Hi everyone, Diane here with fun idea for documenting all those smaller December moments!
I often find throughout December, there are a lot of smaller moments that I want to document, but they either don't have a photo or I can't quite put together an entire page with them. This envelope page is such a great solution for both!
To create your mini envelopes to fit into a 2 x 2 inch pocket, trim patterned paper to 3 1/4 inches square. I prefer a double sided paper so when the envelopes are open, you have a contrasting pattern. Just be aware of which way up the pattern will be when you open your envelope. Using an envelope punch board, punch and score at 1 5/8.
I created 12 little envelopes in a variety of papers and then arranged them on the protector so none of the same patterns was next to each other either horizontally or vertically. I was aiming for a nice balance of pattern and colour.
To secure the envelope flaps, I used a little piece of self-adhesive velcro tape onto the inside of the flap and the front of the pocket.
Then for the fun part: I decorated each flap with small stickers, twine bows, buttons, and enamel dots. I used glue dots to adhere the bulkier items, being careful to only adhere to the flap, not the pocket.
When I was finished, I added small pieces of white card stock to the inside of the envelopes so I can quickly write down those little memories as they happen!
Here's a look at the process of putting together this page ...
Hi everyone! Krystal here with a few more foundation pages in my 2019 December Daily album. In case you missed the first post I did sharing my foundation pages, you can find it here.
As I noted in my first DD post, I decided to create very simple foundation pages this year. Like most of us, I know I have a very busy month ahead of me, and if I want to get this album finished, it will need to be simple. And the best thing about starting with simple pages, is that you can always add a bit more flair if you have the time and desire to do so. And since I created my foundation pages early, I had a little extra time to play with some of the products from the kit and create a few extra, fun pages!
I started with my "Reason Why" page. I always like to include a page that helps me focus on the real meaning of the season and why I take the time to create this album every year. I used one of the 3"x8" bookmarks from the Christmas Stories kit to type out my journaling, then I added a title with one of the cutapart labels included in the kit and some gold puffy alphas from a previous kit.
I added the bookmark to the back of my title page, then embellished the bottom of the card with one of the adorable tiny doilies, a die cut from the Heidi Swapp ephemera, a tag from one of the papers in the kit and a bit of twine. Super simple, but such a cute addition to my album!
I also wanted to take advantage of the amazing cut files that were included with the Christmas Stories kit, so I pulled a couple papers from my stash to make two new pages using the Christmas screens.
For both of them, I decided to cut them twice, flipping the cut file for the second cut to create both a front and a back. I cut the buffalo plaid screen from black cardstock and the candy cane stripe screen from red glitter cardstock, then I sandwiched some thin white cardstock between the front and back to make two double-sided pages. I'll use these to add extra photos or journaling on days where I need some extra space.
I also created a page using the wreath cut file from the kit. I cut the wreath twice, once from vellum and once from one of the green papers in the kit. I made sure to make the vellum wreath slightly larger than the green one so that I could layer them together with both wreaths showing.
I then used one of the vintage book pages from the kit and added it to the pink and red polka dot paper, stitching around the edge with some gold thread. Finally, I glued my two cut files to the page, adding glue only to the center so that the leaves could stick up and give the page some dimension. I finished it off with the cute little bow that was included in the kit. I see myself using this page to hold the number for one of the days and maybe a little extra journaling as well.
Finally, I used a few scraps of black cardstock to cut the three sentiment cut files from the kit. I cut each of them three times, then layered them together to give the phrases some added dimension. Then I added some Glossy Accents to the top of each word to give them an "enamel" look. I love the way these turned out! They'll be such a fun addition to one of the pages in my album!
And while I had my sewing machine out, I created a little pocket with some of the scraps from the kit, just the right size for tucking in a journal card. For more details about how I created these pages, check out the video below.
How are you documenting your December? Have you started creating foundation pages? I'd love to hear how you're using your kit!
Hi everyone, Diane here with another dose of Christmas cheer for you! I literally can't wait to get started on my own December album this year but until then, I don't have any holiday projects to play with. So I asked my friends if anyone needed any help finishing up their albums instead!
My friend Mel had a couple of pages from her 2018 album left to do so she sent me some photos and the stories that go with them and I whipped up a couple of 6x8 pocket pages for her, using the Christmas Stories kit.
The first page was super simple, I printed a 6x8 photo and then embellished the "blank" space in the photo with a couple of clusters of tags that I created by die cutting some of the patterned papers in the kit. This is a great way of using up some of those sample scraps you have left over. I added an eyelet to one of the tags and I added some ribbon from my stash to another as well. Adding those little details helps to create the sense of "real" tags, rather than just die cut pieces.
I added my title at the top using the Winter Wonderland Candy Cane Striped Puffy Alphabet Stickers and some alpha stamps from my stash. At the bottom, I typed Mel's story onto the paper before I due cut it. I mounted some of the tags with craft foam to give a little dimension and my last touch was to add a sprinkling of enamel dots.
For the second page, I printed the photo of Poppy at 6x4 and then used the digital version of one of the journalling cards in the kit so that I could add Mel's words before I printed it. Then I headed over to my Silhouette and used the BUILD A POINSETTIA cut file that comes with the kit, to create some very tiny Poinsettia embellishments. I used two different red patterned papers and added an extra set of petals to add extra dimension. I added an enamel dot to the centre of each one.
For the last 3x4 spot, I trimmed out a piece of patterned paper and then added my title with the same Candy Cane Striped alphas and some extra glitter alphas from my stash. Believe it or not, they came from a previous Citrus Twist Christmas kit from 2 or 3 years ago!
Thanks for stopping by today! Next month I'll be able to share with you an actual page from MY December album! I can't wait to get started!
Hi everyone, Diane here with a little dose of Christmas cheer for you!
One of the things I am most excited for this December, is watching my little nephew Jack enjoy his first holiday season. And I wanted to give my sister something simple and special to document it! So I put together this little base album using the Christmas Stories kit and a Life Crafted album. Literally all she'll need to do is add her photos and some stories and it will be done!
This title page went through a few different stages but in the end I kept it colourful and whimsical, just perfect for a little boy's first December. I adore those ornament stickers from Pink Paislee, I used some machine stitching to make them look like they were hanging there but you could just as easily draw some little strings on them.
I totally cheated and glued a strip of ribbon from my stash onto the page first and then used a second piece to create a perfect little bow. I didn't tie a single thing, everything is glued in place so it never comes undone!
Throughout the album, I used plain white 3x4 card stock pieces as place holders for photo. I kept the pages REALLY simple and without heavy theming because I have no idea what the photos will be about! I created my own photo corners with some of the Heidi Swapp die cut pieces and added a lot of stitching for texture and detail.
It wouldn't really be an album of mine if it didn't have sequins and if you can't at Christmas, when can you?! I created a sequin mix to coordinate with the kit, and then stitched it into a full page page protector. Added divisions stops all the sequins just sliding straight to the bottom of the page.
I kept the filler pages to a minimum but couldn't help adding a page filled with sweet treats. Stickers and die cuts made it so easy! And again, I filled the bottom portion of the divided page protector with the same sequin mix.
I love see-through elements in an album, gives you a little peek as to what is coming next. So I used one of the digital cut files that comes with the Christmas Stories kit to cut this candy cane stripe page and added a little colour with some stickers and enamel dots. I created a really simple filler card by cutting some scraps into banner shapes and layering them with craft foam. a few stickers and some stitching detail ties it into the rest of the album.
Here's a look at the process of putting this album together plus a walk through of the finish album at the end ...
Thanks for stopping by today! Next month I'll be showing you a couple of pages from a different album. I know it's only October but I'm happy to be Christmas crafting already!
Hi everyone! Krystal here with the very first look at my December Daily album for 2019! I'm so excited to share this with all of you, and I'm definitely getting revved up to start documenting the holiday season.
I knew that I wanted to keep my December Daily album very simple this year. The holiday season is so busy for all of us, and I've found that keeping my documenting simple makes me infinitely more likely to complete my album in a reasonable amount of time. That's why I was so excited to use the Christmas Stories kit and album for my 2019 DD. Having a kit to work from makes it so simple to put everything together!
Now, on to the actual album. I started with my title page, of course. I knew that I wanted it to be a full-size page outside of a pocket, and I knew that I wanted to use one of the gorgeous gold puffy Phrase Thickers. I chose Paper 8 from Pink Paislee's Together for Christmas as my background. I love the graphic nature of the black and white plaid, and I knew that I would be able to use both sides of the paper for my title and intentions page.
I added some of the adorable candy-cane stripe puffy Thickers from Heidi Swapp's Winter Wonderland collection to finish out my title and backed it with a strip of the Counting Down paper from Pebbles Merry Little Christmas collection. Then I finished off the page by adding some trims from my stash. I love how simple the page is , but that it still sets a fun tone for the rest of the album.
I also decided to create some really basic foundation pages. I used Paper 12 from Together for Christmas to number all of my days, then found coordinating papers from the kit to match each square number. I used a mix of Life CraftedPageProtectors to keep things interesting and added in a few pages outside of the pockets as well.
So far, nothing is adhered down yet, so I'll have lots of room to switch things up and move things around during December when I start adding my photos, journaling, and embellishments. I just wanted to have something in my album to give myself a starting point, and so that I didn't end up with blank-page paralysis.
I'm really happy with how my album is coming together so far, and I love how easily it was to put together using the Christmas Stories kit! The video below gives you a closer look at my process.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you are inspired to start planning your holiday album, and be sure to stop by the shop to pick up a Christmas Stories kit of your very own! 😊
We have our Christmas it 2019 and Halloween kits debuting on September 30, 2019, beginning at 10 p.m. PST. You'll be able to purchase them and have them ship bundled together with your Life Crafted kit subscription at no additional shipping charge.
Here are some sneaks for those of you who just can't wait. Enjoy!
Christmas Stories 2019 Sneak
I had fun putting this page together and sewing down the woodgrain paper on all four edges. Next came my Vicki Boutin Gesso. I playfully splattered globs of the gesso on the woodgrain. (The bow and button are from my stash.)
Here are peeks at 3 of the pages I've made so far: two in my black Life Crafted Album and one 8.5" x 11". This kit is perfect whether you do mini albums, Life Crafted pages, Project Life or scrapbooking.
I pulled out this adorable photo of my big sister and I when we were little. That was the first year I wasn't terrified of Santa and crying. There is loads of 12" x 12" pattern paper in this kit for those of you who love layering or who scrapbook.
Those puffy stickers (sigh). I love both the colorful icon stickers and the metallic gold puffy. They add nice dimension to the page.
Halloween 2019 Mini Kit
And now onto a little Halloween Mini Kit sneak! Of course, my charcoal mist had to come out for this page.
