embellish IT!

2011

2010-12-31T15:32:00.000-08:00

I wanted to wish all of you the very best in 2011!!

embellish IT! has just finalized our 2011 schedule. in addition to consumer scrapbook shows this year we are also launching our play all day events & we are offering another cruise in 2011. here

2011 schedule:

march 5 - northern california - play all day
march 11&12 - louisville, ky - ck convention
march 25&26 - portland, or - ck convention
april 8&9 - st.louis, il - ck convention
april 15&16 - mesa, az - ck convention
april 29&30 - manchester, nh - ck convention
may 5-7 - novi, mi - great lakes mega meet
may 14 - orlando, fl - play all day
may 15-22 -western carribean - cruise
june 2-4 - arlington, tx - great american show
june 17&18 - buffalo, ny - ck convention
july 16 - boise, id - play all day
july 28&30 - valley forge, pa - ck convention
august 19&20 - tulsa, ok - ck convention
august 26&27 - charlotte, nc - ck convention
september 10 - southern california - play all day
sept 16&17 - san marcos, tx - ck convention
october 8 - mesa, az - play all day
october 21&22 - kansas city, mo - ck convention
november 11&12 - seattle, wa - ck convention

if you would like to help in the booth at any of our conventions - we pay well (cash), it is not hard & we have ALOT of fun! please email: shelby@embellishonline.com

we are very excited about our play all day events - we have 5 locations:

northern california
orlando, flordia
boise, id
southern california
mesa, az

our play all day schedule is as follows:
9am-midnight: open crop
11am-1pm: class #1
1:00 pm: italian buffet lunch
3pm-4:30 pm: class #2
* we will have various project kits available for sale at the event.

i hope you can join me for a fun day of cropping, classes, & prizes. i have missed so many of you in areas we don't do scrapbook shows anymore. i am very excited to get to know many of you better & scrapbook in an intimate enviroment. Please spread the word - invite your friends! I appreciate your support.

for more information & to register for play all day go HERE

i am looking forward to 2011 & have some exciting things in the works for a fabulous year! i appreciate the support in the past & hope to see many of your faces in the upcoming year.

Finally.... the winner!

2010-09-07T17:19:00.001-07:00

Well I must say you have ALL done such a fabulous job responding to this challenge. I am so impressed with your use of products for pages that stretch the imagination and usefulness. THANK YOU to everyone who participated. Which brings me to our winner. I must say, I love Origins and what Chris has done with this page. The photos are just oo darn cute... I could never put bunny ears on my golden. He would mangle them in no time flat! LOL! I love the use of the leaf stickers and the cluster of embellies. Origins is the perfect collection to use with this set of photos. Job WELL DONE! And Congrats Chris. Please email Shelby at shelby@embellishonline.com to claim your $25 gift certificate to the Embellish It! online store.

As always, we thank you for giving us the opportunity to earn your business!

Have you met Oliver & Olivia?! And a contest!!!

2010-08-10T06:13:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love most about Basic Grey products is their versatility. I love that I can use the products for subjects that are not necessarily what the product theme is. For example, in the layouts below I used the Oliver and Olivia collections - for travel pages. The colors in each collection worked well with the photos I wanted to scrap. With the wide variety of embellishments and coordinating products my pages came together in a snap... I love easy peasy!
In the layout "When the Clouds Dissipated" I used Oliver patterned papers, sticker elements, pieces, glazed brads, canvas tags, writer's blocks, take notes, buttons, clips,and micro mini letter stickers. Because everything is already coordinated for me this page came together very quickly. And even though this is a little boy themed collection it worked perfectly for my travel photos.

In these next two, single page layouts, I used the Olivia collection products. I used patterned paper, take notes, pieces, pops, writer's blocks, bloomers, micro mini letter stickers, elements stickers, and office tabs. The color palette of this collection complements my photos well, even though it is not a travel themed collection.

Now, for the contest... We would love to see your pages using Basic Grey products that do not fit the intended theme of the products. For example, Max and Whiskers is a wonderful pet themed product. Have you used Max and Whiskers for pages that are not pet themed? If so, we want to see them! Please leave a comment with a link to where your page is posted so that we can take a peek. One entry per person. We will draw a winner next Tuesday, August 24th. What will you win? A $25 gift certificate to the embellish IT! online store.

As always, we appreciate YOU, our wonderful customers! Thanks for stopping by the embellish IT! blog today! Good luck with the contest!

Shall we WANDER?!

2010-08-03T07:40:00.001-07:00

Basic Grey released a new collection called WANDER. It is chock full of amazing patterns, colors and embellies... so PERFECT for your travel photos! For the example below I used some of the Basic Grey Designer Cardstock in red and white for my background. Other than the letters spelling "Sitka" everything else is from the WANDER collection. I've added some close-up photos so you can see some of the smaller details of the products I used.

I used a combination of patterned papers, element stickers, epoxy brads, epoxy stickers, ribbon doilies, and pieces to pull this all together. The layout holds 5 - 4x6 photos.

In addition to the new BG WANDER collection, we also have the new BG PYRUS and JOVIAL
collections available for pre-order. These collections will ship in mid-August. Get your orders placed soon so you can be one of the first to get these gorgeous collections.

CHA summer brought many other wonderful products as well. We have, in stock, all four NEW Fancy Pants collections, Graphic 45 Halloween and Embellishments, and Imaginisce Apple Cider and Birthday Bash.

As always, we thank you for the opportunity to earn your business. Have a great day!

bday bash & winner

2010-07-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

birthdays are one of those things that happens every year & everybody has them! imaginsce has done an excellent job on this collection - it works for girl or boy & could be for adult, kid or even our furry friends. i am really excited to play with these papers & super fun NEW embellishments.

these are adorable new paper candles - love them!

springy stickers - these are calling out my name for some easy & adorable bday cardsimaginisce rub-ons not only are great designs but also go on very easy!

click here to see the full bday bash collection

our winner of our halloween wonderland collection by graphic 45 is:

aubrey with the elephant costume.

congrats aubree!! email me: shelby@embellishonline.com with your address & we will ship your collection to you.

hallowe'en in wonderland

2010-07-01T05:52:00.000-07:00

we have all heard of christmas in july but what about halloween in july? graphic 45 has just released a new collection & we think it is amazing! this new collection is sure to get you in the halloween mood already!

go here to see the full hallowe'en in wonderland collection

comment on your favorite halloween costume & win a FREE collection pack. the winner will be randomly selected from those who leave a comment on monday, july 5th.

have a happy & safe 4th!

