Sundays are for slowing down — for wrapping up the week in gratitude and reflection. This week’s Shared Tables & Gatherings theme reminded me how connection isn’t just built in grand events, but in the quiet, simple rituals that fill our days with meaning.
I looked back at this week — the laughter with friends, the creative flow, the colors of the Painted Hills — and realized each piece is part of my story. Scrapbooking and journaling help me hold onto those moments before they fade into the everyday.
Try This:
Print one photo from this week that makes you smile.
Write a short note about why it mattered.
Add it to your journal or scrapbook — even a single page can capture an entire feeling.
Journaling Prompt:
What moment this week felt the most “you”? What gratitude do you want to carry into next week?
As you settle into a cozy Sunday evening, remember: your story is worth documenting. 💛 Join me in the Gems Paper Scissors VIP group tonight as we share our favorite moments and reflect on the connections that filled our week.
Last weekend, I’m stepped out of my craft room and into the wide-open beauty of Oregon’s Painted Hills. The colors, the quiet, and the connection to the people I love reminded me why I create — to hold onto these moments a little longer.
The natural layers in the Painted Hills felt like a scrapbook page built by the earth itself — textures and colors that tell stories millions of years old. It’s a perfect reminder that connection is also layered: between family, friends, and self.
Spending the day with my best friend and my daughter grounded me in joy. It reminded me that creativity doesn’t always look like paper and ink — sometimes it’s laughter echoing on a trail, or a shared snack after a long hike.
Try This:
Print a few photos from a recent outdoor adventure.
Use natural colors — clay reds, sky blues, wheat tones — in your next layout.
Add handwritten journaling to capture the feelings behind the photo.
Where do you feel most connected — in nature, at home, or in community? What colors or textures remind you of that feeling?
Join me this week in documenting the moments that ground you. Share a photo or journaling snippet in the VIP group — your story might inspire someone else to pause and reconnect.
There’s something special about gathering around a table — whether it’s for crafting, sharing a meal, or laughing with friends. This week’s Celebrate Together Double Layout is all about capturing those shared moments that make life feel full.
As part of our Cozy Connections theme, I wanted to create a layout that honors the joy of belonging — because celebration doesn’t always need a reason; sometimes it’s just about being together.
Layered photo mats help each memory stand out while still feeling connected across both pages.
Add journaling strips or handwritten notes to capture real voices from the day.
Reflection Prompt: Think of your favorite gathering — what made it memorable? Was it the food, the laughter, the people, or just the feeling of being together?
CTA: Every story deserves a place to belong. Join my VIP Group or explore this month’s Stampin’ Up! specials to celebrate your creativity and connections with others who get it.
Intro: Sometimes, all it takes to turn an ordinary day into something extraordinary is a little burst of color. 🌈 This week, we’re celebrating Shared Tables & Gatherings — those joyful moments when creativity, conversation, and connection come together.
The Fun Fold Rainbow Card perfectly embodies that joy. It’s bright, unexpected, and playful — a reminder that sharing our creativity is one of the most beautiful ways to spread light.
Creative Details: I used the Boho Vibes Suite Collection again here, blending soft boho tones with a pop of rainbow. The fold adds surprise and movement — the kind of delight that makes the recipient smile before they even read the message inside.
Tips to Try: 1️⃣ Play with dimension. Use foam adhesive for layers that pop. 2️⃣ Balance your rainbow. Mix warm and cool tones to create harmony. 3️⃣ Leave room for a personal message. The fold gives you extra space — use it for gratitude, encouragement, or love.
Reflection Prompt: Who brings a burst of color into your life? Send them a little joy today — even if it’s just a message that says, “You make my world brighter.”
CTA: Creativity is joy in motion. Join my Gems Paper Scissors VIP group to connect with others who believe in sharing light and love through papercrafting.
As we move into week two of Cozy Connections, our focus shifts to Shared Tables and Gatherings — those moments where creativity, comfort, and companionship come together. Whether it’s crafting side-by-side, sharing a warm drink, or making time for laughter with loved ones, connection thrives when it’s shared.
Project Focus: Today’s Hello Darling Card is my little invitation to joy — cheerful, heartfelt, and perfectly cozy. The warm autumn palette from the Boho Vibes Suite sets the tone for togetherness, while soft textures mimic the feeling of gathering around the table with friends.
Creative Notes:
Use cozy neutrals paired with pops of sunshine yellow or coral.
Add texture with embossing or a ribbon accent for that “woven together” feeling.
Stamp your sentiment as a personal hello — a reminder that small gestures make big connections.
