Scrapbook Expo Class Haul Overview Part 2 – Autism Awareness Interactive Card Revisited

Scrapbook Expo Class Haul Overview Part 2 – Autism Awareness Interactive Card Revisited is what we have for you today.  This is part 2 so if you missed last weeks video and post, please be sure to check the post out HERE.

This is an awesome Autism Awareness Interactive Thank You Card  I created. If you haven’t seen the blog post and video tutorial, please check it out HERE.

Before I get rolling on the Scrapbook Expo Class Haul Overview Part 2, I wanted to tell you what is going on with me. My sweet baby boy Austin is graduating this year from high school. This weekend he went to prom which means the senior festivities have begun. Hard to believe these pictures are 7 years apart. It seems like yesterday he was a baby in my arms. It’s a tear fest.. and will be for at least 6 weeks for sure…

Now for the fun Scrapbook Expo Class Haul Overview Part 2! I was really impressed on the awesome door prize gift that was given by the scrapbook expo this year! This card stock is awesome and I can’t wait to play with it!

I really loved these dies, water brushes, paper tape and of course the AWESOME CREATIVE SCRAPBOOKER MAGAZINE!! I was so grateful to see the Creative Scrapbooker magazine there! They had a wonderful deal and I just really miss the feel of a real magazine. Digital is easy and all but the real magazines are what I miss so I am excited to get my subscription!!

I was really excited about these dies and impressed at the price. This has multiple dies in just one set! PERFECT for creatives!

I saw this and immediately thought of my oldest son. He is studying to be an auto mechanic and I can think of a million things to make with these dies for a scrapbook, card or… the ideas are really endless!

This beautiful paper was a MUST HAVE as part of my Scrapbook Expo Class Haul Overview Part 2! I purchased this for my youngest sons senior pictures. Joanie Vance of Joanie Vance Photography who does all of our family pictures here locally in So Cal ,took some awesome pictures with great texture and color. These papers are going to be PERFECT!!!!

These were perfect for my boys albums and even for some great masculine cards. I can’t wait to play with them!

I bought three of these as part of my Scrapbook Expo Class Haul Overview Part 2… ONE FOR THIS WEEKS GIVEAWAY. So many ideas for a planner, scrapbook, card, journal… Seriously my creative mind is going WILD!

There is nothing like emoji’s to make someones day and THESE MADE MINE! They made me giggle and made me think of my boys so I am sure I am going to enjoy creating with these!

Now for the giveaway goodies!!!!!!!  I will be giving away the above Carpe Diem planner, Simple stories pocket packs AND a $15 store credit to our store for some stamps to help you decorate your new planner! Be SURE you are a subscriber to our YouTube channel and to our Blog/E-mail list and make sure your names are matching so I can verify you are subscribed to both to enable you to be eligible to win! Winners announced next week so be sure and check back! Winners will be announced next week on our Mondays with Melissa blog post!

BE SURE TO check to see if you are a winner EVERY WEEK. If you do not contact me within two weeks, you forfeit your prize. Thank you for your understanding.

For last weeks giveaway we are giving away the TWO prize packages!

The winners are Jessica Marshall and Karen Kochjar!!!

Winners, please send me your contact information via contact page on our website, which post you are a winner from and I will get your prize out to you! Thank you so much for being a YouTube follower and subscribing to our mailing list/blog posts!

Thank you for joining us for the Scrapbook Expo Class Haul Overview Part 2 – Autism Awareness Interactive Card Revisited. CHECK BACK NEXT WEEK TO SEE IF YOU ARE A WINNER!

Have a wonderful week and thank you for going on A Creative Journey with Melissa.

Scrapbook Expo Class Haul Overview – Superhero Autism Awareness Card Revisited

Scrapbook Expo Class Haul Overview – Superhero Autism Awareness Card Revisited is what we have for you today. I went to the Stamp and Scrapbook Expo in Pomona, California (AKA Scrapbook Expo) and wanted to show you the classes my husband and I took!

I DON’T want you to forget that April is Autism Awareness month and wanted to show you a card I created last year which I just love! Check out my project here named You’re my Superhero Autism Awareness Project. I hope you like the project as much as I enjoyed creating it!

My hubby and I had a great time at the Stamp and Scrapbook Expo in Pomona, California. It was three days and Jon went with me every day. He took classes two of the three days but went along to keep me company and I have to say I loved it! He did some work while I was in classes when he wasn’t taking any so it was a win win!

If you are interested in seeing if there is an expo in your area, go to their website at www.scrapbookexpo.com and check it out!

