About Me

What is Kreativley Ours you ask? Right now it’s a blog, an email address and a dream. Our goal is to provide others with information to start scrapbooking, keep up with the latest and greatest, sell our hand made crafts, and offer our services. Here you will find the latest tips and trends. We will also be posting examples of our work and give you information on purchasing some of our work. Please contact us (kreativleyours@yahoo.com) with any questions that you might have. And, don't worry if you love the idea of scrapbooking but don't have the time or aren't "crafty". All you need to do is tell us what you want, and we will create it for you! From scrapbook pages, acrlyic books, hand made cards and invitations to the next new trend. We have it for you! Please check in often as we continue to build our blog. Email us at kreativleyours@yahoo.com

Monday, September 29, 2008

Website’s That We Love

We decided that it would be a lot of fun to share some of our favorite websites with you. I recently discovered www.scrapbooksetc.com. This website is a product of Better Homes and Gardens. There is also a Scrapbooks Etc. magazine. But, that's for another post.

When I first checked this website out I loved it because there was tons of information and it was easy to navigate. Here are some of the things that I discovered on this site:

Free Page Sketches
This tool allows you to sketch out your page before you even begin to scrapbook. I haven't used this feature, but I plan too! I think it will be a great way to be organized. When you sit down to do your page it will be all planned out which will help the production process go quicker. I'm also excited about this feature because it will keep my pages fresh. Sometimes I tend to repeat some of the same layouts and techniques. I'm looking forward to using this tool to prevent this!

Printable Patters
This section is great for scrapbooking at home or for people who don't like to use a die cut machine. These patters allow you to make different patterns by tracing, cutting out and piecing together paper. More likely than not, your designs will be original!

Orgazational and Photography Tips
Since this is something that we plan on doing on our blog I was very interested in this section. You should take a look at their ideas. It's always great to get a different perspective on things!

Class Options
This is the first time that I have saw an option to take classes online. I think it's a great idea. There are a few different ways that you can take the classes. Some are free and some require a fee (I did not rhyme that intentionally). It really depends on what your interested in. I definitely think you should check this out. It's all within the comfort of your own home!

Techniques
The website offers a whole section on different techniques. Whether you are a beginner scrapbooker or if you are experienced and want to know what the new thing is…This is the place for you.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

The Linley's Big Announcement

Life is so amazing!

In my short 25 (almost 26) years of living, I have never been less than amazed at all of the blessings that seem to be put at my feet. One of the biggest blessings has been my husband, Jeremy.. It’s funny b/c we’ve been together for nearly a decade. Wow…that’s kind of scary to type out and actually read out loud! I have this warm-fuzzy memory of times together when we were first dating. He’d pick me up in his Geo Tracker with subs in the back and off we’d go. I’ll never forget the roof of that car actually flexing in the wind while we were driving down 370 one day…I literally thought the whole roof was going to cave in on us. We shared our first kiss in my parents’ front yard. Learned to drive cars together, graduated high school together, started college together. We’ve been there for first jobs, first life let downs and so many other things.

When he proposed to me, we were just barely in our 20’s. Some people thought we were crazy. Some people thought it was just what would always happen. Jeremy and Jessie would get married! I’ll never forget how intent he was at making the night perfect for me. What he didn’t realize was that the imperfections of it all are what made the night so special…and so classically Jer. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Something about a man crying in your lap because he was so afraid you’d be disappointed with the way the night went has to melt your heart a little bit! I knew my heart was safe in his hands and that he would take care of me no matter what. After the engagement we went about making plans for a future together. He and I always have seen eye to eye on one major thing. We knew our lives were meant to be together. Whatever that meant.

So we set about fulfilling some goals that we thought would be good for our future. We bought our first house, got our first big kid jobs, supported each other through school, and planned our wedding day! Oh our wedding was one crazy, amazing day. It was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. He looked amazing in his tux. I felt like a princess. The weather couldn’t have been any better. We were surrounded by close friends and family all day long and after the ceremony we danced out tails off at our reception. I wouldn’t hesitate to do it all over again. Ha! I say that now...nearly 3 years later!

In the 3 years since then we’ve managed to make our humble little house into a beautiful home. We’ve taken some amazing vacations to places I’ll never forget. We hope to travel more and experience all the fabulous things God has in store for us. We’re proud of the life we’ve built and the adventures we’ve taken on!

