MAGGIE HOLMES Photography and Scrapbooking Blog

Photography Tip >> How to Capture Real Smiles

One of the questions I get asked most often is "how do you get your kids to smile in pictures?" I will admit that it does seem (from the photos I post) that my kids are always perfect at smiling for the camera. I wish that were the case, but there is a little more to it than that! While they are very used to me taking pictures of them and being in front of the camera, I still have to work at it to capture real and genuine smiles! Because let's face it, an image is not very meaningful to us if the kids are pulling one of those cheesy fake smiles that we know is completely not genuine! Trust me, I get PLENTY of those!!

I have learned over the years that it is all about capturing and creating CONNECTIONS! A pretty photo with a perfect background, cute subject and well-styled outfit means nothing to me if there isn't any magic to it. And I believe that the MAGIC comes from the CONNECTION you either create or capture while you are taking pictures. 

Here are a couple of examples to show you what I mean. In this first one you can see that in the bottom image Emily is giving me the classic fake/cheesy smile that I often get at the very beginning of the photo-taking process. Yep that's when we tell our kiddos to look at us and smile. We all get this more often than we would like right? The top photo is the one I captured when she was really genuinely smiling. Such a huge difference!

 In this next one, the bottom image is that classic look we get from subjects (especially toddlers & teenagers) that simply do not want to smile for us! And sometimes it feels like no matter what we say or do, it's all we are going to get. But then in the top image you can see that I was in fact able to get her acting natural and smiling that true Lizzy Kate smile that we all know and love!

I wish I could tell you in one simple blog post just how I go about capturing and creating connections in my photography, but it's not that easy. And this is precisely how the idea for my PHOTO CONNECTIONS workshop came about. Now all of my secrets, tips and tricks are wrapped up into a 4 week, content rich, online workshop with handouts, videos, a message board, gallery and more! This is the part of photography that I am MOST PASSIONATE about, which means I am thrilled to share it all with you!!

Not only does the workshop cover the process of getting genuine smiles, but it covers things like capturing connections between multiple people in your photos, creating a connection through composition and connecting to the stories in your photographs. Plus each week, there is a BONUS handout as well!!

Class starts today but registration is open until June 4th, so it's not too late to jump in and join us!! We have a great group already and would love to have you as well! My experience with these classes is that the member gallery also gets filled to the brim with amazing images from the students, which provides even more inspiration and ideas for everyone!!

Find out exactly how I capture magical photographs through connections in this new online workshop!!

>> Register for my Photo Connections Class here <<

ALSO >> This is NOT a class about settings and technical stuff pertaining to a certain type of camera so you can take it no matter what camera you use. The techniques and concepts taught will work with a dSLR, point and shoot or even your phone camera!!

Happy (genuine) Smiles ;)!!

xoxoxo

Tutorial >> Using Studs with a Silhouette Cut Design

I have a fabulous layout and tutorial to share with you from Jessy today!! She is consistently amazing me with her inspiring use of the Silhouette Cameo and how she creates these amazing custom backgrounds for her scrapbook pages! She is showing us how to incorporate the triangle metal studs from the Styleboard Collection into the cut design! I LOVE the results!!

Good morning creative people! Today I would like to share with you a step-by-step on how I created my layout. 

  

I found this fun cut in the Silhouette online store. What I did was to remove some points in the Silhouette studio because I wanted to also incorporate the triangle studs into my design and needed to leave room for them. After cutting the design onto a white card stock, I layered the back with a piece of patterned paper. Then, I sewed at the edges - all around the card stock. Next, I adhered another white cardstock (sewn at the edges as well) and created a little lift by using foam dots. 

Here is the close up of the cardstocks that are adhered together.

 TIP: To apply these studs onto a layout is pretty easy. I bent the spikes using my thumbnail. Of course, you can use a plier to bend them. Next, I applied a foam dot in the middle.

Don't you just love the studs placed all over the cuts? That's the whole intention; I wanted them to be part of the design. As you can observe, I pasted some of the hexagon cuts too so that the layout won't look too busy.

 After positioning my photo, I begun to embellish the layout with lots of fun ephemera & vellum shapes. 

Ta daa.... here is the completed layout! All I did was to cluster a bunch of ephemera & vellum shapes together so that they matched with the colours of the studs and the photo as well.

