Templates Make It Easy

If you’ve been scrapbooking for a while you know templates make creating your page easier. No more sitting in front of your computer stumped for a layout idea and how to create it. Templates will have the design layout already done, you just fill it with your photos, paper, and elements from the kit you want to use.

This month you can get 8 templates for only $5! Customer appreciation gift from Forever for Artisan users! Click preview for your deal and use code: STITCHEDUP

You can save even more by being a FOREVER CLUB member!

Here’s a vacation page I created with one of these templates and the kit Arizona Life by Dandelion Dust Designs .

If you’re an Artisan user don’t miss out on these fun templates! Start thinking about that vacation you went on recently or an upcoming one – can you see your photos in these templates?

Happy crafting ’til next time!

March means Spring

I don’t know what the weather is like for you but here, March brings a mixture of warmer sunny days mixed with windy days. No matter what or when your Spring comes it’s always a time for new beginnings. New growth in nature, new fun things to do now that the weather is better and maybe some new things for your home. If you’ve not noticed the “newness” of Spring yet, take a moment to look around whenever your Spring comes your way! I know you’ll be blessed.

I want to share a few Springtime layouts I’ve created with you. All these layouts have used a template besides an art kit. This first one is from only a couple weeks ago. As you can see there is still some snow on the ground but we are only wearing a light sweatshirt – A beautiful Spring day for a hike. Created with Double Trouble 2 Template Collab from Dagilicious and Tinci’s Designs. Kit was Love the View from Designs by Lisa Minor

I’ve been using templates more on my pages because you can already have the design of the layout made for you – less brain work! LOL!! All you do is replace the decorative items that are on the template with the ones from the art kit you’re using.

Double Trouble 2 Collab

Another layout using a template – Bits of March from Dagilicious. I love the layers that are in these templates. Simply fill each one with a different paper and you’re layering is done! Spring cleaning is something I know I need to do each year but…. I’m really not one to enjoy that. My sisters’ know that so when they come it always includes a cleaning project! Woo Hoo for me!! I created this with The Weekend kit from Dandelion Dust Designs but I’m sorry to say it’s retired so I have no link for it.

Bits of March

A perfect template for my spring flowers – created with Spring Meadow Bundle from Dagilicious. The fun colors and flowers came from Color Me May from Designs by Lisa Minor.

Spring Meadow Bundle

With Artisan 6 you can create your own pocket style template really easily. Add a large rectangle to your page about 10×10, make it any color you want because it won’t stay that way. Remove the stroke at this time, and save. Center on your page.

Select the rectangle you just added and go to the Cut ribbon, choose Grid cutter. Select 4 squares across and 4 squares down, change the spacing to 2, and choose ok. Deselect all the squares so you can make some of them photo holders. Decide which squares you want to hold photos and select each one separately, right-click – fill – convert to a photo drop point. In the other squares, you can ad paper to them by doing the same thing. Right-click – fill – from art kit.

As you can see a couple of my photo squares are two squares joined together. No need to change much to create this. First, select the photo you want to fill two squares and drag the middle drop-down arrow to make it the same length as two squares. That’s it!! Now go over to your elements panel and find the single square that’s underneath the one you created – select and delete. Voila!! See I told you it was easy.

Created with A Motorhead Adventure from ADB Designs

Once you have the grid the way you want it, fill all your photo holders, finish your layout with papers and elements that you want. I do suggest adding a shadow to each square so it stands out a bit more as well as adding shadows to all your elements.

Check out temlates for your layouts soon, you might be surprised at how fun they can be!

Happy crafting ’til next time,

Popping In

It’s been a couple months since I posted I was going on “blog sabbatical” and I thought I’d pop in to show you some of the layouts I’ve been creating the past couple months. Now that summer is here for the most part, remember to take pictures of those activities you’ve not been able to do for so long. Spending time with friends or family, going on vacation or even just eating out! 2021 is the year we want to remember as being “OPEN”!

