Studio 5, Stamp Giveaway & BIG Planner Sale

It was cookies for today’s Studio 5 television segment. Me? In their kitchen?! Did I have you fooled? Not likely! We both know I can’t even “cook” toast properly. But I did “bake” some paper cookies using sweet stamp sets from The Stamp Market.

WIN STAMPS + CARDSTOCK from The Stamp Market

Perhaps you’re here because you caught the show and want a chance to win this tasty trio of stamps? Check out my Instagram account. There’s a giveaway going on now through 12/20/2019. The prize: These three stamp sets AND a pack of gorgeous cardstock! Pssttt…. I think the prize has YOUR name on it. :)

DAY PLANNER + SUPPLIES SALE

PLEASE NOTE: Supplies somewhat limited. Orders will be fulfilled on a first come, first serve basis. See “Sale Specifics” section below for info on ordering. Many thanks!

Perhaps you’re here because you watched my segment today and you’re interested in my planner sale. Welcome!!

Here’s the scoop: I teach planner workshops and have for years. I buy kits and planners for these workshops and always end up with extra inventory. Now, I find myself in need of your HELP. I have more planners and kits than I know what to do with.

EXCESS INVENTORY + SMALL HOME = BIG NEED TO MOVE PRODUCTS = GOOD NEWS FOR YOU

Why am i talking in all-cap math equations? Yeah… I don’t know either. Maybe it’s all of this planner business sitting around my house. It’s enough to make a girl crazy. Sooo…

MASSIVE PLANNER SALE!

OPTION 1: Day Planner + Planner Supplies
PRICE: $50 + shipping
You’ll receive an undated planner (meaning you can customize with your own dates whenever you want to start using it) from a popular crafting brand. You’ll also receive a blind bag of planner-related crafting supplies to use in your planner!

OPTION 2: Blind Bag of Planner/Crafting Supplies
PRICE: $25 + shipping
Perhaps you already have the planner piece of this equation. This is the option for you. I’ll send you a happy mix of stickers, ephemera, and other planner favs to use as you see fit (planning, journaling, paper crafting, scrapbooking, etc.). Will come in a priority mail flat rate padded envelope ($8 shipping, US only).

OPTION 3: Super-Sized Blind “Bag” of Supplies
PRICE: $40 + shipping
This blind bag is more like a blind box. I’ll load up a large USPS flat rate box with planner goodies and 12x12 paper and send it your way ($20 shipping, US only).

SALE SPECIFICS

1. Utah residents, you can opt for package pickup if you’d prefer to avoid shipping. I’ll hold pre-paid packages for one week before re-listing. No refunds will be offered.

2. Due to the weight and contents of these packages, I’m afraid I’m only able to offer my kits to US residents. I’m sorry to any international friends who were interested. :(

3. I’ll accept payment via PayPal, Venmo or Apple Pay. To place your order, simply email me at meghoeppner@gmail.com with PLANNER SALE in the subject line and we can determine the best method of payment for you.

4. Supplies are somewhat limited. I probably have enough for 10-15 kits, depending on the types of kits purchased. With this in mind, I’ll fulfill in the order emails are received.

BIG THANKS
Thanks for your help. Sincerely! Our house is so overrun with supplies. Having homes to send the stuff to will make such a difference. And recouping some of my class-kit costs will also be a great help, as I buy most things at retail pricing.

SEASON’S GREETINGS
In the likely chance I don’t blog again before the holidays, I want to wish you well. I hope this holiday season brings you joy and memories to cherish. While this particular blog post has everything to do with the “stuff,” the memories and experiences really are what’s important. May yours be the happiest. Much love, my friend!

Cheers!

Now THAT'S the ticket! Ideas for story telling with ticket stubs

As strange as this will sound, "Go to six movies in a movie theater" was my 2019 New Year's Resolution.

Today on Studio 5, I share ideas for memory keeping using ticket stubs.

To help me meet my movie-going goal, I had the idea of creating a movie tracker in my bullet journal. I created a two-page spread with spots for 12 ticket stubs. If I managed to fill at least one of the two pages, I'd celebrate a goal well met--six flicks! Filling the additional six slots... An optimistic plan, but it sure would be the butter atop my movie corn. ;) From my NY resolution, this idea was born:

BULLET JOURNAL MOVIE TRACKER PAGE

A bullet journal is the perfect spot to track your flicks. It also makes an interesting little everyday look at your life at this point in time. It's something to document beyond the big highlight reel of events (holidays, birthdays, etc.), and it doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming.

