Write. Click. Scrapbook.

In Review

Hard to believe, but it is the fourth Saturday already. Which means we get to look back at the month and all that we have seen. 

Erin began the month with an honest assessment of Project Life and some terrific suggestions for how to make our 2013 efforts more successful. Amy wrote our journaling column this month, listing three resolutions that she made to improve her journaling this year. (And if Amy needs to improve, the rest of use are in trouble!! heehee!)

Sarah's week kept us all in stitches and helped remind us to let our funny bones show in our albums. Lisa finished the week with her photography article, and several good ideas for improving our self portraits--hopefully inspiring us to get out from behind the lens to be in our own photos.

Next, Diane offered us ideas for getting the men in our lives into our photos and onto our photos. Diane also provided the sketch from our gallery this month, with Marnie adding in a color scheme and a trendalert.

Lastly, Valerie built upon Lisa's suggestions for taking more self portraits by inspiring us to create self-pages. (That's a good term, no? Self pages? I suppose it doesn't matter what we call them as long as we make them, right?)

 

Before the calender turns its page, let's look one more time back at our gallery. The sneaks for next month's gallery are on the Facebook page, which means we are close to a new theme! Speaking of Facebook, if you haven't added us as an interest, please remember to do so. Without it, you won't see all our lovely posts! As a reminder, click open the "like button" so that it opens the drop down menu. From there, you have to choose "add to interests list." If you haven't a particular interest group yet defined, you can do so now (we might suggest "awesome scrapbooking sites"). Remember, once you do this, our posts will show up on your wall. Otherwise, the powers that be at Facebook want us to pay for you to receive our content. And well, that's just silly now.

 

As we walk together through the gallery, let's look for successful and inspirational elements. Things we can use to help make our pages better.

Look how Francine combines a font oft used in sports for a layout filled with soft hues and flowery elements. The juxtaposition is fantastic!

The little elephant in Aliza's title is the perfect example of how her pages are layered with details that need to be discovered by looking at them again and again.

Celeste is the master of shading. No one would ever believe this layout was digital. Never.

Marnie's layout celebrates the happiness of the moment with color, and cheerful elements. All working together to tell the story.

Francine's layout talks about making making the most of the mundane moments, which is brought to life by her use of the bright yellow. Such a little thing to help tell her story so well.

Did you notice all the little bits tucked under the middle of Celeste's layout? Helping to tell the story of her needing notes? Again, using tiny elements to help tell the story.

The new small size of Lisa's layout is awesome! The grey is the perfect backdrop for the red of the flowers, too, helping them pop off the page.

How many of you took photos on 10.10.10 or 11.11.11 or 12.12.12? Let Katie's layout inspire you to get them scrapbooked! And perhaps string up a few sequins like she did. They are so pretty. Clever embellishment idea.

Jenny's layout is a splendid journaling example. Such a tremendous idea! Emily's has a similar theme, listing advice for a former self. Christa focused hers on her 18 year old self. All of them are equally amazing. These are the kind of layouts that you will treasure for years to come. 

Kathy's layout has such a fantastic pairing of stark black and vellum elements. Each makes the other stand out more.

Do you see the same date stamp on Deb's layout as Katie's? While you are looking, notice all the arrows. They are so subtle, yet so effective en masse.

Valerie's layout is so tender. Perhaps made all the moreso by her not having used a photo. It just goes to show that you really don't have to have a photo to create a heartfelt, meaningful layout.

Did you read that Jennie used a photo that sits on her dresser? What terrific inspiration for us to do the same.

All the little wooden elements on Amy's pages help provide a warm coziness to her otherwise bright layout. It brings in the perfect bit of homeyness, especially when paired with the little houses. (And did you see that cute little face on her baby? Mmm!)

The bits of cloud, sky, and butterflies are so perfect for Diane's photo. Have you ever had a photo that so helped to guide your layout??

Christine's layout is filled with loveliness. The airmail edge helps give it the feel of a letter. The backwards staple and the hand drawn arrows give it a personal sense. Which goes well with the personal journaling! Unified layouts have such peaceful balance.

Paula's layout has a funny funny story. If you haven't read it yet, go now. We'll wait... Sweet, no? Have you had something old pop into your head lately? Perhaps the next time you do, you can hurry and make a page like Paula did.

Erin's layout is a reminder to take a moment and write about motherhood. Or something else equally important to you right now. Written with real heartfelt journaling. The kind Amy would be proud of.

Speaking of Amy, her layout begins as a letter to her daughter, but really is a chance for her to express herself. A nice way to let your feelings show.

Kelly's layout is a simple acknowledgment of a lovely characteristic of her daughter. Sometimes pages really can just be so sweet and simple.

Marnie's layout uses a font that is reminiscent of a Sharpie. What a perfect thing for a note one leaves one's self. Sometimes there really is a perfect font for a layout.

Lisa repurposed some old jewelry for her flower embellishment. What a terrific way to maintain a budget and be good to Mother Earth!

Thank you to the collective for some wonderful inspiration this month! And thank you, dear readers, for your loyal visits!

Playing Favorites

Favorites! We all have them: favorite activities, favorite foods, favorite music, favorite books, favorite movies, favorite places, favorite people—the list is nearly never-ending. Favorites are totally painless and so easy to scrap. They are even easy to sing about. Cue music..... Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Brown paper packages tied up with strings. These are a few of my favorite things.

