Do you doodle?

It can be pretty scary to think about using a pen to purposely mark up or write all over your carefully created layout, the one that you painstakingly measured and cut each piece that you put on it. While your first thought of doodling is about hearts and flowers and curly-cues drawn all over your page, think again. There are many more subtle ways to add some fun to your page or to emphasize the elements.

You can use premade templates like the ones made by Crafter's workshop. Jill has this one in the store but you can see lots more examples plus sample layouts using them at their website. You can also do some doodling freehand. I will often do simple things like outline my letters or draw a frame around my page or simply draw some guide lines freehand before I write my journaling. Here are just a few samples of layouts I've done with just a bit of doodling.

On this one, I drew the scalloped edge around the photo and then cut around it. I also drew a pen line around each line of journaling. The pop of black draws your attention to those elements.



On this page, I drew around the inside edge of the vinyl thickers. It helped them stand out against the monochromatic background and added just a little fun.

On this one, I simply drew in some corners. It framed in the photo, the journaling and the title so that it didn't "float" against the white background. Still not sure you want to try? Watch this video on how to use a template and then give it a try.

A Homespun Challenge!

I LOVE Homespun Type elements on a LO! I have never been a simple girl - details and intricacies have always been a part of my life! I find it very challenging to complete a simple LO with few embellies. I also love items made by hand. I could (and have!) spend all day browsing through ETSY!

For my challenge to you this week, you must use a combination of 4 specific elements:

1. Die Cut Paper (can be purchased or homemade - I often trace a shape on a piece of patterned paper) - this can be a bracket (traditional die cut shape), a circle, a scalloped circle, or a scalloped square/rectangle!
2. Stitching (machine or by hand) or doodling!
3. Ribbon or trim! (you KNOW they're my fave)
4. Buttons or brads - or BOTH!

For this LO, I hand stitched a zigzag pattern on the circle, created my own BLING flourishes with Kaiser Pearls (my new FAVE BLING!), tied a knot with ribbon, used ribbons and brads, and used a store bought traditional die cut and cut my own circle out of patterned paper.

Guest Design Team Member for July, 2009

We are very excited to have Telah Wrenn as our guest design team member for July. She was the winner of our recent Last Scrapper Standing Contest. Watch the message board this week as she will be issuing a scrap challenge and choosing her own LOTW. We are anxiously awaiting our kits from Jill right now. She always sends us such great product to play with.



I am so excited to be the guest designer and can't wait to see the kit I'll be working with! My name is Telah Wrenn. I live in Alabama with my husband of 14 years and our 4 children--Annessa-age 9, Andrew-age 6, Alex-age 4, and Amelia-age 1. I am a SAHM and spend the day trying to keep the 4 from destroying our house. After bedtime, I come to my basement to relax and unwind at my scrap table! I love to scrap and have been doing so for 9+ years! My favorite scrapbooking products right now are pretty patterned papers, any font of Thickers (and other cute alphas too!), punches, and pleating ribbon! I also LOVE challenges and sketches! They give me so much inspiration and help get me going. All of these things are why I am so glad I found Memorable Seasons last Fall through blog hopping. You can find awesome products in their store and great challenges from the Design Team. I am honored to be July's guest designer!

Traditions

How was your 4th of July weekend? Mine was filled with food and family and fun. For the last 25 years or so, my brothers and sisters and our cousins have gotten together on the 4th of July. We eat lots of yummy food, swim in the pool (this year it was the lake) and take lots of pictures. It has become a tradition that I look forward to. Most of us have traditions that are linked to major holidays and I know I always get a scrapbook page or two from the many pictures I take. However, have you thought to document the little traditions in your family that no one else may know about?

Several things come to mind as I sit here and think about it. Do you have a special bedtime ritual with your children? Do you always say grace before meals, even at restaurants? Do you meet up with your college room mate every June for margaritas? My family has lunch at my mother's house on the last Sunday of every month. When my kids were young enough to go to day care, we would go for a sno-cone every Friday afternoon when I picked them up during the summer. They still ask if I want to go with them today even though they are all grown up. My husband and I eat go out to dinner every Sunday night after church. It is our special date night.

I bet you can think of lots of things you do on a regular basis that you haven't documented, yet. Write them down. Take pictures. Make a special page or mini book so you can look back some day and remember those things that make your family unique. Share them with us in the gallery. I look forward to seeing what your traditions are.