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Four Scrapbook Layout Ideas on Love for Valentine’s

Monday, February 13th, 2012

I love celebrating a holiday or a season by scrapbooking stories related to that time. I’ve never decorated our house with red or pink hearts, nor given our kids Valentine’s gifts. I don’t make homemade Valentines. But I did enjoy scrapbooking love-related stories this past week!

Here are the layouts I made. Hopefully they’ll give you a few love story ideas so you can play with some fun Valentine’s products, yourself.

1. Our Romantic Spot

Scrapbook about a favorite place you love to go with your sweetheart.

Our Romantic Spot

Journaling: We have a tons of restaurants we love but D’Vine is special. We have lot of friends that we visit with while there: people who work there, friends we’ve taken, or friends we run into while there. But despite the social nature, D’Vine is our place. An intimate place. So even though it’s a very popular venue and the most social of any we visit, it’s our most romantic spot. ..Maybe it’s because it’s near us, or maybe it’s the live music. Maybe it’s because of the atmosphere. I know in part it’s because of the wine. It really doesn’t matter, though. It’s our place. Yours and mine. Photos: March 2011.

Our Romantic Spot (closeup)

Supplies: White rose-textured paper from The Paper Studio, Letters are Thickers from American Crafts; small hearts, i.love.u tag, 2, Love text paper punched with an EK Success scalloped punch and stripe paper punched with Fiskars Heart Punch is all My Mind’s Eye from the Love Me line in both 6×6 pad and 12×12 kit; Wooden “splendid” banner is My Mind’s Eye Kraft FunDay.

2. First Home

Scrapbook about your very first home as a young new couple. Or scrapbook about your parents’ first home.

First Home

Journaling: Newlyweds – a sweet single-wide with an extension. Chico, CA 1969.

First Home

Supplies: Patterned paper from My Mind’s Eye Love Me line in both 6×6 pad and 12×12 kit; vintage Valentine’s images from Tim Holtz’s Seasonal Paper Stash; Pink die cuts with gold foil from Heidi Swapp with Tattered Angels, colored with SWAK Glimmer Mist, red button by Jenni Bowlin, all other products are older.

3. First Love

Scrapbook about your first crush or your first sweetheart.

First Love

Journaling: Chris Huber wasn’t my first crush, but was my first sweetheart starting around age 3. Our parents were close friends and his parents followed mine to AZ. I remember taking walks to his house. Once we moved to L.A. and his family moved back to Red Bluff where our parents initially met, our families continued to visit. Chris and I used to play Tarzan and Jane, jumping off my bunk bed as if swinging on vines. Our families went camping and even to Mexico together. Lots of good times as young kids.

First Love closeup

Supplies: Core’dinations + Jenni Bowlin cardstock, Tim Holtz Tissue Tape (similar to this one) colored with SU Cameo Coral Craft Pad and a Tim Holtz Ink Blending Tool, Kaisercraft Canvas Tags, Crate Paper Buttons, Prima wooden buttons, My Mind’s Eye Love paper from the Love Me line scalloped with EK Success Punch; Heart was die cut from Tim Holtz grungeboard with his Love Birds dies and covered with paper from the My Mind’s Eye Love Me 6×6 pad Circled 1 – Echo Park, Letter circles from Authentique, everything else is older product.

4. February Reservations

Tell a funny story about how you and your partner relate to each other. We have no problem telling funny stories about our kids, but we don’t usually think to scrapbook the funny stuff as adults.

February Reservations

Journaling: You are perfectly happy to do embarrassing things to entertain me. Like that time in August when we were on a date. You called Pita Jungle, a casual place we love, and asked to make Valentine’s Reservations. Keep in mind, this was was August! The hostess on the phone was surprised, of course, and told you they don’t take reservations. At all. Ever. They tend to have space. Even on Valentine’s Day.

But you insisted, saying that you were worried there wouldn’t be a table for us when we come…in 6 months.

