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In Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

Ring in the New Year...

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

One Little Word

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

layout by Emily Spahn
 

layout by Celeste Smith

 

layout by Aliza Deutsch

 

layout by Diane Payne

 

layout by Jennifer Larson

 

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

project by Emily Spahn

Goals and Resolutions

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

layout by Christine Newman

 

layout by Celeste Smith

 

layout by Christine Newman

 

project by Emily Spahn

 

Looking Back

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

layout by Christine Newman

 

layout by Katrina Simeck

 

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

No Holiday Photo? No Problem.

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

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

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

How?

Like this:

 

Use Your Words

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

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

 

Capture the Preparations

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

 

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

 

Embrace the Underwear 

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

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

 

Did I mention we are not a formal bunch?

 

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

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

 

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

 

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

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.

In Review

I love write. click. scrapbook. Saturdays. I love taking time to look back through the galleries. I remember back when a Simple Scrapbooks magazine would arrive in my mailbox, how I would turn the pages as fast as I could to see all the layouts. Then I would go to sleep and dream of all that I saw. Then over the next few weeks, I would go back through and study it. I would look through the layouts and ear mark those that sang to me. Then I would study them to see how and why.

Now that everything has gone online, I sometimes feel like information and layouts come at us so fast and so furiously, that it is hard to slow down and do what we used to do. That's part of why I love gallery walking. It just lets us take time to look again. Slowly. Purposefully. Shall we begin?

 

Rather than make lists, this month we are going to go layout by layout and look at the colors of each layout. Color is a true starting place for many layouts. Let's look and see how our team put things together.

Francine's layout is lovely in yellow and grey. Current color trends certainly affect our pages. As you put together your wardrobe each season, look to see if the colors would translate well onto a page.

Aliza's page talks about her love of black clothes. Notice how she uses stark black elements to help support her journaling. The ink drips. The stitching. The small graphic papers. That she used them in such sparse measures, makes you notice them all the more.

We have learned how impactful repetition can be. Vivian's layout is a perfect example. She uses color families as repetitive elements. The lettering of her title, the photos, and then the painted veneer cameras. First, the repetition is visually soothing. Then the colors help you notice the vibrance color in the photos. And lastly, the contrast of the darkest brown provides a backdrop for the colors to shine. Perfect. 

Lisa's layout shows how much she loves color. Have you taken a moment to document the color in your life? As a side design note, Lisa's journaling inserted on the diagonal is wonderful! And the teeny heart on the photo is one of those Lisa elements that just help her pages to ooze likability.

Next, let's look at Katie's layout. She added her favorite colors in equal proportions. Equal? I know. The pink/red takes up the whole page. But the blue is so saturated, compared to the spritz of the pink. So really they are quite balanced. Your mind will gather up all those spritzy dots and combine them to look the same as the blue. Really. Pop back over and look and tell me which one you see in greater proportion. Neither, right?? I knew it! Katie is a genius. And you can be, too. Then next time you have two equally bold and bright colors that you want to include, add one through mist. The diffusion will be just what you need to keep things balanced without having to resort to actual balanced use.

Did you read through Deb's notes? There she tells us how she is drawn to soft blue. I love that when she made her layout she didn't drown us in it. In fact, when you first see Deb's layout, I would venture that you, like me, first noticed the bright, warm yellow. But do you know what sets that yellow off so well? You guessed it, the soft blue that she loves. When you love something, don't force it to be center stage. Sometimes it can play a more powerful role in the background. I guarantee that had she used a bright green in place of the soft blue that the beauty of the yellow would have been lost.

Diane and color are like bread and butter. They just go together! (Just because I am that way, I am curious about her home decor and how she incorporates her bright happiness throughout her living spaces!) For the color on Diane's layout, look to how she has muted brights rather than bright brights. If the colors were all saturated, it might have screamed too loudly. Rather, the yellow in the middle draws our eye right in and the dark red peeking out from behind the photo grounds it. Then the other four color stripes are fun and happy without overwhelming.

