Life Documented with Nathalie

Hi there!
Nathalie with you today with a new post that is all about making the most out of your kits.  I am in love with the colors and feels of this month's Excursions and Add-On kits, plus all the new stamps and page protector configurations, so i decided to use up my kits to complete my April documenting in my family album, so let's get started:

My littles went on their first family vacation to Mexico (and of course i am building an album with their pictures for my sister, but stole a few for my album, too), so I pulled the Spencer Outline Alpha stamp set  to create the title for this page by stamping the letters on the patterned paper of the Excursions kit.  Once the letters were fussy cut, i used one of this month's subscriber cut files to cut the word Adventure in my Cameo.   For the other side,  the picture was blown to the page protector size,  here i just added a cluster of ephemera and sticker pieces from the kit and cut apart elements to balance the title.  Love how easy and fast this came together.

For this entry, i first printed one of the Digital TN papers to fit the size of the page protector, then also used the Digital PL cards to print the Currently card so that it could encase the 3x4 picture of my sister and niece in Mexico.  Clusters of stickers, ephemera and cut apart pieces were added around the picture.  For the other side of the entry, I pulled one of the new page protector configurations, and used the 4x6 card that comes in the Excursions kit as a base for the picture.   I used the PDF file (available with the Page protector purchase) to create the small journal card at the bottom of the page.   To finish the page, i added a cluster of embellishments and stamping -gotta love this month's stamps sets-.

For this page, i used the B side of the 4x6 card to create a layout about my baby's love for car rides.  The super cute ephemera piece was perfect to create the title, and ground the page.   I build my journaling spot by using the kit card, patterned paper and ephemera pieces.  For the next  layout, i chose  to create small triangle corners by cutting some of the patterned papers from the kit, layer them, and then stitch all around the frame.   I used a piece of vellum to create a pocket behind the picture - a tag was built to fit inside the pocket, and my lines of journal  were added here-.  I decide to pop the colors in the picture by using the Floral Element collection flowers to create the clusters of the page. 

The 3x8 card that is included in the Excursions kit was the perfect color to complement a previous layout, so i decide to create a cluster of cut apart elements and added a few stamped sentiments  around the picture.  A bit of washi tape was used to create the border for this page.   Love how easy it was to put this together, and create a complementary layout using the kit, and stamps.

The  new  3x4 page protectors were used to create a page all about our 19th anniversary selfie.   The picture was blown  to fit inside the page protector, and then a group of labels and embellishments were added at the top right corner.   I used the pockets to add a title/filler page and  added my lines of journal to the b-side of a card from the February kit.   A simple flag at the top corner of the filler card brings all the colors and page together.

You know you love a kit when you can make the ugly look cute, so i pulled a few pieces from the Excursions kit and paired it up with a subscriber cut file from April ( i think the patterned paper behind it is from April, too) and went about documenting a not so shining moment  for my daughter.  I used the colors in the card to work the rest of the colors in the spread.   I think the tropical vibrant colors help to make the page easier to bare (plus the holes in the hospital bracelet fit in the album rings... let's call it a win!)

This page was probably the easiest one to put together.  I pulled a tag  (the tags are available at the CTK shop), and punched the holes so that i can fit it in the album.  Then used my typewriter to write down about my need for a haircut.  Then pulled a few selfies of my last day with long hair and backed them with vellum, and one of the Excursions Kit cards.  Then pulled ephemera from the kit, as well as the Floral collection flowers and embellishments from the Add-On kit to embellish the page and add the title.   Super easy to put together, and love how it turned out.

For my last pages ( let's just say i have at least 25 layouts in my April Life Crafted album) of this post - i have kept you long enough-   I chose to first use that beautiful script patterned paper as the base for my layout.   I have been loving the orange/teal color combo and used it here to balance the cluster of ephemera at the top of the picture to the large title/journal spot at the bottom of the page.  And them i used the other side of  the tag to create a layout about my son and I.  I used a circle as the repeating element -This is Life stamp set and Excursions Kit ephemera- for this page, then just added a few more embellishments and a few lines of journal to complete the page.

I hope this has inspired you to use up your Excursions kits and document your everyday moments. I love TN journaling, but slowly my Life Crafted albums are  also filling up with memories of our everydays.   Remember to check the kits, stamps, page protectors and albums in the CTK shop, and do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

XO

Sunday Sketch with Nathalie

Hi there!

Nathalie with you today with this week's Sunday Sketch.  I am always amazed at how easy it is to complete a layout when you use a sketch as inspiration, and this week's sketch is sure to be one that can be adapted in many ways.  But before i showed you what i created, let me show you what my inspiration is:

It is such a fun and layered design that i used to create 2 layouts one for my Life Crafted album, and this layout:

I love the double picture feature of the sketch, so i pulled a few pictures of my weird daughter's selfie poses and created a page using this month's Add-on kit.

It all started with a bit of mixed media on the background using Pinkfresh Studio watercolors that you can find in the CTK shop.  I picked colors that would match the papers in the kit.  While the background dried, i worked on the paper layers by following the sketch.

To embellish the page, i pulled pieces from the add-on kit  -love all the Crate Paper's "All Heart" collection goodies included in the kit"- cut apart elements and pieces from the Excursions kit.  

The sketch calls for strips of paper to be stitched to the top and bottom of the page, i kept the bottom as in the sketch, but chose to rip a bit of the top to create a small slit in the layout, and bring some extra paper from the add-on kit to the page.   To finish, i added my lines of journal and  some extra stamping using the add-on stamp set.  The following video will show you how it all came together:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCZV-4PA1no&feature=youtu.be



Love all the color and distress of the page, but now i want to show you how i used the sketch to create a page on my Family album:

For this page, i flipped the sketch so that it would fit the album.    To start, i decided to replace the stitched paper strips with a detailed edging  (i used an Altenew border die for this), and to use one of the TN Digital papers for the one side of the page -this way i can have my lines of journal printed along with the paper-.

I used pieces from the EXCURSIONS kit to create my title and the small cluster you see on the top right corner of the sketch.  To create the small cork chevron, i cut one of the cork stickers from the Excursions kit and add it as a marker on the page.

I kept the layers and position of the pictures as it is marked on the sketch.   Love having all those colorful papers in the Excursions kit that mix and match easily on this page.  To embellish, i pulled repetitive elements to that they create a visual triangle with the title.  A few drops of black ink (even on my album!)  complete the page.

I hope this inspires you to pick up a copy of the sketch and create a project of your own in your favorite memory keeping format.  Remember to share with us what you create, we love to be inspire by you.

XO