Sharing Memories Scrapbooking

Have you been away on a holiday this summer yet? Even if you haven't, that shouldn't stop you from reminiscing about past great vacations, should it? Our challenge this week is to


DT Member Michelle created this "Vegas, Baby" layout just for this challenge. And even though what happens in Vegas STAYS in Vegas, that shouldn't stop you from remembering your vacation there in a fantastic layout!


I love how Michelle used a dark, subtly patterned background paper, playing cards for the title and one of our bracket journaling boxes to capture the date and names of the people she vacationed with.

My favorite vacation was also my wedding and honeymoon. I can't believe I still haven't scrapbooked some of the photos from that wonderful adventure eight years ago! My personal challenge this week is to dig them out of my storage binders and create a layout right along with you all and post it later this week. Don't forget to post YOUR layouts to our flickr gallery so you have a chance to win one of our prizes!

Happy Monday!

With renos happening around here I haven't had much time for posting or surfing for fun things to share with you! I did find a few tidbits for you to have a look at this weekend though...

1) With lots of warm summer days and tonnes of activities to do, you may not have as much time to devote to scrapbooking as you had anticipated. Scrapbooks etc. has lots of hints for fast and easy scrapbook pages that can be made in minutes.

2) OK, this is a long one, but I have been thinking a lot about creativity lately - why my own creative mojo ebbs and flows, how I can "teach" my kids to be more creative and the lack of creativity (not "the arts" per se) in our education system. I came across this article in Newsweek entitled The Creativity Crisis a couple of weeks ago and have been digesting it ever since. If you are interested in the idea of creativity, it is a long read, but a must-read.

3) On a lighter note, Noell Hyman was recently named as one of Ella's Most Influential Scrapbookers and rightly so. Her Paperclipping videos and Paperclipping Roundtable podcasts are fun and informative. If you haven't watched the videos, check out this one on creating your own handmade backgrounds for your scrapbook pages. Great tips and inspiring layouts. If you have some extra time on your hands, check out all the free videos on her site.

4) And here's something non-scrapbook related for you - some super summer recipes and ideas for easy summer entertaining from Kraft Canada. Yummy...I am trying that grilled bruschetta chicken this weekend for sure!

Have a great weekend!

I have been seeing a lot of fall themed scrapbook supplies out there in recent weeks. I know it's because retailers want to get rid of last year's fall and holiday products to make room for new products being introduced at the CHA in Chicago in a week or so. But it got me thinking that this week we should go back to LAST fall for this weeks challenge and

Happy Friday to you all. Here are a few things you might be interested in checking out over the weekend.

1. I have seen a number of Christmas in July posts and challenges around the web this week. It's hard to think about Christmas when the weather is hot and we're all wearing shorts, but just think how far ahead you'd be if you got some shopping done and a few cards made now! One site I love for card inspiration is Christmas Cards All Year Round. Go have a look and see if you don't pull out some Christmas-y papers next time you have a few minutes to craft! 
2. For us scrappers, Summertime means CHA! The Craft & Hobby Association show will be held in Chicago July 27th to 29th and will debut new lines from almost all the major manufacturers. Why oh why do they do this to us? Just when you thought you had enough paper and embellies...they come out with more must-haves! Check out these previews of many new yummy collections that will be available this coming fall.
3. For you digi scrppers, grab these fun, summer themed digital downloads from Scrapbooks etc. Oh, did I mention they're FREE?! There is a paper or embellishment to download at the end of each slide - 7 papers and 5 embellies in all!
4. Here's another freebie for you...ScrapNFonts has 15 new FREE fonts and doodlebats for you. Go here to grab them! You will need to create an account with them, but that's free also!
5. And just because this is cool and kinda out there - go check out these self-portraits created with ephemera and a scanner! Neat!

Have a great weekend!

DT member Tracy posted this layout to our flickr gallery for this week's summer actitivy layout challenge and I had to share it with you in more detail here.

When I saw that Tracy had used this cool interactive page protector from Memory Book I was intrigued! Here's the front of the layout with both flaps closed:

The inside with both flaps open:

And the back:



I absolutely love this idea...especially for an event or activity that has several photos you want to incorporate!Here's what Tracy said:

"A summer memory for me is eating ice cream on holidays. There is an amazing ice cream store 40 minutes from my aunt's house. There are also various ice cream, and now gelato, places in her town. So these are some pictures from the past few years.

