I had this post all ready to go, and then nearly forgot to publish it- oops!!

It's the last Friday in February, and I'm hoping that, when it leaves, it takes the cold weather with it! We're supposed to have warmer temperatures here this weekend, so I'll be outside soaking it up and getting a run or two in, for sure. I've also got some crafting planned, and I've rounded up a few links that have really inspired me lately (especially those gorgeous print and cut labels!).

Enjoy!

From the top left:

• Many, many, many thanks to Michelle Wooderson for posting the final pages of her December Daily album this month! I'm steadily working on mine, still, and it's awesome to know that I'm not alone in that. Plus, her album is just gorgeous!
• I love altered books, especially when they have little binder rings inside them, and Kim Jefress put together a gorgeous one using the Heidi Swapp collection that's at Michaels right now.
• Several people have asked me where I got the font used in my blog header, and I've had to tell them that I actually bought the template I'm using (Designer Blogs' $15 template section is pretty much the bomb-diggity), so I didn't source that one myself. I did recently run across a post on Oh Hello Dy with several similar (and free!) cutout fonts you can download, so hopefully that helps!
• Kaitlin Sheaffer, the creative force behind Ormulu, has a set of free printable labels up on her blog, along with instructions showing how to print and cut them using the Silhouette Cameo.
• Unfinished projects seem to be on many peoples' minds this year (I recently gathered all of mine and organized them), and Ali Edwards wrote a great post showing how she's assessing and attacking her unfinished projects. I want one of those bread racks that she has!
• Marie Lottermoser's adorable scrapbook page that she made to hold her kids' Valentines would be a great idea for any holiday- I can just see one of these for Christmas cards!
• Stephanie Bryan's idea for using a set of 6x8 pocket pages as a mini album on a 12x12 layout is absolute genius! Check out the details on the Glitz Design blog.
• The colorfully organized fabrics in Olabelhe's sewing studio are so happy and cheerful!
• This gift wrapping station started life as a bookshelf. See how it was transformed on I Heart Organizing.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - February 21, 2014

It's finally Friday, and I am so excited for this weekend! I'll be visiting my parents, and tomorrow Mom and I are going to head out early for a little day trip to IKEA! We had this trip planned long before the news that IKEA is discontinuing the Expedit shelving series broke, but, now that I know that, I'll likely pick up one of those gorgeous high-gloss turquoise ones that I've had my eye on ever since it came out.

I'm taking my camera with me and will be sure to take photos of anything I think would work well in a crafting space (much as I did in this post), especially anything that's part of the new batch of items coming in. It should be a fun trip!

I've also packed up a few scrapbooking goodies to take along with me, thinking I might sneak in some crafting time when we're just hanging around the house. If crafting is also on your own agenda for the weekend, then you might find something in my picks this week to help jump-start your creativity!

From the top left:

• Since metal dies are becoming more common in scrapbooking as well as cardmaking, I thought it would be handy to link up this die cutting sandwich chart from Paper Crafts Connection.
• Check out how these custom embellishment clusters were made at Citrus Twist Kits.
• These little paper stars look like origami, but are actually a much easier cut and fold version. You can download the template to make your own at Minieco.
• I love interactive elements on layouts, especially when they're used to add extra photos or journaling to a page. This particular version from the Pink Paislee blog adds a mini album using an Instagram frame.
• This cool tutorial at Paper Crafts Connection shows how to get a watercolor look using your stamp inks and a stencil. 
• Disguise your somewhat-less-than-fine-literature magazines as classic novels with this tutorial at Photojojo.
• Heidi Swapp shows you how to make this mini album in a video tutorial.
• These photo calendar cards using digital elements from Paislee Press would be a great way to add little personalized calendars to your Project Life album.
• Pink Ronnie shares how she puts together her childrens' Project Life albums in a very detailed and informative post.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - February 14, 2013

Today is my last chance this year to sneak some Valentine's projects into the Friday Favorites, and if you're in need of a last-minute crafty project or some printables, then I definitely have some links for you!

