together - introspective sappines (& start to finish video)

Hi guys and Happy Monday!  

Today I am sharing a scrapbook layout I created using lots of items I had been hoarding or hiding by accident.  I recently did a massive clean out of my craft room and came across so many of my favorite papers and embellishments.  I also came across lots of printed photos.  Some of these have been previously scrapped as single photos, but I loved seeing these all together.

To watch my process video, click below or HERE to go directly to my YouTube Channel

P

I also came across lots of printed photos.  Some of these have been scrapped before, mostly as single photos , but I loved seeing them all together.  This layout was inspired solely by the need to see my children's faces together.

I tried to balance out the reds, yellows and blues of the photos and papers, using the embellishments and tags I had gathered.  I added some washi and a chipboard photo frame strip over part of the photo collage.

Not sure about you guys, but I am totally one of those people that when I bought some new products or got a new kit, I did one of two things.  I either used my favs immediately or set them aside for the perfect project.  Then they inevitably become buried and forgotten.  In my personal life, we have have a challenging few months...

and I’ve been saying that for a few months.

I’ve also come to the conclusion, in this crazy time we live in, that we shouldn’t keep things to use for that “perfect project.”  Life is fragile and tumultuous and precious...even for something as seemingly insignificant as scrapbook products, why wait, why save them for some other day??   Shouldn’t we use them now, today, whether it be paper, formal dinnerware, a fancy pair of earrings or calling that friend to reconnect with??  In other words,  Carpe Diem!!

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you have a wonderful day and an amazing week and remember, even in the smallest of things, live in the moment!

sunshine & HAPPINESS - Scrapbook Circle/JUST NICK Team UP

Happy last day of March everyone!  This month we teamed up with ‘Just Nick Studio’ for a week of inspiration featuring the digital cut files combined with the March kit “Happy Place.”  I was very excited to be a participant in this collaboration! You can check out the digital files I used and others clicking below.

The majority of my photos are Instagram pics, so I gravitate towards square format cut files and graphics.  I chose these two, frame in frame cut files and one for a title.  I die cut the frames out of patterned papers in navy and green.  I die cut my title out of watercolor paper, knowing I wanted to paint something matching the sunrise.

With the idea of painting the title and the divisions of the Instagram photo I created in a Pic App, I painted loose stripes of watercolors across the white cardstock.  I layered the die cut pieces over the paint stripes and added stickers, washi and embellishments from the kit, color blocking down the page.

I can’t seem to get enough of this technique lately.  I love the variety in hue and the layering that shows the different and contrasting tones of color.  I tried to step down the colors and shapes from top left to bottom right, ending with the title, appropriate for a sunrise!

 Thank so much for stopping by the Blog today!  

Have an amazing day!

TWO awesome - Scrapbook Circle July 'Be Real'

Hello!  Today, I am sharing a simple page I created using the July ‘Today is the Day’ kit.  I wanted to document a couple photos taken with my phone of my two girls…One 12 and one 6, or 42…closer to my age! 

I filmed my process from start to finish, which you can find below, or click HERE to go to my YouTube channel.

We were sitting around on the porch watching the late afternoon pass us by.  Lola was so relaxed and settled for once, and the background made such a lovely contrasting sienna color tho the denim and black.

I painted a quick couple strokes of a pale aqua paint onto a light kraft cardstock for my background.  I added a couple pieces of patterned paper behind my photo, tearing a few of the edges.  I tucked lots of Elle’s Studio, Fancy Pants and Pretty Little Studio labels and tags underneath my photo.

Finally, I used a couple wood veneers that are Scrapbook Exclusive pieces in the July kit.  I added some journaling underneath the date stamp and added a few puffy stickers.

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you have an amazing day!

JUMP - The Crafter's Workshop

Hi there friends!  I am sharing a scrapbooking layout today perfect for summer fun!  I used 3 different stencils from The Crafter's Workshop to create this watery background for my photo from the lake.

The Crafter’s Workshop provided me with some product to create this project.  The opinions I share are solely my own.

We just spent a lovely weekend at the lake with friends.  I took some fun action shots and slow-mo videos of all the kids jumping into the water.  I knew the photos would be fun to document, a beautiful day & summer memories, and it made me think of these sea/water stencils.

I used the 12×12 Sea Turtles stencil for the main design of the background.

I added this large stencil to cardstock that I had already loosely painted pale aqua acrylic paint using a brayer.

I used several spray inks to stencil this design onto a piece of white cardstock.

After the turtle dried, I used 3 or 4 of the Distress Inks shown in the photo to add ‘seaweed leaves’ in the corners of my background.

Deciding I needed a little bit of black, I used another stencil to add some of the ‘net’ pieces on this 6×6 nautical stencil.

Finally, I used a piece of this woodgrain patterned paper to stencil the smaller anchors in navy ink.

Obviously, I thought the woodgrain worked with the photo of the kids jumping off the dock.  Finally, I added some labels for the date & title, puffy stickers and photo corners.

Here is the finished layout!  The photo fails to grasp the kaleidoscope of blues and greens that were in our surroundings, but my goal was to capture a bit into my stenciled background.

Thanks so much for stopping by the Blog today!

STENCILS Used:

TCW610 – Doodling Template – Sea Turtles

TCW568s – 6×6 Doodling Template – Mini Moving Vines

TCW569s – 6×6 Doodling Template – Mini Nautical Chains

HAPPY. NSD Sketch & Video - Scrapbook Circle

I am a little later than I had planned to share this LO after NSD, but life with children seems extra crazy this time of year.  Everyone seems to try to squeeze in one last...everything.  I did this page for National Scrapbook Day and made a video of my process using the Scrapbook Circle May kit, 'Here & Now.'