And that is why I’m most excited about our newest adventure! On March 25th the newest little Linley should be making his OR her grand entrance into our lives! We’re so excited about it we could bust! We had our first appointment on September 2nd. I was nearly 11 weeks along and we heard the heartbeat! We’re still on the fence about finding out what we’re having. I don’t want to know and Jer does. We’re making plans for our nursery and all the big changes a baby means for us. And we could not be happier!! Keep an eye out for a monthly update on our blog. I plan to keep everyone posted on our progress!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Recipe Box Photos

As promised, here are some pics of the recipe box you'll be making in October!

We'd love to hear from you. So let us know what you think!






Monday, September 22, 2008

Kreativley Ours October Event

We are very excited to announce our next big event for Kreativley Ours! In October we will be introducing Crop and a Class Night!

What can you expect from Crop and a Class Night?

It’ll be a night just for you. Festivities will begin at 6pm. We will teach a class and then afterwards if you are interested, you can stay and crop till midnight! Classes usually run around 2 hours. This time you get the added bonus following the class to stay and enjoy four solid hours of scrapping! If you aren't interested in the class or if you just want to take the class, you can still join us at 6 and enjoy one or other!

This month our featured class will be a Recipe Box. A picture will be posted soon! It comes loaded with dividers that will be decorated as well. Because the cost of the craft is more expensive than a simple layout, the cost for the event will be $30. This covers your craft and all the supplies for the craft, the class itself, snack and crop time and space! The recipe box is a perfect Christmas Gift for anyone on your list. Or you can fill it with your favorite recipes and use it in your own kitchen!

Please mark October 24th on your calendar and save the date for the Kreativley Ours Crop and a Class Night!

We look forward to hearing from you!!

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Our First Crop - Recap!!



It's OFFICIAL! We held our first Kreativley Ours crop this past Friday! Thank you to our lovely ladies who decided to join us! We had a great time and hope you did as well.

Everyone who came to the crop got free reign of all of our stamps, inks and other tools we own. There were yummy snacks and drinks, drawings for prizes and everyone got to make their very own make and take. This month it was centered around Halloween. Our attendees could make several treat bags out of a lunch sack (these could be filled with candy for your favorite little trick-or-treaters), or a Trick-or-Treat bag with handles to take home with them!

Check out our pictures to see what you missed!! If you are interested or have questions about anything you see please feel free to contact us!

We have our next Kreativley Ours event in the works for October! We hope everyone will join us!





Saturday, September 13, 2008

Early Christmas Card Orders = DISCOUNTS

While it is only September, it's never too early to begin preparing yourself for the lovely yuletide season! Please keep us in mind as you think about your holiday cards and gift giving. We would love to help you out with one or both! If you are interested in cards, please send us an email or comment on the blog.
There are basically two options for Christmas Cards:

-Special Orders
If you have something special you want made for your holiday cards, remember to get these to us early! We have already received orders for cards, and we'll be posting pics of these as they are completed. Any order placed before October 1st will receive 10% off the original price. All special orders are due by October 31st.

-Inventory Orders
We have a hodge podge of Christmas cards in stock. Each card is a little different in design, but for the most part they are the same. These cards will be available in bundles. There are ten cards in a bundle. The bundles are $16.95 each. That's quite a deal! Imagine what you would pay at the retail stores for a single card! If you break it down, our cards are only $1.70 each. This is nearly a one dollar discount off of our regular price.

Supplies are limited and the bundles are first come first serve!

If you are interested in one of these let us know :)

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Websites We Love: Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer

Jeremy and I have remodeled much of our home. We’ve redone our kitchen, the bath; even refinished hardwood flooring that was once covered by carpet. Steff often tells me that the term "Blood Sweat and Tears" applies perfectly in our situation! Anyone who knows us knows that we’ve also painted some rooms in our house 2 and 3 times. This is no joke! Part of this stems from loving the look of new paint. And part of it stems from trial and error. Oh yeah, we've messed up a few paint jobs! And we’ve certainly learned a few lessons along the way.

This brings me to one of the websites that I love! Ever wondered what a color palette will look like in your space?? Sherwin Williams has something called a Color Visualizer. It allows you to pick from a large variety of room styles. You can then browse the palettes of colors (we’re talking every color they make!) and drag and drop them into the room. It helps you see trim colors together and gives ideas for accent pieces you could use in the room.

I love this website and totally recommend you check it out before you paint! The best part? I don’t buy all my paint from Sherwin Williams. I simply find similar colors at Home Depot or Wal-Mart. Below you’ll find some links to some places I love to browse before tackling any project. There are great tips and tricks out there!

If you have a site you love, let us know! We’d love for you to share your favorite spaces on the web with us!

Happy Surfing!!

http://www.sherwin-williams.com/do_it_yourself/paint_colors/visualizer/

http://www.behr.com/behrx/index.jsp

http://www.hgtv.com/

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Our Crop is Coming Up Fast!!!