We keep things low-key around here at this time of year and have picked up some yummies to grill (thanks to a special on steak + lobster tails at Earth Fare) and have a night of Olympics viewing planned- so romantic, I know. :) We're mostly just grateful that the snow has cleared for the most part and is taking the cold weather with it. Yesterday we started with a low of 27, and by the end of next week we'll be pushing 70 degrees!

I hope your day is a sweet one!

From the top left:

• The House That Lars Built has had some great Valentine's Day DIYs in the past few years, and you'll find a roundup of their favorites here.
• Ashli Oliver always has a great take on using up her stash, and I love her idea here for combining leftover alphas to make thank you cards.
• The next trio of picks are all free Valentine's Day printables, starting with this roundup of links at Paper Crave.
• Studio Calico has a rare freebie on their site in the form of customizable, printable Valentine's photo cards. 
• Fancy Pants has also set of free Valentine's printables, and theirs are also the perfect size for Project Life.
• The Crafty Pickle posted her new mist storage, with a rainbow of colors lineup up on nail polish organizers.
• Melissa Philips shares how she used scraps and die cuts to make this lovely layered embellishment.
• Leena Loh at Finding Nana shared her Project Life organization, including how she stores and organizes her clear stamps in a Studio Calico Handbook.
• Francine Clouden has been posting a free downloadable 3x4 card each day this month.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - February 7, 2014

It's Day 2 of the Olympics, and I'm already in a happy, winter-sports induced coma. While the inhabitants my little casa may be focused all things cold, snowy, and mostly downhill at the moment, the Friday Favorites post this week is all Valentine's Day related! It's the one and only time of year you'll find a massive quantity of the color pink on my blog, too. :) 

From the top left:

• Learn how to make these cute little salt dough hearts at Passion Shake.
• These adorable little heart charms look easy to whip up, and they'd be made easier still with the use of some heart shaped dies! You'll find the directions at Purl Bee.
• These lovely tags come complete with step-by-step directions on Elle's Studio's blog.
• Vale Design has rounded up a lovely collection of Valentine's Day sweets for you to choose from. My personal favorites are the Hershey's Kisses cookies!
• Lisa Moorefield has a set of heart-based Project Life sketches to help you document the holiday.
• Need some Valentine's Day printables? Then be sure to check out this roundup at How About Orange.
• Heidi Swapp has a free set of Valentine's themed journaling cards that you can download.
• You can download and print out these heart-shaped present toppers at Julep.
• How sweet is this heart chain? Learn how to make your own at The House That Lars Built.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - January 31, 2014

Hello, and a happy Friday evening to you all! I still have a few (I think four) more CHA booths that I want to post before I wrap up coverage, but quite honestly the last couple of days have been more than a bit draining, so I may take tonight off of posting them and then finish up on Saturday and Sunday- we'll see. They'll definitely be finished before the weekend, though, and then I'll get back to a more sane level of posting.

I can't let Friday go by without posting a favorites roundup, though, and just like last week there are several Valentine's picks in the mix, with several more already picked out for next week, as well. Enjoy!

From the top left:

• Lisa Moorefield always has the most thoughtful posts, and her recent article on mood boards is no exception. 
• This next pick may be a less universal one, but I've always loved the way edge-painting looked on business cards. I was very excited to see this tutorial at Oh Happy Day showing how to make the most fun, colorful edge stripes!
• Elegance and Enchantment has rounded up a list of free fonts that are perfect for your Valentine's Day projects.
• Elsie Larson at A Beautiful Mess wrote a guide to scrapbooking for beginners that's just fantastic.
• Michelle Wooderson recently shared another peek into her Project Life planning process, this time showing the planning board she uses when laying out her pages.
• Hostess with the Mostess has these adorable Valentine printables free on her site, and she also participated in a hop with several other bloggers who are also offering their own free designs.
• Katie at Punk Projects has 6 tips for working with glitter.
• I'm in love with this vacation photo book by Pink Ronnie, and in her post she explains her process in putting it together.
• Free Valentine's printables abound this week, and Whisker Graphics has another set for you.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - January 24, 2014

There are some really cute Valentine's Day printables and projects popping up in blogland, so I wanted to take a quick break from editing and uploading CHA photos to write up a Friday Favorites post for this week.

