One of the primary reasons for scrapbooking is preserving memories and traditions.  As I downloaded this beautiful kit named Simple Pleasures by SAS Designs (coming out soon), I was looking through some of the scanned photos I had in my computer and this one just jumped out at me.

This is me and my sisters on an Easter Sunday morning.  Another white space layout with lots of pretty elements.  This is such a beautiful kit!

I know that I’ve been a little MIA this past week and I’m sorry.  The end of football season and sick children have really been…well…kicking my tail for lack of a better description.

This weekend though, while I was caring for some of the sickies, I was able to do a little scrapbooking.  Simple stuff, but because of these beautiful papers, they turned out so pretty.  Here’s the one I want to show you…

(Papers Ana Flor’s Bothanicals)

Featuring none other than my beautiful 6 month old niece with that incredible smile I love so much!

This week I’m creating a layout based on my scrapbooking muse. As I asked myself what my inspiration is, I instantly knew the answer…all the children in my life.  Not just my sons (as you see frequently here) but my beautiful nieces as well.

So, this week’s tip is a simple encouragement.  Find what inspires you…both in scrapbooking and in life and focus on that this week when you are creating.

Here’s a pretty layout that I did of my niece sleeping while my sis was “wearing” her.

Kit: Hoot Do You Love? by 4 Shades of Blue!

This week I have a very ScrapHappy Giveaway surprise for all of you! If you have been longing to get that first baby book done of your precious little one and maybe even make some fun gifts for Grandparents for Christmas, I have an amazing offer for you.

I’m not going to post one of my own layouts because this one is all about you! If you have just had a baby, grandbaby or know someone who has, I’m sure you have some amazing photos! I’m also sure that most of you are finding that although it would be fabulous to have those photos magically appear in a book, the time required to really get that first baby book completed is overwhelming.  Let alone all the relatives that want their own copies.

Enter, Camie Designs‘ Your Birth Story Photobooks (one for boys and one for girls)!  Here, check it out for yourselves…

That’s right, I’ve been blogging for 3 years!  I started blogging on September 27th, 2006.  Today, I’m going to look back through these great years of blogging to point out lots of really great posts that you really should check out if you are a newer reader.

So, prepare for a crash course through A Frog In My Soup! Here’s just a sneak peek at the changes in the boys from then to now…

THEN…

(Kit: Artful Mess by 4 Shades of Blue)

NOW…

(Kit {Dream On} & Template {365 Bundle 2} by Sweet Tomato Designs)

At the end of this post, you’ll be able to see the incredible journey my sons have taken in the last 3 years in the form of a fun Blogoversary photo gallery.  Be sure to read on for all the highlight posts from the last three years! (more…)

As I sit at the airport preparing to board a flight headed to New York, there’s not a whole lot to share.  Like the little pop-up box told you, you can definitely follow me on twitter to get all the latest up to date details on my travels.  I do plan to post this evening about everything I see and do today!

In the meantime, instead of boring you with my airport experience (how exciting can they really be?), I thought I’d bless your day with just a little sugar and sweetness in the form of my absolutely, incredibly adorable niece who is now a waaaay too old 6 month old.

Both of these layouts were created using SAS Designs’ brand new Nature’s Garden kit!

Of course, I have to do a tip for the week if I feature a scrapbook layout…..today, it’s about creating a 2 Page layout.

Rarely, if ever, will you want to create only one page of something.  Every single scrapper I know wants to have a beautiful and coordinating layout for each page that is turned.  That does not mean that every single page in the book needs to be the same colors, theme or kit (though some have done that nicely as well)…but it does mean that for every single layout you make, you will want to create a coordinating 2nd page to go with it.

That idea is displayed perfectly with the 2 page layout that I featured above.  Honestly, I usually make one more elaborate page, with a matching simple page for the opposite side of the layout.  This time I went elaborate with both since I was using this gorgeous kit for SAS Designs’ CT.

