Look What’s New at ScrapMatters.com March 1, 2012!!

Happy First Day of March–that means it’s time for another Mix-a-Kit!
March is officially the first month of Spring but our design team created some wonderful new Mix-a-Kit offerings for you
that will drive you directly to summery nights and idyllic moments!
This month’s palette was chosen byKim Broedelet of Kim B Designs. There is a lot of variety and something for everyone.
Don’t forget, the Mix-a-kit pieces are 20% off for one week only!

Look What’s New at ScrapMatters.com November 1. 2011

The November Mix-a-kit is here! This month’s gorgeous palette is by Danielle of The Design Girl.

There is ALWAYS something to look forward too. Things we are waiting for:  A baby, a wedding, a birthday.  Recently, my children and I counted down to Daddy coming home from deployment.  Now we are counting down to Halloween.  (We are also counting down to our Return to DisneyWorld–been saving for 3 years.  We are leaving on Nov. 1)  That would be a great idea for countdown blocks!  But what I have to show you are my Countdown to Halloween Blocks!  I used several pieces from the October Mix a Kit.  Here are the main kits I used. This one I loved because it gave more more variety in my numbers.

I loved the Frightful word bits too.

This alpha reminds me of a fat squishy pumpkin.

I used almost every piece that Dream Big Designs created for the Mix A Kit. Here is a look at just the papers, but the super cool alpha that is glittered around the edges is worth checking out too.

Here is another alpha that my son loves and picked out for me to use.

These aren’t even all the goodies I used, you can find all the parts of the ScrapMatters October Mix A Kit here.

Let me show you my finished project.

Yes, these are the cutest little blocks. You maybe have seen them all over.  Usually they are made of little wooden blocks.  But mine are made out of 3 pieces of cardstock and some Glue Dots.  Don’t get me wrong I love the wooden ones, and I think they would last longer.  But if you are anything like me, even if you went through all the trouble to make the wooden kind you wouldn’t be able to find them next year, and would have to make them all over.  I think if I were giving these as a fancy gift I would go the wooden route.  But these have held up great to my 3 elementary kids so far, and since they were so easy I will want to make more next year anyway.

I designed my own template for this little project.  And I will definitely tell you how I did it.  I am not going to go in to full out detail, because when I upload thing that I make for my own use to share I always worry that in all my excitement that I have messed up something.  So I have sent the idea to Krisi’s Kreations, and I think that she is going to fancy it up a bit and quality check it and all that jazz and have it in her store.  (I am thinking Christmas countdown).

Let me go ahead and tell you how I did it for now.  I use a regular printer at home, so I needed to be able to print on regular paper.  To do that safely, I found the blocks could be 1.75 inches.  This isn’t the way I made my template in the beginning but through trial and error this is what worked.  You know it is one of those things that took me all day-but had I known then what I know now it would have been as simple as this.  You need to create a 1.75 x 1.75 inch square in your program.  I use Photoshop Elements 7, but it will be the same idea in any program.  I recommend filling it with color. Then all you have to do is duplicate it five times.  Then line them up like this.  You can draw the flaps on afterward with a pencil.  I have put them on the template to give you an idea-but you won’t see them after they are assembled.

You will need 2 square blocks.  Then for the base you will need a rectangle block.  This was the part that took me so long, but in hindsight it wasn’t hard.  But boy did it elude me at first.  Using the block template layered file, You just turn the middle squares into 1.75 x 3.5 inch rectangles!  Leave everything else the same.  My base looks different because it is rotated, but don’t let that confuse you!  Just remember that you will see the squares too, so decorate them as well.  Here are my flattened square blocks and rectangle base.

Your first block will have 0,1,2,6,7,8 (but you have to use a font that will let the 6 also be used for 9.  Your second block will be 0,1,2,3,4,5.  This will let you count down a full month.  Or hey, you could make this a perpetual calendar too!  I had so much fun with these little countdown blocks. I hope you will too!  I am sure to be back with Christmas Countdowns.  Here is one more picture.  And thanks so much for looking! Tamara.