I used a swinging page protector which is a 12x12 page with a 6x12 on each side. So the inside is 12x24. I choose this page protector because I had taken some pictures of the outside of this very long building and wanted them to all go side by side. They aren't the perfect pictures since they don't line up, but to our family they take us right there. I only put two pictures on the back and will keep working on this page by adding more group shots over the years."


Thanks for sharing this great idea and layout Tracy!

Don't forget you have until Saturday to post a challenge layout in our flickr gallery to be eleigible for our first prize! (But don't worry...if you don't have time this week there are still more prizes to be had all summer long!)

It's hard to believe we are four weeks into Summer already! It begs the question - how do you spend YOUR summers? What are your favorite things to do in the summertime? Swim? Do other sports? Spend time at the beach or cottage? Go on road trips? Garden? Read and relax?

Whatever it is, your challenge this week is to

We spent some time at the Calgary Zoo this morning...it was nice and quiet at the Zoo since it was Parade Day this morning. Yup...it's the start of the Calgary Stampede - The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth! We are ready for lots of yee-hawing and pancake breakfasts in the next week! And, I am looking forward to a very special event tomorrow evening - we are lucky enough to be attending the Prime Minister's Stampede BBQ at Heritage Park. It is sure to be an event to remember!

Since we've got lots going on, here is a real quick list of some new things for you to enjoy over the weekend:

A new Paperclipping Roundtable Episode to listen to

A new issue of Scrapbook Ellaments ezine from Ella Publishing co. to read

A new line of yummy summer products from Taylored Expressions to play with

A new edition of Basic Grey's newsletter to drool over

LOTS of new multiphoto sketches from Scrapbooks etc. to scraplift!

Have a great weekend! Let the Stampeding commence! YEEE-HAW!

To create my layout for this week's challenge I first went to my camera to check what my most recent photos were. Happily they were some sweet shots from Grayson's Pre-K graduation ceremony at the end of June. I knew when I saw them that I wanted to use some fun, school themed digital papers and embellishments from Creative Memories to create a layout featuring three super cute photos of my super cute graduate!


And I also was excited to try a Blueprint page from  Pixels2Pages. These free downloads are the equivalent of Photoshop Templates for Creative Memories Storybook Creator Plus software - you just download the blueprint, import it into SBC+ and pop your photos and choices of papers into the pre-designed spots. Quick, easy and foolproof! If you use SBC+ you will definitely want to check out their entire site for lots of tips, ideas and more blueprints.

Have you had the chance to scrap your most recent photos yet? Make some time and don't forget to upload them into our flickr gallery for your chance to win. Next week marks week 4 of our scrap-a-thon and our first winner, so make sure to post any or all of your challenge layouts! We can't wait to see your take on our challenges!

Check back tomorrow for your weekend reading links!

Thanks Natalie and congratulations!
 
I'll share my most recent photos later this week, but we can't wait to see YOUR freshest photos and stories put into a layout. Don't forget to post it to share in our Summer Scrap-a-thon flick gallery!

The Weekend Web Round-Up is the post I enjoy writing most each week. I love picking out and putting together a list of five fabulous places for you to visit each weekend!

1. First up, photographer Kelly Willette has a great list of 100 summer activities to do with your kids that will result in many great photo opportunities! Enter your name and email address and it will be emailed to you right away. Print it out and hang it on your fridge or do as Kelly suggests and cut out the prompts, put them in a jar and pull them out whenever you need something to do! Either way, it's a great list and we are going to try to do one or two things each day!  
2. Summer Driggs has a new free digital kit, just in time for our American friends' upcoming Fourth of July holiday. Of course the red, blue and white color scheme is great for so many other layouts - especially when you have boys! - and I am in love with the banner embellishments! Summer is so talented and so generous for sharing her creations.
3. You know I am a big fan of Big Picture Scrapbooking. I was very excited that the LOM community started yesterday and will be a year long journey with like minded LOM'ers with lots of dicussion and challenges to keep our systems up and running. BPS also has a great FREE class coming up in August featuring 13 different teachers and lots of new ideas and inspiration - the BIG IDEA FESTIVAL! It starts August 12th, so be sure to find out all the details and register here.
4. I don't know how Stacy Julian comes up with such amazing and inspirational ideas all the time, but she is hosting write.click.scrapbook's blog this week and is revisiting projects she has made in the past. One project she describes is an 8x8 album in which she captured a snapshot of her boys in 2004. It is brilliant in it's simplicity and is something all of us could adapt. LOVE it!
5. And finally...the summer issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine came out last week and this one is super good! You can often get a copy at your local scrapbook store (usually free with a purchase) but you can always download it for FREE!  68 inspiring pages should keep you busy for the weekend! Grab a lemonade and enjoy!