From bright to muted, let's next look to Celeste's layout. This is a terrific example of how color doesn't need to be vibrant to be impactful. And also how a neutral can help push a color forward into the spotlight. Celeste's use of greige (grey-beige) serves an important role in highlighting the star of the page and the story, orange. Before we go on, have you made a page documenting your favorite color yet?

When I first noticed Kathy's work, I must admit I was smitten by her ability to use bright colors and lots of patterns. I love how she didn't shy away from them and incorporated them with ease and delight. This month, Kathy's layout stayed true to her talent. Let's look. The first thing that catches the eye of course is the myriad colors. The next is that the patterns are all small, which makes them evenly weighted. Lastly, the white space on the right and from the kraft in the center offsets the bountiful color. Lending a hand to that is the black in the title as well. And see how Kathy didn't add the center to the middle of the letters? Those stark black circles do the same to Kathy's layout as Vivian's brown camera did on hers. Solid grounding. It is these touches that help keep everything so visually pleasing.

My layout is next. Usually when we think of color on a layout, we think of the paper and embellishments. But color can also be found in the tint that we put on our photos. We can change the mood of the photos by adding a filter to a photo. This one is muted and rosey with a filter from Willette Photography. I use it often. Probably too often. Rebecca Cooper and Marcy Penner are masters at putting an individual stamp on their photos by the tints they add. It's fun! You might want to try it!

Do you sometimes recognize layouts before you even read the name attached by the colors and hues? Alexandra is that, for me. It's not a particular color exactly, but that her pages and photos have a lovely vintage glow. Alexandra's layout this month is true to her style. As you study her layout, tell me if you could identify the date the photos were taken. I know I cannot! And I love that! She, more than anyone, finds patterned papers that support her aesthetic. In color, in texture, and in design. It's an art. And she is an artist, for certain.

When I read through Jenny's notes, I learned that she had to dig back into her summer photos to find some that fit her favorite colors. And it got me thinking, I wonder if there is a time of year that photos are easier for me as the colors better fit my favorites? And I think there is! How about for you?

As you look at Jenny's layout, do you see how there is a subtle pattern on her background yellow paper? This pattern helps to diffuse the yellow, which otherwise might be too much. Remember how we talked about the pink on Katie's layout being less saturated as it was spritzed? The same is true with Jenny's yellow having a lighter graphic design. So when you love a color that is a bright one, look for it on a b-side of a patterned paper. That's where companies like to hide their cool graphic subtle tone on tone patterns.

Erin's layout is an example of how well she incorporates the colors in her photos into her layouts. I usually reach for white to be my background paper. Erin grabs a color. And is do good at it. I am going to try harder to follow her lead!

Christa's layout shows how color families can make it easy to use color. If you find a similar color on several patterned papers you have a great start to selecting the papers. This lets you use various patterns without trouble. Then, once you have a handful of patterns with like colors, you can branch out to other differently colored papers with like patterns. A formula for certain success!

Jennie's layout isn't a favorite colors layout as much as a favorite color combination layout! And what a terrific combination it is: blue/aqua/turquoise and red. Have you a favorite combo? How did you stumble upon it? Has it always been? Did you find it in a patterned paper family? Once you find it, don't worry about reusing it often. If you vary the combination proportions, you can get miles and miles out of your favorite without it seeming repetitive. If you don't believe me, look through Jennie's blog. You will see her favorites and see how well she uses them. And never will you think, gosh, I'm tired of aqua and red! Promise.

Kelly's layout is a good reminder that it is okay to stray away from typical colors. Girls don't need pink. Boys can have it. It's okay! You can look to the photo, to your kids, or to your favorites. The colors on your layout should support your story, or at least not detract from it. Other than that, there are no rules. Just a million and one shades to choose between!

When I saw Amy's layout, I fell in love with the bits of red. In their varying shades, and proportions. In their saturated hues. In their patterns. And their subtleties. I love how the strings of the threads trickle across the pages. I love how the radiant sun in the top left of left photo moves the red into the yellows. And just like that I am moved from red to yellow and now see all the golden yellows. Do you ever get lost in the color of a layout? I do. And it moves me.