I still have lots of photos from the show to finish, but I hope to be wrapping up coverage by this time next week. If you're getting tired of the constant barrage of posts, never fear- they will come to an end! :)

From the top left:

• Design team member Heather Pulverenti shares some great tips for working with embossing powder at Reverse Confetti.
• I always love getting a glimpse into how Ashli Oliver's creative mind works, and a recent layout she made with an enlarged photo as the background is simply stunning!
• You can download these free cut files from Scrapbook and Cards Today.
• Elsie & Emma share their best tips for organizing and storing photos on their blog, A Beautiful Mess.
• Learn how to make these adorable Valentine heart pockets at Cosmo Cricket.
• Need a to-do list printable? Vale Design has rounded up eight of them to choose from!
• Design Sponge has a fun new series exploring different patterns and their origins.
• You can download this beautiful crush script calendar free at Lushlee.
• I saved my favorite pick for last this week- the new Create digital magazine from Scrapbook Generation. Clocking in around the 200 page mark, this magazine is well designed and full of inspiring articles and projects, including a free set of Scrapbook Generation's famous sketches. I seriously cannot say enough good things about this new publication!

TTFN!

Friday Favorites on a Saturday Night

I had every intention of posting this week's Friday Favorites yesterday, but just as the mysterious allergies that followed me home from CHA started to clear up, the mysterious stomach bug that also seems to have followed me home appeared- blergh! Needless to say, it was not a fun day! Thankfully I'm all better now and back to posting CHA photos and regular content as usual.

This week's roundup includes a little project life, some organization ideas (of course!), and a pair of printable calendars, just in case I haven't included enough of those during the past couple of weeks. :) Enjoy!

From the top left:

• Jennifer McGuire is starting her own Project Life albums, and I'm looking forward to seeing her stamp-y style brought to the format. Her first post is about organization, and she sorts cards in a different way that I've seen anywhere else.
• Geralyn Sy posted the cover page of her 2014 Project Life album along with a tutorial showing how she customized the page protector to create the design.
• It's not all Project Life this week, I promise! Kim Stewart has a lovely Gelatos tutorial that even a beginner can easily re-create!
• If your digital brush/stamp collection is getting a bit out of hand, Nicole Samuels has a great idea (and a video) for a quick way to organize them.
• You can download these lovely calligraphy cut files for free, courtesy of Antilight.
• Pebbles has a sweet floral full-year 2014 calendar that you can download and print.
• Lucy at The Craftberry Bush is offering free printable Valentines featuring this adorable watercolored squirrel. 
• The Observant Nomad wins my vote for best free printable calendar this year with a simple yet gorgeous travel photo design.
• Karen Grunberg is switching over to a digital format for her Savor (her version of Project Life) this year and posted the templates she designed as a free download.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - January 10, 2014

Last night was a controlled little flurry of last-minute checks through my packing list to make sure all is good to go for CHA! Today I'm actually working a full day before getting on a plane this evening to head to Anaheim, so I'm likely to be a tired little geek girl by the time I get to the hotel!

CHA coverage will commence shortly, and Friday Favorites may or may not take a short break while I'm working on editing and uploading booth photos (I usually take thousands at the show!) and getting all of those posts written. If I do end up suspending my picks for a week or two (or three), it'll only be temporary- they'll be right back as soon as I've finished with show coverage!

And now, how about this week's picks?

