The One with Amy Tan on Craftsy!

In case you didn't already know, I love and adore Amy Tan :) And I'm so so so excited for her newest classes with Craftsy!

First, a baby-themed class called Baby Scrapbook Layouts with Amy Tan.

Amy says, "Purchase the exclusive kit, filled with items that I hand-picked and designed just for Craftsy, and bring your special kit items to life with a complementary online mini-class. Although the focus is on adorable baby scrapbook pages, I think you’ll be able to use all kinds of photos from your everyday life. I will show you how to create three charming layouts to preserve your favorite memories with baby, from pregnancy to birth and beyond. May even be a great gift idea for a new mom or mom-to-be who doesn’t scrapbook yet. Your exclusive lessons are available online with unlimited anytime, anywhere access. Although the focus is on baby scrapbook pages, you’ll be able to use the concepts and kit items to create all kinds of pages from your everyday life!"

And a travel-themed class - can't wait to watch and learn from the traveling master about scrapping adventures!

Amy says, "Join me for my online Craftsy class, Travel Scrapbooking with Amy Tan, and go beyond the standard photo-album to preserve special trip moments in dynamic pages. There are seven HD video lessons (over 20 minutes each) that share plenty of tips and techniques to help you document your travels in a modern, fresh and fun way. Love scrapbooking and traveling? Learn to do both at the same time with a lesson for crafting on-the-go."

Sign me up!

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The One with the American Crafts METAL DIES Layout

It's METAL DIES week on the American Crafts blog and here's what I made featuring metal dies:

LUCKY by Paige Evans

DESCRIPTION: I wanted to use as many metal dies as I could and paired them with the Amy Tangerine STITCHED collection because I can't get enough of the colors and patterns in that line. Definitely my current fave.

JOURNALING SAYS: You lucky ducks getting to go on all of these fun and awesome adventures!

HOW TO: Use a Cuttlebug die cut/embossing machine, patterned papers from the Stitched collection, and metal dies from Dear Lizzy, Amy Tangerine, Shimelle, and Maggie Holmes collections to make a couple dozen shapes. What I wouldn't give to have a Paige's Pages collection :) Anyway! Watercolor a heart on a white cardstock layout background then machine stitch over the heart to define it. Place the die cut shapes all over the heart, adhere them in place, then stitch over the heart a couple more times. Add a photo and title on the right side. Drop some colors of spray mist over the page. Journal next to the photo and stamp the date below.

SUPPLIES: Cardstock, patterned paper, chipboard, paper & fabric & puffy stickers, metal dies, adhesive, pen, roller date stamp: American Crafts; Watercolors and spray mist: Mr. Huey's by Studio Calico; Sewing machine: Brother; Thread: Coats & Clark; Die cut and embossing machine: Cuttlebug by Provo Craft

That was a fun challenge to use a whole lotta metal dies on one layout!

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The One with MIA in Italy!

I didn't pre-plan blog posts while we were gone to Italy! Oops! But now we're home and I'll get back into the swing of things tomorrow :) Meanwhile, this is one of the places we went:

We drove along the Amalfi Coast and could have spent hours/days/weeks/months/YEARS in picture-perfect Positano. Photos will never do this place justice. You just have to go. Do it. Just go :)

Can't wait to share recaps! It may be a week or two or three though... up to my elbows in fun projects I can start sharing soon!

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The One with Vesuvius - CHECK!

True story: I've always had a weird obsession with volcanoes (and have watched Dante's Peak more times than I care to admit...) Therefore, it's been a big ticket item on my bucketlist to see Vesuvius - the volcano that erupted and destroyed Pompeii in 79 AD. I even blogged about wanting to see Pompeii in July 2011: http://www.paigeandchris.com/2011/07/one-with-pompeii.html.
My heart skipped a beat when we saw it yesterday real life.

Agenda for today: the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. I'm super stoked!

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The One with Scrapbook Expo Spotlights!

