New Year - new PageMaps Calendar

We hope everyone had a safe and joyous Christmas and New Year.  We have a brand new PageMaps calendar available in the store.  We can't speak highly enough about this calendar. There is so much inspiration and the sketches are so easy to follow and interpret whatever way you desire.

We worked with the 'Snowed In' collection from Carta Bella. Here is how the Design Team has interpreted this sketch:

Lorena's Take:

I create a Reverse Negative with my title. What that means is: using a die cutter, I cut my title and used the base sheet or negative as your title and put scraps of paper underneath to give dimension and interest.





















Sarah's Take:
I used the new Tim Holtz snowflake die that I picked up at Aunt Em's just before Christmas (Merry Christmas to ME!). It's super easy to use and add a great embellishment to any winter themed page!

Come check out the 2013 PageMaps calendar and these layouts and many more in person at Auntie Em's!

That 70s Show

I really like Echo Park!  This month we use the Life is Good collection.  This pattern fit really well with the 70s feel of the picture that I've been wanting to scrap for some time.  I actually followed this month's PageMaps pretty closely.  I did however forget to leave room for my title...

This month's challenge was distressing, a technique I rarely use, but worked well for this month's layout.  I used Versa Color in brown around the circles and around my photo mat (but I forgot to put in on my vertical pattern band and should have put some on the light coloured flowers).

I added the large flowers, simply because I could!  I have a hard time using flowers on layouts that feature my son.  I know I can, people do it all the time and I like it, but it never looks right when I do it.  Perhaps that should be a future personal challenge for me... (not likely!!)

It's Not Halloween

I would never pretend like I'm 'on time' in my scrapbooking. But really, I'm not that far behind (that being said, I estimate that I probably have like 60 layouts to do to 'catch up' - totally doable!)

However, I did complete a summer scrapbooking challenge in June, July and August in which I finished 61 pages. 4 of those pages are my little guy Sam's 2011 Halloween. So when I saw the paper the design team was getting for the October layout, the Whoo-ligans collections by Bo Bunny,  

my heart sank just a little bit. What on earth was I going to use for pictures?!

Lucky for me, I came across pictures of Sam with his Green Lantern glasses that he got as part of a McDonald's Happy Meal a few months ago and a crown from one of his board games. For some reason, Sam LOVES those glasses.



I based my layout on the October sketch of the PageMaps 2012 calendar. I quite like this sketch because it allowed me to use a border punch, one of my favourite scrapbooking tools. I also created dimension by using foam squares and orange ribbon on a border piece.



I created my pocket by using a scrap piece of red paper and added faux-stitching. I cut a slightly small piece of white cardstock and used Black Soot Distress Ink around the edges. I used this piece as my journalling box.



Finally, I added a frame sticker from the collection but I used foam squares to add dimension.

This layout turned out a lot better than I thought it would. I'm pretty happy with this one! Come check it out in person at Auntie Em's and complete your own layout based on the October sketch to potentially win a prize!


Happy scrappin'!

Captain America

This was a hard for me this month.  My biggest challenge was that I had no Halloween photos.  I begged my son to let me take photos of him, and still, it ended up costing me $10.  And after all that, I realized that the outfit really didn't match the paper.  

This month we needed to created a pocket.  I kept it very simple, I used my mat for my pocket.  I just used my two-way tape all around, except where I inserted my journaling.  We also had to use stickers, I only used one, but I added Glossy Accents, and thread.  I also added a little punch to the pattern paper with Stickles. 

Your October Page Maps sketch challenge

Look what your Auntie Em's design team has put together with the Bo Bunny Whoo-ligans collection!  Based on the October sketch from the Pagemaps calendar.  Your challenge is to create a POCKET!

Lets see how each DT member has integrated a pocket into their layout.

Lorena's Take(s):

Stephanie's Take:
I struggled with my layout this month.  I wasn't thinking outside the box, I had a hard time figuring out how to use the stickers, how to create a pocket and I had no Halloween pictures. 

Sarah's Take:

I had already scrapbooked all my Halloween pictures from last year so I decided to use pictures of my little guy dressing up as Green Latern. I made a pocket with faux-stitching and used it to hide my journalling.

Nancy's Take:

I guess the October layout challenge inspired me more then usual and I was able to create a double page spread. Our challenge was to make a pocket. I actually started out by printing the burger pic of gaby and cutting it out. I was playing with the cutout and making her peek a boo out of the pocket and that's where the title came from.


