Happy Place | April Studio AE Blog Hop From Technique Tuesday

AE_HappyPlace_PREV

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

Technique-Tuesday-SAE-Good-Times-Clear-Stamps-Medium

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:

AE_HappyPlace_Spread

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:

AE_HappyPlace_1

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.

AE_HappyPlace_2

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.

AE_HappyPlace_3

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.

AE_HappyPlace_4

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

AE_HappyPlace_5

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:

AE_HappyPlace_CloseUpCircle

AE_HappyPlace_TopRight

AE_HappyPlace_BottomLeft

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

AE_HappyPlace_BottomRight

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.

AE_HappyPlace_BreakRules

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.

Related Posts

Sign in or sign up to comment.

142 thoughts

  1. Paula says…
    04/13/2014

    OMG Ali, you just gave me the idea I am going to use for what I want to "let go" of in the One Little Word Class- I have the same feelings as you!! Just repainted outside of house after almost 11 years in it!! Our furniture needs replacing, our rugs are icky and I dream of opening one wall and changing the screened porch into a solarium/casual dining area to overlook the pool ...then I could put an island where my eat-in table is now which would expand my crowded kitchen. With trying to care for a sick mom, prepay for her funeral, and put 2 kids through school, it's just not in the cards for me yet. I need to LET IT GO and enjoy what I have right now. Thank you and PS this months stamp kit is beyond awesome, and a must have splurge for me!

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. Jane says…
    04/13/2014

    You've inspired me again! I live in two houses, six months each, and now want to document what I love about each home and location. Thanks!

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. Vicki Rundlett says…
    04/13/2014

    I love this - I am so scared to draw like you! I know to embrace imperfection but I just don't want to ruin it!!! Much easier said than done.

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. Nancy Sue says…
    04/13/2014

    Love what you did!

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. Karen F says…
    04/13/2014

    Oh I love these stamps and I love this Layout. It is such a great idea. Thanks for showing us the process. Love seeing that.

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. Karen F says…
    04/14/2014

    This is such a great layout.

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Pat M says…
    04/14/2014

    Love this...great inspiration!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. Katie B. says…
    04/14/2014

    This is wonderful! Love how you showed us how it came together. Looks awesome finished! Always love your stamps too. :) Thanks for the giveaway!

    Katie B.

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. Judy says…
    04/15/2014

    Fabulous layout! I love that you are not intimidated by telling the story! I'd like a peak at the album you are using...

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. layout – 9 Things about 9 Walter | triggsey says…
    04/16/2014

    […] notebooks full of ideas and stacks of supplies that I am committed to using up!  I was reading Ali Edwards blog last week and she had made a layout detailing the things she loved about her home (instead of […]

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. Anne-Liesse says…
    04/17/2014

    Ali,
    Very inspired by this layout and the grip ideas + gratitude for the things we take for granted.
    Anne-Liesse

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Michelle K says…
    04/18/2014

    This is cool. LOVE the idea of having a page to document something important WITHOUT needing photos!

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. Quinna says…
    04/21/2014

    This is so fun!

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. Janet says…
    05/05/2014

    Perfect to finish my May One Little Word Project. I used pocket pages. I was already thinking about journaling on the other side but wanted it to be interesting and pretty. Inspiration again, Ali.

    Reply 0 Replies

Sign in or sign up to comment.