Condolences to Corbi for the loss of her dear husband, and to Chris and Jenn for the loss of their father. During the short time Scrapbook Generation has been in business, Karin and I and Stacey and Allison have come to know and appreciate the friendship and fellowship of the Beshears family. Such a tragic accident is difficult to understand and comprehend, and we send our thoughts, prayers, and concern to all.

To register for any of the August classes at Scrapbook Generation, just call 417-886-0440, or stop by in person!

In addition to classes, other August activities include Friday night Midnight Madness crops on August 4, 18, and 25. Cost is $10 and includes 7 hours of cropping, pizza, unlimited snacks and drinks, and a 10% discount. Saturday crops are scheduled for August 5, 19, and 26. An indoor "garage sale" will be held August 11-12, where customers can rent tables to sell their "old" supplies and receive a store credit for new "stuff!"

Thank You Cards Mini-Class
Tuesday, August 1 at 6 p.m.
Teacher: Allison Davis
Fee: $5

Class Description:
Craft two "thank you" cards with style, by using an "anywhere" hole punch for a "see-through" technique. Bright colors will make the cards perfect for any situation. (Mini-classes are mini-priced, and designed to have you on your way in about an hour!)

Chipboard Keychain Charm Class
Thursday, August 3 at 2 p.m.
Teacher: Marti Blattert
Fee: $7

Class Description:
Start with Bazzill's extra-big "chips," and end up with a cute oversized keychain that will look great by itself, or attached to your favorite purse. Pretty patterned paper, some Mod Podge and other goodies, and you have a creation you'll want to make over and over.

Explosion Mini-book Class
Tuesday, August 8 at 6 p.m.
Teacher: Amy Estes
Fee: $14

Class Description:
Using colors you choose, craft the latest craze, an "explosion" book. Ribbon, brads, and a clever folding technique make a striking, and unusual, way to showcase favorite photos. Once you learn how, you won't be able to stop with just one!

Scrapbooking 101
Tuesday, August 10 at 2 p.m.
Teacher: Marti Blattert
Fee: $10

Class Description:
A great beginner's class, designed for anyone, of any age! With an experienced and enthusiastic scrapbooker as the teacher, explore basic supplies needed to start the hobby. Learn basic skills such as cropping photos, designing a page, selecting coordinating papers and embellishments, and journaling. The class also involves creating a two-page layout, and students receive several helpful handouts.

Party Perfect Series: Birthday Decor
Tuesday, August 15 at 6 p.m.
Teacher: Allison Davis
Fee: $15

Series Description:
The Party Perfect series will continue through fall, winter, and beyond. Watch for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's decor classes in coming months, followed by baby showers, wedding showers, and more! The classes will feature two or more matching party items, like invitations, banners, table decorations, placecards, gift bags, and more.

Class Description:
When Allison decorated for her son's first birthday, she created a banner destined for double duty...its next life will be as a mini-scrapbook! Learn how to duplicate this banner/scrapbook perfect for any birthday. Create an invitation that's easy to reproduce later in the quantity you need. Primary colors, circles, and inking techniques give these party items pizazz. Allison will also share ideas for table decorations using photos of the birthday boy or girl, and ideas for cake decorating to match the banner and invitations.

Anna Griffin's Grace's Garden Class
Thursday, August 17 at 2 p.m.
Teacher: Debbie Sanders
Fee: $15

Class Description:
Grace collection papers feature flowers and intricate, jewel-toned swirls and swags for this two-page layout. Create ribbon corners and a miniature album perfect to use to journal memories or house original artwork. Fashion flowers using satin ribbon and fabric brads to adorn an all-purpose card. (This layout and card are designed by Anna Griffin, and enrollment is limited.)

Clothespin Photo Holder Class
Tuesday, August 22 at 6 p.m.
Teacher: Jennifer Mattix
Fee: $10

Class Description:
This versatile oversized "clothespin" can be whatever you want: a photo holder, memo holder, recipe holder, or more. You'll pick papers and ribbons to match your idea...and decor, then craft a unique holder just for you.

Fun in the Sun Page Mini-Class
Thursday, August 24 at 6 p.m.
Teacher: Allison Davis
Fee: $5

Class Description:
Learn to draw and stitch a free-style doodle border, and learn a titleing/lettering technique with a white pen. Create tiny sparkly embellishments from staples and beads. Citrus colors of lemon, lime, and orange make this one-page layout a standout.

