Elle's Studio September 2018 Kit: A Day at the Ballpark Pocket Page + Process Video

Hello! I'm so excited to have the new September 2018 kit and extras from Elle's Studio on my desk this month, and when I saw the new Go Team journaling tags, stamp and wood veneer, that released as extras with the kit, I knew that I needed to document my family's yearly trip to a Cincinnati Reds baseball game, and I did that with a new pocket page:

This Design J pocket page is one of my favorites, and I had documented a fun day visiting the U.S.S. Midway with it before—it's one of my favorite pocket pages that I've created this year. I decided to not re-invent the wheel, so I used the exact same photo/tag layout that I used for that page on this one. It helped me to complete this page faster, and know exactly where I would place my photos and journaling tags. 

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The highlight of this page for me is the title tag with the cutest baseball bat wood veneer piece, and the photo of my daughter with the female mascot, Rosie, next to it.

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I could not resist stamping a border of those cute baseballs from the Go Team stamp with water-based markers so that the stitching could be red! It's all in the details, right?

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Another fun detail that I added was the red bakers twine knots on this "we won" wood veneer piece from the Go Team wood veneer. It only took an extra minute, and I love the way it looks at the top of my photo. 

You can see how all of these elements came together in my quick process video! In it, I'll show you how to create that baseball border, how I messed up while stamping my title tag (real life!), and how I put just the right amount of embellishment around my pages.

Thanks so much for watching and stopping by my blog today! I hope you're as excited about the new September release from Elle's Studio as much as I am! Be sure to grab up these goodies before they're gone—the August kit sold out weeks ago, so don't delay! You can also see all of the product that I used to create this pocket page in the shoppable gallery below. Happy creating!

*Clicking these links will take you to the Elle's Studio shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

Elle's Studio September 2018 Kit Reveal Day!

Hello! September is a fantastic month—it still feels a bit like summer, but the days are getting shorter and the kiddos are back in school. The brand new September 2018 kit and add-ons* from Elle's Studio is the perfect mix of summer and fall, and I know you'll love them as much as I do, especially the gorgeous color scheme! Take a look at this unboxing video to see all of the new product firsthand:

An array of colors, phrases and subjects adorn the tags and die-cuts in the September kit this month. I have so many favorite tags from this kit, that it is difficult to choose just one!

The add-ons are sure to make you want to embellish a bit more! With a wide range of products, from labels to wood veneer, you're sure to find a product that you want to use on your next project!

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My favorite add-on this month is the beautiful Story acrylic

I used it as a story-starter to document how much my daughter loves her grandfather reading to her, on a new 8-1/2" x 11" layout:

I'm pretty sure that this layout will go down in my books as being one of my absolute favorite of all time, and that's because I loved the kit and add-ons so much! 

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Instead of hoarding all of my favorite tags and die-cuts from the kit, I used them all together on this layout, creating a waterfall effect with lots of dimension and texture. 

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The 4" x 6" colorful circles tag was a favorite for sure, so I added more circles around my page by stamping the outline and filled circles from the Right Now stamp in three areas around the page.

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Colorblocking is one of my favorite embellishment techniques, and it was SO FUN to do that here with this colorful dots 3" x 4" tag from the kit. I added a few puffy stickers and an enamel dot in the coordinating hues. Below that, a line of stitching, both machine and by hand, finished off a banner of die-cuts, embellished with the Good Eats wood veneer and the Here and Now phrase stickers.

Be sure to grab all of this new, beautiful product released with the September 2018 kit and add-ons before they're gone, especially when the kit is $9.99 for reveal day ONLY! You can also check out all of the product used in my "Tell me a Story" layout in the gallery below. Stay tuned for my second project using the new kit and extras, which will be live here on my blog in two more hours! Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope to see you again in a little while! Until then, happy creating!

*Clicking these links will take you to the Elle's Studio shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

American Crafts Shine On Summer Memories Mini Album

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Hello there! Recently I was assigned a task of documenting summer memories for the American Crafts blog. I looked around my new stash of the Shine On collection* and wondered, "Should I create a layout? a mini album?" Then, I came across this adorable card kit, perfect for sending handwritten greetings in the mail, and I came up with a wonderful idea.

The camera card in the Shine On collection card kit was the first thing I picked up, and realized that it would be the perfect mini album cover! I began by choosing four different Shine On patterned papers to create my pages, and cut them down to 10" x 3-1/4", so that they would fit inside the card. I then scored them in half and put them inside the camera. 

Next, I used my Crop-a-Dile to punch two holes at the top and bottom on the fold line of the card, punching through all of the layers of patterned paper, too. I grabbed some neutral baker's twine, threaded with an embroidery needle, and pulled it twice through my holes, finishing it off with a bow to create a binding edge. To make it extra special, I also tied a Sunshine and Good Times tassel to my baker's twine.

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Now my album was ready for photos! I printed photos at 3" x 3" from my top 10 or so best memories from our summer of 2018—the best of the best, like my Dad's birthday dinner, my brother's wedding, and our trip to the U.K. I adhered them straight onto the patterned paper using tape runner—I didn't want any extra bulk in this album. Around the photos, I used the journaling tags from the Shine On ephemera pack and cardstock stickers to add a few words about the memories on each photo.

