It Takes a Village: Part 1

This is the week I finally get to spill the beans about the big project I have been working on for the last six months! I am SO EXCITED FOR THURSDAY! I have to admit that I am running on no sleep and WAY too much caffeine right now, so please forgive any typos, excessive exclamation points or general hyperactivity. :)

Launch Party

You're invited to join Kathy Orta Files, Jim Hankins and me on YouTube LIVE at 9:00 p.m. Eastern USA time this Thursday, October 10, 2013 for the launch of something truly epic:

Epic Paper Arts Launch Party.

This broadcast replaces my usual Thursday night Scrap Chat. Euro Chat is cancelled this week so you gals and guys overseas can take naps to rest up for the big reveal. :)

I will be your host for the evening, and you'll see me on camera in a way you've NEVER seen me before! I promise you will love everything we have in store for you, but to sweeten the deal there will also be some fabulous prizes. Sign up for your chance to win at the end of this post, and then visit Kathy Orta Files at Paper Phenomenon and Jim Hankins at The Gentleman Crafter for more chances to win!

Please bookmark the event link and mark your calendars. You won't want to miss an exciting evening of news, chatting and prizes. :)  To convert 9:00 p.m. Eastern USA time to your time zone, click here: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

For more details leading up to this event, please like me on Facebook: Kathryn's Facebook.

It Takes a Village!

To celebrate the upcoming launch party, Kathy Orta Files at Paper Phenomenon, Hankins at The Gentleman Crafter and I have collaborated on a three part project series. Visit each of our blogs today, tomorrow and Wednesday to see video tutorials of our Christmas village buildings!

Jim will walk you through his fabulous shop (complete with window display), Kathy will show you how she built her lovely church and I have a tutorial below with an adorable little cottage.

The House

Take a look at this cute little house - I just loved how it turned out! (BeachMum has already claimed it for a potential sheep habitat - LOL!)

I filmed this house coming together for my YouTube channel. You can watch the video below, or click this link to watch it over on YouTube: Christmas Cottage, Part One.

Thanks for watching & sign up below for a chance to win some really cool prizes during Thursday's launch party! See you there!

Kathryn :D

Entries closed - thanks for entering!

Bye, Bye, Black Sheep!

 

 

In the downstairs  powder room, there is a corner storage unit that BeachMum decorates for the seasons. Right now it's decorated for fall. She adds mini album, storage containers, candles, towels, whatever she can find to set a scene.

 

The inhabitants of this storage until are four little sheep. There are three white sheep and one black sheep. They used to just sit on a shelf until one day I started moving them around and making them do stuff. So now part of the redecorating of this storage unit is to create a new habitat.

 

 

Their current habitat looks like this:

 

Nice, huh? This habitat is made out of the Bushel Box album.

 

 

Notice how there are no sheep in the sheep habitat? That's because BeachMum has gotten a little dark. Today I went in there to wash my hands and this is what I found:

 

BeachMum's take on the Pumpkin Album can be seen behind the sheep.

 

 

Yes, that is a grave you see right there. The three white sheep are crying over it. She even made a tiny flower for them to put on the grave, although it's kind of hard to see. You can see the stem pretty well, though.

 

All sheep go to Heaven.

 

Apparently the sheep are crying over their friend's grave, because here he is on the top shelf wearing a halo. Considering some of the things the black sheep has done during the different configurations of this shelving unit, I think it was pretty generous of BeachMum to give him that halo!

 

Have a GREAT weekend, everyone! See you next week!

 

Kathryn :D

What's Up?

So, I have been busy lately - there's a lot going on around here these days! I thought I'd write and give you a little recap of what's been going on and what's coming up. I've been working on something BIG and can't wait until it's revealed - it's going to be EPIC!

Technology and Social Media

I am turning over a new leaf regarding social media and am committed to keeping my blog, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites updated regularly. To this end, I created a new Facebook page to hold all my crafty stuff. I've been really good about posting to it! Be sure to check it out here: Kathryn's NEW Facebook.

 

Photography

It's time I updated my headshot to something a little more exciting, don't you think? I went to Glenview Mansion in Rockville, MD on Saturday with my sister and a photographer to scout for places to have my portrait done. The photo shoot will be on Monday, October 7th. I can't wait - we came up with such fabulous ideas!

 

 

Shop Updates

It's been three years since I last did a Christmas Mini Album kit. I swore I'd never do another one, but I changed my mind and I have an awesome kit coming out this year using papers and embellishments from Crate Paper's "Bundled Up!" collection. I've sneaked a few photos on the kit contents on Facebook so far, and put the kit up for pre-order in my shop: Kathryn's Christmas Kit.

 

 

I also have a new manual and mini album class releasing this Thursday! The Treasured Memories Album Trunk holds TWO mini albums and can easily manage 48 or more 4"x6" photos. The manual sample was done with the Mother Goose collection from Graphic 45, and the USTREAM sample will be done with the Steampunk Spells collection by Graphic 45. The manual is available for pre-order in my shop: Treasured Memories Album Trunk.

The full supply list for this project is included in the manual. Classes begin on USTREAM this Thursday, October 3, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern USA time.

 

 

Layout Week

 

Last Thursday was Layout Week over on my USTREAM channel. I have pics of the two layouts we completed to share with you here. You can watch these layouts coming together here: Birthday Bites and Cheers.

That's all the news that's fit to print! I'll be back soon with another post - I'm turning over a new leaf, I promise!

Kathryn :D

USTREAM Today: August Layout Week!

 

 

Today is Thursday, which means we have a show! I'll be using papers from the My Mind's Eye "Cut & Paste" collection to make two 12"x12" layouts.

 

 

 

 

In the afternoon show, I'll be scrapping a trip to the theater and focusing on memorabilia. We'll find cute and creative ways to house all out extra memorabilia like tickets and playbills on the page.

 

In the evening show, we'll be scrapping pictures from a birthday without using too many themed embellishments. The bright colors in the papers will give us a bright enough background.

 

 

Here are the supplies I'll be using:

 

 

 

 

 

We have USTREAM every Thursday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern USA time this afternoon and then again this evening from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM Eastern USA time.

All classes and their recordings will be over on my USTREAM channel: Kathryn Scraps!

To convert Eastern USA time to your time zone, click here: Time Zone Converter.

 

See you later!

 

Kathryn :D 

Summer Reading

 

 

You know I haven't been updating my blog this summer. The question is, what have I been doing instead? I did have a wedding, and a class to plan, as well as some major cleaning in the basement.

 

I've also been doing a lot more reading lately, which is good, because I think my Kindle was getting lonely. I thought I'd post about some of what's been on and off my nightstand this summer. I used to post about what I was reading a lot more on here, so I thought I'd try to get back to that.

 

 

 

Tropic of Night

by Michael Gruber



Book one in the Jimmy Paz trilogy.

Tropic of Night is a magical realism detective novel. Set in Miami, Nigeria, Siberia and the Northeast USA, this is one convoluted murder mystery. It was really interesting, though. I loved the Miami setting and it was cool learning more about West African religion. I recommend it highly, but with the warning that it falls on the graphic side of violent and does have some truly creepy moments. Not a light read. The first book in a series, but the plot is completely wrapped up in this one book.

 

 

 

The Coroner's Lunch

by Colin Cotterill

 

Book one in the Dr. Siri Paiboun series.

 

The Coroner's Lunch also has one foot in the murder mystery genre and the other in magical realism. The setting is Laos, circa 1975, just after the communist revolution. The main character is a 72 year old coroner whose investigations into his patients' causes of death unravel vast conspiracies. It was a really interesting take on the whole "death investigator" genre, and I enjoyed learning and reading about the early days of Lao Communism. The first book in a series, but the plot is completely wrapped up in this one book.

 

 

 

Lilith's Brood

The Xenogenesis Saga

by Octavia Butler

 

This is a three-book series.

 

 

Lilith's Brood is a science fiction trilogy by Octavia Butler and set in the near future. Humanity has been stopped from complete annihilation during our final world war by a group of aliens. In this setting, Butler examines what it means to be human, as well as meditates on colonialism and race relations. Definitely a series I wanted to talk about when I was finished.

 

 

 

Sharp Objects

Dark Places

by Gillian Flynn

 

 

 

 

Two other books I polished off this summer were Sharp Objects and Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. Her third book, Gone Girl, is also in my "To Read" pile. I read both Sharp Objects and Dark Places all in one night (one night each - I don't read that fast). I had to know how they ended before I could move on with my life! I didn't particularly like the main characters - I wanted them to do well, but I wanted them to do it far away from me - but the stories were masterfully woven and I didn't lose interest for one single second.

