** Announcement ** And a recent small project!

 Hi everyone,

Today I wanted to make an announcement with regard to my blog. It is no secret that the popularity of blogs is not what it once was, thanks to the explosion of other social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. 

I, like so many other creators, have noticed a huge decline in the number of visitors to my blog as people migrate to other sources for creative inspiration. It is for this reason that I will be reducing the amount of content that I share on here. I simply can't keep up with writing long blog posts for every project when I am also trying to keep up with producing content for other platforms. Having said that, I WILL still post photos of my projects here, but if you are looking for more detail about those projects, or how I created them, I would recommend watching my YouTube videos (which I will also share here). I'm sorry to all those faithful followers who still rely on my blog to learn, or for more details about my work, but I hope you will understand.

Today I am going to share with you a recent project I created - a page for one of my sons in my traveller's notebook using the new Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'No Limits' collection...

If you haven't visited my YouTube channel before, please consider popping over and watching the video for this project. In only one minute I will show you how this page came together, and I hope you might also subscribe to my channel and have a look at some of my other longer process videos whilst you are there.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, I hope to see you on some of my other platforms linked below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sue.plumb.designs

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sue.plumb/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SuePlumbDesigns

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Traveler's Notebook Spreads | Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi everyone!
By now I am sure you already know of my love for traveler's notebooks, so today I am popping in to share two TN spreads I created recently for Cocoa Vanilla Studio.

The first one I am sharing features the oh-so-beautiful 'Unforgettable' collection. I had a couple of photos of my sister and I that I printed in black and white, as I figured that despite being two separate pages, that they would work well side by side in my book. 

I began with the 6x8" Paper Stack, as these are the perfect sizes papers for my notebook inserts. I chose the scaled down version of the stunning butterfly Lacewing 12x12" paper for the base of my pages. I trimmed down my sheet into two pieces and placed one either side of the spine.

On the left side I then added a pink and white striped piece of paper cut from the Pretty Bits 12x12" cut apart paper. I then adhered my photo and journalling on top. I then worked vertically from the top to the bottom to embellish my page.  

At the top I used the our little moments sticker from the Accessory Stickers sheet; followed by the captured word cut from the Story Teller paper; the large butterfly fussy cut from the Pretty Bits paper; and the small heart tab sticker from the Accessory Stickers sheet.

I finished along the bottom of the page with the best things in life are free sticker and stamped the date.

I knew I needed to work in a vertical style again on the right page so that the two sides of my spread had cohesion across the design. 

I started by adding the every photo has a story quote piece from the 6x8" Paper Stack; followed by the wood grain piece from the Story Teller paper with my photo and journalling on top. Below that I added the take a photo it will last longer sticker from the Accessory Stickers sheet; then finished off with the cute pink camera from the Die Cut Ephemera pack. 

For my second spread, I decided to work with the previously released 'Happiness' collection to document some photos of my boys and I on a day out together.

This time I was able to work with the spread as a whole, rather than two separate pages sharing a spread. I started with the 6x8" Paper Pad, choosing the scaled down version of the Sprinkles paper as the base for my pages. I cut the sheet into two uneven pieces and placed them either side of the spine. 

I then added my three photos and my journalling, which I stuck on top of a journal box cut from the Little Things paper. I also added the making memories quote card from the same paper. 

Next, I added some floral pieces from the Die Cut Ephemera pack - cutting the largest piece in two and placing in on either side of the spine at the bottom of the page. I also used a couple of single flowers, which I tucked under the edges of my photos. 

I then added two small phrase stickers from the Accessory Stickers sheet; and finished off with a few other elements from the ephemera pack - tickets, hearts and the title piece.

That's all from me today, I hope I have inspired you to try some traveler's notebook spreads if you haven't already - it's such a fun size to work in!
Until next time, happy scrapping! X

For the Boys - Traveler's Notebook Spreads | Scrapping Clearly

Hi everyone! Back again today with another of my guest designer projects created for Scrapping Clearly last month. As my first project was a pretty floral 12x12" layout, I decided to go in an entirely different direction with some boy themed traveler's notebook (TN) spreads.

My love for TNs has really grown over the past 12 months, as I approach this format quite differently to the "traditional" layouts I do. These little books are less about the process, and more about getting the memories down so I include a lot more journalling. For today's post I was working in one of my sons books and getting a couple of stories recorded for him.

I started this spread with a piece of leftover patterned paper from another project, so I thought I would take the opportunity to use it up on this. (This is a great way to use up scraps.) The paper I used was the I Love You paper from the Simple Stories 'Heart' collection, and I placed a piece on either side of my spread as my base.

The next step was to arrange my photos and my printed journalling. (I pre-print my journalling so I know exactly how much space it will need on the page.) Just like a larger layout, once I have those things in place, it's simply a case of filling in space with embellishments. For this spread I was working with the Ephemera Pack from the Pinkfresh Studio 'Boys Fort' collection. 

All the embellishments you can see on this spread are from the same Ephemera Pack; and I simply shuffled through the pack and found ones that work work to fill the spaces on my page. The final step to finish off my spread was to add some spots to the white space using a very fine grey felt pen.

For my second spread, I again began with my background. This time I used a scrap of the Treasured Memories paper (also from the Simple Stories 'Heart' collection); along with a scrap of the Happy Go Lucky paper from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Boys Rule' collection. 

This time I also matted my main photo with the same Cocoa Vanilla Studio patterned paper to help it stand out more on the page. Again, I placed my photos and journalling before turning my attention to the embellishments.

I used the same Pinkfresh Studio 'Boys Fort' Ephemera Pack to embellish this page as I did for the previous spread. This time however, I needed an extra pop of blue so I fussy cut some blue stars from the Starshine paper from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'You Rock' collection (using my awesome limited edition gold Fiskars scissors).

I finished off my spread by stamping some little banners using StazOn black ink and a roller stamp from my stash; and with some doodling using fine tip felt pens.

Thanks so much for stopping by so I could share this with you today.
Until next time, happy scrapping! X

"Throwback Thursday" TN pages | Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi everyone! Popping in today to share some new Traveler's Notebook spreads that I created with the beautiful 'Bohemian Dream' collection for Cocoa Vanilla Studio as part of the "Throwback Thursday" feature.

For these spreads, I documented a variety of family memories, ensuring that the details of the stories were also recorded. I started with a spread for my daughter, choosing photos that I thought would work well with the same colour scheme.

I started with a piece of the Dreamer paper, cutting it into two pieces and placing it either side of the spine. (This is usually my "go to" starting point to create cohesion across the two pages.) On the left page I also added a small scrap of the Abstract paper, and on the right page an extra piece of the Dreamer paper, showing the stripes on the other side.

After deciding where my photos and journalling would go, I used a variety of pieces from the Die Cut Ephemera pack and some Accessory Stickers to decorate the page, finishing off with a few hearts from the Enamel Shapes pack.

For my second spread, which I created for one of my sons, I began with a strip of the gorgeous Gypsy Heart paper on each page to anchor my design. 

I then matted one of the photos with the reverse side of the Gypsy Heart paper before sticking both photos down. Again, I had pre-printed my journalling (so I knew exactly how much space it would require); and then added it to the pages too.

Then it was simply a case of decorating the pages by filling in the gaps. I used stickers from the Accessory Sticker sheet, including some of the small word / phrase stickers; and pieces from the Die Cut Ephemera pack. I also added a few enamel hearts. To finish the spread and fill in some of the white space, I added some extra doodled details using felt pen and coloured pencils, as well as stamped the date.

My final page was also for my daughter's book. I had found this photo in my stash that I had printed some time ago but never used; so I looked up the memory on my Facebook page to see what the details were. I was so happy to come across a funny quote she had said, so used it in my journalling.

I again used a piece of the Gypsy Heart paper (as it was already out on my table), then added the photo and journalling. To fill the gaps I added the smile sentiment from the Boho Bits paper; a couple of larger stickers from the Accessory Sticker sheet, then the sweet little bird from the same sheet - quick and easy! I finished the page off with some doodled detail.

Thanks so much for stopping by today so I could share this with you. If you are love the 'Bohemian Dream' collection as much as I do, you can find it in the Cocoa Vanilla store HERE

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

"Stars & Stripes" Traveler's Notebook Spreads | Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi everyone! Back again with another share for you.This time, it's some traveler's notebook pages that I created recently for Cocoa Vanilla Studio as part of the "Stars or Stripes" theme that the DT were challenged with.

I decided to take the opportunity to create these TN spreads, as I have recently been working to getting more stories documented for my children. Each of my kids have their own books, and the focus of these is to use of some of the "extra" photos that don't make it onto layouts. (I have found searching through my Facebook timeline to be a valuable resource for this, as I have often shared funny stories of things they have done or said. The fact I am also able to access an accompanying photo and the date it happened makes the whole process so much easier.)

I tend to have a "go to" formula when creating these spreads. I choose a patterned paper first (in this case the Galactic paper), then cut a piece and stick it either side of the spine so that it carries across both pages. I don't necessarily use both pages for the same story, but try to choose photos that will work with the colours. (Here, the red of his shirts that meant these two memories could share a spread.) I also pre-print out my journalling and cut it out.

Once the paper is in place and I have decided roughly where my photos and journalling will go, it is simply a matter of filling the space with a variety of embellishments. Due to the nature of these books, I usually stick with flat things, such as die cut ephemera, stickers and cut apart papers. (I have found this is a great way to use up some of those left-overs you have.)

For my second spread (which documented a range of funny reasons my toddler son cried); I again used the 'You Rock' collection, this time starting with the wood grain print of the Plus One paper as it featured vertical "stripes".

I didn't have a photo of my son actually crying during any of these moments, so just used a photo of him (and his twin brother) that was taken during the same month. To decorate my spread I used a variety of Die Cut Ephemera pieces and some Accessory Stickers. In keeping with the theme, I also added two strips of the star print Washi Tape Stickers down the sides.

That die cut "everything is better when you're laughing" was perfect for this spread, because I certainly laughed at the time!

For my third spread, I decided to bust some stash - going all the way back to the 'Flying High' collection. As this page was documenting some of the reasons my other son had cried, I simply used the same photo I had on his brother's spread; then chose a different story that worked with the colour scheme for the opposing page.

I started with a piece of the Little Star paper and a scrap of the Flight Path paper, which were both perfect for the "Stars & Stripes" theme. (I even stuck with an American red, white and blue palette for this spread.) To embellish my page I only used stickers from the 'Flying High' 12x12" Accessory Sticker sheet and then finished off with some felt pens and a date stamp.

Thanks so much for stopping by today so I could share these with you. If you have been thinking about trying this style of memory keeping I would encourage you to do so - it's a great way to document some of those "extra" photos and stories and a great way to use up scraps too.

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Easter Traveler's Notebook Spreads | Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi everyone!

Just popping in to share some traveler's notebook spreads that I created for Cocoa Vanilla Studio for our recent TN theme. I decided to tackle this task by creating each spread with a common theme (Easter), but by using different collections and styles.

For my first one, I went all the way back to the 'Made of Awesome' collection that was released in 2015, and paired it with a cute photo of my boys from a couple of years ago.

I used a small piece of piece of one of the papers that I had left over; which I cut in two and placed either side of the spine. I then took the opportunity to use up some vellum stars and lots of left over accessory stickers, which I added in a cascading-style design down the left side of the page. (This is a great way to use up left over stickers!) I used a frame from the Die Cut Ephemera pack to frame my photo and added printed journalling to document the story.

For my second spread I switched to the gorgeous 'Bohemian Dream' collection as I thought it would work well with my photos taken at a fun morning of Easter hat craft at school with my boys.

Just as I did with my first spread, I used a piece of left over paper (this painted style one is called 'Abstract'), and I added some on each side of the spine. I then added my photos before using a combination of Accessory Stickers and Die Cut Ephemera to embellish the pages. To carry through the artistic style and the colour theme, I used coloured pencils to add some doodled highlights.

For my final spread I used the newest Cocoa Vanilla collection on the block - the gorgeous 'Happiness' collection to document a photo of my kids from this year.

I added a piece of the spotted Sprinkles paper to the left side of my spread and then used the reverse side of the Meadow paper to mat my photo and also cut some feature pieces for my page. I used a variety of Easter themed cut files (available free from Paper Issues) to cut the word bunny, some egg shapes and the little rabbit. I used some of the watercolour stickers from the Clear Stickers pack to add to my background on the right side of the page; then added the word sweet from the Die Cut Titles pack to complete my title.

That's all from me today, thanks for stopping by so I could share these with you.
Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Stash-busting Traveler's Notebook Pages | Flutterby Designs

Hi everyone!

After being away on retreat last weekend and then playing catch up all week at home since my return, it's time to do some catching up here. Today I am sharing some recent design team work I created for Flutterby Designs.
To switch it up and keep things interesting for myself, I have recently begun working in a traveler's notebook. People use TN's in all sorts of ways, but I have stuck with the memory keeping format just like I use my scrapbook layouts for. I have found the smaller size great for a change, and perfect for documenting some of the photos from my phone that I wouldn't necessarily create a large layout for. It has also given me the chance to use up a lot of bits and pieces from my stash.

