Simple Stories

Cruisin'... Urban Traveler Style

Monday Greetings to all of you!  Shellye with you to kick off the two week reveal of projects made with the Simple Stories Winter CHA Releases: Vintage Bliss, Urban Traveler and 24/Seven. 

Today I'm sharing a couple of things that I made for the CHA show using Urban Traveler.  I'm not much of an 'urban traveler' myself, but my parents take 1-2 cruises a year, so they were the inspiration for this little mini album :)

As you can see, I took a tabbed chipboard album and covered the fronts and backs with the assorted patterned papers in the collection.  For the wave on the front I used an acrylic template by Kiwi Lane.

I like adding a 'mat' to the background paper...I also distressed all of the paper edges with a bit of walnut ink.  Keep in mind how you'd like to display your bulky embellishments so that when the pages are closed, they lay as flat as possible.

I just had to use the camera image found on one of the journal cards, so I trimmed it away from the background before attaching it to the page!  The small alpha stickers are the perfect size for adding a small title to mini albums.

It's also nice to have a space where some journaling and dating can be added.  The new collections are loaded with so many fun and interactive pieces to help bring your creation to life!  Simple Stories has really given us a treat with chipboard pieces, layered stickers and decorative brads...endless fun!

URBAN TRAVELER SUPPLIES: Fundamentals Cardstock Stickers; Expression Cardstock Stickers; You Are Here Paper #2905; Jet Set Paper #2906; Pack Your Bags Paper #2908; Let's Go Paper #2909; 3x4 Journaling Card Elements #2910; 4x6 Vertical Journaling Card Elements #2912; Navy Dots/Ledger Paper #2918; Red Arrows/Arrow Dots Paper #2919; Green Chevron/Dictionairy Paper #2920; Orang Stripes/Map #2921

Next, I have a quick card made with one of the journaling cards (these things make card-making super easy!) and a couple of paper scraps leftover from the mini album.

I couldn't help but outline one of the waves in a denim and white baker's twine!  To do so, I like to use a ballpoint glue pen...sticks just perfectly.  For the sun I added a little pop by punching the cog shape and then adding a button to the center.  It was that quick and easy!

URBAN TRAVELER SUPPLIES: Pack Your Bags Paper #2908; Green Chevron/Dictionairy Paper #2920; 4x6 Journaling Card Elements #2912; Expression Cardstock Stickers #2903

So, as I mentioned, for the remainder of this week and next week, the Design Team will be bringing you samples of their projects created for CHA...I can't wait to see what everyone has done with Vintage Bliss, Urban Traveler and 24/Seven!  I hope you enjoy too :)

Project Life In a Sn@p!

Whew! What a busy year this has turned out to be! I was so excited to do Project Life (the concept begun by Becky Higgins) for 2012, but I chose not to purchase any "kits" as I figured I could just whip it together myself. True, that worked pretty well having a great line on Simple Stories products. But by spring I had fallen way behind, and in the summer I had to pack all my supplies up for a move. So, when I found myself with some (albeit limited) time and creative energy last week, I decided to try to play a little catch up. I turned to my box of Sn@p thinking there just might be some great Project Life tidbits in there... and boy was I right! 

The 4x6 paper pads could not have been more perfect for my weekly page layout. I started with one piece from the "Snappy Days" pack which has great little monthly and daily cards inside. I also pulled out the set of "Snappy Sayings" because I was working on a week with very few photos. So, some slots were going to have no pictures. Here's how my Weekly title page worked out:

Look at how versatile all these sets are!

Yes, they all come in a single package! These too...

Next, I worked on my two slots with photos. 

 

I love the neutrality of the 6x6 paper patterns but created with great, fun colors! In addition to the sticker icon pack, I also added some labels. 

Yup, all come in a single pack! Lastly, I worked on my sub-title slot and journaling. Pulling the letter stickers pack back out, I just added a sub-title to the pre-printed card and it was quick and easy.

The 2x3 card packs are also sheer perfection. A little card plus a trimmed piece from the 6x6 pack and I had a perfect journaling spot. 

