Artisan Design Team Blog Hop - Memory Keeping

Hello and welcome back to another Artisan Design Team Blog Hop. You're in for a treat because we have so much talent and so many different styles represented by these 20 women from around the globe. Please keep hopping through all 20 so you don't miss a thing! Be sure to use something like Google Translate for those blogs not in your native language. Also, you can find our Pinterest board here. You might have just arrived from Krista Frattin, and I just know you loved her project as much as I did.

This week we decided to focus on all forms of memory keeping including Project Life, traditional Scrapbooking, mini albums, etc. Friday, March 4th is International Scrapbooking Day, so we knew this would be perfect timing! This is also our "free" week, so we could use products from our box of goodies we received or add to it with anything current. I have been using the Memories in the Making bundle of products lately, so I made another 2 pages of Project Life using those products.

 

Hello December Project Life by Stampin' Up Album Part 2

Hello, and welcome back! Today I'm sharing the second half of my Hello December Project Life by Stampin' Up! album. I have even more pictures to share today, so this will be another long post!

I used the cork numbers here, and for the "0" in the "20" I used a snowflake epoxy sticker. The picture in the lower left is a picture of my parents' house with Christmas lights which I ran through the Waterlogue iPhone app. Love that! Below the "21", I used markers to color the diamond border stamp from the December Wonder Stamp Set.

 

I like to use Vellum Cardstock to add my journaling, on the dog photo above using the Alphabet Rotary Stamp cut it into banner strips, and below to write on a larger piece of Vellum Cardstock adhered over a journal card. I added one of the printed acetate overlays over a picture on the left side, and added some ribbons on the right side. I also used the Handheld Stapler quite a bit.

 

I used some more sticker phrases, and stamped on Vellum Cardstock using the "joy" stamp from December Wonder, and the "you can never have too much pie" from the Sweet as Pie October Paper Pumpkin Kit stamps.

 

I also used the Banner Punch to add a few little banners like the red one with the silver star sticker. I love these 6x8 full page photos, and add just a cluster of embellishments in the upper left corner. This was the Christmas Eve photo of the tree all lit up.

 

Here is the Christmas Morning photo of the tree...still pretty magical looking, and again I added just a small cluster of items in the upper right corner. I added some stickers and sequins to the cards on the right side.

 

For the two small photos together on the 3x4 print, I decided to add a small strip of Whisper White cardstock to separate out the photos a little more. I used more stickers and sequins on the journal cards here.

 

I used the Many Merry Stars set to make an embellishment, and stamped the Christmas verse using a set from Papertrey Ink. The "Holiday Calories Don't Count" stamp was also from the Sweet as Pie October Paper Pumpkin Kit stamps. I added another printed acetate overlay over the picture of my dog and placed a strip of Vellum Cardstock under it so the word "joy" would be more visible.

 

 More cork numbers, sequins, star stickers, Waterloque photo and a stamped title on Vellum Cardstock.

 

 I used a piece of matching Crushed Curry cardstock for the "Go Chiefs!" banner along with the Alphabet Rotary Stamp.

 

 More wonderful embellishments used here include some wood stars, and some stamped stars in Crushed Curry ink on the lower right of the journal card.

 

 I worked in some more ribbon, stamped titles on vellum and the black polka-dot washi tape.

 

 There were so many embellishments in this kit. I still have several journal cards left and embellishments. I used most of two sets of the Variety Pack 6" X 8" Project Life Photo Pocket Pages and two 6" X 8" Project Life Envelopes Pages, and it all fits into the album nicely.

 

 Here are the last few photos. In the first envelope page, I put my Christmas postcard picture side up in the front pocket, and included all the photo Christmas cards that I received in the envelope.

 

 In the second envelope page, I put the back of my Christmas postcard story side up in the front pocket, and then included all the Christmas cards and letters in the envelope.

 

Whew...told you it was a long post! Now that I'm done with my Christmas album, I'm going to go back and work on my 12x12 Project Life pages for 2015. I'll also have some other projects to share here including some gift boxes and cards. Thanks for stopping by!

