Time Flies!

Where did the week go? Or for that matter, the past two weeks??? It's almost July and I don't even have a base tan established yet. Yikes! I have been brainstorming with my cute editor, Megan, about how to promote my book at July's CHA show. The book itself will not be out until November, but CHA is the only big show before then. And I want to make a splash! Got any ideas?

Remember that five-product challenge I issued a few weeks back? Well, here's mine...

1. Cardstock

2. Patterned paper (polka dotted) (My MInd's Eye)

3. rub-ons (Heidi Swapp)

4. plastic letters (KI)

5. Patterned paper (backing letters) (Ummm... Daisy Ds??)

I incorporated the above products with deco-edge scissors and punches to create this layout. Simple. Quick. (The hardest part was punching, cutting, and positioning the strips and circles of cardstock).

Many of you told me this was hard for you. Tell me -- did you pick five products first, or start creating the page and stop when you hit five? Your approach can have a big impact on how hard or easy it is. I like to pick my items FIRST and then play with them. That way I'm exploring to the edges of pre-established boundaries, rather than saying, "Oh, I'd love to add xy or  z but I can't." Does that make sense?

Anyway, our winner...

Michelle from KY! Send me your address, dearie.

For next week... I would like to see a 30-minute layout that is a scraplift of a layout in a magazine or online gallery. I scraplift all the time -- I'll talk more about that next week. But for right now, create the layout, let us see your inspiration (if you can), and show us how you re-interpreted it!

Comments

[Michelle (from KY)]

YEAH! Thank you! My friends ar egoign to be do excited that everyone who reads this blog can see their pictures.

Thanks for hosting such fun contests!

[Gaynol]

What about bookmarks with your book's title and cover shot or cute scrappy artwork? Or the bookmarks could have a funny quote from your book. I got some of these at a writer's convention I attended once. It really helped me remember what books I wanted to order once I got home.

[stephanie]

I think you should offer chocolate chip cookies....I mean, duh!
and my sis & I can wear "I *heart* Lain..Ask me why" t-shirts...really, the possibilities are..you know..endless....

[Etta]

Great LO!! Love that Smiley Face parasail!

I have no ideas--never been too good in the marketing dept. Sorry.

The choco chip cookies sound like a good idea, though. :)

[sue Treiber]

I was bummed that I wasn't going to CHA before
now I'm doubly bummed. Phooey.

[Miss Niki]

Mmmm, I'm thinking that if you give a scrapper a cookie she is going to want a glass of milk, and if you give her a glass of milk she is going to want to put on her comfy pjs, and if she puts on her pjs she will want a good collection of bedtime "stories" (or to go scrappin'!) Just playing with the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" theme...you could be in the booth in your jammies with Scrap Happy logo on them! Good Luck and Best Wishes! Can't wait for it hit the market. Miss Niki

[Miss Niki]

Mmmm, I'm thinking that if you give a scrapper a cookie she is going to want a glass of milk, and if you give her a glass of milk she is going to want to put on her comfy pjs, and if she puts on her pjs she will want a good collection of bedtime "stories" (or to go scrappin'!) Just playing with the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" theme...you could be in the booth in your jammies with Scrap Happy logo on them! Good Luck and Best Wishes! Can't wait for it hit the market. Miss Niki

[bcre8uv]

Here's a promotion idea - I think you should take me with you to help promote it! (And maybe to help eat Stephanie's cookies...) ;)

Does your book have a title yet?

~T.

[homedotmade]

Cookies are definitely a good idea! But I think a better idea would be chocolates! I have some great molds that I have used for events that look like Artist's palettes lollipops. They could be in a little cello bag with a cardstock topper with the book information on it. And I'd be happy to do those for you, could have a sample done in the next couple of days and send a picture to you.

p.s. Look for the email I sent you!

[Libby]

What about having M&Ms printed with your book title on them? I know you can go to the M&M site and have custom ones printed. You could give out little bags of M&Ms and a recipe card attached.

You could either have a real recipe for M&M cookies with the last direction being something like "Enjoy with a glass of milk and Lain's new book..."

Or you could make a "recipe" for a relaxing evening with directions to add pjs, slippers, a comfy chair, bag of M&Ms and the new book.

I also like the bookmark idea. Or you could take it a step further and have people register for a giveaway for a booklight or slippers or something.

Good luck!