 

I put it all together in an 10x12 divided page protector and it looks like this:

All together, this layout took me 40 minutes to sn@p together. Now I have hope that I might actually finish Project Life 2012 before the end of 2013 ;) . Seriously though, if you have fallen behind, just grab some Sn@p Studio and have fun. You'll be caught up in no time! 

 

Having Fun with Sn@p!

Hi Simple Stories friends!  It's Kellie here today, and I am having tons of fun playing with the new SN@P line.  I am in love with all the bright fun colors and my favorite piece of the collection (if I had to choose just one favorite) would be the stickers.  And SN@P is now available!  Well I could talk all day about SN@P... but onto the project.

      I know it's a little early for teacher gifts, but the project today goes along with another project I have planned at the end of the month.  During the day I have the privilege of working at a elementary school and everyday I get to work with a lot of amazing teachers.  I am always on the look out for cute gifts to give my kid's teachers at the end of the year, and here is what I came up with..

 It is actually a 3D apple.  I made the stand out of  a wooden circle plaque with a dowel attached to the center of the plaque.  The apple slides over top of the dowel so the apple album can spin around.  I painted the stand dark brown and covered the dowel with Brown Mini Dot paper and added a sticker at the bottom from the Sn@p Life sticker sheet.  I tied it together with some jute twine to hold the pages back and added a Sn@p pocket to hold a note or a gift card.

Once you untie the twine it opens up into a little 3D apple album.  I used a svg file to cut out the apple, but you could certainly make your own pattern to cut the pieces out.  I cut out 14 large apples (7 3/4 x 7 3/4) and 14 small apples (6 3/4 x 6 3/4).  For the large apples I used Red Dot, Red Mini Dot, Green Dot, and Green Mini Dot paper.  The little apples were cut from the Sn@p Life 6x6 Pad.

After you cut all your apple pieces out you need to score the apples down the center and fold them in half.  I distressed the edges of the large apples and inked the edges of the small apples.

Next is the core of the apple, this is what holds the album together.  I used 3 sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 Kraft cardstock (you can use any type of cardstock).  I cut the cardstock into 14 strips 2 inches wide, and I scored them down the center.

The strips need to be folded in half

Then you take the strips and glue them together back to back.  I just start stacking them on top of each other gluing them one at a time.  I really like to glue them good, because this is what holds it together. 

After your core is all glued together, you can start adding the apple pages.  Basically it is just a repeat of what you did with the strips, but you are gluing the apple pages back to back and to the core strips.  Once I have all the large apples glued in, I like to add the small apple pages.

 Next is the fun part... decorating the pages!  The Sn@p 6x6 pads work really great for this project.  The little cards fit perfectly in this album.  To show you a few example pages I used some of my kids school photos, the small wallet photos work great.

There is enough room where each child could write a sweet message to their teacher.

I hope you enjoyed the project today, and now you need to go and get some SN@P! 

Simple Stories Products used:

SN@P! Pockets-Just the basics #4013

SN@P! Stickers-Labels #4019

SN@P! Stickers-Letters#4020

SN@P! Stickers-Icons #4018

SN@P! Pockets- Just the basics #4013

SN@P! Life Basics 6x6 pad #2823

SN@P! Life 6x6 pad #2801

SN@P! Color Vibe

Red Dot #2828

Red Mini Dot #2829

Green Dot #2832

Green Mini Dot #2833

Simple Stories Flashback // "Awesome" Collection: The One

Hi All!!  Wendy here to take you back "ol' skool" to a much-loved collection released earlier by Simple Stories....the "Awesome" Collection!  This collection is simply & stylish perfection for those guys - young, old, and middle of the road (ha!) - in your life! Also, there are some coordinating stamps over at Unity Stamps for the Awesome collection here.

I love this collection even better with the addition of the 6x8 Mix & Match album pages.  I'm planning to work this first layout into creating an on-going 6x8 Mix & Match for my boyfriend, Enzo.  The great & simple style to these pages, make it workable and ready to go.

