Chateau de Beynac (in my Traveler's Notebook)

Hi there! I am back today to share a new Traveler's Notebook spread with you. It was created to highlight the new Petite Prints papers from Doodlebug Design and in particular their 6x6 pads.
* parts of this post appeared on the Doodlebug Design blog on 9/19/18

I really like the tiny patterns, the thickness and the rainbow of colors in these pads. Not only that but they are perfectly scaled for traveler's notebook. I am still working on the same Summer trip to France and this page documents our visit to the Chateau de Beynac in the Perigord region:

Because I had printed a large panoramic photo, I wanted to use papers that would enhance it but not take away from it. The tiny patterns in the Petite Prints are gorgeous and discreet; this floral one below is my favorite!

To create these pages, I pulled several dark grey papers: the floral one is from the Floral-Graph Rainbow Petite Prints 6x6 pad and the dot and stripe ones are from the Dot-Stripe Rainbow Petite Prints 6x6 pad. The journaling and torn edges on the bottom of my photo are done with two papers from the Floral-Graph pad.

I used several blue mini doilies as embellishments including one supporting my title, spelled with Abigail alphabet stickers in white. Enamel dots in Beetle Black add just the right finishing touch.

I have more photos from this visit so I will create a second page for them but I like this one as a big intro. I also made a pretty card with the scraps left on my table which I will share with you very soon.

Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful and crafty weekend!

2011 Summer Mini Album (with advice on how to finish an unfinished project)

Yes, you read that title right! This project was started 7 years ago but I dusted it because of my 100 Day Project goal which was to finish some unfinished projects (more on that in my next post).

So this 4x6 mini has been sitting in a bag with some very old stash, nothing that would excite me at this point. My solution was to switch the old stuff with the new Doodlebug Design Sweet Summer collection!

My advice (I know we all have those unfinished projects!) would be to just work on the unfinished portion (mine was halfway done, you can see the first half HERE) and not worry about the parts already done. Remember, the goal is to finish! If you are worried about continuity, stick to the same style/design you started with (I did) and/or go back to the beginning and add a few embellishments from your new supplies (I didn't). 

As far as supplies, I loved working with the 6x6 Sweet Summer paper pad as well as other pads (like the Swiss dot Rainbow Petite prints). I used die-cuts from the Chit Chat pack and stickers from the This & That and the Icons sheets. 

I had fun creating a couple of pages with interactive elements: a tag made out of cardstock (with a bucket list) slides into a vellum bag. I used some Chunky twine and a mini doily to match the journaling strips on the opposite page:

And finally my favorite: an insert made out of a card from the Sweet Summer Create-A-Card pack.

Since I couldn't share all the pages here, I made this very short flip-through video for you:

It feels amazing to finally be done and to fully enjoy this mini album! I hope to have inspired you to look into finishing old projects with fresh eyes and a renewed excitement thanks to this collection or any other new supplies that give you the urge to create!

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Happy Summer planner spread (with Doodlebug Design)

* This post also appears on the Doodlebug Design blog

The days are longer, the sun is out and it is the last week of school so of course I turned to the Sweet Summer collection to decorate my planner!

I first picked die-cuts from the Odds&Ends and the Chit Chat packs (they are so packed they're my favorites!). Don't hesitate to use large ones and cut them at the edges if necessary and also think about layering them: 

Once I have figured out my placements and before adhering them, I applied different washi tapes that complement their colors (from the stripe and scallop assortments plus the new "Playful Posies"). I also created a few "embellishments" by covering cardstock with "Beatle black Swiss dot" washi and punching half circles of different sizes.

I used a few stickers from the 12x12 This & That sheet and some Tropical Punch enamel shapes. In order to bring even more contrast and definition to my bright spread, I decided to outline in black some of the elements:

I finished by using a few alpha stickers (Teensy type in black and swimming pool, Abigail in black), writing a few things planned in different colors, and adding some checklists to fill with to dos during the week.

Is your planner ready for Summer? This spread just makes me want to relax by the side of the pool with a drink! :)

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(this post contains affiliate links: you don't pay anything extra, but I do get a small commission on the sale. Thank you!)

