Magazine Monday with Megan!

Hello and happy Magazine Monday! It’s so nice to be back here on the blog this month, sharing a look inside our summer issue.

As the magazine’s editor, I spend a great deal of time with each and every project we publish. There’s no way I could ever choose a favorite. It would be like choosing a favorite child. A paper-made, handcrafted child. ;) But I can share a sassy summer sampling of designs to get you excited about summer crafting. 

Scrapbook & Cards Today—Let’s break our title down, starting with Scrapbook and some lovely summer scrapbook pages.

SCRAPBOOK…

I just adore what Stacy Cohen did with this design in our popular 3-Designer Challenge column.

Don’t her beautiful photos make you want to find a beach and relax? And I just adore the various textures on her page, from the crepe paper trim and stitching to the paper-rolled flowers and layered paper waves. It’s full of sun-sational ideas! Thanks for contributing, Stacy.  

When I asked Sheri Reguly to create a page that houses extra vacation photos, I never knew she’d come up with this clever trick. 

She created a flip-up flap by securing library cards together and attaching them with a brad (so the piece can pivot). Isn’t she clever?

I don’t typically use one large photo across a layout, but this scrapbook page by Jennifer Larson, which is featured in our Readers’ Gallery column, has me rethinking my approach.

Isn’t it neat to see so much of their summer fun with the use of this large picture? The trick, it seems, is to select an image with enough white space (open space) you can embellish directly on your image, as Jennifer did over the tree area of her picture. Cool!

…AND CARDS

We have an impressive assortment of cards in this issue. One idea that I’ve already turned to is this design by Kim Kesti, which is included in our Card Cafe column. 

All but a few in my family have summer birthdays, so it’s a busy gift-giving time of year. One of my favorite go-to gifts is a gift card, but I don’t want it to feel impersonal. Problem solved! Thanks, Kim!

Nothing says “summer” like sparkle and shine, so you bet this card by Jennifer McGuire, from her Creative Card Techniques column, definitely caught my eye.

If you check out the magazine, you’ll find complete steps for creating this design. Or, if videos are more your speed, you can catch Jennifer’s flick on our YouTube channel. Enjoy the show!

 …TODAY!

We’ve covered the “Scrapbook” and the “& Cards.” Now, let’s talk today. You can view our entire summer issue for FREE “Today.” Simply visit our website HERE to download/view your copy. Or you can subscribe HERE to receive a print copy of each issue right in your mailbox. Either way, you’ll find inspiration today, in both scrapbook and card form.

WHAT ABOUT YOU

I’ve shared a few summer projects that have caught my eye. I’d love to hear from you. What are your favs from this issue? Or perhaps you’ve done a little summer crafting of your own and have it posted online? If so, I hope you’ll consider posting a link in our comments section. I always enjoy seeing what you and your paper have been up to.

Finally, I recently shared some summer scrapping ideas on a local television show which you can view HERE. If you’re looking for ways to simplify your summer scrapping, I hope you’ll find an idea or two that inspires you. Thanks for watching.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, my friends!

~  Megan Hoeppner