Celebration Pages in Honor of the Closing Ceremonies
02/26/2010 at 5:47 pm | Posted in fonts, General Inspiration | 5 CommentsTags: celebrations, Cindy Tobey, CK, Club CK, Creating Keepsakes, Creating Keepsakes magazine, creativity, Deena Wuest, Idea Gallery, Jamie Waters, Jennifer Davis, Kelly Noel, Kelly Purkey, Kim Arnold, Lori Fairbanks, Olympics, reader gallery, reader pages, Scrapbook, scrapbook pages, Scrapbooking
Hey there! I hope you’ve enjoyed the 2010 Winter Olympics and our Olympic-inspired scrapbooking ideas these past two weeks. In honor of the closing ceremonies scheduled this weekend, we’re pleased to bring you celebration-themed pages—layouts that rejoice in and commemorate happy events, accomplishments, and relationships. Take a look at the following categories, and then scrapbook a layout celebrating something wonderful in your life.
1. Firsts and milestones. Many first-time experiences are happy events that mark a significant moment of your life—your first day at a new job, your first car, or your first home, for example. Smaller firsts may also be meaningful to you and worthy of mention on a scrapbook page, such as your child’s first day at school, the first spring flower in your garden, or your pet’s first successful attempt at a new trick.
“Our First House” by Kim Arnold, as seen in the "Super-Fast Pages with 4" x 6" Photos, Volume 2" special issue
2. Birthdays. Commemorate your special day with a scrapbook page. And yes, that’s your birthday too—not just the kids’ birthdays!
“Happy Birthday” by Cindy Tobey, as seen in the June 2009 issue of Creating Keepsakes
3. Weddings, anniversaries, and engagements. Keep these important celebrations fresh in your memory with pages highlighting the most memorable images and happenings from the event.
“The Perfect Day” by Kelly Noel, as seen in the June 2009 issue of Creating Keepsakes
4. Babies. If there’s a baby in your life, then chances are good you also have thousands of photos of the little one on your computer. Choose your favorites to create special pages that document how tiny and sweet your baby is.
“Elsie, 4 Weeks” by Jamie Waters, as seen in the June 2009 issue of Creating Keepsakes
5. Accomplishments. Scrapbook your successes—from goals met to obstacles overcome. Possible topics include graduations (from preschool to college), promotions or raises at work, sports achievements, and more.
“Mike’s Graduation” by Kelly Purkey, as seen in the February 2010 issue of Creating Keepsakes
6. Your favorite things. Remember to celebrate the little things as well by recording what makes you happy right now. Your favorite song, your favorite color, the funny nickname your two-year-old has for the dog. Make a list and scrapbook it. Include photos if you have them, or make the layout design all about your words, like Deena Wuest did on her page.
“100 Things I Love” by Deena Wuest, as seen in "Get Creative with Type"
7. Very good days. Record the everyday happenings that make your life happy. Maybe the moments special to you are starting the day with a favorite breakfast, taking an evening stroll with a friend, or spending time in your garden.
“Thursday Morning Waffles” by Jennifer Davis, as seen in the February 2010 issue of Creating Keepsakes
Whatever celebrations you choose to scrapbook, we hope you’ll share your happy pages with us by posting your celebration pages on our idea gallery at Club CK.
—Lori Fairbanks, product editor
P.S. Don’t forget to download your free font as part of Free Font Friday! This week, you can download CK Lounge Act here.
Fun Pages from the Club CK Gallery!
02/26/2010 at 12:17 am | Posted in General Inspiration | 7 CommentsTags: carkareokequeen, CK, Club CK, Club CK gallery, Club CK idea gallery, Creating Keepsakes, Creating Keepsakes magazine, gallery, gudrun, Joannie McBride, layouts, linda, okanogangirl, reader gallery, Scrapbook, scrapbook pages, Scrapbooking
Today is a beautiful day, don’t you think? I am happy to get the chance to share some cool layouts with you from Club CK‘s idea gallery. There are tons of projects uploaded, so be sure to check it out for yourself. Some of my favorites include “My Sweetheart at Six” by Linda, “7 Reasons” by carkareokequeen, “Sommer” by Gudrun, and “The Unexpected” by okanogangirl.
