Scrapper's Playground

Secret Envelope Fun

2012-02-13T21:10:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... we had such a great time this weekend with the Secret Envelope promotion. There were prizes galore and everyone was a winner! Here are just a few pictures from the weekend activities. Enjoy!

Our Next Challenge: Love's in the Air!

2012-02-12T09:38:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... It's SP Challenge time! So no more sitting on the sidelines Playgrounders ... jump in for a fun way to challenge yourself and share your creativity with us! With LOVE in the air at this time of year, it seems a fitting theme for our February Challenge!

Create a card or scrapbook layout aboutLOVE.It doesn't have to be about Valentine's Day but can be about people, things, times you love (you get the idea!)
Incorporate a patchwork design using We-R-Memory Keepers Love Struck line. The "patchwork"can be the full page or part of the page -- it's totally your design!
And use the new We-R-Memory Keepers Sweetheart Inkers Perhaps you'll ink the edges of your patchwork pieces or stamp your sentiments (after all, the Love Struck collection offers a variety of adorable coordinating embellishments and cling stamps too!)
By Monday, February 27, email a small-sized photo of your project to scrappersplayground.angie@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name too! The first 10 local Playgrounders to do so will win a free goodie bag from the Playground that can be picked up at the store the week of February 27.

We-R-Memory Keepers Love Struck Papers

We-R-Memory Keepers
Sweetheart Inkers

We-R-Memory Keepers Love Struck
Embellishments, Small Paper Pads & Stamps

We-R-Memory Keepers Love Struck Embellishments

Now you don't have to use the following in your SP Challenge, but we wanted to also share these really great die cutting products that you may want to consider adding to your collection. Oh the possibilities!!

Love Struck Die Cuts

Small Love Struck Movers & Shapers

QuicKutz Die Cuts ("love" em all!)

Redemption Weekend!

2012-02-10T19:12:00.001-05:00

Reminder -- Today, February 12, is the last day to redeem your sealed Secret Envelope!

Hi SP Bloggers ... don't ya just love Fridays! And if it's gotta snow, I'm happy it's going to snow during the weekend. So just a quick blog to remind you that it's Redemption Weekend! If you've been participating in our 201 Secret Envelopes Promotion, this is the weekend you get to find out what's inside your envelope (or two). Read on for details below.

On Saturday, February 11 and/or Sunday, February 12, come to the store and present, in person, one SEALED envelope per day. If you've collected multiple envelopes during the promotion, you have to decide which one you want to redeem on Saturday and then which one you want to redeem on Sunday. All other envelopes in your collection will be forfeited, as will any envelopes that you've opened in advance. All envelopes will be null and void after the Secret Envelope Promotion ends this Sunday, February 12.

You'll learn on the spot what you've won. There are so many great prizes, including a private crop for you and 10 friends; $100 gift certificate to the Playground; a Big Shot ($100 value); a one-year POM Subscription; an SP Bucket of Adhesives ($50 value), Free Crop Weekends; Free Pass to a specific class; dies; stamps; kits; QuicKutz, and so much more.

Hope to see you at the Playground this weekend!

That's All Folks - The Last of the CHA Peeks

2012-02-03T17:09:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... hope you've enjoyed the sneak peeks from CHA. Believe it or not, even with all these pictures, Sue just couldn't send us pictures from all the great companies that were there. But she certainly gave it a good try!

Don't forget to leave your Comments on this or any of the CHA preview posts to let us know what product line(s) you want/like. Some time after she's back on the East Coast, Sue will do a random drawing from those Comments and you just might win some CHA goodies! Have a great and creative weekend!

Prima

Queen & Co.

Ranger / Sizzix

Ranger / Vintaj

Ranger / Claudine Hellmuth

Ranger

Vintaj

Vintaj (Ranger Patina)

Vintaj (and Sizzix)

As you can see from the final pictures below, Sue and Renee had a fun and inspiring time at CHA. And before we know it, all the goodies will start arriving at the Playground and you can get your creative juices flowing!

THE END

We're Nearing the CHA Finish Line

2012-02-03T09:33:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers...hope you're enjoying these peeks at the new products revealed at the recent CHA show. We have more previews -- so many more in the last batch that we'll have TWO blog posts today -- one this morning and another this evening! Then we shall call it a wrap on CHA and get to bloggin' about other things. But until then just keep enjoying these sneak peeks!

Remember, post a comment on any of the recent CHA preview blogs to indicate what line(s) you like/want and our some of our local Playgrounders just might win some CHA goodies!

Canvas Corp

Marah Johnson

Mind Mind's Eye

American Crafts

QuicKutz

It Never Ends (and We Love It!)

2012-02-02T18:57:00.000-05:00

OK SP Bloggers ... wrap up dinner, get those dishes cleaned up, finish up the kids' homework and bath times. It's time to grab your favorite beverage and browse through even more previews from the CHA show. And we mean lots more. We will probably post one or two blogs on Friday to wrap up the previews (phew!).

Remember, leave a comment on any of our CHA preview blogs about the line(s) you like/want and you just might win some CHA goodies after Sue gets back. Happy browsing!

Candi

Elizabeth Craft Designs

Elizabeth Craft Designs
(I'm trying to contain myself!!)

Elizabeth Craft Designs

Karen Foster Design came out with 17
new themes, some of which includes wedding,
best friends, scrapbooking, military, swimming,
snorkeling, cruise, and more!

Karen Foster Design

Karen foster Design
(Scrappers Playground Cruise anyone??)

Karen Foster Design

Piccolo

Reminisce

7 Gypsies

Authentique (you saw this pic in a prior blog
but keep scrollin' for more gorgeousness)

Authentique

You want to see even more? OK, go ahead and refill your beverage? We'll wait.
OK, here we go...

Basic Grey (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE)

Basic Grey (Ditto!)

Basic Grey (I want it and want it now please!0

Twinkling H2O's

Creative Imaginations ATC

Oops, how'd this get in here!
This is Chris from Creative Imaginations
showing Sue & Renee his "diva" pose!

Creative Imaginations

Creative Imaginations
(Getting ideas are ya?)

More Faber Castell Gellatos

Faber Castell

Fireworks

The CHA Hits Just Keep Comin'!

2012-02-01T20:28:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... Well CHA has wrapped up and Sue's enjoying a little R&R. Until then, we'll keep blogging pictures throughout the week -- and even then, Sue just couldn't send us pictures of everything. She was a little busy ordering too!

SO LET'S HAVE SOME FUN! Local Playgrounders -- leave us a Comment in the blogs about CHA previews to let us know what line(s) you want/like from all the previews we've shared -- and will continue to share through Friday. Don't forget to include your name! Sometime after Sue gets back, she'll do a random drawing from those Comment posts -- and you just might win some goodies from CHA!

Imaginisce: Makin' Waves

Imaginisce

Imaginisce: Hello Cupcake Collection

Imaginisce: Cool new i-magicut ribbon cutter!

Imaginisce: i-magicut ribbon cutter results

Imaginisce: Clicut retractable knife

Imaginisce

Imaginisce: Hello Cupcake Collection

Adorn It: Ouch Collection

Adorn It: More Ouch!

Adorn It: Capri Collection

Smooches

Petticoat Parlor

Viva

Viva
(LynnMarie's gonna love this!!)

More to Come...

2012-01-31T20:51:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... It's been a really, really long day for "Blogger Girl" so will have to upload lots (and I mean lots!) more CHA previews starting on Wednesday. In the meantime, just a quick look to let you know Sue is REALLY there! Stay tuned for lots more previews during the next couple of days.

Still More Previews from CHA

2012-01-31T05:38:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... Hope you've been enjoying the pictures and stories from CHA. So if you're ready for more fun new stuff from CHA, grab your coffee and let's get to it! Oh, and check back again tonight for even more pictures!

P.S. Start making notes about the lines you're liking 'cause once we get all the pictures posted, our local Playgrounders are going to have a fun opportunityto share some favorites and maybe win a little somethin' somethin' from CHA! Stay tuned!

Dooglebug Buttons

Paper House - Lots of great papers
and embellishments for your travel
memories and so much more!

Paper House

Little Shoebox ...

Little Shoebox

Some of the Goodies Spotted at CHA

2012-01-30T18:28:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... ok, it's not easy keeping up with Sue, her iPhone and all the pictures of the goodies she's sending from CHA. But rest assured, there will be no stone left unturned for her friends back at the Playground! And you can bet that, while she's looking at all the great new products for the Wall of Color and those of you who love stamping, she's really checking out even more papers than ever based on your feedback!

