Hello 42

In case you were wondering, I am in my forties and damn proud of it.  I used to think 40 and over was old but I don't feel old. I actually feel pretty stinking young still. Perhaps it's my young kids that keep me in my youth but whatever it is, I'll take it.  When I saw the numbers 4 and 2 in the February Gossamer Blue Main kit, I knew I had to use them to document me at 42 so I dug up a photo from last year and got to planning.

I ALWAYS go to the B side when I see paper with cameras on it but I embraced it this time and figured it'd be best for the selfie I took.

How to:

1. Cut a pattern paper to 9h x 12 w and adhere it to cardstock.
2. Add your photo on one side where the paper meets the cardstock
3. Add the title and embellishments around the photo and over the border where the paper meets the cardstock
4. Using pop dots, add some embellishments and journaling cards over some of the photos.  Note: I have some reflecting to do so I'll be adding my journaling later.

So there you have it...a photo about ME! Now I just need to figure out what I want to say about myself at 42. Not only is it good for me to capture elements of me, I think this will be great for my girls to have one day.

Thanks for stopping by! Head over to Gossamer Blue. The February kit is amazing and so are the add-ons.  You can see what the design team created in the February gallery.

Let It Go

Hi friends!  It's been a fabulous year working with Simple Stories and I am thankful for the opportunity to delight you all with inspiring projects using their incredible collections.  For my final design team project, I am soo excited to show you a fun layout I created using the Snow Fun collection.  It's doesn't get snowy here in the part of Texas where we live but this collection was PERFECT for documenting this year's Halloween, which was all about Frozen, for my my 6 year old.

How to: Cut and stitch the "Do you want to build a snowman?" card to the front of the "mountain top" card so that it creates a pocket for journaling.  Add a frame around your photo using the Frostbite and dark blue papers from the Collection Kit. Apply the pocket and the photo in the middle of the "Flurries" background paper, slightly offset from each other.

Cut the letters "LET IT" from the Elements #1 paper and adhere it over the journaling pocket. To complete the title, cut a super sized "Go" using your electronic die cut machine. I used the offset function to create a white background to ensure the word "GO" stands out on the page. Lastly, decorate the pre-printed snowflakes with enamel dots, brads and other embellishments.

Many thanks to Simple Stories for an amazing year!

The Good Life Layout + Sketch Planner

Today I'm highlighting a really cool concept from Simple Stories.  I'm sure you've all read about and seen the new Life Documented planners and collection and are just as excited about it as I am.  I had a strong need and desire to organize my life and I'm am just overjoyed to have such a great solution now!  

While I was putting my planner together to keep track of all family activities, do my meal planning, track deadlines, I came across the Planning Inserts.  Imagine a light bulb going off. No, even better...the clouds cleared and birds starting chirping.  I was that excited.

Do you see that cool little grid in the photo and the section below to plan out your photos, supplies, ideas, journaling???? Genius! I stopped everything I was doing and started sketching.  Take a look at how I used this cool feature of the planners.

I started by selecting the photos I wanted to scrap. Then, I pulled out my Life Documented supplies and started sorting through them, looking for the perfect papers and embellishments. I jotted them down along with a few other items I knew I wanted to use.  I didn't have any memorabilia this time. We ended up donating my daughter's hair to those in need but once we get the confirmation letter back, I will add it to the page somewhere, maybe behind.

I love that I can use this to plan everything out in advance so when I'm ready to scrap, I have my plan and I'm ready to go.

So, let's see how it all transpired into an actual layout...

I really wanted to use the awesome paper with all the words.  The words were soo fitting for what my daughter was doing.  She grew out her hair and it took her a while to make the decision to cut it but she did and I am soo proud of her.  She felt soo wonderful knowing that she was helping another child in need.  It was definitely a FABULOUS, EPIC, AWESOME thing for her to do.

I toned down the words on the paper by adding gesso and then I added the graphic section to the bottom, lining the dividing line with tags and banners.

I created the title using a combo of hand cut and die cut words.  I am still deciding what exactly I want to journal about but I do know it will go right there in the empty section near the title.

So, if you are thinking of getting one of these incredible planners, I highly recommend you get your hands on one now because I just know these will be flying off the shelves.  It is that amazing!

