Hip Kit Club: Documenting Our Covid Christmas with a Pocket Page

Hello, friends! I’ve been putting off scrapbooking our holiday photos from the year 2020 because, let’s face it, during the pandemic Christmas was a little ho-hum. We didn’t participate in the normal activities, and the world seemed to have lost it’s sparkle. My photos ended up being a collection of random snapshots that I took here-and-there throughout the month and I wasn’t sure how to scrapbook them.

After thinking about it for awhile, I decided to create pocket pages. Today I am here to share with you my first one using the BEAUTIFUL November 2023 Hip Kits. Even though that Christmas was a little drab, you wouldn’t know it because the gorgeous Hip Kits products added a touch of magic and I actually had FUN scrapbooking them. Check it out!

FALALA POCKET PAGE

I used the Pocket Cards, 6×8 Papers, and Craft cardstock (Cardstock Kit) for the base of each section, but the BEST part is pulling from all of the November kits to decorate and embellish the cards!

I created a title cards for the top left pocket of the pocket page. I accented the chipboard FALALA title (Embellishment Kit) with ornament & flower stickers from the Sticker Book (Embellishment Kit). I added a bit of silver/white Baker’s Twine (Main Kit) to the top of one of the ornaments for a soft texture.

I stamped a title onto the pink journal card using the November 2023 Pocket Life Stamps. I printed my journaling onto vellum, then, adhered the vellum to the card. — I couldn’t resist highlighting the photo of my cat curled up for a nap in a shipping box. I framed the photo with a chipboard frame (Embellishment Kit), then accented it with Sticker Florals (Embellishment Kit), Chipboard Star (Embellishment Kit), and silver foil puffy dots (Main Kit).

My daughter’s choir didn’t get many chances to perform this holiday, but the ones they did were outdoors. They sang with their masks on, but I made them take them off for these photos. I’m so glad I did! I remember how awkward they felt, but their smiles were a sight for sore eyes!

I highlighted these photos on these cards with more die-cuts, chipboard accents, shiny silver puffy dots, and even a few pine sprigs that I cut from the Evergreen cardstock using the Spruce & Holly Die Set.

Using the colored inks from the Color Kit along with the Pocket Life Stamps made accenting these pocket cards so much FUN!

If you are like me and have been hesitating to scrapbook your Covid Christmas photos from 2020 because they don’t feel as ‘special’ as a normal Christmas, try creating a pocket page. It was the perfect solution for me and the beautiful November 2023 Hip Kits actually made it a joyful process.

I will be sharing more of my Covid Christmas Pocket Pages later on this month, so keep an eye out for them. In the meantime, here’s wishing you a crafty (and Covid-free) Christmas!

NOVEMBER 2023 HIP KITS USED IN THIS PROJECT:

• November Pocket Life Kit (6×8 Paper, Pocket Cards, Stamps, Die-Cuts)
• November Main Kit (Cardstock Die-Cuts, Puffy Alphas, Trim, Puffy Phrases)
• November Cardstock Kit (Holly Bush, Fuzzy Pink, Evergreen, Craft)
• November Embellishment Kit (Sticker Book, Chipboard Die-Cuts, Chipboard Button Stickers – Stars)
• November Color Kit (Skylight Ink Pad, Do-Si-Do Ink Pad)
• November Die – Spruce & Holly Die Set

Simple Stories: Say Cheese Christmas SN@P! Album

Merry Christmas, friends! Recently, I went to Scrapbook.com to film a few segments for Simple Stories, including the Say Cheese Christmas collection and the SN@P! Binder Bundle available at Scrapbook.com. (You can view the video at the bottom of THIS PAGE at the Scrapbook.com or on their YouTube channel, if you’d like!)

This is a great bundle to use for your Christmas vacation to a Disney destination, but with a few slight adjustments it is versatile enough to use for your at-home holiday memories as well!

I created an album with the kit, adding in the Say Cheese Christmas collection kit so I could use the 12×12 papers to add layers and interactive elements. I also added in a few of my favorite Photo Flips. I’ve had a few requests to post pictures of the individual pages, so here you go! Enjoy!

Below, I scored the top of the 4×4 black castle card to create an interactive flap covering the 4×4 photo beneath.

For this pocket, I scored a piece of patterned paper in half, and then tucked the back panel in the pocket for a fold-over card. This creates additional space for photos and journaling!

I trimmed the top and bottom off of the red confetti dot page included with the SN@P! album to add in a different sized page. (save the top and bottom strips to use as layers in other spots of the album)

The blue card on the red page is scored on the left edge, creating a flap. Use the tab to lift the flap and view more photos!

A simple strip of patterned paper creates a pocket for journal cards and photos!

This z-fold page is a fun way to add interest to your album!

Want to add journaling, but you don’t want everyone to read it. Add it to a tag and then tuck it in between the photos or cards in the pocket pages (like I did behind the green snowman card below).

I used a circle punch to cut out the word “M-E-R-R-Y” from the 2×2 cards for the title on the page below.

Try creating a tri-fold element with a decorative scalloped edge!

Use a craft knife to cut a slit in a page pocket and add hidden journaling that slides out from behind a 4×4 Element card.

The pocket on the right was created by adhering a 4×6 piece of patterned paper to a 4×6 photo. leave the right side blank, creating a pocket for additional photos or journaling. I created a tab for the slide-out photo by folding a punched circle over the edge.

Here I used an oval die to cut windows in the red 6×8 SN@P! page. I then adhered it to another page along the top, left, bottom, and horizontal center. I left the right side open as a pocket and placed photos, cut in the shape of tags, in the pockets. You can write your journaling behind the photos on the grid paper. CUTE!

On the back of the grid page, I created a large flip-out page by scoring the left edge of a large piece of patterned paper.

This Photo Flip opens downward revealing more photos.

These 4×4 Element cards were scored on opposite sides, creating flaps that open both ways.

Score 2″x4″ pieces of cardstock and adhere 2″x2″ Element cards on the front of them for lots of little flaps!

Or simply score a journal page vertically to create a narrow page that opens up to reveal your story.

A 4×6 Photo Flip covers the pocket on the bottom of this 6×8 pocket page, opening up to reveal additional photos.

I hope you feel inspired to create your own Christmas album. This is such a fun project to do and products from Simple Stories makes it easy!

See you next time!

Christmas Pocket Pages

Some of you may be working on December Daily albums … and others of you may just be ignoring Christmas scrapbooking altogether until you make it through the holidays. LOL! Am I right, or what?!

Me? I do as much holiday scrapping as I can while I am in the mood, but most of it won’t get finished until next year. It helps that I have some design team projects that keep me plugging along, otherwise I probably wouldn’t be doing ANY scrapbooking this month. Hehe!

Some of you have expressed interest in seeing more of my Pocket Pages, so today, I thought I would share with you the 2015 Christmas Pocket Pages I recently completed. (I worked on them in November with a goal to finish up last year’s photos before taking more photos this year.)

If you are a pocket scrapbooker, I hope they inspire you … and if you are not, maybe you’ll just enjoy seeing random photos of my family all smooshed together. LOL!

I use my Pocket Style albums as a decorative photo album of sorts. I like to provide an overview of all of our pictures, and then I go back and create pages for the events that have more photos, or have more meaning to me and my family to place in our scrapbook page albums.

Next spread …

A little note about the way I’ve been doing my holiday pages the past couple of years. I have discovered that I like the holidays to have a cohesive look … it connects the multiple pages and makes it easier to view. For these pages, I used an American Crafts/Project Life card kit combined with a few things from my stash.

Next page …

The pages vary slightly, but overall they have the same feel.

Next …

And the last, single page, of our album …

…..

Now, I know we are past Halloween, but while my pocket page scrappers are here perusing, I thought I would slip in the Halloween pages I made for 2015, too. I didn’t get them finished in time to share in October, but figured you might still enjoy seeing them. 🙂

I used the Echo Park Paper Halloween collection for these two spreads.

Second spread…

Whew! Well, atleast I am mostly caught up with the holidays from 2015 now. 🙂

Thanks for coming by! I hope to see you again soon!

         

A Visit to Stampin’ Up Headquarters and Stampin’ Up Project Life Projects

A week ago today I had the pleasure of visiting the gorgeous Stampin’ Up Headquarters located in Riverton, Utah. Stampin’ Up had contacted me and asked me if I would like to create with some of their products. Of course I said, “YES!” And then when I mentioned that I had never been to their offices, but had heard how AMAZING they were, they invited me to come for a tour! What a fun surprise!

From the moment I walked in I was in AWE!!! Just look at the beautiful three story+  entry with the fountains and atrium ceiling. WOW!!!

I met with Rachel Jensen, PR gal extraordinaire. She is the nicest person! We hit it off right away and I really loved getting to know her. (I should have got a picture of the two of us together! Grrr! What was I thinking?!)

Rachel first took me through the Legacy Hall, a series of rooms introducing a visitor to Stampin’ Up, and what they are all about.

I LOVED looking at each of the different vignettes and could have soaked up the inspirational projects for hours. I mean, how cute is that lamp base filled with stamps, and the pillows created with stamps … and the artwork … and … and … I loved it ALL!

Next, I got to see where the designers dream up new products, rest, and where all the products are shipped from. The warehouse was INCREDIBLE! And I really enjoyed learning about how things are boxed and shipped.

Stampin’ Up was incredibly generous to me and gave me all kinds of Project Life goodies to play with. I chose to work with the Good Vibes collection.

Here is a peek at all of the yummy-ness, just waiting for me to dig in! Isn’t it gorgeous?!! I LOVE these colors!

The Good Vibes Project Life Card Collection includes 100 cards in 4×6, 4×4, and 3×4 sizes. There are 50 different two-sided designs, two of each design.

The Good Vibes Project Life Accessory Pack includes all kinds of fun goodies that coordinate with the card collection; a mini stamp set, paper clips, sequins, enamel shapes, foiled 3×4 cards, laser cut 4×6 cards, a roll of washi tape, two sets of letter stickers, overlay stickers, shape stickers, and 2×2 cards Whew! Lots of fun stuff to play with!

And let me tell you about their ink pads! … Juicy, vibrant, and high-quality! They make stamping a dream!

On top of all that they also sent me an adorable striped 12×12 albumadorable striped 12×12 album and a variety of their sheet protectors. THANK YOU, Stampin’ Up!!! Wow!!!

So … are you ready to see everything I created with these fun products?! Here we go!

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First up are three single page pocket layouts. Let me take you through the details of each one.

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PERFECT DAY

I cut the “The Perfect Day” tab from one of the 3×4 journaling cards and used it to accent the top of this photo.

I typed all of the journaling to keep things clean and unified. I used the Night of Navy ink to stamp “Loved this Moment” on the bottom of the pink journaling card and then accented the stamp with a gray enamel arrow and a sprinkle of sequins.

The sequins are so fun to sprinkle here and there. I love the shimmer and shine they add to my pages!

I pulled out an older Stampin’ Up letter stamp set I had in my stash to add the word “obsessed” to the label sticker at the bottom of the page. Aren’t the stamped emojis as cute as can be?! I love them!

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LOVE EVERYTHING

On this page I used the copper/rose gold foiled tile letter stickers to add “Be My Valentine” along the curved design of the pink journaling card. I used the “Loved This Moment” stamp again, accented with a few heart stickers from the sticker sheet.

To add some interest to the multi-colored patterned card, I added sequins to the design.

A little bit of washi tape on the bottom of the triangle 3×4 card gives it a bit more color.

And here I used a stamped/punched heart to replace the letter “o” in the word “forever.”

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GREAT GATSBY

I was pretty excited to discover that I had some letter stamps in my stash (by Studio Calico) that matched the letter stickers in the Accessory Pack. I used them here to stamp out my title, along with some interlinked stamped hearts.

The pink half circle accenting the top of the photo in the right top corner was cut from one of the 2×2 cards.

I had a lot of fun decorating this hexagon/honeycomb 3×4 card. I stamped several hearts with the Flirty Flamingo, Night of Navy, and Emerald Envy inks, hand cut them out and then added them to the centers of the pattern with some foam adhesive.

The striped card gets decorated with a couple of 2×2 cards … the 2×2 transparent heart card, and the “High Five” sliced from the center of another 2×2 card.

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How about some two-pagers now?

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EVERYDAY MEMORIES

I used the letter stickers, 2×2 cards, sequins, stickers, and enamel dots from the Accessory Pack to decorate these top three cards.

The pink heart accents were cut from one of the 3×4 cards and then added to other cards with foam squares for a bit of dimension.

I added the “Remember” stamp above the heart on the first card. The frame around the smaller photo was actually cut from another 3×4 card.

How sweet is that heart geo tag enamel sticker?! CUTE!!!

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SILLY GIRLS

For the title card on this page, I pulled out a set of Echo Park Alphabet Stamps. I stamped the title directly to a patterned 4×6 filler card. The green chevron shape was cut from another 4×6 card and adhered to the top.

I fell in love with that emoji face that was by itself on a pink card. I punched it out with a circle punch, added a punched white circle behind it as a mat and then added it to the color-blocked 3×4 card. I stamped the bottom of the card with the “Remember” stamp.

The photo on this 3×4 card was matted with a navy 3×4 card. I cut the green hexagon from another 3×4 card and tucked it underneath the photo to provide a spot for my journaling.

The washi tape even shows up great on the darker colors! Here I used it at the bottom of the navy title card to add a bit more interest.

I used the letter stickers to spell out the location of our weekend getaway, stamping hearts on either side.

I think I got the most use out of that cute, little heart stamp! It was the perfect accent no matter what spread I was working on!

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WHITNEY STORE

This title card was a lot of fun to make. I cut the border, “Stories” pennant shape, and the label shape from other 4×6 cards … then combined them here to make my own unique design.

Another pennant shape placed on its side accents the 3×4 bar graph card adhered to the Mint Macaron patterned 4×6 card at the bottom of the page.

I cut a banner shape from a scrap of white cardstock to house the letter stickers for this smaller 3×4 title card on this side of the spread.

The washi tape adhered to white cardstock makes a great mat for the photos on the Navy brick-patterned card here.

I love the way that orange patterned card turned out! I handcut the green banner quote from another 4×6 journaling card and adhered it to the orange patterned one using foam squares. It just kicks things up a notch, don’t you think? Love it!

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Whew! That was quite the post! See?!! I told you I had a ball playing with these adorable goodies … and I still have a lot left!

Thank you so much for joining me today. I hope you enjoyed this peek into Stampin’ Up and the darling products they have available. If you haven’t checked out their catalogs for awhile, be sure to! I have an ongoing list of more cute things I am excited to add to my stash!

A BIG THANK YOU  again to Stampin’ Up for your generosity and for inviting me to visit your headquarters. It was the highlight of my week!

Until next time! Happy Scrapping!