Catching Up: Project Life 2015 and the DigiScrap Geek Podcast Episode 38

It has been my goal to share relevant thoughts and inspiration to go along with each episode of the DigiScrap Geek Podcast. I was doing quite well with this up until a few weeks ago when I rebranded my website. Changing things around on MSE took all of my full attention. I changed to a new template, had to learn a few new things and then learn to fix the mistakes I made along the way. It wasn't necessarily hard but it was time consuming. I still find myself tweaking things but well, I digress...

Back to the topic! We have continued to record the DigiScrap Geek Podcast and I have continued to write down ideas to expound upon regarding the subjects we cover. Today's post has to do with a request from our latest episode. The topic of Project Life came up. I love Project Life but as with anything I do, I have found I needed to organize it my way in order for me to make it a doable project. I have talked before about how I do a monthly page spread mixed in with 12 x 12 Scrapbook layouts. Talking about something is one thing. Showing is another. I decided to make a video sharing a walk through of my 2015 Scrapbook Album to date.

In the video, I talk a little about how my method is saving me space. I know it might not seem like that when you see all of those cat layouts. However, using this method has cut down the number of albums I have each year. Prior to this, it would take 4-6 albums to document a year of photos. I now have about 2-3 albums for one year. Still a lot, I guess, but for me a much better option.

I still have more insights to share from other episodes of the DigiScrap Geek Podcast. Summer seems to be the perfect time for me to catch up on blog posts( even get ahead in my blogging) and catch up on listening to my favorite podcasts. So stay tuned for more articles from yours truly. Same Bat Time. Same Bat Channel. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend with your family with a little create time for yourself.

This posts contains affiliate links when possible. Please shop your stash first, but should you find you need something, consider supporting MSE.

365Unscripted: 3x4 Collage Cards 2 by Traci Reed

365Unscripted 4x6 Collage Cards by Traci Reed














Currently List Cards and other products can be found in the RUKristin.com online shop.

The DigiScrap Geek Podcast Episode 38

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Welcome May!

May is one of those months that is just filled with excitement in the scrapbook community. There is a lot going on, especially since iNSD ( International/ National Scrapbook Day) happens on the first Saturday of the month. There is also LOAD515. LOAD or layout a day is a challenge in which you create a page a day for the whole month. I do plan to be in the thick of it all. How? With a little careful planning on my part.

First, my plan for LOAD515. This isn't a public challenges. Rather, it's one that is run through the Scraphappy.org group site. Scraphappy is a group membership. The benefits to joining include access to all of the Layout a Day challenges( several of which are for the family group only), free webinars and monthly scrapbook inspiration in the community.I am a member of Scraphappy and have been for several years. Anyway, the LOAD 515 theme this year centers around music. My approach for the month will be a bit relaxed. I am not trying to complete a page a day plus my creative team work. I will incorporate that work into my monthly page count. Some of the work I can't share right away and I am ok with that. I am making this more of a personal challenge.

If you are thinking about joining a Layout a Day Challenge, you might want to check out some of my posts about past LOAD preparations:

Load in Vogue Blog Hop
Scrapbook Mythbusters LOAD214
LOAD215 blog hop

Of course, the iNSD events will be a large contribution to the number of pages I make. Saturday, I will be joining members of the Get It Scrapped communtity in a live online crop. I generally make 2-4 pages on a crop day depending upon how much time I spend chatting. Today is all about getting ready for a full day of scrapbooking tomorrow. I will be perusing my photo library to see if any pictures catch my attention. I will also be looking around at my various sources of inspiration. However, if you really want to get pumped up for tomorrow, the best bet is to watch the DigiScrap Geek Podcast Live show!

One of the great things about iNSD is all of the sales and giveaways. Speaking of which, today is the last day to enter the DigiScrap Geek Podcast(#DSGPromo) giveaway. You can enter until 12:15 Pm Eastern. There are lots of great prizes including a membership to History Lines. Just click her to enter. You don't have to be present to win.

I hope you have a productive and fun iNSD. If you are shopping,I wish for you to have a great haul of supplies found at the lowest possible prices. Happy Scrapbooking Day!

P.S. I made a short process video of a hybrid layout to kick my creative spirit into gear. You can watch it here.

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The DigiScrap Geek Podcast, Episode 28: Vacation like a Memory Keeper

Vacations are exciting. As memory keepers, we want to capture every moment while finding a way to be present. The burden of capturing those moments doesn't have to fall solely upon your shoulders and there are ways to make documenting your trip a bit easier. In episode 28, we met with May Flaum and discussed how to make scrapbooking your vacation just a little easier.

