A Million Little Things

New Products Today!

Hello Everyone!

Happy Memorial day to all my U.S. friends!  Hope you're having some great weather and enjoying something fun today.  I have a few new product links for you today:

Studio Calico Documentary

 
Iod Loolah

Christine Adolph Boho Boy and Girl

 
More addititions to the Birthday Bliss Line

 
New American Crafts Foam and Glitter Foam Thickers (less than half of these new styles arrived, the rest are backordered as well as the rose ribbon singles)

 
American Crafts Dear Lizzy Spring Fabric Paper addons, and LOVELY ribbon (finally!)

 
Girls Paperie Embellishments (checkout the deal on these sticker pads!  wooo!)

 

New last week:

A few prima items

Jenni Bowlin new Spring Collection

 

Hambly Clear Stickers

 

We are also expecting the Making Memories Panorama Line,  Echo Park Line this week.  I will finally begin to move things around this week and start the process of liquidating a great deal of our store inventory.  Some of you may have noticed I have created the inventory liquidation category this will be our new clearance category.  Please know this doesn't mean we are going out of business, just trying to control our older inventory and get rid of it so we are able to control costs better.  I apologize if I created confusion with that!  I'll have to rename that category possibly :).

Remember that we are still looking for someone to spotlight on our blog as a reader post next month.  If you have a great idea for us to use on the blog, if you've created a project you'd like to share, if you have something you'd like to teach everyone please email us at challenge@amillionlittlethings.com, or post an idea on this or another post that talks about this contest.  If it relates to scrapping, and it would make a great blog post to inspire others we will consider it!  We currently only have a few emails, and the winner will win a $25.00 voucher and a chance to be spotlighted on our blog.  Please email us!  I'll extend the deadline through thursday June 3 of this week due to the holiday.    Thanks so much!

Jill

Product Spolight: Bella Blvd All Inclusive

Hi everyone...Katie here! I was so lucky to be able to create with this awesome Bella Blvd line! It is so fun and perfect for vacation or summer photos. I recently went on a Floridian vacation so I have been in the mood to scrap some pool pics...this line was perfect! Here's what I came up with:

 

 

 

 

Makes me wish I was on vacation again:)

Here is the link to check out this fabulous line in the store: Bella Blvd All Inclusive .

Hope you all have a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend!

Inspiration Challenge

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a great day! I love finding inspiration in the every day things in life. For this challenge, I looked around in my every day life and found something that inspired me to create a layout. The object I found was this shirt:

I often find the best inspiration in my daughter's clothes. It's pretty funny, but sometimes I even buy her a shirt or pajamas because I love the pattern and/or colors so much! :-D I just love the bright, happy colors of this shirt and when I saw it, I automatically knew what happy photos I was going to use! Here is the layout that I created from my inspiration piece:

Supply list:
Cardstock: American Crafts; Patterned paper: DCWV; chipboard alphabet: Dear Lizzy - American Crafts; Fiskars border punch; K&Company Sticker, Doodlebug butterfly and polka dot scallop stickers; glitter heart stickers: Me and My Big Ideas; small alphabet stickers: My Little Shoebox and date stamp.

I didn't have the exact bright pink that I wanted, but that's ok - I kept the colors and feel of the layout happy and had such an easy time putting the layout together. It's so much fun to do and you can also be inspired by clothing you see in a catalog, in the store or even on someone walking by! Inspiration is EVERYWHERE and I'm so happy because after being in a scrapbooking slump, I am in major need of inspiration. You know another great place to be inspired? Right HERE on the AMLT blog! ;)

Another thing I've been known to do when I am inspired by my daughter's clothing is cut out elements of her clothing and use them on a layout IF they have been ruined by a stain, hole, etc. I think it's fun to incorporate bits and pieces of her clothing on a layout.  :)

Here is an example of just that:

That butterfly on the layout was cut out of a pair of my daughter's baby pj's that were stained and had a small hole in them. :) I just couldn't bear to throw it away so I put it to good use. ;) Well, I hope this inspires you to get inspired by the every day objects around you, like your child's clothing or even something in your own closet! Have a great day today! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs!

it's all about perspective: photo tip!

Hey guys!  Here's a quick and easy photo tip to capture some beautiful shots of your little ones, family or friends!

How to:
 1. Grab your camera
2. Have your subject squat down so you're higher than they are.  Or you can climb up on a chair to be taller than your subject.
3. Have them look up toward you.
4. Focus on their eyes.
5. Snap away.

This is one of my FAVORITE shots that I use in every session I have.  It's a great way to get beautiful catchlights and really shows off your subject's eyes.  It's also a very flattering angle! 

Here are a few images where I've used this simple technique to capture my photography clients.  I've also used it on my kitty cat. :)

 

 

*********
Also, don't forget to send us your ideas for blog challenges or something you'd love to see here on the blog!  For the next couple of months once a month we will take ideas from you our readers and spotlight them here on our blog!  Once a month my team and I will select one idea, if we select yours you win a $25 voucher to the store! 

So how do you submit an idea?  The best way is to leave a comment on this post.  You can also post it on our facebook page, send Jill a facebook message or email to (challenge@amillionlittlethings.com) .  If your idea is a layout of your own you would like us to post or scraplift please include that.  If you have supporting photos for your idea please include those.  We will accept ideas for this month through through May 31st.  If your idea is selected Jill will contact you and your idea will be featured next month on the blog.  If your idea is a challenge for the team please be prepared to participate with us! Your idea submitted can be anything you wish as long as it relates to scrapbooking in some way. 

We can't wait to hear your suggestions and ideas so send them SOON! :)

xo.
rebekah

 

 

Product Spotlight - Bo Bunny Flower Child

It's time for  a new product spotlight! I got a bunch of papers from de colorful and fun collection Flower Child. What's not to love about the colors and the whimsical patterns? The papers are patterned on both sides and I like the more neutral backs even better than the "main" patterns.

This time I decided to make pages for a mini album for my mother, size 6x6". I wanted the theme to be positive and uplifting. So far I have made four pages, and the plan is that she is going to fill other pages with thoughts and comments on the things I've written.

Love conquers everything. We just have to do our part... Learn how to take responsibility for our own mistakes.

See beauty in the small things.

Happiness. I choose.

There is always time for (XOX) kiss(ing) and hug(ging).

I really liked using the Jim Holtz distress ink, Broken China, which matched these papers perfectly. I also used some dark brown Stickles for the bird, leaf gold for some of the details and some Queen and Co. self adhesive felt. I think my mom will love this album. I would really appreciate tips on other uplifting quotes or sayings, or just great words. Write a comment, please! :-)

Two Page Layouts

Hi Everybody...Katie here! I am so glad I took this assignment to do a two page layout because it has completely inspired me! I felt like I was getting back to my roots since this is how I started out scrapbooking. First I wanted to try to a two pager with two 8 1/2 by 11 pages...this is what I came up with:

 

This one was very different for me and I really like how it came out. Then I tried a two pager with two 12x12...this one I love:

 

I had forgotten how nice it is to pull out a bunch of 4x6 photos and be able to fit them all on a layout...the extra space was so refreshing..I think I will be doing lots more two pagers like this!

It's Wednesday!

Hello Everyone.

How is everyone?  I'm glad to report the give the events of this last week we are actually on the up swing.  Those of you who saw the message I posted on the facebook store page will know that we had a little unexpected roller coaster ride and quite a scary experience this past week. My youngest little guy has a problem with chronic sinus infections.  He had had one the past couple of weeks that didn't seem to go away, it just seemed to be spreading to his eye oddly.  His eye grew and became more red and puffy, he looked like a little monster.   Something inside told me it just wasn't right, and to make a long story short it wasn't.  I've learned how important it is to not ignore that little voice inside that we have, call it a higher power, call it mother's intuition, call it what you like, I've learned we should listen.  The infection was a cellulitis of the eye which was an warning sign of a far worse problem going on inside.  All of the past infections he had had actually had wore a small abcess in the facial bone under the sinus and not only were the sinuses the most horrendous they had almost ever seen, the infection had spread to the bone.  I feel incredibly blessed this week, they tell me that if I had let it go a couple more days (like the night clinic doctor suggested), it could have completley eaten away that bone, and spread to the brain.  He could have been blind in that eye, or even worse if it had actually entered the brain.  Thank you to all of you that took the time to send us well wishes.  My babies (they will always be my babies even though they are big) are my most treasured of everything I have in life so I've been a little distracted this week as one might understand.

