The One with the Porsche & Mercedes Benz Museums


Monday, November 9, 2015

Audi museum? Check. BMW museum? Check. Volkswagon museum? Check. The only two German car museums left to see just so happen to be in the same city, Stuttgart: Porsche & Mercedes Benz! We went to the Porsche museum after walking around the Ludwigsburg pumpkin festival. 
Yes, those are full size cars on top of this sculpture. Awesome!
We parked in the underground garage and then walked around the museum to admire the über modern architecture. 
The kids posing by their respective favorites.

The musuem is spread over 3 levels and follows a chronological history of the company and the career of its founder, Ferdinand Porsche. 
More than 80 cars take you through the early years all the way to the present. Almost all the cars in the museum are ready to drive and they are constantly on the move going to car rallies and events all over the world.
Caption says: According to the theory of downforce, when this Porsche 956 reaches a speed of 321.4 km/h, it could theoretically drive on ceilings. I'll believe it when I see it :)
The company has earned more than 30,000 victories in races and some of those trophies were displayed in this exhibit.
Did you know Sally from the Cars movies is a Porsche? The company decide to make a real life version of her that drives and everything. 
 Pink Porsche?! Yes please. 

Chris and the kids got to sit in a brand new Porsche 911 Turbo. Nooice. 
This museum was very stroller friendly as it was just a gentle incline circling around and up two stories. Then it was a long, steep escalator ride down. 
Raspberry pink Porsche!?!?! OMG I neeeed :)
Our family at the Porsche Museum on Friday October 9th 2015.
We had a lot of fun exploring the headquarters of the legendary Porsche.

The next morning we went to the Mercedes Benz Museum. Hearse in the parking lot.
Looking up at the interior courtyard of the museum. 
Like the Porsche museum, the Mercedes museum followed a chronological history of the automobile, but they started a little earlier with the horse. 
The exhibits start in the year 1886, the birth year of automobile created by Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz.

Cool diorama of Stuttgart in the late 19th century. 
The exhibits throughout the museum were neat and showcased some priceless, one-of-a-kind cars.
Favorite.
In addition to the main exhibit flow there were side galleries on every level showing off specialty vehicles from buses and trucks to snowplows and celebrity cars. Clockwise from top left: my favorite bus, an SUV from The Lost World Jurassic Park movie, Princess Diana's coupe, and one of their Pope-mobiles.

Another cool bus: an old-timey double decker. 
Classic good-looking Benzes. 
Symbols.
Family selfie as an exhibit camera filmed us.
Prototypes and experimental cars. 
The racecar gallery. 
There was a racing simulator you could ride and Chris really wanted to so he did.
After Chris finished up in the simulator, we strolled around the rest of the galleries and then found a little souvenir car to turn into our magnet.

Our family at the Mercedes Benz Museum on Saturday October 10th 2015.
We've really enjoyed all our visits to these car museums. They have been super easy with the kids, very well done, and quite interesting. Super fun!

The One with the Coptic Bookbinding Class QUESTIONNAIRE (with Giveaway!)


Friday, November 6, 2015

UPDATE: 
Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who responded so far! I've decided to do a "soft launch" and the class in now available in my etsy shop for $15. This is for those of you who already have supplies on hand and are anxious to start making books, perhaps as presents for Christmas! I also have wooden covers for sale for $8 a pair in my etsy shop. The kits will be coming hopefully in early December and that is when I will make the big announcement about the class :) I will continue to read your comments and take them to heart and choose a winner on the 14th! Thank you thank you!

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Ladies and gents. I am sooooo excited. I'm finally doing an online coptic bookbinding class! It's also the very first class that I'm releasing on my own and it'll be available for purchase in my etsy shop.


I've been working really hard on it for awhile and now I have some questions. I'd LOVE your feedback and to entice you to help me with this little big project, I will randomly choose one person from the comments to receive the class AND a kit, for FREE!! How 'bout that?!

1. What do you think is a reasonable price for the class?
It will be available in my etsy shop and once purchased you will receive a document to download which includes the intro, link to the video (it's over an hour from start-to-finish!), supplies (with links of where to buy them), written instructions, creative option ideas, and a closure.

