Gettin' By

Simple Saturday

It's been a busy week, full of end-of-the-school year craziness (sock hops and field trips and speech contests and band concerts, oh my!) and I MIGHT be feeling just a little bit woozy waiting for my brain to catch up to all the places my body has been rushing to this week. And while our weekend is equally jam-packed with fun events, beer and bbq will be involved. 'Nuff said.

Even though life is moving full-tilt right know, there is one thing I can count on to remain simple and uncomplicated - my scrapping! This week I'm featuring a page from my Seeing Double video that went live yesterday at Two Peas:

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It's a simple horizontal arrangement of 3x4 journaling cards, topped with my photos, lots of washi tape and embellishments. I love these Project Life-style cards even though I don't do Project Life, because they are easy to incorporate into grids and other linear designs. They make a perfect home for journaling, or a frame for photos, or a backdrop to other accents on your page.

I've added lots of chipboard accents to this page and covered them with washi tape to create colorful custom embellishments. It's a fast and easy way to make bare chipboard look fabulous.

Because my page includes a lot of bright colors, I opted to cut my title from vellum using the font Cookie. It's soft and subtle and doesn't compete with the rest of the page.

For more tips and tricks using journal cards and washi tape (and to see the accompanying card!) be sure to check out the video (and let me know what you think!)

And now I'm off to partake in some weekend revelry. And possibly do a little brainstorming for trips/outings/activities/sports/crafts to keep my kids entertained (and me sane) when they finish up school in a mere four days. And here's where you should feel free to console me that I am not the only bad mama with absolutely no summer agenda worked out yet...

Simple Saturday

If you've only got a few moments to sneak in some scrapping, here's a layout that you can complete in record time, and it's brought to you by my very favorite design framework - the undisputably easy 9-square grid! I've used this tic-tac-toe style foundation on countless pages but because the elements within the grid change with every layout, it still looks fresh.

For this page, I've featured four photos from my childhood (and, er, please direct any comments about my hideous bowl haircut to my mother, who assures me this is was a stylish and trendy coif for the early 70s. I have yet to take solace in that, because the emotional scars from being mistaken for a boy for most of my youth just run too deep.  *sob* )

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The photos were different orientations and sizes, so I knew each square of the grid wouldn't be identical.  By mixing in slightly various sizes of patterned paper squares, as well as a large flower and number for my title, the grid squares are asymetrical, but balanced.

I added embroidered stitching to divide my grid, and also around the outer edge of my die cut numbers. To see a detailed tutorial on this easy embroidery technique, hop over to the BasicGrey blog!

Give-It-Away Thursday: Big Picture Classes

I'm kicking off this Thursday with some exciting news from Big Picture Classes! Today their newest class, The Phone Photography Project opens for registration. I'm excited to be a contributor to this class, because like many scrapbookers, my iPhone has become my go-to camera and I'm always looking for ways to improve and perfect my phone photography.

The Phone Photography Project is a month-long workshop where you'll learn to take better photos with the camera you always have with you. Document your summer adventures—with help from 32 incredible instructors who will be issuing daily smartphone photography challenges, as well as:

• dozens of tips and tricks from the pros for taking better photos with your mobile-phone camera
• a handbook of 60+ photography app reviews for iPhone and Android, so you know which are worth your time and money
• dozens of project ideas for getting photos off your device and into your world
• interaction with 32 experienced iPhoneographers and Androidographers, and hundreds of fellow students in a private classroom and on Instagram
• giveaways, contests, discounts, bonus downloads, and fun fun fun!

Here's a nifty video preview of some of the fun you'll find in this class:

Right now you can register for the introductory price of $39, but this price won't last long, so don't delay!  You can find out all the important details at Big Picture Classes. I hope you'll join us for this fabulous fun summer course!

And while we're on the topic of Big Picture classes, I have a spot to give away in the fabulous May Flaum's newest adventure, Camp Scrap:

Camp Scrap 2013 is the place to be this summer! Spend the entire month of June scrapbooking with May Flaum and hundreds of her closest friends in an online, choose-your-own-adventure paper crafting camp. You'll enjoy more than 40 new and exclusive projects from May, a dozen "mini class" videos with accompanying handouts, daily emails, a bustling student message board and gallery, and more!
 
This 4-week workshop includes all the fun, instruction, and inspiration you'd find at an in-person scrapbooking retreat. But you get to participate entirely from home in your shorts and flip-flops (or whatever counts as your comfort gear for summer).

If you'd like to be entered to win a spot at Camp Scrap, just leave me a comment today telling me what you're most looking forward to this summer! I'll randomly pick a winner from the comments on Monday, May 13. And let the countdown to summer begin!

UPDATED WITH WINNER:

Monday.

Forgive me for the oh-so-original blog post title today. I've sat here for the last 20 minutes trying to come up with something more clever, but I fear the weekend of Cinco De Mayo celebrations may have impaired my creative tendencies. But the margaritas were delicious!

