29.11.10

Introducing HurCraft Craft Tables

Made in Utah! These quality craft tables by Hurcraft are manufactured by a family owned company called Hurco Manufacturing & Design . The company owner's WIFE (in photo) wanted this professional cabinet maker to create her perfect craft table at an affordable price for her friends and family members. You're among the first to read about this great table! 

Similar in style to other high quality craft tables you've seen around the furnishing market, this table is less then half the price of those tables and the quality is exceptional.
There are couple things I love about the hurCraft quality craft tables are the following...

#1 Removable accessories - you can remove these, place similar brackets on a wall and interchange the accessories around as needed based on which project you're working on. You can have endless configurations of accessories and add as many as you want to your table too. There are tool boxes, shelves, paper towel racks, ribbon racks and my favorite the cup holder!

#2 Trash Cutout - All these shelves can be adjusted and in one in the floor model of this table they put a fun colored, soft bin (like those shown) in place of the big trash can...but check out the cut out in the top of the table. Super easy to brush off all your trash and scraps off into the trash bin. 

#3 On Wheels - My table has castors on it so I can push the table from one side of the room to the other to make the needed space when I'm working, love that!

NOTE: As of July 2012, Hurcraft is no longer in business. I'm sad to see a local business close it's doors. But I decided to leave the post up since the table is a great idea and someone might have a crafty person in their life that can build them a table as awesome as mine!!

28.11.10

Need a Time Out? Join Me at Time Out for Women


February 4 and 5, 2011 - I will be up at Weber State absorbing all the positive energy I can from Time Out for Women. You may have heard of it, sponsored by Deseret Book and touring around the country. I've talked to several of my friends that have attended and they have nothing but great things to say about their experience.

I was so thrilled to find out from many of my friend that they like to get a group of 4 together to get the group rate and then they RUN away from home...did I mention run. Nice thing is the event is close enough to home, but not nearly as much fun as spending the night in a hotel room with three of my most fun and crazy friends!!

The event is affliated or sponsored by the LDS Church, although many of the speakers are members. Some are not. The focus of the conference is to help WOMEN (that's me) recharge and focus on strengthening my spirit and energy so I can continue to be the best mom, wife and friend I can. So much of my time is spent doing things for others...for my husband, my children, my job, my church calling...and so little time is spent on just ME. So I'm excited to block out a day and half to go and focus on ME at Time Out for Women.
Right now you can join me too for the group rate of only $49 per person. What a fun gift for your moms or sisters that are so hard to shop for and what a fun time you'd all have if you just bought your own tickets. That's what I'm giving myself for Christmas (among many other things I've picked up while shopping...shhhh).

If you get a chance check out their website, blog or sign-up for regular email information. Oh and if you don't live near Ogden, they tour all over the states, so check out their 2011 calendar. Hope to see you there!
Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

27.11.10

Thanksgiving Kid Favor Ideas and Rolo Turtle Treats

I certainly cannot take credit for these CUTE creations, but I did want to share them with you. These were created for me by my friend Brett Lund. He created these for a fun tv segment on Studio 5 a week or so ago. And although the Thanksgiving holiday is past, hwy not keep these fun Thanksgiving Kid Favor Ideas in your idea file for next year!! I've added Brett's TV segment below too if you'd like to see him put them together. 






As for me, this is the only treat I actually made for Thanksgiving. They're "rolo turtle treats"...and super easy to make. I didn't think to take a picture of them wrapped up in a cello bag I stamped with Stazon and tied closed with brown and orange tulle (trust me it was cute)! 
I know you're wondering how to make these yummy snacks. Super easy...spread your pretzels out on a cookie sheet, place an unwrapped rolo on top of the pretzel and place in 350 degree oven for 3-5 minutes. Pull out and immediately place an M&M (or for you nut lovers a Pecan) on the top of the rolo and push down. Let cool and start munching! 
Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

23.11.10

Stop Thumb Sucking Solution & Oral B Winner

Remember my earlier post about my visit to Pobanz OrthodonticsWell he talked about something that  few of my friends might be interested in. He presented a new method to help kids stop sucking their thumb.  He explained that thumb sucking can cause mouth and teeth deformation.  Dr. Pobanz has a very positive approach to helping kids.  


