cha 2013: memory file.

yes i may be crazy. but oh well that is just me. sleep is overrated right?  i could not contain myself and just HAD to begin playing with elements of heidi swapp's BRAND NEW collections shipping in march. lucky me, i know that i have some gorgeous product to play with right NOW! i pinch myself daily!  i was going through my CHA photos the other night and collected my favourite memories. i printed them out and knew instantly the type of album i wanted to create.  in order to not overwhelm myself, i just stuck to my favourite moments and included those in my memory file album.  the key is making it doable right? ;)


i used the brand new clear pop heidi swapp memory file.  i could sit here and name you a MILLION reasons why i LOVE these files so much...but number one is the COLOR! hello black and white. you are classic. you are contemporary. you are basic. you are AWESOME. right beside my love affair with glitter and sparkle, is this next love: black and white stripes. so so gorgeous!


one thing about me, is that i always love to look at a product and see if there is another way to use it other than the way it was intended.  i do not know why i do this, but i know it has become a consistent habit for me.  it is very apparent with this file.  instead of using it as is, i decided to cut the front cover of it into 3 strips.  3 interactive flaps that will hold almost like "photo flip" albums and journaling.  at first i was not sure if what i was doing was going to work (to be honest) but once i started embellishing and journaling i REALLY love the result! just another fabulous way to take memory files into a whole new level of creativity!



each section on the front cover i embellished with a variety of really FUN elements.  the bottom (main flap) i used one of the brand new color pop window frames and sprayed it with primrose color shine.  i LOVE this NEW concept of color magic, where the "color" portion acts as the resist and the white space accepts the color shine.  it is a whole NEW twist on incorporating colorshine into your projects and it really is amazing.  in love...i am AGAIN! wait till you try it...you will L-O-V-E!!!  i then placed a piece of the brand new serendipity polka pop paper behind from the NEW serendipity collection.  i added color magic chipboard alphas misted with black velvet colorshine, some destination and sunshine trimmings, sentiment stickers, an instaframe heart, a sugar chic stix heart, butterfly sticker from the vintage chic buzz word collection, wood shape camera, and the stunning pink paislee glitter stickers.  the "heidi swapp" logo and black and white banner i trimmed from my packaging. added to the corner is some seam binding ribbon sprayed with primrose, black velvet and tinsel colorshine.  love that trio!


for the middle portion page i added some of the NEW stunning heidi swapp clear pop banner delights, and a clear acrylic piece of packaging where i could label some other embellishments.  the "explore" pennant was from a fabulous postcard i received as a gift from my dear friend maggie. i love it and added it as a detail and simply attached with my tiny attacher.  i also added one of heidi swapp's new clear pop tabs. seriously these are SO fun. i am in love with layering them! endless possibilities!



the inside pages of my album showcase the beautiful and stunning new heidi swapp serendipity paper collection.  these are AMAZING and will fit an endless amount of themes, stories and moments that you will want to scrapbook.  they are the perfect collection for spring, summer, births, birthdays, parties, travel, boy themes, girl themes etc. etc. LOVE the color palette and the designs. truly a beautiful collection. just wait till you see the colors live, they will just make you happy!

to create the insides of my flaps, all i did was trim my pages accordingly in random sizes and placed them one inside each other folded.  i then used my sewing machine to bind them together and into the acrylic memory file.



inside my file i kept things pretty simple with a few sentiment stickers, some clear pop banner delights that i trimmed and some items i collected on my journey from CHA. the tag below was a make and take at maggie holmes booth. i thought it would be the perfect little journaling card to include in this album along with the photos.



this album is still a work in progress as i think about what exactly i want to say with my journaling. however i have started slowly to document my thoughts and experiences that i had so to never forget what a special time this was for me.


here is a full look at the outside front of my memory file.  i love how it came together and seriously how DELISH are all those colors together? talk about eye candy!


i cannot wait until all of these collections start shipping and showing up in march at your favourite and local scrapbook stores and sites! trust me...you will fall in LOVE and want to make SO much pretty stuff! let the countdown BEGIN!



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sparkle your memories.


one thing that i always do when my husband and i are blessed enough to take some time to travel, is have photographs taken of us.  they are my treat to me.  it is amazing because when i do get home and back to normal, i am always SO grateful for the time that was taken to have these memories of us.  i think it is definitely the scrapbooker, photog lover in me!  when we were away in maui this past fall i had found an incredible photographer by the name of Aubrey Hord.  we had such an amazing time with her one afternoon and i am so grateful for her and her talents.  she is so fabulous!


i created this really adorable mini "mini" key ring album celebrating these memories.  to create my album i used the fabulous heidi swapp color magic and vintage chic notes.  i then collected some of my favourite images and started building my album.  


what is special about this album are the clear "shaker" pages i created using some sequin and sparkle.  i seriously LOVE how they turned out!  i simply cut out a 3 x 4 baseball card protector, filled them with various photos, heidi swapp color magic chipboard alphas, heidi swapp mini tags, pink paislee artisan chipboard hearts, stars and sequin bits. adding more to the sparkle and shine of this mini are the accent colors of tinsel and gold lame heidi swapp color shine. two of my absolute favourite heidi swapp color shine colors. SO much fun!  i will definitely be doing this more!


each page i made unique adding a bit more sparkle and glitter. 


once the pages were all complete, i attached them to a simple key ring. simple, fun and sparkly. i adored this project!

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my reflections: cha 2013.


the same thought kept replaying over and over in my mind.  never did i ever imagine that 10 years ago when i created my first scrapbooking layout that it would have led to this very experience...this very moment.  but it has. and for that and forever, my heart will eternally be SO grateful.  words really cannot begin to describe what this experience meant to me.

on january 11, 2013 i was SO fortunate and blessed to be able to travel down to beautiful anaheim, california!  of course california was a "must see" place to visit on my bucket list for as long as i can remember...and now CHECK! it has been done. how fabulous! love it so.  i was travelling down to california to celebrate scrapbooking, crafting and memory keeping in the highest and most prestige form.  i was going to be in the company of ALL the greats. the amazing designers, artists, story tellers, photographers, dreamers...ALL of us who love, appreciate and cherish the art of scrapbooking and memory keeping.  what was even better though was being there as a part of an INCREDIBLE team.  part of the 5, heidi swapp's media team.  i could not believe it. i was going to be standing there amongst such incredible talent...and meeting such phenomenal ladies all for the first time. kim, jamie, maggie, jennifer and maridette. xoxo


the conference took place at the anaheim convention centre. it was a phenomenal venue. the setting simply incredible.  blue sky, sunshine, palm trees...true paradise! looking at this photo i still find it so surreal that i was able to spend 4 amazing days in the company of such incredible artists. what a blessing to be able to call this your place of "work". 


on friday night we were able to share and spend an inspiring and intimate evening with heidi swapp. together we created a beautiful "big dreams" album.  a place to put forth, write down and release all of the big dreams we have for ourselves for 2013.  what a way to kick off what would be one of the greatest moments i have been able to experience.  i absolutely LOVE my album and look forward to truly making it a reflection of everything that i hope, dream and desire for myself for 2013.  thank you heidi for sharing and creating such an inspiring project that has touched so many people.  the class was incredible and extremely appreciated. i cannot stop looking at my album!


i love this photo for SO many reasons.  when i look at this picture i am taken back to the giddy excitement we all felt.  the joy, anticipation and reality that we were together, all of us, after months of just getting to know one another through our blogs, facebook posts and photos.  i will cherish this photo forever. i still cannot get over the instant connection, comfort and trusting bond that took little time to form.  it seemed almost instant to me. i feel like i have known these girls for my entire life.  i honestly could not imagine my world without them being a part of it somehow. love you girls SO much.


here we are, team heidi swap & pink paislee...getting ready to kick off CHA 2013! how exciting. such a fabulous group. love all of you amazingly talented girls SO much! Rebecca...you are such an incredible and beautiful girl.  i adore your energy, devotion, contagious laugh and super beautiful smile.  you have inspired me in more ways than you will ever know. you work SO hard and i admire you for it all.  you are one amazing lady and i am so blessed to have gotten to know and share some amazing memories together!


i just could NOT resist...this was my place of "work" for 3 days...i call this photo the "luckiest girl in the world" picture. surreal. and so cool. all wrapped up into one.



memories of heidi swapp's booth. SO many amazing products, projects and ideas filled this space.  the energy that filled it daily was incredible. so much excitement and such a buzz filled the air.  cannot WAIT to get my hands on the beautiful and BRAND NEW memory files album. SO many layers, pieces, details...this album is a must have. trust me one look and you will fall in LOVE. expect this beauty to grace your scrapbook store in march! i have begun counting down already ;)


i love this photo of my and my gorgeous friend kim jeffress.  i do not think i can sum up how amazing this girl is.  not only is her talent for scrapbooking absolutely incredible, but her genuine smile, beautiful energy and amazing heart, love, devotion and dedication to her family is something that inspired me and will continue to for the rest of my life.  kim i adore your strength.  although our time together was limited, i consider what we were able to share a priceless treasure. xoxo


it was SO fun to be able to see, hug and congratulate the amazing maggie holmes on the incredible release of her brand new collection with crate paper.  i have LOVED this girl for years, took a class from her when she taught at creative escape and since then have been a HUGE fan.  her collection is completely her, yet unique, fun, fresh and another must have! cannot wait to get my hands on ALL the pretties! congratulations maggie on everything...i am so proud of you!


the gorgeous ladies maggie, jen and jamie enjoying some california sun! how incredible is that blue sky?


me having too much fun shopping up a storm at target!  


another favourite photo of mine. all of us together.


our last day together.  sharing a moment at newport beach.  ANOTHER place i have always wanted to visit and it happened.  thank you heidi and your incredibly amazing friend heather for creating such an amazing experience for us to share.  my heart is full.




wow. just reading through this post as i write it makes me tear  up a bit.  it is really something. never would i have imagined that an experience like this would have been possible for me.  and now here is the proof.  i guess this just shows that when something is meant to be for you, and when you work really really hard and are aligned with your passions what amazing things can result.  it truly is phenomenal. i will never ever forget.

to heidi...there will never be enough gratitude i can express for all that you have done for me and my wildest dreams.  not only have you made me a part of something absolutely incredible but you have brought people into my life that have changed me for the better and now i have such amazing connections and friendships with people that otherwise i would not have met.  for that alone i am eternally and forever grateful. i ADORE you.

you are that footprint in my heart...that person that comes into your life, touches your heart, leaves a footprint and you are never ever the same. xoxo



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visions: 2013

fresh stars. new beginnings. forward motion. ideas. dreams. goals. visions. 
what is NOT to love about a NEW year?
already SO much is going on, a lot of amazing things to look forward to. big things. small things. simple things. the joy of creating.  that is what this project was for me.


a place to celebrate, plan, dream, visualize and bring to LIFE all that i am hoping and praying for. all that i am wanting to manifest and create into my reality. this is it's little home. i love it.


i created my vision journal for 2013 using a lot of the incredible heidi swapp vintage chic collection.  i am obsessed. it is SO beautiful, extremely versatile and creates such pretty stuff when it all comes together.  all of the details on how this beauty came to be can be found here. definitely check it out and hopefully it inspires you to bring alive some of your dreams, goals and visions for YOU in 2013.



i am really looking forward to documenting and celebrating 2013.  my intention is to fill this journal with doodles, photos, gratitude, stamps, ideas, wishes...pretty much a place where ANYTHING goes. NO rules, just creativity in it's most open form.  a place to re-energize my heart and mind. a place to remind me what this is ALL about...and of course, make pretty stuff!

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hello 2013 & project life.

welcome 2013. january 01/2013. wow. my first time writing that! SO crazy, but crazy GOOD! who doesn't love a FRESH start?  i am REALLY looking forward to this year.  i am feeling brave, strong and truly optimistic.  i think with every passing year, it is amazing to reflect on both the trials and triumphs that often put a bump in our roads. in the present moment now, when one looks back it is such a feeling to know that you have overcome what was once viewed as not possible. what a feeling of PRIDE and JOY that brings.

i have ALOT of hopes and dreams for this year.  2012 was such a blessing for me.  SO many incredible opportunities, moments and events fell into my lap that i will NEVER forget. each day my heart was full with endless gratitude.  it was a year of growth, determination, perseverance, travel, friendships, love, family and chance.  it truly was the first time in my life where i felt in control of things.  there were still those difficult days, but for one reason or another THIS year i did not feel so much defeat. i was focused and seeing results.  very empowering. i am SO excited to take what i learned from last year and bring it with me on the journey of 2013.

one of my NEW projects i am really excited to be embarking on is PROJECT LIFE.  i really really want to stay accountable with this project and follow through. i mean, how AMAZING would it be at the end of this year to have an entire collection of the year's moments and memories? i am in AWE of everyone that kept up and did it for 2012 and years prior.  this year i want to be a part of that!  however, to be realistic with myself i am opting to keep it VERY doable.  simple, straightforward and basic.  no overthinking. just doing. i can do that right? ;)




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