As often happens after recording an episode, I was excited about the topic. In this case, I wanted to look back through some of my older vacation layouts. I enjoy seeing the pages as well as seeing how my style of memory keeping has developed. 

I created this layout in 2012 for an article at Get It Scrapped. We had joined my husband on a business trip to Puerto Rico. I really loved the beautiful and brightly colored buildings of old San Juan. I chose to bring those color associations into my layout.

Documenting the vacation is always a given. I had never thought to document the travel preparations until I made this layout in 2013. Now the travel prep and even the mode of transportation have become part of the way I document our vacations.

Recording the memories from a day trip can be just as important as documenting a week long vacation. I documented one of my family's short trips across the island in my November, 2013 Project Life pages. I documented the food we ate while we were out and about. One of the pages even included a map showing our travel route for the day.

I don't vacation often, but when I do, I would like to believe that I make an effort to document memories while still being a part of the adventure. However, as I looked back through the pages, It did occur to me that I don't appear in many photos from our trips. Perhaps a few of the tips from Episode 28 will get me in the frame a bit more. How do you document your vacation and travels? Do you find it to be an easy process or does it overwhelm you?

Additional Resources

Join our discussion of vacation scrapbooking in the DigiScrap Geek Podcast Facebook group.

Motif- Have Suitcase, Will Travel Pinterest Board from My Scrapbook Evolution

12 Ideas for Scrapbooking Travel to Cities, an article from the Get It Scrapped Blog

Ideas for Scrapbooking Travel Preparations, an article from the Get It Scrapped Blog

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Catching up with the Digiscrap Geek Podcast

I know you might be thinking it's been too quiet on the blog. Really, it hasn't. I have just found myself posting quite a few articles over on the main MSE page this week. In fact, I have more to post and those will be coming soon. I am still balancing my need to write more posts with my need to create more projects. It's a constant tug of war, but I would be dishonest if I said I wasn't glad for it. Having things on your to-do list that one actually wants to do is never a bad thing. Meanwhile though, I do believe I have neglected to share what's been happening over at the DigiScrap Geek Podcast.

Heritage scrapbooking is a vast subject to cover. So, in episode 25, we revisited it once again with Katie Scott. Being a part of these heritage related episodes has inspired me to break out some older photos. I had planned to have a layout finished and ready to share regarding this episode. However, I had the grand plan of handstitching all over this page and it's taking me longer than I thought to finish it. Plus,my cat stole several small squares from my patterned paper grid( I am not kidding). I only had one sheet! I figured that it might be best to just refer you over to the new episode while I figure out what to do with this page. Rest assured that I will complete it. Somehow.

Carrie kicked off a new series for the podcast. In essence they are mini episodes with the benefit of getting to know the staff of the DigiScrap Geek Podcast. Yours truly was the first lab rat  guest. It turned out quite nice actually. So much so that I ended up editing and tweaking my about page with a link to this podcast included. I am looking forward to hearing the mini episodes about Summer, Carrie and Karen.

Episode 26 aired, featuring a discussion of gallery standouts. I must confess that the nerd in me was quite interested in this show. Mainly because I keep trying to figure out if there is some magic algorithm related to the how and the why of certain layouts being chosen. Though I didn't discover the magic formula, I did pick up on a few tricks for posting to galleries. I also found that The Gallery Standouts blog is an exceptional source of inspiration( even for paper girls).


We did talk a bit about adding the proper credits aka supply lists to your work in the galleries. I thought it was quite apropos to share how I propagate my personal galleries and create my supply lists. So I wrote a whole article on the subject. 

You will also be excited to note that we have a live event coming up to get you pumped up for iNSD. If you want to be part of the audience, pop over to the DigiScrap Geek for more information.














Since it's Friday, it means that it's a typical recording day for the DigiScrap Geek. I am super excited to talk to our guest today. I wish I could share more, but sadly, you will just have to wait until the show posts( and somehow, I have to keep it a secret). Meanwhile, if you need a memory keeping geek fix, you can find us chatting in the DigiScrap Geek facebook group.

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The DigiScrap Geek Podcast: Episode 24- Shadow Play

The latest episode of the Digiscrap Geek Podcast is all about drop shadows. I really wasn't sure how much I could offer to a conversation about adding shadows to your digital layouts. I am a paper scrapbooker first and foremost, and a hybrid scrapbooker second. I tend to think in dimension and design aesthetics when I create my layouts. Shadows aren't a thing I consider, though I do know that digital scrapbookers often find them important.

 When it comes to digital pages, I need someone to point out to me the areas that have drop shadows added to them. I am, in essence, drop shadow blind. On the show, I was asked whether or not I consider the shadows that digital elements have when printing them for my layouts. As I understand it, some come with drop shadows already in place. The short answer is no. However, I began to wonder if hidden shadows had made their way onto my hybrid layouts. I suspect that , given the dimension I add to most of my pages, that very dimension adds it's own shadowing and overwrites any that might be hidden there. I figured I would share a few of my hybrid layouts and a paper one for comparison. Are there any hidden drop shadows that you can see?

I made this hybrid layout for Traci Reed Designs in February. The monster print paper lays flush against the cardstock. Each cluster with a photo and the journal block are all mounted on chipboard sheets to raise them off of the layout. This is most notable in the cluster on the upper left. A natural shadow occurs beneath the photos of my husband with out kitten. The XOXO in the journal block is also raised up using a piece of chipboard. Note the shadow beneath the letters. Raising paper products on chipboard sheets creates subtle shadowing and dimension throughout the page.

I created this hybrid layout for Traci Reed Designs at the beginning of March. Once again, I have used chipboard sheets to raise up some of the elements, photos and the title. In this case, I varied the number of chipboard sheets under each item. Some are mounted on one sheet, others on two or three. I made sure to put adhesive only in the center of each chipboard sheet. This allows me to insert die cut elements into the sandwich  created by those layers. In turn, this creates some natural shadowing.

I created this paper layout for Scrapbook Challenges earlier in March. Once again, I have used a layer of chipboard. This time, two sheets of chipboard lie beneath the yellow photo matte. I have inserted fussy cut flowers and dimensional elements into, under and on top of this chipboard and patterned paper sandwich.You can see natural shadowing under the pink flowers on the upper right side as well as under the word "boy" in the title.

To be fair, I am honestly not sure whether or not any of the digital elements I printed already had shadowing within them. As I said, I am drop shadow blind. What I do know is that I like my pages with dimension. Many of my pages come several centimeters off of the canvas. I shoot my project photos at relatively the same time every day. I take advantage of the natural light and choose a time of the day in which some shadowing is evident but does not overpower the page itself. I am curious though...did you find any hidden drop shadows in my hybrid layouts?

If you haven't listened to Episode 24, be sure to check it out. 

Additional Resources

Advanced Digital Scrapbooking: Shadowing in Photoshop with Traci Reed ( this is not an affiliate link.)

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• So That's Hybrid? 8 Ideas for Using Digital Scrapbooking Products On Paper Pages (debbiehodge.com)
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The DigiScrap Geek Podcast: Episode 23 - Going to Crop

The latest episode of the the DigiScrap Geek Podcast is out! We're talking with LynetteWilkins about Digi Night out. Lynette founded the Digi Night Out Crops for digital scrappers as a means for them to get together, learn new techniques and just dish with each other about life in general. Crops are a wonderful vehicle to get to know other scrapbookers and to have a little fun talking about memory keeping as a hobby.The only drawback to a crop is finding one near you, which may not always be possible. In this show, we share some ideas for getting a local crop going in your area as well as a few online crop options.

Speaking of online crop options, there are a few that may be of interest to you. Both are free to attend.

Get It Scrapped hosts online crops. Generally, these occur about once a month. Members of the Get It Scrapped community come together to talk, craft and create. Some members share their screens or web cams so that you can view their work in progress. Having a headset and mic makes it easiest to communicate with the other participants, though some members  participate through the chat option. This is a crop for all types of memory keepers, including paper, digi, hybrid and pocket page scrapbookers.  To join the crop, you will need to become a member of the Get It Scrapped community. It's free to sign up. More information about the crop will be available in the forums.

Paper Issues will be holding an online crop from March 20-29. You don't need anything special to attend. Just use the supplies on hand to complete challenges for the chance to win some fabulous prizes. The crop will follow a chat format which will allow participants to socialize and work on the challenges throughout the week. This event is best suited to paper and hybrid scrapbookers. To participate, simple join the Paper Issues crop party on Facebook.

The advantage to both crops is the ability to scrapbook from home. You get the benefit of talking with fellow memory keepers without the need to pack up any of your supplies to haul to a location. It's also quite possible to attend in your pajamas. No one will know except for you.

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Digiscrap Geek Podcast: Episode 22- Talking About Family History

Every so often, I geek out just a bit about a guest on the DigiScrap Geek Podcast. This was one of those times. Meeting and talking in person with Stacy Julian was a wonderful experience. She is a warm and charismatic person. In addition to Stacy visiting, we also had a another guest join us on the show. I have known Katie Scott for a few years now. We met through Get It Scrapped. Katie is an energetic soul with a passion towards her family and memory keeping. Both ladies had some important information to share on the topic of heritage scrapbooking. It's something I have been considering for awhile. I have made a few layouts but really, I haven't moved forward with much confidence or enthusiasm. This show may just be the turning point for me. Listen in as both Stacy and Katie share their tips and advice for delving into our family stories.

Additional Resources

an article from the Get It Scrapped Blog. Includes a video with narrative about the layouts shared.

Scrapbooking your childhood with limited or no photos from Get It Scrapped

courtesy of Get It Scrapped

Scrapbooking Relatives from the Past- a Q & A with Jennifer Wilson of Simple Scrapper

Click here to view more details

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The DigiScrap Geek Podcast- Episode 21 and Calvinball Prepping

Calvinball begins tomorrow! What exactly is Calvinball you ask? It's a game we are playing throughout the month of March over in the Get It Scrapped forum. We're big fans of Get It Scrapped on the Digiscrap Geek Podcast. It's where many of us learned design principles, how to embrace our style, and most importantly, it's where we all became friends. Frankly, if I had never ventured over to Get It Scrapped, I might never have met my lovely co-hosts and this Podcast might never have happened.

 On the latest episode of the DigiScrapGeek Podcast, we talked with Debbie Hodge, owner and creator of Get It Scrapped. We covered quite a few topics, including Calvinball. I was asked whether or not I would ever go full digi. To hear the answer, you will need to listen to the show!

Meanwhile, I am spending my last hours before March prepping for the Calvinball shenanigans. It's going to be crazy fun. Fellow GIS members and the founders of Calvinball sat down to talk about the games origins on the DigiScrap HQ Podcast. I will be listening to this origin story as I mark photos for printing, rekit supplies and clean up my scrap space this weekend.

Will you be joining us for Calvinball fun? No matter when you decide, it's never to late to join in and change the rules of the game.

Additional Resources

The Get It Scrapped Membership
Click here to visit Get It Scrapped.

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Project Life: January 2015

Recently, we shared a bonus episode of the Digiscrap Geek Podcast. We had such a great interview with Jess Forster. In fact, our conversation ran a bit over our allotted podcast time. We decided to include some of that content in a bonus show for you. Hopefully, this will shed a little more light on the subject of pocket page albums. Since we have been talking so much about pocket pages, I thought it would be a good time to share a round up of my January Pages with you.

One of my goals this year is to try to stay on top of my Project Life pages. Joining Traci Reed's team has definitely helped with that. My month has been broken down into a page or two at a time which is more doable for me. I am doing a mix of hybrid and paper pages, several of which I have made tutorials or process videos to accompany.

This is my title page for 2015. I shared how I used templates to create this hybrid layout.

I created a page for my One Little Word. This is another hybrid layout in which I experimented with gold ink. I wanted this page to have some shimmer.

After documenting my one little word for 2015, I began my album with my traditional New Year's Eve fireworks photos.

I created this layout using a prompt from Simple Scrapper. Essentially, it's a recap of my day. It was a challenging day in which I dealt with kitchen repairs and errands.

I wanted to create a page about common sites in our neighborhood. I have been trying to photograph where I live with a new perspective in mind. I keep asking myself how I can present a common photo in a new way. Using templates is one of the ways I changed how I present my some of those photos. You can see how I created these cards in a recent process video.

This was my final page for February. It's a compilation of the random leftover photos from the month. It includes tv shows and video games we played.
















I didn't stick to one kit for the entire month as I had originally planned. Most of the pages I loved and I did find it ok to mix the kits. These pages are mixed in with full size 12x12 pages between some of them which helped me from feeling the mix of kits was too eclectic. I do plan to stick to one kit, or at the least,one color palette for February.We shall see if that makes more of my project life pages appealing to me.

Additional Resources

If you missed the original episode with Jess, you can listen to it by heading over to the DigiScrap Geek Podcast.

I shared my thoughts about pocket page scrapbooking in this blog post.

My 2013 Project Life Pages

My 2014 Project Life pages

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