Exciting BLOG news at AllyScraps!

September is almost here, and that means some new and exciting things will be going on at the AllyScraps blog! Glad you stopped by. This month we will be sharing lots of cool scrapbooking inspiration guided by some really wonderful guests! You'll notice more frequent postings, blog challenges and lots of fun.

First off, we welcome Kimber McGray. It's our real pleasure to have Kimber joining us this month, she will be sharing some awesome projects and doing features with brand new products from Jillibean Soup and Core'dination cardstock. Here's a little about Kimber...



Always a crafter of some kind, Kimber McGray started scrapbooking 4 ½ years ago and has never looked back. Obsessed would be a mild way of describing her love of paper crafting. Over the past three years, Kimber's work has been published in Memory Makers, Creating Keepsakes, BHG Scrapbooks Etc., Scrapbook Trends, Cards, CardMaker, Scrapbook and Cards Today magazine regular issues, as well as featured in different Idea Books. Her work has also appeared in major ad campaigns for We R Memory Keepers. Kimber was also announced as a Hall of Fame 2007 winner with Creating Keepsakes. Kimber's 1st book, Scrapbook Secrets was recently released in May 2009. Her 2nd book with F&W Publications will be released early 2010. She enjoys working with all different aspects of the industry by designing in all realms. She is currently designing for 4 different Manufacturers: Jillibean Soup, Unity Stamps, Core'dinations Cardstock and Inchie Arts. This helps her keep her work fresh and new as well as challenge her to use different products daily. She lives in Carmel, Indiana, with her husband Bill of 10 years and two children, Andrew (6) and Laura (4).

Chris Hertel, just finishing up a stint on our regular design team will also be joining us. We've asked her to share her computer expertise this month, sharing a few hybrid tips with us and awesome layouts too!

On September 17th we will be having another special guest. Nikki Sivils will be joining us for a "manufacturer chat" and a peek into her scrapbook world. There will be tons of Halloween inspiration with her fun products and a special giveaway too. Hope you'll join us for some fun!

I will be posting some cool projects and a fun challenge or two. But first, how about a giveaway... If you leave a comment on this post and tell me what kind of things you'd love to see on our blog, you'll be entered into a drawing for a fun prize! So, get going, I look forward to hearing your ideas! Check back next Monday to see the name of the lucky winner. Have a great week, Dana

Truly, Madly, Deeply

Are you in love with patterned papers too?

I have a serious addiction! I hoard papers because they are beautiful. They are often left for months because I can't bear to cut them! I am seeking help. LOL.

Bo Bunny have been a serious contributing factor to my problem - their papers are just so wonderful. I've had these Flirty collection papers for ages - aren't they gorgeous?



The Flirty Birds have been used as is almost, except the bird's tail has be cut out to overlay the heart paper.



Collect a few little embellishments and ribbon - check out these cute pins from Maya Road. There are other beautiful chipboard pieces and flowers in there too!



Add a cute bird cage (because one should always include some sort of home for the birds). This one is from We R Memory Keepers and are the best bargain at just 99c!


Finally, top off with a couple of cute kids goofing around!

Cathy has LOADS of new CHA stuff arriving almost daily. I love the new lines from My Mind's Eye (who as you know are my favourite). There is also the latest from Pink Paislee, Jenni Bowlin and Little Yellow Bicycle.

Don't forget to check out this amazing collection from a new company - Nikki Sivils. She has wonderful cutting-edge designs!

To see all the latest products just check out the What's New section. How easy is that?!

Hope you'll come and join us in the forum. In the meantime, happy scrapping!

Morag x

You checked out the store lately???

Well if not, you're in for a BIG surprise. The brand new CHA products have started coming in by the boxload and Cathy's been super busy putting it all online! Hurray, I love this time of year.

Here's what's new...

My Little Yellow Bicycle's Autumn Bliss
Pink Paislee's Twilght and Amber Road
Jenni Bowlin
Nikki Sivils - 5 new lines
My Mind's Eye - Halloween and Christmas (restocks coming soon)

Wow, I have a full cart... loving ALL of the new yummy supplies. Hey, be sure to check back to the blog on Friday, some new inspiration to post AND a new giveaway... see you then.

~ Dana

adding movement to your title

Hello! Sometimes your photos are full of movement, yet you want to add a bit of energy to your title. This adds some visual interest to your layout, and is really simple to create. All you need to do is to stagger some of the letters (as I did), place them in a wavy manner, or even layer them. There are several options and all you need to do is let your creativity take over!

As you can see, just adding a bit of tilting to the letters enhances the movement in the photos and adds some extra energy to the layout. I also added some flourishes around the title to carry the motion even more.

Get creative with movement in your titles! Be sure to link them back to this post so we can be sure to check them out.

Take care,

Rae

Fabric Tags - Step by Step (and we have a WINNER!)

These little babies are fun to make and very addicting! Plus, if you use an old cotton shirt or denim jeans, you are upcycling, and making the earth a little greener!

You can use these fun tags on your scrapbook pages, a card, or even as a cool bookmark. The sky's the limit!

I've found that if you prime your cotton with some gesso, or even just some watered down white paint, you'll get better results.



Step 1: Using a tag as a template, I cut out a fabric tag.

Step 2: Prime your tag with some gesso or paint.

