Monday, April 27, 2009

Need a few scrappin ideas?!

I am wanting to provide inspiration to those of you who may want to buy the scrap kit but are worried that the creativity well may run dry! I plan to show you lots of ideas through the week. These are for those of you who say you don't have time to scrap! I promise you ... if I have time, you have time! I stand beside my claim that we have enough time to do whatever it is that is a priority in your life! and that is all I have to say about that! The pile above is from my art room and is a stack of layouts which I have recently completed but have not put in the appropriate books yet.

Let's just start, shall we?
The way I get inspired is to always have my pictures at the ready! I actually sent a big wad of them to Walgreen's yesterday. I don't have a plan for them, but when that 15 minutes or so show up and I want to run upstairs to do a layout, I have to have the pictures ready! This layout was a quickie! The Easter Bunny brought me some new patterned papers and I keep them by my work table. I pick out my pictures and then, start looking through my papers to see what would work or what would coordinate with the colors in the pictures. I liked the waves on this paper, and knew that with girlies, I would never otherwise use these pages. NOt pink enough!

I think it turned out pretty cute. I have also learned that I need to get these memories on paper. Such as, "what I love about bathing babies"! the smells, the hoody towels, the Johnson's lotion! Ummm...

And then, there is this layout from the day we brought Gabbi Girl home. These brown letters are all rub ons. That is pretty easy. I also have a box of chipboard letters with rhinestones on them, so "HOME" became a pretty significant part of this title.... appropriately!

I don't really recommend cutting up your pictures. That is very passe' in scrappin. I mean, like, mid 90's!
But sometimes, I just want to use more than one picture from the event and there isn't much room in my layout. This was such a case. I also just decided to write all around our heads to describe Ellie's confusion over why this "thing" was coming home with us!
I used scrap papers to cut out the house shape and of course, inked the edges!!
This is one of my all time favorite pictures. I just love the love! and this was a SUPER simple layout! ONe square picture on a simple cardstock background. and you know I used my good ol' white pen. Gelly Roll for those of you who wanted to know the brand. Then, I used my heart punch and punched hearts all across the bottom of the page. THen, I used little rub-ons (the ones in the spring kit) to simply say what needed to be said, and that was the day we took the picture.
Just as I like a simple page, I LOVE a complicated page! As Breanna says about me, to Melanie, "More is more!" So, so true!

And yes, I know the "d" fell off the "loved" in the picture below.

I wanted something simple for this cute picture of Ellie and Gabbi with Todd's parents.
I had seen this design in a magazine and "scraplifted" it. Masson helped me get this started by just pilfering through my stock for mismatched floers, buttons, brads, eyelets, chipboard, etc.
I then came along and added a few more outer layers to make it bigger so it would be more proportionate with the fat tree trunk.
Oooooooh, and I LOVE this one ! I seriously think it took about 15 minutes! I had this pink chipboard paper that I had to trim on the bottom to make it fit on the lime green cardstock. I love pink and lime green together. Of course, I inked the edges in brown. And then added my commentary! However, it was still a little "plain" to me. So I grabbed a thin black pen and drew big polka dots on it. I colored it in with a white marker, added a few coordinating ribbons, and stuck a heart pin in the top of it.
I got to tell you... I LOVE this layout ! It is so simple and easy, but love it. Probably just because it highlights my baby's picture, and the polka dots make it baby girl friendly!
and because I decided to use only the one pic of Gaggi Gull above, I had this one left over. I found some patterned paper that I wanted to use, and was pleased that it would work with the photo I had.
I intend to find a coordinating photo and print it in a wallet size to add to the left of the words on the patterned paper. If I dont' come across that photo, that is ok too! I like it like it is. And then, there are times that I just want a funny title and the photo to take center stage. There is absolutely NOTHING creative or artsy about this layout! The only thing you really need to know is that orange and blue are complimentary colors! that's right. I KNOW my color wheel!

Have I ever mentioned that my first two years of college, I was working toward a major in art?! That is what I thought I would be! But as has been the theme of my life... I was blessed! God intervened and totally thrust me toward physical therapy. I will have to tell THAT story someday too! It was NOT what I had in mind, but thank the LORD... I now KNOW It was my calling. HEy... a bird!

The point is is that knowing the color wheel can be pretty helpful! I wanted orange background, therefore, the obvious accent color is blue! DUH!

And these letters were from the Dollar Tree! I think they were intended to be used on mailboxes! I trimmed them so they would be different sizes and not just ho hum across the page same size.
Back to complimentary colors... yep. Red and green! It doesn't hurt though that this was our first Christmas card, so naturally, red and green were an easy choice.
This is SUCH an easy page! I go through little phases when I prefer 8x 11 pages vs. 12 x 12.
I have scrapbooks in both sizes so I can always be ready to make either size page and know that the layout has a "home".
ANd for tonight's finale... this is a layout with all three of our cute girls! I used a stamp I had shaped like a circle and printed it on scrap cardstock. Each circle was punched with a circle punch. I love punches. They make life easy! And then,....
I used each circle to highlight the girls' unique characteristics at that point in time.


