Junior Year by Summer Fullerton

Hello, there!

Thank you so much for joining me again today for the September edition of “OLD NEW BORROWED COOL!” September means the coming of Fall and what some call the happiest of holidays – BACK TO SCHOOL! (Do I hear cheers or cries out there, fellow mamas?!) Since we’re on the subject of “school”, I am forced to make a confession. Okay, there will probably be a couple of confessions by the time we get through here, but let’s start with this one:

My name is Kelly Goree and I collect all scrapbooking papers that are school related!

(Everyone say “Hi, Kelly!”) Yep. True story.

Now notice I said “collect” and not use or “scrapbook with” or anything else that would imply that they were continually moving in and out of my stash. Oh no. I swear I have school-themed papers that are at least five years old (and that’s probably being really conservative)!

So with that said, I now come to confession #2.

My name is Kelly Goree and back-to-school shopping is NOT just for my kids.

I can admit it. Those 25¢ boxes of 24 Crayola Crayons do me in every time. That could possibly also go back to my childhood obsession of coloring and coloring box. But I digress. Wait! Is that confession #3? Anyhow…I love the smell and look of brand new school items. The markers, notebooks, crayons, and yes, even glue sticks are my own personal drug of choice…right next to my McDonald’s diet Coke.  I keep my own personal stash of fun new items that I call “the boys’” and pilfer from it at will.

And that’s just where this month’s edition of Old New Borrowed Coolcomes in! Let’s reference back to confession #1 and remind ourselves that while I adore collection school-themed scrapbook papers (and embellishments – I’m equal opportunity after all!) I never seem to use them. And not only don’t I seem to use them, I don’t even seem to find the time to scrapbook “back to school” or school events at all! I mean I still have first day of school photos from several years ago waiting to find a home! What a huge omission considering that’s where my boys spend the bulk of their days, don’t you think? So I decided to remedy all of that for me (and you!) here today!

So first I sat down and pulled out almost every scrapbooking product I could find that could possibly be considered school-related. It wasn’t too hard since I keep most of it in its own little (very dusty!) bin. I included a few fun things that were new and I thought might inspire me to actually get a layout done! I tell you, it was almost overwhelming, but I persevered! To keep myself focused and on-task, I went hunting in my archives of scrapbook sketches. I have oodles on file but by far my faves are from PageMaps and SCT’s own Becky Fleck! They always help get my mojo going when the task seems daunting. I came across this darling five-photo sketch (FIVE!) on an 8.5”x11” layout that just struck me because I’ll tell you I have been loving scrapbooking in that size and format lately! It’s such a nice change of pace and I love the more eclectic look it gives my albums. If you’re counting I think we’re at confession #4…or is it 5?  I set it as a goal to use some form of school supply on my layout. I had grand ideas of making a frame from ruler pieces, a monogram from pencils or even doing a fun crayon-resist technique ala my girl Vicki Boutin but that just didn’t happen. The papers I ended up picking were just too busy for too much “stuff”, so I kept it more on the simple side. Though I was determined to get a cool supply in there somehow – and this the pencil as a border was born! And in the end, I love it! Even better than that I’m now inspired to do more school pages especially since I have all my supplies already out! Be watching for that pencil monogram, I’m telling you!

Old New Borrowed Cool Supplies

This month’s final selections were:

OLD: I can’t even name it because it’s THAT old, but think old Crate Paper, Imagination Project, October Afternoon (and more) school-themed paper + BasicGrey Oxford chipboard shapes + (I think it’s) Making Memories number brads

NEW: Stampin’ Up’s adorable school line, PageMaps/ Spellbinders die templates + some fun new things from BasicGrey (like the adorable micro mono alphabet stickers!)

BORROWED: A pack of brand-new pencils from my son’s back to school stash (don’t tell him!) + Becky Fleck’s PageMaps sketches

COOL: This fun FIVE photo 8.5”x11” layout to document the first day of school!

Old New Borrowed Cool

I hope you enjoyed this addition of “Old New Borrowed Cool”!  And now I have a special “homework” assignment for just you! With the kids now at school, I challenge you to find some time for yourself – time to get creating! Go grab yourself a box of colorful crayons or some uber-sharp pencils and get to work! Document the first day of school or that science fair or the latest dance. Make yourself the monogram I mentioned. Follow a fun sketch that as Becky herself would say “twirls your skirt” or even challenge yourself to scrapbook in a different SIZE than you normally do! But whatever you choose, just do something to document an event in your life and have FUN with it! Happy Creating!

Kelly Goree Signature