Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Tomorrow's Wednesday Workout Ustream show....

....is being delayed by 2 hours.

I have been trying to get my kids in for eye doctor appointments before school starts next week. The eye doctor's office just called with an opening for tomorrow so I gotta take it.



The Wednesday Workout Ustream show will be delayed until 2:30 Pacific time for tomorrow only. We will resume out regularly scheduled time of 12 noon Pacific next week (and the kids will be in school by then!!! YEA!!)

During tomorrows show we will be continuing to work on the Trunk Full of Memories trunk.

See you all tomorrow!

Laura

Monday, August 29, 2011

New Trunk Full of Memories Kits

The new Trunk Full of Memories kits are up on my website. I received confirmation this morning that the last of the paper I am using in the kits is on its way and should arrive by Wednesday. The kits will ship out before the end of the week.



This version features the Printery Collection from Prima. This is the collection I am using on sample I am making on the Ustream series that started this past Friday/Saturday and will continue on Wednesday (12:30 pm Pacific) and on Friday (7 pm Pacific).

Have an awesome week! A peek at the Hall Pass school themed mini album should be up tomorrow.

Laura

Friday, August 26, 2011

Trunk Full of Memories on Ustream tonight...

Join us tonight for this fun trunk on Ustream at 7pm Pacific. Part 2 will be tomorrow morning at 10 am Pacific. Click the Ustream logo on the sidebar to go directly to my Ustream Channel.



See you tonight!!

Laura

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Tag Tuesday Video tutorial is up....

Well..... it was Tuesday when I started to upload it!!

It is a fun video tutorial for a cool background and nifty punched flowers.





It's Wednesday now, so I'm off to bed!

Laura

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Check out Graphic 45's blog today....

I have a fun back to school project over on the Graphic 45 blog today. Ah, memories of getting ready to go back to school!

Sarah and I are going to go school clothes shopping today. Everything I think is cute will earn an eye roll and a firm "No." So, I have mastered the reverse psychology method of shopping with her and only point out the things I hate with a "Isn't this cute!". She then goes towards the stuff I really like. Shhhh! Don't tell Sarah of my methods!

Trevor is so much a male....whatever I buy, he will wear as long as it goes along with "Don't make me look stupid, okay?" Of course, the I won't know the true definition of "looking stupid" until i bring home the wrong thing!

It was all so much easier before they could talk and have their own opinion. For now I will just bite my tongue, veto the outrageous stuff and hope that in about 10 years, what I think will matter to them again, but I'm not holding my breathe.....

Off to finish my Tuesday Tag video before we head to the mall.....

Laura

Friday, August 19, 2011

Trunk Full of Memories patterns are available....

The Trunk Full of Memories patterns are now up on my website.



Join me tonight for Act Accordion-ly Envelope Mini Album on Ustream. We wll start at 7pm Pacific time. See you then!!

Laura

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Thank you!!!

Thank you to all of you who left such kind and wonderful comments. Each and every one is appreciated!

Several of you emailed me that you tried to leave a comment but it didn't show up. Many of you felt you missed out on the drawing. Blogger puts the first 200 comments on a page and the next 200 go on a second page. All were there and I didn't miss any....no one got left out, even those who emailed me with their comment.

I have the best people following my blog! THANK YOU!!!

Laura


Winners! Winners! Winners!

We have winners of the tags and the bottle of Goosebumps!

The winners were selected a random and they are:

Goosebumps spray:
Shari in PA

The finished and signed Tags:
busybetty2
bluemoon18
kty lambert

Email me your shipping info at ftptwithlaura@aol.com so I can get these sent out right away.

Now for the best news of the day!
We have a new addition to our family....the last for a while...
Her name is Meme and she is 4 yrs old and a rescue dog.



She is beyond sweet! I am, of course an ol' softy for animals...and a bit crazy! I had a black and tan Dachschund for 16 years. They are the best little dogs. Toby is a bit ....okay, he's a lot.... jealous, but he will adjust.

I am going to be starting my weekly tag Youtube video this Tuesday, so keep an eye out for that. I will also be starting my Wednesday afternoon Ustream shows this week. Those who watch my Ustream know that I have been planning this for a while as a time for me to work on completing some of my zillions of unfinished albums. No class, just chatting and working time. You will get to see how I finish up some of the albums you have seen me start on my class shows. The first show will be this Wednesday at 12 noon Pacific time till around 2 ish. I hope to do it nearly every week, especially after school starts. I will keep you posted here on the blog.

Have a super week!

Laura

Saturday, August 13, 2011

WOW! It's been a CRAZY 2 years....

Today is my 2 year Blog-a-versary and YouTube-a-versary!

It has been a fun, crazy and busy two years since I began sharing my paper crafting work with all of you! The 2.15 MILLION total views and 9900 subscribers on Youtube plus the 750,000 visits and nearly 3000 followers here on the blog have me both flabbergasted and humbled. Talk about exceeding expectations!!

During my Ustream show last night we had a blast with some fun techniques for embellishing tags. In celebration of the my "-versaries", I am giving away 3 of the tags I made last night. I finished them up this morning and they are all signed and dated. I am also giving away a bottle of a fun new product that I tried last night - GooseBumps - by Tsukineko. COOL STUFF! I creates a wonderful orange peel-like glossy surface in a pump spray.

Leave a comment here on the blog to be entered in the drawing. My daughter, Sarah, will choose 4 random numbers at 6pm Pacific tomorrow night.

Here are the finished tags:







Have an awesome weekend....I am working on some new Youtube videos to be posted today or tomorrow.

Laura

Friday, August 12, 2011

A new envelope mini....

I have designed a ton of envelope minis in the two years I have been paper crafting, but I have come up with another one that I will be showing how to make on my Ustream show next week (August 19th).



This one is an accordian fold album using #10 Policy envelopes....the ones with the flaps on the end. (it can be made from card stock as well...I have the instructions in the pattern) You can also make it from other size envelopes as I will show you on the show.



As is typical with my mini albums, it is very interactive and has lots of room for photo's and journalling.

For those of you who have difficulties with Ustream, I will be uploading Youtube video of the album construction after the Ustream class.

The pattern and 3 kit variations are available on my website: www.followthepapertrailwithlaura.com
Two of the kits are with the brand new Authentique papers:



Blissful (shown in the sample) and



Glowing (a gorgeous Halloween paper)


The third is a more masculine version with Basic Grey's Oxford

On tonight's Ustream show I will be showing you techniques that you may use to decorate and embellish your tags and postcards for the Tag! You're IT! Album. We will discuss the different types of inks and how they are used, demo-ing a few techniques and finishing up a few tags. I don't have a specific supply list but I will be using Distress inks and stains as well as some embossing and resist techniques. See you at 7pm Pacific time tonight!

Laura

Monday, August 8, 2011

Trunk Full of Memories kits are available...

The kits just went live on my website.....

Welcome Blog Hoppers!




Welcome to the first day of the Graphic 45/Want2Scrap Blog Hop! The two design teams have been hard at work to share with you some absolutely amazing crafty goodness! Each day you can hop around to 3 to 4 DT members blogs to catch some great inspiration. Don't forget to stop by the Graphic 45 and Want2Scrap blogs and facebook pages.

Want2Scrap and Graphic 45 will both be giving out two prizes. Leave a comment on any of the blog posts during the week to be eligible for one of two "blog" prizes, one from Graphic 45 and one from Want2Scrap. Also, leave a comment on the Facebook pages of Graphic 45 and Want to Scrap to be entered forone of the two "Facebook" prizes. Winners will be chosen by random draw. Good Luck to everyone!!!

Here is my project for you to enjoy!

I took one of the Want-2-Scrap chipboard mini albums and instead of making it into an album, I used the individual pages as mattes within shadow box frames. The 6" square images form Christmas Emporium fit perfectly with in the matting. I then added either a pearl or crystal Want2Scrap swirl. A crackle painted chip board flourish and a spray of flowers on each image added a consistent component to all four boxes.









Materials:
Paper - Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium
Chip board book pages and flourish - Want2Scrap
Pearls and Bling - Want2Scrap
Flowers - Prima
Shadow Box Frames (12 x 12) - MCS Industries

I have the perfect spot to hang these as a group during the holiday season (OMG! it really IS just around the corner!)

Enjoy your hop! Here are the links to others in today's hop!

Tara Orr - www.eachmoment-onlyonce.blogspot.com
Elise Durenberger - www.mamacowcreations.blogspot.com
Graphic 45 - www./g45papers.typepad.com
Want2Scrap - www.want2scrapco.blogspot.com

Thank you for stopping by!!

Laura

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Trunk Full of Memories kits are up!

The kits are up over on my website. This trunk features the brand new Bo Bunny Etecetra paper and a unique way to use a Graphic 45 Door Plate.

Here are the photo's of the upcoming project for those who missed the sneak peak on Ustream over the weekend.

This project is inspired by the classic steamer trunk.



The top tray can hold a mini album or memorabilia and ephemora.



The entire trunk lifts to reveal a file album.



The album is comprised of twelve 4" x 6" folders to represent 12 months, 12 school years, etc. Document a year in the life of yourself, your child or grandchild, the school years, a desk calender.... lot's of possibilities!



The kits are anticipated to ship before August 15th. I ship via USPS Priority mail for domestic orders and I am happy to ship internationally (international shipping rates will apply). The pattern should be finished within the next few days and will be available as a pattern only on my website as well.



I will also have a baby version available soon....I'm nearly half done with the sample and will post it here on my blog when it is complete. It is going to be gorgeous! Delicate antiqued whites and pastels will make it a beautiful baby gift!

This has become a favorite project and I am sooo excited to share it with you! My kids are changing so quickly right now, nearly as much as they did when they were babies. I am going to document these changes in this album for 2012. I photographed my kids each month when they were babies, from birth to 1 year. The baby version of the trunk will be PERFECT for those photo's! The top tray can hold a mini baby book and keepsakes like afirst tooth, first haircut....

Also included in this project will be the instructions for a storage box for each years files. Make new files and document the next year... it can become an ongoing calender of life's journey!

Laura

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Tag! You're IT! patterns are up!

The Tag, You're IT! Mini Album patterns are now up on my website, I am in the process of sending them out to those who have ordered the kits. Thank you for your patience!



Remember, the pattern WILL NOT include the instructions for embellishing the tags. I will be doing various demo's over the next several months showing embellishing tips and ideas on Ustream my blog, and on You Tube. The pattern will show you how to construct the 3 page styles as well as how to assemble the book.