{we are} storytellers

{focus friday}

In honor of Independence Day weekend here in the States, I thought I'd focus the spotlight on a few kits in the store that will lend a hand when you need to scrap all the photos I'm sure you'll be taking this weekend! :) Keep in mind that the USA isn't the only one that uses red, white and blue - it also works for the UK, Norway, Iceland, France, Panama, the Netherlands, Australia, Chile, New Zealand and Thailand!

Emily's I Am Free mini kit is just adorable and uses alternative colors to the traditional red, white and blue combo.

Also, the Anchors Away collab kit by the two Emilys and Tiff Brady is themed on ships but definitely works color-wise.

Unfortunately since we lost our gallery late last summer, I don't have any fireworks pages to show you, but here's a selection of some pages using these awesome kits:

This one from Andrea (aka estir_bune) is just so sweet and simple!

I love Julie Ann's extraction work and layering here - so fun!

The way Lisamars spotlights that awesome photo is just perfect!

And this week, here's one from me. :)

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe weekend!

{storyteller} trude

{writer's notebook} 3 tips: "Decisive Moment" by Lori Potts

Lori's layout, "Decisive Moment," has been in my inspiration file since the moment I laid eyes on it. Of course, the bonus is that I know Lori's layouts are always going to feature knockout journaling. This one's no different. Here's what we can learn from it this week:

1. Say thank you.
Lori's layout is her way of saying thanks to a special teacher for helping her to make an important decision. By choosing to journal as though she's speaking directly to her teacher, Lori's words ring with authenticity and honesty. If you feel like your journaling sounds too stilted or forced, try writing directly to the person the layout is about, rather than writing in third-person. This change in perspective can help you to loosen up and feel more relaxed, which always helps the words to flow.

2. Integrate your title.
To create her page title, Lori simply choose one of her sentences and emphasized a key word in it; she used a larger font and a different color to make it stand out, but she still oriented it in the midst of her journaling, so that the connection was obvious. The effect is subtle, but helps to set the mood for the entire page.

3. Use your photo as a canvas.
Lori's page is one where all the details -- the calm blues, the winding string and swirls, the dandelion photo -- all combine to create a sense of peace and contentment. Using the blue sky of her photo as the location for her journaling helps pull all these pieces together; the journaling blends in with the photo, which blends with the paper, which blends with the embellishments. Since the viewer's eye is drawn right to that great photo, you can't help but notice (and then want to read) the journaling down the side.

Show us how you've put these tips into practice; post your layouts in our gallery {stories} and then stop by to chat for a bit in our forum {tales}. There's always something going on! Today's a great day to stop by the boutique too -- our Book Fair kit is FREE with any $5 purchase, and we've got 30+ items on sale for 45% off!

write on,
{storyteller} aud

{cover stories no. 25}

I'm a math geek. Geometry, in particular, totally floats my boat. As a child, my mom would buy me these cool coloring books that were made up of complex psychedelic patterns like this. So, of course, I was immediately drawn to the groovy patterns of Orange Beautiful:

I created a similar design for you to layer over a solid paper or perhaps print out and let your little ones color (12x12 PNG File).  Grab it here -->  (take me to the forum)

Don't forget to post in our gallery.  Have a great week!

{storyteller} kellie mize

{focus friday}

It's cool to be square! At least that's what I try to tell myself. And glancing through the recent {inspiration} in the gallery, I'm not the only one who thinks so. :)

As digiscrappers, we find it easy to really push the limits with what shapes we use when scrapping, but that doesn't mean getting "back to basics" with squares isn't still a great way to go. The constancy of the lines is something our brains naturally find restful to look at. As with a great little black dress, it's all in the accessories (or embellishments)!

This week's pages from our {storytellers} showcase just how wonderful using squares can look.

Erica (aka pne123) used repeating squares to frame and elements on either side to draw attention straight to that stunning photo:

Jennifer (aka scarlett1977) used Emily's Paper Block Templates to frame out her adorable family photos:

Carolee used repeating squares and rectangles too, but the scribbles behind really shake things up:

Kristy (aka gandcsmama) shows you how little you really need to communicate volumes. Don't you just want to run outside right now?

