Documenting Fall Memories with Scrapbook.com Exclusives!

Hello, friends! I’m so glad you joined me today! I just had a new project to share over at the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog, and I wanted to share it with you here, too! Fall is my favorite season, and I am in love with this new, seasonal traveler’s notebook spread that I created with the latest Scrapbook.com exclusive products. Take a look!

Supplies | Scrapbook.com: Cozy patterned paper 6×8 pad, Cozy Autumn Foliage shape dies, Cozy Autumn Sentiments & Critters stamp, Cozy Autumn rub-on transfers, Rose Quartz Misti, Magic Mat, ink blending tool, Deluxe adhesive roller, Mint tape – 1-inch roll, small precision scissors; Concord & 9th: Ink (Pebble, Nutmeg), Pebble cardstock; LDRS Creative: Rose Quartz Stampendable tool; Spellbinders: Platinum 6 die-cutting machine; American Crafts: Bungalow Lane embellishment die-cuts; WeR Makers: glass mat; Citrus Twist Kits: traveler’s notebook; Font: American Typewriter; Other: sewing machine, thread

This layout was so fun to create, not to mention easy, using the new, exclusive products from Scrapbook.com. From patterned paper to must-have rub-ons, these products made this spread come together in no time!

The left side of my spread is full of texture & interest with the column of leaves on the edge, created using the Cozy patterned paper 6×8 pad and Cozy Autumn Foliage shape dies. I loved the beautiful patterns and colors in the paper pad, which even includes solids! I also loved the special touch that the dies deboss the veins on the leaves and cut them at the same time!

The Cozy Autumn Sentiments & Critters stamp helped me create my title with the “hello” word and this sweet “love you” below. To finish my title, I paired this stamp with the Cozy Autumn rub-on transfers to add the sparkly “fall” word and a few small leaves and hearts around the spread.

On the right side of the spread, I had to use the beautiful plaid pattern from the Cozy patterned paper 6×8 pad, adding stitching around the edge for texture. I added two die cut leaves to the corner of my photo and was so happy to use two pieces from the American Crafts Bungalow Lane embellishment pack, which coordinated beautifully with the Scrapbook.com products. It feels great to use something from my stash at the same time as creating with new products!

Ready to see more of this project? Watch my process video, featured on the Scrapbook & Cards Today YouTube channel below!

I hope you enjoyed seeing this project come together as much as I did creating it! Be sure to follow me on Instagram so that you can see more projects using Scrapbook.com exclusives, and be sure to shop what I used to create this project at the affiliate links below and above in my supply list. Thanks so much for your support, and happy creating this fall!

How to Get Published in 2023!

Hey there, friends! It has been a while since I have stopped by this space of mine, and I think it is about time that we become reacquainted! I have missed blogging, and want to make it a goal to add updates here regularly in 2023.

Today I want to talk to you about being published! I know that as papercrafters, this is often a goal. I’m here to tell you that your goal is attainable and give you some tips for checking off that bucket-list item!

I was so fortunate to be published on the cover of the Scrapbook & Cards Today Winter 2022 issue! If you haven’t yet checked out this publication, I highly recommend you do, and it’s FREE!

Click HERE to download the Winter 2022 Issue today!

When I was assigned the task to create a cover layout, did I run out and purchase the latest collections to work with? Nope. I looked around my stash and grabbed what I had on hand. What makes a pub-worthy project? Good design! Let me break that down for you:

• Color matters: When I begin my layout, 95% of the time I choose a color scheme that ties into my photo. This will make your photo POP and helps it to become the focus of the page. On this layout, I chose the darkest color, navy, to frame my page, then filled in the background with the accent colors from the photo, pink and teal.

• Think contrast! Bold designs are what will draw your eye to the project on the pages of a magazine, so think about how you can use contrasting colors, shapes, textures, patterns and fonts.

• Titles are terrific! Layout titles are a great way to add contrast and interest and make your layout stand out. Use only 2-3 different fonts and colors and choose contrasting fonts like I did here!

• Don’t go overboard with embellishment. A clean design is often best on a magazine page, so when choosing your embellishment, select wisely. Be sure to think about contrast in shape and texture, and always take off one item before you call it done. Just like Coco Chanel said, “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” Do the same with your layouts!

• Use lines. Last, but certainly not least, think about how lines play a role into how you look at your layout. Borders, frames and other implied lines created by embellishment or the way you cut patterned paper can all create interest and draw your eye to the photo on your page. Use lines to your advantage!

I hope you’ll use these tips when creating for a magazine submission, and great news: the Scrapbook & Cards Today Summer issue call is now available!

Click HERE to find the summer call and plan your submission today!

Find the current products that I used to create this layout by clicking the images below:

Two Ways with the Remember the Magic Collection from Echo Park Paper

Hello friends, and happy Friday! I recently had the pleasure of creating with the Echo Park Paper Remember the Magic collection for the winter 2020 issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine! Because Disneyland is just about my favorite place to be, this layout came pretty easily to me, using this very themed, beautiful collection to document Christmas Disney moments:

One thing I love about this collection? The addition of kraft as a neutral with the characteristic red, black, robin’s egg blue and golden yellow hues. The one piece of paper that made this layout “click” for me was this one:

This Tickets Please paper was just calling to be fussy-cut, and I created a fun column of tickets and ribbon from my stash (because who doesn’t love a good stash-bust!?) on the right side of my layout.

