Hello all my Ella loves out there in blog land! I sort the layout submissions here at Ella Publishing Co., and once a month I guest blog to share my favorites from the month.

Without further ado, this month's Loves are: Andrea MacDonald, with her layout "Magic Garden"; Katie Squires, with her mini-album; Jennifer Alfonso, with her layout "Sweet Summer"; Reyanna Klein, with her layout "Joy and Me"; and Mindy Miller, with her layout "iwonder".

*First: I loved how Andrea added so many textures and layers to her layout! I love the feeling of a picnic table with the cloth and the cute little smiles of the fruits. Oh, and that frayed paper edge in red is just perfect. If you want to see more of Andrea (and I know you will) check her out at andreasmetta.blogspot.com.

 

*Second: I found Katie's mini truly inspiring!! The handmade burlap cover is genius...and as she said in her submission, "I had made a little pile of strawberry themed scrap supplies for when we would go strawberry picking this summer. We went this past Monday only to discover that the season was closed.  We picked raspberries instead. I still made the mini book that I had been planning, filled with strawberry embellishments. I like it, kind of cheeky." Cheeky indeed...and when life gives you, um, berries, make a mini. You can see more of Katie at katarooskitchen.blogspot.com.



 

*Third: I thought that Jennifer's page was so innovative using the pennants in her flower! Finding a new way to use a very popular item takes some serious outside the box thinking. I also really love that color combo, so summery! You can find more inspiration from Jennifer at jenniferalfonso.blogspot.com/.

*Fourth: I was instantly smitten with Reyanna's layout! I love the colors and I am anticipating big time stealing her envelope technique; you never know when you're going to need to hide a love note on a page! She states, "To spruce up the envelope a bit, I opened it up and added patterned paper under the flap. I punched small circles and then used a hole punch to punch them again, so they'd fit perfectly over the clasp circles. I made sure that the words 'child' and 'memory' were visible when I punched the circles. Then I just added buttons (with Glue Dots) and some journal strips!" Wonderful, really. I love new ways to use old ordinary things! You can find Reyanna at sunshineandwonder.blogspot.com.

*Fifth: You could say it was love at first sight with Mindy's page! Look at that scotch tape! Who knew an office staple could pack such a punch? I seriously *heart* the circles as a background with her main photo in the corner; it makes me want to know the story behind the hat! You can see more amazing layouts from Mindy at mysecretheart.typepad.com.

 

And Now for a Few Words About August
I decided I'd like to issue a fun and exciting challenge for our August Liz's Loves! To help you understand the reasons behind the challenge, I want you to escape with me into one of the most popular love stories of our day. So, indulge me if you will for a minute. (Twilight fans, you're going to love this! Non-Twilight fans, stay with me because there will still be an incentive for you at the end!)

"About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was part of him, and I didn't know how potent that part might be, that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him."

"You are my life. You're the only thing it would hurt me to lose."

"Isn't it supposed to be like this? The glory of first love, and all that. It’s incredible, isn't it, the difference between reading about something, seeing it in the pictures, and experiencing it?"

"For almost ninety years I've walked among my kind, and yours...all the time thinking I was complete in myself, not realizing what I was seeking. And not finding anything, because you weren't alive yet."

I've read the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and was enthralled by it, like millions of other readers worldwide. I loved her ability to put in to words how her characters were feeling. I loved how smitten Bella was with Edward, even though she knew she shouldn't be, and I could feel Edward's pain in knowing she was untouchable! However, even as enthralled as I was after I read the books, I put them on the back burner of my mind. (I still haven't even seen the third movie yet!)

But, while I was at the library a couple of days ago, I picked up a Stephenie Meyer novella, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, and I was enthralled all over again. It tells the backstory of a very minor character from the second book in the series, Eclipse. This then inspired me to finally read Meyer's partially finished fifth book in the series, Midnight Sun, which was leaked online and so it's never been officially released. It tells the story of the original Twilight book, but from Edward's perspective instead of Bella's. (I struggled with wanting to read this one because I wouldn't be able to finish and that drives me bonkers!)

Fortunately though, as I was reading, inspiration struck me... Do I ever scrapbook from someone else's perspective? Stephenie Meyer has now been able to recreate the same story through three different characters' perspectives. And she turned it into even more than a he said/she said exercise. It captivated me each time—truly amazing!

Okay, now that you've indulged me, I'm sure you're wondering how this plays into Liz's Loves. Well, here's the scoop: for this upcoming month of Liz's Loves, I want to see pages that are told from a different perspective other than your own. Or you could even go a little Stephenie Meyer on me and show a couple different perspectives on one page. Most of all, I want you all to have fun and try something new to spice up your scrapbooking life!

Of those submissions, I will pick my three favorites, as well as my two other loves for the month. All five loves will be featured on next month's blog post and will receive a discount for some Ella gear. Just email your submissions to submissions@ellapublishing.com, with "Perspective" in the subject line so I'll identify it right away. Deadline: August 16.

I hope this post and my amazing loves have left you inspired! I can't wait to be inspired by all of your challenge pages. You know you just might be my next crush of the month (along with my favorite Twilight hottie)!

XOXO
~Liz


 

Guest blogger Audrey Neal writes:

I've been a book lover for as long as I can remember; in fact, I'm lucky enough to say that some of my earliest memories involve books. And while I consider myself a gadget girl in many ways, switching to an e-reader has been one technological advance I'm not willing to take. Not only would I miss the familiar heft of a book in my hands, but I'd miss out on the amazing cover art that accompanies some of my favorite books.

Those same book covers have served as inspiration for my scrapbook pages time and again. Whenever I'm feeling uninspired, I browse my bookshelves and come away with so many great ideas. Let's take a peek at a couple of my favorite books and I'll show you what I mean.



Design style: This cover features a playful look with hand-drawn illustrations. You could easily achieve the same look with doodles -- either digital, stamped, or hand-drawn.

Technique: The cover artist created a neat effect by using negative space on the hillside to create the outline of a man. Punches give you the same look on your layouts, and clipping masks help you achieve the look with digital layouts.



Photo treatment: Get the same vibrant look for your photos with photo actions, or play around with overlays and textures to mimic the blurred background on the main image.

Typography: This funky font would look great handcut from cardstock or printed onto a subtly patterned paper. Create a block of color to back your title.

The opportunities for inspiration are endless. In fact, I've found that some of my most meaningful layouts have been strongly inspired by the books I'm currently reading and their covers. Here's one of my favorites:



I had just finished The Help and was moved so strongly by this story; I couldn't stop thinking about it, even as I moved on to other books. There was so much about the book that resonated so strongly with me, and in part I knew it was because of the relationship I had formed as a small girl with three older black women who worked at the restaurant my grandparents owned when I was younger. It wasn't long before I knew the story I wanted to tell, but I was having trouble coming up with the layout and style. That's when I turned to the book cover for help.



Color scheme: I pulled patterned papers from some of my favorite designers in the same purples and yellows of the book's cover. (Being able to recolor just about anything makes this really easy with digital scrapbooking!)

Visual element: The birds and birdcages helped me to think more symbolically about the story I was telling; while I never really discusss the idea of being caged by society's ideas about class and race, those ideas are hinted at with the images I chose.

After participating in a circle journal based on books and reading with a number of scrappers this past year, I wanted to continue and expand this idea of getting scrapbooking inspiration from the books I was reading. That's when The Open Book Challenges were born. Every other Monday, seven talented scrappers and I take turns offering up our latest reads for your scrapbooking inspiration. We offer a short review and then include a variety of challenges, both inspired by both the content and the design of the book. To play along, all you have to do is create a layout (digi, hybrid, or traditional), card, or other paper project of your choice (any style, any format) and post a link to it in the comments. That's it -- though we do welcome comments and discussion about the book as well.

Click here to see the current challenges we have posted, as well as short bios of our challenge team.

We've got a new challenge going live on Monday, July 12 -- we hope you'll stop by, check it out, and play along!

Hey all you Ella readers out there! I am so excited to announce my Love's of the month!

There were so many great submissions, how was a girl to choose? I finally narrowed it down to fuve loves...(even though I do secretly love you all): Keshet Shenkar, with her layout "Sunny Disposition"; Autumn Nguyen, with her layout "Hat Fetish"; Diane Herman, with her layout "Sofa"; Nathalie Leonelli, with her Mini-album "10 Favorites";  and Monika Wright, with her altered information book.

#1


I was completely drawn to Keshet Shankar's page from the moment I saw it, you could say it was love at first sight-haha! I love how Keshet used those funky new and trendy flowers to make a little cluster with a huge punch on her page! I especially love the little yellow flower and her use of yellow in general, which is great for adding a big pop in a subtle way and it speaks to the title of her page so well!

#2

My title love and layout sketch love for the month were found in the same layout, by Autumn Nguyen. Wow! That bright title totally caught my eye! I also love that she was able to get so many photos on 1 page without losing any style or making it cluttered.

#3

Diane Herman spoke to me with her layout "Sofa" because of her heartfelt and to-the-point journaling, but also check out that angle she used for her photo! Ella has been doing Friday photo lessons over the last few weeks, and with this photo Diane nailed it! The angle of the photo makes you want to know what it is all about, and then she knocked it out of the park with her journaling style. (BTW isn't her TV stand to die for?...I promise I don't have wandering eyes...I was really focusing on the layout-swear!)

#4

I love this innovative new idea from Monika Wright! She took an old album that she wasn't using and turned it into a treasure. It makes me so sad to think that I just threw one like this out; maybe I will have to go buy another just to make this. I love the simplicity and the paper! A one-stop-shop to write all her notes down = one fabulous idea.



#5


Last but not least, I love that Nathalie Leonelli took up my last challenge to create a mini-album, and man-she did it with style! I love the shape of the album that she made for her son, it makes it so inviting that I want to stop by her house and peruse through the pages! It is so boy with the colors and repeated sprocket shape, well done lady love number 5!



Great job ladies...you've had me swooning all month long. Make sure you check out their work by clicking on their blog links...you might just fall in love!

Until next month...
Liz

PS...make sure you submit this month-you might just put me under your love spell!

Layers are a key element in many types of design.

Professional decorator and TV host Christopher Lowell has authored  a handful of books and done numerous episodes espousing the concept of using layers to decorate your home.


Fashionistas layer clothes in ways never imagined and receive acclaim for their style.


In the world of professional cake decorators, building and decorating the cake in layers allows them to execute the most mind blowing designs.

What about layers and scrapbooking? eBook author Lisa Dickinson is the queen of using layers effectively in her scrapbooking projects. She makes mixing colors, textures, lines, photos, words, and accents look effortless. She shares her secrets behind her design in her eBook, Design Workshop, and on her blog. While all of these help me incorporate her secrets into my scrapbooking I like to think of other tricks to help me remember her secrets. One of those tricks is to think of a layout like a banana split. No really.


They both have lots of color, different textures, and flavors which work together to deliver an appealing image. 

First you start with a foundation, your banana
background

Then you add color and textures with three different flavors of ice cream
patterns and photos

Next you add a a little rich hot fudge sauce
shape and color

Then you cover with the delicious foamy whip cream
words in your title and journaling

Last you sprinkle with nuts and add the cherry
embellishments

There's no one better than Lisa Dickinson to show us how layers can work together to tell an oh-so-sweet story. Here are two of her lovely, layered creations:




Ahh perfection.
Now go scoop the ice cream and get scrapbooking!

(Oh yeah, and buy Lisa's eBook, too. It's 100 percent calorie free!)

Summertime is here at my house. All my kids are out of school and they are ready to hurry up and relax. Ever feel like that? You need to hurry up and make a memory or do something significant? As scrapbookers we pay attention to those big expected moments like graduations, birthdays, recitals, and holidays; how good are we at paying attention to the little things? I would say pretty good. As a reminder to all of us, take photos of those little things, take time to make homemade lemonade, sit outside with the kids and play games or read. Make time for the little things in life.

A memorable tradition at our house is making summer food. Each child picks something they want to make and then we get the ingredients and have at it. A few of the favorites over the years are blueberry smoothies, ice cream in a bag, lemonade, breakfast muffins, and blond brownies. Funny thing about this tradition... I have never scrapbooked or even photographed it. That will change this year! Make a commitment with me to photograph your family's little things this summer.

Yes it is true Ella is blog swapping with kit club, Scrapbooking from the Inside Out. All the projects below are from the talented ladies of SFIO. Ella challenged them to be inspired by Lain and Stacy's 20 Simple Secrets of Happy Scrapbookers eBook and they inspired our Ella friends with their May kit, Anticipation. After you see what their design team came up with below, stop by their blog to see what our Ella friends created.

               =

From Diana Kennedy

My layout was based on {discovery no. 9} it's not what happened, it's how you think about it.



"The amount of happiness present in your life is perspective. You can have it all and not be happy; or live with less and be absolutely content with your life.  It all comes down to the choices and one’s attitude when faced with life’s challenges, its ups and downs. When I thought about what happiness meant to me, I immediately thought of simple, straightforward things that I do or recall when feeling down or stuck. I try not to take life so seriously, and look at the humor and subtle reminders that life and happiness is indeed a gift."


Next up is Rita Barakat

She was inspired by a prompt/layout that recommends we enjoy the ordinary.






Now Nancy Doren

I used the following from the eBook, Happy Scrapbookers: "Discovery #12: Do Things That You're Good At."


"The takeaway: It’s hard enough for scrapbookers to put ourselves on our pages, and it’s even tougher for us to toot our own horns! But it’s important for us to document our skills and abilities, not only to prove to ourselves (and our kids!) that we have unique talents, but also to remind ourselves to make more time to enjoy them."

 

I loved the idea of scrapbooking my abilities, so I decided to document my new-found talent: saying "no"!  I'm getting better at saying "no" to things I'm not truly interested in, and I love that this page will remind me to keep doing so!

What interesting and diverse pages. You must see the layouts from Ella friends.

GIVEAWAY

To win one of the anticipation kits leave a comment sharing what you like about kits and you will be entered into the giveaway.
Closes Thursday May 26th at noon MST

To learn more about what makes Scrapbooking from the Inside Out different from other kit clubs check out their:
about
blog
kits
gallery
design team

The winner of the kit giveaway is Andrea (afriebus)
Thanks for playing along

Ella founder, Angie Lucas, is sharing her story about a gift of hair donation on a local talk show today in Utah. To read about it click here. I too participated in this 'gift' project as did Creating Keepsakes creative editor, Megan Hoeppner. A few weeks ago we all got together (and Becky Olsen joined in) to get our hair cut. I have never been so happy to have short hair-it feels so much better! No more hair weight.



As scrapbookers, we often pay special attention to our life as we look for topics to photograph or stories to write about. That is a gift you are giving yourself and those you scrapbook about and for and often times I think we forget to say good job! So today, pat yourself on the back for participating in such a meaningful and positive hobby.

Donation info
Locks of Love
Pantene

Just a few behind-the-scenes facts about our newest (and best?) eZine issue!



1. The winner of our cover contest was the lovely Keri Babbitt, who, we found out, happens to live just in the next city over from me! That was a first. She was able to drop off the layout right on my front porch, rather than having to mail it.

2. When we realized the eZine was going to go live on Cinco de Mayo (5-5-10), we just HAD to include a 5-related article. Hence, the Editor's Note. Incidentally 5 +5 =10. Not that it's relevant, but interesting to point out. How many dates are also addition problems?

3. In Mix & Match, two of the pattern pictures were photographed and sent in just exactly as you see them, and two were assembled digitally by me. (I learned some fun new shadow tricks in Photoshop in the process!) Can you guess which have natural shadows, and which have digital shadows? Okay, I'll give you one hint. Here's how one of the images came in:

4. I got a real kick out of this suspicious-looking puppy photo from Jody Wenke (in Paper Plus Pixels). Isn't that the most human expression you've ever seen on a dog? This pooch is thinking, "I don't know about you..."



5. Did you know there are now TWO ways to find out that the new eZine is live and ready to read? You can sign up for our mailing list, or you can "like" our brand new FaceBook page, where we'll post short synopses of each new article every month! You better do both, just to be safe.


We're moving to a PAGE instead of a GROUP, because it gives us so many more options for connecting with our readers in relevant, meaningful, and of course FUN ways. And we'll even bribe you with giveaways and free stuff, too; we're not above bribery.

So...will you Like us? Please? We just want to be Liked. Like Sally Field, we just want to be able to say, "You LIKE me. You really LIKE me!!!"

(p.s. We're not so sure we approve of the new "Like" button that replaced the old "Become a Fan" on FaceBook. If you don't Become a Fan, that doesn't feel personal, but not Liking someone, that's another story...)

A quiz is truly the best journaling shortcut I know. And a good quiz can also spark stories, ideas, and insights that you might never think to record if you hadn't been asked. With that idea in mind, I decided to create an ongoing album last year to capture my life at age 33. I wrote a fun quiz just for this purpose, and answered the same questions on the last day of each month for an entire year. (My birthday is March 31, so it made sense for me to choose the last day of the month, but you really can choose any day of the month you wish.) To see the steps for creating an album link this of your own, check out my blog today.





Here's what the quiz itself looks like:



To download this exact quiz in pdf form, simply click here.

To see six months of completed pages featuring this quiz, large enough for you to read the journaling, visit my blog today!


And to win a FREE copy of Quick & Creative Quizzes, an eBook containing about a dozen completely unique (and fun!) quizzes like this one (including a recurring quiz or two), just leave a comment on this post!

We invited Ella Friend Katrina Simeck to guest blog today about her favorite creative influences. Check back on the next few Thursdays as other Ella Friends tackle the creativity topic. Take it away, Katrina!

I have loved to read ever since, well...I learned how to read. I would get lost for hours with tales of people and places. My love of fiction waned over the years, and I began to pick up "how-to" books more often. How to cook, garden, take photographs, become a millionaire (need to read that one again), succeed in business...you get the drift. Fiction can be imaginative, but how-to can be rewarding. Somewhere in the middle is inspiring. These days, when I need a creative nudge, I pick up a book. Sometimes, the words inspire a project. Sometimes they merely inspire a thought. Either way? Helloooo creativity! Favorites, old & new...

Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

This book made the rounds of the scrapbooking community several years ago. Totally inspiring either as an album project, or even just a single page.


The Awe-manac: A Daily Dose of Wonder by Jill Badonsky

Such a fun source of daily prompts & inspiration (and fun art, too!).


The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha

Wouldn't this make a great mini-album? I started reading the author's blog a few months ago, and find myself "seeing" little things that I'd like to document as being awesome in my life. For example, I'm planning to create an ode-to-my-blackberry layout (alternate title - the love of my life).


And, last but certainly not least...a current inspiring fave...
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

I happened to read this book at the same time that I started reading the Awesome guy's blog. The combination definitely lit a creative spark!

With all this inspiration at my fingertips, I've started capturing images of things that make me happy...simply dubbed "Happy Things." It's a work in progress, with each page digitally designed for consistency & ease. Interestingly, several pages are about food. Hmmm. Not sure how that happened!







Need one more suggestion for your creativity reading list? It's right here at Ella...Stacy Julian's ebook...UR2 Cre8ive. Enjoy!