Celeste's layout is so lovely in its springy hues and peachy pinks. It's a sweet side of Celeste. I love how she layered, not just her patterns, but her colors. And mixed in a multi-colored paper which ties all of them together. Using flower centers in different colors also helps to tie them all together. If ever you are stuck for a color scheme, finding a digital kit is a terrific start. All of Celeste's elements are from one kit. It helps tie things together so nicely.  Digi kits are a bit more eclectic that a regular paper release. Even if you don't scrap digitally, there is terrific color inspiration to be found on a pretend shopping spree.

Christine's layout's color scheme is based upon the sun and ocean. And what is not to love about that? Looking outside for colors can be very helpful. It can provide the background to a photo that is cropped too closely to see. It can provide a mood. It can be a starting point for layout that is having trouble finding its place. And if that outside in color scheme means something to you, it can even spill over into your journaling. Just like it did Christine's!

Sarah's layout is filled with the color spectrum, in rainbow form. Not only does she use the colors in her patterned paper, but then Sarah adds a rainbow flair. And a spectral title. And adds in the colors missing from the balloons as embellishments in the lower left hand corner. I wonder if she even knew that red and yellow were missing from the balloons. Sometimes color is so intuitive it can be tricky to put into words.

The colors in Emily's layout are her favorites. And some of mine. Compare the yellow and blue to that on Christine's layout. Isn't it crazy the difference of hue can make? The colors here take center stage as they appear from the bottom. The idea of them being framed makes them so much more impactful. And surrounded by all that yummy white white space makes it even more so. Do you see how she has created color vignettes in the left upper and right lower corners? and on the photo? Having each color represented in the vignettes gives the layout a equal balance, top, middle, and bottom. If a color had been left off, then your eye would have kept moving to find it. But with each there, instead, then you are satisfied at each visual stop.

Amy's layout about black orange and purple being associated with Halloween reminds us how our holidays and festivities are tied to colors. Test time. Christmas colors? Hanukkah colors? Valentines? Easter? See? Why is this do you think? Have you thought about your emotional responses to color? and holiday color combinations? Or even wider, just general combinations. My high school was royal blue and white. My town's now is maroon and gold. And I have lived in three red/white college towns (though to be exact, OSU's colors are scarlet and grey. The names are very important!) Red and white makes me think of football. Just does. Have you refrained from putting two colors together on a layout because the combination made you think of something other than the subject of your layout?

Emily's layout uses a mist name Fig Magenta. Which is apparently her favorite even though she doesn't like purple or pink. Curious, no? Have you a non-favorite color that seems to make repeat performances on your pages?

When you know that Paula loves both green and blue and the in between teal, don't you love how she blends the green and the blue letters to make teal ones in the middle? I love that Paula's layout pays homage to her favorite colors without it being the subject of her layout. 

 

Thank you for walking through the gallery with me! I hope you enjoyed our stroll!

 

For our printable this week, we have an album cover for your gratitude album. I hope you had a terrific turkey day and that you had a chance to fill out your gratitude cards! Here is a link for your album cover.

Enjoy your day! and thank you for stopping. We are truly grateful for your time and loyalty!

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!

Keeping you in Stitches: Adding Details

Jennifer Larson again, sharing some of the ways I figure out how to add stitches to pages. But first, Happy Thanksgiving to all our American friends! We hope you have a day filled with family, love, and laughter. And good food, too! Don't forget to print out the gratitude cards for those gathered round your table today. It will make a quick and easy mini album for a Christmas present...

 

Getting back to stitches... How do you decide where to add details through stitching?

For me, I tend to focus on the three major parts of my pages:

1. the title
2. the journaling
3. the focal photo

When I add stitches, I want to add them to important parts of the page, so I start by looking at one of these three parts. Here's some instances where I stitched to draw attention to the title:

On this page, I put a stitcker under the title; unfortunately, it wasn't long enough for the whole title. I added some cross stitches to finish out the line and add texture.

 

I did something similar on the next page:

This was a fairly simple page, so I wanted to add some pizzazz. Since the page was about the 4th of July, a star seemed in order; since I have star punches, I used one as a template to stitch around the title. Just enough pizzazz!'

 

On the next page I added stitching to both the title and the journaling:

I hand drew the word "photos," punched holes, then stitched the title. To draw attention to the journaling, I stitched around the numbers.

