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In Review

With just one week left this month, it is that time again. That time where we take one last look at the gallery before we celebrate a new one. Shall we begin?

 

This month we celebrated all things daily. Routines. Repeat adventures. The tedious. The average. The little things that fill our days and our lives. To make our lookback more educational, we have included a tip that you can use to help you better understand what makes a great page. We hope you enjoy the last look.

Hope you enjoyed our gallery walk! Until next month...

A Week of Tutorials | A Simple Hybrid Scrapbook Page

Hi again everyone and Happy Friday! Today I’ll show you how you can use digital elements and a circle punch to create the simple layout below.

 

 

 

Digital Elements used:

Sophistication Journaling Tags by Sara Schmutz at Design House Digital

Daisy Jane Paper Bits by Carina Gardner (no longer available)

Kraft Cardstock by Audrey Neal (no longer available)

Paper elements used:

White Cardstock

Mat Photo Paper

Letter stickers

Flower or other accent

2 ” or other Circle Punch
Step 1

In Photoshop, resize the journaling tags so that they will fit your punch. Then arrange them on a letter size document. Use kraft cardstock as a background so that when the non-circular elements are punched they will have a kraft portion showing instead of plain photo paper

Add the journaling strip as shown. I rotated it by 90 degrees to get it to fit on the sheet.

2. Print the document onto mat photo paper. Use your circle punch to punch out the journaling tags, then cut out the journaling strip. Complete the page as shown.

Some close up shots

You can adapt this method to use with different shapes and sizes of punches and digital  elements! Happy Punching!

I hope that you enjoyed this week of tutorials and found at least one useful tip!

Digging Deeper Day 3

Today I am sharing two examples on how I have used a story in my Project Life album and made scrapbook pages with them. But first I want to show you what Celeste shared with me.

 

She says: Here is week 12 of this year and here is a layout that expands on one of the photos.

I have tons of examples. I tend to include a photo and a sentence in my project life album then elaborate later.

Here is a photo of a page in her PL album. She chose to highlight the story in the upper right corner, like so.

Awesome, right?!

 

 

Here is a look at my 14th week of PL this year. In the following layout I took the story about how I love that I could plant some seeds and that they already sprouted (down in the right corner).

 

Saved my Instagram photo to my computer and simply printed the photo after sizing them in Word. 

 

Gardening is a very big deal for me so it is clear that I will take every opportunity to include stories about that!

This one is an insert I made to hold a few more stories in my PL album for week 14. (Yes, this is the same insert as I showed Monday!) This was the week when my new love got up super early, made me breakfast, walked me to work (at 6.15 am) and we found a heart on the ground :) Turns out he would do that more than once that week!

I really wanted to make a layout that recorded what kind of man I think he is. Our relationship is new and I love the thought of me going back and read about my feelings later.

 

Ok, that is it for today! Be sure to come back tomorrow for an awesome giveaway that has something to do with my theme for the week!

 

 Lisa O

a bitty bit of extra fun

This month we have an extra Saturday! We wanted this extra special Saturday to be extra special for all of you so I thought perhaps we could make a quick little mini together??

Next weekend is Easter. Our grandmas are very kind to us and I thought they could use a bit of love in return. I was browsing around looking for a fun and quick way to make a brag book. Something that could be made twice over quickly. (Thrice, actually, as I might want one for us, too!)

I put together a set of photo overlays. One for the title and 11 for photos. (I used the fonts of the talented Kimberly Geswein: the frames, the doodles, and the title.) Here is how they look together.

 

And this is how it looks once my photos were added underneath the overlays.

We have a bit of an irreverent sense of humor around here and hope that this will be taken with the goofy love that it is intended. Santa brought Richard some fake mustaches that we used for some silly photos. (Obviously, Rich's isn't actually using a fake one. heehee!) (Nigel's photos are missing as he wasn't in the mood the day we took the photos. I will need to try to get his this weekend, so we have time to print and ship.) 

Once I get Nigel's photos I will print them out on my awesome Epson and then pop them into a plastic brag book. Not only easy to finish but also easy to mail. A twofer!! 

If you would like to make a quick album, too, you may download the overlays here. They are psd documents. Just open them up in your photo processing program and then cut and paste them onto a 6x4 photo. Leave me word if you have questions!

Thank you for stopping! I hope you have been enjoying our mini month. Our final week begins Monday with Cocoa Daisy!! It's going to be another great one!

adoringly,

AC Digitals Mini Madness Week - Day 4

Hi, Francine here to round out our week of minis using the AC Digitals Crate Storyteller kit! And today we're going hybrid! Thanks to AC Digitals for providing us with this lovely kit. I oooh-ed and aaaah-ed as I opened up the folders to look at everything, but the one element that popped out to me was the bicycle. It immediately gave me the idea to do a mini about my son and his beloved pedal-less bike, which he would ride during a winter storm if I let him. Because I didn't want to spend a lot of time working on the computer my approach for the mini was to just print out everything I wanted to use, along with my photos and then put the book together.

I found a blank tag shaped album in my stash, which was perfect since I knew I wanted to use a bunch of tags on my pages. I then chose the patterned papers that went best with my theme and printed those out. I used my lazy method of printing, which is via the Print Wizard in Windows (scroll down to the end of that article for a tutorial). In this case I selected the papers I wanted and chose the 5x7 option in print wizard to get 8 pieces of patterned paper to use as the background for my pages.

You can also check out this post from a couple years back all about printing out digital elements. For this mini I printed out the papers and tags on cardstock, and the bicycle embellishments on matte photo paper.

Here are some completed pages

Notice how I have a big bicycle on the cover, but smaller ones inside? This is why hybrid is so great, you can customise the size of the elements. I did this by using the wallet size option for the cover when printing, and the index sheet option for the smaller ones.

Another great thing about using digital kits? I can continue to add to this album without worrying whether I will be able to find the products I used in a year's time.

The only thing I added to the kit was alphabet stickers by BasicGrey and some washi tape. I tend to keep my minis simple for a couple reasons. First, because that gives me a greater chance of actually completing them, and second because Kieran loves looking at these little books, and the simpler and sturdier they are, the longer they last!