Lots of dimension and texture right there! I love everything about this layout—from the vertical design, to the images I chose, and the title I created from a mix of the Remember the Magic dies and stickers from Elle’s Studio and American Crafts.

FIND THIS LAYOUT IN THE WINTER ISSUE OF SCT MAGAZINE ON PAGE 43 AND 47!

Once I created the page, I put this collection away, expecting to create another Disney layout with it.

Then, I started thinking… why can’t I use this collection for something other than Disney memories? So, I challenged myself to do just that, on my first layout of 2021, created for the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog:

Does this layout scream, “Disney!” to you? Nope! How did I take such a themed collection and stretch my stash to create a non-themed layout? Here are 3 simple tips on how to do it:

1: “Neutral” patterns & “B” side bonanza:

I was inspired by Paige Evan’s cut file (download for free at the SCT blog post!) to add a lot of stars to my page, and although the Wish Upon A Star paper shown on the left of my page may have included the Disney-friendly hues from the collection, once you took the Disney photos away, no one could tell the difference! I call this a “neutral” pattern. It can be used for anything, and you often find these in themed collections, too. This paper was the starting point for my color scheme, based on the collection. You can also see that I used patterned paper to fill in my “2021 Goals” die cut. All of these patterns are on the B-side of the paper, often the less-noticed, more low-key prints. Stripes, dots, plaids and geometrics are my preferred patterns, and they worked perfectly at the top of my page.

2. Embellish Away the Theme!

Sure, this Remember the Magic collection has plenty of castles, big white gloves, and churros (mmmm…) in it, but I chose to ignore them. Instead, I searched the collections chipboard and sticker sheets for non-themed embellishments, like the “here we go” puffy arrow, “dreams admit one” puffy ticket and chipboard camera. Plus, there were plenty of chipboard stars to accent these larger embellishments. Every themed collection will have VERY themed embellishments, but ignore those and go for the ones that fit your page. The “dreams admit one” ticket was very notable on this layout about my goals for 2021, and the “here we go” arrow was perfect for documenting this at the very beginning of the year.

3. Mix and Match to Success!

Once I had the elements chosen from Remember the Magic, I shopped my stash for products from other manufacturers that would fit the design, hues and the story I wanted to tell. I grabbed that “crafty” chipboard piece from the Simple Stories Crafty Girl collection, as well as the amazing acetate stars from Elle’s Studio, which fit with the color scheme and the starry page I was going for! To finish off the page, I used the My Star Stamp from Elle’s Studio to add uplifting phrases around my embellishments. Starting with a themed collection to create a non-themed layout doesn’t mean you have to stick to those products only! Branch out and see what other items you may have on hand that would accent it!

I hope these tips have given you some thought as to how to bust your stash of themed collections for non-themed layouts! If you’re a Disney fanatic like me, be sure to check out the beautiful Remember the Magic collection for yourself, but don’t just use it for Disney layouts! Happy creating, friends, and have a beautiful weekend!

CLICK TO SHOP REMEMBER THE MAGIC NOW ON SALE AT SCRAPBOOK.COM!

Elle's Studio December 2020 Kit Reveal!

Hello, friends, and happy December! I can’t believe we are already in the final month of the year! Christmas has come a bit early, because today I have the brand new December 2020 kit and add-ons from Elle’s Studio to share with you! First up, let’s take a look at all of the new goodies in my December 2020 unboxing video:

How wonderful are these new products? First up, the December kit contains so many different color options. With its festive tags and winter themes, it’s one that will have you documenting into the new year!

But don’t forget about the add-ons. There are a few that have me seeing stars, like the Stitched Star wood veneers, My Star stamp and My Star metal die that I know will be popular, so if you love them too, don’t delay in grabbing them from the shop!

This month, I decided to focus on the “2020 favorites” and “pause and reflect 2020” tags to record the memorable moments of our year in a 12” x 12” pocket page. I just love the blue, yellow, black and gray colour scheme that I pulled out of the kit contents.

View fullsize

You can see this page come together, and how I created two shaker pockets for it in my process video:

I hope you love these new Elle’s Studio December 2020 goodies as much as I do! Be sure to shop the products that I used to create my pocket page at the gallery below, and get your 2020 wrapped up in a beautiful way in your album! Thanks so much for stopping by and happy creating, friends!

Documenting My Happy Thoughts with the Blush Memorydex!

Hello friends! Today I’m here to share a new project with you, one that is especially dear to me. This year has been rough for our family—moving and having a new little one during a pandemic has made us all look at life differently. To counter what is going on in the world around us, we try to add a dose of happiness into our lives every day, with walks, music and our favorite foods. I decided that I also needed a dose of that happiness in my crafty space, and today I’m sharing how I did that with the new Heidi Swapp Blush Memorydex Spinner*, only available at Scrapbook.com!

I’ve always loved the idea of “happy thoughts,” like in Peter Pan, the thoughts and memories that make you fly. Well, this project pulls at my heart strings, and each new Memorydex card that I create for the spinner will showcase the most special people and moments that make me happy.