My Father page as well as ALL the pages below have been created with Kim’s Creative World kits. You can find her store here: https://www.godigitalscrapbooking.com/store/vendor/kims-creative-world/

My Father page was created with her kit: Best Dad Ever

Created with Happiness Mini

Created with A New Day

Created with Make Your Mark

Created with Peace Mini

All of these pages were created with Artisan from Forever which is my go-to software for any type of design work including presentations, Facebook ads, wall art and just about anything you can think of! Super easy as it’s really user friendly. You can even try it FREE for 30 days – so what’s holding you back?

Go here to scroll through all the DEALS going on at Forever.

Happy Crafting ’til next time,

Scrapping Time

This time with family has been so fantastic! The days are filled with scrapping, eating, conversations, yoga and wonderful “girl time” with my sisters and my mom!! One thing I’ve noticed though is the days of the week get blurred together and I don’t know what day it is. I think that’s a sign I’ve been having a great time!!

My morning wake up

Netflix while we scrap

Here’s a couple pages I’ve done this week to share. This one I made into the pocket style by adding a square to my page first then cut with the grid cutter in Artisan. Super simple then to made a couple squares into photo holders and others filled with paper and elements and my last one a journal box.

Kits used: My Memories June Blog Hop pieces from several designers.

This page is all about my friends and I digital scrapping for a fun weekend together. This was in February 2020.

Kits credit: Imagine and Create by GS Gingerbread Ladies, My Digital Life by JBS and AimeeH, 3’s Company Template by Bits N Pieces

Here’s another one I’ve done earlier but didn’t quite finish it.

Kit credit: Family Time from Designs by Lisa Minor

A fun couple of pages I’ve not shared before.

Kit Credit: Harvest and Home by Moore Blessings Digital Design

Kit credit: Changing Colors by Moore Blessings Digital Design

I have several more days with my sis then I travel back home. I hope you are all enjoying each day as it comes and see how you are blessed in it! I know I’m extra blessed to have a sister that let’s me come visit for weeks at a time!

Happy crafting ’til next time,

Challenge Time

I’m at least an hour late today because of our time change, ugh. I wish they’d do away with this changing our times. The “spring forward” of the clocks seems to be harder on me than the “fall back” change.

The time change isn’t the challenge I’m wanting to share with you this week though. The past couple of months or more I’ve been on a couple of creative teams for designers where each new kit or template set they have designed I have to create and share a layout to many different places. It can be challenging at times to keep up because I never know how many layouts will be needed in a given week. I’m totally LOVING it because I’m being challenged to create out of my comfort zone and for me, that’s a bit scary and fun at the same time.

I’ve added another creative challenge to my plate starting in April. I’m signed up for the Supreme Team Creative Team design contest at GoDigitalScrapbooking.com. I’ve entered this contest several times in the past and have made it through to the last round before. Each year though, the contestants are better than the year before so I’m hoping that my “skills” have improved enough to get me through at least the first round.

ANYONE of you who digital scrapbook can enter – you do receive an art kit for each round, so no need to purchase or worry about having the right kit to use. I’d love to have you join me in this challenge – go here to check it out and sign up. If you don’t already have an account with goDigitalScrapbooking you’ll need to create one to participate.

Here are a few pages I’ve created for my designers with their new kits.

Created with Spring Melody template by Bits-N-Pieces  kit Spring Days-Flower Power by Forever.

Created with H’extra Lucky template by Bits-N-Pieces   kit New Day (retired) by Camomille Designs.

Created with Oh The Possibilities template by Blue Heart Scraps and kit Welcome to Sweetland (retired) by Just Because Studio.

Created with How The Story Goes kit by Blue Heart Scraps

I hope you join me by challenging yourself to create a layout by stepping out of your comfort zone by trying new kits, style or elements you’ve never thought of using.

Happy crafting ’til next time, ♥

An Eye Opener

Personal note – Hope your weekend was as special as mine was. I had a friend spend the weekend with me and she always blesses me with her smile and kind heart!  I also didn’t make it through to the next round of Scrapping Survivor. A bit sad but happy I tried. I always learn more from challenges than I think I will.

