Card Making While on Vacation ...

... can be very interesting. I brought along some basics like paper, adhesive, a few stamps, but I also left some basics like scissors and stamping ink. You see my quandary especially after looking @ this card that I attempted.

However, after a visit to the Great American Scrapbooking Convention (GASC) in Chantilly, VA, I am sort of on the right track. I had a really nice time there and picked up lots of goodies there:

• New SEI Jolie Chocolat large paper pack
• New SEI Jolie Chocolat small paper tablet
• Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder
• American Crafts ribbon
• Basic Grey paper tablets (Lily Kate and Sultry)
• 4 bottles of liquid pearls
• Heidi Swapp chipboard letters
• Heidi Swapp script date stamp
• Heidi Swapp 'favorite' stamp
• Bazzill flowers
  

I was able to produce three mini-cards. (3.25x4.5) though I had to partially invade my sister's stash to accomplish that.

It will be July before I return home to my own personal stash ... remind me next time not to go on a three week vacation.

Card making on hold ...

I've virtually stopped making cards and working on projects over the past week. It just got too hectic (I was in a wedding and I've been interviewing for jobs and, so I had to put the goodies away. I've made an occasional card, but mostly I'm consumed by other non-cardstock related business.

However, not making cards should not be confused w/not purchasing items to use when I resume my passion. I've ordered a few things like some unmounted stamps from Ma Vinci (can't wait to mount those babies; I got Flea Market, but I still need to get some EZ Mount and some Kai scissors to cut through the rubber); I have the heart Cookie Cutter dies from Quickutz as well as a couple of the Revolution flower dies, oh and the Thanks embossed Revolution die. I am marveling over that and I need to think of something really neat to do w/that one. If you don't know the CC dies work in the Cuttlebug.

I have some new Stampin Up! stamps (yes, I have to mount those too, but the mounting materials are included w/these). I have Happy Everything and Think Happy Thoughts sets - I wll be happy to use them!

Other goodies include more photo boxes (but not for photos, but to store the scrapbooking goodies), some stickers ... oh, sidebar: I purchased some cardstock stickers and they got bruised in the packaging and some of them are unuseable, so I sent the manufacturer an email to inform them abou the ill packaging. They promptly responded and asked for my address to send me replacements; the replacement arrived over the weekend, but funny thing, the replacement got bruised in the packaging too! Thanks none the less.

So that's the update for now ... if you are at the scrapbooking table, make a lil something w/me in mind.

Your One-Stop Paper/Scrapbooking Stop!

I love Hollo's! I love this store. I don't quite know how to describe it in terms of its contents. They have everything you need to plan and execute a party. But I go specifically for the paper supplies and envelopes.

So let me give you an idea of what they have: lots of paper and in so many varieties; textures and colors. But the best thing about the paper is that most of it is only $1 per pound!!! Love that.

I also like the variety of envelopes that they carry. They have lots colors and the sizes are extremely diverse. For example, they have 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 and 6 x 6 and so many move.

Another good thing is they have stacks of cardstock precut at 5 x 8. That means I can score this paper at 4 inches and I'm ready to start card making. These stacks of 100 are $1!

They also have invitations, christmas cards, scrapbooking supplies and more. So let's say you are planning a wedding and are on a reduced budget, Hollo's is the place for you (heck, I purchased everything in the photo for $17). It will not be expensive at all.

I got to Hollo's about 2-3 times per year. But I did ask if they will take orders over the phone. They say they prefer if you send the a sample of the paper since their paper is rarely the same. Good folks and good deals.

**I was not paid to write this glowing review of Hollo's; just want to share the love

My craft studio

I've been playing w/some of my new stuff lately. I have lots of stuff to play w/these days.

Also, I am now beginning to envision my new studio! I saw this desk (pictured here) that is incredible. I like it for its design and flexibility! Sometimes I like to stand, but sometimes I like to sit; just depends on what I am working on.

I also want lots of file space/drawers to hold all the paper and cardstock that I use so much. I have not quite decided how I want to store my ribbon. I'm thinking of a combination of spools hanging on a rod and using jars as well.

What to do w/all the tools and embellishments will be quite interesting. Of course, I could use cabinets and I like that idea best so far. I even thought of storing items in smaller storage bins in the cabinets so that if I need to pull the bin down to view the contents it will be easy enough to do that.

The really big thing that I am going to have that I do not currently have is a sewing machine! I absolutely love when I see sewing on cards and scrapbook pages. I've tried to duplicate the techinique w/stamps or a gel pen, but it's just not the same; so a sewing machine is a must have.

Enjoy this lil card that I made!

Patterned paper: American Crafts

Letter rubons, fabric Birthday sticker and flower charm: Making Memories

Ribbon: unknown

**photo borrowed from Anthro Corp. Technology Furniture