ListEn iN

Beginner Basics for Scrapbooking: December

Hi – it’s Debbie Raymond, Adornit editor, with a fantastic (if I do say so myself!) Beginner Basics for December. Now, I know you don’t have time to do any scrapping right now – unless you’re madly scrapping albums for Christmas gifts. But I encourage you to quickly read through this post and bookmark it. You’ll want remember it the week after Christmas – you’ll have six days before the year ends. That’ll be the perfect time for this quick and valuable scrapping project.

Since 2009 is almost over, I decided to do a scrapbook layout that reviews the past year. What a trip down memory lane! I enjoyed every minute of looking at photos, reading my journal, and writing up a monthly digest of 2009. I made a double-page layout with my journaling on one side and the photo grid on the other. Using Adornit’s recently released Lapreal Collection made my project a success. I used only two patterned papers - but they were easy to use and so pretty; I think I’ll use them again and again in other layouts. The paper on both sides is Plum Daisies. The accent paper is Lapreal Motif.

Being a beginner (of four years lol), I like to keep my layouts simple. Being a frantic too-much-to-do person, I like my layouts to be quick! So I always reach for Adornit’s nicely-designed cardstock stickers. For this project, I used the sticker set called Family Heritage from Adornit’s new Family Heritage collection. I also used a variety of journaling spots from two different sets Family Moments and Together. I spelled the words Raymond Family with Adornit’s Flirtatious Tiny Alphabet Stickers. These stickers are so nicely designed that the layouts came together easily. And there are lots of stickers left that I can use on other projects...which I plan to do. Looks like 2010 will be a good scrapping year!

I want to wish you well as you enjoy (and endure) the next ten days. Since it’s Christmas, I have to throw in a little “Cut the Crazy Out of Christmas” advice. Remember that a change of attitude can be as effective as a change of action. Help your children anticipate Christmas by involving them in a special activity or two during the next week. Don’t lock yourself in the craft room or kitchen while they watch reruns of cheezy Christmas specials. Take the kids outside for a few minutes of running around – even if it’s freezing. Read them a chapter of my favorite holiday read-aloud book "The Best Christmas Pagaent Ever" each night.  And be sure to search for joy in the sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas. Let go of things that are overwhelming – but embrace people who need love right now. Remember the reason for the season. Merry Christmas!

Beginner Basics for Scrapbooking: November

Hi - and welcome to November! This is Debbie Raymond here with a fun Beginner Basics for this month of Thanksgiving. As I counted my blessings I thought about my four special grandchildren and knew I wanted to express my gratitude for them this month. Baby Emmett is only two weeks old, so my heart is indeed full. And you've seen my layouts with Brookelyn, Bailee and little Carter - also joys in my life.

I created a little paper craft project that you can make with your children, girl scout group, church youth group or family gathering. These simple paper lanterns are made with patterened scrapbook paper and embellished with photos, buttons and stickers. Just think how fun this would be for the bored kids on THANKSGIVING day. It’s easy, requires minimal supplies, and is fascinating for all ages. There’s plenty of room at the top and bottom to write down what we're thankful for – then it becomes a gratitude lantern.

 

 

I used Adornit papers and stickers in beautiful fall colors that look great on my hall table. Here are the instructions and supplies (with links).

Instructions for paper lanterns:

1. Trim a sheet of patterned paper to 9” X 12”. Fold in half lengthwise and make a crease. Open up and lay flat.

2. Fold the top and bottom lengthwise edges up 1 ½”, crease, then unfold. Embellish with ribbon, stickers, stamps and/or photos within the 1 ½” margins.

3. Fold paper back in half as above. Make straight cuts every inch through the center fold and ending at the 1 ½” crease lines top and bottom. These are the slits in the lantern.

4. Open the lantern and bring short ends together – staple top, bottom and as far in as your stapler will reach.

5. Cut a handle from scraps by cutting a 1” x 10“ strip and stapling it to top edge of lantern.6. Hang in a row with other lanterns, or randomly from the porch or outside trees.

Adornit Supplies:
22050 Words of Thanks 12x12
22051 Autumn Argyle 12x12
22052 Autumn Breeze 12x12
22156 Swirl Border 12x12
22076 Hoot Stripe 12x12
58952 Dotty ½” Ribbon
93091 Give Thanks Cardstock Stickers
78233 Foam Alphabet Stickers, chocolate

Beginner Basics for Scrapbooking: September

Hi, it's Debbie here with September's Beginner Basics. This month I want to talk to beginning scrapbookers about a big problem that plagues scrapbookers at every level – that feeling of “never being done.”

Sometimes beginners get caught up in the mindset that they have to scrapbook EVERYTHING. If you have that attitude, I guarantee you’ll always feel panicked and stressed. When you let go of the idea that you have to scrap every photo and every memory, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the creative process of scrapbooking.

I challenge you to let go of scrapbooking your photos from last Easter - lol - and instead find two or three photos that represent a special moment and use them to create a one or two page layout. Hey, I’d love to see your layouts – email a photo to me at [email protected]!

For my layout, I started with my story – because it was important for me to write my feelings about my son’s music talent. I typed up what I wanted to say and printed it onto the RAE BRACKET paper. (I cut the paper to 8 ½ x 11 first so it would fit into my printer.) Then I trimmed it to fit the photos I wanted to use. This bracket look is trendy right now – Adornit makes it easy with already-made brackets. You can use the whole sheet or cut it up.

I wanted to find the perfect background paper. I tried several choices, then I remembered how much I LOVE love love Alison’s SONG BIRD patterned paper and decided that it was 'masculine' enough for my layout.

These papers are from Adornit's Rae Collection; you’ll notice that the colors are perfect for my photos and will be great for your summer and fall photos. Hope to see your layouts in my inbox – maybe Georgana will let me post them on her blog! Go get scrapping!

 

 

Beginner Basics for Scrapbooking: August

It’s time for Beginner’s Basics from Adornit editor Debbie Raymond. Debbie writes: “This month I want to share the layout I made for Big Picture Scrapbooking’s free summer promotion called Summer Fun.  The sub-theme is: Busy Women: Out of Time, On a Budget, But Still Inspired. Each teacher* was asked submit a page about something that inspires them, an everyday photo, and a product that they use to help to stretch their budget. Also to create a layout that incorporated their inspiration. Below is what I submitted.

*Note: Georgana and I are teaching Cut the Crazy out of Christmas on BPS again – starting Sept. 24! Be sure to join us!

Something that inspires me, especially during the summer months when I have a chance to read on the beach, is a book that speaks to women in every stage of life, Anne Morrow Lindbergh's Gift from the Sea. If you only have a few moments to read (if you're chasing kids rather than relaxing with a book), start with chapter seven -- A Few Shells. Oh, and, be sure to control your budget by going to the library for this book! This link takes you to the Charles Lindbergh website (Anne's husband) and a little about her life which is very inspiring to me.

A product I use to help stretch my budget is any of the inexpensive alphabet sets from Adornit scrapbook company. Adornit has alphabet stickers in every size and color. I especially like using the tiny alphabets to spell out sub-titles in my layouts. (I'll do anything to avoid my own handwriting.) At 80 cents per sheet, these sticker sets are cheap cheap cheap! Easy to use and cute, too.

For a shabby typewriter look, which I used for the title of my layout "inspired," I used Adornit's Love Letters. Everyone seems to love using these twill letters - they come in five different colors with two of each letter and four of each vowel per package.

