Keeping Calm & Carrying On

Girls Weekend: A Snapshots Two-Pager

 

My Snapshots collection (Bella Blvd) sold like crazy. It's always hard to predict which collections and which products will be the best-sellers from each release. But this time around it was loud and clear. We re-printed the Snapshots collection twice and we are already sold out again! Thanks for all your love :) I  used Snapshots for this 2-pager Girls Weekend layout.

 

I used the large Paper Pieces die-cuts, creating a column anchoring my photos. Some are flat and some are popped up. A couple pieces of chipboard and buttons also.

 

The Designer Washi Tapes mix and match so well with the Snapshots line. I used the Black Chevron Washi tape (From the Chevron Combo Pack) throughout the 2 pages.

 

My journaling is pre-printed, and more detail shots are on the coordinating page. 

 

Here's what the finished two-pager looks like. So colorful, right?! Have you purchased my Snapshots collection?

For more ideas and inspiration visit the Snapshots Idea Gallery here. 

Athlete: A 2-Page Soccer layout

I'm loving this color combination that I randomly put together mixing Bella Blvd and October Afternoon prints and patterns. I reminds me of school-themed primaries but with the fall colors in my photographs it blends perfectly.

My niece, and Godchild, Madelyn has really excelled in soccer. She's quite the forward, scoring goals and being aggressive! Gymnastics and soccer are definitely her things. I didn't have the opportunity to watch her play much this year...the couple games I planned were rained out :(

Tip: Use those photo corner stickers as arrows once in a while. :)

For the center "athlete" title I layered strips of Yellow Chevron washi tape onto a solid piece of white cardstock every which way...no pattern. Then I used a large circle punch and distressed the edges to great the patterned circle that's the background for my title.

 

Headed to Puerto Rico Soon!

In the blink of an eye I'll be in Puerto Rico at Scrapbook Gallery teaching five new workshops! Have you signed up yet? I can't wait to see you there!

Workshops: A 2 page Bella Blvd Layout

This double-page features a ton of mixing and matching! Sophisticates, Birthday Girl, Daily Chevies, Tapes, Snapshots, High Fives, Too Cute To Spook and Play Date products! It's the crossover of colors during design that I love so much, that makes mixing and matching so easy.

Photographs are from Archiver's Scrapfest event at the Mall of American in Minnesota during 2011. Several local artistas came with me, assisted in class and helped out at the crop.

It's easy to add depth to a layout by punched shapes out of the same patterned paper background and then popping them up with dimensional adhesive. Give it a try sometime!

I repeated the same dimensional effect on the coordinating right-page in the purple strip area.

The stripes here are created from 12" stickers, Designer Tapes, patterned paper and sticker arrows.

Free Download: The Bella Buzz Newsletter

Bella Blvd is back with a fresh new issue of The Bella Buzz: September 2013. Today is the official release date, so check your inbox for your free copy, or click here to download today!

The Bella Buzz took a brief hiatus during my crazy wedding season, and now it's back with some awesome and fresh new ideas, created solely for the newsletter. The layouts featured by the Bella of the Ball and the Designer Challenge have never been seen before! Enjoy! Happy Monday!

and pssst......don't miss the newsletter giveaway this time!

Packer Season has Officially Begun!

Today is the first Green Bay Packers game of the season! And while it's really hard to say goodbye to our very short Wisconsin summer, the fall weather is a great trade for the NFL season! Today I have a 2-page layout to share from the 2011 season opener.

The two page layout is all Bella Blvd products. My newest Daily Chevies & Everyday Bits, Designer Tapes, Crochet Hearts and some Play Date & Snapshots too. I dug through all my stash and coordinated everything Green and Yellow that I could find!

The giant title are letters from MME Lush collection, nd the small black alphas throughout are a collection of different Doodlebug fonts. Everything else is Bella, Bella, Bella :) Who would have thoughts you could create a 2-page NFl layout with the happiness that is Bella Blvd, right?!

We had a fun story from that day, so I made sure to print it out as I started. Then I added my two favorite pictures from the group and added them to this page, along with the 50th Anniversary tickets. I love saving memorabilia like this!

On the coordinating right-side page, I needed to find a way include a bunch of photos that I didn't want to eliminate so I used this 5x7" gray/white chevron bag that I purchased at a local paper store (Broadway Paper).

But before I get to the pocket/bag, I created this border of Crochet hearts, adding the "go pack go" chant as the title.