Here's just some of what she and Renee wanted to share from Sunday -- the official first day of CHA.

TPC (The Paper Company)
SummerTime

TPC (The Paper Company)
Easter Time

You can't attend a CHA show and
not be inspired!

Little Yellow Bicycle: Swoon
How gorgeous! And of course there
are coordinating embellishments galore for
this and all their new releases.

Little Yellow Bicycle: Splash

Little Yellow Bicycle: Spring

Teresa Collins and her new fabrication lines
(Yep, it'll be coming to the Playground!)

Echo Park: A Boy's Life (love it!)

Echo Park: Hello Summer

Echo Park: Note to Self

Echo Park: This & That

Echo Park: Interactive Album ... keep scrolling.

Echo Park: A page from inside the interactive album

Echo Park: One of the interactive parts!

Genuine Authentique
(I know, I know ... you want it all!)

Bella Blvd.

And more from Bella Blvd.

Fun embellishments from Bazzill

Even more coming from Bazzill!

Gorgeous pattern papers from Bazzill!

And still more from Bazzill

And we're not through yet ... Bazzill
just keeps creatiing!

Bazzill blingy buttons

Working Hard at CHA (Really??)

2012-01-30T07:05:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... so when Sue and Renee get back in a few days and Renee's going on and on about how exhausting it was to do all that "work" at CHA, just remember the images below (ha!).

They really did make the rounds on Sunday -- the first official day of the CHA show -- and saw so many new and exciting products. You can bet Sue's iPhone has been quite busy snapping images and sending 'em back to us to "oooo and ahhhh" over! Watch the blog later tonight for Sunday's sneak peek product pics and I'm sure there will be even more after today!

Renee getting the royal treatment by
the CEO of QuicKutz, applying new
vinyl decals to create a QK French manicure.

OK, so it was time to get back to some hard work at the CHA show. There were so many new products to see and learn about for the Playgrounders back in New York. So Sue and Renee got down to some serious business with a meeting with Bart from Bazzill.

Well the first day of CHA was clearly quite taxing and hopefully Sue and Renee got a good night's sleep. Looking forward to more reports back from their Monday CHA activities!

Pre-order Reminder and More...

2012-01-29T08:10:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... just a quick reminder. If you plan to pre-order a set of the amazing new Distress Markers by Tim Holtz (shown below), stop by the Playground or call us at 631-539-9888 by Sunday, January 29 to reserve your set at the special Early Bird price. Pre-order by this date and Scrapper's Playground will offer a 20% Early Bird discount off your marker set purchase. The 37-marker set comes in a convenient canister and includes all Distress Ink colors, including Picket Fence!

Now we know that Sue and Renee are putting in long days at the CHA Winter show, with so many new products to see and workshops to attend to learn about all the possibilities for those products. But of course, they find a little time to share some laughs too.

Renee subscribes to that old saying:
All work and no play ...

Renee certainly has an interesting way of
taking notes about products that have caught her eye!
(MME = My Mind's Eye). As for "KC" keep scrollin'!

This is "KC" from MME from a
past CHA; he was a guest
teacher at the Playground too.

And here are a few pictures of creations from Ranger designed by Tim Holtz, Claudine Hellmuth and Dyan Revealey. Very cool...

Ranger Design by Claudine Hellmuth

Ranger Design by Tim

Ranger Design by Dyan Revealey

Checking In From CHA...

2012-01-27T07:44:00.001-05:00

THIS JUST IN ...20% PRE-ORDER OFFER!
To pre-order a set of the amazing new Distress Markers by Tim Holtz (shown below), stop by the Playground or call us at 631-539-9888 by SUNDAY, JANUARY 29 to reserve your set. Pre-order by this date and Scrapper's Playground will offer a 20% Early Bird discount off your marker purchase. The 37-marker set comes in a convenient tube and includes all Distress Ink colors, including Picket Fence!

Hi SP Bloggers ... so you can probably guess who Sue and Renee were hangin' with during their time on the West Coast for the CHA show. Here's a clue...starts with a "T" and ends with an "M".

"T!im" sharing Ranger's new Liquid Pearl colors.

And of course, Tim did the tag thing to show 'em how to use new products and techniques -- techniques that you can be sure will be coming to the Playground classroom soon! Here's just a tease...

Reminds me a little of the fun my table mates and I
had at this week's Mixed Media class. Holla to "the girls"!

Oh, can't wait to learn this technique!

Makes me think Starry Starry Night.

Very cool... are you trying to figure
out how this was done?

Always fun!

This one has me curious .... how 'bout you?

Love it!

Really? Love this one too!

They even got to play with the Distress Markers (yep, MARKERS!). Check it out.

Can't wait!

Make note ... must learn how.

And this one too!
Gonna be busy learning more!

The Envelope(s) Please ...

2012-01-24T18:46:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... Scrappers Playground 201 Secret Envelope time kicks off on Wednesday, January 25, and runs through February 8th. Earn an envelope, while supplies last -- complete details below. Each Secret Envelope holds some sort of great prize -- perhaps it's a private crop for you and 10 friends, a $100 Playground gift certificate, a Big Shot, a year's Page of the Month subscription ... and the list goes on.

Here's how it works...

Our SP customers can earn up to one envelope per day with a single purchase of merchandise of $15 or more (pre-tax, post coupon, no classes) from January 25th through February 8th. You MUST keep your Secret Envelopes sealed -- no peeking! On February 11 and/or 12, you bring the still-sealed envelope you wish to redeem to the store and have one of our Playground crew members open it. You'll learn on the spot what you've won because, after all, the prize details are in your envelope!

Now if you noticed, there are two days to redeem your envelopes. So if you collect more than one Secret Envelope during the promotion, you can choose two sealed envelopes. You will need to bring them in to the store --one on February 11th and one on February 12th -- to have our Playground crew member open them and reveal your prizes.

Choose wisely because all the other envelopes that you don't select will be forfeited and are null and void after February 12.

Good luck everyone!

New Stuff (On Our Shelves & Your Wish List)

2012-01-21T08:36:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... next week, Sue and Renee will be heading to sunny California for the Winter 2012 CHA show. That can only mean that new scrappin' craftin' goodness will be coming to the Playground! Please leave a blog comment about any new products that you'd like for them to explore and consider ordering for the Playground. If you're new to blog commenting, easy-to-use instructions are at the bottom of this post.

No need, though, to wait for Sue and Renee to return from CHA to enjoy new things that hit our shelves frequently. In fact, as you enjoy today's first snowfall of the winter, get out there and take some pictures -- and make sure YOU are in some of 'em! Then swing by the store to pick up some new winter papers and embellishments for your scrapbook pages. Here are pictures of just two new lines -- Little Yellow Bicycle's Winter Twig and Harmonie Banquis. Hope to see you over the weekend!

Little Yellow Bicycle Winter TWIG
Gorgeous 2-sided papers

Little Yellow Bicycle Winter TWIG
Even more 2-sided papers!

And lots of fun coordinating embellishments
that are great for scrapbooking, cards and more!

More LYB Winter TWIG embellishments

Still more LYB Winter TWIG embellishments.

And yep ... still more LYB Winter TWIG embellishments!

Love this new Banquis line from Harmonie
Such a nice balance of papers -- fun and sophisticated

Love all of Harmonie's embellishments too!
Chipboard, wood, acrylic and more!

Comment Instructions:
Click "Comment" link at end of the blog.
Type your comment in Post a Comment field.
From "Comment As" drop down, select Name/URL or Anonymous.
If you choose Name/URL, enter 1st name (no URL is required).
Click the Publish button.
Type the confirmation word & click Publish
That's it!!

The Results Are In ...

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... Sorry for not blogging much lately, but got hit by the winter yuk that's going around and it knocked me out of commission for more than a week. Well, the feedback that we received about the first SP Challenge of the year was ... it was a challenge (hmmmm, imagine that - ha!). It may have meant stretching beyond their comfort zones to incorporate art parts into their New Year's project, but what beautiful results. It's great to see how one product can inspire such a variety of creations! Way to go ladies!!

Carol B. created this really clever collage for

her son, who recently bought his first home

in Upstate NY. (Oh and she didn't stop there

as you'll see in the final photo of this blog!)

Georgina kicked off 2012 with this great card. Love how

she worked in what's important to her in 2012 on the

embossed tags. And don't forget the art parts flowers

that she painted/stained as centers for her stamped flowers!

