Maggie's Tulle Balls are BACK!

 Hello, Memory Bound friends! 
You may remember the tulle balls Maggie made last year for our Wedding Showcase (see photos here). Well, Maggie is back at it again! She's started on a new batch of tulle balls for this year's wedding event, and she's got the technique down to a science!

  Maggie joked that we we could have called this post "From Toilet Paper to Tulle Balls!" as her expertise with tulle balls actually dates back to her childhood growing up on the farm. As a little girl, she would tear apart toilet paper squares and stack them together to create fluffy flowers, spraying them with perfume when they were finished!

 To make your own tulle balls, you'll need squares of tulle. Did you know that Memory Bound sells tulle by the yard? Dawn can order just about any color you need for your big event. Our tulle is 54" wide and sells for $1.99 per yard.

  
Maggie recently showed me how her fluffy tulle balls are made. To make a 9x9 tulle ball, Maggie started with 36 9x9 squares of tulle stacked together. She cut a few strips of tulle and tied it very tightly around the center.

Here's where Maggie has perfected her fluffing technique! She grabs a few layers of tulle and tugs them upward toward the center, alternating sides as she goes.

 As she does this, the tulle ball gradually starts to take shape. Once it's completely fluffed, Maggie gives it a little "haircut", trimming off any uneven edges.

And here's a completed tulle ball, this one created with 12x12 squares. These tulle balls make wonderful (and economical!) ceiling decorations for weddings, showers, or any other type of event. Just hang them with fishing line!

Maggie will have lots and lots of tulle balls on display at our Wedding Showcase, which will take place on February 23 and 24. Click here to read more about it in our newsletter!

If you're interested in ordering tulle, stop in to discuss available colors and place your order! We'll be happy to show you how to make your own tulle ball decorations.

Thanks, Maggie, for sharing your expertise with us!
Janet

Our Crafting Resolutions - Part 1

 Hello, Memory Bound friends! 
Awhile back, I asked the Memory Bound gals to think about their crafting goals for 2013. I'll admit that I initially got a somewhat lukewarm response to my request. LOL But, like any dedicated blogger, I would NOT take "no" for an answer! :)

Why do you suppose that we're sometimes reluctant to create goals for the New Year? It's because we usually don't succeed!

But there two things that we can all do to make SURE that we DO achieve our 2013 goals:

1) Share our goals! Research indicates that if you share your goals with a friend, you're more likely to be successful! So I reminded the Memory Bound gals that if we all share our goals publicly and report on our progress, we're almost SURE to be successful! :)

2) Identify the barriers to success. What kept us from achieving our goals last year? For example, I fell short of my scrapbooking goals because I did not set aside time each week to work on my albums. I'm going to change that this year so that I can be successful!
 
So, with just a LITTLE bit of arm twisting, my Memory Bound pals committed to some awesome (and very achievable!) crafting goals for 2013. Take a look at the goals of five of the Memory Bound gals in this post, with more to follow in a future post. We hope that by sharing our 2013 Crafting Resolutions, we can inspire YOU to achieve your paper crafting goals this year!

Amanda:

Amanda is expecting her second child in April, so this year she's looking to streamline her scrapbooking. With a new baby and a busy toddler, she knows she won't have a lot of time to spend completing layouts. 

Says Amanda: "This year I am planning to do more of a "Project Life" style of scrapbooking. I probably won't do a picture a day, but I will mostly be using pocket page protectors and just dropping in my photos and journaling. I will try to incorporate some traditional layouts throughout the albums on occasion for birthdays, Christmas, etc. I would much rather them have albums full of pictures and stories then uncompleted albums with random layouts!" 

Great news for our Memory Bound friends: Dawn and Kellie ordered Becky Higgins' "Project Life" for Memory Bound, so be on the lookout for it soon!


 Diane:

Diane, our store manager, is one of the most productive people I've ever met. Whatever the project, she gets it done! This year, she's planning to continue with the series of mini-albums she's making for her second grandson, Gavin. Her goal is to finish Gavin's Easter and summer albums so they'll be ready for her daughter, Jill, to just add pictures in the years to come.

Click HERE to read more about Diane's mini-albums. If you'd like to do something similar in the New Year, stop in and let us help you get started!

