Let's Get Together - Scrapbook Circle

Have you seen the July kit - You are My Favorite - at Scrapbook Circle? Oh my goodness, I love it! It's filled with Crate Paper, American Crafts, Pink Paislee.... It's awesome. I had the chance to create a layout for the One Item Wonder feature on the Scrapbook Circle blog all about the exclusive stencil included in the kit:

This is a personal blog. All editorial content and projects are intellectual property of Precocious Paper. I do receive financial compensation and products from Scrapbook Circle to develop certain blog posts, but all of the ideas and opinions are my own.

I used the stencil to add some much-needed blue to my page. I simply traced the stencil and filled the space with a waterbrush and Distress Ink. You can read more here.

I used papers from the 6x6 Dear Lizzy Fine and Dandy paper pad. You can find it - and the Maggie Holmes title - in the add-on here. That darling wood veneer bow is Maggie Holmes, too. I need a whole sheet of bows! You can find it in this add-on here.

Visit Scrapbook Circle here, and keep up with them here and here. Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoy your day :). Tessa

Scrapbook Expo - The Weekly Scrapper Spotlight

Hello! I had the wonderful opportunity this week of being featured on Scrapbook Expo's The Weekly Scrapper blog. Along with some recent favorites, I also shared this page created just for the post:

I used a combination of Crate Paper (patterned paper, die-cuts), Heidi Swapp (masks, mist, die for the title), and DCWV (cardstock, cork and metallic papers for title and flower).

I took this photo just a couple of weeks ago after my grandfather's funeral. We had just finished the luncheon afterwards and everyone was exhausted and ready to go home. Adlyn, though, wanted to play - she sees a pretty lawn and must step on every single blade of grass. Watching her, I experienced a moment of absolute clarity - although the events of the day were heavy and sad, happiness could still be found. The pure bliss Addie exuded running around the church grounds was a sweet reminder to have perspective. An eternal perspective. Families are forever. We will see Grandpa again, whole and happy.

I don't collect a lot of metal dies, mainly because I lean on my Silhouette Cameo, but when I saw the Maggie Holmes flower die that is so popular right now, I had to have it. It works beautifully with DCWV papers. The leaves were cut from double-sided cardstock, making cutting leaves in two shades of teal super easy! The cork cut like butter, and the adhesive backing made putting the flower together and adding it to my page a breeze. The gold metallic paper cut easily, too, with both the Maggie Holmes dies and the Heidi Swapp "bliss" die. I love having all these DCWV papers on hand!

Would you like to know which favorite layouts I shared on The Weekly Scrapper? You might recognize one or two! Check the post out here. Thanks to Paige Evans for the opportunity!

Thanks for stopping by today! Tessa

Hello Love - The Studio Challenges

Hello! I am really struggling with Adlyn turning one this week. I've been pouring over the last year of photos just dumbfounded at how fast time has passed. To ease the panic I'm feeling of losing my baby girl to toddlerhood, I have been scrapping older photos that haven't made it to layouts yet:

This layout is based on the new challenge at The Studio - to use up what's on your desk. I don't actually have a desk since converting my craft room to Addie's nursery, so I guessed at what would be sitting on my work table if I had one - my January Scrapbook Circle kit and old photos, as well as some party crafting supplies (I am having so much fun DIY-ing her birthday party!).

I absolutely LOVE this kit full of Pink Paislee, Crate Paper, and more. I had a lot of fun pulling the kit pieces together and mixing them with this gold and white striped tissue paper that I am currently making tissue paper tassels from:

Here's the journaling if you'd like to know what my page is about:

You can join us at The Studio Challenges here. I think I need this challenge quarterly. It was so great to use some things I had been dying to use, but hadn't found the time for.

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great week! Tessa

My Story - The Studio Challenges

When people remark about my kids' blond hair, they are usually surprised when I tell them that I was born blond (my husband, too!). My hair is much darker now, but here's proof that once upon a time, I had blond locks like my kiddos:

Aren't those pigtails adorable? I can't wait until Addie's hair is long enough for pigtails! The latest challenge at The Studio is to create a page about a childhood memory. I recently stumbled upon this photo of myself (3 years old maybe?) and decided to make my layout about my early memories of frilly, pretty dresses.

I used Maggie Holmes' Open Book collection. I thought it was the perfect compliment to my theme. The Open Book bobby pins are adorable, and they even work well in Addie's hair, but they are awfully bulky on a layout. A mini album cover would be fine, but I had to alter this pin for my page. I snapped the back of the pin off and used hot glue to adhere it to the tag. For all you knew, that cute little deer was pinned to that tag, huh?!

I have fond  memories of twirling in dresses and I'm sure those early years are the reason I look for vintage dresses for Adlyn. I wish my mom had saved mine.

If you'd like to play along at The Studio Challenges, you can find the challenge post here. Thanks for stopping by! Tessa

New Art Journal - Love My Tapes

Hello! I'm excited to share with you a new ongoing project - my art journal. When I say "art journal", I mean my baby-steps venturing into art journaling. I'm not a really messy, artsy kind of girl, but I've been itching to play with stamps and watercolors, so I've decided to create this book of quotations. I'm going to play, get my feet wet, but it will be pretty clean and simple. All of the quotes will come from LDS General Conference addresses. The first two I created were chosen because gratitude has been on my mind all month:

For this page, I used pink airmail washi tape from Love My Tapes. You can read more about it at the Love My Tapes blog here, including a tip for using the right ink for washi tape.

I LOVE the Open Book collection by Maggie Holmes, and I am obsessed with these flower and leaf die-cuts. Every single line of scrapbooking supplies should come with a package of die-cut flowers and leaves. In my opinion ;).

I used a $5 set of watercolors from Michaels to paint "grateful". I really like the contrast of the ballet pink and teal.

For this page, I used My Mind's Eye washi tape and more Open Book flowers. I went with yellow and green because I love the way those two work together.

I love how this quote is a gentle reminder to stop complaining ;).

I also love stamping one letter at a time. I could hand write the quotes, but stamping them forces me to take time to ponder the words. By the time I finish, I have a better understanding of what the words mean than when I started.

I'm behind on sharing my Attitude of Gratitude posts here on the blog, but I do intend to catch up this week. If we're Facebook friends or you follow me on Instagram, you know I had a crazy week with much to be grateful for. ;)

Attitude of Gratitude day 17: I'm grateful for my boys' teachers. I say this every year because parent teacher conferences always fall in November, but it's true. Some years I connect with their teachers more than others. Some years the boys connect with their teachers more than others. Most years are relatively smooth and successful. Others are hard. This has been a hard one. So much adjusting, growing up, and learning how to parent three students instead of just two, and all that with a baby. But I'm so grateful for all that my boys' teachers do, and even if I don't care for policies or curriculum, I'm behind them 100% because they are literally raising my kids with me.

Thanks for stopping by today! Tessa

Happy Little Life - Love My Tapes

Hello! Last week I had the opportunity to share a layout on the Love My Tapes blog:

I started with a photo leftover from my Be Yourself mini album (see yesterday's post). I love the combination of dark blue and kelly green right now, so I chose patterned paper that would compliment that. I used a Project Life card for my title, and embellished with a Maggie Holmes bow:

I shopped my stash and rediscovered these vellum banners by Crate Paper. Love these!

I added some Love My Tapes lace tape to the side of my photo for a little more texture.

To bring in more green, I used Love My Tapes washi tape to create a border on my page. When I put the washi tape down, I placed it over my page and my table so that it stuck my layout to the table. Then I misted my cardstock and let it dry. Because the washi tape was holding the paper down, it stayed nice and flat as it dried.

You can find my post at Love My Tapes here. Thanks for stopping by today! Tessa

July 4th - The SRM Challenge

Oh, what a busy start to the summer! I am looking forward to some lazy summer days starting next week, as well as the 4th of July! Independence Day is my favorite holiday and I can't wait to celebrate. In fact, I am so anxious for July 4th that I scrapped an old photo for the current SRM Challenge:

The theme for June is summer, and lots of things fall under that umbrella - including the 4th of July! I used SRM's patriotic border stickers and several white stitches sticker from this set. I also used an extra large white number from this set and the July sticker from this set to make my title.