Some more fun scrappy news to share: every week I will be posting a scrapbooker spotlight over on the newly revamped and beautified Scrapbook Expo blog called The Weekly Scrapper! I'm spotlighting myself first to introduce the article and all that good stuff :) I made a layout just for the spotlight (as will every scrapper I feature!) and am sharing it here today:

CUTE STORY RECORDED by Paige Evans

Description: I was scrolling through my Silhouette library and saw this lovely set of ampersands (and ampersand set by Lori Whitlock design ID #24970):

The swirly twirly pink ampersand in the center caught my eye and NEEDED to be BIG on a layout, cut with my Silhouette CAMEO of course :)

Journaling says: Playing on the ground with only a few toys because our stuff hadn't arrived yet.

How to: Die cut an ampersand from the and ampersand set by Lori Whitlock design ID #24970 from scratch cardstock using a Silhouette CAMEO then lightly adhere it over a white cardstock background. Watercolor over the ampersand then remove it and let the paint dry (or hurry up the process with a hairdryer). Poke holes about 1/4" apart all the way around the ampersand then backstitch through the holes changing the color of thread where the watercolor changes color. Yes, a long process, took about two hours, but it's so therapeutic for me. Trim a couple of photos to fit the curves of the ampersand and adhere them in place. Cluster embellishments such as die cuts, stickers, chipboard, brads, and more, around the layout. Trim a bit of doily and add a piece of chipboard on the top left corner. Journal on a die cut with a black pen and stamp the date in black ink on the bottom right corner. 

Supplies: Cardstock, pen, roller date stamp, adhesive: American Crafts; Die cuts, stickers, chipboard, brads, doily: Open Book by Maggie Holmes for Crate Paper; Ink: StazOn; Watercolors: Studio Calico; Floss: DMC; Ampersand cut file: and ampersand set by Lori Whitlock design ID #24970; Die cut machine: Silhouette CAMEO

If you want a chance to be featured in a weekly Scrapbook Expo Spotlight, shoot me an email with a link to your gallery!

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The One with the Ali Edwards LOVE THIS Layout

Show-and-telling my latest Ali Edwards Digital Creative Team layout!

LOVE THIS by Paige Evans

Description: I signed up lightning fast to showcase the Ali Edwards Memory Hearts digital brushes - I love hearts and lots of them! Win win!

Journaling says: You two are so stinkin' adorable I can't even handle it! Jane's pouty face and Fox's cute smile!

How to: Turn the hearts from the Memory Hearts digital brushes into cut files then die cut them using a Silhouette CAMEO from the Kiss Kiss collection by Crate Paper. Back the solid hearts with colored cardstock, back a few of the heart outlines with white cardstock, and back another heart with a photo. Adhere the hearts to a light pink cardstock background using dimensional adhesive. Embellish with chipboard, die cut, rub on, and sticker hearts. Apply a "love this" rub on title above the photo. Drop dark brown spray mist over three places to create a visual triangle. Zigzag stitch over the outlined hearts for some texture. Journal with a black pen on a tag and stamp the date in black ink below.

Supplies: Hearts digital brushes: Ali Edwards; Cardstock, adhesive, pen, roller date stamp: American Crafts; Patterned paper, chipboard, stickers, die cuts, rub ons: Crate Paper; Spray mist: Studio Calico;  Ink: StazOn; Sewing machine Brother; Thread: Coats & Clark; Die cut machine: Silhouette CAMEO

Lots of scrappy things lately and lots more to come! Along with a bit of travel recaps soon :)

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The One with Classes & Upcoming Events!

I've added a new "page" and sidebar icons to my blog called "CLASSES & UPCOMING EVENTS"! This is where I will provide up-to-date details about, well, classes I'm participating in, workshops I'll be teaching, and scrappy events I'll be attending! Here's what I've got in store for the next few months:

I will be working at the American Crafts booth at the PAPERWORLD show in Frankfurt, Germany January 31st - February 3rd. I would love it if you would stop by and say hi! 

I will be teaching how to make two layouts at the Crop Am Rhein (CAR) 2015 near Dusseldorf, Germany on Saturday March 1st 2015. Find more information here: http://scrap-impulse.typepad.com/scrapimpulse/car/

I will be teaching how to make a mini album and layout at Shop Violeta Scrap in Madrid, Spain on March 7th 2015. More information can be found here: http://www.elscrapdevioleta.com/2014/11/taller-de-scrapbooking-con-paige-evans.html and on my blog post about it: http://www.paigeandchris.com/2014/12/the-one-with-teaching-at-shop-violeta.html

And lots more things in the works I'm excited to share soon!