2. When should the class launch - now (without kits) or later (with kits)?
I am wanting to have kits for sale to go along with the class, BUT, I don't have those kits yet and it'll probably be another month or so before I do. Should I launch the class now, or wait until I have the kits? You don't need a kit to do the class, you can find the supplies elsewhere, I'm just thinking it would be nice to have some things all in one little package.

3. How much should the kits be?
The kits will include 12 double-sided patterned papers trimmed to size (so it can fit in a smaller box and making shipping internationally much more affordable!), a curved needle, a skein of coordinating thread, a pack of ephemera (for decorating the cover and making charms), a handful of charms (such as pearls, jewels, and sequins), drilling and piercing templates, and a pair of 5x7" wooden covers.

4. Anything else you'd like to add/say/questions/comments/concerns?
I'd love to know what you're thinking or any suggestions or what you're wanting to learn, etc!

Here is a short preview:


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That's all for now, just four questions! I'll randomly choose one commenter to receive a kit and the class for FREE and announce that winner on Saturday November 14th! Thanks so much for your help!

The One with Pages from Paige's Pages 03


Thursday, November 5, 2015

Guten Morgan!
Today I'd like to share the 4 layouts that I created for Paige's Pages 03 at Big Picture Classes! The start-to-finish videos plus cut files, tips, techniques, and more, can all be found on the class website, so take a look at the layouts here then head over to Paige's Pages 03 to watch and learn more!

SUNSHINE by Paige Evans

Here I wanted to feature metal dies and show how to use a few different kinds to make custom bows! Using the Citrus Bliss collection by Pink Paislee and the metal dies are from Dear Lizzy and Maggie Holmes collections.

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WE LOVE TO VACATION by Paige Evans

Hearts, hearts, and more hearts! That's what I wanted to show here. Using the Atlas collection by Pink Paislee and I hand stitched around the hearts to help define them. I even trimmed the photos into hearts!

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4 by Paige Evans

It's all about the paper scraps here! Never let a piece go to waste :) I used my Cameo to draw three concentric stars and covered them with paper strips. I used black thread in my sewing machine to define the stars. Using the fabulous Confetti collection by Maggie Holmes. 

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LOVE by Paige Evans

On this last layout I wanted to create a big title and had fun wrapping some letters with thread! See exactly how this is done in the class lesson!

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All of these layouts are available to learn how to make in start-to-finish videos at Paige's Pages 03 at Big Picture Classes! Join me in the fun - see you there!

The One with A Heartfelt Christmas 2 with Paige & Wilna!


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Wilna Furstenberg and I are delighted to bring you A Heartfelt Christmas 2


From merry music and timeless traditions to decking the halls and holly jolly festivities, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year! I’m so excited to share a few projects I’ve created to help brighten up your home and share your memories with future generations. If you’re like me, you have loads of Christmas supplies and are searching for a way to use them. In my projects I’ll share ways to create gift cards, pretty paper ornaments, a pair of layouts to document the holidays, an altered marquee light that really sparkles, and end with my favorite project of them all: a December Daily® type project in a unique format – a MemoryDex spinner! I love Christmas and all that it entails and I hope you’ll join me and Wilna in A Heartfelt Christmas 2 so you can be inspired and crafty this holiday season!

- It’s a self paced class so you can watch it and participate at your own leisure!
- It’s on sale for only $19.99 for almost three hours of step-by-step instruction to make 12 magical creations!
- We designed 16 printables and cut files for this workshop that you get for FREE with class purchase:

My very favorite project created for this class is my take on a December Daily® in a MemoryDex spinner! Once I started making the cards, I couldn't stop, and I'm SO excited to add photos and journaling to it throughout December 2015.

Here are thumbnails of all of the projects you'll learn how to make:

Click HERE to check out and purchase A HEARTFELT CHRISTMAS 2 with Paige & Wilna!

