The Hands Free Kit consists of a magnetic collar that, when placed over the Slice, allows you to cut, emboss or draw without having to hold the machine with your hands. Also included is a double-sided 12 “x 12″ glass mat that can be used for cutting (glass side) or embossing (foam embossing mat).

When trying out my new Hands Free Kit, I used some of Making Memories’ brand new repositionable spray adhesive, but of course you can also use the original glue that comes in a tube. I was impressed with the spray adhesive, though I need to become more adept at figuring out exactly the right amount to use for optimal cuts.

It wasn’t hard to figure out how to use the Hands Free Kit, especially if you are somewhat familiar with the Slice. After following the simple and easy-to-read instructions, I was pleased to have success with my first hands-free Slice die-cut. In my opinion, the Slice cuts every bit as well (if not better) with the Hands Free Kit than it does without, with the added bonus of — of course — freeing up your hands!

I was so in love with the cuts I was making using the Hands Free Kit and the new Paws & Claws Design Card, it was hard to stop. (I can also vouch for the new Bon Appetit and Summer Design Cards that I was thrilled to try out. Trust me, you’ll love them. The ice cream cone on the Summer card alone is so cute it’s worth buying the whole card just for that! Check out what talented designer Laura Vegas did with it and you’ll know what I’m talking about.)

I know that having the Hands Free Kit will motivate me to use the Slice more often, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has the machine or is considering buying one.

Making Memories has really stepped up to the plate yet again, giving scrapbookers and cardmakers exactly what we’re looking for. With that in mind, I’m going to be greedy and spill the beans on my ultimate Slice dream: if Making Memories could devise a way for us to use the Slice without having to deal with adhesives at all (some sort of built-in adhesive perhaps?), I might be moved to tears. Until then, I’ll keep on cutting.

The Slice Hands Free Kit is available from Two Peas in a Bucket for $39.99.

Slice Desktop Storage

I don’t have a lot of space to display my Slice and design cards in my current scrapbook nook, but when we move in a couple of months I am planning to store it front and center in my brand new scrapbook room. I can’t wait to set it up on my new Slice Desktop Storage unit (pictured above)! This unit provides a perfect resting spot for the Slice, a cute little drawer for brushes, glue, etc., and plenty of space for design cards and other tools. Plus, like all the great storage pieces made by Making Memories, it’s really nice looking and will fit perfectly in any kind of room, whether or not it’s fully dedicated to scrapbooking. With the Slice Desktop Storage unit, you can store your Slice in style and not make a mess. I know I will be more likely to use this wonderful tool if I don’t have to drag it out of a closet or a box and take time to set it up, and I’m sure I’m not alone.

Slice Design Card Storage

Just as I was starting to wonder how I was going to store all my Slice design cards in their original boxes, I discovered the Slice Design Card Storage case. Thank you Making Memories! Instead of filling a drawer (or again, creating a mess) with the design cards, I was able to fit all of them into the case, which can easily be stored in the Desktop Storage unit. Each case holds 24 design cards, along with the accompanying booklets. It’s definitely a space saver, and makes it so much easier to travel with your Slice and all your design cards!

Slice Signature Series Handbag

Speaking of traveling with the Slice, Making Memories has come up with an extremely functional and stylish way to do that too. I’ve always admired the Slice Signature Series Handbag online, but it wasn’t until I saw it in person that I realized just how stylish this handbag is! It really does look like a pretty purse! More importantly though, it fits the Slice perfectly — with pockets on the side for the Design Card Storage and the Slice Tool Kit. (Or, if you don’t have those storage items, there is plenty of room to store design cards, glue and other accessories.)

Bottom Line

In case you can’t tell, I absolutely love my new Slice storage pieces. I know they will help make your life easier and more organized too! The Slice Desktop Storage unit is available from Two Peas in a Bucket for $39.99. Two Peas also sells the Slice Signature Series Handbag ($49.99) and the Slice Design Card Storage case ($19.99).

For more info, read my review of the Slice right here on Qwowi. Make sure to head to www.whyslice.com for ideas and inspiration.

