A Favorite Scrapbook Layout: Us

As I mentioned last week, my husband and I recently celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. We've been through a lot over the years and today's scrapbook layout, one of my favorites, documents our early relationship.

"Us" 12x12 Minimalist Scrapbook Layout

A couple of old photos, one sheet of gorgeous paper, a few embellishments and plenty of journaling show us that a bunch of supplies aren't needed to create a stunning scrapbook layout. I'll talk more about minimalist scrapbooking in next week's post. See you then! ~Danielle

Supplies: Me & My Big Ideas decorative paper, Bo Bunny letter stickers, black acrylic paint, bird and flower embellishments from Lisa of Recklinghausen Musings.

Related:

It's Time for Another Round of Layout a Day!
LOAD Blog Hop: Prepping for 28 Days of Continuous Scrapbooking
The Unexpected Scrapbook Layout

P.S. Are you ScrapHappy? I'm prepping for another Layout a Day in October, but this one is for ScrapHappy members only. If you're not already a member, check out True Scrap next month, another scraptastic event created by the one and only Lain Ehmann. Get your sneak peek of True Scrap 5 tomorrow (September 26) - Click here to view more details. It's free!

Your Story Matters Blog Hop

Did you hear? Your Story Matters is now available for purchase!

What IS Your Story Matters? Well, it just so happens to be the book I'm published in and includes scrapbook layouts created by the storytellers of ScrapHappy.

Today, we're celebrating the release of Your Story Matters: 25 Memories To Capture Now with a super exciting blog hop where you get a chance to WIN an electronic copy of the book! (If you're just starting out, the blog hop begins at Layout a Day.)

We're giving away THREE copies of the book and all you have to do is answer this question: What story do you feel is critical for every scrapbooker to document?

I answered that question with this eco-friendly scrapbook layout:

"GMA" 12x12 Scrapbook Layout for Your Story Matters

I feel it's important to document the people you miss. It's scrapbook therapy and I blogged more about that here. Since my grandmother was such an influence on my life, I revisited the topic with a photo of her and my firstborn child, as well as a photo of me when I visited my grandmother in Arizona during my childhood. 

The journaling reads: Grandma Wood lived in Arizona while I was growing up and was the only grandparent I truly got to know. We'd spend time together during her annual trips to Ohio & the few times I traveled to Arizona, where she lived. Grandma eventually moved to Pennsylvania at the end of her life & had a chance to meet both of my girls, even though she may not have known who they were. I miss her lively personality & wish my girls could have known her like I did. -Documented July 26, 2012

Supplies: cardstock (DCWV, Jillibean Soup), diecuts (Jillibean Soup), corrugated letters (Jillibean Soup), black floss (Sew Easy), corrugated cardboard scraps, Distrezz-it-All, black ink (StazOn), adhesive (Glue Dots Pop Up & Mini, Recollections tabs), black pen.

Now's your chance to win book full of scrapbook layouts documenting important life stories! Leave a comment by Saturday (1/19/13) and you could be one of three winners chosen from the comments made on all participating blogs. Winners will be announced at Layout a Day on Monday (1/21) and prizes must be claimed by next Wednesday (1/23).

Can't wait? Skip the $7 introductory price, buy Your Story Matters now for only $5 with coupon code HOP and download it immediately! This coupon is good until midnight on 1/21/13 and if you just so happen to be a lucky winner, your money will be refunded - nothing to lose!

Start here--> Lain Ehmann: Layout a Day

Leslie Smith: Out of the Mire

Alison Charlton: Scrapping in Singapore

Heather Dubarry:  noexcusescrapbooking.com

You're here--> Danielle Hunter: EcoScrapbook

Next stop--> Cathy Holiday: Pikes Peak Scrapper

Monica Bradford: Scrap Inspired

Alison Day:  A Day In The Life...or 5!

Paivi Eerola: Peony and Parakeet

Lynnette Nagle: Sassyscrapper

Kelli Panique: Use It Scrapbooking!

Danielle Taylor: Scrapper on the Street

Before you leave, don't forget answer: What story do you feel is critical for every scrapbooker to document?

My Instagramed Week in the Life Project

Today is the last day of the ScrapHappy Only Layout a Day and I accomplished two major projects. The first was 9 Scrapbook Starting Points using Paper Scraps and the second was my Week in the Life project (April 23-39, 2012).

I've participated in Ali Edward's Week in the Life three times now and each year, I approached the challenge with a unique perspective. In 2010, I focused on my Twitter status updates and created 9 days of sCRAPs. In 2011, the final product was called A Week in the Life of Danielle's Brain and I doodled each day of my week (Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

This year, the Android Instagram app was made available a few weeks before a Week in the Life and I took full advantage of it.

Instagram Photos of My Week in the Life 2012

I finally made time to scrapbook all these Instagram photos (I'll share how I printed them in a future post), but I challenged myself to use only these supplies:

• FSC-Certified 8.5 x 11" cardstock (purchased in the office supply section of Walmart)
• Eco-Binder by TerraCycle
• Instagram prints

• Washi/Trendy Tape by Queen & Co. (the only adhesive used to adhere photos to layouts)
• StazOn black ink
• Photo scraps (from when I cropped the Instagram prints)
• plastic packaging
• American Crafts black pen/marker
• Close To My Heart ink
• Close To My Heart baker's twine
• Close To My Heart stamps
• Basic Grey stamps

Another stipulation of my own personal challenge, I had to create a different title for each layout and limited myself to these two stamp packs. I also wanted each layout to look different and used my Instagram updates for my journaling.

