Hello Kitty! I've started a CARD-A-WEEK challenge!

Hi everyone... we've started a whole new type of challenge over at the AllyScraps message board, it's called Hello Kitty, and it's a card a week challenge. I'll be taking some time to create a weekly card inspiration; could be a fun theme, or a color combo or a just because card. But, I'm hoping that it will inspire you (and ME) to create a card EVERY week, starting this week.

If honor of our many new friends on the message board, we are doing a "welcome to your new home" theme for our first weekly card. Here is what I created.



I used the Homegrown collection by 3 Bugs in a Rug, it is so adorable, and the paper house cute home sayings, like the one on the front of the card.

OK, so you've made a card and don't know what to say on or in it? Well, we've taken care of that too... we will be posting quotes, titles and sentiments that will help finish your cards. Here are a few to get you started.

* Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.
* Home is where friendships are formed and families are grown; where joy is shared and true love is known; where memories are made and seeds of life are sown.
*HOME is where your story begins...
* Home, the spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest”...Robert Montgomery.
* You've worked so hard to make it your own, here's hoping you enjoy your new home.
* May love be the heart of your new home.
* Home.. a house filled with love.

Feeling inspired? We'd love to see what you create! And, if you need even more inspiration, look for a new card prompt every Monday. I'll give you a hint, next week's card is a celebrating kind!

~Dana

Free $10 Gift Certificate

Hi! Looking for a new SCRAPPY place to hang out? Well AllyScraps is such a place! We are a super fun scrapbook message board, filled with great conversation, fun challenges, games and TONS of inspiration. And guess what? We are having a new member drive! .

Come on over to the AllyScraps message board, sign up as a member, then sign in on the Membership Drive forum. That is all you have to do to get started. Just post 50 posts on the message board (a little substance to them would be nice LOL) over the next 4 weeks, and we'll send you a $10 AllyScraps gift certificate as a big HELLO! Now of course we are hoping you like us and want to hang out all the time, but if not, the gift certificate is still yours!

The counting starts now, but you can join any time between now and March 23. So, to sum things up, you will meet a great group of ladies, who will enable you with your addiction, and never make you feel guilty. Be both challanged and inspired. Play games, chat, and maybe make a new friend or two, and we are going to pay you to do it! What are you waiting for? We can't wait to meet you... come on over and have some fun.

PS Dont forget to check out the store, new stuff is starting to come in daily!

Hope to see you there.

Cathy

PS Don't forget to tell your friends!

Purrrfect Projects #4 Spring

Spring really must be around the corner and with that in mind, our projects this week have all been inspired by Spring. As a little twist, the project must also include a birdie (but then, shouldn't they all?)

First up is Vee who has made a pretty wall hanging. I love projects like these, can can brighten up the dullest days (we get a lot of those in the UK).



Next up is Rita who has come up with an awesome and very original project using canvases.



I love the way the accordian book has it's own little alcove!



Cathy has blown my socks off with the amazing wreath. I love all the pretty flowers and Spring icons (particualarly partial to mushrooms).



Lee Ann has made a fabulous Spring card in my favourite spring colours.



I altered a flower box to hold my favourite photo of my DD.



The store is overflowing with Spring ranges at the moment. My favourites are Twitterpated from Imaginisce which have the cutest characters you've ever seen! Also Bo Bunny has two totally fabulous ranges and Pebbles Inc. will brighten any day!

I hope that we've inspired you to get out your supplies and take them to a whole new dimension. We'd love to see what you do so why not upload to our gallery?

Morag & the Purrrfect Project Team x

Meet the New Additions to the AllyScraps Design Team

First of all, I need to say that every single DT finalist was first rate, top quality and super to work with... we loved them all, and wish that we could accept them all to the Design Team. But, that is just not possible. So, I'm pleased to announce that joining Debbie, Morag and I will be 2 brand new Design Team members. Welcome and congratulations to....

Raechelle Bellus (scrappinRae)





Hello! I am Raechelle Bellus (pronounced Raechel) and I am thrilled to be a member of the Ally Scraps team! I am married to Kenneth and we live in beautiful Spokane Valley, WA where we get the best of all 4 seasons. We have a blended family of 6; 5 girls and 1 boy; ranging in age from 9-19. All 5 of the girls live with us, so we have 4 teens and a drama queen all under one roof. There is truly never a dull moment around here, nor much of a quiet one either. In addition to our wonderful children we have 2 dogs, 4 cats and plenty of fish.

I have been scrapping about 7 years now. I like to dabble in all areas and enjoy creating cards and altered items as well as layouts. I definitely have a girly style and like to use striped and floral papers the most.