The idea of going to the Pita Jungle for Valentine’s Day is hilarious enough. And the idea of trying to book reservations there 6 months ahead is even more hysterical. I was laughing so hard (quietly, of course!) and I can’t believe you can hold such a long fake conversation with someone without cracking up or getting embarrassed, for that matter. But you don’t worry about the embarrassment part. You just like to see me laugh.

What was just as funny was when Valentine’s actually came. We were driving to a restaurant for dinner (not the Pita Jungle!), when suddenly you picked up the phone and I heard you say, “Hi. Pita Jungle? We’re on our way and I just want to confirm our Valentine’s Reservations.”

(Photo: Nov. 2011, Story: 2010 – 2011).

February Reservations (journal page)

February Reservations closeup

Supplies: Patterned paper and No. tag from My Mind’s Eye Love Me line in both 6×6 pad and 12×12 kit, large hearts punched with Fiskar’s,; Scallop punch is by Fiskars; Black brad by Teresa Collins, Metal Spinner by Tim Holtz.

Do you like these scrapbooking ideas? I hope you’ll join me with a Paperclipping Membership to get many more, along with scrapbooking techniques, embellishment layering concepts, design principles, and Flexible Templates!

note: affiliate links where possible

Six Tips for Telling the Story and Designing Intricate Scrapbook Pages at the Same Time

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

February Reservations

We often see either one or the other: a gorgeous and stunning page with little to no story. Or a simpler cleaner page with lots of story. Can the two live together? How do you strike that balance between making a page you love aesthetically, while also telling the story?

We had such a fascinating discussion about this topic on the Paperclipping Roundtable, and just in case you got caught up in the dynamics of the conversation and didn’t notice or remember all the specific ideas we shared, I thought I’d list the ones I remember, along with a few of my pages as examples.

1. Add journaling to a second smaller page.
This is especially good for those who really want to go at the decorating of a page without thinking about how to fit the journaling, whether it’s because you like to decorate with lots of embellishing, or because you like to use lots of photos.

Christmas for 2? - with journal insert

Sometimes I put it in the middle.

Christmas for 2? - with journal insert

Tap Dance for Money - right side

Sometimes I add it at the side.

Tap Dance for Money - both pages


2. Write your story first.

I always know what my story is before I start picking my papers and putting things on them. If it’s going to be more than a few sentences I write it out, too.

  • You’ll have an idea of how much space you’ll need on your page and you can work it into the design the same way you do with pictures.
  • A clear idea of your story can help you better choose patterns, embellishments, and colors because you’ll be able to focus more on visuals that will help tell your story.

Hyman Family

Click here to read the journaling on this page in the description below the layout. Once you read that I think you’ll understand why I choose a vibrant pink and orange color combination, along with my embellishments.


3. Add your story as text directly onto the photo.

If you add it directly onto your photo using software like Photoshop Elements, you’re also accomplishing tip #2. And now you have a page completely free for embellishing!

Anime Trin


4. Reduce the opacity of your journaling text.

If you do digital or hybrid journaling, reduce the opacity of the journaling so that it’s subtle and more like a patterned background. This means the visual weight of your journaling will be light, allowing you to focus more of the visual weight on the beautiful embellishments.

Journaling strips or fine-tipped pens in a color that doesn’t contrast is a non-digital option.

Mission(s) Accomplished: at 38

5. Write your journaling like you’re talking to friends or family.

Do you tell your friends stuff? Of course you do. There’s no need to word your journaling any differently. Just put yourself into the mindset of telling the story to a friend and you’re good to go!


6. Break the journaling up into smaller parts.

In small sections of just a sentence or two you can nestle it into embellishment gatherings, around titles, next to a photo. This is another way to be sure your journaling is light in visual weight so you can concentrate your weight on other things.

Did you pick up any other tips while listening to the Roundtable episode? Or do you have tips we think of? Leave a comment to share, either here or on the Roundtable post!

Want some help with these ideas?
I have video tutorials on many of these topics for the Paperclipping Members! Here are just a few:

  • #185 – The Off Center T Flexible Template
  • #179 – The Weight of Your Journaling
  • #173 – A Journaling Design Technique
  • #170 – Scrapbook Titles that Ramble
  • #105 – How to Have Endless Ideas
  • #103 – Visual Memoirs
  • #94 – Embellishment Crescendo

If this is a subject you need help with, consider this a class! Start by listening to the Roundtable episodes, view each of these video tutorials, trying each concept.

If you’re not a member, you can start your membership now and get access to all 186 tutorials, including the ones I listed above. Click here to learn more!

CHA 2012 – Stacy Julian Tells a CHA Big Picture Kinda Story and a Lovely Idea

Sunday, February 5th, 2012

I ran into Stacy Julian on the floor during the show and we started chatting. Well, you can’t talk to Stacy without having lots of fun and you can’t talk to her without her making you see things from a bigger point of view. So after she told me a story about being in the Basic Grey booth I asked her to tell it again to the camera so you all could hear it too! This story comes with a few cool ideas! Find the meaning!

A Fun Way to Choose Scrapbook Embellishments

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

True Scrap Sneak Peek

I’ve started working on my class for the online event, True Scrap 3! I’m really excited about my topic, which has to do with my method for choosing embellishments and paper for pages and projects. The method makes it easy, fun, and meaningful all at the same time!

What’s my topic? Hop over to this page to see! You’ll get to see the topics of all the other awesome teachers, too!

You won’t be able purchase a spot yet, but you can join the “Breaking News” email list so you’ll be sure to get special offers and discounts!

Click here for the True Scrap 3 Sneak Peak/Teacher Announcement!

Sign Post Technique – Paperclipping 186

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

paperclipping 186

I was driving home a couple of months ago and came upon a fun image idea for titles or other info for our scrapbook pages and projects.

I looked through my stash and found some items I could use to build that image with a few fun techniques! I’ve made two versions so far and I’m so excited with my results. I plan to use this again and again!

In this week’s Paperclipping Video Tutorial I show you step-by-step how to do both versions of the sign post.

Here’s a sneaky little peak:

Scrapbooking

Want to try it for yourself? Paperclipping Members can find it in the Member’s Area or on iTunes. Just look for episode #186.

Not yet a member? Where else can you get 186 video tutorials for only $47 (with an active coupon code)? You’ll also get two more videos every single month of your six-month membership!

After that it’s only $28 to renew for an entire year!

So what are you waiting for?

Click here to get your videos!

The Off-Center T Flexible Template – Paperclipping 185

Friday, January 20th, 2012

paperclipping 185

We released a video this week that shares one of my Flexible Templates, which are starting point layout structures that get you going but are so flexible you can use them whether you’re using a single photo or lots of them.

Here’s a sneak peek at one of the layouts featured in this episode.

Walks to Basha's closeup

Altogether I shared eight very different pages using this Flexible Template.

You need to be a member to watch our video tutorials. To learn more about it when you click here.

Enjoy! :)

Stretch Your Leftover Themed Products – Paperclipping 184

Thursday, December 29th, 2011

paperclipping 184

I don’t buy a lot of themed products except for the Christmas theme — in that case I do buy a lot, at least for me. And that means I have leftovers every year. I bet you do too.

Ever wonder how to make them fit together onto a page?

I’ve just released a video tutorial with lots of tips on stretching leftover themed products, such as Christmas ones, to fit together on your pages.

Here are some of the things I share:

  • A layout concept for when you have only one piece of patterned paper you want to use for a 2-page spread.
  • Principles of color to help you pull together papers with slightly different color families and make it balance across your entire spread.
  • Techniques for making non-themed products fit in with your chosen theme.

Sneak Peek

This episode is for the Paperclipping Members. Are you interested in a new year of scrapbooking with techniques and design concepts that will help you with every page you make? That’s what you’ll get immediately with today’s tutorial, plus more than 180 others!

Click here to learn about membership.

Sneak Peek

Sneak Peek

Get better use of your products and make pages you love! Start your membership today!