From the top left:

• Anabelle O'Malley worked some serious magic on a set of old frames and turned them into a gorgeous piece of home decor. 
• I have tons of kits sitting here that I'd love to get used up, so I really enjoyed reading Jennifer Larson's post about her process for using up a kit.
• Stephanie Buice's scrap room is so lovely and full of light! You can take a photo tour of it on the Bella Blvd. blog.
• Christin Gronslett came up with a unique way to use up some sequins- to adorn a lovely gift box!
• Amy Heller found a clever way to include lots of journaling on her pocket page layout while also answering the question many people have about using them- what do you do with the back of the page? You can see all the details on the October Afternoon blog.
• Christin Gronslett is in the roundup again this week. I just had to include her amazing post sharing lots of her techniques for creating layout backgrounds!
• Laura Vegas recently had a book printed from photos taken of her layouts. The result is very cool, and brings to mind all kinds of ideas- like printing similar books to share layouts with grandparents and family that lives far away!
• There are lots of great organization ideas in this scrap room tour post at In My Creative Opinion.
• I'm horrible about remembering to send cards for birthdays, and this perpetual calendar at My Favorite Things looks like the perfect way to get me organized on that front!

TTFN!

Friday Favorites, A Bit Late!

For the first time in a very long time, I missed getting my Friday Favorites posted on schedule! Normally I have these ready at least a week or so in advance, but with the Christmas holidays I got a bit behind, and then on Friday afternoon life just sort of exploded. Nothing really major, just lots of little things that added up to more cumulative frustration than I usually deal with on a daily basis.

It started with a visit to the doctor's office, which was all well and good and routine, but they pointed out to me that my driver's license had expired...last week! After I got all that squared away, I settled in to work from home while waiting on UPS to deliver a quite-critical business shipment, which never arrived. Oh, it said it was out for delivery, and the UPS driver did sort of stutter his brakes as he drove past our house at 8:30pm, but I have a feeling he just decided not to deliver it (Darren had a non-critical Amazon order that went through the same UPS tracking cycle yesterday), and now it's locked away in a UPS facility and I can't have it until Monday, leaving me without some needed materials to work with this weekend.

So, yeah, that's what Brown has done for me lately.

There were a few other things that happened yesterday that drove me batty, but on the flip side I did get both sets of my business cards designed and cut (yes, they are wood!) and found ways to be productive today even without the expected fresh infusion of raw materials. And I wrote a metric ton of code for my "real" job, too! Writing code- it's my happy place. :)

But enough rambling- today is a much better today (and if I'm being honest, yesterday wasn't that bad, just full of first-world problems), and I've got a set of picks ready to go! The first roundup of 2014 includes lots of ideas and resources for getting organized, so let's get started!

From the top left:

• I'm definitely in love with my "new" pegboard in my scrap space, and SF Girl By Bay has a roundup of even more great pegboard ideas to help get you organized.
• Tracy Larsen is switching over to a digital Project Life format this year and wrote a post explaining her process and the tools she's using.
• I absolutely love this little shared crafting and playroom space at the top of a stair landing, featured on the Cocoa Daisy blog.
• There are quite a few printable calendars in this week's roundup, and I'll start those off with these scrap-able printables by Els Brige.
• This post by Ruth Bonser actually popped up over a month ago, and somehow I never included it before now! I love her example of taking a regular layout sketch and using it to create a Memory File.
• Kasia (aka Worqshop) is always super inspiring, and this week she's got a free "balance" planner that you can download.
• I love this star-filled (oh, the constellations!) free printable calendar at The Style Files.
• You can get this free printable calendar in either black and white or color from The Tomkat Studio.
• And, if you'd like to browse even more free planners and calendars, you'll definitely want to check out this roundup post at Heart Handmade UK.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - December 27, 2013

I love this calm week between Christmas and New Year's- it's so quiet and peaceful, making it the perfect time to organize and prepare for the new year. There are several picks related to that topic this week, whether you're looking to organize your life, your blogging, your scrapbooking, or embarking on a year of Project Life. I hope you enjoy them!