 

 

Next on my "To Read" pile is Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. I've heard good things about the book over the years, and with a movie coming out I figured I'd better get on it!

 

 

What did you read this summer? Tell me what your favorite books were!

 

Kathryn :D

I've Been Shopping!

 

 

Ever since I saw the new blue Big Shot at CHA-W 2013, I have wanted it to be mine. It was such a pretty blue! Normally I don't fall for that sort of cosmetic-only change to a machine, but my Big Shot has been acting a little sketchy lately (I really put my machines through a lot of abuse, honestly. I even wore out one Big Shot Pro already. Someone should seriously consider reporting me to the Department of Die Cutting Protective Services.) so I think it's time for it to be retired (i.e. donated to someone who will be nicer to it).

 

 

So here's a picture of what the new blue Big Shot looks like:

 

 

Also, I'm not sure, but I think these people might come with it in the box. I hope not, though, or the basement is going to start getting really crowded.

 

 

 

In other shopping-related news, I have started hunting down my CHA-S 2013 purchases. It's going to take me a while to track them all down, but I'll get them all in the end!

 

We finished both versions of the "Picture This!" album last week so this week's USTREAM shows will be using Crate Paper's "The Pier" collection to make a fun summer journal. It will be a really fun book with pockets and other goodies jammed into it. Really interactive!

 

 

 

 

We have USTREAM every Thursday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern USA time this afternoon and then again this evening from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM Eastern USA time.

All classes and their recordings will be over on my USTREAM channel: Kathryn Scraps!

To convert Eastern USA time to your time zone, click here: Time Zone Converter.

NEW VIDEO: Collection Commotion Available Now!

 

It's finally finished!

My new self-paced online class, Collection Commotion: Theme Albums, is available now!

Look how pretty it is! I'm so happy with how this class is coming together.

You can purchase the class through my website: Collection Commotion.

I filmed a little trailer for the class with more sneak peeks of the content. You can watch it down below or over on my YouTube channel at this link: New Class.




 

Today is Thursday, so have USTREAM from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern USA time this afternoon and then again this evening from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM Eastern USA time. We'll be working on the portrait frame version of the "Picture This!" album.

All classes and their recordings will be over on my USTREAM channel: Kathryn Scraps!

To convert Eastern USA time to your time zone, click here: Time Zone Converter.

See ya!

Kathryn :D

MPIX Review + Class Update

So, I've been a bad blogger this month. What can I say? July ate my brain! I keep waiting for things to settle down and be normal, which doesn't seem to be happening. Mostly I have no excuse.

One of the reasons I haven't been posting much (or answering emails, or sleeping, or eating, or pretty much doing anything outside my scrap room) is I've been putting all my spare time into getting the Collection Commotion: Theme Albums class finished. We're right on track and ready for its debut on Thursday, August 1, 2013!

Look, the manual even has a cover now - we're getting close, y'all!

Look how pretty it is! I'm so happy with how this class is coming together.

You can pre-order the class now: Collection Commotion.

You can see one of the class layouts on the manual cover. Here's some sneak peeks at bits and pieces of the other layouts:

Speaking of photographs, I've been researching online photo processors lately, and I have a recommendation for you: MPIX.

I did a lot of research on online photo processors, paying particular attention to what professional and very serious amateur photographers had to say about them. It seemed to me that MPIX received the most positive reviews overall (aside from services only available to professional photographers with a business license) so I ordered a bunch of 4"x6" prints from them.

The Good:

The color and detail are excellent! I am just as satisfied with these as the prints I get from my Epson R1900 with genuine Epson inks.

Photos are printed on quality paper with a luster finish, my personal favorite for the best combination of color saturation and no messy finger prints.

Prints are available in a huge variety of sizes - perfect for Instagram photos, Project Life, mini albums, home décor and other scrapbooking projects: 3.5x5, 4x4, 4x5, 4x6, 5x5, 5x7, 6x9, 8x8, 5x15, 8x10, 8.5x11, 8x12, 10x10, 9x12, 10x13, 12x12, 10x15, 5x30, 11x14, 10x20, 12x18, 12x24, 16x20, 16x24, 20x20, 20x24, 20x30, 24x36.

Fast shipping. I placed my order on Wednesday, July 24 at 1:30 PM Eastern USA time and the prints arrived on Friday, July 26. MPIX is in Kansas and I am in the Washington, DC Metro Area. That is really fast, in my opinion. Shipping was $7.95 for 306 prints.

