Heart2Heart Challenges: One

It's time to kick off the year with the first Heart2Heart Challenge: ONE.  I was stumped for a bit on what to create and then it hit me!

This hybrid layout started with an Express Collection in Studio J.  I wanted to preserve a funny family story about our then-two-year-old daughter and her favorite song, "Yellow Submarine" (which is on our Beatles 1 CD, hence the H2H tie-in).  I was able to find digital images of the CD cover and Yellow Submarine artwork, but I didn't have a digital picture of our daughter.  I went ahead and created the layout and changed the photo well on the left page into a matte only.

After my Studio J layout arrived, I found a picture that coordinated with the layout.  I added two Cricut shapes for more (handwritten) journaling and then embellished the layout with all kinds of doodads (mostly retired but the red enamel gems are current).

Now the story of "Lo Sa Marie" and our family's love of the Beatles is preserved for all time.

Be sure to visit the H2H blog for lots of inspiration!  I hope you'll kick off the new year and join us with your ONE project, too.

H2H Challenges: Ticket to Ride

Of course the title "Ticket to Ride" makes me think of the Beatles' song!  (Are you humming it now?  Sorry!)  Ticket to Ride is the theme of the current Heart 2 Heart Challenge, and our summer to trip to Dollywood fit perfectly!

Even though it was hot and we got rained on, Dollywood was not crowded.  We had such a fun, relaxing time together!  Because I had taken so many pictures, I decided to use Studio J and the Jackson collection to preserve these memories.  The cute tickets are part of the Studio J collection.

Now it's your turn to share your ride with us at H2H.  Be sure to check out our Design Team's inspiration too!

Summer Fun Layouts

Summer is probably our family's favorite season because the girls and I are out of school and have more time on our hands.  I wanted to share my three final Studio J layouts from my recent "play time" to take advantage of the Studio J flash sale ($5/layout until the end of July).

First up is our older daughter's 17th birthday party.  I ended up using a layout from the "Little Miss" Express Collection.  (Express Collections are premade layouts with no additional artwork to add.  You can add embellishments, change photo wells to text, and make some creative changes.)

We were able to have a dock built for our cove which we can see from the house (instead of always using my brother-in-law's dock on the other side of our point).  I used the Seaside collection for the layout.  Since most of the accents are very "beachy," I am going to add to it with stamped accents when the layout comes in.

Because I apparently have a habit of taking flower photos, I created a layout of various shots from this summer.  Now I can enjoy summer whenever I want.  This layout uses the Blossom collection.

Don't forget about the $5/layout Studio J flash sale going on until the end of the month!  Let me know if I can help you get scrapping the Studio J way.

Family Reunion 2016

Every third Saturday of July, my husband's family has a huge family reunion.  (This year hosted 130 attendees!)  The reunion evolved from birthday celebrations for matriarch Sarah Souther Dyer, who lived to over 100 and birthed 16 children, 15 of whom grew to adulthood.  My husband's grandfather was her final child.

For this layout, I liked the feel and colors of the Jubilee collection.  It looks like a country fair or picnic to me.  All of the embellishments and artwork (heart, ribbon, etc.) are part of the Studio J collection.

If you're in our neck of the woods next July 16, join us for the reunion!  Kith and kin (and family friends) from near and far are always welcome.

Don't forget about the $5/layout Studio J flash sale going on until the end of the month!  Let me know if I can help you get scrapping the Studio J way.

Another Vacation Layout

Earlier this week, I shared a Studio J layout from our recent camping trip.  I also created a layout with photos from Dollywood while on the same trip.  Studio J makes it so easy to preserve your photos and memories!  I love that you can create multiple layouts in one Studio J project folder.  Like the other layout, I used the Jackson collection again for this layout, but you can use a different collection in the same project folder.

Don't forget about the $5/layout Studio J flash sale going on until the end of the month!  Let me know if I can help you get scrapping the Studio J way.

H2H Challenges: Life Is a Highway

How many of you are humming or singing Rascal Flatts' song, "Life Is a Highway" ("and I want to drive it all night long") right now?  It is stuck in my head so I thought I'd share.  I'm really kind that way. ;)

It's time for the third installment of Heart 2 Heart Challenges July series "Life Is..."  We recently got home from a camping vacation a few hours away, so I decided to make a Studio J layout of our trip.  Life is indeed a highway, whether you're traveling to or from somewhere or just bouncing around on this journey called LIFE.

Yes, that is a family selfie on the left from us heading out.  I used the Jackson collection in Studio J to make this layout.  Speaking of Studio J, did you know there's a $5/layout flash sale until the end of the month?  Get started HERE (and let me know if you need any help).

Be sure to check out all of the H2H Design Team's inspiration for you this week, and play along with any of our July challenges.  Happy trails!

