Scenic Route's New Release.....

Welcome the New Arrival of the Scenic Route Grafton and Providence Lines! Click on the GREAT Layout I made and it will link you to there nice cozy location on our website! S

Sorry about the post absence from me, I seriously doubt that any of you really missed me, but it just makes me feel good to think someone out there did! So leave me a comment and let me know that you guys actually read my post, and not just what's her names!!!!

As before, if there is anything else that we can do for you, PLEASE let us know! Thanks again!

Justin 'Scrapy-Baby-J'

P.S. Also, be on the look-out for the New Quickutz release, pretty sure I see it coming up on the horizon......arrrg!!!

TODAY IS LEAP DAY...

so if you're ready, willing and able...go jump!

Well, suffice it to say, that is why my youngest child thought today meant! How sweet!

Happy February 29th! Happy bonus day. Happy calendar realignment!

Do something crazy today - something silly - something totally out of the ordinary. Something that you would only do if you were given an extra day!

And then tell us what you did...leave a comment and brag on yourself! I'll tell you if you tell me! (wink, wink)

If you're in the Pacific Northwest, and are planning on heading to the Portland CK Convention, stop by the Scrap-Mart booth. Mr. Doss and Ms. Laura would love to see you (and would you tell them Essie needs the Bazzill cardstock pack that matches Grafton...so bring one home to me pretty please!)

Thanks!

I'm jealous of all of you who are there. I simply LOVE that part of our country! Just love it! So enjoy yourselves. Have a wonderful time!

And at Mr. Doss' request - Monday will start a couple of new challenges. I think we'll do one a week for the month of March. I figure we'll all be rested and refreshed.

You know, after our BONUS day today!

So check back then and do join in. It's so much more fun when several participate! The more participation...the bigger the prizes!!

I'm off to start my day of crazy, extra, bonus activities. I'll fill you in later...maybe!

behave yourselves...

OH DEAR! MY POOR SISTER...

just got engaged.

And while the engagement part is okay - it's what I discovered today that may cause her a bit of stress!

I started to make a "Congratulations" card for the bride-to-be today. Easy enough.

Grabbed my favorite alphabet for formal occasions...Bosskut Monogram Alphabet, picked out the dies, loaded them into my Revolution and cut out my sister's new initials...


That's when I realized her new initials will spell A.R.M.

Oh...I couldn't help but giggle. And then write on the inside of the card a few ARM-Y jokes..."a fresh and funky bride - be all that you can be"! "We want YOU to come to our wedding!" It was funny - and she'll be a good sport about it I'm sure. I'm just glad MY initials don't spell out any 3-letter word!

Don't you just love that Monogram font though. I took a picture of the card, next to an adhesive dispenser so you can see the size of the letters. They are definitely super-sized! Love using them like this...as just monograms. Also great to mount a letter individually on a circle, tag or square, as a page embellishment. Love that! So simple and classy! Modern, formal or heritage - just love the versatile things in my stash!

Mr. Doss and Ms. Laura are headed out tomorrow to the Portland CKC. That leaves Sweet Justin in charge. Sounds like a good weekend will be had by all!

And check out the map over in the right hand column. Hawaii, China and Europe...HELLO FRIENDS!! If you click on the map you can see where people have "hit us" from. Don't you just love technology?

I'm off to start working on wedding shower invitations. Wish me luck!

behave yourselves...

MADE A CUTE CARD...

that has "guy" written all over it.

And I usually have a hard time making masculine cards. But this example shows that color is really all it takes.

(click on the image for a larger view)

If I had made the EXACT SAME card in yellows, greens, pinks or purples - the whole pattern would work well for a girlie card. I just used blues and browns - even added a blue flower AND blue bling - and VIOLA! Manly guy card - ready to send out tomorrow morning!

Which really just goes to show - that once you get a great pattern made up for a card you should make up a whole bunch of them. You'll have your dies, your cardstock, your adhesive and your embellishments out - so why not crank out a bunch?

And that's exactly what I'm getting ready to do!

This card uses a bunch of BRAND NEW QuicKutz products:

Nesting Ovals Cookie Cutters I used the three largest ovals, and cut them out as ovals...not as rings

Cookie Cutter Flower Shapes LOVE this set...I can see my REALLY getting my monies worth out of this versatile set!

Rockstar Cookie Cutter Alphabet I actually didn't think I'd like this font when I first saw it - but oh my stars I so love it now that I've cut it out! Looks kind of Partridge Familyesque - don't you think? A throw back to the 70's? Think it's going to become one of my all-time-faves!

I put all of the ovals together using the QuicKutz Cardstock QuickStripz. This adhesive backed, textured cardstock is my favorite for cutting out these kinds of quickie-cutie cards. All I had to use adhesive for was the patterned paper onto the white cardstock base. LOVE IT!

The whole card took about 2 minutes! CARD MAKING BLISS!

If you haven't looked at the new QuicKutz products - you're missing out! And remember - Mr. Doss will always send your QK products out with FREE SHIPPING!

I'm off to mass produce some "Hi" cards! If I get enough made - maybe our March contest winners will get a few tucked into their goodie bags!

behave yourselves...

OH MY GOODNESS...

oh my goodness!  Be still my racing heart.

I just got to play with a brand new scrap-tool.  And I must say, I'm not sure how I've lived without it all this time!

Mr. Doss and Susan spent all of last week at CHA and the Orange County Scrapbook Expo.  Well, Susan was oh-so-sweet and brought home a big box of new goodies for me.  And while a box of scrapbooky goodness usually would not have sat untouched for very long - this week it did.

However, tonight - I opened up the QuicKutz Magnetic Wand.


Trust me ladies, when I say, this is the best $8.99 you'll spend on scrapbook supplies THIS MONTH!

Possibly THIS YEAR!

Oh sure, it's great for picking up QK Cookie Cutter dies from either the magnetic binders...


or the Revolution magnetic platform.  Yes in deed, it does a superb job.

But what I discovered tonight is that it is also handy when it comes to flipping through my QK Magpie Tins...


it makes quick work of a full tin - and I when I reach the die I'm looking for I just lift up the wand and the die comes too!

Isn't that just divine! I'm so excited I'm tingly all over!

Now that I've got magnetic tool on the brain I've got to dive into the stack of 12" QK dies sitting in front of me. I was handed a stack and told to "go have fun". (Why no one ever tells Sweet Justin to do that is beyond me. Maybe because he already has so much fun?)

So the rest of the evening I'll be getting the hang of the 12" Revolution Platform. If you haven't seen it...you must check it out here! Ms. Laura put it up for pre-order, which really is ideal. You can order it right now - and just kind of forget about it. Then when they arrive, and people are clamoring to get their scrappy paws on one - yours will simply show up in your mailbox! Scrapbook nirvana!

Now then, I've rambled on long enough. But I simply must pass along one more Friday night secret. You see, it's chilly tonight and I was looking for something to warm me up while I sit and play here in my scrap room. So I pulled out my tried-and-true heaven-on-earth treat.


I call it Chocolate Raspberry Heaven. You'll need a handful of dark chocolate Hershey Kisses, and a mug of freshly brewed Raspberry Zinger tea. Then it's simple. Unwrap one piece of chocolate and place it on your tongue, then take a big sip of your tea. It's a dark-raspberry-chocolate feeling that words can't describe. It's guaranteed to warm you up from the inside out!

Try it. You'll LOVE IT!

So go order yourself a Magnetic Wand. And by all means, get on the pre-order list for the 12" platform! You will NOT be sorry you did!

behave yourselves...

A LITTLE LATE...

but my intentions were really, really good! I promise you.

I intended to post this cookie recipe last week...while the crew was at CHA. But the grey cloud known as "influenza" decided to settle itself over our household. We are just now getting back to normal.

(Can you believe that the Mister keeps asking me to define "normal"...in relationship to our house. He seems to think it's funny!)

Anyway - I've had pictures from CHA emailed to me. I have a list of the FUN, CUTE new products that have been ordered. But as this is my first day back in front of the computer...cookies is all I'll try to muster right now!


ESSIE'S EVERYTHING COOKIES

1 C. crunchy peanut butter (we prefer Skippy)

1 C. softened butter (no margarine allowed!)

1 C. granulated sugar

1 C. slightly-packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

2 C. quick-cooking rolled oats

2 C. all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1½ C. semi-sweet chocolate chips


Cream peanut butter, butter, white and brown sugar together.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.

Combine oats, flour and baking soda in a separate bowl, then stir into peanut butter mixture.

Add chocolate chips. If the dough is a little sticky, stir in a bit more flour.

Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Place in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly brown. You DO NOT want to overcook these.

Cool on rack. - - - Makes about 3 dozen...possibly more, depending on how much dough you've eaten while one pan bakes!

I'm off to brew a fresh pot of Raspberry Zinger tea - and curl up with the March issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine that just appeared in my mailbox today. Of course, now I'm dreaming of cookies - so maybe I can talk my children into making a batch for their sick momma. Wish me luck!

behave yourselves...

Answering Some Questions...

hopefully!

We have received a lot of questions about the new Making Memories Slice Cutting Machine. How does it work? Did we order any? When will it be shipping?

Well, I searched all over the net, and low and behold YouTube has several demos of the Slice in action!



The machines were ordered at CHA...and it was a big order!

And for now, Making Memories is taking the safe route and just saying "by July".

So there you have it. That's all that we know...as of right now.

If you have any more questions, we are always here to help. Feel free to give us a call!

ATTENTION SILHOUETTE USERS...

QuicKutz released a software update last week.  You may have received an email notifying you of this, or you may have heard about it from somewhere else.

However a few issues have come to everyone's attention over the weekend.  Issues with the new software.

QuicKutz is aware of the issues - but most of their office is attending CHA in California this week.

It is Scrap-Mart.com's recommendation to NOT install any of the upgrades at this point.   QuicKutz will get some fixes and/or explanations up on their web site soon - but for right now, our recommendation is to hold off!

We know you love your Silhouette.  We know QuicKutz is an awesome company.  We also know that glitches happen when you're dealing with writing software.  So let's just relax for a bit and wait for them to tell us what to do.

In the meantime - let's make cookies.


I'm off to make a big ol' yummy batch of "Essie's Everything" cookies.  YUMMMMMmm

I'll post the recipe tomorrow!

behave yourselves....

NOTE TO SELF...

when you get a brand new shiny computer, and then discover that said computer has to be returned for an upgrade that was "overlooked" at time of purchase...RECORD YOUR PASSWORDS.

Because upgrades should take 48 hours.  But usually things go wrong when I'm counting on anything taking only 48 hours.

And when things go wrong - they tend to go really, REALLY wrong.  In this house we call it "Essie's Law" (mainly because we don't know Murphy personally, and feel it's bad manners to talk about the fellow behind his back).

Would you believe that for the past 3 weeks I have been unable to access this little bloggity-blog, or my email account?  All because I always hit that little button that says "remember my password"...and then I promptly forget my password.

So I was shut out.  Locked out.  Given the cold shoulder.  Given the ol' heave-ho.  It was ugly.  It was frustrating.  It was driving me plain batty.  But it's over. Because my shiny new computer is back - and better than before. (And, for the record, I have changed all of my passwords, I have written the new ones down, and I have filed them in my office under "important paperwork". If I ever ask you - will you remind me...please?)

So please forgive me for my absence. Of course, Sweet Justin could have jumped in and filled in the gaps with some witty banter about school, UPS tales or website updates. But he didn't. And I'll be speaking with him about THAT...later!

Okay - on to the issues at hand.  That issue being CHA.  If you don't already know - CHA is the "Craft and Hobby Association". The big four day show is going on in Anaheim, CA this week and it is gi-normous!  It's not just scrapbooking, it's woodworking, needle working, watch making, toll painting.  All crafts, all hobbies, all under one roof.

Mr. Doss and Susan are headed out to the show this week.  They will be working their magic to bring "all that is good" to you.  New things will be showing up at scrapbook conventions and at Scrap-Mart.com before you know it.

But I can't wait! Here are a couple of little sneakie-peeks this I just have to share with you:



These are the brand-new-not-to-be-shipping-for-still-a-little-while QuicKutz border dies. Aren't they just lovely? I think of how they will dress up plain cardstock...oh mercy me!

And here is a teeny sampling of what we'll soon have from Scenic Route:





two new paper lines, rub-ons galore, stamps, chipboard, albums, stickers and photo mats. Oh be still my fluttering heart!

Just wait until you see it all.

Mr. Doss and Susan have PROMISED to email me pictures from California. And when they do I will post them here. I promise.

Because I have my passwords committed to memory. Meaning, they're written down!

And right after CHA the Scrap-Mart.com crew is heading to the Orange County Expo. Three-days of crazy, scrapbooky fun, guaranteed!

behave yourselves...