My Crafty Life

It's official. I'm no longer an Angel.

Well , those of you who know me know that I've never been much of an Angel to begin with. 

I've been thinking about this for quite awhile now, and I've come to the conclusion that I no longer wish to be a demo. for The Angel Company (TAC).  I've tried to make the best of the ever-changing policies that TAC has been trying to implement for months, but I just can't do it anymore.  I cannot be a demonstrator for a company that will not pay me for sales that total less than $100 per month.  Many demos are trying to work the math so that they can get around this part of the new compensation plan, but I take issue with any policy that expects me to work for free.  If you are going to accept a small order, then you need to pay your demo for that order.

There are several demos on the demo website to which I belonged (up until about 20 minutes ago) who have criticized me and other demos who have voiced our concerns, chastising us and telling us that we should keep our negativity to ourselves.  After having one of my posts deleted because of "flaming," I have decided that I want nothing to with this company anymore.  I don't think the moderators on that forum actually know what flaming is, because my post wasn't a flame.  I was merely answering a snarky post with a fact, and that fact is that one of the demos found it necessary to take her criticism to the blog run by the owner of TAC. 

Anyway, this opens up another door for me.  Now I can pursue teaching classes that aren't tied to The Angel Company in any way.  I will no longer sell another product for that company, so I can feel completely free to use so many of the other wonderful products that are out there.  Please post here and let me know what classes you'd like to take, and I'll do my best to schedule some within the next month or two.  Please note that your post might take a little while to show up, because I will be approving all posts to this blog from now on.

It's a great time for new beginnings.  Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

I know, I know.  I haven't posted in awhile.  The only excuse I can offer is that things have been very hectic for us these past few weeks.  After the holidays, things might be a little calmer (I hope).  Anyway, as a little thank-you for visiting my blog, I'd like to share some Cricut .cut files with you.  I've designed these myself.  I hope you like them.  Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Download 3 Inch Scalloped Circle

Download 5 Inch Scalloped Circle

Download Scalloped Border 1

Page Maps Sketch

Hi all.  It's been a crazy few weeks for me, but I was able to do a 2-page sketch for Becky Fleck's Page Mapsfor December.  You should really check out Becky's site.  There are some fabulous layouts for scrapbook pages, cards, tags, and even mini album pages.  This is a layout about Haley donating her hair to Locks of Love this past summer.  What a kid!  Have a great weekend!

And the winner is ...

Stamp Journey!  Congratulations!  Please email me your mailing address.  (Click on the email me link on the right.)  Also, let me know which winter holiday(s) you celebrate.  I'll get your prize out to you this week.  Thanks to everyone who read my article, and please come back and visit soon.)

It's been a rough week for me.  My mother-in law had knee surgery on the 19th.  My mother came home from the nursing home on the 20th after breaking her hip last month.  And I had an abscess and had to have 3 teeth pulled, also on the 20th.  So this week I'm posting an article that I wrote for  Scrapbook Update.  I'd really like to hear what you think about this topic too.  Just leave a comment, and I'll do a random drawing for a little holiday surprise.  Happy crafting - and remember to be kind to one another.

A Reminder About The Importance of Customer Service

By JeannetteMG on November 18, 2009

Jeanette Giancaspro is a consumer reader of Scrapbook Update. She joins us a guest blogger today to share her perspective on what is really important to her as a consumer. You can learn more about her by visiting her blog It’s My Crafty Life.

When I was a little girl, my grandmother owned a yarn store. It wasn’t just any yarn store. It was “Connie’s Yarn Shop,” and her customers came from miles around to spend the day (and often the evening) knitting and crocheting, and making all sorts of wonderful creations. The reason for my grandmother’s success wasn’t just her wide selection of goods and services. She also gave her customers outstanding customer service. As soon as they walked into her store, they felt valued, appreciated, and welcome. That is one of the keys to operating a successful business.

Unfortunately, this is the exception rather than the norm these days. Here’s a scenario with which I’m sure many of you can relate: I go into a large craft store looking for a particular item. I look on the shelf where I expect it to be, but it’s not there. I look around for a sales associate to help me, but there is no one around. I search the store and find someone who appears to be annoyed even before I ask her a question. After I inquire about the product, she looks at me as if I’m crazy and says something like, “I’ve never heard of that,” or “If it isn’t on the shelf, we don’t have it.” I look somewhere else and find it. After waiting in line for about 20 minutes, and trying to use a valid coupon that the cashier refuses to accept, I leave frustrated and angry.

I don’t think this is the way most retail store owners want us to leave their stores. I believe that everyone who owns a store truly wants his/her customers to be happy. The problem lies in employee training and supervision. Sales associates, cashiers, and stock personnel must be pleasant, helpful, and knowledgeable. No one can be expected to know everything, but a pleasant and helpful attitude goes a long way in customer service.

As a consumer, I feel from my experience that retail store owners need to pay more attention to training and supervising their employees so that their stores can compete in these difficult economic times. They must hold their employees to higher standards and train them more effectively in customer relations. They should also monitor employees to ensure that customers are leaving their stores on a positive note. Can every store be a Connie’s Yarn Shop? Of course not. Can every store make me feel valued, appreciated, and welcome? Absolutely!

News and Reviews

Hi there!  I know it's been awhile since I last posted, but there has been a lot of family "stuff" going on.   I have some cool crafting news and a few product reviews for you.