 And a couple more close ups of the details:

 

I hope you like the simple step-by-step tutorial for using the studs with a Silhouette cut design. Thank you for stopping by! Have a lovely day!  Xoxo Jessy

>> Supplies <<

InLinkz.com

Happy Thursday!

xoxoxo

Last Chance > Mini Album Class

Just wanted to post a reminder that enrollment for my Mini Album Mini Class at Studio Calico closes in a few days so if you haven't signed up yet, this is your last chance!!

BY ENROLLING IN THIS CLASS YOU'LL RECEIVE :

A detailed PDF showing how to make your own DIY album with a mixture of page types including chipboard, page protectors, old book paper, envelopes and more.

A video sharing techniques in the minibook

A video overview of Maggie's DIY minibook

Interaction with Maggie on a class message board during May

Challenges from Maggie to keep you on track with building your album

Digital printables from Shanna Noel (shown here)

Printable labels from Hello Forever

Cut files from Hello Forever (shown here)

ALSO >> There is a lot of GREAT INSPIRATION in the private gallery for this class where all the other students are sharing their mini albums as they create them! I have seen some wonderful things and lots of fun ideas for different themes/topics to create your album around!

Here are a couple more sneaks peeks from my album.

Register now before it is too late!!

Class enrollment closes on May 31st at 11:59pm EST. 

Remember >> the class lessons will always be available so even if you don't have time to complete the class right now, you can sign up and then do it at a later time that is convenient for you!!

Register Here >> Mini Album Class by Maggie Holmes

Hope you will join me!!

xoxoxo

Hello Hello Reveal

This month's Studio Calico lineup is a good one! I am loving the mix of colors in the main kit! Yellow, pink and aqua is always a winning combo for me! And I also can't get enough of the wood branch cuts! They are real wood cuts at the perfect thickness and the possibilities are endless!

The following two layouts were made using the main kit (pictured above) only.

 Digital Quick Tip >> For this layout I created a custom background by opening the journaling card from the Hello Hello Printables by Celine Navarro and then printing it at a full 8.5 x 11 size. I simply opened the file into Preview and then increased the size in the print window until it filled up the entire paper. Then I built my layout right on top of it. I have never done this before but love how it turned out and plan to do it again in the future!

My printer didn't bleed the image all the way to some of the edges so I decided to cut some strips of old book paper and wrapped them around all 4 edges of the page. Then I stitched them in place with my sewing machine. 

The other kit I am especially loving this month is the Bonjour Add On kit. I LOVE the butterfly die cuts on kraft and the glitter phrase stickers from Heidi Swapp!

I used the Bonjour kit along with the other add on kits on the next two layouts.

On this layout I cut a strip of my 12x12 cork paper from the Syleboard collection and adhered it to the top edge of my page. Then I added a strip of book paper and pink vellum before machine stitching it all in place.

The card kits are amazing as well and I created 2 cards using the main card kit only and then 2 using the add on. I LOVE the flag banner stamp from the Ciao add on and used it on this card. I stamped it on white cardstock and then cut off the stick part so that I could wrap it around the star pin and use that as my stick instead! 

The main card kit has a small 6x6 version of the doily paper from my Styleboard collection! I just love anything in miniature size so I had to use it on a card!!

You can see the other two cards I created here in my Studio Calico gallery.

Happy Reveal!

xoxoxo

Happy Little Moments Scrapbook Layout

Hi there! I have a darling layout to share with you today created by Stephanie. She has such an ability to use lots of white and neutrals in a way that draws you right in! I LOVE how the greens in her photo really pop against the background in her layout! I also love how she created the textural background with the ruffled crepe paper, glitter tape and ribbon! It's simply gorgeous!

Hi there!  Stephanie back with you today to share a fun way to add texture and depth to your backgrounds.  If you have followed along with me over the last year or so, you probably know that I love a white blank canvas as my starting point.  There's just something about starting from scratch and then layering on beautiful colors and papers to create a pretty page.  Layering with materials other than paper can add a pop to your page, and that's what this today's layout is all about!

