Why I Switched to Digital Scrapbooking

Take a look at my new photo album that I made after uploading digital files to Shutterfly.  This particular album holds all of my photos from birth until I got married (20 years) and that happens to by my kindergarten picture on the cover 😊  This album also represents my first foray into the world of digital scrapbooking.  I use the word 'foray' as I was quite intimidated by the process and it took me awhile to gather my courage, check it out:

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Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links.  If a purchase is made through an affiliate link then (at no additional cost to you) I will receive a commission.  Affiliate links are noted below.

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I have always loved photography; taking photos, printing them, creating albums, using photos as framed decor......you name it and I'm in to it!  But the actual process of scrapbooking has become cumbersome to me.  

Truth be told, I've never really enjoyed scrapbooking as a hobby.  Oh I like my photos and I love my albums, but the actual sitting down and cutting/ arranging/ cleaning up the mess...not so much.  For me, scrapbooking was a chore that I would resign myself to get over with just to have a nice albums.  But then, there was another problem - scrapbooked albums are big, bulky and heavy!  And after years of hobby photography, I had managed to collect more than 25 giant albums that took up two full bookcases.

Needles to say, over the past year or so my album collection has been starting to give me anxiety.  I mean, if I already have 25 + albums and my kids are only 9 & 5....where in the heck am I going to put the other hundred or so that you know I'm going to end up with?  Also, scrapbooked albums are kind of delicate.  Not only do they eventually fall apart (cue more anxiety here 😟) but because I was afraid of this I kept them stored away in a back closet.  What's the point of having albums if nobody looks at them?

So I had come to the conclusion that scrapbooking the old way wasn't really working for me anymore, but still had a few concerns.  What would I do with the old albums?  Wouldn't transferring them into digital files take for-ev-er on a standard scanner?  And if I did manage to scan every single page of every album, would it be a total pain to recreate them into digital albums?  And what about the expense?  And most importantly, what about non-photo items like my kid's artwork and school papers?  How would I continue to store these mementos?

So there I was (for quite awhile) stuck between knowing that traditional scrapbooking was no longer my thing but also not knowing how in the world I was going to figure out the digital alternative.  And then I read this post by Abby from Just a Girl and Her Blog.

In the post, Abby describes how she uses a document scanner to quickly and easily transfer all of her kid's artwork into digital files, and then has them printed out into photo books. Genius!  Not only does this solve the problem of what to do with non-photo items, but according to the post, document scanners are super fast to use.

This document scanner business sounded really good to me and after telling Husby all about it, he encouraged me to order one right away (as he does with anything that makes me happy, but I digress...💓)

 Portable Document Scanner

I ended up choosing this Brother brand portable document scanner and I absolutely love it.  It is easy to use, fast and the quality of the scanned images is amazing!  I was able to take all of my fully completed scrapbook pages, run them quickly through the scanner and then transfer them right into a digital photo album.

(You can click this Amazon (affiliate) link to purchase the document scanner pictured here)

As I mentioned, after scanning my old scrapbook pages, I transferred the files to a photo website and made a personalized photo book.  I have used WalMart's photo site for years and been very pleased with their prices, shipping speed and the quality of their prints.  But when it came to making a photo book I didn't like the limited selection of sizes.  I popped on over to Shutterfly instead and was happy to find that they offered a new 8X11 size for photo books.  This was important to me as I wanted to have the option to print my photo books with the pages in the exact same size and layout as my handmade scrapbooks.  It didn't take long for me to figure out how to use the Shutterfly site and after no time my 1st digital album was ready to print!

Now let's talk about pricing for a minute.  Depending on how many pages you add and the personalization options you choose, Shutterfly albums can get quite pricey.  However, they offer great sales (as much as 50% off) pretty frequently.  I recommend uploading your photos and creating your books, then waiting for the next sale to place your order.  When you do it this way and compare the price to the cost of albums, paper, photos, stickers and other embellishments, the prices are quite similar to traditional scrapbook albums.

