Guest Designer - Cori S.

Here is a little more about Cori - A little late this month.  That vacation really messed up my schedule!

I'm Cori Solorzano & I have been a crafter since I could properly hold a crayon! I dabble in crocheting, needlepoint, quilting, watercolor paintings, fashion sketches, I could go on & on... but my passion & love is in scrapbooking & card making.

I got started in scrapbooking during my senior in HS, when my senior project was to document my last year as a 'child'. I became a card maker about a year & a half ago, when a friend introduced me to Stampin' Up!  I love learning and trying out new products, especially tools.

My credentials... well, they are not nearly as wonderful as some the other beautiful crafters out there, but I'm trying to gain experience... and having fun! I used to teach and be on the Design Team at Scrapbook USA in Glendora, CA and at the Scrapping Lounge in Montclair, CA.  Thank you Erica for picking me to be a Guest Designer for you! :)

I currently reside in Covina, CA and I am also on the Consumer Board for EK Success... not sure if that is a big deal,but hey! I thought it was awesome!!!

 One product you can't live without.  Just one?!  How about top 3?  I can't live without my Kokuyu adhesive, Stickles, & flowers.

 When are you most creative and why?  I most creative on the weekends, when I can sit all day & just create.  I like to take my time creating, so sometimes all the ingredients will sit on my desk for a few days until an idea comes to me.

 Any other hobbies besides scrapbooking?  I crochet, needlepoint, watercolor painting, drawing, & just overall crafting :)

 Describe your style.  hmmm... I'd say my style is a mix of different styles.  I like simple & clean lines, but sometimes I like to put a lot of "stuff" on my layouts.  I'm also a multi-photo layout kind of gal... I have a hard time just putting one of two photos on a layout, but I'm getting better! :)

 Are you a messy or organized scrapper?  I'm an organized messy scrapper. LOL.  Usually what happens when I'm creating a layout is everything ends up on the table, but as soon as I am done with that layout, I have to clean up... & the cycle starts! haha!

 Favorite color combo?  Oo... depends on my mood.  It changes frequently..  But a class one for me will always be pink, brown & cream.  Love those colors together.  Right now I'm into yellows & blues together... good combos :)

 If you could be anywhere right now?  I would be on an island somewhere, where the weather is perfect, clear water, white soft sand, a strawberry-banana smoothie in my hand, & my closest friends & family with me.  Now THAT's life!  Oh!  & can't forget my camera... & a buffet! lol

 Lone scrapper or scrap in a group?  I do both.  But sometimes alone time is good for the soul.

 3 random things about you.  I was in a sorority in college.  I spent a month in Italy my senior year in college.  When I eat M&M's (peanut or plain), I have to eat them in 3's (LOL!  I know, super weird... but I do)

 Links to any other galleries you may want to share.

Scrapbook.com

Splitcoast Stampers

Her Blog

Her Stash Gallery

Catching up on the winners....

The newsletter is going out tonight but here is a preview of the winners.

If you happen to see this blog post before the Newsletter, please send an email to Admin@yourscrapbookstash.com to claim your prize.

The Prima Contest winner is:  April Yap

The Pencil Lines Sketch contest winner is:  Fey

And random.org chose comment # 9 which is BishopsMommie.

 BishopsMommie said...

I am just working this weekend booooooo ..but someone has too right? but I hope everyone else has a nice weekend and celebrates their heros.

May 22, 2009 1:20 PM

New Vintage Shoppe

In case you haven't been in the store lately, you might want to check out the VERY new:

After searching several special places this past weekend, we found special treasures just for YOU!

And this is just the beginning!  I have a whole list of places to look for more treasures so make sure you check back often.

Right now you can find strings of pearls, tulle (or toille), laces (more to come!) and really cute butterflies!  I already have so much more on its way but I can't tell you about that yet!  I want it to be a surprise.  I'll post a hint next week.  One half of it arrived but I'm still waiting on the other half - which is the most exciting.

So for all you vintage scrappers, you now have a place to pick up some extra special items for your cards, layouts or projects.  And we'd love to see what you do with them! 

