Altenew Live Your Dream Scrapbook Collection Release Blog Hop + Giveaway

I am so excited that the new Altenew scrapbook collection, Live Your Dream* is now live and in the Altenew shop! The Live Your Dream Scrapbook Collection is a bright and elegant line that you can use to document any occasion. From the little daily moments, you want to remember forever to bigger milestones like parties and birthdays.

All of the products in this collection are very versatile and you can use them for many different projects such as 12x12 layouts, pocket scrapbooking, cards, home decor, and much more.

This collection contains

• 16 sheets of 12x12 double-sided patterned papers (2 of each/16 different designs)

• 2 6"x12" sheets of puffy alphabet stickers (220 pieces)

• 2 6"x12" sheets of chipboard stickers (38 pieces)

• 2 6"x12" sheets of clear stickers (31 pieces)

• 1 pack of wood epoxy buttons (20 pieces)

• 1 pack of die-cut cardstock embellishments (32 pieces)   

I was so excited to document a momentous occasion with these new products, my 10 year wedding anniversary, and a fancy dinner out in London!

Supplies | Live Your Dream scrapbook collection, Mega Number Die #1, Mega Number Die #0, Mega Greetings 2 Stamp

To tie in the beautiful surroundings in the restaurant to my layout, I cut colorful diamonds out of the brightly watercolored patterned paper.

I also loved adding the big #10 using the Mega Dies!

Why not check out how I put this page together in my process video:

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 2/28/2019 for a chance to win. 6 winners will be announced on the Altenew blogs on 3/3/2019.

Head to the other creatives in the hop to see more inspiration using these fantastic new products:

Altenew Scrapbook Blog

Paige Evans

Enza Gudor

Kathleen Graumüller

Jen Schow

Zinia Redo

Bea Valint

Raquel Bowman

Sandra Dietrich

Amanda Baldwin

Maryam Perez

Svitlana Shayevich

Missy Whidden

Altenew Card Blog

Nathalie DeSousa

Kymona Tracey

Patricia Roebuck

Lydia Evans

Terhi Koskinen

Lilith Eeckels

Meghann Andrew (you are here)

Reiko Tsuchida

Flóra Mónika Farkas

Virginia Lu

Kim Jeffress

Elsie Robinson

Laurie Willison

Kelly Janes

Erum Tasneem

Thanks so much for stopping by, and happy creating with this beautiful, new collection!

*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!

Elle's Studio February Reveal!

Hello and happy Sunday! Today is the day of the Elle’s Studio February 2019 kit and add-on* reveal, and I couldn’t be more excited about what I’m showing you today! First, let’s take a look at all of the new goodies in my unboxing video:

Take a look at the rainbow of colors in the February kit! There are so many color possibilities here:

If you thought that the kit was full of possibility, take a look at the February add-ons! From a wide range of stamps, labels, puffy stickers and acrylics, there are so many beautiful additions that can be combined with the kit to create something wonderful.

The digital files this month are also perfect to add to your digital library. With a wide range of cut files, labels and printables that coordinate with the kit, you won’t want to miss having them on your desk while creating.

Now that I’ve shown you all of this beautiful project, let me share what I created with it!

The Wonderful Colors at the Tate by Meghann Andrew – supplies used | February 2019 Kit, February 2019 Digital Cut File, February Labels, Bright Die Cut Labels, Real Life Phrase Stickers, Wood Veneer Confetti, Puffy Icon Stickers, Light Purple Puffy Alphabet Stickers, Black Puffy Alphabet Stickers, Little Acrylic Stars, Oh Happy Day Stamp, Large Jane Alphabet Stamp – Outline, Large Jane Alphabet Stamp – Stripes, Large Jane Alphabet Stamp – Polka Dot, Hazel Alphabet Stamp, Noteworthy 12 x 12 Paper Collection

This fun and bold layout records a day spent at the Tate Modern Museum in London, and the bold colors in my photos were the perfect match to the rainbow of colors in the kit. I started off my layout with the “wonderful” die-cut included in the February 2019 Digital Cut File, and continued to build my title with the Large Jane Alphabet Stamps (the outline, and new stripes and polka dot!) Black Puffy Alphabet Stickers and Hazel Alphabet Stamp.

On the left side of my page, I added ALL OF THE COLOR; in a rainbow of tags and die-cuts coming from the left side of my photo strip. I accented with embellishment, like the Puffy Icon Stickers and Little Acrylic Stars to match the colors along the edge of the page.

