Elle's Studio November Release

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

November Monthly Planner Spread with Creative Devotion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scrapbook and Cards Today Fall Issue: Happy Are We

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From Sketch to Finish Vol. 3 NOW AVAILABLE!

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

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

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

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

American Crafts Bootiful Night Party Fun!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Candy Corn Snack Mix Recipe

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

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

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

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

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

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

   

Scrapbook and Cards Today Magazine: Wild and Wonderful

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elle's Studio October Reveal!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Elle's Studio September Reveal is Here!

I know I say this every month, but we at Elle's Studio are so excited about the September reveal! Not only do we have a new exclusive kit and add-ons, as we always do on the 10th of each month, but the new Family Fun collection is now available in the shop! (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

Family Fun is such a beautiful collection of deeper colors in versatile patterns, with lots of awesome embellishments! I absolutely loved working with this new product to create a new 8-1/2" x 11" layout about my family.

Supplies | Family Fun Bundle, Family Fun 12" x 12" Paper Collection, Family Fun 6" x 6" Paper Stack, Family Fun Cutouts, Family Fun Word Labels, Family Fun Double-Sided Journaling Tags, Family Fun Bits and Pieces, Family Fun Puffy Stickers, Family Fun Stamp, Autumn Sequins

Our new September 2017 Kit coordinates with the Family Fun collection for endless papercrafting possibilities! This kit includes the perfect mix of journaling and filler tags, with smaller die-cuts.

Along with the kit, the add-on embellishments; Autumn Sequins, Wood Veneer Borders, Thankful Sticker Labels, Autumn Wood Veneer Words, Date Night Stamp, Acrylic Buttons, and Favorite Acrylic will finish off your layouts and pocket pages perfectly!

Your digital library will love the new Sweater Weather Printables and September Cut Files! 

As another added bonus, the new Foodie mini collection is now available in the shop to document all of your eating adventures! These products include the Foodie Puffy Stickers, Foodie Journaling Tags and Foodie Stamp.

I loved creating a new 8-1/2" x 11" layout using the September Kit and Family Fun collection. As soon as I saw the 4" x 6" multicolor striped tag in the kit, I knew it would be perfect for a photo of us with my besties from university and their families. The new woodgrain in the Family Fun collection is just perfect, and I love the contrast it provides against the bold colors and white background. 

Supplies | September 2017 Kit, Date Night Stamp, Acrylic Buttons, Wood Veneer Borders, Thankful Sticker Labels, Autumn Sequins, Title Builder Acrylic, Gray Puffy Alphabet Stickers, Title Builder Alphabet Stamp

When I opened my packet of Wood Veneer Borders, I immediately knew that I wanted to paint them, and incorporate them into a central column on my layout, allowing spots for my title and journaling. Stay tuned for my process video of this layout!

Be sure to check out all of the new goodies in the Elle's Studio shop before they're gone, and happy creating with your new supplies! I'll be back tomorrow with a new pocket page using the new kit and add-ons!

Instagram Hop: Back to School with BPC

I am so excited to announce a fun blog hop happening over on my Instagram account today called "Back to School with Big Picture Classes!" I am participating with my class, Terrific Titles, and each of us has taken a class taught by one of the other contributors, then made a layout based off of what we learned, or what we were inspired by! I can't wait to share the class that I took for the hop! 

This hop includes 10 amazingly talented Big Picture Classes instructors, some of my favorite scrapbookers! 

Here is the hop order, with links:

1. Raquel Bowman  | Subtle Details
2. Pam Baldwin | Text Tricks
3. Michelle Wedertz | School Time Solutions 
4. Becki Adams | Line it Up
5. Ginny Hughes | From A to Z
6. Kim Jeffress | Journal Your Story
7. Zinia Amoiridou | Mixed Media Texture
8. Neela Nalam | Big Impact
9. Paige Evans | Paige's Pages 13
10. Meghann Andrew | Terrific Titles

At each of the stops along our Instagram hop, listed above, you can enter to win a free month's subscription to Big Picture Classes! That's 10 different winners who will be chosen! Just think of all of the great classes you can take with your free membership! To be entered at each of the stops along the hop, all you have to do is: 

1. Follow my account, @meghannandrew , and all of the other accounts along the way.
2. Like my Instagram post, and all of the other 9 posts on the hop.
3. Leave a comment on my post, and each of the other hop posts about what you want to learn over at BPC, and in your comment, tag a friend who you think would be interested in the giveaway, too! You can leave as many comments as you would like at each stop to increase your chances!