 One of my new favorite new hobbies is sewing crepe paper (think party store crepe paper) to make ruffles.  It really is so easy to do and it creates the most beautiful ruffles!!  I use them for gift wrapping and decorations, and occasionally will add them to a page or mini album.  

For this layout, I started with two strands of ruffled white crepe paper, some gold glitter tape and pretty pink ribbon.  I layered them on my white card stock to act as the background for my photo and paper layers.  The ribbon and crepe paper add so much depth and texture to this page and it really makes the photo pop from the background!  As you can see above, I folded and crimped the gold glitter tape a little to give it more dimension, rather than placing it flat on my page.

 

 My paper layers are kept simple with the Styleboard "I love you" script paper and a small "happy little moments" card.  When choosing my layers, I kept in mind the colors of my background layers and tried to play off of those, being sure to add in some pink and gold.    

I typed my journaling up on a piece of printer paper and then trimmed the lines out so I could add them around my page.

This butterfly tag was the perfect finish to my page!  It has that perfect pop of gold to help accent the rest of the gold on my page!!

Thanks so much for joining me today!!  I hope this layout has inspired you to start with a white background and add beautiful pops of colors and fun layers!!

Maggie's Pinterest Picks

PAPER > DIY watercolor business cards by akula kreative

PHOTO > by Stevie Pattyn for Shop Sweet Lulu

LOVING > pink peonies by Elena Kovyrzina

HOME > pink & yellow via thedecorista via the hunt beautiful

You can follow all of my pinterest boards here: Maggie Holmes Pinterest

Happy Monday!

xoxoxo

Scrapbooking >> Using Cut Files

Ok guys, I am LOVING the way that Jessy uses her Silhouette and cut files! She has such a great eye for using these large cut files and incorporating them into her backgrounds! Lots of times when I use cut files, I cut smaller pieces and then I use them as a sort of embellishment on my page. Jessy has opened my eyes to going BIG with the cut files and using them in a bold way!

She has a darling layout on her blog that uses this heart cut file from the Silhouette store along with some of my Flea Market & Styleboard products. Here's a sneak peek at the page >>

Be sure to check out Jessy's blog to see the full layout and to get the steps and supplies she used to create it!

Thanks for the inspiration Jessy!!

 

Studio Calico >> Hello Hello Sneak Peeks

I'm loving the June kits at Studio Calico! There are lots of things that I can't get enough of... like gold doilies, butterfly die cuts, glitter stickers and so much more!!

Here are some of my sneak peeks of the projects I created for this month's design team reveal...

Don't be fooled by the fact that I did all girly projects this month! There are plenty of things to create boy or masculine themed pages and cards. It's just that I gravitated toward the pinks and the girly stuff so I went with the inspiration and that's what I created!!

If you aren't already a subscriber and you want to make sure you get first dibs on the kits, sign up now by subscribing to one or all of the main kits (scrapbook, card or project life)! Remember that subscribers get to purchase 12 hours early before the regular reveal!

I will be back at reveal to share my full layouts and cards along with tips about the techniques I used!

Happy Sneaks!

xoxoxox

Tips for Using lots of Embellishments!

Hi there! I have a layout to share with you today along with some tips for using lots of embellishments!

This layout uses my latest collection of products, Styleboard, and is packed full of my favorite embellishments from the line!

This layout is definitely a little bit more busy than you may be used to seeing from me but I love how it turned out. Sometimes as I start gathering things I want to use for a scrapbook page, I wind up with too many things on my desk! Do you ever do that too? But then I always struggle with wanting to use it all because it's all so cute and I can't decide what to leave out!

On this layout I decided to just go for it because I wanted to use all of my favorite things from the new collection and I couldn't help myself! Here's a few tips for making it work when you have lots of embellihsments and you don't want to leave any of it out! 

1 >> Remember Contrast - it's important to think about contrast when you start adding things onto your page. If you don't have contrast between the embellishments and the background, they will get lost really easily. For example, you can see that the cork doily really pops against the pink/white background and the white flower also contrasts against the colored papers as well. If I had used a blue or pink flower, it just wouldn't have worked as well.

2 >> Cluster Embellishments Together - the best way to keep a heavily embellished page from getting too crazy is to cluster your embellishments together instead of scattering them all around the page. Here you can see that I clustered many of my things to the right of the photo and they are all touching and layered together. Visually this brings the eye to that section of the page and makes it feel like one area of interest instead of each of those things feeling separate. 

