What's new in the Scrapbooking World Today?

Man, business is slow here. Which is great for me to keep up with everything going on!
It seems like things change so fast, if I miss one day, I'm out of the loop!

Ok, so it seems like the Cricut is a hot topic nowadays. I saw this thing at CHA Summer last year and was intrigued. What is cool about this little machine is that unlike the Wishblade, it requires no computer. It does almost the same thing, if I understand correctly, cuts out shapes and fonts so no more need for the glass mat and exacto. Also, it won't aggrevate my carpal tunnel like the Quickutz. I think the shapes and fonts are similar to the Quickutz though which is nice. Now the initial price of the machine is steep....$250! Plus, additional cartridges cost about $85, but that seems cheaper than a font set from QK. I still have no need for this little machine, but thought I would enter the Michael's contest anyway...if I win one, that would be different.

Also a hot topic is The Women for Women International Fundraiser which is an awesome cause and awesome opportunity to get a scrapbook page done for you by a well-known scrapbooker like Ali Edwards or Becky Higgins. There are actually 75 in all, I think and it only takes $1 to enter and again, it is a good cause. All the details are on Karen Russell's blog as well as a list of the scrapbookers who are willing to do a page for you. Cool!

Digital scrapbooking seems to be getting hotter and hotter every day. I am amazed at the talent! I printed out the complete guide from Autumn Leaves, Designing Digital (all 333 pages) so I can learn some more nifty Photoshop tricks. These are the LOs that have amazed me this week:
You Take My Breath Away
This Baby
Jayci
Shining Star
{Our Girl}
thank you! (april, you are getting so good!!)

Also, super hot is the new Autumn Leaves Freestyle book and I have to admit, I don't like it. I am not a fan of the "style" of it. Too much, too distracting from the photos. There are some LOs I have seen done in this style that are a little simpler that I do like, but most of them are just yuck to me. I have tried to give it a chance because it is everywhere, but it is just not my thing, which is the beauty of scrapbooking....no rules, everyway is the right way. Love that.

Next month is National Scrapbooking Month, I thought it was only a day but apparently it is now an entire month. Next Friday, I am going to the Scrapbook Expo and scrapstore surfing (new term I just made up) with Carol. We have to go check out this new store in Deerfield that is only open banker hours so we haven't had a chance to see it yet. I don't even know where it is or what it is called yet, guess I should research that. I wanted to enter a page for the contest at the Expo but haven't even started anything, maybe this weekend. We aren't taking any classes this year at the show because last year's were such a let down. Oh well, hopefully there will be some good shopping! In any case, it is a day off work.

There is a winner in the Chatterbox Make It Meaningful Contest or should I say winners? It is three sisters who made an album for their mother. I can't wait to see it!

The new scrapbooking show on the net, Scrapbook Lifestyle, is getting a lot of buzz. Personally, I would like to punch the host of the show, Tony Barber, in the face because he is so annoying but people seem to like it so far. They are short episodes, only like 4 minutes, which is nice. Also, Leah Fung, who designs for Chatterbox is on the show and she is crazy talented. In one of the episodes they showed her home studio and I always love to see where people work. It is worth checking out but I am not sure I will remember to watch it every week, plus I am not sure how many episodes I can watch with that host.....ugh!!!

That's about all buzz lately, I am sure that there is more, but a girl has to work....sometimes.