  Another benefit that I discovered is the ability to work on my photo books anywhere!  As long as I have uploaded my images to the Shutterfly site, they are ready and waiting for anytime that I have internet access.

I also want to point out that Shutterfly keeps your photos forever, no matter how often you purchase.  WalMart will keep your photos too, but only so long as you purchase at least once per year.  If not, your photos will be purged from the site!  I'm not affiliated with Shutterfly or WalMart, just sharing some of the things I have learned along the way 😉

Size Comparison

About a week or so after placing my order, my new Shutterfly album had arrived.  Can we just take a minute to appreciate the size comparison?  I still have all of the photos and mementos that were in the original book, yet now a fraction of the space is needed for storage.  In addition to the neat and tidy size, the book is also sturdy, well made and features quality printing.

One last benefit to document scanning that I wanted to mention - by scanning your old albums you are also creating a digital backup of all your photos.  I now have physical albums, digital files (that Shutterfly promises to save forever) as well as the digital scans saved in folders on my pc.  I'll move these to an external hardrive for safer storage and to avoid bogging down my pc with saved files.  Can you guys tell that I'm loving this digital scrapbooking thing or what? 😁

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I'll be back next week with a step-by-step tutorial showing how easy it is to use the document scanner mentioned here.  But for now, I hope you enjoyed this scrapbooking post and thanks for stopping by!

-Jennifer

© Studio 27 by Jennifer Adams 2019

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This post was added to the Finding Silver Pennies weekly link party.

DIY Dollar Tree Succulent Wreath

Warm weather is coming and it's time to bring a little bit of the outside in!  Today I'm showing you how you can easily replicate this succulent wreath for less than $10 and in just two easy steps.  That's right people, just two steps!  Check it out:

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Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links.  If a purchase is made through an affiliate link then (at no additional cost to you) I will receive a commission.  Affiliate links are noted below.

 Supplies

For this gorgeous succulent wreath you will need a wreath form (I chose willow), an assortment of faux succulent plants and a bit of Spanish moss.  Everything you see here was purchased from Dollar Tree, and at just $1 per item, this wreath comes in at a mere $7 (+ tax!) 😎

You can click this Dollar Tree (affiliate) link to browse their selection of craft and floral supplies.

While you are there, check out the miniature cactus plants as well - I am obsessed!

 Artificial Succulents

I can't get over the quality of these succulents.  Not only is the coloring beautiful, but they also boast a heavy weight and thick texture.  I love them so much that I've used them before in home decor and once I even created an entire succulent based wedding package.

Previously the artificial succulents were attached to a faux stem, which is great to work with, but these.....

 .....have a tiny clip attached to the back!  Can they get any easier to work with?  I mean, think of the possibilities; hair clips, boutonnieres, bag accessories, gift package decorations....the list is endless 😍

 Step 1

Now are you ready for those two easy steps?  The first task is to attach your succulents to the wreath in your desired arrangement.  Since the wreath form pictured here is comprised of willow stems and the succulents have clips on the back, just clip them right in place.  That's it!  No muss, no fuss, just clip them on!  Don't like the arrangement?  Unclip them and reposition them again.  You don't even need glue, it's that easy!

As you can see in the photo, the succulents kind of stick up and off of the wreath a bit.  Now, while it's great that all we had to do was stick them in place, we don't want it to look like that's all we did.  The simple addition of another element will take this project from looking like it was tossed together and transform it into an artful botanical display:

Step 2

My simple element?  Spanish moss.  Just take a few bits and tuck it in and around the succulents.  Not only does this add texture and dimension to the piece, but it also gives the illusion of the succulents having been planted in place.

Side Note - I was able to tuck my moss in securely without any problems, but feel free to add a bit of glue if you think your wreath needs more stability.  Also if you hang your wreath outside, I'd make sure to put it in an area without rain exposure.  While the plastic succulents should hold up well, I'm not sure about the untreated willow stems and the dried moss would absolutely fall apart if exposed to water.

