Layouts Within Limitations: A scrapbook challenge

Last week, one of my favorite scrapbookers, the infamous Glitter Girl, posted a challenge to create three layouts from a very limited amount of supplies in the hopes of helping other scrappers push past the "frozen" stage of the process when you have the papers and pictures but don't quite know how to finish the page. 

I decided to step up to the challenge and see just what I could create given only a handful of supplies. While I didn't take a photo of my "kit" that I created I did take photos of the layouts.

Layout 1: A one-photo layout. 

"You Do Crazy Things"

This is the layout I created for the 1-photo part of the challenge.  I used it as an opportunity to use up some of my scraps and I searched for papers that would help me pull in the red from the photo as I balanced it out with the grey and white background paper and several other grey and yellow patterned papers.  I love the way that it turned out and I know that this technique of layering lots of blocks of patterned paper on top of each other is something I would have never normally tackled on my own. 

Layout 2: A two-photo layout. 

"Pumpkin Festival"

This is the 2-photo layout I created for the challenge. I really went out of my comfort zone for this one because I scrapped seasonal photos without using any seasonal or theme-y products. I pulled colors from the photos and I love the way that it turned out. You would really never know that these photos were taken in the fall if not for the title and some of the scenery in the background. 

and finally

Layout 3: A three-photo layout. 

"Love Knows No Distance"

This is the 3-photo layout I created.  I love the simplicity behind this page. I also love that I have just one main cluster of embellishments and journaling as opposed to trying to come up with several different spots. I think the colors work well together and I am so glad that I finally got around to documenting this story of how distance can't separate those who love each other. 

You can view Glitter Girl's video below, and make sure you check out her other videos in the Adventures of Glitter Girl series. They are so inspiring and she is truly one of my favorite scrappers!

Why I scrapbook...

Have you ever stopped to consider why you do some of the things that you do.

I mean really considered it?

Each day is full of so many monotonous activities like washing the dishes, doing laundry, making the beds, picking up toys, etc.

It seems that everyday is the same and we are just going through the motions in order to make it through to the next day when we can go through the motions again.

As I've been pondering these things over the last few weeks getting ready for our second little girl to enter this world, I have really began questioning why I do some of the things that I do. This led my thoughts down the path to scrapbooking, a passion I hold so dear to my heart. 

My passion for scrapbooking began in high school. My mom would buy me the disposable cameras when I would have a special occasion such as a field trip or church event and I would take so many pictures I wouldn't know what to do with them all. We would get them printed and I would immediately stick them in a photo album and stick some on my bulletin board to be admired by all.  Around 9th grade I was introduced to the art of combining the pictures with pretty paper and putting it all together with fun stickers. I'm not really sure how I first heard about scrapbooking, or whether the idea just came to me one night while sitting at home looking through my pictures, but before I knew it I was creating scrapbook albums for mission trips, and for fun trips to concerts. It didn't matter to me at the time if I was using the latest technique or the newest supplies because a.) I didn't know such things existed and b.) I was having fun documenting memories and stories and there wasn't any pressure to make it perfect. 

*These were the days of huge color blocking, flat, speech bubble stickers that said things like "I'm so awesome!" and letter stencils.*

Fast forward a few years and I still get a joy out of putting those pictures and pretty papers together on a page and sticking them in an album. My techniques have definitely changed, and with the plethora of internet inspiration that we have right at our finger tips there is an added sense of pressure to create the perfect page, but at the end of the day my job is still the same: document the memories and capture the story.

You see, my job in my house is a big one. It goes beyond making sure the laundry gets put away and the floors stay swept. It's more than paying the bills and getting everyone where they need to be. My biggest job in my family is that of "memory keeper".

No one else in my house, at this time, spends any time writing down our story. I am the picture-taker, the blogger, the story teller. I am the one who has the responsibility of preserving what our days look like right now, so that 40 years from now our daughters can look back and see how we lived and what we were doing in 2013, and why we were doing it. I can choose to do this anyway I want. I can take picture and put them in albums and stick them on a shelf. Our memories are documented and there for everyone to see, and that is amazing. OR I can go one step further and take those pictures, put them on a page and tell a story behind the picture. How we were feeling, what we were doing, and why. 

For example:

think about some of the oldest family photos you have, and I mean old! We're talking black and white here (before we could edit them to be that way). Wouldn't you love to know why your great grandpa was surrounded by all of his brothers and sisters standing in front of a tree? Was it a birthday celebration? Did someone have a baby and everyone was gathered together for that? What is the story behind the picture? 

