Happy Place | April Studio AE Blog Hop From Technique Tuesday

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Welcome to the April Studio AE Blog Hop From Technique Tuesday.

Technique Tuesday offers a monthly stamp club that features a limited edition stamp set designed by me each month. You can check out past stamp sets (some are still available) here.

This month's stamp set: Good Times

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DIGITAL MEMORY KEEPER? | A similar set of digital word art is available here: No Day Like Today Brushes and Stamps

Here's a look at the 2-page, 8.5x11 layout I created this month:

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Sometimes it's fun to do a layout that has no photos.

This one ended up with one very small image but could have just as easily had none. Scrapbooks don't have to include photos. There are lots of times we have stories to tell and potentially no photos to go along with them - definitely doesn't discount the story!

This spread is all about some of the things I love about this home.

Can you guess what motivated me to tell this story? I keep thinking of all the things I want to change here (paint all the walls white, rip out the carpet and add hardwood in the upstairs, take down some of the cabinets in the kitchen and add more windows, repaint the exterior, etc - things I've been talking about and wanting forever but just haven't been able to swing yet) and I was starting to get really obsessed with it and it was making me grumpy. So I decided to make a list of the things I love about it right now rather than wishing for it to be something else.

It's all about #gratitude my friends.

I don't think I've documented just how thankful I am for this house and the shelter and comfort it has provided me over the last few years.

I totally enjoyed the process of putting this layout together. Here's a look at how this layout progressed:

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STEP ONE | Place that awesome large circle sticker from Me And My Big Ideas along the top of the page. These new packs of really big stickers are definitely a new favorite for me - especially because I've long been a fan of big type on my layouts.

STEP TWO | Draw a grid to create homes for the embellishments and words. I used a silver metallic marker. Doesn't have to be perfect or straight or anything like that. Just draw.

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STEP THREE | Start picking and choosing some embellishments and laying them out.

STEP FOUR | Choose three squares for the Good Times stamps. I used Bahama Blue ink from Memento Luxe. I spread them out a bit knowing I was going to be adding words.

STEP FIVE | Add the title along the bottom. As you can see I ran out of the first chipboard letter stickers I was using. Ha. So I ended up just adding in some others that were the same font but had different finishes on the top.

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STEP SIX | Create 5 circle tags and add a chipboard number to each one to indicate you are starting a new journaling thought. I also used a small one-inch circle punch to punch out a couple pattern circles that were placed behind the chipboard numbers (this punch cuts circles just right to fit inside those metal rimmed circle tags).

STEP SEVEN | Start entering your journaling. At first I thought I was going to do 10 things and then decided to do 5 and be able to write a little bit more by continuing my journaling either across or down into the next square. I started in the top row of boxes and first went across (for #1). I just journaled in each box and then moved into the next box (vs. writing across two boxes).

As you can see I also can't stop underlining my journaling.

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STEP EIGHT | Continue your journaling and add in a few more embellishments as you work your way across and down the pages.

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STEP NINE | You might choose to add a small photo to one of the boxes. I also added the date using a rolling date stamp along the left side right under the big circle sticker.

I love how this spread turned out.

Here's a few close up shots of the spread and the journaling. Click on each photo to make it bigger:

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The little word stickers (and the yellow letter stickers) I used around the page are all from this sticker sheet from Simple Stories: Hopespun.

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Ah, the XO.

Still in love with this set of stickers from Amy Tan: Black Foam Phrase Twins.

I also just used a black pen to draw some lines and dots on the chipboard letters.

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A NOTE ABOUT BREAKING "RULES" | I'm not generally big on creative "rules" but there are a few things I usually don't do when creating a layout (good topic for a future post). One of those things is that I don't usually spread journaling across two pages like I did on this one. To be honest it just sort of happened and then I went with it even though it's not great when I put it in the page protectors. I got too excited about working within that grid.

ACTION ITEMS/IDEAS



  • Journal 5-10 things you love about your home - no matter what you want to change about it - right now.

  • Create a layout that includes a hand-drawn grid. Embrace the imperfection.

  • Make a layout with no photos.