Another benefit of the moss?  It hides the succulent clips from all viewing angles.  When I was done photographing my wreath I set it down on the dining room table and realized that it would make a nice centerpiece as well.  Just lie it flat and add a candle in the middle for and elegant, outdoor inspired table arrangement (keep those flames away from the moss 😉)

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And there you have it, a quick an easy succulent wreath for less than $10

I hope you enjoyed this how-to post, thanks for stopping by!

-Jennifer

© Studio 27 by Jennifer Adams 2019

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This post was added to the Finding Silver Pennies and
the Best of the Weekend weekly link parties.

This post was featured by Liberty of  B4 and After's.

TMNT Party Baking

Better late than never, here is that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle post full of dessert details:

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Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links.  If a purchase is made through an affiliate link then (at no additional cost to you) I will receive a commision.  Affiliate links are noted below.

Layer Cake

Our TMNT layer cake was made with two boxes of confetti cake mix and two containers of white icing.

Pans

I used an assortment of pans to create the varying sizes of rounds needed for the layer cake.  The large circular pans were used for the bottom (double) layer and the small

circular pans served as the top.  From the rectangular pan I cut out two medium sized circles to create the middle (double ) layer of the cake.

Layer Away

I began layering by using two cakes of each size and icing in between each time.

Almost There

After so much baking, layering and icing, it was good to be almost done 😉

Sprinkles

Here you can see the layer cake and the coordinating mini complete with icing and sprinkles.  I hadn't originally planned on using sprinkles, but felt that the cakes could use a bit more color.  These are the same sprinkles that I used on the cupcakes, which you'll see in a minute 😉

Ninja Masks

With the cakes layered and iced, it was time to give them their masks.  To create these masks I simply cut strips of felt and glued on googly eyes.  As is, the felt strips were only long enough to cover the front half of the cake.  To remedy this I cut an additional section and wrapped it around the back.

The felt was purchased at Wal-Mart and the googly eyes I picked up at Dollar Tree

You can click this Dollar Tree (Affiliate) link to browse their selection of craft supplies.

Masks On

To attach the masks I just stuck them right to the icing.  They held up well without any bleeding of color from the fabric, even after the cake was frozen and thawed.

When it was time to serve the cake the masks pulled off easily as well, without any fuzzies stuck to the icing 😁

Turtle Cakes

Here are a couple more shots of the cakes, just because they are so cute!

And now onto the cupcakes:

Chocolate Cupcakes

The cupcakes were baked with a devils food mix and chocolate fudge icing.  I kept it simple and used red, orange, blue, green and purple sprinkles to tie in the color scheme.

Completed Cupcakes

And there you have our TMNT party desserts!

In case you missed anything from the party:
Click here to see the invitations
Click here to see how I made the paper turtle faces
Click here to see our party decor

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I hope you enjoyed party baking post, thanks for stopping by!

-Jennifer

© Studio 27 by Jennifer Adams 2019

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This post was added to the following link parties:

Meraki

Wonderful Wednesday (Oh My Heartsie Girl)

Wonderful Wednesday (Penny's Passion)

Your Whims Wednesday

Party In Your Pjs

Friday Favorites

Funtastic Friday

Spring Cleaning: Kitchen

A couple of weeks ago I took a quick break from my spring cleaning series to share these decoupage Easter eggs.  I had every intention of picking back up the series by posting my final instalment; the kitchen, last Saturday....but I was sick with a cold and took a few days to rest.  I'm feeling better now and thought I would slip this post in mid-week and get back to my regular Saturday schedule this weekend.

So without further ado, here is your spring cleaning list for the kitchen:

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Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links.  If a purchase is made through an affiliate link then (at no additional cost to you) I will receive a commision.  Affiliate links are noted below.