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The More of This paper includes a full sheet of 3" x 3" journaling and filler cards, and was perfect for adding this "about us" journaling card to this page. My favorite ever date stamp, from Shimelle's first collection with AC added the date to each page, too.

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Thin stickers added some extra interest, like the little hearts from the Shine On sticker book and washi tape strips, placed directly on my photos—like I did here on top of the photo of my Lizzy jumping off of a boat into the river.

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On my final page, I had to add one of my favorite ever photos from the summer—and amazingly, I'm in it! It's a rare find around here! I finished off this page with the bitty and adorable Shine On puffy heart stickers!

To keep the album closed, I added the teal "love" Shine On binder clip to the right side, and my title— "Summer" from the Shine On sticker book and "2018" from the numbers on the kraft cardstock stickers, along with a couple of puffy heart stickers to finish it off!

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I LOVE, love the way this little mini album turned out. I'm sure that the other cards in the Shine On collection card kit , especially the flower and the "love" cards, would also made darling mini album covers. I hope you'll give this project a try! You can shop all of the product I used in my mini though the gallery below, which will take you to the Shine On product ON SALE at Scrapbook.com! Thanks so much for your support!

*Clicking these links will take you to the Scrapbook.com shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

Close to My Heart Craft With Heart September Kit Layout + Process Video

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Hello there! Recently my friends at Close to My Heart contacted me about their Craft with Heart kit, and asked if I wanted to give it a try. I'm all about kits that help me get my memories documented quickly, and after I saw the kit images, I was all for it! These kits are beautifully designed, and include the paper, stickers and die-cuts that you'll need, as well as instructions for how to complete two 24" x 12" layouts in each kit. All you need to do is add photos and your journaling. These kits also coordinate beautifully with their gorgeous paper collections included in the new Holiday Expressions Idea Book. There are also three different subscription options, so be sure to check out all of the details on the Craft with Heart website.

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I started out with the September kit, and decided to document a special family wedding, because the colors in the kit were perfect for all of the brightly colored clothes (and accessories!) that we were wearing for the wedding day. Sticking to the kit and instructions would have created a beautiful layout, but I wanted to take it a step further by adding more embellishment and (of course!) STAMPING! It's just what I do! I'm so happy with how my final layout turned out:

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This kit was perfect for documenting a special day, using my own photos and memories! You can see what the layout would have looked like had I stuck to the kit instructions, and find out how I had to change things up a bit to reflect the photos that I had on hand, in this process video:

Be sure to check out the Craft with Heart kit subscription options, and stay tuned for another layout next month, using the beautiful October kit! 

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Note: I was asked to be a Craft with Heart Ambassador by Close to my Heart, and I chose to do that because their kits are lovely, and I think that they will be great for you, my blog readers and video followers. I would only recommend product that I myself would use and enjoy. I hope you enjoy it, too!

Elle's Studio Document December 2018 Kit + Add-On Unboxing!

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Christmas came early to my house this year, and it was in the shape of a little brown paper bag packed full of paper crafting goodies! The Elle's Studio Document December Kit and add-ons* were just released this week, and I can't wait to show you everything in this unboxing video! Grab a cup of hot cocoa and pretend it's the holiday season, just for a few minutes! 

The Document December Kit has everything you need to document your holiday season in a mini album or traveler's notebook, on scrapbook layouts or in pockets, and is packed with 6" x 8" papers, 4" x 6" and 3 x 4" journaling tags, die-cuts, labels, alphabet stickers in two fonts, two sheets of puffy stickers, shipping tags, wood veneer, acrylic and sequins. Phew! That's a lot of product—all for only $41.99! But wait, if you shop now through September 4th, you'll get 10% off of that kit price (no discount code needed!) 

If you love to use A LOT of product in your December album like me, don't worry! You can also find awesome coordinating add-ons in the shop, like these candy cane puffy alphabet stickers:

Or, if you're a stamper, be sure to grab the Oh What Fun stamp

And you definitely don't want to miss out on the Christmas colorway of the popular Shapes and Dots puffy stickers:

I cannot wait to organize all of my new Document December supplies—and better yet, for Christmas to get here so that I can start to collect all of the memories we'll share with this gorgeous kit! I can't wait to see what you do with yours! Be sure to check out the Document December Kit and add-ons today! The 10% off sale on the kit only lasts through September 4th! 

*Clicking these links will take you to the Elle's Studio shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

American Crafts Shine On Collection Layout + Process Video: "Weekend View"

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Happy Friday! Who's glad that the weekend is finally here? Today I'm excited to share a brand-spankin' new layout with you that is all about weekend fun on a girl's trip to New Orleans, created with the new Shine On collection* from American Crafts and Amy Tangerine!

