Hello and welcome to the Victoria Marie Blog! I am so excited that you have joined me. I am up next on the Meet the Clique Kits Design Team Blog Hop! I hope you have enjoyed all of the wonderful blogs so far…the design team is pretty awesome wouldn’t you say?

The purpose of this blog hop is to get to know the new design team and for us to share our personal scrapbooking style with you! If you are new to my blog, be sure to subscribe! I will be sharing tons of creative inspiration using the Clique Kits scrapbooking kits and much more!

Before I forget, here is a nifty little coupon code for 10% off your order of Clique Kits goodies!!! Use coupon code Victoria10 when finalizing your order.

Here is the Blog Hop line up – be sure to subscribe to the blogs listed below!!!

Maryam Perez http://maryamperez.blogspot.com/

Melissa Elsner http://theprofoundbrunette.com

Vincenza (Enza) Gudor https://creativefindingsblog.wordpress.com/

Caroli Schulz www.carolinaschulz.com

Nathalie DeSousa http://tachita55.blogspot.ca/

Candace Perkins http://findingeverydayperfection.com/

Audrey Yeager http://audreysreflection.blogspot.ca/

Stephanie Gold http://stephaniegolddesigns.com/

Nicole Martel http://nicolemartel.blogspot.com/

Donna Espiritu http://scrappydonna.blogspot.com/

Reka Turoczi http://laceandcase.blogspot.hu/

Hannah Lemieux https://scrapbookpagesandcupcakes.wordpress.com/

Victoria Calvin https://victoriamarieblog.wordpress.com/ YOU ARE HERE! 

Taina “Evi” Cortes http://www.lifewithevi.com/blog

Sheryl Banares www.sherylbanares.com/

So, the Design Team has been asked to share a little bit about ourselves by answering the the following questions. As you can tell from my layout, my coffee game is strong! I am totally winning at life right now!

ABOUT ME:

1. What’s your favorite color?


In my formative years I preferred all things purple – lavender to be exact. Lately, my favorite color is mint green…or perhaps turquoise. Both colors are fighting for first place at this point!

2. What’s your favorite song right now?
 

Let’s just say I have an eclectic taste in music. My Spotify playlist includes: Florence + The Machines, Ingrid Michaelson, Coldplay, The Postal Service, Snow Patrol, Alicia Keys, Drake, Adele, Feist, Mumford and Sons…the list goes on and on. I love music!

3. Who inspires you?
 

I am going to give a cliche answer…my mom. There is no other person on this planet that loves and supports me more than my mother (besides by spouse). She is my best friend, my advisor, and my shoulder to cry on. She still calls me her baby girl and I am okay with that!

4. Favorite Book?


Are you kidding? I am a true to life bibliophile! Asking me to pick a favorite book is like choosing between chocolate and coffee…it can’t be done! Okay, okay…I’ll pick one book – She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb. Look it up…it will not disappoint!

5. Favorite Movie?


My favorite movie of all time would have to be The Color Purple, based on the epistolary novel by famed author Alice Walker. What other movie offers a look into the intersectionality of gender, sexual orientation, racism, classism, misogyny, and disfunction within the family system? (Can you tell I have a social science background? 🙂 ) I feel that I have come full circle with the characters and the story. This was the first movie I ever saw in a movie theater and since then I have read the book and have seen The Color Purple the Musical – amazing!!!

6. Favorite snack?


My favorite snack is chocolate, followed by Cheetos Cheese Puffs, and then there’s yogurt and fruit…you know…to balance everything out. 🙂

7. What is your favorite food?


My all time favorite food is pepperoni pizza followed by steak…steak, steak, steakity steak! (And chocolate…copious amounts of chocolate!) Sorry, I can’t pick just one. Food is my life!

8. Where would you like to visit someday?


Oh, there are so many places – Italy, Germany, South Africa, Australia, Japan…if only I was a billionaire (with a private jet and time to kill). 🙂

9. Who got you into scrapbooking? 


It wasn’t exactly a “who” but a “what”. Years ago my mom and I would go to our local craft and hobby store to shop for sewing notions and cross stitch materials. Occasionally, I would head over to the paper crafting area and pour through all of the scrapbooking goodies. Most times I would successfully convince my mom to buy me a sticker pack or paper. I used these materials to create a scrapbook of my school awards, class pictures, and such. Ahh, the good old days when scrapbooking wasn’t so complicated. 🙂

10. How many years have you been scrapbooking?


I have been scrapbooking in some form ever since I was a kid. However, I would say I’ve been “seriously” scrapbooking for over 12 years.

11. Favorite Manufacture?

See, there’s that coffee vs. chocolate question again!!! I can’t choose! I like anything by American Crafts, Crate Paper, Bella Blvd, Pebbles, and Hero Arts…just to name a few.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Check out the process video for the layout featured in this blog post on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel. 

Up next in the blog hop is the amazing Taina “Evi” Cortes! Head on over to her blog at http://www.lifewithevi.com/blog and be sure to subscribe!

Enjoy!

Hello Scrappy Peeps! I am so excited to share a layout I made as the guest designer for Felicity Jane! Felicity Jane is an awesome scrapbook kit club! Their kits are stunning and perfect for soft and simple layouts. I just recently started subscribing and absolutely adore their kits! When I was approached to be their guest designer for February, I quickly jumped at the opportunity!

Here’s what I created using the February 2017 London Kit. All of the elements in this kit are exclusive to Felicity Jane with the exception of the washi tape by Little B.

This layout features a photo of my daughter Corinne and I during a recent visit to a local art museum. My intention for this layout was to create a clean design with a bit of movement and a lot of emphasis on the photo.

I started this layout by creating layers of pattern paper behind the photo. To the photo layers, I added a tag and a black and white gingham heart from the 12×12 cut apart sticker sheet. To the heart I layered a label that says “smile” and a chipboard triangle die cut. To the right of the photo layer I added a bit of washi tape by Little B and a white acrylic heart.

To the left of the photo layer, I added a black and white stripe chipboard frame and layered the frame with a chipboard label that says “amazing”, a white acrylic heart, and a yellow chipboard triangle to accent the frame. To create the title I used the “happy” chipboard sentiment and the exclusive black and white letter font stickers that came with the kit.

Seriously, I am totally in love with these font stickers!

To the top and bottom of the layout I added small strips of black and white floral pattern paper and stitched the strips with my sewing machine to add a bit of texture and interest. To finish the layout I added a small amount of typed journaling and a label at the bottom of the layout that serves as a spot for the date and a pink chipboard triangle die cut.

This kit was perfect for my clean and simple layout!

Check out the process video for this layout on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel! Thanks to the awesome folks at Felicity Jane for this wonderful opportunity!

Well, it has been 9 crazy months since I started Victoria Marie Designs. Lately, I’ve been feeling like a chicken with it’s head cut off. Most of the time I am a really good boss and employee, other times I should probably be “written up” for a lack of productivity and general laziness.

It ebbs and flows.

So what have I been up to? Glad you asked…here’s my 9 month update:

The Good Stuff…

Classes and More Classes: So, I successfully launched two new classes, The Holiday Project (December 2016) and Layering Like a Boss 2 – Impactful Embellishing (January 2017). I have four more classes coming later in 2017 so stay tuned for more information!

Other projects: I am in the process of working on an exciting new project – Victoria Marie Merchandise! I’ve had several requests from of my subscribers to offer VM branded t-shirts, coffee mugs, binders (for VM class PDFs) and much more. I’ve spent several months researching and developing ideas and I am getting closer to a finish product to bring to the market. More to come soon! Oh, and there might be a sketch guide in the works as well (shhh, I’ve said to much! Stay tuned)!

Wonderful Opportunities: This year I have gladly accepted two awesome opportunities. I am excited to announce that I am creating custom scrapbook sketches for the April Lilli Shop, a new online scrapbooking store! I love working with other creative entrepreneurs and was thrilled when the owner asked me to design sketches for her shop! Be sure to check out the April Lilli Shop and the beautiful work of the April Lilli design team – they will be using my sketches starting March 2017.

The next opportunity I’ve had to keep a secret for a few weeks…but now I can share! I’ve been chosen as a design team member for Clique Kits scrapbooking club! I am so totally excited and can’t wait to create layouts using their gorgeous products. My 6-month term will begin in April  2017. Be sure to visit Clique Kits for more information about their kits and other product offerings!

