Let’s go on a Global Getaway!

Happy February, Scrapbook Friends! We survived the deep freeze, and, at least here in Alabama, it’s almost time for “fake spring” for the next few days! Winter will probably come roaring back, but I will take what I can get.

On the upside, it did allow us to have a SUPER FUN time at Winterfest Session 2 - and I’d like to thank Judy Hardwick for using her ChatGPT skills to give us this great group photo:

Whatever happens with the weather around here, I’m going to miss some of it! I will be in JAPAN from February 18 through March 5th! (And then recovering from jetlag for a few days after that!) I have no idea how much time I’ll have to keep up with CM while I’m on the other side of the planet. I do have a “deputy” who can help with emergency scrapbook supply needs while I am gone, so if it’s urgent you can still ask, just be aware that it will take me longer than usual to get back to you.

Luckily, FREE SHIPPING is still going on via my Creative Memories website until February 27th at noon. The National Scrapbook Day customer bundles are going to open up on the 23rd; hopefully I will have time to send you another email while I’m gone but no promises! More on NSD planning in a bit…

Event Schedule

All events are held at my studio in Madison, Alabama, and drop in shoppers are always welcome during any scheduled event.

To help me ensure that I know who to expect, I do all registrations/crop fee payments via Google Forms, so once you’ve looked at the options please click the link at the bottom of this section to sign up!

Wednesday Day Crops: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Wednesday February 11, March 11, 18, 25. No frills, just time to work on your current projects. Bring your lunch or we’ll go in together on a DoorDash order.

Scrap Journal Club: 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Scrap Journal is the new name for Happy Album!
Tuesday, March 10

Project Recipe Class: 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Tuesday, February 10 and Tuesday, March 24
Come create two double page layouts using some of CM’s newest collections. I’ll provide the “ingredients” and the directions and we’ll build the layouts together.

Weekend Crops: Friday noon - 9 pm and/or Saturday 10 am - 6 pm
February 13/14 our Valentine party AND annual visit from our personal Girl Scout Cookie provider!
March 13/14 (be prepared to hear ALL about my trip to Japan!)
March 27/28

Please sign up on the Google doc linked here:
February/March Cropping Events

National Scrapbook Day

Creative Memories has released the theme for this year’s National Scrapbook Day, and, well, when this image “leaked” to the guests at my Winterfest event, the general consensus was “too many chickens!” I know there are people who love chicken and sunflowers, but none of them seemed to be cropping with me last weekend!

So… I’ve been trying to come up with a different direction and wondered how we feel about a Bright Delights theme instead?? This was the collection from Secret Box #2 in 2024, and it’s one of my personal favorites. I can get my hands on enough to use this for our layout classes/goody bag items instead if you are interested. (I am much more excited about this theme than the chickens, I gotta be honest).

If you would like to help me decide which theme to use, I’d love for you to vote on this Google Form: NSD Theme 2026.

Even if you can’t join us in person, I have been working on a use-the-pack layout class with this collection and if there’s enough interest I could offer it as a virtual class, so feel free to go vote. :)

Currently I have my 3-day National Scrapbook Day events scheduled for April 16 - 18 and April 23 - 25. We’ll start Thursday at 3 pm, Friday and Saturday at 10 am and end all three nights at 8 pm. Five meals will be included with your crop fee plus a goody bag and some layout classes (either chickens or bright!)

The last couple of years I have sold out both weekends and I am playing with the idea of adding a third weekend, April 30 - May 2nd. So even if you don’t care about the theme, if you think you might attend an NSD event please go vote. It does not obligate you in any way, just helps me with planning. :) And I can’t promise I will have it in me to do three NSD weekends in a row - but you know I hate turning people away because we’re full!

Global Getaway

The third of our Album Box kits is coming Monday: Global Getaway! CM will be releasing several of these throughout the year, designed to help you turn a stack of photos into a finished 12x12 album! These are simple, step-by-step system to help get your memories into an album you’ll be proud to share. Although they are designed especially for beginners, they are so quick and easy (and beautiful!) that I’ve had several experienced scrapbookers already choose to try one out.

If you haven’t had a chance to watch me put together an entire album kit (in almost exactly 2 hours) you can see that here:
On the Bright Side Album Process Video

The video uses the first of the Album Box kits, but all of them will be similar in concept.

For each collection, you choose from three identical kits except for your choice of album, which comes preloaded with top-loading pages. Also included are 48 preprinted pages (32 base pages and 16 cut-aparts), six sticker sheets, 80 sorted/numbered embellishments and a Repositionable Tape Runner to put it all together! (This is equivalent to sixteen Simple Page Kits!)

With this box kit you can choose from the Global Getaway Dusted Sage, Global Getaway Chocolate or (plain) Terra Cotta Album Covers.

The layout kits are NOT available separately, you can only get them in the bundle. If you love the Simple Page Kit concept, the Your Own Way collection is the one that will be releasing monthly kits to everyone.

The coordinating products (and the album covers) are available to everyone starting Monday as well.