Supplies: 

4036 6x8 SN@P! Faux Leather Album -Teal

7048 Life Documented Planning Inserts

7042 6x8 Plastic Bookmarks

7051 Designer Washi Paper Tape

7054 Sticky Notes

7001Paper Kit

7016 Thinking Out Loud Designer Cardstock

7019 It's Your Life Designer Cardstock

7017 Words to Live By Designer Cardstock

7027 Bradz

7030 Insta Squares

7041 Label Stickers

Jingle All the Way

Simple Stories and Thermowen have teamed up this week (this includes prizes) and I am here with a fun way to use up those itty bitty scraps you've been hoarding. You know what I'm talking about...the ones that are a bit too small to do much with but you just love Simple Stories sooo much that you can't bear to throw them away!?!? Anyway, I challenged myself to use them up and I thought I'd pass the challenge along to you.  Take a look at what I created using the new Cozy Christmas collection.

I love this photo of my daughter holding her gigantic stocking that's filled to the brim with little goodies. I knew I had to create a re-create a jumbo sized stocking for this page.

How to:

• Using your favorite stocking cut file, enlarge it to fit the page. If it has circles already, move to step 2. If not, draw circle cut lines. Cut your stocking.
• Cut another stocking the same size but this time without the circles.
• Next, place your stocking with circles cut out over the offset stocking and draw the circles so you know what areas to cover with your scraps.
• Remove the stocking with the circles and add shimmer using glitter spray from Thermoweb. If you forget this step, just do what I did and cover your pattern paper with the circle cut-outs.

• Take your scraps of varying shapes and sizes and line them up in whatever way they fit. You may have to trim a bit here and there.

• Once you've placed all your scraps, place the stocking with circles cut out over the background. Stitch around the stocking and around each circle. Adhere or stitch to the page.
• Add the stocking trim at the top and embellish to your liking.
• Add your photo in the upper right side of the page or you can layer it over part of the stocking.. I chose to place it where it is to ensure it remained a key focal point on the layout vs. getting lost by mixing in with the stocking.

• Add your title in an open space on the stocking.

Many thanks to Therm O Web for the wonderful adhesive and glitter spray and to Simple Stories for the amazing Cozy Christmas collection.

Now head over to the Simple Stories blog, leave some love for me and ENTER TO WIN an awesome prize from Therm O Web.

Sunshine, Sand & Smiles

Aloha everyone! I just got back from a wonderful vacation in Hawaii and I'm already wishing I was back in the tropical wonderland. Upon my return, I was eager to jump in and start scrapping our vacation photos with the Simple Stories Good Day Sunshine collection. The rainbow of colors and the gradients just epitomize the bright, sunny days we spent on the beach. We were lucky enough to spent our second week in Hawaii with friends who live there. They took us to all the local stops, which included secluded beaches that we had to ourselves, like Makalawena. My oldest daughter claims that the sand is "angel soft" and she couldn't be more right.  It was the perfect sand for drip castles...

I was looking at this collection and I knew I wanted to scrap these photos with it but I didn't have a design in mind. As I was looking through all the great pieces of the collection, I was drawn to the SN@P! Pockets and SN@P! Cards. They inspired this offset grid design and it all just fell into place.

The cards are great by themselves but it's a fun part of the creative process to dress them up with embellishments. I also cut little strips to use as a border on the top, bottom and left, adding enamel dots for dimension.

This cute little journaling card fits perfectly in the SN@P pocket. Simple Stories is just cool like that!  You can also see the "HELLO" SN@P! Cut card. I love that it has the word pre-cut. You can leave it as it or do what I did and back it with solid or pattern paper. I added a die cut and sticker on top to dress it up a little more.

So who else is scrapping their summer photos with me? Are you doing individual layouts, a mini album, Pocket Pages or something else? I have a gagillion photos from this trip so I think I will do a combo of individual layouts mixed with Pocket Pages but I'd love to know what you are doing. 

Summer Fun

Summer Fun | Simple Stories Good Day Sunshine collection

 

I'm happy to say that the sun is shining and the pools and beaches are packed, which means summer is well underway.  

We spend a lot of time in the water during these hot Texas summer days so I thought I'd scrap this photo of my oldest in her water gear - goggles, braid and swim suit. Does it get any better than this?!?!

As I was looking through the papers to find my background, I decided to go a different route and use a strip from the 3x4 Elements paper. I found the perfect cards, cut them out, folded up the edges and stitched them to the rainbow background paper. 

 

I adore the banner stickers and I decided to simply line them across the top of the page and top it with the beautiful cloud paper.

 

The journaling is hidden in the little blue insert card at the top of the photo. Although the 3x4 cards have fun sentiments on them, I added a larger title at the bottom of the page. I love the large yellow chipboard dot. It helps being a definite end to the title statement, like a super-sized period.

 

I hope you are having a fantastic summer (or had a great one if yours just wrapped up).  As for us, we'll be in the pool (with a trip or two to the beach mixed on here and there) for the next couple of months so I'm hoarding this collection so we can scrap our memories.

