{Lovely Bird} JustNick Studio Design Team

Happy to have you visit me today!

I'm sharing a layout that was on the JustNick Studio blog recently.  Definitely go over there to see details and close-ups.

Isn't that hummingbird sweet?  I used the Simple Stories Bloom & Grow collection - the colors as so pretty.  

Thanks for stopping by today!

Majken

{Beach Babe} JustNick Studio Design Team

Hello friends!  So glad you're here.  I hope you and your families are safe and well right now.  It seems like we've been in quarantine since forever.  I'm so happy to have a few days off for Independence Day so I can de-stress with some papercrafting!

Today I'm sharing a "Summer Fun" theme layout over on the JustNick Studio blog where I show you how to create the double wave border on the bottom of my layout. I used the lovely Simple Stories Sunshine & Blue Skies collection.  Isn't that rainbow ombre paper awesome?

You can see a project using the same Simple Stories collection here.  Thanks for stopping by today - have a great week!

Majken

Spring Girl | JustNick Studio Design Team

Hello friends-

I hope you are staying safe and calm during this global viral epidemic.  It's so good for us to have this papercrafting hobby that we all love right now.  I threw myself into a spring-y layout for JustNick Studio using Simple Stories Hip Hop Hooray.  Take a look:

 

I created a custom title with two cut files and also used a new spring cut file called Spring Windowframe.  Head over to the JustNick Studio blog for details and tutorial!

I hope you are able to stay calm and safe - be well!!

Love and chocolate,

Majken 

 

This Year 2020 | JustNick Studio Design Team

Hello crafty friends, and welcome to 2020!!

I was the first up this year on the JustNick Studio blog with a combination scrapbook/bullet journaling layout using three cut files using the amazing and colorful Oh Happy Day collection from Simple Stories.  Take a look below and then head to the JustNick Studio blog post for details and to see the specific cut files used.

I'll fill the Polaroids with new things I try during 2020, and I hope you are inspired to capture fun things you do as well!

I hope you have a year filled with fun, craftiness, chocolate, and love!

Majken

Introvert for JustNick Studio Design Team

Howdy everyone!  I'm back today, and guess what?!  It's my birthday!  I know that Nicole did not know that when she scheduled the blog dates for us a couple of months ago.  I love serendipity!

I have a fun and colorful layout to share on the JustNick Studio blog today, so please go check it out with some close ups and technique steps.  Go now...hurry!  :)

In the meantime, here is a quick look at my layout. I used the Simple Stories "Oh Happy Day" collection...such a burst of color and happiness!

 

I hope you have a great week (that includes some chocolate)!

Majken

 

Sunshine on my Mind - JustNick Studio Design Team {Combining Cut Files}

Hello everyone!

I hope you are having a great weekend.  Today I'm sharing a project on the JustNick blog where I show how I combined two different cut files on this layout using Simple Stories Sunshine & Blue Skies.  Take a look!

 

The word "Sunshine" comes from one cut file and the frame with sunrays is a different cut file. Head over to the JustNick Studio blog for details and close ups!

Thanks for visiting today.  Have a super August!

Majken

 

 

Fall Family Fun | JustNick Studios Design Team Layout with Simple Stories

Howdy crafty friends!  Happy Monday to you.  I'm sharing a fall themed layout today on the JustNick Studio blog - go take a peek to see some close-ups.  Here is the full layout.  I used the gorgeous Forever Fall collection from Simple Stories.  Such beautiful colors!

Head over to the JustNick Studios blog for some close ups and see the cut file I used.

Have a super week, and happy fall!

Majken

{Laugh More, Live Simply, Dream Big} JustNick Studios Design Team Intro!

Hello crafty friends, happy Fri-yay!

My very first Design Team layout for JustNick Studios is up, and I am SO excited to share it with you!  I've followed Nicole's free cut files for many years as she worked with Scrapbook & Cards Today magazine, and I placed my first JustNick order two short days after she opened her store a little over three years ago!  So, I'm geeking out a little LOT being on her Design Team.  :)

I used the Simple Stories I Am... collection, Distress Oxide ink and other inks, and the following JustNick cut files:

• Live Love
• Borders 1

Go check out the JustNick blog for close ups of my layout, and then stop by the JustNick store to pick out some of your favorites!!

Enjoy a crafty weekend!
Majken

"Thankful" - Published in the Fall 2017 Issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine!

Hi there everyone!  I'm playing catch-up on my blog and wanted to share with you a layout that was published in the Fall 2017 issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine, my very favorite scrapbook publication!  I've been an avid reader for many years - it just inspires me every single issue!

Here is my Thankful layout:

This layout was of our first Thanksgiving as a family of four, in 2008.  I can't believe Paxton was that tiny once!!

I received some Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L in my gift from Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine from my Lovely layout, so I used it again for this fun layout to pop up the layers.  Here are a few close-ups.

