October Afternoon

Topic Tuesday: Motherhood

With Mother's Day less than a week away, this is the perfect time to reflect on motherhood. Take a moment to think about your mother's legacy -- what did she teach you, and what, in turn, do you teach others? In what way has your mother shaped the person that you are today? 

After reflecting on these questions, I created the following layout: 

The side-by-side photos of my mother as a baby and as a grown woman brought to mind more questions about how mothers are made, and my journaling followed from that line of thought. Eventually, I ended up reflecting on myself as a mother, and on what I seek to impart to my daughter. The sense of legacy is at the center of it all.  

Design-wise, this page is a mix of various October Afternoon lines, including Eggnog (the B-side of "Sugar Plums") and Public Library ("Reference Section," "Dust Jacket," and "Due Date"). The manila and cream-colored cards layered on the page are the flip sides of October Afternoon Miscellany. Some of the cards have holiday or travel themes, but on the flip side, the cards can work with any topic! 

Now it's your turn: create a page about motherhood. Focus on the legacy of the mothers in your family, or perhaps on another related idea. I would love to see what you come up with, so please consider sharing your project in the October Afternoon Flickr gallery, or share a link below! 

Thanks for visiting today! 

Monday Challenge : Scraps! Papers! Patterns!

Happy Monday everyone! 

Today I want to challenge you to push aside your 12 x 12 and only use your scraps! Except for your background, that is. Being on the team, I have my October Afternoon scraps separated into a ziplock bag and I often dig into them first when I create, but I still cut up new papers for each layout. For this challenge, I tell myself, no cutting new sheet of 12 x 12 and I'm only allowed to use what I have in my OA scraps bag. 

Here's the layout I made!

I had so much fun creating this layout!

I made use of my Silhouette Cameo to cut all the alphabets (font : Blackout, Midnight variation) but you can definitely do something like this without the machine. It will just take more time, but more fun time is good! :)

What a colorful page, right? I used scraps from Public Library, Treasure Map, and Daily Flash collection. Yes! Three different collections and they all work together. That is one of the thing I like best about October Afternoon. 

Due to the silly fun nature of this layout, I was also able to use that round framed spectacles chipboard. I've been wanting to use it for a long time and now I'm glad I waited. I also stamped with Daily Flash Milk Money stamp set (A+ and mini graduate at the bottom of the layout) and Daily Flash Homemade stamp set (color outside the lines).

I wanted to say that three chipboard arrows pointing to the cluster of photos and the 'thumbs up!' Double Take Sticker are my favorite but that would be a lie because I love that Oh Snap! chipboard too and also that cute Whale tin pin. In short I love everything about this fun layout. Yes, that is about right! :)

So many colors, so many patterns. This is not a normal layout for me, but somehow it fits my personality. :) I love my scraps! Now it's your turn. Go. Have fun!

Do share if you play along. I'm @sashafarina on Instagram. I usually post sneaks and my layouts with #octoberafternoon in the description. You can also post your creations to the October Afternoon Flickr Gallery.

 

 

 

 

 

NSD 2015 with October Afternoon! | #NSD2015OASKETCHCHALLENGE | Instagram Giveaway

Hello and happy National Scrapbooking Day (NSD) to all of you OA fans and paper crafters out there! Happy to have you drop by!

Today we are kicking off the day that celebrates everything paper + scissors + glue with a sketch challenge and an Instagram giveaway! 

 

First up the sketch:

This sketch can be interpreted for a layout or a card. I see all kinds of possibilities for breaking into your Doodads, Tidbits, Chipboard and Label stashes here! ;)

 

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!! vvvvvvvv

Play along by posting your creation based off of this sketch on INSTAGRAM with the hashtag: #NSD2015OASKETCHCHALLENGE.

Follow and tag me @SuzMannecke and I will enter you into a giveaway of some fun OA goodies!

I will close the contest at Midnight CST Sunday, May 3 and post the winners (Tag a friend to play along and you both can win OA goodies!) on my IG feed on Monday, May 4.

Not following OA yet on Instagram?!

Start now! >>>> FOLLOW @octoberafternoon to see the latest creations from Design Team Members and more. 

Happy NSD! 