My layout reminds me of a favorite concept in Lindbergh's book - that of simplifying our lives. The photo of me collecting shells was taken on Sanibel Island in Florida, the next-door-neighbor island to Captiva Island where the book was written. You'll love reading about the essential needs, aspirations, obligations, and gifts of women by a woman who knew much of suffering and of joy. You'll love learning the importance of taking time to focus on yourself. Here are the author's precepts for living: "Simplicity of living. Balance of physical, intellectual, and spiritual. Work without pressure. Space for significance and beauty. Time for solitude and sharing. Closeness to nature and human relationships. A creative life." For me, that's a summer's worth of scrapping, journaling, and striving! 

Beginner Basics for Scrapbooking: July

It’s time for July's Beginner’s Basics from Adornit editor Debbie Raymond. Debbie writes: So many pictures, so little time. It’s summer, and that means I have a dilemma. I’m taking lots of photos that would be SO CUTE as scrapbook pages, and yet I don’t want to spend time indoors when I could be outside hiking or riding my awesome old-lady bike.

Sooooo the answer is…make my scrapping simple.

That means giving myself some limits. (That’s hard when you work at Adornit!) I decided that FOR SOME OF MY PHOTOS, I’d limit myself to using only black and white papers and embellishments. That way I can easily use my most colorful photos because summer is COLORful. By using only black and white supplies, I can simplify my choices and help me get my scrapbook pages done.

This is so easy that you can put all your (limited) supplies in a cute basket and take them outside and watch your kids play or enjoy the beauty of your back yard while you scrap. If you’re young like Georgana, you’ll have kids jumping on the tramp and running through the sprinklers in the background as you work. If you’re an empty nester like me, you’ll enjoy the sounds of the birds in the trees or the songs on your ipod. Whatever your stage of life, scrapbooking outside in the summer is a delicious treat.

Beginner Basics for Scrapbooking: June

It’s time for June’s Beginner’s Basics from Adornit editor Debbie Raymond. Debbie writes: This month I want to give you ideas for scrapping while you travel. I got my inspiration from my friend/scrapper, Robin Karren, who has designed layouts for Adornit and from an article that Ali Edwards wrote for CK Magazine, March 2006. The idea is to make a mini travel scrapbook that you create in your room (or tent!) while you travel. You can use a blank book, a chipboard book, or simply sheets of paper trimmed to 8 x 8 that you’ll add to an album when you get home. Here’s a photo of me in our condo room working on my trip scrapbook.

When I saw Adornit's Busy Women Scrapbook Kit for June, I knew it was perfect for a travel scrapbook. The colors and style of the papers will look great with photos from your journey.

To prepare, before your trip, you need to make a little TRAVEL KIT. Gather patterned papers and matching cardstock, cut them to 8” x 8”, and put them in a one gallon ziplock bag. Add coordinating stickers (I used the Life's a Hoot Cardstock Stickers - cut to fit in the bag) and a set of pre-cut lined journaling spots. (I used a sheet of Adornit’s Red Lined Paper cut to 4”x 4” squares – that gave me nine journaling spots.) You’ll want to take only the most basic scrapbook supplies – scissors, gluestick and/or glue runner, pen, rubber stamp and inkpad. (Robin took a mini-stapler on her trip.)

As you travel, gather your memorabilia to add to your scrapbook. Things like maps, ticket stubs, brochures etc. Be sure to jot down details that you’ll want to remember about the places you go. When you have an hour in the evening, make a quick page about your day. You can leave spaces for your photos and add them later. Most importantly, write what was special or interesting about the place you visited. Ali suggests that on your way home you jot down your 10 favorite memories from your trip. When your journey’s done, your scrapbook will be (almost) done too. Happy traveling and scrapping from Debbie and Adornit.

Beginner Basics for Scrapbooking: May

Hi, Debbie Raymond here, Adornit editor. For this month’s Beginner Basics, I’m spotlighting the Nancy Jane collection from Adornit. What a cute idea to name a scrapbook paper collection after great-grandma Nancy Jane. That’s just what Carolee did when she designed this adorable and varied collection. I couldn’t resist using some of the papers and stickers for my layout with a couple of Mother’s Day photos – mainly because I wanted you to see how special and unique these papers are. And I also want to help you see how you can expand the possibilities of each paper by cutting it apart and switching around the graphic elements.

