Member Spotlight-Rhonda Ulichny

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your family. I live right here in Downeast Maine, born and raised here. My husband, Mike and I have been together almost 15 years and married almost 11 years. We have two wonderful children, Ryan who is five and will be headed to Kindergarten in the fall, and Mercedes who will be four in October and will be starting preschool in the fall. I was lucky enough to lose my job when Ryan was born so I have been able to be a "stay at home mom". I have loved it and hope I can continue even after they are in school full time
2. How and when did you start scrap booking? About 13 years ago I was introduced to scrap booking through a local Creative Memories consultant. I fell in love instantly! I had parties, can't tell you how many of those scissors I have kicking around the house! The last 2 1/2 years have been an eye awakening experience for me in the scrap book world. We live in kind of a rural area where there is not much to choose from for supplies, I have learned so much from scrapbook forums and mostly AC Bailey!
3. How would you describe your scrap booking style? This is hard because I really think I am a minimalist when it comes to my layouts, I don't love a lot of "stuff" on it. But sometimes I come up with a layout with so much stuff on it and LOVE it! I am not quite a flat scrapper but pretty close. Definitely not a digital scrapper, I am pretty technically challenged.
4. How often do you journal? Is it important to you? Lately I try to journal as soon as I finish the layout, however, I have stacks of layouts that I never journal and now I can't remember a thing about the layout! It is very important to me to journal, especially now that I have kids. I really want them to know about what we did, even if it wasn't a birthday or some sort of celebration. I also love to use words from songs when I really can't think of something to say about the picture or pictures, sometimes the words to the song says it all!

5. Do you have a dedicated scrap space ( room )? Yeah, sure. Two weeks before we found out we were accidentally pregnant with Mercedes my husband built me shelves and bought me a table and desk and set my spare room up as a scrap space, it was beautiful, for a short amount of time. I now have a 4' X 4' closet that I share with hundreds of DVDs and music Cd's and board games. All the stuff gets dragged out and I scrap standing up at an island in my kitchen. You would think as messy as I get with it the husband would finish our entry way, where my new scrap area will be just so we can see the counter top again!
What does it look like right now? My closet is such a mess. I find my basics that I use, but I really need to clean it up and purge, so I can see what I really have.
6. What are your "go to " tools or supplies when you scrap? Trimmer, scissors, adhesive, cardstock, patterned paper, ink and my cricut for my titles. You can make a simple beautiful layout with just that stuff. Of course lately I have been doing my journaling on the computer because I am addicted to journal strips.
7. Where do you start when you get ready to create- sketches, supplies, photos...? Nine times out of ten I start with a sketch. I just love sketches. Sometimes I like to copy it exactly, other times I just love to see how different I can make it while keeping the basic sketch intact.

8. Are you a scrapper or an artist? I wouldn't call myself an artist, though I wouldn't mind it. Scrapping for me is like therapy, it is a hobby, and in the end I have created something very meaningful for someone someday.

by:C. Mercer

Bo Bunny Calypso Collection is Here!

Check this out~this paper is amazing. I so love this line-
Think this is the most versatile paper line I have ever worked with. Lots of thought went into creating this, and it shows. This paper set can be summery, or not, for layouts of back yard fun, or not, vacation-ish or not too. It can be boyish or girlie. It can be and do anything you want it to! It IS definately lots of FUN.
For example, the Bo Bunny Hope sheet has brown notebook like paper on one side accented with a few large pattern flowers. It can be showcased as boy like or girl like. The opposite side has a very pretty floral pattern, but - if flowers are not your think, the graphics are bright and bold and done in primary colors so, in smaller pieces, it is not a "floral print" at all! There is also a sheet that are "cut outs"-you know, things like tags, floral brackets, journal boxes and other cool things to use on your pages. The other side has 4 neat 6x6 squares of interesting art and make the mind whirl with the thoughts of all the great possibilites this sheet offers-fun, fun, fun! So incredibly designed, this line can be adapted to suit any and all of your scrap needs! One word of caution here- strongly consider getting TWO paper packs as you may end up, like me, loving (and wanting to use) BOTH sides of the same sheet! I really hate it when that happens-hehehe:)

Calypso also comes with great optional accessories- fun things like:
ribbon- double dot (which means the design is on BOTH sides of the ribbon so you can be bad at tying bows and they still look nice, or you can use it on ACRYLIC sheets and it shows the "good side" on BOTH sides.
buttons and bling-A neat pack with a wide assortment of rhinestones, funky rhinestone shapes and buttons of many sizes & colors, even CLEAR ones -35 pieces in all
fabric flowers -20 blooms in one pack- enough to do any project (or two or three) with some left over. Again, they come in a great assortment of colors and styles and sizes- Bo Bunny was thinking when they did this Calypso Collection!
rub ons-the ones I used were called Imagine and they were really nice, glided on all surfaces like "butta" and I used them ALL they are addicting...
stickers-a whole sheet! I used lots of these, but have lots left for my other Calypso projects.
A little something for everyone here folks and I got to play with it all!