*Per Instagram rules, we must mention this is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram, Inc. By entering, entrants confirm they are 18+ years of age, release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagram's term of use.

Here are a few sneaks of what you'll see when you hop over to my Instagram feed.

And, for an additional bonus, I created a process video while I created my layout! Thanks for watching, and I look forward to reading your comments on my Instagram post! Happy creating!

Making a Frame with Title Builder!

I wanted to find something new to do with my Title Builder products, instead of just creating a normal stamped title on my layout. When I looked at my photo on my 8-1/2" x 11" page, I almost immediately went to patterned paper to give it a frame, and then thought, "Why not use words from the Title Builder?" I'm so glad that I did this, and I'd like to share what I created with you—a mix of title and journaling that frames my photo! (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

Supplies | August 2017 Kit, Tiny Heart Stickers, Title Builder Stamp, Title Builder Acrylic, Title Builder Alphabet Stamp, Title Builder Wood Veneer, Letter and Number Stickers - Pink, Happy Birthday Stamp, Live Laugh Love 12" x 12" Paper Collection, Live Laugh Love Enamel Dots

To get the spacing right, I put my photo down first and began by laying my word stamps from the Title Builder Stamp directly on the page. I changed the words around a bit to fit the spacing, and what I wanted to say about the photo. I then started to add the Title Builder Acrylic and Title Builder Wood Veneer pieces.

Once I had those pieces in place, I started at the top left corner with "this is my" and started stamping around my photo, which was still in place on the page, alternating colors all of the way around. For the words that didn't appear on the Title Builder Stamp, I used the Title Builder Alphabet Stamp and the pink Letter and Number Stickers. Finally, I added a few "fairy dust" sparkles from the Happy Birthday Stamp around the words.

With such a colorful & prominent frame drawing your eye to my photo from our 2016 trip to Disneyland, I didn't want to add much more product to detract from it. After stamping and before adhering my acrylic and wood veneer, I typed out my short journaling in Photoshop Elements and printed it on the page. I then added a strip of patterned paper to the top and bottom to ground the page, then added two tags from the August 2017 Kit, which I sewed with my sewing machine, a Tiny Heart Sticker, and a Mickey Mouse head out of the Live Laugh Love Enamel Dots.

I love the way this turned out, and it was fairly simple to do! Pull out your Title Builder products today and frame your photo! Happy creating!  

Elle's Studio August Reveal Day!

We at Elle's Studio are so excited about the August kit and add-ons! With fun graphics and beautiful colors, you will definitely want to create with these goodies! (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

The August Kit has so many amazing tags this month. I didn't know where to begin when I started my layouts! There is a perfect mix of journaling and filler tags, perfect for any type of project.

In addition to the kit, you'll find the perfect coordinating add-ons in the shop: (from left to right) Wood Veneer Clips, Yes to This Stamp, So Awesome Puffy Stickers, Wood Veneer YUM, Wood Veneer Pocket Fillers, Enjoy Acrylic, Hearts and Circles Acrylic, Tiny Heart Stickers, August Labels

You'll also find the The Story printables and August 2017 cut files in the shop as well!

Extra, extra! Read all about it! We have a new mini-collection in the shop, too! The In the News journaling tags and stamp will help you document what's happening in your life and the world around you.

In other news, the Title Builder stamp and bundle have been RESTOCKED! Get them before they're gone! We completely sold out last month, and they're not guaranteed to be restocked again.

Now for my projects!

This was most definitely my favorite project this month. I LOVED the colorful pencil journaling tag and puffy stickers in the August Kit and So Awesome Puffy Stickers, and as soon as I saw them, I knew I wanted to document our struggles with teaching my daughter how to write. To begin the page, I drew a handwriting guide on a piece of 8-1/2" x 11" white cardstock, and just asked her to write her name with a felt-tip pen. While she was writing, I took photos. Within a few hours, I had this page completed! Scroll through the gallery to see all of the product that I used.

My second layout is just an ode to my foodie nature, and a celebration of my love for summer food! The "good eats" die cut and journaling tag from the August Kit, along with the wood veneer YUM were perfect for this page! I also had to use the Stanley alphabet stamps for my title. I LOVE them! Check out the product I used on the gallery below.

Thanks so much for stopping by to check out all of the new goodies! June and July kits have sold out, so be sure not to miss out on this one! Start a subscription today to guarantee that you don't miss out on any future kits, and lock in your reveal day price of $9.99. Plus, subscribers will also receive FREE SHIPPING on any other products that are purchased during the 24 hour bundling period starting each month on the 10th at 8:00 am PST and ending on the 11th at 8:00 am PST. These products will be shipped with your subscription. Happy creating! 

