I think I am loving my calendar scrapbook pages more than I thought I would. Its so easy to complete a page in such a short amount of time when you have a basic layout ready to go. Even better when you have it designed ahead of time and just need to add photos and journaling.
Have you bought your A Muse calendar yet? There's still plenty of time to purchase it and make some holiday gifts. And all the money goes to Charley's Fund.
The dog that runs from cameras. I try to be all sneaky, but she sees it coming. This photo was done with a serious zoom lens. I found that bribery works. Peanut butter is her favorite treat, but with her little diet she hasn't had it lately. She happened to see me open the jar and sat perfectly still. Grabbed camera. Really didn't think it would work, but she followed the pb and did exactly what I asked. It lasted just long to get a few good photos. Every diet is made to be broken.
Amy Butler designer paper by K & Company
American Crafts cardstock letter stickers
"Reading a good book while sipping a yummy coffee is one of my most favorite things to do"
The photo is from my attempt of doing the 365 project- a photo a day. I didn't make it very far. I had all the photos printed when I was still thinking that I would make a 365 book, but since that didn't happen they were still in the pile. I realized that each photo had meaning for the day it was taken, so I am trying to scrap a few of them. Maybe I'll try the 365 again next year.
The strips of paper are from 7 gypsies Venice line, American Crafts thickers, but I am not sure about the background paper.
I haven't been crafty at all lately, but that is changing this weekend. I am working on tons of projects that will be coming soon to a blog near you.
Have a great weekend!! Doing anything fun?
I am so honored to be a part of this yearly project as all the proceeds go to charity. Please read this to learn more about Charley's Fund!
I have made calendars in the past, but in the age of technology I never actually use a paper calendar. I wanted to think of something 'out of the box'. Since I have been trying to really make progress on Connor's scrapbook, I thought I would try to incorporate the calendar into a monthly page. Then I had a stroke of *brilliance*, well I think so at least. Ready for it?!?!
Each month I am going to use the same basic 4square layout to show you how you can make quick simple pages. While each page will have the same basic layout, with just a few changes and embellishments none will look the same. I am excited for this challenge and hope you enjoy it and maybe incorporate a few ideas into your scrapbooking.
The 4" square calendar download is a 16 month calendar beginning Septemper 2010. Perfect for my Labor Day weekend photos.
I used the mini star to highlight the days of our adventure and the sun and clouds for an accent, since we spent most of our time outside. Using the same 4square concept, I created a photo collage to add more photos to the page. A square of our 'notebook' paper is perfect for journaling.
October is all about Halloween, so I created a page that is ready for a few photos when the time comes.
For this page, I just moved the 4square to the top left corner and added strips of A Muse paper to give it some detail. I love that the calendar now comes in a black and white version. I printed mine on white, but inked this one a bit so it would match the vintage feel of the page and other paper. The *spider tag* stamp makes the perfect accent.
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Stamps: tiny star, clouds, sun, spider tag, charlotte
Paper: Orange and black gingham, vintage, shimmer damask , Making Memories patterned paper, cardstock: Bazzil and SU
Ink: Brilliance graphite black, Colorbox chalk ink: orange
Accessories: MS black onyx glitter
With all this scrapbooking I have done lately, two things that I never though would happen are happening. I am not sure I am ready to admit them, but I will. Deep breath.....
1. I am becoming a scrapbooker.
I don't know how many times I have gone to crops or just stamping with friends, that I would get nothing done. I always said that I couldn't concentrate with others around, but really I was in awe that they could take all this paper and stuff, that from my view didn't really go together, but they would put it together to create these wonderful pages. I was a bit jealous. I could make a card, I could even make really cute cards. But not scrapbook pages. I tried and tried, but never really liked anything I made. When I challenged myself to do one a week, something just clicked and I am totally loving. I may actually complete Connor's book before he's 30.
2. I am starting to embrace imperfection (no comments from some of you....you know who you are.)
Don't worry, I am not embracing it in all areas, just crafting.
