And The Winner Is....

I had a wonderful booth for PB & J Paper Crafters at the Permian Basin Fair this year. I had a drawing for a door prize. (A gift bag full of all sorts of goodies.) I know everyone wants to know who won so I'm announcing here that Melody Daniels of Wink, Texas won it.

I now need to mail it to her. Thanks for everyone who came by the booth and supported me. I'm hoping to have some other gals sit for an hour or so and make crafts AND submit goodies in the fair. If you'd like to enter something next year let me know. I'll walk you through the process. I know I loved winning 14 ribbons, but I know that had you gals submitted that number would have been much smaller! So seriously think about a card, a scrapbook or page you'd like to enter. I have minimal experience in this arena and won. I can only imagine what you gals with years of paper crafting experience could do.

Have an awesome weekend. I'm going to a CROP tomorrow and having a workshop at "The Littlest CROP House in West Texas" on Sunday afternoon (Gardendale, TX). If you'd like to know more let me know. You can always reach me at cerwelt@gmail.com. I get my emails on my cell and answer real mail VERY quickly.

Till then.

Cerise Welter
PB & J Paper Crafters
Ambassador

Meeting Notes

I have been so busy with the Permian Basin Fair that I am just now putting up the meeting highlights from our September meeting. Ammie Riggs was our guest speaker and her presentation was great. She brought a new product for us to enjoy, "Embellish Your Story". Here she is putting one of her favorite scrapbook pages on the metal display board and adding the cute magnet embellishments. I can hardly wait for October so we can see and buy the fall embellishments. I WANT the pumpkin and the little cute magnets. My fridge is black and the ladybugs I bought are adorable on it as well!

We also discussed the upcoming competition, "CROPPED" and had four gals sign us as contestants and one as an alternate. If you missed this meeting you'll really want to come to October's meeting to learn more about this fun new event we're going to make a regular part of our "Must Do" list. If you want to learn more about CROPPED read the previous blog posting.

I shared a technique using the new "Day of Gratitude" rubber stamps from Stampin' Up! and the marker pens. We will be using this new technique at my monthly stamp club meeting in Gardendale. If you haven't signed up holler. We'll also be doing some cute "Trick or Treat" cards with hilarious punched embellishments. Hope you come. You can always email me at cerwelt@gmail.com to learn more about the stamp club.

I'm working on something fun for October's meeting. I like to be a couple month's ahead, but getting ready for the fair really set me behind. I'm also collecting cards and scrapbook pages for our group submission for next year. You can submit any kind of greeting card, paper craft or scrapbook (single pages as well) and I will submit it under the group's name with the individual name of the gal submitting. I want everyone in the group to go home with a ribbon next year! Think about it now and when you make duplicates of something save it for our box and I'll keep them until we can submit next September.

We will be discussing forming an actual club next month so if you're interested in really participating and adding your thoughts PLEASE come. I have been the "little red hen" in previous clubs and know better. I will let this club go if I can't get gals interested in helping. I need you and your gifts. I don't mind starting something, but keeping a dead horse alive isn't my goal. If you love scrapbooking and love sharing your hobby with others then I need you to participate. Good clubs don't survive with one person doing all the work. They get old, dry and boring. Your thoughts, your creativity makes this thing work.

CROPPED!!!

Hey you GALS!!! Tonight is going to be so much fun. We have a great guest speaker (Ammie Riggs) and she's bringing an awesome presentation. She's demoing "Embellish Your Story". This product allows you to actually display your favorite scrapbook pages in a creative and easily changeable way. You pick a magnetic background in one of several colors. Then you choose the magnetic words and embellishments that not only hold your page but dress it up. You can create a triptych (three pages) or even just a two page spread of your favorite pages. You will love this demo and would hate it if you missed it.