Supplies | American Crafts: The Good Life paper ("weekend" circle), Surrounded by Love paper (hearts), Even Out paper (border strips), Alive paper (pink and black pattern), Three Sides paper (black and white), Remember paper (camera), 6" x 6" paper pad, Twilight foam alphabet Thickers, ephemera die-cuts, chipboard accent Thickers, mini inflated hearts, sticker book, 6" ruler stencil, Detail Doodlers pens; Elle's Studio: Mini Dated Stamp, July 2018 Kit

I wanted to create a layout with circles, as I was inspired by this layout featured on @mefunscrapt's Instagram feed, and realized that it had been a LONG time since I had cut out circles! I started grabbing Shine On 12" x 12" and 6" x 6" patterned papers, and used my old Creative Memories circle cutter to cut them out. The "weekend" circle from The Good Life paper was the paper that inspired my title, and I found the Kraft tag in the ephemera die-cuts to add the word "view" using the Twilight foam alphabet Thickers 

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What originally began as a two-photo page, turned into a one-photo layout, since I could not cover up the photo-bomber on the second photo well enough, and it didn't add anything to the story, and editing the number of photos actually left me with more space for a cute journaling tag from the Elle's Studio July 2018 Kit anyway! I topped this with a fussy-cut camera, another circle of paper and the cutest pink mini inflated heart!

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Who is looking for a fun and functional tool for their stash? This Shine On 6" ruler stencil was super fun to use with the Detail Doodlers pen to add the cute little arrows to my layout at each corner. I know that I'm going to use the heck out of this stencil. It has so many cute icons on it! 

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I went completely "off the cuff" with this layout, and filmed a process video while creating it! In it, you'll see how I struggled to cover up that photo-bomber, the other ways I tried to make my title work, as well as how I added my typed journaling to my journaling tag, leaving room for that cute camera. Take a look at how it all came together: 

You can shop all of the product I used on this page at the links below, and psssst! The Shine On collection is currently ON SALE! I hope you'll document your big weekend adventures using the fun Shine On collection! Happy creating! 

*Clicking these links will take you to the Scrapbook.com shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

Altenew August 2018 Stamp and Die Release Blog Hop + Giveaway

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Hello, and welcome to my blog! I'm so excited to be joining in on the Altenew August 2018 blog hop, and if you're following the hop list, you've come here from Nicole Picadura's blog. This month I worked with these beautiful stamps from the entire line of new releases*:

This Inked Flora stamp set has beautiful, sketchy flowers perfect for making a statement on your project, along with plenty of handwritten sentiments.

I love the font combinations on the Mega Greetings 2 stamp! It's perfect for layout titles or card greetings, and you can also purchase the Mega Happy Die and the Mega You Die to coordinate with the stamp!

All of the new releases hitting the shop today come with tri-fold insert cards showcasing lots of added inspiration, project ideas, printed layering guides, and other useful information!

Using these new products, along with the Our Family scrapbook kit, I created a brand new 8-1/2" x 11" layout about my lovely little girl:

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How pretty are those big flowers? I loved stamping them in different colors on my layout background, as well as embossing them and watercoloring the inside to create a beautiful embellishment piece.

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The Mega Happy Die and the Mega You Die created the perfect title for this page. I cut "happy" twice: first with the purple paper from the Our Family scrapbook kit, then with a piece of gray cardstock to create a shadow. Using gold metallic cardstock for the "you" word created a nice visual triangle of gold on my page with the embossed florals.

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I had so much fun creating this page that I didn't want to stop making! I decided to create a greeting card, too!

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The gorgeous watercolor paper from the Our Family scrapbook kit created the perfect background for this simple and easy card. 

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Using the washi tape from the Our Family scrapbook kit to create a shelf on the card front, I adhered the stamped and die-cut "you" using the Mega Greetings 2 stamp and die, then repeatedly stamped "amaze me" from the same stamp set. I just love how it turned out, and it was so easy to create! 

GIVEAWAYS:

Now the part that you've come here for! The giveaways! To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $50 gift certificate to 6 lucky winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or Altenew Scrapbook Blog by Wednesday, August 22nd for a chance to win. 6 winners will be announced on the Altenew blogs on 8/26/2018.

I'm excited to also be giving away a $30 gift certificate here on my blog! Simply leave a comment on this post by midnight CST on 8/21 letting me know what your favorite product is in the entire line-up of new releases to be entered! Be sure to leave your contact information when commenting, and I will contact a winner on 8/22. 

To continue on the hop, head over to Virginia Lu's blog for more inspiration! In case you get lost along the way, you can find a list of all of the participants below. Thanks so much for stopping by and happy creating! 

 

Altenew Card Blog

Rubeena Ianigro

Anna Komenda

Agnieszka Malyszek

Tania Ahmed

Erum Tasneem

Karin Åkesdotter

Simon Says Stamp Blog

May Sukyong Park

Keeway Tsao

Sveta Fotinia

Altenew Scrapbook Blog

Vicky Papaioannou

Zinia Redo

Amber Rain Davis

Svitlana Shayevich

Zsoka Marko

Norine Borys

Lilith Eeckels

Nancy McClelland

Enza Gudor

Laurie Willison

Kymona Tracey

Nicole Picadura

Meghann Andrew

Virginia Lu

Mayline Jung

Sandra Dietrich

Lydia Evans

Mona Tóth

*Clicking these links will take you to the Altenew shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

 

Back to School Photo Banner with the Box of Crayons Collection!