I created my cards by cutting patterned paper using the Memorydex die set. On this title card, I used the Title Builder Vol. 3 stamp to add the words “my” and “thoughts,” and embellished with Heidi Swapp’s beautiful Storyline Chapters collection and the gold Thickers from the Avenue collection by Pebbles, Inc. I love the look of layered paper, labels, tags, vellum and washi tape on this card.

None of these cards are meant to be complicated: a simple mixture of patterned paper, die cuts, tags and a bit of gold thrown in highlights the photos, which are the most important part of this project.

If I choose to add journaling, I’m leaving the back of each card blank. Here I could add my thoughts, the details of the memory, or the date.

What I especially love about this project is that it is timeless. I can add a memory that makes me happy from ten years ago, or just yesterday. It’s all about how each moment makes me feel.

So, when the things going on in the world around me get me down, my plan is to just flip through this Memorydex that stores all of my happy thoughts, the ones that make my heart fly. I can’t wait to share more of my cards with you.

Find all of the products that I used in my Memorydex project below in the shoppable gallery, and consider starting a “happy thoughts” project of your own, or gifting this beautiful Memorydex to someone you care about this Christmas!

* Affiliate links used at no extra cost to you! Clicking to shop helps me pay for this blog and video feed. Thanks so much for your support!

Elle's Studio September 2020 Kit and Add-On Reveal!

Hello friends! I am so excited to introduce you to the September 2020 kit and add-ons* from Elle’s Studio today! First, let’s take a look at all of the new goodies in my unboxing video:

Beautiful, deeper hues, with grateful and family-oriented prompts in the September monthly kit bring autumn to your projects in a gorgeous way!

Take a look at the add-on embellishments that coordinate with the kit, too!

These beautiful products are perfect to kick off the transition into cooler temps, warmer clothes, comfort food and more. You'll love the rich color scheme found in the kit and the amazing add-ons, which range from a new paper stack to jewel-toned puffy rainbow stickers!

This month, I used these stunning new products to create a layout that is dear to my heart, recording the day that we brought my son home from the hospital.

I loved using the My Heart metal die to create a bunch of floating heart "balloons" on the right side of my layout. Watch my process video as I record a truly special memory while creating my first layout after having my second child. I hope it inspires you to document a memory that is near and dear to your heart, too!

Be sure to follow me on Instagram to see what else I create with the September kit and add-ons this month! You can find all of the products that I used to create this layout at the shoppable gallery below, and happy creating with your new Elle’s Studio goodies!

Elle's Studio July 2020 Reveal!

Hello, friends! I am so excited today to introduce you to the Elle’s Studio July 2020 kit and extras! Let’s start off with my unboxing video so that you can see each new product released today!

I hope you’re as excited about these beautiful, new products as I am! The July 2020 kit is filled with gorgeous colors, fun icons and tons of opportunities for getting your stories in your album! Take a look!

Don’t forget about the add-ons that coordinate with the kit! We have not one, but two new puffy alphabet stickers, a new paper stack, chipboard stickers, labels, washi tape stickers, wood veneers AND an awesome new stamp set! Oh my goodness!

The digital files are pretty awesome this month, too! Did you know that if you’re a subscriber, you get them for free?? Yep! Just another perk of starting a subscription this month!

This month, I started off my projects with a layout that I created using the Wild at Heart printable and the new July products in a way that I love to use them—to create a layout background!

This photo was perfect for the blue, yellow, orange and lime green color scheme that I built on this layout from the new products. I loved adding the Summer tape stickers and brand new polka dot pattern to the background, and building that title with the Title Builder stamps! Take a look at how it all came together in my process video:

Be sure to grab all of the new July products while supplies last, and you can shop everything that I used to create this layout at the stoppable gallery below! Thanks so much for stopping by, and happy creating!

* Affiliate links used at no extra cost to you! Clicking to shop helps me pay for this blog and video feed. Thanks so much for your support!

The Elle's Studio June 2020 Kit and Add-Ons Are Here!

Hello, friends! I’m so excited to be with you today to share the new June 2020 kit and add-ons* from Elle’s Studio! Let’s take a look at my unboxing video, where I will show you each of the new goodies:

It’s summer in a box, right? There are so many fun products on offer this month! Let’s take a look at the kit up close:

The beautiful combination of colors in the June 2020 kit will bring summer to your workspace, and your albums—no matter if you create a layout, pocket page, traveler’s notebook, mini album or greeting card!

If you thought the kit was fantastic, just take a look at the coordinating June add-ons! A new paper stack, colorful chipboard stars, puffy banner alphas… oh my! There are so many wonderful products available in the shop to inspire you to record your summer memories, past and present!

Don’t forget about the digitals! These handy Summer Snapshot printables, June 2020 cut files and print and cut labels can fill your library with colorful designs and useful elements to create any project. I had to use all of the gorgeous colors available in the new kit and extras, as well as the “happiness” digital die cut banner to create this fun layout about a sure sign of summer:

This layout just makes me so, incredibly happy, and records my daughter enjoying one of her favorite summer treats when we travel to the UK each summer to visit family: a 99 cone! This was her first cone of the summer of 2018, and I wanted to match her happiness in the photos with my layout design, so I chose to use all of the colors available in the June kit and extras.

