Simple Stories

Howdy friends!  If you've been a Simple Stories blog follower for a while, you may recall a designer named Julie Johnson that we've featured a few times and her AMAZING mini book kits through her company Paisleys and Polka Dots.  Julie has created another amazing kit, this time with our Enchanted collection; even better, she's offered us a kit to give away to one of our random lucky readers!

Paisleys and Polka Dots offers unique mini album, layout, DIY, and card kits.  Maybe you find yourself in need of some inspiration, you are too busy and need something quick and easy, or you just can’t figure out those cutting instructions from a pre-designed kit.  Paisleys and Polka Dots takes the guess work out of designing, so they are perfect for beginners, but also detailed enough for the seasoned scrapper to appreciate. All kits are pre-cut and packaged by page, so there is no more guessing what goes where.  Their kits are also perfect for crops; grab a few of your tools and supplies and you are good to go.  New kits are released at the beginning of each month and there is no subscription to join, so you choose only the kits you like. 

Here are a few pictures of the completed mini book from her Enchanted kit - 

If you'd like to win one of these amazing kits from Julie, leave a comment on this blog post by end of day Tuesday, April 14th by midnight mountain time and we'll pick and announce the random lucky winner here on the blog on Wednesday.  Good luck!!

Visit Paisleys and Polka Dots at www.paisleysandpolkadots.com  and on their blog at www.luv2createscraps.typepad.com/paisleysandpolkadots for more information about their kits!

Howdy friends!  We're SUPER excited that we're the featured company over at the Paper Crafter's Library this month!  

Design team member Wendy Antenucci has created 3 versions of the same layout using our I AM... collection - an easy, medium & detailed version.

Here's a peek at the detailed version of Wendy's layout - 

Head on over to Paper Crafter's Library to see the layouts in full and see how Wendy approached each one.  We're also sponsoring a giveaway on their site, so make sure to check it out!

Hey friends! Rebecca Larson here! I am excited to show you how fun PageMaps can work along with your digital layouts. First, here is the sketch that I was assigned - 

This was an especially fun challenge as I think I could count on one hand the 2 page layouts that I have ever created!  So here is what I came up with using the Fresh Air Digital Simple Set:

We're doing a fun giveaway with Page Maps this week for a 12x12 SN@P! Album, a 12x12 SN@P! Pocket Page Variety Pack and an I AM... Collection Kit - check it out here!

Hey Simple Stories fans, Amy here to share a couple of layouts I created using some of the amazing collections from Simple Stories and some fabulous page maps from Becky Fleck at PageMaps.  I really do love using sketches, they make creating so easy for me.  Here is the first sketch I worked with.

Here is the layout I created using some papers from the I AM collection, and some fun elements from the Fresh Sn@p Pack.

I didn't follow the sketch exactly, but used most of the elements.  I used three photos, and placed my embellishments down the side of my layout.  I did a very loose grid, and the fabulous Simple Stories products made my layout a breeze!!

Hi everyone! Rebecca Keppel here! We've paired up with PageMaps and we'll be bringing you sketches and layouts all week long!  I had the pleasure of working with 2 of Becky Fleck's fabulous PageMaps April sketches. I love designing with Becky's sketches because she makes it really simple to pull together a well designed layout. I started with this 12x12 sketch featuring two 3x4 photos:

Click here to download the Say Cheese II eBook!  Enjoy!

Hello, again!   This is Amber, founder and creative director of Simple Stories.  I can't believe how fast this month has flown by - here I am for another installment of my monthly Document It blog feature. 

I don't know about you, but March has been a crazy busy month for me.  From meetings and deadlines for Simple Stories, to soccer practice, dance competitions and school activities for the kids - plus planning a major family vacation for Spring Break - I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water.  Thank goodness I've been using my Life Documented planner to keep me on track with all I need to accomplish this month!

