October Afternoon

December Story Kit Pages Challenge | Git 'er Done!

Happy Monday everyone! Suz here with you today to check in on how you are coming along with your December Story pages. Making progress? Yes? No? 

If the answer is no, I may have a few ideas for you to help you get those pages completed.

If the answer is yes, way to go!! Please share your pages in the OA Flickr gallery, on Instagram, or on our Facebook wall! We would love to see what you have created with the December Story Kits and albums. Tag @octoberafternoon and @suzmannecke on Instagram and use the hashtag #oadecemberstory so we can see your designs!

 

First off, as you may recall, I decided for many reasons (time constraints -I knew my time to document in December was minimal, this is my 7th or 8th year of documenting December) to cut down the number of days that I documented in December to a simple dozen. By doing so, I could shave off some creative time that I simply didn't have and it also allowed me to focus a bit more on stories.

 

Secondly, a tried and true idea: the whole "KISS" mentality - Keep it Simple Silly!

Grab a photo, an embellishment or two, a piece of memorabilia, a journal card. Journal one memory that photo evokes from the day it was taken (or just an emotion or memory it evokes) and slip it as well as the OA pretties into the page protector and call it done! Don't worry about it being perfect. Let go of that if at all possible! Making progress is sure to inspire you and to move you forward in a positive direction. I can almost guarantee it! 

 

Here are a few pages I created recently that came together in short order because I kept it simple:

On the left is a piece of the sheet music patterned paper and doily included in the kit, I simply tucked in the adorable gift card memorabilia and then set to creating the right side of my layout. I added the Chipboard numbers to the outside of my pocket protector and dropped in some of the fun sequins (and snowflake) also included in the kit. Then I sewed up the top. I took like five seconds to do that since my machine was right behind me, threaded and ready to go. Next up was my journaling card. Using my vintage typewriter, it was completed in a flash! I simply added the "Special Delivery" Cut Ups and the adorable Santa sticker to my photo and my design was complete.

I this design, I broke out the kit stamps and used them on the top left journaling card as well as the sentiment card at top right (snowflakes). A couple of stickers from the kit were added and some sequins, a touch of patterned paper and that sweet holly Pillow Puff. A bit of stitching and done!

This close up of another page I completed shows how I documented the day we opened our gifts. Lots of journaling about the gifts received and in the gold polka dotted envelope I placed my oldest son's wish list. It was on a bright neon yellow Post-It Note, so I liked having the ability of knowing it is there tucked inside and not a glaring distraction on the page. On the bottom left I used my Big Bite to punch an extra hold in the manufacturer's product card of my son's gift. Just a few ideas of how you can incorporate what was given without using a handful of photos of each gift received. And if you are like me, gift opening is often a big blur, with everyone caught up in the moment and not taking time out to have photos taken anyways! 

So, there you have it! A few ideas of how you can keep your Dec Story kit simple and yet something you enjoy looking back on in the years to come! Your challenge is to get two days done today? I think that is totally doable. Set a timer if it helps. Turn on your favorite soundtrack and simply get started. :)

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!!

Suz

 

 

 

Cardmaking with Saturday Mornings!

Hello, everyone!  Jennie McGarvey again and I'm positively thrilled to share with you again today!  

As I mentioned when I introduced myself, I love to scrapbook and I love to make cards.  Today, I'm going to share with you a couple of cards that I created using the Saturday Mornings collection. I don't consider myself to be a cardmaker that uses intricate designs or lots of techniques but I really do use simplicity.  I love the way a simple card really shines.  I hope you'll be able to see that here!  

There are so many fun colors and patterns in the collection and I wanted to play those off of one another.  I thought it would be fun to combine for a little mix and match feel.

 

I had chosen the pink card from the Memory Card Mix to be the focal point of the card.  I am quite enamored with the little sunshine, and of course, my beloved clouds.  It was so easy to mix that card up with patterned papers from the collection.  After playing around for just a bit, I settled on Grapefruit (B-side for the base patterned paper) and Cereal (B-side for the layering patterned paper)

As you can see, simple layering of beautiful patterned papers with minimal embellishments really can be beautiful!  

For this next card I wanted to take a different approach.  I wanted to stay simple and let these beautiful pieces from Saturday Mornings really shine.  This time I was completely focused on the Clouds rubber stamp.  I love that stamp!  This one features those clouds that I so love and I knew that I could really make something special.  

