April 2016 Blog Posts

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04.30.16
Hello Scrapbook Friends, It’s Kristine Davidson with you today. It’s a nice sunny day this morning but I am still on the east Coast and definitely not on some tropical Island where I’d love to be!
 
I sat down at my desk last Wednesday night and felt like creating something with lots of colour and something that would take me back to that warm breeze and the sounds of the ocean. 
 
I opened up my ziplock bag of left over pieces from the You Are Here collection and started creating. I had no plan except use up some Bits & Pieces and add lots of fun elements to my pages. I created 2 layouts in the span of 3 hours and had a blast!   This is one collection that makes me happy ;) 
 
Alright, I am done blabbing.. Here is the first layout I will share with you today; Paradise. 
 
 
It’s actually a photo of my cousin and she’s sitting on a log in the Atlantic Ocean. No palm trees or flamingos here folks!! I still used this collection and it fit perfectly with that orange hat, right? 
 
I first added some acrylic paint in the background. I wanted to add some colour but I had no 12x12 sheet left from this collection. So to add colour, paint was my choice. I then started adding left over pieces of patterned paper behind  my photo and added some dimensional adhesives behind my photo. This gave me the options of adding die cuts under my picture and also allowing me to create layers around the photo. 
 
Adding chipboard, stickers and die cuts adds extra details, but then adding dimensional adhesive makes it even more detailed. 
 
 
If you want to add layers to your project you can also cut out pieces from a page or journal card. Cutting out leaves and  flowers is something I do on several of my pages. I didn’t add a fancy title or journaling on this page, a simple piece of chipboard and journal strips from a piece of paper from the collection. 
 
 
Adding details such as sewing or paint droplets will also gives your pages texture. A small piece of twine or ribbon is also a great way to add something extra to your page. I find that people always love touching layouts. They look for texture, for dimension and that often gives your project that WOW factor! 
 
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The second layout is called CA. (Short for California!).  This is a picture I took in January 2015 at Huntington Beach. It was a beautiful sunny day, surfers, and no one was swimming but it was so peaceful and relaxing. Perfect day to spend watching the waves, reading a book, or journaling  in your planner!
 
 
My goal with this layout was to use up some leftover papers. I had small pieces left and wanted to use them so I started with this cut file from Just Nick Studio. I have been using lots of background files to create layouts lately and I find that also helps during a scrap slump and helps me get my mojo back ;) 
 
So to create this, I cut up my leftover pieces in 2” squares to fit behind the + signs. It was very colourful!!! I was thinking of adding a black and white photo which would have been ok, but instead I opted for some contrasting colours. That blue in my picture really stands out among all those colours, and It isn’t overshadowed at all with the mix of patterns.
 
 
Placing my photo again with dimensional adhesive, and again allowing me to layer elements on top and bottom of the picture gave my page a 3D look. This is something I have been doing and love the look it gives my pages. It is also very addicting because I really don’t think I could create a page without these little pop dots! 
 
 
I added some wood veneers, some enamel dots as well as a few drops of paint on my page to add some texture. I did a small title of CA with some alpha stickers with some glossy accents and a  journal spot with the date. It reads; California Beaches-I will return soon! 
 
I hope you enjoyed my layouts today and enjoy creating your own pages with Simple Stories products!  Interested in seeing more of my work? I started a hashtag called #Ilovediecutsandpopdots (seriously)  come visit me on Instagram @KristineDavidson. 
 
Thank you so much for reading and being a fan of Simple Stories!

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04.29.16

Hello friends! Allie here today, sharing two layouts using the brand new Sunshine & Happiness and Bloom & Grow collections! They are both absolutely gorgeous, but very different. I couldn't wait to play with them! My first layout uses the beautiful colors of Sunshine & Happiness.
 

 
I created this layout based on an image I found on Pinterest. I loved the handwritten script look and the quote it used, and decided to create my page around it.
 
 
I used my own handwriting to draw out the words onto different patterns. I lightly sketched with a pencil and played around until I was happy with it, then cut them out. I aligned them on my page, glued them down, and then erased the pencil marks. Gluing them down first prevented me from tearing the smaller parts with the eraser.
 
 
 
I dotted my "i's" with Bradz and added lots of stickers, chipboard, and die cuts!
 
 
My only regret is that my letters were too big to fit more product on the page--I just love it all and wanted to use every bit!
 
For my next layout I used the Bloom & Grow collection! 
 
 
As soon as I saw the "You Make My Heart Happy" strip, I knew I wanted to make my layout about my husband! I started by gluing it to the top and building my layout below it. I also loved the banner on the Fundamentals Sticker sheet, and decided to replicate it with twine and patterned paper.
 
