Are you a Scrapbooker? Your chance at over $800 in prizes!

Are you a scrapbooker? If so, you don't want to miss out on this! Everyday Storyteller has just released a new book and they want YOU to attend their Everyday Storyteller Launch Party on May 4th at 8:30pm CDT. What's in it for you? You'll have the chance at over $800 in prizes!

Head on over to Everyday Storyteller and join the VIP list to receive your special invite!

One of the contributors, CD Muckosky, is my amazingly talented relative and one of the contributors in the book.  You have to check out her work!  Check out her website Jellybean Toes, Cheerios, and a Scrapping Hullabaloo!  She also has an Etsy shop (Whimsical Light Artistry), where she sells prints of her beautiful artwork.

A Trip to Michaels for Wedding Stuff (Printable Coupons Included)

As I've mentioned before, I have shopped at Michaels Craft Stores several times this year for wedding related purchases. And yet again, I was off to Michaels today to pick up a few more things (mainly for our centerpieces). Right now we have lanterns that we are using but we want to have frosted glass instead of see-through glass. So, we've been experimenting with a product called Armor Etch, which is used to frost glass. Today we went to Michaels to buy more so that we can finish frosting our lanterns. It's a time consuming, tedious, and relatively expensive job (for the amount of etching we
are doing), but thank goodness there are some
great Michaels coupons out there to help ease the pain.

Also, I had been going back and forth about what we were going to do for our guest book.  Like many things in our wedding, I want it to be original - definitely not the same as every other wedding!  I came across something called The Perfect Pair by Weddingstar that I thought would be great but my better half wasn't convinced.  I love the idea of having our guests writing personalized messages to us but my fiancé doesn't think that everyone would be up to it. 



So, while at Michaels, we found a product that is perfect for our wedding...and we got a fabulous deal on it!  It is a signature photo mat!  This is great because our guests can choose to sign only there name, write a short message, or a long message - the possibilities are endless!  The one we decided on includes a 16x20" frame and it has space for a 8x10" photograph.  It is similar to the picture I have included in this post but ours came with a black frame and in my opinion, higher quality.  Underneath the photo, there is an opening that we can write something special in (e.g. Established in 2010, ...).  We ended up getting this for just over $13, which in mind is fabulous!  This frame was specifically marketed for graduations so they were clearing them out at 70% off (reg. $39.99).  Luckily, there is nothing on the frame or the matting that signifies it as graduation specific so this item could easily be used for weddings, or other special events.  What I'm most happy about is the fact that we are both happy with it and we'll be able to use it in a practical way for years to come; much better than just remembering our wedding day and our guests on each anniversary!

This week, I'd like to share a couple of Michaels coupons* with you. Both of these coupons expire on Friday, July 30th.
- 40% off any regular priced item
- 60% off your custom framing order
*Some exceptions apply. Please read the fine print located on each printable coupon for more details.

Click here to download and print your Michaels coupons, courtesy of the Bargain Moose.

Remember, to check your weekly paper for additional money saving coupons from Michaels Craft Stores.

*Note: this is NOT a sponsored post.  This is just a bit of information that I wanted to share because I thought it would be fitting for my readers and the Everything Up Close Bridal Shower event.

Michaels' Coupons for July 10 - 16

I was looking for some Micheals' coupons yesterday that were valid for this weekend and I was having quite a challenge (compared to usual). I wanted to go buy a easel for the beautiful personalized wedding plate I had a chance to review from Herman's Creations awhile back, and a bridal scrapbook to hold the scrapbooking pages I'm making starting from our engagement to the wedding reception (possibly the honeymoon as well).

Since getting engaged, I have been to Micheals several times for ideas and supplies. They have items that are fabulous for everything from parties (engagement, etc.), the bridal shower, the ceremony, the reception, the honeymoon, and more! Plus, they are fabulous for any brides looking to add DIY projects into their wedding or document their trip down the aisle.

So, to make saving money at Michaels easier for everyone else, I'm posting this week's printable Micheals coupons.

The coupons for this week include,
- 40% off one (1) regular priced items (see coupon for exceptions)
- 55% off your custom framing order (see coupon for exceptions)

Both coupons are valid in the US and Canada and they are being accepted Saturday, July 10 through Friday, July 16th.  Click here to print your coupons.



Happy Shopping!

*Note: this is NOT a sponsored post.  This is just a bit of information that I wanted to share because I thought it would be fitting for my readers and the Everything Up Close Bridal Shower event.

Crafty Ideas for the Bride on a Budget (Book) Review & Giveaway

Every since I was a child, I've loved crafts!  I often think to myself, why buy something if I can make it myself?  For example, I recently created a baby blanket (quilted style) for my new niece with only an idea in my head.  I ended up creating a beautiful blanket without a store bought pattern or any experience making blankets.  At the end of the whole process, I was extremely proud of myself; I couldn't wait to give my handmade present to my soon-to-be Sister in law!  I'm sure all of you crafters out there understand the satisfaction that is gained from creating an item by hand!