Don’t forget to check out our other Scrapbooking Reviews – and to bookmark Qwowi so you can keep coming back for more!

Think Pink Specialty Paper Pack and Design Card

Making Memories recently released a pink version of the Slice. The Slice Think Pink Cordless Digital Designer, available for a limited time only, includes a Pink Slice and two design cards — Basic Elements and Think Pink.  The company is donating a portion of the proceeds from each sale of the Pink Slice to help aid in the fight against breast cancer.

The Think Pink design card includes a bunch of fresh and feminine designs you won’t find anywhere else, including a woman in a yoga pose, a pregnant woman, women exercising, flowers, frames and — of course — the pink ribbon shape. In addition, this card includes a pretty font and relevant words like “walk,” “hope” and “cure.” The Think Pink design card is perfect to scrapbook about that special survivor in your life, whether it be yourself or someone else, but people lucky enough to be untouched by this horrible disease will also get plenty of use out of this card.

The same goes for the stunning Think Pink specialty paper pack, which includes 24 sheets of 12″x12″ patterned paper, two of each design. Several of the sheets include breast cancer related designs like the pink ribbon and relevant words, but most of the sheets can be used to scrapbook anything you would use pink paper for. Even better, use it to make gorgeous letters and shapes with the Slice!

It’s important to note that all of the new design cards, including Think Pink, are MS+ cards, which means they have a mirroring, shadowing plus speed upgrade. These cards will install the Speed Boost update on your Slice so it will be faster, no matter which design card you use. The mirroring feature, which allows you to flip an image, making embossing and debossing simple, and the shadowing feature, which adds dimension by layering shadow die-cuts, will only work on the MS+ design cards.

Spook Alley design card

It’s almost that time of year again to get the kids (or yourself) dressed up for Halloween, and the Spook Alley design card will help you preserve memories of that spooktacular night! This design card coordinates with Making Memories’ fabulous Spook Alley paper collection and includes shapes ranging from bats and spiderwebs to masks, tombstones and haunted houses. Also on the Spook Alley design card, you’ll find a perfectly scary font and words like “spooky” and “horror” that will make your project complete.

I think my favorite part of this card is the shape of a witch on a broomstick — I mean, how cool is that?!

Vintage Findings design card

The Vintage Findings design card is sure to please any scrapbooker who creates projects with a vintage twist, whether they be about family, travel or holidays. This design card coordinates with Making Memories’ charming Vintage Findings paper collection. The design card offers shapes including a key, keyhole, globe, flourishes, crowns, butterflies and intricate frames. In addition, the font will prove quite versatile, as will words like “heritage,” “treasure,” and “cherish.”

As for my favorite part of this card, it’s a tie between the butterfly shapes – so beautiful!

Mix & Mingle design card

When I first saw the Mix & Mingle design card I was wondering where the shapes were, and then it dawned on me — what a great idea this card is! It’s all about letters, numbers and punctuation! The Mix & Mingle card includes SIX — count ‘em, SIX — different fonts for every letter and two for every number and piece of punctuation. The fonts range from thin to thick and classic to funky. There is definitely a font on here for everyone, maybe even several!

I used to think I would not get much use out of my Slice when it came to letters and numbers, because it might take a long time to cut out a whole title. I have found that that’s just not true, especially if you use the 12″x12″ glass mat, and have been really happy with my titles made from the Slice. I know I will be coming back to the Mix & Mingle design card time and time again.

Bottom Line

If you have a Slice, you’ll love these new design cards. If you don’t have one yet, hopefully I’ve encouraged you to take the plunge. You won’t be sorry! Read my review of the Slice for even more info.

The Slice and Slice design cards are available from Two Peas in a Bucket. Prices range from $14.99 for the Think Pink paper pack to $49.99 for the design cards and $174.99 for the Slice Think Pink Digital Designer. Make sure to head to www.whyslice.com for ideas and inspiration.

Don’t forget to check out our other Scrapbooking Reviews – and to bookmark Qwowi so you can keep coming back for more!

