08/26/24 Random Thoughts
HACKS –
Ok, I admit it – I’ve become one of those old ladies who watches HSN – Craft Day and Shoe Shopping with Jane are my favorites. HSN Craft Day is usually the 1st Tuesday of the month and it begins at Midnight on Monday night. I am a night owl so watching the first presentation of the day is not difficult…..last Craft Day, Diamond Press (it’s become one of my favorites – I like the products but I especially love Beth Kingston who is hilarious) introduced a new bundle, blending brushes with a CLEANING MAT! The cleaning mat is easy to use – just add a little bit of dish soap with water to the mat and whoosh (Beth’s words) your brushes on top to clean. I thought that was the best thing since sliced bread but for $24.95 plus shipping, a bit pricey. Granted, it came with a bunch of blending brushes but I already had plenty of those. So I passed but still coveted that Mat. Now comes the hack…after looking at the Mat more closely online, I discovered it was just a piece of silicon with raised areas. Hmmm, I’m thinking, someone must have already thought about cleaning make-up brushes! So on my next visit to the Dollar (& .25¢) Tree, I looked around the cosmetic area and low and behold, found MAKEUP BRUSH CLEANING MATs shaped like fruits and various other fun shapes. So for a $1.25 I now have an ink blending brush cleaning Mat! Gotta love the Dollar (& .25¢) Store! Tell us about the brilliant “hacks” you discovered lately!
Goals –
I had a goal this summer – to re-organize and downsize my craft room/office. I admit it, when it comes to scrapbooking supplies, I’m a hoarder…for example, I had several magazine “files” devoted to scrapbooking which I had subscribed to “back in the day”. You know the kind of file I’m talking about, the cardboard magazine holders you can get at Ikea and now the Dollar (&.25¢) Tree. These magazine holders were overfilled with Creative Memories, Creative Scrapbooking and other craft magazines, most dated 2000-2007! I couldn’t remember the last time I looked through these for inspiration or “new” techniques…..looking through them to keep or discard, I noticed that all the magazines were mostly ads for various products, actual articles, were few and far between. The worst part was seeing stickers, embellishments and paper I still have and have never used! How many times have I looked through my stash, found these older products, especially stickers, only to realize they are so old, they no longer stick and they’re falling off the packaging or just plain, outdated. Or better still, I have duplicates and triplicates!!! Needless to say, most of the magazines are currently up for grabs! Anyone who wants them can email me! Hurry, though, they will be discarded this week! As for my goal – well my craft room is clean and you can walk in here, just don’t go down to the basement……
My new goal? STOP SHOPPING! ( Yeah, like that’s gonna happen!)
Question –
The result of the re-organization is a moderate amount of supplies and/or storage I no longer need. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has some items they wouldn’t mind bringing to a “Yard Sale” –
Thus, the question – Would anyone be interested in a new page called “the Yard Sale” which would allow you to post items no longer wanted or needed? The page would be strictly for posting craft supplies – and associated accessories, such as storage, crafting lights, tables, etc. Crafts would be limited to paper crafting, scrapbooking, card making and sewing. Nonconforming posts would be removed without notice. Decision of the JUDGE (that would be me) is final. Comment via email at Janice@nofrillscrops.com
FINAL THOUGHTS
CREATIVE MEMORIES-
Thanks to all the CM Co-op members, new and current, who ordered in July and August. Creative Memories has introduced a new personal trimmer and for the first time ever – a carrying storage case. The bundle promotion recently launched is already sold out but the new trimmer is expected back in stock this week. Check out the newest product launch and promotion and take advantage of the Rebate for Co-op members. What’s the Rebate and what’s a Co-Op? Email me with any questions. Beginning Monday, August 26, 2024 until September 6 at noon CT shipping for orders over $80.00 is FREE! Order through my website https://www.creativememories.com/cm/nofrillsscrapbooking to become a member of the “CM Co-Op” and receive a Rebate from ME! For example, an $80.00 order will receive a check for $50.00! ( A small administrative fee is deducted). Of course, the higher the order amount, the higher the Rebate! See the featured image at the top of the page for more details!
NO FRILLS SCRAPBOOKING
The No Frills Scrapbooking website www.nofrillscrops.com is busily filling custom paper orders as well as orders for the remaining inventory in our store. We are offering FREE SHIPPING for orders over $90.00. To take advantage of the free shipping option, order $90.00 or more and use Coupon Code FREESHIP90. Currently, our shipping rates are calculated by the USPS and we offer Ground Advantage, a low cost shipping method. We do not charge any additional amount beyond the USPS calculated shipping rate. We proudly offer a discounted price on all of our products every day and a little surprise with your purchase. Check out our Store, we are regularly adding new products and offering occasional specials!
