scrapbooking

Happy Halloween!

~ dddesignz ~ 1 Comment

It’s time to get spooky, my friends! This Fall, I participated in an ATC (Artist Trading Card) swap with my VIP friends through Creative Scrapbooking Magazine. ATCs are out of my comfort zone, and this is only my second swap. But I was really inspired by the Halloween swap and had a blast designing these cute little cards. For those who haven’t made an ATC before, each miniature card measures 2 & 1/2″ by 3 & 1/2 inches. Such a small canvas to create on!

Here’s how they came together. I started by fussy-cutting four Halloween images from the Mintay Papers Halloween Book. It is full of whimsical images for creating cards, scrapbook pages, and many other creative projects. Each image was inked around the edges to add a distressed look. I wanted something different for the cards’ backgrounds and searched the Silhouette Design Store for an alternative. I decided that tombstones would be the perfect backdrop. I chose four separate designs for this purpose. Three of the backdrops came from Jillibean Soup – Halloween Tombstone (1 Design ID #384738, 2 Design ID #384737 & 3 Design ID #384739), and the last came from Lilium Pixel SVG – Days Til Halloween Tombstone (Design ID #386333). I resized each cut file to fit the ATC size requirements and cut them twice from BoBunny’s Fright Delight collection (12″ Fright Delight Spiders), and Doubledot Designs (12″ Licorice Journal). I trimmed the black tombstones away from the base of the cut file to mimic a stone foundation for each tombstone. Each stone base was adhered to the bottom of its respective tombstone.

Before assembling my cards, I splattered some black paint on the tombstones to further the distressed look. Once these backgrounds were dry, each image was adhered to a tombstone using Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares.

I placed a Halloween phrase at the bottom of each tombstone using Simple Stories Ephemera Bits and Pieces from their Simple Vintage October 31st set. For additional texture and Halloween fun, I added a bat from this same collection of ephemera, and glossy spiders from Doodlebug Designs Shape Sprinkles (Spooky Spiders). To complete the cards I added Glossy Accents to the eyes of each fussy cut image.

And there you have it, friends, my sweet and spooky Halloween post. To all those Trick-or-Treaters, may your baskets be full of your favourite treats and no tricks tonight. Wishing you all a safe and fun Halloween! Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Just Chill

~ dddesignz ~ Leave a comment

I’m not sure about you, but I’m not ready to let go of summer just yet! We’ve had a wonderful summer and made countless memories that will surely warm our hearts during the cold winter months ahead. What’s better on a hot summer day than a refreshing popsicle? This layout will instantly bring back the feel of summer every time I look at it.

I used a Peartree cut file “Just Chill“, from the June 2025 Pearscriptions files, as the inspiration to document this fun picture of my youngest grandson. I paired the cut file with patterned paper (Bright Side) from Cocoa Vanilla Studio’s Sunkissed collection.

To accentuate the colours of the rainbow, I spent several hours stitching each colour with coordinating embroidery floss from DMC (347, 470, 743, 922 and 3848) and Anchor (066). I love the texture and layering it brought to the final product. Once the stitching was complete, the picture was adhered to the top left side of the layout.

I was looking for a bright and whimsical feel to this layout, so I backed the letters and shape in the cut file with coordinating colours of Bazzill cardstock to mimic the colours of the rainbow. To create additional dimension and texture, it was adhered to the layout using double-sided fun foam. The final element of interest was the addition of the ‘Stay Cool This Summer” tag. This tag is from Echo Park’s “Here Comes The Sun” Frames & Tags set of ephemera. It was a generous donation from Scrap ‘N Stamp to our crop bags at ScrapFest in Kitchener this past April. The orange twine at the top of the tag is Marigold Twistel. It comes from Making Memories and has been in my stash for at least 20 years. The cute colour-coordinated hearts on the tag come from a sticker sheet by Reflections, purchased at Michaels.

This layout was quite simple to create. It just took time and patience (6 hours) to complete the chain stitching on the background layout. Overall, I’m delighted with the final result. It’s just one of those layouts that is sure to make you smile every time you look at it.

