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I wanted to share with you some design ideas for creating a unique foundation on your page for your photos to reside. It's a great way to begin a page because it gives your photos a "home" and gives them a solid layer on which to build upon. Obviously, a square of cardstock or patterned paper is the simplest way to create this base. I'm going to give you some out-of-the-box ideas using supplies you may not have thought of before.
Try LEFTOVERS as your foundation:
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These tags were made for journaling, but grouped together in a rectangle, they make a wonderful base for these photos of my daughter. You could create similar base with patterned paper, but this set of die-cut tags were quick and easy because they were already cut and color coordinated!
supplies: die cut tags (Collage Press) + metal photos corners (Making Memories) + scissors (Fiskars) + font (Typeslab Serif) + brads

Used alone, these perforated tickets could make a cute accent to your page. But grouped together, they make a colorful and textural matte for my photos. The rough edges of the perforations add a rustic feel that works well with the pumpkin patch scene and the wooden letters.
supplies: tickets (SEI) + letters (K & COmpany) + flowers (MAking Memories) + font (Veteran Typewriter) + buttons
Hope you enjoyed this series as much as I. if you missed my previous weeks check them out .
To learn how to make layouts like ones shown here pick up a copy of Design Workshop for $5.99, authored by me, Lisa.

Week 3 winner is Lisa Kisch


I wanted to share with you some design ideas for creating a unique foundation on your page for your photos to reside. It's a great way to begin a page because it gives your photos a "home" and gives them a solid layer on which to build upon. Obviously, a square of cardstock or patterned paper is the simplest way to create this base. I'm going to give you some out-of-the-box ideas using supplies you may not have thought of before.
Try PATTERNED PAPER STRIPS as your foundation:

To create a sense of motion on this page about my kids tubing, I used various widths of patterned paper staggered across the page. It makes a visually interesting platform for the photos and gives the mostly-white photos a nice colored background to contrast against.
supplies: patterned paper (Studio Calico, October Afternoon, Jenni Bowlin Studio, vintage) + stickers (Studio Calico) + pearl (Basic Grey) + flower

I could have used a square of kraft cardstock to matte my photos and journaling on this page, but by weaving several 1/2" strips together, I've added much more texture and interest to the foundation. I purposely trimmed the edges unevenly to keep the base from feeling too blocky and square.
supplies: patterned paper, journal card, stickers, label (Jenni Bowlin Studio) + flower (Prima) + button
Come back next week to see what other foundation ideas I share. if you missed my previous weeks check them out .
To learn how to make layouts like ones shown here pick up a copy of Design Workshop for $5.99, authored by me, Lisa.

week 2 winner is goldnuggt


I wanted to share with you some design ideas for creating a unique foundation on your page for your photos to reside. It's a great way to begin a page because it gives your photos a "home" and gives them a solid layer on which to build upon. Obviously, a square of cardstock or patterned paper is the simplest way to create this base, but for the next few Fridays I'm going to give you some out-of-the-box ideas using supplies you may not have thought of before.
Use your STAMPS as a Foundation:
A border stamp can make a great photo matte! On this holiday page, I used a scalloped border stamp to make a box that neatly holds my photos and title. A few snowflake embellishments soften the corners and add a festive feel.
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Supplies: patterned paper (Making Memories) + stamps (Studio Calico) + ink (Stampin' Up) + letter stickers (Making Memories) + sticker (Fontwerks) + brads (Making Memories) + machine stitching
Come back next week to see what other foundation ideas I share. if you missed last week, check it out here. To learn how to make layouts like ones shown here pick up a copy of Design Workshop for $5.99, authored by me, Lisa.

Week 1 winner is MEganKlaur


At my house, it is my youngest son's birthday. He is turning 10 on the tenth in 2010. Pretty cool! As we have been getting ready, it reminded me that everyone celebrates birthdays differently. I think it would be fun to know what you do at your house. At the Smedley house, the birthday child:
And that is what we do. It gets exhausting to do this over and over again (five times a year!), but hey, kids need to feel special.
Share what it is your family does.
How do you make birthdays special?
What do you do that no one else does?

It was been a busy month for Ella with all the blog tours, giveaways, and exciting MISA announcements. Expecting us to take a break? No sir, no way, we have awesome stuff planned for the blog this August. What is it you ask?
It will be exciting and educational. So while you are running around getting ready for back to school or enjoying the rest of the summer take a few minutes to visit us this month because we are jam packed with good stuff for our Ella blog readers.
In the meantime check out just a few of Ella's favorite CHA-Summer 2010 products

Hambly is a trend setter and this pen and ink transperency is sure to be used over and over again with all those vintage inspired pages.

American Crafts did not disappoint with their releases. Looking forward to their Valentine line, Love.

As a fan of Halloween, I think the Toil and Trouble line by Girls Paperie is going to be fun.


For great home decor projects 7Gypsies did not disappoint and Tim Holtz introduced a cool shadow box. These would make such great gifts.
And there is so much more to look forward to!

