15% Off Sale Today - Friday!

Special 48 hour sale at Gen's Scrapbook Kitchen ~ no foolin'!

15% off EVERYTHING IN STOCK!

Today - Friday only!!

You can shop at any of my four shop websites for the discount:

http://www.gensscrapbookkitchen.com/

http://www.gspeegle.etsy.com/

http://ewillow.com/storefront.php?id=93

http://www.artfire.com/users/GensScrapbookKitchen

If you choose to shop at my direct website http://www.gensscrapbookkitchen.com/, enter discount code:

APRILFOOLS15

at checkout for the discounted price.

At the other 3 websites, refunds will be given after checkout.

For me, 2010 is all about socializing here on the web!

Please check me out and get the low down on what's cookin' in the kitchen:

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/GensKitchen

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000902230796

Followers on these 2 sites (as well as those here on my blog) will be privy to exclusive sales and contests.

You are also always welcome to submit requests and have a hand in the creative future of Gen's Scrapbook Kitchen!

Thanks so much to all of you and have a very Happy Easter!

Death Valley ROCKS! - So To Speak

Jackson with his cousin on the mountain top.

Spent all of yesterday (and I mean ALL) hiking in Death Valley with the family. The weather couldn't have been better ~ flowers in bloom and rocks....well....still rocks.

The sand dunes are always my favorite part (plus, they are the gift that keeps on giving ~ when you bathe everyone, you are left with a beach for a bathroom! I see an inexpensive design episode on HGTV in my future!)

My little one and his cousins even became Junior Rangers! It was so cute! They looked for local plants and animals, picked up trash, learned about survival (well, at least a little bit. I'd still rely on a GPS and bottle of water over the advice of my 3-year-old).

Here is the layout I made from when we went in December (not much has changed), along with some pictures from this weekend.

Here is my dear hubby ~ always finding a time and place to write.

This Week's New Card Collection!

I was a busy little crafter this weekend!  I have 9 new card releases now available nationwide!*

*and by "nationwide", I mean at any of my on-line shops.  :)

Here is a preview of each card for your viewing pleasure!  Each piece is one-of-a-kind ~ Enjoy!

B&B for some R&R

7 Wives Inn Bed & Breakfast (photographed here with our innkeeper Vanessa)

Nothing says relaxing getaway like a former polygamist hideout, right? 

Mike and I have been working like maniacs the last few months and needed to get out of town for a few days.  In Vegas, the only place driving distance is St. George (unless you want to travel all the way to Universal Studios ~ my hubby's vote!)

St. George it is! 

When we started looking on-line, we stumbled across a place called Seven Wives Inn.  Soooooo funny (and creepy).  Neither of us had stayed in a B&B ever before, but you can't resist a name like that right?!

When we got there, we couldn't believe how sweet the place was.  Tucked away in a quaint neighborhood, it was like something from a movie (not at all creepy.  We had joked on the drive there that it might be like Dwight's beet farm B&B on The Office.  1 in 6.)

Old time squeaky floorboards, white Vintage door handles, old fashioned car bathtubs ~ it was all here!  Each room even had a framed biography of one of the wives!

Our innkeeper, Vanessa, was amazing and we had so much fun hangin' out with her (she's pictured by the sign in my layout).  I can't wait to go back!  Next time we go out of town anywhere, we will make sure to check for the bed and breakfast options first!

I loved working on this layout!  I used my favorite Graphic 45 line, Domestic Goddess.  I did a lot of hand cutting (fork and spoon, stamp, fruit strips) and then just embellished like crazy!

How to Make Frou Frou Cupcake Toppers

These are some cupcake toppers that I made for a recent birthday party.  They are SUPER easy and were a huge success.  I saw all the ladies leaving with them in their purses.  :)

Here are some quick directions, along with the JPEG sheet I made, if you'd like to make some for your next party.

Supplies needed:

*scissors

*glue gun

*collage images

*glitter paint

*rhinestones

*craft ribbon (I found some in the wrapping paper section at Michaels)

*card stock

*lollipop sticks (can be found in the chocolate making section of the craft store)

 

I first cut each image out and added glitter glue and a rhinestone to each gown.

Then, I accordion folded the craft ribbon and glued it to the back of each image (this is the most time consuming of the entire process.  You have to go slow when gluing around the back edge.)

I cut squares out of card stock with my Cricut and glued them to the back so that the piece would be sturdy.  Finally, I added some glue inside one of the bottom folds and inserted the stick.  Easy as pie!

This is a great craft because there are so many variations you can use.  Find your favorite digital collage or image and you can create any themed party you want!

For more fun JPEG images, please be sure to stop by my Collage Crazy Etsy shop and happy crafting!

Pack Animal

Late last night, I received a custom request for a sexy Jacob (Twilight) card that says:

"Once you go pack...you never go back!"

Hilarious!  I couldn't wait to start on it.  I have been thinking of ideas for color and design all morning!  Finally, when both boys went down for their nap (hubby and son), I had a quiet house.  The fire and ink flew as I tore this and burned that.  Stitch here and distress there.

I still have ink on my nose, but here is the finished product.  I'm SO happy with it!

My Mind's Eye Contest Entry

This is my second layout entry for the My Mind's Eye Blog Contest.  I've really had a lot of fun entering these.  The sketches are really great to work with and I'm so happy with how this layout turned out (4.5 hours at the kitchen table last night!)

I used a lot of their new lines: Lush and Lil' Robots.

I love this rub-on saying.  It's SO true!  I cut each word out individually so that I could make it fit the circle shape and size.

I love the look of stitching in a layout.  It takes a bit of time, however (I usually save that until last and then stitch while I watch TV.  Last night, I caught up on the Celebrity Apprentice episode I missed).

Each of the triangles were cut using my Cricut Wild Card cartridge.  I think the triangles added a feeling of chaos (much like his room at the time....well, most times, to be fair).