A Million Little Things

Help us! We need FANS!! -- NEW PRODUCTS and other news!

Hello Everyone!

Hope you have all been well.  It feels like forever since I've been on here!   Thank you to everyone for their patience with the excessive amount of down time the site had this last month.  The server move was announced to me and was very unexpected, but since I am not in charge of that aspect I have to go with the flow.  Things were down much too much and things didn't go as smoothly as I was promised or wished it would have but now THANKFULLY everything is back to normal.  Thank you for putting up with it.  Before I start on what is guaranteed to be a huge ramble, thank you thank you to Kristina for freshening up the blog!  Aren't here designs just fabulous?  If you didn't know she is doing some blog design and if you have blogger, you should check it out.  Right now I am special since they aren't really working with typepad all that much, but I'm so grateful she could design me up a cute banner anyway since I can't move to blogger.   Here is her link... go check it out!  http://blogdesignsbytwohappymama.blogspot.com/

I've been meaning to do a CHA wrap up post all week.  I always seem to have the hardest time grounding myself when I return from being at a show.   The catch up,  readusting to the real routine, the laundry... the joys of working from home, I never get to not look at my laundry or my work!  Oh poor me, LOL.  It was especially hard to get back to it this week as my mama had to have surgery on Friday and I was a bit distracted worrying about her.  Thankfully all went well and I think she is recovering nicely.  Recovering enough that she is back on her Farmville account.. Oh facebook...

Speaking of facebook (how's that for tacky transition?), I've FINALLY bit the bullet as some of you may have noticed.    Now I have to admit Iam extremely late to the party I know.  I am one of those people that doesn't really like change or changing the way I do things and that isn't a good thing most of the time.  I honestly thought everyone's chatter about facebook was just fad and that it would go away soon.  Yes, I was wrong.  This coming from the person who didn't have a cell phone forever mostly because I couldn't afford one, but partly because I thought I didn't need one.  Now, who can live without one?  My kids have them...yikes.  

So with much prodding from my son who had to have his own Farm (ironically I can't get him to do a thing around this "farm", maybe I should give him points or mystery gifts?) and several friends that kept pestering I decided it was time.  One night last week after the show we set up our accounts, and whalla, a family of facebookers and a AMLT page.  I still don't really know what I'm doing, but I suppose I'll have to learn. Now I know why I felt as though me personally and AMLT wasn't nearly as cool as we had been in the past.  Maybe this will help restore some of our coolness.. maybe not, but I'm trying!   

It is every bit as time eating as I knew it would be and I have to be very careful not to neglect things that need to be really done for it!  I've found some old friends though to which I am thrilled and others I still can't find they must be even later to the party than I am. I thought I was the last person on FB, but apparently I am not.    I have to tell you though , it tends to take me back to my junior high days where I am reminded my popularity status and realize I have fewer "friends" than most.   I'm not sure I like them counted, but hey I am beating my husband!   He has resorted to stealing my friends to play Farmville, which btw, I don't do, my account is being played by my 7 year old.   Being that  I am nearly 36 years old and far beyond  needing  to compare myself in that department thankfully, but I do need to have more than him (wink wink).    There are several of you it keeps "telling me to contact"  and I'm not really sure how it knows I "know" you, but I don't want to come across stalkerish, so if you feel like you'd like to be my "friend"  personally that's great I'd love that,  just send me one those cute requests, if not I am in no way offended because I am kind of the shy lonerish type anyway.  I would however demand that if you like AMLT and read this blog, shop in our store, or like me at all that you become a fan on the A Million Little Things page..pretty please.  I know I have a few more than 40 store fans, I hope!   You can click on the box at the top right and it takes you where you need to be.  Once I figure out what I am doing I am planning special sales, announcments etc for our facebook fans, so make sure to get on that list!!  THANK YOU!

Moving on..!   The show was great, there was alot of fun stuff.  Some of it which is already in the store, and even more that will be here this coming week and in the coming weeks.  I will be doing a complete list and posting it here on the blog later today with everything I have ordered and when it is expected.  I was really organized this time, I am proud to say so I can do that since I neglected it last show. 

In the last few days I have listed these items:

New Magazines and Idea Books

Graphic 45's new collections Le Romantique, A Proper Gentlemen, and On the Boardwalk

3 Bugs new collections the Great Outdoors, Savannah, Animal Stackers, and Little Chick

The last 2 could not be more opposite in style, but I firmly believe in carrying some of everything, and I have to say I love them both!

