I am so excited to be the guest designer for a fun collaboration called Scale It Down with two super talented scrap bosses, Simone Schermann and Suzanna Lee! According to Suzanna, Scale It Down is all about “helping scrapbookers incorporate travelers notebooks into their memory keeping”.

GRAB 5 CHALLENGE! This week we are focusing on using five items to create a TN spread.

The Grab 5 Includes:

1. Pattern papers
2. Sticker fonts
3. Stamps
4. Tabs
5. Chipboard (or card stock) die cuts

For this spread, I used elements from the Felicity Jane Jeana Kit.

To begin, I trimmed two pieces of pattern paper to 4×8 inches. To the right panel, I layered a 3×4 photo with a 3×4 pocket card. To the photo I added a chipboard heart for dimension and interest. Above the photo, I positioned a small journaling card that reads “details”. To the card I added journaling strips that I printed on velum paper. Next, I ran each strip through a Xyron Sticker Maker and adhered the strips to the card.

To finish the right panel, I attached a tab that I created using a We R Memory Keepers Tab Punch and stamped the sentiment “Just What I Needed” from the Jeana Stamp Set by Felicity Jane. To the left of the journaling card, I adhered a cute plant die cut.

To the left panel, I layered another 3×4 photo on a 3×4 journaling card.

To the photo I added two chipboard hearts. Under the photo I stamped the sentiment “My Favorite Place” and adhere my title using two Felicity Jane sticker fonts.

Thanks so much to Simone and Suzanna for inviting me to be the guest designer for the Scale It Down Collaboration! I hope you are inspired to create a travelers notebook spread!

To see the process video for this project, head on over to the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel! Also, swing by Suzanna’s and Simone’s YouTube Channels to see their take on this fun challenge!

Finders Keepers, an online scrapbooking store, is owned by Rachel and Sarah who started Finder Keepers to help struggling scrapbookers and to be a source of inspiration through their handmade scrapbook products.

Finders Keepers offers a variety of products, including their beautifully designed scrapbooking kits! A few months ago, I received the Libris Papercrafting Kit to review. I immediately fell in love with the theme of the kit (books), the quality, and the design of their products! Due to competing demands, I wasn’t able to review this kit right away. But alas! The time has come and I am excited to share these products with you!

 

The kit contains:

• 2-12×12 sheets each of 6 designs
• 2 6×12 stickers sheets
• 3 rolls of washi in a Finders Keepers dispenser box with protective sleeve
• 2 coordinating 4×6 stamp sets

Each item in this kit is super high quality – from the papers to the stamps. To take a closer look at each item and to purchase this kit, click HERE!

Here is a scrapbook layout I made using some of the elements from this kit. All of the images are spectacularly whimsical, with nods to literary greats, famous book titles, and quotes. The colors are rich and well coordinated and the overall design is perfect for any paper crafting project.

The little book stickers are my favorite element in this kit!

This is the perfect kit for documenting anything related to books!

To see the full review of  this kit, head on over to the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel! And be sure to stop by Finders Keepers to learn more about the owners and their products. Thank you Rachel and Sarah for your patience and for sending me this awesome kit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello friends! I am back with another layout for Documenting Magic, a Victoria Marie YouTube series all about Disney scrapbooking!

Documenting significant details is an important aspect of my storytelling journey. With this in mind, I created a pocket page documenting my trip stats. Some of these stats include:

• Length of the vacation planning process
• How many miles we drove from Fort Worth to Florida (too long – I’m never doing that again)!
• Our Disney resort hotel
• How many steps we walked
• Total trip cost
• Number of Minnie Mouse ears worn

For this layout, I used elements from the Say Cheese I and II collections by Simple Stories, along with elements from my stash to include Thickers fonts (red and black), Jenny Bowlin red sticker fonts, and enamel dots.

Each journaling card contains pre-designed accents – I added additional embellishments for interest. This made the scrapbooking process quick and easy…I did not have to waste time trying to figure out the design of each pocket card.

 

I selected photos that best represent the documented details. Some of these photos will appear again in my album with expanded stories.

I adhered stickers and die cuts to some of the photos for added interest. Overall, I love the way this layout came together!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Before you go, check out the process video for this page on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel! Have a magical day!

Hey Scrappy Bosses! Need more time to take advantage of the Stamping Like a Boss Pre-Sale Event? No worries, I got you!

The Pre-Sale Event has been extended to August 1st! Take advantage of this sale and save 20% off the regular course price of $50.00. Use coupon code STAMP20 during checkout.

To learn more and to purchase this class, click HERE!

I look forward to seeing you in the classroom!

