CROPPED Champion 2010!!!

And the winner is..............(drum roll).....Kristin Paz!!! I had such a great time at this month's meeting. We had great sponsors (take a bow Barnes & Noble, Michael's, Creative Memories, Scrapping the Moments and Stampin' UP!). We had great judges (take a bow Cyndy Edens, Annette Martin and Ann Hayes). We had great contestants (take a bow Ammie Riggs, Melinda Brady, Kim Eddy and Kristin Paz). We had a great audience (take a bow all of you who came). We actually had way more people than Barnes & Nobles had chairs. I'm curious as to where all the chairs went they used to have. I had 60 guests at one of my computer meetings and no one stood?!?

At any rate, we had a great time, great turnout, great competition and best of all no one died. I know that sounds a bit extreme, but we had girls who were petrified at the thought of this event. I stupidly assumed that everyone would have a calm, fun time playing alongside close friends, but we have serious competitors in our midst. One girl (who shall remain Pazfully unnamed) didn't sleep much and actually woke hubby very early because she was so freaked out.

The girls were real troupers in that they took my conception and made it a great event. I came away with a load of wonderful scrapbook pages, great pictures, great memories and eventually a great scrapbook event for the record books.

The judges quietly confided that it was soooo hard to pick girls to CROP. I know I couldn't do it. I'm partial to all four of the girls. That's why I chose judges who weren't too attached to the contestants. We will have new judges next year. I plan to shake up the event by using different criteria next time. Everyone gets a chance to win! PB & J is about fun, learning and sharing.

Kristin Paz was our winner and took home a bunch of fun scrapbook and other prizes. Barnes & Noble donated gift cards, Michael's donated a lovely Christmas wreath. Ann Hayes donated a bunch of Creative Memories goodies, Annette Martin donated a load of scrapbook supplies from her store, "Scrapping the Moments" and I donated scrapbook supplies from my Stampin' UP business. We all worked together to make this an event that the girls would really enjoy. I believe we accomplished our goals.

I'm still cleaning up my office and scrapbook spaces, but it was well worth the efforts. Next year I plan to pull in more help because I have a clue how this event could be better. If you'd like to be a part of the fun please let me know.

A special thanks to Ann Carrillo for bringing tables, helping arrange stuff and just being a great friend. Thanks to hubby, Jeff Welter who photographed the fun for the group. Another thanks to the staff at Barnes & Noble for setting up tables, chairs and Joyce Silverman for advertising for us. We had a huge turnout! Yay!!!

Hope you enjoy the photos. I know I will enjoy scrapping them. I am making a CD with the pictures so if you'd like a copy let me know. I will burn a copy and mail it for the normal $5.00 to cover costs of CD, envelope and postage. Email me at cerwelt@gmail.com.

Cerise Welter
PB & J Paper Crafters
Ambassador

Today is the day! CROPPED has arrived.

I know a few gals who are chewing their nails today. I meant for this thing to be a fun event, but we have some serious competitors. Four great gals who also scrapbook will be competing for the "CROPPED CHAMPION" award. They will take unknown elements and limited time and create the best pages they can come up with. It should be a blast and I've got way too much to do today to sit here and blog it. Read the older posts for a better picture of all the fun tonight's event holds.

Again, Barnes & Noble, Midland, TX at 7:00PM November 9th. Come early for best seating as space is limited! Don't forget to get a cuppa something yummy at the cafe and be prepared to cheer your favorite on to victory.

See you there.

Cerise Welter
Permian Basin Jewels Paper Crafters
Ambassador

Only 2 More Days!

Gals,

There are only two more days until our absolutely fantabulously fun "CROPPED" event! You must come and be our audience and join in the fun. Four of the Permian Basin Jewels Gals will be competing for the "CROPPED Champion" Title. They will each be showing us their skills at scrapbooking by creating pages from a mystery envelope full of embellishments and paper. We are really anticipating a fun time and hope you'll attend. Read past posts to learn all the details.

We'll be meeting Tuesday November 9th at 7:00PM at Barnes & Noble, Midland, TX. For more info you can also email me at cerwelt@gmail.com.

Why not join our blog. The 25th member gets a prize and all others will be entered in a raffle for a prize as well. When we reach #25 I'll put your names in a bucket and draw for a scrapbook prize.

Hope to see Tuesday.

Cerise Welter
Permian Basin Jewels Paper Crafters
Ambassador

Only Seven Days Until CROPPED!!!

Gals,

It is just seven days until our fabulous "CROPPED" event happens. You do NOT want to miss this fun competition. What is CROPPED? Well imagine four experienced scrapbookers sitting at their respective seats with all their scrapbook supplies and four mystery packets in front of them. There will be four elements plus a layout that they MUST incorporate into their scrapbook pages. In 20 minutes they will be asked to design a 6"x6" page with an unknown picture and unknown papers, and embellishments. All four gals will have identical items in their mystery packets so the challenge will be to take the provided layout and supplies and make their pages stand out from each other.

We will have three experienced judges from the scrapbook world. Each one will add her "artist's eye" and pick the one scrapbooker who will be "CROPPED" from the competition. The three remaining gals will be moving on to the second round and the process will continue. In round two they will be making 8"x8" pages with new mystery elements and pictures. Again the gals will take the 30 minutes given for round two and create pages that are imaginative, use all the elements and the given layout and make a "stand out" page. The one whose page is the least effective in making her page her own will again be CROPPED.

Finally the last two gals have 30 minutes to make a 12"x12" page and the judges will then eliminate the one gal whose page is the least effective in using the elements provided. The last one standing will be given the title, "CROPPED CHAMPION" and will win some fabulous prizes.

All the gals who worked so hard will come away with ribbons, prizes and a really fun time. The rest of the onlookers will have the fun of being cheerleaders for the gals. We hope you will be a part of the fun and think about competing in our next CROPPED challenge.

Our thanks to Barnes & Noble, Michael's of Midland, Texas, Creative Memories, Scrapping the Moments of Snyder, Texas and our noble judges and brave contestants. For more information you can email me at cerwelt@gmail.com.

When: November 9th, 2010 at 7:00PM (come early for good seating)
Where: Barnes & Noble, Midland Texas
Why: 1st CROPPED competition
Who: Anyone who loves paper crafting of any kind

Cost: Free, but please bless B & N by either picking up a book or buying a cuppa java at the cafe.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Cerise Welter
Permian Basin Jewels Paper Crafters
Ambassador