Page protectors for sale.

Upon returning home from Jamaica I went to order my supplies to make the adorable mini-album below and the page protectors were out of stock multiple places. Being my heart was already set on this idea I wasn't giving up. I checked that handy box that says "email me when back in-stock" and hoped for the best. Luckily, I only waited a few days before I received said email. And then I over ordered just to be on the safe side, I've been known for doing this from time to time.
I have 3 unopened 4x4 We R Memory Keepers page protectors for sale. That makes 30 page protectors. I will sell them at cost or even cheaper. I would just hate them not to be used. Plus, if they are still difficult to come by I'd love to help someone out. Please contact me if interested.

Instagram Mini-Album.

I am in love with Instagram which has all the yummy photos without the Facebook drama. So when I saw this 4x4 Instagram Mini-Album from We R Memory Keepers I knew that's what I would create with our Jamaica photos before we even left U.S. soil. I was running all my photos through Instagram in our resort lobby while on vacation to make for quick work when I got home. I also made a daily log of our activities on my IPhone in the "NOTES" for journaling purposes.

The album holds 4x4 page protectors. Some are divided into 2x2 sections. I had difficultly getting my hands on extra page protectors because every place seemed to be sold out when I arrived back home. More on that another day. I do all my Instagram printing at persnicketyprints.com. I prefer the cardstock print which is a few cents more, but worth every penny. Plus, they have the 2x2 option right in their normal product list. I even ended this adorable little album with one of their cute coupons they include in your order.

I used a few different lines that were made with this beautiful square look. Jet Set Albums Made Easy by We R Memory Keepers and Summer & Travel Sn@P Insta Squares by Simple Stories. These products made this project so easy, because they are precut 4x4 and 2x2 pieces. Most of the time I was just slipping my pieces into place.

The Instagram Mini-Album is the perfect size for a vacation or special event album. It fits nicely in your hand and isn't going to take up a ton of storage space. It gives you the opportunity to tell your story without being a huge time consuming project.

I didn't want to leave out the details of our trip. I computer generated all the journaling in the same font to give it a cohesive look. I used the traveling typewriter font for the entire album, but used it in many different ways. Some pages are a 4x4 journaling page the shares the events of a whole day. Others I used a 2x2 spot or even added a banner right onto the photo to include a small side note.

This trip was Eli's first stamp in his passport. It was special for so many different reasons. The moments above of us in the waterfall are priceless. It's something I never want to forget. This mini-album also allows me to share these moments with our friends and family in an easy and fashionable way.





National Scrapbook Day.

Happy National Scrapbook Day! A holiday that I could really get into. Now, if only I could get my family to shower me with scrappy goodness wrapped in a neatly tied bow.
Scrapbooking isn't just about beautiful paper, playful ribbon, and trendy embellishments. It's truly about telling your story, documenting your life, and preserving your families' history. Our Grandmothers did this by putting pictures in an album and adding the name and date of when the picture was taken. Our Moms might of attempted to do the same by writing names and dates on the back of the actual photo. These are both acceptable methods of scrapbooking. See there are no rules. Scrapbooking doesn't have to be a time consuming task. You don't need expensive tools or the newest products on the market. All you need is your photos, your memories, and a pen.
Life is full and life is busy. As a family we are able to experience so many amazing milestones. Unfortunately, there isn't always time to sit and enjoy it, because the next milestone is right around the corner. From holidays and birthdays to fishing trips and a visit to the zoo I don't want to forget any of it. But more importantly sometimes I need to be reminded of how wonderful our life is. It's truly my favorite story to tell.

Number 4.

Yesterday I started thinking about number 5 which made me reflect on last year's birthday. Eli had a tractor/farm birthday party at a local entertainment type of farm. The kids played on the playground, fed the animals, and we all went on a hayride. It was a great party and it deserved a great layout.
On this page I wanted to include the invitation which I made using my Silhouette Cameo. I did this by titling the photo strip style pictures. This gave me enough room to slip in the invitation, but not let it take focus away from the photos. I used a cluster of tags on top of a doily to keep the page trendy without losing it's simplicity. I also used a border punch for the main piece of pattern paper on this layout. NOTE: I didn't throw away all the pieces I punched. I used a few of the star around the title and wanted them to appear as if they were falling. I used very basic scrapbooking techniques with a touch of fussiness to create this eye appealing page. I like these colors. I like this layout. I like telling this story. I love that boy.

