Painted Garden Spring Scrapbook Layouts

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!

The Painted Garden Collection from Creative Memories is especially beautiful and is a great complement to our spring photographs! Please see my blog post from May 2nd to view a layout using this collection.

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.

To purchase a printable PDF handout of these instructions, please see the Creative Life Scrapbooking website.


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!

To purchase a printable PDF handout of these instructions, please see the Creative Life Scrapbooking website.

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!

Happy Scrapping!
Karyn

2023 National Scrapbook Day Layout

Happy National Scrapbook Day! It’s a day to celebrate our shared love of memory keeping and scrapbooking! Did you know that Creative Memories established the first National Scrapbook Day in 1994? It’s amazing to think about the number of photographs and family memories preserved in albums since that time!

To celebrate, Creative Memories releases a special National Scrapbook Day Kit each year. In addition to the NSD Kit, CM usually offers accompanying cardstock, embellishments, and tools. Some of our 2023 items are sold out, but the kit and a few other items are still available for purchase.

To create my layout above, I used materials from the 2023 NSD Kit with the Citrus Slice Border Maker Cartridge and Mandala Burst Border Punch. I appreciate your purchases through my Creative Memories website link, and I offer a generous Customer Rewards Program.

To Create My First Page:

  1. Cut a 1/2″ x 12″ strip from Canary Cardstock and save for the second page. Cut (2) 4″ x 6″ photo mats and set aside.
  2. Use the Custom Cutting System with the #2 Circle Pattern and Blue Blade on the inside edge to cut (11) circles from the Canary Cardstock.
  3. Use the Mandala Burst Border Punch to punch (2) borders from the Dark Green Cardstock. Cut off of the cardstock at 1-1/2″. Punch a single mandala piece also from Dark Green Cardstock and cut off of the cardstock at 1-1/2″. Use All-Purpose Scissors to cut apart the single mandalas from the borders.
  4. Adhere the single mandala pieces onto the canary circles.
  5. Use the Custom Cutting System with the #3 Circle Pattern and Red Blade on the inside edge to cut (6) circles from the yellow sun paper. Cut the circles in half. Adhere the layered canary/mandala pieces onto the yellow sun semi-circles.
  6. Use the Custom Cutting System with the Jumbo Circle Pattern and Red Blade on the inside edge to cut a circle from the center of a sheet of the lemon/lime paper.
  7. Adhere (8) of the yellow sun semi-circles underneath the teal side of the cut-out circle. Adhere the teal circle to the other sheet of the lemon/lime paper.
  8. Adhere the two photo mats to the layout. Trim and adhere border stickers to the top and bottom of the mats.
  9. Add stickers with Foam Squares as shown. Use a Green Dual-Tip Pen to add faux stitching as shown.

To Create the Second Page:

  1. Cut striped paper to 12″ x 9″. Stripes should be running vertical, so cut in the horizontal position.
  2. Use the Border Maker System with the Citrus Slice Border Maker Cartridge to punch (2) borders from Dark Green Cardstock. Cut off of the cardstock at 1″ and adhere to the top and bottom of the striped piece.
  3. Adhere the striped sheet to the sheet of lemon/lime paper with the circle cut out of the center. Make sure to only put adhesive on the edges of the striped piece.
  4. Adhere the 12″ x 1/2″ strip of Canary Cardstock to the top of the bottom border.
  5. Cut (3) 3-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ photo mats from the yellow sun paper and adhere as shown.
  6. Adhere (3) of the semi-circle pieces to the tops of the photo mats. Adhere the reverse side of one semi-circle as shown for a journaling box.
  7. Add stickers with Foam Squares as shown. Use a Green Dual-Tip Pen to add faux stitching as shown.

If you would like a printable PDF Handout of these instructions, please join my private Facebook group, Karyn’s Croppers, and look in the FILES section. Click here to join Karyn’s Croppers.

If you like this layout, you’re going to LOVE the exclusive layouts that I created for my Virtual National Scrapbook Day Workshop! You can purchase access to the instructional handouts and videos for these layouts. In addition to the NSD Kit, I used the NSD Cardstock Sampler Pack, NSD Laser Bundle and NSD Mini Embellishments. You can substitute with other materials.

2023 National Scrapbook Day Layout Instructions

You will receive access to handouts and instructional videos to create 8 single page layouts. The layouts pair perfectly to create double-page layouts if desired. After you purchase, you will receive an email within 24 hours with instructions for accessing the materials. I ask that these layouts are not shared with others and are not shared on social media including Pinterest. No refunds.

$20.00

Happy Scrapping!
Karyn

Punched Swirl Circles with Creative Memories Border Maker System

Yay, it’s May – one of my favorite months of the year! I love the beautiful weather and the early summer blooms in my garden! For my monthly Technique Layout and Challenge, I’m featuring an adaptation of a layout that I created for the Creative Memories Blog in 2016! For that layout, I used punched pieces to decorate circles to create a swirling pattern across a double-page layout. For my new layouts, I punched circles with the Original Border Maker System with knock-out style cartridges to create a swirling pattern.

Did you know that Creative Memories offers three kinds of border maker cartridges?

Chain Style: Punches out a chain pattern that falls off of your paper when punched.
Edge Style: Punches the edge of your paper. You can use your punched paper or cut off the decorative edge to create a border.
Knock-Out Style: Punches a design from the paper that doesn’t extend to the edge.

To create my layout, I used the Custom Cutting System to cut three different sizes of circles, and then I cut those circles in half. I used the Original Border Maker System with the Zebra Stripe Border Maker Cartridge to punch around the edges of the smallest semi-circles.

For this layout, I used the super cute What a Zoo Too! Collection. The What a Zoo Too! Stickers are especially adorable, and I also love the coordinating What a Zoo Too! ABC Letter Stickers!

For my second layout, I used the lovely Painted Garden Collection with the retired Butterflies Border Maker Cartridge and the exclusive Ladybugs Punch that was part of a recent promotion by Creative Memories. I added a journaling box to this layout and also a border punched with the Original Border Maker System with exclusive Woven Scallop Border Maker Cartridge. (Please contact me if you would like to purchase the Woven Scallop BMC.)

To see a step-by-step demonstration of how to create this layout, please see my YouTube video. If you subscribe to my YouTube Channel, you’ll receive a notification when I post a new video.

You may purchase most of the tools and materials that I used through my Creative Memories website link. I so appreciate your purchases and offer a generous Customer Rewards Program.

For an entry into my Monthly Door Prize Drawing, please use this technique to create a layout and share a photo of your layout in my private Facebook group, Karyn’s Croppers. Please ADD your photo to the #TechniqueTue 47 Album where you’ll be able to see versions shared by other croppers. While you’re in the ALBUM section of Karyn’s Croppers, take a peek at the 46 other technique albums!

Happy Scrapping!
Karyn

Ladybugs Scrapbook Layout

I had fun creating an adorable layout with the new exclusive Ladybugs Punch and Paper that are part of Creative Memories current promotion. With $135US in purchases, you can select either the Ladybugs Bundle or the Unbe-leaf-able Bundle for FREE! You can receive both bundles with a $270 purchase.

The promo ends on April 25th at noon CT, but it’s common for our items to run out before the end of the promo. So don’t delay in purchasing! Which freebie bundle will you select?


I used the super cute Ladybug Paper and Punch to create this super sweet layout! The left border is 4″ x 12″ with an 1/8″ trim of Black Cardstock and a border punched from White Cardstock with the Original Border Maker Cartridge and Woven Scallop Border Maker Cartridge from Creative Memories. The Woven Scallops BMC is an exclusive cartridge, and I’m glad to ship one to you! Please contact me for details.

I cut ovals and circles using the Custom Cutting System to create my flower. I layered ladybugs punched from Black and Cranberry Cardstocks, and adhered them with Foam Squares. The background paper is from the new Totally Tonal Red Paper Pack.

To a see a step-by-step video demonstration of how to create this layout, please see my YouTube video.



I appreciate your purchases through my Creative Memories website link, and I offer a generous Customer Rewards Program. Don’t forget that the Promo ends on August 25th at Noon CT or while supplies last.

Happy Scrapping!
Karyn

P.S. Don’t forget to register for the Creative Life Scrapbooking PJ Party Virtual Crop on April 28th. The page classes will be recorded if you can’t join us on Zoom. Click here for more info and to register.

Endless Meadows Scrapbook Layouts

What a fickle spring this has been! Beautiful weather one day and back to winter the next. Although my spring blooms are behind schedule this year, I can enjoy a few photos from last spring with this pretty page that I created for Creative Life Scrapbooking. I used the lovely Endless Meadows Collection from Creative Memories and the new Wildflowers and Field Fence Border Punches.

Please visit our Creative Life Scrapbooking Facebook page to see instructions for my layout. You’ll also want to follow me and my scrappy friends at CLS as we share new layout ideas on Mondays and Fridays. We also hold virtual crops and offer on-demand page classes and printable idea books.

You might be interested in joining our PJ Party Virtual Crop on Friday, April 29th. We’ll meet on Zoom to create 5 double-page layouts together. Plus there will be 2 more additional layouts shared. If you can’t crop along on the 29th, you can still register for access to our recorded videos and printable handouts. We create double-page layouts that hold several photos. The layout designs are versatile so you can use materials that you already own. And we offer tool substitution suggestions. Please see our website for more information and to register.


Here’s a layout that I shared with the followers of my private Facebook group, Karyn’s Croppers. I shared the layout technique and challenged them to use the technique to create a layout and share a photo into the group for an entry into my Monthly Door Prize Drawing! Again I used the Endless Meadows Collection for this layout.

I used the 12-Inch Trimmer with the Scallop and Scoring Blades and an easy cutting and folding technique to create the decorative panels in the center of the layout. For instructions, please see and subscribe to my Karyn Crops YouTube Channel.


I created one last layout with the Endless Meadows Collection. This was another layout that I shared with Creative Life Scrapbooking. To create my pretty border, I used the new Circle Chain Border Maker Cartridge with the Spring Leaf Punch and the old Blooming Medallion Punch. You can easily substitute any flower punch.

For easy step-by-step instructions, please see Creative Life Scrapbooking on Facebook.

You’ll find the beautiful Endless Meadows Collection and most of the tools that I used on my Creative Memories site. I appreciate all of your orders and offer a generous Customer Rewards Program.

PS. Check out my newest On-Demand Page Class offering! You can now purchase access to my super cute National Scrapbook Day Layouts. Look at the top menu bar of this page or click here to see all of the classes that I offer.

Thanks so much for visiting with me today!
Karyn

Art Nouveau – Dragonfly Punch Scrapbook Layouts

The Art Nouveau Collection 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 Scrapping!
Karyn

Spring Cottage Scrapbook Layouts

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.

Happy Scrapping!
Karyn

Spring Cottage Bunny Scrapbook Layout

Today I’m sharing a super sweet Easter layout that I created with the lovely Spring Cottage Collection from Creative Memories. This is a beautiful collection that features a mix of feminine and rustic outdoor patterns. I love the combination of the earthy outdoor pieces with the feminine wildflower touches! The Spring Cottage Embellishments are especially pretty with their watercolor designs on embossed paper. Please stay tuned as I will be sharing more Spring Cottage Layouts soon.

This pretty page is ready for Easter photos of my granddaughters. I created the pieced bunny based on a pattern shared in 2005 by Creative Memories. The pen details really add to the sweetness factor! This bunny would also be great on baby scrapbook layouts.

To watch me create the bunny and also an Easter basket, please view my YouTube video. Please also subscribe to my YouTube channel, so that my videos are always easy for you to find.

To create my layout:

1. Cut a 2″ hollow frame from the plaid patterned paper.
2. Cut the blue patterned paper to 10-1/2″ x 10-1/2″, and cut a 1″ hollow frame from it. Adhere the piece to the
bottom right of the plaid paper.
3. Adhere a 10″ x 10″ piece of White Cardstock to the blue frame.
4. To create the bunny, use the Custom Cutting System with the small and medium Circle Patterns and the small and medium Oval Patterns and the Red and Blue Blades. Always cut on the inside edges of the cutting patterns.
Body: Medium Circle, Red Blade
Head: Medium Oval, Red Blade
Ears: Medium Oval, Blue Blade (cut 2)
Feet: Small Oval, Red Blade (cut 2)
Arms: Medium Oval, Blue Blade (cut in half)
Hands: Small Circle, Blue Blade (cut in half)
Inside Ears: Small Oval, Blue Blade (cut 2)
Nose: Small Oval, Blue Blade
5. Assemble bunny, and use Dual-Tip Brown Pen to add pen details.
6. Cut the Spring Cottage Embellishment piece in half and adhere with Foam Squares positioning the bunny in-between
the pieces. Adhere the bunny with Foam Squares also.
7. Add additional embellishments with Foam Squares as shown.
8. My photo mats are 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″.
9. Add pen detail to the edge of the White Cardstock piece.


You’ll find these tools and materials on my Creative Memories website link. If you would like to see older Easter layouts of mine, please use the Search function on this page to search for “Easter”.

Please check out the new Online Page Classes section of my blog. You’ll find the link at the top of the page. Please also subscribe to my new YouTube Channel to see video demonstrations. Plus don’t forget about my up-coming Virtual National Scrapbook Day Workshop on Saturday, April 17th. Click here to register.

I hope that you and your family have a blessed Easter weekend!

Karyn

Mandala-Inspired Layout with Boho Escape and Emerald Gemstone

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-Way Corner 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:

  1. Cut a 1″ hollow frame from olive green designer paper.
  2. Cut oval patterned designer paper to 11- 1/2″ x 11-1/2″, and adhere to the frame.
  3. 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.
  4. Use Centering Ruler to center the circle on the page, and adhere.
  5. Cut 14 squares that measure 1-1/2″ x 1-1/2″.
  6. Cut 28 squares that measure 1″ x 1″ from two different papers.
  7. Use the Two-Way Corner Rounder to punch two opposite corners of each square.
  8. Use Brown Dual-Tip Pen to outline the pieces.
  9. 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.

Happy Scrapping!
Karyn

Boho Escape Scrapbook Layout

Brrrr! Freezing temperatures! Snow! Ice! It’s perfect scrapbooking weather! If you’re looking for a virtual scrapbooking activity for this weekend, you might consider joining me. I’m hosting a weekend-long event that I’m calling The World Awaits Virtual Scrapbooking Retreat.

As “The World Awaits” for the pandemic to end and get back to “normal”, grab your passport for fun and join my Virtual Scrapbooking Weekend Retreat on February 19-21! We’ll have fun with a travel themed retreat as we daydream and plan the first trips that we’ll take after the pandemic ends. The virtual retreat will feature live page classes and Scrap & Chat sessions on Zoom, challenges, door prizes, a product sale of discontinued and discounted Creative Memories products, and a few fun games. All page classes will be recorded and include instructional handouts. There is a $25 fee to participate, and you can pay with Pay Pal. Please click here to register now.

I will be using the BOHO Escape Collection from Creative Memories for my sample layouts that we’ll create during the Virtual Retreat. We’ll make 7 double-page layouts (14 pages) during the page classes. You may use any materials that you like for your layouts. In addition to the Zoom sessions, there will be a private Facebook group for the event where I’ll share recordings of the page classes and printable instructional handouts. The product sale of discontinued and discounted Creative Memories products will be a Facebook Live post to the Facebook group. And participants will share photos of their completed layouts on the private group.


During the retreat, we’ll make pretty pages like the one above. The layout above is also a good reminder about the Cardstock Buffet that Creative Memories is currently offering. On occasion, Creative Memories offers a Cardstock Buffet with exclusive limited edition cardstock colors that are not part of our product line. The current Cardstock Buffet features exclusive Shimmer Cardstock in 7 different colors. When you purchase 6 packs, you receive one pack for FREE! For more information and to order, please check out my CM website.

For my layout above, I combined the lovely Marigold Cardstock from the last Cardstock Buffet and the Boho Escape Collection. I also used the new Mandala Border Punch to create the pretty frame around the photo and the decorative corner pieces. I’ll be demonstrating this technique during my Virtual Retreat this weekend. Please see my YouTube Channel for a video demonstration of how to make this fancy inside frame.

Happy Scrapping!
Karyn