And the winner is…

My Craft Channel – the network that will be hosting CraftTech launched today -Yippie! You have to go over and check out the current line up of shows, there is so much crafty fun over there that you won’t want to miss. Be sure to sign up for a free VIP Membership to be the first to know of new episodes, get amazing insider deals and so much more. (the memberships are only free for a limited time)

There are many more shows being added to the roster. CraftTech is currently still in production, but I promise a sneak peek very soon!

To celebrate I am giving away a fun Prize Package of my Favorite ECHO PARK PAPER goodies! A mixed bag of my favorite lines… winner announced Friday October 7.

PS: Wanna see what the Coconut Family has been up to? Check out my personal blog for the Cabrera Corn Maze adventures.

I love winner days don’t you!

The lucky winner of the Epson Picturemate is…

And just because I am so grateful for all the support… I chose someone from the CraftTech Facebook page to win a fun “My Favorite Things” prize package. A sampler of some of my latest obsessions including Echo Park, Jenni Bowlin, Making Memories, Xyron and more!

Just send your name, address and phone number to ana@anacabrera.net to claim your prize!

Thanks again to everyone for all the support. I am busy busy busy in production of the show. But be sure to stay tuned for a new episode of the Paper Clipping Roundtable and a whole lot more.

Printers. Everyone has their favorites. And on Monday Renee asked me about mine!

Well Renee… I am happy to answer your question.Well, at least about the photo printers. There is a show this season that will walk you through my favorite photo gadgets, organizers, and online printing options. But I wanted to share my favorite printers. (including giving one away!)

I have to start by saying that I am a bit of a printer hoarder. I LOVE printers. I know that sounds odd.. but I do. And the truth is that printer technology has really come a long way. There are endless options for great printers. This list is not meant to be exclusive. But it is what you will find when you come to my studio. And working for years in publishing, I have had the opportunity to test many brands and models of printers over the years. And that hands on experience is what lead me to the printers I chose to spend my money on.Finally… I do have to disclose that I own more printers than the average person. As you will read below… I do think that a serious photog should have at least two printers in their arsenal. But YOU know best what your needs are and you should purchase accordingly.

1. EPSON: Picture Mate Personal Photo Lab

This is a desktop 4×6 printer. This is actually my favorite printer. If I had to give up all but one… believe it or not.. this would be the one I would keep.

The pictures are lab quality if not better. The price per print is great. (especially if you do some shopping around)

And for me, MOST of the pictures I need to print are in the 4×6 size.

I happen to own an older model – have had it for more than 6 years, and it is still printing as good as it did day one.  Just because it is a 4×6 photo printer doesn’t mean that I only print pictures! I often trim down cardstock, transparency sheets, even canvas to 4×6 and run it through. It is the PERFECT size for journaling cards, greeting card sentiments and other small bits of text. Can be used with or without a computer as it includes a card reader. I use this printer to print out digital party invites for most of my kids parties! This is a fun and flexible tool that any photo crafter would love.

2. EPSON: Stylus Photo R1900

This is the BMW of printers as far as I am concerned. It is wide format allowing for borderless prints of up to 13″ x 44″. The print quality is phenomenal. My opinion is that it is better than what you will get from the lab. There are many media choices as well – gallery canvas, glossy photo, matte photo, watercolor paper, and more.  This printer uses a gloss optimizer that adds a glossy coating to the glossy prints that can not be beat. I am also so impressed with the depth of the black in both glossy and matte prints. This is hands down my favorite printer ever for print quality… GORGEOUS prints every time. Color so vivid, skin tones that are rich, and blacks that are truly deep black.

The only “con” for this printer is that the prints are expensive. Ink and media are not cheap for this printer.  (although I have been able to cut costs by shopping around online)  So I don’t use it as an everyday printer. I do use if for anything I am going to display on the walls of my home. I also use this for any “enlargements” that I want to use for my scrapbooks. The convenience of having a “photo lab” in my studio is worth the price. I have also found some great vendors and deals online for ink and media. (I usually just do a google search and shop around for the best deal)

3. Lexmark Pinnacle Pro901

Ok. This is not really a photo printer in my opinion. But I wanted to mention it because it is the newest printer in my family. This is my everyday printer. The reason, the replacement ink carts are only $5!!! And I have to say, over all the print quality is fine. I have used this printer for printing out photos for invitations. This is a great printer to have for everyday printing, cards, printing text, and other crafts that are not meant for long term keeping.

