Happy Thursday and first day of fall to all!! Today I had to really think what I wanted to talk about and decided to talk about the pros and cons between big box stores and independently owned stores.  While I don't believe, and never have believed, the way to sell a product or service is by cutting down the competition, I do believe there are differences between the two types of businesses.  First thing I'd like to point out is I try my best to put my customers first.  I am available when they come in to answer questions, make suggestions and even lead them to a comparable product that could save them money. We all want the most for our money.  As a home-based business, I certainly can't carry everything they do and as a matter of fact I pride myself in carrying what they don't.  Sure I can't always match their prices, but did you know if I don't have a product you want, I give you the option to have me order it for you with giving you 20% off the purchase price, if you prepay.  And with the 20% off, plus the gas money saved, you get a great deal!!!  I feel I offer our classes at a very reasonable price of $5.00 per class plus materials. And there is no fee if you can't make it a week!! But you know what! My customers are very faithful that most the time they want the kits to the class they missed and if they need any special instructions I will give it to them. When doing projects in class how many stores would tell their customers when they need a card stock, maybe one in the class would like to split a paper. Do you think a big box store is going to that for you?  For our customers, I also have finished scrapbook page ideas for you to get inspired by and will work with you to find the right papers needed for your themed pages. And the same for our card makers.  Also, I have a couple cutting machines that I just love to cut out that special die cut made just for your project.  Usually within a day and sometimes the very same day.  We call our customers Maine Country Charm's Paper Dolls because that is just what they are...........dolls for supporting this home based business.  I do hope you see the opportunities of shopping a local business and I told you the reasons without cutting down the competition!!! Please leave your replies in the comment box. Love to hear your thoughts on this subject!!! 

Good fall day!!! Hope you all are taking in this fall weather because before we know it we will have that nasty 4 letter word---SNOW!

Today I would like to share with you a little something I shared with the classes this week, kind of on the same line as last week.  Remember I talked about how different matting can change a hold mood of a card??  Well this week graphic I used from one of my photos I took last week and was quite taken by it.  The first photo I will show what we did in class........a very simple card for once but liked by all. 

This card, using a photo I took, has a very warm feeling that I was going for since the flower colors are dark and rich.  I added the Thinking of You sticker on the front and then inside I put a birthday greeting for mine.  Now let's look at the other way I did this same photo on another card.

It's hard to see, but there is a white border around this note card I did.  I used the white because of the porch post in the background, accented it with a very small black matte of only 1/8" and then the green to go with the leaves.  I really like this one as well but then again everyone has their personal taste.  I have put together 6 of these cards, will add 6 envelopes, put them in one of our card gift boxes, tie with a nice fall ribbon and take it down to the neighbors that own these flowers as a token of appreciation as I have many plans for this flower photo. Anyone can take and make a gift of cards either blank or with verse inside, and if you choose not to purchase the card boxes, tie the card together with a pretty bow and give as a gift!!  As a matter of fact, even though I am giving them a set of 6 of same card, you could also do a set of mix and match cards.   Keep this in mind with gift season coming up!!  Have fun with your cards and share your thoughts in the comment box below!! Have a great week!!!

Matting Graphics

Today I would like to share with you how different a graphic going on the front of a card can look depending on the color of your mattes you choose. 

Now, which matting would you choose?? I have several I wouldn't mind doing. Even though I have two with yellow right behind the graphic, I feel they look very different. Please leave your thoughts and comments in the comment box below as it will be interesting to see which one you would like.

Good day from the county!!! We've been enjoying the Balloon Festival and looking for geese. Hunting season starts on Thursday, so he needs to know where to look!!! My tip this week is about pictures and how to prepare them for scrapbooking those memories and about journaling about the pictures.

Please, please DON'T write on the back of them especially with an inkpen!!!  The best form of identifying people, place, or event is to write on a post-it note and place it on the back of a picture.  When you are preparing pictures ask yourself if someone else saw this what would they ask about it? Who is that? Where was that? Was it a party? Birthday? How old? Any special guests? What year? Whose Aunt or Uncle from what side of the family?  Any history you can tell about the time it was taken?  I have some information about the Balloon Festival and the pilots......did you know one of the pilots came here from Brazil and designed and sewed his own balloon??? Can you guess which one??