So, what did I DO with this paper?

I altered an acrylic album!

I used a 7 Gypsies Junque album from the ACBailey store. I love the nice heavy weight to this album and the thickness of the pages. What I did not like about this album was that there were not ENOUGH pages, I was having so much fun with the Calypso products that I used the clear craft plastic we were talking about on the forum a week or so ago and a crop - a-dile to make myself a few extra pages. It was very easy-and I love the look of the thick and thin.
Here are a few more peeks:


This project is available as a class kit (for consultants) or kitted for an individual album (just for you). If you buy the album kit, you will have plenty of stuff to make this album and LOTS of extra stuff left over after this project for a few more projects or at least 3-4 layouts, for Sure! You even get step by step directions with pictures in the kit! This looks hard, but trust me it is "Easy Peasy".
Enjoy!

While the Cat's Away Sale! One Day Only!!!

OK, ladies--it's here! A super secret sale while Erica is away on vacation!

1) Free stuff- Get a FREE gift with purchase of items in the "what's new" and "while supplies last" section of the store. Order as usual and place the word GIFT in the comment section of your order.

2) 10% off all regular merchandise (not kits) and not "what's new" or "while supplies last" cause we got that stuff covered with the gift thing above. Write DISCOUNT in the comment section of your order.

3) When you log onto the main/home page you will see a search box in the upper left corner. Type the words "yellow" or "orange" into this box and whatever pops up is even MORE on sale, take 15% off these things (for fun). Why orange and yellow? The only word I have heard from Erica is "it's HOT here! (she's in Vegas) and those are HOT colors! So type "HOT" in the comment section of your order to get this discount on these items.

*Remember--your discount won't show up right away, but it WILL appear during processing! So start shopping NOW! Sale ends at 11:59 p.m. TONIGHT!!!

--Gail (who should NEVER be left in charge!)

Afternoon Tea, anyone?

When I got my DT kit for this month I fell in love with this stuff from Scrap Within Reach...this paper was to die for...loved the colors, the distressing, the weight of the paper, the designs...I couldn't wait to get in my scrap room and start creating with it! (And I immediately ordered some of their other line, The Cottage, LOL) This LO is of Leopold, the cat, who is My daughter's boyfriend's cat. When I saw this picture of the two of them together I just knew I had to make a page. (Leopold is actually sitting on top of the refrigerator, Bryan had to get up on a chair for the picture to be taken) The scallops are stamped using a great acrylic stamp set from American Crafts, with a dot of distress stickles. A bit of stitching with a Bazzill in Stitchz template to finish it off and viola:thanks for looking :)
Elisabeth

Product Spotlight! 7/12/09

Ladies- I love using this embossing powder. It is thick and rich and easy to use-it is totally addicting! When I first opened it and started playing I experimented on paper, like things you may add to a layout.

When I saw how nice and thick it was, I decided to try Zing faux stitching! Then I got a great idea: I started adding Zing to embellishments! I took diecuts (remember office lingo?) and our incredible Bazzill chips (hearts here) and Zinged them! Look how nice they turned out. To add Zing to the diecut I just stamped the dots on the heart with a round stamp. I used one of those sponge round dauber chaulk applicators (it is black, with a sponge end, you put your finger in it) for the large dot in the center of the flower and I traced the blue outline of the journal spot with Versa Mark on a Q-tip! So much embossed glittery goodness.....I created a card! I know it is not Valentine's day but I could not waste those Awesome silver and gold hearts! Now off to scrap with the remaining blinged out die cuts!

You all have absolutely GOT to get this and try it!!!

See projects here: http://www.acbaileyltd.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=14087

--Gail

Layout of the Week: 7/11/09

Congratulations to Michelle for her awesome "Olympic Training" layout!

Freaky Friday Challenge: 7/10/09

I have been working on a Wedding album and using paper from my stash - and I have been thinking that we've been using a lot of Red, White and Blue lately, so I am going in the opposite direction

Create a layout that has NO Color (except for the photos, or not) - black, whites, beiges, grays (it's looks better than it sounds - you'll be surprised!)