Tips & tricks that make this project my feature presentation:

• Washi tape makes it easy to adhere tickets to pages while also creating a lifting element. Lift the ticket off the page and discover a spot for notes or images or other details to be added.

• Movie tickets are a basic rectangle, making this page design super easy. This doesn't have to be a high-budget project to be a box office hit.

• Using a small notebook that easily fits in your handbag or car console makes keeping the journal up to date a breeze. as shows are seen. Simply include a pen and some decorative tape and you can add your ticket stub to your notebook before your movie seat is even cold.

TICKET TIP: Even if you buy your tickets online, you can still get printed copies for keepsakes purposes. Simply take your QR code to the box office before the show and ask for a printed copy. Another option: Look for discarded tickets on the ground. (Thanks, Litterbugs!) After all, you know what they say about trash and treasure.

TICKET MINI ALBUM

Turn pieces of cardstock into ticket-shaped pages of a mini album. It's easy. Simply notch the corners using a circle punch. You then have a fast and fun place to add more detail to your movie-going script. If, like me, you enjoy snapping pics when you see flicks, this is a great and low-maintenance way to get those images off your camera roll and onto your shelf for further enjoyment.

A few tips & ideas to try:

• A clean popcorn bag is a fun way to add to your theme while also protecting your album. Use it as a sleeve and cut your ticket pages to fit.

• You don't have to turn this into a photo album. It would also work as a place to tell stories of movies that have made impressions on you over the years. So many movie-going experiences leave permanent impressions. Those are worth telling.

• Looking for a gift idea? This same concept could easily be turned into a ticket book of redeemable offers for someone special.
  
  
  

PRE-MADE TICKET BOOKS

If you love this concept but don't have the time to take the DIY route, this is for you. You can buy pre-made ticket books on Amazon to hold your tickets in chronological order. Some are unique to movies stubs, others work with all sorts of stubs (amusement parks, zoos, museums, and more!).

You’ll find the movie-stub album here.

You’ll find the ticket album here.

A TICKET CONTAINER

Turn your stubs into a time capsule and a completely unique home decor piece. All you need is a container of some sort. Whether it's a jar or a slotted shadow box or something more creative, having an easy catch-all for the family to add their stubs to is a fun idea that is unique to all of you.

CONTAIN IDEAS & TIPS

1. If you have a group adding tickets to a single container, ask each member to sign the back of their stub before adding it in. It will make it all the more personal, especially if all of you aren't doing/seeing the same things.

2. Introduce a new container each year to make this a more time-capsule approach. Just think of how cool it would be to go back through your parents' or your grandparents' jars from their childhood!

3. Many memory keepers relate to the inevitable hoarding that comes with the hobby. We want to document the stories behind things, so we keep the things. Alas, we don't always have the time to do the memory keeping. A container like this at least gives you a home for those loose odds 'n ends that feels more purposeful. And it creates less to shuffle around and find places for. I know many won't relate to this problem, but many will. I hope this benefit strikes a chord with you.

Cheers!

Round [Circle] Weaving

Today on Studio 5 at 11 a.m., I’m taking my straight line for a curve with some round/circle weaving. I’ve never done this craft before preparing for this TV segment, but it’s one I’ve admired from afar and knew I wanted to try.

Of course, this mean there were a few, ahem, learning curves along the way — things I’ll share so you can avoid. It also meant I searched tutorials for weeks to find you some of the best.

ROUND WEAVING SUPPLIES

You’ll need a loom of some sort — either an actual loom or a hoop. In my experience, embroidery hoops work best. You’ll also need cotton string, yarn and fibers in a variety of thicknesses, a large-eyed needle, and scissors. I found blanket yarn worked well. It’s thick and fluffy and adds personality. (Hey! It’s a bit like me! ;) )

ROUND WEAVING TUTORIALS

Sweet Georgia makes getting an embroidery hoop ready for weaving easy to follow and understand. Plus, her projects are just so pretty. I must have watched this flick at least four times.

The Unusual Pear takes round weaving and breaks it down into several very quick flicks, which I really appreciated. She shows you different weaving techniques and makes it easy to combine styles on a single loom.

