Halloween Highlights with September Guest Designer Kat Benjamin

Today we welcome Kat Benjamin back for her second post with us this month! If you missed her first post, head there to see how she used our September products to create one amazing layout with lots of texture, but without a [real] stitch in sight! Today Kat has another layout to share with us with a totally different feel, one perfect for someone to record all of the fun that fall brings! Let’s take a look!

Hello everyone! It’s Kat here again to share my second post as a guest designer this month. I really wanted to create a fun Halloween layout to highlight all the awesome products in the September kit and add-ons, so I decided to do a layout that wrapped up our whole Halloween season last year. If your family is anything like mine, you probably do lots of activities throughout October, including a pumpkin patch visit, decorating for Halloween, and of course, the big day of trick-or-treating!

Supplies | September 2021 KitSeptember 2021 LabelsAutumn Die CutsBanner Stickers, Gray Jane Tile Alphabet Cardstock Stickers, Halloween Cardstock StickersAutumn Puffy Hearts, Home Sewn Stitches Acetate StickersThankful Paper StackLarge Jane Alphabet Stamp – Outline

I had a lot of different photos from the month that I wanted to include, so I decided to create a grid layout.  I mixed my photos with squares of patterned paper.  

I embellished the squares with a variety of the fun things included in this month’s release – puffy hearts, labels, those amazing Halloween cardstock stickers.  I also added a title made with both Medium and Large Jane stamps and on the same patterned papers that were sprinkled throughout my grid.

I finished off the layout by adding the acetate stickers around the outside of my layout (in addition to my usual rips) and on some of the grid squares.

A big thank you again to both Elle and Meghann for having me this month.  I had so much fun creating with these products and I still have ideas brewing for more projects to create with this release.

Hi!  My name is Kat and I’m so excited to be joining you this month. I am a wife to Eric and a Mama to Piper (the girl) and Moose (the dog). We are lucky to be living in sunny Southern California right now, so we spend our weekends playing on the beach or going on small adventures around our town. I work full-time, but try to get my scrappy time whenever I can, as my “paper therapy” is very important! I also try to work out everyday and read at least a few books each month. My scrap style is pretty simple, but I try to make it as colorful as possible.

Be sure to follow Kat on Instagram and her blog to see more of her amazing designs. Thank you so much for inspiring us this month, Kat! We have loved having you here!

Not So Spooky with Jackie Ashton

Hi crafters! It’s Jackie here today, sharing a layout I created with the lovely September kit and add-ons. We are not big fans of Halloween in my house, so I do not have many photographs of us dressed up for the occasion, but when I found this Halloween snapshot from a few years ago, I knew the new release was ideal for documenting it! 

Supplies | September 2021 Kit, September 2021 Labels, Gray Jane Tile Alphabet Cardstock Stickers, Halloween Cardstock Stickers, Gold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy Stickers, Wood Veneer Banners, Thankful Paper StackHome Sewn Stitches Stamp, Thankful StampBanners Metal Die

To give my photograph a base, I cut two sheets from the Thankful Paper Stack vertically and added to my cardstock. I accented my photo with two journaling tags from the September 2021 Kit and stamped “love this” from the Thankful Stamp. My initial ideal was just to use the orange hues from this release, but I wanted a pop of colour. I love this dark teal patterned paper from the Thankful Paper Stack and it helped me to add just the colour I needed.

The September Labels, and Kit die cuts were ideal for adding a cluster above my photograph. 

I love the new Banners Metal Die, and the banners I cut using it and the Thankful Paper Stack were perfect to add some detail to beneath my photograph topped with a Wood Veneer Banners. As I was documenting a Halloween style photograph, I added some fun stickers from Halloween Cardstock Stickers

Adding my journaling to one of the journaling tags from the September 2021 Kit and stamp details from the Thankful Stamp.

I love how this page came together! I initially limited myself to orange hues from this release, but by adding a pop of teal it draws your eye toward the centre of the page and my photo. 

Thank you for stopping by and I hope this layout has inspired you to scrap your ‘not traditionally’ Halloween photographs using this fabulous September kit and add-ons.

Find the fun Halloween Cardstock Stickers that Jackie used to accent her page in the shop today while supplies last!

September Design Team Inspiration: Volume Three

Happy Friday! Today’s the day—we have our last round of amazingly inspiring projects from our design team below using our newest September kit and add-ons! Take a look at these beautiful, fall-feeling projects: from layouts to traveler’s notebooks and pin your favorite today to inspire you over the weekend!

Thankful by Sarah Kee – supplies used | September 2021 Kit, September 2021 LabelsAutumn Die CutsGray Jane Tile Alphabet Cardstock StickersHome Sewn Stitches Acetate Stickers, Thankful Paper Stack, Home Sewn Stitches StampThankful Stamp

Strbske-Pleso by Katerina Prevendarova – supplies used | September 2021 Kit, September 2021 LabelsAutumn Die CutsBanner Stickers, Jane Tile Alphabet Cardstock Stickers – Light Teal, Autumn Puffy Hearts, Thankful Paper Stack, Thankful Stamp, Lizzy Alphabet Stamp, Nesting Tags Metal Die

Thankful notebook spread by Marsha Farris – supplies used | September 2021 Kit, September 2021 LabelsAutumn Die Cuts, Autumn Puffy Hearts, Wood Veneer Banners, Wood Veneer Leaves, Thankful Paper Stack, Home Sewn Stitches Stamp, Thankful Stamp, Daily Tabs Stamp

Spooktacular by Jackie Ashton – supplies used | September 2021 Kit, Gray Cardstock Basic Shape Stickers, Gray Jane Tile Alphabet Cardstock Stickers, Halloween Cardstock Stickers, Autumn Puffy HeartsThankful Paper Stack, Home Sewn Stitches Stamp, Thankful Stamp

Love This Connection by Kim Chaffin – supplies used | September 2021 Kit, Autumn Die CutsThankful Stamp

Shaker Village by Jody Compton – supplies used | September 2021 KitSeptember 2021 LabelsAutumn Die Cuts, Banner Stickers, Gray Jane Tile Alphabet Cardstock StickersAutumn Puffy HeartsThankful Paper Stack

November 2017 pocket page spread by Meg Gundlach – supplies used | September 2021 Kit, September Print and Cut Labels, Banner Stickers, Autumn Puffy Hearts, Thankful Paper Stack, Home Sewn Stitches Stamp, Thankful Stamp, Jane Alphabet Stamp, Pocket, Frame, and Flip Up Metal Die

Our Pumpkin notebook spread by Patricia Roebuck – supplies used | September 2021 KitAutumn Die Cuts, Banner StickersGray Cardstock Basic Shape Stickers, Home Sewn Stitches Acetate StickersWood Veneer BannersThankful Paper StackHome Sewn Stitches Stamp

Yosemite by Nathalie Leonelli – supplies used | September 2021 KitAutumn Die CutsAutumn Puffy HeartsThankful Paper StackHome Sewn Stitches StampMini Dated Stamp

Hello Autumn traveler’s notebook spread by Wei Wei Wang – supplies used | September 2021 KitSeptember 2021 LabelsAutumn Die CutsGray Jane Tile Alphabet Cardstock StickersAutumn Puffy HeartsGold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy StickersWhite Puffy Alphabet StickersHome Sewn Stitches Acetate StickersWood Veneer BannersThankful Paper StackHome Sewn Stitches StampThankful StampPocket, Frame, and Flip Up Metal Die, Labels Metal Die

Stay tuned for more from our design team using the September kit and add-ons until our October kit is live on October 10th at 8am PST. Until then, please share what YOU are creating with your new products on Instagram using the hashtag #EllesStudio or in our Elle’s Studio Facebook Group!

Throwback Thursday: Layout to Traveler’s Notebook with Nathalie Leonelli

Hello crafty friends! It’s Nathalie here and I have a new spread to share in my ongoing Yosemite adventure notebook. I always find great ideas while looking back at design team projects and one in particular recently caught my eye, this fantastic layout created by Melissa Mann in September 2020:

I love its design, which was perfect for the two vertical photos I had, and I could imagine it adapted to a smaller scale to fit onto my notebook page. 