 

My base patterned paper is by Crate Paper (an oldie but goodie!) and the khaki striped patterned paper is DCWV from the Coral and Navy stack. The 4th of July flair is from A Flair for Buttons. I love that the set is red, white, blue and kraft.

 

If you'd like to link up your summer-themed project featuring SRM products, you still have lots of time! Find the original challenge post here and check out the reminder post (with more projects for inspiration, including this layout) here.

Thanks for stopping by today, and have a good one! Tessa

Smash Sunday - Week in the Life Part 1

Hello! Today I am sharing the beginnings of my Week in the Life SMASH book. We don't travel much, and when we do, we don't go very far. I loved the images in the yellow international folio, but felt like that one would never coordinate with bits and pieces from my fairly stationary life. Then Crate Paper came out with their Storyteller line, and then other travel-themed lines caught my eye and I began to suffer from wanderlust :). As I was planning my Week in the Life project, the thought occurred to me that each day with my family is like a journey. We travel day in and day out through routines, special occasions, learning experiences and quality time. The theme of travel would be the perfect string to tie our week together! So, I started gathering up those travel-themed supplies that I loved and I made of long list of quotations about travel that could apply to our daily lives. I was fairly diligent in taking photos, although the week I documented was the week that my back injury was fresh. I took notes via instagram and facebook, and all of my photos were taken on my phone (for no-stress ease of use).  I'd love to say that I'm finished assembling my book, or even halfway done, but all I have to share is my title page:

How cute is this chipboard girl from Crate Paper? I love her! And since this album is a Week in the Life from my point of view, I thought she made an adorable representation of me. Although, I never looked this cute this week ;).

Beside travel-themed supplies, I decided to incorporate woodgrain, too. The woodgrain 2012 button is by A Flair for Buttons and comes in a set with the days of the week. Shelley has a great selection of designs (including travel!), so be sure to check out her shop!

I'm also putting to good use my stash of 2012 stickers by SRM Stickers. The '12 sticker was the perfect round accent to mix in with the buttons.

I don't foresee this album coming together too quickly, but I'll be sure to keep you updated as I finish pages. I think I'll do a video of the final project, too :). Have a wonderful day! Tessa

Scrapbook Circle Anniversary Blog Hop!

Hello and welcome to my little stop on the Scrapbook Circle Anniversary Blog Hop!  If you have come from Diana W's blog, you're in the right place, and if you haven't, I hope you'll join us for our hop by starting here.  Happy Anniversary to Scrapbook Circle and congratulations Lisa (SBC's lovely and sweet owner).  It's been a pleasure working with you the past several months and I can't be happier for you!

SBC is offering two kits this month - the May kit (Grandma's Attic), and the Anniversary kit.  My layout features the May kit and is full of Crate Paper's "Emma's Shoppe".  I love the sweet, feminine colors in this kit and just had to scrap a photo of my precious little neice.

I love the trims that accompany the kit, and those alphas are really fun, too :).

Besides this blog hop, how else is SBC celebrating you ask?  You'll find giveaways all month long on the blog, including one from yours truly (aka Precocious Paper).  All current subscribers can get the Anniversary Kit at the wonderful low price of $18.00. This is a regular full sized kit, but SBC is offering it at a big discount as a thank you for your support.  If you aren’t a current subscriber, but still want to pick up an Anniversary Kit, you can do that too. You can find the details here.  Not a subscriber yet?  If you begin with May, you qualify for that lovely discount on the Anniversary kit :).  And there's one more thing!  Each stop along the hop is a chance to win a $10.00 credit to SBC!  Leave a comment here and you are entered win :).

Thanks for stopping by.  I've enjoyed having you and I know you'll love your next stop - Elizabeth.  Have a wonderful day! Tessa