"My Sweetheart at Six" by Linda, as seen in the Club CK gallery
"7 Reasons" by carkareokequeen, as seen in the Club CK gallery
"Sommer" by Gudrun, as seen in the Club CK gallery
"The Unexpected" by okanogangirl, as seen in the Club CK gallery
Gold-Medal Speed Scrapping
02/25/2010 at 12:26 am | Posted in General Inspiration | 10 CommentsTags: Brittany Beattie, CK, Creating Keepsakes, Creating Keepsakes magazine, Dawn Hagewood, fast and easy layouts, fast layouts, Jackie Stringham, Lisa Dorsey, Olympics, quick and easy layouts, quick and easy pages, quick layotus, quick pages, Scrapbook, scrapbook pages, Scrapbooking, speed scrap, speed scrapbook, Vivian Masket
Apolo Ohno has shown that getting the job done fast can mean getting the job done right. The same can be true with scrapbooking—fast and easy layouts can also be high-impact layouts. Try out your speed scrapping with one of these quick but quality pages. Just as Apolo earned the gold one lap at a time, I’ll show you how to complete these pages in just four laps:
Lap 1: Photos
Lap 2: Blocks
Lap 3: Border Strips
Lap 4: Embellishments
Use the specs below for each lap to help you on your way to completing these gold-medal pages.
—
“Trike” by Vivian Masket, as seen in the March 2009 issue of Creating Keepsakes
Lap 1 (Photos): two 4″ x 6″
Lap 2 (Blocks): n/a
Lap 3 (Border Strips): one 12″ x 2.5″
Lap 4 (Embellishments): one bird accent, one circle accent, three brads, letter stickers, and pen
—
“My Sweet Cakes” by Lisa Dorsey, as seen in the February 2009 issue of Creating Keepsakes
Lap 1 (Photos): two 6″ x 4″ and three 3.5″ x 5″
Lap 2 (Blocks): two 12″ x 5.5″ (green) and one 4″ x 3.5″ (white, cut into seven 0.5″ journaling strips)
Lap 3 (Border Strips): two 12″ x 0.5″ and two 12″ x 1.5″
Lap 4 (Embellishments): nine buttons, heart accent, flourish transparency or rub-on, letter stickers, pen, and thread
—
“Slide Down” by Dawn Hagewood, as seen in the March 2009 issue of Creating Keepsakes
Lap 1 (Photos): one 4″ x 6″ and two 3″ x 4″
Lap 2 (Blocks): one 11″ x 11″
Lap 3 (Border Strips): two 10″ x 0.25″, two 3″ x 1″, two 3″ x 0.75″, and four 3″ x 0.25″
Lap 4 (Embellishments): letter stickers and one 3″ circle
—
“Snow Men” by Jackie Stringham, as seen in the January 2009 issue of Creating Keepsakes
Lap 1 (Photos): one 5″ x 7″, two 4″ x 6″, one 3.3″ x 5″, and one 3.3″ x 3.3″
Lap 2 (Blocks): 2.3″ x 7″, 7.25″ x 2.3″, and 1″ x 2.3″
Lap 3 (Border Strips): one 11″ x 0.75″ and one 8.25″ x 0.75″
Lap 4 (Embellishments): one 2.25″ circle, one 2.75″ circle, one 3.75″ circle, three snowflake accents, and letter stickers
Happy speed scrapping!
–Brittany Beattie, online senior editor
Trend Talk: Bingo!
02/23/2010 at 11:15 am | Posted in General Inspiration, Hot Trends, How-Tos, product, technique | 12 CommentsTags: bingo, bingo cards, bingo trend, CK, Creating Keepsakes, Creating Keepsakes magazine, creative editor, creativity, Jenni Bowlin, Kristine McKay, Lori Fairbanks, Megan Hoeppner, Scrapbook, scrapbook pages, Scrapbooking, scrapbooking trend, Tattered Angels, technique, techniques, trends, vintage, Wilna Furstenberg
Weekly Warm-Up: Passing the Product Relay
02/22/2010 at 11:30 am | Posted in Onine Event, weekly warm up | 3 CommentsTags: CK, Creating Keepsakes, Creating Keepsakes magazine, how to swap supplies, how to trade supplies, Megan Hoeppner, Olympics, Passing of the Product Relay, product swap, Scrapbook, scrapbook organization, scrapbook supplies, scrapbook swap, Scrapbooking, supplies, swap, trade, trade supplies
An activity recognized the world over, the Olympic Torch Relay is both symbolic and inspiring. Just as the amazing Olympic athletes keep the fire of determination and dedication in their hearts, this relay keeps the spirit of the games aflame. Incredible, don’t you think?