 

 

This is the sketch from our talented designer and Blog coordinator, Tessa Buys!

 

You can click on the link below of HERE to find my YouTube channel and the start to finish video.

 

I decided to use the paint like lines in this gorgeous paper from the Fancy Free collection to create an implied division, like the sketch.  I cut out a piece of the Pinkfresh Studio paper that is predominantly black and white and watercolored several of the leaves and flowers.  I used it along that line of pattern change shown in the sketch.

 

I layered lots of the Fancy Free vellum die cuts, other Pink Pailsee die cuts and fussy cut pieces of the Amy Tan acrylic sheet underneath a photo cluster.

 

Using black thread, I stitched thru that entire layered line of embellishments.  I also stitched across some of the vellum letter shapes for my title.  I cut two pieces of patterned paper and places them at the bottom the layout exactly like the sketch.  One piece I painted with black chalkboard paint and then added some journaling with a white gel pen.

 

I love all the bright colors in the May collection and they were perfect to highlight this photo of our oldest child, Lola!  I hope you check out the video and have an amazing day!

love this - Scrapbook Circle April Add-On

  Today, I am sharing a layout I made using the April ‘Stay Cool’ Add-on, which is so yummy, it should be edible!  I realize it is May, but still wanted to post it!

The beautiful fringe hearts from Maggie Holmes & Crate Paper are one of my favorite embellishments in a long while!  It took every bit of my self restraint to NOT hoard these lovelies and use them all on one layout.  I started with a light wash using color shine onto the white paper with tiny black dots.  I didn’t trim off the hot pink branding strip, instead keeping it as a border between 2 patterned papers.

The mint corrugated paper that is part of the main kit is a perfect accompaniment to the texture in the hearts.  I cut tiny slits along the corrugated lines to add even more texture.  I also added a few pieces of washi from Pinkfresh Studio, also part of the Add-on under each of the hearts.  These adhesive brads from Simple Stories made a perfect accent with black, white and a hot pink heart.

I hope you are lucky enough to snag this Add-on…it is chock full of goodies!! 

Thanks for stopping by the Blog today!  I hope you have an amazing day!

me + you + together - Scrapbook Circle January Take 2

Finally the weekend is here!  I am sharing my Scrapbook Circle Take 2 project using a layout of mine that is from October 2014!  I used both the January main kit,“Fresh Start” and “Shine Bright” Add-On.  After opening my January kit, I remembered using a similar polka dot bag that was included and I recreate the layout.

This yellow ombre paper was inspiring too. I didn’t want to cover up too much but cut it up into random rectangles to give it some texture and more interest.

I printed out my photo in black and white to contrast all the color. I used the same over all design, one photo with lots of layers under it and embellishments around it.

The Fancy Pants pack of flair die cuts in the Add-On has this awesome light bulb that fit perfectly with the curve of my son’s hand in the photo.

A couple other tags and die cuts for my title and the projects was complete!

I love challenges like this that make me go back and look through previous projects.  Some of your best inspiration can come from yourself!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Have an amazing weekend!

2015 - Scrapbook Circle January Product Challenge

Hi there!  Happy weekend to everyone!
Just wanted to share quickly this LO I did for the Scrapbook Circle trend challenge inspired by the "Sweet Life" calendar paper by Maggie Holmes.  Perfect opportunity for a birthday page!  I used the January "Fresh Start" main kit and the "Shine Bright" Add-on.

I decided to use almost the entire paper, adding a border at the right side of red patterned paper.  I knew I wanted to add some photos from my son's birthday and since they are all candid or action photos, they could be small.  I used several of the Fancy Pants ephemera die cuts pack to layer underneath each picture.

I added these large vellum numbers from Studio Calico across the center of the background.  I love the vellum and chose colors to contrast the red and greys.  Finally, I stitched thru several strips of the vellum and other framed bits, mostly to secure everything in place.

Since it is still January, I think months and the "year in review" pages are still very much appropriate!

Thanks for stopping by today!

& ALWAYS shine - Scrapbook Circle January DT Choice

Happy New Year!  This is my Designer's Choice LO using the Scrapbook Circle January kit perfectly named 'Fresh Start' and the 'Shine Bright' Add-on

I love starting a New Year, making resolutions and committing myself to new goals and setting standards for a new ambition!  Although this photo is a general, albeit sweet, photo of my brown eyed girls, it makes me think about the 5 years that Lola has been with us.  Time seems to fly by and I want to make sure I get as many moments documented as possible.

I took the Scrapbook Circle exclusive acrylic word die and rubbed several different inks on it…I wanted to tone it down just a touch from the bright yellow.  I wanted to use it on this page and would be using the more muted reds, almost pinks, so I rubbed it with a couple darker coral and teal chalk inks.  It was a perfect way to mute the color and still tie in the die cuts.

I used several different colors of Distress Ink to add some color to the background, in a loose watercolor wash.

I love the origami bird die cuts and although I wanted to use them all, I just used this one, next to my title…

Thanks for stopping by the Blog today!



@ 42 - Scrapbook Circle August Kit

Still playing a little catch up from August!
This was another page I made using the Scrapbook Circle August 'Make It Happen' kit and 'You Shine' Add-on.

I had made this collage of 4 photos from Shawn's birthday we celebrated at the beach.  I printed the collage out at 5x5 and layered on top of several papers from the Studio Calico 6x6 pad I trimmed down.

 I decided to keep a super stark color palette of black and whites with a pop of yellow from the Fancy Pants die cut numbers. I also added a couple pops of teal from some Elle's Studio bits.

I trimmed the black cardstock background to mount onto another piece of black and white patterned paper from Pinkfresh Studio.  I love using a white gel pen on black paper!

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope you have an amazing Sunday and start to another week!