Have you ever done a hybrid mini album? How did you approach it?

Welcome, December!

It's December. Which means more good food, family gatherings, and a break from school for the kids. December also has a tendency to bring madness, and chaos, if you let it. Which we will not, right?? 

This month we return to December Dailies with each day a new author. We will have layouts, cards, home decor and more. All to help you through your holiday scrapbooking and preparation. It begins Monday with Celeste and a printable. You loved it last year, so don't miss it this year!! 

But for now, today is a new gallery! Did you see our new countdown banner? Do you love it? We do, too! And the countdown has ended which means it is time for you to see some new layouts!

This month, we are scrapbooking Our Favorite Photos. December can be very busy but those photos that we love seem to draw us in, no matter what the todo list, no? We hope you enjoy seeing some of our most favorite photos turned into favorite layouts!

As always, if you would like the see the layouts a bit bigger and to have the journaling to read, click over the photo album! Enjoy! And we always love your comments telling us how much you love us!

 

NYC After the Storm| Aliza Deutsch

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Basic Grey, Studio Calico, Echo Park, Lawn Fawn) + embellishments (Crate Paper, Amy Tangerine, A Flair for Buttons, Paper Source, My Mind’s Eye ) + stickers (American Crafts)

A Note from Aliza
In the days following hurricane Sandy, while we went a few days without some basic amenities, I was overwhelmed by feelings of gratitude for all that we usually have. I knew the experience would find its way into some layouts. So, you know, I made sure to photograph it.

December Fun Fact
It’s my birthday this month! 

 

Cherish | Vivian Masket

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (Bazzill Basics) + patterned paper (Crate Paper) + wood embellishments (Crate Paper) + ribbon (May Arts) + die cutting machine (Silhouette) + fonts (Pacifico, AL Uncle Charles)

A Note from Vivian
I really wanted to use this gorgeous baby-themed patterned paper with my photo but it didn’t match. A simple fix – I converted the photo to black and white, which enabled me to use these papers.

December Fun Fact
Is it wrong that I am already thinking about Christmas cookies when there’s still Halloween candy left?

 

A New Favorite I Christa Paustenbaugh

12 X 12 | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned papers (Crate Paper, Echo Park) + stickers (Jillibean Soup, October Afternoon, American Crafts) + wood veneer (Studio Calico) + brads (Crate Paper, SEI) + die cuts (Maya Road, Banana Fish Studio) + chipboard (American Crafts) + flair (Ormolu) + buttons (Crate Paper) + tape (Bella Blvd.) + twine (The Twinery) + stamp (Banana Fish Studio) + embossing powder (American Crafts)

A Note from Christa
Since our move in May I have been making a conscious effort to put myself in front of the camera more often instead of hiding behind it. Even on those days that I don’t feel like I look pretty or have make up on or my hair done. My kids and family don’t care and just want to see me in those photos. This is one of my new favorites from a recent spur of the moment photo shoot. I treasure this photo!

December Fun Fact
Many people can’t imagine Christmas/the holidays without cold and/or snow. I’m luckily not one of those people! I’m looking forward to enjoying Christmas outside in my shorts and possibly a light sweater if I get cold. 

You're My Ocean & Stars | Celeste Smith

12 x 12 | materials digital kit (Ahoy Love by Audrey Neal, Retired) + tags (Toolbox Tags vol 1 by Gennifer Bursett, retired) + template edges (Beautiful Memories by Erica Coombs, retired)

A Note from Celeste
My favorite photos are typically staged photos that include both boys looking at the camera and smiling. It is rare to get the two of them in the same place, sitting still, and in a mood to cooperate! By converting my photo to black and white, I was able to make it work with the colors in this kit. My older son's orange shirt would have clashed terribly!

December Fun Fact
Christmas break is coming! 11 days to just veg out and re-read the entire Harry Potter series for the sixth time!

 

Joy | Monika Wright

8.5 x 11 | materials patterned paper, embellishments, stickers, twine (My Mind’s Eye) + paper doily (craft supply)

A Note from Monika
Even though I’ve scrapped this photo before, it just speaks to me. Even though we have tried to have more children since this photo was taken, this is our first official family photo as a family of five. My son is now taller than all of us and no longer lives at home, but we remain a family of five.

December Fun Fact
This photo was taken 6 weeks after our youngest was born and she just turned 7!

 

My Current Favorite | Lisa Ottosson

8.5 x 11 | materials patterned paper (Panduro Hobby) + embellishments (Dear Lizzy) + stickers (Websters pages, Pink Paislee)

A Note from Lisa
I went with my current favorite photo. First I thought that I might do a page about what I think are the most important photos, but I came to the conclusion that all my photos are important for different reasons. This one is important because it is my favorite right now.

December Fun Fact
I love photos! I do. I love taking them. I love looking at them. I love to play with them. I love finding them in thrift stores. I love photos!

 

Joy | Diane Payne

8.5 x 11 | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico) + embellishments (Studio Calico) + stickers (Studio Calico)

A Note from Diane
I've scrapped this photo before with a series of other photos but I love it so much I wanted it to be the main focal point of a page. From a technical standpoint, this photo isn't fabulous but I captured the excitement of the moment in this candid shot and I smile every I look at it.

December Fun Fact
Christmas is my favorite time of year. I enjoy spending more time at home with my family and always put up the Christmas tree right after Thanksgiving so we can enjoy the lights and decorations for several weeks.

 

These Moments | Jennie McGarvey

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (Lily Bee Designs, Echo Park) banners (Elle's Studio) stickers (American Crafts) stamps (Cocoa Daisy) Embossing Powder (American Crafts)

A Note from Jennie
I was holding onto this photo because I love it. It's not a masterpiece, as it was just taken with my iPhone, but it's the boys and I -- with true expressions in a lovely setting. I'm happy to have it and it's definitely a current favorite.

December Fun Fact
I am absolutely not a fan of the cold. Bad for a girl living in the midwest.

 

Oreo | Kathy Martin

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Pebbles) + alphabet stickers (American Crafts) + accents (Pebbles)

A Note from Kathy
My favorite kind of photo is the everyday kind that capture the little moments of our lives. While posed pictures are beautiful and there are so many great photographers today, I still prefer the shots we take at home. They aren’t always the best quality, but they are the real deal.