How's that for a challenge? I succeeded and this is what I came up with:

My Instagramed 2012 Week in the Life Project

I added a few photos that weren't taken during a Week in the Life to help tell the story of my week (ex: kitchen remodel). There were 37 Instagram photos scrapbooked on 17 scrapbook layouts. You can view each page in my Week in the Life 2012 Flickr set. Enjoy! ~Danielle

9 Scrapbook Starting Points Using Paper Scraps

Over the summer, my girls and I dumped out a storage container full of paper scraps and organized them by color. During the process, I set aside some of the scraps to use on future layouts and also created a paper scrap organization video.

Thanks to the ScrapHappy Only Layout a Day, I finally had the push to create 9 scrapbook starting points using paper scraps and finish them:

Let's have a closer look:

"Fresh Picked Worms" Scrapbook Layout

Supplies: Jillibean Soup sticker and diecuts, Simple Stories letter stickers, DCWV cardstock, paper scraps, Distrezz-it-All, black marker.

"Brown-Eyed Girl" Scrapbook Layout

Supplies: DCWV cardstock, paper scraps (including the bird I made), letter stickers (Jillibean Soup, Crate Paper), brown marker.

"Zombie" Scrapbook Layout

Supplies: DCWV cardstock, paper scraps, American Crafts letter stickers, (old) word bubble sticker, My Mind's Eye cartoon figure (circa 2000), paper confetti (from the Bind-it-All), acrylic paint, black marker. (Note: To create bloody brains, I glued the confetti to the cut-off head and added pink and red paint.)

"Sandusky Bay KOA" Scrapbook Layout

Supplies: DCWV cardstock, paper scraps, stickers (Jillibean Soup, Sassafrass), black marker.

"You" Scrapbook Layout

Supplies: DCWV cardstock, paper scraps, American Crafts letter stickers, StazOn black ink, photo booth memorabilia, black marker. (Note: This is my favorite layout of the bunch.)

"Madison" Scrapbook Layout

Supplies: DCWV cardstock, paper scraps (from my daughter's baby announcements in 2008), assorted letter stickers, black marker. (Note: Photo taken by Rick Sheridan.)

"A Photo Like This is Rare" Scrapbook Layout

Supplies: DCWV cardstock, paper scraps, Distrezz-it-All, Echo Park letter stickers, Close To My Heart stamp and ink, black pen, white pen.

"Miss Pres. Bill" Scrapbook Layout

Supplies: DCWV cardstock, paper scraps, corrugated cardboard, stickers (Echo Park, Jillibean Soup), Distrezz-it-All, white acrylic paint. (Note: I had two copies of this photo and cut out one to create a pop up effect.)

"Pets" Scrapbook Layout

Supplies: Paper (Pink Paislee, Cosmo Cricket), Jillibean Soup stickers and diecuts, Scenic Route letters, white paint marker, black pen. (Note: The center of the Pink Paislee paper was cut out for a previous project and I secured Cosmo Cricket scrap paper to create a full sheet to work with.) 

Most of us know about Shimelle's scrapbook starting points, but I wanted to challenge myself and start with paper leftover from previous projects. Now, I'm challenging you to do the same. Create a scrapbook layout using paper scraps and share the link to your project below. I'd love to see what you create! ~Danielle

Related:

Scrapbooking: DIY Hexagons

Let's Make an eBook Together

3 Scrapbook Layouts Using Paper Scraps

Layout a Day Blog Hop

Welcome to the Layout a Day Blog Hop! Just joining in? Start at Lynnette's blog and follow along. If you're wondering what in the world Layout a Day (LOAD) is, read this.

Scrapbook Layouts Created During Layout a Day

Whether you're new to LOAD or continuing your journey as a LOAD alumni, this blog hop is sure to be exciting and loaded with plenty of ScrapHappy experience.

I must admit, I'm not completely prepared for October's ScrapHappy LOAD, but after six rounds of scrapbooking every single day, I've learned to go with the flow and expect the unexpected. I've realized that it's a time to have fun and get my scrap on!

LOAD is when I get most of scrapbooking done. I look forward to having two or three months a year to focus on my favorite hobby and each time I do it, I'm reminded how much I love to scrap (and wonder why I don't do it more often).

Here are a few tips that have gotten me through many LOADs:

• Create a routine. I've found that I like to scrapbook in the morning and once I complete my layout, I photograph it (5-10 photos) and download the photos to my computer. I'll chose the best photo, crop it and hit save. Then, I upload it to Flickr, add it to the LOAD group and try to comment on as many layouts as I can that day.

• Link Flickr to Twitter, Facebook and your blog for easy sharing of your scrapbook layouts.

• Expect the unexpected (see above). No matter how much you prepare, you will end up scrapbooking photos that you never planned on and journal about memories you had forgotten about. You will learn more about yourself, your scrapbooking style AND you will be inspired! 

• And don't forget to stock up on adhesive if you're a traditional scrapbooker.

Now, I'm off to order prints (I have a code for 101 free prints from Shutterfly that expires in a few days). I think I'll be tackling my Week in the Life photos from April. Can't wait to get started!

Here's the list of participating ScrapHappy LOADsters:

Blog hop starts here--> Lynnette

Leslie

Katrina

Kelli P.

Alison D.

Cathy H.

Dani

Heather H.

Alison C.

Where you came from--> Heather D.

Where you're at now--> Danielle H.

If you're not joining us during October's LOAD, you can still follow my journey on Flickr. (Update: I changed my Flickr name from 0hi0dh to EcoScrapbook.) ~Danielle