 

The first class I took was Planners 101 with Michelle Hill. She is one of the creators of The Wandering Planners. The booklet she gave had a lot of tips, tricks and ideas to help us be better planners! If you are a planner, you need to be sure to check her out, their website and their meetups! You won’t be disappointed!!!

 

Not only is Michelle inspirational as I have taken her classes before, she is a lovely human being inside and out. Definitely check out both of her websites for her amazing inspiration. You won’t be disappointed!

The second class I took was 3,4,5 make your projects come alive! Nicole Petersen taught the class and it was great! I did a little video on Instagram and also posted it on Facebook if you want to check it out HERE. You can also just watch the above video and you can see cards in action!

Here is the die that I used for it. The die is called shade and valance by Technique Tuesday. SO many ideas I have for this die… Like party invitations with a picture, stamping numbers for the shade part for a birthday card.. oh my.. the list is really endless!

This little frog, fly and lily pad is so adorable! It moves up and down! I love cards in motion!

  

 

 

 

 

 

Nobody likes any llama drama but this was so darned cute! I love how it came out and it was so easy to do! This is definitely going to be a tutorial on my YouTube channel on this magic card!

  

I thought this card was perfect for my hubby and I  especially the inside!! KISSING!!  I love how it looks like the fish are floating in the water!

 

Not only did I get a free set with my class kit I also won a set! These will be two of the giveaways for this weeks giveaway! Pretty cool, huh?

This was a class that my husband took himself while I was in a different class. HE ACED IT! I love how this bag came out and I really love how he took to it. Don’t be surprised if he starts doing his own videos!!

The vinyl classes were sponsored by Crafter Depot. Be sure to check them out for future purchases!! I love their knowledge, kindness and patience with all of the attendees.

  

I love this guide to all of the siser colors they carry as well as their own line. LOVE the colors… omg… I am so ready to create something.. I don’t know what I should do first!

 Vinyl weeding (separating the pieces from the design) can be challenging….

but the rewards outweigh the frustration….

For my hubby’s first time.. I THINK HE ROCKED IT!!!

I took a class with It’s Cheaper than Therapy. This class was an instructional class that showed you the tricks on how to create these awesome 3-D cards. These were samples. I didn’t make them myself.

This Christmas card is A D O R A B L E!!!

This is so adorable! I love the color combos for this card!! Totally inspired!

And who doesn’t LOVE coffee!!!

They were so generous with their swag bag I am able to pass some on to you! These are also part of what I will also be giving away this week!

Last but not least was this class. I actually had my husband take this class while I was in the previous class with cards. He was such a good sport!

I didn’t know this as the class was called The planner girls memory planning 101 that it was a super women’s empowerment class too. My husband said he wanted to be a strong woman as well LOL Gotta love him, right?! I love the color palette of this class.

Look at the ephemera in this little set?!

The clips and stickers are ADORABLE!!! Needless to say, we had a great time and loved the classes I spoke of above. Really enjoyed myself.

I think we may have created a monster too where my husband may just be looking forward to the next one!!

Now for this weeks GIVEAWAY!!!!  I will be giving away two prizes packages so be SURE you are a subscriber to our YouTube channel and to our Blog/E-mail list and make sure your names are matching so I can verify you are subscribed to both to enable you to be eligible to win! Winners announced next week so be sure and check back! Winners will be announced next week on our Mondays with Melissa blog post!

BE SURE TO check to see if you are a winner EVERY WEEK. If you do not contact me within two weeks, you forfeit your prize. Thank you for your understanding.

For last weeks giveaway we are giving away the A Creative Journey with Melissa Awareness Ribbon Set #5 See Autism with your Heart!

 The winner is  Jo B!

Winner, please send me your contact information via contact page on our website, which post you are a winner from and I will get your prize out to you! Thank you so much for being a YouTube follower and subscribing to our mailing list/blog posts!

Thank you for joining us for the Scrapbook Expo Class Haul Overview – Superhero Autism Awareness Card Revisited. CHECK BACK NEXT WEEK TO SEE IF YOU ARE A WINNER!

Have a wonderful week and thank you for going on A Creative Journey with Melissa.

Scrapbook Expo Shaker Card Kits

Scrapbook Expo Shaker Card Kits is what we have for you today.

This is not a tutorial but a product review we are sharing.

Shaker cards and embellishments have been around for years but this is a new way to create a shaker embellishment or card that will save you some time! I really enjoyed the Queen & Company products I saw in their booth at the Scrapbook Expo and I can’t wait to show them to you!

