Inspiration Inventoried: Dear Dixie

So I had an idea for a new video series. I'm calling it Inspiration Inventoried. It's not a process video. It's me chatting about a finished page, going through the story, the design, the products. Basically a blog post but in video form. You get to see my mug as I wanted the chance to introduce myself. 

I'm not the most eloquent speaker but I think I'll get the hang of it. I didn't realize until recently that I really just love to talk about scrapbooking! I'm hoping to do these once or twice a month so let me know what you think.

cheers & besos,

Peas & Carrots

I scrapbooked! And man did it feel good. I've been working on pocket pages for Project 12 and Week in the Life. But those take me soo much longer! I feel like they require much more planning & printing & photo editing. Basically, they aren't my strength, which is why it takes me twice as long.

So today, I decided to scrapbook. As in make a layout. 

   

I've been watching my Big Picture Classes videos & reading my handouts for Hello Story and Art + Science. They had me itching to jump into the Art + Science prompts and back into Hello Story. And of course, after taking Jill's Scrapbooking from the Soul class, my journaling has forever changed.

This page is a conglomeration of a few prompts. First, its for the right brained process challenge from Art + Science. Which was to think of a story I wanted to tell, find photos and discover the title & journaling. 

This was a bit of a challenge, which surprised me. The creative bit wasn't a challenge, but rethinking the order of things definitely was (i.e. the process...hence the challenge!). Originally I had a different title in mind. I kind of couldn't help myself! But the further into the process, my journaling & title evolved into something different.

Another part of this challenge was to include a pocket. I tucked some ephemera, a journaling card and typed notes into a vellum pocket I stitched directly to the cardstock.

Here's the view of everything pulled out from the pocket a bit.

I had a lot to say about these photos. So much, I included 3 different journaling spots!

I originally stapled a bit of scrap cardstock to the receipt, just to add stability. But it ended up being home for journaling about this past Saturday and how mama & I love to visit Hobby Lobby together. And how we bought a bunch of stuff to make a project.

Note how messy my handwriting is for this bit. I "wasn't on my best behavior" so to speak. I knew it wasn't going to mess up the design since it was in the pocket, so I just wrote. Didn't worry about the spelling, not so much the grammar either, just a stream of consciousness.

I loved this patterned paper with the page. I unearthed it from my scrap pile and thought the colors worked well with this fall-esque themed page. But knew it would be too busy to print my journaling on and I didn't really want to cover it with vellum. So instead, I added a label sticker indicating the journaling was on the back side.

I used a pointy finger stamp. Remember when those were so popular? I had them in a few different stamp sets and think this was the first time I ever used one. Since this is also slipped into the pocket, I don't want someone looking at this later down the road, to not notice the journaling on the back.

Here's where I incorporate the latest Hello Story prompt which is also about opposities. How my Mama & I are very different, but a little the same.

This last tiny journaling card is just a guide to the photos I used on the page. It was a mix of photos from a few different places and occasions. I also included the dates. I think it makes it look a little like a library card & I absolutely love that! Especially since one of the things Mama and I have in common is that we love to read.

Oh and about the background paper. That's also part of Ali's prompt, which was also about contrast. I repeated "for the love of fall...for the love of pumpkins...for the love of orange...for the love of skeletons and crossbones" over and over again using the best white gel pen in the world!!! It is a lift of a background paper she made and used on one of her page prompts.  I obviously loved it so much I wanted to lift it. But I love how my page is different enough from hers and that it also feels very me. 

I love love love the colors in this! Probably because I love fall. I love the gray mixed with the orange and the green and the warmer tones in the photo.

And that title, it definitely came last. I think I had originally wanted to title this page "For the love of Fall..." to talk about how much Mama and I enjoy this time of year. But after writing the journaling, I thought peas & carrots would make a better one. And, I couldn't help but get excited that the colors so perfectly matched my page!

Me and Mama, we're a lot different. But a little the same.

I'm loving taking classes lately, in case you can't tell. I'm learning so much and totally enjoy being a student. What about you? Have you taken any classes lately, that you love? Share in the comments!

cheers & besos,

Fall Projects

hi Hi HI! I took a bit of a break from blogging. 

Just trying to be realistic about my time and my to do list. 

Understanding that not everything is going to get done nor does everything have to be done. 

I'm not sure that I've been crazy busy or even busy really, but I've just spent some time focusing on other things. 

Like these projects below!

Every once in awhile I decide to make non-scrapbook projects. These are a few of 'em. 

My Mama was in town this weekend. She brought her dog, Cadie, who was introduced to my Mac. This was the first time either was exposed to the other species. So we were on full alert! And really wanting to be a bit closer to home. (FYI: They didn't get along well. But at least there wasn't any huge melt downs, or scratched or bit body parts, or bruised egos...)

We only made it out to Wal-mart, for some apartment things and a few plastic pumpkins. 

And to Hobby Lobby, because we decided we should make wreaths for our doors! 

We pinned a bunch of wreaths before falling in love with this one we saw for sale on Etsy. (Seriously, if you're into wreaths but don't have time to put one together, check out Courtney Mahler's Esty Shop)

I hand made the little pumpkin using burlap ribbon, twine, and crumpled shipping paper. It took me a bit to figure it out, but I think I got it together. Love how my first wreath turned out!

Mama made her own wreath with most of the same products. She wanted hers to be fuller. With a "bunch of stuff" as she would say. She also wanted to put more orange in hers which looks so pretty! Sorry for the blurry photo. I'll take a better one when I visit tomorrow.

Remember those pumpkins I mentioned earlier? Here's what they look like now. Originally, both were orange. But with a bit of spray paint, they've been totally reinvented. That metallic one looks sooo good guys. I was shocked at how it came out direct from the can, looking so metallic. I'm still not done with the white one I think. But at least the base is done.

I also made another large pumpkin out of chevron burlap (to die!) to complete this trio. I'm still deciding if these should live inside or out for the season. Right now they're in. And they're making me so happy for real Fall to start! I can't wait for cold weather, boots, scarvs, hot apple cider.

My favorite time of the year!

cheers & besos,

New Leaves

It's fall! It's fall! It's officially fall! You know how I know? It's rainy and windy and below 80 degrees! And I'm excited. Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year and I feel like I've missed out on the last two. London doesn't have seasons, just cold rain and warm rain. And Bangkok...yeah, got there right during the end of Monsoon season. 90+ degree weather pretty much everyday we were there. So needless to say, I'm uber-pumped! So with the advent of fall, comes the inception of a new scrapbook. Ta da!

Botanical Gardens

So I've refrained a bit from posting all of the photos from Matt's recent trip because I knew I was going to be working on this scrapbook. I couldn't wait! With all of the other projects I should complete first, I just had to get my hands on these gorgeous photos. The first being all of those close ups from our trip to the Botanical Gardens.

I had a lot of fun mixing and matching all of those patterned papers. Background paper: DCWV, a Basic Grey from their Eskimo Kisses line, some vintage Ki Memories, and some scrap Pink Paislee (journaling) and K&Co for the "Gardens" title. I've gotten use to and have started to love my little Slice. Especially for the lettering aspect!

The Apple of his Eye

So this guy...what can I say? {Sigh} I envisioned it so much better. But alas, this was the result. It's adequate to say the least. I like parts rather than the whole. The concept is cool. I mean I loved that photo. And thought it was a clever title...I dunno. I had scrappers block I suppose. It's mainly Making Memories papers and embellishments, with those awesome Sassafras Lass apples that I so gleefully butchered :(

So Thankful he Fell in Love with Me

This layout was inspired by the Stamptoberfest activities to be had over at Twopeasinabucket.com. What is Stamptoberfest you might ask? You soon shall see! Check back for my next blog update. This was one of my entries into the "Thankful/Gratitude" and "Fall" challenges.

Here we go again with my punny tittles! It was a charming break after having created 3 other cards and even more fun using the new "technique" I've unearthed. Using stickers as stencils! It helps one admire all of those gorgeous patterned papers out there. It also didn't hurt that the whole layout is just a nest of lines and that there's no weighty shapes aside from the few I've added. Perhaps now you can grasp the depth of my creative vision! {Haha! I really don't take myself that seriously} This is virtually all Making Memories with American Crafts letter stickers and that one little jewel brad.

Thus, we've come to end of my new scrap"book" of "leaves". Check back for more updates, because Matt's hounding me on the progress of "our" new scrapbook. What a guy! ;)

xxbesos

j.leija