Tell Your Story

I'm thinking this will be the title page for my 2016 album. It's a just for fun page that I made with the Fresh Start Scrapbook Circle kit. I love how it came together!

I recently organized my printed photos. I don't have a ton of them but now I'm able to find what I'm looking for, if I'm looking for something specific. It also meant that I had a good look at the photos from my childhood. I nabbed those boxes from Mama a few years ago.

One of the photos was of me on the front porch of our house. Can you see it there? I had on this blue dress with a matching blue bow. My mama says I was probably 4 in this photo. It was Easter time.

Simultaneously, I also had that very recent photo of me. I liked the juxtaposed and thought I had something there.

 

At some point, it crossed my mind that I had a 3rd photo I could use (the one in the middle). And it just happened to be sitting with this old Studio Calico rub-on that was basically a journaling prompt. It read: “I am….I can….I enjoy….I love….I think….I wonder….” So that’s what I used for my journaling.

I like this list. Some of those things have been true since I was 4 years old. Some were true at 18 and others are true at 31. And that, I think, makes this page very cool. At least to me!

I need to go back and add my age in each of the photos. I’m surprised I didn’t do that in first place! But looking back at it now, I’m realizing that’s what’s missing.

I really do love how this page turned out. And even though it’s kind of just a random page, I think I’m going to use it as my 2016 title page.

Tessa blogged about this over on the Scrapbook Circle blog if you'd like to read more.
cheers & besos,

Coffee & Donuts

I'm so excited to share my first Elle's Studio projects. I loved playing with the January kit and the stamps and the cut files. I wanted to use so much of it that I stepped a bit out of my comfort zone and totally went for it with this pocket page paired with a 9x12 in layout.

The two pages together don't necessarily tell the same story. Really, the only thing they have in common is that the photos were taken on our trip to Portland. But I like them together for some reasons. And I totally think its ok if in my head these are a double page spread =)

The page is a little love note to my boyfriend. I want to make sure he knows that I adore him. I mixed patterned papers from the Thankful collection in with a few of the cards from the January kit. That gradient card was my favorite. I love the colors! It was the perfect little landing place for the  "Adore You" acrylic piece which I used as my title.

But my most favorite item of them all was the stamp set. And especially the stamp set paired with the most amazing ink pad I've ever used. Look at this photo: I stamped on it with white ink. WHITE INK! It's truly a unicorn, a white ink pad that actually works. 

To me, this stamped so clearly it almost looks like a digital brush. But nope, this was done by hand. To note: I left it to sit out for a good hour before sliding it into the pocket. I didn't want a smeary image because it does take a bit to dry.

I also loved those tiny donuts! I need to figure out more ways to incorporate them into my projects because I think they're just too cute. And really, they were the jumping off point for choosing these photos. Donuts = Voodoo Donuts = Portland = Our trip in 2014. I stamped these with two teal, purple and red ink and then heat embossed pink sprinkles on a few of 'em. They look scrumptious to me!

I adored this cut file which is of hearts. But, a few of the hearts are only half cut and you fold them over to see them whole. I love the texture and dimension it adds to this pocket! I used that file to make a few cards, which I will share later this week. It's turned out to be one of my favorite cut files I've ever used! And the "negative" hearts that came out of the pocket design, were added to the Adore You layout as a bit of tone on tone texture. Win win!

I had so much fun playing with these products. And as of this posting, they're available over in the Elle's Studio shop. The kit is normally available for $11.99, but until 2:00am CST, it's only $9.99. So if you're interested in nabbing it, I'd suggest doing it now. Because as always, the kit, the stamps, the extras are gone when they're gone. So get them while they're hot!

The rest of the design team are also sharing their projects today. You can see everything over in the Designer's gallery. I'm racing over there as soon as this posts to see what everyone has created!

cheers & besos,

Happy Place

I booked a trip yesterday. It's for work but it's also to my favorite place in the world, London! I'm so excited to be back. It's been over a year since I've been and I feel it calling to me. 

Because it's such an important part of my identity, I have no problem calling it my happy place. I have so my fantastic memories from this place.

I was very influenced by Fancy Pant's Happy Place line. It's how I came up with the idea to make this page in the first place. There's a ton in this month's Scrapbook Circle kit!

I think it's as equally important to document the places we love, as it is the people and the things. And I'm so excited to be heading back there in a few weeks. Until then, miss you London!

cheers & besos,