Write. Click. Scrapbook.

Countdown to 2013

Hey there. Can you believe it's almost 2013 already?   

My husband and I are homebodies, we like hanging around our house with our kids. And New Year's Eve is no different. If we're not hanging out at home or a friend's house, then we're doing a family-friendly activity. Tonight, we'll be doing just that, watching the children run around with their friends while the adults play some games. It's the perfect New Year's Eve for us. 

Last year, we went bowling and then to dinner. We started at 4pm and were home by 8. I'm not even sure we both made it to midnight to watch the ball drop!

 

Here's how Katie rang in 2012.

No matter where you're spending your evening - home watching one of the New Year's Eve shows or out on the town - take some pictures! I know it might seem like just one more thing to scrapbook on top of all the holiday pictures, but it's a great memory to record.

And to help you out, here's a sketch.

You may download it as a layered template here. Please enjoy!

 

Goodbye, 2012 and Welcome, 2013!

Sunday Photo + Words

In Review

Hey everyone, I am thrilled to be posting the in review post for December.  Our theme for December was favorite photos, and it was really fun seeing each designer's take on the theme.

There were so many amazing photos!  Sit back and let's take a look at our amazing Favorite Photos Gallery!

Aliza's layout contains not only powerful pictures, but a powerful subject as well.  The photos really hit home along with her journaling as she shared her feelings about surviving Hurricane Sandy.

Did you see the precious photo on Vivian's layout?  She did an amazing job using the layout design to frame her photo, and went on to embellish it perfectly.

There was so much I loved about Christa's layout! First, the photo was amazing, she balanced her design with such fun embellishments across from the photo, and I loved the title placement!

I don't think it's possible for Celeste's boys to be any cuter!  I loved that she used a black and white photo which just pops with the gorgeous colors she picked for her layout.

Monika's layout was so soft and beautiful.  It was obvious that this photo is special, and all the details she included make for one amazing layout.

I love that Lisa picked her favorite recent photo, and she highlighted it perfectly.  I love the softness of the doily and the grounding of the fun patterned paper strips.

Diane's layout was just full of fun, special details.  I loved the layering, the twine, the flair, the wood stars, but I have to say that the photos were definitely my favorite part.

Jennie's favorite photo was one great shot!  The colors match the photo perfectly, and her handwriting...it's just WOW!

I adored Kathy's sweet photo!  Her layout was just so much fun, with great patterns and I really loved how she added the machine sewing.

I thought Francine's photo was just precious.  I loved the smile on her and her little one's face.  The black and white photo just pops against that gorgeous green background.

My layout is next, and I knew I wanted to use this picture of my husband and I as my favorite photo. We don't have many photos of us together, so it was an easy choice for me, and it turned out to be one of my favorite layouts I've ever made.

Talk about an amazing photo-Valerie's layout is perfect for this priceless photo.  I love how she covered her journaling with vellum creating softness, and she kept her embellishments to a minimum, which highlights the photo even more.

Sarah's layout was amazing, and her photo was gorgeous.  I couldn't get over how many amazing details she added, and the dreamy colors with pops of red made quite a spectacular layout!

I just love Katie's photos so much!  I love that she recreated such a great photo, and included them both on the layout. The title work and fun patterns she included really worked perfectly with the photos.

Christine used such a fun photo, and I loved the banner she created for her layout. Using the brown as her background really works well with the purples and blues in the photo and patterned paper she used.

Jenny's amazing layout design really draws me in to the fabulous photos of her boys.  I really like how she added her embellishments in a cluster above the photos, leaving the photos to shine on their own.

Amy's layout reminded me that what we do is important.  Taking photos capture special moments and memories, just like this photo of Amy with her mom and sister did.  I love the quote she added, and the gorgeous font she used for her journaling.

Deb's layout was so much fun, just like her photo!  I loved the subtle stamps, and the way she added the date to the flag at the bottom of the layout.

Paula's photo was so sweet.  The banner she used along the bottom of the photo was amazing, and putting the title on top of the star really made it pop.  What a fun, fun, layout!

Emily's photo of her sweet puppy was heart-wrenching. I thought it was a great tribute to her amazing family pet.  The layering, fun stamping, and wood chips really draw your eye to the photo, and you can tell Maddie was something special.

You can't help but to love Erin's photos!  She did a great job of making those photos pop by her choice of color, her design, and wonderful journaling.

Emily's layout is design perfection.  I was immediately drawn to the photo with that cool arrow, and I loved the way she added hand stitching to her journaling.

Marnie's layout was the perfect fit for all the personality in her favorite photo.  I love that she used such bold colors, but on a smaller scale so they don't overwhelm the photo.  