 

Simple Stories Good Day Sunshine Supplies: 

Care Free 12x12 Paper #5805

Blue Skies12x12 Paper #5804

3x4 Journaling Card Elements12x12 Paper #5810

Fundamentals Cardstock Stickers #5802

Chipboard Stickers #5828

6x6 Paper Pad #5822

Enamel Dots #5831

Decorative Brads #5827

Bit & Pieces #5829

Thank My Lucky Stars...Kerri Bradford | Simple Stories Giveaway

I'm here today with another baby layout (see Month 1 and 2 HERE) using the new Hello Baby collection AND....and Kerri Bradford collaboration / giveaway. She blessed me with some of my favorite cutting files and today I'm going to share how I used the Thank My Lucky Stars cutting file. 

 

 

I chose to super size one of the stars and use it as my bold flagplant on the page. Once I sized it how I wanted it, I sprinkled little clusters of stars in the white space, making sure to leave lots of room for the title. 

 

 

I backed each of the little stars with pattern paper from the Hello Baby collection and then either stitched around the stars or right over them. I trimmed about 1/4" of the edges where the large star was cut and adhered the white background paper to the subtle music sheet paper. I took the large, cut out star and adhered different coordinating papers in each section of the star and then added it over the music sheet paper. Last step here was to stitch around the outside border of the star and then again right over the inside cut for the star.

 

Can I just tell you that Kerri's fonts, especially the hand writing ones are INCREDIBLE?!?! I just love how it completes my page and ties everything together.

 

Thanks Kerri and Simple Stories for the amazing designs and baby collection.

How how about a giveaway?!?!  

This week Simple Stories and Kerri Bradford will be giving 3 random lucky winners a $25 Spending Spree to Kerri's store! 

Hop on over to her site, check out what her design team did today with our products, then check out her store.  Then head over to the Simple Stories blog and leave a comment here telling them what you saw and loved (and leave me some love) and you'll be entered in the giveaway.  Also, Kerri's giving away some fun new Simple Stories product on her site as well, so head on over!

If you find some things there that you jneed RIGHT NOW, you can save 15% off on orders over $20.  

 

Supplies:

Kerri Bradford Thank My Lucky Stars cut file

Simple Stories Hello Baby: Pink Wood/Hearts, Blue Wood Stars, Wood Veneer/Music Basics 12 x 12 papers; 6x6 Paper Pads; Expressions Cardstock Stickers; Fundamentals Cardstock Stickers; Chipboard Stickers; Decorative Brads; Bits & Pieces

Baby Love

Last week, I shared month 1 of my youngest daughter's baby album, as part of Operation Baby Album catch-up. You can see it HERE. FYI, it's one of my favorite layouts!

I have done some of their baby pages already but it doesn't hurt to create more, right? 

As I mentioned last week, these 12x12 layouts will have complimentary Pocket Pages so I can include more photos, lots more journaling, and special things I may want to save. With that said, let's take a look at month 2, created using Simple Stories Hello Baby collection.

You know when you are so inspired by the products that the pages just come together naturally? Yep, that's what happens every time I get Hello Baby out. This collection makes creating these baby pages a breeze. 

I had some leftover pieces from paper I cut out for the Month 1 layout I showed last week so I put them to use on this layout by creating a wide border at the bottom and smaller one at the top.

I adore the sentiments that are pre-printed on the papers. They are great to use them as titles but I choose to create a title above and use the pre-printed one as a subtle message. I added hand and machine stitching, embellishments and journaling to complete the page.

Now I just need to get my hands on some 12x12 Pocket Pages so I can complete the complimentary 2nd page for each month!

Thanks for stopping by today. Now go on and get scrappy crafty.

Hello Sweet Little One - Reese @ 1 Month

This baby is 5 years old already. Actually, she's 5 1/2 but I digress. The point is, I am WAY behind on her baby album and even moreso behind on my 10 year old's album. I mean, I have scrapped baby photos but I want to go back and specifically go month by month and make sure it's all there with all the details.

The new Simple Stories Hello Baby collection is just what I needed to get back into the swing of things and now I have a plan.  My plan is to create a 12x12 layout with a coordinating 12x12 Pocket Page so I can include more photos and journaling details.  I am eagerly awaiting for my SN@P Pocket Pages to arrive but until then, how about a look at my youngest daughter's 1 month layout.

I was inspired to create this layout based on the So Sweet 12x12 paper. I love the pattern and wanted to use it as a background but I my photo got a bit lost so I cut up some of the paper elements and recreated the background.

I trimmed the pieces and then arranged them on the page and then stitched lines down the page. Once that was done, I added the title, photo and embellishments. 

