Happy Halloween

Wishing you all a happy and safe Halloween today in the only way I know how... with paper! 

CARD ONE & THREE SUPPLIES :: We R Memory Keepers Stamps & Patterned Papers, Paper Cut Cardstock, StazOn Jet Black Ink, Marvy Circle & Square Nesting Punches

CARD TWO SUPPLIES :: Northwoods Stamps, Copic Markers, Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, Copic X-Press It Blending Card, Paper Cut Cardstock

Spreading the love of paper crafting...

Today's an exciting day for me, and I can't wait to share that excitement with you! 

First up, I'm sharing a Thanksgiving layout on the Practical Scrappers blog today. It's my very first individual feature for the site, and I'd love it if you headed over to check it out. In addition to my feature about getting the most from your supplies, you'll find lots of inspiration from my fellow design team members. They're full of creativity and talent!

Second, my crazy face was on a local news station this morning. I spoke on the Project Life and Albums Made Easy systems, both fantastic tools for getting those wedding, travel, or daily photos off your camera or phone and into beautiful albums. You can see the segment here. If you're in the Green Bay area, please stop by Creations Galore where I work... It's a gorgeous scrapbooking and card making store. We have 10,000 square feet of paper crafting goodies. 

Thanks for sharing in my fun news. What exciting things have you been up to lately?

NYC Part 1 : Documenting A Trip With Project Life Products

Do we have any pocket scrapbookers out there? I'm a huge fan of using pocket page protectors and journaling cards to easily document daily life, along with events that have lots of photos. Before I ever dug into Project Life, I used the items to create an album of a girls weekend in New York. It's about time I finally shared the pages with you! 

Most of the products in this album are from Becky Higgins and BasicGrey. The pictures were from a combination of my cell phone and camera. I loved how easy it was to get the whole trip into one album, while documenting all the little details. 

Back in January when I first started the album, I shared the picture above on Instagram. I enjoy writing and stamping directly on photos. Here I wrapped a rubber band around the letters I needed to make for evenly spaced letters. It also takes far less time! 

Pocket pages help incorporate memorabilia into the album as well. Rather than glueing anything down, I can slide it into a pocket and call it done! 

I've used the Design H Page Protector by Becky Higgins in a few spots as smaller inserts, like the one below. You'll see the front on the left side, and the back on the right side. I printed a 6x11.5" photo on my home printer, cut it into sections, and included it in the insert. It looks amazing in person and makes a bold statement. 

I also included just a few page protectors from We R Memory Keepers. The 2x12" strip adds just a bit of color and a spot for added journaling. 

Another Design H insert. I've used a few pockets inside the pocket protectors for hidden journaling and smaller memorabilia. The photo below shows off a few of my favorite products. I love the Tim Holtz labels for adding quick dates and journaling to photos, Chic Tags die cuts, and Studio Calico stamps. They're the perfect additions to pocket scrapbooking. 

I use Photoshop to resize my photos before printing. I've added journaling to a few of the photos with the program as well. 

Thanks for checking out the first few pages of my travel album. Have you given pocket scrapbooking a try? I have included a few 12x12 traditional layouts throughout the album. I've blogged about a few of those, and you can see them here, here and here.

For The Love Of Plaid

Hello friends! How has your week been? I've spent most of my week organizing and printing photos rather than getting my hands dirty crafting. I was able to carve away a small amount of time to create this fun layout... 

Every Sunday my family meets for lunch. On one of these afternoons, my father, brother, and nephew all showed up with plaid and blue jeans. I couldn't help but document the occasion. 

The only plaid pattern in my stash that matched the colors of my photos was the background page by We R Memory Keepers. I then added manly patterns and colors, distressing the edges of the paper pieces to give an even more masculine feel. 

The title was a combination of Studio Calico sticker letters, my handwriting, and letters cut on the Silhouette Cameo from patterned paper. Since the letters were the same pattern as the background, I added some faux stitching to help it stand out. 