Hey there! We're just a few days away from the start of a new school year! For the past couple of years, I have taken my daughter's photograph before her first days of preschool and pre-Kindergarten on our doorstep to mark the occasion. This year, I decided to create a prop—a first day banner— to show how special this day really is, using the Box of Crayons collection* from American Crafts.

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Supplies | Box of Crayons collection: Make Something paper, All the Things paper, Cut Here paper, Treat Yourself paper, All Change paper, In the Frame paper, Countdown paper, In the Sky paper, ephemera cardstock die-cuts, alpha sticker book, sticker book, accent and phrase stickers, glitter enamel dots; Star Gazer collection: Rose gold foil Thickers; Stickers and Bling collection: glitter stickers

This cute banner was simple to put together! First, grab 8 different patterns from the Box of Crayons collection. (You can see the exact papers I used in my gallery below!) Cut a banner from each paper, sized around 5" high and 3" wide, either by hand or with a die-cutting machine and software. Next, punch holes at the top left and right sides of each banner.

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In between the 5th and 6th banner, add the crayon journaling card from the Box of Crayons cardstock die-cuts, punching holes in it, too. Attach all of the banners with baker's twine, then start the fun part: embellishing! On the crayon card, add small, black glitter alphas for " grade" and the date, with the fun, rainbow stickers from the Box of Crayons alphabet sticker folder spelling out the grade.

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On each banner, place a chipboard letter from the Star Gazer rose gold foil Thickers, which are big enough to stand out on the banner, and add a bit of shine. From there, it's all about adding some fun! Fussy-cut several elements from one piece of patterned paper: Make Something. This single piece of paper includes cute elements like the watercolor set and brush, camera, large easel and the "yay" circle.

After the fussy-cutting, grab the Box of Crayons ephemera pack (those glitter scissors!), cardstock stickers and the awesome sticker and washi book to add to the cuteness! The enamel dots also add a different texture and a bit more sparkle! 

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I can't wait to take my daughter's first day photo this year with this cute banner! I hope you'll give this fun project a try too! Check out the product I used to create it in the gallery below, and thanks so much for stopping by! 

*Clicking these links will take you to the Scrapbook.com shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

Elle's Studio Celebrates: New Birthday Layout + Process Video!

Hello! You probably already saw my previous post today that introduced the beautiful, new August 2018 kit and extras* from Elle's Studio, but in this post, I wanted to highlight a couple of the add-ons in particular: the Celebrate stamp and Celebrate journaling tags

First up is my favorite: the Celebrate stamp. This awesome 4" x 6" stamp was created in collaboration with In a Creative Bubble, which is probably why I love it so much! It's clean, graphic and everything a celebrate stamp should be! I LOVE that it includes a big, round balloon, complete with a tassel, as well as create-your-own bunting!

Since you're all starry-eyed over the stamp, don't forget about the Celebrate journaling tags! This set of 10 tags is perfect for your layouts, pocket pages and card fronts, and includes the same awesome fonts and graphic designs as on the stamp. Let's take a look at how I pulled these two products together to document a special birthday photo shoot for my daughter:

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Supplies | Celebrate journaling tags, Celebrate stamp, August 2018 kitGo Team wood veneer flags, purple puffy alphabet stickers, gold shapes and dots puffy stickersJune print and cut labels, Noteworthy 12" x 12" paper collection

Don't these photos seem to be just made for the Celebrate products? I had to stamp and watercolor the beautiful balloon over and over again to create ballon clusters for this page!

I also loved adding custom bunting with the Celebrate stamp, and it made it even more fun when my title, created with the Celebrate stamp, a label from the June print and cut labels, and the purple puffy alphabet stickers could rest on the top! 

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Instead of telling you how I created this layout, full of stamping, mixed-media and FUN, how about I just show you in this short process video?! Grab a chair and take a 20-minute break to see how much I loved creating this page!

Thanks so much for watching, following and leaving a comment! I appreciate every single one! Be sure to check out the Celebrate stamp and journaling tags, as well as all of the fabulous Elle's Studio product I used on this page, via my gallery below. Thanks for stopping by, and happy creating! 

*Clicking these links will take you to the Elle's Studio shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

Elle's Studio August 2018 Kit Reveal + New Pocket Page Layout!

Hello there! I'm SO over-the-moon excited about this month's Elle's Studio August 2018 kit and extras* release! There are some surprises in store for you, my friends! Check out my unboxing video to see all of the new goodies:

This month comes with a fabulous, completely new color scheme for ES, and I couldn't love it more. The addition of coral, one of my favorite colors, just has me excited to create! Check out the August 2018 kit, that has an introductory price of $9.99 today only:

AH! I so love this color scheme, and especially the tags that come in the kit that feature the entire color way of the kit! Now how about some coordinating extras? Let's take a look at them:

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From left to right, we have: Go Team wood veneer flags, Back to School acrylic, ABC wood veneer, August label stickers, Good Job stamp, purple puffy alphabet stickers, Celebrate stamp, Celebrate journaling tags, little photo flag stickers, Love This acrylic, Happy Moments wood veneer circles

This month, I was inspired by the beautiful color scheme and the "learning" tags, that I decided to start a few pocket pages to document my daughter's year in Pre-K. After going back through her entire school year in photos, I pulled out a few that really stuck out to me, and told the story of her year at school:

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The "1,2,3,4,5" tag in the August 2018 kit was one of my favorites! I wanted to highlight the "3", since my daughter was in the 3rd Pre-K classroom, so I cut it out with an exact-o knife, then adhered the entire tag to a blank piece of cardstock before adding the "3" back with dimensional adhesive. Then I simply added a purple August label sticker, and topped it with the purple puffy alphabet stickers.