Thanks again for stopping in. Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Canada – It’s My DNA

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Happy Canada Day! I had fun documenting this fun picture from July 1, 2024. Taken at their home in Austria, my three grandchildren proudly display their Canadian heritage last July 1. I’m excited to share that they are moving back to Canada later this week! They have enjoyed many adventures in Europe over the last three years and come home with worldly experiences that will support them as they continue their education. I was excited and proud to have this layout published in the 2025 Summer edition of Creative Scrapbooker Magazine. You will find this design on page 49.

This layout came together very quickly using only a few items from my scrapbooking stash. I utilized two cut files from the Silhouette Design Store. First, I cut the red maple leaf and Canada title using cut file #11539. I scaled the wording to fit within the maple leaf. Second, I utilized the wording for the subtitle “It’s My DNA” from the “Canada, it’s my DNA” cut file, ID #356180. These two cut files, combined, provided the exact title I was looking for.

The maple leaf background paper has been in my stash for well over ten years. I am unsure of the manufacturer for it, but I am very pleased that I hung onto it. All the stickers and cardstock die cuts on the layout came from Photoplay’s O Canada collection. Some were adhered with pop dots to provide texture and additional whimsy to the design. I added the year the photo was taken next to the image using Doodlebug Designs white Alphabet Soup puffy stickers.

And that’s a wrap on this simple but fun layout. To all my fellow Canadians, I wish you a wonderful Canada Day as we proudly display our red and white today! Here’s to our great nation, and our talented citizens, past, present and future!

Thanks for joining me. Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Exploring Nature

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Happy iNSD! For those not in the know, Happy International Scrapbooking Day! Yes, it’s a thing, and crafters are celebrating worldwide! Today, I’m sharing a page that came together quite simply. For me, scrapbooking is about sharing memories and events for my family to share and revisit. This photo is one that I can’t stop staring at. My daughter-in-law, Tanis, captured this amazing moment in time atop Roche Miette in Jasper National Park. Roche Miette is a 7,598-foot high mountain.

Imagine my heart when I saw my son running to the mountaintop edge! You can see their dog, Lillie, in the bottom right, keeping a keen eye on him too. But I must admit, who can blame him for wanting to get a better viewpoint? This view is spectacular and part of our exceptional Canadian landscape! With the enormous view, I chose to print the picture extra large (12″ x 9″) and let the picture tell the story on this layout.

I did not want to distract from this gorgeous photo, so I chose only a title to embellish this layout. Once again, I turned to Peartree Cutfiles to find the perfect title. The Exploring Nature title was just what I was looking for. After resizing the title to my page, I cut it on my Silhouette using white cardstock.

I searched through my patterned paper stash to find a paper that would complement the photo and support the word “nature” in the cut file. I found the match in paper F from Paper Rose Studio’s Forest Trip collection. After manipulating the cut file and offsetting the letters in the word Nature to create the background, I positioned the new file on the patterned paper to cut along the colourful tree line.

I’m very pleased with how this paper complements the photo.

I added the location and date to complete this layout using Doodlebug Designs White Alphabet Soup Puffy Stickers. And there you have it—a simple yet visually effective layout that uses an oversized picture to tell the story.

Thanks for popping in today. If you’re a paper crafter, I hope you’ve found time today to enjoy our passion for creating. Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Intrepid Explorer

~ dddesignz ~ 3 Comments

My oldest grandson, Owen, has a keen interest in history. During the Christmas holidays, his family traveled to Stockholm, Sweden, and visited the exhibits at the Armémuseum (Swedish Army Museum). Owen enjoys getting immersed in the events he’s learning about. I love this picture of him wearing an old army coat from the exhibit. This picture inspired me to create a layout to celebrate his love of history and discovery.

