So Sad

I saw a layout like this in a magazine and loved the simplicity. Normally, the most difficult thing would be to find 4 matching, but different, but coordinating papers to use for the strips. But nope! I grabbed my Basic Grey paper pack (Out of Print) and chose four papers that I liked. I cut them into strips, tore the ends and then glued them down and stitched across the top. Mounted Photos, cut out a title, a quick journal and I was done. And I loved it which was good because the layout before this one (which shall not be named, nor seen) didn't end up in the I love it pile.

Nathalie Squares

I was flipping through the latest "Creating Keepsakes" and found this simple layout that I just loved. It's just a plain paper with squares of patterned paper to form a background. A couple of embellishments and a photo. Just up my alley.

So, I grabbed one of my Basic Grey packages and chose 5 sheets of patterned paper that I liked. I knew that anyones that I chose from that package would go together, so I just picked the ones I liked best. I cut a bunch of 2x2" squares and inked the edges with Dark Brown Chalk Ink. I stamped a couple stitches borders and added a sticker or two and the matted photo. I really like how it turned out and it really was so quick.

My Love

I was playing around in my stamp room the other night and was in a mellow mood. I finished my Bathtime layout and then wanted to start another. I was flipping through a magazine and saw one I liked. The problem was that it was very finicky and so out of my comfort zone.

But I was in a weird zen type mood and not stressed about how far behind I am or how much I have to do and so I just went with it.

I used my "Olivia" pack from Basic Grey so that all the circles would match and coordinate and then I cut some strips from the same paper. I hate to admit it, but it was kind of fun playing with all the circles to place them. I don't know that I'd do it again, but it was fun because I was in the right mood.

Then I stamped the Magenta flourish in black and added a journaling block (from the kit) and a flower. The "my" from the title is out of grungeboard and then I cut "Love" with my Cricut. I really like how the black kind of grounds stuff and makes it pop.

Overall, this layout took me awhile but I like doing those kind once in awhile.

Sweet Girl

I finally scrapbooked yesterday. My room is a disaster because I haven't cleaned up from all the anniversary prototypes, but I just pushed it aside and sat down. I want to try to do 15 minutes a day of something related to stamping or scrapbooking; whether that be actually stamping or scrapbooking, or cleaning my room or sorting photos. I haven't been very successful lately though. We were camping and it's taken me awhile to get caught up from being gone.

Last night, however, I decided that I would just sit down and do it. I had a hundred other things to do, but I figured that if I don't make it a priority, I'll never do it. It's always hard to get back into the groove after I haven't created in awhile, and last night was no exception. I struggled a lot. I think part of it was the paper pack I was using. I wanted to use one of my new ones, so I chose Sweet Threads by Basic Grey. There are lots of pretty papers, but it was just a bit outside my comfort zone, so I struggled a bit. When it was all done, I think it turned out OK and sometimes OK is good enough. It was certainly better in the end than I thought it would be when I was in the middle!

More Kioshi

My cousin, Debbie, came over to scrapbook last night. It was a great motivation to get going again. I had so many photos left over from the sleeping layout that I wanted to create a second layout with just a title and pictures. I found some paper and matching cardstock and then sat and stared at what wasn't coming together.

I gave up on that combination and tried another. Still nothing. Finally, I put it all away and grabbed my Kioshi pack and got something down. I was sort of copying a layout, except that mine looked nothing like the one I started out to copy which made me laugh. The only thing that I ended up taking from it was four paper squares. It was easy to get matching papers since they all match in the package.

Then I felt like I was on a roll, so I created another quick layout of Nathalie's smile. I used the same paper package. I wanted to share both layouts so you could see how I've used the Kioshi packages on another 2 layouts.

Jolly Jumping

Another quick post so I can check it off my TO DO list for today. I set it up as a recurring task each day so I wouldn't forget to post. I often ignore it, but at least I can't forget.

I did this layout last month and it was a very quick one. It's just a few pieces of paper from a coordinating paper pack (Basic Grey) and then the photo and a title. So simple.

As always, I love how the papers go together. This layout is so simple because you just grab papers that match.

I scrapbooked tonight and wasn't working from a kit and I struggled to find papers to put together. I know I can do it, but when I'm creating in the evening (three kids home because it's summer tends to make stamping during the day difficult) I'm often too tired to have to think a lot. I finally put it all away and grabbed one of my kits. I ended up using Kioshi by Basic Grey (which is what I used on this layout too). This is the first kit I ever bought and I still have a ton of the paper left. These kits really go so far!!

Paper Packs

I love paper. I believe I've said that many times. So, I was giddy when I opened up my new paper packs. I probably don't need anymore as I'm running out of room, but I still order a few every so often. They make scrapbooking so much easier! I posted last fall about it and one of my friends bought a pack. Recently, she told me how quick her album came together because she didn't have to think about how to put paper together. It really made my day!

I have three new paper packs: two from Basic Grey and one from Echo Park. I haven't ordered packs from them before, but it looks really nice! The Basic Grey packs each have 18 double sided papers, one sheet of alphabet stickers and one sheet of cardstock stickers. The Echo Park pack has 12 double sided papers, one sheet of alphabet stickers and one sheet of element stickers.

Basic Grey: Life of the Party ($20)

Basic Grey: Hopscotch ($20)

Springtime: ($14)

Family

Just a quick post from me today. I haven't created anything new, but I just am sharing a scrapbook page I did earlier.

I used one of my Basic Grey Paper Kits which made it so quick to put together. Just the kind of page I like.

Orange? Seriously?

