Tuesday Tutorials : Jennifer McGuire

Welcome to the first edition of a new weekly series: Tuesday Tutorials.

One of my favorite parts of scrapbooking, and life in general, is learning new things. My goal with Tuesday Tutorials is to develop an archive of fantastic how-to posts from a variety of different people interested in the pursuit of documenting life & making stuff along the way. I hope these posts will challenge the way in which you approach this hobby by encouraging you to stretch beyond your comfort zone and try something new. Consider me the curator.

This week I welcome Jennifer McGuire as my guest (read her bio at the end of this post). She has put together a great video that will walk you through seven different techniques on three layouts. I also love her whole approach with these pages: simple, repeated design with room to play (and a moment captured). I am definitely feeling inspired after watching this video. Thank you Jennifer!

Jennifer : I’ll be straight here - I am not great at design, journaling or "telling my story." And since I'm not good at it, I don't fully enjoy it. What I do enjoy is new techniques, favorite photos and using products creatively. To me, these make up the playful side of creating – where the true joy of the hobby exists. Because of this I decided to start focusing on creating in this playful way.

I recently started an album using favorite photos and funny one-liners from my 3-year-old son (he is famous for these). To keep it simple the basic design of the pages is the same throughout, with designated areas on each page to try new techniques. Each layout has a large quote - allowing me to use up some letter stickers and rub-ons - and favorite products used in a creative way. For me, this is perfect: I get to play with product and capture some playful moments. That is what I love.

By the way, I do put all my other memories in a plain scrapbook with nothing but photos and journaling on black paper. This has allowed me to release the pressures of traditional scrapbooking and enjoy it again.

I asked Jennifer if she could show me what these albums look like and she graciously obliged. Check out her blog today for more information on how she puts these albums together.

Here's a closer look at the layouts Jennifer creates in the above video:

Techniques : Layered Stamp Resist, Inked Die Cut Background, Enhancing Patterned Paper With Stamping, Punched Circle Window
"Virgin Gorda" by Jennifer McGuire :
Hero Arts stamps (woodgrain), Doodlebug and American Crafts letter stickers, Crate
Paper paper, the Silhouette, Distress Inks, Versamark, Ranger Clear
Embossing Powder, EK Success circle punch, Papertrey Ink Twine, Hero
Arts black gems, Corner Chomper, sewing machine.

Techniques : Peeled Resist Canvas, Watered Distress Ink
"Flirting" by Jennifer McGuire :Hero Arts stamp, Making Memories and Doodlebug
letter stickers, the Silhouette, Distress Inks and Embossing Ink,
Ranger Clear Embossing Powder, K&Company and Cosmo Cricket paper,
Claudine Hellmuth Sticky Canvas and paints, Stampin’ Up heart punch, EK
Success circle punch, Papertrey Ink Twine, Hero Arts black gems, Corner
Chomper, sewing machine.

Technique : Faux Embossed Leather
"OK" by Jennifer McGuire :American Crafts letter stickers, Quickutz embossing
folder, Basic Grey, Sassafrass and Cosmo Cricket paper, Distress Inks,
Paper Studio butterfly punch, EK Success circle punch, Papertrey Ink
Twine, Hero Arts pearls, Corner Chomper, sewing machine, the Revolution.

If you like the techniques
shown on these projects, be sure to check out Jennifer's upcoming 9 week
Thinking Inking class starting June 15 at twopeasinabucket.com.
Each week will have three technique videos (27 in total!), showing
numerous techniques using Hero Arts and Ranger products. For more
information and links, visit jennifermcguireink.com.

Jennifer McGuire has been scrapbooking, cardmaking and stamping for 6 years. In this time, she has been published in many idea books and magazines. Currently, her work can be seen each month in Creating Keepsakes, where her article shows the many things you can do with one tool or product. Jennifer also loves working as a designer for Hero Arts Rubber Stamps, contributing to their designs, catalogs, website and blog. She most enjoys teaching. After cutting back on travel, she now gets her “teaching-fix” via how-to videos on her blog, jennifermcguireink.com. She also enjoys contributing to Two Peas in a Bucket.

Jennifer lives in Cincinnati working as a crafter and stay-at-home mom. Almost 6 years ago, Jennifer left her job as an engineer in order to scrapbook full-time. Her family includes her dear husband, Ken, step-daughters, Kay (14) and Audrey (11), and new son, Colin (3).

Do you have a step by step project or creative tutorial you would like to see featured here?

To be considered email your completed project, including the how-to text, to ali at aliedwardsdesign dot com. If your project is chosen you will be paid for your creative time & effort. Please include Tuesday Tutorials in the subject line.

Wondering what happened to Three Things? Look for it to appear again from time to time on Thursdays.