You can play along for a chance to win a FANTASTIC prize from Auntie Em's Scrapbooking, all you need to do is create a layout based on the sketch utilizing a pocket with product purchased from Auntie Em's.  Simply bring your layout into the store for viewing.

You will NOT be disappointed with the prize that is available to be won!

It Happens

I love PageMaps! Ever since my friend Natalie introduced me to the site, I've used their sketches as inspiration for my layouts. I really like the layouts from the 2012 PageMaps calendar...except for September's. Yeah, I'm saying it out loud: I did not like the September sketch. But I marched forward anyway and created this layout:

The collection used to create this layout is Hello Fall! by Little Yellow Bicycle, aka my favourite scrapbooking company. I used a die cut available with the collection and cut 2 more circles and placed them on the page slightly overlapped. I added the orange transparency on the right side of the page. Transparency pieces are usually available with every LYB collections. I love them because they aren't your typical embellishment.

I cropped my pictures and sanded the edges with a file.  I also create a journalling piece by using a piece of chipboard and covering it with yellow cardstock. The cardstock was a bit too yellow so I used Old Paper Distress Ink to tone it down. I added a piece of brown rickrack ribbon and some buttons.

 

The technique this month was to create our own title. I followed the instruction in the PageMaps calendar for the month of September. It was an easy technique and worked pretty well. I cheated a bit by using a transparency available with the collection.

I'm going to say something a little controversial: I don't really like my layout. Yeah, I said it. Maybe it was inevitable because I wasn't a fan of the sketch. I usually like everything I create because, as I've said many times, scrapbooking for me is about the memories. Art has very little to do with scrapbooking for me.

I used to be bothered when I created a layout that I wasn't pleased with. I've been guilty of redoing more than a few layouts because I didn't like the end result. Now, I see things a little differently. A while ago, I went to a crop and my friend Andréanne was there. Another friend made a comment that she didn't like her layout. Andréanne's reply: "It happens." I loved her nonchalant response! Really, she was right, it does happen. No big deal. You need to move on.

It was a great scrapbooking lesson to learn!

Happy scrappin'!

 

Why, Hello Fall!

That's right it's Fall .... well almost.  The kids are back in school, the air is crisp and your Auntie Em's Design Team has been hard at work with the Hello Fall collection from Little Yellow bicycle.  The theme this month is to make your own title for your layout.  Using the PageMaps calendar the girls have come up with these various takes:

Lorena's Take: "We Love The Fall"

Sarah's Take: What Autumn?

I made my own title by following the instructions in the PageMaps calendar. It was really easy and I was happy with the results!

Stephanie's Take: 

I'm not very good at drawing, and I have terrible hand writing, so I decided to use button to create half of my title, the other half, I cheated and used my Cricut.  

Nancy's Take: 

What a perfect opportunity to create a thanksgiving page with such beautiful fall paper. I loved the sketch cause it used a bunch of images and allowed me to get lots of pictures into just one page.

I decided to get fancy with making my own title and used some chipboard letters I already had and traces them on raw chipboard and cut them out then I roughed up the edges drew some stitching and inked them as well. Love love love the result.



Remember you can play along too, there are fantastic prizes up for grabs each and every month at Auntie Em's when you bring in your layout inspired by the PageMaps sketch - this month be sure to make your own Title!

Let us know what you think!

Pretty Girl

For this months design team layout, I once again used pictures of my niece.  She is usually my subject of choice when I have girly paper, or embellishments to use.  It also helps that she enjoys getting her picture taken, unlike my son who either makes a silly face or places his hands in front of it.  

This month the PageMaps challenge is to create a Flag or Pendant on your layout based on the August PageMaps sketch from the Scrapbook & Cards Today calendar.  I couldn't figure out where to put the chipboard bird, so I decided to use it to create my flag.  I wanted it to look like he was holding one end of the tread and wrapped the other end around the wooden buttons.  I guess it's not really a flag in the traditional sense, but hey... scrapbooking isn't about being traditional and always following the rules.  

  
A little iridescent embossing on the chipboard letters and of course some stickles on the pink flowers of the pattern paper, and voila... Done!

August PageMaps Challenge - Songbird style

Have you noticed how flags and pendants are popping up everywhere in scrapbooking?  This month the PageMaps challenge is to create a Flag or Pendant on your layout based on the August PageMaps sketch from the Scrapbook & Cards Today calendar. 
Check out what your Auntie Em's Design Team did using the Songbird collection from Prima Marketing.