A couple of weeks ago I was looking at some of my traditional scrapbooks and was really loving the borders and corner clusters I had made. Then it dawned on me that I used to make borders and clusters with page kits BEFORE I even had pictures ready to scrap.

Once I was ready to scrap pictures the first thing I’d do is go grab the batch of borders I’d made before. Do you know how quick those pages came together with pre-made borders! This weekend I decided to do the same for my digital pages.

First thing I did was go through my kits and choose one I liked with no real thought of pictures I have to scrap. This was actually the best part – no pressure! Oh my gosh – in less than two hours I had all of these made. Now I don’t want to stop 🙂 This will be in my weekly planner to continue to make more. Here they are:

For this border, I used a few elements from the All Roads Lead Home kit from Forever.

For this one, I used the Black and White Power Palette digital kit from Creative Memories which is retired now. This is one thing I love about digital art kits once they are on your computer you can use them over and over and over again. I do love the black and white kits for my cards and I forgot how simple and elegant this kit is. I will be using this kit for sure on some upcoming pages.

For these three I used Be the Star You Are kit from Forever with the tearing tool in Artisan.

I can see this page cluster on a fun birthday party page! The singing bird is the reason I love this kit – for anyone in my family knows I send a text to them on their birthday and sing them the birthday song. 🙂 Now don’t cringe, it’s a text with musical notes so they can’t hear how awful I actually sing. 🙂  They do get a card in the mail too!!! This kit is also from Forever and it’s called Birdy Birthday.

My last two creations were made with Beautiful Day kit by Seatrout Scraps which is now retired.

I encourage you to try this yourself – don’t worry if you don’t have pics now to go with them, trust me you will use them because once you make them – you’ll love them!! If you’re looking for info about Forever please use my link and check it out.

 

Happy crafting til’ next time, ♥

 

Time For a Remodel

After three years Grady’s bed is looking a little nasty. This house was made with pallets, straw, leftover metal roof pieces and lots of love. But, now the love looks like it’s fading. 🙂

Boomers Girl Mud Sweat and Tears Kit at Gingerscraps was perfect for this page. Look at these cute embellishments.

Masks are perfect to use on your pages. Think of them as templates you can fill them with anything you want, even photos if you choose. This mask is small like an embellishment but I chose to use it as a paper layer on the page and increased the size to about 10″ x 10″.

I used a Fancy Text in Artisan 5 for my title and changed the color to match the page.

Once our “remodel” was done I wanted to make a page on the grand opening!

During the summer months having his house open and not covered is cooler for him. But, when the monsoons come Grady WANTS a door on his bed to keep the rain out. Prior to Grady finding us he was out on the mesa all by himself and in a thunderstorm he had no shelter but trees. When the first sound of thunder is heard he literally runs to his house for cover. It always makes me sad to think of that but, then I’m happy he’s here with us and knows he has shelter from the storms. We’ll be adding another cleaner heavy blanket over his door to keep the rain out.

Happy crafting til’ next time, ♥

 

Totally Ticklish

Good Morning!!! I feel like I’m getting back on track with my weekly posts again – life – crazy isn’t it?

This week it’s all about my super friendly cat named Lucky – see earlier posts for the story of his name. 🙂 Now that he’s the only cat we have he loves it when we’re outside and just runs to greet us. Every morning when I tend the garden he’s right there with me along with the dogs. You can imagine the lack of movement I have when they all three get right at my feet, haha. Would totally miss it though if they weren’t there with me.

This particular morning Lucky was at my feet and just thought my sandals and toes were something to investigate. He was nipping at them and then licking my toes. If you’ve had cats you know their tongues are a bit like sandpaper – ticklish is was it was. 🙂

I wanted FUN colors and designs on this page and saw this paper that looked like it was painted with freehand brush strokes. The colors were bright and fun. Ticklish = Fun!