And by the way, I got a SWEET deal on this printer on Amazon!

So that’s it. These are my faves, I love these printers and I use them every day. No matter what printer you choose, I do leave you with this tip. To get the most out of your printer, always use GENUINE INK made for your printer make and model. I also find you get what you pay for when it comes to media. So look for the right paper for the right job and you will have amazing results every time!

Now lets give something away shall we! Let’s do a biggie…Lets giveaway one of my very favorite printers!!!

Leave a comment below for your chance to the Epson Picture Mate Charm shown above. For an additional entry… go visit the Craft Tech Facebook page and like us! And every time you leave a comment here on the blog you will get yet another entry to win. This includes entries for giveaway all week long! So come back and visit again soon for more chances to win. Winner for the printer will be announced Friday August 12.

The “Be Mine” winner… getting a bunch of fun CHA schwag is

email your address to ana@anacabrera.net to claim your prize! Didn’t win? Stay tuned for another fabulous giveaway featuring fun CHA goodies this week.

As I mentioned in my most recent spot on Paperclipping Roundtable, I have been working on some ginormous deco pieces that even Elf himself would be proud of! Here is the first in that series. These giant snowflakes are really simple to make. The whole project only took about 20 min. from start to finish. {I will share a photo of his in place next week when I post my Holiday tour of my home!} And don’t miss the details of the latest GIVEAWAY at the end of this post!

supplies

• foam core (got mine at Walmart for under $3)
• pattern
• sharp craft knife
• spray adhesive [Scotch Super 77 or other brand]
• glitter* [for this project I used German glass glitter since I know that I will be keeping it from year to year]

1. begin by printing out the pattern. I sized this to fit on a standard letter sheet of paper. If you want it larger, you can bring it to a copy center and enlarge accordingly, but I figured… who really wants to do that?

you may notice that the pattern has rounded edges. I intended to cut my snowflake with round edges, but once I got going realized straight was WAY easier. this is of course, up to you. if you have a tip for cutting rounded edges into foam core, please share!

2. cut out the pattern and transfer to the foam board, tracing lightly with pencil. the pattern is 1/4th of the snowflake. so flip it around lining up the center until you have the whole thing outlined.

3. CAREFULLY cut out the snowflake. this does not take nearly as long as you might think… but cutting is the most time consuming portion of the project. please take care not to cut yourself.

tip: when cutting foam core, cut each line twice. the first cut should be shallow, just cutting through the first paper layer. cut through the remaining layers with the second pass. if you craft knife is really sharp, it should be pretty easy. a dull knife will cause jagged edges as the foam tears.

4. spray one side of the foam core very generously with the adhesive. if you prefer to use a brush on adhesive, you can, but work in sections. note.. the spray adhesive is HIGHLY recommended.

5. working in sections, sprinkle the glitter and gently press to ensure it is well adhered. let dry, then brush off any stray glitter.

note: I do not mind the white edges that are left. if this bothers you, spray paint the snowflake and allow to dry before glittering. once you are done with this project, seek help, cause really… white edges are no biggie. ITS A SNOWFLAKE! lol

GIVEAWAY ALERT!

NEW GIVEAWAY! (copic glitter marker giveaway announced on Monday) Leave a comment for a chance to win a prize package of REAL German glass glitter worth over $50. You will get an assortment of my very favorite colors. This prize will take your crafts to a new level… and the colors will be perfect for Christmas and beyond.

Welcome to Handmade Holiday 2010. Everyday for the next 3 weeks, join me for DAILY Holiday inspiration, freebies, and of course plenty of giveaways! I know how busy this season can be, so every project you will find here will be quick and easy. (but still fabulous of course) Be sure to check back each day for your chance to win a fantastic prize.

Materials: Die Cut (Sizzix round ornament 3D – currently on sale!), flake glitter (Martha Stewart Crafts – available at Michael’s), button and crepe paper (Jenni Bowlin).

Begin by cutting out the ornament. I used my Sizzix and cut the blanks from mat board for extra sturdiness. You could also cut cardstock by hand and adhere a few layers together for added stiffness.

Working on one side, brush adhesive on the surface of the ornament. While still wet, sprinkle with the glitter flakes. Shake off the excess glitter and repeat with the other side.

Gather the crepe paper into a small rosette and staple to secure. Remove the foam adhesive from the back of the button (if using Jenni Bowlin) and glue the button to the center of the rosette with hot glue.  Glue the rosette to the top of the ornament.

And be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win today’s prize. One lucky winner will receive a glitter sampler from Martha Stewart. We will even throw in some pre-cut shapes so you can get started making your own ornaments right away.

My dear first born daughter has turned 13. This last weekend we had a huge birthday bash at the house. 25 teens and tweens, food, glow sticks, and music. Needless to say, the party was a huge hit. And I for one was pretty proud of the decorations. Decor for a young teen is tricky. They want the place to be cool looking, but not “too much” – what ever THAT means.

This birthday banner turned out pretty cute and was super easy and fast to make. I started by printing out all the letters onto 4×6 cardstock. Then I simply embellished each card with a little different treatment; some of the treatments included…

• Cut the letters out and mount them on the 4×6 patterned paper, using foam dots for demension. (Hambly Screen Prints is always a nice modern choice)
• Add a simple crepe paper ruffle to the back of a couple of the letters.
• Stick on bling adds some fun to a couple of the letters. Try following the curve of the script for a really pretty look.
• Paint over the letters with glue and glitter for even more blingy goodness.
• Premade paper flowers are an easy accent. (there are from Girl’s Paperie)
• “Flair” from American Crafts give the banner a younger teen touch.

String onto ribbon and tie. This banner took about 45 minutes to create – and that included the time it took to look for embellies!

If you would like to make a banner like this, or make it your own – you can download the letter cards here. These are sized for 4×6″ but you can use them however you like!

Download the banner cards

Across the ceiling I did a few black crepe paper twists and this EASY reusable banner.

I trimmed a selection of patterned paper to 4×6 and strung onto a ribbon and attached across the ceiling. Since this was a teen party, I used the Making Memories Just Chillin’ line.

Here are a few of the rosettes we had hanging around the room. I used fishing line to suspend them from the ceiling. To keep them from twirling, I hung them using two strings. 

I cut the 13′s using my Silhouette. {at the end of this post you will find a link to the silhouette cutter files and a printable PDF if you prefer to hand cut} I created a bunch of these number and word sets and glittered each one.

Finally, above the table I suspended some black paper lanterns with glittered “13″ glued to them. I also suspended a little pink tissue puffball to give a little feminine touch.

The table cloth was teen friendly kraft paper with “13″ stamped all over it.

DOWNLOADS

Banner files jpgs sized to 4″x6″

“13″  Silhouette cutter file    pdf pattern (coming soon)

“thirteen” Silhouette cutter file    pdf pattern (coming soon)

This past labor day weekend was pretty awesome  I have to say. My lil sis had a gig up in Jackson, WY…so I decided to tag along. Savannah and I watched “the boy” while she worked. And now, I am totally in love. In love with Wyoming. (yes really)

It was too short of a trip I admit. I could spend a week just laying by the snake river, or eating under the stars. As most road trips that Lea and I go on.. it would not be complete unless we got a little lost, and hit a dead end or two. I ”saw” the sign that said the road was closed ahead, but I didn’t read it. I got as far as the word MANHEAD and didn’t read the rest of the sign. So after doubling back we finally were on our way.

 We did take time to enjoy some quaint shops in the small towns we would pass through. We even got some new cowboy boots from the Boot Barn, a new camo hat, and an amazing sausage skewer from a truck stop. They were having a sale. Savannah liked the Jerky stand selling all types of beef and game. Savannah enjoyed the Elk.

The food on this trip was hearty. Savannah and I enjoyed some buffulo and homestyle bread with all the fixens for dinner. And there is nothing like small town breakfast – biscuits as big as my head!

But what I really love, is just how amazing this part of the country is. I would live there in a heartbeat. Really… as I get older, the thought of living out on a ranch away from the world just strikes my fancy. Of course, if I have a ranch, my gate will be pink and I plan on having some flood lights installed seeing I am afraid of the dark. Until then, Jackson is most definitely on my rotation for places to visit.

NOW FOR OUR WINNER! The lucky Scarlet Lime winner is. . .

Email your address to anacabrera@me.com to claim your prize. And be sure to check out my creations in the gallery!

WOW, I think I am finally getting my life back together. This week will be a fun one with lots of giveaways…and once very special one to take note of! Join me right here on Sept. 1 to celebrate the Scarlet Lime’s big birthday! so swing by for a sneak peek of the new kit, some previews of my creations (I am honored to be this month’s guest designer!) and One blog reader will win the latest kit. So much fun… so stay tuned and keep coming by.