Vacation memories.

Vacation memories are priceless. A special time for people or a family to be together. To bond over sharing the same experience. To explore and have an adventure. To relax and recharge. Vacations memories are meant to be made, shared, told, and remembered.
We experienced so many wonderful things on our recent vacation I can't wait to tell everyone about it. I plan to do that with a vacation mini- album. One sweet little album just for this sweet little trip. Luckily, I knew what kind of album I wanted to make before we even left the ground. This allowed me to think ahead about the photos I wanted to take. I created a daily log of our adventures in my iPhone notes feature. This will help with journaling, remembering the details, and the sequence of the actives when putting together the album. All things I struggle with once I get into the creative process. One vacation mini-album coming up!

On Vacation.

We had such a good time last year in Jamaica we are on our way for another visit. This time we are taking our Son. It will be his first out of the country trip. I am looking forward to a week of sand castle building, pool jumping, and relaxing. I am so excited for him to experience this adventure with us. Don't miss me too much. I'll bring back the sunshine.

Card making.

After taking a long break, card making has sparked my interest once again. It fits very nicely into my life right now. Cards are usually less time consuming which allows me to finish a project and still receive that feeling of accomplishment. Also, taking on smaller projects when I know my time is limited is a smart way for me to stay creative. I am in between albums so this is a great opportunity for me to make cards before I dive head first into the next scrapbook album.
I do not do a lot of stamping in my scrapbooks. This is when my stamps and inks get a work-out. It's not something intentional I've done, it's just the way I work. I also like to use foam adhesive squares to give my cards dimension and separate different layers of paper. I mentioned in the previous post, I prefer 6x6 paper packs for cards making. The smaller scale of the patterns looks nicer within the smaller space. Unfortunately, I don't have many of them on hand. I guess I have to go shopping!

Housewarming Card.

Just wanted to share the above card today to let you know I am still here. I wish I could say I've been crafting away, but life seems super busy right now. The lack of blog post and crafting time is directly related to the previous post and announcement. River has been keeping me on my toes. It's almost like having a baby in the house again.
This housewarming card was made from an older My Mind's Eye 6x6 paper pack. I haven't been in the habit of buying 6x6 paper packs for a long time, but they really are the best for making cards. The patterns of 6x6 packs are repeated on a smaller scale which is a much better options for cards. I envisioned this card much simpler than it came out. I wanted the Freckled Fawn wooden veneer house to stand alone as the main feature, but the empty space where the Heidi Swapp "family" sentiment ended up required something. I tried multiple elements in that spot before choosing the "family" sticker. I am happy with the final product I created and a little amazed the direction this card took me in. The mix and match technique of various different element I had on hand worked out this time.

Introducing River!

Over the weekend we welcomed this handsome boy into our home. River is a Vizsla and quite possibly the cutest dog around. He's small and sweet and just weeks away from destroying our house. I believe While the Lil' Boy Sleeps just gained a new meaning. Now, with two handsome boys, one with two legs and one four legs, life is full. A full life means more stories to tell and more pictures to take.
A new puppy means I am in the market for some puppy scrapbook paper. I've already been taking a peek at a few different lines. I might decide on a mini-album and maybe even using pocket pages. I am still investigating my options. Eli's yearly album is usually pretty large if I try to add in all the puppy pictures it just might burst at the seams. A separate album for the puppy makes the most sense to me. I can't resist this super cute opportunity to create more pages. The memories between these two little boys are going to be endless and so very special. I can't wait to start documenting their story. I must be the luckiest girl in the world.

Happy Spring.