 
I also love all the cute flowers throughout this collection! The wood grain balances out the floral and keeps a masculine layout from looking too girly. Gathering inspiration from the title, I added a few more "Happy" elements to the page.
 
 
I am crazy about these two new collections, and I hope you will enjoy using them as much as I am! Thank you for joining me today!

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04.28.16

Hey, planner friends!

Meka here today to welcome you to Sunshine & Happiness!  It’s one of Simple Stories’ newest scrapbook collections, and it’s just perfect for color-loving planner decorators like us!  I’m still very much in spring mode, so I’m thrilled that this collection has tons of goodies to keep my "team pink" Carpe Diem planner looking good for the rest of spring and into summer.

I started my setup by spreading out the entire collection in front of me, and then picking out my favs. I love the Chipboard Stickers and Decorative Bradz because they’re so versatile. I’ve used them as stickers, planner charms, page embellishments, page toppers, paper clips, and more. 

And since I love them so much, I only adhere them with strong washi tape on the back, instead of committing to glue. 

The adhesive behind the Bradz is pretty strong, so they always stay put on my planner charms. But whenever I’m ready to change them out, a little prying apart makes them pop right off.

The pretty floral Shine Bright 12x12 paper adds a simple but super cute accent behind my “It’s a Brand New Day” dashboard.  

Another quick décor idea is to cover the cardboard backing of the Carpe Diem Planner Bookmark Tablet with pretty paper. I kept it simple by just gluing on a slice of a 6x12 Element, but you could add stickers or word labels for more interest.

I finished my set up by decorating my May calendar inserts from the Life in Color collection. I admittedly went overboard on my “May – Yay!” front cover. But this journaling card got me excited thinking about all the good times I’ll be able to list here, and the Happy Day 12x12 floral paper is really the perfect name, isn’t it?

On the May spread, the Sunday to Monday labels were covered with a thin stripe sticker from the Fundamentals Cardstock Sticker sheet. Then I relabeled the days to start with Monday using alphas from the Expressions Cardstock Stickers sheet. 

The daily boxes on these inserts are a bit wider than on the standard Carpe Diem inserts, so the 4x6 sticker sheet date boxes don't quite fill the space.  That’s not a huge problem at all, but sometimes I like to punch them into circle shapes to add a curvy element to the straight lined-pages. 

Various stickers, word labels, Bits & Pieces, Enamel Dots, and paper fussy cuts make this monthly layout bright and festive.

Thanks for walking with me through Sunshine & Happiness in my Carpe Diem planner. I can’t wait to see how you use your kit in your planner and scrapbook pages!

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04.27.16

Hello Scrapbook Friends, It’s Kristine Davidson with you today. It’s a beautiful day here on the East Coast of Canada and as you can tell by my bright  layouts it’s a great time to use those vibrant colors from the Carpe Diem Scrapbook Collection.

I have literally used up almost every single piece and inch of this collection. I LOVE IT! One of my all time favourite collections.  Today I will be sharing 2 layouts with you that were created with this kit and I’ll be showing you how you can add some fun elements, clusters, and layers to your pages.

This first layout is called “ Dream Big” . I added Bits & Pieces close to the photo and one of them is a cloud with Dream Big on it. I decided to use that as the title for my page. Sometimes you  don’t need a huge title or something that stands out too much to make your title. On this layout I wanted to focus more on the patterns on the papers, the colors and of course the great background diecut. 

If you find yourself with just scraps of a collection and really want to use it but unsure for what... try a background file or piece together bits of scraps to create a background.  It’s super easy to piece together and you can use up that great paper collection you’ve been hoarding!

I added clusters of elements on my page without overshadowing my photo.  I didn’t want to add a coloured photo because I thought it would be too busy. A black and white picture was a great choice for this page and paper collection.

Adding clusters can be done by simply grouping a few pieces of chipboard, stickers, diecuts and so much more “ stuff “ to create that focal point. I also added a few twine details to add more texture to my page.

You can see from this photo that by adding popdots underneath the sticker it creates a dimensional look . This is a great way to use up extra stickers and adding more fun details. I think I say this with every single layout I create! I cannot do a page without adding dimensional adhesive.

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The Second Layout I have for you today was really created in about an hour.  My husband was fast asleep, it was about 11o’clock at night and I had a burst of energy after the bowl of ice cream! This layout is called Best Day Ever.

I created this layout by adding pieces of 6x6 papers cut into 4x6" and placed behind my photo. My photo was glued with dimensional adhesive ( again!) and I was able to place several layers behind it and on top of it.

The picture was really my inspiration and this paper collection was perfect for that purple sweatshirt and fun sunglasses.  The girls were in Boston for a Taylor Swift concert last summer. So lots of fun was had and the little piece of paper with BEST DAY EVER was a great title! Again nothing fancy just a piece of paper adhered to my page created a great title.

