Fun Finds at Scrapbook Expo

Hi there!  I know it's been a while since I posted, but I just got back from Scrapbook Expo and I couldn't wait to share some of the fun stuff I found there!  So rather than spend a lot of time taking pictures and typing up paragraphs of descriptions, I thought I'd make a quick video!

Please bear with me.  This is the first video blog I've ever done, and it has a few issues! But if you don't mind my hemming and hawing, or the camera falling over, then please enjoy!

Watch Out for Convention “Deals”

I just wanted to keep this short and sweet to tell you about a little discovery I’ve made.  You see, I’ve learned that you can’t always trust the pricing at conventions.  I know…I know…we all go there expecting to lots of swag for very less than we would pay in a store or online.  But I’m here to tell you, that’s not always the case.  Take for instance these Craft Décor brand Chalk Writer pens. 

I first discovered these pens at Scrapbook Expo in February.  They were included in a Make-n-take kit from Scrap That!  They were so popular after everyone used them in the make-n-take that they sold out of several colors.  I had planned to stock up on them, but kept talking myself out of it until it was too late.  So this year, I resolved to go buy at least a few.

Fast forward to Great American Scrapbook Convention this past weekend here in Arlington…. Scrap That! had the markers again, so I talked myself into buying a few. The only thing stopping me was that I didn’t know what color marker I had in my Scrapbook Expo kit, so I decided to wait until I could check for sure.  In the mean time, Jennifer wanted to stop at the Daiso store here in Carrollton to have a look around.  Lo and behold, what did I see?

Yep, you guessed it, a whole rack of the VERY SAME pens!  Only these were marked $1.50 instead of $3 each!  I bought up every color they had, spending $15 instead of twice that at the convention.  I saw several other items priced higher at the convention than online or in local stores, so it wasn’t just a one-time thing.  Now, I will grant you, not every item you find at convention is priced that way; you can get some really good deals.  Just be sure to check the pricing elsewhere before you commit or you might be spending more than you intended!

Crafting on the Go!

Do you ever wonder where all your time goes?  I do!  With two companies to run (Crafty Neighbor and my travel agency, Crafty Neighbor Travel), I am constantly busy running here, running there, finishing this, working on that.  A lot of time gets wasted driving in traffic (especially construction!) and waiting for web pages and computer applications to load, process, or do whatever it is that makes everything seem so S-L-O-W.  And I feel like I never have any time to scrapbook or craft.  One way that I remedy that is to take a little bit of crafting with me wherever I go, and it’s a lot easier than it sounds.

Since I seldom have large chunks of time to work on my favorite projects, I have to make use of the little bits of time I do have…the little bits that seem to always get wasted here and there…for instance, sitting at the doctor’s office or car wash.  By keeping a small project in my car, (usually something that I can carry in my purse or a small tote bag), I can make use of all that idle time.  My favorite projects to carry around these days are knitting and crochet, especially scarves because they are repetitive and I don’t have to read the pattern once I get it started.  I’ve also brought along a notebook for journaling, a sketchbook for drawing, and even my Zentangle supplies.  Photos can be cropped on the go with a small paper trimmer, and Provocraft’s Gypsy is great for portable die cutting projects.

As a travel agent, I also spend a lot of nights in hotels on business-related trips, and rather than while away the hours watching free HBO, I frequently bring some crafty materials with me to work on.  My favorite things to work on are my smash book and my art journal, but I have also worked on 12x12 page layouts during Layout a Day, and I’m getting ready to start on a mini-album to document all the scrapbook stores I’ve visited over the years.  I like projects like these because I can usually get away with bringing only a small paper trimmer and a few embellishments or supplies (think shoe box, etc.).  Just this weekend, I was traveling with my daughter Christen and we both brought our art journals to work on.  The bed makes a great workspace; just make sure you bring a mat to protect the bedding.

Here’s some of what I worked on. 

These are just the beginnings of pages in my journal.  The loose paper will be a Zentangle when I’m done with it.  They are both projects in my 365 Challenge. 

And this is my little travel kit of supplies.  I actually took more than this box on this trip, but I can usually manage with just this box.  It contains my Copic markers, an assortment of pens and pencils, a few small stamps, ink, and washi tape.  I even threw a few small stencils in just for grins.