(You can thank me later if you find yourself randomly singing that song from The Sound of Music later today.) And without further adieu, here's some inspiration from the collective for scrapping your favorites:

Make A List

I challenge you to sit down right now, get a piece of paper and a pen, and write down five to ten of your very favorite things. Take a cute self portrait and make a fun layout. I did just that exact thing yesterday. Here's my result:

And one from Diane

Another from Jennie. I love all the little bits and pieces on this one.

I'm always impressed and inspired by Jennifer's talent in fitting so many photos on a page.

One Favorite Per Page

Lisa shares a favorite place.

And Amy has one too.
 

Celeste shares her love for coffee.

Jennifer made a layout about her favorite television show.

And Christine shares a favorite activity.

 

I realized today, in challenging all you lovely blog readers to scrap more of yourself, that you're going get to know the collective over here a lot better this week.

scrapbook!

Hello! Welcome to Scrapbook! Saturday. I am so happy to be here with you today. Didn't you think this month's gallery was amazing? I loved reading the little bits of advice, the life lessons, and the resolutions. As I made notes of pages I wanted to make, I found my journaling list was long. It's not that I wasn't inspired by the design or products on the pages, I was just so beguiled by the words, that I failed to note the rest. Does this happen to you sometimes, too?

Even though the stories were the first notice, going back through with an eye on design I was glad that I had taken the time, as there is much to love there, too! I run through life so quickly, that I often forget to truly pay attention. Similarly, it is easy  to click through the gallery without actually absorbing anything. But when I sit down and look, really look, I find all sorts of treasures that I might have missed. Let's get started and see what we can find.

SKETCH

First up is our sketch. Looking to Jennifer's January gallery layout,

Diane created this sketch for us:

 

And look at how well our team made use of it. 

 

Amy followed the sketch closely, and made great use of a beautiful photo as a background.

 

Jennie swapped the journaling block for some spotted vellum. A lovely part of sketches is their flexibility.

 

LisaO has all the elements but shuffled them around a bit.

 

Aliza's page is not for the faint of heart! I love how she shortened the lower strip, making it even with the title's edge. Don't you think it transforms the sketch into something new?

I stuck closely to the sketch, but deleted a couple of embellishments, and stretched my photos into rectangles as my photos weren't cropable. (Is that even a word??!!)

 

Lastly, we have Diane's lovely layout. Do you see the sketch in it? She told me that she began with the sketch, but once the photos came into play it took on a life of its own. Don't you love when that happens? The sketch gets you started and then creative lightning strikes and suddenly you have a wonderful layout sitting in front of you. Just like that!

 You may download the layered template here. Enjoy!

 

ROYGBIV

Take a moment and pop on over to the gallery and see if there is a color scheme that appeals to you. There are five kraft layouts, ten with white backgrounds, and a handful with prominent patterned paper. Have you a preference?

Looking for an entire palette, I was drawn to Jennie's layout from our Note to Self gallery.

With its soft muted hues, I just knew it would make a lovely color scheme for us this month.

I used it on a layout celebrating an exhibit I saw this past week featuring Aurora Robson. (Be sure to stop by her site. Her work is amazing!) Her work was all in white with a white window behind it, so the light papers were the perfect backdrop.

I hope that you will find these shades as useful as I have!

 

TRENDING

This month we have three equally outstanding trends: arrows, tags and labels. I spotted 11 layouts with arrows, 12 with tags, and 10 with labels. How about you? have you been using them lately, too? Should we check? I'll wait if you want to go find the last layout you made so you can see...

Did you find some? I did...

Alright, maybe I just made it...  I had fun adding in all three elements. I hope you will have fun, too!

 

Thank you, for joining me today! What a great week. With Christa's ideas for getting our men into our scrapbooks and with all the CHA sneak peaks, this week couldn't have been better. Thank you for letting me highlight some inspiration from our gallery, and thank you Diane, for putting our sketch together! Can't wait to see you all back tomorrow!

WCS is Getting Masculine Week

That's right, the mama of 2 girls and grew up in a house of girls is taking on masculinity in layouts! Everyone needs a good challenge, right? For some it might be 2 page layouts, for others it might be multi photo layouts, and for me it's bringing some masculinity to pages about the men and boys in my life!

So this week we will be looking at design, color (both masculine and feminine), and how to get those stubborn men and boys into those photos for pages.  The collective have some great examples of all of these topics to include in your pages and cards even.

I've also been scouring the sneaks and photos this week from CHA in Anaheim to look at some fabulous news papers and product lines available for your masculine layouts.

Without further adieu, today I bring you some in general, inspirational layouts about the men and boys we all know and love!

I made it a priority to get the man of our house in more layouts and started with this one:

It's ok to dig out some older photos too and scrap about that time period, or how your life has grown, etc.

I love everything about Jennie's layout about her son and his favorite jam! The stars, the stripes, the tags-awesome layout!

Celeste knows a thing or two about scrapping the men in her life since she is surrounded by them!  As the lone female in her house she has years of male scrapbooking under her belt.  And just FYI you will be seeing A LOT of Celeste this week!

I love this mix of fonts and colors in Amy's layout:

Valerie combined a great large title, paired with a smaller title along the side for her boy layout:

As a child of the 70's, I simply adore the viewmaster embellishment on Aliza's layout!

I think this starts us off in the right direction this week, don't you?!  I'll be back tomorrow with even more manly inspiration for you!