From the top left:

• Kaitlin Sheaffer of Ormolu posted about the clipboard system she uses to organize her to-do lists and has a free set of printables that you can download to make your own!
• Laura Craigie posted a tutorial showing how to make these cute washi tape bows at October Afternoon.
• Christine Newman has found a new rhythm for her Project Life by switching to a monthly format and wrote a great post about her process.
• This adorable craft room also doubles as a play room. Check out the details on the Bella Blvd blog.
• Ashli Oliver wrapped up an amazing blog series on fitting it all in- the crafting, the cleaning, the family- you name it! I thought that her post on blogging was especially brilliant, and I do many of the same things she does- especially batch tasking when formatting and writing posts.
• My Dad recently pointed out a great site to me full of printable graph papers- perfect for layering or making your own pocket scrapping cards.
• Shanna Noel shows how she created three stunning cards in just 15 minutes. This has me itching to try making some cards now!
• Nicole Harper shares a fab way to use your Silhouette to make embellishments out of your paper scraps.
• A new year means a new start on Project Life for many of us. If you're looking to get organized, Becky Higgins has free PDF downloads to help you out. You'll find card design reference charts here and a page protector design reference here.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - December 20, 2013

I just love this time of year, when everything looks so festive! That applies to blogs, as well, and this week's roundup is full of Christmas crafting ideas, including some free printables for your Project Life or December Daily albums.

Enjoy, and have an awesome weekend!

From the top left:

• This washi tape tree in a pocket page protector is surprisingly easy to make! Learn how at October Afternoon.
• Want even more ideas for using washi tape in your gift wrapping? This tutorial at Two Peas in a Bucket will help you use up some of that washi stash.
• Amy Heller has opened a new online digital shop, and she's offering a free set of printable number cards- just perfect for December Daily!
• Craftberry Bush has several free printable Christmas decor pieces, just in case you want to add a little something extra to your holiday decorations before the big day.
• This lovely set of free printable 3x4 cards by Antilight is all decked out in a red and mint color scheme- love!
• Melissa Philips did a gorgeous job of decorating a Christmas gift box. What a beautiful way to use up some extra buttons!
• This Christmas art frame at Bella Blvd could easily be reworked for lots of different holidays.
• Danielle Flanders stamped and scrapped a beautiful vellum gift card pocket for Pink Paislee.
• Antilight is in the roundup again this week with some gorgeous Christmas cards.

TTFN- and an early merry Christmas to you!

Friday Favorites - The December Daily Edition

Every year I take one Friday Favorites post in December and use it to collect some of the gorgeous December Daily albums that have caught my eye. Every year it never fails- there are just too many lovely albums to pare it down to just 9, and luckily Pinterest is available to help corral everything! You'll find even more Christmas scrapbooking inspiration on my December Daily pin board, and I also have a whole new board dedicated solely to 6x8 scrapbooking in its many forms, including lots of Christmas eye candy.

Enjoy!

From the top left:

• Jenni Hufford
• Michelle Wooderson
• Marie Lottermoser
• Jennifer Pebbles
• Jessica Lohof
• Antilight
• Adrienne Alvis
• Mou Saha
• Stephanie Bryan

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - December 6, 2013

The weather is having a good laugh at me this Friday. Yesterday I was a guest on an episode of The Paperclipping Rountable, and in the midst of sharing some of our favorite Christmas memories, I happened to mention that at that time it was 73 degrees in my little part of the world. That was less than 24 hours ago, and as I type the temperature outside is a balmy 39 degrees, complete with heavy rain and cold wind. Such is winter in Alabama!

This week's episode is a great listen if you're in need of some Christmas story inspiration- my fellow panelists Shimelle Laine and Debbie Hodge had some hilarious ones to share! You can listen to the entire episode here.

This week's roundup includes quite a few Christmas crafts, and next week's will be my annual post of some of my favorite Christmas journals that I've seen so far this year. Enjoy!

From the top left:

• Heart Handmade UK has a gorgeous (and free!) digital Christmas magazine available.
• This wreath by Shannon Miller for Webster's Pages has me wanting to break out some dies and scrap paper and make one for myself!
• Embroidery hoop decor is such a lovely trend right now, and Kasia has a gorgeous example of it over on the Chic Tags blog.
• Looking for a few cute cutting files for your December Daily? Maya Road has this adorable set available for free!
• Glitz Designs recently spent an entire week looking at the feather trend in scrapbooking, with a washi tape feather tutorial and some ideas for using feathers on layouts in the mix.
• Whisker Graphics (makers of Divine Twine) have an adorable free snowglobe printable that you can download.
• I'm loving this washi tape embellishment tutorial at Punk Projects.
• Kidspot posted a roundup of eighteen gorgeous handmade Christmas projects.
• Heart Handmade UK makes the list again this week and rounds things out with a look at her lovely craft space.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - November 29, 2013

This post-Thanksgiving Friday evening finds me just now settling down to take a little breather after a day-long whirlwind of activity. I've organized in the scrap room (and even scrapped a page!), settled in with my work laptop to write some code, and I even went out for a tiny bit of Black Friday shopping, though just at Michaels and Loft and well after the morning crowds had dissipated.

This weekend looks like it'll pretty much have the same agenda, sans the shopping since I'm so done with that for a while. The state of my scrapping table definitely says that Christmas crafting time is here, and I'll be doing some of that this weekend, as well! There are a few Christmas items creeping into the weekly roundups, and hopefully you'll find something inspiring in the mix!

From the top left:

• The Style Files posted a roundup of 10 crafty and beautiful advent calendars.
• Ashli Oliver used up some scraps and made packaging to for her Christmas treats!
• I love a good sketch, and Write. Click. Scrapbook. has a great post on getting lots of layout ideas from a single sketch. You'll find ideas for changing orientation and placement here and a look at resizing and rotating sketch elements here.
• This lovely garland at Giochi Di Carta was made using scraps of paper and a few other bits and pieces. Wouldn't a Christmas version be lovely for the holidays?
• Anabelle O'Malley shared a peek at her crafting space on the Crate Paper blog. I just love how she's dressed up her Cropper Hoppers with gorgeous fabric flowers!
• You can download and print these free cloud greetings at Oh Happy Day.
• Learn how to make this fun hexagonal photo decor piece at Photojojo.
• Ever wonder how Anna-Maria Wolniak gets those lovely watercolor washes on her layouts? Well, wonder no more! She recently shared a step-by-step look at her technique on the October Afternoon blog.
• Christmas albums are everywhere right now, and I'm especially loving this gorgeous bright mini found on the Bella Blvd. blog.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - November 22, 2013

It's the last Friday before Thanksgiving, and I've filled this week's favorites with lots of ideas and printables to help celebrate the day. We're really looking forward to being with family next week, and the emails are currently flying as we try to decide where to order the big meal from. My brother and his wife are hosting, and with a brand new home and a brand new baby in the mix, we all want things to be as easy as possible for them...meaning that someone else will do the cooking this year. :)

If I have time, I'll be getting a little crafty with placecards, maybe using one of the ideas from today's picks. Enjoy, and a happy early Turkey Day to you all!

From the top left:

• Shanna Noel has provided lots of free printables and digital elements as she works on her Gratitude Documented project.
• You'll find a great roundup of Thanksgiving printables at Vale Design.
• Want even more printables? There's also a set of cute Thanksgiving tags at Tomkat Studio.
• Jenni Bowlin design team member Leah Farquharson has put together a simply fabulous gratitude album.
  
• Bella Blvd. owner Stephanie Hunt put together a free printable Thanksgiving journal two years ago, and this year she's following it up with another set of free downloads.
• If you have some extra crafty time on your hands, these accordion paper pumpkins from Minted would be adorable as place cards!
• Learn how to make these super cute glittered acorns and felt pinecones at Punk Projects.
• Megan Klauer's Capture Life post at Elle's Studio this month is a fantastic way to document your family's current favorites.
• Ever wonder how a busy scrapper fits it all in? Ashli Oliver wrote a post sharing how she creates her layouts just a few minutes at a time.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - November 15, 2013

Hola, and a very happy Friday to you all!

We're getting ready for a fun weekend here since tomorrow is Darren's birthday, and for the first time in a long time he's not studying for an exam or writing a paper and actually has time to celebrate. I've selected a couple of new recipes from my Pinterest boards that I think he will enjoy, and there will also be lunch out at his favorite Greek restaurant, a walk through the Botanical Gardens' Galaxy of Lights, his favorite coconut cake, and I've even agreed to watch The Hobbit with him- the first part, anyway. For those who may not read Geek Girl, I've mentioned there before that, while I loved the Lord of the Rings movies, the animated version of The Hobbit completely freaked me out as a child, and I have had no desire to see the new film version of it. He's told me to get over it. I've simply told him that I have issues. Because, clearly, I do.

Before I sign off for the next couple of days, though, I've got nine new crafty picks from around the web to share. Enjoy, and have a fabulous weekend!

From the top left:

• I love this post by Jen at A Thousand Words that walks through her photo organization. Her printed photo books are awesome!
• Little tags are always a great way to get creative when you only have a small amount of time, and Anabelle O'Malley has put together a lovely set for Crate Paper.
• Scouting style badges are an up and coming trend right now, and you can download this free printable set at Poppytalk.
• This potholder tutorial at Design Sponge reminds me so much of the ones that my great grandmother used to make. I still have some of them, and I'm thinking that I need to break out the fabric scraps and make a few of my own!
• Shanna Noel gives her blog readers a tour of her beautiful crafting space.
• The talented Stephanie Bryan talks about her Project Life scrapbooking process in a post at Gossamer Blue.
• Shanna Noel is back in the lineup for a second time this week with a free set of printable journaling cards that coordinate with Studio Calico's new Print Shop collection. You'll find the download at The Lilypad.
• Anabelle O'Malley has two entries in this week's favorites, as well, this time with a beautiful summer tag mini album posted on her own blog.
• Jennifer Pebbles wrote a great post on how she organizes and archives her childrens' artwork.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - November 8, 2013

I always love posting Friday Favorites. I love it even more when I get to post on the Friday before a three day weekend, and I especially love it when I'll be getting to spend that three day weekend at home! I have so many things on my to-do list that I'm not sure where to start first...paint the front door (I already have my can of Hosta paint by Martha Stewart ready to go), wrap some of the early Christmas gifts that I've already shopped for, or maybe even get a little more work done toward building the desk in the scrap room.

Knowing me, it'll be a combination of all of the above (and more) in some crazy circle of running between activities. That's just how a roll, yo.

I'm sure I'll squeeze in some crafting, too, and this week's picks are filled with everything from Christmas gift ideas to scrap room organization, so let's dive in!

From the top left:

• Barbara Picinic's scrap space is the absolute epitome of making a small space totally rock. The girl has tons of great organizational ideas, so be sure to click through to check out her whole scrap room tour post!
• Kelly Noel gives some great tips on catching up on your Project Life album at Studio Calico.
• Nichol Magouirk's adorable packaging set using Lawn Fawn's Peace Joy Love collection would be a super sweet gift to give!
• If you have lots of bits and pieces of scrapbooking kits hanging around your stash, you might want to check out this post at Cocoa Daisy about recombining them into something new!
• Leena Loh posted some tips on getting the best photos possible of your Project Life layouts.
• I love Louise Nelson's artsy style, and she walks readers through one of her layouts from start to finish on the Prima blog.
• Julie Kirk gives readers a behind the scenes look at what goes into putting together a long blog series. After two rounds of Use Your Scraps Week on my own blog, I can totally relate!
• Take a peek into Anabelle O'Malley's Project Life planner at Gossamer Blue.
• Ann Costen wrote a series of posts all about vacation scrapbooking. You can check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 at Write. Click. Scrapbook.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - November 1, 2013

It's the first of November, and the leaves are just starting to turn here in my little corner of the world. I already have "photograph foliage" on my to-do list for the weekend, along with laundry, groceries, cleaning, and a little crafting if I can squeeze it in!

This week's roundup includes a mix of storytelling ideas, inky techniques, and a dash or two of craft room organization. Enjoy, and have an awesome weekend!