Want to see how all of these beautiful products came together to create this page? Take a look at my process video:

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I hope you’ll check out all of the new Elle’s Studio product that I used to create this layout by clicking through the 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!

American Crafts & Shimelle's Sparkle City: A Delightful, Wonderful Day

I am so excited about my friend Shimelle’s latest collection for American Crafts: Sparkle City! This fun and energetic collection features everything from cityscapes to cotton candy, and a beautiful range of color and graphics. Today, I’m so happy to share my first project using this fabulous collection:

Supplies* | Sparkle City collection: Polka Dot Pansy paper (351357), Traffic Jam paper (351353), Stay Super paper (351325), Fairy Lights paper (351355), Perfect Day paper (351356), cardstock and lenticular shapes (351333), rub-ons (351364), chipboard stickers (351331), foil foam phrase stickers (351328), foam and cardstock letter stickers (351329), washi tape spools (351337), acrylic stamps (351336); Head in the Clouds collection: Fairy Tale photos paper (349480), chipboard stickers (349469), cardstock stickers (349467), journaling pad (349471), sticker book (349473)

This layout documents my daughter and Shimelle’s Wonder Boy enjoying a fabulous day together in London, and I had fun matching the energy and happiness in the photos with the elements in Sparkle City. I began with layers of patterned paper to create my layout background, then moved on to embellishment. The best part? Sparkle City coordinates beautifully with Shimelle’s last collection, Head in the Clouds, so I was able to combine both collections to create something wonderful!

My title, created with chipboard and foam Thickers, was housed on the yellow strip of patterned paper to help it to stand out below my photos. The happy strip of washi tape added below helps to add color and interest.

Guess what? Rub-ons are back, and this collection has a fabulous set of rub-ons that go on like butter! I added the “have fun” rub-on to the Head in the Clouds journaling pad paper, then flanked it with the “important” stamp and fussy cut camera. I also LOVED using the Sparkle City stamp set to add stamped black stars around my page.

This little corner is the perfect example of how perfectly Sparkle City coordinates with Head in the Clouds! Here I used the Head in the Clouds “everyday adventurers” chipboard and fussy-cut teal camera alongside the red camera and bird die cuts from Sparkle City. This little corner makes my heart so happy!

I’d love for you to watch how this layout came together in my process video:

Be sure to watch the Scrapbook.com* store’s incoming new items each week to find the Sparkle City collection added to the “new products” section of the shop, and click “notify me” so that you can be one of the first to create something beautiful with it! Thanks for watching, and 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!

Zoo Crew with the Elle's Studio January Products

Yesterday I shared the newest kit release* from Elle’s Studio, along with an 8-1/2” x 11” layout, and today I’m switching gears to share an event-based, 7” x 12” pocket page layout, all about a colorful trip to the Houston Zoo with our besties. The colors of the kiddo’s bright coats on this cold day were perfect for using alongside this kit—no black and white photos needed here!

On the front of the page, I created a title using the outline and solid Jane Alphabet Stamps—the largest that Elle has ever released. I love that they coordinate with the “XO” tag in the January kit, found at the base of my page. These are definitely my new favorite alphabet stamps and I love that they are large enough to use on layouts, but still great for pockets, too! The black and white polka dot puffy alphas were great for finishing off my title against the larger alphas.

This tag was created using the Love You printables—the tag was originally 3” x 4” and I stretched it to 4” x 4”. I love that you can make anything work with digital files! I simply added the “today was good” Happiness Found sticker, an acetate heart die cut and a wood veneer heart to embellish my main journaling tag.

I kept the same colorful hues on the back of the layout, matching the tags to the coordinating photos by the most bold color in the photo. Not much more journaling was required, so I keep to mainly pretty filler tags.

My favorite pocket on the back was created with the heart 4” x 6” tag from the January kit. From there I added “wild girls” using the black and white polka dot puffy alphas and “you are the best” with the Happy Heart stamp. Since three girlies enjoyed this day, I added three hearts: a die-cut circle heart from the January kit, a red acetate heart die cut and a solid wood veneer heart.

I love this spread, and the day that it records! Be sure to grab these supplies while they last in the Elle’s Studio shop, via the links in the gallery below. Thanks so much for reading, 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!

New Year, NEW Elle's Studio Kit!

Hello and happy new year! I’m excited to be with you to share the first release of 2019 for Elle’s Studio! Let’s take a look at the unboxing video I created of the new January 2019 kit and add-ons*.

