 Months ago, when I first saw the release of graphic 45's Renaissance Women line, I knew that I had a do a book around this theme. The colors were gorgeous, and the images, simply stunning. What I needed to do was to take the beauty of a past era and make it relevant to us today...hence Today's Renaissance Woman.
I'm sure that you've probably heard the term "Renaissance Man" used occasionally-probably used in the context of describing a guy who has a variety of interests and talents and who can do many things well.
I wonder why we don't hear that term applied to women, especially women in this era? After all, today's woman could be running a company, or running a marathon, or running a power saw, or running the kids around... or she could be doing ALL of those things...and in one week, too! When my hubby and I were talking about this subject, he said that although most guys don't go on and on to another guy about the myriad of things their wives or partners do, they certainly know it and usually sum it up by saying something like "I don't know how she does it all!" With all the balls we juggle, I'm sure that once in a while (or many once in a whiles) we think that too!
In this season of gratitude, giving and preparing for a new year, I thought that it would be so appropriate to do a generic, untitled book about women. Consider these applications:
The binding of this book is an old one...very, very old in the world of book making, but totally new to me. It's called a Tacket Binding and it's dated back to the second century. In fact, the very first totally intact bound books, found in Egypt in the third century, were tacket bound books. Tacket bindings are usually done with one signature, but since this is a five signature structure (which means LOTS of pages for you!), I had to figure out how to hold them together. For that, I went to a binding that those of you who regularly buy kits may already know...so it's combining something you already know how to do with something totally new...LOVE that! If you'd like to see a picture of the spine and binding, check out the picture in this post.
If you can't tell by now, I'm really excited to be sharing this project with you. In addition to the beautiful graphic 45 papers, your kits will include fabulous trims and embellishments that are reminiscent of an Old World style and, you know that we have to incorporate cool techniques, like a brand new combo structure or creating exciting textured interior elements.
 Of course, your kit will come with an "instruction manual" complete with step by step instructions and color images.This kit is available for pre-order immediately and will begin shipping November 24th.
This month's kit will be offered at $49.00. HOWEVER FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO PRE-ORDER YOUR KIT OR KITS, THERE WILL BE A DISCOUNT AND KITS WILL BE OFFERED AT $45.00, PLUS SHIPPING. Once kits have shipped out, the price will then become $49.00, plus shipping. Here's why you get the discount for pre-ordering: Pre-ordered kits get readied for shipment in assembly line fashion...boxes are set up and filled at the same time, labeling gets done in large batches and the Postal Service comes and picks up everything at once (given the unpredictability of pickups, someone needs to be around for most of the day). Once those kits go out, each subsequent order is handled individually, which takes a lot more time. YOU DEFINITELY BENEFIT FROM THE TIME SAVINGS BY PRE-ORDERING YOUR KIT. TO PRE-ORDER YOUR KIT, SIMPLY LOOK FOR THE PAYPAL STOREFRONT ON THE SIDEBAR, CLICK ON THE PICTURE THAT DESCRIBES WHERE THE KIT WILL BE SHIPPED, AND PAYPAL WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THE STEPS AND THEN NOTIFY ME OF YOUR ORDER. KITS WILL THEN BEGIN SHIPPING NOVEMBER 24TH.
For those of you in the Phoenix area, I will be teaching this project in my November class (the printer's tray will be taught a different month due to product not being available in time). The class will be Friday, November 20th at 10:30 a.m. To sign up, just call Scrapbooks, Etc. at 480-854-2303. I'm looking forward to seeing you there!
I can't wait to ship this project out to you. So many of you crave new techniques and new ways of doing things...that's part of what makes you Renaissance women. I know that you will LOVE putting this book together...and that those special women in your life will LOVE getting one from you. Of course, you may fit into the category of "the first for me, the second for a gift"...I hear that one a lot! (grin)
As always, thanks for your orders and your referrals to friends and family. I have a tremendous respect for each of you...you are the women for whom this book is designed...YOU are today's Renaissance Woman.
From my studio to yours,
P.S. By the way, just in case you missed out last month, I've put several Holiday kits back in the storefront.
And, for those of you who ordered this morning before the email blast went out, or this post went up, thanks! I appreciate your confidence! |
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November 05, 2009
Does that get the ideas flowing yet? Are you thinking that maybe you need to make more than one? Well, that's exactly what I thought when I decided to make the structure one that you build from scratch, so that you can do it over and over again. (Or, of course, you can just order more than one kit...huge grin.)October 21, 2009
Redux with a makeover...