For the first Scrapbook Expo Shaker Card Kits we have the Shaped Shaker Kit for Birthdays from Queen and Company. I really thought it was cool that it not only included the versatile die but the pre-cut foam for the shakers you will create!

What an added treat to get a nice page to keep in a binder so you can keep all of your kit items in place. LOVE IT!

Here is a close up of what is included in the kit as well as the amazing possibilities!

Scrapbook Expo Shaker Card Kits from Queen and Company come with their own page! You can keep them in a binder so all of your kit needs are at your fingertips!

 

Here is a ruler next to the package of dies so you can see how tall the dies are that come with this set.

This will help you see how wide the dies are with the ruler measurements.

Here are the dies and the foam piece that will be used for a shaker card. I love how the kit came with the pre-cut shapes of foam for your shaker creation from the Scrapbook Expo Shaker Card Kits.

This is the Shaped Shaker Kit Say Cheese. It’s adorable and perfect for those creations that you want to add a little color, dimension or a photo in a creation too! Isn’t the view master reel die cut adorable? Yes I had to look it up to figure out the name of it! LOL

 Here is a close up of what is included in the Say Cheese kit. It also comes with a page for a book that holds all of the kit items as the previous one did.

One of the main reasons why I bought this kit was because of this adorable mini Polaroid die cut! SO CUTE!

When I saw this larger Polaroid die cut that is an A2 size, it was a MUST. I had to have it to go with the Say Cheese kit. I can’t wait to create with it!

Now, for the GIVEAWAY!

This week for our Giveaway, we are giving away the Birthday Wishes A Creative Journey with Melissa Stamp Set!

To qualify to win, you must be BOTH:

A follower on YouTube, subscribe to our mailing list/blog posts and you may also comment on this blog post for an additional entry to win!

You must contact me within two weeks of the announcement of winning. You will unfortunately, forfeit your prize and it will be placed back in the giveaway stash for a future giveaway if you do not. Thank you for your understanding.

NOTE: Be sure you are not subscribed with two different names. If I am unable to match you with your subscription to both the blog and the YouTube Channel, you will miss your chance to win a prize. If I can’t decipher if you are a matching subscriber (if your profile doesn’t show publicly who you subscribe to) and I can’t confirm you have subscribed to both, I won’t be able to enter you in for the prize. **DO NOT COMMENT WITH YOUR ENTIRE EMAIL ADDY. Only give me the first 6 NOT INCLUDING YOUR HOST. Just enough for me to match your name will work perfectly.

For last weeks giveaway of the

the Sentiments for All Occasions A Creative Journey with Melissa Stamp Set:

 Kay M is the winner!

Kay M, please send me your contact information via contact page on our website, which post you are a winner from and I will get your certificate prize out to you! Thank you so much for being a YouTube follower and subscribing to our mailing list/blog posts!

We hope you enjoyed our Scrapbook Expo Shaker Card Kits product review! Have a wonderful week and thank you for going on A Creative Journey with Melissa.  

Scrapbook Expo Planner Goodies

Scrapbook Expo Planner Goodies is what we have for you today. I took a great class a few weeks ago at the Scrapbook Expo in Anaheim and loved the products shown. I just wanted to share with you what I got AND my giveaway 🙂

A to Z Scrapbooking along with Layle from Simple Stories – Carpe Diem

had a wonderful class. I would definitely suggest taking it. It’s not just for beginners either! I am excited to show you so let’s get started!

Here are the Scrapbook Expo Planner Goodies that I received in the class. I really thought it had a great array of different items. Perfect for any planner!

I really love these clear stickers! I love how some are square shaped and some are circle.

This insert is a great addition to any planner. If you really like it, you can laminate it so it doesn’t get ruined. They suggested you laminate items that you  may want to use almost like a white board. You can then buy wet erase markers and use those for lists on the go!

The stickers that were given in the Scrapbook Expo Planner Goodies kit were perfect! I love the alphabets and the item stickers. Very useful for anyone running a household!

These stickers are great for a journaling prompt as well as items that may come up in a month for a planner.

Who doesn’t love planner clips?

The circle stickers fit perfectly in the circles for the dates so you can make it your own!

Here is the two page spread layout. Really neat, don’t you think? I like how it gives you a bit more room to write down what you may need to.

What a great idea to carry around your washi tape. Which do YOU think you would rather haul around? YES! ME TOO!

This is the Posh Carpe Diem planner set from the Scrapbook Expo Planner Goodies. It has the tabs and some really great places to keep organized.

There is nothing like an inspiring quote to cheer you up! This too is included in the planner kit!

Another colorful inspiring quote perfect to start a new month!