SCT Summer Edition: Pocket Play

I was so excited to be featured twice in Scrapbook and Cards Today's summer issue, and I loved being a contributing writer for the Pocket Play column. It it, I described how I finally found a way to make pocket page scrapbooking work for me, and I shared a new favorite layout with a favorite color scheme for me: yellow and red with a touch of teal. You can find this color scheme often in my albums. (*All product links below are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

Supplies (all from Elle's Studio) | Happy Birthday Journaling Tags, Live Laugh Love Double-Sided Journaling Tags, April 2017 Kit, Live Laugh Love Puffy Stickers, Live Laugh Love Bits and Pieces, Live Laugh Love washi tape stickers, Live Laugh Love enamel dots, Acrylic Birthday Confetti, Happy Birthday Stickers, Dad acrylic and word set, pink puffy alphabet stickers, Everyday Labels puffy stickers - black, Sights and Sounds stamp

My title pocket was created with the fun, colorful tag from the Happy Birthday Journaling Tags. I started the quote out with the word "memories" from the Live Laugh Love Puffy Stickers and searched online for a quote about memories, finding this one from Rosa Parks. I loved it, and typed it in Photoshop before printing it on the tag. A few more puffy stickers and an Acrylic Birthday Confetti piece finished off the pocket, which introduced the page.

This page documented a surprise trip to my mom and dad's for my father's 60th birthday. I had to create a tag that documented that, and the balloon Happy Birthday Stickers and Dad acrylic and word set helped me add a bit of embellishment to the Happy Birthday Journaling Tags. This may be one of my favorite ever embellished tags in my album, although my sewing machine was acting up that day when I sewed the balloon strings!   

Summer to me means baseball games. I love going to them with my family, and our hometown stadium is so fun to visit. I used the "like it/love it" tag from the April 2017 Kit as a base for my pocket, typing my journaling and adding a cut tag from the Live Laugh Love Bits and Pieces and a piece of printed Live Laugh Love washi tape stickers. 

Check out the FREE Scrapbook and Cards Today summer issue to red my full article and get loads of summer scrapbooking inspiration! Happy creating! 

AE Story Kit | Fun

I had a few moments this weekend to open my June 2017 Fun Story Kit and Stamp from Ali Edwards. As soon as I saw the colorful journaling cards and embellishments in the kit, I knew exactly which photo I wanted to scrapbook.

By adding a few scraps of paper and some colorful ink pads to the kit and stamp, I had this fun page created in no time. To see how this layout came together, watch the process video below!

Thanks for watching! What fun memories have you documented lately?

Summer Mini Tag Album

I am excited to share the inside of my summer mini tag album, created with the new products in the Elle's Studio shop*, with you today. (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!)

When I saw the new Cork Tags, I immediately thought of a mini album, and knew I had to create one. So, I chose the "summer" tag, which meant that I set to work choosing photos from our summer to document. 

Supplies | July 2017 Kit, Cork Tags, Love This Life Stamp, Summer Puffy Stickers, Everyday Circle Stickers, Summer Journaling Tags, Summer Stamp, Dated Stamp, Live Laugh Love 6" x 6" Paper Stack, Live Laugh Love Small Blank Labels, July Labels

I began with the Cork Tag itself; backing it with a piece of patterned paper from the Live Laugh Love 6″ x 6″ Paper Stack and stamping "documented 2017" with the Dated Stamp. Just a few of the Summer Puffy Stickers finished off the front cover! 

After choosing my photos, I sized them to match the tag, at 1-7/8" high and 3-1/2" wide. Three images fit on each 4" x 6" photo print. After I trimmed them down, I simply lined it up with the cork cover as a template and snipped the edges and punched the holes.

On the inside of my cover, I added another piece of the yellow pattern from the Live Laugh Love 6″ x 6″ Paper Stack and stamped "around here" with the Love This Life Stamp, adding a die cut from the July 2017 Kit in the center of the words. My first photo, taken of my daughter swimming to my husband, only needed a few Summer Puffy Stickers to finish it off. 

On the back side of the swimming photo, I used the perfect water tag from the Summer Journaling Tags, adding my typed journaling and a date stamp. On the opposite page, I documented an afternoon play date, again adding only the Summer Puffy Stickers to the image.