What an amazing assortment of products, right?! The January kit will have you documenting the beginning of your 2019 in a beautiful way with its fresh color palette and versatile tags:

Once you have your base established with the kit, these add-ons will have you embellishing to your heart’s content!

Last, but not least, don’t forget about the digital files! I loved using them on the layout that I’m sharing with you today. Whether you use the Love You printables, January print and cut labels, January 2019 digital cut file or the XOXO Pages digital cut file, your digital library will thank you!

My newest 8-1/2” x 11” layout is about my brother’s surprise proposal in a beautiful setting, and the January 2019 kit and add-ons were the perfect products to match to the photos to tell the story of his engagement.

I could not love this layout more! Check out how it all came together in my process video:

Didn’t this kit and that story go together perfectly? Be sure to grab the products you LOVE from this release now, as supplies are limited! You can also start a subscription with this kit, so that you don’t miss out on any exclusive kits this year, and you can bundle shipping! Just click the “monthly kit” tab and “subscribe” after you head to the shop.

Thanks so much for stopping by! You can find all of the products I used to create this layout by clicking through the products in gallery below, which will also take you to the ES shop! Happy creating with your new Elle’s Studio products!

*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!

New Year Cards with American Crafts Sticker Books!

Hello there! 2019 is just around the corner, and today I’m here to share my first ever New Year cards with you. Yes, I said it! I’ve never made New Year greeting cards before, but when I received the new American Crafts All the Holidays cardmaking sticker book* and combined it with a few papers and embellishments, it was the perfect opportunity to change that!

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Supplies | All the Holidays cardmaking sticker book, Vicki Boutin sticker book, Field Notes collection chipboard stickers, Field Notes collection washi tape, Bling sticker rhinestones, Shine On 6x6 paper pad, Shine On Forest paper, AC primaries cardstock

I fell in love with the large black and silver circle stickers that say, “Happy New Year!” and I decided to create a trio of cards to give to friends to wish them a happy new year.

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My first two cards were created using the smaller silver, “Happy New Year!” stickers, and started off by layering colorful cardstock with neutral patterned paper from the Amy Tangerine Shine On collection. From there, I chose the colorful watercolor Field Notes collection washi tape, which set my color scheme for my three cards—purple, pink, orange, yellow and green.

The Vicki Boutin sticker book, my favorite sticker book in my growing collection, helped me to embellish with the year in colorful numbers, stars and arrows that say, “create magic,” and “time for some fun.” New Year cards wouldn’t be complete without some bling, so I added a few pink, purple and silver Bling sticker rhinestones.

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I wanted to use the largest, “Happy New Year” circle for my third card, and with a sentiment so large, not much else was needed on the card. The colorful watercolor Field Notes collection washi tape created the perfect background, and after the sentiment sticker was added with dimensional adhesive, I added the large rhinestones to complete this quick and simple, but festive card.

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You can find all of the products that I used to create these cards in the gallery below—it’s still a new year for as long as it takes to remember to write “2019,” so order today to send your own handmade new year greetings!

I’m excited to send these cards off to wish my loved ones a happy new year! I’d like to say the same to you, my lovely blog readers. I am wishing each and every one of you the best that life can bring in 2019! 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 suppor

Close to My Heart Craft with Heart Kit: Be Merry

I’m so excited to share my final layout of the year using the Close to My Heart Craft with Heart kit subscription! The December layouts did not disappoint with their festive colors and embellishments, and I created this 24” x 12” double-page layout about the things that make me merry at Christmas!

Supplies | Craft with Heart December Kit, Living My Best Life stamp, 'Tis the Season Compliments, Fern-stitched ribbon, white pearls

By starting with the kit elements, and adding small amounts of coordinating Close to My Heart product, I was able to create a truly customized layout design that fit perfectly with the photos and story that I wanted to share.

Whether you follow the instructions to a “t” or do your own thing with the specially coordinated kit, I know you’ll love what you create! Check out the process video that I filmed while making this layout. In it, you’ll see how I used different-sized photos than the layout example, added a bit more embellishment using the beautiful 'Tis the Season CTMH products and stamped words that fit with my layout with the wonderful CTMH Boutique Scrapbooking Day-to-Day stamp. I also create pockets underneath my photos to add hidden journaling, a technique I use often.

Check out these wonderful and simple-to-create Close to My Heart Craft with Heart Kits today, to make quick and beautiful layouts that document your most special memories! Thanks for stopping by, and happy creating!

Elle's Studio December 2018 Kit + Add-ons Revealed!