THANK YOU for supporting us, we love and appreciate you beyond words!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The One with Big Picture Classes - Paige's Pages 05


Monday, November 2, 2015


It's a good day! Cuz Paige's Pages 05 at Big Picture Classes is now available!! :)

Here is a description of this scrapbooking series: Paige Evans' layouts often have us wondering - how did she DO that? In Paige's Pages, Paige will be sharing the inspiration and techniques she uses each time she starts a layout, and challenging you to look at your supplies in a whole new way."
 Big Picture Classes (or BPC) is an online learning platform for all things crafty, offering classes that cover all the crucial topics about crafting, creating, and documenting memories that you'll need to excel, and then some! Get access to as many classes as you want for only $9.95 a month - that's an AWESOME deal! Each class brings you a variety of topics and ideas, PDFs, prompts, and so much more! Check out the Big Picture Classes website to find out more about how you can learn everything you need to know to document your memories beautifully every time!

Catch up with Paige's Pages 01Paige's Pages 02Paige's Paiges 03Paige's Pages 04, and my Spring Décor and Spooktacular classes too!
Here is a preview of a cut file that you'll get in Paige's Pages 05 - I drew all these words related to traveling with a black pen on white paper, scanned it, cleaned it up, then imported it into Silhouette Studio to use as a template for painting an ombre effect (lesson #4!)


In Paige's Pages 05 (as well as Paige's Pages 010203, and 04!) there are four start-to-finish videos, free cut files and downloads, and I'm available here or there for any questions you may have! I love teaching, I love making scrapbook videos, and I'd LOVE to see you in the Paige's Pages 05 classroom over at Big Picture Classes! Happy Monday!

The One with Studio Calico CANYONLANDS Layouts


Sunday, November 1, 2015

So fun to create a couple of layouts for the November Studio Calico release! This month's kit is called CANYONLANDS. 
 photo December 25 by Paige Evans for blog.jpg
DECEMBER 25, 2014 by Paige Evans

DESCRIPTION: I designed a Nordic-inspired background cut file (in four sizes: 12x12, 8.5x11, 6x8, and 4x6) for the November kits and put the 8.5x11 one to good use!

HOW TO: Die cut the Nordic background cut file from white cardstock. Trim five patterned papers into 1.75" strips and use them to back the cut cardstock. Place "DECEMBER" wood veneer letters along the bottom left corner (there were only two "E"s so I used a bit of the "Z" to make an "F" look like an "E") and then stitched over it. I trimmed out two tiny numbers to make "25" and added green "2014" number stickers to finish the title. I layered my photo over stickers, a torn bit of the gold foiled tag, tucked three leaves underneath, topped them with the rubber tabs, and journaled on a red sticker.

JOURNALING SAYS: Like me when I was a kid, you were so excited to wake up on Christmas morning and see what Santa had brought you because you were a "nice" boy this year!

SUPPLIES: Scrapbook kit: Canyonlands by Studio Calico; Nordic background cut file: Paige Evans for Studio Calico; Adhesive, pen: American Crafts; Sewing machine: Brother; Thread: Coats & Clark
 photo December 25 by Paige Evans Detail 2 for blog.jpg

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 photo Snow Day by Paige Evans for blog.jpg
SNOW DAY by Paige Evans

DESCRIPTION: Once I saw the arrow die cut sheet I knew I wanted to use them ALL! I'm trying to be better at using patterned papers for my background and thought the open space at the top of this one would make a good spot for the arrows.

HOW TO: Take out all of the arrows from the die cut sheet in the Red Rocks embellishment kit then adhere them pointing to a photo across the "sky" of a patterned paper. Add some round stickers and wood veneer pieces to the mix. Place a "so very awesome" flair bit on the photo and journal on a tag sticker tucked under the photo. Tear a piece of washi tape and place it under the photo topped with gold puffy stickers for the title. Sew over the title.

JOURNALING SAYS: "What is this cold, fluffy white stuff falling from the sky?" asked my Southern California born son. It's called SNOW and it's so fun!

SUPPLIES: Scrapbook kits: Canyonlands and Red Stone by Studio Calico; Pen, adhesive: American Crafts; Sewing machine: Brother; Thread: Coats & Clark
 photo Snow Day by Paige Evans Detail for blog.jpg
Oh how I miss making monthly layouts for SC! So it was fun to contribute again :)
Paige Taylor Evans © // Quinn Creatives DESIGN