My BIG title, created with the June 2020 cut files and Large Jane alphabet stamps was one of the first parts of the layouts that I designed, and brought that “celebratory feel” to the page. I love how it lays on top of the colorful striped patterned paper from the Summer Fun paper stack, too!

I also added three fun groupings of small embellishments, which included Chipboard Star Stickers, Ice Cream Stickers, die cuts from the June kit and tiny stamped stars from the Summer Fun stamp.

Want to see how this layout came together in real-time? Watch my process video below!

I hope you love these new Elle’s Studio goodies as much as I do, and if so, don’t wait to add them to your cart! These colorful products are sure to be a bit hit! You can find the products that I used to create my layout in the gallery below! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy creating with your new Elle’s Studio June 2020 kit and extras!

* Affiliate links used at no extra cost to you! Clicking to shop helps me pay for this blog and video feed. Thanks so much for your support!

Elle's Studio May 2020 Reveal!

Hello friends! I am so excited to introduce you to the brand new products now available in the Elle’s Studio shop! First, let’s take a look at the May 2020 kit and extras in my unboxing video!

Wow, what an amazing array of products this month, right? The May kit is full of the most beautiful color palette, of yellow, coral, lilac, light blue and navy! Take a look at each of the journaling tags and die cuts:

Don’t forget about the add-ons to embellish! These awesome products will help you to add that special touch to your project with a wide range of product types from stickers, chipboard, acrylic, wood veneer and stamps!

Don’t forget about the coordinating digital files, which include the Eat, Sleep, Repeat printables, May 2020 cut files, and May print and cut labels! These are perfect for adding to your digital library and print or cut out just when you need them.

But wait! One more product that I had a special part in has me SO excited this month! It’s the release of the new From Sketch to Finish Vol. 5 class and exclusive stamp! This amazing class is jam packed with 50 exclusive sketches and inspiration from 10 talented contributors (some of my favorite scrapbookers!) who are sharing tips and tricks for getting your layouts completed during the busy summer months ahead. Take a look at the class cover and amazing class stamp, which is only available with the class:

I know you all will love this class—not only did I coordinate and edit the class, I was also able to contribute to it! Take a look at this sneak from one of my projects, which you will only find in the class content:

Whew! What an awesome array of products to choose from this month! I used the new goodies to create an 8-1/2” x 11” layout that records a special day shared between my daughter and my husband:

This month’s products were perfect for putting this page together, including the amazing Eat, Sleep, Repeat printables that I used to begin my layout with that fun star patterned paper background! I simply resized the journaling tag to 8-1/2” x 11” to use as my layout background.

The “Thanks, Dad” journaling tag from the May 2020 kit inspired me to share this story, and I loved adding my title to the right of the journaling tag. That Story acrylic is just perfect for building a fun title!

The Crafty stickers, acrylic stars and Currently Icon stamp added my embellishment to make this page a truly special creation! I could not love it more, and it came together so easily using these new products. Take a look at my process video to see how:

Thank you so much for watching, and I hope I’ve given you some inspiration to use your new Elle’s Studio goodies to record your memories! Browse all of the products I used to create this layout in the gallery below, and happy creating, friends!

* Affiliate links used at no extra cost to you! Clicking to shop helps me pay for this blog and video feed. Thanks so much for your support!

Spring in Pockets with the Elle's Studio April 2020 Kit

Hello there! When the Elle’s Studio April kit and add-ons* hit my doorstep, I knew that all of the lovely flowers and spring themes in it would be perfect for recording a lovely spring day at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center outside of Austin, Texas. Here in Texas, bluebonnet season is one of the best times of the year, and we took advantage of our trip to this beautiful center to take all of our bluebonnet photos! Take a look at the spread I created:

Here’s a closeup look at the left page:

And the right page:

Since my photos had a lot of green in them, this was the first color that I gravitated to, selecting the two green journaling tags from the April 2020 kit. To make the page extra sunny, I decided that yellow would also be perfect, but there were also so many different colors in my photos. To balance this, I decided to grab the multicolor stripe 4” x 6” tag from the April kit, and balance that on the other side with the same patterned Favorite printable tag, originally 3” x 4” , but stretched to 4” x 6” in Photoshop.

The first yellow tag came from the April 2020 kit. To jazz it up, I grabbed the paintbrush line from the Title Builder Vol. 4 stamp and stamped it in different colors along the base of the tag. I added my title using the new Typewriter alphabet stamp, along with the navy blue Jane alphabet stickers, and the date using the Mini Dated Extras stamp. A couple of sweet puffy flowers from the Lovely puffy stickers finished off this title tag.

View fullsize

The other yellow tag may just be my favorite of the spread! I started with a 4” x 6” piece of smooth, white cardstock and added yellow polka dot patterned paper from the Springtime paper stack (now sold out). Next, I stamped “hooray” using the Typewriter alphabet stamp, adding the Jane stickers below just like on the opposite side of the spread. I painted the “spring” wood veneer word a shade of blue to match the bluebonnet photos on my spread and backed it with a label from the Beautiful Day die cuts before adhering it to the page. At the top and the base of the tag, I added flowers from the Beautiful Day die cuts and Spring wood veneers, then finished off the tag with the “oh happy day” sticker from the Life Right Now stickers.

