I did lots and lots of scrapbooking in the early 2000s but lately any layouts that I've done have been digital.  This weekend I decided to get the supplies out and do some paper scrapbooking.  Isn't it so lovely to rediscover a past passion.  With lots of time inside these past few months I've been looking for things lately that I enjoy doing and that lift my mood when I'm feeling flat.  How are you going?  Just sending a cyber hug to anyone finding things a bit tough at the moment. 

I grabbed out a partly done album I'd started in 2004 as an alphabet album for my daughter.  This is such a great project to start with as it doesn't require organising all my photos - I can just choose any photo of Hannah that I love and think up something for a title for one of my remaining letters.  Alphabet albums were a format I found really easy to get stuck into when I was scrapbooking regularly.  

Here's one of my 2003 pages for the M page.  It has a hidden letter - you can just see the vellum tabs to pull it out.  It also has one of my first set of stamps - an alphabet.  

For my layout yesterday I used our Playful Alphabet dies for the title.  No more running out of letter stickers - I used to always run out of the Es when I used sheets of alphabet stickers.   Pop one of our adhesive sheets on the back of your cardstock before you cut your letters and voila - you have your own set of letter stickers with a peel off backing. 

The way these letters are arranged on the backing sheet is totally messing with my brain. :-)  Am getting some magnetic sheets to pop my dies on in the latest of my 'organise my stuff' efforts.  (Thanks Christine and Jacqui for the helpful organising tip in our discussion over on my facebook page.)  This set is so good - perfect size for card making and great for scrapbooking titles. 

My layout style these days is very clean and simple - I just like the photo and a title.  Usually I'd have some journaling but this album is more of a spot for some of my favourite photos.  I quite like that I've left it so long to finish that now I can have a great range of ages in the album.  

I've used 'In Good Taste' patterned paper for my layout for the woodgrain background and the concrete looking panel.  If you love some of the papers I've been featuring lately - hang off until October - we've got a 15% off patterned paper special coming up with heaps of our gorgeous papers.  

Stay well.  

Cheers, Sue

This must be just the most gorgeous thinlit - the Detailed Floral Thinlit with coordinating Floral Phrases stamp set.  I just LOVE the projects on page 76 and 77 of the catalogue featuring this bundle.  I took inspiration from the samples to make these cards. 

Tips and Techniques:  I've layered the Night Of Navy cardstock over shimmery white cardstock for this one.  The white craft ink showed nicely on the darker cardstock.  Embossing would give it even more oomph I think.  Some pearls to finish. 

My current favourite plate for cutting these detailed thinlits is the new Big Shot Platform.  It is ever so slightly raised in the middle section and I find I'm getting really even nice cuts using it with the acrylic pads.  I run it through and back, then turn it 90 degrees (1/4 turn) and run it through and back again.  The die brush is handy for getting lots of the little bits out.  The precision plate is good too for the detailed thinlits - although it is very rough on the acrylic plates and tends to warp them so I save all my old hacked up ones for use with my precision plate.  If I had to choose between the two - I'd invest in the new Big Shot Platform.

Here's a variation where I just reversed the colours - Shimmery White on top.  I trimmed it down a little so that a border of navy would show.  (And really didn't do a fabulously even job of that trimming so don't look too closely!) 

For this one I stamped the greeting straight on and of course managed to get it a little wonky - so stamped it again on a strip of cardstock and popped it up on dimensionals. That did the trick - mistake all gone. I roughed up the edge with the side of some scissors for a little added texture.   I do love the 3 sizes of pearls all lined up.

I'm busy here today making another mess in the dining room. 

This time I'm tackling a job I've been meaning to do for AGES. 

I've got a heap of half completed post bound albums here and I'm taking all the completed pages out and transferring them to big ring bound albums. 

So instead of having a bunch of albums that say "Hannah 2004" with 6 layouts, and "Hannah 2007" with 3 layouts - I'm just going to whack all the finished Hannah layouts into a ring binder (or two) in rough chronological order.  Two full albums instead of 10 itsy bitsy ones. 

The process is taking me rather longer than planned as I can't help reading all the stories as I'm going.  So having a rather delightful trip down memory lane as I jiggle and juggle and sort. 

I did notice one thing as I was making piles.  The Hannah pile is about 3 inches high and the Jack pile is rather short!!  Seems like I was in a huge scrapbooking phase when Hannah was a toddler and not so much during the Jack years.  So 'scrapbooking about Jack' is on my next to do list I think! 

Have a fabulous week.

Cheers, Sue

Save

Keen to try Project Life and not sure how to go about it?  Here's a few tips and pics to inspire a start. 

