A Million Little Things

Designer Spotlight -- Elizabeth van der Wier!!

Hello Everyone,

I have a special treat for you today, a spotlight on another one of our talented design team members! Today we get to know a bit more about Elizabeth van der Wier! 

 

I have been lucky enough to know Elizabeth for over 4 years now, and she never ceases to amaze me!  We are so lucky to be able to have her on our team here.  Her talent is so amazing, I'm sure you will all agree.    Elizabeth has the uncanny ability to take anything I give her whether she likes it or not, and make it look amazing!  I love her clean, organized style.  She is a busy, busy mom with another baby on the way, I'm not sure how she manages it all!

I've asked Elizabeth a few questions to help you get to know her a bit better:

Alot of us are busy mom's with too much on our plates, since you probably know all about this can you give us some tips for organizing scrapping time in our schedules?

The amount of time I spend scrapbooking has definitely varied over the years. I used to scrapbook almost every afternoon while the kids were having their nap/quiet time. Now that I am pregnant again (for the sixth time!), I often choose to chill on the couch instead. {That may also be due to the fact that we have a puppy that loves to nap on the couch with me, who can resist those puppy dog eyes!?} For me, scrapbooking has been a priority and it seems I can always make time for something that I really love to do.

What or who inspires you in your scrapbooking?

I am inspired by other scrapbookers, magazine layouts, awesome pictures, the things my kids do or say, new scrapbook supplies, events that demand documenting ...

What technique do you find yourself doing over and over?

I am not sure if this is considered a technique, but one of the things I do most on my pages is create photo collages. I go through phases where I do more one-photo layouts, but when I am working with a variety of photos, you can bet they will end up in some sort of collage, neat and simple.

What challenges do you have when scrapbooking?

Making birthday layouts. There are so many different shots, colours, and parts of the day that I want to include, that it is tough for me to make a birthday layout that I really love.

Can you share with us your current favorite layout?

That is a really tough one, I wish I could show you one from each of my kids but instead I will show you one of the first 12x12 layouts I made about myself (circa 2006!). I love the colours, the design, the journaling, the stamping (which I am usually too scared to do), and the pictures. I remember when I finished it, I was really proud of how it turned out, and if I can remember that 4 years later, than it must hold a special place in my heart LOL. 

 

Tell us one thing we wouldn't know about you?

I grew up on the east coast, went to school 3000 miles away in the midwest, and settled down with my hubby in the gorgeous Niagara Falls area.

Where would you go on  your dream vacation?

Any place warm during the month of February... that would suit me just fine. :)

What is your guilty pleasure?

Definitely something chocolate. {but my frothed flavoured coffee comes in close second!}

Summer or Winter?

Summer

Ketchup or Mustard?

Ketchup

One Last Question...  What is your favorite "me" thing to do?

One thing that I do almost every day is sip my favourite coffee while surfing my bookmarked scrapbooking and baking blogs. So much to explore. But I also love reading, walking (with our dog Molly), baking, playing games with the kids...

Here are a few current layouts that Elizabeth has been working on...

This one just makes me smile, Molly doesn't stand a chance with Lincoln, but it is so much fun to watch them interact. So glad to have this documented.

 
These are some of my current favourite pictures of my daughter from last summer and it felt so great to finally create a layout for them to be displayed in her album.

Thanks Elizabeth!!

 

What Else Can We Make?

Hello faithful followers!  We had the most beautiful weekend in Tennessee and now it is cold and snowing outside~AGAIN!  I am so ready for spring flowers and sunshine.

Sometimes do you get burnt out with scrapbooking?  I know it is a terrible sin, but I will go through dry runs and don't really feel like making a layout.  Actually, I have felt that way for a week or so myself.  I don't have fresh pictures to use so I have been working on little items I can send in the mail to brighten a friends' day.

