Creative Memories Traditional 411 Blog

Designer Hi-Lite-Karen Hengel

We have been so busy typing instructions for the Project Center to launch all of the catalog projects tomorrow, that we forgot about our Designer of the Week last week!   We certainly can't forget about Karen Hengel.  Karen is on our Design Team, and also works in our workshop at Home Office.  You will find many of her wonderful projects in the new Spring Catalog! 

Karen's style changes with every project she creates, but she loves to layer and embellish her projects.  She is guided by the photos that she chooses to use on her layouts, and then goes from there. 

Currently her favorite Power Palette is the Cheerful line.  Coming in a very close second is the Black and White Power Palette.  Why?  Because adding color to it gives it a fun, new twist. 

Karen loves to use the Custom Cutting System Patterns , especially the Circle Patterns and the Jumbo Circle Pattern. 

The one thing that Karen loves to do on each of her layouts is to layer, tear, and distress.  The PERFECT tools for doing that are the Tearing Tool , The Wavy Tearing Tool , and the NEW Paper Edger! 

Karen gets her inspiration from other desinger's blogs, magazines, and of course the Creative Memories Project Center! 

Karen shared with us this layout using the Black and White Power Palette, giving it an extra punch by adding embellishments, etc in bright pink!

Check out all of Karen's projects here! 

 

Check back here on Friday, when we hi-light the talented Wendy Bretz! 

Designer Hi-lite-Melissa Ullmann

This week we hi-lite Designer Melissa Ullmann. 

Melissa works in our Home Office as the Design Team Specialist.  She is responsible for the team of designers that create the projects for all of the Creative Memories catalogs. 

Melissa started scrapbooking 18 years ago, as a result of a wedding gift from her grandmother-a CM album!   Her style is always changing, but loves a linear look using bright colors!  Currently her favorite Power Palette is Cheerful!  Why?  Because, it makes her feel....well, Cheerful! 

Melissa's favorite tool is the Custom Cutting System, with any of the Jumbo Patterns-especially the Jumbo Circle!  She loves to embellish her layouts with fun products like the Cheerful Paper Buttons, and Cheerful Paper Tags, as she shows on her layout below. 

Melissa gets her inspiration from a variety of sources.  She loves to look at magazine ads for color and layout inspiration.  Blogs....any and all are motivating!  And, of course a "scrappy" magazine or two will always do the trick. 

Melissa shared this layout with us, showing her favorite tool and Power Palette. If you like her style, you can check out her other projects here.

 
 
 Check back next week as we hi-lite Designer Karen Hengel. 

Photo Sucker Valentine's

Our talented Design Team member Sharyn Tormanen shared this post with us! 

 

This year I have two kids needing Valentines for school. I had planned on this weekend being Valentine making weekend - but it turns out that one of my kids has their party tomorrow and the other class is having their party on Monday.

So I had to step up and rush my plan a little bit.  There are a few things I would have done differently given more time - but in the end, we like them.  Wendy is at the table assembling right now. 

I had seen this idea floating around last year, and I couldn't wait to do it for/with my kids. 

The first thing I did was take both Brian and Wendy's photos with their fists in holding sucker position.  Ideally, I would have liked their arm to be outreached - but sometimes I just have to take what my kids and the light at the time of day they are available will give me.  It worked out fine.

I then had them printed into wallet sized photos.  4 x 6's would be nice, I suppose, but I'm frugal.  

And again - ideally, I would have printed the sentiment directly onto the photo before I had it printed - but I was fighting the new deadline and the constant wonder if I'd have sick kids, so I had to get my order into and picked up from Costco when the health was good.

So the sentiment is separate. 

I printed it out on 12 x 12 cardstock, leaving enough room in between each so I could punch with my Creative Memories Tag Maker

 

I then punched all the sentiments out.  

I would have had Wendy do this herself, but again - we didn't have the weekend like I thought we would.  She's assembling.  And I didn't punch the top of the H off - I just don't know how to hold a heavy camera in one hand and a heavy punch in the other very well.

Holes punched on both the top and bottom of her fist, suckers ready to slide through and tags punched and ready to join them - assembly went quickly. She's done with that before I'm done with this blog post. 

Of course, she took time to interrupt me and inform me that - oh mom, you're signed up to bring a treat and help at the party tomorrow.  

Really?????  I just made a panic phone call trying to figure out what's up with THAT??  I never got a note.

And the completed Valentine. We put the sentiment on the back, otherwise it blocked the whole fist thing which is what makes the whole thing so fun.  We have a few to pop in the mail real quick, and those ones will get more easy to mail bouquets.  I'll share a photo later.  To those that get them - act surprised. 

Like so.

Fun!