The October issue of Creating Keepsakes is now on newsstands, and we’re thrilled to share it with you. We’re especially excited because this issue is themed as our “Top 10” issue for 2009. In the magazine you’ll find the top 10 tips and ideas for numerous topics. Since I can’t fit them all in one post (without making it over 10 feet in length), I’ll share an overview of 10 of my favorite articles from the issue. Did I mention that the magazine provides over 10 outstanding ideas for each of these topics?
1. Clever new ways to dress up chipboard
2. Fun and inexpensive font finds for your most-scrapbooked themes
3. Pictures to capture your life every month of the year—that’s 120 photo ideas in the article!
4. The best photos to take this fall
5. Design tips for scrapbooking Halloween festivities
6. Fun activities to participate in throughout the month
7. Free type paths for journaling in a shape (You’ll find them as free downloads in this article.)
8. Top tips for adding stitching to your layouts
9. Layouts about yourself (I know you may not want to make them, but it’s worth taking the time! Get started with one of these six easy quizzes.)
10. The best adhesives in 10 categories (Our editorial team spent over eight hours testing boxes of different brands and products to find the best ones for your creativity.)
***
And now for a little behind-the-scenes peek into the creation of the October 2009 issue.
In our April issue, we called for your “Amazing Pages.” Boy, did we have a hard time narrowing the submissions. The task was too difficult, so rather than stopping at just 10 pages, we selected 20. We shared 10 of them in the magazine, and you’ll find the other 10 here.
On pages 50–51, you saw a glimpse of the amazingly talented Mou Saha’s craft room. We’re pleased to share her blog with you as well, so you can get to know her (and be inspired by her) even more.
To test the adhesives for #10 above, we scored all the products using this rubric.
CK Adhesive Lab Scoring Sheet
We saw many more Halloween-themed products than we could fit into the magazine. For example, you saw some of this great Trick or Treat line from Little Yellow Bicycle, but I couldn’t resist showing you these accents as well.
Little Yellow Bicycle Trick or Treat accents
And check out this festive Eerie collection from BasicGrey.
BasicGrey Eerie collection
You’re sure to find this delightful Spooky Town collection from Imaginisce to be a real treat. I love it!
Imaginisce Spooky Town elements
Plus, I can think of plenty of ways to use Glimmer Mist from Tattered Angels to add a spooky feeling to my scrapbook pages.
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist
***
A Halloween Giveaway
In addition to the 10 great sweepstakes being held in conjunction with the magazine, we have a special giveaway just for our blog readers. Our team has put together 5 goodie bags filled with Halloween product (including the fabulous products in this post) waiting for you! Leave a comment on this post by this Friday (September 18) telling us your favorite article or tip from the October issue for your chance to win. Winners will be announced early next week.
Enjoy!
Brittany Beattie, Managing Editor, Creating Keepsakes
I loved the whole magazine, but I really liked the quizes about me. I started my “Me” ablum last year and its been difficult to come up with ideas for pages.
My favorite article was the clever ways to dress up chip board. I have a lot of chip board and I am always looking for new ways to decorate it. This was an AWESOME edition. Very good ideas! Keep them coming.
I love the easy ruffle border instructions!!! Can’t wait to try it.
I always get the most out of Becky’s sketches! I also loved the “10 Can’t-Miss Photos to Take Each Month” article and dressing up chipboard!
Love the stitching tips! And the dressing up the chipboard too!
I’m excited to read about the new ways to dress up chip board. I’m also quite interested in the adhesive article. Can’t wait to read the whole mag!
I loved the 10 most important pages – especially the idea about the three most defining moments. When trying to figure out what my child might want to know about my life, it was hard to find a direction. This idea will help me journal about something very meaningful; and to write three points will be valuable but not overwhelming.
Studio A is always my favorite!
I really liked the photo taking tips and the pages not scrapped articles.
I love the stitching article by Ali. I liked the 10 most important pages article as well. Thanks for the chance to win!
I love the photo ideas in any shape or form. I need to know how to take them, change them, scrap them and fit more on a page…so every little article helps!
I love Halloween layouts. Fall colors are my favorite to scrap.
