Making Memories

Getting lost European Style!

I have a reputation at MM for being able to get lost no matter where I go or who I’m with…..so what did they schedule for me????….a European adventure! In May I had the opportunity to teach classes the Bonanza Scrapbook event in Birmingham, England and Scrap-a-ganza which is in the Netherlands! Both were on weekends a week apart so in the time between events, my wonderful daughter Brittany, was going to join me in London for some sightseeing and then assist me at Scrap-a-ganza! Fabulous, right? Well it was, but not without some drama.

I was leaving Salt Lake on Tuesday, May 9^th in the morning. On the Saturday before, while I was jogging, my car window was smashed out and my purse and cell phone was stolen! Bad as this would be at any time, it was especially horrendous because my wallet with all my credit cards, drivers license and cash for the trip was taken…..oh, and a new Bobbie Brown lip liner, lipstick and lip gloss!

Lucky for me, I was running with Jenny, who works at MM and she gave me her cell phone and I immediately started calling my bank (oh yeah, my debit card and check book were in my purse also), credit card companies, etc. We were only gone running for an hour or so, but already, the visa people told me that they had filled their gas tank - $48.20, had lunch - $14.98, bought some jewelry - $324.74 (cheapskates, it was on me, after all!!) and tried to rent a car for $700 something that had been turned down! I found out from the policeman that responded that this kind of crime happens more and more (thanks to morons like me who leave their valuables in their car). Even though I thought that I was being clever by “hiding” my purse on the floor, there is no safe place.

Anyway………….now the race was to get credit cards and ID replaced (my passport, luckily was home). By Tuesday morning I had a new purse, new drivers license, new lipstick, new cash and one and only one credit card with promises of a debit card and other credit cards to come. Now I was on my way for my wonderful European adventure to begin. 

To be continued

Gail

 

Quick Candles

For today’s tip, I thought it would be fun to show you how quick and easy it is to decorate candles with brads or snaps.  Here are the simple steps to follow. 

-First you will need to print out a spreadsheet with ½” size square boxes covering the entire page. 

-Cut the paper to size so it fits the same height as the candle and will wrap one time around. 

-Use an Anywhere Punch to make 1/16” holes in the paper where the lines from the spreadsheet intersect, forming a pattern. 

- Wrap the paper around the candle and fasten with tape.

-Ok, here is the fun part, stick brads through the punched holes in the paper, inserting them ¾ of the way in.

-When you are finished placing all the brads, carefully tear away paper and push the brads the rest of the way in.

This project idea is by Lynne Montgomery and is part of MM’s Decorate Life: Home Décor book. 

It's a tough job...

So...Yesterday the Product Design team, the Graphic Design team and Marketing team had a delightful outing...We talked, we ate, we laughed and just relaxed...It was a great break on a beautiful day!

Oh...Did I mention we ate? Kevin, who is head of Graphic Design has the coolest wife ever...Becky...She can bake...I mean the girl has some serious skills...We had like 10 different deserts...Wow! They were beyond delish...I had a nibble of each one and boy were they all so good...Especially the Peanut Butter cup pie, the Black Forest pie, and my personal favorite the jam cookies...All I can say is what a treat...Kevvie you are one lucky bugger! We had a great time! Thanks Paula for the treat...

Designer Challenge with Color

Have you ever made a layout that was perfectly…so-so? :o)  I tend to do it all the time, unfortunately.  But, I’ve discovered that a shot of unexpected color is often the perfect cure for an otherwise ordinary page.

Take this sample, for example.  I pulled colors from my photos…blues, greens, and browns.  I combined, everything looks pretty darn good, but it lacks that ‘wow’ factor.  I decided I needed to add more color.  In studying my photo, orange would have been a nice addition to the page, since it is a color found in my daughter’s life jacket.

However, I wanted to add something UNEXPECTED so my layout would be a bit more vibrant.  How do you like the new version?  I decided to add shots of reds and yellows, and I really like the way it turned out!  The page feels a lot more energetic—which is good for a sports-based layout. 

So, how did I decide what colors to add?  I simply placed various scraps of paper on my page until I found something that really stood out—the red.  Once I added the red, I saw that yellow would compliment it and add even more energy to the page. Had I not gone this route, I was considering adding navy blue as another accent.  It would have looked good, but would have given a calmer feel to the page.  One tip on adding unexpected color to a layout…consider placing the elements that are the most vibrant in a visual triangle—as I did here with the yellow elements.

Next time you’re stuck on a layout, try adding some unique colors to the page and let me know how it turns out!  Make sure to upload your layout to MM's idea gallery.

erin t.

Can you spot the MM products?

Have you seen the latest Pottery Barn catalog?  Notice anything on different?  There are some MM products used as props in their catalog.  Take a look to see if you can spot them.  The first 10 people to find them will receive the products that are used.  Have fun looking!

Metal Mattes

Remember using Making Memories metal frames in your projects?  Well dig them out and give this trick a try.  You can either use MM's pre-painted frames or paint them yourself.  Instead of using them to frame something on your page, arrange them to create a quick background for your layout.  It's simple, fast and looks great.

Give it a try.

Kris

Making Memories at CKU

"I cannot even imagine where I would be today if it were not for a handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy.  Lets face it, friends make life a lot more fun"

-Charles R. Swindoll

Thats what CKU is all about...friends coming together to have a lot of fun!  And fun we had all weekend during CKU-Provo!

The entire product design team at Making Memories attended the Make-n-take day on Thursday!  We met some great people and had a lot of fun making the cover to the My Favorite Things Album along with a page, My Favorite Place.

Things got a little crazy Thursday night as we had a wild game of Musical Chairs during the Crop Party.  If you have never played musical chairs...well just wait!  The winner took home a new Runway Roller Bag and she fought hard for her place... a well deserved win.

Margie and Jessica taught great classes designed just for CKU-Provo participants.  Uptown Style with Downtown techniques along with a class on Photo Decor.  What a great time we had meeting new friends and learning new techniques.  Thanks to all who made this weekend a smashing success!

Meet Jeanette...

Meet Jeanette Stieringer.  You may have checked out her blog and are familiar with her keen sense of style and decorating. Jeanette gleans this from her many inspirational sources including Ballard Designs, Boyles, Carolyne Roehm, Domino magazine, and the list goes on and on.  Not only does Jeanette find inspiration through websites, stores, and magazines, but also in her own creative studio.  She has gone to a lot of work to create an environment that is pattered after the neoclassical style, which happens to be her favorite.  When you see her studio photos, you will also realize that she is an expert organizer.  With that being said, it’s no surprise that her favorite MM product is the Modular Organization System.  What does she listen to in her perfectly decorated and organized studio?  Sirius satellite radio, permanently set on 80’s music of course. 

 

Jeanette began scrapbooking 4 years ago after being introduced by a friend.  She didn’t initially consider herself as being an interested candidate for this hobby, but in her own words “I soon discovered a creative side that I never knew I had.”  Her husband of 18 years and her nieces and nephews are the subjects of most of her work.  As a result of this hobby, Jeanette has made many new friends from all over.  Oh yea, I forgot to mention, Jeanette is a big time shopper. Her best friend’s favorite thing about her is the common passion they both have not only for shopping, but specifically for Target.  It’s practically impossible for her to go in and just buy a diet coke, Kleenex, and dish soap, instead she fills her red basket with lots of “needs” she soon discovered while in the store.

Thanks Jeanette for giving us an inside look into your world. 

If you are interested in being profiled, comment by answering the following questions.

What themes do you typically scrapbook the most? (i.e. birthdays, babies, etc.)

What are your favorite non-industry magazines?

What non-industry stores do you get inspiration from?

Birthday Challenge

Steve, Jessi, Hilary, my Aunt Gretchen, Raven, Jodi... It seems that the list of people I know with birthdays in May just keeps on going and going! As it happens, I’m in the midst of a busy week, but I didn’t want to let these special occasions pass without mention. So what’s a girl to do?

Simply put — it’s called the birthday tag challenge. And whether or not you know somebody this week, or even this month, who’s celebrating their special day, this challenge is designed to help you get a step ahead by creating tags BEFORE you need them. (Keep in mind, this challenge works for other occasions, too!)

One thing I love about tags is that they’re not as intimidating as completing a whole layout. After all, they’re small in size, you don’t have to sort through any photos before you start, and they’re also a great way to use up your scraps. The other thing I love about tags is that there are no rules — well, okay, there is one, and that is to HAVE FUN! Tags are a great excuse to try a new style on for size, or experiment with tools and pattern combinations, and you just might find that they’ll jumpstart your creativity for larger projects, too. So if you take part in this challenge, you’ll find yourself prepared for that month full of birthdays, not to mention just the right accent for those wrapped presents requiring a little something extra. I highly recommend that you start stockpiling now!

 

Oh, and guess what? I know of one more person who’s having a birthday this week! You may have even seen her work for Making Memories a time or two...

Happy, happy birthday, Loni!

PS. Don’t forget to upload your tags to MM’s idea gallery! 

Have Fun!

Joanna

Congrats to the following people who were randomly drawn to win a new MM Modular Organization System as well as a copy of our latest book “Decorate Life: Home Décor.”

They entered by taking the challenge from the MM Insider May newsletter.  All they had to do is upload their scrap space and lucky for them, they won! 

A big congrats to:

Laura Vegas

Colleen Erdmann

Donna Bettencourt

Ellen Rome

Email me your address so I can send your prizes!

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