There Are So Many Ways to Use the Month-by-Month Virtual Album Retreat

The Workshop Kit includes precut DSP, page protectors, exclusive stamp sets, cardstock, embellishments, and more! The Virtual Retreat is July 16-18, 2:00 – 10:00 PM (MTN), Space is Limited. The Live Workshop is included when you purchase the kit; however, you do not have to watch Live. It will be recorded and available to watch later.

I will be doing much of the kit “live“. If you’d like to do it live and want to join me so you can use my supplies, let me know and we’ll work out the details.

Here are some ideas to get you started…

· Highlights of each month through the year
· First or last year of high school or college
· Document trying one new thing a month
· Photos of your day-to-day life
· Baby’s First Year
· Favorite Quotes and Scriptures
· Retirement
· Date Nights!
· Your own writing, doodles, or quotes

Or you can use a monthly theme! Here are some ideas…

January – New Beginnings, Intention, Vision
February – Love and Friendship
March – Luck, Growth, New Energy
April – Renewal, Change, Acceptance
May – Celebration, Outdoors, Joy
June – Sunshine, Adventures, Confidence
July – Fun, Family, Play
August – Back to School, Lazy Days, Transition
September – Cozy, Change, Reflection
October – Strength, Spooky
November – Gratitude, Gatherings, Presence
December – Magic, Memories, Celebration, Closure

Supplies List to complete as designed (if you want to watch the Live presentation and use my supplies, let me know):

INK
■ Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin’ Pad™ (147083)
■ Darling Duckling Classic Stampin’ Pad (165277)
■ Garden Green Classic Stampin’ Pad (147089)
■ Lost Lagoon Classic Stampin’ Pad (161678)
■ Misty Moonlight Classic Stampin’ Pad (153118)
■ Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin’ Pad (147111)
■ Pecan Pie Classic Stampin’ Pad (161665)
■ Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin’ Pad (147086)
■ Soft Sea Foam Classic Stampin’ Pad (147102)
■ Stampin’ Journaling Pen (166647)
■ Tuxedo Black Memento™ Ink Pad (132708)

COLORING TOOLS
■ Blending Brushes (153611)*

ADHESIVES
■ Foam Adhesive Strips (141825)
■ Multipurpose Liquid Glue (110755)
■ Stampin’ Dimensionals™ (104430)
■ Stampin’ Seal (152813)

TOOLS
■ Bone Folder (102300)
■ Clear Block B (117147)
■ Clear Block D (118485)
■ Clear Block H (118490)
■ Paper Snips Scissors (103579)**
■ Paper Trimmer (152392)
■ Stampin’ Pierce Mat (126199) or sturdy cardboard***

OTHER
■ Eraser
■ Masking tape or sticky notes
■ Pencil
■ Ruler
■ Scratch paper
■ Stamp cleaning supplies
■ 1″ (2.5 cm) circle punch or die (optional)
■ 1/4″ (6.4 mm) or 1/2″ (1.3 cm) circle punch or die (optional)
*We will use Blending Brushes on six different colors

**In addition to regular cutting, we will use the tips of the Paper Snips Scissors to cut slits in some of the Memory Protectors™. If you aren’t using these specific scissors, you may also need a craft knife.
***The cardboard must be able to fit inside a 12″ x 12″ (30.5 x 30.5 cm) Memory Protector. If it doesn’t fit, you may not be able to complete some of the crafting techniques.

Month by Month Album Retreat 2025 Kit

Why I’m Looking Forward the Album Retreat—and Why You Will Too!

I absolutely love the Album Retreat—and let me tell you why it’s one of my favorite events of the year!

It’s fun, it’s creative, and best of all—all the work is done for you. Each kit includes 12 double-page layouts, completely pre-cut and beautifully packaged, so you can jump right into crafting without the prep. You’ll also learn fun new techniques using exclusive stamps you won’t find anywhere else.

The techniques you’ll learn during the retreat will not only make you a better scrapbooker, but a better artist overall—many of them can even be adapted for cardmaking and other paper crafts, giving you endless creative value beyond the retreat itself.

Whether you’re building a month-by-month family album or creating a meaningful gift for a baby, newlywed, or graduate—this retreat helps you complete a full album with ease and joy. Each layout is pre-designed, pre-cut, and ready to assemble, so you can focus on the fun part: creating something beautiful and meaningful without the stress.