Reflection Prompt: Who could use a friendly hello this week? Maybe it’s someone you haven’t seen in a while — or someone you share quiet creative moments with.
CTA: Want to bring warmth and connection into your crafting circle? Join my VIP Group or explore Stampin’ Up!’s October Starter Kit special— where community, creativity, and joy come standard.
One of my favorite things about October is how stories naturally gather around us—pumpkin patches, first chilly mornings, kids back in school, or even just a walk among crunchy leaves. Preserving these stories in a scrapbook layout is my way of offering a warm welcome to the season.
Today, I’m sharing a 6×8 Double Layout using the Boho Vibes Suite. This size is perfect: small enough to feel cozy, yet large enough to capture the heart of a memory.
Warm Welcomes in Storytelling
This week’s affirmation is guiding me as I craft:
“I welcome comfort and connection into my life with open arms.”
Scrapbooking is one of the most powerful ways to live this affirmation. Every photo we print, every story we write, every embellishment we choose says: “This moment matters. You are welcome in my story.”
Creative Tips for Cozy Layouts
Here are 3 ways you can infuse warmth into your scrapbook pages this season:
Layer in Texture: Try vellum, fabric scraps, or embossed cardstock to mimic the feeling of blankets and sweaters.
Highlight Connection: Use photos of shared moments—family dinners, laughter with friends, quiet moments with a pet.
Journaling with Heart: Write a short note of welcome: “I’m so glad you’re here,” or “This moment was worth holding close.”
Reflection Prompt
Take a moment to think:
What memory this fall feels worth welcoming onto a page?
Who in your life would feel honored to see themselves in your story?
Join My Team – October Special
Scrapbooking isn’t just about pages—it’s about people. My Stampin’ Up! team is built on community, and this October, you can join with one of the best Starter Kit offers ever. Together, we celebrate stories, creativity, and the joy of connection.
If you’ve been waiting for a sign, maybe this is your warm welcome.
Coming Up Next
Oct 5: Cozy Week One Recap Blog (projects + reflection)
Oct 7: Newsletter Issue #1 for October ✉️
✨ Remember: when you craft this week, you’re not just making a page—you’re welcoming stories into your heart and giving them a home.
As we settle into October, I’m reminded how even small touches of brightness can warm a season of change. The air may be crisper, the nights a little longer, but creativity always offers us a cozy glow.
Today’s project, the Hello Sunshine Card, is all about bringing that glow to someone’s day. Sunshine doesn’t just come from the sky—it comes from our words, our gestures, and the connections we nurture.
Cozy Connections: Warm Welcomes
This week’s affirmation is:
“I welcome comfort and connection into my life with open arms.”
Welcomes don’t always have to be big or grand. Sometimes it’s saying hello in the simplest way—just like this card. A cheerful “hello” can be a warm welcome, an open door, or even a reminder that we are not alone.
Creative Inspiration
For this card, I leaned into the Boho Vibes Suite for warm, earthy tones balanced with a splash of brightness. It feels like a cozy autumn morning where the sun peeks through the window and lights up the room.
Try this for your own cozy creations:
Pair warm yellows with soft teals for balance.
Emboss or layer textures to create a snug, tactile feeling.
Use a “hello” sentiment as a welcoming anchor.
Reflection Prompt
Take a moment today to ask yourself:
Who could use a little sunshine in their day?
How might you send a warm welcome their way—through a card, a text, or even a smile?
Write down one name and consider creating something small but meaningful for them this week.
Join My Team – October Special
This season, I’d also love to extend a warm welcome to YOU.
Stampin’ Up! has made October the best time to join, with two incredible Starter Kit offers. Beyond the savings and early access, you’ll be stepping into a community that shines light and joy every single day. Creativity is brighter when shared, and there’s always room for more sunshine in our circle.
Coming Up Next
Oct 3: Cozy Double Layout (YouTube & FB)
Oct 5: Warm Welcomes Week Recap Blog
✨ Until then, keep crafting sunshine and remember: your creativity is a light that welcomes connection.
There’s something magical about October. The air turns crisp, mornings are softer, and we find ourselves craving warmth—whether that’s through a cozy blanket, a candlelit evening, or the comfort of creative time at our desk.
This month at Gems Paper Scissors, our theme is Cozy Connections. All month long, we’ll be exploring the ways creativity helps us slow down, reflect, and connect—with ourselves, with our loved ones, and with the stories that matter most.
Week One: Warm Welcomes
To begin, our first sub-theme is Warm Welcomes with the affirmation:
“I welcome comfort and connection into my life with open arms.”
Warm welcomes don’t have to be big, elaborate gestures. Sometimes they’re as simple as a handmade card tucked into the mailbox, a thoughtful journaling note in your scrapbook, or a smile at just the right time.
This week, I’ll be sharing projects that reflect this feeling of welcome—starting with my Thanks Rainbow Card. Rainbows always remind me of inclusivity, hope, and belonging, and what better way to say “you’re welcome here” than with a handmade thank-you?
Reflection Prompt
Take a moment to reflect:
Who in your life could use a warm welcome right now?
What small gesture could you create this week to remind them they matter?
Write it down, journal about it, or even better—craft it into a card or layout.
Join My Team in October
Warm welcomes are also about community, and I’d love to extend a warm welcome to YOU.
Stampin’ Up! is offering the best Starter Kit special ever this October. You can choose from two incredible offers to begin your creative journey, and beyond the products, you’ll be joining a circle of crafters who uplift, support, and inspire one another.
When you join my team, you’re not just getting supplies—you’re entering a safe, joyful, and empowering space where your creativity can thrive.
Coming Up This Week
Here’s a little peek at what’s ahead:
Oct 2: Hello Sunshine Card 🌞
Oct 3: 6×8 Cozy Layout 📖
Oct 5: Cozy Week One Recap Blog 🍁
Stay tuned for more inspiration, tips, and stories as we move through October together.
✨ Until then, remember: You are welcome here. Your story matters. And your creativity is a gift to yourself and others.
📌 Next Steps
Watch today’s Thanks Rainbow Card video on Facebook.
Subscribe to the Gems Paper Scissors Podcast to catch Episode 32: Cozy Connections – Warm Welcomes.
You made it. Through this month, through your art, through another page of your story. Whether you created daily or once, showed up with energy or exhaustion—your presence matters. As June comes to a close, today is your invitation to pause, reflect, and notice the growth that bloomed in the light.
🌞 Creative Reflection Is a Form of Self-Care
It’s easy to focus on the projects left undone, the cards unshared, or the journal entries we “meant” to finish. But growth happens in the showing up—not the perfecting.
Take a breath. Then take a moment to ask:
What did I learn about myself through creating this month?
What surprised me in my art or my mindset?
When did I feel most at peace while crafting?
Jot your answers down—or better yet, craft them into a final page or card.
✨ Try This: “Light Reflection Card”
Create a single card or journal page that reflects your month:
Use light-inspired elements: sunbursts, gold foil, vellum, soft pinks or yellows
Write one sentence that completes the phrase: “This month, I rediscovered…”
Add a quote, scripture, or word that encapsulates your theme (e.g. “rise,” “grace,” “glow”)
Place it somewhere visible or share it with your community to encourage others.
Art is more than paper and ink—it’s how we remember who we are becoming. Through every torn edge, soft color, and word written in ink, you’ve shown up for your story. Let this final project be a quiet celebration of that light.
🌼 Want more reflective prompts and creative support? Subscribe to my Creative Newsletter for weekly inspiration and exclusive access to printables, sneak peeks, and healing-centered resources.
From torn paper edges to blended ink to carefully placed embellishments, how you create often mirrors how you heal. Today, we’re slowing down to notice what your artistic tendencies might be saying about your inner world—and how you can honor that insight through your next creative session.
🌙 Creative Expression = Emotional Language
Survivors of trauma, chronic pain warriors, and those on a deep healing path often express emotion through metaphor in their work—even without realizing it.
Here’s what your crafting layers might reflect:
Do you use…
Lots of texture and layering? → You’re processing deeply, building emotional complexity.
Clean lines and simplicity? → You may crave clarity or control in your healing.
Bright colors and loose forms? → You’re tapping into freedom and reclaiming joy.
Neutral tones and softness? → You’re seeking safety, calm, and emotional quiet.
None of these are “right” or “wrong.” They are mirrors—tools to better understand how your healing journey is unfolding.
✨ Try This Prompt: “What Is My Style Saying?”
Create a layout, card, or journal page where you:
Use your natural style—don’t force it.
Observe your choices: What colors? What textures? How many layers?
Reflect on what those choices might be communicating. Write a short note or journal card answering: “What does this page reveal about my healing today?”
This is a creative ritual you can revisit monthly or during transition points.
Your art doesn’t lie. It shows you who you are, where you’ve been, and where light is beginning to return. By embracing your creative style—messy or minimalist—you’re embracing your truth.
🌟 Want to explore this further with monthly prompts and journaling companions? Subscribe to my Weekly Sketch Club and receive printable sketches, healing insights, and layered inspiration delivered each week.
GemsPaperScissors 