December Daily, part one

Posted on November 30, 2011 by so simply good

I’ve been talking about doing a December Daily album for the past few years, but just haven’t been able to pull one together in time.

This past weekend, I grabbed a pile of Christmas-ish scrapbook supplies, made a gigantic mess and got started.

Not sure what a December Daily is? Ali Edwards has gobs of blog posts and info, but basically: it’s a daily scrapbook for the month of December.

I tend to be absolutely horrible at scrapping the holidays, and I’m hoping this helps. I’ve also been going through a bit of a scrap-drought, but have been really feeling the urge to play with paper and glue lately.

My main goal was to keep it simple, and I think I did that. I did make a master list of about 20 of our holiday traditions and events I want to capture: chocolate advent calendars, celebrations at different family member’s homes, St. Nicholas Day on the 6th, making cookies, annual ornaments, decorating the church and on and on. I’m half an hour from my Costco, so I’m planning to label each day’s photo with the date, figure out where it will go on the page with a place-holder and will *hopefully* be able to keep up with journaling on a daily basis. I’ve also got a basket of odds and ends to finish pages off with that I’m keeping with the album.

And some of the inside pages:

From the Studio…10.06.10

Posted on October 6, 2010 by so simply good

It seems like it's been a long, long time since I've had a Stickergirlstudios update to post…in part because of all of the craziness around traveling to California for my brother's wedding and because of the general craziness life has been since we got home.

And it's really not much of an update, but I finally have a few new things to list tonight (links will be added tomorrow)…

Kidasaurus wrecks - I've had this title hanging around for months, and I'm so glad to finally have put it on something! It reminds me of a certain little boy who loved dinosaurs (okay, still does) and making messes (hmm…okay, maybe he's just gotten bigger and not much else has changed!).

Pick of the patch – most overused Halloween/Fall title ever? Maybe. It just works so well and for so many different memories =)

Cast a spell – a title and piecing all in one. Everything is adhered as shown – just add background paper and photos!

Lots of plans and piles to work through for next week!

Shameless plug: I've been creating layouts, kits and custom scrapbooks for others for over 6 years now, and I still love it! I list new items weekly on eBay, and am also available for custom work. Just click on the little "email me" on the left side of the computer screen to send me a message for more information.

In the Studio – 08.29.10

Posted on August 29, 2010 by so simply good

Oh goodness, has this ever been a crazy week! I think I'm only about 4 days behind with this post…which seems to be the way life is right now.

A quick note – this is my last week of full listings until the middle of September. I'm getting ready to head back out to California for my brother's wedding and while I will be continuing to list while I'm out there, it will only be items that travel easy like my Simply Sets and possibly a few borders and titles.

That said, I'm a bit sad to be taking a break from layouts for the next few weeks. I've really been enjoying this week's and I'll miss working on them. Hopefully, I'll be able to bottle up that enjoyment and inspiration, and open it up when I get back home!

Harvest of Fun Final A Harvest of Fun! – I think my longing for Fall is already here, which isn't a good thing when you live in the state that Fall forgot! I've got sketches and plans for at least another half dozen different Fall layouts, and I can't wait to get to them…but right now, I really love this one!

Back to School – Love this one, too! I've had a few requests for more back to school listings, and I'm happy to oblige…expecially when I've got bears and papers as cute as these to work with.

We're All Ears! – Disney layouts tend to be some of my most requested, and I adore this one. Sweet bears, fun Mickey paper and a sweet title – perfect for those favorite family moments!

Fireside Fun – Just one border this week, but it's a cutie! Perfect for camping, cabin trips, or even backyard marshmallow roasting.

Our Li'l Pumpkin – I really love this Simply Set…maybe because that little cutie peeking over the pumpkin reminds me of my own little pumpkins! With lots of photo mattes, several piecings, a title and journaling tag, all you have to add is background paper and memories!

Lost in a Book – Reading is such a huge part of who we are as a family, and it's also an important memory for me to keep in our scrapbooks. Perfect whether it's a first time reader or one who's never without their nose in a book.