When I was putting the page together I was deciding on what type of font to use and since the paper was paintbrush style I chose that same style for my title. Now the only difference I want to share with you about using this style of font – DON’T shadow it! Otherwise, you lose the effect of the style and then it just becomes another embellishment.

Another tip I have for you is mix up the shapes on your page if you want fun! Some pages just call for a touch of whimsy fun so mix it up with shapes and colors. Make it easy on yourself and look for templates that fit this or make your own. I used a template – credit below.

Here’s my finished page with fun colors and shapes and of course my totally cute and ticklish Lucky!

Credits: P2P Roadside America blueprint, fonts used were Brisk Bristle Brush, Chocolate Covered Raindrops kit Forever Live Fantastic Friends.

Happy crafting til’ next time, ♥

Out With The Old….

This last week was a sad one for me and I apologize for missing my weekly post. My best friend of 46 years lost her father this week and I wasn’t able to get this posted before I left for the service over the weekend. Being there with her and her family brought back many memories of my own father who I lost a couple years ago. Tears of sadness and tears of joy for both her and me were shed as we fondly remembered her dad and as I privately remembered mine.

This post title has nothing to do with that, so on to happier things. 🙂

Here on the ranch, we use things until they just don’t work any longer. We try and not waste anything so hence our vehicles stay with us until they just no longer can be repaired. We took our trusty van to the mechanic recently and he finally said: “I think it’s time for a new vehicle, it’s getting too expensive to replace things.” This trusty van was just that – It was bought brand-spankin’ new in 2000 and had seen highway to primitive roads in the rain, snow, ice and beautiful sunshine. Plus it had more than 287,000 miles on her. Yikes! Yes, I said 287,000!!

So off to do research on where to buy a car – used of course. Plug here, if you’ve never researched or bought a car from Carmax, you MUST check them out the next time you want a different car. Trust me, they are great to work with. Ok on to the page—-

I love cool titles with different types of fonts and such. I usually try and design my own but this time I wanted something quick and when I found the art kit I wanted to use for my page it came with an alpha set that I really like with this page. Alpha sets are super easy as you can make your words, size each letter or arrange them how you want then group them so they can be moved as one word. So much quicker than designing your own – try it out.

The next embellishment I really like to use is journal boxes. Now they can be tricky if they have lines on them and the text you want to use just doesn’t line up right. So here’s another trick to use. Add another paper layer to it. The inside shape of this text box had rounded corners so I made the shape first a rectangle, filled with the color of the text area and then used a corner rounder cutter (in Artisan) and softened the edges to blend into the original shape. Reshaped the text box to the size I needed which was more square, put the paper shape on top and adjust to fit inside the dark line border. I then typed out my text. Adjusted all pieces so it would line up the way I wanted, grouped together and voila’, a customized text box just the way I needed.

For me this was the perfect page to make a small flower cluster in the corner but hey, if flowers aren’t your thing you can add another type of cluster at the bottom. The reason I want a cluster of something is it draws your eyes to the photo it’s nearest. Which to me is the best of the two on this page.

Hope I’ve helped you think of a couple different ways to use embellishments that are already in your art kits – have fun! Credit: Country Roads by Dandelion Dust Designs at Gingerscraps.

Happy crafting til’ next time, ♥

Let It Rain

I love these pictures because we FINALLY were blessed with some moisture. As with all of the southwest, we have been extremely dry and fires have been raging all over. We had a few DRY thunderstorms come through with lightning and no rain – hence the fires. I was just giddy like this child on my page when it began and kept coming.

 

I totally love this kit by Boomers Girl from Gingerscraps. It’s called Spring Showers and has the most adorable elements like frogs, ducks, and kids. Instead of just layering paper I wanted something a little different and used a frame around the paper layer. Grouped them together and added a shadow.

I used a mask for the title element and filled it with a close up of the rain. Added some super cute embellishments and the title to finish it off.

Here’s my finished page and I really like how it turned out.

Here’s hoping if you need rain like we do, you receive it very soon and you can make a fun page too!

Happy crafting til’ next time, ♥