Noodle Soup

Newsflash!

My summer kids' class, Kidding Around {2}, is officially open for registration!

This year's class project is more art journal than scrapbook, and while any type of journal or notebook can be used, I am using and recommending the much-anticipated Smash book. Big Picture Classes has a limited amount available for registered students to order. So if you want to be guaranteed a Smash journal (which are likely to sell like hot cakes everywhere when they hit stores next month!), I would register sooner rather than later. Just sayin'. :)

A few things you might want to know about the class:

• It runs June 23 - August 3. If you're on vacation during that time, no worries...you can tack missed assignments on at the end, double up, or just skip 'em. 
• It's geared toward elementary school kids, but younger kids can absolutely participate with a little parental help...for instance they can dictate their journaling to you, then decorate the pages on their own. Older kids are welcome, too!
• You do not have to be a parent to sign up your favorite kid...aunties, grandmas, babysitters, etc. are all welcome! 
• There will be daily assignments, Monday through Friday. These will range from simple journaling prompts, to imaginative activities, to make-something-in-the-kitchen tasks. The most involved activities are on Fridays, to give a little extra time, and the whole six weeks worth will be viewable in the classroom on the very first day, in case you like to plan ahead. Each activity will have an accompanying journal assignment.
• If you took the class last year, 95% of the content will be new to you.
• If you have more than one child, you only need to sign up once, but each child will need their own journal.
• Taite will be playing along in real-time, and we'll be posting her pages on a blog in the classroom.

Any other questions? Feel free to ask.

Hope to be Kidding Around with you this summer!

Have you heard about Postagram?

If you love iPhone photo apps as much as I do, then you're gonna dig my latest find!

Postagram is a free app that links to your Instagram account and sends a postcard of your Instagram pic anywhere in the world in 2 - 5 days for just 99 cents. 

Just choose an Instagram pic...

 

...and add a message, up to 140 characters. The default is what you uploaded with your Instagram pic, but you can edit it to fit the recipient, or delete it altogether if you'd like.

 

The Postagram arrives as a laminated, glossy postcard, white on the address side, black on the photo side, with your Instagram avatar in the upper corner. I found them to be rather fingerprint-y, particularly on the black side, but they do wipe clean nicely. The photo itself is 3x3, and is perforated to pop out of the card. 

 

(images courtesy of Postagram)

It's a great way to send an inexpensive memento of a fun day, or a personalized hello to a far-away friend or relative. You could literally send photo thank you notes from a birthday party as the presents were being opened!

Aside from the picture-sharing possibilities, Postagram is a fantastic way to use those sometimes-less-than-stellar phone pics in your scrapbooking. Add an Instagram filter, and a so-so pic becomes artistic and cool. Send a Postagram to yourself, and you've got an artistic and cool 3x3 print to scrapbook, with the snippet of journaling you composed in the moment right there for reference.

(my actual Postagrams)

Postagrams are printed on specialty cardstock at 300 dpi with an HP Indigo inkjet printer, so if you're worried about archival quality, these should measure up. HP Indigo has a display permanence rating of 45 years, and an album/dark storage rating of greater than 100 years.

I love the way technology just keeps making it easier and easier to capture memories wherever, whenever!

Good morning!

Today was a first for me: teaching a class in my jammies!

Sure, I've been in jammies while recording audio or checking the message board for BPC classes, but today I taught an 8am live webinar...and well, it was just too early on a Saturday morning to worry about getting dressed first. 

So True Scrappers - here you go...this is what I looked like this morning, in jammies with my coffee:

I did put on a bra in case I had to be on video in the classroom...you're welcome!

Everyday inspiration

I've spent the past couple of weeks busily preparing my content and presentation for True Scrap! 

In my Inspiration Files session, you'll learn all about spotting, using, and keeping track of everyday visual inspiration, with plenty of insight into the what, where, why and how of turning all kinds of likely and unlikely eye candy into great pages. I'm pretty excited to be sharing my ideas in this groundbreaking virtual expo format, and I can't wait to see what fun and creativity the other fabulous teachers have up their sleeves!

I had so much fun honing in on brand new bits of everyday inspiration for this seminar...gleaned everywhere from the optometrist's office to Anthropologie, and lots of places in between. Here is just one little piece of ordinariness that sparked a page example: 

I've seen a few sneak peeks from the other instructors, and it's shaping up to be a not-to-be-missed event. I mean, where else can you take classes from a dozen creative aces from all over the globe for about $8 each, PLUS get five virtual make & take project videos from a variety of well-known manufacturers and kit clubs? It's an amazing opportunity and value, and you don't even have to get out of your jammies to participate!

If you haven't signed up yet, do it quick...the fun kicks off at 5pm Eastern this Thursday with a keynote from the phenomenal Ali Edwards, and runs through Saturday. You can see the full lineup of classes & times on the True Scrap site.