Simple Scrapper LO’s for January 2016

I loved this month’s templates for the Simple Scrapper members! They are such classic clean designs that can be used over and over again. I used a prompt from last January to talk about some of our upcoming travel plans for 2016. (I made this page back in November, so some of these have already changed).

Credits:
Storyteller Riley kit by Just Jaimee
Template 283 by Simple Scrapper
Inspired by a Story Starter from the Simple Scrapper Premium membership January 2014 #1

For my second page I chose a pocket page design. I’ve been doing that quite a bit lately when I have a lot to say. It’s fun mixing different fonts on the same page. I changed up this month’s prompt a little, but the spirit is the same- reminding myself of some of the important lessons I’ve learned… and re-learned… over the years.

Credits
Storyteller Riley by Just Jaimee
Inspired by a Story Starter from the Simple Scrapper Premium Membership (January 2016 #6)

This is 3 of 37 All About Me pages I plan to make before I turn 38 in February 2016. All of my 37 in 37 LO’s can be found here.

*I am a Creative Team Member. This means that I receive free products in exchange for making and advertising layouts for designers. However, the opinions expressed here are my own. The enthusiasm expressed here is definitely my own. See more of my CT layouts here.

I Love You

This one is just for the pretty. No story, just pretty pics and pretty product. This month’s Buffet at Gingerscraps is just perfect for our renewal pages.

Credits:
Winter Romance allies by Luv Ewe
Bear Hugs papers by Boomersgirl
Feeling Love template by Pixelily

*I am a Creative Team Member. This means that I receive free products in exchange for making and advertising layouts for designers. However, the opinions expressed here are my own. The enthusiasm expressed here is definitely my own. See more of my CT layouts here.

Together

The complete title to this LO should be “Getting My Shit Together”, but I’ll stick with the shortened version. I had a completely different idea for this kit, but seeing the word strips took me in a whole different direction. I love it when products inspire in that way, making you think of a story you might not have otherwise told.

Journaling reads- I SO did not have my sh*t together this morning. We’d been crazy busy the past few weeks with Charles and John visiting, Christmas, recovering from Vegas and a cold, etc. The vow renewal felt almost like an afterthought. I was so stressed out and didn’t feel like myself at all. It was a challenge getting into that right, loving headspace. At first I was thinking of 100 different little annoyances, from not having my nails done to my hair blowing around, to the freakin’ sun, who was NOT cooperating! But once we were there, in front of each other, all my stress started melting away and I began to really enjoy myself. And to remember why we were there in the first place. It had nothing to do with my hair, or the tractor that kept going up and down the beach, or that the sun was hiding behind the clouds instead of providing a nice backdrop for pictures. It was about sharing something special with our little family. It was about smiling and laughing together like we do every day. It was about celebrating  ten years of marriage, and many more to come.

Sidenote- Who else starts out wedding layouts by talking about how junky they feel, and how their stepson is trying not to throw up? Apparently I do, LOL. Next up is a page about how we only spent $15 on new wedding clothes! (I’m totally not kidding) It really was an amazingly beautiful day though, but also so “us” in that ridiculous things happened. And yes, I will eventually get to the tractor story.

Credits
Cherry on Top Essentials bundleSplatters, and Wordbits by JB Studio

*I am a Creative Team Member. This means that I receive free products in exchange for making and advertising layouts for designers. However, the opinions expressed here are my own. The enthusiasm expressed here is definitely my own. See more of my CT layouts here.

Before I Do….

This is the first of approximately 52,000 pages I plan to do about renewing our wedding vows last weekend. I have a lot to say, and there are A LOT of pictures! My father-in-law is a fantastic photographer and he really outdid himself.

When faced with an overwhelmingly large number of photos, I did like I normally do and scrapped something silly. I will most definitely get to the big lovey dovey pages eventually though, no worries.

Also you can ignore all the snowflakes on this page if using snowflakes on a beach page offends you. I think they’re pretty. A lot of the kits I’m planning to use to scrap this event have snowflakes, so I might just make it a theme. I’ll take a page out of Nancy Nally’s book and call them “ironic snowflakes“.

Journaling reads- Just hanging out a couple of minutes before the ceremony. I’m gesticulating (as usual), Jason is making me laugh (as usual), and poor Charles looks like he’s about to be sick. I think he was nervous. Jason had to give him a Sprite to settle his stomach. Poor guy!

Credits:
No Two Alike bundle by Mandy King

*I am a Creative Team Member. This means that I receive free products in exchange for making and advertising layouts for designers. However, the opinions expressed here are my own. The enthusiasm expressed here is definitely my own. See more of my CT layouts here.

Let’s Go!

