October Afternoon

Monday Challenge: Record Your Summer in Pocket Pages Part 3

Hello there October Afternoon fans, Mou here today with your Monday challenge!

Summer is wrapping up here. Schools start this week. This has been a summer of big events for our family. We have moved from Florida to New Jersey. And yes, for the first time, I am sensing that summer is really coming to an end as the evenings are getting rather chilly. New Jersey is not the land of everlasting summer... but I'm looking forward to welcoming autumn because that has always been my favorite!

At the beginning of this summer, I challenged myself and invited you all to join me to record this summer in pocket pages. You can read my original post here. I have used the October Afternoon Daily Flash system to record our summer. In order to not miss a single beat, I have taken photos all summer with my phone and posted them on my Instagram account with #oursummerof2015. As I progressed with my project, I realized yet one more time, how helpful the Daily Flash system is..

Here are two more spreads from my album.

As I continue working on this album, I find myself reaching for more October Afternoon Collections than just Summertime and loving it because they all blend together seamlessly!

So, how is your summer memory keeping coming along? Please share in your comments.

Monday Challenge: Create a Scene

Hey everyone! Roree here with a Monday challenge for you.

As I was browsing about Pinterest one day, I came across this pin:

Image via Pinterest

I immediately fell in love with the little cityscape at the top of the image. I thought it would be fun to create my own little scene on a card (and I did!). Here is what I came up with:

For the base of my scene, I used a journaling card from the Summertime Memory Cards pack. I used cloud stickers from the Saturday Mornings Shape Stickers sheet and hand cut a house and tree from Summertime Puffy Clouds, Heat Wave, and Green Grass patterened papers and Treasure Map Moby Dick Isle patterned paper.

I completed the scene with a few cross stitches and a Summertime Double Take heart sticker and Treasure Map Designer Brad.

I added the scene to a Treasure Map Moby Dick Isle patterned paper card base and used Daily Flash Clover "Storybook" Flash Alphas and a Daily Flash Snapshots Double Take tab sticker to create a title.

I finished the card with some machine stitching and a bit of baker's twine from the Sasparilla Wrap Pack.

If you would like to take on today's challenge and create a scene on your next project, please share your creation by linking it on Instagram with the hashtag #octoberafternoon, along with tagging @octoberafternoon, so we can see! You can also share your projects on our OA Facebook wall or the OA Flickr gallery.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Thursday Sketch

Hey, everyone! Roree here with you all today.

Using inspiration from a graphic print I found on Pinterest, I played around a bit in Photoshop and came up with this week's Thursday sketch:

October Afternoon has quite a few different striped papers in their collections to choose from that will work great with this sketch. I chose two from the Summertime and Cakewalk collections to create this card:

I used the Blues Skies b-side from Summertime for the gray stripes and the Paper Straws b-side from Cakewalk for the pink stripes. To add a little texture and visual interest, I machine stitched with straight or zigzag stitches every few lines.

My main reason for choosing these papers/colors is that I have been dying to use that adorable little car sticker from the Summertime Double Take sticker sheet. But because the window area of the car was open, I needed to add something behind it or the patterned paper would have been way too distracting and the car wouldn't have stood out.

So, I used a journaling card from the Daily Flash Snapshots collection behind the window and just trimmed off the excess. Because it looked a little bare, I added a sweet sentiment from the Daily Flash Summer Catch-Phrase Stamp. I then finished the card with a pink heart sticker from the Double Take sticker sheet and a gray Daily Flash Apple Cider Pop Drop.

If today's sketch inspires your next project, please share your creation by linking it on Instagram with the hashtag #octoberafternoon, along with tagging @octoberafternoon, so we can see! You can also share your projects on our OA Facebook wall or the OA Flickr gallery.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Thursday Sketch with Sasha and Jill

Hello everyone!

How's your summer coming along? The girls and I have the whole month of June off school and work. A month sounded like forever when we discussed it in May, but now, we're already in the last week of our holiday! Time flies when you're having fun they say? So true!

Here's the sketch for this week :

I used that bold B side of Fresh Fruit PP as a background and cut apart my white cardstock before stitching them back together on top of it. I've done this before and will be doing this again for sure. I love how you can see bits and pieces of the background paper through the gaps. 

 

I finished my layout with some a variety of embellishments from Summertime, an old brad from Travel Girl collection, an arrow chipboard and of course, a sprinkling of colors all over my layout. 

Okay, let's move on to Jill's fabulous layout. I am seriously head over heels in love with this one. Jill rocked that sketch I must say!! I need to scraplift this!

