I Don't Always Scrapbook

but when I do.... I make sure they aren't overwhelming 12x12 pages ;) (gotta love the internet memes! lol) SO here I am, actually showcasing some scrapbook pages. I am more of a cardmaker myself, and even more of just a generic papercrafter than that- creating 3D items and home decor- that's my 'forte'. I only scrapbook when I need a page for an 'assignment' (the time I scrapbooked before these pages were for my daughter's end of year pre-school book. 2 years ago). or when I am creating an album as a gift. Those are easy because I love the small cohesiveness of it. It's not this one singe HUGE page looming at me. So when I decided I was going to try out for Stampin' Up!s Artisian Design team, lo-and-behold I had to create not one, but THREE seperate scrapbook pages. I, unfortunately, didn't make the deadline as my parcel didn't make it there in time (will try again next year! No worries!) but it does mean I have actual scrapbook pages to show you :)
The story of how I got into scrapbooking and cardmaking is pretty funny. All I wanted was a heart shaped punch. I was making my own wedding invites (nothing fancy- just basic computer invites, but I wanted to punch 2 hearts and weave a ribbon through) This was the first time I was attempting making my own cards, other than the ones they make you do in elementary school, so I didn't know you can just buy a heart punch. I honestly didn't know such things existed. I was pretty excited when I went through Canadian Tire with my parents for the heck of it and found a scrapbook kit that happened to have a heart punch in it. I only wanted the punch, but I got the entire kit for my birthday that year. Hole. Eee. Crap. Were my first pages ever horrific. I really got into it and made a mess in my wake. Glue sticks were my adhesive of choice as I hadn't heard of tape runners and that made all my photos gummy as I had NO clue what I was doing. So I bought some magazines and the world 'stamping' kept coming up. I honestly thought stamping was the stupidest thing ever. No. Really.
Then one year, as I was getting frusterated at not having the same clean and crisp layouts like I had seen in the magazines, that seemed to come naturally to these fine crafters, I decided to make my own Christmas cards one year and actually realized I would need a stamp and some ink. Went to my local craft store and they were helpful. I made the most hideous cards ever that year. My goodness they were ugly. I keep asking mom (who keeps almost everything I make) if she still has that old, ugly card so I can show people who say they aren't crafty and can't make cards like I do (now) just how I started. They couldn't be worse than my first one. Mom said if that's what I was using it for then 'no'. :/ Mothers. *sigh* SO at that time I really enjoyed it, more than scrapbooking as it was easier, quicker and you could do more in a shorter time. It wasn't as overwhelming. So more magazines and stumbling upon splitcoaststampers, I kept coming across stamping and Stampin' Up! I heard of them before, but wasn't impressed. So I decided to give them another chance and downloaded a catalogue. And behold the romance started :) I created wish list after wish list (not one less than a few hundred dollars) year after year with each new catalogue. Not having a demo OR the finances to back up such a large order (I am an all or nothing girl), so one day I was able to fullfill (that year's) wish list and I couldn't get enough :) 2 years later I signed up myself, and the rest, they say is history! So yea, a bit long winded :) but that's my own journey into the fun and playful world of Stampin' Up!

Now on to scrapbook pages. Ever since finding and delving right into cardmaking, every time I DO do a scrapbook page, I love to incorporate elements of cardmaking into my layouts. Stamping is something a lot of scrapbookers didn't realize they could do- and actually was the foundation of my first Stampers 10 group. Stamping is an easy way to add depth and dimension, create a fun background on a neutral cardstock, or create a title page. And if you mess up? 1. Stampin' Up!'s new ink makes it SO much easier to ensure a crisp image so, there's that ;) and 2. It's a scrapbook page. I have learned long ago that mistakes can be covered up with something even more amazing or used to your advantage to make it look like it was on purpose.

 All these pages are 8x8 as I work better with smaller paged layouts. This first one used the new Besty Blossom set and Standard Wheel. With just a basic Whisper White Cardstock, Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie and Pretty in Pink leap off the page. Creating strips and inking them up break up the page, and I took my scalloped punch to create depth on the right border. Mating pictures makes them the focus of the page, and of setting them adds fun dimension.

This one was different from any pages I have done in the past. I usually stick to traditional girl and boy pallets, so I went outside the box for this Real Red, Basic Grey and Basic Black colour combination. I took the paper daisies and inked the three sizes up in the colours I chose and layered them. The button is just a Real Red button from the Brights Buttons collection, inked with versamark and heat set with silver embossing powder. I created my own background here with versamark and Basic Grey ink and a few different hearts from a couple of different stamp sets (Create a Cupcake and Tiny Tags). The Real Red panels go back and forth from ink embossing to dry embossing.

This last page is hard to see all the elements with the photo. It was pretty neat in person. I created a quilt effect by cutting a bunch of Whisper White squares and embossing them with various embossing folders- Perfect Polka Dots and Petals a Plenty- and creating a quilt pattern with them. Using Chocolate Chip cardstock as my base, the 'empty' spaces I stamped in versamark and dotted with Dazzling Details.



These were a lot of fun to do, and maybe I'll pick up the scrapbook mantel more often, but card making is still my first true passion. Make sure to check out Stampin' Up!'s Simply Scrappin' Kits and Scrapbook page re-fills and books. They make every thing coordinated and easy, while giving the freedom to create in your own style. Punch it up with stamps, die cuts and embossing (not just for cards!) and you can create a breathtaking layout in minutes!

Thanks for stopping by and joining me in my scrapbook journey.

~Brandie~