Fun at the CK Scrapbooking Event in Phoenix

I had a great time attending my very first scrapbooking event. There were a lot of people in attendance and I met some very nice ladies. I traveled by Valley Metro Light Rail, which has a stop right at the Phoenix Convention Center. I spoke with some women who live here in the Phoenix Metro area, but chose a “girls getaway” and booked a hotel room.  I arrived a little early, because I didn’t know how long it would take to get there, and how long it would take to get through the registration process.  The people handling this event did a really good job, at least from my perspective, I was handed a program that had a map of the vendors and classrooms inside the front cover. The classes were clearly listed by time and room number, so my class information was right at my fingertips. Plus, I got two free gifts for registering online: a Stampin’ Up Paper Pumpkin kit and a Monte Paper Mills 6×6 inch Hello Darling paper pack.

My only complaint, not that it is a really big one, is that I have a bad knee and I can’t stand for long periods of time, and there was not a lot of seating near the lobby.  After I signed in for the online registration, I went outside and sat until the Vendor Faire opened up for the regular attendees. I did not choose to pay for early admission to the Vendor Faire. It was a beautiful morning and a bright blue sky day (typical for Arizona) so I had a nice time visiting with a fellow event attendee. She was one of the volunteers for the event. I think that giving people the opportunity to volunteer with the event, such as registration and classroom assistants, and providing them with some nice compensation is a really good idea. (Volunteer information for the Phoenix event is stated in this link: http://www.ckscrapbookevents.com/CKScrapbookConventions/CKCPhoenix/Volunteers.aspx)

I decided to purchase the $15 Swag Bag and was really pleased with the contents for the most part. I imagine that the Swag Bag contents vary slightly from event to event, but there were quite a few products in this bag that I would actually use.  For a list of the swag bag sponsors check this link: http://www.ckscrapbookevents.com/CKScrapbookConventions/CKCPhoenix/Sponsors/.  The contents of my bag were:

• Prima fluid chalk ink edger
• Keller’s Creations 6 inch cardstock sheet with printed journaling blocks
• Queen & Co. 5 ½ x 6 ½ cardstock die-cuts sheet
• Lawn Fawn 6 x 12 inch alphabet stickers
• American Crafts 6 x 12 inch Thickers alphabet stickers
• Tombow Xtreme adhesive tape runner
• DCWV Border Stack
• Momenta Cut and Emboss dies
• Graphic 45 Le Cirque 12 x 12 paper pad
• A coupon from mymemories.com for a free download of their software, a free 6×6 photobook, and $10 credit at the mymemories.com online design shop.

I priced the items and they are worth about $90. I have to confess that it is extremely unlikely that I will download the software because I like my Photoshop and Illustrator and I can make my own designs.

I attended the Heartfelt Creations Sweet Juliet cardmaking class, and had fun learning some new techniques. I had never used a blender pen with an ink pad. How did I miss this technique? I have been using blender pens with chalks. I got to use one of the flower curling tools, the one with the big ball at the end, and that was cool! And I got a credit for a free stamp pad at the Hearfelt Creations booth. Nice!

I had a quick look around the vendor booths before my class started and decided which booths I wanted to spend more time with. After my class and lunch, I went shopping. The values for the items were great. Overall, I had a great time, a fun day away from home. I will do this again!

 

My first Artist Trading Cards

I decided that I would finally try my hand at making some Artist Trading Cards (or ATCs). I have a ton of paper I need to use up and I am not making enough cards to make a dent. It is amazing how much paper you can collect over a few years. I also have a nice stash of fabric, but I tend to just purchase fat quarters so they are a little easier to store, you can roll them up and stuff a lot of fabric in a small space. Paper needs to lie flat, and it gets heavy.

I started off with three different series: vintage, bicycle and butterfly. I used stickers, stamps, cardstock and paper in my crafting.  I plan on trying to make some ATCs with fabric in the future.

If you don’t know much about Artist Trading Cards, this is an excellent link.

History of Artist Trading Cards link: http://www.artist-trading-cards.ch/history.html

My Paper Crafting Tote is Finished!

Well, just in time for the Creating Keepsakes Scrapbooking Expo in Phoenix, I have finished my specially designed tote for paper crafting supplies. I also realized that while I have made totes for other people, I have not made one for myself.

I designed the lining to put my ruler and cutting mat, and also with a pocket that can hold 12 x 12 inch paper. I also have a zippered compartment for whatever else I want. Unlike other tote patterns, the lining was the main part of the tote, the outside needed to fit the lining dimensions.

And I got to use the tulip print fabric that I have been holding on to for a few years. Tulips are my favorite flower, and I was looking for a project to use this fabric. The tote was inspired by a tote in one of my quilting magazines. Unfortunately, I misplaced the magazine a few months ago when I had to move out of my craft room, so I am not able to tell you which quilting magazine and year/issue the pattern came from.

Getting Ready for the CK Scrapbooking Expo

 

I have a little over one week to go before the Phoenix Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Expo. This is the first scrapbook convention that I have ever attended, and I am excited. I have read all of the advice on the website (http://www.ckscrapbookevents.com/) and printed out a list of the things that I need to take with me.  Well, darn, I don’t have anything that will carry all of this stuff. I am going to have to make a paper crafting tote!

In this instance, I am starting from the inside-out. I need to make pockets to fit some of my tools and hold paper, cutting mat and ruler. Since I am a quilter first, I am used to using a cutting mat and a rotary cutter. I have a rotary cutter for paper and one for fabric.  I made the pockets to hold the cutting mat and ruler first.

 

Papercrafting tools pocket

I will be working on finishing the lining of the tote, and then I will put together the outside.  I guess I had better start to work!

 

 

Getting Excited About a Scrapbook Event

I registered for a Creating Keepsakes Scrapbooking Event that is coming to my area. It’s the first time that I have attended a CK Scrapbooking Event. I’m really looking forward to this. The only drawback is that I am not really a scrapbooker, I am a cardmaker. Fortunately, there were a few cardmaking classes, so I registered for a class.

I am so looking forward to getting out of the house. I am a full-time caregiver for a disabled friend, and I don’t get out much except for doctor’s visits and necessary shopping. I don’t really enjoy grocery shopping, so thank goodness for Safeway’s grocery delivery service.

Now the biggest issue is transporting all of the recommended basic paper crafting tools and supplies. I have decided that I will make a tote specifically designed for my paper crafting tools. Fortunately, I have a little makeup bag that has two zippered compartments where I can put the small things, plus my camera.

I will cover the specifics about my tote design in my next blog. I guess I’d better get to work now!

If you are interested in Creating Keepsakes events, check to see if there is an event near you at http://www.ckscrapbookevents.com/.

If you are curious about Safeway’s delivery service, check it out here http://shop.safeway.com/ecom/home.