Pixels to Pages

Twenty22 Chapter 11: November (and a few design/app tips)

I took a TON of photos in November and had several stories to tell. It was so hard to pare photos down! But in the end I love the way the photos are laid out and organized in Chapter 11 of our 2022 Family Yearbook. I needed 7 spreads to get those stories told!

As you look through the spreads, see if you can spot some new products I have coming to the Pixels to Pages Digital Shop next Friday! I'm not going to say what they are, I want you to guess!

The pages were created on my NEW iPad Pro using the following products and mobile apps:

• The Project Life App
• Affinity Photo for iPad, Version 2
• One Second Everyday App
• QR Code & Barcode Reader App
• Chapters November Kit
• 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 1
• Some new, soon-to-be-released kits! (can you guess what they are?)

Title Page

Title page was created by using the Design 9 Template from the Free Pack (formally the W template) in the Project Life app. One of the title cards from the Chapters November Edition was placed in the center placeholder (there are two 6x4 Title Cards included with each kit). Other placeholders were filled with the white card found in the Neutral Kit in the app. Shadows were turned off on this page. The PDF that is included with all Chapters Kits shows how this is done.

Design/App Tip No. 1: Many of you who are familiar with the Project Life App may be wondering–"Why do I fill the empty placeholders with the white card found in the Neutral Kit knowing that those pockets will export all white even if they are not filled with a card?" The answer is simply this: Because if I don't fill those placeholders with something, that particular page will always be falling under in the "In Progress" pages tab in the Project Life App! Even though I this page will also be in my "2022 Family Yearbook" Folder I created in the app, I still want it to look complete and don't want to see in in the "In Progress" tab.

Spread One

All cards are from the Chapters November Edition Kit. The colors in the kit are the perfect compliment to the photos of our time spent in North Carolina.

Design/App Tip No. 2: I am a big fan of consistency in my albums. If you scroll back through my other posts where I share pages from my 2022 Family Yearbook, you will see that the first spread will ALWAYS begin with Template 7 from Pack 5 on the left side. Consistency gives your albums a feeling of cohesiveness. You will see consistency presented on my pages in other ways on the following pages as well.

Can you spot a new product coming to the shop next Friday?

Spread Two

Both sides of this spread uses the trusty ol' Template 1 from the Free Pack in the PL App. The journal cards (including the titles) were created in Affinity Photo for iPad (Version 2) using the Walnut digital texture from the Chapters November Kit. The "Mills River" photo is placed in a template from one of the 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 1 Kit.

Design/App Tip No. 3: I'm a fan of repetition just as much as consistency in my albums. The two really go hand-in-hand. You can see I used the journal card several times here (and on Spread Three). All of these photos and stories revolve around the same topic. By using the journal card repeatedly, not only does this make it easy to read for the viewer, but the repetition promotes consistency!

Design/App Tip No. 4: I love templates in the Project Life App that you can organize your photos in "sections." Template 1 is the perfect example. You can see that I have divided each page vertically down the middle. Each craft brewery is represented by 3 photos and a journal card. I use this technique all the time with a variety of templates in the app.

Spread Three

Is that dog not the cutest???

These two templates together are one of my favorite combinations! The are Templates 5 + 6 from Pack 16 in the App. Template 6 is the horizontal and vertical reverse of 5. They just make for such a balanced spread.

You can see here I still used the 3x4 journal card from the previous spread. I also created a matching 6x4 journal card and used template from one of the 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 1 Kit.

I think I see another new product being used!

Spread Four

Another spread where I made journal cards in Affinity Photo for iPad, Version 2, using a textured paper from the Chapters November Edition Kit. By using the same combination and use of fonts for the titles on these cards as those on the previous spreads, I've got consistency!

 Can you tell I love templates with larger placeholders??? I use them all the time!

Spread Five

Editorial templates. Absolutely love these. They are so simple and just focus on the photos and the stories. 

Design/App Tip No. 5: There is a lot of space in Editorial Templates for journaling. Don't feel you have to fill the entire space with words! Take advantage of the Free Form Text feature in the App and use it to caption a photo on the page. You can see here I added another text box, and using an italic font, I added a small caption next to the butterfly photo. 

Spread Six

Enough of the North Carolina pictures...now back to Florida!

The journal card on the left is really a 4x3 journal card from the Chapters November Edition Kit. You can't see the entire design because a 4x3 and 6x4 rectangle are not the same ratio, but that is ok. I just wanted some solid color on my journal card here.

I like the shapes on the two journal cards on the left. They remind me of turkey feathers. Super cute!