3 >> Use a Good Sized Photo - if you are going to use lots of embellishments, it's best to use a photo that isn't too small. If I had used a wallet sized photo here, it would have been lost and the focus would be drawn away from Emily. By keeping the photo to at least 4x6 or larger, you will help balance everything out.

I hope you enjoyed my tips for using lots of embellishments on your scrapbook pages! If you follow these three simple steps, you can go ahead and pull out a bunch of your favorite things and have fun layering all of the cuteness on there!

>> Supplies <<

InLinkz.com

 

Happy Friday!!

xoxoxox

The Phone Photography Project 2 >> NEW Photography Workshop

You guys! I am SUPER excited to announce The Phone Photography Project 2!!!

The original Phone Photography Project class was OUTSTANDING and SO well attended, which makes me thrilled that there is a part 2 and  I was honored to be asked to be a part of this one as well!!

>> Class Details <<

28 days of photo tips, app tutorials and iPhone awesomeness

Would you like to take better photos with the camera you always have with you - your smartphone?

Get ready to transform your mobile photography in a brand NEW interactive workshop, The Phone Photography Project 2, starting July 17. Twenty expert iPhoneographers have collected their best tips, tricks and tutorials for phone photography, and they're ready to share it all with you inside a private online classroom!

 

 

With practical tips for mastering lighting, composition, editing and more, this workshop will give you the tools you need to create impressive photos you'll be proud to share online, in your home or in your scrapbooks!

Check out The Phone Photography Project 2 class page to see the complete list of instructors and a list of EVERYTHING this class offers! 

You do NOT want to miss out on this new phone photography workshop so sign up now!!

Hope ou will join us!

Happy iPhoneography!!

xoxoxox

DIY Paper Flags for Gifts & Packages

Amanda has done it again -- amazing me with her crafty cuteness and new ideas! We have all seen handmade paper flags before but I don't know that I have ever seen any this cute!! What a fun idea to add four flags to each stick instead of just one! How's that for multiplying the cuteness factor? These DIY paper flags would be so fun to use as Amanda has done here, or as a birthday cake topper or even on your next scrapbook page or card!

Hello!! I am so excited to share my first project with you as part of Maggie’s Design Team. I have been having so much fun playing with all of her beautiful products. 

I am always thinking of creative and easy ways to brighten the day of those around me. Today, I would like to show you a quick way to create a gift of thanks or a little gift to bring your friend the next time you meet for lunch. 

Using a variety of Maggie’s Style Board pattern papers, I started by cutting the paper in strips. I love playing and using different widths and lengths when cutting paper. At the end of the paper I cut a triangle shape in different directions to give the paper a flag look.

Once I had all the paper cut out, I laid the strips out and gathered them in groups of four.   Using the Maggie Holmes roller stamp I picked one of the papers to stamp. I just love the variety of all the cute sayings all on one stamp.    

Using a small bamboo stick as the base, I folded over the straight edge of the paper and attached to the stick. I am still getting use to using a roller adhesive, so I will be honest with you; I used my hot glue gun to attach the flags to the stick. 

To finish the project off, I planted a succulent in a vintage mug and stuck the paper flag inside. This is a great project to use all of all your left over scraps.  I am always saving the smallest scraps.  I hope this project inspires you to use your paper in a different way. Thanks for letting me share with you today!!! 

>> Supplies <<

InLinkz.com

Happy Paper Flag Crafting!!

xoxoxo

Delightful Scrapbooking Layout

Today I have a darling layout to share with you created by Kim!! Kim is one of those scrapbookers that inspires me with every single thing she creates! So many times I find myself in awe over her creative brilliance and she does things that I would never think of! Thank you Kim for inspiring us with this fabulous scrapbook page and for always making me want to try new techniques!!

I love pulling together some of the older collections and the Flea market collection was one of my favorites!  This layout began with the stitched heart in the middle showcasing some of the gorgeous papers.  Then I just went from there layering all sorts of cute hearts.  Some I cut by hand others I cut from a template.  I love using hearts on my layouts because there are so many fun things you can do with them!

