Changes At Home with Jen McMurtrey

This year has brought a lot of change into everyone’s life, but some changes can be a good thing! Spending more time at home with family has brought about a lot of renovation projects, and design team member Jen McMurtrey has used our September kit and add-ons to record a big change in her own home! Let’s see what she made!

Hey friends! This year has definitely been one of change; however, one change that has certainly been positive is my being able to update our kitchen. Happily, the Elle’s Studio September kit paired with the adorable new My Heart Metal Die is the perfect match to record my kitchen’s transformation.

Each fall I wait with baited breath to see what new goodies Elle has up her sleeve, and she most definitely does not disappoint! When I saw the Autumn Days Paper Stack, I was immediately in love and knew I would use it with these photos.

Supplies | September 2020 Kit, September 2020 Cut Files, September 2020 Print and Cut Labels, Cozy Chipboard, Home Wood Veneer, Stitched Heart Wood Veneers, Autumn Days 6 x 8.5 inch Paper Stack, My Heart Metal Die, Typewriter Alphabet Stamp

To begin this spread in my album, I chose several of the Autumn Days patterned papers and cut a bunch of hearts with the My Heart Metal Die. Initially, I had planned on using more of them, but ended up using a fraction of what I cut. I simply tucked the extras away to use on other projects. With all of the hearts cut, I began assembling my pages.

Keeping the story front and center, I journaled on a tag from the September 2020 Kit, machine stitched around the border, and placed it in the first pocket. Below that is a photo of the kitchen as it looked before we began updating. I printed the picture small enough to fit in the 3″ x 4″ pocket and adhered it to layered patterned papers. Next, I used the Typewriter Alphabet Stamp to create the “before” sentiment on the photo. To add a bit of color and texture, I stitched a die cut heart to the photo and glued a small Stitched Heart Wood Veneer on top.

I love creating unique elements to add to my projects. To give this spread a bit of pizazz, I machine stitched more of the die cut hearts to a piece of transparency paper and adhered the Home Wood Veneer on top of them. Doing so provided a break between pages and added visual interest to the spread.

Immediately following the transparency paper is a smaller photo of one side of the kitchen. Because of the angle of the photo, I wasn’t able to print it as large as I had intended. Rather than back it with patterned paper, I added it as a smaller page that fits nicely underneath the transparency. 

Keeping with the theme of the previous pages, I stitched hearts to the photo and added a banner from the Cozy Chipboard.

Next was my large photo, which is the last in this four-page spread. Here, I backed the photo with patterned paper before stitching hearts to the bottom-right corner. To balance the page, I added a die cut from the September Kit with two more of the Stitched Heart Wood Veneer pieces.

Not only am I loving my new kitchen, I love how this project turned out. The pages of varying sizes add fun elements to the album and capture my story perfectly. 

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Remember to post the projects you create with the September kit and add-ons, post to Instagram, and use the #EllesStudio tag, or share in our Elle’s Studio Facebook Group! You never know! Your project might be featured on the Elle’s Studio blog! Have a great day!

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