Prom Layout in Studio J

One of the things that I absolutely love about scrapbooking in Studio J is that I am able to order multiple copies of layouts for gifts or for different albums (like one for each of my daughters).  In this case, I made a highlight layout of our daughter's junior prom so that her grandmothers and I could all have a copy.

Another great feature about Studio J is how easy it is now to add or remove photo wells, change photos wells to text boxes and vice versa.  I added the photo under the title in lieu of a journaling block so that I could fit in all the pictures that I wanted to use.

When the layouts arrive, I plan to embellish them with some of our sparkles and silver shimmer trim to coordinate with her dress.  If you'd like to see the layout that I made for her (in the traditional scrapping style), you can click HERE.

Thanks for letting me share my girl with you once again!  This Friday she is getting her wisdom teeth removed, so I would appreciate prayers for a speedy surgery and recovery period.  Thanks!

Musical Layouts

Last night we got to enjoy our younger daughter's jazz band concert.  They got to work with a professional jazz quartet all afternoon and then perform.  They were wonderful!  (She has to be at the high school at 7 AM every morning to participate, and then catches the last school bus of the morning with two other 8th graders to get to the middle school on time.)

 Because both girls participate in band and chorus (and Ansley takes piano lessons too), I grabbed pictures of them making music this past year and created a Studio J layout for each of them.  I love the musical B&T in the Yuletide Carol Christmas collection, so I used it and changed the red to Smoky Plum to tie into our school colors.  I love how this combo looks and how both layouts turned out.

Thanks for letting me share my girls with you!  We are so proud of them!

Snow Day = Studio J

We are "socked in" again with a beautiful wintry wonderland!  

Yes, I will be scrapping these photos- and whatever else we take today- in Studio J this evening!

Here is one of the layouts that I made during last week's snow days.  After Christmas, we hiked to the top of Blood Mountain with Logan's brother and our dear friends, the Maggios.  (Our girls have been besties since 2nd grade!)  We hiked over 8 miles that day!

This Studio J layout uses the Victory collection, one that I hadn't used before.  We were certainly feeling victorious that day.  I love that I was able to order three copies of this one layout!

Let me know if you need help getting started in Studio J!  Don't forget about the awesome Album Allure special this month.  The clock is ticking!

Fall Break 2014

Here's another Studio J layout that I made last month during the Lucky 5 campaign.  (Again, saving money scrapbooking?  Count me in!)  We are very fortunate to get a week off from school in October each year for Fall Break.

My cousin came "back home" to visit, and boy did we have fun walking and driving down memory lane!  I used the Pathfinding collection for these fall photos.

8th Grade Trip to DC

Back in October, our youngest got to go to Washington DC on a school trip for 8th graders only.  (We were very glad that my sister-in-law and her daughter were also going on the trip!  It certainly eased this momma's mind!)  They stayed in contact throughout the long weekend via text messages, so I decided to scrapbook the photos she sent me with Studio J during the awesome November Lucky 5 campaign.  Saving money & scrapbooking?  Win win!

The travel-themed Wanderful collection was a great pairing with her photos.  I know that this is a trip of a lifetime for her and one that she will never forget.

While the Parents Are Away...

You may remember the recent retirement party we held for our RV park managers.  Here's the layout I made of the fun evening (using Pathfinding in Studio J).

We decided it would be better for the kids (especially the younger cousins) to stay home with the teenagers rather than attend what would probably be a boring evening (to them).

I made the "mistake" of leaving my camera at home, and here are the wacky photos my niece took!

While the parents were away, the kids certainly did play!  It was a great choice to leave them at home with pizza!  This Studio J layout uses the techie Proplayer collection.  I think it was a perfect fit for this crazy bunch.  Gotta love 'em!!!

Here's to a little silliness today!  Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

Dragon Con 2014

Our oldest really wanted to attend Dragon Con in Atlanta over Labor Day weekend, so we went for Saturday (only) of the long weekend.  I couldn't believe the crowds and the amazing, over-the-top costumes!  It was a really interesting day, to say the least.

Using Studio J made it really easy to scrapbook my pictures (all taken with my iPhone).  I used the Elemental collection because I couldn't decide on a color scheme or a theme, and it has great neutral yet fresh color palette.  I did change the Sorbet to Sunset in a few spots to better match our photos.  (That is soooo easy to do in Studio J!)  I am really pleased with how this layout turned out.  I also love that I can make one layout and then order 3 copies, one for each of us.  I know it is an experience we won't forget, and now we have the scrapbook page to prove it!

BTW, if we go again, I am totally making/getting a costume!

H2H Challenges: Favorite Holiday

This month's Heart 2 Heart scrapbook challenge is your favorite holiday.  That is way too hard for me, because we love every holiday!  While Christmas is probably my all-time favorite, I enjoy celebrating each and every one of them.  I decided to share my Studio J layout from this year's Turkey Day festivities.  Anytime family is together, my heart is full!

As you can see, we had a fun time together with delicious food.  I used the recent Studio J special offer and the Pathfinding collection for my layout.  Studio J makes it so easy to create layouts!  Plus I can order extras for gifts. :)  (Act surprised, loved ones, when you get one!)

Be sure to join us for this next-to-last Heart 2 Heart 2014 challenge!

H2H Challenges: No Ink

Welcome back to another NO-vember installment of Heart 2 Heart Challenges!  This week's challenge is NO INK!  With our awesome $5 Studio J special this month, I couldn't resist posting one of my recent Studio J layouts.

This layout is one of the Studio J "Express Collections" that are already ready for you to add your photos.  (This one is one of the School Days layouts.)  You have to see the original version to appreciate the changes that I made.  Here's the original:

To begin, I changed the green to Gypsy and the tan to Slate.  This color change fit my pictures so much better!  I next changed the title and then removed the red triangle accents.  I ended up adding the "2014" portion and the flower stitching elements.

Don't be afraid to try changing things up in Studio J.  If you don't like your changes, "undo" is your BFF!  Another great feature of Studio J is that you can order as many copies of your layouts as you would like.  I'll be getting two of these, one for each girl.

Thanks for checking out my H2H NO INK layout.  Be sure to check out what all of the H2H designers have created for you this week.

H2H Challenges: Scrapbook Selfies!

The October Heart 2 Heart scrapbooking challenge is to show off your selfies!  Since I got an iPhone this summer, taking selfies has never been easier (although my arms are not long enough for the most flattering photos!).  I snagged several of the selfies I've taken this summer and then created this layout in Studio J.

The Lollydoodle collection seems like a fun choice for my pictures and fit the general color scheme well.  I love how easy it is to scrapbook in Studio J, virtually at any time and anywhere.  When I order and receive my layout, I plan to add sparkles to give it a bit more bling.

Thanks for checking out my layout.  Now go see what the other designers have created and link up your scrapbooking selfies soon @ H2H!

H2H Challenges: Inspired by... a Book

This week's Heart 2 Heart Challenge is the next in our "Inspired by..." series, and we are challenging you to use a book as your inspiration.  I am such an avid reader that I had tons to choose from, but this week I chose to immortalize my current obsession and favorite book series.

When I was little, I was introduced to the Ingalls family and the wonderful world of the Little House on the Prairie series.  (Thank you, Aunt Faye!)  A year or two later, another family friend introduced me one of her childhood favorites, the fantastical world of The Chronicles of Narnia.  (Thank you, Julie B.!)  Many other books and series have moved me, from Nancy Drew to Stephanie Plum to Harry Potter.  My current love, however, is hard to categorize: time travel, romance, history, adventure, suspense, and so much more rolled into the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.

This layout showcases all eight novels, the author herself, and pictures from the new Starz Outlander series.  This layout is totally digital: from pictures I swiped from the Internet to Studio J for my creative platform.  I used the Timberline collection so that I could use that handsome plaid paper.  (Speaking of handsome, doesn't Sam Heughan make a gorgeous Jamie?)

If you haven't read any of the books or started watching the show (only 2 shows have aired), I challenge you to voyage through Outlander with me.  You can actually watch the first episode for free HERE.  If you're already a fan, I'd love to know if you've read all the book yet and if you've watched any of the Starz TV series.

Of course this is a crafting blog, so be sure to check out all the H2H DT's Inspired by... a Book creations, and feel free to make and share a favorite book project there.  If you'd like to try Studio J online scrapbooking for yourself, click HERE.  Móran taing!

Studio J Special This Month!

Don't forget that this month only, Studio J. layouts are only $5 each!  You need a minimum of 4 layouts to place your order.

One of the things that I love most about Studio J (other than its ease of use) is that I can create gift layouts so so so easily!  I made a copy of the above layout and then changed the journalling a bit to customize it for a gift for my mother-in-law.  I know that she will LOVE having pictures of her "baby" boy and her granddaughters!

St. Simon's Layouts

We were able to go down to St. Simon's Island over Labor Day weekend to visit my MIL at a timeshare there.  It was really nice to get away!

Right now, we would love a little of this warm weather, but one of the reasons we live where we do is to enjoy the different seasons.  (I'm not sure how much I will enjoy winter this year.  It is already too cold for my liking!)

It is nice to relive our little getaway through our scrapbook on this chilly day!

Wedding Layout

My brother and sister-in-law are celebrating their two-month anniversary today!  I made this layout right after their first anniversary in Studio J and had it in hand within a few days.

It was such a lovely day, and I wish them the very best in their life together.  We love you!

I also have to wish my BIL a very happy birthday today!  We love him too. :)