Link back to this post and a winner will be drawn next Thursday!!!
Thanks!
Dee

A "little" Chatterbox

This paper set is Fabulous by Chatterbox and it is very "fabulous". I love the patterns of the papers and the colors are just another reason to call it "fabulous". It is a light weight paper and so easy to work with.

I loved the stitched felt borders and extra shapes. The chip board words were just the perfect thing to complete the layout. I used Thickers by American Crafts for my titles. I love those. I can never have to many Thickers.

On these two layouts I also used some "bling" by Kaiser. Just a little sparkle here and there.

On this layout I wanted to point out the journal box. It was hand stamped and cut out of the packaging cardboard the Chatterbox stitched felt came in. The back ground was so pretty - I had to find a way to use it. Just a little re-cycling!! All of these products are in stock at AC Bailey. Go take a look at the great products.

Have a great day an thanks for stopping by!!

by:C. Mercer

Technique Tuesday 7/7/09

Photo Corners:

I had this great visual tutorial planned and my camera is not cooperating as my close ups are blurry, so I will try to explain....

With all the patterned paper collections around, a great way to add another pattern without overwhelming your LO is to make coordinating photo corners!

Take a strip of PP - about and inch and a half wide (wider for a larger photo). Fold the paper at right angles, so that you form a corner - and viola! A custom corner...

See (blurry) photo here: http://www.acbaileyltd.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=14018

--Dee

Product Spotlight: Rangers Stickles!

I LOVE these, and this is coming from an emerging Bling Scrapper - Bling had not been my thing until these little bottles of wonderfulness came along... lined up like little rainbow people on my shelf, rarely a project goes by that I don't grab a bottle to use somewhere, whether it's to add a center to a flower, outline an embellishment, glitz up a paper flower, draw or write... and because Stickles is glitter glue, it can be used to adhere items to your projects as well! I love the look of adhering acrylic because the glitter shows through. Stickles are acid free and non-settling and if the tip clogs up, just insert a long pin into the tip and it will be perfect again. Stickles comes in dozens of colors and several distinct types - besides "regular Stickles", Glitz Stickles are shinier and have more glitter in them, Distress Stickles are in colors that match the Ranger Distress Inks and the glitter itself is chunkier and weathered looking, Ice Stickles is a heavier consistency with chunkier glitter - and to make them even better they are ON SALE this week! Use the code JULY5 to receive 10% off each one ordered (offer good online only, no other coupons can be used, one time use only).

Here's a picture of a butterfly on Basic Grey chipboard that I "Stickled Up" for a layout:

--Dee

I know you can hardly wait to see what I'm going have you dig out of the trash! Well after long thought this is what I have come up with it. Hope we will have lots of players!

Challenge: Scrapbook some "thing," not a person. Something that has a cool story or just simply something that "speaks" to you.

My example is something that speaks to me on many different levels. Most important- have fun with it. Post the link to this thread and I will pick a winner next Thursday!!

All A-Twitter

There is so much great stuff in the ACBailey store that I had a hard time deciding what to work with. The Twitterpated line from Imaginisce has just about the most adorable papers I have ever seen! I am a major softie for hedgehogs, which is probably why I fell in love with it, but there are so many nice colors and the pack is very versatile because of the double sided papers. This first layout is very simple because the photo is really pretty. I just layered torn paper on Bazzill, used a Prima stud swirl and a flower - loved using the Making Memories mini alphas along with AC Thickers for the title.As I was going through my photos, I came across this silly one of Delaney and created another simple, but whimsical layout, and cut out all the little animals and put them on pop dots. I definitely am a linear scrapper and these papers were perfect for that style of scrapping. I edged the paper with the Fiskars Threading Water Punch and used Dimensional Pearls on the swirl on the journaling spot. Many of the characters are accented with a shiny glaze which gives the paper a texture and some glimmer - not glitter. These papers would be great for Spring pictures but with just a flip over, the colors are bold and bright like this next layout that I did using the red and white polka dotted paper - the red had a beautiful sheen to it, and in another simple layout, I used a photo of Aidan and Shane at their birthday party. I used a piece of black Bazzill, a White Signo Pen to make it look like I sewed it on, matted the photo in white, and matted the Jenni Bowlin calendar in black so that it would stand out, added a title with AC Felt Thickers and Making Memories Mini Alphas, cut out a swirl from one of the papers and used a Maya Road Sheer Journaling Spot.
I am convinced, simple is better - I did these three layouts in a flash. I have tried lately to get more done in less time - there are so many great lines of products out there, I would really like to be able to use them ALL ;)
Wishing you all a Fabulous Fourth of July!
Happy Scrappin'
Dee