Although it was late coming this year, I’ve been enjoying our spring weather and the spring blooms in my garden. My peonies just finished blooming, but I can enjoy photos of them year-round in my scrapbook album!
And I also used the Painted Garden Collection to create the two layouts below for Creative Life Scrapbooking.
To embellish my first layout, I used a mix of the Painted Garden Embellishments, Stickers and Variety Mats. I also used the Rustic Fence Border Punch and the Floral Peaks Border Punch. I used the Original Border Maker System with the Citrus Slice Border Maker Cartridge to create the wheel for my garden wheelbarrow.
For my second layout, I created a beautiful border treatment by creating tiny envelopes and filling them with embellishments. The Painted Garden Embellishments are my favorite item in this collection. The pack is full of flowers, berries, butterflies, bees and humming birds! I used the Envelope & Bow Creator from Creative Memories to create my envelopes. This is a nifty tool for creating envelopes of all sizes and also bows!
My instructions include a video demonstration of how to use the Envelope & Bow Creator to make the envelopes and also written instructions for creating the envelopes with our 12-Inch Trimmer instead.
I offer a generous Customer Rewards Program and appreciation your purchases through my Creative Memories website link!
My monthly technique layout features folded squares that create elongated hexagon shapes that show off both sides of the designer paper. I arranged the hexagons around the perimeter of my layouts to create unique patterns.
For my first page, I used the On the Farm Paper along with some coordinating cardstock for the border. To create my layered border, I used the Original Border Maker System and the new Barn & Fence Border Maker Cartridge along with the retired Wheatfield Border Punch. The current Wildflowers Border Punch would make a great substitution.
The barn piece was cut from a On the Farm Variety Mat. The On the Farm Collection was widely popular when it was released, and the paper and variety mats sold out quickly. The On the Farm Stickers feature cute farm animals and are still available. The quick sell-out was unfortunate but sometimes happens with Creative Memories products. So if you love something, it’s always best to purchase it as soon as you’re able.
This page is one side of a double-page layout. For instructions, please see my YouTube video. While you’re viewing my video, please make sure to subscribe to my channel.
Along with the paper items, the On the Farm Collection featured a Tractor Punch which also sold out quickly. CM is ordering more of the Tractor Punch but will only order enough to fulfill PRE-ORDERS. CM is also currently taking pre-orders for the sold-out Trail Sign Punch and Square Tile Punch. Please click here to pre-order any of these punches.
I created a second layout using the same technique, but I started with smaller squares to get a slightly different shape and pattern. For my second layout, I used the Cue the Blue Paper and Embellishments and Navy Cardstock. These items are currently available with Creative Memories.
Please view my video for tips on selecting the size of squares and also for how to easily fold the squares to get uniform pieces.
I appreciate your purchases through my Creative Memories shop, and I offer a generous Customer Rewards Program.
I love the versatility of this technique! If you love versatile layouts that can be used for any types of photos with any materials, you might be interested in the up-coming PJ Party Virtual Crop hosted by Creative Life Scrapbooking. I’m one of seven Creative Memories advisor designers with Creative Life Scrapbooking, and we host quarterly virtual crops. There is a Zoom session on Friday night where 5 of the designers will demonstrate how to create their layout live and two more recorded page classes in the private Facebook group for the event. All of the Zoom sessions will also be recorded and shared in the group for later viewing. If you’re not on Facebook, we email the printable handouts and video links to you.
I love creating scrapbook layouts and sharing them with you here! But I also share layouts on Facebook through a group called Creative Life Scrapbooking. Creative Life Scrapbooking is a group of 7 Creative Memories advisors who are passionate about CM products and share twice a week with ideas for using CM’s tools and materials. We also host quarterly virtual crops called PJ Parties. Our next PJ Party is November 4th. If you can’t participate on Zoom with us, you can still register to receive access to the recorded videos and printable layout instructions. To learn more and to register for the PJ Party, please see our website. We also offer printable Idea Books and access to past PJ Parties on our website.
Spooky!
I used the Original Border Maker System with the Home Sweet Home Border Maker Cartridge to create a spooky layout and a sweet layout. Below is my spooky cute Halloween layout that I created with the Happy Hauntings Collection from CM and shared with Creative Life Scrapbooking today.
I used CM’s Original Border Maker System with the new Bats & Stars, Home Sweet Home and Ghost Chain (retired) Border Maker Cartridges to create a spooky street border for the top of the layout. I added some fun shadows and cobwebs with our White Chalk Pen. Further down the page, I used the new Spider Web Frame Punch to create individual spider webs to adorn the layout. For step-by-step instructions, please see my original Facebook post.
Sweet!
A few weeks ago, I created this super sweet layout using the Original Border Maker System and Home Sweet Home Border Maker Cartridge and also shared it with Creative Life Scrapbooking.
I used the housing unit of the Original Border Maker System as a hand-held punch and punched around the outside edge of circle. The houses came to life with a little work with a Micro-Tip Black Pen. I added a few other pieces from a variety of CM punches and border maker cartridges to create a super sweet street scene.
If you would like to purchase any of the tools or materials that I used for these layouts, I would appreciate your orders through my Creative Memories website. I also offer a generous Customer Rewards Program.
Happy New Year! I was super busy during the holiday months with family gatherings and several events for my business. So far, I’ve only created one Christmas layout with the Joy to the World Collection for Creative Life Scrapbooking. (Please click here to see that layout.) I still hope to play more with this collection and share a layout or two. But for now, I’m scrapping with the new Welcome Home Collection from Creative Memories.
Welcome Home is a warm and fuzzy collection that is perfect for everyday photos at home. The light and dark shades of blues, greens and browns coordinate perfectly. I used this collection to create several layouts for the CM Blog. Below are two of those layouts. For instructions, please see the CM Blog.
I also used this collection to create the layout below for Creative Life Scrapbooking. I created a lattice piece using the new Honeycomb Border Maker Cartridge and fussy cut the pretty vine pieces from a variety mat. Please see our CLS Facebook Page for instructions.
If you like these layouts and the Welcome Home Collection, you may wish to join me for my up-coming Virtual Weekend Retreat on February 25-27, 2022. I’ll be using the Welcome Home Decorative Bundle and the Honeycomb Border Maker Cartridge for the page classes during this event. If you purchase the Welcome Home Decorative Bundle and the Honeycomb Border Maker Cartridge through me, you can take a $15 discount off of your event registration fee. All of the sessions will be recorded and shared in a private Facebook group for the event along with printable instructions. If you can’t participate on the 25th-27th, you can access the materials at your leisure.
Happy 4th of July weekend! I hope that you have something fun planned to celebrate with friends and family. I created two layouts from combinations of new and old Creative Memories products that will be perfect for some of your photos!
My first layout will be great for photos of fireworks! I used the newer Sunny Days Journal Template to draw my lines and the older Firecracker Punch with some designer paper from the United We Stand Collection. The stars are punch-outs from the retired Star Border Maker Cartridge, but you can substitute any small star punch that you might own. This layout has a bit a sparkle provided by the Platinum Shimmer Cardstock, but it’s hard to see in my photographs.
To create my layout:
1. Cut out the center of a sheet of Platinum Shimmer Cardstock to create a hollow frame to conserve cardstock. Cut a piece of Navy Cardstock to 11-1/2″ x 11-1/2″, and adhere to the hollow Platinum Shimmer Cardstock frame. 2. Use the Sunny Days Journal Template and the Silver Metallic Dual-Tip Pen to draw alternating solid and dashed lines on the top half of the layout. 3. Use the Custom Cutting System with the medium Circle Pattern and Blue Blade on the outside edge to cut a circle from Platinum Shimmer Cardstock. Adhere to the center of the layout. 4. Cut three photo mats from Cranberry Cardstock that measure 3-3/4″ x 5-1/2″, and adhere as shown. 5. Use the Firecracker Punch to punch firecrackers from United We Stand Designer Paper. Alternate and adhere the firecrackers as shown. 6. Use the Original Border Maker System with the retired Star Border Maker Cartridge to punch stars from Platinum Shimmer Cardstock. Adhere the stars with Foam Squares as shown. 7. Add United We Stand Stickers adhering some with Foam Squares.
I created my second layout for Featured Project Friday for Creative Life Scrapbooking. The inspiration for this layout came from a t-shirt of mine. Again I used a combination of current and older tools with the United We Stand Collection from Creative Memories. If you don’t have the Alpine Mountains Border Punch, you can substitute the Majestic Mountains Border Punch. If you don’t have the Treeline Border Punch, you can substitute the Wheatfield Border Punch. For instructions, please see my Facebook post for Creative Life Scrapbooking and join our private group.
The Art NouveauCollection and the Dragonfly Punch were released earlier this spring, but I just recently had time to play with both. I thought that the dragonfly image pairs nicely with the art deco / arts & crafts vibe of the Art Nouveau Collection. This collection is absolutely beautiful and is great for formal, heritage and vintage photographs and layouts. I love the color palette of greens, teals and mustard yellows.
For my first layout, I used the Dragonfly Punch and the Original Border Maker System with the Climbing Vine Border Maker Cartridge to create a textured overlay for the beautiful sheet of designer paper. This layout will be lovely for some photos of the entire family.
To Create My Layout:
1. Cut a 1″ hollow frame from Dark Sea Green Cardstock. 2. Cut a sheet of designer paper to 11-1/2″ x 11-1/2″, and adhere to the hollow frame. 3. Use the Original Border Maker System with the Climbing Vine Border Maker Cartridge to punch borders from Dark Sea Green Cardstock and mustard yellow designer paper. Trim borders to 4″, overlap, and adhere to layout as shown using Repositionable Tape. 4. Use the Dragonfly Punch to punch eight dragonflies from mustard yellow designer paper, and adhere to the layout as shown using Repositionable Tape. 5. From mustard yellow designer paper, cut two 7″ x 2-1/2″ strips. 6. From Dark Sea Green Cardstock, cut two 6-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ photo mats. Adhere mats and strips as shown. 7. Add stickers using Foam Squares.
For my second page, I was inspired by a layout that I created for the Creative Memories Blog earlier this spring. I replaced the Cross Punch with the Dragonfly Punch for great results. I love how the dragonfly image works so nicely with the materials in this layout!
Since both of these pages were created with the same collection, they will look beautiful side-by-side in album. Or you can easily adapt both of these pages into double-page layouts. To see another version of this layout that I created with the Keep the Faith Collection and the Cross Punch for Creative Memories, please see the CM Blog.
To Create My Layout:
1. Cut a 1″ hollow frame from Dark Sea Green Cardstock. 2. Cut a piece of light colored designer paper to 11-1/2″ x 4-1/2″, and adhere to the top of the layout. 3. Cut a piece of dark colored designer paper to 11-1/2″ x 7″, and adhere to the bottom of the layout. 4. Cut a 12″ x 1″ strip of designer paper, adhere on the overlapping seam of the papers, and add a border sticker. 5. Cut two photo mats to 4-1/4″ x 6-1/4″, and adhere to the center of the layout. 6. Use the Dragonfly Punch to punch seven dragonflies from a variety of designer paper. 7. From the same paper as the dragonflies, cut 1/4″ strips. 8. Arrange the strips and dragonflies as indicated, trim strips as needed, and adhere. 9. Add embellishments and stickers with Foam Squares.
I created a third layout using the Art Nouveau Collection and the new Geometric Frame Punch and recently shared this layout with Creative Life Scrapbooking. I love how the Geometric Frame Punch can have a formal art deco look as well as a fun and funky look. Please see Creative Life Scrapbooking on Facebook for the instructions to this last layout.
I hope that I inspired you today! If you love any of these tools and/or materials, you may purchase them through my Creative Memories website link. Please note that CM has a new promotion beginning on Monday, May 24th at noon CT that includes FREE SHIPPING on orders of $80!
Happy Spring! It’s my favorite time of the year! However, the spring weather draws me outside and competes with my time to scrapbook! I love working in my garden and watching new things bloom daily. My lilacs – one of my favorites – are in full bloom right now. I also love spring hikes to hunt for the changing blooms of wildflowers. The lovely Spring Cottage collection from Creative Memories is perfect for of all of my spring photos!
The layout above is ready for a photos of my spring garden blooms. I adapted the stick tree layout that I created this past winter and turned it into a spring tree full of visiting songbirds. (Please scroll back through my blog or search for two more versions of this layout using the Merry Blooms and Winter Woods Collections.)
To create my layout:
1. Cut a 1″ hollow frame from Charcoal Cardstock. Trim yellow print paper to 11-1/2″ x 11-1/2″, and adhere to the frame. 2. From three different designer print papers, cut the following strips: 6″ x 3/4″, 6″ x 1/2″, 5-1/2″ x 3/4″, 5″ x 3/4″, 4- 1/2″ x 1/2″, 4″ x 1/2″, 2-1/2″ x 1/2″. 3. Use the Songbirds Border Punch to punch two borders from Charcoal Cardstock and trim to: 6″, 5″ and 3″. 4. Cut a 3/8″ x 9-1/2″ strip from wood patterned paper to use as the trunk of the tree. 5. Adhere strips and border border pieces to the trunk piece. 6. From Charcoal Cardstock, cut two photo mats that measure 4-1/4″ x 4-1/4″ and 4-1/4″ x 6-1/4″. From Light Gray Cardstock, cut two photos mats that measure 4″ x 4″ and 4″ x 6″, and adhere to the charcoal mats. 7. Add Spring Cottage Embellishments and Stickers as shown adhering with Foam Squares. 8. To make the raffia-style bow, please view my YouTube video.
You may have already seen my second layout on the Creative Life Scrapbooking Community Group on Facebook. Please join me and my scrappy friends in that group to see the instructions. Also on Friday, April 30th, the Creative Life Scrapbooking team will be hosting a PJ Party Virtual Crop. To register and for more information, please click here.
Again I used the Spring Cottage Collection for this layout. In the instructions, I demonstrate how to create the fancy layered frame with mitered corners. I also included another raffia-style bow.
You may purchase any of the tools or materials that I used through my Creative Memories website link. Please note that beginning at noon CT on Monday, April 19th, CM will be offering a free punch promotion! It is likely that these punches will run out before the end of the promotion period, so please order early if you’re interested.
I just shared the layouts below with Creative Life Scrapbooking on Facebook for Featured Project Friday and wanted to share them here also with you. I started with small squares and used the Two-WayCorner Rounder from Creative Memories to create tear-drop shapes that I arranged into a mandala pattern. To mimic a sunflower, I used the lovely Boho Escape Collection for my first layout.
To create my layout:
Cut a 1″ hollow frame from olive green designer paper.
Cut oval patterned designer paper to 11- 1/2″ x 11-1/2″, and adhere to the frame.
Use Custom Cutting System with the smallest Circle Pattern and Green Blade on the outside edge to cut a circle from olive green designer paper.
Use Centering Ruler to center the circle on the page, and adhere.
Cut 14 squares that measure 1-1/2″ x 1-1/2″.
Cut 28 squares that measure 1″ x 1″ from two different papers.
Use the Two-WayCorner Rounder to punch two opposite corners of each square.
Use Brown Dual-Tip Pen to outline the pieces.
Arrange your pattern to determine spacing before adhering. Work from the center out, and use Repositionable Tape to adhere in case you need to adjust.
I really loved this layout and started thinking about different adaptations. One of my ideas was to use the same mandala-inspired pattern to make a peacock-inspired layout using the peacock patterned paper in the Emerald Gemstones Paper pack. Since the peacock paper has a directional pattern, I had to cut my squares on a diagonal in order to preserve the peacock shape that’s imprinted on the paper. Please view of my video for a step-by-step demonstration.
You may purchase the tools and materials that I used through my Creative Memories website link. Please follow me and my teammates at Creative Life Scrapbooking to see weekly ideas for Border Maker Monday and Featured Project Friday. We also host virtual crops, and our next PJ Party Virtual Crop will be on April 30th. Click here for more information and to register.
Don’t forget to register for my up-coming National Scrapbook Day Workshop on Saturday, April 17th. Please click here for more info.
Ho, ho, ho! Happy Holidays! I hope that all of you had a very Merry Christmas! And I’m hoping that we all have a much better New Year!
As you might know, I’m a founding member of Creative Life Scrapbooking. We are a group of eight Creative Memories advisors who for the past five years have shared tons of scrapbooking ideas on Facebook. Weekly we share for #BorderMakerMonday and #FeaturedProjectFriday. We also host quarterly Blog Hops which you’ve seen here on Karyn Crops, and we also host PJ Party virtual crops.
Our next PJ Party virtual crop will be on Friday, January 29th, and we invite you to join us! As we enter our 6th year of hosting PJ Parties, we will be moving the format to Zoom where you’ll be able to interact with us and see step by step demonstrations on how to make six featured scrapbook layouts. We’ll also share two more bonus layouts, photos and printable handouts in a private Facebook group for the PJ Party. For more information and to register, please click here.
As a Christmas gift to our followers, Creative Life Scrapbooking is currently running a 12 Days of Christmas (#CLS12Days) feature on our Facebook page. Each day from December 25th through January 5th, we are sharing a new holiday layout. Joining the 8 CLS team members are 4 very special guest designers. Below is the layout that I created and shared on December 25th for the 1st Day of Christmas.
I used the Christmas Spirit Paper, Embellishments and Stickers from Creative Memories to create my layout. With images of Santa, elves and reindeer, this is a super fun Christmas collection! The Christmas Spirit Embellishments and Laser Cut Border Embellishments are especially cute!
To Make My Layout:
1. Cut hollow frames from two sheets of Crimson Cardstock leaving a 1″ edge. 2. Cut wood patterned paper to 11-3/4″ x 11-1/2″, and adhere to the Crimson Cardstock frames. 3. From designer paper, cut squares that measure: 3″x3″, 4″x4″, 5″x5″, 6″x6″ and 7″x7″. 4. From White Cardstock, cut squares that measure: 3-1/4″ x 3-1/4″, 4-1/4″ x 4-1/4″, 5-1/4″ x 5-1/4″, 6-1/4″ x 6-1/4″ and 7-1/4″ x 7-1/4″. 5. From the top center of each square, cut diagonally to the bottom right and left corners to create triangles. 6. Use the Custom Cutting System with the largest Oval Pattern and Red Blade on the outside edge to cut a sloping edge on the bottoms of the triangle pieces. Adhere the patterned triangles to the cardstock triangles. 7. Cut a 3″x3″ square from Brown Cardstock, and trim into a triangle to make the tree trunk. 8. Assemble tree using Foam Squares to adhere the layers. 9. Use the Train Tracks Border Punch to punch a piece from Brown Cardstock, and trim with scissors to create a small step ladder. Or create a small ladder using small strips of cardstock. 10. From Crimson Cardstock, cut the following pieces: 4-1/4″ x 6-1/4″, 12″ x 6-1/4″, (2) 4-1/4″ x 1-1/4″, and (2) 12″ x 1-1/4″. 11. From music print paper, cut the following pieces: (2) 4″x1″, (2) 11-3/4″ x 1″. Adhere to the Crimson Cardstock strips. 12. Assemble and adhere pieces on layout as shown. 13. Using scissors, fussy cut the scroll piece journaling box from a variety mat. Cut in half and adhere as shown. 14. Add embellishments and stickers using Foam Squares as shown.
Below is another layout that I recently shared to Creative Life Scrapbooking for #BorderMakerMonday. I used the Original Border Maker System from Creative Memories to jazz up a simple Christmas tree made from strips of paper. I also used the Songbirds Border Punch to add a few partridges in my pear tree! This is a fun layout that assembles quickly. To top off my tree, I added a hand-tied paper bow. The designer paper and embellishments are from the Merry Blooms collection from our Black Friday Promotion.
To Make My Layout:
1. Cut a 3/8” x 10-1/2” strip from Rich Brown Cardstock to use as the tree trunk. 2. Cut strips from a variety of designer paper in varying widths and heights. My strips from top down are: 2-1/2” x ½”; 3-1/2” x ½”; 4-1/4” x 6/8”; 5” x ½”; 5-1/2” x 6/8”; and 6” x ½”. 3. Punch borders using border punches and the Original Border Maker System with a variety of border maker cartridges. My borders are: Songbirds Border Punch 3-1/2”; Christmas Stockings Chain 5-1/2; and Ruffle Trim 6”. 4. Add a star with a Foam Square. 5. Wrap a very thin 1/16” strip of cardstock, around two of your fingers to make loops. Using another thin strip of paper, carefully tie a knot in the center. Pull as tight as you can without tearing your paper. You will have better results with thinner paper. Adhere the bow with a Foam Square. 6. My photo mats are 4-1/4” x 4-1/4” and 4-1/4” x 6-1/4”.
My last layout for today is one that I shared with my own private Facebook group, Karyn’s Croppers. On Karyn’s Croppers, I share info about Creative Memories products, specials and my own events. Earlier in the month, I held a virtual class to assemble the Under the Tree Tag Kit from CM. I also taught how to use the tags to make the layout below. Please join Karyn’s Croppers on Facebook if you would like to participate in my events and see more scrapbooking ideas.
The adorable tags and twine are part of the Under the Tree Tag Kit that is still available to purchase through my Creative Memories website link. The sheet of background paper is from the Merry Blooms Paper that was a promotional item for our Black Friday special. My bow is constructed from Scarlet Cardstock.
To Create the Bow:
Most of the items that I used for these layouts can be purchased through my Creative Memories website link.
