last week dina inspired us all with her “resolution” layout…what a great idea! why not put your intentions or resolutions or hopes out there so they can be a tangible reminder of what you wish for 2009?  the dorothea kit included such bright, fresh colors & that little jenni bowlin mini book included lined ledger paper inside…PERFECT for some handwriting & a bit of introspection :)

& i think that is one of my favorite parts of this hobby…that opportunity to do a little journaling, some written introspection…the chance to capture the world as i see it & put it down in black & white…

but the challenge has always been to find the time to do it…i crave creative time, but with all of the other demands of being a wife, mommy, friend, daughter, housekeeper, taxi driver, house cleaner, chef, baker & candlestick maker, creative time often gets pushed to the end of the line…

so i discovered some ways to make my creative time most productive for me…so i thought i’d share with you my 3 favorite creative shortcuts :)

*  handwrite my journaling…when i sit down to create i just want to go for it…i don’t want to get sidetracked with paper stuck in the printer, figuring out fonts & text boxes…i just want to write out my thoughts & get on with it…so i’ve figured out my favorite pens & make sure i’ve always got them at the ready…then i just go with it…i also try to do my journaling just after i figure out my basic design & paste down my photo…that way if i make a mistake i can always cover it up with a label, or piece of patterned paper, a picture, a flower or other embellishment:)

*  pull out the neutrals…i love color…i really do…but when i just want to create and am short on time, the millions of color combinations i love can get overwhelming…so i just pick 1 standout color & then surround it with neutrals…this way i know my color combination will be pleasing to the eye anyway i slice it :)

*  use my favorite “go-to design formula”…a few years ago i took a class with ali edwards & she gave the class a great bit of advice for creating minibooks….figure out a design formula & stick with it…this way your book will come together easily & the fact that you have a consistent design throughout the book will give your project a great cohesive look…SO…i’ve come up with my own “go to” minibook layout design (& i’ve also got a “go to” layout design)…for mini books it’s patterend paper on one side & journaling on the other…i’ve used this particular “formula” on a bunch of projects & it has made the mini book experience enjoyable each time….& i don’t really worry about them all looking the same b/c each one has a different story to tell…THAT (& having fun creating it :) are what is important to me :)

our last word up over at onelittleword was START…& i used the above shortcuts and the dorothea kit to create my project…i really enjoyed it & now i have a pretty reminder of exactly what i’m shooting for this year:)

so what are your “creative shortcuts”?  i’d love to hear them!!!

have a wonderful monday! & happy creating!!!

xoxoxo

gi

oh. and the newest newsletter has gone out which includes a little introduction to our next guest designer. if you don’t receive it you can view it here. however, you can also sign-up here so you don’t miss out on any of our announcements, giveaways or kit sneak peeks.

xo

Happy New Year! I hope this year brings you much love & vintagey goodness, and loads & loads of scrapping time. I have a little challenge for you…take your kit and create a layout about 2009–your resolutions, your hopes, your wishes…just tell me about what you hope 2009 has in store for you. Post it on your blog or in a gallery, and link it here. In a week or so I’ll draw a name for a little prize! Happy scrapping…

happy new year everyone!

i am so excited to announce that we are adding another member to our creative team this month, jessi lute! her artwork is beautiful and her commitment to living a green lifestyle is so inspiring. her beautiful face and artwork will be added to our gallery with the kit reveal on the 14th but you can get to know her better by visiting her blog too!

welcome jessi!! i’m so happy you’ve joined our team!!

xo – kl