I’ve been working on new mini books for classes at Precious Memories : here are 3 upcoming classes that I’ll be teaching later this month and in March.
Easter Exploding Box
And this one I made a long time ago, but its based on a mini album from my book and the class is coming up at the end of February. This is such a fun one to make!
This handsome little fellow was hanging out with me while I was working on class samples, he is quite photogenic I think!
And here’s a few other mini albums that I’ve made the last couple months that I just haven’t taken the time to post photos of yet. All were made for gifts and have been given away already.
Just a warning: this post is going to be full of photos!
I got back from California last night and was so exhausted that I pretty much went right to bed and fell asleep almost immeadiately! So today I’m trying to catch up on emails, unpack, and work on some upcoming classes. The dogs are still at my parents so I’m feeling rather lost being at home without them! I’m heading over to the island tomorrow though for the weekend so I’ll see them then! Can’t wait!
So now onto my trip! FABULOUS!!! I had such a great time!! CHA was amazing (but not as busy as it was the last time I was there). I ran into so many people that I knew so that was lots of fun. The release date for my book is February 12th but apparantly it’s already out there in some stores! A retailer told me she already has it displayed in her store and I got emails from a couple people who bought it on Amazon and they already got it. So cool!
I got to meet 3 of the contributing designers for my book too: Andrea Deer, Michelle van Etten and Julie Overby – all incredible and talented ladies!!
But of course being in Anaheim and being the Disney lover that I am, I couldn’t be right across the street from the happiest place on earth and not venture inside…. I was so lucky to have my good friend Adam drive up from Laguna Beach to accompany me to Disney, and he also took me to the San Diego Wild Animal Park! Fun times!! Thanks so much Adam, you’re the best!!
Michelle van Etten
Getting ready for my workshop at CHA
Everyone who took my class got a book! So cool to see so many of them all stacked up!
One of the class projects
mmmm….love it hereThe new Toy Story ride was really cool!
guess which one was my score? haha
How lucky is this guy? In with the cheetahs!! How awesome that would be.
Isn’t this lion adorable? He’s only a year old!The lion is right behind us!
I’ve been busy getting ready to head to sunny California later this week to attend the CHA show (and of course to make a visit to see Mickey at Disneyland!!). Been working on class samples for the workshop I’m teaching and putting together all the kits – its going to be a great class!! I’ll post some pictures of the projects soon.
Just in case anyone is going to be at CHA – I would love to meet you! I will be in the Making Memories (F & W Media) booth signing books Sunday from 11am- noon, Monday from Noon-1:00, and Tuesday from 11:00- noon. I will be teaching a workshop on Tuesday from 3-5. There will be free book giveaways!! (very limited supplies so come early!)
Book Giveaway!!
Because I am so excited that my book is getting ready to hit the stores on February 12, I’m doing a giveaway here! An autographed copy of my book “Outstanding Mini Albums” chosen by a random draw. Just leave a comment here by Feb 1 and you will be entered in the draw. (If you link to my blog from yours, please send me your blog link so I can add it here – everyone who links to me will recieve 2 ballots into this draw!)
CHA is coming up soon in Anaheim, California. I’m going to be going and teaching a workshop for Memory Makers! yay! My workshop, called Playing with Paper, can be seen here : I’ll be teaching 2 mini albums from my book, and everyone who takes the workshop will get a copy of my book! I’ll also be doing some book signings in the Memory Makers (F & W Publications) booth, so if you’re at CHA, please pop on over to say hi.
I worked on a bunch of new tutorials today, all Holiday related, there are 6 new ones posted on my tutorials page: Quick and Easy Holiday Tags, Holiday Card Holder Felt Wall Hanging, and 4 Take Out Gift boxes, using techiques by Claudine Hellmuth and some of her new products.
I just recieved the first copy of my book today! *Excitement!!* It was such an awesome moment seeing it complete for the first time, the very moment I dreamed of for the last 17 months. It’s a little surreal seeing this entire book….with my name on the cover and my mini books inside it! This whole process has been eye opening and amazing, ever since I got the phone call from Christine Doyle at F & W Publications congratulating me, telling me that my book proposal got accepted and I was the latest author for Memory Makers books. Wow. I spent the next 6 months solely making mini albums for the book, completing 40 of them, all in different themes and different types of albums. I then had to ship them all off to Memory Makers so they could be photographed for the book, and I just recently got them back – so strange to see them all again after not having them here for 9 months. It’s been such a great opportunity and experience, so a huge thank you to everyone at F & W!
So… there are 50 different mini albums featured in the book, 38 of them have step by step photo instructions, as well there are additional techniques featured and templates. 40 of the albums are mine, and 10 are from some fabulous contributor designers: Cami Bauman, Mou Saha, Michelle Van Etten, Kathie Davis, Julie Overby, Carolyn Lontin, Andrea Deer, and Brenda Neuberger.
Here are a few photos of the book and I will feature a few more sneak peeks in a bit. The book will be in the stores by February and you can pre-order it on Amazon already. As soon as I am able to get some more copies of it in January, I will do a giveaway here, so keep your eyes out!
So that was my exciting news! Now onto why I haven’t been around the internet world this past week, I’ve been sick again, this time with bronchial pneumonia. Of course I had to get it the last week of classes, the one week where I cannot miss a class at all! So I went to school sick, excusing myself peridically from class to rush to the bathroom to cough up part of a lung, then quietly slip back into class. All is good.
I had 2 Christmas parties to go to this past weekend too, both which I was really looking forward to, so I loaded myself up on medication and went. All this good Holiday food and I couldn’t taste anything! ergh. For last night’s party though I could taste some stuff so I’m finally starting to get my taste buds back – yay!
Oh, a big thank you to the ladies last night who gave me the tip about the Vick’s vapo rub! I was told that by rubbing the Vicks on your feet, then putting socks on and going to bed, that will stop you from coughing all night. Of course as soon a my head hit the pillow last night, I started coughing so I got up, found the vicks and tried it. I don’t remember coughing at all during the night! Awesome!! I was so happy to be able to sleep in my bed again, as the previous nights that I coughed, I got up and retreated down to the couch so I wouldn’t keep Brent awake all night.
Here are some pictures I took over the weekend, and of a little mini album I made Brent for his birthday. I also did a tutorial on using the distress inks here.
Angus with his shaggy winter coat
Having a lazy Sunday: Zoey in her favorite spot on the couch
Here are a few sneak peeks of the Holiday Clear Mini Album class – I had a lot of fun making these, and there was lots of product left over from the kit! I love it when that happens : ) (There are a few different variations on this book)