Thanks so much for visiting today!  I hope you have a wonderful week.

Majken

{XO Forever Yours} Creative Scrappers 306 Reveal

Hello friends-

So glad you stopped by!  Yesterday I was up on the Creative Scrappers blog with my rendition of Kristine's super-fun sketch for May.  You can use up to 6 photos on this layout, and there are so many possibilities!  I scrapped some photos of my husband and I from our engagement photo shoot.  We'll celebrate 17 years this month!

Go check out close-ups on the Creative Scrappers blog and see how I colored some Gesso to paint on my layout (psst...it doesn't have to stay white!).

Have a great day.

Majken

{Smitten} using Simple Stories

Hello crafty friends!  

Do you ever have a collection on your desk after creating and can't bear to put it away yet?  That happened to me recently with the Simple Stories Love & Adore collection.  It's just so dang pretty!  I wanted to stay on the "love" theme but I needed a good photo.  My families' Facebook pages came to the rescue!

I created this layout of my niece and her husband on their one year anniversary.  Aren't they a cute couple??  And hugging in the snow makes them even cuter.

I also had most of a Bea Valint cut file left over after creating this layout of my husband and me on our wedding day.  They are certainly smitten with each other, so I had to choose that as my title.

Take a peek at the the final view of the cut file after matting behind the flowers and some sewing.

Here's a closer look at the photo area.  I popped up the flowers sticker for some depth and sewed in and around the photo mat for additional texture.

I used some of the phrase stickers too.

So go have fun with whatever collection is sitting on your desk - you won't regret not putting it away so soon. :)

Have a great Friday and weekend!

Majken

Love - Always & Forever | Scrapbook & Cards Today April Challenge

Hello and happy Sunday to you all!

Are you a reader of Scrapbook & Cards Today magazine?  I've been a reader for many years and they started a monthly challenge this year.  I decided to take part in the April sketch challenge because, flowers!  I also recently tidied up my craft room - and came across some of my wedding photos, so I had to scrap my favorite one.

So I started with a gorgeous sheet of Bazzill Juneberry cardstock for my base.  I also had just seen Bea Valint's spring frame cut file and thought it would be perfect.  I cut the full frame and trimmed one of the sides to use.  I then used the Studio software to separate some of the flowers to create the back/inside cuts for a few of them.  I felt like I was playing "Operation" using the Studio knife tool zoomed in to get exactly what I needed to separate!

For the photo mat, I had to use that "So Happy Together" paper. And vellum always gives a pretty touch to wedding pages - I scalloped the top of my vellum first.  I sewed around the photo too to help frame it.  I fussycut the flowers with "always & forever" from a journal card on the 4x4 and 4x6 Vertical Journaling Elements paper.

The "LOVE" stickers go perfectly for the title!  I popped them up with some 3D foam dots.

I used many different enamel dots to fill in some of the flower centers.  I also did a fair bit of fussycutting, and I used the center of the little 5-petal flowers from the cut file to fill in for added variety.

Here is the sketch I used from Becky Fleck of PageMaps via Scrapbook & Cards Today.

It is so fun to use sketches!  Check back on May 12th for my reveal of Creative Scrappers sketch 306.

Until then, enjoy your week (with a bit of chocolate!).

xoxo,
Majken

To Gnome Us Is to Love Us - Simple Stories

Hello and happy hump day everyone!  Do you love a good pun?  I do!  And the layout I'm sharing today has a fun one as my title.  :)

I love this collection from Simple Stories called Bloom & Grow.  The colors make me happy!  I started by cutting a bunch of the Lazy Daisies cut file by Just Nick using the blue polka dot paper for the outline and various other papers for the inside of the daisies. Here's some close-ups of the flowers.

I used enamel dots and decorative brads for the flower centers.

The layout came together pretty quickly!  Here's a close-up of my photo area.  We took some photos during the holidays of me with my mom and brothers.  How cute is that scalloped circle?  I used the die from Papertrey Ink Shaker Shapes.

So many fun elements to choose from in this collection from the ephemera to the enamel dots to the stickers!

Here's a close up of the title.  That little gnome gets me!

And then I felt the layout needed some stitching around the edges to frame all the flowers - just so they weren't just "floating" on the layout.

I'm so glad you could join me today.  I hope this inspires you to use some of your stash for some die cutting fun!

Have a great week!

Majken

Everyday, Important Good Stuff - Creative Scrappers March sketch reveal with scrappy tip

Hello crafty friends!

Today I'm on the Creative Scrappers blog sharing a layout for sketch 304.  I am highlighting my adventure into starting my bullet journal, and I'm using Simple Stories Posh collection since I also use some of the Posh planner items my bullet journal.

One of the best ways to create the squares in the sketch was to pull out my 6x6 paper pad.  I chose patterns with different variety:  a floral, some arrows, a solid light pink with polka dots, and a dark blue with polka dots.  