I am ready. Bring on the warmish wind, the green grass, the long walks, the crocuses, and most importantly the tulips. The adorable little guy who also resides in this house is ready too. Yesterday, Eli got his very first brand new bike. He told the man at the bike shop he was looking for a "big boy bike with training wheels." Unfortunately, the weather isn't going to stop him from riding it. So, it would be helpful if I didn't have to freeze outside while watching the little boy ride for hours and hours.
I have a few more Christmas layouts I wanted to share, but I am no longer in the mood. I am going to take this opportunity as a good excuse to move on. I hope to re-visit some non-Christmas layouts of Eli's album that I haven't shared yet. Happy Spring everyone. Don't forget your umbrella.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

I saw the idea for shamrock bouquets on Pinterest and just had to recreate it. I am so happy I did. These bouquets were fun to make and are super cute. I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out the shamrocks. I placed them on wooden skewers with a hot glue gun. I did add a matching back for a more finished look. I cut the skewers to accomplish an arrangement that was eye appealing. The bottles that contain the extra rainbow flag were bigger in circumference and required a little more to look filled and hold the skewers where I wanted them. I added a Baker's Twine bow to the bottle for an extra punch of green. Happy St. Patrick's Day. May the luck of the Irish be with you today and always.

Money Pizza.

I created this Money Pizza for my Nephew who is turning 9. I think it's a difficult age to buy for. A little too old for toys and not old enough for a gift card. My solution was to order up a Money Pizza. I purchased the pizza box at our local pizza shop for 58 cents. I used dollar bills to create the circular pizza. For the toppings I used Sacagawea dollars, Presidential dollars, Fifty Cent pieces, and Quarters. The entire pizza is worth $ 26.50. A nice amount for a Nephew gift. This pizza could be created for any amount by changing the denomination of the coins or layering more dollars. I think this is a super fun gift and can't wait to give it to him.

Happiness is.....

Color coordinated jars of buttons. Yes, it is! I've wanted to do this for a long time and finally did. I admit it. I am one of those weirdos that get excited about organization. Especially organization that's so pretty. The best part was our 4 year old son helped me sort and separate the buttons. It worked out well for a cold day activity. Now my heart sings every time I walk through the scrapbook room and glance over at my newly added button jars. Oh, the simple things in life.

Gift wrap for boys!

I think most 5 year old boys would be happy to receive this package on their birthday. This gift is for my son's friend, as long as I can convince Eli to give it away. I wrapped the gift in Kraft paper using my tape runner, because I didn't want any visible Scotch tape on the package. The road style washi tape really got my wheels turning for this idea. Ha, get it! I placed the washi tape in the same fashion as you would a ribbon. I added the car by adhering it's wheels with glue dots. I searched Eli's playroom for one more element and quickly came up with the one way sign. I believe the wrapping makes this gift special for a special little boy.

A new computer.

A new computer seems to create a lot work and frustration. My husband tries to tell me he is not "my IT guy," but I know how he truly feels. Luckily, he was able to recover all our photos, documents, and my Silhouette files. It wasn't until yesterday when I went to do a project, I realized I should've had him recover my fonts also. Thank goodness for Pinterest, my go-to place for fonts. You can find my collection of font pins under My Likes on my Pinterest page. So yesterday I started my collection fonts all over again. This gave me a fresh start and look at things. I skipped over the fonts I truly never used. Let's face it, some just don't cut well especially with vinyl and others you think you like, but end up never using.
We also said good-bye to the trusty old internet explorer and went with a new browser. A browser that blogger seems much more compatible with and will make blogging easier for me. I guess I am "back in service" which is what "the IT guy" would say.

This isn't your Grandma's vellum.

I feel like vellum is making a comeback. It was popular in the early days and quickly became old and tired, and filled with quotes. Now it's being used in a whole different way because of 2 new trends. The first being layering. It's the perfect element to add in a layer without add much at all. Use vellum when you need something to break up colors or patterns. Or use it when an additional layer is required, but you don't want to add another color or pattern. It will also give you a softer look. Which brings us to the second trend of very white pages. While trying to achieve a very calm white page use vellum to soften colors and patterns. It also will give you another texture without adding any color at all.
On this layout I used vellum to mat my photo, make a tab, and add some stars. I felt like the paper was perfect for this photo and didn't want to change it much at all. Nope, it's not my bad layout photography again. This picture was taken on Christmas Eve by my boy who once again stole my phone. After a little help from Instagram I decided it was worthy. The cork calendar is from Freckled Fawn. The enamel dots in the lower right corner are from Teresa Collins. With a few stars and an old rub-on I had on hand, I feel like I added some beautiful elements without taking away from the paper or the photo. I also feel like I achieved that glowing Christmas look I was searching for.