We spent nearly 4 days in the hospital, and I grew to love the parent bed (hee hee).  We came home earlier this week, but we have a long road ahead of us.  Because the infection was so severe we were sent home with a pic line and I have to give him IV antibiotics several times a day for the next few weeks.  I'm learning how much I am not equipped in the skill department to be a nurse, but I will do my best to become as expert as possible.  I want all of you that are nurses to know how wonderful you are,  how hard your jobs are and how much you need to be hugged and praised. I am so amazed by how well taken care of we were, and so very grateful to people who dedicate themselves to helping people in their darkest hours.   He will return to school tomorrow on a limited basis, and the battle to make him understand why he "can't do anything fun" for 4-6 weeks will begin, he is all boy and I have a feeling that may be a challenge.  So far I thank Lego for being a great source of entertainment in place of bats, balls, footballs, bikes and such.

I hope you will understand now the reasons why nothing went on sale last week as I promised.  It's going to take me a bit to get my feet underneath me again, but I do have so much to do in the store where sale items and clearning stock are concerned, especially now with my growing medical bills!   Be patient it will be worth it :).

Please keep us in your prayers friends if you can.  I thank each of you for your support not only as customers but as friends.  Trials are sometimes the greatest way to make us realize how blessed we are, and how the things we think are so imporant really are just trivial to the things that are.

Have a fantastic weekend, I look forward to posting soon hundreds of slashed items!

XO

Jill

random Monday...Shades

I LOVE the color yellow, and I have been scrapbooking with it a lot lately (so much so that I bet that if you looked back over my last posts you would find that probably 80% of them use the color yellow!)

So, I wanted to do a page using many shades of yellow and not much else, I love how they were able to go together so easily without looking too monochromatic.

Thanks for looking-Shelby

 

(and a few little detail shots...)

 

 

supplies: 

cardstock-Bazzill

Patterned Papers-American Crafts and Scenic Route

Journaling Sticker-October Afternoon

Accent Stickers(3D lemons and bee)-American Crafts Dear Lizzy line

Alphabet Stickers-Basic Grey
 
 
 

Product Spotlight: Pink Paisley

I recently had the opportunity to work with the new Pink Paisley Bayberry Cottage line. The colours are soooo pretty! But of course, I like almost any shade of blue and green :) and throw a pretty burgundy in there and I am a happy camper! I'll start you off 'light' with a few cards I made...

Here I used the paper, diecut tag, and the cork embellishments from Pink Paisley and added an American Crafts rubon sentiment on some KI Memories scrap paper.

Here I used Pink Paisley's paper line (the burgundy stripe I cut out of one of their 12x12 patterned papers) and pretty die cut. I added some Cosmo Cricket letter stickers and Basic Grey buttons to finish it off.

Here is a 12x12 layout, using lots and lots of pictures...

Aside from the letter stickers (American Crafts, Making Memories, and SEI), all the products here are from the Bayberry Cottage collection. To make the decorative green border, I cut it from a sheet of 12x12 paper. I wanted to keep the 'Maid of the Mist' pictures separate from the Niagara Falls pictures, but did not want to do a 2-pager, so I separated them on different colours and put the border inbetween.

Here is a 2page 8x11 spread...

Here I used the black and green colour combo. The green diecut 12x12 paper was so fun to work with and I loved the little floral detail in the corner. I added some Basic Grey letter stickers and buttons and the layout was complete! (I apologize for the right side getting cut off from the layouts, I could have made them smaller but then you wouldn't be able to see the layouts as easily.)

Hope you will check out the Pink Paisley lines and keep your eye out for the awesome sales starting soon at AMLT !

Color challenge

This one is a bit different... keeping to those staple colors I keep reaching to, only normally as just backgrounds..

Your colors are: white, kraft and clear.

I finally got to use these cool kraft label stickers from Making Memories I've been hoarding.. sorry it's a bit difficult to see my background as it's white on white.. :)