Inspired by the passing of the torch, we’ve arranged a Passing of the Product Relay that’s all about recycling scrapbooking products. Do you have a product or two that could use a new home? Would you be interested in swapping said product for something else that has been on your wish list? Maybe you have an extra trimmer that collects more dust than it cuts paper. Why not swap the trimmer for that shaped punch you’ve had your eye on for so long? It’s easy to do with our relay.
How to Post Your Pass
Step 1: Visit the Passing of the Product Relay thread we’ve started on Club CK. (Note: You’ll have to sign in to the club in order to post and/or comment on others’ posts. Registration for community membership is free.)
Step 2: Enter information on the product (including a picture if possible) that you’re prepared to part with, either in exchange for another product or simply to do a little house cleaning without anything in return.
Step 3: Wait for the comments to come in. From those comments, make your product-passing arrangements.
Step 4: Once your trade/passing arrangements are finalized, remove your post or leave a comment on your post to indicate that the transaction is complete. (You can edit your original post by finding it in the thread, clicking on the “More” box in the top-right corner of your post and selecting “Edit.”)
Step 5: Ship your product(s) to its new home and, if a swap was arranged, wait for your new [to you] toy to come to you!
How to Make a Trade
Step 1: When a product catches your eye, find the blue-colored username of the person who posted that product, located at the top of their comment.
Step 2: Click on the blue-colored username.
Step 3: In the user’s gray Profile box that appears, click on “Start conversation.” Note: If you do not see the “Start conversation” option, you will need to first add the user as a friend by clicking on “add as friend”; once that user accepts your friendship, you will be able to start the conversation.
Step 4: In your conversation, work out the product-swap details.
A Passing Example
It’s almost like we’re creating our own scrapbooking Craigslist here, but we’re making swaps rather than sales. For example, let’s say I’ve listed a collection of stamps that I’m ready to send to a new home, and I see that someone has listed a ribbon set I’m interested in. I would click on the user’s blue-colored username, start a conversation with her (or him), and ask if she’d be interested in trading her ribbon for my stamps. If it’s a go, we’ll exchange shipping information privately and make the trade.
The Fine Print
An important note: Creating Keepsakes will in no way regulate or moderate this product swap, so you’ll have to go into this using your own discretion. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t agree to a trade. We want this to be a fun way to recycle products and get “new” toys out of the deal, but we do not make any guarantees on the quality or reliability of the exchange. Please participate with the basic honor system as your guide. Thanks!
Okay, I’ve already got two posts on the “Passing the Product Relay” thread. I can’t wait to see what you have to swap. Let the games begin!
Cheers!
Megan Hoeppner, creative editor
Special Guest Blogger: Deanna Dieudonné
02/19/2010 at 12:20 pm | Posted in guest blogger, technique | 11 CommentsTags: action, action photos, blurry photos, CK, Creating Keepsakes, Creating Keepsakes magazine, Deanna Dieudonné, guest blogger, kid photos, kids, photo technique, photo tips, photography, photography tips, technique, techniques
Happy Friday everyone! My name is Deanna Dieudonné, and I am very excited to be the guest blogger—yeah!
I have been scrapbooking for about five years and make a lot of handmade cards. I attended my first CKU convention a few years ago. Not only did I meet a wonderful group of people there, but I returned with a passion for all things related to photography.
I’m also a mother of two active little boys who are full of energy and always on the move. If they’re not running, jumping, or climbing outside, then it must be bedtime! But photographing kids on the move isn’t always easy. So in honor of the Olympics, I want to share tips on how you can capture some gold-medal moments on camera while your “little athletes” play outside.
Zoom In. Long gone are the times when my boys sat still and posed for a picture. Lately, my boys have a tendency to make a silly face if they think I’m taking their picture. My solution: use a zoom lens to get close-up shots from a distance. I like to use my zoom lens because I can take my boys’ pictures without feeling like I’m intruding in their playtime. This approach also allows me the ability to zoom in and out without having to switch lenses.
