My April Scrapping Kit - My Minds Eye

I previously posted that I'm on a mission to use up all my older paper collections and scraps before I purchase any more new goodies.  A "scrapping fast" as many other crafters are calling it.

This past weekend I put together another kit for April, combining three My Minds Eye collections:  Stella Rose, Indie Chic, and So Sophie.  At the time I purchased them, I must have really like the aqua and yellow combination, which is great because these three collections are easily interchangeable!  Along with the 12 x 12 papers, I had chipboard from the Stella Rose, a 6 x 6 pad and die cuts from Indie Chic, and die cuts and overlays from So Sophie.  Also thrown in were brads from the MME "The Sweetest Thing" collection, the paper of which I used up last week. 

This is how I make my own kit:

1. The 12 x 12 containers from Michaels are the perfect storage for homemade kits! You can see through them, and they hold a lot of goodies all in one place.  Be sure to get them when they are on sale or use a 40% off coupon for the best price.  In my scrap closet, I usually have two of these that I fill and empty all the time.  It is incredibly handy to grab and get something scrapping finished.

2.  Next, I go through my paper box, where currently I file all my left over papers and collections by manufacturer and choose a color scheme that attracts me.  From that, I go through the rest of the box and find all the papers that easily coordinate (usually there is a three color theme that I will use).

3.  Third, I will go through my stash of embellishments and choose what is left from the original collection, plus anything else that coordinates with it.  Thickers or other chipboard lettering also goes in the box.

4.  Because I hate throwing things away, I have this drawer set on my desk that houses miscellaneous stickers, die cuts and chipboard.  The next step will be going through these drawers and find anything that I can use up that matches my kit.  I love to put all these miscellaneous pieces in this cute catch-all and leave it on my desk for easy access.

5.  Finally, photos.  I will go through my current pics or archives and print photos with my Canon Selphy, putting the dates on the back.  This way, I have all that I need in one spot for when I want to sit down and be creative for a few minutes.

As the scrapping begins, I always check my other stash for buttons, twine and other things that are stored by color.  This makes it easy to grab a small container and go through to find extra embellies to add to a layout.

The fun thing about shopping from your stash is that you can put together some real creative kits.  I find that many of my layouts from a kit will look much more "scrappy" -- meaning that it looks more like a scrapbook page instead of something very coordinated.  You can make it simple, or get more artsy as you meld your scraps together.  Does that make sense?  I personally like the different look as I go through my scrapbook at the variety of pages that I have created.

Since this destashing has begun I include one caveat with these homemade kits.  Once I have used up all the paper that I can (including using some scraps for cards),

I will throw the rest away.

In the trash can.  Never to be retrieved.

I will also go through the embellishments, and if I have tried a couple times to use them with different kits and they go unused, they go in the trash. You have to get rid of the old to invite in the new, right?

Try making some kits with your older stash.  Let's use up that great stuff or throw away and move on.  Who's with me?

Back from Summer -- and a Scrapbook Share!

We have had a busy summer, as I am sure you have too!  We started our homeschooling on August 5th, so we are slowly getting back into the regular routine.

For most of July I scrapped my heart out, working on my oldest son's birthday album with the RSVP collection from Basic Grey.   Some old pages that were done in the past on 8-1/2" x 11" were completely redone (since I had photo duplicates) so that the entire book looks cohesive.  The RSVP kit was purchased from The Memory Nest, and comes with a great collection of papers for a boy or girl, a sticker sheet and three different sets of letter stickers.

Here is the latest video where I do a quick share on what I have accomplished so far for the album.  For the teenage years, I will be transitioning to the new Celebrations collection from Carta Bella:

What have you done this summer for scrapping??

Monthly Wrap-Up: Scrapbook and Card Layout Share with the "Chairs" Color Kit!

This bright and summery kit from The Memory Nest was a delight to work with this month!  In order to show you everything, please watch the YouTube video below.  I wrap-up the month by showing the layouts completed and highlighted on The Memory Nest blog as a Design Team Member (most layouts have their own process videos on YouTube) in addition to some Graduation cards!