I made this little tag out of 1” of yellow pattern paper. I rounded the
corners, punched a hole and added a sticker from the Hole Reinforcer Stickers.

Another close up photo of the layers I created and clusters of embellishments to add focus towards my photo 


I hope you enjoyed my layouts today and enjoy creating your own pages with Simple Stories products ! Interested in seeing more of my work? please come visit me on Instagram @KristineDavidson.  Thank you so much for reading and being a fan of Simple Stories!

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04.23.16
Hi everyone ! It's Mindi here with you today. I am going to be sharing a few pocket pages with you using the Carpe Diem collection. The Carpe Diem collection was really a perfect fit for this particular week I have created. As you will see below half of my spread is from a day trip to the beach and the rest is a mix of our every day life. The colors were perfect and I loved all the cards and embellishments that came in this collection. 
 
 
The title card is rather simple this week. I loved this fun camera card and decided to use it as my title card. I added the week # using some letter and number stickers. I created a few custom journaling cards/filler cards on this left side of my spread. The first card has journaling about our Monday adventure to the beach. I used the car sticker and the word strip below.
 
 
On the top photo here I added a cluster of embellishments using a digital word, a star sticker, and the stickers '16 for the year. When I am putting together my spreads I try to keep a common color scheme. It allows for a cohesive look from left to right and it keeps me happy. One other thing is that I try to spread out the different colors as evenly as possible. 
 
 
On our way back from the beach we stopped at the fruit stand. Although it was more like a big market. I snapped a photo of my big box of oranges. I was already out of space on this left side and so I added my journaling directly onto the photo. Included in the bits and pieces package there are these great tags that have sayings at the top. I cut the top part off and used it as an embellishment on the top of my journaling. 
 
 
The right side of my spread is all about our everyday life. I left the two top photos alone because the 3x4 cards are very busy. I felt like I didn't need anything on the photos. Usually I try to spread out the embellishments a bit more but this time I added a lot to the journaling cards. The picture of us mini golfing was on Friday so I cut out the saying from one of the 2x2 cards. Once the Friday saying was cut out I added it to my photo, right above my journaling. It was another way to stretch my supplies. Love it ! 
 
 
The girls and I stayed outside one night and were playing with each other, riding bikes, ect. until the sun went down. I set up a timer on my phone and snapped a silhouette photo of the 3 of us. I wanted to use the larger pink letters somewhere on this right side. Mostly to match the other side and it made sense to spell out "US" on that photo. 
 
 
Every once in a while I like to add some journaling diagonally onto my photo for a different look. Here is a look at how it turned out all finished and embellished. I wanted to take some time and walk you through how you can create this same look. See the next couple of photos and tips. 
 
 
I printed out this fun photo of the girls practicing with their light sabers as the sun was going down. I also printed out my journaling onto some white cardstock. I made sure that my journaling was spaced smaller than my 3 inch wide photo, and also left some white space for embellishing. Once my journaling was printed out I trimmed it down to what I wanted the top and the bottom of it to be. I knew ahead of time that i wanted to add a combination of stickers, enamel dots, ect. 
 
 
The next step is very simple. I adhered my journaling onto my photo on a diagonal. You can go super diagonal or not so much, it's up to you. Once you have your journaling in place simply trim off the sides and your done. Super simple, I hope that you try this technique soon. 
 
 
That is a wrap for me today. Thanks for visiting the blog and I hope you have found some inspiration to help you scrap your pocket pages. Happy Spring everyone ! 

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04.22.16
Hello again! Chantalle with you today and I’m so glad to be back, sharing some of my latest projects with you all. Do you sometimes look at all of your lovely scrappy goodies and wonder what you can do ‘differently’ with them? I’ve created two pages which share a similar theme - both working around specific colours. Pulling out coordinates has the potential to look at our supplies in a fresh light.
 
What is Inside Red?
 
This page captures the moment when my Daughter used her new glasses to read a book for the first time. It was an i-spy book and she came running to me in the bathroom, amazed at all the little details she had never noticed before!
 
 
As you can see, I have pulled out some pinks, red and blacks from the Life in Color collection.
 
 
I don’t know what it is about this stunning collection that begs me to get a little messy! I’ve used one of my favourite stencils with some matt black mist. Over the top of that, I’ve added a bit more detail with some red stamping. The pops of red on the left really balance out the elements on the right. You’ll notice I’ve snipped a part of the silver foiled paperclip from the Bits & Pieces pack and used it to mimic a real paperclip. The light isn’t working in my favour in this close up but that butterfly is gorgeous silver foil too!
 