Before heading off today though, here is a look at one of my favorite new lines from Simple Stories - Urban Traveler

Click.

Welcome to the first Click. Saturday in 2013! I wanted to talk a little about taking photos of ourselves. 
Self portraits can be a little intimidating and I know I try to hide from the camera alot. But I have found that with my iPhone capturing selfies are a bit easier than with my DSLR. What about you?

In our latest gallery Note to self I counted to 9 layouts featuring a selfportrait! That is awesome! I asked the other team members if they had any tips and tricks for taking selfportraits and here is what they said:

Christine:  "I think if you have an iphone or ipad, you can easily turn the camera to the front camera and take a selfie! Also, timers and tripods are great for self portraits.  Oh and it doesn't even have to be just your head shot.  My husband and I take jumping photos a lot, with just a tripod and self timer."

Francine: "My tip is to get a shutter remote. It's a huge help and they are very affordable (e.g. on Amazon). Also take lots and lots of shots!"

Christa: " I have my resident (nearly) 8 year old take photos for me because she's actually quite good and knows to "look for the red dots on the inside" before she takes it!!
If no one is around I normally set up a lamp or something to focus on then plant myself where the lamp was so I'm not out of focus. It normally takes 100 photos to get one mediocre one!"

Amy: The turn feature is also on Android phones! (or...at least it is on mine.) My tip is to have a teenaged daughter who has taken approx. 2,281,972 self portraits. She will train you right!

I totally agree with all of the above and especially with Amy´s comment :) I have a teenaged daughter that has absolutely filled her Instagram feed with selfportraits! Ofcourse you should ask them for tips!

 

 I found this layout that I made a few years ago where she (my daughter) had used her DSLR to take hundreds of photos of herself! And that is one of the tips really, take lots and lots of photos, it is so easy since we have the technology for it now. Practise makes perfect!

 

Here are some hands on tips!

1. Practise holding your camera/phone at arms length. If you have a phone that allows you to switch to the camera infront (so that you can see yourself when you look at the display) you can more easily try different angles. Try not to use your flash, it creates such a harsh light. 

2. Take photos in a mirror. Practise holding your camera so that you don´t hide behind it. 

When you take a photo in a reflecting object remember to look into the lense of the camera, otherwise your eyes will be focused out in space. 

Also pratise on holding your camera steadily when you take mirror shots where you zoom in alot. 

3. A selfportrait doesn´t always have to show just your face. Perhaps you want to capture where you are or who you are with, like in this layout

But there is also more parts of you that represent you. It all depends on what you want to capture. Here are a few examples 

I have a passion for gardening. I love to get my hands dirty. That is what I wanted to capture in this photo. For this I simply layed my camera on the ground and prefocused on the plants and used my other hand to press the shutter.

Me and my dog Melvin were having a snuggle session in the grass and I wanted to try to get a few photos of it. As you can tell I layed my camera in the grass and zoomed in quite a bit, pushing the shutter with one hand.

Here I wanted the "feet-photo" effect, but didn´t want to just point my camera down. I wanted to capture where I was at the time. For these I used my timer.

Here are a few bonus ones that I found on my daughters memorycard :)

Is she the daughter of a photographer or what?! 

Before I end this post, I just want to clarify that although I am comfortable laying my camera on different surfaces like the ground or something else in nature you should be careful. If you feel like it would be a risk for your camera, don´t do it! Perhaps a tripod would be a great thing to put on your wishlist?! I am hoping for one for my iPhone! 

Have fun snapping picture of yourself!

write.

I spent some time last week flipping through all of the layouts I made in 2012. Partly this was so I could write my 12 Favorite Layouts of 2012 post for my blog; partly it was to sort them all and get them into albums. Mostly it was to revisit the moments I’d captured on layouts, to see what I missed and what I did well and how I might improve.

One thing I noticed was that while I write a lot of journaling, I write what I think is important from the day, moment, or experience. Which is probably all I can do—write my version of the story, but still, it suddenly feels like my kids’ voices are missing from their layouts.

So I decided to set myself a journaling resolution: Find more ways to include my kids’ words, perspectives, ideas, and thoughts in my scrapbook journaling. To accomplish this resolution I’m going to: 

 

1. Pay better attention and write more stuff down.

I used to be really good at this, when my kids were all little. I kept notebooks everywhere and would jot down the funny things they said or did. As they got older, though, I somehow got out of that habit. So I’m going to work harder at getting back into this habit. Facebook and texting should make this easier, and I’ve just signed up for the Oh Life service, which sends you a daily email prompting you to tell that day’s stories. (Plus, as anyone who knows me knows, it’s not like there’s a shortage of notebooks in my life. I’m sort of addicted to buying them!) Capturing more stories when they are fresh—especially when I can remember the gist of conversations—will help me get closer to telling their stories.

Since I don’t do Project Life, I’ve resolved to make a month-in-review layout for at least one of my children each month, using the details I'll be writing down. Here’s the one I made for Kaleb’s December 2012: 

 

2. Ask my kids to write more journaling.

I’m the first to admit that this is tricky. I have three teenagers and none of them are ever excited about more writing assignments. (My youngest is seven, and he’s happy to play along!) It takes a little bit of patience (or a lot, depending on the kid) and a willingness to be persistent. The payoff is that you get an authentic slice of their personalities. Take this layout: 

I asked my son Nathan to just write down his ten favorite memories of a recent trip we took to Disneyland. Some of what he wrote surprised me (who would’ve thought that falling down in the parking lot would become a favorite memory?) and some of the things he remembered I’d forgotten. But what I love the most about this is how his writing voice sounds so close to the way he talks.