I enjoyed creating this layout and drew on ten brands for the final product. Unfortunately, some of the products used have been in my scrapbook stash for years and are no longer available for purchase. The Intrepid Explorer cut file for this layout came from Peartree Cutfiles. I cut it from black Bazzill cardstock and partnered it with rusty patterned paper from 49 and Market’s Rust and Revs collection. The beautiful rusty patterned paper helped highlight the rust in the base paper. This background paper belongs to Mintay Paper’s Traveller collection. When I buy a collection, I often purchase the smaller add-on paper packs, which are handy for backing cut files or cutting additional items without wasting the large 12″ x 12″ designs. In this case, the rusty, dotted patterned paper had a slightly smaller and more variegated pattern. I loved the effect it brought to the layout. I also used a nested star die set from Sizzix to cut several star shapes from this patterned paper. The stars had slightly beveled edges, which I highlighted with a thin black Sharpie marker.

I stamped several different star images from the My Favorite Things, Stars Above stamp set to give the layout more depth and texture. This stamp set is an older release and is no longer available. The script stamp came from a 7 Gypsies stamp set called Avignon and is also no longer available. The wood veneer stars are also vintage and came from Studio Calico. I sprayed them with Tim Holtz’s Rusty Hinge Distress SPRITZ to highlight the background paper’s rusty tones. As seen behind the globe, the ticket came from 49 and Market’s Ticket Essentials pack (Color Swatch Toast).

The phrases on the layout, “Never Stop Exploring” and “Oh, The Places You Will Go,” are rub-ons from the 49 and Market Wherever Ride Rub-on Transfer set. The detailed travel theme ephemera belongs to the coordinating Traveller paper die-cut package by Mintay Papers. I placed fun foam and pop dots behind some of the ephemera pieces to give the layout additional dimension. I added the location and date below the title to complete the design using Doodlebug Designs Alphabet Soup Puffy Stickers in beetle black.

I am happy with the final layout and its overall look and feel. I hope my grandson’s interest in history grows and he continues to learn and discover more about those who paved the way for us today. Thanks for stopping in today, and until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Bilingual Junior High School

~ dddesignz ~ 4 Comments

Happy Birthday to our oldest grandchild! Maddie turns 14 today! Where has the time gone? This young beauty is in her last year of German/English Junior High School in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, and I created this layout to document her school picture. The last two and a half years have been a lot of work for her. Not only was her family uprooted from Canada and their family and friends, but she was also required to learn German to be successful at school. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. You’d agree that this picture speaks volumes to her happiness and success. We couldn’t be happier or prouder of all her accomplishments in such a short time. Well done, Maddie!

I chose the gorgeous Photographer collection of patterned papers from Mintay Papers to document this milestone. The sizeable floral lens paper is paper number two in the collection pack.

Mintay has an Instagram presence (@mintaypapers). I enjoy learning from their talented design team. I followed one of their tutorials, which demonstrated cutting into the patterned paper to insert a photo. While initially nervous that I might ruin the paper, it was relatively easy to accomplish. I am delighted with the results and appreciate the tutorials they share.

Additionally, I used ephemera from the coordinating paper die-cut package and a phrase from the 6 x 12 paper stickers of words. I layered the ephemera cameras on the page using double-sided foam tape. I secured the “keep your focus” phrase using fun foam. I used Doodlebug Design’s Alphabet Soup Puffy Stickers in black to complete the wording around the outside of the lens.

I kept this design reasonably simple. I did not want to distract from the gorgeous patterned paper and oversized lens, which I feel draws your eyes directly to my granddaughter’s beautiful photo.

Thanks for joining me today as I celebrate Maddie’s special day! Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Holly Jolly

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Oh, the magic of Christmas! Our hometown has record snowfalls, which gets me in the mood for all things Christmas. Last weekend, our youngest grandson, Ben, had a heartwarming visit with St Nikolaus at their city park in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. It was a truly special moment for him.

Folklore in Austria tells the tale of Krampus, a devilish-looking character who beats badly behaved children with a birch rod. Krampus is everything a nightmare is looking for! Ben is terrified of Krampus, as he reports his teacher told him that Krampus “steals” children! However, Ben also knows that St. Nikolaus rewards children who are good with gifts, so visiting with St. Nikolaus was a welcome reassurance that all will be well this Christmas.

I created this layout using Paige Taylor Evan’s Sleigh cut file, which is Design ID #456879 in the Silhouette Design Store.

I used various papers to back this cut file, including red and white glitter, cardstock, and different patterned papers from the Simple Stories—Simple Vintage ‘Tis The Season collection. Once I completed the cut file, I adhered it to the layout on white fun foam for added dimension. Small red enamel dots from Carta Bella completed the sleigh. The background paper for this layout comes from the Simple Stories Country Christmas collection. The specific page is called O Christmas Tree.

I wanted to mimic the Christmas lights in the trees surrounding Ben and St. Nikolaus. To achieve this, I modified the Garland cut file, Design ID #1233064, also found in the Silhouette Design Store.

I cut off the upper edge and loops of the design to achieve a more accurate likeness to the photo. I cut two copies of this file to reach the 12′ Garland length. I used silver cardstock, light gold cardstock, and vellum to complete the lights. Next, I added a few silver stars above the lights to enhance the feeling of the evening.

I found the remaining elements in the Simple Stories—Simple Vintage ‘Tis the Season Floral and Bits & Pieces ephemera packages to complete the layout. I used a Sharpie pen to add details and the date to the bottom right-hand corner.

I wish you all a little bit of magic this special holiday season. May 2025 bring us all much happiness and joy!

Thanks for following my scrapping journey. Until next time, stay safe and healthy. Happy Scrapping!

Globe Museum

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Since the Ancient Greeks discovered that our world was round, our fascination with this beautiful planet has never waned. Finding out that our earth is a sphere has been one of the most important discoveries in history. From understanding our place in the universe and creating accurate maps to designing buildings and bridges that can outlast earthquakes, understanding the earth’s shape has scientific and practical purposes we apply daily.

We were delighted to visit the Globe Museum in Vienna, Austria, late last fall. This museum is unique in the world. It contains over 250 exclusive terrestrial and celestial globes, globes of the moon and other planets, as well as numerous astronomical instruments. It was a visually beautiful and highly educational experience. It has something for everyone. Seeing these fascinating spheres firsthand was a moving experience. The hardest part of creating this layout was deciding which globes to include!

Here are the details of my design process.

I created this double-page layout using 49 and Market’s new travel collection called Wherever. The background pages are the front and back of The World Awaits patterned paper. I embellished it with coordinating acetate film strips on both pages. The word phases came from the Laser Cut Elements and some leftovers from the Wherever Page Kit.

I didn’t want my journalling to distract from the beautiful globes on the layout, so I created a hidden journalling pocket to accomplish this goal. The pocket and the journalling tag are 7Gypsies products I have owned for over a decade. I placed the title for the layout on the tag using blue Happy Life Thickers. The blue twine attached to the tag is a Macrame Jewelry Cord from The Beadery.

Additional embellishments on these pages included utilizing a couple of Chipboard Map Frames. I used some leftovers from the Everywhere collection, and they coordinated beautifully. The stacked suitcases and the New Discoveries word strip belonged to the Laser Cut Elements package. I backed the suitcases with dimensional fun foam. The Travel More circle and the airplane came from the Wherever Chipboard Bits package.

And there you have it! A relatively simple layout to come together. With patterned papers this gorgeous, you can use fewer embellishments. Did you see me peeking through the globes in the far right-hand picture?

Thanks for stopping in today, and until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Change of Address

~ dddesignz ~ 2 Comments

As 2023 draws to a close, it’s that time of year when we begin to take stock of our accomplishments. While the list can be long, few will stand out as a life event. This year has been full of life events for my son and his wife. And while these life events were all challenging in their own right, causing much discomfort and soul-searching, they all had a happy ending! This layout celebrates purchasing their first home – a real milestone in any couple’s relationship!

The cut files for this layout come from Jennifer Edwardson Creative. They are named Moving Cut File Bundle. I chose three cut files (For Sale, SOLD, and Change of Address) within this bundle to create this page. Most patterned papers and embellishments come from Carta Bella, primarily the Gather at Home collection. The Paired with Plaid patterned paper provided the background for this page.