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This "proud moment" die-cut was perfect for the obligatory first day of school photo! I also added some notes below (onto an August print and cut label) about what she chose to wear, and her favorite backpack. 

I printed, then cut the multicolored tag from the gorgeous School Days printables to add to the bottom of this photo from my daughter in a soccer lesson. I love how it stands out against the black and white photo, and adds a happy home for the "something to remember" tag from the kit.

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On the backside, I continued the colorful colors of the August kit, and adding some fun stamping and embellishment, too!

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That graphic flower tag was another favorite from the kit this month, and I had to top it with Noteworthy puffy stickers, epoxy stickers and a puffy heart! Next to it, on the pencil 3" x 4" tag, I added the "so awesome" phrase, "good job" circle and tiny stars from the Good Job stamp. It just added to the whimsical feel of this page.

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Gah! There's another one of those multi-colored tags! I just LOVE them this month! This one may seem like it would be a vertical tag, but I used it horizontally, adding my typed journaling to the white space, then topping with the "totally awesome" Happy Moments wood veneer circle. I love the way this looks alongside those colorful photos! 

Let's just have a little talk about how cute these Go Team wood veneer flags are. It almost hurts me to put them to use, they're that cute. But, this photo of my daughter with her soccer "team" just called for it.

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So, this project will continue, most likely with one more pocket page spread, as well as a pocket page of artwork created by Lizzy only, similar to how I documented her Preschool year! I'll be sure to share once the entire year has been completed. Stay tuned! 

Until then, be sure to check out all of the product that I used to create this pocket page spread in the Elle's Studio shop, via the gallery below. Remember that the kit price increases to $11.99 after today, so get it at a discount! Thanks for stopping by, and happy creating!

*Clicking these links will take you to the Elle's Studio shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

American Crafts Moxy Glitter Collection: Dance Love

Recently, American Crafts sent me a big box of glitter—and not just any glitter, but their new Moxy collection*! 

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Supplies | Moxy Collection: Blossom Extra Fine Glitter, Amethyst Extra Fine Glitter, Lip Gloss Extra Fine Glitter, Cosmic Glimmer 24-pack, Double-Sided Stickers; Sunshine and Good Times collection: Flower Power paper, Yesss Please paper, Major Heart Eyes paper, Ephemera Die-Cut Shapes, Let’s Dance Phrase Thickers, Wood-Mounted Stamp Set; Other: Adhesive Rhinestones, Adhesive Rhinestones, Vicki Boutin All the Good Things Phrase Stickers (343889)

Let me just start by saying that I am not typically a "glitter girl," but I loved creating this page! Because of the colors in the photos, I grabbed the Sunshine and Good Times collection to begin my page layers with the purple and pink patterned papers that I used on the top half of my 8-1/2" x 11" layout and to mat my photos. I also fussy-cut the "so lovely" phrase from the Yesss Please patterned paper.

Now here's where the fun really started! Below my photo, I started adding glitter by using the fine tipped Moxy white glue to add a shower of dots from the manufacturer's strip of hearts down to the title, creating an ombre effect by starting with dark purple at the top and ending with pink at the bottom. 

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While my background was drying, I created the "dance" die-cut word on Silhouette, using my favorite sans-serif font, Bebas Neue. After cutting the letters from smooth cardstock, I covered them with double-sided tape using my permanent tape runner, being sure that the adhesive went all the way to the edges. Then, in my glitter tray, I added portions of three different colors of fine glitter: Blossom, Amethyst and Lip Gloss, shaking the tray slightly to get them to run into each other. I carefully placed each letter face-down in the glitter, pressing slightly on the back to be sure that the glitter stuck to the adhesive. The double-sided tape gave a very consistent coverage and didn't require any drying time at all! Afterward, I grabbed the bow and two hearts from the die-cut double-sided stickers and put it in the tray, covering them with the leftover glitter—a great way to not waste any of that gorgeous glitter!

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I adhered these glitter letters with dimensional adhesive to the base of my layout. Next, I grabbed the "love" stamp from the Sunshine and Good Times stamp set to finish off my title. A puffy heart from the Sunshine and Good Times puffy phrase stickers finished off the title with a bit of pink!

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I really love the way this page turned out! My daughter's dance recital called for some sparkle on the page, and the Moxy collection helped me add those perfect, sparkly touches! Thanks so much for checking out my latest layout! To shop the Moxy collection, please click on the gallery links below for Scrapbook.com:

*Clicking these links will take you to the Scrapbook.com shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

SCT Magazine Summer Issue: Salcombe Pocket Page

Last summer, we spent a lovely few days exploring the lovely little seaside villages of Devon, and I was taken by one in particular: Salcombe. When I received the Fancy Pants Bright Side collection* to work with for my Pocket Play column in the summer issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine, I knew that the photos that I took in this colorful and happy place would be the perfect fit.