Make it easier for your kids to write their own journaling by:

• Asking them specific, leading questions. "What did you like best about the beach?" is easier to answer than a vague "write something about our Florida vacation" request.
• Getting them to write about something fairly soon after the experience. On the plane or in the car on the way home from a trip is a great time to ask them to jot down a few details.
• Giving them a suggested length. Top ten lists are good, for example, because they’ll know they only have to come up with ten facts. Or, ask for one paragraph or at least eight sentences or a half page.
• Creating fill-in-the-blank surveys.
• Using a format they’re comfortable with. One of my kids has awful handwriting, but he’ll cooperate better if I ask him to send me an email.
• Copying pieces from longer things they’ve written for school or their blogs. Or, if they are journal keepers, ask them if they will share something with you.
• Avoiding questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no." (This is actually for your benefit, because if they can answer in one word, they will, and then you might find yourself getting just the tiniest bit frustrated...not that that’s ever happened to me!)

 

 3.  Find new ways to tell stories.

This layout

was inspired by a flex slip (the little blue paper in the layout) my daughter Haley left in the car one day. The flex slip is a print-out the students at her school get each day with their grades; if they don’t have any F’s they can have a longer lunch or do other activities. I thought it told quite a bit of her life at the time—her class schedule, the names of her teachers, her grades. I tossed in a playlist of songs she’d burned for her car and a few random facts about her activities at the time, and it felt like I captured some of her life.

Putting the layout together made me start to think about how objects tell stories. Of course there’s the ephemera of daily life: what do you find in your son’s pockets when you do the laundry? Under your kids’ beds or in their backpacks? But you can also tell the story of an object, like an outline of where a  favorite pair of shoes was worn, the history of a beloved soccer ball, a catalog of scratches and dents on a bike.

 

Some of the other write. click. scrapbook. members also set some journaling resolutions. Aliza’s explained hers:

One of my recent goals is to document stories about my parents. It's always easy to do layouts about my kids, because they are cute, and funny, and mine, and it's easy for me to tell them how much I love them.  But at some point I realized that I have lots of stories from the generation before me, that are just as important, and just as much a part of me as my children are.

She shared two layouts that illustrate her resolution:

Her resolution made me think about stories I haven't told yet, about my parents and my husband's and about the things I've learned from them.  

Celeste also has a journaling resolution: to forget the who, what, and where and focus more on the why and how, like she does here:

 

Focus more on the why and how: I think that is the perfectly succinct way to state the best path to significant journaling.

So! Tell us: what are your journaling resolutions and how will you accomplish them? I hope you’ll share!

Welcome, January!

Happy New Year!!

We hope that you all had a safe and a happy celebration as we watched the ball drop and the year change from 12 to 13. (Y2K seems like a distant memory as we move into the thirteenth year since we waited and paused wondering if our computers woul still turn on. While some of you won't remember the panic, for those that do, have you scrapbooked it? Hmm. Note to self: make a Y2K page.)

As we begin a new year, we want to tell you that we have some fun things in store for this next few months. Watch for some fun changes and additions! That's all we are saying for now... the excitement, the anticipation... (Note to self: write. click. scrapbook. is awesome!)

Did you all get signed up for Jessica Sprague's new Project Life class? If you haven't yet, click on over and check it out. It is a sure way to help you get off to a good start with your PL goals. (Note to self: take a moment and write out my 2013 goals.)

Are you excited for a new gallery? Goodness, it is a lovely one. Come see! (Note to self: get a sketchpad for jotting down ideas as inspiration strikes whilst looking through the gallery!)

 

This month, our theme is Note to Self. (Heehee! Did you see all the clues up above?) We were inspired by the Note To Self stamps we have been seeing and thought it would make a perfect theme for starting out our new year. We hope you enjoy our gallery filled with resolutions, understandings, and random thoughts. We hope you love it as much as we do!

As a reminder, if you would like to see the layouts in full size with the journaling provided, click over the photo album using the link in the column to the left! 

 

-ING Words | Francine Clouden

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Pink Paislee) + chipboard letters (American Crafts) + letter stickers (October Afternoon) + phrase stickers (Glitz Design) + journaling spots (Glitz Design) + die cuts (Anna Griffin) + vintage button + fabric yo-yo

A Note from Francine
This page was based on a blog post about all the action words at that particular time in my life. It's a great reminder to me all all that I do and enjoy.

 

Hey, You! | Aliza Deutsch

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico, American Crafts, My Mind’s Eye, October Afternoon, Crate Paper) + embellishments (Elle’s Studio, Evalicious, Studio Calico, October Afternoon, Pebbles, Cocoa Daisy) + stickers (Lily Bee Design, American Crafts, Jillibean Soup)

A Note from Aliza
This layout is a bit more frenetic than I am used to making. I even used three exclamation points! My, goodness, that’s a lot. But it’s a fun and playful layout, so it feels right here. This really is an ongoing goal for me, though; getting over (or just owning up to) “looking bad” in pictures, but also being assertive enough to hand over the camera and to give instructions.

January Fun Fact
I do hope it snows around here sometime this winter. I detest feeling cold, but I love winter weather. I just wear lots and lots of clothes. (Really, absurd amounts of layers.)