Plus, I've said it once, and again....Simple Stories just cross mixes well among collections!  

Here is my 6x8 layout using one of the 6x8 Mix & Match pages in the Awesome collection, layout titled "The One".

I used a banner border sticker from the sticker sheet in this collection for the top of the page.  Also, I added in some dimensional embellishing for texture and depth.

All lovers' of Washi tape! Well, Simple Stories has some stickers on the sticker sheet in this collection that resembles Washi tape.  Here I used the green houndstooth "Washi" sticker on the ticket stub.

Have you grabbed up some Sn@p yet?! Well, I'm in major fanatic love with the letter stickers!  

Here I mixed up the "tone on tone" letter stickers that match with the background paper.  All the proof here that the 2 collections match together - Sn@p + Awesome!

Talk about stretching your stash!! :)

Hope you enjoyed my Simple Stylish 6x8 layout!

You can grab up the Awesome collection + Sn@p (now available) over at 2 Peas here, here & here (for those Sn@p letter stickers). 

Simple Stories: Awesome Collection

This & That - 6x8 Journal Scrapbook Pages - Awesome Collection #2014

Fundamentals Cardstock Stickers - Awesome Collection #2202

Sn@p Colllection

Sn@p Letter Stickers #4020

Other: Wood Veneer Shapes - Studio Calico (banner shapes, man icon, stars, arrows), Metal Gears, Journaling Ticket - Advantus - Tim Holtz, Stamps - Studio Calico ("man, i love you"), Ink - Clearsnap Colorbox - Fluid Chalk Ink - Pumpkin Spice, Olive Pastel, Ink - Ranger - Archival Ink - Jet Black, Rubons - Jenni Bowlin

a layout and a journal to take along

Hi everyone, Natasja here.

While rather impatiently waiting for the box of Sn@p! to go through customs I have been playing with the other amazing lines, like Harvast Lane :)

 

The pictures on this layout are snap shots I made using Instagram (natasjaverbeek - if you would like to follow me). I love to play with all the amazing photo apps on my iphone and only incidentally use my camera now a days.

Since those two look so cute on these pictures I printed them straight away to use on a layout. I grabbed Harvest Lane since I think the colors match great!

Here are some more detail shots

 

 items used for the Harvest Lane collection:

Wood/Tablecloth #2616
Teal Dot/Ledger #2617
Red Floral/Antique Dots #2618
Green Stich/Grid #2620
Bingo Card/Yellow Floral #2621 

12x12 Fundamental Cardstock Stickers #2602 

 

Ater I had finished this layout I grabbed the Documented Mix & Match 6x8 Album (#2000) I still had. Took out the papers and filled it with the Take a Hike Sn@p! pages (#2522).

Since we are heading for a camping trip next week I want to have a travel journal to take along but not to much other stuff to go with it. To make it as each as possible to work on during this trip I adhered the biggest Pocket from the Take a Hike Sn@p! Pockets (#2523) on the inside cover and slide the cut up 12x12 Expression Cardstock Stickers (#2503) right in there, ready to use.

 

The rest of the pockets I slided in to one of the page protectors so I can put them in place during the trip, ready to add some fun memorables. 

 

Also added to that pocket will be the Take a Hike Flash Cards (#2509) and the Take a Hike Signature Elements (#2510). Those are also already cut into pieces.

 

Next to this album I will bring along some glue, a black and white marker, a mini stapler and maybe one or two rolls of whasi tape....o and not to forget, my Iphone to take the pictures with! I am planning to come back with an (almost) finished album for which I only have to print and add my pictures. 

I will make sure to show you all the result in a next blogpost!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope I have inspired you a little :)

Simple Harvest & Holiday Fun

Thursday Greetings!  Shellye with you today to share a couple of fun projects using Handmade Holiday and Harvest Lane. 

