Laura Vegas

Hey all! I have finally gotten around to working on some new projects. I'm going back and forth between wanting to do the layouts I'm used to creating, and doing more pocket page type projects. So I'm doing a bit of both. Honestly, my creative mind is all over the place lately. It's actually doing more thinking and planning, than actually creating and making. But at least it's doing something! 

I've said for quite some time now, that at this point in my scrapbooking, I need my layouts to have meaning and to tell a story. I've created more "fluff" layouts in my time than I care to admit. Layouts that I made because I had too, and not because I truly wanted too. I could go on and on about that, but that's another story for another day 😉

Something that I knew would be perfect for me right now is to finally start digging into my Story Kits from Ali Edwards. I had kept my eye on the Story Kits since the day they launched, but it wasn't until they had a big sale on past kits, late last year, that I finally decided to purchase a few of them.

I then decided to subscribe to the kits for 2016, and have just been stock piling them when they show up each month. I just never seem to find the time to get to them, but I thought about them all the time (they sat out on my large island in the playroom in a cute basket). Well, now that I have very few scrapping commitments, I have the time to do some of the projects I never had time for in the past. 

The "Craft" kit was one of the first ones that I decided to play with. I love that you can get multiple projects out of each kit, and tell multiple stories. There's so many takes you can do with each theme, as far as what type of stories or moments you want to document. For my first project with the "Craft" kit, I knew I wanted to do the obvious idea of documenting a bit about my love of scrapbooking. 

I used a few of the cards that came in the kit, slipping them right into the pocket pages, and not really fussing with them at all. I had a different journaling card in that right pocket, but I knew that I didn't really want to hand journal. I know there's something to be said for including your own handwriting in your albums. But for me, I feel like my own handwriting doesn't really fit with my style. That sounds weird. But it's how I feel. Lol. 

So I used a journaling card from one of Ali's digital kits, and typed up my journaling in Photoshop. There was a word or phrase on this digital card, but I simply removed it and replaced it with the "passion", which was a digital stamp from the "Craft" digital stamps. Once I had all of my journaling cards typed up, I printed them out on a sheet of textured cardstock. 

I love the idea of keeping these layouts/pocket pages simple and clean, in what is really my true style. I added two chipboard pieces to this 4×6 photo and called it done.

There were a few of these cute little wood words in the kit, and I picked out two of them to add to two different photos. The "click" and "story" (seen below) words went well with what I was journaling about. 

I used the same digital journaling card for these 3×3" pockets, but cropped them in Photoshop before I started typing in my journaling. The main part of the card – the journaling lines – weren't affected when trimming off an inch from the height of the card. I added a little piece of washi tape from my stash to the top of each card. 

The "making stuff" card was a 3×4" card, but I trimmed it to make it a 3×3" card to fit in the pocket. I added a few number stickers for the year (found these itty bitty Basic Grey stickers in my stash, and I wish I had more of them, since they're so cute!), and a little chipboard piece. 

When I went to find some photos for this pocket page spread, I had this photo in mind to represent "photos". I had shared this photo on Instagram late last year, and it was just a pile of little 2×2" photos that I had trimmed up after a big photo order. I loved all the itty bitty photos of my daycare kids piled up, and all of those little faces looking back at me!

I had changed the photo of my camera to black and white (it had a few clashing colors in it), so I knew I wanted to have one more black and white photo on the spread. I originally had a different photo here, but had to change it, after I changed the photo on the first page. The albums in this photo are actually red, so the photo looks a little off in black and white. Oh well. 

You'll notice I'm doing a 6×12" album. This is a new size for me, but one that I've really been wanting to try out. I've been really loving the 9×12" albums, and am currently working in that size for my 2016 Project Life album and the sports albums I've been putting together for the girls (will share more on both of those soon). But every time I see 6×12" pocket pages while scrolling thru Instagram, I think "ohhhh, I just love that size". And I thought it would be the perfect size for me to use as I work thru these Story Kits. 

While I did cut down a few 12×12" chipboard albums to 6×12" albums a while back (you can read about that HERE), I knew I wanted an actual 6×12" album for this project. I had read about THESE albums (from Hobby Lobby), on someone's Instagram a while back, so I went and picked up a few when they were on sale. And while you can find the 6×12" pocket pages from Becky Higgins (seen HERE), I bought one of the big packs of 12×12 pocket pages (seen HERE) at Michaels with my coupon, and just cut them in half with my trimmer. More bang for your buck 😉

Hope you're all having a great Monday. I'll be back later this week to share another pocket page with you all!