Think OUTSIDE the BOX

Do you like to go beyond page layouts, cards and altered items? Why not try a growth chart?

They are a wonderful way of keeping track of your little ones growth.... and a wonderful gift!


I came up with this idea two summers ago, it was a hit at the store I was designing for. I taught the class and while it was on display for sign ups, Donna Downey was visiting the store. I was encouraged by the manager Nancy W. to talk with her and Nancy introducing me as the one who made the chart. Well I was a little over whelmed to be talking to a celb. and all but I managed to ask her some questions... I just love her! Just like her work she is simple and down to earth!


Anyway... I had purchased her book and she signed it...encouraging me to keep sharing... So I was thinking ...I share my files but what about my other stuff? It's not hard to make the growth chart! Over a week we could do it together, what do you think? Are you interested in making a growth chart?

Free Crocs today!

I hope that you had a chance to download the free croc file!
If not you can still purchase them through the store.

Sharing my crocs with you....

Happy cutting!

Carrie

Silly! :O

hi! I have some cute pictures to share.....

Scott and Jesse

Scott, Jesse, Loralie & Julie

Loralie, Julie, Jesse and Scott!

He's just too much! What a dad!

I'm moving... my blog

Hello... all of you wonderful peeps!

I hope your labor day weekend has been wonderful!

I've been hitting the blog's lately and decided to move.... It's going to take me a little while to get up & going but the site is going to be fabulous!!!

I want it to have more of artsy feel than I have here! I'm not much of a writer, I need the freedom of expression that's why I'm taking the leap and so excited about it.

Also... i'm waiting for the arrival of the new Klic-n-Kut Element. I have so many wonderful files coming up for you and will be back to offering freebies!

Cute story....

I took Jesse with me shopping with me the other day... as we were checking out a mother placed her baby laying in the pumpkin seat right next to us.... I said "Jesse... Look at the baby! Isn't she beautiful? He bends down and takes a long look at her....... stands up right putting his little hand on his hip and says.... "NOT as cute as me...."

I about died!!! What do you do when all he's ever heard was "OH, that hair.... he's so cute, every where we go... maybe we should just stay home!"

Actually, he finally told us today he is ready for his first hair cut... I'll have to let you know how it went... last time when we had an appointment and they were already to take him to wash his hair he threw a fit and we had to leave....

Have a great night!

Carrie

All the crab you can eat!

I love crab!

This was the last layout I worked on ... from our Florida vacation....

Don't the crab legs look YUMMY?

Thank you for the votes!!!!

I appreciate everyone who voted for my picture... I just found out that the company has many many complaints against their practices. Thanks to Jennifer Adkins who did the research for me! I am removing the link and if you submitted a photo to them ignore their emails!!! They are making an offer to publish your creative work and then they want you to purchase the book... complaints have been filed against them. People never received their book, many photos in the book that others received are stock photos... their are just to many complaints against them... It's a shame!!!

That's my bad news of the day....now for the good news.......

My KNK element is on it's way!!!! YEAH!!! I'm so excited about this... you know I loved my wishblade but when designing for others you just need to cut faster and have crisp clean cuts every time!!!

I'm looking forward to many things that the Klic-N-Kut has to offer..the maximum cutting width of 8.5 inches and 500 grams of force! Which will cut thicker materials like chipboard and funfoam. It comes with 2,000 True Type Font CD, you know I love to work with fonts!

This will be good for you too!! I won't have to wait to get files converted... I will be able to work faster leaving me some more time to get files to you... My work will be more detailed.... I can't wait for it's arrival.... It should be here on Wednesday!!!

So to celebrate I am giving away one of my files "We all scream for Ice Cream".

Night!

Carrie

ANNOUNCING

My photograph is being published!!!

I'm still proud of the picture!!!

I have been nominated for publication in The Best Photos and Photographers of 2007 and I had an exclusive invitation to join the International Society of Photographers!


This is just some of what they have written about my photos and the invitation:


Carrie, you should be genuinely proud of your accomplishment. You have been selected to participate in this very special project because of your unique vision. It is our pleasure to publish fine photographs such as yours in this special volume.

Dear Carrie Schwartz,

It's something we don't often do, but after viewing and discussing your photography, the Editorial Advisory Board of the International Library of Photography has nominated you for membership in the most exciting photography organization in the world - the International Society of Photographers!

The Editorial Advisory Board wholeheartedly agrees that your photographic abilities warrant nomination into the International Society of Photographers - a photographic organization that is world-renowned and dedicated to recognizing photographic talent such as yours. As Chairman, I want to personally inform you about all the new benefits of membership, and I did not want you to miss out on this opportunity. Carrie, I know that after hearing what we are about, you will join us as a member of our society - the International Society of Photographers!

Thanks,
Carrie

Take a look at the new files just released in the store!!!

Here's a peek of the new files just released.....

and I'm so excited with the way they came out!!!

I think you will like them too!!!!

Flourishes II

Halloween Super Pack

We all scream for ice cream!

Cookies for Santa


These shoes roc!

Thanks to Shae who came up with this great title!
I still owe you!!!!!

I love my.....

So tell me what do you think???

Happy cutting!

Carrie

Finally I have some new files!

Did you miss out on the free file?

It is now in the store and at a really nice price just click on the link it will take you there!!!!



I'm excited to announce new files being released this week at Paperthreads!

And will be showing them to you this week... at least it will give me something to blog!!!

Today I'm giving away my paisley file....

I just love paisleys and your going to have so much fun with these!

Please do not share my files... they take much time to create, thank you!

I would love to see what you have done with my file, so send me a layout... I will allow you to choose any of my files for doing so....

Happy Cutting!

Hello my friends! THIS FILE IS NOW AVAILABLE IN THE STORE!

Please forgive me for not blogging this week! It's been a rough one! And I'm just exhausted... with not much to say... or know what to say!!!! Anyway, here's a free file for you.

My lace pocket with a cute little flower... this would look great with any blue jean themed pages, school pages (keep those little special notes in) or a girl y page... add some stitching to the side by stamping or with a pen and you will have a cute little embellishment!
Have a great day!
Carrie

I'm just Dreaming of the new KNK "whoppin'" machine!!!!

It’s a week ago today that school started. I’m still getting use to the quite house…. So quite!!! It seems like I was more productive when the girls were at home???? I managed to complete a couple of files and am awaiting their conversion to the new KNK format…. I know you will love them!!! Once they are converted I can put them up in the store… It’s always a good feeling when they go live!!!

Talking about the new machine which I have nick named the "whopping” machine since it does eVeRyThInG that we scrappers have ever dreamed of!!! With 2000 additional fonts ~ boy I could weld and design like crazy!!! It cuts chipboard, felt, heavy bazzill paper, light weight fabric, vinyl and more!! And cuts faster at a blazing speed of 24.5 inches per second!! Which my wishblade is lacking behind by cutting 3.9 inches per second… Just imagining the amount of files I could crank out!!!

I just keep dreaming of the day!!! Just takes a little longer with such a big family. I mean theirs milk to buy… clothes, shoes and school supplies it just doesn’t end… but it’s all good!!! I wouldn’t change it for the world!!

Today’s free file “My Class” title and caulk board!! It’s a great file for your back to school pages. Use the caulk board as a journaling block by writing your child’s goals for the year… Or write down your thoughts as your child goes off to school… however you chose to use it....... I would love love love to see!!!!!!!

Share your layout with us! The first one to do so will get their choice of one free file from me!!!

Don’t forget the sale, you can still purchase my back to school files at a 25% discount and finish many pages even a whole album…

Have a wonderful day!!!

Carrie

Back to School sale starts today!

It's a Back to School sale!!!

25% off on ALL school files.... check them out.....

on sale NOW .....

in the Paperthreads store!!!!

***Get them while supplies last.... LOL!!!

Pencils

A Notebook with pencils and index card

On sale at Paperthreads!!

This was such a fun file to create!!! You can leave the little grooved lines in the middle of the pencils or pull out the rectangles and layer with another color. Use some cute little pattern paper with a small floral print for a stylish set of pencils....

Hope to see what you come up with!!!!

Have a great day!!

Carrie

Three post in one day!!!!!

OK... OK... I just thought I'd share with U!

My new files are going up in the store... it's so exciting to watch!!

Have a great night!

Carrie

two post in one day!!! Crocs

I just sent Michelle here, you know my friend who got me all caught up in this mess by sharing her album she made for her son coming home from Iraq.....

Anyway... I had this problem from the original file that I made... since I couldn't use the word "croc", Which could have gotten me in some type of legal trouble....

She suggested... to add... I love my shoes and These shoes rock!!!! Great Idea Michelle!!!!!

I will work on this tomorrow... still so exhausted from my vacation/retreat and my children are arriving home from school now....


Here's a picture of my original file... so what do you think?

Do you Love your crocs?

Have you got the croc craze? Are you crazy about your crocs? Do you own a pair or two or do you have several pairs?