I still like the entrepreneur life: As I continue to my journey as a creative entrepreneur, I am thankful for the opportunity to call my own shots and to be my own boss. There is a level of flexibility that I cannot easily give up at this point in my life. I am trying to slow down a bit, enjoy the moment, and show myself grace when times get really tough. And they do. Speaking of…

The Challenges:

I almost quit: Yep, you read that right…there was a period right before the holidays and a little after the new year when I considered giving it up and going back to work. I mean, it would be so much easier to work for someone else (nothing wrong with that at all). I would know what the expectations are, do my work, and collect a paycheck every two weeks. It’s comfortable and familiar and sometimes safe. And that’s okay.

But I don’t want that.

To be honest, we experienced a financial setback and I began to worry about my “not-so-consistent” income relative to our expenses. But the weird thing is…things always work out. Something happens (God, the universe, positive vibes…whatever) that turns the ship around and keeps me headed in the right direction. The financial crisis got solved. I’ve learned not to panic in the moment – fear is debilitating. Also, Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will my business. I am taking things one day at a time. My family is fine, our needs are being met and then some, I have a supportive spouse who works hard for our family while I am getting this thing off the ground and I have the encouragement of our relatives who say, “Don’t give up on your dream! You are doing so well! Don’t let minor things set you back! Come to us if you need anything.”

So I keep moving along. 🙂

Everything takes longer than expected: Part of my panic comes from the fact that I set unrealistic expectations for myself and my business projects. I want ALL THE THINGS to happen right now and I want them to be done right and I want to make a million dollars and shut down the internet with my greatness!!! Of course, I have to come back to planet Earth and remind myself that everything takes time. I cannot rush the creative process. I cannot rush filming content for my classes. I cannot rush the design of my upcoming merchandise. I cannot force my clients to like my offerings. I’ve had to learn to pace myself and to slow down. Otherwise, I am going to quickly hate the work that I love so much. I don’t want to be resentful of my business. The main reason I am working for myself is so I don’t have to be stressed over deadlines or working “quick, fast and in a hurry” (been there, done that). Everything takes time…

It’s okay to enjoy the creative process: As a creative entrepreneur I sometimes feel guilty for spending my days creating. I know…you are probably saying, “Victoria, shut up…you are stupid.” Okay, you probably didn’t say that, but honestly, I do feel a bit guilty sometimes…like I have to justify my creative time when people ask me what I do.

“Oh, I just finished working on an awesome layout for my next class. And I played with two new art journaling techniques…just practicing because I think I might offer an art journaling class next year. And then I played around with my die cutting machine because I want to offer a tutorial on how to create stencils using stencil paper. Then I contacted a hotel about a venue space for an upcoming event I plan to host. I took a break, went to Starbucks and took a walk around the park. Then I came home, read for an hour and worked a bit on the content for my new class.”

That is literally how my day goes, more or less. 🙂 And sometimes I think, “Man, I should probably do more serious stuff.” But the thing is, I AM WORKING! I’m working creatively so I can continue to provide creative goodness to the masses. This means that I am constantly practicing my craft and flexing my creative muscle. Not all of my work is creative…I have to balance my business account, file my taxes, send an invoice to a client, and blah, blah, blah. But my main focus is creating. That is just as important as my taxes and expense reports (but more fun). 🙂

Sometimes, I’m a bad boss and a piss poor employee – all wrapped up into one: There are some weeks when I am rockin’ and rollin’, getting my stuff done, being productive and moving my cheese! And there are other weeks when I should fire myself. I sit around for hours doing god knows what (watching yet another episode of Parenthood). Then I realize, “Oh holy hell! It’s 11:59 am! I need to get to work.” Sadly, there is only so much I can do before leaving the house to pick up my kid at 3:45 (remember, everything takes time).

I realized that I needed to put myself on a schedule…like a 9:00 – 5:00 kind of schedule…sort of. When I left my last job, I vowed that I would never ever, ever, ever, ever work a 9-5 schedule ever, ever, ever again.

Well, look at me now!