Walking through the gallery again, I realized that I really missed so many of the special details each designer included in their layout.  I hope you enjoyed our walk as much as I did!

 

Before I go, we have our monthly freebie to help you create a favorite photographs page as well. Here it is

You may download it here if you would like. Thank you, always for your kind comments and daily visits!

Ring in the New Year...

Happy Friday!  Have you all survived the holiday madness!  Now that Christmas has passed, it's time to start thinking about the New Year, which is rapidly approacing! As we all know, the New Year tends to be a time of change, growth, or renewal for many people. We create goals or resolutions. We pick a single word to define the 365 days that lie before us. We look at the things we want to change about ourselves, and we vow to change. Now, let's not talk about how many of us actually manage to do all that we strive to accomplish every New Year! ;)  Instead, let's look at ways that we, as scrapbookers, can document these goals and ideals!!  The talented scrapbookers here at write.click.scrapbook have created some amazing projects to share with you today!  Let's start off with one of the most popular New Year's projects:

One Little Word

If you have been scrapping for more than, say, a week...I'm pretty sure you've heard of Ali Edwards and her One Little Word project.  I know many people who choose a new word each year to guide our lives during the upcoming year.  There are blog posts, jewelry, layouts, and more that focus on the chosen word. Here are some layouts created by our team that include  their words!

layout by Emily Spahn
 

layout by Celeste Smith

 

layout by Aliza Deutsch

 

layout by Diane Payne

 

layout by Jennifer Larson

 

One year, I chose not to use a word, but rather a quote as my guiding principle for the year. I created a frame with the quote inside and it still stands in my scrap room so I can see it when I am working!

project by Emily Spahn

Goals and Resolutions

The more traditional approach to the New Year is to create a list of goals and or resolutions that we would like to follow or accomplish during the year.  These can be small and easy to accomplish or something like a major life change. Personally, I'm more of a fan of creating some smaller, more attainable goals each year.  I won't lie, I think there are a few that have been on list every year the past few years!! ;)  Let's see how some of our collective members documented their goals and resolutions:

layout by Christine Newman

 

layout by Celeste Smith

 

layout by Christine Newman

 

project by Emily Spahn

 

Looking Back

Finally, the end of a year gives us time to reflect on the past 12 months...the things we accomplished, the things we are proud of, and sometimes the things we need to continue to work at.  Aliza shared a look back at some her goals from last year in yesterday's post. Here are a couple more:

layout by Christine Newman

 

layout by Katrina Simeck

 

Have you created a layout looking back at the past year or a layout about the new year that lies ahead? I'd love for you to link us up in the comments!  And of course, Happy New Year!

A Look Back

Hi, everyone. It's me (Aliza) again this week. It's nice to be back here so soon, and on my birthday, no less. It's almost time for a brand, spanking new year, and all the excitement and possibility  that a new beginning holds. But before looking ahead, before setting new goals and resolutions, it's a great time to look back at the past year, and think about all that has happened, big and small, for yourself and your family. And then, of course, scrapbook about it.

 

 

The Big Picture

One way to document a whole year in one layout, is to include photos that highlight the year.  Christine is quite the master of year in review layouts, and she has found a fun and clever way to include a lot (I mean really, A LOT) of photos looking back on the year.

 

A Slightly Smaller Picture

You could also choose just one or two photos, and write about some of the highlights of your year. When I sat down to make this layout, I had a really hard time thinking about the whole year, and I could only come up with some truly random events, but I kind of like it that way. If you get stuck, feel free to enlist the help of family members. It was fun to hear what they remembered. 

 

Christine clearly has a better memory than me, and a more exciting life, and she listed events like trips, special dinners, and family visits.

 

 

Details, Details, Details

Of course, here at Write.Click.Scrapbook, we are big fans of the everyday, little moments that make up our lives, and you could document one tiny detail that felt different this year. Feel free to keep it light and easy.

 

Or you could think about how you did on some of your goals from last year.

I hope this gives you some ideas for scrapping your year in review. And, if you don't quite get to it this year, it can be on your list for 2013.

Happy New Year!

A holiday tradition

Happy Boxing Day everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful and peaceful holiday. In my house today is a good day for relaxing and reminiscing. I'm probably going to work a layout about our annual gingerbread house decorating. We've been doing this for seven years (gasp!). I thought it would be fun to look back and review how I've scrapped the same event six times - I haven't started on this years layout.

Our first attempt at a gingerbread house was back in 2006. How little my daughter is!

I knew even then that we would be attempting it again. Apparently I had some help with the construction because the next year was not as successful:

Apparently I did not improve over time because I seem to have the same problem the following year (2008)! At least he kids' skills are improving.