I chose tone on tone wood grain alphas to add her name to the page. The journaling is included on a grey pull out tab behind the photo.

Thanks for stopping by today. I'll show her 2nd month layout very soon. Until then, visit the Simple Stories blog. Hint: it's up on the blog with this one today. Check back here for detailed shots soon.

You Shine

Hi friends! Today, I'm showing off a layout I created using a few of the April Gossamer Blue digital die cuts. Do you use the digital cuts and printables? Did you know that they are SUPER easy to trace and cut with your CAMEO? Seriously, all you have to do is import (copy/paste) the file into your Silhouette software, trace and cut. It's that simple!

Well, this month's files were perfect for scrapping these photos of my daughter at her dance recital last year. Yep, I'm a year behind but at least I got it done before her recital this year, which is this weekend. LOL

I chose to use the star background paper by Simple Stories and paired it with a bit of the star transparency paper from Crate Paper, sprinkling in a star cutting file I created, which can be downloaded HERE, along with wood veneer stars, chipboard stars, brads, washi and more.

The film strip die cut from this month's cutting files was PERFECT for capturing the various parts of the dance routine. I enlarged it to fit the majority length of the page, which allowed me to use larger photos. I simply trimmed the left and right sides of the photos so it wouldn't show through the holes on the sides and adhered them to the back of the film strip at the tops and bottoms.

I love the look of a handwritten title. It's a good change every once in a while from the standard alphas. The die cut file was a simple import, trace, resize to the size that fit my page and cut. Instant perfect title.

Here's a close-up of some of the embellishments. The wood veneer stars were great alone or nested but my faves might be the ones that are open in the middle. I matched them over some of the pre-printed colored stars on the paper, as seen in the photo below.

Thanks for stopping by today. I'd love to see your layouts using the die cuts in the Gossamer Blue gallery or post a link to your blog in the comments so I can check them out.

Supplies:

April 2014 Main Kit, April Bits & Pieces Kit, April 2014 Life Pages Kit, April  Life Pages Main Add-On, April Life Pages Themed Add-On, Add- On Kit #3

Enjoy Today | It's Beautiful

I gotta shout from the roof tops just how much I LOVE the Simple Stories DIY Boutique collection. The colors are just so bright and fun and it has such a great mix of patterns, from stripes, to polka dots, chevrons, flowers, basics, you name it, it's there. And if you haven't learned yet...I love mixing patterns.

Let me walk you through this layout I created to document a day at the park with my littlest girl.
 

I wanted to pull out the yellow color in the tire swing so I chose to use the yellow and white polka dot paper as my background. And, I knew I wanted to use the floral paper because it matches my daughter's shirt perfectly. Third, I knew I wanted to use all those fabulous sticker, brads and enamel dots in a big way. First, though, I had to create a foundation for them so I stitched a strip of the red paper across the page and then folded the edges up, allowing them to tear here and there.
 
See? See how perfectly that floral paper matched my daughter's shirt. I couldn't have planned it any better. LOL. I added a multi-colored black polka dot frame over a section of vellum to help soften the floral pattern just a bit. I offset the photo to the left of my page. I used foam dots to adhere a couple of sentiment stickers.

 

To create this cluster of embellishments, I knew I needed to use at least 3 different shapes. I chose hearts, flowers and butterflies. I started by placing the largest shapes first and then the medium pieces. I tucked a few under my photo mats and let some hang off the left and right side of the page. Then the little bits filled in the gaps perfectly. If you look closely, you can see that I added 3 yellow sentiment stickers on the yellow paper. I like the subtly of it scattered here and there.

So, that's my layout today. I hope this inspired you to grab all your embellishments packs you've been hoarding and put them to use to create a fun little clustered embellishment page. I think that would make a great weekend project.

Thanks for stopping by today.

DIY Boutique Supplies:
6x6 paper pad | 5122Chipboard | 5128Brads | 5127Yellow Chevron/Dots | 5116Stickers - Boutique | 5141Enamel Dots - Teal, Red & Yellow | 5129Enamel Dots - Pink, Green & Orange | 5130Stickers - Icons | 5140Stickers - Words | 5142

Poppin' Tags @ Audrey's with my scrappy BFF's

I'm here to share a couple of projects I made using A Charmed Life and DIY Boutique collections.

"Poppin' Tags" PageMaps Layout | DIY Boutique

I love working with sketches so when the opportunity to worj with Becky Fleck's March PageMaps presented itself, I jumped at the opportunity. The sketch was perfect for documenting a girl's weekend with some of my favorite scrappy friends. The DIY Boutique collection, with it's bright colors and great sentiments, was a sure fit for fun times with friends.

