Colorbök

Exciting News!

It's been quiet on the blog for the last few weeks but BIG things have been going on behind the scenes at Colorbök HQ!

We're very excited to announce that Colorbök has recently acquired Making Memories and ANW/Creativity Works, whose brands include The Paper Company, TPC Studio, Autumn Leaves, Westrim, Crop In Style and Hip in a Hurry.

Everyone here is super enthusiastic about this new partnership and all the creative opportunities it entails. Working with some of the most well established brands in the industry, Colorbök will continue to offer high quality designs, innovative product and great value to our consumers. We hope that you, our loyal customers, are as excited about this partnership as we are! We can't thank our blog followers enough for all your support over the years! As we transition over the next few months, we would love to hear even more from you! What do you love about Colorbök? What do you want to see from us in the future? It's your creative spirit that keeps us energized and we value your feedback! We look forward to sharing more great product, unique projects and endless inspiration with you on the blog as we more forward.

 

Making Memories Website

ANW Crestwood Website

Calling all shoppers - we're looking for more survey takers!  Do you buy kids' products with some frequency?  If so, you're eligible to participate in our surveys (and receive a free kids' craft kit for joining.)

The Kids' Activity Panel is a group of consumers, made up of people just like you, who purchase craft and activity products for children.  From time to time Colorbök sends out surveys to the members of this panel on various topics related to crafting with kids.  We are often looking for feedback on new product concepts, packaging and shopping habits.  This feedback helps us create the products you and your kids want to buy!

 

• FREE STUFF! Just by signing up, you will receive a great kids' activity product like those shown below.
  

• When we send out surveys we always offer up fun prizes!

• There is NO obligation - you choose if you want to participate in a survey and you always have the option of opting out of the panel at any time.

• Your feedback helps us to develop the best products for you AND the children in your life.
  

• Your personal information and e-mail is 100% confidential and will NOT be shared with any outside companies.

So, now that you know all the details CLICK THIS LINK TO SIGN UP!

 

If you haven't caught on to the social media hype of 2012 that is Pinterest, boy are you missing out!

We find so many good project ideas, DIY examples, kids' activities, color inspiration and overall crafty folks to follow.  We have started some boards to keep all our inspiration organized and share projects we're working on using some of our new designs.

 

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OUR BOARDS AND FOLLOW US!

What types of things would you most like us to pin?

Colorbök's got a green thumb!

As any apartment dweller knows, sufficient space for gardening is a rare commodity. If you're lucky, you have a balcony or patio where you can leave out a few potted plants or window boxes. For the rest of us, we're lucky if there's an extra inch of concrete between the doormat and the front step.

Being in the latter category, a few designers here at Colorbök banded together and proposed the idea of turning an empty spot of land in front of our building into a community vegetable garden!

For weeks during our lunch hour, we worked the earth, pulled weeds, and prepared the soil for our plants, dreaming of the summer months when we would be able to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Looking back, as you'll soon see, it's hard to believe it's even the same land!

In addition to the green beans, lettuce, and zucchini (which, by the way, are producing GIANTS!), there are also a plethora of tomato plants, basil, cilantro, parsley, red pepper, kale, and spinach.

To say the least,  we are extremely proud of our garden and all the hard work we put into it.

Alisa, Maria, and Amiee standing in the Colorbök garden! *not pictured, Rebecca B.

It's been a rewarding summer so far, and we can't wait to plan next year's garden! Happy gardening!

 

Prepare to be Blown Away!

We have an AMAZING opportunity for all of our California customers! Join us the first weekend in June for a special inventory blowout sale. This is your chance to get spectacular deals on all of our great craft products. Scrapbooks, paper, kid's crafts and SO MUCH more will be available for up 80% off. This is a sale you will not want to miss. See you there!

 HUGE selection of Scrapbook Supplies!

Albums, Paper Pads, Box Kits and more!

HUNDREDS of Kid's Crafts!

Activity & Coloring Books, Painting & Sewing Crafts, Suncatchers and more!

Up to 80% off all items!

Absolutely nothing over $5.00

CASH - CHECKS - VISA - MC accepted | Dock Loading available! 

WHEN:           Saturday, June 4th  6:00AM to 3:00PM

                                Sunday, June 5th  7:00AM to 3:00PM

WHERE:      Colorbök, Inc.

                                10750 7th Street #102

                                Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

                                (800) 366-4660

                                (909) 476-6886 x101

Stop by and Say "Hi!"

Today we're having a garage sale here at the Colorbök headquarters in Ann Arbor! 

The Magic of Christmas

This is the first year that Colorbok Employees participated in the annual "Magic of Christmas" program that helps collect Christmas presents for Families and children in Washtenaw County.  This non profit  organization was founded and is run by Debbie Williams-Hoak a local professional golfer in Ann Arbor.  We were given names of 21 children to buy 35 presents for and the Employees eagerly jumped at the chance to help these kids have a very Happy Christmas!  We hope to make this an annual event here at Colorbok.

New Colorbök Design Team Member - Erin

We are very happy to welcome Erin to the Kids Team! Erin is a savvy and experienced designer. In a very short amount of time her contributions have already made an impact. We are very excited about all that she brings to the table.

