It’s the middle of July and before you know it summer will be nearing its end.  If you had any children graduate high school this year it may be time to start preparing supplies for the dorm room.  The rooms can be so small we thought this month on Idaho Living we’d look at storage ideas.  Not to worry they aren’t costly projects.  Stop by your local craft or thrift store plus save those tabs off your soda cans.  If we've peeked your interest and you missed the show on Friday here's the  link to our segment idahonews.com/idaho-living/organizing-dorm-room-idaho-craft-association.
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This month for her craft on Idaho Living, Brandy thought why not bring one of the family room games to the backyard.  She guides Johnna through making a Yahtzee yard set.  ​
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If you missed Brandy’s appearance on Idaho Living this week, no worries, you can watch it here! http://kboi2.com/idaho-living/crafting-with-brandy.   She is showcasing products from Jaded Blossom.   Jaded Blossom takes creating party favors and little gifts using paper crafts to another level.  They have a wide variety of stamps, dies, favor bags and boxes.    What a great way to personalize a gift card or favor bag. 
Order from them this weekend and get 15% off your entire order AND get free shipping! Use the code IDAHOLIVING for your discount. http://jadedblossomstamps.com/pages/about.php#.WRZ0SYWcHIU
 
Here are some samples of the things you can make with their wonderful products. 
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We had so many amazing products to share and just not enough time for you to see them all.  Join Brandy on YouTube as she guides you through more Jaded Blossom crafts. www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIn-V5yxw4Y&feature=youtu.be

While Brandy was at the Idaho Living studio, she filmed an extra craft segment for Facebook.  It’s a great idea for Mother’s Day, DIY bath salts.  facebook.com/IdahoLivingKBOI/videos/1440056496058656/

The countdown continues until our show in February.  We've had a lot of questions about the event and added some FAQs to help answer those.  http://www.idahoscrapbookshow.com/faq.html

We have a new tab on the website for Craft Events in the area.  Please contact us at idahoscrapbookshow@gmail.com if you know of any upcoming events. 

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As we come to the end of February our winter sale on VIP tickets is ending.  Starting March 1st, the VIP package will be $75, Friday only VIP will be $60 and Saturday only will be $30.  The VIP package and Friday only VIP include the Midnight crop with make and takes presented by the vendors. 

​Also in March, we will be announcing sponsors and vendors. Stay tuned!

Who hasn’t been to a direct sales party like Pampered Chef, Paparazzi or Posh?  It’s fun seeing the new products, but the most fun is usually the time you spend with your friends or the new people you meet. Most of them now are done on line so you don’t have the social aspect.   Seventh & Lark brings people together, but with a different twist.  Their company is about DIY craft parties.  They bring all the supplies including step by step instructions and you invite the friends.  Everyone walks away with a finished craft and lots of fun during the process.
 
Earlier this month we were excited to share some of their kits on KOBI’s Idaho Living show.  Now we’d like to share more about the three women who formed Seventh & Lark. 
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Blog/Website: www.seventhandlark.com
 
How long have you been a crafter?
Jacque – All my life!
Rachel – All my Life!
Stacey - Since I was a kid….and don’t ask how long ago that was, lol!
 
How did you get started?
Jacque -  In preschool…I especially liked finger painting, lol.  But seriously, I started making my own clothes in Junior High and High School.  Then, I made clothes for my children when they were born.  As new things became popular, I would try them.  I’ve tried them all!!!  I really enjoy crocheting. 
Rachel - I always showed interest in crafts and would beg my mom to take me to the craft store so I could get “projects”. She gave me so many opportunities to learn skills in so many areas.
Stacey - My mom and grandma recruited me, hehehe.
 
 
What was your first project?
Rachel - In elementary school I loved doing cross stitch, latch hook kits, friendship bracelets, and painting. I remember the first time I used a hot glue gun in Girl Scouts, at age 8. I’m pretty sure there was no turning back after that!
Stacey - The first project I really remember was a red cape for one of my dolls.
 
 
 
What is your favorite type of project now?
Jacque - Any Seventh & Lark kit
Rachel - I love creating a variety of crafts. Picking one would be like picking your favorite child! I tend to do a lot of painted signs, create hand stamped jewelry, wreaths, and anything with glitter!
Stacey - I love to make wreaths….it is a beautiful way to welcome people to your home!
 
 
 
Do you listen to music while you craft?
Jacque - Of course!  Anything happy.
Rachel - If so, which genre? With 4 kids, I don’t get much of an opinion on what I want to listen to
Stacey - I have a 4-year-old, so we listen to a lot of kid’s music…. great beats and fun lyrics!
 
 
What part of crafting is the most intimidating?
Jacque - Trying to come up with a design from scratch is intimidating for most people. 
Rachel - Fear of failure – I’m a “bit” of a perfectionist and feel defeated when it isn’t completely perfect.
Stacey - I think people are intimidated about all of it….no one wants to do it “wrong”.  That is why I started Seventh & Lark; to help people get past the intimidation and feel successful with crafting.  You get all the color coordinated materials and someone to teach you every step of the way!!!
 
 
Do you pre-plan your projects or do you get inspired as you go?
Jacque - I pre-plan.  I could never wing it with a basket of supplies that someone handed me and said “go make something with this”.
Rachel - I brainstorm, look for inspiration around me, and then I usually end up with a visual goal in my head. Sometimes things just pop into my head and I know exactly what I need to make it. I also love to just go to the craft store and find something that inspires me to create something new.
Stacey - A little of both.  I choose a concept and typically have something in mind that I am designing towards.  As I work on it, I may change some of the materials and colors as I go along.
 
 
Do you clean your craft table after every project?
Jacque - Yes, I don’t like clutter or leaving things out.
Rachel - No way. I often have several craft projects in different stages of completion throughout my craft room.
Stacey - LOL, I am a disaster in the making.  I leave a wake of messy craft materials on every table and counter I touch.  My husband doesn’t understand why it can’t all stay in my craft room or at the Seventh & Lark warehouse.  What can I say?  I leave a little glitter wherever I go!!!
 
 
Have you ever sold your projects? If so, where can we find your work?
Jacque - -When I was about 10 years old, I had a weaving loom.  I made pot holders and sold them door to door.  I don’t think anyone turned me down!
Rachel - Yes! I started by selling to my friends and family and opened my first Etsy shop in 2012. I also use to sell on Zulily. When we began Seventh & Lark I chose to shift my focus and put my original crafting business on hold.
Stacey - I actually got started selling my projects because friends would see something I had made and would ask me to make them one.  Pretty soon, we had 50 wreaths in our Kitchen and Family Room at Christmas time.  My husband said my little side business was “out of control” and that we just couldn’t live with Christmas Wreaths everywhere.  So, I decided to start teaching my friends to make their own crafts.  That was the beginning of how I developed Seventh & Lark.  Now you can buy our craft kits and attend our parties anywhere!!!
 
 
 
If you were given the chance to pick 3 products in any craft store where money was no object, what 3 things would you choose?
Jacque - I have no idea…. too many choices!  I guess I would buy three Seventh & Lark kits so that it would all be selected for me.
Rachel - Hands down, the silhouette cameo. I couldn’t live without it! (I may own 3…) I also couldn’t live without my hot glue gun. And glitter…what would a craft be without glitter?!
Stacey - LOL, I already own the whole store!!!  A Silhouette Cameo, a Brother embroidery machine, and a Serger…these are all great machines.
 
 
 
 
What are do you do outside of crafting? Other hobbies/interests/accomplishments?
Jacque - I like to spend time with my grandchildren and watch them in their activities.  It is fun for me to see them having fun!  I enjoy volunteering at my church….my husband and I regularly teach Sunday school to two year olds.  I also enjoy planning and going on vacations
Rachel -I’m a mom of 4 – a 10-year-old boy, 6-year-old boy, and 3-year-old twin girls. They are my biggest accomplishment in life. I also enjoy cooking and baking, even though I’m not very good at it!
Stacey – I used to enjoy traveling and have been to over 20 countries…. now my kiddo, husband, and business is about all I have time for!  I left a career as a corporate Quality Assurance Manager to become a stay at home mom…only we don’t stay home much, lol.  We enjoy riding our bikes, swimming, hiking, and taking nice walks around the lakes in our community.  We love to visit the beach, the zoo, the aquarium, and the butterfly pavilion.  Since I am a boy mama, I am becoming an expert on Legos, monster trucks, and the Paw Patrol!
 
 
 
Jacque’s FAVORITES:
Favorite Topic: (Vacations, Children/Baby, Disney, etc.) My kids and grandkids.  They are my world!!!
Favorite Adhesive: ModPodge
Favorite Craft Brand: Seventh & Lark, of course!
Favorite Accessory: I love my bird nest necklace….it has a pearl for each of my children.
Favorite way to shop: (Online, In-store, Bazaars, Expos, etc.)  In stores.  I prefer a stand-alone store that isn’t too big…. malls and big stores feel overwhelming.
Favorite Craft Blogger:  I’m not really a computer person, so I don’t have a favorite.
 
