Happy Place | April Studio AE Blog Hop From Technique Tuesday
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
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:
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:
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.
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.
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.
STEP EIGHT | Continue your journaling and add in a few more embellishments as you work your way across and down the pages.
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:
The little word stickers (and the yellow letter stickers) I used around the page are all from this sticker sheet from Simple Stories: Hopespun.
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.
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.
Love love love this so much. Swoon!
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Love the way you have done this layout, Ali! It is so eye-appealing, love all that journaling and of course, the great stamps!
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Thank you Ali! I am getting restless in my home and this idea will help that. Thank you for making us think differently.
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This reminds me of the class you taught at CK Portland or Seattle about our home in a mini album in a metal container (before Anna was born)! Loved the class and this layout!
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What a great idea! I got married in December and moved to my new husband's house 3 hours away. I'm struggling to make HIS house into OUR home--I miss MY house and having everything how I wanted it and he's really resistant to changing HIS house. Thinking this would be a really great exercise for both of us as we muddle our way thru this. :)
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Love the layout! (I also LOVE that stamp set!) Love what you had to say about your house.
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I love that you acknowledged your typical rules about not breaking up your journaling but that you ended up breaking them. I learn so much when you explain your process. :) Great post!
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I really love the new stamps and think creating a "love letter to our homes" layout is a great idea. Thanks Ali!
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Love all of the blogs and the stamp ideas!
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Great LO. Love that huge sticker. :)
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I love this idea and grids and your layout!! I may grumble about my house too but each night I'm thankful for it and my little family inside it. Will have to go write down mine now, THAnK YOU!!
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LOVE the page!
You should sew two page protectors together to create a flap. Might be cool and keep the journaling closer together??
Happy Thursday!!
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I love this idea!
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I.love.this. I forget that documenting a story doesn't require a photo. The story is what's most important and if I was involved in an event and forgot to snap pics or if I have thoughts/memories that I want to get down on paper, those don't have to be lost just because there's not a photo record. Thanks for the reminder!
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Great layout...makes me want to make my own list because I tend to always complain about my kitchen and the complete lack of counter space! Instead, I need to focus on all the things I love about this house! THanks for the gratitude reminder!!
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I reaaly like the grid effect. Love the stamp set.
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Great layout! And I luv your stamps. I'd luv to get this set.
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Love the process that you took on the layout and then shared. I am a huge fan of the big stickers. So much fun to turn our wants and changes into things we are grateful for. I subscribe to the universe quotes ( I took your lead on this one) it recently said,"you currently have all you need with in your self and your home to live the best life. "
All we need is love, our health, shelter, and family!
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Hi Ali,
Thanks for including the list of action items/ideas at the end. I like that as a prompt for what to do after viewing this layout!
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What a fun layout! I love the idea, but I'm pretty sure I'd never survive trying to draw those lines and not worry about them being straight LOL! Thank you for the inspiration to do something similar though. :)
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I love the action items at the end of your post- what a great challenge! Thanks.
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Love this. Good to be reminded how great my home is , even though there are a few things I would change.
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Love this layout and the stamps!
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inspirational!
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Great layout and I love that stamp set!
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