Antonella has created this gorgeous New Year's page. Love

the journaling around the Cheers cut-out and all the pretty

goodies (including art parts!)that help highlight the fun they
shared with friends ringing in the New Year!

P.S. With her son now settled into his very own home, Carol did the only thing any red-blooded crafter would do ... turn his former bedroom into her very own crafting, card-making haven! You go Carol B!! Thanks for sharing this peek into your special place!

Some Favorite Things from 2011...

2012-01-07T07:48:00.000-05:00

Don't forget! The January SP Challenge is on through the 14th.
See the January 2 blog for details.

Hi SP Bloggers ... As I was cleaning up my scrapbook room in preparation for the New Year, I got to thinking about some of last year's new products that I've really loved using. Some of it might be more new to me than the market.

There's the Judi Kins Sticky Stuff embossing powder that is great for easily adding glitter and more to my projects in a more controlled way. Had never used it until making a card in one of the Playground classes.

There's the Viva texture effects and metallic paints (love 'em!) that are great to use with the Crafter's Workshop templates. Oh, and don't get me started about using these templates with spray mists -- love 'em!

And there were so many gorgeous new paper collections and coordinating embellishments that I picked up throughout last year, some of which included Authentique, Simple Stories and my standby faves including Little Yellow Bicycle, Basic Grey, Bo Bunny (just to name a few).

Please leave us a comment below to share what new products you added to your faves in 2011. If you've never added a Comment to our blog before, it's so easy. We've provided simple directions below. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Comment Instructions:
Click "Comment" link at end of the blog.
Type your comment in Post a Comment field.
From "Comment As" drop down, select Name/URL or Anonymous.
If you choose Name/URL, enter 1st name (no URL is required).
Click the Publish button.
Type the confirmation word & click Publish button.
That's it!

The Next Challenge is On!

2012-01-02T09:55:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... ok, so the holidays are behind us and you've had a chance to recover from ringing in the New Year. Now it's time to get serious (not really!). Let's have some fun with our first SP Challenge of 2012. Here you go...

Create a layout or card that celebrates the New Year and reflects some 2012 resolutions
AND
Incorporate art parts piece(s) into your design to create interest and dimension. These are great to paint, stain, cover in patterned papers, and so much more.

By end of day Saturday, January 14, email a medium sized photo and your name to scrappersplayground.angie@gmail.com. We'll post your photos to our blog during the week of January 16. In addition, the first 10 local submitters will receive a free goodie bag that can be picked up in the store beginning January 16.

Here are just a couple examples of art parts sets
from which you can choose.
Imagine making the circle into a clock striking 12 (!!)

Here are even more art parts you may want to consider.
And yep, there are even more that aren't pictured here!

These are not part of the January Challenge, but
just wanted to get those ideas flowing. Maybe
consider using these great papers for your project

And perhaps some of the QuicKutz die cuts would be
great to "cluster" with your art parts creation.
Again, the QuicKutz aren't required for this Challenge,
but they may be a great addition for this and future celebrations!

So let your Creative Diva loose and have fun putting together a project using something new -- something that you may not have considered before. Happy creating!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year SP Bloggers! Just a reminder that we are closed today, January 1st, but will be back on the 2nd to get our creative year off to a great start! We want to also send out a huge "Thank you!" for sharing your creative journey with us during the past year and helping us make the Playground the fun place it has become! Everyone on the Playground team is looking forward to sharing many more good times with you in 2012!

Playground crew member, Renee, was gearing
up to ring in the New Year!

The last couple of blogs have provided lots of ideas for keeping your inspiration flowing throughout the year. Here's yet another ... take part in the variety of Playground Cropping events. Our Crop schedule for the first half of 2012 is below. Just stop in or call us at 631.539.9888 to reserve your spot or learn more about these activities. You're sure to have a good time and even get some crafting done while you're at it!

January 13 - Friday Night Crop 6 pm - 11 pm
February 5 - SuperBowl Crop 9 am - 9 pm
February 18 & 19 - 40 for 40 (40 hours for $40)
March 16 - Friday Night Crop 6 pm - 11 pm
April 27 - Friday Night Crop 6 pm - 11 pm
April 28 & 29 - Weekend Crop 10 am - 10 pm
May 11 - Friday Night Crop 6 pm - 11 pm
June 8 - Friday Night Crop 6 pm - 11 pm
June 9 & 10 - Weekend Crop 10 am - 10 pm

Don't forget to check back to the blog tomorrow for details about our January Challenge. Happy creating!

Here's to an Inspirational New Year!

2011-12-31T08:20:00.000-05:00

Watch the blog for details of our January SP Challenge that will begin January 2!

Hi SP Bloggers ... well today's the last hurrah for 2011. The New Year is kinda like a fresh start and new beginnings. At the Playground, we've got all sorts of ways to help you achieve your creative goals for the year. This includes our Album Club, POM subscriptions, the monthly COM, a wide variety of SP Classes, and of course shelves loaded with the latest products.

For the Album Club -- new memberships are welcome starting January 2 -- and for just $5 for the year! Please see the prior blog for complete details!

Album Club member, Patti C. showing off the free album
that she earned by completing 50 page layouts in 2011!

For our POM (Page of the Month) -- on the 1st of each month, we display two different 1-page scrapbook pages created by members of the SP team. Each kit contains all you need, including pre-cut pieces and embellishments, to create the layout and a photo of what the finished project should look like. All you need to do is put it together and add your photos.

The POM kits, purchased separately, are just $5 each, while supplies last. But they sell out quickly, so you may want to consider a six-month subscription ($55) or a one-year subscription ($100) to ensure you receive both POMs (1 of each design) for the month.

Oh, and if you join the 2012 Album Club, you can bring in your finished POM and apply it towards your year's goal!

To give you an idea of the POMs
here's a snippet of one of the December POMs

A snippet of the 2nd December POM

For COM (Card of the Month) -- on the 15th of every month, we offer a COM that is created by a member of the SP team. For just $5, you get a kit with all the pre-cut papers and embellishments that you need to make five of that month's card design. Like the POMs, quantities are limited so you'll want to stop by the store soon after the COM sample goes up on the 15th to purchase your kit ... once they're gone, they're gone.

A snippet of the December COM that sold out.

And of course, we have SP Classes galore! There's something for everyone, including our layout classes (watch for a new layout offering starting in February), card making/stamping classes, mixed media classes and more! Check out our January calendar to see what you might like to sign up for.

This is just a peek at one of the stamping card
projects from the upcoming January class.
Full sample board is up in the store.

If you're interested in signing up for any or all of these awesome inspirational opportunities, call the store at 631.539.9888 or, better yet, come in to see us!

Looking for Inspiration in 2012?

2011-12-28T08:29:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... with holiday activities winding down, hoping you can now reflect on your 2011 and think about what you want to achieve in the new year. Some of my 2012 goals include taking better care of me (I already started daily gym workouts!). I hope to nurture friendships, be better organized, and make time for creativity! Feel free to share your resolutions in the Comments field below -- you just may inspire me to update my list!

Thanks to everyone who ventured out on a rainy windy Tuesday night for the 2011 Album Club celebration. Thanks to Nancy, too, for bringing her yummy cookies and candies. Club members who recorded 50 layouts received a beautiful (and free!) American Crafts 3-ring album. Some of this year's members earned two and three albums. If you do the math ... that's lots of layouts in a year! Here are some pics from the Club celebration ... then read on to learn more about the 2012 Album Club!

There was a variety of free albums for members
who completed 50+ layouts this year. Patti C.
went with the pin stripe one. Nice!

Lots of goodies thanks to Nancy ... tried to get a
picture before folks started diving in, but too late (ha!).

Nancy didn't only bake the party goodies, but
she made the rounds to be sure every table enjoyed!

Our table turned out to not be Bingo Queens, but
we had fun trying. How sad -- we were so close,
but yet so far. Congrats to the Bingo game winners!

As you consider your goals for 2012, the SP Album Club is a great way to keep your creativity flowing all year long. Membership is just $5. Current members can re-enroll now and new members can sign-up after December 31. Here's more about how the Club works:

Create a 12x12 a layout -- whether it's a 1 or 2 page layout, it counts as a single Album Club entry.
A layout needs to include a title, picture(s) and some form of journaling. An album dedication page with words only can also count toward your Club goal.
You can record one layout per day, with the exception of multi-layout dates.
You can bring in 5 pages on the 5th of March, April, June, October, November & December. Layouts created in a Playground class count too, so you can bring a layout on class date to get credit for two layouts! Before you know it, you've recorded 25 and then 50 or more layouts in a year!
The subject of your layouts aren't timebound, but the layout needs to be your creation made in 2012.
Just show us your layouts (we don't keep 'em) and we'll record them in our Club notebook.
Record 25 layouts by a June date (to be announced) to be invited to the June Album Club party.
Record another 25 layouts to earn an invitation to the December Album Club party, where members will receive a free album, goodie bags and a special after-hours members-only sale.