 

Here I used stitching to draw attention to the focal photo:

I mentioned earlier this week that I like to stitch photo corners; I did this here.

I also added some cross stitches to the title and some embellishment clusters. When I started scrapbooking, a design principle that was emphasized involved making sure that embellishments were "nailed down" with buttons or brads to the page. (This might have been a reaction to sticker sneeze.) Cross stitches do the same thing, but less obtrusively.

 

Because I cannot get enough of stitched photo corners:

This page use iPhone photos, which were only OK--in darkness, sort of yellow. I think the stitched photo corners draw them together and make them seem a bit more formal and special. Which of course all photos are, even if they lack technical polish.

 

Finally, getting back to cicles, which I can't get enough of...

I do this technique a LOT, probably because I am not a terrific photographer (heh). When I want to draw attention to the subject in my photo, I stitch a circle around it. Here I had taken a photo of my son playing soccer at night, and the photo was just too dark and muddy. I loved the colors, though, and I wanted to record the memory, so I used my Bazzill circle template to stitch around my dude in the red hat.

I've had such a fun week sharing my stitching habits with you. Tomorrow we will be bold and daring and talk about stitching outside the box: stitching free hand!

Keeping you in Stitches: Templates

 

 

Jennifer Larson, back again, this time to share an easy and gorgeous solution for hand stitching on layouts: templates.

 

 

Templates make backstitching easy. You can add various shapes to your pages with a template. In particular, I love the Bazzill Stitching templates, though Stampin' Up! has come up with some nice templates too. Kinsey Wilson sells some that are made to order; I've never bought them, but they are very pretty. You could email her and ask about their availability.

Here's what I've done with templates that you could do too:

1. Use the templates as is

My favorite stitching template is the Bazzill Flourishes template. I love clustering elements, then using the template to punch holes and stitch around the clusters. On this page, my clusters went from the lower left to the upper right of the page. NOTE: you don't have to use the whole template.  I only used half flourishes on most of my stitches.

 

2. Use paper as a template

You can use patterned paper as a stitching guide: just stitch around the patterns that exist on the page, or cut them out and use them as guides on another page. Here I used a Jenni Bowlin piece of patterned paper that contained stenciled lettering; I outlined the letters and then paper pierced them and stitched for the title.

 

3. Use chipboard or wood veneer as a template

If you're like me, you have a lot of chipboard shapes left over that maybe you haven't used in a while. Those serve nicely as stitching templates. I also use wood veneer for a similar purpose. I had a wood veneer starburst from My Mind's Eye and used it to cut out patterned paper in that shape, then stitched around it for the sun. I also used a Bazzill flourish border template for the bottom border. Just for fun.

 

4. Use punches as a template

I have a lot of punches in various shapes, mostly circles. Since I'm having a love affair with circles right now, I'm using them a lot to stitch circles around number or just add them to various parts of the page. Case in point: this page. I punched patterned paper circles in various sizes, then put a slightly larger punched circle over as a template. That didn't work so well--my circle was never perfectly matched to the one underneath--but when I used the negative space as a template:

 

Perfection! I traced the circle perfectly around the punched paper on the page, punched holes, then stitched. Exactly.

These were just a few ideas for using templates to stitch beautiful designs easily and quickly. Tomorrow I'll share ideas on how to find the perfect place to add stitched details!

Keeping you in Stitches: Basic Stitches

It's Jennifer Larson again, sharing some basic stitches I tend to use.

First: you can find basic stitch guides online if you google "embroidery stitches" or "needlework stitches." I find this one helpful (Sharon B's guide) and this one (Johanna's embroidery stitch diagrams). I won't draw stitch diagrams for you on this post, but I will describe the stitches I used on my pages; if you want to look up how to do it more precisely, click on one of these two links and search by the stitch name.

Generally, when stitching on paper, you do not want to holes to be too close together. I use 1/4 inch as a rule, though 1/8 inch can work (sorry for internationals about the measurements--I think this would be about a centimeter for you?). Any closer will probably shred the paper. I use my ruler or straight line hole templates (mosty from Stampin' Up!) to map out my straight line stitching.

