pretty paper. true stories. {and scrapbooking classes with cupcakes.}

Please welcome Youngmi as today’s guest artist, who has created a pocket page and full 12×12 scrapbook page to sit together as a multi-photo double page spread. I love this balance and hope you enjoy Youngmi’s design ideas! A reminder that supplies have affiliate links which make this guest series possible. Thanks for your support as always! -Shimelle

I have enough photos and stories in my to-scrap pile that I could never get it all scrapped even if I cloned myself a few times. That’s why I love sketches and scraplifting. Having a starting point gives my creative juices a boost so I can get more photos off my phone and into my albums.



It’s so inspiring to look at layouts created by other scrappers and think of ways to adapt them to my style, story, and supplies. Sometimes I stick closely to my inspiration. Sometimes I turn it around, flip things over, nudge bits here and there. By the time I’m done, it may look nothing like the original! This layout was inspired by a dreamy, gorgeous layout Shimelle made with her April Best of Both Worlds kit. (You can watch that layout come together in this video.)

These photos are from a trip to Vernazza, Italy. Since my photos were landscape, I started by flipping the sketch on its side. Since this layout will go in my Italy album, I made my design decisions based on the overall style of that project. The look I’m going for is “light and sweet vintage” which means soft florals, delicate details, and pretty color palettes.


When it comes to embellishment clusters, I like to think of a phrase I learned in Thailand – “same, same but different”. Notice that each embellishment cluster features the same colors but they appear in different elements? And that they all have tags but none of them are the same? See? Same, same but different! Everything coordinates and flows throughout the page but the little differences keep the layout exciting and engaging.


You may have noticed that this layout is missing one very important thing – journaling! That’s because I knew from the start I would create a coordinating pocket page.

I love using pocket pages for photos I want to include in my album but don’t have a story of their own. They’re like the supporting cast in a film. They may not be the star but the story can’t be told without them. The pocket page gave me ample space to journal, show off the many beautiful views from the top of the castle we climbed and provided a home for my ticket stubs. The top left photo flips up to reveal two more photos and additional journaling. All together, this two page layout has ten photos!


I always make my coordinating pocket page after the main layout is complete. The scraps and supplies that didn’t make it on to the layout get scooped up into the pockets. I stick with the same color scheme and pull in some elements from the layout. If you look closely, you’ll spot a couple of familiar patterned papers, butterflies, a little gold thread and a torn edge.



I hope this inspires you to grab a sketch or layout created by another scrapper and adapt it to your style and story. Try it on a different page size! I’m definitely going to create 8.5×11 and 9×12 versions of this page for my other albums. Or the next time you finish a layout, gather up those scraps and see if you can make a quick pocket page. Happy scrapping!

Hello! My name is Youngmi and I’m a midwest girl living on the Central Coast of California with my husband. I’ve been scrapbooking for over 20 years! In the moments when I’m not scrapbooking, I enjoy baking, traveling, reading, quilting and living out all my nerdy dreams. That includes DisneyBounding, gaming, being a proud Ravenpuff and dreaming of cosplays for the next con. Nerdy scrappers unite! You can see more of my work on Instagram.

Welcome to February! This month I’ll be working with a collection kit focus for the Best of Both Worlds series, sharing a look at how my album strategy panned out over the last year, and I’m happy to continue to share the work of talented guest artists from all over the world. Today we go to a little island with an interesting flag to meet a crafty lady with a love of layers and a particular colour palette. Please welcome Suse Fish! – Shimelle

There’s something really lovely about the tween stage, isn’t there? That super-sweet bit after Care Bears, but before boys. I often remind myself to be a little more like my girl at this age: when a bottle of vanilla body spray or a pair of fluffy llama socks bring so much joy and there’s nothing more fun than making cupcakes and decorating each one in a different rainbow colour.

I wanted to capture something of that simple joy in this layout and had the idea to have things dangling from the page, like the colourful keyrings from Kitty’s backpack. Of course, I’d struggle to get this one in a page protector, so it’ll go on the wall instead, but I’m so happy with how it turned out.

I’m kind of obsessed with mini things and at the moment, really love making pint-sized travellers notebooks and mini albums. I decided it would be fun to make a teeny-tiny version of Bea Valint’s gorgeous acetate bag, then pop a miniature planner in it. I’m wishing now that I’d had a tiny pencil to go in there too…

My motto with scrapbooking is, “Why not?” I love taking things that probably shouldn’t go on a scrapbook page and working out how to tuck them in there. The fun is in the playfulness for me and I know that I need to lighten up whenever I start making pages that are a bit too involved or labour-intensive in an attempt to be impressive!

The photo is one of my very favourites. My lass isn’t so keen on having her photo taken, so I actually had to pay her for this photoshoot (oh yes, she’s canny) but she’d just dyed her hair pink and looked so fab that I had to get at least a few shots.

I hope you fancy having a go at a page like this. Just layer up lots of white elements behind your pic, thread a piece of elastic for your ‘charm line’ and most important of all: keep everything wonderfully scruffy and ruffled!

Suse Fish lives on the Isle of Man with her minister hubby, daughter Kitty and two Ragdoll cats. She spends her time scrapbooking and putting things back where they came from. You can follow her work on her Instagram.

Please welcome today’s guest artist, Rasha Badawy, here to share a technique combining cut files and inking on a scrapbook page. Supplies are linked with affiliate links that make this series of guest posts possible, so thank you for clicking through them when you’re inspired to shop! And don’t forget to go say hello to Rasha on Instagram for more of her beautiful crafting. -Shimelle

Hi, I’m Rasha and I am delighted to be here. For my layout, I started with a focus on Distress Oxide inks. I used five different coloured ink pads from Tim Holtz that matched my pictures: Worn Lipstick, Abandoned Coral, Candied Apple, Tumbled Glass and Faded Jeans.

I started my project by cutting out a flower corner cut file by Paige Evans. I used the flower corner as a stencil and stamped different distress ink on white cardstock. Then I removed the inked cut file and placed it on the opposite corner of the paper. It gave the effect of positive and negative image. I stitched a frame outline using sky blue thread. I used my scissors to distress the edges of the white cardboard and mounted the cardstock on coral paper.

I decided where I want to use my pictures and lightly outlined the position. I inked the Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide on a piece of acetate, mixed it with water, and gently applied it to the background to add some blue behind the pictures.

For the title, I used a cut file by ‘Cut to You’ with white paper. I inked the letters using Faded Jeans Distress Ink and when the letters dried I adhered them. The last step was the butterflies which are actually white and I decided to ink them as well to match the colour story throughout my layout. I used minimal embellishment to finish the layout, just a couple stickers to complement my photos.

I hope you enjoy this idea to get a little different treatment from your cut file collection, and I’d love to see your stencilled and inked projects!

Hi! I am Rasha Badawy. I am Egyptian. I moved to Dubai in 2006 and was lucky to call Dubai home for twelve years. Then I moved to the Netherlands and I have been living here for three years. As a child, I loved collecting pretty cards and stickers for no apparent reason. I did not know that one day it would develop into a hobby called scrapbooking! I was introduced to scrapbooking by a complete chance five years ago and I was immediately hooked. It became my escape place from a busy life as a wife, mother, and teacher. You can find more of my work on Instagram, Scrapbook Tales.

Please welcome our next guest artist, Karlla Dauer! She’s joining us today to sprinkle some colour into your next scrapbooky snow day, and also breathing some new life into one of my older Best of Both World page designs. A disclosure reminder that the supplies are linked with affiliate links that make this project possible. Enjoy! -Shimelle

Hello everybody. Karlla here, and I’m very happy to share this project with you. I love working with a sketch or scraplifting an inspiring work to make it my own. I was in no doubt that lifting one of Shimelle’s pages would work. She is always so cheerful and this is reflected in her layouts.

I love geometric shapes for my designs, and when I saw this Shimelle layout with a huge circle I fell in love. Shimelle used the die cut paper from her Field Trip collection.
The nice thing about projects like this, is that you can bring several patterned papers to the layout and enjoy working with the different looks in one collection. I used the Feelin’ Frosty collection from Simple Stories for this page, but the same page design would look unique with any collection of your choice.

I confess that I’m taking risks in journaling. I need to practice writing more, and tags are great for short sentences. I loved how she used the decorative elements. As I love to add height to my work, a project rich in embellishments is great for this. You can highlight each detail in a unique way. To give it a standout and a delicate touch, I added the machine-made sewing on the card and on the “pizza slices” in the circle. I think it’s so beautiful.

I like to work with a white background when I use collections with a lot of prints, especially when I want a delicate result. The combination of white with the collection’s color scheme creates a truly harmonious design.

I hope you enjoyed my re-reading of Shimelle’s beautiful layout. It’s an honor to be able to contribute as a scrapper that I really admire. A day full of love for you.

Hi, my name is Karlla Dauer, I am 34 years old. I’m Brazilian, but I have lived for fie years with my husband and son in Dallas, Texas. I got to know scrapbooking in 2005 and I’m sure it was an eternal love. Today I’m a full-time mother, wife, and housewife… and in the middle of it all, I’m also a scrapper. I don’t think I have a style of my own, but I love playing with roles and I try to take a little risk in mixed media. You can see more of my work on my Instagram.

A fresh new year and a few new projects to go along with it. One of my biggest goals for 2022 is to share as much love as I can across the scrapbooking community. Yes, that sounds corny. Hi, have we met? Corniness aside, I mean things like sharing the work of talented crafters who you may or may not already know. I’m still scrapbooking, but I’ve also been scrapbooking a very long time, and if I can use this space to highlight fabulous ideas from other crafters too, then I’m game. The plan is to share projects from two guest artists a week, and it starts today! Please note these posts contain affiliate links for the supplies where possible. Shopping through these links doesn’t change the price for you but the retailer sends me a commission. Those commissions are making this series of guest posts possible, as I am a big believer in paying artists for their hard work in actual money, so every guest artist you see in this series for 2022 gets paid. Yay. Also the end of each post includes where you can find more work from each artist so you can follow them on Instagram, YouTube, or wherever else. I hope you will follow some new favourites and share that crafty love!

I think that’s enough introduction so I hand you over to our first guest, Andrea, who walks you through her process for scrapbooking with a title cut file to kick off this festival of scrappy inspiration! I hope you enjoy! -Shimelle

Hi Friends! My name is Andrea Lake and I am sharing one of my favorite layouts I’ve ever made with you today. Yes, this is definitely one of my favorite pages because it combines many of my favorite things and techniques altogether. First, I would like to confess that I sometimes feel overwhelmed when I sit down to create a layout. I think it is the fear of not exactly knowing how is it going to turn out in the end, especially since we are talking about projects that normally take a few hours to put together. That is one of the reasons why I try to plan my pages in advance and I think of different techniques I feel comfortable applying as well as working with products I LOVE. That sometimes means I am working with a single collection and sometimes I am mixing and matching my favorite ones. I also love vibrant colors, so, as long as I include these in my projects, I am confident it is going to turn out well.

One of my favorite techniques when working on any paper crafting project is layering. I love the texture I get and I love dimension. Layering is a great resource to achieve both of those things. I love seeing a layout and finding new and hidden elements every time. I like to create pages that make you want to touch them and feel them. So let’s talk about all the layers on this page. Also, this is one of those projects in which I mixed collections and manufacturers to achieve the results I wanted.

I started by choosing one of my favorite patterned papers from the Bungalow Lane Collection by Paige Evans with American Crafts for my background. I knew from the beginning I wanted to use a title cut file by Paige Evans as the focal point of my page. Our photo or the story behind it don’t always have to be the focal point of our layouts. I wanted the title to give you a hint of what the page is about, then you’ll be directed to the photo, and after that, you’ll read the story. I backed my cut file with colorful Simple Stories cardstock sheets in rainbow order. I then off set it and printed a solid piece on a much darker paper to create some contrast between the actual cut file and the patterned paper from the background.

It is now time to start peeling the layers of this onion one by one. I first added some white splatters directly onto the background with white acrylic paint watered down and a brush. While my splatters were drying, I cut a second cut file. This one is a floral bunch cut file also by Paige Evans. I did not back this cut file, I just want it to peek through the title and photo. I machined stitched the centre of the flower cut file to the background and did not add any adhesive to the rest. I then adhered the title cut file to the page using some foam adhesive. At this point, with only those few elements, we have created a lot of dimension already. I placed my photo on one side of the cut file and the journaling piece on the opposite side to keep my layout balanced. I fussy cut a few floral clusters from a Carta Bella patterned paper and a few leaves from a patterned paper from the Jen Hadfield Peaceful Heart collection and spread them out throughout the page adhering them down with regular glue and adhesive foam squares to create depth and different effects.

I finish my layout by adding a few Cocoa Vanilla Studio detail cut butterflies on different spots. I placed them also in rainbow order and had them match the colors of the letters from my title. I love how the page turned out. Using elements such as cut files, die cuts, and detail cut shapes, you can create a vibrant and dimensional page that ends up telling more than just the story of the photo. This page is about remembering the day I finished decorating my current craft room. It is a tiny space but it looks exactly the way I want and it allows me to be happy and creative. The title is also a reminder for myself that I am here to chase my dreams and work hard to make them come true.

I hope this inspires you to work on your own pages and use some of the techniques and tips I shared today. Please let me know if you have any questions. I am happy to provide clarification and share more details if you need/want them.

My name is Andrea Lake, I am a Venezuelan-Argentine crafting lover currently living in Denver, Colorado, with my family. I have always enjoyed coloring and all kinds of papercrafts. I have been recording memories in different ways for many years now. I am a big fan of creating mini albums, DIY projects, and more recently, scrapbook layouts. I am a full-time Sales and Catering Manager at a full-service hotel during the day and a passionate crafter at night. You can also add wife, stepmom, and dog mom as my titles. You will always find me dreaming of my next projects, setting goals to achieve them, and recording the process. Here are a few things you may or may not know about me: I have to write everything down in my planner. If it’s not there, we didn’t even talk about it. I LOVE to wear socks. I wear them every day, all day. And, you might hear me say “I need a Happy Hour” at least three times a day. What that really means is that I need to get in my craft room and be happy for at least one hour each day. You can see more of my work on my Instagram, Facebook, and my Youtube Channel.

Hello hello! Preorders for Christmas stamps have now all been sent to their new homes and I have a very small number of stamp sets remaining which can be ordered today, all ready to ship straight out to you!

You get three 4×6 sets of stamps, as seen above, for $28 USD, including worldwide postage. (I send all orders through Royal Mail and they are not tracked. International tracked orders are available but the cost is usually prohibitive, so email me if it’s something you want to discuss for your order.)

UPDATE: all sold out now! Thank you so much!

Please make sure your posting address is correct when you check out, as orders will be processed immediately!

Thank you so much!

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Hey hey there Christmas fans! This year’s edition of the Journal your Christmas stamps are now available for preorder, which will remain open until Friday the 15th of October. I only get a very small number of extras, so if you would like a set please place a preorder.

It’s a set of two sheets of high-quality photopolymer clear stamps, designed by me and made here in the UK. I pack them up and post them to you myself, and if you’re participating in Journal your Christmas, you’ll see me use them throughout the course on the pages in my own journal.

This year’s edition includes lots of things to layer and places to add colour, either by colouring in shapes or by layering solid and outline stamps. I’ve also added more texture patterns this year, like stripes, scribbles, and confetti, as I feel like we’ve gone big on words and motifs over the last few years but I would really like more of those versatile pieces to add to my pages.

There are three sets of numbers this year – one wobbly and hand-drawn to fill in with colours or patterns of your choice, and two sizes of a more graphic style. The numbers are designed to fit into the round frame or be combined with the large holly leaf to make a corner accent. (I’ll share both of those techniques in my JYC videos this year.)

(I’ve adjusted the design placement so it’s nice and visible on your web browser. The actual stamps are arranged vertically to match other years, just in case that was bothering you! All the same stamps and sizes, just rearranged so you can see them without scrolling.)

The double stamp set is $28 and that includes shipping to anywhere in the world. Your currency will be adjusted automatically when you purchase and if you want to see what US dollars equate to where you are in the world, you can check that on xe.com.

UPDATE Stamp pre-orders for 2021 have now closed. A very limited number of ready to ship stamps will be available closer to Christmas, and those will be posted here once all pre-orders have shipped. Thanks!

Any questions, please email me. I’ve had to turn off comments on the blog because I get some rather not-family-friendly spam! Egad. So email me. Please. Happy to chat!

Thank you so much!

Journal your Christmas is a class that welcomes your creativity, so you do not need a certain set of supplies! Please use what you love, use what you have, use whatever you would like! I publish this list of what I will be using and some tips for assembling your kit, but they are just for support and are definitely not required purchases. The list is affiliate linked and I thank you for your support! This shopping list is not suggested as a buy-one-of-everything cart! Not by any means! It’s compiled by category with things to choose from each section, so the best strategy is probably to open the list here in a new tab, and then read through this post with the notes on how much you need to pick from each category of supply. This gives you choice while also not so much choice that you’re choosing from 8,000 supplies under the heading of ‘Christmas’. Yay.

After working in several different sizes each Christmas, I eventually fell in love with the size and format of a 6×8 album with a mix of different page protectors inside, so I start my kit with 6×8 paper pads. If you’re using all new stash and plan to create about a page per day, I suggest picking two of the 6×8 paper pads. You can also pick just one and then mix it with your existing stash if you prefer!

Please keep in mind if you have a snowy winter and like a cool toned colour scheme, there is a Simple Stories winter collection coming very soon with a pink and turquoise palette. It’s just not in the store just yet so I can’t link it here today, but it will arrive in October so that would still be in plenty of time. It’s a winter themed collection rather than specifically Christmas. Or if you prefer vintage-themed collections, you might like the Simple Stories Vintage Christmas collection or Bo Bunny Joyful Christmas. Both lovely if that’s your style – it’s just not mine, so it’s not on my list!

Once you’ve chosen your paper pads, I would add letter stickers, icon stickers, die cuts, and enamel dots. Again, pick and choose to make the set you love. Let’s start with lettering. If you love mixing letter styles for your titles, add more letter stickers. If you have a massive stash of letter stickers you need to use, then maybe you don’t need to order more. I’ve added six letter sticker options to the list: two are sticker books (one with a range of solid colours including a deep red and green, one in various woodgrains), two are Thickers that are narrow and small so they fit well even in small pockets, and two are nice bright red letters if you are choosing things in the brighter shades rather than a brick red.

Next we’ll pick some motif stickers! A variety of embellishment size helps, so one 6×12 sheet of stickers or a sticker book plus a set of smaller puffy stickers can be a great balance. I’ve included the sheet of Gingerbread Christmas stickers specifically for those of you who know you’ll have lots of kitchen memories to document, like baking or decorating gingerbread houses or maybe even a Christmas market. The list has three sticker books and six individual sheets of stickers to choose from.

Let’s move on to die-cuts or ephemera next. One or two packs of die cuts will make your pages come together easily, and I like to include some die cuts that have journaling space as well as Christmas motifs. I’ve included packs of ephemera as well as cut-apart papers on the list – you can choose either or mix them up. You can start to see how my album will really feature four collections: Warm Wishes, Busy Sidewalks, Make it Merry, and Holly Days. Plus a sneaky bit of Holiday Magic, as it just made it to the shop in time! (I think I’ll use more of that in 12×12 format for December Best of Both Worlds things.) You could stick to just one of those collections throughout and have a very cohesive album where you really can’t go wrong! I really enjoy mixing collections, so that’s the option I pick.

I like to have enough enamel dots to add their confetti to all my pages, so that’s two or three small packs or one really big pack to make a whole book. I put lots of options on the list so there will be choices even if some sell out quickly.

Something special for a Christmas journal as opposed to just general Christmas 12×12 scrapping: I love page numbers. If you want to document most or all of the days, then the numbers become a really useful way of telling the story while also helping you get started on each page. Simple Stories has woodgrain numbers this year so you know I am here for that! There will also be numbers in my stamp set if the woodgrain doesn’t speak to you. There weren’t as many number products this year as the last few!

The last thing I added to the list is acetate. If you like the look of pockets and pages you can see through, then this can be really fun to work with and I have to admit I use it more in my Christmas journal than at any other time of the year. If you’re working at 6×8 or smaller, one 12×12 sheet can go a long way.

As for the album itself, just be aware that if you plan to make pages for all or most days, this album will get THICK. Look for albums with nice wide spines and sturdy rings, or prepare yourself for the possibility that you might need two volumes. Scrapbook.com’s own brand 6×8 albums are nice and thick so that’s an option. I think that’s what I will be using this year but mine hasn’t arrived just yet so I reserve the right to change my mind!

Thanks so much for reading all that and I will be back on Monday to share my stamps and put them up for preorder!