Happy Hanukkah!

Can I tell you a funny story?    This one has nothing to do with scrapbooking but it does involve the theme of today's layouts.  Yesterday I was at Trader Joe's and an older couple was arguing in the baked goods section about whether or not certain items were kosher.  It was getting to be a pretty heated discussion and everyone was backing away and giving them their space.  Finally the husband walks off in a huff and says, "Fine, let's just bring them a ham."  It was one of the funnier moments I've had at TJs!

Ok, back to scrapping....here's some Hanukkah inspiration for you for the first day of the Festival of Lights!  I loved layering the new Hanukkah paper from Karen Foster with other prints around the shop, including a navy houndstooth that is found on the reverse side of a My Mind's Eye print and a distressed solid from Crate Paper's Random collection.   The ruffle couldn't have been easier!  I added double stick tape along the perimeter of the paper and formed the ruffle by hand.  No sewing involved!  Love it!  Of course, you can't go wrong with torn or sanded edges.  

Be sure to set out some time to shop our Hanukkah selection, its the best one we've ever had! 

Sonja

National Craft Month Make 'n' Take

In honor of National Craft Month, I'm hosting a week long drop-in Make 'n' Take. Learn how to make this adorable mini box complete with mini cards. Once you see how easy it is to make this box, you'll want to make many more so you'll receive detailed take home instructions.

Drop In Anytime Saturday March 19th - 25th
Noon - 6pm; $10

Thanks to SRM Press for this adorable project idea! We'll use their stickers and papers from My Mind's Eye.

In Love with Lost & Found

The Lost & Found Collection from My Mind's Eye has inspired a lot of romance around here. The french inspired motifs and glitter accents are fantastic to work with. Here are four layouts to share!

There are lots and lots and lots of layers on this layout, which seems to be my favorite style right now. Here 2 papers are layered for a mat, plus a distress background rub on from Glitz Design. Imagine a photo or two on top of that shabby damask pattern. Next I accordion folded a border and added a rose ribbon border on top of that! The title is popped up on top of it all....simply perfect.

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I played with layering a bit different on this page...creating a bit of a shadowbox effect by taking the center out of the pink stripe paper and popped it up over the background paper. I double matted my photo mats and cut slits in the background paper to tuck pieces under elements like the bird cage, etc. The rose bouquet from ZVA is an easy way to add texture.

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I have to admit this one took me hours, but only because I kept trying tons of different ribbons until I found the exact right one. But that's all done for you so this layout will be easy as pie. Trim roughly 3" of the right side of the die cut paper and that will be the left part of your corset. After you add the eyelets for lasing, mount both pieces of the corset to the background page with foam mounting tape. Then lace your ribbon through. Take your left over ribbon pieces to make photo corners for your mats.

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Cant' leave the boys out. This super cute cowboy motif is found in the "blue" collection of Lost & Found. I added a chipboard piece as one of the photo mats and layered ribbon under my paper layers for extra definition. Tanja had the brilliant idea to use silver photo corners to pick up the silver glitter accents! It all works!

Have fun creating!

No, I have not fallen off the face of the earth....

...I have just not been scrapbooking! There were of course the endless holiday preparations last month and a long and not fun to - do list greeting the new year. But during our 4 day crop....yes....Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday, I scrapped a dozen layouts to share with you. So here are the first few featuring the Alphabet Soup collection from My Mind's Eye.

This collection is so much fun and has a bright, kid-friendly color scheme. It also features a unique embellishment...playing cards. Here I sanded the cards and added them as an extra background layer on the layout. Aren't they cute?

For the "girl layout" I strung together several cards to form a banner accented by crystal embellishments from Melissa Frances.

And finally, there are some fun prints for Valentine's Day, like this argyle heart pattern. I red ribbon as an accent. Remember....colors don't have to be matchy matchy to be look good. They can be the same hue...just a stronger tone as in this layout. Colors should compliment, not clash. And I used the backside of the playing cards to add another heart element to the page. The weaving was super easy....just cut one inch strips and inch apart from one another.

Hope this inspires some creativity for you in the new year. I'll share more layouts soon!

Sonja

Blog Hop Blond Moment

So it turns out I wasn't signed up for the Paper Secrets Holiday Blog Hop this weekend...blond moment! I sure have been out of it lately. Oh well. I've still been crafty and here are two layouts with Holly Jolly Collection from My Mind's Eye.

The tree is made up of curled strips of paper...3/4" by 3".

I used the round chipboard backdrops from Melissa Frances as giant ornaments!

Gift Book

Are you looking for a quick and easy Handmade Book this Holiday? Drop in anytime in December to make my favorite gift book featuring the I Believe collection from My Mind's Eye. This is a simple project to make (I plan to finish 5 of them for family this year) and will dazzle your friends and family. Stop by anytime this month (unless a regularly scheduled class or crop is planned) and create yours for only $15. Please plan to bring your basic tool kit with you!

Banners are BIG!

Banners are super popular right now! You see them all over the magazine and in the paper prints. This month we'll make your choice of a Hanukkah or Christmas banner! Both projects feature paper & embellishments from Lost & Found by MME.

These keepsake banners are made out of chipboard so they'll last year after year! They're accented with Crepe paper rosettes, tinsel, buttons and brads.

Classes will be held Sunday, November 21st or a special MONDAY class, November 22nd.

Please reserve your kit in advance and allow 4 hours for this class!