Wow, it’s October already!  This year is flying by!  Cathy here with a little project to help you out at Halloween.  Ever end up with plans the night of Halloween and you’re not able to be home to give out the candy?  Or maybe you want to escort your little characters as they trick or treat their way through the neighborhood and just need a helping hand for a bit.  Believe it or not, your craft and digi supplies can come to the rescue!

You can create a sweet sign to leave out with your stash of goodies. This way you get to enjoy your other plans, the Halloween visitors still get their treats and your house doesn’t get tricked, hopefully!

This is a fairly simple project. All that you’ll need is a picture frame, some printing paper and your favorite Halloween themed digital kit.  Lucky for you, the Mix-a-kit series at ScrapMatters for October has some great Halloween themed items.  You can pick and choose the portions of the kit that suit you best.  I used Frightful – The Patterns, Frightful – The Extras (by WM Squared Designs); Scary Elegance – Paper Pack (by Haynay Designs); Shabby Solids - October Mix (by GeniaBeana); Haunted House Elements, Haunted House Alpha (by Dream Big Designs), Purple Monster Alpha (by Amy Stoffel)

I found an old picture frame that was not being used and painted it black. It is an 8.5″x11″ frame which I turned on its side.  I designed my sign in Photoshop.  I printed it out on Red River Canvas paper.  Just popped it into the frame and I’m all set.

Perhaps the creepy eyes “watching” will keep the kids from taking all the candy!  I used a brush to create smoky clouds to help accentuate some of the design.

Believe it or not, I’ve had to leave a bowl of candy on the porch for the trick or treaters to help themselves in the past. I thought they would empty the bowl in no time. But I actually had leftover!  Hope you have a crafty and Happy Halloween!

Look What’s New at ScrapMatters.com 10/1/2011

Hello! Happy October to you! Are the ghoulies and ghosties up in your neighborhood yet? Our designers have a fantastic new collection of spooky (and some non-sppoky) scrapping goodies for you courtesy of Tanya of Crossbone Cuts.

Good Day.  Welcome to this edition of ScrapMatters Home Matters.  September tends to be a typically challenging month for those with children returning to school and this September has been particularly challenging for me personally.  My daughter starts kindergarten and I’m not sure which one of us it’s harder on – me or her.

To help me with this big change, I want to make sure that Emma knows that her Daddy and I are thinking about her by including a little note in (or on) her lunch bag.  While I’d like to think that these notes will be cherished for 100 years, I’m more of a realist and didn’t print these to be reused.

Before I dive into my hybrid projects, I like to gather my supplies.  So lets see, I need a ruler, a lunch bag, some ribbon, printing paper and my favorite digital kit.  Today my kit inspiration comes from the new Make-A-Kit series that the design team creates monthly!

Check out these from CrossBone Cuts Schooled – The Elements, Schooled – The Patterns and Schooled – Dots & Solids.

I measured the paper lunch bag to find that a best fit for the bag would be a 4” x 4” square.  I opened my scrap program (PSE 6) and created a document 4.25” x 4.25”.  This way when I got to print on my 8.5” x 11”, I can have 2 bag labels side by side.  When I go to print, my print menu screen will allow me to scale my project to print within the bounds of the printer’s parameters (takes the guess work out of making sure it’s correctly sized to begin with).

If you would like to preserve your note cards, you could print on a heavier paper like a cardstock (though you may find the colors to be muted) and seal it with Mod Podge or even laminate your cards.

Thanks for tuning in to my segment of Home Matters.  If you’d like to include a little something special to brighten your bagged lunches, you can also check out A Time to Learn: Note Cards by Stolen Moments and explore.learn.grow. Printables: lunch box notes by Simply J Studio and Sahlin Studio.  Hope that inspired you to take a printable look at your digi stash!

Look What’s New at ScrapMatters.com 9/01/2011!!

Happy First Day of September! It’s a new month which means our fabulous designers have a new Mix-a-Kit offering for you!

This month’s super fun palette was chosen by Liz of Band Geek Designs. Our designers had so much fun with it, and there is something here for everyone’s different scrapping needs.