If you want to play along for an amazing Auntie Em's prize - simply bring your layout to Auntie Em's before the end of August.

Stephanie's Take: Pretty Girl

I kept it pretty simple this month, letting the photos of my niece be the main focus of this page.  I didn't want embellishments to take over, a simple title, wooden buttons, and my version of a flag was just enough.

Sarah's Take: Mother's Day

Flags are easy and fun to make. I cut a few strips of paper and used a square punch on the end. Then, using liquid glue, I wrapped the other end around a toothpick. I love that an embellishment that took 5 minutes to make can add so much to a layout.


Nancy's Take: Too Cute

When I saw the paper I knew right away what photos I wanted to use. I love it when it's obvious what the page will become. I used the flag in the title and I had a leftover pin from one of the last challenges that went just perfectly on the layout. I simply wrote TOO in brown pen and drew some stitching around it wrapped it around the pin and voila "too cute"

Lorena's Take: "SMORE'S"

I turned the sketch on it's side and created a unique title with the ticket shaped alphabets with this collection.  I used both colour and sepia photos together on this layout to capture the moment of my daughter's Smore's experience - pure love!

Watch this blog every week for more close up's and details about each layout.  You can see each of these layouts displayed at Auntie Em's for the entire month of August.

Double Trouble

I love the look of a well planned and balanced double page layout.  However most of the double page sketches that are out there have too many photos for my liking.  This months pagemap challenge had just two photos on it, which is great.  But I had three photos that I wanted to use. So... I stretched the sketch into a double page.  And using a technique that I saw on "Live With Prima" a few weeks ago, of building your double pages at the same time (can't believe I've never done that before) I thought I would give it a try.  Well I must say it came together very quickly and it does hold it's balance and continuity well.

I didn't put a title on my page (I may later) but I have dubbed it Cake Face.  These are photos of my son at his first birthday party and the next day when we were just hanging out at the local garage getting the oil changed in the car - he wanted to climb in those stacked tires so bad!

Using the Little Yellow Bicycle collection called Saturday's made it so easy to make a boy layout (or two) and the theme of this month's challenge is to use stamping on your layout to create your own embellishments.  I did just that with the previously naked chipboard circles and stars, and I also stamped and fussy cut (I know what were you thinking Lorena?!) a 'little yellow bicycle' .... psst it's actually a Prima stamp!  On some of the chipboard I did three layers of stamping - see the first photo where I did stamping and embossing on top of embossed background on top of a brick wall stamp.


You too can participate in this challenge, simply bring your layout based on the sketch to Auntie Em's scrapbooking by the end of the month and make sure you use stamping somewhere on your layout to enter!  There's going to be prizes!!!


Hope you enjoyed,


~Lorena~

July PageMaps Challenge - Your Design Team - Stamping

July is upon us and your Auntie Em's Design Team has been put to the challenge of using the July PageMaps sketch and using stamps to make your own embeslishments.  Featuring the Little Yellow Bicycle collection "Saturdays".  Here is what your design team girls have come up with!

Sarah's take:

I like to use stamps to as accents. On this layout, I used a stamp to create the 'Love' title. I stamped on a scrap piece from the Saturday collection and then used scissors to create my very own personalized die cut. I also stamped on chipboard that I first covered with Glimmer Mist. Finally, I stamped the words 'Consider yourself hugged' on the bottom of the journaling box.


Lorena's Take:

I decided to switch it up this month and convert the one page layout into a double! I used various stamps to add layers to my chipboard pieces including several Prima Marketing stamps and My Mind's Eye .  Infact my "little yellow bicyle" is a Prima stamp too!  Although I have not put a title on this layout, I've been calling it "Cake Face" if you read the journaling - you will see why! 

Stephanie's Take:

For this challenge I decide to stamp on the chipboard stars.  I don't like stamping directly on my pages because I usually end up messing it up.   Although the stars don't look like I had imagined they would, they actually turned out better.  For Instagram users out there, the photos were printed after being processed with Instagram and a little editing with Photoshop, because the photos are square, online printing wants to make them 4x6. Check out my individual post in the next couple of weeks for a full description.

Nancy's Take:

This months challenge was fun and easy the thing I love about stamps is that you can use them in so many different ways it's incredible. Oddly enough my july layout is all about the snow village but eh there are no rules as to when you have to create your pages as long as they get done :)

YOU can participate in this challenge too by bringing your layout based on this sketch to Auntie Em's Scrapbooking before the end of July.  Make sure to use stamps somewhere on your layout to qualify! There's going to be prizes!

Page Maps - June featuring Echo Park - This & That


Wow, I loved this collection from Echo Park - This & That. I'm not one to usually fawn over Echo Park, but they have really come a long way in the last two years from their infancy stages, very impressed I was with this collection. I loved the colour collection of the browns, yellows and teal green. I loved the boy theme to it, and all the wood grain!

So, this is me at Casino Rama in Orillia Ontario - my friend got tickets to see Sheryl Crow and we decided to 'make a donation' at the casino afterwards - great times! The arms raised in the air was from a commercial that Casino Rama was re-running over and over - I guess you had to see it to understand.

The theme to this month was sewing - I've employed 3 different types of stitching - I used my machine to stitch down the middle, I hand sewed in a blanket stitch the pocket and I did some faux stitching on the arrow and again across the middle. I layered some Prima flowers and coloured the naked chipboard arrow with the new Spring Distress ink in Peacock Feather - love that colour!! I had alot of story to tell with this layout, so I decided to tuck a journaling card into the pocket.

Would you like to be part of the Page Maps challenge?  You can enter your take on the calendar sketch at Auntie Em's - you don't have to use the Echo Park paper, you can use anything that you have purchased at Auntie Ems.

~Lorena~



May Page Maps - Lorena's take

May is here - which means all the pretty flowers are blooming, the weather is warming up, and the days get longer and my kids will be in better moods and I will be once again relieved from "sock matching duty" man do I hate doing that - I hate socks in general - but I hate to have to match them up into pairs and distribute the correct socks back to their owners.  Ah the sweet smell of summer around the corner, oh how I missed you!

This month at Auntie Em's we are featuring the Bella Blvd. line called Sunshine & Happiness and using the Pagemaps Calendar.  We are using embossing techniques.  I found that this collection has alot of bright summery colours too it, in fact in true Bella Blvd. style there are tones of colours, too many really.  I wanted to use some photos of my kiddies from last summer's adventures for this layout.  I chose to pull out the greens and oranges from the layout.  I did some heat embossing with white embossing powder and my Prima "hex net" stamp - oh how I love that stamp, I looked long and hard for it to!  I also masked off the edge of one of the patterned papers and inked and embossed the edge with Antique Linen distress ink and clear embossing powder.  I dry embossed two styles of polka dots behind each of the photo matings, and clear embossed the orange popsicle as an embellishment.  I added some flowers and done done.

Enjoy!!

~Lorena~

May I present to you some Sunshine Happiness

May is here, and as I promised you April showers brought the May flowers ... in the form of Bella Blvd.'s Sunshine Happiness!

What a beautiful way to bring in the summer than with this paper line.  Full of pinks, purples, flowers, and fruit. 

Lets see what your Auntie Em's design team has come up with to inspire you to utilize the May sketch from the Scrapbook and Cards today calendar!


Nancy's take:

I decided to create a simple clean line layout and used the embossing to add another polka dot pattern. I created my blue embossed strip at the bottom using one of my favorite tools the cuddlebug. it added just the right amount of detail to a simple clean layout.

Sarah's take:


I love to heat emboss! I used sparkly embossing powder in the embellishment cluster on the right side of the photo, on the border of my fan flower and on the mini-border at the bottom left of the page. I also used mat embossing powder in chestnut for a more muted look.

Stephanie's take:


I really like dry embossing, but I don't do it very much, since I usually forget about it until it's too late.  For this layout I dry embossed the small strip of paper on the bottom right corner.  I originally used heat emboss for the little fish, in a translucent colour, but when I was done my page I was disappointed with the result.  So I decided to embossed the little fish with Liquid Pearls in white opal.  Is that wet emboss?  I don't know...

Lorena's take: 

I played up the greens and oranges from this line to bring out the colours in my kids clothes. I heat embossed the popsicle and the border on the cherry paper as well as the chicken wire on the orange paper. I dry embossed on the background of each of my photo matting. 

Remember you too can play along by bringing your May sketch using Auntie Em's product into the store - there is a fantastic prize to be won if your layout is selected as this month's winner!