One of the first things that I bought when I started scrapbooking was a set of chalk.  Inexpensive and easy to use, chalk is a great tool for coloring almost anything.  Plus, unlike ink, you can erase it with a white eraser!  So, no mistakes!  Gotta’ love that.  But, if you’re ready to take that chalk to the next level, watch the tutorial below on how to use chalk to create marbled paper…

And here is the card that I made with that marbled paper:

New store on the upper west side seeking a part-time experienced scrapbooker for retail sales position. 

REQUIREMENTS: 
* Have a scrapbook to show you work at the interview. 
* Ability to create scrapbook kits and sample pages 
* Good organizational skills 
* Good attention to detail 
* Strong customer service and communication skills 
* Be VERY VERY VERY responsible 

The Scrapbook Specialist is responsible for performing efficient, accurate and friendly customer transactions, including operating the cash register and processing customer purchases. Applicants must demonstrate good listening skills with regards to customer requests about product locations and store programs and services, and knowledge of the scrapbooking industry with a willingness to learn about the craft industry. 

Scrapbook Specialist candidates must have good organizational skills, good attention to detail and strong customer service and communication skills. High school diploma is required; some previous retail experience or restaurant is recommended. 

Basic computer skills are required. Hours of work vary and you will be required to work some evenings and weekends. 

To be considered for this exciting opportunities please send a letter highlighting which position interests you, why you are interested and what skills you feel you bring to the position. 

You will be helping with creating scrapbook kits and sample pages. 

You will be on the floor most of your shifts helping customers with the craft needs, showing them on to use tools, giving them ideas on making cards and scrapbook layouts. This is fast paced high energy level job. 

You will also be responsible for keeping track of special orders – calling customers when they arrive – maintaining our class attendance list and creating and update what is needed in terms of stock items. Replenish the displays, cleaning the crop studio, replenish the cash area with bags, newsletter, paper fro the register, price items, do signage, cleaning the store – floors, dusting, washrooms. Approach the customer and determine what they are looking for, demonstrate how to use products, highlight new ones, or ones that would make there tasks easier. 

Candidates being considered will be contacted for an interview. You will be asked to bring samples of your scrapbook pages to present at the interview. These samples should exhibit your knowledge and use of several scrapbooking techniques and tools. We have monthly staff meetings or staff events , daily and monthly sales goals as a team to meet. 
Salary starts at $10/hr. with performance bonuses for TEAM performance.

Email kim@portraitbug.com with your information if you are interested.

when the new topic for blog entry of scrapping challenges was brought up, i laughed because frankly, my major challenge with scrapbooking lately is well… scrapbooking. too tired. too busy. too lazy. no mojo.

most scrappers i know have gone through a drought in scrapping. it just so happens that mine has lasted the last two plus months. literally, i’ve done one page.

so i have three suggestions for you during your scrapping drought. these ideas have helped me in the past. and hopefully, they’ll help you.

my first suggestion: don’t scrap. i know, didn’t we just talk about scrapping and getting back into it? right. but, the thing is, sometimes you just cannot scrap. so, don’t. instead, go through your stuff. i know that for myself, even when i’m not scrapping, i’m still buying and collecting supplies. and i know that sometimes the most inspiring thing for me to do is to go through those supplies. so do that. rearrange your supplies. purge some supplies. or make some page kits – put together some stuff old and new that you love and think would be fun together. this all usually makes me feel good and makes me more inspired to scrap. make sure you keep a pen and paper nearby in case you get inspired and want to sketch some ideas!

suggestion numero dos: scrap about how you cannot scrap. or why you cannot scrap. sometimes just letting go and doing gets the mojo going. here’s a page i did awhile ago when i just started working full time and was too tired to sit down and come up with ideas.

suggestion number three: scrapbook challenges. i, for some reason, work really well with challenges. if someone challenges me to do a page, i usually like how they turn out much better and can do them much quicker. i think it’s the guidelines that must help me. so my suggestion to you is to get together with some friends and challenge each other or if you’ve got no local friends that scrap, check out some of my favorite challenge blogs:

scrapjacked
the art is found
one little word
effer dares

When I started scrapbooking, back in the day (ha!), I did it to document the major events in my life. My marriage, my daugther’s birth, my first house. But these days, I find that I scrap mostly for the creative release it provides. The fact that I simultaneously get to preserve my family’s most cherished photos/memories is an added bonus. The only problem I’ve run into is the ‘journaling’ part. Sometimes I have nothing more to say than “how cute is she!” or “i love you”. Other times, I feel like just the date would suffice. Then there are the few times when I can write an entire novel of juicy information that I know I’ll want to read again years down the road.