Redux with a makeover? What in the world is that?
As you probably know, redux means to bring back something and of course, we all know about makeovers. I don't know about you, but I LOVE makeovers! It's fun (and inspiring) to see before and after pictures in hair style and fashion magazines, home décor books and television shows. When I look at the after picture, I often think, "How did they DO that?"
Today, I am unveiling a redux with a makeover. The project that I'm bringing back is the summer white book kit called "A Glovely Garden Party"-- and it has been made over into a project which I've called "Winter Wonderland". How exciting is that?
When I was ordering product for the summer white book, I had to order a very large quantity of white gloves in order to get wholesale pricing. I ended up making way more kits than I usually do, and that resulted in a much larger inventory than I usually have.
I thought about putting the summer white kits on sale but since the majority of kit buyers are in the US and we are heading into winter, I'm guessing that most of you aren't thinking about gardens, linen fabrics and pretty white flowers. Instead, you are probably thinking about hot tea and cocoa, pumpkin spiced lattes, fires in the fireplace, warm clothes, and, in some parts of the country, snow shovels! So, bottom line, a summer white book, even at a sale price, probably wouldn't be on the top of the list of purchases you want to make. But, what about a book that features the color white and is all about winter --glittery snowflakes, gloves with fur trims, branches covered with ice, sparkly leaves? What about a book that looks like Winter Wonderland? Ahhh, now we're talking!
It's fascinating to me to read the behind-the-scenes in a room makeover...moving a few pieces around to a different location, repurposing a few things and then adding some new things all contribute to a fresh and new look. This is exactly what I've done with this kit.
I started with the original kit, shifted a couple of papers around, added a brand new paper, changed out the paint color, added some new embellishments and repurposed others, and voila, what you see is a brand new, bright and fresh hand made book, perfect for the winter season. Just as an aside, I built this sample with one of the creatologie kits (which is the first time I've actually used one of my kits...no kidding!). It was GREAT, if I might say so myself. Instead of the normal hunting, gathering and more hunting that I do when I'm building a prototype, everything was right there. I LOVED it and can see why you get excited about the kits.
OK, so what do you get in your kit? You get all of the original parts and pieces (and there are a lot of them), the original instruction manual, PLUS, a make over pack with pictures of the made over cover and inside pages and brief instructions about what's different. Your make over kit includes a silver toned 12x12 paper, a vintage chandelier crystal, a vintage sequin appliqué, chipboard snowflakes, faux lamb's wool fur, some new trinkets for the cover, silver trims (most of which are vintage trims made in France--yummmm), and brand new satin cut out snowflake ribbon--really COOL stuff.
When I taught the summer white book class locally, I had a couple of women asking about why I chose to use a glove on the cover. The glove is a novelty, and it acts as a receptacle to hold things, like a vase to ground and hold flowers in a table setting. In the winter book, the glove is trimmed in faux fur and it holds glittery branches and trims in its opening, as well as a sequined appliqué and vintage chandelier crystal in its palm--definitely a fun accent and great conversation starter!
The flavor of the winter book is a blend between French and Gustavian (Swedish) style, which is becoming quite popular in home décor these days. Swedish rooms are clean and bright, the whiteness almost dazzling because of the light reflected from the snowy outdoors. Accent pieces of furniture are sometimes painted a light dove grey color, which helps to tone down the white, and the result is a beautiful and peaceful setting, perfect to overcome the winter doldrums. The Winter Wonderland book is primarily white, with dove grey paint here and there and silver trims and accents, all tied together with sparkling clear glass glitter. I wish I could convey to you how beautiful the book really is since the pictures just can't capture the reflected light and many layers of the book.
This is an amazing value! You get ideas and instructions for two different books and product to make one of them, with extra product to put toward another, all for the same price as the original kit. For those of us who love to create, this is better than a sale, right? In fact, if you bought an original white book kit, you may love the made over book so much you will want to buy another! Tee hee. What is it about us artists and crafters that we just can't resist?
To order your redux with a makeover Winter Wonderland kit, simply look for the PayPal storefront on the left sidebar of this blog. One the second row, you will see updated images of the white book kit. Simply choose the box that describes where the kit will be shipped, click on that image, and PayPal will walk you through the steps.