Well, I know I'm set in the inspiration department. How about you? Sold on the squares idea?

{storyteller} trude

{writer's notebook} 3 tips: "celebrate life" by carolee

By  now, I'm sure you've noticed the many beautiful pages in our gallery created with the iHope collaborative kit. Each of these layouts tells a story of hope and love, of survival and celebration, of life and loss. While each layout is special, I wanted to spotlight Carolee's layout "celebrate life" today; it's an incredible example of beautiful design and authentic journaling.

And here's what we can learn from Carolee's layout:

1. Even "white space" layouts have room for significant journaling.
Carolee's layout is a beautiful example of a simple design and an effective use of negative or white space. Yet she's still able to fit a lengthy amount of journaling on her page without throwing off the design. How does she do it? The rule of thirds! By blocking her journaling in a section that is the same height as her photo, she creates one unified element. She then placed this element in the upper third of her layout. Using an informal handwritten font lets her get away with a smaller size and less leading between the lines.

2. Don't get overwhelmed by the whole story.
A traumatic illness or accident can often span months of hospital stays, surgeries, and more. I'm sure that Carolee could've written pages and pages about this frightening situation, but instead, she focuses on what's most important for this part of the story -- the part about celebrating life. By using the word art as a way to focus her thoughts, Carolee explains what happened, reveals her own thoughts and reactions, and makes the connection to the photo. Her journaling also works as a before and after, giving a brief reflection on how this event changed her life. You have multiple pages in your album. With any big story, break it down into smaller pieces -- chances are, it will be easier in the telling.

3. Make sure you get your most important stories told.
Before posting her credits and journaling, Carolee offers up two simple sentences that reached out and punched me in the gut: "This is the most powerful story of my life, I was waiting for the right kit to come along to tell it." Wow. The most powerful story of her life. I know you have these powerful stories of your own. Are you telling them? Why not? There's no excuse for leaving these stories unwritten; you owe it to yourself and your family to get them written down. Today.

You don't have to wait for the perfect kit, either; the iHope collaborative benefit kit offers 45 papers and 85+ elements that are perfect for a variety of stories. Better yet, your purchase helps fund important breast cancer research, treatment, education and screening. As an extra incentive, I'm offering three fantastic prizes on my blog if you purchase the kit or donate to the cause; please take some time to check it out here. With your help, millions of women and their families can continue the fight against breast cancer and make their stories heard.

Remember, today is our weekly Book Fair event with a free kit and 45% off selected items in the shop!

write on,
{storyteller} aud

{cover stories no. 24}

We are back to bold and graphic this week as we take our cues from the DVD of Frost/Nixon.

Clean and simple never goes out of style.  :D   Grab it here -->  (take me to the forum)

Don't forget to post in our gallery.  Happy Tuesday!

{storyteller} kellie mize

{inspiration} sunday: dad

Happy Father's Day!

What Makes a Dad
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad
Author Unknown

Layout by Emily Merritt
Credits:
Retro Dad by Emily Merritt and Tiff Brady
Daddy Dearest, Scribble It v.2, Messy Machine Stitching-Grids, Tiny Typewriter and Transport Me by Emily Merritt
Staple by Emily Powers

Layout by Donna aka Quirky Twerp
Credits: Festivale Familie by Quirky Twerp

Layout by Lori Potts
Credits:
Once Upon A Time 
Candied Apple
Doodle Word Strips
Shape Trim Templates- Hearts
Pier 21
Blueprints no. 10
Eclectic Boutique Finds No. 1

Layout by Lisa Mars
Credits:
Daddy Dearest kit

Layout by Lisa
Credits:
Daddy Dearest kit
Scribble It
Tiny Typewriter Alpha




Layout by Jennifer Cox
Credits:
Daddy Dearest kit

Layout by Julie Ann Shahin
Credits:
Daddy Dearest kit;Retro Dad by Emily Merritt and Tiff Brady; Bird Seed by Tiff Brad; Acrylic Alpha and Topography No. 7 Template by Spotted Dog Designs

Layout by Andrea

{focus friday}

You may have noticed some especially touching stories flooding the public library this week, and this is mostly due to the absolutely stunning iHope Collaborative Benefit Kit that Two Sisters have put out. It features contributions from some awesome well-known artists, including our own Emily Merritt, Gina Miller, Rachel Young, Jacque Larsen, Amber Clegg and Paislee Press.

