Write. Click. Scrapbook.

inspired by (part 2)

Happy Tuesday everyone! Paula here with your Tuesday dose of Summertime inspiration. If you checked in yesterday you would have seen Monika's wonderful post. Monika is the unofficial queen of mini books here at Write.Click.Scrapbook and I for one, have been very inspired by her many creations.

I had the honor of being the source of inspiration for Monika's mini book that she created for her son who is in the Navy. I love the idea of sending a mini album to someone - I think I'm going to have to create another Monika-inspired-mini to send to my parents who live overseas.

Today's post is about the mini-album that created based on of one Monika's. She has so many wonderful and varied mini's to choose from it was hard to pick just one but I was particularly drawn to her "my favorite memories of us" smash-style album:

I followed the instructions on her blog and in no time at all I had created a fun smash book of my own. 

Here's a few images from my book - first up, the cover. I mimiced Monika's with the textured cardstock, the decorative journaling sports and stickers. I sewed the book together using my sewing machine (a first for me):

 

Like Monika, I pulled various papers, journaling spots and embellishments from my stash along a color scheme and layered them to create the book. It's a fun way to use up things that have been sitting around for a while (years!):

I love using word strips and labels and I have tons of them!

I hope this inspires you to make your own mini album. Don't forget to click on Monika's details page to see all the extra goodies inside of her album.

Happy mini-making!

inspired by

Happy Monday to you all! Hi, I'm Monika, and at our house, we're getting ready for a birthday party and making sure we have everything on our back-to-school list. Next Monday, our girls will be enjoying their First Day of School. Hard to believe our Summer is almost over.

I think by now, you all know how much I adore a mini book. During last month's Gallery here at write.click.scrapbook. the theme was Perfect Pairings. At one point, I was paired with the amazingly talented Paula Gilarde. Then we added some lovely new members here and we had both had new pairings, but I still wanted to share with you a tutorial from Paula that inspired me.

It's a perfect summertime project and uses goodies you already have on hand...cardstock and photos. Anything else you add is just extra goodness! Here's my mini book...

...and here is Paula's mini book that inspired me. Here's another she shared here at w.c.s. recently.

 

ACCORDIAN MINI BOOK

Since I'm sending this to my son, who's in the Navy, I kept the embellishments simple. Don't worry, he's used to his Mom making mini books for him, so he won't be too embarrassed receiving this in the mail!

So simple that there are just 3 photos and Instagram photos at that.

STAMPS AS JOURNALING TOOLS

Have you ever thought to use all those sentiment stamps you have as a way to journal? I arranged a few stamps around my page and added my own words to fill in the gaps using different colored inks to make the stamp images stand out.

STAMPS AS EMBELLISHMENTS

Another favorite trick is to stamp an image, trim around it and add it to my page...instant embellishment. Perfect for mini books and layouts alike and you can even stamp on patterned paper!

So, excuse me now while I check our school supply list one more time and wonder how we're going to fit in a few more things from our Summer bucket list.

 

 

Sunday Photo + Words

In Review

July is finishing, the Olympics beginning, and school is just around the corner. With so much going on, this month's theme, Five is Fun! is perfect as we take our limited items and create some simpler works of art to help us complete some summer pages and document those memories before they fade away into a summer sunset.

Let's put on our fanciest flip flops, and our most comfy summer whites, and stroll through our gallery one last time. Together. The way we like it best, no?

 

Before we begin our prompt lists, let's do a bit of trend spotting. There are many multiple photos layouts this month; 12 in fact. 5 use grids. 6 use linear stacks. If you copied each of these 12 layouts, you would be scrapbooking 57 photos. Imagine how freeing it would seem to have 57 photos properly preserved?

For a mid-summer gallery, the colors are also light and bright. Lots of pastels and muted brights here. Right on trend according to Project Runway this week!

Let's get to our lists! First up, journaling prompts.

1. have you a dream? (Francine)
2. thoughts on the gender of your children (Deb)
3. the personality of your pet (Lisa)
4. a way that your child is changing (Emily)
5. a Fourth of July tradition (Celeste)
6. documenting something you have been waiting for (Diane)
7. look deeper at a field trip detail (Vivian)
8. a current creative stage of you or your child (Kathy)
9. document how a tradition began (Paula)
10. a treat and why you love it (Teka)
11. different aspects of your child (Valerie)
12. capture a moment of zaniness (Emily)
13. look at your child. what do you see? (Sarah)
14. party details. bare bones. (Donna)
15. journal the start of a conversation. the photos will be the end. (Erin)
16. record a gratitude to your child (Marnie)
17. document a special relationship (Christa)
18. a summer delight (Amy)
19. something that makes life good (Monika)
20. a list of a few goods and bads from a day of vacation (Marie)
21. record some details from a touristy day (Kelly)
22. your thoughts as you look back at an old photo (Alexandra)