Don't forget some of the manufacturers who also specialize in vintage style products.  Prima, Graphic 45 and maybe a few others that might appear in the shop - like Melissa Frances.

Have a suggestion for the Vintage Shoppe?  Send us an email! admin@yourscrapbookstash.com.

We'd love to hear what you think, what you want to see - anything!

Monday Markdown and New Product

Just a few days late right?

SEI Bridgeport is now 25% off! This is one of my favorite new lines from SEI and quantities are low!

Also, look for an exciting announcement later today!

ETA: Prima Canvas Scrapbooking is now in stock. These great items were designed by Donna Downey. You're going to want one of everything! Cute foldover canvas tags, journaling tags and the 8x8 inch album! I have a project to share with you later!

Tutorial - using Maya Mist

Ever since I started using the Maya Mist, I've been having so much fun playing with them. If you have not tried them, hop on over to the store to take a look at all the colors.

Here are some simple ways to make use of your Maya Mist.

Cardstock


The first way is to use the mist on cardstock. All you have to do is prepare the cardstock that you want to use before you spray as the cardstock might get a little soft after being misted. At least in my case I find that the cardstock is not as stiff before I applied the mist. Even after drying it for a day it still feels soft.

Remember to protect your work surface before you start using the mist.



Here, I've cut my cardstock to the size I require and cut one side with a decorative scissor before I sprayed on my mist. Let the paper dry before you use it.

Chipboard


The next way is to use the mist on naked chipboard. Painting on the tiny corners of these chipboard take a lot of time but with the mist, all you need is spray it on.



To get good coverage, make sure you spray close to the chipboard.



You can even make use of the chipboard as a mask for your layouts and spray the mist directly onto the paper you intend to use on the layout.

Masking


It's easy to create a pattern on paper or any materials that will absorb the ink with your Maya Mist.



First position your mask on the paper (or the material you wish to spray on). In my case I am using the leftover side of my chipboard stickers.



Spray the mist onto the paper. The further the nozzle is from the paper, the lighter the intensity of the color.



You can see from the picture above that the tag has a light cover of green as I held the bottle about half an arm length away from the tag.



Here the green is more intense as the nozzle was very close to the tag. So you can control the intensity of the color with some practice.

Ribbon



To create a ribbon that matches the required color that you are looking for, you can try coloring it with your Maya Mist. First wet the ribbon and lay it out.



Spray evenly all over the ribbon for an even finish or at a angle if you want the gradual color shade.

Flower



To the shade of flower for your layout, all you need are some white flowers and your Maya Mist. Spray on one color or mix your colors for some interesting results. The flower on the left is the oringal white flower, the one on the right has been sprayed with pink mist.



Here is another example of the difference when you spray your mist close to the flower (left) and when you spray from a distance (right). The one on the right only has spots of color.

Fabric

The mist can be used even on fabric. In the picture below, I've used a piece of mesh as a mask and sprayed directly onto the fabric. Heat set the ink before use.





You can play with the effects by trying out different size mesh.



Here, I'm trying to kill two birds with one stone by placing my chipboard letters on a piece of fabric which I intend to mask as well.



Once everything is dry, I have one set of colored chipboard letters and a pretty piece of colored fabric for my use.

It will be fun to mix the colors as well. Try spraying on a second color after the first color has completely dried to see the effect.

Cheers,
June

Weekend Fun

Since this is a long holiday for a lot of you, I thought I'd issue you a challenge.....and maybe have a sale.  Fun?

Okay, first off, the challenge.  I've been trying to incorporate some sketches into the weekly fun here on the Stash Blog.  Something you can try now (or later).  This month, we are the sponsors over at Pencil Lines Sketches so I thought using some of their sketches in a challenge would be perfect for this long weekend!

Each week, the release a new sketch and its up to you to create a layout (or card) using that sketch for a chance to win a prize.  

So far this month, they've released 3 great sketches:

You can choose any of their past sketches for this challenge though!

Upload your layouts and cards to the gallery.  In the description, you MUST put your name and the sketch that you used.  Feel free to share the products used as well.  

