I have so many exciting events to share with you today - including a listing of my 2011 Summer Class tour (21 cities!), our new die collection and information about our upcoming Christmas in July release!
First, I'll share all the information about our new dies! We've just released a brand new collection of 11 dies - which we have titled the Butterfly Orchard Collection - and they are in stores this week! It is a completely different experience to design craft dies than it is to design rubber stamps - and I am really enjoying the design part of the process! I am trying to give a Memory Box touch to all of the new products - including the packaging. Many of you have written how much you like the minimal packaging - we simply insert the die into an envelope and bag, managing to avoid the indestructible hard shell plastic so common in imported craft products. Everything is made in the USA - including the steel used in the dies.
I made a few designs that work together, for example the Twiggy Tree (98143) and the Leaf Canopy (98142). You can see above that I punched the Leaf Canopy through some cardstock, allowing the background to show through. Then I put the Twiggy Tree in the center - it fits right inside the leaves! You can use the Flower Mound the same way with the Twiggy Tree.
I have really tried to push the limits of detail with the new dies- sometimes I may need to add a paper shim if the detail is superfine, like on the new Maribelle Butterfly (here shown in black, glued on top of the Selena Butterfly)
You can see all of the dies and the stores that bought the entire collections by clicking here.
I also have a list of the stores that I will be teaching at this summer - you can see the list on my sidebar (click on the link to see the store's website). I'll be starting the tour in Olympia, Washington and ending 7 weeks later in Boston, Massachusetts. This will be the biggest class tour I've done - I'll be traveling through Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Missouri, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Vigrinia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire and end up in Massachussets on August 21st! Please check out the class list - I'd love to meet you if I am in your area.
July 8 - Scarlet Empress (Olympia, WA)
July 9 - Stampadeedooda (Milwaukie, OR)
July 10 - Stampin' Cat (Salem, OR)
July 15,16 - The Paper Garden (Sacramento, CA)
July 18 - County Purr Farms (Carson City, NV)
July 20 - The Cat's Meow (Oakhurst, CA)
July 23 - Stamp On Over (Sunnyvale, CA)
July 30 - My Heart's Fancy (Edmond, OK)
August 1 - Eclectica (Bartlett, TN)
August 3 - Rubber Stamp Fantasy (Marietta, GA)
August 6 - Stamper's Alley (Mooreville, NC)
August 7 - Enchanted Cottage (Lewisville, NC)
August 9 - Photo Scraps (Eldersburg, MD)
August 10 - Angela's Happy Stamper (Reston, VA)
August 12 - Great American Stamp Store (Westport, CT)
August 13 - Stamp and Scrap Nest (Simsbury, CT)
August 14 - Beautiful Impressions (Westbrook, CT)
August 15 - Inspiration Station (Stafford Springs, CT)
August 18 - Art Plus (Concord, NH)
August 20 - Ink About It (Westford, MA)
August 21 - Absolutely Everything (Topsfield, MA)
Since it is such a long trip, I am bringing the whole family (and the dogs!) to explore the country. We are so excited to see America, check out colleges for the kids and connect with the store owners who go above and beyond in supporting Memory Box. My wife Monica, who co-owns Memory Box with me, rarely gets the chance to get out of the office, but we've managed to pry her away from the business (laptop and cell phones in tow). We'll have a staff back at the office running things (we are so lucky to have a top notch team) - so we won't have to worry!
Finally, we are busily preparing to send out our What's in the Box release for July!
This is our second big release of the year. It will include new 6x6, new 12x12, new stamps and new dies - all for Halloween, Fall and Holiday projects. The stores that signed up (see a listing here), don't know what they are getting - it's all a surprise (even my Design Team doesn't know yet!). It will arrive in stores in July - and those stores will be unveiling all of the fun new products to their customers. The products won't go up on the site until the middle of July - so if you are lucky enough to be near one of the What's in the Box, go check it out!
Wow the new dies are incredibly beautiful! Wishing you would make a stop in NJ sometime soon! I cannot wait to try them and kudos to you for the packaging.
Hope you and your family enjoy the trip!
TFS
Posted by: KimMJ | June 14, 2011 at 11:35 AM
I love love love all your new dies. I am even loving the packaging. Looking forward to the July release. I love the sneak peak Deer!
See you at Great American in August.
Posted by: Angie DiMeglio | June 14, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Woohoo, Maryland again, I hope I can make it.
Posted by: Amy | June 14, 2011 at 12:08 PM
Love the dies and packaging. Am enjoying them a lot. Look forward to your Sacramento classes.
Posted by: Joanne Beck | June 14, 2011 at 01:07 PM
Your new dies are beyond gorgeous and You have to know I will probably want each. Ohio doesn't seem to be on your list to visit this year but I'll scour the stores to find these dies.
Posted by: Carol Ann Ater | June 14, 2011 at 01:51 PM
Love your dies. Hope to get some of the new ones since I am out here in Seattle
Leslee in MT
Posted by: Leslee Barrow | June 14, 2011 at 04:40 PM
The dies are gorgeous! I have been resisting getting a die cut machine, but your dies are pushing me right over the edge! (the reward for cleaning "the room" enough to have a place for it?) Wish my shcedule for being in Mass. matched better with yours!
Posted by: Eileen M | June 14, 2011 at 04:51 PM
Woohoo! I am so excited and will be looking forward to taking a workshop with you in August at Absolutely Everything. I'm a big fan of Memory Box and was thrilled to hear you are coming here to teach!!
I also am in LOVE with the newest dies and bought four of them at AE this week. I am sure I will continue to add to my collection and can't wait to see what we create!!
Happy Crafting and keep up the fabulous designs and creations!!
Lisa
Posted by: Lisa (The Purple Place) | June 17, 2011 at 07:37 AM
LOVE these so much. so cool. wish we had a store in this area but alas, none. am so in favor of minimal packaging, wish you would go the unmounted route for stamps as well.
Posted by: bethann d | June 17, 2011 at 07:53 AM
Your summer trip looks like fun. The new products are very exciting. I'm looking forward to seeing you in Sacramento!
Posted by: Louise | June 18, 2011 at 10:41 AM
All the NEW stamps, dies and paper are fantastic. My customers are going to LOVE it all. Can't wait to use them. Hopefully, we will see you in Alaska sometime. Thanks, Dave for being so talented. Have a super trip.
Linda :-)
Posted by: Linda Pendergrass | July 02, 2011 at 08:09 AM