For the month of March I wanted to switch it up a bit - so I moved into the green 6x8 faux leather album - such a fun and bright color for spring.  I love how my planner is filling up with pages and things to help me keep my life together.

I love opening each month to the colorful Monthly Dividers - and by simply adding the 3x4 March 2015 card from the Life Documented 2015 Card Set, I have a great reference for the calendar days at a glance. 

This month I'm focusing on how I'm using our Basic and Designer Washi Paper Tape along with the free "Who. What. When. Where" printable included in the January Free Printables for a quick and easy way to document and track all of our on-going monthly activities.

Step One

First, I get out all of my Life Documented Washi Paper tape sheets.  These are my all time favorite product - cool little washi tape strips in 3x4 sheets!   We have a great assortment of colors and designs to easily plan my life - and brighten up my pages.  There are two sets in the Life Documented Planner Collection - each set inclues two sheets each of 12 different designs - that's a total of 288 pieces of washi in each set!  I love that they're sheets vs. rolls, so it makes it so much easier for me to take them on the go in my planner.  Having the large assortment of colors and patterns in one package is another plus!

Step Two

Next, I printed off the "who.what. when. where" free printable from the January Free Printables and trimmed to size. This provides a dashboard for my washi tape strips and information - a sort of "key", if you will, for our monthly activities.  Each activity is assigned a certian washi tape design or color - and I simply added pieces of washi tape to the provided space on the sheet and filled out the corresponding acitivty.  This works best for ongoing and reoccuring activities as the who, what, when and where details are consistent from week to week.

After I've added all my main events to this dashboard, I slip it in a 6x8 pocket page so it stays protected since I'll be referring to it througout the year & then insert in my planner.  

Step Three

The final step is using the washi dashboard as a key for filling in our activities on the calendar each month.  So instead of writing the details for each event in the calendar square, I simply add the strip of washi tape that corresponds with the event.  This saves time and space on my monthly calendar.  The Washi Paper Tape comes in both thin and thicker pre-cut strips, so on really busy days like our Wednesdays I can use the thinner strips to get all of our activities in.

That's it!  Three easy steps to plan your month - and add some fun to planner pages!

COOL COLORS - March

Last month I shared how I'm using my planner to also plan and document my year-in-review album, plus a fun assortment of cool colors using your Life Documented cards.  Check out some fun possibilities for this month, with a mixture of green, navy, grey and a touch of wood grain.

FREE PRINTABLES!

Now we get to the really fun part!  We've designed these FREE printables for March to coordinate with your Life Documented planner.  Even better, we'll be offering free printables each month!  

Click here to download March's Free Life Documented Printables.

There are a 5 free printables this month, including:

March Month in Review
Clean it Up - week at a glance
Clean it Up - daily
Clean it Up - weekly
Clean it Up - monthly

TIP: The March free printables are on a single PDF document with 6 pages - print off what you want and the quantity you need.  We've added cut marks to each printable, so you can easily trim your pages to size.  

Hi there Simple fans! Nancy here today with one of my favorite collections this season. I love the color palette and message behind the I AM collection. I decided to challenge myself and try to use the collection for a topic other than ‘me’.

​I know a collection really works when I can use it for just about anything. Versatility is important! This page proves that I AM is going to help me tell stories of all kinds. By picking out the globe, heart and ampersand I was able to create about my son and our struggles with his homework last year. The feather represents the one in my cap for helping him get this done!

​I based the design on pattern – it’s everywhere. The background was made of two subtle patterns, using the white brick and blue small polka dot print. The center of the layout though – it’s a burst of pattern and color. I included a few chipboard and sticker icons to highlight my theme and break up some of the angular edges.

Look beyond the theme in I AM and focus in on those pieces that help you tell a different story!

​Here's a look at my Life Documented Planner and how I'm setting it up for the coming month. I used some leftover pieces from my project with the I AM collection to decorate the monthly planner pages. 