HUGE SALE

2010-06-11T07:42:00.001-07:00

i can not believe it is june already - twenty ten is half over already? time is just flying by faster & faster. july is a big month for the industry as all the manufacturers showcase their upcoming products at CHA. then, depending on the manufacturer - some are ready to ship product & others ship 3-6 weeks after their debut. with this on the calendar, we decided we needed to sell through much of our existing inventory. and the best way to do that is to slash prices. so that is what we did. we are having a half year sale. more than 1000 products are now 50% OFF. we have just under 2000 products in our sale section for up to 75% off. this sale ends june 16, 2010. a few things to note:

crate paper: all products 50% off - once they are gone they are gone. we do not intend on reordering any of our existing crate paper products.
imaginisce: all products are 50%-75% off (except the brand new line cherish). we do not intend on reordering any of the older imaginisce lines.
fancy pants: some of our most favorite lines like rough & tough, all fall, daily grind, frosted, trick or treat, etc. are all drastically reduced. all of these older lines have been discontinued.
basicgrey: again, some of the older lines but also some of our favorites have been drastically reduced. some have been discontinued & basicgrey has no more inventory but some we have just reduced until june 16th.
bazzill: most trio/monochromatic/mulitipacks have been discontinued by bazzill. i know, bummer. so all of our existing inventory has been priced to sell. great time to stock up on bazzill.
technique tuesday: we still have some stamps & they are now priced way below wholesale. webster pages: all older lines reduced - some products in newer lines are also on sale. note: webster's is starting to sell out on many of their last release. so, if you have wanted any of their last release - now if the time as we have the last of their collection inventory.

this sale is bittersweet for us. it is hard to let so many products sell for less than we paid for them but at the same time - it is something we have to do to allow us to bring in all the new products. we appreciate you helping us out with this :)

if you have any questions - please feel free to email: customerservice@embellishonline.com

click here to check out our half year sale

Ready for something HOT!

2010-05-18T04:07:00.001-07:00

If you haven't indulged in Webster's Pages Seaside Retreat Collection then you really need to give it a go. There is so much to this collection. The collection has a whole array of beautiful HOT colors perfect for all your summer photos. Summer is just around the corner so now is the time to stock up. On the page below I used a bunch of different elements including trim, vellum, 6x6 papers, bloomers (have you seen these!?!), journaling card, storytellers, and stickers. I love how everything in the collection coordinates so well. And it's not just for beach or summer or travel photos. I've seen some wedding, baby, and graduation pages too.

We would love to see what you put together using the Seaside Retreat collection. Post a comment with a link to where we can find your creations. Happy creating!
Thanks for stopping by today! We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business!

Max and Whiskers

2010-05-11T18:40:00.000-07:00

Max and Whiskers is an amazing collection. Seriously, you can use it for pet pix and so much more! I've been teaching the novel "Where the Red Fern Grows" to my students. The story is about a boy and his dogs. GREAT story. I was able to get a local animal shelter to come give an assembly for the students about dog care, training, animal shelters and volunteering. With that in mind, for several weeks now, we have been collecting money for the animal shelter to present to them when they visit our classes. Well, I'm happy to say that we raised a substantial amount of money (mostly pennies, nickles and dimes!) The cannister was heavy! The folks who visited our class were so appreciative. It was a win-win all around!

To create the cannister I used an empty oatmeal container. I cut and inked the edges of 4" squares of patterned paper from the Max and Whiskers Collection Pack and covered the outside. I then made a "dog collar" with cardstock and embroidery stitching. I hung a "dog tag" made with one of the Max and Whiskers Pieces and a chipsticker heart. I covered the plastic top with coordinating paper and cut a hole big enough for money to fit through. I used one of the larger Max and Whiskers Pieces for the top with a dog and dogfood chipsticker. I love how it turned out and the kids thought it was cool... especially the stitching on paper... they were amazed by that. LOL!

Make something out of the ordinary with your Max and Whiskers products. We'd love to see what you come up with. Leave us a message in the comments section where we can see your creation!

Thanks for stopping by today! We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business!

cruise 2010

2010-04-05T11:56:00.000-07:00

so we just returned from our FIRST scrapbook cruise. we went on a 7-night cruise to the mexican riviera (cabo, mazatlan, & puerta vallarta). we decided to take the 2 older kids & it was a blast! it was a great mix of scrapbooking, ship fun, visiting all the ports & family time.

we had the BEST group of scrappers - some scrapped every minute - even into the wee hours of the night & others enjoyed the ship more than they thought they would (ha!) but we were glad to see them for the classes ;) the most important thing to me was that everyone was able to have the kind of vacation THEY wanted. if they wanted to scrapbook 24/7, we had a super nice set-up with having the conference room & everyone had their own table (will not be able to always promise this but it was nice). everyone seemed very pleased with their goody bags (thanks to quick quotes, imaginisce, basicgrey, paperloft, scrapmart, & awesome albums). the classes went smooth - it is so different teaching in an intimate enviroment. all in all, it was a fabulous experience & everyone had the vacation of a lifetime!

my only regret is that i was so caught up in the moment that i did not take near as many photos as i should of. BUMMER! i guess, i will have to do it again so i can capture those memories one more time ;)

so... we are going to do it again ...

eastern caribbean: coco cay, st.thomas, st. maarten

7 nights: october 10-17th, 2010

royal caribbean Freedom of the Seas leaving from Port Canaveral, Flordia

we are joining transparent touches for the cruise. they will teach some of the classes & i will teach the rest. included in the scrapbook fee: very generous goody bag, crop time, 2 big classes, & 4 other classes. all classes will be taught on sea days & at night after dinner on the days we are at ports. cruise one did such an amazing job with our last cruise with booking everyone & making sure everyone got the best deal. we are using them again (that allows me to focus on the FUN part: designing the classes & surprises :)

for more info about the cruise go here

we would love for you to join us !!!

shelby-

It's Here!!!

