A Little Audience \ Customer Participation Please...

It is THAT time of year again, our inboxes are starting to fill up with manufacturers letting us know their offers for ordering at or before CHA.


This year, as always, we are looking out for which companies have exciting new releases and which new companies are set to take the scrapping world by storm!

So here's the thing, the customers desires are, or should be, one of the major driving forces behind any business and we want to know what you would like to see gracing the virtual shelves of ATDML.

Leave a comment here about what new products you would like to see us stock - if you have a link to the product then add it in the comment.

Someone who comments will win a free box of goodies from ATDML relating to the item(s) they highlighted for us.

Obviously the winner of the free box won't get it until the new releases come through so you will have to be a little bit patient, but hey, for some free stash it will be worth the wait!

Product Spotlight: Chatterbox Paper Crafting Kit: Studio

Our first Product Spotlight is on this great value kit from Chatterbox. Included in the kit is 8 sheets of paper (2 each of 4 designs) a sheet of alphabet stickers and a sheet of embellishments including brads, stickers and dimensional embellishments.


To give you some ideas about what you could do with the kit here are some items made using the kit. The two layouts used only items in the kit plus one sheet of kraft coloured Bazzill each.

and the price? Well on our website this product is just £5.95 in the sale, great value as it is normally £7.00.

We would love to see what you do with the kit if you decide to buy one or if you already have one. Either email us an image or post to your blog and leave a comment with a link here.

I am going to be playing some more with this kit (I have a full sheet of each paper left plus lots of off cuts and loads of embellishments) So I will add any further creations - mine or any that are emailed to me - to show you just how far this versatile kit can stretch.

Remember to check back daily, as we will sometimes post offers (like this one) which are exclusively for blog readers.

The very lovely and super talented Jane Hewitt from our Design Team has just emailed me this mini book she made with the kit. I like how she used the frame as the cover and the word art embellishments for her title :)

And here is Debbies layout using this kit

And the winner is....

Thanks to all those who visited and commented. We will be continuing to add content to the site on a regular basis so do keep stopping by to see what is happening. Of course there will be other chances to win stash with challenges and comps along with the odd giveaway here and there too ;)

We used the random number generator at random.org to select the winning comment for the giveaway

and the winner is Effie (comment number 7)

Please email us your current address details and your prize will be sent out to you.

The 3rd New Member of the DT is...

Jane Hewitt.

Jane AKA J-Bug on UKS joins our team completing the trio of new designers. We have had the pleasure of meeting Jane at a couple of our retreats and loved her work. We were especially blown away by her stunning altered items (remind us to show her stunning recipe box and also her diabetic cat feeder chart!)

Here is her scrapping bio:

My name is Jane Hewitt, I live I Scotland with my husband, Jonathan and our 5 cats. I am a primary school teacher in a school in Edinburgh.I have always been involved in craft making cards, sewing, patchwork and quilting and embroidery. I have made scrapbooks for as long as I can remember – insisting that every ticket and souvenir from holidays be kept for ‘the scrapbook’! In about 2004 a friend at work showed me her American style ‘proper scrapbooking’ and told me about online craft shops and UK Scrappers. I haven’t looked back and have been totally addicted to scrapbooking since then. I love to alter things and make mini books and I would say that my favourite style definitely would involve distressing of some kind. I am a Tim Holtz, 7 Gypsies and Basic Grey stash junkie.

Next in our new line up...

Debbie Jewell

Debbie has taught for us regularly at our retreats and always comes up with some gorgeous projects. In fact way back when we started our DT Debbie was on our original wish list but other commitments at the time meant she was unavailable. We are so pleased that this time she will be able to bring her fun, inmitable style to our DT.

Here is Debbies Scrapping Bio:

I am a South African now happily settled in the UK with my husband and four daughters. I discovered scrapbooking in 2004 and has been totally hooked ever since as it gives me a much needed opportunity to express myself artistically and to record the everyday moments in the lives of my girlies!

My main inspiration comes from my family and I would describe my scrapbooking style as "varied". I loves bright colours and my layouts are largely influenced by the photographs I am using.

I have been published in several UK scrapbooking publications, previoulsy been a member of a two design teams, taught scrapbooking workshops at various retreats and crops, and am a regular teacher at the ATDML retreats.

Introducing... (in alphabetical order!)

Ann Freeman

Ann has been a regular at our retreats and we have had lots of opportunity to admire her scrapping which we love!

She has done guest DT spots for us and produced some classes for our website last year so when we knew we were expanding the permanent DT she was an obvious choice for one of the spots.

Here is her Scrapping Bio:

My name is Ann Freeman and I am married to my soulmate Matthew with 3 children, Eloise, Robert and Jamie.

I live in London and work full time as an Accountant with a very busy day-to-day life! What started as a way to save money making my own wedding stationery in 2003 has evolved into more of a way of life than a hobby!

I love photography, scrapbooking, cardmaking and altering every day items and can generally be found being creative whenever I get a spare moment!

My notebook is my lifeline to this hobby where I jot down ideas, do sketches and keep memorabilia ready for my next layout.

I am overjoyed to be joining the ATDML design team and look forward to sharing this wonderfully addictive hobby with you all.

First Class of 2010

We are aiming to put at least 2 classes per month up on the blog with the instructions available to download as a PDF via our website.

These will usually go up in the first and third week of the month with the DT gallery in the second week and the fourth week will be challenge week.

In between there will be product spotlights, ongoing projects, mini challenges, sketches, articles and interviews.

The first class of 2010 is online NOW!

Here is my layout "Monster."

I am a big fan of mixed up fonts and titles, not only do I like the quirky look they give the layout but it is a great way to use up the odds and ends of sticker sets where you don't have enough of the same to make a matching title.

The instructions can be downloaded as a PDF HERE on our website and they include an explanation of the odd title!








There will be a class from a different member of the Design Team each month in addition to mine and that includes our three newest DT members.

There are three new members joining Dawn, Karen, Suzanne and myself on the permanent DT. Come back later to meet the first of the three new girls!