Around here we only own two pairs of the classic style in pink and blue. I’m not just yet into the craze…truthfully I only wear them around the house!! I would never be caught in public wearing them… they just don’t have style!!! They are brightly colored, bulky and big and on a little person like me I feel like I should be dancing in Holland or something!!! And I have to admit I’m from the Midwest and we just take longer in accepting new things.

On the other hand my girlfriend, Michelle is pretty hip on the “new” tends and she’s the one I have to say that convinced me to purchase my first pair… it was all about comfort. Well she is right they are the most comfortable pair of shoes I’ve ever worn. Well other then the suede sandals my palomino pup chewed, but she can’t chew the crocs.

Michelle is the inspiration for me creating the croc die-cuts. I don’t know how we got on the subject of crocs. We were both at a wedding catching up with our summer vacations. Suddenly we were talking about crocs, maybe because she was sitting there all comfy in some pretty stylish sandals. Yes, they were crocs! And I was acing from my high-heeled shoes.

In Florida she said “everyone is wearing crocs and you see them in all colors and styles.” Well I knew she had a nice pair on but I had to look for myself, being from the “show-me-state”. So I goggled “crocs”, and found there were some awesome new looking crocs! I continued my search finding people who love their crocs and those that hate them. I even found a crocs fan club…and I think I’m going under a spell… the crock craze!!!!

Maybe, in a year or two us Midwesterners will all be spell bound by the craze… I can see it now… instead of doing the duck dance we’ll be “crock-in-around the clock” with the croc-a-dial rock until we croc till we drop…

Oh, boy! I think I’m going to “croc”!

Top 10 Reasons to wear Crocs

1. Nothing is softer or more comforable
2. They are hardly there (less than 6oz.)
3. Air ventilation ports keep your feet cool
4. Non-marking soles
5. Resistant to bacteria and odor
6. Ultra-hip, Italian styling with molded foot support
7. Slip resistant
8. Sterilized in water and bleach
9. Easy to maintain
10. Water and sand pass through air vents

Keep watch for the croc craze coming soon to the Paperthreads store!!!!

SOON TO BE RELEASED

Back pack

Back to school shopping~

Well it was a task but it's nearly done... back to school shopping! I spent over $150.00 on school supplies alone! Everyone got a new back pack, pens, pencils, folders, notebooks, and the list went on! Not to mention new clothes for everyone!

Today I'm giving away the back pack file. It's a perfect little embellishment for your pages!

You could do a page all about the shopping or the first day of school.

How about creating a layout of trying to fit all those supplies into one bag? Maybe you could scatter all the supplies that won't fit on a table next to the bulging back bag and get some great pictures!!!!

I would love to see what you have come up with and if you are the first to share your layout with me.... I'll let you choose anyone of my back to school files for free!!!

When submitting place "back pack" in the subject line.... and then I show case your layout on my blog!! If you are having trouble merging or stitching the scanned layout send it to me anyway... I can do it for you!

Don't forget today is the day to submit for the Creative Team call... I look forward to sharing my work with you and seeing what you can do with it!!!!

Have a great day!!

Carrie

Good morning fellow scrappers, I’m back!

Our family vacation/retreat was beautiful and once again it was hard for us to leave Catholic familyland, there is so much love and charity being shared that it’s unbelievable!!!! It's a little taste of heaven!!!!

While there, I picked up two Encyclical letters from our new POPE Benedict XVI, “GOD IS LOVE” and “SACRAMENT OF CHARITY”, and began reading GOD IS LOVE. It’s already an amazing document!!! I’ve only had the chance to read through part I since I like to read to absorb all of it's richness that is written, it takes me longer to go through. And I'll probably have to read it several times!!! But, it is rich in expressing God love that he has continued to reach out over and over again to reveal that he is the source of Love and wants to live with in us all!

Back to school-

This morning I walked my children down to the bus stop they were excited to begin their new year!! But, I cried after putting my little Julie on the bus it’s so hard to let go!!!!

And my pre-teens along with their friend who is dropped off here were acting so crazy jumping up and down and screeching every once in a while they had me laughing so hard I didn't have time to get upset... I just realized I didn't take any pictures.... shame on me!! Well my camera isn't charged... just so much that has gone on since we got back!!!

You can find the "Back to School" title in the Paperthreads store soon.

For today my free file will be my “Back to School” title which will soon be in the store.... The file includes the knk extension for the new owners of the KNK element.

Creative team call- don’t forget the deadline is tomorrow night! I know there are so many talented people out there so let’s see your stuff and we can build a great team!!!!

I’m off to design some more files….. and read more of that fabulous document!

Have a great day!

Carrie

Sharing our joy! Vacation at Catholic Familyland