Well I hope I have given you something to think about.  Pictures tell stories, you need to enhance and let it be interesting!

Please let us know if you have any questions!! Love to have you join our classes!!

Hello! Back again with more on adhesives.  Today we will talk about the most popular tape runners used at Maine Country Charm Scrapbooking and Card Making!!!

Both of the tape runners we use here come in removable and permanent.  It's personal preference which on you could chose but removable isn't always the best for final use as it can be removed fairly easily.  Some use removable to 'tack down' a piece  to check placement of picture or layer for a card.  

Tombow Permanent Tape Runner $7.50

 

 

                               

3 Pak Tombow Permanent Tape Runner Refills $12.00--you save $3.00 by us selling this pak.  

 

 

  

Tombow Removable Tape Runner $7.50

Tombow Removable Tape Runner Refill $5.00

Herma Permanent Tape Runner $9.00

Herma Permanent Tape Runner Refill $4.00

Herma Removable Tape Runner $9.00

Herma Removable Tape Runner Refill $4.00

Now I would like to say that there are many, many more adhesives out there, the most important thing is to make sure the adhesive you choose is acid-free and archival safe if you are working with photos of friends and family as you want to keep them safe.

Have a topic or technique you would liked discussed?? Just post it in the comment box below this post.  

Adhesives: Foam Squares, Pop-Dots, Roll of Adhesive Foam Tape

Is your paper craft project looking a little flat? Let me tell you how to add interest to your project.

The purpose of these kind of adhesives are to give height to a picture on a scrapbook page, or give more interest in a paper-pieced item for a scrapbook page or the front of a card. Used to be this kind of adhesive only came in white but now one can find foam squares in black, which works quite well with darker paper.  Another thing one can do if purchasing both white and black is to color the edge of white squares with a colored marker and then you won't have to worry about the white showing.  Below I am first showing you the difference of interest by not using and then using foam adhesives.

Without foam adhesive the items are flat without interest.

With foam adhesive behind the faces and hands there is more dimension and interest in the products.

 We carry a variety of foam adhesives in the shoppe and here I will show you what we carry and their prices and the purpose of each.
 

Black foam squares $3.00 Great to use with dark papers

White foam squares $4.00.This package contains both 1/4" and 1/2" squares. Use with light papers and have the ability to color the edges with marking pen to blend with project's paper.

 

 

 

This package may seem unreasonably large, but there are many advantages to this size. At .5"X36yd it is so easy to cut into thin longer lengths of tape so go around a frame, narrow parts to paper piecing and more.  You can cut it to your specifications whether 1/2" or 6" long! At $43.00 it's under $1.20 a yard.  This foam tape is a little thinner than other foam tapes but also gives you the opportunity to have various heights to your project.

 

This package contains 2 yds. of black adhesive tape 1/2" wide.  $5.00

These are clear pop up dots that are 1/2" in diameter. These sell for $4.00 per package of 75.

 

 

Comment in the comment box which foam adhesive is your favorite why and on Saturday I will draw a name for a free package of Pop Up Dots.

Adhesives:
 This week I would like to start to talk about some of the various adhesives that we use here in the shoppe for our papercrafts: Scrapbooking and Card Making. We will be going over this the next few weeks.
This week we are talking about the glues that help with smaller and intricate items.

Liquid Glues: They are good to adhere pieces with delicate pieces such as letters, die cuts, and paper piecing. I recommend:

Also there is are sheet adhesive products that contains mini dots all over it and you lift the cover sheet, lay you piece you want to add adhesive to on it, lay the cover sheet over and rub to put the adhesive on your piece. Please be advised this is quite permanent so you will want to be sure you are certain where you want to place your piece. This product comes in two sizes, one that is easier to handle and a larger sheet for larger delicate projects but definitely can be cut to a size to handle easier.