Amazing packaging. Photos were stacked and wrapped in plastic, then covered in foam and taped to a piece of cardboard. This cardboard was then shrink wrapped so the photos would not shift or be damaged during shipping. Everything was then placed in a cardboard box for shipping. I was amazed at how carefully the prints were handled.

The Bad:

4"x6" prints cannot be ordered at the same time as odd-sized photos - you must place two separate orders: one for 4"x6" and one for anything else. You must also upload your photos twice if you want sizes other than 4"x6" - once to the 4"x6" side of the site and once to the other.

I assume this is to streamline the ordering process so it's super quick and easy to load your cart with the most popular size. Not the worst issue in the world - just something to be aware of. The most annoying part about this for me was the double uploading. That could be time consuming if you have a lot of photos to upload.

Value:

Prints are $0.19/print for 4"x6" which makes them more expensive than other online and drugstore photo processors, but I thought they were an excellent value given how much better the quality was.

I'll show you the prints side-by-side with the same prints from my Epson on Thursday during the shows. We have USTREAM every Thursday afternoon from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern USA time and then again in the evening from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM Eastern USA time.

All classes and their recordings will be over on my USTREAM channel: Kathryn Scraps!

To convert Eastern USA time to your time zone, click here: Time Zone Converter.I'll show I recently ordered prints from the wedding

See ya!

Kathryn :D

I'm still here!

I know, I know - I haven't posted in a while.

 

 

A bunch of stuff has happened recently, though!

 

First of all, there was Layout Week. Which on my end is like four weeks of work between getting everything scrapped, filmed, edited, posted, shipped, etc. So we finally got the last of the prizes mailed off from that and Layout Week 2013 is officially over.

 

 

Then my sister got married! And she only gave us two weeks notice! So that was a mad scramble of planning, shopping, Spanx and the like. But it was a great wedding. Here's a pic of the happy couple:

 

 

 

Of course, this means that I now have a wedding album to scrap. That gave me the idea of creating a class around my process for scrapping large theme albums like weddings and vacation albums, so I have been working on that since I got the photos. I'm hoping the class will be ready by August 1, 2013, but don't hold me to that.

 

I'm, calling it Collection Commotion: Theme Albums. It's got everything I do from organizing photos, to how I edit myself & arrange my albums. I finished the written materials, and now I need to finish the videos. There's A TON of video to edit, as this class will be packed with samples, so don't be surprised if you don't hear much from me until the class is posted.

 

Here's a little sneak peek for you:

 

 

 

Today is also Thursday, so that means we have USTREAM today and more fun with the Picture This! Camera Album.

 

Classes are this afternoon from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern USA time and then again this evening from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM Eastern USA time.

All classes and their recordings will be over on my USTREAM channel: Kathryn Scraps!

To convert Eastern USA time to your time zone, click here: Time Zone Converter.

 

 

 

 

So far we have had four classes on this album.

You can check them out at the following links:

Picture This, Part 1

Picture This, Part 2

Picture This, Part 3

Picture This, Part 4

See you later!

 

Kathryn :D

NEW VIDEO: Picture This Class Update!

I'm having so much fun with the "Picture This!" album series over on my USTREAM Channel! The camera looks gorgeous and the whole thing is coming together so quickly and beautifully!

For this project, I am using the Bo Bunny "Mama Razzi 2" collection.

 

 

Here's a look at the front cover:

I love how much it looks like a vintage camera! We'll be binding the album so it looks like a wrist strap.

This approx. 5"x8" chipboard + wood grain album is available in my shop now!

 

 

Click here for a more in depth discussion of the "Picture This!" album and a supply list: Picture This!

 

 

I also filmed a quick video with all the pieces of the album that have been completed so far. Check it out on YouTube here or watch below: Picture This! Album.




Classes are Thursday afternoons from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern USA time and then again this evening from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM Eastern USA time.

All classes and their recordings will be over on my USTREAM channel: Kathryn Scraps!

To convert Eastern USA time to your time zone, click here: Time Zone Converter.

So far we have had four classes on this album.
You can check them out at the following links:
Picture This, Part 1
Picture This, Part 2
Picture This, Part 3
Picture This, Part 4


Remember, there is no class this Thursday, July 4th, due to a holiday in the United States.

Kathryn :D