I cut the For Sale sign from a soft grey cardstock. The white weather wood pattern paper was just the look I was seeking. Once created, I adhered it to the background paper using Scrapbook Adhesives Crafty Foam Tape. This dimension helped provide an illusion of movement in the hanging sign. I cut the letters for the SOLD sign using a coordinating patterned paper called Pitcher Perfect from the Gather at Home collection. The completed cut file was also adhered to the background using foam adhesive, enhancing the effect of resting on the top of the For Sale sign. The final cut file I used from this bundle was the Change of Address. I used a dark coordinating patterned paper in the Gather at Home collection to cut the letters. I adhered these letters to grey cardstock that matched the For Sale sign. 

In creating the left-hand side of this page, I used four coordinating patterned papers from the Gather at Home collection. They included Fresh Floral (top and bottom) and the back side of the following: 3×4 Journaling Cards,  4×4 Journaling Cards, and Time for Dinner. Each paper was cut 4″ in width and then randomly placed down the page at different lengths. I hand-stitched using two coordinating DMC embroidery flosses (black & 564) to ease the transition between papers. The two stickers in this section belong to Carta Bella’s Home Again collection. They were a perfect fit and matched with the Gather at Home collection. In completing the left-hand side of the page, I added the coordinating Home is Where Your Story Begins strip. This strip helps provide a soft transition to the main section of the layout.

I adore this photo of Sean, Tanis and their dog Lillie. I don’t know about you, but I think the dog has the biggest smile in the picture! You can see and feel the excitement in each of them. I placed the word HAPPY from the coordinating Home Again Chipboard Accents on the photo. I used Doodlebug Designs Alphabet Soup Puffy Stickers to add the date. 

I am so glad to have this milestone documented for posterity. I know that as the years progress and they look back at this moment, they will marvel at all the changes they’ve made to their new home. Let the fun begin!

Thanks for joining me today. I hope I’ve nudged you to document this year’s accomplishments and milestones! Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Christmas Market Vienna

~ dddesignz ~ 2 Comments

Who’s ready to go on a ride with me?! On a recent visit to see family in Austria, we had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Christmas Market in front of Vienna’s City Hall (Rauthausplatz Christkindlmarkt). To say it was magical, would simply be an understatement. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the tastes – every turn was a new and exciting discovery. The roots of this market date back to the late 18th century and over 3 million visitors are expected to attend this year. I am so fortunate to count myself among them! A highlight for me was taking my grandchildren on this gigantic, two-tier carousel.

I am thrilled to share with you my second layout as a Guest Designer for Paige Evan’s 25 Christmas Cut Files! Paige’s Carousel cut file was perfect to help me document this wonderful moment. This cut file is part of the 25 Christmas Cut Files released this year. It can also be purchased separately in Paige’s shop at https://bit.ly/digitalcutfiles. To start this layout I cut the file from white card stock and backed it with several patterned papers from the Sugarplum Wishes collection.

The trees at the top of the carousel were fussy-cut from paper #11. They fit perfectly in the canopy. I included a bit of gold foil cardstock for the star medallions, pony poles and at the base of the carousel. Once I completed this step, I placed the cut file on my background paper and offset it slightly to the right. After trimming the cut file on the right, I adhered fun foam to the entire back to help lift it off the page. This technique aided in the illusion of being able to jump on the carousel. The stars adorning the canopy and at the base of the carousel were cut from red glitter fun foam.

The green enamel dots at the base of the carousel and the pink enamel dots on the noses of the ponies both come from the Sugarplum Wishes collection. Clear rhinestone dots were also used at the base of the carousel and at the top of the flag pole. The large glitter dots that fill in the hanging ornaments were purchased at a stationary store in Austria.

All of the embellishments on this page came from the Sugarplum Wishes Ephemera Die Cuts and the Floral & Snowflake Die Cuts packages. The word FUN! and the stars at the top of the page belong to the Foam Stickers sheet. The title, Christmas Market Vienna, was added using the multi-coloured alphabet stickers from the large Stickers package.

And there you have it! A special memory with my grandchildren that we will reflect on for years ahead! Thanks for stopping in today. I wish each one of you the Happiest of Holidays! To quote my Mom: “Go and make wonderful memories!”

Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!