2010-03-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

We're so happy to let you know that the new Webster's Pages lines are in stock and shipping now. We have all the gorgeous papers, trims, embellishments, die cuts, journaling cards.... you name it!!! Here are a few samples from some of the collections.

The Celebrate card was made using the Garden party line.

The Stingrays Layout and Escape Card were created using the new Seaside Retreat collection.

And finally, this Real Layout was created using the Lullaby Lane product (along with a sheet from a previous Webster's release for the "frame".)

You won't want to miss picking up some of these gorgeous products. Patterned papers are always my first love. However, with this Webster's release I am totally LOVING all the gorgeous trims including the BLOOMERS. You must check them out.

As always, thanks for stopping by today. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business!

Page of the Month Program

2010-03-20T09:34:00.001-07:00

this is a basic grey program & a great opportunity for you to use the NEWEST basicgrey products, complete a double-page 12x12 layout each month & learn a new technique.

page of the month (potm) details:

* includes generic themes

* always uses the newest basicgrey papers & embellishments

* get 12x12 sheets of paper & full packages of product = lots of extra supplies

* kit comes with step by step instructions with color copy of layout

* starts march 2010 & is for 12 months

* kits available 2 at at time (ex: march & april will ship together NOW- helps with shipping cost)

* $20 a month

* purchase all 12 months & receive an exclusive 12x12 d-ring album for FREE with your last shipment. these albums will not be sold - limited edition for the potm participants only)

embellish IT! will have the potm kits available along with their monthly kits - released 3rd sunday of each month. this month march & april are available. we feel with making these available with our other monthly kits it will help you get FREE SHIPPING on your entire order (all orders over $65 include free shipping). please keep in mind that ALL monthly kits are limited quantites. once they are gone - they are gone. if you want to prepay for the potm program for all 12 months to guarentee your kits - please email orders@embellishonline.com & we are happy to take care of that for you.

march potm featuring origins includes:

origins clips

origins pieces

origins mini monograms

2 sheets each of the following papers:

refresh, revitalize, mineral soak, authentic, & sugar pea

april potm featuring kioshi includes:

kioshi mini monograms

kioshi cozy posies

kioshi ribbon doilies
2 sheets each of the following papers:

ran, lilo, yuriko, rebun, & azami

if you have any questions with the basicgrey page of the month program - feel free to email us at orders@embellishonline.com.

go here to order potm kits

Something Sweet!

2010-03-03T17:14:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post for you today. I've finally had a chance to play with some Sugar Rush and it was fun! I love the colors in this collection and the free-spirited designs. I never seem to come up with ideas for my own birthday pages. But this collection really helped to make it easy. Also, I'm not a huge fan of night photography when flash is required. I felt like Sugar Rush helped me to feel better about these photos.

Do you have a hard time putting together your own birthday layouts? What are the issues that you have the most difficulty with? I'd love to know. Maybe we can share some ideas and products that help make the scrapping process come together better for us. Leave us your thoughts in the comments section of this post. We love to hear from YOU!

You can find Sugar Rush and lots of other GREAT products at embellish IT!

Thanks for stopping by! We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business!

recipes

2010-02-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

so, i did a sample of the nook & pantry recipe book. it turned out soooo good! well, i have had it at the last couple shows & the kit sold out (we do have some available online here) you can do this recipe book however you'd like but i did our favorite holiday recipes. the recipes are of the foods we traditonally have for easter, thanksgiving, christmas, etc. in fact, if i make quiche & monkey bread for breakfast my kids ask what holiday it is - LOL! anyways, i had so many request for MY recipes & i promised i would post them. feel free to use these recipes & the picture too if ya want (sorry about some images being smaller?!).

here they are:

quiche

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

1 cup bisquick

1/4 tsp salt

5 TBS melted butter

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 cup diced ham

1/2 cup green onion

mix first 5 ingredients with mixer on low for 2 minutes.

add other ingredients (my mom adds mushrooms, sausage, olives, etc)

pour into greased pie plate & bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes

pretzel jello salad

bottom layer:

2 cups crushed prezels

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup melted butter

heat oven to 400 degrees. in medium bowl, melt butter then mix pretzels & sugar. press into bottom of 9x13 pan. bake 7 minutes or until lightly brown. cool.

middle layer:

8 oz soft cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 tub cool whip

beat cream cheese & sugar on high until fluffy. gently stir in cool whip. spread on crust.

top layer:

1 lg. pkg of raspberry jello

3 cups boiling water

10 oz frozen raspberries (or strawberries)

stir boiling water into gelatin for 2 minutes. stir in forzen raspberries. refrigerate until slightly thickened (consistency on unbeaten egg). pour over cream cheese layer. refrigerate until firm.

awesome carrots

2 lb carrots

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 lb butter

2 TBS fresh ginger

salt

steam carrots until tender. mix other ingredients in saucepan on low & stir until blended. drain carrots. add sauce. cook low until ready to serve.

fabulous potatoes

8-10 large potatoes
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup chopped onion

8 oz sour cream

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1/4 cup melted butter

corn flake crumbs

boil potatoes in skins. cool, peel & grate. combine soup, onion, sour cream & cheese in the grated potatoes & gently stir. do not add water to soup- this will be really thick! melt butter in 9x13 baking dish & pour potatoes in dish. cover top with corn flake crumbs & bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

monkey bread

4 cans buttermilk biscuits, cut in quarters

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

shake biscuits in a bag with sugar & cinnamon. pour 1/2 in bundt pan

sauce:

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 sticks of butter

bring cinnamon, brown sugar & butter to a boil. pour half of sauce over top of half the biscuits in bundt pan. add rest of bisquits & rest of sauce over top. bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

homemade oreo cookies

2 pkg devils food cake mix

4 eggs

2/3 cup vegetable oil

beat in mixing bowl - it will be very stiff. roll into 1-inch balls, place on lightly sprayed cookie sheet & slightly flatten. bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. cool.

8 oz soft cream cheese

1/2 cup soft butter

3-4 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

beat in mixing bowl cream cheese & butter. add sugar & canilla & mix until smooth. spread on bottom of half of the cookies & top with remaining cookies.