 

And your photography prompts:

1. stand by a window for a selfie (Francine)
2. take a portrait shot of each of your kids with the same background on the same day (Deb)
3. take a series of photos to help better tell the story (Lisa)
4. be higher than your subject (Emily)
5. have your subjects lay down and stand over them (Celeste)
6. use a fun filter (Diane)
7. take two: one up close, one far away (Vivian)
8. use a white background for a detail shot (Kathy)
9. get a series that help tell the story (Paula)
10. foodie photos. yum! (Teka)
11. block a chunk of time, patiently sit and capture expression changes (Valerie)
12. before you clean, click! (Emily)
13. take an everyday shot of someone you love (Sarah)
14. the birthday candle, before and after (Donna)
15. look back through your photos and match them up for a page (Erin)
16. same subject, front and back (Marnie)
17. look for a moment that you can capture the essence of relationship in a photo (Christa)
18. summer food eating action shot (Amy)
19. set your scene with near, far, up, down, left and right (Marie)
20. tourist day: remember the people pictures, too (Kelly)
21. remember to add in the background for an additional bit of preservation (Alexandra)

 

And lastly, 22 things to try when you scrapbook this month:

1. use an unlikely thread for a banner (Francine)
2. rounded corners on your photos, squared corners on the mattes (Deb)
3. use the negatives of a punch (Lisa)
4. create a photo strip by reusing the same photo 3 or more times (Emily)
5. keep your layout in the upper half of the page, with lots of breathing room below (Celeste)
6. try a black photo matte to help your colorful photo pop (Diane)
7. emulate a graphic on your photo with paper (Vivian)
8. enlarge a photo with unusual proportions (Kathy)
9. have a perfectly centered and symmetrical layout (Paula)
10. use patterned tape on top of patterned paper. i dare you! (Teka)
11. jump the gender gap with products (Valerie)
12. tip your photo away from the lines of your layout (Emily)
13. use a reference point in your photo in the background decor (Sarah)
14. keep an uniform margin in a block of photos (Donna)
15. let an embellishment aid in your storytelling (Erin)
16. use a ribbon in lieu of a patterned paper (Marnie)
17. journal round your photo (Christa)
18. use a graphic element three times (Amy)
19. place your title over a strip of washi tape (Monika)
20. place your photo grid on the lower left hand corner and then use your journaling and embellishments to create a visual triangle (Marie)
21. journal on our photos (Kelly)
22. use those old decorative scissors! (Alexandra)

 That's it! 66 ideas to keep your juices flowing and pages coming!

 

As a thank you for the time you have spent with us this month, our lovely Monika created this printable for you and our Five is Fun! theme.

You may download it here.

Thank you for stopping by! Have a terrific weekend!

Celebrating relationships

Last month, I shared some ideas for documenting weddings, whether it was the details, special moments, your thoughts on marriage or simply a favorite photo it was all things wedding related. Earlier this month I celebrated 23 years with my husband, and best friend, so I thought it would be fun to do a follow-up to weddings and share some ideas for documenting anniversaries, special relationships and your years together with your spouse.

 

Document Change

To celebrate our 23rd anniversary I made a layout that showed how much things have changed through the years by highlighting how many places we've lived, the number of vehicles we've had, our pets, and of course, the addition to our family with our kids.

{by Diane Payne}

As an added bonus, we had a lot of fun reminiscing and counting all the places we've live, our big purchase items, beloved pets and how life has change with two kids.

On this next layout I took a different approach. Although I still discuss the changes we've been through, my journaling is more focused on how we have supported each other through the ups and downs of life. 

{by Diane Payne}

I love how this layout signifies that we can accomplish and make it through anything together.

 

Similarities and Differences

Have you ever noticed how much you have in common with your spouse, yet at the same time you have distinct differences in your likes and dislikes? I think those similarities and differences are what make a relationship work. 

Our newest member, Jennifer, made a layout about the similarities that her and her husband both have for pop culture, although she likes to watch re-runs and her husband likes to watch new things. 

{by Jennifer Larson} 

Put together a page like Jennifer did that that will give your loved ones a glimpse into your relationship and the similarities and differences that you share.

Love and Gratititude

I can't even tell you how much I love this mini album that Monika shared. It includes each letter of the alphabet and a hand-written notes of things she loves about her husband and gratitude for him and their relationship.