Thirty-Six Merry Days: December Daily Christmas Mini-book

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

25 Merry Days 2009
Every year I go through the same dilemma.

First I tell myself I’m not participating with Ali’s popular December Daily project — not because I don’t think it isn’t awesome (it is), but for these other reasons:

  • Do I really want THAT many mini-books sitting around just for Christmas?
  • Do I really want to add to the chaos and busyness of this time of year?
  • Do I want ANOTHER unfinished Christmas mini (not one of my three are done).
  • And these last two are statements, not questions: I don’t like non-Christmas stuff in my Christmas mini-book. “Daily” inevitably means a non-Christmasy page here and there. It works for Ali, but I don’t like it in mine.
  • Also, I sometimes like my prepped pages better than my completed pages. That makes me slightly sad.

Every year since my first attempt I’ve decided to skip out. And then all those Christmas themed supplies start popping up, and people start sharing their prepped pages, and I start to feel the itch.

2009 Glitter Page 6232

I do LOVE my 2009 mini-book, which is the most complete, most interactive, and most glittery. LOVE IT! (except for those non-Christmas pages!).

Why Simplifying Didn’t Work
Last year I was adamant. I decided I wasn’t doing it.

Then Ali simplified her book for that year and released digital templates. So that seemed less stressful and I decided to go for it.

2009 Glitter Page 6233

But guess what? I don’t really love that book. It’s missing the things I love most about my first two albums — the surprising unusual pages types. And the glitter.

So this year I was adamant. I’m not going to participate this year.

And then…
I started going through my Christmas supplies for some layouts and I realized something. Christmas supplies and the idea of glitter make me happy. Like, really happy.

Great-looking numbers throughout a book make me happy too.

Who cares if I have too many mini-books. It’s just FUN!

So I re-evaluated why I do and don’t want to join the ranks and came up with a plan that feels right for me.

New Ornaments 6231

36 Merry Days

Yeah — I added eleven days to my book. Sounds crazy, right? But my book won’t necessarily be daily. Here’s what factored into my decision:

  • I just want to capture stuff that either is Christmasy, or LOOKS Christmasy in the photos.
  • I try to put our trees up the day after Thanksgiving, so it’s always bothered me that that day isn’t included within the December Daily album.
  • We have three birthdays around the Christmas season. Mine is Nov. 26, Blake’s is Dec. 7, and Trinity’s is Dec. 31. They all feel like a part of the season to me, so I want to include them.

I’m not focusing on December or daily. For me it’s going to be about the 36 merry days of Christmas time.

So that’s it. I’ll be capturing my Christmas along with so many of you! Here’s my plan:

  • I’ll be numbering the days on each page, just like Ali, but I expect to skip some numbers and days.
  • I’m preparing piles of numbers, embellishments, pages of various sizes, but I’ll pick and choose and assemble each page after I’ve got my photos, ephemera, and journaling in hand. I think I’ll like my finished designs better.
  • I’m excited to return to the mixed-up pages with lots of fun techniques that I loved so much before.

I’ll share some of those techniques in the first of next month’s video tutorials! If you want to get in on some fun interactive and dimensional ideas for mini-books, be sure you have your Paperclipping Membership!

So what about you? Are you doing a December Daily album this year? What will your approach be? Have you gone through a similar process of customizing Ali Edwards’s cool project to make it suit you?

Three Part Triangle Flexible Template – Paperclipping 181

Friday, November 18th, 2011

Paperclipping 181

There is one design concept I use more than any other for setting up the structure of my design.

The Flexible Template I’m sharing in this week’s video tutorial is the most useful and the most flexible of all of them! Whether you’re doing single photo layouts from this past summer, or you’re already diving into multiple photo pages for the holidays, you’ll be able to use this template today as the jumping off point for your next scrapbook page.

This tutorial is for the Paperclipping Members. You can find it in the Member’s Area.

You’re not a member? Could your scrapbooking benefit from lots of Flexible Templates that will help you get started on solid ideas for your pages, without telling you exactly where to put things or how many photos you need?

What about design principles and concepts that will help you learn to make pages you’ll love in less time? If so, I think you’ll love a membership! You’ll get immediate access to the Paperclipping archives of 180 professional video tutorials, plus two episodes every month!

Click here for more information!