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Supplies | Bright Side collection pack, 6" x 6" paper pack, chipboard stickers, tags and labels; Elle's Studio Mini Dated stamp, All the Details stamp, Family Fun stamp

By sticking with a single collection, it was an easy job to put this double pocket page spread together! 

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I wanted to make the title, or the name of the village really stand out on my page, so I cut the alphas out with my Silhouette machine, using my favorite sans-serif font, Bebas Neue. I cut them twice, first with patterned paper from the Bright Side 6" x 6" paper pack, then from gray cardstock, so that they would have a shadow and stand out more. These were bookended with the pretty "Natural Beauty" floral pattern, also found in the paper pack. I also added a thin strip of red washi tape across all of the title pockets to draw your eye to the "highlights" chipboard sticker on the right.

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Around my central title, I added the colorful photos that I took during our trip, all with a thin, white border. This helped to keep the page bright and light. Each photo was topped with a journaling spot from the tags and labels pack, which I added my typed journaling to. I also filled in any negative spaces in my photo with small embellishments, like the "life is sweet" chipboard sticker here. What better phrase could there be for an ice cream photo, right? 

Because the little labels weren't enough, I added more extensive documentation by using larger journaling spots in the tags and labels pack, with the Rough Typewriter font. Since they were smaller than my pocket, I simply adhered them to 4" x 4" squares of patterned paper from the 6" x 6" paper pack! I also added some stamped phrases around my layout, like the "happiness found" one here from the Elle's Studio All the Details stamp. The pretty pinwheel and flowers found in the ephemera pack from the Bright Side collection pack were perfect for adding to the left side of my journaling.

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Thanks so much for checking out this new pocket page spread! Be sure to read my Pocket Play column in the summer issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine, where I'm sharing my tips and tricks for easy and beautiful pocket pages! 

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You can find all of the awesome product that I used on this spread via the clickable gallery links below. Thanks for your support!

*Clicking these links will take you to the Scrapbook.com shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

lt's Time for the Elle's Studio Summer Sale!

Exciting news! The Elle's Studio Summer Sale* has begun, and tons of product has been marked down in the shop 20-90% off! There are also mystery kits and digitals are on sale, too! Plus, each order will receive a free gift! How awesome is that?

While you're in the shop, be sure to check out the new lady in the alphabet stamps, Jane! I love the Jane alphabet stickers, and now you can have the same font in a stamp, too!

I can't wait to see what you pick up in this awesome sale! Be sure to shop before it ends on Friday, July 27th at midnight! Happy shopping!

*Clicking these links will take you to the Elle's Studio shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

Super Cool Zoo: A New Layout + Process Video

Hey there! I got a bit crafty last week, and created what may just be my favorite layout of 2018. I know, that's saying a lot, but this layout, created mostly with the Box of Crayons collection* from my friend, Shimelle and American Crafts, really ticks all of the boxes for me:

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Supplies | Box of Crayons 6 x 8 paper padCut Here patterned paper (manufacturer's strip), On a Roll patterned paperAll the Things patterned paperBox of Crayons ephemera die-cutsBox of Crayons chipboard ThickersBox of Crayons sticker and washi bookBox of Crayons rotary phrase stampBox of Crayons glitter enamel dotsBox of Crayons mini puffy stickersGlitter Girl teal glitter ThickersAmy Tan sticker book

So, what are those "essential layout" element boxes that require ticking, you ask? A fun title, created with different textures and fonts: Check. An interesting texture created with hand-stitching: Check. Bright color and fun patterns: Check. Lots of fun embellishments that highlight the photos: Check and check. 

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Okay, let's talk titles. They're my jam. I have an entire, massive class devoted to them at Big Picture Classes. This title is just about my idea of a perfect title. It contains three different fun fonts for interest, it includes all of the colors found throughout the layout, and is created from three different mediums: glittery foam, transparent stickers and dimensional, smooth cardstock. In my book, it doesn't get much better than that!

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This notepad-heart found in the Box of Crayons 6 x 8 paper pad caught my eye straight away when I started creating, but as I went on, the lack of a different color between the grid and the teal dot on the outside really started to bother me. Enter embroidery floss. By punching holes 1/4" all the way around the heart and adding a simple backstitched yellow frame, this heart, which holds the story of this day, became one of the main focal points of my layout.

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Next on the list: bright colors and fun patterns. Well, if you've checked out the Box of Crayons collection, you can see that it's hard to stay away from either of these. I chose bright, yet simple patterns to frame two of the four images on my layout, and the big area of teal on the 6" x 8"
paper pad sheet gave a resting area for the eye, and also points out the importance of my journaling.

Do embellishments get any more fun than a toucan, flamingo and tiger? I think not, friends. These stickers and die-cuts were PERFECT for adding to this layout about visiting the San Diego Zoo, and the floral die-cuts, which framed my photos, gave it a wild, jungle-esque feel. 

