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I don´t know about you, but I am sure ready for some color and happy things happening now after the long month of January. Why is it that I always think that January is the longest month of the year?! I thought I would give you some inspiration on how to take some photos of things or people for that matter, that makes you happy.

I have sets at Flickr that are called Happy things (insert year here). In those sets I include many random photos that makes me happy for some reason. It can be because that person makes me happy or in the example above, I was so amazed and happy about our giant rhubarbs!

I often turn to photography when I am feeling down. Setting out on a mission to find things that makes me feel better. I find comfort in going outside and I open my eyes to the magic that is nature. Some times I find things that is obvious like the sky or a view.

I used some of my wandering photos on this layout. 

But sometimes my eye catches something small or something that needs me to crouch down in the wet grass to be able to capture it. And let me tell you, getting a little wet to get that photo is so worth it!

Other times I go on a hunt for happy things around the house. It can be a peek trough a window, a shelf, the sun shining into the livingroom or simply a clean table.

Jennifer made a page about her beloved iPhone :) 

See, small things can make us happy!

Francine send me this layout and I love the photos!

 

The lovely smiles in Erins layout makes me happy! 

 

 I hope that this post sparks you to look around you and capture what makes you happy right now!

 

 

 

Valentine's Week Day Three

Thank you for coming back for day three in our Valentine's week celebration! Today we are focusing on ways we can use our supplies and talents to help bring a little love into our home decor.

 

Katie is up first with a sweet and simple banner. Made with dictionary paper, patterned paper hearts, a few beads, and some ribbon, this is something that we could all make! 

If you look closely, you can see the ribbon is stapled on. 

 

Diane is up next with a bit of loveliness for your wall. A printer tray would work well for this, no?

I love the hanging heart with a key. It makes it almost feel like a cuckoo clock--one of my favorite childhood fascinations.

 

If you have a lonely shelf, Katie's birdhouse would be a terrific spot of color and design.

 

Have you stopped by Lisa's blog lately? If you did, you will certainly have noticed her intricate craftiness in this pieced and quilted paper heart.

Here is a closeup so you can see just how carefully and perfectly it is put together. Lisa, you are amazing!

 

 

Speaking of intricate details, Francine cut up little bits of paint chips and arranged them as a mosaic inside the outline of a heart.

You can see the names of the colors on this shot. I bet lots of us have a stack of these from a few years back when we all thought we should put them on our pages!

 

Kelly had a delightful date with mod podge this week, and we are so glad! What treasures these will be year after year.

 

The ribbons on this box are so well matched. The variations in color, and texture make such a subtle statement. And then the heart shaped button... mmm...

 

Kelly also created a fabulous wall canvas. Book papers, stamps, buttons--things we all have on hand. Isn't it lovely?

I also spy a sweet garland in the photo! Strung together with little rings. I love that, too!

 

LisaO made a most wonderful gift for her daughter. Using a Sharpie, she wrote all sorts of things she loves about her sweet angel on this mug. Just don't forget to bake it at 350 degrees for an half hour!

 

Lastly, I did what I do best, used some fonts and graphics to make a poster for a frame. Here is mine.

I hope that these give you some ideas for adding a bit of love-ing love-liness to your love-ly homes on this day of love!

Valentine's Week Day Two

The first year that Nigel went to school I sent him in with homemade Valentines. And he came home with a box filled with store bought Valentines and treats. Yes, treats. I had no idea that Valentine's exchanges included treats. I only made that mistake once!!

Now, every year, I make a printable valentine, and we make treats to give. One year we made brownies, cut them into hearts and put a cherry juju heart on top. Mmm.

 

The next year, was brownies again. Though I suppose cupcakes might have been expected from the design we picked for the valentines.

 

This year my Lavender's class is not going to be brownies. She has sixty four allergies in her class. No, I'm teasing. Not that many. But she does have dairy, egg, wheat, tree nut, and coconut oil allergies. The list of food options is small so we are taking the easy route, fruit. I test drove all sorts of "pun-ny" sayings but ended up with the expected oranges and apples. Not too creative, I know, but will still make for a cute enough treat topper.

If you would like to use either of these valentines, you may download them here (oranges) and here (apples).

 

Once I made one (two :) ) corny treat toppers, I couldn't resist doing one for the non-allergy class as well. 

They should attach wonderfully to this year's brownie selection, what e'er it turns out to be. And would you like it? It's here if you do.

