Simple Magic : Simple Scrapper

Even bad (let's call them questionable, maybe?) photos that evoke sweet memories can make a good scrapbook page in my opinion.  The photos are certainly good enough to help spark the memory, despite being dark -- and who doesn't love a little lens flare?  I love the feeling of fall in this page.  Makes me want to trade in my hot cocoa for a little apple cider.

Again, this is a page done with a Simple Scrapper Sketch and Story Starter.  I think it turned out super cute, and it totally captured a memory that I want to save.  Aren't the most precious moments of motherhood those quiet afternoons of pretend and sweet hugs?  Well, the most precious moments are *really* a glass of wine after the little one is in bed, but this is a close second.  :)

I've got lots more to share this month, so stay tuned for more!

The Premium Membership at Simple Scrapper provides skills and shortcuts to help you simplify and find more meaning in your memory keeping.

Rock The Chalk : Simple Scrapper

Hello Happy Campers!  Can you believe it is December already?  OMG, me either!  I'm about to enter into a world full of Hanukkah Magic -- and, speaking of Magic, that happens to be this month's Story Starter theme at Simple Scrapper.  I was inspired to create this sweet and funky little layout featuring me and my best girl getting a little Adam Ant with a tub of sidewalk chalk last month.  This was my first month with Simple Scrapper, and I can honestly say that I am loving it.  You know that rut you sometimes feel when you know you want to scrap something but you aren't sure what?  That was totally solved!  I feel more creative than ever.  So A+ to that fabulous group of ladies -- so much inspiration!

I'll be back with another layout later this week.  Right now I think I need to hang up some dreidle decorations.  Whoo-hoo!

The Premium Membership at Simple Scrapper provides skills and shortcuts to help you simplify and find more meaning in your memory keeping.  You should totally check it out, for real.

December Daily Base Pages Pt. 1

Like everyone else in the scrapbooking world, I'm getting my base pages ready for this year's december daily.  I'm going ultra basic this year with black, white, gold and kraft.  A hint of silver, too.  Since I don't celebrate Christmas, red and green isn't really my bag.  I'm really loving this color way, though.  I think I could scrap everything in these colors.  

Cover Page Detail

A little bag to put trinkets in

Using Ali Edwards' 2012 December Daily Stamp Set

Lots of layers and pages of different sizes

Those gold scallops are on a 4x4 page

I stamped the back of the pocket with the doily glued on it so it looks good on both sides of the protector.

I'm about half way done with bases so far, which is pretty good progress.  I'm stalking instagram looking at what everyone else is up to.  I love looking at December Dailies!

Pulling Together my December Daily

This is a quick and dirty nap-time snapshot.  Excuse my lighting.

Okay, I'll admit it.  I have a love/hate affair with December Daily albums.  Love because I mean, it's a fun project and a neat way to document a very unique time of year and it feels so SPECIAL.  And hate because I'm Jewish and, well, December Daily is very Christmas-y.  And I LOVE looking at everyone else's red and green albums with their belighted pine trees and elves on shelves -- but that's not my life.  I've got candles and dreidels.  I've got potato pancakes and jelly doughnuts.  And it's awesome and I love it, but sometimes it just doesn't mesh with all the DD stuff out there.

 So this year, I'm totally going non-traditional and owning it.  I used Crate Paper's Bundled Up last year, and it was cute.  But this year I'm going black, white, kraft and gold.  Maybe a hint of red.  I found an awesomely cute little 6x6 paper pad at Tuesday Morning called Hot Cocoa by American Crafts (which is a mystery -- I can't find info on it ANYWHERE!) but I loved its graphic patterns.  I may pull out all the red and use it for different projects, or I may add it in sparingly.  I haven't decided yet.