It’s the final month of the year, and Elle’s Studio is going out on a high note with the new December kit and add-ons*! Take a look at my unboxing video to see all of the new product:

The December 2018 kit is perfect for documenting your holiday memories, time playing in the snow, and so much more! Just take a look at the beautiful colors included this month:

From stamps, cork, puffy stickers and beautiful gold acrylic, there is something for everyone in the add-ons this month!

Even though we don’t have much snow here in Texas, the temperatures are dropping and I found the perfect way to use the snowy-themed product released this month:

These embellished jars of homemade cocoa powder are the perfect gift for our neighbors, and they could not have been easier to create! Vinyl and the December 2018 digital cut file embellished my jars with pretty snowflakes, and the Snow Day journaling tags held the instructions for mixing the cocoa. The Wonder and Joy and Let it Snow stamps added cute phrases like “time for cocoa” and “yum” to small tags from the December 2018 kit. The final touches were added with wood veneer snowflakes punched and added with baker’s twine, and small hearts and twinkles from the Winter puffy stickers. Want to see the steps I used to create these cute gifts? Head to my Instagram feed where I’m sharing the step-by-step process!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I can’t wait to see what you create with these new products! Shop the goodies that I used to create my jars today, and re-create them for your neighbors, via the gallery link below:

*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 December Reveal: Main Street Magic + Process Video

I loved working with the December 2018 kit and add-ons from Elle’s Studio this month! Check out my first blog post for the unboxing video that I created with all of the new goodies, where you’ll also find perfect DIY holiday gifts for friends and neighbors created with the kit and add-ons. In this blog post, I’m sharing a brand new 8-1/2” x 11” layout with you, all about the magic of Main Street U.S.A. in Disneyland!

I created a process video while making this layout, and in it, you can see how I created my title with the new Large Jane Alphabet Stamp Bundle, created a colorful border strip and tried to balance all of the beautiful colors I have on this page:

Don’t you just love that title? I sure do, and I can’t wait to go back to Disney to record even more magical Christmas details on Main Street.

Shop all of the product that I used to create this layout while supplies last via the affiliate gallery below, and thanks so much for your support!

*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 Journal Studio Notebook: Lizzy 2018

I’m so excited to be sharing my first project using the Journal Studio Collection* from American Crafts! I’ve decided to document 2018 from my daughter’s perspective, creating two spreads for each month of her year. I want these spreads to focus on her interests, her activities and the highlights of her year. The Journal Studio Collection was perfect for this task, as everything coordinates perfectly and takes the guesswork out of creating!

Supplies | (If an item is not available, click “notify me when in stock” to grab it when it is back in the shop!) American Crafts Journal Studio Collection: Watercolor Stripe journal kit, Hello journal insert, Amy Tan sticker book, Amy Tan washi tape, Journal Studio sticker book, Journal Studio ephemera, Journal Studio mini puffy stickers, Journal Studio Dreams paper clips, Good Vibes Only gel pens; Sunshine and Good Times Collection: Rainbow Love paper, Shine Bright paper, Major Heart Eyes paper; Other: Dear Lizzy Lovely Day Thickers, Dear Lizzy clothespins (I like to keep my notebooks open with these when photographing)

I started off with a photograph from my daughter’s birthday in January, keeping the pages and layers super simple, and non-dimensional. Both the Amy Tan sticker book and Journal Studio sticker book have so many options for awesome embellishment, it was hard to choose what designs to select!

These alphabet stickers were included in the Journal Studio sticker book, and could not have been more perfect for adding a title in that speech bubble sticker!

This is my favorite spread from my creative session, and documents my daughter’s first experience with snow at our home in Texas. I just love the color scheme on this page—those sherbet colors are perfect for each month of the year!

The sweet heart stickers radiating out of the lovely die-cut house from the Journal Studio ephemera created the perfect embellishment for this spread.

I kept this rainbow paper for just such an occasion, and I love the way it tied both halves of my spread together here, on this layout that documents my daughter’s besties and a trip to the zoo.

Watch this process video, as I create these pages, and talk all about how I’m tackling this extra project at the end of the year:

Thanks so much for stopping by and watching my video! I’d love to hear what you think about traveler’s notebooks and the new Journal Studio collection. You can check out the products I used in the gallery below, available at Scrapbook.com! (If an item is not available, click “notify me when in stock” to grab it when it is back in the shop!)

