Elle's Studio February 2018 Kit Reveal

It's that time of the month again! The Elle's Studio February 2018 kit and add-ons are live and I have an unboxing video below to show you all of the latest and greatest product that hit the shop today! (*All product links contained in this post are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support of my YouTube feed and this blog!)

The February 2018 kit is a rainbow of colors, with a range of sayings and graphics. I love the fun, bold stripes, mixed with the softer florals and prints.

In addition to the kit, the add-ons come in a range of colors and textures, with fun, graphic icons to add to your projects. From left to right, you can see: cork speech bubbles, Brave acrylic, wood veneer cameras, February icon labels, The Best banner stickers, Icon stamp, Shapes and Dots puffy stickers, February blank label stickers, wood veneer icons, ampersand wood veneer, Kind acrylic

I also both the digital cut files and Icon Printables heavily this month! There are so many great items here to re-use over and over again on your projects! 

My first project was a 12" x 12" layout that I created using a kit-driven color scheme, with everyday photos from our favorite weekend activity: an after gym class smoothie treat!

Supplies | February 2018 kit, Icon Printables, digital cut files, The Best banner stickers, cork speech bubbles, Shapes and Dots puffy stickers, Hugs and Kisses puffy stickers, All the Details stamp, Icon stamp, Live Laugh Love 6" x 6" paper stack, Live Laugh Love 12" x 12" paper collection

You can see how this easy, mixed-media layout came together in this process video:

Be sure to check back later this afternoon, when I will share my second project created with the February 2018 kit and add-ons! If you like pocket pages, you'll want to stop back! 

SCT Winter Issue: For the Love of Travel

I was so excited when we received our assignments for the Scrapbook and Cards Today winter issue because we were to document something that we loved. Well, aside from my family, my next love is travel! I love going new places, eating new foods and taking in the culture wherever I go. It was only natural that this is what I decided to document for the issue. 

So, I sat down to create my layout, and made a single 12" x 12" layout. 

I loved my layout, and was so happy with how it turned out. It wasn't until I went to send it to the editor for review, when I saw that I had the assignment wrong... it was supposed to be a 12" x 12" double page spread! After my initial moment of panic wore off, I decided to take a deep breath and challenge myself to making this the right side of a double page spread, and what I created ended up being one of my favorite layouts from 2017, using the Escape the Ordinary collection from Pinkfresh Studio. (*All product links contained in this post are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support of my YouTube feed and this blog!)

Supplies | Pinkfresh Studio Escape the Ordinary collection at Scrapbook.com: Explore Patterned Paper, Dare Patterned Paper, Wander Patterned Paper, Fabric Die Cut Pieces, Leatherette Alpha Stickers, Layered Tags, Clear Acrylic Stamp; at Simon Says Stamp: Puffy Stickers, Ephemera Die Cuts, Chipboard Stickers

My challenge, after I created a single-page layout that I loved, was to create a complementary page to that layout, and I feel like I did just that with the left side of the spread. You can see how I created my initial page, including how I used the print and cut method on my Silhouette Cameo to add a circular photo to my layout, as well as the decisions I made when I made this a double-page spread instead of a single page, on the following process video:

Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope this video has shown you that there are no "accidents" in crafting—only opportunities for more creativity! Happy creating! 

Dear Lizzy Stay Colorful: Unicorns and Sparkles

Have you had a chance to check out the new, beautiful collections being released this month from American Crafts? The Stay Colorful collection* from Dear Lizzy is one of my favorites (although it's hard to choose between them all!) and includes beautiful springy colors and fun, playful graphics. I used it to create a layout all about my daughter's rose-tinted glasses. (*All product links contained in this post are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support of my YouTube feed and this blog!)

Supplies | Awesome Possum patterned paper, Mood Ring patterned paper, Funkadelic patterned paper, Radical patterned paper, Lava Lamp patterned paper, die-cut cardstock words, cardstock stickers, ephemera with foil accents, mini clothespins, puffy stickers

How fun are those patterned paper names, right?

After I selected my photo, which was perfect for this beautiful collection, I then pulled out the die-cut "unicorns and sparkles" to create my title. This sparked my idea to die-cut my own "sparkles," and place them along the right side of the layout. After adhering them, I added some machine stitching for extra texture. Of course, I had to add the cute unicorn from the cardstock stickers, too. 

With all of the weight added to the right side of the page, I needed some elements to add some weight to the left, so I grabbed the ephemera with foil accents pack to add some elements to the top left corner of my photo. 

You can see how I went about making the decisions for this page firsthand by watching my process video:

Be sure to check out the Stay Colorful collection, and each of the products I used on this layout via the gallery below. 

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today! I'm on my way to Creativation 2018 in Phoenix, so be sure to follow me on Instagram for new product enabling! Have a great weekend! 

