What do you do when you write your journaling directly onto your background paper and then find it horribly wrong?

I don’t mind crossing out a word or two, but sometimes the “error” is beyond a few misspelled words. In this week’s episode, I share some of my journaled background near-tragedies and fixes!

These aren’t just “passable” fixes. These are fixes that left me even happier with the results than my original plan. I’m excited to share with you not only my techniques, but the design principles that make them work so you can apply them to your own journaling mistakes.

This week’s episode is for members only. You can watch the trailer video if you’re not a member. Please click here to find out how you can become a Paperclipping Member and get access to the archive of over 140 video tutorials.

Need to see some samples first? I have posted several full episodes for free.

Below are the “fixed” layouts I featured in this week’s tutorial…

Little Rascal

12×12 layout

Journaling to Aiden, age 3, reads:

the story
During one of Blake’s baseball practices an older boy, about 7 years old, challenged you to a race. You agreed and off you went. Of course, we couldn’t expect your little legs to keep up with him and he hit the finish-line with the declaration, “I won!” long before you did.

true confessions
Here I was, your protective mother, irritated that this 7-year-old boy was gloating about beating you, my 3-year-old. But then you reached the finish-line, still at a full run, and with a huge smile on your face. You began yelling, “I won! I won! I won! I won!…!”

Confidence.

the juicy part
That boy tried his best to convince you (and the rest of us!) that he beat you. But he could not overcome your boisterous, “I won!” celebrations. He was frustrated. And I have never stopped smiling about it.

T is for Trinity

12×12 layout

Journaling reads:

A conversation with Aiden, age 5…

a: Mom, I want a “T” on my forehead.

(after hearing him mumble, “Trinity . . . Trinity . . .” I made a guess)
m: You want a “T” on your forehead for “Trinity?”

a: Mmm-hmm.

m: T for Trinity? Because you love her?

a: Yep. I love her.

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In this new members-only edition of Paperclipping, you’ll see several different ways to gather up and use old products in creative ways.

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You can download the trailer here.

Below are the layouts I featured in today’s episode…

PB & J

12×12 layout

Journaling reads: 3 yrs old – July 19, 06

Aiden, you are showing me that you’re growing up. Yesterday you wanted to help me make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Someone stopped by so I left the kitchen before it was done so I could visit with our guest for a few minutes. When I came back, there you were with an entire sandwich in your mouth. You stopped eating to announce, “I can do it myself!”

And you sure did! Peanut butter on half the bread. No jelly. I even asked if you wanted jelly and you said, “Nope!” with such confidence.

“Is it good?” I asked. “Yep!” you announced. And you ate it like it was the best sandwich you’ve ever had. I was so proud of my little 3-year-old boy.

Today when I was about to pour your soy milk into a cup you made the same announcement, “I can do it myself!”

. . . And you did.

Supplies:
Note: I use a combination of new and old products. Here are the ones I was able to find still available online:

• bouncy ball paper
• vinyl Thickers These vinyl ones are goopy and don’t stick well but they look awesome if you glue them with a good adhesive. Just beware!
• The white flocked polka dot paper is a favorite of mine but it seems to be sold or clearanced out. I found this brown sheet available and on sale. I’ve also used and loved this black flocked damask paper for a formal look and for Halloween.

* * *

T Is For Trinity

12×12 layout

Journaling reads:
A conversation with Aiden, age 5…

a: Mom, I want a “T” on my forehead.

(after hearing him mumble, “Trinity . . . Trinity . . .” I made a guess)
m: You want a “T” on your forehead for “Trinity?”

a: Mmm-hmm.

m: T for Trinity? Because you love her?

a: Yep. I love her.

* * *

Silly Random Thoughts

12×12 layout

Journaling from four different occassions: Aiden – ages 3 and 4
1)”I know what kiwis are made of. Salty, juicy pineapples. With hair all over it.”

2) August 2006 –
Me: Tomorrow I’m getting you a new carseat.
Aiden: A booster seat?
Me: Yes!
Aiden: So it can make me fly?

3) When you want a vitamin you ask for, “That thing that is kinda like medicine and kinda like candy.” (Aug. 2007)

4) Aug. 2007
Aiden: Look! I wrote, “Yoga!”
(shows me scribbles on his spaceship)

Me: Do you mean “Yoda?” Like from Starwars?