One thing that used to stop me from journaling was the fact that I hated my handwriting. I can do it if I write my journaling in pencil first, neatly and slowly, and then go over it in pen. I also print out my journaling from time to time, but my favorite tool to use now is my typewriter. I actually find that it makes me journal a whole lot more that I used to just because I love the way it looks.

I also find that it helps to plan the location of my journaling in the initial design process. Sometimes, I’ll get to the end of a layout and then realize that there’s no where left to journal. I usually end up adding a couple strips of paper with just the basic info. If I plan it in ahead of time, I have more of a chance of actually including some meaningful writing.

Now, I’m working on branching out from just the who, what, when, where + emotion = journaling equation and delve deeper into the little details. I try to think of the little things, like the way my daughter whispers to sneak to into my bed in the middle of the night, or the face she makes when she’s confused, the smell of the air after it rains or the way a certain song makes my heart ache.

When I actually do have something very important to journal about, I usually prefer to keep it private. I also tend to get very long winded when you get me started, which is often difficult to fit onto one layout. To solve that problem, I usually include some sort of hidden journaling. I like to tuck a small slip of paper or a cute journaling tag behind a photo so it can be removed and read in the future. I also like to write on the back of the layout when hidden journaling isn’t possible.

It’s a process, but I hope to make journaling as important a part of my scrapbooking as the photos are. One layout at a time!

i’m one of those people who always takes photos, but doesn’t always have the time to scrapbook them. one of my favorite things to do when i am not feeling particularly creative (or find that i’m too busy to scrap) is do a quick “month in review” page. they are super simple, totally fun and give my scrapbooks a cohesive flow.

to create this layout, i simply printed out my favorite pictures from january on one 4×6 photo, journaled underneath with my typewriter, and added my title and embellishment.

now i feel like my memories are preserved, my photos are put to use, and i had a fun creative moment…without throwing my schedule out of whack!

products used: label love by kristina contes (yellow dotted paper), jenni bowlin rub ons,ek success bookwork alphabet, cricut going places cartridge with woodgrain paper, american crafts thickers (asterisk) and typewriter.

This coupon will be called the construction woes coupon. Use the code: 10OFF at checkout. From now until the end of the month our blog readers can take 10% off every item in the store on purchases of $20 or more. 

A quick update on the actual store. We have not been posting construction updates since construction has come a screeching halt. Our landlord has not provided electricity in our store for over a month. And our contractor cannot continue to build without juice. Our plan was to be open September 1st. Then September 15th. And now we just want the electric back in place so we can keep the build process going. As soon as electricity is restored we should be open in a couple weeks. The products are in stock, the furniture is waiting for walls and floors, and the frames are waiting to be hung. Thank you to everyone who is excited about our actual grand opening! We appreciate the support and encouragement.

In the meantime we are trying to iron out the glitches of our online. We have worked out most of the major issues and hope your shopping experience is smooth and easy. The coupon code 10OFF can be entered on step 2 of checkout before you make payment. 

Keep your fingers crossed for electrical current at 2466 Broadway! Once the landlord brings back service we will announce our grand opening and that means parties, classes, and MORE GIVEAWAYS.

sorry i’m late!

had to rush this morning but now i’m back to announce that…

#18 is our winner!!

What a beautiful book!

Comment by Amy A. — September 9, 2008 @ 3:36 pm

congrats!!

hey everyone… we have a STORE UPDATE! coming in just a bit for you.  unfortunately we will not be making our target open date of sept. 15th, BUT we are hoping that we will be open by the end of the month.  but we’ll update you on what’s happening, and show you some construction photos…

and of course the grand prize!! {see you in just a few!!}

today the random number generator picked…

#5!

all of those papers are totally AWESOME!!! I’ve never really looked at SEI before, but this makes me want to check them out even more!! hope to win

Comment by Bobbi in KY — September 8, 2008

Congrats on that HUGE SEI win!  Please email me your shipping information to meredith@portraitbug.com!