* i add food coloring sometimes: ex: orange for halloween, blue for baby boy, green for xmas.

bead art

2010-02-10T20:05:00.000-08:00

we are so very excited about a new avenue we have dabbled in ... bead art. i have had numerous emails telling me i better not abandon scrapbooking & move into jewelry so for the record let me just say: NO, NEVER - i am so passionate about scrapbooking & will never quit! however, i have been having a blast with bead art & i think that it is ok to do both :)

WatchArt: watch faces with interchangeable bands that are not only adorable but functional as well! Simply pick the style of watchface you want, then pick from the many different styles of watchbands available...choose one or choose several bands. everyday i have a different favorite (hahaha). the kits have been designed & includes everything you will need to make your watchband & includes step by step instructions & a color copy of the watchband. these are super easy to make - my 8 yr old daughter makes these with me. we even have a video tutorial here that christy tomblinson did that shows how easy it really is.

here are some of my favorite WatchArt for today:

ocean breeze

vanilla cream

fruit punch

we have some super cute watch faces too:

NeckArt is just that - beads that can be worn on a necklace. it attaches with a lobster clasp so if you already have a chain no need to buy one (but we have chains if you need one). again, these are totally interchangeable so you only need 1 chain but can get several different designs. some customers have attached these to their keychain, bag, even scissors (i could only think about how much that would annoy me LOL). anyway, i LOVE these & just think they are so fun!

black metals

tortoise shell

i am almost sure that once you make one of these & get all the compliments you will get addicted to these just as we have (and when people ask, "did you make this" you can confidently say "YES, it is so easy!!"

these make GREAT gifts for just about everybody from teenagers (or 8 yr old in my case) to grandmothers. they are a very affordable gift for teachers, friend's birthdays, family, etc.

go here to see our watch art

go here to see our neck art

And the WINNER is....

2010-02-10T04:10:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our winner of the $25 gift certificate to the Embellish IT! online store:

Liss C

Please email news@embellishonline.com with your particulars so Shelby can set up your gift certificate.

Thanks to all who stopped by and played along. We LOVE hearing from you.

Have a great day! And, as always, we appreciate the opportunity to earn your business.

All things NEW and a PRIZE!

2010-02-02T17:12:00.000-08:00

Well, we have stocked up on so many NEW and EXCITING products from CHA last week. Some products are in stock now and shipping while others are on their way to the Embellish IT! store and available for pre-order now!
To share our excitement with YOU, our very valued customers, we will have a drawing for a $25 gift certificate to the embellish IT! online store. All you need to do is visit the store, find your favorite NEW item, and tell us which product is your favorite in the comments section of this post. We will draw a winner on Monday night - February 8th. We will announce the winner in next Tuesday's post - February 9th.
So go ahead, have a look around embellish IT!, and be sure to let us know which piece of the new products tickle your fancy! Have fun and good luck!
As always, we appreciate the opportunity to earn your business!

new graphic 45

2010-01-14T08:02:00.000-08:00

we are so excited about adding graphic 45 to our line up. graphic 45 specailzes in the most unique paper with irresistible texture & imaginative designs. the papers have the decade-old appeal that is familiar & endearing but also fresh & appealing. icredible richness in designs is combined with vibracy in colors. they are releasing 3 new lines at CHA next week and we have them & are shipping TODAY! we are so excited & know you are gonna love there papers!

le' romantique

a proper gentleman

on the boardwalk

christmas past

domestic goddess

best part about their paper is the BACKS!!! i know, call me crazy. don't get me wrong i think the designs on the fronts are so unique & beautiful but also understand how they can be intimidating to some. but the backs. oh my gosh - seriously, my favorite ever!! i am in love!!! click here to see all the backs (and of course, more fronts :)

hello 2010

2010-01-01T14:38:00.000-08:00

i wish EVERYONE a blessed 2010 - may it be everything you hope for & more! We have big plans for 2010 & it WILL BE the best year EVER!

let's start off with our HOLIDAY SALE

Over 500 christmas & halloween products are on sale

25-75% OFF

Great products - fabulous pricing!

Sale ends jan. 7, 2010 midnight MST.

happy holidays

2009-12-24T23:42:00.000-08:00

No matter which one you celebrate, let us wish you the happiest of holidays!

december - kits of the month

2009-12-23T10:58:00.000-08:00

so this month we have a couple kits.
the first is a very, very cute basicgrey mini album using their brand new origins collection. i LOVE this album. i did one but gave it away as a christmas gift - i sooooo wanted to keep it for myself. i just know i won't find the time to do me one. anyways, it has lots of pockets, tags, & fun elements in it! LOVE IT!!!

the other kit was our product kit ... a christmas bundle. it was an AMAZING deal! Over $130 in product for only $25 - what was i thinking??? we sold out of this one in less than 24 hours - imagine that?! so, for those lucky enough to of ordered one - it is on its way & MERRY CHRISTMAS from me :)

a little INFO of our "BUNDLES". what we do quite often, is take a bunch of coordinated product which includes: pattern paper (& usually bazzill too) and various embellishments & the price on these are always a steal! we typically do this before a line gets discontinued or as things start selling out in a line so it no longer is a complete line. after our bundles are made, then we typically put whatever is left on clearance by the piece but just know that our bundles are made first from the best. these bundles are online & we always have them at the crops at the scrapbook shows. it is a GREAT way to get alot of coordinated product for a great price.

with that being said, i would like to announce that we will be having a christmas sale after christmas. EVERYTHING christmas ( & halloween) will be 25% off & some items up to 75% off. old product & new product. paper & embellishments. kits & EVERYTHING! look for details coming....

Happy Hanukkah!

2009-12-15T03:31:00.001-08:00

It's the middle of Hanukkah and we thought we would give you a few examples of some fun Hanukkah projects you can make using the Merrakech line from Basic Grey. The colors in this line are perfect for Hanukkah decorations, gift packs and cards. Using the paper and sticker elements with a few odds and ends from around our scrap studio we've put together these four projects. To create the tussy mussy we used a premade cone form that you can find in the decoupage section of your local craft store. The candy "gelt" pillow box was created using the leftover clear packaging from Basic Grey ribbons. We used a 2" round scallop punch to create the base of the hanging tag on each piece. The Hanukkah stamp was stamped on white cardstock using Staz-on ink and then watercolor painted to coordinate with the Merrakech colors.
These projects are fun, fast and easy to make. Add a little color to your Hanukkah decorations!