Plum Crazy

Plum Crazy is a stunning collection in purple and black. My favorite piece of paper is “Plum Crazy Chair,” pictured here. I love the background, and of course I adore the beautiful black and white chair. This really illustrates one of the reasons I love Glitz Design so much; this company is truly unique. I hate to say it, but sometimes scrapbooking companies come out with products that look like what everyone else is producing; that is clearly not the case with Glitz.  The cardstock stickers that accompany the paper in this collection are also simply fabulous. The Glitzers have just the right amount of bling to dress up any project; the journaling, alphabet and title stickers are also must-haves. As for what this collection can be used for, the sky is the limit.

Olivia

Olivia is colorful, creative and adorable! This collection is full of red, orange, pink, green, blue and brown; patterns include hearts, roses and music notes. My favorite piece of paper in this collection is called “Olivia Birds.” I just love the way they combined music notes, swirls, roses and birds. It’s original, and it works! Of course all the cardstock stickers are fabulous too, especially the journal stickers. Yes, I have a thing for journaling spots! This collection would be perfect to scrapbook a little girl, as would Plum Crazy, but again could be used for a lot of different kinds of projects.

Detour

Detour is very different from the other collections Glitz Design has released in the past. It is a really cool, edgy line full of dark colors with arrows, maps and other designs. My favorite part of this collection is actually the rub-ons. Loaded with arrows, stars, a compass and more, they are sure to come in handy for all sorts of different projects. This line would be great for travel and boys (especially teens) but could also be used to scrapbook a wide variety of other topics. Make sure to check out all the fun pieces in this collection!

More Embellishments and Distressing Stamps

In addition to the collections I have discussed so far, Glitz Design also released more Vintage cardstock stickers — journaling, titles, alphabets and accessories — and rub-ons, plus new distressing stamps. I know, they really are tempting us with so much new stuff! My favorite piece of Vintage is the titles; they are absolutely beautiful. I also love the new distressing stamps; there are two packages, one of round stamps and one of rectangular stamps. If you haven’t used them before, you will be amazed at their versatility. I like to use them to stamp across a piece of paper for a unique layout background. I can’t wait to play with the new ones!

Bottom Line

The quality of all of these products is really fantastic; the paper is sturdy, and the stickers really stick! In case you haven’t figured it out by now, I am giving a huge thumbs up to Glitz Design for their fabulous new products! I know you’ll love this stuff as much as I do, so be sure to pick it up soon from your local scrapbook store. You can also find these products online at Scrapbook.com.  For ideas and inspiration, head to Glitz Design’s website and blog.

Leave a comment here before Friday October 16th and you will be entered to win a pack of cardstock stickers from the Plum Crazy collection!  One entry per person, please.

Don’t forget to check out our other Scrapbooking Reviews – and to bookmark Qwowi so you can keep coming back for more great reviews and giveaways!

Nature’s Poetry

Each new collection includes 6 12″x12″ double-sided patterned papers plus one package each of letters, rub-ons and die-cuts.  And surprise, surprise — I am going to start out with my favorite! I know, I’m such a sucker for pretty pastels and flowery designs, but who isn’t?! The beautiful products in the Nature’s Poetry collection could be used to scrapbook a variety of different topics — from girls to friendship to flowers.

Sam

The Sam collection is full of warm, fall colors — orange, blue and brown — and cute rub-ons and die cuts. With trees, owls and other, more universal patterns, these products are perfect for layouts about Autumn, Thanksgiving and Back to School. My favorite part of this collection is the “Say It” piece of 12″x12″ paper. I have a real soft spot for journaling cards, and this sheet contains several, plus some labels and titles!

Superstition

Right about now, Halloween paper and embellishments are all over the place — and Superstition is certainly one of the best that I’ve seen! The color palate here is the usual orange and black, with some green thrown in to make this collection really stand out. The rub-ons here are really spooktacular (sorry, I couldn’t resist) –especially the quote, “Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story.” Can’t wait to use this stuff; luckily, Halloween is right around the corner!