Don't you just love the warm color palette of Harvest Lane?  Simple Stories has perfectly captured the feeling of the Autumn Harvest with this collection.  I've had this photo of my daughter set aside to scrap for some time now...this collection is a wonderful back-drop for it:

I love the artwork on the large SN@P pocket and used it as the inspiration for beginning the layout.  For texture, I added felt flowers, jute twine and a fabric strip sewn into a scallop.  I tucked in cardstock stickers here and there and added the FALL banner to complete the grouping. 

 Harvest Lane Supplies:

• SN@P Pockets| #2623
• Teal Dot/Ledger Paper| #2617
• Homemade Happiness Paper| #2607
• 4x6 Journaling Card Elements #2| #2611
• 12x12 Expression Cardstock Stickers| #2603
• 12x12 Fundamental Cardstock Stickers| #2602

 Now let's have a little fun with Handmade Holiday!

The 3x4 SN@P Cards are too cute!  Each are a piece of artwork that can stand alone.  My first thought was to create ornaments with the cards bearing the different icons, but I ended up with this sweet mini chipboard album.

The beauty of a project like this is that it can be put together quickly...you don't need a lot of additional embellishments because the cards are just that cute! In beginning, I selected the cards that I wanted to use and then cut a piece of chipboard just a bit smaller to sandwich between the two pieces. 

I layered different cardstock stickers, using thin and thick foam dots to bring various elevations.  And a snowflake just isn't a snowflake without a bit of iridescent glitter :)  I found a spool of mini holly leaves with berries at Hobby Lobby...I snipped off a couple of the leaves and tucked them under the red heart button.  On the ring I twisted on a couple of 'pine' stems.

 

 A little trick that I like to use on chipboard based mini albums is to outline the edge in a baker's twine or yarn...helps to hide the ragged edges and looks so pretty too!  For this I've found that a ball-point glue pen works best.

As you can see, it doesn't take much extra embellishing to make the pages come to life!  And if you don't have a sewing machine, or prefer not to machine stitch your pages, simply hand-stitch a few X's here and there...still captures that homespun feel.

Another idea that came to mind after putting this together was to give this as an actual Christmas card!  Have members of your family sign the different pages (adding their own sentiments or memories)...what grandmother wouldn't love such a gift!?!

 Handmade Holiday Supplies:

•  3x4 SN@P Cards| #2726
• 6x6 Paper Pad| #2701
• 12x12 Fundamental Cardstock Stickers| #2702
• 12x12 Expressions Cardstock Stickers| #2703

With Simple Stories products you can make your own unique gifts this holiday season!  I've enjoyed sharing with you today...thanks for coming by!

So Very Thankful Mini

Good morning everyone! I'm here today to share the beginning of my "So Very Thankful" mini album. Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect about everything we're thankful for, and for me, to recap everything we did the year prior. I combined both of those ideas into my mini and is my second year capturing my yearly moments and thanks this way.

I used a combination of Harvest Lane Sn@p pages and divided page protectors, adding in Harvest Lane 4x6 journaling card inserts and papers cut to size.

On this page, I added a Harvest Lane Sn@p pocket to hide some journaling- "10 Things I'm Grateful For". I plan on adding a lot more of these throughout the album as it gets put together. The other side is a spread about my son and all the changes he's gone through this past year.

Next up is a page for my goofy husband and, beside it, an insert about my extended family.

I kept most of these pages and inserts really simple- the focus is really on the story. This is what makes Simple Stories so great- all their collections make this so easy and it comes together so quickly!

I couldn't resist using this page to show a funny picture of my husband and I from way back in middle school. I'm really thankful we managed to bump back into each other 7 years later!

This page is a great example of how easy this mini is- I just cut the 4x6 card in the top section, added my journaling, and that was all it took. I could have embellished it a bit more, but as I said, this mini is more about the story.

I even utilized the backside of the card- it shows through to the other side of the page protector. It saves paper, helps me fill some space, and adds a cute sentiment to echo the theme of the mini.

This is as far as I've gotten into my mini but plan to keep adding throughout the next few months. At the very end, I'll include photos from our Thanksgiving and then it will be time to break out the December Daily!

I hope you enjoyed that little peek into my album! Are you working on a grateful mini this year?