So, while I don’t exactly work 9-5, I had to impose a schedule that allowed me to work in chunks but to be product throughout the day. Basically, this is what it looks like:

Up at 6:30 am – Get the kid up, dressed, breakfast, kid off to school 

8:00 am – A quick 30 minute workout, shower, eat and get dressed (hair and makeup, decent outfit – I need to feel “put together”)

9:00 am to 12:00 noon – Work, create, listen to podcasts about creative entrepreneurship, participate in an online workshop

12:00 noon to 1:00 pm – Lunch (by myself or with a friend), errands, lay on the couch and watch Parenthood (catching up…plus I’m obsessed!), watch my favorite YouTube creatives, read my book

1:00 pm to 3:30 pm: –  Work  then take a break – get coffee because I usually crash at 2:00 pm…read or watch YouTube videos for a bit then finish a work task

3:30 pm to 9:00 pm – Pick up the kid from school, finish up a bit of work, cook dinner, family time, bedtime routine for the kiddo, spouse comes home from a long day of teaching

9:00 pm: Watch more Parenthood (can’t get enough), catch up with my spouse, maybe work a little more, get ready for bed, read

11:00 pm or later: Fall asleep

There are some days when I cannot work during the day because (1) I don’t want to or (2) I have something going on like a field trip with my kid or spending time with my mom. There are some tasks that I prefer to do at night when everyone is asleep and the house is quiet, like writing a blog post (it’s 1:23 am as I write this post) or write content for my classes. So, I make the executive decision to work at night and allow myself time during the day for creative play, taking an online class, reading, and spending time enjoying my other interests (shopping). Honestly, I work better after 2:00 pm but I have this thing called “parental responsibilities” (so very lame). 🙂

When I am being productive, I reward myself. When I am not being productive, I have to call myself out on it and make the necessary changes to get back on track (bad employee). When I am working myself to death, imposing to many unrealistic expectations on myself (bad boss), I have to pull back and show myself some grace, rest, and regroup.

It’s a fine balance. And it’s not perfect.

Well, that is basically it. I am so very happy and thankful for this time in my life. I try to live my life with intention, to be grateful for hard work, challenges, and good times. I embrace my imperfections, my fears (then I let them go), and the fact that I am a very new and very novice business owner. I am doing my best and learning many lessons along the way. I am continually amazed by what I can do.

I will just keep on keeping on.

Thanks for your support. 🙂

 

When you and your grandpa are superheroes…

There is nothing like the special bond between a grandparent and a grandchild. My daughter and her grandfather adore each other! It’s so fun seeing the two of them together. A week ago we hosted my daughter’s 7th birthday party – and outdoor superhero themed party at a beautiful park. We totally lucked out as the weather in Texas in February can be a bit tricky!

One of the party activities involved making superhero masks. Grandpa Mack wanted to participate and made a mask of his own. He wore it throughout the entire party! In this picture, he is waiting his turn to complete Superhero Training, a small obstacle course we set up for the children. This dude is pretty stealth, bobbing and weaving, jumping rope, and running. Of course my daughter, running right beside him, thought this was awesome!

Because it was. 🙂

I had to capture this moment. I want Corinne to always know that she is well loved and that her grandparents are an important part of her life.

For this layout, I used the February 2017 Hip Kit Club scrapbooking kit. Starting with white textured cardstock, I created a watercolor effect using Heidi Swapp Mint Green Color Shine (see the process video for a demonstration). Once the first application was dry, I added gold and mint green Color Shine to create sprinkles around the layout.

Next, I layered several pieces of ephemera from the Maggie Holmes Chasing Dreams ephemera pack behind my photo. I added chipboard butterflies as well as die cut butterflies that I made by fussy cutting the butterflies from a piece of patterned paper called “Monarch” from the same collection. To the butterflies, I added wood buttons by Shimelle – super cute! These buttons added a bit more dimension and texture to the layout.

Lastly, I created the title using a die cut word “Hello” from the Maggie Holmes Ephemera pack and a Thickers font called “Collect”.

Elements List:

• Maggie Holmes Ephemera Pack
• Monarch from the Chasing Dreams Collection by Maggie Holmes (Crate Paper)
• “Collect” Glitter Foam Font by Thickers
• Wood Buttons by Shimelle
• American Crafts Textured Cardstock – White
• Black and White Twine – American Crafts
• Heidi Swapp Color Shine – Mint Green
• Heidi Swapp Color Shine – Gold
• Roller Date Stamp – Heidi Swapp

Check out the process video for this layout on the Victoria Marie YouTube channel! Enjoy!

