I began this adventure documenting via picture and words the daily going ons of Suzanna, Michael, Nikolas and Mia so we could share our lives with family and friends afar. However, as time has passed and my obsession with all things scrappy has changed my world, so too has the purpose of this blog. Our journey continues and as my scrapbooking takes flight I have been sharing our stories via my layouts. A BIG part of my life.
Hi there scrappy peeps! That seems to have become my signature opener for my process videos so why not use it here too?! I have a sketch challenge up on the Cocoa Daisy blog today and would love for you to join us! You can find the Cocoa Daisy blog HERE.
This is this month's sketch (designed by yours truly);
And this is what I came up with;
More often than not, the sketch comes after the layout the way I do things. However, for the next few months of Cocoa Daisy sketches, the sketch actually came first! I have a process video that shows you how this sketch inspired layout came together. And, how it evolved. It's interesting what editing video will do to your perspective of your work. As I was editing something about the "finished" layout irked me. I had to go back in and fix it. Watch the video to see what!
My favorite thing about this layout is that there is a tag hidden behind the pictures, in the glassine bag that Cocoa Daisy goodies come in, that contains a little love from my Mum - the lady in the picture that Nikolas is teaching digital goodness to. It's not obvious, it's rather discreet that twine poking out the top of the bag. Just a little hint that there might be something to take notice of. Someday, he will find it. And someday he will have a lovely surprise!
I had fully intended to put a title on the page but the letters that came with the kit weren't dark enough to stand out. I could have colored them but I liked the subtley of the flair "Fresh Start" as the title for my page. Or title-less and the flair is just that, flair. I might go back in later and add a title in a heavier hue than the pastel pink or white letters but for now, it's good as it is.
Have you enjoyed the process videos I have created? Do you honestly watch them in their entirety? I know I get tired of hearing myself speak. I honestly think it's the most I speak a one time unless I'm lecturing the kids about something! LOL! Any and all advise is welcome. PLEASE! Anything in particular you would like to see? Do share! In the comments here, on a video. Anywhere that I'm present on social media!
Thanks for stopping in today! I hope your March is spring-ing along!
Hey scrappy peeps! I had really hoped to have a process video to share with you today to accompany these Cocoa Daisy layouts however, the stars aren't aligned and that isn't going to happen. I had to update my video driver and apparently my already edited video didn't update with it. And while I'm sure there is a fix to it, I just don't have the time right now to research and fix. So, you get to view the layouts and enjoy them in their 2D glory!
I created this letter sized layout for the stamping blog post. The greens in the layout aren't that neon in real life... My options in editing the pictures were either that or yellow. Neither all that representative of the actual color but more green than yellow so that's what I went with. I used the stamp from this months kit and "heads and tailed" it, ie, I used it right way up then flipped it upside down to create the oval. I love the way it turned out and created the perfect frame for my pictures.
I think this layout is my favorite layout that I created from the February kits. I had a really fun video that showed my creative process and explained the story behind the layout. They aren't great pictures but it's a great memory and sometimes, that is what scrapping is all about - preserving the good memories. Better yet, I got Nikolas to write out his own journaling in his own handwriting! That is my boy's 14 year old handwriting on that page. Better yet, he didn't complain. Too much! I had such fun with the digital cut files, watercolor and hot air balloon stamps from the kit. And that cloud flair! Swoon!
I have a third layout that I had wanted to share without you however, not only is the video not working but the pictures are gone... I had issues with my laptop recently with files missing and apparently I was not able to recover everything... It's late as I draft this post so too late for picture taking. Which is fine, the process video that accompany the missing pictures layout is a technique process that I would really like to share. So, an excuse to re-take pictures and re-edit video! But sure to tune in again soon as I WILL recover from this minor fumble! I WILL NOT let technology get the better of me!
Edited - I was able to recover the process video for this layout, Brave, however the yet to be seen layout video is unrecoverable... I hope you enjoy this process video and watching how it all came together!