*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 Crafty Friends Blog Hop Day 1 + Giveaway

Hello and welcome to my blog for the Altenew Crafty Friends Blog Hop! You’ve come here from the talented Zsoka Marko’s blogI

I am so excited to be a part of this industry of creative people, where I am inspired every day to create something new, and I love that this hop celebrates the support and kinship that we all give to one another! I’d love to connect with you on Instagram, where I’m most social! Now on to the crafty stuff! I have a new 12” x 12” layout to share all about this special job of mine:

Supplies | Our Family scrapbook collection, Mega Greetings 2 stamp and die bundle, Crafty Life stamp and die bundle, Snapshots stamp set, Altenew glue tape

It’s quite rare that I have a photo of myself in front of the camera in my scrap space, and not just my hands for a process video! I wanted to create this layout all about how I love my job and pinch myself every day that I get to create for a living.

After I had my photo decided, it worked out perfectly that I could create my stamped title of my signature tagline, “happy creating,” using the Mega Greetings 2 and Crafty Life stamp and die bundles. I love the way that they look layered on top of each other in the mint green and teal blue ink.

How perfect is this sentiment?! All around my layout, I included stamped elements from the Mega Greetings 2, Crafty Life and Snapshots stamps, along with fussy cut leaves, die cuts, enamel dots and beautiful patterned papers from the Our Family scrapbook collection.

I love this layout, and I hope it has inspired you to document your love for paper crafting just like I did here! Tag me on Instagram when sharing your unique page! Now on to the prizes:

Altenew is giving away a $50 gift certificate to 5 lucky winners and one Altenew Academy class to 5 lucky winners. There are also 10 awesome friends who are celebrating with us, and they are offering the following prizes:

• My Sweet Petunia: 3 MISTI stamping tools(Memory, Original, and Mini)

• Jennifer McGuire Ink: Altenew $50 gift certificate & 10 handmade cards

• Online Card Classes: 3 class spots

• Create and Craft TV: £50 gift certificate

• Ellen Hutson LLC: $30 gift certificate

• Chameleon Pens: 1 pack of 5 Chameleon pens

• Stamp & Scrapbook Expo: $25 gift certificate

• Butterfly Reflections Ink: $25 gift certificate

• Simon Says Stamp: $20 gift certificate

• Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine: 2 copies of Scrapbook & Cards Today Fall 2018 issue

How do you enter to win one of these awesome prizes? Simply leave a comment at every stop along this hop list:

Altenew Card Blog

Jennifer McGuire

May Sukyong Park

My Sweet Petunia

Kathy Racoosin

Norine Borys

Chameleon Pens

Svitlana Shayevich

Kristina Pokazanieva

Raquel Bowman

Keeway Tsao

Butterfly Reflections Ink

Virginia Lu

Laura Jane

Simon Says Stamp

Lilith Eeckels

Dana Gong

Alex Syberia

Stamp & Scrapbook Expo

Zinia Redo

Jessica Frost-Ballas

Zsoka Marko

Meghann Andrew < you are here

Kay Miller

Be sure to leave comments by Sunday, December 9th, 2018 for a chance to win! 35 winners will be chosen at random from the comments left on all of these blogs listed below and will be announced on the Altenew Card Blog and Altenew Scrapbook Blog on December 15th, 2018. Good luck! Finish out the hop now by visiting Kay Miller for more inspiration. Good luck and happy creating!

Close to My Heart Craft with Heart November Kit: Holly Jolly Snow Days

Living in Texas, we hardly ever get to experience snow, which I hate for my daughter. I always enjoyed the changing of the seasons, and the first snowfall of the year was always a magical day for me. On Boxing Day 2017, we woke to a beautiful, fresh morning of a few inches of snow, and I bundled my girl up and pushed her out the door to enjoy it. Today I’m documenting her excitement playing in the snow using the Close to My Heart Craft with Heart November Kit!

This kit could not have been more perfect to for these photos. The colors and the subject of what I needed to document seemed to be made for this layout! Once I had my photos placed, I tweaked the title a bit by adding the playful Erin’s Hand Alphabet Stamp to what would have been the journaling tag, to add the word “snow.” I love how it adds to the page, and that pink heart on top of the tag gave such a bright pop of color to the title!

I also loved adding some coordinating embellishments to this spread, like the gorgeous Oh What Fun felt shapes for added texture, the white pearls to bring that snowy pearlescence and the Sugarplum glitter gems for a bit of sparkle!

I stamped the “enjoying today” sentiment from the Boutique Scrapbooking: Day-to-Day set and added my journaling above and below my photos, with printed cardstock strips.