There are just some stories that must be captured and the story of my labor and delivery is by far one of those stories! For my spouse and I, Valentine’s Day was pretty uneventful – we had a series of bad dates and horrible circumstances each year leading up to 2010. We decided that we were completely done with the “day of love”…or so we thought.

On Valentine’s Day 2010, my spouse and I had plans to see a local play and have dinner at a posh restaurant. We decided to give Valentine’s Day one more try since the birth of our first and only child was just weeks away. During our romantic dinner, we laughed and joked about our last days as a child-free couple. We were very much looking forward to being parents.

Then my water broke.

Yep, at that very moment I felt a “pop” then a gush of water streaming down my leg. “Uh, I think my water just broke.” I said calmly to my spouse. “Okay…you should go check.”

Off to the bathroom I went, dripping fluid on the marble floor..lovely. When I reached the bathroom, my suspicion was confirmed: THE BABY WAS ON HER WAY!!!

“Okay, it’s time”,  I said as we gathered our things and paid the bill. Off to the hospital we went! In our nervous and hurried departure, we got lost en route to the hospital! Needlessly to say, we made it and 24-hours later, on February 15, 2010, we gave birth to a beautiful and healthy 5 pound 14 ounce baby girl!

This is one Valentine’s Day I will never forget!

For this layout I used bits and pieces from my Valentine stash. The photo is mounted on scrap strips of pattern paper. To the left of the photo I added a doily, die cuts, a puffy Valentine’s envelope, and enamel hearts.

To the right of the photo, I backed a chipboard frame with velum and layered knitted hearts in the empty squares of the frame for added texture and interest. To the frame I added a “XOXO” sticker.

For the title I used two fonts, Fitzgerald by Thickers and the word “life” by Citrus Twist. The entire layout is backed on a piece of floral pattern paper.

Check out this process video to see how the layout comes together. Thanks for stopping by!

Hello friends! I’m back with another scrapbook layout for the Victoria Marie blog and YouTube Channel! I took a bit of a break to look for my creative mojo (and to recover from bronchitis). It seems as if my world has imploded lately so I am glad to be back on track!

What is the best way to find your creative mojo? Start creating! And that is exactly what I did. Since it has been a few weeks since I have made a process video, I thought I would keep things simple by creating a layout that reflects one of my favorite scrapbook designs – creating a layered background and layered embellishments!

For this layout I used the January 2017 Hip Kit Club scrapbooking kit which included several lovely items from the latest Take Me Away collection by Paige Evans for Pink Paisley (pattern papers, die cut pieces, tags, label, and enamel shapes). To this kit I added a few items from my stash (fringe heart, metal clip “lovely”, wood veneer, resin rose, and tassels). I wanted to create a very whimsical and light page that is representative of my personality!

I created the title using the Thickers “Charming” font (black and white) and “Desktop” font by Dear Lizzy. Using multiple font styles is a great way to jazz up a title on a scrapbook layout. To finish the page, I typed the journaling on my We R Memory Keepers Typecast Typewriter.

Head on over to the Victoria Marie Scraps YouTube channel to see this layout come together! Thanks for stopping by!

 

PRE-REGISTRATION NOW AVAILABLE!

I am so excited to announce the launch of the first of five Victoria Marie Online Classes for 2017: Layering Like a Boss 2 – Impactful Embellishing!

Layering Like a Boss 2 is a self-paced scrapbooking class that focuses on creating stunning layered embellishments using 5 simple design concepts: color, scale, balance, texture, and composition. Through interactive lessons and challenges, students will be able to quickly learn these simple design concepts while creating impactful layered embellishments!

This course includes:

• A Basic Design Principles Instructional Video
• 5 Lessons that include Instructional Videos and Interactive Process Videos (2 per lesson)
• 10 Exclusive Sketches (most will be used in the instruction videos)
• BONUS!!! 10 Bonus Sketches available for students who pre-register for this course
• by January 31, 2017!!!
• Instructional Guide PDF
• Self-Paced course with 24/7 access to the class site!
• Access to the class discussion board so you can play along with other scrappers!
• Email access to the course instructor

PRE-REGISTER TODAY AND GET A SET OF 10 BONUS SKETCHES FOR FREE!!!!!