Thank You Greetings with American Crafts

I started my paper crafting journey as a cardmaker, and creating cards is a way for me to get back to my original love of paper crafting—a small canvas on which to get creative, and send a little sunshine someone's way. When American Crafts challenged me to create "thank you" cards with their latest collections, I was excited to get into the product to see what would inspire me.

These three cards were created in 5 minutes, 7 minutes and 10 minutes with beautiful supplies from Dear Lizzy Star Gazer, Shimelle Glitter Girl and Vicki Boutin All the Good Things collections. Can you guess which is which? 

"You are Magical" card supplies | Dear Lizzy Star Gazer collection: Make a Wish patterned paper,   Ephemera with foil accents, washi tape; Vicki Boutin All the Good Things collection: Ephemera; Shimelle Glitter Girl collection: Mixed embellishment pack

5-Minute Thanks | For my first card, "you are magical" is the perfect greeting to thank someone for something special. To go along with the "magic," I chose a pretty polka-dot background, with a dark blue star washi tape to ground my die-cut focal point. Just a few sequins finished off the card.

"Thanks" card supplies | Shimelle Glitter Girl collection: Make a Statement patterned paper, cardstock stickers, glitter shaker stickers, washi tape, Thicker alphabet stickers, enamel dots, Mixed embellishment pack

7-Minute Thanks | This was another simple and easy card to create, taking only just a few minutes more than the previous card, the main reason being that I had more product to place, and I had to be sure those Thickers were straight on the card front. That's where the washi tape came in handy. I used it to give me a nice straight line from which to gauge where I placed my alphabet stickers. I LOVE this card. I love the clean, white background with the fun color pop on the border. I also LOVE those awesome glitter shaker stickers—they're perfect for cards or scrapbook pages!

"You're the Best" card supplies | Vicki Boutin All the Good Things collection: The Little Things patterned paper, Foundations media paper, dies and clear acrylic stamps—set 2, finishing embellishments, art crayons—set 1 warm, waterbrush set; Other: StazOn Jet Black ink

10-Minute Thanks | This ten-minute card used the least amount of supplies of all three that I created, but took the most time. Why? Because I used the beautiful dies and clear acrylic stamps to create the colorful flowers at the bottom corner of the design. By using Staz-On ink on the Foundations media paper, my flowers were ready to color in quickly with the amazing art crayons, in the warm tones to offset the background green trellis. Just a few of the pretty enamel dots finished it off! 

Scrapbook supplies can easily double as card making supplies, and a beautiful handmade "thank you" can be created in just minutes using the awesome Dear Lizzy Star Gazer, Shimelle Glitter Girl and Vicki Boutin All the Good Things collections from American Crafts! Thanks so much for stopping by today! 

Elle's Studio January 2018 Kit: "Get To Work"

For my second layout created with the new January 2018 kit and add-ons*, I wanted to focus on some fitness goals I have for 2018, and filling in the "GOALS" tag from the January 2018 kit was the perfect way to start my page. (*All product links contained in this post are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support of my YouTube feed and this blog!)

"Get to Work" Supplies | January 2018 Kit, Love You Die Cuts, Hugs and Kisses Puffy Stickers, Star Chipboard Stickers, White Cardstock Alphabet Stickers, White Puffy Alphabet Stickers, Teal Puffy Alphabet Stickers, Counting Steps Stamp, XOXO Stamp, Dated Stamp, Jonah Alphabet Stamp, XOXO 6" x 6" Paper Stack, 

Getting goals written down on paper is the first step toward achieving them, and I hope this layout starts me off in the right direction!

Start hitting your 2018 documenting goals by ordering the January Kit and add-ons from Elle's Studio! Thanks so much for stopping by, and for supporting this blog with your clicks!

Click here to see my first blog post of the day, which introduces the kit and add-ons, and includes a full kit unboxing video, as well as a layout process video!

Elle's Studio January 2018 Reveal!

Wow! I'm so excited to be a part of Elle's Studio, a company that I truly love, for another year! 2018 is going to be great for ES. There is a brand new team and so much good stuff on the horizon. For now, let's talk about the brand spankin' new January 2018 kit and add-ons* that just hit the shop! I've shown all of the new product in the following unboxing video. Grab a cuppa and take a look! (*All product links contained in this post are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support of my YouTube feed and this blog!) 

This beautiful and packed January 2018 kit features a royal color palette of reds, dark blue, purple and seafoam green—a perfect palette to document your January! 

In addition to the kit, there is a whole selection of add-ons this month, including a die-cut package, something ES has never offered before, and a new coordinating 6" x 6" paper stack!

