Hello, Crate Paper friends!  I hope you are well!  We were given the prompt assignment – “Why I Scrapbook.”  I invite you to join the design team in answering that question!  I wanted to make a layout using the gorgeous Sweet Story collection by Maggie Holmes to go along with my thoughts about the question!

I took a photo of a bunch of memory keeping projects piled up, Project Life, Mini Albums, Scrapbook Layouts, Traveler’s Notebooks, etc.  I love to do all the things!  Since the photo was quite busy, I decided to arrange my layout in a grid design.  I found some pieces of ephemera and cut apart die cuts that supported what I feel about scrapbooking and memory keeping.

I used one of the blocks to add my title using the gorgeous pink alphas from Sweet Story.  It was fun to find little bits that fit into empty spaces and made for a pretty grid!

Here are my thoughts on the prompt question:

Why I Scrapbook. This prompt made me think long and hard about my answer. My first answer was that I scrapbook for a creative outlet, but I realized that it was only a small part of the reason that I continue to scrapbook or why I got started. In 2014 I felt a motivation that I couldn’t put into words to start figuring out a way to record our lives, My daughter was a big part of that motivation and the trigger for recording what was happening in her life. When she was little, I felt like I would remember every detail of her life because it was so important to me. As the years went by, I realized that I had started to forget moments or details, and that was not ok with me. It was a slow journey to find a way that fulfilled me and to find something I could stay engaged with creatively. I had many “fails” in things I tried, but of course, those were lessons in what didn’t work and got me closer to what did. Heidi Swapp was the first person to capture my attention with her ideas on recording memories. I purchased a Memory Planner that year and began filling out one thing a day and filling up the pockets with photos and stories. That starting point propelled me into a world I had no idea existed! I dipped into art journaling, travellers notebooks, 12×12 layouts, mini albums, basically all the things! What made a huge impact for me was 6×12 project life. I completed one album, and I was hooked. I went back in time and printed photos from 2010 going forward. I still dabble in all kinds of mediums for memory keeping, but I learned to keep the project life albums as the base for stories and photos and be creative elsewhere. I tried making a few 12×12 layouts in 2015; I couldn’t wrap my head around it at the time. I thought I would try again in 2017 and joined Big Picture Classes to learn how! I loved the creative element of using pretty things on a page. I have always adored Crate Paper products, and when I couldn’t figure out how to incorporate them into PL, it started coming together using them on 12×12 pages and mini albums. Pretty soon after I started making 12×12 layouts, I was lucky enough to join some design teams. What a fun journey!! I have met some amazing people and continue to have fun, learn new things and have an adventure! Through the years, I have formed a solid answer to the question of why I scrapbook. Ultimately I do it to connect with myself and my life. I do it so Hannah can look back at the rich life she has lived and remember. I scrapbook because it brings me joy.

Thank you for joining me today!  Be sure to tag #cratepaper or #createwithcrate if you make a project answering the prompt!

Hello, Crate Paper friends!  I am super excited to be diving into the Maggie Holmes Day to Day Disc Planner goodies!  Everything is so beautiful!

I thought I would start with the weekly page spreads.  I wanted to add a few photos to my spread, so I did some measuring and set up a template in photoshop to print my photos.

Once I had my photo spots picked out, I dove into Maggie Holmes heaven and looked through the lovely sticker packs.  I quickly discovered I better choose a “theme” so that I could make some decisions about what to use.  I wanted to use it all!  I chose the wild rose pattern sticker as my jumping-off point for the page scheme and used it to make my other choices.

For a little dimension, I stamped 3 of the pretty florals from the Day to Day stamp set, and fussy cut them. I added them in three spots around the spread to soften some of the edges.  I am in love with the little bookmark clips in this collection! I had to use the Floral Charm with the pink layered tassel and puffy rose.  Another subtle layer I added was the black dot washi tape, the washi tape sets are gorgeous, and I can imagine adding them to the bottom or sides of the weekly spread pages.  The top right box at the edge of the page is washi tape as well; the roll has different patterns of washi that fit the box exactly!  How genius is that?

I have not done much “planning” in my scrap journey; I do love to go back and fill out planners for memory keeping.  I look forward to continuing to play in the Day to Day Disc planner and see what happens.  I wanted to share my pages before I added heaps of journaling so that you could see the layout more clearly.  I am a bit messy when it comes to writing!  One thing I love about the discs is the ease of taking a page out; I can see running it through my typewriter to add journaling that way!

Thank you so much for joining me today! Be sure to pop into your local Joann store or online at Joann.com to see all the stunning products included in the Maggie Holmes Day to Day collection!

Hello, Crate Paper friends! It’s Lorilei here with you today, sharing a double-page spread using the gorgeous and whimsical Magical Forest collection!  The Magical Forest collection is just so cheerful and happy, and I found myself being inspired by rainbows!