This coming week I will be getting my Anthology from Studio Calico, new collections from MME, most of my items from Cosmo Cricket, the Flutter From MM finally, and possibly the paper from Sassafras, that I know so far.  Like I mentioned there will be much to come in the next 6 weeks so keep your eyes peeled! 

I want to let you know that I've decided for this show to give an extra % off all paper sets,  in addition to the 10% I already mark off.  So if you are one that likes to buy all the papers in a set this will help you save even more per sheet price!  Just look for the "set" listings with each new group.  They are applied to both Graphic 45's new sets and 3 bugs already. 

This is also a good time to mention again that I do hold orders, so if you would like to shop for new things as they are added but don't want excess shipping just leave me a note in the comments box when you order we can fill a flat rate box, or hold until you reach free shipping.  I'm here to help in anyway I can and if helping you get the items you want without extra shipping is what you need I'm your gal.    Remember if you pay by paypal it will ask you to pay upfront, those shipping fees are adjusted and refunded as necessary when your box is shipped.  If you pay via credit card directly I run the amount of the order only when it is pulled, no shipping is added. 

Thank you again!  And please.. go to facebook we need you as our fan! Thanks to those lovely ladies who found us and did it before I even asked, you rock!!

Jill

Take those Photos

I don't know about you, but I don't take as many pictures in the Winter months as I do in the Spring, Summer and Fall.  It is hard to find photo opporunities in the house.  The lighting is not as good and my photos rarely turn out good inside!

On the way to church Sunday, we had a great light opportunity and we went outside to take a few shots.  They turned out really good.

 Make sure that you take advantage of every photo opportunity you can.  I was so happy with the pictures that I took on Sunday; so I will take my camera with me everywhere this Winter!

Happy photo-taking!
 

Hump day Wednesday...

Hello friends, happy Wednesday. I titled this post as 'hump day' because that is kindof how I am feeling about scrapbooking lately. Please tell me some of you go through the same emotions with this beloved hobby. Well, I know that my waned desire to create has to do with my previous post (bun in the oven ;), but I also know that once I get going, I love the creating process. That's why I love designing for AMLT, it gets me into my scrapbook dungeon (my scrapbook area in the basement with no windows, I'll take some pictures for another post one day, atleast I can't use the excuse that it is too dark outside to take pictures :P). I think I am rambling now...

I just remembered that I have a really cute wedding guest book that I want to share with you but the pictures are still on my camera, so I will save that for another day.

 Here is what I created yesterday...
It was nice to finally get a layout finished from last summer. I do not usually get too anxious about being 'caught up', but then again, I used to scrapbook about 4 layouts a week and managed to keep up. :P I challenged myself to dig into my older stash for this layout, using some really old brads and metal corners. Feels good to put a dent in my stash.

Here is another layout that I did a while ago...

I had a lot of fun using label stickers as my main embellishment on this layout of Thanksgiving pictures. It is easy to make a collage of labels and then decorate with rubons, buttons and journaling. Here I used 7gypsies stickers and some older Heidi Swapp rubons.

I hope you have a great Wednesday and manage to put a dent in your stash (just in time for new goodies from CHA!)

Click away!!

I'm here to tell ya to not hold back.  Click away with your camera.  Take lots.  And keep them.  As scrapbookers, I know we all think we take too many photos.  And really, are we going to scrapbook them all? We may not.  They may take up hard drive space or space in a box in your closet.  But keep them.

Just a few short months ago, my dad passed away.  It was - and still can be - tough.  As we prepared for the funeral service, I was put in charge of gathering photos and putting together a slideshow.  It was one of the best times in those days before his funeral as we all sat around and remembered funny moments and looked at photos we hadn't seen in years.  But I also discovered that we didn't have good photos with each grandchild and my dad.  And each of us kids didn't have one individually with Dad in most recent years.  Between my mom, myself and my brothers & sister, we were able to come up with an appropriate photo for each grandchild from their younger years and most recent years, but it wasn't easy.  And I realized then how important photos are.  Photos speak words.  They may not be written on the image or on the back of the image but they speak.  They hold your memories of conversations, funny moments, a certain song may come to mind, etc.  So no matter the occasion or non-occasion, grab your camera and take photos of your loved ones.  Not only for yourself but for those behind you, following you.  They will thank you..  And they will cherish the photos you took.  So keep clicking away!!!

Here are just a few of the photos we used in Dad's slideshow.  Photos that speak to me and that I adore.  And thank you, Mom and others, for the many photos we do have with Dad.