Project Life is an approach to memory keeping developed by Becky Higgins a few years ago.  Pocket style pages, slip in the photo, jot on the journaling card and slip that in too.   Done.  You can add things if you'd like or just keep it simple.  I love it. 

I'm using an album this year and am starting with the kit Happiness Is.   Love the colours.

Here's a sample of a few of the cards included .....

There's also a coordinating accessory pack if you'd like to add just a few decorative touches. 

I used the cork numbers for the year for my 2015 cover page.

There's lots of ways to do Project Life.  I've done one week per double page before.  This year I'm keeping it super simple and super easy.  No rules.  Just printing off pics I like during the year and slipping them in.  Adding in some stories.  Fill any blank spots with the filler/pattern cards. 

You can add some stamping if you've got stamps and inks. 

The box the kit comes in becomes a handy storage box.  It fits the accessories and journaling pens too.  (I love the arrows shown above.  They're sort of like post it notes.  Just jot the date on the yellow ones and add it to your page.)

In no time at all your album starts filling up with pages of memories, funny little moments that are otherwise so quickly forgotten and favourite pics. 

Would you like to join me (here in cyberspace) in putting together an album this year?  All you need is an album, a kit and your photos.  Add an accessory pack and journaling pens if you'd like.  Not a big time commitment and those albums are so so great to look back on once a few years have passed by.  I'll post some pics here during the year to show how I'm using Project Life to record a few snippets of our 2015 life.

Happy memory keeping.  If you've got any questions, ask below. 

Cheers, Sue

Browse the Project Life section of my online store here to see the various kits available.

Online Store:  Project Life Range

Shopping from home and would like the products I used above? Here's the details.

Hello.  While I'm waiting for my big box of new catalogue goodies to arrive I've been doing some creating of the digital kind using MDS.  Working on my Project Life 2014 album - some May happenings.  One highlight of May was the Stampin' Up convention: Inspire.Create.Share.    Here's some pages recording some of the fun.

And a double page of friends.  Nice to have some pics and journaling to bring back a little of that convention magic and smiles. 

I've used the digital version of the Everyday Adventure Project Life Kit.  I have the 'in the box' version as well and it is a lovely, bright, happy set of cards.  Great for everyday memory keeping. 

I've been having lots of fun with ink and cardstock as well but no pics yet - still making! 

Happy creating. 

Cheers, Sue

Hello.  I've been having a lovely morning of avoiding all the jobs on my to do list for today (housework, laundry, food shopping!) and doing some digital scrapbooking instead.  I had 60 pages done this year so I'm printing off my Jan - April into a photobook and changing styles/templates from May onwards.   Here's my cover page for my 2014: Edition 2 album. 

I've done lots of tweaking as I had a particular look in mind.  Extra wide white borders on the page and grey matting on the photos and text boxes.  I can give you some tips on how to do this using MDS if you're interested.  I've used the Simply Life photobook template and also the Everyday Adventure Project Life pocket pages. 

Aiming for clean lines and mostly photos and stories. I so enjoy putting this album together and adding to it each week or so.  I think it'll be fun to look at in a few years time. 

Anyone else in a scrapbooking/memory keeping mood this week?   My laundry and fridge are probably hoping a housework mood hits too! 

Cheers, Sue 

Happy Mothers' Day to all the mums out there.  And the grandparents, aunties and other special women in children's lives. 

I had a lovely day unwrapping some very thoughtfully picked out gifts from the Mothers' Day Stall and having breakfast in bed.  Then in the afternoon we headed up the highway to spend some time with my mum.  Hannah made some delicious biscuits to take.  Finished off the day with a nice bit of scrapbooking.   Aah - counting my blessings today.

Have a great week. 

Cheers, Sue

Wow what exciting news.  My two FAVOURITE companies are teaming up.  I cannot wait!!  Becky Higgins created the fabulous Project Life range of scrapbooking to help bring simple and easy and doable back to scrapbooking.   Now Stampin' Up are teaming up with Becky Higgins to bring you Project Life products in Stampin' Up's coordinating colours.  A match made in heaven! 

Here's a peek I found of some of the products.  They'll be coming to us in our new catalogue - released to customers on July 1st.  (Or join the crew as a demonstrator and get an early peek!) 

I spy a corner punch, framelits, stamps, journaling cards.  Can't WAIT!