We did it, again

We have moved back home and after a year of transition and caring for 2 homes we are settling back in. What a journey. I took a longer than expected blog break, but hope to pick up where I left off.  Unfortunately, it was just after the big announcement about the completion of Eli's scrapbook. When in fact I planned to fill these pages with layouts from that album. Not so much! Since we were moving back to our own home we had the luxury of doing it slowly. Without realizing it, the camera cord was packed up and sent to our old home. I was left with the camera, the scrapbook to photograph, but no way to transfer them onto the computer. Just a small oversight. What I thought would've been a week break quickly turn into two weeks. But now I am back and can't wait to show you a few pages. Thanks for your patients.

Double layout.

This double page layout was created using a PageMaps University sketch. PageMaps University was a 4 week online class I participated in. Each week they would email you sketches, instructions, product lists, and cutting files. It was a nice resource for inspiration.
The first day of school is quickly becoming my favorite "holiday" to scrap. This double layout was made with Smarty Pants by Simple Stories. I added very few elements outside the collection. The cork stars are from Fancy Pants. I am most proud of the tiny little yellow manila envelop that just happened to be hanging out around my desk. It's perfect for that spot.
The journaling was computer generated. I often use my Silhouette program to create journaling that requires specific dimensions. I create a box with the exact dimensions and stay within that area, making my text fit well and scaled to size. On this layout I used a font called "play date." I wanted a fun, school like font and this seemed to work well. This page took me a considerable amount of time including a lot of pre-planning. I am proud with the result and happy it is completed.

Album completed.

Goal achieved. Mission accomplished. My 2013 scrapbook album is completed and it's a great feeling. The album itself is an American Crafts 3-ring binder. This is the third time I've used this album and it will continue to be my album of choice.
This years' scrapbook is made up of 57 pages. 127 photos. 4 pocket pages. 2 double layouts. 12 Christmas pages. 6 birthday layouts. 30 different people including Santa and Mrs. Claus. 2 pages without any photos. 1 class photo. 71 pieces of wood veneer. 37 sequins, not including the see through envelop full of sequins. All because of 1 handsome boy.
This scrapbook documents my family's story. My favorite story to tell. Now it's tell to make more memories so I can do it all over again. I can't wait. A

Holiday concert.

I am so lucky to have such a handsome boy to help me create beautiful pages. I love this picture. The green dove pattern paper is from Tradition by Authentique Paper. So is the striped paper and a few of the embellishments. A company that I am not so familiar with, but plan to be after this layout. I think it's a perfect match with this photo. The Charles Dickens quote was taken from the product strip attached to the paper. I knew I wanted to use it as soon as I discovered it. I struggled with the title on this page because I refused to omit that quote. I settled on the above because the size of the letters worked well with the other elements.
I used a few gold accents which turned out great with the different cream tones being used. This is a much more successful way for me to use gold. Compared to the previous gold page I attempted, this makes me feel like I am not ready to give up on the gold trend, yet.

4x6 photo case.

Today I am sharing a product that I've just discovered and couldn't be happier with. This 4x6 photo case is simple and inexpensive. The exact case above is made by ArtBin and I purchased at A Cherry on Top for $2.49. And I think it's worth every penny. This tickles both ends of my funny bone; photos and organization. I was able to find a similar case at the local five & dime store for only $1.39. I bought 10 of them and plan on giving them to the unorganized people I love the most.
Of course I added a label for the date. I used some small journaling stickers that I probably wouldn't of used otherwise. The options are endless with all the cute labels and tags on the market right now. You could also use washi tape. I plan on organizing all of our loose pictures this way. One of the most helpful ways I'll use this box is on my scrapbook desk for all those extras that don't make the cut. This will keep my desk clean and eye only on the photos that are on the to do list. Happiness for $2.49. I'll take it!

All pages aren't created equally.

They just aren't! Some pages take more time. Some take less. You can dedicate a ton of time to create a page and the end result just doesn't make your heart flutter. On the other hand, sometimes the simplest page will speak to you. It might be the layout, the photo, the attempt of trying a new technique, the story you are documenting, or maybe you finally decided to use that one piece of paper you've been saving for just the right project. Regardless the reason, it's normal to take more pride in one compared to another. This also applies to the cost of pages. A page with 52 embellishments, tons of papers, and a long Thickers title will usual cost more than a page the demands less fussiness and a Cameo cut title. To me, these factors seem to balance out each other.
Previously, I've told you my albums are in calendar year fashion. Starting fresh in January and always ending the album with way too many Christmas layouts. When I review the album as a whole I always have my favorites. I also always have a handful of pages the I am not that fond of. Both of these groups are surrounded by pages that fall someplace in the middle. Full of pictures I don't want to forget and stories I am proud to tell. Simple pages and more difficult ones. Pages that are expensive and other made out of scraps. The balance of these pages make my albums perfectly complete to me.

Gold.

Gold is pretty trendy right now in the scrap book world. Actually, did you notice the amount of metallic dresses at The Golden Globes? Yup, style and design trendys seem to hit everything from fashion and home to our crafts to what we think is COOL right now. I had high hopes for this page and I think it fell a little short.
The picture is a metallic print from Persnickety Prints. The metallic print is a super cool product, but is picture dependent. It takes the right picture to really show of the shine. I have a better example in the days to come. With the glowing lights of the carousel I knew this was the picture to take a stab at a gold page.
I paired the gold with wood elements and kraft paper. A mix I am seeing a lot of different places. The stars are from Studio Calico. The stacked group of gold embellishments are from Crate Paper by Maggie Holmes, who seems to be leading the pack with the most beautiful gold accents. I placed the title on one of those accents. Wow, where did that beautiful hand writing come from? From me, thanks to my collection of fonts and a printer. I made use of the see through window and traced my title. I used the Silhouette program for the correct sizing and placement. Not a bad idea, huh?
I am happy I tackled this trend with enthusiasm, but not very enthusactic about the results. But that's OK, not all pages are created equally.

Sending cake to heaven.

My favorite thing about this page is the subject matter. These pictures were taken on my brother's birthday, because Eli insisted that we had to send a piece of birthday cake to Uncle Travis. This is the first opportunity I've had to scrap about the passing of my brother. Travis died 3 years before Eli was born and there isn't a day that goes by that I wish they had met each other. I always have and will continue to talk about Uncle Travis with Eli. He knows that he is in heaven. This year I suggested sending some balloons to him on his birthday, but that wasn't good enough. Eli wanted to send cake. We were very unsure if it would even work, but I had to give it a shot. Let's just say it was a tiny amount of cake due to weight and engineering problems.
I wanted this page to be fun and bright. It was a birthday celebration and I wanted it to look that way. I picked a playful piece of pattern paper. On top I framed it with some birthday ribbon, on bottom I
used a piece of washi tape. I love the white on white clouds. I cut them out with my Silhouette Cameo in various different textures of white and velum. I pulled a few clouds down into the picture area and paired them with some important words. I took the time to journal on this page because it was such a special occasion and I wanted the story to be told. Journaling tags seem to be my favorite lately.
Thoughtfulness is something Eli & Travis have in common. I am so proud. Always remember, never forget. Big T in the sky.

Unplanned pages.

The above page is the product of an all day crop. It was the last page on the to do list. My eyes were tired, my back was aching, and my creative brain was starting to misfire. My only plan was to make sure this picture made it in to the album. Hey, it's not everyday I get a picture of myself that I approve of. It turns out that I kind of like the result of too many m&m's, laughter, and exhaustion.
If you've read any of my other blog post you know I am a planner. I struggle with allowing myself to just create without over thinking it. I think this page is fun, corky, and eye pleasing. It reminds me to just create! That the result will not be a disaster. The vintage mini playing cards were an Etsy.com find that I scored. A super fun embellishment I might have not used if I had planned this page out.