The back side of the playdate photo was created with the red stripe tag from the July 2017 Kit and the circle heart from Love This Life Stamp, adhered with dimensional adhesive. On the opposite page, the Everyday Circle Stickers and Summer Puffy Stickers embellished a fun photo of my daughter relaxing by the pool.

I had a hard time cutting into the yellow ombre tag from the July 2017 Kit, but I used it on the backside the photo, adding typed journaling and a simple Summer Puffy Star. On the opposite page, I documented a trip to the Museum of Natural Science, adding another Summer Puffy Sticker that said, "around town."

Another tag from the July 2017 Kit that I had a hard time resisting the urge to hoard was the colorful polka dots one. I used it on the backside of the HMNS photo, and added a Live Laugh Love Small Blank Label for my journaling and a July Label for the date.

On the back side of the splash pad photo, I added a Live Laugh Love 6″ x 6″ Paper Stack yellow heart pattern, another Live Laugh Love Small Blank Label and a July Label, stamped with the "hello summer" sentiment from the Summer Stamp. On the opposite page, I used a black and white photo from a trip to TCBY, and added the "favorite snapshot" die-cut from the July 2017 Kit to cover a face in the left corner of the photo. I love the way that blue "pops" against the black and white photo.

To add my journaling to the back side of the image, I printed it directly onto the adorable ice cream tag from the Summer Journaling Tags, then stamped the date. 

I can't wait to add more summer memories to this little tag mini album, and it's easy to do since it's on attached with a binder ring. Thanks for stopping by today, and be sure to pick up these awesome new products to help you document your summer memories! 

Altenew Scrapbook Collection Blog Hop + GIVEAWAY

I am so excited to be back with you again for another Altenew Scrapbook Collection blog hop! I have had so much fun working with the Reflection Scrapbook Kit*, and I can't wait to show you what I created. (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!)  

First, let's have a look at the kit itself:

If you purchase a Reflection Scrapbook Kit, you also get a free gift! 

The Reflection Scrapbook Kit is completely filled with paper (2 pieces for each double-sided pattern), stickers, chipboard, die-cuts, wood veneer, puffy alphabet stickers, transparent die-cuts, wooden buttons, acrylic frames, and more! There is so much here that I've barely dented my kit. I've created soft dreamy layouts with it, as well as this new bold and vibrant layout for the hop today:

Supplies | Reflection Scrapbook Kit, Halftone Circles Stamp Set

I've seen some amazing, bold creations using the Halftone Circles Stamp Set, but I wanted the circles on this layout to be a little more "low-key." When I trimmed my 12" x 12" painted rainbow patterned paper down to 8-1/2" x 11", I made sure to leave a bit of space on the side that I could stamp the circles on with the coordinating ink colors. I then used circle punches to cut out the circles and adhere on my page with dimensional adhesive.

Along with the stamped circles, I also added coordinating embellishments from the Reflection Scrapbook Kit, along with sequins from my stash in their respective colors on the background.

My title was so easy to piece together using the transparent die-cut word "beautiful" from the kit, along with the puffy alphabet stickers. 

My favorite part of the layout is the wood veneer butterfly that I colored in with a water pen and the same ink colors that I used on the Halftone Circles. To create a boundary between the colors, I colored the division between the sections with black permanent pen  and added a few sequins for sparkle. I love the way this colorful butterfly looks at the bottom of the page, pointing up toward my title, photo and journaling. 

Now for the exciting part! I am giving away a $30 gift certificate to one lucky winner who comments on this blog post! Just tell me what your favourite part of summer is in a comment (don't worry- you can also comment as a guest on this blog) and I will choose a winner on Friday July 21st at 10:00am CST.

Altenew is ALSO giving away a $50 gift certificate to THREE lucky winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Scrapbook Blog by Wednesday July 19th at 11:59pm EDT for a chance to win. Winners will be announced on the Altenew blog on Saturday July 22nd.

Thanks so much for stopping by! To see more of my work, follow my blog here, via the links on the right sidebar, and check out my Instagram account! Next, head over to see what Stefanie Reid has created, and if you get lost along the way, here is the full list:

Altenew

Enza Gudor

Paige Evans

Missy Whidden

Sandra Dietrich

Meghann Andrew

Stefanie Ried

Flora Monika Farkas

Claudia van Rooijen

Elsie Robinson

Kymona Tracey
Irit Landgraf

Elena Morgun

AhSang Jung

Eunyoung Lee

Anna Komenda

Lilith Eeckels

Elle's Studio July Reveal Day!

