Scrapbook & Cards Today Blog

SCT Cards For Kids update and a beautiful reader's submission!

Happy Halloween for all our friends that celebrate this fun filled (ahem, chocolate and candy filled!) holiday.  Although this is the first year I don't have any little ones trick or treating, I still cannot wait to see the cute ghosts, zombies and princesses that will come to the door tonight.  A little bittersweet but still fun nonetheless especially when I don't have to help "sort" the candy tonight  :)   

For those that follow this blog regularly you might remember our SCT Cards for Kids initiative we started back in May of this year with this post.  I am so thrilled to tell you that we received about 700 cards from all around the world.  Countries like Germany, Russia, Sweden, England, not to mention hundreds from Canada and the US.  Each time an envelope came in to the office marked "SCT Cards for Kids" my heart grew.  So full of pride that our readers would take time from their busy lives to not only make these cards but to pay to post them to us with the sole purpose of bringing a smile to a child.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  This past weekend I had the pleasure of providing all the cards we have received so far to Pamela Bielak, founder of Crafting for a Cure...

(sorry for the quick iPhone snap!)

Pamela was so touched by the amount of cards we shared (and the image is only one of two boxes) that she was moved to tears, and so was I.  The sentiments written in the cards were beautiful and we know that children receiving these cards will appreciate them in such a special way.  Way to go SCT readers, keep them coming!   For those that would like to create and send a card or cards here's how:

Create a card for a child with an inspirational message (not a get well soon card as sadly, not all the children have a positive outcome), sign your name and send it to our offices with an envelope to:

Scrapbook & Cards Today
Cards for Kids
139 Church Street
Markham, Ontario
L3P 2M2

We will take all these amazing cards and provide them to Crafting For a Cure who will then send them to hospitals across Canada and the US.  Easy right?  Just knowing we brought a smile to a child facing a difficult time is uplifting.  So let's get to work SCT friends and let's see if we can send another 700 cards!

We also wanted to take a moment today to share a great layout sent to us by reader Sue Althouse...

"Just wanted to share a layout I created that was inspired by the Fall 2013 Issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today. I combined the Page Maps sketch on p. 30 (the one Laura Vegas used) with one of the Memories Page Starters prompts on p. 44, "your current schedules and routines." ~ Sue Althouse

Thank you Sue for sharing this beautiful layout.  The design, colours and sweet touches make it special.  I know many that start their day at Tim Horton's too!

Have a good night tonight friends!  Be safe and you have my express permission to have an extra candy...or two!  Be sure to join us tomorrow as the "stars" may align and one of our favourite kit companies just might join us with a treat!

~  Catherine

A flag banner tutorial with Kim Hughes!

Good morning!  Happy Wednesday SCT friends!  Today we have Kim Hughes from Paper Smooches Stamps joining us to share a quick tutorial on creating a fun flag banner for your cards or layouts.

"Typography and flags are all the rage, so I thought I'd show you how to make the most of your flag dies!

 

Supplies: Paper Smooches - Good Gab, Sentiment Sampler, Flag Tags dies, Snowflakes dies; Bazzill cardstock, Hero Arts ink; Hemptique twine; Avery Elle sequins

 To create this card you will need to die cut 7 flags (4 in one color and 3 in another)

Cut off 1/2" off each end of all of the white flags), 1/2" off each end from 2 of the kraft flags and 1" off from one end from 2 of the kraft flags like this:

Position your flags and plan placement

Stamp sentiments 

Adhere flags by overlapping the top corners of the sentiment strips.

 

You can add as many front panels as you like...change the colors to make each project truly unique.  Try journaling on your page with this fun technique."

It's always a pleasure joining the Scrapbook & Cards Today Team!"~  Kim Hughes

Thank you for joining us Kim.  For those that might remember, Kim Hughes was part of the SCT team way back in the early days before creating her own company Paper Smooches which just got a brand new look so be sure to check it out here.  They will also have their brand new release going live tomorrow! (I *may* have seen a sneak peek!!!)   You can also visit Paper Smooches on Facebook and give Kim a "hello!"

