Something old, Something new...

If you're anything like me, when you get new scrappy goodies, you dive right in, often forgetting the many treasures you already own. I'm going to share with you just a few approaches on how to incorporate some older product onto your pages without making them look dated.  Don't worry, I know you've got new stuff you're dying to use,  we're just going to sneak a bit of aging stuff in, in order to clear a bit of room for the next trend.

Patterned paper- If you're used to using lots of solid or neutral backgrounds for your pages, dig through your older papers, and pick out some that can be used as solids, and keep them nearby when working on new pages. Often, you can slip them in with a new collection. On this page, I used the reverse of an older My Mind's Eye paper ( green dot) paired with a new sheet from The Amy Tangerine Ready Set Go Collection. You can always slide in scraps of those older papers too, as decorative border strips, as I did with a piece from Sassafras Lass.

Letters- Maybe it's because I love letter stickers so much, but I think even the craziest fonts or colours will work somewhere somehow. Don't forget about the basics you already own, and don't be afraid to use several fonts to make up a title if need be. I used an older sheet of Candy Shoppe letters from Doodlebug Design Inc, to make this simple title.

Embellishments- I added a few stickers from Crate Paper Story Teller collection and some flags from the October Afternoon Sassparilla Collection. These are still newer products, but were being neglected since I had newer things to play with. The really old bits include the metal framed tag and chipboard apple from American Crafts. The key to making everything work, is to keep a balance between the older items, and some newer trendier items or techniques. In this case the wooden shapes I coloured with Distress Stain, and the stenciled background help to keep the page feeling current. 

Trends are cyclical, and it seems everything old is new again. So don't discount your older embellishments and papers, you may be surprised at how well you can incorporate them with the newer treasures you've just brought home. 

Have fun mixing it up!

Erin

Ready, Set, Go!

Last weekend, I had the privilege of traveling to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan with some girlfriends to attend my first ever Crop & Create event.  It was fabulous to meet some new people, and especially cool to meet some industry leading celebs, like Kelly Purkey, Beth Kingston, Kelley Goree, and Catherine Tachdjian, just to name a few.

Amy Tangerine Ready, Set, Go is in the shop, and I thought it would be perfect to use on a challenge that I entered at the event.  I created a layout boasting my need for a good morning coffee.

I chose to combine On The Clock and Dinner Date to create a fun, bright, and bold layout.

Journaling reads: "I couldn't agree more.  My Starbucks ceramic mug is my best friend every morning of the week."

I used only 2 sheets of patterned paper, a mish-mash of alphas, and a few things from my stash. This line is so colourful, that I thought it would be easy to fulfill the challenge of combining several colours and styles of alphas to create an eye catching title.  I'm sure you have a fair share of half used alphabet sheets too - this is the perfect way to use them up.

You can grab these papers, and a bunch more fab designs by Amy Tangerine in the shop here.

Happy Friday Friends!

Friday Faves - Substitution Game!

This week for my Friday Faves - I wanted to share a page that I recently made and show some goodies from the Let's Capture Our Memories store that you could pick up to make a page similar - substituting in other similar items!

Let's begin with the page I did make. I again used some Basic Grey Clippings, Paper Cottage:

Okay, so onto the substitutions. Let's start with the background paper! If you want a smaller chevron for a background, there are a few in the store that are a perfect substitute. Like these:

Echo Park:

My Mind's Eye:

Bella Blvd:

Now, there are lots of options for this next substitution ! Here are a few to get you started.

When I created this page, I used a lot of stickers and labels from the Basic Grey line. 

Here are a few others labels like these that are way cool.

Elle's Studio

Evalicious

Jillibean Soup

 Now Alphas - who doesn't love a good alpha right?

I used some Thickers here...

but here are a few other options:

American Crafts

Basic Grey

Jillibean Soup

Simple Stories

Those are some of my faves in the store now!!

AND I know there are lots of other new faves coming our way too!

For now, check out what's new HERE or what's ON SALE

Amy Tangerine Day Book

The Amy Tangerine Day books have been hot sellers since the moment they arrived on the scene.  Although I really liked the look of them I was hesitant as to whether or not I would enjoy working with them, as the pages are a much lighter weight than I was accustomed to.  Needless to say as soon as I began filling the first page all hesitations were washed away.  The album was incredibly easy to work with.

I decided to use it to do a 'Book Of Me'.  Here's the finished album.  

I apologize in advance for my hand being visible in many of the photos.  Photographing this little guy proved a lot more tricky than putting it together :)

Click on the images to enlarge

the envelope houses the acceptance email from Scrapbook Trends

The game day ticket is peeking out behind the page

I've mentioned before how important I think it is to scrap about ourselves in addition to our family and friends.  This little book will serve as a reminder in years to come of all the rich blessing my life held at this point.  It may seem to go against the grain to do a BOM album in the middle of the year, but that's me, that's how I roll, and I find great freedom in scrapping whatever my heart desires, and not restraining myself to chronological order, or standard timelines.

If you struggle with mini albums and don't know where to start here are some ideas that may help you to get started on your own: 

1. Select a theme for your album.  Choose something that you have at least a handful of photos for.

2. Print your photos.  I suggest you stick with photos that are 3x5 and smaller.  I find it difficult to work with 4x6 photos in a mini album.  As a rule, the more embellishments you wish to use the smaller your photos should be.

3. Start with the products you love, elements that will co-ordinate with the album you've selected.  Don't limit yourself to only what you think you 'should' use, and grab more than you think you need.  Gather it all, the assortment of goodies will inspire you.

Here's a peek at some of the product I started with.

As you can see not all of it got used, but it sure got my creative juices flowing, just seeing it all in one place like that.

4. Start cutting and pasting.

5. Enjoy the process.

At least these are the things that work for me. 

I used a lot of miscellaneous bits and pieces from my own stash for this album.  All the Amy Tangerine products, however are available in the store.  So are the Maya Road canvas butterflies.  Here are the links for easy shopping.  While you're there, I'm sure you'll see some other fabulous goodies, perfect for your next mini.

Amy Tangerine Day Book

Die Cut Cardstock Shapes

Doodle Dimension Stickers

Fabric Stickers

Canvas Butterflies

If you are inspired to create a mini, please let me know.  I'd love to come and have a peek. 

Helloooo CHA goodness

Tanya has been a machine loading up the shop with all sorts of goodness for us to get our scrappy little hands on.  No matter what your preference clean & simple, bright & bold, muted & subtle, minimalist or layer lovin', manufactures have been sure to meet your every need.  And Tanya's making sure you can satisfy your scrappy desires right here in the LCOM shop. 

In case you've been missing out on all the updates regarding brand, spankin' new product going into the shop these past few weeks let me introduce you to a few of my faves.

I'm not usually one for really bright colours but the new releases by Jillibean Soup sure have me tempted to buy every little piece of the collection.  

Fun & bright, and usable on with so many different seasons of photos

Hexagons are all the rage and these little guys are super cute

Corrugated stars and arrows?  Yes please

I'm a sucker for white alphas, these would look great on a dark background

I know a lot of you are Project Lifers, and these are just the right size

Love, love the idea of these flags, so easy

And who wouldn't love these wood veneer flags?  Can't you just see them on cards?

 All the new Jillibean goodness can be found in the store here.

If bright and bold is not your deal there's also the new Hey Day collection by Studio Calico to be had.

I am especially fond of these two sheets...

totally reminds me of the Parkay flooring in our first home

both sides of this sheet would be fun to fussy cut and pop dot off the page

Add a few of these embellies, and you've got the makings of some fab pages.

find these AC thickers here

You can find all the new Studio Calico goodies in the store here.

And if you know me, you know I love embellishments.  Here are a few that have already caught my eye.

I need another set of alphas like I need a hole in the head, but these, my friends are burlap.  Enough said :)

Evalalicious She knows how to satisfy.

Not sure if banners are still in, but I still love 'em and Heidi Swapp does too.

Last, but not least are a few stamps to satisfy the wanna be stamper in me.  I can't wait to work with some these guys. 

You can see more of their new releases in the store here.

After seeing all this goodness in one spot, I've got the itch to go and create.  Hope you've seen a thing or two to inspire you.  All these items are currently in stock.  As we all prepare to head back to school, and into routine, and start scrapping the photos we've been taking all summer, I'm sure they won't be around for long.  Better hurry before they're gone.