 










 Next week we will continue on the adhesive thoughts and hope you will have learned something about different adhesives over the next few weeks.

 We carry the products in the shoppe that we will be sharing about with you.

Quarter Cards

June 16, 2016

Today I would like to share with you the possibilities when layering a quarter card 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I am going to show you a sample and explain the sizes.

The card starts with the base card, dark pink, being 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". The next layer, brown, is 1/4" smaller, making it 4" x 5 1/4". The top printed layer is again 1/4" smaller than the brown, making it 
3 3/4" x 5". 

Now the card above just used two of the layers: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and 3 3/4" x 5",  giving you a wider border between the two papers. 

Most of the layers work in 1/4" increments.  Let's look at this chart I have made for you:

5 1/2" x 4 1/4"
5 1/4" x 4"
5" x 3 3/4"
4 3/4" x 3 1/2"

Thank you for joining me for Thursday's Techniques.  If you have any questions, please feel free contact me.  Be sure to check with us again next week for a new tip.

Rule Of 7

June 30, 2016


Unforeseen circumstances put me a little behind for Thursday's Techniques, but on the upside it's still Thursday!!! Technically not late!!! With that being said.........thank you for the inquiries as to where is this week's techniques.

Today is for cardmakers AND scrapbookers!! It's using a 12"x12" cardstock to its fullest making 5"x7" frames or backgrounds for cards. I will show you how to cut the cardstock to its fullest potential and then show you some examples.

All that will be left is the middle square

Scrapbookers:

with 4x6 picture added the wider light blue boarder, the blue stands out in the sweater

 You also can trim down a 5x7 picture and have 1/4" border around like this:

This is a trimmed 5x7 photo with the size base and matte as the picture above.

Don't forget to take horizontal as well as vertical pictures. A mix of pictures is attractive on layouts. Dazzles, doodles, etc can also be added to wider light blue matte for interest!!

 Cardmakers:
Here are a couple of samples of 5x7 cards.

These cards show how you can use printed cardstock/paper for the matte.

When I am cutting the matte, usually 6 3/4 x 4 3/4, I still cut the rule of 7 and just cut a 1/4" off top or bottom and also 1/4" either side.  Especially when you are making several 5x7 cards, get them cut and use later!!

Matting your Scrapbook Pictures

June 23, 2016


On Thursday's Techniques today we are giving some tips to scrapbookers on working with mattes for your pictures.


As most of you realize, any 4x6 picture can most always have at least 1/4" trimmed from a side and from the top or bottom. By trimming that small amount from a picture you now can maximize your 12"x12" scrapbook paper to its' fullest.  You can get 6 mattes out of one34 piece of cardstock.  The diagram below will show you how it will look cut. You will first of all cut your cardstock 6"x12" and then cut each of those at 4", getting 3 from each piece.

This is how the picture would look like with a quarter inch matte. 

Now here is how you can still use a 4"x6" first matte and 
we will now add a next matte that would be 3 3/4" x 5 3/4" and make the picture 3 1/2" x 5 1/2", but when all done the picture with mattes equals 4"x6". See the example below:

Matte size between picture & orange matte

Next week I will continue with mattes and I will show you another idea for matting a 4"x6" picture. Be sure to check back for more tips next week!!

Changing Up Your Bling

Today I would like to share with you a technique we have used in the shoppe for a very long time and all you need for special tools are permanent markers like Sharpie or some similar kind.

If you are working late at night and you need a color bling and your favorite local scrapbooking/card shoppe is closed, all you need to do is color either clear or white bling and you will be all set to continue with your project!

Coloring pearl or rhinestones with permanent markers

You can also use the same technique to change the color of your Dazzle-type stickers. You can color either the silver or the gold, with the gold it makes the color a little darker than the silver. Below you will see colored wording and a trim. And then you will see putting them together on a simple little card.

Thank you for checking in to our Thursday's Technique. Be sure to check next week for a new tip!!