First the News:  Lots going on for me.  I'm going to be teaching Scrapbook Design and You (SDU) classes for EK Success at A. C. Moore.  I'll be teaching a 4-week basic course at the ACM in Wappingers Falls, NY.  I'll be doing the demos for the class in December, and I'll be teaching the classes in January.  I'll list the specific dates in a later post.   I'm also doing a layout for Becky Higgins's Page Maps in December.  To top off all of that, I'm now a Scrapjazz Contributor, which means that I'll be writing articles for SJ on a regular basis.  You'll begin seeing my articles in March.  Whew!  I think that's it for the News.

Now for the Reviews:  I've recently purchased 3 products that I really like, and I want to let you know about them before they're gone.  First of all, I bought the We R Memory Keepers Holiday Papers and Embellishments.  These papers are absolutely gorgeous!  Although they aren't quite a cardstock weight, they are heavy-weight papers that are embellished with glitter, embossing, and foil.  The ribbons coordinate beautifully, as do the rub-ons, stickers, and chipboard elements.  I bought mine from HSN.

 

Another set of papers that I absolutely LOVE is the Peppermint Forest Stack from Joann.com.  Talk about heavy-weight cardstock!  This paper is some of the heaviest I've ever used.  Add to that the foil, glitter, and embossed sheets that are included, and you've got the start of some fabulous scrapbook pages, cards, and holiday projects.  Plus, they're on sale right now for 50% off!! 

My last review is for a product that I've been wanting to get for a long time:  the Glue Glider Pro, by Glue Arts.  I've tried the ATGs in classes I've taken, and I really don't like them.  They're too bulky and unwieldy for me.  The Glue Glider Pro is the perfect alternative for me.  It's small enough to manage easily, whether I'm scrapbooking, making cards, or doing other projects; yet it's also large enough to hold a large roll of adhesive that I don't have to change after every few uses.  The cartridges pop in and out, and there are several different types available.  The adhesive is strong and easy to apply.  I bought mine from Oriental Trading Company.  They also have good prices on the refills.

Well, that about sums things up for now.  As soon as everything "goes live" on the other sites, I'll post pictures of my projects.  Oh, and look for some surprises very soon.  I'm not saying what they will be.  You'll just have to check back soon.  Happy crafting!

Scrapbooking Tip: Odd-Sized Layouts

A few years ago for Mother's Day, my husband bought me a beautiful Hallmark scrapbook album.  It's an odd size, approximately 9 x 12, and this presented a challenge to me.  I've never seen layouts in this size, so I had to come up with some ideas to work with the pages in the book. 

I decided to approach the layouts from an 8 1/2 x 11 perspective.  This worked very well at first, because I even had a little extra room to spread things out if necessary.  After awhile, though, it became a little boring, doing the same basic layout over and over.  Then it hit me.  Why not turn the layouts and make them horizontal?  I had seen this done with 8 1/2 x 11 layouts many times, and I really liked the way they looked.  So I tried it.  Here is one of the layouts, which I think turned out great.  It also adapted it for a 2-page sketch challenge on If It's Groovy this month. 

So, the next time you're faced with an odd-sized layout, try looking at things from a different angle!  Happy scrapping!

 

Scrapbooking Tip: Using Patterned Papers

As a scrapbooker of more than 8 years, I know how confusing patterned papers can be to work with.  It's so easy to fall in love with all those delicious colors, patterns, and textures.  What does one do when trying to use more than one pattern on a layout?  Well, here are a few tips.

1.  Use coordinating papers made by the same company.  On this layout, for example, I used K & Company's Girl Scouts paper line.  (This is the original line.  K & Co. has replaced it with a new line of GS papers.)

2.  If you have the option, choose double-sided papers so that you have more choices of designs that coordinate nicely. 

3.  Use plain cardstock as a background/base paper, and add patterned paper effectively.  In this case, I used the patterned papers to draw attention to my photos and move the viewer's eye from the top of my layout to the bottom. 

4.  Choose coordinating embellishments that pick up a few of the colors in your layout.  Try not to over-do the embellishments when you're using patterned papers.  You don't want to take the focus away from your photos.

5.  Another idea for incorporating patterned papers into your scrapbook pages is to use them for your titles.  For this layout, I used one of the patterned papers for the letters and a coordinating solid paper to mat the letters.

Try using some of these ideas, and you'll see how even the busiest papers can be incorporated into your layout to create a very eye-catching effect.  Happy scrapping!

 

Halloween Treat Bag Toppers

I made these adorable treat bag toppers with images from Ildi Co.   I used circle and scalloped circle punches and added my own little dots in each scallop with a marker.

Fun Titles

When I first started scrapbooking, my titles were pretty simple.  OK, boring.  As I improved my skills and style, I began to create titles that were more interesting; but they were still missing something.  Then I discovered how to really make them come alive.  One way to accomplish this is to use different fonts for different words in my title.  In the layout here, "Play Date" and "Rebecca" are 2 different styles of a Cricut font,  (I think I used  All Mixed Up, but I'm not sure.)

Another technique I use to jazz up my titles is doodling on and around them.  Here I used Souffle Pens, made by Marvy Uchida, to draw little polka dots on and around the letters.  Finally, I wrote in  the word "with" using the same pens.  I don't know if the scan picked up the colors, but they are bright and fun - just the right addition to this page all about Haley and her friend Rebecca.

Try spicing up the title on your next layout using these techniques.  It's easy and fun.  Happy scrapping!  Remember to check out my Etsy Shop for one-of-a-kind creations for scrapbooking and cardmaking!