To create this layout, take a peek at the PageMaps sketch and follow these easy steps:

1. Trim a 1/2" inch off the top and one side of the grey woodgrain paper.
2. Center over the polka dot paper and adhere.
3. Stitch a 9" diameter circlein the upper right of the page, approximately 1 1/2" from the top of the grey and 1/4"  from the right. TIP:Draw your circle in light pencil first to use as a stitching guide. Erase after you've sewn  on the page.
4. Cut a 6" diameter circle out of the bright pink paper.
5. Cut a 5" circle out of the black/white polka dot. Adhere inside the pink circle. TIP: This is the B side of the pink paper so I cut these at the same time by simply cutting them inside each other. I just flipped the middle over and it was a perfect fit inside the pink circle.
6. Stitch it to the layout overlapping the larger stitched circle as well as overlapping the black polka dot on the side.
7. Cut frames out of the frame paper in the 6x6 paper pad. Arrange them around your photo.
8. Embellish with sentiments, stickers, brads, etc.
9. Add cards to the top and bottom to pull the layout together. 
10. Embellish with more stickers, enamel dots, brads, mist, etc.
11. Add your title and journaling to complete the page.

Supplies from the DIY Boutique collection:

• 6x6 Paper Pad | 5122
• Insta-Frames | 5145
• Chipboard | 5128
• Brads | 5127
• Outside the Box 12x12 Paper | 5106
• Who's to Say? 12x12 Paper | 5107
• Boutique Dots/Pink 12x12 Paper | 5113
• Card Foundations | 5126
• Stickers - Boutique | 5141

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today. I hope you have a great St. Patty's Day!

Happy. Go. Lucky.

Hi everyone. I just wanted to share another project I made for the Simple Stories booth at CHA, using the A Charmed Life collection.

Happy. Go. Lucky. | A Charmed Life

I absolutely LOVE to stitch on my layouts and this one (and the one below) are no exception.  To create this layout, grab your A Charmed Life supplies and do the following:

1. Cut the 6x12 Page Elements (Hearts) Paper in half to use on the right side of the page
2. Cut the Navy Stripe Paper at 8"x12". Machine stitch in different places along the stripes with navy thread to get a tone on tone effect.
3. Adhere the stitched navy paper to the left side of plain cardstock. 
4. Adhere the heart paper to the right side overlapping the navy.
5. Cut small strips of the Happy. Go. Lucky paper and adhere where the paper seams meet.
6. Using the Green Stripes, Happy Times papers, along with 3x4 snaps cards and the tag from the Bits & Pieces, distress and layer them under your photo. 
7. Cut the Happy. Go. Lucky. card from the Insta squares into individual banners. Staple over the photo.
8. Add embellishments (chipboard, die cuts, fussy cut elements) to your page. Use pop dots of various sizes to add dimension.
9. Add a journaling spot and you are done!

 

Happy. Go. Lucky Project Supplies from the A Charmed Life collection:

• 6x12 Page Elements 12x12 Paper | 3715
• Navy Stripes 12x12 Paper | 3717
• Happy. Go. Lucky. 12x12 Paper | 3707
• Green Stripes 12x12 Paper | 3721
• Happy Times 12x12 Paper | 3709
• Insta-Squares | 3730
• SN@P Cards | 3723
• Chipboard | 3728
• Bits & Pieces | 3729

Thanks for stopping by today!

Families Stick Together

Hi friends.  I'm excited that I can finally share one of the layouts I created for the Simple Stories booth at CHA. This one is using the new Homespun collection.

I just love the colors of this collection. It has such a wonderful combination of daintiness to mixed with masculine elements. I love, love, LOVE it!

True to myself, I layered and distressed fun patterns, adding fussy cut and pre-cut embellishments behind and around the photo.  Did I mention that this photo was taken by the uber talented, Allison Schnurr? Love her! Anywho, I love the doily paper so I cut some of them out and placed them around the photo and in a few other spots on the layout. And I must of been crazy when I decided to cut out all the red and blue flowers with those tiny stems and yellow buds.  What was I thinking?  Well, whatever it was, I'm glad I did it because I love what they add to the look of the layout.

I chose to use the FAMILY letters from the chipboard to make a bold title. I then used word stickers to add a sub-title. I would normally used this empty space to do my journaling but these words were too perfect.  I'll just add my journaling on the back because there's a few things I want to say about these sisters but I'd like to keep it hidden.

So whattaya think about my debut project for the Simple Stories team? I gotta say that I absolutely love their new collections and I can't wait to show you the projects I've been busy creating! Stay tuned for more soon.