Howdy friends!  Layle here with you today with a special guest - my good friend Megan Hoeppner.  I've known Megan for YEARS - way back to the early days of the industry and Paper Crafts magazine.  There are a lot of great people I've run across in this industry and have been lucky enough to call friends.  Megan is one of those - a truly wonderful, caring, beautiful, down to earth, creative and all around fabulous lady!  But enough of my gushing, I'll let Megan take it away with this darlig project she created for a recent local tv segment using our Good Day Sunshine collection...

Say it simply this summer. All you need are a few 3”x4” journaling cards and the brand new Instax Share Printer to get the most of your summer scrappin’. I created my mini book with one of my favorite paper lines ever—Good Day Sunshine.

Since these 3x4 cards are double sided, I simply had to cut them out, punch them out, and thread them on a jump ring for an instant on-the-go album. With it, I can scrapbooking as I’m out and about, capturing the moments and details as they’re happening.

Simply pair the pages with photos printed on the FABULOUS new Instax Share printer. It’s small enough to fit in your bag, and it allows you to print directly from your phone no matter where you are.

Take yesterday, for example. My daughter and I went to the park with friends. In the time it took Maggie to discover and play with the cool music toy on the playground, I had another album page done and ready to add to our ever-growing book. This approach is so quick, I’m able to document as we’re experiencing without missing out on the actual experience. I {heart} technology!

Want proof that scrapbooking is fun? Kiddos would rather watch me work than play on the awesome playground equipment before them. Now that’s fun!

This approach to project creation is so simple that I had time to make additional mini pages for our friends.

Since I’ve used all of the cards on my 12x12 journaling card sheet (shown above), I’ve now moved on to the Good Day Sunshine SN@P cards, which are the same 3”x4” size and even a bit more durable than the paper—perfect!

I just love the way the book is coming together. Here are a few more shots of our summer story.

Pack in a SN@P!

When it comes to crafting on the go, you don’t need more than a few basic necessities.

1. A few rolls of washi tape. I love these mini rolls, which I carry on a jump ring in my purse. They’re perfect for this bitty scrapping bidnaz.  Tape Source: http://happiescrappie.bigcartel.com

2. SN@P! Necessities Kit (see next image for a breakdown of what’s inside).

3. Instax Share Printer by FujiFilm and the ADORABLE, handmade printer cozy.  Printer Source: http://tinyurl.com/nw35wkv.  Cozy Source: http://happiescrappie.bigcartel.com/product/instagram-inspired-crochet-pouch-for-instax-share-printer

4. A couple of reliable pens. The black one actually writes on washi tape without smudging (love!), and the pink is a journaling must I pick up anytime I’m in NYC. Black Pen Source: http://happiescrappie.bigcartel.com/product/pen-write-on-washi-tapes.  Pink Pen Source: Muji in NYC (or the JFK JetBlue Terminal)

A Look Inside

The items I keep inside my SN@P! Pack include: Good Day Sunshine journaling cards, dots, and die-cuts; small sheets of coordinating letter stickers and label stickers.

As Seen On TV

Want to learn more about my book and how to make a splash with your summer scrapbooking using the Instax Share printer? I invite you to check out my Studio 5 TV segment from last week here. 

More On My Blog

Come on over. I’ve got more pages of the album to reveal. Plus, you’ll find tips for what works well and what to avoid when making your own mini book, as well as a list of additional supplies to keep with you when it comes to scrapping on the go. And clever way to contain those supplies.

Oh, and then there’s the matter of a Fuji Instax Camera that I’m giving away in celebration of my CreativeLive  Class Countdown. Yeah, there’s much going on. Hope you’ll stop by!

Thank You!

I’ve loved being here today. I fully believe that people are pivot points in our lives. Not products. Not experiences. It’s the people behind those experiences and ideas that keep us in motion, getting us from point to point in life by sharing and being willing to connect. Thank you, Simple Stories, for allowing me this chance to share and connect with your beautiful audience today! I love this creative industry and all of the passionate creators who make it what it is.

Enjoy the sunshine, friends!

Warmly,

Megan Hoeppner

My Blog: http://meganhoeppner.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.pinterest.com/meganhoeppner/

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/meganhoeppner/

Instagram: MeganHoeppner

Hello Everyone! It's Kristine Davidson here today with a Life Documented post using the NEW Good Day Sunshine Collection.  

This spread uses photos from the month of August 2012. It was a bit of a busy month but hubby and I took a week off and enjoyed Las Vegas for the first time. This month will concentrate  on this trip.

My first page, i used a 3x4" SN@P! pocket which is fantastic for adding extra journaling, ticket stubs, receipts and more.

I have to showcase my love for a good Tim Horton's Iced Coffee! It makes me happy, it is my go to when I get to work,  after shopping, or even for a little ah... moment!

Hubby and I also enjoyed our new outdoor propane fireplace. So clean and easy to use. He won this during a promotion at our local hardware store !

Then Comes our trip to Vegas.  Our first time ever. I have a few mini albums of our trip but nothing ever included in a Life Documented Spread.

We have so many photos of this trip and I wanted to include as many as possible in my spread for this month. I added a 4x4 Photo Flip to add another picture of me enjoying a drink in our room with a view at MGM Grand. Photo Flips are awesome when it comes to adding that extra photo or journaling.. It would be perfect to use on a layout too!

I created this page with more photos and of course I added another photo flip sized 4x6 on the top right!  

As you can see adding those photo flips makes it easy to add those extra details in your albums. I added the extra 4x6 pics and then on the other side just finished journaling about our day at the Grand Canyon.   

The end of this Life Documented spread focuses on the trip to Vegas since it was also August 31st.  This was a simple spread but i shared what was most important to me during this month.

For my Life Documented 2012 album I am using the 6x8 Sn@p! Leather Album in black. The sturdiness, metal corner accents, and stitch details are fantastic features to this album but I really like the fact that it's timeless and because they are so well built will endure the  many years to come.  This Sn@p! album is so far the best I've been using.

I used a variety of inserts for this month's spread. The Sn@p pocket pages come in a variety that you can add to your album. PERFECT for any project!

I hope you enjoyed my LIFE DOCUMENTED post today !

Happy Fourth of July, Simple fan! Nancy here - I hope you are celebrating today and making fun summer memories.

Today's page highlight the bright and colorful Good Day Sunshine collection. I used the fun icons and ombre brights to scrapbook some of my favorite summer photos.

I created a cluster of embellishments along the left side of the page to draw the eye to what's important - the photos! I started the layers with the photo frame transparency and wood grain patterned paper. Then I added photos, die cuts, chipboard and a fun splash of enamel dots for texture.

The chipboard title is highlighted with an arrow sticker and chipboard heart just so it doesn't get lost in the bold design.

Good Day Sunshine is perfect for all of your summer celebrations - big and small! I hope that your Fourth is a happy one.

Hello Simple Stories fans, Layle here with you today :)

I'm excited to introduce you to our July guest designer AND new design team member Nicole Harper -

Here's a little bit about Nicole -

Hi! I’m Nicole Harper :)   I've been playing with paper since elementary school, when shopping for new supplies quickened my heart a beat. I spend my crafty time documenting the everyday details of my family’s fast paced life, and also love hunting for vintage finds whenever I can. I lives in Northeast Ohio with my husband Mike and daughter Allison…and am a proud soccer mama, medical professional and trusty friend. I wear my heart on my sleeve with my journaling and love to share the everyday moments that mean the most.

blog: http://seriouslybrains.blogspot.com/

Before I share Nicole's fabulous creations this month, I gave Nicole 8 prompts - here are her responses :) 

Scariest Thing – the fact that my daughter is less than 6 months from driving...where did the time go?!

Favorite Snack – I'd love to say fruit, lol...but honesty would say BBQ chips and Jersey Milk chocolate bars from Canada.

Can’t Figure Out – Photoshop Elements. I bought a help book, look up tutorials online and still only know how to do 3 things.

Match Made in Heaven – the rainbow chevron + dark woodgrain in the Good Day Sunshine collection - as soon as I saw it, I went a bit nuts.

Probably Shouldn’t Have –  ever tried a Jersey Milk chocolate bar. Please see 'favorite snack' above, lol.

Current Addiction – gold Sharpie marker..if you haven't stopped at your local Staples and made the $2 investment, DO IT.

Bringing to the Party – pasta salad or Buffalo Chicken Dip. Our friends love both, and I'm not allowed to veer off course since they crave it.

Words to Live By – 'I think I like who I am becoming'. Found this quote on Pinterest and it really struck a chord...I've worked hard on applying this to myself as well as stressing the concept of respecting yourself above all others to my daughter.

Fun, huh?!

Allrighty, now let's get to the good stuff!

Nicole's first project - It Is What It Is - along with some of her thoughts on the layout -

If you've ever seen a photo of me, you'd know how fair-skinned I am lol...which I passed on to my daughter. She was hired for her first job this summer as a lifeguard, and got burnt pretty badly during her first day of training...resulting in this selfie she took of herself all bundled in a towel while on break. I thought the 'get sunkissed' 3x4 card was perfect for this layout ;)

How about all of the great details in this next 3 project of Nicole's - two 12x12 pocket page layouts and a 3rd in our fun 2x2 Insta Square Pocket Page?!

A week long vacation at the beach paired perfectly with the Good Day Sunshine line! I love the clear photo stickers from the DIY line, and couldn't help using a few.

I love filling a pocket with a simple die cut, like this Simple Stories 'Every Summer Has a Story' from the Silhouette store. I cut it from the ombre paper to jazz it up a bit. The chevron/woodgrain pocket will be filled with the receipt for those crazy pink socks you see in the bottom photo...as soon as I find it, lol.

I LOVE the 2x2 Insta Pocket Pages for just playing with little bits & pieces. The holes line up perfectly with my 12x12 Simple Storie faux leather album, so I like to slip these in between 12x12 photo sleeves to break things up!

WOW!  Again - just love all the little details in Nicole's work; I think I could look at these again and again and see something different and totally cool each time.  You can look forward to seeing more of Nicole's work here on the blog every month.

Thanks so much Nicole for sharing your projects with us this month AND welcome to the Simple Stories Design Team!! 

Hi everyone! Allison here with a Life Documented layout using the Sea To Shining Sea Simple Set and I've got a new sketch to share with you that combines traditional scrapbooking with the SN@P! Pocket Pages.

You can download the full sketch with measurement and placements here.

The left side of the sketch follows a traditional style of scrapbooking design and the right side uses the SN@P! Pocket Page, Design 3.

Here is my layout based on the sketch:

Independence Day is by far my favorite holiday. I love the food, our annual "parachute run", and most of all the fun we have together as a family. Plus, any holiday or event that involves sparklers is a win in my book!

The Sea to Shining Sea Simple Set was a great fit for my 4th of July photos. I really like that there are different shades and textures of the traditional red and blue throughout the collection.

I love using stars on my layouts. Maybe a large part of that is due to having two boys and stars just being a go-to! I like to challenge myself when I create a layout with something that I use over and over. In this case, the stars were my challenge. I wanted to find a way to use them in a way that I hadn't before.

I used small stars in columns to accent and frame the photo block on the left page.

I finished the stars with some hand stitched lines down the center of each column.

For the right page I used a combination of cards and photos with the SN@P! Pocket Page, Design 3.  I love adding little accents to the cards and photos. There are always so many fun stickers or elements to choose from in each collection.

On the "USA" card I added the celebrate sticker.

There was a lot of empty space in this photo so I added a few strips of paper and the "Stars & Stripes" sticker to that space. I arranged the patterned paper strips to almost look like a flag with the blue with white stars on the top and the red and white stripes on the bottom.

This was another photo with a lot of empty space so I added the large star, the "Independence Day" sticker, and some smaller stars.

On the bottom, right card I added two small photos, some small stars, and the "freedom" sticker.

I'm using the 12x12 SN@P! faux leather album in black for all of my Life Documented layouts. The quality of the faux leather is fantastic and I love the stitching accent on them.  I also used the 12x12 SN@P! Pocket Pages, Design 3 from the Variety Pack. I enjoy using several different styles of Pocket Pages and since the Variety Pack has so many great options and designs, I have a lot to choose from.

I hope you enjoy the new sketch and for those of you in the US, have a happy, and safe, 4th of July!

Hi there, Layle with you today for another round of Pick a Card, Any Card!

Each month, 5 of our design team members and I will be picking one of our favorite Simple Stories or SN@P! 3x4 or 4x6 cards and sharing them with you - in more ways than one!  We've introduced so many GREAT cards over the last few years that I thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite cards each month, tell you why they're our favorites and then give you a chance to win not only the specific cards that we picked, but the other cards they're paired up with as part of the set (more on that fun giveaway at the end of this post)!

If you missed last month's picks, you can see them here.

To kick off this month's version of Pick a Card, Any Card, here's one of my favorites -

This card is one of the 3x4 cards from our Wedding SN@P! Set.  The simplicity of this illustration just gets me every time.  When you look at this image in association with a wedding, so many great thoughts come to mind.  The other thing I love about this card is that it works just as well for a school dance or prom!   

Next up is Donna Januzzi with this 3x4 card from our Summer SN@P! Set -

When I asked Donna why she choose this particular card, she said -

This adorable little card is my pick for this month. I love the combination of the yellow background, typewriter font and the clean design. It's just a fun, simple card that would be the perfect addition to any summertime Pocket Page spread or scrapbook layout.

Emily Lanham chose this 4x6 card from the new Hello Baby SN@P! Cards -

When I asked Emily why she chose this card, she said -

This card holds a special place in my heart. It takes me back almost 7 years ago to when my precious daughter was born. There's no way to describe that feeling when your first born child is placed into your arms. This card pretty much sums it up for me!

Heather Leopard selected this 4x6 card from the new Good Day Sunshine SN@P! Cards -

According to Heather -

I love how the words are the epitome of everything summer all rolled up into one. From the bright and fresh colors to the perfectly chosen words, this card can be easily put into a frame for a welcoming piece of home decor or can be the perfect addition to a scrapbook layout or Pocket Page spread.

Next up is Kim Kesti with this 3x4 card  from the Him SN@P! Set -

When I asked Kim why she selected this card, she said -

Maybe it's because summer has arrived and I have a twelve year old little man in the house who is addicted to gaming, but I just love the "Game On" card in the 3 X 4 Him SN@P Collection ().  It is the one with the video game controller on it. I would love to make Harrison a little card, then challenge him to a round of Mario Bros! Ha, ha!

Last up this month, is Kristine Davidson with this 4x4 card from the new Good Day Sunshine Insta Squares -

According to Kristine -

I love this little card. It reminds me of being younger and how we use to get so excited to hear the bells from the " Dickie Dee " Ice Cream truck! It was a special summer treat that we use to enjoy. I always got this red/white and blue popsicle that use to turn my tongue blue! This Card is definitely one of my favorites right now.

So, what do you think?  How about those picks - pretty fun, right?!

OK, now to more good stuff.  At the beginning of this post I mentioned something about a giveaway!  Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below by end of day Friday, July 4th telling me which of our 6 cards is your favorite and why.  On Sunday the 6th I'll draw one random lucky winner to win not only the cards we selected, but the rest of the cards that are included with each package the cards are from  - that's 268 fabulous Simple Stories cards, people; you can see all of the cards one random lucky will win under the Supplies section below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!