Hooray hooray hooray hooray hooray today is our birthday!
We love this time of year as we get to look back at the last 12 months and marvel at the changes, the fun, and the general awesomeness of our favorite site!! We hope that you have enjoyed the posts, the layouts, and the inspiration.
We are excited to get year five started! We are going to have a bit of a sentimental beginning with our
This month we are looking back at year four. Each of our designers picked a layout or post that they loved from this past year and used it to inspire a new layout. Let's take a look.
Mother’s Day 2013 | Aliza Deutsch

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Basic Grey, My Mind’s Eye) + buttons (My Mind’s Eye, Fancy Pants) + paper clips (Fancy Pants) + thickers (American Crafts) + labels (Evalicious, Basic Grey) + stickers (My Mind’s Eye) + ink (Versamark) + fonts (Times New Roman)
A Note from Aliza
This layout was inspired by a recent Mother’s Day post by Marnie. She said that every Mother’s Day, she takes a picture with each of her children. I knew right away that I wanted to do that too, and I am madly in love with the results.
June Fun Fact
I just bought a necklace that I love, but it’s really big and bold. I am working up the nerve to wear it to work.
Date Night | Christine Newman

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned paper (American Crafts Amy Tangerine, Dear Lizzy, Studio Calico) + stamps (American Crafts) + ink (Memento) + pen (Sharpie) + punches (Fiskars, Marvy Uchida, McGill) + digital graphic (Ali Edwards) + digital die cutter (Silhouette America) + adhesives (Scotch, Glue Dots, Tombow) + stapler (Advantus) + font (Blackout)
A Note from Christine
This layout was inspired by a post by Katie Ehmann during her Patterned Paper Week in November 2012. I wanted to create a layout using just papers to celebrate... well, paper! :)
June Fun Fact
Todd and I always take Summer Solstice (6/20 or 6/21, depending on the year) off work. Our rationale is that Summer Solstice is the longest daylight of the year, and we don't want to spend it at work! We look forward to our annual tradition or spending Summer Solstice outside and together every year.
Hello New Love | Lisa Ottosson

8 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Creative Club) + stickers (My Little Shoebox, American Cafts
A Note from Lisa
Teka always inspires me with her projects. I chose this simple page because of the big journaling banner.
I wrote some lyrics on my banner and added my photo on top. I added a strip with low opacity in Picmonkey to the photo before printing it, so that I could easily add my letter stickers as a title.
Magic | Lisa Ottosson

8 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Jenni Bowlin) + embellishments (Crystal Wilkerson, Ali Edwards digital kit)
A Note from Lisa Ottosson
This layout is inspired by Deb Duty´s page called Happiness. Deb always makes such cool layers so I wanted to mimic that. I had the Jenni Bowlin patterned papers but felt like I wanted something more. So I began doodling and ended up making that magic paper. It was much fun and I know I will do that again!
Lucky Me | Diane Payne

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned paper (Studio Calico, Basic Grey, American Crafts, Kesi Art) + washi tape (Freckled Fawn) + flair (A Flair for Buttons) + ink (Faber-Castell) + pen (American Crafts)
A Note from Diane
As I re-read and looked at inspiring post after post from the last year, Amy Coose's layout with stitching around her photo caught my eye. I love how it framed and brought attention to her photo. It was exactly what I wanted to do to showcase the photos that captured my daughter's loving gifts to me this Mother's Day.
June Fun Fact
It may be summer and school is out but we will be busier than ever with select softball tournaments, speed camp, wrestling lessons, football practice, baby sitting and a trip overseas. It will be a full and busy month, but I love it and wouldn't want it any other way!
Birthday Wishes| Amy Coose

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (Bazzill) + patterned paper (Pebbles, Studio Calico, American Crafts) + chipboard (Studio Calico) + mist(Studio Calico, Heidi Swapp) + pen (American Crafts) + tags (Chic Tags)
A Note from Amy
As I went back through our amazing galleries from this past year, I was really inspired by Marnie's layoutfrom the Feeling Thankful gallery.
I loved the design of the layout and the sweet pictures of her kids with their grandparents, and I knew I had the perfect pictures of my baby boy with his grandmothers on his birthday, and I couldn't wait to get them scrapped.
June Fun Fact
June is a busy month for us. We have the last day of school, my birthday and my daughter's birthday the day after, and we also usually travel home to see my family. I wait all year for this month, because it's filled with so much fun.
love you | Katie Ehmann

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned paper (Studio Calico) + stickers (Sassafrass, Studio Calico) + wood veneer (Studio Calico) + washi tape (Freckled Fawn)
A Note from Katie
This layout was inspired by Valerie O’ Neall’s The Many Faces of Lucas layout in the Five is Fun gallery.
June Fun Fact
I don’t work during the summer and I can’t wait to spend all day lazing around the pool and scrapbooking at night!
Written in the Stars | Celeste Smith

12 x 12 | materials kits (Stencils no. 1 by Creashens at Pixels & Co., Stargazer by One Little Bird at The Lilypad, A Beautiful Mess Splatters by Just Jaimee at Pixels & Co., At the Thrift Shoppe by Jennifer Barrette at Sweet Shoppe Designs, Papery Stuffs by Dawn by Design at Pixels & Co.) + masks (Cut.It.Out Clipping Masks by Robyn Meierotto at Pixels & Co.) + stitching (In Stitches Neutral Basics by Robyn Meierotto at Pixels & Co., Sewing Kit 1 by Agnes Biro (retired)) + fonts (DBJ Celeste from Darcy Baldwin at Sweet Shoppe Designs)
A Note from Celeste
Amy Sorenson's recent Silhouette Week was super inspiring. While I can't really use my Silhouette to scrapbook digitally, I can still bring the look to my pages by using the .png files to clip papers to and shadow to get the same look.
June Fun Fact
I'm excited for school to end. Both boys will be going to sleepaway camp this year the same week. It's going to be fun for them, but I'm sure too quiet around here!
What’s in a Name? | Jennifer Larson