Today I wanted to share a few scrappy projects with you. Over the weekend, the new idea book Everyday Storyteller 2 debuted and it's now available for sale!

The book is jam-packed with practical and innovative ideas from 33 fabulous scrappers.  I'm honored to have been included amongst them and and my contribution to the book includes an article on grid design with accompanying layouts. The eBook is available for $14.99, or you can bundle with the first book, Everyday Storyteller and get both books for $24.99. So check it out!

I also wanted to feature one of my recent Two Peas projects, a rare (for me) two-page layout using stencils and mists:

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This was a really fun project to create and I loved working with the Prima camera stencils! I also created a card with them and you can see the whole process in this Seeing Double video.

Enjoy your Monday now!

Simple Saturday

Happy National Scrapbook Day, my friends! Hope you are getting a few moments today to celebrate with a little bit of scrapping. And since it is an official holiday and all, don't hestiate to add a little chocolate or champagne into the process - or even better, both!

So today, in amongst the celebratory toasts and treats, I'm sharing a recent layout I did for Lily Bee. I'm sure you'll be shocked (not) to see it uses a modified grid design of 2-inch squares - both paper and photos:

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First I selected 12 pictures that gave a good overview of our vacation and mixed them in with patterned paper squares from Lily Bee's Pinwheel, Sweet Shoppe and Destination lines to complement the colors in my photos. I positioned each square slightly staggered from the one below and aligned the rows at a slight angle. I love the sense of energy and motion a little slant adds to the page.

Then I adorned the majority of my paper squares with small embellishments. I tried to stick with accents that matched the paper so the details would be subtle and not too busy.

My title was cut from deep teal cardstock using the font Shishoni Brush. It's a rough-edged type that has the feeling of hand-lettered calligraphy. Before I cut the title, I also drew in a few small circles to cut at the same time that adorn the corners of my layout.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your NSD, peeps!

Five on Friday.

There's new stuff popping up daily in the Two Peas store, and here are five products that I'm loving (and using!) a lot lately:

1. Lily Bee Design Pinwheel collection ($20.50).  Maybe it's because I'm craving summer right now, but the colors and patterns in the Lily Bee Pinwheel line are making me happy! I love the whole line for it's bright hues and simple patterns, but the orange polka dot pattern on the Apricot Tree paper is my absolute fave!

 

2. Two Peas Digital Cut Files (free - $1.99).  Have you stopped by the totally new Two Peas Digital store? You should! There are fresh and funky die cut files, printables and more. I adore these Light Bulbs and the Photo Frames, but there's lots more fun image available (and some are even free - like that camera above) so check it out!

3. American Crafts vellum ($.99).  I was enamoured with vellum way back when I started scrapping in the late 90s, and it's still something I use on my pages. In fact, my most current three pages all feature vellum. Everyone needs a stash of this staple!

4. Midnight Letters Stamps by Mama Elephant ($14.99). I'm a sucker for any alphabet stamps because I know I will use them consistently for titles, journaling, labels and more. This set is the perfect size for smaller titles (and ideal for Project Life cards) and the outline + solid stamps is like getting two alphas for the price of one!

5.  Kate & Co Decorative Tape by My Mind's Eye ($9.99). My inner prep is ecstatic with this new line from MME. The mix of soft aquas and yellows with kelly green and navy have me thinking of boat shoes, argyle sweaters and Izods with popped colors (layered up, of course!) These tapes are one of my favorite items from the collection - and they'll be making a cameo appearance in my next Seeing Double video!

Happy Friday!

Everyday Storyteller 2 | Blog Hop

Welcome to the Everyday Storyteller 2 Blog Hop! I'm excited to be a contributor to this fabulous book and to be offering you a chance to win the book before it even goes on sale.

Everyday Storyteller 2 is a brand new idea book offering more than 100 tips, tricks and techniques for scrapbooking. Go behind the scenes with 33 of your favorite memory keepers to see how they capture moments, tell stories and document their best memories. Sign up for the VIP list to be the first to know when the book is released and receive an exclusive discount.

Each book contributor participating in the blog hop is giving away an eBook copy of Everyday Storyteller 2. If you'd like to enter, use this entry link or click the graphic below to complete your entry form. You must enter by 11:59pm PDT on April 30, 2013 to be eligible. You may enter from each stop. Winners will be contacted directly as well as posted at everydaystoryteller.com on May 1, 2013.

And here's a list of the other participating contributors, so be sure to stop by their blogs for more chances to win!