Yep, you read that right!

For those who pre-register for this class by February 3, 2017, you will receive a set of 10 Bonus Sketches! This is only available to those who pre-register so be sure to jump on this awesome offer!

Price

You have two great purchasing options:

• Layering Like a Boss 2 – Impactful Embellishing….$25.00 (get 15% off when you pre-register by February 3, 2017!)
• Layering Like a Boss Bundle…$40.00 (a $10.00 savings!) Includes Layering Like a Boss 1 and 2!

Option 1: Purchase Layering Like a Boss 2 – Impactful Embellishing for $25.00. Pre-Register for this class by February 3, 2017 and save 15% off the sales price and get 10 Bonus Sketches for free! (Class goes to regular price of $25.00 after February 3rd.)

Option 2: Purchase Layering Like a Boss 1 and 2 as a Bundle for $40.00 – a $10.00 savings!!!! And you will receive the 10 Bonus Sketches for free if purchased by February 3, 2017!!! 

Head on over to the Victoria Marie Online Class Site to pre-register for this course!

And don’t forget to check out the FREE sample class on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel! Thanks for stopping by and I look forward to seeing you in the classroom!

Just the other day, I came across a blog post by Becky Higgins, founder of Project Life, where she talked about simplifying her memory keeping process. She covered quite a bit in her post but what struck a chord with me was her emphasis on taking less pictures and focusing more on living in the moment and telling robust stories. To see her post, click HERE. It’s worth a read.

Needless to say, Becky and I are on the same page!

Toward the end of 2016, I began thinking about my current scrapbooking process. I am the queen of picture taking…I feel like I need to take ALL THE PHOTOS. Seriously, I have a ton of duplicates floating around on iCloud. I also have a lot of finished layouts just hanging around; some under my desk in a tray, others on top of my closet in my studio…very few are making it into my scrapbook albums these days.

Then there is my stash. To be honest, I just finished purging the very last of my unwanted items – old die cuts, sticker sheets, an 8×8 album that I never used…all of it donated to Goodwill. But what remains is a very delicious assortment of goodies that I need to dig my hands into. You would think that I have my stuff all perfectly organized, arranged in kits, ready to go.

Not really…I’ve been lazy.

Oh, let me not forget one very important nugget: I don’t think I want to do yearly albums about my kid anymore.

GASP!!!

Yep, I said it. In fact, I have yet to finish her baby album, 1, 5 and 6-year old albums. My goal was to finish each album before her next birthday. Yeah, not gonna happen! Yet, I started thinking about all of the albums that I will eventually leave to her…she is an only child so there will be no one else. She will either have to keep them or face the fact that I will haunt her for life if she throws them away! FOR LIFE! (She might need therapy). But seriously, at the rate I’m going with all of my “project plans”, my girlie will have a ton of albums to inherit…hundreds of layouts all devoted to her.

At this point, I began to consider how I scrapbook my family’s stories. Sure I have a lot of layouts that were just made for the pure enjoyment of being creative. But those layouts are just that…the richness of storytelling is absent. And that’s just not my style. I want to tell more robust stories, to paint a picture of our lives that is authentic and truthful.

So, with all of that being said, I decided that I need to reevaluate my scrapbooking intentions. Simplifying sounds refreshing! Here’s what I plan to do:

I am going to take less pictures. I have too many pictures just hanging out on my phone, my iPad, my iMac, on the Cloud. It’s just simply overwhelming. Plus, I want to focus more on being in the moment – to really pay attention to my daughter as she attempts to do a handstand for the 100th time and to enjoy a relaxing nature walk versus taking pictures of every pretty flower, bird, or tree. I want to enjoy a good meal without feeling compelled to take a photo of my plate (which I am sure annoys the hell out of my spouse). I am going to limit my picture taking and live in the present.

Speaking of photos…I am going to purge, edit, print, and delete my photos on a weekly basis. My plan is to only keep the photos that I absolutely love – all the rest will be deleted. Period. I already have too many photos to organize and print! I want to create a manageable photo processing system that is easy to maintain and keep up with. I can’t deal with complicated processes…keep things simple I say!