Hello all my Ella loves out there in blog land! I sort the layout submissions here at Ella Publishing Co., and once a month I guest blog to share my favorites from the month.
Without further ado, this month's Loves are: Andrea MacDonald, with her layout "Magic Garden"; Katie Squires, with her mini-album; Jennifer Alfonso, with her layout "Sweet Summer"; Reyanna Klein, with her layout "Joy and Me"; and Mindy Miller, with her layout "iwonder".
*First: I loved how Andrea added so many textures and layers to her layout! I love the feeling of a picnic table with the cloth and the cute little smiles of the fruits. Oh, and that frayed paper edge in red is just perfect. If you want to see more of Andrea (and I know you will) check her out at andreasmetta.blogspot.com.

*Second: I found Katie's mini truly inspiring!! The handmade burlap cover is genius...and as she said in her submission, "I had made a little pile of strawberry themed scrap supplies for when we would go strawberry picking this summer. We went this past Monday only to discover that the season was closed. We picked raspberries instead. I still made the mini book that I had been planning, filled with strawberry embellishments. I like it, kind of cheeky." Cheeky indeed...and when life gives you, um, berries, make a mini. You can see more of Katie at katarooskitchen.blogspot.com.
*Third: I thought that Jennifer's page was so innovative using the pennants in her flower! Finding a new way to use a very popular item takes some serious outside the box thinking. I also really love that color combo, so summery! You can find more inspiration from Jennifer at jenniferalfonso.

*Fourth: I was instantly smitten with Reyanna's layout! I love the colors and I am anticipating big time stealing her envelope technique; you never know when you're going to need to hide a love note on a page! She states, "To spruce up the envelope a bit, I opened it up and added patterned paper under the flap. I punched small circles and then used a hole punch to punch them again, so they'd fit perfectly over the clasp circles. I made sure that the words 'child' and 'memory' were visible when I punched the circles. Then I just added buttons (with Glue Dots) and some journal strips!" Wonderful, really. I love new ways to use old ordinary things! You can find Reyanna at sunshineandwonder.blogspot.com.
*Fifth: You could say it was love at first sight with Mindy's page! Look at that scotch tape! Who knew an office staple could pack such a punch? I seriously *heart* the circles as a background with her main photo in the corner; it makes me want to know the story behind the hat! You can see more amazing layouts from Mindy at mysecretheart.typepad.com.

And Now for a Few Words About August
I decided I'd like to issue a fun and exciting challenge for our August Liz's Loves! To help you understand the reasons behind the challenge, I want you to escape with me into one of the most popular love stories of our day. So, indulge me if you will for a minute. (Twilight fans, you're going to love this! Non-Twilight fans, stay with me because there will still be an incentive for you at the end!)
"About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was part of him, and I didn't know how potent that part might be, that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him."
"You are my life. You're the only thing it would hurt me to lose."
"Isn't it supposed to be like this? The glory of first love, and all that. It’s incredible, isn't it, the difference between reading about something, seeing it in the pictures, and experiencing it?"
"For almost ninety years I've walked among my kind, and yours...all the time thinking I was complete in myself, not realizing what I was seeking. And not finding anything, because you weren't alive yet."
I've read the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and was enthralled by it, like millions of other readers worldwide. I loved her ability to put in to words how her characters were feeling. I loved how smitten Bella was with Edward, even though she knew she shouldn't be, and I could feel Edward's pain in knowing she was untouchable! However, even as enthralled as I was after I read the books, I put them on the back burner of my mind. (I still haven't even seen the third movie yet!)
But, while I was at the library a couple of days ago, I picked up a Stephenie Meyer novella, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, and I was enthralled all over again. It tells the backstory of a very minor character from the second book in the series, Eclipse. This then inspired me to finally read Meyer's partially finished fifth book in the series, Midnight Sun, which was leaked online and so it's never been officially released. It tells the story of the original Twilight book, but from Edward's perspective instead of Bella's. (I struggled with wanting to read this one because I wouldn't be able to finish and that drives me bonkers!)
Fortunately though, as I was reading, inspiration struck me... Do I ever scrapbook from someone else's perspective? Stephenie Meyer has now been able to recreate the same story through three different characters' perspectives. And she turned it into even more than a he said/she said exercise. It captivated me each time—truly amazing!
Okay, now that you've indulged me, I'm sure you're wondering how this plays into Liz's Loves. Well, here's the scoop: for this upcoming month of Liz's Loves, I want to see pages that are told from a different perspective other than your own. Or you could even go a little Stephenie Meyer on me and show a couple different perspectives on one page. Most of all, I want you all to have fun and try something new to spice up your scrapbooking life!
Of those submissions, I will pick my three favorites, as well as my two other loves for the month. All five loves will be featured on next month's blog post and will receive a discount for some Ella gear. Just email your submissions to submissions@ellapublishing.com, with "Perspective" in the subject line so I'll identify it right away. Deadline: August 16.
I hope this post and my amazing loves have left you inspired! I can't wait to be inspired by all of your challenge pages. You know you just might be my next crush of the month (along with my favorite Twilight hottie)!
XOXO
~Liz
