Don't you just love that stamp?  This is only the beginning for me, I know that is going to be one well loved (and used!) stamp.  I used a Copic marker to color around the clouds.  I do not consider myself to be any more than a novice with Copic markers, but I knew that using a beautiful shade of blue for the sky would really highlight the whimsical nature of those clouds.  So, I set off coloring, highlighting the shadows a bit to really bring focus to the background stamp!  

Now, to complete the card I needed to add a few simple and linear pieces.  The Cereal patterned paper created much needed contrast, yet really fits as it mimics the sun + sunshine against the blue and clouds of the sky.  The twine wrapped on the card gives it a bit of texture but doesn't draw attention away from the focal point. (The clouds, in case you hadn't figured that out!)

I hope that you enjoyed my simple, yet fun cards today and will try how you can use the October Afternoon Saturday Mornings collection for your own cardmaking!

Thursday Sketch: Back to Basics

When it comes down to it, the basic ingredients of a layout are pretty straightforward: a foundation, one or more photos, and the words to say what you wish to say.  Even those basics are negotiable -- consider the photo-less or title-less layout, for instance. Once you have the basics covered, anything goes. Add accents. Layer paper. Emboss. Stamp. Paint. Stitch.  

This week's sketch gets back to basics while also allowing lots of room for interpretation. The sky's the limit! 

The sky, as it turns out, also happens to be a common theme for the pages that Suz Mannecke and I have created based on this sketch.  Here's mine, from the land of rainbows:

I usually work with smaller photos, but the sketch challenged me to work with a larger photo. I selected one that would have been a shame to size down, giving the presence of a sprawling rainbow (including a slight double-rainbow, if you look carefully). The focus on the sky prompted me to reach for a sheet of cloud-patterned "Omelette" paper from the new October Afternoon "Saturday Mornings" collection. After trimming the paper and adding a rectangle of it to the layout, I cut out little clouds from the scraps and, using adhesive dots, placed them over their counterparts on the layout. 

When it came to the title, I drew inspiration from the rainbow and misted the die-cut letters in ROYGBIV order. Below the title, I depicted my daily schedule by cutting out small pieces from a sheet of schedule-themed "Bacon" patterned paper from the "Saturday Mornings" collection. To break up the hard line in the center of the layout, I varied the arrangement of the small pieces and added wavy stitching across the pieces and the title. 

Like me, Suz also had her head in the clouds (in a good way!) as she put her layout togther. The result is a light, airy, ethereal feel. 

Suz shares: 

"When I saw Jill's sketch, I loved the clean and simple design of it and decided to run with the oversized photo as my inspiration jumpstart. I moved the journaling and title to the center of my design and placed a clustering of embellishments in the bottom right corner of my layout as well as a few others scattered elsewhere rather than the top right corner as depicted in the sketch. The machine stitching is to repeat the design of the spreading butterfly's wings in the cloud formation." 

Suz used the following supplies: Public Library "Biography" patterned paper (A&B sides), Daily Flash Eggnog Pop Drops, Daily Flash Chipboard Alphas "Grey Flannel" Signboard, Daily Flash Chipboard Alphas "Strawberry Ice Cream" Signboard, Daily Flash - Flash Chip Bubble Talk, SprINKlers - Boarding Pass - Frequent Flyer, 5 & Dime - Strawberry Creme. 

Isn't her page dreamy? 

Suz and I would love to see your take on this sketch!  Be sure to share yours via the October Afternoon Flickr gallery.  

Thanks for stopping by today! 

-- Jill 

Work It Wednesday: Pinterest Inspiration

Hey everyone! Roree here working some Pinterest-found inspiration.

Whale has a Friend by Tracy Walker
Tracy Walker Art

This little beauty has been waiting oh-so-patiently on my Pinterest board for quite some time now for the chance to inspire one of my projects. I am so in love with that adorable whale, but what I was really drawn to was the cluster of speech bubbles at the top of the image.

With that in mind, I created this card:

I just loved the "STORY" letters in the Public Library Chip 'n Stick pack and thought they would work well in a cluster that mimics the one in the image. I used stickers from the 12x12 Shape Stickers sheet to fill in the rest of the cluster.

I added some Word Stickers and a Designer Brad to fill in the top corner.

Then, I created my sentiment with some Mini Market Stickers and another Word Sticker and finished the card with a Border Sticker and some twine from the Holiday Style Wrap Pack.

What from the image inspires you? Upload your Pinterest-inspired project to the October Afternoon Flickr gallery, post it on our Facebook page, or on Instagram via #octoberafternoon so we can all see.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tuesday Inspiration Challenge

Hello friends! Melanie here today to share a fun Tuesday Inspiration challenge, grab a beverage and let’s get started! I think the very cold weather has influence my choice of inspiration. Who doesn’t love wrapping itself in a warm cozy quilt, spending some quality time with a good book in front of a fireplace with a nice warm beverage? It’s one of my favorite things to do. So it goes without saying that my need for warmth and comfort has influenced my choice of inspiration. I find that quilts are so beautifully designed; such a labor of love, one of my favorite quilter is Blue Elephant Stiches. I actually own one of her beautiful quilts; it keeps my sweet baby warm on these cold nights.

For my challenge I selected this amazing quilt inspired wall hanging.  I love the strips of fabric, the bold colors and the fun quote. Such an inspirational piece – I just want to make.

 

My initial idea was to use strips of paper and add stitching, then I debating use the colors as a guide for my layout and then I thought the quote could also work well on a layout. So many options, my head was spinning with ideas. In the end I took a simple approach, I stitched on my white cardstock multiple lines, with white thread. It creates a soft texturized background, the tone on tone effect is always one of my favorite technique.

 

To create my layout I used the December Story kit, I love the versatility of this kit. Perfect for a mini album but also for scrapbooking and cardmaking. The sequins included in the kit were the perfect element to add to those stitched lines. They added just a little tad of sparkle, which compliments perfectly the picture of my oldest daughter who is bursting with joy and excitement.

 

We would love for you to play along! Upload your layout to the October Afternoon Flickr gallery, post it on our Facebook page, or connect with us on Instagram via #octoberafternoon. 

 

Monday Challenge: What's Old is New

Hi there!  Emily here with today's Monday Challenge!  Awhile back, I was looking through some old layouts, and I realized I have a LOT of layouts that use October Afternoon products! I've been a fan for many, many years! I though it might be fun to create a challenge around the concept of "OLD."  I decided to call my challenge "What's Old is New."  My friend Ginny Hughes is joining me this week, and I wanted her to interpret "What's Old is New" in her own personal way, so I told her to feel free to interpret the title however she pleased! She went a totally different direction, which I love - she chose an "old" memory as the inspiration for her layout!  Here is what she had to say:

When I found out the challenge today I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I recently took this photo of my father driving me around when we were on vacation and it was such a weird feeling, it took me back to when I was a kid! I used the new Saturday Mornings collection, it has a great retro vibe. The woodgrain paper is going to be a new staple for me, it goes perfectly with everything!

And here is her fabulous layout:

 

When I came up with this challenge, I thought I could either a) use old products or b) scrap in an "old" style.  I decided to do a little of both. I chose a single layout as my inspriation. I made this layout in March of 2012. 

My style has definitely change a bit in the past three years.  I have always been a lover of paper...thought I used to use a LOT more.  I started out my new layout as a "modified" direct copy of the old one. I had a lot of paper and a lot of patterns.  I pushed paper around. I added things. I subtracted things. I decided...I hated it. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen this photo at 11:30 p.m. when I ripped my layout apart and started over:

I decided that, while I may have rocked the TONS of paper look in 2012, it just wasn't happening in 2015.  I went with a lot more white space and less pattern. I did keep a few elements the same, such as the blue strip + the tickets from the Public Library Miscellany pack, the Flower Sack die cuts from the Farmhouse line, and an old vintage doily from my personal collection.  To say I am much happier with the second layout would be an understatement! It's funny - I love the layout from 2012, but as my style has changed, it was impossible for me to create a similar layout that I also loved.  So..what's old is kind of what's new, but not exactly... ;)

(Excuse the bad photo quality - I'm having some printer issues.)

We would love for you to play along! Upload your layout to the October Afternoon Flickr gallery, post it on our Facebook page, or connect with us on Instagram via #octoberafternoon. Happy Monday, and happy scrapping! 

Family Love with Saturday Mornings

Hello, there!  Jennie McGarvey back with you again today to share a page that I created using the Saturday Mornings collection.  I am having so much fun with the whimsical images and the color pallette of this collection -- it's hard to set it down and move onto something else.  (Something else meaning, driving the kids or taking out the trash!)

