Week 1 Project Life Layout

Week 1 was a short week, but I had fun scrapping New Years Eve photos and Snow Day photos! The template and  most of the digital elements on this layout are from Just Jamie's January 2014 Storyteller collection. I subscribe to her newsletter and got the whole bundle at an amazing deal.

Then I used some pieces from Harper Finch Designs' Snow Day collection. The colors worked well together and the snowman and word art from this kit were just too awesome not to use!

I'll be using Close To My Heart's Studio J to print these out for my 2014 Project Life album. If you are looking for a way to print your 12 x 12 layouts Studio J is an easy solution.

A Scrapbook Layout ABOUT a Crop?

Of course we need to scrapbook pictures of our time scrapbooking or cardmaking! This past summer I attended a 12 hour crop with several CTMH consultant friends. It was a great time of fellowship and working on projects.

Now you might be looking at the paper and elements and saying how is it a Studio J layout? It's true that the paper and elements are not Close To My Heart. They are from Harper Finch Designs "I Craft Kit".  The templates are from Jen C Design's Pot Pourri Volume 1 and 2 I love that I can create a layout with Photoshop Elements and load into Studio J with the No Limits pattern. That way I can create using anything and still benefit from the professional printing and JPG files that Close To My Heart provides.

Characters, a Studio J Layout

I took advantage of having some unused Studio J credits to create this layout! Studio J is Close To My Heart's online digital software. In a few quick and easy steps you can design a two page layout and purchase it for $6.95. That includes professional printing and JPG files to download for archiving your work. You do need to purchase a minimum of 4 layouts for shipping purposes.

A laughed so much creating this layout! I think I can rival any Disney character with my animated facial expressions and poses! Good times!

Once Upon a Time, a Studio J Layout

I had Disney World pictures from July that I didn't scrap yet so I took advantage of having some unused Studio J credits! Studio J is Close To My Heart's online digital software. In a few quick and easy steps you can design a two page layout and purchase it for $6.95. That includes professional printing and JPG files to download for archiving your work. You do need to purchase a minimum of 4 layouts for shipping purposes. One of the great things about Studio J is the ability to access retired paper packs like this kit.

Butterflies, a Studio J Layout

About a week ago I got an email that I had unused Studio J credits. YAY! Studio J is Close To My Heart's online digital software. In a few quick and easy steps you can design a two page layout and purchase it for $6.95. That includes professional printing and JPG files to download for archiving your work. You do need to purchase a minimum of 4 layouts for shipping purposes.

One of the great things about Studio J is the ability to access retired paper packs. This kit, Discovery predates my becoming a consultant. I remember buying it as a customer! It works so well with these pictures I took this past summer when my backyard was "invaded" by butterflies!

Sugar and Spice Studio J Layout

Today is the last Studio J layout that I completed as part of the Studio J 5 pack I received with my Convention registration. This layout was the most fun because it started with the Mischief paper packet, which is a Halloween theme. By cropping the Halloween candy sticker the cupcake liners were made and a digital brad and staple made the cherries. So cool.

I did have a difficult time coming up with pictures. I kept looking through birthday photos, and at one point I thought I should go visit a bakery. Then I focused on the poem: Sugar & Spice, and anything nice. That's what little girls are made of. That led me to the photos of the little girls in my family! On the left page at the top is my mother. The bottom two pictures are my grandmothers. The right page is my great aunt and my niece with a picture of me as a toddler!

Each of the small pictures should have stitching, but I inadvertently forgot the right page. No problem I'll add it by hand when I get the layouts.

It's a Staycation Studio J Layout

Growing up I was lucky enough to have a backyard pool. It wasn't the coolest thing since it was above the ground, but it was what we could afford. At few years back the current above pool was taken down as the sides were rusty and it looked like it would collapse soon. In 2010 our family decided to take the plunge and put a new in-the-ground pool. I also insisted on the spa hot tub thingy! Of course that meant the money for a family vacation wasn't there, so we've been on a staycation for the last couple of years!

This layout was put together almost exactly as directed. The element I love the most is the pennant stickease!

The Best of Times Studio J Layout

Today, I'm going to share another Studio J layout from Convention 2011. I'm not a die hard Disney fan but who wouldn't get excited meeting the characters and getting your picture taken with them!

This layout was a deviation from the directions. I know I'm a rebel! So I didn't use any specific techniques. This was a true 10 minute layout. I picked the paper packet and design. I deleted a lot of the preplaced elements. I uploaded and dropped in my pictures. Then I wrote the journal piece. Finally to complete the layout a placed a sticker and brads. Faster. Simpler. Easier. That's the way Close To My Heart's Level 1 Studio J scrapbooking can be!

Best Convention Site Studio J Layout

Here is the second layout from my recent work with Studio J. This year's convention site is Dallas, Texas. I'm not sure that can compete with last year. Disneyland was the best convention site!

I stayed true to the layout direction with this one.The scallop border is actually the same circle sticker used on the dark blue cardstock piece. You crop the circle then it's a simple copy and paste along the page to create the border. I thought that was a cool technique!

