saturday . . .

8.07.2010

Am I becoming a regular blogger - or what??? Back again & it hasn't even been 24 hours :) I promised to share my top 10 manufacturers from this summer's CHA - now seriously, just because there are some not on the list - don't think I still don't love 'em - I just really tried to narrow it down & these companies - well - their scrappy goodness just sang to me this season :) These are in no particular order (I swear) . . .

#1 Bella Blvd - I have been in love with their bold & bright designs from the get-go & have been following them since their start. I even won their first layout contest ever back in my earlier scrappy days :) I LOVE so many of their new collections this season but particularly fell in love with One Fall Day - is anyone else ready for fall??? I definitely am :)

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#2 Studio Calico - I have been a subscriber for years - even though months have gone by with me not being able to play with their kits - I still kept getting them - how could I not resist receiving that yummy package every month??? I LOVE the unique style to their products - they make me step outside of my comfort zone :)

These wood veneers are awesome . . .

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And the new mists - WOW - can't wait to try the white - it will show up on dark paper - how cool is that???

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#3 Doodlebug - Okay, I have purchased their products here & there over the past few years but this year - I really have enjoyed their collections. I am totally in LOVE with these (but then I am slightly obsessed with buttons) . . .

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#4 Crate Paper - I have been a fan of them since some of their earliest collections & they have only got better & better with age :) This season they TOTALLY rocked it - I LOVE every single line & just need them ALL!!!

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I think Snow Day is just adorable . . . Restoration just breathtaking . . .and School Spirit - well an absolute must have - please give me two of everything in that collection!!! Here are a few pics of these goodies!!!

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#5 My Mind's Eye - What can I say - a scrapper's staple - I am sure everyone has a little (or alot in my case) tucked away in their stash. They have some absolutely gorgeous lines this go around but I fell head over heels for 2 of them - first up this CUTE line called Alphabet Soup - check it out . . .

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Now we are big fans of Halloween in my house & pre-child used to throw a doozy of a party each year - I'm talking costume party, 150 adults easy, all catered by me (can you imagine doing that with children for that many people - never), decorations galore, we even had a band one year (okay it was my brother's band but he did play in a few clubs in the city). Anyways - I am not the entertainer I once was but nevertheless we still like to do it up here at the Bonner house for any holiday - including Halloween. Yes, Ryan has already started making decorations - we get this going early around here :) Anyways - I LOVE MME new Halloween line Blackbird - it is simply adorable & will be perfect for my pics of Ryan. Check it out . . .

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Do you like it - well guess what - I have an extra set of Blackbird paper, chipboard, and brads on their way to my house as we speak for one lucky reader - I LOVE you guys!!! You keep me blogging :) Just leave a comment between now & tomorrow night before midnight sharing your favorite holiday tradition - any holiday, anything special your family likes to do :) Have a fab Saturday!!!

Be back tomorrow to share my other fave 5 manufacturers of the season & maybe . . .just maybe . . . one more giveaway of something new & totally fabulous!!! Thanks everyone :)

ttyl - julie :)

49 comments:

  1. LOVE the pics! I wish I could have gone! I have to admit that Halloween is my favorite holiday to scrap. But our favorite holiday tradition is when we just slow down and enjoy Christmas morning just us and the kids. We have CRAZY schedules and that moment is just so special and meaningful. I told my kids even when they grow up and move away, they had better be there Christmas morning! lol

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  2. I'm finding out that I LOVE to scrap Halloween in particular, so I would put every scrap of Blackbird to good use :)

    My favorite tradition is a new one - to take my daughter to see The Nutcracker Ballet in December.

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  3. My favorite holidays have to be the fall ones - halloween,going to the pumpkin patch, just love to scrap those rich colors!
    -kristin

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  4. I am all about the fall. We have something every single weekend in the Fall as it is our favorite season. The newest (and best) tradition we have started is to go get our own pumpkins (all three of us get one) and then we all carve them to our liking. (Ok so the kiddo gets help but she gets to pick out what she wants) I love it, wholesome, sweet memorable family fun!

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  5. Glad to see you back Julie!
    My favourite tradition is to bake cookies, for ANY holiday. I love the smell, the mess that my little boy makes trying to "help"...and of course the best part: eating them!

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  6. Love to see all your favs and I see mine in there as well!
    We have a tradition at Christmas to sing the blessing at dinner time. I love to hear my Dad's bass voice.

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  7. So fun to see all the new goods! My favorite time of year is the Fall. I love to see the leaves change and the air turn chilly. I especially love to scrap Halloween and Thanksgiving. :)

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  8. We have a big Thanksgiving lunch and then when it gets dark we go pick out our Christmas tree in the same lot each year. We decorate it the same night and drink Russian tea listening to Christmas music. Love it!

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  9. My fav holiday tradition since my daughter was 2, is making reindeer dust and sprinkling it onto the front lawn so Rudolph can find our house with no problems & leaving cookies and milk for santa & an extra goodie (baby carrot) for the leed reindeer...LOL! She loves it & now this year my son will be 2 so he will be able to join in the fun! Thanks for the great opp & love to read your blog. Stay well! xxx, Staci

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  10. Yummy new products! Love and want it all! :)

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  11. Love all the new papers!! Our favourite holiday tradition with our kids was to go to church at midnight and then come home to all the gifts that Santa had left while we were gone and open them, then we got to sleep in on christmas morning!!

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  12. Julie, so glad to see pics of your baby - he looks great, and Ryan is too stinkin' cute in those bowling pictures! We have a holiday tradition I started when I first had my kids of giving them an ornament each year that had some significance to that year. They would open them Christmas eve after church. Now they are grown and on their own and have (at least) 25 very special ornaments for their Christmas trees!

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  13. I saw many of my favorites in your post. Can't wait to get my hands on them. My favorite tradition is the post-Halloween sort of candy. The fact that I get the cast offs has nothing to do with that~ha ha.

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  14. Your faves and my faves are almost the exact same--I love the Crate release, and the mme too. I'd love to try the white mist too. ;)

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  15. So many yummy new goodies!! I can't wait until they are arriving at my lss!!! I love Blackbird and am thrilled at a chance to win it. Thanks Julie!!

    Oh, and my fave holiday tradition is always about Christmas and getting together with family. My fave time of year!!

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  16. I totally love CP school spirit as well & those chipboard pieces by MME for Alphabet Soup just rock! I already have those on my must list. I hadn't seen the buttons those are super cute. My favorite tradition is us three as a family having a nice dinner & opening up Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve from just us and having our own little thing. We always get new jammies for Christmas morning. Loving the Blackbird line esp those chipboard shapes, thanks so much for the awesome chance.

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  17. That Alphabet Soup line from MME is fabulous! I really love it. I've looked at some, but not all of the new stuff from CHA and didn't see that one, yet. So, Thanks for sharing it with us.

    My favorite holiday tradition is doing to the movies with my family, Christmas day after opening presents. We all have a great time going to the movies together.

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  18. I am loving the Alphabet Soup!!! How did I miss some of these???? LOL

    Our favorite tradition is decorating our house for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving...all the Dept 56 houses come out, the works! Then all of the baking that follows for the weeks after!

    Hope you had a great day!! :)

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  19. I love all the lines that you posted, especially that first one. One of our family's holiday traditions is baking cookies together for Christmas.

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  20. My favorite tradition began when we had our son, almost 23 years ago- I have given him a toy soldier ornament each year at Christmas, when we decorate the tree- some years have been really tough trying to find one! When our daughter came along`it was just a given to give her an angel ornament since she is our little angel- Allison has Down syndrome and has truly been a blessing to all who have the pleasure of knowing her. The kit would be so much fun using to scrap Allison's Halloween party (which has become her tradition with the 3rd year party coming up!)

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  21. My little town has a huge 4th of July celebration every year..so much fun!

    jlh774 at gmail dot com

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  22. Ome of my favorites is playing at the lake with my family on the fourth of July.

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  23. Oh my gosh your spoiling us! Very kind of you do this!
    The pumpkin patch is a favorite family tradition in our house. We go to the patch and find the "right" pumpkin and buy wonderful decorations for outside and yummy baked goods for later. I have to take a zillion pictures too because there are always a few layouts that result in the day.

    Thanks Julie!

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  24. Love seeing all of your favorites and can definitely see some of these being my favorites too. My favorite tradition is decorating gingerbread houses and cookies at Christmas. We do a decorating contest. I love giving my children meaningful tree decorations each year too.

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  25. Awesome post Julie! I love how you listed the reason these are your favs along with all the yummy pics. ;)

    One of our newest Holiday traditions is sitting down on Christmas Eve to read the story of Jesus' birth. It's a really special time for us. :)

    Thnaks for the chance at some goodies!
    - April W

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  26. Love the blackbird line...I like how it's a bit spooky...perfect for pictures of my boys!

    Our favorite holiday tradition is decorating our Christmas tree. Our boys are just amazed when we turn off all the house lights so it's dark then we turn on the tree lights and watch it glow!

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  27. so glad you're feeling well! loving all the new stuff - but my eye was really caught by the white mist!

    one of my favorite holiday traditions is our annual 4th of july camping trip with 4 other families. lots of fun!

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  28. I so love the first gorgeous pics from your CHA faves, oh what an eye full of candy there, I really love my little boy Nate and I have a Good friday tradition with our friends Jan & Col, we go for a drive to the country usually and hide his eggs in trees and watch his face light up when he finds them. Thanks for the great opportunity. Melxx

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  29. I started a new tradition a few years ago: starting on the 25th at midnight, there's a show on the radio here in the Netherlands with a Top1000. There's a new one each year and I listen to it every waking moment. It ends on the 31st at midnight again.
    I love it! Even get up early and go to bed late to hear all these amazing songs!