 
Rachel’s FAVORITES:
Favorite Topic: (Vacations, Children/Baby, Disney, etc.) Home & Family
Favorite Adhesive: Hot Glue!
Favorite Craft Brand: I think I would have to pick silhouette…because it makes all my dreams come true!
Favorite Accessory: Vinyl. I love using it because it can be used in so many different applications.
Favorite way to shop: (Online, In-store, Bazaars, Expos, etc.) I’m like Dr. Seuss “I will shop here. I will shop there. I will shop anywhere”
Favorite Craft Blogger: I am slightly obsessed with shanty-2-chic.com. I love their style, the easy to follow instructions. They inspire me to not be fearful of power tools and show me that “girls can do it too”
 
 
Stacey’s FAVORITES:
Favorite Topic: (Vacations, Children/Baby, Disney, etc.) My son Laith, lol.  I do like to talk about other countries and cultures, places worth visiting or activities worth doing in those places.
Favorite Adhesive: ModPodge
Favorite Craft Brand: Seventh & Lark
Favorite Accessory: A Diamond tennis bracelet that my parents bought me when I graduated from college.
Favorite way to shop: (Online, In-store, Bazaars, Expos, etc.)  All of the above!  It totally depends on my mood.  I love sales though…I am a total sucker for 50% off!!!
Favorite Craft Blogger:  I really enjoy http://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com/ for a lot of great things to do with my son.
 
Are you ready to have your first Seventh & Lark party?  Here are some links to help you pick up your first kit.
 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/seventhandlark
https://www.instagram.com/seventhandlarkcrafts/
https://www.pinterest.com/SeventhandLark/
http://www.seventhandlark.com/
 

They have several other kits that share the love theme if you are looking to
​make a gift for someone special for Valentine’s Day. 
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Seventh and Lark was created by three women in 2015 with one craft
​(The bunny wreath).  They may started in a garage but have grown into a 2600 sq. ft. warehouse in Goodyear, AZ.  Their first consultant joined in June 2015 and currently there are almost 70 consultants in 16 different states.  They began because of their LOVE of teaching others to craft and empowering them to learn a new skill.  They want to bring women together to connect in person to help build relationships and a sense of ​community. 





If you missed Idaho Living this morning here’s a link to our segment http://kboi2.com/idaho-living/feeling-crafty-for-valentines-day.

January is often a month of reflection and resolution.  Did I accomplish all I wanted last year?  How can I improve myself in the coming year?   Some resolutions could be getting to the gym more often, better meal planning or giving more to charity.  We decided to touch on the last one this month in our Craft Spotlight.  We are spotlighting Jacki Kelsch from Handy Hands Reflections.
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We felt a great way to get to know Jacki more was to have her complete our craft questionnaire. 
 
Name: Jacki Kelsch
Blog/Website: http://handyhandsreflections.org
 
How long have you been a crafter?
Well, I have always had a flair for putting my own spin on things... adding just the right touch, crafting for most of my life, in one way or another
 
How did you get started?
My mom was an artist as well as an excellent seamstress, so it’s in my blood.  I loved experimenting with different things when I was you.
 
What was your first project?
Making a pillow case.  I was just 10 years old.
 
What is your favorite type of projects now? (Albums, cards, mixed media, art journals, coloring etc.)
Can I say yes to all the ones listed?  I love COLOR.  I also love teaching people and introducing them into the field of paper crafting.
 
Do you listen to music while you craft? If so, which genre?
Oldies or country
 
What part of crafting is the most intimidating?
TINY TEDIOUS PARTS, due to health issues
 
Do you pre-plan your projects or do you get inspired as you go?
I like to plan projects out, but... I do adjust and get inspired as I go... so BOTH...
 
Do you clean your craft table after every project?
WELL.... NOT SO MUCH, my goal is to start fresh each time, but I do like to have things at my reach and it depends on how messy or how many parts my last project was.   I do like an organized work space and it is one of my resolutions.
 
Have you ever sold your projects? If so, where can we find your work?
I have sold many of my works, I sold for years at bazaars, craft shows and the like. Now I GIVE my works away with great joy.  I have projects all over the USA mostly here in Idaho.  I create albums and gift them to grieving families, which I do at my non-profit.
 