Design Tip No. 6: Colors not the best in a photo? Turn it to black and white. Black and white photos hide imperfections in lighting. They go with any other colors in your layout so you don't have to worry about them clashing with other photos or cards.

I spy with my little eye, a new product being used!

Spread Seven

Oh my goodness! I see another new product on this spread!

Design/App Tip No. 7: Mix a traditional Collage Template with an Editorial Template. As much as I love those templates with a 6x12 placeholder, sometimes I still need a larger placeholder. Be adventurous and mix things up a bit!

Feel free to scan the QR Code to see some other snippets from November! The video was made using the One Second Everyday App. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and view the pages. I really appreciate it! Feel free to leave a comment or ask any questions below!

Twenty22 Chapter 10: October (and a new product release–sort of)

Can I just say how much I've loved documenting 2022 with my Chapters Kits? I am so happy with the pages I created for Chapter 10 in our 2022 Family Yearbook. I'm excited to share them with you today. Keep reading all the way through to learn about somewhat of a "new" product release in the shop today!

The pages were created on my iPad Pro using the following products and mobile apps:

• The Project Life App
• One Second Everyday App
• QR Code & Barcode Reader App
• Chapters October Kit
• 3x4 Pocket Frames No. 2 Kit

Title Page

Title page was created by using the Design W template in the Project Life app. One of the title cards from the Chapters October Edition was placed in the center placeholder (there are two 6x4 Title Cards included with each kit). Other placeholders were filled with the white card found in the Neutral Kit in the app. Shadows were turned off on this page. The PDF that is included with all Chapters Kits shows how this is done.

Spread One

The colors in the Chapters October Kit have my heart! I just love them! That 3x4 journal card with the pumpkins is actually a 6x8 card! I just placed it in the 3x4 pocket and arranged it so only the pumpkins were visible. I do this in an upcoming spread as well!

Spread Two

Raise you hand if you have used any of my Pocket Frames? I'm telling you, these things are AWESOME! One of my most favorite products I've created. They are a great addition to your documenting tool box as they allow you to get more photos and journaling on a page. The page on the left uses a frame from the 3x4 Pocket Frames No. 2 Kit–it's the one with Penny and Elsie on it. You can't use the directly in the Project Life App, but rather an app that supports layered PSD files. I use them in Affinity Photo for iPad. I clip the photos to the rectangles, export the image to my camera roll and then drop the photo into my Project Life template! The Pocket Frame Kits also come with overlays. So if the app you use doesn't support PSD files, you can use the overlay instead. 

The right side of the spread uses and the Editorial Template 2 from Set 2D. 

Spread Three

Love, love, LOVE this spread! I think these two templates together are my favorite. On the left is Template 5 from Pack 16 and the right is Template 6 from the same pack. I noticed in the app that Template 5 is also in Pack 5. Not sure if that is a glitch or what. But doesn't matter. These two templates are just spot on side-by-side.

Again you see that journal card with the pumpkins. It is an 8x6 journal card! The "Autumn Memories" journal card on the right is also a 6x8 journal card! With a little bit of thought you can really push these Chapters Kits to their creative limits!

End Page

Feel free to scan the QR Code to see some other snippets from October! The video was made using the One Second Everyday App. 

I mentioned earlier that I have somewhat of a "new" product in the shop today. Well, here it is:

I loved creating this collection so much that I wanted it to live beyond 2022. So what I did was remove the 2022 calendar cards and one of the 4x4 QR Code filler cards (it's the card I use on my End Page-but there is still another version in the kit), and combined all of the cards and papers into one big collection! I also created 5 multi-page PDF Print Files of all the cards and papers for those friends who are hybrid memory keepers (print sheets were not part of the original kits)

The Chapters Collection is HUGE. Just look at the numbers:

12 – 3x4 Zodiac Cards

60 – 3x4/4x3 Filler + Journal Cards

12 – 4x4 QR Code Filler Cards

59 – 4x6/6x4 Filler + Journal Cards

85 – 6x6 Textured Digital Papers

24 – 6x8/8x6 Journal Cards

5 multi-page PDF Print Sheets – These sheets include ALL CARDS. The papers in the Digital Papers PDF have been resized to 4.25x8.25 (Traveler's Notebook dimensions

1 – PDF Summary with RGB Color Codes

The original kits are still in the shop for $9.99 each. The combined collection is $39.99 (minus those calendar cards and specific 4x4 QR code card). That's a HUGE savings! Click Chapters The Collection to go shopping if you're interested!

Thank you for taking the time to read! If you have any comments or questions, just leave them below!

