Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Little Mischief Maker

I have a two-year-old and it is very apparent if you visit my home...

I'm using a fun digital set called Document Nerd 3 by The Teal Lime PressThere are coordinating Planner Stickers with this set, too, for my planner friends out there!


Oh, that remote! It's always getting misplaced.


Those nerd glasses! I love them. I wear black nerd glasses, so I AM partial...


The elements on the set are so fun. I used a lot of pop dots to make them stand out on my layout.

Thanks for coming by today!
Holly of Painted Ladies Journal

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

January Digi roundup

So a new feature that I want to start this year (and mostly to keep myself accountable) is a roundup of some of my favorite pages and projects that I have completed for the month.  I am very motivated by numbers and a recent conversation started on my Facebook group was asking us how many pages we had gotten scrapped in January.  At the Lilypad January is called their Month of Challenges - 31 different challenges hosted by several Pollys (their Design team), the Lilypad designers and the Admins from the site where you are "awarded" a $20 gift certificate.
It was the first year and I started the Challenge and I am happy to say that I got all the challenges done and upload yesterday early evening! I was actually several days behind when the weekend started but they took pity on us and made the last few fairly easy so I was able to catch up on the 5 days I had not completed. This Challenge taught me so much about how to speed up my process, effectively select templates and pictures so that I could not only complete the challenges but also be happy with the pages I completed. I did not want to just complete a challenge just to do so - I wanted to be able to include them in my on-going projects - finishing my 2015 Project Life, my December Documented pages and scrap more pages for my Spain album from 2014/2015.  Luckily I had already selected several Lilypad kits to use for these projects - and my PL pages can use any kit as long as it’s the same within any give 2 page spread.

In the midst of all this great scrapping I also did several pages for my CT teams - The Daily Digi (where we scrap in advance so I will share those in the future) and for Libby Pritchett's team at Sweet Shoppe Designs (where they will be celebrating 10 years this month!) AND I finished my 2015 pages to be able to print my last volume for 2015 Project Life (yah!!).

Overall  I am very happy with how much I accomplished and how much I have learned about digi scrapping to always get better at what I do! Without further delay here are some of my favorites…




MOC Day 27 - Just Jaimee and Mommyish collab - Rad Lad



MOC Day 20 - Scrapping with Liz Numbers template and Memory Pockets Monthly: Chapter (January 2015)


MOC Day 19  - Just Jaimee's January Storyteller


MOC Day 18 - Just Jaimee's Hunter Storyteller and I actually made an Art Journaling page!!

MOC Day 31: Pocket Page (this one was easy for me!!) using Just Jaimee's January Storyteller - the basic kit and lots of goodies that I get with VIP membership..

I even got a few more December pages done using Just Jaimee's Riley Storyteller kit and DYD 2015 papers




Can you tell I have a love for most things Just Jaimee??

But I also love, love Libby Pritchett's fun, bright style. From Libby Pritchett's store at Sweet Shoppe Designs i had several other favorites this month. A collab with Amanda Yi: Celebrate the Everyday



and this one from Libby: Put Your Records On



I even did a few pages to finish up my 2015 Project Life book so that I could order with one of Shutterfly's frequent coupons. This one I completed with the Project Life app and a few tweaks in Phonto. I even uploaded my own handwriting font!


So I will be making a regular post on my progress every month so that I can myself accountable and our readers inspired! Thanks everyone for sticking with me...


Monday, February 1, 2016

Snow Layout with the January Take 10 Kit

I'm bringing you another January Take 10 Kit layout today.


It's a great kit to document some snow fun! We haven't had many of these in Chicago this year. It's kinda weird to us. The last two year brought so much snow and this year we've hardly seen any yet! 
I stapled the big "today" clear word by Heidi Swapp to my 4x6 journal card. And added a small puffy heart from my stash.

 
I liked the "love" filler card for this layout, so I turn it into a journal card by adding a bit of white cardstock. There's another puffy heart! 

  
I did a simple title with this kits Studio Calico iridescent foil alphas, "snow", on  the upper right pocket photo.


Another filler card with those enamel dots and one more puffy heart from my stash!
Below are affiliate links to items I’ve used in this layout. Happy Shopping!
Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher – every scrapbooker needs one
Puffy Hearts!!
This is not the same Heidi Swapp Clear Word set I have, but close. Looks cute!
Studio Calico Foil Alphas
I print my photos at home! It is so nice when trying to keep up with Project Life
Thanking for stopping by!
Holly Genc | Painted Ladies Journal

Friday, January 29, 2016

Class Review for Travel Scrapbooking with Amy Tan and GIVEAWAY!!!

I finished one of my 2016 goals today! (See all of my crafty goals in this post, here.) What better way to spend a cold , winter day when you are suffering from a sinus infection. I watched the last three lessons from this 7 lesson class  (with my hot tea and box of tissue). 


It has been a few years since I have done a full 12x12 layout yet I still gleaned a lot of good tips and tricks from this class. I could watch Amy Tan scrapbook the day away. And I almost did! 
Craftsy is an awesome resource for all sorts of crafty classes. And they have apps for your phone or tablet, which makes it super cozy for cuddling up with a warm beverage and snuggle blanket on the couch. Unless, you are trying to watercolor or paint along with the instructor. I don't advise attempting that from the couch. I'd probably accidentally drink the paint water....


The app is super slick. There is a button for a 30 second replay if you didn't quite catch something. There are several options for slowing down or speeding up the video. Amy Tan with a fast chimpmunk voice is always good fun!


Each lesson was divided into parts, so it was a easy to find any particular section again later. In this particular class, the two lessons on mini-albums and pocket pages were my favorite, but I loved them all. She always has a way of making me want the same tools she has! I immediately started applying some of the techniques I saw in my pocketpages. 


Another neat feature of these classes is that you can interact with the instructor! Amy Tan will respond to your questions!

If you are an Amy Tan fangirl (who isn't?!), you will love her class on Craftsy. I paid $15 for this class (sale price), and there are plenty of other options in the same price range. They go on sale once in awhile, too! 

(Links below ARE affiliate links) I only share things I have tried and love. 

Here is the Travel Scrapbooking with Amy Tan class link:

Travel Scrapbooking With Amy Tan

And RIGHT NOW through 1/31/2016 you can enter win 5 FREE CRAFTSY CLASSES!

5 CRAFTSY CLASSES GIVEAWAY

-Holly with Painted Ladies Journal

Facebook and Instagram


Monday, January 25, 2016

A Day with My Daughter

Aw man, this January Take 10 Kit, guys! I love it. I took a layout from last March that needed cards, journaling and embellishing and turned it into this!! 

Did you get one? Don't miss out on these kits anymore by becoming a subscriber!! The Studio 29 Designs, LLC started a subscription service this month. Here's links right here:

Pocket Kit Subscription

Glam Bag Subscription

And now there is a referral program!! When someone puts your name in the comments upon check out when subscribing, YOU get a free 3x4 stamp. AND so does your friend!!! I saw it, it's awesome! So spread the word to all your scrappy friends! Find out more about it here

  

I love the coordinating cut-a-parts. See what I did here? I trimmed it down and put the date on that little label! There's the pocket kit stamp in action. This kit also included the whole set of Heidi Swapp Clear Words. These are awesome. Celebrate, indeed. I'm excited to use all of them!! I chose to staple my word to my kit card with my Tiny Attacher.

  
I, AGAIN, trimmed down a cut-apart label to do some layering on my journal card. Those string of hearts is a stamp I repeated 3x from the Donut Forget set. Good News, the stamp designer Nicole has this one in her shop if you NEED it (Hint: You do!)

www.mystylestamps.com

  
Another cut-apart here to match the 4x6 card I used, more heart stamps and Studio Calico foil alphas. They change color depending on the angle you look at them!! 

I hope you are enjoying this month's Take 10 Kit "Happy" as much as I am!

-Holly of www.paintedladiesjournal.com

Below are affiliate links to items I've used in this layout. Happy Shopping!

Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher - every scrapbooker needs one

Ruby Red Cat Eye Ink and Black StazOn that was used in this layout:

This is not the same Heidi Swapp Clear Word set I have, but close. Looks cute!

Studio Calico Foil Alphas

I print my photos at home! Do you ever print split photos like the one of my daughter on the monkey bars? It's much easier to do at home.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

#HashtagThisWeek : MOTIVATION

I was scrolling through my photos so far from January, trying to decide how I was going to use this week's prompt when I came upon a few silly selfies with my youngest. 

I thought about my word for the year, "Enjoy" and what motivated me to pick this word. Actually, I feel that it picked me, but then I became motivated to keep it!

 
I chose to scrap a 6x12 this week! Love it. It will be an insert in my annual Project Life album (which is 12x12). The photo overlays I used are from a new kit by The Teal Lime Press called "Companion". It is sublime. See a few other layout I did with the pocket cards and elements here

The Anne Lamott quote is perfect. I ran across it on Pinterest when searching "Enjoy" quotes. I highly recommend creating a board for your One Little Word I imagine that I will pull from these quotes that I found all year!

Follow Painted Ladies Journal here:

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-Holly

Have you seen #HashtagThisWeek? Go check out Turquoise Avenue every Sunday for a new prompt! It's great! 

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Week in the Life - with the Project Life app

I am hear to talk about my process and results for completing Ali Edward's Week In the Life.  Here is is a blog post that explains more about it Ali's ideas for this yearly project.  So following up with my One Little Word  (another one of Ali's great project ideas) for 2015 - "Finish" I finally got my Week in the Life finished for 2015.  This year Ali Edwards chose August 17-23, 2015 to document her entire week.  Since I am 100% digital I was looking for a way to make this project easier.  I also work full time so carrying my big DSLR was not realistic - I couldn't take it client meetings etc. So I knew that my iPhone pictures were gong to be the majority of my documentation for the week...

I chose to upload my cards through Dropbox so that I could have a larger variety of cards to pick from. I chose the Memory Pockets Monthly kit for August 2015  - Almanac at The Lilypad. It was perfect for documenting Week in the Life.  Using Dropbox is easy in the Project Life app - you just upload the cards you want and can pick the cards directly in the app.  To save on data charges (I do have 2 teenagers who don't know how to turn off the phone for 5 minutes...) I download the primary ones that I wanted to use on my phone


To get the cards directly from Dropbox select the option  - you have to act as if you are adding a photo - not a journal card.

From there you can add text in Phonto or various options like Over or even Rhonna Designs. You can add elements in Phonto as well (without shadows) or even in Over with Shadows.

So here is the finished project... I love that there are so many options with the templates within the app . I do like to use the Design G option and then I trim the edge and use washi tape  on the cut edge within the Shutterfly book - its as close as I can get to the mixed page protectors I can use in the traditional binders.






I even got to see my IDOL  this week since Becky Higgins was at the Scrapbook Expo...it was definitely a excellent way to end the week!!




I also started using Wendyzine new action for adding the correct border for Shutterfly printing with just one click - game changer!!  Here is the Project Life border action at Wendy's shop.

So the only decision I have still to make is do I include all the pages in my regular Project Life... but i can do that before I order my next book.. there is a coupon for Shutterfly for 50% off that expires this week ( affliate link if you want to order - at no extra cost for you. Shutterfly )