Without further hesitation (haha) here you go:  I made this sweet spring card with some fun magnets to go along with it.  Actually, I think the magnets look good on the paint can lid!  I may keep them for myself as a display.  I have a new friend I have met, a lovely lady.  She and her hubby don't have children, so  I send  them pictures of my boys every few weeks.  I thought sending these magnets 
 would be a nice surprise.  

I used old chipboard pieces, I don't even know where they came from.  Decorated them up with paper added some buttons or brads for centers.  Last, I added some heavy duty magnets to finish them off.  My plan was first to add sticks to them and make a flower arrangement so-to-speak, but I thought that would be hard for mailing.

My challenge to you is pick a few items out of your stash and make yourself something that is not layout related!  Either give it as a gift or keep it for yourself!
 

It's Wednesday..

I'm not so good at these What's up Wednesday posts!  At least I haven't missed one yet.

This one is going to be short.  I don't have alot to say that's not the same old thing but I have a lot to do that isn't blogging.

Here are items I have in the store that I am not caught up on listing yet, yes I feel like a broken record, but I coming to the conclusion right now I'm just going to be behind of what I would like to be.  It's impossible nearly not to be!  So here is the list:

Creative Charms (flowers and embellies)

Imaginsce (Live out loud)

Maya Road (various items)

Crate paper (should be everything)

Ek Success (a few punches and such)

Creative Cafe (month paper)

Studio Calico (rubons and fabrips)

Arriving this week but not here yet:

Websters Pages paper

Jenni Bowlin Restock

MME Restock

The good news is I have been doing something :).  Your orders are nearly caught up and shipped after the Prima rush.

I'm hoping to get some time now to work on new products, but tomorrow I will probably not be working much, so plan more to friday/saturday.  Now the reason I am not working is tomorrow is a special day around here, it my husband's 4oth birthday, and 40 is kind of a big one I think!    He is taking the day off, and I think it would be cruel to tell him he had to work in the store.

Now I have a favor to ask all of you my blog reader friends.  It is not often I will do this, but Paul is a big part of AMLT and without his part time help and even more without his never ending support I would never be able to do this  More importantly he is the reason your boxes get to the post office everyday!   Would you all take a minute if you are reading this and wish him a happy Birthday?  I would be most grateful :).  He's going to kill me, but I want to make a big deal out of tomorrow.    Thank you much!

Until next time...

XO
Jill

 

 

Don't throw it away...

It's still Tuesday somewhere right? I was supposed to post this first thing tuesday, buuuut... in my haste to go enjoy girlfriends, chat and red wine.. I completely forgot. Understandable, right?

*grin*

I wanted to come and remind you to take a look at what you are about to toss in the garbage can..

On the background for this layout I used the negative of all those cool clear plastic shapes from Fancy Pants. I also dug out some small ribbon scraps to make a background for my title.

Patterned paper: Little Yellow Bicycle, alphabet stickers: American Craftand journaling label: Martha Stewart.

Also included one super cute niece :)

Think green,

Susanna

Do you collect too?

Hi everyone! Happy Monday to you! Today I have a random post for you with a layout that I recently finished using - get this - NEW scrapbooking goodies. Now, I'll be honest, usually when I buy new goodies from Jill I will just hang onto them, organize them and then not use them for a bit. Something about brand new goodies DOES make me want to create, but it also can be intimidating, especially the adorable new Dear Lizzy line from American Crafts. I'm happy to report though that I broke it out and actually USED it on this layout below:

Supplies used:
Cardstock - Bazzill
Patterned paper: Dear Lizzy by American Crafts
Flair, stickers and rub on: Dear Lizzy by American Crafts
Butterfly stamp: Hero Arts
Ink: Stazon
Colored pencils

I also used a stamp, which I love using and need to use more of! So today I just want to remind you to pull out those new goodies you have or even those goodies that aren't as new, but for some reason you just haven't broken into them yet and create! You'll be glad you did! Happy Monday! :-D

Halleleuah!!!!!!!!!!!!! Prima is finished!