The price for all of this inspiration and product is the same as it was in June--$40, plus $9.00 to ship to the US (total of $49), $14 to ship to Canada (total of $54) and $19 to all other international locations (total of $59). What a great deal!
THESE KITS WILL BEGIN SHIPPING OCTOBER 31ST, AND IF YOU ORDERED A HOLIDAY BOOK KIT, I WILL SHIP THIS KIT TOGETHER AND REFUND ANY EXCESS POSTAGE AFTER SHIPPING.
I am seriously thrilled with this makeover and am so excited to share it with you. Quantities are limited, so you don't want to wait to get this "pretty" ordered. Winter Wonderland kits are available for pre-order right now--with a shipping date of October 31st. For those of you who are local, this is an online offer only. There won't be a class for this one.
As always, thanks for your orders, and your enthusiastic referrals to friends and family. I appreciate you...and I can't wait to see what you do with your Winter Wonderland book.
Happy Creating!
From my studio to yours,
P.S. Just like for the summer kit, you will need a hardback book to repurpose into this hand stitched book. Consider thrift stores, garage/yard sales, or your local library clearance section for great buys. The size of my sample is approximately 6 1/4 x 9 1/2".
SOLD OUT
October 05, 2009
"A Star Studded Holiday"
The phrase “star studded” conjures up images in my mind of a gathering of celebrities…and that’s why I chose to describe this month’s featured book kit that way. So maybe you don’t have a lot of well known celebrities gathering at your home for the holidays (then again, maybe you do!), but most of us have our families and our friends…definitely stars in our world, right? This hand made book is perfect for showcasing those people in our lives who help make the holiday season so special, those “stars” who make the celebrations so bright, happy and full of life.
The book is a hand made velvet ribbon bound structure, 6”x9” in size, with 30+ interior pages for all the photos and stories that you want to keep alive in your memories. Some of the inside pages are solid cardstock and others are made from patterned paper.
Not only is the book meant to focus on those special people in your life, it is literally studded with stars throughout. From the dimensional star on the cover to the handmade star garland, to the glittery stars which dot various pages, to the special stars which are the focus of a page, you will have so much fun creating and displaying those bright and shiny little pieces of art. One of the techniques that you will learn is what I’m calling “One Star, Three Looks”. You start with one star shape…and from that one shape, you will create three different stars with three different looks. There’s one with old book paper and wire, one made from canvas and finally, one that I’m calling faux French enamel.
Are you intrigued yet? If not, how about this? Vintage looking graphic 45 papers, Creative Imaginations papers that fit right it, tinsel-vintage style, metal buttons, velvet ribbon, feathers, clear glass glitter, stamped images, French and metallic trims, wings, jingle bells, Prima pearls, wire…wow, these are all part of your kit! The styling of the book is fairly generic, with stars and angels dominating the scene. There are Christmas images included in each kit but as always, because these books are personally yours, you can make whatever changes you’d like to suit your style and your holiday celebration.
There isn’t a month that goes by where someone who is looking at the sample in person doesn’t say “your pictures just don’t do this project justice”. I would agree! It’s hard to capture the actual look and feel of these books in photos…the textures, the dimensional aspects, the interactive aspects…so, I will just say that the photos don’t do this project justice either!
As always, the project comes with an instruction manual, complete with color photos and detailed, step by step instructions.
The holiday book kit is available for pre-order right now…and it will begin shipping October 31st, which will give you lots of time to put it together!
Once kits have shipped out, the price will then become $49.00, plus shipping. Here's why you get the discount for pre-ordering: Pre-ordered kits get readied for shipment in assembly line fashion...boxes are set up and filled at the same time, labeling gets done in large batches and the Postal Service comes and picks up everything at once (given the unpredictability of pickups, someone needs to be around for most of the day). Once those kits go out, each subsequent order is handled individually, which takes a lot more time. YOU DEFINITELY BENEFIT FROM THE TIME SAVINGS BY PRE-ORDERING YOUR KIT.
Shipping charges are as follows: $9.00 within the US, $14.00 to
To pre-order your kit, simply go to the PayPal storefront on the left sidebar. You will see three boxes with pictures of the cover...just look for the one that says where it will be shipped. Then click on the picture and PayPal will walk you through the steps and email me your order.
For those of you in the
Don’t miss out on your very own star studded holiday album…get yours pre-ordered today! It was exciting for me to put this book together and I hope that you get just as excited about adding this one to your collection of creatologie projects.
