Introducing Xyron's NEW Design Team Members - and Day 2 of Giveaways!

Last week we announced six new Xyron Design Team members - and today we want to introduce them to you!  We are SO excited to have some fresh new faces...leave them a comment here on the blog (and check out their personal blogs) and one lucky winner will receive paper packs from DCWV and Colorbok, and a Mega Runner and 1.5" create-a-sticker from Xyron!  I'll announce the winner tomorrow morning on my Facebook page!

name: Tina McDonald
lives in: New Brunswick, Canada 
blog: www.tinamcd-mysanity.blogspot.com
why we love her: Her tutorials are FANTASTIC and she uses a variety of different techniques on each project.
a little bit about her: I am 35 years old and live with my hubby of 12 years and our 5 beautiful children! Life is busy but exciting!!  Scrapping is my release from every day reality! I've been scrapping for about 8 years. I draw my inspiration from life around me!! Everything from the looks on my children's faces, to their clothes, to music we listen to and emotions in our daily life! My style is hard to pinpoint... but is kind of romantic, often simple, and slightly shabby by times. I love layering, B&W photo's and journaling strips!! I'm a Layout gal...  I love the photo's and the journaling... this is what it's all about for me! :) That is they WHY behind doing what I do! I have also grown to love creating cards and off the page style projects. I've had the honor of being on several fabulous Design Team's. I am presently designing for Spellbinders Paper Arts and WOW Embossing Powder US. I have had the honor of being published in several great magazines and books! (Scrapbook Trends, Canadian Scrapbooker, Summerset Memories, Create: Family, Scrapbooking and Beyond, Crafts N'Things and Scrapbook and Cards Today and more). I am so excited to be embarking on this new journey with Xyron! I look forward to inspiring you all and being inspired in return!

layout by Tina McDonald

name: Linda Abadie
lives in: Fairfax, Virginia
blog: http://lindaabadie.com
why we love her: We've been wanting to broaden our horizons in to the world of mixed media art, and Linda was the PERFECT fit.
a little bit about her: I am a Registered Nurse during the day and an avid papercrafter, who love painting and mixed media art. I was introduced to crafting at a very young age. I just love being creative and trying new techniques. Creating art has become therapy for me. It brings me happiness and helps me stay positive in life. I have adored Xyron products since I first discovered it and I am so thrilled to be a part of the team. I am excited to start this creative journey and share my creations with you.

layout by Linda Abadie

name: Van Nguyen 
lives in: Today - Rhode Island.  Tomorrow - San Diego!
blog: http://likethecar.blogspot.com
why we love her: Her clean and colorful projects, her photography, and we thought her Project 100 idea was genius! 
a little bit about her: I started scrapbooking right at the end of my maternity leave in mid 2010 with my amazingly strong-willed yet sweet daughter, Charlotte.  While I had slowly collected crafting things since I was a little girl (i.e. stickers, stamps, pretty paper), my desire to document her life really pushed me to pursue the hobby a bit more seriously.  It didn't take long before I acquired an extensive collection of supplies to satiate my scrappy appetite.  After I returned to work as a big firm attorney, I found creative refuge in scrapbooking.  Scrapbooking also gave me an outlet to write my family history - both the major and mundane events in life.  The preservation of history - this was a topic I studied as a student of public history in both college and graduate school.  Who knew that my academic studies would one day help mold how I scrapbooked?!  :)


I was born and raised in San Diego in a traditional Vietnamese home.  After high school, I left the mild southern California sunshine and bounced around the world - from Connecticut to Wisconsin, Hanoi to Melbourne.  I eventually found myself back in California for law school.  During law school, I married my high school sweetheart and best friend.  After a year of long-distance marriage, we finally found ourselves back home in San Diego.  This past September, with military orders in hand, I quit my big firm job and we moved our family of three to Rhode Island.  For the past seven months, I fully immersed myself in scrapping, crafting, and cooking as much as my daughter lets me.  In mid-May, my daughter and I will move back home to San Diego while my husband continues his military training and then deployment elsewhere.  

layout by Van Nguyen

name: Sharon Callis
lives in: Ardee, Co Louth, Ireland
blog: http://www.sharoncalliscrafts.blogspot.com
why we love her: Sharon could quite possibly be the Queen of the Xyron Creatopia.  Her 3-d cards completely blew us away...just look at the rest of the photos of the cake card you see below.
a little bit about her: I am 37 years old and I live in Ireland with my husband Kieran and my three children. I have been crafting for over twenty five years since high school. I started cardmaking ten years ago and I love love love it. My other passions are needlework, dollshouses, home furnishings, painting, drawing, 3d paper art and model making. I spend a lot of time designing, sketching layouts and drawing.  Last year I was crowned Cardmaking and Papercraft/ Quick Cards Made Easy Magazine Cardmaker of the Year 2011. I believe that using Xyron Adhesive products played a major part in me winning the title.  I used Xyron Adhesive products in creating all my entries. My work has been published in Cardmaking and Papercraft Magazine, Papercraft Essentails, Creative Cardmaking and on Xyron facebook. I am beyond thrilled to be joining the Xyron Design team and I cannot wait to share my projects with you. 

card by Sharon Callis

name: Christina Heeren 
lives in: Des Moines, IA
blog: http://christinaheeren.blogspot.com/
why we love her: Christina has the ability to turn every day items in to creative, fabulous projects.  Her home decor ideas make us happy!
a little bit about her: I have been married to my wonderful and supportive husband, Doug, for 18 years. I have been blessed with four children who keep me inspired and on my toes! I started papercrafting over 14 years ago when my oldest son was born.  I love to create mini albums, scrapbook pages, cards, 3D projects, and more. When I'm not playing with paper I love to hang out with my family, volunteer at my children's schools, and work on my photography skills. I am very excited to be part of the team and can't wait to share my projects with you.

projects by Christina Heeren

name: Linda Neff
lives in: Howell, MI
blog: http://linda-neff.com/
why we love her: Her use of different mediums and techniques made us swoon, and her love of fabric made her the perfect choice as we expand in to the world of fabric crafting with our Creatopia!
a little bit about her: I discovered through my first attempt at scrapbooking I could create art – my way. With rubber stamps, inks, paints, paper, fabric and other mediums, I create a soft, vintage look that is sometimes natural and sometimes a bit more romantic, but always evolving. I enjoy making mini albums, scrapbook pages and wall art to capture my little scrapped treasures.


The mother of three adult children, I live with my retired husband in Michigan and spend my time designing and teaching classes. I am Ranger certified and currently am a Design Team member for Art Glitter, Globecraft Memories and now Xyron. I am always on the lookout for new techniques. I encourage others to dive head-first into the art of papercrafting, whether it be scrapbooking, stamping or altered art.

projects by Linda Neff

These fantastic ladies join our current fabulous Design Team members:

Jessica Barnett

http://www.sunnyside-updesigns.com/

Ann Corbiere-Scott

http://www.anncorbierescott.typepad.com/

Stacy Rodriquez

http://stacy-scrappinqueen.blogspot.com/

Christina Klauer

http://ckmom78.blogspot.com/

Angela Ploegman

http://www.angelaploegman.typepad.com/

Tammy Caudell

http://www.fromtheheartoftammy.blogspot.com/

Kay Brown

http://www.scrapbook.com/myplace/index.php?mod=galleries&u=463879&m=view&id=3592641&type=-1&start=1&page=1

We can't wait to see what they create together - hope you'll join us for the inspiration!

PS - Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win!

Crafty Canvas in Canada!

A few weeks ago I had the joy of teaching MnTs at the innaugural Crop & Create event in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  While I love teaching techniques and showing people how to use Xyron products in new and creative ways - my own creative spirit is re-energized when I see people take a project and make it their own...and those fabulous Canadians did just that!

One of our MnTs was a darling fall tag using a Canvas Corp canvas tag, Maya Road mists, and the Xyron Creatopia (see bottom of this post for directions). While I created a basic project to encourage crafters of all levels - I was tickled that so many people felt comfortable experimenting with the techniques and products to create something that expressed their own personalities.  Take a look and see for yourself!

The original project:

A sampling of the projects created by Crop & Create attendees:

Thank you wonderful Saskatchewanians (yeah - I made that up...it works - right?) for sharing your weekend and your creativity with me.  I left you feeling excited and motivated and re-engaged - can't wait to come back!

Want to make a tag of your own?  Get out a few items and start creating!

Fall Canvas Tag Canvas Corp canvas tag Maya Road Mists misting mask (if desired) background stamp (this project used Hero Arts La Lettre) black ink pad assorted scraps of fabric (approx 6x6) Xyron Creatopia with fabric adhesive refill leaf die (this project used Sizzix Bigz Die Tattered Leaves) die cutting machine (this project used the Xyron Creatopia Shapez component) coordinating buttons, rhinestones, ribbon, assorted embellishments

Instructions Mist canvas tag to desired coloring, using mask for additional shading if desired. Set aside to dry. Run fabric through the Creatopia fabric adhesive. Run fabric through die cutting machine using leaf die. To get an assortment of leaf colors you will repeat this process at least three times using different colored fabric. Set extra leaves aside for another project. Determine approximate placing of leaves but do not adhere. Using background stamp and black ink pad, stamp image on "blank" areas of tag where leaves will not be applied. *Hint - for less of a "blocky" look, use a baby wipe to wipe off ink on outer edges of stamp before stamping on canvas.* Peel backing off of leaf die cuts and adhere to tag. Embellish as desired and enjoy!

unused bathtub + clever friend = total cushy awesomeness!!

We have been living in this house for almost three years...and almost every day for those three years I have been lamenting that the tub in our master bath is an eyesore. 

spur of the moment craftiness!

Here I am in all my overly-caffeinated, overly-sugared, not-enough-sleep glory at CHA!  A camera crew walked right up to the Xyron booth and asked me to demo the Creatopia (this actually happened SEVEN times on Tuesday morning) - and here is the result!  Enjoy!

Scrap Time - CHA Winter 10 - Creatopia by Xyron from Mark Giles on Vimeo.

Fabric Obsession Day 5: Creatopia Fabric Book!

Now that I have become totally ENTHRALLED with fabric (my husband...probably not so much enthralled :)) - I offer you this Fabric Book video featuring...why...it is the Xyron Creatopia!  Surprise Surprise! 

Doing these with Chris Potter always cracks me up!!

For those of you just beginning to think about adding fabric to your paper crafting - this project is PERFECT for you.  In fact - it was the first fabric project I did when Creatopia first came out, and I loved it so much I taught it as a class! 

HAPPY FABRIC CRAFTING!!!

Xyron Creatopia Growth Chart Project and my New Year's Resolution

We're getting back in to the Creatopia swing after the Christmas holiday and I am LOVING this latest project!  Perfect for the newest edition to any family - this darling growth chart (and yes - I believe I say that verbatim on the video!) is easy to create with the Xyron Creatopia...even for those of us who have a love/hate relationship with our sewing machines!!

Speaking of sewing machines...I have been SO inspired by this blog entry from Tina Cockburn that my New Year's resolution is going to be to actually SEW SOMETHING!!!  Her quilts are absolutely stunning and the colors are just heavenly!!  My "sewing phobia" has always been keeping the squares and appliques on the fabric while I'm trying to sew...but I think with the Creatopia I might actually be able to do it!  Thank you Tina for the inspiration!

Xyron Creatopia - Fabric Refillz and other adhesive goodness!!

Day 2 of the Xyron Creatopia video bonanza...a few videos demonstrating the different adhesives available in this fabulous new machine!

ADHESIVE AND LAMINATE REFILLZ

The Creatopia delivers the edge to edge adhesive you know and love from Xyron, but now does it in 12 INCHES!!

In addition, for the first time EVER, Xyron has created a machine that will take any product up to 1/2" thick!!  This allows you to apply adhesive on foam, wood, plastic, acrylic, memorabilia, almost anything your little heart desires!

ADHERING THICKER ITEMS

FABRIC REFILLZ

For those of you who are fabric crafters - quilting, embroidery or other projects, the Creatopia will change the way you create!!

I freely admit, until Creatopia came along I was TERRIFIED of fabric crafts because:

I didn't feel I had the expertise or patience to try to keep fabric in place as I ran it through my sewing machine.

I didn't feel comfortable using fabric on my paper crafting projects because I had NO CLUE how to adhere it to my projects without using some sort of wet glue mess.

I couldn't get the hang of temporary stitches or pinning stuff in place.But NO MORE!!  Xyron has created this AMAZING fabric adhesive that will do away with your temporary stitches and your pins, the adhesive won't gum up your needle and is machine washable, and there is no wait time for glue to dry on your paper projects!  It is HEAVEN!!  Thank you Xyron for making me craftier!!

Xyron Creatopia videos are here!!

Well...ok...they've been "here" for a while but I am such a technical loser that I had to wait for Don to come home and help me figure out how to get them up and running.  Yes - I am that cool.  To that end, I'll post a video or two per day and we'll end up with a whole library of videos for your viewing pleasure!

For those of you who are interested in buying a Creatopia but aren't 100% sure what it does, these videos are for you. For those of you lucky ducks who have already purchased a Creatopia but want a visual tutorial on how to change out the components or replace the cartridges or any other helpful hint - these are for you.  For my mom who doesn't care what these videos are about and just thinks it is neat that I am on them - these are for you! First up...the Xyron Creatopia Overview! Happy Viewing!