I am going to make more scrapbooking kits. I love kits and I need to get back into the habit of making them on a frequent basis. I truly believe that scrapbooking kits help to save time on product selection and make the scrapbooking process more efficient! Additionally, creating kits is a great way to use up my stash.

I am going to deconstruct and throw away unwanted layouts. Yep, you read that right – I am going to throw away layouts that I don’t like and only keep the layouts that I love. I don’t see the point of hanging on to layouts just for the sake of it, especially if there are layouts that I don’t care to keep anymore. Good riddance! So brutal!! 

I am going to focus less on doing yearly albums and more on creating continual albums. In the past, I have created albums based on year. I set an expectation to finish each yearly album before the year was complete. I have come to find that this is very stressful. What happens when I don’t complete a year? Oh the mayhem (in my mind only)! The truth is…there are some years when I have a ton of stories to tell and there are other years when I don’t. So, to take the pressure off myself, I am going to create continual albums based on the progression of my family, not our yearly activities. I will add to these albums as I see fit based on the stories I want to tell. And there is no pressure to finish as I will continue to add to the album month after month, year after year. It will never be finished. And when I fill one album, I will just start another…it’s that simple.

Additionally, all layouts about my daughter will go into this one continual album as well. I cannot manage separate yearly albums with multiple themes – it’s becoming too cumbersome. I will however continue to make mini albums for special projects like vacations, December Daily, and so forth. Now, ask me in a year how this system is working…I promise to be honest!

So, there you have it…my plan to simplify my memory keeping process, take control of my incessant picture taking, and minimize my family albums. I am going to give this a shot for a year and see how I do. And guess what? If it doesn’t work, I’ll just tweak my process and move on.

Scrapbooking is truly an evolution.

I am always shocked by how quickly the year goes by…it seems like yesterday we were celebrating the start of 2016. As the year comes to a close, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time thinking about what I want to focus on in 2017 for Victoria Marie Designs. As always, I want to do ALL THE THINGS! And if I had the time, money, and energy, I would probably do just that. But alas, I must put things into perspective and focus on what is most important.

So, what exactly are my plans for 2017? Check it out!

WHAT’S NEW? VICTORIA MARIE DESIGNS 2017

I am so pumped about my new class offerings, YouTube and blog content and upcoming events! I really feel that 2017 will be the year that I push myself to the point of being uncomfortable…because that is where the magic happens!

CLASSES

I will be introducing 5 new classes in 2017: (dates are tentative and subject to change)

• January 2017: Layering Like a Boss 2 – Impactful Embellishing: It all started with my very first class, Layering Like a Boss, where students learned design principles and creative layering techniques to create awesome dimension and interest on scrapbook layouts. Based on your suggestions, I am introducing Layering Like a Boss 2 that will go deeper into how to create impactful layered embellishments using color, dimension, and texture. Students will enjoy unlimited access to the Victoria Marie Online Classroom, challenges, exclusive instructional process videos with companion sketches, and a private discussion board within the class site! Pre-Registration is required! Cost: $25.00  Level: All – Beginner, Intermediate, Experienced

• February/March 2017 (TBD) – Become a Creative YouTuber 101: Have you ever wanted to create and produce your own scrapbooking content on YouTube? This course will take you through the basics of becoming a creative YouTuber. Concepts include an overview of basic filming using your smart device or basic camera, editing software options, basic filming set up, recording a voiceover, planning your content, understanding YouTube analytics, content/music copyright, and much more! Students will receive instructional materials, access to exclusive instructional videos, and an Equipment Basics PDF with Prices Guide. Pre-Registration is required! Cost: $20.00 Level: Beginners, Immediate 

• April 2017: A Fresh Approach to 2-Page Layouts: You’ve asked for it and you got it! A Fresh Approach to 2-Page Layouts is a fun interactive class that will cover several ways to create 2-page layouts to include traditional, pocket, interactive and hybrid pages. Students will receive a set of exclusive sketches, instructional process videos, unlimited access to the Victoria Marie Online Classroom, challenges, and much more! Cost: $29.00  Level: All – Beginner, Intermediate, Experienced