Pretty pages for boys.

This is the prettiest page my guy has ever had. I am guilty! His scrap book is full of primary colors and bursting with navy blue layouts. But so is our laundry basket. The vibrant colors of the flowers in this picture made me search for bright greens & purples. I stayed mostly within collection lines with an older My Mind Eye's line. It was actually a 6x6 paper pack I had on hand and I was able to accomplish what I wanted to with it. I feel like the black accents with the kraft paper make this somewhat girly page successful for my rough and tough boy. I am pleased with the result of using more girly papers and hope this has opened my mind to looking past the boy paper lines. NOTE: The "favorite" wood veneer was actually a speech bubble. I snipped off the extra little piece to make it work where I wanted it to. Yes, I had him buy flowers for a date with his cousin to see Berenstain Bears Live. I remind myself daily that I have a man in training and he is going to have to snag a good girl so I can be relieved  of my duties.

December activies.

The above calendar was floating around Pinterest and I knew I wanted to use it as soon as I saw it. It took a little investigating and a few different pins until I found it's original source. I located the calendar as a printable on another beautiful ladies' blog. Most seem to be using it for their December Daily album which is usually a mini-album. But who has time for a mini-album when you are a loyal 12x12 girl. I printed it as a full page 8.5x11, because that is the biggest size I am capable of printing. I then placed it on card stock. I added all of our holiday activities to the calendar as the days grew closer to Christmas. I am super happy I took the time to document the holiday season. I am not so happy this page is full of my ugly handwritting, but I had no other choice due to lack of space. Being OK with my handwritting is something I hope to work on this year. Following this page in the album will be many of activies listed above.

Goal set.

The goal is to finish last year's album before we move! Move date is February 10th and I am hovering someplace before Halloween in the album's progress. With Eli back in school I feel like this might be a realistic goal. Which is the thought right before I remind myself of all the packing and cleaning there is to be done. Ugh. The only other fact working against my success is that I tend to have a heavy trigger finger around the holidays. When I first started scrapping I vowed not to be one of those crazy Christmas paper addicts. In the previous weeks I've had my on eye on the holiday collections and thinking that maybe those Christmas crazy ladies aren't all that bad. Realistic or not, I am going to go for it. Wish me luck. Ready. Set. Go.

Neon colors.

Neon colors isn't something I have a lot of experience with, but this photo was begging for them. I had to do some digging in my stash to see if I even had enough neon color elements to create a page. I placed them on a white 12x12 page to make them pop. I did very little planning for this page which is something I am becoming better at and hope to keep doing. What? No journaling again, Bridgett? Not true. Take a closer look at those Tim Holtz playing cards. E4 S3. Yup, that's right Eli, age 4 Stella, age 3. That's enough journaling for me. Also take a closer look at the white resin flower on the bobby pin. It's another amazing embellishment from Freckled Fawn. A company that seems to be right on trend these days. The male-female washi tape is also from them. That makes two elements that worked well with my neon colors and my two favorite little people.

Teachers gifts.

These were the gifts Eli gave his teachers for Christmas. I had to dig out the vinyl for this one. The clipboard is very inexpensive and just fun. I did adhere the apple and her name to the back of the clipboard to prevent bumps while writing when in use. Don't forget that means you have to mirror your images and layer backwards. Not a difficult task if you have the basic vinyl skills under your belt. Just takes a little more brain power to stop and think it out. A lot of times when making tumblers I pick up whatever is on sale, but I wanted these ladies to receive a nice cup. So, this time I spent a little extra to get the nice cups they sell at Bed, Bath, & Beyond. That way if my vinyl falls apart they will still have a nice cup. I made a cute little tag stating "top dishwasher rack only" and filled the cup up with Kisses. Don't forget these extra steps to make your gift look complete.