Aiden: No. YOGA.

Me: You mean the exercise I do?

Aiden: Yes. It’s your job.

Here is a pink version of my stamp die cut paper, and here’s a blue one with a different pattern.

* * *

T

12×12 layout
Journaling reads: The over-sized set at Grandma Gertrude’s retirement home inspired your imagination, which we can see by your pursed lips, surely meaning something big is happening in your inner world of kings and queens.

Supplies:
Type charms

The first layout I shared in this week’s tutorial was featured in Papercipping 120 – Circular Anchor Flexible Template. You can see the photo of that layout by clicking the link and scrolling down.

* * *

I’m excited to see what old products you’ll give new life after watching this week’s episode!

(Affiliate links above.)

Update 5-12-10: Some of the video feeds were not working yesterday but they should all be fixed now. Enjoy!
You can download the video trailer here.

To see the full version of this video, you need to become a member.

Below are the projects I shared in today’s episode…

Electronic Love Letters

MiniBook


The journaled introduction to this book: In Nobember 2006, as some of us prepared to take a trip to K.C. for Christmas, there was a a sudden jump in emails between us — Buckland siblings and spouses and our parents. With most of us spread out across the country, many of thee sometimes funny and sometimes emotionally supportive emails became a fun way for us to reminisce, become re-acquainted, and to remain tied together as friends and siblings.

These are some of my favorite of the sillier and playful emails. Much love to my parents and siblings.







A note on the supplies: I assembled the main pages and embellishments on this album about two years ago I think. I only finally added the photos and emails (on white cardstock) last Saturday. I’m so sorry that most of these products are no longer available. I can tell you that the two aqua-green inserts at the very beginning and end of the book are product packaging from Prima and are current.

It’s All About The Details

12×12 layout


You can read the journaing for this layout in the article in which I originally posted it.

Share!

What are your favorite styles? I think mine are probably vintage (although I never do a pure version of vintage) and an “artsy” style (which can be broadly defined). I would love to hear which styles you would love to mix into one project and whether you’ve attempted before! Please share by leaving a comment.

You can download the video trailer here.

To see the full version of this video, you need to become a member.

Layouts from today’s episode…

8×8

Journaling reads: Dad told me about this conversation he had with you when you said you’re not getting married:
D: What are you gonna do when you get older?
A: I’m gonna live with you guys.
D: Don’t you want to get married?
A: No.
D: Why not?
A (with a tone as if it should be obvious): We got Mom!

That’s right, little man. You got me…You got me wrapped around your little finger and while I hope you’ll find someone else some day who loves you like I love you, I hope your tiny little finger never lets go of your mama.

Pocket Page

Apologies for the glare on these. I haven’t figured out how I can photograph then well yet.


Journaling reads: My parents used to take us to ghost towns when I was a kid so when I discovered we had this cool mining ghost town just minutes from our house (nestled in the canyons) I knew I would take them and Erin’s family to see it on their next visit to Mesa.

You can download the video trailer here.

To see the full version of this video, you need to become a member.

Here are the projects from this episode…

It’s All About The Details

12×12 layout


Journaling reads: Trinity – You have great attention to details. You’re afraid of making mistakes. You’re a perfectionist. You’re also extremely independent, so it makes for some interesting situations when I find you trying to do something on your own but you have to come over to me again and again with detail-oriented questions. Today it happened with you making P.B.+J. sandwiches, which you’ve done a hundred times before…

Trinity: Mom! I want to make peanut butter and jelly but this says “jam!” I can’t find any jelly in the fridge.

Mom: That’s what we use because jelly has too much sugar. Sometimes what I buy says “spreadable fruit.” It’s all just used the same way as jelly.

Trinity (you ran out of jam and went to the closet for more but then came back to me, distraught): Mom! This has a totally different word on it that I can’t read and there are CHUNKS in it!

Mom: Yep, honey. This one is the same kind of thing. It’s called, “Preserves.” But it’s all the same. Now relax and go make your sandwich!