Tangie Baxter
Kerri Bradford
Joscelyne Cutchens
Catherine Davis
Patty Debowski
Karla Dudley
Leah Farquharson
Karen Grunberg
Jenni Hufford
Donna Jannuzzi
Amanda Jones
Mandy Koeppen
Riikka Kovasin
Kami Leonard
Amy Mallory
Amy Martin
Ann-Marie Morris
Celine Navarro
Lynnette Penacho
Kelly Purkey
Krista Sahlin
Linda Sattgast
Cindy Schneider
Wendy Smedley
Elisha Snow
Amy Sorensen
Neisha Sykes
Jill Sprott
Laura Vegas
Allison Waken
Crystal Wilkerson
Jennifer Wilson

Finally, I'll leave you with a little sneak of some of my projects from the book, all of which feature one of my favorite design techniques - grids!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful Tuesday!

Simple Saturday

This past CHA, Jenni Bowlin Studio debuted a new product that they'd previously never produced - paper tape! And in classic Jenni style, the patterns and colors were chic vintage that perfectly coordinated with all things JBS.

I created the layout below to showcase just a few of the cool things you can do with these tapes:

 

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Beginning with two of the Heart Cards Kit Cuts (cut from white cardstock), I laid out a grid with my photo (printed 3x4) and journaling. The negative space in the die cuts was a perfect place to showcase the tapes. I layered them over the piece of cardstock that was cut from the center of the heart. Then I trimmed off the overhang and mounted it behind the die cut using foam squares.

I repeated the process for the Blessings card, adhering the tapes vertically this time.

To finish the page, I applied several strips of tape along the left-hand edge, adding in a small strip of white cardstock punched with a scallop border and some machine zig-zag stitching.

So the next time I can't find the perfect piece of patterned paper for my design, I might just reach for my paper tapes instead! They are a quick and easy alternative to add color and pattern to a page.

 

Gardeners' Digest | Two Peas in a Bucket

Welcome to the April issue of Gardener's Digest, a blog hop to feature some of the happenings and projects at Two Peas in a Bucket!  Today I'm giving you a peek at one of my latest projects, sharing an inspiring layout from the Two Peas Gallery, and (to be the good enabler that I am ) featuring some of my recent product obsessions. And I've also got a giveaway for you as well, so let's get started! 

On May 1, a new Garden will bloom and it's all about photos! You'll see a wide variety of inspiring ideas revolving around photography, photo treatments and photo-themed products. Here's a sneak of my contribution, a little ode to my photo collection:

And currently, I've got a new Seeing Double video up that shows how to incorporate a small booklet onto your page using file folders (and it's a pretty cool way to fit a lot of pictures on one page!)

Incorporating paint, ink and chalk into your scrapbook pages has never been more popular, so this layout by orangegearle from the Two Peas Gallery is right on-trend. The chalking combined with stitching creates a colorful and happy background that pairs perfectly with her photo. So inspiring!

I've had all of these things on my desk in the past few weeks and they've been used on multiple pages!

 

These American Crafts Thickers in the Rockabye font are some of my most-used alphas. So today I'm giving away a brand new package of them in white glitter foam from the Maggie Holmes' Crate Paper collection.

If you'd like to be entered to win the alphabet, leave me a comment below and telling me your favorite font (or alpha stickers!) I'll randomly pick a winner on Friday, April 26 and announce it at the bottom of this post.

And now please hop on over to the lovely Corrie Jones' blog for more Gardeners' Digest!

Congrats to Christine, who will receive the pack of Thickers!

Simple Saturday

Patterned paper is probably my very favorite scrapbook supply and I definitely have the stash to prove it.  And because I have so much of this staple, I often challenge myself to incorporate lots of the patterns into one page design.

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The You & Me line from Elle's Studio has so many wonderful papers and they are are particularly easy to combine because of the simple designs, soft colors and variety of pattern sizes. To make things easy on myself, I printed my photo in black & white so I didn't have to worry about it coordinating with the color palette of the papers. Then I layered wide strips of papers across the bottom portion of my page, punching one paper (the aqua pattern) with a scallop border punch.

After selecting several of the tags and journaling spots from the same line, I tucked them in between some of the layers. I chose tags featuring phrases and sentiments that echoed the theme of the page and tried to place them on contrasting papers so they'd stand out. I loved the bold contrast of the black tags with the softer colors, and also for the way they complimented the tones in the photo.

Though I liked the clean white space at the top of the page, it looked just a bit bare. So before adding my photo, I stitched a diagonal grid in white thread across the white cardstock. The stitching adds a subtle bit of texture and pattern to a blank space, giving it interest without detracting from the rest of the design.

I also added rows of stitching across the top of each wide patterned stripe, which is both decorative and functional, as it securely holds the tags in place. My final step was to trim down three sides of the layout and mount it on a black chalkboard paper to frame the design.

If you're intimidated by working with multiple patterns, using papers from a single line is a great way to start. Pay attention to the how the colors, patterns, and scale work together and soon you''ll be mixing patterns like a pro! And for even more tips on combining patterned paper, you can check out the Ella Boot Camp archives. For just $18, you'll get 12 video drills (including one from me specifically on combining patterns) from 4 expert Drill Instructors. So check it out! And happy scrapping!