In the Studio…08.18.10

Posted on August 18, 2010 by so simply good

Holy cats, has this ever been a busy week! I'd intended to get quite a bit more done for listing this week…but it's just not going to happen. Between doctors appointments, concerts, errands and getting ready for school next week, I just haven't had much time to create.

I'm crossing my fingers that next week is a little less busy, but I'm also trying to be realistic that we're not going to really be able to get into a rhythm until after we get home from Dale's wedding (which is one month from today – eek!).

Here are this week's listings…

Bewitching – I'm so happy with this layout! More Treasureboxdesigns piecings (except for the cat), lots of gorgeous K and Co papers and a cute little witch. I admit, I do struggle sometimes with doing Halloween layouts. It's not something we really focus on as a family, but I know they sell well. My compromise for now is to make them and pray over them. Not perfect, but the best I can do.

School is Dinomite! – It's kind of killing me that this layout didn't photograph better, because it is absolutely darling in real life. The background paper is a graph paper and the dinosaurs photographed a little wonky. It is absolutely perfect for a little boy's first day of school!

Horsin' Around – a sweet Simply Set with lots of piecings! There are actually more pieicngs and photo mattes than I can figure out how to put on a page in this set – which just means more flexibility for whoever wins it.

I've got a great big list sitting here of ideas and plans, and no time to get to them this week. Hopefully, next week will be a bit more settled with a lot more time in the studio!

Shameless plug: I've been creating layouts, kits and custom scrapbooks for others for over 6 years now, and I still love it! I list new items weekly on eBay, and am also available for custom work. Just click on the little "email me" on the left side of the computer screen to send me a message for more information.

From the Studio – 08.12.10

Posted on August 12, 2010 by so simply good

I think I'm finally getting back into some sort of groove in the studio. Thursdays through whatever I need of the weekend is set aside for working on piecings, with the early part of the week for putting them on layouts and other such stuff. For now, it seems to be working quite swimmingly…we'll see how well I can wrap all of my other responsibilities – and maybe get in some personal scrapbooking – around it once school starts!

I was able to get three new layouts completed this week. My goal – once the our weekly schedule works itself out – is to list two to three layouts, along with more of the less expensive items like borders and Simply Sets. Again…we'll see.

Happy Trails – I don't do them very often, but I always love cowboy/western themed layouts! I'm still cutting by hand, which makes me extra-thankful for the patterns made by Treasureboxdesigns. Hers are just a bit easier to cut by hand – with larger shapes and great layering.

Princess in Training – more Treasureboxdesigns patterns. This layout just reminds me of Hanna when she was three or four years old, and everything was all about dress-up, princesses and pink. As girly as they get!

S'more Fun – this layout is killing me! Somewhere between finishing it up and getting it photographed some of the blue cardstock at the top got bent. I've never had that happen before, and it's just making me sick. It's such a sweet layout – I couldn't bear to toss it, so I listed it with a lower starting bid and am crossing my fingers someone gives it a home.

Once Upon A Time – more girly and sweet, and I have to admit the pink and purple unicorn makes me way, way too happy =)

Don't Be A Scaredy Cat! – I can't believe how many requests I've had this summer for Halloween themed creations! I'm not sure if scrapbookers are getting ready for this year or trying to catch up, but I'm happy to oblige.

Sleepy Yet? – a simple little border for sleep-overs…which always come with that inevitable "aren't you sleeping yet?" moment. These patterns were created by Little Scraps of Heavens Designs. Positively darling, but definitely a little more work when I'm cutting by hand!

ABC 123 – only one Simply Set for this week, but I've got so many more planned as soon as I can fit them in. I'm not sure which I love more – the piecings or the paper!

And now, I'm at the part of the week I enjoy the most…a clean slate, a jotted list of what I'd like to maybe do for next week and new inspiration from my paper stash. I've still got new Disney paper that hasn't been touched, as well as a gorgeous and glittery new Fall line.

I can't wait to see where it takes me!

From the Studio…hello, August!

Posted on August 4, 2010 by so simply good

I think I'm finally getting back into the swing of things…which is probably good considering we've been home for a week and I'll be heading out to California again five weeks from today.

*sigh*

I've got a so much to get done between now and then, including getting two weeks ahead on my eBay listings. I think the stash-building will have to wait school starts in a few weeks, but I'm excited to share sneak peeks of this week's listings. This is the first year that I gave myself a vacation from listing – and I'm so glad I did.

Edited to add: links are up!

Back to School – I adore this layout. I really do. All of the piecings are cut by hand and, while I don't like it when my Cricut won't cooperate, I do love the more personal result it gives the piecings.

On the Road – another one I'm really fond of…maybe because it reminds me a bit of heading up to my grandparents cabin as a kid. I also like the funky, triangle trees. The sun wasn't quite working with me yesterday, and the photos all turned out a bit dark in the corners, but still…this layout makes me smile.

Spooktacular - Fall and Halloween layouts tend to be some of my favorite to create (I think it's the colors…or maybe the fact that I enjoy Fall vicariously through my layouts). I'm so happy with this one.

Summer Lovin' – another favorite (okay, I think this week's layouts are all favorites!). I've always stayed away from kids (as opposed to critters), but I'm pleased with these. And the Echo Park paper? I am completely in love…so much so that after I picked up the last few sheets they had at Pocketful of Treasures in Clovis, I had to order all of the sets from Two Peas.

Just Plane Fun – only one new set this week. I'm hoping to focus more on these and borders, but this week I just had to get those layouts out of my system first.

From the studio – early June 2010

Posted on June 2, 2010 by so simply good

No personal scrapping for me this weekend…I got a bit of a cleaning bug, purged Caleb's room and did a pretty big clean in the office/studio. I've still got to go through all of the drawers and cupboards and closets in there, but that can definitely wait until after vacation.

I'm also trying to find some time to sit down with the calendar and figure out my listing plan for vacation. I hate being "naked" on eBay, and it's easy enough to travel with layouts and piecings…I just want to make sure I don't have anything closing or that needs to be shipped when I'm on the train heading across the country!

Just a few new listings this week. I think my listings will probably be a little lighter than usual until we return home from our trip out West, but I will still try to keep a fairly consistent presence.

So Berry Sweet – I've always been a sucker for anything with strawberries.

Into the Woods – it's funny…I think most of my listings this week are definitely inspired by my upcoming vacation and things I want to do on it!

Toadally You (boy) – one of the first Simply Sets I did a few weeks ago had this little frog piecing and a girlier background. I've had so many requests for another set, I had to do a boy one…

and while I was at it, another girl one =)

I've had a few requests for Halloween items lately, and am still in love with the paper BasicGrey put out for it last year. Too Cute To Spook! might just be the most overused title in all of scrapbooking, but I still love it.

And my personal favorite for the week – Wild One! I love the combination of red, fuschia and zebra print…especially when the zebra print is flocked!

Patterns are by Treasure Box Designs and Myscrapchick.

California Dreamin’ Layouts

Posted on May 26, 2010 by so simply good

We're getting down to just about a month until we arrive in California…and I am sooo ready to see my nephews and the rest of my family! When I sat down to scrapbook this weekend, the only photos I wanted to play with were ones from last summer…

We're a big homemade ice cream family. In fact, I think we had it three times last summer in the 4 weeks we were there!

I'm getting down to the ends of last month's Studio Calico order, but I think this makes 6 or 7 layouts I've gotten from that one add-on kit with a few extra sheets of kraft cardstock (with enough to do another layout or two still!). Definitely worth the money!

Just a little peek at the stitching. A layout just doesn't seem finished until I've sewn something down.

And my requisite cute nephew layout. Hard to believe how much he'd changed between these photos and when I saw him a few months ago, and I can't wait to see how much more he's changed again.

Same letters as the ice cream layout, but I painted and sanded them lightly. I really like the effect (almost sort of fuzzy or a bit like chenille).

Four weeks of scrapping in a row – and I'm realizing that I never finished my album reorganization project (i.e. I need to buy about a dozen albums just for the layouts I have sitting in stacks!).

I'd better get on that before the piles of finished layouts completely take over!

Sunday Scrappies

Posted on May 18, 2010 by so simply good

I am trying so hard to give myself Sunday's off. It's something I desperately need physcially… emotionally… spiritually… creatively… and it's really the one afternoon a week I can scrapbook. This makes three Sunday's straight that I've had creative time, and it feels so good.

First, 3 more layouts using that awesome Studio Calico goodness:

I've ended up using those photos from our Valentine's shoot a whole lot, but they're perfect for more moment/personality type layouts. The title pocket holds photos of more of Hanna's projects that she made in her online class.

Love those K and Co flowers. And look – I even used a stamp! I tend to be rather stamp challenged =)

Another one using those Valentine's photos. Again, though, it was just perfect for capturing some thoughts about this past year (and I typed the journaling directly on the photo before sending it to the printer). Still not 100% sure how I feel about the red brads, but I've changed them out half a dozen times and they're the ones I'm happiest with.

Again, all from the Studio Calico kit with the exception of the butterflies.

Yep – more from that same shoot and the Studio Calico kit (plus a few random stickers). And the colors don't look so wonky in real life – I've got to focus on getting better photos of my layouts since we can't find drivers to update my ancient scanner to Windows 7.

So totally happy with the way this one turned out! One of those capturing the personality type layouts.

And a two pager using some October Afternoon of Hanna's birthday party:

Hello, white space! Simple, fun, and I'm kind of obsessed with those funky, handcut, distressed flowers right now. I'm also really happy with the "bones" of the layout (based on a Pagemaps sketch). It's one I can certainly see myself using over and over.

10 layouts in the last 3 weeks – that's more than I got done in all of 2009! The only issue is that I now have several hundred layouts to get into albums. Remember when I took them all out of the post-bound albums last year? That project has been a little bit…er…a whole lot stalled. I've got to get working on it again soon!

Scrappy Loves

Posted on May 12, 2010 by so simply good

So…I've got about a half dozen "serious" blog posts I've been meaning to write, but for now…more scrappy loves:

The newish This to That adhesives from American crafts. I have the dots and the strips, and am loving them both. The dots remind me of Hermafix before EK Success bought them out years ago and ruined them.

Another new love: Scrapbook & Cards Today. I let all of my magazine subscriptions go about a year ago. I'm just not finding them inspiring enough to rationalize the money spent on them. It seems like there's more inspiration in online galleries…so I'm totally loving a magazine that you can get in print, but also online (as well as their entire back catalog). They also have a rather fab blog that I'm enjoying. It's nice to sit down when I have a few minutes to peruse and find something new.

They also feature lots of the scrappers I find most inspiring…this layout is based on a Kelly Goree layout from their Winter '09 issue:

I used some of the goodies I ordered from Studio Calico (which made putting a layout together just as easy as I'd hoped it would). And I have no idea why all the photos are so different in shade in the photo. I'm not too great at photographing layouts – I've always used my scanner, but haven't been able to find drivers to run it with Windows 7.

A few details:

Wonky flowers, ric rac, glittery brads, scalloped edges….yep, it's a big love!

Another layout I'm liking and didn't photograph too well:

I *think* the general layout for this one is from another issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today, but I didn't jot the name of the designer. Bad!

Love it, though, and will definitely be using this design over and over – perfect for things like swimming that I tend to have hundreds of pictures of and that we do over and over and over.

And look:

a little paper piecing =)

One more layout, though I'm not really feeling this one:

Too, too busy. I debated starting over, but you know what? It's done and the memory is recorded. I'm good with it. I'm reminded again, though, that I just don't scrapbook a lot of our cooler weather memories. Our albums tend to be filled with more outdoor, summery ones.

Whew…two weeks in a row of scrapping some of our own photos! This could get to be a habit =)

Category Archives: Scrappiness