​Getting ready for the Easter holiday and planning all of the baskets that I will be making this season. I used the pale pink and blue accents from the I AM collection to give this list a pretty Easter feel.

​To end the month I used a divided pocket page and the Fresh SN@P! Pack to add a punch of color to my planner. It matches the monthly planner pages nicely and gives me a spot to plan out things I need to create.

Take a second look at the I AM Collection and be sure to use it to tell all of your stories!

 Hi Everyone!  Marie here today to share some pages I made using the new Fresh SN@P! Pack.  I am continuing to make monthly album pages, and the bright colors were exactly what I wanted for my spring photos.

I have become a big fan of SN@P! Packs because each package is full of options for all different sizes of Pocket Pages.  On these pages I used several sizes of photos (6x8, 2x2 and 3x4) and the SN@P! Packs have cards and embellishments to use for each pocket size.  They also come with cards in 3x3, 4x4, and 4x6, plus Bits & Pieces.  You can use the cards as they are, or layer them together to make your own.

On my first page I printed a full-size 6x8 photo, and all it took was a couple of the bits and pieces to dress it up.  Everything is already color coordinated for you, so it's just a matter of picking your favorite designs.

On the following page I used 2x2 photos, and there were 34 cards in that size to choose from in my pack. I picked out my favorites for this page and still have more for another page or two.

On my final pages I used 3x4 cards layered with some of the bits and pieces. It's a lot of fun to mix and match them. 

If you are looking for a quick way to build your pages, especially if you are using different sized pocket squares, I highly recommend checking out the SN@P! Packs. They will make putting your pages together a breeze!

Hello Simple Stories fans!!
While the success of the I AM... collection is well deserved (I love that we are encouraging people to document themselves in their projects!), I am always a fan of trying to think of a different way to use products. So I challenged myself to use I AM... on a pocket page all about the One Direction concert my daughter and I attended last summer. SO many of the stickers and embellishments had phrases that seemed to fit perfectly with the good fortune we had when finding these tickets, so I ran with it!

Still a fan of the 12x12 pocket page that has this 6x8 pocket, I knew it would be perfect to have enough space to tell the story of lucking out with $50 floor seats to a sold out show. I chose one of the I AM... SN@P! Pages for the base and started writing down the story. There was enough room at the side to attach one of our wristbands and the rest of the page fell together with a few of our favorite photos from that night.

It wouldn't be right NOT to include our tickets, so I adhered them to a piece of 3x4 cardstock and slipped them into a pocket. This pocket page has all 4x6 photo slots, but to switch up the look overall, I just paired (2) 3x4 cards within one pocket...totally changes the feel of the page and allows you to include other items besides 4x6 photos! The Simple Stories 'nothing but blue skies' die cut file from the Silhouette store was perfect for expressing the 'cloud 9' vibes my daughter had the entire day. Again, I just adhered it to a base 3x4 card and added stitching. 

My favorite photo of the whole event is the one of her at the top left of the project...in her element, enjoying the experience as a whole. She told me this was the greatest night of her life, and that photo says it all. I added a journaling card next to it with a few more thoughts and added a few of the photo stickers...again, using (2) 3x4 elements in a 4x6 pocket.

The 6x8 pocket ended up telling the story, and since the floral pattern on the chipboard I AM... didn't quite fit the rock concert vibe, I colored it with a gold Sharpie marker. After layering a few stickers + spray mist on and around it, I stopped...I could have layered my little heart out, but wanted to focus on the story for this one.

I plan on using the I AM... collection for plenty of projects about my little family of three, but wanted to encourage you to take a second look at it for more than just the obvious. :)

Hi everyone! Shellye here to share an easy-to-make gifting mini album using the "I Am" Collection. 

To begin I started with three of the components from the Interactive Elements: the larger 4X6 flip element, the matchbook element and the tri-fold element:

 I adhered the two smaller elements to the inside pages of the 4X6 element with a high-tack adhesive. 

The front was decorated with chibpoard stickers and a ribbon bow. 