This isn't the completed collection of what I'll be using, but it is the start and probably the bulk.  I'm going to go simple, clean, and graphic this year.  I need a few transparent overlays, maybe a bit more vellum, some sequins and enamel dots -- and the Printshop star wood veeners that Joann's is carrying in stores now (yes 50% off coupons!).  I'll be using a Studio Calico Handbook album (kraft) that I got on Uber clearance off amazon.  I pulled some mambi pocket pages cards from my DT days with them that will compliment nicely.  Overall, I'm liking it a lot.  I think it'll look cool, and different, and most importantly it'll be true to my not-so-much-about-Christmas December.  And that's awesome, if you ask me.

Kite Festival

I've been plugging away at the 6x6 paper class when I get a chance, and here is what I did with the sixth sketch in the class.  I found working with a strip of horizontal photos really challenging -- it is very much not my usual MO when it comes to how I put things together.  I kept adding washi to echo the line of the photos, and eventually it came together for me.  I'm not sure it's one of the better pages I've made, but it was a great learning experience with working through it's issues.  

I did use some cloud washi that I got with a kit that I had never used, so that was exciting for me.  Add in some hand drawing on the kite I cut with my silhouette as a cute and personal detail and it adds those little finishing touches that really make a layout feel complete to me.  I love to draw on my layouts.   I guess it seems like it puts a little bit of laurie onto the page.  Pretty paper is good, but the essence of me is what I really aim to capture.  This is my life and this is what I draw; my pages are an extension of me.  Forgive me, I got philosophical just now -- it's been a long day with lots of laundry.  :)

Much love to everyone out there in cyberspace.  Hope the chill of fall is warming your hearts!

Love Those Daddy Pancakes

Sorry the light is weird on this -- still figuring out the best place to take photos at the new house!

Another page based off a sketch from the Scrapbook Generation 6x6 paper pad class -- I love that these pages feature lots of photos!

My goal with these pages (besides documenting memories, of course!) was to use up a lot of the little bits and pieces that I had lying on my desk.  I think it came out pretty cute!

  

Paper Camellia : Sept 2014 Round Up

Here's a quick round up of things I made with this month's Paper Camellia Kit!

The October kit reveals tomorrow and I can't wait!  

Baby, You're a STAR

I'm working through the Scrapbook Generation 6x6 paper "class"right now and this is my interpretation of sketch #2 from that packet.  It's a really fun class if you're looking for ideas on how to use up your 6x6 paper pads.  Me?  I'm always terrible when it comes to two-page layouts and need to work from a sketch; I find that I like Scrapbook Generation sketches the best.  I think they're clean, photo-centric, and easy to work with and edit, which I appreciate.  They do require some odd sized photos, so there is often a good deal of photo editing before you can work on a layout, but I find the final project is worth the time invested on the front end.

I used a Studio Calico Print Shop paper pad for this layout, along with some Smash washi tape, and some of the vellum die cuts from the Print Shop line as well.  Some sequins, a few wood veneers and some odds and ends (from Crate Paper & My Mind's Eye) and it all came together. I just love these photos, and I think it's such a fun layout with the bold colors and black and white pictures.

What's on your craft table this week?  My plan is to keep working through this class at a pace of two per week, plus make a few more things with my Paper Camellia kit.  I'll post results soon!

She's a Book Worm

Another layout from this summer that I haven't yet posted.  I cut into an older set of papers by Websters Pages and I just love the happy colors that echo the colors on my girl's shirt.  As you can tell, I was very into (and I still am very into!) great big pictures on my pages.  Story first, then decoration -- and the story is all about the photo in this one.

I'd like to say that this layout makes me long for summer again, but the truth is that it's still in the 90s in this part of the world and I want fall to come like nothing else.  I'm totally looking forward to the Chickaniddy Scrumptious line.  I just love that line -- I can't wait to pick up some pieces!

Bring on Apple Cider Weather!

Love That Tongue

I am so behind posting, you guys, and I am totally sorry.  Life happened -- we bought a house, moved, my baby girl turned into a toddler, started one year old preschool, projects at the new house piled up (and continue to do so -- goodness knows there are always about 100 things to be done at any given time!).  I'm going to get better about posting regularly, though, I swear.  Things are calming down at the new house, as in things are unpacked and everything mostly has a place, so I'll have time to scrap and blog more regularly now.  