Speaking of traveling…the reason for our journey to the Houston area was two-fold.  The main purpose was for me to inspect the Carnival Magic cruise ship as a requirement for my CLIA Accredited Cruise Counselor certification.  (It’s a fabulous ship, by the way!)  The other purpose was to visit those three scrapbook stores in the Houston area (because who can pass up an opportunity to shop at a new scrapbooking store?), and the third reason was to promote our 2015 Crafty Neighbor Scrapbooking Cruise! 

I am so excited to announce that the next Crafty Neighbor Scrapbooking Cruise will be:

October 4 - 11, 2015

on a

7-Night Caribbean Cruise

aboard the

Royal Caribbean

Navigator of the Seas

including the ports of

Falmouth, Jamaica

George Town, Grand Cayman

and

Cozumel, Mexico

Starting at just $741* per person!

We have all-new instructors this year bringing a wide variety of projects and styles, and we’ll have an official announcement very soon, but in the mean time, here’s a few hints: 

• We’ll have a store-owner onboard along with a mini-store
• One of the instructors is Copic certified to teach both the Standard and Intermediate Level
• We’ll be focusing on lots of new techniques including more scrapbooking and cardmaking
• Best of all, it’s all included in the cost of your cruise!

Our annual cruise is probably my favorite way to take my crafting with me on the go, and it’s a sure-fire way to get in as much quality time with your craft supplies as you could possibly want!  If you’d like more information about how you could spend 7 blissful days at sea with your scrapbooking pals, just click on the advertisement on the top left of this blog, or visit our website at http://www.craftyneighbor.com

And before I leave…here is the info on the three stores we visited in the Houston area:

• Scrapp’n Savvy; Spring:  http://www.scrappnsavvy.com
• The Scrap Shack; Friendswood: http://www.scrapshacktexas.com
• Croppin’ Bug Scrapbooking; Texas City:  http://www.croppinbug.com

If you’re in the Houston area, try to stop by and visit these 3 stores.  The ladies there were very friendly and they all carry different products.  It will be well worth your trip.

Question of the day:  What kinds of crafty projects have you managed to take with you on the go, and how did that work out?

Croppin', Shoppin' and More....

I am so excited that our Mother's Day Out crop parties are back in swing and I have met so many great ladies these past few weeks!  Last week, we visited The Crafty Scrapper in Waxahachie. And next week we are going to Scrappin' Goodtime in Corsicana. The weeks in between, we crop here at Crafty Neighbor Studios in Carrollton.  These little trips and crops are so much fun and we have met a lot of new croppers and learned a lot of new tips and skills.

Today we are here at Crafty Neighbor Studios.  Here's a picture of us having fun:

If you are in the Dallas area and are interested in joining us for our little crops, we meet every Thursday and you can check out our schedule and sign up to join us by visiting our Meetup.com page.

This Saturday, we have another event coming up -- our semi-anual scrapbook garage sale.  If you like to shop, come out and check out some of the many bargains.  We have 16 sellers with 40+ tables of merchandise for your shopping pleasure -- there's sure to be a great bargain just waiting for you!

We also have one more awesome event coming up in August, and that is our annual Think Pink Crop for the Cure!  We will be gathering on August 16 for a full day of cropping, shopping, and raising money for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure which supports various breast cancer charities.  If you would like more information, please visit our website at http://www.craftyneighbor.com/retreats/2014/pink14/2014pink.html

That's it for today.  I need to quit playing with this blog and actually do some scrapbooking!  Have a great day!

Shop 'til You Drop!

Scrapbook Expo is coming to the Gaylord Convention Center this weekend.  I am so excited, I just can’t contain myself!  I plan to do lots and lots of shopping.  I’ll also be passing out some goodies and information about our upcoming Scrapbooking Cruise and cropping at the “Team Spirit” themed crop party.  If you see me out there, stop by to say hello.  Our table at the crop will feature a College Rivalries theme.  Look for me in the Texas A&M t-shirt!  Or if you catch me out on the convention floor, I'll be wearing a Crafty Neighbor scrapbooking cruise shirt. Mention this blog and ask me for a “goodie” – I’ll have some special little gifts just for convention goers who read this blog!  

Think about shopping at convention makes me recall a fun layout I did a while back.  Our whole family spent Christmas in Mazatlán, Mexico one year, and we traveled without gifts for anyone.  So on Christmas Eve, we spent the afternoon shopping as only girls on vacation can.  What fun!  When we got back, I just had to do a cute layout that expressed all the fun and excitement we experienced.  The bold patterns and colors combine in busy layers to remind us in vivid detail all the wonderful sights, sounds, and smells of the Mexican markets.  Just looking at the page makes me want to go back!

Papers by Basic Grey