How did it all come together, you ask? Well, you can see the full process in my video below:

You can find all of the product I used on this layout in the Scrapbook.com store, via the gallery at the bottom of this post.

Thanks so much for joining me today here on the blog! Question: What are the "essential layout" element boxes that you just HAVE to check when you create? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments! 

*Clicking these links will take you to the Scrapbook.com shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

Birthday Greetings in a Hurry with American Crafts!

I don't know about you, but I typically realize that I've forgotten a birthday card right around the time I'm due to leave the house for a party. After that initial "oh sugar!" moment sets in, I typically grab the nearest cute paper crafting products that I have on hand to create a simple greeting, full of color and sparkle. I did this recently with the beautiful Stay Colorful collection* from American Crafts!

This collection is just full of bright colors and celebratory sayings, making it the perfect one to grab when you're short on time! I created three different cards quickly and easily:

Supplies | Mood Ring paper (yellow), Jive Talkin' paper ("hooray), 6" x 6" paper pad (sprinkles), cardstock stickers, self-adhesive sequins, rhinestone stickers

"Hip, hip, hooray!" is the perfect sentiment for a birthday card! This simple design looks like a million bucks when you use a colorful sprinkle background paper and back the sentiment with a bright yellow circle of color! To really focus the eye on the sentiment, I added the "hooray" manufacturer's strip behind the circle. Don't forget the sparkle! I added a few sticker sequins and rhinestones to dress it up.

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Supplies | 8 Tracks paper (dots), 6" x 6" paper pad ("treat yo' self"), ephemera die-cutscardstock stickers, glitter enamel stars

What better day to "treat yo' self" than on your birthday? This little sentiment, cut from a sheet of patterned paper in the 6" x 6" paper pad was the perfect topper for a multi-colored polka dot, then accented with die-cut ephemera and sticker treats! 

Supplies | 6" x 6" paper pad (teal hearts), Jive Talkin' paper (banner), layered stickers (unicorn), cardstock stickers, enamel dotsrhinestone stickers

Birthdays should be magical, so why not add a magical creature to the card front? I loved adding this pretty ribbon-tailed unicorn to the card front, along with the "ride a unicorn" banner, cut from the Jive Talkin' paper. This card would be perfect for a special little girl! 

These three cards prove that you don't have to run by Target on your way to the birthday party! Create your own cards at home quickly and easily with the Stay Colorful collection from American Crafts, and "wow" that special birthday someone! Be sure to check out the product I used, via the gallery links to the Scrapbook.com store below:

(*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!)

Elle's Studio Pocket Page Process Video #2 with the July 2018 Kit

Hello there! In case you missed it, this is my second post today. You can see my Elle's Studio July 2018 kit reveal post which includes an unboxing video and pocket page process video #1 here

This afternoon I'm here to share the back side of the pocket page layout that I created using the July 2018 kit and add-ons* from Elle's Studio! 

Sticking to essentially the same products that I used on the front side of my layout creates a flow across the two sides of my page, but I added a few fun details that were different from the front. I'd love for you to watch this video to see how the page came together:

Be sure to shop all of the fun products that I used on this page via the gallery below, while supplies last! You won't want to miss having these summery, fun details to add to your projects!

* This post contains product affiliate links. Clicking any of these links will take you directly to the Elle's Studio shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

Elle's Studio July 2018 Kit Reveal & Process Video!

Welcome to my blog! I'm so excited that today is the 10th, because that means brand-spankin' new product is available from the Elle's Studio shop! The July 2018 kit and add-ons* do not disappoint, and I know that you'll love using them to document your summer memories as much as I did. How about we take a look at my unboxing video to check out all of the new product?

How about this July kit? Not a stitch of pink to be found, and I love it! It has a lot of energy in this fun color scheme, and awesome graphics and fonts to really make your projects stand out!

The add-ons this month are SO fun! There is so much product here to embellish any project that you'd want to create, you won't really need any other options in your stash!

This month I created two 12" x 12" pocket pages using the new kit and embellishments! The color scheme, you guys, just has me at teal, orange and navy. I can't even handle the awesomeness. Just take a look:

While making my page, I filmed a process video so that you can see how the page came together, and the decisions I made around the new product I was using. Pull up a chair and watch this short video for all of the details:

The July kits are typically the most popular kits of the year, so be sure to grab this one quickly, and don't forget about the awesome add-ons this month that coordinate with the kit. You can shop all of the product I used on this pocket page in the gallery below, and be sure to stop by later today when I'll be sharing the back side of the page, along with another process video!

* This post contains product affiliate links. Clicking any of these links will take you directly to the Elle's Studio shop, and when you purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. It doesn't cost you any extra, so thanks so much for your support!

American Crafts Stay Colorful Collection: Swan Lake

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A beautiful summer day spent on a lake on the south coast of England deserves an equally beautiful layout, and I created one using the Stay Colorful collection* from Dear Lizzy and American Crafts! 