Altered Canvas Wall Art Class
Tuesday, August 29 at 6 p.m.
Teacher: Laura Parks
Fee: $15

Class Description:
Create a unique wall art (11x14) showcasing four of your favorite photos, with the theme "Live, laugh, love." Acrylic paint and papers in soothing shades of blue provide a backdrop. Bring one 5x7 photo and three other pics to crop to about 2.5x3.5.) Also make a clever coordinating card with ribbon ties.

CHA in Chicago was overwhelming, as usual. Karin and I just returned home last night, after spending three full days walking and looking and ordering...and sometime in there, we stopped and had our picture made with Elvis!

If you want to know trends, repeat after me -- Chipboard. Flowers. Chipboard. Flowers. Reach out in any direction, and I guarantee you would be touching one or both of those from almost every company.

The two new collections from BasicGrey are on their way to Scrapbook Generation, including papers, monograms, tags, ribbon sets, rub-ons, and new mini-monograms. We believe that we will be the first store in southwest Missouri to receive the shipment -- in less than three weeks. To cut down on the chaos of everyone trying to order from BasicGrey at once, they did something different. When you arrived at their booth, you were given a number, which is the order your store is shipped to. Out of the whole country, we are order #58! We have such a good number because Karin and I practically ran, once the doors were opened at 9 a.m. the first day! Faithful blog readers will be the first to know when BG arrives, and we also have a little hoopla planned for that special day, that only blog readers will know about.

Next stop was the Prima booth, and we did get carried away! There are new paper collections to match all the new flowers, and spools of ribbon as well. One of the cutest new touches is colored rhinestone circles to go in the center of the big flowers.

We spent the rest of the time checking out all scrapbooking exhibitors. As you can imagine, the "old faithfuls" came through again. What caught my eye especially were the following...

-- K & Company: two new groupings of beautiful papers and everything to match (one set in muted corals and peaches, and one in blues), plus these absolutely over-the-top glitter letter sets;
-- KI Memories: four classy seasonal sets for Halloween, fall, Christmas, and winter, which include the cutest sets of tiny embellishment packaged in test tubes like a chemistry set;
-- Doodlebug: several cute new seasonal sets, plus new embellishments that are long strips of shaped papers for great borders;
-- Creative Imaginations: sophisticated travel papers for Italy, Washington, DC, and Las Vegas; plus an innovative line called Bare Elements -- purses, blocks, boxes, ornaments, and more, all plain and ready to decorate;
-- Flair: beautiful additions to their fall and Christmas papers;
-- Bo Bunny: a pink dog group, a raspberry group perfect for family recipes;
-- My Minds Eye: no new Wild Asparagus, but a new group called Bohemia.

Newer vendors that show lots of promise: Moxie (for school papers), Crate Paper (for muted papers in several color combinations unlike anything else on the market), Fancy Pants (for huge chipboard shapes), and Imaginisce (which could be the next big thing, with an exotic collection of elegant papers, metal embellishments, and matching jewels).

Today's excitement at Scrapbook Generation:
New arrivals...
-- All My Memories: a new shipment of 12x12 Urban Chic albums in all six colors;
-- Doodlebug: a new shipment of all 32 colors of minibrads;
-- Making Memories: several new sets of foam stamps;
-- Basic Grey: several paper groups are back in stock, plus the chipboard monograms and chipboard tag sets;
-- Heidi Swapp: the large florals are back, plus large white florals sold in bulk;
-- SEI: scrapbook kits in a bag and box are back;
-- Petaloo: large silk flowers in several sizes (some with polka dots!);
-- Doodlebug: polka dot flowers are back in stock;
-- Magazines: Memory Makers, Card Maker, Paper Works, Scrapbook Answers, Simple Scrapbooks, and the latest issue of Creating Keepsakes;
-- Wubie: travel and map papers.

August Classes at Scrapbook Generation...