 

 

Twenty22 Chapter 9: September

It's been a minute since I've posted, I know. I do so, so good leading up to September. But when the 'ber months arrive, I get busy doing all things fall! I finally got around to finishing Chapter 9, my September pages, and wanted to share them here. There are 5 spreads. It was a busy month! Let's dive in!

The pages were created on my iPad Pro using the following products and mobile apps:

• The Project Life App
• One Second Everyday App
• QR Code & Barcode Reader App
• Chapters September Kit
• 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 1 Kit
• 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 2 Kit
• Chapters February Kit
• 3x4 Pocket Frames No. 1 Kit

Title Page

Title page was created by using the Design W template in the Project Life app. One of the title cards from the Chapters September Edition was placed in the center placeholder (there are two 6x4 Title Cards included with each kit). Other placeholders were filled with the white card found in the Neutral Kit in the app. Shadows were turned off on this page. The PDF that is included with all Chapters Kits shows how this is done.

Spread One

Usually when fall rolls around, I tend to get all crafty. I work on the computer so much during the first part of the year, it is nice to work with my hands once in a while! So you will see some evidence of that throughout my September pages.

Spread Two

In this spread you will see that I made use of my Pocket Frames Kits. Gosh I love those things! They come in all different sizes and they are a great way to add extra photos and journaling to your pocket-style pages!

Spread Three

My birthday is in September and I had a blast celebrating throughout the month! The filler cards you see on the right are ones I made in Affinity Photo for iPad using the wood texture paper from the February Edition of the Chapters Collection. Aren't the quotes fun? 

Spread Four

I think the color of that cozy textured paper works really well with the photos. Why can't fall last all year? I created the "Fall" filler card right on the page in the PL App using 4 Free Form Text text boxes! I also used a frame from my 3x4 Pocket Frames No. 1 Kit.

Spread Five

September didn't end very well for many Floridians just south of us. Hurricane Ian blew through with a vengeance. I used Editorial Templates to create this spread. I love those templates!

End Page

Feel free to scan the QR Code to see some other snippets from September! The video was made using the One Second Everyday App. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and view the pages. I really appreciate it! I'll be starting on my October pages and will share them as soon as they are complete. I have a few more other topics that have been on my mind as well, so I will show up here a little more frequently!

Twenty22 Chapter 8: August

Chapter 8 in our 2022 Family Yearbook is complete. I found that I did not take many pictures this month. August was weird. I just did not feel like doing much during the month. The weather was extremely hot and humid-hottest August recorded in the Tampa area. All I wanted to do was stay inside and dream of fall. I was able to create 2 spreads with the photos + and stories I did have for the month and want to share the results with you today!

I really enjoy documenting in a monthly format. Usually I switch between a weekly and monthly format each year. But I've already decided I will stick with monthly in 2023. I've heard from many of you who are making that switch as well. Some even love the idea of referring to "months" as "chapters." We're creating books. Book have chapters. It just makes sense to me!

The pages were created on my iPad Pro using the following products and mobile apps:

• The Project Life App
• One Second Everyday App
• QR Code & Barcode Reader App
• Adobe Express App
• Chapters August Kit

Title Page

Title page was created by using the Design W template in the Project Life app. One of the title cards from the Chapters August Edition was placed in the center placeholder (there are two 6x4 Title Cards included with each kit). Other placeholders were filled with the white card found in the Neutral Kit in the app. Shadows were turned off on this page. The PDF that is included with all Chapters Kits shows how this is done.

Spread One

I guess being inside during the month of August has its upside. I started on a home DIY project I've been wanting to do for YEARS! We have this "nook" in our family room that has been screaming for something to be done with it. We live on the water and I've always wanted to cover this wall with shiplap to give the room a coastal feel. I finally started this project and so happy with results thus far. Not only will I add shiplap, but I am refinishing a bar cabinet and will add floating shelves under the TV when its mounted on the wall. I was hoping to have this done by the beginning of October. Unfortunately I ended up testing positive for Covid at the end of August and this project came to a grinding halt for about 10 days. I'm all better now and have started to refinish the bar cabinet. Those pics will be in my September layouts. I will probably to a totally separate post on this project as well! The "Kelly Can Build It" tag was added to the photo in Adobe Express first. Then I exported the photo to my camera roll and added it to my page!