Supplies |  September 2021 Kit, September 2021 LabelsAutumn Die Cuts, Halloween Cardstock StickersJane Tile Alphabet Cardstock Stickers – Black, White Typewriter Alphabet Cardstock StickersAutumn Puffy Hearts, Thankful Paper StackHome Sewn Stitches Stamp

I recreated Melissa’s central panel and mirrored strips of patterned papers on each side using the new Thankful Paper Stack.

I naturally placed my title where she placed hers and used leaf die cuts from the Autumn Die Cuts on the diagonal where she had wood veneer hearts.

I was not going to skip the stitching details from my inspiration piece and that’s when my brand new Home Sewn Stitches Stamp came in handy! They are perfect when stitching is a bit trickier, like in a notebook, or when you are short on time. I love the variety of stitches and sizes included too!

Admiring the many layers of Melissa’s layout, I added several elements: a journaling tag, label, die-cut banner and paper clip on the top portion of my page. Finally, I purposefully left the opposite page simple, light and clean. I love the resulting contrast between the two sides of this spread.

Thank you for stopping by! Share with us how you have been inspired by our Design Team projects on Instagram using #ellesstudio or in our Facebook Group.

Pocket Talk with Jennie McGarvey

Hello! It’s Jennie McGarvey here today to talk about pocket pages! I personally love these little bite-sized bits of beauty but don’t often create them. Every time I do, though, I wonder why these aren’t regular occurrences since they are so much fun, especially when you’re using the September kit and add-ons  to create them!

Supplies | September 2021 KitAutumn Die Cuts, Autumn Puffy HeartsGold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy Stickers, Thankful Paper Stack, Lizzy Alphabet Stamp

I’m working on my 6 x 8 inch album and knew I wanted to make something visually pleasing, but simple. The easiest way I know how to do this is to create a monochromatic layout. Elle’s Studio products make this idea so very easy!

Now, the pocket tag acts as sort of a title for this layout and I don’t always do that. However, it worked well AND fit the color palette. What more could you ask for? I stamped the title with the Lizzy Alphabet Stamp and scattered three of the Gold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy Stickers on the tag and that is all it took. Simple—yes! But it works and fits perfectly with my layout.

The left side of this layout includes two 4 x 6 inch pockets and I chose one tag from the September Kit and one photo. However, it’s the photo I decided to dress up! Is that really true? Nah, I added a bit of fun to the pocket card, too! I trimmed the photo down just a bit to add a white mat to make the photo pop. One decorative cluster really helped decorate, but keep the focus on the main photo for this layout.

The right side of the layout consists of four 3 x 4 inch pockets and this is my favorite layout. These 3 x 4 inch pockets really make me feel like I have the most freedom, but this really is unique for the creator!

The bottom tags are quite straightforward. Journaling? Check! The photo was trimmed down to a square, mounted with foam adhesive, and accented with a bit of vellum peaking out.  I do love the dimension the hint of vellum offers. My favorite part? The blue Autumn Puffy Heart in the center! I think it’s a truly fun and unique addition.

The top tags are not any more significant than the bottom, however, there is a detail you may have not have noticed at first glance. While the photo tag is very similar to the bottom, done purposefully to promote cohesion, even with the puffy heart detail, the top banner is altered. I added one of the banners from the Autumn Die Cuts to personalize the card a bit further!

How are you at personalizing your pocket pages? What about the tags that are included in the monthly kits? We’d love to see your pocket pages, so please make sure to share them with us in the Elle’s Studio Facebook Group or on Instagram using the hashtag #EllesStudio!

Fall Fashion with Junell Kruzel

Happy fall my friends! It’s Junell on the blog today and even though it’s still hot and humid in Ohio, I was getting all the autumn vibes from the September kit and extras! I wanted to document my love for wearing jeans (because it’s getting cooler out) and flip flops (but it’s still warm enough) at the same time. Let’s jump right in!

Supplies | September 2021 Kit, Banner Stickers, Navy Parker Acetate Alphabet Stickers, Gold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy Stickers, Wood Veneer Banners, Wood Veneer Leaves, Thankful Paper Stack, Home Sewn Stitches Stamp, Lizzy Alphabet Stamp, Banners Metal Die

I really enjoyed creating this layout because I got to play with the papers in the Thankful Paper Stack. This is my favorite part of the process: deciding which papers compliment each other and create the feel and vibe that I’m going for. For this layout I wanted it to feel warm, cozy, and whimsical.