The folk-art look is really ‘in’ right now and who better to create papers with this look than the founder of Adornit – Carolee’s Creations, Carolee McMullin. She is a wonderful artist and one of the most creative people I know. You know, she started her business in the Tole Painting industry – and was in great demand as a teacher and designer. Being a savvy businesswoman too, Carolee saw the decline of decorative painting (about 13 years ago) and switched her creative energy to scrapbooking. She was one of the first to create scrapbooking product. She can tell stories of the early trade shows – and those pioneers who brought us this hobby that we now enjoy so much. I love looking through the “old stuff” to see how her company has evolved, and I am constantly amazed by the steady stream of creative ideas Carolee has – still after over twenty two years in the business(es).
One of the stand-out features of Adornit ‘s graphic design is the use of original hand-drawn art.  When they are designing product, Carolee or Tami or Alison (our graphic designers) whip out a sheet of paper and sketch an image, scan it into the computer – then the next thing you know, there it is on a sticker, ribbon or paper. It’s magic. Following are some of my favorite papers with hand-drawn designs. Grandma Nancy Jane would have been proud!

 

Instructions
    •    Start with a base of Loopy Ovals. Trim a sheet of Pink Spatters to 10 ¾” x 10 ¾” and adhere centered over the base. Trim a sheet of Blue Oval Plaid to 10 ½” x 10 ½” and adhere over Pink Spatters so that a narrow edge of pink shows all the way around.
    •    Trim the border stripes from Tweety Bird Swirls. Cut out the birds, heart and green flourish. Cut the remainder of the blue to a 10 ½” x 6” rectangle.
    •    Adhere photos to blue piece, then layer and adhere cut-out pieces as shown.  Add sticker flowers where desired. NOTE: I used flowers from the I Love Mum Cardstock Stickers because I love the daisies and the black color on my layout – but you could alternatively use the coordinating Nancy Jane’s Love Cardstock Stickers.
    •    Add a title using the swirly stamp from Thanks Label clear stamps stamped on white cardstock. Spell out words with Flirtatious Tiny Alphabet Stickers (I just used the black and white letters).
    •    You will want to make a coordinating layout because there is so much to choose from in this collection!

Adornit Supply List
22091 Tweety Bird Swirls 12x12
22094 Pink Spatters 12x12
22106 Loopy Ovals 12x12
22108 Blue Oval Plaid 12x12
91391 I Love Mum Cardstock Stickers OR
91392 Nancy Jane’s Love Cardstock Stickers
91396 Flirtatious Tiny Alphabet Stickers
90101 Thanks Label Clear Stamp Set

Beginner Basics for Scrapbooking...

Hello from Debbie, Adornit editor. It’s time for Beginner’s Basics again! For the next few months, I want to focus on scrapbooking spring and summer traditions. If you’re like me, you have lots of scrapbook pages about fall and winter traditions, but not many that describe the fun things you traditionally do in the warm months. As you celebrate Easter this week, be sure to plan a scrapbook page that describes your Easter traditions.

A favorite May tradition is to make May Day Baskets and hang them on the doorknobs of special friends and neighbors. May Day Baskets are part of an old English festival called May Morning or May Day, which is celebrated at dawn every year on the first of May. Originally a Celtic fest, it celebrated the coming of spring by gathering flowers and branches – “bringing in the May.” Other May Day festivities include dancing around the Maypole and crowning a May Day queen.

The tradition of May Day Baskets is fun for young and old – especially the door ditching part! Using designer patterned paper from Adornit makes them extra easy – and pretty. I made baskets in three sizes; the tiny one is filled with flowers. The middle-sized cone has Hershey’s kisses and the large basket holds three or four cookies. I used my favorite color combination: pink and green. The pink papers are from Adornit’s new Dance Collection and the green polka dots are from our ‘Spunky Volleyball’ paper.