December Fun Fact
We currently have three cats, two parrots and two sugar gliders.

 

I've Grown | Francine Clouden

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Making Memories) + die cut butterflies (Making Memories) + glitter letter stickers (Making Memories) + journaling spots (Making Memories)

A Note from Francine
Since Kieran came along I take way less photos of myself. I know it's really important for me to be present on the scrapbook pages, so photos of the two of us are really special to me. I just need to try to take more like this!

December Fun Fact
I'm currently obsessed with Instagram. I know, I am late to this party, but better late than never right?

 

Love You | Amy Coose

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (Bazzill) + patterned paper (My Mind's Eye, October Afternoon, Lawn Fawn) + embellishments (Simple Stories, October Afternoon, Kaiser Craft) + stickers (Simple Stories) + Silhouette Cameo

A Note from Amy 
I don't have many pictures of my hubby and I so when I get one, it's very special. We snapped this one before a party and it's one of my favorite photos that we have together.

December Fun Fact 
I am a homebody by nature, so winter is one of my favorite seasons. I love having an excuse to stay in my warm clothes, snuggled by a fire, drinking coffee all day.

 

So Tiny | Valerie O'Neall

8.5 x 11 | materials kit (Studio Calico Poodle Skirt) + patterned paper (American Crafts) + die cut shape (American Crafts) + alpha stickers (Pink Paislee) + stamp (Studio Calico + Hero Arts) + vellum (Office Depot) + ink (Staz On) + other (striped washi, sewing machine, thread) + font (St. Marie)

A Note from Valerie
So tiny! Look at that perfect tiny, little hand! I thought it would be cool to use vellum as my background, so I printed out my journaling on a sheet and went from there. Everything is from Studio Calico's Poodle Skirt kit except for the washi and the vellum.

December Fun Fact
We always get a real Christmas tree every year. I think it's such a great tradition, and it's one less thing we have to store the rest of the year.

 

Captured | Sarah Pendergrast

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (American Crafts, Studio Calico, Basic Grey) + embellishments (Studio Calico, Sodalicious, Basic Grey, American Crafts, My Minds Eye) + stickers (Jenni Bowlin, American Crafts)

A Note from Sarah
This month's theme was photos that matter. I chose this photo because I think it captured the love between these two in a natural unforced way.

 

 

30 Years Later | Katie Ehmann

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico, Bazzill Basics, American Crafts) + embellishments (Studio Calico) + stickers (Studio Calico) + stamps (Studio Calico) + ink (Hero Arts)

A Note from Katie
This layout means a lot to me because last Christmas my sister, cousins and I re-created a photo that was taken 30 years ago. The idea that 30 years went by so quickly is both fascinating and frightening to me! I used my Silhouette Cameo for the title and backed it with POW paper to give it a little punch. All patterned papers and embellishments are from Studio Calico's Darling Dear line. I love how it works with the colors and vintage feel of my photo! I tucked some hidden journaling on the tag that says "pull".

December Fun Fact
I love December! Family traditions, holiday crafts, Christmas movies, Christmas presents, Christmas songs, Christmas cookies...you get the idea ;-)

 

You're My Favorite | Christine Newman

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned papers (October Afternoon, BasicGrey, Studio Calico, American Crafts, Echo Park) + vellum paper (Strathmore) + embellishments (Freckled Fawn, BasicGrey, My Mind's Eye, American Crafts, October Afternoon, Studio Calico) + twine (The Twinery) + stamps (Studio Calico, American Crafts, Freshed Baked Paper Goods on Etsy) + ink (Momento, Prima) + digital graphics (Lauren Grier, Elle's Studio) + die-cut machine (Silhouette) + font (Blackout) + Photoshop Actions (Totally Rad)

A Note from Christine
This layout has one of my very favorite photos of my husband Todd. He just looks so handsome. Plus, he was standing in front of Ghirardelli chocolate store in San Francisco. Which makes two of my very favorites in the same photo! :) This also might be the first time I've used a dark background for a layout. I would love to do more of them.

December Fun Fact
I hate shopping in the crowded stores in December, so I do almost all my holiday gift shopping online, or I make handmade gifts.

 

Brickmasters | Jennifer Larson

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (Stampin’ Up!) + patterned paper (My Mind’s Eye, Simple Stories, Pebbles, Jillibean Soup) + embellishments (Simple Stories, American Crafts, October Afternoon, Lego Club, Stampin’ Up!) + punch (EK Success) + chipboard (American Crafts) + ink (Stampin’ Up!, Jenni Bowlin) + stamps (Studio Calico) + fonts (Gill Sans)

A Note from Jennifer
The journaling says it all: I’ve taken the boys to Lego Club for the past three years, but these two photos are my favorites. I took them on my iPhone with Instagram, and I love them because of how grown up they look. And for the first time ever, I’ve used one of their Lego Club stickers they get but never use. Stolen for a good cause!

December Fun Fact
I always make a Lego advent calendar for Christmas. I buy two small Lego sets, about 250 pieces each, one for each boy. I made a Karen Foster drawer calendar for this, and every day I insert a clue into the day’s drawer. (My boys trade off days: my older boy gets odd days because his birthday is odd, my younger boy gets evens because his birthday is even.) When the boys figure out the clue and go to where the clue leads them, that boy finds a few Lego pieces. That lasts until Christmas, and on Christmas morning each boy finds the directions for the Lego set he’s been collecting under the tree. It’s so much fun for them, though they’re getting better at figuring out which set they’re getting.

 

Beauty is a Light | Amy Sorensen

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (My Mind's Eye, Basic Grey) + large alphabet stamp (Close to My Heart) + small alphabet stamp (Studio Calico) + ink (Close to My Heart) + Sunshine in my Soul font

A Note from Amy
I read a challenge somewhere on someone's blog recently to let your children hear you compliment yourself. This layout grew out of that challenge—it really is something I need to work on. The photo has me, my mom, and my younger sister Becky; my daughter Haley took it for us. It's a photo that matters for several reasons to me, but mostly because I don't have enough pictures with me and the people I love. I need to work on that too!

