Contest Reminder!

Just a reminder that we are finishing up the "Favorite Vacation Spot" layout contest. If you want a chance to win a free Rhonna Farrer stamp, send me your layout by September 30!

Details here.

Layout Challenge - E-mail Memories

After about one month of Elizabeth being a college girl, I e-mailed her this question:
"So, my baby girl, is college everything you thought it would be?"

She replied and sounded so happy...so I created a layout based on our e-mails!

Now it's your turn...I challenge you to take a memorable e-mail and turn it into a layout! Send me your layouts! I may post yours here on the blog!


Supplies:

Patterned Paper:
Promenade Collection (WRMK)

Cardstock:
Bazzill

Die Cuts:
Promenade Collection (WRMK)

Ribbon:
Black & White Gingham

Alphabet Stickers:
Promenade Collection (WRMK)

Rub Ons:
Kellerman, Black Alphabet (Gin-X)
Wholy Cow Black Alphabet (Basic Grey)
Buzz Words, Black (Basic Grey)
Travel Swatch Book

Other Embellishments:
Black Square Folder Tab (Daisy D's)
Black eyelets

Stamping:
Magnetic Date Stamp (Making Memories)
Cat's Eye Inkpad, Black (cute, compact, & inexpensive!)

Fonts:
Times New Roman (e-mail journaling)
I also opened the photo in Photoshop and created a white word frame around the photo edge using CK Constitution, Renaissance, and Rugged fonts.

Survive a Long Flight

This layout highlights four photographs taken during a cross country flight from Florida to the northernmost portion of Alaska.
Things to Do on a Long Flight:

1) Take pictures of Mount St. Helens
2) Play Uno
3) Watch movies
4) Sleep during layovers

Supplies:

Cardstock & Die Cuts:
Love Notes (Cosmo Cricket)
Bazzill

Templates:
Coluzzle Large Circle, Companion Circle

Stamps:
Magnetic Date Stamp
Library Card Stamp (Provo Craft)

Ink:
Black Pigment Ink

Rub Ons:
Travel Swatch Book ImpressOns
Hudson, Black (Making Memories)
Mixed, Black (Making Memories)
Simply Stated, Mini, Journey (Making Memories)

Brads:
Mini Round Black

Marker:
Slick Writer, Black, Fine (American Crafts)

Quick and Easy Layout - Whale Bones

Short on time? Simplicity is key in this layout, Whale Bones!

Here's how: (instructions are for a 12"x12" layout but 8-1/2"X12" scrappers can modify for their needs!)

1. Select three different papers. I used two sheets from Basic Grey's Periphery Collection and a large creamy scrap from Crate Paper. Use the patterned design as the background. Center and adhere 8-1/2" x 12" cream sheet of cardstock to background sheet.

2. Use a corner rounder to round top right edge of photo.

3. You will use the third sheet of paper/cardstock as a photo mat and for the strips. Cut photo mat to size leaving a 1/4" border. (Optional step: Before adhering photo to mat, use an inkpad to lightly color the edges of photo and mat and let dry. I used white ink.)

3. After ink dries, adhere photo to mat and set aside.

4. Take remaining paper that matches photo mat and cut into strips (approx 3/8" x 11".) You can very the lengths. (option: Use inkpad to lightly color the edges of strips as noted above.)

5. After ink dries, adhere strips to cream paper at varying angles, leaving room in between for journaling.

6. Use rub ons for title. I used Misunderstood, White and Kellerman, White.

7. Add journaling.

8. Add journaling embellishments. I used pewter snowflake eyelet shapes. You can also use snowflake brads for an even simpler option.

9. Add a rub on sentiment to photo. I used Gypsy Harvest Musings, Cream. Rub on states, "Life is a journey, not a guided tour".

You're done! Now let me see YOUR version of this layout! You can e-mail your layouts to me here! I might just pick a few to showcase here on the blog!

Did you know?

You can easily keep up to date with new posts that I make on this blog by simply clicking on "Posts" under the "Subscribe To" heading located at the top right of this page! And if you want to be notified of new comments, click on that option.

Easy peasy!

Tags & Cards & Layouts...Oh My!

That's what you can create with Inkadinkadoo's new Seasonal Stamps. The Holiday Doodles set includes multiple stamps that cover a variety of uses! "To" & "From" stamps for gift tags, journaling block for scrapping, sentiments for cards, as well as beautiful swirls, borders, and snowflakes for that perfect final touch!

View and purchase the full set here!

Be Thankful...and show it!

Only two short months until Thanksgiving, and if you are always on the lookout for unique ways to celebrate, look no further than K & Co's new Fall Harvest Party in a Pad!

This pad is chock full of 270 pieces that make dinner decorating as easy as pie and includes all you need to set the scene for a marvelous and memorable meal. Personalize place cards and your scrumptious menu, fill petite favor boxes for your guests, assemble napkin rings that complement you wine glassmarkers, and create a stunning autumnal tablescape & centerpiece, then kick off the fun with conversation starters for the adults and activity sheets for the kids! And if that's not enough, the price is oh, so right!

Get your Party in a Pad now, before they disappear!

