Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

It's our favorite day of the year - a HOLIDAY just for us paper crafters. What are YOU doing today? Attending a crop, scrapping from your room or maybe at work longing to be scrapping.

I thought I would send you some inspiration. We all know how popular banners and bunting are as trends in the scrapbooking industry. You see them all over the place - in graphics on the patterned paper, stickers and handmade with die cutting tools and scissors. What I have noticed, lately, is how diverse the banner has become. It is no longer a little row of flags anymore. They come in all shapes and sizes now and even as one singular pennant. I love it! Here is some eye candy for you. Please make sure to click the source links to take you to the blog or gallery home of each layout to leave some love for these designers.

I love this layout by Piradee and how she made the pennants huge as the background. 

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The following layout found on the JBS Mercantile blog, by Celeste, showcases how to use pennants instead of just regular rectangle shapes to add interest and pattern. Love how just snipping the ends that way can add such a cool element to the layout design.

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Our very own Stacey Michaud goes gaga for banners. I have unofficially dubbed her the banner queen. This layout is my all time fave of hers showcasing how to make a banner using other elements - not just the flag or pennant shape. Brilliant Stacey!

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And here is one from me. My layout is based off a sketch by Allison Davis. I wanted to try this new fangled way of using pennants on my layout. Love the way it turned out and how unexpected and interesting the pennant bottoms can be on a layout.

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How have you used banners and pennants on your layouts? I challenge you to think outside of the box! And if you are scrapbooking today, have so much fun! I also invite you to come join in a fun blog hop. Just head over to my blog and it will link you up with the other blogs. There are prizes too. :) 

love,

Melissa E.

Scrapping the Season

I am not sure about your neck of the woods, but where I live, the weather has been wonky.  We had snow in October and 60 degree days this past week!  That leaves me scrapping last year's December's photos!  I found these cute shots of my son and spent a few seconds wondering why I took them.  Then I remembered how funny I thought it was that he would not roll up the brim of his hat.  Since it was a size too large, it would hang over his eyes.  He would have to lift his head to see.  I happened to get that on film. 

It is one of the cute, yet not-really important moments I needed to capture.  Because their childhood is filled with them.  My life contains a billion of those times, those little stories I might forget in a week.  Except that now I will be able to look back and remember.

To create the layout, I added bits and pieces throughout, focusing on the chipboard elements.  I love to used mixed fonts and colors for my title work.  Creating the banner gives in a bit of a curve.

I used the yummy Peppermint collection from Crate Paper...perfect for those winter days.  Hopefully, I will get some of those THIS year!

It's Almost Halloween

Are you ready?  Halloween is almost here!  It is a prime time to grab the camera and shoot away!  I love to take photos on Halloween because of all of the great colors of the costumes and decorations!  I usually amp up my pictures using Photoshop!  The more pop, the better!

Scrapping Halloween is super easy considering all of the great Halloween lines out there.  Think Teresa Collins Haunted Hallows, Bella Blvd's Too Cute to Spook or American Crafts's Nightfall. So many adorable options!  I love a traditional orange and black combo, with a touch of purple!

Here is a layout:

I used Teresa Collins Haunted Hallows here!  The frame and October are all a part of a calendar paper.  I covered the rest up with a variety of patterned papers!  I threw in some red to compliment my son's costume!

I have been very into this diagonal patterning lately...I think it adds something unique and allows you to overlap lots of patterns at once!

Have fun capturing your Halloween memories this year!

A Different Perspective

Happy Friday everyone!  The weekend is upon us and that means it is time to scrap!  I wanted to share a layout with you today and inspire you to try products in a new and different way.  For example, use a masculine product on a feminine layout.  Turn ribbon into a flower.  Use a bunch of journaling cards to make your own patterned paper background. 

It is no surprise that I am a huge Webster's Pages fan!  I realize that the bold and patterned A-sides sometimes scare people off!  Some people are not comfy with a shabby, romantic, layered style.  That is okay!  Embrace your style with paper you wouldn't normally use!  It stretches your creativity and takes you out of your box!

I used Webster's Pages Yacht Club to create this layout in my clean and playful style!  I used flowery elements carefully and was sure to include lots of B-side patterns!  I even made a Princess Petal flower into a sun!

Not would you would expect, huh???

What will you look at from a different perspective today?

Live from CHA Summer 2011

Hi friends!

Dora, Stacey, Robyn and myself are here in HOT, HUMID and beautiful Chicago! It's CHA Summer 2011 and we are thrilled to be reunited and walking the floor together. There are so many beautiful new products this year to see and we want to share with you our Top 5!

Here they are in random order...

1. Crate Paper

Those photos are all from the collection Random. Beautiful isn't it? I'm slightly in love with that bicycle chipboard piece. And the buttons... ooooh how I love Crate Paper buttons!!

2. October Afternoon

More beautiful buttons and that travel collection is adorable.

#3 Amy Tangerine

These photos just don't do it justice. This line is freaking ADORABLE and so versatile! All of us knew we could use the product on multiple projects. Forever... and ever.... and ever....

4. Lily Bee Design

Again... I apologize for these photos not doing the product justice. And I admit that I'm the one who went completely gaga over Lily Bee.  I have loved every single one of the releases ever since Lily Bee began. It could be the small patterns or the color combos or all of it. Simply gorgeous!

5. Webster's Pages

Every year there is always one or more collections from Webster's that we swoon over. For me it was the All About Me and the Winterfairy Tales. I'm always a fan of the trims and to top it all off Brandin O'Neill, the owner of Webster's, is a DOLL. She listens to her consumers and is one of the sweetest, most genuine people we've gotten a chance to network with.

And to top it all off, our very own Stacey is on the design team. Because of her awesome eye for design, she had us all sold on every single paper and embellishment by Webster's.

Phew! We are a tired bunch here in Chicago but what a fun couple of days it's been. Tomorrow we head out into the city for some fun shopping and site-seeing.

Thanks for swinging by,
Melissa