 
I love using bits and pieces to further tell a story. See a number in a pack of ephemera? Could it be used to show an age of a person? The phrases in the Life in Color 4x6 stickers are so useful for so many day-to-day situations. I love adding them to my pages for a bit of extra info.
 
 
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My next page, 'Best Day Ever’ focuses on the reds and a smattering of orange from the Let’s Party collection. This line is bursting at the seams with vibrance and fun! Narrowing the colour palette has brought a softness to it where we can appreciate the subtle details like the pretty sparkle of the glitter print.
 
 
I’ve turned to my ever-faithful SN@P! Pack for a selection of red cards in various sizes. I’m sure you’ve heard me go on about how much I adore SN@P! Packs. They really pack a punch when it comes to value for money!
 
 
I’ve tried to create a sense of movement by loosely arranging the cards across the horizon and then working on filling the spaces in between, with my photos and some chipboard frames. The little fan was sneaked from a sheet of Summer Vibes Fundamentals stickers. I love the way it makes it look as if it’s blowing my crazy little boy across the page.
 
 
Check out the runaway balloon! Another favourite technique I like to incorporate, is to mimic patterns. In this case I’ve jazzed up some plain cardstock with a dotted embossing folder. I initially thought about doing the whole piece of paper but it would’ve been too dotty! This way, there are just enough to echo the shape without going overboard.
 
 
Thank you so much for stopping by today. Wishing you a fantastic weekend!

 

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04.21.16

Hello! Stacy here today with 2 layouts using the ‘Heart’ Simple Set. I love this collection. It is especially so because of the colors and the theme inspired – Family.

Family to me is a very important aspect in my heart. I shared some close moments with my paternal relatives, and I was lucky to spend some great times with both my grandparents. This collection inspired me to create some layouts with my old but greatly treasured family photos! Hence, I started with restoring the photos. Most of the old photos I had were taken by a film camera, hence the colors on the photographs had faded over time.

For the first layout, I used a photo when I was probably 3 years old. It was a huge family joke about this photo, since I was holding hands with my cousin who was 2 months older. I spent part of my childhood with him and this was one of those cute photos which I hold dearly to my heart!

The first layout is titled “Childhood”.

I started with punching out numerous circles on different pattern papers in the ‘Heart’ collection. I am in love with the designs of this collection pack. So I thought, why not display the pattern papers as a background? I added kraft cardstock circles behind the pattern papers and sewed them to the background.

The folded edges remind me of the diamond pieces which I have seen on the fundamental sticker sheet. I decided to add them to the edges so as to fill up some empty spaces. I also paired it with some wood embellishments from the ‘Life in Color’ Collection.

 

 

I added some embellishments in between the background to break the regular shape at the background. It is easy to do it with the sticker sheets!

 

Next, I decided that I would do some hidden journaling on my thoughts about this photo. Hence, I did some fussy cutting to add some hearts on the corner of my layout. Since the photo is raised slightly, it allows some space for my tag to slide in and hang onto the photo mat with a heart embellishment.

 
 
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The next layout, “Love” is a very special layout for me. These photos were taken during an outing to the Botanical garden with my grandparents. My aunt used to tell me how much my grandfather used to dote on me, and always carrying me around all the time. How treasured are these photos of my grandparents’ love for us? 

 

I wanted to keep this simple with just key words/phrases and star-themed. I chose the star element because I was told that my grandparents had gone to a better place and the brightest stars in the skies are them looking out for me. Although I know that it may be scientifically untrue, I still find solace looking out for them in the skies.

 

I also added some stitching to the star die-cuts in order to highlight them. It is especially helpful with the pattern papers from the ‘Heart’ collection because they blend nicely with the pattern papers. I also used the chipboard frames from ‘Life in Color’ Collection. These were tilted and hung from below the photos, each containing a simple sentiment and embellished. I love how easily I could mix the embellishments from different collections!

In addition, I used a border punch for a strip below the photos, as well as tags and wooden embellishment in order to create emphasis on the photos.

 

Creating these layouts have taken me on a memory recap and I loved all the emotions accompanying these layouts. Stop today for a while and reminisce on the old times! These can really bring back a big smile to your face! Thanks for stopping by today!

 

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04.20.16

Violet here, I want to share how I created planner inserts for my Carpe Diem Planner. I used the Carpe diem basic dividers as a base for my inserts.

I began with cutting up rectangular shapes from the Carpe Diem collection kit paper. I then taped it down by using the washi paper tape.  What I used to embellish the inserts was the Carpe Diem dashboard inserts. 

Here is what the finished results look like. I absolutely love the vibrant colors and all the variety of layering different items. 

The reason I love creating new planner inserts is that it brings a new freshness to my planner and gives me that extra motivation to get things done. Thank you once again for everyone who took time to stop by the blog.

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