Herbivorous

12×12 pocketed page protector

Journaling reads: It wasn’t until Blake told me how his friends act disgusted by the way we eat (last month) that I realized it could be hard on you kids socially. It’s been over two years now since I decided to eliminate animal-related foods from my diet and cooking and became vegan. Last Auguest Dad decided (on his own, without pressure from me) that he couldn’t eat animals and their by-products anymore, either, which meant your diets became even more vegan than they already were.

Since we don’t force you to be totally vegan and you like my cooking, it didn’t occur to me it could be hard until Blake’s friends acted that way, no matter how good it looked or how often they admit to loving it when they try it. I’m sorry if you get embarrassed and I appreciate that you give us few complaints. I hope you understand that I have to live with integrity. I make this choice for health and love, for the environment, the animals, and for peace.

My 2nd Office

MiniBook I made from coffee cup warmers
Here are most of the pages:

This is a members-only edition of Paperclipping.

You can watch the video by using the player above, or you can right-click here to save the video to your computer.

Album Details

Album:
The Tinkering Ink Peekaboo Album I used doesn’t seem to be in stock anymore. Hopefully you’ll use something you already have anyway but if you’re looking for a mini with shapes punched out like mine, the closest thing I can find to it is this one, which is on clearance right now.

Album Color:
By experimenting, I got a lovely mottled yellow on my pages that reminds me of colored Easter eggs. You know how colored eggs never come out smooth and perfect like they do on the cover of magazines?. I love the uneven colored-eggs look on my pages. Here’s how I got it:

• Painted 2 layers of Golden’s Gesso. (You could try white acrylic paint if you don’t have gesso).
• Sprayed a layer of Lemon Meringue Glimmer Mist and blended it in.
• Spritzed some uneven splotches of Lemon Grass Glimmer Mist. I rubbed the Lemon Grass with my blending tool. The foam applicator left a lot of “bubbling” in the mist, I think because of the gesso, and then set the bubbles and splotches with a heat tool.

Handmade flowers:
I made my large turquoise flower out of Tim Holtz Grunge Board. To color the petals I painted two layers of gesso, then sprayed and dried multiple layers of Patina Glimmer Mist.

It turns out that the gesso was not holding the Patina dye color, so it came out light, although very beautifully glimmery. Liz Hicks from Tattered Angels suggested using Making Memories Spotlight acrylic paint on chipboard or grunge board if you want the dye color to show more vibrantly.

The tiny paper flowers and the large flower were inspired by the artist, Alisa Burke. The orange paperclipped flower is from Paperclipping Episode #118, which is now archived, but available to our Members.

Note: Links go to my affiliate stores.

This is a members-only edition of Paperclipping.

You can watch the video by using the player above, or you can right-click here to save the video to your computer.

Below are the layouts that appear in the episode…

9

12×12 layout

Journaling to Trinity reads: Your 9th birthday. Game night with pizza and banana splits. Your closest friends plus some of the neighborhood girls.

Supplies: Making Memories BigDot Rouge Paperie * Theresa Collins Take Note journal block * Basic Grey brads * Tim Holtz + 7 Gypsies metal numbers

Your New Bike

12zx12 layout

Journaling reads: Trinity, You had definitely outgrown your first bike so for your 9th birthday we called a whole bunch of sellers on Craig’s List until we found two sellers that might have a bike for you. We drove — you and me — to the seller who had 2 bikes first, and you knew instantly. You test-drove both, but you knew this was it. You didn’t even want to try the other seller to make sure. You went for the smooth-riding pink and purple one. Good choice. <3 Mom.

Supplies: Teresa Collins Journal-It Girl pink damask paper + journal boxes * Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist for the colored backgrounds of the flowers and circles: Lavender Fields, S.W.A.K. and Pumpkin Pie, blended with the Tim Holtz Blending Tool.

Riding With Grandpa

2-page 12×12 layout

Journaling reads: A regular treat…going to Grandpa’s house on the farm, him taking you all for a ride and a little tour. In a couple of years this wagon will be full of a different set of grandkids!

Supplies: Bazzill Cardstock Cream Puff * Glimmer Mist Coffee Shop * Creative Imaginations Polka Sunshine orange scalloped paper on clearance at the link at time of posting this * Letters R + G Thickers Jewelry Box Chestnut * Jenni Bowlin Studios orange buttons * Prima Novella Gallery Roses

You can watch the video by using the player above, or you can right-click here to save the video to your computer.

You can watch the video by using the player above, or you can right-click here to save the video to your computer.

In this tutorial, you’ll see:

• How to get ideas for handmade backgrounds
• Design principles that make it all work together
• Examples of handmade backgrounds

Also, if you’re not subscribed to the free version of Paperclipping in iTunes, here’s a link that will take you there.

With so many layouts appearing in this episode, I’ll only post the four new ones here but you can see the three that I’ve featured in previous episodes here, here, and here.

He Makes Me Laugh

12×12 layout

Journaling written to my husband reads: She said, “I can stick my tongue up my nose. Watch…” So I watched, and she totally did it. I was in partial shock but I kept a smile on my face. And that’s when you leaned into my neck and said — fairly loudly — “I’m glad you can’t do that.” And you made me laugh. Hard. Just like you always do.

Fiskars Border Punch: Apron Lace

Rhonda & Kelly

8.5×11 layout

Journaling reads: Loved that you did it your own way…a simple wedding with family and your closest friends out in nature. Loved Larry’s talk about having someone to come home to. Loved watching your beautiful happy faces.

Blue Prima Medicci Flower

My Mom

12×12 layout

Journaling directed to my mom reads: This is how I see you in most of my memories as a kid. I actually have hazier visuals from an even younger time when I was two to four years old and we lived in Arizona. At that young age I remember big hands reaching down to me. Big to my small size. Safe hands dropping down from huge heights to pick me up or to give me a gumball from the high closet shelf. I remember how you were so tall, towering over me. And when you held me I was high above the floor.

A few years later we moved to the house where Dad took this picture of you…you standing in our backyard on Lucinda Dr. in Whittier, CA. My memories are a little less hazy at this time with a little more perspective. Your face is a lot more clear, your hands less dominant. I remember you just like this picture. A naturally beautiful mommy.

Suede Glimmer Mist * Sage Glimmer Mist * Time Metal Word Stick * Felt Letters

In Flight

12×12 layout

Journaling reads: You four girls backstage, being young beautiful ballerinas, playing together while you wait your turn. You girls danced together–grew together and performed together–for at least three years (was it more than that?). You all stuck it out with two hard teachers from Russia and did a fab job shining on stage.

S.W.A.K. Glimmer Mist * Tiger Lilly Glimmer Mist * Bird Glimmer Screen (mask from Flights Of Fancy set) * Bling Flourish * In Flight Stamp * Winged Heart Journal Block * Little Bird Chipboard: Tattered Angels Nature Glimmer Chips

Episodes On How To Use Art Mediums

Paperclipping Members who want help with the actual techniques of of using paint, Glimmer Mist, and masks can watch these episodes in the archives…

58 – Glimmer Mist
106 – Mix Your Own Paint Colors
27 – Using Masks And Paint

All links direct to my affiliate store.

This week’s video is for members only.

In this tutorial, you’ll see:

• How to place photos to make many work together
• How to pick patterned paper that works with your photos
• How to add embellishments without them being too much

You can download the trailer, or you can become a member to see the full version of the video.

Also, if you’re not subscribed to the free version of Paperclipping in iTunes, here’s a link that will take you there.

Below is the layout I featured in this week’s tutorial…

Creativity In The Making

2-pg. 12×12 layout

Journaling written to my friend, Dedra Long reads: Shooting our DVD together — that was a blast. It was hard work, definitely. But we had FUN! I remember laughing and laughing with you, even though I can’t remember what was so funny. By looking at the photos, it was clearly something about hair. Clearly. I’m so glad we did these two long days of video shoots. It was one of my favorite Paperclipping memories.

Supplies: Creative Imaginations Die Cut Paper * 7 Gypsies yellow polka dot paper * Tattered Angels Glimmer Glass (Nature) * Tim Holtz Idea-ology Type Charms * Prima Rhinestone Flourish * Basic Grey yellow rub-on’s.

Above is a closeup of the technique part of this episode.

Other Layouts Shown In This Episode: