Howdy!  Layle here with you today.  We've got a fun week planned for you - a Simple Stories & Petaloo Product Swap! 

Both design teams have swapped products and will be sharing on our blogs all week long.  Join us for some great inspiration as well as a chance to win a prize package from both Petaloo & Simple Stories! 

Today design team member Cari Locken joins us with two Pumpkin Spice layouts -
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Hello everyone!  I'm excited to share with you some layouts that I created using the Pumpkin Spice collection and some gorgeous flowers from Petaloo.

 

My first layout is titled "I am so thankful".  I decided to not use any photos on this layout and just do some journaling. 

 

 

 I kept my design fairly simple but embellished it a fair bit with chipboard, stickers and lots of flowers.

 

I created clusters of flowers on the top left & right sections of my layout.

 

 

 

I used the Bradz for the centres of the larger flowers.

 

 

I added a few sticker strips and the chipboard pumpkin shape overtop of the one that was already printed on the card.

 

 

I used some letter stickers and a chipboard word to create my title.

 

 

My second layout is titled "Hello Fall". It's one of my favourite times of the year. I wanted to capture a few of my fall decorations this year and some of the signs that I've started making.  Again I kept the design quite simple and used a 2x12 strip along with a 6x8 journal card.

 

 

I added a few flowers around my main photo and also used a photo transparency.

 

 

I've been trying to do a little bit handwriting on my layouts just to give a more personal touch to my projects.

 

 

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Now for even more fun!!  Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below and we'll draw one lucky winner on Sunday to win a Claus & Co collection pack & Petaloo flowers!  

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After you enter, head on over to the Petaloo blog to see what their team has created.  Make sure to enter there as well - they're giving away a fun prize as well!   

Want to follow Petaloo and keep up with all of their great projects & products?  Here you go!

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Join us again here tomorrow for more inspiring projects!

Hi guys!  It's Marie here today to share with you how I'm preparing for Christmas with Claus & Co.

I fell head over heels for the new Claus & Co. collection the minute I saw it.  Not only does it have everything you need to make a December memories album, but it's also full of lists and calendars to use as a holiday planner.  I'm so happy to get an early start planning out our holidays this year.  I usually just jot things down on scrap paper, or worse try to keep everything straight in my head.  This year I feel so much more organized getting things written down on paper, and being able to check them off.

I coordinate with my aunt to put together a brunch on Christmas Eve, so I've already started writing down recipe ideas and  notes on what we did last year.

I included a page full of Pinterest inspiration so hopefully I can tackle some diy projects and homemade gifts this year.

When I think of a gift idea it now goes straight in my Christmas planner, before I forget.  I've also been tracking my on-line shopping, budget, and packing lists.

Cute little dividers help break up my pages...

I'm determined to get my Christmas shopping done early this year, and I'm making a list and checking it twice!

Hi Simple Stories Fans! Rebecca here today to share my favorite part of documenting fall! 

For the past few years I have followed along with Cathy Zielske's 30 Days of Thankful and created mini albums documenting a photo a day in November. Last year, I used a Simple Stories 6x8 Album and the Life Documented Collection. And the year before I used a Simple Stories 6x8 Album and the Daily Grind Collection. This year I decided to use a Simple Stories 4x6 album. I have to say there is a lot less pressure in the smaller format album! I am also using the Simple Stories Pumpkin Spice collection this year.

Today I'm sharing the basic structure of my album.  I'll be working in it throughout the month and will back here again at the end of the month to share my progress!

There are so many grateful-themed sentiments in this collection and the colors are perfectly fall-themed too! I love starting with the cover because you get to be creative and have fun.

To prep the inside of my album I cut up all my 3x4, 4x4 and 4x6 cards from patterned paper. I filled all of the page protectors that came with the album with my favorites.

I included the 4x6 transparency in one of the 4x6 pockets. I will keep it in mind to take at least one horizontal photo with lots of white space at the bottom!

I even cut apart all my 2x2 squares. Some of these will end up being covered by photos.

I kept a few of the divider pages that are included with the album. I may use the backs of these for longer typewritten journaling.

I backed two of the smaller chipboard frames and added enamel dots to the outside of the page protector...just for fun!

I am so excited to have the bones of my album completed so that during the month of November I can just slip in photos and add journaling!   I'll be back at the end of the month to share my completed album!