 

1. Cross Stitch

I used cross stitches in two ways here: as a line under the title and in between scallops on the bottom border. If you happen to have border punches (of course you do!), adding cross stitches in them makes it super easy. I use the Stampin' Up! stitch template to measure the cross stitches, but a ruler will do as well.

2. Back Stitch

A back stitch is an outline. You can poke holes evenly apart and then stitch until the entire line is filled in. I use this stitch and the cross stitch the most because it is the most practical (and easiest!).

 

3. Running Stitch

This is similar to a back stitch, just with empty space. I use this to outline photo blocks a lot, or to make butterfly or bird trails.

 

4. Blanket Stitch

Blanket stitches are sort of half cross stitches, and they look cozy yet masculine. I like them on borders. I also backstitched a photo corner, one of my favorite things to do.

 

5. Algerian Eye

In my mind, Algerian Eyes are like glorified cross stitches:  to make one, you make a cross stitch and a plus sign. I like them because they are sort of sparkly looking shape-wise, which fit this winter page well.

 

6. Lazy Daisy Stitch

(Please ignore my hair and the fact that I'm massively pregnant in this photo!)

Lasy Daisy stitches are basically a loop you pin down on the page: Put the needle through the hole, then go down the same hole, leaving a loop the size you want. Supposedly, you then just have to stitch down the tip of the loop to form a lovely leaf shape; in all honesty, for me this forms leaves that look like they belong on a pine tree instead of an elm, so I also pin down the sides to make it more of a traditional leaf shape.

 

7. French Knot

French Knots are made by stitcking the needle through the paper and looping the floss around the needle, then poking the needle through the loop, which will form a knot. For some reason, I found that French Knots take more looping for paper than for fabric. When I stitch on cloth, I loop twice; on paper, I do it at least 5 times. On this page, I dotted the "i" with a French Knot; the rest of the word I backstitched after handwriting the word "attitude."

These were some basic stitches; tomorrow I'll share how I use templates to add designs that are amazing looking!

Keeping you in Stitches

Hello! It's Jennifer Larson sharing my first craft love: Embroidery.

I started cross-stitching when I was in third grade; I started scrapbooking when I was 30. I'm not sure when I meshed the two hobbies, but  stitching on layouts is now common for me. Why do I love it? Stitching is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to add detail to a page, and not just any detail, but the kind of detail that makes people stare slack jawed at the page. Seriously.

Here's what I'm planning on sharing for this week:

Day 1:( today) Basic Tools

Day 2: Basic Stitches

Day 3: Templates

Day 4: Adding Details

Day 5: Free Hand Stitching

 

It's day 1, so here are the basic tools I use:

1. foam mat. I bought mine at Michaels for cheap--two dollars?--in the kids craft section. *cheap alternative: back of a mouse pad, if you still have one.
2. paper piercer. I've gone through a few of these. Wine cork for safety. *cheap alternative to paper piercer: Push pin.
3. ruler. I like the Tim Holtz one because it has holes in it. Any ruler will do, though.
4. needles. I choose stainless steel ones so they don't rust, plus one that are not too thick but have a big eye. I'm getting older...
5. a sharp scissors. Just for ribbon and thread, not paper.
6. embroidery floss. I'm a snob and use DMC, which you can get at most craft stores (Joann's, Michaels, specialty embroidery shops). There are 6 threads in DMC; I use three when stitching on paper.

A note about DMC: There are a TON of colors. I own all of them due to cross-stitching, but I find it burdensome to search through them for my pages. I keep certain colors in my scrap supplies:

neutrals. I use white, ecru, black (210),light brown (3863), dark brown (3031), and orange brown (301). The numbers correspond with the DMC number codes, if you are interested in seeking these colors in particular.

rainbow colors. I bought a muted version ( top row: 304, 721, 743, 701, 825, 340) and a bright version (bottom row: 321, 971, 444, 910, 824, 858).

As I scrapped and stitched, I went out and got colors that seemed to fit the color trends  for scrapbooking papers: natural greens (more muted), teals, muted orange, and variegated threads.

These were my basic tools; tomorrow I will share with you the basic stitches I use and some layouts I used them on!