Have a question or thought?  Feel free to leave a comment, I love talking to my readers!

It’s quickly turning into one of those weeks. Not horrible, but not great either. The kind of week where time is ultra limited and tiredness is the name of the game. Sooo, because we’re only at Tuesday of that particular type of week, I’m going to switch things up a little.

Today, I’m going to share my digi scrap layout and tip of the week. This week’s tip is just a few words about Photo Masks. First though, the layout…

(Using Autumn Harvest, a kit by 4 Shades of Blue Designs) (more…)

Remember the less is more tip from a week or so ago?  Well, believe it or not, because of the variety of artists and styles out there, you can make a “Scene” layout almost as easily as a very simple “less is more” layout.  Here’s an example:

(Kit: Nature’s Garden by Designs by Angel…Font: Liorah BT)

There are definitely a few more elements (or repeated elements) used in this layout and I had to use a technique called “extracting” to get the photo of my son (he had been sitting on a lounge chair eating an apple).  The technique is a little more advanced, but totally doable depending on the program you have.  If you have Adobe Elements (I have version 7) use the selection tool adding and subtracting until you have precisely the part of the image you want to use.

I wouldn’t do this for all my scrapbook pages, although if you were making a “Fairytale Story Album” as I call them, this would be the way to do it and the type of kit to do it with.

After I was done with the layout I found that perfect quote.  I personally like the quotes to look like they are part of the overall layout.  In this case, it never did quite blend completely, but the overall effect was nice and I enjoy looking at my sweet little guy eating his apple and watching the butterflies play in the light.

Happy Scrapping!

Well, it’s Labor Day, and I thought I’d let all of you know about some great new stuff over at Sweet ‘n Simple Design.  Don’t worry, I’ll keep this short and sweet!

I have recently added a “Choose Your Art” page.  This makes the design of your blog so perfect!  I work with some amazing designers, mainly digi scrap kit designers. Each one has their very own style and I’m adding new ones all the time.  Providing you with this page of choices gives you such a variety, and we have all been LOVING this feature.

Also, since I feature Digital Scrapbooking pages here often and you all seem to like them so much, I thought you might like to know that I offer Scrap for Hire as a professional service for those who just really need someone else to do it for them.  This is an amazing gift if you have a big event coming up for yourself or someone you love (anniversaries, weddings, new baby, Christmas, etc.).

This brand new service is one that I decided to offer as part of my Sweet ‘n Simple line of products since it is such a great way to serve moms.  Most of the same designers that I work with for my blog designs (listed on my Choose Your Art page) also work for this service.  There are literally hundreds of digital scrapbooking designers that allow Scrap for Hire use of their products though, so just let me know what the theme is and I’ll direct you to the products.

This service is a custom order.  Since each product is so different, I will give you a quote and invoice you through PayPal.   This service is also all-inclusive, meaning that you upload the photos and give me the journaling you want for certain pages and are actively involve in choosing the right theme/art, but that I do ALL the work for you from adding the photos to having the finished product shipped to you.  How cool is that?

Well, that’s all for now!

Ok, so this week I’m getting a little tired with all the running around we have to do from one boys practice to another.  And school hasn’t even started yet.  Whew!  Maybe exhausted is a better description!

So, while we wait for the new giveaway to go up (probably tomorrow), I thought I’d just show a fun layout that I don’t even have in the gallery!

This is Bug.  We were having a little family campout (well, they still slept in the house LOL) in our backyard, complete with Smore’s…this is what a 3 year old’s hands look like mixed with marshmallow, chocolate and a little dirt thrown in.

Kit: Little Leapfrogs Lisa & Lou (plus addon pack) by Meredith Cardall
Fonts: Elephant and Passions Conflict

Okay okay, so one little Tip for the week…

Don’t be afraid to layer papers, change their size, position them off center and/or at an angle or to put elements in between the paper layers.  Play with it, there are endless possibilities!