!

Today I would like to demonstrate how you can work with Fancy Pants mixed media books. Considering that each book comes with 3 chipboard sheets, 2 felt sheets and 3 transparent sheets, these books are perfect to work your creativity and to get a great texture.
The Whole Book Put Together

The Cover

The Back Cover

While you can paint or cover your chipboard sheets with paper, you will have a great effect by just sewing on the felt sheets. For the transparencies, a great possibility is to paint the borders with acrylic paints or to use Staz-on ink for applying stamped images or to ink the borders. You can also use permanent markers to decorate it or to add definition and contrast. Take advantage of the fact that the transparent sheets will show through the back side. Place and adhere your elements on the front sheet strategically at the same position on the back.

While decorating your pages think of every page of your book as nothing more than scrapbooking on a smaller scale and leave some of the transparent sheet exposed as a window to the subsequent pages. You can also add transparent die-cuts or overlays to add more interest.
See below how I worked my book.


One nice way to use your stash is to mix papers from an old collection with a new release. For instance, in this book I used papers from the American Crafts travel collection with the My Little Yellow Bicycle's Fresh Print Traveler collection and October Afternoon's "Road Map".

You can find Fancy Pants mixed media books in the store here. The "American Crafts" Travel collection papers here. The October Afternoon Road Map collection papers here. And the My Little Yellow Bycicle Fresh Print Traveler collection papers here.

You can see more from my book in the A Million Memories gallery.

Member Monday with Jenn Findlay

Hi there and welcome to a new Member Monday. This week it is my turn to pick from the gallery and I selected new comer, Sherry Steveson, also known as Sassy 2000 on the boards. You may also know her as the author of When Life Gives You Lemons and The Scrapbook Embellishment Handbook.

I picked the layout below because I just loved the pink and blue color combo as well as the overall design. Here's Sherry's layout.

"Do It Again" by Sherry Steveson

And to help us all get to know her a little better, here's a little interview I did with her.

You can also check Sherry out on her blog.

1. How long have you been scrapping and what got you started? I got started in 1998 and it was a friend who had a CM party who introduced me to what would become my obsession.

2. What are your must have tools for scrapping?
Naturally a paper trimmer and scissors but specific specialty tools include exacto knife, embossing gun and anything with paint or ink.

3. What are your favorite manufacturers?
Gosh, that's like naming your favorite child... I'm an equal opportunity scrapper... I love them all!

4. What one technique is one of your layouts or projects not complete without?
I love to distress somehow.

5. Where do you look for inspiration when creating?
I love non-scrappy mag's like my Anthropologie, Garnet Hill, Boden for texture and colors.
I browse scrapbooking sites and I love sketches from anywhere.

Thanks so much for the inspiration Sherry!

Little Something Sunday with Lucy Edson

Anatomy of a Layout
I love to see the details and always wonder how artists do the little tricks that make their work their own, so thought I would start something new for you all here on the blog that we will call anatomy of a layout where we will show you some close-ups and details of how we put our projects together. I'm going to start with a layout I created with the August kit from A Million Memories. While it is visually really simple, I tried to add in some extra details that might not show up with just a glance. Let's take a look - I've marked my layout with red squares on the areas that I am going to focus on some details.



The details - my grid is double stitched - my sewing machine has that feature - it gives a heavier thread look, more like hand stitching. I also white-washed the squares, which are each distressed with white acrylic paint. Behind the squares and in the background you can see where I added some additional paint - to blend and add a shabby look to the overall design.


The details - More paint - I washed the sticker letters before applying them to the page to soften the color. Also I used the back of the felt as a mask with some blue mist. I also splattered some green ink on the background to add to the shabby grunge look I wanted.


The details - I cut the bird from the Webster's Paper in the kit and covered it with some glitter stickles. I also popped it up for some dimension. The felt underneath the bird I darkened with olive glimmer mist. Also note the edges of the squares in the grid are not glued down to add to the shabbiness.


The details - I continued some partial lines of the grid across the page to give the feel of an unfinished or worn grid. Again the paint did the same thing by duplicating the squares. A random square draws your eye across the page.

A few other details to note - the random application of jewels and soft blended feel by keeping a soft color palette and washing with the white gesso is what gives this shabby soft look. Hope you enjoyed the closer look at the details on this layout.

Manufacturer Spotlight on Fancy Pants

I just adore this mini book Rachel made using the Fancy Pants Delight Line and the Mixed Media Bracket Book. The bracket shaped book is sold out but you can find two other styles in the store here.

Here is what Rachel had to say about creating this great mini, "I only used about 1/2 of the album to create this book, leaving plenty to create more projects from! The 2nd transparent page is made by sewing together the transparent page from the book and one of the Fancy Pants transparencies from the Delight line. I added my photo, title and butterflies to the inside of the page, allowing it to create an almost shaker box like look."

Have a look at her mini below and you'll see how easy these mixed media mini books are to create really beautifula dn textured projects.
"Summer Beauty" By Rachel Hall

Shaker Box Style Page-

You can see other design team projects using Fancy Pants Designs in the Design Gallery here.

Brand new CHA Goodies in the Store!!

Maya Road

There are brand new Maya Road embellishments and albums in the store! Check them out here.
Maya Mist
New to the store is Maya Mist. We have it in copper, emerald, and lime.



Chipboard Alphabets



Velvet Pinwheels

Velvet Puffs

Gingham

Corduroy

Mixed Scallop Banner book

Snowflake Coaster Album

Prima

We have brand new Prima goodies in the store for you, check out some of the selction below. These items have more color selections available in the store. Check out all of the new Prima in the "What's New" Section.

Felt Vines

Velvet Leaves

Spray Vines-These have pretty little jewels on them!

Romani Roses

Pas De Chat

Danseur

Say It In Crystals

Donna Downey for Prima

She is at it again with brand new canvas embellishments for all of the fabric scrapbooking lovers. These are in the store now with the album soon to follow. Check it out here.

The "joy" fabric word is also in the store.

Keep checking the "What's New" Section of the store for all the latest updates as new CHA products continue to arrive.