I LOVE how kim added the gold label maker stickers to separate labels and then stitched around them! Her attention to the little details when she scrapbooks is simply awesome!!

>> Supplies << 

InLinkz.com

Mixing Collections > Scrapbooking Layout

Hi there! Today I have a layout for you that shows you just how easily you can mix the Maggie Holmes collections! Many of my favorite colors are seen throughout all of the product lines, which makes combining them really easy!! You will also find that you can add some of the tones from the newer collections in with the older ones like I did here by adding in the peaches from Styleboard to the Flea Market papers.

If you are like me, then you have a tendency to hang onto (or hoard) some of your older favorite products! But then it really is a shame to not use them once all of the newer stuff comes out! And that's precisely why I made an effort to design my collections so that you could mix and match them together!

Here I created the base of my page with papers from Flea Market. I did a colorblocking technique where I cut different pieces of some of my favorites and then adhered them on the background next to each other. I honestly created the page base quite a long time ago and then set it aside to work on another project. I sort of forgot about it until recently so I decided to pull it out and finish it off!

This is where the newer products come in. Now that I have all of the Styleboard products in hand, I wanted to play with them on this page and see just how well the two collections worked together! I love the result and hope that you will also give it a try!

I have been wanting to try my bow craft die with the cork paper from this line for a while and I am thrilled with how well it worked! The die cut right through the cork so easily!! TIP >> I added a thin adhesive paper backing to the cork before running it through the die cut machine. The cork can be a little fragile so I definitely suggest this step if you are going to cut it or manipulate it like you have to do when you put the bow together! I left the backing on the pieces and then assembled the bow and I like how the backing adds the perfect amount of stability I was looking for!!

One of my favorite products from the Styleboard collection are the prize ribbon standouts! I especially love customizing them by adding different things to the centers. Here I added a cork seal and then Emily's initial with the gold & kraft typewriter style alphabet.

I would love to see your layouts where you mix and match my collections so if you have any posted you can link them here in the comments! Or you can always tag your posts on instagram with the #maggieholmes tag and tag me as well @maggiehdesign. Also, I have a Pinterest board where I pin others' projects using my product lines and I would love to include yours if you link me to them!

>> Supplies <<

InLinkz.com

Everyday XOXO Scrapbooking Layout & FREE Cut File!

Wow! Jessy has an amazing layout to share with us today! I ADORE what she did with the background and how she cut out all of the xoxoxo's and then put different patterned papers behind them! She even created a cut file that you can all download so you can get the same effect on your pages!! Thanks Jessy!

Hello everyone!  I'm thrilled to be here with my first project for Maggie Holmes Design. I've been a HUGE fan of Maggie's collection. Just love every paper & embellishment that she has designed. The colors and designs suited my style very much. 

Today I would like to share with you a layout I created of my darling daughter. She is a bright child with beautiful personality. I wanted to resemble all her traits into this layout. So I thought of playing with tons of colors would be a good idea.

I chose to use a diagonal design on the layout. I wanted to be able to feature the patterned papers in the Maggie Holmes Signature collection and thought that this would be an eye-catching way to do so.

To create this layout, I designed the 'xoxo' cut file in the Silhouette studio. I used my faithful Silhouette Cameo to cut. Next, I cut short strips of paper to adhere at the back of the cut that spelled 'oxox'. So when you turned it over it will be spelled as 'xoxo'. Once I am done with all the paper strips, I backed the negative with another piece of white cardstock. That way, it will only emphasise the xoxo with the patterned papers. 

The final touch was to layer the fabric frame, photo overlay and a few cardstock die-cuts & stickers as well. To finish the page, I also sewed the xoxo letters at both sides of my layout just to create a fun look. I am very pleased with the final result and hope you like it too! 

>> FREE Cut file for the Silhouette <<

 Click HERE to download the XOXO cut file that Jessy created!

>> Supplies << 

InLinkz.com

Styleboard Giveaway WINNER!!

The winner of the giveaway that I hosted here on my blog for the Styleboard products prize package is.....

Erica Hettwer said...

Welcome! I'm off to check out your work, ladies and I can't wait to fall in love with all your projects!

Congrats!! Email me with your information and we will get a goody package on its way to you!!