 

A little photo printing tip

Hello Everyone...Katie here! Lately I have been really enjoying scrapping with smaller sized photos, particularly 2x3. However, since I can't order this size from my online printing service without duplicates, I have to print them myself. I don't mind printing myself but sometimes this can eat into my precious scrapbooking time when I have to find 3-5 photos, resize them, and wait for them to print. So it finally occurred to me that I could do a bunch at once and them have them ready for the next time I could scrapbook. So now when I am editing photos, I'll open up a new, blank image in photoshop (go to File, then new): size it to 8.5 by 11; then resize my fave photos to 2x3 and fill the blank image with them. I end up with something that looks like this:

 

I then print this 8.5 by 11 sheet and then have many images to work with next time I am ready to scrapbook! I have been able to scrapbook so much more since I have started doing this. 

Here is a recent page I did using smaller photos:

 

Cardstock: Bazzill

Patterned Paper: Basic Grey (Nook and Pantry)

Punch: Fiskars

Diecut stickers and large letter stickers: Basic Grey

Small letter Stickers: My Little Shoebox

Rubons: Fancy Pants

Flowers: Sassafrass Lass

Hope this little tip helps! Have a great week everyone!

We're off and Server Move

Hello Everyone

In a few hours I will be boarding a plane for sunny California (hopefully) after all the rain they've had this week I'm keeping my fingers crossed!  We will be out of the store through Tuesday so orders will not be shipping this time. 

Please note that the store is currently down, it is being moved to it's new server home.  This is planned, we are aware it is down, and don't want to cause any alarm.  It will most likely be down a day or two while this is completed.  If you have immediate need to contact me you may do so via my back -up email jill.amillionlittlethings@gmail.com.  I will be away and won't be checking email quite as often as normal so please be patient if there is any delay getting back to you.  My store email will receive your messages, I just may not be able to access them for a day or so.

Have a super weekend!

Jill

Scrap the unexpected

Hi everyone! Happy Friday to you!
Just stopping by to quickly post this idea I had for a layout.
I love the unexpected things my daughter leaves around the house from time to time that make me smile. I decided that after one day when she left two really cute things laying around that I would snap a picture of them and create a layout to remind me of those sweet times. Here's the layout I created:

Every time I look at those pictures I get the biggest smile on my face and now I have this simple layout for her scrapbook to hold onto those sweet moments, too. So, the next time you see something funny, cute or sweet laying around snap a photo of it and create a layout about it. I think it'll be one of those layouts that will make you smile every time you look at it. Gotta love those unexpected smiles. ;) Have a great day and weekend everyone! Hugs!

Make A Card

A friend of mine is out of town on a 3 week work adventure, I guess you could call it.  Second to mine, he has the sweetest family!  A few days ago, I decided I would make a cheery card to send them (I wanted something cute to put pictures inside of). 

I used all scraps for this card, a stamp, buttons, a punch and a pen.  You cannot get much thriftier than that.  I would almost bet that the postage on the card cost more than I have in scraps.

When I am looking to make a card and am lost with ideas, I search blogs that I have in my "favorites".  I am sure this one is a lifted idea, but after you get a direction with the card you want to make, change the colors to fit the season.  You could use fall colored buttons or snowflakes.  Endless possibilites. 

Find a base card you like and make different colors and themes out of it.  Make several and save them.  When you check your local drugstore for a handmade looking card, you will be thrilled you saved those scraps!

Find a new viewpoint

Now this can mean stepping back, stepping forward, getting down on your stomach or going way up high to find a new viewpoint. The idea of this excersize is to get you thinking outside the box. Looking through your viewfinder to find something unexpected.

Want to venture a guess where I took this photograph? Or the three photos that I merged together in photoshop, rather?

If you visit me, this is one of the places I'll take you to. Just because you won't believe unless you see it with your own eyes. This is the view southwest over the city seen from the highest ladies bathroom in town...

Yes, bathroom.

All I can say is I understand why people tend to linger in there :)

the big moments

As I am still working to get my oldest daughter's first year album completed (she just turned 3...happy birthday baby!) I have recently decided to focus on layouts about the big moments/events and go back and complete the layouts that focus on other types of things later on. I did lots of layouts for my oldest's first year album that are all "fluffy" and sweet and then realized how badly I was falling behind and how I was going to forget the big stuff. I know this isnt a huge deal to everyone, but I feel like I lose a little bit of the details every day.

So...for my daughter Rylee's album (and I will also be doing one very very similar to this for Anna's album...changing the title of course) :)