 

For her sweet littles, Katie cut double heart cards with her Cameo. Then the girls glued them to doilies, embellished them, and wrote their names on the insides.

I love how girly they are! A perfect fit for her bitty darlings.

 

Francine has a two fun ideas for Valentines you could make with your youngster. 

These Valentines were made from paper handpainted by her little boy. Clever, no?

 

Or you can just paint the whole hand! Finger painting at its finest!

Have you planned your Valentine's class cards yet? I hope these ideas help you with your class cards!

 

Thank you for stopping today! I appreciate your coming by. Tomorrow we will feature a bit of home decor. Hope to see you then!

Write! Saturday

I confess: Valentine’s Day is my absolute least-favorite holiday. (You can read HERE if you’re curious as to why!  ) I don’t like overly-sentimental novels or schmaltzy love cards, and romantic movies have to work really hard at avoiding cheesiness before I’ll watch them. I think I’m allergic to sappiness.

Now that I’ve perhaps painted myself as a crusty anti-romance Scrooge, let me also confess: even I am not immune to the February explosion of hearts and roses. All the Valentine’s Day hoopla reminds me that it’s important to make a record of our love stories of all kinds—the romantic sort, of course, but also the love between parent and child, between siblings or parents or friends.

But, holy cow, have you ever sat down to write about how you feel about someone? It’s hard to write it without sounding mushy! (Which makes me admire even more the writers—of novels, screenplays, poetry, and yes, even cards—who manage it.) For example, think about how you feel about your husband. How do you put it into words? Writing "I love you" doesn’t really convey what you mean, and adding modifiers ("I love you SO MUCH!!!) doesn’t change it. So sometimes we go to cliched language: "I love you so much my heart just wants to burst!" And then your pinkie’s reaching for the backspace key because that doesn’t really say it either.

It’s hard!

Here’s the strange thing about writing about emotion: one of the best ways to do it (without getting trapped in sentimentality) is to not to describe the emotion. Instead, try writing about something specific and concrete that evokes the emotion. Let’s go back to how you feel about your husband. You love him, but "love" is pretty generic. So, get specific: the emotion that fills you up when you see him doing something altogether ordinary for you, like taking the garbage can to the curb. There’s not really a word for that emotion, but something specific about the emotion can convey what you feel: you could write about how it builds on pieces of your history (that fight your once had about the garbage can, maybe) or what he knows about you (you’re just never dressed early enough to get it out on time) or what it reveals about him (he’d never let a Tuesday go by without dragging the can to the curb), and you’ll have written about how you love him without, possibly, ever even having used the word "love." The concrete (things we can see, hear, touch, taste, smell) and the specific (not "I love you because you’re helpful" but "I love you because you make sure our garbage can always gets dumped") bring emotion to real and sincere expression.

Without cheesiness!

So! Here area few specific and concrete ideas to help you write your love stories:

 

1.  Write about something you say that expresses emotion.

Whenever my teenagers leave for a night out, I send them with a little cash, a hug, and this admonition: "Don't kiss any girls!" (or boys, as the case calls for!) Those four words stand in for the 5-minute-long talking to I'd like to send them off with, something about not doing anything stupid and trying to make good choices and not drinking anything they shouldn't and definitely not smoking anything at all and not getting in cars with drivers they don't trust and be good and strong and oh yeah, have fun and I love you. None of which they want to hear but all of which must be conveyed, and I've said my "don't kiss any boys" phrase for so long it stands in for everything else.

We all have things we say in our relationships that stand in for what we really feel but might not be able to say. Recording them on a layout is a great way to express how you feel about a person without getting too mushy. Here's a layout about a little ditty I still sing to my now-7-year-old son:

 

2.  Write about something your relationship is teaching you.

I believe that the shape our relationships take is formed by the experiences we have within them, both good and bad. If we pay attention we can always learn something about improving them. What is something you are learning right now in one of your relationships? Here, I journaled about my marriage and its current knowledge:

 

 

3.  Write about a memory that is a touchstone in your relationship.

Love is also built on memory, and some of those memories we return to over and over. Because we revisit the important ones, they take on even more significance. Writing about the memory and why it is important to you is a form of expressing your affection. What memory is particularly important to you in one of your relationships? Francine shared this layout about the last time she nursed her son, with a photo of one of the first times:

 

And I wrote about a memory from a trip that continues to remind me of what's important:

 

 

Christa wrote about the contrast between her memories and her reality:

 

4.  Write about a habit the other person has that has become endearing to you.

Sometimes habits are annoying. Sometimes they just don't get noticed very much. But they definitely help to define a person, and you taking notice of them is a way of making them important.