Gorg, right? I'm so excited that they've done this, especially considering this:

100% of the proceeds from this kit (minus paypal fees) will be donated to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund. We're so thankful to our friends for donating their time and creativity to this worthy cause. Thank you Emily, Gina, Rachel, Jacque, Amber and Liz! Deann, thank you so much for encouraging us in our efforts and insisting that {WST} host iHOPE.

Having lost my aunt to breast cancer five years ago almost exactly, I'm so proud of their efforts and I hope they meet and exceed their fundraising goals!

Of course, our {storytellers} have gone above and beyond with their creations, and also show that this giant kit can serve for all kinds of different stories. Here's a sampling...

By Kristine:

From Lisa:

From Valorie:

From Carolee:

And Donna shared her amazing story - go leave her some love!

I hope (sorry, no pun intended) that this leaves you in an inspired and charitable mood for the weekend! Looking forward to see what y'all come up with!

{storyteller} trude

{writer's notebook} 3 tips: "broviac training" by pne123

This week's 3 tips layout is one you may have seen recently -- it was featured on Gallery Standouts within the past couple of days, and for good reason. Erica's layouts always feature compelling journaling, and "Broviac Training" is no exception. Here's what we can learn from her layout:

1. Don't be afraid to scrap the hard stuff.
Erica's layout is just one of many that detail the surgeries and procedures that her oldest daughter has had to endure. Erica has never shied away from documenting this aspect of Grace's childhood -- and she shouldn't. Although I'm sure creating these layouts has been painful at times, capturing these stories is necessary; by glossing over the reality of everyday, we miss out on the reflection that shows us what we've learned, what we've gained, by making it through these hard times. Life isn't always fun and smiles, and we shouldn't aim to only show that face in our scrapbooks; adversity and hard times have much to teach us, if we let them.

2. Include a mix of factual details and personal reactions.
With a layout like this, Erica wanted to make sure she documented the facts from this procedure, but focusing only on the facts would've made this layout too clinical, too cold. Instead, she also included her personal reaction -- her fears, her concerns, her worries. This brings a human element to the issue and gives the reader a way "inside" the event, so that he or she can connect with the scrapper. It's this human element that causes us to react to the story, to feel emotionally involved.

3. Scrap your daily routines.
During the time surrounding Grace's surgery, cleaning and changing her broviac dressings became a part of Erica's everyday life. Don't just assume that because something is commonplace or part of your daily routine that it isn't worth documenting. These small details that make up your daily routines are an important aspect of life to document -- these are the details that, looking back, you'll want to remember most.

Today is Book Fair with a great new kit available -- spend $5.00 and get it free! Check out the artist choice items on sale for 45% off, too! While you're browsing the site, stop by our forum and gallery to share your thoughts and layouts with us; we'd love to see them!

write on,
{storyteller} aud

{contest}: photo hunt summer 2009

You can get the details of the photo hunt contest in our Spinning Tales Newsletter (last article).

The contest starts now and ends July 24th! The winners with the most photos will be in the running to win. Whoever has the most photos in the list will be put into a random drawing for the prizes.

• Grand Prize: $20 GC to {wst} boutique!!!!

• Two Runners-up: each get $10 GC to {wst} boutique!!!

• Three Honorable Mentions: each get $5.00 GC to {wst} boutique!!!

RULES:

• Upload your photos to the WST Staycation Gallery

• Start a thread in the Staycation Forum with the subject "__(Your Name)__'s Photo Hunt 2009 Entry"

• Give the # and name of the category along with a link to your photo in our staycation gallery

Have fun! I look forward to seeing your photos!!!!

{photo credit}

{storytellers} Julie Ann Shahin and Lori Potts