Thanks to EVERYONE that entered and for all of your love and support to the new gals!!

ALSO >> the other design team members will be posting the winners of their giveaways on their blogs this week  as well, so be sure to check them out to see if you won!!

Stephanie Bryan

Kim Stewart

Jessy Christopher

Amanda Rydell

Happy Wednesday!!

xoxoxoxo

Photo Connections Photography Workshop

My newest photography workshop, PHOTO CONNECTIONS starts soon!!

I have been working on this class for a long time and cannot wait to be able to share it with you!!

This class is less about the technical side of things and more about the MAGIC! I believe that the way to the heart through photography lies in the connections you create in your images. I am SUPER passionate about this subject and have sooo much to share in the lessons but here is a quick overview of what you will learn....

Secret 1: How to take group shots that capture the true essence of a relationship

Secret 2: How to snap portraits that are brimming with personality and authenticity

Secret 3: How to create visual connections through the rules of composition

Secret 4: How to connect to the stories behind your favorite photographs

Here's a little video we put together about the class:

 

Also >> Since this is not a class about the technical stuff, it is for ANYONE! You can apply the principles I teach no matter what camera you are using -- phone camera, point and shoot or dSLR! They all will work!!

>> DISCOUNT CODE <<

To share my excitement for this class with you, I have a DISCOUNT CODE so that you can get $5 off the class registration!! Use the code LETSCONNECT to get $5 off! The code expires May 31, 2014.

>> REGISTER NOW <<

 Click HERE to find out more details about the class and to register!

Be sure to use the discount code above so you can get $5 off!!

Class starts May 29th and runs 4 weeks on the Big Picture Classes site. 

Leave a comment below if you have any questions for me before signing up!

See you in class!!

xoxoxo

Adorable Scrapbooking Layout

I'm super excited to share with you our first official design team blog post!! The gals have already received their boxes of supplies and are busy making lots of beautiful projects to inspire you with!! Be sure to subscribe to the blog feed (by clicking the "subscribe" link on the right so that you don't miss any of their fabulous work!! 

Today Stephanie has an ADORABLE layout to share with us! I LOVE her use of the large doily in the background and then all of the layering behind the photos! I am also loving the typed journaling in the form of a list! Thanks for the inspiration Stephanie!!

Hi there everyone!!  Stephanie here with you today and I am so thrilled to be a part of Maggie's Design Team.  Maggie's product lines are some of my very favorite and I often find myself gravitating back to her beautiful papers and lovely embellishments!  Being on this team is truly an amazing opportunity and I could not be more excited to be able to share my work with all of you, her wonderful fans!

One of the things that I love most about Maggie's collections with Crate Paper are the gorgeous embellishments, stickers, tags and vellum pieces.  I love to layer them on each other and create a dynamic effect around my photos and journaling.  The layout that I'll be sharing with you today does just that!  Let's take a look!

I started this page with a large doily, the "Love This" journaling card and my two photos.  I knew I wanted the doily to be the base of my page and I wanted to create some type of grid on my page, but wasn't exactly sure of the placement quite yet.  When I have an idea in mind, I usually like to start by layering my photos and journaling onto a few paper layers or tags.  This gives my photos a good base and lets me move them around my page individually while giving me a good visual of the end presentation.

After trying out a few different placements, I decided to layer my photos on the left side of my page with my journaling on the right side.  Since my photos were already attached to the paper layers, all I had to do was adhere them down!

To balance out the height of my photos with the journaling card, I added a few paper layers and tags underneath my journaling and layered the "Adorable" sticker on top to act as my title.   A grid design doesn't necessarily have to be proportional!  Adding in embellishments in your "blank space" can create a fun, playful look to your page.

I added a few simple embellishment clusters around my photos and journaling card to add a little pop of color and dimension.  As you can see, I mixed in a few neutral colors with the bolder colors to create a balanced and cohesive look.

To finish the page, I sewed around the edge of my background to create a simple, framed effect!  

I hope you enjoyed this sweet layout!  Thanks so much for joining me today and for letting me share my work with you all!!