I wrote about my daughter's tendency to make puns:

(I realized as I was making this layout that I've never written any of her puns down. So I left all that blank space on the bottom for writing in future puns.)

 

5.   Write about one small and specific thing that the person does which you love.

Remember: specific things express emotion better than emotional words do. What is something one of your special people does right now (these things are sometimes fleeting!) that makes you feel loved? Journal about it!

Here, I fully intended to write about how my son Nathan is always willing to let me have a bite of what he is eating. I ended up feeling like writing about something completely different, so I went with the inspiration instead of the goal:

 

Lisa wrote a list of specific things she loves about her daughter:

 

While Aliza wrote a paragraph of them about her son:

 

6.  Finish this sentence: I love you as much as _______________.

This prompt comes from the children’s book I Love You as Much...by Laura Krauss Melmud. It uses specific things (animals and the things they love) to express how the mom feels for her new baby. It's really a sort of magical prompt if you let yourself get carried away with it—the concreteness of the objects you're using bring a vividness to the journaling because we can imagine them in our heads. This was one of my kids' favorite board books, but Kaleb loved it especially. I used the rhythm of the book to infuse my silly rhymes with a similar beat:

 

(Instead of Melmud's animal images, I used objects that are common to our autumn experiences.)

 

And Valerie finishes us up with this layout that also makes a comparison:

Make sure to share with us one of your love stories.

 

Welcome, February!

Thank you for joining us! We are so excited to be here and to share with you our new gallery. We have some amazing things in the works this month and can't wait to show you.

The first new feature that we have is that each month we will be bringing you a cut file for you! They will share the theme of our gallery hoping you will be inspired to create your own gallery layout. Here is this month's file.Isn't it awesome? Isn't Christine awesome? If you would like the cut file, you may download it here. And if you do, please be sure to leave a comment below thanking Christine for sharing her talents with us!

Our next surprise will be coming mid-month. Be sure to check back often! Or better yet, if you subscribe to our page, then it will automatically pop up in your inbox!

Enough, enough, you cry, please show us the gallery...

 

Conversations

This month, our gallery is entitled, "Conversations." We were hoping to provide you opportunity and desire to put together a page or two based upon the funny things your kids say, or those conversations that you have every day, or one that changed your life. Your phone is filled with short back and forths if you are a texter. Have you thought to take a screen shot? How about having a notebook in your purse to record those hilarious things that you hear in your car? Or maybe something someone said to you once changed your life forever. This month we hope to inspire you to write these things done, and record your memories. Add a photo, or not, and you will have a page that will bring smiles and reminders for years to come.

Without further ado, our new gallery. as a friendly reminder, If you would like to see them larger and to read the journaling notes, please head over to the Conversation Gallery photo album.

 

Since When | Aliza Deutsch

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (American Crafts, My Mind’s Eye, October Afternoon, Jillibean Soup) + embellishments (Pebbles, Elle’s Studio) + stickers (American Crafts-Amy Tangerine)
 
A Note from Aliza
I just love the pure emotion in these photos. It is simply pure excitement for Chanukah presents.

 

Live, Laugh, Love & Eat Cookies | Aliza Deutsch

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico, American Crafts, Pink Paislee, Echo Park Paper Co.) + embellishments (Ormolu, Elle’s Studio, Studio Calico, Doodlebug Designs, Crate Paper, American Crafts, My Mind’s Eye) + stickers (Basic Grey, October Afternoon)

A Note from Aliza
This layout is about a topic that is near and dear to me. I also love cake.

February Fun Fact
According to every TV show and magazine article ever, I am supposed to love shoes. But I usually wear the same shoes every day. I do, however, change my rings to match my outfit.

 

crazy circular car conversation #576 | Celeste Smith

12 x 12 | materials kit (Retrospective by One Little Bird at The Lilypad) + masks (Cut.It.Out by Robyn Meierotto at Pixels & Company) + stitching (In Stitches Neutral by Robyn Meierotto at Pixels & Company, Bad Sewing Machine Basics by Traci Reed at Sweet Shoppe Designs) + sticker (One for the Road kit by Dani Mogstad at Jessica Sprague) + font (Another Typewriter)

A Note from Celeste
I wrote this conversation down down the minute I returned home. so I could stay pretty true to the craziness! It's hard to give both boys the attention they need when our conversations go like this!

February Fun Fact
Winter break quickly approaches and while the others in my house are excited about going to New Hampshire to ski, I'm excited about going to New Hampshire to read!

 

In Every Conversation | Lisa Ottosson

8.5 x 11 | materials patterned paper (American Crafts) + stickers (American Crafts Thickers, My Little Shoebox mini stickers)

A Note from Lisa
I was so happy that this theme came to be, because I really needed a kick in the you-know-what to record the way my daughter includes something about her favorite boyband One Direction in just about every conversation!

February Fun Fact
I don´t really like the music of One Direction, but since my daughter listens to them constantly, I know many of the words to them.

 

It is My Dream To Slap A Gorilla | Jennie McGarvey

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (American Crafts) + stickers (Pebbles and American Crafts) + Embellishments (Hello Forever, clip & sequins unknown) + Stamps (Studio Calico) + ink (Studio Calico)

A Note from Jennie
This layout just makes me laugh. When Sawyer told me one of his dreams was to slap a gorilla, I knew I wanted to remember this silliness forever.

February Fun Fact
I am currently addicted to grids and find myself wanting to use them on every project!

 

Grass Wonderland | Katie Ehmann

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Crate Paper) + embellishments (Crate Paper) + stickers (Crate Paper) + typerwriter (Royal) + Silhouette Cameo + sewing machine

A Note from Katie
This layout was inspired by a conversation between my youngest daughter and me after a 60 degree day that wiped out all our snow. I used fun, bright patterns and colors to complement my photo. And lots of layering.

February Fun Fact
I am slightly obsessed with vintage right now and plan to slowly turn our home décor into a 40s-60s kitch-fest. Don’t tell my husband ;-)

 

This is so You | Diane Payne

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico, Basic Grey, My Mind's Eye, Simple Stories, American Crafts, KI) + embellishments (Studio Calico, American Crafts, Hello Forever) + stickers (KI Memories)

A Note from Diane
The photos in the this layout perfectly capture the carefree spirit of my daughter. I brainstormed with my daughter and husband to come up with the phrases/quotes I included and feel that I really captured her personality.

February Fun Fact
I like to purge and organize things, especially in January! I'll make several trips to the Container Store looking for the perfect organizational system for my things.

 

What Dominic Says | Jennifer Larson

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Simple Stories, American Crafts) + die cut paper (KI Memories) + vellum (Studio Calico) + embellishments (Studio Calico, My Mind’s Eye, American Crafts) + stickers (KI Memories, October Afternoon) + photography (Junglefish Studios)

A Note from Jennifer
My son is a champion of memorable words. I’ve made many pages about his aphorisms, and this story that I record on this page made me think I should pull every page I’ve made about his turns of phrase and put them in a separate album. I mean, I can’t argue with “Pancakes are not pancakes without bacon”!

February Fun Fact
My son, whose birthday is in February, was born one month after my birthday.

 

You & Me | Francine Clouden

12x12 | materials Patterned paper (basicGrey) + transparent letter stickers (Amy Tangerine, American Crafts) + die cuts (Studio Calico) + stamps (Studio Calico) + arrow Thickers (American Crafts) + button (Studio Calico) + mini file folder (BasicGrey) + paperclip + baker's twine

A Note from Francine
This page looks complicated but was very easy to put together because I used a patterned paper from Basic Grey with all the pre-printed layers you see behind the photo! This conversation with Kieran is one we have been having a lot lately, as Kieran tries to work out personal pronouns.

February Fun Fact
I ate the entire box of Belgian chocolates my mother-in-law gave us for Christmas. Time to start back using the Wii Fit!

 

So Happy | Amy Sorenson

12x12 | materials patterned paper (My Mind's Eye) + stamps (Close to my Heart) + stamping ink (ColorBox) + washi (Target) + fabic + twine + Alegreya and Bemio fonts

A Note from Amy
I hope I'm not the only one who does this...but I love scrapping Christmas photos in January. It makes me feel like I'm able to revisit the holidays. Honestly? January is pretty much the only time I get any Christmas photos scrapped at all. I wrote down this sweet thing that Kaleb said on a scrap of wrapping paper so I wouldn't forget it!

February Fun Fact
Valentine's Day is my least-favorite holiday. Someone might even call me a Valentine's-Day scrooge and be pretty accurate! Luckily my anniversary is on the 13th, so we celebrate that instead.