Products Used:

Harvest Lane Collection Kit #2600

Harvest Lane 6x6 Paper Pad #2601

Harvest Lane Simple Basics Kit #2624

Harvest Lane Sn@p! Pages #2622

Harvest Lane Sn@p! Pockets #2623

6x8 Sn@p! Binder - Brown #4005

Multi Pack Pocket Pages #2001

 

{Simply} Perfect

{Simply} Perfect

 

Don't you just love having the smaller versions of Simple Stories fabulous collections in a 6x6 paper pad?  Guiseppa here to share with you why I love the 6x6 paper pads from Simple Stories.

If you are anything like me, sometimes you just hate to cut into that wonderful piece of 12x12 paper just for a small part of the paper.  That is why I love the 6x6 paper pads.  I am going to share with you a mini album I made and I made it all by using the paper from the Fall Harvest 6x6 paper pad.  I made a 6x6 album...perfect for my mini album.

As you can see...I have been using the 6x6 paper pad to cover the pages of my album.

Some of the little embellishments on these pages are also cut out from the 6x6 paper pad.

This cute journaling tag was made from the 6x6 paper pad too!

So, that is why the 6x6 paper pad is simply perfect for your crafting needs!  Thanks for stopping by today!

 

Supplies Used

Harves Lane:

4x6 Journaling Card #2610

6x6 Paper Pad #2601

Expressions Cardstock Stickers # 2603

Flash Cards #2609

Snap Pockets #2623

Mix & Match Album: Take the Journey {Part 2 of 2}

 

Hello All!  Wendy here to inspire you & share up the rest of my "Take the Journey" album previously shared up in Part 1 of 2 here.

I'm sure you all are loving the new releases from Simple Stories revealed up at the past CHA summer show and two of those collections were Harvest Lane and Take a Hike!  I worked with both of these collections on my project and actually combined them both in this project share titled "Take the Journey". Both collections speak together in colors, patterns, and also shows you how well the Simple Stories concept works in documenting the journey in the page protector format in a cohesive way!  Many times I'll grab & cross mingle collections in one project and they are just always "on-point" in matching up!

In this project I used the elements of Simple Stories along with random bits of lots of stamping and details to highlight the theme and mood of the album...a masculine blend with the outdoorsy. Hope that makes sense! :)

A bit into this album.....My boyfriend, Vincenzo (Enzo for short), is Italian and lives in Austria and he is quite the adventurous with skiing, fishing, scuba diving, an amazing "green thumb" in growing roses, and just enjoying the outdoors and quite just the landscape seeker. So, in essence, these collections were the perfect backdrop in putting together my album plus the colors are pretty magical for autumn too!  He's coming to visit me in November here in the States where I live on the Gulf of AL, so I'm sure more adventures... :)

Also, the 6x8 Mix & Match Simple Stories albums are just perfection for weekend trips, sweet journeys new & old, and capturing the everyday.   

Oh, and Sn@p will be bringing that into an entire new level of cool.ness.

Get ready. 

So, without further chatter chatter from me....

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the peek into my album & I'll tag back this weekend to answer your questions (I saw a few in the Part 1 of 2 post) & such in your comments (along with the posting of the supply list)!  

Yes, I use lots of product...but it's how I roll.... :)

A {Simple} Mini in a Sn@p!

Aren't You just super excited to get your hands on the new Sn@p products?  Guiseppa here, to share with you a cute, simple and easy mini you can create using the Sn@p 3x4 Cards.  Let's have a look at these beauties!

 

You can use these cards to create any type of mini.  I made an evelope box mini and I used the Handemade Holiday 3x4 Sn@p Cards.

Look how perfectly they fit into these envelopes!  Now, you can dress up these 3x4 cards with pictures too.

What Simple, but sweet album and it was a Sn@p to make.  It's so easy with the new Sn@p Collection.  Thanks for stopping by today!

 

Simple Stories Supplies:

3X4 Sn@p Cards #2726

6x6 Paper Pad #2701

Fundemental Cardstock Stickers #2702

Expression Cardstock Stickers #2703