 

Product List

Project Life December Wonder Photopolymer Stamp Set	Alphabet Rotary Stamp	Many Merry Stars Photopolymer Stamp Set	Sahara Sand Classic Stampin' Pad	Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad
Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad	Lost Lagoon Classic Stampin' Pad	Versamark Pad	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
Hello December Project Life Card Collection	Crushed Curry 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock	Lost Lagoon 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Shimmery White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock	Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock
Vellum 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock	White Stampin' Emboss Powder	Hello December Project Life Accessory Pack	Hello December Project Life - Digital Download	Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine
Ornate Tag Topper Punch	Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies	Sponge Daubers	Cherry 6" X 8" Project Life Album	Variety Pack 6" X 8" Project Life Photo Pocket Pages
Banner Punch	Lost Lagoon 3/8" Satin Stitched Ribbon

Hello December Project Life by Stampin' Up Album Part 1

Hello and welcome back! Today I wanted to share my Hello December Project Life by Stampin' Up! Album, at least the first half. Warning: this is a picture heavy and longer post! But, I hope you'll enjoy it. I really enjoyed this project. For my album, I included pictures and events from late November through the end of December, and even one date in January when I celebrated Christmas with my brother Dan and his girlfriend Karolina. So, maybe I should call it my Hello December-ish album...ha!

I left the cover the original colors of Cherry Cobbler and kraft, and just added a piece of retired taffeta ribbon in Old Olive along the edge. I sponged the wooden Joy word with Cherry Cobbler ink, used the stamps from the December Wonder Project Life Stamp Set embossed in white, and a tag punched with the Ornate Tag Topper Punch. Some sequins from the Hello December Accessory Pack, a sticker word and a piece of Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine complete the look. The star die cut strip was made with the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies, and I used the Project Life Cards and Labels Dies to cut the two stamped label shapes. It's simple, but I like how it turned out.

 

I used the washi tape, red foil stickers, sequins, cork numbers and word stickers to decorate these cards. The tan banner piece was cut from one of the journal cards, and all the journal cards came from the Hello December Project Life Card Collection.

 

Here I made a few photo collages using the Project Life App for the iPhone, and the same accessories as above.

 

For the photo in the bottom left, I used the Waterlogue App for iPhone to turn a picture of evergreens into a watercolor painting, and then printed it onto matte photo paper. Then, I stamped a title and label along the left side.

 

There is another photo collage in the lower left. Also for the number 5 (and 4 above), I trimmed out the circles from some extra journal cards and layered cork numbers, stickers and washi tape over the top. The number 6 had layers added to a photo, and the story about buying a new Christmas tree this year.

 

More of the same elements on the left spread, and on the right I used a journal card for the number title.

 

I didn't have a picture from the 9th, so I included a cartoon. And, another photo collage for the 10th using the Project Life App and the Hello December kit in the app.

 

I used another collage in the lower left, and printed two collages together to make a 6x8 picture for the right page.

 

I printed two collages together to make a 6x8 picture for the left page, and added sequins and cork numbers to the daily card. This was one of my favorite ways to decorate the cards.

 

More of the same for this spread.

 

I added some wood stars to the HoHoHo journal card, and used one of the vellum envelopes in the lower right.

 

And, the last page for today, I highlighted two of the journal cards one with a cut circle, sequins and cork numbers and the other with a stamped image on vellum and a wood star. I also split a photo into two 3x4 pictures in the lower left to work with the page protector.

 

Well, that is all for today. I'll share the rest of the album this week. Thanks for stopping by!

 

Product List

Project Life December Wonder Photopolymer Stamp Set	Alphabet Rotary Stamp	Sahara Sand Classic Stampin' Pad	Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad	Lost Lagoon Classic Stampin' Pad	Versamark Pad	Hello December Project Life Card Collection	Crushed Curry 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock
Lost Lagoon 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Shimmery White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock	White Stampin' Emboss Powder	Hello December Project Life Accessory Pack	Hello December Project Life - Digital Download
Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine	Ornate Tag Topper Punch	Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies	Sponge Daubers	Cherry 6" X 8" Project Life Album
Variety Pack 6" X 8" Project Life Photo Pocket Pages

My Project Life by Stampin' Up! Pages - June 2014

Hello and welcome back! Today I wanted to share the start of my Project Life by Stampin' Up! album with you. This post will cover the June 2014 pages. I'm working on July as we speak, and then will go forward for the rest of 2014 and then back to January as well. At least that is my current plan! Ha. For my summer pages, I'm using the Everyday Adventure Project Life Card Collection and Accessory Pack. They feature a great combo of bright colors and fun accents that are working well with my summer photos.

I used the Project Life Day To Day Photopolymer Stamp Set and the Project Life Point & Click Photopolymer Stamp Set on the title card. I also used the Ray of Sunshine Clear Mount set for the art piece along with one of the epoxy stickers in the center of the sun. The Alphabet Rotary Stamp makes for simple journaling on Vellum Cardstock strips. I just stapled them to my photos and called it good.

 

The next page I added a Throwback Thursday picture. I also love the index print of the projects I created in June, something I plan to repeat each month. I used the Feel Goods Clear Mount Stamp Set, the Project Life Remember This Photopolymer Stamp Set and the Back To Basics Alphabet Photopolymer Stamp Set to add to the journaling.

 

This was a more simple layout. I did create my own quote piece in the upper right pocket, and repeated using the Alphabet Rotary Stamp and Vellum for a caption.

 

I started a new eating plan in June, so there are lots of pictures of food. I did journal on several of the smaller cards about all of the changes, but I'm keeping that page private at least for now. You'll see lots of pictures of my dog and probably my friend's dogs too as I share more months.

 

Here is the last page for June. I added the date with the This And That Remember Rotary Stamp. I made an art piece about USA in the World Cup using a retired soccer set, as well as the Metro Type Alphabet Photopolymer Stamp Set, the stars from the Project Life Point & Click Photopolymer Stamp Set and the stripes from the Gratitude For Days Photopolymer Stamp Set.

 

So glad I was finally able to share my Project Life pages with you! I'm working on my July pages now, but since I had many more pictures from July I have more pages to make. Maybe I'll share July in two or more posts! Here is how I'm using Project Life.

• I've decided to mix in Project Life pages with my regular 12x12 pages. So, when I want to use larger pictures or other things that won't fit in these page protectors, then I'll make traditional pages.
• I'm not trying to do one picture per day. I did try this in the past, but when deciding on my photos I was hung up on having multiple pictures of certain days and no pictures of other days. So, I had a hard time deciding and then my project never progressed. So, instead I am using whatever pictures I want in whatever format I want to tell my stories. And, it's going along more smoothly this time.

How do you tell your stories and keep your memories?

 

Product List

Everyday Adventure Project Life Card Collection	Everyday Adventure Project Life Accessory Pack	Metro Type Alphabet Photopolymer Stamp Set	Remember This And That Rotary Stamp	Alphabet Rotary Stamp
Back To Basics Alphabet Photopolymer Stamp Set	Ray Of Sunshine Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Gratitude For Days Photopolymer Stamp Set	Project Life Point Click Photopolymer Stamp Set	Project Life Remember This Photopolymer Stamp Set
Project Life Day To Day Photopolymer Stamp Set	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad	Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad	Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock	Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock	White Vellum 8-1/2X11 Card Stock	Pear Pizzazz 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
Pacific Point Classic Stampin' Pad	Project Life Journaling Pens	Everyday Adventure Digital Project Life Cards - Digital Download	Handheld Stapler

This Old Photo Class and Results

For the past week and a half I have been taking a class called This Old Photo over from Jessica Sprague. I have the privilege of having many photographs from both my mother's and father's side of the family. Some of them have things written in pen over the photo, and others have just faded and/or shifted in color over time. This class really shows you some doable techniques for editing your photos and getting back much of their former glory. I highly recommend this class if you have the same treasure of photos, and want to repair them. Here are a few examples that I have edited during the class. Enjoy!

P.S. The first photo is my parents during their dating days. The second photo has my Grandma Gunn as a little girl (she is second from the right in the picture).

Before

 

After

 

Before

 

After

Photo Class Assignments at the Morton Arboretum

Ok, so I haven't posted as many paper creations lately to my blog. That is partly due to the fact that I am currently taking a class called Oh Shoot! Digital Photography with Candice Stringham. I splurged on a new digital camera just after Christmas, so I am taking this class so that I can get out of auto mode! So, yesterday was a lovely, spring day here in the suburbs of Chicago. I went to the Morton Arboretum, and took several photos. I can see that I am going to need 1 or 2 more memory cards for the camera!

I hope you enjoy the pics. I'll use the daffodil pictures to help me get the color right the next time I color in my stamped daffodils. Look for some upcoming projects with that theme.

 

 

 

 

 

This robin kept hopping from spot to spot, but finally stood still long enough for me to capture him!



Daffodils from a distance...

 

Daffodils up close!

Playing with Photos!

A while back Jessica Sprague offered a free class in using frame-ups and special effects to edit photos in Photoshop Elements. I went through a couple of the lessons, but didn't get very far. I don't think I had any pictures at the time that were inspiring me. But, I just started looking through my pictures from my summer vacation to Estes Park, Colorado with my family. I love to take both landscape and flower photos. Sometimes I have to remind myself to add some people too! Anyway, here are a couple of flower pics in their before and after state. I hope you enjoy them!

What is your favorite subject to photograph?

Yellow Flowers Before:

Yellow Flowers After:

Accessories: Cottage Arts Nature Sketch Photo Art Blends 2

Purple Flowers Before:

Purple Flowers After:

Accessories: Cottage Arts Nature Sketch Photo Art Blends 1, Jen Wilson Beginnings Grunged Detail Starters