Mother's Day Album - American Crafts

First week of no school here.  We had a busy weekend with Emma's first ballet and tap recital.  She DID IT!  We are so proud of her.

I have a little mini album to share.  I could not resist the American Crafts Mayberry album...it is set up to stand up.  I filled it to the max using photos from Mother's Day.

I printed the pictures all the same size, cropped if needed...but I used the American Crafts scalloped hearts on one edge and adhered it hanging off the edge...

I used mostly Mayberry on the pages, but did mix in a little Yes, Please, My Girl, and Lucky Charm.

I prepped each page by smearing Heidi Swapp Shine mist on each page with water and then stitched around the edges.  Then I went crazy filling it up.

Hope you enjoy looking through it.

And right now, it stays open just like this on the bookshelf...love this picture of Emma.

I had enough photos for the front and back of this page, but I decided I had enough to tell the story and left it like this and just added a die cut and clothespin.

It was a fun day for all of us.  Happy Mother's day again to everyone!

Flower Pots with American Crafts

Lately I have loved making projects other than layouts, cards or even minis...it is a nice break.  And it is a nice creative push.

These little cuties were up on the American Crafts blog Tuesday with the how-to.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I got the assignment.  Emma helped me pick out the tubs...and it was funny because when "she" told me what kind of flowers and that she wanted a bee...I said, "Emma, we thought the same thing!"

One is for her and one is for me...that's what Emma says anyway...they both sit in the two windows on either side of the kitchen sink.  I know this sounds cheesy...but they "make my day" to see them everyday!  And no watering!  Just a little dusty...LOL!

So when I bought the tubs, I also had in my mind a little watering can with the same flowers for the teacher appreciation gifts.  So made up smaller versions for the teachers for last week.

Hope you get a chance to make these soon...they really do add some "happy" in your day!

Making the Disney World Project Life Album

For making my album, I did the same thing I do for Project Life.  I have what I used for the album in separate containers, so I could tuck away and pull out when I needed.  You can see more of my space and how I organize here...it's a beautiful mess!

See that little square with the handle on it, next to the Kleenex box...LOL!  That is my Epson PictureMate.  It prints 4x6 size photos, but you can change the size of a photo to print on the 4x6 photo paper.  I LOVE this printer.  The quality is amazing.  If you want to print from your iPhone, it will not work.  The Canon Selphy will.  If you have an Android phone, and with the Epson bluetooth adapter, you can print from your Android phone.  I loved it enough to keep it after discovering this because I was shocked how amazing the quality is.  I use it ALL the time now for Project Life and primarily all the photos for the Disney World trip.

I had just finished the album, so everything was still out.  I did grab from other bins, as long as I was within the color/style that I wanted for those pictures, it went into the album!

I really do not like clutter, believe it or not...but I work great in clutter...the messier my desk, the more creative I am...

This is to the right...more beautiful mess.  I use my typewriter a lot now for Project Life and for the Disney World album.  I always want to see the nitty gritty of how people work...so I hope this was a little eye opener as to how messy I am when I scrap!  LOL!

Okay...I have to take small steps for a project this big.  It is overwhelming to say the least.  And I have a touch of ADD so I have to really stay focused, which isn't easy for me.  But I decided, even though it was NOT a good time to learn a new program, I NEEDED too!  I took and am still going through Wilna Furstenberg's Lightroom class.  The class was only $25, and has saved me a tremendous amount of time on editing and sharing photos, especially scrapwork.  That and I had a $50 off from Photoshop for the Lightroom software...  I could have continued with Photoshop Elements, but I needed some timesaving tips ASAP!  

With the help of my friend Diane Payne and the class, I got the gist of Lightroom enough, that I could upload to it, edit, crop, resize, and export and/or print in more than half the time it takes me in Photoshop Elements.  Once I got that, I did not even think to go back to Photoshop Elements.  I created my own print templates, saved them, and used them throughout the whole Disney World album.

I mostly used 4x6 size because I printed to my Epson PictureMate.  For the photos above, that were the It's A Small World photos...I printed to my large 12x12 Epson R1200 printer on 8.5X11 photo paper.  The shot below...you can see under "User Templates" those are the ones I created that have worked for me in doing Project Life and this Disney World Project Life album.  As I make different sizes, I save them.

I took a group of photos at a time...one thing that helped me...especially with that ADD personality of mine...is I added the "only" photos I wanted at that time in the Quick Collection of Lightroom...so when I went to print, I only saw those photos and then decided based on my size protectors, what size they needed to be.

I started to get into a rhythm with using the smaller size protector first, and then having the larger ones come after it...I wanted the album to have a little bit of a peek into the next pages.  So these are the protectors I used to layer.

To the right, there are three pages you see at a glance because of the different sized protectors.

For journaling, I sometimes used my typewriter, and sometimes I pulled in a digital card I purchased from Studio Calico into Photoshop Elements to type on and print.

And the biggest help in the details and journaling for this album was using Evernote to jot down what we did everyday.  I just copied and pasted that days events into Photoshop Elements, and was able to re-write it for the album.

Hope this helps in some way.  Have a great day!