From the top left:

• Sasha Farina shared a fun stamping idea for your layout background in a guest post on Shimelle's blog.
• I just love this tiny sweet tag mini album at Umenorskan.
• Anabelle O'Malley posted a tutorial showing how to make embellishment pockets at Scrapbook and Cards Today. I used these quite a bit in my Journal Your Christmas album for this year!
• Speaking of Anabelle, check out a tour of her lovely scrap space at Studio Calico.
• My Favorite Things shows how to use dies as watercoloring templates.
• Seth Godin wrote a great (and short!) piece on the importance of storytelling.
• Ever wonder what to do with the coordinating tear strips that come on some 6x6 pads? Then you'll want to check out this post on the Citrus Twist Kits blog!
• Design Sponge shares five tips for taking photos of interiors. If you're wanting to photograph your scrap space to share online, you'll definitely want to read this!
• Alissa Fast shares how she organizes her current monthly scrapbooking kit while working on it at Cocoa Daisy.

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - October 25, 2013

Hooray for Friday and the weekend, because that means it's finally time for me to go and meet this little guy!

Photo courtesy of my Dad!

My brother and his wife were happy to introduce Finnegan to his big sister, Sophie Clare, on Tuesday, and this weekend the whole family is gathering at their almost-finished new home to help install hardwood floors. I actually like installing floors, so it sounds like a fun time to me!

I'm packing along a little kit of scrapbooking supplies, too, just in case I get a few minutes here and there to work on my Journal Your Christmas album (I'm making the whole thing in advance this year), and if your weekend calls for craftiness, too, the you might find some inspiration in this week's Friday Favorites roundup!

From the top left:

• Pam Garrison has me wanting to break out some felt and make one of these fabulous leaf garlands!
• Add a little glitter to your Thanksgiving table with these DIY geometric place cards at Flax and Twine.
• Photojojo posted a guide to finding and sharing gorgeous fall photos on Instagram.
• Rebecca Cooper has a roundup featuring lots of her simple and easy fall and Halloween projects.
• Christine Newman wrote a fabulous post about watercoloring with stencils. I love how this girl's mind works!
• 'Tis the season to be thinking about Christmas crafting beyond December Daily albums, and Webster's Pages has a gorgeous advent calendar idea to get you started.
• Michelle Wooderson recently shared her Project Life planning process.
• Take a peek at Savannah O'Gwynn's craft space at Reverse Confetti.
• PageMaps, home of Becky Fleck's super awesome scrapbooking and card sketches, is now offering classes, including a free one to get you started!

TTFN!

Friday Favorites - October 18, 2013

As much as I try to deny it, fall is now definitely in the air around here. I finally had to admit it when I walked out the door for an afternoon run today and for the first five minutes or so thought that maybe wearing shorts instead of track pants wasn't such a great idea after all- brrr!! Soon it'll be time for Halloween and jack-o-lanterns, so maybe I'll dig out my mercury glass pumpkins this weekend and decorate the house a little bit.

Today's roundup is mostly fall related with a little bit of everything from decor to Project Life cards to digital freebies, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the good things that the season has to offer!

From the top left:

• I'm loving all of the embroidery hoop art that I've been seeing lately, and this fall piece by Sarah Webb for SEI is a gorgeous example of the trend. 
• Holly Humbert's free printable Project Life cards are filled with gorgeous fall colors.
• You can download these free printable Halloween patterns from Giochi Di Carta.
• Creature Comforts has a free set of fall foliage brushes for download, and there's also a video showing the basics of using digital brushes in the same post.
• Christine Newman recently posted about how she's organized her stash so she can scrap outside of her usual crafting space during football season. And, seriously, how cool is it to have an "upstairs" and "downstairs" Raskog cart? 
• Two page layout fans will love My Mind's Eye's series (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4) on double page layouts, including this Halloween version by Tina Walker.
• You'll find this sweet printable fall poster as well as a roundup of other fall printables at The Tomkat Studio.
• Need even more Halloween printables? Then you'll definitely want to check out this roundup over at Paper Crave.
• Jennifer Pebbles has put together a fun Halloween Sn@p album.

TTFN!