 

Everyday Adventures | Francine Clouden

z

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico, Crate Paper) + stickers (Authentique, Glitz Design) + chipboard stickers (Crate Paper) + acrylic stamp (Jenni Bowlin) + stamping ink (Ranger) + acrylic paint + ribbon

A Note from Francine
To make the painted background I used an expired gift card as a sort of palette knife to scrape acrylic paint on the page.

January Fun Fact
This year I do solemnly promise that I will get all my layouts into albums. Really!

 

read | Celeste Smith

12 x12 | materials stitching (Stitches and Pieces by The Doodle Queen ) + tape (Fabric Tape by Valorie Wibbens) + template (Transformers 14 by Lauren Reid at One Story Down) + kit (Mila's Spare Time by Peeps & Milo at One Story Down)

A Note from Celeste
This layout ,while not written like a note to myself, is a good reminder that once in awhile I need to just slow down and curl up with a good book!

January Fun Fact
Season 3 of Downton Abbey starts in a few days and I am beside myself with anticipation!

 

We Love Daddy | Marnie Flores

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper, elements (Echo Park) + frame (Crystal Wilkerson) + fonts (Century Gothic, Janda Silly Monkey, JB Cursive)

A Note from Marnie
I hit the jackpot on husbands. Truly. Oh, we have our troubles, please don't think me plastic, but I feel incredibly blessed to know what a wonderful father he is. This page is about my good fortune, as you never truly know how a young man will be as a father until he becomes one.

January Fun Fact
We have already had more snow that all of last year. This month, I am hoping to find a good sledding hill for my littles to learn the thrill of the whoosh!

 

quirk #47 | Celeste Smith

12 x 12 | materials Amy Jaz Jingle All the Way paper and elements at The Lilypad, Gina Miller Elf paper at The Lilypad, Amy Wolff Winter Washed paper at The Lilypad, Sahlin Studio Jolly Ole paper & elements, Sahlin Studio Trimming the Tree elements at The Lilypad, Little Butterfly Wings New Start elements at The Lilypad, Emily Merritt Big Number Week Cards at The Lilypad, Laurie Ann Reflecting Elements at The Lilypad

A Note from Celeste
This layout sprang out of one of the photos from my November 12 on the 12th photo collection. My lists are really my little notes to myself. I keep them everywhere and have no idea how I would function without them!

January Fun Fact
This year I'm resolving not to resolve!

 

Note to Self | Lisa Ottosson

A5 | materials patterned paper (Art Deco alpha with graph (here) +chevron printable/digital papers (here) + Peppermint Twist (here) + stickers (Pink Paislee) + accent (Printable Mason Jar here)

A Note from Lisa
This layout is going in my 2013 Project Life album as one of the start pages. I want to have it in there to remind me that I shouldn´t take anything for granted. After a year of losses (both my grandfather and grandmother) and other personal events, I need a reminder that life is fragile.

January Fun Fact
The A5 size is about half of a 8.5x11” paper and is my new size for the new year!

 

Joy Everyday | Katie Ehmann

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (American Crafts, KI Memories, Authentique) + embellishments (Simple Stories, Studio Calico, Darice, Inc) + stickers (Pebbles) + stamps (Studio Calico, American Crafts) + ink (Hero Arts) + die cutting machine (Silhouette Cameo)

A Note from Katie
This layout is all about me on 12/12/12. I took this photo at exactly 12:12pm and knew that I wanted to use it in my note to me layout. I love the touch of sparkle American Crafts POW papers and the sequins add, and it complemented my theme of joy.

January Fun Fact
I love snow for Christmas. But after Christmas, I’d be perfectly happy if it was 70 and sunny everyday. Too bad for me, though, because I live in the great white tundra that is Michigan, where winter lasts half the year!

 

Note to Self | Jennifer Larson

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Echo Park, Basic Grey, Studio Calico, October Afternoon) + cardstock (Stampin’ Up!, Bazzill) + embellishments (Studio Calico, Basic Grey, Pink Paislee, Queen & Company) + stickers (Basic Grey, Jenni Bowlin, October Afternoon) + punches (EK Successs) + sandpaper (Basic Grey) + floss (DMC) + templates (Bazzill, Stampin’ Up!)

A Note from Jennifer
My mother recently gave me a box filled with photos of myself as a child. I scanned them, so now when I want to do a layout about my childhood, I edit and print one of those photos to use. Here I reflect more on my life since my childhood, reflecting on some of my insecurities when I was a child as well as some of the things I wish I’d done differently or known when I was younger.

January Fun Fact
I love the month of January, even though it’s super cold here in Minnesota. It’s my birthday month!

 

Sushi | Kathy Martin

12 x 12 | < b>materials patterned paper (October Afternoon) + alphabet stickers (American Crafts) + accents (Maya Road)

A Note from Kathy
Note to self, if you don’t like something the first time you try it, don’t wait 25 years to try it again!

January Fun Fact
Surprisingly, even the hubs, who doesn’t like cooked fish and seafood, likes sushi! Go figure?!?!

 

Remember | Deb Duty

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (My Mind's Eye, Studio Calico, Basic Grey) + embellishments (Studio Calico, American Crafts) + stickers (Pebbles) + alpha (Basic Grey, Studio Calico, Cosmo Cricket) + stamps (Studio Calico)

A Note from Deb
This layout is about a very recent photo of my boys. When I was thinking about the theme for this month, I thought about this photo that I captured with phone. When I took the photo I was thinking about how I wanted to remember how much fun they were having together playing basketball and joking around.