Tomorrow I'll share an update on SCT Cards for Kids and a great reader layout inspired by the fall issue.  Have a fabulous day!

~ Catherine

 

Tag Tuesday with Vicki Boutin!

Last Tuesday of the month means…it's Tag Tuesday!!!  For October I decided to go with some additional "chalk board" products that I had gathered for my Designer's Notebook column in the fall issue featuring…chalk board art!!!  Instead of a standard tag I created a tag on a small paper bag.  Fun and great for gift cards! Or you could slide a sweet treat inside.

 
As I often do, I added project leftovers to the tag, too.  I find that my technique remnants are perfect embellishments for tags and cards.  In this case I used a piece of filter paper that I had embossed with gold as a background layer on my tag/envelope.

 
To finish this one off I added some Queen & Co goodies (straw, bag and polka dot gems) and some stars from Pink Paislee.  The awesome chalkboard items are from My Mind's Eye!!!

 Hope you get a few minutes to sit down and whip up a few tags today.  Thanks for stopping by!

~  Vicki Boutin

** 7 days until Markham Crop & Create registration opens (6 days for alumni!!!)  **

A little Halloween inspiration from around the web!

Did you like my little funny in the title?  We are just back from a wonderful, fun-filled weekend at the Creativ Festival in Toronto.  It was a busy three days of classes, make n' takes, meeting, greeting and so much more.  Thank you to all our friends that stopped by and to all our new friends we met, welcome!  It was great to hear how many will be joining us at Crop & Create Markham (registration opens next Monday!) and it was great to hear the excitment for the launch of the new 2014 Sketch Planner.   It was a great three days! 

Today we came across some super great Halloween projects we just had to share with you...

This beautiful layout by Kelly Goree features an exclusive line for Target from American Crafts.  You can also see another great layout by Kelly on the American Crafts blog (psssttt....and there's a giveaway too!!)

We caught this fun treat basket project by Shellye McDaniel last week that features May Arts Ribbon.  SO stinkin' cute! 

From the Pink Paislee blog, we loved this sophisticated frame by Jess Mutty using some digital elements from the Pink Paislee digital store.  Jess shares another project there too.  Love it!

Are you creating some Halloween projects?  Be sure to link them up in the comments section below.

Have a great Monday friends!  

~  Catherine

 

A new partner giveaway! A Scrap 'N Easel!

We are excited to share today's giveaway friends!  At many of our Crop & Create education events we see ladies using this innovative crafting tool.  As a new partner, Scrap 'N Easel would love to give one away to a lucky SCT reader!  It's magnetic, ergonomic and best of all it's portable too.  

If you would love to win one of these "must haves" for your scraproom, just leave a comment below by Thursday, October 31st!  Good luck!

We would love you to welcome our new partner by visiting their Facebook page and thanking them for this fabulous giveaway.  Our partners always love to hear from you!

We are at the Creativ Festival in Toronto today so if you are visiting over the weekend, be sure to stop by and see us!  We are making and taking all weekend long  :)

~  Catherine

New "Just Ask Jen" video and layout!

In Jen Gallacher's brand new video she shares tips and tricks for adding manual die cut shapes to a layout. Jen uses Spellbinder dies to cut shapes from the "Memories Captured" collection from Fancy Pants Design!

 

Here is the finished layout:

and some detail images...

Jen also has another great "Memories Made" video series starting this month on her blog here.  The first video highlights diagonal design!  

Go grab a cup of something great, put your feet up and enjoy Jen's videos!  The SCT team is setting up for the amazing Creativ Festival in Toronto this weekend.  A three day event filled with papercrafting, knitting, quilting, sewing, beading and so much more.  If you are around be sure to stop by and say "hello!"

~  Catherine