Shoot Continuously. If your camera allows for it, shoot using the “burst” function. I love using this function with the Sports mode (the running-man icon). This continuous mode allows me to take multiple pictures in rapid succession, and it’s perfect for taking candid photos. (It’s also perfect for capturing the movement of two active little boys.)
For the set of photos below, I caught my boys trying to walk on the balance beam. I positioned myself to the side and in front of my boys as they played. I had so much fun watching them laugh and fall off.
Think Ahead. Taking pictures is like scrapbooking: a little upfront thought and planning can produce a very creative and eye-appealing result. When taking your photos, think about what elements you want to capture. Are you trying to capture a laugh, a smile, or a whole scene? Also, position yourself either in the direction that your subjects will be moving toward or away from. For example, when I took the first photo below, my son was running around the track and chasing after a remote-control car. I could have zoomed in on just his face, but that wouldn’t capture the entire scene with the rest of my family in the background. And in the photo of the monkey bars, I wanted to capture the essence of the playground fun.
Snap Away. One wonderful aspect of digital cameras is that there’s no film and virtually no cost (except storage cost, which is pretty inexpensive). I never delete a photo unless I find it absolutely unusable. Just because it’s blurry doesn’t mean it’s not a good photo. Keep those blurry shots—sometimes they add a creative effect. 😉 I like to compile a bunch of my favorite action shots into collages. I made these collages using Picasa, the free software from Google.
Have Fun. Let your children do what comes naturally. During fall, as soon as my boys saw a big pile of leaves they attacked it—jumping, kicking, and laughing (see the collage above). Some of my favorite shots are those that were taken in the moment.
Taking candid shots gives my boys a chance to be spontaneous and silly.
Now it’s your turn. Go out and have fun and see what shots you can come up with. For more ideas, check out my blog.
—Deanna
P.S. Don’t miss this week’s free font download as part of Free Font Friday! You can download the CK font for free here!
CK & Me
02/18/2010 at 12:21 pm | Posted in CK & Me | 5 CommentsTags: Ashley Riley, Caroline Ikeji, CK, CK & Me, Creating Keepsakes, Creating Keepsakes magazine, creative editor, design, February 2010, inspiration, Jennifer Delorenzo, Maggie Holmes, Megan Hoeppner, scrapbook pages, Scrapbooking, scraplift, Summer Johnson, Susan Ott
Occasionally, I set my editor hat aside and put on my teacher sombrero. One of my favorite things about wearing this particular metaphorical cap is the chance it gives me to see scrapbookers in action. I love watching students turn class ideas into their own unique creations. I’m sharing this “What makes Megan tick” moment because it’s also why our CK & Me blog posts bring me (and the entire CK team, for that matter) such joy—they illustrate how you, our awesome readers, take ideas from the magazine and turn them into projects that are all you. So with a smile on my face and my blogger beanie on my head, it is my pleasure to introduce this month’s talented CK & Me lineup.
This layout by Maggie Holmes, featured in our February 2010 issue, is the source of inspiration on our first example.
Drawn to Maggie’s ruffled border and overall page design, Ashley Riley created this fresh layout. We love how the general design of a layout can transform by simply changing out colors, photos, and themes. Great application, Ashley!
We were tickled to see how our next creative guest was motivated by this page that Summer Johnson created for our January 2010 issue.
Inspired by the colored lines on Summer’s page, Susan Ott stitched leading lines on her page to call attention to her photos. We think it’s fun to see how this page translate from toddlers to teenagers with just a few creative twists. Well played, Susan!
Our third CK & Me VIP fell in love with this design by Caroline Ikeji, which we featured in our February 2010 issue.
Following Caroline’s lead, Jennifer DeLorenzo incorporated a handwritten note on her layout. We were drawn to the way Jennifer switched out a single photo with three smaller photos. Nicely done, Jennifer!
Each of our three CK & Me featured guests will receive a CK special issue for being featured today. Congrats, and thanks for submitting!