January Fun Fact
I'm very excited to be attending my first CHA show this month!

 

Thoughts From Today | Valerie O'Neall

8.5 x 11 | materials cardstock (Wausau) + patterned paper (Crate Paper, My Mind's Eye, October Afternoon) + stamp (American Crafts) + flair (Ormolu) + wood veneer (Studio Calico) + enamel dots (My Mind's Eye) + chalk ink (Prima) + pen (Copic Multiliner) + Silhouette SD (fonts: Matchbook & Novocento Wide)

A Note from Valerie
I planned this layout in Silhouette Studio, loaded an 8.5 x 11 sheet into my Silhouette SD to cut out the title and phrase and built the layout around those two elements. I threw around the idea of adding photos, but decided to leave them out this time and make the layout completely about the journaling.

January Fun Fact
I'm so proud of my mom. She lost almost 70 pounds last year! Way to go, mom!

 

You Will Be | Jennie McGarvey

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Glitz Designs, KI Memories, American Crafts) + cardstock (Bazzill and American Crafts) + glitter paper (American Crafts) + embellishments (American Crafts, Studio Calico and Cosmo Cricket) + Washi Tape (Glitz Design)

A Note from Jennie
This layout features a photo of me when I was 2 years old with my Grandpa. This photo sits on my dresser and I look at it daily, and have, for basically all of my life. I have done a bit of deeper journaling (not too much!) and have hidden it in the glassine bag.

January Fun Fact
I do not drink warm beverages. Very, very occasionally a hot latte or hot chocolate, but that is rare!

 

Note to Self | Amy Coose

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Echo Park, Basic Grey, Studio Calico) + embellishments (Studio Calico, Silhouette Cameo, Prima) + tags (Chic Tags) + stickers (Washi from Freckled Fawn) + twine (The Twinery)

A Note from Amy
This layout was built around our Christmas card picture from this year. Seeing us all together reminded me how important it is to enjoy each and every moment we have together.

January Fun Fact
We always set New Year resolutions as a family, and promptly forget about them by the next week. I am hoping that posting it here on the wcs blog will help hold me accountable this year. :)

 

I am Brave | Diane Payne

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (American Crafts, Glitz, My Mind's Eye) + embellishments (American Crafts, A Flair for Buttons, My Mind's Eye) + stickers (Glitz, American Crafts) + stamps (American Crafts)

A Note from Diane
I love quotes so I thought it would be fun to feature a favorite one for the theme this month. It is a quote that I try to remember when I'm faced with doing something that I resist, simply because I'm afraid of the unknown. The title was inspired by the quote.

January Fun Fact
January always puts me in the mood to purge! Purging and organizing the things that make the cut always makes me feel so good.

 

Know This | Emily Spahn

8.5 x 11 | materials Gossamer Blue January kit: cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned paper (My Mind’s Eye, October Afternoon) + brads (My Mind’s Eye) + stickers (My Mind’s Eye) + chipboard (My Mind’s Eye, Studio Calico) + die cut (October Afternoon) + washi tape (My Mind’s Eye) + doily (Gossamer Blue)

A Note from Emily
It’s crazy to me that as of last month, it’s been 10 years since I graduated from college. Time has truly flown! I wanted to make a layout that included some things I’ve learned in the past ten years, as well as a bit of advice to my younger self!

January Fun Fact
We are the family that is busy, busy, busy every weekend from about June until December. We are constantly on the move. I LOVE January, because for the first time in ages, I can just relax on the weekends!

 

Remember This | Christine Newman

12 x 12 | materials "Happy Gram" digital kit (One Little Bird) + "Note To Self" digital kit (Echo Park) + fonts (Bebas, Lobster 2.0, Covered By Your Grace) + phone app (Incredibooth)

A Note from Christine
I love mixing things up with scrapbooking. I like doing all paper layouts, hybrid layouts, or all digital layouts. Since my last two gallery layouts were paper layouts, I decided to go with a digital one this time!

January Fun Fact
In January of 2011, I started a project called "New 52". I did at least one new thing each week and documented it on my blog. At the end of the year I had 52 blog posts of photos and stories of new adventures. It was fantastic!

 

Note to Self | Paula Gilarde

12 x 12 | materials LayerWorks No. 154 (Studio DD) +Alison kit (Maplebrook Studios) + Curled Journal Spots No. 6 (Katie Pertiet) + Readymade Journalers Note to Self (Studio DD) + Simple Collage Frames No. 1 (Katie Pertiet)

A Note from Paula
An emergency necessitating a call to the fire department resulted in me reverting back to my childhood - I called the number for emergency services in Ireland (999) instead of 911! I quickly discovered my mistake and dialed the correct number. The fire was out before the fire department got there.

January Fun Fact
I'm hoping to learn how to cross-country ski this year.

 

Eighteen Year Old Me | Christa Paustenbaugh

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned papers (Studio Calico, Simple Stories, Scenic Route) + die cuts (Elle’s Studio, Ormolu, Simple Stories, Evalicious for Cocoa Daisy) + stickers (Pebbles, Simple Stories) + button (American Crafts) + twine (Ormolu) + flair (Ormolu) + wood veneer (Studio Calico) + mist (Studio Calico)

A Note from Christa
As soon as I saw this month’s theme I knew exactly what I would do. Amazing how much you think you know at 18 when actually you know nothing! When I look at that photo from nearly 22 years ago I almost don’t remember her. Things definitely change and in my circumstance the change is good and a learning process too.

