Finally! I know you have been eagerly waiting and here it is…the first layout for my Documenting Magic Series on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel and Blog! To learn more about this series, click HERE.

Creating a Disney themed album can be a large undertaking. I returned from my WDW vacation with a ton of stories and lots of photos. To be honest, I was a little overwhelmed by the entire process! So, I thought I good place to start is to create a title page that will set the tone for my WDW scrapbook album.

To begin, I selected one of my favorite photos from our trip. This photo features my family on Main Street USA at Magic Kingdom park, with the iconic Cinderella Castle in the background. This was one of many photos we took using the Disney Photo Pass service.

To the top left, I created a cluster using elements from the Say Cheese I, II, and III Collections by Simple Stories. To the gold camera die cut, I layered a banner that reads “We Are Here”. Under the banner, I adhered a small callout die cut (“Hello Magic”) – this die cut serves double duty as an embellishment and to cover the face of a random person that I did not want featured on my layout! I finished the cluster with enamel dots and flat back flare.

To the bottom right of the photo, I created a second cluster using a chipboard frame, a cluster of balloons, a gold glitter Mickey Mouse (punched from an EK Success Disney Mickey Punch), and gold glitter hearts. For the title, I used the “Journal” sticker font by Thickers and cream and red font stickers by October Afternoon, both from my stash.

To see this layout come together, head on over to the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel! New layouts for the Documenting Magic Series will be posted every Sunday so be sure to subscribe. And when you do, click on the bell indicator so you will be notified every time a video is posted to the VM YouTube Channel!

Materials: Say Cheese I | Say Cheese II | Say Cheese III | EK Success Disney Mickey Punch | “Journal” sticker font by Thickers | October Afternoon Red and Cream sticker font

 

 

 

See that face…that is the face of someone who, after a very long time (and lots of struggle) is officially working for herself full-time again…YAY! My journey over the past year has been filled with a lot of trials and a few successes. But I am happy to report that its full steam ahead for this little “entrepreneur who could”!

Let me catch you up…

In 2016, I quit my full-time career in the non-profit world to pursue my dream of starting a business in the crafting industry. You can read more about my experience here and here and here. The first few months were super exciting and thrilling! Making the decision to work for myself has been fantastic and I wouldn’t want to do anything else. I created a series of online classes, hosted the 2nd Annual Victoria Marie Scrapbook Retreat, worked on designs teams, and was featured on a podcast. Life couldn’t get any better at that point. I was riding the wave!

Then things changed.

In early 2017, my family experienced a financial catastrophe of which we were not prepared for. My business was still very much in its infancy and our cash flow was dwindling. My spouse and I decided that I needed to go back to work. I was not particularly happy about this. But, eating and paying rent are important “adulting” type things that must be done. So I put on my big girl panties and found a job. You can read more about this part of my journey here.

Luckily, I was able to find a part-time position with a non-profit that also supports a private school that my daughter attended. The hourly rate wasn’t bad and we got reduced tuition for my kiddo…no brainer. However, the job was way more intense that I could have ever imagined. I went from working 30 hours a week to over 40 hours a week. After a long day, I would come home, try to make dinner, play with my kid, and around 10:00 pm (or later), I attempted to get work done for my business.

Was I successful at this? Hell no!

I sucked!

I was drowning!

And I felt like a failure.

Fast forward to March 2018. I was tired, stressed, and feeling like I could no longer carry on with my business. In addition to working long hours and taking care of my family and other responsibilities, I also had to assist my mother with the sale of her home as she has decided to live with my family. This meant that all of my weekends for the past 3-4  months have been consumed by this process. This presented a big problem because I reserved the weekends for catching up on my business projects.

Catching up? Ha! About that…

So, I stayed perpetually behind in everything in my life. I am amazed that I was able to get some things done. However, major projects got put on the back burner (i.e. Documenting Magic YouTube series, classes, my sketch book, etc.). Commitments with friends were cancelled because I needed every ounce of free time to work on my business projects or to clean my house or entertain my kid or help my mom…or something. And with each passing day, I felt more and more defeated.

I almost closed my business.

Almost.

The truth is…I could not do it all. I had to make some short-term choices in order to ease the burden of dealing with my over scheduled, over worked life.  I created a list of the projects that I could feasibly do and another list of projects that would need to be put on the back burner for now. I breathed a sign of relief and carried on as best as I could.

I continued to work long hours, both away and at home. I was exhausted yet determined. I had to make this work.

And I did. Barely.

Then one day, the storm cleared and a path was created for me to start working my business full-time again. Opportunities started coming my way so it no longer made sense to juggle my side hustle job with my business. I made the decision to quit my side job in June 2018.