Spread Two

Spread two has a bunch of random photos. To journal about them, I used a technique I haven't yet used in our yearbook this year. This numbered journaling is something I did throughout my 2021 album. I added a number to the photos and that number references the number and text on the journal card. I find this an easy and effective way to tell our stories when I have several photos that really aren't related to one another! The little circle labels on two of the 4x6 photos on the right side was made with FFT. I just typed a period and made it really big. Then added another text box to add some copy! The filler card on the right is actually the 8x6 journal card from the August kit! When I added the card to the placeholder, I just moved it to have only the one side of the card appear!

End Page

Feel free to scan the QR Code to see some other snippets from August! The video was made using the One Second Everyday App. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and view the pages. I really appreciate it! By the way...the September Edition of the Chapters Collection is now available in the shop! So many fun cards in this one!

TWENTY22 CHAPTER SEVEN : JULY

I'm a little behind in my documenting and that is ok. I had to focus on a home improvement project (which is still ongoing), but I did manage to carve out some time every so often to work on my July pages. Today I am sharing the pages from Chapter Seven (July) in our 2022 Family Yearbook. The pages were created on my iPad Pro using the following products and mobile apps:

• The Project Life App
• Affinity Photo for iPad
• One Second Everyday App
• QR Code & Barcode Reader App
• Chapters July Kit
• 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 1
• 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 2

Title Page

Title page was created by using the Design W template in the Project Life app. One of the title cards from the Chapters July Edition was placed in the center placeholder. Other placeholders were filled with the white card found in the Neutral Kit in the app. Shadows were turned off on this page. The PDF that is included with all Chapters Kits shows how this is done.

Spread One

In the spread above you can see the 6x12 Calendar Card from the July Edition of the Chapters Collection. This is placed in the Big Shot A Template from the Project Life app and I will ALWAYS use this template on the left hand side of the first spread for each month! I love consistency! The page on the right is the Big Shot 7 Template, however, it is in its reverse. I wanted the 6x8 placeholder to be on the outside edge of the page. This is a technique I use all the time with the help from the PicTapGo App. This is what I do:

1. I place all of my photos and journal cards in the template. Do NOT add journaling yet.
2. Selecting the edit tool in each placeholder, I tap the PicTapGo icon.
3. When in PicTapGo, select the "crop" icon.
4. From the options at the bottom of the screen, select the the third icon from the left to reverse the photo or card.
5. Select the checkmark in the bottom right corner of the screen, then select "done" from the top right of your screen.
6. You will do this to all images on your layout. But note, you may have journal cards like you see on my page with no word art on the card, so you wouldn't need to reverse that one.
7. Once your images have been reversed, export your page to your camera roll.
8. Open the Project Life App again and create a new Editorial Page, selecting the full 12x12 layout.
9. Place that page you just exported to your camera roll into the template.
10. Select the edit tool and use the PicTapGo feature to reverse the image, just like you did above.
11. You photos and cards should now be facing the right direction.
12. Use the Free Form Text option to add your journaling.

I teach the above technique in a video tutorial and so much more in my Memories Matter and Memories Matter Project Life Design Series Classes. Now through Sunday, September 11 you can save 20% on classes in the Project Life Classroom! You can view the classes by clicking on the "Classes" link in the nav bar at the top of the page. Use code: btschool at checkout. If you have already taken the classes, share the code with a friend who may be wanting to learn how to document their photos and stories using mobile apps!

A template from the 4x6 Pocket Frame No. 1 Kit was also used on this spread. The little labels with text on them are just Free Form Text boxes made with a capital letter "I" using a bold, sans serif font.

Spread Two

We had some special guests from Ukraine come and stay with us for about 10 days in July. I won't write about it here in this post as I explain everything on the layout. Just click the layout to enlarge it and read the story! Templates used are Big Shot 7 on the left and Big Shot 6 on the right. The 6x8 journal card, 3x4 and 4x4 filler cards were created in Affinity Photo using the colors from the July Chapters Kit. They resemble the Ukrainian flag. Journaling was added using Free Form Text (just so you know "West Wind" is the name of the team).

Spread Three

I continued my story about our Ukrainian visitors in Spread Three, using more filler cards in the blue and yellow colors for consistency! The page on the left is the Big Shot 20 Template. The page on the right is the Set A No. 1 Editorial Template, but in its reverse. I did the exact same steps as written out in Spread One, however, I opened the exported photo in Affinity Photo first, and did my reverse there. Then I added my word art. Once I was happy with my word art, I exported the photo to my camera roll, opened the full page 12x12 Editorial Template in the Project Life App and placed the picture in it. Then I added my journaling using Free Form Text. So love the way this turned out.

Spread Four

Really simple pages using journal cards from the July Edition of Chapters and a Pocket Frame template from the 4x6 Pocket Frame No. 2 kit! I think the bokeh cards are perfect! Can you tell the Big Shot 7 template is one of my faves? 

