Studio AE Blog Hop | June | Scrapbook Layout

Welcome June's STUDIO AE BLOG HOP!

Today, the STUDIO AE team is joining me to show some projects we made with June’s stamp set: “The Observant Traveler.”

The set consists of 24 clear stamps and is great for scrapbook pages, cards and mini books.

The set ships to STUDIO AE members between the 10th and the 15th. Non-STUDIO AE members can also purchase the set for a limited time through the Technique Tuesday web site. Some retailers are also now offering the STUDIO AE stamp sets for purchase. Check with your favorite retailer for more details.

Here's a look at the 8.5x11 layout I created that includes this month's stamp set:

Travel words aren't just for stories about travel and vacation.

One of the things I've always loved about travel-themed products is that they can be used to tell all kinds of different stories - think more  traveling through life vs. a specific trip.

This layout began with the photo and the knowledge that I wanted to make a layout using this particular set of stamps. I also knew that I wanted to do something that was more about traveling through life vs. literally documenting a trip. The result is a photo paired with tags which showcase three lessons/things I hope for my my kids: wander, adventure, explore.

As I was writing up those three lessons I also came to know that I really wanted to include more about where and why this particular photo was taken.

Rather than adhering down the tags I decided to use divided pockets and just attach it along the bottom. Attaching it only along the bottom gave me additional room to hand-write the story of the photo.

I feel like this approach gave me the best of both worlds. I was able to include more details about the situation behind the photo and talk about the three themes I hope my kids will take with them throughout their lives.

Here's a closer look at my process:

CREATE THE FOUNDATION | I started with a single enlarged photo (about 8.5 x 5.5 inches) adhered onto a background sheet of cardstock. Along the edge of the photo I added the Ruler Ribbon from Tim Holtz. The bottom pattern paper is the back of a design that includes strawberries in little circles from Studio Calico (they often include exclusive paper designs in their kit each month and this is one of those papers). The bottom strip that looks a bit like ribbon in the photos came off the pattern paper.

CUT BASEBALL CARD PAGE PROTECTOR TO SIZE & ATTACH BY STITCHING ALONG THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE | I decided that I wanted to have three pockets on the bottom portion of the layout to hold the three lessons. I grabbed a 9-pocket, 8.5x11 divided page protector and trimmed it to fit. I added the pockets to my layout by stitching along the bottom where the page protectors meet the paper strip.

PUNCH THREE TAGS | I used a Marvy tag punch to create these three tags using Bazzill Basics Cream Puff cardstock.

DRAW JOURNALING LINES | For these lines I used a Copic .8. I also punched the holes using a Crop-A-Dile on the smaller hole setting.

ADD STAMPS TO JOURNALING TAGS | After drawing my lines I used Hero Arts Basic Uppercase alphabet stamps and my June Studio AE The Observant Traveler for the start of each of my tags. Ink is from Close To My Heart.

JOURNAL ON TAGS | My journaling on these three tags speaks directly to my kids with a lesson/hope that relates to the specific word. Like I mentioned above, I love that travel words are really very universal and can be used for so much more than just vacation/travel stories.

ADD STAMPING & JOURNALING UNDER DIVIDED PAGE PROTECTOR | Right under the ruler ribbon I added a stamp from my Favorite Memories set that says "this is what I want to remember most." I stamped it three times so it would go the width of the page. Under that I used a retired set of Studio Calico stamps to create the "go. seek. find." sentiment. Under that I hand-wrote the story of the photo (see below).

Above is what it looks like with the tags and divided page protector layered on top of the jouranling.

On the back of each of the tags I decided to add three photos taken at this same day/time. I'll likely be using at least one of these photos again on their own, but it was a nice way to add something to the backs of the tags. If I was going to do it again I'd consider punching out the photos the other way so when you pull the divided page protector down you'd be seeing the photos right-side-up.

But this definitely works.

UPDATE | After writing up this post and looking at the page again I decided to close the tags inside the pockets by stitching across the top - that will help keep the tags from inadvertently slipping out.

JOURNALING | (under the tags) Just a random stop along the freeway on our trip to Seattle to see U2 resulted in some of my favorite photos from the whole trip. It was a combination of light and emotion and time of year and finally having sun after one too many days of clouds and/or rain. To me this particular photo screams adventure and exploration and fun. Simon saw the tall grass immediately and ran right over to check it out - he said it looked just like a "corn field." Anna trotted over so as not to miss a thing. We were there really only a brief few moments but the couple of photos I got I love (especially one of Chris holding Anna). What I see when I look at this now is really hope for adventure for these two. A life full of exploration and discovery and the beauty of seeing.

SUPPLIES
CARDSTOCK | Bazzill Basics Cream Puff
PATTERN PAPER | Studio Calico (exclusive paper in past monthly kit)
RULER RIBBON | Tim Holtz
LARGE ALPHABET STAMPS | Studio Calico
SMALL ALPHABET STAMPS | Hero Arts Basic Uppercase Wood Mounted
WORD STAMPS | The Observant Traveler by Ali Edwards for Technique Tuesday (June Studio AE)
PHRASE STAMP | Favorite Memories by Ali Edwards for Technique Tuesday
INK | Close To My Heart
TAG PUNCH | Marvy Uchida Xtra Giga Merchandise Tag
HOLE PUNCH | We Are Memory Keeper's Crop-A-Dile
PEN | Copic Multiliner
ADHESIVE | Scotch
DIVIDED PAGE PROTECTOR | We Are Memory Keepers

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Please check out the blogs of Technique Tuesday’s STUDIO AE team members taking part in today’s blog hop to see more ways to use the June set:

• 
  Kelly Purkey (June's STUDIO AE guest - thanks Kelly!)


• Nichol


• Jaime


• Laura


• Sharyn


• Teri

Leave a comment on one or all of their blogs by Midnight PST on June 12th. We’ll pick two people from comments received on all seven of the blogs to receive the So Sorry by Ali Edwards stamp set from Technique Tuesday.

Winners will be announced on the Technique Tuesday blog on June 13th so be sure to check it out.

Have a great weekend!