So, here I am…the second day of working for myself again and it feels so good, scary, and overwhelming. I have a lot of work ahead of me and that’s okay. I welcome the challenge. I have learned so much over the past year – many lessons that have strengthen my resolve to be a better and stronger business owner.

Lesson One – It’s okay to have a side hustle while building your business. You have to pay the bills and eat. Stay humble.

Lesson Two – Never give up! NEVER give up on your dreams. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your business (or insert whatever your dream is here). 🙂

Lesson Three – It’s okay to admit defeat and to take a different direction when you need to. Your grand plan will not fall apart.

Lesson Four – Nothing is forever. Things will change. Situations will change. You will change…so embrace it.

Lesson Five – You must show up and work. Period. You must put in the time and action needed in order to make your business (or whatever) successful. Start somewhere and keep moving forward, keep showing up, and keep working!

I am so proud of myself for staying the course and not quitting when the going got tough. There is something to be said about perseverance and determination.

Now, if you will excuse, I have work to do. Vicki…OUT!

Hey friends! If you are interested in attending a Victoria Marie Scrapbook Retreat, now is the time to sign up!

There are a few spots available:

• Summer – SOLD OUT AS OF 5/31/18
• Fall – 3 spots left – SOLD OUT!

The Summer Retreat will be held on June 28th – July 1st at the Covered Bridge Inn in Weatherford, TX.

The Fall Retreat will be held on October 18, 2018 – October 21, 2018 at the Covered Bridge Inn in Weatherford, TX.

For more details and to register, click HERE or select RETREATS at the top of the page. FULL PAYMENT IS DUE AT TIME OF REGISTRATION!

Sign up today! I hope to see you there!

The Victoria Marie 2018 iNSD Online Crop was a fantastic success! Thank you to everyone who played along! Now, time to announce the winners! NOTE: All winners were chosen by Random.com.

Here we go!!!

The winners of the Victoria Marie iNSD 2018 Online Crop are:

 

Patricia Flores – Sketch Challenge

Janice Daquila-Pardo – Scrap Boss Bingo Challenge

Nicole Gallagher – The Color Challenge

Julie Pfund – Scrap and Stitch Challenge

Carol Ashman – Scraplift Challenge

Congratulations to all of our winners! And thanks for participating and sharing your awesome layouts!

NOTE: All winners were selected by Random.com.

Welcome to the Victoria Marie iNSD 2018 Online Crop! I’m your host, Victoria Marie and I am so glad that you are taking time to celebrate International Scrapbook Day with me! This is an online blog crop – all of the challenges and prize information are listed below. This crop is super informal and self-paced.

There are 5 challenges for this online blog crop. You are welcome to do 1 challenge or do them all – that is totally up to you. Each challenge will have a fun prize – you must play to win!

To begin, read the following instructions very carefully. If you have any questions, be sure to post them in the comments section of THIS blog post.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Below is a listing of five (5) challenges. Each challenge is self-contained; you can complete one (1) or all of the challenges, that is totally up to you. However, you must participate in a challenge in order to win the challenge prize.
2. Be sure to read the description of each challenge very carefully. Every effort has been made to ensure that each challenge is simple, easy to follow, and fun!
3. When you finish a challenge, in order to be eligible for a prize, you are required to share a picture of your layout on one of the following social media platforms: Victoria Marie Facebook Group, tag me on Instagram @victoriamariescraps – use the hashtag #vmonlineblogcrop, or leave a link to your project in the comments section of THIS blog post.
4. You have until May 13th at 11:59 pm (CST) to complete the challenges. The winners of the challenges will be announced on Thursday, May 17th!

Throughout iNSD weekend, I will be posting videos on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel and photos of my iNSD projects on Instagram and Facebook.

Be sure to subscribe to the Victoria Marie Blog, follow me on Instagram, “like” Victoria Marie Designs on Facebook, subscribe to the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel, and join the Victoria Marie Facebook Group!

Okay, ready to have fun? Here we go!

 THE CHALLENGES:

Challenge #1: The Scrap Boss Sketch Challenge       

Prize: $10.00 eGift Card to Scrapbook.com

Details:  I love using sketches as a jumping off point for a scrapbook layout! For this challenge, use the sketch below to create a stunning scrapbook page. You can create a layout based on a literal interpretation of the sketch or alter the sketch as you wish.

When you are done, share your layout on one of the following social media platforms: Victoria Marie Facebook Group, tag me on Instagram @victoriamariescraps – use the hashtag #vmonlineblogcrop, or leave a link to your project in the comments section of THIS blog post.

In your post state: “This layout was made for the Scrap Boss Sketch Challenge – Victoria Marie iNSD 2018 Online Blog Crop.”