For my "Let's Pug It Out" page that I created to feature some silly photos of my daughter trying on animal masks in Kmart; I took the opportunity to use up an Everyday Etc card from the 'Furever Friends' collection for my title and the pug picture. 

Other items on this page included 'Mad About You' Sticky Quotes; Photo Cut Out tabs; Blackboard Sticky Alphas; Rainbow Heart Stickers; and a Snippet Strip.

I also used some washi tape and a Colour Blast Colour Shimmer Cube from my stash.

For my "Box Head Fun" double page spread documenting a workshop my kids attended during the holidays; I used some 12x12" paper from the 'Happily Ever After' collection for the quote and also to fill space on my pages, but any Flutterby Everyday Etc Cards, would also be perfect for this purpose.

Again, I used a random assortment of items across these pages including left over stickers from the 'Xtreme Teen' and 'Good Vibes Only' Sticky Quotes sheets; Teal Sticky Alphas; and another Photo Cut Out tab. Again, I added some watercolour paint using a Colour Blast Colour Shimmer Cube.

For my "Netflix" themed page, I used one of the 'Good Vibes Only' Everyday Etc cards to create my title; and the watercolour feature underneath my journalling came from one of the coordinating filler cards. I also used the large icecream from the 'Good Vibes Only' Die Cut Bits & Bobs pack. 

I finished off with an assortment of items - 'Happily Ever After' Sticky Quotes; die cut from the 'Mad About You' collection; and Rainbow Heart Stickers.

I also used washi tape from my stash and another Colour Shimmer Cube.

If you haven't tried working in a traveler's notebook yet, why not give it a go? It's often good for your creativity to change things up a bit, and this is a fabulous way to use up some of those left-overs in your stash. (To make way for new ones, of course!) 

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Travelers Notebook Pages | Viva Las VegaStamps

Hi everyone!

Popping in with another catch up design team project to share with you.
Recently my kids had their winter school holiday break; and as much as I loved spending extra time with them, it did make it more difficult to find time to create than usual. It also meant that every time I did, my mini crafters were right there sharing my space. The solution was to work on a smaller scale, so I switched to working in a travelers notebook.

The beauty of working in the travelers notebook, meant I was able to create these pages with far less supplies than I would usually use for a traditional scrapbook layout. (It's also a great way to use up some of those phone photos that aren't the best quality as they are printed in a smaller size.)

Here are a couple of pages I created documenting some daily moments...

The process for creating the pages was simple. I started by deciding where my photos were going to be placed and then just sat them on the page without sticking them down. I then tore some pieces of washi tape and added them to the page to provide some structure to work from, and also a splash of colour. Next, I chose a stamp as my focal image that supported the theme of my photos and began constructing the page. 

For the bike riding page I chose the Whimsical Wheeley Dog as my main stamped image, and She Spread Her Wings as the title. I added the Let Fear Be quote at the bottom of the page; and the I Do All My Own Stunts quote at the top of the page; then used the Row of Chevrons stamp to draw attention to the title and main photo.  

I used Miracle Tape to fix my photos my photos in place before adding my handwritten journalling with a felt pen. Watercolour pencils were used to add colour to the page, which were blended out with a water brush. To finish off, I used the Doodle Dots stamp and green ink to add some extra interest, and tie in further with the green spotted washi tape I had used. I also stamped the date.

For my second page, which was about our outing to see "Hotel Transylvania" at the movies, I followed the same process as for the previous page - first deciding where my photos would go, then adding the washi tape before moving onto the stamps. 

To tie in with one of the characters from the movie, I chose the Mummy stamp as my main focal image. I also stamped the Freaks stamp several times for the title of my page. I then looked for other stamps that supported my theme, choosing the Blood Dripping and Escape stamps to use in the top part of my page. To draw attention to the main focal image, I used the Row of Chevrons stamp.

For the bottom portion of my page, which was about our trip to McDonalds after the movie, I used the Oh My! and Biohazard stamps. (Not sure McDonalds would appreciate the humour in that one! haha)

I then followed the same process to finish as for the previous page - fixing my photos in place with Miracle Tape; adding my journalling; using watercolour pencils to add colour; then stamping the date and adding extra interest with the Doodle Dots stamp.

Thanks for stopping by today so I could share this with you.

Have you tried working in a travelers notebook before? If not, I would highly recommend giving it a go! There are no limits to what you can create - you can use it for documenting memories like I have here; for making lists; or even like a mini art journal. The scale is perfect for stamping, and I know they will be fun to look back through in future.

I hope I have inspired you to get inky too!

Until next time, happy scrapping! X