  

Jill said "I don’t often use diagonal lines in my scrapbooking, because I have such trouble getting them to work for me. I never know where to place items in relation to the diagonal. You won’t be surprised to learn, then, that when I first set eyes on Sasha’s sketch, I was a little nervous. However, I trust Sasha’s design sense, and rightfully so, because this sketch makes using diagonal lines a breeze!  The way that Sasha’s sketch gathers the title, subtitle, and accent at the point where the lines meet prompted me to move the photo block even lower, creating a cluster at the point of intersection.  I took my color cues from the photos of my daughter receiving her diploma, using a mix of yellow, white, and black; the darkness of the photos is counterbalanced by the bright and lively patterns from the Summertime collection. To anchor the photos and journaling, I used a couple of journaling cards from the Saturday Mornings collection. Daily Flash chipboard letters and shapes add dimension to the page. Thanks, Sasha, for pushing me out of my comfort zone with this sketch. There is no way I could have created this page without your impeccable design sense guiding me! "

I hope you will give this sketch a spin! If you do, I'm @sashafarina on Instagram, feel free to tag me when/if you upload your layout. I usually post sneaks and my layouts with #octoberafternoon in the description. You can also share your creations with us via the October Afternoon Flickr Gallery.

Happy scrapping!

OA Summertime: Slide Into Summer

Hello friends! Happy Friday to you!  It's Jennifer back with a layout I created with OA's new collection: Summertime!   The bright colors and gorgeous prints are perfect for your summer themed projects!   Since today is the official start to summer, I thought it'd be perfect to share a layout that captures the feeling of summer!  I love this photo of my son on the waterslide! There is pure joy on his face! 

 

 

Any staple of a layout are letter stickers and OA Daily Flash are a must have!  I think I have every color available!  For my title,  I used the letter stickers in Grey Flannel. 

 

 

 There is a wide variety of cardstock stickers in the Summertime collection including the Double Take pack! I layered this cute sun with a coordinating label sticker as well as a square journaling spot and navy talk bubble. Such nice touches to my photo! 

 And what is a page without a Tin Pin?  In the Summertime collection, you receive six cute badges in each pack.  I used this fun "summer" Tin Pin with a circle label. 

 

 

 

I am loving these Summertime Memory Cards!   Each package has multiple sizes with fun colors including the very popular 4x4 cards! 

 

 

I layered one of the Memory Cards under my patterned paper and photo. I love to have a card peeking out to add some additional layers.  I am all about the layers!  I also added a cute label sticker and stamped with the new, FUN Summertime Catch Phrase Stamp!  You have 12 different summer themed sayings to choose from! 

 

Thank you for stopping by! What is your favorite Summertime collection embellishment?   Next week, I'll be back with a mini album I created with this collection! Have a great day!

Monday Challenge : Black and White

Often, black and white photos take a backseat. At least for me, that's the case. Not today! This beautiful Monday I'm challenging you to scrap at least one black and white photo. My eldest daughter is into black and white photos right now and I thought why not use one of hers for my layout? :) Why not indeed. 

I haven't done this much layering in a while and it was so fun. I should layer more, I think! :) Those awesome papers from our Treasure Map collection are just perfect for me. They work for simple, graphic layout and are still amazing to use for a heavily layered layout like this one. 

I also used quite a lot of bits and pieces from older collections. Namely Daily Flash All Boy Double Take Stickers, Daily Flash Snapshots Snap Caps, Daily Flash Milk Money Memory Cards and Daily Flash Girl Talk Flash Blurbs. Can you spot them all?

The chipboard arrows, oh the chipboard arrows. . .  I don't know what I'm gonna do without them. I can't stop using them but at the same time I don't want to run out! Love them so! Do you have one pack of embellishment that you love like I do the chipboard arrows (and hearts &stars too)?! 

To finish my layout, I added yellow machine-stitching, and a sprinkling of colors, as usual. I love that the machine stitching and the splatters are part of my routine to signify the completion of a layout. I like the feeling of 'being done' if you know what I mean! :)

I look forward to see your take on this black and white challenge. If you do, @sashafarina on Instagram, feel free to tag me when/if you upload your layout. I usually post sneaks and my layouts with #octoberafternoon in the description. You can also share your creations with us via the October Afternoon Flickr Gallery.

 

Happy scrapping!

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Topic Tuesday: Feeling Lucky?

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

This week's Topic Tuesday prompt, appropriately, focuses on luck:  What is your view of luck? How do you define it? Based on this definition, do you consider yourself lucky? 

Roree and I used these questions as a springboard for our projects, working in some St. Patty's green along the way and mixing old and new October Afternoon collections. In thinking about the prompt, Roree was inspired to create this lovely card: 

Roree explains: 

""I view luck as a circumstance of chance. Sometimes your luck can be good, sometimes it can be bad. Either way, it is something that you have no real control over. I do feel like I have been lucky in my life, especially in love. I have been with my husband for almost 25 years, married for almost 22 those, and I am still madly and deeply in love with him. (And I think he still feels the same way about me too!)

