more sneaks comin at ya...

Penny & I spent yesterday with a great group of gals at the Halloween Scrapaganza crop. We had a ton of fun, a costume contest, & I finally got to meet a former {scrapaganza design diva}... who by the way, is also going to be our guest designer for November!
{Hint, hint local gals...can you guess who it is?}

Here are a few sneaks of the layouts I completed using the new November kit!
{Available November 5th!}







Are you spending this spooky weekend scrappin away?
~meganklauer

Countdown...

It's only about a week away from the reveal of the November kit!

Need a few more sneaks to temp you?

Well, we've got 'em!

Mandy:

Michelle:

Have a wonderful {spooky} weekend!

what are you up to these days?

Two of our design team members have been making some amazing new layouts using the October kit {safe haven}.

Penny:

And I just have to share this beautiful photo that Penny used on this layout. Great capture Penny!

MandyKay:


Hello...total wow on the button use!

We have some amazing girls here, right? Be sure to check out the gallery & upload what you've been up to!

Let's hear, your fear...

Happy Halloween week everyone! This weeks challenge is to scrapbook your biggest fear...

is it spiders...

snakes...


heights...


What makes your skin crawl?

Share your {fear} layouts with us in the gallery!

hey hey mandy kay!

We are completely in LOVE with the fact that Mandy Starner is guest designing for us this month...SO excited in fact, that we have asked her to take a permanent spot with us on the design team!!!

So... look for Mandy's amazing work each and every month right here
@ The Story Matters!

And check out her most recent pub in Becky Fleck's Scrapbook PageMaps 2...

Congrats Mandy & we can't wait to see more of you around here!

Happy Halloween

It's Time for AUTHOR"S CHOICE.

I'm really in the Halloween mood

So I chose this awesome layout by ckmom

Do you like to get your layouts noticed?

Do you want some "air"time on TSM.

Make sure you upload your projects ( ALL your projects) to our gallery.

I can't wait to see your work

And Congrats ckmom

Bree

Sneaky...sneaky...

You're going to love the mix of Crate Paper, Studio Calico, Thickers...& so much more in the November kit!

Available November 5th...

From the Authors:

Shelley:

Megan:

Amy:

More sketch schtuff...

I told you before, I am a HUGE sketch fan, so I use sketches often for inspiration.  Here are some sites I like to visit whenever I need a little jumpstart:

Becky Fleck's Pagemaps
Pencil Lines
My Sketch World
Twisted Sketches
Let's Capture These Sketches
Stuck? Sketches!

I do have to say, our very own Bree Tetz has a site that I ADORE for card sketches.  You should definitely take a look:

Get Sketchy

There's also a DT call right now at Bree's site, so head on over and create some amazing cards!

I also did a google search for scrapbook sketches, and a TON of images came up.  So go ahead and get sketchy, but don't forget, if you are using a sketch that is someone else's, please make sure to give proper credit. :)

October kit update

We're working our tails off...

{source}

to get the October kit out asap!
Please excuse the delay...they're on their way!

CARD DAY

I am bringing you my very first CARD DAY Post for THE STORY MATTERS!

That's right!

Each month, on the 12th and 24th,

I will be bringing you a post dedicated just for cards.

If you're not a card-maker...DON'T CHANGE THE CHANNEL!

I want to help you guys think differently about your supplies,

and help you create mini works of art that you can share with your friends and family.

About 3 years ago, I was invited to participate in World Card Making Day.

I dreaded every second of it... because I was not a Card-Maker.

But I never give up on anything.. so I kept trying.

And then one day it hit me!

CREATE A MINI LAYOUT.

So that's how I start every single card I make.

I start with a cardstock base.

No most cards are 4.25 x 5.5", but whoever stays in that box?

So you will see all different shapes and sizes in my cards.

Do you want to know what else is fabulous about cards?

It is a great way to use up the scraps from your kits.

I always have 1 button, or a small piece of paper left over.

So instead of sweeping them into your scrap pile, sit down and make a card.

Almost every time I sit down and create...

I make a layout or two... and then I use the things left on my desk to create a card.

I hope this inspires you ANTI- Card-Makers to give it a try.

And I will be bringing you CARD inspiration TWICE each month.

So here are a couple of cards using OCTOBER's KIT.

"Happy Fall"

For this card I layered a patterned paper on top of a cardstock base.

I then added a scalloped trim ( made using an edge punch)

and then added another solid cardstock on top of the 1 piece.

I added a trim using the fancy tape,

and added a little raffia as a ribbon.

A few alpha stickers and a button... and it was done.

"Thankful"

This was a super easy card.

I used the green cardstock in the kit to create a base.

I cut a small scrap of paper, and added a punched edge piece to one side.

I wrapped a piece of the ribbon around it and tied a bow.

I then adhered it with pop dots to the top corner.

A few more alpha Stickers and this beauty was complete.

I hope you guys will join me each CARD DAY,

an I would love to see your cards,

so don't forget to upload them into the gallery.

Bree

Sketches

I have to tell you, I am a BIG fan of sketches!  If I ever need a quick jump-start on a layout, I have found that sketches do just that for me.  This week on the TSM blog, we will be all about sketches.  For October, the very talented Penny created this sketch, which was 'digi-tized' by the lovely Megan for us to use.

Here is Penny's take on the sketch.  I can NOT get over how she used that green cording...it's perfect!

And here is my take on the sketch:

Do you love sketches?  You should play along with us this week, and create your own project inspired by our sketch.  We'd love to see it, so be sure to link it up here.  Happy Monday!

Meet October Guest Designer Mandy Kay

Hello there!

My name is Mandy Starner, most call me MandyKay or just Mk.

I live in Maryland with my wonderful husband, our 3 beautiful daughters, and our 2 crazy dogs. I love to spend as much time as possible making, baking, painting, learning, smiling, and laughing. I eat way too much chocolate and I never get enough sleep. I collect owls and typewriters. I love thunderstorms and Tootsie Pops. I am a little bit vintage and a little bit modern, a little bit country and a little bit rock-n-roll. I am really good at wasting time and spending money. And I'm excited to be a guest designer for this wonderful kit club!

Did she ROCK this kit or what!?!

it's CHALLENGE time!

it's challenge time again, my friends!

tania here, throwing out a challenge for the week. are you up for it?



CHALLENGE: create a layout telling us about a little known fact(s) about yourself! when you're done, post it in our gallery at The Story Matters, and come back here and leave a link in the comments!

PRIZE: i'll send one lucky (randomly drawn) winner a small sampling of some current Little Yellow Bicycle product! yahooooooie!

here's the closeups of my random, not very well known facts. heee.




happy scrapping!

psssssssssst.......have you been sharing in our gallery? come back tomorrow to see my Author's Choice pick of the week!

hello safe haven...

Welcome to the Reveal of the

October {The Story Matters} kit:

Safe Haven...

Check out what the talented design team put together for you this month!

Tania:
Shelley:

Lain:

megan:

Amy:

Michelle:

Bree:

.....................................................

You are going to FLIP over what our guest designer did this month!

She ROCKED it!

Keep checking back!!!