A Mother's Day Planner spread

The new Hello collection by Doodlebug Design is so pretty that I couldn't wait to prep my planner for next week with it, and it is absolutely perfect for a Mother's Day themed spread!

I first reached for the packed-to-the-brim Odds & Ends bag and, showing amazing restraint, selected just a few die-cuts. I also pulled pieces from the Chit Chat pack, a couple of teensy type alphabets, fancy frills sheets, shape sprinkles and mini icons stickers. Let's look at a few closeups:

Aren't the colors in this collection amazing?! Here, I paired the "Happy" from the Chit Chat pack with some teensy type alphas in bubblegum and underneath I added some adhesive rhinestones (also from the collection) on top of a die-cut bouquet to give it depth and shine. I love the result!

The adorable Doodle-Pops phone will remind me to call my mom! Did you notice the gold foil touches throughout these embellishments?

I didn't even mention the washi tapes or the Jelly Clips but they are probably my favorites ever! I fell in love with the navy floral washi below called "Garden Party" as soon as I first saw it! 

Hello is a very pretty and feminine collection that is perfect if you like to decorate your planners. Its many fun elements come in different scales so it works great for any size planner. 

I'll take this chance to wish you all a very happy Mother's Day! Thank you for stopping by! 

Below are (affiliate) links to the supplies I used:

My Lil' Farm Magnetic Game (with Doodlebug Design) and tutorial

I could not wait to share this new project with you! I went out of the box and created a magnetic game with the Down on the Farm collection from Doodlebug Design. I am so happy with how it turned out! 

(Links in this post are affiliate, you don't pay extra by using them but I get a small commission on your sale, thank you!)

It even comes with its own little box to store all the magnets: 

Here is the list of what you need to make your own plus a quick tutorial:

- Down on the Farm Odds & Ends die-cuts: my inspiration and the most important supply!

- Patterned papers: I used "Counting Sheep" and "Horsin'Around" 

- Cardstock in blue and green

- A small cookie sheet: bought mine at Dollar Tree

- Adhesive magnetic sheets: found at Walmart

- Laminating sheets: bought mine at Daiso but I also saw some at Walmart

1/ Laminate* how ever many die-cuts you want from the Odds&Ends pack and fussy cut each of them afterwards. That is the longest part of this quick project.

2/ Once they are cut, place an adhesive piece of magnet behind each of them.

3/ Cut and glue the patterned papers and cardstock to the cookie sheet to create a scenery. That's it!

I found a small metal box in my stash that I decorated so that all the magnets could be stored in it but you can use any container.

I can not wait to offer it to my friend's daughter! I think she will have tons of fun with it! What do you think?

* Don't have a laminating machine? Use an iron like I did! Look for "laminating with an iron" on YouTube ;)

At the Children's Zoo (with Doodlebug Design)

Hello friends! I am back here today to share my first project with the new Down on the Farm range from Doodlebug Design. As soon as I saw it, I thought about older photos I had taken at the San Diego Children's Zoo and had never scrapped. It's never too late to document your life, right?

I created a 6x12 pocket page spread that I will insert into my 12x12 family album:

I had four 4x6 photos so I created two central cards with papers from the 6x6 Down on the Farm paper pad. The first one was so much fun to make with the Odds & Ends die-cuts! There are so many fun elements in the pack that it was hard to restrain myself but I stuck with the animals that were in my photos... plus the flies! Being at a petting zoo I am sure they were there! Haha!

The second card has the title and journaling. I placed the sun and cloud die-cuts again from the Odds & Ends pack and built my title by mixing three alphas: the Skinny alphabet in bubblegum, the Abigail and Teensy type in Ladybug:

After that, I embellished some of the photos with more die-cuts and also a Cute cloud Clip:

A few machine stitches here and there and some enamel Sprinkles were my finishing touches. One last look at the pages together:

I love this spread and I can not believe that my little blond head is now 16! Yikes, time flies! 

Thank you for visiting me today! You can find all the supplies through the affiliate links below:

A finished project! (with Doodlebug Design)

Hello, I am very excited because I finished the traveler's notebook I have been working on for a while. I started it in May 2017 but took my time working on it. If you check the Traveler's Notebook category in the right column >>>  you will see all the pages... I am also hoping to do a flip through and post it on my Instagram account.