• June 2017: Stash Happy! Fun Techniques for Using Up Your Stash! Are you tired of looking at your scrapbook stash? Do you want to learn new and refreshing ways to use your stash? Stash Happy! is a fun interactive class that will leave you inspired to pull out your stash and use it up! In this class you will learn 5 awesome stash busting techniques for using up pattern paper, die cuts, embellishments, and much more! Students will enjoy unlimited access to the Victoria Marie Online Classroom, exclusive instructional videos, and a private discussion board to share ideas and layouts with other students. Cost: $29.00  Level: All -Beginner, Intermediate, Experienced

• November 2017: A Month of Gratitude – (HIGHLY REQUESTED CLASS!) In this course, students will create a mini album composed of robust and reflective stories, quotes, or thoughts that are focused on expressions of thankfulness. Through thought provoking prompts and exclusive instructional videos, students will be inspired to document that which is most important and deserving of gratitude. This course will include instructional videos, story prompts, instructional process videos, and much more! Pre-Registration is required! : $30.00  Level: All – Beginner, Intermediate, Experienced

YOUTUBE CONTENT

Starting in January 2017, there will be more content on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel to include:

• The return of Scrapbooking for Mortals Tutorials (bi-weekly)!
• The Life of Victoria Marie Vlog
• Scrapbook Room Tour and Organization Videos
• Monthly Recap Videos – I will share my latest projects, layouts, and much more!
• Creative Scrapbook Series
• Victoria Marie’s Scrappy Favorites Share (Monthly) – A review of my favorite items!
• Adventures in Art Journaling, Mixed Media, and Traveler’s Journal Series

VICTORIA MARIE MERCHANDISE

I’ve had so many of you ask, “Are you ever going to offer Victoria Marie merchandise?” The answer to that is…YES!! Coming Spring 2017, I will offer exclusive Victoria Marie merchandise to include fun t-shirts, coffee cups, drink tumblers, and much more. Stay tuned for more details!!!

EVENTS

Scrapbook Retreats

In 2017, I will be offering 2 Victoria Marie Scrapbook Retreats!

• Summer 2017 Retreat: TBA
• Fall 2017 Retreat: October 19th – 22nd at the Covered Bridge Inn, Weatherford, TX (SOLD OUT!) Waitlist available! Email victoria@victoriamariescaps.com to be added to the waitlist.

Scrapbook Crops

I am currently in the process of researching venues for my 1-day scrapbook crop events. All crops will be held in the DFW area and surrounding locations. Check back for more information!

Meetups! 

Look for more information about Victoria Marie Meetups within the DFW and surrounding areas! This will be a great opportunity for scrappers to meet like minded friends, eat, drink, and be creative!!! This is also a wonderful opportunity to attend scrapbooking events with new friends: Stamp & Scrapbook Expo, Great American Scrapbook Convention, and much more! More details to come!

WANT TO BECOME A VICTORIA MARIE PATRON?

Starting in Spring 2017, I will launch the Victoria Marie Patreon site! Patreon is a fun and easy way to become a patron of the arts and to support your favorite artist. Creative entrepreneurs are passionate about their craft and want nothing more than to give back to their supporters. Patreon allows fans of creatives to contribute funds that help creatives and artists with their business and creative needs.

The Victoria Marie Patreon site will offer 4 levels of on-going support: $1.00, $5.00, $10.00 and $15.00. At each level, patrons will receive awesome incentives to include exclusive classes, tutorials, process videos, discounts on Victoria Marie classes and merchandise, and giveaways! The money provided through the Victoria Marie Patreon site will allow me the financial means to bring you more high quality content, classes, and products that you enjoy! Interested? Stay tuned for more details to come! To learn more about Patreon, click HERE.

Wow! That’s a lot of awesome stuff, right? I hope you are as excited as I am – 2017 is going to rock!!! If you have any questions about anything mentioned in this blog, do not hesitate to contact me at victoria@victoriamariescraps.com! Thank you so much for your awesome suggestions and support! I truly love this community!

Cheers to 2017!!!

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY!!! 

TAKE 50% OFF ALL VICTORIA MARIE ONLINE CLASSES!!!