You can find a full array of Merrakech products here:
http://www.embellishonline.com/page/280880203

Thanks for stopping by the Embellish IT! blog! We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business!

BasicGrey Vintage Collections

2009-12-09T21:29:00.000-08:00

We have all missed some of the oldest & greatest BasicGrey collections so...
they are RE-releasing a LIMITED EDITION of 5 of their best lines!!!
We are so excited & know you will be too.

A few things to note:
* Only Collection Packs available - paper only, no tags or alphabet stickers
* Limited Edition - when they are gone they will be gone forever!
* PreOrder today & expected to ship next week (same time as the brand NEW Origins & SugarRush)

We are are offering these ON SALE until Dec.31, 2009
ONLY $12 collection

black tie

sublime

phresh & phunky

fusion

vagabond

go here to order vintage collections

november kits of the month

2009-11-14T21:14:00.000-08:00

we have another 10 kits this month- WOW!
just for the record, even though we had 9 kits last month & 10 kits this month please don't expect that many every month. haha! i've just had alot of extra time these last couple months - LOL! actually, there will be minimum of 2 each month & usually we try for 4-5 & some months we just have more!
keep in mind that these kits are limited - being once they are sold out they are gone. some kits we have high inventory on & others not so much so some we might sell out of in a couple hours & others a couple months.
one ore thing: since it is the end of our year for teaching classes, i have converted many of our class projects into double-page layout kits. for those of you that were unable to attend classes, this is a great opportunity to get your hands on the class projects & not have to listen to me teach :)

here are the kits this month:

new basicgrey: sugar rush & origins

2009-11-13T17:00:00.000-08:00

WOW - basicgrey has done it again.
Two new lines with MANY new embellishments!
All product available for Preorder TODAY!
expected to ship Mid-Late Decemeber

Sugar Rush & Origins

cruise with me

2009-11-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

i am sooooo excited about our FIRST scrapbook cruise. here are the details:
7 night Mexican Riviera on Royal Caribbean
Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta
March 7-14, 2010

We have partnered with CruiseOne/Crop and Cruise so they will handle all the cruise arrangements. That allows me to focus on the FUN part- all the scrapbook activities: classes, crops, contest, & the best is all the surprises!

There will be an open crop 24/7 during the cruise. All scrapbook scheduled events will be held on sea days & the evening after ports. I will be teaching the classes. I will finalize the classes & have more details on them within the next couple weeks. Some classes will be included in your scrapbook fee but there will be additional classes available for those who would like to take more classes. There will be contests & giveaways during the cruise & FUN surprises! (oooh, how i LOVE surprises)!

Come alone - don't be shy. You'll meet new friends. Some of my best experiences have been when i went somewhere alone. Or make it a girls trip - one that we all deserve. Get the best of both worlds: bring your spouse or the whole family - there is plenty for them to do on the ship while you scrapbook. Just join me for lots of scrapbooking, laughs, memories you'll never forget & of course, the late nighters (btw, i get really giddy late at night).

Rates are great right now - $532 pp. Book soon to guarantee fare. Also, book before thanksgiving & receive an extra gift! Make this be a Christmas present to yourself!

All details at www.cruiseandcrop.com
you may also email me your questions: news@embellishonline.com or leave a comment & i will answer your questions.

hope you can join me!
shelby-

A winner and news...

2009-11-03T11:45:00.000-08:00

We loved seeing all the fabulous pages created for our MIX IT UP challenge! We appreciate the time and effort you put into creating them! The winner of the $25 gift certificate to the online store is JACOB (heather) Congratulations Heather. Please email news@embellishonline.com to claim your gift certificate.

We have lots of amazing new products coming down the pike. Imaginisce new SWEET CHERI collection, a decadently delicious treat, is now available for PreOrder. This collection will ship mid-November.

Fancy Pants has introduced two new product lines FROSTED and VINTAGE VALENTINE. These two collections are fantastic! Frosted is full of happy colors, perfect to warm up your winter photos. Vintage Valentine is a darling nostalgic collection you won't want to pass up! Both are available for PreOrder now and are expected to ship mid-November.

Webster's Pages is having a 12 Days Of Christmas crop on their Inspire Me site starting on November 12th. The design team created holiday projects to inspire your creativity. You will find the details and supply lists for the projects in the Inspire Me forum. We have all the Webster's Pages products you need for this event available and now shipping. Here are a few sneak peeks:

Holiday Tussy Mussy

Gift Bag and Tag set

Finally our 2010 schedule is UP! You will find it on the side bar of the blog :) There is an addition coming to the 2010 schedule that i am soooooooo excited about - more on that coming soon!

Thanks for stopping by the Embellish IT! blog. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business!

Mix it up contest

2009-10-23T06:03:00.000-07:00

Edited 10/27/09

After many requests for more time we are keeping this contest open until Saturday 10/31/09. We will announce the winner on Tuesday Nov. 3.

Want to win a $25 gift certificate to the Embellish It! online store???!!!! Today we are kicking off one of our creative challenges for you. It's a product challenge. And yes, that is the prize at the end!
What we would like you to do is create a LAYOUT using products from ONE manufacturer, but mixing at least THREE of their product lines. For example, in the layout below I have used products from five different Imaginisce lines. The green and multi color dot papers are from the Polar Expressions line. The brown polka dot paper is from their Summer Cool line. The orange polka dot paper, fox, and brads are from their Twitterpated line. The striped ribbon is from their Wild Things line. And finally, the chipboard heart is from their Perfectly Posh line.

What you need to do is create your layout, post it in an online gallery or your personal blog and then leave us a link to it in the comments section of this post. On Tuesday we will draw a winner from the comments section for a $25 gift certificate to the Embellish It! online store! Sounds fun, right! So get creating... we can't wait to see your fabulous pages!
Just a little reminder, we now have Basic Grey's Nook & Pantry line shipping. As always, thanks for stopping by the Embellish It! blog. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business!

i am grateful

2009-10-21T11:27:00.000-07:00

scrapbooking for a cause!

chances are you either know someone who has battled breast cancer in the past or you will know someone in the future ...

using basicgrey products, you'll be able to create a wonderful keepsake while at the same time contributing to a great cause! go here for detailed information for the i am grateful mini album.

a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the city of hope for breast cancer.

one more thing:

take care of yourself & give yourself a breast exam. go here for easy instruction. do it today - it takes less than 5 minutes. early detection is key!