This is a page I made over the summer utilizing a lot of orange, and I love how it turned out.  I'm a color girl, so I enjoy the bold on white.  I've been pondering lately simplifying my scrapping style, getting rid of stuff, and memory keeping in a very basic, clean way.  I think this layout is a good move in that direction.  Still fun and enjoyable to make, but less visual clutter while still looking a little funky.  I think all the white space helps.

You'll hear from me again soon, friends!  I won't get so behind again!

Filofax Friday at Paper Camellia!

I'm up on the Paper Camellia Blog today sharing some Filofax Love!  Come visit me!

Hello Sweet Thing

Valentines Day is fast approaching and I'm filled to the brim with love.  Love for my girl, love for my husband, love for the world at large.  This is the result of some of my love leaking out onto my craft table.  Who can resist a sweet little face covered in cookie crumbs?  Not this mommy.

I'm super into doilies right now, if you couldn't tell.  Can't get enough of them.  Which is good, because I have a giant stack!  This layout was done with thePaper Camellia February Kit -- so if you like the papers, go check it out.

Grateful Heart -- An artistic reminder

With this month's Paper Camellia Kit, I tried something new -- I made a sweet little reminder to hang up in my bedroom instead of making a typical layout.  I had a lot of fun working on this and it was definitely a challenge!

I'm excited to frame it and hang it by my bedroom door.  What a wonderful reminder to see each day!

Reveal Day at Paper Camellia!

Today is Reveal Day at Paper Camellia Kits!  I love reveal day!  This month is a beautiful kit full of mint, soft teal, reds, pinks and grey.  

I'll be sharing a few more layouts over the next few days, but be sure to go and check out the kit!  

On the Paper Camellia Blog

Did you see my blog post over at Paper Camellia?  Go check me out -- and just FYI, this amazing kit is almost sold out, so grab yours if you're interested!

Three Reasons you are THE BEST

I love this page.  It's all bright colors and funky, graphic patterns and hand writing and drawing -- and it's very, very me.  I was inspired by the No. 1, 2 & 3 tags out of the Dear Lizzy Polka Dot Party Bits pack -- I never seem to use my numbers in die cut packs like that and I was determined to use them this time.  So I pulled them out and built this entire page around them.  I chose a photo with bright, saturated colors that could hold its own against the brightness of the papers and went to town.  In the end, I love it.  It's a sweet, personal page that really captures my essence and the sorts of things I like to make the most.

I included lots of little bits like I am want to do -- I love those tiny little details.  Love, Love, Love those Dear Lizzy Polkadot Party Bits -- I used to think that they were a stupid purchase, but there are so many of them and you can really use them on so many things -- a good die cut pack is a must buy for me.  Pop them up on some foam tape and you have instant interest.

Hope you all have a happy Monday!  I'll be getting ready for Thanksgivukkah this week - what fun!

You Are One of a Kind

 Oh, my sweet girl.  All I scrap are baby photos these days, but that's really the center of my world, so I guess my books will reflect that.  I've never done a tiny photo on a giant page before, so I thought I'd give it a go.  And really, I like it.  The (brief) story is about her looking at the sky, and I think the empty space gives that big, sky-like feeling.  Plus, the paper has clouds on it (it's a Studio Calico B-Side) so how perfect is that?

Such Joy

Loving this color scheme.

Happy Monday!  I hope you all had a restful, rejuvinating weekend.  Me?  I put up my Hanukkah decorations (OMG WHAT?!?) and got a little scrapping done as well.  This is a page from my October Citrus Twist Kit and I'm really feeling it, to be honest with you.  I just love that blue color.  This month's kit is just beautiful, and it's looking like next month is going to be just as good.  Yummy.

You know,  I wasn't sold on those Heidi Swapp rub-on sequins, but as it turns out I think they're pretty fun.  And, really, who doesn't like to rub stuff on.  Popsicle sticks are totally fun.  I have lots more paper to go, though -- so I'm sure you'll be seeing more of them!  Here's to fun with paper!