Our lives are full of stories that will be forgotten as soon as we are gone. It's up to us to take those stories and make them known.

This is why I scrapbook.

This is why I take my job as memory-keeper seriously.

Why do you scrapbook?

You Are Scholar: Cocoa Daisy April kit layout #3

Whoa, if I didn't know better I would think it was March!

This is definitely one of the most 'green' layouts I have ever done! 

Once again though, I have proven to myself that I can step out of my comfort zone and use colors that I normally wouldn't and LOVE the results.

Another reason why I love Cocoa Daisy kits!

I have been in a 'olden days' kind of mood lately and it seems that every picture that speaks to me is an older one. I am so excited to be getting these photos down on paper and even more excited to be sharing them with you.

This story is about Landen's graduation and how successful he has been. I love that the page is masculine without being all blue or black or brown. I did end up pulling some brown Thickers from my stash as well a couple of stickers and labels but other than that everything is from the kit. Using the ribbon that came in the kit as tabs was a random thought and I am so pleased with how it came out! 

You can check out more still picture and the process video below, and don't forget to check out my YouTube video for information on how to win a $25 gift certificate to Two Peas in a Bucket! 

Happy scrappin' and God bless!

Me and You: Cocoa Daisy April kit layout #2

This is my second (well really 3rd) layout using this months kit and I still love the products!

For this layout I decided to scrap a photo of Adeline and I that I love but hadn't put on paper yet. I very rarely ever do a vertical layout that lays in the middle of the page and I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to use up some more of that great pink chevron and the kraft polka dot paper. I layered everything in the middle and then used some of the embellishments that came in the kit as well as some that I quickly handmade and others from my stash. I love how this page came out, but I am was not too thrilled with the way that the paint looked around the photo. Oh well, we live and learn. I still have one more story documented and that is all that matters! 

So without further ado here is the process video and some still shots.

Thanks for looking and God bless!

Oh, and don't forget about my subbie challenge! You've only got until April 30th! You can find out more information on my YouTube channel!

Those Legs: Cocoa Daisy April kit layout #1

I just finished my first layout from my April Cocoa Daisy kit and I am loving it! I recorded a scrapbooking process video for it and everything...well except that I forgot to hit record and didn't notice it until I was already done! Epic Fail! Oh well. At least I took pictures!

Materials:

I was; however, so frustrated that I forgot to write down any of the supplies that I used from the kit so I'm sorry about that. One of the things that I did that I hadn't done before was to use acrylic paint along with my enamel dots on the layout.  I adore how it turned out! It added so much texture to the page. It will definitely be something that I repeat in the future! The Thickers aren't from the kit but I think they matched the greens in the papers perfectly!  The clouds are from the stamp set that came in the kit. I just stamped them on some white cardstock and then cut them out.  They added the perfect touch!

The Story:

This layout is of my daughter when she was just a few months old wearing her new leggings. I love how her little chubby legs looked in them and had to take some pictures. And no, she wasn't standing on her own, my darling hubby was gracious enough to hold her up for me.

Oh, and see that blue line? Somebody needed a diaper change. Oh well!

The Pictures:

Here are the pictures! I'm loving this kit so much and I can't wait to scrap some more!

Cocoa Daisy April Kit: "Forecast" and a new scrappy toy!

It is finally turning into Spring around here!

Woohoo!

I am loving the longer daylight hours and the warmer temperatures!

I received my April kit from Cocoa Daisy today and I am loving it! The main kit is "Forecast" and it is the only one I purchased! I love Cocoa Daisy's kits because the papers are usually right up my alley and they have great embellishments. 

Below is a video where I review what comes in the kit as well as how I store my monthly kits so that they are both organized and easily accessible.  I also show you my latest toy, my Fiskars ProCision Trimmer  that I have been longing for.  A good coupon came my way from Michaels and I just couldn't pass it up! 

Don't forget to check out the video for my Subscriber Challenge and leave a response to be entered into the drawing for a $25 Two Peas in a Bucket gift certificate!

God bless and happy scrapping!

Layout A Day {LOAD213}

Each year Lain Ehmann hosts a monthly scrapbook event called LOAD or Layout A Day. It's just what it says it is; a challenge to create one layout everyday throughout the month of February. Last year I purchased the event and didn't create one layout. This year I chose to actually stick with it and try to do as much as I could. So far, I have created a layout each day since February 1st! I am pumped, and my albums are filling up which makes me oh so happy!

Here are a couple of things that I have noticed while doing this challenge the last 5 days.

1. I am using my stash. I have so much stuff in my craft room that I honestly didn't even know what I had. Since I don't have time to go to the store or order things online to complete each daily prompt (a new video and prompt arrives in your mailbox each day) I am forced to dig deep into my stuff and use what I have. 

2. I am scrapping much faster. Since I don't have a lot of time to create once my husband gets home with my daughter, I have been trying to get them done before he gets home each day which only gives me about 30 minutes to an hour. In order to accomplish creating a layout in such a short amount of time I follow this simple process: I get the prompt in the morning and decide which photo I will use and get a general idea for what I am going to do. I search for inspiration for a layout that I could use elements from and study it and try to mentally match up materials that I have. Once I get home, I grab my computer, head upstairs, and use what I have already planned to create my page quickly.

Here are the layouts that I have created so far:

Please excuse the poor quality of some of them. It is usually dark when I take the pictures and upload them to the Flickr photostream. 

Day One: 

Day Two: 

Day Three:

Day Four:

Day Five:

I am very pleased with how my layouts have turned out! If you would like to learn more about LOAD check out the website. Lain is so enthusiastic and she truly loves scrapbooking and sharing her craft with others!

How I'm scrapping this year...

Most of you know that I never completed Project Life for 2012 because you saw my video explaining why here. 

I threw myself in to completing 12 x 12 layouts and put aside my PL binder convinced that I was fully contented in being done. 

And awesomely enough, I was.

Until about one month ago when I began seeing everyone's finished albums and began regretting my decision. So I determined in my mind that I would once again spend hours and days getting caught up from week 15 and finish it.

It wasn't long however, before common sense kicked in and reminded me that my current life situation wasn't going to allow that to happen. So I moved the album to my bookshelf downstairs and called it a wrap.

And it feels amazing to have 5 months of 2012 in the book.

I have lots of other memories documented from the year in my other scrapbooks and through Adeline's baby book, so I feel satisfied knowing that I don't have to completely finish the album. 

I said all of that to say this:

I am going to attempt Project Life again this year!

What am I going to do differently than I did last year to try and avoid burn out?

Why I'm glad you asked!

1. I am going to avoid spending hours looking for "inspiration" on Pinterest.

Pinterest is a wonderful thing, but I fell into the habit of seeing everyone's wonderful and glamour layouts and tried to match what they were doing which left me feeling defeated, overwhelmed, and out of time. This year I am going to go on my own way and only search out ideas when I absolutely need to.

2. I am not forcing myself to make my album "thicker".

This past year I loved the idea of having 2 or even 3 albums for the year but the only way to make that happen was to add in inserts and ephemera and other bits of information that I just didn't have time to accumulate. This year my focus is going to be on documenting what I have and only adding something if it is absolutely necessary. 

3. I am going to stick with Design A pocket page protectors and the Studio Calico Kit as well as my own stash.  I am so excited that I was able to get on the subscription list for the new kit that Studio Calico is supplying just for Project Life. It is going to be an integral part of my process as I am planning on limiting my supplies to mostly things found in the kit as well as my stash.  At one point last year I did order the variety pack of pocket protectors and I recently ordered the 4 x 4 size. I will probably incorporate these in some way either through inserts or something else. We shall see. No pressure though!

4. I am going to begin with doing weekly spreads, but if it falls apart I will go back to doing monthly.  I discovered that when I fell behind in 2011 with my layouts it was MUCH simpler to go back and get caught up when I only had to think of my progress in terms of months as opposed to weeks. So I will begin the year in weeks, but if I see that it isn't manageable I will resort back to the monthly style.

5. I am going to have fun! I am hoping that by making all of the changes that I mentioned above I will be able to enjoy the process again! I love, love, love looking through my completed albums from 2011, and when I go through my 5 months of 2012 I get a little pang of disappointment that I didn't finish but I so love all the work that I did get accomplished!

How are you doing this year at Project Life? Are you jumping in with hopeless abandon or have you learned from past failures and are making changes like I am! I would love to hear from you!

*I am expecting my Studio Calico kit to arrive in the mail tomorrow, so check back then for a video reveal of what the kit looks like in person! I am so excited!*

Adeline's Scrapbook

I am rockin' out pages in Adeline's scrapbook here lately and I LOVE how it is turning out! I thought I would do a quick video to show you her scrapbook up to this point and include some photos as well. Please ignore my awful video quality and lack of quality in the photos. I have limited "quiet" time in my house lately so I have to jump on it while I can and work with what I've got!

You can view the video here

or on YouTube here.

Here are the still shots: