I had so much fun looking through the different layouts created by the boot camp participants and wanted to share just a few here on the blog.

From Bobbi she used the grammer free journaling and pattern mixing techniques, and how cute are her four daughters??

OK this layout incorporates a grid design and uses lovely colors and patterns, great job Heike.

It's DAY 5 of Boot Camp! Yes, there are some BIG WORDS in our blog post title today, but the fun AND the inspiration marches on...

Here's today's schedule:

06:00 Journaling Drill
For my final journaling drill, I'm going to help you uncover your guiding values and principles in a fun and easy way. We're going to use a QUIZ! And I'm going to walk you through the proces step-by-step. You'll walk away with a layout that describes one of the most important (and least documented) aspects of who you are. And it will be worth every minute spent.



Our morning sponsor, the online paperie Ormolu, is offering a $50 gift certificate to one lucky winner!

12:00 Lunch Break
Pop back in to the Boot Camp Barracks for a bonus inspiration video from "Storytelling Sergeant," Wendy Smedley. Today, Wendy's talking about "Inclusive Storytelling."




18:00 Design Drill
This evening, Lisa Dickinson takes you step by step through the inspiration process, sharing a designer's eye for inspiration! She'll show you nine different ways to translate the printed pieces that inspire you into scrapbook pages that will inspire you even more. You'll never look at magazines the same way again!



Our evening sponsor is Jenni Bowlin, who has this kit up for grabs, plus a Christmas-themed one too!

We've got just one day to go, but you can still sign up. You have until October 1 to turn in your projects to enter the daily giveaways, so it will be EASY to play catch-up all through next week. PROCRASTINATORS ARE WELCOME! Register for just $33 now.

If you're already registered, log into your user account and visit the page http://www.ellapublishing.com/bootcamp11. (You must be registered and logged in for the link to work.)

It's Scrapbooking Boot Camp Day 3!

We had one Twitter follower Tweet today that, "Wow the Maggie Holmes tutorial ALONE (from yesterday evening) is worth the price of admission at the @EllaPublishing bootcamp." And the fun continues in the Boot Camp Barracks!

Here's what's happening today:

06:00 Journaling Drill
I'm back with my second writing drill! And this time we're going to get DEEP. But not in a soul-searching, exhausting, difficult way. I'll share three EASY strategies to help you write the BEST kind of journaling. (And I'll explain what the BEST kind of journaling is, too.)



And our morning sponsor is Little Yellow Bicycle, who is offering a whole tote full of goodies!




12:00 Lunch Break
Pop back in to the Boot Camp Barracks for a bonus inspiration video from "Storytelling Sergeant," Wendy Smedley. Every day this week, Wendy shares a fun and inspirational nugget about storytelling. And today you also get a free printable quote (designed three different ways) for scrapbook pages or to hang up in your house somewhere!




18:00 Design Drill
This evening, Lisa Dickinson shares TONS of layout examples that are all built on a grid-style foundation. It will be your new, favorite go-to page approach! Learn why it's so easy and beautiful to design on a grid, plus innovative and beautiful ways to break out of the grid and customize it to your own style.



Our evening sponsor is Studio Calico, who is offering the Glee Club kit and the Home Ec Kit as this evening's prize, plus they're giving an exclusive 20 percent coupon code to all registered Boot Campers!

Yes, you can still sign up. Since you have until October 1 to turn in your projects to enter the daily giveaways, it will be EASY to play catch-up. PROCRASTINATORS ARE WELCOME! (We, ourselves, are master procrastinators. Just don't tell our recruits. We have that "Drill Sergeant" image to uphold, after all.) Register for just $33 now.

If you're already registered, it's EASY to access our Boot Camp Barracks. Simply log into your user account and visit the page http://www.ellapublishing.com/bootcamp11. (You must be registered and logged in for the link to work.) And you'll get daily emails, too

ONE MORE THING...
Thursday, September 22, just happens to be Elephant Appreciation Day! We're celebrating by offering everyone a 10 percent coupon to use on anything on our site. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you get the coupon! (Registered Boot Camp Recruits will get a 20 percent code instead!)

Way back when, before I had the honor of being an Ella Friend, I purchased the eBook 40 Top Tips for Better Photos by Rebecca Cooper. My goal was to use the tips and suggestions in this eBook so that I could better learn my fancy new camera.

 

What I didn't realize, was that I would be inspired to create a layout based on one of the five scrapbook layouts Rebecca shares with us. Rebecca's layout on the right titled, "this boy" was an ideal way for me to scrap several sports photos of my son. I didn't scrapbook when he was younger, so specific stories and detailed thoughts are lost.



As you can see, my layout is definitely inspired by Rebecca's, incorporating just a few changes and edits:  using only 3 photos allowed me to use larger photos and I used an embellishment as my title. The clean and simple design allowed me to highlight some of my son's athletic endeavors in his scrapbook album even though specific details are lacking.




 
 We hope that you are enjoying our series sharing how our Ella Friends have found inspiration from an eBook. And in celebration of inspiration, you'll want to take advantage of the Scrapbook Challenges Bundle, where you'll save $4.50 and be inspired by 88 pages of 104 amazing ideas!



Have Fun and Scrap On,

Monika
 

This layout actually documents three recent “events” in our life…Jack getting a new job (in Florida), making another cross-country move and our very first home purchase.

Hints: I stuck with the same manufacturer/line for the layout to make it easier to coordinate everything quickly.

Sara's turn

I seem to have developed the bad habit of leaving my camera behind.  Lucky for me, Anna got a new iTouch for Christmas and happily documented Christmas morning for us!  The photos are, of course (!) blurry, so I placed them in a photo cluster to minimize the attention on the quality of the photos while still letting the photos tell the story.

We hope you had a good time watching all the CHA sneaks rolling in!  While at CHA, I loved seeing all of the home décor projects designers had created with scrappy supplies.  Which brings us to today’s topic—more on home décor and scrapbooking!

Today, we’re sitting down with the queen of vintage chic, Becky Novacek, to find out how she marries her home décor and scrapbook skills!

We asked Becky to tell us more about her home décor and scrappy skills:

1. How would you describe your scrapbooking style?

Very imperfect, homespun, usually simple. Always focused on the photo/s and a brief thought that is usually directed to my family or friends.

2. What is your creative process for decorating? Is it similar or different to your process for scrapbooking?

Absolutely! I start with a basic idea of what I want the finished product to look/feel like. Colors and textures are a big part of my process. But I guess when it comes down to it, it's all about the feeling or vibe.

3. How do you transfer design concepts in scrapbooking to home décor?

 I think color and texture are huge, but I think another big part of it is expression and personal style. Allowing your personal style to come through, whether it be a little worn and well loved, or clean and simple, it can be expressed in crafting, scrapbooking, home decor and your wardrobe. For me, there are definite common threads throughout.

4. Are there any items you’re coveting in home décor? How about scrapbooking?

Right now, I'm coveting a new farmhouse sink for my kitchen. Countertops too. But, I've learned that pacing myself with home improvements is very important! I am loving the new JBS products. I have a little box of goodies waiting for me and I can't wait to dive in!

Here’s a project that represent Becky’s signature style:

And check out how that style appears in Becky’s beautiful home:

She was always drawn to paper and photos, so when Becky Novacek was first exposed to scrapbooking, she was hooked. In 2004, life changed and paper crafts became much more than a hobby, it became a daily creative endeavor. Although life has changed yet again, and now photography plays an important role in her life, she still finds time to scrapbook and play with paper. Becky has been published in BHG Scrapbooks Etc, Creating Keepsakes, Scrapbook Trends, Memory Makers, Cards, Legacy, Somerset and back in the day, Autumn Leaves Books. Currently, Becky serves on the design teams for Jenni Bowlin Studios and Fiskars. And she co-authored Picture Perfect: 129 expert tips for shooting stellar portraits with fellow photographers Elisha Snow and Kelly Noel.



Becky lives in Fremont, Nebraska with her husband Tom. They have 4 grown, married children and 8 grandchildren. She enjoys photography, paper crafts, flea marketing, reading, lunching with friends and spending Sunday afternoons in the summer around the pool with her whole family.
 

Week 1: Stephanie Howell

Week 2: Lori Mancini

1. Paper Flowers

I am in love with these paper flowers by Hampton Art—the Ditto line. They come in a variety of bright colors sure to fit your most festive page!

2. Doilies

These doilies by Kaiser Craft would make any girl swoon. They have such a feminine feel to them.

3. Doilies flowers

Need more doilies? Check out these by Petaloo.

4.  Clear Scraps mini albums

Has a mini album been on your mind? Check out these cute options by Clear Scraps. I especially love the little tree and the owl.

Favorite Projects

I have to show this ticket mobile just because. I’m not sure that I need a ticket mobile in my home, but it sure was fun to look at and think about how long it took someone to put this together! These are all fun new embellies from 7 Gypsies!

Canvas Home Basics was a new company to me, though they have been around for a little while I was told. They have some fabulous canvas, tags and décor making supplies. I am currently in the middle of hosting a heritage challenge for 12 weeks at the store I design for, so anything “heritage” jumps out at me. Check out this amazing wreath!

p.s. Check out these cute little elephants that I eye-spied during my CHA travels!

The Ella Friends will share their favorite trends and finds from CHA starting Monday February 7th.

Look for lots of photos, insider information, and just plain fun from your friends at Ella Publishing. Join us next week! (In the meantime, please check out Angie Lucas's CHA recap on her personal blog.)

Eight is Enough for Keshet

1. Gray school paper (October Afternoon)
2. Yellow damask (October Afternoon)
3. Blue garment (Studio Calico)
4. Pink polka-dot (Bella Blvd)
5. Apron lace punch (Fiskars America)
6. Butterfly stickers (Jenni Bowlin Studio)
7. Word/phrase stickers (October Afternoon)
8. Pink letter stickers (American Crafts)

1. Studio Calico “Swatch” 12 x 12 patterned paper
2. Studio Calico “Sass” 12 x 12 patterned paper
3. Basic Grey “Houses” 12 x 12 patterned paper
4. KI Memories “Lagoon Calendar” 12 x 12 patterned paper
5. Tim Holtz Tissue Tape
6. Studio Calico Navy Jute
7. Basic Grey “Wander” Pieces die cuts
8. Studio Calico Jett alphabet stamp set

1. Kraft Calendar Paper (Crate Paper)
2. Text/Ledger Paper (Making Memories)
3. Yellow polka-dot paper (Studio Calico)    
4. Calendar Journal Cards (Sassafras)
5. Butterflies (Making Memories)
6. Brads (Making Memories)
7. Orange Alphabets (Making Memories)
8. Staples

When you’re done, e-mail us pictures of all four of your layouts (each sized to 800 pixels tall maximum), plus a picture of your eight original supplies, and an explanation of how you stretched each layout, and we’ll pick one winner each month through March 2011!  E-mail questions and entries to submissions@ellapublishing.com, with “Eight is Enough” in the subject line.

AND to add an extra ELLAment of fun,Ella Publishing is giving away an Eight is Enough ebook!   Leave a comment here and share if you have ever created a layout using only 8 items. Comments will close 10:00 p.m. Saturday February 5th MST.   Good Luck!!!

Welcome to back to our second week of home décor love at Ella Publishing! In this blog series, we’re speaking to five talented scrappers who have translated their scrapping skills to the walls and floors of their homes.
Today, we’re welcoming scrapbooking maven Lori Mancini!

We asked Lori some questions about her scrapping and decorating style:

1. How would you describe your scrapbooking style?

I always find this so hard to answer. My style has changed so many times over the years but currently I would say clean with lots of layers, dimension, and a twist of fun. Over the last few years most of my layouts are created with white (or neutral) cardstock as my background base. I love how everything just pops off of the page and the final look is so crisp and clean. To bring out my "creative" side I love to add a touch of whimsy, interest and dimension with chalks and mists on the background and by paper rolling and layering for added dimension. I try to apply just enough of both to give it visual interest but not too much as it takes away from the clean look. Another trend I realize I always do is border my pages...I find for me it anchors the page - especially for posting to online galleries...and of course I always, always add a touch of sewing to finish off every page.

2. What is your creative process for decorating? Is it similar/different to your process for scrapbooking?

We just finished a major redecorating of our living/dining room and once I started to think about it I realized that the way I decorated this space is very similar to the approach I take to creating my layouts. The rooms have been very dark for such a long time and I have always thought I love deep rich colors on my walls (because as a person I love color so I assumed this was the way to decorate!) Each room in our home at one time was painted a deep rich color. It scared me when I was drawn to a light, very neutral color scheme this time around, but what I realized was that I wanted my furniture and accessories to "pop" in the room and for the room to have a main focal point...much the same way as I like my photo's and embellishments to "pop" off my neutral backgrounds when scrapbooking. It was a shift in my thinking and sort of a "yes I've got it" moment for me! Instead of having the walls and the color being the focal point of the room (where a deep rich color was the first thing you noticed), your eye now gets a visual chance to look around the room without competing for attention.

For me this is similar to using pattern paper as a background...I have never been happy or could achieve a look that I like with a pattern paper background. I love how others make it happen...but it is not me - similar to how I love the look of, say, French country decorating - but it isn't for my living spaces. With a clean canvas to start off with I began with my focal point, in this case it was our newly redone fireplace, and started placing the furniture around it - again similar to how I start with a photo and place my items around it to compliment it in unique ways.

3. How do you transfer design concepts in scrapbooking to home décor?

It’s funny, I never realized how similar these two processes are for me until I was asked to contribute to this article. Again, the timing was perfect for me and I was intrigued that the way I was decorating my room was very similar to how I design my page. I took the fireplace as my focal point and then placed the furniture in the room so that it still complimented my focal point. Placing the furniture in a cluster in the middle of the room anchored the pieces together like a cluster of embellishments on the page. Placing an area rug in the room and making sure each piece of furniture in the grouping was on the rug anchored the cluster and gave me a grouping -- much like I like my embellishments to all touch something to anchor them to the page (to avoid the dreaded sticker sneeze syndrome of scrapbooking LOL!). I then layered decorative pieces for the final touches of the room, i.e. the pillows, trays on the ottoman, etc., again very similar to how I decorate my pages. I approached decorating this room with the same design principles that I often use on my layouts. The rules of symmetry, balance, with a splash of fun were definitely on my mind when I thought of accessories. Less is more and my clean approach to scrapbooking certainly showed up in this room as well as other rooms in my home.

You could say that I think of my home as an entire scrapbook - each room represents a page that on its own tells story or has a purpose, but it all "fits" together and has a cohesive look. At one time I looked at a room individually while decorating, now I look at how it flows with the rest of the house, like how an album flows and fits as you turn the pages.

I find it funny and amusing that at one time a few years ago I could not create one layout without having some sort of sparkle or bling on it. I was nicknamed "the queen of bling" by some scrapping friends on a design team I was on...and I have realized that although it does not show up on my pages quite as much as it did at one time - I truly believe it is because I surround myself with it at every opportunity in my home. With crystal lamps and chandeliers, oversized mirrors, and sparkly fireplace rock showing up throughout my home I just think my fix for all things sparkly has taken on a bigger role in my life...so I will still hold on to my nickname for now!

4. Are there any items you’re coveting in home décor? How about scrapbooking?

What do I covet for my home... hmm this is a real hard question for me to answer. My husband and I own a cabinet shop that builds and designs custom kitchens. I deal daily with unbelievably beautiful homes that are professionally decorated and large enough to fit 3 of my homes in. I take photos of these gorgeous homes and certainly go into "Wow" mode... but in all honesty I love my home and even if I won the lottery I would not move tomorrow. We have lived here now for 10 years and have been working on it since the day we moved in. Certainly there are trends and there will always be something that needs upgrading but in all honesty there is nothing I would change at this moment. Our styles have definitely changed since we first moved in - we both like the modern simplistic look to decorating, "the less is more" approach has caught on in the industry and certainly in our home. We deal quite often with decorators in our business and I have learned that it is much easier than most think to achieve a look they want. Start with a good foundation, and change the look up with accessories - much like we start with a foundation of our layouts and obtain a certain look with placement and our choice of embellishments.

For the longest time I coveted a dream scrap space and it was my biggest wish and dream was to create a studio of my dreams for many years. It finally did come true early last year after my old room was destroyed by a flood. My scrap space is my "go to" space in my home. I have surrounded myself with all things that I love in there and it is my space where I create, I do all my thinking here, it is my Testosterone free zone! I love my room and I've often said if I could fit a fridge and a mattress there really would be no need for any other room in the house for me LOL!

Ironically the last and only room left to do in our home is indeed our kitchen! My husband and I are not quite on the same page for design ideas here! Our options are similar to a scrapbooker at CHA - so much to choose from and we want it all!! This will be our last major project in our home - and it is a little overwhelming and a lot of decisions to make...so we will wait...and in the meantime just enjoy the now.

As for scrapbooking and what do I covet - well right now that is easy to answer - nothing really. My studio is overflowing with supplies - but I regularly go through it and I am know donating my unused items to one of the prominent cancer treatment hospitals in Ontario for patients to use. It is overflowing at the seams, since currently and I am fortunate to be sent products to design with monthly from my various design teams that keep me well supplied with stuff to play with. However... talk to me in a couple of weeks after all of the items are shipping from CHA winter and I am sure to have a few things on my list of "thing to "covet"!

Here are some layouts that represent Lori’s stunning style:

And check out Lori’s clean and simple look in her home décor:

Hi everyone my name is Lori Mancini and I live in beautiful Southern Ontario Canada with my husband Dan and our two handsome teenage son's Blake and Jared. When I’m not scrapbooking until the wee hours of the morning I enjoy spending time with family and friends and keep busy running our Custom Cabinetry business with my husband. Life sure can get hectic sometimes but I thrive on adventure and chaos and this hobby is just what I need to wind down and remind me of what is important. I am a "Scatter-Brained" blonde who loves to read blogs by the hour, take photos by the hundreds, and find inspiration in everything around me. I enjoy the lazy days of summer, Starbuck's pretzels, and cheering my kids on in whatever it is they're doing. In the winter you will find me hibernating in my scrap room with fuzzy slippers and a cup of tea, or camped out in front of the TV watching Grey's Anatomy or The Biggest Loser. I am honored to have had my work published in and on the cover of Canadian Scrapbooker, Scrapbook & Cards Today, Scrapbook Trends and Scrapbook M.M. magazines. I currently design for My Scrapbook Nook and SEI and love everything about this industry and what it has provided me.