310-410-7272

Blackbird Kits

I've had lots of request for kits and here is my first one! It features the Blackbird Collection from My Mind's Eye and includes over $20 worth of products to create a double page spread, chipboard wall hanging and greeting cards! (click on image to enlarge)

Kits include

Blackbird Brads, Chipboard Piece, Die Cuts & 5 sheets of paper

Glimmer Misted Chipboard Round

Four pre-cut card bases from Bazzill

Fibers

I only have supplies for 10 kits to be sure to order yours soon.

Introductory price: $25.00

8 down...a lot more to go....

Technically, 9 sample cards are made but for the life of me I can't find #9...a beautiful fall card. Maybe it blew away. But here are a couple more samples for our Cards Mega Class next week.

Mr. Snowman featuring various scraps and of couse a sticker from SRM

Bloom featuring new American Crafts paper from the 2nd Dear Lizzy Collection, Hambly overlay and sticker from SRM.

Another spring card featuring paper from My Mind's Eye, Crepe Paper from Melissa France and...you guessed it sticker from SRM

Trick or Treat featuring paper from American Crafts, trim from Bazzill and SRM Stickers

I'll be hard at work on more samples this weekend. The Cards Mega class is Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday next week...25 cards for $50 or 2 of any 12 designs. Drop in anytime at your leisure, but please call ahead to reserve a kit so I can prepare one for you!

Sonja

Scrap in the City - Pt 4

Sex and the City has inspired a lot of creativity around here. First, here are my two make 'n' take pages for Shop Hop. I couldn't decide on a design so I made two. They're available while supplies last!

A big THANKS to Paperhouse for the donated mini photo die cuts & to My Mind's Eye for donating the paper for the layouts! Layouts are also embellished with stamped images from Unity, bling from Zva, Bazzill Cardstock and ribbons from MME's Lush Collection.

And we've had some great entries for our Design Challenge. Take a look at these from Linda T.

Mr. & Mr. from Stanford's Point of View

Adventure from Miranda's Point of View


Hot Mom in the City from Charlottes Point of View.



Design Challenges are due the final day of Shop Hop, August 22nd and winners will recieve a $25 gift certificate to Sonja's Scrapbook Spot. Click here for the details!

Sonja

Scrap in the City - Part 3!

Whoo Hoo! Shop Hop 2010 is less than 1 week away! We kicked off Shop Hop last night with Mocktails and Make 'n' Takes at the Shop last night. So much fun!

If you're planning to come to Sonja's Scrapbook Spot during Shop Hop I wanted to let you know about some really cool things we have going on during the Shop. Also, I've included info about the best places to park at our mall and updates on store hours!

Special Events During Shop Hop

FREE Quick Cards Make N Take
With Susan McShirley, owner of SRM Stickers

Susan will be joing us Saturday, August 7th from 10am - noon for a special bonus make 'n' take, free for Shop Hoppers ($5 for everyone else)! You'll also recieve a free Hollywood Sticker from Susan. I'll have coffee and muffins available. What a great way to kick off Shop Hop!


Tattered Traveler Class with Monika Thomas
Thursday, August 19th 2-5pm or 6-9pm; $45


Monika is coming to the shop to teach this popular summer classes. It will be one of her last teaching stop so if you've missed the class at other stores, come by and take it at ours! Sorry, I can't discount the cost of the class, but it will count towards your Shop Hop purchases, qualifying you for the make n take and store charm! Reservations must be made in advance!



Special Products at Sonja's Scrapbook Spot

We're pleased to offer one of the widest selections of My Mind's Eye collections at our Shop, including Breaking Free, Abbey Road, Quite Contrary, So Sophie and the extremely popular Lush collection! Plus a fresh selection of papers from Dove of the East just arrived! And we couldn't do Sex and the City without bling! A new order from ZVA Creative just arrived, our largest selection yet and it's going quickly! Last but not least, I just recieved the latest releases from Fiskars, awesome punches and stamp rollers! You won't want to miss these!

Also....

Scrap in the City T-Shirts! $15.00
Our theme, Sex in the City inspired these shirts and we're celebrating being the only scrapbook store for the City of LA! T-shirts are available for purchase during Shop Hop. Once again, I can't offer a discount on them, but I will count it towards your Shop Hop purchases!


My Mini Memories - Mini Photo Album $15
These nifty photo albums are truly unique! Check out our website for more details. If you're insterested in ordering one you can email me your photos and I'll have the book ready for you when you arrive for Shop Hop. Or if you order 3 or more books during Shop Hop, I will ship them to you for FREE! Once again, I'm not able to offer the Shop Hop discount on these items, but I will count it towards your Shop Hop purchases!


Shop Hop Parking Tips & Tricks

We're located in a shopping mall, the Promenade at Howard Hughes Center. Parking is available in our parking structure. There are great places to eat here, making it an excellent pit stop on your Shop Hop.


Depending on the day & time you arrive you will be asked to pay before leaving or upon entering the structure. During the day, your first half hour is free, your first hour is $1 and 2-4 hours is $2. After 4pm and during the weekend, parking is a flat rate of $2. However, if you ask the parking attendant to note the time on your parking ticket and you leave within a short time they will offer you a refund! Please note, I cannot validate and these are only general observations for our parking stucture.

Public restrooms are located at Center Court. I don't have a restroom at the shop. If you come during the day and you see a sign that says be back in five...you'll know where I am =).

If you're on your way to the shop and don't think you can make it on time, feel free to call me. I'll make every effort to stay open later for you!

Also, I have 3 crops planned during Shop Hop which means later shopping hours for you!

Friday, August 6th...open until Midnight!
Saturday, August 14th....open until 10pm!
Saturday, August 21st....open until 10pm!


Phew! I think that covers it! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call!
Sonja
310-410-7272