I really liked these kits. The colors are nice and bold. I liked the folders that could hold some items you may need for an up coming appointment.

Here is a list of all of the items that comes in the Snap sticker set.

This is a kit I bought from A to Z Scrapbooking and this was not included in the Scrapbook Expo Planner Goodies class.

You won’t believe the amazing goodies that came in this kit!

So many possibilities for not only planners but cards and scrapbook pages!

Be sure to check out the scrapbook expo and their booth if they are in town near you!

 

Now, for the GIVEAWAY!

This week for our Giveaway, we are giving away the Posh Carpe Diem Planner set.

To qualify to win, you must be BOTH:

A follower on YouTube, subscribe to our mailing list/blog posts and you may also comment on this blog post for an additional entry to win!

If you do not contact me within two weeks of the announcement of winning, you will unfortunately, forfeit your prize and it will be placed back in the giveaway stash for a future giveaway. Thank you for your understanding.

NOTE: Be sure you are not subscribed with two different names. If I am unable to match you with your subscription to both the blog and the YouTube Channel, you will miss your chance to win a prize. If I can’t decipher if you are a matching subscriber (if your profile doesn’t show publicly who you subscribe to) and I can’t confirm you have subscribed to both, I won’t be able to enter you in for the prize. **DO NOT COMMENT WITH YOUR ENTIRE EMAIL ADDY. Only give me the first 6 NOT INCLUDING YOUR HOST. Just enough for me to match your name will work perfectly.  Your understanding is appreciated.

  

For last weeks giveaway of the American Crafts Marker set

Lisa Davis is the winner!

Lisa, please send me your contact information via contact page on our website, which post you are a winner from and I will get your certificate prize out to you! Thank you so much for being a YouTube follower and subscribing to our mailing list/blog posts!

We hope you enjoyed our Scrapbook Expo Planner Goodies! Have a wonderful week and thank you for going on A Creative Journey with Melissa.  

Creative Goodies Haul

Creative Goodies Haul is what we have for you today. I went to the Scrapbook Expo in Anaheim last weekend and I had a great time with Marie from our Creative Crew. We do not have a tutorial this week but we do have a great review of some awesome products we saw at the expo and want to share! Of course we have our weekly giveaway too! Remember Autism Awareness month his this month. If you haven’t checked out our creations or our stamps for Autism Awareness, Please go to our shop!

Now… let’s check out the Creative Goodies Haul!

Here is an adorable bright collection from Fancy Pants. I love the color palette especially for spring. Perfect for any spring holiday, birthday or celebration!

Here is a close up of the Fancy Pants paper from the Creative Goodies Haul.

I love how it comes with a bunch of different patterns that all coordinate. Keeps the design element easy and perfect!

Here is the tag set from Fancy Pants. A perfect addition to the Creative Goodies Haul! These tags and embellishments are perfect for any planner, project life page, traditional scrapbook page, smash book, card and well everything!

The close up of the tag set shows you the huge variety in this pack! Between the color palette and the design, I just love it!

Do you remember PUFFY STICKERS?

I remember I used to save my allowance so I could purchase them from the teachers store. I LOVED THEM! In our Creative Goodies Haul, we have the new version which is still puffy but less bulky. ADORABLE aren’t they!?

For this part of our Creative Goodies Haul, We have the Easter paper from Simple Stories. I love the adorable images as well as the patterned paper on the backside. You can really utilize this for any creation you need to make for the spring or Easter.

How lovely is this patterned paper? The colors scream SPRING and are perfect for a card or a background for a creation!

LOOK AT THESE STICKERS!

The stickers are not only coordinating with the papers and embellishments but they are so sturdy! No flimsy paper here. These stickers are made with card stock sure to make for a great embellishment in any of your creations.

This collection is from Paper House. I love the feathers. They are so sweet and elegant. Delicate even. I also really like how you can use the patterns for individual items as well as a complete background page. How fun is this? This is one page showing both sides.

These papers are perfect for celebrating family.

 This is one page showing both sides as I have two of each paper. So many things you can do and I love how it has dark blue as a primary color. Perfect for me with two boys.

Mother’s Day coming up and what a better way to celebrate but with this beautiful paper. I love the color palette as it works perfectly for Moms with their little kings.

This coordinating card stock sticker sheet has so many elements!

You can use these elements for a layout and still have plenty left over!

Have you ever used acetate layovers? How cool is this bird acetate? I love it and how you can use it for so many things!

This COLORFUL collection is from Bella Blvd.

I love how their design looks like true watercolor and really combines some beautiful art elements.