When the album is first opened, the original pages from the 4X6 element is given.  I added a strand of washi tape, a chipboard butterfly, etc.  The opposite page was left blank.

When the page is turned, you will find the tri-fold element has been added to the right-hand page.

Here is a close-up of the front of the tri-fold.

To the inside of the tri-fold, a 3X4 journal card was attached.  The other pages were left plain so that small photos or journaling can be added.

As you go further into the 4X6 flip element, the pages get larger.  The left-hand side of the page was lightly embellished and the right-hand side is where the matchbook-style element was added. 

Just the front of the matchbook element was embellished; the inside pages were left as-is.

I wanted the back of the album to be a bit more sturdy, so a piece of medium-weight chipboard was cut slightly smaller than the 4X6 size.  After adhering the chipboard to the back page, a covering was made by adding one of the 4X6 journal cards.

Now I have the perfect little girlie-girl gift on hand...with a teenaged daughter, we're always needing a last-minute gift for a friend :)

Thank you for joining us today!

Hello Friends! 

It's Kristine with you today and I am here to share a pocket page spread featuring the NEW Fresh SN@P! Pack; it should be available in your Local Scrapbook Store soon!

After a very long winter and a few more weeks of patiently watching the snow melt, I decided to brighten up my February monthly spread by adding tons of bright colors! This Fresh SN@P! Pack is awesome!  Love all those bright pink, yellow, green and blue colors - it really brightens a layout!

I am still creating my album with monthly pages, I honestly don't know how long this will last but I've cut down on photos quite a bit and doing a monthly spread is easier and less time consuming but I am missing the extras, such as movies watched, weather, favorite tunes etc.  So as much as i love the monthly spread, I think i need to add more!

I mixed up my pocket page inserts once again. I do enjoy the variety and less repetition in my album.

The month of February was packed with a shopping trip with my sister, a visit with my best friend Stephanie, a trip to Las Vegas and a major snow storm on the east coast.  My months aren't usually this ' entertaining ' but it makes a spread look pretty cool ! ;-)

I've mentioned before that I enjoy creating my own journal cards. I did for this spread as well. I used a 3x4" card, a square 3x3" and the die cut ampersand (& symbol ). I did some sewing and added more die cuts!  Super cute right?  So easy! Don't be afraid to add your own details to a spread -  it makes it that much more special!

This month I also added some Photo Overlays from the I AM Collection. These are fabulous to add extras on photos. Here is one that I added to my sister's shopping photo called " LOVING LIFE"

This next photo of hubby and I has the bubble hearts included on the Photo Overlay.  This adds great little details for pictures!

Something else I'd like to show you is the multiple photos option on a 4x4" or even 4x6" photo. I do did quite often when I want to add multiple pictures but don't necessarily have the space in my pocket pages. I use www.PicMonkey.com to create a collage and it works great!  On a Side note isn't Matthew McConaughey adorable!

I often hear people say "I hate my handwriting".  That's unfortunate!   It's part of you and who you are. It's a great memory keeping tool for all your family members that will take the time to enjoy your albums.  If everything is typed - how will they know your handwriting?  Something I miss today is my grandmother's handwritten notes in birthday cards, or recipes. I remember her writing a small To Do list or even grocery list.. I'd love to have those today!  So please, use your own handwriting - even if YOU don't like it... someone else will!

I added a Photo Flip to my page this month. Hubby and I ate at this amazing restaurant in Las Vegas. It was called BLT Burger and we both had the most AWESOME burger.. seriously! I wanted to add a photo of my hubby's TEXMEX Burger but also the menu. I couldn't bring the menu with us, but I did go online and print one up in small format so I could add it to my spread. I added journaling on one side and part of the menu on the other side.

I hope you enjoyed my post today and I hope you enjoy creating with your favorite Simple Stories products!

Click here to download the Say Cheese II SN@PBOOKING Album Guide!