That’s it for now….
For the past 10 years, I’ve been thinking about, working on, and attempting to learn how to write a Blog.
But here’s the thing, I’m technologically challenged and I have ADD. For those of you who know me, you probably already figured that out. Besides, I use it as a convenient (although true) excuse not to use Facebook, Tik Tok, Instagram, X or whatever social media outlet is currently the “ONE”. Plus, I tell everyone I meet AND I don’t have one of those “fancy phones”.
The thing about us “Boomers” is that we weren’t born using a keyboard, so unless you took typing in high school – thanks Mrs. Butler! – or at Hesser College (thanks Ms. Allard!) (dating myself?), “keyboarding” was not a common task . And the closest thing to computers I got was in my 20’s, which was a Word Processor machine….. Last year while visiting my son in L.A., we went to an Art Museum. One room had an installation that held a word processor spitting out reams of that green and white striped computer paper, you know the kind with the holes on the sides? My son and his girlfriend had never seen such a machine and couldn’t figure out what it was supposed to be……that hurt….! You get the picture…..In my working life, anyone (usually someone much younger than I was!) who knew anything at all about computers, was a “genius” someone to be fawned over, treated with admiration and respect! StarTrek’s communicators and talking computers were in a future we could only imagine and would probably never see in our life time…
But the longer computers are around, the easier they have become to use AND you can look stuff up on YouTube…..or ask your 3 year old grandkids….
So today is the day I decided to be brave and challenge myself and just begin writing….so here’s the inaugural Blog for No Frills Scrapbooking….
Announcements!
In March, this year, I made the difficult decision to stop sponsoring the semi annual retreat Events. I stopped sponsoring the monthly crops in Bedford, June of 2022. That was not a difficult decision as the hotel had changed hands and the new management’s pricing was no longer affordable for small day crops. Fortunately, the monthly events were handed off to Beth Chalbeck who folded them into her monthly Cheeky Binders events. Beth has been sponsoring quilt retreats for her Cheeky Binders group so she is an experienced and excellent event hostess. So before I changed my mind about not sponsoring any more events (something I’ve done several times in the last couple of years!) I talked to Beth about taking over the semi-annual retreats I sponsored. Fortunately for the No Frills Scrapbooking group, Beth’s Cheeky Binders will now be sponsoring the winter event beginning in 2025. Although there will no longer be a No Frills Scrapbooking FALL event, it will be combined with a Cheeky Binders event scheduled for November 2024. (see BELOW) I am grateful to Beth for continuing my former events. And looking forward to attending her events as a participant and working on my own albums, sewing or paper projects!
I have also made the incredibly difficult to decision to stop vending at events. That decision was final as of January this year. I totally enjoyed all the scrapbooking retreats I have attended as a vendor. I have traveled far and wide – to a Dude Ranch in upstate New York, the New Jersey shore and all the way down to West Virginia (Shepherdstown – reportedly one of the most haunted towns in America, which I didn’t know at the time) and every state in New England, from Rhode Island to Vt. to the Cape and up to Maine. I have met some of the funniest woman (Betsy C. that’s you!) and some of the loveliest women you will ever meet (the list is toooo long)! I’ve made many friends and learned from some amazing, kind and generous vendors and retreat sponsors, (Jen B, Jen C, Julie, Deb B. Laurie C., owners & staff at Hy-Ridin’ Ranch, Lynn C.) I have made some wonderful friends with wholesalers (Sonya, Michelle, Joanne), and learned a lot from marketing & computer consultants (Anabelle). I cherish the opportunities this small business has given me. I am grateful to each and everyone of you!
With all that said, although No Frills Scrapbooking is no longer sponsoring or vending at Events, we (I) continue to provide our unique personalized cardstock service through our website Store. I have learned to custom design cardstock and welcome the opportunity and challenge of designing paper for a specific lay out page personal to you! And you can check out my online store for page kits, paper collections, overlays, Mosaic Moments products and scrapbooking supplies while they last!