These sticker letters are also from the local dollar store. Cost a whole dollar!
Well, there you have it... Some ideas for those of you who think you need them. I hope to make some 12 x 12 layouts and some 8 x 11 layouts with the papers in the new spring kit. There is enough paper in this kit to do the mini book and several full size layouts. In case I don't get around to completing the mini book in a timely manner, I am providing a few more layouts later this week to copy or inspire or whatever . Hope you enjoy.

And the winners of the "what can I do for my babies' birthday parties" contest.... MISSY and DENISE BELL! Congratulations, girls. Do you want a scrap kit or do you want some Mo Beads? Let me know! Melanie

12 comments:

Christina said...

Hey Mo love the pics will read tomorrow when my brain functions, not sure if I told you twins(more girls) where born 6 weeks old now and 6 weeks early, I said back in spet oct that I would answer your question are twins harder than kids a year apart (I had year apart kids 9 and 8 years ago) and a 1 year old and twins now, twins are easier.......cause they dont try to sit on each other!!! On to my sign on tonight a long day lots of appointments drained you know (premmies home but low counts still) aout had a melt down, all I wanted was a sign it would be ok and turned the tv on and cmiled there was Jake's pic looking at me on TLC and I knew things are gonna be fine!!!!! He sure does now when we need him eh? (My last pregancy I would always get the 11)

My only other question you wanted a braclet like Ellie's but with what on it?? I would go back but ummm to lazy.....

Anonymous said...

I am telling you Mo, I wish you were my sister...You have such a creative talent. I could just sit for hours and look at your scrap pages/books. I am seriously going to try and either copy some of your ideas, pages. I have always wanted to do it but just don't feel like i am creative enough. You have inspired me my dear. Heck with the basketball team I have here why haven't I done it yet kwim. BUT where do I start? With my oldest being 16 and youngest 4 do I start with my oldest and work my way down (can't imagine I could ever do it that way, I would never get caught up) or do I start by a certain year??? help lol
I am so excited, I don't really want anything I just wanted to help you with ideas. If you are insisting on something I will do the kit. Princess Tea Party is "da bomb" you just wait. If you need any more ideas on food, attire, etc, let me know...

breanna said...

LOVE those pages! i seriously need to get back to some paper projects! poor hazel still has no pages...sound familiar? oh and i LOVE the tree one! i might just have to do a "more" page!

Julia said...

Mo! I'm a definite lurker on your site - but also an avid follower of you and your fam and have loved your scrapbook kits up to now. BUT tonight I went on to try and get it off of Etsy, and it's saying it won't ship to Canada! Gah!!! I was really looking forward to the kit... any way you can get it across the border and onto my desk?!?!? (email me @ jdrager@ualberta.ca)

Sammie said...

Love the lay outs. You are so right about having time. I had an extra 15 minutes this morning before I had to leave for work. I got a little done. I do have to say, time sure does go by FAST when I am scrapin'. Those 15 minutes flew by. To bad time doesn't go by that fast at work! LOL I need a job scrapbooking. :o)

Diane said...

OMG,this makes me want to start doing scrapebooks again. I started a few years back, and stopped because work full-time & go to school full-time so maybe this summer I might be able to start back up, plus my girls are old enough that they could help do some of the pages for their books.

Thanks for the ideas.
Di

snekcip said...

Ok Mo....you're right!! I guess I will drag the two ton box of pictures out of the closet and get started!! I have tons of scrapbooking stuff I get on CLEARANCE after each holiday and just stack it in the box!!! I'm going to make a GRAND EFFORT this weekend! I was going to order my oldest daughter a book on this website where you download the pictures and they format it onto a hardcover book. I thought seriously about ordering one and having it OVERNIGHTED (to make it for MD)...until YOU made me feel guilty! AFTERALL, this sweet grandson is worth the time and effort!!! Okay....I'm going in!!! I will have the INTRODUCTION page titled. MADE WITH LOVE FROM YA-YA...inspired by MO'JOY!! How's that for recognition!!!

Cori said...

Love your layouts!! Once you creat a layout, what do you do with it until its ready to go into a book? Do you ever frame your layouts for the girls' rooms?

Also, I had TLC on last night not really payinga attention and all of the sudden Don and staci came on. It was a show about lottery winners. Thought that was cool.

a_manda said...

WOO-HOO!!! I found a "prize" on my doorstep delived by the good old Postal Service. I knew immediately what it was by the Mo'Beads sticker. THANK YOU MO!!! It's awesome.

And the tree on the page with the girls and Todd's parents.....very creative! I will so be stealing that idea.

Unknown said...

Hey Mo,
you make it look so easy and beautiful. Your really artistic and are right on with the colors! I'm having a wedding party in a couple months and might just need some advice. I like brown and pink for colors but i'm so BLAH with my creative skills, I might need your opinion...LOL... ;) i'll be in touch!

momx3 said...

Hey Melanie!! I love the idea of sharing your scrapbook ideas! You are so talented. post some more!!! Sarah Walsworth

oh yea, we drove by your office sign the other day and Davis said, "Cooper, did you know ms. Melanie is a doctor you can play with?" lol lol

Holley Sisters said...

WOW! You're a fantastic Scrapbooker! Really awesome!!!

Mackenzie