January Fun Fact
It’s a big month in our household – a Grandma is making the big journey across the Pacific to come visit us in Japan and while she’s here we get to celebrate my youngest daughter’s birthday. She rarely has anyone visit for her birthday since weather is so unpredictable so she is beside herself that grandma will be here!

 

Note to Self | Erin Sweeney

 8.5 x 11 materials patterned paper (Amy Tangerine/American Crafts, My Mind’s Eye) + embellishments (Ormolu) + stickers (American Crafts) + punch (EK Success) 

A Note from Erin
For me, it’s easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of day-to-day life: cleaning the house, running errands, making dinner, laundry, homework, activities and more before you know it bedtime is here and another day is gone. While those things are necessary, they’re not the important things, they can wait. The important thing is spending time with my family –p laying with my kids, being with my husband, all of us being together. And I know this. Yet it’s easy to forget it while doing all the aforementioned things. So my note to self is to remember what’s important, to put my family first, and to enjoy being with them.

 

Memories Shimmer | Amy Sorenson

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Basic Grey, Echo Park, My Mind's Eye) + alphabet stickers (Studio Calico) + alphabet stamps (Studio Calico) + stamping ink (ColorBox) + fonts (KG Ways to Say Goodbye, LD Remington Portable)

A Note from Amy
The idea for this layout's journaling came from a conversation I had with my mom last month, when I was feeling anxious about my Christmas-making efforts. By reminding me that it would all turn out OK, she helped me put things back into perspective and calmed my nerves. I hope I can do the same sort of things for my kids as they turn into adults---but now it's written down just in case!

January Fun Fact
Last January was fairly pathetic, snow-wise, around here. I am SO hoping for lots of snow this year!

 

Note | Kelly Jeppson

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper, felt snowflake (Stampin' Up) + crepe paper + book page + felt embellishment (K&Company) + letter stickers (American Crafts)

A Note From Kelly
Sometimes I have to be more like my daughter, Josie, who always has something to celebrate. This is my little reminder that "There's always something to celebrate."

January Fun Fact
I got a new computer for Christmas! And a root canal. One of them is more fun than the other.

 

Note to Self | Marnie Flores

12 x 12 | materials paper, notecards (Crystal Wilkerson) + fonts (TwoPeas Magic Marker, Jenna Sue, KG Ray of Sunshine)

A Note from Marnie
I'm so aghast that I have been missing from my photo albums. I used to teach CKCs and my biggest mantra was be in more photos. Be in more photos. And yet... Sheesh. The good news is that my 8 year old got a camera for Christmas so now there are two of us taking pictures!

January Fun Fact
Today we begin a new 52 books in 52 weeks! I began the effort two years ago, and haven't made it all the way there yet, so maybe this will be the year!

 

just remember | Lisa Ottosson

8.5 x 11 | materials patterned paper (American Crafts) + font (Blackout) + stickers (Panduro Hobby)

A Note from Lisa
This layout came to be the very last one I did 2012. My life forever changed just before Christmas and I felt like I needed to do another “Note to self” page. This time with a message that all will be ok, eventually.

I added a small journaling tag to the page with some hidden journaling behind the photo. I went looking for something to bling out the tag with and happened upon a pair of vintage earrings I thrifted a while ago. I simply attached it like I would a brad and cut of the stem on the back, preventing it from poking holes in my album.

January Fun Fact
I am so ready to start a new year!!!

 

Thank you for stopping by! Happy New Year!!

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!

write.

Lately I’ve been re-reading the book A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman. It’s a fairly remarkable book that explores each of the five senses—sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. It’s reminded me of just how necessary it is to include sensory details in our journaling.

Why necessary?

Well, first consider this thought from Ackerman’s book:

There is no way in which to understand the world without first detecting it through the radar-net of our senses. . . [they] don’t just make sense of life in bold or subtle acts of clarity, they tear reality apart into vibrant morsels and reassemble them into a meaningful pattern.

It is through our senses that we understand and experience the world—so when we include sensory details in our journaling, we help the person reading it experience what we are writing about (a trip to the zoo, a moment in time, a birthday celebration, an injury, a funny story) along with us.

Sensory details (words that describe how something looks, tastes, sounds, feels, or smells) bring an immediacy to journaling that cannot come in any other way. They help readers to imagine something similar to what is in your head, because they also add specifics: a flower can be pretty, for example, but how do you see "pretty" in your head? But if the flower is violet, with a tinge of green on the tips and a delicate scent like powdered sugar—you can start to imagine that flower. (I'd like to plant it in my yard!)

When you are thinking about your journaling, spend some time on the sensory details. A carnival, for example, wouldn’t be a carnival without its alluring and mysterious combination of scents—the hot smell of the grease on the rides’ gears, someone’s cigarette smoke and someone else’s sun screen and, underlining everything, the sweetness of cotton candy.

"Smell," wrote Helen Keller, "is a potent wizard that transports us across thousands of miles and all the years we have lived." Though it might be the truest for smell—which is the sense most closely associated with memory in our brains—it goes for the others as well. Engage the reader’s and you bring her along whatever miles or years you need to in order to get to the one experience you’re describing.