 Read more about Erin in the Designers Gallery!

Hallobök 2010!

1st Place - Dan as CEO Chuck McGonigle

 

2nd Place - Kids Design Team as the Colorbots!

 

3rd Place - M&C Designers as Masterpieces

Honorable Mentions:

Kids Team Product Managers as Today's Forecast

Captain Phill & the Incredible Shrinking Dollar

Pimped Out Matthew

 

Have a fantastic Halloween weekend! 

New Colorbök Design Team Member - Rachel

The Kids Team is very excited to announce the addition of our newest designer, Rachel!  She’s already fitting right in to the crazy, cute, and a colorful world of kids’ crafts!  She takes on each new project with a calm head and big smile making her a valuable addition to the team.

Read more about Rachel in the Designers Gallery!

Play ball!

A true throwback, Janelle "Old Timey" McGarry steps up to the plate as John
looks on.

This year Colorbok participated in the much ballyhooed and highly competitive Ann Arbor co-rec slow pitch softball league. The Scrappers donned their stunning day glow green uniforms for the 2010 season and took the field with the vigor and enthusiasm of the boys and girls of summer.  Although the Scrappers compiled a record of 1-8-1 by season's end that record is hardly reflective of the true mettle of this squad.

The Scrappers review some pre-game strategy before taking the field.

Phil swings for the fence.

Cory makes it all look routine.

The Scrappers lived up to their name and showed true grit. This unheralded lot played very competitively during the course of the long summer season. Suffering a handful of very close losses the Scrappers never quit or let their spirit dampen. Rotating 21 people on a roster with only 10 available spots proved to be perhaps the biggest challenge of the season. Establishing
some continuity and familiarity with each other in the field was a gradual process. Team chemistry however was never a problem and eventually the team found the right formula in the field.

Everyone was on board with a sincere team first attitude which really made for an enjoyable run in a season full of ups and downs. Win or lose the Scrappers had fun! By mid season this squad gelled and showed great promise in reaching it's potential. With 2010 behind the Scrappers the foundation has been laid for a solid campaign next season.

 

Go Scrappers!

A Day in the Life...

...of a Colorbök Designer!

Several weeks ago, we were told that there was some interest (from high school and college students) in learning about what we, as Colorbök designers, do on a day-to-day basis. It was decided that we'd host a "Job Shadowing Day" for interested students - a day for them to come in and observe the Studio while learning a little bit about our processes. I think everyone was excited to have visitors in the studio (and not only because visitors = pizza parties).

The day started out with a tour of the facility, after which our 5 Job Shadows headed upstairs to meet some Real Live Designers in their daytime habitat. Amiee and I gave a presentation about the creative process, Rebecca spoke about the stationery division and Katie introduced the Kids Design Team. By the end of the morning, 5 possible future designers knew a lot more about how an idea is translated into a Colorbök product, from concept to completion.

During our lunch-time pizza party, we got the chance to chit-chat and learn a little bit about our Job Shadows and their future plans. It's inspiring to see young(er) people passionate about art and the different mediums they're experimenting with. (Did it make anyone else miss art school, just a little?) The designers also learned a bit more about each other and how each of us ended up at Colorbök, and... whaddya' know! We have a surprising amount in common!

Following lunch it was time to get back to the grind... and by "grind", I actually mean "making felt creatures with Katie". Very serious stuff. Our Shadows learned about the line of kid-friendly products designed by the Kids Team, and even got to design and assemble their very own felt creature. Here they are, happy to be designers-for-a-day:

Our visitors left with a broader sense of what being a designer consists of, and I know that I, personally, was reminded of why being a designer is so cool. Everybody wins!

Thanks to Ally, Cassie, Jake, Casey and Matt for being Colorbök's FIRST (and therefore, "best") Job Shadows. Hope you enjoyed your time here; it was great having you guys with us for the day!

Welcome our new designer – Amanda!

We are thrilled to announce that we have a new designer in the house! Amanda has been with us for couple months now and we all love the positive energy she has brought to our team. Check out her profile in the designers gallery!

We're Here!

Our Colorbök headquarters have moved!  During the cold (and snowy!) month of January, we packed up from our crammed Dexter, MI location and set up shop in spacious Ann Arbor, MI.  After what seemed like an eternity of unpacking, we are finally getting settled and adjusting to the new scenery.

What is one of the best things about our new location?  We can all fit into one room!  Now every morning we gather together to talk about what we can do to improve our product. 

 
  

Now, as we approach Spring we are able to enjoy lunch outside on our newly acquired lawn and glance out the huge picture windows for inspiration! This helps us create the best memory & craft, gift & stationery and kid’s product that you have come to expect from us.  We are enjoying our new digs very much!

 

Colorbök on Tv...

Colorbök product was featured on Network Television for the second time this year! Last night's episode of Southland, a series on TNT, featured a Colorbök scrapbook album. The Pink Floral album is one of our faves and we were so proud to see it used on the show last night! You can view the full episode titled U-Boat on TNT's website at http://www.tnt.tv.com . Posted below are some screen shots from the episode.