So, when I saw the book released by Lark Books titled 'Crafty Ideas for the Bride on a Budget', I knew that I had to check it out!  This 200 page craft book contains everything you could possibly imagine for your wedding!  Here is a description of 'Crafty Ideas for the Bridge on a Budget' from Lark Books:

"In today’s economic climate, savvy brides know they have to get crafty! From homemade invitations to handcrafted bouquets, table settings to keepsake gifts, here are 75 breathtaking projects for a wedding that’s personalized, heartfelt…and money-smart. The gorgeous ideas include specially-made baskets and pillows for flower girls and ring bearers; monogrammed champagne flutes to toast the happy couple; an elegant guest book; a fondant cake to match each theme, and beautiful albums, frames, memory boxes, and scrapbook layouts to preserve wonderful memories forever."

Review
I recently checked out a number of wedding related craft books from the library and was unimpressed.  So, when I knew I was getting this book to review, I truly hoped my experience would be different.  Luckily, it has been.  Compared to several other wedding craft books I've looked through in the past weeks, this one truly goes above and beyond my original expectations. 

There are two main reasons that I enjoyed this book.  First, this book contains more information that just the basic crafting ideas.  This book contains a great 12-month wedding planner, an overview of crafting tools & materials, as well as basic crafting techniques.  It also has a large section dedicated to creating cakes for your wedding (one topic that most wedding craft books don't even touch or if they do, it is extremely brief)!  This section gives recipes for rolled fondant, buttercream icing, and thinned fondant adhesive.  Plus, there is detailed information on how to work with fondant, how to create and work with colored fondant, and how to decorate with fondant (various cutting and shaping techniques are discussed).  Secondly, I love this book because it actually includes crafts that I'd be willing to use in my wedding.  Some other book offer craft ideas that are quite elementary.  This book offers crafting ideas that look professional and that are fairly easy to create (even for a beginner).  I tried to pick one favorite out of this book but found picking one to be nearly impossible.  Therefore, I have chosen to list on of my favorites (knowing that I have many others): the Ribbon & Bow Favor Box Centerpieces.

In conclusion, I have truly enjoyed this book.  I would highly suggest it to any bride.  I would also suggest this book to anyone who enjoys hosting or planning events, or just crafts in general.  This book contains a number of crafts that could be used for gifts or at various occasions/functions.  When considering the extensiveness of this book with it's practicality and price, this book is a definite must have!

This book can be purchased in many bookstores at a cover price of $14.95 USD and $19.50 CAD.  This book can also be purchased online from Amazon.com in the US for $10.17 USD and Amazon.ca in Canada for $14.08 CAD.





What can you win?  One winner will receive a brand new copy of the book 'Crafty Ideas for the Bride on a Budget' direct from Lark Books.

To enter, Telling me the title of at least one other book from Lark Books that you'd like to see reviewed on Everything Up Close. This question must be answered to gain an entry in the giveaway.

Each of the following will give you one extra entry in the giveaway (unless stated otherwise). Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:
- Entering one other giveaway on Everything Up Close, then leaving me a comment hear indicating the name of the other giveaway you entered.
- Subscribing to my blog via email or RSS feed (Maximum of 1 entry - please tell me how you subscribe in your comment).

- Adding my main button to your blog sidebar.
- Adding my 'Wonderful Wedding Wishes' event button to your blog sidebar.

- Following me on Twitter (@ihchicky). Please leave your Twitter name.

- Following me on Blogger / Google Friends Connect (publicly).
- Friending Everything Up Close on Facebook. Please leave your name that is shown on Facebook for verification.

- Tweeting about this giveaway with a link to this page. Please leave a link to your tweet or your twitter name. You can do this once a day.

- Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please leave a link to your blog post in your comment. 2 ENTRIES! Please leave 2 separate comments if you blog about this giveaway.

- Talking about and linking to this giveaway in any public forum or on Facebook. If you do this, please leave your user-name and a link to the post. 2 ENTRIES! Please leave 3 separate comments if you blog about this giveaway.

Important Entry Details: The above entries (main and bonus) can only be submitted once per person (except for the tweet entry, which can be done daily). Please do not use more than one blogger account or add additional anonymous comments to gain extra entries. This is not fair to everyone else and this practice is strictly prohibited. If a person is found to be using more than one account to enter the same giveaway, they will be disqualified from that particular giveaway, as well as all future giveaways.

This giveaway will end on Sunday, May 2nd at 11:59pm (Central Standard Time). After the giveaway has ended, the winner will be picked randomly using random.org. EMAIL RULES: In order to win, you must provide a valid email. I will be notifying the winner by email only. Please make sure your blog profile includes your email address and make sure that it is visible. If you do not have a blogger account, please make sure you have included your email address in your post. If there is no email address provided, to contact the winner, another person will be chosen. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification with their complete mailing address (I will be forwarding all this information to the sponsor), If this information is not received within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.  

This giveaway is open to readers in Canada and the US!

Good Luck!

**Disclaimer** To complete this review and post this giveaway, I was sent a review review copy of 'Crafty Ideas for the Bride on a Budget'.  Receiving this book did not in anyway alter the information which I discussed in this article; this review is 100% my own opinion.  I did not receive any other type of compensation for this review/giveaway.