Just a reminder that our upcoming crop is rapidly approaching! Be sure to let us know if you plan to join us by posting to our blog or emailing us at kreativleyours@yahoo.com.

There will be snacks, a make and take and a chance to use our supplies.

Here's the info!

When: Friday, September 12
Where: Upper Alton Baptist Church
Time: 6pm to Midnight
What you should bring: Yourself and your in-work or to-be-created scrapbooking pages. We will provide our stamps, ink and other tools for your use while you crop!

We are very excited about our first crop! We hope to see you there!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

September Newsletter

Kreativley Ours
September Newsletter
September 1, 2008


Welcome to the Second Edition of the Kreativley Ours Newsletter!

What Happened Last Month:
In this section, you’ll learn about what Kreativley Ours did in the previous month.
August was a busy month for us! We held our first class, ran our first sale, fulfilled our first orders and custom made house warming invitations! Check out our blog (kreativleyours.blogspot.com) for more information on these events and other things that happened in August.

What’s Happening This Month:
In this section, you’ll learn what our plans are for the upcoming month. Be sure to pay close attention so you can stay updated. You wouldn’t want to miss anything!
This month we have a lot of great things happening! We will be running more sales, hosting a crop (see crop/classes section for more information) and building our online store on Etsy.

Project of the Month:
In the Project of the Month section we will highlight a recent project that we have done. We also plan to change it up and offer you a Project of the Month challenge. Keep your eyes peeled as this section is always changing!
Earlier we mentioned that we are building an online store at Etsy. It isn’t quite ready, but we’re very excited about it. Etsy is a website where you can buy or sell handmade items. You should check it out www.etsy.com. Etsy will allow us to have our own shop. Here we will be able to offer our products for sale. Look for more information about our shop soon!

Crop/Class:
In this section, you'll find the latest and greatest on upcoming classes. Dates, times and locations will be posted! There will also be a brief description, cost for the class and what you'll need to bring!!
We are excited to announce that on Friday, September 12th we will be hosting our first crop night.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with a crop, it is a chance to get together with fellow scrapbookers and work on your crafts. Each crop will include snacks and drinks. You’re welcome to bring your own dinner. You will also receive instructions and the supplies for a make & take (something we show you how to assemble and you get to keep). We will be sharing some of our supplies and have lots of our work on display. There is plenty of room so be sure and bring your friends (You get a free gift if you bring someone new!).

Please see below for details:
When: Friday, September 12th
Time: 6:00 PM-12:00 AM
Where: Upper Alton Baptist Church Basement (Just past Robert Wadlow)
Make & Take: Halloween Treat Bags
Cost: $9

Please RSVP by commenting on the blog (www.kreativleyours.blogspot.com) or emailing us (kreativleyours@yahoo.com). We would like to have RSVP's by September 8th. Payment will also be due at this time.

Monthly Tip:
In this section of our newsletter...we'll be sharing tips we've learned while scrapbooking. But don't be surprised if something about getting more efficiency from your gas tank or how coupon shopping for groceries helps us save a few extra bucks...appears in this section once in awhile!
Don’t be afraid to try something new! This is a sure way to give your pages new and exciting elements!

Blog:
In this section we will share what we've been blogging about for the past few weeks. We are trying to post often. Keep checking back for fun tips and information to get you motivated! Here’s what we posted in August:
August Newsletter, SALE!!!, Class Reminder, Green Tip, Samples of Our Work, Last Chance to Sign up for Class, Class Wrap Up, Distressed Ink, Bundle Sale and A Picture is Worth a Million Words.

Sales/Specials:
Here you will find out about specials we are running! Check them out. You're sure to find some good deals here!
Christmas Card Orders-10% off if placed before October 1st!

Monthly Fun Fact/Quote:
A picture is poem without words.
-- Confucius

Going Green Tip:
Something that you will learn about us is that we are very interested in being Green. I’m sure that you have all heard of, “Going Green” and all of the hype about preserving our Earth. We encourage you to get involved. We need to preserve the place we live in for our future! Here you will find tips about, “Being Green” or “Going Green.” We look forward to sharing this with you!
We recently spotted Sara Snow on an episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8 (Yes, we are both avid fans of the crazy show about multiples!). On this particular episode, Sara helped the Gosselins create a recycling center, prepare a completely fresh and organic meal and she talked about great homemade cleaning products. It was an interesting and inspiring episode. Sara also has a show on Discovery Health. She provides great tips and ideas and sources about caring for our environment. Check out her website: http://www.sarasnow.com