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Supplies | Stay Colorful collection: Bellbottom Blue paper, Jive Talkin' paper, 8 Tracks paper, 6" x 6" paper pad, cardstock accent and phrase stickers, washi tape book, ephemera die cut shapes, glitter chipboard Thickers, glitter clothespins, layered stickers; All the Good Things collection: phrase stickers; Shimelle Box of Crayons collection: alpha sticker folder; Shimelle Glitter Girl collection: glitter enamel dots, embellishment pack; Stickers and Bling collection: adhesive rhinestones 

I have to admit, I struggled with this layout at first. I had a general idea of how I wanted it to look, and what I was putting on paper just didn't match with what was in my mind. My break-through moment came when I added the flag embellishment from the layered stickers, which inspired me to create a column of colorful pennants against the left side of my page.  

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Swans were the reason why I went with this collection! I loved the die-cut swan included in the ephemera die cut shapes and on the little cut-out included in the 6" x 6" paper pad, which I attached using a glitter clothespins. They were the perfect little embellishments for this fun layout. 

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Ah, my title. I love looking at it! It's the perfect mix of glittery hand-drawn Thickers and little tile alphas, set on a pink pennant, which matches the ones throughout my layout. 

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I'd love to show you how this layout came together in this process video! You can see my struggles and triumphs, all in 20 minutes, by watching the video below:

Be sure to check out all of the product used on this layout at Scrapbook.com via the gallery below! Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great weekend!

(*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!) 

Elle's Studio June Kit + Add-Ons: At the Museum

In case you missed my first post of the day, the Elle's Studio June 2018 kit and add-ons* were released today! I already shared an 8-1/2" x 11" layout and process video, but for my second project, I wanted to switch things up a bit and document more photos with a 24" x 12" double-page spread!

(*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 spread records a fun day at the Houston Museum of Natural History with 5 photos, sized at 6" x 4", 3" x 2" and 4" x 4"! I love getting all of these photos on my page together, and the colors in the kit and add-ons this month coordinated perfectly with them!

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I started off the spread with a base of the blue grid found in the Noteworthy paper collection. After I topped that with a clean, white base, I added full 6" x 6" Shine paper stack patterns that coordinated with the colors in my photos. The circles included on the Let's Relax stamp are meant to be for creating ice cream cones, but who says you have to use anything as intended? I made them float across my page from the top left corner to the bottom right, helping your eye move across this wide spread.

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There's a new girl in the shop. Her name is Chloe, and we are already good friends! The Chloe alphabet stamp is fun and whimsical, and it contrasts perfectly with the font in the Hello Happy puffy words

Two 3" x 4" tags from the June 2018 kit were perfect for adding my typed journaling to, and I love the added texture that the "favorite snapshot" Noteworthy wood veneer piece adds to the page. I layered it on top of one of the June print and cut labels—a new product for Elle! They're so easy to use! 

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I couldn't finish a layout about the natural history museum without including a few butterflies, chosen from the Noteworthy bits and pieces and puffy stickers! They were the perfect addition to the movement already created on this page by my stamped circles. I also love breaking my title up across the page—it's yet another tactic for making your eye move from the top left to the bottom right of the spread.

Check out all of the supplies that I used to create this layout in the gallery below, which will take you to each product in the Elle's Studio shop:

Thanks so much for stopping by! Be sure to grab the new June goodies while supplies last. Happy creating! 

Elle's Studio June 2018 Kit + Add-On Reveal!

Hello there! Summer is quickly approaching, and the June 2018 kit and add-ons* from Elle's Studio will get you ready to document all of your summer memories! Let's take a look at the kit and extras in this short 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 of my YouTube feed and this blog!)

The fun June 2018 kit, which was created by collaborating with Geralyn Sy of In a Creative Bubble, is summery, graphic and contains the perfect amount of fresh color for your projects! 

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The add-ons will complement any project you create, with an awesome mix of stamps, embellishment, labels and a new paper stack! 

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From left to right, you can find: the Let's Relax stamp, Shine acrylic, June blank label stickers, Summer wood veneer frames, Hello Happy puffy words, Shine 6" x 6" paper stack, Chloe alphabet stamp, Jane alphabet stickers — white, bright hand-drawn acrylic hearts

I just had to search through my summer memories to find the perfect photos for this kit, and when I found two photos of my daughter running into the ocean waves, I knew I had to document them with the new supplies!

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How awesome is this kit when paired with the Noteworthy collection? I couldn't love this layout more: the movement, the fun, graphic design and those awesome stamps! YES!

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The awesome Hello Happy puffy words are perfect to recolor with an oil-based paint or marker, like the Sharpie oil-based markers that I used here. I also love how the Jane alphabet stickers pair with the puffy words to create the perfect title!

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This awesome striped pattern appears in the June kit, as well as in the Shine 6" x 6" paper stack! It was perfect for customizing with the "summer vibes" phrase from the Let's Relax stamp! Don't forget to add the bright hand-drawn acrylic hearts to your cart to add a different texture to your page.

Take a look at how this quick and easy layout came together in this process video:

Check back here in just a couple of hours when I will be sharing a new 24" x 12" double page spread featuring the June 2018 kit and add-ons! Until then, click the links in the gallery below to shop all of the fun product that I used on my "Beach Fun in the Sun" layout: