Using your iPhone for memory keeping

If you are anything like me, your iPhone is permanently stuck to your hand or at least within arms reach at all times. This has really amped up my memory keeping and the kind of things I document. I have come across some really cool apps for these funky little gadgets we carry.  I want to share with you the ones that I am currently using and how I use them in my Project Life.

We've all heard of Instagram even if we're not sure of what it is. I myself am definitely no expert on this well known app but I have played with the camera and filters endlessly. I honestly until recently only ever used Instagram for printing the photos and using them for my scrapping. However, now I am starting to follow people, have people follow me and now have learnt how to link pics to my Simply Bella Facebook page.  I'm definitely having a lot of fun with Instagram.  To find out more, check out this review.

Artkive is a wonderful app for those of you that have kiddies who love to craft, draw, colour in or create.  It is a way of documenting and taking pics of their artwork and keeping it filed on your phone instead of having piles or boxes of their precious creations in storage.  I have been known to collect every little piece of artistry my little ones make and this makes for quite a collection of work.  I often feel guilty sorting through and working out what to turf and what to keep.  However, with this groovy little app I can sort it as I save it, keep everything and not have a huge pile of artwork stored in my office.  To find out more, check out this review.

Instaquote is another fab app that I use frequently for those funny little things that my kids say and I want to document there and then.  In the past I have kept notebooks to write down the quirky and often funny little things they come away with, but who keeps it with them all the time?  I always have my phone on hand so it's easy to type their 'quotes' in and save them for my Project Life pages, their individual albums, etc.  I always forget these funny moments and this way when I upload to my iMac they are all there in front of me ready to giggle at again.  The great thing with this app though is that you can use it in many ways other than what I have.  To find out more, check out this review.

Notestagram is a little similar to Instaquote.  It's great for Project Life 3x4 journaling inserts and the filters are so much fun to play with.  I use this app more for journaling than I do anything else as I can journal on the run and then print out to insert in my layouts later on.  To find out more, check out this review.

Instaweather has become very popular lately.  I'm seeing more and more people use this everyday but for us scrappers it is a fantastic way of documenting the weather and taking a photo of something relevant to that day's temperature.  I have used this religiously throughout summer to document what we were doing in the heat, swimming, my garden, clothes we were wearing, etc.  This app is definitely one of my favourites as it can include your location, date, temperature, forecasts and more.  I use the Instaweather Pro version which gives you more options. To find out more, check out this review.

Instaplace is absolutely brilliant for those times when you are travelling or somewhere special that you want to remember.  You can simply snap your photo and then the app puts in the details making your pic look awesome and documenting your location.  I really do need to remember to use this app more as it makes for fantastic Project Life and scrapping pages.  To find out more, check out this review.

Phonto is probably my most used app for putting text onto photos.  You can use different fonts on the same photo creating a really professional looking image.  I find it really simple to use and most importantly it allows you to resize and move your text around the photo.  This definitely app gets the thumbs up for me.  To find out more, check out this review.

PicFrame is wonderful for collage creating.  You pick the size of the photo you would like to use and then how many pics you would like to include into that template.  This app has made my life a breeze with including several photos in a particular sized frame.  I use this over and over again for all my scrapping layouts and it's a must for all Project Lifers.  To find out more, check out this review.

WordFoto is great for making really dramatic font effects with your photos.  You really have to take a look at this app to see it's capabilities.  With the right photo and text you can create amazing some images.  Admittedly, not all photos look great with typography but the more you play with this fun app, the more creative you become.  To find out more, check out this review.

And last but definitely not least is PicTapGo.  This app is my newest addition and I am absolutely loving everything about this simple but very powerful photography tool.  This clever little app actually conforms to your style preferences, lets you see your pic with the different filters to help you compare options.  It can make even the dullest photo look fab.  I honestly need to play around with this little beauty more as I am absolutely positive that I have not used it to it's full capacity.  It was highly recommended to me and now I highly recommend it to you for easy and fantastic photo results.  To find out more, go to this review from a fellow crafter.

So there you have it, my favourite iPhone apps for the minute.  As you've probably guessed, this list changes all the time as there are so many new ones coming out everyday.  But these are the apps I always seem to go back to, love using and make my memory keeping easy breezy.  Please feel free to let me know what apps you are using, what your recommendations are and how you use them for you memory keeping.  I love hearing what everyone else is using.

Keep on keeping on peeps,

Kye :)

xo

Project Life 2013 - Week 7

I'm absolutely loving this gorgeous weather we are having today and really want to get out in my garden and enjoy it before the day is over.  But before I do, I want to post my Week 7 of Project Life as it's been staring at me, all laid out on my desk just pleading to be blogged lol. So here goes!

Full layout

Oh and guess what???  I made it through another week without an insert WHOO HOO lol. See, I am getting better and learning to contain myself with that.

Left hand side of layout

Right hand side of layout

This layout was a bit of a quick throw together one and surprisingly turned out quite good. The colours were perfect being that it was the week of Valentine's Day.  The 6"x6" paper pad I used was another by Authentique and was the Celebrate Collection.  Beautiful teals and reds were so much fun to play with.

For the title card this week I punched out flowers and adhered the insides of the letters 'O' from a Thickers sheet.  I try to use any remnants I can and this was one of those times.  This is one of the many reasons that I love Project Life.  My enormous scrap stash is finally getting used as it encourages me to use what I already have lying around.

The beautiful paper pad I used by Authentique

See the missing centres of the letters O?

My Silhouette Cameo was put to good use again with Glossy Accents for my lettering  but of course I still used my favourite Thickers and stickers for some wording.  I decided to use a big tag for the 'Tooth Hurty' story that pulls out and has the journaling on the back.  I simply sliced down one side of the 3x4 pocket and slid the tag inside.  The other little pocket I made from a small cut-off of paper from the paper pad and attached it to the 3x4 card to hold the receipt from the chemist.  I will endeavour to actually scan the receipt and replace it with the original as the paper they use for receipts nowadays seems to fade quite quickly.

So that was about it for this layout, pretty straight forward and quite easy to complete.  I guess the thing I am finding out about my 'Project Life style' is that my layouts always seem to look quite busy but in actual fact, it's more that I tend to use bright and colourful patterned papers.  It's then just a matter of a little lettering and some simple embellies to make my layouts 'pop'.

As much as I try and tone down the 'busyness', I find I am always drawn back to 'scrapping' each little pocket insert.  And you know what?  That's fine, because that's what I love doing, it's my style and it works for me.  I need to stop comparing my layouts to some of the AMAZING work that is out there.  I just LOVE some of the simple and contemporary styles I've seen; some are just out of this world.  But no matter how hard I try to keep things simple, I just can't do it.  I guess my layouts reflect me, my personality and my life as it is now. . . Bright, bubbly, busy, colourful and with lots going on LOL.  So from now on I will embrace my 'busy' style with a huge grin on my face, for it is me :)))

So there you have it, Week 7.  Now it's time for me to get out in that sunshine and get stuck into that garden of mine before dinner and I watch The Block finale. . .  Soooooooo excited :)

Adios amigos :)

Kye

xo

Project Life 2013 - Week 6

Talk about a crazy week to try and catch up with my layouts and blog!  What the kitty cats was I thinking?  LOL  I thought it was going to be a serene, laid back kinda week.  You know those ones where you can just mosey on along and things just get done without hassle?  Nope, didn't happen!  It was crazy out-of-whack week but funnily enough, I got through and most things still got done.  Well, except for me getting on here and blogging about week 6, but I'm here now and that's what counts. :)

I picked up some gorgeous 6"x6" pads from the Melbourne Scrapbook & Papercraft Expo last week and one of them was from the Gathering range by Authentique.  You will definitely be seeing me use more of their signature heavy weight textured paper as I loved their colours, quality and thickness.

Of course my Silhouette Cameo got a workout too this week.  It's so convenient to have any lettering I need on hand with just a click of a button.  I'm still totally in love with my new toy and think this will be an everlasting relationship.  My washi tape was put to good use too.  The colours were perfect for my Typo tape I bought a few weeks back.

Lot's of blank parcel tags were used for my journaling by just printing straight onto them.  I normally print a draft onto plain white paper and then just adhere my tag over the top.  Being careful to line it up where I want my text to go and then simply running it back through the printer again.

Again, another busy looking layout however quite simple to put together.  I hope you like it and feel free to leave a comment.

Now to get some washing done and wait for my photos to print for weeks 7, 8 and 9.  Hold out on me ink, I really don't want to go out in that 37 degree heat today and you're all I have left in stock! LOL ;)

Ciao chookens,
Kye :)

xox