<< Supplies >> 

 

InLinkz.com

Maggie's Pinterest Picks

PAPER > Hart by Wilna Furstenberg

PHOTO > by Mary Schannen

LOVING > pastels via Anthropologie Blog

HOME > Vintage Frame Chalkboard from gosia via This is Glamorous

You can follow all of my pinterest boards here: Maggie Holmes Pinterest

Happy Monday!

xoxoxo

Meet Kim Stewart!!

Last but most definitely not least in the lineup is the fabulous Kim Stewart! She seriously wows me every single time she posts a layout or even a sneek peak at something she is working on! I always want to see more and I am always amazed at the beauty of the intricate details on her scrapbook pages! Every time I see something she has created, I am inspired and have that urge to go create something myself!! I love that!!

How long have you been scrapbooking/crafting? I've been scrapping since 2004 when my son was born. Just a little at first but I became a lot more serious about my art, scrapbooking and blogging in 2010!

What do you love most about scrapbooking/crafting? I love art and scrapbooking because it's the most natural thing to me. I'm constantly thinking of design, color and composition. This hobby gives me an outlet for dressing up memories in the prettiest of packages!

What inspires you? I'm inspired by so many things, colors and forms! I love nature because of all the beautiful compositions the trees and flowers create, the curves of the leaves and the colors you see throughout the day! I'm inspired by art as well and I get totally lost in museums and pinterest!

5 random facts about you that will help us to get to know you better:

I majored in architecture in college. I wanted to be an architect or landscape designer.

I like to paint every day if I can.

I love horseback riding but don't get to do it as much as I would like.

I love writing, mostly poetry.

I love flowers and my favorite is the peony. They don't grow where I live but I dream of the day when I can order them by the bunch!!

>> Follow Kim <<

Kim's Blog

Kim's Instagram

Kim's Pinterest

Be sure to hop on over to Kim's blog because she is doing a GIVEAWAY of some of the Maggie Holmes Styleboard products!! Also remember that you can enter to win on all of our blogs until Monday when the winners will be drawn at random!!

Meet Amanda Rydell!!

I am super excited for you to meet Amanda Rydell today!! I had the pleasure of meeting her for lunch earlier this year and we became instant friends! Not only is she super talented at what she does but she has a heart of pure gold! Amanda is a genius when it comes to crafting and pretty packaging and I am constantly inspired by her ability to make cute things! She is going to be providing lots of fun ideas and projects for us here on the blog that are on the crafty side of things and I can't wait to see what she does!!

How long have you been scrapbooking/crafting? I can't think of a moment in my life I haven't been making a big crafty mess. I knew I loved all things crafty when I traded my first Lisa Frank sticker.

What do you love most about scrapbooking/crafting? I have found over the years that crafting is not only for my own personal love of pretty paper but can be created and shared with others to brighten their day.

What inspires you? I am inspired daily by color!

5 random facts about you that will help us to get to know you better:

I use my hot glue gun on a daily basis and I might even be known to carry one in my purse along with a pair of scissors!

This summer I dream of finally completing the inside renovation of my vintage camper, and driving it across America to craft parties everywhere.

I still use the same sewing machine I bought with my Jr. High babysitting money.

I have two yorkie dogs. Most days they are also covered in glitter!

Righ now I have a fetish for pastel paint and amazing thrift store finds.

>> Follow Amanda <<

Amanda's Blog

Amanda's Instagram

Amanda's Pinterest

Amanda is also doing a GIVEAWAY of some of the Maggie Holmes Styleboard products on her blog today!! Be sure to click over there and enter for a chance to win!!

Meet Jessy Christopher!!

Today I would love to introduce you to Jessy Christopher! This sweet lady caught my eye through Instagram and I was immediately blown away by her talent! She inspires me with the way she combines products and how she manages to put so many cute things on one page without it looking overdone. Her perfectly balanced clusters of embellishments draw me in every single time!

How long have you been scrapbooking/crafting? I have been scrapping since end of 2007. I started off with digital and hybrid scrapbooking and finally ventured into paper scrapbooking in the early part of 2008.

What do you love most about scrapbooking/crafting? What I love the most about scrapbooking is the freedom to express myself creatively. It helps me preserve all the memoreis that I want to remember for a long time to come.

What inspires you? As far as what inspires me creatively... fashion, weather, photos, things around in the house and lots more! Basically, I get inspiration from lots of places!