In my free time I enjoy reading, playing Guitar Hero (my family would tell you that I am addicted, it's not my fault I am a complete level ahead of everyone else *wink*), gardening and mostly hanging out with my family doing anything.

Chris Hertel (chrispea)





I've always loved creating things. Drawing, painting, ceramics, writing stories and taking pictures. I went to art school and received a degree in visual communications. Immediately after, I was one of the lucky ones who actually landed a job at a small agency. I loved the early years of graphic design before the computer. Cutting and pasting, coloring with markers and prismacolor pencils.... using rubdown letters... no wonder I've fallen in love with the art of scrapbooking. It takes me back to the early days of graphic design when I used to get paid to color all day, rather than spend hours in front of a computer monitor. There is nothing like getting your hands dirty.

I still enjoy graphic design, and own a little design studio with my illustrator/designer husband Matt. We've been happily married 16 years. My greatest creations to date are my 12 year old daughter and my 9 year old son. I don't think I can top those beauties! We also share our house with a pug, a boxer mix, and a black and white kitty. My family, friends, nature and everyday stuff are my favorite subjects to scrap.

Recently I was published in Cards magazine with a little mini card. I have a layout being pubbed in the May/June 2009 issue of Memory Makers magazine. I've been featured a few times as page of the day on the Creating Keepsakes website. I'm rather new to scrapbooking, but am thoroughly enjoying this addictive, fun, creative hobby.

Thanks to everyone who applied, and especially to our DT finalists... you are the best!

Dana x

DT Finalists - Round 2

As you know, we have had a DT call out at the beginning of the year. The competition was HOT but we finally got down to the final 5.




The last assignment has just come in and it's amazing! They were given one of Deb's fabulous sketches to work with. Just wait till you see what they did!

Amy



Chris



Raechelle


Shannon




Susan



These girls are just so talented - I don't envy the job of the panel to choose the winners.

Why not try out the sketch for yourself? We'd love to see what you can do! Don't forget to upload to our gallery or come over for a chat in the forum?

Be sure to pop back when we announce the winners!

Morag x

Purrfect Projects

Most of us crafty people love making all manner of things, not just scrapbook pages (although they are our favourites).

We are running a challenge every two weeks where we encourage you to create something gorgeous off your page.

I have gathered together a super team to help with inspiration;
Cathy (AllyScraps), Callie Jean (Mykidsmomma), Rita (rbarakat), Vee (MrsQueenVee)
Lee Ann (lat4005), Shannon (Paddymack)

Callie Jean is moving house this week so our theme is House/Home. The girls have come up with some truly fabulous inspiration.

I hope you'll join us in the fun. Check out the forum for more Purrfect Project Challenges.

Morag x

a fun way to give a gift card!

I needed a fun way to give a gift card to a family friend recently, and this is what I came up with:





This was really fun to put together, and so easy to make! I mixed some We R Memory Keepers Nonsense and Scenic Route Sonoma on mine. The "happy" sticker is also from the Sonoma sticker sheet, and the letters for "birthday" is from the Making Memories Fa La La tiny alpha - I just stuck with the green letters.

Now, on to the instructions! From a 12x12 piece of cardstock, first cut 2 widths 5.75" wide. (You could go a full 6", but if you want to be able to fit it into a 6"x9" manila envelope for giving or mailing, then make it a little bit short of 6").

Set aside one of the pieces. Here is a template for the back piece of the card:



From the 12"x5.75", cut the long side down to 8". Now go 2" up from the bottom and score the fold line.

From the other short end, measure in 1" and make a small mark with a pencil. Now measure 3" down the long side from the same corner, and make a small mark with a pencil. Trim off the corner at the line formed between the 2 marks. Repeat on the other top corner.

Set aside the back of the card, and get the other 12"x5.75" piece that you cut earlier. Here is the template for the front of the card:



Cut off a 5" section, and then cut off the 1"x3" triangles from each corner, as above. This piece should now match the top half of the back piece.

Now embellish the front of the top piece (the 5" flap), and the bottom fold-up flap of the back piece, as desired.

Use a circle cutter (I used the Curvy Cutter) to cut out a half-circle for the handle. Embellish as desired.

Score the front flap about 3/4" down from the smaller top edge. To attach the handle, adhere it between the back piece and the front piece, above the score line.

I used a circle punch and scalloped circle punch for the front "closure". After adhering them to the front piece and adding the lettering, I used a small piece of self-adhesive velcro underneath the front flap, with the other side of the velcro attached to the small fold-up flap. This way, the card stays closed nicely until opened. (You could also use adhesive magnets, or a little bit of repositionable adhesive.)

I attached the gift card inside with a couple of glue dots.

This is such an easy and fun way to give a gift card! I hope you like this project!

- Debbie