Okay, so they aren't my favorite apps, they are Nikolas'. I was kind of surprised to see such practical apps as his most used and those that he freely listed as his top 5, in no particular order. I was unprompted. And, in all fairness, as I had asked him earlier in the week to journal on a page, I wasn't going to push my luck and have him write anything other than the title of those apps. Instead, I offered my opinion on those apps!
This month's Designers Challenge over at Cocoa Daisy is to use list in some creative fashion on your project. I had thought of a list of the things in my purse, Mia's current top 5 books, where we stayed while in Yosemite... I just couldn't make any of those topics work with the 4x6 journal card I had created that prompted to pose this particular challenge. I have had a tough time including Nikolas in the scrapbooks lately as I have so few pictures of him. This was a great way to get that cantankerous teen included!
I wish I had had Nikolas write in one color and I in another. I want a better way to delineate his writing versus mine as, while it's his top 5, it's my opinion on that list. I might still have to go back and do something about that. Perhaps but a rectangle around each of the titles? I'm not sure yet.
Those rose gold foiled Thickers are sublime! And this months exclusive Cocoa Daisy patterned papers, that heart confetti being one of them, are just so bright and fun! I really loved the colors in this months kits!
If you are so inclined to participate, there is a Facebook group, Cocoa Daisy Challenges, where we would love to see what you have to share based on each months challenges. You do have to join as it is a closed group but we would love to have you! No need to use Cocoa Daisy goodies, just play along!
Sorry for the sporadic posts and radio silence lately. My laptop has been on the fritz. The process of figuring out that it was slowly eating up files and then Internet browsing capability disappeared was a long, slow decline. The attempt at rebooting Windows was long and painful. Nor successful yet my Internet browsing has resumed and my files have re-appeared... Either that or I'm just going mental... Very likely as well! LOL!
Today I have to share with you a layout I created based on a sketch I created for this month's sketch challenge over at Cocoa Daisy! I love creating sketches and am happy to be doing so again! If you would like to play along, we would love to have you join in. No Cocoa Daisy kits necessary!
Here's the sketch;
And here's my interpretation of my own sketch;
The sketch is originally based on a previous layout that I created for Cocoa Daisy. I don't want two layouts that look the same so I worked the sketch to work with the goodies I had from the February kits and the photo I wanted to scrap with. I still used the photo layers and the far edge strip, just not as many and not as big/wide.
I gotta say, I am a fan of puffy stickers! They have long been something I have loved so I am loving that they are back in vogue in the papercrafting world. I love having a bit of dimension on my layouts and they are the perfect amount. So fun! I just used three of the DITL cards to back the photo.
That large flower is fussy cut from one of the patterned papers along with a few digital die cuts. The die cuts are not from this month's subscriber exclusive cut files. I found this month's files tough to cut with the clarity I like so many of them I print and cut. I have a layout and video upcoming using a pencil file that I print and cut then watercolored for a school layout - stay tuned. I also print and cut the banner up top then used markers to color the triangles in.
I think I have a process video of this layout in the making as well. I just haven't had the chance to edit and voice over with the technology debacles of late... Perhaps another to join the vault of unused process videos. I just can't seem to edit them and voice over as fast as I can edit photos and write blog posts. Not that either of those of rapid either. I just have been doing the later two longer and thus have a more streamlined process. Plus with the video you still have to write a blog post... What are your thoughts on process videos? Do you like them? Do you care about the narration or just like watching the process unfold? I would love to hear your take!
February is fast approaching so it's high time I shared a little love! A lovely layout of my lovely husband created using the layout January Cocoa Daisy kits. My starting point for this layout was the typewriter. I saved that DITL 4x6 card specifically so that I could have the pictures popping out from the top of a piece of paper. Do you find a particular piece of paper or embellishment that is the driving point of your projects and creative process that things revolve around too?