Urban Ink

The Urban Ink collection surprised me the most. You see, I am not usually into dark, edgy paper — and I don’t have a teenager — but this stuff is really cool!   I have been trying to finish a scrapbook about my career as a TV news reporter, and I thought these papers were just perfect for a page about a night out with some of my news friends. I originally planned to post the layout here, but in the interest of my friends who are still on TV, I thought better of it. You’ll have to trust me on this one! The point is that this collection may be geared towards teens, but it can be used for a lot more.

Merry & Bright

I don’t celebrate Christmas, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate great Christmas scrapbooking stuff! The Merry & Bright collection is great because it’s different — it’s not just plain red and green. The rub-ons are beautiful, and the die cuts are as well. Trust me, it’s perfect to scrapbook the upcoming holiday season!

Something Extra: Just My Type

As if Dream Street Papers hasn’t given us enough fun new goodies to play with, they also came out with a little something extra. Just My Type is two separate packages of die cuts, one alphabet and one shapes and labels. They are black and cream with accent colors and quite versatile.

Bottom Line

Make sure and check out these new products by Dream Street Papers; I’m sure you’ll love them as much as I do!

Products by Dream Street Papers are available at these local scrapbook stores and these online retailers. Be sure to check out their website and blog for ideas and inspiration!

Don’t forget to read our other Scrapbooking Reviews – and to bookmark Qwowi so you can keep coming back for more!

I was lucky enough to get the chance to check out and create with Nikki’s wonderful products, and here are my impressions.

Paper Collections

Nikki Sivils is releasing six paper collections available in 12″x12″ double-sided sheets or in 6″x6″ “paddies.” They are: My Sweet Cherry Pie, Victoria’s Street, Henry’s Brilliance, Boo-tiful, North Pole Nights and U R My Favorite. If I had to use one word to describe them all, it would be adorable! Each 12″x12″ collection includes a scalloped die cut patterned paper (which, of course, is my favorite!) and 4 double-sided patterned papers including a sheet of cute shapes and journaling blocks aptly named ”Easy Cut-Ups for any project.” There are 24 sheets of paper in each of the 6″x6″ paddies.

These lines pretty much all have themes — Boo-tiful is obviously meant for Halloween and North Pole Nights for Christmas; Henry’s Brilliance is perfect for boys and/or Back to School; U R MY Favorite is great for love and Valentine’s Day; Victoria’s Street has a home theme; and My Sweet Cherry Pie is full of, well, cherries (and much more)! But the truth is that most of these papers can be used to scrapbook a wide variety of topics. I love them all — even the North Pole Nights collection, and I don’t even celebrate Christmas!

click image for full-size view

Stamps, Chipboard Books and Embellishments

Every one of Nikki Sivils’ collections also includes a set of clear stamps that are just as cute as her papers. My very favorite is the U R My Favorite. I mean who wouldn’t want a stamp set that includes everything from a crown to a beautiful swirly shape to a square with the words “RESERVED Frogs in Love Only All Others Will BE TOAD!” How does she think of this stuff?! I especially love how Nikki’s stamps include several pieces that you can stamp and put together in different ways. All of her stamps are made well, create clear images and will please both scrapbookers and cardmakers.

Her chipboard albums in the shape of a house, owl, scalloped square, crown, tree, ghost and tag are also sure to please. I’m a big fan of mini albums and can’t wait to use these, as the shapes are just so creative.  I think it’s great that these albums do not come with the holes already punched. Each of them comes with a ring, but it’s up to you to decide where you want the hole(s) and to punch them yourself.

Other embellishments include corduroy brads, craft flags and bread(less) tabs. So fun!

Bottom Line

As I said at the beginning of this review, Nikki Sivils is going to be a great success in the scrapbooking industry, and I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next! I am so excited to be able to share these wonderful new products with you, and I am sure you will love them as much as I do. For more information, be sure to check out Nikki’s website and her blog.

Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker products are available at a variety of online scrapbooking sites, as well as many local scrapbook stores. Ask your favorite to carry them if they don’t already!

