NSD registration and NEW 12” Trimmer!

Happy Spring Forward, Scrapbook Friends! I am back from Japan, and OH the jet lag is hitting me hard. I purposefully worked in a few buffer days after getting home before I have to go back to real life, but I almost wonder if that was a bad idea? My daughters and my husband all had to go back to work on Thursday (!!) and they seem to be readjusting to Central time fine. I, on the other hand, let myself sleep in on Thursday (till 1 pm!) and since then it’s been awful and I haven’t been able to sleep at night so I’m tired all day and wah wah wah. But I’ve heard that the third day is the worst and so hopefully by Monday I will be closer to normal!

We had a fabulous time and if you are Facebook friends with me I posted a LOT of photos (with good captions!) which will give you a great overview of my trip. If not, I think I am going to “cut” in line of my next scrapbook project (which is supposed to be Disney 2020) and do the Japan trip next instead - so at some point in the next few months hopefully I’ll have a completed album flip-through on YouTube for you. :) Stay tuned. (If we are not FB friends send me a request and I will add you - maybe send me a message if I haven’t “met” you so I’ll know how you know me!)

Shorter email this week with just a handful of new products - because the NEW updated trimmer is coming on Monday! PLEASE NOTE that this is almost identical to the existing 12” Trimmer, which has been “almost perfect”, but they’ve fixed the only thing I didn’t like about it which is that I had to fold out the arm to measure a 6” piece. The new one goes to 6.5” so it’s like all my scrapbooking dreams have come true!

It’s also time for National Scrapbook Day, so read on for registration for that. It’s a three-day event so is a great opportunity for those of you who live out of town and want an almost-retreat experience right now while all my hotel venues have gotten too expensive!

Event Schedule

Apparently people aren’t scared of hearing all about my Japan trip, because next weekend’s crop is almost completely sold out - there are only two weekend spots left and one Saturday only spot. But if you want one of them I’d love to have you (maybe just check with me first before you sign up?) All crops are held at my studio in Madison, Alabama, and if you can’t stay to crop but want to drop by to shop or ask me about my trip, (or both!) you’re welcome anytime I’m there.

Pre-registration is required for all cropping events, and 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 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

Weekend Crops: Friday noon - 9 pm and/or Saturday 10 am - 6 pm
March 13/14 (our St. Patrick’s Day crop - wear something festive if you like!)
March 27/28

Project Recipe Class: 6:00 - 8:00 pm
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. This time we’ll be doing Global Getaway and Spring Equinox.

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

For planning purposes my future crop dates are:
April 3-4
NSD April 16-28, April 23-25 or April 30-May 2 (details below!)
May 8-9, May 22-23

SHIPPING UPDATE

Many of us took advantage of the free shipping that CM offered for most of the month of February, and so you probably know that shipping is running WAY behind schedule! They have brought on some temporary warehouse workers (family members of the existing workers, mostly!) and for the next couple of weeks will not be giving priority to 2-day shipping orders, so that nobody will “cut” in front of anyone else. They hope to be back to their normal 2-3 day order processing within the next week or so! So if you are waiting on an order please know that your order isn’t lost, you’re just caught in traffic!

National Scrapbook Day!!!

It’s time for our biggest scrapbooking event of the year, National Scrapbook Day! This year I am taking a leap of faith and offering THREE weekend sessions, so hopefully one of them will work for you!

Choose your session:
April 16 -18, April 23 - 25 or April 30 - May 2

Thursday 3:00 pm - 8:00 pm (dinner provided)
Friday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm (lunch and dinner)
Saturday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm (lunch and dinner)

Each session will be identical with 25 hours of crop time over three days, five meals, layout classes using CM products, a paper buffet and a goody bag with exclusive CM items. Crop fee is $120 for the full weekend. If I have space when it gets closer I may be able to open up partial spots (like Friday or Saturday only) so please let me know if that is something you’d be interested in.

CM’s “official” NSD theme was introduced during my Winterfest crop and images were posted on the internet. The response from my event guests that weekend was pretty overwhelmingly against the official theme (“Cropping with my Chicks” which features chickens and sunflowers) so by popular vote I am going rogue and doing a “Future’s So Bright” theme using the Bright Delights Collection from Creative Memories.

However, a few of you told me you were still interested in the chickens theme items so if you would like to add on any of the “official” products I am happy to get those for you too.

Ready to commit?
Register here: National Scrapbook Day 2026

NEW Website coming on March 16!

Creative Memories is launching a brand new website on March 16th - they’ve been working on it for MONTHS and it’s finally ready to go live! The new website is more than a refresh. It is a major upgrade designed to improve your shopping experience and make it easier to find the products you love!

My direct shopping URL (which I hope is saved to your computer!) will NOT be changing so you can still always go to https://www.creativememories.com/user/nicolesoh when you need scrapbooking supplies. Except maybe not right on the 16th, I’m sure it’s going to be slammed and there WILL be hiccups.

However - a few things will NOT be migrating from the old website, so PLEASE if you have any digital downloads (like the Project Playbooks) be sure to download those by SUNDAY, March 15th.

Also, if you have uploaded photos to be printed, those will also not move over, so you will want to order those photo prints too. Ditto for Custom Spines, if you have ordered any of those in the past you will want to go onto your account, look for the “My Custom Products” section and take a screenshot of all the spines you’ve done that you might want to duplicate later.

Custom Spines and Photo Prints WILL be coming back with the new website, but probably not for a few months to give them a chance to work out any bugs. So if you need a Custom Spine for a gift album between now and probably June you will want to order it ASAP.

Enhanced Trimmers!

If you have been around me at all over the past few years, you know how much I love the Creative Memories 12” Trimmer that was introduced a few years ago. My ONLY complaint has been that if I want to measure something that is 6” I’ve had to fold out the extension arm. Well, last year on the CM incentive trip they told us they had heard our complaints and that they were upgrading it! They didn’t tell us they were also upgrading the Photo Trimmer!

Let me assure you here that if you are happy with your existing trimmer, I do NOT think you “NEED” the upgraded one. Please do not feel any pressure from me to spend the money on something that is not that different from the very awesome trimmer you already have.

However - if you’ve been frustrated by not being able to cut that 6” piece OR you haven’t taken the plunge yet for the BEST 12” Trimmer on the market, or the best photo trimmer, this might be the sign you’ve been waiting for!

So… what’s so great about this upgraded 12” trimmer? Let me count the ways!

Enhanced Measurement Markings, including new 1/16th-inch increments for more precise trimming, wider inch marks for faster identification while cutting, and centimeter measurements added to the metal track.

Wider 6.5” Base (!!!) gives better support for trimming wider cuts, means you won’t have to fold out the extension arm as often, AND allows for more built-in storage under the trimmer so you can store your Multi-Purpose Tool and Lifter Stick. (Your extra blades and replacement mat will still fit under there too!)

More Workspace! If you’re like me, one of the hardest parts of folding out the swing arm has been trying to find that much empty space on my table! The new trimmer’s ruler has been downsized to 6.5” (from 12”) so it won’t take up valuable desktop space!

Well then, what about the enhanced Photo Trimmer? This one has only been around about two years, what could they possibly add?

Well, how about…

New 1/16” increments for finer, more precise trimming (because you know some of us crazy layout designers like using those tiny measurements. Wider inch marks for easier identification while cutting (so you can easily tell if it’s at the inch mark vs. the quarter or half inch mark) AND a magnetic cutting arm closure for safer storage and travel! I have not had a problem with my trimmer arm coming open in my bags (probably because my bags are always so full!) but I guess some people have, and this will just make sure it stays closed when it’s supposed to stay closed.

Just like the existing Photo Trimmer (which is still available and is $10 less than the new version, while supplies last) this tool includes built-in storage for your All-Purpose and Micro-Tip Scissors and is designed to nest with the 12-inch Trimmer (both versions!) for efficient storage.

If you have the previous versions of the Trimmer Bag, the new trimmers WILL FIT, but if you missed the Rainbow Dot Trimmer Bag, now’s your chance! The Buy-it-All Bundle includes the Enhanced 12” Trimmer and Photo Trimmer, the Rainbow Dot Trimmer Bag AND the brand new (NOT the same as the ones that came out in November) Custom Cutting System Border Tools featuring the Waves, Swell, Crest and Arch designs. The Waves and Swell are identical to the cutting patterns on the retired 12” Decorative Trimmer, but the Crest and Arch are new. (In case you’re wondering, the CCS Border Cutting Tools that came out in November have the Zig Zag, Peaks, Curve and Ripple patterns).

It does not look like the Rainbow Trimmer Bag will be available separately from the bundle, but if you “need” that bag (the black with blue trim version is currently available) I may end up with an extra so let me know and I’ll see what I can do.

Complete your Cutting System

The Waves/Swells/Crest/Arch Border Tools ARE available separately, if you would like to add those to your collection.

The Photo Placement Tools are a bringback, but this time they are available both as a bundle (including the NEW 5x7 size!) OR you can buy just the sizes you use the most!! I hope they have a good stash of the 4x5 and 3.5x5.5 because those are the ones I use the most!

Also returning are the Photo Sizing Templates which allow you to see where to cut your photos to get the exact cropping you want. Includes a ring to hold them together while they’re in your crop bag.

How to Order

Okay, that’s it! If you don’t “need” the new trimmer or cutting tools you can take a break this week, and they’ve already told us there will be no new products on the 16th because of the new website launch.

If you’d like to see the official CM info page about the new products you can find that here: Preview the March 9 Launch

If you are local and would like me to order for you, please fill out my Local Pickup Preorder Form. Because of the shipping delays I talked about earlier I won’t be able to pay 2-day shipping so I’m not sure when our new trimmers will get here, but I will text you as soon as my order arrives!

If you are NOT local and will be ordering on my website, I am happy to offer you a $10 CM Credit to offset your shipping charges. I know that you have lots of options for who you choose to order Creative Memories products from, and I truly appreciate those of you who have chosen to give me your business!

If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please email me and say “I am planning to order” and I will transfer the credit to your CM account. If you use a different email address to log in to CM than the one you write me from, let me know the correct address to be able to share the credit.

Thank you!

That’s it - a relatively short email this time but one I know I’ve been excited about, both the 12” Trimmer updates AND of course National Scrapbook Day! I’ve had fun working on some exclusive projects for our NSD activities with the Bright Delights products and I am really looking forward to taking some time to think about all the reasons why the future IS bright - because lately things have seemed a little gloomy!

Thanks as always for your support of me and my business. I hope that you get as much joy as I do from this activity that we love so much.

Hope you remembered to Spring Forward, and Happy Scrapbooking! (Except you lucky folks in Arizona and Hawaii who don’t have to spring forward, to you I only wish the Happy Scrapbooking part!!)

Nicole Soh
Creative Memories Independent Advisor

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

#MemoriesMatter