The layout was completed with some real stitching and ink splatters.

Thanks for stopping by!  

SUPPLIES :: Studio Calico (Woodgrain Sticker Alphas, Dark Calico Mister Huey's), BasicGrey Clippings Paper & Stickers, We R Memory Keepers Partridge

TOOLS :: Silhouette Cameo, Brother Sewing Machine, ZIG Writer Black, CTMH Paper Distresser, Fiskars Scrapbooking Rotary Paper Trimmer, MyStik Permanent Adhesive

Use It Tuesday : Stamping On Layouts

Good morning! It's time for another challenge with Use It Tuesday! Today we're requesting you dig deep into your stash and create something CREATURE themed. My fellow design team members have some great inspiration up on the Use It Tuesday blog - You'll want to make sure to take a look! 

I didn't have any creature-themed stamps or papers in my hoarded supplies, but I did have some recent pictures from the Wildlife Sanctuary here in Green Bay, Wisconsin. My friends and I had a countdown to the arrival of the new wolf cubs and immediately went to see them. When you walked up to the window, they'd stick their nose to the glass. I chose to think they were interested in being our friend over eating us alive. They were so adorable! Here's the layout I created...

As mentioned above, my hoarded items weren't creature themed. But don't worry, I still used hoarded supplies! You'll see I stamped in three different areas of the layout. All of the stamps were from sets I haven't paid much attention to in a long, long time. I dusted them off and was so happy to breathe some new life into them. 

The numbers were a Studio Calico set received in the Planetarium Project Life kits. I don't number the weeks of my PL spreads; therefore, I just set this set aside. Having the numbers symbolize the year was a fun, new way to use them. 

The other two stamps were from Market Street Stamps. Unfortunately, this stamp company has since closed its doors. The 'remember this' sentiment went well above my journaling which was created with my typewriter. After typing it out, I cut the words into strips and adhered it onto the page. The 'cheesin' sentiment was stamped onto a scrap piece of patterned paper. Triangles were cut out of each end to create a banner. I clustered it with washi tape, an arrow die cut, and a few pearls. That sentiment really fits our personalities and this picture. Of course I had to add just a little stitching to a few areas of the page! 

Now it's your turn! I encourage you to grab some of your stamp sets and see if you can add them to your scrapbooking layouts. However, the true challenge for Use It Tuesday is to grab any hoarded supply and USE IT to create a creature themed project. Then link up your project on the Use It Tuesday blog. As always, one lucky participant will be chosen to be a guest designer on an upcoming challenge! I can't wait to see what you create.

SUPPLIES :: American Crafts (Cardstock, Puffy Vinyl Thickers) We R Memory Keepers Forest, Studio Calico (Darling Dear Gems, Planetarium Project Life Kit Stamp), A Muse Studio (Stormy Sky Spray Ink, Pearls), BasicGrey Washi Tape, Market Street Stamps, Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

TOOLS :: Silhouette Cameo, Fiskars Scrapbooking Rotary Paper Trimmer, CTMH Paper Distresser, A Muse Studio Acrylic Block, MyStik Permanent Adhesive, Brother Sewing Machine, Typewriter

Card Making Monday

Happy Monday! Today I'm sharing a Make N Take I created for Creations Galore this week. If you're local, I'd love for you to stop in and create this card, along with three others available. You can see them by clicking here.

This card came together quickly! Just a few layers of cardstock and patterned paper, a beautiful Penny Black sentiment, and satin ribbon. Satin ribbon is my go-to supply for elegant cards. 

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope your week is off to a great start!

SUPPLIES :: Paper Cut Cardstock & Patterned Paper, Penny Black Stamp, StazOn Jet Black Ink, Black Satin Ribbon

TOOLS :: Acrylic Block, Tonic 12" Guillotine, MyStick Permanent Adhesive, Scor-Pal

Drill #18 : Sketchy Saturday

Good morning! I'm here today with a new drill from S.W.A.T and it's one exciting sketch! There's just a little obstacle - You must also use wood embellishments. 