December Fun Fact
I think dark chocolate Lindt truffle balls are one of mankind's best creations!

 

Sock Monkey Joy | Deb Duty

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Basic Grey) + stickers (Basic Grey) + stamps (Basic Grey, Technique Tuesday)

A Note from Deb
This layout is about one of my favorite photos from last Christmas. I love how Mason is smiling proudly with his sock monkey and Alec is still looking his over trying to decide whether or not he likes it.

December Fun Fact
I'll be finishing up my third year of Project Life soon. I'm excited to start again in January!

 

My Boys | Paula Gilarde

12 x 12 | materials Alison Solids (Maplebrook Studios) + Messy Stitched Borders Green No. 1 (Katie Pertiet) + Splatters No. 3 (Katie Pertiet) + Readymade Banners For Dad (Studio DD) + Essential Words No. 2 (Ali Edwards) + Wooden Alpha No. 5 (Katie Pertiet) + Doodle Do Frames No. 1 (Katie Pertiet) + Staple Its (Pattie Knox)

A Note from Paula
We had a photo shoot with a local photographer earlier in the year - this is one of my favorite shots, of my two boys.

December Fun Fact
I'm a big fan of advent calendars. One year we had 5 going at one time - I think that might have been a few too many though!

 

Every Single Day | Emily Spahn

8.5 x 11 | materials patterned paper (Pink Paislee) + chipboard alphabet (Basic Grey) + wood stars (Studio Calico) + stamps (Sodalicious, Becky Higgins) + pin (Maya Road) + tab (October Afternoon) + wash tape (MT) + sticker (Authentique) + mist (Studio Calico)

A Note from Emily
This is one of the hardest layouts I’ve ever made. This is my dog Maddie, who we lost this past January to Lymphoma. She was six years old. This photo was taken two days before she passed, exactly three months after she was diagnosed. She was suddenly so sick and weak. Her eyes were filled with sadness. It still breaks my heart to look at these photos, and this is the first time I have scrapbooked a layout about her since she’s been gone. She was so much more than a dog. She was our family…our baby. And, like the layout says, I miss her every single day.

December Fun Fact
December is a month of traditions! One of our favorite December traditions is going as a family downtown (Chicago), having breakfast, and visiting the Christkindlmarket. This year will be our sixth (or maybe seventh!!) year! I can’t wait!

 

Live Out Loud | Erin Sweeney

8.5 x 11 | materials patterned paper (My Mind's Eye, Basic Grey) + stickers (7 Gypsies) 

A Note from Erin
This layout is not new. In fact, it’s been posted here on wcs before. But I love it. And when I saw the theme was favorite photos I knew I had to use it again. I LOVE these pictures of my daughter Mackenzie. They are so her. They capture her spirit, her personality. And these pictures perfectly accompany the journaling, describing who Mackenzie was when these were taken. She’s five now, and still just as spunky!

December Fun Fact
Today I’m running a 5K with jingle bells on my shoes and reindeer antlers on my head. Merry Christmas!

 

Twenty Years | Emily Pitts

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned paper (My Mind’s Eye, October Afternoon) + journaling card, stickers, green alphabet stickers (Simple Stories) + chipboard alphabet (American Crafts) stamp (Kelly Purkey for Cocoa Daisy, Cocoa Daisy) + washi tape (My Mind’s Eye) + adhesive (Glue Arts, Recollections) + embossing powder (American Crafts) + pen (EK Success) + floss (DMC)

A Note from Emily
I was going to scrap a very old photo, but then I took this one and it captures the relationship my husband and I have so well that I had to scrap it instead.

December Fun Fact
My scrap loft is finally clean! It only took me a year, but it’s all cleaned and organized in a huge IKEA cabinet. I got rid of about 50 pounds of stuff in the process, donating and recycling it. I’m a much happier person. Over Christmas break, we are going to pull the white carpet out and install hardwood. I’m so excited!

 

Happiness | Marnie Flores

12 x 12 | materials banner (Michelle Underwood) + tape (Michelle Underwood) + ribbon (Michelle Underwood) + word strip (Lori Whitlock) + fonts (KG Ray of Sunshine, Letter Gothic)

A Note from Marnie
Favorite photos for me are often the last ones taken. I'm incredibly fickle that way. So when I went hunting for one that was more that just the most recent favorite, I remembered about this one. I love that it captures emotion. I realized as I was picking favorites that most are the ones that capture my kids just as I see them. A face, or a muted sound, or a look--just a little something that gets it right. I love that.

December Fun Fact
My kids have never ever ever wanted to sit on Santa's lap. Instead, we go to the mall with the second floor, and wave to him from upstairs. One year he waved back. They were five hundred and sixteen times more excited than I could have imagined. The write letters for the real Santa and feel no need to sit upon a strange impersonator's lap. Why sit when you can wave from afar? Silly mites.

Keeping you in Stitches: Free Hand Stitching

It's Jennifer Larson again, here to share one final day of hand stitching on layouts. Now that we're comfortable, we're going to be brave: we're going to try free hand stitching on our pages.

It's not really free hand stitching, mind you. That would be like this Lutheran girl walking into church early and sitting in the front row. No, we'll be planning, sketching, and piercing before we stitch. Still, the design will be our own.

Here's some of the ways I add free hand stitching:

1. Stitch a trail

I like butterflies. They move a lot, sort of like my boys. When I put a butterfly, or a bee, or something that moves, on a page, I draw a path and stitch it, either a backstitch or a running stitch. Make sure you make the path loop at least once, because that's crazy fun.

 

2. Extend digital patterns with stitches

I made this photo collage with Photoshop Elements prehistoric (Version 3?) and stamped flourishes on the edge. I thought it would look cool to extend the flourishes on the the page, so I hand drew and then stitched, linking the photo with the plants on the journaling card.

 

3. Make a thematic design

(Note: if you are afraid of spiders, scroll quickly down. Don't even pause.)

OK, I am scared of spiders, but this was a fun page to make. I hand drew the web and stitched it, and took the photo of myself with the page design in mind.