We'll pick two winners on Tuesday and send them a prize pack from the store that includes a Gift Certificate.  If you use any of the May sketches (shown above) make sure you visit the Pencil Lines blog to post a link and upload to their reader gallery for a chance to win another prize.  Pencil Lines chooses one winner each month and we've donated some goodies to them to giveaway as well.

Now for the sale.  Save 15% off your order this weekend (Friday-Monday) by entering REMEMBER during checkout.  

And to sweeten the deal, all orders totaling $25 or more after discount will receive free shipping.  (US Orders only).

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

P.S. We want to know what you plan on doing this long, holiday weekend.  Post a comment here and we'll pick one winner on Tuesday.

Jenni Bowlin Front Porch

The boxes finally arrived!

If you love Jenni Bowlin or vintage, you're going to love her latest collection.

Plus, there are new Bingo Cards, mini papers and printed tickets.

Restock on mini Bingo cards and Chipboard Buttons.

And to celebrate the arrival of her latest release, all of her past paper lines are now 40-60% off (excludes Farmers Wife).

Fancy Pants

I've been waiting all day for UPS to deliver our goodies from Fancy Pants.

Why so late? Because we had so many boxes he couldn't fit the entire delivery on his truck! He had to go back to the warehouse to get them!

And they are awesome!

Lots to share with you tonight.

New ball trims:

Other ribbons:

Mixed Media books:

Transparencies for all 3 new lines:

Buttons!!

And last but not least, the On Display Frames! These are amazing in person. I love, love, love when a company takes a product and makes it scrapable. Fancy Pants did just that with these adorable frames. They have an acrylic transparency instead of glass. You can do just about anything to this transparency - paint it, stitch on it, glue anything to it - you get the idea! And the best part is, FP promised refills for these in the coming months! That means you can reuse the frames. Like one for each season. Or make a new page as your child grows. The possibilities are endless.

Of course, you can see the photos from their booth at CHA here.

Of course, all this goodness must be ruined by the fact that Fedex did NOT deliver Jenni Bowlin today. They rescheduled it for tomorrow. So look for some yummy JB in store tomorrow - hopefully early in the day!

Monday Markdown and Newsletter link

Are you signed up for the Newsletter?

If not, click here.

Link to current Newsletter. Please read for important updates.

Monday Markdown - enjoy 25% off on all Making Memories Flower Patch products.

Cosmo Cricket Early Bird is now in stock.

Jenni Bowlin and Fancy Pants will arrive in store today!

Quick check in....

Just checking in. I am almost done with the orders. The remainder of them should ship out Monday morning. I can't believe how much you all like to shop!

Don't forget, the new Cosmo Cricket is in stock. Jenni Bowlin's new line as well as the rest of the Fancy Pants CHA release will be in stock Monday.

Also, have you stopped by the Pencil Lines blog? We're the lucky sponsor this month! Check out their wonderful design team and sketches! More on this later!

So much to cover.....

First, I want to thank the DT for taking care of the little blog for me while I was gone.  I hope everyone enjoyed their posts!

Each Wednesday I was gone I asked Mandy to post a little giveaway.  Want to know if you won?

From the first Wednesday Post:

Comment #5

 

Tanya said...

I would say my style is very linear and clean. Some paper, a cool alpha, and a few embellies and I am good to go.

MAY 6, 2009 10:58 AM 

And from the second Wednesday, post # 14

Sue said...

I've been on a cruise to nowhere, just a few days out at sea to nowhere in particular. I'd love to go on a cruise to the Mediterranean or Alaska though.

APRIL 30, 2009 5:32 PM 

Ladies, please email me at admin@yourscrapbookstash.com to claim your prize!

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New Product.....

Whats better than arriving home to find some new product on your doorstep.  I didn't want to wait until I got home to order this so I took the chance that it would be here when I got home.

Cosmo Cricket Early Bird collection!

Now that we're back, there will be more new products and restocks coming soon.  I had to time the shipments right so they weren't sitting outside while I was gone.

