Friday Favorites - On Saturday

Hi All! I thought I would pop in with a few Friday favorites since I have not done this in awhile...even if it is a Saturday! So here we go:

Studio Calico - Bluegrass Farm Main Scrapbook kit

I truly like most of the Studio Calico kits and that is why I am a subscriber. However, this kit has been one of my absolute favorites! It has a lot of navy, red, yellow and green - all colors that go great with all the "boy" photos in my life. I have already made 5 layotus with the kit and am still loving it.

Here is one of the layouts I have made with the Bluegrass Farm kit:

MME Necessities Metallic Dot Foiled Vellum in Gold

If you liked the Dear Lizzy gold dot vellum that you can no longer find, this is very comparable. I love it and could use it on every page!

Mama Elephant Make A Wish stamp set

This stamp set is super cute and great for any birthday card!

Studio Calico Color Theory Sequins

These sequins come in a variety of colors and you get 3 shapes with each color - two circular sequins - one small and one slightly bigger - and star sequins. My personal favorite are the Woodshop..especially the stars! I use these as I would enamel dots..but they are much cheaper!

Zig Wink of Stella Brush in Clear

If you follow any card bloggers, you have probably seen these glitter brush pens. They are used to add just a touch of glitter. They are easy to use as you just brush the glitter on - no mess! 

Well I hope you are having a great weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Megan

Friday Favorites - Photo Processing & Printing

For this Friday, I thought I would share my favorites for photo processing and printing.

Photo Organization and Editing

My "go-to" for photo organization and basic photo edits is Picasa from Google. It is free and works really well. I have tried to use Photoshop Elements as my photo organizer but I truly prefer Picasa. The main reason is if you move a photo or group of photos from one file to another file outside of the program, Picasa automatically updates the folders and it only takes a few seconds. If this happens in Photoshop Elements, it does not automatically update. You can have it "search" for the new folder but this can take a lot of time and the program has frozen on me. I also use Picasa for basic edits - cropping, lighting, etc. It works well for my everyday photos.

Though I do not use Photoshop Elements for organization or my main photo editor, I do like it when I want more control over editing photos. I have used it to "swap heads" and to add "actions" over photos. I have Photoshop Elements 9 but the newest version is Photoshop Elements 12. Here is a photo where I swapped the head of my niece Micah (in pink) who did not like taking a picture without Eli, my oldest:

Before

After 

I used this tutorial from ClickinMoms for the head swap. Also for actions, I have bought a few from Two Peas in a Bucket - you can find them HERE. For installing actions, I used a tutorial from Texas Chicks Blogs & Pics - HERE is a link to the different ones based on your version of Elements.

Photo Printing - At Home

Printer
For me, printing at home is key to keeping up with Project Life. I know a lot of people like the Canon Selphy. I have not really ever used one but what mainly held me back from getting one of these is that the prints are not true 4x6, which is not the best for PL since the pockets are 4x6. However, this still appears to be a great option if you want something small and portable.

I personally bought and use an Epson Artisan 730.  I have liked this printer because it has a photo tray with two levels - one for 4x6 or 5x7 photos (it is adjustable) and one for letter size or legal paper. Therefore, I always leave it loaded with 4x6 paper for easy printing. It also has wifi so I can print directly from my Iphone with Epson Iprint.

Photo Paper
For everyday, I use Kirkland's Professional Glossy Photo Paper in 4x6. I typically buy it at Costco but you can also find it on Amazon. Even though it is labeled as glossy, it is more of a semi-gloss. I use this for the prints I use for Project Life.

For prints I use on scrapbook pages or frame, I like to use either Ilford Galerie Prestige Smooth Pearl paper or Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster. I have only bought the Ilford paper in 4x6 but have been really happy with it. It is pricey but the prints are great. The Epson Luster paper can be a little cheaper (depending on where you buy) and I have really liked the prints from it as well.

Here are affiliate links to these products on Amazon:
Epson Artisan 730 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer, Copier, Scanner (iOS/Tablet/Smartphone/AirPrint Compatible) (C11CB18201)
Kirkland Signature Professional Glossy Inkjet Photo Paper 4"x6" 300 Sheets
Ilford GALERIE Prestige Smooth Pearl 4x6 Inches, 100 Sheet Pack 2001743
Ilford Galerie Prestige Smooth Pearl 8.5x11" 310gsm 100 Sheet Pack
Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper LUSTER (8.5x11 Inches, 50 Sheets) (S041405) - Packaging May Vary


Photo Printing - Mail

My favorite site for photo printing that is mailed to you is Snapfish. I have tried a lot of them and it has always had the best pictures for me. I prefer matte photos and a lot of those can come off dark but it is never that way from Snapfish.

Photo Printing - Pick Up

Local photo printing can truly vary by location. For example, I know a lot of people love Costco but I have not had the best experience with my local Costco. The one place that I usually get pretty good prints no matter what location I print to is Walgreens. The downside for me is the prints are glossy, but besides that the prints are pretty good.

I hope this helps you as I always like to get recommendations from others. Happy Friday!
Megan

Project Life Friday & Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! Today, I am sharing a week of Project Life. This week, I just did one 12x12 page instead  of a spread. When I haven't taken a lot of pictures, this is what I normally do - or if I want to get a week done quickly. I mostly used the Studio Calico Antiquary Card kit (probably my favorite card kit so far!) and the Antiquary 4x6 pad. I really love the 4x6 pads. The paper is thick - thicker than normal patterned paper - and no cutting involved if you slide it into a 4x6 pocket.

Also, I am going to share some of my favorite printables for Project Life today. I print these at home on my Epson Artisan 730 printer on Epson Matte Presentation Paper and get really good results. I have heard that others print at Staples and like the results as well if you are looking for somewhere to print.  Here they are:

In a Creative Bubble - Hello Fall Circle Tags

These are super cute and can be cut with a 1 inch and 2 inch circle punches. Geralyn is the designer and she also has coordinating journal cards and tags and labels.

Studio Calico - Thataway printable from A Creative Bubble

This is also designed by Geralyn from A Creative Bubble. I actually have not bought this set but have a few that are similar and I love using them to add just a little to my PL pages.

One Little Bird - Stargazer Journaling Cards

These are super cute and coordinate well with Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm if you have any of that in your stash.

Paislee Press & One Little Bird - Dayplanner Journaling Cards

These are a classic design and coordinate with a lot of different collections.

Two Peas Digital Designs - Free

I haven't actually printed any of these but they are really cute and free :)

Banafish Studio - Paperclip flags

Another cute and free one!

I am linking up at The Mom Creative -


I hope you are having an enjoyable Friday. I should be back in the next day or two sharing some layouts.

Thanks for stopping by -
Megan

Saturday Project Life Blog Hop & Friday Favorites (on Saturday)

I am featured on Michelle's Saturday Project Life Blog Hop - Be sure to stop by her blog and check out the other PLer's she is featuring today!

Even though it is Saturday, I decided to share some Friday Favorites as it has been awhile since I have done this.

Fiskars Sure Cut Paper Trimmer

I have been eyeing this trimmer for awhile and finally picked it up at Michael's this past week. I had another Fiskars trimmer but it did not have the wire and the base was smaller. I really liked that this one had a base that was 6 inches across without having to pull out the ruler. This works great for Project Life. I really like how clean it cuts and how easy it is to see where you are cutting. I know there have been mixed reviews about it but for the price, I decided to get it and give it a go - glad I did! I linked to Amazon above that has a good price - I bought mine at Michael's with a 40% off coupon so it was a little cheaper than Amazon.

Teresa Collins - Family Story Enamel Dots

Like a lot of scrapbookers, I really love enamel dots. This pack is a great set of 5 different colors that go with a lot of supplies I have been using lately. These are also a little cheaper than the MME enamel dots. You get 55 for $3.99 versus 60 for $4.99 from MME. The link above is to Part Time Sally, which are 15% off. I did not see them at Two Peas or Scrapbook.com yet. I actually got mine at Archiver's last weekend.

Jillibean Soup - Irish Farm House Soup Die Cuts - Link to Two Peas & Scrapbook.com

These were another find at Archiver's last weekend. These are great for travel or everyday pages and for layering.

Fancy Pants What a Wonderful Day Die Cuts - Link to Two Peas & Scrapbook.com

I got these in a Gossamer Blue kit and really have loved using them. (I pretty much love die cuts so I buy a lot of them!)

Elle's Studio - Saltware Paper - Endless Summer - Link to Two Peas

I love the colors in the paper and it is so fun to use.

Hope you have a great weekend - Thanks for stopping by!
Megan

Friday Favorites - Lily Bee Design

Here are my Friday Favorites this week featuring Lily Bee Design:

Letter Stickers -Link to Two Peas

These are their new style of letter stickers and I love the different font and all the different colors you get. I currently have the Destination and Sweet Shoppe ones.

Destination Paper -Link to Two Peas

I love the design of this paper and even though it is with their travel line, I think it would work great for July 4th or summer pages.

Sweet Shoppe Label Stickers - Link to Two Peas

These are great for Project Life or layouts. They also have these with their other new lines as well.

Persnickety 6x6 pad - Link to Two Peas

I bought this awhile back and it is from one of their "older" collections, but I love the designs and find that they work well with their newer collections as well - especially Sweet Shoppe. (I used it in my Week 4 Project Life that you can see HERE.) Also, it is 25% off at Two Peas right now...

Sweet Shoppe Circle and Tag Stickers - Link to Two Peas

I bought these a month or so ago and really like them for Project Life or a layout. Plus, they are only around $1. They are sold out at Two Peas but you can find them HERE at Scrapbook.com.

Hope you have a happy Friday - Thanks for stopping by!
Megan

Friday Favorites - Project Life

For today's Friday Favorites, I am sharing some of my favorite products I use to embellish my Project Life pages. Here they are:

Smash Simple Sticky Notes-Link to Two Peas

 

I found these flags at Michael's on sale awhile back for around $1 so I picked them up. I really was not sure if I would use them much or not, but I have found I love using them. You get 60 flags per package and they are great little flags to add to PL.  They are sold out at Two Peas, but I have seen them at Target, Michael's and Hobby Lobby. The normal price is $1.99 to $2.20 - definitely worth it in my opinion.

Arrow Stickers from Studio Calico - Link to Two Peas: Here & There, Snippets & Darling Dear

The first two sets of arrow stickers are chipboard, and the others are cardstock stickers. These work well for pointing to a photo with your journaling or as an embellishment. I also like the hearts on the Darling Dear stickers.

Fun Flair Stamp Set by Ali Edwards/Technique Tuesday - Link to Two Peas & Link to Scrapbook.com

This is such a cute and fun stamp set. I have used the images on journaling cards or cut them out and added as an embellishment on a photo.

Webster's Pages Alpha Stickers - Link to Two Peas, Link to Scrapbook.com & Link to BlueMoonScrapbooking

I was really wanting some script alphabet stickers for PL and came across these. They come in different colors and both font sizes are great for PL, especially the small one.

Basic Grey Matchbook Stickers - Link to Basic Grey's site: Hey Boy, Hey Girl, and Fact & Fiction & Link to Fact & Fiction at BlueMoonScrapbooking

I love these little alphabet stickers. If you get the sets from all 3 lines, you get a range of colors and they are fairly inexpensive - especially if you find this line at Joann's. I think I have always bought them at 40-50% off so around $2 or so.

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you have a great Friday and an even better weekend!
Megan

Friday Favorites

Well, it has been a long week...have you ever heard the saying, when it rains, it pours? That is how I feel right now... Not to say everything going on is bad but there has just been more than normal going on lately. I am definitely ready for it to slow down....Anyways, all that to say, I have been absent from my blog the last week or so but am stopping in today to share some Friday Favorites:

Basic Grey Mint Julep 6x6 Paper Pad - Link to Two Peas (currently sold out), Link to Scrapbook.com, and Link to Blue Moon Scrapbooking

If you have read my blog at all, you know I only have two boys, but I could not resist buying at least the 6x6 pad in this collection as well as a few embellishments (if interested, I bought the flair and chipboard - the chipboard was my favorite!). I really love it! I used it on a couple pages of my neices and I think it works great for baby girl and little girl pages.  If you are a girl momma or just have some sweet girls in your life that you want to scrapbook or want an excuse to scrapbook your own little girl pictures, I recommend this collection...It is adorable!

Hero Arts Shadow Ink in Navy - Link to Two Peas (currently sold out), Link to Scrapbook.com, and Link to Blue Moon Scrapbooking

I like a lot of the shadow inks from Hero Arts, but this is one of my favorites. It is the perfect navy and for me, it has worked well with Shadow stamps as well as other stamps.

Studio Calico Hey Day Sentiments stamp set - Link to SSS

This is an older stamp set so I only found it at Simon Says Stamps.  I love this set and use it a lot - more than any other stamp set I have. The sentiments work great for layouts, project life and cards...Definitely a versatile stamp set to have!

Glitz Design-Uncharted Waters Washi-Happiness - Link to Two Peas and Link to Scrapbook.com

I first saw this washi in a Studio Calico kit. I didn't get the kit but did end up ordering this washi. It is a perfect neutral color, and I have found myself sticking it on white cardstock, cutting it out and using it as an embellishment or layering piece on my layouts.

American Crafts Cardstock in Mediterranean - Link to Blue Moon Scrapbooking

I got this color in a Studio Calico kit and really love it. On my screen, the picture looks more blue than it is in person. It is more of a green and it is a great shade. It goes well with a lot of collections right now that have that darker mint green kind of color.

Well, thanks for stopping by and I hope you got some good ideas for your next purchase. Have a good weekend!
Megan

Friday Favorites

Here are my Friday Favorites for this week:

Studio G Stamp Set - available at Michael's

I picked up these stamp sets at Michael's for $1 and really like them. They are only $1 so they are not the best made clear stamps; however, they have worked great for me, especially with the Prima Chalk Fluid Edgers - These inks work great with all stamps, including the cheaper ones. They have some other designs too, but these were my favorite.


Ormolu Exclusive Flair Set Awake My Soul - Sold by Scraptastic

I got the Awake My Soul kit from Scraptastic (and will be sharing layouts made with it early next week) and it came with this exclusive flair set. I absolutely love the star flair and the woodgrain flair.

Anchors Away 12x12 Paper from Fancy Pants' Down by the Shore Collection - at Two Peas (currently sold out) and Scrapbook.com

I know some people are not really sure about the anchors, but I have to say that I really like them. My parents own a ski boat so I do have some boating pictures, but I have already used this paper and it was not on a boating layout. I think it goes well with everyday pictures if you do not have any with a boating theme.

Studio Calico Snippets Chipboard Stars - at Two Peas and Scrapbook.com

I really like Studio Calico's Snippets line overall, but my favorite piece of it has to be these chipboard stars. They are very versatile and can go with a lot of different lines. Also, being a mom of boys, stars are one of my favorite shapes to use.

Bow Ties 12x12 Alphabet Stickers by Basic Grey - at Two Peas and Scrapbook.com

This is not an alphabet I would normally buy myself, but I received it in the Scraptastic kit Awake My Soul.  Suprisingly, I loved using it, and it went great with the papers in that kit. Most of the papers were from Fancy Pants Trendsetter and Dear Lizzy's Lucky Charm, which are two of my favorite collections from this CHA release. I also like that the letters are thick enough to add foam squares underneath so you can get dimension if you want it.

Can you tell I am loving Fancy Pants' lines from this winter release?? They actually have two mid-releases that I love as well and I can't wait for those to come out!

Well, that is all for this Friday - I hope you had a good week and I hope you have an even better weekend!
Megan