Don’t forget that each month, ES releases printables that coordinate with the monthly kit, and this printable tag from the Favorites printables sure came in handy to balance out the other side of the spread. Originally a vertical 3” x 4” tag, I flipped it and printed it at 4” x 6”, covering up the “wild at heart” label on the right with this photos of my daughter, a label plus “hello there” sticker from the Life Right Now stickers, a Beautiful Day die cut flower and a Spring wood veneer circle. I loved having a colorful spot to add this fun photo.

I am so glad that I got to record this lovely day in such a pretty and perfect way using the April 2020 kit and add-ons! Be sure to check out all of the supplies that I used to create this pocket page spread below, and have fun using your new Elle’s Studio goodies to record your spring memories!

*Affiliate links have been used in this post at no extra cost to you. Clicking through my links is a way to say, "Thanks for inspiring me," and your purchase helps to support my work! Thank you so much!

Easter Memories in Pockets with Elle's Studio

Hello friends! One of the many “unknowns” about the times we are living in right now is how we will be celebrating Easter this year. Although our president wants packed churches on Easter morning, our family will be keeping ourselves safe, and most likely staying home. Easter is one of my favorite holidays, and this makes me extremely sad. This had me thinking about some of our past Easter celebrations, and the one at the top of my list took place right here in our home and neighborhood last year when we invited my daughter’s two besties over for an Easter play date! To brighten my week a bit, I decided to record this fun day in a Project Life Design J pocket page spread using the Elle’s Studio March kit and extras*.

This page started with my photos and my title, “Sharing Easter Memories Together,” using my new Title Builder Vol. 4 stamp set and black typewriter cardstock alphabet stickers, and I stamped it LIVE on a Facebook video over on the Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine feed this week, in addition to a title for a scrapbook layout, and a greeting card! I hope you’ll check it out!

Once my title was complete, it was all about balancing the beautiful colors from the March kit and add-ons across the page! I focused on the colors in my title card: orchid, yellow, blue and teal; with neutrals of woodgrain and black.

I wanted to mimic the typewriter font found on the new black typewriter cardstock alphabet, but I needed a smaller size to fill out this journaling tag. The Hazel alphabet stamp came to my rescue to highlight the most important parts of the day: finding eggs, opening eggs and eating the candy inside! I used the new Word Circle stamp to add the heart bullet points for each item.

On the back of the page, I wanted to mimic that big, colorful pocket on the front with a 4” x 4” filler pocket. I created it with pretty teal paper and topped it with a journaling tag and label, which I stamped using the Title Builder and Title Builder Vol. 4 stamps! I also added “moments” below using the Title Builder Vol. 4 puffy stickers. To the left of my phrase, I added the cute acrylic Easter egg with the Easter wood veneer bunny ears on top! To the right on my photo, I added a “3” Go See Do acetate die cut. I love adding these to photos for a bit of extra, but low-key embellishment!

This sweet pocket started with the “flowers, raindrops, sunshine…” tag from the March 2020 kit, but I had to dress it up a bit using my Title Builder Vol. 4 stamp illustrations and that cute little wood veneer bunny from the Easter wood veneers!

This page recorded such a fun and happy day, and documenting it was definitely something I needed right now! Even though our Easter plans may be up in the air, I know that I can re-create this fun-filled day with our little family, and still make it special. Thanks so much for stopping by today! You can find all of the product I used to create this pocket page in the shoppable gallery below, which will take you to the Elle’s Studio store, an amazing, woman-owned small business! Stay safe and well, friends!

*Affiliate links have been used in this post at no extra cost to you. Clicking through my links is a way to say, "Thanks for inspiring me," and your purchase helps to support my work! Thank you so much!

Title Builder Vol. 4 Is HERE!

I am so excited to announce that the Elle’s Studio March kit and extras* are live, which includes the new Title Builder Vol. 4 series!

I created the Title Builder collection to make creating layout titles simple and easy for you, and we’re adding to this series with the new Title Builder VOl. 4! The 4th volume of this popular stamp series is all about spring, and with it, you’ll be able to create inspirational and uplifting titles for all of your papercrafting projects! Watch this introduction video to find out more about Title Builder Vol. 4:

Want to see this new bundle in action, along with the amazing, new March kit and extras from Elle’s Studio? Take a look at the layout process video that I created:

You can purchase the Title Builder Vol. 4 bundle, which includes the stamp and the puffy stickers, for 15% off the retail price, only while supplies last!

Also, to celebrate this new release, the three previous versions of Title Builder are in stock and ON SALE in the Elle’s Studio shop! I truly hope you love creating with them as much as I do!

Thanks so much for stopping by on this exciting day, and happy creating with Title Builder Vol. 4!

*Affiliate links used at no extra cost to you. Clicking through my links is a way to say, "Thanks for inspiring me," and helps to support this feed!

Mixing Old & New: Close to My Heart Celebrate Today and Shimelle's Glitter Girl!