If you are interested in learning more about the Album Club, please stop in or call the store at 631.539.9888!

Holiday Traditions...

2011-12-21T07:49:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... what a busy time of year, with shopping, wrapping, decorating, cooking, baking, and celebrating with those we love. I always like to hear my friends' different holiday traditions.

For some, it's the oldest child getting a boost on Dad's shoulders to place the finishing touch on the Christmas tree -- a chipped, well worn, yet cherished, silver star that gets top honors year after year.

For others, it's sharing that first night of Hanukkah with friends and family, lighting the candles and then, one by one, sneaking into the kitchen for just a pinch of a latke fresh out of the frying pan!

In the Comments field below, let us know some of your family's favorite holiday traditions from this time of year. And don't forget to capture them in your scrapbook pages too!

See you at the Playground!

Winter & Holiday Papers Galore!

2011-12-11T07:35:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... You're sure to want to pick up some of the fun and gorgeous winter and holiday papers that have hit the Playground shelves. Practically all are two-sided papers with coordinating embellishments to make it so easy to create beautiful projects. And Thickers lovers, you'll want to add to your collection with some of the new ones in all their shiny glory!

Remember, Monday, December 12 is Wish List shopping at the Playground, so if you haven't already done so, come on in today, browse and make your "nice" list.

Oh, and be sure to renew your Page of the Month (POM) subscription, which starts all over again with the New Year.

So take a look at pictures of just some of the winter and holiday papers that we've put out recently!

Best Creations: Merry Christmas!

Three Bugs in a Rug: Deck the Halls

Bella Boulevard: Winter Wonder

Creative Imaginations: Christine Adolph
(Can I tell you that I just LOVE these papers!)

Gorgeous Creative Imaginations coordinating embellies

Bo Bunny: Snowfall Collection
(One side has touches of glitter; opposite side does not)

Bo Bunny: Snowfall
Coordinating embellies

Simple Stories: Year-o-graphy
(This picture is only a sampling. Lots of great papers!)

Good to Be Bloggin' Again!

2011-12-09T19:06:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... OMG, I can't believe how the time has flown since the last blog. We've got lots to catch up on so I've poured a nice glass of wine, loaded the pictures and I'm ready to get rolling!

Monday, December 12 is our ever-popular Wish List Shopping Night so this is the last weekend to swing by the store and fill out your list. If you've had your eye on something special, consider putting them on your list. Maybe it's an eClips, die cuts by Sizzix/Tim Holtz, Spellbinders or QuicKutz, special storage bins or maybe even some beautiful stamps. The Wish List is a great way for the SP crew to help those who love you pick out gifts that they know you'll love!

The November Challenge using SRM stickers probably caught many of you by surprise given all of your Thanksgiving preparations and celebrations. We are thrilled to share with you creations by Antonella and Georgina, who somehow managed to find time to play along.

Georgina's holiday card creation!

Antonella's first page of her 2-page layout

There are lots of new things that have hit the Playground shelves. One of my favorites is the new metallic paint by Viva! Grab a little sponge to add it to the edges of tags, pages and more. And don't even get me started on how much fun they are when used with the 6x6 plastic templates. Here are pictures of just some of the new stuff. Check back Sunday for even more new stuff, including fun and gorgeous paper lines!

You're gonna love jazzin' up your projects
with Viva's Precious Metal Colours!
Love 'em all!

Imagine the possibilities of using
these templates with your inks and
the Viva metallic paints on your projects!

And if the metallic colors weren't enough of a temptation,
there are these bottles of fun to add texture to your
projects! Just think of how you can incorporate these
into your beach, winter and other creations!!

This is a sample of what some of the textures look like.

Last Call for November Challenges!

2011-11-29T11:12:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... just a friendly reminder to get those SP Challenges in by end of day tomorrow - Wednesday, November 30. We made this month's challenge an easy one knowing how busy this time of year can be!

Create a scrapbook page, card or tag based on Becky Fleck's Page & Tag Maps below AND incorporate SRM stickers. If you are up for a little extra challenge, how about doing a layout that includes a tag too! Email your name and a a small or medium sized picture of your project to scrappersplayground.angie@gmail.com by end of day on November 30. Free goodie bags to the first 10 local submitters! Happy creating!

Page Map from Becky Fleck's designs (Oct 2011)
Always a great resource for kick starting your creativity.

Tag Map from Becky Fleck's
Page Maps Web site

Sampling of larger sheets of SRM stickers.

Sampling of smaller sheets of SRM stickers

Perfect SRM sticker for this week!

Sassy Sale Memories

2011-11-27T08:52:00.000-05:00

Good morning SP Bloggers ... hope you've had a wonderful weekend to kick-off this holiday season! We had lots of visitors to the Playground on Saturday and many shared a successful Sassy Shopping experience for sure! Thanks for making the day so much fun! And of course, being scrappers, we have pictures that captured the memories of how the day got started!

It's Sassy Saturday Sale Time!

2011-11-26T07:13:00.002-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a successful Black Friday excursion if you so dared. Just a reminder that today -- November 26th -- is the SP Sassy Saturday Sale! Come on in to pick up your SRM stickers for the Challenge that ends November 30th and check out our great sale today.

Also, while in today, why not start your holiday Wish List to help take some of the guess work out of holiday shopping for those who love you! Hope to see you at the Playground today!

SP Sassy Saturday Sales:

School Kit (preschool thru 5th grade, coordinating
papers, cardstock and stickers: $25 (limited quantities)
Regularly $35
Thickers Bundles, three different bundles
10 Thickers/pack: $25 (limited quantities)
Grosgrain Ribbon Packs, 2 different styles
24 spools/pack: $15 (limited quantities)
Lost and Found 2 - 50% off
Copics 20% off (30% for Copic Club members)
Stock up before the January 1 price increase
Tim Holtz Movers & Shapers - Buy 1, get 1 free of
the following: Dream, Journey, Friends, Family,
Explore, Moments
QuicKutz Club members specials below
(You can join today to take advantage of sales!)
Limited quantities -- no rain checks:
- Lifestyle Crafts Holiday Bundle: $30
Value of more than $200!
- Lifestyle Crafts Bundle #2: $20
Value of more than $125
- Lifestyle Crafts nesting dies: 50% off

All Sassy Sales are final.

It's Challenge Time!

2011-11-22T10:57:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... it's been a busy bunch of days since the last blog so let's get right to it. First off, we want to wish all of our Playground friends the very best of Thanksgiving holidays. May you stay cool, calm and collected and savor the moments -- the meal, your friends and your family. Don't forget to take pictures for those scrapbooks too!

Also, just a reminder that the Playground will be closed on Thursday and Friday so we can spend a little extra time with our families and perhaps jump into the craziness of Black Friday sales too! Please plan to come to the Playground on Saturday though for our Super Sassy Sale ... lots of good deals to be had. If you haven't already done so, get your Playground Wish List started too to make shopping a bit easier for those who love ya!

Finally, it's SP Challenge Time! It's going to be an easy one given this is a busy time for all. Create a scrapbook page, card or tag based on Becky Fleck's Page & Tag Maps below AND incorporate SRM stickers. If you are up for a little extra challenge, how about doing a layout that includes a tag too! Email a picture of your project and your name to scrappersplayground.angie@gmail.com by November 30th. Free goodie bags to the first 10 local submitters! Happy creating!

Page Map from Becky Fleck's designs (Oct 2011)
Always a great resource for kick starting your creativity.

Tag Map from Becky Fleck's
Page Maps Web site

Sampling of larger sheets of SRM stickers.

Sampling of smaller sheets of SRM stickers

Perfect SRM sticker for this week!

He's Here ....

2011-11-17T14:53:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... well the Playground family got a little bigger today with the birth of Renee's grandson, who came into the world a bit earlier today. Mom and baby Caden are doing well! We wish we had more information to share, but those who know Renee won't be surprised to hear that she was more than a little excited. Let's just say our phone conversation was a bit all over the place!

So congratulations and all of our very best wishes to Caden and his loving family (who were last seen on Cloud 9)! Now Renee can officially begin creating his first scrapbook!

"Grandma" Renee and newborn Caden

Get Inspired by Wonder & Wishes!

2011-11-13T09:09:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... Little Yellow Bicycle's Wonder & Wishes has hit the Playground shelves, with its vibrant 2-sided papers and tons of fun coordinating embellishments. This collection's great for your Christmas pages, cards and projects and you'll find it lends itself to your non-holiday-related projects too. The name of the collection reminded me of a picture from the 1950's when my husband, then just 5 years old, was looking into Santa's face with such wonder -- and inspired me to create the page shown below. Just imagine what creations you'll be inspired to make from this line too!

Renee's using Wonder & Wishes in the mini Christmas album class (1pm on December 4th). A glimpse of the class project is also below. Please stop by the store to see the complete project and sign up for the class.

A sample layout created with Little Yellow Bicycle's
new Wonder & Wishes papers and just some of the
coordinating embellishments.

Join Renee on December 4th (1pm) for a fun holiday
mini album project using LYB Wonder & Wishes.
This is a peek at part of the project.

Little Yellow Bicycle's Wonder & Wishes Papers that
can be used for much more than Christmas projects

Here are just SOME of the coordinating
embellishments from the Wonder & Wishes line.

Don't forget to pick up some of the seasonal (winter)
Distress Inks too ... they're only available during the season.
Used Evergreen Bough & Forest Moss to color the Believe title.

Wanna See Some New Stuff?

2011-11-11T21:29:00.000-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... There are many gorgeous papers and embellishments hitting the shelves -- too many to include in a single blog. Below is a start. Give me a few days and we'll try to get even more pictures posted for you here!

A quick shout out to Rose, a newbie to the Playground who had a great time exploring all of the goodies in the store today. When we heard a couple honks of a car horn, we teased her that it was her husband's way of communicating. She didn't think it was a familiar toot so continued shopping. Rose eventually finished shopping and made her way out to the car. A few minutes later, her husband poked his head into the store and, with a gleam in his eye, declared he was not the mad honker. We all shared some laughs together and after he and Rose left, I thought about what a caring gesture it had been for him to wait in the car oh so patiently to give Rose time to find joy (en-joy) among the racks of paper and shelves of creative goodies. Happy creating everyone!

American Crafts Hollyday Paper Series
Bright and cheery two-sided papers

Coordinating 'buttons", rosettes and rub-ons (of course!)

Adorable gingerbread themed papers by
Creative Imaginations / Renae Lindgren

Coordinating stickers

And consider these great Thickers
with all those new papers too!

New Trinket Storage Case by Tim Holtz
Love these cases that are inspired from vintage suitcases.

Here's the inside of the Trinket Case.

Tim Holtz's Cargo Case

So many possibilities ... here's the inside of the cargo case.

Great Day to Play Hooky

2011-11-07T08:34:00.001-05:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... fighting that urge to play hooky from work today and play in my scrapbook room instead. The picture pile is growing and my work table is being overtaken by the new papers, ribbons, inks and tools (specifically some new Spellbinders and the We-R Ribbon thingy) that I want to create with. It's just all calling me.

Share with us in the Comment field below -- if you played hooky today from work and errands, what's on the top of your scrapbook/card making pile that you'd like to work on next!

P.S. We know Cindy M. will be playing with her new Vagabond machine (autographed by Tim Holtz!) that she won in the Playground's Breast Cancer Awareness raffle. Have fun Cindy -- we look forward to seeing some of your creations!!

Cindy is joined by her niece when she stopped
by the Playground to claim her special prize!
Congratulations Cindy!!

This Doesn't Happen Every Day!

2011-11-05T08:08:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... Having one of those days where I could actually sleep in if I wanted to, but my mind won't slow down and let me. So figured I'd get up and get the day started.

First, wanted to be sure you saw the November class calendar that's available to the right ... so many great things going on at the Playground! Hope you get by this weekend to see the samples of the special holiday classes that Dee Mama, Sue and Renee have planned.

Oh, and just wanted to remind those of you in the Album Club that today -- Saturday, November 5 is a 5-layout day. It's a great way to close in on that goal of 50 layouts this year -- you can do it! Can't wait to see you all throughout the day with all your creative pages.

See ya at the Playground...

And the Winner Is...

2011-11-03T15:06:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... congratulations to Cindy March, the raffle drawing winner at last evening's Breast Cancer Awareness event at the Playground. We hope that we helped shine the light on the importance of taking care of yourself -- get that annual mammo -- while also raising $300 dollars for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. After writing the check to the Foundation, there was a brief drum roll and then Sue picked Cindy's winning ticket! She had the pleasure of calling Cindy to let her know she had just won a Vagabond machine autographed by Tim Holtz! Congrats again to Cindy and thank you too to to all who contributed.

Hey, betchya have Halloween pictures to scrap, so why not swing by the store this week while Halloween is 30% off at the Playground through Sunday!

Some "thank you" items -- PINK of course -- for
those who attended the drawing event.

Sue writing the check to Susan G. Komen
Foundation - every bit helps to shine
the light on a disease that's touched many.

The moment of the big raffle drawing.

Sue leaving a happy message to let
Cindy know she had won the Vagabond
(and wild applause in the background!)

Tonight's the Night

2011-11-02T07:06:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... first a huge thank to all who generously contributed to our first Breast Cancer Awareness fund raiser through the purchase of raffle tickets. Tonight's the night ...

Join us at the Park at 7 p.m. tonight (November 2nd) -- doors open at 6 -- as we plan to make out the check to the Susan G. Komen Foundation ... and then draw the winning raffle ticket for the Vagabond die cutting machine that's been autographed by Tim Holtz!

Thanks again ... and good luck!!

Such a Creative Bunch ...

2011-11-01T08:57:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... thanks to those who took part in our October SP Challenge. We asked Playgrounders to try something new ... the Spellbinders Edgeabilities. And you guys didn't disappoint! The fact that the sets of Edgeabilities are interchangeable makes them so versatile and the creative options limitless.

Thanks again to our Playgrounders for sharing their creations with us... you guys rock!

Georgina's card creation is jam-packed with
Edgeability use -- can you find 'em all?

Antonella's Pocohontas & Nanni page
used Edgeability for top border. Nice!

Great card by Carol B.
Love how she enhanced her
Edgeability due cut with ribbon.

In this card by Christine A., she created
a cute "spooky" card with an Edgeability border.
Love how she jazzed it up with
just the right amount of bling.

What's New You Ask?

2011-10-31T07:39:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday SP Bloggers ... last call to email pictures of your October SP Challenge projects that include the use of Spellbinders Edgeabilities. We love that you share your creations with us ... just send a picture of your layout or card and your name by end of day today to scrappersplayground.angie@gmail.com. Free goodie bags to be picked up in the store later this week by the first 10 local submitters and we'll post your creations on our blog this week!

You know there's always something new at the Playground. You're gonna love the expanded selection of Loralie Art Stamps that are just so much fun to play with. They've been featured at some of our Copic and Stamping Board classes so some of you know how they lend themselves to adding your own personal style and touches ... and there are so many cute characters that you're sure to find some that reflect your personality or those of your friends and family.

Check out the cute chefs -- great for light-hearted Thanksgiving dinner invitations, seating placecards, or even scrapbook pages featuring your family's holiday cook!

Have a great week. We hope to see you at the Playground for your crafting shopping needs, our free Make & Take Wednesdays (11-6) and some classes too!

The Loralie Art Stamps -- You'll love 'em!

If It's Time to Stain...Then It's Time to Dance!

2011-10-30T09:24:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers... well what better way to spend a cold and rainy ... wait and snowy(!) ... day, than with a bunch of creative friends at the Playground. We had a full day session with LynnMarie as she walked us through creating our own versions of this gorgeous, interactive Wizard of Oz wall hanging. We inked, we cut, we laughed, we stained, we misted, we chatted, we painted, we blinged, and yes, some even danced!

Thanks to my table mates and classmates for a really great day together. And special thanks too to LMS, who is one creative lady for sure, for her patience with us all. There are so many great classes at the Playground ... if you've never signed up for one, you really should take a look at the calendar and pick something that will truly spark your creativity. And you're sure to have a great time too!

This is a peek at part of the outside of the project.
What's inside is even more spectacular!

SP Blogger's table-mates: "Marjorie" (aka Irene),
Dee and Maria. (Thanks for catching me up on
my pop culture trivia and for the laughs ladies!)

Table 1 mates in deep thought.
(Dee Mama is in fussy cutting heaven!)

Gabriela and Angela inking up a storm.