Have a great weekend and be sure to check back Monday for the third challenge in our Summer Scrap-a-thon! (Psst...make sure you send off and pick up some recent photos at your local photo developers over the weekend!)

Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canucks! I am looking forward to Queen Elizabeth's address from Parliament Hill today and we are hoping to take in some early fireworks with the boys tonight. Other than that, it is busy-ness as usual around here (we are STILL unpacking boxes and finding homes for things, as well as getting the last few things from our old house. This is turning into the longest move in history!) Anyway...I hope you have a wonderful Canada day with friends and family!

Since all my traditional scrappy supplies are still waiting patiently to be unpacked, I thought I would do a digital layout for this week's challenge to use a quote, saying or lyric.


As I started on this challenge I experienced a bit of the old Chicken & Egg syndrome. I wondered which should I start with - the quote or the photos? Of course you can start with either, but as I was searching through quote lists I came across this humorous quote by Bill Cosby and immediately remembered that I had taken a few pics of Grayson giving his dad Soap-on-a-Rope for Father's Day and how we had giggled at the stereotypical (but lovely!) gift. Later I joked with Shane that his days of getting only ties, socks and soap-on-a-rope had officialy begun!

So go with whatever triggers an idea for you - the quote or the photos - there's no right or wrong! Make sure to upload and share your layout in our flickr gallery.

See you tomrrow for a Weekend Web Round-up...yes I know it's been a couple of weeks since I posted one, so I have some fun things to share with you.

Hope you had a great weekend and are ready for this week's challenge:


That's it...pretty wide open, eh?

I love the layout DT member Michelle created for this challenge:

The colors Michelle used are so summery and perfect with the lovely photo of her and her hubby. She also used some of our embossed buttons and butterflies, and an Artisan Bracket Journaling Spot as the perfect place to record the perfect quote. Gorgeous, Michelle!

One thing I love about using quotes on layouts is how they can act as titles OR journaling. In fact, sometimes a quote can say something I wanted to say in a much more eloquent way.

Are you at a loss as to where to find quotes you can use on your scrapbook layouts? Here are some of my favorite websites when I am looking for just the right words:

Compendium. I have been receiving their quote of the week for awhile, so I have a nice little collection of favorites. Sign up and you can get inspirational quotes delivered right to your inbox each week.

The Creative Memories Project Center has a good selection of quotes that are organized by topic. Not a huge list, but easy to scan through.

Great Quotes. I like this site because you can search for a quote by type or subject, or by the name of the person who said it. There are a huge amount of quotes so you are bound to find one you like!

At Poem Hunter you can search for poems, poets, quotes, or musical lyrics.

And Quote Mountain has literally a mountain of quotes, sayings and even quotes from movies! Lots to choose from!

Ready? Great! Find a quote you like (if you don't already have one in mind) and pair it with a photo for a simple layout. Don't forget to post it in our flickr gallery so you can be eligible for prizes! (And speaking of prizes, I'll be posting more prize info later this week along with more inspiration for your quote layouts.)

Happy Scrapping!

Just stopping in to post my take on this weeks challenge. Since we were moving this past weekend,  I made sure I created the layout and photographed it a couple of weeks ago so it would be ready to go. The problem was I packed up my camera and couldn't find it among all the boxes to be unpacked on Monday! Anyway...I found it yesterday so now I can share it!