As always, thanks for your orders, and for your referrals to friends and family. I appreciate you…you are definitely stars in my world!
From my studio to yours,
SOLD OUT
September 28, 2009
If you ordered a September creatologie kit, please read this before starting your project.
Hello, hello, hello!
It's been an exciting month in the creatologie world and I wanted to say thanks to all of you who pre-ordered kits. The last of them were picked up on Saturday, so you should have them by the middle of the week.
There have been some orders trickling in this weekend and those kits will go out today. Tomorrow, I'll be changing the price to the regular kit price of $49, plus shipping, rather than the pre-order price of $45, plus shipping. So, if you'd like a kit at the pre-order price, you can still do that today.
There are definitely some benefits to teaching a class that is also the online kit...if there is a glitch somewhere, it's bound to come out in class. This month, there was a creative opportunity that showed up in Thursday's class. Each kit has an old piece of music paper in it...I guess I didn't realize just how old. Some of the papers were so old that they were brittle and cracked when they were folded. Thanks to Ernestine, we had a solution to the challenge and that was to build a little stitching spine, either on the outside of the music page, or on the inside. While it probably won't make a lot of sense right now...hopefully it will when you get that point in the project.
Here are a couple of pictures to illustrate:
To make your stitching spine, just cut a piece of kraft or brown cardstock from your kit to 2" x 7". Fold it in half (hot dog fold) and burnish well. Adhere to the music paper, either on the outside as shown in the first photo, or on the inside as shown in the second photo. Stitch the music paper into the fold line through the cardstock spine you created. Hope that helps!!!!!
Also, just wanted to mention that your little hardware goodie bags contain a Maya Road trinket pin so be careful pulling out the elements...and, be careful when removing the glass from the bubble wrap and when working with it since the edges are raw until you wrap them.
OK, hope this helps...the ladies (and gentleman) in class had fun putting their accordions together...hope you enjoy the process as well! Thanks again.
September 03, 2009
"un bello autunno"
Here's what it says:
"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all."
I love that description of fall!
When I saw the new 7 gypsies release of papers, I knew that they were perfect to create the mosaic that is autumn.
In my mind, the papers represented the glorious colors of the beginnings of a Mediterranean fall...the clear bright blue of the sky, red, brown and golden tones of the leaves, the green of the waning grasses and the pink and gold of the fiery sunsets. A true mosaic, for sure.
Creatologie from carol wingert studio presents "un bello autunno", a mini book celebrating the colors of an autumn in Tuscany. "Un bello autunno", translated from Italian, simply means a beautiful autumn. Of course, as always, you can create your own title.
I love fun covers...don't know about you but I definitely judge a book by its cover so decided to really go all out with this one. At the center of it all is a piece of glass with an image transfer behind it. Your kit will contain the glass and the image and I will teach you how to create the transfer...as well as the steps to create your own image if you desire.
It appears that clear glass is a common theme in this book...I didn't set out to make it that way, but throughout the book, there are little accents that you make that have tiny clear glass beads on them...oh so fun because they capture the color of the background paper and just gleam!
There is also a page with stitched accents...and you get your very own flower and leaf "In Stitch'z" templates...to use over and over again. Cool...another great value for you!
I'm really excited to be sharing this colorful fall book with you...it's a great (and relatively quick) way to capture those fall photos and stories.
Of course, because this is a "classroom delivered to your door" (tm), you will also get one of my infamous instruction manuals...complete with photos of completed pages and step by step instructions.
This month's kit will be offered at $49.00. HOWEVER FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO PRE-ORDER YOUR KIT OR KITS, THERE WILL BE A DISCOUNT AND KITS WILL BE OFFERED AT $45.00
Once kits have shipped out, the price will then become $49.00. Here's why you get the discount for pre-ordering: Pre-ordered kits get readied for shipment in assembly line fashion...boxes are set up and filled at the same time, labeling gets done in large batches and the Postal Service comes and picks up everything at once (given the unpredictability of pickups, someone needs to be around for most of the day). Once those kits go out, each subsequent order is handled individually, which takes a lot more time. YOU DEFINITELY BENEFIT FROM THE TIME SAVINGS BY PRE-ORDERING YOUR KIT.
Shipping charges are as follows: $9.00 within the US, $14.00 to Canada and $20.00 to all other international locations. When you click on the PayPal photo, that price is for the kit as well as the shipping.