Celebrate with me friends won't you?  I feel like I have just eaten the elephant!! All of the Prima Products we received are now listed in the store!  It didn't take me quite a week, LOL.  I love the weekends, catch up time for sure.  Thank you much for your patience.  If I wasn't so lazy I'd go take a picture for you of how pretty it looks all put away.  It takes up 1/4 of the store, but it's still pretty and so organized for now until I start pulling it and I get holes, HE HEE.

Here are the links:

PRIMA CHAW10

Alphabets and Accessories

Stamps

Flower/Flower Accessories

Paper

Say it in Pearls

E Line and Bargain Grab Bags

This may not be of interest to all of you, but if you are a bargain hunter check out the top 6 items in the last category above.  Prima's show special was a bunch of free product, which I'm not the biggest fan of sometimes, but we've decided to make up some bargain grab bags and I have to say they are so fun!  I think they are a great price, I priced them cheap because my only objective was to try to cover the shipping charge on my order which was well over $200.... see I feel your pain, hence the big reason I believe in ACTUAL shipping :).  I wish I had a little girl, these would be so cute on head bands, hats, barretts, and bags...sigh:

 

Also these all came in those little paint cans and we took them out, as there was not point in cheap product and bulky shipping.  Hence I have boxes of empty cans.  I've been asked what I do with them, and honestly I usually throw them out, to many people's horror.  So if anyone out there would like some of these EMPTY cans  for organizing and for your studios please email me (info@amillionlittlethings.com),

 
 

I'll give them to you for free you will just need to cover the shipping charge.  I'll give them away in fours because that is how they were boxed, and that makes it easier for us.  If you do want them just tell me how many sets of four you want in your email.  They will be first come first serve, and when they are gone they are gone. 

Please remember the can is empty, the products are NOT  included in it for free.

Oh now on to a few other companies!

Restocks first:

COSMO.. most of the items are now restocked here

Studio Calico -- paper, journaling cards, and label stickers are restocked, the rubons and fabrips have arrived, I'll be listing those soon.

New products have arrived from Maya Road, Imaginisce, and Creative Charms.   Those will be me next project along with pulling your orders.  Websters will be here next week along with restocks from Jenni Bowlin.  Those are the items I am aware of at this time.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Jill

xo

Inspired by...

I love using different things for inspiration. I LOVED this cover of Martha Stewart Living magazine this month. I used it as my jumping off point and of course made a few modifications...

Here is the Martha Stewart cover...

and here is my interpretation....

I dont know if you can tell in the magazine cover, but right behind the (super yummy looking) dessert, there is a somewhat splattery background, so I replicated that with some Glimmer Mist spray and instead of using one big heart, I used several smaller ones in the same dark brown color as the (drool inducing) dessert.

Cardstock-Bazzill

Patterned Paper-Making Memories

letter stickers-American Crafts

so...from this post you have probably learned two things about me (lol!)

1. I love using fun inspiration for my pages

2. I really love chocolate desserts...anyone want to send me one? ;)
 
  

What's Up Wednesday.. urr Thursday for some of you

I'm sliding in 15 minutes before midnight.  Woosh, maybe I shouldn't have committed myself to a certain day of the week!

I don't have much news, we've been in "circuit training" of sorts around here this week, and unfortnuatley that has nothing to do with my excercise program.  Praying that doesn't catch up with me at WW tomorrow :P. 

I want to paint a picture of what it is like to deal with a company like Prima.  First they have about 3000 products you have to buy because they are so popular.  They make 12 of every color in every different style, they don't give things very good names, or even call them the same thing on the invoice and on their site.  They pack their boxes horribly, they dump everything in boxes that no lie fit my children in them, and I have big robust boys.  There is no rhyme or reason the way they pack things, they just dump this and that here and there, and I actually resorted to dumping my large boxes in a little mountain and sorting from there.  No I can't find the floor, but it was easier that way!  Needless to say this has made the process of checking things off, sorting things out a bit challenging, and yes I am a little mad at them right now.  But... they do have some pretty good product so all kidding aside I must put up with it with a big smile :)!!  