I'm so excited to share the new Elle's Studio July 2017 Exclusive Kit* and add-ons that just hit the shop! (*All product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

The July 2017 Kit may just be my favourite Elle's Studio kit EVER! With the beautiful colors, illustrations and sayings, these tags and die-cuts are just perfection! 

Not only is the kit amazing, but the add-ons are this month, too! From left to right we have: Gray Alphabet Puffy Stickers, Summer Puffy Stickers, Little Acrylic Stars, You Shine So Bright Acrylic, Love This Life Stamp, Vellum Labels, Cork Tags, Snapshot Acrylic, Everyday Circle Stickers, Wood Veneer Cameras, July Labels.

Last, but not least, the Love This Life Printables and July Cut Files are perfect for reusing over and over again on your projects!

When I saw the "love this" tag in the Love This Life Printables, I knew it would make an amazing background for a scrapbook layout. I opened the PNG file in Photoshop & got to work recoloring the circles to match the photo of my daughter on the beach that I wanted to document. I also added the word "beach" to the inside of the pink circle, just to fit more to the layout subject. I didn't need much embellishment on this layout, and a simple title created with a mix of the Stanley Outline Alphabet Stamp and the Title Builder Stamp finished off the page!

Supplies | July 2017 Kit, Love This Life Printables, Love This Life Stamp, July Labels, Summer Puffy Stickers, Everyday Circle Stickers, Little Acrylic Stars, Title Builder Stamp, Stanley Alphabet Stamp - Outline, Live Laugh Love 12" x 12" Paper Collection

As soon as I saw the package of Cork Tags in my July box, I knew that I was destined to make a mini out of them. Oh my goodness, are they not the best thing ever? I immediately grabbed the "summer" tag and decided to document our best summer moments with this little beauty. The best part is that I can continue to add to it by creating more pages throughout the summer!

Supplies | July 2017 Kit, Cork Tags, Love This Life Stamp, Summer Puffy Stickers, Summer Journaling Tags, Summer Stamp, Dated Stamp, Live Laugh Love 6" x 6" Paper Stack

I'm going to share exactly how I created this little mini album on the 15th, as well as show you all of the pages, so please come back for the full reveal!

An Everyday Adventures Class-Inspired Mini Album

It's rare lately that I get to join in with the contributors for a class that I'm coordinating at Elle's Studio, but the entire time I was editing the Everyday Adventures class*, I wanted to CREATE! The projects from the contributors, some of my favorite designers in the industry, were amazing, and I loved their tips and tricks that they shared to help you create an album you love! So, I decided to read through the class again and highlight some of my favorite parts to then inspire my own mini album, and I'm sharing that with you today!

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

Supplies | Everyday Adventures Mini Album Class with Stamp & Digital Files, Everyday Adventures Product Bundle, Jonah Alphabet Stamp, Dated Stamp, The Story Of Stamp

I found this fun wooden board mini album in my stash and loved it, without realizing it was the same album that Barbara Picinich used for her album in the class! I kept the transparent cover page, using it to adhere a few embellishments and a tag with a stamped title, using the exclusive Everyday Adventures stamp, Jonah Alphabet Stamp, Dated Stamp and The Story Of Stamp

My first page features the image that you see on the cover, since it was only separated with a transparent cover page. Patterned paper created the foundation for my album pages, just like Jennifer Gallacher’s mini album in the class. On the first page, I used the patterned stripe from the Live Laugh Love 6″ x 6″ Paper Stack found in the Everyday Adventures Product Bundle and as Mel Blackburn recommended in her class lesson, I only used these colors throughout the entire album to make it cohesive from page to page.

Since the pages were only 6″ long, and I wanted mine to be 7″ to fit with the album, I cut a coordinating pattern to the same width of the page, 4.75″ and 2″ high, scoring it in half and sewing the bottom edge to the top of my patterned paper, giving me elongated pages and a nice sturdy top to flip around the binding rings.

Lizzy absolutely loves dinosaurs, and when we went to a classmate's dinosaur party at the museum of natural science, I took this lovely photo of her in a dinosaur hat that she made. I knew it had to go on the cover.

On every page of my album, I featured a 4″ x 4″ photo, that I backed with white cardstock. I used the digital labels included with the class to add my journaling in Photoshop before printing and cutting, allowing me to add the maximum amount of words in a small space. I also made sure that I had stamped images on every page, using the Everyday Adventures stamp, and included just a few small embellishments.

This page is SO fun, and it was simple to add just a few Live Laugh Love collection enamel dots and plus stamps from the Everyday Adventures stamp directly to the photo of my daughter's "decorated" bath.