Check out my May Day Basket layout. Now my family will remember this fun tradition. Come back tomorrow for step-by-step instructions for making the little cone-baskets. Do you celebrate May Day? What are your traditions?

 

(CLICK TO VIEW LARGE)

Adornit Supplies:
21057 Spunky Volleyball 12x12
21084 Pink Brocade 12x12
22086 Pink Polkas 12x12
93150 Daisy Sweet Pink Cardstock Sticker
91389 Bunny Hop Cardstock Sticker
58870 Squiggle Pink 1/4 inch ribbon
also:
white cardstock
pink & green buttons
stapler

Beginner Basics...

Hello from Debbie! Well, it’s the week before Christmas and all through my house things are not going so well. In spite of my extra efforts this year to start early, be organized, and cut the crazy, I feel like I’m unraveling a little. But I want to tell you why I’m calm and have a smile on my face. Because in teaching Cut the Crazy out of Christmas, in addition to learning how to DO Christmas, I have learned how to cope with Christmas. So, as I look at my unchecked lists, I keep a few things in mind. If you’re stressed and frantic, maybe my ideas will help you too.

 

Let’s go over the basic principles of Cut the Crazy: 1) Start early. 2) Use a planner. 3) Control your calendar. 4) Adjust your attitude.

 

Don’t worry about #1 – that’s in the past. Go on to #2. Find a half hour and sit down with your planner or notebook. (Play some nice music.) If you aren’t using a planner or if you’ve abandoned yours, I encourage you to get back to it. It will ease your mind to write things down. I just wrote all my menus for the next ten days and re-wrote my gift lists and I can’t believe how that cleared my mind of some things I’ve been worried about. A full set of planner downloads is available on adornitdigital.com for just $10.00.

 

As long as you’re sitting down you can also work on #3! Take a few minutes to look at your calendar. Make sure you know what is happening each day. If you need to find some time for shopping, wrapping or cooking write it on your calendar, then keep that appointment with yourself. Maybe you need to schedule an hour to spend time playing with a child or sitting by the fire with your husband – the things that will bring holiday joy. The point is that you carefully craft your days to make the best use of each hour. If you do that, you will begin to feel more in control.

 

#4 is about focusing on the joys. It helps me to take a deep breath and be aware of the music that I love and the wonderful smells around me. Displaying a cute scrapbook layout with one of my favorite Christmas photos helps me remember what’s important and why I love Christmas. In my layout I used papers and stickers from Adornit’s Holly Jolly Collection except the lined paper which is from last year's Happy Holidays Collection. Warm wishes to all of you as make the best of this Christmas season.

November Beginner Basics...

Debbie writes: My Beginner Basics layout for the month of November is titled “Grateful for My Girls.” When I count my blessings, I think of my two daughters and feel overwhelmed with gratitude. They are shining lights in my life. I am very proud of them; they are hard working, unselfish, happy and generous.

One daughter is a teacher and the other a nurse. Each has excelled in her education and profession. I’m so proud of their integrity, earnestness, and joie de vivre (zest for life – joy of living). They also gave me two very cute sons-in-law.

I used Adornit’s 2008 Thanksgiving paper and cardstock stickers for my layouts. I love the fall colors and pretty graphics of this line. The patterned paper that I used on both layouts is called Autumn Breeze. The variety of designs on this one sheet makes it possible to cut the paper apart and use it on several coordinating layouts. Or, as you can see, you could just add a couple of photos, a title, and some journaling, and you have a cute fall layout.

I like to follow trends in scrapbooking by going to scrapbook blogs (like the Aussie Scrap Source blog) and galleries of websites like scrapbook.com. Lately I’ve noticed that “clusters” are in. These are little bunches of embellishments stacked and clustered next to photos, or in the corners of layouts. So this month I experimented with making a cluster. It’s a great way to use up little bits and pieces of stuff. You just gather a bunch of embellishments and start arranging them. It’s fun!