For me, last summer was all about having a one year old who was discovering the pleasures of the outdoors and everything that comes with summertime. Sam enjoyed being outside and crawling through the grass. He loved water-play and being taken to the park. And one thing that he enjoyed time and time again was watermelon! He just couldn't get enough of the juicy delicious fruit! I snapped these pics as he devoured yet another plateful. What Juicy Joy!

I used some some great striped paper from Stampin' Up! that matched the stripes on Sam's shirt perfectly. I love those colors together - they just scream summer! I also used one of our SMS Perpetual Calendars along with a Artisan Bracket Journaling Box and a die cut flower as some simple additions.

It's no secret that I love stripes and have done this mitred corner technique on a few layouts. I thought I'd offer a few tips on how to get the look. This technique really works well with regularly spaced stripes, but you can mitre any paper.






Have you scrapped your highlight of Summer 2009? Take some time to play and have fun with it, then post it to our Summer Scrapathon flickr gallery.

Have a great day!

Let's celebrate and take advantage of the three lovely months we have stretched ahead of us by scrapping one layout each week, ok? Are you with me? GREAT!

So let's kick off our Summer Scrap-a-thon by revisiting LAST summer. Think back - what did you do? Was there a special event or activity you attended?
A great vacation you went on?
Or simply sweet summer days full of fun and relaxation?

Whatever it was, find a photo or photos that represent the highlight of your 2009 summer and scrap a layout about it. Then, take a photo of it and share it by posting it in our Summer Scrap-a-thon flickr gallery!

To get us started, DT member Amber scrapped a travel memory of her and her husband at the beautiful Biltmore Estate in North Carolina from last summer.


Along with silk flowers and pearl accents Amber used some SMS Embossed Daisies and Butterflies from our spring line. I love how her layout showcases not only the vacation memory, but her relationship with her wonderful husband! Thanks Amber!

We'll have more DT layouts to share this week along with some great tips so make sure to come back and check them out. (Or follow our posts so you won't miss any of the scrap-a-thon fun!)

Try to take some time on this first day of summer to recall and scrap special memories of last summer, and perhaps make a list of things to do this summer! We can't wait to see your layouts posted in the flickr gallery!

Sorry for the late post...I spent time in the hospital today with my dad who was admitted for some heart problems. He will be fine, but it's always a scary place to be.

Anyway...as promised, here are all the details for our super fun Summer Scrap-A-Thon!


Here's Why...
Last year I made the naive assumption that I would have lots of time during those lazy days of summer to scrap and work on projects that I had been putting off throughout the rest of the year. Oh, I was so wrong! Other lovely opportunities beckoned and projects got put on the back burner. By the time fall rolled around I had only completed 2 pages and none of the larger projects I had wanted to devote time to. Sound familiar?

Here's What...
So THIS year, I have a plan to help me and you get TWELVE layouts done this summer. That's ten more than I did last summer! We'll do one layout per week, and, we'll take a break on the weeks that have a long weekend so you can still enjoy lots of those lazy days of summer as well! Sound good?

Here's How...
Each Monday starting June 21st (except for August 2 and September 6) we will be posting a challenge, idea or prompt for you to create a layout with. Once you finish your take on the challenge, take a photo of your layout and post it in our Flickr gallery. If you post you are already a winner because you got another layout done, but you'll also eligible for the prize draws! Easy, eh?
 
Oh yeah...and each week we'll also have inspiration to share from our design team as well as new tutorials and techniques. We'll also give you a hint at what's to come by telling you what kind of photos to pull for the next challenge.
Here's what's in it for you...

• get 12 layouts done! 
• share your work with others and be part of a like-minded group!
• win great prizes!
• have your layout showcased on our site!
• have a tonne of fun!

Here's what to do now...

1. Follow our blog postings by becoming a friend in the right-hand sidebar. That way you won't miss the new challenge each week!
2. If you don't already have one, create your own free Flickr account, then become part of our SMS Summer Scrap-a-thon 2010 group
3. Grab our blog button from the sidebar and post it on your own blog. Invite your readers to join us!
4. Finally, pick out a few of your favorite pictures from LAST summer and you'll be ready to go!

I hope you are ready to go the distance and join our Summer Scrap-a-thon!