Here's a link to the US Stampin' Up blog if you'd like to see more details:  Stampin' Up and Project Life Announcement

I've been using Project Life to do albums for a few years now and it is simply a fabulous system.  So easy to just slip in a photo, jot a story - done.  Or you can add embellishments and extras if you wish.  So customisable.  What I love is it is so doable.  I've gotten TONS more stories and little family moments into my albums doing things the Project Life way, instead of having them on my 'good intentions - to do one day' list which seemed to happen before. 

I'll keep you posted on any news in the coming months about this collaboration.  Pop your email in to the registration box top right here on the blog if you'd like to get updates via my newsletter. 

Happy memory keeping!! 

Cheers, Sue

I'm thoroughly loving working on 'Our 2014 Life' album - capturing little snippets of everyday life in a simple way.  Easy to do, quick to add a photo and a story - and that means I'm getting it done. 

Here's a page about some online shopping the kids did this month.  Jack saved for a Pig Rock Raceway and Hannah was hunting for a rainbow/fun loom and both were out of stock everywhere we looked.  Online shopping to the rescue. 

We found our rainbow loom at this website in case you're hunting too. If you like the convenience of online shopping you can find my online store up the top left here on my blog.

As I've been working on it, I've been gaining confidence in adapting the template to suit my pics and pages.  Here's a couple I've customised as I wanted to include some larger photos.  John surprised Jack and knocked off early to come and see basketball training - love this pic of the two of them.  The kids and I have been getting back into sharing a book together - something we've not done so much of since they've both become avid independent readers.  We really enjoyed The Miraculous Journey Of Edward Tulane.  Nice to share a great story, and even nicer to spend some quiet time together.

Simple everyday moments, captured quickly and easily with my digital photobook project.  Get in touch if you'd like to know more about MDS: My Digital Studio.  I'll have another video soon for how to adjust the photo templates - just waiting for a quiet day with no teaching or card class and it'll be on the list!

Have a fabulous week.

Cheers, Sue

Hello and happy weekend! I always look forward to Saturday mornings, and especially when they involve a leisurely bit of scrapbooking in bed with my laptop.  Even better when someone brings me toast and coffee - aahh, counting my blessings this morning.  In between bites of toast I've been getting my 2014 MDS album up to date with some late Feb and March pages.  Here's a peek.  (With a few blanked out bits for privacy.)

Birthday parties and a day at a local festival with the kids and my brother and sister.

March snippets and a bath and a weigh for the guinea pigs ......

And I love this double page with some photos from my mum and dad's garden.  In my Sydney album I really liked the pages with a large circle photo. Looking through that reminded me to pop a few into my 2014 Family Album.

It's been a busy week so I just left it with photos and stories today and nothing much in the way of 'decorating'. I'm always drawn to simple pages which is handy as they're quite quick - which means I'm staying pretty much on top of this project.

I love that my Crashplan account means that these pages are automatically getting backed up online as soon as I finish them.  If you're a digital scrapbooker - don't forget to back up your layout files as you go. 

Have a wonderful weekend.  I hope you get some time to recharge your batteries.  I've noticed this year that how my Sunday goes has a big effect on the rest of my week.  If I can spend a bit of time getting the place in order, making sure we're on top of homework or other things that are due that week, finding the floor in the laundry, getting any last preparations done for my classes (my school ones and my cardmaking ones), plus a little time to refresh the brain and relax - then our week goes much more smoothly. 

Catch you again soon with some more creations. 

Almost forgot - I've got space left on Thursday at craft class. We're making 2 cards and two snazzy tags this week if you'd like to catch a class. 

Cheers, Sue

Miracle of miracles.  It is March and I'm still running along up to date on my 'Our 2014 Life' album.  Since school has gone back and work has started I've slowed up a bit on photo taking, so I've had time to include a few other bits and pieces.  Here's some pages featuring Jack (our 7 year old.)

Keeping to a very simple style means the pages are quick and easy to put together.  This page features Delight In The Day DSP (digital version.)  I think it took me about 2 minutes.  In my house at the moment if it isn't a quick project - it doesn't seem to ever make it to the top of the to do list.  I'm loving digital this year.  So easy to do a quick page or two on the couch with my laptop of an evening, or before I've gotten up on the weekend.  Aaaah bliss. 

Jack is slightly obsessed with Minecraft and has spent ages creating a big apartment block in one of his worlds so I took some screen shots of that and interviewed him about the details.  Nice to capture some current interests in his own words. 

Doing any story capturing this year?  Whether it is in a scrapbook (paper or digital) or in a journal or notebook, or some app - I do love to record little snippets.  I think they'll be such fun to read back in a few years time.  By then we'll have 2 teens and we might be looking fondly back on the minecraft and tooth fairy days!  :-)

Happy creating!

Cheers, Sue