This month's add-ons include (from left to right): You Are Loved Wood Veneer, Love You Die Cuts, Hugs and Kisses Puffy Stickers, Hand Drawn Acrylic Hearts, XOXO 6" x 6" Paper Stack, XOXO Stamp, Wood Veneer Love Tags, Black Cardstock Alphabet Stickers, White Cardstock Alphabet Stickers, Pink Cardstock Alphabet Stickers, Star Chipboard Stickers, January Labels

Plus, don't miss the amazing Heart of Gold Chipboard Stickers! They are just beautiful! Last but not least, there are new digitals in the shop today!

The All My Love Printables and January Digital Cut Files will be the perfect addition to your digital library! I was so inspired by the "I love you more than" saying in the digital cut file, that I decided to create a layout around it, with a really fun and beautiful mixed-media page background.

"I Love You More Than" Supplies | January 2018 Kit, January Digital Cut Files, Hugs and Kisses Puffy Stickers, Star Chipboard Stickers, XOXO 6" x 6" Paper Stack, Family Fun 12" x 12" Paper Collection

You can see exactly how I created my page background, and how the rest of my layout came together in this short process video:

Stop back by the blog later today, at 3pm CST to see my second layout created with the newest goods from Elle's Studio! It's all about getting right to work! In the meantime, pick up your kit at the introductory price of only $9.99 today only! I have a feeling this one is not going to be around for long! 

Creating Cards with Ranger's Letter It Collection!

Given my love for stamping, I was SO excited to be contacted by one of my affiliate partners, Scrapbook.com*, to try out a new product line from Ranger called Letter It, which is ON SALE right now! Naturally, once I checked out the beautiful product, I jumped at the chance to create with it! 

The Letter It collection contains beautifully designed stamp sets in handwritten fonts, embossing powders, inks, pens and pearlescent powders, and I had so much fun making cards with it this week! 

(*I received this product to sample from Scrapbook.com, and all comments in this post are my honest opinion of the product, written after I had fun creating with it. All product links contained in this post are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support of this blog and of my work!) 

Greeting Card Supplies | Ranger Letter It Collection: Acrylic Stamping Block, Clear Acrylic Stamps — Wedding, Embossing Ink Pad, Embossing Powder — Tinsels, Stamping Ink — Set 2, Clear Acrylic Stamps — Celebration, Pearl Powders — Set 1, Stamping Ink — Set 1, Clear Acrylic Stamps — Greetings

With a few pieces of scrap patterned paper, and this beautiful new collection, I created three simple cards in no time! I love the beautiful script font, that I could not replicate myself—much easier to stamp than to hand write! This wedding stamp set created the perfect card when topped with sparkly embossing powder, and paired with a couple of fussy-cut flowers.

The ink pads in this collection show off the stamps so beautifully without any extra product needed, but the cute paintbrush and paint palette from the Amy Tangerine Sticker Book and Hustle and Heart 6" x 6" Paper Pad worked so well with this simple greeting to create a lovely card in less than 3 minutes.

Also included in this collection was a product I have never used before—pearlescent powder! It was like magic watching the metallic powder stick to the stamped words to create this celebratory card. 

Do you want an up-close look at all of these cards coming together? You're in luck! I have a process video for each of them, and I also show off the really beautiful Letter It metallic markers that would be perfect for lettering your envelopes!

Be sure to check out these awesome Letter It products at Scrapbook.com, where they are currently on SALE! The stamps sets are definitely a bargain! Thanks so much for stopping by and happy creating! 

Going BIG with Dear Lizzy Star Gazer

Hello, hello! I've not yet gotten into the Christmas mood over here, so instead of a festive red and green creation this week, I'm here to share a bright and colorful page using the Dear Lizzy Star Gazer collection* from American Crafts. (*All product links contained in this post are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

Supplies | American Crafts - Star Gazer Collection - 12 x 12 Double Sided Paper - Happy, American Crafts - Star Gazer Collection - 12 x 12 Double Sided Paper - Blissful, American Crafts - Star Gazer Collection - Thickers - Phrase - Copper Foil, American Crafts - Star Gazer Collection - Cardstock Stickers with Foil Accents - Accents and Phrases, American Crafts - Star Gazer Collection - Ephemera with Foil Accents, American Crafts - Star Gazer Collection - Shooting Stars with Glitter Accents, American Crafts - Star Gazer Collection - Thickers - Hardcover - Rose Gold, American Crafts - Star Gazer Collection - Stamp and Notepad Set, Bazzill Basics - 12 x 12 Cardstock - Grasscloth Texture - Avalanche

On this layout, I wanted to show you that you CAN certainly pull off big alphas and embellishments on an 8-1/2" x 11" layout, as long as you keep enough white space on the page. Watch this process video to see how the layout came together—quickly and easily!

Love this collection? It's on sale! Shop via these links to pick up Star Gazer while supplies last!

2018 Monthly Pocket Page Tags with Elle's Studio

Hi there! Since I'm so far behind on my 2017 monthly pocket page documentation, I want to set myself up early for 2018. I plan to stick with monthly spreads, using only phone photo per day, journaled and printed from my Collect App. 