{by Monika Wright}

This is a great way to celebrate your relationship! Heartfelt and simples doesn't get any better than this!

 

Memories through the Years 

This next mini album doubles as an Anniversary card. Monika selected photos through the years and recorded her thoughts and love for their life they have built together.

{by Monika Wright}

A trip down memory lane is a wonderful way to show someone how much they mean to you. What a wonderful tribute to love!

 

Favorite Photo

Last year a few days before our anniversary we spent a fun day on the lake hanging out with the family and watching fireworks. A day at the lake always involves photos and not only did I get one of my husband, but I also captured a beautiful sunset.

I decided to put both of them together on a page and have a little fun with a play on words that celebrated our years together. 

{by Diane Payne}

Although there isn't any journaling on the page, I've packed a lot in the title by showing not only how many years we've been married but that I love him as much now as the day I married him.

Pages about special relationships can include your parents, grandparents, or even special friends. I hope you'll give it a try!

Sunday Photo & Words

Scrapbooking Summer Camp Memories

Hi Kathy Martin here with my very first post for write. click. scrapbook! It didn't take me long to think of a subject for our Summer Dailies since summertime in the Martin house means day camps for Christopher. Do your children go to camp? Where we live in Raleigh, North Carolina, there are a lot of great camps to choose from with activities that make me want to give up this crafting business so I can attend camp too! Christopher gets to go on hikes, fishing, canoeing, and horseback riding. There's also arts and crafts where he made a tie dyed t-shirt and an alligator out of a clothespin, pictured on my page below. And that's just the tip of the iceberg!

 

 

With all these awesome camp adventures, there's a lot of material for scrapbooking! Often times it's hard to get photos of your child at camp since they don't let us moms participate, but don't let that stop you from preserving those summer camp memories. You can take photos of their camp crafts for your pages.

 

This is a toothpick and tissue paper campfire Christopher made.

 

How about this puzzle piece tree? Pretty creative!

 

What? There isn't a camp in your area? Camp was full? One year Christopher went to "Camp Mom" because our favorite camps were full and I didn't want him sitting in front of the TV and computer all day. One of our Camp Mom activities included a trip to the nursery for some flowers and lavendar bushes. Here is the page I created of our gardening day including the little plastic plant markers that came with our plants.

 

Don't forget to include the pages about your big kids, too! Monika made this page about her son's camp adventure as a volunteer.

 

I hope I've been able to give you some ideas for scrapbooking your childs summer camp memories. Now I want to schedule another Camp Mom!

Kathy :)

Welcome, July!

It is July! Summer is in full heat here above the equator!! We hope that you are enjoying your summer and our Summertime Dailies!!

While tomorrow is the first of the month, you know we like our Sundays quiet, and we are super excited to share our big news with you, so we are here today, rather than Monday! We hope you don't mind! Before we get to our new gallery, let's start with our exciting announcement!!

 

While we thought it was fun to announce that we were having a talent search, it doesn't at all compare to announcing our decision! Before we do, please know that we were humbled to receive your applications and wish we had room for you all! We love that our message can also be found in so many places and through so many designers. Thank you, dear applicants, for helping spread the word that simple is stunning!

 

Without further ado, please put your hands together for ...

Jennifer Larson

and

Katie Ehmann

 

Yes, it's true, we picked two!! Jennifer and Katie, we are so very happy to have you on our team! We know that you will be fantastic additions to our little family and know that the readers are going to love you as much as we already do!! And we are looking forward to sharing the talents of the finalists with you as well in the upcoming months!

 

The theme this month, is Five is Fun! Every now and again, we like to challenge ourselves (and you!) to limit the number of products we put on a layout. And even though we try to begin with the required five products, sometimes five items can suddenly become five groups, or five items plus one (or six!), or five if you don't include paper. Or maybe you need to stretch to five by counting up the fonts separately!!

No worries, we bought some doughnuts for the scrapbook police so hurry and count out your five'ish products while the uniforms are distracted!

 

We are, of course, teasing! Because the scrapbook police aren't real, you may choose as many as you wish. But know that sometimes it is fun to try something new! Perhaps you can begin by finding your three favorites and then building your layout from there. With all the summer activities you have planned, sneaking in a five product layout before breakfast might be the perfect way to get a layout or two finished, too! And still have time for a hike or a swim! Just like our team did!

So take five! Products, that is, and have fun with a Five is Fun! layout!

In Review

Every month I sit to write and I think, "Really? A whole month has already passed?" And then I shake my head, sigh, and recall what a fabulous month it has been.

June began with a fun birthday celebration. After much hemming and hawing about whether it was 3 or 4 (why is it that we turn our birthday number at the end of our year, rather than at the beginning??), we ate some virtual cupcakes and were thrilled to have some new team members, a new gallery, a talent search, and a giveaway! Woohoo! Who cares about the number, after all! We're just happy to be here with you!

With the return of our summer dailies posting series, we have already been honored to learn from Marnie, Vivian, Lisa, Emily, Monika, Diane, Amy, Emily, Paula, Francine, Celeste, our new Valerie, Donna, our also new Teka, and Katrina. We have addressed school's end, summertime, beaches, flags, fathers, and reading. Did you know that this month alone has brought you 60 layouts, 6 mini albums, 3 sketches, 2 cards, and a handful of ideas for home decor, and project life. We are doing our best to keep your summer filled with scrapbooking tips and inspiration that is doable, and fun!

 

There are only seven more days until our new gallery, so we wanted to take one last look back at our gallery. Shall we go together?

Last month, as we walked through the gallery, we put together lists of page starters, prompts, or ideas, separated by our three site themes, write, click, and scrapbook. We thought it was helpful to re-examine the layouts with a different perspective (and fun, too!). Did you agree? We hope so, because we are doing it again!

This month, we are going to start with journaling. Without further ado, here are 25 stories to write:

1. a time we changed a tradition (Christa)
2. the story of our pet coming to our home (Celeste)
3. a snapshot of my day told in words (Donna)
4. if I were a pet, I would... (Lisa)
5. document a family first (Paula)
6. how I celebrated my birthdays as a child (Deb)
7. how has your style changed over the years (Kelly)
8. how you prepare your home for visitors (Valerie)
9. a scaled back celebration (Francine)
10. the favorite beverage in your home (Diane)
11. when I was small, I loved to pretend that... (Vivian)
12. document a ritual that you have in your home (Keshet)
13. what it means to you to have a sibling (Monika)
14. record something that is ending (Kathy)
15. how do you feel about your children right now (Teka)
16. tell of a family trait that you inherited (Marie)
17. make a list of things you would like to do this summer (Lisa)
18. use one word to capture your child's personality (Sarah)
19. list 5 things that describe each member of your family, right now (Emily)
20. something that made me happy today was... (Katrina)
21. your favorite mode of transportation (Erin)
22. something that changed between last year and this (Amy)
23. I witnessed a miracle when... (Emily)
24. how you feel when all your kids are getting along (Marnie)
25. a new family tradition (Karen)

 

Moving on to photos... Here are 25 photos you could consider taking so that you don't end up with the same photos day after day. (Oh wait, that's me. sorry... teehee!)

1. your child at play from the backside. be sure to include some of the surroundings. (Christa)
2.  headshot of your favorite pet (Celeste)
3. a snapshot of my day told in photos (Donna)
4. soaking up the sunshine (Lisa)
5. the food you ate at a summer event (Paula)
6. a summer beverage (Deb)
7. a cute outfit (Kelly)
8. a child practicing a skill (Valerie)
9. a photo mid-action (Francine)
10. your family eating breakfast (Diane)
11. a field trip photo (Vivian)
12. you wearing your favorite top (Keshet)
13. your family just being together (Monika)
14. a final event (Kathy)
15. a selfie with someone you love (Teka)
16. someone resting (Marie)
17. an usual pose (Sarah)
18. a coordinated clothing photo (Emily)
19. something you know you will miss in five years (Katrina)
20. photograhic evidence of the reason you are tired (Erin)
21. a person-less photo that helps tell the story (Amy)
22. freshen your makeup and do a selfie! right now! (Emily)
23. your people in the back of your car (Marnie)
24. your table (Karen)

 

Lastly, our gallery is filled with great design. Here are some tips and ideas to try to keep your pages fresh!