 

He Said, She Said | Valerie O'Neall

8.5 x 11 | materials cardstock (Neenah) + stamps (Ormolu) + mist (Studio Calico) + ink (VersaMark & Memento) + embossing powder (American Crafts) + washi (October Afternoon) + fabric brad (Crate Paper) + enamel dots (My Mind's Eye) + other (vintage typewriter , Sharpie, & hole reinforcers)

A Note from Valerie
My son is so observant and this layout depicts just one little story about it. First thing I did to create this layout was journal on the cardstock with my typewriter. Next I stamped and embossed, then added the mist, photo, and embellishments. It all came together rather quickly.

February Fun Fact
My birthday is in February. This is the year I get to say bye-bye to the twenties.

 

Our Last Conversation | Christine Newman

(12 x 12) | materials cardstock (Gmund, American Crafts, Bazzill) + patterned paper (BasicGrey) + embellishments (My Mind's Eye, Pink Paislee, Simple Stories Sn@p) + twine (The Twinery) + stamps (Evalicious, Technique Tuesday, Ormolu) + ink (Ranger JBS, Prima) + digital graphics (Miss Tiina) + die-cut machine (Silhouette) + sewing machine (Brother) + thread (Coats & Clark)

A Note from Christine Newman
This is the first layout I've ever created about the last conversation I had with my mom before she passed away from cancer. Every time I thought about what I would journal for this layout, I started crying. Even though it's been six years since she's been gone, it's still hard for me to think about our precious past conversation.

February Fun Fact
My husband's birthday is in February. The Super Bowl is usually in February as well. So the past two years we've had a combined birthday + Super Bowl party called "Super Todd"!

 

Silly Things You Say | Emily Spahn

8.5 x 11 | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico) + embellishments (American Crafts, Kikkerland, Studio Calico, Pretty Little Studio) + stickers (American Crafts) + cardstock (Bazzil)

A Note from Emily
My daughter is constantly saying hilarious things – things that probably are not funny to anyone else, but she is always cracking us up! I loved these quote bubble sticky notes! They worked perfectly to document her funnies!

February Fun Fact
I got married in a town that has a “famous” groundhog. One year for Groundhog’s Day we went to a big celebration in his honor. We got to see him make his prediction and then enjoyed snacks and games…we even bought a groundhog shaped cookie cutter. It was all very random… ;)

 

Super Panty I Christa Paustenbaugh

8.5 X 11 | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned papers (October Afternoon, Bo Bunny) + stickers (Bella Blvd, Sassafras Lass) + brads (October Afternoon) + die cut (Evalicious) + flair (Ormolu) + twine (Ormolu) + tape (Bella Blvd) + die cut machine (Silhouette)

A Note from Christa
Our youngest child Ella can both make us see red and make us laugh until we are red within a 2 minute period. We nearly wet ourselves laughing at her when she came downstairs dressed like this. We asked her “what are you supposed to be?” and her reply – “You know! I’m SUPER PANTY”! And quickly posed for obligatory photos!

February Fun Fact
I can sing the Monster High theme song in my sleep, while I cook and during a run because I have heard it so. Many. Times. I’m ready for the next phase and fad!

 

Hello Daddy| Keshet Starr

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico, KI Memories, craft supply) + embellishments (October Afternoon) + stickers (Basic Grey, Jenni Bowlin Studio, Crate Paper, craft supply)

A Note from Keshet
My little one can’t talk yet, but her expressions show all of her conversation!

February Fun Fact
I’m afraid of my basement in the dark!

 

Words | Paula Gilarde

12 x 12 | materialscardstock (Core'dinations & Bazzill) + kraft paper (Jillibean Soup)+ twine (Jillibean Soup) + watercolor paper + stickers (American Crafts) + Stencil (Crafters Workshop) + rub on (Hambly) + stamps (Studio G) + Digital Element (Katie Pertiet digital frame)

A Note from Paula
My daugher is 10 years old but I've held on to a scrap of paper where I wrote down the words she knew at 18 months. I stopped keeping count at 50! She has a lot more hair now :)

 

Basketball | Jennie McGarvey

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico, Fancy Pants Designs) + embellishments (Jenni Bowlin, October Afternoon, Studio Calico) + stickers (Pebbles)

A Note from Jennie
This layout was prompted after I received this email from my son's basketball coach. This was not the first time I'd received a message like this, so I decided it was definitely part of his story. I thought that a layout that included a screenshot of an email was perfect for the conversations theme -- and I was excited to have this part of his life documented.

 

Hello Today | Amy Coose

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico, Basic Grey, Echo Park) + embellishments (Studio Calico, Echo Park, Hello Forever) + tags (Chic Tags) + Silhouette Cameo

A Note from Amy
This layout was based around my new form of communication with my teenager and tween.

February Fun Fact
I don't really like the way conversation hearts taste, but I will eat them by the handful if I have them around. 

 

Handsome (even when filthy) | Kelly Jeppson

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Doodlebug Designs, Ranger) + embellishments (Doodlebug Designs)

A Note from Kelly
This layout uses a photo that I took when my oldest came home from Cub Scout Camp last summer, covered in dirt from head to toe.

February Fun Fact
I love making Valentines and sugar cookies, but I'm not really into mushy romantic stuff. The most romantic present my husband ever gave me was a mix-tape he made of songs he thought I would like (back when we had tape players!).

 

How You Ask | Sarah Pendergrast

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (American Crafts) + embellishments (American Crafts, Studio Calico, KI Memories, Basic Grey, Jenni Bowlin) + stickers (Jenni Bowlin, Basic Grey, October Afternoon)

A Note from Sarah
This layout is just about a fun and playful conversation we had repeatedly leading up to getting our first dog. My husband would like to state, for the record, that he is not as gullible as the journaling makes him sound!

February Fun Fact
My 80 pound (and growing) puppy thinks she’s a lap dog!

 

I'm Gonna Marry | Erin Sweeney

8.5 x 11 | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico, Basic Grey) + embellishments (American Crafts) + stickers (Jillibean Soup, Heidi Swapp, American Crafts) 

A Note from Erin
I’m not sure what led up to the conversation I overheard my girls having in their room, but it must have been good to lead up to the snippet I caught from the stairs!

February Fun Fact
This month I’m Tackling the Tower in Cleveland and racing up 38 flights of stairs. Okay, so racing is exaggerating. More like just trying to make it to the top without my legs collapsing beneath me. :)

 

CHA 2013 | Deb Duty

8.5 x 11 | materials patterned paper (Echo Park, Basic Grey, Studio Calico, My Mind's Eye) + embellishments (Freckled Fawn, Studio Calico, My Mind's Eye ) + letter stickers (Simple Stories)

A Note from Deb
I was inspired by the theme of conversations to make a layout about my new friend, Suzy. We hit it off and had a great time together at CHA and never had enough time to say everything we wanted to say!

February Fun Fact
I am now starting my fourth year of Project Life. I still love it and treasure my albums more than any of my other scrapbooks. I have lots of fun making regular layouts too. Project Life allows me to make fun layouts about any subject I want because the everyday moments are already documented.

 

He Said She Said | Christine Newman

12 x 12 | materials Once Upon A Story digital kit (Lili Niclass & Emily Merritt) + Bokeh Overlays (Leora Sanford) + fonts (Capture It, Pupcat)

A Note from Christine
I tried to make this layout resemble a comic book page with my photo processing and speech bubbles.

February Fun Fact
I don't have an iPhone or Android phone. I hope to get one this year. My Blackberry is cramping my Project Life everyday documenting plans.

 

Tart Business | Marnie Flores

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Libby Pritchett, Lori Whitlock, Creativity by Crystal) + elements (Libby Pritchett, Lori Whitlock) + button, ribbons (Libby Pritchett) + fonts (Ostrich Sans Rounded, Century Gothic CK Chloe, KG Ray of Sunshine, KG Payphone, KG Seven Sixteen)

A Note from Marnie
I love that this layout is about Cherry Limeade and that I used a kit with the same name!

February Fun Fact
This month will the quietest month for us until June. Which will then be the quietest until next February. I only wish this month had 45 days!

 

Before we go, we must say goodbye to three team members. Vivian Masket, Emily Pitts, and Kathy Martin are all leaving us this month. They will be missed. Kathy's use of color and her attention to detail are second to none. Emily and Vivian have been with us since the beginning. Emily with her quirky pages and mazing sense of color and design. Vivian with her thoughtful pages with precision execution and stylistic balance. Both have been an integral part of our team, providing much more than just great pages. WCS will not be the same without them.  Thank you, sweet friends, for sharing your lives with us these past four years!

 

Thank you for visiting us today! We hope you have enjoyed our gallery. Remember we enjoy hearing from you and reading your comments!

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!

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!

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!!

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!