Hello Adventure!

Happy Thursday, everyone! It's hard to believe we're so close to the weekend once again; harder still to believe that last week today I was climbing the grand dune at Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City, Oregon, supping 'til sunset at the ocean's edge, and gazing at a billion stars in the pre-dawn dark.  Yesterday heralded my return to work prepping for a full summer of teaching.  You know you've had a pretty good vacation (despite a few bumps and bruises along the way) when you return to work excited to get back down to business and catch up with, in my case, the kids!

I am equally excited to share with you the mini-journal I created, partly inspired by our current Challenge that began yesterday!  Check it out and play along!  If you need some more inspiration (as if that were possible!), check out what I have to offer below!

I have been making mini-albums for about a year.  You can check out my first here (you'll notice a couple of familiar faces from this DT!) and a recent one for my student over at my Instagram @pinnednpenned #absolutelywonderfulalbum

I have featured a stamp set I adore, Whale of a Tail, by Carta Bella, which is available in the store.

I have also kept with the colors and theme of our current challenge throughout the journal--pinks, limes, tropical.  I suppose this mini would be much better suited for my Hawaii trip, but hey, who really needs pineapples and humidity, and what's a little wind, when you have sun and sand stretching forever before you?!

I stamped the whale on vellum and heat embossed, then fussy cut.  We were lucky enough to see a grey whale very close up at the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, and later ate (well, attempted to eat before a migraine took me down) at a gorgeous new restaurant Albatross in Astoria.  I totally fell in love with Astoria on this trip--its restaurants, coffee, boutiques, seafaring history, and beer culture.  I can't wait to go back! 

You can see the little flap pocket I made (on the right in above photo) which I have stuffed with some Carpe Diem Bits and Pieces.

This little mini within my mini has been embellished with Simple Stories Carpe Diem products (anchor, sentiment sticker) also found in the store.

Here's the inside embellished with the Carta Bella stamps; Delicata Gold embossed on vellum for the lighthouse and adventure sentiment stamped with Hero Arts Ombre Pink.  All available in the store.

Here's what's fun about this little book-- see the epoxy button flair?  I cut out one of the Simple Stories Carpe Diem Insta Quote stickers and adhered a clear epoxy button.  Voila, flair!

The papers you see are a combination of digitally printed papers from The Lilypad and some old Michael's kraft 12x12 which has a combo of journaling cards and papers.  Perfect for minis!

What adventure are you ready for?

It's so hard to come to the end of  a journey!

Here are the Carpe Diem stickers I plan to use with photos and journal pages, and a few more flair buttons I made from the collection.

I'll leave you with a few favorite pics from the trip, soon to grace the pages of my album!

At Devils Punchbowl

Foyer of the Commodore Hotel in Astoria

Street 14 Coffee attached to the Commodore.

Thanks so much for indulging me and reliving a bit of a wonderful trip with me today!

Happy trails and crafting to you!

Mad for Plaid and Simple Stories

Hello Everyone, Kate here, shifting the focus away from cards and onto scrapbooking with this month's featured product, Lawn Fawn's Perfectly Plaid, paired with Simple Stories Carpe Diem products, all of which can be found in the store!

When I saw the plaid papers I just knew they would be a perfect combination with the Simple Stories products, and once I started creating, it was a match made in heaven! Much of the Carpe Diem line is designed to use in your planner; however, it is also perfect for creating albums and cards, as you will see below. And since we are talking scrapbooking, I have tried quite a few pocket protectors, and Simple Stories creates the most durable, clear, and varied pages of the bunch.

Okay then, on with the album!

As a newish scrapbooker, I personally love the mini-album (stay tuned for a travel album featuring the plaids), but for doing a spread I find the 6x8 format manageable, if not a bit stifling.  I don't scrap daily or weekly, but rather by month, season, or theme.  So this album will focus on spring, and include many memories from 2016 and years before.  And what a spring it has been in my corner of the world!

Opening pages-- note the encircled acetate days...

To help them show up, I placed handmade epoxy buttons behind them, most of which uses the plaid paper and a few flair digi prints.

The Word Label stickers, Bits and Pieces ephemera and Insta quote stickers are featured on these two pages.

Throughout my album I have mini-booklets that hold journal cards, pictures, and other ephemera.  This little booklet is dedicated to my spring cleaning accomplishments in March and April!

"You go girl" from Hero Arts Dare to Dream makes an appearance.  Things are indeed finally coming together, but I've many miles to go with my classroom and home projects before spring is out!

Here's the back of the page with other bits and pieces, as well as the Simple Stories Carpe Diem metal buttons, which are featured throughout my album.  "Set your own path" from the Dare to Dream set-- March certainly set its own agenda this spring in the PNW!!

Another little plaid booklet with notes on the month, and my spring break accomplishments on the back page-- note the vellum calendar over the booklet.  Love how the vellum looks over the plaid!

My crafty friends (on this DT) sent me some happy mail this month, definitely a highlight of April!  So I included that image-- Happiness is crafty friends!  Two more mini-albums here-- love the Simple Stories elements on the plaid book.

The front of the 4x6 mini-album.

Layers of plaid pages on the inside!  Pockets in which to hide all kinds of treasures!

Love that little Insta-Quote bike sticker!  Enjoy the little things, today and every day!  Blue plaid on the adjacent page; Dare to Dream sentiment on the digital journal card.  The photograph captured a day that was indeed its own kind of beauty here on the beach.

How could I create a spread without two of the best things about Seattle (okay, three-- my man in plaid as well!!).  A lovely April night spent at our favorite restaurant, Bottlehouse in Madrona.  And coffee from General Porpoise (part of Renee Erickson's Sea Creatures restaurants-- Seattle loves its multiple, and growing, chef-driven establishments).  The doughnuts there are not any doughnut-- they are a pillowy pastry filled with seasonal jams and creams.  Wish I could visit both places MTWTHF....

I think this might be my favorite page of the album!  Two more minis!

My partner and I have been planning to kayak on Puget Sound every summer for the last 5 years... and THIS will be the summer, so my mini will record that. I thought the Simple Stories feather looked like a paddle!  We will make it happen and it will be fun!

Back page and adjacent as we reach the end of this section of the album, nearly all pockets featuring plaid and Insta Quote Stickers and Bits and Pieces.

Here's the back-- Love the "my fav" pocket, as all of those reminded me of Sundays-- farmers market, shopping, writing, coffee, and maybe a General Porpoise donut! I love these pockets by Becky Higgins to store Phrase stickers, journal cards, tags, and the Bits and Pieces.

Want to see more pages from the album? (Yes, there ARE more!) Then hop over to my website in the coming week, or my Instagram, where photos will continue to be added to the portfolio as I edit them and complete the pages.

Thanks for joining me today on my scrapbooking journey!  I hope you were inspired to play with Lawn Fawn's plaid and Simple Stories.

The Heart Desires has even more Carpe Diem products to choose from, so make sure to check out the entire line for your planner, scrapbook, or card!

Carpe Diem Bits and Pieces
Carpe Diem Insta Quote Stickers
Carpe Diem Word Label Stickers
Carpe Diem Illustrated Life Stickers
Dare to Dream Hero Arts Stamps
Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid