Grocery Shopping Routine

I'm digging the July Stories of Me prompt over at The Pocket Source. I hope to do several of these for #myselfiescrapbook. I chose some fun photos I snapped of myself with my youngest on our walk down to the grocery store for a few staples one morning.

Since moving to my very walkable neighborhood, I've notice the way I grocery shop has drastically changed. Instead of the big trips with the car, I typically walk and carry back two shopping bags full a couple times a week. It's much quicker and more enjoyable. I still do the occasional larger trip with the car, or large peapod order, too, but the shorter trips are way better in my book.

I used two PL cards from my stash: "Enjoy Life" from the Honey Kit and the other from Clementine. I painted my wood veneer arrows with white staz-on ink and stamped "everyday" in the lower corner. 

Join us and pick a prompt from July's Stories of Me download for a quick layout of your own.

holly genc

The Pocket Source Creative Team

Down This Road Designs digi pages

Just sharing a few layouts I created using Down This Road creations products.  I was fortunate to be asked by Angie to join her creative team about a month ago and I couldn't be more thrilled.  Scrap Orchard was my first stop in my Digi journey - and I still love the designers at that store!

Scrap Orchard has a very active community - lots of inspiration, challenges and lots of freebies!  That was a big consideration for me as I was starting my digital journey about 18 months ago...you see having been a paper scrapper for so many years, I loved that I had a huge stash to use and select from.

When I started digital - I had almost nothing!  I love that I have been able to look around and actually be more particular about my design style.  I am trying to be good about not purchasing or even downloading freebies that I will not use.  Since part of my move to digi was to help purge the physical clutter of paper - I couldn't move down that same path in digital.  So far I have been about 50% successful...

Right now Scrap Orchard is having their big challenge for the year called Iron Scrapper - its lots of fun and a great way to challenge yourself at whatever level you are.  The great thing about Iron Scrapper is that everyone who completes at least 1 challenge has a chance to earn prizes! Plus there are lots of sales and chats to keep you motivated!

Here are some of my pages for the challenges so far:

Week 2 Tiki Tiki Tiki Room



Some of the other fun stuff I've made with Down This Road Design's - let me share some of my recent pages, enjoy!

Using DTRD Road Maps, Simply Pockets Vol. 2 and I Love Teaching kit

Using DTRD If Life Gives you Lemons and Scrapping With Liz SOT Template

Using Down This Road Designs (DTRD) June's Scrap Orchard newsletter freebie and Chelle's Creations Bunny Hop

Take 10 Tuesday | Resize Your Stamps

Disclaimer: Many stamp companies have copyrights on their images. Please seek permission from the company before altering their stamps in any way.

The Studio 29 Designs Blog has a weekly "Take 10 Tuesday" Post and this week is my turn. Go check out past posts for more crafty tips.

Have stamp that is perfect for your layout, but need it to be a different size? That happened to me in my last layout I posted about here. I have a quick and easy solution that I whipped up with my scanner, printer and Photoshop Elements (PSE). I have a Canon Pixma one-in-all, that I used (love it.)

That ADORABLE Scoop stamp is still available, kids. Go get it here. I imagine using this stamp a TON this summer. Here's a step-by-step of what I did. There are tons of great tutorials out there for PSE basics, so please check some out if this isn't quite making sense.

1. First, stamp the image onto white paper and scan it as a jpg.
2. Open the jpg up in PSE. 
3. I scaled my image down to a mini version and reset the CANVAS SIZE to 4x6 (because I knew I would print one a 4x6 piece of white cardstock). I made the resolution 300 for good printing.
4. Make a box around the scanned image with the selection tool. 
5. Copy and paste it. (Ctrl C, Ctrl V on a PC). It will automatically put your pasted image on a new layer.
6. Right click on that new layer and select "duplicate layer".
7. This third ice cream cone is where I filled in colors I liked with the paint bucket tool. Copy and paste that color combination. Then, repeat from Step 4 with new colors.
8. After you've filled your canvas, save as a high resolution jpg.
9. Print and fussy cut.

This took me roughly ten minutes from start to finish. If I'd been more ambitious I could have used my silhouette to cut out all of them. That seemed like too long of a process for my need at this time, but what a good idea if you need a lot of them.

Take 10 today to be crafty.

Holly Genc

Super Zoo Picnic

Today, I'm posting as Creative Team member for Take 10 Kits over at The Studio 29 Designs blog.