I was shuffling items around, lining things up and I decided that I really wanted to have fun with the patterned papers in this collection.  So, I decided to forgo the usual cardstock and here's the result.

I really don't have to play favorites, but I love that Omelette paper.  The clouds are the perfect shapes and the color is fantastic.  

It's great to use patterned paper as the background paper, I think we can all shake our head yes in agreement.  But, what about using a fun patterned for the die cuts, as well?  

Let's add a few of the fantastic Pop Drops + SprINKlers and you've really got something special, wouldn't you agree?  

Thank you so much for stopping by and checking out the page I created with Saturday Mornings!  Check back Monday for more inspiration from the October Afternoon Design Team and next Friday for another page from me!

Thursday Sketch

Hey everyone! Roree here with today's Thursday Sketch Challenge.

I created this sketch while playing around in Photoshop:

It is sized for an 8 1/2 x 11" page, or it will work just as well for a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" card. 

No surprise, I decided to use it for a card:

I was inspired to create this baby-themed card because of the adorable little teddy bear sticker found on the Word Stickers sheet in the all-new Saturday Mornings collection. Don't you just LOVE this new collection?!!!

To coordinate with the stickers and paper from the new collection, I created the title/sentiment using the Strawberry Ice Cream Sign Board Alpha and Stars & Hearts Flash Chip from Daily Flash and a Flash Blurb from Girl Talk.

I finished the card with some trim from the Sasparilla Wrap Pack and a few more stickers and chipboard pieces to use in place of the photo boxes and stars in the sketch.

I hope you enjoyed today's sketch and the sample I created using it. If you get a chance to play along, don't forget to post your project in the OA Flickr group.  We can't wait to see how you interpret it.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Work It Wednesdays | Shanna Noel

Hello there! Happy 2015! I hope this year has started off leaving you inspired and wanting to see things in a new light, and that is exactly what we are going to do here today! 

One of my favorite October Afternoon products in all the world is the alphabetical order background stamp from the Public Library collection, so of course this had to happen.....

I know I know, but BREATHE it's going to be OK, I promise!!! I love this stamp, like to a million bits (ok maybe that isn't a good term here) I really do, I use it over and over again. That being said I love it so much I wanted EVEN MORE ways to use it and I thought HOW FUN it would be as an alpha stamp. I was right folks, its just amazing! 

So now I have this lovely wonky, cool, unique alpha stamp and my lovely handmade journal, I am a happy girl! If you do decide to cut up your stamp keep in mind that this is intended as a background stamp so its a bit of a messier look, but that was EXACTLY the look I was going for! 

For my journalI wanted to use it as a quote book, I love writing funny things that my family says and we can go back and reflect (ok laugh hysterically at) on. 

 

So I challenge you to take one of your most used October Afternoon goodies and find a NEW way to work them!! I promise you, there's no looking back!!! I can't stop using this alpha set now!!

 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

Shanna

Tuesday Inspiration

Hey y'all! Mandy Koeppen here with this week's Tuesday Inspiration piece. If you know me or take a look at my previous work you'll see one thing in common with every single thing I create... simple shapes-circles, squares, and my love for triangles. I tend to stay in my comfort zone which can be both great and irritating. I had an awesome inspiration piece picked out to share today but I couldn't get it to work on paper the way I saw it and planned it in my head so today I give you plan B.

I found this photo on pinterest and it can be seen HERE.I 'm sure you can see why this popped out at me and worked. SImple design working from left to right with circles and squares.I hope it inspires you too. I tell you it took no time at all once I gathered my supplies to create the layout below.  

 

My daughters and I went to see Annie this weekend (Y'all it's a must see) then my youngest got her Annie gear (Annie Clothes) which included this cute tag so I had to scrap because we had so much fun! I used a mix of Pop Drops and sticker hearts to create the flow on the left just like in the inspiration piece. The rope on the tag reminds me of the glassware on the table. Although I didn't make it a point to move items all the way over to the right edge of the page I think the October Afternoon pattern paper from Public Library was already doing that job from the start. I swear OA makes this creating thing easy! 

I hope you leave the blog inspired today. Thanks you so much for joining me!

We would love for you to play along! Upload your layout to the October Afternoon Flickr gallery, post it on our Facebook page, or connect with us on Instagram via #octoberafternoon.