Facebook Posting Directions:  If you are posting to the Victoria Marie Facebook Group, you will need to upload the photo of your layout to the corresponding challenge photo album.  Post your layout for this challenge to this album: “iNSD 2018 Sketch Challenge”.

NOTE: You must be a member of the group to post your layout. Not a member? Submit a request on the group page!

THE SKETCH:

---

Challenge #2: Super Scrappy Bingo Challenge

Prize: $15.00 eGift Card to Scrapbook.com

Details:  For this challenge, use the provided scrapbook bingo board (see below) to select elements to use on your scrapbook page. Remember, you must use a row of five items – vertical, horizontal, or diagonal, on your scrapbook layout. The middle square is the Free Space – if you play this square, you are free to select any element of your choice to use on your scrapbook page.

When you are done,  share your layout on one of the following social media platforms: Victoria Marie Facebook Group, tag me on Instagram @victoriamariescraps – use the hashtag #vmonlineblogcrop, or leave a link to your project in the comments section of THIS blog post.

In your post state: “This layout was made for the Super Scrappy Bingo Challenge – Victoria Marie iNSD 2018 Online Blog Crop.” 

Facebook Posting Directions:  If you are posting to the Victoria Marie Facebook Group, you will need to upload the photo of your layout to the corresponding challenge photo album.  Post your layout for this challenge to this album: “iNSD 2018 Scrap Boss Bingo Challenge”.

NOTE: You must be a member of the group to post your layout. Not a member? Submit a request on the group page!

Source: Craft Direct – http://www.craftdirect.com

---

Challenge #3: The Color Challenge

Prize: FREE Elle’s Studio Kit

Details:  I love color and I especially love drawing inspiration from mood boards. Select one (1) of the following mood boards as inspiration for your scrapbook page. Like them all? No worries! You can draw inspiration from all of the boards. Be sure to use at least three (3) colors from one of the mood boards on your scrapbook layout! Don’t be afraid to have fun with color!

When you are done, share your layout on one of the following social media platforms: Victoria Marie Facebook Group, tag me on Instagram @victoriamariescraps – use the hashtag #vmonlineblogcrop, or leave a link to your project in the comments section of THIS blog post.

In your post state: “This layout was made for The Color Challenge – Victoria Marie iNSD 2018 Online Blog Crop.”

Facebook Posting Directions:  If you are posting to the Victoria Marie Facebook Group, you will need to upload the photo of your layout to the corresponding challenge photo album.  Post your layout for this challenge in this album: “iNSD 2018 The Color Challenge”.

NOTE: You must be a member of the group to post your layout. Not a member? Submit a request on the group page!

 

---

Challenge #4: Scrap & Stitch Challenge

Prize: FREE Felicity Jane Kit

Details:  Do you like to stitch on your scrapbook layouts? Are you a little hesitant to give stitching a try? Whether you stitch or not, this challenge is for you! For this challenge, you will need to incorporate stitching in some way on your scrapbook layout – stitch around or on an element, create a stitched title, draw stitched lines or sew around the border of your layout…anything goes!

Stitching Suggestions: Hand stitching with a needle and thread, use a sewing machine, create faux stitching (hand drawn stitching) or use a stitch stamp, tool, or mask).

You can stitch a lot or a little – it’s completely up to you!

When you are done, share your layout on one of the following social media platforms: Victoria Marie Facebook Group, tag me on Instagram @victoriamariescraps – use the hashtag #vmonlineblogcrop, or leave a link to your project in the comments section of THIS blog post.

In your post state: “This layout was made for the Scrap and Stitch Challenge – Victoria Marie iNSD 2018 Online Blog Crop.”

Facebook Posting Directions:  If you are posting to the Victoria Marie Facebook Group, you will need to upload the photo of your layout to the corresponding challenge photo album.  Post your layout for this challenge in this album: “iNSD 2018 Scrap and Stitch Challenge”.

NOTE: You must be a member of the group to post your layout. Not a member? Submit a request on the group page!

---

Challenge #5: The Scraplift Challenge

Prize: FREE Victoria Marie Online Class Enrollment

Details:  I think scraplifting is the ultimate form of flattery in the scrapbooking community! For this challenge, select a layout that you would like to scraplift. This can be your own layout, a friend’s, a cute layout you saw online, or a layout created by one of your favorite scrapbook artists. Using your inspiration layout, create a scrapbook page of your own. You can create a literal interpretation of the inspiration layout, or modified the inspiration layout based on your design esthetic.

NOTE: Be sure to give credit where credit is due! If you scraplift another scrapper’s work, don’t forget to mention that scrapper in your post.

When you are done, share your layout on one of the following social media platforms: Victoria Marie Facebook Group, tag me on Instagram @victoriamariescraps – use the hashtag #vmonlineblogcrop, or leave a link to your project in the comments section of THIS blog post.