 Betsy:

Betsy has a great list of very achievable goals for this year. Here's what she's hoping to accomplish:

"First up is to get my craft nook organized and become the workable space I need. I'm going to use the storage containers I've already purchased to organize my space. 

I want to finish the Christmas book I started for my mom.

I'd like to get started on my wedding album - not with finishing it, but doing a storyboard for the space, selecting photos, and writing some journal entries. 

I'd also like to finish the baby album project I started awhile back for a friend."

 Betsy's first goal of getting organized is one that a lot of us share! Having recently reorganized my own space, I can tell you that you WILL get a lot more accomplished if you have a functional and inspiring place to work! If you'd like some advice on getting organized for the New Year, stop in and let us help you!

Bonnie:

 

Bonnie and her family recently moved into a temporary house while their new home is being built. As a result, Bonnie had to pack up all of her scrapbooking supplies! During 2013, she'll be doing a lot of her scrapbooking at Memory Bound in our crop room. Bonnie said:

"My goal is to find my supplies (somewhere in the 25 boxes labeled "scrapbooking") and get reorganized after the new house is built!"

This is a good reminder that our work room is almost always available for cropping free of charge, provided we're not having a large class or event. Just give us a call at (515) 965-1102 if you'd like to spend a day or afternoon cropping at Memory Bound! 

Dawn:

 

 Dawn, one of our store owners, is planning to re-organize her scrapbooking room at home this year.

I'm very excited about this project and am looking forward to helping Dawn achieve her goal. If she's willing, I hope we can share her progress on the blog! :)


How about YOU? What are your crafting goals for 2013? Whatever project you'd like to tackle this year, stop by Memory Bound and let us help you get started!
Janet

Resolve to Get Organized!

 Hello, Memory Bound friends!
Have you been working on your New Year's Resolutions? Our Memory Bound staff members have been putting together their lists of 2013 goals, and one that many of us have on our list is to GET ORGANIZED! When you organize your crafting space and your materials, you'll get more done, save money, and feel great about yourself! I organized my craft space last summer, and I wish I had done it years ago!

 If "GET ORGANIZED!" is on your list of New Year's Resolutions, we've got a great class this weekend to help you get started. This coming Saturday, January 12, 10am-12pm, I'll be teaching Get Organized Challenge. This is one of my all-time favorite classes, and I'm especially excited this time because I've updated the class with new storage ideas and lots of "before and after" pictures of crafting spaces, including pictures of three Memory Bound staff members' crop rooms -- Pat's, Diane's, and my own! This fun class is only $5!

    

We'll talk about various styles and methods of organizing, and we'll delve into storage ideas for just about everything a crafter needs to store -- from photos to the tiniest of embellishments. You'll leave with concrete ideas of changes you can make so that you are more inspired and more productive!

Let's get started on that New Year's resolution to organize your space and your stash. Give us a call today to register!  :)

Janet

Scrappin' Kidz - January Class

 Hello, Memory Bound friends! 
I recently came across a mini-album created by my daughter several years ago. It was filled with favorite photos from her 5th grade year. As I read the journaling she had written about each picture, I was reminded how special such projects can be. They're like a little time capsule which captures a fleeting moment in life.

The very next day, I stopped by Memory Bound and happened to see Diana's wonderful project for her January Scrappin' Kidz class. Kids who come to the class will make an entire mini-album for 2013 -- with space for favorite photos for each month! At the end of the year, each child will have his or her own time capsule filled with special memories -- a special project you and your family will treasure in years to come.

 

 Diana's Scrappin' Kidz classes provide the opportunity for young crafters to learn new skills and techniques while creating a fun, seasonal project each month.  Diana prepares all the die cuts and pieces for her projects so that kids can spend their time learning techniques and putting together their projects. Students will leave with a big sense of accomplishment!


I love the idea of starting out the new year with a mini-album! Here's the January page, with seasonal paper and a sparkly snowflake:

February's page has space for a photo of Valentine's Day treats and school parties!

The March page has an adorable bunny with space for those Easter Egg Hunt pictures! The ring binding allows kids to add more pages and memorabilia to the album as the year progresses.

The June page is all about fun in the sun! 