If you were given the chance to pick 3 products in any craft store where money was no object, what 3 things would you choose?
That is a tough question, but I guess I would go for STORAGE, COPIC MARKERS and the newest product, to try.
 
What are do you do outside of crafting? Other hobbies/interests/accomplishments?
 I love spending time with my husband, our kids, and grandkids, teaching them to craft, so they can take after their grammy. I also love to travel, read, and learn new things.
 
FAVORITES:
Favorite Topic: (Vacations, Children/Baby, Disney, etc.)
Children
 
Favorite Adhesive:
Liquid - Tombow & Tape Runner – PLUS
 
Favorite Craft Brand:
So many good ones, hard to choose one, probably Tim Holtz
 
Favorite Accessory:
Brads and Ribbon
 
Favorite way to shop: (Online, In-store, Bazaars, Expos, etc.)
ALL... I love to shop and I love a good deal
 
Favorite Craft Blogger:
I wish I had time to keep up with bloggers
 
THIS OR THAT: (And tell us why if you have an interesting angle)
Keep scraps or toss scraps?
USE SCRAPS, it "IS" called SCRAPbooking, right?
 
Buttons: Thread or No thread?
Thread.
 
Decorative scissors or edge punches?
Edge punches
 
If you’d like to find out more about Handy Hands Reflections, we have their website and Facebook page listed.  There are great testimonials on their Facebook page.
 
http://handyhandsreflections.org/wp/
https://www.facebook.com/handyhandsreflections/
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All of us an Idaho Craft Association were introduced to the Happy Planner in 2016.  It was great timing as we started to plan the Idaho Scrapbook Show and life got a little bit busier.  We thought January was the perfect month to share them on Idaho Living.  Start the year with a plan!  You won’t want to miss it today at 11 am on KOBI channel 2 for the local folks.  We hope to have a link to the video after it airs on our Facebook page. 
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There were so many things that we wanted to share on the show and there just wasn’t enough time for everything so we thought we could capture those things that we didn’t talk about.

When we went to Utah Pinners last year we had the opportunity to meet the team from Me and My Big Ideas (the geniuses behind The Happy Planner.)  When we told them we were going to talk about the planners during our January segment of Idaho Living they sent us a few goodies to share.
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They also have a home planner that includes to do lists, meal planner, house cleaning schedule and a budget.  Maybe you just want the budget part of the home planner. There is a budget extension that you could add to your normal planner or maybe you got engaged over Christmas and need the wedding extension.
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Now let’s talk accessories.  Who doesn’t love accessories?  There are so many different accessories we thought we’d share a few of our favorites.  Maggie’s favorite is The Happy Planner Punch.  It  allows you to punch almost anything to put into your planner.  Heather’s favorite are the hard covers.  It gives the planner a sleeker look and gives it a little extra protection.  The pocket pages are Lisa’s favorite.  It’s a great way to take some stickers on the go, hold onto receipts or other papers that I haven’t been punched yet.  Heidi’s favorite are the discs.  They come in different sizes and color that helps you customize your planner.  Plus, they give you the ability to be able to remove and add sheets as much as you want.  Brandy’s favorite is the washi tape.  The washi tape gives you the ability to add your personality and flair to your planner.
 
Maybe you are just getting started with a Happy Planner and this is all to overwhelming.  Here’s a great introductory video from Me and My Big Ideas.
 
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I think one of the things that we love about the Happy Planner is that you make it your own.  It can be a basic planner with a listing of appointments and tasks to do, place to journal about your day, a way to let your creativity flow or any combination you choose.  There are no rules that say you must use the monthly layout for one thing and the weekly layout for something else.  It’s your planner and what makes it a Happy Planner is making it what you love! 
 
If using planners has become a goal, obsession or a passion like it has become for us at Idaho Scrapbook Show here are some links that may help further your passion.
 
Instagram
@kellofaplan
@planahappyclass
@amjcgarvey
@momruncraft
@thehappyplanner
@myplanyearaddiction
 
Websites:
http://www.meandmybigideas.com/
https://www.polaroidzip.com/
www.planneraddiction.com
 
FB Groups:
Me and My Big Ideas Happy Planner Group
MAMBI The Happy Planner Group
Little Paper Dog Co.

Please tag us with your planner layouts @idahoscrapbookshow.  We’d love to see everyone’s creativity.

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