Stop Thumb Sucking
If you have a child above age 6 or 7 who still sucks their thumb or fingers, we learned something from Dr. John that will probably help. Thumb sucking can do a lot of damage to teeth and mess up the structure of your mouth.
Some people still use what’s called an arch that makes it painful for a child to suck their thumb. It uses negative reinforcement. Dr. John believes in positive reinforcement and making the experience fun (he has prizes, contests and fun events for his patients).
The inventor of another solution discovered it while working with race horses. To help calm a horse before a race, trainers put 2 beads on the bit in their mouth. The horse spins the beads with their tongues and helps them focus. That same principle works with kids. Instead of sucking their thumb, they play with the beads and it’s soothing. The device called The Bluegrass works in over 90% of cases.


To find out more information on this and the cost associate with it, contact Pobanz Orthodontics


WINNER...A little over a week ago I posted about Pobanz and offered a great giveaway with an Oral B Electric Toothbrush...the perfect stocking stuffer! The winner was selected by random.org and is: Mitchell5.  To claim your prize just email me your shipping address. 
Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

17.11.10

My New Tool: Martha Stewart Scoreboard

I've wanted one of these Martha Stewart Scoreboards for a while now, but it was a blog post for a mini fold book by Lisa Johnson that totally had me hooked. When I find a tool I know I must own it sort of nags at me until I finally buy it...which I did. And I took it with me to a weekend crop to give it a try.  
Here's what I created with my new Martha Steward Scoreboard. I saw this fun Shutter Card on the Scor-Pal website and thought I'd give it a try. After a couple of attempts and adjustments to size, I finally found my groove (ha, ha) and created this beautiful card with Teresa Collins Giving Thanks Collection


Then I created this Candy Bar Card from another pattern I found on the Scor-Pal website. It's super easy to make once you figure out the directions.
And if you have ever tired making these pin wheel flowers without a scoring board then you know how hard it is to get it to turn out right. 
It fits those oversized Hershey or Symphony Bars...cute huh?? I created this fun card with the new Everybody Loves Christmas collection by Echo Park. And don't you love my Devine Twine on the card??
Now a little bit about the Martha Stewart Scoreboard, you should know that it's really reasonably priced. It's only $19.99 at most stores and it's competitor, Score-pal retailers for almost twice that ($39.99). And if you'd like to read a sweet review on this, check out Erin Bassett's post over on the Craft Critique.

My recommendation...buy one! Other then it's another tool you have to figure out how to store, it's a great product to own!!
Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

15.11.10

Bloggers Network at Pobanz Orthodontics (and giveaway)

A little over a week ago I attended a local bloggers network event at Pobanz Orthodontics. Being a blogger and having started braces on my son almost a year ago and looking at starting my daughter on braces the first of next year, I thought I could definitely benefit from attending this event. Besides the face that Elisa from Mormon Mommy Blogs and one of the coordinators for the Casual Bloggers Conference I attended in the spring helped put this together and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to learn from her! 

Be sure to read to the end of the post to find out how you could WIN! 


Let me tell you a little bit about the bloggers networking event. About a dozen local bloggers joined me in learning more about the services of Dr. John Pobanz. Dr. John is Certified by the American Board of Orthodontics and is a a Diplomate. Only 20% of orthodontists get this designation (something I learned that day). 


I instantly made new friends, networked and learned that Amber (see photo below) and Veronica live just down the street from me. One of the first things we did was have the mold made for our teeth whitening kits  that Dr. Pobanz was giving us as a thank you gift. Amber and I are wearing our top trays in the photo (hard to tell). Best part was that Pobanz Orthordontics has on onsite lab so we didn't have to wait long to get our whitening trays. 

Another part of the visit was that we learned some great tips as bloggers from Alise and Janet. We learned how to write a great review and SEO tips when blogging.