Yesterday, Elle's Studio released a set of new products* for December, and included in those products were the Monthly Puffy Stickers*. White in color, they are perfect for re-coloring, and I was so excited to use them to create 4" x 6" month markers for my pocket page album! (*All product links contained in this post are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

I started off these tags by re-coloring my Monthly Puffy Stickers, using one of my favorite products, a Sharpie oil-based marker in metallic gold. These markers are amazing, and I've used them for a number of craft projects—even painting ceramics! I highly recommend them! I left the stickers on the backing and covered them with the oil-based paint, which went on beautifully.

Next, I chose the 3" x 4" buffalo check journaling tag from the Love This Printables, opened it in Photoshop Elements, and re-sized it to 4" x 6", placing the check pattern on the base. I also de-saturated the color 100%, making the check pattern gray, a great neutral, which will work with any spread from next year's album. Once the tags were printed on thick, smooth white cardstock, I stamped "hello" and "documenting" in gray using the Title Builder Stamp.

Next, I adhered my gold monthly puffy "January" sticker next to my stamped words. I love the way that it looks against the gray buffalo check pattern! 

Since January is the kick-off to a new year, I also re-colored and added "2018" from the Monthly Puffy Stickers to this tag. I created all twelve of the tags for my 2018 album, and I am so excited to have a head-start on an important part of this big project! 

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Check out the products that I used in this simple and easy project below: 

Elle's Studio December 2017 Reveal!

We at Elle's Studio are so excited to finish of 2017 on a high note with a new exclusive kit and coordinating add-ons! Take a look at all of the new product on offer with this unboxing video! (*All product links contained in this post are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

This month, there are so many products to get your December memories documented, as well as get ready for a new year to begin! Let's take a look at the December 2017 Kit:

What a great mix of 3" x 4", 4" x 6" and die-cuts to use on any project! To coordinate with the kit, we also have some great add-ons to add to your box this month.

From left to right, we have: Vellum Holiday Shapes, Time Stamp (which coordinates with the Dated Stamp!), Winter Wood Veneer Words, Twinkle Puffy Stickers, December Labels, Hello Winter Chipboard, 'Tis the Season Wood Veneer Labels, Gray Cardstock Alphabet Stickers, Monthly Puffy Stickers, First Things First Stamp

Also on offer this month: the great Winter Favorites Printables and December 2017 Digital Cut File to use over and over again on your projects!

I started out with the Christmas tree from the December 2017 Digital Cut File on my background when I created this layout about our kick-off to Christmas last year in Hawaii. 

Supplies | December 2017 Kit, December 2017 Digital Cut File, Twinkle Puffy Stickers, Hello Winter Chipboard, Red Puffy Alphabet Stickers, Green Puffy Alphabet Stickers, First Things First Stamp, Document December Stamp, Family Fun 6" x 6" Paper Stack

I was completely inspired by the Twinkle Puffy Stickers to create an oversized, colorfully decorated tree on my layout to document this colorful celebration of Christmas in Hawaii. 

I absolutely had to use the lyrics to one of my favorite Christmas songs by Bing Crosby, Mele Kalikimaka, for my title. You can see how this layout came together in the following process video!

You can find all of the product used on this layout in this easy-to-shop gallery:

Thanks so much for stopping by, and happy creating! 

American Crafts Vicki Boutin Mixed Media Layout: "Hello Princess"

Hello there! I'm constantly trying to push myself in my designs, and this week I decided to switch things up and get a bit messy in my studio with the new Vicki Boutin All the Good Things collection* from American Crafts. (*All product links contained in this post are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

Supplies | Vicki Boutin All the Good Things Collection: Art Crayons, Media Paper, Gold Glaze, Stencils, Clear Acrylic Stamps + Dies, Mister Bottles, Ephemera, Finishing Embellishments; Dear Lizzy Star Gazer Collection: Stay Wild Patterned Paper, Be Free Patterned Paper, Thickers, Ephemera, Chipboard Words

This mixed-media challenged girl (yes, that's ME!) had SO much fun playing with the mixed media products in my friend Vicki's new collection! I just love how simple and easy the process was after I watched the videos on her YouTube feed on how to use the art crayons and glaze.

The Dear Lizzy Star Gazer collection paired so well with the All the Good Things collection on this layout. I was so excited about the mixed-media background, that I created a process video to show you how you can do it, too! Take a look:

I hope this layout inspires you to break out of your scrappy comfort zone and try something new today! Be sure to check out all of the product I used on this layout at Scrapbook.com via the gallery below:

Elle's Studio November Release

Not only is it an exciting day because it is Friday, but also because the Elle's Studio November 2017 Kit is here, and available today for the introductory price of $9.99! Grab a comfy chair and a cuppa while I take you through all of the new goodies in this unboxing video! (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

This kit includes such a great mix of colors, graphics and sayings, perfect for documenting everything about the upcoming holiday season!