 

4. Connect two-page layouts with stitches

The sketch from Scrapbook Generation that I used for this page had the curve on the bottom of the photo mat. Since my page was about snow, I envisioned some swirls along the bottom as well. I drew them, then stitched, then added some die cut snowflakes blowing in the wind. (Note: I always use Scotch scrapbooking one-sided tape that I buy at Target to tape down the threads on the back of the page. Here I stitched to the edge along the middle, then taped that final stitch down.)

 

5. Create embellishments

This is another page I made using a Scrapbook Generation sketch. I hand cut the flowers from patterned paper, but they sort of blended into the background, so I hand drew some petal extensions, then stitched in white thread to make them pop. Oh, and I added some Algerian Eyes in the title O's too, because why not?

 

 6. Follow the design and stitch

This page is about my geekiness; I mean, my license plate says DETHSTR. When I finished the basic page, I thought the bottom of the page looked a little boring, so I added some running stitches to the bottom of the zigzags. To me, these look a bit like the bullet trails in Space Invaders (remember that game?). These stitches also separate the list journaling. And then I added some Algerian Eyes, sort of the Space Invaders as they explode. Kapow!

Thank you so much for sharing this week with me. I hope you enjoy adding some stitches to your projects like I do!

Thanksgiving Week

We hope that you are enjoying Thanksgiving prep week! With only a week to go, we hope you are finding inspiration and looking forward to your own festivities.

 

On Tuesday, one of finest readers, Sue, left us a comment telling us about an album she made last year from her family's gratitude lists. We loved the idea and wanted to help all of you to make something so wonderful. So Marnie put together a printable for you. It is a 4x6 card with room for a photo and journaling.

First, download the printable. (You may download it here.) We put three on a page to make it easy for you!

Next, print as many as you will need for all your guests. Trim them apart and have them ready for everyone. The grey rectangle is 2x3 and is waiting for a photo, so be sure to ask everyone to smile!

Once you have collected your cards, you can spiffy them up or leave them plain. Once you add a cover, you will have a wonderful memory album!

And, if your family happens to be apart, no worries! Each household could download a page, fill it out, and then send to the designated assembler!

 

Next up, we have an album that will be a Gratitude-In-Pictures album. We put together a set of photo overlays for you that will fit on 4x6 photos. SImply gather photos that fit the themes and then cut and paste the overlays on top. It's a quick and easy way to put together a gratitude mini of another kind.

You may download the overlays here. This is how they will look. (Your photo will take the place of the brown background.) 

 

Marnie put together a few pages for her album to give you an idea of how it will look on your photos.

 

We hope you enjoy these ideas for putting together a shared album and a picture album! We would love to hear if you enjoy them! Thank you! See you for our final day tomorrow!

Welcome, November!

We welcome November with sugar-hyped kids and costumes ready to be put away. Hopefully you all had a fun Hallowed Eve, and that the kids brought home your favorite candy!!

This month we are excited to welcome four new team members! Aliza Deutsch, Jennie McGarvey, Christine Newman, and Amy Coose are joining us and we couldn't be more happy. They bring well designed pages, excellent photos, and delightful lives to you and to us. Take a moment and stop by their bio pages and get to know them. They are all participating in our gallery as well, so you will have a chance to see them in action today!

We have a terrific lineup for you this month. Sarah will be finishing out this week for us, followed by Vivian who has a fun week planned. After that we have a team week to help you get ready for Thanksgiving. Jenny will be next; and Katie will close out the month. What a month it will be!

But now, put your hands together for our new gallery! We gave you sneaks... could you figure it out? This month, our theme is We Love Color! Follow the link to the photoalbum and you can read the journaling and see the the layouts in greater detail. Here are 24 new layouts for you to love and use for inspiration! We hope you love them! (Feel free to tell us!!)

 

4 Eyes | Francine Clouden

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico, Jenni Bowlin) + vinyl letter stickers (American Crafts) + paper flower (Sassafras Lass) + stamps (Banana Frog) + adhesive pearls (Kaiser Crafts) + sticker (Sassafras Lass)

A Note from Francine
My love affair with the yellow and grey combo began just over two years ago (around the time when this layout was made). Before this I was always hard pressed to name a favourite colour, but since this combination has persisted I think it is safe to say that I have found an answer!

November Fun Fact
We're moving house! Again! Send me all your good vibes please.

 

 

Hmm…Should I Wear | Aliza Deutsch

(12 x 12) | materials patterned paper (Authentique Paper, Bazzill Basics Paper, My Mind’s Eye, Amy Tangerine, Basic Grey, Echo Park) + embellishments (Amy Tangerine, My Mind’s Eye, A Flair for Buttons, We R Memory Keepers, K&Co) + stickers (Lily Bee Deigns)

A Note from Aliza
This layout is all about my little obsession with the color black. I’m not trying to be sophisticated or artsy. It’s just then when I shop for clothes, shoes, accessories, etc. I always like the black or the gray one best. I find shades of black or gray absolutely rich and delicious. And still in the morning, I need to decide which black shirt and pants to wear. I do own a smattering of colored clothes, but guess what color I always pair them with?

November Fun Fact
I also love gray and rainy days. I don’t think I’ve ever minded waking up to a rainy forecast.

 

 

Click! | Vivian Masket

(12 x 12) | materials cardstock (Bazzill Basics) + patterned paper (October Afternoon) + wood veneer embellishments (Studio Calico) + spray inks (October Afternoon, Studio Calico) + stickers (Jillibean Soup) + die cut (October Afternoon) + brad (October Afternoon) + die cutting machine (Silhouette) + font (Typenoksidi)

A Note from Vivian
My favorite colors are brights against neutrals. On this layout, that took the form of brights (both photos and embellishments) against white with a neutral wood grain pattern and matching brown cardstock border.

November Fun Fact
At Thanksgiving, I always prefer the sides to the turkey.

 

 

Got Color? | Lisa Ottosson

(8.5 x 11) | materials patterned paper (Collage Press) + stickers (Panduro Hobby, American Crafts, Webster Pages)

A Note from Lisa
This layout is one I should have done a long time ago.

November Fun Fact
When I was younger I never used nail polish, now I do almost every day!

 

 

Little Mermaids | Katie Ehmann

(12 x 12) | materials patterned paper (Ki Memories, Echo Park, Amy Tangerine) + embellishments (Studio Calico) + stickers (Amy Tangerine, October Afternoon) + mist (Studio Calico) + punches (Martha Stewart Crafts) + Royal Typewriter

A Note from Katie
This layout features my current favorite colors: bright pink and electric blue with a little kraft thrown in for good measure. I misted the whole sheet of cardstock and used some punched paper to mask the hearts and stars to give my page a little punch (literally, ha!). The instagram of my girls on their last day at the pool for the season went perfectly with the colors I chose.

November Fun Fact
I am a Disney freak. I used to tease a couple of my friends for liking Disney World so much until we went there a few years ago. Now I can't get enough and can't wait to go back in February to see the new Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom!

 

 

Happiness | Deb Duty

(12 x 12) | materials patterned paper (American Crafts, Echo Park, Studio Calico) + embellishments (Studio Calico, My Mind's Eye, October Afternoon) + letter stickers (American Crafts) + stamps (Studio Calico)

A Note from Deb
It's hard to choose absolute favorite colors because there are so many that I love, but lately I've been leaning toward the soft blue color in my layout. When I saw the beautiful yellows and soft greenish blues in this photo, I thought it would be perfect for this theme because the colors are so very lovely.

November Fun Fact
I'm a fan of reality TV. Ever since I happened upon the very first episode of Survivor, I've been totally hooked.

 

 

Rock Star | Diane Payne

(12 x 12) | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + embellishments (A Flair for Buttons, Studio Calico, Sunstar) + stickers (American Crafts)

A Note from Diane
This layout features lots of colors! Yellow is my favorite…my happy color, but really how could I limit my layout to one? When I look through my albums all my layouts are very colorful! In my book, bold and bright layouts are beautiful!

November Fun Fact
There is something about fall that makes me want to burn candles. The fall scents are fabulous and make the house smell so good. I burn more candles in the month of November and December than the entire rest of the year.

 

 

Think Orange | Celeste Smith

(12 x 12) | materials digital kit (Catch the Falling Leaves kit by JM Designs at One Story Down) + button (Daydream kit by Tracy Martin at One Story Down) +Alphabets (Homemade Memories collaboration at One Story Down, Smell My Feet kit by Valorie Brown at One Story Down) + font (Claire Hand)

A Note from Celeste
I just adore orange and paired with a little kraft it's even better! This layout could be considered my ode to orange.

November Fun Fact
I'm looking forward to pajama day on Thanksgiving!

 

 

Favorite Color? | Kathy Martin

12 x 12 | < b>materials card stock (Bazzill Basics and Neenah Paper) + washi tape (Bella Blvd.) + buttons and twine (Doodlebug Design)

A Note from Kathy
Choosing a favorite color is like trying to pick a favorite book, movie or song. There’s just so many fabulous choices!

November Fun Fact
I’ve been known to pick red as a favorite color!

 

 

Peeler | Marnie Flores

(8.5 x 8.5) | materials patterned paper (Crystal Wilkerson) + arrow (photoshop) +parentheses (Crystal Wilkerson) + fonts

A Note from Marnie
I took a color test once. It asked you all sorts of questions using not just images but also adjectives, and emotional response questions. At the end it gives you two color families. My first was rosy pinks. I felt so exposed. I am totally a soft pink girl, but only in secret. My kids will tell you my favorite colors are orange, red, and black. I wear lots of bright colors (orange, lime green, turquoise blues) and decorate with fun pastel brights. But apparently, at the heart of me is soft pink. Paired with greige (a taupe-y grey) and I am at my most relaxed. That's what this layout is - my two secret favorites.

November Fun Fact
Poppy is getting baptized this month so we have family coming to town. That is rare for us so I have been on a decorating frenzy, trying to get everything to its ideal. Silly, I know. So far, we have switched two bedrooms, including closets and light fixtures. I have painted and rearranged the linen closet and the entry closet. (And by rearranged, I mean gutting and redoing!!) I have just pulled apart the pantry for a complete overhaul. I have painted one bedroom, with one to come tomorrow. And I am nearly finished a redo on the kids' bathroom, including a new mirror, cabinet, and light fixture. I have painted, spackled, and drywalled like a crazy woman. But with only 7 days to go, things are winding down and I am so very happy.

 

 

Week 40 – 2012 in 52 Pages | Alexandra Sirugue-Macleod

(8 x 8) | materials patterned paper (Heidi Swapp) + embellishments (Avery, Making Memories) + die cuts (Sizzix) + ink (Ranger) + font (Courier New)

A Note from Alexandra
This layout is 8 x 8 in. It is part of a project called «2012 in 52 Pages». Since January 2011, I have been scrapping a page a week that recaps the everyday of our lives. I’ve been making my photocollages under Picasa using quite a few photos taken with my iPhone. I love the various filters certain apps offer such as «Early Bird» in Instagram. I’ve always loved these faded colors. They have a timeless quality which I find very comforting.

November Fun Fact
I enjoy watching presidential debates so much I wish there were one every week!

 

 

Fools for Summer | Jennifer Larson

(12 x 12) | materials patterned paper (Studio Calico, Echo Park, Little Yellow Bicycle, Basic Grey) + embellishments (Studio Calico, We R Memory Keepers, Elle’s Studio, Technique Tuesday) + stickers (Basic Grey, American Crafts)

A Note from Jennifer
My absolute favorite color is yellow, but if I picked a favorite color family, it would be bright. Since most of the photos I’m taking now in the fall are more muted, I went back to some favorite photos from the summer to scrap. Bright colors, especially on a background of yellow, make me so happy, especially the closer we get to winter. In winter, I need to keep my summer brights in front of me.

November Fun Fact
In November I am looking forward to our annual Black Friday visit to the Mall of America. Seriously!