I have a lot of friends that have been asking me about my orthodontist lately. It seems that we're all at a loss of what to look for, what to ask and how much getting braces will cost. My son received his braces back in January, but I will admit that I relied on two things when picking my orthodontist and I hope you can all learn from my mistake. First, I needed an orthodontist that was open on Fridays and second I just asked my friends who they took their kids to around our city. But I learned that I should have been asking these 10 questions that Pobanz has listed on their blog.


Until my visit to Pobanz Orthodontics I didn't realize the following:
First, the cost of your braces can range from $1700 (recycled products and dentist doing orthodontics) up to $6500! So be sure to check around on pricing and make sure you're going to a certified orthodontist.


Second, did you know there are different systems for braces other then the traditional type even I had a VERY long time ago. At Pobanz Orthodontics they use a system with self ligating brackets called the Damon System. This system and high technology archwires work together to minimize the removal of permanent teeth and thereby, shorten treatment time. In addition, they offer Invisalign and the popular Suresmile system. 


Now before I offer up the fun Giveaway that Pobanz Orthodontics gave me to give away to you. Let me tell you a couple things that totally caught my attention and stood out as super cool about Pobanz!


1. I loved the Pobanz Orthordontics office had WiFi...would you believe that my current orthodontist doesn't offer this and if I'm going to keep coming in I want to be able to check my email and read blogs while waiting...not magazines. They're so up to date too that they're on Facebook and have a blog!


2. Service with a Smile! Their entire staff and Dr. John were super friendly and all smiles while we visited their offices. But I could tell from pictures and the videos that their client leave there with a smile too!


3. Apparently Dr. John is cool and fun! They definitely know who their customers are and they have parties when braces are removed and host bi-yearly family events for all their customers! Check out this fun video of their staff celebrating kids on one of the most memorable days of their life (the day the braces come off)!





NOW time for the giveaway - To win this very cool Oral B "rechargable" electric toothbrush, simply leave a comment on what makes you smile. I will post the winner on Friday!


Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to brush!
 Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

14.11.10

Crafty Trisha & Her Crafty Owl Costume

I haven't had a lot of time lately to create, but I sure appreciate it when I see people that do. In fact, my darling sis-in-law Trisha crafted this darling Owl Costume for Halloween. Since we were hangin' with her and her cute family in Seattle this past Halloween I got to see this cute creation in person.

As you can see Trish loves owls!! But what I love about this girl is that she create this whole costume and her son Russell's penguin costume from SCRATCH!! To be honest, I didn't know she even sewed that much, but what a crafty, talented girl she is (and we love and miss her tons...I say this because I know she's reading this).
For the life of me I cannot remember what Vincent was for Halloween, because many two year olds won't keep those darn costumes ON!! Love you Trish and love your crafty Owl Costume!

Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

12.11.10

Teaching and Creating at CK Scrap & Play (...a late recap)

Since I haven't posted anything crafty in a while I thought I'd start of talking about my great experience at CK Scrap & Play in Provo this past October This was a darling class they offered called Time of My Life, sponsored by Teresa Collins. But of course I had to change it up from it's original version, but loved using this darling Maya Road album and all the fun TC papers. I added the new Roly Rosies from Imaginisce to the cover and I cut the title and tab labels with my Cricut using black vinyl. 

These Roly Rosies are simple die cut spiral flowers that you simply twist into a rose. You can ink the edges, sand them, add glitter or whatever you'd like. Imaginisce currently offers 3 skus of these but I know from an "inside" source that they're releasing more (wink). And don't miss out on how cute the i-rock rhinestones look on the album cover...and yes, they melt to the plastic surface with ea
If you'd like to see how easy these flowers are to make and learn about the colors and styles available, check out my cute friend Erin Bassett's Roly Rosies, Popup Posies blog post about them...she also created a great video that's worth watching too!
Okay now about the event and the fun I had there. First I have to get give a huge shout out to the CK Events team. What always impresses me the most about these events is that no small detail is overlooked. Everything from the decorations, to the darling name badges and centerpieces. I think it shows they care so much about the attendees to take the time to do all of it. 