If you’d like to win one of these products, leave a comment here by September 13th and you’ll be entered to win!

Don’t forget to read our other Scrapbooking Reviews – and to bookmark Qwowi so you can keep coming back for more!

***CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNER JESSICA F. OF BEDFORD, VA! THANKS TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO ENTERED – MORE REVIEWS AND GIVEAWAYS COMING SOON!***

1) Pretty much all of the new embellishments from Prima! Prima is of course best known for their flowers, so it’s probably no surprise that their Sugar Blooms are my favorite new release. Don’t they just look like candy?! However, I also love their new Say it in Pearls varieties – and yes, all the other stunning new flowers they’ve created. Make sure to check out all their new releases on the Prima Blog. If you’d like to receive a package of something new and fabulous from Prima, leave a comment here by August 31st and you’ll be entered to win!

2) The Slice Think Pink Design Card and Paper Pack from Making Memories.  Making Memories is releasing a pink version of the Slice, its portable digital design cutter, and donating a portion of the proceeds to help aid in the fight against breast cancer. The Think Pink design card includes some beautiful shapes, along with words that everyone who has been touched by this horrible disease will be able to use. And who could resist these beautiful papers?! Certainly not me!

3) The chipboard albums by Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker. The woman behind this great new company has me hooked on all of her new stuff, but I think the chipboard albums are my fave. They come in a variety of shapes: tree, house, owl, ghost, tag, crown, and scalloped square. They are just so cute, and she even created 6×6 paper pads to go with them!  I also love the fact that the albums don’t come with holes in them, so you can choose where to put the ring(s) and punch the holes yourself. Look for a full review of all of her brand new products coming soon right here on Qwowi!

4) The new Kitchen Spice and Delilah collections from Bo Bunny. I know, that’s technically two different things– but I can’t choose just one. The designers over at Bo Bunny really outdid themselves this time! I especially love the diecut papers in these lines, and can’t wait to get my hands on them!

5) Album Elements from Little Yellow Bicycle. I’ve mentioned in several past reviews how grateful I was to LYB for finally creating chipboard albums and coordinating paper pads that require no cutting, sanding, etc…And yes, they’ve done it again – five times! The themes are: Family, Dog, Faith, Girlfriends and Pregnancy, and each collection includes a chipboard album, a tablet of pre-cut papers and die cuts, glitter stickers and a journaling tablet. Sounds like a winner to me!

There are so many other great new products out there that I don’t have room to mention here, but I’d love to hear about your favorites too! And again, if you leave a comment you will be entered to win one of Prima’s new releases.

Don’t forget to read our other Scrapbooking Reviews – and to bookmark Qwowi so you can keep coming back for more!

***CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNER JAMIE P. OF PITTSBURGH, PA! THANKS TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO ENTERED – MORE REVIEWS AND GIVEAWAYS COMING SOON!***

Studio Essentials design card

From the minute I saw the Studio Essentials design card I knew I had to have it, and it turns out it is my favorite new design card from Making Memories. Let’s start with the font – I love it! It cut perfectly, and I can see myself using this one a lot for titles. This was actually quite a bonus for me, because the shapes are the reason I coveted this card. They include frames, photo corners, label shapes, file folders, etc., many of which have my beloved scalloped and other die-cut edges that will appeal to all MM and Slice fans.  I was happy with almost every one of the cuts made with this card and, as always, feel that as long as you don’t attempt to make really small shapes you won’t have any complaints.

Calendar design card

The Calendar design card would be a great addition to any Slice owner’s collection, especially if you enjoy making cards. This card includes letters, numbers and punctuation (I also love this font; it’s a little skinner than the Studio Essentials font and very versatile), plus a variety of shapes ranging from an Easter bunny to a menorah to an American flag. In addition, this card also offers words including every month, day of the week, and all the holidays I can think of. When you really consider all the uses for this card, $40 seems like quite a bargain!