But seriously, I found myself not making pages because I didn't have the 'right' materials or just the 'right layout, or the most 'right' perfect thing to say. I just focus on the story I want to tell Connor and the rest just comes together. Cuz really I don't think he has or will ever say anything about the products I use on the page. However, he will grab his book once in a while and ask me to read it to him. I LOVE THAT!!
The alpha stamp is A Muse and the little circle is SU. However, all the paper is just some of the stuff I bought ages ago and never used. Not only am I making pages that I love, but I am also using up my stash. WIN WIN!!
Hope you have a great Saturday. I am off to chase some dreams.
Remember this card? Well, I liked the design so much that I turned it into a scrap page. And you know what?? I LOVE it!! I used the Scandnavian Snowflake to make the background and as funky embellishment.
Since I used a darker blue backgroud, I used a lighter grey accent color. It gives it more balance and some other *artsy* terms. *wink*
I am so happy that I started Scrap Saturday. It is forcing me to complete more pages for Connor's book and the more I create- the more ideas I get. LOVE IT!!
Hope you enjoyed all the amuse bouche..I know I did. Do you have a favorite stamp?
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Stamps: Scandanavian Snowflake, snowflake swirl, large polka dot alpha
Paper: red gingham, Bazzil cardstock
Ink: Colorbox chalk ink (charcoal), Versafine (midnight blue), Colobox pigment (white)
Accessories: twinkle stickers
Frustration turns into art. I started this page with the idea that it would be a page for Connor's book, but it had other plans. I didn't have a specific plan just a realization that I needed some crafty therapy and nothing does that trick like going outside your normal style and trying something new.This is a total Donna Downey inspired page. I gesso'ed a white piece of paper and just began playing with paint and water. I love that about gesso, I messed up and decided to change colors and was able to just wipe it off and start over. As I painted, it began looking like earth and sky so I just went with it not knowing what the theme would be or what photos I would use. Looking through photos, I found these flower photos I took in Europe and thought they would be perfect. Painted some flower chipboard. Then I got out my A Muse polka dot letters, painted them and sprayed them with water before stamping them. LOVE IT!!
Now to continue the craftiness today. I have a list of stuff that I need to crank out.
Happy fourth of July weekend!! Enjoy and be safe!
I know, I know...its really not Saturday. But I made this page ages ago, so it all balances out, right? (I don't think I have shown you this yet, but if I have just pretend its new *wink*) When I made my mini, book I had photos cut that ended up not being used, so I created a "top ten" page. But then the photos weren't working right, so it became a "top nine" page...hey, I'm original. Who makes a Top Nine page??
I used lots of letter stickers and the Slice International Travel card to create most of this page. Super simple!
Hope you are having a great weekend!
5 1/2 years in the making! That's pretty much the story of this page. It has tormented and teased me since I had the idea to make a scrapbook for Connor. He was born before I began scrapbooking or taking tons of photos. Since his scrabook is the story of him, I knew this would be the first page anyone looking at it would see. (Though I have strict orders to not show his book to anyone *wink*) I can't even tell you how many times I have started this page only to put it all away again. The excuses were many; "I don't have a great photo", "I don't know what to journal", "I don't like baby themed products", and many, many more. Since deciding that his book would be somewhat of a love letter, what better way to begin the book than a *love* themed page.
This is not at all the page I had in mind when I started, but I absolutely love it. It's all about the story again. I began with grey cardstock and a piece of Stampin Up patterened paper and slowly gathered other materials to match. And, of course I had to throw in a little A Muse.
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Stamps: Fancy Alpha clear set (A Muse)
Paper: Bazzil and Stampin Up
Ribbon: Martha Stewart
Buttons: K & Company
Connor played soccer in the fall and I could not have been more excited. Most of his games were during the week, so I was only able to make it to one. Sadly, he has decided he doesn't want to play during the spring season. Good thing I took over 200 photos of the one game ;)
I made this page right after the game, but of course am just now posting it. He was looking at his pathetic little scrapbook last weekend and got so excited, which motivated me to get more pages created.I was told that I couldn't show anyone his book, but he didn't say I couldn't post the pages online. This was a very simple page with some old paper I had on hand, felt stickers, and A Muse soccer ball.