 

 

First Day | Erin Sweeney

(8.5 x 11) | materials patterned paper (My Mind’s Eye; KI Memories; American Crafts) + embellishments (Love, Elsie) + stickers (Making Memories; Studio Calico) + border punch (EK Success) 

A Note from Erin
You can’t tell it from the pictures, but Mackenzie was not at all excited about me taking pictures before her first day of 4’s preschool. She faked it well! Eventually I’ll add journaling, but I’m not sure what I want to say yet, so I’ve left it off.

November Fun Fact
Thanksgiving is my least favorite holiday. The Thanksgiving after Mackenzie was born (she was only a few weeks old) we skipped the family celebrations and stayed in our pajamas all day. We only got dressed when we went to Cracker Barrel for lunch and when we got home we got right back in them!

 

 

Color Full I Christa Paustenbaugh

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned papers (October Afternoon, Bo Bunny, Pebbles, Echo Park, My Mind’s Eye) + stickers (October Afternoon, Crate Paper) + chipboard (October Afternoon) + die cuts (Studio Calico, Banana Fish Studio, Jillibean Soup) + wood grain (Studio Calico) + twine (Ormolu) + washi tape (MT) + paint (Making Memories) + spray mist (Studio Calico) + die cut machine (Silhouette)

A Note from Christa
For this month’s gallery I went for a play on words instead of direct translation. I love this sunburst from Silhouette and wanted to add lots and lots of color to it with these bright patterned papers. Our youngest daughter has definitely brought lots of color and shades of color to our lives over the last 7+ years with much more to come! And yes, I spelled colorful wrong on purpose!

November Fun Fact
This November is shaping up to be a really great one with lots of fun! We get to put another stamp in our passport books with a Thanksgiving trip to Hong Kong. I’m beside myself with excitement for that trip!

 

 

I'm A Rockstar Ladies Love Me | Jennie McGarvey

(12 x 12) | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned paper (Authentique) + embellishments (Bananafish Studios, Marcy Penner, Maya Road, Chic Tags, My Mind's Eye, The Stringery)

A Note from Jennie
I chose these colors because some form of light blue/soft aqua/turquoise and red have been my favorites for a very, very long time -- plus grey is all my all time favorite color so it seemed right to combine them. It was awesome to pair them with this photo of my son with his funny antics!

November Fun Fact
Potatoes are my favorite food. I've never met a kind I don't like.

 

 

That's Hilarious | Kelly Jeppson

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper, journaling card (Doodlebug Design) + letter sticker (American Crafts) + chipboard letters + buttons

A Note from Kelly
I love this yellow-green paper from Doodlebug. It is part of a line that features yellow, orange and navy blue. I thought they were perfect for this layout about my daughter, Josie. A departure from typical girl pink!

November Fun Fact
Last year I tasted my first "tofurkey" at Thanksgiving - my sister is a vegetarian. It was pretty tasty, but I'll stick to the real thing!

 

 

Love You Two | Amy Coose

(12 x 12) | materials cardstock (Bazzill) + patterned paper (Studio Calico, American Crafts) + tags (Chic Tags) + washi tape (Freckled Fawn) + index card (Lily Bee) + brad (Basic Grey) + sequin (Studio Calico) + stamps (Ali Edwards) + ink (Stampin Up!) + Silhouette Cameo, sewing machine

A Note from Amy
This layout came together just like I wanted it to.  I knew red needed to be the main color, and I remembered these pictures I had taken of my baby and his sister outside.  They were perfect.

November Fun Fact
I cannot have candy corn in my house.  It's not good for anyone.

 

 

happy together | Celeste Smith

(12 x 12) | materials digital kit (Sew Happy Collaboration by Mye DeLeon & The Ardent Sparrow at Design House Digital) + template (Grow with Love Letters March by Crystal Livesay at Design House Digital) + font (Century Gothic)

A Note from Celeste
Shh! Don't tell anyone, but secretly I wish I could scrap with more pink. I have two boys who are at an age where boys rule, girls drool. This means flowers and pink on pages are not appreciated. So I sneak it in where I can. For instance, I have free reign if I'm in the photo, the kitty has no beef with pink, and if I'm really wanting to scrap pink I can always snag a photo or two of my stunning niece!

November Fun Fact
On Thanksgiving Day, I have a pot all set up with onions, carrots, and celery just waiting for the turkey carcass. By 9:30 pm, the house is filled with the fabulous smell of turkey soup!

 

 

Shine | Christine Newman

(12 x 12) | materials cardstock (American Crafts, Bazzill) + patterned paper (Pebbles, Basic Grey) + vellum (Strathmore) + embellishments (Studio Calico, Divine Twine) + tape (American Crafts) + tag (Amy Tangerine) + Stickles (Ranger) + stamps (Technique Tuesday, Studio Calico) + ink (Jenni Bowlin) + digital die cutter (Silhouette)

A Note from Christine
My favorite colors to scrap with are light blue and yellow, because these colors make me happy and remind me of the sun and ocean. I live 15 minutes from the beach and I have a lot of photos that have blue in it. You will find that I have many blue papers in my stash. For this layout I wanted to convey sunshine and rays, and I repeat the theme throughout the layout with patterned paper, twine, die cuts, and wood veneers.

November Fun Fact
I will be running the Krispy Kreme Challenge in November, which consists of running 2 miles, eating 6 donuts, and then running another 2 miles!

 

 

Rainbow Balloons | Sarah Pendergrast

(12 x 12) | materials patterned paper (American Crafts, Studio Calico, Basic Grey, October Afternoon, Echo Park) + embellishments (Studio Calico, My Minds Eye, Freckled Fawn, American Crafts) + stickers (Making Memories, American Crafts)

A Note from Sarah
I had a hard time deciding on my favourite colour scheme, as I like a few, but when it comes to crafting, my favourite is rainbow! I’m always drawn to pages with bright rainbow colours, and it worked perfectly with this photo of rainbow balloons!

November Fun Fact
I’m actually terrified of balloons! I have to leave the room if one of the kids is playing with one.

 

 

Favorite? | Emily Spahn

(8.5 x 11) | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned paper (Studio Calico) + chipboard, stickers, thickers (American Crafts) + alphabet stickers (Basic Grey) + wood embellishments (Sodalicious) + washi tape (MT) + spray mist (Studio Calico)

A Note from Emily
My favorite color combination to use on a layout always seems to be some variation of yellow, orange, and aqua. I've had these Studio Calico Heyday papers sitting around for awhile, and I was happy to finally use them on a layout! This layout is also the very first I made with my brand new Cameo!

November Fun Fact
I love November! However, it seems like every year there is so much going on and everyone is always looking forward to December and the holidays that November becomes the forgotten month!! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I get a week off work…I wish November could last forever!

 

 

Complementary Colors | Amy Sorensen

12 x 12 | materials card stock (Bazzill) + ink (Close to My Heart) + hexagons (Silhouette) + LD Remington and Janda Elegant Handwriting fonts

A Note from Amy
My second-favorite hobby is quilting, and by sheer coincidence I picked up a quilting book from the hold shelf just a few days before I started working on my layout: We Love Color. The book is about using Kona solids (a line of gorgeous, well-crafted solid fabrics, the quilting equivalent of cardstock) for making quilts that showcase color. A perfect wellspring of inspiration for a gallery dedicated to color! The hexagons and the title design come directly from the book.

I had initially planned on doing a layout with my current favorite color combination, but when my sister and I had this conversation about Halloween colors, it was too perfect to pass up.

November Fun Fact
Since we were speaking about color, I confess: I have a little obsession lately with all things grey.It might just be the perfect neutral!

 

 

Maybe, Perhaps? | Emily Pitts

(12 x 12) | materials cardstock (Bazzill Basics) +patterned paper (Jillibean Soup, Crate Paper, Echo Park Paper Co.) + embellishments (Crate Paper) + alphabet (Crate Paper) + spray ink (Maya Mist) + stencil (Crafter's Workshop)

A Note from Emily
Maya Road has a spray mist called Fig Magenta. I am not a purple or pink fan, but for some reason, this color is one of my all time favorite, most used inks. It's just perfect. Pair it with turquoise and a mustardy yellow and I just swoon. I'm really into the 1970s color schemes right now, I used to find them ugly because I grew up with them, but now I use them a lot. A black and white photo, white or kraft background, it's the perfect combination!

November Fun Fact
I always wanted a plain gold band instead of a diamond for a wedding ring. After my first baby, my fingers grew and my band didn't fit and we just never got it sized. My grandmother passed away and my mom got all the jewelry. In the collection was a gorgeous plain gold band that belonged to my great great grandmother. It fits perfectly. My sisters prefer white gold. So guess who is wearing a vintage plain gold band? It makes me happy.

 

 

Lashes | Paula Gilarde

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (Jillibean Soup) + patterned papers (Jillibean Soup)+ embellishments (7 Gypsies tape) + rub ons (American Crafts) + stencil (Crafters Workshop) + digital element (Katie Pertiet digital frame)

A Note from Paula
My favorite colors are green and blue. I nearly always use some green on my scrapbook layouts, somewhere. Currently my favorite color is teal - somewhere between blue and green.

In Review

Hello and welcome to our final September Saturday! We have had a wonderful month here and hope that you have had as well. While we love our Summertime Dailies, our week long author weeks are near and dear to our hearts, and this month has been spectacular! Marnie got us off to a good start with a week of preparations for a "new year." Then Francine provided us all with a much appreciated photography skills week. Monika spearheaded an inspirational week demonstrating the many uses of twine which lead us right into this technique week filled with Kathy's amazing talents, hints, and suggestions.

And as if that wasn't enough, we had our Saturday workshop challenges. Did you practice adding in details as per Amy's helpful article? Or maybe you were inspired by Lisa's monthly photo challenge? You still have a couple of days before the calendar changes to put together a plan for the month of October... Lastly, Marnie brought you three more page starters, with a sketch, a color combo, and a design trend.

It really has been an incredible, information-packed, inspiration-filled month.

Before we welcome October, as with each month's end, today we are taking one last walk back through our gallery. Let's look back at Looking Back!

 

This month we are going to maintain our lists, but with a twist. Using our gallery layouts, we've put together three lists of ten things we can try on our layouts.

1. make a list of things that you mightn't have expected from your life Diane
2. find a childhood photo and let your mind wander. spend 10 minutes recording memories. Vivian
3. write about something that affected you greatly Celeste
4. find a childhood photo. write down the thing that first comes to mind. Deb
5. relate the story of a skill that was acquired Erin
6. find a then and now photo pairing and record the changes Christa
7. write about a recent event as if it had happened longer before. see how (if) your perspective changes. Alexandra
8. record things about your older children that their younger selves would have loved Amy
9. compare and contrast a photo from now with a photo taken on the exact day two years earlier. Marnie
10. document your ongoing (or everchanging!) food loves Francine

 

1. use a now and a then photo Francine
2. find an photo that you haven't scrapped that shows a snippet of real life Emily
3. gather a selection of photos that span a year and use them all on one layout Jennifer
4. use a photo more than 15 years old Monika
5. find friends who have shown up in photos over the years. put the photos all on one layout. Paula
6. enlarge a closeup photograph Teka
7. find a photo from the same day two years earlier. use both on one layout. Marnie
8. ask your parents for a photo of you as a child with your grandparent(s) Kelly
9. go take a photo of a place you used to live/visit/spend time (even if it doesn't look the same) Katie
10. take a photo of your rearview mirror or side mirror to help emphasize a reflective layout Diane

 

1. use a graphic element three times in varying proportion Katie
2. mask and mist Valerie
3. punch an element out of your patterned paper and then use the punched piece elsewhere on the layout Lisa
4. use patterned paper that helps tell the story of your layout Kathy
5. use a calender element on a page about change Christa
6. use varying shades of the same color Sarah
7. try out a new size Alexandra
8. trim your photos and papers in varying sizes of the same shape Jennifer
9. keep all your page elements in a central column Teka
10. use two primary colors and one secondary Deb

 

30 more reasons to scrapbook!! And to help you create some fun pages we have a new printable for you that accompanies our theme of Looking Back.

You may download it here. And for extra points, see if you can name the tv show that inspired the 90s tag!

Have a terrific weekend and we will see you back Monday for our brand new gallery!