Spread Five

I really like incorporating Editorial Pages in our Family Yearbook. The page on the left uses Editorial Template Set 3C No. 4. Love those cookie pics! The page on the right is simply Design A! All filler/journal cards are from the July Edition of Chapters.

End Page

Feel free to scan the QR Code to see some other snippets from July! I love adding video to my albums using the One Second Everyday App. I am using the free version of this app right now, but I think in 2023 I am going to invest in the paid full version. I've used it consistently each month this year and I fell the paid version will be a good investment!

July is done, now it's time to move on to August! Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, leave them below!

Grand Reopening of Pixels to Pages Digital Shop!!!

The new and improved Pixels to Pages Digital Shop is now open! Click the shop link in the navigation bar at the top of this page or this link to check it out! This is what you will find:

• The August Edition of the Chapters Month-by-Month Storytelling Collection.
• Themed Journal Block Kits!!! These kits now have a permanent home in the Pixels to Pages Shop! I was limited to the number of products and amount of storage I had for those products on my previous shop platform. Every so often I had to retire product so I can release new ones. But with this new platform, I can bring back those retired products permanently! 
• Freebie Category!!! I wasn't able to include freebies on my previous shop platform. The freebies that are there right now are those from recent blog posts. Check back Saturday and Sunday as I will be releasing 8 more freebies!
• What is a Grand Reopening without a sale? Beginning today, August 19, 2022 through Sunday August 21, 2022 all products in the Pixels to Pages Digital Shop will be 25% off!!! No code is needed!

Thank you so much for your patience during this transition. I truly appreciate the support you have given P2P! Good things are coming this fall and in 2023!!! Happy shopping!

The Pixels to Pages Shop is Temporarily Closed

Hello friends! I just want to share a quick post letting you know that the Pixels to Pages Digital Shop is closed for the next 11 days as I transition the products to a new shop platform! This new platform will allow me to add more digital products, freebies, and other features to help better your shopping experience. I am so excited for the change, and I think you will love the new shop! All links to the shop/products in previous blog posts or social media posts will no longer work.

There will be a Grand Reopening Celebration beginning Friday, August 19 and lasting through the weekend! More information will be posted on my social media accounts as we get closer to that date.

For those of you waiting for the August Edition of the Chapters Storytelling Kits. I know this is usually released on or around  the 15th of each month. I ask for you patience as it will be released during the Grand Reopening of the shop!

Please note that this temporary store closure DOES NOT affect the Pixels to Pages Classroom. If you are enrolled in any of the classes, you still have access to those classes!

Thank you so much for your patience in this transition! I appreciate your continued support of Pixels to Pages! 

TWENTY22 CHAPTER SIX : JUNE (part two)

I mentioned in my last blog post I had only 2 or 3 more layouts to do in order to get my June photos + stories documented. That was a total miscalculation! Turns out I needed 8 more spreads to get those stories told! And you know what? I thought it would totally stress me out. But looking at the photos and writing about them brought me so much joy. I was just so happy going through the process of laying out these spreads. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed creating them.

The pages were created on my iPad Pro using the following products and mobile apps:

• The Project Life App
• Affinity Photo for iPad
• QR Code & Barcode Reader App
• Chapters June Kit
• 6x8 Pocket Frames No. 2
• 6x8 Pocket Frames No. 3

Check out the pages below!

Spread Seven

I love the colorful weathered wood board included in the June Edition of Chapters. You will see a lot of it on the following spreads. I used it to create the 6x8 and 3x4 journal cards you see above. The title on the large card was done in Affinity Photo for iPad. Isn't that beach house gorgeous?

Spread Eight

There are lots of random photos on this layout. By using the same pattern journal card on both pages, it helps to make the spread cohesive. Repetition is a good thing. Adding titles and journaling directly on my photos is a technique I use all the time. The Free Form Text option in the Project Life App is so worth purchasing! I use it all the time and it is a great way to add two text boxes on one journal card–a text box for a title and one for the journaling!

Spread Nine

I wish you could see me right now as I type out this blog post. I have the biggest smile on my face just looking at this page! If you haven't played Tidal Ball on the beach yet, what are you waiting for? Grab the game on Amazon and take it with you on your next trip to the beach! The title on the 6x12 photo was done in Affinity Photo for iPad, exported, and then placed in the layout. I used two text boxes on the journal card. It's a little hard to see, but the first text box (the first 6 lines) is right aligned The second text box (the remaining lines) is left aligned. I did this so the ends of the lines will go on a diagonal to following the angle of the waves in each of the corners. And can you tell I am having a ball with these QR codes??? The videos they go to aren't very long, just little snippets here and there, but so fun to look back on!

