Cara

Here's a bit of my Croptopia Getaways Bermuda Cruise

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Did you see my photo?!!

That was my breakfast view as we were heading home on the Royal Caribean Explorer of the Seas. Croptopia Getaways asked me to be the instructor on the Cruise to Bermuda. I had a wonderful time and will be telling you alllll about our adventures later today. Wait til you hear about the cute Austrailian that Melissa was looking for or the Ice Skating Christmas Ornament ... how about Fred and Peggy's tatoos??! Or my glassware collection? We had so much fun and I have lots of photos to share. Be back soon. Hugs, Cara

2008-10-08T11:29:36Z

Look at Pop Ups!

I played with pop ups today and of course made a slide show for you !

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Board Books in Motion!

I know I told you about this kit earlier this month and many of you should be finding them in your mailboxes any day now!!! But I just have to say I have a new addiction...motion in my board books! I am so hooked on these additions to my favorite scrapbook album! Is there something wrong when people ask what my favorite size scrapbook is and I say 5x5?! I used to be traditional and 12x12 was where it was....but now that I have the "BBO" board book obcession...I am board and proud of it! My little doors and windows, sweet nothings and twirlies, slides and tags, circles and stand ups oh my gosh I even have a whole new vocabulary. The August kit features of course my old stand-by, 5x5 board book and 3x3 chipboard square. There are so many things you can create starting with these LOL

What? You don't know about the MOSD Contest??!!

Count me in…what do I do??!! Welllll... let me tell you all about it! First...Order your Contest Pack for only $12.00 What do you get? The Cover 2 Cover Big Boy (6x12) Album, an EXCLUSIVE sketch designed by Becky Fleck of PAGE MAPS as well as a never to be released again set of MOSD Stick Ons all for only $12.00 *After you are all done decorating up the Big Boy --- using the sketch as inspiration of course --- simply email your submission to: pubcalls@gmail.com with the subject line of : MOSD DT CONTEST. * In the body of the email please include: Name, Address, Phone Number, ,Email, and Cara Miller Designs!!. Show as much of the album as possible& the page(s) inspired by the sketch. Contest Runs August 25th through September 30th, 2008 all entries to be received at the above address by Midnight in your time zone. Contest open to Residents of the United States Only. Winner will be notified by email on or before October 10th. My fingers are crossed for you!! Check out what I did when I played with my Contest Pack! Hugs, Cara

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August Are You Board? Kit Club Preview

Oh my gosh...the last two weeks have been a whirlwind of travel and classes and kits!  I have not really had a chance to chat with you and catch you up with all that is happening with both Are You Board? and with lil ol me.  I headed out to my last 2008 Great American Scrapbook Convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Beautiful hotel and my room overlooked the river and the riverwalk...it was great.  My classes were small but it gave me time to spend with my students and it was the last show that my wordbooks were only 4 inches tall.  From then on all classes feature the tall 5 3/4 inch book.  We are "All Tall" from now on!  And that means the vertical photos will fit on the pages of these books without cropping off heads and feet!! I flew home very late Saturday night and got a few hours sleep in myown bed.  But first thing Sunday morning I was packing kits...and packing kits ...and packing kits for Valley Forge.  This show is always a big one and I have a really full schedule with really full classes...2008 was no exception.  And as usual, I am introducing new class designs which means new instruction sheets and of course new samples!  All this and only have 4 days.  You can see why I have not had a lot of time to chit chat with you here!  I headed out Thursday morning around 9:00.   After conquering my GPS ... I had to really take control as "Jill" seemed to have issues with the major construction as I tried to find my way to the Radisson and she spend much energy "recalculating" while I could see the hotel and headed the way I knew I needed to travel! 

My classroom was in the Radisson and the bellman was a great help toting my suitcases full of class kits to the classroom.  After dinner I spent the evening creating my class samples and crawled off to a great night sleep in my sleep number bed!  My classes were terrific and the TA's I had sooo helpful.  Wordbook 101 was all new!  I have taught this class many times but I always have a collection of books in hand picked words that my students choose from and it is generally an hour and a half or two hours long.  At Valley Forge we had an hour!  And using MOSD Box of Books, each student had a chance to make their own 4 or 5 letter word.  I wasn't sure if this would slow down the class or if it would happen quickly.  The class was also at 8:30 in the morning ...yikes!  But I had a list of words as suggestions to help kick start the imagination and just like that custom wordbooks were created!  The books came together beautifully and this class also so the launch of a brand new partnership with 3 Pixel Chicks.  Each kit contains a CD with files for both hybrid and pure digital pages for Wordbooks.  So much fun!

And... wait til you see what we are working on now!  I am so excited about these great new ideas that will add WOW to your wordbooks.  I will let you know as soon as they are added to my site.  Both the MEOW class and the CRUISIN class featured all new designs and papers created by lil ol me!  Love them and I hope you will too!  I will post photos soon. 

I had a break for lunch and was able to chat with Stacy Julian about my upcoming Big Picture Scrapbooking classes.  So many ideas ...I can't wait to get these loaded and ready to go! She is the best !  I was also there to meet one of the students in Stacy's Photo Freedom class that used the ideas in Photo Freedom to create a wonderful album celebrating her family tradition of Full Moon Walks.  An intriguing idea that was new to me sprung from a book about gathering your family to take a walk on every full moon.  She has done this with her family for many years and has terrific journaling and stories that she has recorded and struggled with methods to organize and share these memories.  Photo Freedom helped her discover a plan and she shared her work in progress ever growing album with Stacy and the rest of us.  Such a cool family history! 