I’m popping in for a minute to share my newest page for JB Studio. The theme of the kit is for New Year’s, but I went off theme and made a page about our first night in Vegas instead. I think the navy and orangey-gold worked really well for these night shots. I’m sure I’ve said it before, but that’s one thing I really love about Dani’s kits- they’re super versatile.

Journaling reads- Bally’s is right across the street from the Bellagio, but to get there you have to take several escalators and walk through an outdoor mall area. That was fine with us- more picture opportunities!

Credits:
This Year I Will kit by JB Studio

*I am a Creative Team Member. This means that I receive free products in exchange for making and advertising layouts for designers. However, the opinions expressed here are my own. The enthusiasm expressed here is definitely my own. See more of my CT layouts here.

12-11 New Releases, featuring bad airport photos and flamingoes!

Lots of goodies to in this week’s Fresh Baked from Gingerscraps. I only wish I had more time to play!

Airport Christmas tree

Journaling reads- I decided early on that I was going to take a photo of every single Christmas tree we passed during the trip, starting with the one at the airport.

Credits:
Tinsel Town kit by Connie Prince
Blessed Days template by Dear Friends Design

Welcome to Vegas!

Journaling reads-The first thing we saw when we got off the plane was a slot machine. The second thing we saw was a sign for the airport liquor store. Welcome to Vegas!

You can see more of my Vegas layouts here.

Credits-
Gotta Love This kit and cards by Aprilisa
Blessed Days template by Dear Friends Design

And last, but not least, a page from a couple of days later. And an excuse to use one of those hot pink Christmas kits!

Flamingo Christmas

Journaling reads- After breakfast, we walked around and explored outside the Flamingo, stopping at Starbucks to get some coffee.

Credits:
Christmas Ho Ho kit by Clever Monkey Graphics
Blessed Days templates by Dear Friends Designs

*I am a Creative Team Member. This means that I receive free products in exchange for making and advertising layouts for designers. However, the opinions expressed here are my own. The enthusiasm expressed here is definitely my own. See more of my CT layouts here.

All is Bright

When I made this page, I hadn’t scrapped in nearly a month. This is virtually unheard of for me! What with one thing (Vegas) and another (being sick), I just didn’t have it in me. But I’m happy to report that I’ve gotten back on the horse again, starting with this lovely LO.

The colors… omg, how could I NOT scrap Tiffany’s with this kit? I love this kit in an almost indecent way. It’s just gorgeous. I want to roll around in it. And also hoard it. And also use it for like 20 more Vegas pages. It’s my precious…..

Okay enough drooling over the kit…. Where was I?

I am, as always, totally overwhelmed with the amount of photos and stories from this trip. I literally have 50 pages worth of material, and I’m not finished going through the first day’s pictures. But as soon as I saw the colors in Marina’s kit, I immediately went in search of this picture in front of Tiffany’s at the Bellagio Hotel. It was nice to make a page “just for pretty” after my scrappy break.

Credits:
All Is Bright kit by Magical Scraps Galore

*I am a Creative Team Member. This means that I receive free products in exchange for making and advertising layouts for designers. However, the opinions expressed here are my own. The enthusiasm expressed here is definitely my own. See more of my CT layouts here.

December Daily 2015, part one

Hey little blog, long time no see 🙂

It’s December Daily/Journal Your Christmas/ Holiday Listing time again! I have to say, I think this is the most relaxed I’ve ever felt about Holiday scrapping. Except maybe that first year when I didn’t know anything about Holiday Projects *cue sinister music*, and I was just rolling along making pages with no rhyme or reason.

I think a couple of things have added to my sense of calm this time around.

1). I’m doing something very similar to last year, so I’m combining a few projects but only doing the parts that inspire me at that time.

2). I’m making holiday pages that will go into my regular 2015 album, as opposed to a separate project. I have realized that instead of inspiring me, separate projects like mini books actually stress me out and drive me crazy. That only took like, five years to learn. I think they are beautiful and amazing when other people do them, they just don’t work for me right now.

3). I’m using one set of supplies, the December Buffet from Gingerscraps. I am not the biggest fan of pink, unless it’s for a specific purpose like a race, or to make a big statement. But this year’s color scheme has really grown on me. I’ve also made my own set of templates, which I’ll talk about in another post if anyone’s interested.

So my first page, we’ll call it Day Zero, is a sort of intentions/ manifesto page. Neither of those words felt right for my journaling, so I just called it “This Christmas”. And now every time I see it I think of the song. Which isn’t a bad thing because I love that song. The journaling is taken from a JYC prompt.

Speaking of journaling, I have one more thing to say before I show you the darn page already. All year long I’ve been keeping a “2015 Stories to Tell” file in Evernote. I’ve kept lists of LO’s I wanted to make for years, but something shifted this year. Maybe it was just the change in wording from “Layouts to Make” to “Stories to Tell”. Maybe it was that I stopped blogging for most of the year so I needed another writing outlet. Whatever it was, something changed, and now I’m writing almost daily, in addition to taking photos. It has become a habit. So I’m not worried at all about finishing my holiday pages this month. I’m actually 100% sure that I won’t. But I’m totally okay with that. As my friend Megan always says, “Document now, make later”.

Journaling reads- Hello December This year will be a very different holiday season for us. We will have Charles on Christmas for the first time in our ten year marriage. I could not be more psyched! I have this driving urge to make everything “perfect” because lord knows if we’ll ever get this opportunity again. On top of that, Jason’s dad will be visiting, and we’ll be celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary! I want to throw myself into this season wholeheartedly, and try to keep sadness and bitterness at bay as much as possible. I want to embrace it all, the sights, smells, tastes, and most of all, the feeling of having family here for the holidays. I’m sure it will be a bit of a roller coaster, and it will never be “perfect”, but it will be “ours”. And that’s what matters the most.

Credits
Most Wonderful Time ellies by Key Lime Pie Design
North Pole Candy Shoppe by Trixie Scraps
Gingerbread alpha by Aprilisa

*I am a Creative Team Member. This means that I receive free products in exchange for making and advertising layouts for designers. However, the opinions expressed here are my own. The enthusiasm expressed here is definitely my own. See more of my CT layouts here.

9-11-15 New Releases, featuring birthday cards and apple pancakes

This week’s new releases were a lot of fun to work with!

I love scrapping birthdays. I know a lot of scrappers see them as a bit of a chore, but I love finding all the little stories of someone’s special day. That never gets boring for me. If anything I probably over-scrap birthdays.

Jason’s 40th birthday was a pretty big deal, and definitely one of the most important things I’ll scrap this year. I have at least 20 stories I want to tell from that week, which I know sounds crazy. I’ve done several pages already, but none yet about the present opening extravaganza.

I narrowed the photos down to my favorite 30 or so. I wanted pictures of each present, plus a few more of him just looking happy and excited and cute. Then I stared at them for a few minutes feeling totally lost as to what to do. Slowly though, stories started to emerge. I jotted down a few ideas, enough to make three pages. I noticed three themes in the pictures I’d chosen- cards, 49ers gear, and handmade presents. I set those aside and the rest I’ll probably just plop down in a Project Life style template.

I’ll be sharing lots more birthday pages over the next couple of weeks.

2015-04-07 Cards web

Journaling reads- Jason got a bunch of cards for his birthday, including an origami card from Charles, a Braille card from Jeannie, and one from Steve from Japan!

Credits:
A Very Happy Birthday kit by Aprilisa
House Party template by Little Rad Trio

My second LO doesn’t have nearly as long of a backstory. It’s about some awesome apple pancakes that Jason makes.

2013-09-08 pannekoeken web

Journaling reads- Jason made delicious apple pancakes this weekend for the first time. They would become one of our favorite brunch foods.

Credits:
Apple-licious kit by LJS Designs
House Party template by Little Rad Trio

*I am a Creative Team Member. This means that I receive free products in exchange for making and advertising layouts for designers. However, the opinions expressed here are my own. The enthusiasm expressed here is definitely my own. See more of my CT layouts here.

Throwback Thursday | Jewelry

The cameos in Connie’s kit were what inspired this page about the jewelry I’ve inherited from my grandmothers. This is a story I’ve wanted to scrap for a long time and I’m so glad I finally did it. I’d really like to scrap more pages about the important objects in my life and why I love them.

2015-02-06 Grandmothers' Jewelry web

Journaling reads- Some of my most loved possessions are pieces of jewelry that belonged to my two grandmothers. I’ve had all of these for twenty years or more, and the memories of which pieces belonged to which grandmother have faded. I know the cameos belonged to my Nanny, my mom’s mom. The ship necklace was my Maw’s, my dad’s mother. I believe the rest of the bracelets were hers too. The charm bracelet was definitely hers. Someone told me that the park bench charm was to signify that Paw proposed to her on a park bench. I love having these special pieces of our family’s history.

Credits:
She Is… by Connie Prince
Forever Love Lace Papers by Kathryn Estry
Heartfelt templates by Dagi’s Temp-Tations (modified)

*I am a Creative Team Member. This means that I receive free products in exchange for making and advertising layouts for designers. However, the opinions expressed here are my own. The enthusiasm expressed here is definitely my own. See more of my CT layouts here.