christine

Chicago, Chicago!

We are getting very excited! It is almost time to head off to the Windy City for our 5th Pazzles retreat! Are we going to see YOU there? If you have been procrastinating, it is time to get your reservation in. You will never regret it! Whether you are a beginner or advanced user, you will learn new techniques and skills. All materials are provided, including notes and outlined. There are goodies galore and door prizes too! We will be highlighting all of the tools, and most of our kits as well. If you have always wondered how the rhinestone or rubber stamp kit works, you will get hands on experience at the retreat! Do you need to get some new mats, blades and other supplies? We will have a Pazzles store on site, so you can save on shipping and get your Craft Room discount as well. Want to sign up? Click here to find out more about the Chicago Retreat. See you there! Chris and Klo

The “Must Know” Shortcut

We all love shortcuts, right? They simplify our lives and help us get things done faster. We all love finding the shortcut to the grocery store or a shortcut to cleaning the bathroom. There are dozens of shortcuts for the Inspiration Studio Software and there is a tutorial in the Craft Room video library of all the keyboard shortcuts. It also includes a PDF file of the shortcuts so that you can keep it handy and refer to it often. If there is ONE shortcut that deserves its own tutorial it is the Move Point shortcut.

Mother’s Day Easel Card

The easel cards that have become popular recently seemed perfect for a Mother's Day card. I love the idea of having a card that is also a keepsake to be displayed and enjoyed. While searching for ideas, the soft florals and scallops that are prevalent in the UK right now kept popping up. I knew they would make the card even more special.

Texas Retreat Memories

The Texas Retreat is over and life goes on but I will never forget the wonderful people who attended. Viv's excited face when she figured something our, Patricia's happy smile, Curt's gentlemanly behavior and Sarahbeth's sweet young face are just a few of my happy memories. We laughed together, got frustrated together, ate scrumptious food and even cried together. I may have been the teacher but I promise you that I was blessed to be privileged to get to know all of you. Thank you, thank you dear friends and I hope we get to see each other again soon!

Matching Pen and Fill Lines

I keep finding hidden gems in the Inspiration Studio Software that make my creative process so much easier! It isn't that I can't do the same thing in another way. But when I discovered this shortcut, I certainly did a little happy dance! It's what I love about our software, it isn't too hard for a beginner but it continues to grow with me as my skills become more advanced.

Group With Transparency

Have you noticed the little button all the way at the bottom on the left side of the Inspiration Studio Workspace? It has a little padlock on it and if you hover over it with your mouse, it says Group with Transparency. Do you know what that means and if you do, are you just a bit stumped on how to use it?

Make Templates for Your Stamps

Did you know that I started out by selling rubber stamps at home parties? I really did love collecting all of the stamps and every color of ink. In fact I still have them, although I rarely use them anymore. I think that hand cutting around stamped images just seemed a bit of a betrayal to Pazzles, so I stored them away. I will admit that I have ventured back into stamping some since Pazzles introduced their stamping kit. It is really nice to have specifically the stamp that I need. However.....there is still the fact that you need to cut around the stamped image. Ahh! But there is a solution to that dilemma.....

Change It Up: Reinventing Projects

Spring time gives me a multitude of reasons for crafting: Easter, May Day, Mother's Day and, in my family, lots and lots of birthdays. Choosing just the right present for the recipient is important but I also like to make the packaging for the present as special as the treat inside of it. It is at times like these that I turn to my Inspiration cutter to make my crafting ideas come to life.

Time is running out for ...

Wow!! The Dallas retreat is less than 2 weeks away!! Are you ready? There are a few spots left for the Dallas retreat so if you were thinking of signing up you should act fast. We will need to pack and ship supplies soon so will close registration in a few days. The hotel is a beautiful facility and we are sure to be pampered while there. If you have not gotten your room yet be sure to call in right away. You don't want to arrive on the day of the retreat and not have a place to stay. Even if you live close by, you might want to stay at the hotel so that you can fully enjoy the companionship and fun with the other ladies attending.

Chris Teaching Anaheim Retreat

Anaheim Retreat update

The Anaheim retreat is over and let me tell you..... it was a wonderful experience! I wish we could have these things on a monthly basis. I get to know all of the amazing ladies and make new friends and am so sad when it is over. Thank you, thank you, dear ladies for allowing me the privilege of getting to know you. If any of you have pictures to share you can post them in the forums under the Pazzles Retreat folder.

Custom Easter Eggs with Vinyl Resist

Vinyl Easter Egg Stickers

Add a new twist to egg decorating this year by making vinyl stickers for the eggs that are a kind of mask that would prevent color from getting on the area of the egg underneath it.

EXTENDED Special!!

This Crafty Shopper special has been extended! Wow we knew our Wobble Springs deal would be a hit but even we were surprised when we sold out in 24 hours! Our first round of Wobble Springs went so quickly we decided to order some more so that those who missed out the first time could still take advantage of the phenomenal price! This times the wobbles come in packages of 12 and are $3.49 (or $2.97 with your Craft Room discount!)

Understanding Layers

Do you remember that book about the Berenstain Bears© that taught different positions? IN the box, IN FRONT of the box, BEHIND the box and so on? It was a great way to teach children the position words and their meaning. When it comes to creating designs in the Inspiration Studio you need to know what the position tools are and what they mean.

Cupcake Wrappers and Pedestal

Flower Cupcake Wrappers and Pedestals

Spring is in the air! At my house the Daffodils and Tulips are peaking through the soil, the robins are returning and the grass is beginning to turn green. At this time of year I tend to have flowers on the brain. I can't wait to see the first flowers bloom. All of my project ideas seem to feature a flower in them somewhere. Today's project is no exception

Pop and Wobble – Adding ...

I am often asked how I know what to do to make a project stand out. Since I am not content to create a page or card and leave it flat; I have an arsenal of ways to add depth and realism to my designs. I always add inking or chalking, layers and other dimensional elements to my project. I am constantly on the look out for new products that can add a fun element to my project. Check out the rest of this blog to see my latest find. Be sure to read to the end to find out about our Crafty Special for Craft Room members.

Using the Eraser Tools

Have you discovered the Eraser Tool bar? Are you using it or did you think to yourself, "hmm...interesting but I don't think I will use it much". I want to encourage you to think again because those 3 eraser tools can do some pretty amazing things.

Inspiration 12x12 Cutting Mat

Take Care of Your Mat ...

Proper care of your cutting mat will make it last longer. Did you know that treating your mat correctly starts from the moment you remove it from the package? There are several steps that you should do to ensure that your mat lasts longer and works better for you.

Dr. Seuss Day

All over the country, kids are celebrating the Birthday of Dr. Seuss. We have been enjoying his books since I was a little girl- which is a REALLY long time ago! The first book I ever read was 'Green Eggs and Ham'. I also have fond memories of reading his silly rhyming books with our kids before bed. (Although, I have to admit that some of them didn't really settle the kids down to sleep!) My grandkids could dress up like Dr. Seuss characters for school today and I was, of course, thrilled when my daughter asked me to help with the costumes.

My Garden Scrapbook Layout

Using the Rotation Tools

If you have been using your Inspiration for a while, I want you to reminisce with me for a bit. Think back to those first few weeks after receiving your Inspiration. If you were like most of us, you approached learning the software with a great deal of excitement plus just a little bit of trepidation. First, you tried typing a word and changing the font; then you tried some of the pre-designed images from the image gallery. When you got comfortable with that, you decided to venture into some more daring applications. For instance, remember trying to figure out how to rotate a shape?

Dirty Cut Strip

How To Replace the Cutting ...

We all know that we should replace our cutting blades and mats but were you aware that you should replace the cutting strip when it is worn out? Have you seen an Inspiration that looks like this one? Maybe it is your own cutter that looks this way. If it does, you are definitely overdue for a new cutting strip.

Las Vegas Retreat was FABULOUS!

We had a wonderful time at the Las Vegas retreat! Klo and I were blessed with a great group of gals and I can't thank you all enough for coming. We would love to have the rest of you join us at one of the upcoming retreats. The friendships formed will last a lifetime.

Valentines Party Set with Subtract Weld

Valentine with Subtract Weld

Wow! The actual DAY, Valentine's Day, really snuck up on me! I have been making valentine themed projects for Pazzles for a month now but totally missed the fact that I needed to get things done for my Grandkids for today. As I was working on redoing the video tutorial for Subtract Weld, it occurred to me that it was the perfect technique to use to create a quick and easy table setting for Valentine's day.

I’m Lovin’ You Fry Box

Mini fry box with yellow twizzler "fries" inside. This is a fun treat that any kid, big or small, will enjoy receiving!

What’s New at the CHA ...

Klo and I just spent a few very busy and fun days at the Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show in Anaheim. We were looking for all kinds of new product that we think will work with the Inspiration.

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