Nook & Pantry

2009-10-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

BasicGrey's NEW Nook & Pantry collection ... Let me tell you, it has some awesome colors and patterns. Perfect for holiday gifts, kitchen decor, cooking layouts, holiday projects... it's VERY versatile! I am totally loving this collection!
The other day while roaming around a local craft store I came across a recipe box on sale for 40 cents. Seriously, only 40 cents! I bought the five they had left and new exactly what I would be doing with them. My Christmas gifts for my neighbors this year -- recipe boxes made with Nook & Pantry. I finished one so far. I used products from the collection pack and from the chip sticker shapes. I just love how it turned out. It's perfect for my neighbor Maggie. Here are a few photos.

Thanks for stopping by the EMBELLISH IT! blog today! I hope your in the mood for some delicious Nook & Pantry!

Scrapping your pets

2009-10-06T02:04:00.000-07:00

During the past week Shelby and family lost a very special part of their family - their dog Zoe. Zoe was a loving and trusted part of the family. You can read more about zoe here. Her passing serves as a reminder to us all that including pages about our pets in our scrapbooks is very important. Documenting the relationship between family and pets can be done in a number of ways. The following are just a few examples. Noteworthy - each page was constructed using a combination of products from Basic Grey and Pink Paislee.
In this first page I had a fabulous picture of Sammy when he was much younger. He was such a beautiful golden retriever. I decided to make a page just about his beauty, because that is the one characteristic that comes first in my mind when I think of him.

In this next page, as I was looking through some old photos I came across these from when I was a little girl. On the back of one of the photos I noticed I had printed the words "blite and amy". I was seven years old when I wrote that. I scanned and printed that out to use for my title. It ws my handwriting and my spelling, atrocious as it might have been at the time, that really made this layout work for me. I wrote my journaling about my memories of my horse, Bullet (blite).

In this last layout I had my son help me with it. He is shown in the photo with his bird Pidgy. When we came across the photo while cleaning his room Logan asked me to "do something" with it. I made the layout and he wrote the journaling. I cut a piece of cardstock to fit the journaling area, drew pencil lines for him as a guide and he used pencil to print the journaling himself. Logan had written the journaling out on scrap paper first and did his best to keep the journaling neat on the final copy. This is a very special page to Logan as it is the only photo we have of the bird.

I encourage you to take photos of not only your family, loved ones, events and holidays, but also look at other things that have value and meaning to your life... like pets.

Thanks for stopping by the embellish IT! blog today! We have lots of great products in the store, including Basic Grey's Nook & Pantry collection which is now shipping! Have a wonderful week!

Letter Stickers - part 2

2009-09-22T08:39:00.001-07:00

I really love letter stickers. They are sooo versatile! For today's tutorial I am going to show you how to use your letter stickers as a mask. For this example I used the Webster's Pages Storytellers letter stickers, Basic Grey Marrakech letter stickers, glimmer mist and a shipping tag. The Webster's letter stickers work particularly well for this technique because they are repositionable therefore they give you a good amount of working time. I used some glimmer mist but you could also use maya mist or any kind of misting bottle filled with reinkers/water, watercolor paint, or watered down acrylic paint. First I decided what I wanted my tag to say. In this case I chose FALL. I applied the letters to the tag then misted until I had the desired depth of color I was looking for. I allowed the tag to dry, which took about 10 minutes. I carefully removed the letters I used as a mask and set them aside. I then added some Basic Grey Marrakech letters to my fall tag to finish the saying, little strands from a piece of burlap and I have a great piece for my layout "FALL FAVES". This technique can be done right on your layout or card too. Just be sure to mask off anything you do not want to get mist on!
To make my letters go even further, I used the misted letters I had removed from the masked tag. I love the way the pale blue looks with the coppery tone of the mist. I added these letters to another tag which I had already misted with a different color. You could also do this with a tag you make from patterned paper or cardstock or put them right on your layout or card. I also added the '09 in numbers from the Merrakech collection and then some twine wrapped around the tag. For very little time and product I have two wonderful pieces that can be used as accents or titles for scrapbook pages. Easy and quick with a designer look!

Finished tag showing the masked letters, burlap strands and Basic Grey Marrakech letters.

Finished tag with the misted letters, twine wrap and Basic Grey Marrakech number stickers.

Give this technique a try and let us know how you like it! Thanks for stopping by the embellish IT! blog! We appreciate each and every one of you!!!

september kits of the month

2009-09-20T06:32:00.000-07:00

we are very excited about our kits of the month for septemeber - many new kits released:

explosion box using basicgrey's wisteria

darling layout using crate paper's katlin

boys will be boys using fancy pants rough & tough

dancing girl using fancy pants

spooky using fancy pants trick or treat

boo using basicgrey's eerie

plus 2 new product kits using imaginiece's brand new releases:

let's roll (darling boy line)

perfectly posh (for all those princesses)

kits of the month are released on the THIRD sunday of the month. Minimum of 2 kits released & sometimes more! Kits are limited & when they are gone they are gone. If you'd like to be sent an email once they are released as a reminder, please let us know you'd like to be added to our email list.

click here to go to september kits of the month

Have a great sunday!

Anatomy of a layout

2009-09-15T08:18:00.000-07:00

Let's talk about these gorgeous products from Webster's pages. For this example I have used products from the Nature's Storybook collection pack and the coordinating calendar/journaling cards. (side note: I have found that, for those who like to use ink on their projects, Tim Holtz's Distress Ink in Frayed Burlap is a great color for this line) One of the things I love most about this Webster's product is that it is so easy to make a great page. For this page I have used two of the same sheets of paper, one for the background/base of the layout and one to cut out the images. I used my handy exacto knife and cut out the birds, flowers, leaves, and bunny. I used part of the vellum to back my photo and journaling piece. Vellum, with it's translucent quality adds just enough definition for the picture without overpowering it. Next, I used a piece of the coordinating stripe paper, with a border punch, to anchor the photo on the vellum. Once my photo and journaling were in place I used foam tape to "pop up" the elements from the paper that I had cut out with my exacto knife. A few bits and bobs from the sticker element sheet and my design was done. For my title, I used some Basic Grey chipboard letters covered with Tim Holtz's crackle paint in green. The word "way" was done using the Webster's sticker letters, placed on a transparency, then adhered on top of the chipboard letters. By using the transparency I gave some stability to the sticker letters.