Check out how this layout came together quickly and easily in such a beautiful way, in the process video I’m sharing on my YouTube feed:

Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube feed (you can find a link in the right sidebar >>> ) to see what I create with next month’s Craft with Heart kit! Until then, happy creating!

Elle's Studio November 2018 Kit + Add-Ons in Pockets

Hello there! In case you missed my Elle’s Studio November reveal blog post, be sure to click here to watch my unboxing video to preview all of the new goodies in the shop this month!

In this post, I’m going to share my second project with you, created with the November 2018 kit and add-ons*, a 24” x 12” pocket page spread, which I created to document November of 2015, a hole in my monthly album!

This kit was just perfect for all of my photos! I had so many deep blues and bright reds, as well as green, and the themes in the kit this month could not have been more perfect either. I created my 4” x 6” title tag using the ledger tag from the November kit, which I accented with my favorite add-on this month, springs of greenery from the Merry Moment stamp. I also punched a red circle from the Merry and Bright 6” x 6” paper stack, and accented that grouping with a Christmas hand drawn acrylic heart. I stamped “hello” using the Title Builder stamp, then added “November” with the new navy puffy alphabet stickers.

You may have noticed this 3” x 4” tag in the Elle’s Studio sneak video on Instagram (which we release every month on the 1st!). The “the stockings are hung” phrase can be found in the This Season phrase stickers, which have a wide range of phrases which can fit for your November and December stories! Then I added the fabulous red Jane alphabet stickers to add “deck the halls,” and accented with a die-cut arrow from the November kit, a stamped heart from the Merry Moment stamp and a Christmas hand drawn acrylic heart. It was the perfect tag to point to the photo of our house lit up with twinkle lights!

I couldn’t forget about the beautiful blue hue in the kit! I grabbed the blue dot pattern found in the Merry and Bright 6” x 6” paper stack to create a custom 3” x 4” tag, then stamped the “a day to remember” circle with the Merry Moment stamp and fussy cut it out, adhering it to the patterned paper. Last, I added a long journaling tag, found on a 4” x 6” tag in the November kit, adding the word “proud” with the navy Jane alphabet stickers and another This Season phrase sticker. I love that this tag spans three different pockets to tie them together!

I know you will love using this kit and coordinating add-ons to tell your stories, whether inside or outside of the pocket! Be sure to shop all of the products that I used to create this spread in my shapable gallery below, which will take you directly to that product in the Elle’s Studio shop! 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 November 2018 Reveal Day!

Hooray for my favorite day of the month! It’s reveal day at Elle’s Studio, which means a brand new, beautiful kit and array of add-ons*, created with your memories in mind, has hit the shop! Take a look at my unboxing video to see all of the new goodies:

Get ready for the holiday spirit to hit your desktop with the fun, new November kit! It will take you from the Thanksgiving table and straight into Christmas with its bold and bright colors, and crisp, clean designs:

You will also want to check out the coordinating add-ons, which range from new, shiny acrylics, to a gorgeous 6” x 6” paper stack! Many of them also coordinate with the Document December kit to work double-duty for you!

Elle has this knack for always coordinating her fall items with our previous year’s family portraits, and this year was no exception! The beautiful teal, navy and shades of green from the kit and add-ons were perfect to use while creating a new 8-1/2” x 11” layout about our family:

I’d love for you to check out how this layout came together in my process video below! “What’s this?” you say? Two videos in one post!? In this short video, you’ll see how much I love the new Merry Moment stamp this month, how I get indecisive on where to place my boughs (a word I cannot even pronounce on video) and just plain have fun with these products!

Be sure to pick up all of the Elle’s Studio goodies that I used to create this layout via the gallery below, only while supplies last! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this kit! It’s a beauty!

*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 Head in the Clouds Collection: Pixie Perfect

The brand new Head in the Clouds collection* by Shimelle and American Crafts is right up my alley, and as soon as it landed on my doorstep, I made the time to create a brand new layout using it! This whimsical, magical and fantastic collection is perfect for my princess and unicorn-loving little girl, and I know it’s going to help me document a lot of memories!

My daughter’s first meet and greet with Tinkerbell was perfect for this collection! The beautiful floral patterns and natural details in the embellishments gave the Pixie Hollow feel to this layout that I was looking for!

I created three different embellishment groupings on this page, filled with stamped leaves, fussy-cut elements from the Head in the Clouds patterned papers, stickers and die cut ephemera.

My title is one of my favorite parts about this layout, as I LOVE the green banner that I fussy-cut from patterned paper to place it on! It also gave the perfect element to rest my photos on.

