June Guest Designer At The Crop Stop

It is a pleasure to be invited by my friend Vicki Robertson to guest design at The Crop Stop this month.  I was pleasantly surprised at what they sent me because it made me think outside the box a little bit, which is always good for growing creativity.  I even sent Vicki a panicked email about the embossing folders, but we'll get to that in a minute...

I really enjoy creating these Life Documented Pages with many of the Simple Stories collections.  It just brings an element of efficiency to scrapbooking that does not take away from the creativity.  I'm not sure that the pages take any less time than a one page layout, but I feel like I can document an event with more completely and more easily add details, memorabilia and journaling.

The Crop Stop sent me these really fun embossing folders from Couture Creations, some mist and Flower Soft products.  It was a new adventure for me since I am not one to buy embossing folders and I am scared of anything that looks like glitter or has to dry.  I was not sure at first how to get the folders to run through my Spellbinders Grand Calibur, but after a few tries, they worked like charm.  And now after trying them out, I am hooked.  All of the materials add some fun dimension and texture to a paper craft project.  So, rather than build a project around the products, I decided to incorporate them into what I love to create with the Life Documented pages for Simple Stories.

It was so fun to run the 3 x 4 Simple Stories I Heart Summer journal card through the embossing folder.  If you look at the close up, you can see the beautiful vine pattern and how it gives the paper more dimension and texture.  I also added some of the white Flower Soft crystals to the middle of the sun for some shimmer and texture.  I have to tell you that I very much dislike any form of glitter, but the Flower Soft products do not stick to your skin and are easy to clean up.  I did not have to wear it around all day if you KWIM.

The orange Dylusions mist combined with the embossing folder also created a fun effect.  Tip, be sure to add any relevant journaling before you emboss and then add mist and stickers after.

I look forward to sharing another project next week for the Crop Stop.  Please stop by their blog and/or store for more ideas and inspiration.


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Xyron and Bo Bunny Blog Swap

This week Xyron teamed up with Bo Bunny to showcase how well these manufacturers work together.  I was sent bits and pieces of the Bo Bunny Trail Mix collection and created this layout of my daughter from a recent camping trip.  My goal was to incorporate this highly graphic paper into a relatively clean design...

This is the Bo Bunny Trail Mix Noteworthy die cut pack.  I used this as the primary embellishment for my layout.  The tags and camping decor were especially fun.

 

The Xyron Create-a-Sticker machines are perfect for the Bo Bunny die cuts.  I was easily able to run the different sized die cuts through the machines and adhere them to my layout permanently.

I added a stamped sentiment to this Bo Bunny die cut tag and then ran the tag through my Xyron Create-a-Sticker to make sure it would stay in place permanently.  Then I added some of the Bo Bunny jewel stickers.

I thought a combination of Little Yellow Bicycle clear stamps and wood alphabets worked perfectly with the Bo Bunny outdoor collection.

LYB Clear Stamps

LYB Wood Alphabet Stickers

These die cut tags and border easily ran through my Create-a-Sticker.  I added a stamped sentiment and some chalk ink for a distressed look.

Please go to both the Xyron and Bo Bunny blogs for more inspiring projects and prize opportunities.

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Introducing Little Yellow Bicycle's Poppy Collection

I love the color palette of Little Yellow Bicycle's Poppy collection and thought it would be fun to document some of our vacation last year using photo pockets.  The 6 x 6 paper pad is the perfect background for the 4 x 6 and 3 x 4 pockets.  I simply trimmed the paper to size and then added photos, journal cards and embellishments to them.

The LYB Clear Word stickers are perfect for adding what looks like handwriting to a project.  Plus, I love how they easily adhere to photos.  I have yet to purchase a cameo, so I am always happy to find words and lettering in all of our LYB collections.

I added the word "LOVE" to this 3 x 4 card using the Poppy chipboard shapes and a Poppy journal card.  Easy enough to polish the look with a corner rounder punch.  The "Moments to remember" sentiment is a Clear Word sticker.

I love the script background of this green patterned paper.  I just added the to photos, clear word sticker and fresh verse sentiment for a fun mini layout.

I really enjoy creating a "layout" in the small 4 x 6 size.  I added the text to this photo in photoshop and then printed it out and cropped it to the smaller size.  Then, I created this layout design with the 6 x 6 patterned paper and clear word and fresh verse stickers.

Added it to my family vacation album and called it done.

LYB Products:

PY-304 6X6 Paper Pack (24 sheets, 2 each of 12 designs)

PY-140 Cardstock Stickers - Fresh Verse - with thermography and debossing (43 pieces)

PY-135 Cardstock Stickers - Favorite Pieces - with glitter and embossing (29 pieces)

PY-134 Journaling Cards - with thermography (10 pieces)

PY-279 Chipboard Shapes - with glitter accents (29 pieces)

HL-220 Clear Word Stickers - Family

HL-215 Clear Word Stickers - Summer

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Take A Hike With Simple Stories

It's been a LONG winter in Colorado and we are actually still getting snow believe it or not.  However, my family loves to camp and hike so we had to head west on I-70 in search of sunshine and warmth.  We found it in Fruita, CO near the Colorado National Monument last weekend and actually got to spend a few days in 70 degree weather even though the night dropped to 30 degrees (not my ideal for sleeping outside, but still more fun than snow at my house).

I thought the Simple Stories Take a Hike collection was great fit for these photos.  It's almost as if the Simple Stories designers know exactly where the Qualmans like to camp and created the perfect sentiments and color palettes.   This collection was made for the National Park circuit if you KWIM.

The other thing that is so wonderful about this collection is that it is so thoughtful that I did not need to add anything more than my photos and journaling - simple right?  Just the way I like to get the memories of our trips documented.

It was so easy to make these pages that I don't have a lot of tips, except that I love to buy postcards from all of the national and state parks that we visit because then I have the perfect beauty shot of where we are staying with the title already added to the photo.  Makes it even easier to document the trip and the park service profits from my purchase.  Talk about good Karma...

I also cut off a piece of the map we were given at the park entrance to show the trail we hiked along the rim of the canyon and added a smaller photo of the hikers in our party to one of the Take a Hike 4 x 6 journal cards.  Makes a fun and easy compilation.  I used my Xyron Mega Runner to adhere the map and photo to the 4 x 6 journal card.

I cut out this little photo from the park brochure and added it and the fun footprints from the 12 x 12 Fundamental Cardstock Stickers to a 3 x 4 journal card.

The 12 x 12 Expression Cardstock Stickers are great for adding your own sentiment with the letters and journal spots.

My son discovered the water source at our campsite and washed himself off a bit.  He was very pleased with his work.

I love the spacing on the 4 x 6 journal cards because it allows me to write big loopy letters in my cursive.  I just added a couple of journal stickers to this card and called it good.


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