All in all this layout did not take that much time to put together. The exacto knife cutting takes a little bit of time but it is so worth it... Don't you just love the look!

That's it for today. Hope you have a great week!

Letter Stickers - part 1

2009-09-08T10:55:00.000-07:00

Today I'm going to share with you a few ways to give a little something extra to your letter stickers. Many times when I am creating a project I want to have some way to make the title or wording stand out a bit more. I usually can do this by trying these tricks.
The photos for each example shows you the supplies, the steps, and the finished look.
The first example is really quite simple. Sometimes you may have letters that need to stand out a little bit from your background paper. One very simple way to do this is by using a micron very fine-tip pen and tracing around the letters once they are in place on your project. I used some Basic Grey letter stickers, micron pen in black, and a scrap paper. Notice that both the paper and letters I chose are very light in color. The black marker really makes those letters pop off the background.

This next example uses a thicker marker and the same letter stickers. But in this case I don't want to trace the letters on my background paper because I want them to have dimension so I will be adding some foam tape. In this case I use a scrap piece of non-stick backing (leftover from a roll of glue dots). I put the letter stickers on there and trace around them so just the very edges of the letters get the darker color. I then turned them over, added the foam tape, and added them to the project. This gives definition by color and a little dimension by being popped up.

Sometimes, when I have a project that is more "distressed" I like to distress the edges of my letter stickers. This looks really great when you are going to place the letters on a darker background. In this example I used darker letters and background and you can see how the distressed edge really allows the letter show up. I used my Basic Grey file set to do this because the different file sizes allow me to get all the nooks and crannies of the letters without having to be a contortionist. Just hold the letter in hand and gently file the edge. It's easy and looks great!

For this last example I am going to show you how to use different letters (great for leftovers!) and transform them into something unified. I used two different font/color letter stickers for this example. Stazon inks work really well for this. Place your letter stickers on a non-stick surface and just dab the ink pad on top. Once they are completely covered with ink give them a minute to dry. You will then have letters all the same color and ready to be placed on your project.

That's it! You've got 4 fabulous, quick and easy, great ideas for using your letter stickers! If you have any questions please email and I will answer as soon as I can. Next time I post a technique I'll be adding to this with more ideas for using your letter stickers. Have a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by the embellish IT! blog!

winners

2009-09-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

yes, winners- i don't like picking. i din't really think about it & this is so hard to pick... i prefer the number generator. thanks for the ideas - they were all great but the winners are (i could not decide on just one)

Suella : great idea - love nook & pantry! i already have a recipe book in the works - i am lovin' it!

Jingle: those flowers are darling! love them & they are sooooo simple! thanks for sharing!

email me @ news@embellishonline.com to claim your Creative Escape Book & goodies!

also, just an update on Preorders. ALL Preorders will be shipped today EXCEPT those with Crate Paper. Crate Paper is expected to arrive early next week so hopefully we can get the remaining PreOrders out in just a few more days. thanks for your patience - i know it is hard!

everything now shipping so if you haven't place a PreOrder - now is the time to order! again, your order will ship right away unless it has the new Crate then it will ship beg. of the week. special promo: order before 9/9/9 & you will receive the look book FREE with your order.

have a fabulous holiday weekend!

winners & creative escape

2009-09-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

congrats!!! 3 lucky winners for $25 gift certificates to embellishonline.com-
email news@embellishonline.com to claim your gift certificate!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
11 224 98
Timestamp: 2009-09-01 15:28:09 UTC

ant1nette said...
I signed up!
AUGUST 25, 2009 3:44 PM

deiha said...
Can't wait to hear more from embellish it.
AUGUST 26, 2009 4:50 AM

Wendy said...
I signed up! Looking forward to all the news!
AUGUST 25, 2009 5:05 PM

if you have never been to creative escape, just let me say this: you should go if you have the chance! it is a scrapbook weekend in arizona put together by bazzill & heidi swapp which includes: technique boutique, trucnk show from all the teachers, classes, night extravaganza, delicious food at aan amazing resort (& yes the massages are well worth every penny) & concluding with inspirational keynote. it always falls the last weekend in august- which is a really bad time for me. august is our busiest months with traveling/shows/teaching/new product releases but i have always gone to creative escape & would not miss it no matter what! when i went to the first one 4 years ago- it was the first time i had taken a scrapbook class! it has helped me realize a couple of things:
1. i teach too fast
2. i am more comfortable teaching than doing
3. i am a sloooooooow scrapbooker
4. i am use to having a table to myself when i design so i get a little anxiety having to share in such close quarters with others

so, off to creative escape i go. i had bags packs then i realized that last year i had to buy stuff in the gift shop to keep me warm - they kept the classrooms freezing (duh - i should know this by now....) so, i pulled out all my summer clothes that you would expect someone to take to arizona when it is 112 degrees & packed long sleeve outfits. crazy i know but it was a good move on my part :) this year, i had a little more baggage than normal: i had my 4 month old baby in tow. don't get me wrong, he is sooooo good, actually perfect but still a lot of extra stuff to haul. i know what you are thinking: WHY? well, to be honest it wasn't a question if i would take him OR if i was even gonna go to ce - more of a question of HOW! then, a good friend Leigh Ann offered her 19 year old daughter to come to the hotel & watch him in my room - soooo perfect! i could run up during breaks but also just enjoyed the classes without worrying about him - she took such good care of him - thanks jordyn!

ok. back to creative escape (sorry i tend to get off track with thoughts of baby :).

it was WONDERFUL again this year.
classes: FABULOUS! all 8 of them!
attendees: could not of been a better group of gals!
food: DELICIOUS.

i truly feel inspired. rejuvenated. ready to try harder. to be better.

it is not just classes from great artist. it is an experience. one that every year, i have walked away feeling inspired - yes, inspired with creativeness but most important INSPIRED TO BE BETTER. as a person. to do better in various aspects of my life. i love this feeling. i am so grateful for the opportunity to get my batteries recharged. it is the ENERGY i have at this moment, that i LOVE! we all need to be uplifted & energized from time to time.

highlight of the event: during the event they had various raffles & opportunities to donate to Lymphoma Cancer Society. it hit home for me since my father died from lymphoma at 52. at the end of the event, they had a live auction of 2 lamps that had been decorated: one by heidi swapp & another one by tim holtz. they were beautiful. i had my eye on the tim holtz one as it would be the perfect touch to my office. i text steve (my husband) as soon as they started the auction, telling him about the donation i was about to make. a win-win - a donation to a great cause & a extra benefit of getting the beautiful lamp. how could i not... he was very supportive at $5000, $10,000 said he trusted my judgement as i was the accountant, $15,000 said i must of really like the lamp, & then as the bid went up & up, he was grateful that someone else had the funds to donate that & it wasn't me. LOL
not sure the total they raised but i believe it was in the ballpark of $60,000. not bad for a 700 scrapbookers at a weekend event. i am overwhelmed at the choice individuals we have in this industry & that i can closely associate myself with.

we were even able to get a little pool time for crew -

the only thing about the weekend that wasn't perfect (well, besides me not getting the tim holtz lamp - HA!): bread pudding. how can it not be perfect?!

here's the story: thursday is registration & technique boutique, trunk show then the welcome. after the welcome everyone is on their own until breakfast the next morning. which means the hotel restaurant is packed trying to feed all the women. there is nowhere close as far as food options & the resort is so far that nobody delivers - not even a pizza option. so, i ordered room service (since i had the baby) & it took well over a hour & was expensive. they had tres leches bread pudding - for a HUGE bread pudding fan, i was delighted. it was $9 plus the 3.50 delivery charge plus the 21% gratuity. but is was thinking it would be well worth it & a once in a lifetime thing. so, i ordered it after thinking for 2 seconds about it. it came. it was a huge disappointment. small. dry. fruity. not creamy. definitely not worth the $ but more than anything else a total pop in my balloon that had been so high & full.

so, for all those who stuck through this looooong post - i have a giveaway:

creative escape 2009 inspiration book (& other creative escape goodies)
the book includes supply list, all the projects with detailed instructions & step-by-step pictures & you can even download the teacher's classroom presentation. so, for those of you that were not able to be one of the lucky 700 people who attended - you can be too be inspired!!

leave a comment with a project idea you like, have done, have never seen, would like to do, etc. i will personally pick my favorite idea on friday morning. be creative. think outside the box. warning: you might see your idea transform into a kit?!

have a great week! be back on friday to announce the winner!
shelby-

Introducing WEBSTER'S PAGES!

2009-08-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

Let us introduce you to the beautiful world of WEBSTER'S PAGES! We are so proud to be adding this new manufacturer (new to us, that is) to our already fantastic list of products! Webster's Pages introduced 4 new collections at CHA this summer and we have them in stock and ready to ship to you! Located here: http://www.embellishonline.com/page/383824203

The collections are Winter's Wings, Nature's Storybook, Home for the Holidays, and Postcards from Paris. We will also have them available in our booth at CKC events. We offer collection packs which contain papers, vellum, and letter and die cut stickers. We also sell these products individually. Now, let me tell you a little about their product.

First and foremost, let's talk paper. This product is a very sturdy cardstock weight double sided 12x12 paper featuring a gorgeous array of patterns and colors. For all you green folks out there the papers are FSC certified which means they are produced using stringent environmentally friendly standards. The papers also come in 6x6 pads with each pad containing two collections. What a deal! The 6x6 papers are minis of the larger 12x12 patterns.

The letter sticker sheets are AWESOME! Each sheet contains a ton of letters. Each sheet has four different colors and two sizes. They are great for cardmaking too! The stickers are repositionable for approximately 20 minutes before becoming permanent. Isn't that great! The same is true for the die cut sticker sheet.

The journaling/calendar cards come 18 to a package. They are double sided and have 2 sizes in each package. The vellum is high quality with beautiful patterns. It really is exquisite!

So, are you ready for some eye candy!?! The Webster's Pages design team sent us a few samples to share with you...

WINTER'S WINGS COLLECTION

Under the Snowy Tree by Terri Hayes

NATURE'S STORYBOOK COLLECTION

Asheville Mountains by Terri Hayes

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS COLLECTON

Jolly by Terri Hayes

POSTCARDS FROM PARIS COLLECTION

innocence by Amy Tara Koeppel

Tender by Lucy Edson

Beautiful Life card by Lisa Pace

All four collections are now available on our website here: http://www.embellishonline.com/page/383824203

We're sure you're going to love them as much as we do!

One little reminder to all those who signed up to be a follower... if you want to be included in the drawing for the gift certificates then you need to leave a comment in the comment section of the introduction post. We will be drawing the names from the comments.

Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome to the embellish IT! blog

2009-08-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our new blog! We're so glad you found us! We are excited about this new addition to our business and hope you will find it informative and helpful.

On this blog you'll find completely up-to-date information on all our new products, shipping updates, challenges, inspiration, techniques, and contests (don't you just love prizes!) We will have a planned post every Tuesday and periodic extra posts in between when we have something we just want to shout about! In the sidebar you will find links that take you directly to each of the manufacturers products we carry.

Also in the side bar is a listing of the CKC events where you will find our embellish IT! booth. If you head to a CKC event we hope you will stop by and introduce yourself and/or sign up to take one of Shelby's classes!

The sidebar also has a link for you to contact us with any questions, comments or suggestions you may have. We'd love to hear from you so please don't be shy!

And finally, we LOVE followers! We want you to sign up and become a follower of this blog. We hope you'll help us spread the word. Our goal is to reach at least 200 followers in our first week. And because we appreciate YOU, we are offering a drawing - 3 lucky winners will each receive a $25 gift certificate to the embellish IT! online store. All you have to do is sign up to become a follower (follower link in side bar) and then leave a comment in this post that you have signed up. That's it! We'll pick the winners and announce them next Tuesday.

Thanks for stopping by the embellish IT! blog! We appreciate each and every one of you!