In your post state: “This layout was made for The Scraplift Challenge – Victoria Marie iNSD 2018 Online Blog Crop. Inspiration Credit: (insert artist’s name, link to work if possible.)“

Facebook Posting Directions:  If you are posting to the Victoria Marie Facebook Group, you will need to upload the photo of your layout to the corresponding challenge photo album. Post your layout for this challenge in this album: “iNSD 2018 Scraplift Challenge”.

NOTE: You must be a member of the group to post your layout. Not a member? Submit a request on the group page!

---

 

FINAL REMINDER! 

Remember…you have until May 13th at 11:59 pm (CST) to complete the challenges. The winners of the challenges will be announced on Thursday, May 17th! 

Have fun! I can’t wait to see what you create! 

 

 

 

 

iNational Scrapbook Day coming this weekend! If you are looking for a relaxed way to participate, get super crafty, and make gorgeous layouts, then the Victoria Marie iNSD 2018 Online Blog Crop is the event for you!

Starting on Friday, May 4th at 10:00 am (CST), there will be a set of 5 challenges posted to the Victoria Marie Blog with details and prize information. You are welcome to complete one or all of the challenges at your leisure between Friday, May 4th to Sunday, May 13th. The winners of the challenges will be announced on Thursday, May 17th!

DETAILS:

1. Select 1 or more of the posted challenges. All of the challenges will be posted on the Victoria Marie Blog.
2. After you create your challenge layout, post a picture of your project to one of the following: Victoria Marie Facebook Group, tag me on Instagram @victoriamariescraps, or leave a link to your project in the comments section of the challenge blog post.
3. You have until May 13th at 11:59 pm (CST) to complete the challenges!

THE CHALLENGES:

You are welcome to complete 1 or all of the challenges, but you must play to win! All of the challenges will be posted on Friday, May 4th at 10:00 am (CST)! Remember, you are welcome to work at your own pace – just relax and have fun!

• Challenge #1: The Scrap Boss Sketch Challenge
• Challenge #2: Super Scrappy Bingo Challenge
• Challenge #3: The Color Challenge
• Challenge #4: Scrap & Stitch Challenge
• Challenge #5: The Scraplift Challenge

THE PRIZES:

The prizes for this event include…

• $10.00 eGift Card to Scrapbook.com
• $15.00 eGift Card to Scrapbook.com
• FREE Elle’s Studio Kit
• FREE Felicity Jane Kit
• FREE Victoria Marie Online Class Registration

Throughout iNSD weekend, I will be posting videos on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel and photos of my iNSD projects on Instagram and Facebook.

Be sure to subscribe to the Victoria Marie Blog, follow me on Instagram, “like” Victoria Marie Designs on Facebook, subscribe to the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel, and join the Victoria Marie Facebook Group!

This event will begin on Friday, May 4th 10:00 am CST here on the Victoria Marie Blog!

Let’s get ready for a fun and relaxing weekend!

 

Yeah, you read that right…I am starting Project Life at the end of March. I mean, why the heck not!

I have never been what some would call a “conventional scrapbooker”. I complete my December Daily albums during the summer (because I am lazy), I mix all of my layouts together regardless of size and orientation, and yes, I sprinkle in a bit of Project Life style layouts as well.

The thing is…I am super busy right now…and that’s putting it mildly. I began to notice that I haven’t taken the time to document my everyday life. I make layouts for design team projects and contract work but my personal projects have gone to the wayside. After a recent spring break vacation to Disney World, I began to think about my lack of personal scrapbooking and I made the commitment to spend at least 30 minutes to an hour most days of the week to getting my memories document.

That’s where Project Life comes in.

At its core, Project Life is about capturing life’s everyday moments. I am all for documenting major events, holidays, birthday, etc. But I also want a record of my every day life; the daily adventures of my family, our routines, random musings and so forth. I decided that I would use Project Life in a way that fuses my love of traditional scrapbooking with the simplicity of pocket scrapbooking.

My approach to Project Life is pretty straight forward: stories first, photos second, and embellishing last. It’s all about documenting my thoughts and the details of the day. Nothing fancy or time consuming. To keep track of the stories I want to document, I am using a traveler’s notebook – mainly for journaling purposes. At the end of the week, I print my photos, grab my notes and a few embellishments, and complete my spread.

That’s pretty much the process.

I don’t want to think to hard about this…I just want a mechanism that allows me to be creative and to capture my memories when I am short on time.

To see this spread come together, head on over to the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel! And thanks for stopping by!

Materials: Elle’s Studio Journal Cards (stash) | Freckled Fawn Kit – March 2018 | Freckled Fawn Kit January 2018 | Felicity Jane Stamp | Stampabilities Stamp