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (Bazzill) + patterned paper (Studio Calico, Lily Bee Designs) + stamp (Studio Calico) + ink (Stampin’ Up!, Jenni Bowlin) + wood veneer (Studio Calico) + punches (EK Success) + font (Times New Roman)
A Note from Jennifer Larson
I took inspiration from a post by Amy Coose back in February about using your stash, specifically stamps for a background. I took a Polaroid stamp I had and stamped a background of Polaroids to serve as a photo mat, filling in the centers with patterned paper. This was a quick but eye catching design!
June Fun Fact
I have a collection of Noah’s Ark pictures, figures, and cross-stitched samplers.
Lucky Number Forty I Christa Paustenbaugh

12 X 12 | materials patterned papers (Echo Park, Basic Grey, October Afternoon) + stickers (My Mind’s Eye, American Crafts, Jillibean Soup) + die cut (Evalicious for Cocoa Daisy, Chic Tags, Basic Grey) + rub on (Basic Grey) + brad (CosmoCricket) + ribbon (May Arts) + die cut machine (Silhouette SD)
A Note from Christa
I took my inspiration this month from a Click post. I think it’s very important to take photos of ourselves as moms and not just let them sit on the memory card and/or computer, but also putting those on paper and scrapbooking them. I wanted to document my recent 40th birthday to embrace it!
June Fun Fact
This month marks our 1 year anniversary of living overseas in Japan. We have had lots of adventures so far and looking forward to many, many more in our short time here. This month we head off to explore Seoul, South Korea.
Mornings | Valerie O'Neall

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (American Crafts, Bazzill) + patterned paper (My Mind's Eye, Pink Paislee, Studio Calico, Crate Paper) + stickers (Sassafras, Studio Calico, October Afternoon, Jillibean Soup) + wood veneer (Studio Calico, Freckled Fawn) + printed shapes (American Crafts, Ormolu) + kraft tags (Maya Road) + flair (Ormolu) + enamel dots (My Mind's Eye) + alpha stamps (Hero Arts) + bow (Jenni Bowlin) + stamps (Studio Calico, Ormolu) + mug thicker (American Crafts) + buttons (Autumn Leaves) + ink (Memento) + pen (Copic)
A Note from Valerie
This layout was inspired by Diane Payne's embellishment week back in January (1.28.13-2.1.13). I couldn't pick just one type of embellishment, so I used almost all the embellishments mentioned throughout the week.
June Fun Fact
I actually enjoy repainting rooms in our home. Now the ceilings? not so much (and thanks to roof leaks, I've had to repaint almost every ceiling in our house).
Click Click Click | Francine Clouden

12 x 12 | materials stamps (KesiArt, Studio Calico, craft supply) + spray ink (Studio Calico, Tattered Angels, KesiArt) + printables (write.click,scrapbook)
A Note from Francine
I love pretty much everything that Valerie does, and I especially loved her layout from the Conversations gallery in February. It got me excited about inking and stamping! I also used the free printables designed by Marnie for the Favourite Photos theme last December. They went perfectly with this month's theme AND my layout.
June Fun Fact
Without my notebooks, lists, post-it notes and wall planner I wouldn't remember a thing!
Smitten | Marnie Flores

12 x 12 | materials papers (Crystal Wilkerson, Echo Park) + fonts (Doodle Basic, Lavanderia)
A Note from Marnie
Celeste is my hero. She is one of the most consistent scrapbookers alive. As I hunted through her year 4 layouts, I found this one with its place for flair and tiny patterns. I love how quickly it all came together. Maybe I should just copy all of Celeste's layouts!!!
June Fun Fact
We just got a puppy!!!!!!
Miss Sandy | Marnie Flores

12 x 12 | materials papers (Crystal Wilkerson) + fonts (Bebas, Century Gothic)
A Note from Marnie
I'm a big sucker for Francine's layouts. This one with it's grid was too perfect to pass up. I loved the two fonts on the edge, but couldn't get mine to work. But I wish I could have.
June Fun Fact
We finished school in May this year, so June is all about the fun fun fun!
True Love | Marnie Flores

12 x 12 | materials papers (Crystal Wilkerson) + fonts (Bondoluo, Century Gothic)
A Note from Marnie
Christine is so incredibly talented. When I saw her layout in our November gallery, I was taken in by the mixing of patterns and how cool it looked with the patterns and colors.
June Fun Fact
Did I mention we got a puppy? We love her. Her name is Chartreuse Rosabelle Starlight. But we just call her Charlie!
It's a terrific gallery, no? If you would like to see the gallery as a whole, you may do so here. And there you will find all the journaling, too!
For a little bit of birthday fun, a few of us put together some journaling, photography, and scrapbooking tips. If you would like to start with Aliza, she will get you headed to the next place. And if you get lost, here is the list:
Aliza Deutsch
Amy Sorensen
Amy Coose
Christa Paustenbaugh
Christine Newman
Diane Payne
Jenny Larson
Katie Ehmann
Lisa Ottosson
Marnie Flores
Valerie O'Neall
Thank you for joining us for our birthday! Have some cake for us and raise your glass to another year of scrapbooking together!
We love you, dear readers! We love you!! Happy birthday us!