One week later I am still in the process of trying to conquer this company, and I honestly can tell you I have done everything I can possibly do.  One of you made a comment last week that I just had to take in one step at a time and I've resolved that this is very true and the motto to live my.  Keep calm and carry on.   Those of you that know me well may be laughing at that idea for me.   This is not an excuse, I just want to give you a small picture of the process around here, and then maybe you can see why I am so gosh darn slow!   I can't sit and enter, sort, check off, gather images and put away product all day because alot of other good product went on this week and I do have many orders to pull, pack and ship in addition to entering new product.  Hence the circuit training analogy.  I spend a few hours doing one thing, then I need to do something else.  A little of that, a little of this, the process is slow, but it will get done.  I have listed quite a great deal of prima this week, in small batches and the only thing I have left is MANY MANY FLOWERS.  Those will come next.  In the meantime here are some links to what is in the store already the last 4 days:

PRIMA

Alphabets and other embellies

Clear Stamps

Paper

Say it in Pearls

E Line Value Pearls and FLowers

FLoral Items (MUCH MORE will be added!)

There are some backordered items, namely laces.

I do realize I have quite a few sell outs.  I'm sorry, my budget and pre-show cash flow didn't permit me to buy massive quantities and still carry variety, I am learning from some of my mistakes of the past and trying to recover from a slow sales year last year.   The good news is that I have restocks coming.  I will have Cosmo tomorrow, Studio Calico tomorrow.  I have ordered MME which will be here next week, Jenni Bowlin and more, so please check this blog for links to restocks as well.

I thank you all for all your support both of me personally and of AMLT.  Our customers have for six years made this business worth continuing, and that still is as true as ever.  It's now past midnight, so it looks that I missed Wednesday except for you west coasters!

Have a great Thursday, keep checking what's new!!

Jill

Buttons...Buttons...Oh My!

Happy Tuesday!  Hope you are having sunny & warm weather where you are; here in TN it is frigid cold, snowing and depressing! 

With that being said...let's talk about buttons.  I LOVE them.  In fact there are not many projects that pass my desk that don't end up with a button to finish them off.  Do you ever have all but one letter to make that title?  I DO~Man sometimes I get so upset because I don't have the ONE letter I need!  Problem solved...  I needed an "O" here and made one out of buttons. 

I also love using buttons on cards.  If you mail them be careful that they are not too bulky!  The Post Master might get irritated!  Use them in the center of flowers (make them flowers themselves); they look great boarding a picture.  I love to run thin ribbon or thread thru them to make them look sewn on.

Anyway you go...you will love buttons!  If you are like me that will be the first item you look for at antique malls & craft stores.

Enjoy!
 

Happy 'Holiday' Monday

Here in Canada it is 'Family Day', a new holiday our country is celebrating, how cool is that?  In the US it is 'President's Day', so happy holidays to all those off of work and school.

Recently my brother-in-law got married, he is the youngest and last of the eight siblings to get married (yup, that makes a family of 18 now!). I put together a guest book for their wedding day, take a look...

I just love these Cloud 9 boxed albums, it was the perfect size for all the guests to sign their names. I used a Martha Stewart snowflake punch throughout the album and kept the papers and designs simple and elegant.

This is the front page of the inside album, I used Making Memories shimmer stickers and BoBunny stickers.

On each open page spread, I used one small picture and a bit of embellishing, leaving the rest of the page blank for signatures using a silver pen. (Above: I used some rubons from Basic Grey and Scenic Route)

Here is one more example of an inside page...

I hope you have a great start to your week, have fun checking out all the latest product at AMLT!!!

Elizabeth