My favorite part of reveal each month, the add-ons, will embellish your pages perfectly! This month, we have the November labels, Pure Joy stamp, puffy alphabet stickers in both red and green, wood veneer hearts and stars, Santa acrylic, cork circles, Christmas puffy heart stickers, Giving Thanks puffy stickers, Everyday banner stickers and wood veneer snowflakes.

But, the most exciting part about this release are the new Stanley Jr. alphabet stamps, which come in both a solid and outline.

I had to use these little guys as soon as my package arrived, and I created a fun, 8-1/2" x 11" Christmas layout about the best Santa Claus my daughter met in Disneyland last year.

Supplies | November 2017 Kit, November Labels, Cork Circles, Santa Acrylic, Pure Joy Stamp, Stanley Jr. Alphabet Stamp - Outline, Stanley Jr. Alphabet Stamp - Solid, Stanley Alphabet Stamp - Outline, Stanley Alphabet Stamp - Solid, From Sketch to Finish Vol. 3 Stamp, Family Fun Puffy Stickers, Family Fun 12" x 12" Paper Collection

I started my layout by creating the amazing buffalo check pattern along the left side of the page with the From Sketch to Finish Vol. 3 Stamp. I'm certain that I will use this stamp often this year! I topped that with two patterns from the Family Fun 12" x 12" Paper Collection  and added the star die cut and "remember the magic" tag from the November 2017 Kit. 

My title was created with a mix of both the Stanley Alphabet and Stanley Jr. Alphabet stamps, in both the solid and outline, flanking the Santa Acrylic. I love the way those colorful letters pop alongside the white acrylic. I also created a Mickey head on top of one of the November Labels by using a Cork Circle and two circles cut from a tag in the November 2017 Kit. 

At the top, I backed my photo with one of my favorite tags from the kit this month, the multi-colored stripe, which I punched on each color with a small star punch. I also stamped the word "highlight" from the Pure Joy Stamp onto a tag from the kit and added the date. Some Family Fun Puffy Stickers scattered about finished off the page nicely. 

Want to see how I created this layout step-by-step? Watch the process video below! In it you will see how I stamped the buffalo check pattern (and covered up the unevenness with strips of paper!), how my title came together using the new Stanley Jr. alphabet stamps, and how I stamped a partial image withe the Pure Joy Stamp.

Thanks so much for watching and stopping by! This kit is sure to be a hit, so be sure to grab yours, along with the coordinating extras while they're still available in the shop and only $9.99 today! Stay tuned for my second project, a double-page layout, coming to the blog tomorrow! 

November Monthly Planner Spread with Creative Devotion

Last Friday, I was up on the American Crafts blog, talking about how I wanted to start using my monthly overlook pages in my planner for 2018. At the moment, I've only been using my weekly pages, leaving my monthly overlook completely bare. Since I've decided that that monthly-view is quite important, I've decided to combine my love of paper crafting with planning for these pages only, and I've done that, starting with my November monthly spread in my Get to Work Book. 

When I saw the Creative Devotion collection amongst my product box of American Crafts supplies, I wasn't sure how I would use it at first—I haven't really carried around my bible since I became an Episcopalian, and writing in my bible at home is a hard notion for me to conquer, but once I started looking at the products, I saw how perfectly they would work for planning pages! That, combined with the beautiful colors and patterns in the Dear Lizzy Star Gazer collection, created a perfect monthly view for November.

(*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

A mix of Dear Lizzy Star Gazer and Creative Devotion products helped this spread come together. I'm not much for over-embellishing in something I like to keep quite flat, so I used quite a few stamps, washi tape and patterned paper to add color and pattern.

All of the products used can be found in the gallery below, ON SALE now at Scrapbook.com!

The cute Dear Lizzy cardstock stickers and patterned paper helped me to mark important dates, like daylight savings time ending and our week in Disneyland! I also used the Creative Devotion washi tape sets to mark important birthdays, especially the Marine Corps birthday on the 10th!  There are so many beautiful tapes in those sets, it was hard to choose which to use!

One of my favorite products in the Creative Devotion collection is the Sticky Note Dashboard. It includes sticky notes in various sizes and colors, perfect for adding notes to your planner pages! I used it to mark meetings and our family photo day this month.

There could not have been a more perfect way to mark Thanksgiving than using the Dear Lizzy Star Gazer "Thankful Thursday" washi tape saying, which I cut into a circle and placed inside a stamped wreath from the Creative Devotion stamp set. I finished off the page with the same Star Gazer patterned paper and a strip of copper washi tape, which matched the beginning of my monthly spread and balanced out the layout. 

Would you like to see how I put this planner spread together? I have a process video for you to check out! Sit back and watch how I combine my own paper crafting style with my planner! 

Don't forget to check out the beautiful Dear Lizzy Star Gazer collection and Creative Devotion collection, because it can be used for so much more than Bible journaling!

Thanks for stopping by today, for your support in using the affiliate links, and happy planning! 

Scrapbook and Cards Today Fall Issue: Happy Are We

If you receive the Scrapbook and Cards Today weekly newsletter to your email, you may have noticed a little sneak of the layout that I'm about to share. (If you don't receive the newsletter, why not? It's easy to sign up for here, at the very bottom of the page.) This layout was featured in the 3Ts section of the fall issue (available for free here!) and is all about repetition! (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

Supplies | (all from the Maggie Holmes Carousel Collection from Crate Paper and ON SALE!) Marquee Patterned Paper, Sweets Patterned Paper, Dazzle Patterned Paper, Festival Patterned Paper, Ephemera with Glitter Accents, Cardstock Stickers, Chipboard Stickers, Clear Stickers, Gold Foil Thickers, Clips

Since this layout was all about repetition, I began with my photos! With a 4 year-old, it's necessary to take at least 5 photos at a time because: A) they're not looking, B) they talk and C) they're not looking! Ha! So I generally have several photos that I end of deleting. On this layout, I used all of the photos— the one where my daughter wasn't looking, but I could see her sweet profile, the one where she is doing the "scrunchy face" and the great photo. They're similar enough to be like a "repeat" across the page. I added interest to the top of the photo mat with a flower, tag and button from the Ephemera with Glitter Accents pack. 

Next, I wanted to add repetition in my journaling! To separate the great photo on the right, I repeated small, rectangular journaling spots cut from the Festival Patterned Paper, down the length of my photos, mixing it up a bit with the colors and patterns. I topped this journaling off with my title, which I created using Cardstock Stickers and Gold Foil Thickers.

To add some balance to the left side of my journaling stack, I grouped the other half of the beautiful black and white flower and camera from the Ephemera with Glitter Accents pack with the bow from the Chipboard Stickers at the bottom of my journaling. I loved that feminine touch it added. The "happy little moments" sticker was from the Clear Stickers and I added it to a piece of white cardstock before adding it to my page.

Repetition is a technique that I love using on my pages, and it just so happens to be one of the topics that I discuss in my class at Big Picture Classes, Principle Power! I'd love for you to check it out and learn how to use repetition in your layout designs! 

Be sure to shop the Crate Paper Carousel collection while it is still on sale, via the links in the supplies above, or the gallery below. Thanks for stopping by and happy creating!

From Sketch to Finish Vol. 3 NOW AVAILABLE!

I am so excited to announce that our newest class, From Sketch to Finish Vol. 3, is now available in the Elle's Studio shop! (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

Not only did I coordinate and edit this class, which features 50 pages of sketch and layout inspiration, I was able to contribute two layouts to the class as well, along with 9 of my favorite scrapbookers.

One of the best parts about contributing to this class was playing with the amazing exclusive stamp that is bundled into the class price, and is 20% off until October 28th at midnight PST! This stamp is so lovely, and there are so many possibilities to create with it! I had fun today by using it to create a few images, and I took a little video, too! 

Click to the Elle's Studio classroom shop page to find out more about the class, and see both the class + stamp and without stamp options! I can't wait to see what this class will inspire you to create! Happy creating! 

American Crafts Bootiful Night Party Fun!

Since Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year, it was pretty awesome that I received the American Crafts Bootiful Night collection in the design team box that I received recently! As I love throwing a party, I couldn't help but imagine all of this spooky goodness crafted into party supplies! I got to work, and with a few supplies, created tags for treat bags, cupcake toppers and a spooky spiderweb banner! (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

This banner was the most successful, and possibly the easiest piece to make! By using the metallic Halloween collection side web die-cuts as a base, I added punched circles of patterned paper, die cuts and stickers to the web, then threaded each web through baker's twine to hang. 

I used the same spider web die-cuts for the base of these cupcake toppers as well, adding the amazing die-cuts, flair and buttons to top them off before backing them with a bamboo skewer to stick into my cupcakes.

These were so simple to make, and when added to a cupcake wrapped with the Bootiful Night 6" x 6" patterned paper, they are dressed and ready to be eaten by spooky little monsters!

To a vellum treat bag, I added this fun tag, created with the 6" x 6" patterned paper, and layered with the ephemera die-cuts, spider web, and flair stickers. I also sewed the tag with my sewing machine and added baker's twine for extra texture before adhering it to my treat bag and filling with our favorite caramel popcorn mix!

This little celebration was so easy and quick to put together with the coordinating products in the Bootiful Night collection! There is still plenty of time to add those handmade touches to your Halloween celebration, so be sure to pick up these "bootiful" goodies today!