To say I was inspired by We Are Scout in making my rainbow loom would be an understatement. They have an excellent tutorial to get this gorgeous look. This is my version. You’ll definitely want to check out theirs for pro tips and a prettier finished product.

LEARN FROM ME

Being my first time with circle weaving, you might say there was a, ahem, learning curve. Each project took me anywhere from 2-6 hours to create. Can you believe I actually had to scrap two of them when they were nearly completed?! TWO! Don’t do this. It’s frustrating and sad. Learn from my mistakes:

BIG MISTAKE #1: Weaving too close to the loom’s edge

I created a gorgeous (if I do say so myself) pink project using this handy loom. Unforunately, I didn’t leave enough space to then get it off the loom. You have to snip the threads and either weave them under or tie them to something else. Because I didn’t leave enough space (at least an inch), my threads were bitty and I couldn’t work with them. The weave unraveled before my eyes.

Leave at least an inch between where your weaving stops and the loom begins.

BIG MISTAKE #2: Not anchoring properly on a slippery hoop

I used two metal rings to create my rainbow weave. This meant slip. I didn’t properly prepare for this, so my rainbow, which should have take up half of the loom, ended up sliding around and only taking about 1/3 of the loom. Not good! To avoid this, weave the entire outer edge of your hoops first. I did red on the outer ring and purple on the inner (rainbow side) and white on both for the cloud side. I also wove my rainbow so it was slightly longer than half of the loom and simply covered up some of the bottom with white yarn to get my 50/50 ratio.

Secure the warp by wrapping the hoop’s edges AND weave slightly more than half with rainbow.

I hope these ideas and tips help you. This really is a fun craft to try. For more on the items I made, watch Studio 5 today at 11 a.m. MT. If you’re local, it’s on channel 5. Anyone can watch streaming from their website.

Cheers!

Today on Studio 5, I’m sharing easy ideas for making your own travelers notebook. I also share my favorite store-bought options (Hello, Freckled Fawn!) and insert choices in case you love the idea but don’t want to invest in the DIY aspect. Either way, I hope you’ll tune in at 11 a.m. (online and on TV [channel 5]) to learn more about these sweet creative journals/scrapbooks/sketchbooks/happiness!

Thanks for having me, Studio 5. Love you guys!

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW ABOUT UPCOMING CLASSES (including my DIY TN classes!)

I love getting out in the SLC and sharing some creativity with friends. I have some great classes in the works that will be happening soon, including classes on DIY travelers notebooks (creative journals and faux leather journal covers).

Be the First to Know

Simply email me at meghoeppner@gmail.com. Nothing fancy required—you can just say add me to your class list in the subject line and I’ll do it to it.

I know you’re busy and the last thing you want is another bunch of spam filling your inbox.I assure you, that won’t be the case. In fact, I’ve been building a list for years and have yet to send a single email (#epicbusinessfail), but I intend to change that and be better about sharing my classes. I’m asked about them often and don’t do enough to get the word out. So this is my public statement to be held accountable and take the next step. :) Thanks so much for your support and interest in what I love and do!

See you at 11. Cheers!

DIY Traveler's Notebook and Inserts

Hello! Thanks for makng this a stop on your web travels today. (See what I did there? ;) ) Let’s take a look at my latest paper obsession: DIY travler’s notebook covers.

I created this project for Echo Park Paper Co., using the very delightful new Summer Adventure collection.

You can read more about my process and tips for this project on the Echo Park blog.

You can also see a video of the action right here OR on my YouTube channel.

I was inspired to create this project by this video on YouTube by LiveLoveScrap.

DIY NOTEBOOK COVER

Step 1: Cut a piece of patterned paper to 9”x8.5” and gently fold that sheet in half (no hard creasing) so it measures 4.5”x8.5”. Open the paper back up so it's flat but with the center lightly creased/identified by your fold.

Step 2 (optional): Die cut words from your cover. (I used the Explore Outdoors Die Set by Echo Park Paper Co. to cut my outdoor phrases.)

Step 3: Pierce holes along your center fold, approximately 1/4” down from the top of the page and 1/4” up from the bottom, followed by two holes on either side of each of these holes, 1/4” over. Finally, pierce one hole approximately in the middle of the center fold line. (This should leave you with seven pierced holes (three on the top, three on the bottom, and one in the middle..)

Step 4: Score lines running parallel to your center fold, connecting your pierced holes. Fold your paper along those lines to give you your notebook shape.

Step 5: Flatten the cover back out and place it in a laminating sheet; laminate. "
NOTE: If you do not have a laminater, you can use self-laminating pouches for this step.

Step 6: Trim away any excess laminating film, re-fold your book along the scored lines to give you your cover shape, and re-pierce your holes.

Step 7: Thread elastic cording following the steps below.
NOTE: It helps to have a needle with a large eye for this, as elastic cording can be tricky to thread.

A. Starting on the lower right hole, coming from the front of the cover inside, thread elastic cording, leaving approximately 6” of a tail.
NOTE: Pull your cording fairly tight, leaving only enough room to tuck a notebook insert between it and your notebook cover.

B. Thread your cording through the hole directly above the hole you just threaded. (This should have your needle now back on the outside of your cover.)

C. Thread your cording through the center hole, just to the left of the hole you came out of. Thread your needle through the center hole on the bottom of the cover. (Your needle should now, again, be on the outside of your book.)

D. Thread back in, this time using the far left hole on the bottom, followed by the far left on the top. (You should now have three bands of elastic cording running along the inside spine of your notebook cover.)

E. Your needle should now be on the outside of your notebook, at the top. Thread it back through the top, center hole. Leave approximately a 6” tail and trim the rest of your cording away from the packaging. Remove your needle.

F. Thread your first 6” tail through the needle and bring that piece of cording back through the bottom center hole. You should now have two 6” pieces of cording on the inside of your notebook cover. Meet them in the middle, tie them in a double knot, and trim away any excess. This will leave you with a total of four elastic bands running along the inside of your notebook spine.

G. Trim a new piece of elastic cording that is long enough to wrap around the center of your book one and a half times. Fold that piece in half, thread the folded side through your needle, and thread that needle through the center hole of your notebook, coming from the inside of the cover out.
NOTE: Be careful not to pull the cording all the way through the hole.

H. Leave just enough cording to wrap around your notebook as a closure, and tie a double knot to prevent the rest of the cording from pulling through the hole. Trim away any excess cording. This will leave you with a center elastic closure that will hold your notebook shut.

With your notebook cover made, you can now add DIY paper inserts.

DIY NOTEBOOK INSERTS

Creating DIY notebooks to go inside your traveler’s notebook cover is easy and fun. Simply follow these quick steps:

Step 1: Bundle several sheets of patterned paper and fold them in half, making sure they’re cut to measure smaller than your notebook cover when folded.

Step 2: Keep your folded sheets bundled together and pierce three holes along the center fold.

Step 3: Thread a needle with baker’s twine or embroidery floss (roughly 48” in length); thread your needle through the center hole, going from the inside of the paper bundle, out.
NOTE: Leave a tail (approximately 4”) here.

Step 4: Thread your needle through the bottom hole, coming from the outside of the bundle in. Thread back through the center hole again, going from the inside out. Thread through the top hole (outside, in). Your needle should now, again, be on the inside of your paper bundle.

Step 5: Thread your needle under the lower binding loop that’s in place and tie then tie what’s left of your thread to the original 4” tail you left in place. Tie using a double knot. Trim away any excess twin you have. Your book should now be completely bound.

AGAIN, YOU CAN WATCH A FULL VIDEO OF THIS PROCESS HERE.

Don’t let my lengthy list of steps fool you. These techniques really are easy to do. I just wanted to break it down to make it easier to follow for those of you reading the instructions to complete your project (vs. watching the videos). I hope I haven’t left you confused at any point in the process. If so, leave me a comment or send me an email, and I will happily answer any questions you have.

I can say from my own experience and that of students I’ve taught this to—once you create these, you won’t want to stop. You’ll find yourself making books for your family and friends, too. It’s such a happy process and end results. I hope you enjoy this technique and idea.

Happy travels!

A Happy Birthday Hop with Hero Arts!

45 years! Can you believe it? Hero Arts is 45 years old. Seems a song is in order! (I have no clue what a “brimful of asha” is [hope it’s not a drug reference that I naively don’t understand], but the 45 part seems appropriate!) ;)



Welcome to the party! I love celebrating with you.

I have many favorite Hero products but decided to focus in on the Floral Mandala Bold Prints stamp. It offers much creative potential, which I enjoy. If you recall from a previous go ‘round with a Hero hop, I used it to create a mood journal. This time, I have a card in my sights.

My creative “process” (if we want to be so formal) sometimes feels a bit like a caterpillar doing its best to become a butterfly. Of course, I don’t always feel I reach the beauty of a butterfly, but it’s typically a metamorphosis either way.

In this case, I looked at my beloved stamp and had two shapes jump out at me—a jumbo pinwheel/flower, and a butterfly.

Sometimes a little ink can help direct the process, so I stamped one impression using the Poppy Layering Ink Cubes colors.

From there, I decided to go butterfly and began by outlining the shape with a pen. (Looking at all of the intersecting lines can get a little maddening for my eyes without the pen.)

With my butterflies trimmed, I was again left with a decision to make. I went into things thinking I’d place the colored butterfly against a black and white background of the same pattern. I thought it would look cool popping off the pattern…

However, once I tried it out IRL, I wasn’t as convinced. On to option two—the black and white butterfly on the b/w background.

Again, I was feeling ho-hum. Time to try option three—the colored ‘fly on white.

Hmmm… Better. I suppose the simplicity helped me a bit, but I did feel it left the card lacking some sort of something, so I reached for my patterned paper and gave my card a mat. Oh, and I sewed along the center of my butterfly so the wings would easily pop up without the butterfly detaching.

I also fussy cut a few flowers from the same pattern to fill in a little of the white space.

I’m a fan of the monochrome look (black and white), so I thought I’d also try that route.

What do you think? Color or black and white? Neither? Both?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t always add sentiments to cards like this right away. Sometimes I hold off on that portion until I have a purpose for sending, as this kind of card could work for a thank you, a hello, a birthday… many things. What kind of sentiment would you add?

Thanks for flying through this jumbled up process of mine with me. I hope something about the journey leaves you inspired or gives you an idea. And thanks so much for being a loyal Hero Arts supporter. It really is such a wonderful brand.

THE GIVEAWAY IN A NUTSHELL

It wouldn’t be a party without some fab favors. Check out this impressive prize list!

Hero Arts: 3 $145 Gift Certificates, 3 $45 Gift Certificates
Altenew: $50 Gift Certificate
Art Impressions: $25 Gift Certificate
Ellen Hutson LLC: $50 Gift Certificate
Gina K: $100 Gift Certificate
Jennifer McGuire Ink: $100 Hero Arts Gift Certificate, 5 Share Handmade Kindness goodie bags
Laurie Willison: 2 Card Hanger Dies
Lawn Fawn: $50 Gift Certificate
My Sweet Petunia: 1 Prize Bundle (Original MISTI, a set of Creative Corners, a Cut-Align, and a bar magnet)
Online Card Classes: 5 spots in the Stamp Happy In Good Company: Hero Arts class
Pink Fresh Studio: $45 Gift Certificate
Scrapbook & Cards Today: 3 copies of Scrapbook & Cards Today Summer 2019 Issue
Scrapbook.com: $50 Gift Certificate
Simon Says Stamp: $50 Gift Certificate

Winners will be drawn from people who leave comments along the blog hop over the three days - comment all three days for more chances to win! Comment by Sunday, June 2 at 11:59pm PST, and we’ll announce the winners on the Hero Arts blog the following week.

A BIG thanks to these spiffy sponsors!

ROCK ON, HOP ON

Hero Arts
Amy Tsuruta
Art Impressions
Cathy Zielske
Debby Hughes
Gina K Designs
Jenn Shurkus
Jennifer McGuire
Kristina Werner
Lawn Fawn
Lisa Stein
Megan Hoeppner (oh, hey, that’s me!)
Sandy Allnock
Simon Says Stamp
Tasnim Ahmed
Wanda Guess

Thanks for hopping by! I’ll leave you with one more song, because, well, we all NEED A HERO (ARTS)! <3

Paper Pieced Layering, Studio 5, Free Printables, and NEW Classes

When you only blog about once a month, you tend to cram each post full of info. This one is no exception. But I’ll do my best to keep it to the highlights. ;)

HIGHLIGHT #1: Studio 5

You know I love visiting this show and yesterday was no exception. I even got a little emotional as I took a moment to sing the praises of the show’s audience. The viewers truly are the best. You can watch today at 11:00 AM on channel five if you’re a local yokel. Otherwise, you can stream from their website.

HIGHLIGHT #2: Paper Pieced Layering

The topic of today’s Studio 5 segment—layering to fill a shape. It’s like punching shapes meets paper piecing meets layering. And it’s SO fun! You simply punch pieces and layer them loosely so they have some fluff to them. Super simple. Super cute.

It was inspired by gorgeous RH Baby styling!

HIGHLIGHT #3: Free Printables

I used a couple of freebies to make my projects. Many thanks to the generous designers who so willingly share their work with no strings attached. You’ll find the downloads I used here:

Deer & Bunny Paintings by Burlap + Blue

Teepee Print by A Joyful Riot

HIGHLIGHT #4: New Classes

I have new classes on the horizon that will be launching on the Posh Paperie website soon. If you want first dibs, shoot me a quick email (meghoeppner@gmail.com) with the class you want, and i’ll put you on the list. For now, your choices can be found below:

Beyond the Pallet: Painting with Watercolor Markers, Crayons, Colored Pencils, & Liquid Watercolor Paint
Teacher: Megan Hoeppner
June 1, 2019
6:00-9:00 PM
$35

Take watercolor painting beyond a basic tray of paints and join Megan Hoeppner for this fun test drive of many watercolor mediums out there. From markers to crayons to colored pencils to liquid watercolor, you’ll learn techniques and see which products speak the most to you. Plus, you’ll leave with four unique and beautiful handmade greeting cards and a better understanding of the many watercolor options available to you. All skill levels welcome. Door prizes can be expected. :)

DIY Watercolor Notebook and Laminated Journal Cover
Teacher: Megan Hoeppner
June 21, 2019
6:00-8:30 PM
cost: $35

Why pay big bucks for a watercolor notebook when you can make your own that’s far cuter and reflects your unique style? In this class, Megan Hoeppner will show you how to bind loose watercolor sheets into a stitched notebook. Plus, you’ll create a sturdy laminated notebook cover that will hold up to four unique notebook inserts! And what’s a notebook cover without a stylish clip to hold your place? A bow clip will also be on our maker’s menu. With your completed journal cover and journal insert, you can easily take your painting/crafting/doodling/drawing on the go this summer or simply have a sweet space to capture your work as you practice. Megan will even show you an idea for turning your notebook into a scrapbook, using just a few basic supplies. Of course, laughter and door prizes are also a must. We can’t wait to see you there!

Pssstttt… This class opens up a world of possibility for gift giving, too. You’ll find yourself making journals and covers for all of your favorite people

Phew! That’s it for now. See you in roughly a month with more happenings. In the meantime, you can keep up with my day to day on my Instagram account and my newly formed business page on Facebook. That’s right, I decided to join the other grownups and make an actual page for my work. It’s about time, I suppose. Here’s hoping it goes well. :)

Cheers!

Megan

The Wreath Motif, Another Happy TV Segment, and NEW Classes at Gardner Village

The wreath motif… has a nice ring to it, wouldn’t ya say? ;) It’s easy to see why this charming design trend is popular. Wreaths are easy to make and fit just about any paper crafting need. Whether you’re doing a simple doodle or folding felt flowers and gluing them to an embroidery hoop, bitty wreaths are an awesome springtime image to embrace.

Today on Studio 5, Brook and I take the wreath from the wall to the cards and paper crafts, sharing several approaches to making a wreath motif. You can watch the segment here.

Here’s a sneak peek at my projects:

CLASSES COMING SOON TO GARDNER VILLAGE

I’m so stoked to be teaching at the ADORABLE new store, Posh Paperie. It’s owned by Sandy Workman, who is also the creative genius behind Pine Needles. Yes, I did say genius. :) She is just THAT cool! If you haven’t had a chance to stop in and drool over her pretty assortment of papers and crafting supplies, you simply must. And if you happen to stop in while I’m there teaching a class, that’s all the better! :) I have to workshops coming up at Posh Paperie.

PLAN WITH ME

Let’s enjoy some planner play! Receive a gorgeous Stampin’ Up! planner, loaded with sweet stickers and fabulous foil accents and other awesome goodies. Together, we’ll learn the basics of creative planning and discover fun tricks for personalizing your planner. See how creative planning is about more than simply organizing your day and tracking your to-dos. It’s about documenting your life as it’s happening and creating a keepsakes you’ll love having!

Sign up for my Planner Play workshop here.

WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP

I think there’s one seat left in this class, but if you really want to come with a friend, I bet we can squeeze you both in. Just email me at meghoeppner.com.

Sign up for my Watercolor Joy workshop here.

I hope to see you in the classroom soon. In the meantime, thanks for watching me on Studio 5. If you end up creating your own wreath motifs and sharing online, I’d be delighted if you tagged me. I want to see what you’re up to in this world of wreathy treats.

Cheers!

Sloth Talk, Studio 5, & Upcoming Local Engagements

Chatting trends on Studio 5 has been a favorite of mine for years. Last time we talked what’s hot, it was llamas. This time, a fellow critter has joined the ranks. Waaaaaiiiiitttttt fooooorrrrrr iiiittttt…

SLOTHS

It’s easy to see why fans are flocking to this friendly fellow. Just a few of their lovable traits include:

• That friendly smile.

• Their “Don’t hurry, be happy” attitude.

• Their lanky, drapey ways.

Simply put, sloths are cute critters!

On today’s show (channel 5 at 11AM), I shared some of my recent sloth shopping. Here’s a buying guide for you:

Sloth Clothing

I got the shirt my daughter is wearing from Old Navy this past fall, but you can find a forest of furry sloth friends at Carters right now.

Sloth Stuffed Animal & Mug

This pretty-in-pink pal is from Target. They had a purple version also. They were in the Valentine’s section, so I hope you can still find them. The cutie mug is also a Target find, and it’s only $4! Woot!

Sloth Planter

On the show, I boldly stated that this planter was my fav. I stand by that statement. It looks so cute hanging up and adding some greenery to the home. It’s from Urban Outfitters. And it’s only $18! Again, I say woot! ;)

Sloth Stamp, Spa Gift Set, and Gift Wrap

Paper Source is a regular sloth headquarters. You’ll find all of the aforementioned, as well as books, gifts, and even sloth candy bars.

Sloth Patterned Paper

The new Hello Baby Boy line from Echo Park Paper Co. is sooo sweet. The sloth makes a cameo in the collection, both in the stickers and on paper.

Sloth Talk

Here are a few of my fav. sloth-inspired sayings, puns, and sentiments:

Upcoming Local Engagements

I’m so excited to be involved with two upcoming events that are near and dear to my heart.

Life Documented Event

Connection is the key to this heartfelt engagement, hosted by hygge_an_event. I’m joining two other phenomenal speakers to discuss memory keeping and creative planning. There will be a crafting activity, meaningful messages, community, and so much fun. I hope you can make it.

Click here to register.

Crop Because You Care

I’ve participated in this worthwhile event for years now. It is a full day of crafting, classes, make-and-takes, giveaways, and more! And it’s all for an excellent cause. This year, it’s benefiting the Mascot Miracle Foundation. I hope to see you there! <3

Register for Crop Because You Care here.

That’s it for now. Thanks so much for stopping by and, remember, don’t hurry, be happy! ;)

A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Baby/Pregnancy Book

Creating a book encompassing an entire year of life, especially one loaded with milestones, can seem overwhelming. When that “baby” is 3 years old?! Forgettaboudit! Throw in nearly a year of pregnancy, and it’s a major bun to have in the creative oven. But it can be done. And it can be FUN! You just need a little prep and planning to keep things organized and bite-sized. I’m going to share a look at my full-term album (baby puns stop here, promise!), as well as tips for embarking on such a project.

PRODUCTS USED

Of course a darling paper collection helps, too. To create Lulu’s First Year book, I used Echo Park Paper Co.’s Hello Baby Girl line. (They also have Hello Baby Boy. A few of my pieces come from it as well.) You’ll notice a few other brands woven in as well. They’re older items I had in my stash from Simple Stories and Hambley Screenprints (RIP). Oh, and the pretty album is from Close to My Heart. It’s so soft!

I’ve been saving this clear woodgrain Hambly Screenprint for YEARS. I love that it now has such a special home! <3

PLANNING & PREP

Before I begin a project of this size, I like to jot down a plan. Take a look and see if there’s anything that would help you in your preparations.

1. Determine Your Photo & Album Sizes—chicken or egg?

Do you decide on your album first and print photos to fit, or is it the other way around? The way I see it, it depends on two things:

• Do you already have photos printed and ready? If so, find a book to fit or cut your images down to fit.

• Do you already have a book you love? Then it’s easy to create unique photo sizes to fit the configuration. (More on that in a bit.)

Here are a few common album approaches I like for this kind of project:

2. Make a Map

A literal sketch/blueprint? Sure, if you’re visual and this would help. Otherwise, an outline/list will help guide the way. The point is to outline the chapters you would include in your album. “Chapters” may seem a heavy word. If it’s intimidating, simply think of it as sections. Here’s a look at some of my pre-determined sections.

2a. Sketch

With chapters in mind, you can now make a rough sketch of what a page or section would look like. This will help you gather your materials. Ex. If you look at my sketch, you’ll see a page could call for two 2x3 photos, a title of some sort, and some written words. If I were to take this approach, I’d know how I’d have to narrow down my photos for that chapter/section. Which brings us to…

3. Make a List

This is where the hardest work lies, at least in my opnion. You have to take all of those amazing pics of your wee one and narrow them down to a select few. Ack! Impossible! The best way I could do this was to start with a list of must-include moments (mine included: preg milestones, birth, meeting fam, first bath, coming home, nursery, story of her name, and monthly milestones). I then went through my camera roll and marked images as favorites that fit this list. It helped weed and make sure I didn’t miss any important moments I wanted in.

4. Print + Make Pic Piles

With a sketch in mind, an album pages determined, and moments identified, you can decide how to print your pics to fit. This can be basic 4x6 images, or you can take things smaller to fit more in. To do this, I turn to photo collage apps, such as PicStitch and Project Life.

With your pics printed, make piles by chapters. This will keep things from getting chaotic as you start to assemble. (You don’t want to lose or forget a pic.)
NOTE: Small sandwich bags would work if you’re stretching this project out over a lengthy period of time. Or, if printing at home, you can also print as you go, but this increases your risk of forgetting something, so make sure you reference your list.

5. GATHER KEEPSAKES

Do you have any mementos you want to work in? Now’s the time to grab and file by book chapter. For me, this included a hospital bracelet and an ultrasound photo. I also want to find my girl’s first bitty hair bow, but that has yet to happen. Sonofa!

6. GATHER SUPPLIES

Time to sort your supplies. I find it’s far easier to pull out the specific pieces you think you’ll use instead of digging through a package of products over and over each time you are accenting a page. So, I dump a pack out, find what fits my themes/stories, put those in a dish of some sort, and put the rest away. From there, you can then sort the accents into chapter piles also (or put them in with the photo sandwich bags) or you can simply leave them in the dish. Depends, again, on how lengthy you see this project being (a day or two or longer).

TIME TO MAKE

Now that your important prep is done, you can actually create your book. I’d call this the fun part, but the planning is also quite fun. It’s so sentimental to sort through the photos and recall the stories. It can be a trap, actually. And that’s okay. If you get lost reminiscing for a while, enjoy it. It’s a magical time and it’s SO QUICK. No wonder we love to look back and relive from time to time. Especially now that we can look back with more sleep and a rear-view mirror perspective. LOL

SEE MY ALBUM ON THE ECHO PARK BLOG

To see the specifics of my book, I invite you to check out the Echo Park Paper blog post I wrote. It goes into more details on making many of the pages. For now, here are a few close-ups.

MAKE A FOLD OUT

To create these fold-out pages, I cut strips of 12x4 sheets of cardstock. I then scored them into thirds and added the details. To attach them to the book. I attached a second pieces of cardstock, which I punched with hole punch. I created one fold-out per month of highlights.

QUESTIONS? Let me know in an email (meghoeppner@gmail.com) or leave a comment here.

NO RIGHT OR WRONG—You do you!

I’m going to conclude by echoing my words on Echo—there’s no right or wrong way to document. If you simply place photos in a photo album, that’s awesome. Maybe you make a digital book and have it printed. Awesome! The key is getting the images into our hot little hands. That’s where they’re safest and where they can be handed down. Don’t let them get lost in your devices or those invisible cloudy skies. ;) For more about getting your projects off of apps and devices and into your hands in the form of projects, you can check out my App to Archive: Social Media Scrapbooking course on CreativeLIVE.

Cheers!