Travel USA design card

Ok, so I know I said that the Studio Essentials design card is my favorite, but Travel USA is definitely a close second! This card, which coordinates with Making Memories’ Great Escape collection,  is just chock full of really cool stuff! The font here is really different and unusual – perfect for travel projects. This card also cuts the shape of every state in the US, in addition to a bunch of words (think “Beach,” “Escape,” “Road Trip,” etc.) and great shapes including road signs, a suitcase, cars and buses, flip flops and a campfire. This card can be used for a wide variety of topics, ranging from a trip to the beach or a tropical island to a camping trip or any kind of road trip. I was very pleased with the cuts I made with the Travel USA design card and can see myself using it quite often.

Slice Inspirations Recipe Box

So if you have a Slice and a bunch of design cards and have been looking for some ideas and inspiration to help you use them, you’re in luck. Making Memories recently released its Slice Inspirations Recipe Box, an adorable idea book in the shape of – you guessed it – a recipe box. The box is divided into several sections: layouts, cards, photo decor, special occasion, and designers (an introduction to the designers who worked on the beautiful projects included in the box). Each card inside has a picture of the project along with directions plus information on the supplies and shapes used to create the project. In addition, every card includes a tip on how to get the most out of your Slice. The layouts and other projects feature a wide array of topics sure to please everyone. In my opinion, the Slice Inspirations Recipe Box definitely lives up to its name; it’s inspired me for sure!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at some of the new Slice products. In case you can’t tell, I love them all and strongly encourage you to add them to your collection!

The Slice starter kit ($150), Slice design cards ($40 each) and the Slice Inspirations Recipe Box ($25) are available from Two Peas in a Bucket. Check out WhySlice.com and the Making Memories Blog for more information about the Slice.

Don’t forget to read our other Scrapbooking Reviews – and to bookmark Qwowi so you can keep coming back for more! Leave a comment if you can; we’d love to hear from you.

I have struggled with organizing my scrapbooking stash ever since I started scrapbooking about 4 years ago. At first it wasn’t too hard, but as my collection began to grow by leaps and bounds it got a little more challenging. I’ve always found it especially difficult to organize my vast (or ridiculous, depending on how you look at it!) collection of stickers, rub-ons, and other embellishments. I’ve tried containers (outgrew them), Cropper Hopper Sticker Envelopes (yep, outgrew them too) and finally, when my shelves were just bursting with this stuff, realized I had found the solution in the Clip it Up from Simply Renee.

If you have never seen (or drooled over) the Clip it Up at your local scrapbooking store or on Two Peas in a Bucket or other scrapbooking websites, you don’t know what you’re missing!

The Basics

The Clip it Up Base Unit is basically a frame that supports a metal ring, which spins easily to quickly bring items to within your reach. Products (up to 12″x12″) are attached with easy-to-use swivel clips, each of which can hold several items. In other words, you can get a lot of stuff on this thing! Plus there’ s a handle on top, which makes the Clip it Up easy to transport (although if you’re going to take it to a crop, you’re probably going to want to buy the storage cover to protect it from weather, dust, kids, etc…).

Each 18.5″ Base Unit includes: a 15.5″ center column, 12″ diameter base, metal ring on rotating arm, 80 chromed metal swivel clips, 25 section tabs with do-it-yourself labels, and an easy-carry handle.

The Upper Tier add-on, sold separately, provides additional storage and is perfect for smaller embellishments like brads, ribbons and flowers.

Pros

I found the Clip it Up extremely easy to put together, and I am generally challenged in that arena. It comes with easy-to-follow directions, plus no tools are required — yay!

I still can’t believe how many products I am able to store on my Clip it Up. And I can’t tell you how helpful it is to have my embellishments both visible and accessible while I am working. It’s SO much easier than trying to remember what I have and going to look for it in a container or an envelope!  I am sure that the Clip it Up will actually help me to use more of my stuff because I can now see it right in front of me.

Cons

I have really enjoyed my Clip it Up and have not experienced any problems with it. It does require a good amount of space, as the base is 12″ wide and product will usually exceed the diameter by 1/2 inch. But if your desktop space is limited, it’s easily stored in the floor or on a nearby stool or chair. (Again, that cover might come in handy if you need to store it in a corner or a closet when you’re not using it.) Let’s face it — if it were smaller, it wouldn’t be as functional!

The Clip it Up is not cheap, and the cost can be daunting, but in my opinion it pays for itself by showing scrapbookers like us what we have — and how little we really need to buy!

The Bottom Line

From the moment I first saw the Clip it Up I knew that it would be the perfect storage solution for me, and I’m sure you will love it too. I can definitely see adding to my Clip it Up with the Upper Tier Add-on at some point to hold my always-growing collection of brads and gems. Then I’ll have to move on to organizing my paper…

The Clip it Up is available from Simply Renee. The Base Unit costs $65.00, while the Clip it Up Upper Tier Add-on is $38.00.

For more information about the Clip it Up and the other great organizational products by Simply Renee, check out the Simply Renee website.

Don’t forget to read our other Scrapbooking Reviews – and to bookmark Qwowi so you can keep coming back for more! Leave a comment if you can; we’d love to hear from you.

I first saw Lily Bee Design products at Two Peas in a Bucket and immediately knew I had to have it, all of it. Both debut collections — French Couture and Three Little Birds. Every single piece.

Three Little Birds

This is the first product by Lily Bee Design that I ever laid eyes on, so you can understand why it was love at first sight. This is the 12″12″ sheet of Birdie Frame Die Cuts that coordinate with the 6 12″x12″ double-sided patterned papers in the Three Little Birds Collection. This collection also includes 2 12″x12″ sheets of rub-ons; they are so darn cute you won’t be able to resist!

The Frame Die Cuts are just perfect for photos and journaling; they can also stand on their own as decorative elements and would make great pages for a mini-book. Since I am such a huge fan of shaped paper I absolutely love how Lily Bee included all my favorites on one sheet: the artisan label shape, scalloped squares and a scalloped circle.

I also really enjoy the color scheme utilized in Three Little Birds: pink, blue, brown, green, red and cream — along with the designs: birds (of course), stripes, dots and trees. This whole line has an adorable, whimsical feel to it and could be used for anything from baby and child pages to projects about nature, vacations and all sorts of different relationships. You just have to check out the Lily Bee Design blog to see what their talented design team has created with this collection.

French Couture

Lily Bee’s French Couture line is equally as loveable, but in a different way. The colors here are deeper and richer: orange, blue, green, brown, red and cream, and the designs are more elegant and, well, comparable to haute couture (high fashion)! However, I found this collection to be just as versatile — if not more so — than Three Little Birds.

I thought the colors and the designs would be perfect for pictures I have of my husband and me at the Travers Stakes at the Saratoga Racetrack last summer. I’m not crazy about the pictures (I wish I had one of the two of us together, or one of all the crowds) but I think the paper and diecuts really helped dial it up a notch!

click image to see full size

The French Couture collection also includes 6 12″x12″ double sided patterned papers and 1 12″x12″ sheet of Frame Die Cuts. However, instead of rub-ons like in Three Little Birds, this line includes a 12″x12″ sheet of Fashion Essentials Die Cuts (brackets, borders, photo corners, etc.) I made good use of them on my layout, and I know you will too.

Bottom Line

From the minute I saw the debut collections from Lily Bee Design, I knew that my scrapbooking stash would never be the same.  This company knows exactly what scrapbookers like us are looking for (and drooling over) and they’ve created it! If you are lucky enough to still have a scrapbook store in your area, make sure to ask them to carry Lily Bee Design if they don’t already. And get your hands on this stuff now, before it’s all gone!

Products by Lily Bee Design are available at Two Peas in a Bucket. The 12″x12″ papers are $.80, the 12″x12″ diecut sheets are $1.99, and the 12″x12″ rub-ons are $5.99.

For more information about Lily Bee Design and plenty of fun and inspiration, be sure to check out their blog and website.

Don’t forget to read our other Scrapbooking Reviews – and to bookmark Qwowi so you can keep coming back for more! Leave a comment if you can; we’d love to hear from you.