Looking for a must-have snack for your Halloween celebration? Fill up a cauldron of our favorite sweet mix and watch it disappear! 

Candy Corn Snack Mix Recipe

(adapted from this recipe by Taste of Home) Yield: about 5-1/2 quarts.

• 3 quarts popped popcorn
• 4 cups Cheerios
• 4 cups corn or rice Chex
• 2 cups salted peanuts
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 package (20 oz.) candy corn

1. In a large greased roasting pan, combine the popcorn, cereal and peanuts. In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, honey and butter; bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; quickly stir in vanilla and baking soda until mixture is light and foamy.

2. Immediately pour over popcorn mixture; toss to coat. Bake, uncovered, at 250° for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Stir in candy pumpkins. Cool completely & enjoy!

In case you missed it, earlier this week I also shared this fun new layout on the American Crafts blog! Be sure to check out the full blog post to find out how I created it! 

You can find the Bootiful Night collection here at Scrapbook.com, with the exception of the die-cut leaves, spider web die-cuts. and wooden buttons, which I found on Amazon. Thanks so much for stopping by, and happy crafting your spooky Halloween celebrations!

   

Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine: Wild and Wonderful

In the latest issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today magazine, I created a double-page layout that I just love, using the new Fancy Pants Dream Big collection, and I'm sharing it with you today! This layout documents an amazing hike that I took with my brother last fall in the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. I'm loving creating double-page layouts lately, and it's a design challenge for me to tie the two pages together in a successful way! (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

Supplies | Fancy Pants Dream Big Collection Kit, Fancy Pants Dream Big Cork Stickers, Fancy Pants Dream Big Collection Puffy Stickers, Becky Higgins Everyday Edition Core Kit, Ali Edwards "Wild" Story Stamp

The coolest part about this layout happened when I first started creating. I glanced at the map paper background, and realized that I recognized the names of the towns. It turns out that on our day of hiking, we were just south of where this map print ended at the base of the page! What a coincidence!

I started out with my left page, including one 4" x 6" photo and two 4" x 4" photos, overlapped in the center. To cover up that gap, I added a Project Life Everyday Edition "Adventure" card that I punched into a circle, then topped with one of the Dream Big collection die-cut wreaths.

Above it, I tucked a red Becky Higgins Everyday Edition Core Kit behind my photo, and added a puffy sticker from the Dream Big Collection Kit, and stamped with the "wild and free" phrase from Ali Edwards. On this side, I also started my title, which I cut from Dream Big patterned paper with my Silhouette Cameo using one of my favorite title fonts, Bebas Neue. I also cut the same size letters out in dark gray cardstock, creating a shadow on the title.

I continued my title to the right side of my spread, just below my 4" x 12" photo. Here's a little trick for you: I don't have a printer that will print a 12" wide photo, so to get this panoramic image, which I took with my iPhone, I opened the JPG in Photoshop Elements and cropped the image to 4" x 12". I then added a guide line at the 11" wide mark on the ruler and cropped to 4" x 11" before printing that out on an 8-1/2" x 11" page. Then I hit "undo" and cropped the last 1" x 4" portion of my photo, on the right side of the guide line before printing that small piece onto a 4" x 6" sheet of photo paper. Once I trimmed that tiny section, I adhered both to a white photo mat that was 4-1/4" x 12" before adhering that to my layout. You can barely see where the two pieces of the photo meet! 

To each side of my title, I added a beautiful spray of flowers and leaves using the gorgeous Dream Big die-cuts, included in the Dream Big Collection Kit. This was my favorite part of the layout! 

My journaling was typed using the Rough Typewriter font and printed on a Becky Higgins Everyday Edition Core Kit journaling card, which couldn't have been more perfect for what I wanted to say about this day. 

My last area of embellishment just above my photo on the right side includes the bottom of the Becky Higgins Everyday Edition Core Kit red card from the left side of my layout, which completed the red visual triangle across my spread, with the red arrow being the middle of the triangle. (To learn more about visual triangles, check out my class, Terrific Titles, at Big Picture Classes! You can find that link on the sidebar. >>>) I also added the Fancy Pants Dream Big Cork Stickers and Puffy Stickers, along with an Ali Edwards stamp and a couple of die-cut from the Dream Big Collection Kit. 

I SO love how this layout turned out, and I love that it documents a really amazing day even more. Be sure to check out all of the awesome Fancy Pants products I used on this layout in the gallery below:

Documenting October with Elle's Studio October Kit + Add-Ons

Hi there! The Elle's Studio October 2017 kit and add-ons went live yesterday, and I shared a new layout and process video with you, but today, I'm switching things up a bit and showing you just how perfect the ES products can be in pockets! I documented our October 2016, and this kit was just made for my photos. (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

At the beginning of the page, we were headed back from a road trip to the mountains. The "life in photos" die-cut circle from the October kit was perfect for dressing up this yellow tag from the Favorite Season printable, and I also added a stamped "love" circle from the So Cozy stamp and a green "x" from the Summer Puffy Stickers. I'm still using them on my layouts! Below that, I added the "notes from this" phrase from the So Cozy stamp, then a piece of chipboard from my stash below. 

