Okay, I love Christmas as much as the next person. And that green and red blog theme I had going on was kick ass. But, sadly, it had to go. The formatting was too wonky and hard to read in some instances. It was a good learning experience ~ I learned that 3-column blog formats don’t work for me. (If I were smart enough or had time enough to fit my pictures to the space allowed on the blog, it would’ve been fine. But me: Not smart, no time). So back to Boring-ville with the plain blog format. I had the old format called “Blix” for almost a year, so it’s time for a different boring blog format. After previewing my blog in the bazillion choices offered by WordPress, I’ve chosen this one called “Shocking Blue and Green.” Cool name at least. Blue and green are my favorite colors so I think we have a winna’!
I am slowly making other changes too, like adding lots of new CKMB’er blogs to my blog roll. I’m also removing the word ‘blog’ after everyone’s name (i.e. changing CKMB AliDavis blog to just CKMB AliDavis). Saves room, looks neater, and duh, we all know it’s a blog, right? I’m going to try using Tags to see how those work and maybe make some better Categories. I appreciate your patience while I try these new things. Is the text too small to read comfortably, or is that just because I’m on a laptop? If there’s anything you can’t read or don’t like with this format, please leave me a comment and maybe it’s something I can fix. Well, me or WordPress tech support. Speaking of them dudes, I need to get their help on this paragraph formatting thing. I must have clicked ‘the place you’re never supposed to click’ when I was messing around on my blog, because I can NOT get it to save any of my spacing. Everything’s just all run together like the butter and syrup on top of my Eggo…mmmm…..Eggo….
Perhaps just in time to be #1 (and #2 and #3) on your Christmas list, here are some new organizational items from Making Memories.MAKING MEMORIES DESKTOP CAROUSEL:
I have yet to see it in person, but word is that it’s showing up at Michael’s stores around the country as we speak. Therefore, I assumed it was “NEW!”. However, when I found THIS PRESS RELEASE about the Carousel on the MAKING MEMORIES WEBSITE, I noticed a press release date of July 20, 2007. Jeez, sometimes I’m really behind the power curve, aren’t I? Anyhow, assuming it’s not such “old news” that you might still be interested, here are the deets:
“The Desktop Carousel is a hexagonal shaped, multi-level storage unit that offers top-loading cubbies as well as slide-out drawers in a 12″ x 14″ footprint. Each upper compartment is accented with a metal label holder for easy product identification, while the lower drawers are outfitted with curved handles and magnetic closures.”
It retails for $39.99 so grab that next Mike’s 40% or 50% coupon and get this baby for roughly $20 to $24. I found one art supply website selling it for friggin’ $55.95. WTF?!?!
Per the press release, “In addition to working as a desk organizer, the Carousel can double as a makeup organizer, school supply caddy, and even kitchen accessory…(It) is constructed from sturdy MDF, and currently is available in a white glossy finish. The company also has released coordinated Desktop Storage units (MSRP: $19.99), constructed from chipboard, to hold 12″ x 12″ papers, as well as sticker sheets and other embellishments.”
And ~~TAH DAH!~~ Here are the aforementioned Desktop Storage Units:
“Your workspace will always be dressed for success, thanks to our desktop organizer. Neatly store 12″ x 12″ paper and tools while stowing away stickers, embellishments and more in convenient removable drawers with label holders. Get organized!Ideal storage for 12″ x 12″ paper, embellishments and more. Made of sturdy paper-covered chipboard”
MAKING MEMORIES DESKTOP ORGANIZER – EMBELLISHMENT BOX
While you’re over at the Making Memories website oogling all their cool stuff ~ like the FABulous Noteworthy paper that WILL be mine (oh yes, it will be mine…)…
and the Shimmer Brads….
…make sure and check out their very scrumptious MAKING MEMORIES BLOG, where there is tons of MM news, yummy recipes, and wonderful page ideas.
Okay, enough sounding like a Making Memories commercial because, NO, they don’t sponsor this blog like they should, so I’m going to tell you what I really think about their products.#1: The Carousel is awesome looking but I won’t be getting it. First of all, I bought a similar one from Target several months ago. It was cheaper but not nearly as cute. It’s a square shape, white, with drawers and metal label holders. Secondly, the footprint on the MM Carousel is huge, so I probably wouldn’t get it even if I didn’t already have one. What I find is that carousels just don’t work great with my set up because the only space for it is kind of at the back of my desk. Then it bangs into things every time I rotate it, including the window blinds, my Leaning Tower of Memorabilia-to-File, and my Diet Coke. I recommend a carousel if you have a project table where it could sit in the middle of the table. Also, I ‘travel scrap’ a lot and it’s not like I can take this heavy wooden thing with me to a crop or event. So I end up putting less-used items in there like flowers, smaller punches, etc.
What has been the better item for my needs is the Tote-ally Cool Totes I got at Costco recently, which even come with a rotating metal stand that fits in a pocket of the tote when you’re not using it. I wrote about them HERE.
#2: The Desktop Organizer and Embellishment Box. If you’re going to order it online, just please note that the material they are made of is “sturdy, paper-covered chipboard.” My experience with that material on a heavily used item is not good. The item scratches easily, the drawers stick, and the paper starts to come up at the corners. They’ve had an older version of the MM Embellishment Box sitting dusty on a shelf at my Mike’s for, what, a couple of years? It’s tan with a black lid, and the price is decent for the box and all the embellishments inside, but the thing is totally scratched up. That’s the same reason I never give in to all the adorable “cloth covered” or “linen covered” storage boxes at Tuesday Morning. They are so cute, but oh-so-scratchable. Anyway, the MM website says it’s “new and improved,” so maybe they brought down the scratchability quotient.
All that said, I like the looks of both items. I like how the Organizer holds 12×12 stuff and could sit back on my desk out of the way…Hey, a girl’s gotta’ have her creative space! It would be a perfect place to store my new stuff AFTER I sneak it past DH into my scrap area (oops, did I say that in my “out loud” voice?), but BEFORE I find time to put it away in it’s proper place in my properly organized scrapbook area, which is always 100% clean and organized just like Martha Stewart’s.
I would still pass on the embellie box, only because I love the system I already have for storing all that tiny stuff. I have these and each little snaplock compartment is filled to the brim. Must…not…buy….more…brads…til…4,000 I have…are used!
When I’m berating myself for having too many embellies, I remind myself that my mom has this…
Mom can always make me feel better. Here is the link to the CKMB THREAD on the Carousel if you want to see what others are saying. If I find a thread on 2PEAS, I will add it later.
So, what do YOU think of these Making Memories storage products?? Do tell us in Comments.
PS: At least on my screen, the formatting is still all screwy with photo captions next to the photo instead of above them. And none of the line breaks or spacing I entered are showing. Which is SO annoying to me as an English major because it looks like one big run on sentence to me! Is my computer broken, or do you see what I see?
NOTE: Sorry my formatting is all askew (hey, who ask-ew?). I don’t know wha’ happa’?? I’ve tried everything to fix it, even changing back to my old blog display format but nothing has worked. I’ve never had it do that with images before and, even though I’m typing it with paragraph breaks, they disappear when I publish it. Wordpress tech support is closed for the weekend, but I will try Karen/Karooch over at Scraps of Mind. She’s the blog diva and very smart with this computer contraption. Maybe she can help…
~ The Wonderful Weekend (!) is here again, and again I don’t see any scrapping happening. Work, work and more work. But Santa tells me “Thank you very much for working so hard because all those presents don’t grow on trees!”
~ Had a Holiday Open House (scrapbooking) Thursday night. It went very well and I had a blast. Will tell you more about it later, lovies…
~ I {Heart} Rascal Flatts!! They are SUCH a favorite of mine. I think they are, like, Number 1.5 on my list (with Journey being Number 1 of course). I got RF’s latest CD the day it came out last September and I’m wearing it out. Also saw them in concert this summer and they rocked the HAY-ELL out of the Hizzy! I hear they were on Oprah today – thank googily gosh I Tivo that chick every day…can’t wait to watch it. I’m listenin’ to some Country radio whilst I type and they just played RF’s “Winner at a Losing Game”. I adore that song. It really shows off Gary’s wonderful voice.
Here are some of the lyrics: “Have you ever had to love someone that just don’t feel the same? Tryin’ to make somebody care for you, the way I do, Is like trying to catch the rain. And if love is really forever, I’m a winner at a losing game. I know that baby you’re tryin’ to find me somewhere inside of you, But you know you can’t lie, girl you can’t hide the truth. Oh no, sometimes two hearts just can’t dance to the same beat, So I’ll pack up my things and I’ll take what remains of me.”
Ooh! Now they’re playing Jason Aldean. He opened for Rascal Flatts this summer and, can I say, what a hottie! My BSF (Best Scrapping Friend) is convinced she’s his girlfriend (her husband humors her…). But she’s right, he’s hellza cute. “Yeah, Momma…” cuz Baby we ain’t never comin’ back…
~ Since Black Friday (when I bought the stuff), I have SWORN to myself that I would get my Secret Santa gift sent off to my mystery friend on the CKMB. Hmmm, perhaps I will actually accomplish it this weekend. We won’t even TALK about the stamps I’ve had on my desk for LATRICE and LIZ for months. God, I’m such a loser sometimes… (aka Best of Intentions, Worst at Follow Through…)
~ Three items on my Christmas list:
The Expedit shelf from Ikea (can you say “tons of scrappy storage??”)
The awesome iPhone
and the Epson PictureMate Snap PM 240 Photo Printer
I think DH is getting me the iPhone – sweeeeet…Will just keep the other items in mind for tax return time in February or my birthday in the spring (wink, wink)…
~ For a future blog entry, I have started writing a review of my new fave product, the Basic Grey Magnetic Mat. Stay tuned & talk to ya’ soon!