5 random facts about you that will help us to get to know you better:

I don't drink coffee.

I have a thing for British accent.

I love Japan.

I married my husband whom I have known since I was 7 years old.

I am of mixed parentage of Chinese, Indonesian & Dutch.

>> Follow Jessy <<

Jessy's Blog

Jessy's Instagram

Jessy's Pinterest

Jessy is doing a GIVEAWAY of some of the Maggie Holmes Styleboard products on her blog today! Be sure to head on over there for a chance to win!!

Meet Stephanie Bryan!!

As part of my BIG design team announcement yesterday, I will be sharing a post about each of the gals this week so that you can get to know them better and see a peek into their fabulous work! 

Today I would like to introduce you to Stephanie Bryan!! I feel like I have been following her work forever so it was surprising to me when I realized just how recently she got into scrapbooking! I love her fresh feminine style and the way she uses white so brilliantly. She is also a master at mini albums and I LOVE to see each new one that she creates!!

How long have you been scrapbooking/crafting? I began memory keeping through Project Life in 2011 after the birth of my son. I found myself surrounded by an enormous amount of pohtos and memorabilia, but I was ata  loss as to what to do with all of them. In the beginnin of 2013, I fell in love with traditional scrapbooking after taking a class at Studio Calico. I also have a soft spot for mini books and small journals.

What do you love most about scrapbooking/crafting? I love how scrapbooking preserves our memories and documents the amazing moments, as well as those everyday memories. I also love the creative side of scrapbooking and the ability to freely express my thoughts, feelings, wants and needs. This incredible hobby lets my heart and soul shine on a piece of paper and that's pretty awesome.

What inspires you? I am so inspired by the world around me! I can find inspiration just about anywhere! I also love finding inspiration through instagram and pinterest, as well as the amazing scrapbook galleries.

5 random facts about you that will help us to get to know you better:

I received my Masters of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology and worked as a Speech Therapist up until I had my sweet kiddos.

I was in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

I never really liked the color pink until I started scrapbooking. Now it's my favorite!

I love "based on a true story" movies.

I'm a sucker for books, art supplies and anything vintage.

>> Follow Stephanie <<

Stephanie's Blog

Stephanie's Instagram

Stephanie's Pinterest

Also, Stephanie is doing a GIVEAWAY of some of the Maggie Holmes Styleboard products on her blog today! Be sure to click over and enter for a chance to win!!!

Maggie Holmes Design Team!!!

I've had a big secret that I've been working on for a while now and today is the big REVEAL!!!

I am BEYOND excited to introduce you to the new Maggie Holmes Design Team!!!!

 

 

>> MAGGIE HOLMES DESIGN TEAM MEMBERS <<

STEPHANIE BRYAN

JESSY CHRISTOPHER

AMANDA RYDELL

KIM STEWART 

 

These four ladies were hand selected to be on the team and I am thrilled that they each accepted the position with such enthusiasm and excitement! They have been inspiring me for a long time and they each bring individual and unique talents to the team that I can't wait to share with you!! 

What this means for all of you is that from here on out, you will be finding lots and lots of awesome inspiration here on the blog on a very regular basis! We have some fantastic things in the works that we can't wait to show you! The ladies will be working their magic with the Maggie Holmes products and we will be sharing it all with you!!!

For the next four days I will be sharing a post a day about each of the ladies with some fun Q & A's and also a look into their beautiful work! Not only will they be inspiring you with their lovely projects here on my blog but on their blogs and social media as well, so you'll definitely want to get to know each of them and follow them too!

I hope you are as excited about this as we are because it is all designed to inspire YOU!!

 

>> GIVEAWAY <<

Of course I couldn't do the big reveal without also including a GIVEAWAY!! We want to share our special announcement with you by giving away some of the Maggie Holmes Styleboard products!! Today I am giving away a prize package which will include some of my favorite products from the collection! Then each of the designers will also be giving away their own prize packs when we do their individual blog posts this week! That means lots of chances to win!!

To enter my giveaway leave a comment here on this post with some love for these fabulous ladies! Let's give them a very warm welcome and let them know how excited we are to have them!

Stay tuned for lots more fun things to come!!!

It's Definitely a Happy Happy Day!!!

xoxoxox