A Million Little Things

Are you two-page layout challenged like me?

Hi there everyone! Happy Friday to you!

Don't you just love the title of this post? LOL! I couldn't think of a good title for it so I just titled it what I'm really here to talk about today - two-page layouts and how difficult they can be to create sometimes. I'll be honest with you, in my scrapbooks there aren't many of them. I am such a simple scrapbooker that I can usually get all of the photographs, products and journaling that I need all on one 8.5x11 piece of cardstock. Sometimes though, I'm longing for more room and that is when I whip out the second piece of cardstock.

So, if you are two-page layout challenged like me - I've got a really simple tip for you. It's simply - keep it simple. :) I've noticed, looking through my scrapbooks, that the two-pagers that I have created all are very clean lined and simple and they're so much easier to create that way. That's my style in general, but it's good to know that when creating even a two-page layout I can carry on that style onto another page and help it flow smoothly.

Here's a two-page layout that I created recently:

See how the photographs, patterned paper flows across the page? It's really easy to use 4x6 photographs and just line them up and place them across the pages. It's like a story that is unfolding right before your eyes. :) As you can see, I kept it simple, didn't use too many products and just kept that consistency and flow from the first page to the second page. It was really easy to create and I'm sure it's a formula that I'm going to use in the future, too.

So, if you are two-page layout challenged like me, try using this two-pager as inspiration to get you going and maybe you'll come to find out just like I did that creating a two-page layout doesn't have to be difficult - just keep it simple and it's easy to accomplish. :)

Have fun creating and have a wonderful weekend!!

Inspiration from the Magazines

Hi everybody! Katie here. Today I am going to share a couple of layouts that were inspired by some recent scrapbooking magazines. I get so much inspiration from magazines! There is nothing better than a peaceful afternoon looking through the latest scrapbooking magazine. One of the things I love that some of the mags are doing is making sketches from the layouts in the magazine. BHG Scrapbooks Etc. does a great job of this by collecting the sketches into a two page spread in the back of the magazine. I love that when I need some quick inspiration I can just go to these sketches. I made a layout based on one of the sketches from the Mar/Apr 09 issue.

Here is the sketch:

And the layout I created:

Supplies:

Cardstock: Bazzill

Patterned Paper: American Crafts; October Afternoon; and KI Memories

Thickers: American Crafts

Small letter stickers: My Little Shoebox

Chipboard Stars: Fancy Pants

Many magazines also give great photo and computer tips and techniques. Elizabeth created a layout based on an article written by Jessica Sprague in the Jan 09 issue of Creating Keepsakes. Jessica had shared this template for photoshop elements:

Elizabeth used this to make this amazing layout:

Supplies:

Cardstock - Bazzill

Chipboard - Basic Grey

Felt - Queen & Co.

Letter Stickers - College Press

Journaling cards - Fancy Pants

The ideas from the magazines are never ending! Go grab one and start creating!

{Friday the 13th!-Multi Photo Layouts}

Greetings, Amanda here and might I add, Happy Friday the 13th!  I very carefully will watch everything I do today...yes...I am a bit superstitious! 

One of the blog post ideas for this month was to create layouts using multiplephotos.  A HUGE challenge for me since I am a "one photo layout" kind of gal!  Once I got started, it was pretty simple.  You will see in most of my examples I tended to stream line by doing a row of photos.  I think for any of us out there that are not accustomed to doing multi-photo layouts this is the best way to start.   "You Are My Best Friend"  uses tons of items you can find in the Store.  Cosmo Cricket, Jenni Bowlin, MME & American Crafts are just a few of the items used on this layout.

"Peek A Boo" is a layout I created simply shifting my row of photos to the bottom corner.  Since I scrap in 8.5 X 11, I am limited on space to layout my photos.  But I am not changing the size I scrap~yet!

"Blooming Boys" is a bit on the silly side :)  I had these cool chipboard flowers left over from another project.  I just covered them with left over scraps on my desk and embellished the flowers with rhinestones.  Also, I used Bazzill Cardstock and stitched the stems w/ embroidery floss.

This is my last example!  "Winter"~I love this layout~and mostly because I love these photos!  I made my block of photos and then embellished from there.  I used current and old MME pps & accessory sheet, clear buttons, and bazzill cardstock.  

I hope my mulit- photo examples help to inspire you to "think beyond the box!"  You one photo box~that is.

Have a great weekend.

Random Stuff..

Hi Everyone,

Well I think round one from CHA winter is complete, with a slight lull in preparation for the next round.  Good thing as I've needed to find some time to get my stuff together for the dreaded tax appointment, and to think... I could have been a CPA.  There's a little one of those random facts you might not have known about me.. I have a bachelor's degree in Accounting, and I pay a CPA.  Truth is though I really never wanted to finish this degree, my dad made me since he was paying.  I knew with about 1.5 years left I hated accounting (especially all my tax classes)... sigh.. I really just wanted to be a teacher, or to work with adults in training and development or something  involving teaching.  By then I got married, we only had 6 months before we earned our degrees and by the time we did I just wanted to move out of little Logan, Utah and not go to school for awhile.  I got my first job as a Buyer for the county government, because I had experience in that field being that my college job was a Jr. Buyer for one of the departments at the University and I really actually enjoyed purchasing unlike accounting.  I quit working all together 1 year later when Trace was born.    I never worked in accounting, and never probably will.  So 13 years,1 full time job,  2 kids and two businesses  later there you go. (the first business I was a professional crafter... I did boutiques and tole painted until my hands had carpel tunnel)   Though now I am thinking I should have gone for the Business Management degree. 