Step 3: Pick out a mask. I used 2 masks, the gear is Tim Holtz and the bird is a Heidi Swapp mask. If you don't have a mask, you could use letter stickers, or even leaves. Just lay them down and spray one of the mists over them.

Step 4: I stamped over my sprayed mask, then hit it with some silver embossing powder to give it some shine.

Step 5: Use another image or mask and take some ink and rub it over.

Step 6: The last step I did was I crunched up the tag, flattened it out then hit it lightly with some Ranger Distress Inks. Then I used a rubon for the word Quest.

That's it!! It's that easy. Rubons are great. Stamping, sewing, painting.... the sky really is the limit with these.

To finish off the tag, I added a piece of ribbon with a grommet:


A few more tag samples.

You'll notice these are a bit different. Let your creativity flow.




Add whatever you would like to these fun fabric tags. Great project to do with the kids these last few weeks before school.

Visit the Ally Scraps store to stock up on your stamps and ink supplies.

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WINNER!!

Thanks for all of your comments on our blog this week. We've chosen a prize winner, for some yummy, brand new American Crafts goodies, and the winner is CONNIE!!! Hurray for Connie. Please send us your full name and address to allyscraps@gmail.com by next Friday, August 21st and we'll get your prize right out to you! Congrats. Oh, just wanted to let you know that Colleen, put our blog giveaway blinkie on her blog, and was also a winner this week. Congrats to you Colleen!

Stay tuned, more prizes on their way.

Have a creative day!!
Chris

It's YOUR BIRTHDAY... a scrappy challenge!

Hi everyone, welcome back to the AllyScraps blog! Design Team member Debbie Gaydos posted this awesome fun BIRTHDAY challenge over on the AllyScraps Message board. I had a lot of fun doing the challenge, and I was sure you would too... so here it is. I hope that you'll give it a try!

What's that? Your birthday isn't for another seven months? THAT'S OK! Because YOUR birthday is going to be the basis of this challenge! NO, your page doesn't have to have a birthday theme at all. Debbie wants you to look up the DAY of your NEXT BIRTHDAY. Now, you will use the DATE, MONTH and DAY or your birthday to determine the requirements of YOUR challenge!

1. If your birthday is on an odd date, use an odd number of photos. If your birthday is on an even date, use an even number of photos.

2. If your birthday is in:
January or July– use WHITE or BLUE as a main color
February or August – use STITCHING
March or September – use GREEN or BROWN as a main color
April or October – use at least one large (6" or bigger) circle element
May or November– use NO CARDSTOCK
June or December - use patterned paper from at least 3 different manufacturers

3. If your birthday falls on a:
Monday – use buttons
Tuesday – use ribbon
Wednesday – use a journaling card
Thursday – use brads
Friday – use chipboard letters
Saturday – use a punch
Sunday – use something sheer/transparent

So, for example, Debbie's next birthday is on THURSDAY APRIL 1, so her page will have an odd number of photos, use at least one large circle element, and use brads. See how easy?? Be sure to tell us when you link your page when your birthday is and what your rules were!

My next birthday is Tuesday, February 23rd, so I used one photo, stitching and ribbon. I loved this challenge because it wasn't very limiting, and it got my ideas flowing right away. Here is my page... thanks for the challenge Debbie.



I made my layout with products from My Little Shoebox... and a little birdie told me that BRAND new My Little Shoebox products just got put up into the store! Here's a link, since I'm sure you will want to take a look! My Little Shoebox

You can play along too, just complete a layout and post it in the challenge gallery by Monday 8/17 at midnight Eastern time... you will be entered in our monthly challenge drawing to win a $10 AllyScraps gift certificate. Good luck and have fun!

Now on to the fun part... the PRIZES! Thanks so much to everyone who posted a comment on our blog this week... we loved getting over 40 comments! And, because there were SO many comments, we are going to give away 2 PRIZES! Hurray. You love Pink Paislee? I do too... and we have 2 sets of BRAND NEW Pink Paislee paper, right from CHA to give away! I put everyone's name into a hat who participated... and drew out these 2 winners. If you are a winner, please e-mail your full name and address to allyscraps@gmail.com and we will get your prize right out!

The winner of the CUPID'S ARROW set by Pink Paislee is Gloria Williams!
The winner of the AMBER ROAD set by Pink Paislee is Charlottemd!

Big congrats girls!! What? You're sad that you didn't win? Well, you have another chance. TWO chances actually!



See this cool blinkie that our DT member Chris Hertel made for us?? Just put it on your blog... and if you do, and we spot it, you might win a prize.... PLUS, if you leave a comment on this post with the day and date of your next birthday (in honor of our birthday challenge)by next Thursday, August 13 at midnight... then you will have another chance to win. I'm thinking some brand new American Crafts! Check back on Friday, 8/13 for the winner!

Wow, that was a LONG blog post... thanks for joining us at AllyScraps, hope to see you again soon!

Hi everyone, and thanks for joining us for the Adornit Blog Hop!

And as a big thank you for stopping by, we're going to be giving away an awesome prize next Friday, August 7th! Cathy just got back from CHA, and brought home with her a few exciting brand new releases... one of which she will share with YOU! So, all you have to is leave a comment on this post by midnight Thursday, August 6th... and then check back on Friday to find some brand new inspiration... and also to check out who the winner is!!

By the way, we will be having some new and exciting things going on - on the blog VERY soon, so we hope that you will check back often. Thanks so much, Dana