 

 

Suz :)

May's Guest Designer | Pam Baldwin

Hey guys!! I'm Pam Baldwin :) I am so completely honored to be here as your guest designer for the month of May and sharing the excitement and creativity of the October Afternoon brand! (First thing you should know about me is that I totally overuse exclamation points :)....and sometimes smiley faces! I just can't help myself!!) I'm a Canadian girl, from Hamilton, Ontario more specifically. I'm always trying to work out the perfect balance between home life and work life. Right now, that means I work part-time as a nurse 3 days a week and the other 4 days I get to spend with my family. A good majority of my scrapbook layouts are about my kids, because they're pretty awesome :) I've been scrapbooking for almost 5 years now to document their lives and tell their stories. The ones about the little details of life right now are my favourite :) This year, I'm super excited to be a part of Ali Edwards' Digital Creative Team and I've started teaching some classes over at Big Picture Classes as well. I've got a blog that gets updated with my new projects along with some video tutorials here and there: www.pambaldwin.ca . 

And now....to answer your questions ;)

1. Are you a layout person, a card person...or both?

I'm mostly a hybrid layout/Project Life person with a bit of personalized photo card making thrown in the mix.

2. What is on your scrapbdesk right now?

Ummm...everything. I am not a neat and tidy kind of scrapper. I've got plain white pieces of paper with notes and sketched ideas all over the place. I've got a few different projects on the go right now and I'm excited to participate in some of the fun happening on-line for National Scrapbooking Day tomorrow!

3. What is your favourite October Afternoon line or product?

I discovered October Afternoon when I received my very first scrapbook kit in the mail with all kinds of Rocket Age goodies. IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SITE!! I've been a HUGE fan ever since and pretty much love every line. I know for sure I've been hoarding a few things from the Sidewalks and Witch Hazel lines. "Tidbits" and "Doo-dads" are a winner every. single. time.

I'll be working with the Treasure Map Collection this month! I got started right away pulling together pieces for a PL spread. Tidbits and Doo-dads!! LOVE THEM!! And the colours of this collection are just so perfect :)

 4. What can you NOT scrapbook without?

My computer. As disorganized as my workspace is, I'm a planner when it comes to wanting to making layouts. I use Photoshop Elements to help me get a better visual of the look I'm going for, like the size and position of my photos and where they'll end up on the page, before I cut into any paper.

5. What is your favourite source of inspiration?

All of my projects start with a favourite photo or a favourite story. In terms of design, I like layouts that look like they could be a magazine spread, and I find a lot of inspiration for that style of scrapping on Pinterest, checking out illustrations and posters and editorial designs.

Just for fun, a little bit more about me...

1. What is your favourite movie or tv show?

Favourite movie, You've Got Mail. But I could pretty much watch Christmas movies all year round. Favourite show, I've been trying to keep up with Grey's Anatomy this year (I did not see the McDreamy spin coming! I hadn't even heard he was leaving the show!) and The Blacklist is another one that's all twisty and turny this season.

2. What is your favourite food?

Probably vanilla birthday cake with buttercream frosting. Although Peanut Butter Cups and Ruffles Sour Cream n' Onion Potato chips would probably be high on the list. And with the weather warming up, Slurpee season has begun!! (although I don't know if they count as a food...they're more of a drink)

3. What is your fondest childhood memory?

During our summer holidays, my mom would take my brother and I to Canada's Wonderland (kind of like a Six Flags amusement park) once a week. It was an hour drive to get there, and we'd get a Slurpee on the way (maybe that's where my love for Slurpees comes from :) My brother and I would race from one ride to the next all day long, riding as many roller coasters as we could, and laughing and putting our hands in the air and screaming for all the big drops...just thinking about it puts a smile on my face. I loved those days! Can't wait for my kids to get a bit bigger so I can share it with them too! Although something seems to happen with your equilibrium when you get older and I'm not sure I could handle all the loops the way I used to...

4. If you were a superhero, what would your name be and what power would you possess?

I'd like to be able to clean my house using only my mind....how awesome would that be!! I'd wish to remain anonymous, because I could see that power being in very high demand...so I shall remain nameless.

5. If you could have dinner with anyone, living or deceased, who would it be and why?

I have so many fond memories of sitting around the table with friends during high school and university at our friend's Chinese food restaurant, talking and laughing for hours!! I would definitely love more of that!! (that's actually a pretty attainable goal because we're still good friends...I should really set something up!)

Okay, that's all from me for now :) Can't wait to show you what I've been working on next Friday!