If you're anything like me, you've got a stash of wood veneers. Pull those out, and get to work! I recently picked up the main scrapbooking kit and add-on from Studio Calico which contained gorgeous heart wood veneers. The rest of the kit matched the colors of my photo, and this layout was born. 

I started with this great wood background and a few layers behind my photo. To recreate the circles in the sketch, I used the Silhouette Cameo to create several sizes from patterned paper. The fun part was arranging them on the background with die cuts, wood veneers, and ink splatters. 

The Tiny Attacher by Tim Holtz continues to be one of my favorite tools. It's so easy to attach vellum and die cuts or just add a decorative element. The camera 'die cut' was actually cut from a 12x12 Dear Lizzy paper. 

After adding the stitch marks from the sketch with a black gel pen, the bottom left corner was still "needing something." To recreate the vertical lines in the sketch, I added a piece of BasicGrey washi tape. 

Thank you so much for looking at today's challenge. I'm so excited to see how you take on the Drill. Don't forget to go to S.W.A.T and check out my fellow Design Team Members and link up your own creation. As always, there's a great prize up for grabs! This month Creative Embellishments is our sponsor. 

SUPPLIES :: Studio Calico (Antiquary Scrapbook Kit, Amsterdam Add-On, Mister Huey's Sherbet)  

TOOLS :: Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, Silhouette Cameo, Fiskars Scrapbooking Rotary Paper Trimmer, CTMH Paper Distresser, MyStik Permanent Adhesive, Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares

Fall Blog Hop :: Autumn Scrapbook Layout

Good Morning! I've had to use the heat blanket the last few days, which means Fall has finally hit Wisconsin. The trees are changing color, and I can smell that Thanksgiving dinner already! Therefore, I'm so excited to be a part of today's Fall Blog Hop! You should have found your way here from Leslie. Thanks for joining us... I created a layout full of Fall images.

All of the images were taken near my cabin in the Northwoods of Wisconsin toward the end of fall. Lots of leaves, frost, and beautiful colors. This embossed sticker from We R Memory Keepers newest collection was perfect for the layout. 

To secure the stickers and add some texture, I stitched a few lines across each one. I distressed the edges of the cardstock and added a vellum layer. The pictures were meant to be the main focal point and speak for themselves; therefore, the embellishments were kept to a minimum. 

We can't have a blog hop without a fun prize! The Echo Park Reflections Paper Pack is up for grabs. To win, make sure to visit each blog along the way and leave a comment! 

Next up is Jennifer at My Reilly Boys and Me. In case you get lost along the way, here's the full blog hop order: 

Jessica at Finding Sunshine

Erica at Designs by Erica

Kelli at Use It Scrapbooking

Leslie at The Memory Nest

Nicole at She Zig Zags (me!)

Jennifer at My Reilly Boys and Me

Crystal at Capture the Moment

Tracy at Scrappy Chick Designs

Tammy at Creatively Me

Jessica at My Scrappy Corner

Thanks for joining us today! Happy Fall!

SUPPLIES :: American Crafts Cardstock, Paper Cut Vellum, We R Memory Keepers Harvest 6x6 Paper Pad & Embossed Stickers

TOOLS :: Fiskars Scrapbooking Rotary Trimmer, CTMH Paper Distresser, Brother Sewing Machine, MyStik Permanent Adhesive

PS October Sketch : Love You Forever

Good morning! I'm here today to share a great sketch from Liz Chidester. You can find the sketch with lots of inspiration from my fellow Design Team Members on the Practical Scrappers Blog. 

I made the layout below using the sketch; however, I forgot about the fall theme our Design Team was trying to incorporate. Therefore, you won't see it on the Practical Scrappers blog. But the sketch is just too fabulous, and the subject of this layout is just too cute. 