The tag set in this collection is extensive and useful for numerous creations. Perfect addition to our Creative Goodies Haul

The handwriting elements to the tags and embellishments look as if you wrote them yourself.

PERFECT for your planners!

This beautiful paper collection goes wonderfully and is a perfect addition to the collection. the variety and the colors! WONDERFUL!

Look how beautiful the gold letters are on the card stock sticker sheet. Between the embellishments and letters, you will have plenty for numerous creations!

These American Crafts Jewel tone markers are cool! I can’t wait to try them!

What a perfect way to use your coloring abilities by coloring a card for a loved one. THAT is a great way to say THANK YOU!

This die set is from Maya Road. I love the sentiments and the images. You can really use this die set over and over again for thinking of you, love you, sympathy, anniversary, friendship and the list goes on and on!

Now, for the GIVEAWAY!

This week for our Giveaway, we are giving away the Elizabeth Craft!! This die set makes edges for your creation so that you can use them as a frame! How cool is this?? The picture on the right is the actual dies that come with the set. Great way to build a frame!

To qualify to win, you must be BOTH:

A follower on YouTube, subscribe to our mailing list/blog posts and you may also comment on this blog post for an additional entry to win!

If you do not contact me within two weeks of winning, you will unfortunately, forfeit your prize. Thank you for your understanding.

NOTE: Be sure you are not subscribed with two different names. If I am unable to match you with your subscription to both the blog and the YouTube Channel, you will miss your chance to win a prize. If I can’t decipher if you are a matching subscriber (if your profile doesn’t show publicly who you subscribe to) and I can’t confirm you have subscribed to both, I won’t be able to enter you in for the prize. **DO NOT COMMENT WITH YOUR ENTIRE EMAIL ADDY. Only give me the first 6 NOT INCLUDING YOUR HOST. Just enough for me to match your name will work perfectly.  Your understanding is appreciated.

 

For last weeks giveaway of the $15.00 gift certificate for our store….

SUE D is the winner!

SUE D, please send me your contact information via contact page on our website, which post you are a winner from and I will get your certificate prize out to you! Thank you so much for being a YouTube follower and subscribing to our mailing list/blog posts!

We hope you enjoyed our Creative Goodies Haul! Have a wonderful week and thank you for going on A Creative Journey with Melissa.  

CHA 2016 Chameleon Pen Demo and Five Pack Pen Giveaway

CHA 2016 Chameleon Pen Demo and Five Pack Pen Giveaway is what we are doing today! The amazing Julia from Chameleon Pens gave a great demo at CHA and I thought you would like to check it out. Not only does it explain the markers well but also at the new colors they are introducing! First, I would like to announce the winner of the one of a kind Becky Higgins Autographed card. The winner is Jessica Marshall! Jessica, please contact me with your mailing info and I will get that out to you this week!

Now back to the CHA 2016 Chameleon Pen Demo and Five Pack Pen Giveaway! In this tutorial Julia from Chameleon gives you a peek at the new colors in action as well as some coloring techniques!! I am really excited that they have added more grays and color tones that will help with more specific bright colors, skin and shading. Although the original set is awesome, the extra added colors I think really round out the set to make it absolutely complete! The tutorial is approximately 35 minutes long. It is a bit longer than my normal videos however, I think the information given is important and worth every minute!

When watching the CHA 2016 Chameleon Pen Demo and Five Pack Pen Giveaway video. Here are a few pointers that I found very helpful and informative. When we were videoing using the mirror so you can see the details of the video. The graphics are seen backwards due to the mirror.

  • When opening your pen, be sure to color with it to release the shipping material protectant. It does have an added material to protect the Japanese nib during shipment so you want to be sure that you use it before you work on your project. By using your pen, it will release the protectant so there isn’t anything you have to manually take off.
  • You are able to use copy paper when coloring because you aren’t layering color on top of color. Typically you are just blending with the various shaded colors because you have already mixed your blending solution with your ink. If you plan to use more than one layer or plan to saturate your coloring area, it is suggested you use at least 110 lb weight paper.
  • The longer you keep your blending solution cartridge in contact with your colored nib, the longer your blend will last. Typically the most amount of time used in Julia’s experience is 10 seconds.
  • Be sure to have some scratch paper so that you can test your color off to the side ensuring that your blending worked as you had planned for.
  • Be sure to have your pens vertically when fusing so that the blending solution does reach the colored nib.
  • Store your pens flat.
  • You can use these markers as you would with any other alcohol markers.
  • Memento is the ink of choice to use on paper.
  • If you are going to use your ink on another material, the ink of choice is the Memento Luxe.

Here are some pics of the results taken from the demo in the video.

CHA 2016 Chameleon Pen Demo and Five Pack Pen Giveaway

On the left is coloring without blending and on the right is the blending solution showing depth and different colors.

CHA 2016 Chameleon Pen Demo and Five Pack Pen Giveaway

Here Julia is showing coloring a leaf using the Chameleon Pen as a standard marker without shading.

CHA 2016 Chameleon Pen Demo and Five Pack Pen Giveaway

Using the Chameleon Pens with the blending solution to show shading.

Chameleon Pen Colored as layers

Here is a good comparison to the different coloring techniques used. On the right is a picture that shows the blending. It also shows the right side leaves, right leaf is the standard color without blending solution. The left side leaves, right leaf is showing the Chameleon markers used in layers to color and shade.

CHA 2016 Chameleon Pen Demo and Five Pack Pen Giveaway

Here is two different colors being used and shaded as a beautiful blend.

CHA 2016 Chameleon Pen Demo and Five Pack Pen Giveaway

Here is a beautiful picture of how Julia showed how you can get lovely dimension. You do this by highlighting the inside of an item. You can also do this by deepening the color around the edges to emphasize the shape (round) of an item or picture.

Now for the Giveaway part! We are doing a giveaway!

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For the CHA 2016 Chameleon Pen Demo and Five Pack Pen Giveaway, we are doing a giveaway. We giving away an entire Chameleon Pen five pack of the Earth Tone colors!  All you have to do is be a YouTube Subscriber, sign up for our Newsletter at the right side of your screen and follow us on Instagram. That is it! We will pick a winner on Sunday and they will be announced Monday on our blog!

Thank you so much for joining us and we hope you enjoyed going on A Creative Journey with Melissa.

melissa-written-signature

CHA 2016 Project Life New Product Review with Giveaway

It’s a CHA 2016 Project Life New Product Review with Giveaway!! Today we are going to do a new product review of Becky Higgins amazing new 2016 Winter catalog I received at the CHA Show! First I want to announce the WINNER of last weeks giveaway. It is Eileen Fields! She will be receiving an awesome Mod Podge gift pack courtesy of Cathie and Steve and Plaid. Eileen please contact me with your mailing info and I will get your prize out to you this week! YAHOO!!!! Thank you for participating!

Now, onto this weeks fun and GIVEAWAY! I will be giving you a first hand look at the new 2016 Winter catalog as well as a wonderful prize ONE OF A KIND Becky Higgins Autograph prize that is up for grabs that any Scrapbooker, Creative, Memory Keeper and of course Project Lifer, would be THRILLED to have! This is her signing one right here! A keepsake to truly treasure!

Project life Winter Catalog 2016 j

Sooooooo I went to the CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) Show last weekend and it was a blast! Be sure to stay tuned as I have a number of prizes up for grabs that I received there from some great vendors. One person that I adore and is just as sweet as you would expect her to be is Becky Higgins AKA the Project Life creator. She is so sweet and I asked her if she would be as so kind to give me an autograph for one of her fans and she graciously obliged. The CHA 2016 Project Life New Product Review with Giveaway is a wonderful keepsake for your very own Project Life book!

In order to qualify to win you need to:

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

Subscribe to my blog on Blog Lovin’

Comment on this post if you are a Traditional Scrapbooker, Card Maker, Project Lifer, Love Planners, Smash Booker, all of the above or whatever your favorite form of memory keeping is and why.

For additional chances to win, follow me on Instagram. If you do so, please be sure to let me know in your comment here on the blog so I can be sure to count it in the comments when answering the question. I will be double checking so please be honest or you will be disqualified. Unfortunately, dishonesty has happened before. Due to shipping prices this offer is only open to United State Residents. We appreciate your understanding. Winner will be announced 1/25 on my blog so be sure to check back!

Now for the fun stuff!

As I said before, Becky is UNBELIEVABLY gracious. I went to CHA with a few of the Creative Crew members as well as my hubby and oldest son. Christian is 18 so fortunately, he was able to attend this year! Christian was a great sport and he was my “poser” for pictures. Don’t you think this picture is great? I love how it turned out!

Project life Winter Catalog 2016 i

If you haven’t heard of Project Life it is a simplistic way to do scrapbooking by having pre printed cards and layouts that are easy to follow and do. You can embellish as much or as little as you want! Here are a few pictures of my favorite sets although I LOVE THEM ALL, I had to pick just a few.

Project life Winter Catalog 2016 a

I love bold colors and I love this line. The bold colors, sayings and cute designs really will be useful for me in my creations. Most of all I like versatile designs. I have two boys but don’t want all masculine products either so a versatile set that can be used for multiple things is what I look for and THESE ARE AWESOME! I am really excited! For the names of the collections, check out my video for more details!