We’ve been told there will be Baby versions (and a new baby collection!) in March, and Wedding in May.

Global Getaway Collection

Global Getaway is a versatile collection designed to help you document your adventures, whether it’s a weekend in the mountains or a trip across the ocean. The classic colors will enhance your photos without stealing the spotlight from your memories.

This collection includes Designer Paper, Tone-on-Tone paper, Stickers, Mats, Embellishments and THREE punches: the Vintage Post BMC (which totally looks to me like the edge of medieval castle walls), Document the Date Punch and the In Flight Border Punch. My husband is a pilot and when I showed him that one he said “I love it!” I know I personally will be getting a lot of use out of that one!

The same three album cover options that are available in the Album Box kits are available separately: Global Getaway has a foil embossed compass design on the front of either the Dusted Sage or Chocolate albums, or you can get the plain Terra Cotta album cover. Please note that we had a Terra Cotta bookcloth a few years ago and I do NOT think it’s the same color. I’m going to contact CM for confirmation on that.

As always, if you love it all, you can purchase the Buy-it-All Bundle with one click, save 10% over purchasing the items separately AND get the Project Playbook FREE!

Cascade Spacers Kit

Several months ago, CM Advisor Lanita Medina in Maine came up with a really cool technique using the 6x12 Peekaboo Pockets, and it was such a popular idea that Creative Memories worked with her to give us a tool to make it so much easier to recreate this in your own albums. (Plus - it means you don’t have to do math!!)

There’s a great tutorial video on the February 9th Sneak Peek page which I will link to later in this email. I highly recommend taking the three minutes to see how this technique works!

The best way to try this out will be with the Cascade Spacers Set Bundle which comes with all eight spacers, the ring that holds them together, a Project Playbook that walks you through how the system works, and 26 Peekaboo Pockets so you can try it right away. If you already have it figured out or have more Peekaboo Pockets than you think you can use, you can get just the Cascade Spacers Set.

New Photo Pocket Pages

Want something even faster?? Maybe you’ve tried the Multi-Pocket pages in the past but wished there were different configurations? You’re in luck! This will allow you to have various sized pages within your Creative Memories album without needing to stick anything to the page protector.

There are three NEW sizes, one with three horizontal 6x4 photo slots (so total of six photos front and back), one with four vertical 4x6 slots and one with three 6x4 and three 4x4. The existing Multi-Pocket pages are being renamed too so you can use them all together. Layer them to create a cascade effect but with four separate pages! These can also be mixed and matched with your regular or pocket pages.

NEW Peekaboo Pockets

To go along with the cascading pages theme we also have two new sizes of Peekaboo Pocket, 2x2 and 3x2. These go along with all the existing sizes: 5x7, 4x6, 4x4, 3x4 and 3x3. Think of the fun layouts you can create! Keep an eye on the CM Blog for some ideas about how to use these!

How to Order

I hope that most of you take a few minutes to check out the CM landing page every time I email you, but I would especially recommend it this time, since there are some very informative videos there: February 9th Preview Page

As always, if you are local and would like me to order for you, please fill out my Local Pickup Preorder Form. Please note that this is only for PRE orders and needs to be filled out by 11 am Monday to guarantee it gets on this week’s order. If you want to pick up your products before I leave for Japan you will need to come to my crop this weekend (Friday, February 13 and Saturday, February 14), otherwise the next opportunity will be at my day crop on March 11. If you are planning to come on Friday be sure to text me first to make sure UPS has had a chance to drop things off!

REMEMBER that CM is offering FREE SHIPPING right now with a $100+ order. This ends on February 27th at noon. There will be one more product release this month, I think on the 23rd. That’s the day I’ll be at Tokyo Disneyland and I have no idea if I will be able to get another email out to you before then. Hopefully there’ll be nothing crazy dramatic that happens that you NEED to know — if someone hears about something I’d love it if you post in my Nicole’s Scrapbook Friends Facebook group to let everyone else know!!

Thank you!

I think that’s it. I’m super excited about my Japan trip - but also pretty nervous, especially about surviving the SIXTEEN hours on the airplane. Ack. My daughters have been in charge of all the planning which theoretically has taken some of the stress off me (although I’m doing most of the PAYING!) but I’ve also fallen into the rabbit hole of the many many Japan travel videos on YouTube. :) If you’ve been to Japan recently and have any suggestions/tips for me I would LOVE to hear them!

I’ll try to send an email sometime the weekend of the 22nd, if international WiFi cooperates, but then the next release is probably March 9th (crossing my fingers they don’t release the new 12” Trimmer until then, because I’ll be home!) so you will definitely hear from me when I get back.

As always, thanks so much for your support of my Creative Memories business. I am so grateful for all the friends I have made doing this and all the ways you make my life richer.

Happy Scrapbooking!

Nicole Soh
Creative Memories Independent Advisor

www.NicolesScrapbooks.com
www.CreativeMemories.com/user/nicolesoh

#MemoriesMatter