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The One with the American Crafts 10+ PATTERED PAPERS Layout

It's 10+ PATTERNED PAPERS week on the American Crafts blog!

YOU'RE CUTE by Paige Evans

DESCRIPTION: Goodness knows I scheduled this week just for myself cuz I LOVE PATTERNED PAPER! And I know I've shown this same style of layout with a big doily backed with patterned papers for the third time, but why change a good thing :)

JOURNALING SAYS: I love when we dress matchy matchy!

HOW TO: Die cut the Flower Rosette by Jamie Koay (Design ID #10909) from white cardstock using a Silhouette CAMEO die cut machine, then back each and every section with patterned paper using dimensional adhesive. That whole process took about three hours but I just love doing this technique - I don't mind it, in fact, it helps me relax! Place a trio of photos across the center and embellish with puffy & paper stickers, a heart and a butterfly die cut, "ever" watercolorable word die cut placed below and "best" letter stickers above, journaling spot, tags, and more. Place color-on-color enamel dots around the doily. Drop blue spray mist across the layout. Stamp the date in black ink and journal with a black pen on the ends of the photos.

SUPPLIES: Cardstock, patterned paper, die cuts, paper & puffy stickers, enamel dots, roller date stamp, pen, adhesive: American Crafts; Spray mist: Mr. Huey's by Studio Calico; Ink: StazOn; Die cut machine: Silhouette CAMEO; Doily cut file: Flower Rosette by Jamie Koay (Design ID #10909)

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The One with "Paige"

True story: when I was a kid I HATED my name with a complete and total passion. Children would tease me and taunt me screaming, "Turn the page Paige!" all up in my face over and over and over again. Yeah. Not so much fun. And then pagers came out. Oh boy. "Why don't ya page me Paige!" That got old REAL fast...

Fast forward to this morning when I had an epiphany. How fitting is the name Paige for this hobby that I have grown to love and appreciate so much? (Scrapbooking, just in case ya didn't know ;) Layouts are also called pages. I make pages. Paige's pages! 

So. Long story short. 29 years later, I can finally say thanks mom and dad for naming me Paige. It's the perfect fit!

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The One with the 2015 Calendar on PS I Adore You!

My 2015 DIY printable desk calendar is available for only 24 more hours on PS I Adore You for 50% off so it's only $2! It comes in two sizes - 4x6" or 5x7". 

 Simply print your 5x7" or 4x6" calendar onto cardstock or photo paper and then display it in an empty CD case, picture frame stand, or clip the pages onto a piece of string and dangle it as a banner so you can see the entire calendar all at once. Enhance your workspace or desktop all year long!

 Proceeds from PS I Adore You go to help cute kids with cancer - such a worthy cause!

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The One with the Ali Edwards YOU & ME Layout

Here is my latest Ali Edwards Digital Creative Team layout:

YOU & ME by Paige Evans

Description: I do love a big, round background element :) I had so many ideas rolling around in my head when I selected the Ali Edwards Firsts digital brushes - spraying and stitching and layering... but repeating the sunburst stood out the most to me!

Journaling says: Just a little pre-church self w/ my pretty girl.

How to: Turn the sunburst from the Firsts digital brushes into a cut file then die cut it using a Silhouette CAMEO 9 times in concentric sizes from the Open Book by Maggie Holmes for Crate Paper collection. Adhere the sunbursts to a pink ombre paper background using dimensional adhesive. Layer and embellish a photo in the center. Drop black India ink over the top left and bottom right sides of the photo. Apply a sentiment title rub on to a tag and tuck it under the photo. Journal with a black pen above and below the picture.  

Supplies: Sunburst digital brush: Ali Edwards; Adhesive, pen: American Crafts; Patterned paper, wood veneer, chipboard, brad, die cuts, stickers, tags: Crate Paper; India ink: ProArt; Die cut machine: Silhouette CAMEO

Until next time!

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The One with Elvis in Grafenwöhr

I may have mentioned it once or twice before, but it's a fun piece of trivia: Elvis Presley was stationed here in Germany in 1958 and he sung in a bar that is now our church building.

Here is little Miss Jane dancing in front of the bar-turned-church.

Wouldn't it be awesome to travel back in time a couple decades to see Elvis perform in the town we now live in?!

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