The softness that the strip of vellum adds to this layout is just perfect! That typewriter is sublime! I could probably use that over and over again! When I first saw this collection from Pink Paislee and the flowers, my initial reaction was "what on earth am I going to do with those things?"... If you know me you will know I am not a girly girl; pink, flowers and I generally do not get along. It is rare that you will find such things on my layouts. Yet those two carnations (I think that's what they are...) were very necessary to balance the length of the photos and fill out the space a bit. And they work - the color scheme matches, they match the love theme, they serve multiple purposes!
Another exclusive digital cut file. And, a third flower for the trio. I am a fan of triplicate in my layouts and the visual triangle they create for balance. And the title of many fonts. I have seen a lot of that lately and am quite the fan. It allows one to title one's work with something more exciting than "lovely" or "love" - you can voice your sentiment as title work.
Those blue eyes!! Swoon!! He's a good man by husband. I am truly blessed to have him in my court, by my side, in my life, helping me raise our children, supporting me.
If you haven't already seen all the lovely projects that have come from this kit and been inspired to make a worthwhile purchase, be sure to join us. The February kit should have arrived on my door step on Wednesday and I cannot wait to share with you the loveliness to come! Each month with Cocoa Daisy gets better and better!
I meant to post this some time ago but needed to edit the YouTube video that accompanies the layout. I mean, why record the videos if you aren't going to edit and voice over them, right?! It's a brief video, very brief. Brief enough that there are only a couple of "ums"! LOL! Those of you who follow me and my journey into YouTube will appreciate this is. I talk like the speed of lightening with this one! I didn't realize there was so much to say!
I have really taken to stamping on my layouts thanks to Cocoa Daisy. While I really love the frames that are in the add on stamp set, I wanted to do something different with them. I thought they would make a nifty header and footer for this 8.5x11 layout. My initial thought had been to stamp with the hot pink Prima stamp that accompanied the kit but nixed that idea in favor of a traditional black. While I want the attention to fall on the picture, the dark of the chocolate cupcakes and our clothing needing balancing thus softening the glaring attention to the photo.
The above YouTube video shows you briefly the stamping process involved in creating the layout as well as the finishing touches.
Isn't that stamp sentiment adorable?! I think it would make a great Valentine's day card, were one to be into that sort of thing. Note the exclusive cut file that arleigh created based on the stamp set!
That teeny, tiny "currently" is also one of the January Cocoa Daisy exclusive stamps. It was part of the sold out Simon Under The Weather Stamp Set. I didn't have any Simon in my stash prior to receiving this stamp set so was thrilled to welcome Simon into my home! I have stamped a number of Simon's on various bits of paper but have yet to find a creative project that he feels at home on! Stay tuned!
What you don't see in the video is how I literally just layered trimmed 6x6 exclusive papers from the DITL kit wtih the 4x6 card (3 pieces total!) and two die cuts for the photo base. Simple! Clean and simple! The stamping really show cases the layout and tones down the business of the marbled "frame" around the white background.
And there you have it folks! I hope you enjoyed seeing my process and that perhaps you might see your stamps in a new light and think about using bits of them to aide the whole!
Recently some of the Cocoa Daisy team and I shared projects which we created using the Day In The Life January Cocoa Daisy kits. I created a process video to accompany this layout. You will have to please forgive the many "ums"; I am not that proficient at these videos and have yet to figure out the timing of video and verbiage. I am really not much of a talker so finding words of interest or relevance also escape me. Stick with me as I work out the kinks and eliminate the "ums"! It needs to be done!!
I used one of the subscriber exclusive cut files to create the heart background that is over the two patterned papers from Pink Paislee. You will see if you watch the process video that I added watercolor to the backside of what you see. The pinks didn't really match and became too distracting so I just flipped them to the backside and worked on top of the clean layer.
Here's the process video for those of you that enjoy them;
And for those of you who are more interested in just the close ups, read on.
The tag does not come with the kit however I wanted somewhere to nestle my journaling. There are two tags that come with the kit however one I had already used and the remaining tan tag was not of the color scheme I was working with. Ergo, something else was necessary. I could have used a plain white tag but really liked how the black print of the dictionary page was a softer look that melded into the layers better.
