I know. Not AGAIN! (And a Challenge!)

Design Diva Penny here! I would like to share with you my current layout in December's Scrapbook Trends! This is one of my favorite layouts this year.
Why? Because it was simple, and because in one page I was able to show some of the highlights of the year. I am sure to treasure this glimpse into 2009!

So I challenge you... do a layout in review of your year! It can be a 2 pager, if you'd prefer.
Get them to us by link in the comments, or email ME @ pennyscrapbooks@aol.com!
I will be picking one of the challenge winners to a prize pack on January 1st! I have a TON of great stuff, having just gone through my scrap room! Let's say to start, it will have a pack/stack of Coordinations Cardstock! OK, let's see those layouts!!

And don't forget to come get a copy of Scrapbook Trends at the store!
AND come by and sign up for one of my two classes in December! They will be available for viewing at Scrapaganza's Holiday Open House THIS Saturday!

Shop till you DROP Monday!

Don't forget, Mondays are always Shop till you Drop!  Bring in your Scrapaganza bag for 10% off everything you buy!  Forget to pick something up at Scrapaganza this weekend or were you just too busy shopping or being with family? Monday is the perfect time to get those necessities like adhesive, cardstock or inks. Especially now, if you are putting together last minute holiday cards!


Don't have a Scrapaganza bag yet? You can buy one for $10. That will qualify you for all bag sales that we have! 


Keep an eye on the blog this week for information about our Holiday Open House, new product and upcoming sales!

Adorn Our Tree!

Oh my! Just LOOK at this poor, forlorn tree! It's NAKED!


Please help us decorate this poor naked tree! Bring us a handmade ornament for our tree, and we'll add your name to a drawing for a Scrapaganza Gift Certificate! For every ornament you bring, you get another chance in the drawing!  We'll put names in through December 19th, so don't forget!


There is still time to bring in a brand new toy for the Toys for Tots drive. If you bring in a toy, we'll put your name in for a drawing for a $100 gift certificate for the store as well. For every toy you bring, we'll your name in the drawing! This contest ends on December 4th, so hurry!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 From all of us, to you and yours, we wish you a Happy and Bountiful Thanksgiving! 

Petaloo!

We have new flowers in stock! We saw these lovelies from Petaloo while we were at the Craft and Hobby Association trade show in the summer.  Now some of these you won't be able to find in the big box stores. Petaloo made some of them exclusive to the smaller stores like Scrapaganza. So come check them out while they are in stock!

We've also restocked many items! Some just in time for our Black Friday sales! Albums are restocked! Lots of colors to choose from! So if you plan to buy, get to the store early! We open at 11am on Friday!

Only a couple spots left for our Black Friday Crop! Call right away if you want to get in!

SEW EASY - Product Review

We have a totally new product in for you to try! It is the Sew Easy Paper Piercing Tool and it's accessories! The manufacturer is We R Memory Keepers, makers of the lovely monthly paper lines we get every month and the beautiful leather albums that are a favorite of many customers.


The store received our shipment of Sew Easy product on Friday, and I thought I'd take a spin with them to try them out and review them for you!  Many of our customers have expressed how they love the look of sewing on scrapbook pages and cards, but they don't want to use a sewing machine to achieve the look. A paper piercer is fine for straight lines or circles with a template, but it's difficult to achieve a more complicated pattern to mimic the zig zag or other stitches available on machines.  Well, We R Memory Keepers has solved that problem for you!


The paper piercing tool retails for $7.99 and comes with the handle, a straight line piercer and a needle (when you open the package, watch out for that needle making a leap for freedom!).  The piercer head comes off, just give it a little twist and pull, and you can switch it out for one of 6 other piercing heads in different patterns. There is also a mat available so that as you roll the piercer over your paper, the mat protects your work surface as well as providing the give necessary for the piercer to poke the paper. The piercing heads come in 6 patterns as I said, for example: a scallop border, zig zag, a "star" or "snowflake" and others. The back of the piercing head package gives 3 examples of how you can change the sewing pattern to make it look different, so save your package back! You can also come up with different sewing patterns on your own if you like, so  these tools are very versatile!


Now for my review! I bought everything so I could give it a good try out. However, one of the first questions I got on friday from customers was: Do you really have to buy the mat?  So to answer that question, I got out a self-healing mat, a piece of spongy foam packing, a mouse pad and two widths of corrugated cardboard (very thin and standard width).  Using scrap bazzill cardstock, I tested each one with the straight piercer head. The only one of those items that worked was the corrugated cardboard, and only if you went along the "grain" of the corrugations. HOWEVER: I then tested the "star" or "snowflake" pattern on those items and it did not work at all. So, my conclusion is that if all you ever use is the straight piercing head, you could use corrugated cardboard as your mat. But if you use the other patterned piercing heads, you really NEED a paper piercing mat under your paper.  If you already have the Bazzill In Stitches mat, I'm sure that one will work just fine.


Here are some cards I made using the Sew Easy tools, and a few tips I learned and will pass along!

I just love scallops, don't you? I had to use the scallop border. Now, here I used the scallop AND the straight piercers. The first thing I learned is that the piercer probably won't go entirely through cardstock unless you press really hard on it, BUT you do NOT want to press really hard or you risk ripping the cardstock. When I practiced with the piercer, I found that it seemed the intent was to lay down a pattern as a guide for you to stitch through. The very tips of the piercer usually pierced the cardstock but you don't get big holes, so you do have to actually poke your needle through. Also, the piercer cannot poke through two layers of cardstock. You can use it on 2 layers but you will only get a pattern as a guide, which was fine for me doing this project, but you should be aware of it!