One of your Playground faves still in
the Halloween party mood with her "mask"

LynnMarie showing Table 3 how it's done.

Karen & LynnMarie checking out the project details.

Antonella and Cousin D still inking :-)

And Georgina & Karen demonstrate that there's
really only ONE way to warm up for Distress Staining.
And that's to dance like nobody's watchin'!

Until next time all ... happy creating!

Don't Ya Just Love Fridays!!

2011-10-28T08:22:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... Not to sound like Sesame Street, but today's all about the letter "F".

First, a Final Friendly Friday reminder that this is your last weekend to create an SP Challenge page or card with the Spellbinders Edgeabilities. We know a bunch of you have picked these up, so we're really anxious to see your creations. By end of day Monday, October 31, please email a picture of your creation and your name to scrappersplayground.angie@gmail.com. We'll then be posting your pictures on one of our blogs next week (oh and Free goodie bags to the First 10 local submitters!).

So on another note, I just dropped my son off at high school a little earlier and I actually heard the "F" word on the radio ... I mean Flurries in the Tri-State area of course (I don't know what you guys were thinking!). I'm not quite ready to throw the Flip-Flops in the back of the closet just yet though, so I'm going to try to hang on to Fall a little while longer.

I know that sometimes we all get stuck for page and card ideas. But there really is inspiration all around us ... in magazines, in ads and even in product packaging. The following page was created based on a photo of a scrapbook page on Little Yellow Bicycle's "Hello Fall" paper flower package. Just a side note ... there are so many possibilities in their paper flower package, including pre-cut pieces to create a number of different sized rosettes! And the canvas sticker borders are awesome too, with 2 each of the 3 designs that come in the package. Then there's the double-sided paper, matching chipboard, etc. Love their stuff!

We hope to see you at the Playground this weekend, for even more inspiration. Leave a comment below to let us know where you find your inspiration!

Image from LYB package is on the right and my "copy" is on the left.
You need: 3 sheets of paper, paper flower kit & canvas borders.

For the "Fall" title, I didn't have stickers like in the sample, but I did

have Thickers that I painted with Claudine Hellmuth Studio paints

that I mixed to be similar to the sample. There are slight differences

that make the layout my own, but referring to the sample was a

great kick start to creativity!

There's No Place Like ... the Playground!

2011-10-23T14:53:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... If you stopped by the Playground this weekend, chances are you also saw the sample project for LynnMarie's upcoming Mixed Media Workshop featuring Graphics 45 Oz papers (and so much more!). There's only one word for it ...

AWESOME!

We hope you can join us for this workshop on Saturday, October 29th (11 a.m. start time). LynnMarie will walk you through creating your own version of this fun, interactive piece of art! Below are a couple of sneak peeks of the project, but you really need to see the whole sample for the real "Wow!" factor. Be sure to stop by or call the store to reserve your spot in this Workshop, as it's sure to fill up fast!

Snippet of outside of the Mixed Media Oz project

And snippet of part of the inside of the same project!

It's Here!

2011-10-19T22:20:00.001-04:00

This just in ... check out this happy Playgrounder! Not the greatest picture, but Renee had a hard time getting Antonella to stand still long enough to pose with her new goodies. She couldn't wait to get back to the Spinner of Color (see more below) to grab up even more!

Hi SP Bloggers ... At the risk of sounding like Steve Martin in the movie, The Jerk, I can't help but shout, "The new Sew Ribbon's here! The new Sew Ribbon's here!" Stop by to pick up this cool new tool from We R Memory Keepers for your scrapping and card making projects!

Just a friendly reminder to send us pictures of your SP Challenge projects using the Spellbinders Edgeabilities. You have until October 31 to send us the picture of your project (and your name) to scrappersplayground.angie@gmail.com. Come on ... get those creative juices flowin!

And check out the new brads galore, also from We R Memory Keepers. Each package includes three different sizes of vibrant colored brads. There are plain or glitter options too! Hope to see you at the Playground real soon!

You Won't Want to Miss It...

2011-10-17T12:05:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... if it's not already on your calendar, why not check out the 11th annual Greater New York Art Stamp show in the Fitzgerald Gym at Queens College on Saturday, November 5th (10 am to 5 pm) and Sunday, November 6th (11 am to 4pm). Learn more.

Game Night = Fun Night!

2011-10-15T10:01:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... the cold and rainy night didn't dampen the fun-loving spirit of Game Night participants at the Playground. It was Minute to Win It time and participants got to play many of Renee's favorite challenges. Thanks too to the Playground crew for all they do to make these events so much fun and letting everyone end the night as winners!

P.S. Don't forget to view the latest SP Playtime video and get to working on your October challenge (due by October 31) using Spellbinders Edgeabilities. (See our October 13 blog for Challenge details.)

Antonella (L) won a Big Shot & SP gift card.
Tracy walked away with a new Cuttlebug & SP gift card.

Angie & Kim kicked off the night trying
to see how many words (real ones Angie!)
that they could spell from "Scrappers Playground"

It was close, but Kim (L) took the top spot!

Georgina (L) and Antonella then went head to head
(or wrist to wrist) to see who could wind the most
twine around the stick in a minute.

Georgina squeaked out the victory by just a couple of feet!

Tracy (L) and Jean #2 (R) had to put
their punching skills to work.
The deciding factor - neatness. It really does count!

Do we really need to tell you who won the challenge?

Next up ... bowling scrappers style.
Kathy doesn't need stinky pins and balls.
She's got artist tape roles and Stickles!

Angela -- a really good bowler normally --
learned that she DOES need a ball & pins.

Kathy (L) walked away with top bowling honors this time.

Marilyn (L) and April (R) get to stacking
their Twinkling H2O's

It could've gone either way, but there was a last
second crash ... so congrats April!

We Playground-ized that old game show,
Concentration for Karen (L) and Jean #1 (R).

There was lots of shuffling of papers, but Jean took
the top spot in this challenge.

Tough challenge ... list as many names of the Game Night
guests as possible in a minute.
"Dee" (L) and Celia (R) give it a go.

Congrats go to Celia this time...

So who can make the longest paper chain using
the Tiny Attacher -- Sandy (L) or Dorothy (R)?

We don't know, because it was a tie ... and the
tie breaker was a tie too. So Dorothy
declared Sandy the winner this time just 'cause!

Debbie (L) and Sandy (R) showed us how using
embossing folders and Big Shots can be an aerobic workout!

And Sandy ... a Game Night rookie ... took top honors.

So could you name SP classes and instructors
(past and present)? Maria (L) and Christine (R) gave it a try.

I think Christine took the honors 'cause
Maria got giggly and went blank (ha!)

Lights! Camera! Action!

2011-10-13T12:28:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers... It's Game Night time at the Playground tomorrow -- Friday, October 14th! Hope you can join us for what's always a great time.

Well it's time for yet another Playtime video with Scrappers Playground. Grab a cup of coffee (or a bottle of wine!) and enjoy this fun and informative tutorial with Sue and Renee as they walk you through the creation of a card that includes the use of Spellbinders Edgeabilities.

And speaking of Edgeabilities, are you up for another SP Challenge? This time, we're challenging you to create a scrapbook page or a card that incorporates the use of Spellbinders Edgeabilities. We think that you're going to love these incredibly versatile (they're interchangeable!) die cuts! If you're new to the Edgeabilities, watch the Playtime video for a brief intro to help you get started!

So many Edgeabilities ... so many possibilities!

Email a photo of your SP Challenge creation and your name by 5pm October 31st to scrappersplayground.angie@gmail.com. When taking your photos, be sure to focus and use a flash if possible. Also, when emailing, please send medium (not original) size. The first 10 local submissions will win a free Playground goodie bag that can be picked up on your next visit to the store during the first week of November. So get to creating, trying something new and having fun!

A New Fall Tradition

2011-10-11T10:47:00.001-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers... It's been a little while since the last blog because, frankly, Blogger needed a little vacation! So it was girl's week (not weekend!) away on the East End of Long Island with my good friend and scrapping pal, Nancy. The vacation became affectionately known as Cougar Camp.

We sure are lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country. It was nice to get away for some much needed R&R, quiet time to reflect, scrapbook and enjoy some fall traditions like apple picking, collecting shells (a few ended up on a layout I did) on the now empty beaches, enjoying fresh veggies (and lots of 'em) from the local farmstands, and more. I think Cougar Camp is a new fall tradition for us now!

Of course, one of the first things I did upon returning home was to stop by the Playground to pick up some of the new fall papers from Little Yellow Bicycle, Bo Bunny and more! So now I'm all set to get the pictures from a great week away into my scrapbook forever. Have you captured pictures ... and better yet the memories ... of your family's fall traditions? If not, what are you waiting for? Now's the perfect time to record these memories for your family to reflect on years from now!

See ya at the Playground soon!

Sitting on the beach with no obligations.
Ah, life is good!

Hoping all my friends have a chance to
find time for their own Cougar Camp.
You'll be better for having done it!

Until this year, our family always went pumpkin picking.
My oldest son, now a college freshman, sought out the
white pumpkin for some reason. So while at Cougar Camp,
I found him a white pumpkin and delivered it on a
spontaneous visit to his colleage on my last day of "camp".
It's just what the dorm room needed!

Just some of Little Yellow Bicycle's Hello Fall
gorgeous 2-sided papers

And oodles of LYB coordinating embellishments...

And even more coordinating embellishments.
Love 'em all!

Let's Help Make a Difference!

2011-10-05T13:00:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... we're so busy doing for others that we forget to take care of ourselves. But with this being Breast Cancer Awareness month, please schedule your all important mammogram. We hope you'll also take part in our first-ever Playground raffle with a portion of the proceeds going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Here's how it works...

Buy your raffle tickets throughout October-- three for $5 or seven for $10. We'll host a live drawing at The Park at 7 pm on Wednesday, November 2 (doors open at 6). That night, we'll announce the donation amount, write the check to the Susan Komen organization and pick the winning raffle ticket. Some lucky Playgrounder will win a Vagabond die cutting machine autographed by the man himself, Tim Holtz!

Thanks for your support!

A Look Back at World Card Making Day

2011-10-03T18:01:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... thanks to everyone who stopped by on October 1st to celebrate World Card Making Day with us. It was lots of fun creating cards that were designed by our own Playground crew. Thought you might enjoy seeing some of the goings on from the day.

Challenge Your Comfort Zone

2011-09-29T13:43:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... Now I must admit that I had previously admired Bo Bunny's gorgeous new Welcome Home line, but thought it might be just a bit too "foofy" for me. So when Renee challenged me to make a layout using these papers, I had to give it a go. Lesson learned ... these papers are so versatile that they can be as "foofy" or "foofy-less" as you'd like.

So challenge yourself to try some papers, new products or techniques that you might otherwise shy away from. It's a great way to get those creative juices flowing!

1) Bo Bunny Dot as the foundation;
2) Welcome Home papers (next layer + heart & pic mats)
3) Found heart on Clip Art, enlarged and printed as pattern.

4) Punches on bottom/top to let Bo Bunny dot base show through
(use any of your favorite punches like this).
5) Corner rounded pics and mats

6) Pearl Pen (light blue) to add "pearls" around outside of heart

7) Petaloo flowers used in combo with Bo Bunny charms.

8) Bo Bunny sticker sheet and chipboard embellishments.

9) Distresser tool

10) Distress Inks (Vintage Photo & Tumbled Glass)

Bon Voyage!

2011-09-27T20:37:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... thought you'd like to see a few pictures from when we bid a bon voyage to those who went on the first Scrappers Playground cruise -- to Bermuda! Sue, LynnMarie and Dee "M" poured their hearts into some terrific projects and fun stuff to help make the cruise even more special! Can't wait to hear the stories! Oh, and here are a few quick reminders:

Make & Take Wednesdays -- Stop in on Wednesday between 11 and 6 to make a fun (and free!) little Halloween project.
This Week's Specials through Sunday, October 2nd include punches (buy one, get one free) and Brilliance Dew Drop inks (buy one, get one free)
World Card Making Day -- Join us between 11 and 6 on October 1, and for just $5, we'll walk you through the creation of six gorgeous cards that have been designed by the Playground crew. Please call us at 631.539.9888 to let us know if you plan to stop in on Saturday.
Album Club members, it's a 5-layout day on October 5.

Just some of the boxes of class projects
and other surprises for the SP Cruisers!

Ah, the hard work is almost over ...

Antonella's ready to go...

and so are a few other Playgrounders!

"Children at Play" just like the sign says!

Uh oh ... all those boxes AND luggage?
Hmmm...Houston, we have a problem.

Hank and the guys worked a miracle
and got every bag and box on the bus.

Sue ... it's been a year in the making
but the first SP Cruise is finally here!

A bunch of our cruisers got together to take a bus to the ship.
They'll be meeting up with even more SP cruisers there!

And off they go ... have a great time!

Robin and Kathy bid 'em all a bon voyage
as they drive off. Have fun everyone!

From a Single Piece of Paper...

2011-09-25T08:22:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... hope you've all found some time to create this weekend. A number of our Playgrounders headed out last evening for on the first annual Scrappers Playground Cruise -- more on that in another blog.

Debbie was recently inspired to see just how much creativity she could squeeze out of a single sheet of paper from the We R Memory Keepers Spookville collection. Add some scrap cardstock and ribbon and check out these six cute cards she made! (And she was still going, creating some tags when I left!)

From this one sheet of paper ...

Debbie was able to create these 6 cards. Cute!

Ranger Alert!

2011-09-21T04:00:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... please read this whole blog so you don't miss out!

As you know, t!m Holtz and Ranger recently launched a "limited edition seasonal set" of Distress Inks in three gorgeous new colors that are perfect for the fall ... and we received our order at the Playground on Monday for those who had contacted us to get on the reserved order list (a.k.a. "the list"). But those of you who are Ranger fans -- and we have many at the Playground -- can understand these new inks caused quite a frenzy, which t!m Holtz has shared on the Ranger blog. Here's the story in a nutshell:

t!m had a great idea to create a three-pack of distress inks in new seasonal colors, with the idea being to make them available once a year during their particular "season".
So t!m and Ranger got to work, creating the first-ever limited fall edition and manufacturing what should have been weeks worth of inventory. And it sold out in just six hours!
Selling out their inventory in such a short time was totally unexpected! In an effort to try to meet the demand, they went to work on a solution, securing more of what it takes to make another batch of the seasonal fall distress inks. They'll be making one more production run of the fall seasonal distress inks that they anticipate will ship out in the next few weeks.
If you didn't get on "the list" for the first order of fall seasonal Distress Inks (pictured below), give us a call at 631.539.9888 to reserve a set of fall seasonal Distress Inks from our next order. Note that because these are limited editions, there are no plans for re-inkers, stains, etc. in these new colors.

Now normally, that would be the happy ending to the story. But there's more ...

You may have noticed that these are "seasonal" Distress Inks. So guess what ... t!m Holtz and Ranger have announced that a Winter seasonal set of Distress Inks will be released on November 1. If you'd like to get on the "winter list" give us a call at 631.539.9888 to reserve your set! Sorry, no details about colors or pictures are available just yet, but we'll keep you posted!

Happy creating!!

Hot Off the Press

2011-09-20T20:38:00.000-04:00

SP Bloggers ... hot off the press!

t!m Holtz and Ranger have just announced that a Winter seasonal set of Distress Inks will be released on November 1. If you'd like to get on the "the winter list" give us a call at 631.539.9888 to reserve your set! We'll be sure to keep you posted as photos and details about these three new seasonal colors become available.

Expand Your Horizons

2011-09-15T17:03:00.001-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers...after Wednesday night's Copic Creativity class, I'm hooked on the Loralie Art Stamps. These stamps have plenty of personality on their own, but what's great about them is that you can add even more personalization yourself! So if you're looking to try these stamps and new techniques too, join LynnMarie next week at her Stamping Board Program:

Wednesday, September 21st at 7pm
Thursday, September 22nd at 10:30 a.m.

She'll walk you through creating three 5x7 cards (sneak peeks below) using three different Loralie stamps. Of course, LynnMarie's full of ideas, tips and techniques so you'll also learn how to do more with color pencils, as well as a Stylus, the Copic Multi-liner and even Gelatos (another new favorite thing).

Stop by the store to check out the full samples and sign up -- or call us at 631.539.9888 to reserve your spot -- to expand your horizons and have some fun at the Playground!

September Stamping Board Class:
Sneak Peek at Card 1

September Stamping Board Class:
Sneak Peek at Card 2

September Stamping Board Class:
Sneak Peek at Card 3

These are the Loralie Art Stamps
that will be used during the class.

He's done it again!

2011-09-14T12:28:00.005-04:00

Tim Holtz and Ranger have just introduced Fall Seasonal Distress Ink pads in 3 gorgeous colors: Ripe Persimmon, Gathered Twigs and Seedless Perserves. As these are Limited Edition they're are no re-inkers.

Call the store at 631-539-9888 to reserve your set.

We are expecting our delivery on Monday but may have them on Friday. While you're waiting check out this video of Tim describing and demoing his new colors, yummy! Click here

A Peek Inside a QuicKutz Club Meeting

2011-09-14T07:24:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers .... With the kids back to school, you can go back to scrapbooking now. So just a friendly reminder that it's free Make & Take Wednesday tomorrow (between 11 and 6) -- hope you can stop by!

Debbie had a packed house Monday evening at this month's QuicKutz Club get-together. She previewed many of the new fall-themed die cuts that are now available at the Playground and even had Club members make a couple of related projects. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story...

Table 5 is hard at work on their QuicKutz projects,
while Kathy captivates them with her story.

Table 4 looking so professional ...

While someone at Table 1 won't share her Distress Stains

Note: I held my camera up over my head to shoot
without looking at whatever might be going on behind me.
This was the result (ha!)

Table 2 made quick work of their QuicKutz projects!

Robin proudly displays her creation.
Lookout Project Runway!

But wait ... we have another QuicKutz model
showing off her design as well.

And Carol ... well she just lost it.
She regressed to a past life right before our eyes,
insisting we call her Pocahontas.

This Month's Challenge Submissions ...

2011-09-13T06:42:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... a huge thank you to those who took part in our September SP Challenge! We asked you to create cards or scrapbook pages that included song lyrics and also the use of Tim Holtz or Sizzix embossing folders. Check out the variety of creations that we received below! This month's Challenge participants listed below will have free goodie bags waiting for you to pick up on your next visit to the Playground beginning Wednesday.

Georgena
Antonella
Robin
Christina
Kelly
Maria T.

We hope you enjoy our Challenges as much as we enjoy seeing the end results!

Georgena's Card
Wheels on the Bus

Inside Cover of Georgena's Card

Antonella's Scrapbook Page
(How Much Is That Doggie in the Window)

Robin's Card Creation
(Monster Mash)

Inside of Robin's Bewitching Card

Christine's Scrapbook Page

Kelly (a new Challenge participant!) sent us this 2-page layout
(I'll Stand by You)

Maria's Dimensional Project
(Follow the Yellow Brick Road)

What's New You Ask?

2011-09-10T09:56:00.003-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... It's no surprise that the battle of the boxes continues at the Playground. Just as Renee and the rest of the Playground team get a leg up, the UPS guy pulls up again (ha!). It's been a little while since the last blog so lots to catch up on.

The September SP Challenge ends Monday, September 12. You need to incorporate a favorite song lyric into your title or journaling and use a Tim Holtz or Sizzix embossing folder for some element of your card or scrapbook page. We've gotten some great submissions that we'll post to the blog next week ... but there's still time to find some creative time this weekend to work on yours! Email a photo of your finished Challenge project, along with your name, to scrappersplayground.angie@gmail.com by end of day Monday. First 10 local entries get a free goodie bag from the Playground crew.

Lots of new stuff still hitting the shelves, such as the new gorgeous Bo Bunny Forever Fall line. Again, I found myself taking paper off the shelves to take the picture for you below, only to find those same papers in my shopping bucket. There are even more fall papers by other companies, but we'll post those tomorrow!

Bo Bunny did it again with the beautiful Forever Fall collection,
including journaling blocks, sticker sheet and specialty cut paper.

Gorgeous double-sided papers!

Still more double-sided papers!

And of course plenty of coordinating embellishments
and chipboard sheet to make your finished projects beautiful!

You're gonna love using the new Viva Decor Pearl Pens in your projects. How you use them is limited only by your imagination. The most popular use for these fine tipped Pearl Pens is to create pearls (hence the name), similar to what you might do with Stickles. Hold the Pearl Pen upright and slowly give it a squeeze to create a "pearl" -- the more you squeeze, the bigger the pearl. Use 'em to make a pearl border around your featured photo, create dimensional flower centers, decorate your title letters ... the list goes on and on. (Quick Tip: If your pearl ends up with a pointy peak, just turn your paper over and give it a gentle flick near the area you used the Pearl Pen and it smooths out the point.)

The new Viva Decor Pearl Pens in a rainbow of colors!

Oh, and the coolest of ribbons came in to ... Renee and LynnMarie have clearly gone gaga over them! Check 'em out (and yes, that's zipper ribbon you see!)

LynnMarie showing off her, uh, new ribbon!

Renee thinking she's invisible behind these beautiful
new ribbons. Keep 'em white or pull out your inks and stains!
(Love the zipper ribbon too!)

All of us at the Playground will be taking time to reflect on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attack. Seems as if it happened just not so long ago. Our hearts and prayers go out to all who were touched by this tragedy. Stay strong and proud.

Hope we see you at the Playground this weekend!

Little Things = Big Impact

2011-09-01T07:44:00.004-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... We had a great time at last night's Mixed Media Tag class. It was a nice break for some who've been living without electricity since Hurricane Irene hit last Sunday. We hope you'll all be "enjoying" doing laundry, drying your hair, browsing the Internet and working on your scrapping projects after dark!

We've been posting pictures of so many of the new products (and there's been lots!) that have hit the Playground shelves. Believe it or not, boxes are still arriving and we'll continue to share previews of the new things here and in our e-newsletter. But one of my favorite things to do is browse the store for hidden treasures ... new products tucked in among the collections of all of your favorite papers. For instance...

I was working on a layout of my son's senior prom using mostly gray and pink papers. That's when I "discovered" these wonderful fancy brads by Karen Foster that would be perfect embellishments for my project. As I continued to "explore" the Playground, I found even more of these fun brads in both swirly bursts and classic shapes -- and in other color combos. Oh the possibilities. These are great to use on their own, as flower centers, and more.

Let's get you involved in our blog too. Please leave us a Comment below to let us know your ideas for incorporating these little bursts of blingy color into your projects!

Never posted a comment to a blog? It's easy as 1-2-3. 1) Click the Comment link at the bottom of this post, 2) type in your comment and 3) select a profile -- I've found it's easiest is to select Name/URL and just enter your first name & last initial. You can leave the URL blank.

Happy exploring on your next visit to the Playground!

C'mon ... You're Up to the Challenge!

2011-08-30T08:47:00.001-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... It's been a busy time for many of you, moving your college kids into dorms and apartments, school shopping for the younger students, summer vacations, visits from friends and family and even some clean-up from Hurricane Irene (yuk). But we hope you'll still find some time for your favorite hobby ... and our SP Challenge for September is underway to help you get inspired!

Remember, the challenge is to create a scrapbook page or card that incorporates two things: 1) favorite song lyrics in your title or as part of your journaling, and 2) use of one of the Sizzix/Tim Holtz embossing folders. Email a photo of your finished creation to scrappersplayground.angie@gmail.com by September 12. Don't forget to include your name and, when taking your picture, try to get close, focus, use a flash and email it as a small or medium sized jpg file.

This is just one example of the Sizzix/Tim Holtz embossing folders.
There are many, many more of course that you might use.

So Long Irene ...

2011-08-28T10:33:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... well, it appears that Irene is moving on. So glad it appears that, in general, it wasn't as rough on our area as the original predictions. Hopefully all of our Playgrounders came through the storm with minimal repair and clean-up needed. Leave us a Comment about how you plan to spend the rest of today.

Just a reminder that the Playground's closed today and we've rescheduled today's classes for September 2nd (see prior blog for details).

My neighbor's once tall sunflowers took a
bit of a beating and not looking so sunny now.

My son had to go out front to "feel" the storm.
Guess every family has a storm chaser of some kind.

Thankful that only remnants of Irene on our block
are downed branches and maybe a wayward piece of siding.

Hurricane Irene: Brief Scheduling Update

2011-08-27T20:16:00.000-04:00

Hi SP Bloggers ... It's been quite a week here in New York ... first an earthquake and now the pending arrival of Hurricane Irene. In anticipation of the storm:

We will be closed Sunday, August 28, with plans to re-open at 10 am Monday, August 29
We've rescheduled Sunday's Layout of the Month for 6 pm Friday, September 2nd
We've also rescheduled Renee's Sunday Seasonal class for 7 pm Friday, September 2nd. If this rescheduled Seasonal class doesn't work for those originally in Sunday's class, please call the store Monday (631.539.9888) to see if there are openings in either Monday's 7 pm or Tuesday's 10:30 am classes.

Stay safe, dry and secure everyone! See you Monday.