Project life Winter Catalog 2016

I LOVE the doodle edition and the all seasons edition.. AGAIN THE COLORS ARE FABULOUS! Really versatile and adorable! Did you ever think to use your extra cards to create a greeting card or use it for a cover page of your Project Life book? Words that are important to you? Just a thought.. The possibilities are REALLY ENDLESS!

Project life Winter Catalog 2016 f

With the above set there are some really cute coffee items as well as home doodles… its just all around so cute!! LOVE IT!

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However above all else, I think my favorite is the Explore Edition. This would be great for my boys between dirt bike riding, going camping, etc. The colors are perfect for that as are the embellishments. TOO DARNED CUTE! I see an increase in spending with the economy… UH-OH!

You may also want to check out our stamp sets. Our alphabet stamp sets as well as our Sign Language Alphabet stamp sets are great for any Project Life, Journal, Pocket Page Scrapbooking, Planner or anything you creative and crafty you come up with!

Here is a close up of the autographed card you will be getting if you are the winner. So excited to share the CHA 2016 Project Life New Product Review with Giveaway with you!

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Be sure to follow the directions of the giveaway and come back next Monday to check out if you are the lucky winner!

Thank you so much for going on A Creative Journey with Melissa. Be sure to follow the instructions on this blog post in order to win a one of a kind autograph from Becky Higgins! Thank you for participating in the CHA 2016 Project Life New Product Review with Giveaway!

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CHA 2016 Going on A Creative Journey with Melissa Part #2

I am baaaaaaaaccccckkkkk from CHA 2016!!!  I have returned from CHA 2016 and am overwhelmed, thrilled and exhausted! I have a lot to show you and will be showing it to you over the next few weeks as well as having GIVEAWAYS TOO!! Today’s focus is on We R Memory Keepers products. I do not have any affiliation with them, I just love their products and own a number of them. I am thinking about carrying them, what do you think? Would you like me to carry them and if so, what would you like to see? Comment on this post and answer this question and you will be entered to win one of the CHA prizes I have. I have a number of them thanks to the generosity of some of the manufacturers like items from  Tim Holtz, Simple Stories, Cathie and Steve with Plaid Industries, Sizzix to name a few. I will be picking a winner at random on Sunday January 17th and will announce the winner on Monday January 18th as well as what they have won and will have one of my sons pick the winner. This is a tradition I started when I started blogging and have continued it throughout the years. After all, they are the A and the C of the ACJwM! The above video is a sneak peek at that alphabet punch board by We R Memory Keepers. It’s really cool and I think it would be great for teachers that do bulletin boards. I thought you would like to see it as it is not even on the market yet. How cool is that? If you want to learn more about CHA and read my first post, please go here. Now, onto the products. I loved this display it was clean, colorful and most of all filled with fun items to play with! They were wonderful and the gentleman was more than happy to do an impromptu demo video for little ole me! I was and am VERY THANKFUL!

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These above are shadow boxes, cork boards, chalk boards, peg boards, wire hanger and picture frames. They all look so wonderful and when I saw them I thought HMMMMM…. PAINT!

IMAG1029The above includes washi tape, washi dispenser, paper and more! It also includes a type of rail system PERFECT for organization. Especially the farthest left one that has different size holders for different sized ribbon and WASHI!! YES WASHI!!We R Memory Keepers CHA 2016 2

Here is a CLOSER VIEW of the rail system. It’s pretty cool!

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The above has various punches and decor for party decor making!  They are all so useful! This display is also including  punches to make the alphabet punch board that is featured in the above video 🙂

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Here are some awesome flower kits, various punch boards as well as embellishments PERFECT for a PARTY!!!

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And of course for all of you Project Life Lovers… We have a similiar type of item that would work great with Project Life which is Albums Made Easy. We also have the FUSE that allows you to make your own sized pockets along with a bunch more fun stuff for Pocket Page Scrapbooking!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial as well as the products included in the review of the We R Memory Keepers booth at CHA 2016! Thank you so much for stopping by and going on A Creative Journey with Melissa.

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CHA 2016 – Going on A Creative Journey with Melissa

Hi All,

I AM AT CHA 2016 I am having a great time and wish you were all here to be able to experience this first hand at least once. But before I go on, I would like to apologize because I said I would be giving you sneak peeks and of all times, my website has been down since Thursday. Needless to say, I haven’t been able to post anything to my website so I apologize for this being late. What a nightmare that was! I have however, posted on my Instagram as well as my Facebook business page if you would like to check those out. Those would be more timely than my blog posts as I do my blog posts once I am home to recap my day.