This feeling of luck inspired me to create a love-themed, St. Patrick's Day-inspired card just for him. I used patterned papers from the Farm Girl (for the lucky die cut) and Witch Hazel (for the stripes and clover) collections, along with Milk Money Pop Drops and letter stickers from Daily Flash. It's the perfect sentiment to let him know just how much I love him."

The recipient of this card is most definitely one lucky guy! 

My thoughts on the prompt led me to create a layout that features a photo collage documenting the evidence of how lucky I am. 

...Or am I not lucky, but blessed? The journaling works through this question. 

Among the layers of this page, I incorporated a variety of colors and patterns, all of which pick up the colors in the photo collage. The backdrop for the layout is the B-side of an uncut "Journal Cards" sheet from the Saturday Mornings collection. I included some Miscellany, Wild Cards, and accents from various October Afternoon collections, such as Daily Flash, Road Map, Report Card, 9 to 5, Cakewalk, and Schoolhouse. As a finishing touch, I added a few stamped sentiments, using the "Everyday" Daily Flash roller stamp. 

So how about it? Feeling lucky? We'd love to see your take on this week's Topic Tuesday prompt! Link us up in the comments below and/or share your projects in the OA Flickr gallery. 

Thanks for visiting today! 

-- Jill 

Monday Challenge : Scrap Recipe

Hello everyone!

I'm back with another Scrap Recipe challenge for you this beautiful Monday. :)

I have my beautiful and talented fellow DT member, Suz joining me today. I absolutely adore that paper-pieced mug on her layout and that delightful story that comes with it. Suz's layout reminds me of my dad. He loves A&W rootbeer!

 

 

Suz said :

"I was so happy to have a chance to support Sasha and to play along with her fun Scrap Recipe Challenge for today! I set straight to work creating a layout that revolved around a little ole A&W root beer mini mug that I received from my parents as a child. I decided to create part of my title work by cutting up the background alphabet stamp from the Public Library collection and then I used a Silhouette mug cut file to add a little extra love and repetition of design to my layout.  I used four patterns from the Saturday Mornings Journal Cards 12 x 12 patterned paper to back up the cut file mug design. Then I machine stitched around the die cut for a little added texture and dimension. A few border stickers and chipboard elements and "Good Stuff" starburst circle stamping on some wood grain tape to add a bit more love to my design.Then I finished my layout by typing my journaling onto a journal card with my vintage typewriter. Super fun and simple to create along with Sasha's recipe as a guide! Thank you for the inspiration challenge Sasha!! :)"

 

OCTOBER AFTERNOON PRODUCTS USED IN MY DESIGN: 

Saturday Mornings - Designer Brads, Journal Cards 12 x 12 patterned paper, Word Stickers, Borders and Labels

Public Library - "Alphabetical Order" rubber stamp background set, Border Sticker

Daily Flash - Flash Chip "To The Point," Flash Chip - "Old Oak Signboard", Eggnog - Pop Drops, Homemade Acrylic stamp set ("good stuff" starburst circle stamp), Daily Flash - flash Chip Photo booth 

Here's my take on the recipe :

Great minds think alike, I must say! I too, used the same Saturday Mornings Journal Cards patterned paper for my layout, just like Suz. I cut the title from 4 'journaling cards' and make it the focal point of my layout. Just look at those beautiful colors!

I typed my journaling with my manual vintage typewriter, again, just like Suz! LOL. I swear we didn't plan this, but I totally high-fived Suz in my mind when I saw her layout. :D I stamped the cute bird and scissors with perforated line with black ink to kinda balance up all the sweet colors in this layout and added some pink pop drops, a pink heart chipboard and a pink brad. 

I machine-stitched all around the layout, part of my title and my journaling several times, then hand-stitched some pink straight stitches onto the letter H E R and O :) I really, and I mean really love how this layout turned out. 

I hope you will give this recipe a try! Let me know if you do, I'm @sashafarina on Instagram. You can also share your creations with us via the October Afternoon Flickr Gallery.

Have fun and happy scrapping!

Surf City | Old with the new!

Hello again, it's Nicole Nowosad here again for my last Guest DT post here on the October Afternoon blog!

I am mixing some older October Afternoon products with new on my project today.

I couldn't resist the urge to use several patterns from the Saturday Mornings collection, mixed together with some of my favorites from my stash like Daily Flash, Sidewalks, Girl Talk, Snapshots, Boarding Pass and 9 to 5! That is a lot of collections :)

It was easy to layer and mix the patterns from these collections by creating a simple grid and layering papers together. I stitched the layers together, added my photos and then some October Afternoon embellishments. I have always loved the fun buttons by October Afternoon and used some of those on this page.

I have been hoarding this pretty floral paper and fussy cut some out and added more stitching and buttons to finish off my page.

Thank you so much for joining me this month on the blog - I hope you enjoyed my projects! Thanks to October Afternoon for having me this month!

 

ETA: Thank you Nicole for sharing your time and your talent with October Afternoon and with our fans and followers here!