Scrapbook Layout: Celebrating a Wedding Anniversary

Thirteen years. That's how long my husband and I have been married. To celebrate, I'd like to share a scrapbook layout about our 11th wedding anniversary when we took a little trip to Michigan to play some slots.

The photos and embellishments I chose for this anniversary layout were carefully thought out. Let's start with the title "Hallway 2 Slots" and the photo of me in our hotel room, which was connected to the casino by a long hallway. Then we move onto a photo of my husband playing slots with his arm pointing toward the third photo of the casino.

I chose an arrow to show direction, threw down some games pieces and even used a piece of broken gold jewelry to represent the cha-ching of playing slots and winning money.

Supplies: black cardstock, Jillibean Soup cardstock, Piggy Tales diecuts, CTMH cork arrows, acrylic paint, Basic Grey letter stickers, Craftwork Cards Candi, Provo Craft ephemera, ticket, broken necklace, StazOn ink.

Have you ever used broken jewelry on a scrapbook layout? ~Danielle

Related:

Digital Scrapbook Layout: One Night in Greektown
How many things can I recycle on a scrapbook layout? (another broken jewelry scrapbook layout)
EcoScrapbooking: Crafty Ideas for Eco-Conscious Scrapbookers (free eBook!)

What happens when you start a scrapbook layout with paper scraps?

Put those photos aside. Would you ever create a scrapbook layout without a photo in mind? Think about it. Imagine digging into all of your paper scraps, picking out some coordinating papers and creating a design on a blank slate.

That's what I did when I designed the scrapbook layouts below. You'll see the before and after pages. I had the pages ready prior to the start of Layout a Day, so all I needed to do was find out the prompt, add photos, along with embellishments and journaling, then I was done! This made scrapbooking every single day more of a breeze. Check them out...

For this page, I started with Jillibean Soup paper scraps:

Three Instagram photos and plenty of decorations later....

Next up, another layout with Jillibean Soup leftovers:

Let's add a mix of letter stickers, another Instagram pic, a Basic Grey flag and some Stickles:

I just loved these papers from October Afternoon:

And adding lots of bling!

Here's more October Afternoon paper scraps...

That were perfect for my trip to Chicago:

Here's one more layout full of October Afternoon:

And I decorated it with me (and old rub-ons from my stash):

Are you ready to start scrapbooking with only paper scraps in mind? Need more inspiration? See my posts below! ~Danielle

Related:

8 Scrapbook Starting Points Using Designer Scraps

9 Scrapbook Starting Points Using Paper Scraps

3 Scrapbook Layouts That Use Paper Scraps

Road Trip: Memories Scrapbooking Expo & Jillibean's

On March 23, my mother-in-law and I traveled to Columbus for my Recycled Scrapbooking class at the Memories Scrapbooking Expo. I had a decent sized class and shared my knowledge about eco-friendly scrapbooking, plus Tim Holtz was at the Expo:

I must confess, I don't swoon over THE Tim Holtz and only own one of his many products, Distress Ink, which I rarely use. However, I spotted him at the Expo surrounded by a crowd of ladies, snapped a photo of him and went on my merry way.

Besides my class, the highlight of the day was after the Expo. We stopped at Jillibean's new store in Marysville for the warehouse sale (ended Sunday). I didn't purchase anything at the Expo since I knew this was on the agenda. Before I show you my goodies, take a look at all the eye-candy in this vintage-inspired shop:

If I were to ever own a scrapbooking store, I would definitely model it after Jillibean's! Boy, was I impressed and look forward to visiting the shop again.

So...what did I buy? I kept my purchases within the warehouse sale area and spent less than $25 on all of this:

Jillibean Soup: EcoScrapbook Approved

I'm saving the pack on the far left for another scrapbooking class. Yes, even with the headset I had to wear (I felt like a dork), I enjoyed being offline and teaching my fellow scrapbookers something new about scrapbooking and plan to do it again in the future. ~Danielle

Related:

A scrapbook layout + 5 Jillibean Soup cards
My day at the Great Lakes Mini Meet
9 scrapbooking manufacturers that love the earth

Eco-friendly Scrapbooking: Pause & Get Published

 

Recycle. I started this layout by reusing white cardstock from a previous project and flipped it over for a brand new page. You can find bulk 8 1/2 x 11 FSC-certified and recycled cardstock in the office supply section of most big box stores.