Hello friends! In keeping with my July stamping theme, I want to share a few of my favorite stamping tools! You can catch a full review of these tools on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel!

1. Stamp Shammy by Lawn Fawn – perfect for cleaning rubber or acrylic stamps. Just add water to the shammy and you are ready to go!

2. EK Success Powder Tool – This little gem is great for priming paper for stamping and heat embossing. The powder prevents fly away embossing power from sticking to areas where you do not want embossing power to go.

3. Tonic Studios Stamp Platform by Tim Holtz: This stamp positioning tool is perfect for card making and scrapbooking – ensuring a perfect stamped impression. This tool is great for repetitive stamping.

4. Archival Ink by Ranger: I am a huge fan of mini stamp pads! These stamps are perfect to take on the go and can be purchased as a set of four (4) coordinating colors (the storage tin is sold separately).

5. Versa Fine, StazOn, and Versa Mark: The ultimate ink trio – in my opinion, I reach for these stamps every time I am working on a project. Versa Fine is great for detailed stamped images, StazOn works well on slick surface papers (fast drying, prevents smudging), and Versa Mark is most often used for heat embossing.

6. Heidi Swapp Roller Date Stamp: I own a ton of roller date stamps but this little roller date stamp is my favorite! I often use roller date stamps on my scrapbook layouts and on my travelers notebook spreads.

7. Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink by Ranger: I am OBSESSED with Distressed Oxide Inks! This hybrid ink is perfect for a variety of projects from stamping to mixed media.

8. Favorite Stamp Brands: My favorite stamp brands at the moment include – Elle’s Studio, Felicity Jane, and Ali Edwards. The stamps are high quality and create a perfect stamped impression on any crafty project.

Hey, by the way…if you are looking for a fun way to learn about easy stamping techniques, check out my new class, Stamping Like A Boss – A Mini Course Bundle, available on July 27th! Purchase the class during the Pre-Sale Event and save 20% off the regular course price by using STAMP20 during checkout!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Hello friends! I am back with another layout and process video. In honor of my upcoming class, Stamping Like a Boss – A Mini Course Bundle, I wanted to create a layout that featured a stamped title. Creating stamped titles is one of many techniques that I cover in my new course and can be an easy point of entry for those who are hesitant about stamping on a scrapbook page.

This layout features a simple stamped title using the Stanley Alphabet Set by Elle’s Studio and Distress Oxide Ink by Tim Holtz (Ranger).

To begin, I used a piece of textured black card stock for my background. Using the Stanley Alpha Set and the Distress Oxide inks, I stamped the title This is My Summer Body on the left side of the background. Next, I colored each of the letters with the oxide ink – activating the ink with a little bit of water. Once the water hits the oxide ink, it will oxidize, creating a chalky finish. Distress Oxide inks are perfect to use with dark card stock!

Next, I layered two 3×4 photos to the right of the title and created embellishments clusters using elements from the June and July Hip Kit Club kits. Also, I created a third cluster at the bottom of the layout using a die cut frame, flower cluster, and a butterfly from the July Hip Kit Club kit, and a chip board bathing suit from the Pick-Me-Up collection by Thickers (from my stash).

Journaling strips were added to the bottom of the layout.

To balance out the overall design of the layout, I added a strip of pattern paper, black and white stripe washi tape, and a tab to the left side of the page.

Be sure to check out the process video for this layout on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel! And for more information about my new class, Stamping Like a Boss – A Mini Course Bundle, click HERE and HERE! Thanks for stopping by!

Many years ago, I was an avid stamp collector. At one point I owned over 100 acrylic and wood mount stamps! One day, I realized that I wasn’t using my stamps on a regular basis (not the case anymore) and I needed to make some hard decisions about my stamp collection. So, I did a brutal purge and donated a majority of my stamps to my daughter’s school and a local woman’s shelter. I only kept the stamps that I loved and wanted to use on a regular basis. And those stamps had to fit into 1 container.

Off to the Container Store I went in search of storage solutions! I found this super cute basket along with a set of storage envelopes – the perfect storage option for my small stamp collection.

I kept most of my acrylic stamps in their original packaging. However, some of my stamps were removed from their packing, so I placed those stamps in clear storage pockets and categorized the stamps by theme: celebration, birthday, letters, numbers, etc.  Clear pockets allow me to see the stamps for easy referencing and use.

After my brutal purge, I maintained a small collection of wood mount stamps. I only kept the stamps that I absolutely love and could not live without. These stamps are housed on my embellishment center above my craft desk. I am a strong believer in storing your most used scrapbooking tools and materials close to your workspace…this increases the likelihood that you will use them!