I kept the three blogs of paper behind the photos, but chose to add an additional layer. I also extended the small line on the bottom right of the photo to anchor the photos. The stars in the sketch were transfered onto the page as I found a few wood veneers in my stash. I mixed them with hearts, die cuts, and stamps. StazOn ink is a must-have when stamping on photos! Here are a few detail shots of the layout... 

Thanks for stopping by. We'd love to see your take on the sketch! Head over to Practical Scrappers for more inspiration and information on how to share your very own creation. 

SUPPLIES :: Pink Paislee Daily Junque Map, BasicGrey Jordan, We R Memory Keepers Cloudy Cardstock, American Crafts (Cardstock, Daiquiri Thickers, A Muse Studio Winter Sky Splash, Studio Calico (Mister Huey's Dark Calico, Hearts & Stars Wood Veneers, Project Life Kit Stamp), Market Street Stamps, Chic Tags Doily

TOOLS :: StazOn Jet Black Ink, A Muse Studio Acrylic Block, CTMH Paper Distresser

Poolside Easter : Colorful Layout

You read that title right! This past Easter my extended family celebrated Easter in a new way. We gathered at the pool house for food and swimming. It was a fun afternoon full of family. Inside it was warm, but outside was snowy and cold. 

I used BoBunny papers from their recent Key Lime collection. The 12x12 arrow paper was chopped up and used as embellishments throughout the page. I also added wood veneers and brads from Studio Calico's atlantic collection. 

The 'Easter' portion of the title was cut from patterned paper using the Silhouette Cameo. Still loving the cut-any-font-on-your-computer feature. The bright pink letters accented the pink in the photos, which unfortunately doesn't show up the greatest when photographed a second time for the blog. 

I'm definitely holding onto the last bit of summer with this layout. For the remainder of the day you can find me curled up in the sun next to the dog!

SUPPLIES :: BoBunny (Country Garden Dot, Key Lime Making Waves & Sun-Dew), Studio Calico (Atlantic Epoxy Brads & Wood Veneers, Darling Dear Gems), Heidi Swaap Day Glow Neon Letters

TOOLS :: Silhouette Cameo, Fiskars Scrapbooking Rotary Paper Trimmer, MyStik Permanent Adhesive

An Everyday Kind Of Day

Good morning! I recently discovered a few funny photos on my cellphone from a random night at a friends house. It's not fantastic photography, and my friend Hannah is making a funny face, caught with marshmallow on her face and wearing sweat pants. Why would anyone scrap these photos?! 

Well, the title of the layout answers that question. This is life. My life. Just everyday days where we lounge around the coffee table chatting about politics, our favorite movies, our fears, and how hungry we are. In that hunger, my dear friend Kimberly grabbed the ingredients for smores and started making them over the candles on the coffee table. We weren't sure whether or not this was healthy and safe, but we all followed her example. And... They were delicious. 

I've been convicted lately to not only add journaling and dates, but names of the people in these photos. That's part of the documentation process, right?! While teaching classes at Creations Galore, I give the example of picking up my grandmother's photos and not knowing who anyone in the photos are. I can't even recognize my own father in some! I'm trying hard to keep in mind who I'm scrapping for. For future generations and myself. And future self with a fading memory will love the triggers of their names next to the photos. 

There's a few trendy techniques that I'm still very much in love with... I sprinkled a bit of ink onto the background, distressed some of the paper edges, and added a vellum layer. 

The title was cut from patterned paper using the Silhouette Cameo. The butterfly is actually a sticker. I adhered it to white paper and cut it out so it wouldn't stick to the paper. It was then folded in half and stapled to the page. Instant dimension! 

Thanks for stopping by the blog today!

SUPPLIES :: American Crafts Cardstock, CTMH Vellum, We R Memory Keepers Rustic Ledger, Echo Park  For The Record 2 Journaling Cards, Hampton Art KI Flashback Little Things Stickers, Studio Calico (Hey Day Stickers, Mister Huey's First Kiss)

TOOLS :: Silhouette Cameo, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, CTMH Paper Distresser