I started the two-page spread with the large layout (right side) I thought that would set the tone for both pages to flow together.  There are so many papers I love in the collection, so I trimmed my white background down to 10″x10″ to layer pretty papers behind it!  I chose a large photo (4″x6″) and built the page around the photo.  I had plenty of white space on the photo and the rainbow tag I cut from the Sunlight paper fit perfectly there.  The tag became the theme for both pages!

I layered a strip of Sunlight paper behind the photo and embellished the page with a large clear sticker (Oh My Darling Make Your Own Magic) and the dream stamp from the Magical Forest Stamp Set.  I added the Make Believe banner and shimmery heart from the Magical Forest Ephemera pack to finish off the tag!

Next up, I tackled the left side of the double-page spread.  I should let you know that I have not made very many double pages!  This is my fifth time!  They do flow so nicely in an album!  I decided to approach the design of the page as though it was a pocket page.  I trimmed another piece of the Sunlight (rainbow) paper as a 4″x6″ card I also trimmed the Willow cut-apart paper to serve as my “pocket” cards.  TO further customize the cards, I used the base of the B card from the Willow paper and popped up the inside of the rainbow card on top.  Next, I went through the ephemera pack and pulled out bits and pieces to further enhance the feeling I was looking for!  I chose the Rise and Shine die-cut for my top main card.

I embellished my photos here and there with labels, word strips and the sweet copper puffy alpha stickers.  I added a bit of stitching to the spread for texture and a stitched white heart to each spread for more texture and dimension.

This was most certainly a fun project to work on; it is a great way to incorporate more photos and stories.  I love the way the pages are very different and go together so well, using a single collection makes easier work of achieving a nice flow!

Thank you so much for joining me today!

Hello Crate Paper friends!  Lorilei here today sharing a Junk Journal style memory book with the new Heritage collection by Maggie Holmes and Crate Paper!  To say I fell in love with Heritage would be an understatement!  The colors and feel of the collection just hit me when I opened it.  I do love vintage, and Heritage combines vintage with a modern, fresh feel!

Right away, I knew I wanted to make a journal or a mini album about my Grandma.  I decided on mixing both together and used an old vintage book as my base.  I removed the pages from the book and added some masking tape and fabric to the spine for a vintage handmade feel.  My daughter made me some pom-poms to dangle on the spine in matching yarn colors to Heritage.  I stacked up fabric and papers and made a little pocket for the cute tags on the Recollection cut apart sheet.  On the top of the pocket, I tied one of the sweet charms with a dyed ribbon for the perfect finishing touch to the cover.

On the inside of the journal, I worked back and forth between building the pages, making tags, and going through the pretty ephemera and stationery packs. I decorated the inside cover by adding the Keepsake paper and some photo corners from the sticker book.  I made two pockets from a file folder and decorated them with photo and more cut apart tags.   I added one of the sentiments from the Lifetime paper that I fussy cut.

The tag “junk” part of the journal is built on 3 folded strips of paper that I adhered the tags and ephemera to.  The junk book then slips onto an elastic. Much like a traveler’s notebook, I did this so that I could add to the journal as I write in it.  On the first page of the junk insert, I used my favorite paper – Elsie.  I adore the bunches of flowers and the gorgeous lavender color.  I have a few Aunties that are called Elsie or have Elsie as their middle name, so that made me love it more!  I added another charm to the first tag so that I would see it every time I opened the book!

You can see the junk spine system in the photo below.  It’s a great way to show all the layers and goodies!  I made another tag from the Family Tree paper with the lovely blue floral, another favorite!  I added a lot of eyelets to the tags in this journal, to make them feel more special!

Heritage has a beautiful paper called Trophies with many prize ribbons on it with touches of gold foil!

On this page, I attached one of the Heritage Boxed Cards and stitched on two sides and the bottom to use it as a pocket.  The cards are lovely with the tiny prints from the 12×12 papers!

I added half of a different boxed card on the backside of the card to go with the pages next to it!

I love the vellum and ephemera with the home sentiments on them!

These pages are simple with a pretty ephemera card and the clear leaf stickers from the sticker book!

On this page, I made another tag from paper and then I made a pocket and tag inspired by the one that comes in the Stationery Pack!

Close up!  Love the floral on the Margaret paper!

That is the end of my tag “junk” insert and the cover of my journaling insert made from tea dyed and vintage papers.  I made a paper pocket for the cover and added another fussy cut sentiment and a prize ribbon!

Thank you SO much for making it through this long, photo heavy post!  I had so much to share, and if you are anything like me, you love to see all the bits in a project!  I will cherish my journal and write in it when I remember a story about my Grandma!  Be sure to check out all the loveliness about Heritage; it is a collection full of beauty!