1. trend alert: rulers and measuring tape (Christa)
2. try cutting your title out of some patterned paper and using the negative (Celeste)
3. use your favorite stamp (Donna)
4. use the same patterned paper in two places, but in different proportions (Lisa)
5. frame out your photos (Paula)
6. repeat your elements in three places on your layout, creating a visual triangle (Deb)
7. create a focal point on your photo without cropping it (Kelly)
8. add small embellishments that help tell your story (Valerie)
9. try layering your photo mattes, tipping each layer slightly askew (Francine)
10. paint your letter stickers (Diane)
11. layer your letter stickers onto your photo (Vivian)
12. use a circle garland to help lead you into the focal point of your photo (Keshet)
13. get out your label maker and put it to use! (Monika)
14. trim your photo to an unusual size (Kathy)
15. trend alert: wooden embellies and people chains (Teka)
16. use your washi tape for journaling strips (Marie)
17. create a border with 7 scraps of paper (Lisa)
18. create a triangle mosaic (Sarah)
19. create a mirror image layout (top to bottom or side to side) (Emily)
20. create a layered embellishment collage (Katrina)
21. rounded corners are still in. have fun! (Erin)
22. use three patterned papers of varying colors, but with similar scale and cut to similar sizes (Amy)
23. trend prediction: quatre foil is the next big graphic (Alexandra)
24. use a number in your title (Emily)
25. use a long descriptive title (Marnie)
26. embrace some white space (Karen)

So many great ideas! I am thinking I might take one from each list, put them together and make a layout! Will you join me?

 

As a thank you for joining us this month, Monika has put together a printable for you to help celebrate the perfect pairings in your life!

You may download it here.

 

And here is a sweet layout that she made using it!

Love the idea of shoes. Perhaps it is also that I cannot resist a little bit of word play!

 

Before we go, one last reminder that the clock is ticking on our Talent Search. Hurry and get your audition tapes ready! (just kidding about audition tapes, but not kidding about the deadline drawing near!)

Have a great weekend! And thank you for joining us for this magnificent start to our summer series!!

Last Day of School

Most of you have probably already passed this milestone this year. Here in the Northeast, school goes quite a bit later and that big crazy October snowstorm really pushed our last day back even further! Our last day is Wednesday of this week. It’s a big day here as my oldest is leaving elementary school and headed to middle school next year. My “baby” moves out of the ranks of lower classes and into the big time – he’ll have state tests next year in third grade. Where has the time gone?

Even if you have passed this annual turning point, there is still time to document the end of the school year with pictures you already have or you could even stage some! I tend to not actually be there when the kids get out of school on the last day. I snap pictures of them at the school when I pick them up from aftercare or even drag them down to the front of the school a few days later. Here I just snapped a photo of them on our front porch with their backpacks on!

layout by Celeste Smith

 

Some of my favorite school pages are the pages that show the first and last day of school. It's amazing to see how much children have grown and changed in the course of a school year. These pages are great places to write about academic accomplishments for the year - perhaps your child learned to read or became a multiplication whiz? Physical growth coupled with academic growth - a great journal prompt! Look at how much Paula, Kathy and Christa's children grew!

layout by Paula Gilarde

 

layout by Christa Paustenbaugh

 

layout by Kathy Martin

 

Another option is to interview children about their year and put it on a page. Some questions you might include:

What was your favorite subject?
What was your favorite special?
What was your favorite part of the day?
What was your favorite lunch in the cafeteria?
What was your favorite school event?
Who was your favorite teacher?
Name on thing you learned in Math.
Name one thing you learned in Science.
What was your favorite book this year?
Who were your friends in class?
What are you looking forward to this summer?

I found this great list of 40 questions online. Check it out if you want some different questions!

Erin Sweeney had her daughter answer a series of questions. Then thanks to a great teacher who provided a DVD filled with photos from the year, Erin was able to match up photos to her daughter's answers.

layout by Erin Sweeney

 

Or take an idea from our resident mini-album queen, Monika Wright and create a mini-album. Allow your child to write his or her own thoughts about the past school year!

mini album by Monika Wright - more details on her blog!

 

Don't forget the classic bus shot on the last day or perhaps you can snap some photos of your kids jumping for joy or maybe capture a shot of your child with his/her teacher or best friends? Kathy Martin snapped a photo of the bus in her neighborhood.

photo by Kathy Martin

 

Paula was able to incorporate teacher photos and poignant journaling about finishing the year on this sweet page about her daughter. I love the number in the last photo too - so clever!

layout by Paula Gilarde

 

Every year, I try and snap a photo of my boys holding up their fingers to indicate that they are now in the next grade. We take this photo at the beginning of the next year as well. I wish I had started this in first grade for my older boy, but I didn't snap the first one until a couple years ago. At least, Sam will have a full set!

layout by Celeste Smith

 

I just love the Whiz Kid digital kit from Audrey Neal that I used on my page so much. Wouldn't this kit also be great for July 4th or any academic layout? Audrey is an amazing designer and her kits are always versatile and jam packed with great elements and word art. Her kits make pages come together so quickly!

Audrey graciously offered to give one Whiz Kid kit away to one lucky write. click. scrapbook. reader. Leave your name below and I'll pick a winner this evening. Until next time - happy scrapping!