I had to get the things we like to do together in the album, and since they're about me, I made sure to get my photo in there, too. 

One of Kristin Tweedale’s tips from the class was to create interest with banners or tags sticking out from the pages, so I added several labels to the page edges, as well as this tag with my daughter’s name stamped with my favorite, Jonah Alphabet Stamp, that was purely for embellishment!

No mini album about Lizzy would be complete without a cute giraffe in it. She LOVES them, and I love this photo and page!

In Laura Wonsik’s lesson, she recommends creating “clusters” of embellishment, which allows for the maximum amount of white space on each page. I loved compiling these clusters with the digital class die cuts, Live Laugh Love Bits and Pieces, Puffy Stickers, Wood Veneers, Washi Tape, Enamel Dots and the Everyday Adventures stamp.

Recently, when my talking with a friend, I told her that Lizzy still pronounces "animals" as "aMinals," and she said that I had better write that down, since it will likely change soon. Why didn't I think of that? It was fun to find a photo of her talking, and then use the speech bubble from the Everyday Adventures stamp to add in the baby words that she still says today. Ah... I'm not ready for that to change just yet.

There is nothing more "everyday" for us than a visit to the library, and I love that I can combine our "everyday adventures" with things that Lizzy loves right now in this album. The sentiments in the Everyday Adventures stamp were perfect for every page.

I'm not sure how I scored this photo, but it really has my heart... Lizzy loves her Red Shirt Bear, and seeing her carefully placing him on her bed is really part of her sweet little personality at the moment.

I had to document Lizzy's favorite lunch out at the moment—a pizza flatbread from Potbelly. I just love how those plus signs float from the bottom to the top of the page.

On my final page, I included a photo of us painting together, something we do often to pass the time at home. 

I can't wait to add more pages into this album as the year goes on, so that I can remember my daughter's likes and dislikes, and funny personality at four! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and be sure to check out the Everyday Adventures Mini Album Class and Everyday Adventures Product Bundle—it really is wonderful and inspiring!

Introducing Title Builder: A Collaboration with Elle's Studio!

This post has been a long time in the works, and I am SO excited to finally share a product that I've been working on with Elle's Studio, inspired by my class Terrific Titles, at Big Picture Classes and devoted to my love of creating titles, and my desire to help you love to create them, too! Introducing Title Builder! Watch this video to learn about why I wanted to create this product. (*All new product links are affiliate links. You don't pay any extra, but I get a small percentage of your sale! Thanks for your continued support!) 

The new Title Builder products, specifically designed to help you come up with and create stunning titles on your layouts and pocket pages, include the 6″ x 8″ word and phrases Title Builder Stamp, the Title Builder Alphabet Stamp, Title Builder Wood Veneer, and the Title Builder Acrylic. These can be purchased separately, or together in our Title Builder Bundle, specially priced with a 15% discount!

I had so much fun creating with the Title Builder supplies on both a layout and a pocket page, showing that these words and phrases can be used on any memory-keeping project. 

Supplies | Title Builder Stamp, Title Builder Alphabet Stamp, Title Builder Acrylic, Title Builder Wood Veneer, Party Time Acrylic, Live Laugh Love Word Labels, Live Laugh Love Small Blank Labels, Live Laugh Love 12" x 12" Paper Collection, Spring Sequins

I love this layout, and my title, "The Best Adventures Are With You," is the perfect title for the story I wanted to tell about traveling with my daughter, and introducing her to some of our favorite places. 

With the word "magic" included in the Title Builder Acrylic, I had to create a Disneyland pocket page, and I love how my title tag turned out. It was so simple to stamp only certain words on the phrase stamp to create my title, "Treasure the Magic of Today."

Supplies | Title Builder Stamp, Title Builder Acrylic, June 2017 Kit, Puffy Heart Stickers, Adventure Label Stickers, Arrow Stickers, Live Laugh Love Small Blank Labels, Live Laugh Love Enamel Dots, Live Laugh Love Bits and Pieces, Live Laugh Love 12" x 12" Paper Collection 

Another bonus of these awesome products: When you purchase the Title Builder Stamp, you will receive an email with a PDF page of title combinations using only this stamp, over 100 total, giving you easy access to get titles on your pages!

This is the first time I have ever put myself "out there" with a product, and it is one that I truly believe that scrapbookers and memory keepers will benefit from! I would love for you to check it out in the Elle's Studio shop today, and please let me know what you think!