My wood mount stamps are not only functional, but they serve as a great decorative element in my creative space!

Now, this will come as no surprise, but since I adopted this storage system, I have acquired more stamps! My new stamps do not fit into my current storage container, so I organized them by manufacture or designer and use loose leaf rings to keep the stamps together, like the Elle’s Studio stamps that are pictured here.  Eventually, these stamps will be placed in a storage container.

So there you have it…my stamp storage in a nutshell! If you have any questions about my storage system or the products that are featured in this blog post, be sure to do so in the comments section.

Also, check out My Stamp Storage video on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel!  And in case you missed it, I have a new class called Stamping Like a Boss – A Mini Course Bundle starting on July 27th. You can take advantage of the Pre-Sale Event happening NOW until July 27th – save 20% off the regular course price of $50.00. Use code stamp20 during check out. For more information and to purchase this course, click HERE!

I hope you have been inspired to organize your stamp stash! Thanks for stopping by!

To purchase this course, click HERE!

The Stamping Like a Boss Pre-Sale Event begins TODAY!

Save 20% off the regular course price until July 27th! Use coupon code STAMP20 during check out.

Do you struggle with stamping on your scrapbook pages? Are you looking for easy scrapbook stamping techniques that you can to use immediately on your next project? Look no further! Stamping Like a Boss – A Mini Course Bundle by Victoria Marie Designs is a fun and interactive self-paced online course that focuses on quick and simple techniques for stamping on scrapbook pages.

This course bundle includes 5 individual 1-hour mini courses with a focus on: stamped backgrounds, embellishments, masking, stamped titles and journaling, and mixed media stamping.

Each 1-hour mini class within the bundle includes a 20-minute instructional video, 40-minute interactive project video with a project assignment (learn while you create) and full color PDF instructional guides that are specific to each mini course topic and much, much more!

Check out the Victoria Marie Online Classes site for more details about this mini course bundle!

Victoria Marie Online Classroom: https://bit.ly/2NVS1lU

Also, check out the class promo on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel!

I look forward to seeing you in the classroom!

 

 

 

Scrapbooking is supposed to be a relaxing hobby – just grab some photos, a few supplies, maybe a snack, and create a layout, right? But how many times do we labor in the land of overthinking every single detail of every single layout, comparing our work to others, or allowing the lack of time to affect the creative process?

Oh the madness!

If you are a fellow solider in the overthinker’s war, then you may relate to the following.

5 Reasons You are Overthinking this Scrapbooking Thing (More or Less)

#1 – “P” is for Perfection (and a trap): Do you find yourself pining over every single detail on your layout? Does it take you a long time to make product or design decisions because each element must “perfect”? Have you reprinted photos multiple times in hopes of settling on the “one photo” that will perfectly document your story? Do the colors of your elements and paper have to “match”? Have you recreated a layout multiple times until you “got it right”? Well my friend. Congrats! You are a victim of the perfectionist trap!

#2 – The Comparison Trap (so many traps): Do you compare your creative work to other scrapbookers? Have you set the bar so high (for yourself) that you become discourage about scrapbooking or don’t think that you measure up? Oh boy…you may have fallen into the comparison trap.

#3 – Your Scrapbook Space is Messy = “I cannot scrapbook today!”  Your scrappy space is a hot mess (and the rest of the house is too) and you cannot possibly scrapbook unless your space is neat and tidy. But what if I told you that you can be creative even when your space is blown up? WHAAATTT??!!!!

#4 – You Don’t Have the Right Products/Supplies: Do you feel that you need the latest “on trend” products in order to make stunning scrapbook pages? Spoiler alert: You don’t need all of the cool stuff to be a scrappy boss!

#5 – You Don’t Have Enough Time to Scrapbook: Life has an interesting way of filling up our schedules with stupid stuff like…adulting (ugh). Wouldn’t it be nice to have endless creative time? Guess what friend? Most of us don’t and many scrapbookers have allowed the lack of time to affect their creative output. For some scrapbookers, not having enough creative time is an all or nothing situation. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Okay, so at this point, you are probably waiting to hear my “break the internet” solutions.

Well here goes…

STOP OVERTHINKING! STOP! STOP! STOP!

(Internet…broken!)

Scrapbooking is a super fun hobby! It’s relaxing and therapeutic (for some). It is a form of creative expression. Scrapbooking is the vehicle by which we tell our most cherished stories and preserve our memories. Overthinking this wonderful hobby is a waste of creative energy!

Ready for a few solutions? Here goes!