Anyway, that little "all about me" tangent aside I just wanted to post today with a few little newsie bits.    I mentioned above that new product arrivals were really slow this week.  I do have a few things to list including a few of the baby items from Little Yellow Bicycle (other items have later ship dates), American Craft Sticker books and Heidi Swapp items.  I have just listed some new goodies from a new Company called Lily Bee Designs.  I want to give some special attention to this company as some of you may have never heard of them.  Kristen who owns a kit club lives here in my town and their new products are really fun!  The pictures that appear in what's new are kind of small, so make sure to enlarge them.  Here the set pictures and some close ups of a few of my favorites:

3 Little Birds

 

French Couture:

 

CLose ups:

 

   

Aren't those large diecut shape diecut sheets so adorable?  They will also have some really cool 12 x 12 rubons to match these 2 sets in a few weeks.  If you would like to see these in the store they are here:

Lily Bee Designs

The new issue of Scrapbooks Etc, is also here, and restock orders from Pink Paislee, andMy Minds Eye (penny lane FINALLY updated).  The restocks for the My Little Shoebox Mini Alphas will be here Monday for those who are interested.    There are still many new items to come over the coming months and many many restock orders I am IMPATIENTLY awaiting.  Some companies are so much faster than others, sigh....

One more little item.  You may have noticed the new blog look.  Though it is not perfect, I hope you like the new change.   I purchased these off of Heidi, Janet, and Rhonna's new gig HOUSE OF 3.  I am so excited for them, Janet in particular, as I have to claim her as she was on my little old DT for 3 years before she left us to go be the Education coordinator for Heidi Swapp.  She has some amazing creativity, and we all know how awesome Heidi and Rhonna are.   As for the blog,  I am still trying to make it look "right" but my computer skills with adobe in particular are less than stellar.  Kristina was very helpful in pointing me in the right direction, and Heidi Swapp has wonderful instructions for typepad users on her blog, they were idiot (jill) proof.    I recommend you check House of 3 out  if you haven't already,  they have blog goodies, digital items, hybrid and printed items and project ideas GALORE.   I've been stalking this site for several weeks since it debuted deciding which blog look I wanted.  I LOVE that they sell commercial licenses as I have run into so many designers that won't let me use their digital stuff for our blog even if it really could end up helping them :).    Now if I could only figure out how to make the whole site magically redone!  It's going on 3 years since my last make-over and it needs it bad!!   Anyone a web/graphic designer out there?

In regards to the new blog look I want to lastly share with you a really cool email I got today.  One of my customers, Jael sent me this email sharing how much she liked the new blog look and how it even inspired her to do this darling layout about AMLT, I am so honored!!

 

I love that inspiration can be found everywhere!  Thanks so much Jael!  You might want to checkout her other amazing work in her Gallery at SJ .. I love her colorful, happy, layered style! 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Jill

Using shapes on a layout - Hearts

 

Hi there! Kristina here and since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I thought I would share a layout I created recently using the universal symbol of love - the heart! I love hearts on layouts and so I knew that this was going to be so much fun to create! Here's the layout I created using hearts:

To create the hearts, I stamped them onto white cardstock with different colored chalk inks. Then I cut each one out and adhered them to my layout using pop dots for dimension. I think one heart or many hearts is such a sweet way to embellish a layout. I hope you'll pull out some kind of heart (whether it be a stamp, chipboard, sticker, etc) and use it on a layout sometime soon! It's a great way to add a bit more love to your layout. :) Have a wonderful day and a Happy Valentine's Day on Saturday!

{mini layouts}

Morning everyone, Amanda here.  Like most scrapbookers, I tend to have a few super weeks of scrapbooking and then get a little bored (ever happen to you?)  I love making projects, but sometimes they can be bulky to display and time consuming.  

A few years ago, when I was bored with my normal 8 1/2 X 11 size, I dabbled in mini-layouts.  They are so simple and quick I couldn't believe how many I could turn out in no time.  If you get stumped making one, turn back to a larger layout that you love and try to shrink it down. 

Here are a few examples of mini layouts I have displayed around my office at work.  The cream and red polka dot is 3 1/4 X 3 1/4, the purple one is 5 X 5 and the die-cut one is about 4 X 4. 

There are endless options for displaying them; go to you local office supply store for clips with flat bottoms or look at antique stores for vintage flower frogs.

I am a "close up" picture taker and with my favorite pictures I go ahead and print them in either 2 X 2 or wallet size.  It is easy to crop off a 4 X 6 if it isn't a close up shot.

All of these embellishments are items I would use on a larger layout, therefore I am sure you all have tons of items like these in your stash!  But if you just feel the need to buy some more, make sure you check out the A Million Little Things Store as you will find some lovely new items and great bargains!

mini-albums

Hey guys!  So we all have an abundance of photos to scrap, right?!  Well, maybe we haven't printed them all out yet but our computers and hard drives are full of photos just sitting waiting to find a home!  Don't you know your friends, family, kids, UPS man, etc. would love to see your photos tucked into a nice little album for their viewing pleasure? 

How can you scrap all the photos and get them into albums?  There are several solutions but today we're focusing on mini-albums!  Yep.  You know those cute little albums you see in Jill's shop but you're just not sure what you'd do with them.  You buy them anyway because you just KNOW they'll come in handy someday. :)

I have such a stash of mini albums just waiting to be filled - it's ridiculous!  And I keep buying more!  One - I like to keep them handy for last minute gifts.  I just print up some small photos with my photo printer, grab a stamp, some patterned paper and a journaling pen and within an hour or so I can have a homemade gift ready to give!  I also love to use mini albums for a certain theme or group of photos...maybe a vacation, a day with friends, a party, a holiday event, etc.

You can also make your own little mini album!  Grab a handful of tags and bind them together with a book ribbon or ribbon.  Trim some cardstock to a desired size, punch a hole or two and bind them with a little chain or string. 

Your mini albums don't have to be fancy, perfectly planned and embellished with all the latest goodies.  Just choose a few papers that coordinate, grab a journaling stamp or some journaling spots, a pen and choose one or two embellishments to use throughout the book!  Sit down with your photos and you'll have a great little book created in just an hour or two!

 

It's a New Year!

So it makes sense to look back to 2008, right?

 

I went through all my photos from last year (and that took some time...) and picked out photos from every month. There were great memories of fun times, hobbies, friends, nature, birthdays, school, work, relaxing and even new shoes  :)

I used my Word program to make two photo collages, printed those out and slapped on cardstock. As there's so much color in my photos, I kept the page fairly simple.

Go look through your photos and make a page of 2008. It's good to look back and remember.

Calendar ideas…getting organized for the new year

I hope that you all have had a great Christmas! Now it's time to look forward again. New Year's Eve is getting closer and so are lots of new promises. I've decided to make a simple calendar to help me get organized when it comes to my scrapbooking. I hope you also can get a few ideas. All I've done is that I've picked old calendar papers from the 2007 "Designing with..." calendar and used with my own goals. One page per month, one goal... (I only show the three first pages since the blog would get crazy with all twelve.) Good luck to us all! / Monica

January: Organize my birthdays, making a bunch of birthday cards to have extras

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February: Organize my stamping supplies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March: Learn more about photo editing, organizing actions, brushes and digital elements

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April: Decide what to do with all our memories from our vacation trips

May: Organize my scraps, clean out my desk

June: Organize my pens and paints, throw away stuff that doesn’t work

July: Take loads of pictures

August: Draw a bunch of sketches for days with “less inspiration”

September: “Gift month”, make beautiful tags and embellishments for presents

October: Make a “right now”-layout for all three children

November: Make lots of general cards and cards sets that can be put in my “gift box”

December: All about Christmas, make mini albums for my parents and parents-in-law

Take A Break & Scrap!

Hello, EVERYONE!  Happy Holidays...Amanda here with my FIRST DT post.  Hope this post finds you all cozy and nestled in a warm spot in your homes.  Very cold here in middle TN where Kristina and I are from!

I thought a few easy layouts might help to calm your busy shopping days down!  I know for me at the end of a busy day, I love sitting down surfing the net for ideas!  So here you go: 

Happy Holidays...super simple layout with a handcut gingerbread house.  I used embroidery floss on the back side for the window grids. PP: Paper Salon, Imaginisce, Basic Grey; Cardstock: Bazzill; Rubons: Jenni Bowlin Studios, Basic Grey; Letter stickers: Scenic Route; Ribbon: KI Memories; other: rhinestone, glass & fine glitters, chipboard star. 

I cut out the door and put a family photo!  Super quick to create.

Merry Christmas...PP:  3 Bugs In a Rug, Basic Grey; Label Spots:  Creative Cafe; other: vintage buttons.  I placed the photo with a boarder of paper strips; also, the label punchouts are rounded with corner rounder.

 

Forever...Do you ever get that "duh" feeling?  Well I did here!  I had gotten these Pearl Circular Stones from Kaiser Craft well I didn't realize until I was putting them down that they are individuals!  I so had the idea for a cardstock circle w/ them on there and I guess it is wasteful, but I did it anyways!  PP:  Basic Grey, American Crafts; Cardstock: Bazzill; Chipboard letters: Doodlebug; Label & Journaling Spot: Jenni Bowlin.

Make sure and check the two posts below.  One Minute Monday for a great decorating tip on homemade ornaments by Katie and Jill posted a great couple of updates from the store and a prize...a really great prize!

From my family to yours...Happy Holidays & Warm Wishes!