I embellished the bag with Designer Tapes and sticker arrows (Snapshots collection).

Then I matted each photo inside the pocket/bag onto white cardstock and created a pull-tab by folding over & then stapling the Designer Washi Tapes. Now they're really easy to pull out!

Here's a glimpse at some of the photos that are tucked inside the bag. I embellished a bit with tapes and titles.

Had to include a bit of my favorites: Donald Driver and Aaron Rodgers. Let's hope for a victory today against San Fransisco. 

Go Pack Go! What are you doing this NFL Sunday?

Awesomeness: A Bella Blvd Play Date Layout

Today over at Bella Blvd one of my CHA projects is being featured. I created this two-page layout for the booth display with my new Play Date Collection (See the entire Collection Reveal Here).

I love how the Button Market buttons mix and match so well with all my new lines too! Is this row of them just delicious?!

This is the left-side of a 2-page coordinating layout. In addition to the Play Date products, I Incorporated the buttons, Designer Washi Tapes, High Five Sophisticates Alphabet stickers and Paper Pieces die-cuts from the new Christmas Countdown collection too!

The coordinating right-hand page has a complimentary vertical design, with close-up photos of my nieces and nephew.

Here's a look at the complete layout. There's more detail shots and info on my layout over at Bella Blvd today.

 And guess what??  This new Play Date Collection is now shipping and available to all Bella Blvd's retail stores! Be sure to request it today!

For more Play Date ideas & inspiration check out the Play Date Idea Gallery here.

Pre-IU Workshop #4: Reasons to Relax Layouts

 Welcome back to my fourth & final post of the day featuring my only 12x12" Layout workshops for Pre-IU 2013.  Remember, all these classes are now officially on sale. Class size is limited, and kit pick-up & mail option is also limited. Thank you to Ginger & Teresa for inviting me to be a part of this year's event! Last year I had a blast meeting all the attendees and I'm honored to be a part of IU again this year. 

Reasons To Relax Layout Workshop $27.50

Click Here if you'd like to Attend the Reasons to Relax Layout Workshop.

Click Here if you'd like to pick-up or have a Reasons to Relax Layouts Kit Mailed to You.

Want to scrap a bunch of summer photos at the pool, the park or on the beach?!  These layouts are exactly what my style and Bella Blvd is all about---color, color, color! With layout titles like, "This Place Makes Me So Happy!" and "On a Sunny Afternoon" your options are endless to use photos that document great times in the sun! 

Tear your papers and Washi Tapes to create poolside pages. We'll layer, ink and cut up shapes!

 

The official Workshop Description Reads: It seems like the days are filled with things to do, places to be and chores to complete that everyday routine becomes very mundane. So why not treat yourself to a day in the sun, a small vacation and some relaxation! After all, a little daylight rejuvenates and colors our world! We will create four 12x12" pages inspired by making the most of a packaged Collection Kit, color blocking and project life too! Get your hands on some great new products including Bella Blvd's Sand & Surf collection, buttons and Crochet Hearts too!

Well, there you have it, sneak peeks to all four of my new Pre-IU workshops. Remember kits are available to mail or pick-up, no matter where you live! Quantities are already set and limited, so if you love what you see, visit Down to Details>Pre-IU Today!

 If you have any additional questions, feel free to leave in the comments below, or email me!

The Pumas: A Bella Blvd Making the Team Layout

This two page layout features my Making the Team collections mixed with some Sophisticates and Mr. Boy products too! The double-page coordinating layout documents the Memorial Volleyball Tournament the spring following my brother-in-laws passing.

Here's a closer look at the left-hand page. I had so many photos from the tournament that I had to narrow them down. By trimming several of them into 2x2" squares I was able to create my own photo college, using the largest photo of our team, The Pumas, as the focus.

I couldn't resist fussy cutting some flowers from the Birthday Girl Party Girl patterned paper and adding a few here and there in clusters with Stick Pin Flags, Crochet Hearts, Black text-print buttons and some paper hearts.

The right-hand page looks like this. The crossword puzzle pattern from the Mr. Boy collection is seriously one of  my favorite neutrals. It's great for a layout background.

I created another kind of photo collage here to compliment the other layout, with the primary goal of using as many photographs as I could. I loved the photo of Angela with one of Chris's really great friends from WE Energies (work) in the center; Years from now it will be great to recall that he was there for the tournament and our family!

Underneath the main photo collage I used scraps and snippets and strips of various patterns to also collage, almost haphazardly to create the look of several layers, with just enough color and prints to pop out from under the photographs.