Sooooo if you weren’t able to come to CHA 2016 or haven’t been to CHA at all or don’t know what it is, here is an explanation in a nutshell. CHA is the acronym for the Craft and Hobby Association. It is an organization where creatives, manufacturers, designers and more :),  of all different areas of crafts whether it be paper crafts, knitting, painting, jewelry and basically anything crafty and creative, come together from ALL OVER THE WORLD. They hold various conferences throughout the year. This specific show is one of the largest of it’s kind and for the last year it is being held at the Anaheim Convention Center. Next year, it will be held in Arizona. In order to be a member there are certain prerequisites. To find out more information if you qualify, please go here. If you happen to sign up, tell them I sent ya!

Part of being a CHA member and it’s membership cost includes education. They are really great about offering education classes for people that want to learn more about the industry, mentoring from fellow creatives in your field and getting you in contact with who you need to talk to if you have questions. The wealth of knowledge in the CHA organization as a whole is vast and wonderful to have when you are a new business starting out or an established business looking to boost your sales to a higher level. I have been a member for a number of years taking classes as well as enjoying the show. I went on Thursday and Friday for classes and the show floor opened yesterday. The classes are great for business owners like myself where you can learn things that you normally wouldn’t be able to do so. For example, I have a stamp line and would be able to ask questions to fellow stamp line owners, manufacturers, designers, web designers, attorneys, etc., questions about my personal situation and be able to get real answers as they are all within the industry that I am. It is UNBELIEVABLY instrumental in my business adventure. I have met a number of what I call lifetime friends too!

Yesterday I took a bunch of pictures at CHA 2016. have consolidated them down to a few below. I went to CHA this year with my awesomely supportive husband and son. I was excited that my son was old enough to be able to attend. It is cool to show him this side of things and that I am NOT the only one that is creative minded. Although to be honest, he is too so he TOTALLY gets it! As you will see, we got the “C” (Christian) and the “J” (Jon) of ACJwM (A Creative Journey with Melissa) in on the action. My hubby and son were my “posers” in pictures! LOL I also was fortunate enough to have a few of my AMAZINGLY talented Creative Crew along to check out the new things and see what THEY would like to work with next year as well as ideas and trends that are going on in the industry. Leticia, Marie and Rhoda are joining me this year. Unfortunately, Brandie is unable to attend due to a health issue so we DEFINITELY want to wish Brandie to feel better and be back on her feet soon.

First, I want to share with you a few things I learned in my classes. Here are a few DID YOU KNOW…. Please feel free to share!

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In a class that my husband took, they said at least 500 words. Sounds to me if you stick between 500-3000 you will have it covered varying between them throughout your different blog posts. This is what my plan is.
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Now for some pictures. One of the amazing creatives that I love to see is Tim Holtz. He is so kind, amazingly creative and very good to his fans. He truly appreciates our admiration. Here he was showing his distress crayons. They look FABULOUS!!! A must have for sure!

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We took a very inspirational class from Kathy AKA Crafty Chica. She is so wonderful, kind and inspirational. Her story is amazing and really goes to show that hard work, dedication and perseverance pays off.

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I of course stopped by Doodlebug Design because I LOVE THEIR COLOR PALETTE! ALWAYS. PERIOD! Adorable designs with awesome colors. Can’t go wrong with that!

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And of course there is PLANNER AWESOMENESS with Heidi Swapp... I love her, her creativity and her spirit.

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And more planner excitement with Marion Smith! Isn’t Christian a great “poser” LOL!

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I will have a bunch more pictures in my next post but I have to run for now as we are about to get to the convention center. Don’t forget to connect with us on your favorite social media platform above. Thanks for stopping by and as always, we hope you enjoyed going on A Creative Journey with Melissa!

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The CHASHOW is coming!!! Are you?

It’s CHASHOW TIME!!!We are sooo looking forward to going to CHA this year. From their website: The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) is an international non-profit trade association consisting of thousands of member companies engaged in the design, manufacture, distribution and retail sales of craft products worldwide. For more about CHA, the value of membership, or its award-winning Conferences & Trade Shows, please visit www.craftandhobby.org.

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I have been a Designer Member for a number of years and I am so excited to be bringing you some awesome sneak peeks, interviews and of course GIVEAWAYS! Be sure to stay tuned for this awesome event and our coverage. We are sure you won’t want to miss it! Check out all of these sponsors for the show!

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BE sure to STAY TUNED!

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