Check out the details below, then give us a call at 
(515) 965-1102 to register!
Janet 

* * * * *

Scrappin' Kidz - January Class

Monday - January 14,  4-5pm
Instructor: Diana Tuttle / Fee: $12 / Skill Level: Ages 8+ (or younger with sibling or adult) 
Bring Basic Class Kit (scissors, liquid adhesive, tape runner), & pop dots (optional). 

 In January, we’ll make a Junk Binder, a clever “anything goes” book for all of your 2013 memories. Add to it all year and by December, it will be filled with treasures!

Warm Up Your Winter with Copics!

Hello, Memory Bound friends!  
The NEW YEAR is the perfect time to learn something NEW, so join us in January to learn all about Copic Markers! Copic Markers use an alcohol-based ink that creates vibrant colors and allows smooth blending. You'll love how easy they are to use and how professional your projects will look!

Take the Copic Marker Basics class with Katie, stop in for a Make-N-Take, and purchase an exclusive project kit! Call us to register for the class...but just stop in at your convenience for the Make-N-Takes! :)
We hope to see you soon!
Janet 

Copic Marker Make-N-Takes 
Wednesdays – Jan 9, 16, 23, 30, 1-6pm each day

Stop in anytime on Wednesday afternoons in January, 1-6pm, and make a fun card using Copic Markers and a variety of techniques! Materials fee: $1

On Wednesday, January 9, you'll learn to color SNOW as you make Katie's adorable banner card!

 Copic Marker Basics Class

Thursday, January 10, 6-8pm
Thursday, Feb 7, 9:30-11:30am
Instructor: Katie Belding
Fee: $16 / Skill Level: Any   
Bring Basic Class Kit.  

Come see what all the excitement is about with the Copic Sketch alcohol markers! These artist markers are designed for coloring & blending. Our certified instructor will teach you Copic basics about shading, blending, using the color wheel, and you’ll make 2 cards.

Upcoming Class: LOVE Letters Home Decor

Join Betsy on January 20 for our LOVE Letters Home Decor class! You'll make a beautiful piece you'll LOVE to display in your home during the Valentine's Day season or year-round! As you create your home decor piece, you'll learn several techniques for creating textures: embossing, sanding, inking, and adding an overlay using the Ranger Melting pot. (If you've never seen the Melting Pot, watch this great Ranger video.

 Get the class details below, then call us at (515) 965-1102 to register!
Janet

 

 L O V E Letters Home Decor 
 Sunday, January 20, 1-3pm

Instructor: Betsy Knoblock Grabinski / Fee: $22
Skill Level: Intermediate
Bring Basic class kit plus splat mat, Beacon 3-IN-1 Glue, glue dots, Distress Inks (Aged Mahogany, Evergreen Bough, & Vintage Photo), distressing tool, & fine-grade sandpaper. 

To celebrate the Valentine's Day season, we’ll take 4 simple letters & make them into a home décor accent piece. We'll use several texture techniques:  embossing, sanding, inking, &  adding an overlay using the melting pot. You'll "love" the results & learn great techniques for future paper crafting projects!

 

FREE Beginners' Scrapbooking Classes

Happy New Year to our Memory Bound friends! 

A new year is the perfect time for a fresh start, and sometimes that means getting back to the basics. If you or someone you know would like to get started scrapbooking in the new year,  I invite you to join us for our FREE Beginners' Scrapbooking Class. If you've never scrapbooked a page in your life, or if you'd like to re-focus on the fundamentals this year, our class is the perfect place to start!

At Memory Bound, we've been offering very successful Beginners' Scrapbooking Classes since the store opened 11+ years ago. Over the years, we've helped thousands of people get started in scrapbooking! In addition to new folks, lots of experienced crafters come to our class for a refresher. Many people start scrapbooking on their own without any instruction, so they find that coming to a class provides them with the fundamentals they may have missed.

In our Beginners' Class, we discuss the PRODUCTS needed to get started in scrapbooking as well as the PROCESS of making a page. Then we assist each student individually in creating a layout. Along the way, we discuss color and design principles and look at lots of samples so students can start to determine their own scrapbooking style.

Our next Beginners' Scrapbooking Classes are scheduled for January 6, January 18, February 4, and February 17. See our newsletter for all the details and give us a call to register! Whether you're new to scrapbooking or need a fresh start in the new year, I would love to have you join us for a Beginners' Scrapbooking Class in 2013!

Janet