Scrappy tip:  something I learned in a quilting class I took is to squint at the fabrics (in this case, papers) and if you see a lot of contrast, that's good. If the papers are too similar in tone, pattern, colors, then see what else you can substitute for a good mix.

Once I chose my papers and decided where to place them, I trimmed them to save what wouldn't show.  Most non-rotary trimmers are great for trimming out centers or angled cuts.  In the blue paper below, you can see I trimmed a 4x4 piece from the bottom.  You'll never know it's missing!  I did the same for all the pieces behind the pink polka dot one that is in front.

Here's the layout again, and I opted to photograph it with a background setup as well.  I usually don't but wanted to test this technique out. 

Here are some close-ups.  You can see the distressed edges of the 6x6 papers as well as the stitching.  I love those enamel dots, bits & pieces, and decorative brads.  I printed my photos using my new HP Sprocket pocket printer.

Journal strips, the pencil and that "Shine" ephemera piece...fun!

I created a little banner by trimming the journaling tags from one of the 6x6 papers, sewing, and then adding some more bits and pieces.  There's Winston, the Simple Stories doggie, on a brad!

Don't forget to create your own rendition using sketch 304 and post to the CS InLinkz and share with us on Facebook and Instagram using #creatingwithsketches and #cssketch304.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great weekend!

Majken

Happy Day - with Clique Kits Cutfile and Simple Stories

Hello and happy day to you!  

Today I'm capturing my joy from when my family took me out for a Mother's Day brunch.  There was a wait, but it was so relaxing to sip my iced tea outside while we waited for our table.

How pretty is this free cut file from Clique Kits?  I used it on the striped paper from the Simple Stories Sunshine & Happiness.  Click the link above to grab the free cut file for yourself!

I spattered a few different inks on textured white cardstock, then while that dried, I matted my photo using the 6x6 paper from the collection and cut out the leaves wreath.

Once it was dry, I put the photo area down and sewed over the wreath once.

I added some stickers, New Bradz, and enamel dots onto the main area.

Next I trimmed a couple of the pocket cards from the collection and sewed along the top, adding a sticker and another New Bradz.

The journaling was quick using one of the journaling cards from the 6x6 paper pad.

I popped up the stickers "ENJOY" to put on the bottom.

And then I used a sewn strip on the top right with a New Bradz to balance with the rest of the layout.

Now go grab that cutfile and share what you create with it!

Thanks for stopping by.  Hugs!!

Majken

Happy Little Reader - Quilted Background with Creative Scrappers Cut File

Hello and thanks for stopping by!

Today I have a layout showcasing a quilted background inspired by and used with Kristine Davidson's cut file for Creative Scrappers called Square Space.  Go grab the great cut files from Creative Scrappers, and keep reading to grab a free title cut file.  I also was inspired by my friend Heather while scrapping with her recently - she created a quilt-inspired background too last month.

I decided to use my Simple Stories Bloom & Grow goodies - that collection has such a great combination of colors!! And it went well with photos of my almost-8-year-old son and his nightly reading obsession.  <3  I'm just sorry the little gnomes didn't go with the photos.  ;)

To create the background, I first cut the Square Space background from textured white cardstock.  Next I used the 6x6 paper pad cut many of the patterns into squares a little larger than the openings.  I then cut the squares across diagonally twice to get four triangles from 1 square.  

I then just started piecing together the papers so no two were directly next to each other and adhered them.  I stitched along the background "lattice" to complete the quilted look.  This technique was well worth the time of cutting and piecing.

Because the background was so intricate, I opted for fairly simple for the rest of the layout.

I used leftover 6x6 pieces to layer behind my photos of Paxton.  Some ephemera (how cute is this sun?!), a few New Bradz, and some stickers complete the photo area (along with some 3D foam tape).  Isn't it cute that the photo on the left includes a mark on his chin from sleeping with that book?  It's his very own "bookmark".  ;)  His reading tastes run a little old because of big sister, so he's already reading middle school chapter books.  Did I mention he's been a bookworm from a baby and taught himself to read? 

So next I was going to put a journaling spot, but I came across this fabulous quote that fit perfectly.

I printed it out after matching the ink to the paper collection using a scrappy tip I've shared before.  Then I matted it with more papers, ephemera, and a New Bradz.

For my title, I used Silhouette Studio to type each word in a different font and then welded them together.  I've loaded the cut file to my Google Drive so you can grab it and use it if you'd like! I printed the full title out with white cardstock and then printed it again in the blue polka dot paper to adhere to and help "happy little" stand out from the background a little easier.  Those shadows just can't be avoided when you use 3D foam tape to pop up the words!  

I used some stickers to put the "summer 2016" below the title.  I also scattered some enamel dots at the intersections that didn't already have something on them.

And that's a wrap on today's layout.  I hope it inspires you to create your own quilt-like background - if so, do share with me here or on Instagram.  I'd love to see your creation!

Have a super weekend...hugs and chocolate.

Majken