Disney World Project Life Album

(The winner of the American Crafts National Scrapbook Day Blog Hop is:  JESSICA   Congrats, Jessica!!  Email me at patriciaroebuck@bellsouth.net, and I'll get your goodies to you)

Yes, it is done!  Two things were the hardest:  deciding how to break down the photos (chronological or by park) and then in between other scrapping assignments.  I decided to break it down by the events as they happened.  I will post tomorrow a little more about my process just in case in helps anyone. 

I took pictures as best I could with everything in the plastic so you could feel like you are looking through it.  

I used a Crate Paper album, and instead of clinging the clingy thing to our cars, I stuck it to the front! 

I made the collage in Photoshop Elements, printed it, and cut it out.

You'll see some familiar layouts that our mixed in...I have one more I am waiting to get back that got pubbed!

I used a mix of protectors...for the hotel flyer, I cut it apart and slipped into an 8.5x11 protector.

I had a couple of Pivi printer pictures from the hotel left, so I attached right on top of the flier along with our hotel keys.

A size 6x12 protector broken down into 4x6 for postcards.

Some instagrammed photos didn't save...so this photo of our hotel I took with the iPhone, I edited in Photoshop Elements and printed as 4x6.  Looks like a postcard!

The travel day and arriving day in a collage type layout.

I used a mix of Becky Higgins Project Life protectors.  The only one I did not use was the traditional A size.  I liked the different formats of the others best.

Different size protectors stacked together so you can peek into the next page.  Sometimes I stapled a Studio Calico wood veneer tab to the smaller ones.

I'll have a linked the different size protectors at the bottom of this post.

Got a rough start...at first I did do the simple, print and slip in (which there is nothing wrong with)...I just really didn't like it.  So I went with how I would normally do my personal Project Life.

With the exception of the two postcards, the 'Ohana family photo and one with Cinderella, all the photos I took.

I used the 8.5x11 protectors to hold the photo folders we purchased.

One more layout will go here with more Dumbo pictures.  The Mickey and Minnie on Dumbo is a postcard ;) This layout to the left was a Carta Bella assignment with So Noted.

I used Panda Eight Flair and flair I picked up at Disney World's Boardwalk in one of the shops by the register.

Onto day two on the right...I may add a tag or something to identify it more....later, but it is dated and lots of journaling.

My double-page spread assignment for American Crafts...fit perfectly in the 8.5x11.

At the Belle attraction, she doesn't sign books, only gives a bookmark (because she loves to read)...I added just a touch of Scotch ATG on the back and slipped into a 6x12 protector.

They did give us a photopass for this attraction, but we didn't purchase any photopass photos this time.

I think the electrical parade photos are some of my favorites...as was the parade...it was Emma's first time seeing.  Another layout...this one was for Studio Calico's Sunday Sketch.

Onto another day...

I hope, if you are curious, you can make out the writing. 

I just want to add...I did not include every single photo I took.  Sometimes I would include another character photo with Emma, like I did here with Goofy...it fit and it was too cute.  But the Nemo Musical...I included some favorites...I may do a layout with it like I did for the Lion King.

Another double-pager for an American Crafts assignment...the layouts mixed in add so much more interest and fun to the album.

Onto another day...this was Valentine's day and our last day...I made the LOVE with the Mickey ears to use with the Silhouette.  You can download it here.

Okay, this section may be a little boring...but on our last ride through It's A Small World...Emma yelled, "Momma, take that picture and that one and that one!"  I probably drove the people behind us crazy...but I did!  Since it is our favorite ride, I included them all!

American Crafts size 6x12 protectors with 4x6 slots...I just made the photos smaller...used the Webster's Pages overlays to act as the Pattern Paper for both sides...quick and easy!  And adds a little see-through.

I was able to switch to the Becky Higgins 6x12 size with the two smaller photos in the middle to finish it up...

And that's it for the trip...

My first Disney World Project Life album, I included tags and receipts along with the photos...I decided to make this simpler for myself...so including them in their own spots.  Using a Studio Calico vellum and stitched pocket slipped into a 6x12 protector, I attached the receipts here...

(another layout from the last night)

....then on the back of the receipts, and another Studio Calico stitched pocket, I included photopasses.

More different sized protectors, Studio Calico vellum and pockets to hold tags...

...and park tickets...

Then just slipped the park fliers into a 6x12

(Emma's Disney savings envelope...too priceless not to keep)

And then just misc. things in an American Crafts 8x8 protector.  These things really do add bulk, but it is one fun bulky album!  And it wasn't Emma's birthday...you know Disney, they like to celebrate!

Hope you enjoyed looking through our Disney World trip!

Protectors:

Becky Higgins:
Design G
Small Variety Pack 1

American Crafts:
8.5x11
12x12
6x12

As far as scrapbooking supplies, I mostly used Studio Calico Sundrifter, Glitz Love You Madly, Studio Calico printables, Webster's Pages, American Crafts, October Afternoon, Crate Paper Maggie Holmes, Simple Stories Vintage Bliss, Freckled Fawn, the Heidi Swapp letters from the Scraptastic May Destinations Unknown Add-on kit...for the most part, I stayed with the same color scheme and kept those products together to pull out when I was ready to work on the album.

The majority of everything I purchased through Paper Issues.  I can always use a discount, so a Huge help.  Here's my code if you want a 20% off of anything...PATRICIA

I'll post again tomorrow with a little more of how the album came together.