NEXT we're planning our November competition "CROPPED". Loosely based on the TV show, "CROPPED" from the Food Network (http://www.foodnetwork.com), this game will be a blast. We will have three gals lined up on a scrapbooking table. Each will be given identical scrapbook supplies (gals need to bring their own photos and tools). They will compete for 30 minutes and make a layout. After time is called their work will be judged. The one with the lowest score will be eliminated. Then we repeat the process. Again the pages will be judged. The winner gets a great prize and the other gals will get ribbons. I know it will be great fun. I need all of you to come and help me determine rules, and plan all the details.

We will also talk about the fair because there are still several days left to come see the Creative Arts submissions (BARN G) at the Permian Basin Fair. I really want to submit cards, scrapbooks and other paper crafts from our gals so we'll talk about next year's theme and how EASY it is to submit and win. It's so nice to have folks see your work (after all most of our scrapbooks are relegated to coffee tables or bins in the attic).

If you have ANY questions you can email me at cerwelt@gmail.com.

When: Sept 14, 7:00PM
Where: Barnes & Noble, Midland TX
What else: door prizes, and don't forget to get something good from the cafe!

Come be part of the fun.

Cerise Welter
Permian Basin Jewels Paper Crafters
Ambassador

Stampin' Up Convention 2010

I'm back and still whirling in my mind after all the excitement. I've never seen so many scrapbookers, card makers, rubber stamp users, paper crafting women (and a few men) in one place. It was like being at the biggest CROP in history. I heard there were 2700 women (and a few men) in attendance. I also heard that was down from past years, but for my first experience I think it was the perfect number.

We had classes, workshops, games, parties, swaps (I'll share more about that later), food, snacks, and even a chocolate fountain! I didn't attend all the events, but the ones I did participate in were very informative. I'm rather a laid back sort of woman, so a lot of the hoopla was more than I could enjoy, but for girls who love lots of laughter, music, merry making and girl fun it was perfectly wonderful.

When we arrived we were given THE most adorable purse. It was bright pumpkin pie orange with melon mambo, whisper white and blushing bride pink circles. We were also given three sets of rubber stamps. Through out the four day event I collected all sorts of goodies so my suitcase was really heavy on the trip back to Texas.

The girls in attendance brought boxes full of card fronts and scrapbook pages to swap with each other. They had prearranged to have specific swaps covering specific stamps or subject matter. I was blessed enough to be gifted by a couple gals when they found out I was new and hadn't brought any to exchange.

We had many guest speakers, but I had a couple who turned out to be my favorites. I loved the gal (can't think of her name) who showed us a bunch of ways to use punches. She could sure think "outside the box". Another woman shared business ideas and how to meet the needs of our customers in a load of great ways. I bought her book as I was so impressed with her ideas and her ideals.

Hubby and I came together so instead of spending nights with the gals at the convention we shared quiet time alone and I showed him what I had learned.

There were all sorts of "display" walls set up with card ideas, scrapbook pages, and gift ideas. I am still feeling overwhelmed at all the creative juices that were flowing in that building.

Salt Lake City is a beautiful place. The temperature was right around the low 90s and it even rained a couple times keeping the temps down. We saw all sorts of interesting things after the convention. We had a good time and I was glad I went and that I learned so many new things.

Gadgets and More Gadgets

Permian Basin Jewels Paper Crafters is having it's monthly meeting Tuesday July 13th at 7:00PM at Barnes & Noble in Midland, TX.

This month is all about gadgetry to make paper crafting fun. We will learn the good, the bad and the ugly regarding our favorite and not so favorite tools.

Bring a favorite tool of your own to share.

This meeting is open to the public and there is no cost to join us. Door prizes and just a great time for a bunch of craft happy women.

Hands on demonstrations and questions answered. New products and lots of helpful hints for you scrapbooking gals.

Some of the gadgetry demonstrated: punches, score boards, Crop-A-Dile and Big Bite, Circle cutters, Paper Crimpers, and much more. Ideas to use what you already have in a bunch of new ways.

Bring, yourself, paper and pen, your favorite gadget, $5.00 for the monthly CD.

For directions or for more information you can reach me at cerwelt@gmail.com.

See you there.

Cerise Welter
PB & J Paper Crafters
Ambassador

Knock, Knock

I was at our ministry house today and planned to be all creative and get loads done. Instead I made one thing and then cleaned and reorganized my space. I needed inspiration. Here is all I made. It consists of a tablet back, some grunge board elements from Tim Holtz, brads with alphabets, and ink. I first split the tablet back into two pieces. I then inked it with Stampin Up inks. I used three colors of ink. Then I ruled the "doors" every half inch and drew lines. I then proceeded to make faux knots. After using my Crop-a-dile and Big Bite to make holes for my brads.

I had never worked with grunge board before. It is very flexible, but takes inking very well. I used "Early Espresso" from Stampin Up and then some gold ink from another company. (Sorry I can't remember who.) After they dried I applied some adhesive to the back of the hinges and door lock and applied them to the "door". Once I put the brads in place I added binder rings and voila, they were too small. I found one size larger binder rings and used them. Voila again. (I think I need one sized larger!)

I plan to make pages to go inside my door book. I love the look and plan to add more elements such as keys and perhaps a door sign. It was so much fun and I like the look I achieved. What do you think?

So fun.

Cerise

The Love of Our Art

This past weekend is a blur. I can't believe it came and went so quickly! More amazing is that I survived and also made three new friends (amigas). Welcome Ana, Irma y Paula!

I had no idea when my little sister gave my a tiny little chipboard scrapbook that I'd end up having so many girl friends with a like hobby. OK, so some of you are more than hobbyists, but we'll let that be our secret Vicky! Oops, did I really type that Melinda? Yes Ammie I did. OK, so now three women are staring at me with their hands on their hips.

Every time we get together I learn more about the gals. Our instructor at the CROP, Annette, started a game where we recall funny stories. It was there I learned more about the girls who attended this CROP. It's funny, though we had a full house I miss several of the gals I met at Viv's store in Odessa. I miss Lisa and Tina and Cindy. I pray for them cause I don't see them much. I really pray for Viv and Cindy as they have had some real physical issues in the past year.

The world is a funny place and scrapbooking is a vent for some of us. It is also a place to reflect, to remark, to recall, to illustrate and to create. Hopefully no one will write some stupid "rule book" about scrapbooking. I can promise you I'll break every rule they make. Who says you have to have photos in a scrapbook? Who says you have to use little black photo corners? Who says you can't use a computer? It doesn't matter to the gals I play with, we do things our own way. We do love to share the arts we use in our chosen hobby. I refuse to call it passion, I reserve that for the Lord and Him alone.

I'm so in love with what I do that I do it for money! That is very unusual for me. I'm headed to my office in our other house to work on my passion. I don't just do scrapbooking, I also do paper crafting. I don't know why I love working with paper. It's such a fragile art and so susceptible to decay. I just love finding new paper. My friend Vicky is really good at finding paper. I love her style of art. I would love to just sit and watch her work. I haven't had time to do that yet, but maybe we will find time to share just how she gets the results she works for!

I'm learning the lingo of the scrapbooker. I know a few names now and can even "name drop" them with the more experienced artists. Tim Holtz is into altered art and I relish his finished products. K & Company feeds my artsy fartsy side. Bo Bunny has some awesome paper and cardstock goodies. Cricut is always innovating with electronic die cutting technology. Everyone should own a "Big Shot" or at the very minimum a "Cuttlebug". What would life in the handmade card making industry be without the Martha Stewart Scoring Board (Which can be had for $10 with a 50% off coupon at Michael's). Of course I'm a rep with Stampin' Up! and I love their stamps, inks and papers. I'm presently looking for "grungeboard" so I too can join the ranks of the industrial chic!

I hope you will post a comment and also tell others to follow this blog. I crave input and want to meet all the scrapbook artists, card making gurus, and you closet altered artists come share your gifts. If you'll link to me, I'll link to you! Follow me and I'll follow you on FB and Twitter!

May the force of scrapbooking be with you!

Cerise Welter
PB & J Paper Crafters
Ambassador and Evangelist Diva