Once I selected the papers I wanted to use, I thought making some banners with the Banners Metal Die would add that whimsy to the page. I used all the straight banner dies in all the sizes to cut out several banners and then I just played with them on the paper until I found a design I liked. I then used my sewing machine to stitch some of the banners for added texture and warmth. Using a stamp from the Home Sewn Stitches Stamp, I created a border around my layout.

I didn’t want my page to look flat, so I added foam dots to the ends of some of the banners to give them some lift and depth.

I was left with a nice focal area in the center of my page to place my pictures. I printed them at 3 x 4 inches and layered them with more patterned paper, but before I attached them, I stamped stitch marks using the Home Sewn Stitches Stamp to add more depth and interest. This stamp set goes so perfectly with my fashion themed layout!

After I adhered my photos, I created my title using the Lizzy Alphabet Stamp and the Navy Parker Acetate Alphabet Stickers and also added my typed journaling strips. My intention was to put all of the journaling at the bottom, but it was very crowded, so I moved the beginning of the journaling up to the top and I like it so much better. It forces your eye to start at the top and move to the bottom. And it nestles so nicely with the title and stitching stamps. 

I finished off my layout by adding all the little embellishments that bring it to life! I just loved the Wood Veneer Leaves, so I added those and some puffy gold dots from the Gold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy Stickers. Then, I used embroidery floss in a hunter green color to make bows on the ends of the Wood veneer banners! So cute! I kept on embellishing using die cuts from the September Kit and stickers from the Banner Stickers. Whoo! That’s a lot! 

This layout was such a joy to make! I hope you enjoy your September kit and all the fun extras that coordinate so well! Let me know what your favorite paper is in the Thankful Paper Stack and how you plan on using it! I can’t wait to see! Thank you for reading and happy fall!

Make it Monday: A 30 Minute Layout with Kim Chaffin

Hello, friends, it’s Kim, and I am so excited to be here with you for Make-It Monday! We are going to use the September Kit and add-ons to create a great autumn layout in 30 minutes or less! Let’s get to it!

Supplies | September 2021 KitSeptember 2021 Cut Files, Banner Stickers, Wood Veneer Banners, Thankful Paper Stack

As I worked, I timed each step to see if I really could pull the page together as quickly as I hoped:


1. (9 minutes) First, I chose a photo and printed it at 12 x 12. While the photo printed, I typed my journaling then printed it onto a pocket tag from the September 2021 Kit

2. (7 minutes) I opened the leaves from the September 2021 Cut Files in Silhouette and cut it from the top left corner of my photo. 

3. (3 minutes) I adhered small pieces of patterned paper from the Thankful Paper Stack on the backside of my photo behind the leaves.

4, (6 minutes) I rounded the bottom corners of the pocket tag and adhered it below the cut-out leaves using pop-dots. I threaded twine through the Wood Veneer Banner and knotted it. Then, I adhered the banner at the top of the pocket tag.

5. (3 minutes) Finally, I placed a Banner Sticker in the top right corner of my photo, centered and adhered one of the cut-out leaves below the banner, and topped the leaf with an “xoxo” die-cut from the September Kit.

With two minutes to spare, I quickly stamped the date onto the bottom right corner of the layout, and the page was complete! I love accomplishing more in less time. I can’t wait to see what you create this autumn using the amazing September kit and extras!

Show us what you can create in 30 minutes or less, following Kim’s steps above! Share with us in our Elle’s Studio Facebook Group, or on Instagram using the hashtag #EllesStudio!

Everyday Autumn Stories in Pockets with Meg Gundlach

Hey scrappy friends! It’s Meg here again to celebrate all things fall and jewel tones. This time of year I’m always ready to get cozy with a book and a warm drink—the weather may not be quite there yet, but I can sure start scrapping like it is and I am all in! 

Supplies | September 2021 Kit, September 2021 Cut Files, September Print and Cut Labels, Hello Autumn Printables, Autumn Die Cuts, Gray Cardstock Basic Shape Stickers, Halloween Cardstock Stickers, Autumn Puffy Hearts, Gold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy Stickers, Thankful Paper Stack, Thankful Stamp, Make A Wish Stamp, Celebrate Summer Stamp, Daily Tabs Stamp, Parker Alphabet Stamp 

Having grown up in the Midwest, I know a real fall when I see one and I was delighted to find that Munich did autumn in style. Even though this particular spread doesn’t have any outdoorsy/colored-leafy pics to indicate the season, this was the album I immediately thought of when unpacking the September kit and add-ons.  

Because this spread only covers four days, I had a lot of extra pockets to fill. The September Kit is bursting with gorgeous tags to solve just such an issue, so I had plenty of options to choose from! The spreads before and after this one are quite full, so I welcomed the chance to let the pockets breathe a little and play with products. This is a friendly reminder that it is ok if sometimes you are a little short on photos. Memorykeeping takes many forms.  

My title tag is probably the simplest thing about this spread and I let the fun leaf from the Autumn Die Cuts do all the heavy lifting. Also, I would love a whole rainbow of tone-on-tone ledgers like this one from the Thankful Paper Stack. I firmly believe that there is no page that cannot accommodate a tone-on-tone ledger. 

I also took the opportunity to play with my stamps and made nearly all the journaling tags in repetitive designs. I started by combining the bold words and little ‘plus sign’ clusters from the Thankful Stamp to make quick and easy headers. I love how Elle’s stamps coordinate from month to month and I simply flipped through until I found similar bold phrases that would work with my stories from the Celebrate Summer and the Make A Wish stamps. As a finishing touch, I went back in with the Daily Tabs Stamp to balance the stamp clusters with a tiny grey phrase. This was a super fun way to get some extra use out of past supplies while still highlighting the shiny new goodies.      

I only had a few Halloween pictures on this page but I gave myself permission to fully embrace the Halloween Cardstock Stickers simply because I love them. This quadrant of the spread is dedicated to all things spooky, while the rest has a more generically autumnal vibe. There are no rules here; use the things you love and get those pockets filled! 

The right side of the spread holds a few, small stories of our last days in Germany. Since most of this time was dedicated to packing, cleaning, and eating all the random food in the cupboard it is a bit of a mish-mash but that’s life sometimes. So thankful that Elle always makes just the right products to get the moments recorded and lookin’ good.  

In my personal style, I feel like I’m constantly seeking a balance between ‘clean & simple’ and ‘use all the pretty things’. To incorporate more without overwhelming the spread, I often turn to monochrome. For these pockets, I cut leaves from the September 2021 Cut Files and layered the same woodgrain from the Thankful Paper Stack underneath. The layers provide just enough texture to add interest while the pop of color from the banners draw the eye to the pocket.  

Another autumn-tastic spread in the books! I adore documenting this time of year and all the traditions and changes that come with it. This spread marks a particularly big moment of change and it was cathartic to finally complete it. I would love to hear what is your favorite season to scrap and why? Leave a comment on this post, and enjoy using the September kit and add-ons!

These Are the Fall Days with Wei Wei Wang

Hi Elle’s friends! It’s Wei Wei here, and I’m happy to be here to share my layout using the September 2021 kit and add-ons! This kit is full of so many beautiful colors and patterns—perfect for documenting fall memories! Let’s take a look!

Supplies | September 2021 KitAutumn Die Cuts, Banner Stickers, Gray Cardstock Basic Shape StickersGray Jane Tile Alphabet Cardstock StickersAutumn Puffy HeartsGold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy Stickers, Wood Veneer Banners, Wood Veneer LeavesThankful Paper StackHome Sewn Stitches Stamp (click “noiify me”), Thankful Stamp, Layered Card Metal Die

I began by making paper frames. First I grabbed two beautiful papers from the Thankful Paper Stack and cut out the frames with Layered Card Metal Die.

Then, I placed my frames across the white page and attached them with adhesive.

I placed my photo in the middle and layered it with the yellow, stitched September 2021 Kit journaling tag. The gorgeous Autumn Die Cuts are my favorite add-on this month. They were perfect for my photo and made it so easy to create a beautiful layout. I creased the autumn leaves. I love the texture and dimension this simple step adds. Then, I arranged clusters of leaves on top and bottom of my photo.

I added the cute Wood Veneer Banners as my subtitle, and embellished further with Autumn Puffy HeartsGold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy Stickers and Gray Cardstock Basic Shape Stickers.

To balance my layout, I added the cluster of leaves onto the upper left and the lower left corner. The cluster of leaves above the upper left corner consisted of Autumn Die Cuts and Wood Veneer Leaves. I also added the little heart circle label and red banner, also from Autumn Die Cuts.

The journaling boxes around the outer frame edges were trimmed from the September Kit “feeling, thinking, embracing” journaling tag, which gave me spaces for my journaling. I stamped phrases from the Thankful Stamp as well.

Then, I added some stitched stamping from the Home Sewn Stitches Stamp on the edges and corners, varying the type of stitch stamps for interest. I also filled in the empty spaces between the frames using the same stamp to get more texture. To finish my layout, I used the Gray Jane Tile Alphabet Cardstock Stickers to build my title “autumn”.

That’s all I have for today. We’d love to see how you use those September kit and add-ons. Join the Elle’s Studio Facebook Group where you can add your projects to the discussion board, or share on Instagram using the hashtag #EllesStudio!

September Design Team Inspiration: Volume Two

Here at Elle’s Studio headquarters, we’re blushing over the response to our September kit and add-ons! If you missed last week’s reveal Design Team Inspiration post, be sure to check it out, but first, take a look at how our team used our latest products to create ten gorgous projects!

Fall Joy by Junell Kruzel – supplies used | September 2021 KitAutumn Die Cuts, Autumn Puffy HeartsGold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy StickersThankful Paper StackThankful Stamp, Lizzy Alphabet Stamp 

Hello Autumn pocket page by Michelle Flynn – supplies used | September 2021 KitAutumn Die Cuts, Banner Stickers, Autumn Puffy Hearts, Gold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy StickersWood Veneer BannersThankful Stamp, Documented StampBanners Metal Die

My Heart is Full by Amanda-jayne Baldwin – supplies used | September 2021 KitBanner Stickers, Wood Veneer Banners, Thankful Paper StackHome Sewn Stitches Stamp

Supplies | September 2021 Kit, September 2021 Print and Cut Labels, Autumn Die CutsGray Jane Tile Alphabet Cardstock Stickers, Autumn Puffy Hearts, Gold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy StickersThankful StampMonthly and Daily Tab Stamp

Friday Night Lights by Jennifer McMurtrey – supplies used | September 2021 KitGray Cardstock Basic Shape Stickers, Gray Jane Tile Alphabet Cardstock Stickers, Gold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy StickersThankful Paper Stack, Home Sewn Stitches Stamp, Banners Metal Die

Anything Is Possible by Nicole Kerr – supplies used | September 2021 KitAutumn Die CutsBanner StickersAutumn Puffy HeartsThankful Paper StackHome Sewn Stitches Stamp

Just Us 4 by Suzanna Lee – supplies used | September 2021 KitSeptember 2021 Cut Files, Hello Autumn PrintablesBanner Stickers, Gray Cardstock Basic Shape StickersAutumn Puffy Hearts, Black Puffy Alphabet Stickers, Burgundy Puffy Alphabet Stickers, Wood Veneer BannersThankful Paper StackHome Sewn Stitches StampThankful Stamp, Large Jane Alphabet Stamp – OutlineBanners Metal Die

Game Day Details by Jennie McGarvey – supplies used | September 2021 Kit, Gold Tiny Shapes and Dots Puffy Stickers, Gray Cardstock Basic Shape StickersThankful Paper Stack

Love This Family by Aimee Mertell – supplies used | Autumn Die Cuts, Wood Veneer BannersThankful Paper StackThankful Stamp, Monthly and Daily Tab Stamp, Mini Dated Stamp

Be sure to stay tuned here to the blog for more September kit and add-ons inspiration, but until then, pin your favorite projects in this post to give you inspiration when your box lands on your doorstep!