Do you have something you’ve done recently that you’d like us to consider for a future CK & Me post? If so, please send an image of your work, the layout or project that inspired your design, and a short description of what you found inspiring to letters@creatingkeepsakes.com with “CK & Me” in the subject line. Thanks! We love seeing how you’ve been inspired by the work found in the magazine.
And as always, we invite you to leave a comment along these lines. So put on that critique hat of yours and share your thoughts about what you’ve seen in the magazine. After all, when it comes to hearing about the pages in your magazine that are dog-eared, we’re all ears. 😉
Cheers!
—Megan Hoeppner, creative editor
Scavenger Hunt: Scrapbooking Tips and Tricks, Organization
02/16/2010 at 4:00 am | Posted in Scavenger Hunt | 3 CommentsTags: CK, Creating Keepsakes, Creating Keepsakes magazine, Dorathy Gilchrist, Scavenger Hunt, Scrapbook, Scrapbooking, Scrapbooking Tips & Tricks, Scrapbooking Tips & Tricks organization issue
Hello, lovely scrapbookers. We hope you’re enjoying the Scrapbooking Tips & Tricks organization issue. This special issue has helped me get my space into shape, that’s for sure. Now it’s time for (you guessed it) another scavenger hunt! And since we’re all freshly organized, it shouldn’t be hard to find those magazines and jump on in, right? 🙂 See if you can find the answers to these 10 questions.
1. According to the “Find Your Organizational Style” article, what organizational method does April Massad use?
2. Name the title for one layout created by Wendy Sue Anderson in “Organize to Create an Album.”
3. What is your favorite tip or organizational idea from “Organization in Super-Small Spaces”?
4. What is one of the hang-ups discussed in “Streamline Your Scrapbooking Process”?
5. What is one use for picture frames, as suggested in “Creativity under Cover”?
6. What is one layout solution found in the “Design Solutions” column of this issue?
7. List two types of scrapbook albums Stacy Julian suggests making.
8. How can a dress form be used for organization, as found in this issue?
9. What are two kitchen items that can be used as scrapbook-supply storage, as seen in “Budget Tips”?
10. What are the themes of the crop decorations made by Suzy Plantamura and Jen Jockisch?
E-mail your answers to ckblog@creatingkeepsakes.com by midnight MST on Sunday, February 21, 2010. Be sure to put “ST&T scavenger hunt” in the subject line. We will choose three winners by random drawing from the correct responses and post them on the Giveaways tab on or around Monday, February 22. (And when you’re done reading the magazine, be sure to put it back in its proper place to stay organized, of course!)
—Dorathy Gilchrist, associate editor
Weekly Warm-Up: Boost Your Layouts
02/15/2010 at 3:41 pm | Posted in weekly warm up | 2 CommentsTags: adding motion, Amanda Probst, Annette Pixley, border, borders, Brigid Gonzalez, CK, Creating Keepsakes, Creating Keepsakes magazine, design, grid, grids, Jennifer Larson, Lara Penrod, Layout, layouts, line, lines, motion, Olympics, Ria Mojica, scrapbook pages, Scrapbooking, technique, techniques, using lines
Dude! Are you ready to bust some huge air? The world’s best snowboarders take to the Vancouver slopes today, but they’re not the only ones ready to boost.
In snowboarding terms, “boost” means to catch air off a jump. Today, we’re going to take a few tricks from those snowboarders and catch a little air of our own as a weekly warm-up: boosting our layouts to the next level.
In some of the most spectacular tricks you’ll see today, snowboarders will use the walls and flat of the half-pipe to pull off some pretty amazing jumps, spins, and turns. It’s the very structure of the half-pipe—a vertical u-shaped structure—that makes those tricks possible. Snowboarders use the lines of the walls to generate enough speed and air to pull off those tricks.
And just like a snowboarder makes the most of the structure of the half-pipe, you can use the structure of lines to boost your layouts in the following five ways.
Use Grids
Rather than spend hours figuring out how to position numerous photos on a layout, use a grid positioned on a large photo mat to organize multiphoto layouts, as Jennifer Larson did here.
“My Best Buds” by Jennifer Larson, as seen in the January 2010 issue of Creating Keepsakes, page 42
Draw Straight Lines
There’s nothing wrong with a straight line. Lines actually help lead the eye through a layout—a particularly useful tool when leading the reader from the beginning to the end of a story. The trick is to mix it up by adding a larger photo as a focal point, just like Ria Mojica did on this layout.
The Long and Short of It” by Ria Mojica, as seen in the January 2010 issue of Creating Keepsakes,page 43
Create Borders
Use your photos to create a border, placing your journaling in the middle of your layout like Brigid Gonzalez did below. This approach allows both your story and your photos to share the spotlight. Check out this design tip: make sure all of your photos are facing into your layout, to keep the reader’s eye on your pages.
"How to Have Fun on a Rainy Day” by Brigid Gonzalez, as seen in the January 2010 issue of Creating Keepsakes, page 45
Add Motion
By adding a line through a layout, you can not only move your viewer’s eye through the layout, but also add motion to your pages. Notice how the line in Amanda Probst’s layout below mimics a sledding hill, reinforcing the theme of her layout.
"March in Colorado” by Amanda Probst, as seen in the Scrapbooking Tips & Tricks organization issue by Creating Keepsakes, page 18
Break the Lines
When designing, we tend to think of lines as boundaries—areas we cannot cross. But crossing those lines can actually add fun and whimsy to your pages. Take a look at Annette Pixley’s title on her “Dreams Come True” layout below. She could have confined her designs to the natural box that her focal photo and red background paper created, but she would have lost the whimsy created by overlapping these two elements with part of her title.
"Dreams Come True” by Annette Pixley, as seen in the January 2010 issue of Creating Keepsakes, page 45
For your weekly warm-up, try one of these five ways to boost your layouts. And once you’ve finished busting some air, upload your completed layouts to our new gallery.
Opening Pages: The “Opening Ceremonies” of Your Albums
02/12/2010 at 11:48 am | Posted in General Inspiration | 5 CommentsTags: Album covers, Albums, Angie Lucas, CK, Creating Keepsakes, Creating Keepsakes magazine, creativity, Erin Sweeney, Lori Fairbanks, Olympics, Scrapbook, scrapbook pages, Scrapbooking, Simple Scrapbooks, Wendy Smedley
Hey there! Are you watching the opening ceremonies for the Olympics? Millions of viewers around the world will be tuning in tonight and over the next two weeks to catch ceremonial fanfare and incredible feats of athleticism. If you like to scrapbook while you watch TV, you’re in for a fantastic two-week stretch of scrapbooking bliss—what a great opportunity to flex your creative muscles and achieve your scrapbooking goals!
Tonight as you’re watching the Olympics from the front seat of your living room, think about special ways you can celebrate the contents of your albums and mini books. Decorative album covers and opening pages are the “opening ceremonies” of your album, providing an introduction to your topic or theme, setting the stage, and building excitement for the content yet to be viewed in subsequent pages.
Following are great examples of album topics where decorated album covers and opening pages are particularly effective. All images are from the Quick & Easy Photo Albums special issue from Simple Scrapbooks magazine.
1. An album about a loved one. If you’ve made an album about someone special in your life, embellish the album or the photo opening of the album to make it extra special.
"Bill" by Angie Lucas
Choose a favorite photo to introduce the theme of the album. Be sure to include your thoughts about why the person featured in the album’s pages is so special to you.
You can add specific details and share more in-depth stories on the album’s interior pages.
2. An album about an event. If you’ve created an album about a special event or celebration, take time to make the album cover reflective of that topic.
"Happy Birthday" by Wendy Smedley
Tell the who, what ,and where on the opening pages on an event-themed album. Select a photo that includes either the star of the show or all the participants.
Include memorabilia on the interior pages.
3. An album documenting a set period of time. If an album covers a specific time period, be sure to note it either on the cover, the album spine or the opening page. In this album, it’s included on the opening page.
"My Childhood" by Erin Sweeney
Notice how the same patterned papers were used on the interior pages to add a coherent feel.
More Olympics Fun
We’ll be commemorating the Olympics here on the blog with Olympic-themed scrapbooking inspiration and ideas spread over the next two weeks. We hope you’ll enjoy the celebration with us!
–Lori Fairbanks, product editor
P.S. In honor of the Olympics, our Free Font Friday download celebrates the Olympians from all over the globe, including the Netherlands. Download the CK Holland font for free here.
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