What makes it even better? You get complete color directions and an invitation to a private Facebook page, where the class videos are posted—you can watch live or catch the replay anytime. That means you can create this album from your own craft room in your comfiest slippers, or get together with friends and enjoy a mini retreat of your own. Do it live, or whenever it works for you!

Why I personally love it? My scrapbook for the year will be DONE—and I didn’t have to measure or design a thing. Just open the kit, follow along, and enjoy the creative process.

This event is a total win:

Comes ready to assemble.
Videos to walk you through the whole thing.
When finished, you’ll have a 2-page Layout for every month.
You’ll be learning some great techniques.
You’ll earn Stampin’ Rewards, too!

But don’t wait—quantities are limited and these kits are only available while supplies last.

Available starting tomorrow, 5/28 while supplies last!

Are You a Memory Keeper?

What IS a Memory Keeper? Really it’s a scrapbooker but things always need to be fancy, hehe (or maybe it’s a secret code!!

I have kept a scrapbook since I was in college many, many long years ago. Back then it was just a 12×17 spiral bound book I got at some store and I filled it with all the bits and bobs of my life in college. It was fun, wasn’t anything really pretty but they did tell the story of my college years and I valued them. Then later in life I made digital scrapbooks. They were nice, they really were and again I loved them but they didn’t have a lot of LIFE!! Ok, they told of my life but it was a page and look at, maybe read the journaling but then on to the next page. BUT I’ve found something in between and absolutely love it. It’s paper journaling much like what I did in college but it’s got lots of colored papers, real design and moving parts and pieces. Makes the digital scrapping kind of boring…though I loved it at the time.

The good news about all this is that Stampin’ Up is really starting to get scrapbooking going again. We’ve got kits (if you need a quick scrapbook layout – a12x12 page 2-page spread) but there’s also much more!! We’re starting to see a lot of stamps made specifically for scrapbooking as opposed to card making which means they’re larger.

So the even better news is that I will start doing scrapbooking classes more often. We will do them at least twice a month. One workshop class will be with kits that we can put together as a group, visit, have fun and create either with or without your photos. The other workshop class will also be as a group, visit and have fun but we’ll be working on a spread together from scratch (using a layout). Both workshops classes will be FUN, CREATIVE and PRODUCTIVE!!

If you’re ready to do it leave a comment below or email me and I’ll let you know what and when. The first workshop class will be during Christmas break when I’m home (or if you’re ready to start now I’ll do a couple of on-line classes)…just let me know.

Thank you! And here we are into the holidays…Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years!! Wow, time goes so fast! Let’s keep those memories and the photos we take!

BE SURE TO follow this blog for more information https://widgets.wp.com/follow/index.html#

Frequently Asked Questions: Color Coordinating in Crafts and Scrapbooking

Still have a few questions about color theory and color coordination in crafting? You’re not alone! Check out the quick and easy answers to some of the most frequently asked questions on the subject.

Q: What is color theory, and why is it important in crafting?

A: Color theory is the study of how colors work together and how they affect the people who experience them. It’s important in crafting because color is a communication tool—a critical and unique part of the story you’re telling in any crafting or scrapbooking project!

Q: How do I choose a color palette for my scrapbooking project?

A: Choosing a color palette for your scrapbooking project can be fairly simple. First, look at the photos you want to include on the page and consider the colors in those images. Then, ask yourself what your project’s overall message is. Next, find a main color that supports that message and works well with your photos. Third, use the color wheel and the techniques laid out above to choose a palette to support it!

Q: What are the best color combinations for making handmade cards?

A: The best color combinations follow the color theory guidelines we’ve discussed previously, and best express the message you’re trying to send. Finding monochromatic, analogous, complementary, or triadic colors that speak to you and the receiver of your handmade card will always make your card design a hit!

Q: How can I effectively mix and match colors in DIY crafting kits?

A: Most DIY crafting kits, like the ones you’ll find at Stampin’ Up!, are designed to contain elements within a particular color family or palette already, making it incredibly easy to mix and match the supplies provided within. One tip, however, is to go back to what you learned about the color wheel. For example, if you have a ribbon from a separate kit that will work nicely in a monochromatic, analogous, complementary, or triadic way, don’t be afraid to bring it into the mix!

Q: What are some general tips for coordinating colors in handmade projects?

A: General tips for coordinating colors in handmade projects include using the four color schemes we learned about above. A simple starting point is to choose a color you love and then find other elements (paper, ink, markers, ribbons, etc.) of the same color but of varying saturation—thus creating a monochromatic color palette for your project.

Q: Where can I find color inspiration for my next crafting project?

A: Inspiration can come from many places, but we love seeking inspiration from nature—especially when it comes to finding the best color combinations. It’s also smart to look at the work of experienced crafters (try finding talented cardmakers who create in a style you enjoy on Instagram, for instance) and the professionals. Check out the Stampin’ Up! annual catalog and our Instagram or Pinterest account for plenty of color inspiration as well.

Q: What quick and easy color combinations work well in crafts?

A: Quick and easy color combinations are plentiful! Here are a few we love and that work for any number of crafts, occasions, or moods!

Turquoise + peach + violet
Fuschia + yellow-green
Bright red + hot pink
Royal blue + golden yellow
Yellow + pink + green

Be sure to refer to our Stampin’ Up! color wheel for more color combos (there’s one in the current Annual Catalog).

Get Creative With Color Coordinating in Crafts

Now that we’ve simplified color theory and color coordination in crafts, it’s time for you to get creative! What color combinations are you excited to try? Still looking for more card design inspiration? Ready to shop for perfectly coordinated colors of paper, ink, and other scrapbooking supplies? Shop or connect with me as a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator today!

Practical Tips for Color Coordinating Your Crafts

One of our favorite tips for color-coordinating in crafts is to look to nature. When in doubt, look at how colors appear in the natural world—it’s hard to go wrong by applying this advice to a craft project. You may be surprised to see how often the color combinations you come across on a walk or while looking through outdoor vacation photos align with what you’ve learned about color theory and the color wheel so far.

Take, for example, the lilacs that bloom in the springtime. The naturally occurring fuschia shades are directly across the wheel from the color found in their bright green leaves! Try this with other flowers, vistas, and even animals—you’ll soon understand why so many artists love and find inspiration in the great outdoors.

Another simple trick for how to coordinate colors in crafting is to look for inspiration online. Plenty of crafters and artists love to share their work and we get to benefit from it. A quick search for pretty color combinations on Pinterest or checking out relevant hashtags on Instagram can give you tons of color inspiration for scrapbooking and cardmaking.

Our last, and maybe most helpful, hack for coordinating colors in crafting is to use the color wheel created by Stampin’ Up! for this exact purpose. Think of it as a cheat sheet that reveals innumerable color combinations that perfectly align with the products you already own or can easily shop for after falling in love with a particular palette. Incorporating all our color collections—Brights, Neutrals, Regals, and Subtles—the Stampin’ Up! color wheel follows the same rules as the original but with more dynamic and plentiful results.

Explore it using the rules you learned about monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and triadic colors to find unexpected new color combinations for your next crafting project!

Crafting with Color: Best Practices and Combinations

Stampin’ Up! has made it super easy to use best practices when it comes to color coordination in crafting. Because the best color combinations in scrapbooking follow color theory guidelines, we have created color families that perfectly coordinate no matter the occasion.

Consider our Subtles line—it’s a combination of calming colors that still breathe a little life and joy into whatever sentiment you want to capture in your project.

Utilizing Step-by-Step Stampin’ Up! kits is another great way to produce a variety of crafts and scrapbooking projects with purposefully complementary elements every time. This is a great option for beginners who don’t yet feel confident in their ability to find the best color combos or for the busy maker who enjoys the convenience of well-thought-out supplies and materials. This Love This Memory Notebook Kit is a great example!

Our best advice when it comes to crafting with color? Experiment! Playing around with color combinations that speak to you or whoever else you may be creating for is one of the best parts of the creative process. This often leads to the production of unique and heartfelt creations that wouldn’t exist without the joy of your own discovery.

Check back tomorrow for: Frequently Asked Questions: Color Coordinating in Crafts and Scrapbooking