Save your paper scraps and get creative. Journaling strips and paper flowers are my top two ways to utilize paper scraps and that's just what I did on this page. I'm also a big fan of squares, so I designed a unique background from assorted paper scraps, a square punch and stamps.

Turn trash to treasure. What happens when an inexpensive wooden toy airplane breaks? You craft with it! The flower centers were punched from thin wood, formerly known as airplane wings.

Alter. If you plan on investing in embellishments, find ones that are alterable like the corrugated letters from Jillibean Soup that I painted black.

Low on supplies? A great way to add dimension when you're low on adhesive spacers is to use cardboard as I did behind the photo and title block.

Supplies: paper scraps, FSC-certified white cardstock, corrugated letters (Jillibean Soup), black acrylic paint, punches (square, flower, circle), stamps (flower, butterfly), black ink, cardboard, thin wood, adhesive (glue stick, tabs, Mini Glue Dots), Instagram photo. Layout is 8 1/2 x 10 3/4".

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Do you want to be published in an upcoming eBook about eco-friendly scrapbooking? Now's your chance. Create a scrapbook layout (doesn't have to be a new page) using at least 75% eco-friendly/recycled materials and format a blog post like I did above (How is your page eco-friendly? Photo, supply list and layout size.) Email me, ecoscrapbooker (at) gmail (dot) com, the link to your post for consideration in the eBook. Deadline is January 31st. 

Read more about the project here and see the behind-the-scenes details here.

I look forward to seeing your eco-friendly scrapbook layouts! ~Danielle

Helpful Links:

25 eco-friendly and free scrapbooking supplies

9 scrapbooking manufacturers that love the earth

Simple ways to be an eco-conscious scrapbooker

The EcoScrapbooker Manifesto

EcoScrapbook Approved Companies

The Unexpected Scrapbook Layout

Most scrapbookers will tell you they have plenty of photos to scrapbook, albeit the majority wish they could dedicate more time to their craft. I'm one of those scrapbookers and know there's never enough time to scrapbook all the things that I want.

There are always stories to be told and photos to scrap. Each day is filled with new memories. So, what happens when someone unexpectedly asks you to scrapbook a found photo, on that's not your own? That happened to me the last day of Layout a Day in May.

If you haven't heard of Layout a Day (LOAD), it's a scrapbooking class created by Lain Ehmann where participants scrapbook and upload their layouts to Flickr every single day for a month. I first signed up for LOAD in May of 2010, participated a total of six times, which resulted in over 200 of scrapbook layouts. I view this scrapbooking class as a game-changer and it's made me a better scrapbooker.

Each day, LOAD participants are greeted with a prompt. Day 31's prompt was to create a layout using a found photo. At first, I wasn't going to follow the prompt since my last layout of each LOAD is usually some sort of collage of all the scrapbook pages I completed during the month. That was planned before I knew the prompt.

"LOAD512" Digital Photo Collage of Scrapbook Layouts

But then something unexpected happened. After I finished and uploaded my collage of layouts to Flickr, my preschooler came home with a photo of our family that was taken at her school's open house last fall. I had my found photo. It was scrapbooking destiny.

I started a new layout, but due to lack of scrappin' time, the page "Thru the Year" wasn't completed until the next day.

"Thru the Year" 12x12 Eco-Friendly Scrapbook Layout

This unexpected scrapbook layout ended up being my favorite layout during May's LOAD and in my top 10 layouts I ever created.

What I love about it is the use of white space, paper scraps, corrugated cardboard and most importantly, a found photo of my family. ~Danielle

Supplies: DCWV cardstock, Jillibean Soup (paper scraps, corrugated cardboard letters, stickers), Sew Easy thread, Cosmo Cricket letter stickers, corrugated cardboard, black marker.

See all my LOAD layouts from May here and my Flickr photostream here.

Related:

Digital Scrapbooking: Highlights from the Birthday Scrapbook

3 Scrapbook Layouts That Use Photo Scraps

Would you use dryer lint on a scrapbook layout?

Recent projects: A scrapbook layout + 5 Jillibean Soup cards

When I attended the Great Lakes Mini Meet on November 18, I was finally able to sit down and complete six scrapbook layouts AND five cards. That felt great!

Here's a look at the only eco-friendly layout of the day featuring an old photo of my mom and me. (Yes, I still have plenty of "regular" scrapbooking supplies that I'm not going to waste. Remember, the first rule of ecoscrapbooking is to use your stash!):

"Flip and Flop" Eco-Friendly Scrapbook Layout

Supplies: DCWV paper (The Green Stack), Cosmo Cricket cut-apart elements, Simple Stories paper scraps, Jillibean Soup Bean Blossoms (purchased at the Mini Meet), button.

Next up, the Jillibean Soup cards from the class taught by Jill Yegerlehner (owner). The first card...

Jillibean Soup Card #1: U R Special

I love the second card since it used an old sewing pattern for the flower. Jill's tip: Place a sheet of cardstock behind the sewing pattern before punching it out:

Jillibean Soup Card #2: Thanks

Moving on to the third card:

Jillibean Soup Card #3: Superior Buttons

As we made the fourth card, Jill shared another tip: Use an adhesive spacer to hold the pin in place:

Jillibean Soup Card #4: Have a Happy Birthday

By the end of the hour class, I was able to finish my fifth card:

Jillibean Soup Card #5: Good Friends are Like Quilts

Supplies: Jillibean Soup Card Kitchen Kit (Homemade 6 Bean Soup, Jillibean Soup Kraft paper). Note: Jillibean Soup paper is FSC-certified and printed with soy-based inks. The Kraft paper is 100% recycled stock.

And there are two mini cards from the kit that I still need to finish. I enjoyed the class tremendously and now I have five completed cards ready for delivery!

Jillibean Soup Homemade 6 Bean Soup Card Collection

Related:

Attention: Scrapbooking Manufacturers! Tell me you're green!
My day at the Great Lakes Mini Meet
Tutorial: Eco-friendly business card bookmarks

My day at the Great Lakes Mini Meet

For the past few months, I had been looking forward to attending the first annual Great Lakes Mini Meet in Toledo and it only took me about two rushed hours to pack (the day before the event. I know, procrastinator). Now that it's all over, I've already marked my calendar for another round of shopping and cropping next year (November 9-10, 2012).

Let's have a look at my day... (Warning! This is a cell phone photo heavy post!)

After checking into the Park Inn hotel, my mom and I walked down to the SeaGate Convention Centre (connected to the hotel so we didn't have to walk outside) and entered a (mini) scrapbooker's paradise. I submitted copies of three layouts for a contest (the winner hasn't been announced yet) and then the browsing began. As my mom was paying for a few items, I looked toward the informal crop area and spotted scrapbook blogger Sue of Life & Memories:

I found Sue sitting with her sister and friend, busily putting together her beautiful Christmas cards. We chatted for a bit and then I headed back to the sales floor.

It wasn't long before I found something unexpected and absolutely perfect for me...

This is the Paper Alice booth and "turning junk mail into paper treasures" is the slogan. I made a beeline straight toward the booth with much excitement and the demonstration began.

Mix a little junk mail, add in heavenly fiber and iridescent flakes, toss in an angel wing, pour in water and blend. With help from the Paper Alice papermaking kit, we had a beautiful sheet of handmade paper in less than three minutes!

I was sold! And my mom was too! We BOTH purchased the 5.5 x 8.5 papermaking kit (we live two hours away from each other so we can't share). I can't wait to try it!

After lunch, we headed to our one and only class taught by Jill Yegerlehner of Jillibean Soup, who was super nice and funny.

During the one hour class, I completed five cards (I'll share better pics of them in a future post):

Of course I had to check out the Jillibean Soup booth...

I love these flowers...

This thread spool wreath is gorgeous...

There were also adorable sour cream containers on display that I forgot to photograph, but you can see them here, along with the tutorial. And I didn't leave the booth empty-handed...

Then...I needed coffee. My mom and I relaxed in our room, drank coffee and watched the Twilight cast on The Ellen Show as we waited for the hotel restaurant to open at 5 pm. This was the view of downtown Toledo from our room:

At 6:30, we were ready for 5.5 hours of cropping. We entered the crop area, found our seats, got a bag full of SWAG (see the photo here) and scrapbooked!

The lady in the center wearing red is my mom. This photo was taken late in the evening after some of the croppers already left. I completed six layouts and finally journaled on a page that I completed four years ago. Success!

Now to finish unpacking and play with all my new supplies...

Related:

Load of Scrap Feature: Scraps Off to Me!

Getting ready for the Great Lakes Mini Meet on November 18

Attention: Scrapbooking Manufacturers! Tell me you're green!