I still love me some two-page layouts. They seem not as popular these days, especially with the growing Project Life trends. I hope this inspires you to not forget our roots :)

Art Adventure: A Bella Blvd 2-page Layout

My niece Madelyn is a creative soul after my own heart. She loves to color, scrapbook, create things and pays very close attention to detail. So when she got her very own bedroom a while back, we decided to spend an afternoon together painting canvases to decorate her walls.

We put on some smocks and painted away in the drive-way :) The Sophisticates products are perfect for colorful projects like these. The main color of her bedding was purple so I chose the Sprinkles & Lace pattern to coordinate.

Love the Crochet Hearts for this layout and the coordinating Designer Tapes. 

I cut out some flowers from this patterned paper in my Birthday Girl Collection:

Item #453 Party Dress:

The Coordinating left-side includes a couple of my favorite pictures from the day...Madelyn focusing on her canvas....

Lots of Crochet Hearts, Bella Buttons, Designer Tapes and chip too.

While I know the Simply Simona Chipboard alphabets in lowercase are an older product of Bella's I still love mixing and matching them for titles like this! The color combination was perfect!

Punched one photograph with a large heart punch...just me and my Lynnie :)

The journaling block is actually a sticker from a Just Write sticker sheet. Here's another look at the two-page layout for my 2011 album.

I might find a little time to scrapbook this weekend....hope you do too! Happy Friday!

For More Sophisticates Ideas Click Here.

For more Crochet Heart Ideas Click Here.

For More Designer Tape Ideas Click Here.

Sold: A Bella Blvd 2-Page Layout

It seems like in my field products come and go so quickly. The new trends take over and fresh color palettes are infused almost monthly. Sometimes though, I prefer to enjoy a paper collection a bit longer and find additional uses for it's palette over time. I challenge you to use your stash in the same way. 

The Thankful Collection I designed was released this past fall, and I just love it for the everydady earth tones, a nice change from Bella's bright color palette. I continue to use it time and time again for family photos, everyday themes and this layout documenting a big change for my sister and the kids after my brother-in-law passed away: the sale of their home.

PHOTO TIP: Remember to photograph your home, both inside and out. The big picture, and also the small details that make your home yours.

When digging through old pictures from when I was young it's hard to find photos of the house I grew up in. I remember it so vividly, yet my parents don't have many photos today. So, before Angela & the kids moved out I stopped over to photograph the home that they will remember Dad being in, the home they might recall being born in and spent their first several years.

Remember photos like the cross streets outside.

The Coordinating right-side of the two page layout looks like this:This page has a series of wallet-size close-ups of things around the house that I always remembered (as an aunt, as a visitor) such as: The desk in the living room piled with books, homework & Mail. The basket of overwhelming support (cards) from family & friends after Chris's passing. Carson's pile of stuffed animals and swords. The pile of shoes at the front store. & the laundry shoot overflowing :)

Here's a view of the 2-page layout as it will appear in my album. 

Like I said, I just love the neutral tones within the Thankful Collection. Click here to see more ideas using the Thankful products. 

The Bachelorette: A Bella Blvd Layout

THis week is flying by. I have so much going on including new product developement for Bella Blvd (this is always a really exciting time of year!), plus I'm throwing a girls night Recipe Exchange tomorrow so I'm trying to get everything in order for that too!

While I'm busy, busy, busy I thought I'd share this 2-pager I made recently documenting a weekend in Vegas celebrating my lil' sister's Bacherlorette bash!The entire two-page layout has a mix of lots of Bella including that large flower-puff print from my Birthday Girl collection and plenty of bits and pieces from my previous Socialite & Sophisticatates patterns, mixed with Designer Tapes, buttons and more!

That yellow Chevron Tape is stuck to white cardstock first to make it more opaque.

The coordinating right-side has plenty of complimenting elements....

A plain piece of black cardstock is my base here. Then, I created stripes with various Bella Blvd Designer Tapes by pressing them to white cardstock, then triming into a large rectangular block.

I love all the color on this layout, and the addition of black really makes it pop!

Here's a look at the 2-page layout side-by-side:

Girls Just Want to Have Sun: A Bella Blvd Layout

Today I have a really happy, bright and sunny layout to share from one of my Puerto Rico trips.

After teaching for several days straight, sometimes 7-10 hours of teaching in one day, it's wonderful to enjoy a day or two "reward" at the end to sleep in before heading home, and do whatever it is I want to do while enjoying some "recovery" time. In Puerto Rico 2011 Jenna & I enjoyed a day out on the beach. The near 100-degrees was perfect for listening to some tunes, reading a magazine/book, people watch and r.e.l.a.x.

This is the finished left-side of my two-page spread. We apparently handed my camera off to a great beach pedestrian---when looking back through the pictures she happened to take several while Jenna and I "were" getting ready to pose. I loved the series and found this cute title online to use!

I mixed and matched the High Five Alphabet stickers in several different colors to create a summery title, and also sanded down the edges of the hot pink Sienna chip alphabets to give it that beach, sandy, messy look.

The patterns are a mix of so many different collections, but my favorite part is the calendar photo matte from the Sophisticates Calendars paper, combined with the bight colors from the Socialite and also the Sunny Happy Skies paper products.

A local DT member, Katherine, recently had a layout published in S&CT magazine where she strung buttons in this fashion to mi-mick a zip line adventure. I loved the idea and thought it was so unique.....so I created a mix of buttons, Designer Tapes and Miniatures sticker tags onto my own version.

It was a lot easier than it looks, which brings me even more joy!

I trimmed a couple more photos down to fit within the calendar squares to make the page a multi-photo layout, added s chipboard border strip and a couple more stickers to finish off this side.

The coordinating right-page is a bit simpler in that it is much more flat and includes several more pictures from the series.

I matted only one photo on this side, my favorite one of these, so that it would stand out from the other ones. The Designer Tapes are matted onto white cardstock to create the opaque border strips, and the chipboard "happiness title" is from the Sunshine & Happiness collection chipboard icons.

Here's the two-page spread completed and ready to go into my album.

(Click on it for a larger version if you'd like).

I just love layouts with so much color like this, and even more when you have a random stranger that captures some great photos in such a spontaneous moment! LOVE IT!

For more Bella Blvd Inspiration be sure to visit the Studio Blog daily for new projects from my DT!

Companion Page: Sister Smiles

Thank you for the prayers, sweet comments, emails and even cards that came in the mail both to me and my family over the weekend. While I do share personal content here on my blog, I worry about it being so public and so "out there". I often fear that you want to hear the happy stuff and see the fun photos, but the truth is this is my life: the good, the bad and the ugly and I want to share it all. Therefore, thank you for accepting me just as I am & for stopping in each day. 

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Today I'm sharing a layout that coordinates and completes a 2-page spread from last Friday's Faves feature about 12" Photo Enlargements.

I created this layout as the right-side companion, including 3 more of my favorite photos from the day my sister, Aunt and I threw Nicky a fabulous bridal shower. 

To keep the layout flowing, the same embellishments were used on this side including the feathers, buttons, chipboard alphas and Blooms A Bella cotton flowers.

The patterns are an eclectic mix of Bella Blvd from the Sophisticates, Family Dynamix and Midterm collections.

Here's a glimpse at the completed 2-page layout, including the enlarged photo left-side I showed last week:

Don't forget to mix and match your Bella stash, especially the papers----it's so easy!

Scrapbook Gallery: A Bella Blvd Layout

Happy Thursday everyone! Today I've got a bright & fun 2-pager to share with you.

I wanted the layout to be super colorful, just like all my new friends in Puerto Rico love. 

Those flowers from the Birthday Girl Cute Cuts paper are some of my hand-drawn creations within that collection! They coordinate so perfectly with the pink stripe Designer Tape.

Including my handwriting, if even just a little bit is important for me throughout my scrapbook albums. Just scratch some lines with your favorite pen and doodle your journaling right onto the background paper like I did!

The layers on this left-page include Birthday Girl patterned paper, Designer Tape, Stick Pin Flags, Crochet Flowers, High Five Alphabet stickers and paper flowers from the Cute Cuts paper.

The coordinating page is colorful as well and incorporate paper from my Sophisticates collection too. 

The Designer Tape makes it fun & easy to create multiple-photo pages. I even included a business card from the Scrapbook Gallery, the store where I taught in Puerto Rico as memorabilia.

Here I specifically framed out the month of "march" with the Designer Tape; this created a subtle detail documenting the time of year I traveled to PR & taught Bella workshops.

I carried over similar elements from the left-page to make the 2-pager flow. Hence the layers of Blooms A Bella, Crochet Flowers, Designer Tape and Stick Pin Flags.

Here's a shot of the layout as it will appear side-by-side in my album: