Love Letters: Daily Diary Heart of Gold 'A Tutorial'

Hello everyone!

Today I am going to take a different spin on my post this week.

I thought I would show one off one of my favourite tools to use with  you all, considering this week is all about "love letters". 

It was the perfect fit for the story I wanted to tell.

I love how each Daily Diary kit comes with at least 1 12x12 sheet.  It is awesome to have the option to use this in it's entirety, or cut up since most of them can be trimmed on their one side into adorable pocket cards.

So this week, because it is all about "love letters" I wanted to use this double sided paper from this kit and transform it into a super cute envelope to place inside my planner using my favourite tool...the We R Memory Keeper Envelope Punch Board!

This board is SO easy to use...and makes SO many different sizes of envelopes. How awesome right?!? It is the perfect way to create extra storage for your projects or a great way to create super cute envelopes from our overflowing paper stashes...I know we all have em! ;)

Ok...so let's get down to how this little beauty works.

When you purchase your board it comes with a full sheet of easy step by step directions....as well as photo directions so you cannot go wrong!

I will give you a basic low down...and if you are still unsure, you can always check out amazing video demos on you tube showing this fabulous tool in action.

So, to begin. 

Decide on what size of envelope you are wishing to create by reviewing all of the possible sizes listed on the board.  When you choose your size, it will also tell you what dimensions your paper needs to be in order to create that envelope.

So next step, trim your 12x12 sheet of paper down according to the size you require.

Next, when you chose your desired size of envelope...it also stated not only the paper dimensions in correspondence with that, but it also showed the designated "score line".

This is important because the edge of your paper will always have to line up with that number when you are scoring and punching to create your score lines.

So here you can see I am aligning my paper along the designated score line.

Once I have it lined up, I can go ahead and push this blue knob down.  It will punch my paper to begin creating the envelope template.

Then, once I am done punching...take the scoring tool and starting at the scoring edge, create a score line down your paper.

You will repeat these steps 4 times to achieve the envelope template as seen below.

You can see where the "punch" actually creates the little notches that will form our envelope and allow our score lines to fold.

Next apply adhesive to the two side flaps.

Fold up the bottom portion and secure in place.

Fold over the top half and voila!

You have a gorgeous custom DIY envelope ready to go!

So cute, right?!?

Now, to create my letter.

I simply typed it up in a word processor and then printed it onto the back of one of the 4x6 gold foiled cards from the kit.

I added a decorate edge onto the top from one of the 6x6 papers from the kit for a little extra!

I then slipped it inside of my envelope.

Added some holes to my envelope and included it in my planner this month.

I love how cute this paper is....and in envelope form?!? Even better!

Now I will always have my love letter safely tucked away and will carry it with me for the remainder of 2016.  I love having this envelope on board in that I can add even more notes inside or additional photos if I want.

The envelope punch board is such a great tool and I loved incorporating it with this months kit!
See you all next week. Hope you enjoyed the tutorial!

Perfectly Paired with Daily Diary & Heart of Gold

Hello everyone and welcome back to a brand NEW month of inspiration from this month's Daily Diary Heart of Gold kit!  This kit is spectacular...and of course, I for one cannot get enough of the GOLD! It's so beautiful and this kit is full of so many amazing pieces that are triggering creative overload!

"Perfectly Paired" is this week's challenge...and for me, nothing is more perfectly paired than some 3x4 black and white photographs and the gorgeous transparent picture frames that were included in this months kit.  They truly are the perfect pairing!

These photo frames are trimmed out of the 12x12 Maggie Holmes Shine transparency that is part of this kit.  These frames have it all, and are truly the perfect pairing for some of my favourite photos this month. 

To add the transparent frames to my photos, all I did was simply place the frame directly on top of my photo.  To secure the frames I either used my tiny attacher stapler, glue dots, or one of the cute paperclips that are included in this month's kit. Easy peasy!

These fun size pocket pages are from Simple Stories and I always keep a good stash on hand since they are such a fun size to work with.  I had the best time filling the pockets with the beautiful cards and papers that filled the Heart of Gold kit.  All of these 2x2 cards I simply trimmed from the original.  This is a great way to stretch your stash even more.

The black stickers are transparent stickers from Pink Paislee's Memorandum collection and I just love how they pop against the white and gold.

You can see here I layered the frames onto my photos, then embellished with the Pink Paislee stickers.  I adhered these stickers directly onto my page protector.

I am loving this latest addition into my album this month, the perfectly paired challenge was so much fun.  See you next week!

Daily Diary & Layers....Planner Style.

I cannot believe we are officially almost at the end of January!

How in the world has this happened already?

As I am still trying to wrap my head around this...I am also really excited to share how I used up the remainder of my January Daily Diary kit this month!

 

 

This week's challenge was all about "layers".  So I thought...well...why not add some of these gorgeous elements as layers into my planner?  So fun, right?!?

I kept things super simple here....as I still need to add in my journaling for the remainder of this month.  However I wanted to share just how awesome these Daily Diary kits are for incorporating into planner systems.  They are so versatile and have so many cute items to include in my planner.  Yay!

 I love layering scraps, cards, and punch outs from the kit on to my planner pages.  

This month's kit also came with the cutest frames, stickers and die cuts.  Not only are they awesome alone...but again...perfect for layering!  I loved layering the frames around the cards, placing stickers atop the die cuts...using 3x4 cards as matting...so many ways to layer this month!

The Perfect Added Touch-Stamping & Your Pocket Pages

Hi everyone!

Today I am here to share you a very simple layout I completed in my pocket page album...and how I used the awesome roller stamp from Dear Lizzy that was included in this month's kit.  

Stamps are so much fun to use...when we remember to use them right?!?

I know I am guilty. I have a ton and really need to use them more because they are so simple, yet add such awesome touches to pages and projects.

For me, this layout is all about the subtle details.  The stamping being one of them.

The stamping actually looks so awesome that it doesn't even look like an "add on".  The way I added the sentiments to my page actually looks like the cards came like that already.

So awesome, right?

There are so many different ways to use stamps in projects, but I decided this time around I would add my stamp sentiments as an additional "embellishment".  I simply added my stamped image onto my tag embellishments and onto a pocket page card that already had text on it.

As you can see, I added the "follow your heart" and "pretty please" image directly onto the heart die cut.  The "happy dance" image was stamped onto the super cute banner die cut.  I then added a simple puffy sticker. Love the combo.

On the left hand side of my layout I added the "XOXO" stamp sentiment directly onto a pre designed 3x4 card from the kit.  You may actually recognize that I altered that card as well.  I really wanted to use it for this layout, but the colors that were on the card did not exactly match my scheme.  So I simply found some coordinating paper from the kit and trimmed off some to adhere over top the portions of the card I wanted covered.  Easy right?  I love when you can alter products to make them fit what you are working on. SO great!

So once that was done I used the roller stamp to simply add my extra sentiment!

Stamps are such an awesome way to customize ones layouts and scrapbook projects.  After using this awesome roller stamp this month I am more inspired than ever to continue adding stamps onto my projects. I hope you are also inspired to use your stamps more too! They really are so much fun.

feeling blue-sy with daily diary

Hello everyone!

Welcome back to another week....and another fun theme to think about when working with your kit this month!

If you have been following the blog this past week, then you are familiar with what we are calling the "Winter Blues".  This means either using blue as a prominent color within your layout/spread from the kit this month....OR document something that helps you beat the winter blues.

Well.....today's pocket page layout for me is both!  I used the Daily Diary kit to compile this fun layout together.  I focused on the beautiful blue tones found in this kit to pull my page together...as well as a fun photo of my son and I spending time outdoors....a great way to beat the winter blues!

This photo was taken on January 1st....his first time with little skates on enjoying skating on the frozen lake....a Canadian tradition!

It was really fun to piece together all of the varied blue tones.  The patterns in this months kit are gorgeous and I loved all of the die cut journaling bits that were included this month.

The left hand side of my layout...I did not add any photos.  Instead I just wanted to really enjoy and play with the varied "blue tones" in this kit...as well as enjoy the beautiful embellishments and stamps that are part of this kit.  I love grids.

I really enjoyed this fun theme.

It was great to focus on one color for this spread....and celebrate some memories.

All of this combined definitely helped me beat the winter blues!

Scrapbooking definitely has that healing power.

hello january...let's play AND get organized with sweet charlotte daily diary kit!

Happy 2016 everyone!

Wow....a NEW year and a brand NEW Noel Mignon kit to drool over, get inspired by and create beautiful memories with.

I am excited to begin my pocket pages for 2016 and this kit is perfect for that. This month I am loving the bright colors, patterns and beautiful sentiments that are included with this kit. Super inspiring.

So, each week we have been touching on a different theme or topic.  This week is all about organization.  So before I get to sharing my pocket page....let's talk about how I am organizing and storing some of my kit favourites this month!

This is my "go to" storage system as of right now.  This awesome white bins from IKEA.  They are clean, sturdy and I love how they fit everything.  I love to store both my 3x4 and 4x6 cards in here.

Also from IKEA....this super cute black and white striped bowl.  I love placing them in these bins to store my tinier embellishments such as die cuts, wood veneer, flair and ribbons.  Having it all together makes the creative process that much easier and I love seeing so much beautiful stuff all in one place.

Now on to my first pocket page layout for 2016!

As always, I mixed up my page protectors.  Placed items both inside and outside of pockets and really just had fun with all of the patterns and colors in this kit! LOVE this month's stash!

The 'bright and happy' card, 'be happy' flair and wood veneer hello are top favourites for me this month.

Loved mixing and matching all of the fun patterns and embellishments with my photos.  I even used my Fuse tool to help enclose some of the fun confetti pieces into the pockets.  The little sequin stars are my favourite. So cute!

For me, this kit is all about COLOR this month! So grab some photos and have fun playing with all of the bright and amazing patterns.  Definitely makes me in the mood for SPRING!

resolutions documented with daily diary.

happy happy new years eve everyone!

wow! just like that 2015 is over.

i cannot believe that 2016 is only hours away.

a fresh NEW year. sounds exciting doesn't it?

so, for my last and final instalment for 2015....and the december daily diary kit i created a fun 'resolution' spread in my album.  how perfect are those foil numbers?  

true to my style, and how i love to change it up, you will notice again i used a lot of the elements both inside and outside my pocket pages. it's fun to change it up.

i added some simple typed journaling about my resolution and thoughts regarding the new year onto a 4x6 piece of white card stock.

i then added a scrap of 6x6 paper i had from the kit onto the edge to create  fun border.  i absolutely LOVED this star paper from this months kit.  so i used it not only as a 3x4 pocket card, but i also used my star punch to create some star embellishments from it.  i used my sewing machine to adhere them to the side. love the dimension.

i also loved using the sequin embellishments from the kit onto my spreads this month. how EASY are they to use first off....and second, they look so cute on pages.  a little bit of sparkle, added texture. such a great embellishment.  again, another favourite this month.

i am so happy i took some time to document this special time of year.  it is always neat to look back and reflect once the year has passed.  it is also nice to write down a focus, or intention you want to bring forward.  i really pray 2016 is a really good year.  

happiest new year to all of you. may it be a year of blessings!