Take down curtains to wash

Vacuum, spot clean and Febreeze fabric chairs

Dust all surfaces

Windex all glass

Clean windows and blinds

Go through all closets, cabinets, drawers and bins - get rid of anything not needed

Wipe down outsides of cabinets and drawers

Clean and organize pantry

Wash rugs
Mop floors
Give any faux plants a sink bath
Lysol wipe door handles and light switches
Clean refrigerator
Clean oven and stove
Clean microwave
Clean small appliances

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And that's it, your kitchen is done!

As a bonus I've added a set of Amazon (affiliate) link with my favorite spring cleaning products at the bottom of this post.

Want more spring cleaning lists?

Living/ Family Room

Bedroom

Kid's Rooms

Bathroom

Laundry Room

Home office
Dining Room

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I hope you enjoyed this spring cleaning post, thanks for stopping by!

-Jennifer

© Studio 27 by Jennifer Adams 2019

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This post was also added to the Best of the Weekend link party.

Amazon (affiliate) links below

Rainbow Easter Eggs From Dollar Tree Craft Supplies

As of today it is officially March which, as far as I'm concerned, means it's also officially spring!  And spring means egg decorating - so today I'm sharing how to create these rainbow Easter eggs using craft supplies from Dollar Tree.

With a collection of plain foam eggs already on hand and just waiting to be made pretty, I've been brainstorming lately, trying to come up with some different design ideas.  In the past I've used paint, beads and even terra cotta pots to decorate them.  After debating between sequins and colorful textures, I eventually decided to mod podge each one with a bit of crepe paper, check it out:

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Disclosure - This is a sponsored post, meaning that I have received monetary compensation in exchange for  publishing post content.  I only accept sponsorships that I believe are keeping with the Studio 27 brand and only recommend products that I fully believe in.  All opinions are my own.

This post also contains affiliate links.  If a purchase is made through an affiliate link then (at no additional cost to you) I will receive a commission.  Affiliate links are noted below.

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Supplies

As I mentioned, the eggs I already had on hand, but you can pick them up at Wal-Mart.  Everything else; the crepe paper, Mod Podge and even the paint brushes are from Dollar Tree.

You can click this Dollar Tree (affiliate) link to browse their collection of craft supplies.  Don't forget to check out the party section as well, as that is where you will find the crepe paper 😉

Crepe Paper

Begin your project by tearing your crepe paper into bits, keeping in mind that the smaller you tear the pieces, the less they will fold over when applied.   Whether or not they fold over is completely up to personal preference.  You can use scissors if you want a clean, smoother egg, but I was going for a more textured look.

Mod Podge

The second step of this process is to apply a bit of Mod Podge to your egg (top photo). This creates a sticky surface for your crepe paper bits to adhere too. Press a bit of paper into place (middle photo) and then paint over it with another layer of Mod Podge (bottom photo) to seal it into position.  Continue adding sections of crepe paper in the same way until one side of the egg is covered.

One Side Only

Why just one side?  I like to leave one side dry so I can rest the egg on a paper plate to dry.  Once the eggs are dry, I flip them over and repeat the Mod Podge process.  This way I avoid them sticking to the plate and prevent any of the dried crepe paper from pulling off when I pick up the egg.

Note:  Don't worry about those bubbles, they will go away as the Mod Podge dries 😊

Drying Eggs
You can tell when your eggs are ready to flip as they become vibrant (and no longer sticky 😄)once the Mod Podge is dry.  Repeat the Mod Podge/crepe paper process on the unfinished side and set aside again to dry.

Finished Eggs
And after another hour or so, there you have it: a cheerfully bright set of rainbow Easter eggs!


Rather not make up any decorative eggs yourself?  You can click here to find these rainbow crepe paper eggs (and many other styles) available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

And don't forget to check out Dollar Tree (affiliate link) to find all kinds of holiday decor inspiration!



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I hope you enjoyed this how-to post, thanks for stopping by!
-Jennifer

© Studio 27 - By Jennifer Adams 2019

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This post was added to the Finding Silver Pennies weekly link party

This post was also added to the Best of the Weekend link party.