October usually means racing for us, as we go to the Austin Grand Prix each year here in Texas. I loved the way that the diagonal striped 4" x 6" tag from the October kit pointed directly to my "F1 Grand Prix" journaling tag. I also added the "play" stamped circle from the So Cozy stamp in the top corner, to add a little bit of orange.

 I was happy to get myself in this page, too, sporting my favorite driver, Lewis Hamilton's gear. The next tag's background was created with a piece of the Family Fun 6" x 6" Paper Stack, and was perfect for the "being together tag" from the October Kit, an acrylic heart from the Stars and Hearts Mixed Acrylic and a the heart Vellum Speech Bubble.

How awesome is this little frame included in the So Cozy stamp? I stamped the frame, then "so cozy" inside of the frame before cutting it out and adhering it directly to my photo with dimensional adhesive. It was the perfect saying for this photo! 

Thanks so much for stopping by today! The new products in the Elle's Studio shop this month are just perfect, and with them I created one of my favorite pocket pages to date! Later, I'll be sharing how I'm doubling this page up with another layout to finish off the month. Until then, be sure to shop these supplies from the gallery below before they're sold out of the shop! Happy creating! 

Elle's Studio October Reveal!

It's amazing that October is already here, and since it is the 10th, I'm sharing another amazing Elle's Studio kit with you! I thought this month I'd share the kit contents and add-ons in video form, so grab a cuppa and watch this quick run-though of all of the new product available in the shop! (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

The first project I created with the new goodies had to use the Wood Veneer Leaves and the leaves included in the So Cozy Stamp! I loved creating a colorful, stamped wreath around my circular photo using the leaves from the stamp, as well as the Stanley Alphabet Outline, and accenting with tags from the October Kit and the "I love autumn" Vellum Speech Bubble. 

The layout turned out exactly as I had hoped, and I'd love to share how it all came together with you in this process video! 

Stay turned until tomorrow, when I will share a 12" x 12" pocket page layout that I created, using the new October Kit and add-ons! Until then, happy creating! 

All of the product that I used on the layout can be found in the Elle's Studio shop:

September Pocket Pages Using the New Elle's Studio Kit!

There are so many project possibilities available with the new September Kit from Elle's Studio! Yesterday, I shared an 8-1/2" x 11" layout, and today, I wanted to show you a double pocket page spread that I created, documenting September 2016. When I create my pages, I carry the same color scheme across a double page spread, and for this layout I chose dark blue, light blue, yellow and orange. (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

Supplies | September 2017 Kit, Sweater Weather Printables, Date Night Stamp, Wood Veneer Borders, Thankful Sticker Labels, Autumn Sequins, Happy Birthday Stickers (balloons), Acrylic Summer Shapes (glasses), Foodie Journaling Tags, Family Fun Journaling Tags, Family Fun Bits and Pieces, Family Fun Acrylic Shapes ( blue heart), Family Fun Stamp, Olivia Alphabet Stamp, Dated Stamp, Title Builder Stamp, Happy Birthday Stamp

I love all of the energy in this page, and I really kept the embellishment to a minimum, but it doesn't appear so! On the left side, I used the blue 4" x 6" tag from the new Family Fun Journaling Tags to top my spread, stamping "SEP" over and over in blue ink using the Dated Stamp. 

The embellishment I used on this side was only the Date Night Stamp, Thankful Sticker Labels. Wood Veneer Borders and die-cuts from the kit.

I also had to use one of the new Foodie Journaling Tags to document a favorite lunch spot! 

On the right side of the page, I used the Sweater Weather Printables to create a customized 4" x 6" tag for the top of the spread. By taking a 3" x 4" tag from the digital file, duplicating it and mirroring it on a 4" x 6" page, then re-colored it to match my spread.

The entire process only took about three minutes, and I created a tag that works perfectly for this spread! Because a birthday photo was next to the tag, I added the balloons from the Happy Birthday Stickers and Happy Birthday Stamp, along with some Autumn Sequins. I carried the "SEP" title from the left side and added "story" using the Title Builder Stamp. 

On this side, just like on the left, I used very little embellishment— mainly stamps and die-cuts from the September kit. On this journaling tag placed next to a photo of my new goddaughter, I added "I love being your" and "mother" from the Family Fun Stamp, and added "god" using the Olivia Alphabet Stamp, along with a Family Fun Acrylic Shape heart.

This page came together quickly and easily because the September Kit coordinates so well with the new Family Fun collection. Check out all of the new product in the Elle's Studio shop today to help you document your September memories!