So here are my last spread, the opening page and the cover (i typically leave those two undone until the very end) showcasing the new Abigail alpha stickers from Doodlebug Design (affiliate links):

For the spread, I printed a full size photo and added the alpha stickers directly on it. I used four different colors of Abigail stickers to make it more fun. I love how they pop against the blue sky.

On the left side, I covered the page with some Cream & Sugar X's & O's paper and then made a pocket using some limeade cardstock from the Petite Prints pack. In the pocket, I put an office tag with my journaling. A piece of Doodlebug twine brings the blue of the sky on the left side.

The pocket is decorated with an arrow sticker from the Cream & Sugar This & That sticker sheet, tangerine Sprinkles and a Cute Clip.

For the opening page, I reserved a favorite photo that represented the blooming desert:

I placed it on a piece of yellow paper from the 6x6 So Punny paper pad and tore the bottom. I then created my title with the white Abigail stickers. The cute cactus clip (they are irresistible!) brings a touch a green. In the end, I decided to add more green with a bit of limeade swiss dot washi.

For the final touch, I used some coral Abigail stickers directly on the cover of my insert:

Isn't that a gorgeous color? I love how it turned out and I am so happy that this project is finally finished! Would you like to see more TN spreads here or you don't care for this format?

You're all sorts of awesome (in my Traveler's Notebook)

If you come here regularly, you know that I have been documenting a day trip to the desert in a traveler's notebook insert and I just used the Doodlebug Design So Punny collection to finish the last two pages (I have skipped a few... and will work on them later).

I first cut a piece of 12x12 Plaid paper to the size of my right page. After placing my photo strip, I added two speech bubbles from the Chit Chat pack adhering the bigger one with foam dots for dimension. For the left side, I really wanted to use the big Love arrow diecut (also from the Chit Chat pack) and found a couple of papers in the So Punny 6x6 paper pad to add layers under my photo. The arrow diecut is also on foam dots and brings the eye to the photo.

The journaling tucked under the photo is actually done on the scalloped flap of an envelope from the Love assortment of Cards & Envelopes (I used the rest of the envelope on my next page). Since this is about a trip to the desert, I chose to add a couple of cactus stickers from the Icons sticker sheet. They just make me smile.

I finished off the spread with a cute flower clip and assorted enamel dots.

The next page was the last page of my book so I couldn't stop here! I fed a piece of the Work of Heart paper into my typewriter to write the last lines. I liked the notebook piece that was already signed XOXO. 

I selected two more diecuts from my Chit Chat pack, the banner to use as a title and a yellow heart. Feeling like it still needed something, I framed my page with bracket stickers from the This & That sticker sheet. I like how they add just a touch of color.

I just love working in this format and I am so excited about the upcoming Doodlebug Design Daily Doodles Traveler's Notebooks and inserts!

Thank you for stopping by today! And if by chance you shop the affiliate links I have posted, thank you for your support!

A Valentine's Monthly Planner Spread (Doodlebug Design)

Hello Dears! Since Valentine's is the theme of my monthly planner page, I decided to share it here today. It is so easy to pretty up any planner with die-cuts, patterned papers, stickers, doilies and washi tapes from Doodlebug Design!

How? I first cut apart the square stamps from the "Work of Heart" patterned paper and adhered them here and there in the boxes I was not using. To continue with the mail theme, I added the most precious letter and stamp stickers from the Icons sticker sheet. Both are part of the So Punny collection.

Doilies are a Valentine's Day staple so I placed some pink ones at the edges. They bring another touch of color but also allow for layering, like here with a big die-cut:

A few strips of "My Love" washi tape bring all the colors together. I also added more stickers, this time from the This & That 12x12 sheet using foam dots under some of them to add dimension. 

My final and possibly favorite touch was making this planner clip with the typewriter Doodle Pop:

These photos were taken at the start of the month so it has filled up a bit since then but anytime I go back to this page, I can't help but smile. I hope to send a bit of love your way with this post... Happy Valentine's Day!

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