Now here's some pics...
Me with my newest friend Lori Chadwick...loved her!

The Marriott was a great place to Scrap & Play
Oh did I mention that I was one of the featured teachers? It was such a fun group to teach and although I needed to fill up an hour and half, I loved every second (oh except when my cordless mic quit). The students totally made MY experience the best!! But all the teachers there were fabulous and boy there was a lot! 
Me at the Microphone
Candy Bar...loved this!! 
Me teaching up on stage!
So many fun scrapbookers from ALL over!
They had a great on-site store...fun shopping!
Me, Bridget and the cute LaRita Godfrey

I'm going to end my post with a HUGE shout out to my awesome team of friends!! These ladies volunteered their time to come help me with the class. It's hard teaching 100 ladies how to use the i-rock and i-top tools and these gals made my job so much easier! I always have so much fun with all four of these gals and they always keep me laughing. Thank you girls!!
Jen, Janet, Lori, Bridget, Amy
Soon I'll post another post about how much these group of ladies make me laugh...and yes it involves stickers and mustaches!! 





Allred Design, mommy blogger, scrapbook, paper crafts

10.11.10

Guest Blogger over on Roberts Blog

Hi, I am so excited to join you today here on Roberts Craft blog. My name is Lori Allred and I am the person behind the Imaginisce blog and Imaginisce Facebook! I also love to blog and craft on my own blog too! 

Today I'm excited to talk about Imaginisce's Cottage Christmas Collection and our very popular i-rock Tool Collection! Both of these items are available at your local Roberts stores. 

The i-rock tool is a battery operated heat set tool and allows you to heat set gems and studs on any of your paper crafting or fabric projects. I think it's the perfect addition to any project and makes the average project look exceptional. We have some great videos and information about the i-rock tool collection over on our blog. 
Check out how fun these layouts are with that little extra bling added to them. The first layout I created using our Swirl Stencil set to create the stunning flourishes. 

This darling layout was created by Jana Eubank and I loved how she used the Metallic Pearl Glam Rocks to accent the scallop circle border. Then if you look closer you might notice the she also used green rhinestones along the holly leaves too. Jana designs quite a bit for us and lives near the Centerville Roberts. If you're short of inspiration check out her blog!
This darling card created by Janet Wilkins featured the i-rock and our crystal hot rocks along the scallop edge of the card. This tool helps add the perfect touch with minimal effort to any holiday project. And don't you love the holly berries made from the i-top small brad daddies too!  

Use your i-rock to bling out ornaments. These fun ornaments were created by Renata and she embellished the top ornament with the Cottage Christmas Crystal Snowflakes and Snowflake Glitz. And the bottom ornament features Cottage Christmas Icon Rub-ons and crystal hot rocks applied with the i-rock heat set tool.

If you've ever followed the Imaginisce blog or Facebook, you will know that we love to giveaway lots of product. I was so excited when Roberts invited to be a guest on their blog that I rounded up a fun giveaway for their great fans. Let's giveaway two of these i-rock totes filled with an i-rock tool and accessories. 

You can enter to win up to five times today. This giveaway is open worldwide, so don't forget to tell your friends about this giveaway. Please leave a separate comment for each entry. 

1. Please visit the Imaginisce blog and follow the blog and return and let us know you're following!
2. Please "like" Imaginisce on Facebook and return and let us know. 
3. Please visit my blog and follow me, return and let us know.
4. Subscribe to Imaginisce's e-newsletter (starting in 2011 with tons of giveaways). 
5. This one is easy, list your first name and last initial in a comment...feel free to add a little love for Imaginisce too!

The two winners will be announced on the Roberts Craft blog on Friday, December 3rd. 

And be sure to check out the Imaginisce Blog this week, we'll be featuring the 12 Days of Christmas starting December 2nd. Tons of inspiration and giveaways! 



Featured Post

Inspired by Pinterest: Easter Project Round Up

I am so excited to share some of my favorite Easter craft ideas. I've linked to the original blog post that features the video that show...