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  30. Christmas is a very special day for us. We start our celebration on Christmas eve 'til Christmas Day. Family and friends come together to share a meal/feast on the midnight of 25 December after we hear mass.

    Thank you for the giveaway!

    cheers!

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  31. thanks for the chance to win the nice giveaways.

    I love the christimas traditions with decoration the christmas tree and having presents for the hole familiy. I love it!

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  32. Great choices, Julie! You have great taste!

    Holiday traditions,...hmmmm,...well, we do go out as a family to pick out our tree. And, we have been known to go to multiple places until we find the right one. Since my husband likes skinny, and I like fat,.....it usually has to be perfectly shaped for us to come to an agreement. :)

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  33. love looking at the new paper! really gets the creative juices going!

    favorite holiday tradition? I would have to say...making christmas cookies! i use all my mom's recipes that i remember as a kid (some are even my grandmother's or great grandmothers). everyone has their favorite and helps me make them!

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  34. I have a brand new adopted daughter so I'm excited about making some new traditions for our new family! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  35. I'm totally in love with the Alphabet line . . . so yummy!! Christmas is my all time favorite holiday and decorating the tree and sharing christmas lunch with my family is a tradition I cherish!!

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  36. My favorite tradition is the cookies. Each child and grandchild picking his or her favorite and the grandkids helping to bake.

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  37. I see we have several of the same favorites- I think the 2010 collections are the best ever! :)

    My favorite holiday tradition is at Christmas time.. Every year my son and I decorate our home a few days before Thanksgiving. Then for the next few weeks that follow, he and I drive around town looking at all the lights, colors and nativities and such. It's a fun and special time for us. :)

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  38. Love your pics of your top favs Julie! I think I'm in love with most of them also! My favorite holiday tradition is from the 4th of July. Every year we watch our town's parade and then come home for a bbq. It's simple, but it's a guarantee that everyone will be together!

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  39. I'm pregnant with my first child so my husband and I are super excited to start passing down traditions. One that I'm really excited about is midnight mass on Christmas Eve. :-)

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  40. my fave holiday tradition is cutting down our own christmas tree :D

    i loooove buttons too and the designer/fabric brads are awesome in these collections TFS :D

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  41. I can't believe how much I agree with your favorite products! These are all fabulous and I would L-O-V-E to play with any of these beauties! I'm excited to see tomorrows other 5 favorites. :)

    That Halloween line is soooo awesome. I don't usually send out Halloween cards but I might have to if I win that SWEET kit!

    My favorite holiday is New Years Eve! I love having all of my family gathered under one roof, celebrating togetherness and reflecting on the last year and also on what we want to achieve in the next. It's so fun to spend the last minutes of a year with my loved ones and to be about to count down into the next year. So fun! I love New Years Eve! :D

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  42. one of our fav traditions is I get a 2000+ piece jigsaw each year from dh. The following year the whole family spends December putting the puzzle together

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  43. I love Christmas. Our tradition is that each year we buy a new decoration for the tree and our daughter Caitlin puts the angel on the top. The whole family come to dinner and we all open our presents together. In te run up to Christmas I enjoy making cupcakes as presents and love dark cold evenings wrapping up presents for loved ones under the lights of the tree.

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  44. Love all the new lines...really gets the creative muse going!

    Christmas = baking cookies. My mother has always baked shaped christmas cookies with the kids, then grandkids, and now great-grand kids.
    Rolling the dough, tasting it (of course), cutting the cookies, baking, decorating, and then EATING them! It's a multi-generational project with the older ones helping the younger ones.

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  45. Favorite family tradition is on Christmas Eve with the kids: sprinking reindeer food on the lawn, putting out Santa's milk and cookies and then reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" at bedtime. Then for ME: sitting up at midnight as it becomes Christmas, drinking egg nog and looking at our tree. Now that the kids are getting older, I think Halloween will be even more fun for us, too. Thanks for a chance to win!

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  46. For the past 3 years (since my son was born) we have started cutting down our own Christmas tree, in fact we even go to the same farm every year. This is toally opposite of my family when I was growing up, we once went to cut down a tree, could not decide, came home borrowed an artificial tree, started putting it together (which seemed wrong) then ended up at the local gas station to buy an over priced one. Funny how things change!!

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  47. Thanks for sharing glimpses of these beautiful products. One of my favorite traditions is apple picking with my family in the fall and then making apple pies and apple sauce. I also love baking cookies every Christmas holiday with my kids. It's a lot of fun when we all get together in the kitchen to bake!

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  48. A tradition we have had in our family, since we were little, was that we were each given an ornament every year. Those ornaments often reflected our interests, hobbies, fads of the time. But then, when my sister and I were ready to leave home--we each had a good start for decorating our Christmas trees!

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  49. My favorite holiday tradition is decorating the Christmas tree. We have several ornaments that we bought in Disney, and each time we put one up we remember that trip!

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