Using Fun Resources - Print Your Own News Article!

I am one who loves to incorporate unique item onto my scrapbook pages. So when I found Get Clippings.com, I just had to try it out! I decided to create a newspaper article about our trip above the Arctic Circle to Barrow, AK, and this is what I came up with.

Barrow Sentinel

Hubbs Family Swims in the Arctic Ocean

Barrow is the northernmost settlement on the North American mainland and in the United States. Owing to its location 320 miles north of the arctic Circle, Barrow's climate is cold and dry and is classified as a polar climate. So its surprising that the Hubbs family chose to take a swim in the frigid waters of Barrow's Arctic Ocean.

After their adventure, they were spotted running toward a waiting cab.

I then printed and trimmed the article and used it on a layout about our arctic "swim"!


I hope you will love this idea as much as I do...and I also hope you will share your creations with me should you decide to use GetClippings.com!

Supplies for Arctic Fun:

Cardstock:
Poolside (CherryArte)
Bazzill

RubOns:
Beach, Red (Making Memories)

Embellishments:
Snowflake Punchies (All Nigh Media, Emagination)

Layout Contest - Favorite Vacation Place (deadline 30 Sept '08)

We recently returned from a three week vacation in Alaska so of course I'm hyped about scrapping the experience! I took well over 5000 pictures so you can imagine that it has taken me a good, long while to pare those down to a manageable size for an online album.

If you are interested, you are invited to view the albums here.

I'm sure you are thinking that's all well and good, but what about the contest?!!!!!

After visiting two times, I can say without hesitation that Alaska is my favorite place on earth to visit. (Heck, I might even move there one day!)

So what about you? Where is your favorite vacation spot? Let me see it in a layout and send it to me at ShackContest@bellsouth.net before 30 September, 2008. I will pick my three faves and post them here on the blog. The three winners will each receive a Clear Flower Stamp by Rhonna Farrer!

What are the rules? Just two!

1. Only one layout entry per person for this particular contest
2. Must be based on your favorite vacation spot

Yes, the layout can be posted elsewhere online or in print.
No, it doesn't have to be a new creation.
Bonus points for using product offered in our etsy store!
Bonus points for creativity and uniqueness!
Bonus points for using one of the Shack Sketches! (tell me if you used a sketch)
Your implicit permission to post layout entries to our site is understood.

So, go ahead and fill up my mailbox...let me see those layouts!

NEW from PIGGY TALES!

The colors in this kit are the first thing that caught my eye! I adore the green/yellow/black combination...it just pops!
And did I mention that it's HUGE?!!!!! Chock full of goodies including twelve gorgeous, double-sided sheets of cardstock, cardstock alphabet stickers, Barndoors tags & frames, and a very cool sheet of coordinating rubons!

The Itsy Bitsy Spider Collection is currently available from my etsy shop with reduced shipping and handling to all addresses! Supplies are limited.

Scrapbook Sketches

In a rut? Can't quite get moving on that next layout? Then maybe one of Nicole Martel's sketches will inspire you! Thanks, Nicole, for your contributions!

More of Nicole's Sketches

Shack Sketches

Alaska - It's in the News!

With Alaska being in the headlines quite a bit recently, how about a simple layout that showcases one portion of it's beauty?


The focal points for me are 1) the hand cut arrow pointing to the actual location on the Alaska chipboard, and 2) the photo of my children taking in the splendor of a calving Alaskan glacier from their kayak!

Supplies

Paper:
Lily Kate Collection (Basic Grey) - more Lily Kate

Cardstock:
Bazzill

Ink:
Inkpad - White Pigment

Embellishments:
Blue Patterned Snowflake Brad & Photo Anchors
3 Snowflake Brads
Ric Rak - Light Blue

RubOns - Express-Ons - Brown (Seward AK)

**********
In addition to the usual additions to this site, I will be posting Alaska layouts at least once each week!

Excitement Abounds and Change is Upon Us!

We hear all about "change" from Republicans and Democrats in the upcoming presidential elections, and while change is not always a good thing, it most definitely is worth considering. And as the owner of a store in a retail category that is always changing, I think it's important for me to keep up with those industry changes. Yes, there are still a few sites out there with traditional message boards and layout galleries, but more and more, scrapbook store owners and manufacturers are moving toward the blog as a tool to reach scrappers. It was a hard decision for me to let go of forums that I worked so hard to create and manage, yet I knew that it was time for change. Thus, the Shack Blog is born!

The good news is that our faithful members will still be able to communicate on the Shack Blog and I will now have more time to devote to updating a single informative site rather than constantly having to update multiple locations. I will keep the Shack Blog current with:

• New Product Announcements
  
• Visual Examples using the New Products
• Tutorial Video's
• Creative Cards
  
• Challenges
• Photography Tips
  
• Contests and Prizes
• Home Decor
  
• Sales and Discount Codes
• Shack Sketches
• Informative Links
• Cool Scrapbook Kits
  
• Genealogy "How To's"
• and so much more!

So don't delay! Bookmark the Shack Blog now and check back often for scrappy excitement!

Susan