To pre-order your kit, simply go to the left sidebar and look for the PayPal storefront. You will see three boxes with pictures of the cover...just look for the one that says where it will be shipped. Then click on the picture and PayPal will walk you through the steps and email me your order.
KITS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER IMMEDIATELY AND WILL BEGIN SHIPPING SEPTEMBER 24TH.
For those of you in the Phoenix area who take my classes at Scrapbooks, Etc., I will be teaching this project on Thursday evening, September 24th, at 5:00 p.m. and Friday morning, September 25th at 10:30 a.m. I will bring some additional FUN samples of glass transfers...can't wait to play! To reserve your spot in class, simply call the store at 480-854-2303.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you...both July and August's kits sold out well before they shipped...so, you don't want to delay and miss out on this one. Just head over to the storefront and get that pre-order in today!
A huge thanks to all of you for your orders, and for spreading the word about creatologie...you are fabulous!
From my studio to yours,
P.S. Hope you have "un bello autunno"! :))
August 25, 2009
Unveiling "The Heirloom Collection"!
Enough of the teasing already...here's the unveiling of the "new something" I've been working on!
THE HEIRLOOM COLLECTION!
OK, let's get to the details...what is the kit all about and what do you get?
Bohemian and vintage style is characterized by rich textures and layering. With this book, which I've called "The Tapestry of Life", you will have both. Vintage tea dyed lace may cover velvet or fringe may be the third layer on a pocket...it's amazingly touchable.
A brand new, exclusive, very limited edition series of book kits presented by creatologie from carol wingert studio!
What is the Heirloom Collection and how is it different from the standard creatologie kits?
First, monthly creatologie kits are not going away...and these aren't a replacement for those kits. These are very special, very unique and very limited book kits that will be released only several times a year.
I've been dwelling on this idea for a while...long enough to have collected some really gorgeous pieces of fabric and special vintage and new embellishments available in limited quantities...and, long enough to know that there are some of you that are craving projects that are over the top and fabulously different. Some of you are looking for really special books to invest your time and money into...books that will become part of your legacy...books that will become family heirlooms.
Heirlooms are defined as "family possessions handed down from generation to generation" and this book definitely falls into that category. I'm going to guess that this is going to be one of those books that will be on a child's or grandchild's request list...and, in the meantime, it's going to be one of those treasures they (and you) won't be able to resist touching and looking at again and again.
OK, let's get to the details...what is the kit all about and what do you get?The book structure is a custom designed canvas book that will come to you already presewn (for those of you who don't sew, that's a huge sigh of relief, right?). I'll also include a pattern so that those of you who do sew can construct additional books.
There's a variety of fabric included...tapestry, velvet, taffeta, organza, tablecloth lace, bridal lace, shantung silk, damask and raw silk, just to name a few. There are vintage collars and fabulous pieces from evening gowns...with sequins, beads and old lace. Vintage 1940's mother of pearl buttons dot various pages...teardrop glass pearls and vintage glass pearls remind you of pure and simple classiness. A pocket watch case is included so that you can build a mini collage...love the look of that. There's a variety of vintage and new metal pieces included...charms, belt buckles, buttons and there are flowers that you build and flowers that are already made for you. Can you tell that I'm excited about this project?
It's so hard for me to tell you everything so I put together a little video that gives you a glimpse into the book...you will notice that a couple of pages are blank...I'm just waiting for the last of the product to build that page...it won't be blank when you finish with it! In fact, every page is layered with gorgeousness (Is that a word? If not, it SHOULD be!). OK, here it is!
Your kit will also include cotton and organza fabric prepared for printing images...because after all, the book is all about your photos and your stories, right? This is not meant to be a heritage type of book only...the kind that features old family photos; I included an old family photo on one page and a contemporary family photo on another. That's the beauty and versatility of this project...it's bohemian and vintage in style but it's flexible enough for all generations.
Bohemian and vintage style is characterized by rich textures and layering. With this book, which I've called "The Tapestry of Life", you will have both. Vintage tea dyed lace may cover velvet or fringe may be the third layer on a pocket...it's amazingly touchable.What if you don't sew? Well, no worries on that! I designed the book so that the background fabrics, pockets and fabric panels could be attached with glue. A sigh of relief again, right? But, for those of you who LOVE to sew, you've got the option of pulling out the machine and sewing your parts and pieces together. There are some details that are hand sewn...but no fancy stitches, just simple basting ones will do the trick.
As always, the kit will come with a full set of instructions (an instruction manual) and color photos...and because it's a special kit, it'll come with special packaging...how fun is that?
I know that this kit isn't for everyone...that's why it's called a limited edition. Some of you love having something that is different...embellishments that are rare and not readily available. Some of you enjoy the process of creating a book as much as the finished project and you want to take time to put it together...to cherish and savor the moments. Some of you love the lusciousness of textiles, and especially love the combinations of textures. Some of you have patience to sew on beads and buttons. Some of you are craving the uniqueness of "The Heirloom Collection".
If you want a quickie project, this kit isn't for you. If you are ho-hum about fabrics and textures...they just don't really grab you...you may want to pass. If you are more about getting your photos in an album than the process of building an album, this kit won't have huge appeal.
But, for those of you who want to create a family heirloom, who want to take the time, who love the feel of the textures, who love little details on your pages, THIS HEIRLOOM COLLECTIONS KIT IS DEFINITELY FOR YOU!
This very limited edition is available now for pre-order and will ship on September 4th.
The price of the kit is $147 and the cost of shipping is $9 for a total of $156...a great value for a treasure to be enjoyed today and passed on to future generations. Just think, for the price of a dress worn once for a special occasion and then stuck in the back of your closet (where it is still hanging (grin)), for the price of a dinner out with friends, for the price of a concert and babysitter, for the price of those fabulouly gorgeous but miserably uncomfortable pair of shoes you couldn't live without...you will have this amazing heirloom to pass down through the family and you will have the delightful experience of creating such a wonderful piece of art.
To pre-order your kit right now, simply look for the PayPal storefront on the left sidebar of this blog, click on the photo of the Heirloom Collections book and PayPal will walk you through the process. Quantities are very limited. I'll be notified of your order and will then ship out your exclusive kit on September 4th.
It's been exciting for me to put this project together and share it with you. Thanks for reading, for your orders and for passing the word along to your friends and family.
From my studio to yours,
P.S. For those of you working toward your very own Diamond Girl apron, this kit is a "wild card"...you can pick the month where you want it to apply!
SOLD OUT
August 06, 2009
creatologie girlfriends...are you a diamond girl?
Who in the world are creatologie girlfriends? And, what in the world is a diamond girl?
Watch this clip for a few minutes...I have to give you a fair warning, though...this is my very first attempt at doing a video clip...it'll get better, I promise you!
Thanks for watching! Ella is already fabulous (and she's the protege)...I, on the other hand, am totally and completely an amateur!
Let me be the first to welcome you to creatologie girlfriends!!!!!
If you have ordered a kit from creatologie, you are one of the creatologie girlfriends. You are part of an exclusive community of creative artists...and I really appreciate you. Many of you have spread the word to friends and family who now order kits as well and I wanted to say thank you for doing that. You girlfriends are the best!
What about the whole "Diamond Girl" thing and the apron? What's that about? And, how do you know if you are a "Diamond Girl"?
Well, to become a "Diamond Girl" (and qualify for your free "creatologie girlfriends {diamond girl}" apron) all you need to do is this: buy six consecutive creatologie kits...or, for those of you who are local, you can do six consecutive kits or classes with me at Scrapbooks, Etc. Pretty simple, right? No essays to write, no songs to sing, no projects that need to be judged, no auditions...you get the picture! It's simply a reward from me to you for consistently buying kits...six months in a row.
And, to speed up the reward program, I am actually going back to January of 2009...that means that some of you have already qualified and will be hearing from me by email in the next week. How cool is that?
Some of you are so close...you've got several consecutive months of ordering...but if you miss just one month, you have to start over...and that would be sad. If you haven't gotten your pre-order in yet for August, there are still some kits available...you know, Ella and I really want to see you in one of these fabulous aprons :)).
I wanted you to see this apron up close...so, here's a picture of Ella wearing hers. Isn't it fabulous?
It took a while to find the right one...the one I finally picked is a cotton twill that is a great weight and is fabulous to alter. I can't guarantee that yours will look like this for long...especially when you're painting, inking, misting, etc. But, those are trophies of our achievements, and we wear those spots proudly, right?
Here are a few features: the apron is adjustable on both sides of your neck and there are three pockets at the bottom to stash the stuff you use a lot, plus the words are embroidered rather than screenprinted, which means they will actually survive more than a couple of washings!
Can you just picture yourself wearing this apron at a weekend retreat, a crop, or a get together with scrapping friends?
Your cropping sisters will want to know where you got your apron...and you know what? These aprons can't be bought...they only go to qualified DIAMOND GIRLS!
If you've just gotten started buying kits, welcome to the creatologie girlfriends community. Just keep ordering each month for six months in a row and you will become a brand new "DIAMOND GIRL" with your very own, very special, creatologie girlfriends {diamond girl} apron!
Thanks for being a creatologie girlfriend...you are totally special! Diamond girls, be on the lookout for that email...and your fabulous apron!
August 04, 2009
TRAVEL MEMORIES FOR A LIFETIME...
Do you have vivid memories of a special vacation you took as a child?
Do you have stacks of photos from a trip you've taken that need to be scrapped?
Do you have a fun trip planned in the coming months?
If you said yes to any of these questions, this "TRAVEL MEMORIES FOR A LIFETIME" folio kit is a perfect way to document your photos and stories.
You are going to love this structure...I promise you! I taught this structure at Creative Escape in 2006, the first year of the event, and since that time, I've had so many requests to teach this class again, or to sell my instructions, or do to an online kit that I finally decided that this month, the month when I'm teaching at CE again, I would put together a kit based on the structure.
I've been told by people who took that class that they have used the structure over and over again. When asked why, they said that it had to do with the simplicity and versatility of the structure...and how easy it was to change themes...and colors...and how much "stuff" could fit inside.That being said, this folio's completed size is 4 3/4 x 11 1/2. The interior spaces are perfect for travel pamphlets and maps and there are at least 22 surfaces for your photos and stories in the structure you will build. Because I have a difficult time repeating projects, I did add some stitched pages to the structure, as well as a fun fold out mini book for more of your stories and pix. So, even if you took the class at CE, you may want to treat yourself to this kit...new papers, new ideas and new techniques.
The folio is a perfect size for a tote or large handbag...and may be a cool project to pre-build and store your memorabilia while you are actually traveling.
The colors are a fabulous combo of kraft, dark chocolate brown and a blue somewhere between aqua and turquoise. Papers are from Fancy Pants, Making Memories and Jillibean. There are fun embellies and metal charms, as well as alphabet stickers, a "varnished" alphabet sheet, rubons and prestamped images.
Of course, because this is a "classroom delivered to your door" (tm), you will also get one of my infamous instruction manuals...complete with photos of steps and completed pages and step by step instructions.
I'm really excited about sharing this project with you...I know that you will totally LOVE it!
This month's kit will be offered at $49.00. HOWEVER, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO PRE-ORDER YOUR KITS, THERE WILL BE A DISCOUNT AND KITS WILL BE OFFERED AT $45.00.
Once kits have shipped out, the price will then become $49.00. Here's why you get the discount for pre-ordering: Pre-ordered kits get readied for shipment in assembly line fashion...boxes are set up and filled at the same time, labeling gets done in large batches and the Postal Service comes and picks up everything at once (given the unpredictability of pickups, someone needs to be around for most of the day). Once those kits go out, each subsequent order is handled individually, which takes a lot more time. YOU DEFINITELY BENEFIT FROM THE TIME SAVINGS BY PRE-ORDERING YOUR KIT.
Shipping charges are as follows: $9.00 within the US, $14.00 to Canada and $20.00 to all other international locations.
To pre-order your kit, simply go to the left sidebar of this site and look for the PayPal storefront. You will see three boxes with pictures of the cover...just look for the one that says where it will be shipped. Then click on the picture and PayPal will walk you through the steps and email me your order. Please Note: Your order may show up on your credit card statement as "Carpetkeeper"...that is our other business and how the PayPal account is named.
PRE-ORDERED KITS WILL BEGIN SHIPPING AUGUST 25TH.
July's kits sold out before they were shipped and I had a lot of disappointed artists emailing me about whether I'd be adding more kits. Unfortunately, no. As you probably know, I don't offer the option of a subscription at this point...so you have a choice whether you order or not. Because of that, I put kits on pre-order. The number of kits ordered in the first few days gives me a baseline for how many I will do that month and I order product accordingly. So, if you wait until right before I ship to pre-order, it may be that the kits are actually all sold out. The best way to be guaranteed a kit is to order right away. Don't put it off...just head over to the storefront and place your order...quantities are limited.
As always, if you order multiple kits and the shipping is less than what I collected from you, I will send you a refund through PayPal.
By the way, the vintage feel of this book and the color scheme are perfect for beach vacations...maybe a Labor Day weekend folio?
Thanks again for reading, for your orders and for passing the word along to your creative "sisters". I appreciate you!
From my studio to yours,
JUST WANTED TO ADD A COUPLE THINGS...
FIRST, LET ME JUST SAY WOW! I'VE JUST ADDED TO THE INVENTORY SO THAT THE KITS DON'T SELL OUT OVER NIGHT...WHAT A FABULOUS RESPONSE TO THIS KIT...THANKS!
SECOND, MARSHA N., IF YOU ARE READING THIS, MY RESPONSE EMAILS KEEP GETTING KICKED BACK SO I THOUGHT I'D RESPOND ON MY BLOG. THE $54 IS FOR THE TOTAL OF THE KIT ($45) AND SHIPPING ($9). HOPE THAT HELPS CLEAR UP ANY CONFUSION.
SOLD OUT
July 02, 2009
TELL ME YOUR STORY!
Enter "Tell Me Your Story", a hand made, hand stitched book with 22 interior pages, all dedicated to capturing stories. They can be stories about one person, or stories about a variety of people, including yourself.
You will learn how to create and cover a hinged book that you stitch together...with great tips on how to create professional looking covers. The interior pages are a mix of cardstock and patterned papers, which add a lot of interest.
The papers are a blend of graphic 45 Communique and Jenni Bowlin...all in an eye pleasing vintage palette of black, ivory, brown and a splash of red. Add to that funky pockets and pouches (which give you more creating spaces), a mirror, altered paper roses, a vintage watch crystal, hand stamped images, and altered wallpaper...you will LOVE it. I have to say that this project is one of my favorites to date...because of the color palette and because it is really such a meaningful theme. I can't wait to put the stories into mine...I've been planning them page by page as I've built my sample :). As always, this is just like a classroom delivered to your door...you will get step by step instructions (I've started calling them instruction manuals since they are so comprehensive).
I've been creating online kits for 18 months and to me, creatologie is both a passion and a business. The passion side of this has kept the prices stable...the business side tells me that won't continue to work because my expenses haven't remained the same. I've kept up on kits that are available online and know that creatologie kits are an incredible value (so many of you have written and told me the same thing). Some of the things that make creatologie kits different is the attention to detail, the variety of products included, the fact that it's a completed project, the comprehensive tutorials, plus there are so many techniques that are taught...which is really giving you a lifetime of learning.
That being said, this month's kit will be offered at $49.00. HOWEVER, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO PRE-ORDER YOUR KITS, THERE WILL BE A DISCOUNT AND KITS WILL BE OFFERED AT $45.00.
Once kits have shipped out, the price will then become $49.00. Here's why you get the discount for pre-ordering: Pre-ordered kits get readied for shipment in assembly line fashion...boxes are set up and filled at the same time, labeling gets done in large batches and the Postal Service comes and picks up everything at once (given the unpredictability of pickups, someone needs to be around for most of the day). Once those kits go out, each subsequent order is handled individually, which takes a lot more time. YOU DEFINITELY BENEFIT FROM THE TIME SAVINGS BY PRE-ORDERING YOUR KIT.
Shipping charges will remain the same: $9.00 within the US, $14.00 to Canada and $20.00 to all other international locations.
To pre-order your kit, simply go to the PayPal storefront on the left sidebar. You will see three boxes with pictures of the cover...just look for the one that says where it will be shipped. Then click on the picture and PayPal will walk you through the steps and email me your order.
PRE-ORDERED KITS WILL BEGIN SHIPPING THE WEEK OF JULY 26TH.
For those of you who are local, I will be teaching this project at Scrapbooks, Etc. on Thursday evening, July 30th, at 5:00 p.m. and Friday morning, July 31st, at 10:30 a.m. You will want to call the store to reserve your spot today...the number is 480-854-2303.
Don't forget...get your pre-order in today...quantities are limited and you get the benefit of a discount...can't beat that!
As always, thanks for your orders and for passing the word along to others.
From my studio to yours,
P.S. I forgot to mention a couple of things...the book size is 8x10 and also, in addition to the journaling provided in the kit, I will also give you a list of prompts and ideas for interview questions.
SOLD OUT