Rainforest Cafe Studio J Layout

For the last week I've been working on some scrapbooking with Studio J, Close To My Heart's digital online scrapbooking program. As part of our Convention registration we got a 5 pack  and directions to complete the layouts. Since I'm getting ready to go to Convention in another 22 days I thought it's about time to scrapbook last year's pictures!

I just noticed an oops on this layout. I created the green striped ribbon by creating two text boxes overlapping. The first one had Topiary paper as the background and a space bar for no text. The second box was a bit bigger and I chose no background paper. I placed the box on top of the green and filled it with forward slashes in Colonial White. It seems on the left page I got carried away with the slashes! When I get the layout I'll add something to cover it, maybe a rainforest animal cut from the Cricut.

Turning 40 Layout

This is the final layout I completed last week using Studio J. I can't wait to receive that actual layouts this weekend at Leadershare. In June I am turning 40 years old. Yikes! A couple of weeks ago I had my friend who is starting a side business in photography take updated photos so I could do this layout. The digital paper kit is Pemberley, but you might have trouble recognizing it because I changed the color palette. I love that feature on Studio J! The technique was all about placing the roses. See how the one rose is on both pages. Cool, isn't it? 

Bingo Layout

Here is the fourth layout I did in Studio J. It uses the digital paper and canvas shapes of the Stella Collection. The layout feature photos taken at a fundraiser for the school I teach at. It was an event that I put months of planning into. It is definitely scrap-worthy! Since I hadn't scrapped with Studio J in months, I was surprised to see some of the features you could do. Since I don't own a sewing machine this is the easiest way for me to add stitching to a layout. It was fun using stitching around the photos and placing stitched flowers with other elements. This week's challenge at the Heart 2 Heart Close To My Heart Challenge Blog is all about stitching.

Graduation Layout

Here is another Studio J layout. It features my niece Shayla.This time I used the digital kit of the Cruisin' Paper Packet. When I look at the catalog I think vacation / travel photos for this paper. However, I think it totally works for graduation too. With this layout I got to work with the stickease images creating the alphabet border, resizing them, and then layering them in groups.

Wrestle Mania Layout

Here is another Studio J Layout I recently completed. The star of this layout is my 14 year old nephew Zack. He's been wrestling for several years. This year his team at Boyertown Junior High East had an excellent season and individually he did very well. The layout features the digital mix of the Superhero paper packet. With this layout I learned the technique of making the argyle pattern paper with stitching. 

My Fascination with Lighthouses Layout

Next weekend I am going to a Close To My Heart event in northern New Jersey. One of the perks of going was getting a Studio J 5-Pack (retail value $55) and directions for completing 5 two-page layouts. YAY! This is the first layout I created using the Florentine digital kit. Florentine is a new paper from the Spring / Summer Idea Book. One of the techniques I learned was to use the same photo in multiple photo wells enlarged to look like a photo pieced together. I think the Cape May Lighthouse looks awesome on the bottom right pieced together.

Create a Layout get a Free JPG File

During our Studio J® Free-for-All in June, we're giving everyone a FREE Studio J® JPG file—no purchase required! Simply log on to Studio J, create a layout, then order one JPG file of your layout during the checkout process. It's as easy as that!

Download and save your file so you can post your layout online, email it to family and friends, or print them.

Cruise Layouts

My brother Sean took a cruise almost 4 years ago. He gave me digital pictures to scrapbook and I never got around to it. This year I decided to complete it with Studio J and give it to him for Christmas. Since I'm 99.99% sure he never visits my blog here are some of the layouts:

Another Studio J Layout

Don't waste your time and money taking your camera's memory card to the store and printing photos. Use Studio J instead. For about the same cost you can create a beautiful two page layout in minutes. I'd love to show you how. Contact me for more information.

This is another layout I created with Studio J. These pictures are my brother's family. I'll be framing them for my brother and sister-in-law for a Christmas present.

Studio J Layout

The last time my entire family had a photo sitting my 18 year old niece was a baby in arms. That picture was hanging in the living room until I had a contractor repaint for my parents' Christmas present two years ago. This year's present is updated photos and framed prints. A few weeks ago my friend Randi took the photos. I purchased 13 x 19 paper for my Canon Pro9000 printer. Now all I need is frames! In the meantime I uploaded the photos to Studio J and created layouts. This layout is for my album.

First Studio J Layout

I've been taking old photos from my parents and scanning them to make digital images. That way they are preserved. My siblings and I can share copies and the originals. I've wanted to make a family heritage album. I purchased a black leather album and Silhouette paper for this project, but I just needed the time to do it. Now Close To My Heart developed Studio J an online digital scrapbooking program. Consultants have a preview period before it launches. I love this! I made 5 two-page layouts in approximately and hour. The best thing is I can order copies of the layouts for my brothers. I can put together 3 identical albums with Studio J. It's Faster. Simpler. Easier.®