We have been zoo members since our first born was a wee baby. I think we will renew that one for many years to come. Lincoln Park Zoo is a regular visit for us, year 'round, but especially in summer. The annual member's picnic "SUPER ZOO PICNIC" seems to mark the official beginning of summer. This year, it fell on our last day of school. The zoo is open late. The carousel and train are free to ride. There are special games and bounce house obstacle courses set up. It is pure family fun.

I was probably more excited than the kids that the lions were up close to the viewing window today. Just chillaxing and grooming herself. And people watching.

"awesome" cut apart and alphas from June Take 10 Pocket Kit, ticket ephemera from June Glam Bag

Ephemera from the June Take10Kit Glam Bag. Card from Citrus Bliss paper pad (add on). Cut Apart (camera) from June Take 10 Pocket Kit. Using my embossing labeler for a title.

Cut aparts from the the June Take 10 Pocket Kit, Scoops of Fun Stamp, Ice cream cone created from June stamp.

 Stay tuned for a future post on how I created that adorable ice cream cone.

Card from June Take 10 Pocket Kit. "Hello Summer" June stamp

Card from June Take 10 Pocket Kit. Enamel dots from June Glam Bag.

Enjoy Summer and Document it

Hello Summer/Pineapple Stamp

Here's the Scoop/Ice Cream Stamp

Breathe Cut Apart Sheet

Holly Genc

Stories of Me: Labor Day Weekend 2014

Today, I'm over at The Pocket Source participating in the June Stories of Me group. There is still time to grab the freebie provided by Artfulleigh Creative and make a June layout. It can be found here,

I had fun adding these outdoor themed layouts to my 6x8 Stories of Me album that I began when this group over at The Pocket Source started up. I manipulated the cards just a bit for my layout. I added a title in Photoshop to the colorful striped card. I used some of the coordinating digital stamps in some of my photos. The Sunnies journal card was cut down from a 4x6 card.

Have you ever rented a bicycle built for 8? We did this with my parents and sister 12 years ago on the weekend of our bridal shower. This time we have 3 kids in tow. 

The next two page spread highlights the second half of the day I planned outdoors. I got us all tickets to ride a tall ship on Lake Michigan. It was a beautiful day for it.

Holly Genc

www.paintedladiesjournal.com

Using a Summer Theme Kit for Spring Photos

I'm super excited to contribute for the first time to The Studio 29 Designs Blog as part of the Take Ten Kits Creative Team. The June kits are unbelievable. I'm in love. Really. I just can't believe how much product there is here. I did supplement with some of the Citrus Bliss line. Did you snag any of that while it was in the shop?

Being in Chicago, I don't have a whole lot of summer photos just yet, but I'm going to show you how I used this summer kit for a warm day in April we had. I didn't necessarily want anything to say "Summer Time" but there were plenty of cute appropriate items to use for a Chicago April day. (If you aren't from these parts, Chicago's March through June weather is all over the place).

The "Keeping Cool" Popsicle Stamp set is adorable. I combined some stamping with some paper-piecing to make a custom popsicle. I love how it turned out. Just stamp your image on each color of paper, do some fussy cutting and then piece it together. 

I was hesitant to sacrifice a 3x4 card from the June kit to cut out some of the little popsicles, but thought they'd tie this page together well. So yes, I did some more fussy cutting for this. Well worth it.

Here's a few more details:

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope I inspired you to shake up your summer kits for use on outdoor spring days. ;)

Holly Genc

Mix and Match Project Life

Today, I'm over at The Pocket Source with my Creative Team Post.

I'm sharing a layout I just created from Easter Egg Hunting photographs this year. I used my stash for this one, so it's quite a mix. Do you like to mix product lines or use the same line throughout a layout? I do a bit of both, but this one is definitely a mix. 

The "Live Simply Dream Big" card is a MAMBI embellished card. Have you seen these?? There are several different theme packs. The glitter gold pieces you see in several spots are also by MAMBI. They are their chipboard stickers. 

=

Anybody recognize that "Lucky" puffy sticker? That is Amy Tangerine's High Five line. The little bunny is from the same set. The chick is a wood chip by Freckled Fawn. The felt doily is also Freckled Fawn. (I bought up some goodie packs from FF awhile back, fun stuff). And, there is one of those glittery gold MAMBI chipboard stickers.

This detail contains a mix of MAMBI, Amy Tangerine High Five and Freckled Fawn. I inked the wood chip bird.

More MAMBI plus an unknown puffy sticker.

Thanks for "tuning in" today. Find me on Instagram.

Holly Genc

The Pocket Source Creative Team

www.paintedladiesjournal.com