Also, the floss that is available from this product line would probably work better if you separate the floss... don't use all 6 strands. Use 3 or 2. The thicker your thread and needle, the greater risk you run of ripping through the paper or cardstock you are sewing through, especially the more intricate patterns (see my comments below). On these cards, I used string, and it was a bit too thick for my tastes. I'd rather have had 2 strands of the floss instead, but I didn't want to break open a package just for 2 cards.  Otherwise, I *loved* this tool. Frankly, piercing one hole at a time with a template takes almost as long as the sewing... I'd rather do the piercing with these piercers any day, and save my time for the sewing! Which did not really take me that long by the way.

On the bottom there is the pattern "star" or "snowflake". It's called "Burst" on the package. I love it! But here's what I learned using it:
Definitely you need thinner floss than the string I used or the full strand of floss. Split the floss, it will definitely look better!
I stitched only through one layer of paper, and it was thick cardstock. It cracked easily. My mistake! Use this pattern on thinner cardstock or paper. And don't press really hard as you roll it over the paper. (practice with scraps) I found with this pattern and the thick cardstock and thick string that it was almost too much for the cardstock and there was some ripping between the pierced holes. I fixed this easily by putting some scotch tape over the bursts after I'd sewn them, as I had two bursts start to come apart. You can't tell though once I put the tape on the back to hold them. I think if I'd used thinner floss that this whole project would have looked better. 


You can see the Sew Easy products in the store now! Take a look at the cards, they are with the product. If you've been looking for an easier way to pierce patterns quickly, and a more portable, easier to use tool than a sewing machine, the Sew Easy tools are it! I highly recommend them!

CROP! and Toys for Tots! Win Big!

Scrappy Ladies and Gents! Don't forget to sign up for the 

Black Friday Crop!

Friday, November 26, 1pm to Midnight! 

It's only $15 for 11 hours of scrappy fun!  For that paltry price you get 15% off your purchases (except for the already huge discounts of our awesome Black Friday sales), munchies and a drink! You can't beat that!  There are even prizes in the works for you!

Oh, did I mention SALES?!  I sure did! 

There will indeed be Black Friday sales, all day long! 

We're opening a little later in the morning, at 11am, to allow our customers to take advantage of all those great Black Friday sales elsewhere (and maybe even we'll get out there ourselves). Once you've nabbed all those great deals, come in to Scrapaganza for a more leisurely shopping experience!  

Here's a look at our great deals!

Both Friday AND Saturday:

Paper - 25% off!

Albums - Buy one get one HALF OFF!

Spend $20 - Get a goody bag FREE!

Spend $50 - Get $10 in Scrapbucks!

Spend $100 - Get $20 in Scrapbucks!

Friday Only:

11am-1pm - Punches 30% off!

1pm-4pm - All Stamps 30% off!

4pm-8pm - All Jolee's 30% off!

And while SUPPLIES LAST, The Pink Advance Tape Glider, regularly $29.99....

ONLY $14.99!!!

WHAT A DEAL!

Shop early! Shop often! 

That's not all folks!  We also have our Toys For Tots box in the store! Bring a brand new toy for the box, and get your name in the drawing for a $100 store gift certificate! Spend it on anything! Bring in 3 toys, get 3 chances in the drawing! Bring in 20 toys, get 20 chances!!!  Bring your stuff in soon, as we have to give the box back in just a few weeks!

See you soon!

Divas on a roll!

Watch for Design Diva Monica in the Spring 2011 issue of Somerset Memories!!!


That's right, Scrapaganza Design Divas are getting published everywhere! Our very own Monica will soon be published in Somerset Memories. The Spring 2011 issue should be available in stores on April 1, 2011!

But WAIT! There's more! Design Diva Michele is also getting published!  She will be in the January issue of The Bug Magazine!  The Bug Magazine is devoted to all things Cricut, what better place for Michele's first foray into print!


Congratulations Design Divas!

Penny did it AGAIN!

Design Diva Penny Smith has done it again! She's in the November issue of Scrapbook Trends!  We still have a few copies left of this issue, come in soon to get yours before they are all gone! Scrapbook Trends is the HOTTEST magazine to keep up with the newest ideas, techniques and scrapbook styles! I get a lot of my ideas from this magazine myself.

See Penny's work as well as many other designers.  We also carry other titles by the Publisher of Scrapbook Trends: Cards, Idea Books and more. Come take a look!

Scrappinista Sneaky Peak!

Are YOU a Scrappinista yet? If you aren't, you may change your mind when you see what can be done with this month's Scrappinista Scrapbook Club kit!
This month we are working with Making Memories' Sienne line of papers and embellishments. They are SOOO lovely and versatile! If you aren't signed up yet, come talk to one of us and find out what all the excitement is about!

Get ahead with new Wintry lines!

We have several new winter lines of paper! Get yours now so you can get ahead of this years wintry scrapbook spreads! Or maybe you still have last years snow play photos to scrap? Or perhaps you didn't finish all your holiday photos yet? Well come in and see what we have for you!

New BoBunny! A very vintage christmas feel to these, and the embellishments are scrumptious!

Echo Park has done it again with this lovely winter line. Several of these papers could be used for non-winter pages! You really need to see to appreciate.

Our newest We R Memory Keepers line is sure to please! The color scheme is just lovely, and many of these papers are versatile enough for non-wintry use. Including several of the embellishment tags and stamps! Come check these out!

Some of you may have seen this Girls' Paperie holiday line when you came in for Scrappinista's Club. I challenge you to take another, closer look! The pad of letter and embellishment stickers alone is worth considering. Many have asked for more of the letter tiles, well we have them till they are sold out! You really need to see this lovely paper line while it lasts!