I just had so much fun making this page, and there’s a process video to prove it! Watch below to see how it all came together:

To find all of the products that I used to create this collection, click the links in the gallery below to head directly to the Scrapbook.com and Elle’s Studio shops. Thanks so much for watching, and happy creating with this gorgeous collection!

*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's Craft with Heart October Kit: This is Us

Hello! As a Close to my Heart Craft with Heart Ambassador, I receive a lovely Craft with Heart kit to create with each month, and I get to add my own spin on the kit contents with beautiful embellishments from CTMH. Today, I’m sharing what I created using the September Craft with Heart kit with you, and I could not love the result any more!

This double-page layout came together so easily! I LOVE that the background paper appears to be layered with strips of navy and teal patterned paper, but looks are deceiving! The background paper is pre-printed that way, so you can get started quickly by placing your photos on the page and adding journaling and embellishments. Just by following the kit instructions, you can create this 12” x 24” spread in under 10 minutes. That’s amazing! But, if you want to add more embellishment, CTMH’s fantastic embellishments have you covered, too. Let me show you what details I added.

If you follow me, you know that I love stamping, and I add stamping to almost every layout I create! Once my foundation layout was done, I added this fantastic phrase from the wonderful Living My Best Life (D1814) stamp on my right layout, and lovely leaf sprigs from the same stamp set, both stamped with Pewter ink (Z2832). The Grateful Heart Complements (X7237C) also added a light floral touch, and one of my favorite embellishments, the Grateful Heart Cork Shapes (Z4229) added a different texture to the pages.

I placed my title slightly lower than the layout instructions show, and that allowed more room for me to add some beautiful stamped leaf sprigs coming out of my photo, as well as stickers and die cuts from the Grateful Heart Complements (X7237C). Underneath my title, I added the word “today” from the Boutique Scrapbooking: Day-to-Day set (D1793) before adding my title.

I couldn’t forget to add a bit of shine to the page, and the Gold Loose Sequins (Z4235) placed around the spread added just the perfect touch.

Do you want to see how easily this spread came together? Watch this short process video to see fast I created the original spread, then added my own signature style to it with extra embellishment. I’ll be giving you a few tips along the way, too!

Be sure to check out the Close to my Heart Craft with Heart subscription options to document your memories in a beautiful, but easy way, and search for a consultant near you to get your own copy of the Holiday Expressions Idea Book and learn more about what Close to my Heart has to offer! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy creating!

Elle's Studio From Sketch to Finish Vol. 4 Class Release!

I am so excited to announce that my latest class as a coordinator for Elle’s Studio, From Sketch to Finish Vol. 4*, is now available in the shop! Simplify your scrapbooking process by starting with a sketch from this new, self-paced class, which will take the guesswork out of the process and will allow to you create layouts you love in no time!

This seventy-page PDF class, which comes as a downloadable PDF file. starts with 10 different sketches and 10 contributors, each sharing two layouts created from a sketch. You will get to read their tips and see how they interpreted each sketch to fit their unique and beautiful styles. Next, the class features 20 full-page sketches that will have you on your way to creating projects in no time! Then, our class ends with another 20 bonus sketches that were inspired by the final outcome of our contributors projects and you'll be amazed at how differently they turned out! It is a great example of how sketches can inspire you to get creative!

Our amazing contributors: Nicole Nowosad, Maggie Massey, Jennifer McMurtrey, Jana Eubank, Victoria Calvin, Nathalie DeSousa, Meghann Andrew, Mary-Ann Maldonado, Rachel O'Neal, and Lorilei Murphy, will show you how you can work with the sketch and adapt it to work with your photos and supplies. Along the way, you’ll also learn tips on how you can customize each sketch to fit your style!

All of this sketch inspiration can be on your desktop for only $19.99! As an extra bonus, our subscribers will be able to purchase the class at 20% off the retail price! Not a subscriber? Start with the amazing October Kit and get your FSTF Vol. 4 class at a reduced price by clicking here to subscribe today!

You will love having seventy pages of inspiration for your scrapbooking process at your fingertips while creating! Thanks so much, and please let me know how you like the class!

*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 October Kit Reveal: What's This?

I am so, so excited about the Elle’s Studio reveal today! October is my favorite month of the year, and the supplies included in the Elle’s Studio October kit and add-ons* will now make my layouts created this month my favorite in my album! Take a look at my unboxing video to see all of the new goodies in the shop!