Hello there, friends! I have to say, I am pretty good at purging my supplies, but I do hold onto a few cherished collections, like any that my friend Shimelle has created with American Crafts! I still have products going back to her first collection!

I recently received the beautiful Celebrate Today collection from Close to My Heart*, and when I saw the gorgeous colors in their Picture My Life cards, I knew I had to use them to document my daughter’s 7th birthday party, and add a few magical elements from Shimelle’s Glitter Girl collection! The combination of the old and new from my stash worked perfectly together. Take a look:

All of the colors! The gorgeous Picture My Life cards provided the perfect mix of colors to stand up against my colorful photos from my daughter’s painting birthday party. I absolutely loved the colorful, watercolored elements on the cards, and used them to fill pockets and back smaller photos to record the day.

Because of all of that gorgeous color, not much embellishment was needed! I simply added coordinating stickers from the Celebrate Today collection and die cuts and stickers from the Glitter Girl collection, to add the magical unicorns, border stickers and script words.

Just a few colorful stars from the Celebrate Today stickers sheet and pretty silver sequins were the only small embellishments I needed to complete my pages!

Watch how this pocket page layout came together in this quick process video:

I am so pleased that I had the Glitter Girl collection still on hand to use alongside the Celebrate Today Picture My Life cards from Close to My Heart. I hope this pocket page encourages you to mix your new stash with older product to create beautiful things! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy creating!

Document December 2019 COMPLETE!

Hello friends! I am so excited to share that I have completed my Document December 2019 project, using the Elle’s Studio Document December products*. I decided to create a 3” x 8” format this year, and I started with the Ali Edwards gold striped album (sold out). After breaking one of the binders, the awesome AE customer service team sent me the polka-dotted binder, but by that point, I realized that I would likely fill two binders, so I just kept both.

As a coordinator and design team member for Elle’s Studio, I received all of the Elle’s Studio Document December 2019 products* this year (you can see what products are still in stock at that link!) and used almost everything to complete both volumes, aside from a few stickers, acrylic and die cuts.

Here is a look at the pages from volume one. Click the individual photo to take a closer look!

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Volume two started with December 14th, and went through the end of the year:

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

If you’d like to hear me talk about the album and flip through it while explaining the pages, you’re in luck! Check out my video here:

Thank you so much for watching, and be sure to stay tuned for the Elle’s Studio Document December 2020 kit and add-ons to hit the Elle’s Studio shop sometime in August! The 2019 kit sold out quickly last year, so don’t miss out on what could be your favorite December documentation project yet!

Spring Moments Documented with the SCT Sampler!

Have you heard of the SCT Sampler? It is a specially curated package of papercrafting goodness from your favorite companies delivered right to your doorstep each month! The SCT Sampler is not a kit in the traditional sense—it’s bite-sized! A hand-picked selection of new products in mini quantities offering you an opportunity to make a beautiful new discovery. Sample the newest designer trends AND have a surprise delivered to your door every month, and you must have a subscription to get it!

Take a look at what I got in my Sampler this month:

New products from Doodlebug Design, Pink Paislee, an embossing folder from Close to My Heart and an exclusive acrylic word created by SCT! The colors are beautiful, and they all work together so perfectly! Take a look at the new 8-1/2” x 11” layout that I created:

The paper that I loved most in the kit was the colorful diamond pattern from the Pink Paislee Bloom Street collection, and I started by fussy-cutting it, adding it to a white cardstock background and sewing down the center of the diamonds to add texture! This paper set my color scheme for the page. Next, I took the Bloom Street pink patterned paper and ran it through my embossing machine using the Close to My Heart embossing folder, adding some subtle texture. This created the matte for my 4” x 6” photo.

The Sampler card includes a really lovely quote each month, and I decided to do something fun with it! I layered the exclusive acrylic word on top of the card, then used colorful thread to stitch it in place. This added dimension and fun detail! After layering my photo on top of the card, I started embellishing with the fun die-cuts and stickers included in the Sampler.

I continued adding the diamond shapes across the page by fussy-cutting three more diamonds, adhering them to the background, then stitching them down. Next, I created a cluster of embellishment at the bottom right corner of my photo using a the Doodlebug Love Notes collection patterned paper strip and die cuts. I love the floral elements included—with all of the other hard lines going on on this page, they broke those lines up a bit.

A large butterfly die cut, a few heart die cuts and stickers, and a few drops of dark blue ink finished off this page, all about how much my daughter loves her daddy!

Even thought you can no longer receive this month’s Sampler, don’t miss out on the opportunity to start your subscription as soon as possible with April’s Sampler! Sign up for your subscription today for as little as $13, and find your next favorite product in an SCT Sampler!

Thanks for stopping by and happy creating!

Elle's Studio February 2020 Kit and Add-On Reveal!

I am so excited to introduce you to the Elle’s Studio February 2020 kit and add-ons* today. I’m not sure how Elle will ever be able to top this release! Take a look at my unboxing video first to see all of the lovely, new products!

Talk about a rainbow of colors, right? This cheerful selection of products first includes the February 2020 kit:

I just love each and every tag, label and die cut in this kit, and since January’s kit sold out, I know this one will go fast, too! If you are not already, consider becoming a subscriber! Subscribers get to bundle shipping their add-ons with their kit for 24 hours, and they get access to special sales on certain NEW add-ons each month! Plus, they get freebies throughout the year! With so many perks, and you are able to cancel at any time, there is no reason not to subscribe!