-- Tuesday, August 1 at 6 p.m. - Thank You Cards Mini-Class
Craft two "thank you" cards with style, by using an "anywhere" hole punch for a "see-through" technique. Bright colors will make the cards perfect for any situation. Fee $5, with Allison Davis

-- Thursday, August 3 at 2 p.m. - Chipboard Keychain Charm
Start with Bazzill's extra-big "chips," and end up with a cute oversized keychain. Pretty patterned paper, some Mod Podge and other goodies, and you have a creation you'll want to make over and over. Fee $7, with Marti Blattert

-- Tuesday, August 8 at 6 p.m. - Explosion Mini-book
Using colors you choose, craft the latest craze, an "explosion" book. Ribbon, brads, and a clever folding technique make a striking, and unusual, way to showcase favorite photos. Fee $14, with Amy Estes

-- Thursday, August 10 at 2 p.m. - Scrapbooking 101
For anyone (of any age). Explore basic supplies. Learn basic skills such as cropping photos, designing a page, selecting papers and embellishments, and journaling. Create a two-page layout. Handouts on basic skills will be provided. Fee $10, with Marti Blattert

-- Tuesday, August 15 at 6 p.m. - Party Perfect Series: Birthday
When Allison decorated for her son's first birthday, she created a banner destined for double duty...its next life will be as a mini-scrapbook! Learn how to duplicate this banner/scrapbook perfect for any birthday. Create an invitation that's easy to reproduce later in the quantity you need. Primary colors, circles, and inking techniques give these party items pizazz. Allison will also share ideas for table decoration using photos of the birthday boy or girl, and ideas for cake decorating to match the banner and invitations. Fee $15, with Allison Davis

-- Thursday, August 17 at 2 p.m. - Anna Griffin's Grace's Garden
The Grace collection papers feature flowers and intricate, jewel-toned swirls and swags for this two-page layout. Create ribbon corners and a miniature album to journal memories or house artwork. Fashion flowers using satin ribbon and fabric brads to adorn an all-purpose card. Fee $15 with Debbie Sanders

-- Tuesday, August 22 at 6 p.m. - Clothespin Photo Holder
This versatile oversized "clothespin" can be whatever you want: a photo holder, memo holder, recipe holder, or more. You'll pick papers and ribbons to match your idea...and decor. Fee $10, with Jennifer Mattix

-- Thursday, August 24 at 6 p.m. - Fun in the Sun Page Mini-Class
Learn to draw and stitch a free-style doodle border, and learn a titleing/lettering technique with a white pen. Create tiny sparkly embellishments from staples and beads. Citrus colors of lemon, lime, and orange make this one-page layout a standout. Fee $5, with Allison Davis

-- Tuesday, August 29 at 6 p.m. - Altered Canvas Wall Art
Create a unique wall art (11x14) showcasing four favorite photos, with the theme "Live, laugh, love." Acrylic paint, papers in southing shades of blue provide a backdrop. (Bring one 5x7 photo and three pics to crop to about 2.5x3.5.) Make a clever coordinating card with ribbon ties. Fee $15, with Laura Parks

-- Thursday, August 31 at 2 p.m. - All Occasion Flower Pot Card Mini-Class
This all-occasion card may be too cute to send to someone else! This "flower pot" card with three blooms is the perfect design for delivering a summer message. Fee $5, with Allison Davis

Teachers Allison Davis, Marti Blattert, Amy Estes, Jennifer Mattix, and Laura Parks are all members of the Scrapbook Generation Design Team. Allison Davis and Debbie Sanders are "Creating Keepsakes" magazine award-winning scrapbook designers.

To register for August classes, or for more information, call Scrapbook Generation at 417-886-0440. To see the actual class projects, stop by the store. Projects are on display one month prior to the class offering.

Today's excitement at Scrapbook Generation:
New arrivals...
-- Daisy D's: new Gypsy collection (rich fall colors of gold, rust, green, and purple) and Girlfriends collection (bright pinks, blues, and greens) both with dozens of papers, monograms, and the cutest die-cut layering flowers, tags, and more;
-- Deluxe Designs: Plain Jane thick raw chipboard shapes in 26 -- YES -- 26 assortments -- you'll want every package!;
-- Better Homes and Gardens: the latest issue of Scrapbooks Etc.

CHA's summer show in Chicago is rapidly approaching, and Karin and I will be attending. We're excited about seeing all the new goodies, ordering as much as we can, and seeing all the great work on display.

In the meantime, new "stuff" is still arriving at Scrapbook Generation from CHA Winter! Thought you might want a quick update on today's shipments!

Today's excitement at Scrapbook Generation:
New arrivals...
-- KI Memories: Color Theory groupings in pink, yellow, green, blue, and black include double-sided patterned textured cardstock, "gel candy" epoxy stickers, cardstock letter stickers, and "tattoos" rub-ons in alphabet and shape sets;
-- K & Company: Chipboard To Go and Die Cuts To Go sets in cute handled tins (cute packaging that can be recycled later, we bet!), plus more of the Sweet Pea baby collection including rub-ons and charms; several word and phrase rub-on sets;
-- Bo Bunny: new cardstock sticker sets for beach, baby girl, and baby boy.

Important Dates tag album class...

If you feel the need to get organized in style, this is the class for you. Allison has used chipboard, patterned paper, tags, and lots of embellishments to create a 12-month guide to use to fill in all the important dates (birthdays, anniversaries, and more) in your life. It's a really cute project, but also totally practical.

The class will be offered Tuesday, July 25 at 6 p.m., and Thursday, July 27 at 2 p.m. Price for the class is just $10, with CK-award winning designer Allison Davis as the teacher. If you want to register by phone, just call Scrapbook Generation at 417-886-0440.

In just a few days, I'll be posting the August class schedule and descriptions. We're offering 10 new classes, and adding Marti Blattert, Amy Estes, Jennifer Mattix, and Laura Parks to our teaching staff. I consider them an absolute powerhouse group of designers and teachers, and a wonderful addition to Scrapbook Generation.

Today's excitement at Scrapbook Generation:
New arrivals...
-- All My Memories: stylish photo cases in pink, blue, and kiwi;
-- Memories of Yesteryear: die cuts for Branson, Cardinals, Ozarks, the St. Louis Arch, cruising, and more;
-- Several brands: an abundance of white pens and white paint pens;
-- Art Bin: new supply of the storage cases great for 12x12 items;
-- Colorbox: new supply of the fluid chalkink sets;
-- Scrapbook Generation: three new Sweet & Simple page kits -- "Paisley" features coral and pink colors; "Oh, Boy" features Basic Grey's Dawson papers; and "Sweet, Sassy" uses K & Company Studio K papers in gold, peach, green, and blue.

Design Team member Candy Conner takes her turn at center stage today, as we introduce you, in-depth in their own words, to each of Scrapbook Generation's talented group.

Design Team Member #2: Candy Conner
Occupation: elementary principal (taught first, second, and third grades for 13 years)
Spouse: Jerry (they just celebrated their 20th anniversary)
Children: Jamison, 5, is going to kindergarten this fall! ("How will I handle those crying mothers on the first day when I will be crying myself.")
Hobbies other than scrapbooking: "Are you kidding? Scrapbooking is it, unless you count pulling weeds in my flower beds as a hobby."

-- How long have you been scrapbooking?
I guess I've always scrapbooked! You should see my pitiful collection of newspaper clippings from high school! But the true addiction began about five and a half years ago. Some of my husband's co-workers stopped by to find a jammie-clad, not showered, post partum, baby blues mama rocking her one-month old son. They delivered a receiving blanket lined basket full of scrapping goodies. The basket collected dust for almost a year. And so the addiction began!
-- When and where do you usually scrapbook?
I try to crop at least once a month. It's my treat to myself, a night out. However I find myself slacking since my scrapping buddy moved to Columbia two years ago. I tend to scrap at home a lot or at the lake cabin. In fact, my scrapbook bags are packed in my car right now.
-- How many pages do you complete in an average month?
It depends, usually 10-12 a month, but a good month is 20-plus layouts.
-- What do you enjoy most about scrapbooking?
Enjoy...well, it's more like love scrapbooking! It lets me relive and preserve memories for my family. It provides relaxation after a rough day.
-- Describe your scrapbooking style.
I spent the first few years scraplifting. I tried collage. I tried cutesy. Gee...I've tried all the latest from CK magazine. But for about a year now, I've discovered I like clean lines. Simple...straight...lines with a bit of flair.
--Why did being on the Design Team at Scrapbook Generation appeal to you?
A chance to display my work and inspire others.
-- Why is Scrapbook Generation your favorite scrapbook store?
I love Scrapbook Generation because they carry the latest scrapping goodies. They always think of all the little extras at crops and events. And hey, I figured I can't go wrong with fellow educators! Maybe in 14 years when I retire from education I can join the Scrapbook Generation staff!

Today's excitement at Scrapbook Generation:
New arrivals...
-- Deja Views: A wedding grouping in cream, black, and white featuring patterned papers, vellum quotes, and matching rub-ons -- very sophisticated!
-- Creating Keepsakes: the new idea book about patterned paper by Ali Edwards