SUPPLIES


Click on the images to jump to the products.


































































































CREATIVE TEAM


Check out what our Creative Team is doing with the stamps this month:

GIVEAWAY | We are going to give away one $25 e-Gift Card to TechniqueTuesday.com to someone who comments during the hop. To be eligible to win, all you need to do is comment on any of our blog posts! The lucky winner will be announced on the 21st on the Technique Tuesday blog.

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142 thoughts

  1. Christen says…
    04/10/2014

    Wow! I love this.

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. michelle t says…
    04/10/2014

    What an awesome layout! Really like the idea too. Hmm, a 75+yr old very small home I've lived in for 22yrs and has annoyed me more then not lately? I'm most grateful. Thanks for sharing a very cool layout and also for a chance to win. Michelle t

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. Amie Lamm-Griffin says…
    04/10/2014

    This is an incredible layout! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. Kathy R says…
    04/10/2014

    Love this layout and all the embellishments and the stamps you used. We live in a house that's over 135 years old and there's lots I'd like to change about it...but I love it too. Maybe I need to make my own layout like this.

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. annette allen says…
    04/10/2014

    totally a must have set.. I am just going to call it as an addiction.. heehee.. totally fabulous inspiration.. thanks for sharing..

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. Wendy Ramos says…
    04/10/2014

    This set is awesome! As is the layout!

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Kate says…
    04/10/2014

    Love this idea. I'm definitely going to try it.

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. Tracy says…
    04/10/2014

    Great stamps Ali! Love seeing your work space!

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. Dori says…
    04/10/2014

    I can't think of enough superlative adjectives to describe this layout (and your amazing and generous tutorial)! I'll have to grab the Good Times stamps before they're gone - a perfect complement to the Just Awesome Tabs. Thank you, Ali.

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. Megan says…
    04/10/2014

    Love these stamps and the layout!

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. DawnBeery says…
    04/10/2014

    Love the stamps for this month! What a cool layout!

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Jenny A says…
    04/10/2014

    This is perfection!

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. Susan says…
    04/10/2014

    THIS IS AN AWESOME POST!!!! Your steps - fantastic! Reminded me of Hello Story...and that page and your action items...I'm already thinking of putting a page into action. Thank you so much for the inspiration!

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. Margarita says…
    04/10/2014

    Oh! it's a great idea! I love it

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. Jill says…
    04/10/2014

    And, the other reason I visit your blog each day! Amazing layout - amazing idea! Gonna have to try this one myself for sure! :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. Fluty says…
    04/10/2014

    This is very interesting! I've never thought drawing a template by hand. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. Dawn Motakef says…
    04/10/2014

    What a great layout Ali! I love the topic and have decided to do a page like this too. Thanks for the giveaway!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. Judy Webb says…
    04/10/2014

    Great! I have been scrapping for 12 yrs, experimenting with all styles. All the time knowing photos and journaling are most important elements. You have been huge influence with Simple and Clean. Keep demonstrating to newbies that history keeping doesn't have to be expensive and you do not have to be an artist. Systematic record keeping is what it is all about.

    Reply 0 Replies
  19. Anna says…
    04/10/2014

    What an fun idea & awesome layout!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. Mary Sara P. says…
    04/10/2014

    Ali, I just love this layout and the idea of doing sometihg with just words, stamps and emblishments. So fresh and different. I am going to try this out. Thanks for the inspiration. Have a great day.

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. Bp says…
    04/10/2014

    Love.This.Blog! Great journaling idea!

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. Aimee O says…
    04/10/2014

    This is awesome! I love the way you incorporate gratitude into your memory keeping! I've been going through the same struggle at our house- dreaming up all kinds of things I want to update and change. Truth is our home is filled with love and lots of great memories. I'm a Project Life girl most of the time, but I'm getting out my supplies to do this. Thanks for the great inspiration Ali :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  23. Debbie says…
    04/10/2014

    Perfect way to tell this story. Thank you for giving us your process!

    Reply 0 Replies
  24. Joan says…
    04/10/2014

    Love the wonderful message of gratitude. It really does have the power to change your life, as I remind myself often :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. Georgann Templeton says…
    04/10/2014

    As a Grandmother who lives far from my daughters and Grandchildren, this is a wonderful challenge on gratitude! I often feel lonely and miss them all so much, but a layout like this reminds me that there is so much to be grateful for!

    Reply 0 Replies

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