Visit The Memory Nest to get this kit for your summer layouts -- it's only $9.99 -- while supplies last! 

Flashback Friday: Killing Kits from The Memory Nest!

In the past few months as a Design Team Member for The Memory Nest, I have received some awesome product kits for creating!

To close out the month of June and my time as a Design Team Member, I decided to go through all the past kits, gather all those yummy leftover pieces and put together a new double page layout.

The challenge for myself was to only use what was left of these kits without adding anything else from my stash.  Do you think I was able to accomplish the challenge??

Here are the kits that I worked with:

Recollections by Echo Park
PB&J from Basic Grey
Dapper Dan from Glitz
Feels Like Home from Little Yellow Bicycle
RSVP from Basic Grey
Weaving Color Kit (The Memory Nest)

And here are some photos of those yummy leftovers:

While this seems like a lot of goodies, it was still going a little intimidating to mold all these goodies into a cohesive, pleasing layout.

Here is the finish product:

Mission Accomplished! Thanks for stopping by!

May Recap: Recollections Kit was Outstanding!

This month's kit, Reflections by Echo Park, was awesome!  I was able to do quite a few layouts and even a couple cards, with lots of papers and embellishments left over for more!

Here are photos of my layouts that I completed this month:

 And cards too!

Don't forget that this month, kits are 30% off at The Memory Nest!  

AND . . . . 

In honor of Leslie's birthday (the owner of The Memory Nest)
here's another awesome deal that expires June 30, 2014:

A full recap and "Kill the Kit" narrative will be on my YouTube Channel this weekend!

Ready for more inspiration?  Check out the other design team members!

Sindi

Shawna

Stephanie

Kelli

Crystal

Saskia

Christy

(Inter) National Scrapbooking Day - Help with Themed Scrapbooks

Welcome to my second post for National Scrapbooking Day!  This time I am sharing one of my videos on YouTube.  This video shows how I chronicled my oldest son's school memories scrapbook -- which is really a binder -- while still having cohesiveness throughout. You will see my chapter pages, and how pages done through the years still fit in within the book.



If you follow me on Instagram, it was there today that I posted a sneak peak photo of the "New to Me" kit that I am using for the month of May from The Memory Nest!  Next week on The Memory Nest blog, Leslie will be posting my three heritage layouts that I completed from the Reflections kit from Lori Whitlock by Echo Park paper.

The Memory Nest is also having a great sale today in honor of National Scrapbooking Day!  Spend your break from scrapping by shopping through all the special deals only today!  

Scrapbook Process with the new Weaving Color Kit!

It's a pleasure to be selected to be on the product Design Team again for The Memory Nest! 

New in The Memory Nest store are color kits!  This month, the kit that you will see me use is the "Weaving Color" kit.  Inside this package is a lovely selection of warm toned papers in colors that are perfect for a wide array of layouts.  There is also a "Feathers" kit in the spotlight for March with lovely greens and complementary colors!  These new kits are a great way to save some time -- all the paper goodness plus some embellishments are personally selected for you!

Check Leslie's blog often -- there will color challenges and other ways to enter your creations for a chance to win a $10 Gift Certificate from The Memory Nest!  You can't win if you don't play!

Below is the first layout that I completed with this kit, in addition to the process video.

Keep checking back here this month to see the other layouts and cards that are created from this kit!

Scrapbook Process: Three in One - In the Sun

This is a first -- I completed the "trifecta" at Design Dollies today!  The trifecta is one entry combining all three of this week's challenges:  color, element and sketch.  

The colors were royal blue, aqua and orange.  I was to incorporate watery waves and then follow the sketch on yesterday's post.  WOW.

So here is the final product --

Once again, I dove in my paper stash to use something that was sitting there for awhile (blue dotted paper).  The orange polka dot paper is from a Chloe's Closet paper stack.  And of course, Thickers!