Anyone know knows me, knows that I have my go to colours. And orange is not one of them. At all.

That said, I specifically ordered this Basic Grey paper package because it contained colours that were so outside my box. And I felt creative today, so I grabbed it. I flipped through the paper and this striped paper caught my eye. I put it on orange paper because I didn't think I could go crazy with colour. Baby steps, right?? I kind of liked it. I pulled a darker purple from it to mat the photos so they didn't get lost in the psychedelic paper and I really liked how it looked, so I did lettering in the same colour (I cut the title from chipboard and then from the purple and just glued the purple onto the chipboard so I could have custom coloured raised letters).

The package comes with embellishment stickers, so I just added one. This particular package has stickers that I can't see myself using (some owls and orange trees and such), but that's OK. I love that everything goes together. I added another purple accent piece under the sticker.

I love the look when people write and doodle on their pages. Unfortunately, I hate my writing and I can't doodle to save my life. It's really bad. I do keep reading how important it is to write on at least some of your layouts and so I try. I wrote a little bit along the top of the paper and then just added dots around the striped paper. It turned out adequate and even looks good from far enough away. I used my Copic Multiliners which I love. It's a set of 7 black pens ranging from micro to thick. And they're black. Really black, which I love. I brought them in last fall and have sold quite a few sets (they're $22).

I don't know that I'll be filling my album with a bunch of orange and lime green layouts, but who knows what will happen when I sit down to scrapbook again. Overall, I really like the layout even though it is so outside my box. It's fun to push the limits.

Happy Thanksgiving

While technically today is Thanksgiving, we celebrated yesterday. Both yesterday and today, though, I reflected on how thankful I am.

There are the obvious things for which to be thankful: my wonderful husband, my beautiful children, my close-knit family. We are lucky in so many ways and I try to acknowledge these throughout the year.

I am truly thankful for my hobby though. I am so lucky to involved in stamping and scrapbooking. This hobby has afforded me so many wonderful opportunities and friends. I have a ton of friends with whom I share this interest. It's fun to be able to get together and to stamp and chat. I am part of two wonderful stamping groups in real life (Pretty Mean Stampers and Wye Not) and an incredible online group (Canadian Stamp Talk). Through both groups, I have met and chatted with people who share my desire to get our fingers dirty and see what we can create.

I'm also very thankful that stamping has given me opportunities I would not have otherwise had. I have been very blessed to have been able to teach at one of our local stores, "Stamp-A-Doodle" and through the encouragement of others, I have submitted my cards and have been honoured enough to be published. I also gave thanks yesterday and today for my business. Through it, I have been able to get a lot of the new product and have been able to play with it. It's always exciting when a box arrives and I can open it and rip through it like a child at Christmas.

Yesterday, Kayla wanted to make a Thanksgiving card, so we spent some time together in my craft room. I was flipping through a "Scrapbook and Cards Today" magazine and a layout caught my eye, so I just copied it. I'm so far behind, that I often flip through magazines to get an idea and then take it from there.

Again, I used one of my Basic Grey packs (this time it was "Oliver"). I needed 6 coordinating patterned papers and it would have taken me forever to look through my stash of papers to find 6 that I liked together (and that colours matched). So instead, I just flipped through my pack and picked out 6 pieces. I then cut everything, sewed the squares and stuck it all down. Then to finish it off, I just added some of the die cut stickers and used the letters to create the title. It was so quick and it took the stress out of having to get everything to match. Here are the photos.

Oliver Paper pack by Basic Grey.

Layout

A 10 minute layout

I haven't scrapbooked in months. I am so far behind and it's overwhelming. Seriously overwhelmed. How am I ever going to catch up?

I have all my photos organized, but the sheer volume makes my head spin. I love taking photos and so, I have entirely too many to begin with. The other day, the kids and I played in the leaves for a couple of hours. I was talking to Glenn that night and told him I took 200 photos and needed to go through them. His reply? Sadly, I don't think that's an exaggeration.

The hardest part is to start though. I always hate starting to stamp or scrap after not having done it for awhile. I have to find my creativity which often takes awhile and the first few poor cards and layouts seem to pay the price. I know that once I get into the groove, I actually look forward to going into my room and creating though, so the journey is worth it.

My sister was over the other day, and we keep talking about getting back into the groove. It's hard with 6 kids between us, but I told her we were just going to start. I opened up a "Creating Keepsakes" magazine and on the last page, there is always a 10 minute layout complete with instructions, so we grabbed our pictures and started.

I've started ordering Basic Grey paper packages lately. I love that all the papers in the package go together and they also include a page of die cut stickers and another page of die cut letters (all self-adhesive). I know I can just grab a few things, put them together and it will work. So, that's what I did. I used the "Pyrus" paper package this time.

Once we got started, it truly was a 10 minute layout. It's very simple, but that's OK. I quite like it and what really matters is I did it.

Here is the finished layout. It's just a picture of Eric and I wrote on the little journalling card: "I love your big brown eyes." Nothing earth-shattering, but that's fine too!




I actually have one more of these kits in stock if anyone is interested. As a note, I always keep my collections together in the plastic in which they came. Then, I know when I'm doing a project, I can just grab the pack and everything in it will match.

I see on other people's blogs that their pictures all look very pretty. I will get there. I'm not sure how to do that for 12x12" layouts. I do eventually get them scanned and can post them then, but I'd rather post them when I actually do them. I'm open to suggestions if anyone has some!

For those having turkey today, have a wonderful day. I'll do a Thanksgiving post tomorrow.

Jacquie