There is no Monday Markdown this week.  Look for new discounts next Monday.  (Sorry, there is just too much to do!)   BUT, you can still use the VACATION code until Wednesday.  So, you can save 20% on the new CC line if you hurry.  Also, if you have a open order with us and want to add anything, we can combine your orders and shipping costs.  Please note that when ordering.

Orders are slowly being filled and will start going out tomorrow (5/12).  There are a lot to fill so please be patient.  Fingers crossed that they will all be filled by Friday.

There is a Newsletter scheduled for this week.  If you haven't signed up yet, click HERE to join!

Prima Contest - there is still time to upload your Prima projects for a chance to win the new fabric scrapbook line from Donna Downey and Prima!  Visit the Prima Contest Gallery to see the rules and to upload your projects.  Its going to take us a few days to recover from being gone.

We're back!

And there is a lot to get done!  Please bear with us as we check emails, fill orders and get some new product entered.

I also have some blog winners to post.

To pass the time, visit my blog to see pictures from the trip!

Photoshop Tip: Blurred Background and Color Cutout Photos

Blurred Background Photos

I am going to start with adding a Gaussian Blur to the background of this photo. This is a great technique to learn if alot of your photos have busy backgrounds or are taken indoors. I love how my daughter is looking at her present because she looks so sweet and excited but the craziness of everyone else in the background is taking away from her.

Before:

Steps:

1. Go to Layer > Duplicate Layer(do this twice because the original layer is locked and you will be doing 2 different steps.)
2. Select the top layer then go to Image >Magic Extractor (Magic Extractor allows you to select part of an image so that you may alter the photo without changing that part.)
3. First you will want to select the first tool called the Foreground Brush tool.This tool allows you to select the portion of the photo that you will want to cut out, the part you want to stay the same.You do not need to make a solid line just put dots around the image this tells Photoshop that this is the part you want to cut out.If there is a drastic change in the colors of this section like a face compared to hair you may want to put a few dots there too.Photoshop just goes by what is similar in color.Zoom in on small section of the photo and place your dots, 20 pixels is a good size to use for your brush.
4. Zoom in on a small section of where you will be cutting out and select the second tool, Background Brush tool, this you will want to make a solid line around the area you are cutting out.Once again 20 pixels is a good size for the brush.Make sure though you drag it along the background and on the edge of the part you are cutting out.In my examples it is right up against the red dots.
5. Once you are done zoom out by hitting CTRL Z and the minus key. Make sure your selection looks correct.You may erase any mistakes if necessary with the third tool, Point Eraser Tool.
6. Then click Preview in the upper right hand corner.This will show you the cutout image.Sometimes there will be parts you wanted to select or deselect but don’t worry that is easily fixed.
7. In my example her face was not selected when I had wanted it to be.To fix this click on the fourth tool, Add to Selection Tool, with this tool you will just be painting the parts you want back on so you can have the brush at 100 pixels unless you want to just touch up a few fine details. If part of your picture was left and you didn’t want it to be you can use the fifth tool, Remove from Selection Tool, to paint away the parts you didn’t want.
8. Once you are satisfied with your cutout portion click OK.Then select first layer to make changes to the background.For this example I selected Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur.Then you can use the slider to adjust the amount of blur you would like.For this example I wanted the background quite blurred so I went with 7.

After:
Before:

Color Cutout Photos

Color Cutout Photos can be really fun because they allow a portion of the photo to stand out amongst the rest. For this example I used a Christmas photo and choose to keep the new present in color and turn the rest of the photo black and white focusing more on my nephew looking at his new present.

Before:

Steps:

1. Follow above steps 1-7. But when keeping a portion of the photo color try to be more exact in the cutting out of your selection.
2. Once satisfied with your cutout click OK. Then select the first layer to make changes. For this example I selected Enhance > Convert to Black and White. Then I selected Enhance > Adjust Lighting > Brightness/ Contrast. You can use the sliders to adjust the white black contrast of the photo with the brightness/ contrast sliders.
   After:

Hope you give this technique a try!

Don't forget to leave a comment on the Wednesday post to be eligible for the giveaway!