Most of the time, sensory details are woven into the fabric of the writing, like here:

 
(the holidays are full of sensory experiences!)

In this layout’s journaling, the sensory details include touch (warm, silky, squishy), sight (the twinkly lights that sparkle off glittery ornaments), and scent (the dusty air from the heater). They help tell the story without being the point of the story.

Other times, you might try writing just about the sensory details, like Aliza did in this layout about the textures she discovered during a trip to Israel. I love how her photographs, supplies, and design all connect with her journaling—which includes touch and sight—in a thematic way.

In my layout, I wanted to focus just on the scents that go along with autumn:

Writing about the sensory details is a great way to develop journaling for photos you're not sure what to journal about. They help your journaling sparkle—but the thinking and writing itself will help you remember more than you think. So that's today's Write. challenge:

Grab a photo or a group of photos you want to scrap but aren't sure how to journal about.

Spend a few minutes thinking about either the textures or the scents associated with something from the photos.

Write some journaling that focuses on those sensory details.

As always, I'd be delighted if you linked us up to your words and stories.

The Christmas Book of December Days

Hi, it's Amy Sorensen, and I’m starting my post today with a confession:

December Daily albums and I don’t get along.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m an admirer. A fan, even. Of other people’s December Daily albums. I love the concept. I love the notion of capturing the little moments that make December so beloved. I love the thought of all those moments kept in one space.

I just don’t know how anyone manages to ever finish one.

I mean, here it is, only December 5, and already I feel like I’m running out of time before December 25. Only twenty days away! I still have tons of shopping left to do. Neighbor gifts. A family photo shoot. I need to write our Christmas card, make the photo calendar for my husband, and wrap all those presents I haven’t bought yet. Make fudge and caramel, bake sugar cookies and candy cane cookies and minty-triple-chocolate cookies. Help my mom get her tree decorated, figure out stocking stuffers, and find the chocolate oranges without which Christmas would not be Christmas.

I can’t seem to fit much scrapbooking into December. Aside from the photos for the cards and the calendar, Photoshop doesn’t get opened. My supplies get dusty. I get antsy from the lack of creativity. And I am awed by those of you who make (and finish!) December Daily albums.

But I also remain enamored of the concept: capturing little moments, the experiences which add depth and breadth to Christmas but can get lost in the drama of The Big Day.

So I came up with a way to capture little moments. Little tiny moments. This isn’t elaborate; it’s simple and straightforward and quick and entirely doable in the frenetic pace my life takes on in December: 

This is my book of December days. It’s a perpetual calendar for the next ten years’ worth of Decembers. There is a page for each day in December (embellished with a quote about Christmas or the holiday spirit) and a little space to write what we did on that day each year. Nothing enormous, just a small, simple pleasure or two from the day:

 

It fits in a little 4x6 1-up albums I picked up at Target last January on clearance for fifty cents. (I checked; Target still carries them!) Once all 31 days of cards are in the album, there are exactly enough pages left for ten photos (if I use the inside back cover), so each year I’ll slide in one family or absolutely favorite photo from that December.

And that’s it: a simple way of documenting my family’s December in a method even I can manage!

 

I’ve only written in my Christmas book of December days four times (as today is the fifth and who knows what it will bring!), but I’ve discovered an unexpected perk: I’m finding myself paying more attention, watching for the thing I want to include for that day. So far, nothing big or earth-shattering.

(I've even already had to abbreviate!) But I like the idea of slowly filling in the slots, creating a document of little memories I’d otherwise lose.

 

Want to make your own Christmas Book of December Days? Here’s how:

1.   Find six 12x12 sheets of holiday-esque patterned paper that is subtle enough to be printed on. (I used the b-side of THIS Basic Grey paper.) You could use a bunch of different scraps (you’d need a total of 17 4x12 scraps), six coordinating sheets from the same manufacterer, or six of the same pattern. Up to you!

2. Cut each sheet into one 4x12 and one 8x12 piece.

3. Download the PDF printable: Christmas book of december days.

4.  Print pages 1-6 on each of the 6 8x12 pieces you cut in step 2.

5. Print pages 7-12 on the same pieces from step 4, only feed them in the opposite direction. (So you are printing on the bottom, empty space. The direction you feed into your printer will vary depending on your printer.)

6. Print pages 13-17 on each of the 4x12 pieces you cut in step 2. (You’ll have one 4x12 piece left over.)

7. Print pages 18-21 on the same pieces from step 6, only feed them in the opposite direction.

8. Create the cover by using the cardboard insert that comes in the album. Cover each side with the printed 4x6 Title and Intro pages (pages 20 and 21 in the PDF file) and embellish the left over half inch as you wish. (I used the little patterned strip on the paper’s selvage.)

9. Using the piece you have left and whatever embellishments you want, cover both sides of the back cardboard insert. (You'll be using the inside side of this back cover in 2021 for your family or absolute-favorite photo, so plan accordingly!)

10. Stick everything into the album pages.

(The printing is a little bit laborious but it allows you to use every inch of a 12x12 sheet of patterned paper. You can skip steps 4-7 if you have a wide format printer by downloading this 12x12 file instead: Christmas book of december days 12x12, and then just push "print"!)

Another thing I’ve enjoyed so far: flipping through the pages and thinking about how my family might change during the next ten years. What will our lives be like in five or seven or ten years? How will we change? I’m excited to see, and happy to know little pieces of it will be documented along the way.