 

Kindness in the Form of Keychains

Image courtesy of The Eagle-Tribune, Andover, MA Angie Beaulieu / Staff Photographer

Jacob Hurrell has taken a common kids' craft and turned it into something so significant and special that here at Colorbök we all have paused to take note difference one person can make with such a simple project.  At age six, Jacob took the initiative to spread goodwill and began making keychains to sell and raise money to help pay for cancer treatments for the patients at the Cancer Management Center at Caritas Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, MA where his mom, Bethany Hurrell, works. 

So far the Hurrell family has raised $700, and the money is still coming in.  No wonder he has such a big smile!

How does this connect to Colorbök?  Well, Jacob is using one of our spool knit kits, like the one shown below, to make these keychains.  How cool!  Jacob's father contacted us to let us know about his son's endeavor and as a result we were able to collect 12 spool knitters and yarn so others can help him make these keychains for their local Relay for Life event.

Here's one of Jacob's finished products:

We wish Jacob well in this wonderful undertaking.  If you are interested in making a donation or purchasing a keychain for $2 each, the address is as follows:

Holy Family Hospital
Foundation Office
70 East Street
Methuen, MA 01844

Read a newspaper article about Jacob's keychains in his local newspaper the Eagle-Tribune.

Sneak Peek #3

The last sneak peek before our departure for CHA features two of our favorite new collections, Woodhaven and Sweet Blooms.  These looks will be setting in Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Larger Superstores in February.  Woodhaven is a modern take on an all occasion boutique fused with family and nostalgia headlined with it's bicycles and birds. 

In contrast, Sweet Blooms instills life into any memory project with it's vivid colors and bounteous floral patterns and flourishes abound.

Stephanie over at mycraftadventures.com has done some really creative projects using these two boutiques as well.  This little birdhouse is just a snippet of what is brewing over there!

Watch for more updates from the show!

Shh... Sneak Peek #1

We're gearing up for the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) show here at Colorbök and we want to share a little exclusive blog preview of what new product will be premiered in 2010.  Keep checking back for more tidbits of all the designs and projects leading up to next week's show.

Bella Baby is an adorable, whimsical boutique. The bright colors mixed with soft hues capture the classic yet playful nature of these themes and allow them the versatility to span multiple age groups.

Sailor Baby is the perfect combination of blues, reds and yellows to capture memories of your cute little “Sailor Boy”.  Within both looks the coordinating colors, special treatments like foil, glitter and epoxy are bound to make your pages as special as the memories you're sharing.

Colorbök for a Cause

 

The Big House Big Heart is a race event put on by the University of Michigan to benefit local charities. The race starts and finishes at the University of Michigan’s famous football stadium - The Big House. The run takes you through campus and ends with a final stretch through the stadium tunnel to the 50-yard line where you can watch yourself finish on the Big Screen. The event on October 4^th brought over 10,000 participants.

 

Team Colorbök - Race Results

5k

Zach Strahle                 25:57

Debbie Forshee          30:50

Debbie Strahle            30:50

Erik Pedersen              31:19

Brett Pedersen             31:19

Stephanie Kopf            43:27

Sue Sovia                     49:50

Shannon Pedersen    49:50

Brian Sovia                  49:50

10k

Wendy Mastal            1:04:06

Sharon Veltri              1:26:41

Colorbök formed a fundraising/race team in coordination with the Big House Big Heart. This was done in an effort to help one of our designer’s family members whom was involved in a serious accident leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. His courageous and inspiring story of recovery is described on www.symbolofstrength.com. Team Colorbök was able to collectively raise over $2,800.00 for Kirk Pedersen. We would like to thank all of our participants and the many people that donated money to help Kirk’s recovery.

Left to Right: Debbie Forshee, Zach Strahle, Debbie Strahle, Brett Pedersen, Shannon Pedersen, Erik Pedersen, Sue Sovia and Brian Sovia

 

Left to Right: Sharon Veltri, Wendy Mastal and Stephanie Kopf

Left to Right: Erik Pedersen, Brett Pedersen, Shannon Pedersen, Sue Sovia and Brian Sovia

The envelope please...

The votes have been tallied and the official winners of the 2009 Colorbök Best Dressed Baby Competition are...

1st Place: Hula Baby, Betty Kennedy, Senior Designer

(tie) 2nd Place: Cowgirl Baby, Sharon Veltri, Senior Product Manager

(tie) 2nd Place: Prom Baby, Shannon Pedersen, Design Manager

3rd Place: Pajama Baby, Janelle McGarry, Design Manager

Thank you to all the Colorbök employees that helped make this event a success! Lisa Reynolds, Amiee Walter, Alisa Bobzien, Alicia Broughton, Betty Kennedy, Karen Twichell, Heather Garnsey, Mindy Gove, Darcy Esterline, Shannon Pedersen, Janelle McGarry, Kristina Scobie, Deanna Piotrowski, Katie Cook Wilcox, Jody Range, Rebecca Bischoff, Tina Hogoboom, Amanda Yankosky, Sharon Veltri, Michelle Principi, Wendy Mastel, Susan Johnston and Cheryl Ryback.