The next year was a break from tradition. I forgot to get a gingerbread kit but luckily Molly was given one to decorate and I recorded the aftermath - the eating, rather than the decorating of the house. Who says it has to be all about the decorating?

We were back on track in 2010, with a new type of house. I thought a new house would mean less trouble building (or keeping the house together):

And finally, the house from 2011. The kids are quite the experts at this stage but I think I still have some roof troubles. Would it still be a tradition if I didn't?

I'll work on my 2012 edition today! I hope this gives you some ideas for scrapping one of your holiday traditions or at least inspires you to go back and look at your older layouts. It's fun to have a little trip down memory lane!

No Holiday Photo? No Problem.

Merry Christmas everyone! Aliza here blogging at wcs for the first time on this special day. I hope you are all snuggled and warm, and enjoying some fabulous holiday memories in the making.

 Now what can a nice, Orthodox, Jewish girl like myself possibly have to share about scrapbooking on Christmas day? I don't really have Christmas layouts of my own to share with you, true. But, I do have some experience scrapbooking holiday memories without photos of the actual day. See, according to the Orthodox tradition, on many important Jewish holidays, like during the Passover Seder, and Rosh Hashana, taking pictures is not allowed. For years, while I scrapbooked bike rides, and first days of school, and general cuteness, this important part of our family heritage went undocumented. I needed to find another way to tell this story. Now, there are also lots of holidays where I can take pictures, like Chanukah and Thanksgiving. But I sometimes run into another problem. I am not a great multitasker. So, when family and friends and general celebration is afoot, I sometimes forget to take pictures. Or, when I do take them, the lighting and composition are not always great, and, well, not everyone is always looking their best. 

So, if you are busy today enjoying your family and your holiday, and you don't get behind the camera, I say, tell your story anyway.

How?

Like this:

 

Use Your Words

I use this phrase a lot as a preschool teacher, and it is equally helpful for us here, as well. I don't have any photos of our Seders in progress, but I do have a photo of the table set before the holiday began, and I have my words to describe what this table and this room look like just a few hours later. And part of the story is that it looks the same every year. 

I used  similar approach for the holiday of Shavuot. More flowers for the photo (because flowers are always pretty), and words to tell the story of what made that particular holiday special. No fancy story telling. Just a list of some of the things that happened. 

 

Capture the Preparations

 There is a lot of tradition surrounding a holiday that happens before the holiday itself begins. Like every year, before Passover, we bring out a box of all the Passover projects that my kids have made at school over the years. And, every year, they love to look back at their old work.

 

In my home, though, and perhaps yours too, capturing all the REAL preparations, requires one more step.

 

Embrace the Underwear 

I'm sorry, did she just say "embrace the underwear?" 

Yes. I did. Because here is something else about my family. As these beautiful, touching, holiday memories unfold, not everyone is fully dressed in their holiday best. What can I say? We are not a formal bunch. In years past, I might have rejected some of these photos as "unscrapworthy," but I find the story they tell, and the relationships they document, too complelling to let them go any longer. 

 

Did I mention we are not a formal bunch?

 

And if you can embrace the underwear, you can certainly embrace some poor lighting and composition, too. Jenny said that living in Minnesota in a small house with few windows, lighting and composition are always a challenge. So she prints her photos small to make up for it.

So, if you miss some photo ops today, you can still tell your stories of the day. And if your home and your family, like mine, do not always look like a page out of Martha Stewart Living, embrace them and their imperfections because they are yours and they are real.

 

I do have one Christmas layout that I can leave you with today, because we do have one Christmas day tradition. Every year, we turn the channel to TBS and watch A Christmas Story.

 

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Last-Minute Christmas Ideas

Merry Christmas Eve! With a little help from some fellow write. click. scrapbook. teammates, I, Vivian, am here today to help with some quick-fix last-minute ideas if you suddenly need something for last-minute gift-giving or decorating. Let's face it, we've all been there - suddenly there's an extra guest at at a holiday gathering, an impromptu visitor, etc. - and we all wish we had a quick fix (provided we have at least some advance notice!).

Decorating

Let's start with decorating. I am not one of those people who is good about switching out holiday decor, prettying up my mantel, etc. I would love to be that person, but never seem to find the time to get it done. I came up with this quick-fix art that could either sit on a mantel with some candles or could be hung on the wall to add a little holiday cheer (simply take down a non-holiday piece of art hanging up and replace it with this for the holiday):

Start with a simple shadowbox frame. Cut patterned paper to fit the background. A smaller-scale print, tone-on-tone print, or text print would work well. The subway art Christmas-print paper here is from Echo Park, and October Afternoon also has a fun one. Grab a couple of rolls of Christmas-y washi tape and add four strips of varying lengths at the top left and bottom right. Add dimensional embellishments over the washi tape at the top and the bottom. Add a large dimensional embellishment at the center (mine is a star cut using this Silhouette file - I cut just one half and just the background part), put the art in the frame, and you're done! I promise this can be done in under 10 minutes once you have the papers, embellishments, tape, and frame in front of you, even if you are cutting something with a die-cutting machine!

 

Cards

How about a 2-minute card? Grab a piece of cardstock, a sheet of washi-look stickers (like the ones I used here, from Crate Paper's Sleigh Ride line) or a few rolls of washi tape, a star punch, a scrap of holiday patterned paper, a pop dot, and a paper trimmer. Cut a 7" X 10" piece of cardstock, score at the 5" mark, and fold in half. Stack graduated lengths of washi-look stickers or tape to form a tree and its trunk, then punch a star from patterned paper and adhere with the pop dot. Done!

 

After I made the card above, I realized the negative star shape peeking out of the tag I'd cut it from looked pretty cool, so that got me another 2-minute card. I backed the opening in the tag with another scrap of paper (love those little reindeer peeking out at the North Pole!), tied the tag with a doubled length of baker's twine, and then adhered the tag to a card base with a washi-look sticker greeting.

 

 

Francine made some quick and easy cards by downloading free card printables, printing them, and adding embellishments, including washi tape, baker's twine, and gems:

See here for the source of the downloadable cards and here for more information on Francine's blog.

 

Tags

This first tag is super simple - just a tag base, alphas (these all came from one multicolored set, but you could mix and match sets nicely here), and some ribbon. Start with either a pre-made tag base or make your own by cutting a rectangle from cardstock and punching a hole at the top. You can also either angle or round the corners of your tag. Add words, tie a bow, and you're done!

The next tags are a non-traditional set I created using photobooth-print paper, chevron ribbon, colorful label stickers, and a stapler. I used my Silhouette to die-cut five tags from the patterned paper, added a sticker hanging off the edge of each and trimmed it flush with the edge, and then stapled a folded piece of ribbon at the top. This set could be easily replicated with black and white photos of the recipients for a fun twist, or could be created using holiday-themed patterned paper, label stickers, and ribbon.

Ornaments

Lisa made this fantastic (and quick!) set of ornaments. Don't they make a lovely gift? She simply added stickers to plain ornaments to personalize them and dress them up.

You can see more information about these on Lisa's blog.

Hopefully we've helped those of you in a pinch out a bit with today's blog post!

Sunday Photo + Words

scrapbook!

Hi! It's Marnie, also known as shopper, wrapper, baker, and general holiday elf. In all the excitement of the season, it's sometimes so hard to find/take time to scrapbook. But sometimes taking just a moment away makes all the difference. And gets a page done, which is a perfect holiday gift to ourselves!

Today we have three ideas to help you get a photo and memory preserved.

 

SKETCH

This month's sketch comes from Katie's layout in our December gallery. 

Diane created a sketch for us based upon Katie's layout.

If you prefer, she also created a layered downloadable template that's available here.

 

Diane used the sketch to create a wonderful layout. We did a secret Santa exchange and she got a box of washi tape! How fun, right? It didn't take her long to dig right in and put it to good use!

I love everything about this layout. With such lovely and fun photos as a starting place, the horizontal lines create a terrific backdrop. And Diane's layout truly proves that you don't need traditional colors for a lovely holiday page.

 

When I went looking for a tall rectangle and a square photo, I found two in the Christmas batch from last year. I thought Crystal's funky Christmas kit was the perfect place to start for colors and embellishements. I quite like the result. Thank you, Katie, for a terrific starting place!

If you would like a layered template, all ready for a quick layout, just click here!

 

ROGYBIV

This month for our color palette, I was hoping or something with a bit of holiday mixed in with a bit of winter and I found just what I wanted in Sarah's layout.

Doesn't it look lovely with its grey skies, chilly blues, and berries?

I couldn't wait to see it on paper...

 

 

TRENDING

This month our gallery has 17 layouts that showcase photographs with relationships. Looking through, I saw moms and sons, fathers and sons. I saw moms and daughters. Siblings. Families. And love. So much love. This month I thought our third prompt would be to find a photo that showcases the love in a relationship. 

Here is mine. Thank you for giving me a reason to put it together.

Thank you for stopping by! I hope that you can put the sketch, the color palette, and the phototrend to use on a layout or three!