The colorful array of add-ons just had me at RAINBOW!!! Check out those puffy rainbow stickers! They are my favorite new product this month, and I’m sure they’ll go fast out of the shop. In addition to those, there are two new, wonderful stamp sets, my favorite being the happy Sunshine & Laughter stamp, a colorful polka dot tag set, new coral puffy alphabet stickers, and so much more!

The digitals this month: Love Is printables, February 2020 cut files, and print and cut labels are the perfect use-over-and-over-again supplies to help you bulk out your kit to document more memories! I started with the February 2020 cut files to create my new layout this month, that I just love so much:

What a happy layout to record a happy memory! This layout began with me cutting the colorful rainbow from the Love Is and Magical Memories paper stacks. which I arranged at two corners of my layout to frame the photos in the center. I loved creating this page—stamping the title, adding small embellishments to help move your eye across the page—and I’d love to show you how I created it in my process video:

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I’ll be sharing greeting cards that I created with the kit and add-ons later this week! In the meantime, don’t let these beautiful new products sell out before you get yours! Shop all of the new February release through the ES shop, or the products that I used to create my layout via the gallery links below! Happy creating!

Elle's Studio January 2020 Kit and Add-on Reveal!

I am so excited to introduce you to the first Elle’s Studio kit of 2020*, and it is sure to help you kick off your memory-keeping year right! Take a look at my unboxing video to see each and every one of the newest products hitting the shop today!

Amazing, right? Let’s take another look at the January 2020 kit:

The gorgeous color scheme of pink, coral, red, teal, blues and gray is perfect for documenting the best stories of your live, including the people and things that you love!

Just take a look at these amazing add-ons! This month, we have a new die cut pack, You Are Loved, puffy stickers, a new Mini Dated Extras and Love You Lots stamp, a bigger paper stack, Love Is, now sized at 6” x 8.5”, and so much more! All of the extras are specially designed to coordinate perfectly with the kit, and you will love how easily your projects come together using them!

Let’s take a look at what I created this month, using the new January products:

Supplies | January 2020 Kit, January Labels, I Adore You Stickers, You Are Loved Die Cuts, La La Love You Puffy Stickers, Valentine Multi Color Puffy Alphabet Stickers, Black Puffy Alphabet Stickers, Little Moments Leatherette Stickers, Love Is 6 x 8.5 Paper Stack, Love You Lots Stamp

I recorded a very special baby shower that I hosted for my bestie back in Kentucky using the newest products, and the colors could not have been more perfect! I had so much fun layering tags from the January 2020 Kit, the newest paper stack patterns, die cuts and fun, textural embellishments in each pocket to record this beautiful day, and you can see how it came together in a short process video today:

Thanks so much for watching, and for any likes or comments on my video! They are all so appreciated! Be sure to subscribe to my feed so that you do not miss out on a single Elle’s Studio release video in 2020!

You can shop all of the products I used to create this page at the affiliate gallery below, at no additional cost to you! Thanks so much for your support, and happy creating, friends!

Gratitude Mini Album Update

Hello there, friends! This month is one of reflection and gratitude, and earlier in the month I shared how I am recording that with a small tag book that I am creating using Elle’s Studio products, including the Grateful For tags. Today I am here to share an update to my mini, so that you can see my progress. Keeping it simple and sweet has kept me successful in documenting gratitude each day, and I am so enjoying flipping through the finished pages. Let’s take a look:

I am grateful for my body. We only get one, so we must be grateful for it, right? I kept this spread super simple, and I loved that I could add the “daily routine” sentiment using the Everyday Tabs stamp onto the navy November label.

Voting is always something I am grateful for, and I recorded that with a selfie pointing to my “I voted” sticker. I love that the teal pattern from the Home Sweet Home paper stack plays beautifully against the reds in my photo.

This was a first for me: I actually took a selfie of myself on the massage table before my masseuse walked into the room! The “life is complete” sentiment was perfect to add to my photo, and I also loved adding “rest and relax sentiment to the September label using the Everyday Tabs stamp.

Beautiful sunsets are always something to be grateful for, and I love that the “thankful” puffy sticker from the Thankful puffy stickers fit so perfectly on the black negative space of my photo.

Is anyone else in love with their Instant Pot? I had to record that here on this spread, and the new Let’s Eat stamp was perfect for adding the “yum” and “so good” sentiments to this simple design.

I worked really hard this week to compile my excess product to raise money for our local NICU, and I wanted to document my gratitude for being able to do this each year. I added the “love this view” phrase from the Everyday Tabs stamp directly to my photo and two simple puffy stickers.

I hit 4,000 followers on my Instagram feed last week, and I had to record this today. The “oh happy day” puffy sticker was perfect for this page.

Lastly, I recorded how I am grateful for my planner. It keeps me organized, without any extra fuss!

I can't wait to finish off this project by the end of the month! Be sure to check out the products I used to create this mini album at the shoppable gallery below. How are you recording your gratitude?