Break Free of the Traps: There is a saying that goes, “Strive for progress, not perfection”. Your layouts are not going to be perfect. Embrace this and you will be set free! The creative process ebbs and flows – some of our layouts will be stunning, others not so much. Do not waste your creative energy on using the perfect elements on your layouts or comparing your work to other scrapbookers. You are a unique scrappy boss!

Own your style, embrace imperfection, and appreciate your creative output. Move toward creative progress…the more you create, the better scrapbooker (or card maker, or painter) you will become. Also, you do not need all of the fancy tools, and gadgets, and on trend products to make a great layout. Trendy products are great, but certainly not necessary. Use and enjoy your scrappy stash!

Embrace the Mess! Admittedly, I am the type of scrapper who must have a “clean space” or a “clean house” in order to create. But, when the creative juices are flowing, I force myself to embrace the mess! I challenge you to clear a space on your craft table or desk (don’t go crazy), grab a few supplies, and make something. Give yourself the opportunity to indulge without feeling guilty about the stacks of pattern paper in the corner of your room, the dirty dishes in the sink, or the piles of laundry on the floor (it’s just going to pile up again anyway). 🙂 Give your creative soul the attention that it needs!

You Have Time to Create: I am a big proponent of owning my creative time. It’s just as important as brushing my teeth, exercising, and getting sleep. It’s okay to give yourself permission to take time out to fuel your creative soul. This can be accomplished by simply scheduling (and prioritizing) your creative sessions – it doesn’t have to be long…15 minutes here, 30 minutes there. Don’t make this complicated. You don’t need endless hours of creative time to make a great layout.

Also, consider how you use your time and make adjustments accordingly. For example, I have reduced the amount of time I spend on social media in order to have more creative time. This is hard given that my business relies on my social media presence. But it’s necessary to unplug and fill my time with creative activities. You have the time…go find it and own it!

(Okay, I have solved all of your problems. You are welcome. 🙂 )

Friend, I encourage you to let go and enjoy this wonderful hobby. Break away from overthinking and let the creative process do what it is meant to do. Sometimes it will be clean, other times it will be messy. And that’s okay. Free yourself from the “overthinking shackles” and find joy in the creative journey without conditions and limitations. You will be glad that you did. 🙂

 

PRE-SALE BEGINS ON JULY 15TH – SAVE 20%!

CLASS BEGINS ON JULY 27TH! 

Do you struggle with stamping on your scrapbook pages? Are you looking for easy scrapbook stamping techniques that you can to use immediately on your next project? Look no further! Stamping Like a Boss – A Mini Course Bundle by Victoria Marie Designs is a fun and interactive self-paced online course that focuses on quick and simple techniques for stamping on scrapbook pages.

This course bundle includes five individual 1-hour mini courses with a focus on:

• Stamped backgrounds
• Embellishments
• Masking
• Stamped titles and journaling
• Mixed media stamping

Short on time? The mini courses are designed to deliver robust content without taking too much of your time – learn the content, practice the techniques, and finish each course with a completed project!

Each self-paced mini course bundle will be offered over the course of 5-weeks starting July 27, 2018. And don’t worry! You will always have 24-7 access to the online course content indefinitely, so you can start and stop each course at your leisure. When you have an hour to spare, simply select one of the five courses offered in the bundle and relax while learning and practicing fun scrapbook stamping techniques!

Each 1-hour mini class within the bundle includes a 20-minute instructional video, 40-minute interactive project video with a project assignment (learn while you create) and full color PDF instructional guides that are specific to each mini course topic.

Included in this Course: With the purchase of this online self-paced mini course bundle you will receive:

• 6 Instructional Videos (20 minutes each) to include Stamping 101 Tools and Products video!
• 5 Instructional Project Videos (40 minutes each) with student project assignments and supply lists
• Full Color PDF Instructional Project Guide (1 per mini course)
• Full Color PDF Stamping 101 Product Guide
• 24-7 Access to the online classroom – start and stop the class at any time. The class will always be there when you are ready!
• Access to the Victoria Marie Online Classes Facebook Group where you can share your class projects, chat with other VM Online Classes students, ask questions, and much more!
• Access to the course instructor to through email, online office hours, and Facebook Live!

LIMITED TIME PRE-SALE OFFER – SAVE 20%! 

Sale Begins July 15, 2018!

For a limited time, receive 20% off the regular course price of $50.00 during the Stamping Like a Boss Pre-Sale Event, starting July 15th – 26th! That’s a $10.00 savings! Use coupon code STAMP20 during checkout. The course goes to regular price on July 27, 2018.

Are you ready to Stamp Like a Boss? What are you waiting for? Be sure to take advantage of the Pre-Sale offer! I can’t wait to see you in the class room!