I'm honored to be this week's featured artist for Art to the 5th's the Documented Life Project 2015.

This weeks challenge is using ephemera: old maps, letters, tickets and more and the prompt is Life…with a history and it goes along perfectly with what's happening in my life this week...we're at the Lincoln Family Reunion! For those of you that don't know me in real life, my maiden name is Lincoln and I share an ancestor with Abraham Lincoln.

I created THIS VIDEO of the whole process I used to do these art journal pages:

The main steps I did were...

1. Use spray ink and stencils for the background.

2. Create my own Abraham Lincoln stencil using my ScanNCut & used it on my page.

3. Glued down some meaningful ephemera.

4. Journaling

5. Adding finishing touches with Faber-Castell Gelatos® and water soluble crayons.

If you're curious about my previous guest artist post for Art to the 5th check it out HERE.

You can find more info on Art to the 5th at: The Art to the 5th Academy and on Instagram: #documentedlife

Ranger Ink - Dylusions Creative Journal	Brother Sewing ScanNCut Cutting Machine Draw CM250	Brother ScanNCut Standard Mat 12 x 12 inch	C-Thru Blank Stencil Material pack of 3 (9in x 12in)
DecoArt DASK279 Crafter's Acrylics Home Décor Brights Sample Pack	DecoArt DASK278 Crafter's Acrylics Primary Sample Pack	Designing W/Gelatos Colors Kit-	OHTO Fude 1.5mm Ballpoint Pen, Black (CFR-150FB-Black)
Ranger TCW-TIM-29687 Tim Holtz Adirondack Color Wash Dye Spray, Red Pepper, 2-Ounce	Tim Holtz -Set 1 - Blossom, Flourish, Lace, Wildflower & Valentine -	Reeves Water Soluble Wax Pastels, Set of 48	Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Layered Stencil, 4.125 by 8.5-Inch, Stars
Jenni Bowlin Studio - Bingo Place Cards - Whimsy	Metal File Tabs by Tim Holtz Idea-ology

InLinkz.com

disclosure: I am a paid consultant for Brother International Corporation and have received a ScanNCut from Brother to evaluate. However, the opinions expressed are entirely my own and based on my use of the product.

Other sponsors: Deco Arts, Faber Castell...I receive products from both of these companies and the opinions expressed are entirely my own and based on my use of the products.

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy from this link it won't cost you a penny more but I make a little bit of money to keep this site up and running (not enough for a pony).

Going on family vacations is fun, and scrapbooking about those trips is great...well, except when you do it after you're already home and you've forgotten the fun little things that happened each day.

To remedy that, this summer we took some journaling cards, pens, markers, crayons and a date stamp with us camping. And then every evening while we were cooking dinner my niece would journal onto the cards the things we did, funny conversations we had, and draw pictures.  

Once we got back home we had the photos printed out and then just slipped those, the purchased cards and embellishments, and the cards we created on our trip into the scrapbook and we were done! Easy peasy...especially for kids!

The result was her very first scrapbook! Check it out in the video below: 

I've always loved summer time as a kid. The anticipation leading up to it was always such a great feeling. I feel the same way about summer now though too because it means my niece comes out to stay!  I still can't believe how brave she is to fly all by herself!

She just arrived over a week ago and already we have been to her first wedding, and then went on her first family camping trip up to the beautiful Sequoia National Forest.  

The wedding was thoughtful and beautiful, and this 8 yr old girl ate it up. 

Camping was a blast! She had such a great time & I'll share the project life style scrapbook she's making about it once she's finished.

I can't wait to see what else the summer has in store for us.  I'm sure there will be many kids craft projects just like in years past, and fun surprises too.