I used a few of the stamps for the various stamp sets this month for further embellishment. I love that the Cocoa Daisy kits always have a plethora of embellishments and that the stamps and yet another option. You can see the gold vellum that I tuck in behind the cut file for a little added touch.
Rub ons, Thickers, stamping, cut file and layers! Woot! What fun it was to create this layout! Thanks for stopping in today!
Welcome to the 2016 version of our annual Top Ten Blog Hop! You should have arrive here from the talented Wendy's page. She's an amazing scrapbooker, don't you think? If you didn't arrive via Wendy's blog, please begin at the beginning of the hop at Mendi's blog and work your way back here. There are lots of prizes up for grabs along the way so you won't want to miss out on all that!
It is that time of year again! That time when one sits down and reflects back upon the good, the bad, the ugly and all the in betweens of the days past. I like to look back at our year through my scrapbook pages. It's a wonderful trip down memory lane and of my creative endeavors. It also helps me to figure out what I have actually done and still need to do! It was so difficult to choose but this is what I narrowed it down to;
If you follow my work, you know that I scrap in all shapes and sizes; I like letter sized layouts just as much as 12x12 and I have been known to do a fair number of pocket pages as well. It just so happens that most of my favorites are on white or light backgrounds. Many of favorites involve either electronic die cutting or fussy cutting and there's a good chance that there is either hand or machine stitching involved. Or a sketch! That about sums up my "usual's"!
You can see the YouTube video I made of the layouts HERE
Be kind! I'm new to the whole video thing and still struggling to find my comfort with the whole process. I do better when I can voice over a process video. I apologize for the um's and inaccurate terminology (I know, it's a YouTube channel...). There are a number of us who have videos so be sure to join us on YouTube.
I won't make this blog post drag on too long and share ALL of the 10 layouts here individually. You can see them best in the video or go back into my blog and visit the individual posts. I do want to share a few of them however. In no particular order I'll share a few of the layouts below.
Both of my kids swim and I create a plethora of swimming layouts. If you too are a Swim Mom and are looking for swimming inspiration, another scrappy friend of mine, Madeline Fox, and I have a Pinterest board full of our swimming layouts that you will find HERE. This layout was created using a Just Nick cut file and a Creative Scrappers sketch - two things that I love to use on my creations!
My Mind's Eye and The Project Bin sentiment stamps! Swoon! I have long been a fan of My Mind's Eye and this was how I began 2016. Clean and simple. With Cocoa Daisy! These goodies, minus the stamp, were part of my first kit with Cocoa Daisy. I really didn't stamp much prior to 2016. Well, I collected plenty of stamps. I actually began to use them this year. It took some doing to overcome my fear of ruining a page that I had worked so hard on but persistence paid off.
Yup, another Cocoa Daisy page! That fantastic background paper is a Cocoa Daisy exclusive! I know some people aren't fans of the exclusive but I really love it. It makes it "boutique" to me in that not as many people have the same as you. Christine does an amazing job of coordinating different manufacturers. And yes, another of my little fish. I broke away from the red and blue swimming pages this year (our year round team colors) and tried doing something a little different.
With those three layouts, I think I'll stop there. You get the idea.
We wanted to give you plenty of chances and opportunity to get to know us and be eligible for prizes so there is also an Instagram hop happening simultaneously! You can find me on Instagram HERE. Each of us are tagged in the photo so be sure to follow everybody on Instagram as well.
Because I am such a huge Cocoa Daisy fan and so many of my layouts are created Cocoa Daisy kits, it's only fitting that my prize be Cocoa Daisy! I have two stamp sets for one lucky winner! You will earn one entry for each of the following;
You have until 10pm EST on Monday, January 2nd, 2017 to enter and hop along. I will post a winner, local or International, here on the blog and on Instagram the following day, Wednesday, January 3rd.
From here, you are off to visit Karen. Karen creates some of the most inspirational bible journaling posts I have ever seen! I know she will blow you away as well!
Happy New Year to you and yours and thanks for stopping into the hop today!
Hey there! And you thought you were going to see more of my December Daily! LOL! Sorry to disappoint. Since receiving my December Cocoa Daisy kit and seeing this paper from Pink Paislee, I have been obsessed with creating a cut file that would reveal and highlight both sides of the paper.
Having the weekend to play, I was finally able to realize that vision and create a layout around the paper and cut file! Not the way I usually create but fun nonetheless! And with the support goodies from the rest of the Cocoa Daisy kits, it was easy to put together as everything is so well coordinated.
My plan was to be able to show each of the squares of patterned paper on the reverse side of the paper by being able to fold out the half of a heart. That way your would see both sides of the paper. The above cut file is what ensued. There are 5 rows of hearts; each row has two hearts cut out, one of which is removed and overlaps the two. The whole paper was then backed with a Cocoa Daisy exclusive from Mommyish.
You can see the effect created from the cut files better in the above picture. A few of the hearts I anchored down with a cross stitch "x". Bits and pieces of the coordinating embellishments played support to the picture and added pops of additional color. You can download this file for your personal use, it is only available in Studio format.
The rows of hearts gave me the option of using either a larger photo on the right hand side or several, smaller photos. I went with several smaller photos that told a story and showed my daughters love for this horse, Lucky. A trimmed down 3x4 pocket card from the Day In The Life kit provided the perfect housing for my journaling.
If you use my cut file, I would love to see what you created with it. Be sure to attach a link in the comments of tag me in Facebook or Instagram! Happy crafting!
I have been remiss in my December Daily if you are here... I had to go out of town for 4 days with my son for a swim meet and fell behind. I have been busy at work and various other December commitments that catching up will have to wait. I'm worried that it will become frustration and once again, I will fail at the mission of completion... I'm really hoping to get back on track this weekend so do stop in on Monday and hold me accountable to this!
Meanwhile, I have some Cocoa Daisy projects to share with you from the goodies in this months December kits.
There are a number of December themed projects on the Cocoa Daisy blog; cards, packaging, pocket pages and this layout. I loved the pieced together background and decided to continue with the bits and pieces with the popped picture as the center piece. Michael and I actually went to a Christmas party last year and this was the selfie we took before leaving. There are so many fun bits and pieces in this kit that really made dressing this layout up so much fun!
There is also a post which focuses on projects created using the December Day in The Life kit on the Cocoa Daisy blog, for which I created this layout. I cannot scrap without the DITL cards and fun bits and pieces in the kit. I hadn't gotten my hands on arleigh's cut files yet so I used an old subscriber exclusive file from last winter to cut the giant snowflake in the background. I then used bits and pieces of the DITL cards for layering on this layout. The "Remember this" card poking up from the top of the picture of the two boys is actually the top half of the card while the bottom half is on the "Party time" layout above. Likewise, I saved the innards of the card behind that same picture for another occasion and just used the bits you see poking out on the left hand side and bottom. The "these are my people" is also fussy cut from a DITL card. I love how I can grow my embellishment and layering choices with the DITL cards and kit!
You can see how I used those DITL cards a little better in the close up picture. The black scallop line across the page that provides the uniting pop of black to the black and white pictures is a piece of the the Crate Paper patterned paper on the back of the top layout that I fussy cut. I had to make the top layout 12x12 again by adding a complimentary piece of patterned paper. It worked out perfectly in that it added to the random patchwork look of the original paper.
We have yet to have snow here in Virginia. Have you had any? We have had projected forecasts of snow fall through. It's a bit early for us, we don't usually see snow until January or February here. I'm looking forward to some snow!
I began this adventure documenting via picture and words the daily going ons of Suzanna, Michael, Nikolas and Mia so we could share our lives with family and friends afar. However, as time has passed and my obsession with all things scrappy has changed my world, so too has the purpose of this blog. Our journey continues and as my scrapbooking takes flight I have been sharing our stories via my layouts. A BIG part of my life.
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