After a long drive home I was able to visit with my family and relax a bit before I jump into the kits for Charlotte!  And I am finally able to fill you in on what 's up with August.  My newsletter will go out tonight with a complete description but  let's just say POP UPS!! My favorite cards are the ones with pop outs and moving tabs.. books with windows and doors ... things that go bump in the night (not really!) Well August kit will feature our basic 5x5 board book with patterns and instructions to create three styles of motion in your board book.  Fun fun fun!  Be sure to stay tuned as there are many new ideas coming soon.  Hugs, Cara

Guess What I have been up to? Mailing mailing mailing!!!!!

 The custom word books have arrived from MOSD and we are packing packing packing!  I have had the envelopes ready with my instruction sheets in them...waiting to pop these terrific books in the mail to all of you PATIENT and I mean Patient!!! customers.  You have been the best!  As you can see I WAS BURIED and in turn so was MOSD!  We have been working like crazy to get these all to you.  I have all but a few ( like 3 !) that needed address research or an extra tidbit ... stamped and labeled and ready for the the Post Office.  I used my great new recyclable grocery bags as mail sacks today.  Now remember there are two layers in these bags...you are only seeing the top half!  So happy to have these on their way.  Start stalking the mailman if you are one of the lucky ones to have a custom wordbook on its way to you!  Hugs, Cara

Are You Cruising with Me? I hope so! Croptopia Getaways Royal Carribean Cruise

What??!! You aren't coming?  Oh my gosh it is not too late.  Quick, get in touch with Susan at Croptopia Getaways..today!  Tell her Cara sent you and you NEED a cabin...you don't even care if it is with the Captain... LOL We are sailing out of Port Liberty NJ...wooohoo New England girls...no flight needed!  and we are sailing to Bermuda.  This is a trip you might be able to talk your husband into.  He could lounge on the deck, try his luck in the casino or Rock Climb or... you get the idea while you and I are scrapbooking away.  You can still do all the cool cruise things like eat and swim and sunsets and shopping in the port with Bermuda pink beaches ... and scrapbook too!   

Croptopia Getaways Cruise Class Ideas: These 2 classes are included in cruise purchase

1.)    Cruisin Word Book :  5.75 Wordbook with seven pages will hold over 20 photos.  We will have this book ready to add photos and share with your friends as soon as we return to shore! 

Features Cara’s custom paper, Coredinations Paper and May Arts ribbons.

2.)    Two page layout featuring my custom chipboard pop ups!  Unique add ons to your layout create fun interactive pages.  This 2 page spread will highlight and summarize our trip.  It will allow for placement of 8 photos and special sections to record journaling.  Custom paper and chipboard features and embellishments. 

Optional Classes Offered : 

1.)    $40.00   8x8 Chipboard Book complete with 10 8x8 layouts featuring Cruise Memories…

        Layout Themes to include…

Bon Voyage: Sail Away Party

The Grand Buffet: Food and Fun

On the Deck: Sun and Music

Our Quarters

Oh the Places We Go

Sunrise…Sunset

This is a complete kit with all materials to complete your entire chipboard album.  I will also include information on how to modify these layouts to fit your 12x12 album once you get home if you prefer. 

2.)    Cruise Game Board   $25.00

A full size Game will be created to remember your cruise…the center 12x12 layout will feature custom printed paper with map of our travels .  Game will be personalized by you.  All supplies included.

 

3.)    2x3 Clearly Cute MOSD Mini Acrylic Album : Acrylic covers and chipboard inside pages make this a fun  souvenir of this fantastic cruise.   You will complete the album and receive photo printing templates and guides to complete your album.   $17.00 all supplies included 

 4.)     Custom 5.75 WORDBOOK 101  You choose whatever you want your book to say, I create the book and the paper  templates for you to create your book.   Ribbons and papers of your choice to complete YOUR book.  You may create as many as you like … it is your cruise and your book.  $30.00 class and first book.  LOVE these and want more?  $15.00 for any extra books.  Books will be created on ship as you order them!  Just like potato chips…you can’t stop at one!

 

5.)    Hybrid Chipboard boardbook and wordbook combo!  Use your own paper, choose your word and create a unique desk top display album all your own.  You will need about 6-7 sheets of 12x12 and I will supply the ribbon!   $35.00

Let's take Wordbooks to the next level!

As you know I have been teaching Wordbook classes at conventions all year but I have created a technique that will take your wordbooks to the next level.  These fun 6" tall spaces of chipboard look great covered in your favorite patterned papers and layered with embellishments, photo mats and photos.  I love the look and have been having so much fun with making WORDBOOKS for class and all my friends.  But...and this is a really big but... what if you could cover the letter with your photo..ya...your photo!!! An awesome sunset that I saw on my way home from a long trip and it made me feel all warm inside...well now it is on the letter Y on my word book.  How amazing is that?  Oh but you are thinking that looks like a lot of work.  Actually I make it easy for you...This is part of the July kit and those of you that going to be getting this month's kit will see what I mean!  And beginning in August...you can get YOUR photos ready to attach to your custom WORDBOOKS!! .  Too cool and just think of the possibilities. I will be adding more samples so you can see how these photo Custom Books work.