I Posted My First “Cozy Vlog” YouTube Video…Diving In Head First!

Yesterday, I posted my very first “cozy weekend vlog” video. Since changing the focus of my content, I have decided to jump in head first! Why not take a few calculated risks this year…I’m all for it.

To be honest, I was nervous and a little apprehensive. Like other YouTube content creators, I want my videos to do well and resonate with my audience. And I want to continue nurturing my subscribers while welcoming new crafters and hobbyist to my channel. I’ve been in this game long enough to know that I just need to put myself out there and likeminded folks will come.

So, if you haven’t already, head over to the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel and show this cozy vlog some love! In this video I share my current cross stitch WIP (almost finished), a bit of coloring, a junk journal spread, a mini puzzle, and a quick trip to a local Japanese Anime bookstore.

COLORING

I have enjoyed coloring since I was a little Vicki! There is nothing like opening a fresh new coloring book and a box of Crayons (markers or color pencils). This easy cozy hobby is perfect for a relaxing day at home or to take on the go. And the best part? You don’t need to be a highly skilled colorist! Just grab your favorite medium and enjoy putting color on paper…easy peasy!

MY CURRENT CROSS STITCH WIP (Work in Progress)

I am almost finished with my winter cross stitch project called Christmas Penguin by Dimensions. I purchased this kit at Joann Fabric last year. After a quick Google search, I was able to find a listing on the Michaels website (out of stock), and on Ebay (don’t buy it on Ebay…the price is too high). Unfortunately, Dimensions does not have this kit listed on their website.

Anyhoo, there is a full section of half stitches at the bottom of this piece that nearly got my goat! When I started the snow section, my stitch count was off, so I pulled out all of the stitches and started over. During the second attempt, I was halfway finished with the right side only to discover that I used the wrong darn stitch! This section calls for half stitches versus full cross stitches. So, I pulled the stitches out for a second time and started over. Fortunately, the third attempt was successful and I finished the bottom portion last week. All that is left to do is the outline and letter stitches. Good grief!

JUNK JOURNAL

I have made junk journals on and off for many years. Recently, I’ve been inspired to jump back into this form of paper crafting. I have a lot of supplies and fodder hanging around that I need to put to good use. Also, it feels good to have a project that I can make without boundaries – junk journals allow us to create freely without restraint…I love that!

I like to incorporate a ton of random items, old scrapbooking supplies, stamping, stitching, photos, die cuts, images from books and magazines, tickets, receipts, sticky notes…everything is fair game. For this spread, I used stamps, scrapbooking embellishments, stickers, and an image from a magazine to create this design. Sometimes I write in my junk journals, and other times I just want to make pretty layouts. I cannot wait to share more of my junk journal adventures on my channel!

MINI PUZZLE

I am a life-long puzzler and often work on mini puzzles in preparation for doing a large puzzle or as a mental warm-up exercise while eating breakfast. I found this mini puzzle at Half Priced books and I couldn’t wait to put it together! I mean…it’s an adorable box of chocolates…who could resist? This 150-piece puzzle measures 9.25 x 6.75 inches, so it doesn’t take up too much space. Interested? Just do a Google search for “a Little Something Chocolate Mini Puzzle” for a list of retailers.

I hope my cozy vlogs will inspire you to indulge in all of your favorite cozy hobbies and crafts. I look forward to sharing more as I continue my new content journey. Enjoy!

Victoria Marie YouTube Livestream Change!

Since 2020, I have hosted weekly livestream sessions on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel (lovingly nicknamed “The Staff Meeting”) as a way to connect with our community and to share creative inspiration during a very challenging time.

In recent months, I’ve had some changes to my professional and personal schedule in addition to working on a couple of exciting new projects that command a lot of my time. Because of this, I have made the decision to change my YouTube livestream schedule. My plan is to host a livestream session at least 1 time per month starting in March 2023.

In today’s video, I share a quick update about this change and my plans going forward. Meanwhile, stay tuned for new content that will be coming to the channel soon! Thanks so much for your continued support!

NEW Scrapbook Process Video – Let’s Make a Layout! Cheers Year 41!

Happy Friday! Let’s kickoff the weekend with a fun scrapbook process video, now available on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel!

Today, I am making my annual birthday layout called Cheers! Year 41, using goodies from the January 2022 Hip Kit Club Scrapbook Kit and Embellishment Kit. This 12 x 12 inch layout features a photo collage, simple embellishing, and a bit of hand stitching.

Every year, I create a scrapbook page to celebrate my birthday. In March of this year, I celebrated my 41st trip around the sun! I love celebrating my birthday and documenting how much I have changed, my current interests, and my hopes for the future.

To see this layout come together, check out the following process video!

This project was so much fun to make! The photos take center stage while the pattern paper and embellishments complete the overlook of this design.

This layout features a layered photo collage. Each photo was resized to 3×3 inches and printed with a white border. TIP: Reducing the size of your photos makes it easier to create a single page multi-photo layout.

To flank the photos, I created small clusters of layered embellishments that feature floral die cuts, wood veneer elements, and tiny chipboard flowers. The title was created using a combination of a word die cut (Cheers!) and chipboard letters from the January 2022 Hip Kit Club Kit. I love coordinating die cuts with letter stickers to create unique title designs!

This layout also features hand stitching! I paired two colors of DMC embroidery floss (#165 and #162) to create a layered stitched look. It’s hard to see the delineation on video and in the photo. But, in-person, this technique offers a really cool effect!

I hope you are inspired to create a layout to celebrate a special occasion in your life! Thanks so much for stopping by!

My Scrapbook Studio Spring Clean Series!

Spring is almost here and that means it is time for a new season and a fresh start! During this time of the year, I spend a considerable amount of time purging, cleaning, and organizing my home, including my scrapbook studio. This week, I am featuring a new Spring Clean Series on the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel!

During this series, I am purging a TON of scrapbook and crafting materials, as well cleaning and organizing my studio. At the end of this series, I will share a full scrapbook room tour and I’ll be hosting a really fun giveaway, so stay tuned!

Be sure to head to the Victoria Marie YouTube Channel to see the first video in this series. In today’s video, I am tackling my paper stash, kits, embellishments, and other crafty materials. And throughout the week, I’ll be purging and organizing other areas of my studio to include my die cutting and printing station, stamps, tools, adhesive stash and more!

Be sure to join me all week long for spring cleaning inspiration and tips for getting your scrapbook space in tip top shape!

Let’s do this!