The October kit is usually one of my favorites from the whole year, and this one did not disappoint! This girl loves autumn and Halloween, and the October 2018 kit includes the perfect mix of both! Check out the tags and die-cuts included in the kit:

The add-ons will also have you wanting to embellish all the things! From amazing shipping tags to wood veneer and stamps, there’s something for everyone in this mix of goodies.

Digital designs are always so handy to have on hand to stretch your kit, and this month we have three awesome designs to add to your digital library: the Gather Together printables, October 2018 digital cut file, and October print and cut labels to coordinate with your kit.

As soon as I saw the digital cut file leaves and colors in the new Sweater Weather paper stack, I knew exactly which memory I wanted to document: my daughter meeting Jack and Sally for the first time during our trip to Disneyland last year.

It’s bright, full of contrast and has a fun Halloween color scheme! Take a look at how it all came together in my process video:

You can shop all of the product that I used on this layout in my gallery below, which will take you to the Elle’s Studio shop!

*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!

Documenting Autumn with American Crafts

Hello there! It’s finally October—my favorite month of the year! That means I can decorate to my heart’s content, drink hot drinks and stamp ALL OF THE LEAVES; even if it is still 100 degrees where I live!

Recently I received a new package of goodies from American Crafts, and it included the brand new Goldenrod collection* from 1Canoe2, as well as some fantastic new Kelly Creates stamps, and I was inspired to document a favorite photo of my daughter last fall, taken after she picked squash from my dad’s pumpkin patch!

The beautiful sunset hues in the Goldenrod collection matched the gold hues in my photos perfectly, so I set out to choose the best patterns to show off my photo. I created a dark frame around the edge using the b-side of the Pink Tile paper first, then added a smooth white cardstock background, perfect for stamping!

Let’s just talk about this Kelly Creates floral stamp set for a second, which is ONLY $3.49! What a bargain!

Kelly Creates - Clear Acrylic Stamps - Traceable - Florals

I used three of the leaf designs on the set to create a curtain at the top of my white cardstock, stamping them with permanent black ink so that I could color them in using the Vicki Boutin watercolor set, in hues to coordinate with the colors in my photos and give the layout an autumnal feel. Once my paint was completely dry, I added a bit of sparkle using a gold glitter Moxy glitter glue from the Jewel Thief set—a mess-free way to add some sparkle!

Next I added my photos, sized at 3” x 3” and framed with a white border, using dimensional adhesive. To the left, I had just enough space to add the “these are the days we dream about, when the sunlight paints us gold,” card from the Goldenrod 6” x 6” paper pad. It was the perfect sentiment for these photos, as the sunset was lighting up the tree behind my daughter in brilliant gold hues.

At the base of my page, I added a banner from the b-side of the Pink Tile paper to create a shelf for my photos and add contrast for my title, created with the beautiful Goldenrod Thickers. Below my title, washi and a gold manufacturer’s strip began a series of lines: the bold “making memories” sticker from the Goldenrod cardstock sticker sheet above, and my journaling added in strips below, all set on the gorgeous plaid b-side of the Sweet Strawberries paper—which might be my favorite from the collection! I had to add a few more leaves to my title block, so I stamped, painted and fussy cut three out, combining them with heart stickers from the collection.

I can’t tell you how happy this layout makes me, and the creative process was so fun using the beautiful Kelly Creates floral stamp and Goldenrod collection! Grab a PSL and these autumnal supplies, and start documenting your fall memories! Be sure to check out all of the product I used on this layout in the affiliate gallery below:

*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!

Documenting Change with American Crafts Field Notes Collection

I’ve had a really cool photo taken of myself in front of a mural wall for years, just sitting with my printed photos. Then the Field Notes collection* came to my desk, and the perfect product married with the photo to tell a story about change in my life, and I’m excited to share this new 8-1/2” x 11” layout with you today!

The colors in my photo could not have been more perfect with the bold and saturated colors in the Field Notes collection, and the phrases found in the Field Notes embellishments fit my subject perfectly: change in my life. This was a subject that I don’t think I could have journaled about when the photo was taken in 2015, but today, I’m embracing change, and pushing myself to be better in all aspects of my life.

While I was putting this layout together, I created a short process video all about the design decisions that I made! I’d love for you to grab a cuppa and watch how the product and my story came together on this fun page.

The Field Notes collection provided so many fun patterns and embellishments on this layout, and the best thing about it is that the colors and subjects in it are so varied that I could use it again and again with completely different results! Check out the gallery links to Scrapbook.com below where you can find all of the product I used to create this page. Thanks so much for stopping by, and happy creating this weekend!

*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!