I just re-read Ali Edwards’ 15 Easy Stitching Techniques as I’ve just made my sewing machine a permanent fixture on my craft table and I really LOVE all the hints/tips/ideas she gives in that article. I do more cardmaking than scrapbooking right now and this will also be a big help in that process!!!
Great issue but I made sure to download the photos to take every month. I bore myself with the same photos every year so I’m posting each months list to my fridge to make sure I get a better variety of pictures. Thank you CK!
I love pointers on stitchin- and fall layouts!! It’s nice to break out of the mold with new ideas!
I dog-eared the page with a step-by-step to gathering crepe paper along the edge of a photo. It looks so fun and timeless, and I can’t wait to try!
I loved Jennifer McGuire’s tips on using chipboard. And I always love Ali’s articles. She’s a fave.
It’s a tie! I loved Jen McGuire’s article, and both of Ali’s articles!!! This was a great issue.
Loved the stiching article!
It’s a good life!
Terri E.
i love the fall layouts great colors.
I loved looking at the inspirational pages from the top 10.
My favorite was the Top 10 Layouts!
I really liked the type paths for journaling in a shape. I’m always looking for ways to add little touches on my layouts, and this is a great way to do it!
I love the all about me section, it has forced me to actually journal about myself and I already have three pages planned, now to find the time to do them!
The adhesives article was very helpful. I hope to share at my next class.
I haven’t finished reading the whole magazine yet, but I really have liked all the “10″ ideas and suggestions. I like the 10 pictures to take. I spend a lot of the time looking over all the layout/projects putting my photos/occaions in their place. Great maagazine.
The ’10 Can’t Miss Photos To Take Each Month’ – especailly while working on P365. I seem to have fallen into a rut lately & this got my creative photo juices flowing again.
I enjoyed the 10 amazing pages and am off to check out the additional 10 that are online.
I loved the stitching techniques, the chipboard ideas, and the top ten!
How do you pick just one? This was an amazing issue! I loved it all! I do hope that the article about “missing pages” will motivate me to actually scrapbook about myself some day though. So far, it’s been all about the kids.
10 Shortcuts for Fast and Beautiful Pages was my favorite for this issue but my all time favorite would be Becky’s sketches. she will be missed.
I love the stitching tips and hope to start incorporating them soon into my layouts!
Thanks for another great magazine! I’m traveling at the moment and looking forward to getting to read the full mag when I get home. Couldn’t resist a sneak on line peak though. For me, the article about journalling about yourself was the highlight… such a hard topic to address, and so much easier with prompts like these!
Pedita Hall
My favorite article from this issue is the Best Photos to Take This Fall. I love how it gives me ideas on different photos to take other than the usual.
I love the text paths. And I also really like the stiching article too!
I always turn to Ali’s article first when I get an issue. I have been playing more with my little sewing machine, so the stitching article was perfect. I also really liked the article on chipboard and all of the Halloween inspiration.
I love it all, but I would say the top adhesives! Since my favorite is discontinuing, I needed this!
the top 10 adhesives was a great help – i hate to spend money unless i know it will work – thanks!
I loved ALi’s article.
I’m completely excited about the text-on-a-curve in Photoshop Elements. I will definitely be using this!!
I just started using Core’dination cardstock and it was great to see some awesome ways to use this neat cardstock!
I love ideas to dress up your chipboard.
I liked the curved typing article best
There were so many to choose from…but I’d have to say my favorite was the tip for putting a sheet of craft/fun foam under cardstock when stamping! I’ve just started stamping & making cards…WOW! It makes such a difference! Thank you!
I loved the stitching tips and how to dress up your chipboard, both were very helpful. Thanks for the chance to win some fantastic prizes.
The October issue rocks! My favorite article was tips for photo taking. I learn new things each month, but this month had a lot.
My favorite top ten article had to be “quick pages with 4 x 6 photos”. Mainly because that is my favorite size to create with. I have created albums and pages with all the sizes but I really love 4 x 6 size. Thanks for the chance!!
I haven’t had a chance to crack my October issue open yet! I’m sure I will love every page from cover to cover!
Looks like there’s a LOT of greatness in the issue! I’ll have to check it out!
It’s so hard to pick a favorite when I love every issue of CK from cover to cover. Since I just bought a Janome sew mini, I was particularly interested in the article “15 Stitching Techniques.” Thanks for putting together such a beautiful issue!