Elle's Studio November Kit + Add On Reveal

Hello, friends! I am so excited to share the November 2019 kit and add-ons* from Elle’s Studio with you today, as well as a two new projects I created using the beautiful new products! First, let’s take a look at the kit, which I’m sharing with you in an unboxing video:

The November kit includes the perfect mix of autumn and Christmas iconography and sayings, with a rich color scheme and beautiful illustrations! I just love each and every tag and die-cut included!

The carefully coordinated add-ons will have you easily putting together your favorite holiday-themed projects, and as a bonus, the Christmas-themed products, like the new ‘Tis the Season paper stack and Christmas die cut labels also coordinate perfectly with the Document December 2019 products, boosting your supplies for your favorite memory-keeping project!

I am so excited about all of these new goodies! Let’s take a look at the first project that I created using them: a Gratitude mini album, which was inspired by the new Grateful journaling tags.

Because I have another daily memory-keeping project just around the corner, I decided to keep this gratitude mini super simple, backing the Grateful journaling tags onto patterned paper from the Home Sweet Home paper stack and keeping my embellishment simple by using stickers, wood veneer and stamped sentiments.

In this daily mini album, I am recording both the big things, like my friends and family, as well as the small things that I am grateful for, like a new pair of running shoes. I hope you’ll watch as my album progresses through the month of November by following along in my Instagram feed, and be sure to check out the Grateful journaling tags to help you record what you are most grateful for in life!

Grateful Journaling Tags

My next project is a bit more complicated, but was OH so fun to create! I recorded my family’s mini Thanksgiving last year, by pulling out all of the autumn-themed tags, die cuts and embellishments from the November 2019 kit and add-ons.

The rich colors included in the November kit and fun embellishments (does it get any better than that pumpkin pie slice from the Holiday puffy stickers?!) made this spread so fun to create, and you can watch how it all came together in my process video:

I hope you loved this project as much as I did, and it inspires you to record your favorite holiday memories using the November 2019 kit and add-ons! Be sure to grab the products that you love the most from my spread at the links below while supplies last, and while you’re in the shop, look into becoming a kit subscriber! Not only will you lock in the kit introductory price of $9.99 each month, but you can bundle your add-ons and shop items with your kit for shipping savings AND get access to exclusive subscriber discounts on new products! It’s a win-win!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and happy creating!

* Affiliate links used. They do not cost you any extra, they just help me pay for this blog and video feed. Thanks so much for clicking to shop!

Autumn Memories in Pockets

Hello there! The Elle’s Studio October 2019 kit and add-ons revealed earlier this month, and in addition to a spooktacular layout that I created, I also made an autumnal pocket page spread to record a beautiful and fun girl’s weekend among friends. Take a look!

How perfect are these photos with this kit, right? I could not be happier with the way the spread turned out. Here’s a look at the closer details:

I created my title tag in a clever way with three different layers. First, I started with the Home Sweet Home paper stack yellow pattern, cut to 4” x 6” to form the base of the pocket card. Next, I layered the leaf and acorn journaling tag from the October 2019 kit on top, to hold the story of the weekend. At the base of that, I added a jewel-toned die-cut label that I added my journaling to using the Jane alphabet stickers in navy and my favorite typewriter alphabet stamp, Hazel. I finished off the pocket by adding a cute acorn from the wood veneer leaves set, as well as leaves and hearts from the autumn puffy stickers.

Next to my title tag, I added one of my favorite tags from the October 2019 kit, the “gather” circle tag. I used this tag to add my date, using the Mini Dated stamp, as well as the dots below from the new, versatile Everyday Tabs stamp.

I love it when product matches my photos perfectly! The “autumn tradition” die cut from the October 2019 kit and the “at the pumpkin patch” autumn puffy sticker layered on top of the jewel-toned die-cut label on the negative space in my photo to point toward my daughter picking her pumpkin in this photo. I love these small details added to photos!

On the second page, this is my favorite pocket! I started with the striped, colorful pattern from the Home Sweet Home paper stack, layering the “thankful” tag from the October 2019 kit on top using dimensional adhesive, which I cut to appear longer, and topped with my favorite square photo of my friends and I. I added the “good company” autumn puffy sticker—again, the perfect sentiment for this photo!—to the base. It’s a simple, but clever way to build this pocket.

I love the sentiments of gratitude found in the October 2019 kit and add-ons, and sometimes a favorite photo just needs a reminder of gratitude added to it. The negative space in the blue sky was the perfect place to add the “grateful for this” autumn puffy sticker to one of my favorite photos in this spread.

I typically add more journaling on the B side of the spread, and this 4” x 6” tag from the October 2019 kit worked perfectly. To the left of the journaling, I added a photo of my friend and goddaughter using dimensional adhesive, and topped it with the blue “smile” die cut from the kit. Tucked underneath the photo, I added wood veneer leaves set and autumn puffy sticker leaves and a row of navy blue hearts. I just love this pocket!

Thanks so much for stopping by today to check out my latest pocket page! Don’t forget to grab the Elle’s Studio October 2019 kit and add-ons today while supplies last to record your most beautiful autumn memories, and you can find everything I used to create this pocket page spread in the gallery below. Happy creating!