On Being a Creative Memory Advisor –
Some of you may know that this small business started as a result of Creative Memories. Yes, I became a Creative Memories consultant so my friends and I could take advantage of the “commission” a consultant receives. I didn’t want to become a “demonstrator”, maintain an inventory or hold classes. I just wanted to receive and pass along the commission to all my friends so we could feed our “scrapbook supply/CM” addiction – get more and spend less! That decision resulted in my formation of a “Co-Op”. You had to “join” the Co-Op in order to get the “Rebate”. Long story short, the original CM went under, and when it was purchased by some of the original CM employees, I rejoined Creative Memories as an Advisor and continued the Co-Op. That Co-Op is still alive and active and I continue to send out Rebates to anyone placing an order through my website. The“new CM” has changed its commission structure but the products are still the same quality and the company is very conservative in maintaining and introducing new inventory. CM continues to provide us with new tools, new designer paper, cardstock and storage products. CM holds promotions almost weekly and launches new products monthly and seasonally. Anyone who does not have a Creative Memory Advisor and would like to order great products and receive a Rebate can order through my website, https://www.creativememories.com/cm/nofrillsscrapbooking. and become a member of the “CM Co-Op.
How the Rebate works-
The Rebate is a personal check sent to you directly by me. Creative Memories does not sanction, approve, authorize or provide the Rebate. You will not see anything on the company website regarding a rebate. You do not have to apply, notify me you’ve placed an order, request, spend a minimum or qualify for a Rebate. I receive a notification when an order is placed through my website. That provides me with the information I need to send you a Rebate check after I receive the commission from the company. The Rebate is a percentage of your total product order and does not include the cost of shipping or tax. A small administrative fee is deducted for my costs to send you the rebate. The only “catch” is that the order must be placed through my website for me to earn the commission I return to you.
The Co-Op has been around for well over 10 years and works very well. It’s a win-win for all the members. The more I “earn”, the higher the commission percentage – which I pass along to the members. If you have any questions about the Co-Op or ordering CM products, contact me at Janice@nofrillscrops.com.
That brings me to my last announcement -!
Beth Chalbeck has announced the November Cheeky Binders Event!
Hello Everyone,
I’m so excited to get this email out to you! I hope you all have had a wonderful summer so far; it’s going by so fast for me!
As most of you have heard we are combining 2 groups – Janice’s No Frills and My Cheeky Binders, everyone that goes loves to craft something: some scrapbook, quilt, knit or crotchet, make cards, or any craft possible: in the end we all have something in common crafting!!! And it’s great to get together, meet new people and have fun!
There is so much to go over!! First and foremost, the date is Thursday November 14th @ 3pm to Sunday November 17th till 3pm. It is being held @ the Holiday Inn 172 N Main St Concord NH 03301- 603-224-9534, there are 12 rooms blocked for us @ $119.00 so call asap once they are gone you will be subject to the going rate. The great thing is most of us are close to home, so you do not have to room there if you don’t want to. You will need to mention Cheeky Binders weekend 11/14-17/24 so they book you in the blocked rooms. As far as food goes, we are on our own- there are many restaurants in the area and the Hotel has a restaurant. you’re welcome to bring food in and keep it in your room refrigerator, but there is not one in the craft room. It will cost $70 to reserve your table. that is payable to me: you can send a check to Beth Chalbeck PO Box 143 Candia, NH 03034 or you can pay through Venmo @Beth-Chalbeck keep in mind when paying through Venmo if you choose to turn on: Turn on for purchases they take a fee and I will ask you to pay that fee before I will add you to the list, you do not need to use that, you’re paying for a spot not purchasing an item that may need a refund, A deposit of $40 is due by August 23rd to save your spot, the remainder $30 is due by October 1st,
I do, do things a little different, we do a Yankee swap (participation is not mandatory) with a theme, this fall retreat theme is Gnomes, it is so fun to see what everyone comes up with. there really is no monetary cap because you can’t put a $$ on something made but $25 is good to strive for. again, it’s not mandatory so if money and or time is tight no worries. watching is fun too!! We also have a lot of fun playing Left – Right – Center and we use 3 fat quarters, that is a quilt term it’s a half yard (18 inches) and that is cut at the fold to make 2 fat quarters out of 1 half yard.
I’m looking into Brook coming back, as Janice mentioned in one of her emails, Brook had a fall and I’m not sure if she will be able to Message or not. I will let you all know, when I know more. Some of the emails Janice gave me doesn’t have a name attached to it, could you please reply to this email and let me know to add you to the list and give me your name address and phone number.
Any and all questions are welcome! You can reply to the email or text me at my number below. Add me to your contact list. I can’t wait for the retreat!!
Thank you for your time!
Sincerely,
Beth Chalbeck
603-370-0851