The Sun, Sand, Surf, and Tidal Ball filler card is one that I modified from the June Edition of Chapters.

I brought the original card into Affinity Photo, covered the original text with two rectangles in the sandy color of the background and then added new text!

Spread Ten

Oh for the love of puzzles. This is another spread that just fills me up with all kinds of happy! I used a template from the Circle Pocket Frames No. 2 Kit to highlight a few speciality shapes in the puzzle. The journal card is one I created in the Small Print section of the Project Life App using the light blue textured digital paper from the June Edition of Chapters. And can we talk about the right side of the spread? I LOVE THIS!!!! When we completed the puzzle I took a photo of it, knowing I would be using it in an Editorial Templates with a large placeholder in the Project Life App. I exported the page without the text. I brought the page into  Affinity Photo for iPad to add the text (I wanted to access the glyphs of one of the fonts) and exported that to my camera roll. Finally I dropped the completed layout into the full page 12x12 Editorial Template. 

Spread Eleven

A golf outing and a few more random pics! I'll be honest and say that there are a limited number of journal and filler cards included in the Chapters Monthly Storytelling Collection Kits. And this is on purpose. The kits are meant to limit your choices when it comes to decorative elements. It is the photos and the stories that matter. But these kits have plenty of papers to create your own filler and journal cards, allowing you to expand your creativity and your designs skills whenever you want. You saw in Spread Nine how I altered one of the filler cards. Now here on this spread you can see how I filled a 3x4 placeholder with the green textured paper from the June Edition of Chapters and added a quote to it! Easy peasy! I really like the type treatment of the "cousins," and "brothers" on the right side of the spread. This was just done using the Free Form Text option in the Project Life App and dragging the text box so the letters flowed off the side and bottom of the placeholders. 

Spread Twelve

Another spread where I used an Editorial Template (it's the page on the left). I may go back and add a bit more journaling to it. I wanted to mention how much I love the North Carolina coastline, its dunes, and all the plants that grow there. I can photograph them all day long! I used a template from the 6x8 Circle Pocket Frame No. 3 Kit for the photos of the flowers.

Spread Thirteen

My heart is going to BURST!!!! Like the filler card says–"I love these humans." The page on the left was, again, done in an Editorial Template. The text was added in Affinity Photo for iPad. God, these pictures make me so happy!

Spread Fourteen (last one!!!)

Super fun spread on the left! Love all these women!!! Kristen, Becca, and I always have to get a photo of us on a Carolina beach in the same pose. So fun! And our hats! The girls loved them! Check out that filler card on the right side of the spread. Its original size is 6x12. This was actually an assignment from my Type Talk class that ran earlier in the summer. Students were to select a 3 to 5-letter "summer" word and go on a "found type scavenger hunt," searching for letterforms in food, architecture, foliage, etc., snap a photo of it and place it into exclusive Pocket Frame Templates that were part of the class downloads. "Ocean" was my word and I used it here on this page. The students in the class had AMAZING photos and I will be sharing them on my social media platforms in the coming weeks. The fall session of Type Talk will run in October!

End Page

Still LOVING the idea of adding video to my albums. 

Whew! June is done! How is your summer documenting going? Don't worry if you are behind. Summer is busy, you'll get to it when you can! If you have any thoughts or questions, leave them in the comments below! Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read!

TWENTY22 CHAPTER SIX : JUNE (part one)

June was a very busy month for us. There was so much going on and it is taking me a while to combine my photos + stories for those thirty days. When I realized I was already up to 6 spreads for the month and still had 2 or more 3 to go, I figured I would share my June pages in two separate posts.

The pages were created on my iPad Pro using the following products and mobile apps:

• The Project Life App
• Affinity Photo for iPad
• QR Code & Barcode Reader App
• Chapters June Kit
• 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 2
• 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 3
• 3x4 Pocket Frames No. 1
• 4x6 Circle Pocket Frames No. 3
• 6x8 Pocket Frames No. 3

Grab a drink and get comfy! There is a lot to talk about here!

June Title Page

Title page was created by using the Design W template in the Project Life app. One of the title cards from the Chapters June Edition was placed in the center placeholder. Other placeholders were filled with the white card found in the Neutral Kit in the app. Shadows were turned off on this page.

Spread One

In the spread above you can see the 6x12 Calendar Card from the June Edition of the Chapters Collection. This is placed in the Big Shot A Template from the Project Life app and I will ALWAYS use this template on the left hand side of the first spread for each month. The filler card on the left page and the "good vibes only" journal card on the right side are  from the June Edition of the Chapters Collection as well. That other journal card you see was created in the Small Prints section of the Project Life app using one of the textured papers from the June Edition of Chapters. I love that paper! If you want to learn how to do that and other tips and tricks within the Project Life App check out my Memories Matter Design Series Class by clicking here. Other products from my shop used on this spread included a template from the 3x4 Pocket Frame No. 1 Kit.

Spread Two

Pocket Frame Kits used on this spread are from the 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 2 Kit, 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 3 Kit, and the 3x4 Pocket Frames No. 2 Kit. All of the journal cards you see on the spread are ones I made using the Small Print section in the Project Life App with textured digital papers from the June Edition of Chapters. It is a very cohesive page because I am repeating the textures and colors of the journal cards on both sides of the spread! 

Spread Three

I am ecstatic about this Buffalo Trace spread. Friends, pay attention to the little secret I am about share with you here. I have mentioned it in the past, in my December Daily albums, but I still don't think digital memory keepers take advantage of it as they should. I am talking about company Media Kits.

A Media Kit, also called a Press Kit, is a set of promotional materials a company may offer to the media (reporters, bloggers, videographers) in order to help them write articles about the company. It can include things like logos, fonts, colors, branding do's and don'ts, high-resolution images, etc. If you document stories about some of your favorite brands, whether it is clothing, food, amusement parks, points of interest, and all the things in between, check that company's website to see if they have a media kit for you to download a logo or images that you can include on your pages. 

Case in point: The logo you see on the 6x8 filler card in the spread above was a .png file downloaded directly from the Buffalo Trace website! I created the card in Affinity Photo for iPad and was able to place the logo right on the card. I exported the card to my camera roll, dropped it into my Project Life template, and then adding the journaling.

I did the same thing for the journal card on the right side of the page. There was a png of a single bottle of Buffalo Trace in their media kit. It's like a digital sticker! I created the card in Affinity Photo for iPad (used one of the textured papers from the June Edition of Chapters), pulled in the bottle of bourbon, and just duplicated it a few times! I love the way it turned out!

Let's talk QR Codes. See that one in the upper right corner of the right side of the spread? It's very subtle and not in your face. There is no white background you would normally see. I was able to achieve this in Affinity Photo for iPad by placing the QR code on the image and then changing the blending mode of the layer to "darken." I really like the way this looks! What do you think?

Spread Four

You may have noticed by now that Big Shot 7 Template is a favorite of mine. I like the 6x8 placeholder on it. It is a great space to do a lot of journaling in, saving the rest of the pockets for photos. This 6x8 journal card was created in Affinity Photo for iPad using a textured paper from the June Edition of Chapters. I made the title on the card in Affinity as well, but the journaling was done in the Project Life App. The "love is sweet" filler card was created in Affinity for iPad, too. This could have easily been done in the Project Life App, but I really wanted to have access to the glyphs of the font I used and couldn't access them in the PL App. The 3x4 journal card was created in the Small Prints section of the Project Life App using one of the textured papers from the June Edition of Chapters. The little heart swoosh is the Ding Dong Extras font I installed in the Project Life App.

Spread Five

Again, the journal cards were created in the Project Life app using a blue textured paper from the June Edition of Chapters. The filler card in the bottom left was done directly in the Project Life Template (Design A). I used the weather wood textured paper from the April Edition of Chapters (it coordinated with the stage at the brewery). Three text boxes were added by using the Free Form Text option in the app to add the words and dingbat heart. For the image in the 6x8 placeholder, I ended up manipulating one of the files from the 6x8 Pocket Frame No.3 Kit to make it work a little better for me here. It was done in Affinity Photo for iPad.

Spread Six

Last night on my Instagram feed I asked: "How do you get 17 photos, 3 journal cards, and one filler card in a double-page, pocket-style spread with 16 place holders?" It's by using POCKET FRAMES!!! Can you tell I am loving these Pocket Frame templates? I mean how else would I be able to get all of the photos you see on these pages to fit within one double-page spread??? You can't. They are so handy and a huge asset to have in my digital tool box! I am just over the moon with these. I'm so happy to be able to combine so many photos and stories on a double-page spread like this! 

Have you given Pocket Frames a try? I have a freebie with two circle Pocket Frames for you to test on in this blog post. Give them a try! I know you are going to love them and want more!!! And when you do, check out all of the Pocket Frames available in the Pixels To Pages Shop!

That's it for Part One! I am finishing up the other layouts for June and will share them early next week, if not sooner! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below!!!

 

TWENTY22 CHAPTER FIVE : MAY

I'm really happy to be sharing Chapter Five of my Twenty22 Family Yearbook with you this Sunday evening! Photos and stories from May are documented in three spreads with a title page and an end page for my "film adaptation" video QR code.

The pages were created on my iPad Pro using the following products and mobile apps:

• The Project Life App
• Affinity Photo for iPad
• Chapters May Kit
• 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 1
• 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 2
• 4x6 Pocket Frames No. 3
• 3x4 Pocket Frames No. 1

Before I go into my May pages, I wanted to remind everyone about two things. First, there are only a few hours left to purchase the Summertime Journal Block Party Kits. I brought them out of the vault for this weekend only. They will go back into the vault this evening at 10pm EST. Here is a link to see the kits in the shop!

Second, tomorrow, June 6, is the last day to register for my new class Type Talk! Registration will close tomorrow night and class begins this Friday, June 10. More information about Type Talk can be found here.

On to May Pages:

Title Page:

Title page was created by using the Design W template in the Project Life app. One of the title cards from the Chapters May Kit kit was placed in the center placeholder. Other placeholders were filled with the white card found in the Neutral Kit in the app. Shadows were turned off on this page.

Spread One

In the spread above you can see the 6x12 Calendar Card from the May Edition of the Chapters Collection. This is placed in the Big Shot A Template from the Project Life app and I will ALWAYS use this template on the left hand side of the first spread for each month. I created the Run for the Roses journal card in Affinity Photo for iPad using the red texture background from the May Edition of the Chapters Collection. Other products from my shop used on this spread include the 4x6 Pocket Frame No. 1 and No. 2 Kits, and the 3x4 Pocket Frame No. 1 Kit.

Spread Two

I love the bright color palette of the May Edition of Chapters! The journal cards on the left side of the spread are ones that aren't intended for the size placeholders you see them in! The 3x4 journal card at the top is really a 6x8 journal card. The "This May Moment" journal card at the bottom is a 4x3. I just moved it within the placeholder so you can only see the left part of the card. I am so glad I created 4x4 cards specifically for QR Codes linking to a variety of video I've been taking. Adding video to my album this year has been so much fun. Once I placed the QR Code on that 4x4 filler card, I exported it to my camera roll and then placed it in one of the Pocket Frames from the 3x4 Pocket Frame No. 1 Kit. 

The 3x4 journal card on the right side of the spread is actually a 4x6 card from this month's kit. The 4x6 card doesn't exactly match the aspect ration of a 3x4, but I am still able to pull it off!

The "Surprise" label on the top photo was created using two free form text boxes in the Project Life App.

Spread Three

I can't even be to tell you how happy I am with the left side of this spread. It's my absolute favorite from this month. I am a HUGE Dave Matthews fan. Earlier in the year while checking his 2022 tour schedule, I noticed he didn't have a show scheduled for Tampa. The closest one was in Orlando. I didn't think to keep checking to see if he was adding more concerts. I only found out about the concert after a friend posted she was looking forward to the concert the following week! OMG! I can't believe I almost missed this! I ended up getting tickets for 8 under the pavilion (this girl isn't sitting in the lawn anymore). SO MUCH FUN!!! My throat hurt for days from all the screaming! Such a great show!

The photo with DMB on it is a picture I took and added text to in Affinity Photo for iPad. Love the way it turned out. Our friend Tom took the pic of all of us in our seats. I took a screenshot of the setlist from DMBs website to remember all the songs that were played!

A pocket frame from the 4x6 Pocket Frame No. 3 Kit was used to add three more photos and text. I love these frames!!!!

The three other photos I included were pulled from the Dave Matthews Band Facebook page (I did give photo cred!). He has an amazing photographer that travels with him to each show and he posts photos each night after the concert. I especially love the one where he is writing out the setlist! Yes, they are low resolution–suitable for an 8x8 print, though. I print my albums at 10x10, so I'm not that concerned if they are a little grainy.

The 4x6 journal card on the right side of the spread is one I made in the Project Life app using the Terrazzo pattern digital paper from the May Kit!

End Page

Feel free to scan the QR Code above. It's just a 45-second clip of daily video I took using the 1 Second Everyday App. I may have missed one or two days in May, but I'm not going to stress about it! I love experimenting with video! These are so much fun to go back and watch!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this post! Feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have below! The June Edition of Chapters will be released on May 14th!